Taunting shouldn't be a DQ in Track & Field

If anything they should go the other way. If you can finish a mile and stand at the finish line pretending to dig a grave, you should get extra points. Schools should send a small band and a few cheerleaders to help razz the home team fans. Attendance would be way up.

We do NOT agree. American football players wear helmets.

Why don't you go to a T&F meet and start taunting a male or female hammer throw athlete.

Your family at your funeral will have something to say about taunting, T&F.

You are so close to getting the point…

Helmets, which never come off during the play, are never taken off after the play, and are worn at all times by players on the sidelines? And have also, even when on, been proven by multiple scientific studies to be impenetrable armor capable of preventing all damage that can be inflicted by another NFL-sized person (like concussions or, over the long-term, CTE).

And even beyond this, other high school and college sports still don’t overturn on-the-field results on the basis of unsportsmanlike conduct. This whole “track is so different and special” claim that people keep falling back on is wild. Like, if it’s different and special in any way it’s that it can’t resist the opportunity to shoot itself in the foot through mismanagement or catering to the arbitrary whims of old white dudes who are too far along their inevitable march to rigor mortis for the rest of us to care this much what they think.

Trash talk before - Encouraged

Trash talk after - poor sportsmanship, DQ

It’s like running over and kicking an unconscious guy after your friend knocked him out.

Having gotten DQed in State for a teammate taunting, I agree it's annoying, but a lot of the time a relay or person behind will see what you're doing before they cross the finish line, and that impedes their race(in my opinion). I hate when people do that to me in my open events

I realize the OP isn’t encouraging taunting but I like what Mickey Mantle had to say about sportsmanship—“After I hit a home run I ran the bases with my head down. I figured the pitcher already felt bad enough without me showing him up rounding the bases.” Modern day athletes could learn a lesson from the Mick.

I’m not encouraging taunting, but also, this is boring as hell (which is weird, because of the field Mick was anything but…). Modern baseball where guys are allowed to show emotion and not get a 95 MPH+ pill tossed at their noggin is way more fun.

This sounds like a coaching/mental preparation issue. Have you thought about seeing a sports psych? (To be clear, this isn’t intended in any way as an insult; but being able to perform in sub-optimal conditions is part of the sport.)

Naw. Showboating sucks. Detracts from the accomplishment. Clownish. To each their own but if you want “fun” let the pitcher have his chance to “showboat” too by plunking the showboater.

Two things: 1) Showing emotion isn’t the same as showboating. Sure, the line can blur, but a bat flip or stopping and admiring for a second, or turning to your dugout and yelling (or doing the Track & Field equivalent) are all understandable reactions to doing something big in a high-pressure moment (or really, surprisingly big at any moment). 2) I don’t think you’re saying this, but some on his thread are saying (the track equivalent of), if a guy pimps a homer (or crosses some arbitrary line) it shouldn’t count. And that is some wildly stupid (and racially biased) fun police bullsh*t.

Also, plunking isn’t showboating—celebrating a “K” is showboating (or expressing emotion). Plunking someone is premeditated assault.

I agree with the OP here. Taunting sucks, and there should be punishments for it. Is anyone suggesting that this is not true?

The OP is suggesting that the punishment should be forward-looking, not backward-looking. I completely agree. There is something sacred about crossing the finish line. If the race itself was completed in accordance with the rules, that should be that. There is no right to compete, but I believe there is a right to have races count.

Every other reason for a DQ (doping tests, video review for pushing or stepping on the line) is about making sure that the race itself was done according to the rules. This is an ongoing post-race obligation, which I find very different. Can you imagine a DQ for an athlete who skips a post-race press conference? The race is the race is the race. If you taunt, fight, or otherwise disrespect the sport or your competitors, don't expect to keep getting opportunities to race, but going back to invalidate results that were done within the rules in my opinion is not appropriate.

for me the issue with other penalties is that this is mainly an issue for kids and kids aren't good at seeing ahead. if the penalty is a DQ in an event coming up, they will not be as fussed. or they could find something else to do/an alternative event or sport and say FU to track. it makes more sense to do it at the time. it is more effective. although i understand where you are coming from as theoretically it might be better to let the results stand, in practice it may be different.

In football(American soccer), if you get a red card you get ejected and you have to be sidelined next game. Something like you can't compete in your next event, whether that's this meet or the next, would be a good discouragement from taunting. After winning State or sectionals this rule should be put aside, at least at a high school level.

No, I normally perform similar, but it gives me something to blame if I do bad in a race

But it also helps people like CodLawyer

A warning is enough but I wouldn't DQ because the competitive personalities is good for the sport for viewing fans. And gaining attention is all about paying fans. A DQ is what the Texas AM W 4x400 committed during the race against Tennessee anchor leg. Her show of excitement at the end isn't DQ worthy but the shoving she committed during the event is worth DQ.

USC v. UCLA dual meet DQ’ed relays (this is a hotly contested rivalry).

MAYHEM UNFOLDS DURING USC/UCLA TRACK MEET AS SAVAGE TAUNTING, POST-RACE SCUFFLE ENDS WITH BOTH TEAMS DISQUALIFIED
5/2/23

outkick.com

Mayhem Unfolds During Rivalry Track Meet As Taunting, Post-Race Scuffle Ends With Both Teams DQed

@outkick

There is no love lost between USC and UCLA, and Sunday's crosstown rivalry track meet was no exception. Things got chippy in a hurry!

Link:www.outkick.com/usc-ucla-rival-rivary-...

HS athlete Buffington’s celebrating seems different than taunting imo…

runnersworld.com

High School Sprinter Disqualified for “Celebrating” Win

The video shows the runner throwing his hands up in victory and cheering on his teammates.

Link:www.runnersworld.com/news/a42802272/hi...

This well known HS boys relay final had a 15 minute brawl that began with trash talk and ended with at least one cuncussion.

fl.milesplit.com

Two Team Brawl Breaks Out At End Of Florida Regional

Brandon Miles

Brawl between two Florida high school teams ruins finish to a regional track meet in Miami.

Link:fl.milesplit.com/articles/333350/two-t...