“Celebrate good times, come on!”

-Kool and the Gang

Congratulations! You just received that promotion you’ve been anticipating. You closed a huge sale, finished that lingering household project or lost the weight you’ve been trying for months to lose. It’s time to celebrate. After all, who could hold back emotion after such an accomplishment? Wouldn’t you immediately pat yourself on the back, phone a friend or rejoice with your family? After all, you deserve it.

Well, be thankful you don’t play college football, for in that venue, showing any sort of emotion is a violation of the rules. Such an outburst costs you fifteen yards of field position and possibly a shot at a national title. It might even grant your opponent a chance they otherwise would not have earned.

Such was the case this Saturday.

This article appears in Sep 30 – Oct 7, 2009.