Awesome Athlete Celebrations That Wouldn't Be Allowed Today

Many fans often forget that sports is entertainment. They're supposed to be fun to watch and play. Sometimes, the lines are blurred, and sports are taken far too seriously. Don't you hate it when that happens?

Athlete celebrations are a perfect example. Some fans, league officials and members of the media often overreact when a player like the Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton dances after scoring a touchdown.

The rigidness of the baseball community is another example. It still seems to frown upon celebratory acts of self-expression on the diamond. Bat flips or poses at home plate after a home run might draw the ire of opponents and could result in a dirty play as a form of retaliation. 

What is this, the 1960s? Get over yourselves. 

In a time when social media rules and hypersensitivity runs rampant, some of the most awesome athlete celebrations in history wouldn't be allowed on today's landscape.

The next 10 celebrations were pretty sweet, but if they were to happen tomorrow, hefty fines and/or misplaced criticism would follow.

The Fun Bunch High-Five

Bob DAUGHERTY/Associated Press

It's hard to believe that a group high-five is what kick-started the NFL's initiative against "excessive celebrations," but it's true.

During the 1983 NFL season, a group of Washington wide receivers, running backs and tight ends decided to show their solidarity after a touchdown, by completing a choreographed group high-five.

Fans seemed to love it, but their opponents didn't.

The practice continued throughout the 1983 season. However, beginning with the 1984 campaign, Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula and Dallas Cowboys president Tex Schramm spearheaded efforts that resulted in a five-yard penalty against teams with "premeditated or prolonged celebrations," according to the Washington Post's Dan Steinberg.

This was the beginning of the No Fun League.

Chad's Pylon Golf

Warning: Some NSFW language in the video.

Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson was a man of many celebrations. After scoring touchdowns, he did the Riverdance, wore a sombrero and more. The best example of end-zone antics came in 2005.

Johnson had nine TD catches that year, and he probably did some sort of elaborate celebration after every one.

The best had to be when Ochocinco took the end-zone pylon and used it as a putter against the football. It was calm, surprising and pretty hilarious.

Unfortunately, that celebration required the use of a prop, thus it would be illegal in today's NFL. That's ridiculous.

Shawn Kemp Points out the Obvious

The Seattle Supersonics' Shawn Kemp's posterization of the Golden State Warriors' Alton Lister is one of the most blatant and amazing examples of taunting. The dunk itself wasn't taunting, but his actions afterward surely were.

In case you've never seen Kemp's supersonic facial, take a look at the video above, which also offers some insight into the sequence.

Kemp was one of the most athletic big men the NBA has ever seen. He dunked on several guys in his career, but his double-finger point at Lister made this slam the most memorable.

Kemp would receive a technical foul in today's NBA faster than you could say Oklahoma City stole our team. For such a filthy slam, it might be worth the "T."

Tiger Williams' Stick Ride

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Why don't more NHL players have elaborate and choreographed celebrations? Where's the creativity?

Throughout Dave "Tiger" Williams' 14 NHL seasons, his actions after scoring a goal were as big of a show as his play and fights. There were a lot of the latter.

Williams amassed 241 points in his career. He made an All-Star team and actually finished 14th in the voting for the Hart Trophy in 1981. He also led the league in penalty minutes three times, and he holds the record for most penalty minutes in a career with 3,966.

After scoring goals, Williams had a few signature routines. The most entertaining was when he rode his hockey stick across the ice. 

If a player pulled that today, he might not be fined or penalized, but he'd probably be criticized by the media, opponents and perhaps even his own organization.

The Most Electrifying Football Celebration

What is it with guys named Tiger?

Tiger Jones of the Arena Football League's Jacksonville Sharks and his teammates pulled off one of the most eye-popping touchdown celebrations in history. 

WWE fans will easily recognize what the Sharks are reenacting. One of WWE Superstar Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's finishing moves is The People's Elbow. After Jones scored, he and two teammates perfectly executed the maneuver.

The guy who pulled off the pin even hooked the leg. Had this happened in the NFL, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would've had an anxiety attack while reviewing the footage.

MJ Slams on Zo and Yells at Him

If you tried to recount all of the cool things Michael Jordan did in his career, you'd be thinking all day. One rather demonstrative moment sticks out.

In the area of taunting, MJ was usually pretty inconspicuous with his trash talk, but there were exceptions.

While playing against the Charlotte Hornets, Jordan dunked on Alonzo Mourning twice. After the second slam, Jordan unleashed a primal yell at the defensive-minded young big man. This would absolutely draw MJ a taunting foul in today's NBA.

Reggie Miller's Choke Sign

Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers' rivalry with the New York Knicks was one of the NBA's best during the 1990s. One of the most iconic moments during the rivalry took place during the 1994 NBA Playoffs. 

After Miller drained a baseline jump shot, he engaged Academy Award-nominated director and super Knicks fan Spike Lee in a bit of trash talk. Famously, Miller put both hands around his neck to symbolize the choke sign.

It was entirely a basketball-related gesture. It didn't feel violent or threatening. In fact, it added character to the rivalry. Miller didn't receive a technical or a fine back then, but things would go differently if that happened today.

After The Malice in the Palace brawl between the Pacers and Detroit Pistons in 2004, the NBA became more sensitive to player-fan interactions.

In 2016, Miller might not receive a technical, but you can bet he'd hear from the league office about what would be deemed as an inappropriate gesture.

Koy Detmer 'Whuppin Stick'

JOHN G. MABANGLO/Getty Images

Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Koy Detmer had brief, but memorable, runs as a starter for the team in 1999 and 2002. He spent nearly his entire nine-year career with the Eagles but was mostly a holder for kicker David Akers.

In 2002, Detmer stepped in for an injured Donovan McNabb and led the team to a lead over the San Francisco 49ers in a crucial game, before getting injured himself. It was one of only eight games Detmer started in his nine-year career.

Many Eagles fans will always remember Detmer's contributions on special teams and his spotwork under center. Aside from that, he might also be remembered for his hilarious, but borderline NSFW, touchdown celebration that he called "the whuppin' stick."

NFL fans first saw the celebration in 1999 when Detmer filled in for McNabb and second-stringer Doug Pederson. Detmer threw three touchdown passes in a 24-9 win over the New England Patriots late in the season.

He broke out "the whuppin' stick," which consisted of some sort of gyration while making a spanking motion with his right hand.

No way that flies in the Goodell era.

Dahntay Jones Dunks and Does Pushups

It's one thing to dunk on a guy. It's another to do three pushups over his fallen body afterward.

In 2003, former NBA player and Duke Blue Devils star Dahntay Jones slammed in the face of the Virginia Cavaliers' Nick VanderLaan.

The dunk was ferocious, but what made the event more memorable was Jones' mini-workout immediately after the slaughter. It was pure machismo and filled with attitude you don't normally associate with Duke basketball.

Jones deserved a taunting technical foul (which he didn't receive) and a fist bump for organic and brash awesomeness.

Terrell Owens Poses in the Dallas Star

The single greatest celebration in sports history occurred on September 24, 2000 at Cowboys Stadium. Terrell Owens, then of the San Francisco 49ers, caught his first of two touchdown receptions and immediately ran to the Dallas Cowboys' star at midfield.

He stood in the center of the logo, spread his arms and looked up at the sky. It was perhaps the most audaciously awesome act an athlete has ever done on the field of play. You can see the full story in the video above.

Naturally, Owens' bravado fired up the Cowboys. Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith would score a TD later in the game, and he'd run to the star in a gesture that seemed to imply he was reclaiming the spot.

By this time, there was so much testosterone in the air, no one was thinking clearly.

Owens would score again late in the game. His final touchdown gave the Niners a 41-17 lead. Owens headed back to the star for an encore, but Cowboys defensive back George Teague would tackle him mid-celebration.

The Fox announcers vilified Owens for his second trip to the star and seemed to applaud Teague. Since when is it OK to attempt to physically harm a guy because he teased you? 

It's a star, people. It's not a religious symbol or family memento. 

Needless to say, Owens' pose in the star would get him flagged for taunting these days. As a matter of fact, his second pose did draw a penalty 16 years ago, but the first one didn't. What was the difference?

At any rate, we'll probably never see anything quite like that again.