2 terrible misconceptions (corrected here):

1. It was a correct call. No-brainer, actually. Anyone who says otherwise either doesn't know the rule or is delusional.

2. It isn't a bad rule. Even if it isn't, per se, unsporting to toss the ball in the air -- i.e. even if it doesn't rise to the level of taunting -- it still delays the game. And it fits into the USC rule since this governs players' behavior.

The rule has nothing to do with taunting; it is simply an unsportsmanlike act as defined by the rules. This is no different than the NF saying that pulling your jersey out of your pants is an unsportsmanlike act in the rules of basketball. Rules committees have the right and often do govern behavior of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. And if in basketball the NF said that bouncing the ball in the air was an unsportsmanlike act, and then we would have little choice in these kinds of decisions. Right now that issue in basketball is only a personal consideration it is not a specific violation of the rules.

Peace

I agree it has nothing to do with taunting. My point was that many (if not everyone) complaining about the rule have made the assumption it falls under other USC acts like taunting (and related) fouls. I was correcting that misconception.

I was not responding just to you. This discussion here and other places have surrounded the issue of taunting and excessive celebration, when the rule does not even use that language. And people that feel the call was incorrect focus on that aspect of the call that is not even in the rule. That is all. ;)

Peace