THE GOALS AND THE BEAUTIFUL

THE GOALS AND THE BEAUTIFUL

When it comes to goal celebrations, soccer players know they would be wise to follow the unwritten rules. Just like in baseball, where a hitter who shows up a pitcher after a home run might be asking for some chin music, there are similar no-nos in soccer. "If you celebrate too much, then the other team gets pissed and they're going to come after you, so you have to have that in mind,. "When I was a kid we used to mess around like golf to the flag--someone would pull the flag and act like the ball went in. The other team would be livid. However, soccer players are no slouches in the showmanship department, and they do find ways to channel their inner Chad Ochocinco without showing up their opponents. A celebration's degree of difficulty varies, often depending on the game context. "I think anytime somebody celebrates a goal you can see the passion come out in them. It's fun when you see the unique ones. When you see something done the first time, it's like 'Oh, that's hilarious!' I think everybody gets to express themselves in different ways. I for one enjoy it."