Sayonara, sack celebrations

IOWA CITY - Right up front here, Louis Trinca-Pasat didn't get in trouble. The way he looks at it now, he got away with one and provided his teammates with a 'teaching moment.”

The senior defensive tackle gave a wry grin Tuesday talking about the sack celebration he spontaneously burst into in the first half of Iowa's victory at Purdue two weeks ago. Trinca-Pasat sacked Boilermakers quarterback Danny Etling, stood up behind the line of scrimmage and bowed while pounding one fist into an open hand.

It was sort of a 'Karate Kid” move. Yada, yada, yada, Trinca-Pasat's teammates loved it.

'I had no idea he did that until I was reading something after the game, it was ‘Iowa player does the ‘Karate Kid,'” senior safety John Lowdermilk said. 'It was too funny. I did not expect it from him.”

Flash forward to last Thursday night. Oregon outside linebacker Tony Washington sacked Arizona quarterback Anu Solomon on third-and-goal for a 9-yard loss. Following the play Washington bowed and was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty. It gave the Wildcats a first down. They eventually scored and held on for a 31-24 victory over the No. 2 Ducks. The then-No. 2 Ducks.

After the sack, Washington ran away from the quarterback, put both hands together and made a bowing gesture. It was exactly the same move Trinca-Pasat performed at Purdue.

Trinca-Pasat wasn't flagged and lived happily ever after. When the Hawkeyes met Sunday, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz showed the team Washington's move and the subsequent consequences. It wasn't a scolding, but more of a 'hey, don't do that again ever.”

'I didn't see the game, but coach Ferentz did show us a teaching moment,” Trinca-Pasat said. 'He actually showed that during a team meeting. [He said] No celebrating, celebrate with your teammates. Personally ...”

What got into you, Louie?

'I don't know,” he said laughing. 'I think it was some sort of greeting, I don't know. It probably won't happen again.”

The big difference was Trinca-Pasat did his bow immediately after the play and just a few feet from where he made the sack. Washington ran toward midfield and an open space before he stopped and made a bow toward the Ducks' sideline.

Regardless, the message from the Iowa staff was clear, even though everyone was still laughing about Trinca-Pasat's spontaneity.

'I loved it, I loved it, I loved it,” senior defensive tackle Carl Davis said. 'That's something you don't normally get out of Louis. You don't see that personality come out. I know he can be a fun guy. Most of the time, he's serious and going hard. I thought that was well-deserved the way he was chasing down that quarterback. I didn't think that was a proper celebration you should be able to do.”

Alas, deserve has nothing to do with it when it comes to officiating. And, believe it or not, this specific act is actually in the NCAA Rule Book. It falls under Rule 9 (conduct of players), Section 2 and the letter (h): 'Going into the stands to interact with spectators, or bowing at the waist after a good play.” It says that and prohibits 10 other bullet points including 'Any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or themselves).”

Davis pleaded to give defensive linemen a break. Sacks are hard to come by, he said.

'They're so rare,” he said. 'Now, I think if I get a sack, I just have to go back to the huddle. If you get one, you should be able to celebrate, but hey, I don't make the rules.”

No, Davis doesn't, and welcome to communist Russia, apparently. OK, there is a code here.

'You have to act like you've been there before,” junior safety Jordan Lomax said. 'You have to remember that Iowa football is different from other teams around the country. We're tough, physical and we play with class.”

Thou also must refrain from 'Inciting an opponent or spectators in any other way, such as simulating the firing of a weapon or placing a hand by the ear to request recognition.” That's letter (c) in this section. The more you know. There is a test on this every week and it's pass-fail for the athletes.

'Coach [Ferentz] showed the clip from Oregon,” senior wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley said. 'He's really good at showing us examples of what not to do so we don't make those mistakes.”

If we lived in a world free from celebration penalties, what would these guys do?

'Man, I've got some stuff in my bag,” Davis said with a laugh. 'I've got a couple dances.”

Defensive end Drew Ott said he'd try a back flip. Lowdermilk said he would dunk on the goal post. He said he might dunk on the goal post.

'Unless I'm really tired, I wouldn't want to get stuffed,” he said.

Lomax's celebration you're going to have to look up on the internet. Unless you know what the 'Shmoney Dance” is. You might.

'I might try a dance called the ‘Shmoney Dance.' It started on the east coast,” he said. 'It's a nice dance.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com