ST. LOUIS -- The Bob 'N Weave during Sunday's game against
the Minnesota Vikings was an expensive celebration dance for eight
St. Louis Rams players, fined a total of $90,000 by the NFL on
Thursday.
|  | | The St. Louis Rams do the Bob 'N Weave after Marshall Faulk, right, scored the second of four touchdowns Sunday. |
Wide receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, both repeat offenders
this season, were fined $20,000 for violating the rule against
"prolonged, excessive or premeditated demonstrations." Tight end
Roland Williams, also a repeat offender, was fined $15,000.
Running back Marshall Faulk and tight end Ernie Conwell were
fined $10,000, and offensive guard Tom Nutten and running backs
Justin Watson and James Hodgins were fined $5,000.
"I tripped out on the number they threw out at us," said Holt,
who invented the touchdown celebration dance last year during the
Rams' drive to the Super Bowl championship. "I may make a call to
try to get the number down, but if not, I'll take care of the fine
and we'll move on."
In letters to players notifying them of the fines, the NFL said
it was the third offense for some of the players. Five players,
including Bruce and Holt, were fined $5,000 after the Sept. 17 game
at San Francisco, and the league said there was some bobbing and
weaving after the Sept. 4 opener against Denver.
Quarterback Kurt Warner plans to pick up the tab, although he'll
have to circumvent league rules to do it. Fines are deducted from
players' paychecks.
"They tell me I can't technically pay fines for other players,
that nobody can pay fines for other players," Warner said. "We'll
see what we can do for league purposes.
"We don't want to step on any more toes. They might fine me for
that, too."
Bruce said the fines were "pretty stiff" and planned to
appeal. But he didn't see it as a great deterrent against the Rams
trying the dance again.
"Their standpoint is, they may not stop us, but at least we'll
think about it," Bruce said. "Some guys may think about it."
Holt said he would not appeal.
Warner did not participate in the "Bob 'N Weave" after the
Rams' first two touchdowns in Sunday's 40-29 win over the Vikings.
He said the fine might have been high because of a perception that
the Rams had a vendetta against Vikings coach Dennis Green, who is
co-chairman of the NFL competition committee and pushed for the ban
on celebrations.
Warner said that had nothing to do with the Rams' decision to
bring back the "Bob 'N Weave."
"I wonder if the league threw out those fines feeling that
there was something else behind this other than a team going out
and trying to have fun and trying to get back the emotion we had
last year," Warner said.
August Busch IV of Anheuser Busch said the brewing giant planned
to match the $90,000 with a gift to charity. Busch had offered to
pick up the tab, but was discouraged by the NFL.
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VIDEO
  Kurt Warner is disappointed that he cannot pay his teammate's excessive celebration fines. wav: 293 kRealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 St. Louis DB Dre Bly on Kurt Warner's decision to pay for the Rams' fines for excessive celebration. wav: 558 kRealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 |
