Former Detroit Lions great Barry Sanders used to find the closest referee and hand him the football after he scored a touchdown. Lots of traditionalists loved him for it.
“Act like you’ve been there before,” was the cliché.
Yeah, well, good for Sanders.
He was so electric on the field he didn’t need to dance in the end zone or spike the football. Besides, his anti-celebration was its own kind of statement. And isn’t that the point, anyway?
Some players speak by saying nothing. Some speak by high-stepping down the sideline, as Deion Sanders used to do after he’d made an interception and gotten by the offensive players chasing him.