rams, leading to numerous blowouts. How the coaches handle those blo

In a video sent to teams this week, NFL senior vice president of officiating Dean Blandino said the uptick in taunting and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties this season was meant to strengthen the example that the league sets for lower levels of football.The bottom line is that theres many, many kids out there that are NFL fans that are playing football, Blandino said in the video, and they see our athletes and they mimic what they do. We wouldnt want some of these things out on the youth football field. We have a high standard in the NFL, and were going to maintain that standard.Through the first four weeks of the season, taunting penalties increased by 220 percent compared to the same period in 2015. All unsportsmanlike conduct penalties are up 55.6 percent, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said this week that he hoped to gain clarity from the league so that star receiver Antonio Brown could avoid penalties after being flagged (and fined) twice this season for sexually suggestive touchdown celebrations.The video was part of a weekly video series the league produces for teams. The taunting/unsportsmanlike conduct content was identical to the video the league distributes to the public on Friday afternoons, a league spokesman confirmed.Blandino, who says in the video that sportsmanship and player safety are really the two top priorities in the game today, ran through a series of examples to explain what would and will would be penalized. He says the league is not trying to legislate emotion out of the game but wants to eliminate:Anything directed at an opponentAnything that mimics a violent act ... or weaponryCelebrations that are sexually suggestiveChoreographed celebrations that include more than one teammate, use the ball as a prop or include the player going to the ground.If we let this go, Blandino says in the video, it will continue to build and certain players will continue to try to outdo each other. Then it leads to other things. Then it leads to confrontations. It leads to stomping on logos; it leads to players hitting players for stomping on logos. So weve just got to continue to maintain the standard of sportsmanship and the professionalism that the NFL stands for.Legal celebrations, Blandino says, include:Spiking (as long as it is not directed at an opponent)Bowing to the crowdSaluting to the groundHugsFinally, Blandino says: This may seem crazy, but you can just hand the ball to the official. Thats fine, too. Cheap Rockies Jerseys . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Wholesale Rockies Jerseys . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. http://www.cheaprockiesjerseyschina.com/ . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. Discount Rockies Jerseys . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. Youth Rockies Jerseys . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Thursday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by about 3 p.m. All times EDT:- DENVER -- Von Miller faces Cam Newton again in the 2016 NFL opener as the Denver Broncos host the Carolina Panthers, whom they beat 24-10 in the Super Bowl seven months ago. Kickoff is 8:30 p.m.- Ryan Lochte is banned from swimming through next June and will forfeit $100,000 in bonus money that went with his gold medal at the Olympics, part of the penalty for his drunken encounter at a gas station in Brazil during last months games.- NEW YORK -- A year after her Grand Slam bid ended in the U.S. Open semifinals, Serena Williams is back at that stage, pursuing a record 23rd major title. She faces Karolina Pliskova, while No. 2 Angelique Kerber meets two-time runner-up Caroline Wozniacki in the second womens semifinal.- NEW YORK -- Having flopped with the New York Jets, Tim Tebow will try to resurrect his career as an outfielder with the New York Mets.- ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Khalil Mack followed a solid rookie season with a historic second campaign for the Raiders. Now he sees even more room for growth after getting 15 sacks and becoming the first player to be a first-team All Pro at two positions in 2015.- CARMEL, Ind. -- Rory McIlroy goes after a second straight FedEx Cup victory when the BMW Championship begins at Crooked SStick.dddddddddddd- CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Formula One is getting a new owner, one based in the U.S., no less. The change at the top should mean that Liberty Media will take a new approach toward bringing the racing league into the North American market.- TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The answer to the second-biggest question facing Alabamas backfield on opening week: Damien Harris. While most of the focus was on the top-ranked Crimson Tides quarterback competition, Harris grabbed the early edge in the battle of former five-star tailbacks vying to replace Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry.- PHOENIX -- The early portion of the college football season is filled with games between elite teams and lower-tier programs, leading to numerous blowouts. How the coaches handle those blowouts can vary greatly.- SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Shaquille ONeal, Allen Iverson and Yao Ming head the class of inductees introduced for the Basketball Hall of Fame.- BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Manny Pacquiao is determined to fight on, even without Floyd Mayweather or HBO. 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