Q: Is there still a rule in college football against players celebrating after making a good play? It seems it’s just like in the pros now. Everybody is always jumping around. Is that still a rule?
—Walter Hyde, Winston
A: Excessive celebration is penalized in college football, but often is at the discretion of the game's officials. The "2013 and 2014 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations" outlines specific violations. Section 2, Article 1 states that "any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or themselves)" can be penalized. Those include a player bowing at the waist, removing his helmet, going into the stands to interact with fans and "obviously altering stride as he approaches the opponent's goal line or diving into the end zone."
It also states: “After a score or any other play, the player in possession immediately must return the ball to an official or leave it near the dead-ball spot.” A player can’t kick, throw, spin, spike or carry the ball “any distance that requires an official to retrieve it.”
Q: In the early 1950s, Boeing of Wichita was building a new military aircraft. What was the name of the aircraft and its call numbers?
—Frank Burnette, Decatur
A: Boeing's plant in Wichita, Kan., produced the B-47 Stratojet and the B-52 Stratofortress bombers in the 1950s. Boeing's Wichita plant opened in 1927 and closed last year. It employed 40,000 during World War II and the city was known as the Air Capital of the World.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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