Early in the Carolina Panthers' game against the Atlanta Falcons, Cam Newton dove to convert a 3rd-and-short, taking a shot to the back of the head in the process. He responded by popping up signaling "first down" in the immediate presence of the Atlanta Falcon who laid the hit:Newton got flagged for taunting, a 15-yard penalty that carries with it the possibility of ejection for a second offense. In soccer terms, he's been yellow carded in the first five minutes.Signalling "first down" after a big play, as Cam and many others have done for years, is not unsportsmanlike. Spinning the ball in the end zone, as Allen Robinson did after absorbing a helmet-to-helmet shot in the early game, is not unsportsmanlike.Yet the NFL has deemed any basic recognition that a football player has done a good thing and is happy about it verboten, backed up by major penalties. It's ridiculous: At its core, the NFL is entertainment, and we pay to see these guys be entertaining.We sure as heck don't pay to watch refs throw flags, derail drives and mumble about sportsmanship.Sure, there's an argument to be made that throat-slash movements, prolonged verbal abuse or standing over a fallen opponent and screaming at him are over the line—but don't slap Newton with a 15-yard penalty just for acknowledging the fact that he crossed the yellow first-down line.