I guess excessive is in the eye of the beholder. I’m not advocating taunting, which is disrespectful, and I don’t believe bat flips or admiring a HR qualifies as such.
Those actions don’t disrespect your opponent at all, in my opinion. It’s a personal celebration. It’s not directed at anybody.
There’s nothing malicious about a bat flip or admiring a HR. If someone is offended by those actions, yeah, I think that’s pretty damn soft. I don’t think the actions I mentioned are any different than a fist pump or a team-wide celebration at home plate following a HR. They’re joyful celebrations for an individual/team and aren’t directed toward the opponent.
I’ve just always been of the mindset of if I get beat, and I’m upset about it, I should work to do better next time. Yeah, seeing someone bat flip after hitting a piss missile off me would be upsetting, but not because I’d feel disrespected, but because I’d be disappointed that I allowed it to happen. Resorting to violence (throwing at someone) in those moments of frustration is just a sign of immaturity, in my opinion.
To clarify my perspective a little further, I work with kids for a living, both academically and athletically. Helping those kids deal with adversity is a large part of my job. I'm a big believer in the E+R=O concept from the book, Above the Line. We can't always control the events that happen around us, but we can control how we respond to them, which will help dictate more positive outcomes for all. I'm a very positive and enthusiastic person, who loves to encourage others and celebrate successes.
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