Soccer Player's Dog-Themed Celebration Earns Him a Fine

The goal itself was fairly routine, and you can watch it unfold via Yahoo Sports. The celebration afterward was anything but. When Preston Judd scored for soccer's San Jose Earthquakes, he ran to the corner flag, got down on all fours, and imitated a dog peeing on the flag, reports USA Today. (You can watch it here.) The move earned him an undisclosed fine from the MLS for an "inappropriate gesture." Judd, however, says he didn't mean to be crude. Instead, he was paying homage to his dog, Poppy, a 3-year-old Sheepadoodle who had just survived a rare, life-threatening intestinal condition.

Days before Saturday's match, Judd had launched a GoFundMe to help cover the costs, writing that not all pro athletes are "millionaires" and that an emergency like this can be financially crushing. The campaign is close to its $13,000 target, and Judd is using the attention to start a nonprofit, Poppy's Promise, aimed at helping pet owners facing steep medical costs for their animals.