text: IRT "Kneeling displays reverence, not insult"
  Yep. Christians especially get this.  Moses held his fist up to God, not as insult but instead, reverence.  It's just that he had a staff in his fist.  And today, fist shaking at others is display of reverent mutual celebration, not insult.  To fist with one extended finger, other than the thumb, would be an insult.  So, perhaps here it is appropriate that the players kneel on BOTH knees, even though your bishop is performing Mass at your church on just his one knee.  Whereas, on the gridiron, to keep one leg up may be like extending a single finger?