High Schools

By Dallas Cassel

October 21, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this

I honestly think its a dumb rule. I go to Bradford and i know we got beat bad by miami East ,But who cares, we can suck it up. After that game our other games have been much better and closer scores. NO MERCY RULE. That was a learning experince.

By Jack Straw

October 16, 2008 5:27 PM | Link to this

I think there should be a “mercy rule” on idiotic journalism. The DDN is definitely a repeat offender.

By mark

October 16, 2008 2:33 PM | Link to this

I COACHED IN FLORIDA AND WE HAD 200 KIDS ON THE TEAM WE ONLY DRESSED 90 AND THE THRID AND FOURTH STRING GOT PLENTY OF PLAYING TIME. WE COULDN’T TELL THOSE KIDS NOT TO SCORE. THEY GOT THE CRAP BEAT OUT OF THEM ON A DAILY BASIS AND THEY WERE READY TO HAND SOME OF THE SAME OUT WE CALLED SIMPLE DIVES AND COULD NOT KEEP FROM SCORING. THE ONLY WAY WE COULD HAVE KEPT FROM BEATING SOME OF THE TEAMS WE PLAYED IS TO SUIT UP THE FRESHMAN TEAM AND THEN IT WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN A BATTLE

By MIKE

October 16, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this

I grew up in Carlisle, and now live in SW Florida. Here in Florida, they have a mercy rule of a running clock anytime a team is ahead by 31 points. It still will not stop teams from running up the score. Last week, Estero HS (our local HS) just lost a game 91-0 against Naples HS even with the running clock. It should be handled by the coaches. I don’t think the kids or the team should stop playing 100%, but the play calling by the coaches should become alittle more concervative.

By jh

October 16, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this

I enjoy High School “competitive” sports. There is nothing “competitive” about a team getting beat by 7, 8, or 9 touchdowns. Games should be stopped. Kind of like boxing… if someone can’t defend themselves, the ref stops the fight. I suppose some of you think that stopping boxing, MMA, etc… is wrong too- Getting beat 96 - 0 clearly shows no defense whatsoever. Teaching kids to “survive” in this society has nothing to do with humiliating others or taking advantage of those weaker…

By Coach cont...

October 16, 2008 4:32 AM | Link to this

everyone would make the team and there would be equal playing time…that’s rec league!

By Coach

October 16, 2008 4:26 AM | Link to this

As a coach you have mixed feelings…yes you’d like to be the dominating team, but yet if you’re on the other end you’d want it to be over so let the clock run! But in reality our kids today need to learn disappointment…getting cut, sitting the bench, and yes getting your butts beat! We did it as kids and survived, we have sheltered our kids at young ages from learning to deal with disappointments and now everyone expects to make the team and equal playing time. If that were the case…

By Kinder world

October 16, 2008 1:24 AM | Link to this

I guess we shouldnt keep score at all and at the end of the games the teams should have snacks together. I played on a team that got blown out and I turned out ok. Theres more important this to worry about then a high school score.

By NO MERCY BEAT THEM DOWN

October 15, 2008 11:10 PM | Link to this

There shouldn’t be a “mercy rule” if a team is good a team is good and the same goes if a team is bad. Just last week I was reading online where two teams played in Florida with the final score of 91-0. At halftime it was 70-0. The coach of the winning team got nasty messages from both parents from both sides. His own for not letting their kids stay in the whole game to pad their stats and the opposing team parents for running up the score. Whats a coach to do?

By jimi

October 15, 2008 11:00 PM | Link to this

jackson is a fine writer and he is making a decent enough point. the personal and political attacks on him were predictable and uncalled for. we have some issues to resolve as a society and i expect that they will be settled SOON. in he meantime, y’all—clean up your act.

By Viking

October 15, 2008 10:43 PM | Link to this

I just so happen to be on the Miami East team of that and a mercy rule is far from what anyone needs. During the game we switched to our JV team and beyond to have bradford continue to play and gain experience whilst we did. Did they at all complain or anything? No. It sheerly was there to help them as well as us both progress and make ourselves better, in essence it was much greater of help than any practice or week of practice could do, after all, it was a game. Period.

By beebop

October 15, 2008 10:28 PM | Link to this

This mercy rule is completely ridiculous. Kids need to learn there will always be some one better, faster, stronger, smarter than them. It’s a fact of life. Parents these days need to stop babying their children so much and holding their hand throughout every single stage of life or the future of America is going to be pretty bleak.

By Mariaaa!!!

October 15, 2008 10:24 PM | Link to this

There is already “mercy” in sports. It’s called “Divisions”. If a coach or school administrator is worried about the psychology of their team/school continually having their noses rubbed in it, then they are not addressing the issue of morale and self esteem within the walls of their school. If they perceive a problem with their students, then deal with that problem. Remind the students that, while things are tough this year, next year may be 180 degrees the other way. Work to make it happen!

By Ronald Taylor

October 15, 2008 9:06 PM | Link to this

My feeling is “If you are in my division, or league, or whatever, be ready to take what is handed out.” My daughter is 7 and her soccer team has dealt with this very thing. They have been beaten badly and kept going. They had one team start playing with the ball around the goal box and not scoring. I would rather her learn defeat with pride in her play than to have someone stop playing and you still can’t do anything about the loss. If they win great, if not, oh well! Try again next week.

By Ronald Taylor

October 15, 2008 9:04 PM | Link to this

My feeling is “If you are in my division, or league, or whatever, be ready to take what is handed out.” My daughter is 7 and her soccer team has dealt with this very thing. They have been beaten badley and kept going. They had one team start playing with the ball around the goal box and not scoring. I would rather her learn defeat with pride in her play than to have someone stop playing and you still can’t do anything about the loss. If they win great, if not, oh well! Try again next week.

By tom

October 15, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this

Mercy rules are just another way to turn out completely average kids, that can;t accept defeat, and don’t know how to win with class.

Don’t mess with the clock. You are talking about high school Educators as coaches. Hold them accountable for teaching the kids about diginity, respect, and yes occassionally in all walks of life you are going to run into someone smarter or better that is going to “hand you your lunch” so you might as well learn how to deal with it too.

By Joe

October 15, 2008 8:29 PM | Link to this

It’s ridiculous. The 2nd and 3rd teamers deserve their chance at playing hard and scoring also. You can’t just tell a player to not score when he clearly has an opportunity to. I am associated with the Arcanum program that was embarassed week one by Carlisle. They have responded well to the adversity and now sits at a solid 5-3. Some may blame it on a weak conference but most kids and most teams would have quit after a loss like that. The kids have become stronger people because of it.

By Mike

October 15, 2008 8:11 PM | Link to this

Last week here in Daytona Beach we played a team called Lake Howell during our homecoming…the score was basically 40 to nothing at halftime…during the second half they ran the clock continuously and we ended up beating them 47 to 0…personally I just don’t believe in raking someone over the coals just because you can….as a coach that’s bush league in my opinion…of course your 4th string guys want to play hard..but as a coach..you call the plays…

By Johnny

October 15, 2008 8:07 PM | Link to this

Terrible idea! You can’t mess with the clock in a game like football… not when time management is so important. There’s a reason certain types of plays affect the clock differently in this sport. If you take that away, it’s not football anymore. Clock manipulation is a vital part of the game. A huge loss can actually be good for kids to experience occasionally. However, if they continually get beat down, maybe it’s time for them to take up another sport. Dont change the game for them though.

By Sheila

October 15, 2008 7:23 PM | Link to this

I disagree with a “mercy” rule in football games. In a state game in the 90’s, the halftime score was 35-3 Team A winning. the final score of that game was 61-58 with a Team B win. If there had been a “mercy” rule in that game, Team B probably would not have had the chance to come back and win. For the record, I graduated from the Team A school back in the 80’s. I believe that a football game should go for the time allotted with no adjustments to how the time is kept.

By Dave D

October 15, 2008 6:52 PM | Link to this

I think the best thing would be to let the clock run or shorten the length of the 4th quarter. If nothing else, it’s a chance for younger players who practice long hours to get into the game. Schools have long memories when it comes to lopsided games. I know this example is a college, but Nebraska was famous (infamous?) for running up the score. These days, Nebraska has been on the short end of some those scores. That doesn’t bother me a bit.

By boxter

October 15, 2008 6:01 PM | Link to this

Ron Jackson never played a sport so he doesn’t know how hard people practice all week so they can play on Friday. Play the damn game and what happens happens. I played on some terrible teams as a 10th grader and all it did was make us work harder and we made the playoffs our senior year. we got beat in the first round, so maybe they should nake the playoffs a 2 loss system because my feelings were hurt and I think it has affected my adult life.

By boxter

October 15, 2008 5:56 PM | Link to this

Ron Jackson is a wus. Grow a pair Ronny boy. Tell the losing kids to get better. Is a team supposed to lay down just because their opponent sucks? Work hard & practice all week and noy get to play at least 1/2 of the game is absurb. Take your beating or get better. What’s next, running clocks and telling your opponenet what you are going to run? Ron Jackson is an idiot.

By CAT

October 15, 2008 4:57 PM | Link to this

So what are we supposed to teach our kids, son if you are beating someone badly just take it easy and be “fair”. That is stupid and wrong. What are coaches supposed to do when they’re JV is beating another teams varsity becasue most of the time the starters our out by the half? Maybe teams keeping doing little things right and can’t be stopped, not running up the score. For the team that gets their tails kicked they should consider their circumstances or even a new coach.

By Nobama

October 15, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this

You gotta be kidding me? When are we going to stop pampering these kids and turn them loose in a world that is evil, unfair and dangerous? I was never on a team that got smacked like that but I was on a team that gave a beat-down like that and it’s not fun for anyone. But let the kids play! So what? They got hammered? Worst thing that ever happened to this country was when they let Dr. Spock release that book full of lies. Now we have a generation that is soft, selfish and extremely liberal

By citizen

October 15, 2008 4:06 PM | Link to this

This is just like Obama Politics, we have to be fair to every one!!! We weren’t founded on “fair”. Ask my kids about fair and they will tell you, “Life is not fair”, something they learned early on in life. We learn best from the school of hard knocks, not from the socialst give me everything so I don’t have to work for it. If Obama wins they will probably do away with teams winning or losing.

By Todd

October 15, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this

There used to be a day where blowouts were rare. A lot of factors in a community influence the quality of a program.

Most programs where the coach and the team has class, they will put in the younger players to gain experience and the score will remain static.

I would suggest that a school consider dropping football altogether if they are routinely getting blown out. Some schools have switched to soccer only. It’s in poor taste to run up the score in soccer and rarely occurs.

By mankind

October 15, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this

I like the idea of keeping the clock running, But who are these coaches not putting in substitutes earlier? If the second and 3 rd team dominate as well- that can’t be helped. Those kids have a right to succeed also.

By Chris

October 15, 2008 3:24 PM | Link to this

Waaaaah! A mercy rule, get real. Next on the agenda list will be a rule where there are no winners and no losers. The fact that this is even being considered or discussed is sign of the decline of America.

By LizardKingLives

October 15, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this

No matter what you do there will always be times when one team dominates another. Speeding the clock up is probably a good idea, as a parent I would rather the game end sooner anyway I have better things to do than see my kid get crushed. If they are winning then I still have better things to do then see a HS team get murdered out on the field by another team. I think another good idea would be to force the winning team to substitute their 2nd & 3rd teamers into the game.

By jh

October 15, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this

In Ohio: Beechcroft (Div 2: Reg 7) beat Centennial (Div 2:Reg 7] 96-0 last friday - Maybe we should ask the Beechcroft coach what he was thinking… Blowout games should be stopped or forfeited - it’s just wrong to treat any team, coach, or players like that

By Chatmandew

October 15, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this

Mercy me they are trying to make us all a bunch of p***y cats. That’s what you get when we try to make life fair. Life ain’t fair but that doesn’t mean that you quit. Make lemonade when life gives you lemons. It’s just a shame that we have become a generation of quitters. Instead, when you fail, you should get up and try again.

By Davey Carrol

October 15, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this

You Guys Are LAME!!!!!!

By Davy Carrol

October 15, 2008 2:36 PM | Link to this

You guys are lame!!!

By Wes

October 15, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this

This is what is wrong with our kids today. We baby them way too much! How are they going to learn the values of life by cutting them short of learning experiences. Yes, getting your butt kicked is a learning experience. It teaches you how to bounce back from life’s hardships and move on. I do agree that there needs to be sportsmanship. Coaches should not run up the score and the second team should be in running the ball up the middle everytime when the score is out of hand.

By bernieB

October 15, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this

Excuse me Mike, but just last week Naples Florida High School beat Estero 91-0. Are coaches egotistical in Florida afterall, or is it just hard to ask a kid not to play the best he can, especially if he isn’t a starter. These kinds of things happen in all sports, including soccer. Keeping the clock running in football may be a solution when games are blowouts, but most coaches I know don’t go out of the way to embarrass their opponents. In fact, the ones I know do the opposite.

By Mike

October 15, 2008 12:33 PM | Link to this

Why would you want to score 80 points on someone in a football game? That is bush league and shows that those coaches are too egotistical. I live in Daytona Beach Florida but I grew up in Dayton..I also coach football here in Florida…you NEVER see scores like that. Our team is one of the best in the state of Florida and we have went to the state playoffs 14 years in a row..we don’t do that! We have an unspoken rule that when we get over 40 points on someone we shut it down…period..

By 12penguins

October 15, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this

First of all, i think the comments about the enitre school being demeaned by losing big is Bunk. I have three high school students.. and generally they could not care less if they win or lose. Secondly,why would it be more embarassing to a team to be beaten by a large score than to be beaten under the mercy rule?The mercy rule in baseball has nothing to do with a potential final score and everything to do with the fact that HS baseball is played in the afternoon when daylight is limited.

By oh pity me

October 15, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this

oh we were beat. oh we can’ compete. will the grown ups please step in and protect my poor little pschy. lets do the same in the real world. im getting c’s and d’s so make the smarter kids give me a couple of their a’s and b’s and i will give them a couple of c’s. sports are not fair, neither is life. get used to it.

By Blah

October 15, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this

What a joke. Why don’t we just make it like little league, and give everyone a trophy for just trying. If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

By Bob

October 15, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this

Sure make it so my son doesnt get yelled at. His sport has the proper rules in place to guarantee no traumatic stress after high school. Make sure everybody gets a trophy or letter for “participation”. Let’s change it to no contact and above all lets change the name to Powder Puff Football. Another bleeding heart change for an institution that hasd been in place for over 100 years and produced many U.S. Presidents and Congressman. If you cant field a competitve team for years get out !!!

By Bob

October 15, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this

Sure make it so my son doesnt get yelled at. His sport has the proper rules in place to guarantee no traumatic stress after high school. Make sure everybody gets a trophy or letter for “participation”. Let’s change it to no contact and above all lets change the name to Powder Puff Football. Another bleeding heart change for an institution that hasd been in place for over 100 years and produced many U.S. Presidents and Congressman. If you cant field a competitve team for years get out !!!

By JC

October 15, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this

In actuality if the coaches had the players in mind it would give some of the underclass men an opportunity to play on a varsity level. Instead of controlling the clock if the score is 30 pts. or greater make it manditory that non-starters should play. That way it might make it more equal.

By pumba

October 15, 2008 11:45 AM | Link to this

Back in the mid-70s, Bethel would routinely give up 70 to 80 points a game and score zero. Many games would end after 3 quarters. No matter what is done, the last thing a team should do is “take it easy” on their opponent and play soft. That would lead to more injuries. The game should always be played at 100%. Maybe some of Bethel’s former players could give some insight on whether or not they were mentally/emotionally scarred by those games….I doubt it.

By Joe

October 15, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

As a coach I have been on both sides of a blow out. Sometimes the difference in talent cannot be overcome by coaching. You only hope that both teams recognize this and sportsmanship prevails. I have been on the losing end of several blowouts. There have been occasions when I thought the opposing players and coaches demonstrated good sportsmanship. I say no mercy rule for football, there are still lessons to be learned.

By Jason

October 15, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this

Personally, I’d rather be beaten 83-0 than to have the game stopped or shortened “to protect me”.

By Run The Clock

October 15, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this

Agree w/Cait.Coaches who keep their starters in and run up the score are NOT teaching sportsmanship,leadership or discipline.This practice is especially aggregious in the peewee football leagues.These boys learn disappointment early on,but they don’t need to be humiliated too.That will be learned as they play;they can handle it as they get older.Arrogance is an ugly beast in a coach and little boys who are “coached” to be arrogant.Grace&humility in sport are admirable;what should be “coached”.

By A Sig I am

October 15, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this

What if you have a team blow out every opponent weeks 6-10 and they aren’t use to playing an entire game but come playoffs they play a more prepared team that didn’t have any mercy rule games? That puts the better team at a distinct disadvantage.

By Mike

October 15, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this

The Adversity faced by Arcanum after a week one pounding lead to a much improved football team that prepares well, plays hard, and plays together. Their was no mental damage done to those athletes. They learned to fight through adversity and to work hard in order to compete with top quality teams. A mercy rule is just a way of coddling more kids and never letting them face anything that hurts their egoes. Work harder next year and return the favor. That is what every player and coach wants.

By Let's get real

October 15, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this

Why invoke a rule for a handfull of games? It should be the offcials and coaches who have the game management piece in mind….not a rule.

If you can’t be competitive then you need to look long and hard at the program….not a rule.

Also, teams have come back from big deficits. If a team that was 7-0 fell behind by 35 due to turnovers, fluke plays, etc. would you want to not give them an opportunity to come back?

The old addage is, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

By Cait

October 15, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this

No. Letting the clock run would be OK, but not calling the game off. I covered H.S. sports years ago and had a school winning 40-0 at halftime that ended winning 40-0. The coach didn’t play any starters the 2nd half. I asked why and he said, “Because the other team may be better than us someday and they will remember.” I’ve seen schools who get clobbered come back years later and run up the score on the team that whacked them. What goes around comes around.

By Get over yourselves

October 15, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this

We don’t let kids understand competition until they leave school, then they learn they have to compete for everything….

Jobs, Best Pay, Good Houses, Good Schools

unless we elect Socialists, then we can stop competing and stop trying, cause the government will provide everything we need, except incentive to produce, a reason to try harder, because no matter what we will get an equal share of everything…. just like our schools want….

It’s called Competitive sport for a reason…

By Just end it

October 15, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this

Forget the clocK: just end the game. If you’re up by 35 in the 3rd quarter, the game ends. Everybody goes home. It works well in baseball and softball and no one worries too much about it. Better still: if you know your team isn’t that good, don’t schedule a tough opponent. And if you have an opponent known for running up the schore, drop them.

By Brian

October 15, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this

Well mercy rule may be good. What gets me upset is to see a team that has done really well the entire year and then come playoff time and their starters not be in game shape. Teams that have gotten to play their starters the entire game now has a slight advantage over the teams that their starters only get to play the 1st half. These games may come down to the end of the 4th Q and some starters have not been in that long and become tired, or just not had enough snaps?

By Steve

October 15, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this

A mercy rule? Come on. I lost a basketball game once 85-17 and I don’t think it did any permanent mental damage (others might say so). Let’s get serious and just let the kids play. I wish things like this were the most important thing I had to worry about in the course of the day.

By chipster

October 15, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this

No mercy rule. In high-school kids are competing for playing time and maybe even college attention for a scholarship. However,a smart coach pulls stars out later in a lopsided game to protect them from vengeful losing opponents and to give the non-starters some time under the lights and game experience for the next game/season. Sometimes the second-string is even way better than the opponent and scores anyway. It it human desire to excel that drives this something the socialists never undestand.

By R J..Miamisburg

October 15, 2008 9:17 AM | Link to this

Maybe they should make the rule that IF you are up by 35 points, then the first string is removed and those that would not be playing put in. Colerain doesn’t care what the score is, first string in the full game. Thus you get some player that has Stats showing he ran for 500 yards a game, then in college is a major bust. Nope make it first team out after 35 points.

By Mitch

October 15, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this

First in Cleveland the get rid of all-star games because they might hurt some kids feelings and now this. The kids we are raising in this country is absolute jokes. Everything in life is not fair and how is this going to help them learn that. It won’t. Continuing to make rules like this will hurt these kids in the future. They will never be able to deal with adversity. These kids are getting to the age where they can vote and fight for our country, they do not need to be made into babies!

By Mitch

October 15, 2008 9:14 AM | Link to this

First in Cleveland the get rid of all-star games because they might hurt some kids feelings and now this. The kids we are raising in this country is absolute jokes. Everything in life is not fair and how is this going to help them learn that. It won’t. Continuing to make rules like this will hurt these kids in the future. They will never be able to deal with adversity. These kids are getting to the age where they can vote and fight for our country, they do not need to be made into babies!

By John S

October 15, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this

Some of the suggestions in this country are getting out of hand. First in Cleveland they end all-star games because they might hurt kids feelings. The kids a we are raising in this country will be absolute jokes. Thats not fair to my son, so I am going to take this to court until I get my way. This is an absolute joke. The 10 run rule in baseball is to shorten a game not to help 18 year olds who can vote and fight in a war from getting their feelings hurt playing a game.

By John S

October 15, 2008 9:09 AM | Link to this

Some of the suggestions in this country are getting out of hand. First in Cleveland they end all-star games because they might hurt kids feelings. The kids a we are raising in this country will be absolute jokes. Thats not fair to my son, so I am going to take this to court until I get my way. This is an absolute joke. The 10 run rule in baseball is to shorten a game not to help 18 year olds who can vote and fight in a war from getting their feelings hurt playing a game.

By Ronald

October 15, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this

Yes, let’s make a rule so the “kids” don’t get their feelings hurt. And while we’re at it, let’s make a rule that tests shouldn’t be too hard because it really hurts some kids self esteem when they get a D or F on a test and the other kids are getting A’s. That’s right. Let’s make rules so all people are even. From each according to their abilities and to each according to their needs. Suck it up and play harder. That’s life. and remember, what goes around comes around.

By Paul Howard

October 15, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this

I don’t think they need that rule. School sports teach the next generation competition, teamwork, discipline and leadership. Making it “more fair” by throwing in mercy rule is something that will stick in their psyche forever. It is important to do your best and not hold back even if the opposition is not playing well because if you hold back at one point, they could come back to clobber you down the road. Conversely, if you’re down 35 points, you need to change the way you play the game.