Sometimes I like to quote myself. Today is one of those times. The Ethics of Running Up The Score:
If you’re a Division I college program or an NFL team, there is no crying about getting killed. You don’t like it? Put a defense on the field that can stop them, or YOU hold on to the ball when you get it. If you can’t stop them, spend your time getting better, not whining about how that team shouldn’t have been so mean to you.
I’m sick to death of all of the commentators, players, fans, and coaches throwing little tantrums about “running up the score.” That’s really just a pejorative term for “kicking someone’s ass”.
I say stop when you get to a nice, round number.
Like 100.
September 18th, 2008 at 1:09 am
A guy walks into a bar in wearing an Army Football jersey and carrying a cat that also has an Army jersey on with a little Army helmet on his head too.
The guy says to the bartender, “Can my cat and I watch the Army-Navy game here? My TV at home broke down and my cat and I always watch the game together.”
The bartender replies, “Normally, cats wouldn’t be allowed in my bar, but it’s not very busy in here right now, so you and the cat can have a seat at the end of the bar. But, if there’s any trouble with you or the cat, I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
The guy agrees, and he and his cat start watching the game. Pretty soon Army manages to kick a field goal and the excited cat jumps up on the bar, walks all the way down and gives everyone a high five.
The bartender says, “Hey, that’s pretty cool! What does he do for a touchdown?”
September 18th, 2008 at 7:45 am
…did you leave off the punch-line?
September 18th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I’m guessing the punch line is, “I don’t know, Army’s never scored a touchdown before.”
What brought you to re-state your thoughts on running up the score?
Basically, I see this falling into one of three categories:
1) You are playing a team in your own conference who runs up the score on you. If this is the case, suck it up and become a better team. It can happen, look at Vandy and Kentucky, they are sometimes competative now.
2) You are playing a team in a bigger conference in what could be called a “payout” game. You knew you were being brought in for “rent-a-win day”, so take your fat check, which is probably equal to half of the money your school will make this year, and go back home, and buy new uniforms or equipment or something and be thankful for the handout.
3) You are playing a team in a smaller conference than you. Then the only resolution, obviously, is to fire your coach.
I know some people have said there should be some sort of mercy rule in football. I don’t think there is a need for that in a timed sport like football, since there are many things the teams (and the refs) can do to speed the game along once it is out of hand. Mercy rules only make sense to me in games like baseball, where literaly the game could never end if you can’t find a pitcher.
September 18th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Oops. Yes, yes i did. /blush
“I don’t know. I’ve only had him for 3 years.”
September 20th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
“Running up the score” depends on context.
Lets say Florida is playing Western Alaska University and All-Nite Diner (WAUAND).
If the score is 55-0 in the fourth quarter and Tebow is still in the game, UF is just running up the score for the sake of doing it. That’s poor sportsmanship against a heavily-outmanned team. Karma is a bitch that will visit you for doing that. And if I am UF fan, I am furious that Tebow and the other starters are still on the field.
But if the score is 55-0 and UF has the third-string offense in the game, there is no reason that the backups should run different plays than the starters. If you can’t stop the third string offense, that’s your problem. If the WAUAND QB keeps throwing interceptions, you can’t expect the defense to stop running them back in for touchdowns. Purposely trying not to score is just as demeaning as going all out to score.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Your argument here consists only of an assertion, that continuing to play your starters and score is “poor sportsmanship”. I disagree.
There are any number of reasons a coach might want to keep his starters in. More reps against a live defense, for example.
Bottom line? If WAUAND doesn’t like it, they should stop it, or stop playing teams orders of magnitude better than them just to make a quick buck.