With all the complaints about people getting scores ran up on them, would this be a good argument for the Khsaa to adopt a mercy rule like in other sports? I believe it is way over due if you ask me!

Not needed if teams would exercise some judgement in sportsmanship. Really pretty simple.

What are some options for the mercy rule? In many tournaments outside of high school ball, a running clock is the norm after a specified point margin is reached.

I think after being up by so many points going into the 4th quarter, there should be a mercy rule. Coaches should not be allowed to press in the 4th quarter when they are up by 30+ points. And if it gets under 30 and the coach is worried the team will make up 30 points in 8 minutes, then allow him/her to put their starters back in until they get it over 30 again. There are some coaches who have NO class whatsover and they could care less if they are embarasses the players, they just want to run the score up because they know they can. I'd love to see a ref give a coach a technical in the 4th, up by 30+, if the coach questions any call at all. But hey, that's just my opinion. In post season though, all bets are off. No coach wants to take a chance of losing in post season but he/she have enough discretion to know he/she is going to win when they are up by 30+ going into the 4th.

I think after being up by so many points going into the 4th quarter, there should be a mercy rule. Coaches should not be allowed to press in the 4th quarter when they are up by 30+ points. And if it gets under 30 and the coach is worried the team will make up 30 points in 8 minutes, then allow him/her to put their starters back in until they get it over 30 again. There are some coaches who have NO class whatsover and they could care less if they are embarasses the players, they just want to run the score up because they know they can. I'd love to see a ref give a coach a technical in the 4th, up by 30+, if the coach questions any call at all. But hey, that's just my opinion. In post season though, all bets are off. No coach wants to take a chance of losing in post season but he/she have enough discretion to know he/she is going to win when they are up by 30+ going into the 4th.

 

Does not sound like a bad plan. Basketball may be the only sport that does not have such a rule. Baseball & Softball has a run limit after 5 innings, football has a running clock rule after a team is up by X amount of points, so it would not be a bad thing to have some type of procedure in place??

 

If we could always rely on good sportsmanship than this would never be an issue, but has everyone has seen over the course of this season the days of being a good and respectful sport has, just like Elvis, left the building.

 

I think this thread will start some good debating.

I was the score keeper in a freshman girls game in the 9th region recently. The home team was getting the slobber knocked out of them. 38 point deficit at half time. Neither team learned anything.

 

The winning team did not press after the first few minutes and they did not seemingly want to run the score up. It was just that the other team was that bad.

 

I asked the referees to invoke a running clock. They said there is no rule for that. The only way a game gets shortened is if one team calls it quits.

I know when I was younger and played ball, like 5th grade or something, once we were up by like 30 points we weren't allowed to press anymore until the lead dropped back down, and had to retreat back after lost rebounds and such. Something like this could be done.

Proper scheduling is the key to prevent this.

Proper scheduling is the key to prevent this.

 

But what about mis-matches in districts or regions?

What about this, running clock anytime lead is over 30pts in the 2nd half. Think the no-press idea would be a little tough because the players could easily lose track of score. The clock person would have to be on their toes if it's barely over 30, but otherwise pretty easy to deal with. Just a thought...

Been on both ends of it.Take your beatings and it will come back around eventually.

Absolutely not. I don't like to see a team get completely destroyed but that part of the game. Coaches need to have more respect/compassion for their opponents and this could be addressed by the AD setting the expectations for situations such as this. AD's could tell the coaches that humiliating an opponent is not acceptable and it will not be tolerated and any violations of these expectations will be dealt with administratively.

But what about mis-matches in districts or regions?

 

Teams are not required to take part in the post season. Some should not compete is the district unless they have been competitive during the season.

Teams are not required to take part in the post season. Some should not compete is the district unless they have been competitive during the season.

 

But that's not really fair to those teams who aren't as good. Better teams just need to take it easier on not as talented teams. Build your lead, and then sub, sub, sub!

But that's not really fair to those teams who aren't as good. Better teams just need to take it easier on not as talented teams. Build your lead, and then sub, sub, sub!

 

I believe once a team gets up by forty, the outcome of the game has been decided. The disparity between some of the girls teams is amazing.:popcorn: