Mercy Rule used in Morristown West-Claiborne game: Explain this Rule

[ashjan]

As someone who has coached for 20 years i'm in favor of the rule. I've been on both sides of a 30 point game many times over the years. The arguement that you're cheating kids or the subs need floor time doesn't wash with me. If your varsity is getting beat by 35 then guess what, the other teams subs are probably much better than yours and they'll get drilled also. It's not floor time that benefits these kids. It's not the case every time, but it holds true most of the time. If a kid wants valuable floor time, get better in practice and use JV time to do this and then maybe you'll get in a few minutes when you are in a 7 point game. If you are up 35 you're hopefully doing things to control the score to a certain point and you're playing everyone. Even while you're doing this you still want the game to get over. I was on the good side of a couple of 40 pt games last year and while everyone plays you want it to end. The second teamers get more out of playing against starters. Just my take.

[Melton07]

If you took a poll of high school coaches - I think greater than 60 percent woul be in favor of the rule.

 

 

Doctorno, the only reason for the clock to stop in a game where the spread is 'equal to or greater than 35 points in the fourth period are:

Shooting Foul (either one plus one or double bonus )InjuryTimeoutsTechnical Foul

 

Most coaches (winning or losing) and officials would agree that when the game is 'out of hand' RUN THE CLOCK !!

[WoodenFan]

Not sure why everyone is getting so excited about the mercy rule for basketball, there has been a "mercy rule" in baseball for years called the "run rule"

[ashjan]

Not sure why everyone is getting so excited about the mercy rule for basketball, there has been a "mercy rule" in baseball for years called the "run rule"

 

Great point as does fastpitch. Some of those early season HS softball scores are crazy even with the run rule. Some of those games would get to 30-0 if they played 7 innings.

[14pioneers]

Great point as does fastpitch. Some of those early season HS softball scores are crazy even with the run rule. Some of those games would get to 30-0 if they played 7 innings.

 

YOUR COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES, Basketball has a TIME CLOCK , baseball,softball doesn't. The only ones happy about this rule are the coaches, who want to crawl under the bench anyway, because of their embarrassment of not being able to compete. Don't worry about "little Suzy", she will be just fine regardless of the score. I can't say the same about the coach, who I guarantee will blame the players.

[doctorno]

Doctorno, the only reason for the clock to stop in a game where the spread is 'equal to or greater than 35 points in the fourth period are:

[*]Shooting Foul (either one plus one or double bonus )

[*]Injury

[*]Timeouts

[*]Technical Foul

 

 

Thanks for the clarification.

[PPDad]

The only complaint I heard last night was that the boys game is to start not at a published time, but so many minutes after the girls game. The boys were not ready to take the court. Hartsell gave in twice and added time to warm up. I feel the mercy rule (slaughter rule in some areas) is good. I can not recall seeing a coach down by 50 sending in the young and up coming players and instructing them during the fourth quarter. They send them in to run the clock down, which is what the mercy rule accomplishes. I agree with the post stating that the JV game is the best place to get experience for the young ones.

[unclecracker]

Great point as does fastpitch. Some of those early season HS softball scores are crazy even with the run rule. Some of those games would get to 30-0 if they played 7 innings.

 

there are fastpitch games (?) every year in knox county that last only 3 innings and one team gets hammered 30+ - 0. the teams meet only because they are in the same district. let the mercy rules apply in all sports, they are not enjoyable for anyone to watch and the games don't really help anyone. many believe they actually hurt the winning team when they face a better team in their next game.

[GottaLuvIt]

YOUR COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES, Basketball has a TIME CLOCK , baseball,softball doesn't. The only ones happy about this rule are the coaches, who want to crawl under the bench anyway, because of their embarrassment of not being able to compete. Don't worry about "little Suzy", she will be just fine regardless of the score. I can't say the same about the coach, who I guarantee will blame the players.

 

 

Exactly what I was thinking and well put. I was wondering why these softball games were even being compared to basketball? That made no sense at all to me, but I thought I might be missing something. I totally agree with you, it's comparing apples to oranges. Also, if a high school team is not strong enough to compete and you want the mercy rule, then I'd reconsider having a team at all. If refs are saying that they are not worth the time of a full game, then why insult the girls on that team and waste another teams time???

[mayspeed]

YOUR COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES, Basketball has a TIME CLOCK , baseball,softball doesn't. The only ones happy about this rule are the coaches, who want to crawl under the bench anyway, because of their embarrassment of not being able to compete. Don't worry about "little Suzy", she will be just fine regardless of the score. I can't say the same about the coach, who I guarantee will blame the players.

 

Your coach may want to crawl under the bench but some coaches will use this time to work with their girls. Last night we had a team down by 40, their coach used this time to work with his girls on plays and defence set ups. He even used up all his time outs to explain plays. THAT IS A COACH.

[GottaLuvIt]

Your coach may want to crawl under the bench but some coaches will use this time to work with their girls. Last night we had a team down by 40, their coach used this time to work with his girls on plays and defence set ups. He even used up all his time outs to explain plays. THAT IS A COACH.

 

 

If I understand "14pioneers" right, that's what the message he/she was trying to imply. That a good coach does not want the mercy rule, that they will try to better themselves throughout the rest of that game no matter the score. But its the parents and coaches that are embarrassed of their team that want the mercy rule.

[slimsdaddy]

If I understand "14pioneers" right, that's what the message he/she was trying to imply. That a good coach does not want the mercy rule, that they will try to better themselves throughout the rest of that game no matter the score. But its the parents and coaches that are embarrassed of their team that want the mercy rule.

 

 

sorry, but if your the coach on the good side of a forty point game you're just playing soft defense, not doing anything. they are not getting to much positive work out of this. jv and practice is where you need to work to get players ready. not at the end of a 35+ beating.