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

[slimsdaddy]

Just an FYI, and I'm staying totally out of the political correctness debate, but we had this explained to us (at the scorer's table) last week by an official. He indicated that the clock only stopped on timeouts and injuries. Not on free throws. This only applies in the 4th quarter and once it starts, it is irreversable (i.e. if the losing team gets back within 35 points the clock keeps running anyway).

 

He could have been wrong - I've heard it's happened once or twice with officials. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" /> But, he sure sounded like he knew the rule!

 

 

i am a coach in east tennesse and our officials said that it can start at any time one opponent is up by 35 (just like football) and only stopped for timeouts and free throws(of any kind). don't know for sure but that is how i saw it portrayed in a game. it is better than in florida. the mercy rule there is 20 points and irreversable. that is way to low, you can get back in a game only down 20. /motorbike.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":motorbike:" border="0" alt="motorbike.gif" />

[luv2ref]

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???

 

 

I don't quite think the refs we see each night have a say in this as far as the rule being there. We don't make the rules; we just enforce them. The outcome is the same for us regardless. Of course everyone wants to make as much money in the least amount of time it takes to do it; but our check doesn't increase or decrease either way. But, REMEMBER, there a lot of us who officiate for the LOVE of it and not for the money. I believe that every kid who wants to and can play and compete at the high school level should get the opportunity. I hope schools never consider not having athletics just because the kids are not great athletes; a lot about life can be learned through athletics. Today, the effect that coaches have on athletes is amazing. If some kids don't get positive influence from coaches they never get it at all.

[GottaLuvIt]

I don't quite think the refs we see each night have a say in this as far as the rule being there. We don't make the rules; we just enforce them. The outcome is the same for us regardless. Of course everyone wants to make as much money in the least amount of time it takes to do it; but our check doesn't increase or decrease either way. But, REMEMBER, there a lot of us who officiate for the LOVE of it and not for the money. I believe that every kid who wants to and can play and compete at the high school level should get the opportunity. I hope schools never consider not having athletics just because the kids are not great athletes; a lot about life can be learned through athletics. Today, the effect that coaches have on athletes is amazing. If some kids don't get positive influence from coaches they never get it at all.

 

 

I am not blaming refs...they just happen to be the ones that have to enforce this mercy rule. I am saying that I believe that this rule should be thrown out all together. Each team should be treated the same. (I know I said in an earlier post that if a team is up by a large margin to not nit-pick the fouls, but everyone should understand what I'm saying by that) If the clock is running consistantly, that is very noticeable for the players. I am a former player and I would have been insulted if the clock had ran on my team. All players put in the practice time, conditioning, ect. and all deserve to have a "normal" game. I'm not saying that any team should just throw out any athletic program, I am saying that if someone (A COACH) is for this rule, then they are not a good coach. A true coach would continue coaching through the loss and help the players learn as much as possible throughout the rest of the game.

[thug dadi]

Just when you think that the T$$AA has gotten as silly as they can, they do something to show that there is no limit to the level of stupidity which they can rise to.....or is that sink to? /blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> The goal for the new rule was to try to save lossing teams from run away scores, thus saving their pride just a little. But in fact, it is going to be the exact opposite effect. Now there are three verifiable clasifications of lossers. LOSSER A - A team that has fewer points then the other team, though not above 9 pt difference. LOSSER B - A team that losses and does so by double digits, 10 or more, but not more then 34. And now the T$$AA certified "STOMPED LINE", ur, "MERCY RULE". LOSSER C - A team that got their eyeballs drilled out so bad, that someone 200 miles away (Nashville) felt sorry for them and stepped in to break it up. Up til now, the "STOMPED LINE" was debateble. 20, 25, 30??? no, it's 35 at the end of the third. That's the official ruling.

[Lance]

I thought it was bad after post number 9. Now I am really glad for mercy rule

[ashjan]

I am not blaming refs...they just happen to be the ones that have to enforce this mercy rule. I am saying that I believe that this rule should be thrown out all together. Each team should be treated the same. (I know I said in an earlier post that if a team is up by a large margin to not nit-pick the fouls, but everyone should understand what I'm saying by that) If the clock is running consistantly, that is very noticeable for the players. I am a former player and I would have been insulted if the clock had ran on my team. All players put in the practice time, conditioning, ect. and all deserve to have a "normal" game. I'm not saying that any team should just throw out any athletic program, I am saying that if someone (A COACH) is for this rule, then they are not a good coach. A true coach would continue coaching through the loss and help the players learn as much as possible throughout the rest of the game.

 

I take great exception to the statement that no good coach favors the rule. This is a statement from someone that, i'm assuming, never coached a game on the HS level. You can't make blanket assumptions like that just like I cannot speak for all coaches. My freshman team last year went undefeated and won by a margin of 35+ a game. I coached till the very end even up 50. Standing in a zone with a foot in the lane and instituting a no fast break rule during the game might have been good sportsmanship but did little to improve us. We didn't press and worked on half court offense. I bet our opponents wanted the clock to run in the 4th. This season we're not as good. Last week we played a very good JV team with our freshmen. We were down 20 at half and we continued to work hard with all kids. In the 4th it got to 35 and the clock ran. I coached hard till the clock ran out just as I expected the kids to go hard until the end. However we were inexperienced freshmen playing against freshmen and good sophomores whose varsity won the state last year. We used it as a learning tool because you get better playing better competetion but in this case I didn't mind that the clock ran in the 4th. Never said I would vote for the rule, but I certainly don't mind it and don't feel my kids got cheated.

[GottaLuvIt]

I take great exception to the statement that no good coach favors the rule. This is a statement from someone that, i'm assuming, never coached a game on the HS level. You can't make blanket assumptions like that just like I cannot speak for all coaches. My freshman team last year went undefeated and won by a margin of 35+ a game. I coached till the very end even up 50. Standing in a zone with a foot in the lane and instituting a no fast break rule during the game might have been good sportsmanship but did little to improve us. We didn't press and worked on half court offense. I bet our opponents wanted the clock to run in the 4th. This season we're not as good. Last week we played a very good JV team with our freshmen. We were down 20 at half and we continued to work hard with all kids. In the 4th it got to 35 and the clock ran. I coached hard till the clock ran out just as I expected the kids to go hard until the end. However we were inexperienced freshmen playing against freshmen and good sophomores whose varsity won the state last year. We used it as a learning tool because you get better playing better competetion but in this case I didn't mind that the clock ran in the 4th. Never said I would vote for the rule, but I certainly don't mind it and don't feel my kids got cheated.

 

Great, there's your opinion and you read mine. Just FYI, I have coached. Coaches have different opinions.

[bucdaddio]

I don't see what all the fuss is about.

 

It all boils down to this:

 

If you're ahead by more than 35, you don't care.

 

If you're behind by more than 35, you obviously have had no say whatsoever in how the game played out, so what does it matter?

[ernieg]

Great, there's your opinion and you read mine. Just FYI, I have coached. Coaches have different opinions.

 

The rule may not seem fair to some, but after reffing for many years, I would have to say it is a good rule, especially for varsity high school. Game time is time to compete and not practice. You can't get much done with your starters in the improvement department in a game that gets way out of hand. As far as officiating games go, I would rather have every game be competitive and close every night.... as a previous poster implied, "we get paid the same in the overtime games as we do in the blowouts." Expectations by some parents of players on the losing team during a +35 game are different. If your child is a starter, you don't mind so much. But if your child only gets to play in a blow-out, you want the playing time to be the same as in a normal contest.

 

I used to coach, and what I told the JV was that all of you will play (As Iverson says "it's just PRACTICE, man"), but the varsity was told we will have a rotation in most games that are competitive and the twelve of you are vying for the 8 or 9 person rotation.

 

I like the rule.

[ETNbballfan]

If I was on a team that this mercy rule went into effect on, I would be very insulted. It would be bad enough losing by that big of a margin, but then running the clock like the losing team is a waste of time is awful. I wouldn't believe that it would make that big of a difference in time anyway. When fans, parents, ect. go to games you plan on staying about an hour and fifteen mins. for each game (girls and boys). Plus, I pay to see a full game. If I wanted to see a quick game, I'd show up at half time.

 

We have had this happen to us this year at William Blount. I did not like the fact that the clock kept running through free throws(its enough to let the clock run for other reasons). Free throws can take a lot of time off the clock and it is not fair to the girls that practice hard to get playing time. Those that want the clock to run should just go to AAU games and get their quick fix!

[GottaLuvIt]

We have had this happen to us this year at William Blount. I did not like the fact that the clock kept running through free throws(its enough to let the clock run for other reasons). Free throws can take a lot of time off the clock and it is not fair to the girls that practice hard to get playing time. Those that want the clock to run should just go to AAU games and get their quick fix!

 

I agree and those other girls deserve their turn at playing time.

[fiftyfifty]

I take great exception to the statement that no good coach favors the rule. This is a statement from someone that, i'm assuming, never coached a game on the HS level. You can't make blanket assumptions like that just like I cannot speak for all coaches. My freshman team last year went undefeated and won by a margin of 35+ a game. I coached till the very end even up 50. Standing in a zone with a foot in the lane and instituting a no fast break rule during the game might have been good sportsmanship but did little to improve us. We didn't press and worked on half court offense. I bet our opponents wanted the clock to run in the 4th. This season we're not as good. Last week we played a very good JV team with our freshmen. We were down 20 at half and we continued to work hard with all kids. In the 4th it got to 35 and the clock ran. I coached hard till the clock ran out just as I expected the kids to go hard until the end. However we were inexperienced freshmen playing against freshmen and good sophomores whose varsity won the state last year. We used it as a learning tool because you get better playing better competetion but in this case I didn't mind that the clock ran in the 4th. Never said I would vote for the rule, but I certainly don't mind it and don't feel my kids got cheated.

 

Say, do you take exception because you are a coach, or a good coach. /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />