Mercy rule

[Guest arno]

Letting the subs play is the ultimate solution. However, there are coaches who only play the subs in the last 3-4 minutes in a game regardless of the score. In fact, a successful coach who is in the TSSAA Hall of Fame will continue pressing with his first string regardless of the score. You can argue that the opposing team is responsible for stopping them. That may be true but if you are totally overmatched in talent, stopping the team is impossible. I have been on the winning side of blowouts. My basketball coach did what he could to prevent them. We were required to make 10 passes before a shot could be taken, or we would run the offense and only one player could shoot. That player would be one who hadn't scored much in the year. This would prevent the score from getting out of hand and the clock would run. I have also been on the losing side and appreciated the opposing team when they called off the dogs.

[swish1]

and these are the type of things that should happen in a lop sided game, not a mercy rule!

[rp44]

Redtdvol, If some kids can't deal with the fact that they suck at playing the game then they shouldn't even show up. These aren't kids. Age 18 isn't a kid. The mercy rule is like giving up. Just as it says, "MERCY" rule.

 

Finish what you start!

 

Lets get some kids that are on the bench some playing time and experience.

[0u812]

What if a team cuts it back down to say 30 or 25 or 20...

Do you now start stopping the clock because it isn't a 40+ lead? Good luck ref's. clock keepers, coaches, players,...

[Basketballmom25]

Let em play! Sometimes the only experince subs get is in these games. Plus the basketball players I know never quit -they fight til the end even if they are down by 40 points.

[Edited by Basketballmom11 on 4-28-03 10:23A]

[whatusername]

From what I am reading on this thread, noone seems to want the mercy rule inacted for several reasons. I personally do not like it either. As a fan, I dont know if I travel an hour to watch my team play a team that i know they will blow out because it may not be worth it. As a player, running the clock out on me if i am getting blown out by 40 (and yes i have played on teams that were beat by that much) is more humiliating than anything. On the other side of the coin (having been there too) a running clock when you are blowing the team out isnt fair because it steals from players (of both teams) the chance to gain some playing time and experience. My question is who is ultimately responsible for making this decision and how do we let them know how we feel about it???

[redtdvol]

I supose that if your team was getting drilled by 40+ and the other coach was pressing and keeping starters in that you, would not be livid @ the fact that your kids could do nothing. Thus, fouling and or humiliating themselves by throwing up hope shots and turning over the ball as has happened all game. It would be great if all coaches had your class and would not press until the end, unfortunately, we do not live a perfect world and coaches do humiliate other schools. This sport was not invented by Dr Naismith as a tool to tout your ego all over the TN country side, it was and is still a recreational sport developing student athletes into successful citizens.

[swish1]

In many situations one must PERSEVERE to be SUCCESSFUL!