Is it poor sportsmanship for a coach to 45 a team, when he keeps his starting 6 in the whole time? Or should he give his second or even third string players some playing time? I've heard all kinds of reasons why it is or it isn't okay to 45 a team. So is it poor sportsmanship or not?
Is it poor sportsmanship or not?
- Thread starter Red Baron
- Start date
bigfoote11jim
11-man fan
TCAL D1 playoffs are based on power ranking. If you don't 45 a lesser ranked team it may hurt you playoff standing. The playoffs are based on ranking and the top 8 go to the playoffs. It is a rule that almost forces teams with big numbers to run up the score so they don't lose ranking, but it doesn't set well with alot of coaches who don't like to embarass anyone and don't like being embarassed either, but it is the law in TCAL D1, so you do what you think is right for your team.
To a fan or person out there it may be in poor taste. I can tell you that we always try to visit with the opposing teams coaches. If the 6 starters need stats to help them get recognition or hit their goals, maybe the team needs work on execution because of an upcoming game, it makes sense. If it is a district game, playoff game it may make sense depending on the rivalary, etc. The question is if the coaches shake hands afterwards and the players pray together then it shouldn't be to bad. Even at this level the players move on with life. It isn't always the way it appears. I have been on both sides and a loss is a loss and a win is a win. I talked to the coach that got beat in basketball by 100pts and his view was poor taste. If the other team is clearly getting beat and cannot compete with the skill set on the other side, one would hope that the coach would give others playing time. Now if the other players are not ready and could get hurt, you have to go with the 6. Maybe they didn't want them to score to have a perfect season with no one scoring on them or beat a record points scored in a season. Ok. It isn't always the way others see it, is what I am saying.
pastormiles
11-man fan
Coach - last year we traveled a long way to play a district game. On the way, our bus broke down. We were still able to get everyone to the game. We quickly put 45 on the board and started taking a knee. The other coach called a time out. I was faced with what to do. We were gonna take a knee three times and punt. He obviously wanted the ball back. I decided to juts go ahead and score and give him the chance to score. After we stopped them on four incomplete pass plays, we again went into the victory formation and he again called a time out. So, we scored again. This scenario was carried out three different times. The score should have ended at 45-0 instead it ended up 69-0. As we were leaving the field we were harassed by their fans accusing us of running up the score. It just seems sometimes that no matter which approach you take someone is gonna bash you. BTW we had players score that had never scored.
freeagent
Six-man pro
Brice Helton's daddy, Cloid, was asked about this at a clinic a couple years ago. His answer was that in the regular season, you play as long as you can. Substitute as you can and get those kids some playing time. If it's playoffs, get the 45 point lead and end the game as quick as you can.
Assuming your team is deep enough, substituting is what you need to do. If you have three hosses (stars), start rotating them in and out. Maybe play only one (or none), depending on the depth of your bench. Anyway, your subs have been spending the season getting hit by your starters in practice, give them a chance to hit somebody else's kids at a game.
Sometimes, you don't have numbers and it's a mismatch. Finish the game at half, but not on chicken-salad stuff like kicking a field goal after calling a time out. And if it's close to the end of the game, it's bad form to run up that last TD to end it with a minute or two left.
And remember, be gracious in the blowout. Someday you may be on the other end of the scoreboard.
Assuming your team is deep enough, substituting is what you need to do. If you have three hosses (stars), start rotating them in and out. Maybe play only one (or none), depending on the depth of your bench. Anyway, your subs have been spending the season getting hit by your starters in practice, give them a chance to hit somebody else's kids at a game.
Sometimes, you don't have numbers and it's a mismatch. Finish the game at half, but not on chicken-salad stuff like kicking a field goal after calling a time out. And if it's close to the end of the game, it's bad form to run up that last TD to end it with a minute or two left.
And remember, be gracious in the blowout. Someday you may be on the other end of the scoreboard.
In one game this year I called timeout on 3rd down with about a little over a min left in the half. I wanted the ball back and I wanted to score to end the game. Now I was not doing this to be a poor sport but a lot of people saw it that way. In my head I just thougt of it like this. We are up 40-0. I can let it go to half time have a 10 min halftime and come back and score on one play game over. Or I can go into halftime have a 10 min halftime come back for one play and someone get hurt because we are so relax because this game is so far out of hand. So I called time out twice to get the ball back. Some people were upset but I thought it was the best thing to do at the time. I have been on both sides of the ball. I have never been upset with a coach after we were 45'ed. This year I came into a program who had not won a game in three years and had been 45'ed in just about everyone of those games.I can not find it in my heart to not let them keep playing. They have been through a lot and it makes them feel real good to do well. I came in this year and told them we would play Colossians 3:23 ball. Everything you do work at it with your whole heart, as working for the Lord and not for man. I can't teach this and then turn around and say " ok guys lets pull up and not do our best" I know we are not the greatest team. We are 3-3 right now and all three of our wins have ended early. One day I am sure we will run up against someone who will 45 us but I just look at it as part of the game.
