I am torn between it being part of competition and it being bad sportsmanship. I feel that running up the score is beneficial to send a message to other competitors or members of a board responsible for a ranking system. However, I believe that it is abused by many competitors today when they run up the score against a team that is unworthy of further humiliation.
Comment by Taylor T. — November 13, 2007 @ 5:15 pm
Depends. If it’s a children’s game, no way- it’s bad sportsmanship. But if it’s the Sox and the Yankees, all’s fair.
You know though, those unwritten rules of sports make even the big leaguers respect a trouncing- ie: no stealing bases when you’re clearly going to win the game.
I see it the same way as Tracy. If the Redskins players, who are paid millions of dollars to be good at football, can’t keep the Patriots from scoring 50-plus, then they deserve to be embarrassed. They should feel ashamed of themselves, not angry at the mean old Patriots.
But if it’s a top-tier division I football team against some division II cupcakes, they should trounce them for the first half and then take the starters out for the rest of the game.
Hmm. Is this in reference to a certain Wyoming game last Saturday???? Probably they ran the score up because they’ve been so bad all year that when they finally had the opportunity they went for it. I think one has to keep in mind that the coaches in question were perhaps worried about their jobs. Still, an onside kick when the score was 42-0?
But it definitely is bad sportsmanship. Reminds me of an other game also last week in which a certain other team could easily have scored a final touchdown against a certain Texas team but didn’t since the game was effectively over.
Whittingham deserved the bird he got. I’m normally one to say let ‘em play, but that was harsh. On the other hand, Joe Glenn guaranteed his fans a victory and likewise deserved getting it rubbed in.
It is kinda funny though.
Comment by Eric Russell — November 13, 2007 @ 8:49 pm
I didn’t even know about the Utah/Wyoming brouhaha. I love it! Running up the score as retaliation for disrespect off the field is the perfectly appropriate in my book. Wyoming had it coming. I hate Utah, of course, but I think I might like Wittingham.
Yeah, the Wyoming/Utah game had me thinking about this and I feel the same way as Tom. If the dude guaranteed victory off the field I think running up the score like that is a perfectly okay thing to do. There is nothing that annoys me more about sports than ego so it’s nice to see some of these guys eat humble pie every once in a while.
My brother is a huge Utes fan and was at the game. In fact he’s at most of the road games. Which is a good thing because his being at the Colorado State game is what got me into the World Series.
I teased him about the onside kick and his reply was, “I loved that for two reasons. One, Whittingham always plays it safe, never goes for the jugular, so it was nice to see him put the hammer down for ones. Two, it was Wyoming, against anybody else it wouldn’t be cool.”
“What about BYU?”
“We wouldn’t do that to BYU, but BYU would also do that to Wyoming.”
Anyhow there was bad blood to go around. Anybody see Wyoming’s coach giving Whittingham the bird during the game and then claiming to have no recollection of that afterwards?
Comment by a random John — November 14, 2007 @ 9:07 am
ummm. What does “running up the score” mean? (ducks)
meems,
It means taking measures to continue to score even though it’s very clear that you’re going to win. This often includes taking risks that are usually reserved only for when you are behind.
Oh, thanks, Rusty. In that case, I think it’s great. Why not score points if you can? How else are you going to practice some of those trickier moves? When would be a better time to do it?
Who doesn’t like to win? And win big?
(OK, my poor sportsmanship and non-athleticism is showing…)
I don’t like it in any situation, pro or any other level. My problem with it is once the score reaches a certain point, you can almost see the other team giving up. I’ve been to basketball games where one team is thirty points ahead, but they kept their starters in. You can see the other team has physically given up, they barely raise their hands to block a shot. Why not give your bench players time to play and also give the fans something interesting to watch?
Comment by jjohnsen — November 14, 2007 @ 12:28 pm
I voted that it is bad sportsmanship and I stand by that, but even bad sportsmanship is understandable sometimes. I am the biggest Utah fan there is (I will be at the BYU/Utah game on the 50 yd line in red) but even I was surprised by Whittingham’s calls late in the Wyoming game. I agree with his apology, but I understand his motivation too.
I have been a coach in little league football and there is never enough time to practice plays and get players into positions you need them to play. I was accused of running up the score several times. I wasn’t trying to do that, but I agree that’s how it looked sometimes.
One of these times was when I called a pass late in the game for my second string quarterback when we were up 38-0. Another time was when I called an end-around reverse to my WR who hadn’t gotten the ball all day (we were up 46-0). Both scored. Both times I was villified by the opposing team and its fans. I stand by both decisions.
And what about North Texas scoring 62 points in their game? I mean who could possibly need that many points?
Oh wait…
Comment by Last Lemming — November 15, 2007 @ 9:12 am
What happens when (as happened once when I was in high school), you’ve not only run through the second and third string, but you start putting people in positions they’ve never played? We were once accussed of running up the score, but I was a defensive and offensive lineman (we actually only had 20 people on the football team, so we all had to play both ways), and I even did a few turns as a running back and so on. We really didn’t want to run up the score, but the other team was just no good and couldn’t even stop us when we did ridiculous stuff.
I know that in High School wrestling there is a “technical fall” where if one person gets enough points ahead, the match is over. What would happen if there was a rule in pro football or baseball where “if one team gets X number of points ahead, the game is over.”
What are the alternatives to running up the score (other than “don’t do it” - as said above, sometimes it just happens)?
Comment by Ivan Wolfe — November 15, 2007 @ 10:06 am
I think in college there is a lot of practice you can give to, for example, your second and third string QBs. There are a lot of junior players who could use the practice. The real issue is what kind of play calling you do.
I will say, for the record, that I think BYU should have scored that last TD. I understand why Bronco did what he did. But this was one of the big things that frustrated me about Lavelle. BYU doesn’t get a lot of press - it’s even worse now due to the Mountain “deal.” So when they play they really have to score very high to get noticed. I’m not saying doing what Utah did. But don’t simply sit back and leave the game a 10 pt game.
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I am torn between it being part of competition and it being bad sportsmanship. I feel that running up the score is beneficial to send a message to other competitors or members of a board responsible for a ranking system. However, I believe that it is abused by many competitors today when they run up the score against a team that is unworthy of further humiliation.
Comment by Taylor T. — November 13, 2007 @ 5:15 pm
Depends. If it’s a children’s game, no way- it’s bad sportsmanship. But if it’s the Sox and the Yankees, all’s fair.
You know though, those unwritten rules of sports make even the big leaguers respect a trouncing- ie: no stealing bases when you’re clearly going to win the game.
Comment by tracy m — November 13, 2007 @ 5:32 pm
It is both it part of competition (so get used to it) and bad sportsmanship (so don’t you do it - but realize your opponents might).
I can’t vote on both from this computer, but that’s the answer.
Comment by Ivan Wolfe — November 13, 2007 @ 6:19 pm
I see it the same way as Tracy. If the Redskins players, who are paid millions of dollars to be good at football, can’t keep the Patriots from scoring 50-plus, then they deserve to be embarrassed. They should feel ashamed of themselves, not angry at the mean old Patriots.
But if it’s a top-tier division I football team against some division II cupcakes, they should trounce them for the first half and then take the starters out for the rest of the game.
Comment by Tom — November 13, 2007 @ 6:36 pm
Hmm. Is this in reference to a certain Wyoming game last Saturday???? Probably they ran the score up because they’ve been so bad all year that when they finally had the opportunity they went for it. I think one has to keep in mind that the coaches in question were perhaps worried about their jobs. Still, an onside kick when the score was 42-0?
But it definitely is bad sportsmanship. Reminds me of an other game also last week in which a certain other team could easily have scored a final touchdown against a certain Texas team but didn’t since the game was effectively over.
Comment by Clark — November 13, 2007 @ 6:53 pm
Whittingham deserved the bird he got. I’m normally one to say let ‘em play, but that was harsh. On the other hand, Joe Glenn guaranteed his fans a victory and likewise deserved getting it rubbed in.
It is kinda funny though.
Comment by Eric Russell — November 13, 2007 @ 8:49 pm
I didn’t even know about the Utah/Wyoming brouhaha. I love it! Running up the score as retaliation for disrespect off the field is the perfectly appropriate in my book. Wyoming had it coming. I hate Utah, of course, but I think I might like Wittingham.
Comment by Tom — November 14, 2007 @ 7:25 am
Yeah, the Wyoming/Utah game had me thinking about this and I feel the same way as Tom. If the dude guaranteed victory off the field I think running up the score like that is a perfectly okay thing to do. There is nothing that annoys me more about sports than ego so it’s nice to see some of these guys eat humble pie every once in a while.
Comment by Rusty — November 14, 2007 @ 7:43 am
My brother is a huge Utes fan and was at the game. In fact he’s at most of the road games. Which is a good thing because his being at the Colorado State game is what got me into the World Series.
I teased him about the onside kick and his reply was, “I loved that for two reasons. One, Whittingham always plays it safe, never goes for the jugular, so it was nice to see him put the hammer down for ones. Two, it was Wyoming, against anybody else it wouldn’t be cool.”
“What about BYU?”
“We wouldn’t do that to BYU, but BYU would also do that to Wyoming.”
Anyhow there was bad blood to go around. Anybody see Wyoming’s coach giving Whittingham the bird during the game and then claiming to have no recollection of that afterwards?
Comment by a random John — November 14, 2007 @ 9:07 am
ummm. What does “running up the score” mean? (ducks)
Comment by meems — November 14, 2007 @ 9:41 am
meems,
It means taking measures to continue to score even though it’s very clear that you’re going to win. This often includes taking risks that are usually reserved only for when you are behind.
Comment by Rusty — November 14, 2007 @ 9:54 am
Oh, thanks, Rusty. In that case, I think it’s great. Why not score points if you can? How else are you going to practice some of those trickier moves? When would be a better time to do it?
Who doesn’t like to win? And win big?
(OK, my poor sportsmanship and non-athleticism is showing…)
Comment by meems — November 14, 2007 @ 11:03 am
The problem is that using a trick play when you don’t need it alerts other opponents to your trick plays. It’s rather a waste.
Comment by Clark — November 14, 2007 @ 12:08 pm
I don’t like it in any situation, pro or any other level. My problem with it is once the score reaches a certain point, you can almost see the other team giving up. I’ve been to basketball games where one team is thirty points ahead, but they kept their starters in. You can see the other team has physically given up, they barely raise their hands to block a shot. Why not give your bench players time to play and also give the fans something interesting to watch?
Comment by jjohnsen — November 14, 2007 @ 12:28 pm
I voted that it is bad sportsmanship and I stand by that, but even bad sportsmanship is understandable sometimes. I am the biggest Utah fan there is (I will be at the BYU/Utah game on the 50 yd line in red) but even I was surprised by Whittingham’s calls late in the Wyoming game. I agree with his apology, but I understand his motivation too.
I have been a coach in little league football and there is never enough time to practice plays and get players into positions you need them to play. I was accused of running up the score several times. I wasn’t trying to do that, but I agree that’s how it looked sometimes.
One of these times was when I called a pass late in the game for my second string quarterback when we were up 38-0. Another time was when I called an end-around reverse to my WR who hadn’t gotten the ball all day (we were up 46-0). Both scored. Both times I was villified by the opposing team and its fans. I stand by both decisions.
Comment by MCQ — November 14, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
Sorry, arJ’s brother, but Bronco wouldn’t do that.
Comment by Eric Russell — November 14, 2007 @ 4:47 pm
I thought it was funny to see Nebraska give up 76 points to undefeated Kansas, and then get back 73 the next week against Kansas State.
Comment by Bill — November 15, 2007 @ 1:16 am
And what about North Texas scoring 62 points in their game? I mean who could possibly need that many points?
Oh wait…
Comment by Last Lemming — November 15, 2007 @ 9:12 am
What happens when (as happened once when I was in high school), you’ve not only run through the second and third string, but you start putting people in positions they’ve never played? We were once accussed of running up the score, but I was a defensive and offensive lineman (we actually only had 20 people on the football team, so we all had to play both ways), and I even did a few turns as a running back and so on. We really didn’t want to run up the score, but the other team was just no good and couldn’t even stop us when we did ridiculous stuff.
I know that in High School wrestling there is a “technical fall” where if one person gets enough points ahead, the match is over. What would happen if there was a rule in pro football or baseball where “if one team gets X number of points ahead, the game is over.”
What are the alternatives to running up the score (other than “don’t do it” - as said above, sometimes it just happens)?
Comment by Ivan Wolfe — November 15, 2007 @ 10:06 am
I think in college there is a lot of practice you can give to, for example, your second and third string QBs. There are a lot of junior players who could use the practice. The real issue is what kind of play calling you do.
I will say, for the record, that I think BYU should have scored that last TD. I understand why Bronco did what he did. But this was one of the big things that frustrated me about Lavelle. BYU doesn’t get a lot of press - it’s even worse now due to the Mountain “deal.” So when they play they really have to score very high to get noticed. I’m not saying doing what Utah did. But don’t simply sit back and leave the game a 10 pt game.
Comment by Clark — November 15, 2007 @ 10:52 am