Had my first running clock of the season last week in a girls varsity game. The spread was 39 at halftime, even though the winning team had stopped pressing at the quarter, substituted freely, and dropped into a zone defense. The final spread was 59 points.

What states have implemented a mercy rule this year? Everyone in Michigan is glad to have it back.

So far the answer is no.
 

It appears that my state from several conversations with people in the know, we are not doing this. And if it was going to happen, it is not happening during the playoffs at all. It is still early and we have not gotten our information yet, but I do not think we will have any kind of mercy rule.

Peace

I'll know for sure in a couple of weeks, but I do not think GA will implement this either.

I personally have mixed feelings on it. What's more emabarassing to the kids...Getting blown out, or having someone tell you that you can't finish BECAUSE you are getting blown out?? But, at the same time, it does seem crazy to continue on with these games sometimes.

I guess my question to you is, do you think that the mercy rule will clean things up and stop flaring tempers before they happen??? The jury is out in my book............

can't finish BECAUSE you are getting blown out

I do mean finish a normal game, not that they don't actually play to the end......

In NC, the coaches voted to not use the mercy rule.

Just a thought, but would a rule such as this encourage a coach to "call of the dogs" more quickly in order to ensure his kids get a full game?

Or do the opposite and press longer than necessary in order to force it to happen and then call of the dogs?

OC, may I know what is 'call of the dog'.
When I'm in a blow out game, at half time, I often offer my partner to bet for a beer whoever calls the first foul on the losing side.

"call off the dogs" is an expression we use in the states. In basketball, it amounts to putting in substitutes, pulling off your press, dropping into a zone, not shooting three point shots, not running trick plays, or any combination of the above.
OC has a point, though.
Adam

Where I ref here in Japan we get our share of lopsided games. (small international schools playing large military schools). No decision has been made yet about the mercy rule. What we have done in some games in the past is turn off the score and just use the clock (whenever both coaches agree). If we put in the mercy rule I foresee some heavy first half presses.--I'll also get home a lot earlier.

Wisconsin coaches chose not to have the mercy rule.

Mark

No mercy in Texas
 

Course we have a reputation for that anyway.

An Andy, AMEN!
 

In Maryland, for private schools it is being left up to the individual leagues. As far as I know, there has not been a final decision yet for the public schools.

Does not sound as if we'll be using the mercy rule here in Washington State this year.

Z

Not in Tennessee
 

TSSAA voted not to use it.

Last night was my second running clock in a girls varsity game, although we didn't get there until the final two minutes. So far this girls season, in 10 varsity games, 2 have had running clocks imposed, 2 were blowouts that never made it to the 40-point differential, 3 were reasonably competitive, and 3 were decided in the final minute.

I had a 40 pointer t'other night, but I know why.
Quarter deltas were 9, 18, 38, 30+

At half-time trailing by 18, the home coach walked out to my partner and me to ask why contact was being called differently against his team and to tell us that he wasn't sure why were were against his team.

The fouls in the second half favored the home team because of all the non-starters that were out there hackin' and hewin'.

mick

What did you say to him when he made that comment?

Peace

It went something like....:

He asked,"Why ....?"
My answer was ~"You know why coach, ...because the contact at one end is different from the contact on the other end."
He retorted, ~ "So you say there's enough to call down there, but not enuff to call down here? Well there is plenty to call down here! ...and my team is being (hurt)!"

Just got the info for Illinois. It can only be used during tournaments through 2/1/2004 (if a tournament wants to use it). It can only be used in the fourth quarter with a 30 point differential

5 sport ref,
In Michigan, if the difference is 30 points in the 4th, our clock is <U>not</U> running.
Seems you will have tighter parameters than we.

mick

It was not in our packet was it?
 

Tony,

Where did you get this information from?

Peace

Jeff:

I got the info from Beth Sauser, IHSA Assistant Executive Director. I sent her an e-mail and she answered it. Give me your e-mail address and I can forward it to you.

Just an FYI on the Michigan "point differential" rule:

When a team obtains a 40-point lead in the second half, the game clock will run except for time outs, the end of the third period, and free throws in the last (two?) minutes of the contest. The clock reverts to normal time if the losing teams cuts the margin to 30 or below. It will return to running time if the lead again grows to 40 or more.

And, in my humble opinion, a very wonderful rule.

tonight
 

GV tonight.

1st quarter 28-3.

Re: tonight
 

second quarter?

Re: Re: tonight
 

oc,
...maybe delta 36. The subs played a lot and screwed around enough to keep my part interesting. ;)



<HR>
68-15

[Edited by mick on Oct 3rd, 2003 at 07:05 PM]

Yesterday, girls varsity, first quarter score was 19-0. Hit a 40-point spread on the last shot of the third quarter. Final was something like 70-18.

"No" in IN
 

Indiana voted to NOT have the mercy rule.

No in Texas. The interpreter at the district clinic said that it was so the 3rd stringers could get some playing time.

Stan?
Do you work in the Detroit Public School League? They seem to have lots of scores like that.

Yes. I noticed that there were 6 running clock games there on Tuesday. One of my 3 PSL games have had a running clock. Overall, 3 of my 15 have been mercy rule games.

Mercy Rule
 

Arkansas was one of the states that experimented with this rule last year. 30 points at the beginning of the 4th quarter running clock. Clock stops on time-outs and when referee deems necessary. Good rule.

I thought so.. The "Free Press" has been in an uproar about the misalignment of some of the teams, and the major blowouts in those games.
We get 'em up here, not not so frequently.

Had another running clock last night. The margin hit 40 in the final minute of the 2nd quarter, so we started the second half with a running clock. 3rd quarter took 8 minutes, 45 seconds due to a 30 second TO by the winning team. 4th quarter took about 10 minutes to TO and FTs in the final minute.

That 4 games out of 20 with a running clock.

Mercy rule will not be implemented in CA this year. Hopefully that will change in the future.