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In Michigan, we had the mercy rule on an experimental basis in boys and girls for 3 years before the NFHS made Michigan drop it. Briefly, when a team had a 40 point lead in the second half, the clock ran (except on TOs and FTs in the last 2 minutes)unless the lead was reduced to 30 or less.
Everyone (players, coaches and officials) loved this rule. No one has fun in a 40 point game, and no one learns anything. The winning players have no challenge. The losing players give up and just go through the motions. Sometimes, frustration sets in and you might have the losers take a cheap shot at the winners. With the running clock, the travesty ends sooner and everyone goes home happier than if they had to endure another 10 or 15 minutes of a lopsided game.
As an official, with a running clock you can call a straight game and not worry about prolonging the agony by blowing the whistle. I've seen many officials in blowouts stop blowing their whistles, which just leads to rough play and injuries.
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Tue Mar 04, 2003, 05:30pm
Hybrid Mode
