Tenths of a second

[jchamp]

I've noticed that the trend with just about every new HS scoreboard system that is installed is that they are set to display the tenths of a second when there is less than one minute.
I can completely understand the relevance in other games, but I think that it causes potential for problems in football, and base it on this logic:
1) In basketball, hockey, soccer, lacrosse, the action is continuous, and especially in basketball, the tenths of a second can be critical information in the last minute.
2) In football, the action occurs in discrete periods, which will occur as long as any time remains before the discrete period begins. There is no more information that a coach gets by knowing there is 0.1 seconds or 1.0 seconds. In fact, least amount of time that is useful is 3 seconds, in which case he can be reasonably sure he has an opportunity to spike the ball, if he's got a quick, disciplined squad.
3) By displaying tenths of a second, especially less than one second, children will feel, however correct or incorrect it may be, that they were cheated out of an opportunity, or that an opponent's opportunity was cheaply earned. Granted it goes both ways. Auburn's win last week was a great example of that. But coaching decisions were made the same as they would have regardless of how many tenths were displayed. For children's games, I don't want to give them the opportunity to feel that their loss or victory was cheap. We play the games to teach them sportsmanship; deliberately including any concept which could undermine the principles of fairness should be avoided.
4) It amplifies the visibility of clock errors. I've worked on radio-controlled units that took a full second or more for the signals to be displayed by the scoreboard. These provide the appearance that the operator is milking the clock and depriving the teams of opportunities. The tenth-of-a-second is very psychologically stimulating to the human eye. Including it when it is not precise, tends to mislead spectators.

I'd like to know what others feel about this. Poke holes in my argument, etc. But keep in mind, I would only recommend seconds-only usage in football. For other games, especially basketball, tenths are relevant. In fact, basketball deliberately references the tenths in the 0.3 second rule. Football, culturally, isn't timed to the same degree of precision.

[Robert Goodman]

I figure the electric scoreboard is a stock item, programmed for indoor & outdoor use, and that nobody was particularly trying to get tenths of a sec. displayed for football, just that it "comes free" as an added feature.

[JugglingReferee]

In Canadian football, there is definitely no need to display portions of a second. This is because if a whistle is sounded to end a play, and then the horn sounds, there is 1 more play in said quarter. The two indicators are audible, and that's what people use. That there is 0.0, 0.1, or 1.0 seconds on the clock is immaterial.

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by jchamp

In fact, least amount of time that is useful is 3 seconds, in which case he can be reasonably sure he has an opportunity to spike the ball, if he's got a quick, disciplined squad.

That's only a rule in NCAA rules, nothing like it exists in FED (or NFL, as far as I am aware).

Our HS rules interpreter has said that we should "find out if the scoreboard displays tenths of seconds, and if it does, try to get the tenths of a second display disabled", since, as you said, tenths of seconds do not matter in football. Unfortunately, it seems that about 2/3rds of the scoreboards around here display tenths, and clock operators get the 'deer in the headlights' look when you ask them to update the clock settings.

I wish we could get some edict from the state office on this so our request would have some teeth to it, but that doesn't seem to be forthcoming.

[jchamp]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

That's only a rule in NCAA rules, nothing like it exists in FED (or NFL, as far as I am aware).

Our HS rules interpreter has said that we should "find out if the scoreboard displays tenths of seconds, and if it does, try to get the tenths of a second display disabled", since, as you said, tenths of seconds do not matter in football. Unfortunately, it seems that about 2/3rds of the scoreboards around here display tenths, and clock operators get the 'deer in the headlights' look when you ask them to update the clock settings.

I wish we could get some edict from the state office on this so our request would have some teeth to it, but that doesn't seem to be forthcoming.

I can understand that there are a lot more pressing issues surrounding handling football games for state associations to work on, such as the handling of injuries, including concussions.

I'm glad to know that some places officially recognize that the indicator is worthless. Slow progress is still progress.