Speaking of bad rules.. a HORRIBLE HS football rule..

[Pard4Life]

Just the basic details here... a coach in Connecticut whose team wins by more than 50 points is automatically suspended the next game...


...HORRIBLE.. instead of going out, playing hard, going through your plays, and playing to WIN... the team and coach will have to be worried about not scoring in order keep eligibility for the next game... what's a good team to do? Kneel the ball each down??? That's not football....

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-hsrule0525.artmay25,0,6520354.story?coll=hc-headlines-local

[Coastal89]

They're not alone. Here's the list of states that use the 3-1-2 mercy rule.


http://www.nfhs.org/scriptcontent/va_Custom/vimdisplays/newspage.cfm?Category_ID=30&Content_ID=752&showarchive=No&itemtitle=Item&Title=Football%20Sports/Rules%20Information&NewsHeader=FB&NewsFooter=FB_FOOT&NewsImage=

[griz37]

Just the basic details here... a coach in Connecticut whose team wins by more than 50 points is automatically suspended the next game...


...HORRIBLE.. instead of going out, playing hard, going through your plays, and playing to WIN... the team and coach will have to be worried about not scoring in order keep eligibility for the next game... what's a good team to do? Kneel the ball each down??? That's not football....

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-hsrule0525.artmay25,0,6520354.story?coll=hc-headlines-local


Whats more embarassing to the other team, losing by 60 or being treated like they are in the special olympis? I would say the latter.

[UNHWildCats]

i just saw this on ESPN.com and was gonna post it. I think its ridiculous. What if a teams 3rd string offense is still better then the defense out there, are they suppose to lay down on the field every play?

Or what if the losing team is at its 5 yr line and fumbles in the endzone, should the defense not go after the ball?

CRAZY!

[walliver]

A "mercy rule" makes sense, but penalizing the coach is ridiculous. Among the smaller high schools there is no third or fourth string to put in the game. Among Class A schools, there frequently isn't even a second string.

[LeopardFan04]

I agree...I understand that no ones wants to see a score run up without reason...but there's a difference between passing the ball up 50 and trying to grind out the clock and still winning big...stupid rule...

[HiHiYikas]

so if one coach really dislikes another, and he gets down 42 points, can he direct his team to keep running through the back of their own end zone until the margin is over 50? It only takes 3 safeties, right?

[Pard4Life]

I agree...I understand that no ones wants to see a score run up without reason...but there's a difference between passing the ball up 50 and trying to grind out the clock and still winning big...stupid rule...

A much more honorable rule to end a blowout game is the PA rule... keep the clock rolling and don't stop it.

What do you tell your third or fourth string frosh RB when he finally gets a chance to play in a varsity game? Take it easy? Don't run hard? Don't show the coaches and team what you can do? Prove you've got moves to get some more playing time??

Get real Connecticut...