Read the debate intro, Bleacher Fan’s argument that a mercy rule should be put in place, and Sports Geek’s argument that a mercy rule should not be put in place.
As is usually the case at The Sports Debates, this was an interesting debate. Whether a spectator or a participant in a sporting event, chances are good that you have been on both sides of a blowout. Obviously, it is much better to be on the winning side, but is too big a blowout good for football, or is it necessary to have some type of “mercy rule” in place?
SportsGeek cited an example of a game he attended in which he left after the score seemingly got out of hand, only to find out that the ‘losing’ team had come back to win the game after trailing by a large deficit. He also pointed out the story of a young man on a basketball team who suffered from several social anxiety disorders, but was able to get in and play late in a lopsided game, actually scoring his first points as a player.
Bleacher Fan counter-argues by pointing out that there are risks involved in continuing a “blowout” game and that there are no competitive or financial benefits. Bleacher Fan also correctly points out that these blowout games make for bad television, as they lead viewers to switching the channel to find a more enticing game. In some cases when the game is televised regionally, the network will actually switch to a more competitive game in order to keep the viewer on that station.
After careful review of the facts, I narrowly find in favor of Bleacher Fan!
In the words of former New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs coach Herman Edwards – ”You play to win the game. You don’t play it just to play it.” That fact supersedes anything else that goes on during the game.
We all love “feel good stories”. They are a product of what happens during the game. What it all boils down to, though, is winning, which is the opening point of Bleacher Fan’s argument. Once the game is in hand there is no more reason to endanger anyone and put them at further risk. Perhaps, as Bleacher Fan suggested, once the difference in score exceeds 50 points the game should stop, or maybe once it exceeds 40 points a continuous clock could begin. I do not know what the best model would be, but some type of ‘mercy rule’ needs to be put in place.
Agree or disagree? Have some stories of being on one side or the other of a blowout? Feel free to comment at the bottom of the page. Someone will respond to your thoughts/questions!
