Can a person, group, or team win by too much? At which point do you cross the line? This is a question posed to us today in the news. It isn't a fairly well known story so I thought I might shed some light on it.
This weekend two high school football teams met up to play a friendly game. What was soon to follow left many stunned, baffled, and questioning the coaches and administrations of both schools; not to mention many angry parents from both teams. What ensued in the game between Naples High School and Estero High School will become stuff of legend. Naples high won the game 91-0. The community was outraged and the coaches didn't know what to do. Many placed blame on Naples' head coach, Bill Kramer, for running up the score. But as Kramer saw the scoreboard begin to light up his heart began to sink because this was not the first time that he has been through this and he knew what it meant: angry phone calls, e-mails, media scrutiny, and a lower opinion of Naples. So Kramer did what he could to keep the score down even taking knees on some of the downs but nothing seemed to stop the inevitable.
Now one may ask, how does this happen!? 91-0!? Well, first off don't be too surprised because this is not the highest score ever achieved and certainly not the highest this weekend. The highest score this weekend is from a game played between two Ohio teams in which Beechcroft beat Centennial 96-0; also taking knees on downs to keep from going into triple digits. And the highest ever recorded score is held by Haven High (Ky.) who beat their opponent with a score of 256 points in 1927. Only five other high school teams have ever broken the 200 point marker. But enough history back to the question. The result of this game between Naples and Estero is largely due to Naples being the 3A Division State Champ and Estero having to completely rebuild its football program. Estero's coach, Rich Dombroski, was the first to say that Naples didn't do anything wrong and praises the team for taking knees on downs when they could have easily run up the board. But this didn't stop the accusations that flooded Kramer's desk. Most were angry Estero parent's accusing Kramer of once again running up the board and having no sportsmanship but a good portion were also from angry Naples parents for not playing there kids. Because in an effort to make the game more fair because he knew Estero's situation concerning their football program Kramer had decided to play none of his starters or his 'really good players.' However, now that the weekend is over things have begun to settle down and Estero is looking forward to continuing practice and it's next game. And coach Dombroski is hoping that the "Naples thumping" as he calls it will wake the administration up to the situation that Estero's football team is in.
So now I ask you, was it right for these angry parents to scold Naples for winning by "too" much? Or should Naples have tried harder to "win by less"? What is your opinion on this weird but somewhat controversial issue? Does the simple fact that this seems to bother our society so much mean that we have grown too soft as a society? Let me know what you think.
At which point do you cross the line?
By Town - Posted on October 14th, 2008
Tagged: barack obama
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• Sports
I think given the nature of the game, competition is a must. However, when it's so obvious that one team is going to win, it'd be cool if the winning team didn't rub it in so much. Meaning, Naples' coach shoulda tried harder to keep the score down...91 is ridiculous! Plus, it's hard on the other team because they're trying really hard, and still getting the crap kicked out of them; how disheartening! After all, it is just a game, what's the harm in taking a little pity on the other team? Not having a challenge isn't fun at all.
Last year, my adult soccer team played against a REALLY good adult soccer team. We scored maybe two goals the entire game, and they were up to almost 20. It was just one ball after another, and nobody on our team was trying anymore...it was pointless...they were faster, better, had worked together longer, and they just wanted to win. This was a rec league...it wasn't like there was a prize for person with the most goals at the end of the season...it was for fun...and it wasn't fun. It was fun when we played other teams that sucked because we'd all just run around on the field and joke around holding true to the nature of the game.
I don't think it's a "society is becoming soft" issue...I think it's an issue of decency, public humiliation, and plain just over-doing it. The coach probably should have known better.
k
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reality amidst bullshit
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/49917
Oh, c'mon. If the coach had his team take a knee on multiple plays with his scrubs in, he was definitely not trying to run up the score. "Rubbing it in" was inevitable if he even allowed his team to play. What would you have done? Punted on first down? Told your defensive players to stand around and let the other team score? I think that would have been rubbing it in-- by sayinging that no competition was the only thing that Estero could handle. This has been completely blown out of proportion.
John Colby- 18, Tampa, FL
I think you've probably heard of not playing at 100%. I mean tell the kids to play at like 80%...Either way, I definitely WOULDN'T have called the coach to complain...that's over-doing it as well.
k
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reality amidst bullshit
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/49917
Here's an article for this, so people know what you're talking about. :-)
People are complaining that a team won by too many points?
Seriously?
What are coaches going to do? Tell their players to not do their best? Go easy on the other guys? How is keeping the better players on the sidelines more fair to the other team?
From what I can see, it wasn't the losing team complaining. Even the coach was ok with the loss, saying Naples didn't do anything wrong, his team just didn't do anything right. It was the parents. That's right. Mommy and daddy calling in because the epitome of perfection, no doubt glistening with dew as he sprung forth from their loins, suffered the excruciating pain of a humiliating loss.
They scored 13 touchdowns, the other team didn't score any. Boo hoo. If parents are calling in to complain that their kid lost by too much, I hate to think of the helicopter syndrome they'll display when their precious angel is off to the big bad world of university, where professors might make them do real work. The horror.
No one should ever have to feel bad for winning unless they cheated. Not even if they win by a lot. Holding back your talent so someone else feels adequate in comparison is a disservice to both parties.
And, maybe I can't speak for a football team. I'd be a lot more embarrassed losing 49-0 because the other team took a knee the entire second half. I'd much rather they played the whole game and lose 91-0, than know they gave up on my behalf. At least 91-0 isn't a pity score.
And I'm pretty sure the last thing the players of the winning team want a scout to see is them holding back so the other team doesn't feel bad.
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