Let's suppose that your team is already ahead by 30 points in the last minute of the 4th quarter and the opposing team has zero points. On top of that, you have possesion of the ball and your line of scrimmage on first down is just one yard from goal.... would you go for it or would you just take a knee and let time run out?
I've heard that it's good sportsmanship to just take knees and not humiliate the opponent further.
I've also heard that one should go for it and totally crush the opponent's spirit.
What's your opinion?
2006-09-19 07:33:04 · 17 answers · asked by Enrico C 2 in Sports ➔ Football (American)
It really depends on at what level of football your question is posed. In the NFL most teams would take a knee. The benefits outweigh the cost: It avoids the possibility of injuring a player(s), it shows a since of professionalism and respect (after all you face the same players and coaches year after year and a team or coach that has felt disrespected has a reason to play harder and hit harder next time around), and in the end a win is a win in the NFL regardless of the score (tiebreakers based upon scoring are so little used as to be pointless).
In college football, however, a win is not just a win. Due to the lack of a playoff system to determine a national champion (a system the NFL does have in place), many teams would choose to score because those who get to vote on the national standing of a team--sportwriters, coaches, etc.--look at how badly a team defeats the competition. Although this may seem unfair to the underdog, if two powerhouse programs such as Ohio State and Auburn and USC (currently #1, #2, #3/4 depending on the poll) do not face each other in a given year than the only way to judge each team is to see how badly they beat up their opponents.
Dropping down to highschool football it's really hit or miss. A majority of programs would take a knee as many highschool coaches try to instill sportsmanship in their players; afterall, many highschool football players will never go on to play college ball so there are no need to pad stats or demoralize another team by scoring. However, the same argument for highly ranked college teams applies to highly ranked highschool teams. When schools are being ranked nationally by voters than the scoring spread is an important variable to move up the ladder.
2006-09-19 08:02:57 · answer #1 · answered by ridgepride 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Take a knee, and in response to an earlier answer about how the Steelers would go ahead and try to score. All I can say is that must have been a Cleveland Browns fan as they are the only ones to try and lay blame to the Steelers when there is no blame to lay.
Bill Cowher is and always has been a consumate professional when it comes to coaching and would never try and score in that situation. They could be up by 7 points and as long as the other team did not have any timeouts left to stop the clock and give them a chance the knee would still be taken.
2006-09-19 09:51:40 · answer #2 · answered by Dru 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's an excellent question. Unfortunately, in professional football, one of the tiebreakers for playoffs is based on total points scores during a season, which really motivates coaches to run up the score in order to ensure they'll be in the playoff during a very tight race.
In the loopy world of college football, there are no playoffs, and everything is determined by polls. So if somebody is ranking the team, they tend to just look at the score and rank the team accordingly.
So both college and pro football often rewards the team that runs up the score, whether it is right or not.
2006-09-19 10:37:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In college football, I'd probably run up the score. It makes a big difference to the voters in the polls. That may be the difference between being #2 or #3.
In the pros, I'd probably take a knee and let time run out. The number of points scored is about the 4th thing in line when it comes to tie-breakers, so it's almost completely irrelevant.
2006-09-19 07:53:39 · answer #4 · answered by STEVE 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take a knee is the sportsmans way. However in a big rivalry in college or pro football rubbing someones nose in it is a good idea sometimes, only if you are going to meet that team again that season in a playoff/BCS game though. Doing that of course can also motivate the opponent, so it is a dangerous game to play either way.
2006-09-19 09:00:07 · answer #5 · answered by fostermark_2000 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
2 years ago when OU beat Texas A&M 55 or 63 to 0 (don't remember the exact score) they took knees at the goal line just so they didn't run up the score (they took a knee in late 3rd and early 4th quarters). They tried everything to no run up the score but A&M kept giving OU the ball in the end zone. One reporter stated the OU had run up the score, he later stated that he did not watch the game.
2006-09-19 07:42:39 · answer #6 · answered by sooners83 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you're ahead by 30 you take the knee. Anything else would be blatant disrespect.
Just read keg leg's answer, and he makes a good point. If the season is looking close you would have to go ahead and score.
2006-09-19 07:42:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
America is the best. Soccer is a girl sport and thats why Europeans play it and not real football. Football is different from soccer. Soccer sucks, football is great. No I dont laugh at it, I laugh at soccer players because they think they're tough when they are playing a womens sport. Its superior to soccer.
2016-03-17 22:58:04 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are two ways to look at this. One way is to take the knee and end the game. The other is to go ahead and score because total points scored is part of the tie breaker equation.
It would depend when in the season this occurs.
2006-09-19 07:42:42 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I never thought of it that way; so THAT'S WHY certain teams don't score with a total blowout like that.
Anyway, I think it's a good idea.
2006-09-19 07:50:38 · answer #10 · answered by chrstnwrtr 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋