Comments on: Running Up the Score

By: James

James — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 20:40:59 +0000

I live in a country where basketball is a major sport, but not as big as it is in the USA. Scouting of teams rarely happens and there is not much game footage available to other coaches.

I had a team run the score on my boys after my two best players went down with injuries. The score finished up 119 – 20. We gave the opposing team three cheers then shook hands.

5 weeks later I watched this team dominate the state semi finals and finals. I recorded both games and sent the DVD to the number one ranked team in the country. These two teams played in the national final later that season.

While I didn’t get to see the national final being played, the score at the end of the first quarter was 31-7. The top ranked school went on to dominate and win the national title with ease and I have no doubt the footage I sent up to them played a considerable part in their success.

What goes around, comes around.

By: Hassan

Hassan — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:13:56 +0000

I Agree with Paul comments…
Use the experience positively with good sportsmanship.

By: paul

paul — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 02:31:33 +0000

I’ve been on both sides of the scoreboard. It’s fairly easy to tell when you’re dominating another team. There is a benefit to teaching both life and basektball lessons when in this situation. You can pull back your press and work on a defense that you don’t play well. You can stop fast breaking and set up offenses that you’ll need later in the year. As a Coach, you can continue to have your players play hard, use your bench to get them some seasoning and work on offenses/defenses that will help you down the road.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:18:37 +0000

I agree that you need to teach your players to play 100% at all times, but when you are up big in a game, that is a great opprotunity to work on other aspects of the game. If you are a man team, work on playing zone, etc. Change your personnel so that some of bench players experience varsity play in case you ever need them due to injury.

By: Al carter

Al carter — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 00:20:55 +0000

No way this is acceptable in exhibiting sportsmanship it’s not the way that I was taught and I think that coaches who feel that way are sending the wrong message to players

By: Jack

Jack — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:37:44 +0000

Couldn’t agree more with this post. My son’s JV team was up by 44 in the 4th quarter and our coach thought it best to keep the starters in until 4 minutes left in the 4th, shoot 3′s the whole way, and most horrific he kept the full court press on until 2 minutes left in the game. The other coach started inserting bench guys in the middle of the 3rd when the deficit hit 40 points but not our coach. Not only was I embarassed but I actually sought out the other coach and apologized. Spoke to my son about it and he was just as upset as he had to be the one pressing the whole game and showing up the other players some who he was friends with. I would like to pull my son from the team but couldn’t do it to my son as he loves playing. There is no room for NBA wannabe coaches at the high school JV level!

By: bob

bob — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 04:26:17 +0000

the author of this story is a true jackass. I competed on a high level all my life and was always taught to be sportsmanlike. i wouldn’t be surprised if his players took a couple of cheap shots every once in a while if not outright punches to the face.

his philosophy definitely should not apply to the recreation level where in some leagues in some years, the level of talent is severely uneven. there’s no joy in using your starters most of the game to beat a team by 40 points in 5th grade. You’re not doing your town or your players a favor. those bench sitters will soon drop the sport as will your opponent players. Too bad, because one of them sprung up eight inches last year, but he’s been so turned off to basketball that he refuses to play, all because of an idiotic jackass like this author.

By: Coach L

Coach L — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:42:57 +0000

Interesting article/opinion/philosophy…and it is truly a philosophy which is shaped by the authors experience, personality, passion, style and motivation as a coach. To suggest its application en mass, for all coaches at all levels, ages, grades, schools, etc, like Lauren in this reply section for example, who touches on this point, is a good thing, is wide open for debate to the contrary. Perhaps if Coach D clarified where he thinks this “cut throat” for the good of the game, for everyone, style may best be applied, it would be more complete. Little kids? Grammar School? High School girls JV? When average talent that normally loses, is finally meeting up with really untalented well meaning players and can win by a lot? Etc. It’s a philosophy he has. I don’t, others may….I’m sure however that his survival to the fittest, get better or get out, would produce less players but a higher level of player if applied everywhere…hypothetically.

By: Coach G.

Coach G. — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 03:47:24 +0000

I like Dick DeVenzio and got a ton of great stuff from his Point Guard College. I can see his point here and as a coach I have always had the upmost respect for the game, players and other coaches. However, I’ve had some difficulty developing that killer instinct once we get a team down by 15 or 20.
So, I guess what I am asking here is, when is enough, enough? At what point do you turn the game into a teaching/learning opportunity. I’ve been up and had to fight off a comeback numerous times in the name of sportsmanship and not wanting to run up a score. I understand that practice is where you develop this killer instinct/attitude, but again, he has some great points!
In FCA we talk about playing for God! How do you do that? By going 100% at all times for His glory. By being the ultimate competitor! What I get from this article and your take on it is that players need to play one way and one way only, full bore! I don’t believe you can coach kids to take it easy. Therefore, this article is not really such a bad article, because it is simply telling players that; give it your all the entire time! To me, the response is aimed at COACHES, not players! The article is for PLAYERS, the response is for COACHES, and I can agree with both of them!
Coach G.

By: Breck

Breck — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 00:09:36 +0000

Thank you sir, I could not agree more! I believe firmly in Vince Lombardi’s quote, but with my own modification:”Winning is not everything, winning by as much as possible is”!

By: Lauren

Lauren — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:26:57 +0000

I’ve been around basketball for most of my life. I played in elementary school straight up through college and now I coach. There is a BIG difference when you’re 12 and getting beat up on 50-2 and when you’re in college and getting beat 100-15. Even though I don’t agree with running up the score at ANY level, I’m especially appalled at it during the “learning years.” I truly believe any coach that allows a score to get out of control is teaching a bad lesson. It’s okay to be a better player, it’s not okay to humiliate someone. This isn’t about being fair, it’s about being human. It’s not fun for anyone anymore. I don’t care how much you like to win. To me you’re not proving you’re a better coach for beating up on a terrible team. You’re a worse human being and no one wants to see that, least of all your players.

99.99% of players will NEVER be professional athletes, but even in professional sports there is a line that is frowned upon being crossed. The Jets-Cardinals game two weeks ago crossed that line. The Jets were ridiculed for going for a 2 point conversion late in the second half when up by a lot and these players and coaches are getting paid to win (I am a Jet fan BTW).

I’ve been on both ends. I’ve had a team so talented that they could easily humiliate a team and at first that’s exactly what I did, but when you see what it does to your opponent, it’s a little horrifying. I’ve also lost so badly I never wanted to play again.

It’s not about “what goes around comes around” or “treating other the way you want to be treated.” It IS about SPORTSMANSHIP and honoring the game and your opponent. The worst I ever felt while playing or coaching was when *I* made someone not want it anymore. That’s not honor, that’s not winning, and that’s not triumph. That was my disgrace, to myself and my sport.

By: Coach Stinson

Coach Stinson — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 07:36:13 +0000

LOL! good point, Robert!

By: robert hollyfield

robert hollyfield — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:27:51 +0000

also lost is the fact you can only get bet so bad in racquetball. if his bro was whipping him 125 – 2 , id bet he would find someone else to play.