General Discussion

Liberal_in_LA

(44,397 posts) Sat Jan 17, 2015, 08:37 PM Jan 2015

is it bad sportsmanship to win by 161 to 2? basketball coach suspended [View all]

High school girls basketball coach suspended after team wins 161-2
Sports Illustrated

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California high school basketball coach has been suspended and faces accusations of mercilessly running up the score after his team won a game 161-2, one of the most lopsided scores in state history.

Arroyo Valley High girls' coach Michael Anderson was suspended for two games after the victory last week against Bloomington High.

Anderson said that he wasn't trying to run up the score or embarrass the opposition. His team had won four previous games by at least 70 points, and Bloomington had already lost a game by 91.

"The game just got away from me," Anderson told the San Bernardino Sun (http://bit.ly/1znnLWJ) Friday. "I didn't play any starters in the second half. I didn't expect them to be that bad. I'm not trying to embarrass anybody."

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-girls-basketball-coach-suspended-6021357.php

43 votes, 0 passes \| Time left: Unlimited
	yes. no need to win by that much
	14 (33%)
	no
	28 (65%)
	other
	1 (2%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

95 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

is it bad sportsmanship to win by 161 to 2? basketball coach suspended [View all] Liberal_in_LA Jan 2015 OP

I voted no, but the guy ought to be ashamed. BillZBubb Jan 2015 #1

Yet the statistics in baskets scored by the girls on his team can lead directly to scholarships. MohRokTah Jan 2015 #31

Because it teaches bad sportmanship and shows no class. BillZBubb Jan 2015 #77

If he went an entire second half without any starters, he was trying to be merciful. MohRokTah Jan 2015 #2

He used a full-court press for the entire first half to lead 104-1 at halftime oberliner Jan 2015 #7

The idea is to win. MohRokTah Jan 2015 #8

Pounding inferior competition doesn't make him a "great" coach Blue_Tires Jan 2015 #37

It makes the opposing coach lousy. MohRokTah Jan 2015 #38

Since neither of us have seen the teams play Blue_Tires Jan 2015 #42

When winning or losing is not in doubt tkmorris Jan 2015 #48

He's a damned fine coach. eom MohRokTah Jan 2015 #60

Hopefully he'll get better offers from other schools or colleges. nt benz380 Jan 2015 #72

I just wonder why he didn't rotate players into different positions, MH1 Jan 2015 #81

IMO Alittleliberal Jan 2015 #41

How very Republican of you Bandit Jan 2015 #58

How very ad hominem of you. MohRokTah Jan 2015 #59

It was a game for children.... Bandit Jan 2015 #61

It was a game for high schoolers. MohRokTah Jan 2015 #62

In a better world high school games wouldn't have anything to do with college scholarships. hunter Jan 2015 #84

Maybe you really ARE Hillary! PassingFair Jan 2015 #64

Not a surprise coming from you. Classy as usual! nt Logical Jan 2015 #66

BTW, link? eom MohRokTah Jan 2015 #10

same article Liberal_in_LA Jan 2015 #11

There is no link in the OP MohRokTah Jan 2015 #15

here u go Liberal_in_LA Jan 2015 #19

Thank you very much. I needed more information. eom MohRokTah Jan 2015 #21

Link to what? oberliner Jan 2015 #12

That's baloney. BillZBubb Jan 2015 #78

So in other words a shit team is no longer allowed to lose badly? Archae Jan 2015 #3

I wonder where you learned about sportsmanship? BillZBubb Jan 2015 #80

The NFL. Archae Jan 2015 #86

They won their next game 80-19 without the coach. MohRokTah Jan 2015 #4

Surprised they didn't suspend the players for being better than their competition. benz380 Jan 2015 #74

The schools are all about the same size. MohRokTah Jan 2015 #76

There's ways to manage a game bigwillq Jan 2015 #5

Maybe so, but I'd love to whup the GOP by that many electoral votes. TheCowsCameHome Jan 2015 #6

Pat Paulsen's team lost by more than that one year Brother Buzz Jan 2015 #9

It is the opposition's job to stop them and put some points on the board. The person who laid down TheKentuckian Jan 2015 #13

Agreed. eom MohRokTah Jan 2015 #17

No, it is bad sportsmanship to suck so damn bad. nt Ykcutnek Jan 2015 #14

And then complain about the other team after being trounced deservedly. eom MohRokTah Jan 2015 #23

My high school football team won a game with a score of 108-14 TexasProgresive Jan 2015 #16

CT has a 50 point rule bigwillq Jan 2015 #20

I agree that is an awful rule exboyfil Jan 2015 #27

If you're going to have a 50 point mercy rule, then the game should end as soon as one team leads by MohRokTah Jan 2015 #28

Oh goodness. I went to Bloomington High! Codeine Jan 2015 #18

Helps his girls with their college recruitment. Exultant Democracy Jan 2015 #22

Yes. LWolf Jan 2015 #24

The opposing team's coach should be suspended LittleBlue Jan 2015 #25

I heard one commenter exboyfil Jan 2015 #29

And ANY Mercy Rule should mean the game ENDS the moment one team leads the other by the mercy points MohRokTah Jan 2015 #30

Agree totally exboyfil Jan 2015 #33

FWIW, I don't know how big that HS is Blue_Tires Jan 2015 #40

Here ya go jmowreader Jan 2015 #55

thanks for that.. Blue_Tires Jan 2015 #56

FFS are you clueless. nt Logical Jan 2015 #68

Says the man who calls himself "Logical" and then resorts to namecalling LittleBlue Jan 2015 #71

oh please... Takket Jan 2015 #26

He used a full-court press for the entire first half to lead 104-1 at halftime oberliner Jan 2015 #32

That makes him a good coach looking out for his players. MohRokTah Jan 2015 #34

No it doesn't oberliner Jan 2015 #35

Yes it does. The idea is to score as many points as possible. MohRokTah Jan 2015 #36

The losing coach should have forfeited rateyes Jan 2015 #39

There is a mercy rule in CIF basketball SwankyXomb Jan 2015 #50

Coach should be fired kcjohn1 Jan 2015 #43

Waaaaah. MohRokTah Jan 2015 #45

One life lesson is that there is always someone better than you are at something Trekologer Jan 2015 #47

Lesson is learned kcjohn1 Jan 2015 #52

Really sad to see the results of this poll here. kcr Jan 2015 #44

Societies Decay kcjohn1 Jan 2015 #54

My dear old dad was a basketball coach gratuitous Jan 2015 #46

I voted "no", Jamaal510 Jan 2015 #49

Sounds like coach is a wussie... bobclark86 Jan 2015 #51

Yes, it is. delrem Jan 2015 #53

so he played his starters and used a full-court press during the entire first half DrDan Jan 2015 #57

Maybe he was worried that the other team would pull a 104 point rally. Orrex Jan 2015 #65

then again, maybe he's a jerk DrDan Jan 2015 #69

I'm not sure that that's a "maybe." Orrex Jan 2015 #70

I voted No but it should be YES- full court press the whole first half underpants Jan 2015 #63

Classy coaches know how to handle a mismatch. Assholes don't. This one was an asshole. nt Logical Jan 2015 #67

Exactly. BillZBubb Jan 2015 #79

yes. and how is it fun for observers to watch losing team get clobbered? Liberal_in_LA Jan 2015 #94

Apparently HS sports games and ethics are mutually exclusive. wavesofeuphoria Jan 2015 #73

Once a 50-point gap developed, the game should have been suspended. Paladin Jan 2015 #75

No, it is more that what you are talking about has little to do with ethics. TheKentuckian Jan 2015 #83

I don't believe the word "ethics" appears in my prior post. I stand by my comments. (nt) Paladin Jan 2015 #87

It's called " class" or in this case a lack of it.... Dickster Jan 2015 #82

Interesting that all the people who coached HS sports say the same alcibiades_mystery Jan 2015 #85

Thanks! I would bet money that Dickster Jan 2015 #88

Other- It can be. I don't think it was in this case. No starters played in the 2nd half. stevenleser Jan 2015 #89

The other thing to remember here is this was an opportunity for the losing team. stevenleser Jan 2015 #90

I see a lot of focus on the "Coach had team use full court press for the whole first half" stevenleser Jan 2015 #91

Disagree AndreaCG Jan 2015 #92

I get that there can be reasons to ensure you beat somebody in sports mythology Jan 2015 #93

He's a high school sports coach, so he's automatically a jerk based on my experience TeamPooka Jan 2015 #95