I’ve been a coach for 40 years and if this jerk thinks his players are working on their press against a team that obviously is not above a third grade team he is just plain and simple -an ass. Years ago I was coaching an 8th grade team that was loaded. We travelled 60 miles for a game and when we got there the AD stated that we would play the B game first which was not the way it was scheduled because his A team planned on playing the second game. Well, we had B team parents that hadn’t even left home for the game and if the B game was played first then our team would have had some pretty pissed off parents because the B game would have been over when they finally got to the gym. My solution was that my A team would play against his B team. I promised we wouldn’t press and I told my team that they could only shoot an open layup. We essentially used it as a practice and still won 45-12. By the time their A team arrived at the gym the first game was nearly over and our B team played them and lost by 3 points. We helped their B team save some face, had a great game in the 2nd game of the night, and avoided a LOT of potential pissed off parents. Some coaches are too ESPNized and forgot they are teachers too. Yes kids need to learn some tough lessons but nothing is learned from a 161-2 annihilation.
Why do you think the losing coach didn’t step in and stop the game, or why not the refs?
OK, I though about that for a moment, and realize I know little to nothing of the game.
They most likely were powerless to stop it.
Good post.
My high school alma mater does pretty well in basketball (in the last fifty years, 39 conference championships and six national titles), and the team doesn't utilize a full-court press against clearly inferior teams. Period.
But sometimes, we do run up the score a bit. The year I graduated (a long time ago), we beat one of our conference rivals 105-35.
sitetest
I can’t believe how bloody minded a lot of posters to this thread are.My high school had, and has, a local football reputation; they haven’t had a losing season in over fifty years. The coach wasn’t the kind to run up the score. Then one game, I noticed that the score was getting out of hand. And the fans (it was a home game) began singing, “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More.” I asked what was going on - and was reminded about the game the year before.
The weather when the two teams met the previous year had been so bad - just above freezing, and pouring rain - that all the games in the whole county were postponed. Except one. The home team of that game was UP for upsetting the visitor, and wasn’t going to let a little thing like the worst imaginable weather delay the game. And they DID manage to eek out a victory. The next year? Not so much.
When my boy was in the 9th grade-—at a 1A school——they played a game where the opponent had five players and one fouled out. It was 52-2 at halftime. The coach, who was also the varsity coach, told our boys they had two make at least five passes before shooting. He figured that instead of just running up the score they could work on their passing. Also, the bench played most of the game.
Final score was 66-16. The other team kept hustling and never quit. I think this Cal coach was just a dumbass.