NC adds mercy rule-WOOHOO!!

[jannugimes]

Terrible move - many life lessons will no longer be taught through the competition and game of football.

[HLinNC]

Plenty of life lessons learned by halftime when it's 42-0 at the half.

It's a running clock.  It keeps the potential for fights and serious injury down.

I doubt I'll ever see a game terminated save for weather issues or a program so small that injuries put them in a position unable to continue.

[Rulesman]

Terrible move - many life lessons will no longer be taught through the competition and game of football.

So you believe getting hammered 84-6 is a "life lesson?"

[Tom.OH]

Tom is that official and is it posted anywhere. Would like to post it to our board membership if its official. Thanks

It is posted on the OHSAA web site in the 5/21 notes on multiple sports changes. Not sure how to find a link to it.

[James]

I've had 3 games this spring so far. Only 1 ran the full time.
In one, the score was 40-0 at half time. No mercy rule in that league, but the coaches can come together and change the time to play - they halved the clock for the 3rd and 4th quarters. Winner was obvious.

Game this weekend - right after 2 minute warning score 21-6, the winning team's QB gets taken down hard. We are delaying for the medics.
The coaches both come out and say - the game is decided, lets just call it now. The loosing coach is well known for being super aggressive and pushing hard. I was really surprised that the offer came from him.
The R debated having a few kneel-downs at the other end of the field, but decided to just call it that the time had run out.

I think maybe a difference here is that it is not 4 years and you are finished forever like most high-school players, but they can reasonably play for 10-15 years if they stay engaged and enjoy it.

[wheels71]

Tom is that official and is it posted anywhere. Would like to post it to our board membership if its official. Thanks

Here is what WMFD is reporting and also the link.

The OHSAA will adopt a Football Point Differential Rule (Mercy Rule) for 2014- '15. The change was approved by the Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors last week at it's May board meeting.

The rule reads as follows. After the first half, any time the score reaches 30 points or more the clock will be allowed to run. During that time the clock will stop when: An officials time out is called for injury, or following a change of possession, a charged time out is called, the end of a quarter, or a score occurs. The clock will start again on the ready for play signal for the first play after the above situations. If at any time the score drops below 30 points the clock will go back to regular timing.

http://www.wmfd.com/local-sports/single.asp?story=59874

[Ref13]

11. Mercy Rule in Football – Whenever the score reaches a point differential of 42 or more by halftime, at the start of the second half and any point thereafter, the game will resort to a “running clock” or be terminated by mutual agreement—the clock will only stop for charged timeouts, injuries and scores; the “try for point” will always be an un-timed down; the clock will start when the ball is legally touched on the kickoff.

Cue the purists complaining about the wussification of football etc.

No more playing Kissinger between the sidelines!

Maybe I'm missing something.  Help me understand the wording here:

If the point differential reaches 42 or more:

a.  by halftime
b.  at the start of the 2nd half
c.  and anytime thereafter

Doesn't that cover any point in the entire game?  If so why didn't they just say that?

[Rulesman]

Maybe I'm missing something.  Help me understand the wording here:

If the point differential reaches 42 or more:

a.  by halftime
b.  at the start of the 2nd half
c.  and anytime thereafter

Doesn't that cover any point in the entire game?  If so why didn't they just say that?

I'm wondering if they meant (and the correct word should be) AT halftime? That might make better sense if truly the case.

[Ralph Damren]

Most of the scoreboards up in Maine have the same score by halftime as they have at the start of the second half . The Canadian Loonie (dollar) is only worth 94 cents Americian. Babe Ruth once coached 3rd base for the Dodgers. ...that's my words of wisdom for the hour .

[HLinNC]

If the point differential reaches 42 or more:

a.  by halftime
b.  at the start of the 2nd half
c.  and anytime thereafter

Eliminate (b.) Rulesman.   Perhaps the comma after  "halftime" should be a semi-colon- I'm no English major.   

The intent of the rule is if the point differential reaches 42 by halftime, at the start of the second half or anytime in the 2nd half afterward the point differential is reached, we will have a running clock.  In other words, there will be no running clock in the first half, no matter the score. 

[Ref13]

Eliminate (b.) Rulesman.   Perhaps the comma after  "halftime" should be a semi-colon- I'm no English major.   

The intent of the rule is if the point differential reaches 42 by halftime, at the start of the second half or anytime in the 2nd half afterward the point differential is reached, we will have a running clock.  In other words, there will be no running clock in the first half, no matter the score.

Makes sense

[BIG UMP]

http://www.sportsbuzzohio.com/2014/05/20/prep-football-ohsaa-board-approves-mercy-rule/