You’re standing on the sidelines of a high school football game, and the scoreboard is a car crash. 56 to 0. It’s the third quarter. The winning team is still hurling deep bombs down the sideline. The losing kids look like they want the earth to swallow them whole. Someone in the bleachers screams about "class" and "respect." But then you look at the winning coach, who is just trying to give his second-string seniors a chance to finally play. Is it bad sportsmanship to run up the score, or are we just getting too soft?
Honestly, the answer is messy. It depends on whether you're watching millionaires in the NFL or eight-year-olds at the local park.
In professional sports, the idea of "mercy" is basically non-existent. You get paid to produce. If you’re the Miami Dolphins and you put up 70 points on the Denver Broncos—which actually happened in 2023—nobody is crying for the Broncos. They’re professionals. They have a job to do. But move that same energy to a middle school basketball game, and suddenly you’re the neighborhood villain.
The Fine Line Between Effort and Humiliation
We have to define what "running it up" actually means. It isn’t just winning by a lot. It’s the intent behind the points.
If a team is naturally better and scores because they are executing their offense correctly, that’s just sports. Stopping your team from playing hard can actually be more insulting. Imagine being the losing team and watching the opponents literally stop running just to be "nice." That feels patronizing. It tells the loser, "You’re so bad we don't even have to try."
However, there is a point where it crosses into the "bad sportsmanship" territory. This usually happens when a coach keeps the starters in during a blowout just to pad stats. Or when a team starts using "trick plays" when they are already up by 40. That’s not about winning; that’s about ego.
When Statistics Rule the Game
In the modern era, numbers matter more than ever. In college football, the College Football Playoff (CFP) committee looks at "margin of victory." If you only beat a weak opponent by 7 points, the computers and the scouts might think you’re a fraud. This creates a weird incentive where coaches feel they must keep scoring to prove they belong in the rankings.
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It’s a brutal system. You’re essentially forced to be "classless" to secure a spot in the championships.
The Developmental Argument
Think about the backups. For a kid who spends every practice getting hit but never sees the field, the fourth quarter of a blowout is their Super Bowl. They want to score. They want to show their parents they can play. Should a coach tell a 16-year-old kid to "go out there and take a knee" just because the other team is struggling?
Probably not.
But there is a middle ground. Smart coaches change the "how." Instead of throwing 40-yard passes, they run the ball up the middle. It keeps the clock moving. It lets the backups get reps. It shows respect to the opponent while still allowing your players to compete.
Why We Care So Much About the Score
Psychologically, sports are a simulation of conflict. When one side is getting decimated, our natural empathy kicks in. We hate seeing people humiliated. This is why "Mercy Rules" exist in Little League. If you're up by 10 runs in the fourth inning, the game just ends. It saves everyone the headache.
But some people hate mercy rules. They argue that failure is a teacher. If you get beat 100 to 0, maybe you should practice harder. It’s the "Old School" mentality.
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Bill Belichick, the legendary NFL coach, was famous for never letting up. His philosophy was simple: It’s the defense’s job to stop us. If they can’t stop us, that’s their problem. It sounds cold, but in a multi-billion dollar industry, "feelings" aren't a metric that keeps you employed.
The Cultural Shift in Youth Sports
Things are changing at the grassroots level. You’ve probably seen the headlines about coaches being fired or suspended for winning by too much. In 2019, a high school basketball coach in California was suspended for two games after his team won 161-2.
161 to 2.
That is an astronomical gap. In cases like that, it’s hard to argue it’s just "playing the game." You have to try really hard to score 161 points while the other team only gets a single basket. That’s where the "is it bad sportsmanship to run up the score" debate stops being a debate and starts being a consensus. That’s just bullying.
How to Handle a Blowout with Class
If you find yourself on the winning side of a lopsided game, there are ways to handle it without being a jerk:
- Rotate the Roster: Get the starters off the field immediately.
- Limit the Playbook: Stop the high-risk, high-reward plays.
- Control the Clock: In football or basketball, use every second of the play clock. Don't rush.
- Focus on Fundamentals: Use the time to practice footwork or defensive positioning rather than scoring.
- Maintain Respect: Don't celebrate a touchdown when you're up by 50. Just head back to the huddle.
The Loser’s Responsibility
We rarely talk about the losing team’s role in this. If you are getting blown out, the worst thing you can do is start playing dirty. Sometimes, when a team is losing badly, they start throwing late hits or getting "chippy." This actually encourages the winning team to keep their starters in just to protect themselves or to "punish" the bad behavior.
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True sportsmanship goes both ways. Losing with dignity is just as important as winning with class.
Final Verdict on the Scoreboard
There is no universal rule. Context is everything.
In the pros? Keep scoring.
In college? Do what you need to do for the rankings, but don't be a clown about it.
In high school and below? Once the game is clearly decided, shift the focus from "scoring" to "developing."
At the end of the day, sports are meant to build character. Winning by 100 points doesn't build character for the winner, and losing by 100 points can sometimes break the spirit of a kid who might have otherwise loved the game.
Actionable Steps for Coaches and Parents
If you are involved in a league where blowouts are common, consider these practical moves:
- Establish "Running Clock" Rules: Talk to league officials about starting a continuous clock once a lead reaches a certain threshold. It’s the most effective way to end the misery quickly.
- Set Internal Goals: If you're winning big, tell your team they can only score after making 10 passes. It forces them to practice a different skill and naturally slows down the scoring.
- Address the "Why": If you're the parent of a child on the losing end, focus on their individual effort rather than the lopsided score. Help them find small victories in a tough game.
- Review the Film: Use blowouts as a clear indicator of where the talent gaps are. Often, these scores happen because of a lack of fundamental coaching on the losing side, not just "mean" opponents.
The score is just a number. How you treat the people across from you is what people actually remember ten years later. Play hard, play to win, but don't forget there's a human being on the other side of that jersey.