What is a Safe Lead?

[TNT713]

Another question for 1v1 players Online or Off.

Sportsmanship is always a concern when we play other players. In particular, running up the score is considered to be somewhat rude. Getting people NOT to run up the score means several leagues, tournaments, and SIM standards have all adopted some type of 'Mercy' rule.

For many tournaments, once you're down 21 you only get one more chance to score or the game is over. For many leagues, the loser has a choice to request mercy when down a certain number of points late in the game. For SIM Standards, there is the sportsman's honor code preventing players from running up the score.

But what constitutes running up the score? Where do you draw the line between a safe lead and a running up the score? So I wanted to ask:

What are your opinions on how big does the lead have to be before scoring again = running up the score?

I'll hold my response til page 2.

Later

[Jaged]

This year. None.

[Thinking Out Loud]

Quote: Originally Posted by TNT713

Another question for 1v1 players Online or Off. Sportsmanship is always a concern when we play other players. In particular, running up the score is considered to be somewhat rude. Getting people NOT to run up the score means several leagues, tournaments, and SIM standards have all adopted some type of 'Mercy' rule. For many tournaments, once you're down 21 you only get one more chance to score or the game is over. For many leagues, the loser has a choice to request mercy when down a certain number of points late in the game. For SIM Standards, there is the sportsman's honor code preventing players from running up the score. But what constitutes running up the score? Where do you draw the line between a safe lead and a running up the score? So I wanted to ask: What are your opinions on how big does the lead have to be before scoring again = running up the score? I'll hold my response til page 2. Later

I can't give a general answer to this question because "running up the score" can only be determined on a game by game basis, IMO. There is no standard deficit margin for it, it's basically determined by at what point in the game it is clearly obvious to both teams, who will win the game (sometimes that takes until the final play and sometimes they know much sooner) but one team continues to try and score anyway.

I don't have a problem with people who admit to "running up the score" for whatever reason and boldly make statements like "It's my opponents job to stop me!" LOL. However, I do have an issue with people doing it and not owning up to it. ALL competitors are clearly aware of at what point respectful competition becomes disrespectful taunting. It's that some competitors just will not admit it and others don't care.

[WFColonel56]

I usually live by the 21 piont lead rule then i call the dogs off (or up by 2 pos in the mid to late 4th)

But I also have some times where i just say F it.....D up. (that usually happens if i had a bad day, or i just got blown out myself lol),,,,,,,,,,,In the long term those games would help the other player get better at the game becuz they find solutions to stopping what I run.

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But I want to also add to the question, do u feel bad if u slowed your offense down and you still are killing them with running the ball?....And is that un sportsman like because u are still running up the score.....BUT YOUR RUNNING THE BALL

[Kahuma]

It all depends on the situation, but as a general rule for my league (We have 8Min Quarters w/ 15sec accl) is that a 21pt lead in the 4th you should be trying to run the clock out. What is common is a run on 1st and 2nd down and pass on 3rd if needed for the first down but we dislike un-needed deep passes when you have a big lead. If you can kneel the ball out you should but, personally, I continue to run until they cannot get the ball back even if they have 3 timeouts but do not use them.

I recently was complained about 'Running the score up' when my game final was 68-17. Now this is a all-pro league and I have the Browns (Year 2) and playing the Titans. Now I scored 45 points in the 1st two quarters, 3rd and 4th Quarter is was running on 1st and 2nd, passing on 3rd for the 1st. I score 14 in the 3rd and 9 in the 4th. I finished with 4 more rushing attempts them passing and the guy said I did not run enough. I also scored on a run play with 25 seconds left on 3rd down. (He appeared to have called a timeout instead of letting the clock go down to zero, I ran another run play and scored. Apparently there was an injury, atleast thats what he said.)

I did not see much of a problem with what I did. I did nothing cheap, abusive, or gimmiky my opponent just pick very poor defensive plays and gave up after the 1st quarter.

I do not see a problem with trying to score on your run plays, while you may be dominating a game, no team can just give up a game. They continue to put effort even if its with their 2nd and 3rd string players and theres nothing wrong with it.

Now as an assistant for a league, if we see that someone threw passing touchdowns when they could have ran the ball and taken a FG or let the clock run out, thats something I, and my league, are against.

'Safe Leads' varies from difficulty to number of users and quarters. The League I am the browns as only has 16-18 users and is on all-pro with 10M quarters with accl clock (15 sec?) but the League I help run, and have the Chargers (Year 3, Playoffs, btw looking for sim players www.elitefl.motionforum.net) we are a 32-user league on all-madden and have 8min quarters with acc clock.

For the 1st league the 'Safe Lead' would typically be a much higher margin then and 2nd league. From my experience it would take around a 35+ point lead to consider a safe lead in the 4th (Played the chargers and lost by 3, scored 28 in the 4th alone, final 45-42) but in the 2nd on the margin 21 seems like a good fit. Obviously when that margin is lowered you may try to bring it back.

It seems I have ranted alot, in summary it varies. Average league time 8-7 minutes 21+ lead you should run, run, pass for 1st (Unless in FG range then take the 3). More time = Larger Margin.

[MikeyNYvett]

In my league those actions would've been given a final warning and a player suspension, Kahuna. The way we run things just because you're running and you CAN score doesn't mean you need to. After the half all you needed to do is run clock and kick fgs. At least, IMO.

[Kahuma]

Quote: Originally Posted by MikeyNYvett

In my league those actions would've been given a final warning and a player suspension, Kahuna. The way we run things just because you're running and you CAN score doesn't mean you need to. After the half all you needed to do is run clock and kick fgs. At least, IMO.

Personally I feel thats taking away from the game. I have the right to play my back ups and get them some playing time and no reason I should intentially go to the ground because my opponent isn't making an effort. If I have a clear lane to the endzone I will take it. Requesting a owner to kneel or go to the ground needlessly is not sim at all. If a running back in the NFL has a lane he takes it, very rarely do they go to the ground when to avoid a score.

Westbrook did it and everyone praised him for being 'aware'. It isn't a normal thing.

[Jarodd21]

Quote: Originally Posted by MikeyNYvett

In my league those actions would've been given a final warning and a player suspension, Kahuna. The way we run things just because you're running and you CAN score doesn't mean you need to. After the half all you needed to do is run clock and kick fgs. At least, IMO.

Thats terrible.. I with Kahuna on this one. If I'm just running the ball trying to kill clock and end the game and this bum can't stop me from doing it thats his fault. You shouldn't even have scrubs like that in your league. I wouldn't start kneeling the ball and kicking FGs in the 3rd quarter if he can't stop me from running the ball on 2nd and 3rd downs. What kind of league is that? Thats what you guys call sim?? I can understand it in the 4th but the 3rd. Come on..