Sound Off: Unwritten Rules Good or Bad for the Game?

[JBH3]

Unwritten rules are stupid in any capacity.

[Retropyro]

And if Coughlin had the Giants going for and trying to score another TD with 5 seconds left people (Schiano included) would be whining about how they were "running-up" the score.

I wonder what Schiano's reaction would be later in the season if Freeman takes a knee and gets trampled and injured. I bet he bitches non-stop about it.

[Sidion]

Quote: Originally Posted by tril

disagree with WAT3 said. unwritten rules are technically rules that govern good sportsmanship. In the situation this past weekend, the game was lost. The only thing that could have happened was a player may have gotten injured. A precedent was set this weekend, and it may change the sportsmanship philosophy in NFL football.

This is the truth. Sportsmanship has never been mandatory in any sport, but that doesn't mean it's not important for a player to have. I get playing to the end, but when you're in the situation where the QB kneel is taking place, the game is over. Accepting a loss professionally is very important. This isn't some backyard game, it's a game that's broadcast to millions. Hurting someone for an offhand chance at a recovery (Which doesn't ensure a win regardless) is just pathetic.

[andygilbert]

I'm torn here I understand both sides and agree to a certain extent, but here is one observation I had some of the " unwritten rules " are to promote sportsmanship as well as safety and in my opinion safety being the most important in a game that is decided already. Greg Schiano is the coach that had a player at Rutgers who paralized on a kickoff which he was very vocal about and help lead to the changing of the kickoff rule change this year and I would have thought he would have taken this sort of thing into account. I know no one got hurt but if it was his player and they had ( and I would hope not ) gotten hurt would he have been as ok with another coach encourage this player to act in this way.

[tarek]

Unwritten rules are a part of life. Or I should not say unwritten rules, but more the social norm.

Have you ever given up your seat for someone else (like an elderly person) on a bus/train? You don't have to. You paid your fare and got on earlier. But you give up your seat out of a form of respect (and certain kindness).

Why do you line up? Why do you wait in line? There actually isn't a rule that you need to line up, it's unwritten, everyone does it to keep order, structure. You can actually go to some countries where they don't queue properly, where they crowd and push, and form new lines to compete with existing lines and all that kind of stuff.

Now in sports, those unwritten rules form the social norms within that competitive structure. It's a way to maintain respect and structure within the sporting context. This is different from blind following, group think or other concepts where people do things just because everyone else does it. This is maintaining a socially acceptable norm.

In this context, there was 5 seconds left in the game. By the time a fumble could have possibly been recovered there would have been very little if no time left on the clock. So it really wasn't that good of a move regardless of it breaking these unwritten rules.

Now, going against social norms and bucking the system has it's place. When you want to advocate something. When you want to stand up for something. But if you don't have those purposes, then it's closer to being rebellious and irresponsible.

The question isn't whether the act of rushing manning was wrong? Or the act of playing until the final whistle? It's the question of why? What was the purpose and what was the gain?

For my 2 cents I think the move was useless and shortsighted. There was no reason for it.

[Jr.]

Quote: Originally Posted by Retropyro

And if Coughlin had the Giants going for and trying to score another TD with 5 seconds left people (Schiano included) would be whining about how they were "running-up" the score. I wonder what Schiano's reaction would be later in the season if Freeman takes a knee and gets trampled and injured. I bet he bitches non-stop about it.

I'm sure Schiano would make sure his OLine knows that they need to block if they think the defense might try to come after the ball when the game is still within reach for the opposition.

I find it interesting that people bring up the chance for injury. There's a chance for injury on every play. Should the losing team stop trying once they fall behind because someone from the other team might get hurt? Again, if the Giants were paying attention, they would have seen that the Bucs DLine was set up to come after the ball and would have been ready to block, thereby reducing their chance of getting injured.

[razorkaos]

it is a legal play? yes. there is a chance to win the game? yes. so, how can people say he is wrong for trying to win the game?

[Sublime12089]

For me, this is on the o line. Blocking is fundemental.

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