FOOTBALL: Thoughts on overtime
This ran last week, but I thought I'd post it to get some imput.
CIF needs uniform overtime system
Article Launched: 10/15/2007 11:11:44 PM PDT
As I sit here, I'm watching an exciting mix of elation and agony as Nevada and Boise State slug it out in quadruple overtime. It's evident the heaving chests of the players show utter exhaustion, but they know the end will come at one key moment and one of them will take the win.
I doubt if either team, after the game, would have settled for a tie. If you're going to duke it out for four quarters, come away with a definite decision.
The CIF should implement a uniform overtime system. Without it the CIF is saying it's OK to leave the field happy that you didn't lose. It also means neither team won.
A tie ballgame often has been referred to as "kissing your sister."
As far as I'm concerned, a deadlocked contest is more like a slap in the face.
Ties are commonplace in the National Hockey League, although regular season overtime periods were added a few years back.
I spent many a night covering the Kings at the old Forum (Fabulous, Great Western or otherwise) and saw many ties in which the team that came from behind acted as if it had won the game and the team that let the win get away filed into the locker room with unfulfilled looks on their faces.
At least in hockey, teams get a point for a tie.
In high school football, however, I have a question: What's the point of a tie?
Teams put it all on the line for 48 minutes.
Seeing players from victorious teams running around with a finger pointing in the air signifying No. 1 is a common sight.
Would those players have the same enthusiasm for the half-finger sign? And what kind of team would stock those in the merchandise counter?
La Canada earned a 7-7 tie with San Marino in a Rio Hondo League contest on Friday.
It was the second tie for the Spartans this season.
"I have no problem with it in league," Spartans coach Rich Wheeler said of the tie. "I would've liked to have had overtime against Glendale, but we didn't discuss it with the other coaches."
No discussion was needed this time as league rules don't call for overtime.
The Titans entered the game as the favorites, but the Spartans fought hard to come up even.
On paper, it's a huge step for La Ca ada, a team with many young players.
"For the way we played, I would call it a victory," Wheeler said.
But let's be honest. Both teams came away empty.
One team might make a comeback from three touchdowns down to tie the game in the final minute. Ultimately, that team will be celebrating as if it won the game while the other team may walk away dejected.
I'd like to put a hypothetical scenario on the table.
For argument's sake, let's say both teams run the table and finish tied for the league championship.
What's the tiebreaker, head-to-head results?
The league has a tiebreaker set up, thus one of those teams would finish above the other because of a coin flip or something to that effect.
An overtime system would solve everything.
Here's another scenario. Both teams suffer one loss and a tie in league play to go 3-1-1 while another team in league finishes 4-1.
The tie would prevent either team from having a chance at the league title despite having only one loss.
What if the Spartans and Titans tied for third place in league? One could miss the playoffs because of a tie.
Wheeler had a different take.
"As of right now, we beat Monrovia and we're in first place," he said.
Some leagues have overtime and some don't, which makes absolutely no sense.
One of the best games I've covered since working for the Tribune/Star-News was a double-overtime game between Bishop Amat and Loyola last season.
Overtime added to the drama and put the result of the game in the team's hands, not a rulebook.
This past weekend's tie contests, including a near-tie in a televised game between Newhall Hart and Canyon Country Canyon, reminded me how ridiculous deadlocks are.
There is overtime in the NFL, resulting in very few ties, baseball has extra innings and basketball has overtime.
Hockey has a brief overtime during the regular season but adds sudden-death overtime during the playoffs, resulting in exciting finishes.
The CIF has the distinction of actually having co-football champions because of no overtime in certain divisions.
I'm all for a uniform overtime system that would encompass the entire CIF, and not just league by league.
At least we won't have to worry about teams bragging about being No. One-Half in the future.
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Melendez worked as a correspondent for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for three years and later landed a job as a freelance writer at the Los Angeles Times before accepting an offer at The Orange County Register covering high schools. Melendez covered Major League Soccer at The Register for three years before being promoted to report on the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers for the Web. Melendez also worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Fresno Bee, Oakland Tribune and The Boston Globe. E-mail opinions, suggestions and tips to miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. |
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Why not give each team one shot from the 25 and if you score you have to go for two. If neither scores then it remains a tie. You would add very little to the on field time and would at least have a shot at an outcome.
My thoughts on OT:
1) Should be mandatory for league games, and optional for non-league.
2) I do not like the NFL system, i.e., 15 minute sudden death, as it often comes down to who wins the coin toss and who has the best kicker. each team should have at least 1 possession in OT; in baseball extra innings do not end in sudden death - each team gets to bat.
3) The college system is good, as each team gets equal possessions. However, with triple OT, the games may last a while. In thinking of La Salle, the lights must be off at 10PM per the agreement with the city and neighbors. I guess you could put a time limit on OT, but the goal is to avoid ties.
I agree that some reasonable OT method be established.
In the 1987 playoffs, PHS vs Camarillo had triple OT in the first round...PHs came out with the win, but it was confusing to start from the 25yrd line. It appeared easier for both teams to score from the 25 than the regular time of 4 quarters. I think the game was tied at 14 at the end of the 4th. After PHS scored 3 TD's in OT, Camarillo scored two and the interception by Randy Horton in endzone game HS the win.
ATOMIC DAWWG
Dave: The commentator made a mention that he thought the game should've been called after three OTs.
Can't say I disagree.
What could be done on the HS side is have two OT periods from the 25 and any after that from the 10.
The State championship game with Oaks Christian last year, I believe was from the 10 in OT.
I thought that was too close to start OT, but it's an option.
I like the college overtime a lot, but I think it can be bad if it goes to four overtimes like that Boise State/Nevada game did.
With high schools, maybe they should copy the NFL format.
Hockey now goes to a shootout if the games is still tied after overtime. Who are the real losers of not having overtime. I would say its the fans. The people against overtime is the administrators ,the kids and the majority of coaches dont like ties.
Coaches and leagues sometimes choose not to have overtime because a loss hurts MUCH MORE than a tie in getting an at large birth to the playoffs. For the several divisions that do not have at large births there is no reason no tto have an overtime game.
I think Sudden Death is the best OT, just like the NFL.
I can't imagine why league coaches wouldn't want an overtime. I would rather go down guns blazing that walk off the field with a tie. Overtime should be mandatory in all CIF divisions.
Each league designates its top 3 for the playoffs, or 4 in the Pacific League's case. I think the CIF leaves how those playoff teams are determined to each individual league and doesn't want to mandate an across the board overtime rule. I agree with you, it is needed. Ties suck.