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.