Winning by more than five points counts as a loss?

[TGJesusfreak]

I just read this. O my goodness I laughed so hard!

Read The Article here

From Canada, the Canadian youth soccer league is taking heat now after introducing a new rule that says any team that wins a game by more than five points will lose the game by default. The rule intended to foster sportsmanship.

Um... excuse me? XDDD Last time I check sportsmanship was when you walk up to the opposite team after you lose a game and say:
"good job. you guys played great!"

Somehow playing a great game is now a bad thing? XD I find this hilarious and sad at the same time.

[J.R.]

[Nate]

I find the source highly, HIGHLY questionable, and a quick google search only turned up sites that I find as questionable as the one posted. Unfortunately, I can't find a statement from anyone willing to maybe discuss why this rule was implemented, or perhaps that it's a misunderstanding, it's all parrots going "LOLOLOL DIS RULE IZ STOOPID."

I'm hoping maybe one of our Canadian members, who would understand the situation a bit better than we do, can come by and offer their take on it, if we're misunderstanding something or if it's really just a poorly thought-out rule.

[MomentOfInertia]

I can see it now...

"Okay, were up four, ten minuets left, you guys can't score again or we lose. so I want you to go hang out by their goal and practice your passing."

Yeah that will "foster sportsmanship"

Or shouldn't that be "sportspersonship"???


Actually I'm more worried about the 'people who read this also read:' list.

[TGJesusfreak]

I find the source highly, HIGHLY questionable, and a quick google search only turned up sites that I find as questionable as the one posted. Unfortunately, I can't find a statement from anyone willing to maybe discuss why this rule was implemented, or perhaps that it's a misunderstanding, it's all parrots going "LOLOLOL DIS RULE IZ STOOPID."

I'm hoping maybe one of our Canadian members, who would understand the situation a bit better than we do, can come by and offer their take on it, if we're misunderstanding something or if it's really just a poorly thought-out rule.

I don't doubt this story at all XD
I've seen similar things all over the place. espescially since so many sources are talking about it.

Just another strange law/rule that people have come with. XDDD

or if it's really just a poorly thought-out rule.

I think this is the case XD

[Whitefang]

Just score an own goal every time you go up by 5. That will get the rule revoked pretty fast.

[Kaligraphic]

Maybe I'm just a tricky row of asterisks, but I don't see this as encouraging the "don't play so hard" aim, but rather as encouraging greater trickery in games. I can see teams competing not to score goals against their opponents, but against themselves. Own goals would become not mistakes but a viable strategy.

Of course, those who don't grasp the meaning of the change would then be doubly screwed, but, hey, long live the tricksters, eh?


(edit: Ninja'd, but there are cleverer strategies.)

[Technomancer]

It's stupid, but it does seem to be real. Here's a better source:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/05/31/ottawa-gloucester-dragons-soccer-point.html

I think they were better off with the mercy rule.

[Roy Mustang]

There is one thing that I want to point out here that was in the write up in the CBC. This is a recreational soccer league and not a competitive league. Where I think that should have gone for the mercy rule and not a rule like this. This is a poorly thought-out rule and I don't think people should say, well its a stupid or oh those silly Canadians and their rules.

My dad works for the recreation dept of the city and recreational sport rules are not going to be the same as competitive league. In recreational sport anyone can play, if you sign up for it, where a competitive league, you have to try out and make the teams, but they do have a mercy rule in the competitive leagues, if a team is up big. Also in recreation sports, everyone gets to play no matter what and your going to have blow outs with teams that have better players then the other team.

Where this is a strange rule. These associations and leagues in recreational sport are run by volunteers for the most part, and they come up with some strange ideas. The object there for recreation sports is to have fun and learn the game which is very difficult to do if the opposing team is using you to wipe the floor, where they maintain possession of the ball/puck.

Now with that said, I do feel that the Ottawa rule is wrong as it doesn't achieve what its meant to.


[color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color]

[Alcuinus]

You haz gots to be kidd'n me!!! I would be the first out there strategizing how to get down 5 points!

[Rusty Claymore]

It is law that you cannot push a live moose out of a moving airplane.
Obviously, some laws are not nescessary, and therefore foolish, merely for redundancy if nothing else.
[sarcasm]The obvious solution would be to ban bad sportsmanship, that if you or anyone on your team behaved in said manner, instant loss.[/sarcasm] Though this is alive in the form of Technicals, or however the sports world spells it.
You cannot legislate morality.
I second Roy in that it isn't just them Canadians, since I've met a few, but it certainly is a certain kind of person common anywhere there is a village. XD

The moral of this could be: "Don't play soccer with poor losers. Just "practice". XD

[ShiroiHikari]

Why is it that in the 21st Century, we penalize people for doing a good job instead of praising them? This stuff is starting to sound like Harrison Bergeron over here.

Not everyone can be awesome at soccer. If it's for recreation only then people should just be playing to have fun anyway, and not care about winning or losing. If someone is competitive enough to actually care, they can polish their skills and go join a competitive league.

Losing is part of life. People need to get over it.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Why is it that in the 21st Century, we penalize people for doing a good job instead of praising them? This stuff is starting to sound like Harrison Bergeron over here.

Not everyone can be awesome at soccer. If it's for recreation only then people should just be playing to have fun anyway, and not care about winning or losing. If someone is competitive enough to actually care, they can polish their skills and go join a competitive league.

Losing is part of life. People need to get over it.

"... It's psychotic! They find new ways to celebrate mediocrity while holding back people who are genuinely gifted!!"

Ah, Mr. Incredible.

[Tsukuyomi]

Um... excuse me? XDDD Last time I check sportsmanship was when you walk up to the opposite team after you lose a game and say:
"good job. you guys played great!"

Hmmm, how about we stick with this plus BOTH teams going out for ice cream after the game ^O^?

[bigsleepj]

There is one thing that I want to point out here that was in the write up in the CBC. This is a recreational soccer league and not a competitive league. Where I think that should have gone for the mercy rule and not a rule like this. This is a poorly thought-out rule and I don't think people should say, well its a stupid or oh those silly Canadians and their rules.

My dad works for the recreation dept of the city and recreational sport rules are not going to be the same as competitive league. In recreational sport anyone can play, if you sign up for it, where a competitive league, you have to try out and make the teams, but they do have a mercy rule in the competitive leagues, if a team is up big. Also in recreation sports, everyone gets to play no matter what and your going to have blow outs with teams that have better players then the other team.

Where this is a strange rule. These associations and leagues in recreational sport are run by volunteers for the most part, and they come up with some strange ideas. The object there for recreation sports is to have fun and learn the game which is very difficult to do if the opposing team is using you to wipe the floor, where they maintain possession of the ball/puck.

Now with that said, I do feel that the Ottawa rule is wrong as it doesn't achieve what its meant to.

[color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color]

Good points.

[mkalv]

Yeah, that rule is kinda dumb. Gee.

[Dante]

As Kaligraphic noted... new tricky strategies. As soon as you're at the cross-over mark, move all players to defense and focus on making sure the ball just hops between players without doing anything. If the other side has to constantly focus on capturing the ball you can avoid allowing them to make points. Furthermore, gaining any new points to your side is a severly negative aspect so no one will focus on scoring.

Of course, there could be other ways to win. You could have kids focus on getting the ball in their own goal as many times as they can to rack up a bigger loss amount. It would be a whole new strange twist on the game .

[TGJesusfreak]

There is one thing that I want to point out here that was in the write up in the CBC. This is a recreational soccer league and not a competitive league. Where I think that should have gone for the mercy rule and not a rule like this. This is a poorly thought-out rule and I don't think people should say, well its a stupid or oh those silly Canadians and their rules.

My dad works for the recreation dept of the city and recreational sport rules are not going to be the same as competitive league. In recreational sport anyone can play, if you sign up for it, where a competitive league, you have to try out and make the teams, but they do have a mercy rule in the competitive leagues, if a team is up big. Also in recreation sports, everyone gets to play no matter what and your going to have blow outs with teams that have better players then the other team.

Where this is a strange rule. These associations and leagues in recreational sport are run by volunteers for the most part, and they come up with some strange ideas. The object there for recreation sports is to have fun and learn the game which is very difficult to do if the opposing team is using you to wipe the floor, where they maintain possession of the ball/puck.

Now with that said, I do feel that the Ottawa rule is wrong as it doesn't achieve what its meant to.


[color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color]

I think you're right on Roy. Very well said.

Why is it that in the 21st Century, we penalize people for doing a good job instead of praising them? This stuff is starting to sound like Harrison Bergeron over here.


Losing is part of life. People need to get over it.

I agree with this as well.
I think it was meant well but in all actuality it makes it a terrible thing to do well in a game.

Hmmm, how about we stick with this plus BOTH teams going out for ice cream after the game ^O^?

I like this idea! XD

[Lynna]

There is one thing that I want to point out here that was in the write up in the CBC. This is a recreational soccer league and not a competitive league. Where I think that should have gone for the mercy rule and not a rule like this. This is a poorly thought-out rule and I don't think people should say, well its a stupid or oh those silly Canadians and their rules.

My dad works for the recreation dept of the city and recreational sport rules are not going to be the same as competitive league. In recreational sport anyone can play, if you sign up for it, where a competitive league, you have to try out and make the teams, but they do have a mercy rule in the competitive leagues, if a team is up big. Also in recreation sports, everyone gets to play no matter what and your going to have blow outs with teams that have better players then the other team.

Where this is a strange rule. These associations and leagues in recreational sport are run by volunteers for the most part, and they come up with some strange ideas. The object there for recreation sports is to have fun and learn the game which is very difficult to do if the opposing team is using you to wipe the floor, where they maintain possession of the ball/puck.

Now with that said, I do feel that the Ottawa rule is wrong as it doesn't achieve what its meant to.


[color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color]

as a canadian, I agree with this.
I agree that this rule seems to be rather pointless, but so what?Canada isn't really a soccor country anyways.
that is my input. Also, This isn't a Canadian thing. It's a people thing

[TGJesusfreak]

This isn't a Canadian thing. It's a people thing

I agree with this. If I ever gave the impression that I was discriminating toward Canadians then I apologize XD

Making stupid rules is a part of humns all over the world. XD

Like this one:

A city ordinance states that a $500 fine will be given to anyone who detonates a nuclear device within city limits.

[Nate]

Okay, so it is true, and it is a dumb rule. But, as Bradley pointed out, it's for recreational (for fun) games, not official regulation games. That makes it a bit more tolerable so that a really crappy team couldn't win a championship by virtue of them sucking or something.

Still, I don't see why this rule is even really necessary if it's just recreational. *shrug*

[ShiroiHikari]

Still, I don't see why this rule is even really necessary if it's just recreational. *shrug*

That was my point, too.

[TGJesusfreak]

Okay, so it is true, and it is a dumb rule. But, as Bradley pointed out, it's for recreational (for fun) games, not official regulation games. That makes it a bit more tolerable so that a really crappy team couldn't win a championship by virtue of them sucking or something.

Still, I don't see why this rule is even really necessary if it's just recreational. *shrug*

I agree. It's a good thing it's recreational that's all I can say XD

[minakichan]

After the team makes the winning points, I say they just walk over to the corner of the field and play video games until the other team catches up.

[Warrior4Christ]

I think it would result in less sportsmanship if it causes teams to kick their own goals to win, which it would encourage if the team sees that they're not likely to win by playing normally...

[Tsukuyomi]

I'd imagine lots of mocking XDDD

[KeybladeWarrior]

Even if this is recreational, it is still quite dumb. It is a stupid rule put in place to keep kids from feeling negative emotions after a loss. Plus players of opposing teams might try to score goals for their rival so that they lose.

[crusader88]

Ach! They had an amusing discussion of this silly rule on Fox News's Red Eye.