Ruts

Ruts

Running up the score is a sports strategy that occurs when a competitor continues to play in such a way as to score additional points after the outcome of the game is no longer in significant question and the team is all but assured of winning. Sporting alternatives include pulling out most of the team's first-string players, or calling plays designed to run out the clock (e.g., in American football, kneeling or running the ball up the middle). Mercy rules are used in many amateur sports, which end the game when the score reaches a certain point. The most common negative consequences of running up the score are injuries to a game's starting players, lack of experience for the non-starting players on the team (in those cases where starters are left in a game well after the outcome is certain), and motivating future opposing teams. Players on the losing side who feel disrespected may decide to vent their frustration through violent or unsporting play, which can lead to injuries and fights, and even post-game punishment such as fines or suspension from future play. Some have advocated in favor of running up the score using arguments which include catering to polls, getting additional experience, and to prevent comebacks. In many sports, teams are incentivized to run up the score, owing to the use of goal difference (or equivalents such as net run rate) as a tiebreaker in competitions, and as a result there is less of a stigma around large defeats. Running up the score may be considered poor sportsmanship by fans, players, and coaches, but with different opinions of how big an insult it is. Allegations of poor sportsmanship are often brought up soon after a team scores multiple times near the end of a one-sided match.

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