# To Hell with Louisville and Patino. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 22, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601 "2013-03-22T02:06:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/21 "2013-03-24T23:45:15Z")
Color me stupid, but since when is 78-49 a “blowout”? Yes, a score of 78 is a solid performance in basketball, but not like running up the score just to be cruel. 49 certainly sucks, but it’s hardly an incredible failure. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/22 "2013-03-25T00:42:10Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Color me stupid, but since when is 78-49 a “blowout”? Yes, a score of 78 is a solid performance in basketball, but not like running up the score just to be cruel. 49 certainly sucks, but it’s hardly an incredible failure. Seriously. It’s not like a 77-2 football game between Alabama and Roast Beef Tech. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/23 "2013-03-25T15:05:23Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Because their coach has a case of rat-face-itis. Yes. I’m a Kentucky fan, was joking, hence Christian Laettner. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/24 "2013-03-25T15:47:43Z")
> [@R.P.McMurphy](#): > > So, as a #1 seed you laid a 31 point whooping on #16 seed NC A&T. You must be proud of your fine performance. Up by over 20 points you are pressing on every in-bounds. Up by 30 late in the second you are just trying to pile it on and embarrass the out-manned opponent. Only 12 of your players made it into the box score and 3 of them played less than 10 minutes each and contributed a total of 0 point collectively. Your guys just had to put on a show and what for? > > Ever hear of clearing the bench, Ricky? You just had to keep keep twisting the sword. What, are you looking for a better seed than the overall #1? What did you prove except that you are a bunch of assholes? > > I thought I hated UK and Calipari. I think Ricky P. has taken the lead. > > I would just love it to have Duke, Michigan State or one of the others kick your sorry asses out of the tournament. What kind of complaint is this? Players play to score points. Why should they ever let up while the clock is still ticking? And what does it matter to you as a spectator? A loss is a loss and a win is a win. And don’t you want to see players putting out their best effort at every moment they are on the court? Did you lose a bunch of money betting on the point spread or something? ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/25 "2013-03-25T15:54:28Z")
Perhaps some posters would prefer a mercy rule in Division I Men’s Basketball, similar to the ones they have in pee wee leagues? If scholar athletes (ok, just plain athletes…) at this level are that sensitive to being outscored by superior competition, perhaps they should give back their scholarships, quit school, and join a rec league. They’re clearly not mature enough to be denying a much more qualified student the opportunity to pay for their education. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/26 "2013-03-25T16:14:42Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > They have a [15 man](http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/roster/_/id/97/louisville-cardinals) roster, playing 12 in a blowout seems about right. I disagree - this is probably the one chance the far end of the bench will have to actually play in an NCAA tournament game, and I wouldn’t be surprised if two of the three left out were walk-ons (the scholarship limit is 13, and all scholarships in Division 1 men’s basketball are counted as full scholarships against the limit). Maybe you only have them play the last minute or two, but you should get them onto the court. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/27 "2013-03-25T16:47:54Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > I disagree - this is probably the one chance the far end of the bench will have to actually play in an NCAA tournament game, and I wouldn’t be surprised if two of the three left out were walk-ons (the scholarship limit is 13, and all scholarships in Division 1 men’s basketball are counted as full scholarships against the limit). Maybe you only have them play the last minute or two, but you should get them onto the court. I absolutely agree. Up 15 with 1:30 to play? Put in Tom Smith and John Q. Ballplayer for a few possessions. They’ll never forget it. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/28 "2013-03-25T17:18:55Z")
I call it “story for your grandkids” time. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/29 "2013-03-25T17:55:15Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Color me stupid, but since when is 78-49 a “blowout”? Yes, a score of 78 is a solid performance in basketball, but not like running up the score just to be cruel. 49 certainly sucks, but it’s hardly an incredible failure. I’d certainly call a 29 point victory in basketball a blowout. I’m not sure why you wouldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/30 "2013-03-25T18:22:08Z")
Apparently, Louisville only suited up 12 for the game - one of the players on ESPN’s roster was declared ineligible by the NCAA earlier in the year, and [one report](http://louisville.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1486555) says that the other two were “in the stands” sitting next to him. Then again, that report also says that there is a limit on how many players can suit up for a tournament game, but NCA&T suited up 14 (which I believe is the limit, if for no other reason than there are only 14 lines per team in an official NCAA basketball scorebook). ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/31 "2013-03-25T18:32:45Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I’d certainly call a 29 point victory in basketball a blowout. I’m not sure why you wouldn’t. It’s a blowout, but it’s not “running up the score,” necessarily. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/32 "2013-03-25T19:55:53Z")
Yeah, there are NBA games where teams lose by more than 29 points. The San Antonio Spurs, who have a 53-17 record, lost a game a couple of weeks ago by 30 points. The Miami Heat, who are working on a 24 game winning streak, have had a few losses this season of 20+ points. So 29 points is not “running up the score” by any means. It’s just a bad loss. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/33 "2013-03-25T20:31:21Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > A basketball game at this level exists to determine which team is better. Winning means that you’re the better team; losing means that you’re worse. No shame in that. > > A team fundamentally changing its base defense because they are ahead is _pitying_ the other team, not competing with them honestly. If you’ve ever been on the losing end of such an experience, it is far more infuriating than just being blown out. A college team at that level does not have a “base defense.” Teams have multiple defensive sets, from man-to-man, to diamond and one, to 2-3 zone, to 1-3-1 zone, etc, to full court press, to half court trap, etc. Players on such teams have been playing for a number of years, and have experience playing all sorts of defensive sets. Thinking that easing off on the full court press against an outmanned opponent is going to hurt their proficiency is a remarkable claim that lacks any evidence whatsoever. Why you and others insist on glorifying poor sports who run up the score is a mystery to me, but one that I’m not going to worry about anymore. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/34 "2013-03-25T21:47:04Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Then again, that report also says that there is a limit on how many players can suit up for a tournament game, but NCA&T suited up 14 (which I believe is the limit, if for no other reason than there are only 14 lines per team in an official NCAA basketball scorebook). I think. This wouldn’t make much sense when you consider that a school’s women’s basketball team is allowed to have 15 players on scholarship… ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/35 "2013-03-25T23:24:55Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > **A college team at that level does not have a “base defense.”** Teams have multiple defensive sets, from man-to-man, to diamond and one, to 2-3 zone, to 1-3-1 zone, etc, to full court press, to half court trap, etc. Players on such teams have been playing for a number of years, and have experience playing all sorts of defensive sets. Thinking that easing off on the full court press against an outmanned opponent is going to hurt their proficiency is a remarkable claim that lacks any evidence whatsoever. (Bolding mine.) Not true. There are plenty of college teams who have a specific defensive style; namely, Syracuse plays a 2-3 zone every single year, and VCU and Louisville play full court press. Coaches like Ben Howland and Mike Montgomery have made their disdain for zone defense clear over the years, although they will use it on those rare occasions when their personnel requires it. I’m agnostic on the thread subject. The 16 teams usually are just happy to be there and don’t want the opponent to ease up on them. If the Cardinals were up 50 I’d be in favor of dropping the press; it’s not like you can’t play halfcourt defense without it. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/36 "2013-03-26T01:35:34Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Why you and others insist on glorifying poor sports who run up the score is a mystery to me, but one that I’m not going to worry about anymore. There are a lot of ways to be a poor sport, but none of them have to do with playing your best–which means doing your best to score within the rules of the game–regardless of the score. If “running up the score” actually existed as a legitimate concept, they would adopt rules that automatically stopped the game clock as soon as a certain score was reached. Barring that, if the clock is running, then you have no business being on the court if you’re not trying to score. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/37 "2013-03-26T13:41:52Z")
Up by 15 inside of two minutes is definitely scrub time. Get those guys in there so they have something to tell their kids. Sometimes they even get a bit of fame- remember Jamie “Shoes” Hoffman at Michigan State? Back in high school there was a kid who never got to play except for scrub time. When the clock wound down with the game decided, the crowd would chant “Gene-O Gene-O” to get him in the game. So he’d come in with about 2 minutes left- and still foul out. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/38 "2013-03-26T13:59:44Z")
Agreed, it isn’t running up the score, and even that isn’t a bad thing. How can a coach put the end-of-the-bench guys into a game, a rare treat for them, and then ask them \*not \*to play their best? If the other team wanted to win, or made the score closer, they should have played better. No sympathy here. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/39 "2013-03-26T14:54:04Z")
This is pretty damn lame. It’s a freaking sport - this isn’t first grade feel good hour. There is nothing wrong with a team or person playing 100% even when winning. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601/40 "2013-03-26T16:10:58Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Up by 15 inside of two minutes is definitely scrub time. It may have been in the Louisville game in question, but this is not always true, especially in the tournament when there is no game tomorrow if you lose. Remember the miracle minute? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/T9_pPqWfI84/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-AoACoAKKAgwIABABGGUgSChOMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCncAUyh1KmR8Thpd36v7qlBJplSA "Duke vs. Maryland 2001 (Miracle Minute)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9_pPqWfI84) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-hell-with-louisville-and-patino/653601.md?page=3)