[BD] Spirit of the Game

[IndoorsDOC]

I've been thinking all morning about how I don't like the fact that you 
can only get full marks in this 6-point system if the game is close. I 
can sort of see the point, that it's harder to be spirited in close 
games, but something just doesn't feel right. What I particularly don't 
like is the wording 'Furthermore, the team has given its opponents an 
advantage in a decisive moment of the game' which implies that a team 
made/didn't make a call that they shouldn't/should have done.

Spirit isn't about giving your opponents things at crucial times, it's 
about calling it EXACTLY as you see it, whether it's a crucial time or 
not (and then discussing it politely, obviously). I wouldn't want to see 
bonus spirit points for letting the opposition off when you genuinely 
believe there's been an infringement.

In fact, I wouldn't advocate bonus points for anything. I reckon every 
opponent starts a game with a perfect spirit mark, and they /lose/ 
ground each time they do something unspirited; this is quite different 
from the idea that you start with average spirit and then go up or down.

Think about that call from Brummie at EUC which people have been talking 
about. Did he choose not to contest because he thought it was a great 
opportunity to show his fantastic spirit, or because he was happy to 
accept that a foul had occurred? We can all agree that he deserves a pat 
on the back for making the right call under pressure, but according to 
the rules, he didn't go above and beyond the SOTG - he just had the 
balls to apply it.

B

Kevin Lowe wrote:
> For junior outdoor nationals this year, we adopted a 6 point fair play 
> system that we have been using for international junior tournaments 
> for a couple of years (I think Paul Erikkson had a hand in designing 
> this in 2005). You can only give a team a perfect 6 if the match was 
> very close. Each team had to award each of its opponents a score, and 
> yes, teams should be penalised for not submitting a spirit score. The 
> scores were then averaged (to avoid the problem of teams playing a 
> different number of games) and the winner calculated. Personally, I 
> would use the median average rather than the mean average which is too 
> sensitive to extreme scores. Being a maths teacher, I'd like to have 
> all the quartile values published (Lowest score, lower quartile, 
> median, upper quartile and Highest score) but that's just the nerd in me.
>
> The advantage of this system was that you had to really think about 
> how the opponents really played, and not just be swayed by the end of 
> game call or your personal rivalries. Scores of 1 or 6 should really 
> be backed up by examples to justify that kind of score.
>
> Kevin
>
> ---
>
> 6 - Perfect fair play
>
> The team can in no way be criticized for its behaviour. Furthermore, 
> the team has given its opponents an advantage in a decisive moment of 
> the game. The team is setting an ideal example for other teams. (This 
> can only be awarded if the final score was very close)
>
>
>
> 5 - Very good fair play
>
> The team can in no way be criticized for its behaviour. It has set a 
> model example for other teams.
>
>
>
> 4 - Above average fair play
>
> The team can be criticized for its behaviour in the occasional 
> incident. Otherwise, the team behaved very well. It is a good example 
> for other teams.
>
>
>
> 3 - Barely acceptable fair play
>
>      The team can be criticized for its behaviour in a few separate 
> situations. Otherwise, the team behaved well. The team is not really a 
> role model for other teams.
>
>
>
> 2 - Bad fair play
>
> The team can be criticized for its behaviour in a number of 
> situations. The team has not behaved well. The team is a bad role 
> model for other teams.
>
>
>
> 1 - Unacceptable fair play
>
> The team deserves serious criticism in numerous occasions. The team's 
> behaviour is unacceptable. The team should not be used as a role model 
> for other teams.
>
>
>
>
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