Monday Mailbag: When is it time to show mercy?
Each Monday New Hampshire Football Report's Roger Brown answers your questions:
Q: Roger, toss Pinkerton out and what team do you think has the best chance to go undefeted this season? -- Marc, Nashua
A: I think Portsmouth has a chance to run the table in Division III, but the Clippers lost their non-league game against Manchester Central. If we're talking about undefeated overall, I think St. Thomas and Trinity have the best chance. Trinity cleared a major hurdle when it beat Laconia last weekend. St. Thomas may face it's toughest test Friday night, when it plays a rivalry game at Somersworth.
Q: Enjoy your website. I'm hoping you can tell me why New Hampshire teams play so many out-of-league games. I noticed two teams played teams from Massachusetts this weekend, and I know just about everyone [in the top three divisions] began the year by playing a team from another conference. Am I correct in saying these games don't count? Why not play more conference games? -- Tim, Pelham
A: Bad news for you Tim: The non-league stuff isn't over. There are more meaningless games sprinkled through the rest of the Division I, Division II and Division III seasons. I have no problem with Exeter playing Winnacunnet this weeked because it's a huge rivalry game, which gives the contest some meaning. Nashua North playing Merrimack in Week 9 is a different story however. Last year the teams were playing for either a playoff berth (Merrimack) or home-field advantage in the playoffs (North) and had to risk injury by playng a non-league game a week before each team's final regular-season contest. One soulution, as has been written here many times, is to add an extra round of playoff games. Many teams have two non-league games. An eight-team playoff would eliminate at least one non-league game in a team's schedule, because the playoffs would have to start a week earlier than they currently do to end before Thanksgiving. Of course you can't have a larger playoff field without larger divisons. We'll have to see what happens with realignment this year, but eliminating some of these non-league games would be a good thing.
Q: Read your story on the mercy rule Sunday. I was at Portsmouth Friday night and wondered why the clock didn't stop in the second quarter. Fastest game I've ever been to. Any clarification on the rule? -- no name or hometown given
A: The rule, as it's written, says a running clock shall be used when the point differential reaches 35 points or more in the second half and shall continue to run even if the point differential drops below 35 points. I was told by an official at the Portsmouth game that the rule had been changed and a running clock is used as soon as the point differential reaches 35 points, even if it's in the first half. Even though St. Thomas had a 42-point lead against Bishop Brady early in the second quarter Saturday, however, a running clock wasn't used until the second half. Obviously there's some confusion over this rule. Bishop Brady coach Greg Roberts told me a running clock can be used in the first half if both head coaches agree to handle things that way, but I'm not sure that's what happened Friday night in Portsmouth.
Q: More impressive start, Salem or Exeter? -- Rob C., Windham
A: Both are 3-0 overall and 2-0 in Division I, but have to give the nod to Salem because of a tougher schedule thus far. Victories over Keene, Central and Memorial trump victories over Spaulding, Concord and Londonderry. Bottom line, though: 3-0 is 3-0.
Questions for Monday Mailbag can be submitted to rbrown@nhfootballreport.com. Questions may be edited for clarity.
