The Van Wert County Courthouse

Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024

Monday Mailbag: mercy rule and more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

This week’s Monday Mailbag features questions about an All-Star baseball team, the mercy rule in basketball, officiating and the OHSAA.

Q: Will you be running an all area baseball/softball team? Thanks for all of your coverage. Name withheld upon request

A: It’s quite possible, keep checking back. There’s no shortage of talented players to fill a VW independent All-Star roster.

Q: I read your column the other day with (OHSAA Commissioner) Jerry Snodgrass. It seems pretty silly that he’s not willing to expand the mercy rule to the regular season of basketball. He obviously hasn’t thought it through. Would you agree? Name withheld upon request

A: I don’t agree for a couple of reasons. The first one is it’s not his decision, it’s the decision of member schools and/or the OHSAA Board of Directors. The second reason is the fact that Snodgrass is a former varsity basketball coach who has plenty of ties to the game.

I have to admit, I a bit surprised the mercy rule seemingly won’t be incorporated into the regular season anytime soon, but his reasoning that games will be shortened to 35 minutes and people won’t want to come. That might be a slight exaggeration, but his point seems to make sense.

Q: Instead of OHSAA worrying about boys volleyball, why don’t they worry about getting better officials? Name withheld upon request

A: I’ve said this to many people who are constantly unhappy about officiating – why not take steps to join the officiating ranks instead of complaining?

Q: Why does it seem like OHSAA is suddenly so unorganized when it comes to state tournament locations? There’s no home for next years girls basketball championships, baseball is at a different location and they don’t know where football championships will be next year. Why has this become a problem all of the sudden? Name withheld upon request

A: Let’s start with this year’s baseball state tournament. The games have been played at Huntington Park, the home of the Columbus Clippers. Apparently, a change with the International League makes things very difficult for non-Clipper games to be scheduled at the ballpark, and nothing could be worked out this year, so the games were moved to Akron.

Baseball state title games have been played in different spots over the years, including at Ohio State and in Toledo.

As far as girls’ basketball, I don’t have a problem moving those games to a different venue. It costs money to rent the Schottenstein Center for three days, and the majority of seats are empty. I still think think those games will move to the Nutter Center at Wright State.

On to football – Snodgrass said he’d like to lock in a site on a three year cycle, so let’s see if that really happens.

Realistically, the games will be played at Ohio Stadium or at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

I don’t think OHSAA is unorganized, I just think times have changed and they’re trying to change with them.

The Monday Mailbag will take a break for Memorial Day and will return on June 3. Of course, if you have a question, you still can send it to sports@thevwindependent.com.

POSTED: 05/20/19 at 4:56 am. FILED UNDER: Sports