LooseCannon,

You've been running the old mouth like you know what is up.
We always blame the team that runs up the score like it's a charity game played by a bunch of pastors.
This is a game that is played by kids. South Charleston is a B TEAM that chose to play up in A in order to get games. They knew that if they went independent since the B division was not happening they would never get a soul to come and play there.
I was just part of a game that ended up 15-1. Could have been 30-1. Coaches had rules like 3 passes, only shots from the blue line. Did all of the kids follow these rules? No. Many took their shots in order to finish a hat trick or just to get a goal or two since the last few games the goals didn't come quite that easy.

Honestly the teams in the division should not waste their time driving to even play if all it's going to turn into is "pass the puck around so the other team doesn't feel bad"

OK. You Cincinnati folks have changed my mind. I think coaches should run up the score when ever possible. If you can score 30, 40 or 50 goals.... go for it! No blood, no foul.

A very interesting thread. It is funny that folks post their thoughts and opinions to this forum, then get overly excited / defensive / angry when someone has a different point of view. Can't we all just get along ?

Seriously, regarding this issue I'd like to hear from someone from the Charlston team. It is easy for those not involved to offer opinions, but those opinions are meaningless. Perhaps the Charlston team doesn't care if they are getting blownout week after week. Maybe their options were to play 'A' and get stomped, or not play at all.

On the other hand. If they are upset with being blownout, then the blame truly is on them. They are admittedly a 'B' team. What did they expect when the regsitered for 'A'.

To me the real issue is: how did the Cincinnati team behave in victory? Were they taunting the overmatched team? Or did they play hard, but with respect - treating the overmathced team a sthey would wish to be treated if the roles were reversed? Sportsmanship is what I'm talking about.

You don't have to quit scoring to exhibit sportsmanship. In victory you can be positive, even encouraging to the weaker team. Let them know when they made a good play / effort. Congratulate their goalie on a good save. Play a little less physical (I'm not saying don't check, rather try sperating the player from the puck, not the head from the player).

Likewise, in loosing you should show sportmanship (don't take cheap shots just because you are getting beat).

I'm not implying that either team did/did not play with sportsmanship - I was not there. All I'm suggesting is that we focus on sportmanship, teach sportsmanship to our kids, and behave with sportsmanship while watching the games.

Call me naive, but I believe if we did this, then blowouts would not be so negative.

Bravo, too that last post. Sportsmanship, and the teaching of it in any situation, win or loose is the purpose of the game. Kudo's to those who view it that way.