Coaching decisions: What would you do?

Dr. Giganto

Sports Moderator

Two questions:

1. You are the head coach of an NFL team. Your team is down 30-15, and you score a touchdown, making the score 30-21, pending the PAT. There are 3 minutes remaining in the game, and you have all three timeouts. If you kick the PAT, you are down 8. If you attempt a 2-point conversion and succeed, you are down 7, and if you fail, you are down 9. Do you kick the PAT or go for 2?

2. You are Terry Francona, and your Red Sox are up 3-2 in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Reigning Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter is scheduled to pitch game 6, and Jason Marquis, who posted an ERA over 6.00 this season, is scheduled to pitch Game 7. The way it stands now, you only have two healthy pitchers: Curt Schilling (your ace) and Matt Clement (who sucks). Both would have ample rest for Game 6. Do you pitch Schilling in Game 6 versus Carpenter, or save him for Game 7?

Dr. Giganto

Sports Moderator

To add a little clarity to question 2, assume that Schilling-Carpenter and Marquis-Clement would both be 50-50 match-ups, but Schilling would be a 3-to-1 favorite over Marquis and Carpenter would be a 3-to-1 favorite over Clement

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

Answer 1: I kick the extra point. Period. If i go for two and fail it's a two-possesion game instead of a one-possesion game. That one was easy.

Answer 2: I'd resign as manager to go manage the White Sox >_> <_< EDIT: Well jeez if the red sox are up 3-2 it's a no-brainer, pitch clement then pitch schilling, you lose game 6 oh well the ole bloody sock should help right?

Dr. Giganto

Sports Moderator

nah, you're up 3-2, so if you lose Game 6 there IS a game 7

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

edit'd

Randy Orton

WC's Resident Alchoholic

1. I'd go for the two points early. You are going to need to get one either later or right now. So if you go for it now you will now what you'll need for the rest of the game. Plus you could miss it if you attempted it later anyways so it is better to get it out of the way earlier IMO.

2. I'd pitch Clement game 6 and Schilling 7. At least with game 6 it is a throwaway anyways so if you win it will be better since you don't expect. And ify ou lose it you still got Schilling to go in game 7.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

Nice topic Tom. I like it

To answer question 1, I go for the PAT to be down 8. Sure scoring the 2-point conversion would make it easier on you later.. but your job as a coach is to continue the game and make the other team keep playing. they can't just sit on the ball if it' still a one possession game.

Agree?

I'll think about question 2 some more..

Killswitch

Are you a running team or a passing team? How good is your kicker at onside kicks? What's their running game like? Who's your QB? Do you have a good play for scoring the two? More importantly am I home or away? If I'm home I kick the ball in most situations. If I'm away I think about going for two if I think my QB will handle that situation better with 3 minutes left than with no time left.

Most importantly, am I playing these games on the road or at home? At home I probably save Schilling for the 7th and pitch Clement in 6. Also, it's important to know things like the fact that Clement is historically good against the Cardinals. What's the weather for both games? Maybe it's supposed to be colder in game 7 and Schilling is a better cold weather pitcher. It's almost impossible to "play coach" because there's a million variables that have to go into every decision.

Dr. Giganto

Sports Moderator

I gave you all the info you need to know for question #2. You have exactly a 50% chance of winning Schilling-Carpenter and exactly a 50% chance of winning Clement-Marquis. You have exactly 75% chance of winning Schilling-Marquis, and exactly a 75% chance of losing Clement-Carpenter

As for question #1, none of those things really should come into play if you really think about it. When you're a coach, you have 30 seconds to make a decision. You don't have the time to weigh all those variables. And, in my opinion, it doesn't make a difference. But, for simplicity's skae, you're playing on a neutral site, you're an average 2-point team, with an average onside kicker, playing against an average defense. Every single player on both teams is average. What do you do?

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

I like my answer the best :up: