I have a question for those that follow sports outside the US: I am a big rugby fan and I watch a lot of matches from Europe, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Last year the day before the BSU/BYU football game I went to the BYU/USU rugby match where the final was 166-0. When I watch Aussie rules football and rugby the commentators basically believe if the other team doesn’t stop you that is their fault and rugby actually awards bonus points for scoring over 30 which means teams that are assured a win are actively trying to score right up to the final whistle, and in the case of rugby, after the final whistle if play hasn’t broken down.
Is the aversion to running up the score just an American Football thing? No one stops trying to hit in baseball and no one stops taking shots in basketball until they can run the clock out- shot clock actually encourages it. Just wondering if there is an equivalent in other sports.