DarterBlue2

The opening round is terrible. Very few good matches on paper. Down the road, 6A and 5A are competitive. Aside from that, most of the other classes, have at best, only a couple of teams with a real shot at a state title. With me moving far away, maybe I will just give up on the game and watch Futbol and Baseball.

The only thing going for it is that least they both have the same 10 teams. But as you look at them, some of the positioning is radically different. Wouldn't it be shocking if the winner of 5A ends up being not one of the above teams!

Do you want Dillard to go into cardiac arrest?

The only purpose districts currently serve is that the District winner makes the playoffs. So, a district champ could be ranked 9th in the region and still make the playoffs. In that case, the 8th seed, if it's not a district champ, would be eliminated. But if district champs were ranked 8 and 9, then a non-district champs ranked higher (most likely 6 or 7), would be eliminated to accommodate the two district champs. If they were ranked 9 and 10 (which is possible, though unlikely in most regions), then the bottom two non-district champs would be eliminated. It's a mess which will need fixing with the passage of time. That the FHSAA failed to see this, shows either an alarming lack of perspicacity, or it smacks of a group pandering to the powers that be without thinking things through.

Only if they draw an at large team in the first round. If they play another district champ, they travel in round 1. Thereafter, the highest ranked survivor hosts.

While your first paragraph is technically correct, I am concerned as to why one of the commentators inserted the word monkey in relation to a discussion of why cramps can be alleviated by the use of pickle juice and bananas. Monkeys may or may not be subject to cramps (I don't know), but the fact that it was a Glades Central player, not a Bishop Verot player that had cramped up, really concerns me given the use of the monkey reference. Sadly, the USA is in a "tinderbox situation" right now. We can choose to ignite it or we can choose a better, more peaceful path. The coming months and years will determine the road that the country goes down. For better or worse, the USA is a very heterogeneous country. We can choose to get along or we can choose to destroy each other from within. I am sure the country's enemies would love the latter. Enough said, PEACE!

I want Apopka in this one. I sent you my other picks via PM to keep them confidential.

Apopka vs West Orange!

He chose some terrible games for the 1st round of the playoffs!

A year ago, the above was true. They changed the rules in the offseason. But to me, the problem with the current system lies, first and foremost, in the total lack of transparency surrounding the calculation of the rankings. I am 100% certain that there will be major changes in the not too distant future.

It's like I explained it to you; a district champ is only guaranteed an at home game if they are playing an at large team in the first round. Regarding whether Dillard was cheated or not, we will never know because the FHSAA keeps their formula a secret and no one that I know of has been able to replicate it accurately. Therefore, in close situations, it is not easy to tell if you have been treated unfairly or not. You are left in a situation where you have to "just trust the integrity and competence of the governing body." Long term this is not tenable. But for now, it is the situation that exists.

As long as Dillard is healthy, and the officiating crew is fair, Dillard will win this game easily. It likely will be a repeat of the Garcia game. Why? While JC seems to have some offense, the defense has been giving up a lot of points to subpar teams. A running clock would not surprise me, and a less than 21 point win would disappoint me.

But the district championship guarantees you a spot in the playoffs. That's the only transparency in the current system we have. You may be on the road, but your destiny is not in the hands of faceless bureaucrats.

They played yesterday and it was billed as for a playoff spot by coaches, media, etc. Astronaut won 21-20. They are district opponents so Astro ended 1-1, Villages 0-2. Rankings released today: Villages Charter: 4.374 Astronaut: 3.293 It makes no sense. It's either incompetence or something worse.

Einstein couldn't figure that one out let alone mere mortals.

So, there will be separation. That's a good thing. Deciding by points is as random as tossing a coin.

TBH, don't hold your breath!

Legacy Charter Windermere Prep Seven Rivers Glades Day Old Plank The above picks were made with a very, very low degree of confidence!

Great minds think alike!

Easy win. Garcia does not have the talent or strength to run with Dillard. On to the playoffs

It sounds like although the Dillard team is somewhat depleted, that you are having your way with Garcia even though it's only a 7 point game at this stage.

That would be something, wouldn't it.

TOTAL POINTS FOR Gaither/Springstead 55

The fact theirs is still off slightly may be indicative of the FHSAA having "errors or omissions" in their own calculations.

They do if they draw an at large team regardless of rank. But if they draw another district champion, the higher seed hosts.