DarterBlue2

I don't know the answer but would suspect that the same rules would apply as to the homeless. But in Florida today, does it really matter? They would probably get assigned to a school that was not at capacity. 

Happy New year to all. Perhaps the old saying it's darkest just before the dawn will come true and we will have an happy ending and bright future. 

Happy New year to all. Perhaps the old saying it's darkest just before the dawn will come true and we will have an happy ending and bright future. 

Happy New year to all. Perhaps the old saying it's darkest just before the dawn will come true and we will have an happy ending and bright future. 

Well-summarized.  And not only were state title games more competitive under Metro-Suburban classes, but the numbers also confirm that the earlier round games were more competitive as well.  Sadly, fact-based decision-making does not seem to factor into FHSAA deliberations, nor does it seem to have an impact on this board.  Why do games have to be competitive, as long as my teams win?  Can't compete in the current environment?  Drop out of the FHSAA or just drop football altogether.  And when hundreds of teams leave the FHSAA, how is that going to promote high school football in Florida?  The 25 teams left can play one another while the rest of the state yawns.
Here's what's not happening in Florida... 1) end of transfers, 2) promotion and relegation, 3) separate public-private classifications.  None of these are happening.  Period.  But when the FHSAA tries to apply a commonsense adjustment like Metro-Suburban, all the sudden, "it's not fair".  Open Division?  You can't force Chaminade to play Venice in the playoffs!  But you can force Indian Rocks Christian (nothing personal) to play in the same class as Chaminade?  (Oh wait, they could just quit football.  So much for the life lessons of perseverance and commitment that football teaches).
I hope my pessimism for the future of Florida high school is misplaced.  Maybe someone will start looking at the big picture rather than trying to protect their self-interests.  Maybe. 
My last rant of 2024.  Sorry.  
 

Not sure if anyone saw this article (it was in a variety of publications) on the point differentials between Metro/Suburban v the 'traditional' playoff system that we currently, and previously, have.  I'm sure I'm gonna stir the pot on this again, but I think the data is worth some discussion.
TL;DR: MASSIVE average point differential change comparing the two systems; a.k.a. less competitive state title games.
Metro/Suburban system average winning point margin
2022: 11.86
2023: 14.75
Traditional system average winning point margin
2021: 19.7
2024: 26
Also, as a thought experiment, I took out Chaminade-Madonna's games since they are massive outliers in the data.  That makes each one:
M/S 2022: 8.71
M/S 2023: 8.86
Trad 2021: 19.5
Trad 2024: 24.5
Long story short, we had 2 years of just over 1 score games and now back to 3-4 score games.
Another thing I looked at was how many game were a running clock at the end of the game.
M/S 2022-2023: 1
Trad 2021 & 2024: 4
Shutouts
M/S 2022-2023: 1
Trad 2021& 2024: 3
 
So, if you like competitive games, no running clocks, no shutouts, it's blatantly obvious which is better.
Is Metro/Suburban perfect?  No, nothing ever will be.  Plus I always think I spelled suburban wrong.  Did it lead to better football?  Sure looks like it.
As someone who has been involved with both Metro and Suburban teams that made it to state titles, it just makes sense from a football perspective.  How does it not make sense?  Well the article discusses it and if I spell it out that'll for sure get under some folk's skin, even if it is the truth.
 
No matter what, I think we can all agree that a system where we have no idea how the points are figured is unacceptable and has to change.

I don't know the answer but would suspect that the same rules would apply as to the homeless. But in Florida today, does it really matter? They would probably get assigned to a school that was not at capacity. 

FIT (Family in transition) is the term used in most school districts. 

From what I can tell, Polk County goes with the location of the dwelling.
Hearth Project
 

Depends on how good the kids are.   

I don't know the answer but would suspect that the same rules would apply as to the homeless. But in Florida today, does it really matter? They would probably get assigned to a school that was not at capacity. 

According to someone who knows more about the system than I do, the school they would attend would depend on how they were classified. If the RV site address was used, they would normally attend the school/(s) within the RV camp boundary. However, if classified as homeless, under OCPS rules they could attend the school of their choice within Orange County. 
Note that Orange County rules may vary from the rules of other school boards within the state of Florida. 

According to someone who knows more about the system than I do, the school they would attend would depend on how they were classified. If the RV site address was used, they would normally attend the school/(s) within the RV camp boundary. However, if classified as homeless, under OCPS rules they could attend the school of their choice within Orange County. 
Note that Orange County rules may vary from the rules of other school boards within the state of Florida. 

I did not watch the BoD meeting where this issue was discussed.   Thank you for enlightening me.  If I can reframe what you have said, it goes like this:
We are the FHSAA. 
We are the governing body for high school sports, including football.  Therefore, we make all the rules and are responsible for making sure the member schools follow those rules. 
A number of the member schools are not following the rules and, as a result, now dominate the high school football scene. 
We can't figure out how to do our job to prevent these schools from breaking the rules and continuing to dominate the high school football scene.
So, instead of figuring out how to do our job, we'll just come up with a way to make all those teams play each other at the end of the year . . . and if a few rule-following teams that have a once-in-a-generation season get caught up in the net when we cast it out, well, sorry.  Such is life and you know we're all about teaching life lessons. 

I appreciate your response, and you may be correct in your assumptions under the scenario you pose.
But there is a reason the Open Division will be mandatory, in my opinion, if it is enacted.  If you watched the FHSAA Board of Directors meeting when this was discussed, the motivation for establishing an Open Division was not to provide a tournament for the elite teams or to identify the singularly best team in the state.  The motivation, to my viewing, was to get the elite powerhouses/cheaters/recruiters/talent attractors (pick one) out of the regular brackets so the other 98% of teams could compete on a more level playing field.  Not saying that is or isn't a good reason to have an Open Division, but I think the other 98% have enough sway to have the FHSAA bury the elite 2% in their own bracket.  

Pride.  The right to claim yourself the indisputable best team in the State, which could lead down a path to a national championship.  The "recruiting advantage"/ability to attract transfers if you can hold yourself out as one of the dozen or so elite teams in the state.  The advantage it might give you to get kids scholarship opportunities. 
I understand your question.  If there were a way to reach out to every coach (or athletic director or school administrator) of every team that I mentioned to ask them whether they'd be willing to play in such a group, I'd do it, but I don't think that's realistic. 
I've suggested in the past that you might have to dangle a carrot out there to attract 12 teams.  Perhaps let those schools actively recruit as long as they stay in the division (heck, most of those teams do it anyway in one form or another). 
Finally, yes, money could be a factor.   I've got to think that the championship game would be a pretty good draw and might even warrant a TV contract.  The FHSAA could do a little revenue sharing with the top team, the top two teams or even all the teams in that division (not that I particularly like that idea, but in this NIL day and age, I could easily see it happening). 
As for a game this year, I suspect there might be some folks at STA or West Boca (or even AHP or NW) that would not be in favor of simply letting Chaminade and Venice play in the championship game. 
 

I'm curious why any team would "volunteer" for the Open Division?  Pride?  Money?  Why would any team give up an easier path to a championship when they would face a gauntlet in the Open Division?  If there is a desire for an overall state champion, just schedule Chaminade and Venice to play this Friday. Have a committee pick the top 2 teams after the championship weekend and let them face off.  My belief is that if you don't make it mandatory for teams to participate in the Open Division, it ain't happening.  Would never work with some teams opting in, and some teams opting out.  

You rightfully list the wrong-headed ideas/policies they have tried over the years and I agree that the Metro/Suburban was a step in the right direction and needed some tweaking.  What I disagree with is that these folks are "Totally Blind & Ignorant" as you claim.  I tend to fall in the DR. D camp that they, just like most on this board are "HOMERS" and are settling on ideas that either help or don't hurt their team.  If they stick to implementing the OPEN DIVISION in 2025 that will be a step in the right direction.  I may be the one that is totally blind and ignorant for having hope. 

Yeah as a Pinellas County football observer, CCC is part of the problem, not a victim.  Send all of those recruiting teams to the open division so I can just ignore it and watch the non-all star teams battle it out with their hodge podge rosters of luck-of-the-draw student population players.  Jesus, in Dade and Broward, half of those teams players don't even attend the school they play for due to specialty schools like Rise Prepatory School where they just send their free agents to whoever needs them.  Before you think I am ripping Rise Prepatory and other specialty schools, I do see the other side of the coin that the service they provide is maximizing their students opportunities to play at the next level and allowing them to focus upon their craft.  What I am ripping is the system that allows this to happen and what it has done to high school ball.  

Now that _hit is funny....
They are totally blind and ignorant.
We go from a system that if you were somewhat good at math and could see schedules you could figure out if you were going to make the playoffs 
to
metro suburban and it wasnt bad, look at the finals scores.  already stated here.
to
hiding the facts that teams got in that shouldnt have, and teams didnt get in that should have.
and move finals to the southern part of the state.  seriously, drive from penscola to miami.
that will never get right, from the awesome venue in daytona with no parking and 1 lane road to this.
finals should be in raymond james/the new usf stadium, back to citrus bowl or the scocer field,  ucf stadium, somehwere in central fla that can house 10k fans, easily accessable and parking isnt a  problem.
blind is an understatement.

That is correct, someone is always going to complain.  If they went to an "OPEN DIVISION" with 12 schools they would most likely all complain, while the other 550 would rejoice so why cater to the few rather than the many??

I understand but the Law of Averages would work out over a few years by Promoting/Relegating the top 10% of teams divided by 7 or 8 classifications.
Enrollment based Alignment doesn't work no matter how you skin the cat. We've played 8A teams that were absolutely garbage and 1A teams that were insane...performance is a better metric 
Shoot just rank the 1st year of this system using Maxpreps Rankings..

Because schools that operate like mini colleges should play mini colleges. Take this Hypothetical Playoff Scenario:
Private School A Enrollment of 300: Lost 4 Transfers 
Private School B Enrollment of 300: Gained 30+ Transfers 
 
This was actually our Reality in the Playoffs Round 1 if we made it...not even close to the same playing field. You can guess which school had 30+ Transfers pretty easily....

Before there were rampant transfers, that's not totally true. Yes, the MNW, CC and SR had their fair share of titles. But with the talent spread among more schools the Jacksons, NMBs, MS, CG, etc., etc. used to have decent teams (in the case of Jackson very good teams) too. What we have in large metro areas now, and I won't limit it to south Florida, as it includes Tampa Bay, Greater Orlando, Jacksonville area, etc., are stacked teams where 5 to 6 schools have 90+% of the elite talent and many of the others have a hard time winning a few games each season. 
It goes without saying that this is not a model for the health of the sport at the high school level. It needs to be addressed one way or another or there will likely be mass exodus from the FHSAA tournament in the not too distant future. 
I won't hold my breath. 

That my friend is GOLDEN!