Competitive Balance... should we take a look at what Ohio did?

[blackmagic]

3 hours ago, gatorman-uf said:

I appreciate you used facts to back up your opinion and this comes back to what do the small schools want?

At some point small rural schools are going to have pick their poison: they can stay rural or they can stay small, but they probably won't be able to stay rural and small for too much longer. Schools are going to grow out of it. Even a school like Baker has shown steady growth from 389 in 2009 to a high of 475 in 2016 (441 in 2017). Nobody is going to make another rural small school so as schools phase out of the rural classification what do rural schools want?
 

To leave it how it is... Move top 2 schools out, leaving bottom 32..  Split north and south....Play season... Use points to seed.... Play 32 team playoff like 5A-8A.... 

Maybe at some point something would need to be changed. But thats a future problem. 

[badbird]

13 hours ago, blackmagic said:

To leave it how it is... Move top 2 schools out, leaving bottom 32..  Split north and south....Play season... Use points to seed.... Play 32 team playoff like 5A-8A.... 

Maybe at some point something would need to be changed. But thats a future problem. 

everyone shouldn't make the playoffs.  Round 1 Madison vs Bronson.  lol  100-0

[blackmagic]

1 hour ago, badbird said:

everyone shouldn't make the playoffs.  Round 1 Madison vs Bronson.  lol  100-0

Bronson vs anybody is the same result this year. Madison vs anybody the same result this year. Every 1A team Madison played had a running clock but Pahokee. That's why we have a running clock. They beat undefeated Dixie 62-7.. Probably would beat Bronson 77-0. Whats the difference? (No disrespect to Bronson) 

If a team doesn't want to be in the 32 go independent. The next team in to keep the number at 32. 

[badbird]

making the playoffs should mean something.  Should we just give them all a trophy?  If you want 32 teams in a playoff then you need more teams in 1A 

 

I can see the T-shirt's now for the Bronson football team

Bronson Football 

Building a Legacy 

2018 Playoffs

2018 Regional Quarter Finalist

2018 Record 0-11

[gatorman-uf]

Blackmagic,
So you are saying you only want the smallest 32 teams in 1A even if there are teams that technically meet the early cutoffs for rural (500 students) or current cutoff (600) you only want the smallest 32?

I am assuming that you would apply this same standard to 2A as well? 3A? 4A?
I guess the next question becomes, do you not think that 32 teams is a little small for a "state championship", doesn't it lead to more of the blowouts that we consistently see? Isn't some of the point to create a level of competitiveness and the smaller the classifications the less competitiveness?

[OldSchoolLion]

New to the forum.  Really enjoy the spirited discussions on here.  Father played football in south Florida in the 1940's, and I have history from the 70's. 

Believe there were 2 classifications when my father played and I recall four from my day.  Recruiting by private schools back then..sure.  Big disparities back then..sure.  "Big" teams routinely playing "little" teams...yes.  All of the discontent I hear today...not so much.

Went to a private school that opted to play up in classification versus the big boys.  Routinely got killed in some sports, but excelled  in football due to great coaching and gritty players.  Success was measured in progress, not just "wins.".  

As a small business owner, I have to compete against Walmart.  Do I have the option to "play" in different classifications in the business world?  Do they have advantages in recruiting talent?   

At the risk of sounding preachy, what I see in our youth today is an expectation that life be a level playing field and a belief that life is intolerable if it is not.  And if I don't like my coach, I'll just quit and go to school down the road.  How many of us wish we could quit our jobs that easily if we did not like our boss?

I dealt with blatant coach-player favoritism back then, but transferring was not an option.  I am so thankful I had to stick it out, because that taught me what the real world was about. 

We need to ask ourselves why we are so driven to level the playing field.  Are we afraid our kids cannot handle losing?  Or is it more about coaches and parents not being able to handle it?

...words of wisdom from an old man.  Our youth is the best time for us to learn about inequity.  "Failure" on the field is usually not life threatening, like it can be in adulthood.  Learn the wrong lessons, and we are set up for a lifetime of unrealistic expectations and disappointment.  

So, let the kids experience adversity and learn how to deal with it.  I truly believe we are doing them a disservice by some of our current efforts with all of this classification stuff, sending a subtle message that life owes us a level playing field and I can take my ball and go home if I don't like the cards I am dealt.  If we are no longer playing high school football to teach life lessons, I think we have lost perspective.  I'll get off my soapbox now.

Have a great weekend all.  

 

 

[Cat_Scratch]

good post. Thank you.

And we had no classifications when I played HS sports.. It was tough.

[blackmagic]

17 hours ago, badbird said:

making the playoffs should mean something.  Should we just give them all a trophy?  If you want 32 teams in a playoff then you need more teams in 1A 

What did making the playoffs mean to Wildwood and Union County this year? You think Union was happy they made playoffs and had Madison first game. Unless you are Madison or Blountstown it meant nothing. What different than how every other sport has a district tourney? So even the 0-25 baseball, basketball, softball, volleyball teams have a chance to play for a district championship and chance to make state playoffs. Since we do not have districts anymore. This is equivalent in my opinion. 

 

17 hours ago, gatorman-uf said:

Blackmagic,
So you are saying you only want the smallest 32 teams in 1A even if there are teams that technically meet the early cutoffs for rural (500 students) or current cutoff (600) you only want the smallest 32?

I am assuming that you would apply this same standard to 2A as well? 3A? 4A?
I guess the next question becomes, do you not think that 32 teams is a little small for a "state championship", doesn't it lead to more of the blowouts that we consistently see? Isn't some of the point to create a level of competitiveness and the smaller the classifications the less competitiveness?

There are only 34 teams in 1A currently. I am only referring to 1A. First few rounds there will be some blowouts. Just like there are now. But the games will be determined on the field. There is no way to get away from blowouts. Blowouts happen. Oh well.

The school I follow is the smallest school in 1A. If we can put a competitive team on the field, anyone should be able to. I've said it before, I am going to repeat it. Hold the School, Athletic Director, Principle, whoever else accountable for your school. If the right coach is in place, the team will be competitive. This is the only way to gain competitive balance. Stop trying to move teams with "more", down to play teams with "less" so that the "more" is competitive. Make the "more" work hard as the "less" and they will be competitive.

[badbird]

It meant a lot for Wildwood.  A few years ago they canceled the football season because they couldn't compete and didn't have enough players.  They had an undefeated season and made the playoffs.  Something to build on for sure.  

[blackmagic]

31 minutes ago, badbird said:

It meant a lot for Wildwood.  A few years ago they canceled the football season because they couldn't compete and didn't have enough players.  They had an undefeated season and made the playoffs.  Something to build on for sure.  

Them going 7-3 or 5-5 or 4-6 and missing the playoffs would have been the same effect. 

[badbird]

if you think so.  The playoffs should be an honor to make it.  Not given to everyone.