I pasted this in another thread, but it is probably worth its own thread. This is an excerpt from a Mike Fields Notebook column written after the first round of the playoffs last year:

 

Paris Coach J.J. Everage, whose Greyhounds lost to Beechwood 60-7, would prefer that only the top three teams in each district make the playoffs, with the district champ getting a first-round bye. He'd like to shorten the season by a week so the state finals would be Thanksgiving weekend. Everage also thinks five classes would be better than six, with 5A being a "super class." Did Paris get anything out of playing Beechwood? "There was no benefit," Everage wrote.

 

Gallatin Coach Tim Browning, whose team lost to defending state champ Newport Central Catholic 56-0, also thinks only the top three district teams should make the playoffs, with the top seed getting a first-round bye. While Browning thought it was a good experience for Gallatin County to face NewCath, he's not sure what the Thoroughbreds got out of it.

 

Boyd County Coach Lee Evans, whose Lions got mauled by Highlands 63-7, thinks taking only two teams from each district "would be perfect. Don't get me wrong. We like making the playoffs ... but, oftentimes, a four seed and most times a three seed do not deserve to be in the playoffs. Football is not like basketball. Getting blown out is not good in either sport but, in football, it often includes a physical beating, not just a beating on the scoreboard." Evans also thinks all teams should have to play in the classification dictated by their enrollment.

 

Washington County Coach Eric Sagrecy, whose Commanders were crushed by Glasgow 63-6, agreed that only the top two teams in a district should make the playoffs, "not because of mismatches, but because the playoffs are a reward for a good season, and you should have to play your way in."

 

Elizabethtown Coach Adam Billings, whose winless Panthers lost to Bell County 66-0, also thinks too many teams make the playoffs. Billings, who has coached in Wisconsin and North Carolina, said "playoffs should be something that your team gets rewarded for," and that "it doesn't make much sense to give a winless team a gift of the playoffs. In Wisconsin, you have to finish with a minimum .500 record in your conference to advance to the playoffs." Billings thinks the KHSAA should "completely seed each class 1-through-32, or split each class into regions based on location and then seed each region."

 

Caverna Coach Michael Garnis Martin, whose team got mashed by Mayfield 65-8, thinks the current format is OK, but he'd like to see travel times reduced. It was a long haul from Caverna to Mayfield last Friday. Martin, the grandson of the late Bardstown coaching legend Garnis Martin, liked the four-class system that he grew up with.

 

Simon Kenton Coach Jeff Marksberry, whose Pioneers got trounced by powerhouse Trinity 72-0, said the only thing he doesn't like about the current system is that there are only 32 teams in Class A and 6A. "There could be an argument for lowering the number of classes." Asked whether there was any benefit playing a team as powerful as Trinity, Marksberry said, "As hard as it was on coaches, it was harder on the kids. The only positive from it is that you truly get a sense of how good you must be to compete at that high level."

 

Jackson County Coach Arthur Carter, whose team lost to Belfry 55-0, said he thinks it's "great" to let just about every team experience the playoffs. He said if the first round was a waste of time, "you would never have a four seed defeating a one seed," and that happened a couple times last week.

There are some flaws in the so called "Scenerios" in this post I don't even know where to start. So I will just take one of the suggestions you listed.

Take only the top 2 teams.

IF that is how the coach wants to run the playoffs, then let me ask, how do you decide the top 2 teams? Take class 5A district 5 this year. There were 3 teams all tied with only 1 loss in district play, the 3rd seed in that district had a record this season of 9-1, is that coach suggesting that the team with the best record in that 3 way tie with a record of 9-1 who also happened to be the 3 seed in the playoffs should not get to play in the playoffs? That is insane.

 

If a coach doesn't want to play in the playoffs because he feels they may get blown out, then don't play...forfeit the game if they have that much of a problem with it.

 

IF not, stop your whining. who cares if there are blow outs, it's football. I never heard so much whining over something so stupid in my life. All those that whine continue to whine over first round playoffs, follow another sport. It's getting beyond ridiculous listening to so many people cry over possible 1st round blowouts. Who is to say there aren't going to be blowouts in round 2 and 3 and even 4? Get over it already. IF you are a coach who doesn't want to play in a possible blowout game then forfeit or take off your skirt.

Not for the 16 lower seeds that pulled upsets!

 

Not for anyone in the WYMT viewing area that watched Middlesboro at Prestonsburg last night either.

 

Ohio is lauging at us....i work in Cincy and they read the paper and ask why a team that is 1-9 making playoffs....get rid of first week. Do something in the regular season and you dont have to worry about being a 4 seed.

There are so many flaws in the so called "Scenerios" in this post I don't even know where to start. So I will just take one of the suggestions you listed.

Take only the top 2 teams.

IF that is how the coach wants to run the playoffs, then let me ask, how do you decide the top 2 teams? Take class 5A district 5 this year. There were 3 teams all tied with only 1 loss in district play, the 3rd seed in that district had a record this season of 9-1, is that coach suggesting that the team with the best record in that 3 way tie with a record of 9-1 who also happened to be the 3 seed in the playoffs should not get to play in the playoffs? That is insane.

 

If a coach doesn't want to play in the playoffs because he feels they may get blown out, then don't play...forfeit the game if they have that much of a problem with it.

 

IF not, stop your whining. who cares if there are blow outs, it's football. I never heard so much whining over something so stupid in my life. All those that whine continue to whine over first round playoffs, follow another sport. It's getting beyond ridiculous listening to so many people cry over possible 1st round blowouts. Who is to say there aren't going to be blowouts in round 2 and 3 and even 4? Get over it already. IF you are a coach who doesn't want to play in a possible blowout game then forfeit or take off your skirt.

 

So lets keep it the same for the 5 percent that upset somebody.....you must be the same parent that everybody should get a participation trophy....All this everybody should make playoffs stops in grade school....beat somebody in regular season and you can move on. I agree with the 3 way tie scenario that one is tough but come on other states are laughing at us.

Oh by the way the only game in Northern Kentucky today ended up 67-3.... they were beating down the gate to get in there today being they were the only game in town. A shotgun could have gone off in that stadium and no one would have got hit.

Ohio is lauging at us....i work in Cincy and they read the paper and ask why a team that is 1-9 making playoffs....get rid of first week. Do something in the regular season and you dont have to worry about being a 4 seed.

Yeah that's what we should be basing our decisions on, "What OHIO thinks". I for one could not care less what OHIO thinks, but then again I don't live in NKY and have OHIO Envy either.

What is the big problem with letting every team in the playoffs? Baseball, Softball, Soccer and even our precious Basketball let's ever team into the playoffs...why does everyone one get on their high horse over Football?

 

Because its a physical beat down!

1A Pineville and Nicholas Co

2A Lex Christian, DeSales and Holy Cross (Cov)

3A Garrard Co, Fleming Co and Lawrence Co

4A Madisonville and Nelson Co

5A Grayson Co and Cooper

6A Oldham Co, Simon Kenton, Henry Clay and Male

 

16 upsets last night, 16 teams that my somes opinions shouldn't be in the playoffs, 800+ kids that get to live the Dream one more week

 

In most cases I don't think we can consider a 3 seed beating a 2 seed an upset. Now a 4 beating a 1 is much different.

In most cases I don't think we can consider a 3 seed beating a 2 seed an upset. Now a 4 beating a 1 is much different.

 

I agree, but in every scenario given to reduce the playoffs 3 and 4 seeds are always eliminated, thus elimnating the 16 #3 seeds that won last night.

Yeah that's what we should be basing our decisions on, "What OHIO thinks". I for one could not care less what OHIO thinks, but then again I don't live in NKY and have OHIO Envy either.

 

No envy here.... not where we are at.....but lets keep it the same so little Billy gets one more week. 95 percent get blown out now why should they play....sounds like you envy somebody.

No envy here.... not where we are at.....but lets keep it the same so little Billy gets one more week. 95 percent get blown out now why should they play....sounds like you envy somebody.

Nope I just think every team should end their season on the field and not losing a tie-breaker on paper.

Nope I just think every team should end their season on the field and not losing a tie-breaker on paper.

 

I agree with you on that....maybe we take top 3 and give a bye to somebody. I understand certain kids will never get a chance to make playoffs in their career but its hard to look at a 1-9 team or 2-8 team making playoffs thats all. We can agree to disagree and good luck the rest of the year whoever you root for.

No 4s beat ones. I agree with the coaches above about the bye for the #1 with the 2/3 game in the first week.

Another consideration is potential injuries in a 1 vs. 4 match-up.

Zero upsets or 16, it doesn't matter. It does not make it right in my opinion. Go with the top two teams in each district. If you can not play well in your district you did not earn a chance to play another game. To me, it isn't the issue of blowouts or upsets, it is the issue of earning the chance. Before you know it, we will be voting on championships and have a team playing for the championship that did not even compete for its district title (kind of like last years BCS title game).

 

SOLUTION: Go to five classes with eight conferences/districts each. Top two from each district goes to playoffs with the district champions seeded 1-8 and runner-ups playing a district champion on the opposite side of the bracket. Would likely increase some travel time time (but some of them are already as long as heck).

What is the big problem with letting every team in the playoffs? Baseball, Softball, Soccer and even our precious Basketball let's ever team into the playoffs...why does everyone one get on their high horse over Football?

 

Other sports have district tournaments, football does nto. it is not really the same thing.