This isn't Ohio. What's to like about watering down the classes?

 

I think the watering down is overblown. The traditional teams will always win regardless. The 4A title game was unavoidable. The best teams were on the same side of the bracket and none of the teams were within 2-3 tds of Highlands. That is unavoidable. That doesn't mean there weren't great games in the playoffs.

There was a time when 4A was only Jefferson County and everyone else played in 1-3A

 

I do not recall 4A being exclusively Jefferson County. But at the time (this was late 70s and early 80s for me) ALL schools were 4A in Jefferson County due to their size. I remember the Jefferson County Champion vs. the State Champion being the 4A final. So it had the urban / rural or statewide flavor to it. That was special.

 

Then someone got the idea that having this structure 'guaranteed' Jefferson County a spot in the final and that was unfair since the best 2 teams 'could' be from outside Jefferson County. So the first really dumb, arrogant move came in KHSAA football structure - eliminating the 4A Jeff vs State structure n the finals.

 

Before that you had X or T playing each other in the semis if they were both strong. At the time they were in two different regions - one in the west and one it east and even that cause teeth mashing but it was only Jefferson County teeth mashing since only one could get to the finals. After the change either could get to the finals with NO state-wide team in the finals. And that has happened a lot.

He said a lot of things. I remember him saying that he respects the memories of those who recall how it was done in 1985 but it isn't 1985 anymore and things have changed a lot since then. He said said that KHSAA would never go back to that model. He said that traveling plays a significant role in how they put together their classes and districts. He said Kentucky is not a square state. The districting and regionalizing of the schools within their larticular areas and the sizes of the schools is incredibky difficult. He said that they have found that even schools that have 150 students should not be playing of in the same class as schools with even 500-600 students. Those are some of the things I remember. I was impressed with his answer. It sounded like they have been looking at different ideas but have yet to come up with an viable answer. He did also say he would rather have six classes and watch the rise of more football programs creating tradition instead of seeing the same traditional powers keep beating everyone. He correctly noted that it doesn't matter if they have 3 classes or 6 classes the traditional powers will always still win. While I do get annoyed with the 'everybody gets a trophy' mentality I do enjoy seeing schools like Cooper and Collins creating history and without 6 classes that history wouldn't be created.

 

 

I guess they have looked at the 'Indiana system' based that comment. Good to see that some are trying to work on improvement. Good post.

 

Working with KYMSFA for state-wide championships and the All-Star game last weekend I do believe Kentucky has some logistical challenges that are more severe that many other states. But 6 classes does make those logistics worse with more spreadout districts and regions. Bell Co and E-town in the 2nd round? What is it a 4 hour+ drive one way for a Friday night game?

Not trying to be a smart alec, but seriously, this may be one of the most arrogant ideas ever.

I think it would only be considered "arrrogant" by those who couldn't measure up enough to be included.

Look at the schools that are always winning and think about how some of them do that each year?

 

Instead of the arrogance, how about leveling the playing field. How about passing a State rule saying teams can only be made up of kids that actually live inside thier school districts? How about making another rule that says if a kid switches schools (due to moving etc.) must sit out an entire year?

Ohhhhh! Okay. Now we understand why you're oddly opposed to the idea. It's just the same tired, old nonsense we've been hearing from the same people for years and years.

...make it a level playing field across the state and quit looking down your noses at the other schools for doing the right thing year in and year out.

There's not one school in the state of Kentucky that isn't doing "the right thing." If you have evidence to the contrary, please contact the KHSAA.

What are the specifics of the Indiana system? A friend was telling me about it at the state game last night.

 

He said teams move up or down in class based on a point system. Points are tabulated by the succuss or lack of success over a period of years. How is this implemented?

Is it time for the KHSAA to consider taking teams like Trinity, Highlands, Bowling Green, St X, Covington Catholic and a handful of others, and form a select class regardless of school enrollment? This may be the only way to get decent playoff competition and championship games. Schools would have to petition to get in the select class and would have to be approved by a committee made up of coaches from the class. The bottom several teams could be dropped and replaced every year if new programs begin to emerge as powers and petition to get in. I know it won't happen, but it would be interesting. Thoughts?

 

My only question is :Why those teams?

There's not one school in the state of Kentucky that isn't doing "the right thing." If you have evidence to the contrary, please contact the KHSAA.

 

And if KHSAA was presented with evidence of rules violations, do you really think they would care? Most likely, any complaint, legitimate or otherwise would be buried in administrative hell. KHSAA agenda is participation, not excellence or a level playing field.

 

I say remove the KHSAA from the equation and eliminate the transfer and contact rules entirely. Let each program sell themselves openly.

And if KHSAA was presented with evidence of rules violations, do you really think they would care? Most likely, any complaint, legitimate or otherwise would be buried in administrative hell. KHSAA agenda is participation, not excellence or a level playing field.

 

I say remove the KHSAA from the equation and eliminate the transfer and contact rules entirely. Let each program sell themselves openly.

 

What would that change. The individual districts would still have their own rules. That wouldn't help anything if your own district doesn't support open enrollment!

And if KHSAA was presented with evidence of rules violations, do you really think they would care? Most likely, any complaint, legitimate or otherwise would be buried in administrative hell. KHSAA agenda is participation, not excellence or a level playing field.

 

I say remove the KHSAA from the equation and eliminate the transfer and contact rules entirely. Let each program sell themselves openly.

 

Do realize what you guys are saying??? First accusing schools of not playing by the rules. Different subject. But secondly, which is more disturbing to me, you sound like the whiney kids that want to take their ball and go home. Lets chop down the good programs with accusations of cheating or not playing fair instead it looking in the mirror and making your programs better. This is football, not dance class! If you eliminate T, X, HHS, bg, Scott co, and anyone else you want to throw in their, you'd still have complaints because someone would still be the "best" and people that want to complain about good programs would just switch their attention to the new good teams until they eliminate enough teams for your team to become the good team. Step it up or move over! That's what sports are about!! Competing! Not handing out trophies for mediocre play!

My only question is :Why those teams?

 

Because they have success it would appear.

 

But this would be arbitrary. And there lies a problem for KHSAA. KHSAA is a function of the Board of Education and that is a creation of the legislature and all must abide by the Kentucky Constitution. Arbitrary assignment of schools to some super-class would be unconstitutional. What a court mess if they tried this.

 

I believe the current 'super district' and its arbitrary rotation is unconstitutional. Also, the limits of 32 teams in 1A and 6A seems unconstitutional since it guarantees a playoff game for teams that go 0-10 in 1A and 6A while teams that are in other classes with 5 or 6 teams will not go to a playoff if they are 0-10. Similar situated teams but treated differently. That is supposed to be unconstitutional.

 

So while some dream of super-classes, etc. they need to remember KHSAA can no do arbitrary things - or is not supposed to be able to.

Nearly impossible to pull off.

 

I think the way to get better championship games (without recreating the wheel) is to find a way to reseed the 4th round.

This is where something like a combination of the Massey, Litkenhaus and the numbers in the Herald Leader (sorry--the name escapes me) could be used to determine seeds.

Get rid of alternating 4th round games--and play at a neutral site (which would probably save money over the long term for man teams).

1 plays 4, 2 plays 3 ... winners move on to the championship.

 

Now .. many people are not interested in computer rankings ... but it could actually help improve the quality of play.

For instance (since all the computer models take "strength of schedule" into account) smaller schools would have to make an attempt to play better teams.

Larger schools are not going to step down as often to play smaller schools (and if they do--it is not a huge deal--because they end up with a tougher game in the semi-finals--as opposed to somewhere like Ohio ... where you don't even make it in).

 

In reality .. this is a very small tweak ... and if explored and set up properly ... the quality of football should increase over the entire season ... and would also improve the quality of the championship games.

 

I like it.

I didn't say they aren't following their own rules for their own district etc. What I am saying is I get tired of the Trinity's etc. always looking down on the other schools across the state because if you want to know the truth you know rules that some follow aren't the same rules others follow. Never said anything about them breaking any rules, it's just rules are different some places than other places. Each school ditrict follows a certain set of rules. Some say it's their fault for not having the same set of rules etc. I say it's just different strokes for different folks.

and in the end it would be more balanced if everyone used the same set of rules.

 

So if you can't see the difference than I can't help you. I just get so tired of the same arrogant comments and always putting down the majority of schools across the state simply because they do things differently.

 

I look at it this way. The schools that most of the people look down on, the same people that make threads and floats ideas like this year in and year out are much better stories when they make it to the big game than those schools that are annually playing for thier title. Do I pull for teams like Cooper and the incredible seasons they had over teams like Trinity who simply continue to reload year in and year out? Yes, because schools like Cooper have to overcome a lot more than schools like Trinity.

 

So be upset at me if you wish, I just get tired of the continuing talk about how the elite schools are the only ones that matter.

 

Give me a cinderalla story like the 1980 US Hockey team over the annual right of passage of the New York Yankees.

 

Yes these teams I pull for will more times than not get their butts handed to them in ttitle games, but it doewsn't take anything away from the journey they had to make to get there.

 

What are you talking about? You are making a very broad statement there. Do you get mad when we pick ourselves over other KY teams by large margins? I have noticed that most of the "over the top" comments in out threads come from people who aren't even Trinity fans. IMHO KY high scholl football is pretty weak. Not trying to be arrogant, just a realist. As far as the rules go, we just follow them, not create them. Let the hate go, life is too short

 

 

How about passing a State rule saying teams can only be made up of kids that actually live inside their school districts? How about making another rule that says if a kid switches schools (due to moving etc.) must sit out an entire year?

 

How about private schools simply playing other private schools and having their own class?

 

AMEN.!!!!