With regards to the argument that the All A is not any different than any Christmas tournament...you're RIGHT! It's not. But, just like any tournament...it's got a list of invited schools, with a bracket, and a schedule of dates. It just so happens that all of the schools that are invited have one thing in common...their enrollment size! So what? Coaches/AD's choose all the time who they want/don't want, to invite/compete against all the time for their tournaments. And I don't see people complaining that Covington Latin is not part of the King of the Bluegrass.

 

I just don't see the big deal about letting them have it. There are indeed some schools that, when they're good, they're very good, and could likely win both the All-A as well as the Sweet 16...but so what? We didn't get all in a huff because Ballard's boys won the KOB, and were favored to win the state, too. It's impossible to predict. So let them play ball.

 

This pretty much says it all. Not really sure why anyone would care so much about it being played.

What about this suggestion I received in email. What about playing the All A at the end of the year. Let districts happen and then the teams that don't make the show, go to the All A if their attendance numbers allow. Or even have the teams that qualify choose which post season they want to participate in.

 

Lawnboy, what do the NCC rings say on them? Do others get rings for winning "just another tournament"?

 

I agree with you it's a great event. Heck, the HC/NCC game I saw was probably the best game I saw all year! (other than HHS beating NCC at home! :ylsuper:) I have no problem with the event. It's the way some defend is and the fact that we feel like the same teams that compete in regions and states "deserve" another chance to "get a ring".

 

Like the NIT?

It's a great tournament and great for the All A schools. If you don't like it, to bad. I'm sure there's something else that you can complain about!!

If you go back and look at the history of the ALL A, then you will find very few of those champions and participants have been able to parlay that appearance into a sweet 16 title or appearance. This years field was just very good. Kudos to the all A, its organizers, and its participants.

Yes, but how many of those A schools won a game in the state tournament this year? Just Danville (who knocked off Shelby Valley) and they were beaten today by Ashland. I don't see how that proves that the All A is worthless or not needed since none of those teams made a deep state tournament run. Now, if three of the final four were A schools or there was a string of A schools making the state final and/or winning the championship for a few seasons then I could see the point being valid.

 

How many non-A schools even had a shot to get to the state? That really is not a very good analogy. They didn't win a game at state. That's what you're going with. If they made it to state, that means they are 1 of 16 teams left in the state still playing. Because they didn't win a game, means what??? They didn't really have a shot? Well realistically, neither did 295 other schools. Where's their second chance. Why do we feel it's okay to segment out the A schools?

 

And it's not just like any other tournament. Really??? When you're hanging banner, getting rings missing school to play and calling yourselves state champs, that's not like any other tournament other than the state championship. Why have two? Daughter plays for a 4A school...Where's her second chance. She shouldn't have to compete against 6A schools for a title. Why doesn't she get to play in a segmented state championships that allows her an opportunity to play against lower caliber teams? It's not fair! I'm obviously being silly, but that's what the all A says. If you say "let them play", I agree. Let them play and whoever wins...wins! Thats what we do in KY.

:deadhorse: It is a great tournament and you do not like the attention it takes away from all the other schools while it is going on. You are a broken record that has beat on this for years and always will until the Touchstone people stop doing it which would be a shame. Find a sponsor or put up the money and start you own tournament so HHS can play and you will be happy. Stop trying to hide behind "its not for the small schools" and just admit you don't like it, period!

RCC, please let it go!!!!!

 

So you started the All A with your money and time? Or someone did that for you? You have no idea why I don't like it unless you read why I don't like it in the previous post. Has nothing to do with taking attention away from others. It's about creating another way to hand out a trophy when KY says "winner take all". In fact, when I talk to others that aren't involved in the All A, they don't really even care about it. They think its a nice well run tournament and so do I. But it's not for the "little teams" in the state. The ONLY ones that really care (other than me of course), are the small schools that dominate it. Even the true small schools (that don't have a shot), just look at it as another game because they have no shot of competing with the same teams every year, which also have just as good of shot as any of the other teams in their region. So it has nothing to do with taking any attention away from anyone. The real basketball world continues on as this tournament is played out and the only ones that care are the perennial winners of each region.

 

I can't stand "provide more opportunities" mentality. It makes us soft and sets a precedance that things will be provided for you all the time. If the big task is too much, let's set up a smaller easier task so you can experience some success. Is that life or is life "survival of the fittest". We are teaching kids the wrong things and this tournament with a ton of other things is exactly that. If it were a nice tournament that invited the best 16 all A schools from year to year as a way to showcase the players at the better smaller schools, that would be fine. But that would be just another tournament. Don't call it a state championship. Call it a showcase tournament and give a trophy at the end of the tournament and tell them good luck at districts and regions.

If you go back and look at the history of the ALL A, then you will find very few of those champions and participants have been able to parlay that appearance into a sweet 16 title or appearance. This years field was just very good. Kudos to the all A, its organizers, and its participants.

 

If you go back and look at the history of the sweet 16, you'll see that a very low percentage of all the schools have ever won it, regardles of size. Why do we feel a need to create another state tournament for the small schools when I can show you probably 50-75 larger schools that have never come close to winning the sweet 16. Where's their other oportunity? Telling me A schools don't have a glamourous history in the sweet 16 tells me nothing. Heck, completely guessing, but I bet only about 30% of all schools in KY have won it. Maybe not even that high.

So, I'm curious RCC9...if Guru wins the lottery this weekend, and wants to hold a state-wide BGP Tournament next year that takes two weeks to play, with an exclusive invitation list of 100 schools from across the Commonwealth, and books the Yum Center for the final four days of the tournament, with the winners getting a 6-foot tall trophy and are crowned BGP's State Champions...you have a problem with that, too?

If you go back and look at the history of the sweet 16, you'll see that a very low percentage of all the schools have ever won it, regardles of size. Why do we feel a need to create another state tournament for the small schools when I can show you probably 50-75 larger schools that have never come close to winning the sweet 16. Where's their other oportunity? Telling me A schools don't have a glamourous history in the sweet 16 tells me nothing. Heck, completely guessing, but I bet only about 30% of all schools in KY have won it. Maybe not even that high.

 

If larger schools want to have a tourney to showcase schools that have never been to state , then go for it.

So, I'm curious RCC9...if Guru wins the lottery this weekend, and wants to hold a state-wide BGP Tournament next year that takes two weeks to play, with an exclusive invitation list of 100 schools from across the Commonwealth, and books the Yum Center for the final four days of the tournament, with the winners getting a 6-foot tall trophy and are crowned BGP's State Champions...you have a problem with that, too?

 

I think the participation and the organization (following the lead of an old small school basketball coach) is what is making the All A special. Schools hang banners for all types of things. If the organization want to make it important then go all out. And that is what they are doing.

Okay, let's take a look back. Most of the defense around why the All A is such a great tournament is because "It gives the small schools a chance to compete. They don't have the same opportunities as the large schools do in the state tournament"

 

As I followed the regions and now the state tournament, something has come to mind that puts that "myth" to rest.

 

In the sweet 16, you had Glascow, Danville, Shelby Valley and NCC. Also, teams that made it to their regional finals were University Heights, Owensboro Catholic and Murray. That means that we were one game away from just about half of the sweet 16 field being teams that competed in the All A tournament. And if you take the position that Brossart was probably the favorite to win their region (debatable), we could have very easily had half the field as A teams.

 

So please stop using the excuse that that A is to provide small schools a chance to experience something they may never get to experience. And by the way 80% of the state (regardless of size) never gets that experience either! So why do we feel the need to try to create 2nd chance opportunities for kids to win a trophy? If it were truly for teams that realistically never would have a chance, I'd be in the first row watching this competition. But it's not. It's a double dip opportunity that other kids don't get. I really don't get it! Either go to classes in bball or don't. Don't allow this to be a simulated state tournament that is eliminates some schools from competing. You can say it's "just anonther tournament", but everyone knows it's treated and respected as a state tournament. I just saw where one school (in another sport) posted or in an article where the team that won it just got their All A state rings! And others hang banners! It's just another tournament? Really?

 

For those of you that think I hate the All A, that's not true. It's a great tournament! Well run and fun for the kids and gives back to the schools and the players. I hate the fact that people don't admit what it really is. It's a second chance for small schools (who by the way can compete) to get a state trophy. And to me, that lends itself to the everyone gets a trophy mentality that I despise.

 

 

RCC9...I got to hand it to you. You crack me up. The paragraph in italics is classic, especially the bolded phrases.

 

You "just about", "could have had" an argument, but dang it, "just abouts", "one game away", "almost", and "could have hads", don't hold up well in trying to build a solid case.

 

Question...how come you did not mention the 6 teams that made the ALL A state bracket, went to a college floor venue, had an awesome experience that they will remember a long time, BUT DID NOT even get out of their district to play in their regional tournament?

 

Trimble, Sayre, Louisville Collegiate, Paintsville, Morgan County, Green County...for those girls, schools, students, coaches and families I am thankful for the ALL A tournament. I know they enjoyed it regardless that they did not win the trophy. Its about the going as much as the winning.

 

It is crazy to build a case on 4 teams from the ALL A state bracket that made both when there were 12 teams from the ALL A state bracket that did not. And there was 6 teams in the ALL A state tournament that did not even get out of their district to make regionals. You four is less than the 12 and 6 that work against you.

So you started the All A with your money and time? Or someone did that for you? You have no idea why I don't like it unless you read why I don't like it in the previous post. Has nothing to do with taking attention away from others. It's about creating another way to hand out a trophy when KY says "winner take all". In fact, when I talk to others that aren't involved in the All A, they don't really even care about it. They think its a nice well run tournament and so do I. But it's not for the "little teams" in the state. The ONLY ones that really care (other than me of course), are the small schools that dominate it. Even the true small schools (that don't have a shot), just look at it as another game because they have no shot of competing with the same teams every year, which also have just as good of shot as any of the other teams in their region. So it has nothing to do with taking any attention away from anyone. The real basketball world continues on as this tournament is played out and the only ones that care are the perennial winners of each region.

 

I can't stand "provide more opportunities" mentality. It makes us soft and sets a precedance that things will be provided for you all the time. If the big task is too much, let's set up a smaller easier task so you can experience some success. Is that life or is life "survival of the fittest". We are teaching kids the wrong things and this tournament with a ton of other things is exactly that. If it were a nice tournament that invited the best 16 all A schools from year to year as a way to showcase the players at the better smaller schools, that would be fine. But that would be just another tournament. Don't call it a state championship. Call it a showcase tournament and give a trophy at the end of the tournament and tell them good luck at districts and regions.

 

Your right, the big task is too much for some of these small schools and the All A tourney provides them an opportunity to experience some success. What's wrong with that? Life is about taking advantage of your opportunities and growing as an individual. This tournament provides that opportunity. That doesn't make anyone soft or have a sense of entitlement. This tournament is not teaching the kids the wrong thing. It's teaching them that even though they may not be able to defeat the Goliath's, with hard work and dedication they can still succeed. It's obvious you have no clue about how important this tournament is for the little guys but I do and so do all of those who have had the pleasure of watching their kids participate in it. Get over it, sorry the Birds don't have this opportunity. Maybe you and some others can come up with something similar to meet your needs. Your bashing of this tournament is getting quite comical.

I think there would be great benefits in a 3A and 4A tourney (using football classification) or 2A tourney (using Track classification) and wish someone (RCC9) would organize it. Run it the same as the All-A does using regions and coming together for a Boys and Girls tourney. Be great for the kids, the schools, the fans, and the cities it is held in.

There is nothing preventing anyone from doing this.

So, I'm curious RCC9...if Guru wins the lottery this weekend, and wants to hold a state-wide BGP Tournament next year that takes two weeks to play, with an exclusive invitation list of 100 schools from across the Commonwealth, and books the Yum Center for the final four days of the tournament, with the winners getting a 6-foot tall trophy and are crowned BGP's State Champions...you have a problem with that, too?

 

He would only have a problem if Highlands was not among the invitees. :lol:

 

I know I shouldn't have introduced RCC9 to UK#1fan back in the football season, looks like someone is rubbing off on the other. :lol:

Ok, I can't believe I got sucked into this one. I will make it short. As I guy who went to a small school and graduated kids from a large school the notion of an all A tourney is bogus. The only schools that should be invited to and all A tourney is all A schools.This should be for the little guy, Dayton, Ludlow, ect.......

Edited March 15, 201412 yr by PurplePride92
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