The plot got a little thicker this morning if you read the article in todays Courier Journal:

 

QUOTE: There are eight football districts in Kentucky: Nos. 1 and 2 lie in the west, 7 and 8 in the east. Lest teams in those areas have to travel great distances -- and defeat the economic imperatives -- Tackett excluded those districts from the draw, he explained in an e-mail to The Courier-Journal.

 

Here is the full article if you're interested.

 

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060528/SPORTS05/605280494/1002/SPORTS

 

Something Smells FISHY Here!

The plot got a little thicker this morning if you read the article in todays Courier Journal:

 

QUOTE: There are eight football districts in Kentucky: Nos. 1 and 2 lie in the west, 7 and 8 in the east. Lest teams in those areas have to travel great distances -- and defeat the economic imperatives -- Tackett excluded those districts from the draw, he explained in an e-mail to The Courier-Journal.

 

Here is the full article if you're interested.

 

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060528/SPORTS05/605280494/1002/SPORTS

 

Something Smells FISHY Here!

 

 

.....see above discussions for past several days

While I have been as critical of the KHSAA as the next person on a lot of issues, I must strongly disagree with those impugning the integrity of the blind draw. I know for a fact that the blind draw was done by a long time employee of the KHSAA (not a BOC member) whose integrity is above reproach and it was done without any influence by any BOC member. And lest you question the accuracy of my information, just pm the Ru and he'll tell you that you can take what I am saying to the bank.

Any update on your representations of the blind draw? Was your source aware of the fact that it was only blind for four districts?

 

I'm embarrassed for a lot of you posters who don't have a clue how the blind draw was done, yet you make baseless accusations about people's integrity.

Huh, looks like we weren't the only ones who didn't "have a clue how the blind draw was done" were we? How baseless are those accusations now?

 

I sincerely doubt that any of you would want your integrity to be treated in the manner you have accused others. And if your response is that you didn't have any knowledge of how it was done until you read this post, here's a bit of advise: if you don't know what you are talking about, don't make accusations.

If only the KHSAA adhered to this.

They don't have to travel across the entire state though. Wonder why districts 1 & 2 don't have to face districts 7 & 8 until state in either A, AA, AAA or AAAA? Probably wouldn't have jived too well with the KHSAA "expense" explanation. Must be luck of the draw.

I must say, I was pretty clairvoyant on this one.

The only thing "blind" about this draw was the vision of the KHSAA administrators who rigged the system and then didn't have the guts to tell anyone before or after (until now - after an outcry) how the thing worked. What's next - a shell game? It looks like CentreRocks' concerns have indeed

been validated.

Great point. The coverup is always worse than the crime.

Paging Dan Brown, Paging Dan Brown... see Julian Tackett about plot for your next uber-bestselling book. Working title: Friday Night Fraud.

 

"Now witness the greatest coverup in Kentucky High School football history..."

Any update on your representations of the blind draw? Was your source aware of the fact that it was only blind for four districts?

 

 

Huh, looks like we weren't the only ones who didn't "have a clue how the blind draw was done" were we? How baseless are those accusations now?

 

 

If only the KHSAA adhered to this.

 

 

I don't understand your irritation with the way the draw was done. To me, taking 1 and 2, and 7 and 8 out of the draw makes sense given the travel cost saving mode the KHSAA was in at the time the draw was done.

 

I always have stated that I did not know how the draw was done. You didn't know either and in my opinion should not have made the accusations you did against the integrity of the KHSAA. I still believe that. Those accusations are still baseless in my mind since the draw was done fairly if you accept, which I do, the desire to prevent teams from eastern Ky from having to travel all the way across the state for the third and fourth rounds and the desire to keep travel at a minimum given the costs involved. And trust me, the KHSAA has heard repeatedly from supers and principals about the travel cost issue and the poor gate receipts in the first two rounds. I realize that some think the first two games being within the districts will fail to generate improvement at the gate, and that may be right. But the KHSAA wanted to try something different. Nothing evil was intended. If anything, I think a fair question to ask is why did the KHSAA do this now when it may be going with 5 or 6 classes next year? I have to believe the answer would be that the KHSAA does not think 5 or 6 classes is a fate accompli and that to postpone the rotating brackets and inter district first two rounds shouldn't wait until then, because it might not happen at all. But I can understand those that think the KHSAA should have waited until that decision was made.

 

Likewise, the KHSAA has heard from principals, supers and the coaches about trying to change the playoff system so that the road to the state championship didn't always run through the Beechwoods, Highlands, Belfrys, Boyle Countys, Xs and Ts. I've never agreed with the philosopy, but really am not strongly opposed to the rotating brackets because I believe you ultimately have to beat the best to be the best and it doesn't matter whether you play the best in the second, third, fourth or final round. Thus. the change is irrelevant to me. Highlands will have to now win three tough games to make it to state as opposed to two, which has been the case in the past (beating the other district's number two seed has been historically much more difficult than beating CovCath a second time. Last year for example, we beat W. Jess, then Franklin County, and then lost to Lex Cath. Under the revised format, assuming we are the one seed and CovCath is the second seed, instead of playing Franklin County in the second game, we'll have to beat CovCath in the second game, will then have to beat the winner of the other district, likely Lex Cath or Franklin Co, in the third round, and most likely either Bell, Rock or Ashland. We'll have three tough games). But so what. If we are to win state, we better have a team that can win those three games and beat the team from the west also. It will be tougher, but I think the Birds are up to the challenge.

 

Unless it is proven that Tackett intentionally cheated when he drew the 3, 4, 5 and 6 numbers out of the hat, then there is no substance to the allegations that the KHSAA gerrymandered the playoffs to pit X and T against one another.

 

I fully understand the argument that someone on here made that he could have put 1, 2, 3 and 4 in one hat and drawn that half of the playoffs and done the same for 4, 5, 6 and 7 out of another hat for the other half. But its not the way he did it and I'm not sure it would have realized the same travel savings, and since my momma told me never to question one's integrity with out absolute knowledge that the person's integrity is bad, I choose not to do so. Particularly of someone who has worked for the KHSAA a long time and has never to the best of my knowledge had his integrity questioned in the past by anyone with knowledge. Its kind of like the recruiting issue. We read on here time and time again of all the recruiting going on. But no one ever can back it up. Its all rumor and innuendo. And I don't make accusations of recruiting against X or T or any other team based on rumors and innuendos. I'm aware of the cliche, where's there's smoke there's fire. Well, I've seen a lot of smoke bombs lit that send up a lot of smoke but no real fire. I've seen fog that people think was smoke, when its wasn't smoke. I've been to the Smoky Mountains and know that fire didn't generate that "smoke". So there is not always fire when there's "smoke" or what some people perceive to be "smoke". And I would never accuse someone's integrity without clear proof that the integrity was breached. Maybe in your mind the fact that Tackett left districts 1, 2, 7 and 8 is that proof, but it isn't in my mind. To me its nothing other than doing what the supers, principals and BOC wanted to have accomplished, rotate the brackets when and where its feasible to do so. I wish you the best, but must respectfully disagree with your thoughts. LN

Great point. The coverup is always worse than the crime.

 

What cover up?

Folks screaming that it's unjust or unfair that #'s 1/2 and 7/8 were left untouched and then not just insinuating, but basically stating that they &/or others were somehow obviously wronged is just plain comical.:lol: (some other qualifiers could be used but I don't want to detract from the issue with something that could be mistaken as personal)

 

As an Ashland fan in one end of the state I have always advocated some sort of a rotation scheme. Perhaps some would dismiss my view b/c we historically were hooked up with Lex in its prime, then No KY - always primed:D but I just thought it would enliven and strenghten KY HS football overall. Thats what should be our main issue. Whether someone "usually" loses to an particular region or even wins regularly, either one - it still gets old and stale. I have liked the idea of different matchups as a way of seeing other teams, styles of play, and strengthening connections between schools, coaches, players - especially ones you may have heard about but never had the opportunity to compete against. How many times do you see on here that a former HS player starts reminiscing about that unusual matchup they played years ago? Lets try for more of "those" memories, not just the 6th time we played Joe Schmoe [Yes I know there are repeats in the first 2 rounds - theres also an upset factor that is now a fun? part of the equation as well]

 

Final point to those whining that silly complaint that #'s 1/2 7/8 are soooo benefited by being excluded from the draw. I suggest that you are yelling without taking the time to think out the argument completely.:sssh:

Again as an Ashland fan, we are (I think:D ) still projected to play the same 3rd round as always right? Well that means if we would be fortunate enough to advance, we would face the Rock/Bell/Mad So/Clay region winner. Since I personally feel Rock strongly deserves consideration to be the #1 3A team (NO slight to any others) this means we get to KEEP possibly the most difficult matchup possible. No one can argue that we would be benefited in any way by recent KHSAA actions:irked: . Thats OK I like our playing the best teams - thats the only way you can measure yourself on where you want to go:thumb: .

 

I believe this does help demonstrate what a complete crock it is for anyone to just reflexively state that its somehow unfair, crooked, or fixed that KHSAA manipulated the process for anyones benefit.:creepy:

 

Please get over it and lets play football people. Enough with the conspiracy theories :sleep: :sleep: :sleep:

LN,

The irritation stems from the lack of information provided regarding the draw as well as the events. I may be off base, and if the CJ runs a retraction on its stories I'll retract my posts as well, but as of know, four districts were treated differently then four others. Is there any precedent for this?

 

The public was provided information, perhaps erroneous based on your posts, that a "blind draw" occured for all districts. This proved to be not true.

 

Why did the KHSAA want to "try something different"? Isn't football at an all time high in the state?

 

I defer to you on Tackett's integrity, but on my end, it appears that the KHSAA goofed on this one.

As I have stated I do not question JT's integrity, nor do I doubt that he did the drawing completely honestly.

 

I still have questions thought and it has to do with the entire BOC.

 

1. Why weren't the exact conditions of the draw made known BEFORE the drawing happened?
   
2. Why was the draw done BEFORE the procedure was voted on?
   
3. Would this new alignment have passed had the Louisville schools not been paired against each other prior to the finals?
   

 

From my reading of the article JT was given the task of devising a system that would cut down on the costs associated with early round games. Why didn't he outline his system, including the draw and which districts would be exepmt from it, and have that system voted on prior to the drawing? Then if that system passed do the drawing in front of the BOC. I don't think that there was any deep dark conspiricy but I still maintain that with all of the issues the KHSAA seems to have been dealing with recently here was an opportunity to provide complete trasnparancy and they chose not to do so. Any criticism they take because of it could have been avoided. They have only themselves to blame.

LN,

The irritation stems from the lack of information provided regarding the draw as well as the events. I may be off base, and if the CJ runs a retraction on its stories I'll retract my posts as well, but as of know, four districts were treated differently then four others. Is there any precedent for this?

 

The public was provided information, perhaps erroneous based on your posts, that a "blind draw" occured for all districts. This proved to be not true.

 

Why did the KHSAA want to "try something different"? Isn't football at an all time high in the state?

 

I defer to you on Tackett's integrity, but on my end, it appears that the KHSAA goofed on this one.

 

 

I think all my posts said I did not know how it was done but that I would try to find out more info. So if your stating or implying that the public got the erroneous info from my posts, they read into my posts something that was not there. In another era, the KHSAA would have been given the time to explain how the draw occurred. But folks got on here the next day and started making some wild, conspiracy type accusations about how it was done and why it was done. Perhaps if people would be more patient before they started assuming the worse, this issue wouldn't have been so blown up with accusations (although I'm sure the Ru loves the favorable bump in posts in an otherwise slow period for football:banana: )

 

I agree with football being at an all time high and can understand a post that questioned why would the KHSAA want to tinker with something that was working. That second guessing I can understand and live with. And a rational (although not agreeable to all) response would have been to cut costs and improve gates in the first two rounds and to rotate brackets in the third and fourth rounds so teams would not have to beat the same teams each year to make it to state. Again, perhaps in some people's eyes, the system is working now, so don't mess with it. But the KHSAA would have been doing and did that tinkering at the request of a lot of the schools. I got upset when people posted that the fix was in or that the employee that made the post was lacking in the integrity department. And again, from what I've been told that was not the case.

I think all my posts said I did not know how it was done but that I would try to find out more info. So if your stating or implying that the public got the erroneous info from my posts, they read into my posts something that was not there.

Didn't mean to imply that your posts were erroneous. I was referencing your posts that offer that the CJ's information was erroneus.

 

Four districts were treated differently then four others. I realize you may not know, but is there any precedent for this?

I think all my posts said I did not know how it was done but that I would try to find out more info. So if your stating or implying that the public got the erroneous info from my posts, they read into my posts something that was not there. In another era, the KHSAA would have been given the time to explain how the draw occurred. But folks got on here the next day and started making some wild, conspiracy type accusations about how it was done and why it was done. Perhaps if people would be more patient before they started assuming the worse, this issue wouldn't have been so blown up with accusations (although I'm sure the Ru loves the favorable bump in posts in an otherwise slow period for football:banana: )

 

I agree with football being at an all time high and can understand a post that questioned why would the KHSAA want to tinker with something that was working. That second guessing I can understand and live with. And a rational (although not agreeable to all) response would have been to cut costs and improve gates in the first two rounds and to rotate brackets in the third and fourth rounds so teams would not have to beat the same teams each year to make it to state. Again, perhaps in some people's eyes, the system is working now, so don't mess with it. But the KHSAA would have been doing and did that tinkering at the request of a lot of the schools. I got upset when people posted that the fix was in or that the employee that made the post was lacking in the integrity department. And again, from what I've been told that was not the case.

 

TWO :thumb: :thumb:'s up,

 

:thumb: for anyone expressing a belief that theres no need for changes b/c KY HS football has indeed been getting stronger every year IMO. Thats fair.

 

:thumb: for LN expressing the belief we should not be so quick to read illicit meanings into everything. Thats moderation at its finest.

 

:creepy: for KHSAA doing what beauracratic organizations do. (maybe if they start collecting gate %'s they can get a good PR person)

 

Woody Jr

As I have stated I do not question JT's integrity, nor do I doubt that he did the drawing completely honestly.

 

I still have questions thought and it has to do with the entire BOC.

 

1. Why weren't the exact conditions of the draw made known BEFORE the drawing happened?
   
2. Why was the draw done BEFORE the procedure was voted on?
   
3. Would this new alignment have passed had the Louisville schools not been paired against each other prior to the finals?
   

 

From my reading of the article JT was given the task of devising a system that would cut down on the costs associated with early round games. Why didn't he outline his system, including the draw and which districts would be exepmt from it, and have that system voted on prior to the drawing? Then if that system passed do the drawing in front of the BOC. I don't think that there was any deep dark conspiricy but I still maintain that with all of the issues the KHSAA seems to have been dealing with recently here was an opportunity to provide complete trasnparancy and they chose not to do so. Any criticism they take because of it could have been avoided. They have only themselves to blame.

 

I'll do the best I can to answer your questions from what I know and have heard.

 

I believe the draw process was left up to Tackett to prevent it from being influenced by the BOC and to thwart the criticisms that the BOC members, each having perhaps his or her own agenda, dictated the process to benefit his or own school. As was noted in the CJ article, Tackett is a smart guy and knows what he is doing. The BOC, I have to assume, deferred to him to do it the way he thought best.

 

Its impossible for me to say if this draw would have been adopted if the Louisville schools had not been paired against one another. I think it would have, again based on the BOC past deferral to Tackett, but I can't know for sure.

 

The KHSAA had committee meetings on Monday. The football committee had before lunch spoken out in favor of rotating the brackets and told Tackett to do the draw at lunch on Monday. When the football committee came back after lunch, the results of the draw were announced. The football committee, consistent with the pre lunch discussion voted in favor of the rotation. The binding vote of the full BOC happened on Tuesday. For those of you who regularly bash Sexton on here, my intel says he tried on several occassions to have the draw redone because he did not like the fact that Tackett did it (actually, I don't think that was the real issue; I really think he just did not like the results of the draw because I was told he did not object pre lunch to Tackett doing the draw and if he did not like the fact that Tackett was going to be doing the draw he would have objected before the results were announced one would think).

 

And I can't disagree with your last paragraph that had it been done in public, this whole tempest in a tea pot could have been avoided.