Bracken County cancels all away sporting events with Augusta and St. Patrick

[WKY]

Until the KHSAA mandates seeding, no use crying about it. It's gonna be a month of Sundays before Augusta and St. Patrick vote to seed. If Augusta wasn't in favor during their recent run of success, they won't be now.

 

There's no good reason to draw instead of seed. In no world is it logical to have the #3 and #4 teams battle it out for a spot in the region tournament while #1 and #2 teams have to play to see who was the unlucky party in the draw. If a #3 or #4 upsets a #1 or #2 then so be it. Decide it on the court or field, not with a lottery.

[sweet16]

There's no good reason to draw instead of seed. In no world is it logical to have the #3 and #4 teams battle it out for a spot in the region tournament while #1 and #2 teams have to play to see who was the unlucky party in the draw. If a #3 or #4 upsets a #1 or #2 then so be it. Decide it on the court or field, not with a lottery.

 

Exactly right.

 

If a 3 or 4 beats a 1 or 2 then they deserve to go on.

[Woodstock]

Can a moderator move this to controversial issues?

[PurplePride92]

I love it. Other schools that have to draw for district tournaments and want seeding should follow this example.

[mcpapa]

For years and years (but not forever - heck St. Patrick was better than Mason County and beating Mason County back around 1999) Mason County was the big dog in the district. And should be, if sheer school size had all that much to do with basketball (it does, but not to the degree that it does in some other sports).

 

I don't blame Bracken a bit for their decision now that they're favored in the district; and I'm not surprised by the timing. As I said earlier, the shoe fits differently now.

[maysvilleky]

You seem to be focusing on one year and one sport. What about the others?

 

Secondly, if they are truly regional rivalries then they need to play for THAT reason. It's TWO games out of 30 or so.

 

The same thing applies to Softball (same draw). MC and BC are by far the best 2 teams. St. Pat and Augusta are not good (to say it kindly) yet one will advance to the Regionals.

[BirdBrain]

Lots of crying over blind draw or seeding. Bottom line, you have to beat the best to be called the best, and you have to beat the not so best to be called the best.

 

If Bracken can't beat Mason (which is why they want to hold the smaller schools hostage) then isn't Bracken's reasoning for wanting seeding the same as the smaller schools wanting a blind draw ? It's about opportunity.

 

I think this backfires for Bracken. They look like bully's on the block, holding the gate hostage, knowing that money drives the small school train.

 

As a return favor, I believe that Augusta has gone as far as cancelling summer scrimmages with Bracken.

 

Now that everyone has taken their permanent position of firmly entrenched, what is Bracken's next move ?

 

I do not see Augusta or St Pat playing nice in the sandbox now that they have a gun to their head.....Good luck Bracken, but there is some flawed logic in your position.

 

Play the best, beat the best, be called the best....everything else is whiny.

[Oldercoach]

I have always favored seeding as I believe it produces the best regional Tournament and most likely battle tested Champion to Rupp. That being said, I never knew who voted for, or against seeding in the past. I guess the argument comes down to money, and the historical annual $5,000 payout at the Fieldhouse is a lot to Augusta and St. Pat. With seeding, their chances of advancing are diminished. But, as unpopular as it sounds to Panther fans, isn't that the pure spirit of athletic competition? Never heard of spirit of the pill draw.

 

If BC has been consistent in their vote for seeding, than I have respect for them trying to correct this longstanding competitive wrong when they are #1. If they have done a flip-flop when they have grown stronger, than not so much. Polarbear 98 sounds like he is in position to know.

 

Augusta's run over last four years came during the days of the pill. It did enhance the drama of the draw! Made for some pretty exciting Districts. Seeding will diminish excitement of many District opening rounds, but will be replaced by in season rivalries for much more than pride.

 

Shame to see the end of the BC vs. Augusta in-season games. Both gyms filled and fans rocking from start to finish.

[mcpapa]

I have always favored seeding as I believe it produces the best regional Tournament and most likely battle tested Champion to Rupp. That being said, I never knew who voted for, or against seeding in the past. I guess the argument comes down to money, and the historical annual $5,000 payout at the Fieldhouse is a lot to Augusta and St. Pat. With seeding, their chances of advancing are diminished. But, as unpopular as it sounds to Panther fans, isn't that the pure spirit of athletic competition? Never heard of spirit of the pill draw.

 

If BC has been consistent in their vote for seeding, than I have respect for them trying to correct this longstanding competitive wrong when they are #1. If they have done a flip-flop when they have grown stronger, than not so much. Polarbear 98 sounds like he is in position to know.

 

Augusta's run over last four years came during the days of the pill. It did enhance the drama of the draw! Made for some pretty exciting Districts. Seeding will diminish excitement of many District opening rounds, but will be replaced by in season rivalries for much more than pride.

 

Shame to see the end of the BC vs. Augusta in-season games. Both gyms filled and fans rocking from start to finish.

 

This is the only thing that is bothersome to me, as I have no dog in the fight.

 

It is Bracken's prerogative to schedule who they want. I also believe that to be the best you beat the best. No seeding seems to work for the Sweet 16, and it should be up to each district to decide what's best for them; so I'm seeing both sides here.

 

As to whether this move pushes the 39th toward seeding, I'm not seeing it. When it gets right down to it, it's an "I'm taking my ball (basketball, baseball, softball) and I'm going home" that I really don't have a problem with.

[Johnny_Utah]

Same argument has been going on in the 44th recently from what I hear. Madison Central has long not cared to either draw or seed against the likes of Madison Southern, Model or Berea. Recently it sounded like Model was coming around to seed which would have left Berea as odd man out, but evidently it all fell apart @ the district meeting for reasons unknown.

 

I always like seeding. Even if I am the 2 seed in the district & lose to the 1 in the finals, I make the region & there is always that chance that I am still the 2nd best team in the region. That mathematically is near impossible if you blind draw & the 1-whatever team is going to the region.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[maysvilleky]

Without a doubt, the KHSAA will have to step in to make a change if it's ever going to happen.

[Oldercoach]

The Pill vs. seeding last year in the 39th maybe had a major impact, maybe not. MC would probably have been seeded #1, Augusta #2, BC #3, and St. Pat #4. The Pill matched up MC vs. BC in first round and we know how that turned out. Augusta wins District on last second shot over MC, and both teams advance to Championship game in Regional where MC reverses District loss and moves on to Rupp.

 

Seeding would have had Augusta vs BC in opening round, which I am pretty certain the Polar Bears were hoping to get at the pill draw. This match-up could have created an entirely different District and Regional champion. But, again, maybe not. Suspect BC under Hinson will finally break through the Royal blockade this coming year. But, sure they still fear drawing the Pill and getting them in the opening round.

 

The point being made is simply the Pill makes no competitive sense (strictly an economic opportunity), and in Augusta and St. Pat's case it is easy to understand their position. Suspect that the gun at the head approach does not work, and perhaps creates a firmer stance and wider gap on the matter by all four schools. If BC's muscle move fails, the end result is no games in one of areas greatest rivalries (BC vs. Augusta). Community loses, schools lose, players lose, and basketball fans in the area lose. High stakes poker move by BC. Guess they call it "All-In", and we are about to see the strength of their hand.

[Smallhoops]

If the seeding v. draw issue is going to be decided by a vote of the participating schools, is it surprising that every school will vote for what it believes to be in its own best interest? I don't think it should be held against Augusta and St. Patrick that they are doing what they believe to create the best chance of them advancing to the regional tournament. It would be surprising if they didn't do that.

 

On the other hand, as an outsider, Bracken County's action seems to be an example of I'm taking my ball and going home. And it appears they are doing it based not on anybody doing anything improper but simply because they don't like how the current system of deciding who plays who has worked out. There likely is much more to it than I know, but it seems a shame to bring a great rivalry like Bracken County-Augusta to an end, at least for now.

[Randy Parker]

Regarding money...

 

I have been told that if the District opted to seed the 4 teams would split the money 4 ways, regardless of who qualified for the Regional Tournament.

[BirdBrain]

Same argument has been going on in the 44th recently from what I hear. Madison Central has long not cared to either draw or seed against the likes of Madison Southern, Model or Berea. Recently it sounded like Model was coming around to seed which would have left Berea as odd man out, but evidently it all fell apart @ the district meeting for reasons unknown.

 

I always like seeding. Even if I am the 2 seed in the district & lose to the 1 in the finals, I make the region & there is always that chance that I am still the 2nd best team in the region. That mathematically is near impossible if you blind draw & the 1-whatever team is going to the region.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

I don't think this is a mathematical issue, but rather a statistical issue. A blind draw is random chance, just a smaller pool of potential. Blind is blind and it levels the playing field for the chance.

 

Unless Julian intervenes, this action has done nothing to bring the 2 small schools any closer to BC's position, and in fact has probably widened that gap....if BC's thinking was that they are not going to travel to Augusta because it gives Augusta a nice gate, then the same is true on the home game end. Kind of cutting your nose to spite your face in terms of gate money.

 

If Bracken is good enough, who cares if you have seed or draw...you still have to beat the best and that's all this comes down to....