Seeding for Semifinals

[gchs_uk9]

From the KHSAA press release today:

 

1/12/18 – Board of Control Expands State Archery Format, Reviews Initial Football Realignment Parameters | Kentucky High School Athletic Association

 

Football was discussed at length during the meeting, with the Board reviewing enrollment numbers and preliminary realignment projections for 2019-22. The Board also approved a recommendation from the Football Advisory Committee to rebracket the football playoffs in the 3rd Round starting in 2018. The proposal, with details and metrics to be established at a later date, would see the Association re-seed the bracket in the semifinals.

 

So which round is being re-seeded? Second sentence says third round (regional finals) while last sentence says semifinals (fourth round). @ChiefSmoke

[Jumper_Dad]

How can you possibly use any of the computer rankings that have a built-in bias using previous season success to start the season?

 

How can you determine who is a 2 or a 3 between two undefeated teams with no common opponents from opposite ends of the state?

 

I think this is a horrible idea that only favors the typical power programs year in and year out. How balanced is it if top two programs in each class NEVER have to play a road playoff game...this idea IMO is just plain wrong and worse than that it is competitively unfair.

[ChiefSmoke]

From the KHSAA press release today:

 

1/12/18 – Board of Control Expands State Archery Format, Reviews Initial Football Realignment Parameters | Kentucky High School Athletic Association

 

Football was discussed at length during the meeting, with the Board reviewing enrollment numbers and preliminary realignment projections for 2019-22. The Board also approved a recommendation from the Football Advisory Committee to rebracket the football playoffs in the 3rd Round starting in 2018. The proposal, with details and metrics to be established at a later date, would see the Association re-seed the bracket in the semifinals.

 

So which round is being re-seeded? Second sentence says third round (regional finals) while last sentence says semifinals (fourth round). @ChiefSmoke

 

The reseeding is to take place for the semifinals using the region champions.The obvious reason is that travel is not as big of an issue on Thanksgiving weekend. Logistically, in my opinion, seeding before the semifinals is incredibly difficult in regards to travel.

[EastSideJunkie]

I'm not against the re-seeding in the semifinals.

 

But the issue is what system do you use? That would be the most interesting bit, what would the KHSAA pick?

[Jumper_Dad]

I'm not against the re-seeding in the semifinals.

 

But the issue is what system do you use? That would be the most interesting bit, what would the KHSAA pick?

 

Seriously the most accurate would probably be the BGP rankings, but they'll never use those.

[FSfan]

So we go from playing the first two rounds against your own district a few years ago to save on fuel costs, to now potentially traveling 8 hours across the state for a semifinal game.

 

Government at its finest.

[plantmanky]

So what is really happining is khsaa is rigging the state championship.

[The Scribe]

It seems like the KHSAA is bent on "fixing" everything except what needs to be fixed most.

 

- Classing non-basketball sports

- Reducing playoffs to district champ and runner-ups

 

Anything and everything else is just using smoke and mirrors to deflect from the issues that should be addressed

[randya3339]

The problem I see with this 1v4,2v3. Lets say during the previous seasons team A played a lesser opponent and would try to take it easy on them after getting the running clock before halftime. JV kids would get some playing time. Now instead of final scores being 45-6, you will see the 80-0 final scores. Teams will need to win by the largest margin possible to insure that higher seeding. KHSAA certainly better consider going back to the not shaking hands rule. Bad, bad, bad idea.

[Coach Preston]

There has to be a reason for seeding in the final 4. Could someone on the football advisory committee please post an answer to a couple of things if you don't mind.

 

1. Was there any polling or communication to the states other head coaches for input on if we were for or against seeding (I might have missed it but I don't recall any communication on that)?

 

2. What was the thinking/reasoning among the committee that led to their recommendation to seed the semi-finals?

 

Knowing these 2 questions might not get others to agree with this but it would at least help us know the thinking and the process used by the football advisory committee members.

 

If you are not comfortable posting an answer on BGP please e mail me at doug.preston@simpson.kyschools.us or just send a PM here on BGP.

 

Thanks

[Coach Preston]

The reseeding is to take place for the semifinals using the region champions.The obvious reason is that travel is not as big of an issue on Thanksgiving weekend. Logistically, in my opinion, seeding before the semifinals is incredibly difficult in regards to travel.

 

Travel could actually be an even bigger problem on Thanksgiving weekend. Think about this. I will use FSHS as an example. I suspect most had us picked as the 4th best team in the semi-finals in 4A this year and Johnson Central as the 1 seed. So on Thanksgiving we would have had to practice and do our normal thing. The next day my team has to make at a minimum 5 hour trip to play JC. That is not reasonable or fair to our team when compared to how the system is set up now. My first thought is that we would go up somewhere close the night before and get hotel rooms...but do we really want the teams and coaches traveling 5 hours Thanksgiving night (or any for that matter) if we don't have to. I do understand that these scenarios do happen but why make it more likely by seeding. The seeding isn't near the issue as the travel. So we have to have neutral sites like the finals for it to be fair imo. Also, these polls often favor one or two teams at the top when teams are close in record etc. That is just the way it is as we know.

[ChiefSmoke]

KHSAA approves semifinal re-seeding | Sports | dailyindependent.com

 

Here is a good article by Zack Klemme that can offer some insights on seeding for the semifinals.

[Coach Preston]

Here is how absurd Max Preps ratings are. Even after defeating Johnson Central head to head and winning the state championship Johnson Central and Wayne County are ranked ahead of Franklin-Simpson in the final Max Preps Poll. That is why seeding using polls does not make any sense.

[Cats3x]

Seeding to increase interest does not make sense. I think the Raceland Semi-Final this year was proof of that. No clue if they would have hosted if it was seeded, but that game brought a ton of interest to our area.

 

I’d argue that the postseason success recently of NEKY teams has had more to do with interest in NEKY in football than who plays in the championship game.

 

If you want to build interest, you have to raise the playing level of teams in KY. Better football = more fans.

 

Seeding prevents this. Makes it harder for teams to break through.

 

If we’re tryjng to get the two best teams to the finals, then say that. But football in KY would be the only sport where that happens. Doesn’t happen in most pro sports either. Sure doesn’t happen in basketball....

[87ROCK]

To discourage running up the score just to improve a team's computer ranking for seeding purposes, they should put a cap on the value of margin of victory. Make a 35-point margin have the same value as 50- or 60-point margin.