Then class all sports or class none. I wouldn't have a problem if this were the case.

 

I'd rather class none.

After looking back at the posts made over the past fews things, a common point has been made that sticks out to me.

 

Making it to the big dance in kentucky is like making the Final Four in NCAA.

 

I'll bet if you asked every single player on the Elliott County team which state tournament they would rather play in that to a man the answer would be "We want Rupp"!

 

Having a small school like Elliott County make it to Rupp is what small town dreams are made of.

 

Ask a kid from a small school whether they would rather win a state championship in front of 5-6,000 people in an ho hum atmosphere or lose by 8 points to an eventual champion in the state tournament at Rupp Arena in front of 15,000-18,000 on the big stage...kids will choose the latter.

 

Making it to rupp is every kids dream when they are growing up .

 

 

Should the goal at the beginning of the season be to 'get to play in Rupp Arena' or should the goal be to win the state title?

 

Do good football teams begin practice in July with the purpose of just making the final four or winning the whole thing?

 

Do good golfers have the goal of just playing at Kearney Hills or is their goal to win it?

 

Is a baseball team's goal to just play at Applebee's Park or is to win the state title?

 

A lot of people seem to be indicating that it's great that Elliott County has made the Sweet 16. I'm not diminishing their accomplishment. They beat some good, larger schools to advance and I'm sure the town is in a frenzy. Kudos to Elliott County, the coaches, and the players.

 

One thing I'm not reading about is how the current system favors them to win the state title. I'm not reading anyone post about how without the current system, Elliott County could never be the single state champion. Everything I read says they should be happy to play their first round game, maybe play a second and then go home.

 

Elliott has a winnable first round game with Shelby Valley. Then, it will take wins over Warren Central, Ballard, and Scott County (hypothetically) to win the state title.

 

Is the ultimate goal to win a state title or just get to play at Rupp?

How about the best of both worlds? Have a class tourney during the season and keep the Sweet 16 at the end of the year. Every school would have the opportunity to compete in both. Would you make the class tourney a requirement for all teams or optional? KHSAA would have to sanction the class tourneys to give it any credence.

For some it may be just to play at Rupp. Maybe that's why they don't get the job done, they don't believe in theirselves.

If you class basketball, I think you would run the risk of the private schools dominating all the classes, but the largest. Schools like Lex. Catholic, Cov. Catholic, UHA, Bishop Brossart, Rose Hill, Owensboro Catholic, etc. would dominate there classes.

After looking back at the posts made over the past fews things, a common point has been made that sticks out to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Should the goal at the beginning of the season be to 'get to play in Rupp Arena' or should the goal be to win the state title?

 

Do good football teams begin practice in July with the purpose of just making the final four or winning the whole thing?

 

Do good golfers have the goal of just playing at Kearney Hills or is their goal to win it?

 

Is a baseball team's goal to just play at Applebee's Park or is to win the state title?

 

A lot of people seem to be indicating that it's great that Elliott County has made the Sweet 16. I'm not diminishing their accomplishment. They beat some good, larger schools to advance and I'm sure the town is in a frenzy. Kudos to Elliott County, the coaches, and the players.

 

One thing I'm not reading about is how the current system favors them to win the state title. I'm not reading anyone post about how without the current system, Elliott County could never be the single state champion. Everything I read says they should be happy to play their first round game, maybe play a second and then go home.

 

Elliott has a winnable first round game with Shelby Valley. Then, it will take wins over Warren Central, Ballard, and Scott County (hypothetically) to win the state title.

 

Is the ultimate goal to win a state title or just get to play at Rupp?

The goal is the same for every team and that is: To make the State Tournament and to advance as far as you can with the ultimate goal to Win It All.

After looking back at the posts made over the past fews things, a common point has been made that sticks out to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Should the goal at the beginning of the season be to 'get to play in Rupp Arena' or should the goal be to win the state title?

 

Do good football teams begin practice in July with the purpose of just making the final four or winning the whole thing?

 

Do good golfers have the goal of just playing at Kearney Hills or is their goal to win it?

 

Is a baseball team's goal to just play at Applebee's Park or is to win the state title?

 

A lot of people seem to be indicating that it's great that Elliott County has made the Sweet 16. I'm not diminishing their accomplishment. They beat some good, larger schools to advance and I'm sure the town is in a frenzy. Kudos to Elliott County, the coaches, and the players.

 

One thing I'm not reading about is how the current system favors them to win the state title. I'm not reading anyone post about how without the current system, Elliott County could never be the single state champion. Everything I read says they should be happy to play their first round game, maybe play a second and then go home.

 

Elliott has a winnable first round game with Shelby Valley. Then, it will take wins over Warren Central, Ballard, and Scott County (hypothetically) to win the state title.

 

Is the ultimate goal to win a state title or just get to play at Rupp?

It appears you have a point of view that is shared by few people across the state. It seems you don't place basketball, high school basketball especially, on a pedastal the way most people across the state do.

 

Having attended both the football championships and the Sweet 16 for a number of years, there are far more people that attend the Sweet 16 year after year no matter who is playing.

 

Travel across the state and go into a McDonalds and you will find someone to talk basketball with, but good luck finding someone to talk about high school track, soccer, softball, or football for that matter.

Several years ago in many of our school systems it was a common practice to group the "smarter" kids together in classes where they could be taught at a faster pace than the "slower" kids. It has since been decided that this practice is wrong. Today in fact, there are state mandates that "no child be left behind." Why can't we use this same "no child left behind" attitude in Kentucky basketball.

 

That's a logical point. At the same time, we should also do away with tax brackets, pay everyone the same regardless of what job they have, and stop federal funding based on population.

 

 

 

I tell you that small schools can compete and win against larger schools. Good coaching and a good work ethic in the kids can do wonders and just because a school has a large enrollment does not guarantee a good basketball team.

Examples from this year:

South Laurel (enrollment 1337) 56 Cumberland (enrollment 335) 50

South Laurel 66 Corbin (enrollment 662) 64

South Laurel 58 Paintsville (enrollment 253) 57

South Laurel 79 Whitley County (enrollment 1199) 32

South Laurel 73 Rockcastle County (enrollment 912) 39

Redbird (enrollment 113) 65 North Laurel (enrollment 1293) 58

 

Good numbers. You're right. A large school doesn't guarantee a good team. But you also use the 13th Region as an example. 31% of the schools are 3A and 4A size. Only four other regions have fewer large schools. On a single night, Cumberland may be able to work their magic against a South Laurel in a one game, winner take all circumstance. But what if they have to beat Henderson County and Christian County to get to South Laurel? Or have to beat Marshall County and Paducah Tilghman to get there?

 

There are small schools that have excellent basketball programs and rarely have bad years.

 

How many games are these teams winning in the Sweet 16 each year?

 

 

A class system would only mean a larger gap and less incentive to excel for the smaller schools. Why do we have cinderella teams and why do everyone cheer them on? And why have there been books written and movies made about the small school winning the state tournament? And lastly, why is there such a big argument on this? That's the reason we should leave it as it is.

 

Would you say there is more interest in Kentucky's football playoffs now compared to 20 years ago or would you say there was more interest in the football playoffs 20 years ago?

If you class basketball, I think you would run the risk of the private schools dominating all the classes, but the largest. Schools like Lex. Catholic, Cov. Catholic, UHA, Bishop Brossart, Rose Hill, Owensboro Catholic, etc. would dominate there classes.

 

You're kidding right????????

It appears you have a point of view that is shared by few people across the state. It seems you don't place basketball, high school basketball especially, on a pedastal the way most people across the state do.

 

Having attended both the football championships and the Sweet 16 for a number of years, there are far more people that attend the Sweet 16 year after year no matter who is playing.

 

Just because it's been done the same way forever doesn't mean it can't be improved. If so, everyone would drive the same kind of car. If so, women wouldn't be voting right now. If so, we'd all be playing Atari games.

 

Travel across the state and go into a McDonalds and you will find someone to talk basketball with' date=' but good luck finding someone to talk about high school track, soccer, softball, or football for that matter.[/quote']

 

More people ask me about football than basketball. Check the number of posts made in the basketball forum on BGP compared to football. More people statewide are talking about football now. And that's what has the basketball purists worried.

That's a logical point. At the same time, we should also do away with tax brackets, pay everyone the same regardless of what job they have, and stop federal funding based on population.

 

 

 

 

 

Good numbers. You're right. A large school doesn't guarantee a good team. But you also use the 13th Region as an example. 31% of the schools are 3A and 4A size. Only four other regions have fewer large schools. On a single night, Cumberland may be able to work their magic against a South Laurel in a one game, winner take all circumstance. But what if they have to beat Henderson County and Christian County to get to South Laurel? Or have to beat Marshall County and Paducah Tilghman to get there?

 

 

 

How many games are these teams winning in the Sweet 16 each year?

 

 

 

 

Would you say there is more interest in Kentucky's football playoffs now compared to 20 years ago or would you say there was more interest in the football playoffs 20 years ago?

I do appreciate your points, but I also know how I feel on this subject. I'm tired of arguing. So let's just agree to disagree.

I do appreciate your points, but I also know how I feel on this subject. I'm tired of arguing. So let's just agree to disagree.

Agreed

 

(or is that disagreeingly agreed??) :lol:

Just because it's been done the same way forever doesn't mean it can't be improved. If so, everyone would drive the same kind of car. If so, women wouldn't be voting right now. If so, we'd all be playing Atari games.

 

 

 

More people ask me about football than basketball. Check the number of posts made in the basketball forum on BGP compared to football. More people statewide are talking about football now. And that's what has the basketball purists worried.

 

So are you starting your own basketball state championships to compete with the Sweet 16?

 

I love the Atari games, I can actually beat my son when we play and get trounced when he breaks out the Gamecube.

 

Take out the post from Highlands football fans and we can call it even.

Leave it alone, end of story.

Point one-- No I don't think so, but my children who ran track and cross country would have welcomed the opportunity to compete against the larger schools. There are many athletes in the smaller school who would be competitive and yes even win in competition with the larger schools.

Point two--- my comments about the wants, wishes and dreams of the kids in the small schools were positive and I'll not answer questions of sarcasm.

 

1. The opportunity to compete and prove oneself against larger schools would still exist. It's called the regular season. But when it comes time to compete for a state championship, everyone would be competing against similar schools. Take the NCAA, schools who don't offer scholarships are still NCAA schools, they just compete at the Div. III level. No one would think of making those schools compete with Div. I schools for the national championship.

 

2. I'm also trying to take up for the smaller guys, but going to classes would not take anything away from the bigger schools either. They would still have just as much of a chance to win titles, maybe more, in classes. But right now, the larger schools are the only ones with a legitimate shot to compete at a state level. Why do some get that right but others don't? That's the traditionalist argument that I don't understand.

 

Again, FWIW, I was on the traditionalist side for a long time and I said the same things that have been said repeatedly on this thread. But, finally, it just came down to a matter or fair/unfair, right/wrong, and this is where it has led me.