Do the other states have their games in the middle of the day allowing school administrators/coaches to get several days away from school at the expense of the school? I would guess there is alot more networking and catching up with old buddies than actual game watching. Otherwise, why would you go to the games through the week and then not attend the weekend games? I'm sure this is not always the case, but alot of the time it is.

The "Sweet Sixteen" State Tournament as we know it is indeed an event that is much more than a conglamoration of basketball games.

 

It is an annual rite of spring for many that becomes "old home week" where the coaches get together, enjoy each others' company and wind down from the rigors of a season just completed, and just sit back and watch others play.

 

Throw in the NCAA tournament, a few dinners out, and getting away for a few days and you have encompassed the total package of the state tournament.

 

Our one-class system does indeed crown a "true state champion" and does make it oh, so special, for those sixteen teams that do qualify. There is a price to be paid for this one-class basketball and it is that probably a third or more of the schools of the state are totally eliminated from any possible chance of competing for that holy grail due to their demographics.

 

Life isn't fair and there are always going to be the privileged and the downtrodden. Even if we went to a four-class system there would always be those schools still incapable of competing for a division title.

 

So with all that said, I say go to Lexington this week and enjoy a celebration of Kentucky High School basketball as we know it, enjoy the camaraderie of your friends and family, and root for your favorites to bring home the big prize.

 

No system is perfect, and you will never please everybody regardless of how much things might change in the future. Our way might not be the best way, but for now it seems far superior to whatever is running second, third, or fourth in other states.

 

Let the games begin!

The "Sweet Sixteen" State Tournament as we know it is indeed an event that is much more than a conglamoration of basketball games.

 

It is an annual rite of spring for many that becomes "old home week" where the coaches get together, enjoy each others' company and wind down from the rigors of a season just completed, and just sit back and watch others play.

 

Throw in the NCAA tournament, a few dinners out, and getting away for a few days and you have encompassed the total package of the state tournament.

 

Our one-class system does indeed crown a "true state champion" and does make it oh, so special, for those sixteen teams that do qualify. There is a price to be paid for this one-class basketball and it is that probably a third or more of the schools of the state are totally eliminated from any possible chance of competing for that holy grail due to their demographics.

 

Life isn't fair and there are always going to be the privileged and the downtrodden. Even if we went to a four-class system there would always be those schools still incapable of competing for a division title.

 

So with all that said, I say go to Lexington this week and enjoy a celebration of Kentucky High School basketball as we know it, enjoy the camaraderie of your friends and family, and root for your favorites to bring home the big prize.

 

No system is perfect, and you will never please everybody regardless of how much things might change in the future. Our way might not be the best way, but for now it seems far superior to whatever is running second, third, or fourth in other states.

Let the games begin!

 

Great post, Mustang - eloquent and smart, made even more so because I know of your appreciation for the plight of the small schools. I might take a little exception to the 1/3 of the schools being totally eliminated - does Edmonson County fall into the 1/3? Clay County? There is great "A" school representation this year, so we'll see.

 

As far as the bolded goes, it sounds a lot like the argument for our system of government - it ain't perfect, but it beats any other system.

Great post, Mustang - eloquent and smart, made even more so because I know of your appreciation for the plight of the small schools. I might take a little exception to the 1/3 of the schools being totally eliminated - does Edmonson County fall into the 1/3? Clay County? There is great "A" school representation this year, so we'll see.

Maybe my use of 1/3 might be a bit strong, but year in and year out there are probably nearly that many teams who can't really seriously contend for a regional championship, let alone a state championship. Look at Bellevue who "drew in" this year and was lambasted for clogging up the 9th Region Tournament (depriving NCC or Newport their God given right to play in the annual regional tournament) - then was walloped by Highlands and Holmes!

 

My question would be - how many teams in the 9th Region can truly compete with Holmes/CovCath/Ryle/Boone year in and year out? In the 10th how many schools can truly compete with Mason County/Montgomery/Clark year in and year out. Granted there are those "window of opportunity" teams that do emerge from the small-school ranks, and that is what we all live for - what makes one-class basketball special.

 

Under our present system, one-class basketball system is actually a tiered system. Each school has to set it's own individual goal for success. A state championship goal is not for everyone. For some it's to be the district champion, or in some - the district runner-up and simply get to the regional tournament, knowing full well they have reached the end of the line once there!

 

In the 9th Region some schools' annual goals might be to compete for the NKAC Division III title, with no district or regional expectations. Others of us live for that "perfect stars alignment" year where we can compete for a regional championship but realistically know that once you get to a state tournament your days are numbered, but will always talk about the days when you did make the trip. And then there are those who EXPECT to be in the state tournament on an annual basis and predicate their success on doing just that and in fact how close they come to winning it.

 

Primarily the Sweet Sixteen as we know it is an elitist tournament. The nature of our beast is that some regions are simply stronger than other regions. Let's be frank, one third or more of the teams in the "Sweet Sixteen" on an annual basis have no true chance of winning it - but when one does, that's what makes it so special. One-class basketball also has it's drawbacks, pitting very strong teams against each other within their own district, ala the 11th Region where some of the best teams in the state are presently on the sidelines.

 

My point is that one class basketball works in Kentucky! It doesn't make it right, but it works and is extremely popular. In order to maintain that system a price must be paid, and in Kentucky that price is paid (as the player said in Hoosiers!) - "by all of the little schools who never had a chance to get there."

Here in VA there are 3 Classes and I've yet to figure it all out. You can lose in the Regional and still make the "Final 4" of some of these tourneys. It is odd.

 

Martinsville has won 13 Class AA championships and have the most state titles in VA history. However they aren't the size of the big Tidewater and Richmond schools and you wonder if they really are better than those schools and you never know without the unifying tourney.

 

Kentucky does it right and does it uniquely. I still recall my parents and their best friends going every year to the games when they weren't going on a big NCAA trip with UK.

 

Other states might have more talent and better teams but they don't have the "show" factor that KY has.

Here in VA there are 3 Classes and I've yet to figure it all out. You can lose in the Regional and still make the "Final 4" of some of these tourneys. It is odd.

Other states might have more talent and better teams but they don't have the "show" factor that KY has.

 

Very true!