We have plenty of these type threads. The facts are, football season is not to long. I personally have given up on the playoff format, and will just watch what ever format they use. But, the only argument for shorting the season is for basketball. And, I personally don't care for the thought process that football is affected because of basketball season.

 

Basketball teams play games virtually all year long, winter season, AAU season, and summer open gyms. Football is restricted on when they can start practice, how long they can play, when they can play, and when they can practice. Basketball has 25 games in the winter season, and 30 in AAU, and 100 in summer open gyms. Football only has a 10 game season and 5 game playoffs. I really can't see an argument to limit the football season.

 

Now, for the people who say this is a basketball state. I hear that all the time, and it may be true in some areas, but in my area, we have 500-1000 people at virtually every football game, and 100-200 at any basketball game. I am pretty sure that is the case for most of EKY, NEKY, NKY, and the Louisville area.

 

15 games, for some, and 10-12 for most, is not to much as far as I am concerned.

 

 

Football is year round as well. With 7-on-7, summer team camps and year round lifting, it's the same animal.

Number of games can't be compared because basketball kids are playing 3 and sometimes 4 (state tournament) games in just one week.

 

As I posted in another thread: Football gives up very little for basketball. On Aug. 15, everyone on the football team is there for the first day of practice. The last game of the season, all players involved are still there.

On Oct. 15, many many basketball teams are not able to do much at practice because they so many kids are still playing football. Here it is two weeks into the basketball regular season and teams like Hazard are cancelling games because they don't have most of their team.

 

I'm not opposed to moving the basketball season back or shortening both, but the overlap is too much. Someone above posted Nov. 15 starting date and Dec. 15 first game for basketball. I think that's a good plan, especially if football also compromised and figured out a way to play the state championships on or before Nov. 15.

Football produces twice the revenue as Basketball in Central Ky.

 

Depending on the school, of course.

Don't include me in this "we" stuff. Nothing requires a kid to only play one or two sports. He/she can play three sports if chosen, they just may not be as successful in any one sport as the player that dedicates him or herself to only one sport and works on getting better at that sport year around. It's a choice thing and nothing other than a choice thing. If you like playing multiple sports, go for it. But to impose rules that in effect penalize the kids that only want to excel in one sport for the benefit of those that want to play multiple sports is in my opinion wrong.

Exactly.

That theory is all fine and dandy, but at most schools, the kids who are playing all three sports tend to be the best athletes in the building, and are almost always needed by the coaches of the three respective sports to be successful. It's not as cut and dried as you put it. Surely you don't think Highlands is as good as it can absolutely be in boys basketball and baseball, do you?

Jim, that is sometimes the case. But, that is not always as cut and dry as it appears on the surface. I will give one example, that I am sure happens a lot. I went to school with a young man, and played football with him. He played football, baseball, and basketball, he was one of the best athletes to come from the area. He could have played any of the three sports in college, easily. But, he never truly lived up to his potential in any one sport, but was still better then most. I also went to school with several young men who only played one sport, and were not truly gifted in that one sport, but excelled, most due to the fact that they put in a lot of time preparing for that sport in the off season. They all played college football.

 

So, I think it comes down to, do we want to limit the ability of players to have a better chance of playing, and receiving a college education at a reduced or basically free rate, by limiting seasons, or do we want to give players an opportunity to CHOOSE to play one sport and prepare themselves for future opportunities?

 

There are many choices in life, and high school students have to start learning to make choices while in high school. Do they want to play three sports, or do they want to choose one? That is choices they have to make.

 

I know some athletes can play three sports an do well in all three. I am more then happy to see it. We have several at Raceland. But, we also have many, more then you would think at a 1A school, that choose to specialize in one or two. Those that specialize are normally the ones that receive scholarships from our school. I don't know if that is fact across the state, but it is true for Raceland. Robbie Logan, at Raceland, is a D1 football prospect, he plays football only. Bret Denton, at Raceland, in one of the best RB from the area in a long time, he plays football only. John-Scott Carver plays football and baseball, he is very good in both. Tyler Boyles used to play baseball, basketball, and football, he dropped baseball because he wanted to focus on basketball and football. He has excelled in both since dropping baseball, and could play either in college, but will play basketball.

 

 

Sorry to get all leatherneck on you.

Sorry, but at most schools in the state, boys basketball is the chief revenue sport, and that's why they won't shorten the season (even though I see no reason for some teams to play as many as 35-40 games in a season).

 

Depending on the school of course.

 

Has anyone actually checked the financials of every school in State and thus is qualified to state as fact that at most schools boys basketball is the chief revenue sport or are we relying on hunches?

Football is year round as well. With 7-on-7, summer team camps and year round lifting, it's the same animal.

Number of games can't be compared because basketball kids are playing 3 and sometimes 4 (state tournament) games in just one week.

 

As I posted in another thread: Football gives up very little for basketball. On Aug. 15, everyone on the football team is there for the first day of practice. The last game of the season, all players involved are still there.

On Oct. 15, many many basketball teams are not able to do much at practice because they so many kids are still playing football. Here it is two weeks into the basketball regular season and teams like Hazard are cancelling games because they don't have most of their team.

 

I'm not opposed to moving the basketball season back or shortening both, but the overlap is too much. Someone above posted Nov. 15 starting date and Dec. 15 first game for basketball. I think that's a good plan, especially if football also compromised and figured out a way to play the state championships on or before Nov. 15.

 

I understand the overlap, and I don't care for it either. But, we are faced with three options in football: Move the start date ahead - I don't see it as much of an option with the heat and school start dates; move the start date back - which would further intrude into basketball; or shorten the football season. I don't think football should be shortened when they only have 10-12 games as it is and can not play football any other time of the year.

 

I realize that basketball suffers some because of football, but basketball is played all year around. Football does have "football activities" year around, but football is not allowed to play games except during the football season. Basketball players can play well over 100 games a year, and it has been said that most of the college recruiting takes place outside of the school basketball season. Most of football recruiting takes place during, and as a result, of the football season.

 

The best alternative that I can see is moving the start date for basketball back to December 15. Football is calender locked, but basketball could move back a couple of weeks and still play 20 games. But, taking a way the 10-12 games that most football teams get to play in not a viable solution.

Football produces twice the revenue as Basketball in Central Ky.

 

Depending on the school, of course.

I know that Raceland would not have a girls volleyball team, a girls softball team, a boys baseball team, or other activities if not for football. The boys and girls basketball teams would seriously suffer as well. Football supports all the other sports including the above sports as well as every other sport at the school.

 

And, I would bet that holds true for every school in North-Eastern Kentucky, if not for a large majority of the schools in the state.

That theory is all fine and dandy, but at most schools, the kids who are playing all three sports tend to be the best athletes in the building, and are almost always needed by the coaches of the three respective sports to be successful. It's not as cut and dried as you put it. Surely you don't think Highlands is as good as it can absolutely be in boys basketball and baseball, do you?

 

 

Not sure if I know if boys basketball and baseball could be better at Highlands if more kids played multiple sports. First, I don't want to insult the kids playing those sports by saying that some kids who are only play football could be better basketball and baseball players than they are if the football players decided to play basketball or baseball. Second, I can make the argument that a basketball team composed only of kids playing basketball year around will be better than one composed of kids who play multiple sports (even if the multiple sport athletes are the better athletes) because of the skill gained by specialization.

 

And things don't have to be a difficult as some people are making it to be. Mueller worked well with the former baseball coach and I'm sure will do the same with Baioni to blend spring football and baseball so kids can do both. The basketball team, if some football players make the team, will do just fine come tournament time and I don't think their late start will hurt the team at all come March (3 months from now). Off season football conditioning at Highlands is coordinated with basketball for those football players also wanting to play basketball. As long as coaches don't get piggish, a multiple sport player's desires can be accomodated. The problem is those coaches that tell a player they can't play another sport if they want to be on the team. That's not a sport season problem; that's a coaching problem best addressed at school board meetings.

 

As I've stated before, Mueller has permitted baseball players to miss 2 a days to play summer baseball and has permitted players to miss 2 a days to play in AAU basketball tournaments. It doesn't happen often, but its happened. If because of their absence some other full time football player becomes better, then Dale goes with the full time football player as the starter. If a kid can miss 2 a days to participate in basketball or baseball yet still be the best football player when he returns, then he becomes the starter. It's that simple and is only fair to the kid that wants to concentrate on only one sport.

 

We can wax nostalgicly about wanting it to be the way it was back in the day, but high school sports have changed. Maybe for the worse for some, maybe for the better for others. But it is what it is. You are simply not going to turn high school athletics back to how they used to be played.

 

P.S. I couldn't let Ram overtake me as the Great Pontificator and had to protect my turf. LOL!

We can wax nostalgicly about wanting it to be the way it was back in the day, but high school sports have changed. Maybe for the worse for some, maybe for the better for others. But it is what it is. You are simply not going to turn high school athletics back to how they used to be played.

 

P.S. I couldn't let Ram overtake me as the Great Pontificator and had to protect my turf. LOL!

You're exactly right, high school sports have changed, albeit for the better or for the worse, is a matter of opinion. Of course, I think high school football has changed for the better. The quality of players has increased, and I attribute that to more opportunities for the players to get better in the off season. Weight lifting and conditioning programs have gotten better, spring football has provided an opportunity for players to get better, and 7 on 7 and a multitude of football and speed camps have provided players an opportunity to get better. Does it hurt some of the other sports some? Yes, but other sports do intrude on football as well. But, as you said, high sports have changed. The student/athletes have changed, and the process has changed. I think the change has come about by more players wanting to get better and asking for these other activities to be provided to help them get better.

 

Basketball has been doing this for years, and the high school basketball seasons have improved dramatically because of it. The level of basketball around the state and the nation has gotten a great deal better because of AAU basketball seasons, summer seasons, and a multitude of basketball camps. It has improved basketball as a whole because players have been given the opportunity to get better in the off season. Why can't football players have the same opportunity?

 

PS: I think I have a ways to go to catch up to you at the Great Pontificator, just doing my part.

I understand the overlap, and I don't care for it either. But, we are faced with three options in football: Move the start date ahead - I don't see it as much of an option with the heat and school start dates; move the start date back - which would further intrude into basketball; or shorten the football season. I don't think football should be shortened when they only have 10-12 games as it is and can not play football any other time of the year.

 

I realize that basketball suffers some because of football, but basketball is played all year around. Football does have "football activities" year around, but football is not allowed to play games except during the football season. Basketball players can play well over 100 games a year, and it has been said that most of the college recruiting takes place outside of the school basketball season. Most of football recruiting takes place during, and as a result, of the football season.

 

The best alternative that I can see is moving the start date for basketball back to December 15. Football is calender locked, but basketball could move back a couple of weeks and still play 20 games. But, taking a way the 10-12 games that most football teams get to play in not a viable solution.

 

 

School basketball is regulated and can not fit in 100 games a year. The basketball calendar is locked just like football. AAU is a different animal and imo doesn't have a place in the debate.

 

What if football played a couple of multi-game weeks throughout the season or in the first two rounds of the playoffs? Basketball plays final four and finals on the same day. That would allow football the same amount of games in a shorter amount of time and still allow as many teams as possible to experience the playoffs so you can get runs like Simon Kenton is having this year. That way football is still done around Thanksgiving. Move the first basketball game back to Dec. 10 or so and now the overlap is quite minimal.

 

Thoughts?

I don't see why they don't start it a week earlier and get rid of the bye week(If it is not already done). I didn't read all the posts but the guys talking about wrestling and that other sport have a good point. Not just from a coaches standpoint, but also from an athletes standpoint. Like I said I didn't read all the posts so if this is a repeat, sorry. But a lot of kids may be bucking for a scholarship in wrestling or basketball and also play football. This goofy season in Kentucky only hurts those kids, I guess they could quit the football team when they goto the playoffs. I mean two weeks into December, come on that is ridiculous!!

There are 230 schools that play football and basketball in Kentucky.

 

All but 24 were done with football season by Thanksgiving this year.

 

After this year, all but 24 will be done the week BEFORE Thanksgiving.

 

It's not like there are 230 schools playing football after Thanksgiving.

Of course the season is too long! It's interfering with a real man's sport:fight:

 

Take out bye weeks and eliminate one non-conf game. If it is hot early in season, start the games a bit later in the evening. An 8:30 start time on a Friday night is no big deal.

There are 230 schools that play football and basketball in Kentucky.

 

All but 24 were done with football season by Thanksgiving this year.

 

After this year, all but 24 will be done the week BEFORE Thanksgiving.

 

It's not like there are 230 schools playing football after Thanksgiving.

 

And I am sure the extra money these 24 schools bring in because of the playoffs will help support their basketball programs!:thumb:

Football produces twice the revenue as Basketball in Central Ky.

 

It MAY produce more. Football has 5-6 home games, basketball 12ish. Cost about $150 1 basketball player. Cost about $500 equip 1 football player. 40-50 football players 15-20 basketball players.

It may produce twice as much but it takes 7-10 x's more money to field a team.

I'm a football man totally but there is a misconception IMO about the $$$$.

It MAY produce more. Football has 5-6 home games, basketball 12ish. Cost about $150 1 basketball player. Cost about $500 equip 1 football player. 40-50 football players 15-20 basketball players.

It may produce twice as much but it takes 7-10 x's more money to field a team.

I'm a football man totally but there is a misconception IMO about the $$$$.

 

I was thumbing through a football equipment catalog yesterday. It was a real eye-opener. :eek: