New KHSAA commissioner addresses playoffs, keeps football's six-class system

[rockmom]

New KHSAA commissioner addresses playoffs, keeps football's six-class system

 

 

Probably the most important part of this article is at the end:

 

Tackett noted that several states -- not just Kentucky -- are dealing with issues of transfers and school choice. As for his own state, Tackett doesn't expect his office to see an increase in transfer denials.

"My gut feeling is that our General Assembly very much favors choice," he said. "They have thoroughly rebuked a couple of proposals from our office that would have restricted parent choice.

"The result is that it might be, 'You need to build up your own program instead of trying to tear the other guy down.' That's an ethical dilemma more than an athletics dilemma that we may not have a perfect answer for."

A new website -- khsaaparents.com -- will debut in the fall. Tackett said the intent is to simplify such issues as transfers and eligibility so that parents can understand them.

"We need to stop being obsessed with it being worded like a Philadelphia lawyer," Tackett said. "Tell the parents what they need to know. We have to get out ahead of some of this stuff."

 

Bravo Commissioner Tackett! You have proven to me that you were definitely the right choice!

[CoachBuckett]

I hate that the finals are going to be back in Bowling Green. I wish the city of Louisville would wake up and get behind keeping the finals. Nothing against WKU other than I think Louisville is more central for everyone.

[FC]

So they will not consider relooking the six class football alignment regardless of what people want, yet before they look at moving the basketball sweet sixteen they want to get a sense of what the fans want? Also, they are concerned with the geographical effect of a five class system because of travel. Check out District 2-2, two teams on the northern edge of the state and two teams on the southern edge, 2+ hours away. I'm sorry, but I'm not buying the Kool-Aid.

[UK fball fan]

I hate that the finals are going to be back in Bowling Green. I wish the city of Louisville would wake up and get behind keeping the finals. Nothing against WKU other than I think Louisville is more central for everyone.

 

As far as location, it's just as central as Louisville. Louisville in the far north central and BGreen is in the central and no more than 30-40 miles west. Not much difference at all, really. I really liked the WKU venue much more than Papa Johns. Had a more intimate feel to it, imo. Great view from everywhere, as well.

[FC]

As far as location, it's just as central as Louisville. Louisville in the far north central and BGreen is in the central and no more than 30-40 miles west. Not much difference at all, really. I really liked the WKU venue much more than Papa Johns. Had a more intimate feel to it, imo. Great view from everywhere, as well.

 

The primary issue I had with Bowling Green is the parking. However, I can understand that fans from NKY and Louisville would want the games back at Papa John's, closer to where many of the teams that historically play in the finals are.

[leatherneck]

So they will not consider relooking the six class football alignment regardless of what people want, yet before they look at moving the basketball sweet sixteen they want to get a sense of what the fans want? Also, they are concerned with the geographical effect of a five class system because of travel. Check out District 2-2, two teams on the northern edge of the state and two teams on the southern edge, 2+ hours away. I'm sorry, but I'm not buying the Kool-Aid.

 

FC, you point out a few geographical problems with 6 classes. Evidently Tackett has looked at what a 5 class system would look like and has determined that it would create even more geographical problems. If that's the case, then you can't blame him for recommending sticking with 6 classes even though some people want fewer classes. I will respectfully point out that I really don't think there has been any scientific effort made to determine if a majority of people want fewer classes. That may, repeat may, be the case with posters on here, but I really don't think that is necessarily a real accurate way of determing what a majority of people want. And I think what people want in the form of the number of classes is a tad bit different from where the championship games will be had. The number of classes has a much greater impact on the overall fairness of playoff matchups than I think the locale of the championship game does (although I will admit that if the championship game is held in your back yard and your kids get to sleep in their own beds or avoid a long bus ride, it is an advantage in a championship game).

 

Rockmom, I agree in your assessment of the bolded language and I likewise agree on your thoughts on the choice of Julian to be the commissioner. Oh and I loved the part when he said that schools need to build up their own programs rather than trying to tear the other programs down. I couldn't have said it better myself. Bless him.

[FC]

FC, you point out a few geographical problems with 6 classes. Evidently Tackett has looked at what a 5 class system would look like and has determined that it would create even more geographical problems. If that's the case, then you can't blame him for recommending sticking with 6 classes even though some people want fewer classes. I will respectfully point out that I really don't think there has been any scientific effort made to determine if a majority of people want fewer classes. That may, repeat may, be the case with posters on here, but I really don't think that is necessarily a real accurate way of determing what a majority of people want. And I think what people want in the form of the number of classes is a tad bit different from where the championship games will be had. The number of classes has a much greater impact on the overall fairness of playoff matchups than I think the locale of the championship game does (although I will admit that if the championship game is held in your back yard and your kids get to sleep in their own beds or avoid a long bus ride, it is an advantage in a championship game).

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not completely against six classes. Fort Campbell has done well under the new classifications. However, what I find troubling is that he completely discounts any consideration of recalassifciation regardless of any opposition, yet he is concerned with opposition to moving the basketball playoff site. It seems contridictory to me. It would be interesting to know what the ADs and coaches want as far as football classes. I don't disagree that there is no scientific data, but maybe there should be. Is it a money issue or truly about letting more teams play in the playoffs? Really one equals the other. Although not scientific, less than 10% of BGP voters voted for six classes. In some small way I think that indicates there is some opposition from the fan perspective.

 

As far as geography, under the four class system the Falcons were in a distict with seven other teams and didn't travel over an hour to any of those games. Under the six class system with four distict teams, two of them are 2+ hours away. I can't speak for other fans, but I would be willing to bet other districts were affected negatively as far as travel is concerned also.

[Ram]

I can't speak for other fans, but I would be willing to bet other districts were affected negatively as far as travel is concerned also.

 

Raceland has to travel two hours for two district games. Paintsville is not in our district, but is close then either of the two hour away schools.

 

LCA and Paris have to travel two hours for three district games when Franfort and Berea are much closer.

 

The travel doesn't' bother me, but how they set up the district does leave me wondering what they were thinking.

[rockmom]

Does no one (other than leatherneck) find the biggest news to be what's being done to deal with issues such as transfers, parental understanding of transfers and eligibility, etc? To me, the new website and the KHSAA's willingness to put forth information in a manner we commonfolk can understand is HUGE. HUGE I say!

[leatherneck]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not completely against six classes. Fort Campbell has done well under the new classifications. However, what I find troubling is that he completely discounts any consideration of recalassifciation regardless of any opposition, yet he is concerned with opposition to moving the basketball playoff site. It seems contridictory to me. It would be interesting to know what the ADs and coaches want as far as football classes. I don't disagree that there is no scientific data, but maybe there should be. Is it a money issue or truly about letting more teams play in the playoffs? Really one equals the other. Although not scientific, less than 10% of BGP voters voted for six classes. In some small way I think that indicates there is some opposition from the fan perspective.

 

As far as geography, under the four class system the Falcons were in a distict with seven other teams and didn't travel over an hour to any of those games. Under the six class system with four distict teams, two of them are 2+ hours away. I can't speak for other fans, but I would be willing to bet other districts were affected negatively as far as travel is concerned also.

 

 

People on here aren't fans; they are fanatics. They pay money to join a site and argue with one another about high school sports. They are so wacko obsessive, their opinions can't count for much.:D:D

[Log Mountain Boy]

I really like the idea of 5 classes in football. I think that is a good compromise. I did not go to the state championship games in football so I really can't comment on WKU hosting it. In basketball, I do agree with him that leaving Rupp Arena is possibly dangerous considering the success of the event. Although, for whatever reason I thought attendance was down last year.

The best thing that he said I thought was simplifying the wording in transfer rules. Although its just not a simple issue in general.

[ThrillVille Cardinal51]

"I know there are those out there that would prefer we go back and look at the old four-class system and say six is too many," Tackett said. "Why?"

 

With nearly 87 percent of Kentucky's football teams qualifying automatically for the playoffs, critics claim the system is watered down and produces inferior football during the state finals.

 

Tackett and other KHSAA officials maintain that more schools making the playoffs -- and therefore more athletes -- is a good thing.

 

"I know 10 years from now when that class reunion comes up, those kids talk about playing in the playoffs," Tackett said. "They don't care that they got beat 50-0.

 

"I hear about the mismatches (in the first round). That happened when we went to four teams (from each district making the playoffs, instead of two). That didn't happen with six classes."

 

 

What a joke. This six class system bites.

[FC]

People on here aren't fans; they are fanatics. They pay money to join a site and argue with one another about high school sports. They are so wacko obsessive, their opinions can't count for much.:D:D

 

I can't argue with that.

[FC]

Does no one (other than leatherneck) find the biggest news to be what's being done to deal with issues such as transfers, parental understanding of transfers and eligibility, etc? To me, the new website and the KHSAA's willingness to put forth information in a manner we commonfolk can understand is HUGE. HUGE I say!

 

Yes, I can see the benefit of providing information about transfers and eligibility, but I will reserve my opinion on how useful it is until we see what it is.

[JIM SEYMOUR # 85]

People on here aren't fans; they are fanatics. They pay money to join a site and argue with one another about high school sports. They are so wacko obsessive, their opinions can't count for much.:D:D

 

LN

Now that is about one of the most accurate things I have read posted on here in a long long time.