When I tell people from other states how many schools play football and how many classes we have, they usually go "Why in the world do you guys have six classes?"

 

It's a fair question.

 

What's the answer? Why do we have six?

What's the answer? Why do we have six?

Opinion vary.

 

Mine ... a lot of school wanted easier routes to advance in the playoffs.

I still think the answer is five classes, with 5A containing schools with over 2,500 enrollment ... welcome Trinity and St. Xavier.

 

Everyone else is in four classes.

 

If a school had the guts to propose it, I think it could pass.

Opinion vary.

 

Mine ... a lot of school wanted easier routes to advance in the playoffs.

 

I still think the answer is five classes, with 5A containing schools with over 2,500 enrollment ... welcome Trinity and St. Xavier.

 

Everyone else is in four classes.

 

If a school had the guts to propose it, I think it could pass.

 

Seems somewhat contradictory Westsider, doesn't it? I mean if alot of schools wanted easier routes, then how would the "everyone else is in four classes" ever pass? Less classes, more difficult routes, correct? Just trying to understand how it could go back to four if the schools voted. :idunno:

I like 3 classes but that makes it tough for the small schools. 4 classes is probably Best. Right now Its a joke, its like playng in the YMCA league where Everyone gets a ribbon not to mention the season is way too Long. Play the Finals the day after Turkey Day, not 2 weeks before Santa comes.

Seems somewhat contradictory Westsider, doesn't it? I mean if alot of schools wanted easier routes, then how would the "everyone else is in four classes" ever pass? Less classes, more difficult routes, correct? Just trying to understand how it could go back to four if the schools voted. :idunno:

 

I think the outcome of a vote would be determined by who is voting. If it's the football coaches, it would never go back to 4 classes and probably not even 5. If it's the ADs voting, then I think the outcome would be determined by what sport had the more influence on the ADs (basketball or football). Same goes with the Principals voting.

 

I'd venture a guess that a majority of basketball coaches and basketball supporters want the number of classes shrunk. The fewer the classes, the more schools that are quickly eliminated from the playoffs and the sooner the two way players can turn in the pads and pick up the roundball. Same reason they'd like to see the championship games played earlier. Which I think is the real motivation for some to be in favor of lessening the number of classes.

I think the outcome of a vote would be determined by who is voting. If it's the football coaches, it would never go back to 4 classes and probably not even 5. If it's the ADs voting, then I think the outcome would be determined by what sport had the more influence on the ADs (basketball or football). Same goes with the Principals voting.

 

I'd venture a guess that a majority of basketball coaches and basketball supporters want the number of classes shrunk. The fewer the classes, the more schools that are quickly eliminated from the playoffs and the sooner the two way players can turn in the pads and pick up the roundball. Same reason they'd like to see the championship games played earlier. Which I think is the real motivation for some to be in favor of lessening the number of classes.

 

Interesting opinion regarding the basketball angle. Would be curious as to the number of players affected. If basketball is an underling prompting this change for the reasons you listed LN, then why not look at modifying the football playoffs and the number of teams that qualify vs. shrinking the amount of classes?

I believe schools cannot survive with this 6 class system due to financial reasons. Currently people are having to do much more traveling for district and playoff games and schools are strapped for cash. If something is not done I think you will see some schools having to drop the sport and this would be awful. 4 Classes is a must but Im not convinced it will change.

I believe schools cannot survive with this 6 class system due to financial reasons. Currently people are having to do much more traveling for district and playoff games and schools are strapped for cash. If something is not done I think you will see some schools having to drop the sport and this would be awful. 4 Classes is a must but Im not convinced it will change.

You really think schools are strapped for cash due to football teams having to travel to 5-6 games a year? If you want to know what straps athletic budgets as far as travel is concerned, look no further than boys and girls basketball, baseball/softball, boys/girls soccer, & every other non-revenue sport. Football and boys basketball are the the only revenue generating sports at high schools and I hardly think 5-6 football road games are draining the budget.

See, I dont get the whole reason of lessening the classes so that the season would be over sooner?

 

For as long as I can remember, which has to be the past 30-35 years, the State Finals have always been played the 1st weekend in December and it's that's still the same with 6 classes. I don't get it; am I missing something?

See, I dont get the whole reason of lessening the classes so that the season would be over sooner?

 

For as long as I can remember, which has to be the past 30-35 years, the State Finals have always been played the 1st weekend in December and it's that's still the same with 6 classes. I don't get it; am I missing something?

 

The end date of all football is the same, but not for the individual teams. Think of it in these terms - currently there are 6 classes, so 12 teams are playing the final weekend. Under 4 classes, there would be only 8 teams playing. Now apply that to every round of the playoffs and you see where the number of teams that advance drops. Also apply it to the number of teams that make the playoffs in the first place. So while the schedule doesn't change in terms of when the finals and such are, less teams will still be playing each week, leading to the two way players being available sooner.

The end date of all football is the same, but not for the individual teams. Think of it in these terms - currently there are 6 classes, so 12 teams are playing the final weekend. Under 4 classes, there would be only 8 teams playing. Now apply that to every round of the playoffs and you see where the number of teams that advance drops. Also apply it to the number of teams that make the playoffs in the first place. So while the schedule doesn't change in terms of when the finals and such are, less teams will still be playing each week, leading to the two way players being available sooner.

So there is a real concern for 24 teams out of 300+ teams that will have all their two way players available the friday before Thanksgiving and that is a reason to shorten the season? The biggest issue seems to be basketball beginning practice on October 15. That date should be pushed up to Nov 1 and begin games the Monday following the state finals.

So there is a real concern for 24 teams out of 300+ teams that will have all their two way players available the friday before Thanksgiving and that is a reason to shorten the season? The biggest issue seems to be basketball beginning practice on October 15. That date should be pushed up to Nov 1 and begin games the Monday following the state finals.

 

To be honest, I'd never heard it used an explanation for why people wanted to go back to 4 classes. I believe it's way down the list of reasons why people would want it to revert.

I would be all for 3 classes. Looking back at the state finals. Imagine if

1A/2A, 3A/4A, 5A/6A had been combined:

 

Potential 1A Semi games of:

Mayfield vs. Glasgow

Hazard vs. Cov. Holy Cross

State final would have been a dandy.

 

2A Semi games:

Tilghman vs. Franklin-Simpson

Central vs. Highlands

 

3A Semi games:

Scott County vs. Anderson County

Trinity vs. Bowling Green

 

Talk about some match ups.

 

It would have been Beechwood vs. Hazard, not Holy Cross.

Interesting opinion regarding the basketball angle. Would be curious as to the number of players affected. If basketball is an underling prompting this change for the reasons you listed LN, then why not look at modifying the football playoffs and the number of teams that qualify vs. shrinking the amount of classes?

 

Kind of hard for basketball coaches to get traction on reducing the number of teams making the playoffs when all of the basketball teams make the district tourny would be a guess. Furthermore, if you reduce the classes to 4, doesn't it result in more teams in each district, which defacto results in fewer teams making the playoffs if only the top 4 make the football playoffs?

 

For the record, I'm not saying the survey was a result of the basketball coaches doing something nefarious behind the scenes. I just think the basketball coaches would look at the issue differently than the football coaches do, and the outcome of a vote or survey could be impacted thereby.

 

Having said that, I've been around a lot of coaches of all sports. Which would be the reason, if I was a compiracy freak, I developed into such.