Pandemonium

I think your assessment is pretty accurate. I will give the west an 85% chance of wining 1A, 50% chance of winning 2A, and a 65% of winning 3A. Anyone else want to throw out their percentages?

I agree, just didn't want to start an argument with anyone saying I was disrespecting Maryville, so I left it at them "having a shot." BTW, on the other hand, would've had a tough time beating the 3A winner Bartlett, but I think they would've.

It seems that the best triple A team (usually a Memphis team) usually shows up in a national ranking (guess it depends on which rankings you are looking at and how many teams it includes). Rivals currently has Bearden as #26 and Raleigh Egypt as #49. As far as watching the sessions and noticing a difference, I completely agree. I have seen every state tourney game since 1997, and there has been no single A team that I can recall that I think could've made it to a championship game in triple A. Two teams I can recall as having a shot in the triple A tourney from double A are the BTW team with Moy and the second Liberty championship team.

The biases on this thread are extremely evident, and I agree with both sides on certain points. A blind draw can really devalue the silver ball (as the west TN people are pointing out), but it doesn't devalue the gold ball (as the middle/east TN people are pointing out...although, if you contend that the draw can't change who will be champion, you don't know basketball). People want the system to make scenarios that are in their own interests. If the east dominated like the west year in and year out, and this year the heavy favorites were from the east and playing each other in the first round, I think you would see the same people posting but saying the opposite. The west TN people would be saying it was fair and quit crying and vice versa. I don't blame the middle and east TN fans for being fed up with the arrogance of the west, especially in regards to single A where the competition is much more balanced than most of the west people think. I have faced the same personal bias every year at the Boro, and good east teams like Temple have gradually BEATEN this out of me. But back to the topic, I don't see any feasible way of changing the system, and a draw is the best solution as of now. Although it won't happen, for fairness I would like to see the region champions alternate who they play for substate (my own bias, since my team plays one of the toughest region champs every year). But as this whole thread proves, life isn't fair. I am thankful that I get to go and watch all the great games every year, and all I can do is enjoy it and hope the best team wins.

As a basketball fan first and foremost, I want to say it has been a pleasure watching the Temple teams over the years (at the state tourney is the only time I get to see them). If you are a neutral fan and enjoy watching good basketball, you can't help but be a fan of these teams. I'll agree with most of what Purple & Gold has said. If Temple played in Union City's district, they likely would not have made it to state all of the years they have (this year, for example), and yes Union City would've been at the tourney every year like Temple if they played where they did. I will agree that it's hard to compare win percentages and state tourney trips; however, there is one thing no one can dispute...GOLD BALLS. Temple has proven they are a powerhouse over this run by winning it all. I want to say congrats to them, and if they are going to be down the next few years, I will miss seeing them. I am looking forward to Sexton going off at the tourney and would love to see UT-Martin land him, so I can see him more in the future.

The odds of them being the first 2 drawn are (2/8) x (1/7) = .0357 or 3.57% chance of this happening. I don't like this either being a West TN basketball fan, but it does make the first day a lot more exciting than usual. The first game of the tourney is generally bad, so at least this will bring some excitement early to the tourney. I feel for the people that have scheduling conflicts, though. I hope these two teams will be able to wake up and play their games at 10 AM, haha. I pick Humboldt but would not be shocked at all if Manassas upset them.