The Limbaugh Plan

[westtennsports]

It is definitely the time of year to discuss the Limbaugh plan. Though I have never personally met David (and consider that a loss), I fully back his plan for playoff baseball in the state of Tennessee.

 

It goes as follows (corrections allowed - I'm going on what I think I remember):

 

Regional Tournament would be a four-team, double elimination tournament lasting from Monday through Wednesday. Winner advances to sub-state.

 

For example:

 

Game 1 - (D14 #1) vs. (D13 #2)

Game 2 - (D13 #1) vs. (D14 #2)

Game 3 - Loser 1 vs. Loser 2 (loser eliminated)

Game 4 - Winner 1 vs. Winner 2

Game 5 - Loser 4 vs. Winner 3 (loser eliminated)

Game 6 - Championship

Game 7 - If Necessary

 

Sub-state (or sectional) would be between the two regional winners, but would be a best-of-three series, instead of a one game chance. This would probably be best played on Saturday and Sunday the same week as the regional.

 

This keeps a team with a stud pitcher from walking through region and sub-state. Let the best "team" win!

[bd4vols]

In a time when the TSSAA is doing everything they can to take games away from schools, there is no way that they will do anything that would make sense and add some to the schedule.

[StudCantrell]

What about this plan?

 

Do away with the district tournament. The regular season champion is not rewarded with winning the season title anymore with the exception of hosting district tourney. Some districts do reward their champion an automatic berth into the region but not many. Here is my proposal:

 

1. Take the top three teams from each district according to the regular season standings and have a six-team double eliminaton regional tourney. Use the same format that the NCAA used when they had six-team regionals. Alternate host sites like we do now for the region. Odd district champions host in odd years, even district winners in even years. This would take place the week where we now play the district tournaments. The winner and runner-up of the region tourney would qualify for the sectional. The way the TSSAA loves money, this would be a big money-maker. Plus, the excitement of a pennant race during the regular season would be great, just like the good old days.

 

2. Sectional Series: Match-ups would be the same as they are now. The biggest change would be that they are the best two-out of-three series. The winner of each series would qualify for the state tournament. This would take place during the week we now have the region and sectionals.

 

3. The state tournament formant would stay like it has been.

 

With this post season format, the "one pitcher" wonder teams would have a harder time advancing. The teams with the best pitching staff would emerge.

[davidlimbaugh]

It is definitely the time of year to discuss the Limbaugh plan. Though I have never personally met David (and consider that a loss), I fully back his plan for playoff baseball in the state of Tennessee.

 

It goes as follows (corrections allowed - I'm going on what I think I remember):

 

Regional Tournament would be a four-team, double elimination tournament lasting from Monday through Wednesday. Winner advances to sub-state.

 

For example:

 

Game 1 - (D14 #1) vs. (D13 #2)

Game 2 - (D13 #1) vs. (D14 #2)

Game 3 - Loser 1 vs. Loser 2 (loser eliminated)

Game 4 - Winner 1 vs. Winner 2

Game 5 - Loser 4 vs. Winner 3 (loser eliminated)

Game 6 - Championship

Game 7 - If Necessary

 

Sub-state (or sectional) would be between the two regional winners, but would be a best-of-three series, instead of a one game chance. This would probably be best played on Saturday and Sunday the same week as the regional.

 

This keeps a team with a stud pitcher from walking through region and sub-state. Let the best "team" win!

 

Thanks for the plug!!!

 

The Limbaugh Plan has been proposed for several years now...

 

The current system lets any team that has a dominant #1, once they get out of the district, get to the state tournament - where they then need a lot more than just a #1....

 

Lets take a look at AAA Regions 3 and 4:

 

There are 8 teams left for 2 Spring Fling Spots:

 

Walker Valley

Bradley Central

Red Bank

Ooltewah

Shelbyville

Columbia

Riverdale

Blackman

 

If two teams with a dominant #1 meet each other next Monday, one of those teams is going to be one-and-done... the other just has to win Friday, losing Wednesday just means ya spend gas money instead of taking in hot dog money Friday.

 

But the 'Limbaugh plan' helps to ensure the two best TEAMS get to the 'Boro...

 

To the person that proposes doing away with the district tournament, I strongly disagree. A senior in high school needs to have his (or her in softball or other sports) career come to an end on the field, with a chance to fight to live another day.

 

A team can get hot late, or get a couple of players 'off the DL' or any number of other factors. But for the vast majority of high school athletes, who will never wear a uniform again, that last game, and that last loss, hits them like a lead balloon, especially about two days later when they realize they don't have to suit it up again....

Edited May 10, 2006 by davidlimbaugh

[grandslam]

In a time when the TSSAA is doing everything they can to take games away from schools, there is no way that they will do anything that would make sense and add some to the schedule.

YOU ARE A STUD. HEY MAN!! GREAT PLAN!!

[davidlimbaugh]

It is definitely the time of year to discuss the Limbaugh plan. Though I have never personally met David (and consider that a loss), I fully back his plan for playoff baseball in the state of Tennessee.

 

It goes as follows (corrections allowed - I'm going on what I think I remember):

 

Regional Tournament would be a four-team, double elimination tournament lasting from Monday through Wednesday. Winner advances to sub-state.

 

For example:

 

Game 1 - (D14 #1) vs. (D13 #2)

Game 2 - (D13 #1) vs. (D14 #2)

Game 3 - Loser 1 vs. Loser 2 (loser eliminated)

Game 4 - Winner 1 vs. Winner 2

Game 5 - Loser 4 vs. Winner 3 (loser eliminated)

Game 6 - Championship

Game 7 - If Necessary

 

Sub-state (or sectional) would be between the two regional winners, but would be a best-of-three series, instead of a one game chance. This would probably be best played on Saturday and Sunday the same week as the regional.

 

This keeps a team with a stud pitcher from walking through region and sub-state. Let the best "team" win!

 

one correction - there is no 'substate' - the regional winner goes to Spring Fling

[grandslam]

Thanks for the plug!!!

 

The Limbaugh Plan has been proposed for several years now...

 

The current system lets any team that has a dominant #1, once they get out of the district, get to the state tournament - where they then need a lot more than just a #1....

 

Lets take a look at AAA Regions 3 and 4:

 

There are 8 teams left for 2 Spring Fling Spots:

 

Walker Valley

Bradley Central

Red Bank

Ooltewah

Shelbyville

Columbia

Riverdale

Blackman

 

If two teams with a dominant #1 meet each other next Monday, one of those teams is going to be one-and-done... the other just has to win Friday, losing Wednesday just means ya spend gas money instead of taking in hot dog money Friday.

 

But the 'Limbaugh plan' helps to ensure the two best TEAMS get to the 'Boro...

 

To the person that proposes doing away with the district tournament, I strongly disagree. A senior in high school needs to have his (or her in softball or other sports) career come to an end on the field, with a chance to fight to live another day.

 

A team can get hot late, or get a couple of players 'off the DL' or any number of other factors. But for the vast majority of high school athletes, who will never wear a uniform again, that last game, and that last loss, hits them like a lead balloon, especially about two days later when they realize they don't have to suit it up again....

The plug was for Stud Cantrell- I like his plan the best.

[StudCantrell]

That's exactly what I am talking about Mr. Limbaugh. My plan, puts more importance on the regular season. The game in March is just as important as the game in late April. It was decided on the field. You finish in the top three, you are in the region.

 

Imagine if each MLB division having a tournament to decide who goes to the playoffs. The regular season wouldn't mean that much. That is the way our current system with the TSSAA is. That is why MLB has each division winner and a wild-card qualifying for the playoffs. The team that finished one game out of the playoffs would look back to the game they should have won in April. It doesn't matter whether it is the regular season or after they're eliminated from the tournament, it hits you like a ton of bricks either way when you, as a player, realize that you'll never suit up again.

 

I like your plan, it has a lot of good ideas. I like mine too. That what makes America the great country that it is.

[rcpatriot]

I agree with the plan that makes it the most important for you to win as many of your district games as possible during the regular season. Too many coaches not putting enough emphasis on winning every district game possible because the reward isn't anything more than a "seed" in district tourn. play. In a 6 team district, the top four in the district should be the only ones playing. "Play-in" games are ridiculous. Take the "play-in" games away and you'll see a little more meaning in the regular season district games, not only how they are played, but how they are scheduled as well.

Edited May 10, 2006 by rcpatriot

[grandslam]

The plug was for Stud Cantrell- I like his plan the best.

Stud Cantrell we need to meet on Tuckers Gap to discuss the plan.

[LCborn]

That's exactly what I am talking about Mr. Limbaugh. My plan, puts more importance on the regular season. The game in March is just as important as the game in late April. It was decided on the field. You finish in the top three, you are in the region.

 

Imagine if each MLB division having a tournament to decide who goes to the playoffs. The regular season wouldn't mean that much. That is the way our current system with the TSSAA is. That is why MLB has each division winner and a wild-card qualifying for the playoffs. The team that finished one game out of the playoffs would look back to the game they should have won in April. It doesn't matter whether it is the regular season or after they're eliminated from the tournament, it hits you like a ton of bricks either way when you, as a player, realize that you'll never suit up again.

 

I like your plan, it has a lot of good ideas. I like mine too. That what makes America the great country that it is.

 

I'm not sure that the MLB system of Division-League-World Series is all that different from the current high school system of District-Region-State. High schools just have more "divisions." MLB used to send the two best regular-season teams to the World Series. Now they have a tournament to see who gets to go. They use regular-season records to seed the tournament. When you say, "Imagine if each MLB division having a tournament to decide who goes to the playoffs," if you substitute "league" for "division," that's what you've got.

 

The thing I don't like about just taking the regular-season standings is that it doesn't allow for teams to develop. Some teams get better during a season, some don't, and some get worse. That's particularly true for young teams. The district tournament system can reward a team that improves over a season. Relying on the regular season standings does not.

 

Look at 4AAA right now. Bearden is the only team that's clinched a region berth. If there wasn't a district tourney, they would be done playing. Right now, the #1 and #2 regular-season teams in that district are in the #3 and #4 spots in the tournament bracket.

 

I like the ideas for changing the region, though. I'd prefer a double-elimination format to the current one.

[bizazz]

Good points by all.

 

I also like the idea of making the substate a best 2 of 3. It would be analogous to the super-regionals played by colleges.

 

One of the problems I've always had re: region berths is the disparity in districts. Districts like 7AAA and 4AAA have been brutal in the past.

 

OTOH I don't know if it's changed but the West Tennessee district that housed Jackson Central-Merry used to only have 4 teams. It's a lot tougher to fight it out with 7 other teams to make a region vs. 3.