Seeding Teams for the Playoffs would be much Fairer

[CHS 2007]

Let me put in my two cents on this, since I've lived this experience....

 

I'm from Michigan, where High School football is a commodity every Friday, and fan support that rivals Texas. There is nothing more devoting to your team than spelling "Pioneers" on your bare chest in 30 degree weather.

 

Here's the point, Michigan (as well as many other states up North) do not use the region system that we use in Tennessee. They use leagues, which contain a mixture of teams from all Different Classifications. Not all the teams play each other, which means that it is uncertain who the best team in the league truly is. The season goes through fine and dandy, but when the season's over and playoff time begins, the state is immersed in controversy that rivals the President eating a puppy during his state of the union.

 

The playoff seeds are determined by polls, which as everyone knows can be completely biased. The only guarantee spot in the playoffs is the League Champion and often times the other teams that held their own get left out. And to make things better, the bracket is not divided into regions, but is a statewide bracket. Take last st year for instance. By hometown team the Dearborn, Mi Pioneers finished the season undefeated. Their league rivals, Allen Park, also finished undefeated. We were alot better team than Allen Park but we didn't play them so we couldn't tell. When the polls came out, Allen Park got the #1 seed and we were stuck with the 8 seed. (Which would be considered middle of the pack) So instead of having home field advantage, we were forced to travel accross the state to Rockford, the defending and eventual state Champs. We lost that game 10-7 in overtime, while Allen Park waltzed through their first round matchups and into the state finals, where they eventually lost 35-0. The polls screwed us (and many other teams) over.

 

The point is the way Tennessee handles the playoffs is alot better than seeding. Every team in a region is evenly matched and every team plays each other, ensuring that truly the best teams in the region will finish at the top. After the Region Matchups, It's a free for all, but this way, it ensures that the best teams will be going farther than the weaker teams. This way is fair and ensures a lot les grumbling.

[catback]

All good points, but, it all comes down to money.

 

Not all schools can afford to pay for travel expenses for that many games, that far away. Also, the gate, fans are not as likely to travel that amount of distance for that many playoff games. Having the first 3 playoff games in the same area, most fans will travel a small distance to see their team play, thus a bigger gate, and more money. Most small schools, rely on the booster club or other outside agencies to help with travel expenses, multiple games would just be too taxing on them, to cover that much expense. Money, thats what its about!

[montana]

I agree that the money issue is a concern. However, I would think that it's generally unlikely for a team to have more than 2 away playoff games (unless your livingston academy last year). So, would money really be that big of an issue ???

[catback]

Hows that, You would need 5 games to determine a champion, a lower seed would have more than 2 travel games, if they were to win their first two games.

[montana]

Hows that, You would need 5 games to determine a champion, a lower seed would have more than 2 travel games, if they were to win their first two games.

 

Well generally it will be unlikely for a #4 to reach the finals, with the exception I stated of Livingston Academy. Most often a #4 is 1 away game and out.

 

A game between a #2 & #3 are usually fairly even, so if #3 wins they go on the road to likely a #1 and will usually lose, thus they would have had 2 away games. If #2 wins they go on the road and lets say beat a #1 then their in the quarters with having played 1 away game.

 

After that it's luck of the draw for home games in the quarters and semis and then obviously who ever is in the finals will have to travel to the middstate. So, I generally give 1 & 2's the chance of being in the finals (even though this is not always the case). If it's a #1 worst case they have 3 aways, best case they have 1. If its a #2 worst case they have 4 away, best case 2 away (unless a #4 beats a #1 then it would be 1 away).

 

Thus, when everything shakes out with the law of averages I think more than 2 away games would be unusual and if it did happen I would assume the team would be getting some compensation for being in the finals.