new playoff system??? feedback please

[CoachF]

I am from a 5-5 school. I am disappointed though not whining. A problem I saw from the start concerned scheduling non-district opponents. We play in 3A with half of our district opponents being 4A teams. Two of our non district opponents were 5A teams. We were beat out by one team that would not play us in 3A and we were beaten out by other teams that had wins against 1A and 2A schoools. I just don't feel like this system makes sense. I too don't like having teams in the playoffs that have woefully inadequate records.

 

I would like to see Four classifications for all sports. I would like to at least see what that would look like. Good luck to everyone that did make the playoffs!

[WiseOldManGiles]

While I whole heartily agree that there was no reasonable excuse for the mix-up Saturday morning with the brackets, I feel everyone has to wait until after the play-offs to pass judgment. There is no way to Analise the system until the system runs its course. When all is said and done with the play-offs, review each match-up. Determine if #1 seeds were accurate. Go down the line all the way to the number 8 slots and see how they faired. Hard to tell is a painting is a masterpiece or wallpaper until its finished.

 

I felt all along that the roar of disapproval would come from class 1, 3, & 5. During the regular season it stands to reason that they would suffer losses to the higher class teams in their districts. For years the scuttlebutt has been team ____________ finishes the regular season undefeated or 9 & 1 and then becomes a one and done in post season because they failed to play a tough regular season schedule. In a few weeks it will be great to look at the results of 1,3, & 5 to see if those 3 & 4 loss teams progress far into the play-offs. If this scenario plays out that they do have success, then maybe the new system is better.

 

If anyone thinks there is a format out there that will make everyone happy then that person need to be awarded the Nobel Optimistic Prize! And no, I do not work for the tssaa or even know where it is located, lol.

 

[33balfan]

The answer to me is clear. Take the districts as they are now. Have three classes, do not split to six, top four make the playoffs. Top four in each district or region whatever you which to call it, then play companion district. District one plays two etc. This can be done without any major re-alignment, two year contracts would still be in place. Schools would play same teams in all major sports, thus rivalries would be in place. Tennessee needs three state champs not six, quit watering it down and over complicating things. This worked for years in Tennessee and should never have been changed.

One major problem is with 16 districts if you take the top 4, you end up with 64 teams in the 1st round of the playoffs: you just made it 6 rounds to the state championship.

This is true you have added one more week. I personally have no problem with taking only top two teams, that is the system I played under. However, you probably would get major complaining from coaches on the numbers. Also when consider you are only using 3 classes you have actually reduced the number of teams making the playoffs considerably, you could end the bye weeks and keep the same time schedule you have now. However, like I said top two would be fine with me. Seems to me to be a much more sane system if you use top two or four. Less travel in the early rounds and much easier to understand. Just appears to be a simple and reasonable fix to the mess they have created.

[jangel]

I humbly disagree. This system is total chaos and the only way to change that is to continue voicing displeasure. As long as this system is in place, it will be open to interpretation by those setting the brackets as well as manipulation by the coaches as they create their schedules.

 

Most of the chaos is because the TSSAA was poorly prepared to set the brackets under their own system. I have no problem with people "voicing displeasure" about that. The TSSAA has admitted their own failure there already, as I said. I do have a problem with so many people "voicing displeasure" with the system for things such as bad draws and playoff team records, when those would be a problem under any system.

 

In his post game comments last night concerning the black jerseys, Lane Kiffin said that the game was about the players and they wanted to wear the black jerseys. The same can be said about this situation. High school football is about the players, and this system is not fair to them. Unfortunately, those in power saw the dollar signs associated with a sixth state championship and forgot what high school athletics are about.

 

How is this system not fair to them? More kids will get to celebrate making the playoffs this year. More kids will get to win a playoff game this year. More kids will get to win a championship this year. To me, that seems like a gain for the kids over previous systems. Though, I fully agree that bubble teams should be given definitive guidelines on what they need to make the playoffs, so that the situation that occurred with Clay county never happens again.

 

If they were truly interested in lessening travel, many simpler, better solutions were available. The previous system had worked smoothly for a generation. There was no reason for change. If travel was a solution, keep the same system but play with 4 classifications instead of 5. That would cut travel while keeping the process clear. I sincerely hope the Board of Control eliminates this mess and reverts to the previous system because IT WORKED.

 

Travel was given as the primary reason for the change, but I still believe that changes are being made for change's sake. Mostly because complaints about the playoff system have been endless, and alway will be. I still believe this system is much more fair than the old one, because of the inclusion of wild cards. Just because the old system was familiar and "worked" does not mean it was better overall.

 

Apparently you must be employed by the TSSAA cause this was perhaps the biggest blunder that the good ole boys have created in a while. There are too many issues with the current system to even start, so I'll just leave it at that. Hopefully, they will see the errors of their ways and do something to correct it asap.

 

Apparently you didn't understand my post very well. I never said the system was good, or defended the TSSAA for the debacle of Saturday morning. There is much improvement to be had, especially with the "selection" process. I have no affiliation with the TSSAA other than enjoying the fine sporting events that they administer.

[putboobieincoach]

I humbly disagree. This system is total chaos and the only way to change that is to continue voicing displeasure. As long as this system is in place, it will be open to interpretation by those setting the brackets as well as manipulation by the coaches as they create their schedules.

 

Most of the chaos is because the TSSAA was poorly prepared to set the brackets under their own system. I have no problem with people "voicing displeasure" about that. The TSSAA has admitted their own failure there already, as I said. I do have a problem with so many people "voicing displeasure" with the system for things such as bad draws and playoff team records, when those would be a problem under any system.

 

In his post game comments last night concerning the black jerseys, Lane Kiffin said that the game was about the players and they wanted to wear the black jerseys. The same can be said about this situation. High school football is about the players, and this system is not fair to them. Unfortunately, those in power saw the dollar signs associated with a sixth state championship and forgot what high school athletics are about.

 

How is this system not fair to them? More kids will get to celebrate making the playoffs this year. More kids will get to win a playoff game this year. More kids will get to win a championship this year. To me, that seems like a gain for the kids over previous systems. Though, I fully agree that bubble teams should be given definitive guidelines on what they need to make the playoffs, so that the situation that occurred with Clay county never happens again.

 

If they were truly interested in lessening travel, many simpler, better solutions were available. The previous system had worked smoothly for a generation. There was no reason for change. If travel was a solution, keep the same system but play with 4 classifications instead of 5. That would cut travel while keeping the process clear. I sincerely hope the Board of Control eliminates this mess and reverts to the previous system because IT WORKED.

 

Travel was given as the primary reason for the change, but I still believe that changes are being made for change's sake. Mostly because complaints about the playoff system have been endless, and alway will be. I still believe this system is much more fair than the old one, because of the inclusion of wild cards. Just because the old system was familiar and "worked" does not mean it was better overall.

 

Apparently you must be employed by the TSSAA cause this was perhaps the biggest blunder that the good ole boys have created in a while. There are too many issues with the current system to even start, so I'll just leave it at that. Hopefully, they will see the errors of their ways and do something to correct it asap.

 

Apparently you didn't understand my post very well. I never said the system was good, or defended the TSSAA for the debacle of Saturday morning. There is much improvement to be had, especially with the "selection" process. I have no affiliation with the TSSAA other than enjoying the fine sporting events that they administer.

If it aint broke, dont fix it!!! the old one wasnt broke, but they fixed it(or thats what they thought they were doing). this new system is broke, so someone better fix it before next year.

[playtowin]

What really hurts is at the first of the season the kids were told to win there district and win the games against the team in your division. The more of these games you win the better seeding you will get. We thought we did that and when it came down, the people making the decision just looked at the records of these teams and seeded them. They didn't care who played who and how hard one district was compared to another district. They wanted to make a big deal about this, "this is going to be great" and it could have been, but the TSSAA showed how lazy they are. They had no idea what it takes to pull something like this off. If I could meet with the Tssaa I would like to ask them how in the world do you come up with Gibbs being a 7th seed and a team they beat a 3rd seed , with that 3rd seed (Claiborne)getting run over by Greenville the night before the seedings were released. The Tssaa not doing there homework on teams and being lazy is why this system is a joke. Someone needs to be accountable for what has happen. If tenn. high school football is going to take the next step forward and improve the quality of football in TN. Then there needs to be changes in the TSSAA administration. I know this is extreme, but I and I hpoe you can not tolerate someone being lazy.

[ksgovols]

I'm not ready to scrap the Z plan. The biggest mistake TSSAA did was let the information out before it was finalized. The old system had flaws too. Who wants to play the same old tired teams from the region next door year after year after year?

 

The Z Plan needs tweaking, not scrapping. I do think some sort of power ranking whether it be Massey or C a l P r e p s would be a better seeding system than overall wins. Teams are going to load up on weak non district games just to get in and get as high a seed as possible. Once you get beyond how to seed, then it's easy. Take all the 1st place finishers in a classification and seed them. Take all the second place finishers and seed them. Then seed the wild cards. The geography needs to be a little flexible to avoid rematches WHERE YOU CAN. If you have 4 teams from the same district in the playoffs and they are in the same quadrant, guess what? You're not going to avoid a rematch in the second round. I'd move a couple to the next closest quadrant and move on.

 

You're not going to please everybody. Nobody wants to play Alcoa in the 1st or 2nd round, but certainly the same teams don't want that proposition year after year after year. I like the fact that you don't know who you're going to play until after the selection process as a fan. I understand that coaches would like to have as much control as possible, but dang I hate playing the same old teams in region every year in every sport.

 

The biggest problem was that TSSAA didn't put enough forethought into the Z Plan to see the loopholes that coaches would jump through or corners that TSSAA would paint themselves into. The pros are different matchups from the previous year, a little excitement about playing someone from a little further away perhaps and to give the teams that might have to play a powerhouse a chance to go a little further.

 

You do have to think through worst case scenarios a little more than it appears the TSSAA did, but I hate 'this is the way we've always done it' as the standby.

[putboobieincoach]

I'm not ready to scrap the Z plan. The biggest mistake TSSAA did was let the information out before it was finalized. The old system had flaws too. Who wants to play the same old tired teams from the region next door year after year after year?

 

The Z Plan needs tweaking, not scrapping. I do think some sort of power ranking whether it be Massey or C a l P r e p s would be a better seeding system than overall wins. Teams are going to load up on weak non district games just to get in and get as high a seed as possible. Once you get beyond how to seed, then it's easy. Take all the 1st place finishers in a classification and seed them. Take all the second place finishers and seed them. Then seed the wild cards. The geography needs to be a little flexible to avoid rematches WHERE YOU CAN. If you have 4 teams from the same district in the playoffs and they are in the same quadrant, guess what? You're not going to avoid a rematch in the second round. I'd move a couple to the next closest quadrant and move on.

 

You're not going to please everybody. Nobody wants to play Alcoa in the 1st or 2nd round, but certainly the same teams don't want that proposition year after year after year. I like the fact that you don't know who you're going to play until after the selection process as a fan. I understand that coaches would like to have as much control as possible, but dang I hate playing the same old teams in region every year in every sport.

 

The biggest problem was that TSSAA didn't put enough forethought into the Z Plan to see the loopholes that coaches would jump through or corners that TSSAA would paint themselves into. The pros are different matchups from the previous year, a little excitement about playing someone from a little further away perhaps and to give the teams that might have to play a powerhouse a chance to go a little further.

 

You do have to think through worst case scenarios a little more than it appears the TSSAA did, but I hate 'this is the way we've always done it' as the standby.

i also like the excitement that it brings to not know who you will be playing in the playoffs. it is boring seeing the same teams play each other in the first and second round of the playoffs every year. Tssaa just needs to fix a couple of things and maybe this can work better next year...

[ksgovols]

Think about it. As a high school football fan that might not be associated with any specific team, why would I bother to go to a 1st round playoff game that's got BarelyMadeItIn High playine PerennialPowerhouse High that's beaten the pants off us 3 of the last 4 years in the playoffs? What's my incentive to buy a freakin' ticket to a second round Fairview vs Hickman County that I saw in week 4? As a fan, I'm not interested in paying $6 for a ticket until the third round UNLESS the matchup is intriguing. The intrigue comes from one of two ways:

 

1. Two teams that have never faced each other before or very rarely have.

 

2. I think my wildcard team from district X is better than your top 2 finisher from distict Y.

 

Region 3 playing Region 4 has very little in the way of intrigue or anything else to pique the high school sports fan's interest. That's why we're playing Hall of Fame games in basketball as a TSSAA fundraiser. The dang playoffs have gotten stale and uninspiring.

 

I started getting text messages at 7:30 Saturday morning about the playoff brackets. Who wasn't on the edge of their seat awaiting to see where they were going? The biggest mistake was having a 7:00 A.M. bracket show that hadn't been thought out and letting coaches start swapping film before it was time. Everything else was Class A exciting and that hasn't been the case.............ever probably.

[DelTavian]

Simple solution..... Give every team a gold ball and charge them let's say.....$1000 for it payable to the TSSAA. This only looks like a money deal anymore. I don't know how anyone is proud of it.

 

To think that you're the champion of 50 something teams doesn't say much to me. It's even funnier to me for the private schools that are the champions of what...20 or so teams? I'm sure all those teams from the 3 classification days walk a little taller every time this mess gets watered down more.

 

No team with a losing record should make the playoffs or the rule about a team must be at least 5-5 to play a bowl game must go. That rule in and of itself makes the TSSAA look terrible. "We'll take 1-9 White County in the playoffs but 4-6 Whitwell is not allowed to go to a bowl game. Because after all we don't get the gate money from the bowl games. We don't want those teams and communities or even a charity to get that gate money when we could be making it."

 

Yeah, that's ethical. That's "Doing What's Right."

"Truely a sight." - the late Duper Ladd.

 

Go back to 3 classes, eliminate losing records from the playoffs or let anyone go to a bowl game and let communities go back to hosting lots of bowl games and do something right for the kids and communities.

 

DL.

[ksgovols]

I don't disagree about 3 classifications. It's just a different argument.

 

If we had 3 classifications and played the neighboring region every dang year, it would still be stale and boring. The move to 6 classifications might have been partly to generate interest for 'close but no cigar' teams, but it was also just to generate interest period. In my opinion, when you could make out a bracket after week 6 in a lot of cases and it didn't change a whole lot from one year to the next is where high school football fans got the shaft.

 

The same is true for basketball and baseball which have post season woes as well.

[bobcatfan300]

I like they system except no team with a losing record should go before a team with a winning record...as long as the schedules are looked at. Someone with a weak schedule shouldn't go before someone with a tough schedule. It is a joke that a horrible team like White Co. should make it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It a 4-6 team which lost to some top ten teams are in, OK...but no teams which just are awful and there are some in here again this year.