TSSAA Criticism Misplaced

[Charlie Murphy]

This mistake came about from the 2nd tiebreaker, number of quality opponents. What system should be used that would avoid having to use tiebreakers such as victories and quality opponents?

[CheckerboardEndzone]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Any system that is so complex that it requires a meeting and a seeding/tie-breaker process that no one can predict or understand until it's laid out after the season ends...is too complicated.

 

Several instances of teams with same or similar records and head to head losers making the playoffs while the winners stay home. In the "old" system (and the system used by most reasonable states) the top four finishers (with appropriate tie-breakers) get in...period. Everybody knows where they stand and what they have to do to make the playoffs. Even the system they patterned this after (Virginia) abandoned it already.

 

Having said that, even Coach Crawford said Cleveland would benefit more from the 6 class system, but still offered that the selection and seeding process could/should be simplified so teams know what they have to do at all times to make it into the playoffs.

 

I think that's reasonable and not too much to ask.

[GWAVE1]

Checkerboard, I agree.

[alt1958]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Any system that is so complex that it requires a meeting and a seeding/tie-breaker process that no one can predict or understand until it's laid out after the season ends...is too complicated.

 

Several instances of teams with same or similar records and head to head losers making the playoffs while the winners stay home. In the "old" system (and the system used by most reasonable states) the top four finishers (with appropriate tie-breakers) get in...period. Everybody knows where they stand and what they have to do to make the playoffs. Even the system they patterned this after (Virginia) abandoned it already.

 

Having said that, even Coach Crawford said Cleveland would benefit more from the 6 class system, but still offered that the selection and seeding process could/should be simplified so teams know what they have to do at all times to make it into the playoffs.

 

I think that's reasonable and not too much to ask.

 

Top 4 teams; two in each class. That nails it the way it should be done. I totally agree. ^5

[JDL]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Any system that is so complex that it requires a meeting and a seeding/tie-breaker process that no one can predict or understand until it's laid out after the season ends...is too complicated.

 

Several instances of teams with same or similar records and head to head losers making the playoffs while the winners stay home. In the "old" system (and the system used by most reasonable states) the top four finishers (with appropriate tie-breakers) get in...period. Everybody knows where they stand and what they have to do to make the playoffs. Even the system they patterned this after (Virginia) abandoned it already.

 

Having said that, even Coach Crawford said Cleveland would benefit more from the 6 class system, but still offered that the selection and seeding process could/should be simplified so teams know what they have to do at all times to make it into the playoffs.

 

I think that's reasonable and not too much to ask.

 

Easy Solution.....Win more games than you lose and you will make the playoffs in almost any system in high school football.

[King-of-Sport]

TSSAA has a poorly designed playoff system that will continue to generate confusion, mistakes, and frustration. But the worst part was how they treated the victim, Sullivan South. They took "the easy way out" instead of doing the right thing (redoing brackets IMMEDIATELY) and not let it drag on trying to minimize the (bad) publicity. I have told TSSAA and I will say it again, if this same situation happened in indusry, the manager in charge would be strongly reprimanded. To me this not only shows POOR judgement but lowers their credibility in the public's eye.

[Cactus Jack]

I was hoping they would vote to go back to the 5 Classification System they had up until 2008, I think it was more consistent and you knew who you were going to play (for the most part) once the scores were in on Friday nights, 1 vs 4, 2 vs 3. 1 and 2 had the home games. I don't have a vote Board of Control, but if I did, lets go back to 5.

[hootowlhollow]

Easy Solution.....Win more games than you lose and you will make the playoffs in almost any system in high school football.

Thats not an easy solution! Larger teams will be looking for the soft out of district games to ensure the have a winning record. On the other hand, smaller teams will not want to play up for fear of getting that loosing record. The only way I see is to have 11 team districts.

[notredame66]

 

Thats not an easy solution! Larger teams will be looking for the soft out of district games to ensure the have a winning record. On the other hand, smaller teams will not want to play up for fear of getting that loosing record. The only way I see is to have 11 team districts.

Correct- if I'm a coach of 6a that is not loaded and deep down knows no way in heck does my team make a long playoff run I schedule sisters of poor high school and Cupcake high school to get the wins to make the playoffs and for job security!!!!

 

No saying that I applaud some teams that go out a play a tough schedule

[HTV]

Thats not an easy solution! Larger teams will be looking for the soft out of district games to ensure the have a winning record. On the other hand, smaller teams will not want to play up for fear of getting that loosing record. The only way I see is to have 11 team districts.

 

Yep. As long as all 10 games count, and not just district games, the system is going to force teams to look for "wins" in non-district games, instead of playing good teams in non-district games.

 

Playoff berths should not be decided by games played with teams of different playoff classifications. That just doesn't make good sense.

[CarolinaCrazy]

What was wrong with putting the same size schools in the same districts and the top 4 make it and #1 and #2 host. Isnt that the way it was years ago? In our district we have 5A and 6A teams in the same district. 3AAA that is. I mean Ac has to play OR, CC, HVA, Karns, Clinton and Halls, all of which are bigger schools. Leaving them Powell, and Central in their division(5A). Right? Or am I missing something. This just doesnt seem fair to me. If were going to mix districts, lets do it like OHIO, they have all kinds of teams in the district but you get points for beating an 1Ateam, 2AA, team, 3A, etc... There are teams in Ohio that go 9-1 and miss the playoffs because they played a bunch of cupcakes. Im sure they have problems too, but our system seems to be broke.

[osunut2]

What was wrong with putting the same size schools in the same districts and the top 4 make it and #1 and #2 host. Isnt that the way it was years ago? In our district we have 5A and 6A teams in the same district. 3AAA that is. I mean Ac has to play OR, CC, HVA, Karns, Clinton and Halls, all of which are bigger schools. Leaving them Powell, and Central in their division(5A). Right? Or am I missing something. This just doesnt seem fair to me. If were going to mix districts, lets do it like OHIO, they have all kinds of teams in the district but you get points for beating an 1Ateam, 2AA, team, 3A, etc... There are teams in Ohio that go 9-1 and miss the playoffs because they played a bunch of cupcakes. Im sure they have problems too, but our system seems to be broke.

Actually Powell is the only 6A team left now. The rest are all 5A (Hardin Valley moved to 4-AAA, Gibbs replaced them). Before the change, OR, HVA, and Karns were the only 6A teams.

 

Ohio uses a computer ranking system that I like, but not everyone is a fan of putting a team's fate in the hands of a computer. That being said, you're 100% right, every now and then, a 9-1 team will miss the playoffs, if they played a complete cupcake schedule. Plus, there are no guaranteed spots for conference winners/runners-up. It's all based on who you beat/strength of schedule.