Did the TSSAA do the right thing in disqualify Riverdale and Smyrna from

[attila]

In my humble opinion( and that is what it is) the tournament is the issue. In NO way should any team be able to lose 3 games but be able to make the State tournament!!!! Last year a girls team made the State with 3 losses then lost a game in the State for their 4th tourney loss. Should never be allowed. If you lose you should be OUT.

If you think about it, if each tourney game was an elimination game, the interest level rises with the importance of each game, therefore they probably make more money in the long run. Also, to those who say you have to give chances to districts who have 2 strong teams, example Jackson County vs Clay a few years ago, they played 5 times, Jackson won decisevly in 4 games and was clearly the better team. But one niight Clay plays the game of their life and beats them in the so called State Championship and they are crowned Champs. The tourney needs to be changed!!!!

[ksgovols]

Ethics is not rhetoric unless your conscience needs it to be.

 

Now if you want to set that discussion aside, then we can talk about a dream tournament structure "for dummies", as you say. However, no structure will stop cheating is some form or another. Don't get me wrong, I am not defending the current structure. I would like to hear your plan.

It's really easy.  Single elimination.  Lose and go home.  Survive and advance.  It's the ideal premise that March Madness was founded upon.

 

One might argue that if you have a bad night you might get beat even though you have the best team in the tournament.  Yeah.  So.  Basketball fans like Cinderella stories.  Another argument is those that finish 3rd and 4th place in the district tourney can't be in the tournament.  They shouldn't be anyway.  It's a process of elimination.  You have the regular season to determine your district tournament seeding and then you have to win to continue play.  If you lose, you're out.  Look.  Everybody in the state is in the first round.  Why should losing games in the post season allow you another chance?

 

Why do you guys lock your doors on your house and vehicles?  Our moral code should dictate that everyone from their developmental years on up knows right from wrong.  Just do whats right and depend upon others to do the same.

Edited February 25, 2015 by ksgovols

[Hubbard]

It's really easy.  Single elimination.  Lose and go home.  Survive and advance.  It's the ideal premise that March Madness was founded upon.

 

One might argue that if you have a bad night you might get beat even though you have the best team in the tournament.  Yeah.  So.  Basketball fans like Cinderella stories.  Another argument is those that finish 3rd and 4th place in the district tourney can't be in the tournament.  They shouldn't be anyway.  It's a process of elimination.  You have the regular season to determine your district tournament seeding and then you have to win to continue play.  If you lose, you're out.  Look.  Everybody in the state is in the first round.  Why should losing games in the post season allow you another chance?

 

So no real revelation here as far as the ultimate format.

 

What do you suggest as far as the number of teams in the District, Region, State levels?

[Indian]

No reason to change format.

[Antwan]

It was changed before. Everyone wanted it changed back to current format. I think it funny all of these national media idiots are weighing in on this.

[ksgovols]

The folks that have been collecting gold balls would always suggest that the current format is fine and dandy.  'We've always done it this way!' is their mantra.  It protects the strongest programs from allowing upsets to interrupt their string of visits to the state tournament.  Single elimination gives every team in the state an equal chance without having to prove that David can beat Goliath 2 out of 3.  Hoosiers never happens without a single elimination format.  What goes away is the chest thumping that my district has had 2 teams in the state championship tournament 10 times or 20 times or whatever.  Who cares.  The ones that are protecting that are on the BoD of TSSAA.

 

District to championship game.  Every team in every district is in the tournament.  Top 2 advance.  They don't even have to play each other.  Now you're at 32 teams.

 

 8 Regions with 4 teams each, single elimination.  Regions champions advance to state.  Each region is represented.  Draw these matchups out of a hat.

 

Go to state with same blind draw that they've always used, 8 team single elimination tournament.  Win state undefeated.

 

Assuming 8 team districts, 2 games in districts to final pair, 2 games in regions to championship, 3 games in state to championship.  A 7 game run that gives David at least a fighting chance against Goliath. 

Edited February 25, 2015 by ksgovols

[wingman10]

cheating is cheating

[Hubbard]

The folks that have been collecting gold balls would always suggest that the current format is fine and dandy.  'We've always done it this way!' is their mantra.  It protects the strongest programs from allowing upsets to interrupt their string of visits to the state tournament.  Single elimination gives every team in the state an equal chance without having to prove that David can beat Goliath 2 out of 3.  Hoosiers never happens without a single elimination format.

 

District to championship game.  Top 2 advance.  They don't even have to play each other.  Now you're at 32 teams.

 

Regions are 4 teams single elimination.  Regions champions advance to state.  Each region is represented.  Draw these matchups out of a hat.

 

Go to state with same blind draw that they've always used.  Win state.

 

So, what you are looking for is many one-game tournaments.

 

One could argue that creating a Cinderella eliminates a better team.

[ksgovols]

It was changed before. Everyone wanted it changed back to current format. I think it funny all of these national media idiots are weighing in on this.

It's changed because of the power brokers in the state that don't want their apple carts upended.  ANY out of state consultant that came in and gave an unbiased opinion would suggest a single elimination, winner takes all format as the most exciting and best way to go.  TSSAA can promote more games is more $$$ and gives the big programs a better chance at staying on top.

Edited February 25, 2015 by ksgovols

[ksgovols]

So, what you are looking for is many one-game tournaments.

 

One could argue that creating a Cinderella eliminates a better team.

Yeah.  Like when Butler goes to the Final 4.  That's more attractive to me that watching the same 4 as last year.  Just like the exact same way that the TSSAA runs football and soccer state tournaments.  Why are we rewarding teams that lose a game or games in the postseason?  If we're doing that, go to an MLB or NBA style best of 5 series with the best 2 teams in the district and let everybody else get on with their lives.

 

There's plenty of other things different in basketball in TN that I don't like.  Why aren't the boys and girls state run at the same time.  Every other sport in the state has girls playing the same time as the boys.  Softball/baseball, soccer/football, golf, tennis, track and field.  Why is basketball different?

 

I'm cynical that every single high school sport in the state is set up to make the most money for the governing body rather than provide every athlete in every sport an equal opportunity to show case their talents.

 

Football lasts from the second to last week in August to the first week in December.  What?  14 or 15 weeks?

 

Baseball lasts from the second week in March until maybe the last week of May.  11 or 12 weeks?

 

Basketball lasts from the second week of November until the 2nd week of March.  17 or 18 weeks?  They play around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

Come on.  There's a better way to do this.

Edited February 25, 2015 by ksgovols

[Hubbard]

Yeah.  Like when Butler goes to the Final 4.  That's more attractive to me that watching the same 4 as last year.

 

So you are looking for entertainment and not sports.

 

People watch for different reasons I suppose.

[GridironGuru]

I agree with the TSSAA's decision to suspend the teams and coaches, but I can't help but to point out the hypocrisy that the TSSAA continues to display.  

 

They said it was a 'mockery' of the game and I agree, but how do the same people who call it a mockery continue to make a mockery out of high school sports by only taking care of the state's football programs?  

 

Football is evaluated every few years and they re-classify, re-district, etc. but nothing is ever done about the other sports.  If it's fair to re-district football because of the size of schools, then how it is not fair to treat all sports the same?  

 

Schools competing with other schools with twice the enrollment is unfair whether the sport is football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, etc.  The TSSAA continues to show their favoritism and hypocrisy and shame on them for it.