Too Many Classes

[BoardHater71]

In 2009 the TSSAA expanded Division I from five classifications to six.  In 2016 the TSSAA voted to force Private Schools that compete in Division I to face more severe consequences as it relates to which classification that the multiplier forces them to compete in.  This led to a large majority of the private schools in the state of Tennessee to leave Division I and choose to play in Division II.  In order to compensate the larger number of schools in Division II the TSSAA expanded Division II from two classifications to three beginning in the fall of 2017.  The addition of more classes led to more regions and therefore schools being forced to find more non-region games.  In fact a large portion of schools in the state play the majority of the contests against non region foes.  November, and December, for schools statewide has become a "silly season" for high school football coaches.  Instead of maintaining traditional rivalries that go back several decades the coaches are now seeking wins at all cost.  Coaches are scheduling out of state opponents more frequently.  Coaches are scheduling in-state non-TSSAA schools more frequently.  When coaches do call other schools, often times, they are contacting schools that compete in much smaller classifications.  This is commonly referred to as "win chasing" and is damaging tradition and the competitive nature of the game.  The idea that "everyone gets a trophy" when the season is complete is saddening.  

 

Anyone else who has an opinion about this please share your thoughts.  This topic really came to my mind today when I saw that there are still a dozen schools, at least, statewide who are searching for games to play less than a month and a half away from the start of the season. 

[Governm]

Oh brother..... Not this talking point again. Its not the 1950s anymore. There are more schools now and they are building new schools all the time. Thus it only makes sense that there are more classes now. The classes are divided evenly in terms of enrollment. It works.

[FBfan26]

7 hours ago, TheGuvna said:

Oh brother..... Not this talking point again. Its not the 1950s anymore. There are more schools now and they are building new schools all the time. Thus it only makes sense that there are more classes now. The classes are divided evenly in terms of enrollment. It works.

WE are no where near Florida and texas it's ridiculous...but hey this is what the county schools pushed for.

Edited July 6, 2017 by FBfan26

[BarneySox2007]

7 hours ago, TheGuvna said:

Oh brother..... Not this talking point again. Its not the 1950s anymore. There are more schools now and they are building new schools all the time. Thus it only makes sense that there are more classes now. The classes are divided evenly in terms of enrollment. It works.

No it don't. There were just as many schools in 1975 as they are now except a lot have consolidated having kids travel 20-25 miles to school. Bottom line factor that is not taken into consideration is schools that have money will dominate when you break it down into small classes of 50 and 60 teams. There should be some common sense applied to all these stupid money grabbing situations the T$$AA has done to damage the game of high school football over the years. Now teams have to travel 100 miles in order to play these silly rules which help in cutting down the attendance to many of these games. It's very hard for a kid that lives in Six Mile that is 14 years old to find a ride all the way to William Blount to play football as to a kid that plays for Maryville and Alcoa that can almost walk to practice. Those are factors the T$$AA has never sat down and took the time to figure out. There needs to be four classes period and four rounds of playoff games. The first two rounds are a money grab for the TSSAA leaving most schools in a financial hole and most of those games are worthless as titties on a bullfrog. 

[HTV]

Yes.  There are too many classifications in Tennessee.  9 state champions in a state with a population of 6 1/2 million people is way too many.  

For comparison purposes, Georgia has a population of over 10 million people and has one less classification than does Tennessee.  

But we live in an everybody gets a trophy world.  

 

[GWAVE1]

I agree, too many classes.  This has been an issue since the 90's.  

[Governm]

3 hours ago, BarneySox2007 said:

No it don't. There were just as many schools in 1975 as they are now except a lot have consolidated having kids travel 20-25 miles to school. Bottom line factor that is not taken into consideration is schools that have money will dominate when you break it down into small classes of 50 and 60 teams. There should be some common sense applied to all these stupid money grabbing situations the T$$AA has done to damage the game of high school football over the years. Now teams have to travel 100 miles in order to play these silly rules which help in cutting down the attendance to many of these games. It's very hard for a kid that lives in Six Mile that is 14 years old to find a ride all the way to William Blount to play football as to a kid that plays for Maryville and Alcoa that can almost walk to practice. Those are factors the T$$AA has never sat down and took the time to figure out. There needs to be four classes period and four rounds of playoff games. The first two rounds are a money grab for the TSSAA leaving most schools in a financial hole and most of those games are worthless as titties on a bullfrog. 

Barney,

What you are describing is just a reality today and not a result of the football classifications.  People are now willing to pay to go to "winners" instead of staying at their community schools.  I would argue that trend would get worse if we went back to fewer classifications. 

[Governm]

4 hours ago, HTV said:

Yes.  There are too many classifications in Tennessee.  9 state champions in a state with a population of 6 1/2 million people is way too many.  

For comparison purposes, Georgia has a population of over 10 million people and has one less classification than does Tennessee.  

But we live in an everybody gets a trophy world.  

 

Except not everybody gets a trophy. Nice try though. Alabama has roughly 2 million less people than Tennessee and they have 7 classes.

Edited July 6, 2017 by TheGuvna
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[ItsAlwaysSunnyInAtwood]

There should be 5 classes in D-1 and one..MAYBE two classes in D-2. The TSSAA making 3 classes for the 40-something schools at D-2 was the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. 

 

Also thought it was funny how when the publics started forcing the privates out the private schools big slogan was "Everyone gets a trophy".  But now that  they have to play in D-2 where everyone has equal footing they demanded 3 classes... everyone gets a trophy indeed. 

[BarneySox2007]

1 hour ago, TheGuvna said:

Except not everybody gets a trophy. Nice try though.

If there were 325 teams and they gave 324 trophies WB would somehow be the team that wound't get one.

[BoardHater71]

26 minutes ago, BarneySox2007 said:

If there were 325 teams and they gave 324 trophies WB would somehow be the team that wound't get one.

LOL

[Governm]

32 minutes ago, BarneySox2007 said:

If there were 325 teams and they gave 324 trophies WB would somehow be the team that wound't get one.

I guess Maryville has a problem with 6 classes because they have been seriously challenged in 6A. They have actually had competitive games in the playoffs and lost a few championship games. Ya'll are right. It would be better if we went back to the way things were and Maryville was in a region with Clinton, Halls, Powell, and South Doyle.