Region 7-4A 2021 Outlook

[stacmot]

I didn't know my thoughts concerning the Z Plan were going to stir up a hornet's nest.  Pun intended M.O.M...LOL.   If y'all do a little research, you'll find that most coaches, as well as the TSSAA, didn't like the plan once it went into effect.  Here's one link, but there are other articles that would be an interesting read.

https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2014/10/29/hs-football-tssaas-childress-ready-z-plans-exit/18154871/

I definitely prefer to know where I stand and who I'll probably play as the season winds down.  The standard response to that would be, "All you've got to do is win and you won't have anything to worry about."  It's not that simple.  Besides, wouldn't that same statement apply to McNairy in 2018?  I don't know any specific examples, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were several 7-3 teams left out of the playoffs under the Z Plan.

What about Livingston Academy in 2005?  The Wildcats finished 4th in their region with a 5-5 record.  Would they have made the playoffs under the Z Plan?  Probably not,  but under a plan like we have now they won the Class  AAA state championship. (Alcoa was AA then)

What about Stratford in 2018?  They finished third in their region with a 2-8 record.  Would they have made the playoffs under the Z Plan?  Probably not.  Yet, they made it all the way to the Class AAA semifinals where they lost by 6  to a very good Covington team.

What about Haywood in 2018?  Due to a tough schedule and several key injuries, the Tomcats finished 6-4.  But Haywood would have most likely made the Z Plan playoffs since they finished 2nd in their region.  However, most people across the state would have looked at Haywood's 6-4 record and wondered why.  A very healthy Tomcat team breezed through their first four playoff games before falling to an unbelievable Greeneville team in the Class 4A championship game.
 
I don't like seeing teams with an 0-10 record in the playoffs either, and I also felt bad for McNairy, but I think the plan we have now is the best we have for the majority of the top and middle tier teams.  It has structure, it's easy to understand, it's UNBIASED, and it usually works fairly well.  I know it's no consolation to teams like McNairy, but teams that don't belong in the playoffs are generally eliminated by the time we get to the third round anyway.

Haywood was left out of the playoffs when they first started in 1969.  The Tomcats were 10-0, and ranked number 1 in the AP's final regular season poll.  That was definitely not a case of win and you don't have anything to worry about, but the rules were clear and simple.

I'll have to say I agree with Man of Millions about Memphis.  As for me, i wish they would go through with their threat and withdraw from the TSSAA.

 

[ManOfMillions]

8 minutes ago, stacmot said:

I didn't know my thoughts concerning the Z Plan were going to stir up a hornet's nest.  Pun intended M.O.M...LOL.   If y'all do a little research, you'll find that most coaches, as well as the TSSAA, didn't like the plan once it went into effect.  Here's one link, but there are other articles that would be an interesting read.

https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2014/10/29/hs-football-tssaas-childress-ready-z-plans-exit/18154871/

I definitely prefer to know where I stand and who I'll probably play as the season winds down.  The standard response to that would be, "All you've got to do is win and you won't have anything to worry about."  It's not that simple.  Besides, wouldn't that same statement apply to McNairy in 2018?  I don't know any specific examples, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were several 7-3 teams left out of the playoffs under the Z Plan.

What about Livingston Academy in 2005?  The Wildcats finished 4th in their region with a 5-5 record.  Would they have made the playoffs under the Z Plan?  Probably not,  but under a plan like we have now they won the Class  AAA state championship. (Alcoa was AA then)

What about Stratford in 2018?  They finished third in their region with a 2-8 record.  Would they have made the playoffs under the Z Plan?  Probably not.  Yet, they made it all the way to the Class AAA semifinals where they lost by 6  to a very good Covington team.

What about Haywood in 2018?  Due to a tough schedule and several key injuries, the Tomcats finished 6-4.  But Haywood would have most likely made the Z Plan playoffs since they finished 2nd in their region.  However, most people across the state would have looked at Haywood's 6-4 record and wondered why.  A very healthy Tomcat team breezed through their first four playoff games before falling to an unbelievable Greeneville team in the Class 4A championship game.
 
I don't like seeing teams with an 0-10 record in the playoffs either, and I also felt bad for McNairy, but I think the plan we have now is the best we have for the majority of the top and middle tier teams.  It has structure, it's easy to understand, it's UNBIASED, and it usually works fairly well.  I know it's no consolation to teams like McNairy, but teams that don't belong in the playoffs are generally eliminated by the time we get to the third round anyway.

Haywood was left out of the playoffs when they first started in 1969.  The Tomcats were 10-0, and ranked number 1 in the AP's final regular season poll.  That was definitely not a case of win and you don't have anything to worry about, but the rules were clear and simple.

I'll have to say I agree with Man of Millions about Memphis.  As for me, i wish they would go through with their threat and withdraw from the TSSAA.

 

I agree, I wish they would just bounce and be gone. If, they are not going to play by the same rules as everyone in the state than be gone! The only issue with this would be when it comes to round ball season. When that season starts you would have Shelby county screaming for a chance to play the best team in the state. When its football season or pretty much any other season it would not matter. 

Edited February 19, 2021 by ManOfMillions

[TryNotToSuck]

22 hours ago, stacmot said:

 

I'll have to say I agree with Man of Millions about Memphis.  As for me, i wish they would go through with their threat and withdraw from the TSSAA.

 

The TSSAA needs Memphis schools. Look, I know whoever makes the trip to Memphis to play them in a sub-state game, is basically coming back with a loss (I think South Gibson was one of those teams). It's tough for West Tennessee teams to win state because of how good Memphis teams are, but it's honestly a pleasure to see those teams and athletes play. And some of them are playing in the NBA today in Chris Chiozza, Thad Young, and James Wiseman

[TryNotToSuck]

I'm going to tally off what @stacmot is saying, but the TSSAA probably needs to look at what NCAA is doing for men's basketball. Have Quad games. If you play good caliber teams and win, you'll basically get earned with a Quad 1 victory. It's all computer, that's the only problem. But there are basically 4 different quads and each team has a different quad, based on caliber of team that they played. If a team finishes first in region, that team is in automatically. 

Here are two teams and schedules for examples:

Milan: Peabody (1), Manassas (4), SGC (2), Liberty (4), Haywood (1), Huntingdon (1/2), Crockett (3), Obion (4), Hardin (1), North Side (2/3).

Peabody: Milan (1), Westview (3), Lake Co. (1), South Side (3), Greenfield (3), Dyersburg (2), Halls (4), Humboldt (4), Huntingdon (1/2), West Carroll (2).

If Peabody losses to Humboldt, or Milan losses to Liberty, they could potentially be out of the playoffs if they don't win their region. It'll be under a "bad loss." A team will not lose anything for losing to a "quad 1" team, but they'll do a lot of noise if they win against a Quad 1 team and not win region. 

It might be hard to explain, but it will basically put McNairy in the playoffs that year and keep Memphis East out. A team also cannot load up and play Quad 4 teams and expect to make the playoffs if they don't win their region. 

I may get a lot of disagreement, but just a thought.

[stacmot]

On 2/19/2021 at 9:13 PM, TryNotToSuck said:

The TSSAA needs Memphis schools. Look, I know whoever makes the trip to Memphis to play them in a sub-state game, is basically coming back with a loss (I think South Gibson was one of those teams). It's tough for West Tennessee teams to win state because of how good Memphis teams are, but it's honestly a pleasure to see those teams and athletes play. And some of them are playing in the NBA today in Chris Chiozza, Thad Young, and James Wiseman

I wrote a long diatribe in response to your post, but everyone will be glad to know that I have decided not to post it at this time.  Do I hear a collective sigh of releif?

You say the TSSAA needs Memphis schools.  Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that the only statement you gave to support that opinion was, "it's a pleasure to see those teams and athletes play."   Do you have anything more convincing?

 

[stacmot]

On 2/19/2021 at 9:33 PM, TryNotToSuck said:

I'm going to tally off what @stacmot is saying, but the TSSAA probably needs to look at what NCAA is doing for men's basketball. Have Quad games. If you play good caliber teams and win, you'll basically get earned with a Quad 1 victory. It's all computer, that's the only problem. But there are basically 4 different quads and each team has a different quad, based on caliber of team that they played. If a team finishes first in region, that team is in automatically. 

Here are two teams and schedules for examples:

Milan: Peabody (1), Manassas (4), SGC (2), Liberty (4), Haywood (1), Huntingdon (1/2), Crockett (3), Obion (4), Hardin (1), North Side (2/3).

Peabody: Milan (1), Westview (3), Lake Co. (1), South Side (3), Greenfield (3), Dyersburg (2), Halls (4), Humboldt (4), Huntingdon (1/2), West Carroll (2).

If Peabody losses to Humboldt, or Milan losses to Liberty, they could potentially be out of the playoffs if they don't win their region. It'll be under a "bad loss." A team will not lose anything for losing to a "quad 1" team, but they'll do a lot of noise if they win against a Quad 1 team and not win region. 

It might be hard to explain, but it will basically put McNairy in the playoffs that year and keep Memphis East out. A team also cannot load up and play Quad 4 teams and expect to make the playoffs if they don't win their region. 

I may get a lot of disagreement, but just a thought.

 

I understand what you're saying, but that sounds like a royal TSSAA mess.  I still favor our current format.

 

 

[stacmot]

On 2/18/2021 at 10:57 AM, BIGPURPLEMACHINE said:

One of my favorite games between Milan  and Crockett Co took it place back in either ‘08 or ‘09. Can’t remember which. It was the last game of the season and both team were 9-0. The games was at Crockett. The student section for Crockett was dressed in all black and they were holding up a huge sign that said “we are in mourning of Milan’s first loss”. Milan proceeded to put a 4td butt whooping on the Cavaliers. Was a great game to watch.... at least for Milan.

My favorite game with Crockett Co. took place in 2017.  Haywood came into the game with two losses (43-42 to Briarcrest and 33-14 to MUS).  Crockett was 7-0.

Brownsville and Alamo are just 16 miles apart, so there was a lot of pre-game chatter and hype between the two.  I'm reasonably sure those rowdy Crockett fans thought they would put a beat down on the Cats.  There was a beat down, but it wasn't the one that Crockett was expecting.  Haywood won 63-35, and it could have been worse.  The next week, Chargerfan's Covington Chargers handed the Cavs a 35-30 loss.

Haywood and Crockett met again in the quarterfinals.  Haywood won 49-21.  The following week Springfield ended Haywood's season with a 28-21 win in the semifinals.

 

Edited February 23, 2021 by stacmot

[BIGPURPLEMACHINE]

2 hours ago, stacmot said:

My favorite game with Crockett Co. took place in 2017.  Haywood came into the game with two loses (43-42 to Briarcrest and 33-14 to MUS).  Crockett was 7-0.

Brownsville and Alamo are just 16 miles apart, so there was a lot of pre-game chatter and hype between the two.  I'm reasonably sure those rowdy Crockett fans thought they would put a beat down on the Cats.  There was a beat down, but it wasn't the one that Crockett was expecting.  Haywood won 63-35, and it could have been worse.  The next week, Chargerfan's Covington Chargers handed the Cavs a 35-30 loss.

Haywood and Crockett met again in the quarterfinals.  Haywood won 49-21.  The following week Sprinfield ended Haywood's season with a 28-21 win in the semifinals.

 

Crockett is always a well coached, hard nosed team. Takes a real good team to put a beat down on them. 

[ManOfMillions]

3 hours ago, stacmot said:

My favorite game with Crockett Co. took place in 2017.  Haywood came into the game with two loses (43-42 to Briarcrest and 33-14 to MUS).  Crockett was 7-0.

Brownsville and Alamo are just 16 miles apart, so there was a lot of pre-game chatter and hype between the two.  I'm reasonably sure those rowdy Crockett fans thought they would put a beat down on the Cats.  There was a beat down, but it wasn't the one that Crockett was expecting.  Haywood won 63-35, and it could have been worse.  The next week, Chargerfan's Covington Chargers handed the Cavs a 35-30 loss.

Haywood and Crockett met again in the quarterfinals.  Haywood won 49-21.  The following week Sprinfield ended Haywood's season with a 28-21 win in the semifinals.

 

I am sure that some of the chatter between the 2 teams is from the kids that live in Haywood, but go to school in Crockett. 

[stacmot]

6 hours ago, BIGPURPLEMACHINE said:

Crockett is always a well coached, hard nosed team. Takes a real good team to put a beat down on them. 

They are a well-coached, well-disciplined, hard-nosed team.  I have a great deal of respect for the Cavaliers. 

We did not get to play Crockett last year.  Anyone have any idea who the Cavs might have coming back?

[BIGPURPLEMACHINE]

17 minutes ago, stacmot said:

They are a well-coached, well-disciplined, hard-nosed team.  I have a great deal of respect for the Cavaliers. 

We did not get to play Crockett last year.  Anyone have any idea who the Cavs might have coming back?

I remember two years ago they had heavy graduation losses on their 3rd round team. So I believe last years 5-7 team was very young. They probably bring back quite a bit but not sure. I’ll have to look at a roster from last year. 

[stacmot]

It might be a little early to ask this, but when I was in high school we had spring practice in February.  Has the TSSAA made any decisions about spring practice and possible scrimmages?