TSSAA's Stranglehold on DII

[RedUp]

Reading the Tennessean today (Can someone post this link? I don't know how.)

I see:

 

The B of C, doing Carter's will, tabled the move to add 2 classes in other sports. This is crucial because several DI's were waiting to see if this passed before they made their declaration to go to DII on August 15. It just so happens that the B of C will consider 2 classes on August 22, 7 days after they want DI privates to declare if they are going DII.

 

It look like an obvious attempt to keep DII limited.

 

What I don't get is that for the longest time the B of C has had it in for private schools. Now it seems that they will go to extremes to keep the DI privates in DI !!!

[Indian]

Maybe they want to see how many are in it before dividing.

[WrestleSBA]

Not sure if they are trying to cause many of these schools to stay in DI or what the situation is but they had to know that this decision would have an affect on many schools decisions as these are the main cash crop sports. Oh wait did I say something about $$....

[TheEgoHasLanded]

They want them to stay in DI (Which there is no such thing by the way) because then they don't worry about private schools joining together and leaving. Absolutely no doubt in my mind.

[yellowdog]

Not sure if they are trying to cause many of these schools to stay in DI or what the situation is but they had to know that this decision would have an affect on many schools decisions as these are the main cash crop sports. Oh wait did I say something about $$....

There are about 110 schools per class playing for state champioships in all sports but football in Div I. There are about 38 DII schools playing for a state championship in all sports but football.

 

If you split DII into two divisions you'd have about 20 teams playing for a state championship in all sports but football. If you had that same ratio in DI then you'd have 16 state champions in basketball, softball, baseball, etc.

 

Would it be fair to all schools in the state to give DII two divisions and not create more in DI?

[WesVLT]

I find it ironic that the Division II Committee's recommendation was trumped by a Board with 9 administrators from PUBLIC schools. How would public school ADs and coaches know what's in the best interest of DII programs? Why, then, do they have the deciding vote on matters involving teams that aren't even represented and that they could care less about?

 

I'm all for letting the public school coaches vote on public school issues. But let the Division II Committee govern itself in a similar manner, ultimately answering to Ronnie Carter just as the Board of Control does. The DII Committee is nothing but a figurehead position if it has to answer to nine public school people who don't give a crap about its existence or its schools.

[iou1uc]

well said wes!

[lazarus]

let me add a public voice of support.

it is ridiculous that the privates cant make the decisions for their own division.

i dont understand what the tssaa is thinking.

[WesVLT]

Thanks, Laz. I just don't understand this organization.

 

TSSAA -- Taking Strong Stances Against Appropriateness

[lazarus]

"Would it be fair to all schools in the state to give DII two divisions and not create more in DI?"

 

as a parent, a coach,and an employer, my pet peeve is people who spend all their time worrying that someone else is getting something they arent getting.

 

but, to give your question an answer anyway, i think classification is more a question of grouping like capabilities than it is about "giving a championship" between a set number of schools. if the d-2 folks think that 2 classes is the right thing for them to do, that is good enough for me. i think d-1 has an appropriate enough number of classifications already. but if i wanted 20, it wouldnt be the d-2 people's business.

[yellowdog]

let me add a public voice of support.

it is ridiculous that the privates cant make the decisions for their own division.

i dont understand what the tssaa is thinking.

It is true that DII does not have direct representation on the Board (although election to the board is open to any candidate from any school). But DII has something that DI does not have and that is a DII committee. Almost all of the DII changes have come as suggestions from this committee. e.g three classes in football, moving the state basketball tournament to Belmont, determing how state track qualifiers are determined, etc. etc.

 

There is strong evidence to show that DII is getting a whole lot more of the changes they want because of the DII committee suggestions.

 

Very few of the DII committee's recommendations are turned down. From what I heard, the biggest opposition behind the board's decision to not go to two classes at this time was due to not knowing how many schools would be in DII this next classification period. There may be some schools opt to move back to DI, while there are some schools in DI that may opt for DII. Why should the Board make a decision on an unknown factor? After the classification is set for the next four years then the Board can revisit the suggestion and make a decision based on sound data.

 

Finally, before the TSSAA bashing continues about not giving DII their two classes you need to ask this question. Did the DII committee lobby each board member with their suggestion or did they just meet, make a suggestion, and submit it to the board? Like it or not, every organization that has a voting board works this way -- whether it is county commission, school board, the board of your local golf club or the state senate. In all levels of government if you want your voice heard you must lobby the voting body. It has always been that way and will probably always be that way.

[cbg]

Why would the TSSAA not just ask the small D1 private schools if they would go into D2 if they added another classificaton? All of this cloak & dagger stuff is crazy. Just ask the question!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!