[NIECE]

It is set up for Trinity and St. X. It's all about the "Benjamin's". They should just designate that game for the last game of the year after the playoffs and call it the "Kentucky High School Money Bowl".

I would like to take this moment to say I was wrong about the KHSAA. In this years alignment, Trinity will have to play St. X in the semi's instead of the championship. The KHSAA has given themselves some credibility IMO by doing this. Now they just need to get Beechwood back in the East instead of the West. However, Beechwood does not have to travel far to play Frankfort in the Regional finals and Louisville is not far past that. The problem is if they played a team from the West that was really Western Ky, they or the team they would be playing could possible have to travel 7 or more hours just to play a semi final game. That just doesn't sound reasonable. Again, nice work putting St. X and Trinity where they belong.

[charlie22]

You have the same system in basketball. The district champion and runner up go to the region. The playoffs used to be district champion and runner up until the mid 90's, much better system. You did not end up with 0-11 teams being embarrassed even more at the end of the year. I have got to believe it is total REVENUE, going to a six class system and putting 4 teams in from every district. Now more than ever they need to go back to the 2 team playoffs but will not because of the "green backs". Take this for thought: Trinity and St. X are both in Louisville and somehow Trinity plays out of the WEST and St. X out of the EAST. Answer.....38,000+ at PAPA JOHN'S for the last game of the year, multiply that by admission and consessions, that game alone is more than the rest of the games attendance for the last 5 years? Good system?

True about the top two basketball teams in the district advancing to the region, but you ommitted the step that permits all of the teams to play in the basketball district competition, which step is more analogous to what happens in the first round of the football tourny.


As to the original question about the lop sided scores indicating that changes should be made: there were some lop sided scores this past weekend also (Highlands 53-Ashland 6 and Johnson Central over Covington Catholic big although I can't remember the exact score). Would that suggest that we shouldn't allow even the top two teams, rather only the top team in each district to advance? I don't think so. If kids get to play the sport that they love and work so hard at just one more week, shouldn't that be the highest priority? Some teams peak later than others and early district losses could prevent a very good late season team to make the playoffs if we go with only the top 1 or even 2 seeds. If Station could have pulled the upset off against Highlands, I'd have really hated to not have given Station the opportunity to do so. Heck Simon Kenton is still alive as a 4 seed as I understand it.

My thought is that we let them all in. Sure there will be some lop sided scores. Who cares? The seniors will have had the opportunity to play the sport they love another week and the younger players will have benefitted from another week of practice and the experience of having played in another game which should make them better football players for next year. Those lop sided games are not always that much fun to watch as fans, but we need to always keep in mind that these games are not for the fans; rather they are for the kids playing in them.

[charlie22]

It is not the fact of 4 teams but the main problem with this playoff format is teams who are winless are being permitted due to "GREEN BACKS" to play in the K.H.S.A.A. playoffs. There is a big difference in a team finishing 5-5 playing a tough district schedule verses a team finishing 0-10 with an automatic due to a 4 team district. It is set up for a Trinity/ST.X final every year.(GREEN BACKS)

As Niece pointed out, X and T are one the same side of the bracket this year so the playoffs are not set up for the X and T to meet in the final every year.

As for the green back comments, you do realize I hope that the KHSAA does not get one cent from any playoff game until the state finals. So having 4 teams advance in the district does not financially help the KHSAA at all. It may help some of the schools financially, but its my understanding that after travel costs are shared from the gate receipts, no school makes much money out of the first 4 rounds. Sorry but the green backs do not factor into the equation at all in the discussion of 4 teams from each district participating in the playoffs. Hope this doesn't come across as disrespectful, just trying to make sure the facts get out there.

[DEVIL89]

I don't agree with the current system, it is way to messed up I think they should go back to the DISTRICT CHAMPION and the runner-up advance to the playoffs. It just does not make since to send teams that have not won a game(for what ever reason) to have to travel 3 or 4 hours away to get embaressed, that is just not right. I also think that it is just crazy to put 2 districts up against each other that are that far away from each other also, when there are other districts in the same classification closer the home.

[BO1988]

I don't agree with the current system, it is way to messed up I think they should go back to the DISTRICT CHAMPION and the runner-up advance to the playoffs. It just does not make since to send teams that have not won a game(for what ever reason) to have to travel 3 or 4 hours away to get embaressed, that is just not right. I also think that it is just crazy to put 2 districts up against each other that are that far away from each other also, when there are other districts in the same classification closer the home.

I agree completely. Having teams drive 5 hrs in the first round is rediculous. even in the 2nd rd it is. Raceland played Clinton County in the first round. Clinton County drove like 5 hrs to get beat by 48 pts. Then Raceland plays Fairview in teh 2nd rd, now they play LCA. These teams are only 15 mins and a close to 2 hours away. I can understand going 5 hrs for even the 4th rd, which would still be absolutely insane.

They need to take the top to teams from each district to play each other. That would help the competition. Then they need to look at how far each team is apart from one another and align the districts best as possible. Its not always going to be easy, they need to really realign each district, teams like ashland shouldn't have to drive 2 and 3 hrs to play a district rival. its all a mess, its giong to take alot of work to get it all right and that is something that probably will never happen.

[Benchwarmer]

I agree completely. Having teams drive 5 hrs in the first round is rediculous. even in the 2nd rd it is. Raceland played Clinton County in the first round. Clinton County drove like 5 hrs to get beat by 48 pts. Then Raceland plays Fairview in teh 2nd rd, now they play LCA. These teams are only 15 mins and a close to 2 hours away. I can understand going 5 hrs for even the 4th rd, which would still be absolutely insane.

They need to take the top to teams from each district to play each other. That would help the competition. Then they need to look at how far each team is apart from one another and align the districts best as possible. Its not always going to be easy, they need to really realign each district, teams like ashland shouldn't have to drive 2 and 3 hrs to play a district rival. its all a mess, its giong to take alot of work to get it all right and that is something that probably will never happen.

Tell that to the kids that have worked their butt off all year even though they haven't won a lot of games. Give them that chance to play in the playoffs no matter their record. They worked hard and earned it. If you guys want to go that direction then lets use top 16 voting for the sweet sixteen and if you are not in the top sixteen rankings then you cant play. Lord knows that we don't need to send our mountain kids to play in the sweet sixteen to get beat by 20-30 pts in most of the years they play in it.I can't understand sending kids 3 hrs to Lexington to get beat by 25 pts by Scott county.