[cksportsfan]

outsidein,

My local teams will drop -- HARD -- in the next poll ... and they should. So it's not about building up local teams.

However, how many ELITE teams are there not in the top 25, or not getting votes at all? Based on schedule, I can't argue for Fairdale or Murray or Jenkins compared to teams that have far more losses BUT way better wins.

The GOOD thing about State is that it allows every area/region -- big to small, urban to rural, western to eastern, northern to southern -- to send somebody.

The BAD thing about State is NEVER will it be the top 16 based on season performance. You can't send Ballard AND Mercy. You can't send Greenwood AND AC-S. You can't send PRP AND Butler. You can't send Central Hardin AND Green County. Of those eight teams, there will be four solid teams not make it. I'm not sure there are four solid teams -- at least, like those four who are guaranteed NOT to be at State -- in region 13-16 TOTAL.

Heck, in volleyball, you'll have a NATIONAL TOP-10 team not make it to State because Assumption and Sacred Heart are in the same region.

I would like to see State softball changed to single-elimination (like the 16-team soccer, volleyball, baseball and basketball state tournaments). And if the rumor of U of L or WKU offering up its facility to host state softball (like WKU does for girls' hoops, UK does for boys' hoops, Bellarmine for volleyball and Lexington Legends for baseball), the days of a double-elimination state softball tournament at a public park could be numbered.

And you're right: I do like polls. But like I said earlier, my two local teams who are currently ranked deserve to drop in them, too. Central Hardin went 1-2 in the Oldham tournament and Meade County went winless in Alabama.