[EKUAlum05]

I’m mad at the KHSAA.  Yes I know how the system works, but at what point in the realignment do you think it was good to open up the whole state for semi final travel? It is  all pretty much regional till the semis and your championship is in a relatively central location.  Now, the BHS cheerleaders will probably not be able to cheer Friday.  Make it make sense.

It is a broken system. Now hear me out on a couple points:

1. Since the RPI was announced I have been dogging that it is flawed and how easily it could be fixed. Class 3A has demonstrated two of the biggest flaws this year alone.
A) Central winning their district and beating CAL head to head and having to travel to CAL for a 3rd Round playoff game.
B) Belfry travelling the width of the State despite playing a schedule that for all itnents of purposes would be deemed more difficult.

2. The answer for the KY playoff system continues to be the same thing I have always said. Three teams per district advance, not 4. Divide into a Semi-State. District winners get seeded 1-4 and get automatic 1st Round Byes. All remaining teams get seeded 5-12 based off RPI. You stick to your Semi-State.

3. If the KHSAA insists on re-seeding the Semi's... then there has to be a neutral field component in play. I ain't mad at Union County... if KHSAA gives you homefield advantage.. USE IT. I just think using a broken CPU system should not be enough reason that this type of homefield advantage should exist at this stage.

4. Let's also consider this... Belfry has the financial means to cover an expensive trip like this. They have boosters and a program that has been well supported and has local businesses happy to sponsor. What if this was a program like Phelps making a trip across state? We have done realignments, re-districting, etc to support "travel hardships", but what if this was the banner year for these tiny programs and they actually ended up hurting their athletic budgets by being successful? Imagine loading the buses up for the Semi's and then the Finals... the cost of those two trips probably would vastly outweigh what those programs would bring in from a  full season.

5. We all selfishly get caught up in the travel to the game... but if I am a Belfry parent what worries me is travel back FROM the game. Say you leave at 7 AM and get there by 3:30 PM after 8 hours of windshield time. Those bus drivers aren't taking naps.. they are probably watching the game. Game ends and everyone gets dressed at say 10:30 CST... you have another 8 hours of drive time plus an hour time change. You basically asked your bus drivers to stay awake for a full 24 hours and to drive 16 of those hours. You are also asking to do it when there may be the chance of snow or ice potentially because the Semi's are always Late November. Unless Belfry spends the night somewhere... that is a dangerous situation.