[PapaPoof]

That is why the All-A should be the small schools. This was the buffer to this arugment twenty years ago. Small town people dont care to lose to the big city schools as long as they put up the best fight.

[Spirit100]

This question has been asked numerous times, but you dont see it to much on this particular forum.
Should KY move to a classed system?
Would it need to be 2, 3, 4, 5, or even 6 classes?
Do privates hold an advantage in basketball like some do in football?
Or, is KY high school basketballs 1 winner takes all system to sacred to abolish?


Thoughts?

How about poopy, good, and excellent? nicker:

All joking aside, no, let it be!

[combovers1]

I am a supporter of the true Sweet 16 that we have now, but after thinking about it, there is a way to satisfy both of the Purist and the Classification folks.

Classify the schools into a four class system, with a tournament tree that leads the final four of each class to the "Sweet 16". This would set up a Class Championship Friday to crown champions of each of the four classes. Each champ would advance to Saturday's "Sweet 16" semifinals to ultimately lead to an overall state champ.

This option would not extend the season any longer than it is at this point. But it does have a feel of my pet peeves by giving trophies to everyone.

[The Ruler]

It's not broke...don't fix it!

Sweet 16 Tournament is awesome!

[GetChili]

One class is fine.

[Observing]

It would be a mistake of MONUMENTAL PROPORTION. Classification has
DEVASTATED the Indiana tournament, it is a SHADOW of its former self.
Attention and attendance for the Sweet 16 is already in a downward trend,
and clssification would only accelerate the problem.

[ky football]

I like the way it is in basketball only one champion. It so much different than football basketball it takes 5 starters and a good or decent bench it dont matter if you play for class a or a 6 a school if you can play you can play. Football my opinion is so different you can take a class a or 2a school and may have 20 to 30 players play. Play with what you got considering a school may have what 250 to 450 students on the other hand you got these 4a 5a 6a schools that have so many students and gives you so many athletes that a football team has 50 to 70 players on the sidelines and that makes competition so much tough that when you have 25 players from class a going up against 70 from a 5a or a 6a big difference that's why they have 6 championships. my opinion let basketball stay the way it is one champion

[J. R. VanHoose]

Do not touch the sweet 16!!!! Let it remain the same!

[OldManMountain]

Keep it the same. Nothing wrong with it other than the championship game is now on Sunday.

[bball1]

NO!

[Observing]

Keep it the same. Nothing wrong with it other than the championship game is now on Sunday.

Just out of curiosity, why is that wrong? It may be only a one year
experiment out of necessity. If the attendance is horrible, it will
quickly revert back next season, if attendance is up, or even
flat, they may think about trying it for another year.

Personally for those who attend the whole event, I see
why it adds more time and expense to the trip, but overall
I could see it increasing focus and attendance at the title
game possibly.

[BDC]

I want a clssification system in basketball, and I want it to be a three class system. I also like to see football move to a three class system in Kentucky as well. I want similar districts in basketball and football that let people still play similar sized schools in your area. In football, you could break it down even farther during the playoffs (similar to Tennessee). It would allow schools of simialr size to play meaningful games in the area.

[fedscreekviking]

It is impossible to divide the schools into classes because there are so many variables. Most simply state size but smaller city schools many times have an economic advantage on bigger rural schools and in this day of the transfer that is an even bigger advantage.

[Warthog]

Never

[HDE]

I am a supporter of the true Sweet 16 that we have now, but after thinking about it, there is a way to satisfy both of the Purist and the Classification folks.

Classify the schools into a four class system, with a tournament tree that leads the final four of each class to the "Sweet 16". This would set up a Class Championship Friday to crown champions of each of the four classes. Each champ would advance to Saturday's "Sweet 16" semifinals to ultimately lead to an overall state champ.

This option would not extend the season any longer than it is at this point. But it does have a feel of my pet peeves by giving trophies to everyone.

Someone always comes up with the "divide them into classes and then bring them together" idea during this debate.
I still say you either have classes or you don't, but you don't try to have both.
The All "A" Classic solves the problem anyway.

[Tricky]

Yes.

[hop24]

Seen a couple object to the finals being on Sunday. Why?

[FanofThegame12]

The "Sweet 16" is so special. You have one champion who claims the State. When I think of a State champ, I think of one team, the best in the state. Not 6. I just think it's too special and so much history involved to be broken down into classes.

[lchsalumnus]

The "Sweet 16" is so special. You have one champion who claims the State. When I think of a State champ, I think of one team, the best in the state. Not 6. I just think it's too special and so much history involved to be broken down into classes.

Simple solution:

1. 4-class system in baseball, softball, and basketball
2. 8 teams advance to Rupp (2 from each class)
3. Crown a "champion" for their class
4. Next weekend, 4 "champions" has a tournament to determine your "state" champion


This would give the small schools a shot, plus keep the "special" state champion, which I don't agree with as "special". Times change, we should adapt. I know it's a southern thing to not accept change, but it does work.

[hop24]

Simple solution:

1. 4-class system in baseball, softball, and basketball
2. 8 teams advance to Rupp (2 from each class)
3. Crown a "champion" for their class
4. Next weekend, 4 "champions" has a tournament to determine your "state" champion


This would give the small schools a shot, plus keep the "special" state champion, which I don't agree with as "special". Times change, we should adapt. I know it's a southern thing to not accept change, but it does work.

:boosign: Never happen. What's not special? Don't think you realize what kind of money the "Sweet 16" makes for the KHSAA and how this helps the economy in Lexington. This event makes more money than all the other championships combined. Every kid in the state that plays B-Ball loves the dream of having the chance to play in Rupp. Been going to this event every year since "81". I am a little biased but that tourney has had a profound effect on mine and my family's life.

[Panther Thunder]

:boosign: Never happen. What's not special? Don't think you realize what kind of money the "Sweet 16" makes for the KHSAA and how this helps the economy in Lexington. This event makes more money than all the other championships combined. Every kid in the state that plays B-Ball loves the dream of having the chance to play in Rupp. Been going to this event every year since "81". I am a little biased but that tourney has had a profound effect on mine and my family's life.

I have been every year I have been on this planet. Definitely a big event for my family. It is a tradition and probably the week I look forward to the most every year. We do not take the normal family beach vacation, due to baseball in the summer, so trips like this were our bonding time. It is bigger than just a few games. It is like a religious experience.

One of the worst things is the KHSAA cutting down on the programs for the tournament. Those were collectables haha.

[hop24]

I have been every year I have been on this planet. Definitely a big event for my family. It is a tradition and probably the week I look forward to the most every year. We do not take the normal family beach vacation, due to baseball in the summer, so trips like this were our bonding time. It is bigger than just a few games. It is like a religious experience.

One of the worst things is the KHSAA cutting down on the programs for the tournament. Those were collectables haha.

:Thumbs: Couldn't agree more. I also like how most years you catch a UK game in the NCAA tourney and you watch it with a whole city of UK fans. Good stuff. The small programs have to go!!

[tommy2]

:Clap:

Never

[cksportsfan]

People like to point out how other states have classes. What they DON'T point out is that very few, especially similar size of Kentucky, have all their "state" games at the same site (in Kentucky, all boys' state games are at Rupp; all girls' state games are at Diddle).

It will be logistically impossible -- yes, impossible -- to be able to double the amount of games at Rupp assuming you want 16 small schools and 16 big schools AND keep it in the same time frame.

If you go to 3 or 4 classes, you're going to have to install semi-state or sectional play. This has been tried in baseball (got rid of it, coaches were NOT a fan) and is still around in soccer (first round games are technically semi-state games). In my area, coaches HATE it because you are STUCK with a Louisville-area team every single year in the first round. You think volleyball teams would like it if they had to play Mercy or Assumption or Sacred Heart in the first round EVERY year while other areas got easier draws?

Plus, you run the risk of having to move the state tournaments for logistics, assuming you want EVERY state game at the same site. Say EKU hosts Class 1-A (already does), Louisville hosts 2-A and Lexington hosts 3-A.

Or you could institute sectional play with the four sectional champions in each class advancing to Rupp.

West (Regions 1-4): Murray or WKU
Louisville (5-8): Louisville (Yum, Freedom Hall, Bellarmine, Louisville Valley)
LEX-NKY (9-12): Memorial in Lexington, NKU Bank of Kentucky Center
East (13-16): East KY Expo, Corbin Arena, Morehead State

In that regard, I can see for some exciting Saturdays of basketball. Make for an awesome day of sectional championships if boys and girls are played together at same site.

You could even re-institute the third-place games (if you do final four per class go to Rupp, then you're guaranteed two games).

HOWEVER, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE, WILL THERE BE CLASSES AND THEN AN "ULTIMATE" PLAYOFF. Sorry for the yelling. The idea keeps getting brought up ... and keeps getting shot down. You don't class and then unclass. Because many times, the large school runner-up would beat the holy snot out of a small school champion.

Then you have this: The KHSAA is pushing (or at least some KHSAA folks are) to REMOVE the word "state" from any "Class" champion. Meaning if you win Class 1-A, you are the Kentucky "Class 1-A" champion. Not the Kentucky "State" champion. Loses a bit of respect and luster in that regard, but that's the way it should be. How can you call yourself a state champion if you didn't have to even worry about Ballard, LexCath, Scott County, Male, Trinity, X, Christian County, etc.?

[HDE]

HOWEVER, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE, WILL THERE BE CLASSES AND THEN AN "ULTIMATE" PLAYOFF. Sorry for the yelling. The idea keeps getting brought up ... and keeps getting shot down. You don't class and then unclass. Because many times, the large school runner-up would beat the holy snot out of a small school champion.

Thanks.
In every thread someone comes up with this brilliant "idea" like it's the first person to think of it.

[ekfc]

I have been every year I have been on this planet. Definitely a big event for my family. It is a tradition and probably the week I look forward to the most every year. We do not take the normal family beach vacation, due to baseball in the summer, so trips like this were our bonding time. It is bigger than just a few games. It is like a religious experience.

One of the worst things is the KHSAA cutting down on the programs for the tournament. Those were collectables haha.

What did they do on other planets?
I remember living in Indiana in the mid 80's, and watching the draw on TV and interviewing cheerleaders and players on their draw, and being from the northeast, thinking what a big deal they are making this. I asked my boss when i went to work on Monday, and his secretary interrupted him and simply said, "you can't have but one state champion in basketball, this is Indiana". Kentucky should stay the way it is. The All A for small schools is also uniquely Kentucky.