Playoffs then and now...

**volfan** · November 10th, 2009, 11:03 PM

PV won LPD in 82, 83 @85 with 82 and 85 teams winning state, but I have always believed the 84 team that finished 8-2, when healthy, was the best of the 4 teams and maybe best LPD team of the 90's

**volfan** · November 10th, 2009, 11:04 PM

type, best LPD team of the 80's

**Jason** · November 10th, 2009, 11:44 PM

I dont care for the old way. District Champs should no longer be given an Auto bid. Too many weak ass districts in the state. I would like to see them scrap the 4 Region system and go to two. Combine Region C with D and B with A. Increase the price for playoff games to kinda help with travel expenses too. Just think of some of the future 1st round playoff games. Some examples are.....

D1
Clintwood vs. Holston
Haysi vs. Bath Co.
Burton vs. Eastern Montgomery
Thomas Walker vs. Covington

D2
Powell Valley vs. Floyd
Gate City vs. Giles
Lebanon vs. George Wythe
Virginia High vs. Radford

Only one championship should matter anyways. State or nothing.

**sup-rbeast** · November 11th, 2009, 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by Jason

I dont care for the old way. District Champs should no longer be given an Auto bid. Too many weak ass districts in the state. I would like to see them scrap the 4 Region system and go to two. Combine Region C with D and B with A. Increase the price for playoff games to kinda help with travel expenses too. Just think of some of the future 1st round playoff games. Some examples are.....

D1
Clintwood vs. Holston
Haysi vs. Bath Co.
Burton vs. Eastern Montgomery
Thomas Walker vs. Covington

D2
Powell Valley vs. Floyd
Gate City vs. Giles
Lebanon vs. George Wythe
Virginia High vs. Radford

Only one championship should matter anyways. State or nothing.

IMO, every district champ should get an automatic bid...but I also think only district champs should get in. Every team in the state belongs to a district...so every team has a chance. And if you take only the champ from each district, no one "deserving" gets left out..cuz then the only "deserving" team would have to be a champ. This way, too, eliminates the need for schools to schedule "regular season patsies"...and makes the strength of each individual district irrelevant, because regardless of the strength of any given district, they would have to beat champions from other districts to move on.

**simple man** · November 11th, 2009, 09:56 AM

That is how we got this system. Folks from Wise County complained about a 6-4 Pennington or Jonesville being in the play-offs every year, with a couple of 1 loss LPD teams staying home. Pretty much the same across the state- most wanted another shot if someone had been hurt, or sick. But we wound up with a watered down play-off. The hard number cut-off for school size would be good, but the VHSL has figured a way that the divs size themselves and they don't have to address this every 2 or 3 years.

**sup-rbeast** · November 11th, 2009, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by simple man

That is how we got this system. Folks from Wise County complained about a 6-4 Pennington or Jonesville being in the play-offs every year, with a couple of 1 loss LPD teams staying home. Pretty much the same across the state- most wanted another shot if someone had been hurt, or sick. But we wound up with a watered down play-off. The hard number cut-off for school size would be good, but the VHSL has figured a way that the divs size themselves and they don't have to address this every 2 or 3 years.

I think it's easier to justify leaving teams out if you only take district champs rather than rank based on power points. If a team isn't good enough to win their own district, why would they think they are good enough to win state? But, if it's there in black and white that unless you win your district, you stay home for the playoffs, it puts a premium on each game and each district championship. Then, there's no whining when a team doesn't get a playoff nod either.

**Unchained** · November 11th, 2009, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by sup-rbeast

I think it's easier to justify leaving teams out if you only take district champs rather than rank based on power points. If a team isn't good enough to win their own district, why would they think they are good enough to win state? But, if it's there in black and white that unless you win your district, you stay home for the playoffs, it puts a premium on each game and each district championship. Then, there's no whining when a team doesn't get a playoff nod either.

I can understand what you are saying,but sometimes the best team in a distric can have an off night, be riddled with injuries..etc,and the team that wins it may not be the best team after all. Look at the wildcard teams in the pros that make runs to the Superbowl (or World Series in baseball). I think it is an added excitement,but the system could use some tweaking I'l give you that. If we go the route you are saying,you'd have a distric champion like the CD Champion Thomas Walker in the playoffs at 6-4 (I figure they lose to Lee Friday),while an 8-2 Kelly team coming from a stronger league, who pounded TW 42-0 sitting at home. I can see it from both sides of the argument.

**Jason** · November 11th, 2009, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by sup-rbeast

I think it's easier to justify leaving teams out if you only take district champs rather than rank based on power points. If a team isn't good enough to win their own district, why would they think they are good enough to win state? But, if it's there in black and white that unless you win your district, you stay home for the playoffs, it puts a premium on each game and each district championship. Then, there's no whining when a team doesn't get a playoff nod either.

That would mean sometime in the future a 3-7 Honaker team could be in the playoffs because all they need to do is win the BDD. I just could not see the justice in that. It does not matter how watered down it is. Only the deserving teams move on. Winning state is all the honor a team needs. Not just making the playoffs.

**Unchained** · November 11th, 2009, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by Jason

That would mean sometime in the future a 3-7 Honaker team could be in the playoffs because all they need to do is win the BDD. I just could not see the justice in that. It does not matter how watered down it is. Only the deserving teams move on. Winning state is all the honor a team needs. Not just making the playoffs.

The LPD this year is a great example of why the way that supr is saying would be flawed. We TRULY do not know who was the best team in the LPD this year. No matter who you took,others would have a very valid argument.

**sup-rbeast** · November 11th, 2009, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Jason

That would mean sometime in the future a 3-7 Honaker team could be in the playoffs because all they need to do is win the BDD. I just could not see the justice in that. It does not matter how watered down it is. Only the deserving teams move on. Winning state is all the honor a team needs. Not just making the playoffs.

Who cares what a district champ's record is...they'd still have to beat other district champions to move on. Sorry guys, but I just don't think everyone should get a trophy...if you're not good enough to win your district, you have no gripe when it comes to being left out of the playoffs. And, regardless of the strength of a district, the best team in any given district should get in regardless of record. We all know districts aren't even or equal....but if the best team from each one gets in, then everyone has the same chance from day 1 to play for the state title. I don't care if one district has 5 teams that are better than another districts champion, if they aren't the best in their own, they have no gripe. You guys can say it's flawed all ya want...but IMO, if you can't win your own district, you should be sitting at home after the regular season. Just my 2 cents worth.