Playoffs then and now...

**Unchained** · November 11th, 2009, 11:40 AM

As mind-boggling as the power points system is,I'd take that over the distric champ only invite any day of the week. As messy as it is,it at least rewards a team like PV for playing their brutal schedule instead of just handing a spot to someone who won a weaker distric,but couldn't stay within 3 TDs of a team like this year's Vikings.The Vikes at 5-5 would mop the floor with a Honaker team had they won the BDD this year. I agree with your mindset about not handing out trophies for everybody,but at any rate,no matter the format,at the end of the day you still have to earn that hardware in the VHSL playoffs.

**curveball08** · November 11th, 2009, 11:40 AM

I say keep things the way they are now but do away with the district winner autobid. Let the winner of each district get their trophy and then let the best teams based on powerpoints get the top 4 spots. I dont see why winning a crappy district like the Cumberland or BDD should get you in the playoffs. Im sure someone will have to quote this and disagree with some great reason but I dont really care.

**larry_legend** · November 11th, 2009, 11:42 AM

Division II Region D champ last three years has not been a district Champion. P.V., Gate City, and Lebanon.

**sup-rbeast** · November 11th, 2009, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Unchained

As mind-boggling as the power points system is,I'd take that over the distric champ only invite any day of the week. As messy as it is,it at least rewards a team like PV for playing their brutal schedule instead of just handing a spot to someone who won a weaker distric,but couldn't stay within 3 TDs of a team like this year's Vikings.The Vikes at 5-5 would mop the floor with a Honaker team had they won the BDD this year. I agree with your mindset about not handing out trophies for everybody,but at any rate,no matter the format,at the end of the day you still have to earn that hardware in the VHSL playoffs.

At 5-5 the Vikings might would whip Honaker, but that's not the point. The point is every team in every district has a chance to win their district title. And, IMO, that should be the first round of elimination...if ya don't win your district, you stay home. But, at the same time, no team is excluded from having a shot to win it all.

Another thing....In a system like this, it would encourage teams to play out of district games with better teams. By and large, the argument most folks give for having a soft schedule is that it hurts in the power points. If the district title was the only way to punch a ticket to the post season, that argument would no longer be valid. You'd actuall see more teams playing better competition out of district to get better. And it'd make setting the games up easier because there would be no points "hit" for a bigger school playing a smaller one either.

**joe morgan** · November 11th, 2009, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by sup-rbeast

Another thing....In a system like this, it would encourage teams to play out of district games with better teams. By and large, the argument most folks give for having a soft schedule is that it hurts in the power points. If the district title was the only way to punch a ticket to the post season, that argument would no longer be valid. You'd actuall see more teams playing better competition out of district to get better. And it'd make setting the games up easier because there would be no points "hit" for a bigger school playing a smaller one either.

Maybe in theory yes, but how could more teams play better competition? There are only so many good teams out there. You can't just pull them out of thin air.

Everybody can't toughen up their schedule because somebody has to play the lesser teams and programs.

**1inStripes** · November 11th, 2009, 12:31 PM

That would be up to the people who make each schools schedule and allow them to be more creative. You would still have a lot of cupcake matchups. I like the old district winner only as well because it adds even more incentive to what should be THE focused goal at the beginning of every season.

**Jason** · November 12th, 2009, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by curveball08

I say keep things the way they are now but do away with the district winner autobid. Let the winner of each district get their trophy and then let the best teams based on powerpoints get the top 4 spots. I dont see why winning a crappy district like the Cumberland or BDD should get you in the playoffs. Im sure someone will have to quote this and disagree with some great reason but I dont really care.

I like it as is also. If not for the current setup we would not see some of the great games we have seen in years past. Like in 2001 the 2 GC vs. PV games or 2004 the other 2 GC vs. PV games while GC was in the LPD. Games like that deserve to be played twice a year. Heck with the District Champ Auto Bid!

**JJK guy** · November 12th, 2009, 11:11 PM

The main reason I can't agree with getting rid of the district champ auto-bid is that it would be a big disadvantage to a strong team from a weak district. This is scenario is totally unlikely....but say Hurley had a great team. They go undefeated. But every other team in the BDD is awful...the only games they win are against each other. It would hurt Hurley to play those teams. They would get almost no power points for beating them, but have to play them b/c they're in their district. This could allow teams from the LPD and CMD to outpoint them because they play stronger in-district opponents.
I think if you just base it on points alone it defeats the purpose of having districts all together.

**1inStripes** · November 12th, 2009, 11:36 PM

Getting rid of a district champ auto bid would be one of the dumbest things possible because every district should be represented in playoff competition. Take PV for instance. Lets say they do play a tough schedule at 5-5, but those teams they lost to, still didn't end up with many wins, and PV wins the LPD. Then, everyone else scheduled real softly and ended up outpointing them by only losing 1-2 games. Would that be fair, because it is possible?

**pvfan** · November 13th, 2009, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by 1inStripes

Getting rid of a district champ auto bid would be one of the dumbest things possible because every district should be represented in playoff competition. Take PV for instance. Lets say they do play a tough schedule at 5-5, but those teams they lost to, still didn't end up with many wins, and PV wins the LPD. Then, everyone else scheduled real softly and ended up outpointing them by only losing 1-2 games. Would that be fair, because it is possible?

Keep the auto bid but force districts to re-align. The fact that Honaker can win the BDD by not winning a game over a team in their own division (2) is a joke. Grundy, Richlands, Tazwell, and Graham should be forced down into a new district. Ship PV/JJK to the CMD and leave the LPD/Cumberland/BDD as Division 1 districts. (I know Coeburn flirts with D2/D1 but if you move down the schools I mentioned above they are D1.). It's much more evened out on a regional level by enrollment and a lot of the general bull that goes on would be eliminated. FWIW, I'm also in favor of shrinking the Cumberland by moving Coeburn and Thomas Walker into the new LPD.