I posted something similar in another thread but wanted to start a new one to get opinions.
I've put together two 8-team brackets, one for 3A and one for 2A using the current IdahoSports RPI.
Both would be much better tournaments with every game having potential to be competitive.
I believe the state should consider shortening the tournament to 3 weeks and make the regular season 1 week longer which would result in a 9 week regular season. It was mentioned that a longer season has been talked about but it's hard to find that many games. So, my solution would be to seed the tournament with the 5 conference champions plus 3 at large, and then take all the other teams and match them up with a school that has a similar record for their final game of the season. This would virtually eliminate the 'for sure' blowouts in the first round, and give most schools an opportunity for a competitive game the final week of the season.
There is nothing more frustrating to most schools than to see a 1-7 team playing an 8-0 team in the first round. What if the 1-7 team was able to play another 1-7 or 0-8 team for their final game? Much more appealing, IMO.
And it's hard to argue that the two brackets posted below don't look very enticing.
Would be two great tournaments. All of this is easily doable following the 8th week of the season. And not to mention that making the tournament now has a lot more meaning every week of the season.
TT
I like it. Should propose it to 3A come end of season when they are thinking about making the change to the RPI system.
This is pretty close to how 2A will turn out after the regional play in games. A lot better than years past.
Which brings me to my point. Why even play the first round with all the potential blowouts? Just go to the round of 8 from the get go and match everybody else up for their final game.
TT
@TrainingTable for the shear fact it's high school football and anybody can loose. One and done adds a little more pressure kids can crack under.
I think that is ideal.
I think that the state wants an extra round for a couple of reasons. Maybe,,, more gate money, and the feel good that kids, coaches, and parents get by saying that they "went to state." Although most don't like telling the results when they get blown out. Just saying.
Making it so teams play 9 games may seem like a great idea, most of you are forgetting one of the reasons they went to the 16 team playoffs and that is some teams struggle to get 9 games scheduled. They depend on the first round of the playoffs as their 9th game.
Then, as has been suggested, set the top eight and then try and match up the rest for a last game if they still want to play. But those who are not in the final eight do not say they qualified for "state."
When I coached in Washington State, that is what they did. The teams that did not go to state playoffs would play a crossover game with the team from the other conference that did not make it to state. Gave us an extra 9th game every year.
If we're going to be honest about this, its a well known fact that 80-90% of the time 3A north struggles to beat dist.3 2nd or 3rd place finisher. Hows that fair to many 3A teams outside of dist.1-2 that would actually pose a challenge to other 3A teams! This year Weiser or SF will put that ludicrous 8 team gnat brained theory to the test!
BTW, there have been 10 wild card nfl teams that have won the super bowl! Some team continue to peak as the season ends despite a sub par start to the season. Leave the current system alone!
Forgetting one major thing. The play in round is not a state event. The state has nothing to do with this round. The 2A coaches have voted on keeping the play in round several times. Its not up to the state its up to the 2A coaches. As long as they vote to have a 16 team play in game then that is what will happen. The biggest problem the coaches will have with an 8 team tournament is representation. the 3rd district will insist that they get more than one team because of their larger district and should the 4th district really get an automatic bid for winning one district game? What if wendell and Declo were both average or even bad teams. Should one of them get an automatic bid just for winning one game?
It's funny the first round isn't a state event but if one of the undefeated teams lost, they are still out. Seems a lot like a state game to me.
I have never thought about it that way. That is very true...
It means that the IDHSAA does not oversee the play in games. They have no control over those games. also if you really want to know why they like having a 16 team tournament look at tonights results. st. Maries, a C seed, beat the **** out of New Plymouth, the A seed. And that is not the first time a C seed that would not even make an 8 team tournament has beaten an A seed from a bad district.
Im a huge fan of St. Maries, I have a cousins kid on that team, but if they made it 8 teams to state, St. Maries would have been a bit more motivated to beat Orofino and understood if they dident make it to state due to that loss.
If I had a say in it, I would move to a 12 team bracket and give the A team from each district, a first round bye. I would merge District 4 and 5 together and arrange those extra long road games like Wendell vs Bear lake to be played at the Holt arena that is somewhat halfway between them.
4 Auto bids to the A teams, maybe 2 Auto bids to the B teams of the 4-5 District and 3rd District. the remaining 6 based on RPI.
That would motivate teams to play tough schedules for RPI or push hard for that A seed.
Based on that situation, Ririe and Orofino would have missed the playoffs this year instead of loosing in the first round. and St. Maries would have still made it.
I have St. Maries and Cole Valley backwards, but top team would host and the first round is still set up for same area games to limit travel costs in the first round.
You will not save any money by having Bear Lake and Wendell meet in the dome. Its over $3000 to rent that place. Also the 4th has tried to join the 5th and the 5th doesn't want them. They already have a nice 5 team district and probably have Grace joining again soon. Thats 6 teams all within an hour and a half of each other. And it still doesn't solve the biggest issue of the A seeds not wanting a first round bye.
Well if they wont add district 4 to 5, then they need to stop complaining when they get an auto bid to state with a 2 team conference. Hosting a game in the dome is no problem even if it costs $3,000. Thats easy to schedule those cross district games on the same night and split the cost with sponsors. I doubt any team hates havinh a first round bye, your speaking out of your **** on that one.
You have no idea what you are talking about. You think in small towns its easy to find $3000 to rent the dome? and ask any 3A coach if they like the first round bye. They don't. many teams play flat after a bye week. You don't want to go into a quarterfinal game playing flat. I just heard on the radio the other day one of the college coaches saying he hates bye weeks. The only reason any teams wants a bye is if they are beat up.
You have no idea what you are talking about. You think in small towns its easy to find $3000 to rent the dome? and ask any 3A coach if they like the first round bye. They don't. many teams play flat after a bye week. You don't want to go into a quarterfinal game playing flat. I just heard on the radio the other day one of the college coaches saying he hates bye weeks. The only reason any teams wants a bye is if they are beat up.