Thank you. Looks like ya better sell a lot of popcorn.
District final traveling protocol
- Thread starter Hardwoodbeaver
- Start date
Back in the day, schools were more willing as they had an exact date, knew exactly who the 8-10 schools that might play in the game were, and generally were going to be much closer by schools (now the ONLY way you would host is if BOTH schools were at LEAST 90 miles, give or take, away). Schools used to make a killing. Sidney, for one, routinely would host two in the same night, with two niceish, pretty big gyms. A C2 and a D2 for example. Today, not just the distance, but the spur of the moment nature with no more than 72 hours and maybe 24 to round up help. Schools would bid, not competetively, and the District site awarded before the season.
I don't know, those are pretty conservative, for the old model. Probably D2 numbers. Cozad did FAR better than that for a D1 2-3 years back. But even then, $2000 bucks buys you quite a few pounds of coffee for the teachers lounge.
You're correct. Except few of them do. The most we've ever had on Sat is 11 of 32. There is less than that this year. Which actually makes sense. You'd have to be a complete moron to play a high stakes, winner take all game on what amounts to zero days prep. Either you have no realistic chance and want to get it over with, or your coach is an idiot and prep time works against your school. And think of what you're asking if we're to avoid dragging kids all over the state on a school night? Take Hemingford this year. Let's say they shocked the world and won the D1-12. 3 games in 96 hours, the last 2 against the #1 and #2 teams in the state, 1242 miles and over 19 hours in a bus...From Tuesday to Saturday, plus theoretically school on Tues, Wed, Thurs, and Fri, some practice, film, walk through, homework, chores, church, not to mention dealing with, you know, life. If they took the place of South Loup in last years killer D district, in a bunny bracket, one more trip to North Platte, another 6 hours on a bus, another 382 miles and 4 games in 120 hours. We've gotten the system so out of whack it's akin to college football. And the crash will be just as spectacular, just more tragic. As for names, most states call them Districts, Regionals, Sectionals, Areas because they are. We're the only insane state, that I'm aware of that drags kills all over a state our size for absolutely no good reason other than a different set of kids gets a First Round Loser state T shirt. Texas football, of all things, even uses geography strictly until the finals!
Funny how you’re in the vocal minority! Our school districts have spoken for what they want.
In all seriousness, how many of the Monday/Tuesday games are at neutral sites? I haven’t looked but know of one for sure. I wonder if that’ll change next year in class C when the 180 mile rule is eliminated. Malcolm and Sidney drove almost 3 hours each to Gothenburg, Freeman and Bridgeport farther to Kearney. Neither of those are being played on Monday or Tuesday next year…
Also a point being, if it’s under the 180 miles, and especially if it’s in the east, schools are smart to play Monday or Tuesday. As HPC said, prep time. Also important is that B girls finals and A boys opening games were yesterday. Those officials are already assigned before Thursdays C and D sub-districts are done. If you can play on Monday or Tuesday, you are almost guaranteed to have a shot at having better officials assigned that worked an A or B game Saturday.
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You act like I should worry IF I'm in a minority on this? Please forgive me for not buying into the delusion of, all people, a certain segment of school ADMINISTRATORS! Rotfl... I did note that you didn't provided any economic, educational, environmental, or social-emotional benefits for your argument. Kind of explains why you Pender folks operate in the...manner...you do. All of this embarrassing logical contortion wasted time, money, etc, not to mention dragging kids all over the state on school nights, and for what? To change 1 or 2 teams at the bottom of the state tournament food chain? Ridiculous. Here is my shocking revelation to these "We should have went to state except we lost 3 times to ____ " types: They. Are. Better. Than. You. And they will be better than you at state. The translation for the "we deserve to play at state" is "We want to play _____ until we get lucky enough to win".
Even this idea of allowing a 3 day window is bizarre in my mind. So schools foolishly choosing to play on Saturday, strange as it is, (unless of course you're facing a collossal mismatch and want it over, or simply do not trust your coach to use more time better than your opponent) is par for the course as messed up as this state is when it comes to post-season play.
Of the 11 Neutral site games, 2 were on Saturday.
I'm not here for whatever argument is taking place, but I like the system we have. I think the schools generally have it right, and I think kids look forward to opportunities to play people they don't normally play at sites they don't normally play.
I was at the first round boys game right before we changed our format when St. Cecilia lead Southwest 42-4 at the half. We don't have those games anymore.
It doesn't mean we don't have somewhat one-sided games, but we've eliminated having teams at the tournament who ONLY get there because of where they happen to be located.
I was at the first round boys game right before we changed our format when St. Cecilia lead Southwest 42-4 at the half. We don't have those games anymore.
It doesn't mean we don't have somewhat one-sided games, but we've eliminated having teams at the tournament who ONLY get there because of where they happen to be located.
I agree that the system we have in place now, where we take sub-district winners and wildcards and reseed them 1-16, and the winner goes to state. This ensures that usually the best 8 teams make it to state, and that you have to win to get to state. That was the best thing the NSAA has done for as long as I can remember. I'm absolutely 100% behind that and will support that for as long as I can.
The only thing I don't like is small facilities hosting. I'm not sure where they came up with the 180 mile rule, but I feel it should be the same across the board regardless of distance. I know earlier I said I'm torn on the location...if you win throughout the season you earned the right to play at home...well maybe you can play closer to home at least? Maybe let the high seed get the choice of a neutral site 60% closer to them as opposed to the lower seed? I know resources and people needed to host a game is a struggle. Why not make the high seed be "host" and they have their people do gate, concessions, clock, etc? As long as the facility host doesn't have the people available to help. I might be crazy here but I just don't like the fact that a district final can be held in a cracker jack box of a gym that holds only 300 people. The current system allows some schools to host, but if a school in the panhandle qualifies 9 times out of 10 that game is going to be played at a neutral site. Make it the same across the board one way or the other.
The only thing I don't like is small facilities hosting. I'm not sure where they came up with the 180 mile rule, but I feel it should be the same across the board regardless of distance. I know earlier I said I'm torn on the location...if you win throughout the season you earned the right to play at home...well maybe you can play closer to home at least? Maybe let the high seed get the choice of a neutral site 60% closer to them as opposed to the lower seed? I know resources and people needed to host a game is a struggle. Why not make the high seed be "host" and they have their people do gate, concessions, clock, etc? As long as the facility host doesn't have the people available to help. I might be crazy here but I just don't like the fact that a district final can be held in a cracker jack box of a gym that holds only 300 people. The current system allows some schools to host, but if a school in the panhandle qualifies 9 times out of 10 that game is going to be played at a neutral site. Make it the same across the board one way or the other.
It needs to go away in all classes. Not sure why Class D AD's/coaches keeps voting for it.
But they vote for the high seed to travel in the playoffs if the 9 beats the 8, so I shouldn't be surprised.
