Will the Maryland state playoffs change?

[TDHelmick]

I will have an article in the Times-News Monthly Sports Magazine which comes out the last Saturday of every month. The article entitled "PLAYOFFITIS" will shed a harsh light on why every team in this area tries to play the worst schedule possible to make the playoffs in addition to making sure Little Johnny doesn't have his name listed as the losing pitcher in the Little League baseball scores. I see it as a participation trophy mentality that has cursed today's society. No coach or school will be spared because they all have it.

More important, I hope to conclude an interview with Andy Warner of the MPSSAA about the current playoff situation and if there will be any changes coming down the pike.

Others admins in the know have told me that the MPSSAA is leaning on a new playoff proposal that continues to use the regional system but now that 8 teams will make the playoffs and we will have a 9 game regular season. I am waiting to confirm some things before stating this as fact. And even if they put such a proposal on the table, it still has to be voted in further down the road and in reality would not get implemented until at least 2018.

I've stated here before that I never see the MPSSAA moving to a 1-16 format like WV. They like the regional set up for several reasons with No. 1 being the lower cost of travel. So if anyone is screaming for playoff changes, it has to be done through some type of regional set up.

I personally am a huge fan of the 9 game regular season and 8 teams to the playoff. I find today's society pushing the participation trophy to no limits and until we remove such a stigma, coaches will always trying to scam the system to get in some how for their kids. I don't see any reason why they can't keep the 10 game regular season schedule and still do this. Just bump up the week 1 game to coincide with what the surrounding states have. When you consider that PA, WV, VA and DC all start their week 1 ahead of MD, it's mind-boggling. And since Western Maryland has to go those other state routes for games, they are hog tying this part of the state...not that this is any concern for the folks down state.

But the playoffs will change, I'm very confident. This won't happen because rural Western Maryland is clamoring for it either. The rest of the state is complaining too. Something will have to give. But it is taking far too long to move an inch...in typical Maryland regulations fashion.

 

[bleedred]

I love the 9 game idea, but I'd go one stepfather. I'd add a fifth class. That would put 36/37 teams in each class with the current number of schools we have now. It works out to 9 or 10 teams in each region. It would almost be impossible to not make it into week 10!

 

[ultrawalt]

I can get behind a everyone making the playoffs idea but the execution would have to be figured out. You have to figure out how to make a playoff where everyone makes the playoffs fit in a five week frame. That's simplest if you can get each region to 8 teams (and it takes care of equity issues with teams in some regions getting byes and others not;keeping things as is also puts you at a 6 week playoff). With 183 schools playing football at the moment that means you need one maybe two new football classes, which in a vacuum shouldn't be a deal breaker especially with the large enrollment gaps within current 1A and 4A( and leaves space in the smallest class to add schools as they open or get programs). At that point if everyone is making the playoffs and the reasoning for this is to avoid schedule gaming, do you just completely do away with the point system and put each team into a blind draw? Or do you leave the door open for teams to schedule for home field in which case I don't know if you really solved anything in going through all the drama.

 

[bleedred]

You have to keep some sort of point system so, yes, some teams will play for a home field advantage. Going to a fifth class and an eight team regional format would only leave out a team or two in each region. (23 total). In 1A, you would almost have to go 0-10 or 1-9 to be left out.

In all honesty, I'd look at a week ten game not as a playoff game but a play in game meaning that if you win, you're advancing to the playoffs.

 

[bigdawgrefwmd]

I don't understand why the change to 9 game schedule when you can just start a week early like other states.
I will never understand how a State like WV can take 16 Teams but MD cannot.
And if you take 8 Teams per region (Change it to district 1,2,3 & 4) When you get down to the Final 8 Teams left re-seed those 8 Teams.

 

[bleedred]

I'd go for starting a week early and having a 10 game schedule, but the State will never get away from a final four, regional representative format.

 

[TDHelmick]

The term "EVERYBODY MAKES THE PLAYOFFS" is misleading. Actually only the top 8 teams in each region make the playoffs. For regions with more than 8 teams the remaining bottom dwellers will be assigned a 10th game against other teams not making the group of 8 from their region and if need be a consolation game with a team from another state or the MIAA can be set up as they do in Pennsylvania. So everyone gets 10 games. But only the top 8 make the playoffs.

I cannot stress enough the fact that every coach is trying to make the playoffs. It's how things are these days. Everybody feels their kids are entitled for the hard work they put in. Coaches will do whatever it takes to make sure they scam the system to get in and that scam is avoiding competition. We see it in WV big time. The ONLY way to remedy this participation concept is to just expand the playoffs to the point where almost any team with a pulse gets in. Sure there will be many coaches that don't like this set up. I doubt locally that Hancock has any interest in traveling here November 4 to play one of the Cumberland schools. To that I would say no problem, just remove yourself from the playoff picture before the season begins. Or forfeit the game. Otherwise don't try to steal a playoff spot from someone else based on system flaws that exist now.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

Honestly, I would be ok going back to the old format, just using 16 teams. Have the 4 region winners get the automatic bid (therefore all regions are represented) and then have 12 at large teams regardless of region. If 6 of those 12 are taken up by 1 region, then so be it. I know the issue with this is travel, but no one seemed to care before. And why are we averse to neutral site playoff games? Frankly, if you really want to see your team play, you will find a way to make it to a neutral site that is somewhere in the middle of the 2 schools. I feel like Maryland is in the minority in not using neutral sites (but I could be wrong about that).

If we are going to stick with our current points calculation, I would at least like to see something added in for losses. Losing to a 9-1 team shouldn't be equivalent to losing to a 3-7 team.

 

[LinemenWinGames]

From the Fredrick News Post

Coach's corner: A call to get rid of MPSSAAs open playoffs

• Hal Grau Special to the News-Post
  
• Mar 13, 2011
  
• 0

Does anyone involved with the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association ever listen to the people they govern? They must use the same hearing aids as our professional politicians. You know, the hearing aids that are turned off. Why is it that the people who oversee and administrate state high school athletics seem to forget who they are supposed to be serving?

This is not a new phenomenon. The MPSSAA has been operating under the banner of political correctness for quite some time, more motivated by fear of lawsuits than by what's best for the athletes in the arena of competition. Over the years, decisions have been made governing playoff mechanics that seem, to me, to be based more on what's the most hassle-free thing to do as opposed to how can we make conditions better for competition.

But, Coach, weren't you a part of the problem when you yourself spent several decades on the MPSSAA Track and Field Committee?


Correct. I was one of eight district representatives in track and field, representing the Western counties (Garret, Allegany, Washington, and Frederick) in the 1980s and 90s, so I did have an inside view of the workings of the executive/legislative/judicial power vested in the various sports committees.

The executive director of the MPSSAA has the responsibility of heading each of the committees and acting as a liaison with all the county superintendents and, ultimately, with the state superintendent of schools, who appoints him/her to the position. Understandably, an executive director may feel like he is walking on eggs, and so may opt for the least controversial pathway to follow.

Each sports committee acts as both the legislative and judicial arm of the troika. It may have changed since I have left serving, but it was pretty obvious then that certain counties/cities had more clout than others. Often, decisions were made by having to lobby to enlist the support of the more influential members who I always thought of as "The Big Three": Prince George's County, Montgomery County and Baltimore County/City. What was best for their schools would have to be good enough for the rest of the state. Sometimes I felt like a voice crying in the wilderness.

So, do you want some cheese with your whine, Coach?

Just giving you a little background before I get to the crux of the column.


Many of my coaching and sportswriter associates remain baffled year after year, season after season, by the way the MPSSAA administers tournament play in several team sports, most notably, soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. I'll use basketball to illustrate some of the absurdity that exists. Every team qualified for the playoffs. Everybody feels good. "OK, we only won one of 20 games, but we're going to the Big Dance." Swell. But because of some bizarre seeding setup, only the top four teams in each region are seeded, while all the rest are thrown into a hat and randomly scheduled. How would you like to be the fifth-place team in the region with a 15-5 record, having to play a 2-18 team on their court? The squad with the better record doesn't even get the benefit of playing at home. They get on a bus and travel an hour to thump the daylights out of the Sisters of the Small but Slow. How is that mismatch healthy for either team?

It's not only the seeding that's a problem. How about if the officials for the games were (here's a concept) neutral? OK, OK. I'm not saying that all refs are "homers," but why not give the games some semblance of fairness by bringing in neutral refs? Additionally, the seeding took place this year before teams had completed their schedules, thereby making those games meaningless as far as the tournament placement went. To many schools, being in the playoffs is a goal for which they have toiled long and hard. Don't our athletes deserve the best, fairest conditions to play under?

Any suggestions, Coach?

How about if you want to include all teams in a region in a playoff, that you seed them top to bottom, based on record or even a point system? And do the seeding on the Saturday after the last Friday play date? In regions of more than eight schools, you can have play-in games for the Nos. seven and eight seeds so the team that hasn't won a game can play against an opponent closer to their own ability. Then, if they win, they can advance to play the higher seeds. Play the region quarterfinals, semis, and finals on a neutral court, preferably at one site, using neutral officials.

The MPSSAA has the responsibility to provide leadership in making Maryland high school sports the best that they can be. Isn't it time that they start listening?

 

[LinemenWinGames]

From the Frederick News Post 2007

MPSSAA deck stacked against Frederick High football

• Nov 18, 2007

I attended the Frederick High School vs. Thomas Johnson varsity football game on Saturday, Nov. 10, and have supported the Cadets for years. I am very proud of these young men for their level of play and character.

It was a well-played game although Frederick has been struggling for several weeks on offense. The point of my story, however, is not to analyze offense vs. defense, but rather highlight a failed point system that the Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association implemented several years ago due to their lack of leadership. MPSSAA has never been fair and equitable to Frederick County schools, especially FHS and TJ, the most culturally diverse in Frederick County.


Although the Cadets have a superior record of 7-2 (one on-the-field loss and one forfeit) than that of Urbana High School (7-3, actually 6-4), which they defeated, FHS failed to make the playoffs. The efforts of these young men go unrewarded by this failed point system that reeks of suspicion or worse.

I am a fan of FHS football during the regular season and a Frederick County fan during the regional playoffs. One of the failures in our society as a whole is we convey the message that hard work may not be rewarded fairly, if at all. This system invites abuse in scheduling, for example, and I believe it is also politically motivated.


I am a 1977 graduate of FHS and in the "old school" system coaches put their best players on the field and the best team with the best record prevailed at the end of the season. This is clearly not the case in today's politically motivated, soft and sensitive world of athletic competition at all levels.

My message to young athletes is to guard your heart on and off the field of play because sports often mimics life in a society that is spiritually bankrupt, full of confusion, corruption and greed. Your best effort on and off the field may not be good enough.

Terry Bowie writes from Frederick.

 

[LinemenWinGames]

Make it easy. 1-16 seed in each class with a point system like VA. I hate this travel issue. It is b.s. and politically motivated. There is so much damn waste everywhere that the expense issue is a garbage excuse. This expense would give kids the opportunity to travel to schools and play teams that they have never played and it is just a good life experience for them. If you can't pay for a bus and hotel to send your kids from the Eastern Shore or Western Maryland or Balt. City across the state then drop out of the MPSSAA. Also, I thought that the State picks up on some of the expense for playoff teams. Can someone answer that?

Baltimore City will combat any change because it stacks the deck to get as many teams from the City into the playoffs. That's why you see so many changes in their 3 City League divisions, Tier 1-2-3. The City admin attempts to predict the potential record/level of play of each city team so that they can divide them up in the tiers to get as many city teams in the playoffs in each MPSSAA classification. Each set tier team has a schedule they have to play. They keep the rivalries but then have to play who the City tells them to. That's the way it has been done in the past.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

At least I'm not the only one advocating for neutral site games! That article was 5 years ago so we can see just how receptive to change the MPSSAA is; however, they did at least go to straight seeding the other sports. I had mentioned in another thread that it would take a school from one of the influential counties, "the big three" referred to above, getting screwed for change to occur. Well....my Lancers are going to do their best to make that happen!!!

 

[nomad974]

Down here in MoCo. This is welcome news, especially for the "elite" teams. Our schedules are pretty much locked in with very little wiggle room to schedule out of county games. For teams like Damascus, Quince Orchard, Northwest etc. They get very little if anything out of playing 0-10, 1-9 teams like Walter Johnson, Churchill etc. They get no if any bonus points and the starters are off the field by the 2nd quarter. They would much rather play a good out of county public or private.

Word on the street is several teams have already begun talks with out of county public or privates to schedule home/home games over the next two years.

 

[nomad974]

I had mentioned in another thread that it would take a school from one of the influential counties, "the big three" referred to above, getting screwed for change to occur. Well....my Lancers are going to do their best to make that happen!!!

Speaking only for MoCo. At least one teams gets "screwed" almost every year. Last year it was Paint Branch, 8-2, no playoffs. This year it may be Seneca Valley. Most likely will finish 8-2 and no playoffs. But everybody has a good idea what it will take to get a playoff birth in their individual regions its not a surprise to anyone.

The general consensus around these parts is the current format works against the county in football. Generally speaking 2 of the top 5 teams in 4A are normally from MoCo. Having them all in one region has robbed us of a potential all MoCo finals in several years.

IIRC, the coaches & AD's in the county were strongly against the change back in '03

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

Down here in MoCo. This is welcome news, especially for the "elite" teams. Our schedules are pretty much locked in with very little wiggle room to schedule out of county games. For teams like Damascus, Quince Orchard, Northwest etc. They get very little if anything out of playing 0-10, 1-9 teams like Walter Johnson, Churchill etc. They get no if any bonus points and the starters are off the field by the 2nd quarter. They would much rather play a good out of county public or private.

Word on the street is several teams have already begun talks with out of county public or privates to schedule home/home games over the next two years.

Does Moco force you to play games outside of your division? Seems like you guys should have more wiggle room if you are only locked into playing your division games. Even in the 3A division (the largest), it would leave 3 open dates. Looking at the current Seneca Valley situation, I'm sure they would have loved to replace Churchill, and maybe even Gaithersburg, with a tougher out of county opponent!

 

[wvuguy43]

Make it easy. 1-16 seed in each class with a point system like VA. I hate this travel issue. It is b.s. and politically motivated. There is so much damn waste everywhere that the expense issue is a garbage excuse. This expense would give kids the opportunity to travel to schools and play teams that they have never played and it is just a good life experience for them. If you can't pay for a bus and hotel to send your kids from the Eastern Shore or Western Maryland or Balt. City across the state then drop out of the MPSSAA. Also, I thought that the State picks up on some of the expense for playoff teams. Can someone answer that?

Baltimore City will combat any change because it stacks the deck to get as many teams from the City into the playoffs. That's why you see so many changes in their 3 City League divisions, Tier 1-2-3. The City admin attempts to predict the potential record/level of play of each city team so that they can divide them up in the tiers to get as many city teams in the playoffs in each MPSSAA classification. Each set tier team has a schedule they have to play. They keep the rivalries but then have to play who the City tells them to. That's the way it has been done in the past.

Very well stated linemen. The travel and expense issue is always a big question I have always had. I am like you, I thought come playoff time, the state throws in some money?and who gets the gate money from the playoffs? The State or the Schools. And for the city schools, that has always been the case stacking teams ever since the Ned Sparks times with the MPSSAA. He always had a bad taste in his mouth for the Western Maryland Schools.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

Very well stated linemen. The travel and expense issue is always a big question I have always had. I am like you, I thought come playoff time, the state throws in some money?and who gets the gate money from the playoffs? The State or the Schools. And for the city schools, that has always been the case stacking teams ever since the Ned Sparks times with the MPSSAA. He always had a bad taste in his mouth for the Western Maryland Schools.

Per the MPSSAA football bulletin, "the MPSSAA will receive all revenues and pay all expenses."

 

[nomad974]

Does Moco force you to play games outside of your division? Seems like you guys should have more wiggle room if you are only locked into playing your division games. Even in the 3A division (the largest), it would leave 3 open dates. Looking at the current Seneca Valley situation, I'm sure they would have loved to replace Churchill, and maybe even Gaithersburg, with a tougher out of county opponent!

Only a handful out of the 25 teams are forced to find an out of county opponent. And they are all bad teams/average teams. None of the elite were allowed to schedule out of county for whatever reason (I assume its $$$ related). So they had to find in county opponents to fill out the rest of the sched.

Even though you are mandated to play your in division opponents. Every team has at least one rival they want to play. QO-NW, SV-Gburg etc. Also, there is the issue of getting open dates to match up. And of course there are many teams that just dont want to play certain programs. This potential 9 game setup will make things slightly easier

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

I personally wouldn't mind seeing Maryland move to a format similar to Texas. Break down our regions into 2 sections, like they do for all other sports, and enforce sectional play where only your records in those game counts towards playoffs. Take the top 2 teams from each section and you have your 16 team playoff. This doesn't solve the overloaded region problem but it would help alleviate scheduling issues. It would open up more open dates and would allow for the better publics to play the better privates without it impacting their playoff chances. Right now, publics don't want to take the chance of a loss to a private and that is completely understandable. Obviously this isn't a perfect solution either but I am not sure if there is a perfect solution.

 

[Waggle Pass]

I personally wouldn't mind seeing Maryland move to a format similar to Texas. Break down our regions into 2 sections, like they do for all other sports, and enforce sectional play where only your records in those game counts towards playoffs. Take the top 2 teams from each section and you have your 16 team playoff. This doesn't solve the overloaded region problem but it would help alleviate scheduling issues. It would open up more open dates and would allow for the better publics to play the better privates without it impacting their playoff chances. Right now, publics don't want to take the chance of a loss to a private and that is completely understandable. Obviously this isn't a perfect solution either but I am not sure if there is a perfect solution.

Does Texas still break regional ties by a coin toss? (If anyone has read "Friday Night Lights" you'll know what I'm talking about)

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

Does Texas still break regional ties by a coin toss? (If anyone has read "Friday Night Lights" you'll know what I'm talking about)

Looks like each district can decide on its own how to break ties...at least that's how I interpreted it. They do use coin flips to determine playoff sites if the 2 schools disagree. I really do like how the UIL lets the schools hash out where they want playoff games played and only get involved if they cant agree.

 

[TDHelmick]

Always ideas and opinions...but I have to keep reminding everyone that the MPSSAA isn't going to break up the regions. Yes, it's primarily about money. Complaining about what to do without realizing money is a factor is useless. So all these wishes about going straight 1-16 or using other formats that don't utilize our regional set up is just that...a good discussion at best. I want to hear more ideas about how we change the playoff system while keeping the regions. Have read some good ones.

Honestly, I don't like the WV format. It does not solve the #1 issue...dumbing down the schedule to make the playoffs.

 

[theprocessworks]

you have already said it Todd. go to a 9 game season and let everyone in.

 

[bigsavage]

I'm not a mathematician and I'm no expert when it comes to point systems but this is an honest question.. Why can't you weight a loss equal to or greater to a larger team with a winning record to a win against a smaller team with a losing record? And do it correspondingly...such as a loss to a smaller school with a losing record the least favorable a win against said school the next step above least favorable? A win against a larger school or private with a winning record the most favorable.. It seems simple enough but I feel like I'm missing something bc that seems too simple...

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

I'm not a mathematician and I'm no expert when it comes to point systems but this is an honest question.. Why can't you weight a loss equal to or greater to a larger team with a winning record to a win to a smaller team with a losing record? And do it correspondingly...such as a loss to a smaller school with a losing record the least favorable a win against said school the next step above least favorable? A win against a larger school or private with a winning record the most favorable.. It seems simple enough but I feel like I'm missing something bc that seems too simple...

Here is a link to Virginia's setup with what they call power points. They do take losses and size of school into consideration.

http://www.vhsl.org/doc/upload/fb-2016-weekly-ratings-Oct-24.pdf

 

[bigsavage]

Here is a link to Virginia's setup with what they call power points. They do take losses and size of school into consideration.

http://www.vhsl.org/doc/upload/fb-2016-weekly-ratings-Oct-24.pdf

Thanks

 

[bigsavage]

I guess what I'm saying is something like this...

Base points

7pts win against larger school/private winning record..
5pts win against same size school winning record
2pts win against same size losing record
3pts win smaller size winning record
1pt win smaller school losing record

4pts loss to larger school/private with winning record
3 or 2pts loss to same size winning record
0 pts loss to same size losing record
0 pts loss to smaller school

This way it seems like losses to larger schools/privates cancels out wins against smaller weaker opponents.. Wins against larger better opponents are weighted heavier than wins against same size and smaller.. And then you can award bonus points for your opponents wins accordingly... But I have to be missing something here..

This is without looking at the va system.. I haven't had a chance...

 

[Red Neck]

A major influence in VA is the strength of schedule. This, obviously, dissuades stronger teams from scheduling weak teams and "cherry picking" their schedules. It works!

 

[ultrawalt]

I decided to play around with a (very basic) SOS modification to the current point system and applied it to the 1A North using current projections to see what it would change.

For opponents defeated by:
Base Points: 4.0 points for losing to a 4A school
3.0 points for losing to a 3A school
2.0 points for losing to a 2A school
1.0 points for losing to a 1A school
For opponent quality points I added 1 point for each opponent a team that defeated you won (.9 points if you have a 10 game schedule, 1.11 points if the opponent has a 9 game schedule, 1 point if both teams have a 9 game schedule).

Currently the projected 1A North looks like this:
1A North

1) 7.6 Havre de Grace (7-2)
2) 3.7 Surrattsville (4-6)
3) 3.2 Fairmont Heights (4-6)
4) 2.1 Joppatowne (3-7)
5) 1.9 McDonough (2-8)
6) 1.4 Patterson Mill (2-8)
7) 0.6 Pikesville (1-9)


Accounting for my rough strength of schedule edit it would look like this:

1) 9.77 Havre de Grace (7-2)
2) 9.06 Fairmont Heights (4-6)
3) 8.9 McDonough (2-8)
4) 8.2 Surrattsville (4-6)
5) 7.7 Patterson Mill (2-8)
6) 7.67 Joppatowne (3-7)
7) 7.6 Pikesville (1-9)

So, Havre de Grace keeps the 1 seed, Fairmont Heights moves up one spot, Surrattsville drops to 4, Mcdonough goes from 5th to 3rd and Joppatowne falls out.

 

[ultrawalt]

In regards to the above it looks like there has been another forfeit in the SMAC that moved McDonough's projected record to 3-7 and based on that if things were to hold with favored teams McDonough would be in the playoffs this year as the 4th seed going to Havre de Grace (which I would imagine would not be good for them). As for that affecting the SOS added projection McDonough would move to a 2 seed.

 

[beall02]

I don't like the 9-game regular season idea. I will admit that in the beginning it was selfish thoughts that made be believe this way. A football season that is only 10 games would make losing 1 game feel like so much more to me at least. But now I believe that the 9-game schedule idea is wrong because of what it would represent. One of the biggest attractions to the plan is that it will "expand the playoffs" and "make it that almost everyone makes the playoffs", and this would be a good thing, right? I believe that in most years, in most classes, this would be true. But is anyone else really excited to see 1A expand the playoffs this year? Or in most years for that matter? I know I wouldn't. And why expand the playoffs if you aren't going to then include every team? Seems kind of counterproductive if you ask me. The one thing it would do is give those teams in tougher regions that don't make the playoffs with a 7-3, 8-2, or 9-1 record a chance now. For that reason I would say it is a plus. But I just don't believe that is reason enough to say yes to the idea.

I like the idea of a 1-16 and as I say that I know that it will never happen. Regional format is what makes the state the most money and it will not be going anywhere. The state can afford the travel cost of a 1-16 format but why pay for it if you can just stick to the regional format and bank some extra money. If they could afford a first round playoff game of Beall traveling to Elkton in the 90's they can afford it now as well.

I think the MPSSAA does need to change the system and I am glad they are talking about it. I would like them to incorporate in the new system the benefits of playing teams in your own region (get more points for a win over a team in your region than a win against someone outside of your region) and some other type of way to come up with a SOS and incorporate that in the point system as well. And when I say more points for a win over a team in your own regions, I mean significantly more points.

All in all though, I can say I am glad they are talking about it, and I have read a lot of good ideas on here. I believe we could take a little from each proposal and come up with a good system.

 

[TDHelmick]

beall02, you cannot award more points for playing teams in your region unless the regional play is mandatory.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

beall02, you cannot award more points for playing teams in your region unless the regional play is mandatory.

It's a good thought, but I agree, not feasible in our current system. If everyone played an independent schedule, this would be possible and would "encourage" teams to play within their regions. But for those counties and teams that are locked into conference schedules, playing within your region isn't always an option. Brunswick is a good example of this as they are the only 1A in Frederick County and are locked into several CMC games.

 

[TDHelmick]

I have an article in this Saturday's Times-News ripping the playoff system and teams playing cupcake schedules as we like to call them here. Part II of the story is an interview with Andy Warner at the MPSSAA specifically addressing nothing but this Maryland playoff system.

Here are a few paragraphs from the story so you can see where I'm going. No one will be spared. Bwahahahaha (in an evil Halloween devil voice).


TIMES-NEWS MONTHLY SPORTS MAG ARTICLE
If you are one of the people that just cannot grasp this "everyone in the playoffs" concept, then don't complain about more 50 point blow outs being played against some aptly named Academy at a stadium near you.

Luckily, the entire state of Maryland is suffering from this currently antiquated playoff system. It's not just a Western Maryland problem. Ultimately that means changes are coming albeit at a typical over regulated, lazy, bureaucratic, lawsuit fearing, politically correct, red tape snail pace. In other words, in typical Maryland fashion. We'll cover that one in Part II of this story.

 

[5punisher3]

Do you think 3 out of 4 state champion games being blowouts[ 1A, 3A, 4A] last year will get any of their attention?

 

[ultrawalt]

I don't know if the fact that 3 of 4 finals games were blowouts necessarily should get their attention on its face. You could look at the three teams that won in blowout fashion as being so far ahead of their class (as playoff results would indicate) that there wasn't a whole lot that would have changed the result or competitiveness of the finals matchups. For reference on the blowout issue over the past 20 years the average point differential in the finals is: 11.9 points in 4A, 16.4 points in 3A, 20 points in 2A and 17.9 points in 1A.

 

[TDHelmick]

Three things will never allow Maryland to move to a 1-16 set up. Never has and never will.
1. Money
2. Geographical Representation Equality (they don't care about blow outs)
3. Travel (See #1)

The regional set ups provide homes games which equal bigger gates in the first 3 rounds. Keep complaining for sure, but 1-16 will never go. They have tried several times in the last 2 decades to push and make that work using many, many different models to no avail. We are beating our heads against the wall continuing to ask for 1-16 even using neutral sites. How many times can we be stupid to push for it again?

What really irritates me is the snail pace used to implement or even do a study on things like this. If it does not involve a law suit, a Title IX or a racially motivated issue they will sit on it just as they do in Maryland politics. While I applaud Title IX and racially motivated issues producing a better place, the point is they can do something quick if they really want to.

 

[BoyznBlue]

Three things will never allow Maryland to move to a 1-16 set up. Never has and never will.
1. Money
2. Geographical Representation Equality (they don't care about blow outs)
3. Travel (See #1)

The regional set ups provide homes games which equal bigger gates in the first 3 rounds. Keep complaining for sure, but 1-16 will never go. They have tried several times in the last 2 decades to push and make that work using many, many different models to no avail. We are beating our heads against the wall continuing to ask for 1-16 even using neutral sites. How many times can we be stupid to push for it again?

What really irritates me is the snail pace used to implement or even do a study on things like this. If it does not involve a law suit, a Title IX or a racially motivated issue they will sit on it just as they do in Maryland politics. While I applaud Title IX and racially motivated issues producing a better place, the point is they can do something quick if they really want to.

How can you argue that Money/Travel isn't an issue? For example, if 1-16 was approved, it might be possible - using the current alignment of 1A schools - that FH or Alco would have to play on the Eastern Shore 2 weeks in a row and then play in Annapolis for the title game.

 

[BoyznBlue]

I don't know if the fact that 3 of 4 finals games were blowouts necessarily should get their attention on its face. You could look at the three teams that won in blowout fashion as being so far ahead of their class (as playoff results would indicate) that there wasn't a whole lot that would have changed the result or competitiveness of the finals matchups. For reference on the blowout issue over the past 20 years the average point differential in the finals is: 11.9 points in 4A, 16.4 points in 3A, 20 points in 2A and 17.9 points in 1A.

20 years is too large of a sample size. But just looking at last year's playoff results, 2A was very competitive. 4A and 3A were a little skewed because of two dominant teams. And both schools played a very tough schedule - taking out every competitor along the way.

1A West is weird because they don't have a conference. Why can't Maryland MPSSAA force the schools into a conference or make them ineligible for post-season play? For example, in 4A next year Wise is going to play DeMatha in an epic game. But even if they lose, which they probably will, it's not going to affect their playoff situation because they still have to play everyone in their division any way.

 

[LHSlancerFAN]

How can you argue that Money/Travel isn't an issue? For example, if 1-16 was approved, it might be possible - using the current alignment of 1A schools - that FH or Alco would have to play on the Eastern Shore 2 weeks in a row and then play in Annapolis for the title game.

I think people have trouble accepting that as an issue because other states use this format and make it work. West Virginia for example, which is more economically depressed than Maryland, finds a way to make it work. I don't think anyone is saying travel/money isn't an issue, they are saying that it's an issue that could be overcome if the MPSSAA were willing (i.e. neutral site games, etc..).