High School Split Playoffs..No More

[ManAboutTown]

High School students and coaches would never sandbag for obvious reasons.

But even if they did, sandbagging would be pointless because you'd get one good year in a lower division then have to move up again the next year.

Right. Plus, I imagine it would organically become an embrassmemt to be relegated, and also, would give leverage to the principals to make coaching changes. Just a thought.

[CharlieK]

High School students and coaches would never sandbag for obvious reasons.

But even if they did, sandbagging would be pointless because you'd get one good year in a lower division then have to move up again the next year.

You have more faith in adults than I do.

[CajunRebel]

You have more faith in adults than I do.

What incentive would they have to sandbag?

[CharlieK]

What incentive would they have to sandbag?

To move down and win the next year. If the current season has gone poorly and is a loss anyway. Coaches could manipulate playing time pretty easy to lose games.

What's the incentive for staying up and getting beat down?

[mahtoo]

I have an idea. Let's put South Arkansas with whatever the high school athletics association is in Arkansas. Where they belong.
South Arkansas = anything more than 50 miles north of I-10 (and I'm being generous here)

50 miles? You're being generous? How much time have you spent more than 50 miles north of I 10? I promise there are many cajuns living more than 50 miles north of I 10. I know you're just trying to make a point but that generalization is a bad one.

[CajunRebel]

To move down and win the next year. If the current season has gone poorly and is a loss anyway. Coaches could manipulate playing time pretty easy to lose games.

What's the incentive for staying up and getting beat down?

I have to think that getting relegated to a lower division isn't going to be good news for that coach, especially if he starts making highly questionable coaching decisions.

[CharlieK]

I have to think that getting relegated to a lower division isn't going to be good news for that coach, especially if he starts making highly questionable coaching decisions.

Here is a scenario. Jeanerette is playing Delcambre late in the season. Both are 3-6. You going to tell me there isn't a good chance one or both plays his 1 or two good athletes a little less. Or makes less then ideal play calls? Delcambre kept the same coaches for many many years even though they consistently lost. Most high school coaches arnt on short leashes like college coaches. What if you were a team that always won just enough to not get relegated but not enough to actually be good. Why kill yourself to win a meaningless game when losing actually helps you the next year.

Look, I like the promotion/relegation idea. But there will always be people and ways to game the system. That's all I'm saying.

[ZoomZoom]

You have more faith in adults than I do.

When it comes to h/s sports, I have ZERO faith in administrators. I've seen coach "ostrich" and administrator "turtle" not act on out of zone kids until it was too late, even when boosters were yelling from the highest mountain they had a problem.

[CajunRebel]

Here is a scenario. Jeanerette is playing Delcambre late in the season. Both are 3-6. You going to tell me there isn't a good chance one or both plays his 1 or two good athletes a little less. Or makes less then ideal play calls? Delcambre kept the same coaches for many many years even though they consistently lost. Most high school coaches arnt on short leashes like college coaches. What if you were a team that always won just enough to not get relegated but not enough to actually be good. Why kill yourself to win a meaningless game when losing actually helps you the next year.

Look, I like the promotion/relegation idea. But there will always be people and ways to game the system. That's all I'm saying.

Well for one thing a 3-6 team probably won't get relegated. With promotion/relegation only the very top teams will get promoted and the very bottom teams will get relegated. Basically the only teams that will leave are the teams that have no business playing at that level.

And if a high school coach - say from a 3A school - keeps getting relegated year after year he'll eventually be getting his butt whipped by 1A schools. And he definitely won't be keeping his job.

Personally, I don't see how this would become a problem. Since this is all hypothetical, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

[ManAboutTown]

Here is a scenario. Jeanerette is playing Delcambre late in the season. Both are 3-6. You going to tell me there isn't a good chance one or both plays his 1 or two good athletes a little less. Or makes less then ideal play calls? Delcambre kept the same coaches for many many years even though they consistently lost. Most high school coaches arnt on short leashes like college coaches. What if you were a team that always won just enough to not get relegated but not enough to actually be good. Why kill yourself to win a meaningless game when losing actually helps you the next year.

Look, I like the promotion/relegation idea. But there will always be people and ways to game the system. That's all I'm saying.

I hear you, and agree that any system will be manipulated. But I believe, and really I think it's been proven, that this arrangement overwhelmingly benefits the majority. It's about as fair as you can get in 2016 sports IMO. Most coaches were at some point players, and even if they weren't, they must have a competitive gene to be in coaching. You would have to believe that human nature would take over in all most all cases. Like I said before, most schools would take it as an embarrassment to get relegated (and in pro soccer, it's a huge deal - I get that it's different because they're being paid, but the principle is still solid). Over time, it would be even more so. Can you imagine if Breaux Bridge and Cecilia had a relegation game against each other? They might need to call in the national guard!

[CharlieK]

Well for one thing a 3-6 team probably won't get relegated. With promotion/relegation only the very top teams will get promoted and the very bottom teams will get relegated. Basically the only teams that will leave are the teams that have no business playing at that level.

And if a high school coach - say from a 3A school - keeps getting relegated year after year he'll eventually be getting his butt whipped by 1A schools. And he definitely won't be keeping his job.

Personally, I don't see how this would become a problem. Since this is all hypothetical, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

Lord, ok. Change the hypothetical records to whatever you want. Same idea.

[CharlieK]

I hear you, and agree that any system will be manipulated. But I believe, and really I think it's been proven, that this arrangement overwhelmingly benefits the majority. It's about as fair as you can get in 2016 sports IMO. Most coaches were at some point players, and even if they weren't, they must have a competitive gene to be in coaching. You would have to believe that human nature would take over in all most all cases. Like I said before, most schools would take it as an embarrassment to get relegated (and in pro soccer, it's a huge deal - I get that it's different because they're being paid, but the principle is still solid). Over time, it would be even more so. Can you imagine if Breaux Bridge and Cecilia had a relegation game against each other? They might need to call in the national guard!

Again, I like the idea more than the split.