With sub-regionals it simply guarantees that Richmond/Fredericksburg area schools don't face 757 teams in the playoffs.
Cross bracketing in 3A seems particularly stupid...
- Thread starter GilliamRatings
- Start date
I agree that cross bracketing in the semi finals has potential to make road trips too far. I understand the VHSL wanting the best 2 teams playing for the finals, regardless or region.
If we, Abingdon, would have beaten LB last night, we would have been looking at a 386 mile trip to Phoebus next week. That is a long, long trip for a high school game. I am in favor of having a West and East champion represent each class in the finals.
Cross bracketing in 5A and 6A isn't as much a problem as some of the lower classifications because there are no teams in those classes, west of Roanoke.
If we, Abingdon, would have beaten LB last night, we would have been looking at a 386 mile trip to Phoebus next week. That is a long, long trip for a high school game. I am in favor of having a West and East champion represent each class in the finals.
Cross bracketing in 5A and 6A isn't as much a problem as some of the lower classifications because there are no teams in those classes, west of Roanoke.
Get rid of cross bracketing and get of regions deciding their own playoff format.
Make one uniform playoff format for all six Groups in the VHSL.
Ken Tilley has ruined high school sports in Virginia.
Make one uniform playoff format for all six Groups in the VHSL.
Ken Tilley has ruined high school sports in Virginia.
VHSL has improved many things for VA. Regions won't give up their power, you're angry at the wrong people.
On thing that really needs to be understood. The VHSL DOES NOT tell any region or any class how to format their playoffs. In the words as it was told to the member schools, "we don't care how you do it, just send us two contenders for the championship game". Agree or disapprove, that is the only guidance that is given to the membership.
If you don't like cross bracketing, ask your principal or AD which way did they vote? I'm not criticizing anyone, just pointing out that, in this particular case, it's NOT the VHSL.
If you don't like cross bracketing, ask your principal or AD which way did they vote? I'm not criticizing anyone, just pointing out that, in this particular case, it's NOT the VHSL.
In short, cross bracketing stated (but ineffective) goal is to give the two best teams a better chance of meeting in the finals, but by having sub regionals in one of the two regions you undo that objective. One decision negates the other.
I didn't think any different, but the original point of my post agrees with your conjecture on why they cross bracket. I was just point out that your at cross purposes if you cross bracket, but then have one of the regions decide to go to a sub-regional format.
They do similar stuff all the time. They complain about travel and their solution is to get rid of conferences and go to regions which will actually increase playoff travel. They also complain about travel during the playoffs and in most sports they invite the regional losers to the state playoffs. If they really cared about travel they'd eliminate that immediately.
I agree, a lot of paradox exist. I think the 3a guys obsessed with "the two best teams" idea. Since the gate becomes irrelevant now, that was not a consideration. I'm not sure they put enough thought into the hardship for the parents and fans. This format guaranteed long trips. Redicuouly long for many, such as grand parents. What is the travel time from Ridgeway to Hampton, 5 1/2 hours plus?
And the two best teams may be meeting in the semifanials instead of in Lynchburg.
Just a bad idea. It's as simple as that.
mvwarrior, I just sent you a me
When I saw the matchups, my first thought was why are both West teams traveling so far. Find a neutral mid point site. Make it fair travel times for both teams. The VHSL keeps all the money now so hosting really doesn't matter.
Look at what 1A is gonna have to do this week. Union at Clarke County two opposite ends of the state almost 7 hour drive
I know you said roughly but Hopewell is less than 1hour 30 minutes from Hampton based on Google search...that game would have been packed based on the proximity and the tradition of both of these teams on that side of the state.
It is totally stupid that everyone not play by same rules from 1a to 6A. Everyone should use same format.
The 2A trip that Union makes to Berryville is shorter, according to Google Maps, than the distance from a trip Abingdon would have made to Phoebus, if the Falcons were able to defeat LBHS.
Either way, these trips are too far in my opinion. From what I'm told, the VHSL gets the gate money from the semi's and finals. Play them in a somewhat central location and use some of the gate proceeds to offset the travel for both teams.
I happen to like crossbracketing, but the travel can be pretty ridiculous. Playing on a neutral site in both the semis and finals could mitigate that greatly. I think you'll see greater attendance for the semi-finals too.
As for the OP, crossbracketing isn't the problem by itself. 3A East pod format is. If the new changes coming across all classes is to simulate more of a regional feel in the playoffs we're going to see pods becoming the norm. The fact that Fred/RVA teams won't see 757 teams until possibly the finals is proving to be the downside of the pods (regions) when in conjunction with crossbracketing. One of them should go. Either abandon pods or eliminate crossbracketing. I'd rather get rid of the pods, but I think the consensus will be to stop crossbracketing.
It does matter because you usually make much a good chunk of change off of concessions especially with a big crowd. Several thousands of dollars I would guess at least.
Screw regional feel in playoffs. I like to play teams from other parts of state that you have not played before. back in Gretna's heyday, it seemed as if we played same teams every year in playoffs until semi finals. I never like to play anyone more than once every 5-7 years.
Cross bracketing isn't a problem, but it's been shown by statisticians to do virtually nothing to improve the chance of the two best teams meeting in the finals. If you simulate millions of brackets the probability the two best teams meet in the playoffs in a 32 team system might go up something like 0.25% We get the two best teams in the finals one more time every 400 seasons.
People don't realize how often the best team simply doesn't make it to the finals no matter what the system is we use. Upsets happen quite often (especially in the playoffs), which is why the theory behind cross bracketing collapses in actual practice.
I have seen many semi final games that were in reality, state championship games.
