New Proposal to Replace Districts

New Playoff Format

Not really wild about 3-win (and possibly 2-win) teams playing 7-1 or 6-2 teams in round one.

I thought it was very interesting that this proposal has so many sponsors. While impressive, it's a wasted effort in my opinion.

There are very few schools smaller than 7A among those sponsors. And that's why I think this proposal doesn't have much chance in passing a vote of all football playing schools. The small and medium sized schools, if they vote in a block, can approve or disapprove anything they want in this association.  This despite the fact that a substantial majority of students in Illinois do not attend small and medium sized schools.  If the small schools think that this is a big school initiative or (gasp!) a Chicago area school initiative, then I feel they would likely vote against it for no other reason than that.

Meh. No different than a 7-1 or 6-2 playing those same teams week 9 now.

Except week 9 now is not playoffs.

So the P word is your hang up? Call it qualifying week. Problem solved.

Hell, call weeks 9, 10 and 11 regionals, 12 and 13 sectionals and 14 the championship. Like every other sport.

Then, watch all the old men cling to their letter jackets and collectively say "In my day, playoffs meant something!!", pat their bear guts and continue to pontificate on things no one else, particularly those playing the actual games, care about.

Time will tell. I wonder if you would be singing a different tune if your 2-6 team was embarrased in "qualifying week" by a 7-1 team, or if "qualifying week" was more aptly named blow out week because of the high quantity of gross mismatches.

I don't have a team, so I wouldn't care.

If I was 2-6 when I had one, I'd be more worried about why we were 2-6 than I was about another blowout loss. What's the difference in losing to that team under the current format in week 9 or this new format?

Besides, there are some 2-6 that could kill some 7-1.

Oh no, the pussy ass red mark police are back.

Not my reputation. Gasp!

I think admins would look to cut stipends due to a week reduction in regular season. It would not happen immediately but over the next few years as contracts came up for negotiation.