What are your thoughts about the combined conferences that go into effect next year? 1A-2A, 3A-4A, and 5A-6A.
Our staff is split. Some think it will be OK. Others think it's going to kill local rivalry games because schools are going to have fewer non-conference slots available for scheduling.
It's going to make playing non conference games tough.
If you are a football school and are put into one of the bigger conferences you will have 0 non conference games, unless you drop one of your tournaments in order to play 2 non conference games. But if you do that than you're also hurting local tournaments.
I disagree with it, but it doesn't matter.
Complete idiocy!
Shoot all we will have is local rivalry game looks like. Looks like we will miss on some of these showcase tourneys the kids get to go to if Im reading in to this thing correctly.
The post season tourneys are where things get crazy. By how I saw it we would be thrown in to a conference tourney with teams we havent played all year. Am I looking at this correctly.
Quote from: OliverBoy11 on September 29, 2015, 02:18:08 pm
It's going to make playing non conference games tough.
Indeed. A lot of scheduling agreements that may have been in place starting in the 2016-2017 school year were quite likely screwed up by this change.
Quote from: Basketballfan13 on September 29, 2015, 02:28:16 pm
If you are a football school and are put into one of the bigger conferences you will have 0 non conference games, unless you drop one of your tournaments in order to play 2 non conference games. But if you do that than you're also hurting local tournaments.
I have to think someone is going to address this with possible bylaw changes. Probably from one of the smaller schools (classification wise). Looks like the largest conferences (member wise) will have 10 teams - requiring 18 games IF the conference utilizes a double round robin. That leaves two games open.
As I read the handbook, I think a school can still enter two tournaments though...
Quote from: sevenof400 on December 30, 2015, 12:25:03 pm
Quote from: OliverBoy11 on September 29, 2015, 02:18:08 pm
It's going to make playing non conference games tough.
Indeed. A lot of scheduling agreements that may have been in place starting in the 2016-2017 school year were quite likely screwed up by this change.
Quote from: Basketballfan13 on September 29, 2015, 02:28:16 pm
If you are a football school and are put into one of the bigger conferences you will have 0 non conference games, unless you drop one of your tournaments in order to play 2 non conference games. But if you do that than you're also hurting local tournaments.
I have to think someone is going to address this with possible bylaw changes. Probably from one of the smaller schools (classification wise). Looks like the largest conferences (member wise) will have 10 teams - requiring 18 games IF the conference utilizes a double round robin. That leaves two games open.
As I read the handbook, I think a school can still enter two tournaments though...
Maybe they'll give the football schools the ability to start earlier, like the non-football schools...Guy-Perkins has already played 22 games in 1A, number 23 is going to be played tonight...
I don't like it because there really are no meaningful conference games. Teams aren't playing for district seeding anymore. I guess that will be decided by coaches voting lol. What a poorly thought out deal this is.
Most states do it this way. Missouri has for years. Only difference is only one school makes it out of district. Arkansas has made it all about the AAA and money. The new conferences actually aren't bad. If you can't finish in the top four of your district tournament then it's really doesn't matter. I don't see the big deal with the change.
Quote from: Missco on December 31, 2015, 11:09:14 pm
Most states do it this way. Missouri has for years. Only difference is only one school makes it out of district. Arkansas has made it all about the AAA and money. The new conferences actually aren't bad. If you can't finish in the top four of your district tournament then it's really doesn't matter. I don't see the big deal with the change.
You are forgetting those classifications who have not traditionally held a district tournament. See the 5A for example.
The easy solution to this is to take all 32 5A schools to the state playoffs since it only adds one more game.
Quote from: sevenof400 on January 01, 2016, 12:05:45 pm
Quote from: Missco on December 31, 2015, 11:09:14 pm
Most states do it this way. Missouri has for years. Only difference is only one school makes it out of district. Arkansas has made it all about the AAA and money. The new conferences actually aren't bad. If you can't finish in the top four of your district tournament then it's really doesn't matter. I don't see the big deal with the change.
You are forgetting those classifications who have not traditionally held a district tournament. See the 5A for example.
The easy solution to this is to take all 32 5A schools to the state playoffs since it only adds one more game.
Everyone should just make state to take out the buddy system...10 points a win, 5 for each class up you play....divided by # of games you play...let's so this lol
k
I am still trying to figure out what is wrong with the way it is currently. I am talking about 1A through 4A. I guess AAA is trying to convince people they are earning their huge salaries. As usual, they come up with a bad idea.
Quote from: BoxNOne on January 05, 2016, 08:15:59 am
I am still trying to figure out what is wrong with the way it is currently. I am talking about 1A through 4A. I guess AAA is trying to convince people they are earning their huge salaries. As usual, they come up with a bad idea.
+1
The schools passed this idea. All the blame can't go on the AAA.
Quote from: BoxNOne on January 05, 2016, 08:15:59 am
I am still trying to figure out what is wrong with the way it is currently. I am talking about 1A through 4A. I guess AAA is trying to convince people they are earning their huge salaries. As usual, they come up with a bad idea.
School administrators passed it bud...beck it was school administrators that came up with this one
Quote from: HF on January 05, 2016, 11:39:40 am
Quote from: BoxNOne on January 05, 2016, 08:15:59 am
I am still trying to figure out what is wrong with the way it is currently. I am talking about 1A through 4A. I guess AAA is trying to convince people they are earning their huge salaries. As usual, they come up with a bad idea.
School administrators passed it bud...beck it was school administrators that came up with this one
Actually a member proposed it, the AAA presented it to the voting reps and it passed. That was the general idea. Now the planning and implementation was done solely by the AAA. I've spoken with several administrators that don't like the way the conferences were drawn up. There is a lot of opposition to this by school personnel.
I know for a fact that several Superintendents voted for this without consulting any of their coaches at all. Got no input whatsoever from the employees that it would directly impact.
I can see schools griping after its given a chance. However, Why gripe before the fact.
Quote from: Missco on January 05, 2016, 01:59:03 pm
I can see schools griping after its given a chance. However, Why gripe before the fact.
I don't think the big gripe is about travel from the coaches. It's who they have to play in conference. You've got a school like Armorel that is getting thrown into a conference with Bay, Earle, EPC, Marked Tree, Cross County, BIC. Armorel may not win a conference game and then get jobbed in the seeding meeting because of their record when it comes time for regional and state.
The issue is that even combining these schools they are about the same size. The travel is a lot less. Armorel will end up bigger than MT and Rector in enrollment in the future. Personally, Arkansas needs only five basketball conferences at the most. Coaches are just going to have to use common sense. Missouri has had this type of system forever and the district tournaments are usually seeded spot on. People really would gripe if on one team moved on after districts like in Mo.
So I'll use EPC as an example. They run the gauntlet of Bay, Earle and so on. Let's say they finish around 3 or 4. But then that record is only good enough for like a 6,7 seed when they get thrown in to their district tourney. They would then have to play an extra game to make regionals. Where as in original format a first round bye and one game to make the playoffs.
Just combine them permanently and call them all 2A and some just don't have football like some don't now. Expand your regional bracket and done
Quote from: bdubyab60 on January 07, 2016, 07:45:27 pm
So I'll use EPC as an example. They run the gauntlet of Bay, Earle and so on. Let's say they finish around 3 or 4. But then that record is only good enough for like a 6,7 seed when they get thrown in to their district tourney. They would then have to play an extra game to make regionals. Where as in original format a first round bye and one game to make the playoffs.
Just combine them permanently and call them all 2A and some just don't have football like some don't now. Expand your regional bracket and done
Make 16 districts out of the combined classes, district winner goes to state...boom problem solved haha
If epc does that then they would get seeded higher than 6 or 7. Regardless four teams making regional is a bunch. Used too only the top two from each district moved on. We are all griping when four out of eight teams in each district move on.
The gripes I'm hearing from Coaches has more to do with travel. Not necessarily opponents.
Travel overall is decreased...I will post it when I have time. Sure their are examples that it added time for a school here and their but overall it decreased travel time for most schools in 2A- 7A. It added more for some A school but mainly because they are going from five and six team conferences to 8 to 10. However, in classes already with 8 it decreased travel time tremendously.
Quote from: Missco on January 07, 2016, 10:17:48 pm
Travel overall is decreased...I will post it when I have time. Sure their are examples that it added time for a school here and their but overall it decreased travel time for most schools in 2A- 7A. It added more for some A school but mainly because they are going from five and six team conferences to 8 to 10. However, in classes already with 8 it decreased travel time tremendously.
Do you work for the AAA?
Lol....not a chance..They do have cushy jobs though.
In Mississippi county it cut all six schools average travel. In southeast and eastern Arkansas it helped most schools.
I'm not sure about your area, but over here I can tell you of around 20 schools it has affected adversely. Alpena will travel 2 hours to play Decatur. Lead Hill is 40 minutes away. Playing Decatur will have no impact whatsoever on the postseason for Alpena, and vice versa. Cotter will now drive 3 hours for conference games. Where's the benefit? This sorta reminds me of the affordable healthcare act. Helps some folks at the expense of others.
But what do I know.
I think that as a whole it cuts down on travel. Their are always exceptions and the AAA will never satisfy everyone.
Quote from: Missco on January 07, 2016, 10:29:30 pm
Lol....not a chance..They do have cushy jobs though.
Knowing some of they have to deal with I don't want any one of those jobs.
l
Quote from: ridgerunner14 on January 08, 2016, 08:25:58 am
Quote from: Moonshiner on January 07, 2016, 11:23:28 pm
I'm not sure about your area, but over here I can tell you of around 20 schools it has affected adversely. Alpena will travel 2 hours to play Decatur. Lead Hill is 40 minutes away. Playing Decatur will have no impact whatsoever on the postseason for Alpena, and vice versa. Cotter will now drive 3 hours for conference games. Where's the benefit? This sorta reminds me of the affordable healthcare act. Helps some folks at the expense of others.
But what do I know.
If Cotter travels to Marked Tree or Lepanto next year........they will actually travel 4 to 4 1/2 hours on a bus one way. Marmaduke and BIC would be a little less...........................but it's the same for those 4 teams on the East side of the new 2A-2 for next year.
And that's not right. Driving 4 hours takes any kind of fun out of it. Especially if you're on the losing end and someone has to be. I think if you're not affected by this adversely it's much easier to sit back and say it's not that bad. And I'm not from Cotter, just saying there are more teams affected with this than you think.
Quote from: Moonshiner on January 08, 2016, 08:47:40 am
Quote from: ridgerunner14 on January 08, 2016, 08:25:58 am
Quote from: Moonshiner on January 07, 2016, 11:23:28 pm
I'm not sure about your area, but over here I can tell you of around 20 schools it has affected adversely. Alpena will travel 2 hours to play Decatur. Lead Hill is 40 minutes away. Playing Decatur will have no impact whatsoever on the postseason for Alpena, and vice versa. Cotter will now drive 3 hours for conference games. Where's the benefit? This sorta reminds me of the affordable healthcare act. Helps some folks at the expense of others.
But what do I know.
If Cotter travels to Marked Tree or Lepanto next year........they will actually travel 4 to 4 1/2 hours on a bus one way. Marmaduke and BIC would be a little less...........................but it's the same for those 4 teams on the East side of the new 2A-2 for next year.
And that's not right. Driving 4 hours takes any kind of fun out of it. Especially if you're on the losing end and someone has to be. I think if you're not affected by this adversely it's much easier to sit back and say it's not that bad. And I'm not from Cotter, just saying there are more teams affected with this than you think.
In my neck of the woods...hector will be traveling to oark and Scranton...hour plus drives, but can't be in the same conference as wonderview, which is 20 miles away
Cotter is not in the conference with those folks. They are only in the district which means the tournament only.
So 4 hour drive for a tournament?
The problem is AA only will have six districts. That makes them spread out. A will have 10. They should have kept it AR 8 and 8. Arkansas doesn't need 7 classes for basketball.
Quote from: Missco on January 08, 2016, 09:32:52 am
The problem is AA only will have six districts. That makes them spread out. A will have 10. They should have kept it AR 8 and 8. Arkansas doesn't need 7 classes for basketball.
This we can agree on. No need at all for 7 classes. The 7A/6A folks might disagree. But I've seen where several 7A schools fall or struggle against 3A teams this year.
I think four would be plenty five tops
I would go with top 24 5A, next 32 4A, next 48 3A, next 64 2A and final 76 A. JMO
Quote from: Missco on January 08, 2016, 09:16:15 am
Cotter is not in the conference with those folks. They are only in the district which means the tournament only.
So, let's say that EPC, Marked Tree or BIC has to travel to Cotter for district tournament, they make it to Regionals which are held at Flippin and then State (lets say Hector). Would it be worth 3 weeks of school so teams can travel (or stay in hotels)? Especially if they're playing every day or every other day?
I can see your argument, but I can see Moonshiner's as well.
Quote from: bluegrassboy75 on January 13, 2016, 01:49:47 pm
Quote from: Missco on January 08, 2016, 09:16:15 am
Cotter is not in the conference with those folks. They are only in the district which means the tournament only.
So, let's say that EPC, Marked Tree or BIC has to travel to Cotter for district tournament, they make it to Regionals which are held at Flippin and then State (lets say Hector). Would it be worth 3 weeks of school so teams can travel (or stay in hotels)? Especially if they're playing every day or every other day?
I can see your argument, but I can see Moonshiner's as well.
State at hector? I like the way you think...
Quote from: bluegrassboy75 on January 13, 2016, 01:49:47 pm
Quote from: Missco on January 08, 2016, 09:16:15 am
Cotter is not in the conference with those folks. They are only in the district which means the tournament only.
So, let's say that EPC, Marked Tree or BIC has to travel to Cotter for district tournament, they make it to Regionals which are held at Flippin and then State (lets say Hector). Would it be worth 3 weeks of school so teams can travel (or stay in hotels)? Especially if they're playing every day or every other day?
I can see your argument, but I can see Moonshiner's as well.
That would be quite expensive
I know this is basketball, but the new conferences are messed up in football too. El Dorado, Texarkana, Greenwood, and Siloam Springs will be in the same conference.
Quote from: Central Ark on February 10, 2016, 10:34:41 pm
I know this is basketball, but the new conferences are messed up in football too. El Dorado, Texarkana, Greenwood, and Siloam Springs will be in the same conference.
6a made this mess in the first place
Wasn't 6A south!