DVC getting to 8-10 teams

[NapervilleBuck]

With this being the last week of the regular season it’s time to speculate how the DVC will look going forward.....again.

It sucks that Neuqua has to play at Metea for the second time in 3 weeks. Ridiculous.

Anyhow, we have discussed the Oswego’s, the Plainfield’s, and Da Brook as possible additions to the conference. I don’t think anyone has mentioned Bartlett and Minooka. Both are decent sized schools that are fairly competitive across the board. I think they would jive with the addition of Dekalb, which I really like. The Barbs are highly competitive so far in all fall sports....going undefeated in golf conference dual matches....an amazing feat considering the talent level at the Villes and the Valleys.

So....do Minooka and Bartlett make sense? I think they do.

 

[ClownBaby]

Bartlett is probably not allowed to split from U46 schools so you can count them out. Minooka could work I suppose.

I always thougt a great conference would be:

Plainfield North
Plainfield East
Plainfield Central
Plainfield South
Bolingbrook
WV
NV
Metea

The geography works and the enrollments will even out with future growth.

 

[bhawks]

With this being the last week of the regular season it’s time to speculate how the DVC will look going forward.....again.

It sucks that Neuqua has to play at Metea for the second time in 3 weeks. Ridiculous.

Anyhow, we have discussed the Oswego’s, the Plainfield’s, and Da Brook as possible additions to the conference. I don’t think anyone has mentioned Bartlett and Minooka. Both are decent sized schools that are fairly competitive across the board. I think they would jive with the addition of Dekalb, which I really like. The Barbs are highly competitive so far in all fall sports....going undefeated in golf conference dual matches....an amazing feat considering the talent level at the Villes and the Valleys.

So....do Minooka and Bartlett make sense? I think they do.

It is interesting that Bartlett is a few miles from GBN and the kids are in the same leagues from 3rd to 8th grade so they all know each other. So it does make sense for sure.

 

[jwarigaku]

Add Huntley everyone seems to want them out of their conference because they’re to big.

With this being the last week of the regular season it’s time to speculate how the DVC will look going forward.....again.

It sucks that Neuqua has to play at Metea for the second time in 3 weeks. Ridiculous.

Anyhow, we have discussed the Oswego’s, the Plainfield’s, and Da Brook as possible additions to the conference. I don’t think anyone has mentioned Bartlett and Minooka. Both are decent sized schools that are fairly competitive across the board. I think they would jive with the addition of Dekalb, which I really like. The Barbs are highly competitive so far in all fall sports....going undefeated in golf conference dual matches....an amazing feat considering the talent level at the Villes and the Valleys.

So....do Minooka and Bartlett make sense? I think they do.

 

[Irish LB]

It is interesting that Bartlett is a few miles from GBN and the kids are in the same leagues from 3rd to 8th grade so they all know each other. So it does make sense for sure.

GBN isn’t in DVC.

 

[XcornX]

I think they would jive with the addition of Dekalb, which I really like. The Barbs are highly competitive so far in all fall sports....going undefeated in golf conference dual matches....an amazing feat considering the talent level at the Villes and the Valleys.

So....do Minooka and Bartlett make sense? I think they do.

Wrestling season on deck.. Minooka or Huntley would be a nice add.

 

[Magnum Opus]

How bout' Proviso East?

 

[NapervilleBuck]

Bartlett is probably not allowed to split from U46 schools so you can count them out. Minooka could work I suppose.

I always thougt a great conference would be:

Plainfield North
Plainfield East
Plainfield Central
Plainfield South
Bolingbrook
WV
NV
Metea

The geography works and the enrollments will even out with future growth.

What are U46 schools?

I would love the conference setup you mentioned. But the Plains’s and Brook were supposedly approached and turned it down.

Maybe dropping the Ville’s from the lineup, in your scenario would work but I don’t think 204 would do that to 203. Even though back in the Upstate 8 days we (NV & WV, pre-MV) were looked down at by the DVC, so we don’t have that connection to the old lineup. What a FB conference back in the day.

 

[bhawks]

GBN isn’t in DVC.

Lol .. I read DVC and regsitered DuKane. My bad

 

[NapervilleBuck]

Wrestling season on deck.. Minooka or Huntley would be a nice add.

Absolutely.

 

[NapervilleBuck]

Add Huntley everyone seems to want them out of their conference because they’re to big.

We’ll take them. How far is that drive from N.C.?

 

[Cross Bones]

Once the Oswegos and 'Brook fell through I didn't see anything else that was likely or that made sense. Especially since the West Suburban seems comfortable remaining the same.

 

[NapervilleBuck]

Once the Oswegos and 'Brook fell through I didn't see anything else that was likely or that made sense. Especially since the West Suburban seems comfortable remaining the same.

That’s it in a nutshell. The 3 most obvious and logical adds. Would be a tough slate every year.

 

[NapervilleBuck]

Once the Oswegos and 'Brook fell through I didn't see anything else that was likely or that made sense. Especially since the West Suburban seems comfortable remaining the same.

Back in the day the addition of Da Brook and the Downer’s (or HC) would have been tasty. But, as you mentioned, the WSC is in a pretty good way right now.

 

[Irish LB]

Lol .. I read DVC and regsitered DuKane. My bad

So many conference changes it’s easy to make a mistake.

 

[ClownBaby]

What are U46 schools?

I would love the conference setup you mentioned. But the Plains’s and Brook were supposedly approached and turned it down.

Maybe dropping the Ville’s from the lineup, in your scenario would work but I don’t think 204 would do that to 203. Even though back in the Upstate 8 days we (NV & WV, pre-MV) were looked down at by the DVC, so we don’t have that connection to the old lineup. What a FB conference back in the day.

WV was offered a spot in the DVC in the late 90’s but NV wasn’t so they turned it down and again around 2005 when Lake Park joined the other DVC schools were willing to take WV but not NV.

 

[Magnum Opus]

Being an alum of the DVC, it pains me to say this...but the DVC needs to go away. Put the 203s in the West Suburban...204s go as previously mentioned. DeKalb...sorry. figure it out on your own.

Approve the new format. It's best for the game in this state!

 

[bhawks]

Being an alum of the DVC, it pains me to say this...but the DVC needs to go away. Put the 203s in the West Suburban...204s go as previously mentioned. DeKalb...sorry. figure it out on your own.
DeKalb probably belongs in upstate 8

Approve the new format. It's best for the game in this state!

 

[MIKEFTB]

What are U46 schools?

Those are the Elgin area schools in District U46..Bartlett, Elgin, Larkin, South Elgin, and Streamwood...I lobbied for Bartlett many years ago, but they cannot split away from the other U46 schools. Back in '96 Waubonsie Valley looked to be a sure lock to join the DVC until Neuqua was born, then that idea vanished and West Aurora was admitted...Whatever happens the D203 and 204 schools need to stay together.

 

[PowerI66]

I'm going with a 0 percent chance that the Plainfield schools would want to do that

 

[EdgyTim]

Minooka? Nope won't happen

 

[missingwalter]

Minooka? Nope won't happen

I'm not sure why any of those schools (Plainfields, Oswegos or Minooka) would want to leave that conference.

 

[NapervilleBuck]

I'm not sure why any of those schools (Plainfields, Oswegos or Minooka) would want to leave that conference.

And that is basically what has been conveyed to the DVC when they came asking.

 

[Konza]

Some random thoughts here:

The powers that be in U46 need to seriously look at letting Bartlett and South Elgin join a conference different than the one in which the other three schools complete. Bartlett and South Elgin are larger and have more favorable demographics than do the other three U46 schools and, frankly, the rest of the Upstate Eight. They compete at levels the other schools don't, and that denies opportunities to kids who want to compete.

Not sure the DVC is the answer, though. The geography probably matches up better with the DuKane, but there is no good reason for the DuKane (or any high school conference, for that matter) to go from 8 to 10 schools. If the DuKane could find two schools on its eastern edge to join and make 12, that might be something that could make more sense.

I've thought for a number of years that the answer to the five school DVC is to merge it with the West Suburban Conference. I'd split it up like this:

West:

Downers Grove South
Metea Valley
Naperville Central
Naperville North
Neuqua Valley
Waubonsie Valley

East:

Downers Grove North
Glenbard West
Hinsdale Central
Lyons
OPRF
York

South:

Addison Trail
Hinsdale South
Leyden
Morton
Proviso East
Proviso West
Willowbrook

You still need at least one more school here; I'd suggest Riverside-Brookfield. Fenton might be another good choice; that could send DeKalb to the Upstate Eight, which is a better fit for them than the DVC.

This begs for a number of people to get around a "conference" table and come up with something that works well for EVERYBODY.

 

[UlbKA91]

Some random thoughts here:

The powers that be in U46 need to seriously look at letting Bartlett and South Elgin join a conference different than the one in which the other three schools complete. Bartlett and South Elgin are larger and have more favorable demographics than do the other three U46 schools and, frankly, the rest of the Upstate Eight. They compete at levels the other schools don't, and that denies opportunities to kids who want to compete.

Not sure the DVC is the answer, though. The geography probably matches up better with the DuKane, but there is no good reason for the DuKane (or any high school conference, for that matter) to go from 8 to 10 schools. If the DuKane could find two schools on its eastern edge to join and make 12, that might be something that could make more sense.

I've thought for a number of years that the answer to the five school DVC is to merge it with the West Suburban Conference. I'd split it up like this:

West:

Downers Grove South
Metea Valley
Naperville Central
Naperville North
Neuqua Valley
Waubonsie Valley

East:

Downers Grove North
Glenbard West
Hinsdale Central
Lyons
OPRF
York

South:

Addison Trail
Hinsdale South
Leyden
Morton
Proviso East
Proviso West
Willowbrook

You still need at least one more school here; I'd suggest Riverside-Brookfield. Fenton might be another good choice; that could send DeKalb to the Upstate Eight, which is a better fit for them than the DVC.

This begs for a number of people to get around a "conference" table and come up with something that works well for EVERYBODY.

If you could build a conference from a core group of Huntley, South Elgin and Bartlett, that might also work, perhaps as a 5 U46 + Fox Valley merger (Dundee Crown and one of the CLs and one McHenry might be a better fit with the 3 "less privileged" 46 schools in a division).

I always thought a West Suburban Bronze might arise from RB, Fenton, bard south and even a stand alone Proviso Math, but maybe your WS "Platinum" might be the better solution.

 

[RD_Watcher]

Some random thoughts here:

The powers that be in U46 need to seriously look at letting Bartlett and South Elgin join a conference different than the one in which the other three schools complete. Bartlett and South Elgin are larger and have more favorable demographics than do the other three U46 schools and, frankly, the rest of the Upstate Eight. They compete at levels the other schools don't, and that denies opportunities to kids who want to compete.

Not sure the DVC is the answer, though. The geography probably matches up better with the DuKane, but there is no good reason for the DuKane (or any high school conference, for that matter) to go from 8 to 10 schools. If the DuKane could find two schools on its eastern edge to join and make 12, that might be something that could make more sense.

I've thought for a number of years that the answer to the five school DVC is to merge it with the West Suburban Conference. I'd split it up like this:

West:

Downers Grove South
Metea Valley
Naperville Central
Naperville North
Neuqua Valley
Waubonsie Valley

East:

Downers Grove North
Glenbard West
Hinsdale Central
Lyons
OPRF
York

South:

Addison Trail
Hinsdale South
Leyden
Morton
Proviso East
Proviso West
Willowbrook

You still need at least one more school here; I'd suggest Riverside-Brookfield. Fenton might be another good choice; that could send DeKalb to the Upstate Eight, which is a better fit for them than the DVC.

This begs for a number of people to get around a "conference" table and come up with something that works well for EVERYBODY.

This would be an interesting break down, and allow for some more crossover games. However, as of right now, it’ll never happen, since everything is going to districts in two years.

 

[stl705]

Some random thoughts here:

The powers that be in U46 need to seriously look at letting Bartlett and South Elgin join a conference different than the one in which the other three schools complete. Bartlett and South Elgin are larger and have more favorable demographics than do the other three U46 schools and, frankly, the rest of the Upstate Eight. They compete at levels the other schools don't, and that denies opportunities to kids who want to compete.

Not sure the DVC is the answer, though. The geography probably matches up better with the DuKane, but there is no good reason for the DuKane (or any high school conference, for that matter) to go from 8 to 10 schools. If the DuKane could find two schools on its eastern edge to join and make 12, that might be something that could make more sense.

I've thought for a number of years that the answer to the five school DVC is to merge it with the West Suburban Conference. I'd split it up like this:

West:

Downers Grove South
Metea Valley
Naperville Central
Naperville North
Neuqua Valley
Waubonsie Valley

East:

Downers Grove North
Glenbard West
Hinsdale Central
Lyons
OPRF
York

South:

Addison Trail
Hinsdale South
Leyden
Morton
Proviso East
Proviso West
Willowbrook

You still need at least one more school here; I'd suggest Riverside-Brookfield. Fenton might be another good choice; that could send DeKalb to the Upstate Eight, which is a better fit for them than the DVC.

This begs for a number of people to get around a "conference" table and come up with something that works well for EVERYBODY.

Glenbard East would be a perfect fit as a “last team” to that proposal.. I’d be all for this!

 

[Konza]

And if you wanted to turn that seven team group into twelve so you could split it into two six team conferences, choose five of the following: Elmwood Park, Fenton, Glenbard East, Glenbard South, Ridgewood, Riverside-Brookfield.

 

[Magnum Opus]

Some random thoughts here:

The powers that be in U46 need to seriously look at letting Bartlett and South Elgin join a conference different than the one in which the other three schools complete. Bartlett and South Elgin are larger and have more favorable demographics than do the other three U46 schools and, frankly, the rest of the Upstate Eight. They compete at levels the other schools don't, and that denies opportunities to kids who want to compete.

Not sure the DVC is the answer, though. The geography probably matches up better with the DuKane, but there is no good reason for the DuKane (or any high school conference, for that matter) to go from 8 to 10 schools. If the DuKane could find two schools on its eastern edge to join and make 12, that might be something that could make more sense.

I've thought for a number of years that the answer to the five school DVC is to merge it with the West Suburban Conference. I'd split it up like this:

West:

Downers Grove South
Metea Valley
Naperville Central
Naperville North
Neuqua Valley
Waubonsie Valley

East:

Downers Grove North
Glenbard West
Hinsdale Central
Lyons
OPRF
York

South:

Addison Trail
Hinsdale South
Leyden
Morton
Proviso East
Proviso West
Willowbrook

You still need at least one more school here; I'd suggest Riverside-Brookfield. Fenton might be another good choice; that could send DeKalb to the Upstate Eight, which is a better fit for them than the DVC.

This begs for a number of people to get around a "conference" table and come up with something that works well for EVERYBODY.

That's really a logical merger...or is it an acquisition?...lol

Nice work on this...let's seeing anyone is listening.

 

[WBWarriorWatcher]

Konza,

Interesting thoughts. Some tweaks with enrollment and geography in mind:

WS - South
DGS
MV
NC
NN
NV
WV
DGN

WS - North
GW
HC
LT
OPRF
York
Morton
Leyden

WS - East
AT
HS
PE
PW
WB
RB
Fenton

Add Fenton and RB to get similar enrollments and locations involved. 7 team divisions get auto berth, 6 conf games, 1 crossover and 2 out of conf games. Or 1 OOG in the new proposal.

 

[RD_Watcher]

Konza,

Interesting thoughts. Some tweaks with enrollment and geography in mind:

WS - South
DGS
MV
NC
NN
NV
WV
DGN

WS - North
GW
HC
LT
OPRF
York
Morton
Leyden

WS - East
AT
HS
PE
PW
WB
RB
Fenton

Add Fenton and RB to get similar enrollments and locations involved. 7 team divisions get auto berth, 6 conf games, 1 crossover and 2 out of conf games. Or 1 OOG in the new proposal.

I like this a lot. It would make some of the current “rivalry games” difficult (HC vs HS for Doings Cup; HC vs DGN for “Old Oaken Bucket”) but it does make sense. However, again, unless something changes soon, we all go to Districts.

 

[Konza]

Here's some of my rationale:

1. The whole arrangement has to have an even number of teams. No bye weeks to deal with.
2. Wanted to keep York, DGN, GW, and HC together. They've been in the same conference almost 100 years, and there is no good reason to change that.
3. Wanted to keep the East and West at 6 teams because all of the schools match up well with each other and the crossovers would be great games.
4. The South, as shown, could be 8, 10, or 12 teams. To make it 6 with crossovers with the other two divisions would, in most cases, not generate good games. 8 is optimal, 10 would result in a closed conference situation (not necessarily bad), 12 would allow 2 divisions of 6 with crossovers or agreements with other conferences. Splitting up the South would be a crapshoot, as well. I think I'd start with enrollment but have some kind of relegation system every two years until each program found its level.

 

[WBWarriorWatcher]

Districts will not happen. It will either be voted out this year or next. 4 hour, cross-state commutes for a “district” game is just plain dumb.

The rivalry trophy games could be handled by the crossovers. Would have to happen every other year. History is nice, but that’s going to change one way or the other soon, maybe.

Unless there is more fallout to come with the Proviso East situation that changes their makeup (possible combining of campuses for better institutional control of programs? see: Leyden or Morton) the West Suburban will not change. These schools are collectively quite satisfied with their stability.

Fun to speculate though.

 

[Cross Bones]

I think those in the thread are ignoring that the WSC seems to be extremely comfortable in their setup. All the conference changes recently and I can't remember the last one in the WSC. R-B maybe?

The only reasonable changes to the WSC would be Brook to the Silver and Romeoville to the Gold and eliminate the crossovers and let the schools pick 2 non-con games.

 

[missingwalter]

I think those in the thread are ignoring that the WSC seems to be extremely comfortable in their setup. All the conference changes recently and I can't remember the last one in the WSC. R-B maybe?

The only reasonable changes to the WSC would be Brook to the Silver and Romeoville to the Gold and eliminate the crossovers and let the schools pick 2 non-con games.

Then Somebody needs to come over to the SPC East.

 

[UlbKA91]

Konza,

Interesting thoughts. Some tweaks with enrollment and geography in mind:

WS - South
DGS
MV
NC
NN
NV
WV
DGN

WS - North
GW
HC
LT
OPRF
York
Morton
Leyden

WS - East
AT
HS
PE
PW
WB
RB
Fenton

Add Fenton and RB to get similar enrollments and locations involved. 7 team divisions get auto berth, 6 conf games, 1 crossover and 2 out of conf games. Or 1 OOG in the new proposal.

The odd overall number worries me, to get to 8 in each, why not the d. 230 S-A-S schools?

 

[Konza]

Glenbard East would be a perfect fit as a “last team” to that proposal.. I’d be all for this!

I think those in the thread are ignoring that the WSC seems to be extremely comfortable in their setup. All the conference changes recently and I can't remember the last one in the WSC. R-B maybe?

The only reasonable changes to the WSC would be Brook to the Silver and Romeoville to the Gold and eliminate the crossovers and let the schools pick 2 non-con games.

I don't think anybody is ignoring anything.

If I remember correctly, the DPVL was merged with the WSC to create the current WSC in about 1986.

The subject of the thread was what could be done to alleviate the problems for the undersubscribed DVC. The two schools you mention could also be a part of that solution.

 

[olderbytheminute]

Two points to ponder regarding this thread....
First, we are currently staring at districts starting in 2021 which renders all these thread’s good points mute.
So we have to assume districts get trumped by a replacement plan in December’s vote. And so far the ONLY plan that has Been Reported as a replacement for districts is the 8-game regular season followed by 8 classes of playoffs with 48 teams in each class so that basically every team with a 3-5 record or better will be in the playoffs.
So the following discussion is built around the 8 game season that has been proposed.
Strictly a guess but i m thinking we are seeing the future of prep football right now in the form of football only conferences.
The Chicago Catholic League/ESCC with six four-team leagues for football only is the future. And the reason is because it will only take 3 wins to make the playoffs.
Right now there are schools in leagues that will never make the playoffs with five wins needed and still won’t with three wins needed.
But, needing. Only 3 wins to qualify, imagine two four team leagues in which these north suburb also rans can play three league games and then four more games against the teams in the other league. That’s. 7 and. Then, open the season with whoever you want.
League Yellow: Maine East, Niles North, Waukegan, Mundelein.
League Orange: Round Lake, Grayslake Central, Zion-Benton, North Chicago.
On some threads on this site, I see participants trying to pick winners of the games each week. I think if these eight teams were playing only each other you could pull names out of a hat and do as well picking winners as the Experts.
Remember this is for football only. In every other sport the conferences remain as they are.
I mean it’s possible that in any given year more than half of these eight can get to three wins and join the playoff party. And remember with first-round byes in playoffs for the top teams the coaches of these teams can sell their players on the possibility of winning a playoff game.
This concept will also work in other parts of the state. I m sure there are schools in the south suburbs that have no shot at the playoffs. They can do just what was proposed Here in the north.
That also means leagues with great teams will lose games against traditional doormats.
In my example the north suburban conference would be five strong programs: lake forest, lake Zurich, Stevenson, Warren, libertyville. The league can find a sixth strong team for five tough games and then schedule three winnable games to assure a playoff spot.
I’m sure you guys can make small leagues for football also-rans in all parts of the state.
This gives just about every school a shot at the playoffs.
And actually the Chicago Public League is doing this now....grouping teams by ability. The difference is these four CPL conferences aren’t playoff eligible.
though I have no way of knowing, I would think football interest in schools with no playoff hopes would increase with alisticdjot at the playoffs each year.
Obviously there are problems with this, but the idea of an 8-team league for good football programs can lead to a good team finishing 2-6.
Nobody wants that to happen so the days of a powerhouse football league I’m guessing will not materialize.
That’s all I got.

 

[Konza]

Two points to ponder regarding this thread....
First, we are currently staring at districts starting in 2021 which renders all these thread’s good points mute.
So we have to assume districts get trumped by a replacement plan in December’s vote. And so far the ONLY plan that has Been Reported as a replacement for districts is the 8-game regular season followed by 8 classes of playoffs with 48 teams in each class so that basically every team with a 3-5 record or better will be in the playoffs.
So the following discussion is built around the 8 game season that has been proposed.
Strictly a guess but i m thinking we are seeing the future of prep football right now in the form of football only conferences.
The Chicago Catholic League/ESCC with six four-team leagues for football only is the future. And the reason is because it will only take 3 wins to make the playoffs.
Right now there are schools in leagues that will never make the playoffs with five wins needed and still won’t with three wins needed.
But, needing. Only 3 wins to qualify, imagine two four team leagues in which these north suburb also rans can play three league games and then four more games against the teams in the other league. That’s. 7 and. Then, open the season with whoever you want.
League Yellow: Maine East, Niles North, Waukegan, Mundelein.
League Orange: Round Lake, Grayslake Central, Zion-Benton, North Chicago.
On some threads on this site, I see participants trying to pick winners of the games each week. I think if these eight teams were playing only each other you could pull names out of a hat and do as well picking winners as the Experts.
Remember this is for football only. In every other sport the conferences remain as they are.
I mean it’s possible that in any given year more than half of these eight can get to three wins and join the playoff party. And remember with first-round byes in playoffs for the top teams the coaches of these teams can sell their players on the possibility of winning a playoff game.
This concept will also work in other parts of the state. I m sure there are schools in the south suburbs that have no shot at the playoffs. They can do just what was proposed Here in the north.
That also means leagues with great teams will lose games against traditional doormats.
In my example the north suburban conference would be five strong programs: lake forest, lake Zurich, Stevenson, Warren, libertyville. The league can find a sixth strong team for five tough games and then schedule three winnable games to assure a playoff spot.
I’m sure you guys can make small leagues for football also-rans in all parts of the state.
This gives just about every school a shot at the playoffs.
And actually the Chicago Public League is doing this now....grouping teams by ability. The difference is these four CPL conferences aren’t playoff eligible.
though I have no way of knowing, I would think football interest in schools with no playoff hopes would increase with alisticdjot at the playoffs each year.
Obviously there are problems with this, but the idea of an 8-team league for good football programs can lead to a good team finishing 2-6.
Nobody wants that to happen so the days of a powerhouse football league I’m guessing will not materialize.
That’s all I got.

The scenarios you propose are as good an argument I've seen for extending the season by a week and letting every team enter the state series, just like they do in every other sport.

 

[olderbytheminute]

The idea of just adding 1 week to the season and having 512 teams in the playoffs certainly removes any conference jumping which was the impetus for the not-thoroughly-thought-thru district plan that is currently the plan for 2021.
The only two issues are starting games a week earlier in August when obviously heat is a problem and sending a big-enrollment 0-9 team up against Loyola or Lincoln-Way East In the first round of playoffs.
The heat issue could be solved by all teams playing their Week 9 game on Thursday, playing Round of 64 playoff games on the next Tuesday and then Round of 32 playoff games on the ensuing Saturday. That way, the season could start where it does now and still finish at Thanksgiving.
We already have Thursday games in some areas in some Octobers due to a religious holiday so it’s not unheard of.
Playing Thursday/Tuesday/Saturday is 3 games in 10 days whereas teams often play. Saturday/Friday/Friday during regular season which is 3 games in 14 days. Doable? I don’t know.
As for the second issue, I suspect there is tremendous excitement for a 4-4 team that wins its finale to go 5-4 and makes the playoffs even if the ensuing first round playoff game is a running-clock slaughter loss.
I’m not sure how players and coaches would feel about being 1-7 and knowing you not only have another regular season game to go. But also a non-winnable playoff game.
Obviously there are pros and cons with every plan.
If I had a vote I would leave things as they are right this moment, but all My opinion and & $1.09 will get me is a regular hamburger at McDonald’s.