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- Thread starter EdgyTim
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Agreed. I like this overall and for JCA, as well. Would like to see Phase 2 include the privates from the Metro Suburban.
If the IHSA went to an eight game season, every school regardless of record would participate in the State playoffs. This would eliminate the quandary of getting to five wins.
That would be completely awful as I said in the past.
Basically you have a 8 game preseason, no regular season and then playoffs which are meaningless for 2 to 3 weeks.
When you're a cubs or white sox or Blackhawk or bulls fan do you live and die with every win and loss during the season? No.
For your favorite college or pro football team you do. Why? Because there are so few games total and only one per week there is a much greater meaning to each game. If you take away the need to win each game in football at HS level this would be GREATLY diminished!
Or form their own Private School Conference...
Aurora Christian
Hope Academy
Chicago Christian
Wheaton Academy
Walther Christian
Northridge Prep
Rockford Christian
Rockford Lutheran
I wonder what the long term sustainability of the Metro Suburban will be.
I could see Fenton, Elmwood Park and R-B looking to join another public school conference (I think R-B has already tried leave). Maybe those 3 absorbed into the West Suburban Conf. and those divisions restructured, possibly?
But high school sports are not about fans over the age of 18 unless they have a child on the team. If you are an alum that will only care about your former high school if they are winning football games....well...I disagree with you.
Did you ever play on a football team? Were they competitive? Because those under 18 year old players you are worried about would agree with me. Except the ones on perennially losing squads maybe. But they might too.
I don't think Northridge Prep (which is Catholic) would appreciate you lumping them in with those heretics like that. Plus.... they don't have football, so... they're out of your new conference.
I am not worried about anyone.....my point is that I think every team making the playoffs is the best solution as it allows teams to build a schedule for what is best for their program not about getting to 5 wins and certainly not for fans of the team that are neither players or parents. The 5 win number is arbitrary as there are certainly teams each year that miss the playoffs that are better than those that do make.
But when you play in a conference and there’s 6 out of twelve getting their brains beat out by the same teams every year, that’s bad. Two many different class schools in some conferences. Kids look at their schedules and just check the loses right away, count the wins and pray they make the playoffs. I can see one or two games as for sure losses but we have crossed into 5 or 6 for some teams. Something has to be done for sure. I, myself have no answers for certain, but their has been some good suggestions here.
Might get more rivalry games every year that way. Might be fun. Lol. But then again maybe nobody wants to play a school for some odd reason.
No one is a bigger fan of the district concept than me.... think you should earn your way into or out of playoffs against opponents from your class.... so your making your point to the wrong guy in your last post.
As I just said to JCHill I'm a proponent of the district system which guarantees your record season record is based upon like sized schools.
And the parents (who are the fans you give credence to) also want the games to matter. And there is no more fair way than districts of teams in your same class to determine playoff qualifiers.
Same class I agree. But your conference could have 5a,6a,7a,8a schools. If your 5a and you have 5 higher class schools scheduled, your screwed. Sorry if I offended you but I don’t know you so I would never bark up your tree. Just my opinion on a opinionated forum. Sorry again.
I don't accept the basic premise that if you allow every one in the playoffs the games don't matter. Has anyone attended regular season games in virtually every other IHSA sport? I see kids competing as if the games matter.
If you want districts we are in the same tree... I agreed with you, not sure why you replied like we are in disagreement
I disagree, it wo
Any different than Montini’s early games this year?
That would be similar to the old Private School League. Aurora Christian would rule that and get zero competition. I would throw Christian Liberty Academy in there as well. If AC wants to remain competitive they would not join that.
Only way for some teams to make the playoffs is schedule two cupcake games on nonconference schools. Case in point is JCA. Nonconference games st Rita and IC prep. On paper before season started, good luck JCA. Most readers said 3-6 looking at the schedule. If they schedule two easy non-conference games. They are 5-4 looking at the playoffs hopefully. Potential Loses coming from Naz, Marist, ND and maybe benet. All of which they would never see in the playoffs. That’s why I agree the conference should mirror the class you are in or at least close. Otherwise good teams will be omitted out of the playoffs because of conference unbalances. This has been a problem since enrollment drops in schools. Too big of gap from the good schools and the bad schools. What is the answer, I don’t know. I’m not smart enough to offer a solution. I think if this forum mixes all their ideas, I’m confident we have the answers. Lol. This post was not meant to be offensive to anyone. Just a point of view.
It doesn't appear Christian Liberty Acad. has a football program anymore.
I agree that AC would dominate that conference but not sure what their options would be, hypothetically, IF all the Catholic schools merge and the remaining public schools in the Metro Suburban leave. My guess is the remaining private schools in the Northern IL region would (re)form a conf.
Maybe AC would consider going "independent" but that creates difficulty scheduling 9 games.
i think Bronco going to the blue with 600 coed kids and MC going to Green with 1000 boys is a symptom of an ailing system/conference. as mentioned elsewhere in this thread, this solves several issues. i think what this brings is some viability to football programs, especially decent programs without big school enrollments. Im excited to see how it all settles. as a catholic school parent and alum, i am glad they are on a path to stabilizing a system that was beginning to show signs of ailment. this will make catholic Highschool sports in the chicago Metro/City stronger. and i am glad the powers that be figured it out.
Checking for wins and losses on the schedule is exactly why they aren't making the playoffs. They should believe they can win any game.
Cmon, that is not why they did not make the playoffs the last two years. Please don't take the word of some dad for how a program looks at a season.
Tell that to the players that lineup across from the d1 kids that are nose to nose with them. Put yourself in their shoes. They play not to lose but when your giving up 3 inch’s, 30+ pounds or running a 40 5 seconds faster, reality sets in. I believe all kids put their 110% effort in every game and play not to lose. To mention one dad looks at it that way and say that’s not right is wrong too. Everyone in the forum looks at the schedule in the beginning of the year and predicts wins and loses of certain teams. We do it weekly. Human nature. Everyone has a view of what their team will do for the season. Players, coaches ,dads, posters it’s what true fans do. Good bad or indifferent. We predict blow outs don’t we? Some games more obvious then others. It would be wrong if the dad, poster, coach tells a kid he’s gonna lose. That’s horrible.
You said kids look at their schedules and say which games are losses at the beginning of the season. That's a bad culture
I'm not saying that is not why didn't make the playoffs but you're telling me that players know which games they are going to lose they probably will. You can't win any game you don't believe you can.
Again, kids can circle and say things in the beginning of the year what they want. Their kids. But I can guarantee you by game time their ready to play. I should of probably said they pick the confident games and not so confident. That’s better analogy. I talk to friends kids who I ask how’s your season going and who you playing next. By the time that game comes, their ready.
Thats precisely what you said. Your post reads " checking on wins and loses is exactly why they aren't making the playoffs"
That being said, I do agree with your premise that it creates a bad culture by conceding losses before the year starts
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Not sure if you are suggesting JCA kids are adopting a "defeatist" attitude or a "losing" culture. If that were the case, they never would have beaten Rita. Very few people thought they'd win that game.
This is a great idea 3OrangeWhips. The Aurora Christian kids would much rather drive 90 minutes to Rockford for games than walk .5 miles to kick Aurora Central’s butt.
58 freshmen???? Was that with the ihsa multiplier??? That’s awesome. Got to be some talent on that team.
