I’m sure this thread has been brought up before. Sorry if I missed it. But much like other sports should there be a third place game in football??
THIRD PLACE GAME
- Thread starter St.Louisfootball
- Start date
Hmmmmm.
Positive for. sure:
1) Kids get one more opportunity to play together and it's in more relaxed/fun atmosphere.
2) Coaches can get a look at underclassmen who are being counted on to be key varsity contributors the following fall.
Negative for sure:
1) When are you going to play the games? They have to be on Thanksgiving weekend when the football spotlight is supposed to be on the eight title games.
2) Games would obviously be played at the site of one of the competing schools. It's all luck as to whether the travel. distance would be 5 miles or 250 miles so that's not a fair negative. But who would attend other than parents of the players? I mean prep football fans can go to ISU to watch title games or stay home and watch the title games on TV.
3) At smaller schools, football players also play basketball. Making it to the semifinals already means a football player won't get in enough practices to play basketball/wrestling during Thanksgiving week. Adding another week of football for some of the 16 schools means no basketball/wrestling for another week. Would some of the football players who also play basketball or wrestle even show up to. play?
4) The risk of injury in football is what it is. These kids have played competitive meaningful ball for 13 weekends. Will they want to go 110 percent in a game that means a lot less than everything?
5) In college, some players refuse to play in a bowl game because it's risking injury. Would that happen at the prep level?
Interesting topic sir.
No. But if state Champs want to play one more game against state Champs in another state after a 2 week break I would like to see that.
No, no, no.
There's nothing worse than watching tow dispirited teams playing for a meaningless trophy.. Give 'em both third place awards
There's nothing worse than watching tow dispirited teams playing for a meaningless trophy.. Give 'em both third place awards
Back in the day the AA state champion wrestler would wrestle the A champion. Does anyone know if they still do this? Watching the Williams brothers from MC toy with other State champs was amazing to see. Anyway I’ll pass on the third place game!!
I'm not going to name any names (right now at least) but there is a school with a 3rd place in football placard from the mid 90's on their gym wall.
Seems to me that only a "tool" would put something like that up in the Gym. And the guy who put it up is definitely that. Can anyone say ego?
Since he was fired 13 years ago, I'm surprised that no one at the school has taken it down. 🤷
I dont know who physically put it up, perhaps a custodian, but I was taken back. Had to ask the old man, "does that actually say 3rd place in football 🤔" he confirmed that I wasn't hallucinating. I then wondered why they assumed they would beat the other semifinalist.
I personally think that they should. Every other sport has a third place finisher game. And it does wonders for the kids psyche's. And no offense to any adults but this is about them not us! Our time is up and it's time to stop living our pipe dreams through the kids. Hell it's not like we are saying go Olympics and have 5th and 7th place games too. It would definitely be beneficial for a 3rd place game.
Why not give all the kids participation trophies. I mean really let’s make Johnny feel good. Where does the coddling end. Honestly I don’t think the kids feel good about a 2nd place trophy can’t imagine a 3rd place trophy. Disagree with you coach.
No, they don’t do this anymore.
Some great A vs. AAA at the Dvorak tournament a few years ago though.
Hard no on this. By week 14 these players are beat to hell and playing hurt. They forge on to win the ultimate goal of a State Title. They won’t want to do the same for a Third place trophy
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I disagree. I think most high school kids who know they will likely never play another meaningful football game would love the extra game.
Id be opposed to the 3rd place game simply because of logistics. Its already a 2 day event, adding a 3rd place game would mean 16 games over 4 days.
Adding a 3rd place game to games you can play on back to back days or even the same day is a very easy thing to do logistically for players, school admins, parents and the student body. Example: State baseball tournament that we just completed.
If the stupidity that runs the IHSA can't agree on a 1-32, how do we expect them to agree on who hosts the 3rd place game and other pieces that come into play???
3rd place games should be eliminated in all sports there no need for them since they moved on from the two class system. When it was two classes 8 teams went to state and the Semifinals were Saturday morning but now that’s not the case teams have no reason to spend the extra day there.
Football is played outside in the extreme elements. A championship is the reason schools push through the elements. No one, including kids will be interested in a third place game. There will be little to no fan support or interest.
How is giving three teams out of the 80 or so teams in each class giving everyone a participation trophy? That being said, I am not a fan of the third place game in any of the IHSA sports.
Terrible idea. Third place games take place within hours and no practices before hand. If othe sports with third place games had to wait a week to play, they would be even uglier than they are now.
I hate the idea of a third place game for football. It's not like basketball or baseball where you play the next day. and he teams are already there.
In football, you need to add another week. Many players are active in other sports and they are ready to move on, once they are eliminated in the football playoffs.
Plus, where do you play the game? When do you play these games? Most likely they would compete head-to-head with the state championship games and there is no way IHSA would want that.
Now add in, who is going to pay for the travel? In Class 1A-6A, there are North and South brackets.
Time to be done.
In football, you need to add another week. Many players are active in other sports and they are ready to move on, once they are eliminated in the football playoffs.
Plus, where do you play the game? When do you play these games? Most likely they would compete head-to-head with the state championship games and there is no way IHSA would want that.
Now add in, who is going to pay for the travel? In Class 1A-6A, there are North and South brackets.
Time to be done.
Because anything that rewards anything but a championship is a 'participation trophy' to many people... Nevermind that I'd bet many of these same people were walking around high school proudly wearing their letter jacket (the all-time OG participation trophy).
For the record, I don't think a 3rd place game is needed either. The logistics of football just make it a lot more difficult to pull off in a meaningful way.
The state championships in football currently span 2 days with only championship games. If you double the amount of games, i think you should realistically expect to have to double the amount of days it takes the play those games.
The ihsa playoffs is not a great example of the point i think you are trying to make. 1a/2a and 3a/4a were split between 2 weekends with games being played on 4 different days. Currently, the ihsa football championships are played Fri/Sat of the same weekend.
Bad idea. They struggle to get fans to watch the championship games. What will a 3rd place game attract, 100 people ?
No issue with the concept of 3rd place game. The ‘participation trophy’ thing is laughable.
Football just doesn’t lend itself to logistically pull it off.
Football just doesn’t lend itself to logistically pull it off.
Something similar to Riverfield Brookside - irritates people who played on that team. They would prefer semi-finalist. Doubt Jerseyville Jersey has one up.
In baseball if the top team in the AL Central played the top team in the AL East in a winner takes all situation and if the AL central team won the game tomorrow, should the AL Central team be ranked #1 or #6 or 7?
I'm talking about the White Sox division right now.
I'm talking about the White Sox division right now.
Can I get a ruling on schools with "Summer State Baseball Champs" posted at their baseball field?
Should just say “Summer Champs” since most of the state doesn’t participate.
When MC won the modified team Wrestling State Championship for the Covid 2021 Spring season they chose not to recognize it with a State Championship banner as the IHSA did not back it.
Back in the day before the proliferation of travel baseball and all the showcases, I would say most of the state did participate. At least, all of the decent programs.
I don't recall much high school summer ball when my sons played travel ball. My older son started travel ball in 1998. There weren't may travel teams back then and the competition was very good. I am not sure if high school summer ball was a thing back then. But, I really don't remember. However, when he got to HS, summer baseball was happening.
But his HS coach encouraged him to play travel ball. It came to the point when his HS coach said travel ball would give him more talented competition, on average, than summer HS ball would. This was 20 years ago and I am sure things have changed.
I find this thread very interesting. It's good to see all the differing opinions. I understand some kids wanting to play one more game. But I don't know how many of them would. It is like, "what's the real point?" We are talking about teams that just lost in the semi finals with no chance to win a championship. Is there a real difference between 3rd and 4th place with no shot at 1st place?
I don't see the point of playing a 3rd place game. But, both of my boys played HS football. So when I see them I will ask them what they think. One won a state championship and the other didn't. Of course they are adults now and look at things a little differently.
I don't see the point of playing a 3rd place game. But, both of my boys played HS football. So when I see them I will ask them what they think. One won a state championship and the other didn't. Of course they are adults now and look at things a little differently.
Kind of like the Prep Bowl.
I was wondering when someone would say this. 😂😂
Hypothetically a 3rd place game would be great as another game between two good teams and should help for rankings.
But in application...
But in application...
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