OT Question for Mark Miller

[TheSultan]

Hope you don't mind me asking this question here, but what are your thoughts on the high school basketball tournament set up? Do you think that five divisions are a bit of an overkill for Wisconsin?

I mean, when I see schools like Milwaukee Washington in Division 2, it seems jarring to me given their history as a D1 school. I know there was controversy over the private schools, but I'm not sure the expansion actually corrected it or made it worse...if it was really a problem at all.

[Mucrisco]

I don't think the five division format was due to the private schools. I believe the reason for it was for the smaller public schools that previously were in Division 1. Personally, I don't like it, but it doesn't really affect the lower divisions except moving them down a division, collectively as a group.

[Nukem2]

My view is that there should be two divisions...period. Its nice to have more champions...but...?

[TheSultan]

I don't think the five division format was due to the private schools. I believe the reason for it was for the smaller public schools that previously were in Division 1. Personally, I don't like it, but it doesn't really affect the lower divisions except moving them down a division, collectively as a group.

OK, I can understand that then...thanks.

[Markedman]

I think Mark is on record as not being a fan of the new setup

[Phantom Warrior]

No one asked me directly, but my feeling is five isn't enough. The WIAA should create at least 10 divisions in boys' and girls' basketball. That way twice as many teams could call themselves state champions and twice as many could claim that they were runners up or came in second at State.

In fact, I'm not sure 10 is enough. Twelve divisions might be even better.

For the record, I jest. The current set up is a huge bowl of sugar-coated crapola.

[TedBaxter]

I agree Phantom. I grew up in the single class system that then transferred into the 3 class WIAA system and a state appearance could be a once in a generation appearance and you could appreciate how special it was. I know what that they are trying to divide the number of schools into 5 divisions by enrollment and other factors (private schools), but it's truly watered the state tournament down.

If it were up to me, they'd go back to 3 classes with the largest class getting 8 schools to Madison and the other 2 getting 4 like years back. That won't happen, so 4 divisions or classes with the largest getting 8 to Madison would be my choice. The tournament isn't hardy worth watching anymore in the current context, to me anyway. I want to see the top kids and the chances that Deonte Burton gets to Madison this year is diminished since only 4 D1 schools make it to Madison and Vincent had to beat South yesterday and still has Rufus King and Hamilton waiting in the wings in the sectional.

[DCwarrior]

Wisconsin is small enough where there should only be 2 classes (maybe three if they want to be extra generous). If a state 10 times bigger than WI like California has only 5 divisions, then it's painfully obvious WI has far too many.

[Mark Miller]

I was fine with 4 classes.

5 classes is too many.

[IWB]

Wisconsin High School Basketball should be 4 divisions not 5, and football should be 5 divisions not 7.

Surrounding states:

Illinois: Population 12,875,255
Basketball: 4
Football: 8

Michigan: Population 9,883,360
Basketball: 4
Football: 8

Indiana: Population 6,537,334
Basketball: 4
Football: 5

Wisconsin: Population 5,726,398
Basketball: 5
Football: 7

Minnesota: Population 5,379,139
Basketball: 4
Football: 6

Iowa: Population 3,074,186
Basketball: 4
Football: 4

[Goose85]

Take football for an example. Somerset won the D4 title with 473 students. Do we really need to divide schools with enrollment of less than 500 into 4 divisions?

[MU88]

What difference does the number of divisions or the number of state champions make? So extra kids win state titles. Is that bad? The system is not fair by any stretch. There is a suburban high school in Milwaukee, in a fast growing community, that expanded its high school instead of building a second school on the other side of town. Why? It was sold to the public that one super sized school would have a better chance of winning titles, over two smaller D1 school. (you would think the added costs associated with 2 high schools would be a bigger selling point). You have a number of school buildings in the state housing 2 high schools (some with common classes). Why? Athletics is reason one. All this complaining about private schools recruiting is a bunch of poo. The public schools recruit and their recruiting is much more targeted. Open enrollment has opened the doors to all sorts of hanky panky.

In short, I don't really care if there is 1, 4, 8 or 20 state champions. There are four divisions in college football and three in basketball. Many more if you add in the other sanctioning bodies such as the NAIA. Does anyone care? No. To me this is a little different than giving all kids, even the losers, a ribbon. This is simply giving kids the opportunity to play, against other kids in similar situations, kind of like having multiple classes in wrestling. For almost all, this is the end of the line. Let them have fun.

[TedBaxter]

I was looking at the brackets and sometimes you just ask yourself, how fair is it?

I'm partial to the northwestern part of the state and the travel concerns the schools have. Superior is the #1 seed on the upper half of the Stevens Point Sectional, so they received home games in their first two games. They now have to travel to Marshfield for the sectional semi-final and that is a 440 mile round trip. If they win that, they have to turn around a day later and drive down to Stevens Point for the sectional final and that is close to a 470-480 mile round trip.

Superior'sr opponent in the sectional semi-final is the #2 seed D.C. Everest. Like Superior, D.C. Everest garnered home games for the first two games and now have to travel to Marshfield, a 80 mile round trip. If they win, they go to Stevens Point, a 60 mile round trip.

I would have to look it up, but I'm pretty sue the same thing happened last year and Superior lost in either the semi-final or sectional final.