The only sport where two champions are crowned per classification by the UIL is football, why is that? Well money obviously drives everything and with 12 championship games played at the same venue they are printing money, and the UIL isn’t going to give away the chance at maximizing revenues. Since the system is already where it is, with 12 title games, the UIL isn’t going to change, but what if it did. In my mind the UIL should have one champion for football just like all the other sports.
For people that still like the divisions, nothing needs to change, just have the two teams that win division one and two play the next week to crown one true champion.
I know what you are thinking, the championship games now are the week before Christmas and now with the extra week they will run into Christmas week now. Well this is where it gets interesting; to make this work the UIL will have to cut the number of teams that make the playoffs.
Currently in 4A, 5A, and 6A 64 teams make the playoffs in each division so a total of 132 teams make the playoffs. For the top three classifications, the top four teams from each district advance to the playoffs. You can have sub .500 record and still make the playoffs. Say you go 4-6, but go 4-3 in district play you are off to the playoffs and a team making the playoffs losing more games than winning doesn’t seem right. There is outrage when a 5-7 and 6-6 collegiate team goes to a bowl game, shouldn’t the outrage be the same if a high school team can’t win more games than they lose do they really deserve the reward of post season football?
If the UIL would add the proposed clause above then that would be the only way to get one true champion. Practice starts at the beginning of August and adding an extra week to the season to play an extra game wouldn’t go over well with coaches, so eliminating teams from the playoffs is the only way to make this happen.
Photo by sportsday.dallasnews.com
Imagine watching Kyler Murray lead Allen against Katy for a state title, the money pouring in and TV ratings would be even larger. Just the thought of that has me salivating.
Photo by usatodayhss.com
To me the UIL is robbing us of something special with two teams being champions. I know this is about the kids and the experiences they get and nothing will change, but as fans I want to see the best play the best and with two champions per classification we are left imagining who the best truly is.
