A Puzzling Decision – Hometown View

I want to like the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association which is the governing body of high school sports in our state. I know some of the people who help run the organization and for the most part I think they truly do what’s best for the schools and athletes that make up the NJSIAA. Don’t get me wrong…I have disagreed with many of their decisions and still feel at times they are often archaic in their thinking and could use a big dose of creativity.

The latest news to come out of their Robbinsville headquarters has me scratching my head as an Executive Committee approved a proposal to add more teams and crown more sectional football champions.

As things stand now there are four group classifications around the state with the smallest schools competing in Group 1 and the largest in Group 4. Those groups are them broken down by geography into North 1, North 2, Central and South Jersey. The new proposal would create a Group V in each of those sections so when the playoffs are over there would be 20 public champions as well as four Non-Public champs.

This all comes a short time after an effort by many of the state football coaches to streamline the playoffs and play down to overall group champions was narrowly defeated. New Jersey is one of just a few states that does not crown group champions.

If this new proposal is adopted (and it will) there would be 32 more playoff teams beginning next fall and it would allow for teams with under .500 records to qualify as the top 8 in each section will get in based on power points, not records. To me having a team with a losing record in the playoffs is a joke. While the NJSIAA says this move is about providing opportunity you have to wonder if it’s not motivated by something else. 28 additional playoff games, including 4 sectional finals means more money for the financially-strapped organization.

Today is the real opening day of the baseball season. The Mets, consensus pick to finish last in the National League East, host the Braves. Despite injuries the Phillies are favored to win the division again and they open in Pittsburgh. The Yankees don’t begin their season until Friday in Tampa. Don’t forget the Lakewood BlueClaws, who begin their 140-game schedule in Greenville, South Carolina tonight against the Drive. You can hear that and all BlueClaws games on 1160/1310AM, part of the Shore Sports Network.