Published: November 13, 2008 11:28 pm            

Adam VanKirk: Same old song 111408

You hear that? ....

It’s a broken record.

I’ve said it before — more than once — and there’s no better time than right now to say it again.

The Kentucky football playoffs are about as goofy as any postseason could possibly get!

Did you hear me?

Scratch ... ridiculous.

Scratch ... absurd.

Scratch ... insane. ...

Stop the record for a minute.

Since reclassifying before the 2007 season, 87 percent of Kentucky’s teams are now in the playoffs. That means — as nutty as it may sound — that nearly nine out of every 10 teams in the state will be playing in tonight’s first round of the playoffs.

To be more precise, 192 teams — some of those winless at 0-10 on the season — are still alive as of right now. You heard me right, winless teams alive in the playoffs.

I say alive very loosely, though. Very, very loosely.

In fact, I take that back. There are at least half of those 192 teams that don’t have a chance at advancing to any of the six state championship games.

That’s right. No chance at all for at least 96 teams in the finals — and some of those will even win tonight.

Who doesn’t have a chance, you ask? I’ll tell you.

They’re the ones that end up winning in a competitive game tonight; and the more obvious losers tonight.

Here’s my point.

There won’t be competitive football game in the opening round of the playoffs that has any bearing on the state championships. What I’m saying is if a team is in a close game tonight, it won’t be in the state championship game four weeks from now.

And, chances are, it won’t be anywhere near playing in Louisville on that final weekend either.

That’s because most of the top-level teams in the state aren’t playing against playoff competition tonight. They’re going to sleepwalk through Round 1 against teams that, for the most part, have no right calling themselves playoff-caliber.

The argument for the current playoff format and six-class system is to get more teams in the playoffs. But it’s a skewed approach in my eyes.

The nature of sports — which obviously includes varsity football in Kentucky — is that there is a winner and a loser.

Winners should make the playoffs. Losers should stay home.

Another bad problem with Kentucky’s system is it can create a false sense of excellence. There’s too many classes and therefore too many “ranked” teams. And, as I said before, too many teams in the playoffs.

All I want is for everyone to earn their dues — like sports is supposed to be. Some have this year and deserve their credit. But there’s a lot that haven’t.

As it is I guess we’re sticking with the wacky way it is.

Do you like that? I don’t.

Scratch ... Silly.

Scratch ... Ridiculous.

Scratch .... Ridiculous. ....

I’ve said my piece. Now let me put on a new record so we can kick these so-called playoff games off tonight.

ADAM VANKIRK can be reached at avankirk@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2664.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.