Football talk: Another thought on public vs. private

This was a hotter debate in Michigan a year ago, or even two, but an interesting column from Oklahoma found its way into my mailbox a few weeks ago, and it's worth sharing.

I like the gist of where it's pointing. Some have argued that public and private schools should each have their own football state playoffs. But that's also assuming all private schools draw the same, which is obviously not the case -- see a powerhouse like Jackson Lumen Christi with its huge roster, vs. smaller schools like Portland St. Patrick and even Lansing Catholic, which have less predictable numbers from year to year.

This columnist argues for what appears to be a solid compromise -- asking private schools to play one division up for the playoffs. With the way the MHSAA determines playoff divisions after the regular season, that could make for some tricky math. But considering private schools have won 25 percent of Michigan's football state titles over the last three years -- and five of 12 in Divisions 5-8 -- I think it's worth making work. And I like that idea much better than separating the two and further thinning out a sport that already awards eight state champions, and allows teams barely finishing .500 into the playoffs.

Check out what the Daily Oklahoman's Berry Tramel had to say here.

Comments

[mens football boots]

Thanks for taking the time to help, I really apprciate it.

[mens football boots]

Thanks for taking the time to help, I really apprciate it.

[Rockpile Rules.]

Ah, TMizzle, you found out our secret at St. Pat's...I might as well just give away the rest of the secret.

You see, what we do here at SPS is train "missionaries" to serve in Latin American countries (such as Venezuela, where the 3B you referred to was from). These missionaries have a great eye for baseball talent and invite these ballplayers to be "exchange students" for a year.

Seriously look at our rosters. It's about 4 or 5 different families. I can assure you there is no recruiting going on. In fact SPS loses a ton of students between 8th and 9th grade because families can't pay tuition. Some advantage...

[TMizzle]

I feel that private schools should be split into two-divisions for all sports. They have many advantages that public schools do not have, and it's no coincidence that private schools dominate in the state finals on a yearly basis. 2 of the 4 boys basketball champions this past year were private schools, as were 3 of the 8 baseball semi-finalists, and 5 of the 16 football finalists. Look at the Class B girls basketball finals this past year, a game that could have been between two small towns with a passion for basketball (Lakeview and DeWitt), but was instead decided by Detroit Country Day and Grand Rapids Catholic Central. Another example is Portland St. Patrick's baseball team. Enough of the story that they lost a bunch of starters and still won, as if it were a public school, I completely agree. St. Pat's has an advantage over every other school in the CMAC, and that is the fact that they can go out and get players to help replace what they have lost (where was that 3rd baseman from again?) The MHSAA needs to allow public schools to compete against one-another and go and let the private schools duke it out amongst each-other.

[Righty]

Lansing Catholic was always very competitive in football until the mid 1990's. They used to do very well in the old Capital Circuit. Ahern will have them back where they belong soon enough. Once they are back, they would be able to hang with most Class B schools in play offs. (Assuming they remain Class C for regular season play) You must admit that most Michigan private schools fare better in football than what LC is doing right now.

[Geoff Kimmerly]

It's not a Catholic vs. non-Catholic thing (many private schools are not Catholic schools), but more of a compromise vs. splitting the playoffs up situation -- which is what I'd personally like to see most avoided.

[Pat O'Brien]

How would this be a compromise? Just for being Catholic, schools have to play up a division? Smaller Catholic schools like Lans. Catholic and Portland St. Pat's already cannot compete in their respective division...Now we're talking about moving them up simply because they are private? How is that possibly just? Fine, make the powerhouses move up, just don't punish schools that already struggle to compete...

[Righty]

They do a very similar thing in Illinois. Works quite well.

[Dabullett]

I very good idea, I think this would even out the playing field and still keep the smaller schools happy that they don't have to move up too high.