Screw it, I don't care how many people trash me on this board for the following suggestion about football.
And, before I get there, let me just say that I have been labeled a Valley City apologist in the past because I'm originally from there. This is not motivated by their likely assignment to Region II (west) of AA football. If the plan is the plan, that's where they belong, and they'll be just fine. I believe in more classes, not fewer, and I'm not going to abandon that premise because of a regional shift.
That all being said, the coaches got it wrong when they voted to expand AAA to 16 teams with the addition of Legacy and Sheyenne.
Seriously, I know some great people at the AAA level. But their desire to have 16 teams for no sake but variety poses problems. And if they can't find any way to make a 14 team schedule work, then we need smarter people coaching AAA football.
Now, the suggestion.
It's time for 5 classes of football. This is not about championships, playoff appearances, any of that. This is about quality of play in the regular season and like schools being like schools.
Now, before Bisonguy, the Schwab, and any of the other Heimer-bashers take their shots, saying, "Well, what's your suggestion if you're so smart....blah blah blah," (reference evolution of basketball from posts past), here it is.
Top three classes are 10 teams. 9 game schedule, everyone plays everyone, and the top 8 make the playoffs.
Here it is.
AAAA:
West: Minot, Century, Bismarck, Mandan, Williston
East: West Fargo, Davies, Red River, South, Central
AAA:
West: Dickinson, Legacy, Watford City, Belcourt, St. Marys
East: North, Sheyenne, Jamestown, Devils Lake, Wahpeton
AA:
West: Valley City, Griggs/Barnes et al, Stanley, Beulah, Dickinson Trinity
East: Grafton, Shanley, Central Cass, Lisbon, Enderlin-Maple Valley
A: (20)
West: Harvey, Berthold, Des Lacs, Bottineau, Standing Rock, Belfield, Hazen, Garrison, Rugby, Kenmare
East: Kindred, Hillsboro-Central Valley, E-E-K, Park River, Carrington, Larimore, Lakota, Oak Grove, May-Port, Northern Cass
9: The rest.
Let the opt-ups sort out the rest: I would see, in this scenario, Shanley goes AAA, Minot Ryan goes AA, Oakes goes A as they have declared they will now. In this scenario:
Add Shanley to AAA east. Would typically displace St. Marys, but St. Marys would likely opt up also. Belcourt down, Jamestown to west AAA.
Add Belcourt and Minot Ryan to AA west. Valley City and Griggs-Barnes-Everyone-Who-Needs-A-Home-Till-Hope-Page-Finley-Sharon-Can't-Field-A-Team-In-Two-Years-And-They-Talk-Griggs-Into-Getting-Remarried go to east. Lisbon and Enderlin-Maple Valley down.
Lisbon, Enderlin-Maple Valley, and Oakes to A east. Carrington go west, Kenmare down. May-Port and Northern Cass down.
I believe this creates a ton of balance, gives teams more options for fielding teams or choosing co-ops, and finds some natural breaks in enrollment for classification.
Yes, I know, travel travel travel. Again, you do it every other year. Top three classes playing everyone, no mystery. A playing everyone in region. Travel just isn't a reason to hate this. And it's one more title game for our lovely Bison Teammakers to clear, so, we'll have to have two games Friday and three Saturday. Oh the struggle to find a weekend when they are gone. If they can't, send it to GF for an extra year, and to H#ll with the Fargodome.
Fire away. I'll schedule a counseling session for the mental damage your comments are about to do later this week.