There’s glory in the NIT

Roger Carlson

There’s been a tug-of-war going on in CIF Southern Section circles

for a long time when it comes to the playoffs and I would be remiss not

to acknowledge some shortcomings in the playoffs structure, which invite

criticism at every turn.

I’m tempted to compare it to Buddy Hackett in his roadside scene in the

classic 1963 film, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

Do you recall?

“We figgered it 17 different ways and every time we figgered, it was no

good because no matter how we figgered it someone don’t like the way we

figgered it. So now, there’s only one way to figger it, and that is,

every man, including the old bag, for himself ...” said the

comicalHackett.

It’s sort of that way when you talk about the CIF Playoffs structure in

the mammoth Southern Section. No matter how many ways you figger it ...

Whether you’re using a basis for competition of enrollment, perceived

strength or geographically, many schools believe they do not have a fair

shot, for a variety of reasons.

And every year, because of the system, you find some schools to be no

more than bait for the feeding frenzy of sharks like Mater Dei

basketball, Peninsula or Corona del Mar tennis, Mira Costa or Newport

Harbor volleyball, and the others who dominate the playoffs.

Alhambra High, as an example, has some 3,000 students. But the Moors must

be sick and tired of seeing a Mater Dei or a Long Beach Poly in the first

round of the basketball playoffs. There is such a thing as an upset, but

in these cases, the only upset would be by forfeit, or some sort of

natural disaster.

So after a few years of this sort of treatment, viewpoints can often

become jaded, and there truly is no way out of it.

As Loara High Principal John Dahlem will tell you, a lot of the reasoning

for the recent CIF vote stopping smaller schools with superior programs

from competing at higher levels, was simple frustration with the current

enrollment-based system.

There will never be common agreement on the merits of enrollment vs.

strength, let alone geographical concerns.

But here’s a thought that might, if nothing else, give some very

deserving athletes a chance for success, and ease some of that

frustration.

If I were the king, or something, I would give teams which qualify for

the CIF Playoffs the option of competing in a “Southern Section

Invitation.”

It would be complete with awards for first and second, and conclude the

season.It would be open to unranked CIF Playoffs-bound schools which

could show that they have not advanced beyond the first round of their

division for the past four or five years or so, and they’d remain

eligible to compete in this invitational for this particular sport until

they win it, and maybe even longer.

No one would be forced to compete in the SSI, rather than take

unbelievable lumps in the first round of the regular CIF Playoffs, but

I’m sure a lot of coaches would jump at the opportunity, knowing they

could put their team into an arena with at least a shot at reasonable

success. Despite the quest for postseason play, there is no redeeming

value in a 60-point loss in the first round.

Naysayers will insist this has no merit, because you’re not competing for

the CIF championship. But I believe there is honor in winning this

invitational. Especially, if you haven’t had that experience in a long

time.

The key here, is that it would be at the schools’ discretion and they

would notify CIF of their “locked” availability for the SSI after the

first round of league play, or earlier; that they will play in it, if

invited.

The regular CIF Playoffs would still have all of its obvious contenders,

and this SSI would surely not take away an iota from the Big Show. There

would just be a few less runaway victories.

How it would be formatted would depend on the number of teams which

sought refuge in the SSI, but most likely, depending on the sport, the

eight-team look.

Basketball is the first thought. Taking 24 entries from the field for

three eight-team invitationals for large schools (Divisions 1 and 2),

medium schools (Divisions 3 and 4) and small schools.

Or, in certain sports, eight teams for one division, Indiana style.

A one-week tournament, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with every team

seeded and the higher seed the automatic home team.

At any rate, it would eliminate a number of schools from the current

bloat, and give these kids some realistic hope for success. Not simply to

win a game, but the ability to go in believing you can win it all.

There would be some wrinkles to iron out, but basically it would allow

some of the Alhambras of this huge section (I’m not picking on the Moors,

they’re just a name I picked out of the first page of the CIF directory

with an enrollment of 3,000 to use), to find a way where they, too, could

feel they got a fair shake.

And I think it could be done in several sports, some, perhaps, on a

smaller scale.

The price of this? I guess Mater Dei, and a few others, would have a bye

in the first round. That’s not much of a cost factor considering the

option.

In the end, the Southern Section would still be sending its best to the

state playoffs, with the heralded vanquished left in their wake.

But there would also be another group, with a Southern Section Invitation

champion, which could take a little more pride in its endeavors. I think

those involved would love it.

And I believe it would help take a real edge off something that has been

eating away at CIF for a long time. This hopeless situation of the

Alhambras pitted against Mater Dei, and the like.

There may be all sorts of hidden twists here, but I think this could be a

basis for thought on how to make things better in what everyone is in

agreement with, an imperfect system.