MLB playoffs have series to weed out some of the variance. IHSA does not.
Hell, doesn’t youth baseball usually have double elimination tournaments? College is double elimination. If you want to have some wistful exhibition tournament lined with American flags with other shitty teams in your area and everyone gets popsicles after the game that says “you’re all winners” on them, great. Keep the playoffs to good teams.  Previous Message My son plays for a team that's not great. They played another not-great team on Memorial Day in a prelim-round game. It was a nice day, there were some American flags billowing in the breeze, some bunting on the backstop and we had more family and friends than normal able to come out and enjoy a few hours together. It didn't affect anybody else's postseason schedule. It wasn't incredibly taxing on everyone's body (like football). Everyone got a chance to play again with their buddies. My son's team is a heavy underdog to win again today. But if they happen to win, that's the way sports goes. I keep forgetting that if the odds are long enough, the favored team should just advance because of what they've done previously. Why the hell do they bother with the MLB playoffs anyway...should just hand the trophy to the team with the most regular-season wins. If Monday counted as a "participation trophy" that offends you guys, so be it. It's not like these athletes just show up on the first day of practice in early March, throw their gloves out on the field for a few months and then walk away from the season like it was no big deal. Seriously, how exactly does the current playoff format harm your life and affect your enjoyment of the greater sports ecosystem? Previous Message Especially for baseball, which is so random, they really need to not do that. Find a reasonable cutoff. Previous Message
OPRF is the 4 seed in the Reavis sectional and plays Jones Prep tomorrow, then hopefully the winner of Reavis/St. Ignatius on Saturday for the Regional Championship.
Much like the NCAA tournament, I both love and hate the IHSA post-season. OPRF won a conference championship and I hate the idea that anyone would think their season is a disappointment if they lost early.
No one is expecting them to take out state #1 Brother Rice in the sectional semifinals, but man I'd love them to get the chance. I'd take OPRF's first four hitters over any top four in the state.
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Message Thread | This response ↓
 Illinois HS state baseball playoffs start in earnest tomorrow - GMAW May 27, 2025, 17:33:14
- Not worthy of a new thread, but wanted to share a proud dad moment - ISeeDeadHawkeyes June 18, 2025, 13:19:00
- Libertyville wins it. - Chicago1995 June 14, 2025, 22:52:08
- Libertyville keeps on trucking* - bucktownillini June 13, 2025, 19:51:46
- Libertyville mashes Maine South 13-4* - bucktownillini June 9, 2025, 22:27:51
- Teutopolis plays for the 2A state championship tonight… - EffinIllini June 7, 2025, 15:48:07
- Libertyville moves on* - bucktownillini June 7, 2025, 15:16:12
- One of my best friends had the dish for Ottawa Marq vs Lexington today. - ilinni11 June 6, 2025, 14:08:48
- Tough way to end the season for OPRF.* - TarheelIllini June 5, 2025, 7:32:54
- has anyone checked to see if Earnest is OK?*
 - Sammich June 4, 2025, 9:33:12
- Topically, I'm reading a federal complaint about "trade secrets" in "youth volleyball". Lol* - gvibes June 3, 2025, 16:23:52
- Oh boy* - GMAW June 3, 2025, 21:34:08
- 2A Super-Sectional: Teutopolis comes back from down 0-5 in the 5th and 3-5 in the 7th to win 6-5 - EffinIllini June 3, 2025, 8:58:08
- Softball sidejack: Champaign Central wins 1st regional title in 44 yrs. - Kajagoogoo June 2, 2025, 10:39:12
- baseball sidejack: my nephew plays U10 travel ball. There was a recent game - gvibes June 2, 2025, 10:31:01
- This feels timely - Sounder June 2, 2025, 18:44:45
- In soccer leagues sanctioned by the USSF, they issue registrations to kids. But they follow - ATL June 2, 2025, 18:11:42
- For proof of age, gender, or both?* - Taz June 2, 2025, 17:51:30
- I don't know about baseball, but for soccer, we had to provide that info for our boys - Blazer June 2, 2025, 16:18:58
- We had to carry a binder with proof of age for every one of our players every year. - Illiniphil June 2, 2025, 14:11:13
- the concept of travel ball at U10 is disgusting* - assassin June 2, 2025, 12:03:11
- I understand thinking it’s disgusting and not needed BUT this is life. See also tutoring - FidelGoodell June 2, 2025, 14:01:40
- You should see U8!* - Mrap24 June 2, 2025, 13:38:08
- I’ll never not believe that the format that existed in my town as a kid was the best. - OB25 June 2, 2025, 13:35:04
- Whereas my 9 year old plays in a fund local softball league. - gvibes June 2, 2025, 13:26:45
- The concept of travel ball at any age is kind of ridiculous. - longsnapper June 2, 2025, 12:18:17
- Youth tournament rant - Mrap24 June 2, 2025, 11:06:38
- It’s never come up in any of our games. - Mrap24 June 2, 2025, 11:01:23
- I've seen it happen, but it's pretty darn rare. My son played 10 years of travel ball - - GMAW June 2, 2025, 10:48:26
- When I was coaching my son's USSSA/AAU jr. high travel teams, we always carried a binder... - Tuscy June 2, 2025, 10:43:41
- Was it a tournament? - ISeeDeadHawkeyes June 2, 2025, 10:34:09
- Small school ball...Sectional 2 seed Teutopolis beat 1 seed St. Anthony (defending 2A champ)... - EffinIllini June 2, 2025, 9:55:23
- OPRF run rules Ignatius 14-4. Sectional of death starts Wednesday: OPRF/BrotherRice and Naz/MtC* - GMAW May 31, 2025, 14:26:18
- Lockport won regional* - Poldark May 31, 2025, 12:23:46
- It’s game day! OPRF v St Ignatius and Grayslake Central v St Viator for regional crowns* - GMAW May 31, 2025, 9:05:54
- Joliet West + Fenwick=winning* - Poldark May 29, 2025, 20:01:56
- GMAW you're failing the kids. - CanHartlebHireSnider May 29, 2025, 14:19:22
- This all makes me sad. - timmer May 29, 2025, 7:16:00
- OPRF won 15-0; Grayslake Central won 10-2, if anyone is interested. - Chicago1995 May 28, 2025, 21:09:24
- Figured I’d put this here but there are now two Illini in the majors both with the Royals - CanHartlebHireSnider May 28, 2025, 15:27:25
- Sidejack - - - - Eldest LTC has soccer sectionals tonight. Sectional of death. Should be - LovetheChief May 28, 2025, 10:21:50
- looks like Libertyville has a really good team this year.* - bucktownillini May 28, 2025, 10:02:29
- Do they still make playoffs for non-football sports participation trophies that everyone plays in? - Carl Spackler May 28, 2025, 9:10:52
- FWIW, scores are reported for 38 first round games in 4A. Only three upsets - GMAW May 29, 2025, 6:34:06
- They've been doing this for literally ever... long before anyone invented the participation trophy - ijustkrushalot May 28, 2025, 12:58:07
- I disagree with this. I think it's great that everyone makes the playoffs at the end. - GMAW May 28, 2025, 11:18:22
- There are far bigger problems with how the IHSA administers sports playoffs. * - Chicago1995 May 28, 2025, 10:44:16
- I'll push back on this just a smidge - LWillhite May 28, 2025, 10:15:27
- Yes* - Mrap24 May 28, 2025, 9:20:51
- We've got Woodstock North this afternoon at Deerfield. St. Viator/Deerfield if we win. - Chicago1995 May 28, 2025, 9:03:21
- Appears you just beat LT last week* - ISeeDeadHawkeyes May 27, 2025, 22:15:43
- OPRF alum - TarheelIllini May 27, 2025, 18:59:07
- OPRF always dangerous* - cpsteine May 27, 2025, 18:32:06
- 4 or 3A? - illini222 May 27, 2025, 18:28:27
- 4A* - GMAW May 27, 2025, 19:52:44
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on May 28, 2025, 10:53:25, in reply to "I'll push back on this just a smidge"