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Post by timaeus on Feb 17, 2004 20:47:30 GMT -6
If Jesuit beats Acadiana, Jesuit will play at home (Tad Gormley) for the third game in a row in the playoffs. That means 4/5 of its playoff games would be home games. That seems terribly unfair. It seems there should be some sort of default that makes Jesuit play its Semifinal game away. Never should a playoff team play three home games in a row, especially the quarters, semis, and finals.
It isn't nearly as big a problem in division III since none of the competitors plays its home games at Tad Gormley. However, there certainly is an advantage for teams like Newman and St. Martin's in playing minutes away from campus.
Should the state championships rotate? Should they always be played in Baton Rouge since that seems as central a location as possible? Should the playoff rules for who is the home team continue into the finals (this was how it was done before a few years ago)?
Or should the system remain intact as is? The LHSAA makes significantly more money by playing the games in New Orleans because almost always at least one local team is in the finals. Also, there is guaranteed sponsorship money as well as prestige from Nokia's sponsorship. Finally, having the game at Gormley gurantees that there will always be enough room for fans to watch. In the past, crowd size has posed a problem for some soccer fields.
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Post by Bish on Feb 17, 2004 20:57:32 GMT -6
It should either Rotate, or be in Baton Rouge. New Orleans is the most irrational location to have it, relative to the rest of the state.
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Post by Tellme on Feb 17, 2004 21:01:09 GMT -6
Are we so naive to believe that the right thing will be done. Timaeus is exactly right when he says that the money is significantly greater in New Orleans. It is irrational to all players and fans, but to any smart moneyman in the LHSAA it is the perfect place to have the finals, regardless what teams are at advantage.
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Post by 1SuckyPlayer on Feb 17, 2004 21:02:36 GMT -6
I thought the game was not about the money!! The fans i feel will travel no matter where it is, or at least 19 of 20... I also think they should be some ref ranking system. Where refs would be ranked by the coaches of a team and the best refs get to ref the best games including the Championship
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Post by angrydwarf on Feb 17, 2004 21:10:21 GMT -6
I never really did understand why only DI and DIII were played a set location where DII was played at one of the teams home fields... if it were up to me, i think the other two divisions (DI and DIII) should adopt the system of playing at one of the finalists home field... its the only way to guarantee complete fairness... you control your own destiny and if you make it to the finals, you have the right to play at home, now on deciding which one of the two finalists home fields to play at.. i've always believed it to be best to go by who was the higher ranked team... the whole top-half / bottom-half nonsense is jibber jabber and i don't like it... but, there's nothing we can do about it... so
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Post by Bish on Feb 17, 2004 21:13:35 GMT -6
Angry, a few years back, that was the system. The only problem was, that some of the schools' home fields weren't really suitable for a game such as prestigious as the State Championship game. A lot of schools don't have enough parking or seating. Some schools don't have access to a quality field that isn't turtlebacked to hell.
I honestly think it should always be a neutral field, since both teams fought their way to the finals.
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Post by CaddoMagnet on Feb 17, 2004 21:15:52 GMT -6
Two words: Independence Stadium
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Post by 1SuckyPlayer on Feb 17, 2004 21:16:17 GMT -6
I say you check which fields want to host the Finals... If the field is qualified then you put it on the list. Once the you have the list of fields you go down the list each year and that way you are always on the nutrual field. The field must be announced before the year starts also. That my opinion
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Post by CoPlRef on Feb 17, 2004 21:28:51 GMT -6
Since the game is already at one end of the state, and we don't want one team to have the unfair advantage of "playing at home", I have the ultimate solution. Indepedence Stadium. Since most teams from down south aren't worried about northern teams making it to the finals, no one would have the advantage of home field. Each team would have to travel. The field would of course be able to be played anytime of the year and in any weather. You don't have to worry aboutl the lack of seating, there is plenty of it. So, this seems to be the perfect solution.
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Post by ShreveDad on Feb 17, 2004 21:35:31 GMT -6
1. Tad Gormley 2. LSU in Baton Rouge 3. Moore Park in Lafayette 4. Independence Stadium in Shreveport
All four are great fields, why not rotate them for the finals. Everyone in the state should have the opportunity to see the best teams play. Cities that want the finals will have to make a bid for the finals. I hope we can talk the Shreveport Sports Authority to do just that.
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Post by angrydwarf on Feb 17, 2004 21:39:52 GMT -6
Im gonna disagree with you on one of those four... Moore park... i dont think they are worthy of State Finals... the whole atmosphere of being in a stadium is part of the excitement brought out in the Finals - Moore park would be a bunch of five level bleachers with fold out chairs
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Post by ShreveDad on Feb 17, 2004 21:47:38 GMT -6
I can see where you are coming from there. But you can have a great atmosphere even sitting next to the field. Two years ago I went over the Dallas Cup and watched a U12 match between a team from Honduras and one from Puerto Rico. I was the neatest soccer setting I have ever seen. The whole field was surrounded by fans 5-10 deep. As a spectator it wasnt the best, but the "atmosphere" was incredible. I still say rotate the game so people in all parts of the state can see it. In my mind Lafayette has the most soccer fans per capita in the state. Maybe it would get them to take one of those fields and put big bleachers on a field.
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Post by goat on Feb 17, 2004 21:50:40 GMT -6
both indy and TG are excellent fields. i would like to see the game rotated between the two. i do think jesuit has a big advantage if they make the finals. but you know what this year the rams will be there instead of the bluejays, so lafayette and rummel won't have to worry about jesuit playing on their home field! GO RAMS!
can you tell i'm fired up for this one!
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beattle09
All-District
free sucky bring back goat
Posts: 170
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Post by beattle09 on Feb 17, 2004 21:53:52 GMT -6
i agree that the fields should be rotated and indy is the best stadium i have ever played on and the atmosphere is like nothing else and i agree with goat no home field advantage this year good luck rams
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Post by ostrya on Feb 17, 2004 22:28:16 GMT -6
Another reason to rotate the finals is to build interest in soccer all over the state. That might increase the numbers of kids who stick with soccer and make all the high school programs better.
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Post by McScruff on Feb 17, 2004 22:31:53 GMT -6
There should definitely be a rotating field system. I also disagree with the Moore Park, idea, though. What about Cajun Field? I think it would be a pretty cool location.
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Post by Footy365 on Feb 17, 2004 22:40:18 GMT -6
4/5 home games, if you've ever seen Slidell's field when it's wet you would know that playing on that field is like playing a billion away games and with our fans there it makes it even worse. Besides im sure whoever get's to the finals, after they take one look at the nice manicured grass at Tad Gormely, they won't care who's home, they'll just be glad to play on a flat pitch for once, not one with a three foot crown.
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Post by McScruff on Feb 17, 2004 22:46:09 GMT -6
You're right footy. Tad has a nice lawn. I think that there are also good reasons to move the venue from year to year. I really agree with the idea of generating interest around the state.
I definitely agree with fishbish about the game not be playing at one of the participants home fields, unless it happens to be a team that plays at one of the selected locations.
But guys, this year's finals are being played in Tad Gormley stadium. Also, Jesuit still hasn't beaten Acadiana, so that should be 3/4 home games.
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Post by GatorMom on Feb 17, 2004 23:08:43 GMT -6
Being in Shreveport, I like the idea of having State Finals rotate. I have been to Tad Gormley and the field is beautiful, but I think the players in the north would love to see a state final match, too. Send it around the state and help generate more interest in our great sport.
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Post by angrydwarf on Feb 17, 2004 23:14:05 GMT -6
haha, yea - im convinced now - rotating fields is the best bet and the most fair way as well
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