Blame the Principal

Well, with the eve of the IHSA state football playoffs almost here, it's the time of the year when we get to take a hard look at our state series of playoffs, football included.

If you ever had even an ounce of doubt regarding the entire direction of the IHSA, or have ever wondered just where some of these downright goofy ideas come from I have the answer for you.

Don't blame the coaches.

Don't blame the players or the parents or the teachers.

The athletic directors? Nope, just keep walking past the AD's office.

If your looking to blame someone for this mess we call the IHSA state playoffs, head over to your local high school and sit down and talk with the people who makes these decision.

Sit down and ask to speak with the school's principal.

The Principal? Really? Really.

Blame the Principals.

So when the 2009 IHSA state football playoff pairings are released on Saturday night and your favorite school has to play it's neighboring school that it just played a few weeks earlier, guess what?

Blame the Principals.

What will you think when we all get a gander at say the 2009 Class 7A state playoff field and see the South bracket overloaded with teams such as St. Rita, Glenbard West, Wheaton Warrenville South, Lincoln-Way East and East St. Louis just to name a few all wind up playing in the same bracket.

This has to stop" you'll scream. 

Don't go blaming the IHSA entirely. Don't take your unsportsman-like behavior out on the IHSA's orange sponge mascot or throw things at the television.

Just blame the principals.

See, while the IHSA has certainly made several wrong steps over these many years, they are at best a functioning governmental body that serves it's membership.

But who are the people with the real power? Who are the people making all of the really important decisions in all sports? Of course the principals.

Need even more proof that things are just a bit haywire these days?

Check out the latest football only proposal submitted this week by the principal of Eureka High School Rich Wherley.

Here is the football portion that will be up for a vote down the line by the principals.

In short, this proposal reads as follows.

5.064 Scheduling of Games- The IHSA will have the sole responsibility to schedule all football games for member schools in a ten team regional format. The regional will be based on school/coop size and geography.  The region will be in place for two years in a home and an away format. The IHSA has the right at any time to restructure the size of the regional if a member school is not geographically located close to any schools it's size, if a member school disbands, if a member school fails to field a team, or if a member school creates a football squad.

Huh?

In short, what this proposal would do would be to end having conferences in football and would allow the IHSA to handle all scheduling. Under this proposal, you would play 9 schools located in your geographical area that are also close to your own size/enrollment.

No more Chicago Catholic League. Southwest Suburban conference? North Suburban Conference? Bye bye. East Suburban Catholic Conference? Gone. The Chicago Public League? No longer under this proposal.

Hey DVC schools, do you like playing Wheaton South? Under this proposal you wouldn't any longer.

You getting a better idea and a clearer picture behind all of this now?

I would hope that if this proposal that at least to me borders on insanity (but for whatever reason must work in Eureka, Illinois) would fail in a full member vote.

You would hope so anyways.

Also, am I the only person out here who's more than a bit concerned about anyone who would look at this proposal and truly think, "This is great. Yeah, this would make it work for everyone in the state?" 

I guess I'm just not as educated or paid well enough to understand all of this.

Why am I like this?

I blame my principal.