Blanchard River Buzz

A blog for rabid sports fans in the Findlay Area. Maintained by Findlay Courier sports writer Jamie Baker. The opinions expressed are my own crazed ramblings and not those of my employer the Findlay Publishing Company and its subsidiaries.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

What am I stupid?

OK after yesterday’s meetings with the OHSAA I’ve come to a couple of startling conclusions.

The people running the association are:
1, Both brain dead and stupid.
2, Or they are flat out lying.

I haven’t figured out which yet. Fellow Courier staff writer Mark Heiman and I were at the OHSAA athletic discussion meeting in Tiffin that is held annually for area athletic administrators, principals and superintendents. We were the only area media personnel to attend the meeting. An OHSAA representative will come in and explain what’s going on with at the OHSAA and issues affecting member schools are usually discussed.

Assistant Commissioner Duane Warns was the OHSAA rep. One of the hot-button issues for area schools is the way the new divisions will be set up next year for football. With the new rules implemented by the OHSAA there will be 72 schools in Division I, around 126 schools in Divisions II through V and in Division VI there will be about 140 schools. Each Division will get 32 playoff spots.

We seem to be the only media outlet that’s writing about the new set up and how it will adversely affect the state’s small schools. It just doesn’t seem right that there will be approximately twice as many schools in Division VI as there will be in Division I. One of the most troubling aspects of the plan is why they took the bottom 2 percent of schools enrollment wise which include Vanlue, Hardin Northern and St. Wendelin from our area, split Divisions II-VI evenly then add those 14 or 15 schools back into Division VI making the small school division bigger than any other.

We’ve asked a lot of people why the smallest 2 percent aren’t counted in the equation and added back into Division VI at the end. No one knows the answer.

Ask OHSAA board of control president and Findlay athletic director Jerry Snodgrass who voted the plan in. He doesn’t know.

An area superintendent asked OHSAA Commissioner Dr. Dan Ross about it. He doesn’t know.

Carey superintendent Ray Funk asked Warns, who was the chair of the Blue Ribbon Subcommittee that met for 30 hours to come up with the new plan, about it at Tuesday‘s meeting. He doesn’t know either. C’mon, he was in charge of the committee, if he doesn’t know who does.

When an administrator asked why wasn’t the new rule put to a referendum vote of all OHSAA member schools Warns said since it’s a sports regulation and not a bylaw the board of control can change the policy. He also conceded that if it was put up for a referendum is would likely be voted down.

Warns also mentioned OHSAA plans to include women and ethnic minorities on its board of control and district board, he used the words fairness, equity and doing the right thing frequently in his explanation of many of the changes going on with the OHSAA this year and in the future. I guess fairness, equity and doing the right thing doesn‘t apply if you are a school the size of Arcadia, Arlington or Pandora-Gilboa.

I know they will be taking up the issue at the next BVC league meeting and I imagine it will come up in the MAL too. Stay tuned.
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NOTEWORTHY:
NWC SHOOTOUT: Crestview beat Columbus Grove in a showdown of Northwest Conference volleyball powers last night. Let’s just say Grove coach Jody Benda was not happy with the ‘Dogs’ performance. On her post game comments she wrote that CG never got off the bus.

BVC GOLF: Next week is the Blanchard Valley Conference golf tournament Wednesday at Country Acres near Kalida. Liberty-Benton is the team to beat heading into the tournament as they are unbeaten in league matches. Van Buren handed a pretty good McComb team a loss in conference play yesterday. The Black Knights will have to finish ahead of the Eagles at the tournament to win at least a share of the title. Most BVC schools will tune up for the conference tourney by playing in the North Baltimore Invitational Saturday at Birch Run.

RANKS: Hardin Northern was voted No.1 in the first Associated Press football poll of the season in Division VI. Hardin Northern, Delphos St. John’s and Hopewell-Loudon were 1-2-3 in Division VI.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: In tomorrow’s Courier a preview of Findlay’s big Herbstreit Classic game against Texas High, Why Hardin Northern’s Chris Motter is the fastest guard in the state. I will also be attending a luncheon today for the Northwest Ohio Athletic Administrators and will be talking to former Browns lineman Dick Schafrath.

NEWSWORTHY:
AP Prep Football Poll
ONU gets $10 million gift
Jays sweep Miller City volleyball
Courier local sports including a story in NB’s inspirational football game last week and UF taking on OSU in men’s basketball
Old Fort is No.2 in volleyball rankings
Pandora attorney: Racism resolution comes to mediocre end
Lima News sports roundup
Harding searches for offensive rhythm
Presidents prep for unbeaten Cardinals
NOL Football Leaders
Shelby cross country races past Upper Sandusky
Tiffin Advertiser Tribune volleyball roundup
Skins pull out win over O-G

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