one time blocker rule and the ned to run a seeded race at pre-nats

A seeded race at nationals doesn't work because you can only put 35 to 40 teams on the line on most courses without major screw ups. Then the problem is, if only the 35 to 40 teams on the line get to divide up the at large points the rest of the country is shut out. Furthermore, select teams also trip out to compete at Griak and Notre Dame - thereby gaining additional opportunities to score more at large points. So now you have the "frequent flyers" racking up all sorts of points, while a team with a small budget never gets the chance.

When there were only three at-large places a few years ago the teams that got the at-large spots were NEVER NEVER NEVER the last three places in the national meet.

How many teams start the year with legitimate shots at qualifying for nationals??? The answer is somewhere between 40-50. These teams need to schedule to meet each other. They are not always the same 40-50 teams but it is only 40-50 teams. Not all of those teams feel it important to seek at-large points, feeling secure in their ability to get an automatic, I.E. Ark. Some have foolish coaches that don't schedule correctly and rob their teams. But It is safe to say that at any one meet including pre-nats you could run a seeded race with 35-45 teams and have all the legitimate teams meeting.

That is right you run head to head with the other teams that want to qualify. Teams from all over the nation race each other and at the end of the year only the strong survive to qualify for at-large selection. Sometimes the weak get autos.

So the best teams qualify. The best teams must prove themselves at regionals. And then based on how they have competed witht he rest of the country they are selected for nationals following rules that are explained to everyone.

People don't sit home and pray that the selection commitee choses them. They go home look over the results for the year and find out who is going and who is staying home. For the last few years I have known who was going to nationals even before announcements. The committee just follows the rules!!!!

The currant system takes the best teams in the nation based on how the did first at regionals and second throughout the season. That sounds a lot more fair that the convoluted mess of super-regionals!!!!!

It's interesting that your argument against the Super Regionals is the same as the SR supporters argument FOR the SR - head-to-head competition. The ONLY people who may have a rational argument against super regionals are the teams who are not good enough to finish in the top-11 at their regional meet. And, there are only two regions that legitimate teams could be left at home - the West and Great Lakes. However, those 12th place, and worse, teams don't have a shot at going to nationals anyway. So what is the real concern?

Your statement that there are only 40-50 teams that really have a shot at qualifying each year is correct. However, those teams change from year to year and even the most enlightened person seeding a "seeded" race at Pre-Nationals would leave out a few of those legitimate teams. If a team hasn't built a reputation then how will somebody know to put them in a seeded race? How are they supposed to build a reputation? Race well early in the season to get in the seeded race at Pre-nats, but have nothing left at regionals?

Nobody has said that the current system is not objective. Of course it is. We all know the rules. However, knowing the rules and "playing the game" doesn't mean that the system is a good system. You still must "play the game" and I would much prefer racing my way to nationals when it matters, rather than hoping I was really ready to go at Pre-Nats (and that I got in the right race). Or, wondering if I should have gone to Auburn to beat up on some of the better southern schools instead of Griak to beat up on some of the better Midwest schools.

Here let me give you the way to handle the Pre-nats seeded race.

1) Each region gets the number of team into the meet that quaified for nationals last year. Based on the regional ranking of the coaches. This means that if the West qualified 5 teams last year the top five ranked team from the region getinto the meet automatically. Point here is if Az qualified last year but is currantly ranked 6th from the West and only two other teams from the west are at Pre-nats Az still does not get in the seeded race automatically.

This should generate 20-25 teams for the seeded race. This leaves 20-25 teams that can be picked for the seeded races bbased on reputation, earlier meets and strength of region threats by coaches bribes cutest cheerleaders etc.

I highly doubt that 45 of the possible 40-50 teams with legitimate shots will go to Pre-nats. But shouldn't the teams that go be given the oppurtunity to compete against each other head to head?

I admit that it is possible to leave a good team out. This only means that they have to do it at regionals.

I have to admit that I see no problem with proving how good you are during the season and then doing a good job at regionals as a honest and fair means of qualifying for nationals.

Thats fine, "proving how good you are during the season, " just don't make it count for anything-because it means nothing except that you are ready six weeks or more before nationals.

A team must prove themselves at the end of the year at regionals. They must be automatic, get on the bubble or beat a mighty fine team AT REGIONALS. REGIONALS IS AT THE END OF THE YEAR!!!!

How do you choose the best teams to go to nationals.....?

HEad to HEad competition. Not against a portion of the country but against the best schools from around the country.

The one time blocker rule is great when it is used to get a team that is peaking at the right time into the meet. In other words it is a great rule if it is getting the best teams into the meet. A couple of years ago Cal Poly and St Francis were good teams that deserved to be in the meet and would have been if this rule were in place....

The one time blocker rule is bad if the team with the points that is being blocked peaked 6 weeks ago and are going downhill fast.

And one last point.

Cross country already has regional representation. I doubt that the NCAA will look any more or less favorably on a system that promaotes super regionals, regionals or superduper regionals.

robert/weberwildcat

You still don't address the issue of schools with small budgets vs. schools that can fly accross the country twice(Griak & Pre-Nats). There are approximately 290 schools with programs. The new system recognizes everyone's chance to be a qualifier-every member school of the NCAA has that right, not just your 40-50. In the new system, there is no "going home" and figuring it out,(unless you are one of the three schools-then you get to pray) you will know if you are going after the results are announced on the day of the race. As it is, the current system still rewards a mediocre/sub-par day at regionals, as long as you have chased the points/spent the money. The system should be, and will be next year-produce on the right day and advance-if not go home, your season is over. I fail to see why that generates so much fear? The new system is simple and clean without all the mess of points and pre-nats seeded races.

New System wrote:

You still don't address the issue of schools with small budgets vs. schools that can fly accross the country twice... As it is, the current system still rewards a mediocre/sub-par day at regionals, as long as you have chased the points/spent the money. The system should be, and will be next year-produce on the right day and advance-if not go home, your season is over. I fail to see why that generates so much fear? The new system is simple and clean without all the mess of points and pre-nats seeded races.

The first question that should be asked is 'What is the reason for qualifying?"

I'm serious I believe that is what should be asked and answered and then find a program that fits the answer best.

Should Cross Country be like Basketball, I.E. one mistake and the "BEST" team in the nation is gone. Like football where everygame during the season can make or break the whole season? Or maybe like Baseball where each team is allowed one loss, (Double elimination)? You see it is not as easy of a question as it looks originally.

My answer to that question is to get the best teams to the national meet and let the races begin.

It is obvious that you have a lot invested in this program and have put time and effort into it. Please do not take personnally anything that I have written. What I know about the system is only what you have written here. And you showed that the changes in actual qualifying would be minimal. So why change?

You wanted me to address the financial side of the equation. I can't I have no knowledge or experience in running a budget for collegiate athletics. I do "know" as an outside obsever that teams that are legitimate seem to find ways to go to the meets needed to qualify. It seems that the expense of a super regional would be about the same as going to either pre-nats or Griak. Do you realize the a super region will force 99 teams, (33 from each region) to travel and pay the expences? That seems like more than what go to pre-nats and Griak. I also see a lot of teams at Griak and Pre-nats from schools that I have never heard of and I really doubt have huge budgets. My only experience with budgets is in personnal budgets and business budgets where I have to prioritize and make the tough decisions.

You have announced that you are a DI coach. I am just a lowly fan trying to learn and express my opinion. Hopefully it stimulates thought and not anger. If I have upset you I apologize.