MHSAA, BACON

I think he makes some good points, but, as you said, he misses the big points. Sure, do we all with it didn't happen and let us have it the way it was? Yes. But, it was not equal the way it was. I don't know if it is any better or worse now, and I wonder about why it was really done, but being different did make a difference.



Also, blaming any money problems on anything but the economy is silly. They are moving to have 8 man football in a couple years. Posen is going to that because they don't have enough kids. People are leaving the area, and the schools, and the athletic programs are going to suffer.



I think a lot of people (not Bacon, necessarily) first look at how things will effect them and make their decision on what they think about it. They don't look at it overall. A perfect example of that is Sam whatshisname filing a class action suit against EA Sports for using college football players' likenesses. First things I read (other than MGOBrian's logical column) is how stupid Sam is and etc. etc. When what they really think is "oh, no, they are going to take the good things about my game away." Because he is right. Will it be better for the majority of the college football fan world if the suit fails? Of course. Is that the right thing? I don't know (it is too complex for me). The MHSAA thing is similar. It is probably bad for those parents who have a B-ball playing son and a B-Ball playing daughter. They will have a lot of scheduling issues. But, it is still right.



Did you see Paul Dodd commented?

MHSAA schedules

John U Bacon writes on the change in girls' sports (I say girls' sports as I say boys' sports for high school - for the AA schools to call their programs men's and women's is ridiculous) schedules and the impact it has had on the state's schools, and kids.

http://blog.johnubacon.com/2009/06/12/good-intentions-gone-wrong.aspx

I really like John, but I think he misses the point on this one (and I told him so in the comments). To blame the mothers for MHSAA financial problems, lower turnout in sports etc. is too great a leap.

How much could the MHSAA have saved if they'd just accepted the ruling? I think the downturn in the economy has a great impact on HS sports. More schools have gone to pay-for-play. More kids might need to work to help support the family etc. Less sponsorship of teams by local businesses.

The MHSAA held their breath, kicked their feet and didn't want to follow the rest of the country. They spent millions of dollars they didn't have to fight change to avoid the "problems" that every other state finds ways to deal with.