The VHSL in action
 

Apparently, the powers that be in Charlottesville have been hard at work. The Richmond Times-Dispatch had this article in today's sport page.

1)VHSL announces a basketball slaughter rule.

2)State basketball semifinals to move away from Siegel Center.

3)VHSL votes to pull most state championship events from Liberty University.

http://www.richmond.com/sports/high-...ae7b6e0a3.html

I've always been shocked that they were willing to set foot on Liberty's campus.....

What are the details of the mercy rule?


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Why?

From the article: "If one team leads by 30 points or more in the fourth quarter, the clock will run except during timeouts, free throws, injuries and technical fouls. If both coaches agree, the running clock can begin at any point during the third quarter."

Thirty points is more reasonable than the 40 points rule we have here.

Update
 

The point spreads of 3 of my first 4 games (all GV) last season were 30, 40, & 60. I'm looking forward to this addition.

Giving districts a choice is not a wise move.

I don't get many blowouts of this level. But, when I do, it would be nice to get home early. :)

I don't usually either, but it all occurred at the beginning of my season. I can only remember one other game that was that big of a blowout.

Missouri has adopted 30 in 4th quarter. Our local big city junior high does 25 after half. There are lots of times that has come in handy

Jerry Falwell founded the University and (depending on your point of view), it is either an excellent example of Christian morals and ethics OR a hotbed of rightwing fascism....

18-Year-Old William Byron Wins Truck Race At Kansas Speedway ...
 

https://sp.yimg.com/xj/th?id=OIP.M4c...=0&w=300&h=300

I can't wait to see the University of Connecticut truck.

Because of the overt political leanings of the University.

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Maybe because it is centrally located in state and has fantastic facilities for high school post season structure and events

And some people don't make every decision in their lives based on politics.

Does renting the facilities somehow imply agreement with those overt political leanings???

If organizations should avoid using facilities with political leanings, few, perhaps no, states would be able to use any college facility. Or are we to only be tolerant of like-minded people?

You asked a question, I answered it. I didn't make any judgments about the situation.

Any further explanations you need to ask the person who made the original comment.

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That's if we buy the assumption that public universities have a political leaning.

And Liberty is not a public school. All other facilities utilized by the VHSL are either public high schools/colleges or arenas run by local municipalities. Thus, maybe why the poster said he is shocked Liberty has been used all these years.

The CIAC in CT uses Mohegan Sun for their state championships. I don't think that implies they support gambling, drinking and smoking, although I wonder what effect it has on teenagers that aren't exposed to it in any other public place in CT (well, gambling and smoking).

I know the officials that go to watch the games and support other officials will sometimes get hotel rooms and spend the night drinking and gambling away. Nice way to celebrate the end of the year with fellow friends.

They may not do so officially, but to say they don't is ignoring reality.

Baby Needs A New Pair Of Basketball Shoes ...
 

This didn't happen without some degree of controversy. Many high school principals were totally against this. Eventually the Mohegans gave our high schools an offer that they couldn't refuse. Top notch facility (home of WNBA Connecticut Sun). Plenty of free parking. An affordable rental fee.

https://forum.officiating.com/basket...tml#post983299

Only universities in Virginia known for overt political leanings are Regent University (for profit, commuter type school) and Liberty. Safe to say I'm pretty familiar with how things are in Virginia.

I would respectfully disagree with my friend.

There is a significant difference between "political leanings" and being overtly political. I'd like to know of another college- in the country-whose facilities are used where the university president publically endorsed a political candidate during a primary.

Its not centrally located to the majority of schools in the VHSL.

I would disagree, unless by "majority" you mean (by sheer numbers) schools either in 757 or NOVA. What's now "centrally located", after moving from Lynchburg, about teams traveling all the way to Hampton Roads area for a state championship? Unless you are from that area, and of course one team in the final could be, but not BOTH.

Liberty University is not centrally located to the majority (yes, by sheer numbers, not sure of any other meaning that would apply) of schools in VHSL. Richmond and Charlottesville are centrally located. Lynchburg is not.

And I'm not suggesting that the Hampton Roads area is centrally located because it clearly is not either. But two teams from that area could indeed play in the state final.

I'm not really offering my opinion on the VHSL location changes. I'm just pointing out facts, which are that Liberty is overtly political-unlike any other site used by VHSL- and that it is, as a matter of fact, not centrally located in the state.

Ok I'll give you some of that...not the first time I "called one out of my area"...but are you sure of this statement? I thought teams from same area were eliminated at the semis...in most sports at least

The Old Dominion State ...
 

https://sp.yimg.com/xj/th?id=OIP.M48...=0&w=300&h=300

The geographic center of Virgina is located about halfway (as the bus travels) between Richmond and Lynchburg.

Yes, I'm sure, at least as far as basketball is concerned. Teams from the same region can and have played each other in the state finals. It didnt happen this year as far as I'm aware simply because of who won the semi-final matchups. But 2 years ago, two Richmond public schools played against each other in the 4A final. I'm sure its happened numerous times other than that as well.

Thanks for the map. I'm pretty familiar with VA having been born here- just like both of my parents-, having lived hear most of my life, and having officiated the state tournament for the last 5 years.

Again, Lynchburg is not centrally located TO THE MAJORITY OF SCHOOLS IN THE VHSL. Even though it may be an hour or so away from being geographically central, the majority of schools in VHSL are from Northern VA, Central VA, and Tidewater. Lynchburg is not centrally located to them.

And its not "The Old Dominion State." Its the Commonwealth of Virginia or the Old Dominion.

The Commonwealth Of Virginia ...
 

I've only been to Virginia once (Richmond, and I loved it, why is everybody so polite?), which is why I pulled up the map. VaTerp seems to be talking about the centerpoint of the region's population, which in Virgina, is located in Goochland County outside of Richmond.

As a former scholastic basketball coach, I'm more concerned about travel distances for players, parents, and fans of a particular school, so I was talking about the geographic center of Virginia, halfway between Richmond and Lynchburg.

If the kids from Bristol High School make the finals, I'm sure that they would much prefer a bus trip to the geographic center of Virginia rather than to the population center.

In doing that, to shorten the distance for the uncommon school, they've lengthened it for multiple others.

More than likely, it is about money. Liberty must have given them such a great deal that it offsets the extra costs due to the distance. Similar decisions have been made here in Oregon. Venue costs for the tournament can, in some venues, be the overwhelming element in the total cost. It varies widely with the University of Oregon being the least friendly financially....so much so that they have stopped having tournaments there in favor of much cheaper options.

Not Charlottesville ...
 

Good point. In any case, Charlottesville isn't near either the population center, nor the geographic center. A site just west of Richmond would be the best bet, if a proper facility exists.

Beads And Blankets ...
 

Which probably had something to do with why Connecticut moved the finals away from Central Connecticut State University.

I didn't say you made any judgement. I asked a follow up question. If you don't have any answer other than a stupid comment, then don't answer the question. That's pretty simple, isn't it?

Oops, that's another question. You don't need to answer that one either.

Finances have a much greater impact than location, we have learned. Still, even though VHSL says otherwise, they would not be leaving Liberty had not the university president, Jerry Jr, commented something to the affect that more students and faculty should be armed to ward off a Muslim attack:mad:

The mean center of population in Virginia, as of the 2010 census, is about 15 miles northwest of Richmond.

Amen ...
 

Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

There's also Patrick Henry College in Purcellville (Loudoun County), but I don't think they even have an athletic program

There are many polite and many not so polite people in VA just like most places but good to hear you have fond memories of the Commonwealth.

You say that the centerpoint of the states population is in Goochland, which is northwest of Richmond. Then say that Charlottesville isnt near the population or geographic center. Trust me when I say you are completely wrong on the second statement.

Charlottesville is an hour north west of Richmond and about about 30 minutes from Goochland. In a state that is 3/5 hours long and 7 hours wide Charlottesville is VERY close to Richmond and VERY VERY close to Goochland. And while you may be correct about Goochland being the exact geographic center, I would think the excellent athletic facilities at the flagship university in the state about a half hour away qualifies as being centrally located. And with Richmond, the state capital, a half hour in the other direction I would say that my original point about Richmond and Charlottesville being centrally located for VHSL events is a fact. I would think that may even have something to do with why the VHSL is located there.

In the end, this is a friendly argument about nothing. As Camron suggested, finances and the best deal for VHSL is what will determine where championsips are played.

I'm biased being from Richmond and personally thinking both the basketball championships at VCU and football championships at UVA have been very good fan experiences. And for Northern VA schools and where I live now going there is much more convenient than going to Tidewater. But there are good facilities there and its not bad to move things around the state from time to time.

Save for a couple small towns in the Valley, Charlottesville is the only thing on I-64 in VA until you get to Richmond. Then it resumes being boring again until you get to Busch Gardens. It's also basically the only thing on US-29 between Lynchburg and DC.

VaTerp is spot on.

They used to field soccer and basketball teams at one point about five or so years ago (with the mascot of "Sentinels"). I'm not sure if that's still the case.