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To the NCHSAA- an open letter.

72 State Champion

Well-Known Member
Oct 7, 2016
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An open letter to the NCHSAA- The 2017 realignment and playoff format forces the renewed discussion of what constitutes a true State Champion and what is now simply the flavor of the month. The history of North Carolina High School football playoffs is riddled with inconsistencies, adjustments, rival associations, AP votes, regionals, split classifications, field reductions, MAXPREPS rankings and now byes, which historically constituted a variety of methods to win all your playoff games yet still not qualify by NCHSAA standards as a State Champion. Is a 2017 4A-AA or1A-AA State Champion more or less valid than a State Champion from previous years that never received the reduced field and bye and therefore the easier and protected path to a title? It is odd that the NCHSAA would sacrifice the gates of games in order to provide byes to supposedly the better programs in 4A and 1A because of the reduction in overall number of teams. None of this had to occur.
Last off season when this playoff format was set, it was upsetting, yet got lost at the time in the shuffle. Now that playoff time is here, it is overwhelmingly evident that once again the NCHSAA failed to provide a common sense approach to the playoffs.
We choose now not to discuss the absurdity of the current seedings and byes, as the bigger and more important issue for some of us is the fact that the ever-changing playoff format produces different opportunities for different programs to make it to the top.
Therefore, our claim has always been that regardless of Association massages of the playoff formats and whose title means more than whose, is to once again advocate that any title in any association in any classification and any subclassification in any year since football began in North Carolina is to be correctly termed a "State Championship" It was as far as the team could go. Period.
And who, other than the teams snubbed, really cares anyway.
It is past time for the current unified NCHSAA/WNCHSAA to declare and reference ALL CHAMPIONSHIPS WON IN THIS STATE AS "STATE" CHAMPIONSHIPS.
 
Still trying to validate those area titles (WNCHSAA) back in the day as NC State titles.

They are what they are. A small group of 38-42 teams in 4 conferences claiming to be their own association. Nothing more than an area title.

And so there is no longer any confusion on your part. A NC State Title is decided each year by the NCHSAA, be it 4 titles, 5 or 8. Get over it.
 
After giving this thread a few days for responses, we will now address some of your questions.
This topic has absolutely nothing to do with the current 2A battles between Shelby and Belmont South Point. In fact, the matter goes back over 100 years to when governing bodies of NC public high school football were being formed. Since then, playoff formats have changed and evolved as numbers of schools changed, sizes changed, rival associations emerged as did classifications, segregation existed, then integration, subclasses were determined, and now byes and outside rankings are introduced. And at all times, Championships were earned.
This letter is an appeal to the current, fully representative NCHSAA to fairly and correctly communicate ALL championship history that occurred during this constant change and evolution. This year for the first time, byes are introduced, but only for 1A and 4A, both with less total teams involved than 2A and 3A. Will that constitute a historic asterisk for those titles as more easily earned than previous years? Why not? They are. Less teams. Less playoff rounds. Wasn't that the weak excuse at one time for "regionalizing" the WNCHSAA titles?
It is past time to reference ALL STATE TITLES THE SAME.
We have written several times to the current NCHSAA. Their one and only written response failed to address the core issue. They then invited us to arrange a telephone discussion, of which they have not cooperated or responded to have dispite multiple attempts by us. Thus we are on here. And all boards as teams from all classes are former Champions. As you have seen, we do have the support of others, including Belmont South Point.
Comically, the open letter (part 2) was hilarious. We have a good time laughing at ourselves so kudos to GoNtheDistance for keeping life fun and funny.
With that said, this topic of how titles are represented is probably only serious to those of us that actually were part of winning titles as part of the WNCHSAA. For 46 years, there were other NC public high school programs winning association championships other than the ones governed by the one named NCHSAA. The NCHSAA was NOT a superior governing body to the others. It was larger geographically and in number of programs, but it had a very large hole in it smack in the middle of the state of as many as 42 3A schools. The gap only involved 3A level programs. Despite btango's attempt to cloud the issue (for reasons only known to him), none of 1A, 2A, or 4A, at the time were involved, however some WNCHSAA former members have gone on to perform in all 4 classifications since the merger. That is another reason why it is important to be represented fairly and accurately. The western located NCHSAA teams often had to drive past some of the WNCHSAA schools to play their games. As mentioned, some counties had schools from both associations. There was some interplay, but no playoff meetings. How can one be deemed supreme over the other? And time has proven the quality of play in the WNCHSAA was certainly equal, if not better.
46 years, and those Championship teams need to be designated "State Champions".
It is especially important in the media hype days that we live in, that all pertinent history related to a program's performance be fairly represented. When the media goes to the current unified NCHSAA for information on any program, including those fortunate enough to make the current championship games, that is not happening.
The current merged NCHSAA consistently only recognizes pre-merger (1977) "state" championships from THEIR Association (or what was known as NCHSAA) dating back to it's origin. In other words, any other Association championships are not stated or provided as part of that program's resume. That is wrong because the current unified NCHSAA is the sole provider of that information today. The fact is that they either misrepresent the WNCHSAA championships as somehow not as valid, or move to hide or ignore them in some way, or just not give all the information. Why would they not just state "in the history of this program, they have won X "state championships". By including pre-merger NCHSAA titles in their summaries while excluding pre-merger WNCHSAA titles, an inaccurate arrogant superiority is implied, whether it is intended or not.
If the NCHSAA wants to live up to its stated Core Values and Beliefs of Sportsmanship, Integrity, Fair Play, Honesty, Respect, Equity, and Fair Competition, this needs to be correctly represented. There WERE TWO SEPARATE 3A "State Champions" in NC from 1930 to 1976.
And what is most puzzling is that this is a win win. Why oppose it? Who gets hurt?
Make the change.
 
Hello everyone.
The NCHSAA board meets this week and we wanted to present our case again on the thin hope they may bother to check prep threads.
As stated before, we have written the NCHSAA directly and were quickly dismissed. We are not going away.
Far be it for the NCHSAA to desire to discover what is on the minds of those of us that support and attend North Carolina high school athletics and pay their salaries.
The boards of each classifications here had comments we will address in our next post.
We have been distracted lately by some big games.
 
Make sure to mention the Cleveland County transfer policy in your list of concerns to the nchsaa
 
72,
Until the NCHSAA changes their position on their definition of State Champions, shouldn’t you change your moniker to 72 District Champion?
 
Thanks for your support TGT.
Funny how we are the only two here that actually played on State Champion teams that need to be recognized as such.
Mule is so consumed with Shelby hate, he does not realize that, followed to his logical conclusion, none of Reidsville's State Championships from 1930 to 1970 would count in a summary where rival associations prohibit a fully qualified State Champion. He does not realize we are fighting for him, too.
And this cause goes way beyond just Shelby and Reidsville programs.
And as for btango, what is your deal man? You have also shown a disdain for us personally and some how appoint yourself as THE authority on NC high school football history. You have always failed to identify on WHAT authority you speak nor share your resume. What are you hiding?
Your data is presented to purposefully cloud and confuse the discussion, all the while knowing what we are trying to accomplish with this mission.
The last WNCHSAA year had 38 teams, and the NCHSAA 3A had about 90, you say? Yet the NCHSAA 3A title contested was only missing 10% of the state's 3A schools, you say?
Try 30%, or A THIRD OF THE STATE'S 3A SCHOOLS. You know btango, the good ones in the MIDDLE of the state. See what we mean?
So why do you care?
What we are after is just fair and accurate recognition. There were two(2) separate 3A level champions in NC public high schools.
If one is deemed a State Champion, then the other is also.
And everyone wins.
Do you really think a player from a unified classes SINGLE State Champion from 1977 until 2000 is going to protest this correction, as some sort of "everyone gets a trophy" stupidity? Really? Other than 1913 to 1929 champs, those guys had the toughest road.
Wait...we have some of those players around here.
No. They don't care.
Make the change
 
Still trying to validate those area titles (WNCHSAA) back in the day as NC State titles.

They are what they are. A small group of 38-42 teams in 4 conferences claiming to be their own association. Nothing more than an area title.

And so there is no longer any confusion on your part. A NC State Title is decided each year by the NCHSAA, be it 4 titles, 5 or 8. Get over it.
He just wants history changed so Shelby can claim that they have won more "State Championships" than any other team in North Carolina.

Its really that simple.
 
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Mule-
Not even close to the truth.
And you know it.
We have ALWAYS recognized your team, Reidsville, as having the most State Championships with 19 now.
Shelby, including the WNCHSAA titles, is second with 15.
Why do you lie about us?
 
TGT, you are a gentleman and a scholar.
And a State Champion.
Can you join is at the NCHSAA meeting on Wednesday?
We would love your support.

And Mule, you are free to rant all you want. And with our blessing.
It is fun to watch you contradict yourself. Only you could stretch our post to such nutty generalizations.
You, unlike btango, are a known entity to us. And put in your place by us many, many threads ago. Even those in your own camp ignore you.
 
Regional champ72, I hate that you don't recognize the fact that those schools choose not to be part of the nchsaa. They were not excluded. As such those teams should not be called state champs.
 
Sorry it took so long. In all honesty I have more to do than sitting around trying to make my glory days into something more than they are. Try it, it might make your life richer.

I have no idea why they pulled out. I just know they made the decision not to be a part of the nchsaa. Accept it.
 
Speaking of taking a long time, it has been 55+ years and you still haven’t realized y’all won a regional title.
 
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