The Bobcat Nation

Just curious as to what people think about this rule....

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The Montana State AA Legion Tournament begins today in Miles City, but the Helena Senators won’t be there.

The Senators, despite having an overall win-loss record of 42-17 and conference record of 16-8, don’t get the chance to compete for a state title because of a rule that guarantees a berth to the host team. That squad? The Miles City Mavs. Their conference mark this year: 0-24.

A winless team gets a coveted spot in the state tournament while a team with a .724 win percentage, eighth best in team history, stays home.

I'm a little surprised that Miles City would be allowed to ever host a tournament, just based on how far away they are from the rest of the state's population. It seems like a particularly inconvenient location.

Do they just rotate the tourney between every single team, or is it bid?

I'm an outsider just coming in, but I think it's odd that the Legion would allow something like this to happen.

~Gidal Kaiser
Sports Writer
Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Gidal Kaiser wrote:I'm an outsider just coming in, but I think it's odd that the Legion would allow something like this to happen.

~Gidal Kaiser
Sports Writer
Bozeman Daily Chronicle

I'm not saying it's right or that there isn't probably a better format, but it's the way it's been for forty years. Welcome to Montana..........

GOKATS wrote:

Gidal Kaiser wrote:I'm an outsider just coming in, but I think it's odd that the Legion would allow something like this to happen.

~Gidal Kaiser
Sports Writer
Bozeman Daily Chronicle

I'm not saying it's right or that there isn't probably a better format, but it's the way it's been for forty years. Welcome to Montana..........

true, but it is pretty annoying. i guess the way that i have always looked at it is when the season starts you know you better be one of the top 7 teams in the state when it's tourney time! it works the other way too, however never to these extreme measures. but many times the host team is one of the best five teams or so, so in essance they're making room for that final team that might not otherwise have made the postseason. still hate the rule though.

its pretty common for host teams to get a spot in tourney's......otherwise they would only get a couple of cities to host them

While I think its not the most fair, especially this year, it is probably the only way to get cities to host the state tournament. Even the World Cup (soccer) automatically allows the host team to be part of the tournament. Its just how it is.

I've got no problem with it. Going into the season, everyone knew what they had to do to qualify. If you didn't get the job done, don't complain. To me, it would be just like complaining that you didn't get in because an 8 seed won a district tournament and advanced.

Well, Miles City put up a spectacular showing on their home turf, losing 13-3, and 11-0. Congrats to the Helena Senators for a heck of a season but coming up just short of making the tournament.

I'm sure this situation doesn't occur very often, but it has to be even more difficult for those kids to sit back and watch when it does.

It's unfortunate that this happened this year and what I find particularly silly was people throwing out that Miles City's presence was going to aid attendance greatly which was why the host team needed the auto bid. 2 and out. An afternoon elimination game. Yeah, I'm sure that packed 'em in. That's just bad.

As for the good. A real nice job by the Scarlets. Heartbreaker for the Bucks which I don't mind either...