In 26 years as a sportswriter, I can’t ever recall a story where I have received such contradictory information as the controversy over just one of the FCIAC’s games in Week 5 counting in the league standings. It resurfaced again on Friday with a phone call from a coach.
At this point, after talking to about half of the coaches, some said they knew about the situation, others said they didn’t. Some athletic directors told me they informed their coaches, and one of those coaches told me that was not the case. Some administrators told me they believe there are a few coaches who won games that are trying to raise the issue now hoping to gain the extra win in the league standings.
I’ve heard about 5-6 different explanations, and at this point all I can tell you with any degree of certainty is that the ADs, FCIAC board of directors and principals approved having the games in the fifth week not count in the league standings. I also think there were probably a few ADs who did not pass along this information to their coaches.
Perhaps the only good that can come out of all of this is to address the current scheduling situation, which is a mess because of having 19 schools and the Thanksgiving games are more important to the league than its championship, which philosophically I have a big problem with.
The current point system is awful, but I’m not sure where the improvement lies. It would be great if you could find a 20th school. Have 2 10-team divisions, with the winners playing in the final.
I’m trying to come up with a better idea than the current formula for a column. I have a few ideas.
If anyone out there has a good solution I’d love to hear it.
So would the FCIAC.
