Can a tournament run go one step too far?

[warningtrackpower]

It has been asked in my email for this week's podcast show (SVCsportszone.com's SVC Sports Talk - which will be ready for listen around 10:30 tonight):

Would you rather not make the playoffs (or advance in a tournament of any sport) if you are going to get beat bad in the next round?

I have a passionate response to this, but I will save mine for tonight's show...what say you?

I will post the link to tonight's show after the recording.

[Lightle04]

I'm going to say know the memories of the journey last the kids a life time. Even if they get beat bad the journey is more important than the destination to borrow a John Wooden quote.

[warningtrackpower]

This topic was discussed in the first 15 minutes of this week's podcast show...please take a listen and let us know your thoughts...

http://www.dbkmediaservices.com/wordpre ... talk102212

[Ironman92]

From my school's perspective.....advance as far as you can. Each round/level is more and more special.

My girls XC team just advanced to the regionals for the 2nd time in school history....barring injuries to another team we are going to finish dead last by 50 or so points at the regional meet. Regardless of that we had the happiest girls of all the schools at Rio Grande...and we get a regional qualifier banner with each athlete's name to hang in the gym forever.

I've seen teams advance to the regionals and then lose 89-34.

My own Ironmen defeated the top D2 team in the state in the first round of the playoffs for out best win in school history and most exciting....just didn't matter that we were mashed in the very next round.

[Jeff Lisath]

As a player and coach I've been blessed to go all the way in high school basketball, but even when we didn't win it all, the journey gave us memories of lifetime. I will never forget as a player my Junior year at Portsmouth we were playing in the Class AAA (Division I) Sectional finals against Art Schlichter and Miami Trace at the Convo. We got embarrassed as Art lit us up for 29 points, although we lost, our team made a vow after the game that we would return to the Convo and beat everyone and that summer we worked our butts off and came back the next season and not only won four games in the Convo, but won a State Championship. As a football player in high school I had a strong desire to make the playoffs, it was extremely difficult back then to get there. I'm sure I would've been disappointed to make it and get crushed, but the journey to get there would've been worth it. How many kids that played High School football can actually say they made the playoffs? As a coach making it to the Final Four was an awesome experience and even though we were embarrassed the first half of the game in the state semi-finals, the journey to get there will stick in our heads forever. You have to feel honored as a player or coach to get there, when you think of the amount of players and coaches that never get to experience something so special. In our District, making it to the Convo is a special moment for our kids, although we have taken some beatings by some real good teams, I tell our kids to hold their heads high and feel blessed to make it that far. And even more so when you get beat by teams that end up going to the Final Four like Ironton, Chesapeake, and Portsmouth.
Do you know how many kids I have come across that say "gosh, we never made it to the Convo when I played". Sometimes getting crushed in a tournament run sends a clear message to our underclassmen and that is 1. This is how good we need to be 2. We have to get bigger, stronger, faster, and better 3. WE HAVE TO PUT IN THE WORK! One step too far...no I don't think so...you always want to advance as far as you can and stare Goliath right in the eye and give them your best shot...regardless of the outcome you walk away proud of what you did accomplish. And always remember your journey together!
Sorry, I didn't mean to write a dissertation about this, but I'm very passionate about the behind the scenes journey in any sport that makes a lifetime impression on our youth. JMO!

[Ryanexpress]

Very well said coach!

[dawescpa]

Agree with Coach L. The journey, not the end.

[The Dog]

I say no unless you make it to state. When ya get to the state all bets are off. Back in the day Racine made it to state and got beat but it was enuff to make it to be werth it. But gettin beat bad in the turny before state means ya shouldn of even made it.

[JIMMY THE GREEK]

That sounds like a cross between the "Water Boy" and "Forrest Gump"

[trojandave]

At Portsmouth, we want to go as far as we can every year........all the banners in our gym speak to that.