Random Thoughts: hoops and football

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

The latest installment of Random Thoughts centers around the start of high school hoops, neutral sites for OHSAA playoff games, the real state title game, Fox college football broadcasts and armchair quarterbacking.

Welcome hoops season

The 2024-2025 girls high school basketball season tipped off over the weekend and the new boys season will follow suit this weekend. It’s hard to believe it’s here already.

Of course, some schools, including Columbus Grove, Bluffton, Coldwater, Delphos St. John’s, Marion Local, and Minster will be starting their respective seasons late due to the success of each school’s football program.

Neutral sites

If you look at this Friday’s football state semifinal sites, you’ll notice there are many than aren’t exactly halfway.

One that comes to mind is in Division IV – two-time defend state champion Glenville will travel from Cleveland to Clyde, roughly 90 minutes. Meanwhile, Glenville’s opponent, Perkins, will travel roughly 30 minutes to play the game.

As I mentioned recently, neutral site doesn’t mean halfway. The OHSAA can only use sites that are willing and able to host a game, which is especially difficult during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

“Without schools being willing to host games, the OHSAA would not be able to use neutral sites,” the OHSAA said. “Many factors go into determining locations for each game, and rarely can a site be found that is exactly halftime between the two schools. Once a potential site is determined, the school must be available and willing to host a game on the requested night.”

Four area teams playing in state semifinal games on Friday lucked out – they don’t have to travel far and the sites are reasonably close to halfway. Wapakoneta will be the site of the Division VI semifinal game between Coldwater and Bluffton, while Spartan Stadium in Lima will host the Division VII semifinal game between Marion Local and Columbus Grove.

Having said all of that, the OHSAA is probably going to have to up the ante – find a way to make it more appealing and financially beneficial for sites to host neutral site playoff games.

“Neutral host sites receive a stipend from the OHSAA and also keep revenue from concessions, parking, 50-50 raffles and program sales,” the OHSAA said. “The OHSAA selects and pays for the officiating crews.”

That’s great but it’s obviously not enough. The first thing that comes to mind is significantly increasing the stipend or rental fee to host. It’s something the OHSAA is going to have to seriously consider.

The real state title game

With all due respect to Hillsdale and Danville, most people seem to be in agreement that Friday’s Division VII state semifinal game between No. 1 Marion Local and No. 2 Columbus Grove is the real state championship game.

The winner will get either Hillsdale or Danville in the state finals next weekend.

Fox

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I’m not at all a fan of Fox college football games. There was a point in the first half of Saturday’s Ohio State-Indiana game where in the span of 12 minutes, three plays were run. Literally, three plays in 12 minutes. The four minute TV timeouts are awful, especially for those at the game and they’re not much better for people watching at home. Now, I completely understand why it is that way – it’s all about revenue. Got it. Don’t like it.

I know many fans are tired of Ohio State being the Big Noon game. I don’t necessarily have a problem with that part of it, although I think it’s weird that OSU-Penn St. and OSU-Indiana were noon games. Both should have been 3:30/4, or night games.

Questions

Is this armchair quarterbacking? Of course it is, but why do some coaches have an aversion to a good old-fashioned quarterback sneak on third and one or less? Why line up in the shotgun or pistol? It doesn’t make sense to me.

Happy Thanksgiving

Here’s wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to all readers. Hopefully your holiday will be a good one!

As always, if you have thoughts or comments on any of the above subjects, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com.