Monday Mailbag: playoffs and more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

This week’s Monday Mailbag features comments about Pigskin Pick’Em predictions, a question about the Student-Athlete of the Week feature, next year’s playoff format and a question about the Cincinnati Wyoming Cowboys.

C: Glad to see you got with the program and picked the right team this week. Maybe now you’ll realize Van Wert is going to win the state championship. Name withheld upon request

A: I thought Saturday’s game against Shelby would be much closer but I did have a good feeling about it, especially on the way there.

As for the state championship, I hope you’re right. This team is capable of winning it all, but there are so many things that go into winning a state title. Even one unlucky break can prove to be costly.

C: You seem to have a lot of “Sunday Morning Predictors” giving you guff. It’s easy to get it right after the game is played. Wonder how many of them picked MSU over Michigan.

Some people don’t realize that writers in your position make predictions with their head and not their heart.

You can print my name if you want. I’m not hiding from anything. Larry Book

A: I expected some blowback after picking Bellevue in the regional semifinals and it was certainly there waiting for me late Saturday night and early Sunday morning.

It’s all good though, because I don’t take these types of things personally and it was just fine with me that I was wrong. My formula is pretty simple – based on the information on hand, I pick which team I think we’ll win. I don’t pick with my heart, but sometimes in addition to the information I have, I’ll go with a hunch and yes, sometimes that hunch is wrong.

Q: Whatever happened to your Student Athlete of the Week feature? This would have been a great fall for it and it’s disappointing to see that it went away. Name withheld upon request

A: Given the COVID-19 situation, the decision was made to put the popular feature on hold until things are back to quasi-normal state.

It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was made knowing that school and sports would be considered day-by-day.

You’re correct, it would have been a great fall sports season for it, but 2020 just wouldn’t allow it.

Q: If things are back to normal by next season, it is possible that the OHSAA will stick with the format of having the higher seed football teams host playoff games all the way up to the state semifinals? Name withheld upon request

A: I think it’s certainly possible and at this very moment, that wouldn’t surprise me at all. Keep in mind that the playoff format is scheduled to change next year, with the top 12 teams per region getting in, with seeds No. 1-4 getting a first round bye, then hosting in the second round.

After that, who knows, but I could see teams hosting at least regional semifinal games.

Q: What do you know about Cincinnati Wyoming? Name withheld upon request.

A: At this point, not much except for they’re 9-0 and Region 16 champions. They knocked off Associated Press poll champion Clinton-Massie to get to the semifinals and they’re fast.

They were state champions in 2018 and have a long and rich playoff tradition that dates back to 1975. It includes seven state semifinal appearances.

We’ll have more information on the Cowboys and much more on semifinal week throughout this week.

If you have a question or comment for the next Monday Mailbag, feel free to email it to sports@thevwindependent.com.