‘Margin of victory’ misunderstood

Published 8:45 pm Thursday, November 3, 2016

Don’t take anything that I say in this week’s column literally. That is going to be my cop-out when things don’t go my way and the words that I write don’t match up with the outcome that I want.

Words don’t mean anything when it comes to high school football this week, which was made perfectly clear by the actions of some in Region 6-4A and their interpretation of the English language.

Before the season started, the region’s member schools through their designated representatives approved the region’s bylaws, which included all manner of tiebreakers in determining playoff seeding. One of those tiebreaker rules would be used in the event that three teams were tied atop the region and none of the three had beaten both of the other two.

The rules clearly, and in perfect English, state that the third tiebreaker would be MARGIN OF VICTORY. I wanted to be sure to write that in all caps so that you would understand what the rules say.

Taken as it is written, that means that in the game that you won, you take the amount of points you won by and that is your number. By following that premise, Northwest Whitfield would be the No. 1 seed for the playoffs. But Ridgeland kicked up a fuss and said what it really should be is point differential. In other words, take the MARGIN OF VICTORY and subtract the margin of loss. That way, Ridgeland would be the No. 1 seed.

Now, even though I am a firm believer that the tiebreaker in a scenario like this should be weighted more to point differential than margin of victory, that isn’t what this region ratified as its tiebreaker before the season started, and you can’t just change the rules because it doesn’t work out in your favor. But amazingly others, including the leaders at fellow Whitfield County school Southeast, agreed with Ridgeland.

But if the leaders of the region agree that the tiebreaker should be point differential, how come none of the region bylaws mention those two words anywhere?

I guess after Northwest beat Southeast last week on the football field, the leaders at Southeast were only too happy to get a measure of revenge by abstaining from a vote that could have decided the issue in favor of Northwest. To be fair, Gilmer and LaFayette also abstained, so this isn’t all on Southeast.

Now, Northwest is guaranteed just one home playoff game, and if Northwest were to win, Southeast officials’ actions would force the Bruins, their cheerleaders, their band and their fans to travel in the second round. Maybe those expenses can be covered in the next ESPLOST.

Rules are supposed to mean something, and before any of you scream “Northwest Bias!” I would be making the same argument if Northwest were trying to give someone else the short end of the stick.

On to the games.

• Game of the Week — North Murray at Adairsville: I understand that some people over in Chatsworth are taking umbrage to the fact that they go into this week’s Region 6-3A crossover play-in games as an underdog according to the computers with the Maxwell Rankings. The Mountaineers’ cackles are up!

“But we are the sub-region champs!” “We are 6-3 and they are 3-6!” “Our black and gold uniforms are so much cooler than Adairsville’s hunter green, gold and white!”

Yeah, you’re the subregion champs in a weak subregion. Play Ridgeland and Model rather than Christian Heritage and Coosa and we can compare schedules. And any color that has a modifier before it is just cool.

In the inaugural year of the era of Poag in Chatsworth, things have been good. The team has secured its first winning season and that is progress. But can the Mountaineers take the biggest step of all and make the postseason? You have to earn respect.

Whit’s Pick: Adairsville 31, North Murray 30

• Murray County at Bremen: In another Region 6-3A crossover game with a playoff spot on the line, the Indians face a rematch of a 42-14 loss to the Blue Devils earlier this season. It’s tough to beat a team twice, and Murray County has honed its rushing attack on the legs of junior Tucker Gregg.

Gregg has rushed for more than 900 yards in the last three games, but it is a lot easier to do that with Coahulla Creek and Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe in that trio of opponents. Bremen won’t be so giving on the defensive side of the ball.

Whit’s Pick: Bremen 28, Murray County 24

• Dalton at Allatoona: Coming into this season, the betting money was that this game was going to decide the region championship and lo and behold, it will. Dalton got as much value as it could out of its win over Harrison with a point differential of the maximum 17 (I bet Dalton knew the tiebreaker rules going into that game). Now, Allatoona has to win by 17 in order to cause more chaos and send the tiebreaker to the next which is points scored or coolest mascot or something.

Dalton won’t have to worry about that, because even if the Cats find a way to lose this game they aren’t going to get blown out like that. Dalton’s defense can hang, and has proved that throughout the season. This will be another great test against a very, very strong team, but Dalton has made a habit of acing tests this year.

Whit’s Pick: Dalton 31, Allatoona 20

• Ridgeland at Southeast Whitfield: The Raiders have a chance of having a winning season, and the players have a lot to play for even though there aren’t any postseason hopes riding on the outcome for Southeast, but Ridgeland is just too strong for the Raiders to stop.

Whit’s Pick: Ridgeland 45, Southeast 15

• Coahulla Creek at Haralson County: I would love for the Colts to avoid a winless season. There are a lot of challenges in Varnell and the offseason will be interesting, but I can’t pick a Cinderella finish.

Whit’s Pick: Haralson County 43, Coahulla Creek 12

• King’s Ridge Christian at Christian Heritage: This probably would have been a really good game in the second or third week of the season, but Christian Heritage has been decimated by injuries.

Whit’s Pick: King’s Ridge Christian 28, Christian Heritage 13

Chris Whitfield is a general assignment reporter and sports columnist for The Daily Citizen. He is a strong supporter of Raiders everywhere. Write to him at chriswhitfield@daltoncitizen.com and follow him at Twitter.com/cwhitfi7.