
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 24, 1995                   TAG: 9502240059
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-10   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: RAY COX
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IS A PLAYOFF ALWAYS NECESSARY?

Early this week, a couple of guys ran into each other at one of the three high school basketball playoff games that were being contested that day. The issue of fairness arose.

An argument ensued and before long, voices were raised.

There was nothing altogether surprising about a dispute between these particular individuals because one was a broadcaster and the other a print guy. Although print and radio-TV types are often allied in common purpose, they don't always understand each other.

The print guys think the broadcast-TV guys aren't serious enough about hard news and are too glamorous for their own good. The golden throats think the print guys are uncouth, dress poorly, and are not suitable company in some of the more refined restaurants.

In any event, these guys were going at it on the topic of the necessity of having to have a playoff game when one of the participants has already beaten the other two times, as was the situation in all three of the games that night.

Pulaski County had stopped William Fleming twice, Auburn had knocked off Floyd County two times, and over in the Blue Ridge District, Northside had put it on Salem two times.

"You gotta have a playoff,'' the radio guy said.

"Why?'' the print guy said. "I don't care if they're tied in the standings. These teams have already settled the issue on the floor. The first tiebreaker should always be head-to-head meetings.''

"No way. The regular season championship is too important. The regular season champion goes to the region. You can't just give that to somebody.''

"Nobody's giving it to anybody. They earned it.''

And back and forth it went.

The support here goes with the argument that head-to-head victories ought to mean something.

For where is the justice in telling the team that has already lost twice that it is going to get one more chance? And that the final chance will be with everything at stake?

Maybe that's what's wrong with this country these days. Run a business into the ground, declare bankruptcy, stiff your creditors, and start merrily over. Commit a heinous crime, do a couple of years in the slammer, get paroled, and walk.

Lose to the same team twice but tie them in the final league standings, no problem. You get another chance. Win and smile for the cameras because you're off for the Disneyland of the regional tournament.

So now its up to Pulaski County to get to the party by going through the heavily guarded gates of the Roanoke Valley District tournament.

Northside and Auburn won their games but they shouldn't have had to bother.

Neither should Pulaski County, but that's the way it goes in a world in which two-time losers prosper.

Ray Cox is a Roanoke Times & World-News sportswriter.

by CNB