Recognizing the truth of a matter, and then using that truth effectively is usually the difference between success and failure in life. Pretending that objective truth does not exist is a formula for failure. Pretending that all 9-0 teams are equal in football-playing ability is a formula for seeding failure. Learning from history and placing current problems in their proper historical context is how successful solutions are found. It is vital for effective decision making.
With the above true statements in mind, here is how the current system can be made better. It is easily administered. It is still perfectly transparent. It does not use any computer rating systems.
Regardless of whether the IHSA moves forward with the new 48-team brackets or reverts back to the 32-team brackets, selecting teams for participation can be done as it has been in the past. The following modifications will be used only for seeding purposes.
1) Any team that plays in a conference/division that has not had any conference/division member (as currently comprised) qualify for a semifinal game in the last five years will have one game subtracted from its total wins. This would currently be the case, for example, for the West Suburban Gold Conference.
2) Any team that plays in a conference/division that has not had any conference/division member (as currently comprised) qualify for a semifinal game in the last ten years will have two games subtracted from its total wins. This would currently be the case, for example, for both divisions of the Upstate Eight Conference.
3) Any team that plays in a conference/division (as currently comprised) that has qualified more teams in the last five years for a semifinal game than any other conference/division in the state will have two games added to its total wins. This would currently be the case for the Chicago Catholic League Green Division with 15 such qualifiers.
4) Any team that plays in a conference/division (as currently comprised) that has qualified the second most teams in the last five years for a semifinal game, [or has tied for the most], will have one game added to its total wins. This would currently be the case for the Chicago Catholic League Blue Division with 11 such qualifiers.
The solution is that simple. Any person that denies learning from history has value in decision making, denies reality.