So far, so good with basketball RPI system

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One of the most talked about stories of the fall sports season was the new RPI system that the Rhode Island Interscholastic League implemented. Many of you know exactly what I am referring to, but just as a brief refresher, the RPI system allows teams to make their own schedules and compete against other teams across all divisions. The tougher opponents you beat, the more points you’ll receive, rather than sticking to a straight up win-loss formula to determine standings.
The feedback that I received from coaches across all sports was overwhelmingly negative. In fact, I don’t think it received a single positive review among the dozens of coaches I asked during the fall season. There were several big issues with the system, but the biggest was that teams had no idea where they stood in their respective postseason races. Teams had completed their regular seasons but could see their seeding rise or fall by several spots depending on last-minute finales that had yet to be played.
Again, there were other issues, including teams being seeded higher than others despite having fewer overall wins, things of that nature.
This past week I have begun asking basketball coaches what their early impressions have been as we approach the halfway point of the regular season, and although the satisfaction has not been 100 percent, it has been much improved compared to the fall. We’ll see what coaches say come playoff time, and I will be sure to follow up, but as of now, the RPI system has been receiving mixed reviews from basketball coaches versus the negative ones from the previous season.
My biggest takeaway from this feedback is that it further proves that basketball has the best postseason format in the state. Divisional championships followed by an open state tournament.
Hockey has made some changes in recent years between the number of playoff rounds, seeds, series lengths. Coaches have griped about the constant change and I don’t blame them. Other sports like football for example, attract controversy when it comes to realignments. I’ve even had baseball and softball coaches express frustration over some of the changes made in the spring as well.
Basketball coaches have been pretty easy to please over the years and the lukewarm reception to the RPI system is another example of that. Why? I couldn’t tell you, but I have found some of the positive remarks to be refreshing. I had many coaches go out of their way to voice their concerns regarding the RPI system in the fall season. Although I am not always in support of the decisions made by the RIIL, I did feel a little sorry for the folks up there because they took a public beating from September through November. The league has the impossible task of appeasing players, coaches, parents and fans across all sports. No harm in trying something new once in awhile.

I need to circle back to last week. In my column, I discussed Jerod Mayo’s firing as the New England Patriots head coach and pleaded to owner Robert Kraft to hire Mike Vrabel. I am thrilled to see the Krafts do just that and usher in a new era of Patriots football.
As stated last week, I was for Vrabel being hired due to his experience. The team interviewed Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, an offensive genius, but I felt it was important for the team to go with the most experienced coach available. That was Vrabel.
The Patriots Hall of Famer and now head coach held his introductory press conference on Monday afternoon and I was pleased with his message. Of course, there was the standard promise of giving the fans a hard-working, detail-oriented football team, but the one thing that stood out was when he said he would “eliminate entitlement” from the locker room.
As things unraveled down the stretch this season, you saw many players speak out publicly against the team, the fans. You heard stories of players, specifically receivers, losing focus and acting out behind the scenes. A significant lack of talent on the roster is the reason the team failed, but it was promising to see Vrabel call out the current players in the building that needed to hear it.
Mayo made it clear that he wanted to be a players’ coach, the anti Bill Belichick. I don’t blame him for taking that approach, but when you are dealing with a rebuilding roster, you need discipline and tough love. Vrabel will provide that, but will also be able to connect with players as he is more than 20 years younger than Belichick. He’ll be the perfect mix of Belichick and Mayo.
Next up will be free agency then the draft. The Pats have over $100 million in cap space and the No. 4 overall pick. Let’s see what they do with it.

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