96 Ups and Downs

From what I can tell....

DTRW and DTW go from D1 to D2
Andro and TFC go from D2 to D1
Odyssey and FWU go from D3 to D2
TX Lightning and FCD Blue go from D2 to D3
Aces and Boca go to Challenge
Also...
Inter-Milan and FCD Red go to Challenge from PPL
Amarillo HPD and Select Force go to Challenge from API

Discuss.

Hard to believe the D2 Longhorns plight-allowing only 5 goals all year and not advancing. I think they were leading the division most of the year until last week.

Well congrats to DTS for remaining in D1. This is their first year in D1 and seeing 2 DT teams go down to D2 that's not bad.

Boca is done-should not have fielded a team this year-gave up 113 goals. I forsee 2 new teams in D3 next year but have no idea which two. I think the Aces will finally be out of Classic after making it in the original qualifying tournament and finishing last or near last every year ( I think their best finish was 8th out of 10 one season).
Hard to believe FWU lost 6 games and will still advance to D2. In any other league 32 points would have been 5th place.

How about shake up at U15? I hear/read about this on this forum.
a) How likely is it that a D1, D2 or D3 team will not make and
if it does then
b) Doesn't then one less team get relegated to the next lower division from the division above?
and
c) Is there a trickle effect? That is, if 2 teams do not make in any of the divisions, does that save even the bottom 2 teams in D3 from playing in the challenge tourney, because there would only be 28 returning teams, yes?
Your thoughts/insights?

Kaivermor wrote:How about shake up at U15? I hear/read about this on this forum.
a) How likely is it that a D1, D2 or D3 team will not make and
if it does then
b) Doesn't then one less team get relegated to the next lower division from the division above?
and
c) Is there a trickle effect? That is, if 2 teams do not make in any of the divisions, does that save even the bottom 2 teams in D3 from playing in the challenge tourney, because there would only be 28 returning teams, yes?

Your thoughts/insights?

Good questions. IMO:
a) Likely at least 1 or more of the top 28 teams doesn't return. If team folding is big club they will replace with a lower team. For instance, if either DTW or DTRW were to implode due to relegation (not likely in these cases but just for example), DTRN might be moved up to D2 which would open spot in D3. If small team folds everyone (other than bottom 2) just move up a notch

b) If D1 or D2 spot opens (and isn't replaced from within the club), then 9th place team will stay up. If D3 spot is open, my understanding is bottom 2 still go to challenge. It might be that more spots are open from challenge but they still have to earn their spot back

c) As mentioned above bottom 2 teams in D3 are not saved - they still have to play challenge games.

The teams from the challenge tournamnet would move up according to their finish in the tournament. Challenge tournament changed last year to 6 teams from the year before where just the top 2 Plano and Arlington teams played each other with the winners playing against the bottom 2 D3 Classic teams-much better the way they schedule it now.
Ex: 2 years ago FWU finished 3rd in the tournamnet but got into Classic as another Classic team did not make.

DT and FWU tie in points but FWU gets second in D3 based on goal differential ( new rule this year). DT beat FWU TWICE ! Like FWU and glad to see them move up but it just does not seem right. Can anyone explain this logic ( real, not pretzel) behind this rule ?

my2cents wrote:DT and FWU tie in points but FWU gets second in D3 based on goal differential ( new rule this year). DT beat FWU TWICE ! Like FWU and glad to see them move up but it just does not seem right. Can anyone explain this logic ( real, not pretzel) behind this rule ?

Not sure of the logic but this the same way it is done in the EPL and other major leagues around the world so it isn't just Classic League. I can see the argument that under normal circumstances over a full season higher goal differential suggests an overall stronger team (even if that team didn't match up as well with the team they are tied with). However in D3 this year goal differential relavence was thrown out the window due to the presence of Boca, as most of their games were like watching a team playing against air. First time I've ever seen a league where 8 of 10 teams had positive goal differential - all due to one team who wouldn't have competed well in Plano Division 2.

FWU scored 17 goals against Bocca. DT only put up 12. Hate to see promotion based on who ran up the score more efficently.

halfbaked wrote:FWU scored 17 goals against Bocca. DT only put up 12. Hate to see promotion based on who ran up the score more efficently.

Legitimate point. On the other hand, FWU didn't set the tiebreaker rules.

What's the latest on this one? Which teams, if any, did not return? Any insight?