This is Busted Pencils, fully-ledded education talk.
Here are your hosts, Dr. Tim Slecker, and Dr. Johnny Lupinacci,
educated educators talking education.
Yes, it's Busted Pencils fully-ledded education talk,
educated educators talking education, Friday,
face-offs, free-throws, free-throws, face-offs.
Hey, maybe a little something else today too,
but Johnny, how you doing, my friend?
Hey, man, I'm doing good.
You know, love this session, love these updates.
Excited to hear what's happening in sports,
especially some of my favorite teams over there
in Wisconsin, so I got our guests today.
It's gonna be awesome.
Yeah, we love them, but we gotta check in on just
just how you doing today.
I'm doing all right.
I'm doing all right.
I took a couple days off last week,
was able to put my head back together.
That was necessary, did some regulating,
and happy to be here and super excited to hear
some updates on Wisconsin sports.
Yeah, well, you know, when we wanna get some updates,
yeah, we've got some great connections,
but you know, gotta love this guy.
Yeah, it's Chad Holmes, he's back,
he's visiting with us, he's got lots to talk about.
Chad, how are you doing, man?
So busy, so busy, it's taken my voice,
but we're fighting through it at such an exciting time
because winter sports, I mean, winter is a long season,
but we're right at the doorstep
of the playoffs starting here in a couple of weeks.
Well, how's Johnny's favorite hockey team the storm doing?
They're doing well.
They are right now ranked number two in the state,
and I'm sure he'll be tuned in on Saturday
because they take on number three ranks superior,
and this coming weekend on Sunday,
the seeding meetings will be held,
and they'll have the brackets for the playoffs,
and the storm and superior are in the same bracket,
and this game will determine who the number one seed is
and get that inside track towards the state tournament.
So, they're doing very well, they're 18 and three,
and getting ready for that playoff push
to make it two state titles in a row.
Johnny, I love it, man.
That's a wagon of a team for all you storm chasers out there
like me, following them on social media,
tuning in to civic media to catch those live broadcasts,
Chad, I love it, man, keep in.
Keep bringing that heat.
Come on, Stormy God.
And that's a Saturday afternoon with me.
That's right.
Oh, you love that.
You know, I wonder the two.
I mean, are they doing that well because they added
Johnny Lupinagy to that fan base?
You know, he's got a, he's pushing some energy out.
And then no credit to me, to me, that's a,
that's a team that needs no support from all the way out here
to be doing as good as they are doing.
Never underestimate the power of positive thoughts.
That's right.
And we know that our Dr. Johnny Lupinagy is always,
he's truly, he is the storm chaser.
So love that.
So Chad, you know, we got some updates on football,
but before we have some updates on football,
just your thoughts, though, you know, hockey, basketball,
wrestling, there's, as you said, busy.
Give us a little rundown.
Well, right now, again, one thing I'm going to note that,
and I said this before we went on the air,
a lot of these teams are fighting illness.
I've never seen it like this, this winter,
where we've had postponements.
There was a game last night was postpone
because half the team was out.
I was supposed to do a game last Thursday postpone.
I wasn't going to do it myself because I had no voice.
And then I heard, well, the game was postponed.
So I didn't miss it.
Earlier in the week as well.
I mean, it's really a better battle this winter.
And I think a lot of the success that teams are having
or not having has been a lot to do with illness, with injury.
And it will be interesting to see as we enter the playoffs
if that continues, if that causes some issues.
Johnny, how's it going out there in Washington with you
and your team, you know, hockey team?
I mean, it's the same effect or is this always
constantly localized infection?
Regarding the health, you know, our team's pretty healthy,
but we've experienced the same thing.
Chad, lots of the flu has just been wiping out teams
and competitions across the state for a number of sports.
And I know school attendance is the same thing, right?
We talk about how connected these programs are
to the day in and day out work that our students are
putting into the classrooms and their teachers
and the coaches and all the people
who come together in community to make these events happen.
Well, this has been one heck of a winner
in terms of big waves of the flu or whatever it is coming
through and illness, right?
Having to have postponements, cancellations, reschedules
or just team playing through it, which is not always
the best thing, right?
Because that spreads it even more.
So glad to hear over in Wisconsin,
they're figuring out the reschedule.
Because that's a constant battle we're having is like,
well, can't you just play through?
Well, doesn't that just, did we learn nothing
from the COVID era, right?
Like, let's just reschedule for when we have a, you know,
better, healthier group of people to support
the entire event.
So yeah, same thing happening over here in Washington.
And everybody wants to play.
Yeah.
Last Thursday and Friday, it killed me to miss broadcast.
I said, I just can't do it.
I just, I don't want to go out there.
I don't want to spread anything.
I wasn't feeling well along with the voice.
Now it's just the voice.
I feel fine.
I said, the voice won't come back.
But again, we have to be smart.
And I think you're right.
I think many people, these around here
have been smart about it.
Knowing, hey, we can reschedule.
There's more important things than to try
to force a game and get more kids sick.
You know, what about the next game?
I mean, at some point, you have to get these kids healthy.
So they're able to go out there.
And if you're not healthy,
injuries become a factor as well.
Joni, I was wondering, though, the way you said that too,
you know, kind of reminding if we haven't learned anything,
you know, part of me was going to go like, well,
we really haven't.
But the reality, though, that you said you point that up,
but that whole, you know, play through it.
Come on, get out there.
You know, I think in times past and my past, particularly,
that kind of was a sense of, you know,
if that was happening, you know, you got to get out there.
In fact, you know, that's the sign of a champion
is pushing through it.
Just thinking about this,
this seems like a real healthy development to say,
you know, what we're going to post poem,
we're going to work together on that.
I just, you know, it's just a random thought
that came across for me.
Joni, come on, man, comment on it.
I mean, the easier said than done,
we could have a whole session on this.
I did it in theory and then in practice, it's, it's really hard.
That's why I advocate for, you know,
as much of our programs as we can get large groups
of participants because sometimes reschedule
and isn't possible, but sitting out is, right?
And it's just really hard to navigate this
because you think about travel and buses
and all the different things.
So, but yeah, illness is part of winter.
How do we take care of ourselves
in our community to stay healthy
because these things are incredibly difficult to reschedule?
But enough of this, you know, I digress.
I can get way into the weeds and chat,
not share, you know, horror stories
of the rescheduling nature of athletics.
But let's dig into it.
Let's get into what else is going on in sports?
Yeah, so Chad, I see this are, you know, Jimmy Cusca
put it out there, civic media kind of goes over.
WIA approves high school football playoff changes
beginning with the 2025 season.
What is this all about, Chad?
There's been a lot of complaints from football coaches
about a lack of transparency based on how you get seated
in the playoffs and also generally about fairness
in terms of getting into the playoffs.
So the coaches group put out a proposal.
And the WIA had some issues in football last fall.
In fact, two teams that qualify for the playoffs
were inadvertently kept out of the playoffs
because of a mistake in the office.
And the person that was in charge of football
in the WIA office has analyses retiring.
I think it's one of those things where, yeah,
you either retire or you're going somewhere else.
And obviously it was a case where two teams
that should have made a playoffs didn't get a chance
because of a mistake.
And part of that, the mistake was not really the reason
behind these changes, but there's been a lot of mystery
on what's important when it comes to the wins you get.
Do you get credit for playing better teams?
Do you get no credit for playing in losing to a better team?
So they have now got a new system
that will hopefully take into account who you beat,
who you lose to and also have transparency
so there's not the same number of surprises
when the seniors come out because there have been times
where one team will beat another team
during their conference season
and then the post season bracket will come out
and the team that lost will be ahead
of the other team in the bracket.
And nobody has been able to properly explain why
based on the computer algorithms that they were using
and what are those situations.
So I think the fact that coaches pushed it through
and I give credit to the WIA
for approving it quickly as well.
Well, yeah, looking at that, you brought it up,
the algorithm, I think in our world now,
the whole idea of social media, the algorithms,
kind of a distrust and the sense of going, you know, okay,
so what the heck's happening with all of these teams
and all their schedules?
And then at the end of it, there's a spit out
that says, here's in the playoffs,
here's who's in the playoffs, here's who's not.
And the reality then, you look at that list,
it sounds like lots of coaches and people said,
well, this doesn't make any sense from the standpoint of,
you know, even just a simple, you know, our records seem,
would seem to indicate that maybe we should be
in a different seed, is that the kind of sense
that was happening here, Chad?
Yes, and in fact, they've been using computers
for both basketball and football recently.
And a couple of years ago, one of the teams that we cover
is was involved in a situation like that
where they beat their opponent twice during the regular season.
And then they were seated behind them,
so they had to go on the road in the playoffs and then lost.
And there were some very upset folks.
And the whole question was, why?
And nobody could give really great answers.
They would not give all the information
on what went into the computer.
And I don't know whether or not the folks at the WIA
could dig in and read what was in the computer as well.
Johnny.
Oh, yeah.
You were nodding away there.
Oh, yeah.
I just know this tension and this kind of, you know,
as a coach and especially as a player, you know,
it's hard to determine rankings.
There's all kinds of different systems and algorithms
and a lot that goes into it.
I'm a big fan of transparency on that stuff, so, you know,
why, per se, like Chad said, you might have won
both times against an opponent,
but they are seated higher than you are.
And so, you know, they have, you know,
maybe home field advantage or whatnot.
It's complicated.
And, you know, this is part of democracy figuring out
these decisions together.
And it's why local involvement, boards of coaches
and high school athletic associations
and youth programs and all these get together
and figure these things out.
They have these summits and conferences and meetings
to figure it out.
But I'm a big fan of strength to schedule.
It's hard.
I mean, because you can, you know, you could be undefeated
and seated lower than somebody who may have experienced
some losses, but their losses were to really tough teams.
So, this is like, I like the balance.
And then in tie breakers and things like that head-to-head
kind of determines, you know, things and is like,
is a bit of a tie breaker, but trust me,
it is far more complicated than that.
So, transparency on the algorithms
and the use of computers is always helpful,
but it's never simple.
And this is how democracy works.
I love that democracy is helpful, but never simple.
And these are democratic decisions that are made.
So, lots of voices and love chopping it up
and talking about that, because I know at every level
there is a lot of folks sharing their experiences,
considering what works best for the overall
and having these meetings, open meetings, you know,
that are public in a lot of ways.
It's not mystical or mystery.
There's no conspiracy here, but it's democracy.
Figuring out what works best and it's never static.
It's always dynamic.
That's why your voice is valued and matter.
So, get involved.
If you don't like how it's determined, you know,
get involved and learn about that.
And have your voice be heard?
And another good aspect of this meeting that just occurred
with the WIA.
They also expanded the eight player football playoffs
with something they should have done as well.
They will now have the same number of teams
make the playoffs as the 11 player divisions.
They've gone up from 16 to 32 teams.
And also that means they will start their season
the same time as the 11 player teams do.
And I've always thought that was,
I think in some ways it's a good thing to start a little later,
because you don't want to start too far before school.
But at the same time, they were losing the game.
And you want to give the same opportunities for the eight player team.
So now they're going to be moving up the start of the eight player season
to align with the 11 player season.
And they will have the same number of playoffs.
And I think that's another good move.
Based on this meeting this week.
Well, and, you know, back to democracy, Johnny.
Just, you know, so you're here, you know,
check it out on the civic media website.
The piece by Jimmy Cusca.
But right here, 425 coaches about total in the state.
400 of them took the time to do a survey to try to figure out
what everybody was thinking.
And that guess what?
You know, and of that 350 indicated that they supported this proposal.
So, hey, it sounds to me like this has a lot of approval.
In fact, one of the quotes here was, you know,
hey, if it would have been closer to 50, 50,
this maybe wouldn't have even gone through.
I don't know if you had any thoughts on that.
I agree that with these kind of changes,
you need overwhelming support.
And maybe that's right.
Maybe that's not so right.
But it certainly does go a long way.
And I think the engagement.
I think you underline that.
The engagement also said how important it was.
How it's busted pencils fully landed education talk.
So, you know, you know,
if you would like to be a part of that,
you know, consideration.
608, 557, 8577.
We'd love to hear your thoughts on the W.A.
W IAA's new playoff rules and how they're coming across next year.
At 608, 557, 8577.
That's the busted pencils.
Mailbag.
You know, hey.
Why is we're throwing a little public service announcement there from
Jess.
She said, Hey, guess what?
It's peak flu season.
In February and Marches were absolutely hearing there.
It's not too late to get your flu shot.
Make sure we get that out there.
Thanks, Jess.
You're welcome.
A lot of people think that the peak flu season is like December
January.
It's actually quite a bit later than that.
And it is flu season.
It's not too late to get your flu shot.
And it is.
Flu shots are still being offered.
Most people who have insurance will pay nothing for a flu shot.
And yeah, never too late.
Hmm.
Nice.
And hey, got a little question there from Johnny Lupinachi.
What time is the storm game this Saturday?
2 p.m.
150 airtime.
So.
Always work.
Set it up.
Set up the foundation for the broadcast.
Well, set up the foundation and just remind everybody, Chad,
where we're working, you know, across all civic media.
No, just on our wasa station.
98.9 WXCO.
You can go online.
Listen to it at our website.
WXCO.fm and also on the civic media app.
Open up the WXCO.
Part of the app.
And there you go.
That's where you can find the storm game.
Saturday to a clock.
Always loving having Chad home.
Stop by Chad.
Thanks for busting pencils with us this morning.
By pleasure.
Appreciate it.
And now it's time for your moment of sin.
Indeed, it is impossible to be neutral.
All right, listeners, don't miss Saturday.
You heard it here.
Catch the storm on the wasa channel in the civic media app.
So you can get that also Saturday afternoon folks across
civic media network.
Catch busted pencils.
Tim and I are going to break down this week's class in session.
It was a good one conversation with Randy Winegarden.
So we're going to expand on that.
So tune in and listen to that.
Of course.
All the civic media networks.
And then see you next week.
Home Room on Monday.
Keep busting pencils.
All the civic media networks.
And then see you next week.
Home Room on Monday.
Keep busting pencils.
Home Room on Monday.
Home Room on Tuesday.
Home Room on Tuesday.
Home Room on Tuesday.
Home Room on Tuesday.