OT - The charm of relegation in sports?!

[MIJB#19]

Well, maybe relegation in itself has its charm, but when you're personally involved in a crazy situation where relegation can be yours, there's nothing charming about it.

So what's up?

I play volleyball.
In Dutch volleyball, teams can move up and down from the highest level to the lowest level in the country.
Depending on regional preferences, the number of levels of play can be different, but in our region, there are 5 levels below the national organized top 4 levels.
My team plays in the regional single last level.

With a recent reshuffle of number of teams per level, the single last level has become more competitive then the NFL can ever be.
In a division of 11 teams, playing each other head-to-head home and road for a total of 20 games, where only the last team relegates.
For the sake of it, the top team promotes and the 2nd ranked play additional games with an option to promote.
In a normal situation, divisions have 12 teams, but the 12th team withdrew at season start.
Then there's the following situation, going into the last round of games, noting that games last 4 sets and every set is worth 1 point:
8th - team M - 27 points
9th - team Y - 27 points
10th - my team - 24 points
11th - team V - 23 points
The irony of it all scheduled team's Y and V to play eachother.
Also note that teams finishing tied in points will play additional games to break the tie (so this can be a situation of upto 4 teams.

Given the situation, V beating Y 4-0 means we need to win 3-1 in the last game to tie them or win 4-0 to be safe against a team ranked significantly higher.
With teams scheduling their own games, we know we play at 14h00, Y-V is at 15h30 and team M plays at 16h15, so when our games is over, the others have barely started.

We do our job, win 3-1 and have assured to end at the much needed 27 points.
At around 17h00 we hear Y-V ends up 2-2, meaning we are safe and V relegates with 25 points. (note the time being unrealistic!)
Then, we have a party (which was already scheduled) to end a season that started mid September 2003.
At around 20h00 we hear Y-V has not ended 2-2, in fact, V is leading 3-0 and the game is suspended in the 4th set.
Y is leading 15-9 (thus needing 10 points).
Then the day after, we hear team M lost 0-4 and are tied at 27 points with us.
So the new situation is:
8th - team Y - 27 or 28 points
9th - team M - 27 points
10th - my team - 27 points
11th - team V - 26 or 27 points
As you can see, the last set of the season will be as crucial as one can be.

So now, we need to wait for the (regional) volleyball association to schedule the remainder of the 4th set in the Y-V game, with Y leading 15-9 at the start.
If Y wins, V will relegate.
If V wins, 4(!) teams end up tied for last, meaning we have to play a round-robin group of games with the other teams next Saturday (6 days after this post).
Yet, the Y-V game is unlikely to be continued before the prescheduled date for tie-breaker games.

Just when you think your season has ended, it ends with a story only seen in movies.
Long live relegation in sports...

[GrantDawg]

Why three different threads?

[MIJB#19]

What three threads?

The internet connection at home s*cks, so I had no idea I submitted 3 threads, in stead of one.

[Blade6119]

theres too many letters and numbers to read all that...sory MIJB...i just dont have that level of attention span

[MIJB#19]

For those willing to read it:

The Dutch volleyball association wrote rules on decission games in the past, yet it seems they never expected more then 3 teams to end up tied, meaning the association has to come up with something completly new if 4 teams end up tied!

Really, it feels good to be part of writing history in Dutch volleyball, yet with what's at stake, I'd rather not be...

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

For those willing to read it:

The Dutch volleyball association wrote rules on decission games in the past, yet it seems they never expected more then 3 teams to end up tied, meaning the association has to come up with something completly new if 4 teams end up tied!

Really, it feels good to be part of writing history in Dutch volleyball, yet with what's at stake, I'd rather not be...

Gut wrenching, eh? Well, at I hope at least you get to play it out and it doesn't come to a "coin-flip" or something.

[fantastic flying froggies]

Why was the game suspended at all ? With just 10 more points to go, why the hell didn't they finish it ???

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by fantastic flying froggies

Why was the game suspended at all ? With just 10 more points to go, why the hell didn't they finish it ???

This is amateur sports.
The volleyball clubs rent sports accomedations from the local authorities for a fixed time, so at 17h00 (I guess) time was up and the next renters were up to play indoor soccer or something else less interesting then finishing a game which can be very crucial to 4 volleyball clubs' future.

I've seen it happen before, it happens at our club with home games about once or twice a year. It almost happened about a week ago in a game giving one team the championship and the other team a ticket to promotion/relegation games if the game ended 3-1 in favor of the second team, where a 2-2 score would require a 5th set and time running out would have suspended the game, leaving both teams with unresolved situations...

Oh well, we're more then likely to go to the remainder of that game with our team, root for team Y and hope to enjoy the season end there... Maybe if team M comes along, we can get something done there.

[MIJB#19]

The volleyball association confirms the weird situation, the remainder of the Y-V game is scheduled for tomorrow night. Plans are to invade Y's sports accomodation and scream Y to a much wanted victory!

Check my website we.win.com for more news around the situation...