I watched the baseball All-Star Game a couple days ago. It used to be just a cool exhibition game, until the commissioner made home-field advantage in the World Series the prize for the winner.

Now it’s just an exhibition game with an undeserved prize.

So the state 7-on-7 championship has been settled. Congratulations to Richland, the winners of the 64-team tournament last weekend. Congratulations for running around and sweating out in the College Station sun for two days. Congratulations for playing a touch-football tournament that means absolutely nothing in the main scheme of things.

I’m sorry, but I just don’t get the whole 7-on-7 thing. I agree that it’s a great way for players to work on techniques and tendencies, especially in the passing game. Quarterbacks and receivers can work on timing and finding a rhythm, while defensive backs can learn when and how to cover wide receivers. But most of these things can be developed in practice. I know practice and an actual game are two different scenarios, but can you say the same between a 7-on-7 game and a real football game?

Is a four-second count to get rid of the football comparable with a big, burly linebacker that can run a 4.2? Not if you ask me. 

To me, a football game is with pads, with big 280-plus-pound linemen and a good running game. Not running around in shorts and t-shirts. There’s tackling in real football, not touch. This fast-break football style only works in backlots and backyards, not on the real gridiron.

Notice we don’t hear about the traditional state powers with 7-on-7. State champ Euless Trinity? Didn’t qualify for the state tourney. Neither did Southlake Carroll. Odessa Permian played in the West Texas 7-on-7 tourney at Texas Tech for teams west of San Antonio who couldn’t make it to College Station. The only powerhouse team there was Katy, and they had a poor showing in pool play. And seriously, will the Tigers use any of their 7-on-7 plays in the regular season? I highly doubt it.

What about the past 7-on-7 state champs? Georgetown won the tournament in 2007, and only managed to win six games and didn’t make the playoffs. So did Permian back in 2003. Baytown Lee won it in 2005, but only won one game in the regular season.

However, Colleyville Heritage in 2006 saw success after winning 7-on-7, advancing to the regional semifinals before falling to eventual state champ Southlake Carroll. And Tyler Lee is the only school to win state titles in 7-on-7 and in the original season back in 2004.

But the road to winning state takes three things: a good ground game, an awesome defense, and a lot of luck. None of those things you can get by winning 7-on-7. Maybe they should do 7-on-7 like baseball does the All-Star Game, like the winner hosts the championship game. Or better still, give the winning team a playoff spot in advance.

That would make this tournament a lot more important than it really is.

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Chad Washington is a sports writer for The Athlete's Connection. He can be reached at (713) 339-4400 or cwashington@athletesconnection.com.

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