Controversy Within

I think that all people feel the need to compare things. Obviously, this tendency also moves into athletic events. I know I have said before that particularly Vermont basketball is not up to par by and large with many other more competitive states. However, if IMG has its way, Vermont may have a chance to prove me wrong. USA Today reported that IMG intends to create national high school championships. Honestly, I'm not quite sure what to think about this. In one way, it excites me to think that we could finally have an answer as to who is really the best high school team in the United States. On the other hand, it makes me wonder how the high school students will handle the tremendous pressure that would be put upon them. Nationally broadcasted championship games would be a tremendous amount of media that would flood the students who probably would never have had this type of media coverage by their hometown newspaper. Now, maybe the players would be fine, and the pressure would not affect them. After all, some state championships and so high pressure already that this step would not be quite as high as I am predicting. Also, imagine the amazing publicity that high schools would gain from playing in the national championship. This could mean major sponsorship money that many struggling athletic departments could use. However, any time an event is monetized there is the potential for corruption. This being said though, I would like to think that people are better than this and will not corrupt high school sports.

So, as you can tell, I am undecided. While simply as a fan I would love to see this event, I do understand that many potential issues that might arise. What do you think? Do high school sports need to stay small-scale, or are they ready to be taken to the national stage?