Yes, I know it’s a pretty silly movie. (Don’t look at me that way!) But there’s something that I found odd. (Stop looking at me like that!)
After the cheerleaders hire that guy to choreograph a routine for them for the regional tournament and are found out, humiliated and told it was a bad idea, they are advised that as returning national champs they have an automatic place in the national tournament.
The question is, if they had a guaranteed spot at the national, why would they compete in the regional event at all? Is that sort of thing normal or just a device for the movie?
“That guy”? You refer to the great Sparky Palastri as “that guy”? (Granted, I don’t know exactly how to spell his last name…)
Anyhow, why wouldn’t they compete? State (or regional championships) are still state or regional championships. They’re still tournaments you want to win. They’re not JUST a way to qualify for nationals. Plus, you don’t want to just be coasting, you want to be out there working hard and keeping your edge.
Right. Besides, depending on tournament rules, by competing to win that championship, they could block additional competitors from their own state/conference, who may “know” them, from also being at the Nationals. Say the National organization says the Southern California Coast Conference Champion will go to the Nationals. You are in the SCCC and a reigning champion with an automatic pass to Nationals. If you blow the “regular season”, you and another SCCC team move on; if YOU win the SCCC, you move on alone.
Like MaxTheVool said, you still want to get the lower titles, because you might not win the championship. And Northeast Regional Champion sounds better than National Fifth-place Runner-up. Plus you can lord it over the local schools.
