Tim Riggins

LCM will most likely build on the improvement shown in '09, but making the playoffs may be a little further down the road.

The UIL made the decision to add a 4th team.  If a team's record is better than the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th team in district, then by rule, the team has earned the right to advance to the playoffs, nothing was given to Little Johnny because by UIL rules, his team qualified.  Again, how does having 4 teams qualify for the playoffs take anything away from the district winner?  They won district by beating playoff bound/non-playoff bound teams and get the number one seed regardless of how many other teams go.
Number of teams going in no way takes the luster off a district championship.

People griped when the second place team made the playoffs, then the third place team.  I think the UIL will stop at four teams.  State championships have been won by second and third place teams.  Will a 4th place team win a championship?, doubtful, but only time will tell.  ( The NFL added a wild card team, then a second wild card team in each conference.  The NCAA's March Madness lets 64 teams into the tournament. The BCS added at large teams. Even staid old Major League Baseball has broken into divisions and has a wild card team from each league.)
I don't think a district championship is diminished by having 3 other teams qualify.

I don't have a problem with 4 teams qualifying, especially in an 8 or 10 team district.  In a 6 team district, it may be a bit questionable.  Another team gets to experience the playoffs and if they aren't that good, they go out early and the team that beats them moves on with another W on the record.  In 19 and 204A this year, GCM, Barber's Hill, Vidor and Nederland all went out in the first round, but you can bet they had rather have  been playing that 11th game than staying home.