There are endless theories why Cullman High School isn’t in the Cullman County Basketball Tournament, but the truth is really quite simple.

A fixture in the yearly local tourney until the late 1940s, the Bearcats came to a figurative fork in the road. With extreme limitations on the number of tournaments teams could enter, they had the choice to either stick with Cullman County or take off for the Tennessee Valley Conference.

Cullman opted for the TVC.

The rest, as they say, is history.

The Bearcats eventually tried to come back and were denied readmittance. Each school had two votes, including the principal’s, and the final tally didn’t tilt Cullman’s way.

See ya later. Try again next time.

Only to my knowledge, there hasn’t been a next time. And why not? A world with an already-action packed county tournament that also includes Cullman is one I’d like to live in.

If no other argument will sway your opinion, then I’ll offer up a loaded phrase no one can say no to: Think of the kids.

Many players around these parts are friends. Whether they’re from the city or county doesn’t change that. And isn’t it fun when friends get the chance to play against their friends?

I’d imagine so. It sure looks that way when Cullman and Hartselle — bitter rivals on the field of play but friendlier than you’d think away from it — square off no matter the sport.

That same magic can be duplicated right here with Cullman and their county rivals. We’ve already seen it happen with the Bearcats and Broncos — their overtime battle over Christmas break remains this season’s best local contest — as well as with the Black and Gold and former area-foe West Point.

Toss in the potential restart of a rivalry between Cullman and Cold Springs, and I’m already drooling. Sure, the Eagles are in 2A, but that hasn’t stopped most of their programs from keeping up with higher classes. Plus, can you imagine their entertaining and boisterous student sections going toe-to-toe? That, I’d pay money to see.

Make. It. Happen.

Now, I fully understand Cullman City Schools and Cullman County Schools are two separate entities. But this is the Cullman County (I see no schools here) tournament we’re talking about, right? And how can a true Cullman County champion be crowned when not every school in Cullman County is represented? (Don’t worry, St. Bernard. We’ll get to you a bit later.)

The biggest argument I hear when the topic is raised is that the county schools just don’t have the means to annually compete with Cullman and its abundant resources as a Class 6A school in the city.

Based on my time here, and aside from baseball — where the talent gap is so wide it wouldn’t be beneficial to include the Bearcats — that’s rubbish.

Though Cullman would be the favorite in next week’s boys basketball tournament, it certainly wouldn’t be a lock to win the trophy. Strip away the favorite status and the same would go for girls basketball, volleyball and golf.

Could the Bearcats take the title in each sport in any given year? Of course. But so could a wide range of county schools. Sports are cyclical. Things change. Players come and go. There’s no reason to think Cullman would automatically be the team to beat in every facet of athletics simply if they’re once again an option on county tournament brackets.

And if we’re talking about adding the ’Cats, we’ve got to entertain the possibility of letting St. Bernard back into the mix, too.

Like Cullman, the Saints used to be in the county tourney. They dropped out when St. Bernard switched from a high school to college and haven’t been reinstated since returning to the prep ranks.

As a 1A school, the Saints would understandably be at a disadvantage in most sports. Not all, though, namely cross country and track, two sports where St. Bernard and Cullman already have established rivalries with county powerhouse Cold Springs.

The annual City-County Classic would no longer be necessary, and the addition of possible hosting sites would provide runners with different terrains and challenges every year of their high school careers.

I’m already sure these words will be twisted into some sort of argument that I favor the city over the county — but that simply isn’t true. Ask anyone who’s actually had a chance to get to know myself and fellow sports writer Jake Winfrey, and they can attest that the city-county rivalry plays zero part in our coverage decisions.

All we’re concerned with is telling the best story. That’d be made easier if the best players from the city and county had the opportunity to play each other in an all-encompassing county tournament.

Who could argue with that?