Expert: Jamie Selko - 4/1/2008

Question
where did the term seeds in playoff format come from and when did they start using this term ?

Answer
Howdy- this is not exactly a sports question, more of an etymological one.  However, in this case, you asked the right guy (this is NOT intended as a self-aggrandizing statement, please don't take it as such), because I am also a voracious verbivore, and I love words and their stories and meanings almost as much as I like sports!
Anyhoo, the first use of "seed" in a sports tense was recorded in 1898 during a tennis match in England. it is derived from meaning 6 (from the Oxford English Dictionary) of the use of seed as a verb, the second listed under the transitive verbs.  It's original (and still current) meaning was to sow seed on the ground (as opposed to farrow planting), and this is the root of the sporting term- it was initiated to ensure that the best players (or, now, also teams) would not meet in the early rounds of a match (or tournament),so that the best would play last.
(As an aside sports fan, I am grateful for seeds, for without them, we would not have any "official" upsets in March- or, for that matter, in most High School championships).

I hope this was not too much info (and opinion)!