The Four Elements And Four Directions, seems a little off to me Options

I am hoping someone can shed some light on this for me.

In Wicca, they have the four elements combined with the four directions. You have North and Earth, West and Water, South and Fire, and East and Air. The four directions makes perfect sense, but the four elements doesn't.
The way it would make more sense to me is if Fire was opposite Air, and Water opposite Earth.

In our world, the fire is at the bottom and the air is on top, the water and earth are both in the middle and are opposite to each other.

Does anybody know a Wiccan tradition that had it this way?

Thanks

LOL! Yes...I understand why you stated that and where it comes from. I, too, find the balancing of the elements, as a practicing Hermeticist to be more 'in-balance' with Air/Fire (male) alternate with Water/Earth (female).
And, no, I've read blurbs here and there where people, like ourselves, discuss the old way (East/Air, South/Fire, etc) with the alternate idea. From what rings a bell in the soggy recesses of my brain is that the 'old way' of doing this was 'cemented' into 'tradition' within the advents of the late nineteenth century/early twentieth century magical lodges and the now infamous Gerald Gardner and Aleister Crowley connection (though I hate giving either one of them credit as too much is given already...)! You may find it written somewhere but, ...to what end? It really would validate nothing. The longer that I dwell on this the more I'm certain that it was an Alexandrian styled coven that made the remark....but I still plead soggy brains! Not everything is neatly packaged and in balance. That is why I now determine the elemental stations through a form of dowsing/divination first before commencing with the ritual setup. I've seen this argued on a number of different occult-based forums...each adding to the arguments for or agin' it! Personally, I favor East/Earth, South/Fire, West/water and North/ Air...which also aligns the elements in balanced pairs. (Actually, geographically, from where I live it should run this way...East/Water, South/Fire, West/Earth, North/Air! (I live in SE Ct., USA) This also gives you balanced pairs!
I understood your question from the onset...I just can't give you written, authoritative proof....and, again, nor should you need it! You are the mage! Determine the telluric currents of your surroundings! You'll be happier than off chasing nebulous mutterings or listening to someone elses soggy brains! *grin* (I do apologize if I've wasted your time...) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/i_triangle.gif)