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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2006 20:29:10 GMT -5
What is the purpose of this poll? I'll bet you it isn't even defined.
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Post by ugopher on Oct 22, 2006 20:32:45 GMT -5
Good point. Is it based upon the entire season or who are the best teams at this particular point of the season?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2006 20:40:29 GMT -5
There's two possibilities (I think), neither of which seems to be the guiding principle:
1) Tell us who you think are the top 25 teams in the country and rank them. Who has the best chance of winning the National title?
2) Take the results of the season as a whole and place the teams from 1-25 based on who "deserves" to be ranked where; i.e., the results of the season are the sole criteria for your ranking.
Personally, I think if they don't use the former as their guide, they shouldn't bother.
But this system of coming up with a preseason ranking -- based primarily on the final poll of the preceding year (which in turn is based primarily on NCAA results (which in turn are influenced heavily by incompetent seedings)) -- and adjusting from that point on based on losses is just bogus.
Have I mentioned this before?
I forget.
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Post by nittanyhuskylions on Oct 22, 2006 20:46:25 GMT -5
What is the purpose of this poll? I'll bet you it isn't even defined. I got this a long time ago when I asked the AVCA for the philosophy. I am not sure if it has changed or not since that time. If you ask, they may forward it to you as it was me a few years ago. Philosophy of the Poll The poll is meant to be a cumulative barometer of how the teams in the country compare to each other. The poll is not meant to project who the best team will be; rather, it will show who the best team is each week. The ranking should take into account the whole season's results, so keep the weekly results available for review. Also, use the head-to-head matrix to compare the teams and how they have done against each other. If the No. 1 team in the poll is undefeated, but then loses to the No. 2 team, it is likely that the two will switch places. Please develop an individual voting philosophy and maintain supporting voting practices for the entire season, as this will help to ensure integrity and consistency in the poll. Note: Please utilize your previous week’s poll in voting for the current week’s poll, not the cumulative poll results based on all voters. Otherwise, the poll will be skewed.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2006 20:47:01 GMT -5
Oregon/California, San Diego/Santa Clara, Oklahoma/Missouri, and Wisconsin/Minnesota are going to be what truly puts the AVCA voters to the test. Chances are _pretty_ good that all 4 adjustments will not be made (although they may fix San Diego/Santa Clara). And that's a shame, because it means their poll is worthless.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2006 20:55:15 GMT -5
OK. I stand corrected -- if this is indeed still used. But I have the following questions: What is the purpose of this poll? I'll bet you it isn't even defined. I got this a long time ago when I asked the AVCA for the philosophy. I am not sure if it has changed or not since that time. If you ask, they may forward it to you as it was me a few years ago. Philosophy of the Poll The poll is meant to be a cumulative barometer of how the teams in the country compare to each other. A _cumulative_ barometer? I think it fails on this point. But the next point is contradictory? This makes sense. You aren't voting on potential. You're voting on who is better NOW. Does this allow for the corrections that sometimes need to be made? I don't think so. Personally, I think this philosophy has contradictory objectives...
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Post by spikerthemovie on Oct 22, 2006 21:01:19 GMT -5
I'm with Bucky. And even the inexplicable AVCA voters would probably agree that a season in which every member of the conference has played every other member is a good way to figure out how to rank the teams. One team in the Big Ten is undefeated, one team has only one loss and the others are two games back. That's pretty clear. The second half will certainly be interesting, too -- that match at Madison is going to be huge and entertaining, I bet -- but there's little question about how the teams should be ranked at this point.
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Post by nittanyhuskylions on Oct 22, 2006 21:03:45 GMT -5
To your first question/comment, I think it is saying it should not be predictive, but rather who the best teams are for that week. So I think your comment under it is correct.
To answer your second question, I think each voter can correct it. But not all will have the same thoughts as to how far to jump a team to form a correction. I think that is how the point totals can narrow at times, but the ranking itself does not truly indicate a full shift among all voters. I think this happens in all human polls - even football and basketball. Voters have a hard time moving a team down without losses, so deserving teams may not move up as rapidly as they should upon quality wins.
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Post by bomber on Oct 22, 2006 21:16:02 GMT -5
I'm with Bucky. And even the inexplicable AVCA voters would probably agree that a season in which every member of the conference has played every other member is a good way to figure out how to rank the teams. One team in the Big Ten is undefeated, one team has only one loss and the others are two games back. That's pretty clear. The second half will certainly be interesting, too -- that match at Madison is going to be huge and entertaining, I bet -- but there's little question about how the teams should be ranked at this point. Though a poll at midway in the season does by necessity totally discount the advantages of playing conference foes either home or away. Presumably that will be accounted for at the last poll of the regular season........presumeably.
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Post by spikerthemovie on Oct 23, 2006 14:26:09 GMT -5
Not to be ungracious, but here's another I-told-you-so. For the third straight week, Minnesota posts the biggest point gains as the first half of the season ends and AVCA voters wrestle their poll roughly in line with Big Ten rankings (although I still don't quite get what Purdue is doing above Wisconsin).
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