Sports Network Poll

[CATMENDUE2]

We see these pre-season polls every year where it's obvious the "researchers," don't know a damned thing about the SWAC or BCF in general. The make predictions based on names, and nothing more. Why it's even a discussion I don't know. Nothing changes from year to year. The 2006 pre-season poll with be no different. Why is it even discussed?

What we should be concerned about, is why does the A10, Big Sky, Southern and Gateway have 20 of the the 25 slots period. The SWAC and MeAC picks are tokens, the Southland gets picks out of respect. MHO is that how can a league with 6 teams have a GPI rated ahead of the SWAC, when they only have 3 or 4 decent teams. Aside from the SWAC who does the Southland play OOC in the regular season. The argument belong here, not against the three or four teams in the SWAC that gets some form of recognition from the media. :tdown:

 

[Journalist]

What we should be concerned about, is why does the A10, Big Sky, Southern and Gateway have 20 of the the 25 slots period. The SWAC and MeAC picks are tokens, the Southland gets picks out of respect. MHO is that how can a league with 6 teams have a GPI rated ahead of the SWAC, when they only have 3 or 4 decent teams. Aside from the SWAC who does the Southland play OOC in the regular season. The argument belong here, not against the three or four teams in the SWAC that gets some form of recognition from the media. :tdown:

There was a time when SU, J-State and Gram were ranked ....

But we all know the root of the reasoning why the SWAC doesnt' get love in the polls..because the SWAC isn't a part of the playoffs....

 

[CATMENDUE2]

There was a time when SU, J-State and Gram were ranked ....

But we all know the root of the reasoning why the SWAC doesnt' get love in the polls..because the SWAC isn't a part of the playoffs....

Exactly, 1AA polls are not intended to rank us that's why our GPI rating stays low, because we don't have rated teams. Is there any wonder why the A10 has the highest rating, no matter how many games their teams lose. Nope, not when the whole conference has a rating higher than the rest of the country, and this includes the worst team in their conference has a higher rating than the highest ranked SWAC team. This is straight garbage.

 

[COACH]

2. SC State, Bama State and Southern should be ranked higher than Grambling, on the strength that they (1) both had better records and (2) either won/major factors in their conference race and (3) do return a good bit of their last year's rosters


5. Two 5-6 teams and a 6-5 team ranked ahead of SU, Bama State, SC State? again I say, What the hell?

Didn't the SWAC coaches and SID's say that Grambling would be the top team in the West? That voting wasn't even close. Didn't those same people vote more Grambling players to the all SWAC team. Why are you suprised that other people see the same thing.

 

[majiksity]

Coach that particular argument would work in Bama State's favor being that Bama State received 89 total votes in the East and Grambling had 85 votes in the West - but the points are moot because the poll is done.

 

[Mr. Tiger]

If you want respect you've got to earn it. And the SWAC doesn't. The nine-game mandate and not going to the playoffs doesn't allow the SWAC to prove it can beat any good teams outside of the conference. And last year, both Southern and Alabama State, our best, proved they couldn't. Alabama State beat a bad Howard team and lost to DIVISION II Tuskegee by 10 points. And Southern lost to McNeese State and SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (eesh). That's 0-2 outside the conference. We should have only one team ranked in the Top 25. But Grambling wouldn't be my pick. Alabama State or Southern would. Until we start playing good outside competition and beating them don't expect high rankings because you beat up on the likes of PV, Valley, Texas Southern and Jackson State.

 

[Ralph]

Exactly, 1AA polls are not intended to rank us that's why our GPI rating stays low, because we don't have rated teams. ... This is straight garbage. ...

The GPI uses a mix of 3 polls and six of eight computer rankings. Throw out the polls and this is how the SWAC ranked in I-AA GPI last year:

45 Alabama St
68 Southern Univ
77 Ark Pine Bluff
84 Alcorn St
85 Alabama A&M
93 Jackson St
94 Grambling
105 MS Valley St
112 Prairie View
117 TX Southern

Clearly it is not polls that keep the GPI rankings low.

With polls added in, the complete GPI:
44 Alabama St
68 Southern Univ
77 Ark Pine Bluff
84 Alcorn St
85 Alabama A&M
93 Jackson St
94 Grambling
105 MS Valley St
112 Prairie View
117 TX Southern

 

[CATMENDUE2]

The GPI uses a mix of 3 polls and six of eight computer rankings. Throw out the polls and this is how the SWAC ranked in I-AA GPI last year:

45 Alabama St
68 Southern Univ
77 Ark Pine Bluff
84 Alcorn St
85 Alabama A&M
93 Jackson St
94 Grambling
105 MS Valley St
112 Prairie View
117 TX Southern

Clearly it is not polls that keep the GPI rankings low.

With polls added in, the complete GPI:
44 Alabama St
68 Southern Univ
77 Ark Pine Bluff
84 Alcorn St
85 Alabama A&M
93 Jackson St
94 Grambling
105 MS Valley St
112 Prairie View
117 TX Southern

It is what it is, Garbage. A 4 and 7, A10 team is just as much garbage as anybody else and from any other conference. Who does the A10 play except other A10 teams. Its not like they are regularly beating 1A Mid-majors or sumpthin. If you losing what difference does it make in what conference you come from, you losing. This crap reward teams that lose to A10 team as if they are USC or something. Explain to me how you lose 8 games and have rating higher than a 7 and 4, AAMU team simply because they play in the SWAC. :spin: it anyway you want to.

 

[Ralph]

... Explain to me how you lose 8 games and have rating higher than a 7 and 4, AAMU team...

You are who you play, and who they play, and who they play... etc. that is how computer rankings work, and they do work very well IMHO. If a team goes undefeated yet plays a soft schedule then they don't get a high rating. Just makes sense.

http://masseyratings.com/theory/massey.htm

Massey Comparison:
http://masseyratings.com/cf/compare1aa.htm

"The ratings are totally interdependent, so that a team's rating is affected by games in which it didn't even play. The solution therefore effectively depends on an infinite chain of opponents, opponents' opponents, opponents' opponents' opponents, etc. The final ratings represent a state of equilibrium in which each team's rating is exactly balanced by its good and bad performances."

 

[CATMENDUE2]

You are who you play, and who they play, and who they play... etc. that is how computer rankings work, and they do work very well IMHO. If a team goes undefeated yet plays a soft schedule then they don't get a high rating. Just makes sense.

http://masseyratings.com/theory/massey.htm

Massey Comparison:
http://masseyratings.com/cf/compare1aa.htm

Computers rate the information humans feed into it, if the information is flawed or skewed intentionally, then you get a garbage result. That makes sense too. The A10 is a 12 team league, they have 6 team with a 6-5 record or above, meaning they also have 6 team with losing records. Are they better because their 6 loser are better than anybody else. Towson state would be 2 -9 in the SWAC just as Texas Southern is. Maine and Rhode Island would be middle of the pack in the SWAC just as Alcorn and AAMU are in the SWAC. No polls can change the fact that every league has two or three above average teams. I don't see A10 teams playing Ga Southern, MCneese, and Big sky teams OOC, during the regular season, I see them playing lots of in conference loser just as everyone else does. So, who does A10 teams play that makes them so highly rated. :smug2:

 

[Ralph]

Computers rate the information humans feed into it, if the information is flawed or skewed intentionally, then you get a garbage result... I don't see A10 teams playing Ga Southern, MCneese, and Big sky teams OOC, during the regular season, I see them playing lots of in conference loser just as everyone else does. So, who does A10 teams play that makes them so highly rated. :smug2:

Sir, read the info I posted. This computer rankings is based on formulas, not what simple data is input. If you want to state that Massey's formula is skewed intentionally then say that (sounds kind of paranoid to me). Your post does seem to show some ignorance though since Delaware and GaSU played a couple games recently and the Big Sky regularly plays A-10 teams (Montana played three last year). I am not your info boy though so you have to figure the rest out on your own. I gave you a link to Massey so click on the teams and look at their schedule. Then click on their opponent's link and look at their schedule. Keep going. You'll get the idea. Then you'll want your team to schedule better (why do SWAC teams schedule provisional NAIA squads?). I do that all the time to see why teams are rated where they are. It's an eye-opener if you haven't done it.

 

[CATMENDUE2]

Sir, read the info I posted. This computer rankings is based on formulas, not what simple data is input. If you want to state that Massey's formula is skewed intentionally then say that (sounds kind of paranoid to me). Your post does seem to show some ignorance though since Delaware and GaSU played a couple games recently and the Big Sky regularly plays A-10 teams (Montana played three last year). I am not your info boy though so you have to figure the rest out on your own. I gave you a link to Massey so click on the teams and look at their schedule. Then click on their opponent's link and look at their schedule. Keep going. You'll get the idea. Then you'll want your team to schedule better. I do that all the time to see why teams are rated where they are. It's an eye-opener if you haven't done it.

Answer the question. They also play the West Chesters, Elons and Delaware State of the world too.

 

[Ralph]

Answer the question. They also play the West Chesters, Elons and Delaware State of the world too.

I think I answered your question and pointed out your faulty premise. Go click away at Massey. The SoCon folks also wanted to know why they had low ratings. Maybe it is because half their Conference lost all the time and their best teams played them. Play good teams to get a good rating.

 

[CATMENDUE2]

I think I answered your question and pointed out your faulty premise. Go click away at Massey. The SoCon folks also wanted to know why they had low ratings. Maybe it is because half their Conference lost all the time and their best teams played them. Play good teams to get a good rating.

I guess the A10 didn't have 7 teams with losing records, three with 7 losses or more and they only play 8 in conference games, they lost to somebody, OOC.

 

[CATMENDUE2]

Sir, read the info I posted. This computer rankings is based on formulas, not what simple data is input. If you want to state that Massey's formula is skewed intentionally then say that (sounds kind of paranoid to me). Your post does seem to show some ignorance though since Delaware and GaSU played a couple games recently and the Big Sky regularly plays A-10 teams (Montana played three last year). I am not your info boy though so you have to figure the rest out on your own. I gave you a link to Massey so click on the teams and look at their schedule. Then click on their opponent's link and look at their schedule. Keep going. You'll get the idea. Then you'll want your team to schedule better (why do SWAC teams schedule provisional NAIA squads?). I do that all the time to see why teams are rated where they are. It's an eye-opener if you haven't done it.

You actually want me to believe Massey is reputable, and they gave a 5-6 Hofstra team a number 20th ranking with a 5-6 record, and gives Hampton with a 10-1 record a 52nd ranking. Even your own poll had them at 22nd.

 

[GRAM4LIFE]

You are wasting your time, Cat.

 

[CATMENDUE2]

You are wasting your time, Cat.

I know, aint got nothing better do and I am going to defend the SWAC with my blood if I have too. These other conferences ain't playing nobody either and has just as many or more weak teams as everybody else. Actually, the A10 has more teams with losing records than the Southland has teams, and more than any conference in 1AA. :|

 

[GRAM4LIFE]

I feel you but you can't convince them of that. They are also playing the Northwestern Oklahoma State's and West Chester's of the world but we are the ones who constantly get cirticized for it. I'm total with you on this one. Plus the mentalities of those who vote... A good enough precentage of them are anti-SWAC therefore it scews the numbers. See Sam Houston State can play PV or TxSo out of conference and win and then point say see the SWAC is weak. But let me stop because I dang sure don't want to get into this conversation.

Ya'll have fun.

 

[MACHIAVELLI]

Massey Rankings
#38 Alabama St.
#60 Southern
#64 AAMU
#72 Alcorn
#84 Grambling
#85 UAPB
#95 Jackson
#106 Ms. Valley
#112 PV
#114 TxSU

 

[SAME OLD G]

Coach that particular argument would work in Bama State's favor being that Bama State received 89 total votes in the East and Grambling had 85 votes in the West - but the points are moot because the poll is done.

Well if you want to split hairs...you would see that the 2nd place team in the West got more poinst than the 2nd place team in the East. The 3rd place team in the West got more points than the 3rd place team in the East. The 4th place teams for both got the same about of points. And the last place team in the East got more points than the 4th place team in the West.

What the voters are saying is that the West is a tougher division to win. You cannot compare head to head points between GSU and ASU. It is apples to oranges.

 

[CATMENDUE2]

Massey Rankings
#38 Alabama St.
#60 Southern
#64 AAMU
#72 Alcorn
#84 Grambling
#85 UAPB
#95 Jackson
#106 Ms. Valley
#112 PV
#114 TxSU

Fact, the lowest ranked team in the A-10 is Townson ST at #78. Fact Townson State's record was 1-10. Now do you think the SWAC is being rated by Ralph and his croonies as they should be. There is no way in Hell that every team is the A-10 is superior to a Grambling, Southern, ALBST, AAMU, or even UAPB. I would be willing to bet that Grambling, Albst and Southern would finish in the top three, if either one of them, was in the A-10 conference this year. :nod2:


Fact the A-10 has five or 6 teams in the top 25, and several of those teams have losing records.

 

[BIFF]

This is no smack, But we should ALL know how difficult it is to get back into game shape after a year long layoff. Bruce Eugene got so large that his regular season jersey even didnt' fit anymore. Did you see him on the sidelines at the BC? The jersey was so tight I BEGAN SWEATING FOR HIM.

The kid can throw, but for his sake, I hope he is getting in better game shape. It's hard enough coming off a 2/3 game layoff. Also, lets remember that Doug Williams is gone. This will be BE's first season under a new offensive scheme.

 

[MACHIAVELLI]

This is no smack, But we should ALL know how difficult it is to get back into game shape after a year long layoff. Bruce Eugene got so large that his regular season jersey even didnt' fit anymore. Did you see him on the sidelines at the BC? The jersey was so tight I BEGAN SWEATING FOR HIM.

The kid can throw, but for his sake, I hope he is getting in better game shape. It's hard enough coming off a 2/3 game layoff. Also, lets remember that Doug Williams is gone. This will be BE's first season under a new offensive scheme.

You act like Bruce has been sitting around since last season waiting on Preseason practice to start. BTW What new offensive scheme?

 

[Dr. Sweet NUPE]

How come Alabama St is not Top 25 and GSU is 25?

How come somebody from Southern pointed this out.......Lonelyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy I'm so lonelyyyyyyyy....lol

 

[Ralph]

... do you think the SWAC is being rated by Ralph and his croonies as they should be... Grambling, Albst and Southern would finish in the top three, if either one of them, was in the A-10 conference this year...

You shouldn't smack me because computer rating systems rates SWAC teams low. I have nothing to do with them. I gave you enough direct info but if you're content to drink your koolaid and wear blinders then so be it.