Top 25 discussion

[Caz Bombers]

Wow, did I just read 4 whole pages of politicking for Gwynedd-Mercy and their 25-2 record in the Little Sisters of the Poor Girl Scout Conference?  Good gravy.  For those of you tired of this nonsense, congratulations on Ithaca's victory tomorrow night can be directed to the Empire 8 board in the East region dropdown menu.

[Pat Coleman]

bbald eagle : I know you don't have a dog in the fight but keep it up, I know I couldn't have said it any better. I just don't see how you can be ranked 3rd in your Region like GMC is and the team that's ranked 4th in the Region, McDaniel is ranked
22nd in the D3 poll while GMC is ranked 42nd. I cried like a baby over this long enough, I just don't get it. I GIVE up.

Because regional rankings are irrelevant to national rankings. They are not even based on the same things.

[bearsfan]

But your argument that coach voters are inherently biased is interesting. D3Hoops has coach voters too. Doesn't your argument subtly suggests that D3Hoops should exclude coaches from its voters since you say coaches are inherently biased? SIDs vote too for D3Hoops. Your argument probably would extend to them as well, wouldn't it? If both were excluded, that would leave only "media members" as voters. Do you think the media are inherently unbiased?

I did not realize that D3hoops also had coach voters. I'd never seen a list of voters. I agree that the coach voters would lend some bias to the D3hoops poll as well but as D3hoops in not exclusively coaches I don't think as much as ESPN. I also don't believe that SIDs are as biased. Their jobs are not directly tied to their success on the court like a coach's job is so while they might show slight bias, I don't think it would be to the same degree as coaches might would be. I won't even start in on if the media is bias. I just think that D3hoops has a little less bias involved then the ESPN because it has more voters and more diversity of background of voters.

[Pat Coleman]

I just think that D3hoops has a little less bias involved then the ESPN because it has more voters and more diversity of background of voters.

We hope this is the case. It certainly makes more sense that a larger voter population should tend to smooth out local interests.

[TC HOOPS]

Caz : Bring your crying towel Friday night. And I'll take that dime all in 20's if you don't mind. After friday night you can tell me how weak our league is.

[BachDog]

I agree with Caz, sorry TC. Ithaca has the momentum and the toughness. I hear from a good source that Ithaca is the favorite...That source is not a GMC fan and there is some bias, but I will be at the game to witness the Ithaca win...I mean game.

[TC HOOPS]

Bachdog : GMC has a little momentum going there way too, winners of 18 straight. Make that 19, see you Saturday night.

[bbald eagle]

I did not realize that D3hoops also had coach voters. I'd never seen a list of voters. I agree that the coach voters would lend some bias to the D3hoops poll as well but as D3hoops in not exclusively coaches I don't think as much as ESPN. I also don't believe that SIDs are as biased. Their jobs are not directly tied to their success on the court like a coach's job is so while they might show slight bias, I don't think it would be to the same degree as coaches might would be. I won't even start in on if the media is bias. I just think that D3hoops has a little less bias involved then the ESPN because it has more voters and more diversity of background of voters.

This is what D3Hoops says about its voters:
"The D3hoops.com Top 25 is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, Sports Information Directors and media members from across the country, and is published weekly."  http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/

The SIDs jobs aren't as directly to a team's success on the court as a coach's, but their jobs are to publicize the school and its sports teams.  I have a hard time thinking SIDs inherently impartial or inherently less biased than coaches.

Your and Pat C's observation that more voters should neutralize bias or smooth out local interest makes some sense. Others have suggested that making the names of D3Hoops voters public as does the WBCA would have the same effect. I don't know about that. The counterargument has been that being named can subject the voters to pressure.

[BachDog]

I can't speak for anyone else, but knowing who has a vote and who doesn't allows for transparency, which I think is important. I don't know if that transparency trumps anonymity in this case, but lack of transparency hurts D3 in some respects...

On the other hand, you know (looking at who votes on the WBCA) why Chicago was picked number one in the WBCA poll in week 8, 1/5 of the voting coaches were in the UAA and one was from U. of Chicago...Transparent, but perhaps not as relevant or reliable.

[TC HOOPS]

Hey BachDog, Is there a good place to go for cold beer and good food after the game that's near NYU?

[Caz Bombers]

Cold beer and good food?  You're in downtown Manhattan, probably half a hundred great places within 3 square blocks.

Nope, won't be at the game, headed to the men's ECAC game much closer to home.  I hope to have some updates from the IC-GMC game though.  Oh, and TCHoops, win or lose the PennAC is still awful.  That doesn't change, man.

[BachDog]

There are a couple within walking distance, and you are not that far from the West Village, and there are literally a ton there. If you want a college crowd watching sports and an Irish pub atmosphere head out fo Coles Arena, cross the street, stay on Mercer St., two blocks later there is a bar on the right (name slips me). Fun place.

If you're looking for a rowdier time, any place on Bleecker (walking distance as well) you do you no harm.

[gobombers15]

IC/GMC will be close and will be decided in the last 5 minutes. It looks like GMC is a team with a lot of balance. GMC's bigs will need to stop Erika Steele who has been unreal of late, averaging 20.5 ppg, 18.5 rpg, 4.0 blocks/game in the E8 Tourney. She also had some monster games at the end of the season, including 25 and 19 at Elmira the week before the E8 Tourney. They didn't really realize what they had until the conference season started, so it would have been interesting to play the Cortland, St. Lawrence and UR's of the world with her at her best. Oh well, what's done is done. I expect a close game and you should, too, TC.

[gobombers15]

Bach or TC, do either of you know if the game is going to be broadcast over the internet? Any help would be much appreciated as I'm down south now.

[BachDog]

gobombers, I don't know about D3hoops coverage, but NYU always casts the games (but, unfortuantely it's only the NYU game) at wnyu.org (it's streaming audio, but it usually is pretty consistent. As for the Ithaca game, I think you can link to the games from D3hoops, up at the top where it says Live Audio...That should work.