Top 25 talk

[Greek Tragedy]

True ... but last night Old School stayed in a Holiday Inn.

I don't get it... the only thing Holiday Inn reminds me of is "Blast from the Past" ("Dangerous, Poisonous Gas!!!)

Oh come on April!  It's actually the Holiday Inn Express, you know, those commercials where the guy sounds all smart, but he's not a "doctor/pilot/rodeo clown/cowboy etc", he just stayed at a Holiday Inn Express!

The thought that comes to my mind with all of this "rank" talk is the scene in Top Gun where they introduce "Charlie", the civilian contractor... I guess that's what you guys all are, huh?

I'm not as good looking as "Charlie"...

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I guess I'd be Vice Admiral Special (Ret).  Would that make Coach Bennett former President Bennett, and Coach Semling the current president?

The thought that comes to my mind with all of this "rank" talk is the scene in Top Gun where they introduce "Charlie", the civilian contractor... I guess that's what you guys all are, huh? 

Ha ha, I don't have to salute you!

Stick to vice, Admiral, the humor is just not doing it for you.

[diehardfan]

Oh come on April!  It's actually the Holiday Inn Express, you know, those commercials where the guy sounds all smart, but he's not a "doctor/pilot/rodeo clown/cowboy etc", he just stayed at a Holiday Inn Express!

Uhm, I don't watch TV. It rots your brain. 

Seriously though, I don't usually bother. I'm much too conservative to enjoy most of the stuff that's on these days. I couldn't tell you a single movie that's out in the theatres right now. 

I spend most of my free time reading. Right now I am reading the Ender Series by Orson Scott Card for the 80 billionth time... so basically I'm rotting my brain with Science Fiction novels instead. 

[woosterbooster]

I read that series a few years ago.  I liked the first book (Ender's Game, wasn't it?), but thought it went downhill a bit from there.  The best part, I thought, regarded the game that they played in the school, a sort of zero-gravity futuristic combination of capture the flag.  Someday the NCAA might sanction it as a sport, and we can have a DIII forum to argue about it. 

[diehardfan]

I read that series a few years ago.  I liked the first book (Ender's Game, wasn't it?), but thought it went downhill a bit from there.  The best part, I thought, regarded the game that they played in the school, a sort of zero-gravity futuristic combination of capture the flag.  Someday the NCAA might sanction it as a sport, and we can have a DIII forum to argue about it. 

Oh man, that would be awesome. I would definitely go back to college to use my eligibility!

I actually like the later books better in many respects. They are a lot more intellectual rather than military strategy focused.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Oh man, that would be awesome. I would definitely go back to college to use my eligibility!

I doubt you'd have more than one year left, April.  I'm still not sure on all the specific ins and outs of the elligibilty rule, but its very tough to remain elligible for athletics after getting a degree.

[Pat Coleman]

Good news is zero-degree capture the flag isn't likely to be governed by the NCAA, at least in the early going, so eligibility wouldn't really be an issue.

[diehardfan]

If you guys knew how awesome the game in those books was, you would think that one year of eligibility was worth it! 

[Gregory Sager]

The heck with zero-degree capture the flag. If I'm going to go back to North Park and use my eligibility in a non-NCAA-sanctioned sport, it's going to be for a man's game: 43-man squamish.

http://www.collectmad.com/madcoversite/index-quiz_olympics.html

[diehardfan]

okay.. it's not zero degree... it's zero-gravity

and, it's like capture the flag plus space suits and weapons 

[Mr. Ypsi]

OK, enough of these 'sissy' sports - I want to see d3 add quidditch to the sports roster!

[David Collinge]

David,

Have you done anything with the Women's Poll?  I'm curious what schools have been tops in both - e.g., Hope this year finishes at #1 and #6.  I'm guessing that is probably not THE best ever, but it must be close.  Has any school ever ranked #1 in both simultaneously (if so, I'll guess WashU)?

To celebrate the six-month anniversary of the asking of this question, I thought I'd answer it. 

The 2002-03 preseason polls had Washington U. (Mo.) as the #1 team for both the men and women.  Both teams maintained their #1 ranking through the first 11 regular season polls.  After starting 23-0, each team lost on Feb. 23, 2003, at Rochester:

• The men lost 83-82 (OT) to the then-#8 Yellow Jackets and fell to #2 (behind Randolph-Macon.)  They finished 24-2 and ranked #8 after losing to then-#13 Illinois Wesleyan in the second round of the NCAAs. 
• The women lost 82-73 to the then-#23 Yellow Jackets and fell to #3 (behind UW-Eau Claire and Hope.)  They lost in the sectional final to then-#21 Trinity (TX) and finished 26-2 and ranked #4.  Trinity went on to win the national title; Rochester also went to the Final Four, finishing 4th.

Those 12 polls at the beginning of the 2002-03 season are the only times that one school has held the top spot in both polls.

[diehardfan]

  I believe that qualifies you for the HEINZ ketchup and mustard awards for randomness.

[David Collinge]

I'll take that as a condiment.   

Not so random; I've been on the ultra-tedious chore of logging seven years of women's polls into my database off and on the past six months, something I hinted at in March: 

No, I don't do anything with the women's poll; maybe this offseason I'll take that on. 

Anyway, when baseball season winds down, and they start playing that goofy violent sport with the oblong ball, I start to get into a basketball frame of mind. 

[diehardfan]

Are you referring to badminton? I know you're not referring to football, cause if you were then I would have to take your Heinz award away.

I'll take that as a condiment.  

Hah! Quality. I like how we keep doing this even though Scott doesn't ever see it.