FB: Region 4 fan poll

[smedindy]

I didn't derp IWU / Wheaton. I think Wheaton is slightly better even though they lost to IWU in Bloomington. But its very close from my 3 to 5 (Wabash / Wheaton / IWU) and I really thought about it.

[wally_wabash]

See, that's the part that I just can't get.  I don't see the logic in knowing that A beat B but then talking oneself out of the fact that B ought to ranked higher when A and B have the same record against comparable schedules.  I don't think it's fair to have that result on the record and then just ignore it.

[smedindy]

I don't ignore it, it's not the be-all and end-all. There are nuances to everything, not black and white. And looking at the stats, those teams were even except on the scoreboard (which of course is the main factor).

If IWU beat Wheaton 24-19 at Wheaton, then it's a different tune.
If IWU beat Wheaton 31-19, then it's a different tune.

But I can't equivocally say that 3 times out of 5 IWU beats Wheaton. I do think Wheaton beats IWU 3 out of 5.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

We're not just ranking A beat B so A must be ranked higher. If that was the case we wouldn't need to vote in polls, we'd just have one big standings list. We're ordering them based on who we think are the best teams. And just because A beat B doesn't mean A is better.

Same situation in the Top 25 poll, I put Lycoming in at 25th and not Widener even though both have 1 loss and Widener won the H2H because I believe Lycoming is the better team.

Early in the season when there's little info then H2H can be a useful factor, but as we get this late in the season it becomes less important to me.

[DPU3619]

One of us (me) really laid the hammer to IWU in the poll this week.  In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have dropped them as far as I did, but I felt like making them pay for a loss by dropping them below all the teams that don't have one.  Maybe I was just cranky, I dunno. 

However, I'll probably move them back above Adrian next week, because I guess I'm not sold that Adrian is better than the Titans.  I'll admit to a mistake there.

[BashDad]

And just because A beat B doesn't mean A is better.

The whole competitive sports universe just blew up.

[cave2bens]

And just because A beat B doesn't mean A is better.

The whole competitive sports universe just blew up.

or "Why I Learned to Love the Bomb" 

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

And just because A beat B doesn't mean A is better.

The whole competitive sports universe just blew up.

For example, Kean lost to Brockport St... Brockport was 0-5 (now 2-5) at the time and Kean was 5-0 (now 6-1) and ranked #10... I would certainly argue that Kean still is the better team even though they lost that particular day.

[smedindy]

One out, one in for me. Now we haz consensus, or will Adrian still get some votes?

[Mr. Ypsi]

I dropped Adrian from 6 to 10, but thought they were still better than whoever I would have put at 11.

[smedindy]

I threw in the 'Berg instead of Adrian. Not without some reservation, but it's close.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

I was debating between 3 teams for 10th spot... does Adrian stay in the poll, or does CWRU or Albion come in off my watch list (and I did have Albion on my watch list coming into this week)

[smedindy]

For comparison's sake, here are the regional rankings. Will be interesting to see where we place them when Wes compiles.

1 Mount Union 7-0 8-0
2 Franklin 6-0 7-1
2 Wabash 7-0 8-0
4 North Central (Ill.) 6-1 7-1
5 Case Western Reserve 7-0 7-1
6 Illinois Wesleyan 7-1 7-1
7 Wheaton (Ill.) 7-1 7-1
8 Baldwin-Wallace 7-1 7-1
9 Wittenberg 5-1 7-1
10 Albion 5-1 5-3

[ExTartanPlayer]

smed, I've seen you post this a couple places (so I didn't know exactly where to respond), but I too am appalled at how high CWRU is ranked.  I know we've got the wonderful emphasis on in-region results and all that good stuff, so their loss to Rochy doesn't really count, but even with their seven in-region results I don't see how anyone comes to a logical conclusion that they are better than Illinois Wesleyan and Wheaton. I think it would be an absolute shamockery if Wesley takes the B bid, CWRU gets a Pool C, and two superior CCIW teams are left at the altar.  I could even live with it if CWRU was undefeated, as I'm a strong proponent that any undefeated team should be in the playoffs.  But this just seems a little silly. 

I've posted elsewhere, quite strongly, that I don't feel too bad for any AQ-conference team in Pool C (with the possible exception of OAC and WIAC teams, for obvious reasons) because they had their chance to take a Pool A bid...and I still believe that to be true. 

[smedindy]

One thing is that if Case wins out, their case gets better because their SOS will increase playing their UAA brethren instead of the poor ol' NCAC (yeah, we're stinkin' this year except for TWO of the W's).

The sad thing is that Rochester isn't a horrible trip for Case. Cripes, they're in the same conference for practically everything but football  And it's not regional, but North Central vs. Redlands is? Wabash vs. Wash U. isn't regional (though they've played each other in many sports for years) but Witt vs. Huntingdon is?

My brain hurts at times. I know you gotta draw the line somewhere, but...