Boneyard preseason poll: Voting now open

[Plebe]

I wanted to gauge people's interest in creating a Boneyard Top 25 ranking of WCBB teams. In another thread someone said that we could do at least as good a job as the AP poll. Well, this would be a chance to put the money where the mouth is

I'd be willing to do the compilation work if we can get a critical mass of "voters" to submit a ballot. We'd need to move fairly quickly on this, but I'd propose making the preseason ballot due next Monday (Oct. 28) Wednesday (Oct. 30).

UPDATE (10/22): We have enough voters. Here are the rules:

• Ballots are due to me (via private message) by Wed., Oct. 30, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time.
• Full ballots (of 25 teams, ranked 1 through 25) are encouraged.
• If you're not comfortable ranking 25 teams, short ballots (of at least 10 teams) are accepted.

 

[UConnCat]

I wanted to gauge people's interest in creating a Boneyard Top 25 ranking of WCBB teams. In another thread someone said that we could do at least as good a job as the AP poll. Well, this would be a chance to put the money where the mouth is

I'd be willing to do the compilation work if we can get a critical mass of "voters" to submit a ballot. We'd need to move fairly quickly on this, but I'd propose making the preseason ballot due next Monday (Oct. 28).

Let me know what y'all think.

FYI The AP top 25 will be released Oct 30th.

 

[militarydog]

Is this something you would want to continue week to week or a preseason poll? I’d be interested to see the layout of picks via region and conference. Honestly most readers on this board are as knowledgeable or more so than many analysts.

 

[Plebe]

Is this something you would want to continue week to week or a preseason poll? I’d be interested to see the layout of picks via region and conference. Honestly most readers on this board are as knowledgeable or more so than many analysts.

I'm willing to make it week to week, but the voters would need to commit to that. It wouldn't be a good weekly poll if the pool of voters doesn't remain constant.

 

[meyers7]

I'm willing to make it week to week, but the voters would need to commit to that. It wouldn't be a good weekly poll if the pool of voters doesn't remain constant.

That's where you'll have the biggest problem.

 

[Plebe]

FYI The AP top 25 will be released Oct 30th.

That's interesting, because I just saw that the men's BB poll was released today.

Ideally I'd like to have people submit their ballots before the AP poll is released, so as to avoid influence.

 

[UConnCat]

That's interesting, because I just saw that the men's BB poll was released today.

Ideally I'd like to have people submit their ballots before the AP poll is released, so as to avoid influence.

 

[marti3td]

When are we going to hear about Westbrook? Ugh.

 

[LoTrader]

I don't think I can come up with a TOP 25. I think I can come up with a TOP 10 or TOP 15.

 

[Plebe]

The response appears tepid, which is understandable considering that mindfully ranking 25 teams is in fact a lot of work.

Down to brass tacks:

• Private-message me if you're interested in submitting a preseason ballot and can do so by 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 30 (the day the AP poll will be released).
• Just added: If ranking 25 teams sounds too daunting, "short" ballots are acceptable (top 10, top 15, etc.).
• If we have at least 5 voters, I'll be glad to compile the ballots and tally the votes.
• This is, for now, a preseason poll only. (Midseason editions would be TBD based on interest.)

 

[triaddukefan]

The response appears tepid, which is understandable considering that mindfully ranking 25 teams is in fact a lot of work.

Down to brass tacks:

• Private-message me if you're interested in submitting a preseason top 25 ballot and can do so by 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 30 (the day the AP poll will be released).
• If we have at least 5 voters, I'll be glad to compile the ballots and tally the votes.
• Voters may remain anonymous.

So if a team(s) only appears on one ballot... will they be in the also receiving votes category? Is vote buying allowed?

 

[RegisteredUconn]

I wanted to gauge people's interest in creating a Boneyard Top 25 ranking of WCBB teams. In another thread someone said that we could do at least as good a job as the AP poll. Well, this would be a chance to put the money where the mouth is

I'd be willing to do the compilation work if we can get a critical mass of "voters" to submit a ballot. We'd need to move fairly quickly on this, but I'd propose making the preseason ballot due next Monday (Oct. 28).

Let me know what y'all think.

I'd love to see a pre-season Top 10 if nothing else. Getting weekly participation over the course of the season could be problematic. While I enjoy seeing the opinions of the brainiacs on the board, I wouldn't think of being a voter as I am easily the least knowledgeable member here (and possibly the least reliable as well). Would enjoy it if non-UConn fans were included as voters.

Even if it doesn't happen, I applaud the effort.

 

[Plebe]

I don't think I can come up with a TOP 25. I think I can come up with a TOP 10 or TOP 15.

Upon reflection, I think this can work for our less-than-rigorous purposes.

I think we can accommodate different-sized ballots if we use the following tally system:

• A top 25 ballot would award 25 points to the #1 team, 24 points to #2, etc.
• A top 10 ballot would award 10 points to the #1 team, 9 points to #2, etc.
• In short, a ballot listing N teams would award N points to the #1 team, (N–1) points to #2, etc.

Works for me, if that's what it takes to boost participation.

 

[Lorcan]

I would be thrilled to participate if you’d allow me. Don’t blame me if you find South Dakota and other mid-majors receiving votes.

 

[Plebe]

So if a team(s) only appears on one ballot... will they be in the also receiving votes category? Is vote buying allowed?

Well, I haven't thought that far ahead yet. Cross that bridge when we get to it? Would you like to make me an offer?

 

[Plebe]

That's where you'll have the biggest problem.

Getting weekly participation over the course of the season could be problematic.

For now this is only a preseason poll.

Once the season is underway, if the interest is there, we could always try a less demanding frequency — monthly, for example.

 

[bantamlaker]

Upon reflection, I think this can work for our less-than-rigorous purposes.

I think we can accommodate different-sized ballots if we use the following tally system:

• A top 25 ballot would award 25 points to the #1 team, 24 points to #2, etc.
• A top 10 ballot would award 10 points to the #1 team, 9 points to #2, etc.
• In short, a ballot listing N teams would award N points to the #1 team, (N–1) points to #2, etc.

Works for me, if that's what it takes to boost participation.

Just a comment about the point system which places more importance on the top 25 ballot. Example: Team A is #1 on the 10 team ballot and gets 10 points while team B which is ranked 16th on the top 25 ballot also gets 10 points. Starting at 25 for both ballots might be fairer. That way a team ranked #10 gets 16 points in either one instead of 16 in the top 25 and only 1 in the top 10.

 

[Plebe]

Just a comment about the point system which places more importance on the top 25 ballot. Example: Team A is #1 on the 10 team ballot and gets 10 points while team B which is ranked 16th on the top 25 ballot also gets 10 points. Starting at 25 for both ballots might be fairer. That way a team ranked #10 gets 16 points in either one instead of 16 in the top 25 and only 1 in the top 10.

I gave this some thought earlier, and I don't agree.

What matters in a point-based ranking is point differentials between teams, more so than raw point totals. Starting the point values at 25 for a 10-team ballot would artificially insert a "chasm" between the teams in the lower part of the top 10 and all others. Teams that should/would be ranked in the 11-15 range, for example, are now unfairly losing 10-15 points to the teams in the 6-10 range on that ballot. We can negate that chasm by granting each ballot only as much "point-giving power" as it has teams listed.

The scenario you cite — where Team A gets 10 points for being #1 on a 10-team ballot while Team B gets 10 points for being #16 on the 25-team ballot — does not per se distort the combined point differential because that will depend on how Team B fared on the 10-team ballot **in comparison to** Team A's 1st-place ranking and how Team A fared on the 25-team ballot **in comparison to** Team B's 16th-place ranking.

(There are more nuances that I'm happy to nerd out on, but I think this more than suffices for now.)

 

[meyers7]

I gave this some thought earlier, and I don't agree.

What matters in a point-based ranking is point differentials between teams. Starting the point values at 25 for a 10-team ballot would artificially insert a "chasm" between the teams in the lower part of the top 10 and all others. Teams that should/would be ranked in the 11-15 range, for example, are now unfairly losing 15+ points to the teams in the 6-10 range on that ballot. We can negate that chasm by granting each ballot only as much "point-giving power" as it has teams listed.

The scenario you cite — where Team A gets 10 points for being #1 on a 10-team ballot while Team B gets 10 points for being #16 on the 25-team ballot — does not per se distort the combined point differential because that will depend on how Team B fared on the 10-team ballot **in comparison to** Team A's 1st-place ranking and how Team A fared on the 25-team ballot **in comparison to** Team B's 16th-place ranking.

(There are more nuances that I'm happy to nerd out on, but I think this more than suffices for now.)

You're on the right track. Stick with that.

 

[southofnorth]

I would be willing to do this and commit to it for the entirety of the season for either a top 25 or top 15, 10, or 5 of whatever

 

[Plebe]

I would be willing to do this and commit to it for the entirety of the season for either a top 25 or top 15, 10, or 5 of whatever

Sweet. We now have what I'd consider the bare minimum of 5 voters. But frankly I'm hoping to get to at least 10. The more voters we get, the better the poll.

Again, we're only doing a preseason poll for now. Midseason polls are yet TBD. But it's good to know who's willing.

And as someone else said, I'd love to get broad representation from different teams' fanbases. Some of our non-UConn posters are among the most knowledgeable people here.

 

[Jajhines23]

Sweet. We now have what I'd consider the bare minimum of 5 voters. But frankly I'm hoping to get to at least 10. The more voters we get, the better the poll.

Again, we're only doing a preseason poll for now. Midseason polls are yet TBD. But it's good to know who's willing.

And as someone else said, I'd love to get broad representation from different teams' fanbases. Some of our non-UConn posters are among the most knowledgeable people here.

I would be willing to vote. But I am a UCONN fan

 

[Plebe]

I would be thrilled to participate if you’d allow me. Don’t blame me if you find South Dakota and other mid-majors receiving votes.

Of course you're allowed! Willingness and earnestness are the two main qualifications. Voters will be granted the presumption of good faith. But if someone votes Duke in their top 10, that presumption will be in jeopardy

And let's put it this way: I would be more concerned if we didn't get any votes for mid-majors.

 

[Rb335]

I’d happily vote weekly.

 

[Plebe]

I would be willing to vote. But I am a UCONN fan

Ha well we have something in common then because so am I.
UConn fans are of course welcome and encouraged.