How frequent should our Boneyard Top 25 poll be this season?

[Plebe]

Are we ready for some basketball, finally? I sure am.

Soon I'll be issuing the call to prepare our ballots for the preseason 2020-21 Boneyard Top 25 poll. (For reference, our season-ending poll from last season can be found here.)

In the meantime, however, I wanted to revisit the question of frequency. Last season our poll was conducted every two weeks, but there were a fair number of voters who'd initially expressed interest in making it a weekly poll. Now that we have some experience under our belt, I'd like to see if people's opinions have shifted on this issue. Would you like to see it step up to a weekly pace, or was once-every-two-weeks just about right? Or do you have some other preference?

Please indicate your preference above.

A few reminders:

• You don't have to be a UConn fan to be a BY25 voter. Voters from all fan bases are equally welcome and encouraged to participate.
• There is no obligation to participate in every BY25 poll. I want to keep it fun and relatively stress free. If life happens and a voter misses a week, no big deal.
• But please, vote in this frequency survey only if you're actually interested in participating as a BY25 voter.

Thank you!

 

[TerpWomenFan]

I thought the two weeks poll worked out great.

 

[TheFarmFan]

I thought the two weeks poll worked out great.

+1. And given COVID and higher probability of cancellations or travel issues, every other week builds in some buffer if some teams are out for an entire week of games.

 

[MSGRET]

Plebe, the two weeks poll was just right for me. It gave me the time for my research while letting me still do the Prognosticators Predictions contest. So I'll stay with it and thanks for offering it again this year.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Every other week made it easier for me to change my mind on picks. Moving teams up and down after only a week would have been a little embarrassing.

 

[triaddukefan]

A couple of questions.

1) Is it ok to put mid-majors or even low mid-majors in the poll you submit?

2) Any chance of providing much needed protein and nutrients to help us power our bodies and minds as we ponder our rankings.? Austin BBQ would work for me.

 

[Adesmar123]

I don't see any reason to expand beyond the traditional twice daily poll. Once in the morning and once in the evening should suffice. More than that could be cosidered overkill.

 

[Plebe]

A couple of questions.

1) Is it ok to put mid-majors or even low mid-majors in the poll you submit?

2) Any chance of providing much needed protein and nutrients to help us power our bodies and minds as we ponder our rankings.? Austin BBQ would work for me.

1. Of course. No fewer than 20% of our season-ending BY25 teams were mid-majors (South Dakota, Princeton, Gonzaga, Missouri State, FGCU), and another (James Madison) received votes.

2. Funny you should mention this, but I'll be making the pilgrimage to Lexington (Texas, not KY) to visit Snow's BBQ and the living legend Tootsie Tomanetz, as they are reopening on Saturday for the first time since the spring. (If you haven't seen the episode of Chef's Table BBQ, I recommend it.) (If you can't make the pilgrimage, they do offer mail order deliveries @triaddukefan )

 

[JellyBean]

I like the weekly top-25 and voted as such. However given the current landscape with Covid-19 numbers all over the place in different parts of America and how it could impact the season, I am cool with the every 2 week approach as well.

 

[DefenseBB]

Every 2 weeks, Nuf Ced...

 

[Zanzman]

A couple of questions.

1) Is it ok to put mid-majors or even low mid-majors in the poll you submit?

2) Any chance of providing much needed protein and nutrients to help us power our bodies and minds as we ponder our rankings.? Austin BBQ would work for me.

Thought u were eating healthy now

 

[triaddukefan]

Thought u were eating healthy now

Well I need some beef every now and then to balance out this kale, spinach, and unsweetened greek yogurt

 

[Plebe]

I'm giving this a bump.

This poll is open until early Sunday morning. "Every 2 weeks" is in the lead, currently ahead of "Weekly" by 22-15. I'm not sure which side the mail-in ballots will favor

 

[Bigboote]

A couple of questions.

1) Is it ok to put mid-majors or even low mid-majors in the poll you submit?

2) Any chance of providing much needed protein and nutrients to help us power our bodies and minds as we ponder our rankings.? Austin BBQ would work for me.

1) I usually had around 3 on my ballot. I hope I still get to see South Dakota a lot during the spitshow that’s this season.

2) Much prefer Memphis to any Texas BBQ (assuming Austin has the typical Texas bias toward beef).

 

[triaddukefan]

1) I usually had around 3 on my ballot. I hope I still get to see South Dakota a lot during the spitshow that’s this season.

2) Much prefer Memphis to any Texas BBQ (assuming Austin has the typical Texas bias toward beef).

Don't get me started on Memphis BBQ.... I've visited three times..... probably gained 10 pounds per visit.

 

[j66kicker]

Don't get me started on Memphis BBQ.... I've visited three times..... probably gained 10 pounds per visit.

Memphis dry rub. Not my go-to, but that's just because I haven't been able to figure it out at home.

OMG - does Uber Eats work all night?

 

[Plebe]

2) Much prefer Memphis to any Texas BBQ (assuming Austin has the typical Texas bias toward beef).

Well, since I haven't yet seen anyone come out with pork brisket, I guess I'm guilty as charged, biased toward beef. Brisket is the heart and soul of Texas BBQ and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Lorcan]

The mail in ballots are causing a "weekly" shift. Just four votes separate them in the race!

Anyway, I'm probably in favor of weekly, but would have to set myself a reminder somewhere to vote. Plebe, what day are you thinking to have votes due on during the week this year? I fully intend to continue voting for my mid-majors this year, and look forward to including Gonzaga, Florida Gulf Coast, Missouri State, South Dakota and BYU (fear the return of shayleeeeeee!) in the coming weeks on my polls.

 

[Plebe]

The mail in ballots are causing a "weekly" shift. Just four votes separate them in the race!

Anyway, I'm probably in favor of weekly, but would have to set myself a reminder somewhere to vote. Plebe, what day are you thinking to have votes due on during the week this year? I fully intend to continue voting for my mid-majors this year, and look forward to including Gonzaga, Florida Gulf Coast, Missouri State, South Dakota and BYU (fear the return of shayleeeeeee!) in the coming weeks on my polls.

And now the difference is just down to 2. We may have to call in the Georgia Secretary of State to conduct a hand recount!

Same as last season, I plan on having people turn in their ballots Monday morning (likely by 11 a.m. ET). I realize this is a tight turnaround after a full slate of Sunday games, but I want to preclude any undue influence from the AP poll that comes out around noon on Mondays.

 

[Lorcan]

I'd agree with that @Plebe.

So that I can be ready, when are we aiming to have the "Preseason Poll" out so that folks aren't unduly influenced by the AP?

 

[Plebe]

I'd agree with that @Plebe.

So that I can be ready, when are we aiming to have the "Preseason Poll" out so that folks aren't unduly influenced by the AP?

The AP preseason poll is already out. So that ship has already sailed.

As our fine colleague @triaddukefan pointed out, the call for votes has been issued (see here). Ballots are due on Monday, Nov. 23, at 11 a.m. ET.

 

[Plebe]

The poll is closed and we have a winner. "Every 2 weeks" edged out "Weekly" by a 29-23 margin (plus 2 votes for "Other").

Our biweekly poll will then be scheduled for every other Monday:

Preseason: November 23
Poll #2: December 7
Poll #3: December 21
Poll #4: January 4
Poll #5: January 18
Poll #6: February 1
Poll #7: February 15
Poll #8: March 1
Poll #9: March 15
(NCAA tournament scheduled from March 18 to April 4.)
Postseason poll: ?