OT: Maybe it’s time to get rid of the AP Poll once and for all - Awful Announcing

[BRS24]

Maybe it's time to get rid of the AP Poll once and for all

The AP Poll made sense in 1936 but doesn't work today. Beat writers can't watch every team, yet they're asked to rank 25 programs every week.

awfulannouncing.com

I posted this in the Football forum, and there's also some truth to it for hoop.

Beat writers aren't up to speed on the top 30-ish teams, never mind all 136 of them. In addition, there are probably a bunch of relatively inexperienced writers that are poll voters, so that complicates the whole deal.

And in M&WBB polls, there's always some head scratching votes. And yes, I will homer this one up, especially when UConn teams drop significantly after a loss that isn't a huge surprise.

 

[Vowelguy]

Terrible idea

 

[VaConnFan11]

Why do polls still exist when everything is settled on the field or the court?

 

[HuskyNan]

Polls are totally irrelevant to the game similar to the myriad Best Point Guard/Center/Freshman/Transfer lists that get posted during the season. They’re opinions for fans to debate, nothing more. Let them continue. At least they get the sport more media coverage

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Yup, Nan, polls feed fan interest and the occasional fist fight at O'Malleys.

 

[Vowelguy]

Why do polls still exist when everything is settled on the field or the court?

Suppose you’re a new or casual fan. How do you know which teams to follow? Which games to watch?

 

[MooseJaw]

Maybe it's time to get rid of the AP Poll once and for all

The AP Poll made sense in 1936 but doesn't work today. Beat writers can't watch every team, yet they're asked to rank 25 programs every week.

awfulannouncing.com

I posted this in the Football forum, and there's also some truth to it for hoop.

Beat writers aren't up to speed on the top 30-ish teams, never mind all 136 of them. In addition, there are probably a bunch of relatively inexperienced writers that are poll voters, so that complicates the whole deal.

And in M&WBB polls, there's always some head scratching votes. And yes, I will homer this one up, especially when UConn teams drop significantly after a loss that isn't a huge surprise.

Big problem in our society, You don't like something or agree with something it must be bad, it must be stupid. I was taught if you see a problem come up with a better solution or a better way. Many of us here are not fans of the the poll ranking or manner in which it is handled. That said, what is your solution? Easy to put out your post, just want to know what you want instead.
No matter what the poll says, most have differences one way or another. We disagree by a few slots, so what, maybe we are wrong maybe they are wrong. Does it make that big a difference? Plus, it gives us something to rally around, something to debate. Is that such a bad deal. We spend a fair bit of time debating the results, we bond over our thoughts, Big question, does it really seem to be a problem, or something that can be frustrating and doesn't agree with perceived results. I say keep it, if nothing else we can beat it nearly to death.

 

[VaConnFan11]

Suppose you’re a new or casual fan. How do you know which teams to follow? Which games to watch?

So you're saying that a new or casual fan can only follow good teams and can only watch games involving good teams?

 

[Bone Dog]

So you're saying that a new or casual fan can only follow good teams and can only watch games involving good teams?

There is something to be said for watching terrible teams. As a grad student at UCIrvine in the '80s, my friends and I would often drive up to Anaheim for Angels games. Bleachers tickets cost $5 and the hotdogs were pretty good. But the best part was that every game was fun because either they were playing a team as bad as they were, in which case it would be a close contest, or they were playing a good team, in which case you'd get to see a good team stomp on the Angels.

 

[JavaMan]

“For every problem under the sun
there is a solution or there is none.
If there is one go and find it.
If there isn’t, never mind it.”
-Original author unknown.

 

[MooseJaw]

“For every problem under the sun
there is a solution or there is none.
If there is one go and find it.
If there isn’t, never mind it.”
-Original author unknown.

Thank you, the same thought said much better than I did.

 

[Sifaka]

“For every problem under the sun
there is a solution or there is none.
If there is one go and find it.
If there isn’t, never mind it.”
-Original author unknown.

“There is always a well-known solution to every human problem—neat, plausible and wrong.”
—H.L. Mencken

 

[Suebird10fan]

There is something to be said for watching terrible teams. As a grad student at UCIrvine in the '80s, my friends and I would often drive up to Anaheim for Angels games. Bleachers tickets cost $5 and the hotdogs were pretty good. But the best part was that every game was fun because either they were playing a team as bad as they were, in which case it would be a close contest, or they were playing a good team, in which case you'd get to see a good team stomp on the Angels.

In 82 the cheap bleacher seats at Fenway were $2! I think they went up to $3 in my second year in Boston.

As far as getting rid of AP poll … no opinion.