>One more time Tony, I fail to see how I'm missing the point.
 
I'll try to explain, one more time, but this is getting a bit tedious.
 
No matter HOW accurate and dependable a ranking system is - no matter
HOW perfectly it depicts the relative qualities of all 54 teams based
on games that they have ALREADY played - it will NEVER be able to
predict with perfect reliability the outcome of FUTURE games.
 
Using the results of a game played on March 24 to claim that the
rankings released on March 20 were wrong or flawed isn't just bad
math, it's ignoring the entire point of ranking systems - which is to
rank teams based on PAST PERFORMANCE.  Any expectation of future
performance based on those rankings is simply that, an expectation.
 
That's why we play the games, T.N. - if a season's worth of rankings
could be 100% accurate in predicting the outcome of the tournament,
we wouldn't bother playing the tournament.
 
Once more, with feeling:
 
Rankings are based on PRIOR performance.
 
Prior performance will NEVER be a 100% accurate predictor of future
results, no matter how "good" your ranking system.
 
I look forward to your response completely disregarding everything
I've just said.  :-{)}
 
--
Jeffrey "Beeeej" Anbinder '94                     [log in to unmask]
Reunion Campaign Officer                          (work) 607-254-6106
Cornell University                                (fax) 607-254-7168
http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/jta1/
 
"Some people say that cats are sneaky, evil, and cruel.  True, and
they have many other fine qualities as well."
        - Missy Dizick
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.