I hate me-too posts, but since Deron called me an expert on HEAL, I'll
add ...
 
Ralph Baer's analysis is perfect.  Furthermore, I will confirm his
conjecture that the developers of HEAL wanted to reward playing a
strong schedule.
 
Many years ago, before HEAL, a few schools in Maine would pad their
schedules with games from weaker, often much smaller, schools (this
was basketball, if anyone wonders).  The Heal Point System was
developed to address this.  A component of HEAL, not used in my college
hockey ranking, also categorizes teams.  Again in Maine, a win over
large schools ("LL" then "A" now) received 40 points (toward the
preliminary index); a win over a smaller school only 30, 20 or 10.
 
Ralph Baer called himself "still a proponent of a 0.50, 0.25, 0.25 RPI-type
rating)".  So am I.  If someone reminds me later in the season, I'll be
happy to generate/compare RPI/HEAL/BAER rankings.
 
cheers,
wayne
 
Wayne T. Smith
Systems Group -- CAPS        internet: [log in to unmask]
University of Maine System   BITNET/CREN: WTS@MAINE
 
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