>
> >  Rather than complain about Harvard, ask
> >  why Vermont isn't ranked above them ??
>
> Clearly, because Harvard has been a top ten
> team for a long time, while UVM has not.
>
> The national polls are just a ratification of the
> past: there isn't a single voter(1) who has seen
> enough games of enough teams to make a
> personal comparison of talent. So the typical vote
> is a measured and intelligent evaluation of the
> teams in one conference, and then a crib off the
> old poll for all the other teams.
>
> Yet another reason why national polls are a
> waste of time.
>
> Greg
> Malden
> Let's Go Red!
> (Anybody know any good anti-Wilfrid Laurier
> cheers?)
>
>
> (1) Not even Mike!  :^)
>
OK!
 
I've been reading alot about the polls over the last two days.  I also belong to a list for the Unversity of Wisconsin sports and there has been alot of debate about the bolw coalition and the polls and then mythical national championship.
 
For all but football the polls don't really mean that much, especially early in the year.  I can remember that in the last couple of years WI had preseason rankings in the top four or five (this was based on talent) but never measured up to that advanced billing.  A lot of times sports writers don't have the best information regarding all the teams.  This is especially relevent in hockey, which is a regional sport.  That's why I think that the coaches poll is a better poll (and it's those types that I usually look for).
 
All this doesn't really add to the discussion though.  What I was wondering was if there was an equivalent hockey poll like the New York Times Computer ranking for football.  Apparently there is some computer program NYT uses that takes into account strength of schedule and stats.  I've no idea how this works (I've no idea how the Inter-Net works!!!).  But I do remember that about in the middle ofthe season last year the Wisconsin football team was actually ranked by this poll as 5th (while the other polls had them in the middle teens).  If hockey had this things may equalize out.
 
I know that it doesn't bother me that UW isn't in the top ten (they don't belong there).  But I think they will be there before the end of the year and they will make it to the tourney.  That is what really matters, because the hot team can surface to win it all (LSSU in '94).
 
Anyway, that my rambling.
 
later
 
jd
ON WISCONSIN!
"No, no.  Just count the rings!"