> We are making this more complicated than it needs to be.  From what I
> understand, the selection process for at-large bids is supposed to be based
> on the power ratings that a computer spits out.  Strictly by the numbers.
 
You understand wrong.  See
<http://www.ncaa.org/news/19980803/active/3529n17.html>, which states
 
     In addition to revising one of its selection criteria, the
     committee noted that it reserves the right to evaluate each
     team based on the relative strength of their respective
     conference using the overall conference ratings percentage
     index (RPI) in determining competitive equity.
 
The committee's procedure for this year involves using pairwise
comparisons, which are based on RPI, and compensating for the
inadequacies of the latter by hand.  I would also like to see the
system approved for next year so that the "competitive equity"
determination is not neccessary.
 
                                          John Whelan, Cornell '91
                                                  [log in to unmask]
                                     http://www.amurgsval.org/joe/
 
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