Dave Hendrickson wrote:
>
>One could actually argue that the CCHA from top to bottom may be the >weakest
>league.  Their top is very strong, but their bottom is very weak.  This >is
>where historically Hockey East comes out on top.  Their bottom is much >closer
>to their top than other leagues.  Even in a down year, this seems to be >true.
>This is just off the top of my head, but you have last-place >Northeastern
>playing one-goal games against BU, the top team.  You have next to last
>Merrimack tying BU.  My guess -- and this is without checking >Michigan's
>schedule -- is that you wouldn't see the same thing with Michigan and >whoever
>the bottom two teams are in the CCHA.
>
 
I guess strength of league can be viewed in two different ways - (1)
strength of the best teams or (2) overall strength of all of the teams
in that league. I prefer to look at (1) while you are looking at (2).
I don't think any of the other leagues could compete with the top
of the CCHA.  I don't disagree that the bottom of the CCHA is
historically very weak - that is why I suspect the opponent's winning
percentage numbers are skewed for them.  This is exactly why one has
to be very careful when relying on statistics such as opponent's
winning percentage, strength of schedule, pairwise rankings and power
rankings.   There is a lot of potential for inaccuracy due to factors
such as the relative strengths of a particular conference.
 
Interestingly enough, you pointed exactly to why I think BU is
overrated.  They have struggled against inferior competition.  They
still seem to get up for the big games but they seem to be overlooking
the weaker teams.  And your own numbers beg the question - if BU's
opponents only have the 19th best winning percentage than why have
they struggled to win so many of these games - they should have a
much better record - wouldn't one think ????  I realize you could
say the same thing for Mich. St. and Lake St. and that is why I don't
think opponent's winning percentage is a good gauge.
 
Point :: Look at the teams as they stand and get off the numbers
kick!!!!!  (a lot of these stats are way overrated - pardon the pun!)
 
- Kevin
 
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"Some days are diamond, some days are stone... "