Matt Wickey ([log in to unmask]) wrote: >I agree with Mike and Nathan that Western Michigan hasn't received >the respect in the polls that it probably deserves. I also thought the >same of Bowling Green early on. However, I'm doing something this year >that is helping me understand the fundamentals of polls. This year I'm >taking part in the HOCKEY-L poll. And I would recommend it to anyone who >either complains about polls or otherwise has an interest. >Previously, if my team had a good weekend I would scan the polls the next >week and either celebrate their advances or be angered by the lack >of demonstrated respect. What I'm finding by taking part myself is that >there are more issues involved than I had thought. For example, if there >is a team that has done well on any weekend, I must consider: <snip> {you can read that for yourself} The problem I have with the approach discussed by Matt (which, I think is the approach used by most pollsters in almost every poll) is that it requires thought only once a year, when you conceive your "gong-in position" or "pre-season favorites" or whatever. Then it relies on a method of making little tweaks and deviations as you go (e.g., Team A was swept, so they go down, but it was on the road vs a tough opponent, so they don't go too far down, etc). That's fine and dandy if you've learned everything about each team before they play a game (= helluva scouting job!!). As you can guess, I don't think that is possible. Plus, teams change as players get hurt or heal, learn, or get suspended, or coaches tweak lines. A better approach, IMO, is to ask yourself the "300 games question": if two teams played 100 games at each home, and 100 at a neutral site, who'd have the most points (POINTS, not goals)? If you haven't seen a particular team, go by what you read on hockey-l or other sources. I know it's tough for us; my main argument is against the "profes- sional" pollsters who supposedly have an informed opinion (at least they supposedly have access to game tapes that we don't {with the possible except- ion of Mike Machnik ;^) }). I agree wholehartedly that participating in the polling procedure is good (flame away, because I haven't; then again, I haven't complained about the rankings either). Steve G HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.