Week 2: Big 12 Power Rankings

I almost did not write this, I have a view that has not been expressed…I think.

I do not have much value for SOS, per se. I think it is a contrivance to make up for questions that arise from head-to-head play off. Perhaps, as London mentioned in his opening remarks with his first charts, sportswriters use it as a device to justify their words.

For it to have value it must have a purpose. The BCS and guys like Jeff Sagarin use it to try to determine team rankings. There is a significant difference in their purpose and as a result a significant difference in their value.

The BCS ranking is a definition. It is part of a formula that defines a process leading to selection of a game for National Champion. If your team gets in that game and wins, TA DA, by definition you are the champ. In short, it is the BCS NC Selecton Rule. Meet this criteria and we will give you a trophy. /s/ BCS.

Sagarins’ rankings have a different purpose. They are not part of the BCS ranking to determine National Champion so in that context they do not count, they do not have value. They ARE entertainment in their own right, they serve to provide a different perspective for the fans on the same subject…controversy + entertainment = a good livelyhood and fame.

Having said all that, I have to admit that I like Sagarin’s system better. But I like numbers and math and processing data outside of judgement before I try to make a judgement. LOL, I do recognize the conflicting thinking implied by the judgemental aspects of Sagarin’s system. It is strongly weighted by the various polls…coach or writers simply saying I think team A is stronger than team B.

The BCS ranking system exists in its current form, I think, because we cannot decide, on the basis of who wins a series of games, which team is stronger:

Think like this, event—-then conclusion.

Team A beats Team B….Team A is stronger than Team B.
Team B beats Team C…Team B is stronger than Team C.
Team C beats Team A…Uh Oh ! I am confused.

Oh, I can fix this, lets use margin of victory !!

Team A beats Team B by 2…Team A is stronger than Team B by 2
Team B beats Team C by 2…Team B is stronger than Team C by 2
and it looks as if Team A is stronger than Team C by…4 ???

What ever happens when Team A plays Team C is impactful on thinking about the measurement system. If the result does not match the logic, we will try to change the system to fit…but it is impossible. It only works when the teams are indeed absolutely stronger and that they play to their strength every game AND that every game is perfectly played and referee’d. Humans do not do that very often.

No where in sports is this more discussed than in college football. And no where to my observation is there such an effort to justify a team’s ranking in spite of the rules. LOL, can you imagine, Tiger Woods not winning a match then pointing out that he should have won but did not because the rules did not recognize that he is the best player in all the world…according to the media ranking system.

I think it is time for me to stop now…any help will be appreciated…I am clearly a lost cause.