RPI (and more) 3/24/08

[shockfan89]

Thanks KC. Guess I just overlooked it earlier....

[SB Shock]

The RPI may be dropping, but how's WSU doing in the much more important "eye test" rankings?

Or does that only affect basketball?

I believe "eye test" only works for those in BCS conferences.

[shockfan89]

The RPI may be dropping, but how's WSU doing in the much more important "eye test" rankings?

Or does that only affect basketball?

I believe "eye test" only works for those in BCS conferences.

SB - Wouldn't you agree that if we have single-digit losses it really wouldn't matter what our RPI and/or SOS is?

[SB Shock]

The RPI may be dropping, but how's WSU doing in the much more important "eye test" rankings?

Or does that only affect basketball?

I believe "eye test" only works for those in BCS conferences.

SB - Wouldn't you agree that if we have single-digit losses it really wouldn't matter what our RPI and/or SOS is?

Let's just frame the implications of single-digits loss season - It's only been done once in WSU (Stephenson era) history. That was in 1998 with a 56-7 record.

If WSU did do that, that would mean WSU won a large majority of their mid-week games and rolled through the MVC. WSU RPI would be good. It might be even good enough for national seed considerations.

Bottom line is teams build a body of work over the season that consist of overall wins, non-conference record, conference finish, RPI, SOS, Polls, etc. It all matters. The more WSU excels in all areas, the more likely that they will be treated favorably.

Right know WSU has a discriminator working against them, they are 4-3 versus Top 50 (have not played against any 50-100). WSU is 13-0 verus 100+ competition. WSU record needs to improve their record against Top 100 competition. They will get that chance in the next several weeks.

[KC Shox]

The RPI may be dropping, but how's WSU doing in the much more important "eye test" rankings?

Or does that only affect basketball?

I believe "eye test" only works for those in BCS conferences.

SB - Wouldn't you agree that if we have single-digit losses it really wouldn't matter what our RPI and/or SOS is?

Let's just frame the implications of single-digits loss season - It's only been done once in WSU (Stephenson era) history. That was in 1998 with a 56-7 record.

If WSU did do that, that would mean WSU won a large majority of their mid-week games and rolled through the MVC. WSU RPI would be good. It might be even good enough for national seed considerations.

Bottom line is teams build a body of work over the season that consist of overall wins, non-conference record, conference finish, RPI, SOS, Polls, etc. It all matters. The more WSU excels in all areas, the more likely that they will be treated favorably.

Right know WSU has a discriminator working against them, they are 4-3 versus Top 50 (have not played against any 50-100). WSU is 13-0 verus 100+ competition. WSU record needs to improve their record against Top 100 competition. They will get that chance in the next several weeks.

I don't know how successful this team will be during mid-week games. Our mid-week starter still has a lot of improvement to be made, and unfortunately is being asked to go up against Big 12 and high RPI competition from here on out. Our offense is going to have to show up in order for us to win these games because I believe the mid-week pitching will get destroyed against these teams.

[haysdb]

Tim Kelley will be fine, and odds are good that most of our bullpen will be available mid-week, as our starters give us 7+ innings in our weekend series.

Our 5th starter is a bit more problematic, but no more so than any other team's 5th starter is likely to be. There will be some high-scoring games, but our offense this year is very explosive.

We start finding out this week.

[KC Shox]

Tim Kelley will be fine, and odds are good that most of our bullpen will be available mid-week, as our starters give us 7+ innings in our weekend series.

Our 5th starter is a bit more problematic, but no more so than any other team's 5th starter is likely to be. There will be some high-scoring games, but our offense this year is very explosive.

We start finding out this week.

From here on out, we have a lot of mid-week games where the Shox play on Tuesday and Wed. where as the Wed. team we will face will be the only game that team plays that week.

That means, we will be throwing a 5th starter to their number 4 guy. This will definitely put us in a pickle. We will definitely need the offense to show up in these Wed. games.

Wed. matchups where we will be throwing our number 5 to their number 4 will be against ORU, OU (2X), and OK State. I would hate to go 0-4 against these Oklahoma teams. That'll hurt.

[shockfan89]

Tim Kelley will be fine, and odds are good that most of our bullpen will be available mid-week, as our starters give us 7+ innings in our weekend series.

Our 5th starter is a bit more problematic, but no more so than any other team's 5th starter is likely to be. There will be some high-scoring games, but our offense this year is very explosive.

We start finding out this week.

From here on out, we have a lot of mid-week games where the Shox play on Tuesday and Wed. where as the Wed. team we will face will be the only game that team plays that week.

That means, we will be throwing a 5th starter to their number 4 guy. This will definitely put us in a pickle. We will definitely need the offense to show up in these Wed. games.

Wed. matchups where we will be throwing our number 5 to their number 4 will be against ORU, OU (2X), and OK State. I would hate to go 0-4 against these Oklahoma teams. That'll hurt.

We could even face a #1 or #2 guy on the Wednesdays. I don't think any of these teams are opposed to throwing one of their weekend guys on 3 days rest. In fact I know we have seen 2 days rest from OU a couple times in post season.

Example A: #1 guy starts Friday before us and then starts Wednesday against us and Sunday after us.
Example B: #2 guy starts Saturday before us and then starts Wednesday against us and Sunday after us.

[shock10]

13 ranked teams lost yesterday.

[haysdb]

Tell me how any of this is different than it ever has been? We're better off this year because everyone started on the same date.

We are seeing ranked teams taking more midweek loses than before, because it's IS hard to win two midweek games.

Two caveats:
1) Some teams crammed their early schedule so as to get caught up in a way that allows them to play 4 games per week. ASU has already played 25 games. NC has played 26.
2) Teams don't HAVE to play all of their games. I'm sure that some teams have made a calculated decision to play less than the allowed number of games so as to avoid having to play two midweek games.

[rrshock]

So the uniform start date actually favors the more northern schools then? Since everyone has to do what they've all been doing for so many years?

[t7017s]

The uniform start date doesnt not and isnt meant to favor anyone. Its simply to keep all teams on a fair and equal playing field.

[im4wsu]

The uniform start date doesnt not and isnt meant to favor anyone. Its simply to keep all teams on a fair and equal playing field.

Correct, but since the old system was clearly favoring the southern teams, the partial levelling of the playing field compared to the old system is a benefit to the northern teams.

[The Mad Hatter]

The uniform start date doesnt not and isnt meant to favor anyone. Its simply to keep all teams on a fair and equal playing field.

Correct, but since the old system was clearly favoring the southern teams, the partial levelling of the playing field compared to the old system is a benefit to the northern teams.

Yep, and there is a difference between favoring a group and benefiting a group previously hurt by the system.

Saying that the uniform start date favors Northern teams over Southern teams is like saying that the abolition of slavery favors blacks over whites.