Poll Watch (2013-14 Edition)

[ShockerFever]

They're a long way from garbage. They're not nearly as good as their record says, and they're not as good as us, but they're a legitimate NCAA tournament team. And no NCAA tournament team qualifies as "garbage."

Ok, they're refined garbage.

They still haven't beaten anybody worth a sh*t yet. And once again, I'll point out they're in the awesome ACC and their SOS is still worse than ours. That tells you how atrocious their non-con slate was. And they didn't play a single true road game before conference.

[Rlh04d]

Ok, they're refined garbage.

They still haven't beaten anybody worth a sh*t yet. And once again, I'll point out they're in the awesome ACC and their SOS is still worse than ours. That tells you how atrocious their non-con slate was. And they didn't play a single true road game before conference.

The ACC hasn't had a chance to impact their SOS. Before Syracuse, their best ACC opponents were 7th and 8th in the conference with Maryland and Wake.

Their nonconference schedule is pathetic and embarrassing. But a poor schedule doesn't make them a poor team. You're making the EXACT same argument people are using against us -- except we have beaten at least two good teams and our schedule is stronger than theirs. Still the same argument.

[shox1989]

Doug Haller improves the Shockers 2 spots this week to #9 (right behind #8 Ku), He improves Nova one spot to #4 and Florida one spot to #5. He does include a nice picture on Baker and Coleby.

http://www.azcentral.com/insiders/doughaller/2014/01/19/this-weeks-ap-top-25-ballot-big-games-and-all-americans/

[shox1989]

It sounds like Geoff Grammer plans on keeping WSU at #7 on his ballot (he has kept WSU there for about 3 weeks now). He hasn't released his ballot yet but he just tweeted that he is moving Iowa up to #6 (he had Iowa at #8 last week). It sounds like he is going to have Iowa jump WSU. The tweet:

Still wrapping up my AP ballot, but so you know I'll have Iowa at No. 6 tomorrow morning.

[redsfan9988]

I'm wondering how far Wisconsin will fall. Ohio State went from 3 to 11 following two losses. Losing at home to a depleated Michigan team isn't good (though to be fair, Michigan is kicking a fair amount of ass lately).

We will be at #5, behind Nova. This will be a recurring theme until teams get their 2nd and 3rd losses. I guess the good news is that Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Ohio State, and Baylor all lost again this week. Florida is probably the last team with any chance to jump us if we stay unbeaten, and they're a stretch with 2 losses. Now we just wait around for Arizona, Cuse, MSU, and Nova to lose...

[shox1989]

Only 4 teams left with one loss: San Diego St, UMass, Villanova and Michigan St. Only 8 teams left with 2 losses: St. Louis, Wisconsin, PITT, Cincy, Florida, Stephen F. Austin, Toledo and Harvard.

[shox1989]

Geoff Grammer has finally posted his ballot and based on his earlier tweet he did keep WSU at #7. He improved Villanova from 6 to 5 and he improved Florida from 5 to 4. As he tweeted earlier, he moved Iowa (with 3 losses) from 8 to 6.

We have seen 9 ballots so far (out of 65) and based on those 9 ballots it does appear that Villanova is going to jump pass the Shockers. The Shockers gained only 8 points on those 9 ballots while Villanova gained 13 points. Since WSU was only ahead of Nova by 11 points, they have already made up half the ground they need on only 9 ballots. Villanova has 56 more ballots to make up the other 6 points.

While it looks pretty certain that WSU will stay at #5 in the AP poll, Villanova was much further behind the Shockers in the coaches poll, so there is an excellent chance the Shockers will move up to #4 in the coaches poll.

http://www.abqjournal.com/339804/sports/geoff-grammers-ap-top-25-mens-basketball-ballot-for-jan-20.html

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

The ACC hasn't had a chance to impact their SOS. Before Syracuse, their best ACC opponents were 7th and 8th in the conference with Maryland and Wake.

Their nonconference schedule is pathetic and embarrassing. But a poor schedule doesn't make them a poor team. You're making the EXACT same argument people are using against us -- except we have beaten at least two good teams and our schedule is stronger than theirs. Still the same argument.

Good points Rlh. I decided to leave Fever alone on this one. Does he ever run out of emotion based, logic lacking, mean spirited comments?

[pogo]

Logic does not have to exist in a fan based web site, but emotion based rational is not a bad thing to have. As far as mean spirited maybe but I think its more exuberance in the fact that we were down so long and its "good to be the king"....Mel Brooks

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Pogo, when you say that “logic does not have to exist in a fan based web site”, are you saying that 1+1=3 type of posts should get a pass? What about posters who yell and scream when the media judges WSU using a certain standard, then turn around and judge other teams by that exact same standard?

I think there are generally 3 types of message board posts.

The Analyzer - Comparison of stats, wins & losses. Arguments formed are well thought out

The Cheerleader - Hip hip hooray, go team go

The Emotional, inconsistent, logic lacking bully - You suck. They suck. We rule. We just beat a mediocre team, give us props. You won’t give us props? You suck you jerk. That team over there beat a mediocre team? Who cares? They suck big time. Did you just disagree with me? Well, you suck.

When I criticize people for illogical posts, I’m not asking them to use the scientific method and document their research. I don't even mind pure speculative opinions. I’m just asking them to stop being like the emotional bully described above.

[ccrunner101]

Soren Petro AP Ballot

1. Arizona
2. Syracuse
3. Michigan St.
4. Villanova
5. Wichita St.
6. Florida
7. San Diego St.
8. Kansas
9. Oklahoma St.
10. Wisconsin
11. Louisville
12. Iowa
13. Ohio St.
14. Michigan
15. Kentucky
16. Duke
17. Cincinnati
18. Pitt
19. Iowa St.
20. Massachussetts
21. Creighton
22. Gonzaga
23. Saint Louis
24. Xavier
25. Virginia

I rank schools one through fifty. Here is a list of other notable schools outside the top 25.

Big XII
30. Kansas St.
32. Baylor
37. Oklahoma
46. Texas

SEC
48. Missouri

[Rosewood]

Oh Soren. I expected better from you.

[ShockerFever]

Good points Rlh. I decided to leave Fever alone on this one. Does he ever run out of emotion based, logic lacking, mean spirited comments?

Nope. GFY.

[ShockerFever]

The ACC hasn't had a chance to impact their SOS. Before Syracuse, their best ACC opponents were 7th and 8th in the conference with Maryland and Wake.

Their nonconference schedule is pathetic and embarrassing. But a poor schedule doesn't make them a poor team. You're making the EXACT same argument people are using against us -- except we have beaten at least two good teams and our schedule is stronger than theirs. Still the same argument.

Except we haven't lost.

And again... ZERO Top 50 wins, as an ACC team. Weak.

[Cdizzle]

Their nonconference schedule is pathetic and embarrassing. But a poor schedule doesn't make them a poor team. You're making the EXACT same argument people are using against us -- except we have beaten at least two good teams and our schedule is stronger than theirs. Still the same argument.

Don't hate on someone's argument as "EXACTLY" the same as something and then put two very big exceptions after it. There is another element to this argument as well. I'm willing to bet Pitt could have put together a better schedule, perhaps a MUCH better schedule, if they had been interested. WSU could not.

They HAVE lost. They HAVEN'T beat anyone good. They intentionally scheduled a horrible non-conference schedule. What about that makes one think people should be nice to them?