Hosak8

Talk about a concise summary. Not to mention wrong.

Small matter, but the Cubs now pick 40th, instead of 39th, don't they? The Feliz signing dropped the Cubbies to 40th, I thought.

I think you're right, and I think he drops because of it. Lots of people will scoff at the idea of him passing up first round money, but the reality is that if he indeed goes to Vandy, he will spend his time playing in nicer parks in front of more fans and elevating his draft stock, all while getting an excellent education. Playing in college (assuming he develops as predicted) means less time in the minors. SEC stadiums may not all compare to newer AA and AAA parks, but they're mostly better than Rookie, Low A, and High A parks, where he'll spend 3 years anyway. Kid's a Commodore, I think. Don't waste the pick.

We're just gonna have to agree to disagree on this point. You see, you and I see things very differently. You actually think that formulas and algorithms are an accurate way to determine which is "the best team". You think that a formula that predicts who might win on a given night, irrespective of actual game conditions, matters. (Same with Meph and several others.) To some people, what happens on the field or court matters less than what a computer model says should happen. What you seemingly care about is the answer to the question "who is the best team?" I think that's a ridiculous question, and pretty irrelevant. There is no sports league that is set up to find out the answer to that question. Instead, they are set up to crown champions. Often, the champion of a league is not "the best". But, it doesn't matter. Champions matter. Now I realize that this seemingly began as a debate over which polls were better, but I sincerely don't really care. It is SSR's opinion that the SEC is "total ass". It is my opinion that he is wrong. He uses a computer that disregards reality (game conditions such as fatigue, home court advantage, etc..) and determines probabilities as a way of ranking teams to support him. I use polls that involve people watching real games, with real conditions, where wins and losses matter. You like his way. I like mine. You agree with people like Meph, who think that wins and losses are essentially arbitrary and meaningless, and that only being "the best team" matters. I believe that winning matters more that who was supposed to win. I believe that Championships mean more than being the best team. In your sterile little sports world, Houston will always be the best basketball team from 1983. In mine, NC State is the National Champion. And, that's okay with me.

It's clearly not coming from reality, or there is no way that WV or Xavier is ranked ahead of Tennessee.

Actually, it doesn't. From the site: "The first thing you should know about this system is that it is designed to be purely predictive. If you’re looking for a system that rates teams on how “good” their season has been, you’ve come to the wrong place" Purely predictive, and does not rate how good a team's season has been. Great way to dig until you find a poll that gives you the results you want.

Yep, 5 teams in the top 25 is "total ass". Come on, stop with the whining. Is the SEC the best conference in basketball? No way. But to call it "total ass" (as opposed to "down"- which is more accurate) is ignorant and absurd. 1 team in Pomeroy's top 25. Total Ass. 4 in the AP Top 25. 5 in the Coaches Poll. #1, #13, and #14 in the current Real Time RPI. Total Pwnd. Pomeroy is far superior to what you listed. Yeah... which explains why West Virginia and Xavier are both ranked ahead of a UT team who has beaten both teams... without JP Prince, and with Lofton enduring the worst slump of his career. That makes total sense. And, I am genuinely shocked that NSBB folks would lend credence to the Pomeroy Rankings.

I'm really just busting your balls. I think the Big blows, and would get their collective asses beaten in a conference matchup against the SEC, but I wouldn't really care. I'm not typically a rah-rah SEC guy, because I only really care about UT. The SEC being the best or not at anything isn't really all that important. I do find every other conference's "little man syndrome" and inferiority complexes humorous, however. It's not as bad here, but on Rivals... eesh.

Yep, 5 teams in the top 25 is "total ass". Come on, stop with the whining. Is the SEC the best conference in basketball? No way. But to call it "total ass" (as opposed to "down"- which is more accurate) is ignorant and absurd. 1 team in Pomeroy's top 25. Total Ass. 4 in the AP Top 25. 5 in the Coaches Poll. #1, #13, and #14 in the current Real Time RPI. Total Pwnd.

Duke, the number three team in the nation, is subpar? Haven't seen that much Duke discussion. With that said, I wouldn't call Duke subpar. Duke is very good, in fact. I'd also LOVE to play Duke, because they just do not match up well with UT. If Duke gets a 1 seed, and UT gets a 2, I pray that it's in the same region. I do NOT want to face Memphis, Kansas, UCLA, or maybe even UNC until the Final Four, if we can get there. Again, not suggesting that Duke is not good, because they clearly are. I just don't think they match up as well with us as some other teams do.

Yep, 5 teams in the top 25 is "total ass". Come on, stop with the whining. Is the SEC the best conference in basketball? No way. But to call it "total ass" (as opposed to "down"- which is more accurate) is ignorant and absurd.

Tenessee, basketball powerhouse, lol. Awww, that's cute. You lol'd. But, for the record, what is Illinois ranked? And, would you really want to see what would happen if UT and the Illini played this year?

Sorry, but no chance on that. 3 exempt guys for Reyes and garbage? Can't possibly happen. Hardy will be my SS. In that offense, if he stays healthy, he can put up Top 5 SS numbers, and he's exempt. SS is not a concern. 1B, and corner OF are, though. Looks like I'm gonna have to wait and see who gets released, and upgrade through the draft. It was worth a shot, though.

We interrupt this thread on really boring Big 10 and Mid Major teams to bring you the following report: Tennessee gets their first win in Tuscaloosa in 10 years. And, don't look now, but Chris Lofton finally looks like Chris Lofton. We now return you to your discussion on really boring, subpar basketball teams. (Kansas and UCLA excluded.)

I made you an offer. No, not for Pujols. Small offer, but it works. If you want my #1, it's gonna cost you Johan. But, Johan for one of my exempt pitchers, an exempt OF and a #1, and you might have a deal.

Not bad at all! Now down to 40 with the Feliz signing.

SoCal also noticed that the waiver order is not at all congruent with how teams finished the 2007 season, so I wanted to double check and make sure that the waiver order is not the draft order. If not, great. If it is, how did the teams that were the 2 worst end up drafting 6th and 7th? Just curious...

Junk? Points exempt players are "junk"? Your roster is about to be decimated. So, you keep Vlad, Reyes, Bedard and Blalock, and that is your 1800 points there. Your SP will be especially bad. Garko is exempt and is a solid backup 1B, and Hardy is also a solid exempt SS. I could add a pitcher... Plus, I don't think that you draft 8th. I think that the waiver order got screwed up a bit. I should be drafting 2nd.

1800. You have ALOT of decisions to make. :wink:

Few points: 1) Greene overrated? By who? I don't even see him rated/talked about that much. 2) What makes you think he'd hit top of order? 3) We went down in 3 straight, not 4. Yeah Greene would probably hit 7th or 8th for the Cubs depending on if you want him to hit infront or behind Pie. If the Cubs aquired Greene and Pie has a half decent season the depth of the lineup would be unreal. If the cubs acquire Greene and not Roberts, Greene hits 5th or 6th in our lineup (where he hit last year), not 7th or 8th. Soriano Fukudome Lee ARam Greene Soto Pie DeRosa Thats how I'd do it. Not at all sure I'd hit Derosa 8th in that lineup. 6th perhaps, but not 8th.

Any interest in the offer I made you last week? I haven't even looked at the league since around the end of last season. I'll try to remember to check it when I get home. Sounds good. I can be convinced to tweak it a little, if necessary.

Any interest in the offer I made you last week?

Good game by UK tonight. UK won this game by doing exactly what they had to do. They controlled the tempo, handled the press, and pounded the ball into Patterson (who is the best big we've faced since Oden). And let no one, anywhere- ever- suggest that Rupp is not one of the most difficult places for an opponent to win a game in conference. Okay, continue your Big 10 pissing match.

NOT SO FAST. UK is playing good basketball right now.

Good half of basketball. Kentucky's lack of depth is going to be their undoing. Tennessee by 15 is my guess.