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A complicated algorithm is going to be the best way. It's too bad people are too stupid to accept it. A lot of the posters here included. Interesting. Something tells me it wouldn't be nearly as exciting as the playoffs, though. :D

Actually I do. The line of logic (well lack of) does make me laugh. Good point. Since a team beats another 4 games to 3 why rely on that small sample size to determine who wins the world series or one stupid game in the Super Bowl. Hey genius, you may have something there. Its posts like this that make me laugh. That's nice. I'd make a post like that too if I were in your situation. Of course that's usually your type of response, isn't it? You didn't make an argument. You just supported mine. You defended your argument by supporting mine. What do I need to say? You said we should rely more on limited samples because they're all we have. Then you pointed out instances where relying on limited sample sizes has been erroneous (see Cardinals 2006 WS title). You just made my point and defeated your own argument. Thanks. So this brings us back to my earlier question you never answered. If a playoff system and a poll system are both poor, how would you crown a champion?

And Auburn gets more votes than South Florida in the good ole boy poll. The easy answer to this is to eliminate the polls altogether (long overdue) and institute a playoff system. Zero chance of it happening though. This isn't going to produce the best team. It'll produce the most deserving. That's not always the most talented team. It doesn't produce the most deserving either. It produces a winner and the system does it now. what's the difference? both are poor ways. If a playoff system and a poll system are both bad ways, tell me a good one.

And Auburn gets more votes than South Florida in the good ole boy poll. The easy answer to this is to eliminate the polls altogether (long overdue) and institute a playoff system. Zero chance of it happening though. This isn't going to produce the best team. It'll produce the most deserving. That's not always the most talented team.

And Auburn gets more votes than South Florida in the good ole boy poll. The easy answer to this is to eliminate the polls altogether (long overdue) and institute a playoff system. Zero chance of it happening though.

no they don't. they usually play one good team, and almost always lose. they get credit for having a tough schedule for playing in the SEC, but people lose track of the fact that Kentucky, Ole Miss, Vandy, SC, are in the conference, just like NW, U of IU, and IU are in to the big 10. they miss that Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, MSU, Georgia and Auburn are often hit or miss, just as MSU, Purdue, Iowa, and Minnesota are in the Big Ten. same statement could be made about your precious Big East. all in all, you can say that the SEC gets too much credit as compared to the Big Ten, as the Big Ten does to the Big East. at the same time, it's pretty silly to continue to try to make the case that the Big East is better than the Big Ten top to bottom, or that their top teams are so obviously better than the Big Tens top teams. it would be like a Big Ten fan trying to make those cases about the SEC. you are right that conventional wisdom sucks, but you misuse the 'convential wisdom sucks' argument year after year. We play a top team once each year and you make it sound like we're never competitive with them. Granted, we do have a 2-4 record in those games, but keep in mind one of those games was that great Miami team in 02 and two games with a very athletic Cal team. Our wins were a blowout over Cal last year and a win in 03 at Miami (who finished in the top 10). The losses were to #1 Miami, Notre Dame (by four points with our third string QB in the game) and Notre Dame again in 05. "Almost always lose" sounds like we just roll over for the good teams we play. That's simply not true. Also, I would take South Carolina and Kentucky the past two years over Indiana and Illinois any day. And Tennessee only plays Ole Miss every few years.

doesn't change your unequal treatment of Georgia and Tennessee. you complain about the pollsters, but have no problem that Tennessee continuously is kept in the top 25 and goes to good bowl games despite 4 loss seasons. it's just not consistent. Of the past 6 seasons, we've had three of three losses or less and three of four or more. One of those 4+ loss seasons was the 5-6 year - which was awful - and another was 2002 after a near National Championship appearance and the loss of multiple key players including our top two receivers and our best linebacker. The third four loss season was last year and the fourth loss didn't come until the bowl game. Before that, our losses were to Florida (Nat'l Champs), Arkansas (SEC West champs) and LSU. Two of those three (Fla and LSU) we lost by single digits in the final seconds. I fail to see how we're not top 25 quality. And in the three 4+ loss seasons, the bowls we made were Peach (02), none (05) and Outback (06). In the three or less loss seasons, we made the Outback (01), Peach (02 - when our third loss didn't come until the bowl) and Cotton (04). The best bowl we've made in that stretch is the Outback twice. Both appearances are easily justifiable and deserved. If anything, we should have had better bowls in 01 and maybe 02. Just for the record too, Georgia hasn't proven time and again that they are overrated. They're very talented, but also very young.

Auburn is not a good football team. There's a reason they didn't get that much media attention to start the year. Brandon Cox is mediocre at best, Brad Lester has yet to impress and the offensive line isn't close to what it was in recent years. The defense is about the only bright spot for the Tigers, but even that will deteriorate if the offense can't put together any drives. I've been saying since late last year, Auburn is not one of the better teams in the SEC right now. No, Brad Lester hasn't impressed, but he hasn't set foot ont he field this year either because of suspension..so that makes it difficult. If one watched the game last night, they realized that Auburn does have a running game when and only when Mario Fannin is in the game. He's a freshmen, didn't carry the ball against K-State, but he waits on holes to open and then explodes through them. They put together several nice drives with Fannan at RB. Fannin and Ben Tate alternated drives in the first half and Auburn led the game at that point. Ben looked much better when he ran the ball only every other drive. Fannin opened the second half with two fumbles and both were lost. Tubberville didn't give him another drive for the remanider of the game. Ben Tate is big and strong, but he looked very slow last night..all that said, Auburn wasn't able to run the ball in the second half. BTW, Brad Lester may or may not play this year. Brandon Cox isn't mediocre. He is poor. After two years of being immoble in the pocket and taking A LOT of unnecessary sacks, he finally looks scared back there. He won't stand he ground, step into a pass if he sees he is about to get hit....He ducked about 4-5 times last night AS HE WAS THROWING THE BALL. No, I've said since the offseason that Auburn is quite a bit worse than LSU or Florida this year. I believe they are capable of beating all other SEC teams. They had more talent than South Florida last night. 5 turnovers in the second half will cause some problems. If 1) Mario Fannin gets more reps at RB and is able to hold on to the football or 2) Brad Lester is cleared to play in the next few weeks, then there will not be as much pressure on Cox and Auburn will have a chance against all teams other than Florida and LSU on their schedule. I really hope Tuberville just gives up on Cox and starts freshman Kodi Burns later this year. I'd like to get a head start on '08, and Tubberville must know that Brandon Cox lost Auburn the game last night and will be the primary factor in other losses this year if he continues to play. Edit - in case i didn't make it clear, Brad Lester again did not play last evening because of suspension. Trey Blackmon, Auburn's best linebacker, also missed this game because of injury but should be back next week. I guess that would be why Lester hasn't been impressive then. :oops: I do think Cox can be a mediocre QB that doesn't do anything to hurt you, but also can't help you much. He just needs ample weapons around him and a great offensive line to protect him. In the current situation, though, you're right. He's pretty poor.

Best team in the nation without a doubt right now. Or, Va Tech was incredibly overrated (possible after their poor showing against ECU last week). The SEC East teams are basically playing for the right to be the second best team in the SEC this year. I highly doubt any of them can beat LSU in the championship game.

Auburn is not a good football team. There's a reason they didn't get that much media attention to start the year. Brandon Cox is mediocre at best, Brad Lester has yet to impress and the offensive line isn't close to what it was in recent years. The defense is about the only bright spot for the Tigers, but even that will deteriorate if the offense can't put together any drives. I've been saying since late last year, Auburn is not one of the better teams in the SEC right now.

Not to make excuses for Tennessee, but Southern Miss played a terrific first half. Damion Fletcher is a very good tailback and Jeremy Young simply didn't make any mistakes in the first half. Southern Miss has a good first string - they're problem is that they have little quality depth. The game went about like I expected, they kept it close until our superior depth started making a difference. But, if we play Florida like we did Cal or the first half today, we won't win the game.

Recently, I suppose so. I didn't think much of Georgia last year, but they were impressive in their last several games and salvaged a good season out of what could have been a nightmare. For that reason, and considering they had a lot of young players at key positions that were sure to improve, I was pretty high on Georgia this season. Right now I'm not sure whether I overrated them or should have given South Carolina more credit. Georgia sure does seem prone to disappearing offense, though. The offense tends to dissapear sometimes because they're so young. Matthew Stafford (QB) is just a sophomore, their top receiver (Mohammed Mossaquoi) is playing his second full year, and they're relying heavily on a relatively new offensive line and a freshman getting a lot of playing time at tailback (Knowshon Moreno). The Bulldogs will have their ups and downs this year - they're still young but extremely talented. Watch out next year, though, they'll be part of a much improved SEC East.

I'm not going to watch this game any more. I turn away and MTSU scores on a huge play, I turn back to it, Louisville is about to score. Back to the Colts/Saints for me I guess.

This wouldn't come the least bit close to the App. State over Michigan upset, but it would still be pretty huge. Mediocre, fairly new to D-1 Sun Belt team over a legit national title contender? That would be big. Most likely not going to happen though. :(

How bout that? I change the channel to check on the Colt game and MTSU jumps right back into it. Just my opinion, but I would have gone for two there. Not getting it still leaves you within a TD and a FG, while kicking it still leaves you down two scores. I see no reason not to go for the two.

Looking bad for MTSU now. 51-35 Louisville heading to the fourth quarter. The Blue Raiders have played hard, but it looks like superior depth and talent is going to overcome them.

Now 41-35 Louisville. Twice now the MTSU defense has stopped the Cardinals when they've had first down at the Raider 10 or less and held them to a field goal. I'm starting to get excited that MTSU might pull the upset. :D One problem with this game is that it's pulling some of my interest away from the Saints/Colts game. I'm having issues figuring out which to watch.

It may have to. 28-21 Louisville at the end of the first quarter. Far as I can tell, neither team has punted. 541 yards of total offense - in one quarter. :shock:

I fully expect Louisville to eventually blow away MTSU, but I'm liking seeing the Blue Raiders hanging in for a while. Just a two touchdown difference late in the first.

If not, he could be a substitute if someone has an "injury"...right? Doesn't Pagan's injury allow us to add another position player to the postseason roster? Or is that only if Pagan goes on the 60-day DL?

Yep. Gotta like your chances against Kent State. I'm really looking forward to the Kentucky/Louisville game. It should be a major shootout.

Fear their running back. BenJarvus Green-Ellis is one of the better tailbacks in the SEC. Their tight end, Robert Lane, is also pretty good. Generally, not much to be worried about offensively. Not sure about their defense, but it's nothing special overall after losing Patrick Willis.

Kroeger's hurt and out for the year (I'm almost positive). Not sure why they went with Fuld over Craig though - maybe they want another center fielder, which would mean Fuld. Craig doesn't play OF (who might still be viewed as roster filler) and Kroeger is a corner OF so that's probably why they went with Fuld (also, I'm not sure how the org views Kroeger). Kroeger did come back healthy. Ok, my mistake. Thanks for correcting me.

Tennessee had best win Saturday since I'll be at the game covering it. After that egg the defense laid against Cal, I'm hoping they can handle Damion Fletcher - who is a dang good running back for the Golden Eagles. 35-17 Tennessee

The positive thing is, at least Owings could be a real hitter. :?