The FINAL USA Today poll

[governmentmule]

but they did better than the other 11

 

[Amb3096]

but they did better than the other 11

That they did. I really did think they were going to make it all the way to the final.

 

[governmentmule]

I know they were doing so much better,then everybody gets banged up,like they say,nothing is ever easy

 

[jsc1973]

We were the highest ranked team with the most losses(14). Only Oklahoma & Washington were even close to us in losses. The both had 11 losses. How much would you'll bet the #19 final ranking with that many losses was based on program tradition even though we made the Elite 8?

Any team that makes the Elite Eight is going to be ranked in a post-tournament poll, and Tennessee didn't skate there because of someone else's upset, they beat three good teams to get there. A team with 14 losses against the nation's toughest schedule is going to get some leeway anyhow.

 

[tonybologna]

Any team that makes the Elite Eight is going to be ranked in a post-tournament poll, and Tennessee didn't skate there because of someone else's upset, they beat three good teams to get there. A team with 14 losses against the nation's toughest schedule is going to get some leeway anyhow.

I know what you're saying but our program tradition still had something to do with it. Our program tradition also kept us in the rankings towards the end of the year when we should have been out of the polls long before that. We didn't drop out of the top 25 until our 12th loss I believe.

Do you think any other SEC team would still have been ranked with 12 losses? Or, you could go even a little further. Do you think any team in the country would be ranked in the top 25 with 12 losses?

 

[governmentmule]

were back to the strength of schedule Tony,they did have some very good wins and some dumb loses
but it is a tournament driven league,all you need is to make the tournament,which they did and perform well then,which they did,until the injuries happened in one night

then they fell apart,which shouldn't of happened

 

[DR2]

hmmm 19th ? didn't they make the Elite 8 ? so there is only 6 or 7 better by how they finished

Interesting if skewed illogic. Throw out the regular season and just go by how the teams danced.

Generally the pollsters do give the regular season some wee bit of consideration, which is why Baylor finished 4th in the Coaches poll in 2013 even though by your reasoning they would have been at best 17th. In 2009 the LVs were in the 28th position in the Coaches poll in April, and even a 33rd would have been a very kind gesture after a 15 point loss to the BS Cardinals. In 1999 after an earlier than expected exit in the Elite 8, the LVs finished at #2 in the Coaches poll, 8 places ahead of the Duke team that eliminated them and played in the NC game. Were you yelping that the Devils and LVs should change positions back then?

The regular season should still get a lot of consideration since it makes up anywhere from 84% to 98% of the schedule for teams with postseasons. The LVs do get a break because of a strong schedule, but it certainly wasn't a #1 SOS except in brain-damaged RPI which had ND and Baylor as the by far two top rated teams (the LVs were #28). Pathetic, the two best RPI teams didn't even get to the FF. The best SOS ratings come from Massey, which rates teams like the LVs weighted to who they played at around their own level, so playing a crappier Stetson or Central Arkansas team is a tiny blip on the SOS. The LVs had a strong SOS rated at #7 in Massey, and it also ranked the LVs at the same #19 spot they finished at in Coaches. With RPI a big factor is who your third cousin's grandmother's hairdresser's best friend from nursery school played, hence the brain damaged results.

 

[governmentmule]

what do you mean skewed ?

there is a regular season poll,which is about right for them,but this is the final poll,which means there top 8 by the teams they beat in the Tournament

now that makes sense to me

 

[DR2]

what do you mean skewed ?

there is a regular season poll,which is about right for them,but this is the final poll,which means there top 8 by the teams they beat in the Tournament

now that makes sense to me

Um, ok, whatever. So the 1998-99 LVs of Holdsclaw's senior year were maybe a 9th ranked team at best for the year and you can toss the 31-3 record and SEC championship. I guess, sort of. k:

 

[governmentmule]

but I'm right

if you make the Elite 8 your better than the losers in the Sweet 16 :hi:

or so i think anyway lol

 

[PointGuard]

We were the highest ranked team with the most losses(14). Only Oklahoma & Washington were even close to us in losses. The both had 11 losses. How much would you'll bet the #19 final ranking with that many losses was based on program tradition even though we made the Elite 8?

Right. Bash, 10.3 points past season getting drafted tonight. No one coming in to make that up. How many more shots will DD have to take to make that up?

EDIT: Got called away couldn't finish my thought. Vols get a lot of slack on many fronts based on tradition.

Under the heading of "Players Not Developed" by Coaching Staff how will this team, with the departure of Bash, do anywhere near as well next season especially if DD reverts to her usual in season form.

No 2017 recruits? Fuhgetaboutit.

 

[PointGuard]

but I'm right

if you make the Elite 8 your better than the losers in the Sweet 16 :hi:

or so i think anyway lol

I think there is some room for discussion based on the Brackett set-ups.

But aside, I will maintain until the day I die that the Vols should have beaten Cuse.

 

[tonybologna]

I think there is some room for discussion based on the Brackett set-ups.

But aside, I will maintain until the day I die that the Vols should have beaten Cuse.

We had the better talent but they kicked our rear ends on that night. Play that same team again & yes we might be able to have beat them. That's the way it happens sometimes.