Questions regarding 2007 Div. A and Div B polls

[Jolly Roger]

In reporting the poll please include the rank of the team in the previous poll.

Other ideas perhaps slightly off topic:

A poll related feature like "the hot team of the week" (or polling period) that highlights a team moving up a great deal - who they beat, where they stand in their conference.

As we get later in the season, maybe include a mock bracket based on the current poll.

[cjwilhelmi]

Release the pollster's individual poll the last week.

[DG]

We are still going to do a preseason poll.

The question is: Will voters use the preseason poll as the basis for their first votes, or will they throw it out and start again?

[gobblerlax05]

you never know!

[Kyle Berggren]

I'm torn on releasing the Voter's Individual Polls, but I think it does add quite a bit of accountability to what's going on.... Possibly a posting of all the voters polls, anonymously, but grouped by the #1 vote. As in all of the St. John's #1 votes would be together, Eckerd... Maybe by region of voter? Say keep the PNCLL voters together, WCLL, etc. It might deter voters from wanting to do it, but I don't think its a bad thing.

As far as the preseason poll being scrapped, I'd say it is. When we're making our Polls we're trying to adjust our own poll, using the National Poll to help guide us (as in If someone had a top 10 team at #25, that might be a heads up to re-evaluate). The release of constant polls, in my eyes, serves to keep voters moving in the right direction, provides some teams motivation & recognition of a job well done, but keeps the public in the loop & creates some drama/controversy.

[Kyle Berggren]

Sonny,

Is there any chance their could be a private voter discussion forum? Several times last year I really struggled to find some of the information I was looking for. It would have been nice to have a forum that had game scores (maybe even game descriptions) of top 25 teams & the bubble teams. If it was used by just the voters/moderators surfing for information wouldn't be very difficult, & asking questions about team strength & what's happening in a conference wouldn't be attacked & would hopefully be more objective. I'm sure it could have a new thread between the Polls & I know I'd use it. There are a lot of possibilities on how to supply the information, by conference, we could discuss the strengths of teams in the conference... I really like the possibilities.

Maybe the forum would be viewable by all, but only postable by voters. I don't like the idea, but depending on your take of posting the top 25 polls, it might be worth a look.

[Sonny]

Sonny,

Is there any chance their could be a private voter discussion forum? Several times last year I really struggled to find some of the information I was looking for. It would have been nice to have a forum that had game scores (maybe even game descriptions) of top 25 teams & the bubble teams. I'm sure it could have a new thread between the Polls & I know I'd use it.

Maybe the forum would be viewable by all, but only postable by voters. I don't like the idea, but depending on your take of posting the top 25 polls, it might be worth a look.

Not a bad idea.... However some voters do not participate in the message board. I'm not opposed to creating a new message board that is only viewable by the selected poll voters for 2007.

[Kyle Berggren]

I'm sure we could get at least 9 conference reps to enter their weekly scores & answer questions if we have them. Would the folks that don't participate in the message board be opposed to participating in private discussions, as in if the board were similar to the premium membership?

Last year there were a few times, I wanted to shoot myself trying to figure out what was going on in a conference or two, & I would have loved to have a few people respond to some questions I had. Getting to see teams from all the conferences play now has really helped, but I'm sure we'll have some 3 way win & losses again.

Also, I hope by suggesting this I'm not adding weeks of work to save me a couple hours of digging & frustration. I hope the benefits would outweigh the costs.

[culax]

That is a good idea Kyle. I am all for it.

[Zeuslax]

In may opinion the preseason polls are worthless at this level. There just isn't the resources to accurately confirm graduation impacts and incoming freshman. To create a top 25 team list would be a nightmare. Possibly a preseason top 10? If teams created lists of incoming freshman?

Had 2 cents laying around.............

[murphlaxtx]

That actually is a very good idea Kyle. I always look forward to seeing game write-ups as well.

[Moose]

I think a private poll voting forum is a fantastic idea. I would be happy to offer insight into the UMLL-B. I think open discussion among the decision makers with out public scrutiny will provide a much better poll. I am all for it if it can be done!

[mholtz]

I'd love to have more information to go on. I sometimes go and look at scores and see team X beat team Y by 3, and then lost to Team Z who lost to team Y, and it becomes a huge mess.

[murphlaxtx]

I haven't been a voter in the past but I would definitely like to be this year. It is a no-brainer that a voting forum will help a voter become more knowledgeable of other conferences. I also don't think it would be such a bad idea to have a conference "reporter" write up an article discussing past weekends results around their conference. I have often thought that that may help the LSA to get the word out a bit more as well. In a way, some conferences have that now, indirectly or not. Also, we could "try" to have that very write up posted in the local newspapers of each college involved. It may seem far-fetched to some, but I think it would be worth the effort.

[Kyle Berggren]

If people want to increase accountability would it be possible/helpful to post separately what they were voted... As in...

#1 Team A (2,2,2,2,2,1,2,2,2,2,2,2,2)
#2 Team B (1,1,1,1,1,25,1,1,1,1,1,1)

This is obviously an extreme & I'm unsure of if its a problem with our polls that needs to be addressed (or not)? Obviously the #1 spot is not exactly a great example because we know the number of votes, but I hope you get the idea. My fear would be that it would just create more controversy in the forums than anything else, & it may cause a bit of group think. For instance at one point (last season I believe), UPS received a 1st place vote. I'm pretty confident we wouldn't have gotten that vote if the voter would have seen how others were ranking UPS. In the very least I'd hope that it would create some doubt in a voters mind. Maybe something like that goes in the voter's forum, I don't know....