I know that it is a meaningless poll, much like the BCS.  But  being a college basektball fan, I do check the weekly Power 16 poll on ESPN.com, even if they seem to be doing their best to hide it.  Maybe you could mix in a static link?  I know you are trying to hit the younger crowd, but your website shouldn’t be like navigating a 12 year old girl’s MySpace page.

I also think it is interesting to check and see how each of their 12 voters ranked the teams.  This week, I was suprised to notice the list submitted by Hubert Davis, who is suddendly a College Basketball expert.  (A whole other rant, for a whole other time)

And before I break this down, under full disclosure, I am an IU grad.  I am a fan of IU Basketball. 

IU is currently ranked #10 & #9, yet we couldn’t make Hubert’s Top 16?  Really? 
Let’s take a closer look at Hubert “Mr. Expert” Davis’s Top 16.

1.   Kansas - No complaint.  Although, I was thinking he was going to be a UNC homer

2. UCLA - No complaint

3. Memphis - No complaint

4. UNC - No complaint

5. Tennessee - No complaint

6. Texas - Huh?  They are 13-3, and one of those losses was to the team you have ranked right BELOW THEM! 

7. Michigan State - Again, should be above Texas, a team they beat

8. Vanderbilt - Okay, I guess

9. Georgetown - Okay

10. Washington State - Okay

11. Duke - I don’t think you can turn in a College Basketball list into ESPN without Duke being on it.  They won’t allow it

12. Butler - Fine

13. Gonzaga - What?  This is the pick that made me confused.  I understand that you don’t want these lists to just be a copy of the Top 25.  But if you are doing a Top 16, shouldn’t all the teams at least be IN the top 25?  As of this printing, Gonzaga was not in either major Top 25 poll.  They were 13-4.  They received 2 votes in the AP Top 25, and none in the ESPN Coaches Top 25.  Hubert, explain yourself?  Was it their big win over Pepperdine that put them higher in your index? 

14. Mississippi - Sure they are 14-1, but I have $20, that nobody outside of Mississippi (Including Hubert) has seen more than 10 minutes of this team play

15. Texas A&M - #10 in the AP, #9 in the Coaches, #15 in Hubert’s.  Makes sense. 

16. Arizona State - Sure a good team with a good story, I guess, but they are ranked in the bottom of the Top 25.

Let’s look at who Hubert left off.

Indiana - I admitted that I was an Indiana fan.  But of the 12 experts that had a ballot, only Hubert did not have Indiana in his poll.  Shouldn’t that give you a strike?  Do this three times in the season, and you are out as an expert.  Digger marks hand with his highlighter and you are not let back in.  Indiana has not played anyone great yet, but they are also 14-1 (At the time of this poll) and a Top 10 team in both polls.  Do you really think that Gonzaga and Arizona State are better teams right now?  How come you are the only one?

Marquette?  Dayton?  Pittsburgh? 

Given the losses this weekend, I look forward to another Power 16 by Hubert Davis, where he puts Maryland in the Top 16, moves up UNC and leaves out Indiana and Marquette again.  Why not bring in Villanova or Rhode Island.  It will be like the YMCA of polls, everyone gets a turn and a trophy!