Ladies and gentlemen, the following public service message is brought to you by your friends from D-Generation X, who would like to remind each and every one of you that if you're not down with that, we've got two words for you... Last couple of years on this site, I've done your basic BCS projections and analysis. It was fun to do, but it just started to get blah after a while. So this year, after finding this bit Mayhem posted (The W) a few pages back in the forum a couple of weeks ago, I decided to try the experiment of applying the BCS model to the NFL on a weekly basis and see how it would compare to crowning division champions and wild-cards based on records and tiebreakers.
I made a couple of deviations from the model the crack ESPN team used in its article last year (sports.espn.go.com). I replaced the Pro Football Weekly poll with the USA Today poll (usatoday.com), since it's the only poll I could find that publishes its point totals in addition to its rankings. (Points, rather than rankings, are the true methodology by which the actual BCS determines poll percentages.) I also needed to replace the Gabrielle ratings (since he seemingly no longer publishes them), and I chose to replace them with the Football Outsiders DVOA ratings (footballoutsiders.com) a lot of us are familiar with. Other than that I stuck to the model ESPN established. (I would, however, like to replace ESPN's power rankings next year with another's that publishes its points.)
You can view the results here. (They're small PDF files.)
There's a number of ways you could apply these results - for instance, you could follow the BCS model and use this to set the Super Bowl immediately following the 17-week regular season, pitting #1 against #2. But what's the fun in that? ;-)
What's more interesting is to stay true to the series part of the title and use the results to fill in a traditional 12-team NFL playoff bracket, only with conference divisions discarded and the bracket more traditionally structured like in the NCAA basketball tournament. (This is compared with the existing structure where each conference's top seed is guaranteed to face the lower seed to emerge victorious in the wild-card round.)
Comments? Suggestions? Death threats for my attempt to sully reality with a hated system? ;-)
smark/net attack Advisory System Status is: Elevated (Holds; June 18, 2006) While the switch from Cena to RVD should alleviate some complaints, the inevitability of the belt's return to Cena (note where Summerslam is this year) and the poor initial showing by the new ECW are enough to keep the indicator where it is for now. The pieces are in place, though, especially on RAW, for improvements to be made to the IWC's psyche in the near future.
I love the potential matchups that playoff bracket suggests. Now that would make for some interesting games, with teams you don't usually see play each other. Also would leave the possibility for the 'real' Super Bowl of New England vs. Indy to be a reality. THAT would be a huge bowl of awesome.
"As you may have read in Robert Parker's Wine Newsletter, 'Donaghy Estates tastes like the urine of Satan, after a hefty portion of asparagus.'" Jack Donaghy, 30 Rock
Ladies and gentlemen, the following public service message is brought to you by your friends from D-Generation X, who would like to remind each and every one of you that if you're not down with that, we've got two words for you... Here's Week 7 of the SBCS rankings.
Man, my boys got hammered on both sides for the loss to Detroit. Glad to see that the Outsiders are doing the sensible thing and keeping them ranked high. ;-)
smark/net attack Advisory System Status is: Elevated (Holds; June 18, 2006) While the switch from Cena to RVD should alleviate some complaints, the inevitability of the belt's return to Cena (note where Summerslam is this year) and the poor initial showing by the new ECW are enough to keep the indicator where it is for now. The pieces are in place, though, especially on RAW, for improvements to be made to the IWC's psyche in the near future.
Well, the first part of your wish is granted. Joseph FINALLY signed for five years, $6.95 million. As for Dayne, I think he'd be much better off if it wasn't for Tiki Barber. Dayne's the kind of guy who needs lots of rushes to be effective.