What do you think of the season-ending "Power Polls" (1 Viewer)

[Raider Nation]

Was listening to ESPN radio yesterday. Jeff Rickert (WHO?!?!?!) was hosting the SportsBash program. He gave us his final "power poll" of the season. The Chargers were ranked #1, and the Colts were #2. Now I understand this guy is a nobody, and ten years from now nobody will give a hoot about anyone's power poll.

But he isn't the first person to mention that Indy isn't the #1 team right now in those useless season-ending polls. I dunno... it just doesn't seem right. Granted, Indy didn't remind me of the BEST Super Bowl winners of all-time, but they did what they had to do when it mattered most. They should be #1 in all polls.

Having said that, I personally might not have "voted" for the Steelers as the best team at the conclusion of the 2005 season, even though they were the champions. They caught some breaks, and they got hot at the right time.

This isn't about putting stock in some stupid poll. It's more how do you NOT rank Indy #1?

 

[Chase Stuart]

If the point of the poll is to rank how you would expect the teams to play in a hypothetical next week on a neutral field, I don't think it takes much of an imagination to not rank Indy first.

If the point of the poll is to rank which team you'd most have wanted to root for over the last five months, it's moronic not to rank Indy first.

 

[Mooks77]

Seriously, look at who the Colts beat. Even if it wasn't pretty, they beat a Chiefs team that was supposed to run all over them. A Ravens team with arguably the best defense in the league. A Patriots team that has owned everyone in the Playoffs. A Bears team that manhandled teams in almost every game this year. And they did all of this while the offense played terrible. The case can EASILY be made that this Colts team got it done against some very good teams while not playing their best football.

I think they beat the Chargers on a neutral field with their playoff defense, and they deserve the #1 power poll ranking.

 

[Brock Middlebrook]

From a hypothetical it makes sense, but after that playoff run, i don't see how they wouldn't be #1,

 

[Ozymandias]

Power polls are merely someone's opinion. If you look at power polls during the season, they fluctuate weekly, up and down. So what?

Indy did it when it counted; the rest is fluff.

 

[Despyzer]

I am admittedly biased, but seeing the Colts never beat the Chargers I can understand the argument.

Still, I'd be more likely to name the Colts the #1 team this year than I would the Steelers last year.

 

[djcolts]

...how do you NOT rank Indy #1?

1. If you are a nobody talk show host who wants to spark interest2. If you put more weight on the regular season compared to the postseason to such an extent that you believe that it overrides the champion's route to the title.

 

[Warhogs]

The best team does not win the superbowl every year. also, some teams will look greatly different due to coaching changes, the draft, and free agency. I can not see any problem with anyone putting a team ahead of the Colts as a favorite for next year.

 

[Jous]

I am admittedly biased, but seeing the Colts never beat the Chargers I can understand the argument.Still, I'd be more likely to name the Colts the #1 team this year than I would the Steelers last year.

Agree that the Colts never beat the Chargers, but remember, the Chargers never beat the Colts either. And I have a very tough time naming a Shottenhiemer-coached team as the #1 Super Bowl contender. I think they look like the best team on paper no contest, but Martyball really gets in the way.Normally, I'd say that the defending champs need to be ranked #1, but I can understand not having the Steelers last year up there. Even though they won it all, it IS kinda hard to put a team that was only like the 7th best regular season team at #1. Which is probably why the Patriots of 2001 tended to not be #1 either for the next season.

 

[Spartans Rule]

It's pretty naive to think that the best team ALWAYS wins. Upsets happen. In one game, I'd take the Chargers against anybody.

To point that out doesn't diminish what the Colts accomplished.

 

[djcolts]

The best team does not win the superbowl every year. also, some teams will look greatly different due to coaching changes, the draft, and free agency. I can not see any problem with anyone putting a team ahead of the Colts as a favorite for next year.

That's a different issue. I believe he's talking about a final ranking for the 2006 season, not pre-season rankings for next season. If he IS talking about pre-season rankings for the 2007 season, he could put a number of teams as #1 with any reasonable justification.

 

[Gr00vus]

They won the games that counted. That makes them the best team in reality.

If the Chargers or somebody else wanted to make a claim on being the best team, they needed to win the games.

End of discussion.

 

[GregR_2]

If the point of the poll is to rank how you would expect the teams to play in a hypothetical next week on a neutral field, I don't think it takes much of an imagination to not rank Indy first.If the point of the poll is to rank which team you'd most have wanted to root for over the last five months, it's moronic not to rank Indy first.

I think Chase hit it on the head. If the poll is supposed to represent the team with the most successful season, then it would be foolish to not have Indy at the top of the list.If it's supposed to represent which team you THINK is better and would win if they played now, there is no reason that the SB winner would be at the top just because they won the SB.This is one of the areas that makes the college polls so contentious. Everyone is free to work from their own definition of what the poll is supposed to represent. There is no standard for things like what amount of it should be based on views on who would beat who vs how much should be based on what the team actually did on the field so far.

 

[Raider Nation]

This one has the Chargers 4th.

http://www.sportingnews.com/exclusives/200...5/831397-p.html

Final rank, plus a look ahead to 2007

1. Colts. Sure, there's room at the end of that laser, rocket arm for another ring.

2. Bears. Who would you rather be, Grossman or Bartman? Man, tough call.

3. Patriots. Don't bet against the Pats ending an excruciating two-year title drought.

4. Chargers. Arizona desert would be a good spot for Marty to exorcise his demons.

5. Ravens. The core players are old, but you can say that about the Stones, too.

6. Saints. That glass slipper? It just might fit the next time around.

7. Eagles. Invincible was great, but wouldn't it be nice if it applied to McNabb?

8. Jets. You know, that Mangini guy, he seems to be working out OK.

9. Seahawks. Seattle remains the class of the NFC West. (Talk about your oxymorons.)

10. Chiefs. Need some DTs, OTs, WRs … stop me if you've heard this before.

11. Cowboys. Enough with the fuss over the coach. Who's gonna be the holder?

12. Broncos. When upgrading D-line, Denver should look beyond Cleveland this time.

13. Titans. Wouldn't Pacman look good in a Bengals uniform? I'm just sayin'.

14. Giants. Something tells me Coughlin ain't the guy to fix a fractured locker room.

15. Jaguars. If you have the answer at QB, please call 1-877-JDELRIO.

16. Steelers. NFL can never have too many coaches named Mike. Tomlin makes five.

17. Bengals. 2007 goal: More wins than arrests. Hey, you gotta reach for the stars.

18. Bills. Move Buffalo to the NFC, and suddenly it's playoff-caliber.

19. Panthers. DeShaun? DeAngelo? DeSomebody has to run the ball for DePanthers.

20. Packers. It would take a Lambeau-sized leap of faith to put the Pack in SB42.

21. Falcons. This just in: Vick is not a great passer. But isn't that what QBs do?

22. Rams. Let's just say Jackson ain't shakin' in his cleats about a Faulk return.

23. 49ers. Well, they'll be the best team in the Bay Area again.

24. Texans. A Domanick by any other name is still injury-prone.

25. Dolphins. Welcome back, Ricky Williams. T.O. can't handle all the lunacy alone.

26. Cardinals. You can put the Super Bowl in Arizona, but you can't put Arizona …

27. Redskins. Two scarcities in D.C.: allies for Dubya and W's for the 'Skins.

28. Bucs. Bucs need to make a deep playoff run or Chucky could be toast.

29. Browns. Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thy offense and defense, Romeo?

30. Vikings. Wouldn't Culpepper look good in purple right about now?

31. Lions. If it's lightning and Millen is nearby, head his way--the man is fireproof.

32. Raiders. To paraphrase the Wizard's guard: Not no way, not no how.

 

[Warhogs]

The wording of this creates the varying of opinion. It says final ranking AND look at 2007. Frankly, to me that sounds stupid because a ranking should be at a point in time and not now and in the future. I don't know why you would want to rank teams for the end of 2006 but if I did I guess I would put the superbowl champs at #1.

 

[jurb26]

Thanks, I'd almost forgotten how utterly stupid the BCS is until this post.

 

[got_nugs]

Vegas futures odds have the Chargers as the team to beat next year, apparently this 'nobody talk show host' isn't as crazy as many of you think.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

If the point of the poll is to rank how you would expect the teams to play in a hypothetical next week on a neutral field, I don't think it takes much of an imagination to not rank Indy first.If the point of the poll is to rank which team you'd most have wanted to root for over the last five months, it's moronic not to rank Indy first.

I think Chase hit it on the head. If the poll is supposed to represent the team with the most successful season, then it would be foolish to not have Indy at the top of the list.If it's supposed to represent which team you THINK is better and would win if they played now, there is no reason that the SB winner would be at the top just because they won the SB.

Yep. It's the predictive versus retrodictive thing.The Colts are the champs. That doesn't mean they'd be favored over the Chargers on a neutral field next week (assuming both teams are healthy). Maybe they would be, or should be, but not just by virtue of having won the Super Bowl.

 

[Raider Nation]

Vegas futures odds have the Chargers as the team to beat next year, apparently this 'nobody talk show host' isn't as crazy as many of you think.

The "nobody's" power poll has nothing to do with next season.HTH

 

[Assani Fisher]

Vegas odds have the Chargers the favorites to win it all next year as well.

 

[trader jake]

Vegas odds have the Chargers the favorites to win it all next year as well.

I guess Vegas doesn't put a lot of stock in assistant coaches. Losing the offensive AND defensive coordinator in the same offseason isn't going to help Martyball get over the hump in the playoffs. Even the Brady and Belichick led Patriots haven't returned to the Super Bowl since Weis and Crennel left after the 2004 season.Two ways I can make a case for the Super Bowl team NOT being ranked #1...1) If another team had a vastly superior regular season to the SB winner and lost a "fluky" game in a Conference championship game or Super Bowl2) If an injury to a team star were to occur late in the regular season or playoffs

 

[Evilgrin 72]

Indy should be #1, no questions asked. They survived the grind.

Pittsburgh should have been #1 last year - they beat every other team that most pundits would have in the top 5 over the last month of the season.

 

[Kit Fisto]

Power polls are opinion pieces. You guys gotta find something more important to get worked up over.

 

[ImTheScientist]

Indy should be #1, no questions asked. They survived the grind.

Pittsburgh should have been #1 last year - they beat every other team that most pundits would have in the top 5 over the last month of the season.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

Indy should be #1, no questions asked. They survived the grind.

Pittsburgh should have been #1 last year - they beat every other team that most pundits would have in the top 5 over the last month of the season.

Gee, what an unpredictable response. Let's see... most people thought going into last year's playoffs that the 4 best teams were Seattle, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Denver. I wonder what they all have in common..... Although I'd probably have removed Seattle - the NFC is too weak right now to produce a champion worthy of playing the AFC in the Super Bowl. I'm sure that will change again soon enough, but for now, it's sad but true.

 

[Aaronl5]

I agree. The chargers are better than the colts.

 

[The Jacket]

San Diego has been overrated for a long time now.

"Best team to not make the playoffs evah!"

 

[Ghost Rider]

They won the games that counted. That makes them the best team in reality.

If the Chargers or somebody else wanted to make a claim on being the best team, they needed to win the games.

End of discussion.

The Colts won the Super Bowl. That is what counts. The Chargers couldn't beat the Patriots, so them being number one in anyone's power rankings right now is a joke.

Indy should be #1, no questions asked. They survived the grind.

Pittsburgh should have been #1 last year - they beat every other team that most pundits would have in the top 5 over the last month of the season.

What are you laughing at? The Steelers won the Super Bowl last year, beating the top three teams in the AFC on the road and then beating the best NFC team in the Super Bowl. If that doesn't convince you, then nothing will.