I've often looked at the Top 25 polls and thought any lab rat could come up with a better poll. I mean, if my poll from last week was less of a mess than either the AP or the Coaches poll, clearly that's the case! I know, I know. Small sample size. Dr. Fong, or as I affectionately referred to him in Statistics class my sophomore year at CU, "Fong Dogg", would sternly lecture me about the imminent danger of small sample sizes.
Well, Fong Dogg, look at my Top 4 from a week ago, and I look like some kind of one-week wonder. I'm the Spandau Ballet of poll voters. A ha ha, ha ha ha...I know this...much is...TRUE!
Oklahoma was number one in my poll last week, and they looked dominant again this week so they're still number one. Connecticut has still not convinced me of anything except that they'll be the first #1 seed to be eliminated in March, yet I put them at #2 this week because they didn't lose, and I can hear Brent Musburger lecturing me about how a team can't drop in the poll if they don't lose. If there's one man I fear more than Fong Dogg, its Brent Musburger. If there's two men I fear more than Fong Dogg, its Charles Bronson and Brent Musburger in an Ford Festiva with racing stripes.
North Carolina didn't lose either, so they remain at 3. Same deal with Pitt. And now we come to teams 5-15, all of which were almost universally in a week-long slump. Lets do this Casey Kasem From the Eighties style:
Up three notches this week from number eight, its the Memphis Tigers! Moving up five big notches, its Michigan State! Holding steady at number seven this week on the countdown, its Louisville! Climbing ten notches this week on CB25, its Missouri! And now, the biggest mover this week, up eleven notches from number 20 all the way up to number 9, its the Dayton Flyers! Coming in at number ten on the countdown is a team from Lawrence, Kansas whose last trip to the countdown resulted in a number one smash. Their latest hit moves up nine big notches this week, the Kansas Jayhawks!
OK, I've only done a few that way and I'm already sick of it. But I must continue.
And now, a long distance request and dedication. The letter reads, "Dear Casey. I'm a 39-year old former athlete who is generally considered one of the greatest athletes of all time. My Wikipedia page confirms this as fact. I was the only collegiate player on the original Dream Team. I'm sick and tired of people saying that all of my new friends in Durham are not as good as me. I mean, they're not, but those talking heads on TV can't say that. They're not qualified. Casey, can you play 'Simply the Best' by Tina Turner? It basically sums up my philosophy on my career. Thank you. Signed, Christian Laettner." Well Christian, here's your long distance request, and dedication...
Duke drops six notches to number 11.
Aaaand that bit has officially jumped the shark. So keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!
Anyway, this poll thing is pretty self-explanatory. If you lost, you dropped. If you lost to someone I have a low opinion of, you dropped further. If your jersey has DUKE on the front, you dropped because you're Duke. And teams 15-20, man guys, I'm sorry that you had such a tough week, try to do better next time, OK champ?
Dropping out of the poll are Davidson, because without Stephen Curry they're terrible, and Texas because years ago a bar in Austin served me a Jack and Coke with no Jack. I hold grudges like a soup stand proprietor when it comes to beverages.
Welcome to the party, Siena and Louisiana State. Hope you enjoy your stay; the rules of the house are pretty simple. Win and you move up the line. Lose and you get escorted outside by Bruno and Chuck, my Blog Poll Bouncers who are so tough they don't even wear shoes.
You bet.
 | ||
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma | |
| 2 | Connecticut | |
| 3 | North Carolina | |
| 4 | Pittsburgh | |
| 5 | Memphis |  3 |
| 6 | Michigan St. | 5 |
| 7 | Louisville | |
| 8 | Missouri | 10 |
| 9 | Dayton | 11 |
| 10 | Kansas | 9 |
| 11 | Duke |  6 |
| 12 | Wake Forest | |
| 13 | Gonzaga | 3 |
| 14 | Arizona St. | 7 |
| 15 | Butler | 9 |
| 16 | UCLA | 7 |
| 17 | Villanova | 7 |
| 18 | Xavier | 5 |
| 19 | Marquette | 5 |
| 20 | Clemson | 5 |
| 21 | Washington | 2 |
| 22 | Louisiana St. | |
| 23 | Utah St. | 6 |
| 24 | Purdue | 1 |
| 25 | Siena | |
| Last week's ballot | ||
Dropped Out: Davidson (#22), Texas (#24).
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