Voting Bias?

nyiballs · 10-09-2009, 06:17 PM

While I'm glad the ACHA now does autobids to the Tourney, I still wonder when some of the perceived biases will be worked out.

Take a look at Cornell for instance. While I understand their SoS in extremely weak, they never broke into the top 25 last year with a superb record, and at 4-0 this year, they are still in the bottom of receiving votes category (behind an 0-2 Berks team, and 1-3 Niagara team, and an 0-5 Mercyhurst team).

It seems that the ACHA rewards teams that play a tougher schedule, regardless of how the teams perform. All other unbeaten teams with 4 or more wins are ranked in the top 10. Cornell may not be a top 10 team, but still.

And I'm not speaking only Cornell here... they are just the most blatant right now. Many of the teams with the weaker SoS just don't get any play in the rankings at all.

EDIT: And I know you can see I went to Cornell (many moons ago), but I speak on behalf of many of the ECHL, ECHA, and NECHL teams that get dumped on annually in the polls.

GeoffissiffoeG · 10-10-2009, 01:56 AM

Fact remains, 4-0-0 versus tough competition is a better resume than 4-0-0 against weaker competition. Is it a voting bias to judge a team on what they have done AND who they have beaten?

nyiballs · 10-11-2009, 07:40 PM

Not at all... but is it fair to punish a team for doing nothing but winning. They have one of the top three highest GPG average in all of ACHA D-1 and are unbeaten. All I am saying, is that they deserve a ranking until they prove they do not.

Even Air Force in D-1 got into the top ten when they were unbeaten against a weaker schedule.

MN Cyclone · 10-12-2009, 05:07 PM

The only way to prove you are better then the teams ahead of you is to beat them. Cornell hasn't done that and with their schedule will never do that. If you want to be the best you need to play the best.

ADRdogs · 10-21-2009, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffissiffoeG

Fact remains, 4-0-0 versus tough competition is a better resume than 4-0-0 against weaker competition. Is it a voting bias to judge a team on what they have done AND who they have beaten?

It's the same in D-III. Adrian College 27-1-1 They didn't play a strong enough schedule.