No Love in the Polls

I was surprised that BYU did not receive ANY votes in either the final AP or Coaches Polls.



Michigan, UCLA, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin, and Arizona State all finished with at least 5 losses (Wisconsin had 6), but not only did they receive votes, they each finished in the top 31. Even 8-5 Arizona received a vote (I assume for beating 7-6 Nevada by a point in the final minutes of their bowl game). I know Baylor had a big win over Kansas State and Michigan played well in their key losses. And UCLA and Wisconsin won their divisions. But to not receive ANY votes is a slap in BYU's face.



Some interesting comparisons in the wins and losses of BYU versus Oklahoma State and Arizona State especially. Oklahoma State's "big" win was over 8-5 Texas Tech and losses to 8-5 Arizona (by 21), #12 Kansas State (by 14), #15 Oklahoma (by 3), #19 Texas (by 5), and #26/28 Baylor (by 7).



Arizona State's "big" win was over 8-5 Arizona (by 7), but lost to 5-7 Missouri and 7-6 USC (and Oregon, Oregon State, and UCLA).



BYU beat #17 Utah State (by 3) and lost at #3/4 Notre Dame (by 3), at #14 Boise State (by 1), #19/20 Oregon State (by 18), at #21 San Jose St (by 6), and 5-7 Utah by 3 in a rivalry game.



BYU has made a lot of headway in national prestige; but evidently still has a way to go to overcome the non-BCS stigma.

Our offense was horrible. Had we lost some games but were still able to put up points I think we might have gotten some votes.

Not that surprised to be honest, but It'll be interesting to see if BYU makes it onto any preseason polls. I know they're stupid and all, but with KVN coming back and hopefully earning All-American preseason status I could see us sneaking into the 21-25 spots.

Not hard to explain. All those teams play in a conference, so they have 9-11 other coaches to vote for them. We do not, so no one is motivated to vote for BYU in order to make hte conference look stronger.



When you are Indy, you really are on your own in the polls.

Gunk wrote:
Our offense was horrible. Had we lost some games but were still able to put up points I think we might have gotten some votes.

With respect to the AP Poll, I think it's more this than any sort of conference/independent or BCS/non-BCS bias. BYU was really half a good team this year. BYU had the defense of a top 10 team paired with the offense of a bottom 10 team. In the end, that means games with middle 50 percentile teams are essentially toss-ups. The defense keeps the team in the game against mediocre to good teams, but the offense does little to win it.

I'm as blue-goggled as they come, and I wouldn't have voted us a top-25 at the end of this season.

I didn't expect BYU to be AP Top 25. However, I am shocked they did not receive 1 single vote. Considering who BYU beat this year and how close the loses were - and who they lost to. Disappointing.

Schmoe wrote:
I'm as blue-goggled as they come, and I wouldn't have voted us a top-25 at the end of this season.

Me neither. That's why I'm not surprised no single coach or media media member voted for BYU.

Unfortunately we were on TV more than usual this year...Riley + millions of eyeball = no votes.

For those forlorn about BYU's saddened state, I have listed a sports poem as an allegory, to help provide some empathy, explanation, and salve for the wounds. Now, not all of it applies, and some of it might be a stretch, but apply the general message and you will find some answers.

If this is just too abstract, I am happy to add parenthetical notes later for those who struggle with denial or have the literary intelligence of a rock. ;)

ENJOY.





Casey at the Bat

BY ERNEST LAWRENCE THAYER

A Ballad of the Republic, Sung in the Year 1888



The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day;

The score stood four to two with but one inning more to play.

And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,

A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.



A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest

Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;

They thought if only Casey could but get a whack at that—

We’d put up even money now with Casey at the bat.



But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,

And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;

So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,

For there seemed but little chance of Casey’s getting to the bat.



But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,

And Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball;

And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred,

There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.



Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;

It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;

It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,

For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.



There was ease in Casey’s manner as he stepped into his place;

There was pride in Casey’s bearing and a smile on Casey’s face.

And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,

No stranger in the crowd could doubt ’twas Casey at the bat.



Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;

Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.

Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,

Defiance gleamed in Casey’s eye, a sneer curled Casey’s lip.



And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,

And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.

Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped—

“That ain’t my style,” said Casey. “Strike one,” the umpire said.



From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,

Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.

“Kill him! Kill the umpire!” shouted some one on the stand;

And it’s likely they’d have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.



With a smile of Christian charity great Casey’s visage shone;

He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;

He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;

But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, “Strike two.”



“Fraud!” cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;

But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.

They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,

And they knew that Casey wouldn’t let that ball go by again.



The sneer is gone from Casey’s lip, his teeth are clinched in hate;

He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.

And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,

And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey’s blow.



Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,

And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;

But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.





Yes,mighty "Casey" left it all on the field, and for that deserves credit. But for his arrogance, his over-confidence, his unwillingness to change, and his reliance on style over substance, Casey may have delivered the win and Achieved deserved glory. As is, he went up in smoke, let his team down and leaves a trail of silent ignominy and questioning fans asking, "What if?" And "why, no love?"

Best description of Doman as a coach I've ever read.

hawkwing wrote:
Best description of Doman as a coach I've ever read.

I expected your functional denial. But yes, I suppose it could be applied to Doman minus all your implied accusations that Doman had the vanity and narcissism of a mighty Casey. Doman may have been over his head and prematurely promoted (because Bronco botched handling the Anae/Reynolds dysfunction) but he is not guilty of defiance and self-supremacy. If this were a test, you would need a retake.

BYU finished #17 in the Sagarin Predictor rankings.



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BYU is consistently the lowest ranked team with the same number of losses. Always has been. Go back and look at the polls since Bronco took over. The years of 2-loss teams BYU was ALWAYS the lowest ranked 2-loss team. It's no surprise the Cougs are the lowest ranked 5-loss team this year.



No respect.



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YNot wrote:
I was surprised that BYU did not receive ANY votes in either the final AP or Coaches Polls.



Michigan, UCLA, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin, and Arizona State all finished with at least 5 losses (Wisconsin had 6), but not only did they receive votes, they each finished in the top 31. Even 8-5 Arizona received a vote (I assume for beating 7-6 Nevada by a point in the final minutes of their bowl game). I know Baylor had a big win over Kansas State and Michigan played well in their key losses. And UCLA and Wisconsin won their divisions. But to not receive ANY votes is a slap in BYU's face.



Some interesting comparisons in the wins and losses of BYU versus Oklahoma State and Arizona State especially. Oklahoma State's "big" win was over 8-5 Texas Tech and losses to 8-5 Arizona (by 21), #12 Kansas State (by 14), #15 Oklahoma (by 3), #19 Texas (by 5), and #26/28 Baylor (by 7).



Arizona State's "big" win was over 8-5 Arizona (by 7), but lost to 5-7 Missouri and 7-6 USC (and Oregon, Oregon State, and UCLA).



BYU beat #17 Utah State (by 3) and lost at #3/4 Notre Dame (by 3), at #14 Boise State (by 1), #19/20 Oregon State (by 18), at #21 San Jose St (by 6), and 5-7 Utah by 3 in a rivalry game.



BYU has made a lot of headway in national prestige; but evidently still has a way to go to overcome the non-BCS stigma.

Pollsters might be checking fan sites where a highly vocal minority of BYU fans helped by a few trolls have been claiming that BYU sucks.



We deserved a top 35 ranking imho.



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