Mo--
Alabama? If this were just Alabama, I'd be a whining homer. A cursory review of your votes shows six teams out of sync with the mass of writers. Are you saying a senior laden East Carolina team should be lower than VaTech in your pecking order for beating them at their own game? UCLA, despite their sloppy play, is still lower in your eyes than the team they beat? And yes, you believe Alabama warrants four positions below a team they beat soundly? If you believe Alabama's victory over Clemson was unimpressive because Clemson was overrated, why keep Clemson at 17?
Instead of your whining, I'd like to hear your rationale. If you just took the weekend off and did no research, that's fine. If that's the case, though, you certainly don't deserve to be one of the 65 voters.
Thanks,
Tim
--- On Wed, 9/3/08, Patton, Maurice <mopatton> wrote:
> From: Patton, Maurice <mopatton>
> Subject: RE: AP Poll Voting - Week 2
> To:
> Date: Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 11:03 AM
> Tim --
>
> Geez, it's awfully early to be getting all cranked up
> over rankings, don't you think? Really? I mean, should
> Alabama be No. 1 at this point?
>
> ________________________________________
> From: Tim Rich
> Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 9:39 AM
> To: Patton, Maurice
> Subject: AP Poll Voting - Week 2
>
> Mr. Patton,
>
> Do you place greater importance on your preseason
> assumptions than actual team performance?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Tim Rich
>
>
> --- On Wed, 9/3/08, Tim Rich wrote:
>
> > From: Tim Rich
> > Subject: Fairness by AP Football Voters (Your 8/23
> Column)
> > To:
jbiddle@tennessean.com
> > Cc:
mopatton@tennessean.com,
dclimer@tennessean.com,
>
tnsports@tennessean.com
> > Date: Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 9:55 AM
> > Mr. Biddle,
> >
> > I enjoyed your 8/23 column regarding bias in the pool
> of AP
> > football poll voters, particularly Taylor Zarzour of
> WPTF
> > 680 AM, Raleigh NC.
> >
> >
>
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080823/COLUMNIST0201/808230360/1107
> >
> > Your column prompted me to look at the week 2 votes tallied by Mr. Zarzour. He looks to be in a reasonable range with other voters; however, I did note a voter who is a pronounced outlier when compared to his peers and head-to-head game results. The voter ranked Virginia Tech #24 and East Carolina unranked, despite the Hokies loss to the Pirates this past weekend. In another twist, he ranked Tennessee #20 and UCLA unranked. Finally, he ranked Clemson #17 and Alabama #21. Based on an honest assessment of these six teams' weekend performances, it is inexplicable that this writer arrived at an unbiased conclusion in his votes.
This voter is Maurice Patton, a writer for the
Tennessean. You shouldn't have to travel far for the your next article on AP Poll bias.
> >
The Tennessean sports staff should be embarrassed by
such an inaccuracy. In the interest of unbiased reporting, a clarification should be published by Mr. Patton or someone from your department.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Tim Rich
> > Kennesaw, GA
