QUOTE
Are girls poll voters blind?
By Jesse K. Cox, The News-Dispatch
When it comes to basketball, my girlfriend's eyes are the freshest peepers around.
Until two weeks ago, she'd never been to a basketball game. Ericka joined me for the Michigan City-Merrillville girls game - somewhat reluctantly, at that.
Her sporting love is football. More specifically, she loves the Green Bay Packers - good thing she's beautiful, huh. She can call a pass interference call on any given Sunday, and not just the cheapies.
Prior to the City-Merrillville game Dec. 12, the concept of a traveling call was beyond comprehension, but only because she didn't care. Given the combination of a cruel mood and her oblivion, I could have distorted the game for my own twisted means.
With my best poker face, I could have convinced her each traveling call included a $1 fine. I'm wasn't in the fantastically evil mood to come up with that at the time, although hindsight would say the NBA should consider fines for missed free throws.
She learned basketball in between my frantically silent statistic scribblings. She bought her way into a few more games, one of which featured City's girls again, as well as a boys game.
With only a week's understanding of the game in general, she saw the Wolves were a special team.
Subconsciously, I may have desired a fresh set of eyes to convince me I'm not insane or giving in to some local bias. How could Michigan City's girls not garner a single vote in the polls without losing a single game and soundly beating a few good teams and having a few votes were tossed their the previous week?
On that matter, Ericka and I are on even footing. Clearly, I am a novice when it comes to polls. I've drunkenly wallowed in bottle stupidity all these years thinking a 9-0 team that has outscored good competition an average of 62-40 isn't worthy of a solitary vote.
It should be understood Ericka and I are not from Michigan City. We don't even live here. I have no personal investment in the Wolves winning or losing.
My only prejudice is seeing a very good team blatantly overlooked on what amounts to a criminal level.
Sure, there will be the token Indianapolis area teams given the nod each week, and I've learned to accept Indiana's version of the East Coast Bias.
Since it is the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association poll, the explanation may be a backlash statement after City coach Gary Collins admitted he felt slighted by the polls putting the Wolves just outside of the Top 10.
As much as I liked almost every coach I've ever met, a lot aren't above petty grudges.
Polls aren't exactly beacons of truth anyway. Using a sports ranking system with popularity contest rules costs the operation its credibility.
Collins shouldn't - and likely won't - watch his mouth when it comes to being critical of the pollsters, who are his coaching peers.
Go ahead, leave the Wolves off the ratings radar screen the rest of the season, coaches. City doesn't need to be ranked to knock your team out of the state tournament bracket in a few months.
Even my rookie girlfriend can see that.
Contact sports writer Jesse K. Cox at jcox@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 577.
By Jesse K. Cox, The News-Dispatch
When it comes to basketball, my girlfriend's eyes are the freshest peepers around.
Until two weeks ago, she'd never been to a basketball game. Ericka joined me for the Michigan City-Merrillville girls game - somewhat reluctantly, at that.
Her sporting love is football. More specifically, she loves the Green Bay Packers - good thing she's beautiful, huh. She can call a pass interference call on any given Sunday, and not just the cheapies.
Prior to the City-Merrillville game Dec. 12, the concept of a traveling call was beyond comprehension, but only because she didn't care. Given the combination of a cruel mood and her oblivion, I could have distorted the game for my own twisted means.
With my best poker face, I could have convinced her each traveling call included a $1 fine. I'm wasn't in the fantastically evil mood to come up with that at the time, although hindsight would say the NBA should consider fines for missed free throws.
She learned basketball in between my frantically silent statistic scribblings. She bought her way into a few more games, one of which featured City's girls again, as well as a boys game.
With only a week's understanding of the game in general, she saw the Wolves were a special team.
Subconsciously, I may have desired a fresh set of eyes to convince me I'm not insane or giving in to some local bias. How could Michigan City's girls not garner a single vote in the polls without losing a single game and soundly beating a few good teams and having a few votes were tossed their the previous week?
On that matter, Ericka and I are on even footing. Clearly, I am a novice when it comes to polls. I've drunkenly wallowed in bottle stupidity all these years thinking a 9-0 team that has outscored good competition an average of 62-40 isn't worthy of a solitary vote.
It should be understood Ericka and I are not from Michigan City. We don't even live here. I have no personal investment in the Wolves winning or losing.
My only prejudice is seeing a very good team blatantly overlooked on what amounts to a criminal level.
Sure, there will be the token Indianapolis area teams given the nod each week, and I've learned to accept Indiana's version of the East Coast Bias.
Since it is the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association poll, the explanation may be a backlash statement after City coach Gary Collins admitted he felt slighted by the polls putting the Wolves just outside of the Top 10.
As much as I liked almost every coach I've ever met, a lot aren't above petty grudges.
Polls aren't exactly beacons of truth anyway. Using a sports ranking system with popularity contest rules costs the operation its credibility.
Collins shouldn't - and likely won't - watch his mouth when it comes to being critical of the pollsters, who are his coaching peers.
Go ahead, leave the Wolves off the ratings radar screen the rest of the season, coaches. City doesn't need to be ranked to knock your team out of the state tournament bracket in a few months.
Even my rookie girlfriend can see that.
Contact sports writer Jesse K. Cox at jcox@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 577.
