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Tuesday, August 19, 2008

My connection to the crazy AP voter

One of the other writers was talking on Sunday about one of the crazier ballots in the Associated Press preseason poll. Didn't rank Auburn, Tennessee, West Virginia, Illinois or Kansas, yet ranked Alabama and Notre Dame and had Cal at No. 6. Turns out I went to high school with the guy at St. Paul's in Mobile. His name's Taylor Zarzour and he's on the radio in North Carolina now. I think we actually worked on the high school paper together many years ago and from what I remember, he was a pretty good guy.

Yeah I think his ballot's kind of out of left field, but I came across a Web site that asked him to explain it and his response seemed pretty reasonable (basically, he picked teams based on what he thinks the outcome of their season will be, not where they stand going in). I think he's wrong, but he's as entitled to his opinion as I am to mine. I trust that once the games start, he'll rank the teams where they deserve to be ranked. This controversy is yet another reason why I hate preseason polls. They serve absolutely no useful purpose other than water-cooler conversation.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

He's entitled to his opinion - but the AP Poll shouldn't give ballots to people who only use their vote to gain recognition.

Enough with the water-cooler conversation fodder though. We need more deep, philosophical news items. Did Ziemba throw any water-coolers at anyone today?

I'm enjoying the site. Keep up the good work.

Possibly wrong guy said...

UGA fans were right about what a great gob you do. Thanks for your coverage of Auburn. I check it daily.

As for the defense of your classmate/AP voter - I appreciate and defend this art of "going out on a limb" - though you might want to tell him at the next reunion that his limb might be a bit skinny and unlikely to defy gravity.

Andy Bitter said...

well not for nothin, mark, but antonio coleman did refuse to do interviews after practice today. some new practice shenanigans, perhaps?

just kidding. he wanted to grab a bite to eat before he had to head for class.

Possibly wrong guy said...

Meant to add: again I appreciate the "on a limb approach" but if you are the lone statistical outlier and publically express a hope for this unlikely event; it ain't paranoia to point it out, brother. The AP poll is less than what it is if he is a part of it.

Anonymous said...

When are the poll voters gonna get that PRE-Season polls mean BEFORE THE SEASON, not where a team will end up at the END of the season.

Going by the logic of morons like Taylor, that means teams like UGA and Auburn are off the bat marked down in the original poll, because these geniuses don't understnad the meaning of the word PRE. So if those said teams lose, they are again marked down - that two marks down the poll for one loss! Its not fair and not what the pre-season poll is about.