Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Powder Rankings

I believe some of the voters for ESPN.com's NFL power rankings are on crack. I don't even know what league they watch.
There is only one ranking system on earth that makes less sense is the BCS (see my last post), so at least the power rankings don't determine any sort of major championship.
In the end, the overall rankings are basically right by my estimation, but some of the voters are completely off their rockers.
Let's take Matt Williamson of Scouts, inc., for example.
His rankings are as follows:
1. New York Giants- even though they lost to Cleveland.
2. Tennessee Titans- even though they are the last remaining undefeated team. I'll let that one slide.
3. Philadelphia Eagles- 5-4...enough said. Here's another stat, they're 0-3 against their division, which kills them in almost any tie-breaker.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers- That one makes sense.
5. Carolina Panthers- I don't think the Panthers are really this good, but everyone else does, so I'll let him have this one.
6. Tampa Bay Buccanneers-These guys are 6-3, but they've lost to New Orleans, Denver, and Dallas, who Williamson ranks 20,22,16, respectively. Basically, even he knows his rankings are nonsensical.
7. Washington Redskins- Even though they beat Philadelphia. Then again, so did nearly everyone else. Their only losses are to Williamson's numbers 1, 4, and a loss to the Rams in an emotional rebound game, yet they are ranked below Philly and Tampa Bay.
8. Baltimore Ravens- Overall, a decent team for a team who doesn't have a quarterback.
9. Arizona Cardinals- These guys are the slumlords of the NFL, ruling a division full of 2-7 opponents.
10. New York Jets- A 6-3 division leader with a hall of fame quarterback and talented runningbacks, yet they're behind 3 second-place teams and a third-place team.

And that's just the screwiness at the top. There are other spots down lower where I think he got tired of thinking.
There really isn't any reason for me to question these rankings, other than to say this: Why does Matt Wiliamson get to vote in such a highly-publicized poll and make so much money while I can't get a full-time job as any sort of sports writer?
I want some of what he's snorting.

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