He’s at it again.
In Stewie Mandel’s latest power rankings (link redacted because he doesn’t deserve one), which I really, really know I just shouldn’t care about, Stewart Mandel has ranked ND #13 with this justification:
“Good teams win games like that,” Charlie Weis said of the UCLA victory. No argument here. Great teams, however, don’t require miracle rallies to beat the Bruins or Michigan State, don’t get outgained by Purdue, don’t lead Stanford 14-3 at halftime and don’t lose to 47-21 to anyone.
Ok. So then let’s look at what the better teams on his “power rankings” have done this season…
- #12 Louisville – Well, besides not actually beating anyone of significance, they let Syracuse(!) come within a score of upsetting them.
- #11 Cal – Um, Washington took them into overtime this past weekend. That’s Ty Willie’s Washington.
- #10 Arkansas – Absolutely BLOWN OUT by USC. If great teams don’t lost 47-21, can they lose 50-14?
- #9 Clemson – Lost to B-Freaking-C.
- #8 Auburn – Lost to Stewie’s #10 Arkansas. Nearly lost to USC. No. The other USC.
- #7 Tennessee – Took right to the wire by Air Force, and Alabama.
- #6 USC – Close games with WSU, Washington(!), and Arizona State. Washington would have won had anyone on the planet not named Ty Willingham, Bob Davie, Bill Callahan, or Karl Dorrell been coaching them.
- #5 Texas – Lost to tOSU 24-7 in a game that wasn’t actually that close and then taken down to the wire by that West Coast Offensive Juggernaut, Nebraska.
- #4 Florida – Lost to #8 Auburn. Nearly lost to #7 Tennessee. Are actually a very good SEC team, but that doesn’t set the bar as high as everyone wants to think it does.
- #3 West Virginia – Has played, to date: Marshall, Eastern Washington, Maryland, East Carolina, Miss. St., Syracuse, and Conn. Granted, they’ve not lost, but that’s a high ratio of the word “East” in their schedule. If they’re #3, then where is Rutgers?
I have no quibble with his #s 1 and 2. That’s where I’d place Michigan and Ohio State, despite neither one being affiliated with the SEC.
It’s not so much that I think the ranking of 13 is wrong. It’s that his methods are flawed on a logical level that a pre-schooler could grasp. Which leads me to believe that he’s either lacking the intellect of a pre-schooler or he has some bias. I doubt he lacks the intellect of a pre-schooler, at least a majority of them, so I have to believe he has an ulterior motive.
I’ll say it. Sewart Mandel hates Catholics.
And small, green men.
And babies.
And fun.
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Hovan
What would you give Washington’s chances with John L. Smith at the helm?