Monday, January 4, 2010

First Poll Appearance

It's amazing what one quality win will do for you. Pitt's men squeaked into the polls this week for the first time this season, moving up to #23 in the AP poll. They were still unranked in the ESPN/USA Today poll, which might not be so bad if it weren't for some of the teams in front of them.

I'm pretty shocked that Syracuse didn't drop farther, only falling two spots in each poll. Getting your butts handed to you at home by a team that is only ranked in one poll apparently doesn't mean as much as it used to. Conversely, if Syracuse only falls two spots and they're really that good, then Pitt should be higher. Whatever.

Inexplicably, Pitt was right behind Temple. Yes, THAT Temple. The same team who was just steamrolled by 32 (32!) at HOME to #1 Kansas and has one more loss than Pitt. Yes, they're #1, but does anyone honestly think Pitt couldn't put up a more respectable score than that in the Pete? It's also hard not to be irked that teams such as these are ahead of Pitt:

- BYU (14-1): Beat no one of substance and lost to Utah State

- Butler (10-4): Four losses and has one win over a ranked team (OSU)

- Washington (10-3): Three losses and no wins over a ranked team

- Clemson (12-3): Beat Butler by one point - only win over a ranked team

And those are just a few of the teams with more losses than Pitt ahead of them in either poll.

Again, just another reason the polls are a joke.

At any rate, Pitt also gets some love (sort of) in the latest ESPN Bracketology as Joe Lunardi bumps them up to a rising seven seed. Again, whatever. This kind of stuff at least works itself out in this sport.

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