So we're still number 1... but UCLA got 6 votes

[Mr Vulture]

Do polls bother me? Never.

Let me quote UCLA's late great John Wooden:

"Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

I was appalled in 2013 when fans wore T-shirts celebrating the Zags first #1 ranking in the polls. It was embarassing in my judgment. Truly amateur hour in that portion of our fanbase.

For the same reason, I won't lose sleep if some folks vote in a meaningless poll that UCLA is the better team.

That question will no longer be hypothetical next week in Vegas. The Zags character will decide the Zags reputation (in the polls and otherwise) as the season grinds on. The final poll always has the national champion ranked number 1; reputation and character converge. That's actually the first and only poll I will care about. In the interim, Go Zags. I like this team's chances.

Why would you be embarrassed when fans wore T-Shirts celebrating the first time being ranked #1 in the polls? That was a long time coming and very unusual for a mid major at the time.

[TheOtherGreatOne]

Did he say that while his players were being paid or after he retired?

https://www.nbcsports.com/video/john...yers-were-paid

Anyone that knows anything about Wooden that his titles came from Sam Gilbert playing all those super stars to come to ucla. Wooden was untouchable though, but the ncaa burned Harrick for doing far less at the same school.

[23dpg]

No. But if my math is correct, two voters had the Zags #3 or one had them 4th.
Still not upset but interesting nonetheless.

Edit to add. Yup. https://collegepolltracker.com/baske...-bulldogs/2021

[229SintoZag]

Why would you be embarrassed when fans wore T-Shirts celebrating the first time being ranked #1 in the polls? That was a long time coming and very unusual for a mid major at the time.

I was not embarrassed to be ranked #1 of course. I celebrated it as we should. However:

It's not something you memorialize on a T shirt. T Shirts are for championships (conference, national title) or Final Fours, etc. Something concrete.

Can you imagine any other top 10 program making T shirts about being (temporarily) ranked #1 in the AP poll?

I guess opinions differ but I felt that the program had, by then, already achieved so much that was concrete that we were beyond celebrating a mere transitory, and relatively-speaking meaningless, poll ranking. The value of that poll became clear a few weeks later when we exited as a 1 seed to Wichita State in the Sweet 16, after which anyone caught wearing one of those shirts would have looked even sillier.

[Malastein]

Seems as though they had more first place votes in the preseason. Oddly, it appears there was two less voters in this poll.

[foo]

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings

Does that offend anyone? UCLA needed overtime to beat a 4th-ranked Villanova team at home, and trailed significantly before the end of regulation. We controlled the game from tip to finish against a 5th-ranked Texas, and there are still people who think UCLA is better? I'm biased, because I think any team that relies so heavily on a single player for the lion's share of its point is a fraud, and will get exposed when that single player has an off night, so I wanted to ask other observers.

I did watch both games, and Juzang made a lot of shots, but he also took a lot of ill-advised shots; early clock, deep 2-pointers, with a hand in his face, fading away. Unless he is the next Steph Curry, can a sustainable offence be built around that?

the foo used her vote for tacos. the foo hopes that does not offend anyone.

[RenoZag]

Bright Lights, Big City


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[Zagceo]

^^^^^^

very cool