2009 BP Poll

[LordJeffBuck]

Last year, I ran the BP Poll, and I am willing to do it again this year. However, last year saw participation decline as the season went on, so that by the end of the year, we had only about ten pollsters who were still casting votes.

This year, I am proposing a couple of changes to make the poll more user friendly:

1. Reducing the poll from a top-25 to some lesser number (10, 15, 20). I have a feeling that many people lost interest in trying to figure out which 7-4 teams should make the cut.

2. Scrapping the XL ballot form, which was submitted by email, and having pollsters submit their selections by PM in any reasonably readable format. Several people have told me that using the ballots was cumbersome.

So, please let me know if you are interested in participating as a pollster this year, and if so, would you be in favor of either of the changes mentioned above. I'd like to get at least 25 pollsters this season. There are no qualifications to vote - just like the AP guys, you don't even need to watch the games! But if you do sign up to be a pollster, then I'd really like your commitment to be for the entire season.

EDITS as of 08/20/09

A. Preseason ballots are due on or before September 1st.

B. Weekly ballots are due every Monday at noon Eastern time ... unless there is a Monday night game, in which case ballots will be due on Tuesday noon for that week only. If you are going to be a little bit late (say a couple of hours) but still want to vote, then please send me a PM, and if possible, I'll wait for your ballot before posting the poll results.

C. We will have a final ballot that will be due after the BCS title game. There will be no other ballots between the end of the regular season and the end of the bowl season.

D. I will post the preseason poll results on September 2nd, regular season poll results on every Monday (or Tuesday) during the week, and final poll results after the BCS title game.

E. Last year, many pollsters shared their ballots (and their voting rationales) in the various weekly poll threads. For what it's worth, your ballots will be kept confidential by me, but if you would like to share them, then please feel free to do so - it makes for interesting discussion. Even if you do decide to post your ballot, please also send it to me by PM.

F. Please vote for 25 teams in each ballot.

G. Please do not "split" votes (for example, voting for Florida and Texas as co-number ones).

H. Please check your ballot to make sure that you haven't voted for the same team twice (that happened quite a bit last year) or omitted a team that you wanted to vote for.

I. I reserve the right to reject any ballot for nonconformance. I am not going to be overly technical about this, but if you submit a ballot with only twelve teams, and two of those are duplicates, then I'll probably pitch it.

J. Please send your ballots to me by PM, if at all possible. If you would prefer to submit your ballots by email, then let me know, and we'll make arrangements.

K. There is no requirement that you be objective, but objectivity will make for a "better" poll.

L. We currently have 41 pollsters. If you haven't yet become a pollster, but would like to, then please let me know before September 1st. If you would like to drop out for any reason at any time during the season, then please let me know, or I'll keep sending you PM's nagging you for your ballot.

M. The official list of BP pollsters for the 2009 season:

01. AmeriBuck007
02. ArmyVet83
03. BB73
04. BigBallin2987
05. BigWoof31
06. bkochmc
07. brodybuck21
08. buckeneye
09. buckeyebri
10. Buckeye86
11. buckeyefan_01
12. buckeyesin07
13. Bucklion
14. Bucky Katt
15. Buxfan4life
16. cincibuck
17. CleveBucks
18. Crayfish
19. Gatorubet
20. GoBucksForever
21. Jake
22. jlb1705
23. jmorbitz
24. Kinch
25. krazeyk
[strike]xx. LitlBuck[/strike]
26. LordJeffBuck
27. MD Buckeye
28. Mothra
29. Mr Burns
30. muffler dragon
31. NastyDogg72
32. NFBuck
33. Nutriach
34. Ohiensis
35. OHSportsFan9
36. skaduzy
37. stxbuck
38. The S&G Dynasty
39. THEWOOD
40. tmporter
41. TS10HTW
42. ttk
43. 2002Again
44. WyoBuck
45. Zander42

 

[Flocka]

I'm down.

 

[BB73]

I'll vote - regardless of the format, etc.

 

[AmeriBuck007]

I'm interested

 

[Buckeneye]

here, here!

 

[Bucklion]

I'm in again...and I stuck it out to the end last year

Personally, I like the 25 instead of a smaller number...I thought our polls looked more well thought out at the bottom, and it reflected certain biases and perceptions within the coaches and media that sparked some interesting discussions, IMO.

 

[tmporter]

I can make some time to participate.

 

[muffler dragon]

I'm in.

 

[ArmyVet83]

Count me in.

 

[MD Buckeye]

I'm in. I'd like to see Top 10 or Top 15 only. Whatever format works for me

 

[Mothra]

In

 

[Mothra]

Personally, I like the 25 instead of a smaller number...I thought our polls looked more well thought out at the bottom, and it reflected certain biases and perceptions within the coaches and media that sparked some interesting discussions, IMO.

+1

 

[jlb1705]

Like I said when I PMed a few days ago, I'm in.

I like a Top 25 because it's the traditional poll number and it makes you dig a little deeper, but I could be OK with something reduced. I don't think it should go below 15 teams though - generally there are teams in the 10-15 range that are very much in the discussion for BCS bowls and I think those should be covered by the poll.

I didn't mind the spreadsheets before, but I'll defer to the group and whatever makes it easier to compile/tabulate.

 

[CleveBucks]

I'm in for top 10, 20, or 25. I'll have my intern fill out my ballot.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Well, it looks like we have twelve so far - a good start, but I'd really like to have at least twice that many participating. I'd especially like to get some non-OSU fans in the poll, just to have an "opposing view".

Based on the responses so far, it seems like most people enjoy the top-25 format, so unless I receive some strong argument to the contrary, I won't make a change there.