AP preseason top 25 is out ...

... for men's basketball, and Florida is No. 1. I know, what a shock.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/ncaa/specials/preview/2006/11/06/bc.bkc.t25.collegebkbpo.ap/index.html

Basically, I just wanted to post this because I'm starting to get excited about the season. There's only so much KU football that alums and students should have to take, you know.

Also, kind of shocking to see Pitt that high. I realize they're good, but I'm not used to that.

 

For all the griping about the inaccuracies of the preseason football poll, the basketball poll is usually far worse in terms of overrating teams.

Have two marginal starters coming back? Well, here's your No. 12 ranking!

 

Dye, I agree. For all the talk about how good leagues like the MoValley were/are, all of the preseason pub is going to bigger schools. You've basically got five small-conference teams in the top 25.

 

Hey, I had two Valley schools in my poll (I voted for Wichita State, the Shockers didn't get in).

 

I counted three, if you want to be generous and say Memphis plays in a mid-major league.

 

Yeah, but that poll doesn't help determine the champion.

 

No, but that was why I said in terms of overrating teams, not determining a champion.

 

The AP basketball poll is unbelievably meaningless. I don't even pay attention to the damn thing. I start watching it around conference tourney time to start thinking about what seeds will match rankings, but there really isn't a reason to pay attention otherwise.

 

Did someone say ...

 

A quick look, and I may be wrong, but did I see Missouri State with 1 vote and no votes for Mizzou? That's classic.

 

And for that matter, when was the last time a Final Four team from the previous season gets one point (George Mason) in the following year's preseason poll?

 

Yes, but no one gripes about the men's basketball poll because it doesn't matter. In the football poll, if you're ranked low to start the season, you might have no shot to win a championship no matter how you perform. See Auburn. That's why there really is no champion. Just a glass trophy given to the most popular really good team.