Best Games, Upsets, and Upcoming Games

[Matnum PI]

we actually agree to agree. the rankings are not fully ready. we both agree.

[Cletus]

we actually agree to agree. the rankings are not fully ready. we both agree.

Okay, well, forgive me being a noodge but, if it ain’t ready, why are you posting incomplete data? Would you half bake a cake and serve it to us?

[Matnum PI]

This thread started because i posted this:

Best Upcoming Games (in the next few days including today)
1 Syracuse vs Notre Dame 3/11/2021
2 Temple vs Towson 3/10/2021
3 Virginia Tech vs North Carolina 3/11/2021
4 Cincinnati vs Robert Morris 3/10/2021
5 UAlbany vs Hofstra 3/9/2021
6 Virginia vs George Mason 3/10/2021
7 Loyola vs Georgetown 3/10/2021
8 Vanderbilt vs Kennesaw State 3/10/2021
9 Duke vs High Point 3/10/2021
10 Wagner vs LIU 3/10/2021
11 Villanova vs La Salle 3/10/2021
12 Elon vs Radford 3/10/2021
13 American vs George Washington 3/10/2021
14 UMass vs UMass Lowell 3/10/2021
15 VCU vs Furman 3/11/2021
16 Saint Francis vs Mount St Mary's 3/10/2021
17 Old Dominion vs Liberty 3/10/2021
18 Mercer vs Winthrop 3/9/2021
19 Akron vs Delaware State 3/9/2021
20 Sacred Heart vs Central Connecticut 3/10/2021

We've never served a cake. We're not posting articles about the Rankings (yet). With this said, we're also not blocking people from watching the Rankings evolve. Anyone who looks at the Rankings right now is looking in the oven and watching the cake bake. Go to some of the other Rankings and you can see this in more extreme forms. e.g. D3 Men. Salisbury is #38. And, for what it's worth, though the cake isn't done baking, anyone bothered by Notre Dame being currently ranked #17 (behind Hofstra at #15) should also be able to see that ND played 2 games against Vanderbilt and Robert Morris. i.e. Thus far, Notre Dame is unproven. the Rankings accurately capture what has happened during the season thus far.

[Cletus]

This thread started because i posted this:

Best Upcoming Games (in the next few days including today)
1 Syracuse vs Notre Dame 3/11/2021
2 Temple vs Towson 3/10/2021
3 Virginia Tech vs North Carolina 3/11/2021
4 Cincinnati vs Robert Morris 3/10/2021
5 UAlbany vs Hofstra 3/9/2021
6 Virginia vs George Mason 3/10/2021
7 Loyola vs Georgetown 3/10/2021
8 Vanderbilt vs Kennesaw State 3/10/2021
9 Duke vs High Point 3/10/2021
10 Wagner vs LIU 3/10/2021
11 Villanova vs La Salle 3/10/2021
12 Elon vs Radford 3/10/2021
13 American vs George Washington 3/10/2021
14 UMass vs UMass Lowell 3/10/2021
15 VCU vs Furman 3/11/2021
16 Saint Francis vs Mount St Mary's 3/10/2021
17 Old Dominion vs Liberty 3/10/2021
18 Mercer vs Winthrop 3/9/2021
19 Akron vs Delaware State 3/9/2021
20 Sacred Heart vs Central Connecticut 3/10/2021

We've never served a cake. We're not posting articles about the Rankings (yet). With this said, we're also not blocking people from watching the Rankings evolve. Anyone who looks at the Rankings right now is looking in the oven and watching the cake bake. Go to some of the other Rankings and you can see this in more extreme forms. e.g. D3 Men. Salisbury is #38. And, for what it's worth, though the cake isn't done baking, anyone bothered by Notre Dame being currently ranked #17 (behind Hofstra at #15) should also be able to see that ND played 2 games against Vanderbilt and Robert Morris. i.e. Thus far, Notre Dame is unproven. the Rankings accurately capture what has happened during the season thus far.

I must be a brutal communicator. However, I stand by my earlier statements—emphatically. These are Not best games:

14 UMass vs UMass Lowell 3/10/2021
15 VCU vs Furman 3/11/2021

I don’t care how many stats are qualified/explained to make it appear so.

And so, again, I will agree to disagree with you.

[seacoaster]

we actually agree to agree. the rankings are not fully ready. we both agree.

Okay, well, forgive me being a noodge but, if it ain’t ready, why are you posting incomplete data? Would you half bake a cake and serve it to us?

I like cake batter.

[Matnum PI]

Cletus, FWIW, Hofstra lost to Albany and dropped in the rankings. http://app.lummys.com/category/ranking/20/2021
And Today's Best Games Coming Soon!

[Matnum PI]

I like cake batter.

Literally and metaphorically, I like cake batter, too.

[DMac]

You need to throw an IMO in your posts, Cletus. Some of those ARE the best games to those who have more interest in them than you do. Oh, and polls shmolls, rankings shmankings, they mean jack and are nothing to get all bothered by, IMO.

[Cletus]

You need to throw an IMO in your posts, Cletus. Some of those ARE the best games to those who have more interest in them than you do. Oh, and polls shmolls, rankings shmankings, they mean jack and are nothing to get all bothered by, IMO.

That’s just the thing, DMac—they are my opinions because I am the one espousing them. To say “in my opinion” is redundant. My 10th grade English teacher Mr. Donovan told me that and I never forgot it. And I agree, no biggie in the grand scheme of things—just making conversation between games.

[Matnum PI]

Polls I could not care less about. In general. Whether Quint thinks UNC is better than UVA or otherwise isn't interesting to me. Rankings, for me, are different... when I can see the rationale behind the Rankings (and the rationale doesn't include Polls). Rankings are like a calculator, 100% rational, 100% logical. You might not agree with the rationale behind the Rankings. But just knowing the Rationale and seeing how this Rationale affects the Rankings is interesting to me.

[DMac]

You need to throw an IMO in your posts, Cletus. Some of those ARE the best games to those who have more interest in them than you do. Oh, and polls shmolls, rankings shmankings, they mean jack and are nothing to get all bothered by, IMO.

That’s just the thing, DMac—they are my opinions because I am the one espousing them. To say “in my opinion” is redundant. My 10th grade English teacher Mr. Donovan told me that and I never forgot it. And I agree, no biggie in the grand scheme of things—just making conversation between games.

Your English teacher was wrong. When a game is stated as not interesting, that's a fact one is stating. When adding IMO it's not a fact, just an opinion. Big difference there.

[Cletus]

You need to throw an IMO in your posts, Cletus. Some of those ARE the best games to those who have more interest in them than you do. Oh, and polls shmolls, rankings shmankings, they mean jack and are nothing to get all bothered by, IMO.

That’s just the thing, DMac—they are my opinions because I am the one espousing them. To say “in my opinion” is redundant. My 10th grade English teacher Mr. Donovan told me that and I never forgot it. And I agree, no biggie in the grand scheme of things—just making conversation between games.

Your English teacher was wrong. When a game is stated as not interesting, that's a fact one is stating. When adding IMO it's not a fact, just an opinion. Big difference there.

You and I can also agree to disagree, DMac. I’m glad you’re one of the middle aged white dudes on here. Always good talking shop.

[DMac]

Yes, we can agree to disagree but that's not to say one isn't right and one isn't wrong.
Virginia is better than Syracuse. The unspoken part there is that it's an opinion, but
when not clarified as such it comes across as fact, to say nothing of arrogant and close
minded. Tell your English teacher that's the way most people would see it.
Middle aged white man? My youngest is likely older than you and my oldest grandkids
are 22. Hardly middle aged.

[Cletus]

Yes, we can agree to disagree but that's not to say one isn't right and one isn't wrong.
Virginia is better than Syracuse. The unspoken part there is that it's an opinion, but
when not clarified as such it comes across as fact, to say nothing of arrogant and close
minded. Tell your English teacher that's the way most people would see it.
Middle aged white man? My youngest is likely older than you and my oldest grandkids
are 22. Hardly middle aged.

I’m joking with you. Earlier this week or last maybe, Can Opener referred to a number of participants on here as “middle aged white dudes”. As far as the opinion stated as fact goes, we can agree to disagree. What can I tell you? As my dear ol’ dad used to say, “That’s what makes me, me—and you, you.”

[DMac]

What can I tell you? Well, that your mind is made up because your 10th grade English teacher told you that the inferred IMO in any statement you make makes adding IMO redundant so you're not going to listen to reason here. Will tell you again, he/she is wrong about that, that's just the way he/she sees it. Virginia is better than Syracuse. Chocolate is better than vanilla. Men are smarter than women. These are close minded, obnoxious statements, even somewhat confrontational. That's no way to communicate, IMO, despite what you or your English teacher might think. Might want to keep that in mind.

[8meterPA]

Acutally, with hindsight, Fanlax computer/Magnum PI did have it right. The #2 "best upcoming game" was Temple vs. Towson, and it was just that - who saw that upset coming - not me!

[njbill]

Chocolate is better than vanilla. These are close minded, obnoxious statements, even somewhat confrontational.

Close minded? Obnoxious? Confrontational?

Now hold on there, Dmac. Now you’ve gone too far.

Chocolate IS better than vanilla. That’s not a matter of opinion. That’s scientific fact.

[DMac]

Guess I could have used a better example.
Tripe is better than shrimp.

[Cletus]

What can I tell you? Well, that your mind is made up because your 10th grade English teacher told you that the inferred IMO in any statement you make makes adding IMO redundant so you're not going to listen to reason here. Will tell you again, he/she is wrong about that, that's just the way he/she sees it.

Mr. Donovan communicated a concept to me, and all of us in class that day, in what he said—to own our opinions and not be mealymouthed. And it is redundant to have to say it.

My mind is made up because I thought about it, DMac, and I have been thinking about it. Matnum and I had a very similar conversation a couple years back about this very topic. We disagreed then and we still disagree. I understand where he's coming from, I just don't agree with him, nor he with me. I enjoy having the discussion every once in a while. Test the theories again--both his and mine

Have you read the whole thread from the beginning when Matnum first posted his list of best games yesterday morning at 10? I understood Matnum's reasoning during our discussion. I explained my disagreements and Matnum explained his. We disagree. So what?

Virginia is better than Syracuse. Chocolate is better than vanilla. Men are smarter than women.

Huh? Are you comparing the arguments I used in my disagreement with Matnum about stats to statements like “Men are smarter than women”?

These are close minded, obnoxious statements, even somewhat confrontational. That's no way to communicate, IMO, despite what you or your English teacher might think. Might want to keep that in mind.

That’s rich coming from a guy who’s been whistled off the ice multiple times. You get up on the wrong side of the bed today, DMac? What’s with the sheriff act? Relax. We’re just talking.

[DMac]

What can I tell you? Well, that your mind is made up because your 10th grade English teacher told you that the inferred IMO in any statement you make makes adding IMO redundant so you're not going to listen to reason here. Will tell you again, he/she is wrong about that, that's just the way he/she sees it.

Mr. Donovan communicated a concept to me, and all of us in class that day, in what he said—to own our opinions and not be mealymouthed. And it is redundant to have to say it. Mr. Donovan might be the end all authority to you but he's not to the rest of the world. You're really stretching this redundant part. Strawberry is better than blueberry. Inasmuch as we all know people's tastes differ there is an inferred IMO in that statement, but adding IMO to it doesn't make one mealymouthed, it simply lets the other know that he recognizes that there might be different opinions and room for discussion about that. Texas is bigger than Rhode Island. There are no platypus in Idaho. There are no good games today (when there are several scheduled games). Charlotte North is better than Sam Apuzzo ever was. In DMac's English, two of those statements would be better said with an IMO added to them, which doesn't make the one saying them mealymouthed but rather more realistic with his statement. Third time, you and Mr. Donovan are wrong about that but you learned it in school so it must be right, eh?

My mind is made up because I thought about it, DMac, and I have been thinking about it. Matnum and I had a very similar conversation a couple years back about this very topic. We disagreed then and we still disagree. I understand where he's coming from, I just don't agree with him, nor he with me. I enjoy having the discussion every once in a while. Test the theories again--both his and mine
Yes, I get that your mind is made up, Mr. Donovan said so.

Have you read the whole thread from the beginning when Matnum first posted his list of best games yesterday morning at 10? I understood Matnum's reasoning during our discussion. I explained my disagreements and Matnum explained his. We disagree. So what?


Virginia is better than Syracuse. Chocolate is better than vanilla. Men are smarter than women.

Huh? Are you comparing the arguments I used in my disagreement with Matnum about stats to statements like “Men are smarter than women”?
Our discussion has nothing to do with Mantum or anything you say there.

These are close minded, obnoxious statements, even somewhat confrontational. That's no way to communicate, IMO, despite what you or your English teacher might think. Might want to keep that in mind.

That’s rich coming from a guy who’s been whistled off the ice multiple times. You get up on the wrong side of the bed today, DMac? What’s with the sheriff act? Relax. We’re just talking.

No shame in that. I've sat in the penalty box a few times on a real field too. Ref saw it one way and I saw it another but he had the upper hand. Doesn't mean I agree with the call.