Steele's 2017 Toughest Schedule Rankings - ESPN Insidera

[4down20]

I think crowds can have an affect. It depends on the leaders of the team. I went to a HS with 200-300 students. We got 100s to attend our games. Going from that to 70-100k+ would have an affect right away.

I think little things do too. I believe Iowa's pink locker room did at first when it was new. I think the impact now is very small.

I wish I had a link to that study. They actually went into the study trying to prove that crowds had a big effect, and they expected LSU to be the toughest, but the results were much different.

I was surprised as well.

I still have to believe there are situations where it could make a difference, like with not being able to hear calls etc. But the study was based on overall game scores rather than individual situations.

 

[theboardref]

Crowds actually have very little effect on home field advantage. I saw some research on the topic, and what actually provides the home field advantage is that players are familiar with the place and it makes them more comfortable.

In the study, LSU wasn't the hardest place to play, it was some stadium which amounted to basically a high school football stadium. It was that way because it was least comfortable for the visiting players.

This is also why home field advantage becomes minimal when you play the same teams often. The other teams become use to playing in them. Of course, the home team will always be most comfortable.

In that manner, Alabama does have a small advantage in some of these places due to having played in them more often. Regulars at the Georgia Dome(not anymore though) and in Jerry World.

The only time crowds have a real effect on the game is when they are so loud that plays can't be called etc. Which is never going to happen at a neutral site, and only happens in a few stadiums(Auburn's student section comes to mind). Alabama for example the seats are too far away from the field, I doubt the crowd ever provides much effect.

Fair enough. If you happen to run upon the article you mind posting it? As a guy who is really into sociology, that fascinates me.

 

[7Samurai13]

I think little things do too. I believe Iowa's pink locker room did at first when it was new. I think the impact now is very small.

Except when opposing coaches spend so much time planning on how they are going to negate the pink locker room by hanging up pictures and drapes that they forget to game plan.

 

[theboardref]

I wish I had a link to that study. They actually went into the study trying to prove that crowds had a big effect, and they expected LSU to be the toughest, but the results were much different.

I was surprised as well.

I still have to believe there are situations where it could make a difference, like with not being able to hear calls etc. But the study was based on overall game scores rather than individual situations.

Sometimes things like sound impact etc are not quantifiable by numbers. So ot is really hard to put a number stamp on how much or how little crowd does impact the game. Just because an oponnent wins in a tough environment full of rowdy crowd doesn't necessarily mean it has little to no impact. Studies can provide insight but as I said, some things are not always able to be accounted for. That is why there is always a portion of sociological studies that list the potential shortcomings of said study.

 

[iowajerms]

I wish I had a link to that study. They actually went into the study trying to prove that crowds had a big effect, and they expected LSU to be the toughest, but the results were much different.

I was surprised as well.

I still have to believe there are situations where it could make a difference, like with not being able to hear calls etc. But the study was based on overall game scores rather than individual situations.

I got thinking about this. I can see where it doesn't. When I wrestled, all I heard was the ref and my coaches. If I heard the cheerleaders pounding the mat, that means I was stalling. I think there's that same focus in all the sports. Once you are focused, the crowd doesn't matter.

Then I think of Tiger Wood ripping a camera guy a new one for taking a picture while he was teeing off.

 

[7Samurai13]

I got thinking about this. I can see where it doesn't. When I wrestled, all I heard was the ref and my coaches. If I heard the cheerleaders pounding the mat, that means I was stalling. I think there's that same focus in all the sports. Once you are focused, the crowd doesn't matter.

Then I think of Tiger Wood ripping a camera guy a new one for taking a picture while he was teeing off.

When you are used to noise it's not much of a distraction. When it's silent and then there is noise you notice it much more.

 

[iowajerms]

When you are used to noise it's not much of a distraction. When it's silent and then there is noise you notice it much more.

I get it with golf. My thing with that situation is Tiger Woods was getting paid millions to swing and hit a ball. He should be focused enough to do it with a few clicks during a swing.

I know after one of those times, there was a WNBA star that was shocked. She said something about shooting a game-winning free throw. She had the home crowd waving hands, yelling, and cameras flashing in her face below the hoop. Players communicating with each other. And she was there with the pressure of the game on the line. But Tiger got away with freaking out over a couple clicks.

I wish I remembered what tournament it was. It wasn't a big one, but a few years back there was a fan that got on this little island on the golf course, holding onto a tree. All he did was yell and distract golfers and it totally worked. They asked Bubba Watson what he thought, he was thought it was hilarious.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Just win them all and you don't have to worry about this shit.

 

[ckhokie]

Love how LSU once again screws season ticket holders by playing neutral site games.

The ol Virginia Tech Special. Know that well.

 

[theboardref]

The ol Virginia Tech Special. Know that well.

Let's go play in a NASCAR track instead of giving our home fans an awesome home and home series!

 

[socaljim242]

Let's go play in a NASCAR track instead of giving our home fans an awesome home and home series!

Thats exactly how I felt about playing Alabama at Jerry world. Would have loved to play them this season in LA after getting thumped @ Bama. Neutral games suck.

 

[theboardref]

Thats exactly how I felt about playing Alabama at Jerry world. Would have loved to play them this season in LA after getting thumped @ Bama. Neutral games suck.

Like yeah it is cool to have these great games, but how much better is it to have these teams play at each others home stadium? Now it is two games, and there is that excitement of a home crowd for each team at least once.

 

[RoyUte]

It's not bullshit, it's math and you don't see it because you pretend it's more than 1 game rather than realizing it's 1 game in a 12 game schedule.

You go further in your mistake by foolishly looking at labels like "P5, G5 and FCS" are real measurements of strength, without regard to the fact that G5 and even FCS teams are often better than P5 teams.

But here's the math for you:

Alabama plays 8 SEC opponents every year, who each have 12 game schedules. Which means Alabama's SEC opponents play 96 games on the year. Of those 96 games, 8 of them are FCS teams. That's 7.68% of the SEC opponents games.

However, in conference games also come with guaranteed wins along with the losses. Meaning, it's impossible that all 8 of those extra games would be losses with a 9 game schedule. The maximum amount of those losses would be 7.

And now we are down to 6.72% for a maximum difference.

As it is, 6 of the 8 teams Alabama has in conference are SEC West teams, and the divisions are one sided. The most common scenario is that the SEC West teams will win and the SEC East teams will lose. So of the maximum potential of 7 remaining losses, there is maybe in reality only 2 or 3 extra losses on the formula, down to 1.92%-2.88%.

The amount of difference here is meaningless and it fully explains why the conferences that have gone to 9 game conference schedules haven't seen basically any real benefit for going to it.

Now, the other factor is adding the extra game to Alabama's schedule. And since Alabama is in the SEC West, already has Tennessee on permament rivalry, here is a list of the potential opponents every year.

Florida
Georgia
South Carolina
Vanderbilt
Kentucky
Missouri

So basically, the only times Alabama will generally be tested is when it happens to land on Florida or Georgia. That addition would happen a total of 2 out of 6 years.

And of course, the only real change in that extra game is whatever the difference is to the opponent being replaced. Which can actually in many cases end up being worse and lowering the schedule strength.

Got any other bullshit you want to accept because it makes you feel better?

Given your scenario that all the SEC West teams would win the games against the SEC East if they played a 9 game conference schedule in place of Middle Tenn, Tenn. Tech, Ohio, Western Carolina, etc.. It absolutely makes a difference in the overall record and wins a conference has. Last year for example, Florida and Tenn. would have been 8-5 compared to 9-4 (and fallen out of the rankings). Georgia 7-6 as opposed to 8-5. Kentucky 6-7 compared to 7-6. Both Vanderbilt and South Carolina would have finished 5-7 and not gone bowling like they did. Missouri didn't matter much. Furthermore, the SEC would have to play a 10 game conference schedule to play as much of their own conference as the PAC does. That would mean at least one more team not going bowling (Kentucky). It would not have added any more wins for the West since they also have games against Chattanooga and the like.

 

[socaljim242]

Like yeah it is cool to have these great games, but how much better is it to have these teams play at each others home stadium? Now it is two games, and there is that excitement of a home crowd for each team at least once.

Yeah I still don't understand why any real fan would want neutral games . I guess maybe those fans who never actually go to games are the ones who don't care but I would have much rather gone to Tuscaloosa rather than jerry world regardless of the outcome. Then have a chance to watch them come here. The games thereat Jerry world have no college atmosphere at all. Nothing like going to a college stadium as a visitor.

 

[4down20]

Given your scenario that all the SEC West teams would win the games against the SEC East if they played a 9 game conference schedule in place of Middle Tenn, Tenn. Tech, Ohio, Western Carolina, etc.. It absolutely makes a difference in the overall record and wins a conference has. Last year for example, Florida and Tenn. would have been 8-5 compared to 9-4 (and fallen out of the rankings). Georgia 7-6 as opposed to 8-5. Kentucky 6-7 compared to 7-6. Both Vanderbilt and South Carolina would have finished 5-7 and not gone bowling like they did. Missouri didn't matter much. Furthermore, the SEC would have to play a 10 game conference schedule to play as much of their own conference as the PAC does. That would mean at least one more team not going bowling (Kentucky). It would not have added any more wins for the West since they also have games against Chattanooga and the like.

Yes, there is a difference - I did the math. It's 7%ish at best, and in the most cases less than 3%.

Bowl games have no bearing on playoff selections since it happens before those games are played. Even if they did, you are adding 2 games? And if those teams are being over-rated, as is your basic claim, then shouldn't they just be adding loses?

As for Pac12 teams scheduling themselves in addition to their own scheduled conference games:

1.

2.

 

[theboardref]

Yeah I still don't understand why any real fan would want neutral games . I guess maybe those fans who never actually go to games are the ones who don't care but I would have much rather gone to Tuscaloosa rather than jerry world regardless of the outcome. Then have a chance to watch them come here. The games thereat Jerry world have no college atmosphere at all. Nothing like going to a college stadium as a visitor.

My family usually goes but I broadcast high school games so I usually don't. They went to Wisky and go everytime there is a game in Texas. I would if I didn't work Friday nights but like I just love being at the games. I resent that they screw me every year.

 

[socaljim242]

My family usually goes but I broadcast high school games so I usually don't. They went to Wisky and go everytime there is a game in Texas. I would if I didn't work Friday nights but like I just love being at the games. I resent that they screw me every year.

I've been to Ohio State, to South Bend (at least five times) to Auburn to Arkansas to Oklahoma. Had tickets to go to Boston College but got sick. There's nothing like going to the home stadium of these teams. Going to Jerry world wasn't the same and had nothing to do with the games outcome.

 

[Codaxx]

5-7 Texas and 7-6 Kentucky is equal to 5-7 SMU and 7-6 Eastern Michigan. Better?

Not at all. I am merely pointing out the obvious. Any blanket assumption based on schedules has a high probability of making you look bad. Hence why saying a 9-4 Houston team isn't as good as a 9-4 Louisville team doesn't make sense, given the known facts

 

[Codaxx]

Yeah I still don't understand why any real fan would want neutral games . I guess maybe those fans who never actually go to games are the ones who don't care but I would have much rather gone to Tuscaloosa rather than jerry world regardless of the outcome. Then have a chance to watch them come here. The games thereat Jerry world have no college atmosphere at all. Nothing like going to a college stadium as a visitor.

REd River is a great game to attend. It is a true neutral site game. It's in the middle of both schools (both fans can drive). Stadium is split down the middle. It's a great atmosphere. Completely different than a corporate neutral site game.

 

[HuskerinBig10]

REd River is a great game to attend. It is a true neutral site game. It's in the middle of both schools (both fans can drive). Stadium is split down the middle. It's a great atmosphere. Completely different than a corporate neutral site game.

I forget, which State Fair is it at?