[76lsjumb]

[quote author=publius72 link=topic=6091.msg44980#msg44980 date=1342207065]
Totally nerdy thing I did once with one of my drawmates who has a similar relationship to UCLA as I do with Ohio State: averaged the USNWR rankings of the Pac-10 as compared to the B1GTen.  The B1GTen won by a handy margin.  Basically we got dragged down by the Arizonas, the Oregons, and WSU.  My guess is that the addition of Utah and Colorado would not help.

Doing a simple arithmetic mean doesn't really make sense in this case.  The difference between a #1 and a #20 ranking means a lot more than the difference between #71 and #90, but an arithmetic mean treats them the same way.  Using something like a geometric mean or harmonic mean would make a lot more sense.  And I bet that would help the Pac-12 relative to the B1G: it would effectively put more weight on the top schools, where the Pac-12 does well (Stanford better than Northwestern, the other 3 California schools better than any of the public schools in the B1G, etc.).
[/quote]

Somebody has been messing with my computer.  I thought I was logging on to check out the latest sports news, but I clearly got rerouted to some blog from the American Society of Mathematicians.

By the way, as long as the topic involves things with which I, as a poli sci major, am not particularly familiar, I'm surprised no one has yet posted this:

http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci...-sanctions

Just another school sacrificing academic integrity at the altar of big-time college sports, I guess...

[76lsjumb]

[quote author=publius72 link=topic=6091.msg44980#msg44980 date=1342207065]
Totally nerdy thing I did once with one of my drawmates who has a similar relationship to UCLA as I do with Ohio State: averaged the USNWR rankings of the Pac-10 as compared to the B1GTen.  The B1GTen won by a handy margin.  Basically we got dragged down by the Arizonas, the Oregons, and WSU.  My guess is that the addition of Utah and Colorado would not help.

Doing a simple arithmetic mean doesn't really make sense in this case.  The difference between a #1 and a #20 ranking means a lot more than the difference between #71 and #90, but an arithmetic mean treats them the same way.  Using something like a geometric mean or harmonic mean would make a lot more sense.  And I bet that would help the Pac-12 relative to the B1G: it would effectively put more weight on the top schools, where the Pac-12 does well (Stanford better than Northwestern, the other 3 California schools better than any of the public schools in the B1G, etc.).
[/quote]

Somebody has been messing with my computer.  I thought I was logging on to check out the latest sports news, but I clearly got rerouted to some blog from the American Society of Mathematicians.

By the way, as long as the topic involves things with which I, as a poli sci major, am not particularly familiar, I'm surprised no one has yet posted this:

http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci...-sanctions

Just another school sacrificing academic integrity at the altar of big-time college sports, I guess...