[CompSci87]

I don't know how it works in basketball.  In volleyball the way sports writers vote in a poll doesn't mean jack to the NCAA selection committee.  Why all the concern about Stanford's AP ranking?

Good question. I think it's a couple of things. One, the AP ranking is mentioned continually by the media in game stories, shown on the onscreen scoreboard, etc. So it's about bragging rights. Second, the committee's decisions when weighing their sources of input are pretty opaque and involve some personal judgment, so people worry that the AP poll may influence the committee.

Not to mention that there are people (present company excepted, I'm sure) who don't know that the AP poll is not one of the inputs that the committee's rules give them to consider. And people who seem to think Charlie Creme is on the committee or speaks for them...

[CompSci87]

I don't know how it works in basketball.  In volleyball the way sports writers vote in a poll doesn't mean jack to the NCAA selection committee.  Why all the concern about Stanford's AP ranking?

Good question. I think it's a couple of things. One, the AP ranking is mentioned continually by the media in game stories, shown on the onscreen scoreboard, etc. So it's about bragging rights. Second, the committee's decisions when weighing their sources of input are pretty opaque and involve some personal judgment, so people worry that the AP poll may influence the committee.

Not to mention that there are people (present company excepted, I'm sure) who don't know that the AP poll is not one of the inputs that the committee's rules give them to consider. And people who seem to think Charlie Creme is on the committee or speaks for them...