Originally Published: October 5, 2009
By Pat Forde
ESPN.com
Archive
I have absolutely no doubt that the first 1,195 pages of the brand-new "ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia" will thrill readers like a Phi Slama Jama alley-oop.
A book that weighs as much as Muggsy Bogues will settle a thousand bar bets. It will tickle your inner Vitale. It will educate the generations that never saw a Pete Maravich pass, a Lew Alcindor hook shot or a Bill Russell blocked shot.
ESPNThe book is chock-full of brackets, polls, essays and team histories. Oh, and those all-time rankings are sure to catch your eye as well.
It will do all those things and more in the first 1,195 pages.
But just wait until you reach page 1,196.
That's when the arguing will start.
On that page, computer master Jeff Sagarin has applied his giant math brain to the history of college basketball and put it in an all-time pecking order. The Division I teams are ranked 1-330. Subsequent charts rank the schools by decade.
And the rankings are flat crazy.
Hey, I like the Sagarin Ratings as much as anyone. Look at them regularly during college football and basketball. And I respect a man who will even save some mainframe space for Indiana high school rankings, as well.
But, Jeff, we've got to talk about your all-time hierarchy. There appears to be way too much respect given to accomplishments during the segregated, set-shot, eight-team-NCAA-tournament era and not nearly enough to programs that have thrived since the sport exploded behind Bird-Magic in 1979.
Among the Sagarin outrages that prove Mark Twain's pejorative take on statistics:
Northwestern is ranked No. 77 all-time. Providence is No. 78.
Northwestern has never played in the NCAA tournament. Forget winning a game in the Big Dance, the Wildcats have never even been invited. Providence, meanwhile, has been to two Final Fours (1973 and '87).
Illinois is No. 6 all-time. Duke is No. 7.
Call me crazy, but I'd take the Blue Devils' three national championships and 14 Final Four appearances over the Illini's zero national titles and four Final Fours. In my rankings, Illinois would be closer to 26th than sixth.
Seven Big Ten programs rank ahead of Michigan State, which checks in at No. 15.
This may be time for the first-ever accusation of ESPN Midwestern bias. Clearly, the Big Ten is massively over-represented at the high end of the rankings.
Illinois, Iowa (No. 10, somehow) and Minnesota (No. 14, mystifyingly) have combined to win no NCAA titles. Iowa hasn't been to a Final Four since 1980 (one of three all-time) and hasn't played in a regional final since 1987. Minnesota (one Final Four) didn't attend its first Dance until 1972, an appearance that was later vacated by the NCAA. Top 50 for the Hawkeyes and Gophers, not top 15.
(While we're dealing with Big Ten-related mysteries, what could possibly explain No. 28 Wisconsin -- with its zero tournament appearances during 1948-1993 -- being ranked ahead of No. 32 Arkansas and its six Final Fours and 29 trips to the tourney?)
Meanwhile, put Michigan State in the top 10. There is only one Big Ten team that deserves to be ranked ahead of the Spartans (two national titles, seven Final Fours). That's Indiana, which is No. 5. You can argue the merits of Ohio State (one title, 10 Final Fours -- four of them from 1939-46) if you wish. I'd still take Michigan State over the Buckeyes.
Georgetown at No. 42.
The Hoyas (one national title, five Final Fours) have produced several seasons far better than anything that's been accomplished at USC (No. 25), Missouri (No. 29), Tennessee (No. 33) or BYU (No. 41).
Connecticut at No. 54.
Yeah, I know the Huskies were a virtual non-entity for decades. I also know that just about every program in America would trade résumés with what they've done since 1999: two national titles, three Final Fours, five Elite Eights, nine NCAA appearances. They've done more in 11 years than No. 51 Colorado, No. 52 Iowa State and No. 53 Saint Louis have done in seven decades. Combined.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo Legendary Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp won four national titles between 1948 and '58.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=4531910##
Dissecting Sagarin's all-time rankings
Comment Email Print ShareBy Pat Forde
ESPN.com
Archive
I have absolutely no doubt that the first 1,195 pages of the brand-new "ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia" will thrill readers like a Phi Slama Jama alley-oop.
A book that weighs as much as Muggsy Bogues will settle a thousand bar bets. It will tickle your inner Vitale. It will educate the generations that never saw a Pete Maravich pass, a Lew Alcindor hook shot or a Bill Russell blocked shot.
ESPNThe book is chock-full of brackets, polls, essays and team histories. Oh, and those all-time rankings are sure to catch your eye as well.
It will do all those things and more in the first 1,195 pages.
But just wait until you reach page 1,196.
That's when the arguing will start.
On that page, computer master Jeff Sagarin has applied his giant math brain to the history of college basketball and put it in an all-time pecking order. The Division I teams are ranked 1-330. Subsequent charts rank the schools by decade.
And the rankings are flat crazy.
Hey, I like the Sagarin Ratings as much as anyone. Look at them regularly during college football and basketball. And I respect a man who will even save some mainframe space for Indiana high school rankings, as well.
But, Jeff, we've got to talk about your all-time hierarchy. There appears to be way too much respect given to accomplishments during the segregated, set-shot, eight-team-NCAA-tournament era and not nearly enough to programs that have thrived since the sport exploded behind Bird-Magic in 1979.
Among the Sagarin outrages that prove Mark Twain's pejorative take on statistics:
Northwestern is ranked No. 77 all-time. Providence is No. 78.
Northwestern has never played in the NCAA tournament. Forget winning a game in the Big Dance, the Wildcats have never even been invited. Providence, meanwhile, has been to two Final Fours (1973 and '87).
Illinois is No. 6 all-time. Duke is No. 7.
Call me crazy, but I'd take the Blue Devils' three national championships and 14 Final Four appearances over the Illini's zero national titles and four Final Fours. In my rankings, Illinois would be closer to 26th than sixth.
Seven Big Ten programs rank ahead of Michigan State, which checks in at No. 15.
This may be time for the first-ever accusation of ESPN Midwestern bias. Clearly, the Big Ten is massively over-represented at the high end of the rankings.
Illinois, Iowa (No. 10, somehow) and Minnesota (No. 14, mystifyingly) have combined to win no NCAA titles. Iowa hasn't been to a Final Four since 1980 (one of three all-time) and hasn't played in a regional final since 1987. Minnesota (one Final Four) didn't attend its first Dance until 1972, an appearance that was later vacated by the NCAA. Top 50 for the Hawkeyes and Gophers, not top 15.
(While we're dealing with Big Ten-related mysteries, what could possibly explain No. 28 Wisconsin -- with its zero tournament appearances during 1948-1993 -- being ranked ahead of No. 32 Arkansas and its six Final Fours and 29 trips to the tourney?)
ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia
Meanwhile, put Michigan State in the top 10. There is only one Big Ten team that deserves to be ranked ahead of the Spartans (two national titles, seven Final Fours). That's Indiana, which is No. 5. You can argue the merits of Ohio State (one title, 10 Final Fours -- four of them from 1939-46) if you wish. I'd still take Michigan State over the Buckeyes.
Georgetown at No. 42.
The Hoyas (one national title, five Final Fours) have produced several seasons far better than anything that's been accomplished at USC (No. 25), Missouri (No. 29), Tennessee (No. 33) or BYU (No. 41).
Connecticut at No. 54.
Yeah, I know the Huskies were a virtual non-entity for decades. I also know that just about every program in America would trade résumés with what they've done since 1999: two national titles, three Final Fours, five Elite Eights, nine NCAA appearances. They've done more in 11 years than No. 51 Colorado, No. 52 Iowa State and No. 53 Saint Louis have done in seven decades. Combined.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo Legendary Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp won four national titles between 1948 and '58.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=4531910##
