Live-blogging my Week #6 BlogPoll Top 25 vote

My vote for week #6 of the BlogPoll top 25 is going to be wacky, but in a good way. When I vote in the blog polls, I do not use the same approach used by the AP and Coaches polls, which causes some teams to be ranked/unraked despite "conventional wisdom" which really is just "programming" from following the way the AP/Coaches poll "moves" when teams win or lose regardless of how they played, who they played, and the circumstances of the game.

Let's not forget that the Top 25 is not a single-elimination vote like the NCAA tourney, but an "overall picture" type of ranking with a blend of past, present and future mixed in.

One more thing, I will be "honoring" the RPI by voting the #1 team in the RPI at #25 or higher each week. This week the Miami Hurricanes are the #1 team in the RPI (Kenpom.com), so I will add them to my top 25. Where? Read on to find out!

I'm saying all that because my #1 is *gasp* the hated Duke Pukedevils. While both North Carolina and Memphis are loaded with talent, the "truthiness" component of my vote feels that there's something missing from each team. Duke on the other hand has the extra benefit of getting 80-20 of the calls, and they have a more "basketball-friendly" style of play this year after Coach RatCase K "stole" from his assistants. D'Antoni's offense and Boeheim's defense!

Because of the UNC/Memphis "uncertainty", I am ranking Georgetown at #2. Georgetown is not going to dazzle and razzle but they are going to knockout a team out when the game is on the line.

With UNC and Memphis at #3 and #4, Texas, UCLA, Kansas, and Washington State are ranked #5 through #8.

The under-appreciated Butler Bulldogs are at #9, with the Indiana Phone Cheaters at #10. Marquette's power-trio of guards is also flying under the radar a little bit, given their impact, but they are getting #11 from me, which is one spot above the "Clyde do you miss us?" Texas A&M Aggies.

I reluctantly vote Izzo State at #13, and at #14, the Arizona Meercats! Yes, the Kevin O'Neill the Enforcer is starting to "toughen up" the team, with Bayless and Wise emerging as "tough cookies". The team has enough pure talent to be a top 10 team, but they are not there yet. The #14 might be a little bit generous, but I couldn't find anywhere else to put at #14 :-)

From here on, it's really a toss-up, if I voted one hour earlier, I would have come up with a different list :-) So here we go, into the hat they go, and out of the hat they come in this order: USC, Villanova, West Virginia, Vandy, and Xavier. Why Xavier? They looked average at best against Cincy and they got "owned" by Herb Sendek. Well, I have good excuses for both losses: Cincy was an emotional intracity rivarly, and Sendek was Sean Miller's former mentor/head coach. As you may recall, Sean Miller also got beat by former co-coach Charles Coles. Since they taught him everything he knows (ha!), they were able to beat him. So goes the theory anyways :)

More A-10 love as Rhode, Dayton and UMass are ranked next. Yes, UMass!

#1 RPI team Miami of Florida sits in at #23!

Now there's two spots left, and about 30 teams that I could make a case for. So, who gets in then? Well, let me throw the darts ;-) Based on "gut feeling", the Zags get #24 and the Donuts get #25!

Others receiving consideration, in no particular order: St Mary's, Louisville, Oregon, Arkansas, BYU, Cal, George Mason, UAB, Wright State, Miami of Ohio, and Syracuse.

So who is left out that may surprise some?

Tennessee: Look at who they played and how they played. Enough said!

Pitt and Clemson: Because of "past performance" by these two programs and coaches, they have to beat a top 25 team before I put them in the Top 25. Pitt, make my day and beat the Dookies on Thursday :-)