[NU Sports] Coaches poll is biased--WSJ

[Mike Nolan]

There's an interesting article in the 'Real Time Economics' blog on
the Wall Street Journal site today, citing a study that uses econometrics 
to show that the coaches in the USAT poll tend to vote their own schools, 
schools in their conference, and schools that they played higher than
other coaches do.  

This confirms what many of us have long suspected.  Grant Teaff, 
director of the AFCA, declined to comment for the article, but it
may provide impetus for disclosing the votest of the coaches all
year long, not just at the end of the season.  

It would be interesting to apply the same analysis to the writers in 
the AP poll.  I have had my suspicions for some time now that at least 
one of the individual in Nebraska who has a ballot from time to time 
(several local sportswriters trade turns) may do the exact opposite, 
downcheck 'local' schools to show that he isn't playing favorites with 
the teams he knows best.
--
Mike Nolan