Duke Takes Eighth Seat in AP Poll, Awaits Start of Musical Chairs

Oct 27, 2012; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski and associate head coach Chris Collins and assistant coach Jeff Capel watch their team against the Western Washington Vikings during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-US PRESSWIRE

I have never liked the concept of polls. In college football, a team can be screwed out of a national championship right out of the gate if the voters underrate them enough. In college basketball, the rankings are such a wildly violent game of musical chairs that it is difficult to even see a point to them.

Outside of creating headlines (money!) and giving ill-informed, loud-mouthed fans something to brag about, what point do they serve? Come March Madness, the committee typically throws out rankings, focusing on more important aspects of teams such as their standings in the RPI, a beautiful ranking that measures a team’s entire body of work: great wins, bad losses, hard-fought losses and strength of schedule. Not to mention, come March Madness, the rankings have changed so wildly, for the most part, that the first rankings of the season looks like somebody just drew a bunch of teams out of a hat.

That being said, the first AP Poll of the season came out and it would be ridiculous of me to not as least mention that Duke received the eighth rank in the poll. There, I mentioned it. This number will almost certainly change fairly quickly with an early season contest against 3rd-ranked Kentucky (11/13). The eighth ranked team is playing the third ranked team! The eighth best team in the nation taking on the third best team in the nation! Buy your tickets!

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