tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753743645741034308.post8465534325202172102..comments2023-09-26T16:02:41.174-04:00Comments on Villanova by the Numbers: Senior Night -- Looking Back & Looking AheadgreyCathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08205379240405158462noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753743645741034308.post-15566086504044095912009-02-20T22:33:00.000-05:002009-02-20T22:33:00.000-05:00It did not occurred to me that you might be pickin...It did not occurred to me that you might be picking at details <B>Publisher</B>. Readers have been kind enough to contact me many times when facts were poorly stated or misstated. I correct promptly if indicated, that's one of the more effective ways we learn.<BR/><BR/>Fixing on a metric to measure "greatness" especially when reaching across decades and eras can be controversial. Winning percentage? Gross numbers of wins? Averaged RPIs and SOSs (or Sagarin Ratings for that matter)? Some of the less exotic methods have been to count the number of MDAAs coming in and the number of NBA'ers going out. One of the more subtle, but maybe better barometers, is how many post seasons the team is offered, and how deep the team runs (if they get an invitation).<BR/><BR/>I have been watching "the game" for a while now (as have many of my contemporaries), and a few impressions have stayed with me...<BR/>1. Fans stay. Through coaching changes, style changes, offensive and defensive innovations, even changes in the size, shape distance of the lines (except the 94 feet...). Because fundamentally it is a great game to watch and play.<BR/>2. How to measure "greatness", as with many other things is a constant challenge. But most recognize it when they see it, no matter the era, style of the game or the color of the uni.greyCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08205379240405158462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753743645741034308.post-55251765420764671432009-02-20T16:10:00.000-05:002009-02-20T16:10:00.000-05:00Hello, greyCat-I should emphasize that by mentioni...Hello, greyCat-<BR/><BR/>I should emphasize that by mentioning it to you, I certainly wasn't trying to nitpick... so no corrections are necessary. It was just an interesting factoid - so interesting, in fact, that they put it on the ESPN broadcast last night (and they obviously got it from the front page of the game notes, where it was located...)<BR/><BR/>Instead, I just thought that given your enthusiasm for numbers the quantitative stuff, that it might be something that would interest you... (I would agree completely that the source for the stat in the game notes likely was the same media guide...)<BR/><BR/>I also agree that perhaps winning percentage might be a better barometer. Although, in that case, we can't escape the fact that there was no RPI in the early '70s, no Big East conference, and so comparisons across eras are kind of difficult...<BR/><BR/>We'd all agree that the 1997, 2008, and 2009 classes rank among the most illustrious in school history, most likely, whatever the yardstick...<BR/><BR/>I'll be curious to get your thoughts...Villanova Viewpoint Publisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04626480031009448915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753743645741034308.post-90287921680591334772009-02-20T13:04:00.000-05:002009-02-20T13:04:00.000-05:00Thanks for the note Publisher. One of the reasons ...Thanks for the note <B>Publisher</B>. One of the reasons I included the early 1970's teams in the table was to highlight the fact that while the team did not play as many games overall as the teams of the late 1990's (and later), they did have a higher winning percentage. A hint (beyond the tournament runs) of just how good they were.<BR/><BR/>I will recheck my numbers for most wins. I confess I used Villanova's Media Guide (most likely the same source as the game notes author) -- if I miscounted, I will correct.greyCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08205379240405158462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753743645741034308.post-80474058702031887042009-02-20T11:25:00.000-05:002009-02-20T11:25:00.000-05:00Hello, greyCat-Great piece of analytical work, on ...Hello, greyCat-<BR/><BR/>Great piece of analytical work, on the questions of which class has won the most games during their tenure on the Main Line... your post is linked on my site...<BR/><BR/>Obviously, there are some apples and oranges involved b/c more recent classes have the right to play more games, have a deeper Big East tournament to play through, etc. <BR/><BR/>Also, I thought this might be of particular interest to you...<BR/><BR/>VU's game notes stated that the current record holder for wins by a class is the class of 1997, the Alvin Williams/Jason Lawson/Chuck Kornegay team, which has 95 wins (according to them). I have no doubt that you went through and counted them... I'm trying to figure out why they have it as 1997 and you have it at 2008... I'll be curious to see how it turns out...Villanova Viewpoint Publisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04626480031009448915noreply@blogger.com