Nothing says completely biased more than looking at the nice spreadsheet provided by the folks at the USA today showing where these coaches laid their votes.
Michigan vs. Florida Debate
When looking at who voted who #2 it's easy to decipher that there is a natural bias between the schools in the northern half of the continent and those in the southern half which almost exclusively voted for Florida #2.
Ron Zook - The Zooker decided to part with party lines and side with his former employee even though his team routinely gets destroyed by every other squad in the Big 10, but hey he did recruit Chris Leak and the rest of the little used Junior and Senior class of Florida and therefore if they win its almost as if he won a National Title.
Mack Brown - Vetoed the South and went with Michigan, why, probably cause his team got trampled by OSU at home and Michigan played them well in Ohio.
Jim Tressel - Obviously its already been said that Tressel took the weasel's way out and didn't just vote for Michigan or Florida.
Gregg Brandon - Surprise the current Bowling Green coach despite being mauled by both Big 10 teams they played voted Florida #2. Oh, you don't say, Gregg Brandon was an assistant coach under Urban Meyer, there's no allegiance there of course completely unbiased, robotic even.
Everyone Else thinks Their Good But I Don't?
Howard Schnellenberger - Head Coach of Florida Atlantic and former national title winning coach at Miami apparently really doesn't like the Big 12 ranking Champion Oklahoma at 18 ten spots lower than the rest of the world, and even has Texas ranked a spot above them, huh? In addition keeping with the 10 slots lower theme he has LSU at 15 lower than both Auburn and Arkansas. Um ok, Mr. Longname old guy.
Dennis Franchione - Head Coach of A&M is not on the Cinderella Smurf Turf Boise St. bandwagon ranking them 16th much lower than just about everyone else.
Larry Blakenely - Coach of Troy agrees with me that Texas is overrated at #16, he apparently thinks they are so overrated that he did not even put them in his top 25 despite every other coach doing so.
Brady Hoke - Coach of Ball St. apparently thinks the SEC is pretty good with Tennessee, LSU, Florida and Auburn all ranked. Oh wait he forgot the SEC West Champ Arkansas, so you're telling me its ok to be 3 loss Tennessee and Auburn is good enough to be #11 but Arkansas somehow fell out of the top 25. Harsh.
Rocky Long - Coach of New Mexico didn't like that big clash at Rocky Top to open the season apparently as he was the only to not rank either Tennesse or California.
Random Votes
Sometimes you just look at a ranking and wonder where the hell that came from, it seems to have no logic but its there.
Mike Leach - Head Coach Texas Tech loves himself some Tech school, no not Texas Tech, but Virginia Tech ranking them #7, 5 spots higher than Beamer ranked his own team, huh?
Philip Fulmer - Could that loss to ND last season still be on Fulmer's brain? He ranked the Fighting Irish #7 in all the land.
Howard Schnellenberger - Howie loves himself some Big East schools wearing red jerseys ranking Louisville 4 and Rutgers 10.
A Little Added Incentive
Who doesn't think they are personally better than the remainder of the public, its certainly just a natural feeling, so when all these coaches vote there school higher than everybody else should you be surprised?
Mack Brown - In what might be the most laughable favoritism Mack Brown voted his Texas squad #15 not that out of whack since they are ranked #16 in the poll but what is laughable is that he ranks A&M a team with the same record, and a team that just beat his squad in Austin 7 spots lower at 22. Were you in attendance at that game Mack? Maybe that explains the fact you guys lost at home.
Bowden Boys - Clemson isn't ranked in the top 25 but according to both of the Bowden boys they are. Bobby even goes so far as to rank them 22nd, maybe a Christmas present to his son.
Art Briles - Head Coach of Houston apparently thinks the Cougars are the #19 team in the country, sorry Art but your push didn't work, Houston didn't make the top 25.
Philip Fulmer - He doesn't just love the Irish he loves Rocky Top ranking them #13 higher than any coach put the men in pastel orange.
Rich Rodriguez - He loves himself some Mountaineers at #7 even though he's soon to bail for the Crimson tide.
Greg Schiano - Loves himself some Big East putting Louisville, Rutgers and West Virginia all in the top ten.
Bob Stoops - Has no problem thrusting the Sooners to #4 in the country.
Mark Reicht - Thinks despite his very below par season at Georgia that the wins against Tech and Auburn are good enough for the top 25. Wonder if he was planning on voting for Vandy or Kentucky since he lost to both.
Lloyd Carr - Hmm, what could benefit Michigan other than his #2 vote in the polls, oh I know how about ranking Wisconsin fourth. Atleast, he didn't go overboard and rank ND high, he was spot on with #11.
Fired Folks Get to Vote Too
John L. Smith, Walt Harris, John Bunting and Larry Coker have already been fired from their respective programs but thats no big deal, their still coaches right I guess, maybe sure, even if they all never get a job again atleast they have their last few weeks of voting in the coaches poll. USA Today doesn't discriminate, it's one of their policies.
Random Thought: ESPN should hire Rick Kotite for NFL Power Rankings, given his great Head Coaching lore.
Basically, you have to love the objective unbiased views of the coaches around America, an honorable group.
Michigan vs. Florida Debate
When looking at who voted who #2 it's easy to decipher that there is a natural bias between the schools in the northern half of the continent and those in the southern half which almost exclusively voted for Florida #2.
Ron Zook - The Zooker decided to part with party lines and side with his former employee even though his team routinely gets destroyed by every other squad in the Big 10, but hey he did recruit Chris Leak and the rest of the little used Junior and Senior class of Florida and therefore if they win its almost as if he won a National Title.Mack Brown - Vetoed the South and went with Michigan, why, probably cause his team got trampled by OSU at home and Michigan played them well in Ohio.
Jim Tressel - Obviously its already been said that Tressel took the weasel's way out and didn't just vote for Michigan or Florida.
Gregg Brandon - Surprise the current Bowling Green coach despite being mauled by both Big 10 teams they played voted Florida #2. Oh, you don't say, Gregg Brandon was an assistant coach under Urban Meyer, there's no allegiance there of course completely unbiased, robotic even.
Everyone Else thinks Their Good But I Don't?
Howard Schnellenberger - Head Coach of Florida Atlantic and former national title winning coach at Miami apparently really doesn't like the Big 12 ranking Champion Oklahoma at 18 ten spots lower than the rest of the world, and even has Texas ranked a spot above them, huh? In addition keeping with the 10 slots lower theme he has LSU at 15 lower than both Auburn and Arkansas. Um ok, Mr. Longname old guy.Dennis Franchione - Head Coach of A&M is not on the Cinderella Smurf Turf Boise St. bandwagon ranking them 16th much lower than just about everyone else.
Larry Blakenely - Coach of Troy agrees with me that Texas is overrated at #16, he apparently thinks they are so overrated that he did not even put them in his top 25 despite every other coach doing so.
Brady Hoke - Coach of Ball St. apparently thinks the SEC is pretty good with Tennessee, LSU, Florida and Auburn all ranked. Oh wait he forgot the SEC West Champ Arkansas, so you're telling me its ok to be 3 loss Tennessee and Auburn is good enough to be #11 but Arkansas somehow fell out of the top 25. Harsh.
Rocky Long - Coach of New Mexico didn't like that big clash at Rocky Top to open the season apparently as he was the only to not rank either Tennesse or California.
Random Votes
Sometimes you just look at a ranking and wonder where the hell that came from, it seems to have no logic but its there.
Mike Leach - Head Coach Texas Tech loves himself some Tech school, no not Texas Tech, but Virginia Tech ranking them #7, 5 spots higher than Beamer ranked his own team, huh?
Philip Fulmer - Could that loss to ND last season still be on Fulmer's brain? He ranked the Fighting Irish #7 in all the land.
Howard Schnellenberger - Howie loves himself some Big East schools wearing red jerseys ranking Louisville 4 and Rutgers 10.
A Little Added Incentive
Who doesn't think they are personally better than the remainder of the public, its certainly just a natural feeling, so when all these coaches vote there school higher than everybody else should you be surprised?
Mack Brown - In what might be the most laughable favoritism Mack Brown voted his Texas squad #15 not that out of whack since they are ranked #16 in the poll but what is laughable is that he ranks A&M a team with the same record, and a team that just beat his squad in Austin 7 spots lower at 22. Were you in attendance at that game Mack? Maybe that explains the fact you guys lost at home.Bowden Boys - Clemson isn't ranked in the top 25 but according to both of the Bowden boys they are. Bobby even goes so far as to rank them 22nd, maybe a Christmas present to his son.
Art Briles - Head Coach of Houston apparently thinks the Cougars are the #19 team in the country, sorry Art but your push didn't work, Houston didn't make the top 25.
Philip Fulmer - He doesn't just love the Irish he loves Rocky Top ranking them #13 higher than any coach put the men in pastel orange.
Rich Rodriguez - He loves himself some Mountaineers at #7 even though he's soon to bail for the Crimson tide.
Greg Schiano - Loves himself some Big East putting Louisville, Rutgers and West Virginia all in the top ten.
Bob Stoops - Has no problem thrusting the Sooners to #4 in the country.
Mark Reicht - Thinks despite his very below par season at Georgia that the wins against Tech and Auburn are good enough for the top 25. Wonder if he was planning on voting for Vandy or Kentucky since he lost to both.
Lloyd Carr - Hmm, what could benefit Michigan other than his #2 vote in the polls, oh I know how about ranking Wisconsin fourth. Atleast, he didn't go overboard and rank ND high, he was spot on with #11.
Fired Folks Get to Vote Too
John L. Smith, Walt Harris, John Bunting and Larry Coker have already been fired from their respective programs but thats no big deal, their still coaches right I guess, maybe sure, even if they all never get a job again atleast they have their last few weeks of voting in the coaches poll. USA Today doesn't discriminate, it's one of their policies.
Random Thought: ESPN should hire Rick Kotite for NFL Power Rankings, given his great Head Coaching lore.
Basically, you have to love the objective unbiased views of the coaches around America, an honorable group.
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