Much more was hidden in those formulas. Human bias is obvious in coaching polls. Humans wrote those computer programs. What makes you think they didn't have an agenda or bias? As for sportswriters....most don't stay awake to even watch West Coast games. Seems they might favor what everyone else was saying...SEC SEC.
For many years the voting in the polls by the writers was very heavily concentrated in the midwest and Northeast. In the seventies we started to see a major shift to the south and west due to population migration. I don't believe the media has much of a big city northern bias any longer, as evidenced by the Big 10 getting so little respect nowadays. I do believe the coaches tended to have a bias and an agenda, due to familiarity and in order to help their own cause. I'm glad the polls will no longer have much effect and hopefully they will end at least the coaches poll. The AP poll probably keep on going because people tend to like having it even though they bitch about it every time it comes out.
I was actually referring to your second statement, but after thinking about it you're probably right. There are some that are going to miss the BCS, those being mostly concentrated in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. I include you among those. The Gang in Birmingham has definitely lost some clout under the new playoff system. The playoff is certainly going to cause some controversy, but If true to what they say, it will at least be transparent. The playoff committee is also going to try to avoid "Second Chance" Bowls. http://espn.go.com/college-football...ootball-playoff-committee-try-avoid-rematches
They've not said anything about how they are going to handle the selections in terms of how transparent it will be. The only thing that's been stated is the first poll will be released around the end of October. I believe it was Pat Hayden that said he didn't want their decisions released publicly and mentioned how his email box had been slammed with questions about decisions earlier in his career and it was something he didn't want to deal with again. (I may be wrong on Hayden, but I know it was a committee member who said that.) Hancock also said:
I once read a history on polls and they were initially started TO CREATE controversy, at minimal, interest, in football. Never meant to name "Champions".
There will still be a Coaches poll. The top team will be awarded the Crystal Ball at the end of the season. I'm trying to remember this now. It seems there were three trophies already, two I'm positive about...the BCS trophy (Crystal Ball,) the AP, and maybe one other? Now, for sure, we'll have three awarded.
