Worthless preseason polls
You know what preseason polls are worth?
I would say nothing, but there has to be a stronger word for it.
I can say this with confidence after taking part in ACC Operation Basketball this past weekend.
Did you see what the writers put down as their predicted order of finish for the teams in the conference?
North Carolina in the top spot was no surprise - the Tar Heels are loaded, perhaps more so than they were in 2004 when they brought home the national title.
Two predictions stood out for me as far as showing how silly these kinds of things are - Duke at #2, and Virginia at #8.
The only reason Duke would be considered the second-best team in the Atlantic Coast Conference at this point in the proceedings is that its name is Duke.
Honestly, Mike Krzyzewski has to replace J.J. Redick and Sheldon Williams - and for the moment, at least, Greg Paulus, who is out indefinitely with a foot injury.
Given that his rotation toward the end of the 2005-2006 season featured six or seven players, depending on the game, you have to wonder if this team is going to struggle mightily through the pre-ACC season and possibly well into ACC play.
The other enigma - Virginia, which returns all five starters, the ACC's best backcourt and five newcomers who are expected to plug holes in the frontcourt and offer some needed backcourt depth.
Eighth? This makes no sense - nor does the fact that the 'Hoos actually received a handful of 12th-place votes from the assembled media.
Given that I spent the weekend with our brethren of the wrinkled shirt and rumpled tie, I know where these guys are coming from when they cast their votes.
Outer space sounds about right.
- Chris Graham