ESPN Pre-season Poll

[AmesPanther]

Has anyone else looked at the ESPN pre-season poll? It has Iowa at #16, ISU at #22, and UNI isn't listed even in the "others" part. I didn't think UNI would get overlooked this year, but somehow ESPN has done it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2191027

[Marc Wigim]

NEVER underestimate the power of the Disnification of sports, as headed by ESPN.

[ejacobson]

ESPN at it again

ESPN has got to be the most untrustworthy group of analysts in the country, other than Lunardi (he does the NCAA Brackets). But as usual they only look to BCS conferences and the "Big Name Mid-Majors" I mean not even SIU or CU is listed anywhere let alone UNI, wheres the Valley love ESPN, where is the love.

However this could be even better because now it will be even more fun to beat those two other state schools, and just remember how high Iowa was ranked preseason last year and look what happened. ESPN has a long history of struggling in picking anyone after the top 5 schools of College BB. But who cares what preseason ranking say anyway, thats why we still play the games, cause no one knows. GO PANTHERS!!!

[Matt Trump]

ESPN's college basketball analysis is amateur at best. Funny how when the tournament rolls around and they can never understand why their brackets are messed up and how there are so many upsets.

[Lovie Smith]

ESPN overlooked the White Sox all season and that turned out well. Who cares what the Eastern Sea Port Network (to quote Mike North) thinks!

[FMPanther]

agreed

ESPN overlooked the White Sox all season and that turned out well. Who cares what the Eastern Sea Port Network (to quote Mike North) thinks!

i agree Lovie and reed. ESPN is so overrated. I like the event coverage, but their shows, analysts, etc.....suck.

Remember the good ole days of ESPN? ESPN has jumped the shark. I hope someone gives them a run so we see some improvement.

[panther2317]

It makes me think that I'd rather tune into the Athlon Sports Television Programming Network...if it existed

[NJ Panther]

Why are we just all now figuring this out? This is after all the Dickie V Sports network

[panther2317]

All of these guys are so into football right now...they just have the BCS conferences and their teams on the tip of their brain. This will not go away until UNI (or other Valley teams) make consistent deep runs...or beat BCS teams on a regular basis every year. One 'mid-major' team has done that, maybe two...I'd say that Utah and Gonzaga have shed that label and can be looked at as equals with the BCS schools. SIU and Creighton have been regulars in the Dance now...but haven't made deep runs (Sweet 16's, Elits 8's) consistently. When they do...the pundits will open their eyes a little.

[Beaker416]

To be honest I'd rather we're not ranked at the start of the season, and let some teams try and look past us. Just easier to upset them.