Ummm, your #'s 1, 2, and 3 have absolutely nothing to do with questioning the validity of the poll/vote.
I questioned the validity of the poll because of the 20-player ballot. means the validity of the poll and the legitimacy of including Tebow especially given 3).
Lets clear up what you mean with 20 player ballot. Lets make sure we are on the same page . 450 players were asked to list the top 20 players of 2011. Do we agree on this?
My question is whether it's correct, appropriate or accurate to ask a population to name their top 20, to weight each answer given, then create a list of "Top100" based on the number of votes each person received.
Frankly, nearly half the defenders in the NFL played against Tebow in the SEC. Don't doubt for a second that didn't make a difference in the NFL player vote.
Last I heard, something like 16-20% of the starters in the NFL were from SEC schools. Interesting question would be what percentage of those guys were on defense versus offense?
http://www.holyturf.com/2011/04/nfl-players-conference-affiliation/ doesnt specify starter or not, couldn't find that info from what I would consider a decent source
The SEC has an "edge" over other conferences but nothing close to an undisputed plurality. For example, players drafted (by conference) in 2011: 38 (SEC) 35 (ACC) 29 (Big Ten) 32 (PAC-10) 30 (Big 12) 22 (Big East) 10 (MWC) And obviously I'm pro-SEC.
Your methodology matters not. Tebow was included in the top 100 list because the entire league was fixated on the string of come from behind wins. Networks were battling to get the Broncos on a flex game down the stretch. Since a high percentage of games are won or lost by a touchdown or less, it matters most what you do in crunch time and that's why the players included him in the top 100. When the game is on the line, Tebow gets very very lucky, most of the time.
11 of 38 SEC taken during the 5th round compensation picks plus 6th and 7th rounds. One can argue that the SEC provides cream-of-the-crop talent at the very top of the draft AND helps players sneak in at the end of the draft. Given the statistical success rate of 5th round comp + 6th round + 7th round picks, there's really no "SEC dominance" that makes the conference year-in and year-out the undisputed leader in NFL draft prospects. Over time, I'd say, the SEC has the edge over every other conference but not by much (given normalization over time).
well if by "people' you mean actual NFL players, then yes, since they get to vote on it and the NFL network wraps a two 1/2 month television series around it , with interviews and debate.
