Innovative Power Ranking Site: Beatpaths - New England Patriots Forums

Kasmir · 12-15-2010, 08:07 PM

I haven't seen this very clever site mentioned here before, so I thought I'd introduce it as a topic for those who haven't yet heard of it:

Beatpaths | The Winning Ways of Winners

The method is unique and explained well in the site, but basically the teams by what they call "beat paths", chains like NE > CHI > MIA, with the cleverness being they eliminate "beat loops", i.e NE > NYJ > NE.

I have no affiliation with the site, which has been out for several years; just thought some of you might find it a fun alternative to the usual subjective power ranking blather...

JR4 · 12-15-2010, 09:47 PM

When I see their results putting the Seahawks
over the PATs, Bears, Jets, Eagles, and Saints
I say to myself ... something is very wrong with this system.
There are lots of innovative ideas but are they worth anything?

Kasmir · 12-15-2010, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JR4

When I see their results putting the Seahawks
over the PATs, Bears, Jets, Eagles, and Saints
I say to myself ... something is very wrong with this system.
There are lots of innovative ideas but are they worth anything?

Last week was a strange week for their system. The week before the Pats were #1 and this week they'll be #1 again -- the graph above drives the rankings which will be out on Thursday. This has been a strange year with an unusual amount of parity with some erratic teams like the Seahawks causing anomalies. But even in a bad week, their rankings were 10-6. They're usually a lot better predictively. Over the past few years, I've found this system to provide some interesting insights, particularly pointing to teams that are over or underatewd in the conventional power rankings.

***ausbacker*** · 12-15-2010, 10:19 PM

Their explanation for the system is pretty stupid to be frank. I won't be revisiting that site.

TheGodInAGreyHoodie · 12-15-2010, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausbacker

Their explanation for the system is pretty stupid to be frank. I won't be revisiting that site.

Almost as stupid as the BCS, but not quite.

***Rob0729*** · 12-15-2010, 10:58 PM

This site like many sites with innovative stats are too cute for their own good. When you have (at the time of their last power rankings) a 6-6 Seahawks ranked #5 considering their division and schedule, you know their rankings are flawed. How could the Seahawks be ranked higher than the Pats, Ravens, Jets (this was before they lost to the Dolphins), and Bears (before they lost to the Pats)?

tajapandu · 12-15-2010, 11:38 PM

convoluted.