Coaches are fond of saying that the rankings don't mean anything... and for the most part, they are right.  Champions are crowned on the floor, not by the numbers.  But they mean a lot to fans.  And sometimes they actually do mean something to the teams. 

Fans get a little bit defensive about their rankings.  You should see the hate mail we get about the Mountain Top 10.  Trust me, it matters to them.  It also matters to several coaches.  I won't name names, but some coaches do petition to move up the Top 10.  Heck, some of them petition to move down it.  It's strange.

Truth be told, they matter to us in the WYMT Sports Department, or at least the Mountain Top 10 does.  We don't agree on every position for every team in the Mountain Top 10.  We work it out until we come up with what looks like it makes sense.

There is one thing to keep in mind about any Top 25/Top 10 ranking that is voted upon.  It's opinion.  That's all it is.  Whether it's a coaches poll or a media poll, it is simply what someone is feeling at that time.

Another thing to keep in mind is that they are also done by reputation.  How many people who vote on the weekly state Press Poll actually have seen all those teams play?  Not many, if any.  Basically they go off of what they've heard or read somewhere else.  (Coincidentally, this is also the same when it comes to All-State teams.  It's not always the best players.  Sometimes it's the better players with the best Public Relations machine pushing them).

Let's not foget the computer polls.  People say they don't trust the computers because they only use numbers, not common sense.  But if people didn't have at least some faith in them, then no one would use them.

I guess when it's all said and done, the only thing polls are good for is arguing and hypotheicals.  But boy can debating them sure be fun.  :-)  That being said, here are the latest poll numbers involving mountain teams.  Argue/debate away.

Boys

Shelby Valley - #1 Mountain Top 10, #4 KY AP Poll, #4 Cantrall Rankings

Corbin - #4 Mountain Top 10, #9 KY AP Poll, #8 Cantrall Rankings

South Laurel - #3 Mountain Top 10, #11 KY AP Poll, not ranked in the Cantrall Rankings Top 25

Girls

Rockcastle County - #1 Mountain Top 10, #11 KY AP Poll, #4 Cantrall Rankings

NAIA

The NAIA rankings actually do matter.  That is how they determine who makes the National Tournament for the at-large bids.  So keep you eyes on those as we move near crunch time over the month of February.  Here is where the locals stand:

Men

Cumberlands - 13th

Pikeville - Receiving Votes (They would be 30th if you project it out)

Women

Cumberlands - 12th

Pikeville - Receiving 1 vote

Union - Receivng 1 vote in the Division 2 poll

So what does everyone think?  How much do you care about the rankings?