San Francisco, CA -- The Elias Sports Bureau has released the strength of schedule and RPI for the first month of LOWV action. The strength of schedule (SOS) was calculated by tabulating the winning percentage of all the opponents faced thus far.
The RPI, on the other hand, was calculated using a much more complex formula. This formula is actually the same one employed by the NCAA in determining the seeding for the Division I basketball tournament. The details of this formula are confidential.
A spokesman from Elias was quick to point out that this early in the season, the numbers are less predictive than indicative. However, a few key items jump out from the numbers. The RPI is especially "fuzzy" this early into the season as it correlates so strongly to the winning percentage. It will only reflect really bad losses and really strong wins. Thus only DLBP flipped with Snats in the RPI standings vs the actual standings. SOS, on the other hand, is a fairly useful number as it quantifies clearly the guantlet that each team has faced thus far.
The first of these is the brutal schedule of tough teams some teams have faced. Banana Belt (.528), unBeleaguerable (.541) and DLBP (.561) have faced some of the toughest SOS in the month of April. These teams squared off against teams who held an winning percentage well above .500. However, while BB rose the challenge, it appears the burden was far too much for DLBP and unBeleaguerable in the early going.
Conversely, FC (.462) and El Guapo (.466) have enjoyed an incredibly easy schedules thus far, with only Mothership (.456) facing more dandelions. However, El Guapo and FC have certainly taken the opportunity to open up the season on a tear whereas Mothership has flaundered in mediocrity while fine tuning its lineup.
Something to look out for in the near future, is a surge from LM (.490), Equipe (.494), VR (.492) and LU (.490) who have all faced relatively difficult schedules in the early going. LU has outpaced the others due to a hot start from its roster. The others have been mired in various hitting slumps and injuries, causing them to play .500 ball to start the LOWV. However, should the luck shift and the schedules even out a bit, these teams could move up in May.
Yet, in the end, the numbers may do little more than reinforce what was already clear to many. Perhaps the next set up numbers at the end of May will be more enlightening.
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