SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side, or you can find the poll embedded at the bottom of this post.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers whether Texas or Cal should top our NCAA Men’s Power Rankings:
RESULTS
Question: Who should have the #1 ranking in the men’s NCAA Power Rankings?
- California Golden Bears – 50.6%
- Texas Longhorns – 49.4%
In a margin that came down to just 6 votes, SwimSwam poll voters said that the California Golden Bears should have the #1 rank in the NCAA Power Rankings over the Texas Longhorns.
We went the opposite way in our actual rankings (in part because the guy doing the rankings has learned his lesson picking against Texas), but there are strong cases to be made on either side.
Texas has won the NCAA title for the last three seasons on the men’s side, and returns a strong core from a team that won by nearly 200 points last year. Add in the #2 recruiting class nationwide and you’ve got a recipe for a four-peat, especially from a veteran team that has proven it will show up in the post-season regardless of how tired swimmers look over the fall semester.
Cal, though, has swum lights-out so far this season. They hold the top time nationwide in 4 of 5 relays at present, with a deep, rangy roster full of blue-chip talents. Cal one-ups Texas with the #1 recruiting class in the nation, including sprint talent Ryan Hoffer, arguably the best NCAA value we’ve seen in the recruiting market since Caeleb Dressel.
Voters were extremely split on the issue, with just 6 more votes falling to Cal than to Texas.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks voters the age-old question of which short course format they care more about:
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The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner
TEXAS TAPER = #1 HOOK EM
Texas only has one taper. Absolutely no conference to swim for. Big 12 iswimming is a big joke.
While probably not the most popular view, I care about SCY more than SCM because SCY is such a small pool that starts/turns/underwaters make a huge difference. Now while this can lead to swimmers unable to replicate competitiveness in LCM, in the context of LCM swimmers I prefer yards progressions to see how they clean up their races and fine tune things where as SCM doesn’t have as big of an impact with turns/underwaters because there’s still a good amount of Swimming past the 15m mark.
I think that the presence of both is giving another valuable dimension to swimming.
For next weeks poll I think it could be worded better. Circumstantially I care about yards more cause I grew up swimming that format.
But I think it would be better for the sport if we only did meters, so I voted for meters because of that. Tired of US imperialsm. Lets all play on the same course. Its 2018. We about to be living on Mars. No more divide, lets get on the same page. Nobody is better than anybody else
I tend to think I am better than other people. jk
In our area we have 4 – 50 meter pools and maybe a couple more in the rest of the state. We have a lot of 25 yard pools though. So it comes down to money (IMHO) and not much else. Imagine that….
Texas is better than anybody else…
My favorite sign I have ever seen at a Washington DC “protest”:
“WHY AREN’T WE USING THE METRIC SYSTEM?”
Seriously, it would take < 5 years to adjust all the labels and signs (large companies and government already have to do both anyway). It would take longer for local pools to add an extra 7 feet to their lengths, but it will eventually happen.
Texas is Champion until someone else takes it. NCAA’s could be interesting AND competitive for a change.
Isn’t it 1.2%?
It is.
Yikes. I’m struggling with the math skills today! My mistake
Well… I did technically voted for CAL, but only b/c I thought Texas would get an out-sized number of votes. So math that into the equation.
Sounds like everyone that BBC interviewed who voted for Brexit.
I feel like Cal should have the #1 spot right now, but I think Texas will win come March.
Maybe it’s more important to win in March than being ranked first right now….
Both teams have stud swimmers in each event and relays should be top 5. But this year meet could come down to who scores the most in DIVING POINTS…
All NCAA teams have the option to use their divers for points that contribute towards a National Championship.