The year was twenty aught seven when we started this here site, and I remember visiting the Daily Mail (!) office. There was an impromptu seminar of sorts about how to blog. When I say seminar, it may have been three or four of us in a corner of the newsroom. But that’s not the point. The point is I needed it. You ever go back and examine the roots? First post? First F Double? First time I think I figured it out (a month into it)?

It’s brutal.

But the advice I remember the best was, “Pay attention to the comments.”

I don’t know about you, but I have to believe that after 5,821 posts, the comments are what people know and like (on most days) about the blog. I started off using them to find a footing and then mold the format, and that took time because it was a while before I was posting anything that generated attention, never mind comments. From there, I could figure out who liked what, whether that was topics or delivery or the time of day.

Then the 2007 football offseason happen, and everything accelerated.

It wasn’t long when people were telling me how funny and insightful comments and conversations are, and we had a healthy combination of people stopping by for posts and comments, not necessarily in that order. That’s the goal. I’d like to think that’s stayed the same. We cycle people in and out for a variety of reasons, but it’s its own ecosystem.

For me, I honestly learn a lot from what’s tacked on after posts, and I get ideas about questions I have to ask, ways I have to think and stories I need to write. I’d miss a lot of that stuff if I were limited to my own POV. But comments are my oversight, too, and Mr. realbbbb provided a reason why.

Seems I kicked yesterday’s post about the APR all the way down the street. For starters, I searched for single-year APR scores — my effort was equal to and probably a bit beyond the interest in the topic, I have to think — and the line about the NCAA not releasing single-year scores was what I was told.

realbbbb knew better. There are single-year scores. Online!

I approximated football had a 925 score, and that was slightly wrong. It’s 922. (I said the math was hard!) But I also said some other stuff about the punitive part of the APR, and I didn’t handle that perfectly, either.

realbbbb, again, knew better.

realbbbb said:

Mike,

A few things.

1. They do release the Single-year (SY) APR scores.https://web3.ncaa.org/aprsearch/public_reports/apr2016/768_2016_apr.pdf?v=1494532006036 That file has both the Multi-year (MY) and SY APR Scores for all WVU sports. Football was 922 for 2015-16.

2. “Hitting 930 invites penalties, but it’s not an automatic postseason ban,” This is incorrect. Any school that has a MY APR “Currently, teams must earn a 930 four-year average APR or a 940 average over the most recent two years to participate in NCAA championships. In 2015-16 and beyond, teams must earn a four-year APR of 930 to compete in championships.” The first sentence there was from when this article was previously published (I’m assuming) as the 940 average over the 2 most recent years option no longer exists; it only existed during the first two years when 930 became the minimum (up from 900 previously). The 2nd sentence is what is currently in place, “In 2015-16 and beyond, teams must earn a four-year APR of 930 to compete in championships.”

I tried to defend/explain myself, stating penalties for breaching the low mark can be mitigated and “maybe I’m off there, too.” Again, didn’t go in depth … because I was planning on addressing it this morning.

Nope!

realbbbb also said:

“My understanding is a sub-930 can be met with lesser penalties. Maybe I’m off there, too.”

I should clarify regarding the postseason penalties. 930 is the minimum needed for postseason access. The first time a team has a MY rate < 930, it is banned from postseason competition. The second and third and fourth and etc. time that a team has a MY rate < 930, it can get postseason access IF the last two years combined APR score is 950 or greater. So yes, it is possible to score < 930 and have postseason access, but only if the team has already been banned once. Thus, given that no WVU teams have been subject to a postseason ban since APR went into effect in 2006-07, any future MY APR score < 930 would automatically subject that team to a ban from the postseason competition.

Source: http://ncaa.s3.amazonaws.com/files/regional_seminars/2015/d1/d1-academic-performance-program-overview-seminar.pdf (page 10)
https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/2014-15%20APP%20Manual%20with%20Appendices%2011-17-14.pdf (page 90 in the PDF, page 72 in the actual document)

Thanks, guy. I think that covers it! This has been your reminder to pay attention to the comments. Short day today because I’m leaving town. Come back later for a 35-inch story on Alek Manoah(!).