Latest news with #RPI
Dominion Post
a day ago
- Sport
- Dominion Post
COLUMN: Manipulating the RPI is the next step for WVU baseball coach Steve Sabins
MORGANTOWN — My first venture into studying the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) came in 2007, after a WVU men's basketball team that had gone 22-9 through the end of the Big East tournament with wins against UConn and UCLA had been left out of the NCAA tournament. And you thought the Mountaineers were snubbed last season. Anyway, in the years that have followed, two things truly stand out about the RPI: ** There really isn't a better tool to gauge a team's strength of schedule. ** It can also be manipulated like silly putty. WVU baseball coach Steve Sabins has got to find a way to become a master manipulator. It's not exactly an easy thing to do as a college baseball coach in the part of the country where the state of West Virginia resides. Still, if the WVU program is headed where it seems to be headed — a perennial Top 25 program and super-regional contender — Sabins' ability to schedule games is going to become just as critical as any recruit he signs out of high school or the transfer portal. Because talent wins games, true, but it's that strength of schedule that determines a team's ultimate fate between always being a regional host or always heading out on the road for the NCAA tournament. First, let's get into some basic numbers. WVU's nonconference RPI strength of schedule this season was 176th in the nation. That's out of 307 Division I teams, which doesn't exactly look great on the surface. OK, but here's where a little more research comes in. LSU, which just won the national title, had a nonconference strength of schedule of 124. Texas — the No. 2 overall seed heading into the NCAA tourney — was at 152. Tennessee, the 2024 national champ, was at 179. WVU took a beating from the so-called experts of college baseball, because the theme was the Mountaineers didn't play anybody in the nonconference. You didn't hear that about LSU, though. It wasn't a story told about Texas or Tennessee. Why? Because once SEC play began, the overall strength of schedules for those schools shot up like a rocket. All three schools finished with an overall strength of schedule no higher than 22nd in the nation. WVU finished with the 78th toughest overall schedule, which included the Clemson Regional games and the super regional against LSU. 'I think that's why I have a difficult time discussing the RPI and some of those factors,' Sabins said. 'There is really only so much you can do and it's an uneven system.' Meanwhile, the Big 12 season isn't exactly a stroll in the park, but WVU and Arizona were the only Big 12 schools to finish the season ranked in the Top 25. The SEC had seven of the top 15 and 11 of the top 30, so of course SEC coaches know they have the conference season to fall back on. They essentially don't have to schedule anyone other than cupcakes in the nonconference and then hope for the best once conference play begins. No one else — not even ACC coaches — have that luxury. So, is it an 'uneven' system, as Sabins suggested? You bet your baseballs it is. This is where Sabins' ability to manipulate the system is crucial. The problem: 'It comes down to you only having four weeks of nonconference games to start the season,' Sabins said. 'It's not like it's 10 weeks. And then, oh by the way, it's still snowing in West Virginia for three of those weeks, so you have to travel south. You can't play midweek games in West Virginia then, either, so you end up asking for a four-game series.' That is the unfortunate geography mismatch that exists in college baseball, where every school north of Nashville, Tenn. is at a disadvantage in an outdoor sport that begins play on Valentine's Day. 'You don't want to fill your schedule with cupcakes,' Sabins continued. 'But the truth of it is, everybody is playing then. It's not like there are a bunch of good teams searching for games. You kind of get stuck with playing who is willing to play.' Here is where the RPI can be easily manipulated, and we offer up Hawaii's nonconference schedule as the perfect example. Hawaii played the second-toughest nonconference schedule in the country this season, so you'd believe that schedule was filled with multiple Top 25 teams and maybe even a couple of series against teams from the American League East, right? Far from it. Hawaii played just one four-game series against a Top 25-ranked team (No. 4 Oregon State), while the rest of its nonconference schedule was Marshall, Wichita State, a mid-major darling in Northeastern and then one game against USC. Now, that doesn't exactly look like a gauntlet, but you don't need a gauntlet to manipulate the RPI. It's really not so much about which schools you can get to agree to play you more than understanding which schools to avoid playing. WVU played 13 nonconference games last season against schools ranked 201st or higher in the RPI. Hawaii played none, that's the difference. So, how can Sabins approach future scheduling? He believes playing true road games is a boost to an RPI rating, which is true to a point. To that end, WVU was a stellar 24-7 in true road games this season. But, if it becomes a question of playing a four-game road series against a team ranked 214th in the RPI or playing a neutral-site game against a team in the top 75, the neutral-site game is the way to go. This is where early-season college baseball tournaments come into play. To my surprise, there are literally two dozen of them to choose from. One of them is actually played in Surprise (Ariz.), the site of the 2026 Big 12 tournament. You don't hear much about them, because they are played at the height of the college basketball seasons and only a week, or so after the Super Bowl. But each one can offer three or four solid RPI matchups against other Power Conference schools who otherwise would never even consider playing the Mountaineers. WVU traditionally hasn't played in them and hasn't done so since J.J. Wetherholt was a freshman. 'Getting in some of those tournaments is something I think we have to look at for the future,' Sabins said. It would go a long way toward eliminating the theme of WVU not playing anyone. It could also be the next evolutionary step for Sabins' coaching career, because he's already proven to be ideal otherwise. Recruiting, developing players, winning — Sabins is right there. Learning to manipulate the RPI has got to be next on his list.
Time Out
6 days ago
- Business
- Time Out
Why London's tube fares are set for massive above-inflation price hikes every year until 2030
Earlier this year a report claimed that London's public transport had officially become the most expensive in the world. And, well, the numbers seemed to back that up. In March the capital's tube and train fares rose, with the daily cap for zone 1 travel increasing by 40p and the cap for travelling across zones 1, 2 and 3 hiked to £10.50. If Londoners were hoping for a reprieve for their wallets from tube fare increases next year, this week we bring bad news. The Standard has reported that London mayor Sadiq Khan has been told that the capital's transport fares should rise every year until the end of the decade. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has reportedly told Sir Sadiq not just to increase fares, but to hike them above the rate of inflation. An edict apparently states that TfL should increase prices by the RPI rate of inflation plus one percent in 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029. So, why are fares going up, and why are they increasing by so much? Earlier this month the Chancellor said that TfL will receive nearly £2.2 billion to spend on infrastructure over the next five years. Put plainly, in return for this cash TfL is being told to hike its prices. Alexander wrote: 'The funding in this settlement is provided against an assumed scenario that overall TfL fares will rise by the value of RPI+1 for each year of this settlement.' This is the second year in a row that TfL has been told to increase its prices by the national government. The previous transport secretary Louise Haigh told Sadiq Khan to increase prices in line with national rail fare rises, which he did in March 2025. How much are London's tube fares going up? Exactly how much London's transport fares will go up hasn't been confirmed, as RPI varies. Currently RPI sits at 4.3 percent, though on average it has been much lower than that over the last decade or so. Assuming an RPI inflation rate of around 3 percent, the daily cap for travelling between zones 1, 2 and 3 could cost more than £11.80 by 2029. The next TfL fare hike is not expected until March 2026, but may be announced sooner. Watch this space for updates.
Rhyl Journal
19-06-2025
- Health
- Rhyl Journal
Senior doctors asked about prospect of industrial action amid row over pay
Many doctors were given a 4% pay uplift in May. But the British Medical Association (BMA) said at the time that the pay rise does not go far enough in restoring historical pay freezes. The union announced that consultants and specialist, associate specialist, and specialty (SAS) doctors in England will take part in an indicative ballot over the recent pay offer. A 4% pay uplift, less than current inflation, is an insult to doctors in England. This Government has shown it simply doesn't value doctors. 'The DDRB has failed doctors. If this is the best they can do, government needs to think again.' says @DrPhilBanfield This 'award'… — The BMA (@TheBMA) May 22, 2025 The BMA said that after the offer the committees representing these doctors wrote to the Health Secretary Wes Streeting calling for him to meet for negotiations. But the union said it had not received a reply. The indicative ballot, which will ask whether they are willing to take part in industrial action, will open on July 21 and close on September 1. Resident doctors in England, formally known as junior doctors, are already being balloted over the prospect of strike action. BMA consultants committee co-chairs Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta, said in a statement: 'Last month's offer was an insult to senior doctors and undoes so much of the progress made last year. 'The 4% was below April's RPI inflation, let alone anywhere close to making a dent in the huge pay cuts consultants have experienced over the last 17 years. 'Without restoring consultants' value we will continue to drive our most experienced clinical leaders and academics away – in many cases to better pay and conditions overseas – when patients and the public need them most. 'We've been clear to the Government that we're ready to get around the table and to secure a better outcome for doctors, patients and the public, but with no response, we have no choice but to prepare for the possibility of further action.' They added: 'Our resident colleagues have already launched their ballot, to which we offer them our fully fledged support. We ask the Government whether it can really risk having several groups of doctors on picket lines together later this year.' BMA SAS committee chairwoman Dr Ujjwala Mohite added: 'SAS doctors are the backbone and unsung heroes of the NHS, yet this year's pay 'award' once again completely disregards the value we offer to patients and the health service. 'Even with the uplift, SAS pay will be down by almost a quarter in real terms compared to 2008. We are certainly not working a quarter less than we were 16 years ago.' The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
Western Telegraph
19-06-2025
- Health
- Western Telegraph
Senior doctors asked about prospect of industrial action amid row over pay
Many doctors were given a 4% pay uplift in May. But the British Medical Association (BMA) said at the time that the pay rise does not go far enough in restoring historical pay freezes. The union announced that consultants and specialist, associate specialist, and specialty (SAS) doctors in England will take part in an indicative ballot over the recent pay offer. A 4% pay uplift, less than current inflation, is an insult to doctors in England. This Government has shown it simply doesn't value doctors. 'The DDRB has failed doctors. If this is the best they can do, government needs to think again.' says @DrPhilBanfield This 'award'… — The BMA (@TheBMA) May 22, 2025 The BMA said that after the offer the committees representing these doctors wrote to the Health Secretary Wes Streeting calling for him to meet for negotiations. But the union said it had not received a reply. The indicative ballot, which will ask whether they are willing to take part in industrial action, will open on July 21 and close on September 1. Resident doctors in England, formally known as junior doctors, are already being balloted over the prospect of strike action. BMA consultants committee co-chairs Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta, said in a statement: 'Last month's offer was an insult to senior doctors and undoes so much of the progress made last year. 'The 4% was below April's RPI inflation, let alone anywhere close to making a dent in the huge pay cuts consultants have experienced over the last 17 years. 'Without restoring consultants' value we will continue to drive our most experienced clinical leaders and academics away – in many cases to better pay and conditions overseas – when patients and the public need them most. 'We've been clear to the Government that we're ready to get around the table and to secure a better outcome for doctors, patients and the public, but with no response, we have no choice but to prepare for the possibility of further action.' They added: 'Our resident colleagues have already launched their ballot, to which we offer them our fully fledged support. We ask the Government whether it can really risk having several groups of doctors on picket lines together later this year.' BMA SAS committee chairwoman Dr Ujjwala Mohite added: 'SAS doctors are the backbone and unsung heroes of the NHS, yet this year's pay 'award' once again completely disregards the value we offer to patients and the health service. 'Even with the uplift, SAS pay will be down by almost a quarter in real terms compared to 2008. We are certainly not working a quarter less than we were 16 years ago.' The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
Glasgow Times
19-06-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Senior doctors asked about prospect of industrial action amid row over pay
Many doctors were given a 4% pay uplift in May. But the British Medical Association (BMA) said at the time that the pay rise does not go far enough in restoring historical pay freezes. The union announced that consultants and specialist, associate specialist, and specialty (SAS) doctors in England will take part in an indicative ballot over the recent pay offer. A 4% pay uplift, less than current inflation, is an insult to doctors in England. This Government has shown it simply doesn't value doctors. 'The DDRB has failed doctors. If this is the best they can do, government needs to think again.' says @DrPhilBanfield This 'award'… — The BMA (@TheBMA) May 22, 2025 The BMA said that after the offer the committees representing these doctors wrote to the Health Secretary Wes Streeting calling for him to meet for negotiations. But the union said it had not received a reply. The indicative ballot, which will ask whether they are willing to take part in industrial action, will open on July 21 and close on September 1. Resident doctors in England, formally known as junior doctors, are already being balloted over the prospect of strike action. BMA consultants committee co-chairs Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta, said in a statement: 'Last month's offer was an insult to senior doctors and undoes so much of the progress made last year. 'The 4% was below April's RPI inflation, let alone anywhere close to making a dent in the huge pay cuts consultants have experienced over the last 17 years. 'Without restoring consultants' value we will continue to drive our most experienced clinical leaders and academics away – in many cases to better pay and conditions overseas – when patients and the public need them most. 'We've been clear to the Government that we're ready to get around the table and to secure a better outcome for doctors, patients and the public, but with no response, we have no choice but to prepare for the possibility of further action.' They added: 'Our resident colleagues have already launched their ballot, to which we offer them our fully fledged support. We ask the Government whether it can really risk having several groups of doctors on picket lines together later this year.' BMA SAS committee chairwoman Dr Ujjwala Mohite added: 'SAS doctors are the backbone and unsung heroes of the NHS, yet this year's pay 'award' once again completely disregards the value we offer to patients and the health service. 'Even with the uplift, SAS pay will be down by almost a quarter in real terms compared to 2008. We are certainly not working a quarter less than we were 16 years ago.' The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
