Once again the college football world was rocked by craziness in the top 10. LSU and Cal both lost in last-second fashion. Cal’s backup quarterback made one of the worst decisions in sports history while Les Miles unsuccessfully channeled Bo Schembechler for four-straight runs in OT. Both teams will have a chance to climb back into the National Title picture rather quickly. While those losses weren’t season-enders for either team, they were catalysts for the polls to exhibit unprecedented idiocy. I feel for the pollsters. This season has been borderline-insane. It is not easy to rank the top 25 teams. However, it is easy to avoid making moronic rationalizations. A full list of those will come later.
The biggest annoyance for me this week is that the polls have become a reflection of what the pollsters don’t think. Boston College is ranked 2nd in the AP poll and 3rd in the USA Today poll. I’m pretty sure that 95% of all pollsters do not believe that Boston College is a top three team. So what are they doing ranked near-unanimously in the top three? What good are the polls if they don’t even reflect what the voters actually think? BC hasn’t beaten a team in the top 30 of either poll. Among BC’s underwhelming victories are UMASS, Army, and Bowling Green. We went through this earlier in the season as Wisconsin climbed to #5. I can probably count on one hand the number of voters in the country who actually felt Wisconsin was a top five team. The polls should reflect which teams the pollsters think are the best. I don’t think it’s that difficult of a concept.
Not nearly as controversial—but worth noting nonetheless—is Ohio St. being ranked number one by virtually everyone despite the following victories: Youngstown St., Akron, Kent, Washington, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Purdue. I’m not sure there is a team in the top 25 with a worse collection of wins. Ohio St. has been thoroughly dominant in getting to 7-0. They are clearly talented. It is just odd to see a team with that sort of resume as the overwhelming pick as the top team in the country. Unfortunately, Ohio St. probably won’t be tested all year. Likewise, if BC beats Virginia Tech on Thursday, then it will be undefeated without a single ranked team remaining on its schedule. Based on performance to date, South Florida deserves to be ranked number one ahead of Ohio St. and BC.
On to the massive list of poll-related atrocities…
I’m going to break things down by poll this week to make things less repetitive.
USA Today Poll
Penn St. over Michigan
Do these guys watch football? Both teams have the same record and Michigan beat Penn St. with its back-up true freshman quarterback. Amazingly, it gets much, much worse.
Boston College over South Florida
South Florida has two victories over teams ranked in the top 20 (#7 West Virginia and #19 Auburn). Boston College hasn't even played a team that is currently ranked.
Purdue #32!
It was absurd that Purdue was even ranked at all last week by the USA Today Poll. After back to back losses in embarrassing fashion Purdue chimes in at #32? That victory over Central Michigan must carry a lot of weight considering that is Purdue’s marquee win thus far. Just to prove that the AP Poll does follow college football, Purdue didn’t receive a single vote in its poll.
Kansas St. not even ranked
Ranking Texas over Kansas St. at this point is dumb. Both teams have two losses. Kansas St. killed Texas by 20 points. Kansas St. has the best win and the best losses. However, ranking Virginia over Kansas St. is beyond the realm of incompetence. Virginia has six wins against; Duke, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Middle Tennessee St., Connecticut and Pittsburgh. Virginia beat North Carolina, Middle Tennessee St., and Pittsburgh (teams with a combined record of 6-14) by a grand total of five points. There are 40 teams in I-A football with a better collection of victories. Virginia also managed a whole three points in a 20-point blowout loss at the hands of powerful Wyoming. So, if asked who Kansas St. should be ranked ahead of, my answer is: Virginia.
Virginia Tech over Kentucky
Virginia Tech and Kentucky are 6-1. Virginia Tech’s best win? Unranked Clemson. Kentucky’s best win? #5 LSU. Virginia Tech’s loss? 48-7 to LSU. Kentucky’s loss? 38-23 to S. Carolina. Again, both teams have the same record. Both teams played LSU. Kentucky beat LSU. Virginia Tech lost by 41. I don’t have anything else to say.
Hawaii stays at #16
Hawaii squeaked out another impressive victory in overtime fashion nonetheless. This time it was against San Jose St. It can now add that to its other overtime win against feared Louisiana Tech. Hawaii now has two victories over I-AA teams, two overtime victories against San Jose St. and Louisiana Tech, and the other three wins were against teams with a combined record of 3-17. Sound like the #16 team in the country? If you answered yes, then you should be a college football voter.
Pretending games didn’t happen
There are so many violations in the USA Today poll of teams beating other teams with equal resumes yet being ranked behind those teams. To save time, I’ll tackle all of these at once…
Wisconsin over Illinois
Wisconsin hasn’t beaten anyone of note. Illinois has (Wisconsin and Penn St). Illinois beat Wisconsin.
Florida St. over Wake Forest
Both teams are 4-2. Wake has the best loss of the two teams. Wake beat Florida St.
Georgia over Tennessee
Both teams have two losses. Tennessee crushed Georgia.
Maryland over Wake Forest
Both teams have two losses. Wake Forest has the better wins. Wake Forest has the better losses. Wake Forest beat Maryland.
Rutgers over Maryland
Both teams have two losses. Maryland has the better wins. Maryland has the better losses. Maryland beat Rutgers
Rutgers over Wake Forest
I’m just going to use the Transitive Property on this one. There. I used it.
AP Poll
Arizona St. first place vote
I know it’s just one guy but come on. If there’s a team in the top 20 with a worse collection of wins than Ohio St. and BC, it’s Arizona St. I don’t think anyone doubts that Arizona St. is at the very least, a good team. There’s just nothing, whatsoever, that would indicate Arizona St. is the best team in the country. Thankfully, this is guaranteed to only be a one or two-week phenomenon. Arizona St. plays Cal this week and Oregon next week. If ASU wins both, then there is sufficient evidence to vote ASU #1. If they lose either, then they clearly aren’t #1. This is just a minor annoyance.
Alabama over Florida St.
Again, both teams have the same record. Florida St. beat Alabama. This is one of the only cases of the entire year in which the AP Poll has a team ranked ahead of another team with nearly identical resumes in which it lost to when the USA Today Poll did not also do the same thing. In other words, the USA Today Poll must have missed this one on accident.
Hawaii #17
In a shocking turn of events, the AP Poll actually dropped Hawaii a whole spot after needing overtime to beat San Jose St. This should send a message to frauds everywhere that you will be punished for terrible performances. I don’t know what’s worse: Virginia at #27 or Hawaii at # 17? It’s a toss-up. In all seriousness, Hawaii is ranked ahead of Auburn, Texas, Tennessee, and Georgia among many other superior teams.
Virginia Tech!
At least the AP has Kentucky ranked ahead of Virginia Tech. Still, Virginia Tech hasn’t beaten anyone ranked and lost by 41 points in its only test of the season. The Hokies should be ranked at least five spots lower than #11.
USA Today and AP
Texas over Kansas St.
The AP is usually good about handling the x beat y with nearly identical resumes and records situation. In this instance, they got it wrong along with the USA Today poll. Kansas St. and Texas have two losses each. Kansas St. has the best losses and the best win. Kansas St. beat Texas by 20.
Florida over Auburn
Both Polls are guilty of this one. This comparison is pretty much the same as the Kansas St./Texas comparison. According to the rankings, Auburn has the best loss of the two teams. According to the rankings, Auburn has the best win of the two teams. Both Florida and Auburn have two losses. Florida lost to #5 LSU. Auburn lost to #2 S. Florida. Auburn beat Florida on the road. How can Florida be rated ahead of Auburn at this point?
Oregon over Cal
Cal and Oregon are both really good teams. They are both rated in the top ten. They both have one loss. If only these two teams could play each other so we could see which one is better. Oh, wait. They did play. In fact, they played at Oregon. Cal won. At this point in the season, Cal should be ranked ahead of Oregon. Cal has the better win. Oregon has the better loss. Cal beat Oregon. I have a feeling that this is the least egregious thing on my list according to the average college football fan. It shouldn't be. Cal won and they have the same record. Plus, Cal’s loss was with a freshman, back-up quarterback. That doesn’t change the outcome of the game but Cal very likely would have won on Saturday with Nate Longshore in the lineup.
Rutgers over Maryland
Both teams have two losses. Maryland has the better wins. Maryland has the better losses. Maryland beat Rutgers.
UCONN
Anyone voting for UCONN at this point is either its head coach, or thinks Dan Orlovsky is still in college. UCONN has beaten Duke, Maine, Temple, Akron, and Pittsburgh. UCONN basically lost to Temple. An apparent Temple touchdown was disallowed with 40 seconds left despite video evidence showing a touchdown. I almost forgot; Temple is bad. Please stop voting for UCONN.
Virginia!
The USA Today poll has Virginia ranked #24 which is ridiculous. The AP disappointed me big-time with this one, too. Just when I thought the AP might be getting its act together, it goes and ranks Virginia # 27. Here is a refresher about Virginia…
“Virginia’s six wins are against; Duke, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Middle Tennessee St., and Pittsburgh. Virginia beat North Carolina, Middle Tennessee St., and Pittsburgh (teams with a combined record of 6-14) by a grand total of five points. There are 40 teams in I-A football with a better collection of victories. Virginia also managed a whole three points in a 20-point blowout loss at the hands of powerful Wyoming.”
Penn St. over Illinois
Both teams are 5-2. Illinois beat Penn St.
More signs of college football craziness:
USC is not ranked in the top 25 in three of the six computer polls used in the BSC rankings while South Florida is ranked number one in five of the six computer polls.
Four of the teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll were not even ranked to begin the season including South Florida, Boston College, Kentucky, and Oregon.
11 of the 25 teams ranked in the AP pre-season top 25 aren’t ranked anymore.
Arizona St.—despite not beating a team that was ranked at any point this season or a team that received even a single vote in the rankings this week—is rated as the number two team in the country by two computer polls.
The AP’s number one and three teams—Ohio St. and Boston College—have combined to beat zero ranked teams. In fact, together, they have only beaten one team that received even a single vote in the AP poll.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Best Pizza in Detroit
New York and Chicago are known as the two pizza-havens of America. I don’t have a problem with that considering pizza in America began in New York; and Chicago introduced the monstrosity that is “Chicago Style Stuffed Pizza.” Both locales earned their reputations. Lost in the love-fest for New York and Chicago, though, is the phenomenal array of pizza put out in Metro Detroit. New York boasts giant slices of thin pizza and the “fold” technique. Chicago boasts stuffed, pie-like pizza that often requires a fork and knife. Detroit offers its own version of the deep dish that you won’t find in Chicago or anywhere else. The phrase “deep-dish” encompasses a lot of styles. To know one is certainly not to know them all. Detroit’s deep-dish is square—not stuffed—and doesn’t sacrifice the quality or quantity of its major pizza components—cheese, sauce, crust, and toppings—to get its point across.
Buddy’s, Shield’s, Cloverleaf, and Loui’s are four Detroit-giants that essentially came out of the same kitchen but have evolved to form their own unique recipes. The first three have 50+ years of history while the latter is the youngest and best of the bunch. All four brands have their own version of how Detroit’s deep-dish began and what part their restaurant played in that history. The rich tradition of pizza in Detroit is truly an unheralded American treasure. Unless you’ve lived in Detroit long enough to figure this out for yourself, this is all probably news to you. Detroit and “pizza” have never been synonymous outside of the “pizza chain” world. The rest of the country probably views Detroit as the birthplace of Little Caesar’s and Dominoes. It would be a shame for Detroit to be identified by the various pizza-chains that have started out of Michigan. Little Caesar’s and Dominoes have been great for pizza delivery across America but both products pale in comparison to what Detroit pizza is really about.
While Detroit-style deep-dish rules the city, that is hardly the only perfected-style you will find in the area. If you know where to look, you will find all sorts of varieties and unique takes on pizza. Among the fabulous styles of pizza you will find in Detroit are; Detroit-style deep-dish, traditional round, Northern Italy/New Haven, CT style, thin, and even a Detroit take on the Chicago deep-dish. You will find a truly unmatched mesh of pizza styles and tastes in Detroit. If you live in Detroit and have only experienced the cookie-cutter, quickly-thrown-together, chain pizza, I highly suggest you seek out the places listed below. If you plan on visiting Detroit from out of town, your view of the city will be altered permanently after trying some of the places below.
As always, my opinions are just that: opinions. I love pizza. I am not biased in my “style” of preference but this list is littered with biases everywhere else. I have been to each of the places listed below multiple times as well as countless other pizza places in the area. I have lived in Metro Detroit for 20 years and to the best of my knowledge, the following is a list of the best pizza Metro Detroit has to offer.
Metro Detroit's Best Pizza
1). Loui's Pizza
Loui’s pizza is the best pizza Detroit has to offer, IMO. The actual “Loui” opened his pizza outfit 27-years ago. Before gracing Detroiters with his unbeatable pizza, Loui spent time at Buddy’s and Shields. Loui’s version of the square, deep-dish pizza is often lumped in with his two previous employers but, believe me when I say, they are nothing alike. You’ll probably find a higher percentage of patrons eating their pizza with a fork—something I do not condone under any circumstances—at Loui’s. The pizza is thick. Unlike Shield’s and Buddy’s, though, Loui doesn’t jip on the sauce or the cheese. Even more important, the sauce and cheese are of a tastier variety. While Buddy’s and Shields have a tendency to cook their pizza’s well-done, Loui’s pizza is cooked perfectly. The crust is crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. The ingredients are premium starting with thick pepperoni. I have always enjoyed Buddy’s and Shields but since I discovered Loui’s, I have not been able to look at those establishments in the same way. The only negative that I have come across is the inexplicable absence of the all-important cheese bread. If I’m ordering pizza, there’s a 95% chance I’m ordering cheese bread. The 5% of the time I don’t order it is when I’m having Loui’s.
Location(s): Hazel Park
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish
Recommendation: This pizza is heavy and slightly expensive. If you’re an average eater, then 2-3 slices will do. My personal preference at Loui’s is pepperoni, sausage, and onion. Don't be afraid to dine-in. The parking can be a littley dicey (not enough spots) but the atmosphere is excellent.
Buffet: no
2). Pizza Papalis
Pizza Papalis is known as the place to get “Chicago Style Pizza” in Detroit. While I have to admit that PP’s stuffed pizza is quite tasty, PP only shows up this high on my list because of its thin pizza. I brought a former Shield’s pizza-maker to PP recently who had only previously had PP’s Chicago-Style. He gave me the go-ahead to order whatever I wanted so figured I’d blow his mind with an extra-large, thin, meat lover’s. An hour later as we were leaving, he exclaimed without a hint of doubt in his voice, “this is the best pizza I have ever had in my life.” I know that there are a lot of pizza fans in Detroit who have been to PP and not had the thin. I was one of them for years. I simply looked at PP as a place to get some “Chicago Style Pizza” from time to time. However, since I was turned onto the thin pizza, PP is now my pizza of choice, bar none. The ingredients are phenomenal. The ham tastes like slices of honey baked ham you might find at an Easter dinner. The pepperoni comes layered with as many as five pieces stuck together. I can’t begin to do justice to the quality of PP’s thin pizza. I can only recommend that you make a trip to one of the two full-service locations in metro-Detroit.
Location(s): Multiple
Style: Chicago Style Deep-Dish and Thin
Recommendation: Order a small Chicago Style—I recommend the “Papalis Gourmet” minus black olives for a spectacular combination of flavor—just to get a taste of it but order an extra-large, meat lover’s, thin pizza to ingest possibly the greatest pizza you will ever taste. The breadsticks and garlic bread are worth ordering in tandem.
Buffet: yes
3). Tomatoes Apizza
“Tomatoes” is a truly unique experience. In fact, you will find no other pizza-joint in Metro Detroit quite like it. The pizza here is of the “East Coast” variety. The pizzaiola—or pizza-maker—has crafted a masterpiece of a recipe in the style of Frank Pepe’s legendary pizza in New Haven, CT. It is the antithesis of the thick, deep-dish pizzas that Detroit’s pizza history is rooted in. I cannot make a better recommendation as far as introducing yourself to “Tomatoes” than to simply go to its pizza buffet served weekdays at lunch. The day I made that decision goes down as one of the greatest dining experiences of my life. Think of this pizza buffet as a “Grand Finale” at a fireworks show. But, instead of it lasting a minute or two, this lasts as long as you’ve got room left in your stomach. Unlike many other pizza buffets where cold pizzas with unwanted ingredient-combinations litter the buffet-line, “Tomatoes” is constantly filled with some of the most spectacular pizza combinations you’ll ever see. The owner, Mike Weinstein, makes the pizza himself taking great pride in every slice that is eaten at his restaurant. I have never actually met a person who has heard of Tomatoes Apizza which tells me that too many Detroiters are missing out on this pizza-haven. If you’re reading this and you’ve never been, make plans today. You won’t regret it. The only negative aspect of my visit(s) to Tomatoes came when an arcane policy of charging any child who is able to walk came to my attention. I have no problem charging children—of any age—who eat. In this instance, my son was charged the children’s price (I believe it was $4.99) and he didn’t eat. I explained to the owner that my son was two-years old and despite our wishes to the contrary, he doesn’t eat pizza. He said it didn’t matter. I’m not sure how a place can legally charge someone for not eating. We have been on somewhat of a silent boycott since said experience.
Location(s): Farmington Hills (2)
Farmington Hills
Style: Classic East Coast Neapolitan Style Pizza
Recommendation: Do yourself a favor and introduce yourself to all the magical combinations Mike Weinstein offers at his weekday lunch buffet. He is at the Middlebelt/14-Mile Rd. location. You’ll find everything on the menu at the buffet. I highly recommend not ordering take-out or delivery. In fact, if you can’t make it to the restaurant, then you’re better off passing all together. I have not been to the Halsted location but I can't imagine it's anything less than spectacular as well.
Buffet: yes
4). Green Lantern Lounge
The Green Lantern has the best cheese-bread in metro-Detroit and I’m not sure it’s even close. In fact, “Lantern’s” cheese bread is better than 95% of the pizza in metro-Detroit. Luckily, you don’t have to go anywhere else to find a pizza equal to the task since “Lantern” has that, too. There is no question that the pizza is greasy. There’s no way around that. Some people have issues with greasy pizza. If everything else was equal, I would probably go with a non-greasy pizza over a greasy one. The problem is that everything else isn’t equal. You will not find five better pizza-joints within the state of Michigan. “Lantern” offers a deep-dish and a normal crust and both come round. The cheese is stellar. The cheese that makes the cheese-bread so good is also what powers that taste of the pizza. The toppings are also excellent. The only negative is that the inside of the Green Lantern often resembles a smoker’s convention. The obvious easy fix to that problem is to pick it up and take it home.
Location (s): Madison Heights
Style: Round Deep-Dish and Traditional round
Recommendation: The round Deep-Dish is almost the exact same as the Traditional round except it’s heavier without more taste. You get more taste in each bite without having to eat as much so traditional round is my style of choice. The cheese makes the pizza but the toppings are also excellent. I would recommend a meat lover’s.
Buffet: no
5). Alibi
There is nothing flashy about Alibi. I lived in Rochester Hills for five years and never even heard of the place. It wasn’t until my second stint in Rochester Hills that I came across it. I heard from a friend that it had excellent pizza among other things. I gave it a go and the pizza was phenomenal. Like the restaurant, there is nothing flashy about the pizza. It isn’t a gut-buster like many of the other pizza-joints on this list. It is a round, traditional pizza with a ridiculous amount of flavor. One of the things I use to judge a pizza is whether I eat the crust or not. When I was a kid, I never ate crust. For me, the best part of the pizza is the cheese, sauce and toppings. I would eat the crust of square, deep-dish pizzas every now and then but I never at the crusts of traditional, round pizza. Well, I mowed through every last ounce of Alibi’s pizza-- crust and all. I keep going back and forth between the Green Lantern and Alibi as to who has the best, traditional, round pizza. I ended up giving Green Lantern the edge because of its unbelievable cheese bread. You cannot go wrong with either. If my mom were making this list, I suspect Alibi’s would be number one with ease. There is a well-known negative with regards to Alibi’s. If you’ve ever done a search for Alibi’s on the web, you have likely found the lengthy list of negative comments with respect to Alibi’s service. I have to admit that I have never had a bad experience at the restaurant but I know people who have. I don’t think it’s a matter of a few angry customers either. No other elite pizza place has anywhere near the number of negative-service related comments. So, keep that in mind as you’re stuffing yourself silly with pizza.
Location: Troy
Style: Traditional round
Recommendation: Alibi hits you with the basics so you don't need to load up on toppings to get a great taste. A pepperoni pizza would do you just fine. However, if you like toppings, you can’t go wrong with a meat lovers.
Buffet: no
6). Shield's Pizza
Shield’s has excellent pizza. There is no other way to say it. Shield's serves thick, deep-dish pizza. Its main competitors in that niche in terms of best pizza are Loui’s and Buddy’s. It is my opinion that Shield’s falls firmly in between the two. I cannot say, with good conscience, that Shield’s is better than Loui’s. I don’t believe that to be true. My number one complaint with Shield’s is that each slice teases you with sauce. Instead of a layer of sauce that encompasses the whole pizza, you’ll find patches that may only cover 1/3 of the slice. You won’t find that at Loui’s. My friend--the former Shield’s employee--is convinced Shield’s is the best pizza around (at least until his Pizza Papalis experience). I am certain that some bias goes into that opinion so take it for what it’s worth.
Location(s): Multiple
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish
Recommendation: You can try ordering extra-sauce but chances are you still won’t have enough. It doesn’t hurt to try, though. A “pepperoni and sausage” pizza does the job at Shield’s. It is not the sort of pizza that flourishes with extra toppings. The magic of shields lies within the crust, sauce and cheese.
Buffet: no
7). Buca Di Beppos
The most unheralded pizza in the country is found at Buca Di Beppo’s. Buca’s is not specific to Detroit but it is one of the best pizzas in the area regardless. I’m not sure that most people even realize that Buca’s serves pizza. It is a fantastic “Italian” restaurant. It isn’t regarded as a “pizza joint” so it’s superior pizza is hidden from the pizza-loving public. Buca’s is one of the rare places that when I am eating the pizza, I literally shake my head in disbelief at how fantastic it tastes. I could attempt to describe what makes this pizza so good but the best thing I can say is that after every experience, I am convinced that the ingredient that makes the pizza so good is something different than what I thought the previous time. My wife insists that it’s the sauce. I have left thinking it was the cheese, the sauce, and the toppings. My final verdict is that the "moneymaker" is the gorgonzola cheese. The only negative experience at Buca’s occurs every visit and it’s the feeling of loss when the last bite is eaten. That is undoubtedly a sad event for me.
Location(s): Multiple
Style: Italian thin
Recommendation: You couldn’t pay me $100 to go to Buca Di Beppo’s and order anything but the Spicy Arrabbiata pizza with half sausage/half sun-dried tomatoes. This combination—for reasons I cannot fully explain—is heaven on Earth. Also--and this is crucial--ask for gorgonzola cheese instead of mozzarella on any pizza that you order. Buca's has seven different pizzas but only the "Arrabbiata" comes with gorgonzola. For an extra bit of flavor, order a side of Alfredo sauce to dip your pizza in. The perfect compliment to their outstanding pizza is the “Pan Fried Fresh Mozzarella.” A better cheese-stick appetizer does not exist in this world.
Buffet: no
8). Kruse & Muer
Former Shield's cook/friend was also a cook at Kruse & Muer. This guy certainly has experience making great pizzas which makes his endorsement of Pizza Papalis’ thin crust pizza even more believable. Kruse & Muer is one of the truly great restaurants in Michigan. It is known more for its fantastic seafood and pasta dishes than it is for its pizza. However, that’s not to say the pizza isn’t the best thing on the menu. The truth is that this place is more of a fancy outfit; so I think the pizza gets neglected a bit. Those who have been to Kruse & Muer know that it serves unbelievable bread. That same bread is the dough for the pizza. It is thick and airy. The toppings are of the premium variety. The sauce is truly fantastic. This pizza is like no other pizza that I’ve had. The best way that I could describe it is “home made”. No pizza looks the same. You can tell this place takes great pride in each pie it serves. If you’re ever in the area, feel free to stop by and sample a slice as Kruse & Muer almost always has a pizza sitting out at the take-out counter for customers to try.
Location(s): Multiple
* The Rochester Chop House does not serve pizza.
Style: Round deep-dish
Recommendation: Kruse & Muer features premium toppings so you can’t go wrong with your selection. My pizza of choice is pepperoni, ham, and caramelized onion. The sausage is sliced Italian-sausage which doesn’t go well on pizza in my opinion. The thickness of the pepperoni varies according to who is cutting it so if you have a preference, make sure you tell the waiter/waitress or be prepared for the possibility of pepperoni three times as thick as you’re used to.
Buffet: no
9). Buddy's Pizza
Buddy’s is probably the most recognizable pizza name in Detroit outside of the chains. It has a reputation of being the best pizza in Detroit and for a lot of people, that is true. I like Buddy’s but I do not love Buddy’s. I need more sauce and cheese on my pizza. I don’t need extra of either. I just need it to cover the entirety of the dough sans the crust. You won’t find that at Buddy’s. Even when I ask for extra sauce, it rarely makes a difference. I get the feeling that Buddy’s pizza-makers ignore extra-sauce requests on principle alone.
Location: Multiple
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish
Recommendation: Buddy’s has faltered lately in my last few visits. I love the pizza but it’s not in the top five the area has to offer. So, I’ve been giving some of their specialty combinations a try. I’ve struck out with the “Greek Pizza” and the “Margherita Pizza.” The “BBQ Chicken Pizza” is OK but I can’t say I dream about it at night. The “Hawaiian Pizza” is probably the worst of the bunch because of the sweet and sour sauce. If you’re looking for multiple toppings, I would recommend either going with the tried and true “Meat Deluxe Pizza” or the “Super Pizza” which has a little bit of everything. If you don’t like a teaspoon of sauce per slice, then you will want to order extra sauce on the pizza before the pizza arrives--and even then, that might not do you any good. If you wait until after the pizza arrives to ask for extra sauce, you will be served a cup of Buddy’s sauce in it’s cold, runny, pre-cooked form. Disapointment doesn’t come in a greater form than that.
Buffet: no
10). Cloverleaf Bar and Restaurant
After researching the best pizza in Detroit, I came across an unfamiliar name. Cloverleaf is not in the ideal location for most of metro-Detroit. My wife’s parents live about as close to the Cloverleaf as anyone I know and it still took 20 minutes to get there. My first experience was of the carry-out variety. I was mildly impressed. The 40-minute drive round trip probably took away from the experience but I had no complaints afterwards. I was not convinced that this was the best pizza that I had ever tasted but I was also pretty sure it was among the 15 best pizzas I’ve ever had in Detroit. For my second try, I made the decision that I was going to have a dine-in experience. This time, I was able to appreciate a piping hot pizza in all it’s glory. The crust is sweet in a way that words cannot describe. The story goes (at least Cloverleaf’s version anyways) that the owner of the Cloverleaf was the originator of the Buddy’s pizza recipe. He sold the recipe to Buddy’s and per the agreement, was not allowed to open a pizza place within a certain amount of miles from Buddy’s. That’s why the Cloverleaf ended up in Eastpointe. So, it stands to reason that the Cloverleaf and Buddy’s taste virtually the same—and they pretty much do. One thing I noticed from my dine-in experience is that the Cloverleaf offers a buffet which is a definite plus for any pizza-joint.
Location: Eastpointe
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish
Recommendation: If I’m eating Detroit-style deep-dish and it’s not Loui’s or Shield’s, my default pizza is a meat lover’s. Cloverleaf’s pizza is good enough where pepperoni will do the trick if that’s your preference.
Buffet: yes
11). Cottage Inn
A conservative estimate of how many Cottage Inn pizzas I ate in college falls somewhere around 200. Needless to say, I like the pizza. The deal of choice back then was called, "The Late-Night Special." If I remember correctly, it was not available until after 10pm thus the name. During my freshman year, Cottage Inn did not permit its traditional round to be part of the late-night special. This prompted many ill-fated attempts at explaining to the Cottage Inn crew how ridiculous that rule was. By my sophomore year, traditional round was fair game. Ironically, it was then that the deep dish became my style of choice. If that's not an example of "you want what you can't have" then I'm not sure what is. I have grown to appreciate both styles equally. If you twisted my arm hard enough, I'd probably go with the square. Cottage Inn is the King of gourmet/specialty pizzas. Cottage Inn has fantastic toppings so the more the better.
Location(s): Multiple
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish and Traditional Round
Recommendation: Some locations around Ann Arbor offer an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. If you're like me and your ears perk up at the sound of "pizza" and "buffet" in the same sentence, then it would behoove you to find one of those locations. Also, Cottage Inn offers flavored crust like Hungry Howies. You can't go wrong with butter garlic and parmesan crust.
12). Jet's Pizza
It’s too bad that all Jet’s are not created equal. I have had great Jet’s pizza and I have had mediocre Jet’s pizza. Your odds of receiving a good pizza from Jet’s is not based on luck; rather it is based on the location in which you order the pizza from. Good Jet’s locations almost always produce brilliant pizza. I can personally vouch for the Jet’s on Auburn Rd. in Rochester Hills. I firmly believe that the pizza I received on a weekly basis from this Jet’s location was among the two or three best pizzas I’ve ever had in my life. The crust is so crisp. The cheese is cooked to gooey-perfection in the middle and slightly-burnt near the crust. The sauce is simply unbelievable. Eating that pizza was a surreal experience. I made the mistake of telling everyone I knew that Jet’s had the best pizza around. I realized this mistake when I started to have Jet’s at other locations. One of the more disappointing food-related experiences in my life came when I ordered from the Jet’s in my new neighborhood. I was all ready to re-visit that amazing experience and then I took disappointing bite after disappointing bite. I cannot place a pizza-joint in the top five if only a handful of its locations are of the elite variety. Every Jet’s pizza in America should find out what the Auburn Rd. location is doing and duplicate it to a T from the temperature and consistency that it serves its ranch dressing to the way it cooks its pizza.
Location(s): Rochester Hills and everything else
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish
Recommendation: If you didn’t catch the hint in the summary, make your way to the Jet’s on Auburn Rd. in Rochester Hills. Order a Meat Lover’s and pad your walls so you won’t hurt yourself when you jump for joy after the first bite. Also order Jet’s pepperoni bread with extra ranch. Use the ranch liberally. It is phenomenal.
Buffet: no
13). Guido's Premium Pizza
Guido’s is another pizza-joint that I was unaware of until recently. To be fair, I spent the first five years of my adult life out of state and out of country. It wasn’t until my return that I was able to devote the necessary resources to adequately pursue my dream/goal of finding the best pizza-joints in Michigan. The first thing I noticed when I opened the Guido’s pizza box was the sheer amount of toppings on each slice. It was the most impressive display of topping-coverage that I have ever seen. Guido’s is right in line with Buddy’s and Cloverleaf.
Location(s): Multiple
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish
Recommendation: If you like meat, your best bet at Guido’s is to go with a meat lover’s pizza. You will be blown away when you open the box and the volume of toppings is revealed to you. It is almost picture-worthy.
Buffet: no
14). Pizza House
When I was in college, Pizza House was my 4am meal of choice. To be honest, though, my order usually featured a combination of three or four appetizers rather than pizza. My pizza choices back then were either a “Late-Night Special” from Cottage Inn or a misprinted Marco’s coupon that yielded one of the great college feasts you’ll ever have for a mere $6.00. It wasn’t until my wife and I were shacked up at the University Hospital staring at our new baby girl that I got a formal introduction to Pizza House’s pizza. I had it a few times before but it was just your typical pepperoni pizza with a group of friends. This time around, I went big and boy was I rewarded. My specialty pizza of choice turned out to be the Spicey Mediterannean minus banana peppers plus pepperoni. That ends up being extra mozzarella, muenster, and feta cheese along with pepperoni. It was heaven in my mouth. We also ordered the Feta Bread which is just another form of awesomeness. That experience was so good that we ordered the exact same thing two nights in a row. We also tried the Chicago Style. It wasn’t bad but their money maker is the traditional round.
Location: Ann Arbor and East Lansing
Style: Traditional round, Chicago-style, and thin.
Recommendation: Skip the Chicago-style. It’s a poor man’s Uno’s which is a poor man’s Chicago-style pizza in my opinion. Order the round with your toppings of choice. Pizza house allows you to get freaky with a laundry list of unique toppings. If you are inclined to experience pizza at it’s pinnacle, then I suggest a Spicy Mediteranean minus banana peppers and add pepperoni. This is a truly phenomenal concoction.
Buffet: no
15). Frank’s Pizzeria
Frank’s has a loyal following as evidenced by its number one position on the Detroit City Search’s best pizza in Detroit for 2006. However, Frank’s was nowhere to be found in the top 10 the previous two years. So, I’m guessing that Frank’s top position in ’06 was due to an anomaly or a concerted effort by Frank’s to get its patrons to take part in the voting. Regardless of how Frank’s got to number one, it piqued my interest. So, I made the trek to Wyandotte to see for myself. Frank’s is a humble outfit located on Wyandotte’s downtown strip. The smoking and non-smoking sections are both located in one average-size room. That pretty much means if one person is smoking, the whole restaurant is the smoking section. There was a person smoking for the first 15 minutes and thankfully that was it. The pizza “looked” like old-fashioned, homemade pizza. The pepperoni was the curled-cup variety where a small amount of grease sits inside. The pizza is traditional round. I enjoyed it. I can see why so many locals rave about it. However, better pizza exists and it exists closer than Wyandotte. If you’re making your way south for any reason, you might want to consider stopping off of I-75 on your way out or on your way back into town. It’s worth a try. I would rather have Green Lantern, Alibi’s, Pizza House, and Kruse & Muer’s when it comes to the traditional round style of pizza.
Location: Wyandotte
Style: Traditional Round
Recommendation: Frank’s doesn’t accept Credit Card. There are banks just around the corner than you can walk to if you forget. The pizza is also on the greasy side. If this is a problem, you may want to dab your napkin over each slice.
16). Como's Restaurant and Pizzeria
Como’s has decent pizza. There are more than a few people who are convinced that Como’s is the “best” pizza. Everyone has their own opinion but Como’s isn’t anywhere near the best, IMO. I’m not sure enough people outside of Ferndale have even heard of Como’s to call it overrated. Just don’t get your hopes up. It’s a tasty pizza and nothing more. It certainly does not compare to Alibi’s or Green Lantern. Como’s offers two types of round: deep-dish round, and thin round. I’ve tried them both and I really don’t have much of a preference. Whereas the thin-round at Green Lantern is much more taste-effective than the deep-dish, you can go with either at Como’s. One thing that I do like about Como’s is the number of ingredients it offers. If you want a certain ingredient on your pizza, chances are Como’s has it. The menu is way too pricey for the caliber of pizza served. I’m not sure pizza should ever be $20 for a large but if it is that much, it better be the best around which Como’s is not. Como’s is a Ferndale tradition sporting a vintage neon sign of yesteryear.
Location: Ferndale
Style: Round Deep-Dish and Traditional Round
Recommendation: Don’t trek to Ferndale for Como’s pizza alone. If you’re on your way to Detroit or spending the day at the Detroit Zoo, then take advantage of the proximity. Also, don’t go to Como’s during the Woodward Dream Cruise unless you want to watch the Woodward Dream Cruise because that’s what you’ll be doing.
Buddy’s, Shield’s, Cloverleaf, and Loui’s are four Detroit-giants that essentially came out of the same kitchen but have evolved to form their own unique recipes. The first three have 50+ years of history while the latter is the youngest and best of the bunch. All four brands have their own version of how Detroit’s deep-dish began and what part their restaurant played in that history. The rich tradition of pizza in Detroit is truly an unheralded American treasure. Unless you’ve lived in Detroit long enough to figure this out for yourself, this is all probably news to you. Detroit and “pizza” have never been synonymous outside of the “pizza chain” world. The rest of the country probably views Detroit as the birthplace of Little Caesar’s and Dominoes. It would be a shame for Detroit to be identified by the various pizza-chains that have started out of Michigan. Little Caesar’s and Dominoes have been great for pizza delivery across America but both products pale in comparison to what Detroit pizza is really about.
While Detroit-style deep-dish rules the city, that is hardly the only perfected-style you will find in the area. If you know where to look, you will find all sorts of varieties and unique takes on pizza. Among the fabulous styles of pizza you will find in Detroit are; Detroit-style deep-dish, traditional round, Northern Italy/New Haven, CT style, thin, and even a Detroit take on the Chicago deep-dish. You will find a truly unmatched mesh of pizza styles and tastes in Detroit. If you live in Detroit and have only experienced the cookie-cutter, quickly-thrown-together, chain pizza, I highly suggest you seek out the places listed below. If you plan on visiting Detroit from out of town, your view of the city will be altered permanently after trying some of the places below.
As always, my opinions are just that: opinions. I love pizza. I am not biased in my “style” of preference but this list is littered with biases everywhere else. I have been to each of the places listed below multiple times as well as countless other pizza places in the area. I have lived in Metro Detroit for 20 years and to the best of my knowledge, the following is a list of the best pizza Metro Detroit has to offer.
Metro Detroit's Best Pizza
1). Loui's Pizza
Loui’s pizza is the best pizza Detroit has to offer, IMO. The actual “Loui” opened his pizza outfit 27-years ago. Before gracing Detroiters with his unbeatable pizza, Loui spent time at Buddy’s and Shields. Loui’s version of the square, deep-dish pizza is often lumped in with his two previous employers but, believe me when I say, they are nothing alike. You’ll probably find a higher percentage of patrons eating their pizza with a fork—something I do not condone under any circumstances—at Loui’s. The pizza is thick. Unlike Shield’s and Buddy’s, though, Loui doesn’t jip on the sauce or the cheese. Even more important, the sauce and cheese are of a tastier variety. While Buddy’s and Shields have a tendency to cook their pizza’s well-done, Loui’s pizza is cooked perfectly. The crust is crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. The ingredients are premium starting with thick pepperoni. I have always enjoyed Buddy’s and Shields but since I discovered Loui’s, I have not been able to look at those establishments in the same way. The only negative that I have come across is the inexplicable absence of the all-important cheese bread. If I’m ordering pizza, there’s a 95% chance I’m ordering cheese bread. The 5% of the time I don’t order it is when I’m having Loui’s.
Location(s): Hazel Park
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish
Recommendation: This pizza is heavy and slightly expensive. If you’re an average eater, then 2-3 slices will do. My personal preference at Loui’s is pepperoni, sausage, and onion. Don't be afraid to dine-in. The parking can be a littley dicey (not enough spots) but the atmosphere is excellent.
Buffet: no
2). Pizza Papalis
Pizza Papalis is known as the place to get “Chicago Style Pizza” in Detroit. While I have to admit that PP’s stuffed pizza is quite tasty, PP only shows up this high on my list because of its thin pizza. I brought a former Shield’s pizza-maker to PP recently who had only previously had PP’s Chicago-Style. He gave me the go-ahead to order whatever I wanted so figured I’d blow his mind with an extra-large, thin, meat lover’s. An hour later as we were leaving, he exclaimed without a hint of doubt in his voice, “this is the best pizza I have ever had in my life.” I know that there are a lot of pizza fans in Detroit who have been to PP and not had the thin. I was one of them for years. I simply looked at PP as a place to get some “Chicago Style Pizza” from time to time. However, since I was turned onto the thin pizza, PP is now my pizza of choice, bar none. The ingredients are phenomenal. The ham tastes like slices of honey baked ham you might find at an Easter dinner. The pepperoni comes layered with as many as five pieces stuck together. I can’t begin to do justice to the quality of PP’s thin pizza. I can only recommend that you make a trip to one of the two full-service locations in metro-Detroit.
Location(s): Multiple
Style: Chicago Style Deep-Dish and Thin
Recommendation: Order a small Chicago Style—I recommend the “Papalis Gourmet” minus black olives for a spectacular combination of flavor—just to get a taste of it but order an extra-large, meat lover’s, thin pizza to ingest possibly the greatest pizza you will ever taste. The breadsticks and garlic bread are worth ordering in tandem.
Buffet: yes
3). Tomatoes Apizza
“Tomatoes” is a truly unique experience. In fact, you will find no other pizza-joint in Metro Detroit quite like it. The pizza here is of the “East Coast” variety. The pizzaiola—or pizza-maker—has crafted a masterpiece of a recipe in the style of Frank Pepe’s legendary pizza in New Haven, CT. It is the antithesis of the thick, deep-dish pizzas that Detroit’s pizza history is rooted in. I cannot make a better recommendation as far as introducing yourself to “Tomatoes” than to simply go to its pizza buffet served weekdays at lunch. The day I made that decision goes down as one of the greatest dining experiences of my life. Think of this pizza buffet as a “Grand Finale” at a fireworks show. But, instead of it lasting a minute or two, this lasts as long as you’ve got room left in your stomach. Unlike many other pizza buffets where cold pizzas with unwanted ingredient-combinations litter the buffet-line, “Tomatoes” is constantly filled with some of the most spectacular pizza combinations you’ll ever see. The owner, Mike Weinstein, makes the pizza himself taking great pride in every slice that is eaten at his restaurant. I have never actually met a person who has heard of Tomatoes Apizza which tells me that too many Detroiters are missing out on this pizza-haven. If you’re reading this and you’ve never been, make plans today. You won’t regret it. The only negative aspect of my visit(s) to Tomatoes came when an arcane policy of charging any child who is able to walk came to my attention. I have no problem charging children—of any age—who eat. In this instance, my son was charged the children’s price (I believe it was $4.99) and he didn’t eat. I explained to the owner that my son was two-years old and despite our wishes to the contrary, he doesn’t eat pizza. He said it didn’t matter. I’m not sure how a place can legally charge someone for not eating. We have been on somewhat of a silent boycott since said experience.
Location(s): Farmington Hills (2)
Farmington Hills
Style: Classic East Coast Neapolitan Style Pizza
Recommendation: Do yourself a favor and introduce yourself to all the magical combinations Mike Weinstein offers at his weekday lunch buffet. He is at the Middlebelt/14-Mile Rd. location. You’ll find everything on the menu at the buffet. I highly recommend not ordering take-out or delivery. In fact, if you can’t make it to the restaurant, then you’re better off passing all together. I have not been to the Halsted location but I can't imagine it's anything less than spectacular as well.
Buffet: yes
4). Green Lantern Lounge
The Green Lantern has the best cheese-bread in metro-Detroit and I’m not sure it’s even close. In fact, “Lantern’s” cheese bread is better than 95% of the pizza in metro-Detroit. Luckily, you don’t have to go anywhere else to find a pizza equal to the task since “Lantern” has that, too. There is no question that the pizza is greasy. There’s no way around that. Some people have issues with greasy pizza. If everything else was equal, I would probably go with a non-greasy pizza over a greasy one. The problem is that everything else isn’t equal. You will not find five better pizza-joints within the state of Michigan. “Lantern” offers a deep-dish and a normal crust and both come round. The cheese is stellar. The cheese that makes the cheese-bread so good is also what powers that taste of the pizza. The toppings are also excellent. The only negative is that the inside of the Green Lantern often resembles a smoker’s convention. The obvious easy fix to that problem is to pick it up and take it home.
Location (s): Madison Heights
Style: Round Deep-Dish and Traditional round
Recommendation: The round Deep-Dish is almost the exact same as the Traditional round except it’s heavier without more taste. You get more taste in each bite without having to eat as much so traditional round is my style of choice. The cheese makes the pizza but the toppings are also excellent. I would recommend a meat lover’s.
Buffet: no
5). Alibi
There is nothing flashy about Alibi. I lived in Rochester Hills for five years and never even heard of the place. It wasn’t until my second stint in Rochester Hills that I came across it. I heard from a friend that it had excellent pizza among other things. I gave it a go and the pizza was phenomenal. Like the restaurant, there is nothing flashy about the pizza. It isn’t a gut-buster like many of the other pizza-joints on this list. It is a round, traditional pizza with a ridiculous amount of flavor. One of the things I use to judge a pizza is whether I eat the crust or not. When I was a kid, I never ate crust. For me, the best part of the pizza is the cheese, sauce and toppings. I would eat the crust of square, deep-dish pizzas every now and then but I never at the crusts of traditional, round pizza. Well, I mowed through every last ounce of Alibi’s pizza-- crust and all. I keep going back and forth between the Green Lantern and Alibi as to who has the best, traditional, round pizza. I ended up giving Green Lantern the edge because of its unbelievable cheese bread. You cannot go wrong with either. If my mom were making this list, I suspect Alibi’s would be number one with ease. There is a well-known negative with regards to Alibi’s. If you’ve ever done a search for Alibi’s on the web, you have likely found the lengthy list of negative comments with respect to Alibi’s service. I have to admit that I have never had a bad experience at the restaurant but I know people who have. I don’t think it’s a matter of a few angry customers either. No other elite pizza place has anywhere near the number of negative-service related comments. So, keep that in mind as you’re stuffing yourself silly with pizza.
Location: Troy
Style: Traditional round
Recommendation: Alibi hits you with the basics so you don't need to load up on toppings to get a great taste. A pepperoni pizza would do you just fine. However, if you like toppings, you can’t go wrong with a meat lovers.
Buffet: no
6). Shield's Pizza
Shield’s has excellent pizza. There is no other way to say it. Shield's serves thick, deep-dish pizza. Its main competitors in that niche in terms of best pizza are Loui’s and Buddy’s. It is my opinion that Shield’s falls firmly in between the two. I cannot say, with good conscience, that Shield’s is better than Loui’s. I don’t believe that to be true. My number one complaint with Shield’s is that each slice teases you with sauce. Instead of a layer of sauce that encompasses the whole pizza, you’ll find patches that may only cover 1/3 of the slice. You won’t find that at Loui’s. My friend--the former Shield’s employee--is convinced Shield’s is the best pizza around (at least until his Pizza Papalis experience). I am certain that some bias goes into that opinion so take it for what it’s worth.
Location(s): Multiple
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish
Recommendation: You can try ordering extra-sauce but chances are you still won’t have enough. It doesn’t hurt to try, though. A “pepperoni and sausage” pizza does the job at Shield’s. It is not the sort of pizza that flourishes with extra toppings. The magic of shields lies within the crust, sauce and cheese.
Buffet: no
7). Buca Di Beppos
The most unheralded pizza in the country is found at Buca Di Beppo’s. Buca’s is not specific to Detroit but it is one of the best pizzas in the area regardless. I’m not sure that most people even realize that Buca’s serves pizza. It is a fantastic “Italian” restaurant. It isn’t regarded as a “pizza joint” so it’s superior pizza is hidden from the pizza-loving public. Buca’s is one of the rare places that when I am eating the pizza, I literally shake my head in disbelief at how fantastic it tastes. I could attempt to describe what makes this pizza so good but the best thing I can say is that after every experience, I am convinced that the ingredient that makes the pizza so good is something different than what I thought the previous time. My wife insists that it’s the sauce. I have left thinking it was the cheese, the sauce, and the toppings. My final verdict is that the "moneymaker" is the gorgonzola cheese. The only negative experience at Buca’s occurs every visit and it’s the feeling of loss when the last bite is eaten. That is undoubtedly a sad event for me.
Location(s): Multiple
Style: Italian thin
Recommendation: You couldn’t pay me $100 to go to Buca Di Beppo’s and order anything but the Spicy Arrabbiata pizza with half sausage/half sun-dried tomatoes. This combination—for reasons I cannot fully explain—is heaven on Earth. Also--and this is crucial--ask for gorgonzola cheese instead of mozzarella on any pizza that you order. Buca's has seven different pizzas but only the "Arrabbiata" comes with gorgonzola. For an extra bit of flavor, order a side of Alfredo sauce to dip your pizza in. The perfect compliment to their outstanding pizza is the “Pan Fried Fresh Mozzarella.” A better cheese-stick appetizer does not exist in this world.
Buffet: no
8). Kruse & Muer
Former Shield's cook/friend was also a cook at Kruse & Muer. This guy certainly has experience making great pizzas which makes his endorsement of Pizza Papalis’ thin crust pizza even more believable. Kruse & Muer is one of the truly great restaurants in Michigan. It is known more for its fantastic seafood and pasta dishes than it is for its pizza. However, that’s not to say the pizza isn’t the best thing on the menu. The truth is that this place is more of a fancy outfit; so I think the pizza gets neglected a bit. Those who have been to Kruse & Muer know that it serves unbelievable bread. That same bread is the dough for the pizza. It is thick and airy. The toppings are of the premium variety. The sauce is truly fantastic. This pizza is like no other pizza that I’ve had. The best way that I could describe it is “home made”. No pizza looks the same. You can tell this place takes great pride in each pie it serves. If you’re ever in the area, feel free to stop by and sample a slice as Kruse & Muer almost always has a pizza sitting out at the take-out counter for customers to try.
Location(s): Multiple
* The Rochester Chop House does not serve pizza.
Style: Round deep-dish
Recommendation: Kruse & Muer features premium toppings so you can’t go wrong with your selection. My pizza of choice is pepperoni, ham, and caramelized onion. The sausage is sliced Italian-sausage which doesn’t go well on pizza in my opinion. The thickness of the pepperoni varies according to who is cutting it so if you have a preference, make sure you tell the waiter/waitress or be prepared for the possibility of pepperoni three times as thick as you’re used to.
Buffet: no
9). Buddy's Pizza
Buddy’s is probably the most recognizable pizza name in Detroit outside of the chains. It has a reputation of being the best pizza in Detroit and for a lot of people, that is true. I like Buddy’s but I do not love Buddy’s. I need more sauce and cheese on my pizza. I don’t need extra of either. I just need it to cover the entirety of the dough sans the crust. You won’t find that at Buddy’s. Even when I ask for extra sauce, it rarely makes a difference. I get the feeling that Buddy’s pizza-makers ignore extra-sauce requests on principle alone.
Location: Multiple
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish
Recommendation: Buddy’s has faltered lately in my last few visits. I love the pizza but it’s not in the top five the area has to offer. So, I’ve been giving some of their specialty combinations a try. I’ve struck out with the “Greek Pizza” and the “Margherita Pizza.” The “BBQ Chicken Pizza” is OK but I can’t say I dream about it at night. The “Hawaiian Pizza” is probably the worst of the bunch because of the sweet and sour sauce. If you’re looking for multiple toppings, I would recommend either going with the tried and true “Meat Deluxe Pizza” or the “Super Pizza” which has a little bit of everything. If you don’t like a teaspoon of sauce per slice, then you will want to order extra sauce on the pizza before the pizza arrives--and even then, that might not do you any good. If you wait until after the pizza arrives to ask for extra sauce, you will be served a cup of Buddy’s sauce in it’s cold, runny, pre-cooked form. Disapointment doesn’t come in a greater form than that.
Buffet: no
10). Cloverleaf Bar and Restaurant
After researching the best pizza in Detroit, I came across an unfamiliar name. Cloverleaf is not in the ideal location for most of metro-Detroit. My wife’s parents live about as close to the Cloverleaf as anyone I know and it still took 20 minutes to get there. My first experience was of the carry-out variety. I was mildly impressed. The 40-minute drive round trip probably took away from the experience but I had no complaints afterwards. I was not convinced that this was the best pizza that I had ever tasted but I was also pretty sure it was among the 15 best pizzas I’ve ever had in Detroit. For my second try, I made the decision that I was going to have a dine-in experience. This time, I was able to appreciate a piping hot pizza in all it’s glory. The crust is sweet in a way that words cannot describe. The story goes (at least Cloverleaf’s version anyways) that the owner of the Cloverleaf was the originator of the Buddy’s pizza recipe. He sold the recipe to Buddy’s and per the agreement, was not allowed to open a pizza place within a certain amount of miles from Buddy’s. That’s why the Cloverleaf ended up in Eastpointe. So, it stands to reason that the Cloverleaf and Buddy’s taste virtually the same—and they pretty much do. One thing I noticed from my dine-in experience is that the Cloverleaf offers a buffet which is a definite plus for any pizza-joint.
Location: Eastpointe
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish
Recommendation: If I’m eating Detroit-style deep-dish and it’s not Loui’s or Shield’s, my default pizza is a meat lover’s. Cloverleaf’s pizza is good enough where pepperoni will do the trick if that’s your preference.
Buffet: yes
11). Cottage Inn
A conservative estimate of how many Cottage Inn pizzas I ate in college falls somewhere around 200. Needless to say, I like the pizza. The deal of choice back then was called, "The Late-Night Special." If I remember correctly, it was not available until after 10pm thus the name. During my freshman year, Cottage Inn did not permit its traditional round to be part of the late-night special. This prompted many ill-fated attempts at explaining to the Cottage Inn crew how ridiculous that rule was. By my sophomore year, traditional round was fair game. Ironically, it was then that the deep dish became my style of choice. If that's not an example of "you want what you can't have" then I'm not sure what is. I have grown to appreciate both styles equally. If you twisted my arm hard enough, I'd probably go with the square. Cottage Inn is the King of gourmet/specialty pizzas. Cottage Inn has fantastic toppings so the more the better.
Location(s): Multiple
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish and Traditional Round
Recommendation: Some locations around Ann Arbor offer an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. If you're like me and your ears perk up at the sound of "pizza" and "buffet" in the same sentence, then it would behoove you to find one of those locations. Also, Cottage Inn offers flavored crust like Hungry Howies. You can't go wrong with butter garlic and parmesan crust.
12). Jet's Pizza
It’s too bad that all Jet’s are not created equal. I have had great Jet’s pizza and I have had mediocre Jet’s pizza. Your odds of receiving a good pizza from Jet’s is not based on luck; rather it is based on the location in which you order the pizza from. Good Jet’s locations almost always produce brilliant pizza. I can personally vouch for the Jet’s on Auburn Rd. in Rochester Hills. I firmly believe that the pizza I received on a weekly basis from this Jet’s location was among the two or three best pizzas I’ve ever had in my life. The crust is so crisp. The cheese is cooked to gooey-perfection in the middle and slightly-burnt near the crust. The sauce is simply unbelievable. Eating that pizza was a surreal experience. I made the mistake of telling everyone I knew that Jet’s had the best pizza around. I realized this mistake when I started to have Jet’s at other locations. One of the more disappointing food-related experiences in my life came when I ordered from the Jet’s in my new neighborhood. I was all ready to re-visit that amazing experience and then I took disappointing bite after disappointing bite. I cannot place a pizza-joint in the top five if only a handful of its locations are of the elite variety. Every Jet’s pizza in America should find out what the Auburn Rd. location is doing and duplicate it to a T from the temperature and consistency that it serves its ranch dressing to the way it cooks its pizza.
Location(s): Rochester Hills and everything else
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish
Recommendation: If you didn’t catch the hint in the summary, make your way to the Jet’s on Auburn Rd. in Rochester Hills. Order a Meat Lover’s and pad your walls so you won’t hurt yourself when you jump for joy after the first bite. Also order Jet’s pepperoni bread with extra ranch. Use the ranch liberally. It is phenomenal.
Buffet: no
13). Guido's Premium Pizza
Guido’s is another pizza-joint that I was unaware of until recently. To be fair, I spent the first five years of my adult life out of state and out of country. It wasn’t until my return that I was able to devote the necessary resources to adequately pursue my dream/goal of finding the best pizza-joints in Michigan. The first thing I noticed when I opened the Guido’s pizza box was the sheer amount of toppings on each slice. It was the most impressive display of topping-coverage that I have ever seen. Guido’s is right in line with Buddy’s and Cloverleaf.
Location(s): Multiple
Style: Detroit-style deep-dish
Recommendation: If you like meat, your best bet at Guido’s is to go with a meat lover’s pizza. You will be blown away when you open the box and the volume of toppings is revealed to you. It is almost picture-worthy.
Buffet: no
14). Pizza House
When I was in college, Pizza House was my 4am meal of choice. To be honest, though, my order usually featured a combination of three or four appetizers rather than pizza. My pizza choices back then were either a “Late-Night Special” from Cottage Inn or a misprinted Marco’s coupon that yielded one of the great college feasts you’ll ever have for a mere $6.00. It wasn’t until my wife and I were shacked up at the University Hospital staring at our new baby girl that I got a formal introduction to Pizza House’s pizza. I had it a few times before but it was just your typical pepperoni pizza with a group of friends. This time around, I went big and boy was I rewarded. My specialty pizza of choice turned out to be the Spicey Mediterannean minus banana peppers plus pepperoni. That ends up being extra mozzarella, muenster, and feta cheese along with pepperoni. It was heaven in my mouth. We also ordered the Feta Bread which is just another form of awesomeness. That experience was so good that we ordered the exact same thing two nights in a row. We also tried the Chicago Style. It wasn’t bad but their money maker is the traditional round.
Location: Ann Arbor and East Lansing
Style: Traditional round, Chicago-style, and thin.
Recommendation: Skip the Chicago-style. It’s a poor man’s Uno’s which is a poor man’s Chicago-style pizza in my opinion. Order the round with your toppings of choice. Pizza house allows you to get freaky with a laundry list of unique toppings. If you are inclined to experience pizza at it’s pinnacle, then I suggest a Spicy Mediteranean minus banana peppers and add pepperoni. This is a truly phenomenal concoction.
Buffet: no
15). Frank’s Pizzeria
Frank’s has a loyal following as evidenced by its number one position on the Detroit City Search’s best pizza in Detroit for 2006. However, Frank’s was nowhere to be found in the top 10 the previous two years. So, I’m guessing that Frank’s top position in ’06 was due to an anomaly or a concerted effort by Frank’s to get its patrons to take part in the voting. Regardless of how Frank’s got to number one, it piqued my interest. So, I made the trek to Wyandotte to see for myself. Frank’s is a humble outfit located on Wyandotte’s downtown strip. The smoking and non-smoking sections are both located in one average-size room. That pretty much means if one person is smoking, the whole restaurant is the smoking section. There was a person smoking for the first 15 minutes and thankfully that was it. The pizza “looked” like old-fashioned, homemade pizza. The pepperoni was the curled-cup variety where a small amount of grease sits inside. The pizza is traditional round. I enjoyed it. I can see why so many locals rave about it. However, better pizza exists and it exists closer than Wyandotte. If you’re making your way south for any reason, you might want to consider stopping off of I-75 on your way out or on your way back into town. It’s worth a try. I would rather have Green Lantern, Alibi’s, Pizza House, and Kruse & Muer’s when it comes to the traditional round style of pizza.
Location: Wyandotte
Style: Traditional Round
Recommendation: Frank’s doesn’t accept Credit Card. There are banks just around the corner than you can walk to if you forget. The pizza is also on the greasy side. If this is a problem, you may want to dab your napkin over each slice.
16). Como's Restaurant and Pizzeria
Como’s has decent pizza. There are more than a few people who are convinced that Como’s is the “best” pizza. Everyone has their own opinion but Como’s isn’t anywhere near the best, IMO. I’m not sure enough people outside of Ferndale have even heard of Como’s to call it overrated. Just don’t get your hopes up. It’s a tasty pizza and nothing more. It certainly does not compare to Alibi’s or Green Lantern. Como’s offers two types of round: deep-dish round, and thin round. I’ve tried them both and I really don’t have much of a preference. Whereas the thin-round at Green Lantern is much more taste-effective than the deep-dish, you can go with either at Como’s. One thing that I do like about Como’s is the number of ingredients it offers. If you want a certain ingredient on your pizza, chances are Como’s has it. The menu is way too pricey for the caliber of pizza served. I’m not sure pizza should ever be $20 for a large but if it is that much, it better be the best around which Como’s is not. Como’s is a Ferndale tradition sporting a vintage neon sign of yesteryear.
Location: Ferndale
Style: Round Deep-Dish and Traditional Round
Recommendation: Don’t trek to Ferndale for Como’s pizza alone. If you’re on your way to Detroit or spending the day at the Detroit Zoo, then take advantage of the proximity. Also, don’t go to Como’s during the Woodward Dream Cruise unless you want to watch the Woodward Dream Cruise because that’s what you’ll be doing.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Monday Poll Bashin’/Craziest Year Ever
Once again, the polls were filled with all sorts of insanity this week. However, the AP Poll was once again superior resulting in immunity in three of my five major criticisms. In fact, the USA Today has been so bad that renaming this column “Monday USA Today Poll Bashin’” is a distinct possibility in the future. Despite the better showing, the AP is most definitely not off the hook.
In the last two weeks, nine top-ten teams have lost. The polls are ill-equipped to logically handle such a slew of major losses. Thankfully, that gives me quite a bit of material to use...
Georgia over Tennessee
The AP and USA Today Polls are both culprits here. The AP Poll has the slight edge in “least idiotic” but it’s by percentage points. Both polls have Georgia rated ahead of Tennessee. Just to recap: Tennessee destroyed Georgia on Saturday. Both teams have two losses. Tennessee lost on the road to #2 California and Florida. Georgia lost at home to S. Carolina and at Tennessee. At least the AP Poll has Tennessee ranked which is not much of a consolation prize.
USC over Oregon
The USA Today owns this category. USC and Oregon are each 4-1. Oregon lost by inches to California. California is currently ranked #2. USC lost at home to a team they were favored to beat by 40 points. Uhhh?
Wisconsin over Illinois
Despite whiffing big-time on the Georgia/Tennessee placements, the AP managed to slip Illinois one spot ahead of Wisconsin. I wish I could say the same for the USA Today Poll. Let’s briefly recap the resumes. Both teams are 4-1. Illinois has beaten two ranked teams. Wisconsin has beaten zero ranked teams. Illinois beat Wisconsin. Bueller?
Va. Tech over S. Carolina
Kudos to the AP for getting this one right. The USA Today? Not so much. Both teams are 5-1. S. Carolina has two wins over ranked teams. Virginia Tech has one. Based on that information, it’s a toss-up. But, that’s not all the information we have. Both teams have played at #1 LSU. S. Carolina lost by 12. Virginia Tech lost by 41. I do think their might be a little anti-Spurrier bias in the coaching fraternity because having Virginia Tech over S. Carolina at this point is just absurd.
Florida drops
Both polls are negligent in the highest degree here. This is, by far, my biggest pet peeve regarding the polls and their outdated philosophies. Last week, Florida lost to Auburn. It was an upset and the Gators paid the price by dropping six and three spots respectively. This week, Florida outplayed unanimous #1 LSU—on the road—for three and a half quarters before barely falling short. Florida fell more spots after the LSU loss than it did after the Auburn loss. I don’t believe there are five other teams in the country that could play LSU that closely in any environment let alone in Baton Rouge. Anyone who watched that game and dropped Florida in their rankings is borderline crazy. No team should ever drop in the rankings for losing at #1 by four points. A home-field advantage is generally worth three points according to Vegas. If you buy into that theory, then Florida did exactly what a team as good as LSU would have been expected to do. Sheep! You’re all sheep!
Three reasons why this is the craziest college football season ever:
1). The Big East received a lot of buzz entering the season on the strength of having three teams ranked in the top 16. West Virginia and Louisville were considered National Championship candidates and Rutgers was thought to be somewhat underrated entering the season at #16. Just five weeks into the season, the Big East has only two undefeated ranked teams and none of them are the three teams above. That’s right, S. Florida and Cincinnati are the cream in the Big East. Even Connecticut—perennial Big East doormat—is 6-0. Perhaps no conference in recent memory has been flipped upside down so quickly into the season. Despite the disappointment of the pre-season favorites in the Big East, the conference might actually be even better than anyone could have predicted on the strength of S. Florida and Cincinnati. Now that’s just ridiculous.
2). The three biggest upsets in college football history have occurred this season in ascending order. Michigan shocked the college football world by becoming the first top- five team in college football history to lose to a I-AA opponent. Even though there have been bigger talent discrepancies in past upsets, that game became the flag-bearer for all-time upsets. Then, Louisville bailed out Michign by suffering the biggest upset in college football history--based on point spreads--in losing at home to Syracuse which was a 39.5 point underdog. Two weeks later, USC bailed everyone out by unofficially taking part in the new "biggest upset in the history of college football." USC had its 35-game home unbeaten streak snapped to a 40-point (!!!) underdog. Had any one of these three games happened in a year without the other two, it would easily be shocking enough to carry the mantle for “biggest upset ever.” Since they all happened in the same season, I have no idea what they mean. We can believe that parity has been the culprit, or that the three biggest upsets in college football history just happened to occur in the same season. Or, I guess we can think somewhere in between.
3). The most telling barometer of this year’s craziness is just how many teams have been ranked. In only six weeks, the AP Poll has had 18 different teams in the top 10. Even more amazing, it has had 28 teams in the top 15. Pollsters have been downright schizophrenic. In all, the AP Poll has had 40 different teams ranked in the top 25. Yes, that’s right, the AP Poll has been convinced—at one time or another—that 1/3 of the 120 teams in I-A were one of the top 25 teams in the country. Again, most teams have only played six games.
In the last two weeks, nine top-ten teams have lost. The polls are ill-equipped to logically handle such a slew of major losses. Thankfully, that gives me quite a bit of material to use...
Georgia over Tennessee
The AP and USA Today Polls are both culprits here. The AP Poll has the slight edge in “least idiotic” but it’s by percentage points. Both polls have Georgia rated ahead of Tennessee. Just to recap: Tennessee destroyed Georgia on Saturday. Both teams have two losses. Tennessee lost on the road to #2 California and Florida. Georgia lost at home to S. Carolina and at Tennessee. At least the AP Poll has Tennessee ranked which is not much of a consolation prize.
USC over Oregon
The USA Today owns this category. USC and Oregon are each 4-1. Oregon lost by inches to California. California is currently ranked #2. USC lost at home to a team they were favored to beat by 40 points. Uhhh?
Wisconsin over Illinois
Despite whiffing big-time on the Georgia/Tennessee placements, the AP managed to slip Illinois one spot ahead of Wisconsin. I wish I could say the same for the USA Today Poll. Let’s briefly recap the resumes. Both teams are 4-1. Illinois has beaten two ranked teams. Wisconsin has beaten zero ranked teams. Illinois beat Wisconsin. Bueller?
Va. Tech over S. Carolina
Kudos to the AP for getting this one right. The USA Today? Not so much. Both teams are 5-1. S. Carolina has two wins over ranked teams. Virginia Tech has one. Based on that information, it’s a toss-up. But, that’s not all the information we have. Both teams have played at #1 LSU. S. Carolina lost by 12. Virginia Tech lost by 41. I do think their might be a little anti-Spurrier bias in the coaching fraternity because having Virginia Tech over S. Carolina at this point is just absurd.
Florida drops
Both polls are negligent in the highest degree here. This is, by far, my biggest pet peeve regarding the polls and their outdated philosophies. Last week, Florida lost to Auburn. It was an upset and the Gators paid the price by dropping six and three spots respectively. This week, Florida outplayed unanimous #1 LSU—on the road—for three and a half quarters before barely falling short. Florida fell more spots after the LSU loss than it did after the Auburn loss. I don’t believe there are five other teams in the country that could play LSU that closely in any environment let alone in Baton Rouge. Anyone who watched that game and dropped Florida in their rankings is borderline crazy. No team should ever drop in the rankings for losing at #1 by four points. A home-field advantage is generally worth three points according to Vegas. If you buy into that theory, then Florida did exactly what a team as good as LSU would have been expected to do. Sheep! You’re all sheep!
Three reasons why this is the craziest college football season ever:
1). The Big East received a lot of buzz entering the season on the strength of having three teams ranked in the top 16. West Virginia and Louisville were considered National Championship candidates and Rutgers was thought to be somewhat underrated entering the season at #16. Just five weeks into the season, the Big East has only two undefeated ranked teams and none of them are the three teams above. That’s right, S. Florida and Cincinnati are the cream in the Big East. Even Connecticut—perennial Big East doormat—is 6-0. Perhaps no conference in recent memory has been flipped upside down so quickly into the season. Despite the disappointment of the pre-season favorites in the Big East, the conference might actually be even better than anyone could have predicted on the strength of S. Florida and Cincinnati. Now that’s just ridiculous.
2). The three biggest upsets in college football history have occurred this season in ascending order. Michigan shocked the college football world by becoming the first top- five team in college football history to lose to a I-AA opponent. Even though there have been bigger talent discrepancies in past upsets, that game became the flag-bearer for all-time upsets. Then, Louisville bailed out Michign by suffering the biggest upset in college football history--based on point spreads--in losing at home to Syracuse which was a 39.5 point underdog. Two weeks later, USC bailed everyone out by unofficially taking part in the new "biggest upset in the history of college football." USC had its 35-game home unbeaten streak snapped to a 40-point (!!!) underdog. Had any one of these three games happened in a year without the other two, it would easily be shocking enough to carry the mantle for “biggest upset ever.” Since they all happened in the same season, I have no idea what they mean. We can believe that parity has been the culprit, or that the three biggest upsets in college football history just happened to occur in the same season. Or, I guess we can think somewhere in between.
3). The most telling barometer of this year’s craziness is just how many teams have been ranked. In only six weeks, the AP Poll has had 18 different teams in the top 10. Even more amazing, it has had 28 teams in the top 15. Pollsters have been downright schizophrenic. In all, the AP Poll has had 40 different teams ranked in the top 25. Yes, that’s right, the AP Poll has been convinced—at one time or another—that 1/3 of the 120 teams in I-A were one of the top 25 teams in the country. Again, most teams have only played six games.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Pujols scarred for life
As the baseball season approached its last couple weeks and it became obvious that the Tigers weren’t going to make the playoffs, I turned my attention to some individual statistics around the league. The player who I was most interested in tracking was Albert Pujols. With nobody in his lineup to protect him for a significant part of the year, his production numbers were down a bit. Pujols turned it on late but his streak of 30+ home runs, 100+ runs and 100+ RBIs was in danger of ending. It’s not as if Pujols needed those numbers to have a good season. He finished with a .327 batting average and a .997 OPS. Those numbers aren’t just good, they are great.
However, in a baseball world obsessed with “round” numbers (see; Curtis Granderson), Pujols has gotten a lot of “pub” for starting his career with six-straight seasons of at least 30 HRs, 100 RBIs, and 100 runs. Pujols needed one run in the last game of the season to extend that streak to seven. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen and now his career stats are scarred forever (mostly kidding). It’s a shame too because a presence of even an average hitter behind him in the Cardinals lineup would have resulted in a total over 100 runs. In another rotten twist for Pujols, he finished the season with 99 walks—one shy of the first 100-walk season of his career. I’m sure the Cardinals will gladly take his career BB:K ratio (an amazing 1.3:1)) over a 100-walk season any year. Of course, this talk is purely of the cosmetic variety. Pujols was easily one of the five most valuable players in the NL this year. All anyone needs to do is look at who he had in his lineup to see that. The fact that he put up a .997 OPS when only one other player on the team (min. of 350 at-bats) had an OPS higher than .740 is truly remarkable. Unfortunately—as my brother pointed out—that “99” in the runs column just looks bad. I can’t disagree.
On another note, Michael Young barely squeaked out another 200-hit season (201) to extend his streak to five-straight seasons. Nobody has ever had five consecutive 200-hit seasons and not made the Hall of Fame. I feel a quandary on our hands circa 2020.
However, in a baseball world obsessed with “round” numbers (see; Curtis Granderson), Pujols has gotten a lot of “pub” for starting his career with six-straight seasons of at least 30 HRs, 100 RBIs, and 100 runs. Pujols needed one run in the last game of the season to extend that streak to seven. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen and now his career stats are scarred forever (mostly kidding). It’s a shame too because a presence of even an average hitter behind him in the Cardinals lineup would have resulted in a total over 100 runs. In another rotten twist for Pujols, he finished the season with 99 walks—one shy of the first 100-walk season of his career. I’m sure the Cardinals will gladly take his career BB:K ratio (an amazing 1.3:1)) over a 100-walk season any year. Of course, this talk is purely of the cosmetic variety. Pujols was easily one of the five most valuable players in the NL this year. All anyone needs to do is look at who he had in his lineup to see that. The fact that he put up a .997 OPS when only one other player on the team (min. of 350 at-bats) had an OPS higher than .740 is truly remarkable. Unfortunately—as my brother pointed out—that “99” in the runs column just looks bad. I can’t disagree.
On another note, Michael Young barely squeaked out another 200-hit season (201) to extend his streak to five-straight seasons. Nobody has ever had five consecutive 200-hit seasons and not made the Hall of Fame. I feel a quandary on our hands circa 2020.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Monday Poll Bashin'
Once again, the two national college football polls (the AP and USA Today) proved that a group of “experts” can come to idiotic conclusions. This week featured the same, tired pre-determined drops for any loss and awarding of teams for beating bottom-dwellers. This isn’t an aberration or an overreaction to one or two bad placements. This crap goes on every week. I loved the polls when I was growing up. I used to make my own top-25 rankings in class. I remember anxiously waiting for the newest polls to be released. Now—having been introduced to logic and reasoning for some time—I’m beginning to think the polls are simply a marketing tool. As much as I hate to admit it, the polls—however idiotic they are—make college football better. As disappointing as it is to realize that misleading the public with crappy polls is better for the sport than not having polls at all, I have to think that there’s a better way to do it.
I have never been a fan of the BCS system but the absurdity of the polls has me thinking that a structured system that rewards teams based on quality wins and losses and computer rankings would mean more than putting the rankings in the hands of people who—for the most part—do not have the ability to think logically. At the very least, polls should be absent for the first ¾ of the season. Pre-seasons poll—although they help hype the up-coming season—do nothing other than engrain preconceived notions into the minds of fans and voters across the country. No teams benefit from pre-season rankings and many teams are punished. Teams should be ranked by their accomplishments. A large enough sample size of “accomplishments” doesn’t exist after one or two weeks let alone before the season starts. If we’re stuck with human voters in the polls, the least they can do is wait until mid-October before shoving their hastily put together rankings down our throats. I understand there are “good” voters who put time and effort into their rankings. But, their clearly aren’t enough considering what the polls at large reflect.
On to this week’s absurdities…
Michigan St.
The biggest travesty in the polls this week has to do with the ranking—or lack thereof—of Michigan St. Sparty was ranked #23 in the USA Today last week and received 60 votes or the equivalent of the 28th ranking in the AP Poll. Michigan St. went to Wisconsin this week—out-gained and outplayed the Badgers—and narrowly lost a three-point heartbreaker. Wisconsin, after beating MSU, climbed up to #5 in both polls. So, Michigan St.—which was previously undefeated—loses by three points on the road against the #5 team in the country, and falls out of the top 25 all-together? Words cannot express my shame as a college football fan. Clearly Michigan St. should not have dropped at all. In fact, Michigan St. should have climbed into the AP Poll and at the very least stayed the same in the USA Today. Making this even more ridiculous is how both polls treated a nearly identical situation. Oregon played at home against California who was ranked #6 entering the game. Oregon lost by seven. The polls punished Oregon by dropping it a whopping three spots in the AP and one spot in the USA Today. So, Oregon loses at home by seven to the current #3 team in the polls and stays in the top 15. Michigan St. loses by three on the road against the current #5 team in the polls and falls out of the rankings completely. Can we demand a re-vote?
S. Carolina/Georgia
Last week, I expressed my horror at the fact that Georgia was ranked ahead of South Carolina in both polls even though they had the same record and S. Carolina beat Georgia. Even more ridiculous, S. Carolina’s loss was by 12 points to LSU on the road. LSU is ranked #1 in the AP. Just when I thought the polls couldn’t screw up that ranking even worse, the USA Today poll went and increased the gap between the two teams. Last week, the USA Today had Georgia five spots ahead of S. Carolina. This week, there is a seven-spot gap. Both teams won convincingly against bad Mississippi-based teams so we learned nothing new about either team that we didn’t already know. The AP—in a shocking display of competence—actually reversed their previous ranking putting S. Carolina ahead of Georgia. Kudos to the AP for getting its act together on this issue.
Hawaii
Hawaii is now ranked #15 in both polls. How can anyone reasonably rank Hawaii ahead of say, Auburn? Auburn won at Florida and beat Kansas St. both of which are ranked by the AP. Auburn lost to #6 S. Florida and lost by five to Mississippi St. Hawaii has beaten two I-AA teams and three of the worst teams in college football. I would even say that Hawaii has won of the worst schedules in the history of college football. Teams should be ranked on accomplishments. Hawaii would get destroyed in Gainesville.
Penn St. /Michigan
Penn St. was ranked while Michigan was not last week which was ridiculous considering their respective resumes. Penn St. beat a bunch of nobodies and lost to Michigan. Michigan beat Penn St. with its back-up true-freshman quarterback. Say what you want about Michigan losing to Appalachian St., Penn St. had done nothing to give anyone the impression that it should be ranked ahead of Michigan last week. That was before Penn St. lost to Illinois this week. Yet, the USA Today still gave more votes to Penn St. this week. The AP—which is obviously the superior poll—fixed the glitch by handing out more votes to Michigan. Once again, voters got caught up in wins against garbage teams. Every win is not the same. All 3-1 records are not the same. The sooner the pollsters realize this, the sooner their product will become less stale.
Tennessee
Last week, I discussed my displeasure at the lack of publicity for Tennessee. At the time, Tennessee was 2-2 and had lost at California and at Florida both of which were ranked in the top six. Tennessee played both teams tough for three quarters before being out-matched. If California and Florida were universally considered to be top six teams, then it would not be reasonable to conclude that Tennessee is not a top 25 team for losing on the road to both. Tennessee only received one vote in the AP Poll and four votes in the USA Today last week. This week, nobody voted for the Tennessee in the AP Poll and a whopping 17 votes came pouring in for the Vols in the USA Today Poll. Did I mention that Tennessee didn’t play this week? I don’t even know where to begin so I’m just going to say nothing.
Washington
If Tennessee can’t be ranked with two losses, then you can bet your last doughnut that Washington can’t be ranked with three losses. I’m not convinced that Washington should be ranked in the same way I'm not convinced that Tennessee should be ranked. There are probably 25 teams that are better than Washington at this point but I could be persuaded otherwise. However, it disturbs me that even if Washington was a top-25 team, it would never show up that way in the polls because the polls are too near-sided to rank a team with three-losses this early. Washington’s three losses? At #1 USC, vs. #4 Ohio St., and at #25 UCLA. As I mentioned, I don’t necessarily mind Washington not being ranked. However, I do mind Washington receiving fewer votes than Boise St. Washington has, by far, the better losses of the two teams, and beat Boise St. Boise St. has more votes than Washington in both polls.
Kansas St. and Texas
The polls are incapable of dropping a highly-ranked team below a previously unranked team. That phenomenon exists almost entirely because of pre-season polls. Kansas St. was unranked heading into this week. Texas was ranked in the top ten. Kansas St. won by twenty at Texas. They both share the same number of losses: one. Kansas St. lost at Auburn. Texas lost at home to Kansas St. by twenty. How can Texas—at this point in the season—be ranked ahead of Kansas St.? If the polls are not physically capable of making a correction that big, then they are susceptible to a number of inaccuracies and prove to be worthless beyond hyping college football or sparking controversies. Texas might be better than Kansas St., but anyone who ranks them ahead of Kansas St. at this point fancies themselves privy to information the rest of us don’t have.
Once again, feel free to let me know any thing that I may have missed.
I have never been a fan of the BCS system but the absurdity of the polls has me thinking that a structured system that rewards teams based on quality wins and losses and computer rankings would mean more than putting the rankings in the hands of people who—for the most part—do not have the ability to think logically. At the very least, polls should be absent for the first ¾ of the season. Pre-seasons poll—although they help hype the up-coming season—do nothing other than engrain preconceived notions into the minds of fans and voters across the country. No teams benefit from pre-season rankings and many teams are punished. Teams should be ranked by their accomplishments. A large enough sample size of “accomplishments” doesn’t exist after one or two weeks let alone before the season starts. If we’re stuck with human voters in the polls, the least they can do is wait until mid-October before shoving their hastily put together rankings down our throats. I understand there are “good” voters who put time and effort into their rankings. But, their clearly aren’t enough considering what the polls at large reflect.
On to this week’s absurdities…
Michigan St.
The biggest travesty in the polls this week has to do with the ranking—or lack thereof—of Michigan St. Sparty was ranked #23 in the USA Today last week and received 60 votes or the equivalent of the 28th ranking in the AP Poll. Michigan St. went to Wisconsin this week—out-gained and outplayed the Badgers—and narrowly lost a three-point heartbreaker. Wisconsin, after beating MSU, climbed up to #5 in both polls. So, Michigan St.—which was previously undefeated—loses by three points on the road against the #5 team in the country, and falls out of the top 25 all-together? Words cannot express my shame as a college football fan. Clearly Michigan St. should not have dropped at all. In fact, Michigan St. should have climbed into the AP Poll and at the very least stayed the same in the USA Today. Making this even more ridiculous is how both polls treated a nearly identical situation. Oregon played at home against California who was ranked #6 entering the game. Oregon lost by seven. The polls punished Oregon by dropping it a whopping three spots in the AP and one spot in the USA Today. So, Oregon loses at home by seven to the current #3 team in the polls and stays in the top 15. Michigan St. loses by three on the road against the current #5 team in the polls and falls out of the rankings completely. Can we demand a re-vote?
S. Carolina/Georgia
Last week, I expressed my horror at the fact that Georgia was ranked ahead of South Carolina in both polls even though they had the same record and S. Carolina beat Georgia. Even more ridiculous, S. Carolina’s loss was by 12 points to LSU on the road. LSU is ranked #1 in the AP. Just when I thought the polls couldn’t screw up that ranking even worse, the USA Today poll went and increased the gap between the two teams. Last week, the USA Today had Georgia five spots ahead of S. Carolina. This week, there is a seven-spot gap. Both teams won convincingly against bad Mississippi-based teams so we learned nothing new about either team that we didn’t already know. The AP—in a shocking display of competence—actually reversed their previous ranking putting S. Carolina ahead of Georgia. Kudos to the AP for getting its act together on this issue.
Hawaii
Hawaii is now ranked #15 in both polls. How can anyone reasonably rank Hawaii ahead of say, Auburn? Auburn won at Florida and beat Kansas St. both of which are ranked by the AP. Auburn lost to #6 S. Florida and lost by five to Mississippi St. Hawaii has beaten two I-AA teams and three of the worst teams in college football. I would even say that Hawaii has won of the worst schedules in the history of college football. Teams should be ranked on accomplishments. Hawaii would get destroyed in Gainesville.
Penn St. /Michigan
Penn St. was ranked while Michigan was not last week which was ridiculous considering their respective resumes. Penn St. beat a bunch of nobodies and lost to Michigan. Michigan beat Penn St. with its back-up true-freshman quarterback. Say what you want about Michigan losing to Appalachian St., Penn St. had done nothing to give anyone the impression that it should be ranked ahead of Michigan last week. That was before Penn St. lost to Illinois this week. Yet, the USA Today still gave more votes to Penn St. this week. The AP—which is obviously the superior poll—fixed the glitch by handing out more votes to Michigan. Once again, voters got caught up in wins against garbage teams. Every win is not the same. All 3-1 records are not the same. The sooner the pollsters realize this, the sooner their product will become less stale.
Tennessee
Last week, I discussed my displeasure at the lack of publicity for Tennessee. At the time, Tennessee was 2-2 and had lost at California and at Florida both of which were ranked in the top six. Tennessee played both teams tough for three quarters before being out-matched. If California and Florida were universally considered to be top six teams, then it would not be reasonable to conclude that Tennessee is not a top 25 team for losing on the road to both. Tennessee only received one vote in the AP Poll and four votes in the USA Today last week. This week, nobody voted for the Tennessee in the AP Poll and a whopping 17 votes came pouring in for the Vols in the USA Today Poll. Did I mention that Tennessee didn’t play this week? I don’t even know where to begin so I’m just going to say nothing.
Washington
If Tennessee can’t be ranked with two losses, then you can bet your last doughnut that Washington can’t be ranked with three losses. I’m not convinced that Washington should be ranked in the same way I'm not convinced that Tennessee should be ranked. There are probably 25 teams that are better than Washington at this point but I could be persuaded otherwise. However, it disturbs me that even if Washington was a top-25 team, it would never show up that way in the polls because the polls are too near-sided to rank a team with three-losses this early. Washington’s three losses? At #1 USC, vs. #4 Ohio St., and at #25 UCLA. As I mentioned, I don’t necessarily mind Washington not being ranked. However, I do mind Washington receiving fewer votes than Boise St. Washington has, by far, the better losses of the two teams, and beat Boise St. Boise St. has more votes than Washington in both polls.
Kansas St. and Texas
The polls are incapable of dropping a highly-ranked team below a previously unranked team. That phenomenon exists almost entirely because of pre-season polls. Kansas St. was unranked heading into this week. Texas was ranked in the top ten. Kansas St. won by twenty at Texas. They both share the same number of losses: one. Kansas St. lost at Auburn. Texas lost at home to Kansas St. by twenty. How can Texas—at this point in the season—be ranked ahead of Kansas St.? If the polls are not physically capable of making a correction that big, then they are susceptible to a number of inaccuracies and prove to be worthless beyond hyping college football or sparking controversies. Texas might be better than Kansas St., but anyone who ranks them ahead of Kansas St. at this point fancies themselves privy to information the rest of us don’t have.
Once again, feel free to let me know any thing that I may have missed.
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