College Football Grid of Shame

Interesting.  MSU should be moe around the center of the "admirable-embarrasing" line though..

Hey look, I used a graphic to make it look like my subjective opinions are more objective!

I wonder why my alma mater Ball State is ranked so ethically poor. I know we are terrible on the field, but we haven't had any scandal since a relatively minor textbook scandal in 2005. The sanctions for that have come and gone already.

What did I miss about Ohio?  Why are they so admirable?  Their Strength axis seems a bit generous, too.

If I counted right, the AP Preseason Poll breaks down with 14 in the Powerhouse-Embarrassing quadrant, and 11 in the Powerhouse-Admirable quadrant. The Coaches' Preseason Poll would have 15 in the Powerhouse-Embarrassing quadrant, and 10 in the Powerhouse-Admirable quadrant.

Teams landing in the Admirable/Powerhouse quadrant from the Power conferences:

B1G: 7/12 (58%): Northwestern, Purdue, Iowa, Michigan, MSU, Wisconsin, Nebraska

SEC: 5/14 (36%): Florida, Texas A&M, MIssouri, Georgia, Vanderbilt

ACC: 4/14 (29%): Virginia, Virginia Tech, NC State, Pitt

Big 12: 3/12 (25%): Baylor, Texas, Kansas State

Pac-12: 2/12 (17%): Stanford, Utah

Sure, it's all subjective, but still, BIG TEN WOOOO!

I am working on a 3rd order spline to graph this right now,

but why is Georgia and VT ahead so far out on powerhouse?

They are using this year's rankings to show powerhouse... makes no sense... Great to see stanford doing well, but few would say it is a powerhouse.  With that this graphic makes little sense.  Thought interesting to see where it falls in terms of embarrasing.

for the extremes, I think.

If you look at the programs that are the extremes in "doing it right" (i.e. winners and admirable), you end up with: Stanford, Michigan, Vanderbilt, BYU, Georgia, Virginia Tech, and MSU. 

The only one I would disagree with there would be MSU, as I think Dantonio's program's admirability is highly overrated.  I would probably throw Texas in there among the elites - they've had a couple down years, but Mack Brown is a coach I respect a lot for his on-field and off-field coaching.  Arguments could also be made for Nebraska and Wisconsin.

Alternatively, if you look at the programs that are the extremes in "doing it wrong" (i.e. winners but not admirable), I can't argue much with that list either: USC, Oregon, Alabama, Ohio St., UNC, Miami, Auburn, West Virginia, South Carolina, Arkansas, LSU, and Florida St.

He even appropriately put Penn St. off the bottom of the chart, to accurately reflect that their level of shame doesn't even compare to the others' set of recruiting violations, improper benefits, and the like.

that this author receives from non-Georgia SEC fans?

He clearly is just brainwashed by the southern-hating, elitist, B1G-loving media.

Using the old Michigan logo? For shame, WSJ.

Some of the weakling teams are so obscure, I can't recognize the logos.

What is that "A" thing the second grid down with what looks like a blue female reproductive system in the logo?

The author is a 'she', and apparently a Michigan alum.