If the NFL practiced elitism, over 70% of today's quarterbacks would not be on a roster.
Great lawyers, like great quarterbacks, can come from any law school.
If the NFL only signed players from the Top 20 "college football reputations," 62 out of 88 NFL quarterbacks would not be on a roster today.
NFL Quarterbacks - who makes the cut? 
Argue all you want about which 20 programs make the list. The answer is subjective - precisely the point.
Does "football reputation" mean this season?
This decade? The past 25 years? This century? When does the reputation change?
What factors should be considered in deciding whether a football program is among the Top 20?
Is it the coach? The number of NCAA championships? Conference championships? The number of All-Americans?
This unimaginable scenario is pretty much what happens when law schools are ranked.
The reputation of the schools--according to a handful of academics and lawyers--control the rankings. Elitism prevails over individual accomplishment.
Rankings in the News
EDITORIAL:
Legal Education Reform
(New York Times, Published: November 25, 2011)
A version of this editorial appeared in print on November 26, 2011, on page A18 of the New York edition with the headline: Legal Education Reform.
What They Don’t Teach Law Students: Lawyering
(New York Times, By DAVID SEGAL, Published: November 19, 2011)
A version of this article appeared in print on November 20, 2011, on page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: What They Don’t Teach Law Students: Lawyering.
The
Rankings Revolt
(TIME Magazine, Mar 22, 2007, Julie Rawe, Time Inc.)
The $8.78 Million
Maneuver
(The New York Times, July 31, 2005, Alex Wellen,
Education Life Supplement Late Edition - Final,
Section
4A, Page 18)
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