LSA All-League Division A

[g'burg lax]

I would have thought the face off guy from Tech (#17) would have recieved a nod or two. I think he finished with over 75% win rate on face offs and dominated in most games.

[texlaxer7]

Who votes for these guys? There are numerous selections on this list that I have a problem with especially with selections from UNT. I had a problem with Chris Files earning top honors amongst other players last season. This year its Reid Singleton. He's a good player and deserves first team honors without a doubt (should be at the bottom of the list though), but consider these numbers. Joey Gentry, who has 9 more points on the season than Singleton in the same number of games on a considerably tougher schedule was passed up for All-American. While Singleton has 11 more goals than Gentry, Gentry has 18 more assists - not only does has have more points but he is a more well rounded player. He can consitantly hit the net AND feed the ball - this something to consider. Another selection I have a problem with is Corbin. There are 4 more middies who have a higher PPG average than Corbin. Only 1 of those has less than 12 games of stats posted (SMU only has 6 games with stats and played a total of 12 games). Brochu, Swann, and Perales all have better stats. Texas' Swann has more points, a higher PPG average, and played in 3 more games. Not to mention Texas' schedule was probably the hardest in the LSA next to A&M. Swann is the obvious choice for the third spot on 1st Team middie. The order ought to be: Gentry, Singleton, Swann - forget Corbin. Ryan Matthiessen is probably one of the most dominant players on defense for the LSA and has been for the past several seasons. How does a team like UNT that gives up 11.7 goals per game in LSA play (compared to Tech's 4.14) get a first team selection for defense and Tech not? Take into consideration the 17-4 win Tech had over UNT. Matthiessen should have made first team, not Schimanek. UNT might remember him, he's the guy who shut down Files and had an assist in the playoff game last year. The numbers alone prove that UNT has hugely over-rated players for a team who can't seem to make the final four since I've been playing (4 in the first team alone and there are clearly at least 4 better teams in the LSA than UNT: Tech, Texas, A&M, TSU). The selection process is clearly biased and I am tired of seeing UNT taking home all these awards they don't deserve. Tech is 7-0 in conference play (and the only nationally ranked team from the LSA-UNT doesn't even have any points in the latest poll), TSU is 7-1, UT is 5-2, and A&M is 6-2 while UNT is 6-4. With 4 first team picks, UNT should be dominating the conference - these selections make no sense. Nothing personal against UNT, they do deserve recognition, but for what is maybe the 5th best team in the LSA to pick up 4 first team picks? Please.

[PinkSnappa21]

texlaxer7 your argument seems strong but its all the coaches from the LSA who vote not just one. How can it be bias? Your coach probably even voted. You never know he might of voted for one of our guys. Shouldn't you be out practicing for this weekend? why are you wasting your time posting some long comment on here? What use does it do anyways? Well good luck to you in your up coming games this weekend.

[porculator]

It seems to be a matter of what teams and coaches promote their players the most. Obviously teams like Rice who don't post stats won't get picked even when they deserve it. And when teams like UNT play everyone in the conference, obviously more people have seen them play and will vote for the players. Also, as Karl said, coaches discuss amongst themselves who deserves it and who doesn't, so the teams whose coaches are the most vocal are going to get the votes from the other coaches.

You can't pick all-stars who you haven't seen play and you haven't even heard about.

[LandonMLudlow]

1 guy getting a combo nod over both Widmer, the best LSM in Texas, and Turok, a dominant faceoff man, means something aint right.

[benji]

You never know he might of voted for one of our guys.

Yeah I doubt that.

[benji]

Not saying the voting system is flawed BUT it might be of some interest that Gentry plays attack, yet was selected as a midfielder. Clearly, people just look at points posted in the database, or else they'd know that Gentry was breaking ankles left and right all season from X Attack, NOT midfield.

[Mikeylacrosse03]

Who votes for these guys? There are numerous selections on this list that I have a problem with especially with selections from UNT. I had a problem with Chris Files earning top honors amongst other players last season. This year its Reid Singleton. He's a good player and deserves first team honors without a doubt (should be at the bottom of the list though), but consider these numbers. Joey Gentry, who has 9 more points on the season than Singleton in the same number of games on a considerably tougher schedule was passed up for All-American. While Singleton has 11 more goals than Gentry, Gentry has 18 more assists - not only does has have more points but he is a more well rounded player. He can consitantly hit the net AND feed the ball - this something to consider. Another selection I have a problem with is Corbin. There are 4 more middies who have a higher PPG average than Corbin. Only 1 of those has less than 12 games of stats posted (SMU only has 6 games with stats and played a total of 12 games). Brochu, Swann, and Perales all have better stats. Texas' Swann has more points, a higher PPG average, and played in 3 more games. Not to mention Texas' schedule was probably the hardest in the LSA next to A&M. Swann is the obvious choice for the third spot on 1st Team middie. The order ought to be: Gentry, Singleton, Swann - forget Corbin. Ryan Matthiessen is probably one of the most dominant players on defense for the LSA and has been for the past several seasons. How does a team like UNT that gives up 11.7 goals per game in LSA play (compared to Tech's 4.14) get a first team selection for defense and Tech not? Take into consideration the 17-4 win Tech had over UNT. Matthiessen should have made first team, not Schimanek. UNT might remember him, he's the guy who shut down Files and had an assist in the playoff game last year. I'd also like to point out that UNT had 2 defensemen in the first team who are apparently good enough to give up, on average, 11.7 goals per game including 17 against Tech which only allowed 4.14 points per game in LSA play and only 4 against UNT (not to mention Tech scores 6 more goals a game than UNT on average). The numbers alone prove that UNT has hugely over-rated players for a team who can't seem to make the final four since I've been playing (4 in the first team alone and there are clearly at least 4 better teams in the LSA than UNT: Tech, Texas, A&M, TSU). The selection process is clearly biased and I am tired of seeing UNT taking home all these awards they don't deserve. Tech is 7-0 in conference play (and the only nationally ranked team from the LSA-UNT doesn't even have any points in the latest poll), TSU is 7-1, UT is 5-2, and A&M is 6-2 while UNT is 6-4. With 4 first team picks, UNT should be dominating the conference - these selections make no sense. Nothing personal against UNT, they do deserve recognition, but for what is maybe the 5th best team in the LSA to pick up 4 first team picks? Please.

Tabb getting pass up on second team and reid getting first. I guess the strength of the schedules dont mean anything. But hey, i rather be in the final four then sitting at home looking at a reward I dont deserve.

[FlockOfSeagulls]

Wouldn't all of this be resolved if the actual votes were made public?? No one should object to this unless its a coach that is afraid his players would get mad at him for voting for players on other teams and that is by no means a good enough reason to keep the votes private and subsequently cloud the legitimacy of the award itself.
Ive been sick of the Mean Green Hype Machine (im getting that trademarked) since about 2002. But I must admit that since I've graduated, I can think of more UNT players by name than just about the rest of the league combined. Marketability is invaluable in any sport that involves both recruiting and polls. I'll be the last to fault Karl Lynch on this one. A good "player's coach" should push for individual accolades for his players even if they finished 2-10. I bet his players dont mind and thats all that matters. However, I think that towards the end of this season we finally started seeing negative ramifications to all this hype as certain teams/players appeared to be getting fed up and geared up to play UNT a little more than usual (Im looking in the direction of Lubbock, and that one guy who thinks he's really good at facing off).
Just publish the votes, end of story.

[monkeylax]

Not saying the voting system is flawed BUT it might be of some interest that Gentry plays attack, yet was selected as a midfielder. Clearly, people just look at points posted in the database, or else they'd know that Gentry was breaking ankles left and right all season from X Attack, NOT midfield.

I found that interesting also, Benji, but according to Tech's USLMDIA roster Gentry is listed as a Midfielder. Just stating the facts...

[CSones34]

quote]

Tabb getting pass up on second team and reid getting first. I guess the strength of the schedules dont mean anything. But hey, i rather be in the final four then sitting at home looking at a reward I dont deserve.

Mikey, I'll be the first to tell you that Reid would prefer to be playing in the final four than to win any awards. However, he certainly deserves his first team award. You sure have seen a lot of these guys play for a guy who lives in Long Island. Honestly, I don't know much about Tabb, but I do know that Reid was dominant in every game he played this year. Not only did he lead the league in goals, but he consistently won face-offs. It is too bad that UNT has to defend their players every year. If they truly don't deserve any of these honors then why are people voting for them? As Karl pointed out, UNT doesn't have the most players on the all-star team. You'll notice they don't have a single attackman that even made the honorable mention. I remember a couple of years ago a kid named Shearer made first team from a mediocre LSU team and everyone got upset about that. But the truth was that he was the best middie in the league. Reid and Corbin are a couple of the hardest working guys in the league and they shouldn't have to defend anything they earn.

[RD1]

Texlaxer,

You are still not understanding that these are individual, not team awards. These are the problems I have with your argument:

"I had a problem with Chris Files earning top honors amongst other players last season" -Thats funny dude. 60+ goals is no big deal, I'm sure you did it.

"While Singleton has 11 more goals than Gentry, Gentry has 18 more assists - not only does has have more points but he is a more well rounded player". - Reid is a workhorse. He faces off (really well), plays really good defense, strong on GBs (and in general), carries the team "offensively, and plays practically the entire game. Reid would overpower Gentry easily. Gentry has more assists wow.... People that keep track of assists are people that can't score.

"How does a team like UNT that gives up 11.7 goals per game in LSA play (compared to Tech's 4.14) get a first team selection for defense and Tech not?"- This is not a defensive unit award.

"I'd also like to point out that UNT had 2 defensemen in the first team who are apparently good enough to give up, on average, 11.7 goals per game" - I saw Mike, who's the other one?

"The numbers alone prove that UNT has hugely over-rated players for a team who can't seem to make the final four since I've been playing"- Screw voting lets give the awards to the team the wins the LSA.

"The selection process is clearly biased and I am tired of seeing UNT taking home all these awards they don't deserve". - Do you want a tissue?

"Nothing personal against UNT"- Could have fooled me.

[Karl Lynch]

The votes are no big secret. It's a six page spreedsheet.

Before we fly off the handle, let's just take a look at who won what.

Tech:
MVP - Kurzweil
ROY - Rice
Coach of the Year - Shaw

AA - Kurzweil

All League - 6 selections out of 33 possible.

UNT:

All League - 3 selections. 1 guy won in two categories.

AA - Singleton.

UT:

All League - 6 selections.

AA - Leiss

A&M:

All Leauge - 6 selections.

AA - Tabb

TSU:

All League - 5 selections

AA - Harig

SMU:

All League - 5 selections

Seems like there is pretty diverse opinion about who was the best, but the best teams seemed to place the most players on the list. Again, I think the voters, not the conspiracy theorists, did a good job of evaluating and placing players on the All LSA team and AA.

The appearance of impropriety is comical and I enjoy reading it.

[Anderson]

I guess I'll add my two cents to the discussion. For the most part I think the All-LSA awards. The only two complains that I would have would be concerning Tabb and Matthiesen.

First of all Tabb is one of the best players in the LSA. Last year he was one of the best attackmen, and this year he is one of the best middies. I think one of the things that doesn't really go into these awards and honestly would be hard to work in is what these players do for the team as a whole. Tabb is clearly a leader on the A&M squad and makes the players around him better. Who would I take off the 1st team in his place? Probably Embery because statistically he does less for his team than the other two.

RD1 did mention that these awards were for individuals, not units. I do believe that Tech has the best defensive unit, but I also believe that is because of having those players that excel on there own. Matthiesen is in my opinion the best defender in the LSA. Of course I am bias but I also get to see how he makes the team better both in practice and on the field during games. Unfortunately we really don't keep stats that help us judge the quality of a defender. i.e. Takeaways, clears, saves (this one is recorded for goalies, but when a defender is in the cage or outside for that matter and deflects the ball off cage that is one less goal to worry about). Again it is hard to make and argument for someone without any stats, but if anyone can chime in and tell me of any attackmen the consistently beat Matthiesen one on one this year I would love to hear it.

And finally RD1 you were doing so well until this:

People that keep track of assists are people that can't score.

Because by your logic Embery shouldn't be on that first team with 19 g and 16 a.

Assists matter. Ask anyone/team that scores from cutting.

[emo]

Matthiesen is in my opinion the best defender in the LSA. Of course I am bias but I also get to see how he makes the team better both in practice and on the field during games. Unfortunately we really don't keep stats that help us judge the quality of a defender. i.e. Takeaways, clears, saves (this one is recorded for goalies, but when a defender is in the cage or outside for that matter and deflects the ball off cage that is one less goal to worry about). Again it is hard to make and argument for someone without any stats, but if anyone can chime in and tell me of any attackmen the consistently beat Matthiesen one on one this year I would love to hear it.

Agreed Mark. In the LSA, nobody beats Meat.