1st MDIA Div. B Top 25 Poll is out (2/23/06)!

[Sonny]

LINK:
http://www.uslia.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=371

[Zeuslax]

No questions Claremont deserves the #1 spot! A little too early for most of the poll, but that's how it is.

[lil lady lax fan]

Props to the Cougs! They've been working hard. It's nice to see it paying off.

Congrats to St. John for securing the #2 spot. You guys were fantastic this weekend. Hope to see you again in Dallas!

Though dropping to number 3, the Toreros are still a tough team, and most certainly still bucking for the #1 seat again. I'm sure they aren't going to make it easy for the Cougs on the 10th.

[Dan Wishengrad]

The top of the B poll seems okay to me, but I don't like how a ranked team from the pre-season poll can drop entirely out without having played a game yet. This is the case with Whitman this year -- #23 pre-season then gone entirely from the poll before even taking the field in 2006.

We "A" Division pollsters are usually careful to avoid doing this, but the panel of B pollsters are fairly new so I guess it will happen for the first few years. And, of course, a team like Whitman will have the chance to earn a poll ranking later in the season. But if pollsters see fit to rank a team in their pre-season voting, they really should continue doing so until that team proves unworthy by actually playing a game or two.

Just my two cents...

[jimh3983]

The top of the B poll seems okay to me, but I don't like how a ranked team from the pre-season poll can drop entirely out without having played a game yet.

I agree. In my voting process I tried not to drop a team if they haven't even competed yet, as is the case for many teams who play in cold climates. In most cases, the only exceptions were if I thought they shouldn't have been ranked at that spot to begin with.

[Zeuslax]

The poll should be a whole lot better this season, than the last. With the 2 OOC games being played by many, this will really help to find a more accurate poll.

[Jolly Roger]

The top of the B poll seems okay to me, but I don't like how a ranked team from the pre-season poll can drop entirely out without having played a game yet.

So, in the first week of the season, unranked BuFu State defeats 2 top 5 teams. A vast majority of other teams have not played.

Would you:

a) Not rank a very competent BuFu State
b) Drop one of the two top 5 teams out of the poll and replace with BuFu State
c) Insert BuFu State into the poll and drop out a team in the 23-25 range who might not have played to that point

[FlyingDutchmen]

So lets say San Diego beats Claremount, and there are no other major upsets. Where would u put the top three?

[Brandon Carlson]

So lets say San Diego beats Claremount, and there are no other major upsets. Where would u put the top three?

That is a sticky pickle. That's why there are National Tournaments. And isn't it wonderful that there can be great competition at the top of the B league, and that can generate some speculation such as this? San Diego assumes the #1 spot, having beaten the #1 team in the country. St. John's didn't lose (no other major upsets) so they take the #2 spot. Claremont drops to #3. It's not perfect, but it's a reflection of what happened in your hypothetical.
For the pollsters: Why have UVSC drop from #2 preseason to #5 after a win? I realize that preseason polls are intrinsically flawed, but I do not see a reason to drop a top five team at all if they keep winning.

[DanGenck]

So lets say San Diego beats Claremount, and there are no other major upsets. Where would u put the top three?

That is a sticky pickle. That's why there are National Tournaments. And isn't it wonderful that there can be great competition at the top of the B league, and that can generate some speculation such as this? San Diego assumes the #1 spot, having beaten the #1 team in the country. St. John's didn't lose (no other major upsets) so they take the #2 spot. Claremont drops to #3. It's not perfect, but it's a reflection of what happened in your hypothetical.
For the pollsters: Why have UVSC drop from #2 preseason to #5 after a win. I realize that preseason polls are intrinsically flawed, but I do not see a reason to drop a top five team at all if they keep winning.

Blast you and your sparkling word play!

I think the Top 5 looks pretty solid... should be a very competitive national tournament this year.

[lil lady lax fan]

For the pollsters: Why have UVSC drop from #2 preseason to #5 after a win. I realize that preseason polls are intrinsically flawed, but I do not see a reason to drop a top five team at all if they keep winning.

After watching St. Johns play this weekend they deserve the #2 spot. The pollsters are probably taking into account how UVSC did against BYU in their scrimmage. I think it's going to be a pretty tight race this year. Should make for some good games in Dallas.

[thedude]

Im not trying to whine at all I appreciate the nod that we received... but why are we ranked where we are. Especially after a good showing in California and one win against a ranked team and relatively good performances against other top 10 teams. I just really want to know what the voters consider.

I also realize that we (as a whole) need a lot more games under our belts to have a more accurate poll.

[Maple Leaf]

Im not trying to whine at all I appreciate the nod that we received... but why are we ranked where we are. Especially after a good showing in California and one win against a ranked team and relatively good performances against other top 10 teams.

i would venture a guess that voters want to see you beat some teams in your league before they move you higher up in the polls... losing to good teams doesn't automatically move you up in the polls, you also have to win some games first. a 1-2 record should not be rewarded with a top 10, or even top 15 ranking IMHO

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

Not to nitpick, but how can St. John's and USD receive first place votes? Claremont beat St. John's (granted, in a close game). . .and St. John's beat USD. . .

I could see UVSC or even Montana receiving a first place vote, and I agree that St. John's should be ranked #2 after their great performance down in Irvine. . .I just can't see how someone could justify a #1 vote for two teams that lost to another B division team over the weekend?

Overall, I think the top 25 looks great and the first poll is only a starting point. . .I agree that Northern Colorado should have been ranked much higher. From everyone I talked to who was in Irvine over the weekend, No. Colorado was very impressive.

But it's only poll #1, and Northern Colorado has several good RMLC teams against which they can prove they belong closer to the top 10.

[WaterBoy]

It's the general response- most of the time coaches will not vote for their own teams- so I'd be willing to bet you that one was from Claremont's coach. The other... I don't know- that's why there's more than one poll voter- if there was a consensus on where everyone should be, there would be no need for a poll.

Don't stress about it- the teams that won the games are on top- if they were both ranked above Claremont, then there might be some raised eyebrows- but don't worry about the first place votes- they're not that important.