3/28/07 Division A Poll is out!

[JerzWB]

um, did I miss something? Where did Chapman go? They seemed to have disappeared off the polls completely?

I heard that they are ineligible for any post season play (like oakland a few years ago) and therefore will not appear in the polls.

Someone please confirm.

[Theflow]

um, did I miss something? Where did Chapman go? They seemed to have disappeared off the polls completely?

Some how the league sees fit to not only punish them by not letting them go to the playoffs, they now seem to be nullifying their whole season by not letting them be counted in the polls. I asked some people about it over there, and they are just as confused as I am. I know the league has done this to CSU and Oakland, but they violated policies DURING THE SEASON. They had to forfeit games and miss playoffs. Chapman, on the other hand, does not have to forfeit any regular seaons games, since they are being punished for last year. They are only banned from playoffs this year. Since the polls are not the only deciding factor in who goes to the playoffs (AQs for half), it does not seem at all fair. This new decision means they will not even be counted in the final poll, in which #'s 17-25 have nothing to do with the playoffs.

The more and more I hear about all of the circumstancse surrounding the eligibility issues of Chapman and now this banning from the polls, the less it all makes sense. Can somebody makes things a bit more clear?

[CATLAX MAN]

The more and more I hear about all of the circumstancse surrounding the eligibility issues of Chapman and now this banning from the polls, the less it all makes sense.

That's largely because you don't know all the facts.......unless you were in on the WCLL Board meetings or the MCLA Board meetings where their hearing was held and the subsequent appeal was heard.

If you look here, http://www.collegelax.us/pollinfo.php you will see the following information:

3/26/07 Update - The Western Collegiate Lacrosse League (WCLL) has found that Chapman University (Orange, CA) used an ineligible player during the 2006 season. One of the disciplinary actions taken by the WCLL is to make Chapman ineligible for the post-season in 2007. As a result of this action, the MCLA Board voted to exclude Chapman from the national Top 25 poll for the rest of the 2007 season. Thus, Chapman is ineligible to receive any future votes for the Division A Top 25 Poll for the remainder of the season.

[Beta]

They are only banned from playoffs this year. Since the polls are not the only deciding factor in who goes to the playoffs (AQs for half), it does not seem at all fair. This new decision means they will not even be counted in the final poll, in which #'s 17-25 have nothing to do with the playoffs.

Yes but those points that would have gone to them should go to other teams that the playoffs do affect. Not having a number next to your name doesn't nullify your season.

[Theflow]

They are only banned from playoffs this year. Since the polls are not the only deciding factor in who goes to the playoffs (AQs for half), it does not seem at all fair. This new decision means they will not even be counted in the final poll, in which #'s 17-25 have nothing to do with the playoffs.

Yes but those points that would have gone to them should go to other teams that the playoffs do affect. Not having a number next to your name doesn't nullify your season.

I think the point is being missed. They are not being punished by the league for the regular season, as per the eligibility ruling, BUT the polls are a reflection of regular season play. Not letting them go to playoffs is one thing, but this means that no matter what they do in the regular season this year, there will be no recognition, even in that final poll from #'s 17-25. For the kids playing, and for the team going into next year, that number means more than you think.

[CATLAX MAN]

If they're looking for someone to blame for that situation, perhaps they should look within their own ranks.

[Beta]

I think the point is being missed. They are not being punished by the league for the regular season, as per the eligibility ruling, BUT the polls are a reflection of regular season play. Not letting them go to playoffs is one thing, but this means that no matter what they do in the regular season this year, there will be no recognition, even in that final poll from #'s 17-25. For the kids playing, and for the team going into next year, that number means more than you think.

So if Chapman were to be ranked...team #26 wouldn't get to even though they followed the rules?

I don't know the situation, but eligability always seemed really easy...but they made their bed last season, so this season....

[Theflow]

I had no idea you were on any executive board Catlaxman? You sound like you have all the answers and assume that there were no flaws to the WCLL or MCLA decisions. They always say they are precedence driven, but this polls decision does not seem to have any relavant precedence to pull from. I just hope that all the facts come forward from both sides. Sounds like Chapman is going to fight it, so I am sure that will happen.

[CATLAX MAN]

I'm not on either board, but I can read the English language. I also know that the leadership of these two boards are experienced and knowledgeable people and they don't jump into decisions on a haphazard basis. It boils down to the fact that I have a certain degree of trust that the actions they take are being taken for the good of the league. Unitl that trust is broken, I have no reason to question their decision.

[Theflow]

"So if Chapman were to be ranked...team #26 wouldn't get to even though they followed the rules?

I don't know the situation, but eligability always seemed really easy...but they made their bed last season, so this season..."

Again, they are not being punished for regular season play, as per the ruling against the team. that is black and white (I wish they would post that. I have only seen it as was shown to me by a WCLL coach). Only the playoffs. This seems to be a way to backdoor a full season punishment by the league after the fact. They deserve to have their regular play games count in that #'s 17-25 in the final poll just like any other team that did not make the playoffs.

[CATLAX MAN]

Again, to quote Sonny: "Reading is fundamental."

As a result of this action, the MCLA Board voted to exclude Chapman from the national Top 25 poll for the rest of the 2007 season. Thus, Chapman is ineligible to receive any future votes for the Division A Top 25 Poll for the remainder of the season.

[Theflow]

Again, to quote Sonny: "Reading is fundamental."

As a result of this action, the MCLA Board voted to exclude Chapman from the national Top 25 poll for the rest of the 2007 season. Thus, Chapman is ineligible to receive any future votes for the Division A Top 25 Poll for the remainder of the season.

A) I am asking for the full ruling from the WCLL and MCLA to be posted surrounding the situation. That is not it above! B) Let the MCLA show that, based on those rulings, they have any standing to take the above action to ban Chapman from the polls.

That is it. I am sure there can be more to talk about when that is done. Until then, we have the cliff notes version, which it sounds like Catlaxman prefers for formulating his conclusions. More info please...

[univduke21]

Damn calm down and roll with "the flow" pun completely intended. I played in this league for 4 years the decisions they make are always in the best interest of the league. Chapman broke and rule and are being punished. Ultimately this falls on the coaches shoulders. I understand that the players wish to see themselves in the polls but a mistake was made and they are being punished for it.

A) I am asking for the full ruling from the WCLL and MCLA to be posted surrounding the situation. That is not it above!

I don't know the rules but that maybe a closed meeting and a closed decision, which means you may not be able to look at it.

Let the MCLA show that, based on those rulings, they have any standing to take the above action to ban Chapman from the polls.

They run the poll they can do whatever they want. If removing Chapman from the polls is the best way to insure that they are being punished for last year, then that is what happens. I understand that a player and a coach made a mistake and that sometime it is unfair that the entire team gets punished but sometimes there is no other way. Chapman should not get the luxury of recuitting that they are #X in the poll, it is a limitation that is used so that cheating doesn't keep happening. This is a bad situation and we all wish that it didn't have to happen but it did, and I feel like the Conference and the League made the right decision, don't turn this into a witch hunt!

[sohotrightnow]

Am I missing something? They broke the rules, they are not eligible for the playoffs, and thus should not be ranked.

As an aside, do you mean to tell me that these kids care if they are ranked between #17-25? What if Chapman was undefeated this year and was the best team in the country? Do you think it would make sense to rank them #17 for their punishment? There is a serious disconnect here.

[Ravaging Beast]

If their season doesn't really count, does that mean that their players get another year of eligibility?

TheFlow. It's kind of hard to take your opinion seriously when you don't have any reputation stars under your name. It seems like you just came on here to complain about your team and not the poll as a whole.