What will the 4/11 Division A Poll look like?

[CP18]

Grouping 1: BYU (It looks like everyone agrees on this. They should get all but one of the first place votes since coaches never vote for their own team as number one)
Grouping 2 (#2 and #3): CSU and Oregon
Grouping 3 (#4, #5, and #6): Michigan, ASU, and Colorado
Grouping 4 (#7, #8, #9, and #10): UMD, UCSB, SSU, and Northeastern
Grouping 5 (#11, #12, and #13): Arizona, Utah, FSU
Grouping 6 (#14, #15, and #16): Lindenwood, Cal Poly, Texas A&M, Va Tech, Florida

To restate: If you have not booked your trip to Dallas get after it NOW! Why I say, because a #14, #15, or #16 seed will defeat a #1, #2, or #3 this year in the first round!

Just look at the debate we are having on these boards, in the past it has been about the Top 5 teams and how 6-15 can't break in! 6 thru 15 now are to be reckoned with..................

[univduke21]

Beatin up on the SELC isn't quality. Out of Conference Games!!!! They scheduled one good game, Michigan and got blown out by 7. Therefore they don't have much in the way of saying they are a top 10 team, cause the ONLY top 10 team they played the lost big. Either play a schedule or stop whinning, Minnesota-Duluth is a perfect example, they lost a lot of close games against the top 10 but I am more willing to put a team higher in the polls if they lose and play a hard schedule than I am a team that plays a cupcake schedule. 15-1 isn't always better than 10-5.

[NKlaxguy]

FSU hasn't really been playing any teams lately that can help them in the polls. Plus a loss to a weak NCAA team can't help. They have to have a good showing against Florida to prove themselves to the pollsters at this point.

I'm just curious what makes a weak NCAA team? If FSU is the only team that plays against a particular NCAA team how can you judge that team to be weak in terms of MCLA competition?

I have to agree with Stryker here because I would really like to know which team you were talking about. Hartwick just lost to #7 Nazareth by 1 in OT, and the two D2 teams FSU played; SNHU and Bentley are the real deal. I can vouch for this because I have played against them or observed them play several times over the last years. I think maybe before you make comments about NCAA teams you need to get a better understanding of the level of play at D2.

[Beta]

I truly hope all of you that are stern supporters of Strength-of-Schedule are present when I am getting lambasted for making that argument during college football season in the Water Cooler

[Ken Lovic]

not trying to band wagon here... but I heard talk on a poll or two ago about teams losing on their 3rd game of an away trip, location of games etc.. In other words- reasoning outside who simply won or lost.
Why does this seem to dissappear at times?

In defense of FSU- they played 3 games in less than 36 hours at the Southern Shootout versus good competition. They returned from a 7 hour bus ride to turn around and play UM on Tuesday. I am guessing fatigue could have played a roll somewhere in there. That is a lot of games in a short amount of time. UM had only one game in that same time period. UM won that game, not contesting that. not saying FSU would have won either in a different spot, but it is a concern when looking at a game and the final result.

I took that same attitude when looking at UMD. They did lose all 3 games- but what issues do you take away from that? top teams, weather, field conditions, game times, which game occured when.... everyone takes away from a game what they will by looking at scores and scores alone. Tough to get a good read on games. A lot of us try and see through the scores if possible. I think there are valid reasons for a lot of game results. That is the one hard part of voting in the MCLA- we do not get to see each of the teams like NCAA coaches do a lot of times through TV, game tape swapping etc....

just some random thoughts.

[wingman3227]

Ken,
You make a good point about the way games were played and the schedule prior to the game, however, I have to disagree with you a little here. In order to win our National Championship a team will have to win four quality games in five days. So it works out that the team that has the most is in the best shape while maintaining the top level of talent wins the championship. I have heard this argument before, why BYU lost to Oregon, Why FSU lost by so many to Michigan, why Oregon lost to CU and ASU, well how about on the other side of it. I am obvioulsy a big supporter of ASU, well ASU went into Michigan playing in a place where most teams don't win, and beat Michigan. It was Michigan's first game in 8 days, and it was ASU's fourth game in 6 days....should ASU get even more credit for that win, or does it show that if a team is conditioned well, then it doesn't matter. I know that teams get tired, it is understandable, however, maybe if a coach knows his team is not in great shape, or not very deep, their scheme should reflect that.
I think that as a poll voter you can't get caught up in...well their best player was hurt, or they were tired, for the exact reason you stated, the only thing that should be taken into account is the field location, home field advantage means something because we all don't exactly travel in first class conditions and that can do a number on a kid. However, other than home and away, poll voters should try to keep their own bias's out of it, let the teams take care of it on the field. I understand FSU is not trying to make an easy schedule and that it is tough to get teams to travel that far east, and they play who they can, the same argument goes for Northeastern, you can't fault those teams for having "easy" Schedule's" not can you give too much credit to a team for losing a bunch of games against good competition. I think FSU, Northeastern, UMD, and Texas A&M are doing all they can to make themselves contenders and they all belong in the top 15 and should be in the tournament.., however, it is tough to deny a team that has played many of the top ranked teams, and beaten a few a shot at the tournament because they are going to have to go through a tough schedule and then a much tougher conference tournament. I know that they pollsters have a tough job, but they should look at the resume's, not the names of the team.
That is just my opinion...I could be wrong...

[DG]

I truly hope all of you that are stern supporters of Strength-of-Schedule are present when I am getting lambasted for making that argument during college football season in the Water Cooler

When FSU doesn't get invited to play in the national championship tournament because they are not in a "real" conference, you'll have an argument. FSU will get a shot, and maybe they'll do what they did to BYU a couple of years ago, or maybe they'll get blown out...but at least they'll get a shot.

This is why MCLA lacrosse > the BC$.

DG

[DG]

I have heard this argument before, why BYU lost to Oregon

Just to clarify...Oregon beat BYU. All of us who saw the game agreed on that point. Could BYU have won the game? Yes. Did they play well enough to win? No. No one should make any excuses or said anything to the contrary...and I don't think they have.

That said, if I were a pollster I would give a little heavier weight to road wins. No matter what, it is harder to win on the road.

DG

[Beta]

MCLA lacrosse > the BC$

Very true, the MCLA champion never has an asterisk by its name.

It seems that people are getting too angry about different opinions when they should be realizing that the fact that the different opinions is what causes the poll to be what what it is...is the beauty of a poll-only system. Better to have a few people arguing about what they think...as opposed to massive criticism of the poll system itself, I say.

Now if we could only get the BYU crew to film/produce every MCLA game...

[bullhighutewoozgriffclam]

those commentators are probably the best ever on any channel anywhere, EVER. i wish i could have them talking into my ear at every lacrosse game i'm ever at. (typed sarcasm is difficult, i think I've done well)

too much?

sue me.

ps - the play on rule on a flag down is NOT subjective.

[StrykerFSU]

Univduke21, I hardly think that saying my favorite team is properly ranked and does not deserve to be ranked higher until they beat a team on par with UM can be considered whining. I also pointed out some of the teams that FSU has beaten, including many who are or have been ranked but never argued that FSU was worthy of a higher position because of those wins. So what's your point? I get it, the SELC in general and FSU specifically are unworthy of sharing the rankings with the high and mighty of the MCLA yada yada yada.

I made no negative remarks about other conferences or teams and merely asked that another poster elaborate on what is considered a "weak" NCAA team.

[wingman3227]

I will take this one...a weak NCAA team is a team in Division 2 that is not ranked inside the top ten. Although it has been stated by some on this post that teams like Bentley and Southern New Hampshire are quality opponents, that is not the case. I know that if FSU had it's best performance it could beat either one of those teams on a good day, they must have played pretty awful to lose to either one of those teams. I have seen Florida State play, and they are a very talented team, I think they could have given Michigan a better game had they not been man down for the entire first quarter, but don't come on to the forum and talk about the quality of teams that FSU is playing because they are in NCAA...there are good teams that they good play in Division 2 or 3, they didn't play those teams, they played middle of the road mediocre teams and didn't play well. So they do not really deserve any credit for that scheduling. that being said, I think FSU will be able to cause some teams headaches in the tournament, any team with that amount of talent can be dangerous, for some reason however, they have not put it together yet. I think FSU should be between 11-13 in the ranking....
that is just my opinion...I could be wrong...

[StrykerFSU]

a weak NCAA team is a team in Division 2 that is not ranked inside the top ten. Although it has been stated by some on this post that teams like Bentley and Southern New Hampshire are quality opponents, that is not the case.

I'm interested in what you are using as the basis for your opinion as it doesn't appear from your statement that you were at the games but to be fair, neither was I. Just as some food for thought, according to Laxpower.com Bentley and S.N.H are ranked #18 and #20 respectively. Hartwick is ranked #43 in DIII and as was mentioned before only lost to national power Nazareth in OT. By way of comparison with other DIII teams that have been scheduled by MCLA teams, Whittier is #50 and Colorado College is #83.

And I don't want to belabor this point any more than I already have but be fair to your fellow posters and read what they have written. I never said that FSU was playing quality teams just because they are in the NCAA and I certainly never said that they should get credit in the polls for scheduling those games. If anything, I insinuated that they should receive no credit so please don't tell me what I can and cannot say on the forum. You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine.

[Sonny]

Brrrrr.... It's getting a little cold in here.

I'm going to put on my CollegeLAX hoodie.

[StrykerFSU]

You're right Sonny, my apologies.