4/18/07 Division B Poll is out!

[GrizLens]

If you check this thread from about a month ago, you'll find that debate:

http://forums.collegelax.us/viewtopic.php?t=7721&start=0

[VikingsLax7]

laxpower is ridiculous and the numbers they come up with are outrageous... please do NOT use that type of system...

how many B teams play A teams on the regular? just wondering because Salem St has played 4 this season. not sure if that is more or less than other B teams... any feedback is appreciated, just curious... thanks!

[btriley01]

Harding regularly plays Lindenwood and Missouri State every year. Also, we played texas this year.

[VikingsLax7]

how did you guys do in those games?

[scooter]

lots of B teams play A teams......but its better IMO to play top level B talent than mediocre A talent. There are bad A teams in every division, so whooping on them means nothing

[shocker P]

How can you have UVSC out of the top ten? They Beat Montana, loss to Western Washington, and beat Montana St. all in the same weekend. Montana St. beat Western Washington and Montana that same weekend. UVSC is a good Squad and deserves to be where they at. even if they are behind a team they beat two weeks ago.

I also think WW should move up in the polls, as they did.

When a lower seeded team beats a higher seeded team that does not always mean the teams automatically switch. Upsets happen often in division A, and you don't see big leapfrogs. one was when #13 Utah beat #5Minnesota Duluth- and in the next poll Minnesota dropped to #6 and Utah Stayed at #13. go figure.

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

UVSC is still ranked #6. . .they only fell two spots since the last poll.

I think UVSC dropped not only because of the loss to Western Washington (who was not in the top-10 at the time). . .but also because they lost to Fort Lewis the previous week (also not in the top-10 at the time).

As it turns out, both of those teams are better than their rankings, but with those two losses fresh in the memories of voters, I think that is why they fell a few spots.

[scooter]

2 losses to teams not in the top 10 in such a small amount of time should drop you out of the top 10 in my mind....

They seem to be riding their early preseason ranking for all its worth...

[danza]

harding v lindenwood was a scrimmage... harding v missouri st 15- 10 harding v texas 4-9

[shocker P]

WW was Ranked #10 when they beat UVSC.

In my mind, those two teams that beat UVSC that were not in the top nine, showed they deserve to be in the competitive top ten. To put UVSC out of the top ten would be a big mistake. Just like when Montana was voted out. UVSC has a good squad, they beat Montana. and loss two close games. Which again shows WW and Fort deserve to be in the competitive top ten with UVSC.

[Kyle Berggren]

UVSC is a good Squad and deserves to be where they at. even if they are behind a team they beat two weeks ago.

I think you mean even if they are 3 spots ahead of a team they lost to 2 weeks ago, & another just before that... that haven't lost a since... How quickly we can forget our teams black marks!

With that said, it's just not as clean or simple as beating someone to move ahead of them. In the more competitive conferences, the teams beat up on each other. Teams have other quality wins that put them 3,4,5 spots ahead of teams that beat them. We simply don't play complete enough schedules to keep it very clean right now. When UVSC plays Westminster, we'll find out if they deserve that spot. The #9 team, that beat UVSC & played Westminster to a 2 goal game would love to see UVSC falter. If they get blown out, or beaten pretty badly, I'd expect them to drop at least toward the back of the top 10. If they win, or play that game closely folks will have accept their ranking and move on. They'll prove their in the elite ranks. The final poll will have their complete body of work to judge from & should solve the problem.

Andy made a comment that's been on my mind from earlier in this thread & I want to comment now. Yes, the CCLA's top 6 teams are very competitive, and would be in any B Conference. While I respect your opinion claiming that they are under-ranked, it is difficult for me to justify ranking them higher. (I do have 4 in my top 25). Dayton is undefeated & may be a cut above the rest, we'll see conference tournament time, but the CCLA hasn't beaten a team in the top 10. The top 6 CCLA B teams' most impressive win has been #20 PLU. I'm very familiar with PLU over the last decade both playing for & coaching against them, but they are quite possibly the 4th or 5th best team in the PNCLL now that Matt Kennedy isn't on the field. When they were healthy, they lost to WWU 18-9. The top 2 teams in the PNCLL just ran our conference #3 seed off the field. If those 2 teams are playing very competitive OOC games, I have to give them, & the teams they've played the nod in strength over the CCLA.

The fact that Mellon played what appears to be a competitive game against SJU helps the CCLA cause. If your top 6 teams can beat up on each other, & the one that scheduled a top level B team (for the last several years) wasn't run off the field, we know the CCLA is competitive with the other conferences. Until CCLA teams can get more top level opponents (or teams that play national schedules) scheduled we probably won't see many more CCLA teams in the top 10. The voter's only have the few OOC games they've played to help rank the conference, but while the teams may be close in strength, their body of work does not reflect they should have more top ranked teams. To be fair, it's not that they haven't played anyone, they have played competitive games with several other conference teams that are in the middle of the poll.

Please point me in the right direction if you think I'm taking this down the wrong path. This is just my view on the CCLA & how I see them fit into the MCLA rankings. I hope you guys can change my mind, any and all information will help make the poll more accurate.

[scooter]

this is probably what my poll would look like (not that anyone cares)

westminster
sju
dayton
stu
harding
montana
ft lewis
wwu
emory
unc

UVSC does not crack my poll, but then again, i am not a voter

[norway]

Personally, I am still confused about Dayton. I have not seen them play, and I do not anyone that has. The fact is that they have still only beaten one ranked division B opponent, a team that was not ranked until a few weeks ago (not to take any credibility from Carnegie Melon). Emory is ranked way below them and has beaten two top 25 division B teams. How in the world does Dayton slide into the top 4? Wesminster, SJU, STU def need to be there, but Dayton c'mon. I would push for Montana, UVSC, or some other team that has played various top division B competition. Can someone explain?

[Andy Sharp]

Personally, I am still confused about Dayton. I have not seen them play, and I do not anyone that has. The fact is that they have still only beaten one ranked division B opponent, a team that was not ranked until a few weeks ago (not to take any credibility from Carnegie Melon). Emory is ranked way below them and has beaten two top 25 division B teams. How in the world does Dayton slide into the top 4? Wesminster, SJU, STU def need to be there, but Dayton c'mon. I would push for Montana, UVSC, or some other team that has played various top division B competition. Can someone explain?

Your confusion is understandable, especially since you haven't seen them play.

[ktrost58]

Scooter, did someone on UVSC do something to you that you want to talk about? I've never seen someone trying so hard to get a team out of the top 10 than you are. UVSC is a good team. I played with them a couple fo years ago, but i've seen them play this year and they are good. They have played a lot of good teams, have won some and lost some, but they have played a very tough Schedule, at least much tougher than many in your top 10. I'm curious to see where you would rank them...#15, #40, I'm sure the loss to WWU (who is a very good team) could justify them dropping out of the top 25 in your eyes, right?