Do you want to vote in the Lax World MCLA Top 25 Poll?

by **Sonny** on Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:12 am

Applications are due by Monday evening, Nov. 19th!

The Lax World MCLA Top 25 Polls are coming soon as Fall Ball is just about finished across the country. CollegeLAX is currently taking nominations for candidates interesting in voting in the 2008 Division 1 & Division 2 Top 25 polls.

There will be a total of seven regular season polls for each division this year plus the preseason poll. The regular season polls begin in late February. The final regular season polls will be announced on Monday, May 5th (8 days prior to the start of the '08 MCLA National Championship Tournament in Dallas).

Here is the proposed schedule for each poll:

DIVISION 2
Preseason - Wed, Jan. 2nd
Poll 1: Wed, Feb. 20
Poll 2: Wed, Mar. 5
Poll 3: Wed, Mar. 19
Poll 4: Wed, April 2
Poll 5: Wed, April 16
Poll 6: Wed, April 30
(Final) Poll 7: Monday, May 5th

DIVISION 1
Preseason - Wed, Jan. 9th
Poll 1: Wed, Feb. 27
Poll 2: Wed, Mar. 13
Poll 3: Wed, Mar. 26
Poll 4: Wed, April 9
Poll 5: Wed, April 23
Poll 6: Wed, April 30
(Final) Poll 7: Monday, May 5th

Good candidates for voting in the Top 25 poll include current or past MCLA coaches, MCLA conference administrators, and/or interested fans that will see a cross section of MCLA teams this year. (NOTE: Current MCLA players are not eligible to vote in the poll.) All poll voting is done online via the CollegeLAX web site.

If you wish to vote in this year's Lax World MCLA Division 1 or Division 2 Top 25 Poll - please contact CollegeLAX Webmaster Sonny Pieper via e-mail with the following information:

1. Your full name and primary email address
2. Which poll (Division 1 or Division 2 or both polls) you wish to vote for
3. Your current (or past) team/conference affiliation
4. A brief lacrosse bio/background/resume
5. 100 words (or less) on why you would be a good pollster.

A positive response via e-mail is required for ALL potential '08 voters (even if you voted last year and you wish to vote again).
The deadline for applications is Monday evening, Nov. 19th at 8pm (Eastern).

Get your application submitted now if you want to be a Top 25 pollster next season.

NOTE: Due to the expected volume of applications, I cannot guarantee a reply. The complete list of Poll Voters will be announced on CollegeLAX at a later date.

**Sponsor**

by **Sonny** on Mon Nov 12, 2007 9:10 am

bump!

by **Sonny** on Sun Nov 18, 2007 3:18 pm

bump again.

Deadline is Monday evening, Nov. 19th.......

by **Sonny** on Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:44 am

The deadline has been extended till tonight.

If you are a current MCLA Div. 1 or Div. 2 Coach and are interested in voting in the poll, I encourage you to submit an application.

Thank you.

by **Dan Wishengrad** on Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:04 am

When will the field of 2008 pollsters be announced?

by **LaxTV_Admin** on Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:26 pm

Dan Wishengrad wrote:When will the field of 2008 pollsters be announced?

It will be a nice Christmas present for 40 lucky individuals

by **Zamboni_Driver** on Sun Dec 02, 2007 9:04 pm

So I've made a comment in another thread, but figured I'd be blatant about it here.

I've been going through many websites trying to update the D1 Outlook's, and there are many teams set to be in the Top 25 that have not updated their rosters or released their 2008 schedules. This concerns me, because the 1st poll comes out in a little over a month from now, and since December is notorious for little work being completed, I wonder if there will be any team updates before the 1st poll.

Seriously, how do the pollsters accurately rank these teams without this important information?

Please tell me the Preseason rankings are more than just last year's post season rankings! Please tell me they are based on something more than history or who's coach is a good guy or who has the cutest managers! Please tell me they aren't like the BCS!

If there is some website other than the collegelax, mcla, and team websites that serves as a repository for this type of information, could someone please let me know, and I'll apologize for this little rant.

I just want to be able to get an educated look at the 2008 season.

by **Tim Gray** on Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:59 am

Zamboni_Driver wrote:So I've made a comment in another thread, but figured I'd be blatant about it here.

I've been going through many websites trying to update the D1 Outlook's, and there are many teams set to be in the Top 25 that have not updated their rosters or released their 2008 schedules. This concerns me, because the 1st poll comes out in a little over a month from now, and since December is notorious for little work being completed, I wonder if there will be any team updates before the 1st poll.

Seriously, how do the pollsters accurately rank these teams without this important information?

Please tell me the Preseason rankings are more than just last year's post season rankings! Please tell me they are based on something more than history or who's coach is a good guy or who has the cutest managers! Please tell me they aren't like the BCS!

If there is some website other than the collegelax, mcla, and team websites that serves as a repository for this type of information, could someone please let me know, and I'll apologize for this little rant.

I just want to be able to get an educated look at the 2008 season.

As a voter, I think it's easier to take into account what a team is losing in terms of seniors rather than what a team is gaining in terms of freshman b/c you've seen what the seniors can do at our level. Even some freshman who are AA may have trouble switching to the college game. Also in regards to fall ball, it tells you some, but I know a lot of coaches don;'t care if they win or lose those games, they want to see what they have in terms of this years players. I do hope that all voters at least consider all of these factors affecting the 2008 season, b/c it can truly have an effect on the entire season polls.

by **onpoint** on Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:21 pm

I also think, and don't take offense to this, but coaches are reticent to offer what amounts to a free scouting report on their team just to give a message board some discussion fodder. Give the voters a little bit of credit, but remember, the real reason this is a problem is because we have a preseason poll at all.

by **slider** on Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:02 pm

I agree with onpoint. Coaches probably don't want to give away info on their teams if there is no guarantee that other teams will do the same. Until the research is done by a website or publication, the voters won't get the kind of information they would need to put together an accurate preseason poll.

by **LaxTV_Admin** on Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:34 pm

onpoint wrote:I also think, and don't take offense to this, but coaches are reticent to offer what amounts to a free scouting report on their team just to give a message board some discussion fodder. Give the voters a little bit of credit, but remember, the real reason this is a problem is because we have a preseason poll at all.

Updating your schedule and roster is not a free scouting report. I would never just give away a free scouting report on my team, but I will happily give you my roster (probably without jersey numbers) before any game. If you have done enough homework that by a name you know something about that player then you probably knew it before I even gave it to you.

I agree with Zamboni Driver that teams ought to update their rosters and schedules as soon as they can. With that said, the MCLA deadline for schedule occurred on Saturday so give them some time. AND since Marquette is NOT in compliance with what I just argued for I will get on getting that done ASAP. Otherwise just call me a hypocrite

by **Dan Wishengrad** on Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:42 pm

I agree about updating and posting a schedule, Pancho, but who can post an actual roster at this date? LOL my team always sees 40-50 kids turn out for Fall ball, and then in January we get to see who our real 25-30 players are at that time.

All I know is that in our case is that we certainly are not trying to hide anything -- we ourselves have no clue who will wear the purple-and-gold come Spring of '08, at least at this point.

by **LaxTV_Admin** on Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:47 pm

Dan Wishengrad wrote:I agree about updating and posting a schedule, Pancho, but who can post an actual roster at this date? LOL my team always sees 40-50 kids turn out for Fall ball, and then in January we get to see who our real 25-30 players are at that time.

All I know is that in our case is that we certainly are not trying to hide anything -- we ourselves have no clue who will wear the purple-and-gold come Spring of '08, at least at this point.

No. I am just arguing that if you do know or are "fairly certain" share the information. You aren't giving away anything one of your opponents probably didn't know already.

by **Zamboni_Driver** on Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:41 pm

Tim Gray wrote:
As a voter, I think it's easier to take into account what a team is losing in terms of seniors rather than what a team is gaining in terms of freshman b/c you've seen what the seniors can do at our level. Even some freshman who are AA may have trouble switching to the college game. Also in regards to fall ball, it tells you some, but I know a lot of coaches don;'t care if they win or lose those games, they want to see what they have in terms of this years players. I do hope that all voters at least consider all of these factors affecting the 2008 season, b/c it can truly have an effect on the entire season polls.

I completely agree. My issue is less about incoming freshman as it is with people not returning to a program due to transfers, internships, or leaving the school. These moves are not evident by looking at the mcla.us eligibility column. These loses or gains can have a serious effect on a team and should be included in an evaluation for the preseason poll. As evidence of this I'll point to the Colorado to Chapman transfers or the fact there are key players missing from the Sonoma State roster.

by **Zamboni_Driver** on Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:58 pm

onpoint wrote:I also think, and don't take offense to this, but coaches are reticent to offer what amounts to a free scouting report on their team just to give a message board some discussion fodder. Give the voters a little bit of credit, but remember, the real reason this is a problem is because we have a preseason poll at all.

I've got a little different take on this...

First off, I've never met anyone who could look at a roster and tell if a coach has switched from a man-2-man defense to a zone defense.

Now if a coach has lost players and he hides it, it won't be hidden for long. As soon as the season starts, opposing coaches will be able to look up the rosters on the mcla.us site and realize the opposing teams losses or gains. So it can't be to help a team get a win...

But there could be some benefit in controlling the polls. If a perennial powerhouse takes some hit to their roster and covers it up, they will get a favorable preseason ranking, and will only have to maintain their spot to go to the National Tournament. If the loses are broadcast, they would get a lower preseason rank and loses become even more detrimental to a national tournament bid. The same scenario goes for dropping the strength of schedule on rebuilding years, just to keep your spot at the "party"