Top 25 D2 results for Poll #1

[Zeuslax]

haha only thing that can explain this is that early polls should be taken with a grain of salt. Lets wait till each team has atleast 2 games under their belts before we start talking about who should be in the top 10, 15, 20 and 25.

The issue that we have at this level is the influx of talent, the tracking of talent, the impact that coaches can have and ultimately the ability to access resources for us to factor variables such as these into the equation.

[Gvlax]

haha only thing that can explain this is that early polls should be taken with a grain of salt. Lets wait till each team has atleast 2 games under their belts before we start talking about who should be in the top 10, 15, 20 and 25.

The issue that we have at this level is the influx of talent, the tracking of talent, the impact that coaches can have and ultimately the ability to access resources for us to factor variables such as these into the equation.

Solution: Everyone send game tapes to all voters. Not gonna happen but if it did then voters could see how some teams they have never seen play before perform on the field.

[scooter]

I for one am extremely disappointed in the voters for the flux in idle teams in this poll. I don't know how teams can move up and drop so many spots with never playing a game.

Its good to see teams who have done well rewarded, but how the heck do you reward/penalize teams who haven't had the opportunity to play yet this season?

[Gvlax]

I for one am extremely disappointed in the voters for the flux in idle teams in this poll. I don't know how teams can move up and drop so many spots with never playing a game.

Its good to see teams who have done well rewarded, but how the heck do you reward/penalize teams who haven't had the opportunity to play yet this season?

Moving down for idle teams seems more likely because teams who have already have played and showed they are good enough to be in the top 25 should be rewarded but idle teams moving up just seems very strange to me.

[dgr01002]

haha only thing that can explain this is that early polls should be taken with a grain of salt. Lets wait till each team has atleast 2 games under their belts before we start talking about who should be in the top 10, 15, 20 and 25.

The issue that we have at this level is the influx of talent, the tracking of talent, the impact that coaches can have and ultimately the ability to access resources for us to factor variables such as these into the equation.

Solution: Everyone send game tapes to all voters. Not gonna happen but if it did then voters could see how some teams they have never seen play before perform on the field.

Polls are just that, polls. The early-on voting (if the voters are doing their homework) should be diligently based on a whole bunch of criteria:
1. 2007 Record
2. Impact players graduating
3. How did teams do against competition in 2007... EXAMPLES: U of Wisconsin Eau Claire or School of Mines are good examples of teams in tough conferences who played competitive ball last year, didn't lose many impact players. If you look at all the teams CSM played in 2007 from the RMLC - they didn't get blown out. They played close ball in a stacked conference. So, voters are watching said teams to see if they will improve.
4. 2008 roster (how many new freshman) - EXAMPLE: Dayton lost players but gained 15-16 freshmen to an already strong team.
5. Current record in 2008 "thus far"

The early polls are the hardest, and, probably should mean the least. EXAMPLE: Last year, Emory was not even ranked in the T25 Pre Season Poll. They earned their way to #7 and a nationals appearance come April/May.

We're very early in this season and early polls should be taken with a grain of salt but they have to get done. It's required. Some top teams will fall. Some higher teams will rise. Some teams completely off the radar just might be the #1 seed before it's all over.

[BucLax13]

haha only thing that can explain this is that early polls should be taken with a grain of salt

if it doesn't mean anything then why are we doing it?

maybe we should get rid of the preseason poll... push it back to when most teams have three (maybe 5) games under their belt...

what would it hurt to have a poll one month before the first conference championship or right after the big spring break trips... (fundraising isn't an excuse since everyone whould be ready to win their conference tourney and be ready to make the trip to play three games)

[Gvlax]

haha only thing that can explain this is that early polls should be taken with a grain of salt

if it doesn't mean anything then why are we doing it?

maybe we should get rid of the preseason poll... push it back to when most teams have three (maybe 5) games under their belt...

Well a preason poll gives people stuff to talk about, but i agree that the first regular season poll should come out mid March, then maybe once a week or so after that because some teams do not have the luxury to have indoor places to play. This does not mean they are any worse than the teams that are in warm climates. Early polls benefit the better teams in the warmer climates. Just look at Laxpower, they give warnings to take lightly what the statistics say until each team plays at least a minimum of 4 games. They know what they are talking about.

[Jolly Roger]

maybe we should get rid of the preseason poll... push it back to when most teams have three (maybe 5) games under their belt...

Wouldn't be a preseason poll then would it?

[dgr01002]

Well a preason poll gives people stuff to talk about, but i agree that the first regular season poll should come out mid March, then maybe once a week or so after that because some teams do not have the luxury to have indoor places to play. This does not mean they are any worse than the teams that are in warm climates. Early polls benefit the better teams in the warmer climates. Just look at Laxpower, they give warnings to take lightly what the statistics say until each team plays at least a minimum of 4 games. They know what they are talking about.

Agreed.

Polls are necessary. Even pre season. It gives discussion and that's a good thing. It gives voice to teams that may not be getting due attention. It is also not the fault of voters that some teams do not play early games. That's just how it goes. It works itself out. If you play 9-11 games, well, your team's performance will be noted eventually. And the teams playing early, with all the hype, if they falter, will also drop. Just like last year. Montana found itself in and out of the T5 if you look back (maybe even the T10- can't remember). Towards the end, they earned their way back into T4 ranking, got a first-round bye and won the national title.

[BucLax13]

I don't buy the cold weather myth... St. J and St. T have done quite well warming up in the south and will stay in the top five barring some freak loss to someone besides themselves...

Laxpower doesn't matter...

you can't touch'em if they walk the rest of their season... and how can you drop them if they were to lose a close game to one another being 2 or 3... you can't justify someone overtaking them as long as they win out...

they gained two first round byes because they risked big (and won) early in the season...

Wouldn't be a preseason poll then would it?

shut up jolly

[Pinball]

I don't buy the cold weather myth... St. J and St. T have done quite well warming up in the south

The reason why this happens is because we both have coaches that have been around for a long time, solid backing from the school and have the budget to fly somewhere warm. Many teams do not have these options or luxuries that SJU and UST has. Both probably have higher budgets then your average D1 team.

[Jolly Roger]

Play nice BucLax.

In what way is their ranking inflated?

St Thomas and St Johns have a body of work over the last 3 years that demonstrate that they are solid programs. They have had talent and recruited well to replace departing players. These are the kind of things successful teams do and as a result get rewarded for in polls.

In addition they've both scheduled a number of quality out of conference games (#6 UVSC, #20 N Ariz, #4 Dayton & #8 N Colo for SJU and #5 Emory, #11 UNC-C, #4 Dayton and #8 N Colo for UST). They've had success in the early ones, we'll see how they do later in the season - as well in their head to head game.

Let's look at your alma mater. Southwestern, the 2 time reigning, LSA champion has played a total of 8 out of conference games, against 4 ranked opponents in the past 2 years and was kind enough to host half of those games. The record in those games is 4-3 not including a no show vs Fort Lewis in Arlington TX. This season SW has 2 out of conference MCLA games scheduled 1 home 1 away (I've never heard of Hendrix College in Arkansas).

Perhaps the Pirates need to get a little more aggressive in their OCC schedule in order to gain some additional recognition.

[BucLax13]

I am not trying to be mean jolly and my shut up is in jest to good quip... I am saying in general that early polls are inflated from the play that occurred last season and are not represenative of the teams north or south... I am not slighting the programs of St. J or St. T (they are great teams that earned their ranking through some wins)

we have to take this poll with as a grain of salt because it is not really representative of where team are

I don't believe we have a cold weather problem... we have a biased preseason polling problem... move it later in the season so ranking are based on win and losses and not on what this last poll... St. J and St. T (I suspect) make those early trips to be viable in polls and get experience... they wouldn't have to travel and might host some games if they didn't have to fight with a poll system that punishes teams who haven't started their season... it would be in their benefit to know that they are not missing anything... and that before the polls take place they knew their wins and losses would stack up with everybody else... (i.e. augustana)

Just tell me how a later season poll is more compared to our preseason one in place...

I am not Southwestern Lax or Bill Bowman so please don't drag them into this... I am just an alum that likes to break away from work with by checking the boards...

three time LSA champion

[Chris Larson]

I can attest to early travel among UMLL teams being at least partially due to my insistence that they leave the last 4-5 weekends of the season available to me for scheduling outdoor conference games.

[bulax6]

Something to add to the games for top 25 teams...

UVSC 14
Biola 7

NAU 13
Biola 6

Both final on Saturday the 16th