Who is the "Poll Committee"?

[PAllen]

Just wondering who these folks support. My poll submission was rejected this week because I had too many undefeated teams ahead of NDSU and committed the cardinal sin of placing Monmouth and Cornell as 24 & 25 (apparently those two have been deemed not eligible for the ORV category). Also, apparently I would have helped my cause if I had ranked UNI and Montana. I guess that explains why the MVFC gets such high rankings in this "poll". Thank god we have playoffs and these guys don't rule the show.

[Dane96]

Why don't you post the poll...would love to see what got this rejected.

Maybe they were off...but maybe you were off?

I reserve all judgement.... (my lawyer comment of the day) :)

That said...Monmouth, after this weekends demolishing, has no business anywhere near the top 30...let alone 25. Even their own staff and HC said it was men/boys...throttled in every department. I love Monmouth...but they flat out got a beat down by a Top 14-20 team.

Cornell? Really...who have they played. A so-so at best Fordham beat them. They played a horrific, maybe Bottom 20 in the country bad, Yale team and did what you do...beat them bad. Then they played Bucknell to a doozy 15-10 win.

Personally, my bottom 20-25 ranking easy this week because I had maybe 10 teams for those slots. There were 10 teams SIGNIFICANTLY better/radar like than Cornell who didn't even register a beat.

I would disparage a poll with montana or UNI in it...so I don't think you were wrong there...you were right for leaving them out.

Now for NDSU-- How many teams could you have possibily put in front of them. Frankly...if they are not in your Top 4...you have an issue. They are, right now, the clear Top 1 or 2 teams in the country. Now your opinion may be different...but if they are not in the Top 4 I would too question your poll based on not that alone...but Cornell and Monmouth.

Those three are very questionable...

Did you have any other weird picks?

[OhioHen]

I have my poll questioned by the committee several times a year (usually in the early weeks when I give no credit for so-called "quality losses" and rank teams that will never appear in the top 25 after week 5 or 6). If you are able to explain to the committee WHY you made the selections you did, they will accept the poll as is.

[Dane96]

Same here OhioHen.

If you have valid reason...they usually let things slide as opinion.

But me thinks, based on what PAllen has stated so far...he had some other things going on his poll that gave the Committee pause.

[RadioFan]

I had my poll questioned in week 2. They were right as the questioned teams fell off the face of the earth.

[Gil Dobie]

Just wondering who these folks support. My poll submission was rejected this week because I had too many undefeated teams ahead of NDSU and committed the cardinal sin of placing Monmouth and Cornell as 24 & 25 (apparently those two have been deemed not eligible for the ORV category). Also, apparently I would have helped my cause if I had ranked UNI and Montana. I guess that explains why the MVFC gets such high rankings in this "poll". Thank god we have playoffs and these guys don't rule the show.

Nothing wrong in a playoff world with NDSU not being #1 in a poll. :)

I also left UNI and Montana off my poll.

[TheRevSFA]

Post your poll and let the peanut gallery critique it.

[Dane96]

Nothing wrong in a playoff world with NDSU not being #1 in a poll. :)

I also left UNI and Montana off my poll.

Agreed...but let's see where he placed them. It would be shocking, and I'd love to hear the rationale, if they were not in the Top 5. Not in the Top 10 would make me not just pause...but get out a potato gun.

[Vitojr130]

Just wondering who these folks support. My poll submission was rejected this week because I had too many undefeated teams ahead of NDSU and committed the cardinal sin of placing Monmouth and Cornell as 24 & 25 (apparently those two have been deemed not eligible for the ORV category). Also, apparently I would have helped my cause if I had ranked UNI and Montana. I guess that explains why the MVFC gets such high rankings in this "poll". Thank god we have playoffs and these guys don't rule the show.

Well, as others have said, there is nothing wrong with not having NDSU at the #1 spot. However, if you aren't at least being reasonable with your poll, it was probably flagged because they thought you were just dinking around and wasting everyones time. If you follow up with good rationale with your poll picks, they would probably understand. If you did it just to do it and see if you could bring NDSU down a notch or 2, then that is uncalled for and deserves to be flagged and rejected.

[HailSzczur]

I had them question a poll last year. I backed up my reasoning behind the poll and they expected it. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but in order to have the right to vote you have to be willing and ready to support your poll. Personally I find the poll committee quite helpful, they catch when I make a typo, like last week when I coincidently had Wagner in my Top 10 instead of Wofford, opps.

I believe I've had Montana out for the last 2 or 3 polls, so that was hardly the reason they rejected it

[danefan]

When you figure it out, please let SportsNetwork know so they can hire the Poll Committee.

After reading the ORV in the TSN polls for the 5 years or so, I think the AGS Poll Committee would have rejected 85% of the TSN polls submitted.

[Dane96]

Danefan...check your e-mail...about Bryant game!!!

[PAllen]

1: Youngstown State Penguins
2: Old Dominion Monarchs
3: Illinois State Redbirds
4: Lehigh Mountain Hawks
5: Harvard Crimson
6: Stony Brook Seawolves
7: Cal Poly Mustangs
8: Tennessee State Tigers
9: Wofford Terriers
10: Montana State Bobcats
11: North Dakota State Bison
12: James Madison Dukes
13: Eastern Kentucky Colonels
14: Villanova Wildcats
15: Albany Great Danes
16: New Hampshire Wildcats
17: McNeese State Cowboys
18: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
19: The Citadel Bulldogs
20: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
21: Georgia Southern Eagles
22: Samford Bulldogs
23: Towson Tigers
24: Monmouth Hawks
25: Cornell Big Red

NDSU is probably a little low, but certainly no worse than someone putting UNI in their top 10 at this point. Overall, still a bit of an east coast bias, but that's why you have polls from across the country. I am definitely in the camp of giving no credence to preseason rankings, and try to base all of my opinions off of what has been played on the field so far this season (I don't expect things to settle down until week 6 or 7). I also give no respect for D-II losses and very little if any for "moral victories". BTW, the only question from the committee before rejection was:

"Just checking that you wanted Lehigh at #4 and Harvard at #5? Wasn't sure if this was an accident or not.

Thanks,

AGS Poll"

The reasons for rejection were:
"Issues discussed included #4 Lehigh, #5 Harvard, #11 North Dakota State, #24 Monmouth, and #25 Cornell."

Have at it guys. Is my opinion off? Probably, but no more than others voting in the poll. Rejecting an opinion because in the opinion of the committee, two undefeated teams do not warrant a top five ranking, NDSU MUST be a top 10 team, and two teams with solid early season starts don't deserve any votes, is a joke.

[RadioFan]

NO offense, but that's a terrible poll.

[dbackjon]

NDSU should at minimum be top 5.

Beaten a FBS. Undefeated. Beat a decent UNI.

[TheRevSFA]

Agree with Radio. That's pretty terrible. What hasn't NDSU done to warrant a number one spot? Undefeated, beat FBS and UNI. No one has proven they are better than NDSU.

NAU is ranked too low IMO, and Cornell wouldn't even be in my top 30

[Dane96]

1: Youngstown State Penguins
2: Old Dominion Monarchs
3: Illinois State Redbirds- Really...in comparison to who you have below them...I had them at 8.
4: Lehigh Mountain Hawks- Maybe arguable...but way too high compared to other teams resumes.
5: Harvard Crimson- What drugs are you on?
6: Stony Brook Seawolves- tad high...but arguable.
7: Cal Poly Mustangs
8: Tennessee State Tigers- You need your head examined in relation to other teams in this poll. They are a 18-25 team
9: Wofford Terriers
10: Montana State Bobcats
11: North Dakota State Bison- The potato gun is pointed at your nads....really? I mean come on compared to the teams above this team. You really think that Lehigh is 7 teams better...and TSU is 3 teams better?
12: James Madison Dukes
13: Eastern Kentucky Colonels
14: Villanova Wildcats
15: Albany Great Danes
16: New Hampshire Wildcats
17: McNeese State Cowboys- Arguable to be in the poll no doubt...but Top 20. CRACK SMOKING IS EN VOGUE I HEAR
18: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
19: The Citadel Bulldogs
20: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
21: Georgia Southern Eagles
22: Samford Bulldogs- Arguably ok...but not sure.
23: Towson Tigers
24: Monmouth Hawks- MU's head coach said his team got DESTROYED by 30 points to a Top 14-20 team. A Top 25 team does not lose by 30 to a Top 20 team.
25: Cornell Big Red- Ok...this is just plain ridiculous.

It is the combination of factors that got you rejected in my opinion...not just one thing. Way too many glaring issues to be an opinion.

[Vitojr130]

NO offense, but that's a terrible poll.

Agreed. Having Lehigh and Harvard in the top 5 makes me cry inside. Lehigh MIGHT be a top 10 contender, but certainly not #4.

I could maybe see NDSU at #4, at the lowest.

I like Illinois State's placement and could definitely see an argument for YSU at #1.

I just can't believe that Lehigh, a team NDSU piss-pounded last year (and by piss-pounded, I mean absolutely shut out), is ranked at #4 whilst NDSU is below it. This poll just doesn't make much sense!

[OL FU]

The only thing that is harder than participating in the poll ( if you do it correctly) , is being on the poll committee. It is a difficult job.




from a former member.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

You have to admit, it took guts to post that.

[Vitojr130]

1: Youngstown State Penguins
2: Old Dominion Monarchs
3: Illinois State Redbirds- Really...in comparison to who you have below them...I had them at 8.
4: Lehigh Mountain Hawks- Maybe arguable...but way too high compared to other teams resumes.
5: Harvard Crimson- What drugs are you on?
6: Stony Brook Seawolves- tad high...but arguable.
7: Cal Poly Mustangs
8: Tennessee State Tigers- You need your head examined in relation to other teams in this poll. They are a 18-25 team
9: Wofford Terriers
10: Montana State Bobcats
11: North Dakota State Bison- The potato gun is pointed at your nads....really? I mean come on compared to the teams above this team. You really think that Lehigh is 7 teams better...and TSU is 3 teams better?
12: James Madison Dukes
13: Eastern Kentucky Colonels
14: Villanova Wildcats
15: Albany Great Danes
16: New Hampshire Wildcats
17: McNeese State Cowboys- Arguable to be in the poll no doubt...but Top 20. CRACK SMOKING IS EN VOGUE I HEAR
18: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
19: The Citadel Bulldogs
20: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
21: Georgia Southern Eagles
22: Samford Bulldogs- Arguably ok...but not sure.
23: Towson Tigers
24: Monmouth Hawks- MU's head coach said his team got DESTROYED by 30 points to a Top 14-20 team. A Top 25 team does not lose by 30 to a Top 20 team.
25: Cornell Big Red- Ok...this is just plain ridiculous.

It is the combination of factors that got you rejected in my opinion...not just one thing. Way too many glaring issues to be an opinion.

Oh it can definitely be an opinion. I just don't see much reasoning to back it up.

[Dane96]

Guts...or just maybe PAllen thought people would look at it and say, "The Poll Committee F'd you".

I think that is not going to be the case....

[Dane96]

Way too many glaring issues to be an opinion.

Oh it can definitely be an opinion. I just don't see much reasoning to back it up.

Fair point.

[HailSzczur]

Wow. So many things to talk about on this one, I'll just pick two.

NDSU- Not sure what anyone else's view on this is, but I like to think of last years champ as tough they are defending their title. They earned the #1 spot by winning the NC, and I feel like that spot is theirs until they prove that they don't deserve it. North Dakota St thus far has done nothing to tell me that they don't deserve to keep that #1 spot. It's easy to drop a defending champ like EWU when they start the season off as poorly as they did. But come on, an undefeated NDSU outside the top 5, you've got to be kidding me

Villanova- 14? Really? Nice to see that someone's on our bandwagon, because no one on campus is. We may be 4-1, but we've beat an ok Fordham team, a crappy URI, a decent UPenn, and a good Maine team. Nothing that really jumps out and screams #14 in the country though. I mean behind us McNeese and UNA have beat FBS teams, and The Citadel blew App out at the Rock. You just can't justify that

[Dane96]

Agreed...and I have 'Nova at 21.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Heck, I don't even have Lehigh at No. 4.

NDSU has been my No. 1 team since the Spring, and nothing has happened that has changed my mind about that pick one iota.

Harvard's been in every pool of mine since Week 2, where they simply lost out on a numbers game. They are real, real strong. Almost top 15 in mine.

I also love Tennessee State. But not at #8. I think they are around where Harvard is in mine.

[danefan]

Heck, I don't even have Lehigh at No. 4.

NDSU has been my No. 1 team since the Spring, and nothing has happened that has changed my mind about that pick one iota.

Harvard's been in every pool of mine since Week 2, where they simply lost out on a numbers game. They are real, real strong. Almost top 15 in mine.

I also love Tennessee State. But not at #8. I think they are around where Harvard is in mine.

Top 15 for Harvard? I watched the Brown game and they certainly didn't look all that great to me. Slow and without any real big play ability against a top-notch defense.

Too bad we'll never find out since they don't play anyone else the rest of the season.

[AGSPoll]

1: Youngstown State Penguins
2: Old Dominion Monarchs
3: Illinois State Redbirds
4: Lehigh Mountain Hawks
5: Harvard Crimson
6: Stony Brook Seawolves
7: Cal Poly Mustangs
8: Tennessee State Tigers
9: Wofford Terriers
10: Montana State Bobcats
11: North Dakota State Bison
12: James Madison Dukes
13: Eastern Kentucky Colonels
14: Villanova Wildcats
15: Albany Great Danes
16: New Hampshire Wildcats
17: McNeese State Cowboys
18: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
19: The Citadel Bulldogs
20: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
21: Georgia Southern Eagles
22: Samford Bulldogs
23: Towson Tigers
24: Monmouth Hawks
25: Cornell Big Red

NDSU is probably a little low, but certainly no worse than someone putting UNI in their top 10 at this point. Overall, still a bit of an east coast bias, but that's why you have polls from across the country. I am definitely in the camp of giving no credence to preseason rankings, and try to base all of my opinions off of what has been played on the field so far this season (I don't expect things to settle down until week 6 or 7). I also give no respect for D-II losses and very little if any for "moral victories". BTW, the only question from the committee before rejection was:

"Just checking that you wanted Lehigh at #4 and Harvard at #5? Wasn't sure if this was an accident or not.

Thanks,

AGS Poll"

The reasons for rejection were:
"Issues discussed included #4 Lehigh, #5 Harvard, #11 North Dakota State, #24 Monmouth, and #25 Cornell."

Have at it guys. Is my opinion off? Probably, but no more than others voting in the poll. Rejecting an opinion because in the opinion of the committee, two undefeated teams do not warrant a top five ranking, NDSU MUST be a top 10 team, and two teams with solid early season starts don't deserve any votes, is a joke.

No single issue got it rejected. The discussion among the committee had to do not only with where you ranked teams but your responses to the questioning as well. For example, I would be willing to assert that the majority of the posters on here, whether a voter or not, will disagree with you having Harvard ranked 6 places ahead of North Dakota State. Also, when questioned about your ballot, you reply included something to the effect of yes I want Lehigh and Harvard there and yes I also left UNI off. It came off to some members of the committee that you were intentionally devaluing teams in an effort to "make a point" about the Northern Iowa discussion and then your response about Northern Iowa, when you were never questioned about them, gave them reason to believe they were correct. Many on here have been questioned before, even owners and admin have had polls questioned, and as others have said if you respond with an explanation it will be accepted (or at least, has always been in the past, however the committee still reserves the right to reject a ballot so next week when someone votes Prairie View A&M at #1 don't think that just giving an explanation will be an automatic panacea). However, giving no explanation and a take-it or leave-it attitude will probably not work either as you were invited to submit a new ballot and of course had ample opportunity to explain, but instead the only reply was "Just curious, how many polls have you accepted that had UNI or Montana ranked?" Again, re-affirming the feeling of some members of the committee who believed the ballot was only an attempt to either intentionally devalue North Dakota State or make a point about Northern Iowa and Montana.

Disclaimer - Just to be fair, this was my assessment based on the discussions and I do not speak for any individual on the committee.

[Vitojr130]

Top 15 for Harvard? I watched the Brown game and they certainly didn't look all that great to me. Slow and without any real big play ability against a top-notch defense.

Too bad we'll never find out since they don't play anyone else the rest of the season.

Or ever. If I remember right, the Ivy League rarely plays outside opponents and does not participate in the post season...

[danefan]

Or ever. If I remember right, the Ivy League rarely plays outside opponents and does not participate in the post season...

Well....they did go out on a limb and played San Diego this year.....

[PAllen]

Nope, not that they screwed me. They weighed their bias against mine, and found that theirs was much more valid. Honestly, it's a logjam at the top in my opinion. But that's all it is, and I have now learned to keep those to myself. Have fun with your self directed "poll".

[UNH Fanboi]

Glad to see that the committee is enforcing some quality controls.

[danefan]

Nope, not that they screwed me. They weighed their bias against mine, and found that theirs was much more valid. Honestly, it's a logjam at the top in my opinion. But that's all it is, and I have now learned to keep those to myself. Have fun with your self directed "poll".

Call it a qualified poll if you like.

Only informed opinions count. Sorry - it produces a better result. And I don't vote (no time to do the research) or sit on any commitee, so take my comment with that in mind.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I am an alternate voter on the poll committee and anyone that can make a decent logical argument always has their poll accepted because those people have advocates in the poll committee and opponents so the thing can be properly looked at.

You did not try to make any argument for why you did what you did there and it just wasn't good my friend. Not trying to knock ya or anything but it really appeared, especially now, that you were trying to make some statement or start some cause based on UNI/Montana. I am totally with you that those two teams shouldn't have been in the poll however when I did my poll I just left them out...I didn't try to use the AGS Poll as my pulpit...I used a well formed argument on the thread concerning this issue.

Trying to say that this has something to do with the committee being loaded up for any conference is a complete misfire on your part.

There is one member from each of these conferences:
Big Sky
MVFC
MEAC
SWAC
CAA
NEC
OVC

Alternates:

SLC
SoCon

In the year and a half I've been involved I've never seen one member vote based on anything that resembled conference homerism.

[RabidRabbit]

Not on the committee, but I agree across the board with comments generated.

Lehigh has no victories vs other top 25 teams, and no FBS games played. Sorry, until the Ivies play top CAA/SoCon/MoValley teams and WIN, the best that the top IVY should make it is about to 15th. Same goes for NEC/SWAC/MEAC and possibly Big South or OVC.

NDSU was #1 at the end of last year. So early polls kind of ask the question of how are they THIS YEAR, relative to last year. An FBS team dominated, and UNI beat fairly handily @ UNI-Dome. Sure the other 2 wins were pretty much guaranteed W's in Fargo, but still legit D-I wins against play-off eligible teams. The other two teams that could MAYBE legitimately oust NDSU as a #1 at this time are either IL St., 4-0 with an FBS win, and YSU with a BCS win. Any FCS team with a FBS win this early in the season, and at least .500 should be considered over teams with no games against full schollies teams (Ivies, I'm looking at you).

[Dane96]

Nope, not that they screwed me. They weighed their bias against mine, and found that theirs was much more valid. Honestly, it's a logjam at the top in my opinion. But that's all it is, and I have now learned to keep those to myself. Have fun with your self directed "poll".

Frankly, if you see the rejection as bias...I would suggest you take a breath and then re-read this thread.

Do you see anyone agreeing that your poll should not have been rejected. It is quite the opposite. Your fellow board members, including me, are suggesting your poll lacks in rhyme/reason. We are ALL biased to a degree.

But it should make you stop and think when people are politely saying, and I paraphrase, "well...host of issues here...but let's stick with two."

My .02

[UNIFanSince1983]

Nope, not that they screwed me. They weighed their bias against mine, and found that theirs was much more valid. Honestly, it's a logjam at the top in my opinion. But that's all it is, and I have now learned to keep those to myself. Have fun with your self directed "poll".

So what about Harvard's schedule so far makes them 6 places better than NDSU? Was the road victory at Brown more impressive than beating FBS Colorado State on the road? Was a home victory over San Diego more impressive than a victory over UNI on the road? Obviously, no one is going to change your mind as you think there is a bias at work here. Really the only bias is in your voting not the way the poll is policed. And I have no problems with you not having UNI or Montana in the poll. Heck I expected UNI to be out of most polls after last week.

[BisonBacker]

1: Youngstown State Penguins
2: Old Dominion Monarchs
3: Illinois State Redbirds
4: Lehigh Mountain Hawks
5: Harvard Crimson
6: Stony Brook Seawolves
7: Cal Poly Mustangs
8: Tennessee State Tigers
9: Wofford Terriers
10: Montana State Bobcats
11: North Dakota State Bison
12: James Madison Dukes
13: Eastern Kentucky Colonels
14: Villanova Wildcats
15: Albany Great Danes
16: New Hampshire Wildcats
17: McNeese State Cowboys
18: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
19: The Citadel Bulldogs
20: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
21: Georgia Southern Eagles
22: Samford Bulldogs
23: Towson Tigers
24: Monmouth Hawks
25: Cornell Big Red

NDSU is probably a little low, but certainly no worse than someone putting UNI in their top 10 at this point. Overall, still a bit of an east coast bias, but that's why you have polls from across the country. I am definitely in the camp of giving no credence to preseason rankings, and try to base all of my opinions off of what has been played on the field so far this season (I don't expect things to settle down until week 6 or 7). I also give no respect for D-II losses and very little if any for "moral victories". BTW, the only question from the committee before rejection was:

"Just checking that you wanted Lehigh at #4 and Harvard at #5? Wasn't sure if this was an accident or not.

Thanks,

AGS Poll"

The reasons for rejection were:
"Issues discussed included #4 Lehigh, #5 Harvard, #11 North Dakota State, #24 Monmouth, and #25 Cornell."

Have at it guys. Is my opinion off? Probably, but no more than others voting in the poll. Rejecting an opinion because in the opinion of the committee, two undefeated teams do not warrant a top five ranking, NDSU MUST be a top 10 team, and two teams with solid early season starts don't deserve any votes, is a joke.

You even need to ask why this was rejected????? sorry but reading that poll is just a waste of time.

[AGSPoll]

Nope, not that they screwed me. They weighed their bias against mine, and found that theirs was much more valid. Honestly, it's a logjam at the top in my opinion. But that's all it is, and I have now learned to keep those to myself. Have fun with your self directed "poll".

We do appreciate your contributions during your time as a voter and as you are aware, every other ballot you have submitted has been accepted. It is commendable that you posted your ballot for others to scrutinize as well, and hopefully you can see that it is constructive criticism that others are providing as we strive for excellence. A good faith effort must be made by us all in order to reach the quality assurances and standards that we all would like to see while accounting for differences in opinion that, while not all will agree with them, have their place and validity. We certainly will still welcome your participation in future polls as the members of AnyGivenSaturday continually work to have the best and most accurate FCS poll given.

[JMU2K_DukeDawg]

Villanova- 14? Really? Nice to see that someone's on our bandwagon, because no one on campus is. We may be 4-1, but we've beat an ok Fordham team, a crappy URI, a decent UPenn, and a good Maine team. Nothing that really jumps out and screams #14 in the country though. I mean behind us McNeese and UNA have beat FBS teams, and The Citadel blew App out at the Rock. You just can't justify that

Not to defend his poll, but I also had Villanova in the mid teens I believe. For example, in your case, how is what JMU has done (beat St. Francis, Alcorn St. and URI - lost to FBS power WVU) any better than Villanova. It's not. But certainly there is more than records here. Villanova has decidedly beat those teams and is worthy of top 10-20 recognition right now. The Citadel and McNeese have lost to FCS teams, Villanova has not. Many ways to look at it I suppose, which is why the collective group is always better than the individual voters.

[WileECoyote06]

The only thing that is harder than participating in the poll ( if you do it correctly) , is being on the poll committee. It is a difficult job.




from a former member.

Ditto. . .and also there are enough voices on the committee to get a pretty reasonable gauge to whether or not a poll should be rejected. We have argued about the logic of some voters in the past and we often compare their current poll to polls from the previous week. Portraying the committee as having a bias is just flat out untrue.

[HensRock]

PAllen's poll is not an accurate reflection of reality, IMO.
I think that 99 out of 100 pollsters would agree.

But I beleive the question before us is...
Should PAllen's poll be weighed as 1% of the voting population,
Or should it be weighed as 0% of the voting population?

If there were logical inconsistencies within his poll itself, I would be in favor of throwing it out, however, in PAllen's "reality" NDSU has skated to a 4-0 record against 3 unranked FCS and 1 bad FBS team, while Lehigh has at least beaten the #24 team in the land.

I'm not saying I agree with his reality, I am saying it is logically consistent. 2 VERY different statements. In other words, I don't beleive that it can be disproven using the season data we have before us thus far and his own rankings. It is 1 person's opinion and it should not be censored.

This is why the more votes we have, the better the poll.

[frozennorth]

I think NDSU is comfortably the best team in the fcs, but there are plenty that i would have no real problem being ranked above NDSU. Wofford, YSU, ISU-R, cal poly, MSU, stony brook, ewu, jmu, odu, maybe a couple others.

[Dane96]

You are smoking some good ganja weed. But at least some argument in for those teams. :)

[BisonBacker]

I've also had the Poll Admin question my ballot in the past and rightfully so. It's easy to make a mistake and omit someone you had not intended to. I just can't see anyone looking at that poll and not questioning it. For the record I have Villanova in my poll also.

[GreatAppSt]

1: Youngstown State Penguins
2: Old Dominion Monarchs
3: Illinois State Redbirds
4: Lehigh Mountain Hawks
5: Harvard Crimson
6: Stony Brook Seawolves
7: Cal Poly Mustangs
8: Tennessee State Tigers
9: Wofford Terriers
10: Montana State Bobcats
11: North Dakota State Bison
12: James Madison Dukes
13: Eastern Kentucky Colonels
14: Villanova Wildcats
15: Albany Great Danes
16: New Hampshire Wildcats
17: McNeese State Cowboys
18: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
19: The Citadel Bulldogs
20: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
21: Georgia Southern Eagles
22: Samford Bulldogs
23: Towson Tigers
24: Monmouth Hawks
25: Cornell Big Red
.


That vote came from way way out in the country, let's get the f*** away from that vote.
NSFW LANGUAGE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWulZOKANB4

[ursus arctos horribilis]

xlolx

That dude makes me laugh every time I see that.

[MTfan4life]

IMO, PAllen's biggest issue here is his inability to explain his poll correctly. If you're going to rank teams a certain way, you have to be able to explain why you made that choice. It's clear that the committee questioned him, and from the sounds of it, he tried attacking other polls instead of defending his. Maybe try explaining what you think Lehigh or Harvard has done to warrant themselves to be more than 5 spots ahead of an undefeated defending national champion or Tennessee State to be three spots ahead of them. Maybe try to explain the absence of Eastern Washington from your poll, and yet the inclusion of Monmouth. If you want to make a poll drastically different from other people, you HAVE to be able to defend it explaining your thought process for each and every pick. Actually any pollster should be able to do that.

[danefan]

PAllen's poll is not an accurate reflection of reality, IMO.
I think that 99 out of 100 pollsters would agree.

But I beleive the question before us is...
Should PAllen's poll be weighed as 1% of the voting population,
Or should it be weighed as 0% of the voting population?

If there were logical inconsistencies within his poll itself, I would be in favor of throwing it out, however, in PAllen's "reality" NDSU has skated to a 4-0 record against 3 unranked FCS and 1 bad FBS team, while Lehigh has at least beaten the #24 team in the land.

I'm not saying I agree with his reality, I am saying it is logically consistent. 2 VERY different statements. In other words, I don't beleive that it can be disproven using the season data we have before us thus far and his own rankings. It is 1 person's opinion and it should not be censored.

This is why the more votes we have, the better the poll.

I think its better to have more informed opinions than just more opinions. Quality over Quantity. That's why AGS is a "qualified" poll if you will. Only informed opinions count.

TSN is the exact opposite. Which one is better?

[Vitojr130]

PAllen's poll is not an accurate reflection of reality, IMO.
I think that 99 out of 100 pollsters would agree.

But I beleive the question before us is...
Should PAllen's poll be weighed as 1% of the voting population,
Or should it be weighed as 0% of the voting population?

If there were logical inconsistencies within his poll itself, I would be in favor of throwing it out, however, in PAllen's "reality" NDSU has skated to a 4-0 record against 3 unranked FCS and 1 bad FBS team, while Lehigh has at least beaten the #24 team in the land.

I'm not saying I agree with his reality, I am saying it is logically consistent. 2 VERY different statements. In other words, I don't beleive that it can be disproven using the season data we have before us thus far and his own rankings. It is 1 person's opinion and it should not be censored.

This is why the more votes we have, the better the poll.

To be fair, UNI was indeed ranked until we knocked them out.

Also, a bad FBS team is better than the larger portion of FCS teams... If CSU were in our level, they would probably be ranked in the top 25 somewhere.

[HensRock]

I think its better to have more informed opinions than just more opinions. Quality over Quantity. That's why AGS is a "qualified" poll if you will. Only informed opinions count.

TSN is the exact opposite. Which one is better?

I see, so to paraphrase Orwell's, Animal Farm, "All opinions are created equal. But some opinions are more equal than others."

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I'm not sure where the idea has ever come from that every ballot HAS to be accepted regardless of logic or lack thereof but that is most definitely a misconception if you ask me.

[BisonBabe]

If you are going to submit a poll then you must do your homework and use the tools provided here on the site. As others have said if you poll is questioned then be prepared to back up your poll. If you don't want to do the work and provide reasonable back up then perhaps submitting a poll is not for you.

I for one do not have the time required to submit a poll every week but I am thankful for those who do and for the committee who takes the time to review and complete the poll.

[Catbooster]

Regardless of who you chose where, it looks like your poll was rejected not because of team placement, but because you were unable or unwilling to justify those placements. The fact that most disagree with your poll is not the issue - the lack of any explanation for how you came to those decisions is (and if your team placements are unusual, as yours are, it's more likely that they will ask for that explanation).

[gotts]

http://kelleygraham.com/sites/default/files/batman-first-i-was-like.jpg

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Regardless of who you chose where, it looks like your poll was rejected not because of team placement, but because you were unable or unwilling to justify those placements. The fact that most disagree with your poll is not the issue - the lack of any explanation for how you came to those decisions is (and if your team placements are unusual, as yours are, it's more likely that they will ask for that explanation).

Yes. There are times when people seem to take offense when you question them on a ballot and give you a "take it or leave it" option when all you are looking for is some validation that the poll submitted is correct AND that there is reasoning for what they have done.

But honestly it does not happen that often, usually people are more than willing to say "I did it this way because..." and if the logic is consistent with what they have done previously then it's normally good enough and supported by several members of the committee...much to the chagrin of the opposing members of the committtee.xlolx

Thing about this one is that no one had one shred of a reason as to how they could support it and no one did.

I think there was about 13-1500 ballots cast last year and about 10-12 votes, for the year, were rejected.

[Professor Chaos]

No one is obligated to vote in the poll and it is not a "right" to be able to vote in it either. AGS puts their name on the poll so they have the right to legislate it how they choose. Anyone who doesn't like it doesn't have to vote in it and can start their own poll and see how well it catches on.

I for one think that the site and the poll committee do an excellent job to make sure that the poll is an accurate representation of the collective opinion of informed FCS fans from around the nation. The proof is in the pudding. Just look at the poll results in comparison to the laughable coach's poll or the increasingly bad media poll.

[GreatAppSt]

I for one think that the site and the poll committee do an excellent job to make sure that the poll is an accurate representation of the collective opinion of informed FCS fans from around the nation. The proof is in the pudding. Just look at the poll results in comparison to the laughable coach's poll or the increasingly bad media poll.

BOOM!

[Thundar]

1: Youngstown State Penguins
2: Old Dominion Monarchs
3: Illinois State Redbirds
4: Lehigh Mountain Hawks
5: Harvard Crimson
6: Stony Brook Seawolves
7: Cal Poly Mustangs
8: Tennessee State Tigers
9: Wofford Terriers
10: Montana State Bobcats
11: North Dakota State Bison
12: James Madison Dukes
13: Eastern Kentucky Colonels
14: Villanova Wildcats
15: Albany Great Danes
16: New Hampshire Wildcats
17: McNeese State Cowboys
18: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
19: The Citadel Bulldogs
20: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
21: Georgia Southern Eagles
22: Samford Bulldogs
23: Towson Tigers
24: Monmouth Hawks
25: Cornell Big Red

NDSU is probably a little low, but certainly no worse than someone putting UNI in their top 10 at this point. Overall, still a bit of an east coast bias, but that's why you have polls from across the country. I am definitely in the camp of giving no credence to preseason rankings, and try to base all of my opinions off of what has been played on the field so far this season (I don't expect things to settle down until week 6 or 7). I also give no respect for D-II losses and very little if any for "moral victories". BTW, the only question from the committee before rejection was:

"Just checking that you wanted Lehigh at #4 and Harvard at #5? Wasn't sure if this was an accident or not.

Thanks,

AGS Poll"

The reasons for rejection were:
"Issues discussed included #4 Lehigh, #5 Harvard, #11 North Dakota State, #24 Monmouth, and #25 Cornell."

Have at it guys. Is my opinion off? Probably, but no more than others voting in the poll. Rejecting an opinion because in the opinion of the committee, two undefeated teams do not warrant a top five ranking, NDSU MUST be a top 10 team, and two teams with solid early season starts don't deserve any votes, is a joke.

Wow, that's all I have to say

[smallcollegefbfan]

1: Youngstown State Penguins
2: Old Dominion Monarchs
3: Illinois State Redbirds
4: Lehigh Mountain Hawks
5: Harvard Crimson
6: Stony Brook Seawolves
7: Cal Poly Mustangs
8: Tennessee State Tigers
9: Wofford Terriers
10: Montana State Bobcats
11: North Dakota State Bison
12: James Madison Dukes
13: Eastern Kentucky Colonels
14: Villanova Wildcats
15: Albany Great Danes
16: New Hampshire Wildcats
17: McNeese State Cowboys
18: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
19: The Citadel Bulldogs
20: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
21: Georgia Southern Eagles
22: Samford Bulldogs
23: Towson Tigers
24: Monmouth Hawks
25: Cornell Big Red

NDSU is probably a little low, but certainly no worse than someone putting UNI in their top 10 at this point. Overall, still a bit of an east coast bias, but that's why you have polls from across the country. I am definitely in the camp of giving no credence to preseason rankings, and try to base all of my opinions off of what has been played on the field so far this season (I don't expect things to settle down until week 6 or 7). I also give no respect for D-II losses and very little if any for "moral victories". BTW, the only question from the committee before rejection was:

"Just checking that you wanted Lehigh at #4 and Harvard at #5? Wasn't sure if this was an accident or not.

Thanks,

AGS Poll"

The reasons for rejection were:
"Issues discussed included #4 Lehigh, #5 Harvard, #11 North Dakota State, #24 Monmouth, and #25 Cornell."

Have at it guys. Is my opinion off? Probably, but no more than others voting in the poll. Rejecting an opinion because in the opinion of the committee, two undefeated teams do not warrant a top five ranking, NDSU MUST be a top 10 team, and two teams with solid early season starts don't deserve any votes, is a joke.

Looks like you are just going by records. That will always get in you trouble. My thoughts

1. Do you honestly think NDSU would not beat Lehigh and Harvard?
2. Albany has no business in the top 20
3. NDSU is worst case #4 right now
4. No App State?
5. You have TSU way too high. I might would agree with #20-23 range but that is too high. They have not beaten anyone. Look at their schedule and look at UNI's. UNI would be undefeated and TSU would have 1 win if they played that schedule.
6. Monmouth doesn't belong at all in my opinion. They haven't beaten anyone good and got a beat down from a team that should be around 20.
7. I would not vote Cornell yet. If Cornell beats Harvard and Brown or wins out with a close loss to Harvard then I could see 24-25.

Honestly, based on that poll I would think you don't really watch a lot of games or know just how bad the HBCU teams, Ivy League, Patriot League, NEC are because you are giving them way too much love. Lehigh is good but you can't have them over NDSU. Based on what puts them there? NDSU is the defending national champion. It's almost like you forgot that. They returned too much and have been too dominate to fall from #1 to #11.

I don't mean to be mean but I would question it as well.

Remember, when you vote you need to think this when you vote. Would this team at #4 beat #5 and so on and so on. You have a lot of cases where there is no way you can justify that team would beat the teams ahead of them and then you forgot App State. That's a glaring omission. App needs to lose one more besides Wofford for me to say they should drop out.

[clenz]

I want to say SOOO many things about that poll, but I won't.


Let's just say NDSU has 1 loss in their last 18 games - and it was a 3 point loss.

There is ZERO ****ING REASON to not vote them #1...period.....This coming from one of the "biggest NDSU haters" there is.

[smallcollegefbfan]

No one is obligated to vote in the poll and it is not a "right" to be able to vote in it either. AGS puts their name on the poll so they have the right to legislate it how they choose. Anyone who doesn't like it doesn't have to vote in it and can start their own poll and see how well it catches on.

I for one think that the site and the poll committee do an excellent job to make sure that the poll is an accurate representation of the collective opinion of informed FCS fans from around the nation. The proof is in the pudding. Just look at the poll results in comparison to the laughable coach's poll or the increasingly bad media poll.

Agreed.

AGS poll is very good and to be honest the only thing wrong with the TSN poll is that often times an SID will vote their own team 24 or 25 when they should not be voted. TSN uses media members, SIDs, radio, etc. so they assume that a poll being done by a professional is not going to be biased or have someone vote Monmouth with absolutely no reason to vote them. Ask Craig Haley why he does not monitor the poll. He may have an interesting answer for you.

[smallcollegefbfan]

One thing I'll add too is that if you are judging teams pretty well at this point you should not have a ton of changes in your top 10-15 each week unless there are a lot of head to head top 25 matchups. If you have a team in your top 15 right now because they are undefeated and they lose 2-3 games then you did not give enough weight to who they have played. I think a HUGE mistake people make is see a 5-0 team and think they should be ranked. If you are undefeated and have not played a single team ranked in the top 30 besides yourself then you should not be there until you do. It's easy to beat up on a weak conference and not all conference are weak every year. The only HBCU teams who should be considered in the top 25 at this point in my mind are Tenn St and Alabama A&M and I would not put either higher than 22-24 quite yet. Both have a lot of NFL prospects though so I would not argue ranking them, I just would not put them in the top 15-20 yet until they beat someone good to prove they are a legit team.

[GGASU]

1: Youngstown State Penguins
2: Old Dominion Monarchs
3: Illinois State Redbirds
4: Lehigh Mountain Hawks
5: Harvard Crimson
6: Stony Brook Seawolves
7: Cal Poly Mustangs
8: Tennessee State Tigers
9: Wofford Terriers
10: Montana State Bobcats
11: North Dakota State Bison
12: James Madison Dukes
13: Eastern Kentucky Colonels
14: Villanova Wildcats
15: Albany Great Danes
16: New Hampshire Wildcats
17: McNeese State Cowboys
18: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
19: The Citadel Bulldogs
20: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
21: Georgia Southern Eagles
22: Samford Bulldogs
23: Towson Tigers
24: Monmouth Hawks
25: Cornell Big Red

NDSU is probably a little low, but certainly no worse than someone putting UNI in their top 10 at this point. Overall, still a bit of an east coast bias, but that's why you have polls from across the country. I am definitely in the camp of giving no credence to preseason rankings, and try to base all of my opinions off of what has been played on the field so far this season (I don't expect things to settle down until week 6 or 7). I also give no respect for D-II losses and very little if any for "moral victories". BTW, the only question from the committee before rejection was:

"Just checking that you wanted Lehigh at #4 and Harvard at #5? Wasn't sure if this was an accident or not.

Thanks,

AGS Poll"

The reasons for rejection were:
"Issues discussed included #4 Lehigh, #5 Harvard, #11 North Dakota State, #24 Monmouth, and #25 Cornell."

Have at it guys. Is my opinion off? Probably, but no more than others voting in the poll. Rejecting an opinion because in the opinion of the committee, two undefeated teams do not warrant a top five ranking, NDSU MUST be a top 10 team, and two teams with solid early season starts don't deserve any votes, is a joke.


Only one response to this post and "poll" needed......


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1jEMmYwOzI

[813Jag]

One thing I'll add too is that if you are judging teams pretty well at this point you should not have a ton of changes in your top 10-15 each week unless there are a lot of head to head top 25 matchups. If you have a team in your top 15 right now because they are undefeated and they lose 2-3 games then you did not give enough weight to who they have played. I think a HUGE mistake people make is see a 5-0 team and think they should be ranked. If you are undefeated and have not played a single team ranked in the top 30 besides yourself then you should not be there until you do. It's easy to beat up on a weak conference and not all conference are weak every year. The only HBCU teams who should be considered in the top 25 at this point in my mind are Tenn St and Alabama A&M and I would not put either higher than 22-24 quite yet. Both have a lot of NFL prospects though so I would not argue ranking them, I just would not put them in the top 15-20 yet until they beat someone good to prove they are a legit team.
Agreed, I put AAMU at 25 but they could easily lose to another SWAC team, As a SWAC fan I typically don't rank them. With that said, the committee works hard and in years past they've questioned me as well. Seems like every so often you get threads like this.

[PantherRob82]

If the poll committee ever tried to question my ballot...xnottalkingx:D


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wGKdPGFOgM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[ursus arctos horribilis]

If the poll committee ever tried to question my ballot...xnottalkingx:D


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wGKdPGFOgM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Oddly enough, that kind of failure is rarely seen anywhere outside of one your ballots Rob.:D

[eagle07]

http://i.imgur.com/Y5gpl.gif

[Mr. C]

I have never been a proponent of rejecting votes. The fact is that ONE vote isn't going to impact a poll where around 100 people vote. If someone votes their alma mater No. 1 inappropriately, maybe you ask them to change that, but this guy should be able to express his opinion, even if it doesn't correspond with yours, or mine. The biggest problem I have for voters is when two teams are ranked and Team One beats Team Two in a particular week and then is voted BEHIND Team Two in that week's poll. If enough people do that, it causes far more harm than one guy voting Harvard No. 5.

[Mr. C]

Looks like you are just going by records. That will always get in you trouble. My thoughts

1. Do you honestly think NDSU would not beat Lehigh and Harvard?
2. Albany has no business in the top 20
3. NDSU is worst case #4 right now
4. No App State?
5. You have TSU way too high. I might would agree with #20-23 range but that is too high. They have not beaten anyone. Look at their schedule and look at UNI's. UNI would be undefeated and TSU would have 1 win if they played that schedule.
6. Monmouth doesn't belong at all in my opinion. They haven't beaten anyone good and got a beat down from a team that should be around 20.
7. I would not vote Cornell yet. If Cornell beats Harvard and Brown or wins out with a close loss to Harvard then I could see 24-25.

Honestly, based on that poll I would think you don't really watch a lot of games or know just how bad the HBCU teams, Ivy League, Patriot League, NEC are because you are giving them way too much love. Lehigh is good but you can't have them over NDSU. Based on what puts them there? NDSU is the defending national champion. It's almost like you forgot that. They returned too much and have been too dominate to fall from #1 to #11.

I don't mean to be mean but I would question it as well.

Remember, when you vote you need to think this when you vote. Would this team at #4 beat #5 and so on and so on. You have a lot of cases where there is no way you can justify that team would beat the teams ahead of them and then you forgot App State. That's a glaring omission. App needs to lose one more besides Wofford for me to say they should drop out.

How can you say Albany is out and out not a top-20 team? You really don't know that. Albany was one play away last season from beating a Stony Brook squad in the opening round of the playoffs. Stony Brook then played No. 1-ranked Sam Houston State nearly even before losing the following week at SHSU. Now this is a new year, but Albany has the same brilliant coach (Bob Ford) and the same nucleus. This season, the only loss for Albany is a one-TD loss at a Youngstown State team that is ranked No. 2. It was a very competitive game. Albany followed that up with a solid win against a Maine club that was ranked and returned all but a handful of the players from last year's quarterfinal-round playoff finisher. Going to Maine and winning is never easy. And then Albany takes care of business in a big way against one of its biggest rivals in its conference by 31 points. That is a pretty good resume to me for a top-20 team.

[LakesBison]

Yea And I can't vote? Haha. Paul Allen of kfan radio ( mn Vikings announcer) is my good friend, you're disgracing his name


Can I be back in?

[DSUrocks07]

I have never been a proponent of rejecting votes. The fact is that ONE vote isn't going to impact a poll where around 100 people vote. If someone votes their alma mater No. 1 inappropriately, maybe you ask them to change that, but this guy should be able to express his opinion, even if it doesn't correspond with yours, or mine. The biggest problem I have for voters is when two teams are ranked and Team One beats Team Two in a particular week and then is voted BEHIND Team Two in that week's poll. If enough people do that, it causes far more harm than one guy voting Harvard No. 5.

I don't think that his vote was rejected because he expressed his differing opinion. It was rejected because he refused to explain his reasoning for his choices (here he did partially but apparently not at all in the email correspondence with AGS Poll). Everyone has their own methods for slotting teams in the poll. There is no ONE correct way in doing this (Sorry SCFBF). But every voter in the poll should be able to accurate explain their choices should the question arise.

And now PAllen is figuratively taking his ball and going home by telling all of us to "have fun with our little fan poll", which leads me to moreso believe AGS Poll's assertion that this ballot was more of a protest vote instead of a legitimate ballot. I also notice how he claims that it was because he didn't have enough MVFC teams yet he has YSU and ISU-r in his Top 3...can't even keep his story straight.

[Dane96]

I have never been a proponent of rejecting votes. The fact is that ONE vote isn't going to impact a poll where around 100 people vote. If someone votes their alma mater No. 1 inappropriately, maybe you ask them to change that, but this guy should be able to express his opinion, even if it doesn't correspond with yours, or mine. The biggest problem I have for voters is when two teams are ranked and Team One beats Team Two in a particular week and then is voted BEHIND Team Two in that week's poll. If enough people do that, it causes far more harm than one guy voting Harvard No. 5.

Do writers get their votes taken from them...

...the answer is yes if they do a horrific job. Most don't.

[Dane96]

I don't think that his vote was rejected because he expressed his differing opinion. It was rejected because he refused to explain his reasoning for his choices (here he did partially but apparently not at all in the email correspondence with AGS Poll). Everyone has their own methods for slotting teams in the poll. There is no ONE correct way in doing this (Sorry SCFBF). But every voter in the poll should be able to accurate explain their choices should the question arise.

And now PAllen is figuratively taking his ball and going home by telling all of us to "have fun with our little fan poll", which leads me to moreso believe AGS Poll's assertion that this ballot was more of a protest vote instead of a legitimate ballot. I also notice how he claims that it was because he didn't have enough MVFC teams yet he has YSU and ISU-r in his Top 3...can't even keep his story straight.

This.

[Grizalltheway]

So is this clown actually Paul Allen? Ursus and cleets might be facing a hostile takeover bid if he is.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I have never been a proponent of rejecting votes. The fact is that ONE vote isn't going to impact a poll where around 100 people vote. If someone votes their alma mater No. 1 inappropriately, maybe you ask them to change that, but this guy should be able to express his opinion, even if it doesn't correspond with yours, or mine. The biggest problem I have for voters is when two teams are ranked and Team One beats Team Two in a particular week and then is voted BEHIND Team Two in that week's poll. If enough people do that, it causes far more harm than one guy voting Harvard No. 5.

Opinions definitely vary one things. It would not affect the outcome much for sure but that is not the point. There is a standard and you will need to stand behind your vote if it has AGS's name on it a voter should be able to have his feet held to the fire when a simple inquiry is made. on it.

If someone isn't willing to stand behind their own vote then you better not expect the poll committee and thus AGS to.

This was a sabotage vote to make a point about something that everyone on the Poll Committee already believed in and it was rejected because it was not justified by the guy making the vote and not one of us tried to sabotage the thing becaise ptjers were vpting UNI or Montana in the last few spots in their poll.

On CSJ's poll don't you have a hand selected group of voters that you trust? You wouldn't accept ballots from everybody that wanted to submit one and if someone submitted a poll ot you this week with Montana at #1 you are telling me you wouldn't question that action? You'd let their opinion stand without question? You would want them to back up their opinion.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

So is this clown actually Paul Allen? Ursus and cleets might be facing a hostile takeover bid if he is.

Cool, we'll have a good story.

[danefan]

How can you say Albany is out and out not a top-20 team? You really don't know that. Albany was one play away last season from beating a Stony Brook squad in the opening round of the playoffs. Stony Brook then played No. 1-ranked Sam Houston State nearly even before losing the following week at SHSU. Now this is a new year, but Albany has the same brilliant coach (Bob Ford) and the same nucleus. This season, the only loss for Albany is a one-TD loss at a Youngstown State team that is ranked No. 2. It was a very competitive game. Albany followed that up with a solid win against a Maine club that was ranked and returned all but a handful of the players from last year's quarterfinal-round playoff finisher. Going to Maine and winning is never easy. And then Albany takes care of business in a big way against one of its biggest rivals in its conference by 31 points. That is a pretty good resume to me for a top-20 team.
Dont waste your time. Apparently some people cannot get over the idea that a team with less than 63 scholarships can be a Top 20 team.

Regardless, we all know that SCFB fan ranks based on the # of players he feels are NFL caliber.

I wonder if he knows how many NFL scouts are at Albany games and practices every week?

[BisonBacker]

Opinions definitely vary one things. It would not affect the outcome much for sure but that is not the point. There is a standard and you will need to stand behind your vote if it has AGS's name on it a voter should be able to have his feet held to the fire when a simple inquiry is made. on it.

If someone isn't willing to stand behind their own vote then you better not expect the poll committee and thus AGS to.

This was a sabotage vote to make a point about something that everyone on the Poll Committee already believed in and it was rejected because it was not justified by the guy making the vote and not one of us tried to sabotage the thing becaise ptjers were vpting UNI or Montana in the last few spots in their poll.

On CSJ's poll don't you have a hand selected group of voters that you trust? You wouldn't accept ballots from everybody that wanted to submit one and if someone submitted a poll ot you this week with Montana at #1 you are telling me you wouldn't question that action? You'd let their opinion stand without question? You would want them to back up their opinion.


There is a reason that you are given a history on your own voting. I kept my own myself but now the AGS guys are giving it to me so I no longer have to keep my own voting history myself. But if you have huge swings and are moving teams all over willy nilly you should be called on it. Yeah teams will natrually move up and down and the 20-25 can be a turbulent area where change happens but the one pollster who was upset his vote didn't count had no answer as to why he voted the way he did other than personal bias. That skews a poll and I know the poll committee wants to put out the best product they can. I commend them for the job they do. It's obviously a thankless job.

[Grizalltheway]

Cool, we'll have a good story.

I hear his attorney is a GSU grad who lives in Baltimore. Could get ugly.

[crusader11]

2. Albany has no business in the top 20


Why not?

[TheRevSFA]

Nope, not that they screwed me. They weighed their bias against mine, and found that theirs was much more valid. Honestly, it's a logjam at the top in my opinion. But that's all it is, and I have now learned to keep those to myself. Have fun with your self directed "poll".

Did you honestly defend your poll? If you could defend where you ranked everybody then it'd be one thing. Why is Harvard a top 5 team? Why is Lehigh at 4? What have they done to merit the spots? Why isn't NDSU number 1? Saying you might have ranked them " a bit low" is a big understatement.

Don't get mad because your poll was questioned. Defend it. It's that simple.

[danefan]

I hear his attorney is a GSU grad who lives in Baltimore. Could get ugly.

I know that guy. I once met him in a parking lot. He was there to talk to someone he met online. Weird.

[superman7515]

I know that guy. I once met him in a parking lot. He was there to talk to someone he met online. Weird.

I remember that. He kept mumbling about lunch and looking over his shoulder for cops.

[bluehenbillk]

1: Youngstown State Penguins
2: Old Dominion Monarchs
3: Illinois State Redbirds
4: Lehigh Mountain Hawks
5: Harvard Crimson
6: Stony Brook Seawolves
7: Cal Poly Mustangs
8: Tennessee State Tigers
9: Wofford Terriers
10: Montana State Bobcats
11: North Dakota State Bison
12: James Madison Dukes
13: Eastern Kentucky Colonels
14: Villanova Wildcats
15: Albany Great Danes
16: New Hampshire Wildcats
17: McNeese State Cowboys
18: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
19: The Citadel Bulldogs
20: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
21: Georgia Southern Eagles
22: Samford Bulldogs
23: Towson Tigers
24: Monmouth Hawks
25: Cornell Big Red

NDSU is probably a little low, but certainly no worse than someone putting UNI in their top 10 at this point. Overall, still a bit of an east coast bias, but that's why you have polls from across the country. I am definitely in the camp of giving no credence to preseason rankings, and try to base all of my opinions off of what has been played on the field so far this season (I don't expect things to settle down until week 6 or 7). I also give no respect for D-II losses and very little if any for "moral victories". BTW, the only question from the committee before rejection was:

"Just checking that you wanted Lehigh at #4 and Harvard at #5? Wasn't sure if this was an accident or not.

Thanks,

AGS Poll"

The reasons for rejection were:
"Issues discussed included #4 Lehigh, #5 Harvard, #11 North Dakota State, #24 Monmouth, and #25 Cornell."

Have at it guys. Is my opinion off? Probably, but no more than others voting in the poll. Rejecting an opinion because in the opinion of the committee, two undefeated teams do not warrant a top five ranking, NDSU MUST be a top 10 team, and two teams with solid early season starts don't deserve any votes, is a joke.

Normally I am against negative poll feedback, but I would've questioned & most likely rejected this poll as well.

[BisonBacker]

I remember that. He kept mumbling about lunch and looking over his shoulder for cops.
Was this him?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P-FuwMDq5s

[BisonFan02]

Did PAllen take his ball and go home?

[dystopiamembrane]

Is anyone else missing your weeks 4 & 5 votes on the google doc that was sent out?
Also, I see that one of my votes last year was rejected. A pox on your family for this affront.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Is anyone else missing your weeks 4 & 5 votes on the google doc that was sent out?
Also, I see that one of my votes last year was rejected. A pox on your family for this affront.

Hey, that is a work in progress and should be completed in the next couple days but it still has some work to be done on it so hang on for a bit. Also, I can't remember your vote and that may have just been a way to test how to show that on the page.

Hold off on that pox for a bit if you could.xthumbsupx

[dystopiamembrane]

Hold off on that pox for a bit if you could.xthumbsupx
Withdrawn

[smallcollegefbfan]

How can you say Albany is out and out not a top-20 team? You really don't know that. Albany was one play away last season from beating a Stony Brook squad in the opening round of the playoffs. Stony Brook then played No. 1-ranked Sam Houston State nearly even before losing the following week at SHSU. Now this is a new year, but Albany has the same brilliant coach (Bob Ford) and the same nucleus. This season, the only loss for Albany is a one-TD loss at a Youngstown State team that is ranked No. 2. It was a very competitive game. Albany followed that up with a solid win against a Maine club that was ranked and returned all but a handful of the players from last year's quarterfinal-round playoff finisher. Going to Maine and winning is never easy. And then Albany takes care of business in a big way against one of its biggest rivals in its conference by 31 points. That is a pretty good resume to me for a top-20 team.

Looking at their schedule they have been solid and definitely are a worthy top 25 team but #15 is a bit high.

They played YSU close but then have really beaten nobody better than 30 or so in the polls. If they throttle Bryant, St Francis, Sacred Heart, Wagner, and then beat Duquesne I could see putting them at 15 or so but I want to see how they do with the rest of the NEC. I have nothing against the NEC and try to promote their players but the league is not so deep that I can see losing to the #3 or #4 team and being top 25 worthy. I'm of the view Albany is a "wait and see" top 20 team. Have not done anything other than play YSU close to show me they are top 15 yet. I would put them in the 20-25 range and if they run the table I would certainly put them on there. Essentially, I want to make sure they don't get upset by a NEC team that will be a very bad loss before I put them #15 and see them lose by 10 to Wagner or Bryant.

[smallcollegefbfan]

I don't think that his vote was rejected because he expressed his differing opinion. It was rejected because he refused to explain his reasoning for his choices (here he did partially but apparently not at all in the email correspondence with AGS Poll). Everyone has their own methods for slotting teams in the poll. There is no ONE correct way in doing this (Sorry SCFBF). But every voter in the poll should be able to accurate explain their choices should the question arise.

And now PAllen is figuratively taking his ball and going home by telling all of us to "have fun with our little fan poll", which leads me to moreso believe AGS Poll's assertion that this ballot was more of a protest vote instead of a legitimate ballot. I also notice how he claims that it was because he didn't have enough MVFC teams yet he has YSU and ISU-r in his Top 3...can't even keep his story straight.

I don't get why it would be a protest vote. Is he a fan of YSU or something?

[smallcollegefbfan]

Dont waste your time. Apparently some people cannot get over the idea that a team with less than 63 scholarships can be a Top 20 team.

Regardless, we all know that SCFB fan ranks based on the # of players he feels are NFL caliber.

I wonder if he knows how many NFL scouts are at Albany games and practices every week?

I'm not hating on teams with less than 63 scholarships. It's just that when you have less you could come out and be a very good team here and there. Look at FCS vs. FBS. Towson went and hung with LSU but we all know that they would not be top 25 in FBS. With that said, Albany needs to show week in and week out first. I thought the

I don't feel teams solely on NFL caliber players. There is a direct correlation though that teams who have some NFL caliber talent tend to rise above the others and go to th eplayoffs. You never see a team in the finals with nobody getting drafted or in a NFL camp.

With that said, I know how many scouts are coming through Albany. Albany has a RB and LB that are on my watch list and the watch lists of two NFL scouting services. In fact, I have heard around 5-10 NFL teams show up each week. There is a junior OT getting looks as well. Smith and Morgan have been playing well and I have both as lower rated PFAs with a shot to move up the board.

If Albany doesn't slip up in the next couple of weeks I'll rank them in my top 20. I don't mind seeing you guys in the top 25 or at 20-23 but I think 15 is a bit high at this point. Look at the The Citadel. Everyone got excited and started moving them up in the top 5 and then they went and got throttled by NC State (people expected a close game) and were beat by double digits by Chattanooga. Let's see what Albany does over the next few weeks before we put you guys in the top 15 and then you slip up to Bryant or Wagner and have to drop you from #14 to #25 or out of the top 25. All I'm saying is that I would like to see Albany play strong a few more weeks. I admit I was one of the ones who had Citadel in the top 10 and now I have them around 18 or 19. I should have kept them there to begin with and waited to see how they do against Samford, UTC, etc. before jumping on that bandwagon too early. I won't do that this year again and will wait until a team proves it before I move an unranked team from the preseason into the top 10-15.

[smallcollegefbfan]

Has everyone had their ballot questioned? I have never had mine questioned once or if I have never got the email with questions about it.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I had mine questioned last week. I had a misfire in the top 10 and glad it was caught. I think there were four or five ballots questioned last week and all but one were simple mistakes the voter had made in putting a team in twice or an error somewhere else in the ballot like no selection etc.

[smallcollegefbfan]

I had mine questioned last week. I had a misfire in the top 10 and glad it was caught. I think there were four or five ballots questioned last week and all but one were simple mistakes the voter had made in putting a team in twice or an error somewhere else in the ballot like no selection etc.

Ah well I have been lucky then. Has yet to happen but I'm sure now that I say that, it will happen soon. lol

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

If anyone questions my ballot I will fold up Grizo into a custom made Gnome box and mail that SOB to the committee.............suck on that xcoffeex

[MTfan4life]

I had mine questioned last week. I had a misfire in the top 10 and glad it was caught. I think there were four or five ballots questioned last week and all but one were simple mistakes the voter had made in putting a team in twice or an error somewhere else in the ballot like no selection etc.

Tried to sneak in Butler to the top 10 again, didn't ya?

[danefan]

I'm not hating on teams with less than 63 scholarships. It's just that when you have less you could come out and be a very good team here and there. Look at FCS vs. FBS. Towson went and hung with LSU but we all know that they would not be top 25 in FBS. With that said, Albany needs to show week in and week out first. I thought the

I don't feel teams solely on NFL caliber players. There is a direct correlation though that teams who have some NFL caliber talent tend to rise above the others and go to th eplayoffs. You never see a team in the finals with nobody getting drafted or in a NFL camp.

With that said, I know how many scouts are coming through Albany. Albany has a RB and LB that are on my watch list and the watch lists of two NFL scouting services. In fact, I have heard around 5-10 NFL teams show up each week. There is a junior OT getting looks as well. Smith and Morgan have been playing well and I have both as lower rated PFAs with a shot to move up the board.

If Albany doesn't slip up in the next couple of weeks I'll rank them in my top 20. I don't mind seeing you guys in the top 25 or at 20-23 but I think 15 is a bit high at this point. Look at the The Citadel. Everyone got excited and started moving them up in the top 5 and then they went and got throttled by NC State (people expected a close game) and were beat by double digits by Chattanooga. Let's see what Albany does over the next few weeks before we put you guys in the top 15 and then you slip up to Bryant or Wagner and have to drop you from #14 to #25 or out of the top 25. All I'm saying is that I would like to see Albany play strong a few more weeks. I admit I was one of the ones who had Citadel in the top 10 and now I have them around 18 or 19. I should have kept them there to begin with and waited to see how they do against Samford, UTC, etc. before jumping on that bandwagon too early. I won't do that this year again and will wait until a team proves it before I move an unranked team from the preseason into the top 10-15.

Fair enough, but I think Albany has done more than enough already this year to show this team isn't a one-week wonder.

[Dane96]

Looking at their schedule they have been solid and definitely are a worthy top 25 team but #15 is a bit high.

They played YSU close but then have really beaten nobody better than 30 or so in the polls. If they throttle Bryant, St Francis, Sacred Heart, Wagner, and then beat Duquesne I could see putting them at 15 or so but I want to see how they do with the rest of the NEC. I have nothing against the NEC and try to promote their players but the league is not so deep that I can see losing to the #3 or #4 team and being top 25 worthy. I'm of the view Albany is a "wait and see" top 20 team. Have not done anything other than play YSU close to show me they are top 15 yet. I would put them in the 20-25 range and if they run the table I would certainly put them on there. Essentially, I want to make sure they don't get upset by a NEC team that will be a very bad loss before I put them #15 and see them lose by 10 to Wagner or Bryant.

You are gauging today...not betting on tomorrow. But you have a right to your opinion.

And good or bad, Maine was ranked in the Top 25 when Albany beat them.

[smallcollegefbfan]

Fair enough, but I think Albany has done more than enough already this year to show this team isn't a one-week wonder.

And if someone has them 20-25 I could understand it but I just prefer to see them dominate the NEC and make sure they don't have a close call every week before I do. They have certainly been solid and I have them #27 in my rankings right now. Albany has some talent this year.

[smallcollegefbfan]

You are gauging today...not betting on tomorrow. But you have a right to your opinion.

And good or bad, Maine was ranked in the Top 25 when Albany beat them.

I get that but I just don't know for sure how good Maine is going to end up being or the NEC yet so I want to make sure they are beating quality teams. Maine was ranked but I don't think they are a top 25 caliber team. If Albany keeps winning though and Maine ends up a 7-4 or 6-5 team then I'll definitely say Albany pretty much has to be ranked. Regardless though if Albany runs the table I'll have them in the 15-20 range for sure.

[Nova09]

And if someone has them 20-25 I could understand it but I just prefer to see them dominate the NEC and make sure they don't have a close call every week before I do. They have certainly been solid and I have them #27 in my rankings right now. Albany has some talent this year.

Not trying to dwell on something I already created another thread to discuss in depth but just curious where you have Lehigh. Lehigh has certainly had more "close calls" than Albany. I ask because nearly everyone posting in the other thread is from the northeast and has Lehigh and Albany very closely ranked, many with Albany ahead of Lehigh.

[Nova09]

And if PAllen is actually still reading this I commend you on posting your voting for reactions even knowing they would be mostly negative. I hope this hasn't discouraged you from voting in the future, but has been a learning experience that when the committee questions a ballot they want you to demonstrate that there was reasoning behind it, whether that is what the specifically ask or not. I fully support anyone's right to vote as long as they have a reasoned explanation, even if I think they're crazy for voting the way they did. I already know how I feel about teams, the point of a poll is to see what other people (collectively) think.

[Dane96]

And if someone has them 20-25 I could understand it but I just prefer to see them dominate the NEC and make sure they don't have a close call every week before I do. They have certainly been solid and I have them #27 in my rankings right now. Albany has some talent this year.

27 is akin to The SID's, cough, I mean Coaches.

[Dane96]

Not trying to dwell on something I already created another thread to discuss in depth but just curious where you have Lehigh. Lehigh has certainly had more "close calls" than Albany. I ask because nearly everyone posting in the other thread is from the northeast and has Lehigh and Albany very closely ranked, many with Albany ahead of Lehigh.

This.

Like I said, I like Lehigh...and if they are ranked...based on this season and comp...Albany has to be ranked. At worst...these teams are even.

[smallcollegefbfan]

Not trying to dwell on something I already created another thread to discuss in depth but just curious where you have Lehigh. Lehigh has certainly had more "close calls" than Albany. I ask because nearly everyone posting in the other thread is from the northeast and has Lehigh and Albany very closely ranked, many with Albany ahead of Lehigh.

I have Lehigh #19 and the only reason I don't have them lower is because they do have some good players like Boyko and Spadola and were good last year.

I have said time and time again that we have to let things play out. If Albany is a top 20 team we will find out. If Lehigh should be out of the rankings we will find out. I will say that if I'm going to have a team in the top 15 they have to either have proven their worth in the playoffs the year before or have beaten some teams ranked in the top 25 right now to be there in mine after 5-7 weeks.

[bjtheflamesfan]

This.

Like I said, I like Lehigh...and if they are ranked...based on this season and comp...Albany has to be ranked. At worst...these teams are even.


http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/22780240.jpg

[Dane96]

I have Lehigh #19 and the only reason I don't have them lower is because they do have some good players like Boyko and Spadola and were good last year.

I have said time and time again that we have to let things play out. If Albany is a top 20 team we will find out. If Lehigh should be out of the rankings we will find out. I will say that if I'm going to have a team in the top 15 they have to either have proven their worth in the playoffs the year before or have beaten some teams ranked in the top 25 right now to be there in mine after 5-7 weeks.

At worst, Lehigh and Albany have played the same schedule...same results.

And Albany has two players that have been scouted by NFL scouts each and every week by the NFL in practices and games.

So...at worst, based on your logic, Albany should be in your poll right next to Lehigh.

Your own arguments lean toward a non-logical bias.

[bjtheflamesfan]

The big thing for me is that Lehigh has shown well under durress. All four of Albany's wins have been by more than two scores (including last week over Monmouth). Lehigh has yet to "win close". Lehigh on the other hand, has won three of their five games by ten points or less, with three of the last four by less than five points. The one time Albany had a close game (against YSU, which would have been a statement win for them), they lost.

Also, last I checked, teams arent ranked based on how many players they have scouted by NFL scouts in practices and games

Also, they havent had the same results. If they had, Albany would be 5-0 just like Lehigh.

Look, I dont see why you have to get all butthurt over the fact that your team is ranked seven spots below another team. Would Lehigh fans be apoplectic over every single ballot posted on here if the roles were reversed?

[UNH Fanboi]

The big thing for me is that Lehigh has shown well under durress. All four of Albany's wins have been by more than two scores (including last week over Monmouth). Lehigh has yet to "win close". Lehigh on the other hand, has won three of their five games by ten points or less, with three of the last four by less than five points. The one time Albany had a close game (against YSU, which would have been a statement win for them), they lost.

Also, last I checked, teams arent ranked based on how many players they have scouted by NFL scouts in practices and games

Also, they havent had the same results. If they had, Albany would be 5-0 just like Lehigh.

Look, I dont see why you have to get all butthurt over the fact that your team is ranked seven spots below another team. Would Lehigh fans be apoplectic over every single ballot posted on here if the roles were reversed?

What? You're penalizing Albany because they won their games too easily??

[Fear the Bird]

The big thing for me is that Lehigh has shown well under durress. All four of Albany's wins have been by more than two scores (including last week over Monmouth). Lehigh has yet to "win close". Lehigh on the other hand, has won three of their five games by ten points or less, with three of the last four by less than five points. The one time Albany had a close game (against YSU, which would have been a statement win for them), they lost.

Also, last I checked, teams arent ranked based on how many players they have scouted by NFL scouts in practices and games

Also, they havent had the same results. If they had, Albany would be 5-0 just like Lehigh.

Look, I dont see why you have to get all butthurt over the fact that your team is ranked seven spots below another team. Would Lehigh fans be apoplectic over every single ballot posted on here if the roles were reversed?

Yes

[bjtheflamesfan]

In a sense UNH Fanboi...its great that they (Albany) are doing well...but that only shows so much. Liberty made a living off of blowing teams out the last few years, but I really wanted to see how they did when the fire was a little hotter and they had to deal with a team that wouldnt necessarily wilt against them. The last couple games last year (though close), showed me more than all the mind numbing blowouts. That is where the character of a team lies. Albany had a chance to make a statement against YSU and though they played them close, they didn't get over the top and really show themselves to be a team that could be a top 10 team.

[danefan]

In a sense UNH Fanboi...its great that they (Albany) are doing well...but that only shows so much. Liberty made a living off of blowing teams out the last few years, but I really wanted to see how they did when the fire was a little hotter and they had to deal with a team that wouldnt necessarily wilt against them. The last couple games last year (though close), showed me more than all the mind numbing blowouts. That is where the character of a team lies. Albany had a chance to make a statement against YSU and though they played them close, they didn't get over the top and really show themselves to be a team that could be a top 10 team.

Let me get this straight.

You're giving Lehigh more credit for their close win over Monmouth, than you are to Albany for destroying Monmouth?

[bjtheflamesfan]

As I told Fanboi...in a sense. The Danes are ranked on my ballot (I didnt get one for week 5 because I had to attend to my journalistic duties which for the record, keep food on the table for me and my new wife, and only just got my recap in for the radio show) and will more than likely continue on my ballot after facing Bryant this weekend. I want to see the character of a team more so than the score. I mean its great to blow a team clear out of the stadium, but I want to see how a team does when they have to face the fire and are in a dogfight of a game, which is what helps me to really determine how high to move up a team in my ballot from week to week

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Let me get this straight.

You're giving Lehigh more credit for their close win over Monmouth, than you are to Albany for destroying Monmouth?

I've been lost on the reasoning of being tested all along as well. If you are a better team then you won't be tested by lower teams and when you go on the road to a YSU and get tested and come up just short you have been tested and showed very well on a big road trip which is very tough to do.

I really don't understand any of the logic bj. Based on everything you've said it would seem that you are making the point for Albany instead of Lehigh and agreeing with our Dane friends. They have made logical points and do not see how it is being butthurt either because what they, and you, say are very good things that should be considered when casting the vote.

I'm just confused by your opposite stance considering your argument.

[danefan]

I've been lost on the reasoning of being tested all along as well. If you are a better team then you won't be tested by lower teams and when you go on the road to a YSU and get tested and come up just short you have been tested and showed very well on a big road trip which is very tough to do.

I really don't understand any of the logic bj. Based on everything you've said it would seem that you are making the point for Albany instead of Lehigh and agreeing with our Dane friends. They have made logical points and do not see how it is being butthurt either because what they, and you, say are very good things that should be considered when casting the vote.

I'm just confused by your opposite stance considering your argument.

You said it better than I could.

I might see the "character" holding true if you weren't comparing results against the same teams. For example, I would agree that a close win over a tough team shows more about a team than a blowout against a crappy team. That's not what we're talking about here. We're comparing games against the same teams.

Does Stony Brook have more character because they had trouble with Colgate? But Albany doesn't have character because they blew Colgate out of the water?

Time will tell, but I am willing to be there are very few teams in FCS this year that have the "character" to go to the Stambaugh Stadium and go toe-to-toe with Youngstown State.

[MTfan4life]

You said it better than I could.

I might see the "character" holding true if you weren't comparing results against the same teams. For example, I would agree that a close win over a tough team shows more about a team than a blowout against a crappy team. That's not what we're talking about here. We're comparing games against the same teams.

Does Stony Brook have more character because they had trouble with Colgate? But Albany doesn't have character because they blew Colgate out of the water?

Time will tell, but I am willing to be there are very few teams in FCS this year that have the "character" to go to the Stambaugh Stadium and go toe-to-toe with Youngstown State.

I keep hearing you say this. Georgia Southern blew Jacksonville out of the water. Oklahoma State blew Savannah State out of the water. Albany had a ten point lead with three minutes to play, gained only 18 yards more than Colgate, had the same amount of turnovers and the winning margin was only 17. Quit acting like Albany annihilated Colgate.

[bjtheflamesfan]

My point is, to beat the teams youre supposed to beat in blowouts doesnt tell me much. Also, I dont take common opponents into as much consideration because the circumstances are different. Albany played Colgate in the first game of the year, Stony Brook played Colgate in the fourth game of the year, sandwiched in between two FBS games.

As to your point danefan, a close win over a tough team does show more about a team than a blowout win over an inferior opponent. What I look for is what happens when you are in more of a dogfight with that inferior team. To use an example from my own team last year, Liberty faced off with Presbyterian at home. The Flames were heavily favored to win convincingly, but they had to rally and win the game in double overtime. Could I have looked at that game and seen it as Liberty playing down to their competition? Certainly. What it instead showed me is Liberty's will to win. I think that Albany would show me a lot more if the gut out the game against Bryant this weekend than if they go out and beat them by 50.

[bjtheflamesfan]

Also...to refer back to the butthurt thing, these ballots are the opinion of people as to who the best 25 teams in all of FCS. Obviously quite a few people see the Great Danes as one of them (this poster included), so what does it matter that one person's opinion doesnt necessarily jive with yours?

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Sorry man, that last line is just plain silly thinking if you are asking me, which you weren't, but anyhoo.

This post was intended for the one above the last one upon review of the order these shook out.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Also...to refer back to the butthurt thing, these ballots are the opinion of people as to who the best 25 teams in all of FCS. Obviously quite a few people see the Great Danes as one of them (this poster included), so what does it matter that one person's opinion doesnt necessarily jive with yours?

What is wrong with pointing out areas that it would appear are not being considered? I may be missing some whining that has been done but I just haven't seen anything other than a good rational discussion which certainly does not mean butthurt in my perspective. They (perspectives) differ though so...

[danefan]

I keep hearing you say this. Georgia Southern blew Jacksonville out of the water. Oklahoma State blew Savannah State out of the water. Albany had a ten point lead with three minutes to play, gained only 18 yards more than Colgate, had the same amount of turnovers and the winning margin was only 17. Quit acting like Albany annihilated Colgate.

Valid points. Not a blowout in the same sense as the games you cite, but I was there. Once Albany blocked the first punt, Colgate had zero chance to win that game. I consider that a blowout, but certainly not to the same level as the ones you cited.

[bjtheflamesfan]

My overall point was, How do you handle adversity? How do you act when a team youre heavily favored over punches you in the mouth and sticks with you for four quarters instead of wilting? Or when you get down and have to stage a comeback in the fourth quarter? That shows me more about a team than winning by 30 or 40 points

[danefan]

My point is, to beat the teams youre supposed to beat in blowouts doesnt tell me much. Also, I dont take common opponents into as much consideration because the circumstances are different. Albany played Colgate in the first game of the year, Stony Brook played Colgate in the fourth game of the year, sandwiched in between two FBS games.

As to your point danefan, a close win over a tough team does show more about a team than a blowout win over an inferior opponent. What I look for is what happens when you are in more of a dogfight with that inferior team. To use an example from my own team last year, Liberty faced off with Presbyterian at home. The Flames were heavily favored to win convincingly, but they had to rally and win the game in double overtime. Could I have looked at that game and seen it as Liberty playing down to their competition? Certainly. What it instead showed me is Liberty's will to win. I think that Albany would show me a lot more if the gut out the game against Bryant this weekend than if they go out and beat them by 50.

That line makes absolutely no sense to me. Sorry

[heath]

The POLL COMMITTEE is full of ***** early in the season every year.The so-called smartest football minds will not except anything out of their small minded box.Look at preseason #1 last season.How'd that work out. Voters that placed Towson in the top 25 were laughed at.Where was SHSU ranked in the first poll last season? If you do not match their intelligence then you are not included, EVEN if you are more educated in the FCS.That is why no polls should be done until October.It would allow the smart football minds a chance to open up.

[bjtheflamesfan]

That line makes absolutely no sense to me. Sorry

That is why I said what I said about handling adversity

[superman7515]

The POLL COMMITTEE is full of ***** early in the season every year.The so-called smartest football minds will not except anything out of their small minded box.Look at preseason #1 last season.How'd that work out. Voters that placed Towson in the top 25 were laughed at.Where was SHSU ranked in the first poll last season? If you do not match their intelligence then you are not included, EVEN if you are more educated in the FCS.That is why no polls should be done until October.It would allow the smart football minds a chance to open up.

Anyone who didn't voluntarily vote for Eastern Washington #1 last preseason and was told by the Poll Committee to change it or it wouldn't be accepted, please come forward.

[heath]

Anyone who didn't voluntarily vote for Eastern Washington #1 last preseason and was told by the Poll Committee to change it or it wouldn't be accepted, please come forward.

Guess I'll lump you in the the smart voters if you did. The same smart voters that will not allow certain ballots that include teams you don't have a clue about.Just sad,but understandable. What pressure there must be to be on that committeexlolx Don't take it personally,but every vote should be counted,even if they don't have an ID.

[MTfan4life]

Valid points. Not a blowout in the same sense as the games you cite, but I was there. Once Albany blocked the first punt, Colgate had zero chance to win that game. I consider that a blowout, but certainly not to the same level as the ones you cited.

Key point is you were there as a proud Dane fan, of course you didn't think Colgate had a chance. On the contrary, Colgate did believe they still had a chance especially after they forced Albany to punt at the start of the second half and marched down the field to their red zone. If not for an interception on that drive, the game might have turned out very differently. As a Dane fan, you are bound to see games as blowouts to make your team look better in your mind, when games actually were much closer than you tell yourself they were.

[danefan]

Key point is you were there as a proud Dane fan, of course you didn't think Colgate had a chance. On the contrary, Colgate did believe they still had a chance especially after they forced Albany to punt at the start of the second half and marched down the field to their red zone. If not for an interception on that drive, the game might have turned out very differently. As a Dane fan, you are bound to see games as blowouts to make your team look better in your mind, when games actually were much closer than you tell yourself they were.

Perhaps. There are plenty of Colgate fans on this board. Their opinion of the game is probably more relevant than mine.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

The POLL COMMITTEE is full of ***** early in the season every year.The so-called smartest football minds will not except anything out of their small minded box.Look at preseason #1 last season.How'd that work out. Voters that placed Towson in the top 25 were laughed at.Where was SHSU ranked in the first poll last season? If you do not match their intelligence then you are not included, EVEN if you are more educated in the FCS.That is why no polls should be done until October.It would allow the smart football minds a chance to open up.

What are you yammering about now Heath? Voters that placed Towson or SHSU in their polls were most certainly not laughed at and were not rejected. You don't and have never voted in this poll since I've been on it so I believe you may have some issues from some other poll that you are confusing with this one?

I know you love a good cause Heath and think you are really fighting for the rights of everyone so rail away lil' buddy.xlolx

Oh btw, the SHSU & Towson thing worked out fine because they were ranked at the time they should have been when the data was know...just as if a vote had not been done at all and one had waited. The fact that it was unknown to you and you did not cast a vote makes you no more qualified than anyone else that was actually looking around at the teams and trying to figure out who should be in the poll.

The fact that some people answered the question and missed it is no worse than those that just didn't answer the question at all.

[danefan]

My overall point was, How do you handle adversity? How do you act when a team youre heavily favored over punches you in the mouth and sticks with you for four quarters instead of wilting? Or when you get down and have to stage a comeback in the fourth quarter? That shows me more about a team than winning by 30 or 40 points

Albany has proven how it handles adversity a number of times already but there is a pretty good one from last weekend that comes immediately to mind:

Monmouth received the kickoff and marched down the field on the opening drive for a quick TD. 7-0 Monmouth.
How did Albany respond? They rattled off 24 unanswered points.

That to me shows more about a team than fighting tooth and nail with Princeton.

I see that you are stuck now trying to defend your position so I'll let it go.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Flipping the script. What has Albany done to show that they would have any more trouble handling adversity than any other team in the top 25?

[Engineer86]

Let me get this straight.

You're giving Lehigh more credit for their close win over Monmouth, than you are to Albany for destroying Monmouth?

Glad the margin of victory works for you, when you have that close game later in the season, will you be on here saying Albany should drop in the polls?????

[heath]

What are you yammering about now Heath? Voters that placed Towson or SHSU in their polls were most certainly not laughed at and were not rejected. You don't and have never voted in this poll since I've been on it so I believe you may have some issues from some other poll that you are confusing with this one?

I know you love a good cause Heath and think you are really fighting for the rights of everyone so rail away lil' buddy.xlolx

Oh btw, the SHSU & Towson thing worked out fine because they were ranked at the time they should have been when the data was know...just as if a vote had not been done at all and one had waited. The fact that it was unknown to you and you did not cast a vote makes you no more qualified than anyone else that was actually looking around at the teams and trying to figure out who should be in the poll.

The fact that some people answered the question and missed it is no worse than those that just didn't answer the question at all.

Sometimes the truth hurts, guess you too are one of the brighter football minds that strugglexthumbsupx Why not just agree and say that polls are not justified until a body of work is available.Keep pretending you too are a "smart one"

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Sometimes the truth hurts, guess you too are one of the brighter football minds that strugglexthumbsupx Why not just agree and say that polls are not justified until a body of work is available.Keep pretending you too are a "smart one"

Oh, I don't need to pretend heath. Check my user title.

But I agree that a poll is better after a body of work I didn't even know there was a question on that..oh heath, you didn't actually think that is what the discussion was about did you?

[danefan]

Glad the margin of victory works for you, when you have that close game later in the season, will you be on here saying Albany should drop in the polls?????

Maybe it should. If Albany struggles with a subpar team than people should question where they are ranked. Same goes for anyone. That's the problem you have when you play in a league with a bunch of crap teams. You cannot and should not play down to your competition ever.

And BTW, I'm only using margin of victory to compare common opponents. How do people ignore common opponents only 5 weeks in? I can understand if Team A plays Team X in week 1 and Team B plays Team X in week 11, the comparison is not as strong. But we're talking about opponents that are separated by 2, 3 or 4 games. Seems like the only good comparison you actually have when you don't have a head-to-head.

[Engineer86]

Maybe it should. If Albany struggles with a subpar team than people should question where they are ranked. Same goes for anyone. That's the problem you have when you play in a league with a bunch of crap teams. You cannot and should not play down to your competition ever.

And BTW, I'm only using margin of victory to compare common opponents. How do people ignore common opponents only 5 weeks in? I can understand if Team A plays Team X in week 1 and Team B plays Team X in week 11, the comparison is not as strong. But we're talking about opponents that are separated by 2, 3 or 4 games. Seems like the only good comparison you actually have when you don't have a head-to-head.

Fair enough, but you do know Albany will have one of those games, every team does. I like to think that I would not drop a team that won a game like that (again a few slots depending on others performance). But as I sit here and think about it I can understand how others would look at continuous wins like that and say 2+2+2.... And argue for a slide over weeks, however, that would suggest that there are always teams to climb over that team and no one to drop behind them in those continuous weeks.

Just need to keep winning and polls do not matter

[bjtheflamesfan]

Albany has proven how it handles adversity a number of times already but there is a pretty good one from last weekend that comes immediately to mind:

Monmouth received the kickoff and marched down the field on the opening drive for a quick TD. 7-0 Monmouth.
How did Albany respond? They rattled off 24 unanswered points.

That to me shows more about a team than fighting tooth and nail with Princeton.

I see that you are stuck now trying to defend your position so I'll let it go.


They scored 24 straight point after getting down 7-0 in the first quarter...woo...if they scored 24 straight points in the second half to rally from a two or three TD deficit, that would speak volumes to me because they showed the will and the heart of a champion. Albany has dominated every game so far, except one...they have won all the games they were supposed to win, and lost the games they were supposed to lose (say what you want about it, Im pretty sure very few people picked Albany to win that game outside of Albany fans).

Anyway, I dont want to get into a foxhole battle with you at this point so all I will say is good luck this weekend and the rest of the way.

[heath]

Oh, I don't need to pretend heath. Check my user title.

But I agree that a poll is better after a body of work I didn't even know there was a question on that..oh heath, you didn't actually think that is what the discussion was about did you?

WOW, a user title. Bet that's better than Viagra,or maybe it turns the other dude on more.Thanks for agreeing with me,but the thread was about WHY you guys(the smart guys) pick and choose what votes you like,when YOU don't know crap in September.Hope I can get a user title as important as yours SIR! Keep the humor coming,and let the poll committee know we all feel for your painxpeacex
-Haliaeetus Leucocephalus(can I now get a title?)

[NoDak 4 Ever]

WOW, a user title. Bet that's better than Viagra,or maybe it turns the other dude on more.Thanks for agreeing with me,but the thread was about WHY you guys(the smart guys) pick and choose what votes you like,when YOU don't know crap in September.Hope I can get a user title as important as yours SIR! Keep the humor coming,and let the poll committee know we all feel for your painxpeacex
-Haliaeetus Leucocephalus(can I now get a title?)

I'll help, how about dumbass in chief? Supreme loudmouth?

Nobody, but nobody thought the poll that sparked this whole conversation is worth a ****. This is a rather small sample size and remarkably good, so much that is is given as strong consideration as the media polls so, as a voter, I'm glad that there is some quality control.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[MTfan4life]

WOW, a user title. Bet that's better than Viagra,or maybe it turns the other dude on more.Thanks for agreeing with me,but the thread was about WHY you guys(the smart guys) pick and choose what votes you like,when YOU don't know crap in September.Hope I can get a user title as important as yours SIR! Keep the humor coming,and let the poll committee know we all feel for your painxpeacex
-Haliaeetus Leucocephalus(can I now get a title?)

The ignorance is strong in this one.


The people that voted this year would be a better guage of how we do things but if there is a question on a ballot it is just that...a question to see if you had considered this or that. With a logical argument it is accepted without even being sent to the seven member committee in most cases. If it still seems pretty faulty and homerish then it is voted on and the voter is given another chance.

Even that does not happen very often and a vote being rejected is very, very rare. I think there were less than 10 votes rejected this season out of somewhere around 13-1400 votes cast.

It is very rare because we want people to have their take on the ranking. Once in a while someone just tries to F things up though.

PAllen was simply questioned about his poll and asked to defend his selections. He couldn't do so and thus his ballot was deemed as invalid. It's a simple task to defend one's ballot and if you can't do that then you shouldn't be voting. (and defending doesn't include saying "I wanted them in that spot.")

[superman7515]

The POLL COMMITTEE is full of ***** early in the season every year.The so-called smartest football minds will not except anything out of their small minded box.Look at preseason #1 last season.How'd that work out. Voters that placed Towson in the top 25 were laughed at.Where was SHSU ranked in the first poll last season? If you do not match their intelligence then you are not included, EVEN if you are more educated in the FCS.That is why no polls should be done until October.It would allow the smart football minds a chance to open up.


Anyone who didn't voluntarily vote for Eastern Washington #1 last preseason and was told by the Poll Committee to change it or it wouldn't be accepted, please come forward.

No one? No one? Hmm... Weird, I figured Heath was on the Poll Committee and knew something.

[TheRevSFA]

The POLL COMMITTEE is full of ***** early in the season every year.The so-called smartest football minds will not except anything out of their small minded box.Look at preseason #1 last season.How'd that work out. Voters that placed Towson in the top 25 were laughed at.Where was SHSU ranked in the first poll last season? If you do not match their intelligence then you are not included, EVEN if you are more educated in the FCS.That is why no polls should be done until October.It would allow the smart football minds a chance to open up.

Heath, do you vote in the poll regularly?

[TheRevSFA]

And if PAllen is actually still reading this I commend you on posting your voting for reactions even knowing they would be mostly negative. I hope this hasn't discouraged you from voting in the future, but has been a learning experience that when the committee questions a ballot they want you to demonstrate that there was reasoning behind it, whether that is what the specifically ask or not. I fully support anyone's right to vote as long as they have a reasoned explanation, even if I think they're crazy for voting the way they did. I already know how I feel about teams, the point of a poll is to see what other people (collectively) think.

I commend him for posting his poll, but I scold him for not defending it whatsoever

Instead, he said "well that's how I feel so **** you." I don't respect that.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

WOW, a user title. Bet that's better than Viagra,or maybe it turns the other dude on more.Thanks for agreeing with me,but the thread was about WHY you guys(the smart guys) pick and choose what votes you like,when YOU don't know crap in September.Hope I can get a user title as important as yours SIR! Keep the humor coming,and let the poll committee know we all feel for your painxpeacex
-Haliaeetus Leucocephalus(can I now get a title?)

heath, the user title comment was a joke, poking fun of it as you did here. Sorry if you took that for reals man.

I can see someone wanting every vote included no matter what and that is perfectly fine with me and I wish them luck in seeting up the voting and so forth It is not the level I want to work at so if you feel like starting your own I will offer you help in the endeavor as it took a couple hundred hours of work building this one and I could probably offer some shortcuts to you after building this one. However as with the poll votes my opinion will outweigh yours on how this one is administered because I and the poll committee members are the ones with some actual skin in the game.

I've pointed out that there were maybe 15 votes out of about 1500 cast that were dismissed last year and most of those were because someone doubled up on a single team or left a spot blank and did not reply when asked who they wanted to take the place.

We don't just sit back and shoot holes in things we know little about on this topic. You have never voted in the poll and you have never attempted and been turned away so I'm not sure how you can speak on what goes on with it internally with any sort of pratical experience, especially when people that do vote have not backed your stance up at all. Start a poll my friend and you will have all the control to allow every vote know matter if they are trying to purposely skew your results or not if you'd like.

If you want to start your own let me know because I will honestly help you get started so you don't have to use this as some cause du jour every time you come on here to talk. You could have it start after any week you wanteed and accept all the votes your little heart desires.

Of course you could be just whining and not be the sort of person that would be willing to devote his own time to fixing something he sees as a wrong but I am sure that is not you heath. You certainly seem like a man of conviction.xthumbsupx

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Heath, do you vote in the poll regularly?

Not once, not even registered. This is false outrage and he's done it over the last couple of years to get a little attention. His way is different but his intention of outcome exactly lines up with MPLSBison if you get my meaning.

[danefan]

They scored 24 straight point after getting down 7-0 in the first quarter...woo...if they scored 24 straight points in the second half to rally from a two or three TD deficit, that would speak volumes to me because they showed the will and the heart of a champion. Albany has dominated every game so far, except one...they have won all the games they were supposed to win, and lost the games they were supposed to lose (say what you want about it, Im pretty sure very few people picked Albany to win that game outside of Albany fans).

Anyway, I dont want to get into a foxhole battle with you at this point so all I will say is good luck this weekend and the rest of the way.

Agree to disagree. Good luck to Liberty too. Gotta be tough to go through a rebuilding year. Turner Gill will get it going though. He's a great coach.

[TheRevSFA]

Not once, not even registered. This is false outrage and he's done it over the last couple of years to get a little attention. His way is diffferent by his intention of outcome exactly lines up with MPLSBison if you get my meaning.

Then he needs to vote, or shut the **** up

[danefan]

By the way, all this talk about Albany will probably culminate with a loss this weekend. ;)

Then at least we won't have to talk about it anymore.

[Dane96]

They scored 24 straight point after getting down 7-0 in the first quarter...woo...if they scored 24 straight points in the second half to rally from a two or three TD deficit, that would speak volumes to me because they showed the will and the heart of a champion. Albany has dominated every game so far, except one...they have won all the games they were supposed to win, and lost the games they were supposed to lose (say what you want about it, Im pretty sure very few people picked Albany to win that game outside of Albany fans).

Anyway, I dont want to get into a foxhole battle with you at this point so all I will say is good luck this weekend and the rest of the way.

How many drugs do you do before you post.

Better question; Are you related to Mlpbison?

[Dane96]

By the way, all this talk about Albany will probably culminate with a loss this weekend. ;)

Then at least we won't have to talk about it anymore.

Cringing (but true...)

[Vitojr130]

heath, the user title comment was a joke, poking fun of it as you did here. Sorry if you took that for reals man.

I can see someone wanting every vote included no matter what and that is perfectly fine with me and I wish them luck in seeting up the voting and so forth It is not the level I want to work at so if you feel like starting your own I will offer you help in the endeavor as it took a couple hundred hours of work building this one and I could probably offer some shortcuts to you after building this one. However as with the poll votes my opinion will outweigh yours on how this one is administered because I and the poll committee members are the ones with some actual skin in the game.

I've pointed out that there were maybe 15 votes out of about 1500 cast that were dismissed last year and most of those were because someone doubled up on a single team or left a spot blank and did not reply when asked who they wanted to take the place.

We don't just sit back and shoot holes in things we know little about on this topic. You have never voted in the poll and you have never attempted and been turned away so I'm not sure how you can speak on what goes on with it internally with any sort of pratical experience, especially when people that do vote have not backed your stance up at all. Start a poll my friend and you will have all the control to allow every vote know matter if they are trying to purposely skew your results or not if you'd like.

If you want to start your own let me know because I will honestly help you get started so you don't have to use this as some cause du jour every time you come on here to talk. You could have it start after any week you wanteed and accept all the votes your little heart desires.

Of course you could be just whining and not be the sort of person that would be willing to devote his own time to fixing something he sees as a wrong but I am sure that is not you heath. You certainly seem like a man of conviction.xthumbsupx

Congrats on this here post. It's your 10,000th.

[MTfan4life]

Congrats on this here post. It's your 10,000th.

Not to be a creepy stalker, but this was his 10,000th:

I wish I had read further before unzipping.:o

I believe you quoted 9,999.

[PAllen]

Wow, 16 pages! LOL. I guess I should respond (or maybe not, but what the hell). Just came back to check the schedule for this weekend and man am I shocked that you all are that engrossed. I've only gone back and read a few pages beyond my last post, and I'll say this. First, the only question posed by the committee was whether or not I meant to have Lehigh and Harvard where I did, or was that a mistake. I answered that it was not a mistake. Silly me, I didn't think having two undefeated teams in the top ten needed any further explanation, especially when none was asked for. Second, I'm not "taking my ball and going home" so much as not wasting the time to put into something that I now believe is fatally and fundamentally flawed, when I only visit this site for the entertainment value anyway. Mr. C and Hensrock have it right, the only thing "better" about the poll now is that it will more closely resemble your individual opinion. Third, I would like to thank all of those who have felt free to call me all kinds of things simply because you disagree with my assessment of your team's performance so far this year. You have clearly demonstrated your level of class and maturity for all to see.

[clenz]

So....you had Tennessee State in your top 10 too...right? They haven't lost yet either.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Not to be a creepy stalker, but this was his 10,000th:


I believe you quoted 9,999.

Fitting.xlolx

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Wow, 16 pages! LOL. I guess I should respond (or maybe not, but what the hell). Just came back to check the schedule for this weekend and man am I shocked that you all are that engrossed. I've only gone back and read a few pages beyond my last post, and I'll say this. First, the only question posed by the committee was whether or not I meant to have Lehigh and Harvard where I did, or was that a mistake. I answered that it was not a mistake. Silly me, I didn't think having two undefeated teams in the top ten needed any further explanation, especially when none was asked for. Second, I'm not "taking my ball and going home" so much as not wasting the time to put into something that I now believe is fatally and fundamentally flawed, when I only visit this site for the entertainment value anyway. Mr. C and Hensrock have it right, the only thing "better" about the poll now is that it will more closely resemble your individual opinion. Third, I would like to thank all of those who have felt free to call me all kinds of things simply because you disagree with my assessment of your team's performance so far this year. You have clearly demonstrated your level of class and maturity for all to see.

I was gonna thank you earlier because you opened a good debate...so I'll do it now. Thank you.

I've seen people attack you poll but I don't remember seeing you being called a bunch of names. Are you sure on that?

Nobody is forcing you to vote. Don't do it if you don't want to but if you feel like doing it we'd be happy to have you do so.

[MTfan4life]

Wow, 16 pages! LOL. I guess I should respond (or maybe not, but what the hell). Just came back to check the schedule for this weekend and man am I shocked that you all are that engrossed. I've only gone back and read a few pages beyond my last post, and I'll say this. First, the only question posed by the committee was whether or not I meant to have Lehigh and Harvard where I did, or was that a mistake. I answered that it was not a mistake. Silly me, I didn't think having two undefeated teams in the top ten needed any further explanation, especially when none was asked for. Second, I'm not "taking my ball and going home" so much as not wasting the time to put into something that I now believe is fatally and fundamentally flawed, when I only visit this site for the entertainment value anyway. Mr. C and Hensrock have it right, the only thing "better" about the poll now is that it will more closely resemble your individual opinion. Third, I would like to thank all of those who have felt free to call me all kinds of things simply because you disagree with my assessment of your team's performance so far this year. You have clearly demonstrated your level of class and maturity for all to see.

How about try defending your poll before acting like you've shown "class and maturity." You posted an 'outside the box' poll for all to see. How about give us all a reason for why we should think the committee was in the wrong for rejecting it. By not backing up your argument with any words of defense, you actually are "taking your ball and going home." Otherwise you've proven nothing other than the fact you can complain about other people more than you can support your "opinion."

[GreatAppSt]

Congrats on this here post. It's your 10,000th.

Oh jeez, and y'all thought he had a big head before.xoopsx

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Oh jeez, and y'all thought he had a big head before.xoopsx

Except that post counts don't mean **** to me. Of course it does benefit the people rep though so....

You're welcome.

[DJnva]

My point is, to beat the teams youre supposed to beat in blowouts doesnt tell me much.

But it should tell you more than beating a team you're supposed to beat in a nailbiter.

[bjtheflamesfan]

How many drugs do you do before you post.

Better question; Are you related to Mlpbison?

1) Zero
2) Absolutely not (I dont even know the guys real name)

Giving up an early touchdown is probably the lightest form of adversity. What I was referring to is how can a team react when they are down and I mean TRULY down. Look at ODU against UNH a couple weeks ago. They were down 20 points at one point in that game, and 17 in the third quarter (40-24). They outscored them 40-21 the rest of the way and came back to get the win (and as you all remember, the all time Division I record for passing yards in a single game). That was a positively Herculean effort in that game and that no doubt opened a TON of eyes (mine included).

That is what I want to see from a team like Albany. Can they dig down deep and forcibly pull victory out of the jaws of certain defeat. I will say for the record that I did like their win over Monmouth on Saturday because I really thought that the winner of that game had an inside track to the NEC autobid. As I said before, I wish Albany well the rest of the way and would love to see how they do going forward. Are they miles ahead of teams like Lehigh? I personally dont think so, but that is purely my opinion.

[Dane96]

Ok...new game plan kids...let a team you can throttle sucker punch you....and let's see if we can get up off the ground. Let's get at it.

Yah...that's what wins you games, gets you employed...etc.

[bjtheflamesfan]

I give up...

[bri-dog]

So, you got the Bison falling out of the top 20 this week?

[clenz]

Seriouly, reject any poll without discussion from a person that doesn't have NDSU #1....then reject their voting rights.

[Dane96]

Hey...BJ will probably lift Albany because they faced the wolf...and punched in the teeth at the end.

[frozennorth]

Seriouly, reject any poll without discussion from a person that doesn't have NDSU #1....then reject their voting rights.

i think you could make a reasonable case for cal poly or a few others.

[word]

i think you could make a reasonable case for cal poly or a few others. A few others like who? Mt. St, Mont, UC D., EWU....all other big sky teams....open your eyes. There are probably 3-4 teams that are real solid that can be talked about in the top 5 and the big sky doesn't enter that conversation.

[CorrosionDoc]

A few others like who? Mt. St, Mont, UC D., EWU....all other big sky teams....open your eyes. There are probably 3-4 teams that are real solid that can be talked about in the top 5 and the big sky doesn't enter that conversation.

I can't find what this comment is based on. Exactly where did he mention Big Sky Conf at all? I'm pretty sure frozennorth is a MV conference supporter and is not proposing having Montana or UC Davis in the national championship discussion.

[bjtheflamesfan]

The Danes will certainly move up this week, but there also has been a ton of upheaval in the lower half of my ballot from week 4 to now (missed week 5 because I was swamped with stories to write for my office).

North Dakota State's rout of YSU definitely surprised me. They could go wire to wire if they dont have a "WTF game" as we call them over on FlameFans