University Athletic Association

[WashUDad]

Wash U reports later this week also.
It is rumored that the Bears will be playing U W  Whitewater in 2012.

[Al Bundy]

Does anyone know when the UAA coaches poll will be out? I saw several others came out today!

[martin]

Does anyone know when the UAA coaches poll will be out? I saw several others came out today!

It is out.  Chicago is picked to win - which usually means they will not.

Team (First-Place Votes)            2010 UAA Overall
1. Chicago (3)                            3-0        8-2
2. Washington (1)                      2-1      7-3
    Case (1)                                 1-2      8-2
4. Carnegie Mellon                     0-3        4-6

[wally_wabash]

Who is the fifth UAA coach?

[martin]

Who is the fifth UAA coach?

My guess is that Chicago's coach, Dick Maloney, voted Wash and Case in a tie for first.  Chicago should be favored - given the number of returning starters.  However, a huge question mark at QB.  Last year, Marshall Ouim was injured early in the game against Elmhurst and did not play against Wabash.  The Maroons lost both those games.  Kevin Shelton and Vince Cortina did not distinguish themselves while he was out.  One of them needs to step up now that Ouim has graduated.  You cannot let the talent of Dee Brizzolara be wasted. 

[wally_wabash]

Who is the fifth UAA coach?

My guess is that Chicago's coach, Dick Maloney, voted Wash and Case in a tie for first.  Chicago should be favored - given the number of returning starters.  However, a huge question mark at QB.  Last year, Marshall Ouim was injured early in the game against Elmhurst and did not play against Wabash.  The Maroons lost both those games.  Kevin Shelton and Vince Cortina did not distinguish themselves while he was out.  One of them needs to step up now that Ouim has graduated.  You cannot let the talent of Dee Brizzolara be wasted. 

Ah...poor CMU.  Somebody should have voted for all three of the other teams so that everybody gets a first place vote.  But really, if Maloney is "splitting" his vote between WUStl and Case, then what he's really saying is that he thinks he has the best team but doesn't want to vote for himself.  Weaksauce.  If you've got the best team, vote for yourself.  It's ok.  Really.  I'm looking at you, every-coach-who-obviously-has-the-best-team-in-the-conference.

I thought Cortina looked promising during his trial-by-fire at Wabash last year.  That's a tough spot for a freshman to get put in to and I think he did pretty well given the circumstances.  I have a feeling that Brizzolara will get his no matter who is throwing the ball.  He's really good. 

[martin]

But really, if Maloney is "splitting" his vote between WUStl and Case, then what he's really saying is that he thinks he has the best team but doesn't want to vote for himself.  Weaksauce.  If you've got the best team, vote for yourself.  It's ok.  Really.  I'm looking at you, every-coach-who-obviously-has-the-best-team-in-the-conference.

In many, if not most, pre-season coaches' polls, you do not vote for your own team - just the others.  So you will never see a unanimous number 1.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Ah...poor CMU.  Somebody should have voted for all three of the other teams so that everybody gets a first place vote.  But really, if Maloney is "splitting" his vote between WUStl and Case, then what he's really saying is that he thinks he has the best team but doesn't want to vote for himself.  Weaksauce.  If you've got the best team, vote for yourself.  It's ok.  Really.  I'm looking at you, every-coach-who-obviously-has-the-best-team-in-the-conference.

I believe that Martin is correct - I'm pretty sure that you don't vote for your own team in the UAA poll.  In fact, I believe that he's correct that this generally is true of most preseason polls.

[ExTartanPlayer]

I also agree that Brizzolara will get his no matter who's throwing the ball.  CMU's defensive backs couldn't have covered him last year if they were allowed to taser him at the LOS.

I think this could be a strong year for UAA.  I'm surprisingly optimistic about CMU despite the 4-6 season last year - the team returns a lot of promising young players on the OL and in the offensive backfield, and a second-year starter at QB always helps.  And each of the other three UAA schools return a good # of starters from teams that went 7-3 or 8-2.

CMU needs to come out guns-a-blazing in weeks 1 & 2.  They have a very winnable stretch of games at midseason before Witt and the UAA schedule.

[wally_wabash]

But really, if Maloney is "splitting" his vote between WUStl and Case, then what he's really saying is that he thinks he has the best team but doesn't want to vote for himself.  Weaksauce.  If you've got the best team, vote for yourself.  It's ok.  Really.  I'm looking at you, every-coach-who-obviously-has-the-best-team-in-the-conference.

In many, if not most, pre-season coaches' polls, you do not vote for your own team - just the others.  So you will never see a unanimous number 1.

I realize that this is what happens, just pointing out the absurdity.  Sometimes, a team is so clearly head and shoulders above the rest of their league that voting for anybody else is just silly.  Current examples...Mount Union (when was the last time they didn't win the OAC), Franklin in the HCAC has clearly separated themselves, Trine in the MIAA, and probably Chicago this year in the UAA although to a lesser degree than the other examples.  It's a poll and the question is who is the best team in the league.  If you happen to coach the best team in the league, I don't think it's out of bounds to vote accordingly.  Honesty is ok. 

[dahlby]

Wally,

Maybe, except when it comes to bulletin board material?

[martin]

But really, if Maloney is "splitting" his vote between WUStl and Case, then what he's really saying is that he thinks he has the best team but doesn't want to vote for himself.  Weaksauce.  If you've got the best team, vote for yourself.  It's ok.  Really.  I'm looking at you, every-coach-who-obviously-has-the-best-team-in-the-conference.

In many, if not most, pre-season coaches' polls, you do not vote for your own team - just the others.  So you will never see a unanimous number 1.

I realize that this is what happens, just pointing out the absurdity.  Sometimes, a team is so clearly head and shoulders above the rest of their league that voting for anybody else is just silly.  Current examples...Mount Union (when was the last time they didn't win the OAC), Franklin in the HCAC has clearly separated themselves, Trine in the MIAA, and probably Chicago this year in the UAA although to a lesser degree than the other examples.  It's a poll and the question is who is the best team in the league.  If you happen to coach the best team in the league, I don't think it's out of bounds to vote accordingly.  Honesty is ok. 

It is not what happens - it is the rule of the pre-season poll.  Does anyone know why?

In the WIAC, you get to vote for you team. UW-Whitewater got all 8 first place votes in the 2011 poll.

It seems the OAC does it the same as the UAA.  Their 2011 poll is not out yet. But in 2010, Mt. Union got 9 first place votes while Otterbein and Ohio Northern split the tenth.  So you do get Larry Kehres opinion of the competition.  BTW, he was off by a bit - ONU was second at 8-1 and Baldwin Wallace finished third at 6-3.

[wally_wabash]

But really, if Maloney is "splitting" his vote between WUStl and Case, then what he's really saying is that he thinks he has the best team but doesn't want to vote for himself.  Weaksauce.  If you've got the best team, vote for yourself.  It's ok.  Really.  I'm looking at you, every-coach-who-obviously-has-the-best-team-in-the-conference.

In many, if not most, pre-season coaches' polls, you do not vote for your own team - just the others.  So you will never see a unanimous number 1.

I realize that this is what happens, just pointing out the absurdity.  Sometimes, a team is so clearly head and shoulders above the rest of their league that voting for anybody else is just silly.  Current examples...Mount Union (when was the last time they didn't win the OAC), Franklin in the HCAC has clearly separated themselves, Trine in the MIAA, and probably Chicago this year in the UAA although to a lesser degree than the other examples.  It's a poll and the question is who is the best team in the league.  If you happen to coach the best team in the league, I don't think it's out of bounds to vote accordingly.  Honesty is ok. 

It is not what happens - it is the rule of the pre-season poll.  Does anyone know why?

In the WIAC, you get to vote for you team. UW-Whitewater got all 8 first place votes in the 2011 poll.

It seems the OAC does it the same as the UAA.  Their 2011 poll is not out yet. But in 2010, Mt. Union got 9 first place votes while Otterbein and Ohio Northern split the tenth.  So you do get Larry Kehres opinion of the competition.  BTW, he was off by a bit - ONU was second at 8-1 and Baldwin Wallace finished third at 6-3.

If it's a rule, then it's a crummy rule.  It's pretty absurd to ask somebody who they think the best team is and then tell them who they can't vote for (namely themselves). 

The WIAC poll that you referenced is a poll of WIAC SIDs.  Credit to the UWW SID for casting an honest ballot. 

Coach Kehres famously never votes his team #1 in anything until after that team has won something.  He's been voting in the AFCA poll for years and always casts his #1 vote for somebody else until after the Stagg Bowl.  That's just how he rolls. 

I think if leagues want to restrict the way a coach can vote in these polls or if coaches simply don't want to vote honestly (side note...my hunch is that coaches would rather not participate in these preseason polls at all...maybe another discussion), then leagues should just poll the SIDs as the WIAC has done.  Seems like you'd get a more honest assessment that way anyway. 

[HCDawgs]

Hiram's New Field!

[ADL70]

Looks like for 2012 ist's the NCAC-CWRU-CMU scheduling agreement:

http://athletics.case.edu/sports/fball/future_jv