East Region Fan Poll

[Knightstalker]

Never count RPI out in an odd numbered year.

[dlippiel]

Off the top of TGP's head TGP had:

3 NJAC
2 MAC
2 LL
2 E8
1 DSB*

* Curry in the top 10 and may have even given Union a #9 or 10 (can't remember).  

Per PA, Connolly is an entire season wiser and the U's RB is the best in the LL.  Guess we'll see whether the U is improved in week 1 when they face IC.

Although it sounds like most think RPI is "better" going into the season, TGP dinged the Enginegros a) their weak OOC sked vs. U's, b) last year's MMA game and most importantly c) the grad of Robinson, Svensli (sp? their ALL WR), etc (TGP realizes that RPI's D will be back in force, but w/o any color on how good their QB's are coming in TGP went with Connolly and U as the "#2 pre-season LL team").

dlippiel had:

NJAC-3
E8-4
LL-1
NEFC-1
MAC-1

dlippiel has Springfield as his sleeper this year with Alfred getting love as well as Rowan rounding out the 8,9,10 spots. dlippiel feels Carter (although no Sharpe) will really excel with the triple opt in 09. Only Bart makes the poll for the LL becuase RPI is  a bit unknown and dlippiel feels Union needs to prove itself before garnering votes (Ithaca game). dlippiel actually had Curry at #6. He feels they deserve some early love for last seasons accomplishments. We shall see if dlippiel gave the purple drank a bit too much street cred. Montclair is on top with the bombers followed by Bart, CState, and Del Val. SJF also came in at #7. dlippiel felt this poll was really a crap shoot and may be much different after week #1.

[pg04]

Without Further ado (and deep in the darkness of night) :

EAST REGION PRESEASON FAN POLL!!!

Team(#1 Votes)           Points
1   Ithaca (4)                   88
2   Hobart (1)                   85
3   Cortland (2)                 82
4   Montclair State (1)       61
5   Alfred (2)                    50
6   St. John Fisher             38
T7 Delware Valley              36
T7 Rowan                         36
T9 Curry                          28
T9 RPI                             28


Also Receiving Points: Springfield 6, Union 5, Lycoming 5, Kean 2

Here is how the teams broke down in voting:

Ithaca (1,1,4,2,3,3,1,4,1,2)
Hobart (2,3,1,3,2,2,3,2,4,3)
Cortland State (3,2,2,4,6,1,2,1,2,5)
Montclair State (5,6,8,1,4,4,8,6,3,4)
Alfred (4,-,3,9,1,-,9,5,6,1)
St. John Fisher (9,7,10,7,5,8,5,8,5,8)
Delaware Valley (8,8,5,5,10,7,6,3,-,-)
Rowan (10,9,6,8,8,5,4,-,7,6)
Curry (6,5,9,6,9,6,-,10,-,9)
RPI (7,4,7,-,7,-,7,-,10,7)
Springfield (-,10,-,10,-,-,-,7,-,-)
Union (-,-,-,-,-,9,-,9,-,10)
Lycoming (-,-,-,-,-,10,10,-,8,-)
Kean (-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,9,-)

The poll shows that the East Region is certainly an open book and almost any of thing could happen this season.  It seems like for the first time in a while there are no clean cut favorites.  

The biggest disparity comes with Alfred.  2 number 1 votes, and 2 people that didn't put them all.  Discuss!

[Jonny Utah]

Although historically Alfred has had trouble breaking that top tier of eastern teams, I think if their running back can come back off that injury from 2 years ago, they can be a top team. 

[pumkinattack]

Looks like you can bracket them with the top 3, next 2, third 3 and last two, so there's some symmetry there even if individual teams have widen dispersions amongst votes.

For the uneducated, and ideally from people not affiliated with these schools, what's the thesis for SJF being a top team this year and same for Cortland? 

[Jonny Utah]

Looks like you can bracket them with the top 3, next 2, third 3 and last two, so there's some symmetry there even if individual teams have widen dispersions amongst votes.

For the uneducated, and ideally from people not affiliated with these schools, what's the thesis for SJF being a top team this year and same for Cortland? 

Just by looking at what they did last year I can see you putting Cortland up top.  But the NJAC last year really did less than any other conference I would say.  No big wins for anyone in that conference.  And correct me if Im wrong, but isn't Cortland graduating every single player on offense from last year except for the fullback?  And 5 defenseive starters graduated?  I still put them in the top 10 but I see I put them lower than anyone else did.  I don't see how you can't rank Montclair ahead of them given all of the circumstances.

As for SJF, they had a lot of close ones last year, but only really had one great game or win (vs. Ithaca).  But their recent success deserves them at least a decent spot on the poll.

[dlippiel]

Looks like you can bracket them with the top 3, next 2, third 3 and last two, so there's some symmetry there even if individual teams have widen dispersions amongst votes.

For the uneducated, and ideally from people not affiliated with these schools, what's the thesis for SJF being a top team this year and same for Cortland? 

Just by looking at what they did last year I can see you putting Cortland up top.  But the NJAC last year really did less than any other conference I would say.  No big wins for anyone in that conference.  And correct me if Im wrong, but isn't Cortland graduating every single player on offense from last year except for the fullback?  And 5 defenseive starters graduated?  I still put them in the top 10 but I see I put them lower than anyone else did.  I don't see how you can't rank Montclair ahead of them given all of the circumstances.

As for SJF, they had a lot of close ones last year, but only really had one great game or win (vs. Ithaca).  But their recent success deserves them at least a decent spot on the poll.

dlippiel concurrs, SJF to dlippiel has earned a spot in the preseason poll because of their recent history as well as some close ones last year. dlippiel has Montclair at #1 feeling that with a solid performance at what dlippiel feels was a very good CState last year they will be tough this year, maybe breaking out. Of course dlippiel is happy to see the U getting some love in the poll even if it didn't come from him.

[rams1102]

pg04,

Thanks for all of your hard work on the Pre-Season Poll. +K

I think that everything will shake out by week 5. As a Montclair homer I am concerned about our QB and the play calling predictability by our coaching staff. We also need to play 110-60 for every minute of every game.We open at Wilkes (not easy), at B-Port (never an easy game), then Cortland at Sam Mills Field (a war). After that we have TCNJ, Rowan and Kean and the balance of the NJAC. That's why we play the games. If we make it to the dance, we will go deep.

LET'S  GO  MIGHTY RED  HAWKS  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rams1102]

I just did some review on Mount Union. I had a lot of questions on the 100 man limit, and thanks for everyones input. If most of the teams in the East are on the 100 man limit, how in the world can we compete with those teams. That being said congratulations to Hobart, Cortland, Fisher and Ithaca for playing Mount tough. Like I have always said the Up-State teams are coached well.

[union89]

Off the top of TGP's head TGP had:

3 NJAC
2 MAC
2 LL
2 E8
1 DSB*

* Curry in the top 10 and may have even given Union a #9 or 10 (can't remember). 

Per PA, Connolly is an entire season wiser and the U's RB is the best in the LL.  Guess we'll see whether the U is improved in week 1 when they face IC.

Although it sounds like most think RPI is "better" going into the season, TGP dinged the Enginegros a) their weak OOC sked vs. U's, b) last year's MMA game and most importantly c) the grad of Robinson, Svensli (sp? their ALL WR), etc (TGP realizes that RPI's D will be back in force, but w/o any color on how good their QB's are coming in TGP went with Connolly and U as the "#2 pre-season LL team").

+1 for butchering the WR from RPI's name sooooo badly.....

[union89]

Looks like you can bracket them with the top 3, next 2, third 3 and last two, so there's some symmetry there even if individual teams have widen dispersions amongst votes.

For the uneducated, and ideally from people not affiliated with these schools, what's the thesis for SJF being a top team this year and same for Cortland? 

Be careful PA....I questioned Fisher a bit last year and their supporters bludgeoned me for even questioning their capabilities.

[pumkinattack]

I meant it seriously.  I thought Montclair returned a lot, but Cortland lost a lot and got a little too much credit for beating up two NEFC teams (irrespective of Curry's win inthe playoffs since Ithaca beat Cortland the week before by three touchdowns) and losing a pretty similar game as Hobart  to Mt. Union notwithstanding what should have been a superior and healthier offense. With Fisher, they finished 6-4 against a tough schedule, but had some pretty uninspiring wins against Utica and Husson at the end of the season (someone here will make the argument that they meant less at that point, but its the end of the season, if you're going to throw stinker wins in you do it earlier on in the season and improve towards the end). 

I really don't know the personnel of Fisher and NJAC schools, which is why I was asking from people who were informed, but not homers.  That being said, based on the last five years and the fact that they had a winning record against a reasonably tough schedule, I would still include Fisher, but why would they be ahead of DelVal, Lyco, RPI or Rowan is kind of what I was getting at. 

[Knightstalker]

With my poll it has partly to do with last years results.  I also use the coaches polls from various conferences and only the MAC, NJAC and E8 had polls that I could find.  I actually had Rowan higher than anyone else.  I also had Lyco on my poll, they bumped Curry.  I felt head to head on a neutral field Lyco would win more often than Curry.  Lyco will punch you in the mouth like Cortland did to Curry and then Curry tends to roll up and get stomped.

[stimulator]

Just sayin'....

Interested that in reviewing the preseason prognistications of the Lindy's, Sporting News et.al, that the East Preseason poll has the 10th ranked team in the country (in one poll) tied for 9th in their regional poll.

That would be Curry... Not sure if any of the "experts" really understand what they have coming back (or not) but while I do respect their program and what they have accomplished, 10th nationally seems a bit unrealistic.  They will end up with a respectable if not spotless NEFC record but I'm not sure they would be quite as appealing with a regular season schedule in the NJAC or E8..

10th in the nation?

[dlippiel]

Just sayin'....

Interested that in reviewing the preseason prognistications of the Lindy's, Sporting News et.al, that the East Preseason poll has the 10th ranked team in the country (in one poll) tied for 9th in their regional poll.

That would be Curry... Not sure if any of the "experts" really understand what they have coming back (or not) but while I do respect their program and what they have accomplished, 10th nationally seems a bit unrealistic.  They will end up with a respectable if not spotless NEFC record but I'm not sure they would be quite as appealing with a regular season schedule in the NJAC or E8..

10th in the nation?

Stop it....are you ****ting me stim? 10th in the nation? Oh boy here we go. Give the purple drank a little love and now everything is getting out of control. Respect their program: yes 10th in the nation: no