D3 Top 25 Fan Poll

[smedindy]

Sorry I'm not riveted to when JCU plays Wilmington. That game is foregone.

As I said above in my re-write, this years ONU JCU game was played in wind and cold and stuff happens there. You don't get to walk away from belittling someone's opinion because they're not Pat especially when they take the time to take a broad view of the D3 landscape. Being a West Coastie has advantages as well.

Maybe my 2014>2013 was a bit flip but I get so tired of people who can't look an OAC or North region team past Mt. Union. It's the worst knee jerk reaction. There's no doubt they underperformed in the playoffs, but again SJF was probably under-seeded.

[boobyhasgameyo]

Yes, and I feel bad at this point for going on such a rant.  I'm a nice person, I swear.  I even cheer on Wabash 

Sorry for taking up an entire page worth of posts everyone!  Smedindy, one day we will be good friends and have a nice laugh about this. 

2015 Booby and Smedindy's friendship > 2014 Booby and Smedindy's friendship.

[smedindy]

Ah, it just touched a nerve. Much like "stick to sports" or "what do you know, you never played the game at X level", or "it's a conspiracy against us.." or "We don't get any respect from the (voters, coaches, NCAA...)

[Mr. Ypsi]

It blows me away that one voter thinks Heidelberg is the 16th best team in D3.  They aren't.  They'd fold like a freshly laundered shirt against any team in the top 25.

It blows me away that SJU is ahead of Concordia, and that someone has SJU outside their Top 25.

Then again, maybe the guy who has Heidelberg at 16 forgot to rank SJU 

Seriously though, thanks for doing this each week guys. Wish I had the time to do it this year.

Nope.  I'm the guy with Heidi at #16; I had SJU at #18.

I don't know if Heidi is worthy of #16, but they are DESTROYING everyone who isn't JCU or UMU.

And getting DESTROYED by everyone who IS. That's the point.

If not getting embarassed by UMU and JCU is a requirement to be top 25, I fear the top 25 will become the top 12!

[hazzben]

Maybe my 2014>2013 was a bit flip but I get so tired of people who can't look an OAC or North region team past Mt. Union. It's the worst knee jerk reaction.

I love that you're bemoaning someone getting in your face over your opinion and feeling belittled by what he said.

And in the same post, you're doing essentially the same thing to me! I do not think Mount is the only worthy team from the North region (NB: I've actually played and coached against some pretty good ones). Nor do I think JCU is in any way, shape or form a garbage team. I'm just not convinced they are anywhere near Mount's level. Hence, my doubts about Heidelberg's quality as a team. When a team gets plastered by Mount, I don't take it to mean they're sub-par. I've seen and been associated with some very good (Top 10 caliber) D3 teams that got plastered by Mount. But show me the history of very good D3 teams that have gotten plastered by JCU. And then show me the evidence for why we should consider them very good.

Since your JCU 2014 > 2013 comment was directed at me, am I right to assume you are also directing the italicized at me as well (you seem to clearly imply a connection). I didn't realize not considering JCU elite until they make some noise outside of the OAC and in the playoffs means I'm ignorant of things concerning the north region. I'll try to refrain from my uniformed, knee jerk reactions in the future 

[USee]

It blows me away that one voter thinks Heidelberg is the 16th best team in D3.  They aren't.  They'd fold like a freshly laundered shirt against any team in the top 25.

It blows me away that SJU is ahead of Concordia, and that someone has SJU outside their Top 25.

Then again, maybe the guy who has Heidelberg at 16 forgot to rank SJU 

Seriously though, thanks for doing this each week guys. Wish I had the time to do it this year.

Nope.  I'm the guy with Heidi at #16; I had SJU at #18.

I don't know if Heidi is worthy of #16, but they are DESTROYING everyone who isn't JCU or UMU.

And getting DESTROYED by everyone who IS. That's the point.

If not getting embarassed by UMU and JCU is a requirement to be top 25, I fear the top 25 will become the top 12!

You cannot equate UMU and JCU.  It's not credible.

[smedindy]

Maybe my 2014>2013 was a bit flip but I get so tired of people who can't look an OAC or North region team past Mt. Union. It's the worst knee jerk reaction.

I love that you're bemoaning someone getting in your face over your opinion and feeling belittled by what he said.

And in the same post, you're doing essentially the same thing to me! I do not think Mount is the only worthy team from the North region (NB: I've actually played and coached against some pretty good ones). Nor do I think JCU is in any way, shape or form a garbage team. I'm just not convinced they are anywhere near Mount's level. Hence, my doubts about Heidelberg's quality as a team. When a team gets plastered by Mount, I don't take it to mean they're sub-par. I've seen and been associated with some very good (Top 10 caliber) D3 teams that got plastered by Mount. But show me the history of very good D3 teams that have gotten plastered by JCU. And then show me the evidence for why we should consider them very good.

Since your JCU 2014 > 2013 comment was directed at me, am I right to assume you are also directing the italicized at me as well (you seem to clearly imply a connection). I didn't realize not considering JCU elite until they make some noise outside of the OAC and in the playoffs means I'm ignorant of things concerning the north region. I'll try to refrain from my uniformed, knee jerk reactions in the future 

Wait just a minute sir!

All I said was:

"JCU 2014 > JCU 2013" - I think this club is better than last year. Same way I think this year's teams at Wabash, Hiram and DPU are better. I think Denison's better. No whoopde - no judgement. It wasn't directed at anyone, much less you, since a couple people had commented.  I didn't even know who replied, So hold your horses there.

Just stating that applying any judgement on JCU 2014 based on the SJF game from last year is hasty because I think it's better. That's all!

And in general, people look down a bit at some teams in the North and the rest of the OAC because they're not at Mt. Union's level. They get forgotten in the purple haze.

History is only as good as this year. I really could not care about how JCU in 2004 played, or 2012 when discussing this year. This year is the relevant one, so the history book thing is meaningless.

I also don't have Heidelberg in my Top 25. They're good, not great. We've had quite the row about 'Berg in the North Region. I think they're among the Top 10 in the region, because there are some shaky teams there that should be better, I can't trust the MIAA and they're definitely #3 in the OAC.

The BEEF was that he was stating we shouldn't have opinions on teams outside of our tiny little narrow box. THAT"S the issue. That's what I have a HUGE problem with because no one should be shut off from opining on the D3 universe. My opinions have been called all kinds of things - but I've rarely been told I'm not qualified to have them because I don't meet some random janky criteria.

Yeesh....one small comment and people get all twisty.

[smedindy]

I'm in. I had to jigsaw this one together...

[Mr. Ypsi]

It blows me away that one voter thinks Heidelberg is the 16th best team in D3.  They aren't.  They'd fold like a freshly laundered shirt against any team in the top 25.

It blows me away that SJU is ahead of Concordia, and that someone has SJU outside their Top 25.

Then again, maybe the guy who has Heidelberg at 16 forgot to rank SJU 

Seriously though, thanks for doing this each week guys. Wish I had the time to do it this year.

Nope.  I'm the guy with Heidi at #16; I had SJU at #18.

I don't know if Heidi is worthy of #16, but they are DESTROYING everyone who isn't JCU or UMU.

And getting DESTROYED by everyone who IS. That's the point.

If not getting embarassed by UMU and JCU is a requirement to be top 25, I fear the top 25 will become the top 12!

You cannot equate UMU and JCU.  It's not credible.

I was not equating UMU and JCU, just noting that either one could beat many (most?) top 25 teams by huge margins.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I sent in my ballot yesterday.  Dropped Linfield from 5 to 9, and dropped HSC, UWSP and Concordia-Moorhead out completely, replacing them with Washington & Jefferson, Ithaca, and Franklin.  If more teams fall out in coming weeks, I'm in trouble - I'm running low on credible backups!

IWU showed that Franklin did not take a bad loss to them IF they are not playing their #4 qb!  Jack Warner came back from mono yesterday and, after falling behind 21-0 in the first quarter while Jack shook off the rust, they only trailed NCC by a single TD after three quarters.  2014 will forever be known to Titan fans as the year that mono wrecked a promising season.

[bashgiant]

I know zero about the teams Linfield has played but none of them are in the top 25. Were they ranked so high through week 8 based on what they did last year? Or are the teams they have played this year decent but not good enough to crack the top 25?

[dahlby]

bashgiant:
Linfield played down at Chapman in the first game of the year and won 21-14. Chapman is currently ranked in the D 3 rankings.

[wally_wabash]

I know zero about the teams Linfield has played but none of them are in the top 25. Were they ranked so high through week 8 based on what they did last year? Or are the teams they have played this year decent but not good enough to crack the top 25?

Linfield is ranked where they are because they are traditionally pretty awesome.  Linfield is the last team not named Whitewater or Mount Union to win a Stagg Bowl.  They had a few 6-3 years in there, but since 2008, Linfield makes the tournament and they're only getting knocked out by the best.  Whitewater a few times, St. Thomas, at Wesley once.  Linfield is legit. 

I assume Linfield will beat Pacific and still win the NWC, but the really interesting thing about taking that loss is that it might put Linfield on the road this year instead of teams traveling out to Oregon for the first couple of weeks of the tournament (at least).  Some people sort of bemoaned a four team pod that included Linfield, UMHB, the SCIAC champ and some random fourth team, with what we assume would feed into a Linfield @ UMHB game in the second round.  Linfield losing could make that kind of pod sensible with respect to seeding.

[bashgiant]

bashgiant:
Linfield played down at Chapman in the first game of the year and won 21-14. Chapman is currently ranked in the D 3 rankings.

You are correct sir. My apologies.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Linfield also beat Pac Lu, which was previously ranked.