FB: Region 4 fan poll

[wally_wabash]

Not everybody has Franklin over IWU, but most do.  I'm one of them.  I struggled with that choice, but the Artie Checchin situation has to change the way you look at IWU, I think.  It definitely does for me. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Not everybody has Franklin over IWU, but most do.  I'm one of them.  I struggled with that choice, but the Artie Checchin situation has to change the way you look at IWU, I think.  It definitely does for me.

Let's not jump the gun.  While it didn't look good for Artie (truly a shame if it IS season-ending, since that would also be career-ending), I've heard nothing for sure just yet.  To write off IWU because of one (unconfirmed) injury would be like writing off Mt. Union the season Nate Kmic suddenly became the starter due to injury and had approximately a gazillion yards rushing in the playoffs!  (And no, I not comparing either Checchin to Kmic or IWU to The Mount, but you get the idea. )

I'm not selling out on IWU until (God forbid) Checchin can't go on Saturday and Wheaton absolutely demolishes them.  With or without Artie, if they can play Wheaton close (with their defense, I'm hopeful) or somehow even manage a win, they will not fall (at least not far) on my ballot, and will remain above the team they beat by 10 on the opponent's home field.

And unless I run out of alternatives, RHIT will still not be on my ballot!

[wally_wabash]

I'm going by what you guys are talking about on the CCIW board.  You guys generally don't peddle wolf tickets on this sort of stuff, so if it's out there there's a more than reasonable chance it is legit.  If Checchin goes this weekend and/or IWU shows out well, I'll readjust the IWU/Franklin thing.   

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'm going by what you guys are talking about on the CCIW board.  You guys generally don't peddle wolf tickets on this sort of stuff, so if it's out there there's a more than reasonable chance it is legit.  If Checchin goes this weekend and/or IWU shows out well, I'll readjust the IWU/Franklin thing.   

Fair enough.  I really fear that Artie is kaput; I just don't like projecting disasters that haven't yet been confirmed.  And, while I doubt it, who knows but what we might have at least a Kmic-Lite lurking in the shadows!

[wally_wabash]

And just for full disclosure, I'm a 6 on IWU.  I didn't bus them all the way down to 10 on the injury news. 

[Dr. Acula]

I thought this was a hard week.  I went 4) NCC, 5) IWU, 6) Grizz.

I thought dropping Olivet completely out may be unpopular, but it looks like most were thinking the same thing.

[Li'l Giant]

don't you pretty much have to stick to Wheaton > North Central > IWU > Franklin when rating those teams vs. one another?

Franklin's loss 8 weeks ago to a regionally ranked team is a permanent anchor but even *before* NCC beat IWU we were being told not to hold their losses against them?

Why do we even bother voting if all we "have to" do is slot them?

Not everybody has Franklin over IWU, but most do.  I'm one of them.  I struggled with that choice, but the Artie Checchin situation has to change the way you look at IWU, I think.  It definitely does for me. 

This influenced my vote as well.

[USee]

I had IWU ahead of Franklin as well.

[USee]

Here is Head Coach Norm Eash quoted in the paper after the NCC game on Checchin

He's our leader," said IWU coach Norm Eash of Checchin. "I thought we closed the gap and got it within eight points. It's probably going to be an injury that keeps him out the rest of the year

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

As far as the IWU-Franklin issue... don't look at me. My ballot was Mount, Wabash, Wheaton, NCC, IWU, Franklin, Witt, Albion, Olivet, Rose.
All I know about IWU is that they're currently 7-1 and beat Franklin. Maybe they fall apart the rest of the season with the injury but until they do I'm ranking them based on what they've done so far.

[Captain_Joe08]

My Ballot


1. Mount Union
2. Wheaton
3. Wabash
4. Franklin
5. North Central
6. Wittenberg
7. Illinois Wesleyan
8. DePauw
9. Albion
10. Rose-Hulman

It was a jumbled mess after #3 for me. I could not push myself to put North Central team at #4 (with three losses to very strong competition). IWU has to face Wheaton yet so let's see where the injury to Checchin affects them. The bigger issue is how the MIAA is going to sort out with a three way tie between Trine, Olivet, and Albion.

[ncc_fan]

If the regional committee agrees with the voters on this board and we accept the common wisdom that NCC has no chance at Pool C, then North Central is going to block all the Pool C candidates in the North. 

[wabndy]

If the regional committee agrees with the voters on this board and we accept the common wisdom that NCC has no chance at Pool C, then North Central is going to block all the Pool C candidates in the North.

Apparently most of the fan voters here are basically discounting past victories this season because the quarterback wide receiver that lead their team to those victories is probably not going to be available for the season.  Nothing wrong with that - its a fan poll.  If so - then they aren't applying the same criteria that the RAC will be applying and these results will look nothing like what the RAC comes out with this afternoon.

[wally_wabash]

If the regional committee agrees with the voters on this board and we accept the common wisdom that NCC has no chance at Pool C, then North Central is going to block all the Pool C candidates in the North.

Apparently most of the fan voters here are basically discounting past victories this season because the quarterback that lead their team to those victories is probably not going to be available for the season.  Nothing wrong with that - its a fan poll.  If so - then they aren't applying the same criteria that the RAC will be applying and these results will look nothing like what the RAC comes out with this afternoon.

I'm confused-  which quarterback are we talking about?   

I don't think that the regional rankings will look like our poll.  My guess is that North Central checks in at 9 or 10.  Maybe 8.  They probably shouldn't be higher than that.  I also don't think North Central will be blocking anybody.  If the committee decides that North Central is the best non-league champion in the North, then the North has more or less blocked itself,   which may well happen if Wheaton beats IWU on Saturday. 

[wabndy]

I'm confused-  which quarterback are we talking about?   

My mistake.  Quarterback Wide Receiver.