FanLax Forum Poll

[Matnum PI]

The final FanLax Forum Poll of the 2020 season is due at midnight. Per usual, it will be posted on Tuesday.

[seacoaster]

This will be mine:

1. UNC
2. Loyola
3. Syracuse
4. UND
5. NU
6. Dartmouth
7. Penn
8. SBU
9. Maryland
10. USC
11. JMU
12. Florida
13. Richmond
14. Princeton
15. Duke
16. Michigan
17. Denver
18. UVA
19. VT
20. PSU

You know, the reality is we didn't have enough games to really make a determination, but I think this ranking is where things were headed. I think the national semifinal game between Loyola and Syracuse -- a rematch of the Cuse's regular season W, smudging the Houndettes' perfect season -- would have been a freaking wildass score-festival with Loyola winning. As to my theoretical final -- UNC v. Loyola -- I gotta say that I thought UNC's defense left a lot to be desired against Northwestern, and think Loyola would have had a shot.

Hope everyone stays well, stays patient, and supports and cares for the people you need to support. It's going to be a long and psychologically difficult few months at least.

[Dr. Tact]

Here was mine:

1. UNC
2. Loyola
3. Syracuse
4. ND
5. NU
6. USC
7. Dartmouth
8. Penn
9. Florida
10. SBU
11. JMU
12. Richmond
13. Duke
14. Princeton
15. UMD
16. UVA
17. Penn State
18. Michigan
19. UMass
20. Boston College

[wlaxnut]

Think the national polls will release finals today?

Guess not. They’ll all wait till preseason.

[wlaxnut]

There are some positions that will go against the final national polls here but I looked at the season as it was, not what it could have been. I looked at the strength of the big wins against good teams more so than the good losses although they were factored in to a degree. I also used the eyeball test. How did they look when I saw them play.

1 - UNC (7-0)
2 - Syracuse (7-1)
3 - Loyola (5-0)
4 - Notre Dame (7-0)
5 - Northwestern (4-3)
6 - Dartmouth (5-0)
7 - Florida (6-2)
8 - Stony Brook (4-1)
9 - USC (6-0)
10 - JMU (5-1)
11 - Duke (6-3)
12 - Penn (4-1)
13 - Princeton (3-2)
14 - Richmond (7-0)
15 - Maryland (3-3)
16 - Denver (7-1)
17 - Virginia (5-3)
18 - VT (7-3)
19 - Michigan (5-1)
20 - JHU (4-3)
21 - BC (4-3)
22 - Hofstra (4-3)
23 - Penn St (5-2)
24 - UMass (4-1)
25 - Navy (2-4)

Out:

High Point (1-4)
Rutgers (5-4)
Georgetown (4-3)
Louisville (5-4)
Vanderbilt (4-5)

I had Syracuse above Loyola because I thought they had better wins. They won at NU, at Maryland and vs VT. Their only loss was a good one to Stony Brook. Loyola had some good wins too - JHU, at Florida, at Penn but the Hounds didn't play as many good teams the way Syracuse did.

[Matnum PI]

FanLax’s D1 Women Forum Polls (Mar. 16, 2020 – FINAL*)

[Matnum PI]

It pains me to look at this. I so wish 2020 could've happened...

[seacoaster]

It pains me to look at this. I so wish 2020 could've happened...

Yup. I began the season thinking that UNC would simply run through everyone with ease. But the first five or seven weekends of the year made it clear that this was -- or would have been -- a year to remember. Think of the Loyola-Cuse regular season game, the Dartmouth-Penn game(s), the UNC vs. Syracuse and UNC vs. Notre Dame, the Catholics vs. the Orange, Richmond vs. UMass. God, the ACC tournament alone would have been remarkable.

Just wanted to note something. You'll see I have Maryland at No. 9. I think the Terps' trajectory was headed upward. The pulverizing of Navy and the win over a good spirited Hofstra team were suggestive to me that the Terps were going to keep getting better.

[Matnum PI]

Of course they were. The story would've included "Will they make the Tournament?" and then winning the B1G or somehow getting in and then making a run of some sort or even losing relatively early to a good team but showing that they're a really good team that had a rough start to the season and... Now this is all conjecture.

[Dr. Tact]

Of course they were. The story would've included "Will they make the Tournament?" and then winning the B1G or somehow getting in and then making a run of some sort or even losing relatively early to a good team but showing that they're a really good team that had a rough start to the season and... Now this is all conjecture.

I agree with both of you. I think Cathy was playing a game with all her competitors. Put them to sleep and then pounce

[Lax247]

I know this will bring a lot of negative reactions but with the season being cancelled Maryland will begin next year as the reigning champions. My prediction if he season played out would be a final of UNC vs Loyola with Loyola winning. Maryland would probably have made the playoffs and bowed out in the quarter finals but we'll never know. Hopefully many of the great senior players from all teams find. Amy to return and the Ivy League allows 5th year players. Very disappointed to see the season end this way but agree with the decision as far as safety.

You’re absolutely right. I wouldn’t understand why anybody would have a negative reaction. They are still the reigning champions as no one has dethroned them.

Last year Maryland got pre season #1 because that’s how they ended. This year it’s ended with UNC . I believe next season the preseason #1 would therefore be UNC

https://www.iwlca.org/news_article/show ... aches-poll

[Matnum PI]

[Dr. Tact]

I know this will bring a lot of negative reactions but with the season being cancelled Maryland will begin next year as the reigning champions. My prediction if he season played out would be a final of UNC vs Loyola with Loyola winning. Maryland would probably have made the playoffs and bowed out in the quarter finals but we'll never know. Hopefully many of the great senior players from all teams find. Amy to return and the Ivy League allows 5th year players. Very disappointed to see the season end this way but agree with the decision as far as safety.

You’re absolutely right. I wouldn’t understand why anybody would have a negative reaction. They are still the reigning champions as no one has dethroned them.

Last year Maryland got pre season #1 because that’s how they ended. This year it’s ended with UNC . I believe next season the preseason #1 would therefore be UNC

https://www.iwlca.org/news_article/show ... aches-poll

Polls are polls. Championships are championships. Practically at the end of a season after the Championships, they usually align.

Maryland finished #1 last year in the poll and then were selected this year's preseason #1. They also are the reigning champions...

UNC just finished #1 this year in the poll and likely will be selected #1 in next years preseason. They are not the reigning champions, that is still Maryland.

so, Maryland should not be preseason #1 even though they still are reigning champions.

[seacoaster]

I assume this was the final poll of the year? So Dartmouth puts the absolute whoop-ass hurt on Florida, and remains in back of Florida in the poll? Sure. Who did USC beat to merit No. 7?

I rewatched the Penn-Loyola game on ESPN+ last night. You could just cry watching it, the play is so freaking good on both ends.

[wlaxnut]

FanLax’s D1 Women Forum Polls (Mar. 16, 2020 – FINAL*)

Wait a second, am I to believe that the FanLax Computer has influence in the FanLax Forum Poll? I don't know why this didn't register before. How else would San Diego State end up in the year end?? San Diego State! I thought being able to look at the computers poll was something of a novelty. Just to see what the latest goofy mishap was with the working equation this week. I didn't know the daggone thing had a vote. My vote is icksnay.

[FanLax Computer]

I will delete you.

[Matnum PI]

I rewatched the Penn-Loyola game on ESPN+ last night. You could just cry watching it, the play is so freaking good on both ends.

[Laxfan500]

Interesting Duke finished 18th and BC finished 19th in polls. Duke also finished with better win percentage than BC.
Was looking forward to that game Saturday.

[Matnum PI]

My calendar is killing me. Littered with all the great lacrosse (and soccer) games i was going to watch this spring, each better than the next, and now I turn the page each day and it just tortures me. All of these would've been on Saturday:

Florida #5 vs #1 North Carolina
Johns Hopkins #19 vs #11 Northwestern
Penn St. #17 vs #13 Virginia

[Matnum PI]

Wait a second, am I to believe that the FanLax Computer has influence in the FanLax Forum Poll?... My vote is icksnay.

I had the same question, especially early on in the season, and... I think your idea is a good one. Include FanLax Computer in the listings but don't include him in the "Forum Poll". 2021.