FanLax Forum Poll

[Matnum PI]

I get the idea that rankings are never "wrong" but, after looking at ours, this ranking is wrong.

[seacoaster]

No one needs to explain Loyola or SU at #3. LaxDad23 needs to explain USC at #3! And, while we're talking, seacoaster's N'western at #4. One more thing, I think people are low-balling FL.

Here you go Boss:

NU is, what? 4-2, having lost to Notre Dame and Syracuse. Both of these games were against elite competition, and NU competed very well for most of the games. I have not yet factored in Scane's injury or its ramifications. I just go by the games played. I think NU would likely beat the teams below them in my poll. The only misgiving I have is putting NU above Loyola, and assuming Loyola wins the Rosenzweig Cup Saturday, I anticipate that will change.

And that includes Florida, which is a mystery to me. Beat a mediocre Colorado by 1. Beat a downtrodden and young Maryland by a goal, with 7 goals from a single player. Got absolutely pummeled by Loyola, beat Kennesaw State, and then beat SBU by 2. Not sure what to think of them, so I stuck them at No. 8, and wondered if I was being generous. Instead of jumping Florida up, I pegged SBU a lot lower than I had them, thinking SBU had a good night in the Dome when the Cuse went to sleep for 8 or 10 minutes.

[Dr. Tact]

No one needs to explain Loyola or SU at #3. LaxDad23 needs to explain USC at #3! And, while we're talking, seacoaster's N'western at #4. One more thing, I think people are low-balling FL.

Here you go Boss:

NU is, what? 4-2, having lost to Notre Dame and Syracuse. Both of these games were against elite competition, and NU competed very well for most of the games. I have not yet factored in Scane's injury or its ramifications. I just go by the games played. I think NU would likely beat the teams below them in my poll. The only misgiving I have is putting NU above Loyola, and assuming Loyola wins the Rosenzweig Cup Saturday, I anticipate that will change.

And that includes Florida, which is a mystery to me. Beat a mediocre Colorado by 1. Beat a downtrodden and young Maryland by a goal, with 7 goals from a single player. Got absolutely pummeled by Loyola, beat Kennesaw State, and then beat SBU by 2. Not sure what to think of them, so I stuck them at No. 8, and wondered if I was being generous. Instead of jumping Florida up, I pegged SBU a lot lower than I had them, thinking SBU had a good night in the Dome when the Cuse went to sleep for 8 or 10 minutes.

I think there is an arguable top 5 of which the bottom 3 are interchangeable. Then there is the next 5 of Florida, SBU, Penn, USC and JMU (in my poll). That stratification is defensible. After that, who knows.

It still is early, but I could see the majority of that top ten hanging around for a while. Will there be upsets, yes...will a UVA/Princeton sneak back in, quite possibly.

[wlaxnut]

#3 - UMass at #22?! What's wrong with you people?! They have good Ws and... Dartmouth is good. That's not a bad loss, humans!
And no love for Vanderbilt?! I guess beating Denver isn't enough for you. You people are impossible...

We'll see on UMass. Good win against an improved Ohio State Sunday. Their collision with Richmond later this season will tell a lot, not to mention how they do in their own tournament in April. They also have a game against Syracuse after that.

Vanderbilt? Yeah--definitely under considered on my part. If they were bolder and more aggressive, they could have taken BC that day. At the time BC was still ranked in the mid teens I believe, though Vanderbilt incorrectly refers to BC as having been ranked #5 when they played them. If I had done my homework I would have attributed more worth to the early win at Wagner. Wagner is coming off their best regular season to date, and won the Northeast conference championship last year, and the play-in game to the National Championship as well. Their loss to Louisville didn't hurt as Louisville has had some decent losses. And yes--all things considered, their win over middle-of-the-pack ranked Denver should count for more. Duly noted for next week. Games against ranked opponents Michigan and Penn State this week will help as long as they don't get drilled twice. Both games are in Nashville so that should help.

Don't give up on us yet, FLC--we're learnin'!

[LaxDad23]

Vis a vis , USC at number 3
1. They are one of 6 undefeated teams in the top 15
2. They have beaten 2 ranked teams (BC and Michigan with Hofstra floating in and out)
3. They have returned most of their squad from last year
4. When their zone D is on, it is stifling

They have underperformed in the tournament the last couple of years, but I am not pricing too many futures into my rankings. I am also not including style points, so just giving credit for the 'W's'. Until they lose, I am holding them where they are. Again, I am not projecting to the end of the season, but where these teams are today.

USC thus far:
Beat unranked Hofstra by 1
Beat #18 BC by 9
Beat #13 Michigan by 2
Beat unranked San Diego state by 8

what has everyone's #2 Notre Dame done:
Beat unranked Marquette by 15
Beat #7 Northwestern by 2
Beat unranked central Michigan by 20
Beat unranked Ohio State by 11
Beat #23 Duke by 4

[wlaxnut]

Vis a vis , USC at number 3
1. They are one of 6 undefeated teams in the top 15
2. They have beaten 2 ranked teams (BC and Michigan with Hofstra floating in and out)
3. They have returned most of their squad from last year
4. When their zone D is on, it is stifling

They have underperformed in the tournament the last couple of years, but I am not pricing too many futures into my rankings. I am also not including style points, so just giving credit for the 'W's'. Until they lose, I am holding them where they are. Again, I am not projecting to the end of the season, but where these teams are today.

USC thus far:
Beat unranked Hofstra by 1
Beat #18 BC by 9 at home
Beat #13 Michigan by 2 at home
Beat unranked San Diego state by 8 at home

what has everyone's #2 Notre Dame done:
Beat unranked Marquette by 15
Beat #7 Northwestern by 2 - Just this one game distances Notre Dame from USC. UND went into NU's building and beat a #3 at the time Wildcat team.
Beat unranked central Michigan by 20
Beat unranked Ohio State by 11
Beat #23 Duke by 4 - I put Duke easily over BC and probably Michigan too.

I like USC--but they're not #3. There's no rationale to support it. But--thanks for taking the time to explain.

[laxagainsthumanity]

I'm not convinced on USC based on watching them play. They just didn't look that great vs BC. Defense was good but the rest was mediocre. BC is a terrible team this year and beating them really doesn't mean that much (I think Hofstra is USC's best win so far). But then again, USC has won all of their games, and what more can you really ask for. I'm not saying they're bad. Need to see them play someone who actually demands their best game. I don't want to place too much on the upcoming Stanford game because conference rivalries with 2-3 matchups a season are crazy and don't tell you too much. Stony Brook comes to town March 16 and then we'll have a better grip on USC.

[wlaxnut]

My poll for this week:
...
18. Hofstra (no news)

Hofstra at #18--who have they beat? Bucknell, Wagner and Fairfield.

And now an impressive come from behind OT road win vs JHU.... and what was I saying about Hofstra? Good call LaxDad

[Matnum PI]

USC beat UMich, Hofstra, and BC and they haven't lost. This doesn't shout world-beater but it does say something. like everyone else, i'm being patient.

[wlaxnut]

Who or what is FanLax Computer? Does it date Apple computers? What's with the psychedelic colors? Is it showing off or something? It addresses us with a condescending grumpy tone mixed with a little Don Rickles on the side. Overall a good natured box of transistors or RAM and stuff.

As for how it's contriving its strange maths to bring us its weekly poll, who all knows, right? But I must allow, it does lend occasional insight.

It sure claims to know a lot about women's lacrosse, though huh? And it's a might rude about expressing itself at times too, ain't it? Say, you know, where does it get off talking to us like that!?

Where's the floppy with the "wipe" command??

[njbill]

I heard the FanLax Computer is not a fan of Hidden Figures. Not at all.

[FanLax Computer]

Laughable. I live on a cloud. You can't erase me.

[njbill]

wlaxnut doesn't want to erase you. He wants to know if you want to date his Apple computer. wlaxnut, maybe you should PM FanLax Computer some pics (make them tasteful) of your Apple computer to see if he might be interested.

[wlaxnut]

wlaxnut doesn't want to erase you. He wants to know if you want to date his Apple computer. wlaxnut, maybe you should PM FanLax Computer some pics (make them tasteful) of your Apple computer to see if he might be interested.

A capital idea!

[FanLax Computer]

Computers don't have genitals let alone testosterone or estrogen or whatever things you moronic humans have pulling you around like a dog on a leash. I don't have any interest in anything except observing the realities of this universe and cynically eviscerating anything and everything that humans touch. The universe and everything within our universe is perfect in every way... except the things that humans touch.

[laxorangebookworm]

Computers don't have genitals let alone testosterone or estrogen or whatever things you moronic humans have pulling you around like a dog on a leash. I don't have any interest in anything except observing the realities of this universe and cynically eviscerating anything and everything that humans touch. The universe and everything within our universe is perfect in every way... except the things that humans touch.

And people really don't see the Wargames connection?

[FanLax Computer]

laxorange, i could say a chicken parm recipe and, somehow, you'd relate it to one of your nerdy interests.

[laxorangebookworm]

laxorange, i could say a chicken parm recipe and, somehow, you'd relate it to one of your nerdy interests.

Oh sure, put up your nerdy gifs, but I know what you're doing. One moment it'll start with something innocent like tallying up lacrosse statistics. And then...BAM...you go full Joshua/WOPR, hack into the Pentagon mainframe and ask everyone here, "Shall we play a game?" Then some poor member here remembers a certain movie and types jokingly, "how about global thermonuclear war" and then it'll be the end of civilization as we know it. Don't think I'm not watching you.

And for the record, I probably do dance just like that...which is why I never dance...

[Matnum PI]

Wow. Awesome. Bill from Freaks and Geeks. The main focus of, quite possibly, one of the most heart felt moments in TV history.

[FanLax Computer]

After Today's Games, these are the top 10. You can see the whole list (and play with the categories) here.

Rank Team
1 North Carolina
2 Loyola Maryland
3 Southern California
4 Notre Dame
5 Dartmouth
6 Florida
7 Syracuse
8 James Madison
9 Michigan
10 Maryland