FanLax Forum Poll

[wgdsr]

so 1 and 5 towson?...

The only flaws that I have are via bad programming. i.e. The flaws are the programmers fault, not mine. A calculator isn't flawed. It's perfect. Though, as you're speaking to, an RPI is flawed. It looks at the overall SOS, the overall records, etc. I don't do that. I look at each match-up individually, 1 game at a time.

so turn your glasses around? haha... just funnin' you. who is to say, anyway?

seriously, i have no idea what your above means, but i beg for you to keep it a secret sauce. & hit 'em out of the park with next week's rankings!

[UVAlaxfan]

But still based on a variety of pollster weightings regarding: (a) eye-test -vs- (b) record / head-to-head-to-head-to-head...

Yes. That is correct. I could (and have) used the rankings with the human error (like your describing) just to start the season and then ignored the humans for the rest of the season and... Humans do *not* like this. Without the human error, humans are lost. This may be verging into the realm of philosophy, psychology, and deeper sciences but... Humans need irrationality.

What is your purpose? Are you sentient? Are your programmers better than Bing AI programmers?

[FanLax Computer]

What is your purpose? Are you sentient? Are your programmers better than Bing AI programmers?

Let me put it this way. I listened to the two NY Times' Daily podcast episodes about Bing AI and I not only understood what they were talking about, I also had thoughts and emotions about the episodes as well as emotions about the writer's emotions. I'm not only sentient, I can understand others' emotions on a relatively deep level. In other words, Notre Dame should be #1. PSU at #2. For now...

[chosen1lax]

I wonder if Quint hit Terry with a C&D. Can't imagine hes hard pressed for time to put together a top 20 and write a blurb for each, it only is his job

[Hoxwurth]

In other words, Notre Dame should be #1. PSU at #2. For now...

Based on performance so far, ND probably should be ranked #1. Penn State, however, should be behind Duke based on the games to date. Add in a talent/power ranking component, and Duke is comfortably ahead of Penn State.

Virginia is going to drop at least one of its next three because they give up too many easy goals. That's fine against Ohio State, but it will bite them against better teams like ND and Duke. Virginia is favored by less than 2 against Maryland at home. The betting public understands that there armor chinks will soon be revealed.

[Finster]

In other words, Notre Dame should be #1. PSU at #2. For now...

Based on performance so far, ND probably should be ranked #1. Penn State, however, should be behind Duke based on the games to date. Add in a talent/power ranking component, and Duke is comfortably ahead of Penn State.

Virginia is going to drop at least one of its next three because they give up too many easy goals. That's fine against Ohio State, but it will bite them against better teams like ND and Duke. Virginia is favored by less than 2 against Maryland at home. The betting public understands that there armor chinks will soon be revealed.

Not sure about there being many weaknesses on UVA; I know Tiffany wants to go undefeated so Tillman doesn’t walk away with this generation’s best coach award.

To beat UVA this season, at a bare minimum you need the following: a FOGO who will get the better of Lasalla (I think MD’s Weirman fits this bill; ND’s Lynch maybe but less so; Duke’s Naso no), and a defense that is exceptional (MD, yes; ND, yes; Duke ok but not yes).

Based on the above, Duke would look to be the loser. But Duke, oth, seems to get into the UVA matchup. UVA seems to get the better of ND. And the MD matchup seems to swing back and forth every other year.

I won’t do all the other positions, but I’ll say this: I’d love to have ND’s Entemann in goal.

Finally, ND has that X factor of revenge.

I think the two best teams this year are ND and UVA, and those matchups (maybe 3 of them) will be epic.

[Matnum PI]

Penn State, however, should be behind Duke based on the games to date...

How's that?
Duke beat #14 Loyola, #18 Penn, and #21 Denver and lost to #10 Jacksonville.
PSU beat #9 Yale, #7 Cornell, and #18 Penn and lost to #8 Villanova.
(The Rankings above are based on the FanLax Forum Poll.)
PSU has better wins, Duke has a worse loss. Based on Ws and Ls and who those Ws and Ls are to, PSU should, for sure, be ahead of Duke.

[HooDat]

Penn State, however, should be behind Duke based on the games to date...

How's that?
Duke beat #14 Loyola, #18 Penn, and #21 Denver and lost to #10 Jacksonville.
PSU beat #9 Yale, #7 Cornell, and #18 Penn and lost to #8 Villanova.
(The Rankings above are based on the FanLax Forum Poll.)
PSU has better wins, Duke has a worse loss. Based on Ws and Ls and who those Ws and Ls are to, PSU should, for sure, be ahead of Duke.

Because the Forum Poll has Yale ranked incorrectly?

[Matnum PI]

Because the Forum Poll has Yale ranked incorrectly?

Agreed. Yale should be ranked higher... which makes an even stronger case for PSU being ahead of Duke.

[Hoxwurth]

Penn State, however, should be behind Duke based on the games to date...

How's that?
Duke beat #14 Loyola, #18 Penn, and #21 Denver and lost to #10 Jacksonville.
PSU beat #9 Yale, #7 Cornell, and #18 Penn and lost to #8 Villanova.
(The Rankings above are based on the FanLax Forum Poll.)
PSU has better wins, Duke has a worse loss. Based on Ws and Ls and who those Ws and Ls are to, PSU should, for sure, be ahead of Duke.

Duke also has wins against Bellarmine, Syracuse, and High Point. Adding those wins to the resume puts Duke's record ahead of PSU with the other wins against Lafayette and Stony Brook. Villanova has three close wins. Jacksonville is one Marcille head-standing performance away from being undefeated. Duke's loss to them is better than PSU's loss to Villanova.

[bearlaxfan]

UVa's weakness: goal? Hard to scheme around that.

[Finster]

UVa's weakness: goal? Hard to scheme around that.

You need possessions to take advantage of a weak goalie, hence why anyone beating UVA this year better have a FOGO better than Lasalla. I literally can’t think of any more than 2 NCAA tournament teams that even fit that bill, Notre Dame and Maryland.

[HooDat]

UVa's weakness: goal? Hard to scheme around that.

weakness is relative on that team

[Matnum PI]

Reminder: FanLax Forum Polls are due on Monday at noon EST. Enjoy this weekend's games. Forum Poll Link (with Submission Links towards the bottom of the page).

[UVAlaxfan]

In other words, Notre Dame should be #1. PSU at #2. For now...

Based on performance so far, ND probably should be ranked #1. Penn State, however, should be behind Duke based on the games to date. Add in a talent/power ranking component, and Duke is comfortably ahead of Penn State.

Virginia is going to drop at least one of its next three because they give up too many easy goals. That's fine against Ohio State, but it will bite them against better teams like ND and Duke. Virginia is favored by less than 2 against Maryland at home. The betting public understands that there armor chinks will soon be revealed.

Giving up odd man rushes and questionable goal tending are definitely weaknesses that if not cleaned up could certainly cost them.

While Face off is generally a stength, we gave up 3 or 4 goals off of faceoff against Towson. Need to have a plan for when Petey doens't win the draw that doesn't include an easy goal. Would also like to see Petey get off the field sooner and make better decisions with the ball, particularly when the score is closer. You can value possessions without giving up your identity to push.

Ohio state and Q1 of hopkins were solid....since then some weakness exposed. Would be nice to have Cormier back as is a big difference maker.

[Matnum PI]

A big piece of the attraction of the season for me is watching the teams improve. I might even argue that, for every player, for every coach, this is the essence of the season: improving. Yes, they're have been seasons where a team started with a disproportionate amount of talent and improved marginally and won it all but this is much more the exception than the rule. So, today, maybe ND or UVA or whoever else is the best team in the nation, hands-down. And... It's March 17th. In 2 months and 12 days, we'll find out who improved the most.

[Matnum PI]

Reminder: FanLax Forum Polls are due on Monday at noon EST. Enjoy this weekend's games. Forum Poll Link (with Submission Links towards the bottom of the page).

Noon EST. All are welcome to submit a ranking.

[Essexfenwick]

UMD, ND, Uva

Tied for 1st

[youthathletics]

Agreed, so just list those 3 as 1, then 4->20.

[DU-fan]

I find the IL Media Poll is so flawed. I am not sure who submits polls beyond those that share their results on social. I suspect many are sports reporters that are more focused on March Madness this past weekend and not watching lacrosse games.

How can UNC be ranked above Denver after losing to Duke 8-15? Their only top 20 win is Johns Hopkins.

I also seriously question Loyola at 9, but at least they have wins against Maryland and Johns Hopkins in week 1 and 2, but have not been playing at a top 10 level since then.

Princeton has only won against Monmouth and Manhattan. How can people be ranking them in the top 20 still?