Mike and Luiz have already touched on the reason for why UMass-Lowell,
despite receiving two first-place votes, was not in the top 15 this week.
Just to make it official, here's an excerpt from the HOCKEY-L poll instruc-
tions, posted at the beginning of the season:
 
>However, please remember that this is not a popularity contest, and I will
>not count any responses that appear to be frivolous (listing teams with 1-8
>records and the like).  In voting, try to consider teams outside of the
>conference(s) you usually follow.  Don't forget that HOCKEY-L can provide a
>lot of information on how teams you are not very familiar with are doing.
 
Now, call me judgmental, but in compiling the poll, I have a difficult time
seeing the merit of a vote that places 18-16-1 UMass-Lowell at the top over
teams like Maine, Michigan, Miami, Boston University, Minnesota-Duluth...
the list goes on.  To me, such a vote is not a well-thought-out response to
the question, "What are the fifteen *best* hockey teams in Division I right
now?" (which is what the HOCKEY-L poll is).  And that is why those two votes
were not included in this week's poll.
 
By and large, the voting for the HOCKEY-L poll has been done very well.
Only a very few of the responses I've received over the season have been
discarded.
 
If there are any other questions or concerns about the HOCKEY-L poll, please
feel free to contact me through E-mail.
--
Bill Fenwick                        |  Send your HOCKEY-L poll responses to:
Cornell '86 and probably '94        |  [log in to unmask]
LET'S GO RED!!
"There is no use saying that honesty is the best policy to someone who has
 charmingly admitted, 'I know I know you, but I just can't quite place you,'
 if the reply is 'I was your first husband.'"
-- Miss Manners (Judith Martin)