Brian writes:
>Clarkson defeated AUAA second-place team Concordia, 8-1 and
>#4 (or 5 depending on who you believe) New Hampshire, 5-4 and still
>dropped one spot in the radio station poll that was posted, to
>Minnesota. UMinn played North Dakota (a 7-5 team before playing
>UM) while one of Clarkson's opponents was 8-1 coming in.
>I realize that Clarkson played not too well against UNH but they
>must be pretty good if they can be outshot 55-19 by the #4 team in
>the nation AND STILL MANAGE TO WIN. That is fairly impressive.
 
Again, you are falling into the same trap as many of the pollsters who just
look at the results of games.  I see no problem with Clarkson dropping a
spot.  I am actually impressed with the outcome of this week's poll.  I've
had Clarkson 4th for several weeks now.
 
1. Concordia may be the 2nd place team in the OUAA, but they were also
  pounded by Union, 10-3.  2nd place in the OUAA is not equivalent to 2nd
  place in any NC** DivI conference.  The last place team in the ECAC beat
  up on Concordia.
2. UNH's stock dropped considerably after they were beaten by UAA.
3. Despite this, UNH vastly outplayed Clarkson but lost by a goal.  You
  yourself admitted they were outplayed.  Here, if you are outplayed but
  still win, we call it luck, not impressive.
4. North Dakota, which was swept by Minnesota, is still better than at least
  10 of the 12 ECAC teams, IMO.
 
As for the argument that this is because the ECAC has somehow earned the wrath
of all hockey people across the land, well, that is just ridiculous.  First
it was that the East is getting screwed in favor of the West.  Never mind
that the West was beating up on the East at that time.  Now that the East is
split into the ECAC & HE, it is that the ECAC is getting screwed but HE isn't.
I wouldn't mind seeing concrete evidence from anyone that there is a
conspiracy afoot to discredit the ECAC (evidence must come from *outside*
the ECAC, what they do to themselves doesn't count :-)).
 
BTW, take a look at Clarkson's schedule rank in TCHCR: 34.  Just like last
year, they are not going to play as difficult a schedule as most other top
teams in the country.  And just like last year, I foresee that we are going
to go through the whole silly Clarkson-is-getting-screwed thing again.  Deja
vu exists even on HOCKEY-L.  Why even worry about the polls?  Would you
rather finish first in the polls or win the national championship?
 
 
- mike