BYU #1

[rambler63]

I thought it would happen eventually, and it did.  BYU #1 with only 6 first place votes.

www.avca.org/divisions/men/1-2-poll-4-28-14/

[midwestvolleyball]

This is exactly why they should NOT use the coaches poll when determining at large bids or anything else...Becausw it is absurdly biased and subjective. McGown ranked Loyola 5th after ranking them 1st two weeks ago and Kniffin also ranked Loyola 5th. I'm not crying over lost votes like other fans but I'm just pointing out how ridiculous some of these individual rankings are that make up this poll.

[rambler63]

Kniffin ranked Loyola fifth, and his own team third, despite the Anteaters being a sixth seed in the MPSF tournament and getting bounced in the quarterfinals. Oh, and despite his team losing to Loyola head-to-head.

[ucsdfan]

Apr 28, 2014 14:07:20 GMT -5 rambler63 said:

I thought it would happen eventually, and it did.  BYU #1 with only 6 first place votes.

www.avca.org/divisions/men/1-2-poll-4-28-14/

BYU was either first or second on every ballot. Loyola was fifth on two ballots to go with a third and a second place vote. At least the two teams voting them fifth have played them this season.

What was interesting to me is how the MIVA coach's voted. If you just consider the MIVA voters, here are the results:

1) Loyola (1st on all ballots)
2) BYU (2nd on all ballots)
3) Stanford (3rd on all ballots)
4) Pepperdine (4th on all ballots)
5) UCSB (5th on all ballots)
6) Long Beach State
7) Lewis
8) UCI
9) UCLA
10) USC
11) PSU
12 Hawai'i
13) Ball State
14) IPFW
15) CSUN

[midwestvolleyball]

And every coach that voted Loyola lower than 1st was an MPSF coach. BYU got all 2nd place votes with a handful of 1st place votes because the entire country respects them. Several MPSF coaches either don't respect Loyola or...more likely...have political or other motivations for ranking Loyola so low. To rank a team that is 27-1 5th just seems a little ridiculous, especially for a coach who's 1st place team lost to them 3-0.

[rambler63]

Apr 28, 2014 14:57:32 GMT -5 midwestvolleyball said:

And every coach that voted Loyola lower than 1st was an MPSF coach. BYU got all 2nd place votes with a handful of 1st place votes because the entire country respects them. Several MPSF coaches either don't respect Loyola or...more likely...have political or other motivations for ranking Loyola so low. To rank a team that is 27-1 5th just seems a little ridiculous, especially for a coach who's 1st place team lost to them 3-0.

I think it's awesome that a team with a losing road record gets the #1 ranking over the first team to go undefeated on the road in more than a decade.  California chardonnays all around! *clink!*

[WahineFan44]

For ONCE, I agree that loyola got snubbed. They should be ranked number. BUT I attribute this to them sweeping through the mpsf tourney in a pretty convincing fashion. But Loyola still deserves to be number 1 for now

[rex1080]

In a week, none of these ratings will mean anything. All that matters is where your seeded, and where you end. UCI can be 3rd in some coaches' minds, but that doesn't replace the fact they're not in the big dance (sad to say imo ). Rankings are only for pundits, and the fans.

[byuman]

Sorry fellas. BYU played unbelievably well in the MPSF tourney, home crowd or not. That plus their history in the last 15-16 years or so probably gives them the edge in the eyes of some of the MPSF coaches. Props to Loyola for having a great season. I would'nt worry so much about those rankings because in the end they don't necessarily mean much. As much as I would strongly dislike it given my bias, it would be great for Loyola and great for the sport outside the MPSF if they won the NCAA tourney. So best of luck to the ramblers (I see a rambler started this posting!). That being said I'll be cheering on the Cougars to add a 4th banner to the Smith Fieldhouse!

[notsocal2]

Apr 28, 2014 14:26:49 GMT -5 midwestvolleyball said:

This is exactly why they should NOT use the coaches poll when determining at large bids or anything else...Becausw it is absurdly biased and subjective. McGown ranked Loyola 5th after ranking them 1st two weeks ago and Kniffin also ranked Loyola 5th. I'm not crying over lost votes like other fans but I'm just pointing out how ridiculous some of these individual rankings are that make up this poll.

So what you are saying is that every single MIVA coach who ranked Pepp as 4th and Lewis more than a few below that has no idea of what is going on - right?

I will agree with you that BYU should be #2 and Loyola #1 and that's just because some of the mpsf coaches (kiffen & mcgown) got their feelings hurt because Loyola is decent, just like PSU was a few years back.

These polls are not ridiculous, in fact they are probably as close to reality as you can get, with a movement here and there of maybe a spot or 2.

[byuman]

Apr 28, 2014 15:30:55 GMT -5 rex1080 said:

In a week, none of these ratings will mean anything. All that matters is where your seeded, and where you end. UCI can be 3rd in some coaches' minds, but that doesn't replace the fact they're not in the big dance (sad to say imo ). Rankings are only for pundits, and the fans.

Coudn't agree more. A great player never cares about rankings as they only serve as a disadvantage namely the tendency to relax if you're on top or play hard for the wrong reasons if you are not on top.  They can be used advantageously only to get in another team/players head or simply to stir up fans to be more pissed off or more stoked (in my case) and create a bigger fan base, thereby equating to more ticket sales. GO BYU! Praying the BYU players keep their minds off the rankings!

[azvb]

Is Loyola's mascot named after the vintage Rambler car? Or are they implying their students are rambling, aimless, carefree folks?

[brownbox]

I believe the Rambler name is from back in the first half of the 20th century when Loyola had a football team, but no home field. Loyola and its fans were Ramblers.

[rambler63]

Apr 28, 2014 16:49:53 GMT -5 azvb said:

Is Loyola's mascot named after the vintage Rambler car? Or are they implying their students are rambling, aimless, carefree folks?

It came from our willingness to play road games, including traveling great distances to play many out of conference road games.  For about 5-7 years in the early 80s, our mascot was literally a hobo.

Really.  Meet Bo Rambler.

www.lib.luc.edu/specialcollections/files/original/6e7cb08501a713ea3ba4c36f100c9815.jpg

[azvb]

Apr 28, 2014 17:03:42 GMT -5 rambler63 said:

Apr 28, 2014 16:49:53 GMT -5 azvb said:

Is Loyola's mascot named after the vintage Rambler car? Or are they implying their students are rambling, aimless, carefree folks?

It came from our willingness to play road games, including traveling great distances to play many out of conference road games.  For about 5-7 years in the early 80s, our mascot was literally a hobo.

Really.  Meet Bo Rambler.

www.lib.luc.edu/specialcollections/files/original/6e7cb08501a713ea3ba4c36f100c9815.jpg

I'm sure you are offending some group, somewhere with that name .

Ever heard Steve Martin sing that Ramblin' Man song?