Official 2013-14 MVCfans.com Prediction - 9th Place

[Moose39]

Illinois State.

Dumpster Fire. That is all.

+1

[TheDrake]

Despite never seeing Giacoletti coach a game, I'm going to go out on a limb and say he accomplishes what Phelps couldn't and gets Drake out of the play in game.

[agrinut]

If I remember right Wichita is the perennial pick here.

[shoxrox]

I wish these polls were public so it would sniff out the losers who vote simply based on hate and not legitimate feeling.

[valleychamp]

I wish these polls were public so it would sniff out the losers who vote simply based on hate and not legitimate feeling.

Surely you are speaking of "losers" like isaso who vote for WSU to finish at the bottom every single season, right?

[shoxrox]

Surely you are speaking of "losers" like isaso who vote for WSU to finish at the bottom every single season, right?

Whatever the case may be. Yes, it's a waste of a vote. But we'll never know because it's not public.

[rlh04d]

Has everyone forgotten that Loyola is in our conference?...

I was very opposed to Loyola joining, but I'm pretty optimistic on their first season. At least in comparison to the teams I think will be significantly worse (SIU, Drake).

I'm guessing 6-8, depending on how Illinois State and Evansville are. Loyola isn't going to be good, but I feel more confident predicting their mediocrity in conference based on last year's team than I do on the teams that have tons of question marks.

[valleyclimber]

Am a bit surprised at some long time Valley fans/posters not picking Loyola toward the bottom. IMHO think The Ramblers are going to have a REAL tough time facing the night in and out physicality of MVC play.

Nothing against The Ramblers current talent, but just think more MVC fans that are voting in this poll would factor in the physicality of Valley play and peg Loyola as a team that needs to be ready for the all-out assault that each and every Valley school will be dishing out to them.

Loyola's HC Porter Moser has been in The Valley before, but his players have never gone through the MVC wars before. Just think the current Loyola squad will struggle a bit for the first couple of years in The Valley which is a pretty big step up from Horizon League play.

SIU I can see, but when MVCFans posters start lumping The Bulldogs and The Redbirds beneath Loyola, then gotta call it out a bit. I'm excited to see Loyola in The Valley and have no doubt that the school will climb the MVC ranks over some time, but for this year....not so much as 9th place looks about right.

Anyhoo....ROCK IT MVC!!

[Wufan]

Am a bit surprised at some long time Valley fans/posters not picking Loyola toward the bottom. IMHO think The Ramblers are going to have a REAL tough time facing the night in and out physicality of MVC play.

Nothing against The Ramblers current talent, but just think more MVC fans that are voting in this poll would factor in the physicality of Valley play and peg Loyola as a team that needs to be ready for the all-out assault that each and every Valley school will be dishing out to them.

Loyola's HC Porter Moser has been in The Valley before, but his players have never gone through the MVC wars before. Just think the current Loyola squad will struggle a bit for the first couple of years in The Valley which is a pretty big step up from Horizon League play.

SIU I can see, but when MVCFans posters start lumping The Bulldogs and The Redbirds beneath Loyola, then gotta call it out a bit. I'm excited to see Loyola in The Valley and have no doubt that the school will climb the MVC ranks over some time, but for this year....not so much as 9th place looks about right.

Anyhoo....ROCK IT MVC!!

Loyola is like a freshman recruit. I've read the press clippings but haven't seen them play. Surely they'll be better than the crap that is SIU, Drake, and Ill St…right?

Why I like Loyola:

They have a decent returning interior game and have bolstered it with big dudes that appear physical. Their coach understands the physicality of the MVC. They were much more talented than their record would indicate last year (see MSU). They have a decent PG.

What it means:

I have no faith in SIUs inside game or the complete roster turn over that is Ill St. I have no faith that Gia can turn around Drake in his first year. I have no dog in this fight, but I like what I read about Loyola more than what I read about Drake (on the right track) and Ill St (talented).

[Rambler63]

This poll format is actually a really cool experiment in crowdsourcing. As of this writing, 70+ of the most rabid and knowledgeable fans in the league have voted. And since the poll is going place-by-place in the league, it weeds out the "outliers" of people voting out of animus or ignorance about a particular team. I wouldn't be surprised if this poll ends up being much, much closer to the actual results than the official preseason poll.

When it gets to 8th or 7th, I myself will consider voting for Loyola.