Despite win over No. 3 Colorado College, bias against Air Force, Atlantic Hockey still exists

[USCHO Newsbot]

I’ve been waiting somewhat patiently for the latest edition of the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports poll to come out today to see what, if any, respect Air Force would receive now that its beaten the No. 3 team in the country and lost a tight game to the No. 9 team. Though I’m not necessarily surprised, [...]

More at uscho.com/blogs ...

[gochiefs]

Originally Posted by USCHO Newsbot

I’ve been waiting somewhat patiently for the latest edition of the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports poll to come out today to see what, if any, respect Air Force would receive now that its beaten the No. 3 team in the country and lost a tight game to the No. 9 team. Though I’m not necessarily surprised, [...]

More at uscho.com/blogs ...

While I agree that Air Force is a quality team and deserves to be ranked high, I must disagree with the quality of the Atlantic Hockey league. The majority of the teams in AH have lost more games than they have won. This is from losing the majority of their non-league contests. You mentioned the success of the league in the NC games this weekend. Ok, lets analyze these matchups. First, Canisius vs Clarkson. You mentioned how Canisius took 3 out of 4 vs Clarkson, a preseason top 20 team. Where is Clarkson now? How about 2-7-3! Preseason polls are one thing and reality is another. Next UConn defeats Brown, the only team in D1 hockey without a win. Besides the Air Force games, which they defeated CC convincingly and a close games vs Denver, the other team you mentioned was Mercyhurst. While they did beat Princeton, the ice must have been slanted in 1 direction with the 50-27 shots on goal differential. Granted Mercyhurst won but it appears to be that they stole that game. Theer are many other teams that do not get respect in the weekly polls. Every year you see the same teams get votes while other teams for the same leagues, get overlooked. Just this year you had North Dakota with a losing record end up in the top 20 week after week. The polls are nothing but a beauty contest. Let's wait until the real poll comes out from the NCAA in March!

[Union93]

Non league losses . . . how about Union 5, Army 4 F.

http://www.uscho.com/box/?date=20081...me=uc&gender=m

[jimbo15]

I think that Go Chiefs makes the point best in that he even finds a way to show tht Mercyhurst's win wasn't worthy of recognition. Wins are wins. When Atlantic Hockey was losing the majority of non-league games, they were criticized. Now that they win a few big ones, they're still criticized because "they stole that game." Please.

[glazewsr]

My favorite sports fallacy is that it is possible to "decide who's better on the field," whether that be a steriod-ball argument or a pituitary-ball argument or a hockey argument. If you magically cloned the AFA and CC teams, then had them play 99 simultaneous games in front of an AFA crowd, what would AFA's record be? Certainly not 99-0-0. Certainly not 0-99-0. A game is a data point. AFA may've had a 40% chance of beating CC; a 40% chance of losing to them; and a 20% chance of tying them. That single draw from the probability table resulted in an AFA win.
Same for Mercyhurst. Search the forum for the term "hot goalie" and realize that the concept of one person swaying the result of a game is nothing new. Yet the next day that same goalie can give up 6, 3 of them weak.
Look at the body of evidence - the whole - the gestalt. Focusing on one game or one weekend's games is silly. Though it will support whatever argument you want to make (see "lies, **** lies, and statistics").
Personally, I think AFA proved they're likely to be on par with CC and DU. The body of evidence - their margins of victory in the prior 12 games - leads me to support that conclusion more. I'd put them 6th; midway between CC and DU.
And the tournament at the end of the year is not the "final answer" either. That's why I love the MLB and NHL playoffs - best of 7 may not prevent surprises, but it sure minimizes the effects of "any given ***day."

[GooseVT]

It seems you make a pretty good argument that Air Force is underrated and then scuttle it with one phrase: "...teams might continue to take Air Force lightly and proceed to get outplayed."

It's the word "continue", it could be interpreted that they snuck up on CC, but not DU.

[siouxgrad/gopherfan]

You reference the non-league record from one weekend, what is the overall record for the entire season thus far?

[Enforcer51]

You're kidding me, right? Air Force is lucky to be ranked where they are. Atlantic Hockey? The whole conference is a joke. Please tell me that you do not seriously believe that Air Force would have the type of record they do if they played in Hockey East, CCHA, or the WCHA. I really don't think there is anymore to say on this subject. Bottom line, playing quality opponents on a weekly basis, Air Force would get tooled up pretty good.

[Goon]

Originally Posted by Enforcer51

You're kidding me, right? Air Force is lucky to be ranked where they are. Atlantic Hockey? The whole conference is a joke.

I think you can sum it up right here the conference teh AHA conference is a JOKE. Stuffed with CUPCAKES. Air Force would be the middle of the road team in the CCHA, HEA or the WCHA.

[Kirk 18]

Originally Posted by GooseVT

It seems you make a pretty good argument that Air Force is underrated and then scuttle it with one phrase: "...teams might continue to take Air Force lightly and proceed to get outplayed."

It's the word "continue", it could be interpreted that they snuck up on CC, but not DU.

And then on 12/6/08 they LOST to RIT!

[Tom Naeger]

Originally Posted by Kirk 18

And then on 12/6/08 they LOST to RIT!

Ok, I can't let that go. RIT is a program that has played with every team they faced since becoming a D-I program 4 years ago. They have scored wins over St. Lawerance, Cornell, and last seaon a win at Minnesota.

RIT is also a team that took a little bit to get going this year, they had some early goaltender issues, and lost their top two goal scoring studs from last year.

All you people are making the writers point that there is bias against the Atlantic Hockey. Last two years Atlantic Hockey teams have been playing with every other league and coming out with a lot more wins then they were in years past. Air Force took Miami to the third period with a lead in the NCAAs last year.

As an RIT Alum, I hope Air Force stays hot, so that Air Force would earn an at large big to the NCAA and then RIT can beat them in the Conference tournament and I can listen to all you guys cry when the Atlantic has two teams in the tourny. Especially after one of those teams gets passed the first round, like Holy Cross a few years ago.

One day, a team from the Atlantic will play in the frozen four...

[Goon]

Originally Posted by Enforcer51

You're kidding me, right? Air Force is lucky to be ranked where they are. Atlantic Hockey? The whole conference is a joke. Please tell me that you do not seriously believe that Air Force would have the type of record they do if they played in Hockey East, CCHA, or the WCHA. I really don't think there is anymore to say on this subject. Bottom line, playing quality opponents on a weekly basis, Air Force would get tooled up pretty good.

Yet the hockey pundits are fussing all over Air Force.

[Goon]

Originally Posted by Tom Naeger

All you people are making the writers point that there is bias against the Atlantic Hockey. Last two years Atlantic Hockey teams have been playing with every other league and coming out with a lot more wins then they were in years past. Air Force took Miami to the third period with a lead in the NCAAs last year.

Conference vs. 'Big 4'
AHA 8-34-3 (.211)
CCHA 14-18-5 (.446)
CHA 8-21-2 (.290)
ECACHL 9-24-2 (.286)
HEA 24-14-3 (.622)
WCHA 18-9-6 (.636)

Originally Posted by Tom Naeger

One day, a team from the Atlantic will play in the frozen four...

Or not.

[Goon]

Originally Posted by Kirk 18

And then on 12/6/08 they LOST to RIT!

Guess they took RIT for granted eh?

[Tweedle Dee]

Originally Posted by Goon

Or not.

Hey Naeger it would be nice if it was this year, then we could rub it in all these biased, "our team is holier than thou" people's faces. By 2010 an AHA school will be in the Frozen Four, that is my prediction.

[Tweedle Dee]

Originally Posted by Goon

Guess they took RIT for granted eh?

No that was RIT playing AFA how they always do(minus the AHA semi game last year). Hey I finally figured out the 2 things I want most for Christmas: 1. RIT to finally play like all their fans know they can play. 2: The AHA to finally get some friggen respect.

[Goon]

Originally Posted by Tweedle Dee

Hey Naeger it would be nice if it was this year, then we could rub it in all these biased, "our team is holier than thou" people's faces. By 2010 an AHA school will be in the Frozen Four, that is my prediction.

I have a case of beer that says it doesn't.

[Tweedle Dee]

Originally Posted by Goon

I have a case of beer that says it doesn't.

I'll hold you to that.

[Goon]

Originally Posted by Tweedle Dee

I'll hold you to that.

Alright.