Re: >>>>RIT 2010 Offseason Thread-"You have to be a genius to go to RIT"
Re: >>>>RIT 2010 Offseason Thread-"You have to be a genius to go to RIT"
I wouldn't say easy (unless by we, you mean fans since that IS easy). If RIT does not finish top two of the WESTERN pod, they play in the play in round. And the West is loaded.
Exactly.
One or two slip-ups and RIT is in third or fourth place in the pod (and probably overall), easily. Which means an extra play-in game just to get to the quarter-finals. Let's not even think about what may happen if the four teams that can give the Tigers a serious run (NU, RMU, AFA, MC) all have great seasons and RIT fails to replenish the depleted defense. Someone in this pod is going to be on the road for a play-in game even though they may be 5th, 6th, or 7th overall in the conference. (What a joke, IMHO).
That being said, I still believe RIT will be in the top 3 (or 4, at worst) , if not first overall.
I am slightly surprised at the slight lack of respect given to Niagara (and even Robert Morris, for that matter) in the poll. Don't be fooled by their poor records from last season. Their CHA and OOC schedules were much tougher top to bottom than any in the AHA. They both had to play multiple games against Bemidji, who spent much of last season in the top 5 in the nation. Also, the CHA did send two teams to the tournament, both of which came frighteningly close to advancing to the second round like RIT did. I would have predicted NU to win the conference with RIT, RMU, and MC having a battle royale for the second bye. Despite the records, I still can't get over the fact that RIT has still not beaten NU at the D-I level (or RMU either - in only two games). So I have a hard time picking RIT, MC, or AFA ahead of a CHA cast-off at this point. Let's hope I am proven dead wrong (with respect to one of those teams, that is
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).