Teams Poised to Move Up? Place your Bets

If you have been reading the rather expansive FBR 11-25-2011 discussion, there is a lot of reasons why FBR is not that accurate but interesting as a general ranking tool to figure out the competitive neighborhood of a specific team.

So here is the question/topic for this thread: Predict the teams that will move up 5 or more ranking slots by the end of the regular PT/SDL/EAL Spring season.

The person that wins the contest will have serious bragging rights going into the pre-QT tournament season. To make it fair, predictions must be made by December 10th.

What are your best bets? You get 3 points for a team that makes the 5 position or more improvement, 1 point if your pick moves up 3 or 4 slots, -1 points for a team that stays the same or moves up only 1 or 2 slots, and -3 points for a pick that actually moves down from their 11-25-2011 ranking.

Lastly, to be in the contest, you must pick a minimum of 3 teams but can pick more. (modification to prevent voting only with your heart for your own DD's team).

If enough people participate, this should result in an interesting list of teams poised to get a lot better going into the last season before qualifying for Lake Highlands. It should let people think outside the box of their own team and think about teams that impressed them when they played them.

Solar Gio.

twomattiesmom wrote:Solar Gio.

Is the object of this game just to name your DD's team?

Great topic! Let me think about it

02Dad wrote:

twomattiesmom wrote:Solar Gio.

Is the object of this game just to name your DD's team?

if thats the case.. Solar Jones

Sting is on the way up. By the time LH gets here Sting will be in a battle with Bennett and South for the number 4 spot. Sting is a big proud club that boasts multiple National Champions. Come ECNL time they will really put something together. Who wouldn't want to be a Sting ECNL starter. Dont say I didn't warn you!

Liverpool Hansen '02 Savage.

Currently ranked at #44 . . . so odds of moving up are significantly in their favor. The team recently added some quality players and have already beaten or tied a few teams currently ranked ahead of them. They should be able to shoot past #39.

Balotelli Fan wrote:Sting is on the way up. By the time LH gets here Sting will be in a battle with Bennett and South for the number 4 spot. Sting is a big proud club that boasts multiple National Champions. Come ECNL time they will really put something together. Who wouldn't want to be a Sting ECNL starter. Dont say I didn't warn you!

Can you hear that? they are already planning the ceremony to crown Sting as the best club of ever.

deepthoughts wrote:If you have been reading the rather expansive FBR 11-25-2011 discussion, there is a lot of reasons why FBR is not that accurate but interesting as a general ranking tool to figure out the competitive neighborhood of a specific team.

So here is the question/topic for this thread: Predict the teams that will move up 5 or more ranking slots by the end of the regular PT/SDL/EAL Spring season.

The person that wins the contest will have serious bragging rights going into the pre-QT tournament season. To make it fair, predictions must be made by December 10th.

What are your best bets? You get 3 points for a team that makes the 5 position or more improvement, 1 point if your pick moves up 3 or 4 slots, -1 points for a team that stays the same or moves up only 1 or 2 slots, and -3 points for a pick that actually moves down from their 11-25-2011 ranking.

If enough people participate, this should result in an interesting list of teams poised to get a lot better going into the last season before qualifying for Lake Highlands. It should let people think outside the box of their own team and think about teams that impressed them when they played them.

One more rule.

To be in the contest, you MUST name a minimum of three teams. This is to avoid the "I'm only picking my own team" trend that seems to have kicked into play right away.

The whole idea is to offer perspective of more teams than just your own. It would be great if people explained the rationale their picks. The recent poster that mentioned a lower ranked team has a better chance is absolutely right. Picking teams below #20 should improve your odds I'd say.

Who has it figured out?

Grifter wrote:

Balotelli Fan wrote:Sting is on the way up. By the time LH gets here Sting will be in a battle with Bennett and South for the number 4 spot. Sting is a big proud club that boasts multiple National Champions. Come ECNL time they will really put something together. Who wouldn't want to be a Sting ECNL starter. Dont say I didn't warn you!

Can you hear that? they are already planning the ceremony to crown Sting as the best club of ever.

Don't be a hater. Nobody said best club ever. If you think they are gonna stick around and be mediocre at the 02 age group then you are sadly mistaken. Over last five years I would say Sting has been the best club around here too.

I'll give it a shot:

Polaris
Solar Gio
Liverpool Dalglish

and... I will add in a few more:

Sting Parker
Solar Stark

deepthoughts wrote:

deepthoughts wrote:If you have been reading the rather expansive FBR 11-25-2011 discussion, there is a lot of reasons why FBR is not that accurate but interesting as a general ranking tool to figure out the competitive neighborhood of a specific team.

So here is the question/topic for this thread: Predict the teams that will move up 5 or more ranking slots by the end of the regular PT/SDL/EAL Spring season.

The person that wins the contest will have serious bragging rights going into the pre-QT tournament season. To make it fair, predictions must be made by December 10th.

What are your best bets? You get 3 points for a team that makes the 5 position or more improvement, 1 point if your pick moves up 3 or 4 slots, -1 points for a team that stays the same or moves up only 1 or 2 slots, and -3 points for a pick that actually moves down from their 11-25-2011 ranking.

If enough people participate, this should result in an interesting list of teams poised to get a lot better going into the last season before qualifying for Lake Highlands. It should let people think outside the box of their own team and think about teams that impressed them when they played them.

One more rule.

To be in the contest, you MUST name a minimum of three teams. This is to avoid the "I'm only picking my own team" trend that seems to have kicked into play right away.

The whole idea is to offer perspective of more teams than just your own. It would be great if people explained the rationale their picks. The recent poster that mentioned a lower ranked team has a better chance is absolutely right. Picking teams below #20 should improve your odds I'd say.

Who has it figured out?

If you are going to get all smarty pants on me and make me think about my answer then forget it. I don't have that much energy Well...not right now anyway. I guess I'll think about it and try again.

Balotelli Fan wrote:

Grifter wrote:

Balotelli Fan wrote:Sting is on the way up. By the time LH gets here Sting will be in a battle with Bennett and South for the number 4 spot. Sting is a big proud club that boasts multiple National Champions. Come ECNL time they will really put something together. Who wouldn't want to be a Sting ECNL starter. Dont say I didn't warn you!

Can you hear that? they are already planning the ceremony to crown Sting as the best club of ever.

Don't be a hater. Nobody said best club ever. If you think they are gonna stick around and be mediocre at the 02 age group then you are sadly mistaken. Over last five years I would say Sting has been the best club around here too.

That's an interesting theory given in LH Solar has the best 01 team, Solar and Liverpool have the best 00 teams, Solar have the best 99 teams, Liverpool has won 98s last 2 years, etc.

I take it you're not exactly referencing either most successful, nor # of teams in the top divisions that have won the league. 97s I'll give you but you couldn't be more wrong about the last 4 years. Also they aren't even in the top 5 in terms of # of teams so not sure of your biggest definition either. In academy they don't have the #1ranked team in any age group either, that's a mixture of Solar, Liverpool and Texans.

(... waits for string of insults and 'hater' tag for being factual rather than posting conjecture.)

My 3 teams moving up from their current FBR rankings are
Fever Red #10
Sting Searls #13
TFC Elite #18

I think all these teams have a legitimately shot at moving up 5 spots from thier current ranking. Fever Red will have the hardest out of this group to get to #5...it depends on what happens to Bennett.

soccermom13 wrote:

02Dad wrote:

twomattiesmom wrote:Solar Gio.

Is the object of this game just to name your DD's team?

if thats the case.. Solar Jones

I like it soccermom

Waco will drop 5

Bennett will drop 5

South will drop 5

Sting will move up 5

Sorry Wolf Liverpool is better!

Polaris moves up
Sting moves up
Solar Gio moves up

Balotelli Fan wrote:Sorry Wolf Liverpool is better!

Polaris moves up
Sting moves up
Solar Gio moves up

Not the point of my post. I think Solar gets the kudos from that spread.

I wonder what teams the Brazilian sisters will end up on.I think whatever team they land on will move up in rankings.

twomattiesmom wrote:Ok, here goes:

Solar Gio - because the new 5 or 6 girls that had joined this past season have had a chance to adjust to the Solar Gio philosophy and soccer style, and the two new additions they have gotten in the last few weeks will make them stronger. I am partial to their goal keeper as well

Solar Stark - because I like their coach.

Solar Jones - ummm, because my husband likes their coach.

Honorable Mention:

Polaris - I think they will move up but I think it will be hard for them to move 5 spots.

thanks!! he does have a proven track record of improving each year..
my 3.
Solar Jones
Solar Gio
FC Dallas Palmisano

Balotelli Fan wrote:Sting is on the way up. By the time LH gets here Sting will be in a battle with Bennett and South for the number 4 spot. Sting is a big proud club that boasts multiple National Champions. Come ECNL time they will really put something together. Who wouldn't want to be a Sting ECNL starter. Dont say I didn't warn you!

wow.. you sound cocky.. just like Balotelli...
not judging.. love Balotelli and the rest of the BLUES!!

Balotelli Fan wrote:

Grifter wrote:

Balotelli Fan wrote:Sting is on the way up. By the time LH gets here Sting will be in a battle with Bennett and South for the number 4 spot. Sting is a big proud club that boasts multiple National Champions. Come ECNL time they will really put something together. Who wouldn't want to be a Sting ECNL starter. Dont say I didn't warn you!

Can you hear that? they are already planning the ceremony to crown Sting as the best club of ever.

Don't be a hater. Nobody said best club ever. If you think they are gonna stick around and be mediocre at the 02 age group then you are sadly mistaken. Over last five years I would say Sting has been the best club around here too.

club schmlub... your opinion is deserved..

soccermom13 wrote:

Balotelli Fan wrote:Sting is on the way up. By the time LH gets here Sting will be in a battle with Bennett and South for the number 4 spot. Sting is a big proud club that boasts multiple National Champions. Come ECNL time they will really put something together. Who wouldn't want to be a Sting ECNL starter. Dont say I didn't warn you!

wow.. you sound cocky.. just like Balotelli...
not judging.. love Balotelli and the rest of the BLUES!!

If you like even John Terry, I'm going to come round your house and offload half a ton of squirrel poop (that I have been storing for the occasion) on your doorstep!