AFLWA > News > Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll

March 14, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Derry
504-232-9944

Desperados grab all but one first-place vote; Georgia moves up to No. 2

DALLAS TOPS SCHUTT SPORTS AFL TOP 12 POLL

LAS VEGAS (AFLWA) – For the second straight week to start the season, the Dallas Desperados won in a rout – this time over Tampa Bay. As a result, they were just one vote short of a unanimous choice for the top spot of the Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll, as voted on by members of the Arena Football League Writers Association (AFLWA).

Dallas (2-0), which travels to No. 10 Kansas City (1-1) this week, received 14 of 15 first-place votes. No. 2 Georgia, which moved up two spots after defeating Austin, which dropped from sixth to ninth, 60-51 on Sunday, received the other first-place vote.

The Force (2-0) will face the Storm on the road in the league's only Saturday game this week.

Utah (2-0), which scored the second-most points in the league this week in a 75-71 win over Arizona, leaped two spots to third.

Philadelphia won its opening game of the season in convincing fashion – 63-30 over Nashville on Friday, and the Soul jumped five spots from ninth to fourth.

Chicago (1-1) got back on track after losing its opener on the road to Kansas City. The Rush defeated San Jose (1-1), which dropped from second to sixth, on Friday and made the poll's biggest leap from 11th to fifth.

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Colorado (1-1) also rebounded from a loss in Week 1, nipping the Brigade (1-1), which fell from seventh to 10th, 44-40 Saturday.

Orlando (1-1), lost on ESPN's first Monday night game in overtime to Los Angeles. The Predators, who are home for a Southern Division game against the Wranglers (1-1), dropped from third to eighth.

The two newcomers to the poll are No. 11 New Orleans (1-1), who returned to the Crescent City to a sold-out crowd in victorious fashion over Columbus, and the No. 12 Avengers, who are on a bye this week.

The Destroyers and Grand Rapids Rampage dropped out of the Top 12.

SCHUTT SPORTS TOP 12 POLL (MARCH 14)
Rk.	Team [1st Place]	W-L	Pts.	Pvs.	This week
1.	Dallas Desperados [14]	2-0	169	1	at No. 10 Kansas City
2.	Georgia Force [1]	2-0	154	4	at Tampa Bay
3.	Utah Blaze	2-0	142	5	at Nashville
4.	Philadelphia Soul	1-0	130	9	at Grand Rapids
5.	Chicago Rush	1-1	91	t11	vs. New York
6.	San Jose SaberCats	1-1	86	2	Idle
7.	Colorado Crush	1-1	75	8	vs. Arizona
8.	Orlando Predators	1-1	72	3	vs. No. 9 Austin
9.	Austin Wranglers	1-1	60	6	at No. 8 Orlando
10.	Kansas City Brigade	1-1	41	7	vs. No. 2 Dallas
11.	New Orleans VooDoo	1-1	38	-	at Las Vegas
12.	Los Angeles Avengers	1-1	36	-	Idle
Others receiving votes: Las Vegas Gladiators 17, Grand Rapids Rampage 15, Columbus Destroyers 14, Arizona Rattlers 7, Nashville Kats 4.
Dropped out: Columbus Destroyers (10), Grand Rapids Rampage (t11).

Schutt Sports, the sports gear company with a reputation for innovation, is sponsoring this season's Top 12 Poll. Its website is schuttsports.com.

The AFLWA, founded at the start of the 2004 season, is a national organization made up of media members who cover the Arena Football League. Mark Anderson of the Las Vegas Review-Journal is the AFLWA's founder and executive director.

2007 AFLWA Rankings (No 1. team):
• Preseason (Dallas) • March 6 (Dallas) • March 14 (Dallas) • March 20 (Dallas) • March 27 (Dallas) • April 2 (Dallas)	• April 12 (Dallas) • April 18 (Dallas) • April 25 (Georgia) • May 2 (Georgia) • May 9 (Georgia) • May 16 (Georgia)	• May 23 (Dallas) • May 30 (Dallas) • June 6 (Dallas) • June 13 (Dallas) • June 20 (Dallas) • June 27 (Dallas)