AFLWA > News > Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll

May 23, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Derry
504-232-9944

Desperados leap over Georgia after Force falls to L.A.

DALLAS TOPS SCHUTT SPORTS AFL TOP 12 POLL

LAS VEGAS (AFLWA) – The Dallas Desperados took the week off, but thanks to a loss by the Georgia Force, they moved back into the No. 1 spot in the Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll, as voted on by members of the Arena Football League Writers Association (AFLWA).

Dallas (10-1), which moved up a spot, received 17 first-place votes and 215 points to take the top spot for the first time after a four-week absence. The Desperados are at the No. 8 Columbus Destroyers (6-5), who moved down a place following a 58-40 defeat to the Colorado Crush.

Georgia (9-2) received the other first-place vote and totaled 187 points to drop a spot to No. 2 after falling 57-51 to the Los Angeles Avengers. The Force hosts the No. 10 Tampa Bay Storm (5-6), which edged up a spot after beating the Arizona Rattlers 59-50.

The San Jose SaberCats (8-3) advanced a place to No. 3 following a 69-44 victory over the Grand Rapids Rampage. San Jose visits the Nashville Kats (5-7), who moved into the poll at No. 12 after defeating the Chicago Rush 44-27.

Chicago (8-3), which fell a slot to No. 4, is at Arizona (3-9). Colorado (8-4), which remained No. 5, travels to Grand Rapids (3-8).

The Orlando Predators (7-4) also held steady, staying at No. 6 after edging the Austin Wranglers 46-45. Orlando hosts the Utah Blaze (5-7), which fell out of the rankings after a 54-53 loss to the Las Vegas Gladiators.

Los Angeles (6-5), which moved up two spots to No. 7, plays at the No. 9 Kansas City Brigade (6-5). Kansas City exchanged places with the Avengers because of a 62-56 loss to the New York Dragons.

The Philadelphia Soul (5-6) entered the poll at No. 11 thanks to a 78-34 rout of the New Orleans VooDoo. Philadelphia is at Austin (3-8).

SCHUTT SPORTS TOP 12 POLL (MAY 23)
Rk.	Team [1st Place]	W-L	Pts.	Pvs.	This week
1.	Dallas Desperados [17]	10-1	215	2	at No. 8 Columbus
2.	Georgia Force [1]	9-2	187	1	vs. No. 10 Tampa Bay
3.	San Jose SaberCats	8-3	181	4	at No. 12 Nashville
4.	Chicago Rush	8-3	158	3	at Arizona
5.	Colorado Crush	8-4	146	5	at Grand Rapids
6.	Orlando Predators	7-4	125	6	vs. Utah
7.	Los Angeles Avengers	6-5	101	9	at No. 9 Kansas City
8.	Columbus Destroyers	6-5	75	t7	vs. No. 1 Dallas
9.	Kansas City Brigade	6-5	74	t7	vs. No. 7 Los Angeles
10.	Tampa Bay Storm	5-6	53	11	at No. 2 Georgia
11.	Philadelphia Soul	5-6	36	-	at Austin
12.	Nashville Kats	5-7	22	-	vs. No. 3 San Jose
Others receiving votes: Utah Blaze 15, New York Dragons 8, New Orleans VooDoo 6, Austin Wranglers 2.
Dropped out: Utah Blaze (10), New Orleans VooDoo (12).

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)