AFLWA > News > Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll

May 6, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Derry
504-232-9944

Despite first loss, Soul retains top spot

PHILADELPHIA TOPS SCHUTT
SPORTS AFL TOP 12 POLL

LAS VEGAS (AFLWA) – It will take more than one loss to knock the Philadelphia Soul from the top spot in the Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll.

Despite losing to No. 6 Cleveland last Friday after just four days of rest, the Soul garnered all but three first-place votes of members of the Arena Football League Writers Association. It was Philadelphia’s first regular-season loss since June 9, when it fell 69-59 at Tampa Bay.

The Gladiators jumped over idle New York by knocking off the top-ranked team. It is the highest they have been ranked since being sixth in Week 6. Cleveland started the season 3-0 and climbed as high as third.

No. 2 Dallas (2) and No. 3 Chicago (1) shared the other first-place votes. The Desperados squeaked by Columbus 48-45, and the Rush topped Tampa Bay, which fell out of the poll, 61-46 on Monday night.

Other than Cleveland, there were four teams who moved up this week. Orlando jumped from sixth to fourth by crushing No. 8 San Jose 61-35. No. 9 Colorado and No. 10 Georgia were tied in last week’s poll at 11th and both won, as the Crush routed Grand Rapids 63-28 and the Force stopped No. 5 New Orleans, which dropped one spot, 66-39. Also, Los Angeles re-entered the poll after defeating No. 11 Arizona 66-59.

SCHUTT SPORTS TOP 12 POLL (MAY 6)
Rk.	Team [1st Place]	W-L	Pts.	Pvs.	This week
1.	Philadelphia Soul [13]	9-1	188	1	at No. 10 Georgia
2.	Dallas Desperados [2]	8-1	175	2	vs. Kansas City
3.	Chicago Rush [1]	8-2	165	3	Idle
4.	Orlando Predators	7-3	140	6	at No. 6 Cleveland
5.	New Orleans VooDoo	7-3	128	4	at Tampa Bay
6.	Cleveland Gladiators	5-4	108	8	vs. No. 4 Orlando
7.	New York Dragons	5-4	94	7	at No. 12 Los Angeles
8.	San Jose SaberCats	5-5	83	5	at No. 11 Arizona
9.	Colorado Crush	4-5	57	t11	at Utah
10.	Georgia Force	4-5	53	t11	vs. No. 1 Philadelphia
11.	Arizona Rattlers	4-5	29	9	vs. No. 8 San Jose
12.	Los Angeles Avengers	4-6	19	-	vs. No. 7 New York
Others receiving votes: Tampa Bay Storm 9.
Dropped out: Tampa Bay (10)

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.

2008 AFLWA Rankings (No 1. team):
• Preseason (Dallas) • March 5 (Dallas) • March 12 (Dallas) • March 19 (Dallas) • March 25 (Dallas) • April 1 (Philadelphia)	• April 8 (Philadelphia) • April 15 (Philadelphia) • April 22 (Philadelphia) • April 29 (Philadelphia) • May 6 (Philadelphia) • May 13 (Dallas)