AFLWA > News > Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll

June 10, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Derry
504-232-9944

Soul returns to No. 1 after four-week absence

PHILADELPHIA TOPS SCHUTT
SPORTS AFL TOP 12 POLL

LAS VEGAS (AFLWA) – After five weeks out of the top spot in the Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll, Philadelphia is back.

The Soul defeated last week's No. 1, Dallas, and reclaimed its position as the best team in the Arena Football League, as voted upon by the members of the AFL Writers Association. Philadelphia took 14 of 16 first-place votes. The Desperados, who dropped to second, got one, and San Jose, which had a bye week and dropped a spot from fourth, nabbed the other first-place vote.

Chicago, which lost to No. 6 Cleveland by 21 points Saturday night, dropped from second to third. The Gladiators made the biggest leap, jumping three spots with the win.

Georgia, which took command in the Southern Division with a win over Columbus, moved past the SaberCats to fourth. The Force can be division champs with one more win or one more loss by New Orleans, which fell to ninth after losing on the road at No. 8 New York.

Arizona will be in the playoffs in the American Conference and still has a shot at the Western Division crown after routing Kansas City on Sunday, and the Rattlers moved up to seventh.

By defeating Orlando, Tampa Bay moved past the Predators at No. 10. Orlando took the biggest fall – from seventh to 11th – after losing. Utah remained in 12th with a win Monday.

SCHUTT SPORTS TOP 12 POLL (JUNE 10)
Rk.	Team [1st Place]	W-L	Pts.	Pvs.	This week
1.	Philadelphia Soul [14]	11-3	190	3	vs. No. 6 Cleveland
2.	Dallas Desperados [1]	11-3	170	1	vs. No. 8 New York
3.	Chicago Rush	10-4	148	2	at No. 4 Georgia
4.	Georgia Force	9-5	144	5	vs. No. 3 Chicago
5.	San Jose SaberCats [1]	9-5	143	4	vs. No. 10 Tampa Bay
6.	Cleveland Gladiators	8-6	101	9	at No. 1 Philadelphia
7.	Arizona Rattlers	8-6	89	8	vs. Coloradi
8.	New York Dragons	8-6	86	10	at No. 2 Dallas
9.	New Orleans VooDoo	8-6	73	6	at No. 11 Orlando
10.	Tampa Bay Storm	7-7	50	11	at No. 5 San Jose
11.	Orlando Predators	8-7	37	7	vs. No. 9 New Orleans
12.	Utah Blaze	5-10	15	12	Idle
Others receiving votes: Grand Rapids Rampage 1, Kansas City Brigade 1.
Dropped out: None.

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)	• May 20 (Chicago) • May 27 (Dallas) • June 3 (Dallas) • June 10 (Philadelphia) • June 17 (Philadelphia) • June 24 (Philadelphia)