The Not The Grote Poll
by Ryan Grote
August 19, 2006
Posted: September 5, 2006
(Editor's Note: Ryan Grote Assures Us He is Not Doing His World Renown Grote Poll This Year.)

…What The Grote Poll lacked in brevity, respect and meaningful insight this shall mimic in pertinence, relevance and wisdom… 

      I have been asked to continue The Grote Poll, but will have to respectfully decline to renew my option.  I have also been asked to “write” some sort of NCAA x-c preview for a website of a fellow Weimaraner owner, which I have agree to do.  This is, however, clearly not The Grote Poll.  I said that before, and something that looked suspiciously like The Grote Poll came forth.  This is totally different.  For this service, I have been asked to “write” a short preview of the men’s NCAA x-c season for a website, somewhere in the range of 300-500 words.  Listen…I don’t have a degree in accounting or in math, so I can’t exactly wrap my brain around those numbers.  Furthermore, I guess that if I do happen to go over that guesstimated amount of words, that I will certainly be using a bunch of words several times…such as:  I, me, the, to, it, for, ummm, uhhh, sucks, Stanfurd sucks (one word or two?), F-The Ducks (one word, or two or three?), filibuster, my, but, poop, and so on.  In my world, which is a very sick, illogical and confusing place, this will all fit nicely into that 300-500 word parameter.  I will issue the following disclaimer, in addition to the one I already did about not counting, I never read any of my papers in college and have an English degree.  Numerous professors asked about grammatical errors, “Didn’t you proofread this?” or “Didn’t you overlook the draft?”  My answers were always the same, “No” and “No.  I didn’t do a draft.  So no and no.”  At least I’m consistent. 

      Alright then, moving on to the 2006 NCAA Cross-Country season preview no in the format of The Grote Poll, having absolutely nothing to do with The Grote Poll.  For those who don’t pay any attention, Wisconsin won big last year with 37 points.  Arkansas was 2^nd (105).  The Badgers lose 2-time NCAA Champ Simon Bairu and 14^th-placer Anthony Ford from that squad.  Uh-oh?  No-oh.  If you score their 6^th and 7^th last year without those two guys…Tim Nelson (18^th) and Christian Wagner (58^th) they score only 82 points.  They ran three freshmen and had many more good ones on the shelf and bring more in.  Wisconsin is pretty good.  However, so is Arkansas.  They did not run well at NCAA’s.  7^th-place Boit and 40^th place Rodrigues are gone, but they bring back some great ones, and didn’t run Chris Barnicle who could be a monster, among others.  Shawn Forrest was capable of a top-20 showing last year and wound up only 51^st as their 5^th.  They could have been much closer last year.  They could win this year. 

      Beyond those two, the battle is moreso for the other top-4 trophy spots.  Notre Dame was 3^rd, but loses their 2-3-4.  Iona was 4^th, losing 2^nd placer Kiplagat and a 5^th man, but has a very fit NJ soph in Mohamed Khadroui, along with 2 other good top 5 returners and two new Kenyans.  Colorado is always at top 4 favorite, and last year wound up 17 points out of 4^th without Brent Vaughn and with a supbar day from its top 2.  NJ’s Chris Pannone, fresh off a 14:09 5000m and 3^rd place at the Big 12 10000m could be counted on.  Stanfurd sucks, but returns their top 4 and is always deep.  They crashed in the 2^nd 5000m last year after probably winning the meet through 5k…too bad it was a 10k.  NJ native Jason Vigilante coaches the talented Texas squad which looks to unseat Colorado, who has never not won the Big 12 title.  Oregon may be a year away from putting together a real national title threat, but depending on newcomers being ready to contribute and Gaylord not dropping out of things, they could certainly be top 4.  My alma mater Portland could have a chance to sneak in for its first trophy if everything breaks right, or at least top its all-time highest NCAA finish of 7^th…last year they were a surprise 9^th.  Oklahoma State is in the mix, and some travel agent squads like UTEP, Arizona, or Alabama could also sneak up.

      Some of these anti-Stanfurd sentiments or references to Gaylord may sound familiar to fans of The Grote Poll.  No copyright violations have been committed, and I assure you, this is still The Not The Grote Poll. 

      Closer to The Garden State, The Mid-Atlantic Region should be improved.  Georgetown remains the favorite, with returning qualifier American close with a host of others also close.  Will this be the year LaSalle makes it?  Sean Quigley is great, and the Explorers took their nickname to heart and explored the training in Boulder over the summer.  Villanova will be back in the mix led by Bobby Curtis, seniors Kippy Keino and Milos Mitric, as well as RS frosh and Buff transfer Bobby Papazian.  Princeton also should not be ignored, but should be insulted because they are all smarter than everybody and have plenty of perks and advantages laid out for them for the rest of their lives. 

      Individually, it is hard for me to imagine Wisconsin’s Chris Solinsky not winning.  Teammate Matt Withrow could be close.  Josh McDougal will not be easy to get rid of either.  How great is it to have mentioned three guys, all US guys who have developed well?  Arizona’s Cheseret is very good and a big threat, as is Arkansas’ Kosgei.  Notre Dame’s Kurt Benninger, BYU’s Josh Rohatinsky, Providence’s Martin Fagan, and Brent Vaughn of Colorado are among others who could contend. 

      The Grote Poll used to have a Top 31 based on the projected 31 teams who would be in the NCAA meet, which by the way is again in Terre Haute, which by the way is not a nice drive from New Jersey, which by the is the worst town I have ever visited.  How many words was that sentence?  Only 4-5 I think, since I repeated things a lot, right?  Since this is The Not The Grote Poll, there will be no top 31, but how rather a top 19: 

1. Wisconsin-  Too good not to pick for the repeat.
2. Arkansas-  Picked them all of last year, but this is The Not The Grote Poll, not The Grote Poll, so its different.
3. Colorado
4. Portland-  If this were The Grote Poll, I’d never pick my Pilots to win their first trophy and win the region for the 2^nd time, but this is The Not The Grote Poll, so I did it.
5. Iona-  Could be another trophy back in Westchester.
6. Texas-  Look out ‘Buffs at Big 12…
7. Stanfurd-  I know its not spelled with a “u”…I don’t like them, and I don’t care.
8. Kansas- Entire top 7 is back from 12^th place squad.
9. Oklahoma State-  Solid group, 8^th last year, looking for more.
10. BYU-  Bad day at NCAA’s last fall.
11. UTEP-  Even worse day at NCAA’s last fall.
12. Oregon-  Not even at NCAA’s last fall.
13. Virginia-  Young team on the rise.
14. William & Mary-  Tribe getting great recruits from Jersey and elsewhere, hopefully a healthy Count.
15. Michigan-  Due for a good year.
16. Arizona State-  Louie Quintana has built a solid winning program.
17. Georgetown-  Bumbalough still running track right now.
18. Dartmouth-  Wish Ben True would run all year.
19. Villanova-  Back in the meet and then some.

   That does it.  Why only the top 19?  I figure I don’t want to overshoot my 300-500 word allotment, and must be getting pretty close. 

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