Facebook App
I know you're all dying to know who is going to be the Sun-Times No. 1 when the Top 10 is announced on Thursday.
Cancel the pasta parties to view the rankings, because I'm going to ruin the surprise right now - Waubonsie Valley. I know, that's going to kill our circulation numbers tomorrow.
The only way the Warriors don't win their third consecutive state title is if lightning strikes the team at some point this spring. If you think I'm nuts, maybe you've been struck by lightning. Every other Illinois team is playing for second place in the IHSA state tournament. Go ahead, post that on the bulletin boards, blow it up in big font and put my smiling face next to it. I'll even type it one more time - everyone else is playing for second place.
I don't care if the Warriors lose 10 times during the regular season - they have more talent than any team around - period. I've said this before and I'll say it again - if Waubonsie Valley goes undefeated during the regular season and loses in the IHSA tournament, guess who will be the No. 1 team at the end of the season - Waubonsie Valley.
Now with that said, when lightning did strike during the 2005 state title game, Neuqua Valley scored six goals in the second half to stun two-time defending state champ New Trier 6-3. Well, guess who the No. 2 team is in Thursday's poll? At this rate, I might as well tell you the rest of the Top 10. That's what you get for reading this blog.
I reward my loyal readers with a little inside info. (Pictured left is the Waubonsie Valley coaching staff led by head coach Julie Bergstrom second from the left.)
Now did you really think I was going to tell you? It's called a teaser folks. COME ON, I expect more out of you.
One thing I will tell you is the players to watch list I compiled last week will only feature players that played high school last spring. Just because a player sat out and played club last year doesn't make them a player to watch. There are a number of good players returning to high school this spring, but to be on the list they had to play high school in 2008.
It's not the Top 50 players. It's not the Sun-Times Preseason All-Area Team. It's a list of players to watch this spring. That's all - nothing more, nothing less. So when you actually spend the 50 cents to grab the paper Thursday and look at the full page soccer coverage (savor it, because you won't see that amount again this season), remember that.
I know the soccer moms will be texting left and right in the morning, and I'll receive an email or two from a ticked off grandma or aunt because Jenny is not on the list or is spelled with an 'i' and not a 'y.' But I'm letting you know ahead of time. There are players out there that deserve coverage, and I'm going to give it to them.
And here's another piece of inside info - I didn't ask for preseason previews from coaches this year. I sure as heck don't know it all - sometimes I know very little actually - but I'm tired of some coaches wasting my time thinking they should be ranked when they should be more worried about winning their conference for once or actually making it out of their own regional if they are that good.
You should see some of the stuff I receive.
So who else do you think will be ranked in Thursday's poll?
- Joe Trost
Cell Phone Alerts
Lake Forest is going to be very good this year right?? They had a young team last season and Q&L are back.
Top Ten Reasons Why Readers Love Joe Trost
10. His kind words for all of his adoring fans.
Sorry! I will be posting the next installment of the top in 2010. This is my teaser. Each year at this time I will post a new reason. Just think in 10 yrs you will have the whole list.
Joe will be realeasing the rest of his top 10 in June. That way he will be sure to have them all correct.
Kidding aside: Joe how about a creative top list of players. Every year its all about the goal scorers for most of these lists. How about the best soccer names, best passers, shot blockers, shutdown defenders, offensive defenders, two way midfielders, attacking mids, defensive mids, top freshman, soph etc..., players to make the biggest impact, most important player for their team, best leaders, dead ball specialists, best in the air. Instead like every year we will get the same mids and forwards who each put up 15-25 goals or 15 to 20 assists and the few best sweepers and 3 or 4 goalies. Let's change it up this year.
I love how every time you disagree with someone you tell them to take a hike. Problem is Joe your like the Bears. Your the only show in town. Good or bad. I will always stay tuned.
My track record shows I tend to shy away from goal scorers, just as I'm harder on the great teams. Don't believe me, ask New Trier coach Jim Burnside if I'm harder on the great teams. I expect more. Look at my all-area teams since 2001, midfielders have dominated those squads. The hardest workers on the field, even coming up big with non-goalie saves at times, are in the midfield. I do like your thinking about other things. As for being the only show in town, not really. In today's day and age, any clueless person with a buck or two can start his own blog, his own Facebook page or Twitter updates and do it. Christ, go start your own online paper or IhateJoeTrost.com. It takes a little motivation to do a little more, but some people don't have the motivation to do it. They just moan. And that's when I say, if you don't like, don't read. When you say I'm going to wait until the end of the season to post rankings, it's just common sense to tell you to take a hike. Stupid comments deserve a response like that. The Sun-Times has always been first with rankings. When I used to come out with rankings before the first practice, people used to moan. Now we come out with rankings after most of the basketball is over and people moan. P.S.: There is a difference between Your and You're. You were using it wrong in your response. Just trying to be a full-service blogger.
Joe Trost quote = "My track record shows I tend to shy away from goal scorers"
You mean like your (NOT you're) pick of Alonso Flores as the Sun Times Boys soccer player of the year?
Right.
It is petty to point out grammatical mistakes. I will proof read next time.
I think you need some thicker skin. When people either disagree or give you back some of the sarcasm that you dish out on a daily basis you get offensive. Maybe it is the lack of respect the south suburbs received in the 90's. It makes you look weak.
I love your blog and obviously check it out every day. Keep it up Joe.
Reading is a skill - you do know that in Hinsdale right? Quote - you do know what a quote is - "Look at my all-area teams since 2001." What does that mean, all-area team is not loaded with just goal scorers and as I said, "I take the hardest workers on the field." Come on Guru, I expect more of you. Also, track record means more than one - it does mean that in Hinsdale right? Now with that said, Player of the Year is based on something else, which I was planning to talk about tomorrow - but that has now been pushed back a day because something just popped up out of the 11 a.m. editorial meeting.
Disagree - no. Untruthful sarcasm - yes. And remember, at the end of the day, it's all in good fun.
Come on Joe! You're (!!) a newspaper guy. Newspaper guys make a living from taking things out of context. Fact is you LOVE goal scorers, and my point of mentioning Flores is a prime example of your love of goal scorers and an example of your "track record" on picking players for all area or all city or all public league or whatever, who are goal scorers. Even though you wrote that article in Nov. 08 trying to explain he is "more than just a goal scorer" - we know the story. What - the kid had something like 120+ goals against Crete, Rich South, Rich East and all the other soccer high school powerhouses - for which you dutifully reward him with player of the year. Hey, that's your right. You have the pen. But don't go off saying you "shy away" from goal scorers. And I don't quite understand why you keep mentioning Hinsdale Central, as I am not a HC fan. But perhaps you got your information wrong - another VERY common thing with newspaper guys.......So I agree with PK re the "lists" of players you create.
Can you name the last boys POY that I picked that was a forward? Hmmm, bet you can't. Hmmm, let's see, I picked an undersized goalie the year before from St. Viator, a defender before that, a midfielder before that, facts, facts, facts. As for the Flores piece, I never once mentioned in the story he was more than a goal scorer, not once. He was a goal scorer. The sad thing is you are taking shots at a player you never saw play once. Did you know he scored against one of the top teams in the nation last fall - St. Edward (Ohio)? You forgot to mention that game and many others. You respond way too much for this blog, you need to find other interests.
Top ten lists are just made to sell newspapers. How many of your preseason top 10 last year made it to the final 8 at North Central? Lets just play and in 10 weeks we'll know who's best.
One, that's not true. If you think it sells newspapers, you haven't seen the industry lately. Secondly, you can't compared who makes it to makes it to North Central, because some of the best teams are in the same area. And again, facts - only four teams make it to North Central.
Again, facts... Joe, "How many of your preseason top 10 LAST YEAR made it to the final 8 at North Central"
Last year there were still 8 at North Central... so facts, facts, facts...
At some point you have to beat the best to be the best, so yes, certain regionals are LOADED, but if you are the best, you should still be able to get out. A loss is a loss, and while upsets happen, look at the NFL last year and the Patriots undefeated and losing to the 6 seed in Super Bowl... can't say that Patriots were still #1 even if better team throughout the year... you always state that sometimes teams are stuck playing in their weaker conference or the teams that that are on their schedule and it is up to them to perform...so why penalize a team in a weak regional/sectional that pulls off an "upset" along the way and not reward them with a #1 ranking for winning state??? DOn't think it will matter this year as WV is clear favorite as you said...but just a thought...not facts here...srictly opinion.
You're nuts. In the final power rankings when New England lost, they were still the No. 1 team. When George Mason advanced to the Final Four of the tournament, they didn't finish No. 4 in the final AP Poll. The state tournament is not a balanced tournament. There have been teams that have advanced to the state finals and they have not been ranked in the final poll. Come on. So basically you are saying the regular season means nothing? It's a poll that looks at the entire season. If you don't like the poll, start your own.
It would be great to hear what games you are able to see in person each week and what your thoughts are about the play.
I was kind of suprised to see that Shelbi Johnson (I believe she is a midfield/forward) from Neuqua Valley didn't make your list of top players; she did a tremendous job for the Wildcats last season. Jessica Rubin (Naper Central) attending Northwestern next year, a fiesty defender - another good candidate for a top defender. Just my opinion, I know, I know everyone would like to see someones name on the list that wasn't mentioned.
There are a lot of very good players that aren't on the list. As I mentioned last week, those are just some of the players to watch this year. It's a very deep pool this year.