D.J. Bennett Spoils The Ballot

Will someone, anyone, please prohibit The Score's sideline reporter D.J. Bennett from casting ballots in the weekly CIS Top 10 poll?

What can only be described as blatant OUA bias shines through again in Week 7 as the former Western Mustang, whose brother plays for Laurier, has four OUA teams in the Top 10, including all-but-one-dimensional Western Mustangs at No. 2 and Ottawa, which was embarrassed by Toronto, at No. 4.

Bennett also has McMaster 7 and, inexplicably, Guelph at 10.

Track records of voters who gravitate in and around the Centre of the Universe is noticed elesewhere, too.

Ontario-centric voters will put the 'Stangs in the 2-spot. — Yahoo!'s Neate Sager, who is also based in Ontario and posted his Top 10 ballot at The CIS Blog.

Bennett and by association The Score have vested interests in the weekly CIS rankings because the nationwide network only broadcasts OUA football. And, the OUA and The Score have always been described as "partners" in this broadcast agreement. What's good for one is good for the other. So it can be argued more OUA teams in the Top 10 could mean a better billing each week; a better sell job, if you will, outside Ontario. And Bennett has a direct impact on a Top 10 poll.

UPDATE: It's clearly just a coincidence, but The Score has decided to broadcast the Guelph at Ottawa game Saturday because as former Guelph Gryphons quarterback and The Score blogger Justin Dunk tweeted the game has "playoff positioning on the line." True, but so too does the Laurier at Windsor game. But neither of them are Top 10 teams, now are they?

Bennett had previously voted for the Guelph Gryphons, twice, because "they work hard" but the Gryphons are back because of their win over hapless Windsor.

Bennett, however, leaves the Laurier Golden Hawks out of the Top 10 despite the fact the Hawks and Gryphons have played viritually the identical schedule to date. Guelph beat Windsor on Saturday and Laurier lost to Ottawa a couple weeks back. Other than that, they both beat York, Toronto and Queen's. Laurier outscored those oppents 149-43 while Guelph outscored the same trio 62-30 and needed a last-second field goal to beat Toronto. Both lost to McMaster and Western. Laurier lost to Mac by two. And Laurier beat Guelph — wait for it — 36-2.

If Bennett is putting any sort of stock into Guelph's "comeback" — and use that term loosely — against Mac and "win" — again, use that term loosely — over Windsor, he shouldn't.

Mac played reserves late in game they led 40-15 after three quarters and one former Gryphon told me "come on, it's Windsor" after Saturday's win.

And having his alma mater Western ranked ahead of Regina and ranking Saskatchewan 6th is insulting to the Huskies and Canada West, what can arguably be called the country's best conference this year. There's no denying the OUA's talent pool is a shallow one this year and that affects every team in the conference (i.e. a win over Queen's isn't a win over the Vanier Cup champions)

Here is Bennett's Top 10 for Week No. 7:

1. Laval

2. Western

3. Regina

4. Ottawa

5. Montreal

6. Saskatchewan

7. McMaster

8. Calgary

9. Bishop's

10. Guelph

It will be argued by many the weekly Top 10 is for discussion only. And it is. But let's try and make it a serious one, shall we? Because right now, it's kinda like listening to this  or even this. Thank goodness people outside Ontario are smarter than that.

Comments

[Player]

Is there anything you have to say about the positives in CIS football? I have just been introduced to this website and everything I have read seems to be some negative story that you give your two cents about. The CIS gets no media attention compared to the 'All-Mighty' NCAA, so why not try writing about something good in the sport....

[player]

I would conquer with the comment above that there is a lot of negative in this article. As well the comment about Queen's is completely false last time i checked Queen's won the Vanier Cup last year so beating them IS beating the Vanier Cup champions. Although, they do not have the same record or calibre of players that they had last year they are still the champions.
Also DJ is a well established journalist that has taken major strides to help promote OUA football with the score and in this article you rip him up. DJ has been around the OUA for years as a player and journalist he knows the ins and outs of the league and you tear him and the OUA to pieces for no apparent reason. It is one thing to critique or argue ones opinion but this is over the top and unnecessary.
Thanks for the support!

[Neatebuzzthenet]

Player,

The comment about Queen's is bang on. "Vanier Cup champions" refers to the team which eventually wins this season.

It isn't wrong to say "defending champions," but try to act like you're vaguely familiar with the league. Queen's graduated its quarterback, its two-time all-Canadian wide receiver, its leading rusher in the Vanier Cup, two offensive linemen, its two best pass rushers, two starting linebackers, its free safety and its best cover corner/return man. Its best possession receiver (Ioannides) went down for the season vs. Guelph.

It is not wrong, per se. There is a difference between saying something which is factually right and saying something which is accurate.

You're in over your head trying to debate well-established journalists like Layson. Quit well you're only a little behind, son.

Greg is doing a great job with this site. It's a blog. His job is to counter the blind

[Neatebuzzthenet]

Player,

Your venom illustrates a lot of what's wrong with the media coverage of the OUA. It seems like people expect all the coverage to be blind, see-no-evil boosterism. Greg actually takes a critical look at the teams and the media coverage.

I assume you're smart enough to balance the demands of being student-athlete. If you're smart enough to do that, then you are smart enough not to be a baby ears when someone gives an opinion you do not share.

[Darcy Harold]

Player,

Please refrain from bashing Greg for his opinions. He is entitled to them and this is HIS blog. No one forces you to read it and ANY press at all for CIS is great if you ask me.

One more thing...At least Greg has the gonads to post his real name.

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