(09-06-2013 02:04 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 01:09 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 01:01 PM)BhamSnap Wrote:  So far we have

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #104
Conference Rank: #6 C-USA

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #96
Conference Rank: #5 Conference USA

Southern Miss Golden Eagles
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #77
Conference Rank: #4 C-USA

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #66
Conference Rank: #3 Conference USA

It will be interesting to see who they have as the other two.

One would have to be UTEP. The other is likely Charlotte. Longshots might be UAB or ECU.

If we aren't in the top 144 this list is a complete joke. UAB certainly has no buisness preseason top 65, we probably wouldn't either and while Charlotte certainly should be top 144 as well they shouldn't be top 65 the way they limped to the end of the season after Mayfield was booted. Especially losing Braswell, Clayton and Nickerson as well. Anyone that was watching already saw what a team with out Mayfield looked like. UTEP lost their McDonalds's AA they were counting on as well. La Tech should have been the favorite. Lot of dumb on there list.

We lost Clark, not Clayton.

Agree though. I don't think we are a top 70 team either. I think we could be, but we really need Mike Thorne to be a force. He looked fundamentally sound in the limited minutes he got, but he was poorly conditioned and couldn't stay on the floor very long.

He was adjusting to a diabetes diet though, so hopefully he has that figured out by now so he isn't fatigued all the time.

There are other question marks as well, but having a 2nd competent post player is the most important piece to a successful season IMO.

I don't think the list takes a lot of things into consideration. I assume they write the list up almost immediately after the season ends. If there are late summer transfers, injuries, or recruits that don't show up on campus, they probably don't adjust their rankings to accommodate that because it would throw things off a lot.

The list is stupid, but it is still nice to see your team get some attention.

(09-06-2013 02:04 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 01:09 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 01:01 PM)BhamSnap Wrote:  So far we have

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #104
Conference Rank: #6 C-USA

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #96
Conference Rank: #5 Conference USA

Southern Miss Golden Eagles
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #77
Conference Rank: #4 C-USA

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #66
Conference Rank: #3 Conference USA

It will be interesting to see who they have as the other two.

One would have to be UTEP. The other is likely Charlotte. Longshots might be UAB or ECU.

If we aren't in the top 144 this list is a complete joke. UAB certainly has no buisness preseason top 65, we probably wouldn't either and while Charlotte certainly should be top 144 as well they shouldn't be top 65 the way they limped to the end of the season after Mayfield was booted. Especially losing Braswell, Clayton and Nickerson as well. Anyone that was watching already saw what a team with out Mayfield looked like. UTEP lost their McDonalds's AA they were counting on as well. La Tech should have been the favorite. Lot of dumb on there list.

If it is not Charlotte, UAB or ECU; then the only other school that it could be, other than UTEP, is Marshall. They have a lot of talent even if the coach is turrible.

(09-06-2013 02:57 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 02:04 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 01:09 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 01:01 PM)BhamSnap Wrote:  So far we have

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #104
Conference Rank: #6 C-USA

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #96
Conference Rank: #5 Conference USA

Southern Miss Golden Eagles
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #77
Conference Rank: #4 C-USA

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #66
Conference Rank: #3 Conference USA

It will be interesting to see who they have as the other two.

One would have to be UTEP. The other is likely Charlotte. Longshots might be UAB or ECU.

If we aren't in the top 144 this list is a complete joke. UAB certainly has no buisness preseason top 65, we probably wouldn't either and while Charlotte certainly should be top 144 as well they shouldn't be top 65 the way they limped to the end of the season after Mayfield was booted. Especially losing Braswell, Clayton and Nickerson as well. Anyone that was watching already saw what a team with out Mayfield looked like. UTEP lost their McDonalds's AA they were counting on as well. La Tech should have been the favorite. Lot of dumb on there list.

If it is not Charlotte, UAB or ECU; then the only other school that it could be, other than UTEP, is Marshall. They have a lot of talent even if the coach is turrible.

They lost some big time players and although they added a 5* recruit, that didn't happen until nearly half the list had been released. Just don't see them being in it.

I don't really think any of the potential #2 teams deserve to be as high as they'll be.

(09-06-2013 02:42 PM)EpicNiner Wrote:  First of all, Charlotte didn't lose Clatyton. He's still on the team, not sure where you heard that.

I know which is which, I just mixed the names up. I also think you guys will miss Clark a lot more than the numbers suggest. He set the bullying tone in a lot of the games I watched you play.

Quote:Also, I still do not understand why you think ECU beating scrubs in a tournament no one has heard of makes them better than the teams that went to the NCAA and NIT tournaments.

A 30-7 scrub we beat on the road in the championship, end of season rankings, or whatever is not worth getting into when it's clear we finished the season better. How you finish certainly should have a lot more bearing heading into next season in a preseason ranking over what you did the first half of last year.

It's pretty clear to see where our seasons started diverge as well, when Akeem finally started playing he had a coming out party and averaged 17ppg in only 28 minutes per game and we went 9-2 down the streach. I think that sets us appart compared to how your team folded without Mayfield.

I also think with guys like the JUCO PG that was the MVP of a 30-2 team and a 2 year starter like Straughn back we have more proven immediate help coming in as well to go with Richmond and Armstrong who were both highly highly productive players capable of playing a lot more minutes this year which they will get. Clanton and Henry are good but where is your 3 point shooting help , you also still got big post questions too.

(09-06-2013 03:00 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 02:57 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 02:04 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 01:09 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 01:01 PM)BhamSnap Wrote:  So far we have

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #104
Conference Rank: #6 C-USA

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #96
Conference Rank: #5 Conference USA

Southern Miss Golden Eagles
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #77
Conference Rank: #4 C-USA

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #66
Conference Rank: #3 Conference USA

It will be interesting to see who they have as the other two.

One would have to be UTEP. The other is likely Charlotte. Longshots might be UAB or ECU.

If we aren't in the top 144 this list is a complete joke. UAB certainly has no buisness preseason top 65, we probably wouldn't either and while Charlotte certainly should be top 144 as well they shouldn't be top 65 the way they limped to the end of the season after Mayfield was booted. Especially losing Braswell, Clayton and Nickerson as well. Anyone that was watching already saw what a team with out Mayfield looked like. UTEP lost their McDonalds's AA they were counting on as well. La Tech should have been the favorite. Lot of dumb on there list.

If it is not Charlotte, UAB or ECU; then the only other school that it could be, other than UTEP, is Marshall. They have a lot of talent even if the coach is turrible.

They lost some big time players and although they added a 5* recruit, that didn't happen until nearly half the list had been released. Just don't see them being in it.

I don't really think any of the potential #2 teams deserve to be as high as they'll be.

In all honesty none of these schools need to be in the top 50. I will concede that UTEP will be one of the final 2 teams in this count down, but from what I saw last year USM is actually a little better than UTEP. IMO Charlotte is the only other logical choice to be in this poll. I saw that others have commented on what ECU lost; and it is true it was a lot, but here is a little blurb written by SB Nation a couple months back after Terry Whisnant transferred to ECU. The writer goes a little bit into the Pirates other incoming players. The new guys are pretty highly rated; but even though they are talented it is going to be hard for them to replace 2 all conference players that graduated and the teams leading rebounder who transferred.

http://www.midmajormadness.com/2013/5/16...y-whisnant

So the Pirates are not totally empty. They have some good players returning and a JUCO All American point guard coming in, but those freshmen might not be ready to play at a high level right out the box.

http://www.ecupirates.com/sports/m-baskb...60465.html

(09-06-2013 02:57 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 02:04 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 01:09 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 01:01 PM)BhamSnap Wrote:  So far we have

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #104
Conference Rank: #6 C-USA

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #96
Conference Rank: #5 Conference USA

Southern Miss Golden Eagles
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #77
Conference Rank: #4 C-USA

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #66
Conference Rank: #3 Conference USA

It will be interesting to see who they have as the other two.

One would have to be UTEP. The other is likely Charlotte. Longshots might be UAB or ECU.

If we aren't in the top 144 this list is a complete joke. UAB certainly has no buisness preseason top 65, we probably wouldn't either and while Charlotte certainly should be top 144 as well they shouldn't be top 65 the way they limped to the end of the season after Mayfield was booted. Especially losing Braswell, Clayton and Nickerson as well. Anyone that was watching already saw what a team with out Mayfield looked like. UTEP lost their McDonalds's AA they were counting on as well. La Tech should have been the favorite. Lot of dumb on there list.

If it is not Charlotte, UAB or ECU; then the only other school that it could be, other than UTEP, is Marshall. They have a lot of talent even if the coach is turrible.

I would say its gonna be UAB and UTEP. ECU rarely would even be in the top 144, and nothing happened last year or in recruiting to chnage that for them. The last 3 or 4 years UAB and UTEP have been in the top 4 of the conference year in and year out. UAB had a new coach last year and was down somewhat but still did decent in conference, and signed a really good class that I think justifies our inclusion. I would have put us ranked around 60-70, but think we can finish much higher, but preseason I would say 60-70 is fair.

(09-07-2013 12:17 PM)BhamSnap Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 02:57 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 02:04 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 01:09 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(09-06-2013 01:01 PM)BhamSnap Wrote:  So far we have

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #104
Conference Rank: #6 C-USA

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #96
Conference Rank: #5 Conference USA

Southern Miss Golden Eagles
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #77
Conference Rank: #4 C-USA

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #66
Conference Rank: #3 Conference USA

It will be interesting to see who they have as the other two.

One would have to be UTEP. The other is likely Charlotte. Longshots might be UAB or ECU.

If we aren't in the top 144 this list is a complete joke. UAB certainly has no buisness preseason top 65, we probably wouldn't either and while Charlotte certainly should be top 144 as well they shouldn't be top 65 the way they limped to the end of the season after Mayfield was booted. Especially losing Braswell, Clayton and Nickerson as well. Anyone that was watching already saw what a team with out Mayfield looked like. UTEP lost their McDonalds's AA they were counting on as well. La Tech should have been the favorite. Lot of dumb on there list.

If it is not Charlotte, UAB or ECU; then the only other school that it could be, other than UTEP, is Marshall. They have a lot of talent even if the coach is turrible.

I would say its gonna be UAB and UTEP. ECU rarely would even be in the top 144, and nothing happened last year or in recruiting to chnage that for them. The last 3 or 4 years UAB and UTEP have been in the top 4 of the conference year in and year out. UAB had a new coach last year and was down somewhat but still did decent in conference, and signed a really good class that I think justifies our inclusion. I would have put us ranked around 60-70, but think we can finish much higher, but preseason I would say 60-70 is fair.

Maybe they will pick UAB as that other team; my guess would be Charlotte, but it is not my list. Btw, UAB's recruiting class is not much better if it is better at all than ECU's.

http://www.verbalcommits.com/conferences/c-usa

ECU has two 3 star high school players (Caleb White and Brandan Stith; actually Stith is almost is almost a 4*) and a top 100 JUCO 3* point guard (Antonio Robinson). ECU's rating dropped after they signed a 2 star shooting guard out of Virginia (Gregory Alexander) , but a Rivals writer called him a sleeper and the best long distance shooter in Virginia. Take a look at this kid, because he doesn't look like a 2* player to me; but then again I am not a recruiter or a coach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q92-iKXBap0

(09-07-2013 12:17 PM)BhamSnap Wrote:  I would say its gonna be UAB and UTEP. ECU rarely would even be in the top 144, and nothing happened last year or in recruiting to change that for them.

It's called a coaching change. We got a verbal from a top 100 player this week so you're blind if you can't see things changing. We've been top 100 two of the three years under Lebo.

Quote:The last 3 or 4 years UAB and UTEP have been in the top 4 of the conference year in and year out. UAB had a new coach last year and was down

Not under your current coach you didn't. There is no way on earth we should be behind UAB in any preseason poll, and I think we have a lot less question marks than Charlotte as well but people that didn't watch their team fade like I did or that do lazy research like this site probably wouldn't get it.

We'll have one of the best 3 point shooter in the nation and the best inside outside combo in the conference with Richmond and Armstrong. Straughn will be back and started on a top 100 team and will help our defense and we got a top 20 JUCO. I think the parts actually fit better around Richmond this year and he's already shown he can be a big time scorer the last 15 games when he got the minutes and carry the team at times.

No way we aren't top 144 I'll bet anyone on that.

(09-07-2013 12:52 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  Maybe they will pick UAB as that other team; my guess would be Charlotte, but it is not my list. Btw, UAB's recruiting class is not much better if it is better at all than ECU's.

http://www.verbalcommits.com/conferences/c-usa

ECU has two 3 star high school players (Caleb White and Brandan Stith; actually Stith is almost is almost a 4*) and a top 100 JUCO 3* point guard (Antonio Robinson). ECU's rating dropped after they signed a 2 star shooting guard out of Virginia (Gregory Alexander) , but a Rivals writer called him a sleeper and the best long distance shooter in Virginia. Take a look at this kid, because he doesn't look like a 2* player to me; but then again I am not a recruiter or a coach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q92-iKXBap0

They were all 3 star by 247 and their composite rankings which is an average all the top recruiting services. Robinson was a top 20 JUCO.

I don't think we really even have to depend on any of them outside of perhaps Robinson and even Prince Williams was an adequate back up point guard when Gaines went down. If they play they will be playing over some pretty good players already and that's a sign of a solid program.

(09-05-2013 10:01 AM)Chappy Wrote:  

(09-05-2013 09:53 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  I heard that the C-USA Tournament in El Paso will be set up like a regional bracket in the NCAAs: 1/16, 2/15, and so on. A team has to go 4-0 in order to win the championship. Is that really the way it will be set up?

No, that is incorrect.

Championship Format: Each team qualifies for the tournament, with the exception of FIU this season. The top four seeds will receive a double-bye, seeds five through nine receive a bye. The winner of the single-elimination tournament will gain the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.

From the C-USA site: http://www.conferenceusa.com/sports/m-ba...ormat.html

Not liking the double bye. It seemed like no team in the Big East with the double bye won the tournament, and that was the only tournament I can think of that featured one. Not that big of a deal in the BE. Big of a deal in CUSA.

This publication has SMU at 64, which is way to low considering all of the 4* star players that Larry Brown has on his team this year; and he is returning his a lot of talent too. SMU should be in the 40's if not the 30's.

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/7299

Then this publication put Indiana State at 63.

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/mens...4-previews

Who ever and where ever those last two CUSA schools land in this poll they are going to be overrated in this poll.

It is Charlotte at 61.

(09-09-2013 09:34 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  It is Charlotte at 61.

The writeup on Charlotte is pretty solid, backcourt should be strong suit with questionable depth in the front court (inexperience).

Charlotte was.....

15-2 with Mayfield
6-10 after Mayfield was expelled

and many of those were massive blowouts.

Quote:Tough wing Shawn Lester will finally suit up for the 49ers after being academically ineligible. He is a big time scorer who can be dangerous from everywhere on the floor. If Lester does not begin the year in the starting five, he will at least make a big impact off of the bench.

Your biggest immediate impact player and who they Project as a starter hasn't played organized basketball in a year as an NQ and shot these percentages

37% from FG
26% from 3
52% from the line

in a low level high school conference, his senior year. This is who they project to replace Mayfield.

Quote: Ben Cherry has much more experience after spending the last three seasons at Tulane. Cherry is a decent outside shooter and should immediately fill that role. On a team that made a mere 3.5 three-pointers game and shot a horrendous 26.8 percent from beyond the arc, Cherry is a very welcomed addition.

This guy was a walk on at Tulane that was a back up on a sorry team. Shoots fairly well but who's he play over to make it count?

Quote:Cameron Blakely and Marcus Bryan will provide depth in the frontcourt. Blakely is deceptively nimble for a 6-8 forward and his versatility gives Coach Major some rotational options depending on the size of the competition.

Dude looks toothpick skinny and he will have to play regardless if he is ready with the lack of depth

Quote:Bryan is a late addition to the program, but he was a great pickup for the program. Bryan was an amazing scorer and rebounder in the prep ranks. At this level he may not be able to score too much, but he can rebound and play solid defense.

I'm not going to hate on this guy, he probably will saved your season from disaster getting him, and he does look like he's strong enough to help this year.


I don't see where you improved at all though. Your team still can't really shoot at least not the ones Major will play. They were 342nd out of 345. You got it in the paint last year, and Braswell, Mayfield, Thompson, and Clark were a big part of setting the physical tone in the paint which was most of your game. I don't see guys like Blakey being able to replace that and you have no big wing to defend like Nickerson could at 6-7. Your tallest wing is 6-4.

Was told Blakely has put on more than 10 pounds since he has arrived on campus. I don't really expect much from him this year, but it at least shows he can put on weight. Some thin framed big guys have problems with that.

Was also told that Thorne is in better shape than he was last year when he first learned he had diabetes and had to adjust his diet. Takes time to find the right diet sometimes.

In the last 10 games of the season last year Terrence Williams hot 37% from 3, so I'm hoping that carries over to this season.

No one expects Cherry to be a large part of our offense, situational type of player. Williams will replace Mayfield, not Lester in anyway.

FYI, picture of Blakley is from 2.5 years ago, he's a little bigger than that now and reports are he's put on at least 10lbs since stepping on campus.

6-10 without Mayfield is misleading when comparing to earlier schedule (it was much easier). Mayfield was booted when our scheduled was toughest of the year, but we made it through to the NIT.

Lester was an ACC recruit if he had the grades, it wasn't his HS %'s that turned them off.

(09-09-2013 10:54 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  Charlotte was.....

15-2 with Mayfield
6-10 after Mayfield was expelled

and many of those were massive blowouts.

Quote:Tough wing Shawn Lester will finally suit up for the 49ers after being academically ineligible. He is a big time scorer who can be dangerous from everywhere on the floor. If Lester does not begin the year in the starting five, he will at least make a big impact off of the bench.

Your biggest immediate impact player and who they Project as a starter hasn't played organized basketball in a year as an NQ and shot these percentages

37% from FG
26% from 3
52% from the line

in a low level high school conference, his senior year. This is who they project to replace Mayfield.

Quote: Ben Cherry has much more experience after spending the last three seasons at Tulane. Cherry is a decent outside shooter and should immediately fill that role. On a team that made a mere 3.5 three-pointers game and shot a horrendous 26.8 percent from beyond the arc, Cherry is a very welcomed addition.

This guy was a walk on at Tulane that was a back up on a sorry team. Shoots fairly well but who's he play over to make it count?

Quote:Cameron Blakely and Marcus Bryan will provide depth in the frontcourt. Blakely is deceptively nimble for a 6-8 forward and his versatility gives Coach Major some rotational options depending on the size of the competition.

Dude looks toothpick skinny and he will have to play regardless if he is ready with the lack of depth

Quote:Bryan is a late addition to the program, but he was a great pickup for the program. Bryan was an amazing scorer and rebounder in the prep ranks. At this level he may not be able to score too much, but he can rebound and play solid defense.

I'm not going to hate on this guy, he probably will saved your season from disaster getting him, and he does look like he's strong enough to help this year.


I don't see where you improved at all though. Your team still can't really shoot at least not the ones Major will play. They were 342nd out of 345. You got it in the paint last year, and Braswell, Mayfield, Thompson, and Clark were a big part of setting the physical tone in the paint which was most of your game. I don't see guys like Blakey being able to replace that and you have no big wing to defend like Nickerson could at 6-7. Your tallest wing is 6-4.

Will you like us any better after we beat ECU?

(09-09-2013 11:13 PM)moss2k Wrote:  6-10 without Mayfield is misleading when comparing to earlier schedule (it was much easier). Mayfield was booted when our scheduled was toughest of the year, but we made it through to the NIT.

It took an OT game with the worst team in your league and a complete mental collapse by Richmond. It wasn't just that you limped to the end, you were getting completely crushed. There is no way you were close to being the same team as you were the first half with Mayfield. You also got to figure a way to replace Braswell, Clark and Nickerson which were heavy contributors. Braswell particularly hard to replace as your best player and at the toughest position to fill on the court.

Quote:Lester was an ACC recruit if he had the grades, it wasn't his HS %'s that turned them off.

14ppg on 37/26/52 percentages in mediocre public NC high school league isn't going to walk in and be an instant starter/impact player on a top 60 team like this article suggest.

"'a big time scorer who can be dangerous from everywhere on the floor. If Lester does not begin the year in the starting five, he will at least make a big impact off of the bench."""..... college hoops net.

A big time scorer, dangerous from anywhere. If he is and actually shoots respectable this year I will eat my words.

So.... we're up to #61 and no mention of ECU yet.

#61 - Charlotte
#66 - LA Tech
#77 - USM
#96 - Tulsa
#104 - MTSU
#144 - NCSU

(09-06-2013 01:01 PM)BhamSnap Wrote:  So far we have

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #104
Conference Rank: #6 C-USA

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #96
Conference Rank: #5 Conference USA

Southern Miss Golden Eagles
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #77
Conference Rank: #4 C-USA

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #66
Conference Rank: #3 Conference USA

It will be interesting to see who they have as the other two.

Charlotte 49ers
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #61
Conference Rank: #2 C-USA

And considering that Lindy's has this:
Lindy's Magazine C-USA Basketball Projection
1. Southern Miss
2. UAB
3. UTEP
4. Louisiana Tech
5. Charlotte
6. Tulsa
7. Marshall
8. Middle Tennessee St.
9. Florida International
10. East Carolina
11. North Texas
12. Tulane
13. Florida Atlantic
14. Rice
15. UTSA
16. Old Dominion

I can see it being UTEP or UAB as the final team. Scary that Lindy's thinks that both of these teams are at the top, but that college sports madness has one below 144. Or maybe college sports madness messed up and has 2 more conference usa teams to go and miss numbered of MTSU, Tulsa, So Miss, La Tech and Charlotte as far as there conference rank.

No offense to the ECU fans, but you don't belong in the top 1/4 of the conference or even top half in any preseason poll until you actually finish there more than just once, last year, and you were 9-7, barely over .500. There was only 1 other year of ECU basketball in which you finished at .500 all the other years it was close to last place (ESPN has all the info on their website back to 2001-2002 season). The media / prediction people are obviously thinking last year was an aberration, not a trend. Its up to you to prove them wrong. Its the opposite for you football team, you are always a good solid team thus you always get picked to finish near the top. Is it fair, maybe not, but people use past info to make future judgments.