Daily Blog - Monday, August 3rd

Favorite Teams

A lot of people ask me if I have a favorite team. I was born and raised and still live in Cleveland, Ohio. I was a die hard Ohio St Buckeye fan as a child but now that I put out a National magazine, I cannot afford to be a fan of any team. I have to pick the teams where I think they will finish each year. As an example this year my magazine is the ONLY major magazine in the country that does not pick Ohio State to win the Big Ten! I was doing a radio show last week and I was asked if I have a favorite team or teams. My response was a strong YES! The interviewer was surprised by that answer and also eager to hear which team I would pick. My answer was my favorite team each year is the team I pick #1 in the magazine and my favorite teams are the ones I have picked higher than all the other major magazines out there. I then said that each year I establish a list of my favorite teams for that year. I then give this list to my wife. I wear a shirt and tie to work every day during the week and my tie is always a college team. I wear polo shirts during the weekend and when not at work and they are always different college teams. The list I give my wife is the ones to buy that I will be wearing for the upcoming year as these are the teams I will be the biggest fan of for the upcoming season. I was then asked “What teams will your wife be buying ties and shirts of this year? That was a great question and I thought I would answer it in a blog.

I went to preseason.stassen.com to find out where all the magazines have everyone ranked for the upcoming year. Here is the list of teams that I will be rooting for the most this year.

Clemson – I have them 1st in the ACC Atlantic Division. Lindy’s and Athlon have them 3rd and The Sporting News has them at 4th place in the Atlantic.

Boston College – The Eagles are picked 5th or 6th in the Atlantic. BC has since lost their top defensive player and top QB for the season after the magazines came out so expectations are low. I have BC picked in a tie for 3rd which is higher than everyone else.

Miami, Florida – The Hurricanes have a tough schedule this year but may be the most athletically talented team in the ACC. I have them 2nd in the Coastal but they are picked 4th by all the other major publications.

Rutgers – I do a weekly show with Bill King every Friday morning on Rivals Radio. He says that I could run for mayor of New Brunswick, New Jersey as I have the Knights picked much higher than anyone else. I have them 1st in the Big East and ranked #16. Lindy’s does have them 2nd in the Big East, Athlon has them 3rd, The Sporting News has them 4th and USA Today has them 5th.

Penn State – As mentioned up top, Ohio St is the consensus pick to win the Big Ten, but I have Penn St.

Illinois – I have the Fighting Illini picked in a tie for 2nd (OSU) in the Big Ten while they are picked 5th by all the other major publications (Lindy’s does have them 4th).

Colorado and Kansas State – I have these two teams picked tied for 2nd in the Big 12 North. All the other publications have Colorado in 4th place and Kansas St in 5th.

UTEP – I have them tied for 1st in the CUSA West and going to the Title game. They are picked 3rd by all others except USA Today which has them 5th in the West.

Ohio U – GO BOBCATS! I have them picked to win the MAC East and my #2 Most Improved Team in the country. Lindy’s and USA Today have them 6th in the East and The Sporting News has them 4th. Athlon did peg them 2nd.

Temple – I have Temple tied for 2nd in the MAC East. Lindy’s, Athlon and USA Today have them 5th in the East and The Sporting News has them 3rd. Interestingly they were picked 2nd in MAC Media Days.

Toledo – I have them tied for 2nd in the MAC West. They are picked 4th or 5th by everyone else.

BYU – Last year BYU fans beat me up during the preseason because I had them LOWER than everyone else. They were the consensus pick for 1st in the MWC but I had them TIED for 2nd and they finished 3rd. This year Lindy’s, Athlon and USA Today all have them THIRD in the MWC (The Sporting News has them 2nd) and my magazine is the only major publication to have them 1st. Last year mine was the only major publication to have Utah first. I was wearing Utah gear last year but will have blue and white this year.

UCLA and Arizona - I have these guys tied for 3rd in the Pac-10. UCLA is picked either 5th or 6th by all the other big boys. Arizona is picked 5th by Lindy’s, 6th by USA Today and EIGHTH by Athlon and The Sporting News!

Mississippi – I have the Rebels winning the SEC West and so does The Sporting News. Lindy’s and USA Today have them 3rd (Athlon 2nd).

ULM – I have them tied for 4th in the Sun Belt. TSN has them 5th while Athlon and Lindy’s has them 6th and USA Today has them 7th.

San Jose St – Everyone has them sixth in the WAC but I have them tied for 4th.

Marshall - I have the Herd picked 3rd in the CUSA East and they are pegged 4th by Lindy’s and Athlon, 5th by The Sporting News and 6th by USA Today.

UNLV - I have the Rebels tied for 4th in the MWC while they are 5th or 6th by the other major magazines and are picked as low as 8th by some other sites monitored by Stassen.

There is the list of my 20 favorite teams for the 2009 season. If 14 or more of these teams live up to my expectations then I will win the Most Accurate Title for 2009 and I will be rooting for each of them this year!