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The Run for the Roses

 

As you all (should) know, this past weekend was the 135th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs. Along with the other 153,562 fans, I had the privilege to watch live history being made as a 50 – 1 odds horse named “Mind That Bird” stunned the crowd with a 6 3/4-length victory, the second-biggest upset in Derby history.
 
This was my fourth Kentucky Derby in the past five years and each year the experience is richer. While some say this is the most exciting two minutes in sports, I like to consider it the greatest two days. Residents of Louisville may even refer to it as the greatest two weeks, as the festivities begin two weeks before race day with the Thunder over Louisville Air and Firework Show and continue on until the last race on Derby Day.  
 
For my friends and me, our Derby celebrations kick off with the Kentucky Oaks, which is the Filly race that takes place on the Friday before the Derby, and then continues on until Derby Day. The biggest difference for these two days besides the bigger hats and the brighter outfits is the signature drink. On Oaks Day fans can usually be found sipping pink cocktails known as the Oaks Lilly, and the infamous Mint Julep is the preferred drink of choice for the Derby (for those who like to tribute the Derby year-round, I have included recipes for both below). 
 
Throughout my years attending this race, one thing I noticed this year was the large crowd. Despite the current economic conditions, Churchill Downs reported that the 2009 race was one of the top 10 most attended Derby races in history, marking the ninth time the attendance has surpassed 150,000. Those not in attendance were tuning in from home according to NBC, which announced that the race’s television ratings were the highest in 17 years, drawing a 9.8 national rating and a 23 share, according to the Associated Press. The AP also reported that the ratings were up 11 percent from last year's 8.8/21, and it was the highest rating since a 10.3/30 when Lil E Tee won in 1992. What does this mean? Is one of America's greatest sporting events recession-proof or are American’s just looking for something to celebrate?
 
What did you think of this year’s race? Do you think Mind That Bird has a chance at the Triple Crown?

Oaks Lilly Recipe
1 oz. Finlandia Vodka
1 oz. Sweet and Sour Mix
3 oz. Cranberry Juice
Splash of Triple Sec
 
The Early Times Mint Julep Recipe
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Crushed ice
Early Times Kentucky Whisky
Silver Julep Cups

 

By Colleen Murphy

Five-Time Champions

 

For the past few weeks our nation has been enthralled by the world of college basketball. Not that being captivated by college sports is a new phenomenon for our country – nearly every season we tune in for the big game or the big championship, wanting to share the glory with our favorite team or athlete.

But what is it about the NCAA Tournament that fascinates us for an entire month?  Year after year –following heated discussions from the classroom to the dinner table to the workplace water cooler – Americans excitedly fill in their brackets (most likely more than one) to see if this will be the year they can best predict the Madness of March Madness. This year the chaos was taken to a heightened National level following the ESPN interview with President Obama. While Obama didn't come in first place (he had Pittsburgh winning it all), he did rank in the 80th percentile among ESPN tournament entrants. Not bad, not bad at all!

Of course, it's easy to be consumed by the excitement of College basketball when there are enticing pools everywhere you look. Sportsbook.com highlighted a $12 million pot for the perfect bracket winner. ESPN.com offered a $5,000 prize for the top 30 brackets and similarly Yahoo! offered a $1 million grand prize.

According the U.S. News & World Report, this year in particular, given these tough economic times, March Madness offers the perfect time for companies to build morale and camaraderie. From moving TVs into the break-room and filling out brackets for an office wide pool to wearing your favorite team’s apparel, there are a number of different ways companies could use March Madness to bring a little more life into the office this spring.  

Regardless of what teams you were pulling for, the 2009 NCAA tournament held up its end of the bargain –bracket busters, unbelievable scores and sport memories were created, and in the end the UNC Tar Heels went home with their fifth National Championship win, beating Michigan State, 89-72.  

Did the Madness win out in the end? How did your bracket fair this year?

 

By Carrie Crabill

Lost in Social Media Land?

The social media movement has taken over the lives of more than 60 percent of Americans, according to the recent Cone Business in Social Media Study. More importantly, the survey also found that 93 percent of social media users believe a company should have a presence in social media, with 85 percent who agree a company should not only be present but also interact with its consumers via social media. Now, how is that for a sign your company should be social networking?!

We all get that Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, MeetUp, Digg, Flickr, Del.icio.us, Linkedin and on and on can be very overwhelming for companies choosing to dive in! The fact is, using these sites and many more can be a very effective, low cost way to market your company. Whether you are B2C, B2B or Not for Profit, there is something out there for everyone. 

At Trevelino/Keller, we believe that weaving your way through the social media world can be painless…and even as easy as a game. You see, we have created SocialStatus^TK, a platform designed to take a game board approach to introducing companies to the world of social media. SocialStatus^TK makes social media easy to comprehend and seamless to implement. All you need is a starting point and a glossary of social media terms and you are on your way.

With help from The Content Factor, Bemyad.com, Mobile Media Enterprises and Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP Trevelino/Keller is hosting a social status seminar, sponsored by Marketing Mine, where attendees can expect an initiation into the social media landscape from bloggers and social networks to user-generated content platforms, mobile messaging campaigns and virtual worlds and essentially any viral communications environment. The seminar draws from each partner company’s fields of expertise which includes public relations and social media (Trevelino/Keller), content creation (The Content Factor), web video ad promotions (Bemyad.com), mobile marketing (Mobile Media Enterprises) and legal implications (Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP). For the seminar, we have selected EARTH University Foundation as the working brand for SocialStatusTK game board experience.

Seminar cost is $25 per person. The event begins at 8:15 a.m. at Market in the W Hotel Buckhead and will conclude around 10:30 a.m. For additional details just shoot me a comment below and I will get back to you with more information.

 

Happy social networking and we hope to see you there!

Attending the Recent S.E.V.C.

 

There was much one could take away from this past week's SEVC Conference. Was it a gathering of Struggling Entrepreneurs Visiting from all over the Country? Or Smart English speaking Venture Capitalists looking for promising companies. How about Successful Entrepreneurs seeking money from Victimized Capitalists? The fact is, there's some truth in all of those labels to this year's Southeast Venture Conference. For a third annual, I was impressed with what appeared to be a packed house and few leftover badges. I was also pleased to see so many out of towners ... yes, we will gladly take your DC, VA, NC, SC, ALA and even California dollars, regardless of what they may be worth these days. Overall though, the mood seemed cautiously optimistic. 

With some solid speakers and 40 able-bodied executives spewing their corporate nomenclature, superlatives and differentiators, it was a nice gathering of companies worthy of attention, respect and in many cases, capital. I had a chance to sit down with one presenter, CEO & President Michael Bolick of Selah Technologies out of Pendleton, SC. While his company may have been the last on the ticket of 40 to present, Michael and his band of Selah Dot-ologists (I made that up) really have the kind of vision that gives you hope for a better day. Selah is in the nanotech space with a long-term strategy of cancer detection. I won't bury Michael's BHAG in my short blog about SEVC. It's worthy of greater recognition, but just spending a little time with Michael left me with hope that better days are coming in our battle to fight cancer. Congrats on what you have accomplished to date. Looking forward to seeing the applications in play.

The highlighted speaker in my mind was Rich Karlgaard, Publisher, Forbes Magazine. Sadly I did not realize that Rich has an impressive history of entrepreneurial endeavors and accomplishments. He's teetering on being a 21st century renaissance man. He shoots straight from the hip, like a young Clint Eastwood. He recommended we read The Forgotten Man by a soon to be Forbes Columnist that takes us back to the 1930s … that depressing period with little to cheer about except the amazing comeback of James J. Braddock. Here’s what I took away from Rich. The media exaggerate the world. No shocker there. Recovery will rocket back, but it won’t feel like it because the media will continue to sensationalize the still-struggling industries and parts of the country. The reason we will rocket back is that we are not in the 30s, but more like the 70s and the 70s were a heck of a time of innovation and discovery – Microsoft, Apple, Starbucks – three of the most iconic brands in the world today -- surfaced in the 70s. Then Rich rattled off his top 12 attributes of recovery: Great Design, Speed, Supply Chain Mastery, Analytics, Self-Service, Low-Cost, Disruptive Innovation, Training, OpenSource Revolution, Customer Feedback, Virtual Innovation and Innovation of Purpose. The last one, possibly moving front and center with a Corporate America and Wall Street who have failed so many in recent months.

So as Rich said, while trust is lacking in almost every environment, if each of us focuses a little more on trying to do the right thing, in business and in life, maybe focus on what we have vs wimpering about what we don't or what we used to have and maybe if we spend a less time with the news, lower ratings will force a change in tone ... and all will be well. 

 

By Dean Trevelino

The Brink of Madness

 

Come Sunday, March 15 millions of American’s across the country will start filling out their brackets for the annual NCAA March Madness college basketball tournament. For the next three weeks, men and women alike will be tuning into the more than 60 games cheering on their selected teams with an intensity rivaled only by Tyler Hansbrough. This is one of the only times in sports that viewers will cheer for teams they have never heard of and even against their own alma mater all for the sake of their bracket and bragging rights.

 

Like many things in today’s world, technology will allow viewers to stay connected and updated with their teams 24/7 throughout the tournament. Through mobile phones, satellite TV and the internet, March Madness viewers will never miss a basket unlike those going up against Hasheem Thabeet. Staying tuned into your bracket is easy! 

 

To help you stay connected this year, we wanted to share some of the innovative ways to follow the action:

 

• On the go, consumers can tune in directly on their mobile phone. Viewers can receive real-time game scores, updates and periodic highlights sent directly to their devices. You can also watch live games on your mobile device through services such as Verizon Wireless’ VCast.

• NCAA’s March Madness on Demand site, provides live streams for all 63 games played throughout the tournament. This official site for the tournament also includes integrated team coverage, interactive message boards, and even a "boss button" that allows viewers to cover up the site by bringing up a phony spreadsheet in case you have an approaching boss.

• The ultimate sports fan’s dream is DirecTV's Mega March Madness package that allows you to watch up to four live games on your TV, at once, in a four-way split screen with the ability to switch between them. Other features include a streaming stats ticker and interactive brackets.

• For those couch potatoes, AT&T U-verse even delivers On Demand access to the NCAA® tournament, including scores, highlights, brackets and more -- all without leaving the program you're watching! You can who is advancing, track your picks, as well as view scores of previous games.

With the growing popularity of this event, businesses are starting to get in the action as well. Despite the given economic conditions, Mediaweek reported that CBS is approaching $30 million in ad revenue for its March Madness on Demand streaming product for the Tournament, rebounding just like Blake Griffin from $23 million a year ago.

 

Who’s going to be your Cinderella at the Big Dance?

 

By Colleen Murphy and Christy Olliff

Show Your Love without Breaking the Bank

 

 

You may love it or hate it, but you can’t avoid it. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and with it comes the expense of requisite cards, flowers, and romantic meals. However, consumers this year will be spending a little less on their beloved according to a recent survey from the National Retail Federation. They report consumers will spend $102.50 on Valentine’s gifts and merchandise, a decrease of $20 from last year.

 

But what’s the harm in sharing the love while still watching the bottom line? Here are a few of our favorite ideas this Valentine’s Day to stay out of the dog house and better yet, out of debt.

 

Spread it Out

This year Valentine’s Day falls on the Saturday of a long weekend. Consider it a “Valentine’s Weekend” and try booking a table on Friday or Sunday night and avoid some of the trappings and surcharges that come along with the holiday. Make it a three-day weekend of love! Recession specials are becoming increasingly popular at local restaurants, usually on non-peak nights.

 

Same goes for a standby favorite gift: flowers. Florists cash in on mark-ups this time each year so show your initiative by ordering flowers for delivery on Friday, February 13^th (no bad omen here) and make your sweetie the envy of the office.

Cash it In

Don’t forget a currency you might have handy: rewards points and miles. Check your account balances and see what those points might earn you: trips, flowers, gift certificates, jewelry and more. With thresholds for redeeming these rewards constantly changing, it’s best to make sure you use them before you loose them.  

On the flip side, if you are going out to the mall (or online) to make a purchase, be sure you use your rewards card, preferably one that is linked to a network that will earn you bonus points/miles to help stretch your dollar even further in the future. The best programs will earn you extra points wherever you choose to shop, not just online.

 

Be a Kid

Remembering the littlest sweeties in your life is important too! Take advantage of Valentine’s to plan a special outing for your children. A day at Monkey Joe’s, a trip to the Aquarium or Zoo, a puppet show, or just a trip to the park will show them you care. Deals and specials abound for kids activities in every city. Blogs like Atlanta On the Cheap will help you find coupon codes and deals that make a family day more cost-friendly. 

 

Show the Love at Work

You can also get in on the Valentine Day's fun at work by letting colleagues know how much you appreciate them. This is a great chance to build and fortify team relationships at a nominal cost. Simple ideas are best such as homemade cards, novelty candies (Pez anyone?) or virtual greetings and “gifts” on Facebook.

 

Show your customers and clients your love by focusing on the bottom line. In today’s economic environment, it’s a best practice to search for more cost effective ways to do business by scrutinizing contracts and pricing agreements with service providers. We’re constantly looking for new ways to streamline, save money and hopefully have a positive impact on our client’s pocketbook. And if it’s realistic, this can be a nice time to give-back to charities and organizations on behalf of your clients.

 

Most important, try to remember that Valentine’s Day is about LOVE not THINGS. Simply try to enjoy your time with the ones who mean the most to you!

 

By Heather Graham and Lauren Shankman

Heroes Among Us

 

 

In light of the recent events that have taken place around the country over the past few weeks including the “Miracle on the Hudson” and the inauguration of President Obama, we've found ourselves contemplating the meaning behind modern day heroes and how their profile in the media, whether its delivered via CNN or on Facebook, influences our society and our views of the world.

A hero represents a number of things to different people. We’ve decided to take a look back over the years at the heroes who have sculpted our thoughts and lives and those who continue to motivate us today:

·            Age 4 – 9: Young children marvel at superheroes such as Batman and Spiderman who fill the silver screen performing incredible acts of bravery. Not only can you watch these heroes on TV, but you can purchase their dolls, books and video games to bring them to life. Even though the magic of these characters may fade as we grow-up, their meaning remains the same across generations due to how the media consistently portrays their characters.  George Reeves who portrayed the original Superman, and his modern day unrelated predecessor, Christopher Reeves, both of whom died tragically, had no idea the impact they would make as actors playing an invincible hero that will continue to live on in the minds of youth.

·         Age 10 – 15: Most commonly referred to as tweens and preteens, much of these years are spent idolizing the supermodels, actors and athletes that you watch on TV and read in your glossy magazines. We look at our heroes as the people who we want to be like when we grow up. As the Gatorade commercials illustrated, “I want to be like Mike.” The examples are never-ending -- New Kids on the Block may be last generations Jonas Brothers and Debbie Gibson the old Miley Cyrus, yet their images and hero status is only maximized through their excessive media coverage.

·         Age 16 – 22: As we get a little older we look at the adults and mentors in our life as our personal heroes. Whether it’s a teacher or guidance counselor that helped you get into the college of your choice or the college professor or intern director that led you to the career path that you chose, these are the heroes that played a vital role in how you got to the place you are today.

·         Age 23 – 30: Then one day as you are planning your own wedding or preparing for your first child you look back and realize the very parents or guardian that raised you, are your true heroes. They have been there with you every step of the way cheering you on as you begin each new chapter of your life. Sharing stories and opinions as needed, but for the most part sitting back to let you learn for yourself along the way.

·         Present Day: Another kind of hero we face is one who catches us by surprise and performs extraordinary acts of courage at a time when it’s needed most. An example of this is Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger. When Captain Sully prepared for his routine morning flight schedule on January 15, the last thing to cross his mind was that in a few hours he would be seen as a hero to 155 passengers and crew members. Now thanks to Social Media the world can see Capitan Sully has 525,365 Facebook fans thanks to the heroic act that day. His training, patients, knowledge and strength are all characteristics that have been attributed to the miracle of that day.

·         Historical: Just five days later on January 20, the inauguration of President Obama was also quoted as a heroic moment in history. People across the world tuned in to watch his speech live, and then waited to relive the moment as his family’s wardrobe and actions were analyzed and critiqued by the media, furthering the meaning behind that day. Although the promises he made throughout his campaign are still questionable, his powerful words on that afternoon were inspirational to all of us. As we await the change this leader may bring to our nation, it is eye-opening to see how his one voice instills hope in millions of citizens.

It truly amazes us what the “everyman” and “every woman” can accomplish and what the media does to further our opinions. We can’t end this discussion without asking, who are your heroes?

 

By Carrie Crabill and Colleen Murphy

New Year’s Resolutions

At this time of the year, hearing about New Year’s Resolutions either inspires you or makes you want to run screaming. We want to inspire you and your business – employees and customers alike.   We’ve provided our top four ideas to guide you through 2009.   

Weight Loss/Exercise

Yes, it is an oldie, but goodie. 

For You: So the question for this one is, “How can I do this without actually starving myself?”  One of the best options is Acai (ah-sigh-ee). Acai is an all natural energy fruit from Amazon palmberries. Harvested in the rainforests of Brazil, Acai tastes like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate.  One of Oprah’s “Ten Superfoods for Age-Defying Beauty,” Acai is packed full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential omegas.  Acai has nearly twice the anti-oxidants of blueberries, 10 times the Vitamin C of orange juice, and natural ginseng and guarana. One of the best ways to enjoy this superfood is through a smoothie. In fact, at Planet Smoothie the Acai Smoothie is the best selling smoothie on the menu! 

For Your Business: Get the entire company involved – offer incentives to employees who bike to work, and/or make your next office gathering a charity run/walk. At Trevelino/Keller we participate in the Annual KP Corporate Challenge and have a wonderful time exercising and socializing with each other and our families.  Offer employees flexible hours so they can fit in that workout at lunch or other alternative times. Exercise increases endorphins, which make for happier employees! 

Saving Money

Always high on the resolution list, saving money is possibly more important this year than ever. 

For You: 2009 is the year of incentives! There are coupon sites galore (a few of our favorites include couponmom.com, smartsource.com and coolsavings.com), so never head to the grocery without at least a few. Don’t forget the Sunday newspaper; using coupons each week can save you enough money to pay for the paper and more! Don’t want to clip coupons from the paper yourself? Then the internet has your answer, as websites such as thecouponclippers.com, grocerycoupons.com, and centsoff.com, actually clip the coupons from newspaper inserts and mail them to you. 

Get the best use of your credit card by using a financial institution that offers a loyalty program. SunTrust, Citizens Bank, CitiBank and many more offer enhanced reward programs that provide additional earning opportunities of up to 20 points per dollar spent in addition to the existing point for every dollar spent on signature purchases. The more points you earn the more points you can redeem! 

And don’t forget, you can still eat out on a budget.  Just be sure to check your local calendar listings for special promotions or events at your favorite restaurants and if you sign up for the restaurant’s email alerts, you will receive special promotion alerts right in your inbox! You can also check out Restaurant.com which offers discounted gift certificates for thousands of restaurants across the county. 

For Your Business: Evaluate your options. Add to your employee benefits package by offering credit union membership. Access to a credit union’s generally lower interest rates and interest-bearing checking accounts is an advantage for employees and membership comes at no cost to employers.

It is also a great time to re-evaluate the costs associated with running your business. With the current economic situation, you can likely negotiate lower insurance rates or increased benefits for your current spend. While you are negotiating, review all contracts and negotiate lower pricing at renewal time or switch all together. Look for bundled services like phone, cable and internet which could save your company thousands.

If you are a retail outfit, consider joining a merchant network that offers enhanced incentives to credit card reward programs. Companies such as Vesdia can connect you with the program that works best for you and your customers.

Be Green (or Greener)

Being green is no longer just the cool thing to do. With the change of the president come January 20, we will see (hopefully) an increased awareness of sustainable practices across the county.  With the automakers focusing more on fuel efficiency, commercials from Brita reminding you that 30 minutes with your bottled water at the gym will equal a lifetime in a landfill and T. Boone Pickens reminding us of the advantages of windmills, we can all take more steps to a Greener Lifestyle. From alternative transportation such as RTEV to not printing out every email, each one of us can make a small difference each day. 

For You: An easy one to start with is properly recycling the dying Christmas tree that is still in your living room.  With more than 25 million Christmas trees sold in the U.S. each year and 100% of them are biodegradable, there are a number of easy ways you can properly recycle your tree. To learn more about Christmas tree recycling programs in your area, check out National Christmas Tree Association website. 

Go shopping - Once the tree is properly disposed a couple other ways to Green yourself this year include remembering to bring your own shopping bags to the grocery store and to support your local farmers. As convenient as Publix and Kroger can be, typical grocery store produce travels nearly 1,500 miles before it ends up on your plate. Check out these sites to find the freshest food possible in your area as well as save energy in the process: localharvest.org, sustainabletable.org, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture at www.ams.usda.govfarmersmarkets/map.htm. 

For Your Business: A few ideas that we’ve instituted here at Trevelino/Keller include starting a recycling program for paper, plastic and aluminum. We also encourage each other and all those who read our emails to only print documents if absolutely necessary. You can encourage your employees to carpool by ensuring they have flexibility on their hours. There are several websites that offer ways to connect with carpool partners from your area of town.Atlanta’s Clean Air Campaign even pays up to three dollars a day to carpoolers. 

Educate Yourself and Your Employees

On the heels of the current economic situation, companies across the country are looking at ways to save AND progress this year. Whether it’s through downsizing, re-evaluating its goals or current structure, employers and employees everywhere will be forced to make a few changes. Take the proactive approach and make those changes for the best by expanding your mind. 

For you: Whether you decide to learn a second language finally or even to go back to school for that MBA you have always been talking about, there’s no time like the present to broaden your knowledge. A quick and easy way can even by just reading more – there are billions of blogs out there or you can even go back to the basics and refresh on your favorite literature such as Edgar Allen Poe (in honor of his bicentennial birthday this year). 

For Your Business: Professional development – learn to do your current job better… no one is perfect. Instead of looking for a new job, perfect the one you already have. Companies can even implement an internal Professional Development series to refresh skills company-wide. 

What is the best resolution for you this year? Or, is there more than one? We’d love to hear your thoughts! 

By Heather Graham and Colleen Murphy

What are you doing differently this holiday season to promote your brand?

The official kick off to the holiday shopping season is just days away as consumers anticipate door-buster Black Friday sales and clicking for deals online during Cyber Monday. The media will be rife with stories of the family that camped out for 12 hours in sub-zero temperatures to try and get that HD television, video game console or other coveted item at a rock-bottom price point.

Unfortunately, by all forecasts, holiday sales growth this year is expected to be relatively flat  as the economy continues to contract and consumers tighten their purses. The current tactic to get folks in the door right now is straight up price-slashing, with massive sales in-stores along with online specials/promotions, leaving some folks to wonder what’s left for retailers to do as holidays approach.  What’s the grand finale?

Today’s retailer is forced to consider a number of multi-channel marketing options available (mobile marketing, loyalty marketing and rewards programs, online coupons and promotions) to get consumers engaged and either in-store or online, ready to spend. The problem is, too many merchants leave the last quarter of the year to make it in to the “black," banking on holiday shopping to make up for nine months of depressed performance. And in today’s economic climate, even the best planned promotion might still find consumers staring at an empty shopping cart as they reconsider every dollar spent.

But what if retail brands made a concerted effort to court consumers with their brand year round in a meaningful way? In a slow economy, you have to work even harder and make every marketing dollar count. Understanding the multiple ways a consumer might choose to interact with your brand is critical not just now as the year end gap widens, but the other 11 months of the year as well. Consumers are quick to seek deals online. Where will they find information about your brand?  Will the universe of social media tout your special pricing programs, discount codes, great customer service and more?  What about reaching the notoriously brand-fickle Generation X (or Y)? Would a well-executed mobile campaign turn interest into action?  Or consider a friends and family discount campaign executed across a major social network like Facebook or MySpace?  Is your brand Twitter-worthy, and if so, how can you become part of the dialogue and attract new customers?

Of course for now, the bottom line IS the bottom line, with a recent survey stating 44% of consumers actively seeking out coupons, promotions and specials for their holiday shopping, and another 64% saying these offers are a top factor in deciding where to spend their hard earned dollars.

For some folks, it might be too late to draw those consumers in the door.   Perhaps it’s not too soon to try to get ahead of the curve for 2009.

By Lauren Shankman and Carrie Crabill

Should We BCS the Presidential Election?

The debate around who is worthy for this year’s #1 and #2 teams to compete for the BCS national championship lives on after yet another upset over the #1 ranked team, Texas in this case.  The Big 12, in recent history, a one or two team league, has an amazing class of teams who have found their way to the top 10. Of course, when it is all said and done, they’ll have one, two or three losses no different than the teams in the SEC or the Big 10. 

If you are Penn State this year, you’re feeling a little like Senator John McCain … all that experience, good will, yet you are down in the polls.  And no matter what you do, those with lesser experience, fewer accomplishments seem to leap over you.  No doubt Texas Tech deserves to be in the top three.  But how did Alabama get there.  They crushed what is appearing to be an overrated Georgia team and suddenly they are in front, regardless of weak wins against Kentucky and Mississippi. Did Governor Palin show up unannounced and because of a great disposition and a rah, rah attitude, leap to the front of the pack only to be flagged more times than former Vice President Dan Quayle when under pressure by Katie Couric or when blitzed by the Web 2.0 world and SNL.  Where does Senator Obama fall in the rankings.  Is he the guy that keeps beating the one-time favorites like Senator Clinton?  Is he Texas Tech, whose coach quotes Winston Churchill? Or is he Penn State, the team that regardless of where the fall in the polls, always seems to do the right thing even in a time of crisis.  

Right now, the two polls – Harris and USA Today – have Alabama #1, Penn State #2 and Texas Tech #3. However the computer rankings fair better for Texas Tech, thereby placing them #2 in the BCS with Alabama #1.  So can we believe the polls or do we let a computer ranking tell us who should be #1. What if the general election was waited like the Harris and USA Today polls, then we plugged in each candidate’s accomplishments, failures, economic strategies, healthcare plans, foreign policies, points of view and combine polls and computer rankings. Or we can just have a playoff or in the case of a presidential election, a steel cage match.

By Dean Trevelino