An open letter to Phil Steele

Dear Phil Steele,

Thank you for putting out an annual college football preview. That said, please stop.

If your All-WAC teams were any indication, the body of your work is built upon name recognition, wild guesses, and having an intern write things for you. We were appalled at the lack of reason to your WAC selections. Four Broncos among the WAC's top 30 players? Have you watched the WAC lately?

We fear that you have not. In fact, we fear that your entire list was pieced together with little to no research or outside opinion. All-conference teams are usually made up of several players from the best teams, a group to which the University of Idaho does not belong. Yet, there they were with ample representation on your all-WAC selections. What happened? Do you owe Robb Akey's mustache money?

Unfortunately, we fear that the conclusion is that you settled for a lazy approach to your WAC preview. And we cringe to think about what you might do with other lists:

• Your preseason Heisman might include Knowshown Moreno, Terrelle Pryor, and Tom Brady's one-year-old son.


• Your NBA MVP list might have included Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, and Larry Bird.


• Your Democratic national ticket might include John Edwards, Joseph Lieberman, and Peter Griffin.


• Your list of your favorite summer movies of 2008 might include Indiana Jones, Cloverfield, and Spiderman 4.


• Your preseason poll might include Notre Dame (ed's note: Steele's preview included Notre Dame at #19).

Next season, please try to factor in traditional on-field performance when you are considering your all-conference selections. If you are randomly guessing at breakthrough players, do not look at San Jose State. If you are hurting for a breakout QB, take a stab at a Bronco.

And if you think we're buying your magazine, guess again.

Sincerely,

OBNUG