Stewart Mandel (CNN/SI) picks MSU as upset special
Man, I hate Stewie Mandel. Guy is a douche generally, but especially while picking MSU.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/stewart_mandel/10/01/week…
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:21 PM ^
Big upset when they're favored, Stewie.
Also: how do you go .500 when not picking against the spread?
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:42 PM ^
He also picks Cal earlier on, who is an ACTUAL 5-point underdog to USC. It's just lazy not to switch those and make Cal your upset special.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:21 PM ^
Bet he feels kind of silly, what with MSU being a 3.5 point favorite.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:29 PM ^
he doesn't feel silly. He picks MSU as an "upset" even with them as a favorite. How the fuck can you have a .500 record on your picks when you're essentially creating your own standard for an upset? He's an idiot.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:21 PM ^
probably take Howie Mandel more seriously
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:25 PM ^
a blown-up latex glove on his head?
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:32 PM ^
With. Always with.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:23 PM ^
More motivation for the team.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:28 PM ^
But I did like that archived article in which he wonders if Pryor perhaps "Chose the Wrong School"
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:37 PM ^
The Swami has not been picking very well for the last 5-10 years. Especially this year (when I think the games have been relatively easy to pick).
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:30 PM ^
This is not going to be popular, and will get be negged, but -
Give me a break, please. Mandel is not that bad. But all of a sudden he picks MSU and he is despicable. Get over it - if we want to keep any credibility as michigan fans, we can't automatically trash someone who picks an upset over us. Save it for the more legitimate irresponsible journalism (and Mandell was editorializing, it was not journalism), otherwise we are just seen as crybabies. He calls for an upset - so what?
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:34 PM ^
1. MSU is, in fact, favored in the game.
2. His column is fluffy crap. He spends 3/4 of the off season talking about his "celebrity crush."
That, to me, is enough to be proclaimed a douche.
MSU very likely could beat Michigan. It would not be an "upset," at least under the current line. So, respectfully, you get over it.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:38 PM ^
How about getting over basing your 'upset' definition on the vegas betting line? Can you let go of that for a minute, think a little broader? That is not the only way to define what is an upset. You can define an upset in terms of the line or in terms of a ranked team versus an unranked team, a 4-0 team like a Michigan versus a 1-3 team like an MSU. Regardless of the line, I think many people would think an MSU win an upset. Respectfully.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:42 PM ^
I will let my definition of "upset" go. That being said, I still think he is a douche. Can you let go of your defintion of a douche, and just think a little broader?
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:44 PM ^
That, my friend, is something I can't argue with. He doesn't bother me enough to get the 'douche' label, but if he meets your 'douche' criteria, then so be it.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:36 PM ^
favored.
Definition of an upset: to defeat or overthrow an opponent that is considered more formidable, as in war, politics, or sports.
How can it be an upset if the line is favoring State?
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:40 PM ^
I agree. And to add, while this may not be an upset to Vegas, the national media will see it as an upset given we are 4-0 and they are 1-3. There are very few instances where a 3 loss team will be seen as the favorite against an undefeated team, especially this early in the season.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:47 PM ^
I don't think anyone is trashing Mandel simply for picking against Michigan. Everyone here realizes that this weekend's game could go either way. People are mocking Mandel for calling this his upset pick when MSU is actually favored. Also, this dislike for Mandel is not simply the result of this article. People have criticized him a good amount in the past, particularly for his fawning articles regarding ND, though he was working his way back into Michigan god graces with that Pryor article.
Edit: There is just so much traffic on this board that any time you try to reply to anything there are 5 or 6 other people posting quicker. Apologies again for the repetitiveness.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:06 PM ^
All good points, I m just saying that there is more than one definition of an upset. Mandel is not going with the betting line definition. I happen to agree with his definition, I see an MSU win as an upset, but not major one. I do think, however, that using one legitimate defintion to argue against another makes for a weak argument.
Upset is being defined two ways, calling someone dumb because he uses a different, yet legitimate, definition is weak. Mandel may be dumb for other reasons, but I think many would be more surprised if MSU wins than if UM wins - regardless of what Vegas says.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:31 PM ^
While I don't agree with the pick, I do agree with the upset criteria. Guys...we are big, bad UNDEFEATED Michigan and they are 1-3 little brother.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:51 PM ^
MSU is the favorite. His upset special is favored, that's why people are going to disagree with you. Picking a favored team as an upset special is that bad.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:39 PM ^
I think the issue is that he called for an upset when MSU is a 3.5 point favorite.
sorry...I thought I was on time but two other beat me to it.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:38 PM ^
I don't like everything he writes, but I find him way more thoughtful than most of the SMASHMOUTH FOOTBALL NFL-LIVE sports commentariat. It's not hard to imagine him talking football with UM alumns. Try that thought exercise with Craig James, Pam Ward, Jim Caputo, Drew Sharp, or several others.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:44 PM ^
His record with picks is 20-20.
He is not picking against the spread.
That is pretty weak, my friends.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:15 PM ^
This man writes about college football professionally, and his record picking games STRAIGHT UP is no better than a coin flip? Yikes.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:46 PM ^
underdogs. CFN also predicts msu win. http://cfn.scout.com/2/904335.html
All the "experts" have been shown to be wrong in the past. ND was also favored against us previously. The team has to play up and better. Many expected WMU to upset UM too. Their effort will be helped by the naysayers.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:54 PM ^
He makes it sound like a heavily favored team will be beat like OSU or Alabama. His comments seem to indicate that he knows something everyone else doesn't (except for everyone betting on the game)which is obviously crap. That being said to us it would be an upset. We're all mystified by the line and I think most of us expect to win this weekend.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:58 PM ^
We won't need the motivation of being an underdog at this point in the season. We should be motivated for everyone after last year...maybe with the exception of dsu in two weeks
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:20 PM ^
These people who are picking MSU are all the same people that:
a) picked Michigan to be 5-7 or so this year.
b) picked MSU to be 9-4 or better and to challenge for the BT title this year.
That pretty much sums up their knowledge of football and ability to prognosticate.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:34 PM ^
anyone who spends a lot of time on college football would know that this is a toss up game, not an upset. We could easily be 2-2 and then 3-1 if we had got some bad breaks and MSU had caught some good ones. I would think Cal over USC would be more of an upset special considering they got completely flogged last weekend.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:35 PM ^
Mandel is annoying. His articles are generally not substantive and are often (especially in the case of his mailbags) extremely egocentric, even as he represents himself as an upstanding reporter. This doesn't make him stupid, just someone that is easy to dislike.
With that said, I think he's picking MSU over Michigan because he has been terrible with his picks this year (outside of Washington over USC) and I'm willing to bet that he's picking MSU as his weekly "upset" because his ego is suffering from such a low record and he's going with safe picks. And MSU over Michigan as an upset is a lot safer than actual real upsets.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:09 PM ^
MSU and Illinois as two of his 3 surprise teams in the Big 10 this year. Iowa was his third (so far a blind squirel and all).
SI of which Mandel contributed, picked Michigan State to finish in a tie for third and Michigan in 9th
......and yet this is his upset special.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:17 PM ^
Now time for the ANONYMOSITY UPSET SPECIAL LOCKS OF THE WEEK:
OREGON over Washington State
BOISE STATE over UC Davis
VIRGINIA TECH over Duke
BOOK IT.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:21 PM ^
and say that Cincinnati will squeak by Miami (NNTM). UPSET SPECIAL.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:33 PM ^
a whitewash of bye
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:50 PM ^
Upset? I will be extremely upset should State somehow win.
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:19 PM ^
i care about winning. Go Blue!
October 3rd, 2009 at 3:32 AM ^
It's been said, but hello? UM with the better record but is not favored. Not much of an upset.