Even if ESPN Magazine2012 College Football Preview on newsstands Fridaythis is already causing a sensation in certain circles.
On topics ranging from voodoo dolls to badgers to live mascots to power rankings, Front Row speaks with the editor-in-chief Chad Millman on how The Mags the problem came together.
How was the concept of SEC voodoo dolls born?
We knew the issue was going to be looked at through the lens of SEC dominance, but we realized we didn’t have natural SEC-focused coverage. Our SEC main player profile was for LSU’s Tyrann Mathieu, but we knew he wasn’t available. Another player-focused feature was about USC, whose players sat down for a shootaround.
We started talking about doing an SEC concept involving the mascots, since we had a mascot photo issue (see pages 66-73 of the issue) in the works. We worked on several different ideas and this one seemed like the best combination of fun and capturing the attitude many fans outside of the SEC have about the conference. We considered creating a shared cover: a USC cover for the newsstand and voodoo dolls for subscribers. But it was strange to have an SEC-themed issue and put USC on the cover.
Why were LSU, Georgia and Alabama selected for representation? And where are the dolls now?
LSU and Bama are both Top 5 teams this season and due to their dominance in college football over the past few seasons, including last season’s BCS title game. Georgia because it’s another SEC team that has gotten so much attention this year due to their performance last season. Georgia was a wild card for us. It might as well have been Florida, Arkansas or South Carolina. The real dolls are now in our Bristol office.
How far in advance do you plan the college football preview issue?
We try to schedule most preview issues three months in advance. We know what the big stories are going to be, what the big themes of the season are going to be, and we like to give ourselves time to cover as many topics as possible. We also need time to hurry up if ideas don’t work out as expected. Plus, because we coordinate closely with ESPN.com and TV on preview packages, it helps stand out from the crowd.
In this video interview, The Mag talks with USC’s Matt Barkley, Robert Woods and Marqise Lee about preparing for the 2012 season, bowl eligibility, what the offense will look like, Coach Kiffin’s 2012 team motto and the return of USC football.
