I’ve had an online presence for years, but never really put much time into it till recently. For years, all I had a basic website that was actually just a homemade html script that I wrote myself in notepad and had to manually update.

As social media grew, I finally decided to start using twitter about a year and a half ago when my brother and I went on our bowl tour. To be honest, I didn’t really understand how it worked, got frustrated when I only had about 20 followers after a few weeks and quit using it till last college football season.

After spending a week back on twitter, it finally clicked on how to use it in a way I enjoyed. I learned how to engage other users. Those users that responded back to me varied from crazy fans to college football bloggers to high profile members of the media.

Since my favorite sport is college football, I decided to only follow certain types of accounts. I focused on official school athletics accounts, college football awards accounts, college football bloggers who knew what they were talking about and national sports writers.

I think it is amazing that if you are following two users who are conversing back and forth, you can read what they are talking about, possibly inject your own question or opinion, and often times receive a response back, even if the conversation is between two people you have never talked to before in your life. I kind of liken it to being at a huge party, and you are working the room, meeting people, and entering and leaving private conversations as the other parties invite or ignore you.

As someone who is terribly shy in person, twitter was a great way for me to gather the courage to ask questions of people I would never have a chance to meet in real life and often get actual, personal responses. This story focuses on some of my favorite follows on twitter, with a few small Q&A’s from people who have helped and encouraged me along the way.

Once I got the basics of twitter down, I really started to enjoy my time using it; in fact, probably way too much for my wife’s liking. One tweet from Toledo’s athletic account (@UTRocketsdotcom) had a link to a website called StadiumJourney.com, which has stadium and arena reviews for just about every venue you can come up with. They currently have 48 writers on six continents and 11 countries!

Thankfully, co-founder Paul Swaney (@PaulSwaney) was very receptive to me when I asked a few questions and allowed me to write a guest review of Beaver Stadium. Fortunately I wrote it well enough that he asked if I would become a writer for the site on a more permanent basis. While the exact layout of my region has changed a little over the past year, I am the Appalachian Regional Correspondent for the site and enjoy going to sporting events I would otherwise never dream of attending.

In just one year, I have covered 35 different stadiums for the site, with all but a few being via free tickets or on media credentials provided by the teams. As I started going to events I got to experience some amazing things and meet some people who gave me the desire to put more time into my website.

As I focused on making sure that I didn’t hurt the image of bloggers when I scored my first credential, I sent an email to someone that always has answered my questions and is a respected member of the media, a sports writer for the Washington Post, Patrick Stephens (@D1scourse). Stephens was kind enough to send me a long email back with all sorts of hints and tips, which really eased my nervousness.

Thankfully the SID at the school I was credentialed for was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. He allowed me to attend the post-game interview, spend over 30 minutes conversing with me, and just generally made me feel at ease.

This got the ball rolling and colleges and minor league teams became more willing to provide me with credentials. This allowed me to be able to gather better pictures and write my reviews on site, along with the opportunity to meet a few members of the working media, who always seem curious when the conversation turns to my college football stadium travel goal.

As I got to baseball season, I really started to get the itch to write about college football since I enjoy it so much more. I spent more time on twitter and came across some people who would respond to my questions, helped spread the word about our ESPN Fanwiches contest entry, and offered advice on running a blog.

Stephens, along with Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB), Adam Kramer (@KegsnEggs) and Michael Felder (@InTheBleachers) helped gather votes for the Fanwiches contest from their followers.

At this point, I also learned that I was eligible to become a member of the Football Writers Association of America, something that has been a neat experience, getting random gifts in the mail from bowls and being allowed to attend Big East Media Day as I reported on a few weeks ago.

McGuire was kind enough to travel along with me to Big East Media Day, and Mark Ennis (@mengus22) met up with us there. Ennis even got me out of my shell and convinced me to converse with various people and promote my goal.

As I got back from media day, I focused on writing better for my site and Felder and McGuire have always been there to provide help when I need it. One other person who has helped me out a ton is Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres), who offered me an opportunity to post some of my stadium experiences on the Crystal Ball Run website.

Since I have a record number of trips lined up for this fall to visit new stadiums, thankfully a good number of the schools have been kind enough to provide me with credentials, which will allow me to write game stories and experience some amazing things, which I will be sure to include on the site. I hope that you will continue to come back, and check out my writings and follow along my journey to visit 142 college football stadiums.

Since this story is about the people I love to follow on twitter and the people who have helped me, I have managed to score a few short twitter and college football related Q&A’s with Swaney, Torres, Felder and McGuire which are posted below, then I provided my top college football twitter follows.

 

Q&A with Aaron Torres:

1) What are a few of your favorite accounts to follow on twitter?

Truthfully, if I’ve learned one thing in my time in the blog game, it’s to follow as many accounts that you find fun/interesting as possible. Twitter is a great meritocracy. It’s not exclusionary. If I find you interesting, I will follow.

As for my favorites?

Well, if you’re looking for great overall college football content, I highly encourage @DrSaturday, Yahoo’s Matt Hinton. Matt writes the way I wish I could; smart, concise and with a tone that’s easily readable for everyone. For humor, I follow @EDSBS, which is Spencer Hall at Everyday Should Be Saturday. While I’d like to one day write like Matt Hinton, I know that I’ll never be able to write like Spencer. Matt is more of a technically sound writer, while Spencer Hall is just crazy funny. For anyone not following him, you’re doing yourself a great disservice.

As for others, from the “newsier side,” my favorite national writer is probably CBS Sports Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyCBS), my favorite beat writer is either Travis Haney (@TravHaney), new to the Oklahoman (formerly at South Carolina) or Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) who covers Tennessee. Both are fun, engaging and really talented writers. Also Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) from College Football News is awesome for strictly SEC stuff. I’ve gotten to know him really well over the last year, and no one knows the SEC better. If you’re looking for someone to tell you about the back-up right guard on Auburn’s depth chart, he’s your guy.

 

2) How would you describe to someone what they would get if they followed you on twitter?

Well it’s funny. Sometimes I feel like I’m on Twitter all day, am constantly finding funny and interesting links to share, conversing etc. Others I’m barely on there.

As for what you’ll get, well a few things. For one, I always try to respond to anyone who engages me. What I love about Twitter is that it breaks down all walls, and puts you directly in touch with the person you’re trying to speak with. So if someone is nice enough to take time out of their day to ask me a question, comment on an article of mine, then I usually respond. Just as long as their comment isn’t “You suck.” Understand, I don’t mind criticism, and actually embrace it. If you tell me why I suck, then we can talk. Chances are probably pretty good that I do suck. Just be mature about it and tell me why.

Besides the engagement, I just like sharing fun links, and of course posting my articles and podcasts.

 

3) What sites do you write for beyond Crystal Ball Run and Aaron Torres Sports?

As of right now, no. But if you Googled my name, you’d see my work in all kinds of funny places. Previously I’ve been a staff writer at BetUS.com, a contributor at Slam Online and AL.com, and also had a few things published by Sports Illustrated back in the day.

But as of right now, it’s just those two.

 

4) What draws you to college football?

I love everything about college football. I love how each coach and team have their own unique personality (unlike the NFL where just about everyone runs the same offense). I love the passion of the fans, and that in some places, college football means a little too much. But really, the thing I love about college football is what most outsiders hate, the lack of a playoff.

The way I’ve always seen it is like this: Take a television show like Seinfeld. Know how some people say it’s the funniest thing on TV, and others think it’s terrible? Well, the show isn’t terrible, people just don’t “get,” it. They don’t get the jokes, the unintended humor, the “this couldn’t possibly happen but it’s still hysterical” anyway nature to the shows.

And really, that’s how college football is: You either “get it” or you don’t and those who don’t get it never will. But the same things those people complain about, mainly lack of a playoff is what I love the most. College football has a playoff. It’s called every single Saturday. Lose today, and your season could be over. You might not get a second chance. You might not get a “wild card.” Which is what makes college football great. Every Saturday feels like life and death. And in a contextual sense, it is.

Just look at this season. Know why there’s so much fuss about Jordan Jefferson right now? Because any college football fan knows that if he doesn’t play and LSU loses, they might not get a shot to play for the title. Same with Oregon and Cliff Harris. Same with the loser of Oklahoma-Florida State, or LSU-Alabama (if they’re both undefeated). And that just isn’t the case in any other sport. If Kobe Bryant, Peyton Manning or Alex Rodriguez gets in trouble and gets suspended, it means nothing. The team names the replacement, moves on, wins or loses and moves on to the next game. It isn’t quite that easy in college football.

And that to me is what I love above college football. To me, it’s the greatest reality TV show on television.

 

5) Do you prefer watching college football live or on TV?

I actually prefer watching at home. The primary reason being that I feel like I’m missing too much by going to the stadium. As someone who writes about, and needs to have opinions on the sport, I don’t think it’s fair to me as a writer, or for my readers if I’m writing about the sport when I’m not watching it.

Now with that said, I do try to get to at least one stadium a year. I’m not opposed to going to 1-2 more, it’s just kind of how the opportunities present themselves. Last year I had the chance to take in my first SEC game at Ole Miss, and this year, I’m trying to talk my buddy into going to a game at Wisconsin (random, I know. But he’s originally from Minnesota, so it isn’t really a stretch). I’ve also been to Michie Stadium, amongst others, which I know is one of your favorite places to watch a game. It’s mine as well.

 

6) Do you watch all the games on TV like Sun Belt Tues or just the bigger games?

Truthfully, I try to watch as much as I can, but at some point, you’ve got to allow yourself to have a bit of a social life. In particular, if I know I’m going to commit all day Saturday to watching college football, all day Sunday writing about it, and most every Thursday night too, then usually give myself Friday night’s off. I’ve missed some good games in the past, but at some point, you’ve got to get away from the TV/computer, and try to live your life.

However, I will confess this: Tuesday night Sun Belt football allowed me to first cross paths, with a man who is now very near and dear to my heart, and quite possibly my favorite coaches in college football.

It happened two years ago when Hawaii played Louisiana Tech mid-week, and I couldn’t help but admire Tech’s coach Derek Dooley.

The day that Tennessee hired him, I knew they’d made a great decision. And it was thanks to Tuesday night’s with the Sun Belt.

 

Q&A with Michael Felder:

1) What are a few of your favorite accounts to follow on twitter?

I think any good list has to start with @bomani_jones a guy who is always thoughtful and really looks not just at sports but at where things fit in the general context of the world. I’d also recommend @Andy_Staples from Sports Illustrated, knows his ball and mad respect for his barbecue crusade. @BryanDFischer, @Adam_Jacobi, @CNPatterson3, @TomFornelli and the rest of the @Eye_On_CFB staff at CBS really hammer down the sport as well. That’s where I’d start me list.

Outside of that a personal favorite of mine is @wafflesgirls because they are hilarious.

I highly recommend following your team’s beat writers and specific blogs. They’re more informative than national people and often can and will be more interactive than national writers and personalities that are bombarded with mentions daily.

 

2) How would you describe to someone what they would get if they followed you on twitter?

Great question and a tough one, yet easy one to answer. Easily stated, they’re going to get me. What makes that tough is describing all that entails. I’m very football-centric and I try to answer all my replies but I also have a life outside of the game so that gets tied into twitter as well. They’ll get food, television, fun drink times and some social commentary as side dishes to the observations, opinions and knowledge that I drop on football.

 

3) What sites do you write for beyond where I have found you at Crystal Ball Run and In The Bleachers)?

Onside Kick (OnsideKick.com and @Onside_Kick). A great site with both NFL and CFB articles a special “stream” feature that allows users to compile their own “reader” of sorts to get their team’s news and/or updates from their favorite writers. The Onside Kick team is one I’m proud to be a part of with guys I’ve looked up to and have really helped me during my growth as a writer. Names like Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) and Matt Zemek (@MattZemek_CFN) really make the site go, I’m a nice add on to what they bring to the table.

 

4) What draws you to college football?

I grew up in the Southeast and always loved college football. Whether it was going to Dowdy-Ficklen with the ECU alumni i call my parents or hitting Kenan to see the Heels I was a big fan growing up. What sealed the deal was getting to see big time football atmospheres like Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Clemson as I went through high school. The atmosphere is unrivaled by any other sport and I say that as a guy who has been to UNC-Duke basketball match ups.

Playing ball at UNC was the icing on the cake and being involved on so many levels helped grow the knowledge that I have now. It is a unique experience that truly shed a lot of light on not just the nuance of the game but the underbelly of the college football world.

 

5) Do you prefer watching college football live or on TV?

Tough choice here because I love being in Kenan on game day. The smells, the friends and most importantly the ability to see the entire field like every old safety wants to. There really is no place I’d rather be than Chapel Hill in the fall. Well, no place besides my couch, with my remote, my beer, my food and my friends.

I can’t go long before I need some Chapel Thrill in my life and the memories made make every trip worthwhile but I watch more games from the climate controlled fortress that is my house than I do in the seats. But best believe I’ll be in Kenan for the home opener to open the Blue Zone.

 

6) Do you watch all the games on TV like Sun Belt Tues or just the bigger games?

All the games. I love Sun Belt Tuesdays. It is great for those kids to get some shine on the national stage and it is always a fun event. People complaining about it can just turn the channel.

 

Q&A with Kevin McGuire

1) What are a few of your favorite accounts to follow on twitter?

For all-around college football and more, I enjoy @IntheBleachers @Mengus22 and @Aaron_Torres. For information, any of the CBS college football writers will get the job done, with @McMurphyCBS and @dennisdoddcbs leading the way, and @MrCFB always good for some conversation.

 

2) How would you describe to someone what they would get if they followed you on twitter?

Twitter can be tricky and a bit overwhelming at first, but once you get the hang of it and start decided what you want to use it for, it will open up plenty of doors. I’m not looking to follow people who tweet pictures of their lunch or complain that it is Monday. I’m on Twitter for real-time information. Find the right people to follow and it becomes my leading news aggregator and source. Everybody uses Twitter for different reasons and you need to understand what you ultimately want to get out of it. Whatever you decide, there will be people to follow to help you get what you are looking for, whether it is sports, entertainment, politics, video games or whatever else you can think of.

 

3) What sites do you write for so people can find your work?

I am the national college football writer for Examiner.com, where I also cover Penn State football, the Philadelphia Soul and the video game industry from time to time. I am also a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, covering mostly Penn State football but dabbling from time to time with the entire college football scene and the Philadelphia Phillies. I also host a podcast and BlogTalk Radio show, and the website I have set up to be the home base for that, in addition to my college football commentary that may not be suited best on Examiner (try to stick to news headlines) is No2MinuteWarning.com.

I am also the editor and lead writer for Nittany Lions Den and a contributor to Crystal Ball Run. As if that weren’t enough, I have my own personal blog, KRMcGuire.me. I’ll spare you all of the Facebook links for now.

 

4) What draws you to college football?

I have always loved college football since I was a kid going to Penn State games. To me it’s a much more fun game to watch than the pro game, because I get a sense the games mean more to the players. Going to a Division 2 school (Shippensburg) I feel allowed me to enjoy the game on a different level many people do. It gave me a few years to just watch the game of football be played without distractions off the field and without being overly commercialized. To me, the college game has grown and become a business in many aspects, but it is still more enjoyable for me to watch a bunch of college kids battle for victory rather than a paycheck. Leave your OSU, Miami and USC jokes at the door please.

 

5) Do you prefer watching college football live or on TV?

I cover games in person, but I very much enjoy when I can sit at home and watch games on tV, from the comfort of my couch in sweat pants and a sweatshirt on a big screen TV. Look, being at a game is a great experience, especially for the big ones, but when Penn State is playing Eastern Michigan I feel I can get more enjoyment out of watching the game at home than being in person.

 

6) Do you watch all the games on TV like Sun Belt Tues or just the bigger games?

I don’t dedicate myself the way a guy like Phil Steele does, but if a game is on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday the odds are very good I’ll be watching on TV or on the computer, no matter the conference. And since I work from home during the week, I’m very likely to have on replays on TV while I work when they play them on various networks such as ESPNU or CBS Sports, or online via ESPN3.com etc.

 

Q&A with Paul Swaney:

1) What are a few of your favorite accounts to follow on twitter?

To be honest, I’m still not completely in love with Twitter. Most of my favorite accounts to follow are non-sports related, although I do like @sportspickle, and @DatDudeBP

 

2) How would you describe to someone what they would get if they followed you on twitter?

For a long time I only utilized the @StadiumJourney account, but lately I’ve been using my own personal account to share more of my personal thoughts and articles that I run across that are interesting

 

3) Do you write for any sites besides StadiumJourney.com?

I began writing for Bleacher Report back in 2009 and gained enough confidence as a writer there to start StadiumJourney.com

 

4) What draws you to travel to stadiums?

I love to travel in general. Seeing different parts of the country and the world is a real privilege, and a great way to experience different places you might not otherwise see. Sports is just an excuse. I love sports as well. When you combine my two favorite hobbies, then this became a natural fit.

 

5) Do you prefer watching college football live or on TV?

I like watching on TV because I can change the channel if the game becomes uninteresting, but the experience is only fulfilling when you see a game in person.

 

6) Do you watch all the games on TV like Sun Belt Tues or just the bigger games?

I’ll watch pretty much any sporting event, but any FBS football game will be on my radar. I’m a bit of a movie hound as well, so if I’m at home there’s either a sporting event or a movie on.

 

Finally, my top College Football twitter must follows (In completely random order):

• @Andy_Staples
• @InTheBleachers
• @KegsnEggs
• @mengus22
• @KevinOnCFB
• @Aaron_Torres
• @jppalm
• @DanWetzel
• @Mark_Schlabach
• @BFeldmancbs
• @stiffarmtrophy
• @CFBPundit
• @PeteThamelNYT
• @ChipBrownOB
• @MrCFB
• @bylawblog
• @SportsBizMiss
• @DrSaturday
• @richarddeitsch
• @TeddyGreenstein
• @aadelsonESPN
• @D1scourse
• @murphsturph
• @JayChristensen
• @PDBuckeyes
• @ThayerEvansFox
• @JenniCarlson_OK
• @FO_College
• @CFBZ
• @Matthewcelder
• @McMurphyCBS
• @bubbaprog
• @BrianDFischer
• @Mattsarz
• @NunesMagician
• @AthlonSteven
• @DanWolken
• @BlatantHomerism
• @CfbToday
• @CornNation
• @eyeandeer
• @IntelligentCFB
• @Year2
• @CrystalBallRun
• @GeorgeSchroeder
• @Brian_Ewart
• @PeteStellaFOX
• @LisaHorne
• @CoachesBTN
• @FBSchedules
• @Pollspeak
• @ScottEnyeart