OTC: Big 10 Goes Leaderless With Non-Legendary Names

 

“If people don’t embrace it in the first hour, then maybe after 24-36 hours … or in a couple of years. Any time you have something new, it takes some getting used to. … I know us. I think what we did was right.”
Jim Delany, Big 10 Commissioner, on the conference’s decision to name the two divisions, Leaders and Legends, Chicago Tribune
GH: Here are the members of the two new Big 10 Divisions;
Legends:  Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern
Leaders:  Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Most are not as sure as Delany that he knows “us.” Read on.
“93 percent of those responding to a midwestsportsfans.com poll voted for either ‘terrible’ or ‘it makes me want to gouge my eyes out with a spoon.’ ”
Teddy Greenstein, columnist, Chicago Tribune
GH: A similar poll by the Chicago tribune received almost identical results. Is it too late for East and West? It might not be geographically accurate but at least it’s not embarrassingly haughty, non-descriptive and lame.
“The Legends, not too hard in that we have 215 College Football Hall of Fame members, we have 15 Heisman Trophy winners. We thought it made perfect sense to recognize the iconic and the legendary through the naming of the division in that regard. … We’ve had plenty of leaders in the conference, that’s for sure, but the emphasis here is to recognize the mission of using intercollegiate athletics and higher education to build future leaders.”
Jim Delaney, AP
GH: Yeah, Jim. No other conference is churning out Heisman winners and successful businessmen. Aren’t there any leaders in the Big 10 who majored in marketing?
“This is outside the box – how about Tango and Cash?”
Steven St. John, 810 AM
Was Dungeons and Dragons taken? Tell me who memorizes (those division names) other than Mr. Big Ten with his plaid blanket and merlot?”
Dennis Dodd, 810 AM
“So the Big Ten division names are boring. So the logo came from Etch A Sketch. What did you expect, Monet? … I think that vanilla was the idea here. Nothing here favors anyone. Divisions can be so, um, divisive. Ask the Big 12 all about that one.”
Tom Shatel, columnist, Omaha World Herald
GH: Here is something the Big 12 can agree on – the Big 10 can blame this whole new labeling mess on that damn Nebraska joining the legendary and leader-oriented conference.
“We think the new logo is fun and has something for everyone.”
Jim Delany, Detroit Free Press
GH: Shatel wrote that the new logo looks like it was drawn with an Etch-A-Sketch. It is becoming pretty obvious to all who have taste and a sense of humor that the Big 10’s commish doesn’t have a clue what is fun, clever – or maybe he’s just a good front man for bad ideas.
Greghall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24
http://www.mb-kc.com/
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11 Responses to OTC: Big 10 Goes Leaderless With Non-Legendary Names

  1. Red says:

    Shouldn’t Michigan, as “leaders and best”, at least be in the Leaders division?

  2. cliffy says:

    Big 10 … what a joke.
    Terrible … just terrible.

    What’s next with this site? It seems to get worse with each passing day. Looking back through the archives, it appears some people wanting to remain anonymous don’t have that option anymore. And, it appears some people used their real name (not me) to register. Geez Hearne … what a loser.

  3. FollowKentBabbOnTwitter says:

    what the two division names should of been…
    1. The Follow @KentBabb division.
    2. The On Twitter division.

    Follow @KentBabb on Twitter!!!
    Live Chiefs updates from the press box, practice field, and club house.

  4. olathecat says:

    How about Chutes and Ladders?
    That would be just as good. Not sure anything beats the Dungeons and Dragons comment though.

  5. Kerouac says:

    WHAT’S IN A NAME
    In 1967, the NFL changed the names of its formerly 15 team/two Division 1966 East & West to the 16 team/4 Division names Capital, Century, Coastal & Central. WASH, PHIL & NO in the Capital Division is one thing, but DALL too? Century teams stretched from NY to CLEV to PITTS to [ drumroll ] ?STL? a geographical equivalent of swinging pinata. _____________ Course, my favorite is kc being in the ‘West’ (Missouri?) while N/NE of us Indiana has their Colts listed the ‘South’ Division… hilarious. _______________________ On the other hand, who cares what the name of a division be: call them Division 1, 2, 3 & 4 AFC and Division 1, 2, 3 & 4 NFC and be done with it…or do what MLB used to do before they started chasing the $ no end: two leagues, one divison each league, no name for either, upshot also being one team from the NL played one team from the AL – best vs best – no multi-team, everyone’s a winner post season for also-rans caca like they do today in MLB and the NFL. _______________________Hunt/Peterson wanted more teams in the playoffs – FOOLS. Soon enough however (my opine) all 32 NFL teams will qualify for post season as all bow down to the almighty $. In the process, the regular seasons every will be relegated anti-climax; no child / team left behind… mediocrity.

  6. mark x says:

    … wannbes & poser … ?
    What. A. Joke.

    But how appropriate that Nebraska is in this goofy conference now. St. John’s take was good, LOL.

  7. John says:

    I like it.
    I like the names. It gives the Big 10 some personality. Something other confrences don’t have. Remember when the NHL use to name their divisions, Patrick, Adams, Smyth, Norris, and the confrences Pince of Wales and Clarence Cambell? NHL fans hate the fact that they got rid of it. I like what the Big 10 did.

  8. Monkeyhawk says:

    For a while, the NHL had strange conference names
    What bothers me is how the Big 10 has 12 teams and the Big 12 has 10 teams.

    I’m not majoring in math at any of those schools.

  9. Gavin says:

    Other Proposed Division Names
    I was hoping they’d go with “Rusty Stuff” and “Stuff You Eat.”

  10. Rainbow Man says:

    Big Ten Envy
    The only difference between the Big 12 and the Big Ten is that the Big Ten administration cares deeply about every single school in the conference. And they are fair to all schools.

    What exactly did the Big Ten do wrong? Yes I went to a Big ten school but I have lived in Big 12 country for 20 years and love the Big 12. I don’t understand the obsession. The Big Ten is a collection of schools that covers the upper Midwest and Great Lakes. They have large metro markets. Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Cincy, Twin Cities, Milwaukee, Philly, Pitt, and Indy. Those cities are largely rust belt and this recession has been murder to them. Population is depleting. They are no different than Big 12 Schools in size and stature. 21 and 22 ACT scores get kids in. Northwestern is a very elite school… But Baylor is elite. I would say that Michigan and Texas size near each other in elite large population schools. But a KU or K-State degree commands respect in Chicago or Detroit… Just like an Iowa or Ohio State degree commands respect in KC or Dallas. Do you know how many Iowa grads live in KC? KC is 90 minutes from Iowa in-state tuition. Do you know how many KU, KSU and K-State grads live in Chicago? Tons.

    I do know this… Big Ten fans in Detroit could care less about what the Big 12 is doing… Lay off the Big Ten… they are making lemonade from lemons… Start making your own lemonade.

  11. Guy Who Says What Others Think says:

    Hey, a-hole Hall!! No one cares about this in KC.
    This is a Big12 town. Take your Big 10 bullshit to a Chicago based weblog, or one up in Omaha.

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