Legends and Leaders?

On second thought...

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney and the rest of the conference big wigs are taking a lot of heat for the selections of the names for each of the two six team divisions starting play next year.

The Legends division is Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, and  Minnesota.

The Leaders division is Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, and Wisconsin.

Commissioner Delaney told WGN AM 720 in Chicago that he never thought that the names "Legends" and "Leaders" choices would cause such a negative reaction.

"But to get a 90 percent non-approval rating was, you know, really surprising." ---Detroit News.

I actually like the names, who needs East-West, North South, but are they the best names, no.

It seems everyone who has chimed in on my Twitter page

or on several of the radio and TV shows the past week, or so, would have no problem with naming the two divisions the "Bo Schembechler" and "Woody Hayes" divisions.

Delaney stated that the conference stayed away from using anything that would offend one of the schools.

I suppose means that they thought Minnesota or Northwestern wouldn't want to win a division named after a coach who owned them for 21 years.

And you know, I guess only the Buckeyes would be ecstatic about winning the Hayes division, after all, how many times did Indiana and Purdue best the Buckeyes while Woody was the coach.

To me, the Big Ten really needs to act fast.

The Big Ten has been as old school as it gets, trying to stay competitive in the college football of the 2000's while clinging onto the ghosts of the past.

While I cherish the traditions of Michigan's Football past, and that of the Big Ten, this new logo and division naming has made the conference look like a collection of Pop Warner teams.

The Big Ten needs to ask the schools, the coaches, the fans, the media, and find a way to fix these silly problems before Nebraska gets into the conference.

I know when I get to the Gator Bowl on New Year's Day the new Big Ten logo's will be put into place, and I'm going to have to face a lot of very skeptical foes who will be making fun of the whole situation.