Name the Big Ten Divisions

[H8IAST8]

Rittenberg will post the best suggestions.
Mailbag: Adam Rittenberg - SportsNation Mailbag - ESPN

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/19115/your-turn-name-the-big-ten-divisions
As you might have heard, the Big Ten is still trying to find names for its new divisions.

Let's help out.

Send me your suggestions for division names and I'll publish them Friday. Feel free to include a short explanation of your division names. Not to toot my horn, but high-ranking Big Ten officials read the blog -- some posts end up on commissioner Jim Delany's desk -- and it's possible your suggestion could end up being the conference's choice.

One bit of advice: avoid names that only apply to one or two schools, and avoid geographical distinctions.
From the Chicago Tribune story:

The challenge, Big Ten officials say, comes from a reluctance to use either geography or the names of legendary conference coaches or athletes that would represent just two schools.


If you forgot what the divisions will look like, I've got you covered.

Division A: Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Northwestern, Minnesota

Division B: Illinois, Ohio State, Indiana, Purdue, Penn State, Wisconsin

Start brainstorming.

 

[WhitUp]

I submitted my A Rivers:missouri or Missisiippi go threw 4 out of 6
and B:Great Lakes all 6 schools states touch a great lake.

When the big ten choses this I will point to this thread as me naming the divisions.

 

[woodyk1]

Rittenberg will post the best suggestions.
Mailbag: Adam Rittenberg - SportsNation Mailbag - ESPN

Your turn: Name the Big Ten divisions - Big Ten Blog - ESPN
As you might have heard, the Big Ten is still trying to find names for its new divisions.

Let's help out.

Send me your suggestions for division names and I'll publish them Friday. Feel free to include a short explanation of your division names. Not to toot my horn, but high-ranking Big Ten officials read the blog -- some posts end up on commissioner Jim Delany's desk -- and it's possible your suggestion could end up being the conference's choice.

One bit of advice: avoid names that only apply to one or two schools, and avoid geographical distinctions.
From the Chicago Tribune story:

The challenge, Big Ten officials say, comes from a reluctance to use either geography or the names of legendary conference coaches or athletes that would represent just two schools.


If you forgot what the divisions will look like, I've got you covered.

Division A: Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Northwestern, Minnesota

Division B: Illinois, Ohio State, Indiana, Purdue, Penn State, Wisconsin

Start brainstorming.

My ideas:

1) MMMINN and WOPPII
2) Tastes Great and Less Filling (I think someone else may have suggested this already).
3) Kinnick and Grange
4) Schembechler and Hayes

 

[ChiHawk7]

This was mine:

I really liked Teddy Greenstein’s suggestion of the “Stars” and “Stripes” divisions, but I thought we could take it a step further with the Patriotism. After all, this is the Big Ten, which is “kind of like middle America,” right Chris Myers? How about the “Free” and the “Brave” divisions? Or “Washington” and “Jefferson?" We could do the “Red” and the “Blue” divisions, with the Big Ten Conference representing the “White” to tie it all together. My personal favorite would be “Liberty” and “Justice.” If none of those work for you, then I’ll suggest “Love It” or “Leave It,” with Iowa’s division obviously representing the “Love It." Either way, USA #1!

 

[H8IAST8]

I submitted my A Rivers:missouri or Missisiippi go threw 4 out of 6
and B:Great Lakes all 6 schools states touch a great lake.

When the big ten choses this I will point to this thread as me naming the divisions.

I like this one Whitup!

Here are some typical ones you may hear.
Plains/Heartland Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Northwestern, Minnesota
Lakes/Midland: : Illinois, Ohio State, Indiana, Purdue, Penn State, Wisconsin

 

[WhitUp]

I also suggested that the championship trophy be a stanley cup type traveling trophy simply called THE BIG CUP.

 

[hawkfan340]

Black and Blue

 

[WhitUp]

Black and Blue

I haven't hated that idea as long as were in the black, but i doubt Michigan going to go for not being in the blue division.

 

[H8IAST8]

Too much like NFC North IMO.

 

[H8IAST8]

Last chance to get your suggestions in. Rittenberg should be posting the suggestions today.

 

[HawkInvasion]

My submission:

How about the Northwest and Midwest? These are common territory names. The best part is that the Northwest division would be east of the Midwest. Why would this be great?...It would expose SEC fans intelligence when it came to American history and geography. On top of that, we are already called the Big Ten; why not confuse the rest of the US even more?

Honorable mention:

Great Plains
Great Lakes

Heartland
Rust Belt

 

[H8IAST8]

Don't think they would take to kindly to Rust Belt.
Big Ten Blog - ESPN

I like the War of The Roses: York and Lancaster. And the Delta and Beta divisions. Not too many surprises otherwise. I thought there would be some better ones. What happened to the Lakes and Rivers division?

 

[clicheusername3]

I like this one Whitup!

Here are some typical ones you may hear.
Plains/Heartland Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Northwestern, Minnesota
Lakes/Midland: : Illinois, Ohio State, Indiana, Purdue, Penn State, Wisconsin

Plains/Heartland and Lakes/Midland sounds to High School Conferencish. It should be geographical.

 

[bws258]

I still think they end up using legendary coach names

one will be the Stagg Division, not sure on the other ... Yost?

Maybe they are waiting to see if JoePa retires so they can name it the Paterno Division

 

[H8IAST8]

Plains/Heartland and Lakes/Midland sounds to High School Conferencish. It should be geographical.

avoid names that only apply to one or two schools, and avoid geographical distinctions.

 

[bws258]

Please note that they WILL NOT use ANY geographical names, even lakes vs rivers, because, as Delany said, these divisions are not static and are subject to review and change ... meaning if Div B dominates Div A over the next decade, or visa versa, they can and will realign the divisions

 

[Blackhawk33]

Wind-Fire Division
Earth-Water Division

 

[clicheusername3]

Please note that they WILL NOT use ANY geographical names, even lakes vs rivers, because, as Delany said, these divisions are not static and are subject to review and change ... meaning if Div B dominates Div A over the next decade, or visa versa, they can and will realign the divisions

I don't see that mattering. Its not necessarily a mark of where the team is geographically as there is rarely ever a true line of demarcation used in a divisional alignment. A division is just a way to group teams together for scheduling/monetary considerations. its not a way to tie a team to a specific geographical feature such as a lake or a direction. Geographically speaking pretty much any school can be tied to a lake or river, and every team is north, south, east, or west of something.

 

[H8IAST8]

I dont think Lakes and Rivers is geographical. Every state but Iow and Nebraska boarder a Great Lake and Madison is seperated by lakes. Every State has rivers and most campuses have one flowing directly through them:

Mississipi River, Iowa River, Chicago River, Wabash, "Jordan River", Lansing River, Huron River, Olentangy River & Scioto River.

 

[eyekwah]

See the submission he published:

Your suggestions: Big Ten division names - Big Ten Blog - ESPN

I submitted Heisman and Outland for the division names, though my favorites are Stagg and Berwanger, which a fellow from Chicago submitted.