Legends And Leaders: Less Popular Than Pop Evil
A little over a week ago I surveyed the readers here about the Big Ten Division names in the aftermath of 1) the Big Ten declaring they found generally positive feedback and 2) the internet saying LOLWUT in response.
A non-random sampling of internet-savvy Michigan fans says:
Aaaand:
That speaks for itself, I'd imagine.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:15 AM ^
This, combined with the the poll posted on the board yesterday, suggests that Michigan fans disapprove of the division names more strongly than they approve of Brady Hoke. Hoke is awesome, ergo, the division names must really suck. Its science.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:18 AM ^
At least the names aren't just existing in a vacuum- the B10 is marketing the values of the conference strategically and actively.
this is all great info, but falling on deaf ears.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:30 AM ^
I'd much prefer if they "marketed" the conference based on the history ("Bo and Woody") or the region ("Lakes and Plains") than with self-flatering-not-very-true adjectives used as nouns.
Edited to reflect not really adjectives, but you get the point.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:46 AM ^
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:19 AM ^
Thank you for proving that a group of people who read each other's comments a million times a day start to think alike.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:29 AM ^
This does not make their opinion any less valid.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:53 AM ^
Which is why it makes MGoBrian's opinions more powerful
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:20 AM ^
I thought it was a bad joke and they were taking their time to be sure they got it right.
I have resorted to Michigan's division, and the other one. Don't like it, tough. It makes at least as much sense as Leaders and Best. Oops, I did it again.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:20 AM ^
unscientific surveys, presented without appropriate caveats, that only barely register positive approval for your imbecilic division names.
-Mark Twain
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:21 AM ^
Solved that problem!
Next up: Cancer. Let's solve that thing once and for all.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:23 AM ^
I feel like the stats the Big Ten released are like Soviet propaganda.
"IN BIG TEN LAND, DIVISION NAMES HATE YOU!"
Also, apparently B1G translated to Russian is BKN.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:59 PM ^
My Russian's a bit dated (last actively used about 10 years ago), but if I'm translating correctly, that sign says something like "educate generations selflessly devoted to the communist cause."
Jim Delany would clearly approve this message. Also, товарищи трудяшиеся, помните что вы сами теперь управляет государством.
[edit] Also, that's VKP, not BKN - Russian letter 'B' sounds like 'V', Russian letter P is like the 'pi' symbol, while Russian letter N is like 'H'.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:26 AM ^
Opposite of surprising.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:35 AM ^
B1G probably hired the same company to poll response to the division names as came up w/ the division names.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:40 AM ^
Note: Ordered by crossover games. MSU to the MAC, ND to the B1G
Great Lakes Division
1 Michigan
2. Notre Dame
3. Wisconsin
4. Minnesota
5. Northwestern
6. Purdue
Great Plains Division
1. Ohio
2. Penn State
3. Nebraska
4. Iowa
5. Illinois
6. Indiana
The biggest rivalries not played annually are Iowa-Wisconsin and Minnesota-PSU, both of which are currently not crossovers anyways
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:42 AM ^
This is by far my favorite names for the divisions. I know that Rittenberg has been putting these names out there as a suggestion too and I really think these are the best for everyone.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:39 AM ^
I don't really like the Leaders and Legends all that much but I think using East and West is really such a bad fit that I have trouble seeing those numbers in the charts. East and West work in the SEC but it isn't even close to working in the B10. It would be so geographically challenged as to be as dumb as adding Boise State to the Big East.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:21 PM ^
East & West isn't so geographically challenged, with a line down Wisconsin & Michigan / Illinois & Indiana, it wouldn't be too competitive though. North & South works best, I have it that way in my NCAA 12 Dynasty.
North: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Sparty, Michigan, Penn State
South: Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Purdue, Indiana, Ohio State
East: Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Sparty, Indiana, Purdue
West: Northwestern, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:49 AM ^
I still can't remember which division Michigan is in.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^
LegeNds is N's, M's and Iowa. LeadeRs is the Rest.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:32 PM ^
My method: Everyone hates the names, but Michigan fans don't hate "Leaders and Best" therefore Michigan is not in Leaders.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:57 PM ^
Michigan, the Leaders and Best: not in Leaders division.
Also, Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:09 PM ^
Also, if we ended up going with the geographic names, Michigan really could be the Champions of the West in a new, more literal way.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:00 PM ^
So the "Leaders and Best" are NOT in the Leaders' division.
EDIT: beaten by 2 minutes.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:54 AM ^
but I loathe the current names, don't use them and would be perfectly fine with East and West.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:58 AM ^
Not Sure why these names get everyones panties in a bunch. is it the implied arrogance? Hard to remember which division your team is in? If so, that is exactly why I approve of them. In time everyone will be used to it.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:08 PM ^
So you must also be a big fan of disease, poverty and death.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:58 AM ^
... in the things that don't really matter category. A name is just a vessle defined by what fills it. As long as the product remains good -- focus on the student athlete, great rivalries, continued traditions, etc... -- you could call it anything you want.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:12 PM ^
Brian has a platform to express his opinions and views on a subject matter and then uses the same platform to poll his readers. This skews the readers feelings and makes them vote differently.
It's no different if I gave a 3,000 word essay arguing ice cream was better than pizza, and then polling people on what they prefer, ice cream would get a more favorable score.
This poll should be trashed.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:14 PM ^
at least he acknowledges this poll as unscientific.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:31 PM ^
I think you might be underestimating just how much people (myself included) hate those names. I know people who hate those names who have never read this blog. My mom thinks they're dumb.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:26 PM ^
Just about anything that is either a normal division name or true about the Big Ten would work better. Heck, East/West doesn't need to ensure that schools align in the east or west (see: lack of public outrage over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East or Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South).
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:35 PM ^
I think that particular example is true mainly because it's an improvement over the 90s, when Atlanta was in the NFC West and Arizona was in the NFC East. That and Cowboys fans wouldn't care if the division was called NFC Mongolia as long as it included the Redskins, and vice versa.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:53 PM ^
"worst state ever".
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:17 PM ^
I mean, it's like you're saying, "Mgobloggers hate the Division Names so much, we'll welcome Pop Evil as our Pump Up Band if the Division Names are changed." Don't open the door to that, please, thank you very much.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:49 PM ^
If you want to evoke the deep history and tradition of the B1G and set it apart from the rest of college sports, these are my nominees.
1892 - the year the conference was founded.
Land Grant - The way most of the schools were founded.
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:36 PM ^
February 24th, 2012 at 12:02 AM ^
East and West is relatively lame too (in my opinion). How about we celebrate our geographic surroundings and have the "Lakes" and "Plains" division. You do not necessarily have to separate teams into their respective geographic region for it to be a good fit.
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