The Big (?) 10

Issue: Could the Big 10 have made a worse decision in naming their conference divisions?

Short Answer: No. Freakin'. Way.

Reasoning: Big 10 Commissioner Jim Delany granted himself a stay of execution last week when he announced the Big 10 may consider changing the name of the divisions he and the rest of the Big 10 brass had originally chosen.  In case you have been living somewhere they don't cover news stories, or you can't read, the Big 10 (which will have 12 teams next year) will split into two divisions and call them "Leaders" and "Legends".  Uh, Jim, please stop considering, and do it.  They sound stupid, look stupid, make zero sense, and no other conference in the country does this (although, I guess that could be an argument for not changing the division names, but it is a rather weak one).

I have read quite a few editorials on the topic, and none have been positive (rightly so).  Other than being just plain corny, I can see the optimism with which Jim Delany announced this decision.  The Big 10 brass was looking at this as a good thing.  It's not.  But, the words "leader" and "legend" is something every college athlete aspires to be, although very few ever achieve said aspiration.  The words have an extremely positive connotation.  The Big 10 brass had their hearts in the right place.  But, they obviously didn't have their heads in the right place.

The problems with bigger conferences is the perennial bottom feeders.  When I played college baseball in the ACC (waaaay back when there were still only 9 teams), Duke and Maryland were, year-in and year-out, playing each other on the first day of the ACC Tournament to see who actually got to play in the ACC Tournament.  Big 10 football has a few candidates as well - Northwestern, Minnesota, Purdue, and Indiana (I'm sure these schools excel in "other" sports, which happen to not matter) are non-factors when it comes to a Big 10 football championship.  So, can we rightly place any of these teams in a division entitled "Leaders" or "Legends"?  No chance.  Why don't we let Indiana play in the "East" or "South" or "Plains" division, but please, please, not in the "Legends" division.  Time to go back to work Jim.