Big Ten Football presents... the Freedom Trophy!!!

[jesmu84]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/big-ten-s-latest-marketing-ploy--manufacturing-a-rivalry-220919938-ncaaf.html

[Groin_pull]

Hahahahaha. The Big 10 is pathetic.

[Blackhat]

They need to rethink things.  Since they've gone to Fox they're getting killed by ESPN and they are struggling.   

[GGGG]

They need to rethink things.  Since they've gone to Fox they're getting killed by ESPN and they are struggling.   

The B10 isn't on Fox, except for the conference championship game.  It's top games are on ABC/ESPN.

That being said, this is really lame.

[GooooMarquette]

Coming next:  The "Hey, what about us?" trophy, commemorating the Rutgers-Maryland game.

[drewm88]

Coming next:  The "Hey, what about us?" trophy, commemorating the storied Rutgers-Maryland game rivalry.

A Big Ten classic.

[source?]

Really? I mean...I just...really?

[Spotcheck Billy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/big-ten-s-latest-marketing-ploy--manufacturing-a-rivalry-220919938-ncaaf.html

thought this thread needed a picture of the historical Freedom trophy with a stadium sprouting out of another stadium 

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

If they're going to have a trophy for this game, shouldn't it have something to do with farming? Or the color red? Something...anything...related to Nebraska and Wisconsin?

The Iron Plow, a replica red stadium gate, two farmers in a tug of war. Sure, it's all hokie, but these two stadiums and a flag? Wtf?

[Litehouse]

Wow, that comes off as pathetically forced and contrived.  I'm glad someone called them out on it.

The article makes an interesting point though.  Over-exposure on the BTN of bad games that have no business being televised has hurt the perception of the conference.  I'm not sure I agree, but I've never seen that point raised before.

[MerrittsMustache]

If they're going to have a trophy for this game, shouldn't it have something to do with farming? Or the color red? Something...anything...related to Nebraska and Wisconsin?

The Iron Plow, a replica red stadium gate, two farmers in a tug of war. Sure, it's all hokie, but these two stadiums and a flag? Wtf?

It's a Freedom Trophy with an American flag on it! Clearly, these two football programs love their country. How does it get better than that?!?!

U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!

[Litehouse]

They could have called it the "Champs of 'Merica!" trophy.

[Groin_pull]

Wow, that comes off as pathetically forced and contrived.  I'm glad someone called them out on it.

The article makes an interesting point though.  Over-exposure on the BTN of bad games that have no business being televised has hurt the perception of the conference.  I'm not sure I agree, but I've never seen that point raised before.

The Big 10 is crap. Boring, slow-footed crap. 

[Litehouse]

From the comments section of the article:
"They should call it the boring bus ride across Iowa trophy."

[tower912]

They might as well have a goofy trophy, to try to ease the pain of not getting a sniff of the final 4 football teams. 

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

The article makes an interesting point though.  Over-exposure on the BTN of bad games that have no business being televised has hurt the perception of the conference. 

Ya, the B10 is laughing all the way to the bank... at least for now.

Americans will watch terrible football. They know it's terrible. They will say it's terrible. But, they will watch it, and that's all that matters.

Now, in the long run, bad football MIGHT lead to lower ratings (people eventually stopped watching Jerry Springer too), but that's a 10-15 year problem, not anything that will happen in the short run.

[Groin_pull]

Ya, the B10 is laughing all the way to the bank... at least for now.

Americans will watch terrible football. They know it's terrible. They will say it's terrible. But, they will watch it, and that's all that matters.

Now, in the long run, bad football MIGHT lead to lower ratings (people eventually stopped watching Jerry Springer too), but that's a 10-15 year problem, not anything that will happen in the short run.

Big 10 garbage football will always generate decent ratings. Those massive state schools churn out thousands and thousands of alums. Plenty of eyeballs willing to watch 3+ hours of grind-it-out Big 10 football.