[Jon J - In the interest of encouraging more reader-generated content, we're going to start promoting more fanposts to the front page. I know that there's plenty of stories to share and things to talk about, even in the offseason, so - if you want to share a story, some insight, or you've got some really good Big Ten jokes - fire away!]
I have been visiting the Corn Nation counterpart SB sites of our new Big Ten brethren and could not help but notice the site names and taglines - I am sure there are stories behind each and every one. But my first visit was to the Iowa site. Now I have absolutely no intention of starting anything, but really, that has got to be the weirdest tagline ever:
Black Heart Gold Pants -"Swelling with Hawkeye Pride since 2007" http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/
The "Black Heart" sounds ominous, but being followed by "Gold pants" and swelling? What do you think (and aren't you glad Jon is more appropriately humorous)?
Here are the others:
Maize n Brew - "Come to Michigan! We have Candy. And Snow. Lots of Snow." http://www.maizenbrew.com/
Funny. Self deprecating. Candy and snow? What's not to like?
Black Shoe Diaries - "We Blog For Penn State. There Is No Name On Our Jersey." http://www.blackshoediaries.com/
"Black Shoe Diaries": Sounds too much like "Red Shoe Diaries" to me (you older Showtime subscribers will know what I mean). I like the blunt challenge of the tagline, but I don't know about the name.......
Along The Olentangy - "An Ohio State Buckeye Community" http://www.alongtheolentangy.com/
What's an "Oletangy"? Sigh. So much to learn about this new conference. Good name, but the tagline sounds like it was written by an auditor.
Bucky's 5th Quarter - "YOUR SOURCE FOR WISCONSIN BADGERS NEWS AND ANALYSIS" http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/
Another no nonsense, humorless tagline but IN ALL CAPS. I like the 5th quarter in the name: it implies FOOTBALL. But, alas, football season is over and there is nothing but, gulp, basketball. I didn't know they had a 5th quarter in basketball. Again, so much new to learn in the Big 10....
Hammer and Rails - "Proving those wrong who doubt us" http://www.hammerandrails.com/
"Hammer and Rails" sounds tough. Like, if you doubt us, we are going to hammer you into the turf and ride you out on a rail tough. Awesome.
Hail to the Orange - "Home of the Blogging Illini" http://www.hailtotheorange.com/
Now we know where those blogging Illini got to. But where do the non-blogging Illini go? Where is this orange they worship? Sounds like a cult, if you ask me.
The Daily Gopher - "Your online home for Minnesota Golden Gophers football, basketball and hockey." http://www.thedailygopher.com/
This nerdy name sounds like a Clark Kent newspaper masquerading as a super modern day sports blog. Tag line says it all, I guess...hey, Go-Go-Gophers. Oh...sorry, wrong gophers.
The Crimson Quarry - "An unofficial Indiana Hoosiers blog" http://www.crimsonquarry.com/
The name sounds ominous, like a great hole in the ground where the Cutters stomp the university kids into a bloody pulp. Plus, its an "unoffical" blog. Sounds subversive. Altogether kind of layered with menace.
The Only Colors - "Freeeefallin'" http://www.theonlycolors.com/
Now, I know Tom Petty is a Florida boy, so I really don't get this for Michigan State. They could have used Nugents "Free For All" or Segers "Like a Rock" or something from other native sons like Eminem, etc. Maybe it's a commentary on over-matched athletic hopelessness? Why would you advertise that?
Sippin' On Purple - "Where Ryan Field isn't half-empty, it's half-full." http://www.sippinonpurple.com/
Is this like drinking the kool-aid? I like the tagline optimism, but either way you look at it it implies lousy attendance.