Big Ten Conference Trophy Honors Joe Paterno and Amos Alonzo Stagg

The Big Ten made several announcements Monday, most notably its hideous-looking new logo. It was apparently designed by Pentagram, an international design firm.

I didn’t know they were allowed to hire kindergartners to do the job!

While I’m at it, I’m not crazy about the division names either. Legends and Leaders? Could you be any more pompous? I am, however, a big fan of its new hardware.

Next season, 12 teams will be looking to hoist up the first ever Stagg-Paterno Championship Trophy in Indianapolis and solidify the Big Ten’s BCS bid.

The trophy pays homage to two of the most iconic coaches in college football.

Joe Paterno, who picked up his 400th win this season at Penn State, is the all-time leader in bowl wins (24) and surprisingly ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 154 career wins (PSU joined the Big Ten in 1993). His name is coupled with another legend, Chicago’s Amos Alonzo Stagg, who is second all-time in conference wins (199).

Stagg and Paterno represent all that is right with college football.

They were institutions at their institutions and did it the right way. They got it done in the classroom and on the field, and they did it for a long time.

Stagg (578) and Paterno (538) rank first and second all-time in games coached against major programs and were/are great ambassadors for the sport and conference. Their names elicit an immediate sense of respect and it’s nice to see that represented with the Big Ten’s new ultimate prize.

The cool part is Joe Paterno could possibly win his own trophy!

JoePa said he’s coming back for another season, which gives him a decent shot in a weaker Leaders division. My guess is no one in college football has ever done that.

It would be another milestone to add to the list of the growing legend.