The B1G Trophy

Here's the Big Booty of the Big Ten.

Silver Football, I like it. The Chicago Tribune might have an argument for copyright infringement with its Big Ten standby "Silver Football Award," (given to its conference MVP), but I like the carryover of the theme.

The trophy made its first public appearance Wednesday morning.

Here's the release from the Big Ten Conference:

Chicago-Area Elementary School Students Help Launch Big Ten's Honoring Legends. Building Leaders. Mobile Tour

Park Ridge, Ill. – Approximately 100 elementary school students from Louis Armstrong Public School in Chicago helped launch the Big Ten's Honoring Legends. Building Leaders. Mobile Tour at the Big Ten office in Park Ridge, Ill., on Wednesday morning.

Part of the Big Ten's SCORE program, the students were the first to participate in the mobile tour's activities and to have their pictures taken with the Stagg-Paterno Championship Trophy, which made its first public appearance Wednesday morning.

“The Big Ten Conference would like to thank Louis Armstrong Public School for its participation in today's event,” Big Ten Chief Communications Officer Diane Dietz said. “We value our partnership with the students and faculty, and were thrilled to have them join us at our tailgate party.”

“The Big Ten Conference has been extremely gracious to us over the years,” Armstrong principal Demetrius Bunch said. “We have estimated that over 2,500 students have been serviced by the Big Ten over the years, and we would like to thank the Big Ten Conference for their continued support and efforts.”

The mobile tour will stop at a different campus each week, from Thursday through game day on Saturday, and will contain interactive activities, including the opportunity for fans to have their picture taken with the Stagg-Paterno Championship Trophy. The tour will also feature television sets on site for fans to keep up with other games around the conference.

The mobile tour will entertain and educate fans about the new era of Big Ten football and the exciting road ahead – two divisions, the championship weekend in Indianapolis, 18 new trophies and the path to the Rose Bowl or BCS National Championship Game.

Visit the Big Ten Mobile Tour Blog (www.bigten.org/blog/mobile-tour), Twitter page (@B1GMobileTour) and YouTube page (www.YouTube.com/B1GMobileTour) to keep track of the mobile tour.