Hlog: What were the Big Ten's Game of the Year, Coach of the Year, Team of the Year?

The Big Ten Network has a gimmicky deal where it has its own knockoff of ESPN's Espy awards.

So here are its nominees (awards will be doled out Wednesday). You make the calls.

MEN'S COACH OF THE YEAR

Tom Brands, Iowa wrestling

Kirk Ferentz, Iowa football

Tom Izzo, Michigan State basketball

Thad Matta, Ohio State basketball

Justin Spring, Illinois gymnastics

Jim Tressel, Ohio State football

My pick: No distinct favorite. Ferentz was voted the Big Ten football coach of the year, but Tressel's Buckeyes did win the Big Ten and the Rose Bowl. Izzo somehow got MSU to yet another Final Four. Brands was Brands. I'll take Brands, and stand behind the Iowa wrestling team if someone wants to fight about it.

WOMEN'S COACH OF THE YEAR

Kelly Amonte-Hiller, Northwestern lacrosse

Lisa Bluder, Iowa basketball

Jim Foster, Ohio State basketball

Carol Hutchins, Michigan softball

Russ Rose, Penn State volleyball

Rolf van de Kerkof, Michigan State field hockey

My pick: Rose. Penn State won its third-straight NCAA volleyball title. Bluder had a fantastic year, though, somehow transforming an injury-plagued team into an NCAA tourney team.

BREAKOUT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Kelci Bryant – Minnesota diver

Adrian Clayborn – Iowa football player

Draymond Green – Michigan State men's basketball player

Jamie Printy – Iowa women's basketball player

John Shurna – Northwestern men's basketball player

Evan Turner – Ohio State men's basketball player

My pick: Oh boy. How do I pick against Clayborn and not get in trouble around here? But Turner was as good a player in college basketball as any who existed last season. Was he a genuine "breakout" player, though? Was Clayborn, for that matter?

MOST DOMINATING PERFORMANCE:

Angela Bizzarri at Big Ten Championships – Illinois cross country

David Boudia at Big Ten Tournament – Purdue diver

Kate Fesenko at Big Ten Championships – Indiana swimmer

Robbie Hummel in the first half vs. Ohio State – Purdue men's basketball player

Mike Kafka in the Outback Bowl – Northwestern football quarterback

Ryan Kerrigan vs. Ohio State – Purdue football defensive lineman

My pick: I saw just one of these, and that was Hummel. Since Purdue beat Ohio State in football last season, and convincingly, I'll go with Kerrigan.

BEST FINISHIowa vs. Michigan State – Football

Michigan vs. Michigan State Football

Michigan vs. Ohio State - Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament

Michigan State vs. Michigan - Men's Basketball

Michigan State vs. Minnesota - Men's Basketball

Michigan State vs. Maryland - NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

My pick: Those are some good choices. The Iowa slant would say you can't top the Hawkeyes' last-second win at East Lansing. But Turner hitting a 37-footer at the buzzer to beat Michigan at the Big Ten tourney was special. So was Korie Lucious' last-second 3-pointer that gave MSU a second-round NCAA win over Maryland.

I don't know how you split between those three, other than to say Lucious' shot ultimately had more meaning than Stanzi-to-McNutt or Turner's bomb, so I'll go with Lucious and brace myself for your barbs.

MEN'S TEAM OF THE YEAR

Iowa Football

Iowa Wrestling

Michigan Gymnastics

Michigan State Basketball

Ohio State Basketball

Ohio State Football

My pick: Most years, I'd go with an Iowa wrestling team that won the NCAAs. But the Big Ten got a perceived national renaissance with bowl game superiority, and that was capped by Ohio State's dominance of Oregon in the Rose Bowl. On the other hand, nobody in college football had a more-colorful season than Iowa, with all sorts of fourth-quarter heroics and an 11-win season capped by an Orange Bowl win.

Still, OSU won the league title, not Iowa. And OSU blasted the Pac-10's best, Oregon, in Pasadena. So it's the Buckeyes over Iowa football, but only by a field goal in overtime.

WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE YEAR

Michigan Gymnastics

Michigan Softball

Northwestern Lacrosse

Ohio State Basketball

Penn State Volleyball

Purdue Golf

My pick: This is an easy spike. It's Penn State volleyball. Three straight NCAA titles says it all.

GAME OF THE YEAR

Illinois vs. Ohio State (Big Ten Tournament) - Men's Basketball

Ohio State vs. Purdue - Men's Basketball

Iowa vs. Indiana - Football

Iowa vs. Ohio State – Football

Northwestern vs. Auburn (Outback Bowl) - Football

Penn State vs. Texas (NCAA Championship) - Women's Volleyball

My pick: Not to slight any of these other games, but the Iowa-Ohio State football game qualifies as something close to a classic in my mind. Iowa was given a snowball's chance with freshman quarterback James Vandenberg making his first college start, but pushed the Buckeyes to overtime with a display of heart as vivid (if not moreso) than in any Hawkeye victory. And Ohio State proved it was championship-worthy by pulling the game out in overtime. It was a captivating contest from start to finish.