Red Carpet Time

Apparently the inaugural LTP Bloggy Awards were so impactful they inspired the Czar of the Blogosphere, MGoBlog, to create an award platform that, so like him, it is tough to replicate. It is my understanding that this ballot is open to bloggers, and so I figured I'd show you the candidates and add the usual LTP spin. The categories are real, the "For" and "Criteria" are real, the LTP commentary is not...



Best MSM Blog
FOR: The best blog piloted by an Official Journalist, defined as someone employed by a newspaper company or a major website like SI.com or ESPN.com.
LTP Vote: I'm thinking Shanoff, but can you really be "official" if you're on The Sporting News? Why not rename it to be "The blog for a demographic that doesn't have computers"?


The Dr. Z Award
FOR: Cogent, interesting analysis.
CRITERIA: Emphasis placed on statistical manipulation, well researched pieces that reveal something new, and/or solid argumentative pieces that function as the authoritative last word on a subject.

LTP Vote: Statistical manipulation? My middle name. The authoritative "last word", hmmm...despite my march to make NU respectable in this blog world thingy, I continue to get pummeled behind the scenes. Hence, Enlightened Spartan. His biased view makes me look impartial. Plus, seeing him seethe over the NU loss made my week!

The Trev Alberts Quits To Do Construction Award

FOR: comic relief; overall hilarity.

CRITERIA: The funniest college football blog.

LTP Vote: Hawkeye State. The only redeeming thing about Iowa. The only blog that makes me laugh out loud. And I'm STILL pissed we lost that game.

The Job Award
FOR: The blog that has suffered through its chosen team's dismal season with the most dignity.
LTP Vote: Despite the fact my colleagues jokingly penned me in for this one on the internal email, I've got to go with GopherNation and Tom, who, despite writing about the 1-11 Minnesota Golden Gophers, subjected himself to being the chief tabulator and host for the weekly pick 'ems.


The Keith Jackson Circa 1995 Award
FOR: The blog with the most consistently expressive and excellent writing.
CRITERIA: Mechanical competency, yes, but the ability to turn a devastatingly funny phrase or write something compelling is probably more important. This isn't an award for copy editing; it's an award for kickin' prose.


LTP Vote: Kickin' I ain't. But, yo yo yo, Keith Jackson? 1995? Helllloooooo Northwestern vs Penn State at Dyche. How can I NOT win this award. Beeeeeeyatch.

The Brady Quinn Award
FOR: The prettiest blog.
CRITERIA: An aesthetic appeal and usability. The best looking and most functional blog.
LTP Vote: Michigan Sportscenter is up there. Enlightened Spartan is not. The Sportsblog Nation guys need not apply.

Best New Blog
FOR: The best new college football blog.
CRITERIA: Must have launched sometime after last year’s national championship game. Transitioning to a new blog or affiliating with a network mid-stream doesn’t count.
LTP Vote: How many different categories can I vote for myself without pissing people off?


Best Community
FOR: The blog with the best community interaction.
LTP Vote: MGoBlog. Any dude who gets quadruple digit comments on a blog has a community. Hell, he gets more traffic in a day then Ryan Field gets in a month.


The Tyrone Prothro Award
FOR: The finest individual post of the college football year.
CRITERIA: There aren't any, really. The post that you liked the best for whatever reason.
LTP Vote: Hmmmm, you mean posters can actually be right? Just kidding!


The Old Faithful Award
FOR: The best recurring feature of the year.
CRITERIA: The feature should be posted weekly and be generally good and stuff. V
LTP Vote: Off the Tracks gratuitous bikini photos for no apparent reason. Same to EDSBS' Friday Cheescake.



The Jenn Sterger's Rack Award
FOR: The best photoshop or other counterfeit gag of the year.
LTP Vote: Whichever genius did the faux Notre Dame web site. Oh yeah, and The Fulmer Cup.

Best Multimedia Thing
FOR: The best audio thing, podcast, or web-video type thing of the year. Highlight clips not eligible.
LTP Vote: Real Men of Genius mock commercial about Notre Dame fans. I've only included the clip about 5 times this year!


The People's Champ
FOR: Similar to the MNC award, this one goes to the best blog, no restrictions. The major difference: whereas most awards are voted on by bloggers, the final voting on this one is open to all. No, you can't vote for Auburn 2004.
LTP Vote: Smart Football. Anyone who gives the NU win over Michigan in 2000 THE props for being the watershed moment in spread history has my vote. No joke, this guy has got game.


Best ACC Blog
FOR: The best blog covering an ACC team or the ACC in general.
CRITERIA: None specified. Just, you know, whatever you think is awesome.
LTP Vote: None. Awesome and ACC are mutually exclusive.


Best Big Ten Blog
FOR: The best blog covering a Big Ten team or the Big Ten in general.
CRITERIA: None specified. Just, you know, whatever you think is awesome.
LTP Vote: Black Shoe Diaries. Because MGoBlog's play by play recaps with his commentary frighten me.


Best Big East Blog
FOR: The best blog covering a Big East team, the Big East in general, or Notre Dame.
LTP Vote: West Virginia, ooops, sorry, there is no longer any record of any West Virginia blog as MGoBlog has allegedly erased all the files.


Best SEC Blog
FOR: The best blog covering an SEC team or the SEC as a whole.
LTP Vote: www.TheSecvsBigTenspeedthingisahoax.com



Best Big Twelve Blog
FOR: The best blog covering a Big Twelve team or the Big Twelve in general.
LTP: Burnt Orange Nation. Because if I don't make at least one Texas reference per week, the In-Laws beat me down.



Best Pac Ten Blog
FOR: The best blog covering a Pac Ten team or the Pac Ten in general.
LTP Vote: Boi from Troy. Who says bloggers aren't progressive?




Best Non-BCS Blog
FOR: The best blog covering a team not from a BCS conference, a non-BCS conference, or non-BCS conference football in general.
LTP Vote: Hawkeye State. Heh, heh, heh, that was too easy of a punch line.

Best National Blog

FOR: The best blog that covers the sport of college football as a whole. CRITERIA: None specified. Just, you know, whatever you think is awesome.

LTP Vote: EDSBS. Despite the fact that he lists "Cat's Roar" as a Northwestern blog. Huh? Where is the love.


Mythical National Champion
FOR: The best blog, overall.
LTP Vote: DanShanoff.com. Key names of the day. Google! Ad Sense! Manipulation! Oh yeah, and one simple link to LTP netted the highest traffic day in my brief history. Thanks Dan!