If you're embarrassed because you hold the B10 to some kind of lofty expectation, that's your own problem and you're free to wallow in misery over it if you so chose. I don't give a darn about chest-thumping conference bs, so I'll give you that angle.
If you're embarassed because the media has told you to, and convinced you the conference is total trash ... well, you'll have to excuse me while I snicker.
Two of the games being bandied about as dreadful embarrassments for the Big10 were close losses to... other BCS conference bottom feeders (Duke/NW) / rebuilding teams (ISU/Iowa). Oh no it's totally the end of the world!!!!!
As for PSU and Wiscy looking lackluster, they showed just how much that means in last years' bowl season. Twice Wiscy has played in the Capital One as an underdog and walked away with a win that wasn't as close as the scoreboards may indicate. PSU added to that last year. And all 3 of those were against gods gift to college football: the mighty SEC.
Anyone who actually watched the bowl games last year would also know the rest of the B10 showed up quite a bit more than anticipated as well. All except the big 2... which leads me to wonder:
Just how much of this is you guys projecting January 8th embarrassment on the rest of the B10, and how much of it actually has to do with the rest of the B10?
We're shallow at the top, but I think we've got a nice logjam of teams in the middle. Truth is, we won't know for sure until bowl season.
In the meantime, there is nothing so far to show we're doing any worse than B12, BE, ACC. Pointing to close games amongst the worst of the conferences doesn't mean much to me.