banner contest 2010

Hello. You'll notice Brandon Minor hanging out up there all wireframed and stuff in the banner. But you won't notice Minor on the field this fall, so it's time for change. It's time for the winds of progress to sweep down from the Russian steppes and blow up the local nuclear plant. It's time for another MGoBanner contest.

Last time I just asked for whatever and hoped everything would work out. This year I have specifications:

• The primary text on the banner should be MGoBlog. No .com, no random other phrase that confuses people trying to figure out what site they've ended up at. Secondary text should be obviously not the name of the site.
• Banners should have one primary visual element. This means no collages. For example, this would fall afoul of the rule:
   
  (No offense to Ben Singer.)
  This, though fairly montage-y, would not:
  
  
  The difference is there's one idea in the latter instead of like five things and a little slice of yellow. 
• If you're using a specific picture in a recognizable way, make sure that picture is either available for use or you have permission. I don't think something like the Minor wireframe above triggers this restriction, but if a photographer would see the banner and think "hey, that's mine" and be ticked off, please talk to the person in question first. If there is a fee or are strings attached to use the photo please mention them in your submission.
• The width of the entire site is 970 pixels, but you don't have to use every last one if you don't want. I moved the search bar so you can if you want. Submissions should be at most 150 pixels tall. File sizes should be as small as possible.
• Don't forget to save them in a web-friendly format (read: not CYMK).
• Submissions are due by April 30th; please use "Banner contest" in the subject of your email.

The winner will receive a free copy of Hail To The Victors 2010, a couple MGoShirts, and will float into the MGoFirmament when the MGoRapture arrives. The final four will also get copies of HTTV.

Side note: if you've got a banner that could have a second life as a holiday banner and you point this out to me I'll be more likely to use it as a one-off in the future, as I've done with the Naked Man—that's what she said—and a couple others.