Sports Update

By Ben Brake

K-State has a great non-conference schedule!

The debate should be over about the strength of non-conference schedules. K-State Coach Bill Snyder has been raked over
the coals for the past several years by the media for not scheduling tougher opponents for his non-conference portion of the
schedule. Gary Barnett has been given all sorts of praise for scheduling a very tough non-conference schedule. Coach Bill
Snyder’s team is 5-0, #4 in the nation, and is in the running for the national title. Coach Barnett is 0-4 for the season, can’t be
found in the top 25, and may be in the running for a very good job with McDonalds (I can’t wait to see him sporting his
uniform, big shoes, big round nose, and a red wig!).

Every K-State fan knows what it’s like to run into somebody that is a fan of another school and you try to talk football. The
minute they hear you are a K-State fan you start to hear it all over again about the non-conference schedule, right! You are
probably saying, “How did he know?” Well, I’m a good guesser.

Here is some reasoning behind having a weak non-conference schedule that you can use to inform the non-believers or give
them Gary Barnett’s phone number:

   1.You don’t get your behind whipped (right Gary?).
   2.It gives your team a chance to make mistakes without costing them a season (Gary?).
   3.You have a chance to evaluate the entire team, not just the starters.
   4.All players get experience in real game situations
   5.Builds confidence in the players and the team.
   6.Mid-season the team is 5-0 and #4 in polls, not 0-5 saying wait till next year.
   7.The fan support is still backing the team with a lot of emotion.
   8.The fans are not calling for the coaches to be replaced.
   9.Easier to make a bowl game to help the college and the conference.
  10.The media will cover a 5-0 team quicker than a 0-5 team.

Negatives:

   1.Jerks from other schools are jealous and dog the only thing they can, the schedule.
   2.Bad recognition from the media because they are in neg. reason #1.
   3.Removed from the BCS selection because the selectors are in neg. reason #1
   4.Bypassed in polls because voter are in neg. reason #1.
   5.If you don’t understand what this is saying, you probably belong in neg. reason #1

Comparing the non-conference schedules between K-State and Colorado and the outcome of the games should speak for
itself. It should be a no-brainer on which schedule would benefit the team the most. K-State can name its destination.
Colorado has found their destination and they don’t like it. So, it is OK to be proud of a weak non-conference schedule, it is
just difficult to listen to the fans from other schools. I bet Colorado fans would rather hear about a weak non-conference
schedule right now instead of being winless in the Y2K.

Have a Great Wildcat Weekend!