Mark Blaudschun
"Gainless Mark" Blaudschun shares his uneducated thoughts with us in The Sporting News. Mr. Blaudschun actually is pretty smart compared to the numbskulls on this site, so why does he have a luxury suite in the Hotel of Fools? Because, he is not without foolishness in his prose. He has an obvious bias that manifests itself in the form of a blatant double-standard.
After the Kansas State football team started out 10-0, in 1999, he said in one of his articles, "Kansas State must still pay for its non-conference schedule. A win over Nebraska guarantees the Wildcats nothing more than a place in the Big 12 title game. Even if they finish unbeaten, they might find themselves shutout of the BCS title game by Florida State -- which is understandable, since the Seminoles play a tougher schedule and are unbeaten -- and by once-beaten Florida and Tennessee. Is that fair? In this case, yes."
I will get to his "tougher schedule statement" in a minute (click here if you can't wait). While he thinks this is fair if Kansas State had been penalized, he didn't think it was fair if Virginia Tech were so penalized. In a different article, he says about Virginia Tech, "So what if their schedule looks a little light, with victories over teams like I-AA James Madison and Alabama-Birmingham? You want to argue that Tennessee or Alabama or Florida or Nebraska is tougher? Go ahead. The bottom line is the Hokies have won them all, and no one other than Florida State (and Marshall) can say that right now. Tech won’t back down from anyone. The Hokies will be in New Orleans because they deserve to be there, regardless of strength of schedule or any other hocus-pocus that might come out of the BCS computers. "
Hmm...in the first scenario, he says it is fair for Florida or Tennessee, both teams lost 1 game at that point, to go to the title game over Kansas State, who, at the time, was undefeated and to borrow his words (in point two) "the bottom line is the [Cats] have won them all"
Why does Mr. Blaudschun jock VT so hard? Is he drinking buddies with Tech coach Frank Beamer? Does he have a crush on Beamer? Is Mr. Blaudschun simply another writer with an east coast bias? Inquiring minds want to know, but don't ask him, because he doesn't seem to want to answer questions. Why do I say this? Because in a later article, he says, "Much criticism has been leveled at Virginia Tech this season because of its non-conference schedule, which included UAB and Division I-AA James Madison. But before you go ripping the Hokies, consider this: Tech officials have called a lot of quality programs trying to get a home-and-home series but have found few teams willing to visit Blacksburg. The Hokies hope to play host to a "preseason" game, likely the Black Coaches Association contest or Eddie Robinson Classic game. But, again, no one wants to come to Blacksburg. A compromise might be to play at a neutral site, such as the Kickoff Classic in New Jersey, against a team such as Purdue. The Pigskin Classic will feature Florida State vs. BYU in Jacksonville, Fla. . . . "
This analysis was right on the money. I wrote him and told him about this, and then asked him why it is alright for Tech to schedule such teams, but it is not alright for Kansas State (see his first point again, if you forgot), when they have the EXACT same problem. No answer. Like I said, he doesn't like to explain his double-standards.
I am guessing that I am not the only reader to write him, because he then tried to cover his tracks in a more recent article, saying, "Kansas State fans have been up in arms over their school’s reputation for ducking competition. Like Virginia Tech, the Wildcats have had trouble getting high-quality teams to play them on a home-and-home basis. Such is life, and if the Wildcats and Hokies truly want to upgrade their image, they might be forced to do what Florida State did in the early years under Bobby Bowden: Develop a reputation as "road warriors" willing to go anywhere to play a good opponent. . ."
How, exactly will this help matters? KSU has been a top 10 team for (now) it's 3rd consecutive season. They, along with Florida State, are the only team to win 11 games in each of the last 3 seasons. They are high-profile, yet teams refuse to play them. Does Mr. Blaudschun really think that if KSU goes on the road and plays everyone that teams will suddenly line up to play in Manhattan? Will this will somehow miraculously transform KSU stadium into a 110,000 seat stadium? Title IX requires women's sports in equal number to men's. KSU football pays for all the sports on campus. Home games mean big money, which in turn, pay the bills. How does Mr. Blaudschun's over-simplistic solution solve the real problems? If your football team is lousy and can't fill the stadium, and is trying to build a reputation (like KSU in the 1980s, or Florida State in the mid-1970s), then yes, his suggestion is a way to make some money, but KSU and Virginia Tech are both past having to travel to play major opponents. Tech nearly won a National Championship and Mr. Blaudschun thinks they should travel to play lesser teams?
From this seat, it appears that Mr. Blaudschun is desperately trying to cover his tracks after having his foolishness exposed, and he's holding onto his pride with a stranglehold, going into damage control rather than admit he was wrong. That is why, even though he is correct in many of his analysis, he still has a plush suite in the Hotel of Fools.
Now, as for that strength of schedule statement. After he wrote that article (click here for a review), I wrote him an email. Here it is:
Mr. Blaudschun,
You know, I’m looking over the top 10 teams and I see that barring an upset, Kansas State has 3 games against these teams (Nebraska, Texas, and Texas again for the Big 12 championship). NONE (count ‘em NONE) are at home.
Florida State, whose schedule you said was tougher, will have one team (Florida). As a matter of fact, I only see 2 other teams with the courage to schedule as many top 10 teams as Kansas State: Texas and Florida.
How, may I ask, do you qualify Florida State’s schedule as "tougher?" Are the pollsters idiots? Do you have some insight that the coaches do not?
It is far more difficult to come out of a slugfest against 3 top 10 teams and a pair of creampuffs than it is to play a top 10 team, a #17 team, and three 6-5/5-6 ACC teams. Please—the longstanding ACC football teams are the creampuffs. Take away FSU and the ACC stands for "Atlantic Creampuff Conference." The Big 12 is a FAR stronger conference, which is why they have accounted for 4 national titles during this decade, and (along with the SEC) boast the most top 10 teams.
The strength of schedule ranking is based on overall wins and losses and not quality of opponents. Teams like FSU and KSU should demolish teams like Temple and La. Tech. Don’t you agree? But according to the "official" strength of schedule criteria, playing a pair of 5-5 teams is as tough as playing a 10-0 and a 0-10 team.
Likewise, a top 5 team SHOULD beat a 2nd echelon top 20 team (read: #14 Georgia Tech and #19 Miami). Top 10 teams are all in the same heavyweight class, and taking on one of them is worth FAR more than playing a bunch of 6-5 jabronis. Bobby Bowden knows what this, and we see that he’s too much of a coward to schedule a Nebraska or a Penn State out-of-conference.
Tell me once again…which is more difficult: #6 on the road, #10 on the road and #10 in a neutral site (if you call San Antonio neutral), or #4 on the road, #14 on the road and #19 at home???
Rating schedule strength on unranked teams is an act of desperation on your part, as well as the BCS’ – working on behalf of their ABC masters). Bill Snyder makes his schedule KNOWING that he’s going to play a pair of top 10 teams every year. Why don’t you guys in the press have the courage to acknowledge it, rather than rub Bobby Bowden’s tummy?
...Please enlighten me. Otherwise, perhaps you could enlighten your faithful readers to the fallacy of the "strength of schedule" factor in the BCS equation.
His response? (simplistic, brief, and uneducated, as he as often been on this topic):
Let’s see Florida State schedules Miami and Florida in its non conference schedule and Kansas State schedules Temple and UTEP.
My response:
So? I hate to break this news to you, but the season consists of more than out-of-conference games. K-State’s schedule has Texas and Nebraska (both on the road and both top 10). If they win [the upcoming game against Nebraska], they play Texas a 2nd time. Florida State has overrated Georgia Tech and oh-so-mighty Duke and UNC—a tough basketball schedule, but a completely putz football schedule.
Oh, and is Miami supposed to be tough? If you are counting those has-beens, then K-State played Colorado, who YOUR magazine picked higher than KSU in its preseason poll...D’OH.
Once again:
If both teams go undefeated (as you suggested):
K-State: 3 top 10 opponents.
Florida State: 1 top 10 opponent.
Once again, please explain how 1 top 10 opponent is tougher than 3...or please admit your error. It shouldn’t be *THAT* difficult. Will Leicht had the courage to do so.
His response?
(none)
Hence, he must be checked into the Hotel of Fools.
