Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Ladies and gentlemen, the Kansas Jayhawks are 5-0, including a thrilling win at Manhattan against the Kansas State Wildcats. They have outscored their opponents 244-47, and they are ranked the 20th best team in the nation.
And Brandon Rush hasn’t played a game.
That’s because I’m talking about the Jayhawks’ football team, a squad that has turned many heads this season, breaking out of the mediocrity. The city of Lawrence has responded, and the support for the team is pouring in. But you just can’t please everyone. Some critics have not been phased by the Jayhawks’ success, chalking it up to the one of the if not the easiest non- conference schedule in the nation. They are sticking to their argument too, even though the Jayhawks were able to beat the #24 KSU Wildcats on Saturday in Manhattan for the first time in almost two decades. But to each his own. Some, however, have gone as far as to shun the Athletic Department for creating a non-conference schedule that attacked four small schools to give fans a false sense of security that the 2007 Jayhawks were an elite team, which would result in more tickets being sold, as well as to help the chances that the 2007 Jayhawks would be requested to participate in a bowl game, which would result in more money for the Department.
It’s finally happened, fellow Kansas students. The critics are unable to insult the Jayhawks’ secondary, so now they’re attacking our schedule makers. It’s as pathetic as it sounds.
Let me make it clear that the when a non-conference game is scheduled, it is completely voluntary by both sides. Kansas isn’t a large fire breathing dragon that grabs lowly teams like Florida International out of their homes in Miami and forces them to play the Jayhawks in Lawrence, or else we’d take their first born. Every non-conference game was a mutual agreement between both schools’ Athletic Departments. MAAC Conference Champion Central Michigan agreed to play a game with the Jayhawks, KU wins 52-7 and they blame Kansas for requesting the game? Central Michigan likely wanted the game as much as Kansas did, for publicity purposes and a chance to upset (See: Appalachian State vs. Michigan.) The bottom line is that KU wants to win. The Big 12 is difficult enough, and the way that the NCAA Football Playoffs, or lack thereof, work, winning is the bottom line, no matter who you play. If creating a schedule that helps KU’s chances of getting to a respectable bowl game is wrong, I don’t want KU to be right.
Last season, critics scolded team performance, and with how the Jayhawks played in the Oklahoma State and Baylor games, it was deserved. This year, critics want to bash the schedule. I’d rather just enjoy the season, than seek flaws that aren’t there. The players are busting their asses. Let’s give them some respect.
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Comments
Non conference schedule simply business
The players had nothing to do with the schedule, let's be happy for their success hand hope they can get a win this weekend to take us to 6-0!
Plus, this schedule was made years ago when the Jayhawks were not a good as they are now. Give it some time and if they Jayhawks continue their winning ways, their schedule will naturally become more challenging.
Either way, you cannot please the critics. If we started our schedule with USC or LSU and got beat 65-0 you people would be mad for having us play such hard games and making the games not enjoyable to watch.
Be happy for our football team and their recent success and cheer them on in the upcoming weeks because our schedule will be getting harder.
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