Gracious man that he is, Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder apologized to the media Thursday for making us communicate with him via a satellite TV hook-up.

Later, however, Snyder made a veiled suggestion that perhaps the media should apologize to him. Why? Because the conference writers and broadcasters made the Wildcats their preseason choice to win the Big 12 North Division championship.

“I think it’s kind of the kiss of death,” Snyder said, his larger-than-life visage hovering over us from a giant TV screen in a ballroom of the Downtown Marriott.

Momentarily, Snyder, who stayed in Manhattan because the Wildcats have already begun practicing for their Aug. 23 season opener against California at Arrowhead Stadium, mentioned he had been informed the media had been correct only once in the last six years when predicting the North champ.

“If that’s the case,” Snyder said, “we’re in trouble.”

Beg to differ, Bill. You’re in trouble only if Joe Btfsplk, the Li’l Abner cartoon character with the cloud perpetually over his head, pitches a tent at Wagner Field.

Kansas State is loaded with a capital L.

Nobody in the Big 12 North has as potent a 1-2 offensive punch as quarterback Ell Roberson and running back Darren Sproles. In fact, nobody else in the entire league does. Roberson and Sproles rushed for nearly 2,500 yards combined and scored 33 touchdowns between them in 2002.

Yes, I know Terence Newman, the marvelous cornerback and first-round draft choice of the Dallas Cowboys, is no longer around, but when’s the last time K-State had a shabby defense? In Snyder’s first season, that’s when. And that was 15 years ago.

Two-time defending North champ Colorado is the team in trouble. The Buffaloes’ defense should be deadly, but the offense is in the hands of a former third baseman in the San Diego Padres’ chain named Joel Klatt. CU coach Gary Barnett stressed Klatt was a competent quarterback, yet Barnett also has only one offensive line starter returning.

“I sleep on the defensive side of the bed,” Barnett said, tongue-in-cheek, “because if I roll over to the offensive side I won’t sleep as much.”

Before arriving downtown, Barnett made a side trip to Arrowhead Stadium to check it out in case the Buffs qualify for the Big 12 championship game Dec. 6. He needn’t have bothered. Colorado won’t be there.

What about Nebraska? Let’s just say the Big Red Machine is showing signs of piston and valve damage, and may need an overhaul after the season. The Cornhuskers are the Cornhuskers, but do they really have any weapons? Jammal Lord is no Roberson and certainly no Brad Smith.

Everybody is talking about Missouri, mainly because the Tigers have the multi-talented Smith at quarterback. Smith’s exploits as a freshman were astonishing, but everyone forgets Mizzou won only two league games — over cellar-dweller Kansas University and an overtimer against so-so Texas A&M.

Nobody wins in the Big 12 without a defense, and Missouri doesn’t have one.

“We’ve won nine games in two years,” said third-year coach Gary Pinkel. “That’s awful. We have to make defensive strides.”

Iowa State doesn’t have a defense, either, and the Cyclones’ offense is as iffy as Colorado’s. Even Kansas looks better on paper than I-State with Bill Whittemore established at quarterback. But the Jayhawks’ defense was dreadful last season and the jury will remain closeted until it has more proof.

So the North nod goes to Kansas State. The ‘Cats have to play at Texas and at Nebraska, but Oklahoma, the odds-on favorite to win the South Division, isn’t on KSU’s schedule.

Until Dec. 6, that is. The Wildcats will be playing Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game. No media kiss of death this time. The ‘Cats and Sooners are too good.