Burt, Fuad, Murray Carter, Walter Sorrels, Salem Straub, ... make what I said "wholly true". Their caliber rarely shows up on the show (especially as of late). As an ABS apprentice and a collector of custom knives I can assure you that most Master Smiths and Journeyman Smiths won't touch the show with a pike because they have far too much to loose in reputation when something goes bassackwards on the show that they'd never have happen in their own shop (or that would never see the light of day if it did). Some are solid enough they have nothing to loose by the crazy conditions and rules if they end up having something break. They'll laugh it off as the fun of a competition, but nothing like what they'd sell to clients. Some are truly wounded (no, I won't name names) and regret going on.
The show is better for the knife world than it is bad for it. People who would have no idea that there are people actually making knives by hand get interested and some go to local shows and see more and better makers first hand. Then some of them go to Blade or other large shows with the best makers present and they learn what they thought they knew was just the dust on the surface and some of them keep collecting and keep meeting Fuad/Walther/Burt/Craig/... and finding out there are better and better and better makers out there that change their perspective of what is "the best". Like I did and others did before me and others will after me.