Gas soaked plugs and a crank but no-start situation convince me that your troubles lie within the car's ignition system. As to why the engine refuses to crank....does the starter engage at all when you turn the key? You may have a problem with the ring gear at the flywheel. The crank sensor, which can result in an ignition based "no start" if it has flown south for the winter as they sometimes do, is located in the general vicinity.

Engines almost always throw a rod under load. Not when you're sitting in your driveway trying to start the car. At any rate, there is a hole in the block somewhere (look under #1 cylinder on passenger side of block) if this is indeed what has happened. Can you turn the crank pulley by hand? Is the cam frozen? What does the t-belt look like?