Oklahoma State football head coach Mike Gundy said something inappropriate Tuesday, seemingly alluding to driving while impaired “a thousand times in my life.”
While Gundy later tried to clarify those comments, he continued to take heat for them Wednesday.
ESPN Radio’s Harry Douglas said he couldn’t believe Gundy could be so “oblivious” to what he’d said. He added that if he were a recruit looking at OSU, he’d be rethinking that decision.
During Big 12 Media Days, Gundy addressed why he’d opted not to punish star running back Ollie Gordon II, who had been arrested for driving under the influence. Gundy explained he figured that Gordon had drank two to four beers, then added, “Well, I thought, I’ve probably done that a thousand times in my life. And, you know, it was just fine. So I got lucky. People get lucky.'”
Filling in for Mike Greenberg on Greeny Wednesday, Douglas blasted Gundy’s comments.
“I am now convinced in 2024 people are getting dumber by the year,” Douglas said. “I really am convinced by that, because for a head coach in college football to be this tone deaf and be oblivious to the situation that just happened with Khyree Jackson and him and multiple people losing their lives, the situation that happened with Henry Ruggs …”
“There are multiple examples that should tell Mike Gundy to not say what he said during the Big 12 Media Day. I just don’t understand why this would come out of his mouth, and for a guy that’s been a head coach at Oklahoma State University since 2005, you cannot be that oblivious to the times and how reckless drinking and driving is. To sit up there in front of people and say, ‘I thought to myself I’ve probably done this a thousand times.’ Which you probably have, but I just don’t think that’s the right messaging and the right thing for you to say out loud.”
Douglas said he had actually toned down what he planned to say about the coach.
“I’m going to keep it as cool as I can, but I’m not happy with his decision making … and the way he approached it,” Douglas said. “For the player to seem like the bigger adult in this situation is sad for me to see.”
“If I’m a parent and I’m thinking about sending my kid to Oklahoma State University, I have second thoughts now because of what he went up there and said …”
“If I’m a parent and I’m thinking about sending my kid to OSU, I have second thoughts now” @HDouglas83 (@FreddieandHD) filling in for #Greeny pic.twitter.com/uBpf2Nk7vj
— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) July 10, 2024
Gundy posted a message on X Tuesday night trying to clarify his statement earlier in the day.
“My intended point today at Big 12 media days was that we are all guilty of making bad decisions. It was not a reference to something specific,” he wrote.
It’s important to note that Gundy did not say he has driven impaired (contrary to what AI-generated headlines on X reported). However, his remarks were, by any definition, regrettable and inappropriate, especially for someone who works with impressionable young athletes.
