The Formal Apology from Mike Gundy and Update on Relationship with Players and Change
STILLWATER -- It did not take long for a follow up to all of the activity and the protest out of the Oklahoma State football team as Tuesday (June 16) afternoon the head coach of the program Mike Gundy took to Twitter and his @CoachGundy Twitter site to further clarify the change that he and All-American running back Chuba Hubbard spoke of in a video on Monday.
"I had a great meeting with our team today," Gundy started looking straight at the camera and wearing an Oklahoma State coaches polo. "Our players expressed their feelings as individuals and team members. They helped me see through their eyes how the t-shirt effected their hearts. Once I learned how that network felt about Black Lives Matter, I was disgusted and knew that it was completely unacceptable to me. I want to apologize to all members of our team, former players, and their families for the pain and discomfort that has been caused over the last two days. Black Lives Matter to me and our players matter to me. These meetings with our players have been eye opening to me and they will result in positive changes for Oklahoma State football. I sincerely hope that the Oklahoma State family near and far will accept my humble apology as we move forward."
The whole situation started on Monday when a picture of Gundy and his sons fishing at Lake Texoma was retweeted and Hubbard saw it and retweeted it with a message of disappointment and disgust.
"I will not stand for this," wrote Hubbard on Twitter in response to the picture that was part of his message. "This is completely insensitive to everything going on in society, and it is unacceptable. I will not be doing anything with Oklahoma State until things CHANGE."
Hubbard's tweet took off and as of Tuesday afternoon had 139,900 likes and 30,500 retweets. It also spurred a large number of Twitter messages from current players, former players, and fans. Many responsible, but some disappointing considering the current social climate in America.
Pokes Report learned that Gundy started with meeting with his staff on Tuesday and explained that the shirt was worn fishing because he did not care if it was ruined. It was sent to him by the network after he mentioned OAN in his early April teleconference. Gundy, as he later said in the video, stated he was not aware of the network's coverage of the current protests and their statements on Black Lives Matter.
Meetings followed with the team and representatives of the team throughout the day to follow through on the promise of changes that Gundy made along with Hubbard on Monday night and a video also released by Hubbard and Cowboy Football on Twitter.
Once source told me that there were changes discussed with players and the way they could present themselves when representing Oklahoma State football. Players were also reminded that the head coach meets with the Leadership Council, a group of players that represent each class and different groups within the team, each week. Gundy emphasized that he takes those meetings very seriously and is constantly asking for ideas from the players about how the program is run from a player's standpoint.
