Oklahoma State Coach Mike Gundy Issues Apology After Criticizing Fans
Oklahoma State has had a rough season, and it is not getting better.
After falling to 3-6 with a homecoming loss to Arizona State, the Cowboys enter their final three games without a margin for error. They must go undefeated the rest of the season to extend their streak of bowl games and have a chance to extend their streak of winning seasons.
Amid the 3-6 season, OSU fans have voiced their displeasure with the coaching and product they have seen on the field. Considering the expectations, this has been easily the most disappointing season in the Mike Gundy era.
Yet, Gundy did not hold back on those who have criticized the program throughout the season. At his weekly press conference on Monday, he made a point of calling out those fans.
“In most cases, the people that are negative and voicing their opinion are the same ones that can’t pay their own bills,” Gundy said. “They’re not taking care of themselves. They’re not taking care of their own family. They’re not taking care of their own job, but they have an obligation to speak out and complain about others because it makes them feel better.
“But then in the end, when they go to bed at night, they’re the same failure that they were before they said anything negative about anybody else.”
Unsurprisingly, that comment prompted some outrage from OSU fans who have spent the past few seasons listening to Gundy talk about the importance of their financial contributions in the era of NIL. Late Tuesday night as election results rolled in, Gundy decided to release a two-sentence notes app apology.
— Mike Gundy (@CoachGundy) November 6, 2024
His statement was as vague as possible and did not directly address anything he said. Year 20 as OSU’s coach continues to be memorable for Gundy for all the wrong reasons.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.