Tag: Oklahoma State Cowboys

The past, as well as the present, could have a large role in determining Mike Gundy’s future as head football coach at Oklahoma State.

In the same week when star running back Chuba Hubba revolted after seeing his coach in an OAN shirt on a fishing trip with his sons, news has bubbled up. FS1’s Shannon Sharpe told of how Gundy, then an Oklahoma State quarterback, is alleged to have used the “N-word” when the Cowboys were being routed by Colorado in 1989.

.@ShannonSharpe discusses his call with Alfred Williams, who was reportedly on the receiving end of a racial comment made by Mike Gundy when they were both college players in 1989 pic.twitter.com/EFIPxVrjdi

— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) June 17, 2020

Sharpe relayed a text conversation he had with former Broncos teammate and ex-Colorado star Alfred Williams. The discussion revolved around Gundy’s comments in a 41-17 loss to the Buffaloes.

Williams, a first-round pick of the Bengals in 1991 who spent nine seasons in the NFL and won a pair of Super Bowls with the Broncos, told Sharpe Gundy directed a racial slur at Williams.

Sharpe brought the incident up on his FS1 show Wednesday.
“He said, ‘We were getting after ’em and I sacked him (Gundy) and he called me ‘N,'” Sharpe said quoting Williams. After the game — which Colorado won 41-17 — reporters asked Williams why he was so animated and “he blurted out, Mike Gundy called me N — and he actually said the word.”

Williams confirmed it happened on his KOA radio show in Denver.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Williams said. “There’s no walking that back. This story’s been out there for 31 years.”

Williams added that it’s the only time that happened to him.

“I didn’t back down then,” Williams said, “I don’t back down now. . . . Every time I see him, I just want to run through him. Every time I see his face, every time I look at him, I want to run through him. . . . I’m 51 years old; why in the world do I need to lie about that?”

Gundy denied the accusations in 1989.

Mike Gundy refuted using the n-word following a 41-17 loss to Colorado.

Here's the story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Tuesday Nov. 14, 1989. pic.twitter.com/RKSZib4IkT

— RJ Young (@RJ_Young) June 17, 2020

His denial included: “I’ve been here four years and half my friends are Black. I would never say that.”

Throw in comments about COVID-19 in April that forced another apology from the coach who has been in his position since 2005 and one has to wonder what Oklahoma State’s administration is going to do.

Gundy said in a conference call with reporters that the media has been too negative in its coverage of what he called the “Chinese virus.”

That brought this account of being sorry:

“I have been made aware that comments from my press conference have offended some,” Gundy said in a statement. “It was never my intention to offend anyone and I apologize. My first priority is and will always be the student-athletes and doing what is best for the program and the university.

“We will adhere to the advice of public health experts who are making informed decisions in the best interest of the citizens of our nation and state based on sound scientific data,” the university statement said. “We will also abide by the federal and state mandates as well as Big 12 guidelines. We will not compromise the health and well-being of our campus community. This virus is deadly and we will do our part at Oklahoma State to help blunt the spread.”