Mike Gundy vs. Sports Journalists

For those of you who live in a cave, or have had California-esque blackouts or don't own a computer with lightning fast internet, I will quickly summarize the escapade of Mike Gundy to the three of you. After a gutty victory over an undefeated Texas Tech team, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy refused to address the football game that had just ended, instead prominently displaying a recent article in the Daily Oklahoman that was critical, in the lightest sense of the word, of Oklahoma State starter/backup, star/mediocre quarterback Bobby Reid. Now I not only watched the entirety of the press conference in which Mike Gundy attacks the media like Kobe Bryant after finding out that the Lakers chose not to try and get a veteran but instead make Kobe do all the work again while Lamar Odom bitches about how he doesn't get enough touches. But I also read the article in question and also many responses from commendable sports journalists around the nation who jump on a story like this because frankly they eat scandal up. After all of the reading was done I came to one conclusion about my opinion on this topic, and thats that I have absolutely no clue who to defend. So because I love an argument as much as the next man, I will argue both sides. First, defending Jenni Carlson, the author of the article in the Oklahoman, and then from Kobe Bryant's.........I mean Mike Gundy's perspective. Here goes nothing.

First and foremost the story really wasn't anything worse than any other critical article ever written about an athlete, at the professional or collegiate level. Yes, its true that Jenni Carlson called Bobby Reid immature, and suggested that he probably has some work ethic problems and some attitude problems, but seriously, we are currently surrounded by athletes about cheaters, dog killers, strip joint lovers and men who are sponsored by the Red Army (Tank Johnson) and someone is trying to tell me that all of a sudden Bobby Reid is being attacked for no reason. Mike Gundy overreacted, its plain and simple, If all of the statements about Bobby Reid are false, then why did you replace your former All Big 12 quarterback with a career backup and then stick with the backup even after it was clear he was out of his league against Troy which probably was an all girls school until 4 years ago.
The only thing Carlson is guilty of is writing a story about a team nobody cares about. Also, Stewart Mandel of SI.com called Carlson a commendable journalist because she was the first to get to interview Adrian Peterson's father. Oh I am sorry did someone forget to send me the memo that says you are knighted a "commendable journalist" as long as you are able to secure an interview that no one else has got before. No, it doesn't matter about the content of the story or whether the statements made are unfounded, you were first. That's like saying David Duke is a "commendable debater" because he was the first person to defeat Oprah in a debate on the Oprah show. No, it doesn't matter that Duke is the leader of the new KKK and his opinions are going farther in reverse than Pac Man's career, he was first! She has the right to write about whatever she wants and should not be chastised and embarassed in a post game news conference about an article that might hurt the young man's feelings. Hasn't Gundy ever heard of the expression of tough love?

Now, before I write this next portion I want it to be known that I am about to be critical of Jenni Carlson, and if the editor of the Daily Oklahoman wants to blast me in a press conference bring it on, I won't cry. For what its worth, the article was not very good. Carlson couldn't back up one statement she made with an actual legitimate source or quote that would have given a foundation to her accusations and she also lambasted Reid for being fed by his mother. Listen, I know college kids whose mothers still call them everyday, being fed chicken by mom isn't really that bad. Also I am not sure if how he eats has any relevance to the type of quarterback he is, or the kind of regression he is experiencing as a player.
Also, in the day and age of people like Mack Brown whose team played all the extras in the newest version of the Longest Yard because they wanted real felons, I have a great amount of appreciation and admiration for Mike Gundy for sticking up for his player and making sure that he let his team and Reid know that he is behind them every step of the way. Mack Brown takes no responsibility for the fact that in the past 8 months he has had 5 players arrested. He acts like he had no idea about the character issues some of his players imbue and he sounds like a disappointed grandfather who has just learned that his grandson smokes pot. I think more coaches, like Andy Reid should come out in favor of their quarterback and defend them, plus how funny would it be to see Andy Reid flush in the face spitting up his just eaten pork roast while he tells people what a stand up guy McNabb is.

All and all this story really isn't all that not worthy, there have been worse things that have happened in the world, and now I bid you all adieu because I need to figure out how I can get Tim Tebow to do something wrong so I can make fun of him. The guy can do no wrong.