Coach Hair Gel's Rant

Did my own "research" today on how Gundy's rant/tirade/sermon was received. As expected, the media types don't appreciate fellow media types having a new one ripped into one of the brother/sisterhood. I don't say this to denigrate the sportswriters, but I wouldn't expect them to say, "my bad" and start offering AP style articles to sell more newspapers and feel good stories all day.

Dennis Dodd, www.sportsline.com calls for Gundy's suspension or dismissal. Seems a bit much, though Dodd does mention an interesting tidbit about approaching Gundy last year regarding media access. Seems to me like it might behoove one to cuddle up to the newspapers and web types that could give you and your program a lot more positive pub than you're otherwise getting.

SI.com's Stewart Mandel is a bit lighter on Gundy, and admits he's biased, as he knows Carlson personally.

Mike Huguenin at rivals.com takes a shot as well. "Maybe you can use some of the money donated to the athletic department by Boone Pickens and get some therapy".

Mike Strain, of the Tulsa World is pretty neutral, talks more about the media/coach conflicts in the internet/talk radio world.

The posters on various blogs I read run the usual gamut, and you can pretty much figure out the poster's allegiance from their take.

Seems to me like Coach Gundy generated a lot of negative publicity for his program and got more readers of a Jenni Carlson article than she might normally get.

Personally, I found it the following things interesting: a) Gundy didn't read the article; b) but knew it was 75% inaccurate; c) wouldn't talk today about what was inaccurate and what was; d) I want to know which of his players don't do the right thing...might help Carlson on her next column; e) he said the newspaper was brought to him "by a mother - of children" - I guess that rules out his dog retrieving the morning paper for him.

Overall, it just seems to me he needs a few more skins on the wall before he starts bristling at the folks that could provide him free publicity. T Boone 'Greenmail' Pickens doesn't exactly give the program a positive national profile in and of himself.