Head football coach at Oklahoma State University has agreed to take a massive seven-figure pay cut, in addition to several other contract adjustments, all because he was pictured on social media wearing a One America News Network t-shirt.
Coach Mike Gundy took a $1 million pay cut while losing several other major pieces of his original agreement with the school, according to ESPN. Oklahoma State AD Mike Holder made the announcement will adding that he also will lose a year on his contract (from 5 to 4), his buyout was reduced from $5 million to $4 million, and his guaranteed money dipped from 75% to 50%, according to the sports network.
Gundy was described as being “humble and remorseful” in a statement from the school. Holder added that all of these cuts were offered up by Gundy himself, who apparently really felt guilty for wearing a t-shirt of a TV news network that features conservative opinions.
OSU star running back Chuba Hubbard unleashed a critical tweet in response to his coach wearing the t-shirt.
Hubbard did not specify what, exactly, was the problem with the t-shirt. He also, apparently, did not go directly to the coach first before putting him on blast nationally for an unspecified offense.
“I will not stand for this” Hubbard said at the time. “This is completely insensitive to everything going on in society, and it’s unacceptable. “
Hubbard was the leading rusher in college football last season, which likely helped cause the chain-reaction which included several teammates and former players and even the university president all expressing “concern” over the t-shirt.
The two later reconciled, but it was never made clear in public what exactly was the offense. It is not clear if the star running back believes holding conservative viewpoints is unacceptable, or if it’s something specific that happened on OANN that is at issue. If it is the former, there are likely many OSU fans who hold conservative viewpoints and are not thrilled with being summarily labeled racist.
ESPN labeled One America News a “far-right” news network that is “pro-Trump” and has “criticized the Black Lives Matter” movement. Once again, it is highly likely there are many pro-Trump OSU fans who would take extreme offense to blanketly being labeled racist, and the fact that ESPN views the BLM movement as unassailable is revealing.
It’s also unclear as to how reducing his own pay and contract benefits is relevant to this situation. Gundy, for his part, was “humble, remorseful and committed to change,” after speaking with his players.
Gundy said that “all the players should be commended for having the courage to speak out,” and added, without noting the irony, “We need more of that in society, not less.”
Regardless of an individual’s opinion on OANN, it appears the end result of this particular “conversation” is not more voices, but less. Gundy appears to have been attacked, criticized, and silenced while also receiving financial punishment for simply expressing his own viewpoint, even though he did it unintentionally while wearing a t-shirt.
It also appears to discriminate against about half of the population, as the insinuation is anyone who seeks conservative opinions on the news of the day is “insensitive” to racial matters and should receive financial punishment and scorn for their views.