Two days, two high-scoring games.
Friday night, Oklahoma and Tulsa combined for 83 points.
Saturday afternoon, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech have rolled up 49 points.
With four and a half minutes left in the first half.
Listen, I know that defense wins championship, that you have to stop someone to win a title, yadda yadda yadda. But it’s big-time fun when you have teams who can really light up the scoreboard. Sacks and interceptions are cool and everything, but touchdowns are best.
It’s like baseball. Purists will tell you that there’s nothing better than a good pitching duel, a 1-0 game.
Bah. Give me a game with six or eight home runs. That’s what I call fun.
Ditto for football games with lots of touchdowns. I know those type of games are a nightmare for defensive coordinators and cornerbacks, but hey, most of us are just spectators. We want to have some fun. We want to see some touchdowns. We’ve gotten plenty of each these past couple days.
By the way, Tech just scored again.
September 23rd, 2007 at 3:15 pm
What are your thoughts about what Gundy said? Looks like the public agrees with him. Here’s a link to Rivals.com … one of the biggest collage football sites on the web…
http://tinyurl.com/2ft9qd
Wonder what your Editor thinks of that … ?
September 23rd, 2007 at 4:01 pm
I’m now based out of Los Angeles so I dont get to read the Oklahoman as much anymore… but I just read your article about bobby reid…
WOW, Get a clue!! And your supposed to be a sports writer?? Maybe your brain wouldn’t be so foggy if you would just get OU’s dick out of your mouth-
September 23rd, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Pardon the interuption of some of these Cowboys today. I am ashamed to be a Cowboy today. I see nothing wrong with your report on Reid. I do see LOTS wrong with the #1 Idiots tirade. What an example of class to put out before “those young minds” and present players. His players give up the best game of the year and this “Coach” is so proud that he can’t even say thank you for a great game, only can go off on a newspaper article. I have lots of expletives I would like to say of him, but I won’t go down to his stupid level.
Keep up the good writting, Jenni. Lots of us do enjoy your reporting….
September 23rd, 2007 at 6:08 pm
Obieone is dumb. Don’t listen to him. He’s confused. If he enjoys your writing, he’s one in 10,000. I know several people who hate Jenni’s take on sports.
September 23rd, 2007 at 7:14 pm
HEY LADY!
WHO DO YOU THINK YOUR ARE? A REPORTER? “NOT.” A REPORTER WILL WRITE THE (TRUE) FACTS.
YOU MUST NOT HAVE EVEN RESEARCHED THAT BOBBY REID WAS FROM GEORGIA AND HAD NOT SEEN HIS MOM SINCE FOOTBALL SEASON BEGAN. WHO CARES IF SHE FED HIM.
AS FAR AS YOUR COMMENTS ON HIM, (SHAME ON YOU)! MY WIFE AND I ARE AVID OSU FAN AND CAN’T GO TO THE FOOTBALL GAMES, BUT WE DO LISTEN AND WATCH THEM WHEN THEY ARE TELEVISED. THESE ARE A CLASSY BUNCH OF YOUNG TALENTED/EDUCATED MEN AND “BOBBY REID IS AT THE TOP.”
YOU NOT ONLY NEED TO GO BACK TO REPORTING 101, BUT YOU NEED TO RETAKE ENGLISH 101 AND CLEAN UP YOUR WRITING.
September 23rd, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Thomas,
I know you are probably upset, and that capitalization comes off as screaming. But do you think that if you are telling someone to clean up there writing, that you should write properly as well? Just a thought! I also know, that many people do not like Jenni’s column. That’s fine! We live in America, and they have the right to their opinion. Not that anyone in the state cares to hear my opinion, but her job is to sell newspapers. I would guess that with that story and Coach Gundy’s reaction, that she just sold a lot more papers. I do read Ms. Carlson’s column. Sometimes I agree, and sometimes I do believe she should not be covering sports at all. But once again, I am proud to live in America where she can write that, and you, Coach Gundy, and I, can all express ourselves!
September 24th, 2007 at 12:08 am
Jenny, by writing that story about Reid you put yourself in the middle of a story and as a result, you need to comment on what Gundy said about your article. You don’t get to bow out that easily. I’m sorry to say, but you have violated one of the major rules of journalism — don’t become the story. Let’s face it, you are the story right now.
Your thoughts?
And before you say ‘No comment,’ remember what you think of someone who does that when you are trying to do your job.
Until you approach this issue, everything is going to pale in comparison. You’ve opened up this can of worms and now, you can’t write about bunches of points scored or how the running backs are identical at OSU. You went beyond the game and it’s going to be hard to get back to what’s happening between the lines.
Your credibility is at issue here. To run away from the issue is going to make you seem like a lightweight who maybe doesn’t belong in this arena.
Do the right thing. Don’t marginalize yourself.
September 24th, 2007 at 1:14 am
I have read alot of these responses and I know that I should not be surprised, but I am by some. I am an OSU fan and I was at the game on Saturday with my 11 year old son. We had a great time! I did not agree with some of this article, but I also do not believe that The Oklahoman, the paper that my grandparents, grandparents read, the paper that has been a part of this state for more than 100 years would employ a reporter that would not publish a factual story. I appreciate that Gundy wanted to stick up for his player, but he did not do it at the right time or in the correct manner. This was a great game, and he should have given his players the credit that they deserved. I don’t want to sound insensitive, but this kid crap needs to stop. Bobby Reid is a Junior in college so I am guessing he is 21 years old. In most of society that is not a kid! Give me a break! Gundy, I think these “kids” need a football coach and not a parttime Daddy to defend them. I wonder how many of these same people that are blogging on here have called Reid worst than anything that Jenni called him when he threw an interception, or didn’t play a good game.
September 24th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
The people who are saying most of the country is sticking up for Mike Gundy are drinking some Choctaw hooch. Mike Gundy embarrassed himself, university and state with his whine. College athletes are big enough to not have to be coddled anymore; that’s why they’re in college. I think it’s ridiculous when coaches have to always blame the media for their problems, from an interception, to poor tackling; his players can’t do it right, so let’s blame the media, rant and cry in front of the camera to get brownie points. Gundy lost my respect with his show on Saturday, Jenni, you must have touched some chord about the problems OSU has going for itself if only your laptop could get him to do all that. I applaud your courage to write what you observe and to put it on paper. And if Gundy decides to boycott the Oklahoman, he’s only hurting himself, his team, his university and fans. Keep it up Oklahoman!!
September 24th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
I agree with JT.
You don’t the luxury of taking a pass on this one.
Don’t swallow your pen now when everyone in the country is watching to see if you have the real journalistic talent to whether the inevitable media firestorm.
The fact that we have not already read your response is telling in and of itself…
September 24th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
I’m curious, what experience in competitive athletics do you have? I’m trying to understand the motive behind the column. Is it to inform, sell papers, get back at someone?, be cute, what?
September 24th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Sooner or later someone is going write about the reporter who wrote the story about Reid. They may write things about your parents, sexual preference, education, weight, experience, looks, job, etc.
Question: How will you feel? Do you hope THEY use facts or rumors?
September 24th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
I’m not an OSU fan, so I don’t even know who Bobby Reid is, really. But I have to say this…I saw a highlight on the MNF game (during a break) that reminded me of the video of Gundy’s on deadspin.com. It made me log on and watch the video to see what all the hype was about. After reading your article, Jenni, I have to say your column is poorly based in fact. Rarely do you actually reference a source or fact for your assumptions. Your story is full of “if you listen to the grumblings” and “if you believe the rumors.”
Come on…
Jenni…you had to know you were going to get hit on this one. I know you write a column, and opinions - not facts - are your tools of the trade (for the most part), but you forgot the one thing that protects your column…don’t use your platform to voice opinions that wrecklessly cause harm. That’s how you get hit.
You took a kid who was already on his back and made fun of him. It’s that simple…you made fun of him. I think the best point Gundy made was when he pointed out that Reid is NOT a pro athlete. A college athlete is NOT typically open to the cheap shots you threw his way.
Please…learn from this and issue an apology to Reid and his family for your wreckless and irresponsible comments.
And to all the idiots like Malibu and Jarod who can’t even post on a site like this without acting like 8 year olds…grow up. When you post like that and attack a woman personally, you’re no better than she is…worse if you are doing it to actually criticize her for wreckless words and opinions unnecessarily expressed in hurtful ways.
Again…Jenni…please issue an apology and think twice about the effects your words have on college athletes.
Thanks for the time.
September 24th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
Kevin, you articulated your thoughts quite eloquently. The woman journalist attacked a very young man who has just attempted to take a position in life as such, a young man. She claims to stand by her contemptuous behavior as free speech, my free speech was a point, and a point well made. I was waiting for someone like you to respond appropriately and you did assiduously reminding us that free speech is our right, but sometimes unjust. I first and foremost think that our children need to be protected from predators and when I send my children off to college they are not attacked by people (men or women) such as Miss Jenni.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:08 am
you are an irresponsible “jounalist” without any control. You need a sharp editor to keep you away from such a mess that you have self-made.
At this point you arfe the picture girl for why women should not ever be in a position like yors, because you have no idea about the sport you are writing about.
On top of that it is clear you are a cruel, callous human being. You are also amucingly void of credentials. why are you in this job? What is your background?
September 25th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Give a grip people, it is way past time for someone to stand-up to the media. Gundy had the guts to say, what so many coaches have wanted to for years. He’s man enough to do just that.
BTW Jenni, who is washing the dishes while you attempt to be a writer??
September 25th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
Jenni,
Your constant reference to Reid’s mother feeding him chicken was shameless and sounded racist. Why attack his relationship with his mother?
Perhaps we will start calling you “Jena” in reference to the other racist story being covered in Jena, Louisiana.
Overall, lots of speculation and unprofessional coverage in the article. Apologize in person and in public and move on.
This week I became an OSU/Gundy fan.
September 25th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Jenni-
Your article was terrible….. for many reasons. But that is not my point. My point is to all who are upset with it.
What more do you expect from a woman commenting on something she knows nothing about. Football and men. Jenni is probably one of those girls that played catch with their dad in the back yard and thus thinks she “knows sports”.
Even if she did know sports, she does not know people.
If she had any intelligence at all she would have stayed away from the fried chicken…. jenni maybe you should look into selling Mary Kay or something????
September 25th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
In your responce to the coaches tirade I can start to understand what the uproar is all about and why I’m hearing about this all the way in Georgia on sports radio and I think that the fact is you commenting about the heart it takes to perfrom on the football field when you clearly have no idea what it takes and the sacrifice theses kids make week to week is the big problem here.I hope you are reasigned to something you are qualified to cover like food.
September 25th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Your writing is slipshod work, and it’s a wonder you were ever hired. It would be in the best interest of your employer to terminate you. Congrats, you’ve made a name for yourself, and it’s bully.
September 25th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Are u kidding? What does his mom feeding him chicken have to do with anything? And your rebuttal is ridiculous. The coach answered your question. He said Reid never threatened to transfer to him. Maybe he said it in passing to a buddy who leaked it to you. Would you want everything you said in private about your boss leaked to the press as fact? You make me want to puke. Apologize to Reid in public and people will think better of you and maybe the press.
September 25th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
Ms. Carlson… maybe it is the full moon. I am usually not the aggressive type at all; however, I have just read your column bashing a fine young athletic from Georgia. Instead of ridiculing his being fed chicken by his mother whom he had not seen in months, you should have been impressed that they are such a close family. I would guess yours is not.
Someone once told me that harming a person’s reputation is like scattering feathers in the wind. You can retrieve some of them but never all.
I realize good news is hard to sell while controversial subjects sell themselves; but please think before you hurt another person by scattering feathers..
Maybe it IS the full moon, I am usually not the aggressive type…
Mimi Griffin from Georgia
September 26th, 2007 at 4:29 am
Jenni, Get a job with the National Enquirer based in Texas as they have kids who real problems!! No room for the gutter type news you reported. What was your motive in writing such a “dig up some dirt” on a young kid? SHAME ON YOU. Mike Bolt
September 26th, 2007 at 4:33 am
Jenni Carlson should be fired! She personally attacked the Ok State player and showed lots of unprofessionalism. Instead of doing the right thing - apologizing - she is stubborn defending herself like someone quite immature (lower than Gundy’s immaturity). Why do stupid spineless journalists defend her and her article?? When does the media have accountability?? Gundy had every right to criticize the ARTICLE and although the personal attack was to Jenni Carlson’s level, it was warranted. You journalists act so high and mighty and enjoy your monopoly on manipulating the public to what you journalists want people to think. Why don’t you show a little bit of maturity and admit your errors? please stop being a wussy!
By the way, I am a journalist so I DO know how low you stooped.
September 26th, 2007 at 9:44 am
You, Jenni Carlson, have reached a new low with The Oklahoman…….tabloid journalism has no place in this newspaper. You owe Bobby Reid, his family, Mike Gundy, the OSU family, Oklahomans, coaches and fans across the country an appology and need to do so immediately. You and The Oklahoman better do something soon before you and the newspaper lose all creditability. Shame, shame on you!!!!!
September 26th, 2007 at 11:22 am
I read Jenni Carlson’s column fairly often. Sometimes I agree with her–other times I don’t. I think that she is better at writing human-interest stories about people in sports than she is at analyzing what’s going on on the field, but that would apply to most people–male or female–who write about sports.
I think the vignette about mama feeding Bobby chicken was a bit much. It does seem to indicate that he’s perhaps a mama’s boy, but it might not indicate that at all, and it just seems like a low blow.
Everything else in the column is less “mean” than what has been said by hundreds of OSU fans who have called into the various sports-talk radio shows since the stinker at Georgia demanding that Bobby Reid be benched because he’s no good in big games, gets hurt too easily, isn’t mentally tough, is a quitter, etc. If it’s OK for the OSU fan-base to say these things and much worse, then why isn’t it OK for a sport columnist (not reporter–columnist) to say them?
Given all that, Mike Gundy’s response was 10 times, make that 100 times worse, more out of line, more over the top, than anything in Jenni Carlson’s column. He should have behaved like an adult, a professional, and talked to her privately, rather than making himself the laughingstock of the nation with his “I’m a man–I’m 40!” tirade.
I’m an OU fan who likes Mike Gundy. I have hoped that he would succeed in running a successful program without all the Les Miles thugs in it. I thought he was succeeding. Now I can’t figure out what he’s doing. He seems clueless on Saturdays, and now seems to be clueless about other parts of his job as well.
Too bad.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Let me begin by stating that I have a great respect for most women. I feel like they should be equal in every way, but I have a problem with your article about Reid. I have never seen him play, but for what I have to say, I don’t need to.
Society tells me it’s “okay” to have a woman tell me about the rigors of football. I am suppose to look the other way and pretend they understand the game from a players perspective. I’m suppose to ignore the fact you never strapped on a helmet, and felt what it’s like to compete on the field. Society tells me that I have to be politically correct, and at least tolerate the clich’es that anybody can spew out if they had enough brothers around them growing up.
Well I’m sorry but not this time….
You have never earned the right to judge a football player because you don’t know what it’s like. You have not walked in a players shoes, and have never faced the types of pressures a player is under. I played, and I coached, and I know. Don’t smear the game by pretending you understand.
I don’t even care if you ARE right on your facts.
Football is a fraternity. A brotherhood. If you never played then stop writing like you know, because YOU DON’T.
Here’s an example….I will never make claims about how woman that don’t give birth naturally are “sissies”, because I don’t have the right to judge such things. Furthermore if I did make such a statement, I would be discredited immediately by every woman in the world because I don’t have a vagina.
What you did was irresponsible. You sold out this kid to get some readers.
Is this what first made you want to be a journalist? To hurt people?
Nice job. You must be very proud.
September 26th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
This whole thing is stupid. Mike Gundy is stupid, Jenni is stupid…Bobby Reid is a huge dissapointment, the football team at OSU is a dissapointment. The defensive coordinator is terrible and the defense can’t hold anyone down. Forget 1 week, there are still a lot of games left for OSU to lose. GO SOONERS!!!!
September 27th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Jenni….this story loses you all credability as a journalists. It also means that lots of vebal committments will not be honored. Lots of mothers want a man like Coach Gundy coaching their kids. Lots of kids want to know that their coach will stand up for them. Look for Gundy to have the best recruiting class in OK this year if not the nation. I only hope you are as wrong in your where’s the beef column.
September 27th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
i c my post was deleted. I basically said jenni is a rotten journalist and her editor should be fired.
September 27th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Is there anyone better to take your job? There has to be.
September 27th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Check this out–mom’s reaction: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=sports&id=5677281
The basis of Jenni’s story is not only shameless, but fabricated. Why?
September 29th, 2007 at 11:36 am
I fear that our dear Jenni has taken the easy way out. No response really on this. There are so many things she could have done to set things straight on so many levels. But to sit at a press conference and bait Gundy on whether the collumn was true, just shows she missed the point altogether.
This was a chance to shine Jenni and you dropped the ball.
Be a strong woman, there’s still time. Don’t run for the tall grass.