Let’s (not) shake on it
Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy remained non-committal Monday as to whether his team would shake hands with Georgia players at midfield before their game Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium.
“I’d rather not talk about that subject right now,” Gundy said during his first weekly media luncheon.
The American Football Coaches Association has asked teams to shake hands before their season-opening games as a sign of good sportsmanship. The gesture is for season openers only and is not mandatory.
Gundy said he has greater concerns right now than whether to shake hands, such as what play to call on third-and-3.
Gundy said he asked his 13-year-old son, Gavin, what he thought of shaking hands before the game. Gavin said he wouldn’t do it if it was against an opponent that would make it a competitive game.
Oklahoma State vs. Georgia certainly figures to be competitive. It rates as the most prolific home opener in OSU history and one of the nation’s top games this weekend.
“Our first concern is you have 110 or 115 people in uniform for us, and they’re going to bring approximately 70,” Gundy said. “It just takes one guy to pop off, and I don’t know if we could get them broken up before the game. That’s one thing that concerns us.”
Gundy said he has tremendous respect for Georgia coach Mark Richt and for AFCA chairman Grant Teaff, who is heading the handshake request.
“It’s a difficult decision,” said Gundy, who smiled before adding, “I know what Gary Ward would have done.”
The extremely competitive Ward, former baseball coach at OSU, would shake hands with the opposing head coach, but did not allow his players to shake hands with an opponent.
OSU vs. Georgia continues to intensify each day, and I say don’t flirt with fire. The teams should shake hands after the game, not before.
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