Mike Gundy Inducted Into Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, Says OSU Will Be Fine

OKLAHOMA CITY – Mike Gundy kept saying it later when being questioned about the recent college football realignment and the future departure of Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12. He says he is a traditionalist, and he believes in what we’ve seen in the past and heroes of our past. Gundy has plenty of those and now he may realize that he is a hero to others. His football playing days as a quarterback at Midwest City High School and then Oklahoma State qualify and his coaching at Oklahoma State where he is the winningest coach of all-time. Gundy showed his tradition side as he was presented by his Oklahoma State head coach Pat Jones.

Gundy begins with the tradition that is most dear to him, the tradition of growing up on Cherrywood Street in Midwest City as the son of Ray and Judy Gundy and brother to older sister Kari (now Long) and younger brother Cale Gundy.

Robert Allen - Pokes Report

Gundy on the end (near) next to former Kansas basketball coach Ted Owens, Dan Hays, Stace Dales, Robert Kalus’s wife and son, Gene Stephenson, and Roy Clymer

“Well, this is a special evening and I am so humbled to be part of such a special class going into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame,” Gundy started with his opening statement at the press conference prior to the ceremony. “There are so many people that are a part of this and when I first found out this was going to happen, believe it or not I’m a little shy about things like this. I know that is hard for some of you to believe. It’s really an honor and a tribute to upbringing and the way I was raised.”

The class is important. Gundy talked about in high school being impressed watching fellow inductee Gene Stephenson coaching Wichita State baseball to the NCAA College World Series. Gundy played against his arch-rival Del City in Robert Kalsu Stadium, named after the former OU All-American and NFL lineman that died in action serving in Vietnam. Kalsu was inducted posthumously. Gundy knows the legend of Oklahoma Christian College basketball coach Dan Hays and has been interviewed by former Oklahoma Sooners basketball star Stacey Dales as she has worked for ESPN and the NFL Network. Hays and Dales are both part of the class Gundy went in with.

Part of Gundy’s entourage included wife, Kristen; his three boys Gavin, Gunnar, and Gage; father Ray; and mother-in-law Karen. Family is tradition.

“My family that has gone through so much with 17-years, being a head coach for 17-years,” Gundy continued. “Thirty plus as an assistant and head coach, raising three boys, and very proud of the Oklahoma State people and all their accomplishments that helped me get to this point.”

Gundy has been a part of Oklahoma State football for 31-years and as a player, assistant coach, offensive coordinator, and head coach has been a part of 213 wins at Oklahoma State. That is over one-third of the schools’ all-time 610-wins.

Now, with the current college football realignment and the remaining eight teams in the Big 12 thrown into an uncertain future, Gundy said he is confident that the program he has built at his alma mater will be fine. He is confident Oklahoma State will have a seat at the table at college football’s top level for the future.

Robert Allen - Pokes Report

Gundy speaking at the Hall of Fame press conference.

“Unfortunately, and fortunately it has all come down to television and the viewers that you can bring to the table,” Gundy answered my question. “If you are successful then people want to watch you. If you have an exciting brand of football, then people want to watch you. The television companies that pay because people want to watch you and going to pay to have Oklahoma State. That is what it is going to come down to. There could be a lot of talk going either way, but in the end that is what it is going to come down to.

“There’ll be a time to market who we are and when you look back at the history that we’ve had, I think we’re in the top 10 in the country in wins in the last decade,” Gundy continued. “We’ve had 15 winning seasons in a row. I think we’ve been ranked in the top 10 seven or eight times in the last 12-years. Somebody sent me something the other day that shows our viewers are way up there which is what people want. That is what I say that I don’t have any idea what is going to happen. I have complete faith in our leadership, but Oklahoma State is going to be just fine. I’m not worried about Oklahoma State at all. Wherever the chips fall, we’ll be fine.”

That opinion coming from a freshly inducted hall of famer.