STILLWATER – Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy was back in time to see his son, Gage, hit a three-run home run to close out a run rule win over Southmoore in the first game of the Regionals in the Oklahoma Class 6A State Championships. Gundy and the Pioneers were in a break at the Sand Springs Baseball Complex waiting for the Pioneers second game.
Gundy, who was in Arizona at the Big 12 Spring Meetings with Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg, men’s basketball coach Mike Boynton, and women’s basketball coach Jacie Hoyt. Gundy said the topics were varied with a huge focus on NIL.
“Everybody is frustrated with NIL, but there isn’t much anybody can do about it,” Gundy said. “I asked the room, is there anybody here that can do anything about it? The Baylor athletic director is on a committee and Brett (Yormark - Big 12 commissioner) is going up to Washington (D.C.) next week.”
Big 12 Conference
Yormark and Gundy speak at the Big 12 Football Media Days.
Gundy also confirmed what Houston Chronicle sports reporter Joseph Duarte first reported and that is that the Big 12 is interested in expanding their reach to Mexico and they have planned to play a future football game in Monterrey and a man’s and women’s basketball game in Mexico City.
The other revelation is that Commissioner Yormark has discussed, and possibly this expands past the Big 12 to other conferences, giving television partners expanded access to teams and coaches inside football game broadcasts. This would apply to ESPN and its networks and Fox.
“That was definitely something Commissioner Yormark was pushing,” Gundy said. “He said the football coaches would have to get used to it and if the television partners wanted the in-game interviews and access to the locker rooms then it was going to happen. He said it would be similar to what you saw in the NCAA (basketball) tournament.”
Pokes Report
Gundy is normally very controlled during game day television interviews.
During the NCAA Tournament on CBS, TBS, TNT, and True there were interviews with coaches during time outs inside the game and there were locker room shots, primarily before the game with some of the coaches “pep talks” and then celebrations in the locker rooms after the game.
“Brett (Yormark) said it’s the future, and said we all needed to suck it up, because if the TV partners ask for it, then we’re going to do it,” Gundy added. “We all said, ‘yes sir.’”
Gundy would be a coach the networks would love to get. He has the reputation for being colorful. I can tell you from being in the locker room that his postgames are sometimes priceless and are entertaining. He is normally very controlled during a game. He is also very involved during time outs. As for halftimes, I can tell you that will never happen. I just can’t see it.
