An Un-Bedlam Bedlam News Conference as Mike Gundy Prefers Focus on His Team

STILLWATER – Last Monday’s (Oct. 23) Mike Gundy news conference ended with a reporter asking the Oklahoma State head coach is he knew who his team played after the upcoming game with Cincinnati. Did he know it was Bedlam and Oklahoma? Gundy saidhe had no idea and that he and his team were totally focused on the Bearcats. The 45-13 outcome on Saturday would indicate that Gundy was spot on. The same reporter could tell this Monday with talk of Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week for the third time in a row Ollie Gordon, Big 12 Newcomer of the Week in reciever Leon Johnson III, Alan Bowman, Cowboys defense, and yes, a few history lessons on Bedlam with the Gundy family. When the matriarch of the family, Judy Gundy was alive the subject was banned at certain times of the year and severly limited all others.

Bryan Terry USA TODAY Sports

Brothers greet each other before a previous Bedlam game.

The Gundy family is split with Mike’s brother Cale having been a star quarterback at OU and two of their nieces having been star softball players in Patty Gasso’s Sooner program. Cale Gundy is no longer at Oklahoma and that is a subject that Mike Gundy will not venture into, but did say now that his brother is not on the payroll at Oklahoma, he does take advice from the veteran and very astute former football coach.

“I’d be a fool not to,” Gundy said.

Gundy was asked, isn’t this Bedlam different? It’s the final one scheduled. It is one that people will be talking about for years. Doesn’t he as the Oklahoma State head coach feel it’s importance, the feelings it is stirring up in his fan base?  

“I would like to build it up as something,” Gundy answered sort of. “I just don’t know how much any of that plays a role. People say it’s a big game, I mean, and I’ve said this for years, every game is a big game or the end of the year doesn’t become a big game.”

Pat Kinnison - Chief Photographer

Gundy is focused on this week, not a historical or social exercise.

Gundy pointed out for his team that Friday game coming off the bye week at 2-2 and facing the defending Big 12 champs Kansas State was a big game. He’s right. It was and the 29-21 win, the first of four wins in a row was huge.

You keep winning and they are all huge. I could tell the reporter was frustrated some. Oklahoma and it’s current head coach and most of the current players weren’t even mentioned. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel was discussed and so was former OSU player now transferred to Oklahoma in Trace Ford. Gundy went back to his philosophy that today’s players don’t hate opponents, don’t even dislike. 

This is not the Packers vs. the Bears or the Cowboys vs. the Redskins (now Commanders). Social media and the mingling of football players from different teams has changed that.

“You ever watch a pro game before the game and all the players are out there hugging each other, the Bears and the Packers are hugging each other talking about who your agent is and your commercials and how much money you make,” Gundy said as an example. “Think Dick Butkus did that? No.”

Yes, many of these players in the NIL era have agents, so they can talk like the pros. 

Gundy said it’s not like when Brian “Boz” Bosworth wrote Gundy’s name on his show like he had him on a hit list. The two players went toe to toe spitting on each other. Those days are gone. Heck, Bedlam football is almost gone.

“Those are all things that are irrelevant,” Gundy said. “It goes back to things I was talking about a second ago, we have to concern ourselves with us. Our preparations are concerned about us. We have no control over Oklahoma. Their preparation is based on what they do. Our preparation is based on what we do.

Pat Kinnison - Chief Photographer

The victory scene Oklahoma State is preparing to achieve.

"We just try to continue to work. It's like this week, we can feel good about ourselves, and this is coach's talk, but it's the truth,” Gundy continued outlining what is important and has to get done this week. It's the challenge we have with young people now, and it's always been this way, but it's more now than ever. They have to absorb information in meetings today, be productive in our walk-throughs tonight and mentally prepare for tomorrow's practice, Tuesday and Wednesday's practice, to get ready for a walk-through Thursday and a walk-through Friday. If they get out of their box and let their minds go different directions, they're not going to play very well." 

Playing well is what is important. Talking it all week is not. Building a winning memory to carry and use to get to the Big 12 Championship Game is what is all important.

“We’ll eventually play them, but it will be in a bowl,” Gundy said. “The Big 12 and SEC are tied into several bowls. I think we’ll play again and it will be a bowl game. They can finagle that, they do that in bowl games.”

Until that happens, what happens Saturday is most important and I’m not sure all the perspective will help either team get prepared.