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Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy has promised to “make some changes” after his poor choice in attire led to a damn near mutiny within his football program.
On Monday, Gundy’s star running back, Chuba Hubbard, put him on blast for rocking a One America News Network t-shirt in a recent photo and threatened to boycott the team’s upcoming season.
“I will not stand for this,” Hubbard tweeted. “This is completely insensitive to everything going on in society, and it’s unacceptable. I will not be doing anything with Oklahoma State until things CHANGE.”
For those unfamiliar with OAN’s brand of baseless conspiracy theories and incessant pro-Trump propaganda, consider yourself blessed. The network is so firmly entrenched in Trump’s asshole its extremist, ring-wing bullshit that it makes Fox News look like a Black Lives Matter protest.
As such, it comes as no surprise that Hubbard’s teammates, including linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga, echoed his sentiments.
“I stand with him!” he tweeted in support.
As tensions escalated, Oklahoma State president Burns Hargis took to Twitter to drop the hammer.
“I hear and respect the concerns expressed by our Black student-athletes,” he tweeted. “This is a time for unity of purpose to confront racial inequities and injustice. We will not tolerate insensitive behavior by anyone at Oklahoma State.”
Well, shit.
What is a coach who supports “refreshing,” bigoted bullshit supposed to do? Take to Twitter to offer a non-apology, of course.
“In light of today’s tweet with the T-shirt I was wearing, I met with some players and realize it’s a very sensitive issue with what’s going on in today’s society,” Gundy said in a joint video featuring Hubbard. “We had a great meeting. It made me aware of some things that players feel like could make our organization and our culture even better than it is here at Oklahoma State.”
“I’m looking forward to making some changes, and it starts at the top with me. And we’ve got good days ahead.”
Hubbard followed that up with his own thoughts, which included something that Gundy’s statement didn’t: an actual apology.
“I’ll start off by first saying that I went about it the wrong way by tweeting,” Hubbard said. “I’m not someone that has to tweet something to make change. I should have went to him as a man. I’m more about action. That was bad on my part. From now on, we’re gonna focus on bringing change. That’s the most important thing.”
Then they shook hands and the world was magically cured of bigotry.
So I guess Gundy won’t wear OAN hoodies at Trump rallies or Trader Joe’s anymore?
For his part, Hubbard seems to be satisfied with whatever compromise they came to, as he addressed the situation Tuesday on Twitter.
“I am a young black man that wants change,” he tweeted. “I want change that will bring a better experience for my black brothers and sisters at Oklahoma State. It’s that simple.”
As one of the best running backs in the country, Oklahoma State would’ve been in a world of hurt had Hubbard followed through on his intention to boycott playing football. And from NASCAR’s Bubba Wallace to NFL stars like Ezekial Elliot and Patrick Mahomes it’s great to see black athletes being much more assertive in using their platforms to combat inequality within their respective sports.
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