By JIMMIE TRAMEL Sports Writer on Nov 23, 2012, at 11:33 AM Updated on 11/23 at 11:33 AM
GAMES PEOPLE PLAY
Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops angered southern man when, during a booster function, he suggested the SEC’s myth overshadows ...
Half a dozen reactions to recent sports news:
1, Are you ready for amateur wrestling to look more like pro wrestling? ...
Three thoughts on the Oklahoma State quarterback situation following Wes Lunt’s decision to transfer:
1, J.W. Walsh’s ...
Can you “play nice” and still have a heated rivalry?
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will square off Saturday in Norman. A few days before Bedlam 2012, OSU coach Mike Gundy fielded questions about he he gets along with his counterpart, Bob Stoops.
“Bob and I have always had a good relationship,” Gundy said. “He has been very cordial. Places where we are in the same area, he will come find me and say hello. I will do the same.”
Gundy said he and Stoops come from the same stock, adding that their competitive natures will surface on Saturday. But the OSU coach suggested he and the OU coach don’t have the same kind of rivalry (read: personal?) that perhaps some SEC coaches have with each other.
“I have a lot of respect for what they have done and what he has done and he has been good to Cale (Gundy) and really gave him a start,” Mike Gundy said. “Cale (OU’s running backs coach) has obviously been good for Bob or he wouldn’t have kept him this many years.”
Continued the OSU coach, “For four hours on Saturday, we will compete. But outside of that, I have just never been much for wanting to continue to hold a grudge or be competitive outside the game.
“Even in recruiting. Recruiting is recruiting. He’s going to say whatever it is that he needs to say. And I’m going to say whatever I need to say. But he has never said anything that has gotten back to me that has been derogatory towards me or Oklahoma State and I have never said anything about him or OU and I think that has helped for the most part. That has helped the two schools. Because when it comes down to it, whether you like it or not, if Oklahoma is having a good year and Oklahoma State is having a good year and we play each other, it’s better for the state.
“And if Tulsa is having a good year, it’s better for the state. So if Oklahoma is 4-6 and Oklahoma State is 4-6 (at this point Gundy made a raspberry noise), it’s not that big a deal. So I think it’s productive when both teams are thriving. They are competitive. TV wants the game. People are looking forward to it. I think it’s good for the state of Oklahoma.”
With all that said, Gundy was asked if it is difficult to get along with his rival.
“It’s not hard for me,” he said. “Again, I don’t want to mislead you to think there is not a competitive fire there. But I just don’t have a reason to go further than that. I have a good relationship with Mack Brown. I had a good relationship with Mike Leach. (Tommy) Tuberville. (Gary) Pinkel. Art (Briles). I just have never been a guy that is want to have anything other than a competitive spirit of the game.”
Only active print or digital subscribers of the Tulsa World are allowed to post comments on stories posted to Tulsaworld.com. After you fill out the form below and click submit, your comment will be published instantly online along with your screen name.
By clicking "Submit" you are agreeing to our terms and conditions.
