By JIMMIE TRAMEL Sports Writer on Sep 15, 2013, at 1:20 PM Updated on 9/16 at 10:07 AM
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Question: How do you handle a postgame press conference when everyone knows there’s an elephant in the room?
Oklahoma State played a football game Saturday night, beating Lamar 59-3 in a home opener that was watched by a record crowd at Boone Pickens Stadium.
In case you haven’t been paying attention, OSU was in the news all of last week, courtesy of a Sports Illustrated five-part investigative series on the football program. There were chapters on sex and drugs and, if you’re going to use those two words, aren’t you also obligated to do a chapter on rock and roll? Maybe SI covered that base when it quoted an unnamed recruit who mentioned rocking and rolling in chapter four.
Back to the point: After the game, coach Mike Gundy met the media. During the course of the press conference, Gundy was asked about the importance of getting “out in front” of the SI story when he and athletic director Mike Holder made statements about it the day before chapter one debuted.
Gundy turned toward to a university official who was monitoring the proceedings and gave the offical a look that I interpreted to mean this: “Hey, this is where you are supposed to intervene so I don’t have to be the question-dodger.” Then, said Gundy, “They won’t let me answer any questions about Sports Illustrated.”
They? Who is they?
Gundy was referring to university brass, which -- so far, so good -- seems to be pushing right buttons with measured responses to the SI project. They last thing “they” want or need is for the guy who was responsible for the “rant” to uncork a sequel that would wind up on SportsCenter. And, of course, the gag order benefits Gundy, who would probably rather go bald than spend half the night answering questions about alleged wrongdoings in the program.
I asked Gundy if, all things considered, he was glad just to be playing a game. I knew what I meant by that. He knew what I meant by that. And this (I thought he was smiling a little when he said it) was his answer: “I was glad to just play here, just to go out in front of the home crowd and play a game.”
Al Jerkens of KJRH asked Gundy to comment on the reaction by former players to the SI project and the support they have provided. Said Gundy, “It doesn’t surprise me that we have a number of people that want to be outspoken. That doesn’t surprise me at all.”
For curiosity’s sake, I got to Stillwater in time to watch a pre-game walk to the stadium by OSU players and coaches. It was supposed to start at approximately 4:15 p.m. but instead didn’t start until 4:25 p.m., which seems fair because 8 a.m. didn’t necessarily mean 8 a.m. when SI was popping daily stories on its Internet site.
Fans line both sides of the street to watch pre-game walks. I wanted to witness what kind of reception the Cowboys got because their fans -- regardless of what’s true and what’s false -- are of course going to feel that their heroes are under siege.
I don’t make a habit of watching pre-game walks, so I couldn’t beyond a shadow of a doubt swear the crowd at this walk was bigger and more vocal. But it sure seemed that way. It reminded me of people-deep lines behind the ropes when Tiger Woods is on fairways.
“It (was) as good a walk as we have ever had before,” Gundy said. “It was just a lot of people -- I think for two reasons. No. 1, I think that they have a lot of pride and they wanted to come out and show their pride and I think they have been waiting for a home game for a long time.”
Gundy said the “feeling” on campus was apparent six to 10 hours before kickoff.
“There were just people all over campus,” he said. “It seemed like this morning when we walked across campus for our walk-through (at the stadium) and walk back, there was a lot of energy. Some people may say it’s because of the article, but I think they were excited to play a home game. That’s the first time they played at home in six games, so I think they were excited and ready to play.”
An announcement was made in the press box that players would not be made available for postgame interviews.
Then, almost as quickly as that was announced, an audible was called. A university spokesman made the rounds in the press box to indicate four players -- two offense, two defense -- would be made available and they would all take turns at the podium rather than take part in the “usual” postgame situation.
Normally, players spread out amongst the room and reporters go from station to station to ask questions. That’s how you get information that you don’t have to share with everyone else in the room. Not this time.
A spokesperson made it clear that that the players would be made available for game/football questions only. If the questions were SI-related, that’s the end of the press conference. Elephant. Room.
Like Gundy, players hit on fringe topics.
Josh Stewart: “The walk was super-packed. That was exciting to see. It shows you that no matter what, Stillwater has got your back.”
Caleb Lavey: “The outside stuff, it really doesn’t affect us so much because we’ve got a great defense. We’ve got an older defense, which makes it a lot easier to control the younger guys. Everyone knows what they are supposed to be doing and when they are supposed to being doing it and they know how to keep everyone else focused. Being on this defense, I’m very fortunate to have (Daytawion Lowe and Calvin Barnett and Shaun Lewis), all these other guys around me to not only keep me focused but to help keep everyone else focused. The outside stuff really doesn’t bother us since we are more of a mature defense.”
J.W. Walsh, when asked about the stadium atmosphere: “It was tremendous. A lot of the guys fed off the crowd. The crowd came to play. They brought the energy for us and they did a good job of keeping us excited for it. Hat’s off to those guys."
Also, said Walsh, “Even in the hotel room, you could just feel the vibe that you knew it was going to be one of those days where people were coming from everywhere and you knew it was going to be a packed house and you knew they were going to be excited for it.”
So, what we have learned so far is this: SI is four parts into its five-part series (one more bomb will drop Tuesday). OSU fans are like other fans in that they don’t like it -- and they will respond accordingly -- when their team is under fire. And, at some point, OSU should have a press conference in which the elephant in the room will be acknowledged.
