‘Embarrassed’ Monken addresses the profanity issue
Published: 10/18/2011 9:43 AM
Last Modified: 10/18/2011 3:21 PM
Last week’s ESPN “Depth Chart” special “was tremendous for Oklahoma State football. It was an A,” Cowboy coach Mike Gundy says. “It would have been an A-plus if we didn’t have beeps.”
The “beeps” to which Gundy refers were bleeps – the bleeps ESPN applied to cover the profanity of offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
“I think someone said there were 27 (bleeps),” Gundy said. “ . . . It bothered me for Oklahoma State football and it bothered me for him, because I want good things to happen to him.”
On Monday, Monken addressed the profanity issue
“It became reality TV. I have no one to blame but myself,” Monken said. “When someone has a camera, I need to do a better job with that. . . . I’m embarrassed. It will be yesterday’s news at some point, but it’s not yet with me.”
Nearly two weeks before the show aired, Monken agreed to reduce his use of profanity on the practice field.
“Todd is on a 17-day run of no profanity at practice,” Gundy reports.
Said quarterback Brandon Weeden: “It’s football. It’s not figure skating. You’re going to get yelled at. You’re going to get your butt chewed. You’re going to get cussed at. It doesn’t bother anybody, and it’s not as bad as the (ESPN special would suggest). (Monken) is not like that all the time.”
From the Gundy staff, three coordinators have gotten head-coaching jobs – offensive coordinator Larry Fedora at Southern Miss, defensive coordinator Tim Beckman at Toledo and Dana Holgorsen at West Virginia.
The 45-year-old Monken coordinates a unit ranked No. 2 nationally in total offense, scoring and passing yards. He’s a smart, personable guy. Great sense of humor. If he needs motivation for lessening his use of profanity, he should consider his professional future. He could be on course for a possible shot at a head-coaching position.
University presidents and athletic directors are extremely image-conscious. If they consider nationally televised profanity to be an issue, then it is.
“I’m tired of hiring coordinators, (but Monken) has the ability to be a head coach,” Gundy said. “His football intellectual level, and his ability to relate to his players and get them to perform, will put him in position to be a head coach.”
-- Bill Haisten
Written by
Bill Haisten
Sports Writer
