Okla State Mike Gundy vs. Oklahoman Jenni Carlson?

I would play for this guy and work for this guy. I would be thrilled to have him defend my son. I would expect no less of him as a coach.

In my opinion the article was shoddy journalism at best. Carlson tried to connect Reid eating chicken with his Mom into the reason he lost his starting job. As a coach, that would offend me. She turned these weak observations into a sensationalist story about why Reid was failing as a quarterback.

While the coach did go psycho, it was clear he cares about his players - as people. He was hurt and offended by the article because it kicked this young man while he was down. I don't even know Bobby Reid but after reading the article, I understand why Coach Gundy was upset.

The Gundy Carlson debate has little to do with football. His commitment to his team and this young man is exemplary. The player had been demoted to 2nd string and disappointed the team and coaches in his ability to play football. Yet the student-athlete had maintained a good attitude and the coach still cared about him and how people treated him. The coach was offended that he was belittled not because of his football play, but because he was "nervous" or "eating chicken" after a game. I wish we had more coaches that cared about protecting kids rather than seeing them exploited.

He's defending one of his players although he could have handled himself a bit better ala "The Big Tuna". However, its obvious he cares for his players and doesn't appreciate the hatchet job article that Jenni wrote. Head Coach is an emotionally taxing job, its nice to see a coach show that kind of emotion for one of his players however if he would have done it in a cooler and calculated manner there wouldn't be the side who's criticizing his reaction now. Most people aren't going to Google the Carlson article, however, they will watch Gundy blow his top on youtube, only one side of the story gets out because of the sensationalism. I do think sports writers should be held accountable for what they write, especially when it concerns amateur athletes. I think Coach Gundy was aiming for that but his reaction was a bit off cuff. For anyone who says you shouldn't call out a writer, why not? They should write about the individuals performance, especially on the collegiate level, and not nit pick at a kid who isn't known to have any real character issues. How would Carlson feel if people wrote an article about her terrible reporting due to private issues like personal relationships or embarrassing mishaps that had nothing to do with writing?

Jenni Carlson

I hope she gets flushed down the toilet!! She's trash! And for the paper/editor backing her, F U too! You're a 2nd class paper. You want to back her?... send her to report on high school football games! She might learn to report the facts with a touch of kindness to her local teams.

I just listened to Gene Stallings give a speech to the Tallahassee Quarterback Club, she should learn what it means to be a team player; an honorable person; compassionate; and above all admit when your wrong! Gene is all that, as well as Bobby Bowden, Larry Coker and Mike Gundy.

I wonder how her mom feels about her?

From a UM (Miami) fan.

Let's answer the question: YES!!!

When a mother shows a coach a article putting her son down,attacking the boy's relationship with his mother, calling a wuss, and trying to spin some story that he's scared to play his position: I want that coach to defend his player. And that's exactly what he did. Did he try to make an example out of the reporter, probably. Was he trying to clear the air and squash the supposed rumors(fake or real) flying around, we don't know. BUT, did he react in a way to defend that student and his family:YES. You do not attack the relationship between a mother and her 21-yr old son. Wow, it's so horrible that the boy actually has a good relationship with his mother. .That so called journalist should retract her story and apologize to her employer for ever writing it. Anyway, that's my opinion.

It was sick to slam a kid. Very very very very very very sick.

Why would any newspaper focus on the things that this editorial focused on when it comes to student athletes?

The only reason I can think of is that the newspaper editors are sick.

Kids need time to grow and develop. Jenni Carlson seems to want to slam and stomp on kids who are going through the challenges of growing.

I would be proud to have a coach like Mike Gundy work with my kids.

I read her article and saw his reaction. Gundy was 100% correct in what he did. It is about time a coach stood up for one of his players. Her article was more of a gossip column than a sports analysis and she should apologize to Gundy, the player and the entire football team, then go back to school and learn how to be a reporter and not a gossip columnist!!

I love what Coach Gundy did. How can this fat female reporter criticize a college football athelete? Questioning his toughness? Please. I bet she can't even hackey sac.

This is precisely the reason that sports programs hire former athletes and coaches to be TV analysts. For credibility and insight. They know what it's like to be on the field. Journalists who have never played a sport have been criticizing athletes for a long time, it's good to see someone call them out on their ignorance.

So the QB is close with his mother -- SO WHAT?! It's sad that she berates this kid and gets PAID for it. The QB doesn't even get paid!

Hell yes that's the kind of coach I want. He just took a verbal bullet for his player; what's not to like? He stood up and said "Hit me. He can't hit back...hit me, not him." What's wrong with a little courtesy?

Freedom of the press is great, but its still just kids, and to attack them so harshly in a forum where they can't possibly defend themselves is wrong.

In my local paper, the home team has bad games some time. But no one directly insults the kids. You objectively report the game, but you don't trash the kid. You say "So-and-so had trouble against..." or "the defense seemed to have so-and-so's number all night" or "So-and-so got nicked up and seems to have trouble regaining his form" or something like that. Maybe not flattering, after all you do have to tell the truth, but its certainly not HARMFUL. You don't attack the kid like that.

All I can say is that a coach knows more about what is going on in his " camp " than some liberal reporter does. She needs to just butt out...!