Critical Thinking

Did you happen to see the recent rant of Oklahoma State Football Coach Mike Gundy?

If not, take a look at this

While Gundy's meltdown may be of great entertainment value, it offers up an interesting topic for me and everyone else who works in the sports media to consider: Just where do we draw the line as to when we in the media can criticize student athletes? When they graduate from high school? When they turn 21? When they go pro?

To be fair, it's important to read the column that started this whole debate. Gundy was targeting a columnist from The Oklahoman named Jenni Carlson. Read for yourself and make your own assessment.

Personally, I think Carlson's work is rather amateurish. I have a hard time taking seriously any journalist who uses the term 'word is'. That being said, as the columnist for The Oklahoman, it's Carlson's job to give her opinion and frankly she feels that Bobby Reid is getting literally and figuratively spoon-fed. You can agree, disagree, or whatever.

Gundy's gripe is that Reid, as well as the rest of his players, are off limits to that kind of criticism. I'm not so sure I agree, but it's gotten me thinking about the way I broadcast games and how I treat the athletes that I watch play week in and week out.

I first joined WOBL in the summer of 2000 as a Co-Sports Director with a total stranger. Some bald-headed guy named Don Vincent. My first assignment was to be Don's color commentator for our high school football coverage, and the one thing he stressed to me above anything else is that 'we don't criticize the kids under any circumstances here.'

We don't talk about who missed the block, who got burned for the touchdown, nor do we harp on the fact that he or she is missing free throws or getting beat off the dribble. Just doesn't happen. That was the rule then and we still adhere to it as part of our moniker of the stations that 'speak to the athletes that play the game.'

But college athletes are different. They're young adults and I've always felt that they should be treated as such. Of course, I take every opportunity to praise the Oberlin College players when they perform well on the field. But, as I found out when listening to my call of a recent game, I also don't hesitate to point out the mistakes. Am I wrong?

I decided to go to a very reliable source, former John Carroll tight end Don Vincent.

Yup, same guy.

Don's philosophy as an ex-player turned critical broadcaster is simple: If it's something that he would have rode his teammate about after the game, then it's fair game on the air.

Simple as that.

Oh and you better believe that Don and his ex-Blue Streak teammates would have absolutely hammered Bobby Reid for getting spoon fed his chicken!

Maybe the answer is, we all as adults need to grow up a little bit. Mike Gundy needs to get a grip on the fact that he's the coach at a high profile Division I school that gets daily media coverage. Bobby Reid's Mom needs to let her son feed himself. And Jenni Carlson needs to get harder information the next time she chooses to write some tell-all column.

In the meantime, I hope you continue to listen to our coverage of high school and college sports on WOBL and WDLW. We may not always say what you want to hear, but I can guarantee you that we'll always cover the athletes and their endeavors with respect.