David Hookstead
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Oklahoma assistant football coach Cale Gundy has left the program.
The Oklahoma Sooners assistant head coach and receivers coach announced late Sunday night that he was resigning from the program because of a word he said during a film session.
“Last week, during a film session, I instructed my players to take notes. I noticed a player was distracted and picked up his iPad and read aloud the words that were written on his screen. The words displayed had nothing to do with football. One particular word that I should never – under any circumstances – have uttered was displayed on that screen. In the moment, I did not even realize what I was reading and, as soon as I did, I was horrified,” Gundy said when explaining his resignation.
He further added, “I want to be very clear: the words I read aloud from that screen were not my words. What I said was not malicious; it wasn’t even intentional. Still, I am mature enough to know that the word I said was shameful and hurtful, no matter my intentions. The unfortunate reality is that someone in my position can cause harm without ever meaning to do so.”
The specific words weren’t specified in his statement. You can read his full announcement in the tweet below.
Following Gundy’s resignation, head coach Brent Venables released a statement and said in part, “It’s with sadness that I accept Coach Gundy’s resignation … The culture we’re building in our program is based on mutual respect. Our staff is here to develop successful student-athletes, but also young men of character. As the leaders of this program, it’s essential that we hold ourselves to the highest standards as we model for our players the type of men we want them to become.”
Former Oklahoma star Joe Mixon also released a statement following Gundy’s resignation and said he was “disappointed” by the program not having his back.
L’Damian Washington will now take over Gundy’s role as the team’s WR coach.
Our society has lost its collective mind. The guy read a word he didn’t even write and is “resigning”….which actually means he was fired. Insane. We have crossed a point where we live in cultural fascism where thought police punish infractions with career ending force. No word should be allowed by one group but not others. If it’s a hateful word then it should be taboo by all. Rule of law means equality under the law for all. Same should go for cultural law.
Well said.
THIS is officially BIZARRE! …. at a point in our chaotic society where “bizarre” has become the norm. …. We are so far “down the rabbit hole” that the rabbits are looking down at us … and laughing their cottontails off.
If the players refused to practice until he was reinstated then the coach would be back on the team. They know the truth but are not backing him up? The inmates are running the asylum. Good luck with that NIL collective fundraising.
If the word is so “vile” why is acceptable for some?
Lame. There is no way in reality that any young black athlete could be offended by someone reading what the athlete wrote. Listen for a half hour to hip hop and you will hear the word 1,000 times. These guys can’t be that soft and if they are then grow up. Words are just that.
Was the word “spaz”? Everyone seems to be removing that word from their songs, lol.
The manner in which this coach groveled in his apology was pretty nauseating. If you must apologize then say you’re sorry and move on. Man, you’d think he murdered a family the way he went on and on.
No kidding. He and Drew Brees should start a PR firm.
My thoughts exactly
Best reply so far. Our country and western civilization has totally lost its way when this is even a “thing”.
Don’t see in article where student who wrote the word lost his scholarship and left the campus.
Or was he even disciplined in any way for not paying attention?
Stupid.
Nothing else to say.
I get it that the “N word” is the almighty Lord Voldemort of “he who shall not be named” and only certain people are supposed to use it but context matters. The F word is generally seen as the apex of 4-letter curse words. It has many uses and can be used as an adjective, verb, or even a noun. When used, people can generally contextualize the meaning. Same should be the case with the N word but it’s so polarizing to some that it breaks people’s brains to think about actual context. A skinhead using it as an adjective w/ a hard R is completely different than singing a Kendrick Lamar lyric. It’s not “the same” even if the use bothers people. In this case dude read what a player wrote. People are allowed to be upset but this feels like he should be given a mulligan. Completely different than the way Cooper Riley used it.
So much for free speech blacks use that word often and continually no big deal America has come to a place if you utter certain words it can cost you a career very sad and dangerous smfh
So I guess if certain people leave the “R” off it’s totally OK…