A storyline involving the Oklahoma State football team has bled into a second day.
Monday, a photo surfaced of Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy wearing a t-shirt with the OAN logo emblazoned on the front. For those unaware of what One America News — or One America News Network — is, CNN once described it as “the little-watched right-wing news channel.” OAN is also very pro-President Donald Trump, even describing itself as one of the “greatest supporters of Trump.”
Enter Chuba Hubbard. One of the top running backs in the country a year ago, Hubbard eschewed early entry into the NFL draft to return to the Cowboys for one more season. On Twitter Monday afternoon, Hubbard ripped his head coach for wearing the OAN shirt. The back also indicated that he won’t be participating in anything involving OSU, including voluntary on-campus workouts, presumably, until change is made.
A short time later, however, a video featuring Gundy and Hubbard was released. In it, the coach promised unspecified changes. Hubbard, meanwhile, stated that he went about things the wrong way by tweeting first instead of taking his concerns to Gundy.
Many observers (rightly) opined that the wrong individual apologized. That it should’ve been Gundy offering up a mea culpa instead of Hubbard.
On Twitter Tuesday, Hubbard explained that what he said wasn’t wrong. However, he reiterated that he should’ve gone to Gundy “as a man face to face rather than on Twitter.” Even as many would agree he was correct for calling out his coach publicly.
Below is Hubbard’s entire statement:I just want to say thank you to everyone for the support. I will start by saying this: I was never wrong for saying what I said. I am a man, and I realized I should have went to him as a man face to face rather than on Twitter. That’s my opinion. But I had to hold him accountable either way. I am glad things happened the way they did because things are being changed as we speak!
If anyone truly knows me, they know I am a very passionate person. I care about family, friends, teammates, and people I don’t even know. I spoke out because I am emotionally drained and I’m tired of seeing stuff happening without results or consequences. I realize I have a platform to generate change and I am trying my best to use it accordingly.
I am a young black man that wants change. I want change that will bring a better experience for my black brothers and sisters at Oklahoma State. It’s that simple. Over these next few months I have left at Oklahoma State, I will be working EVERYDAY to bring change to this organization and to the world. I will be supported by my teammates along with people within this organization.
To everyone else, trust me when I say that good will come from this.