Oklahoma State football coach kicks off player boycott & cries of ‘racism’ after donning shirt of pro-Trump TV network

Oklahoma State head football coach, Mike Gundy, is facing online wrath after being seen in a T-shirt bearing the logo of a conservative TV network, prompting calls for his firing and a star player threatening to boycott the team.

OSU coach Gundy sparked controversy on Monday, appearing in a photo online wearing a One America News (OAN) shirt, a right-of-center media outlet which often voices staunch support for US President Donald Trump. It wasn’t long before the wardrobe choice – on a private fishing trip, no less – landed Gundy in trouble, with star running-back Chuba Hubbard vowing to disassociate from the team entirely until “things change.”

“I will not stand for this. This is completely insensitive to everything going on in society, and it’s unacceptable,” Hubbard wrote on Twitter, apparently referring to ongoing police brutality protests across the US. “I will not be doing anything with Oklahoma State until things CHANGE.”

While it’s not clear whether Hubbard was calling for Gundy’s termination or some other form of discipline, a number of fellow players quickly threw support behind their teammate, including linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga and offensive lineman Teven Jenkins.

Netizens also joined the shaming parade, arguing that the T-shirt was itself tantamount to racism because OAN has positioned itself against Black Lives Matter – with a host once deeming the movement a “farce.” One especially zealous critic insisted that Gundy should lose his job short of agreeing to receive “extensive psychological help” for his apparently pathological fashion sense.

Some detractors defended Gundy’s right to dress himself – quite generously – but said that players had the same right to express themselves freely, including to boycott the team over their coach’s perceived misdeed.

A number of commenters rallied to the coach’s defense, however, voicing disbelief that merely watching “the wrong TV network” could result in career destruction and widespread vilification.

“I will not stand for somebody who has a different opinion than me,” another netizen said, describing the attitude of Gundy’s critics.

The president of the university, Burns Hargis, also soon weighed in with a tweet, stating the school administration would not “tolerate insensitive behavior,” prompting suspicions that Gundy may soon be handed the pink slip.

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