OT - OKST Mike Gundy Fires Carpenter for Wearing OU Shirt
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/6857486/carpenter-fired-…
This is petty and childish but damned if I wouldn't do the same thing.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:05 PM ^
Wow, Gundy looks completely moronic in that article. A little good nature ribbing is fine, cussing a guy out and firing him for a shirt?
August 12th, 2011 at 10:42 PM ^
He wasn't just wearing an OU shirt... He was only wearing an OU shirt.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:06 PM ^
resulting in OU joining the B1G
August 13th, 2011 at 4:10 PM ^
I think this is funny in a roundabout way but I'm trying to go round that bout
August 12th, 2011 at 10:07 PM ^
Its ok..Mike Gundy is a MAN!! He is 40!!
August 12th, 2011 at 10:12 PM ^
He is a man, but I think nowadays he's probably around 42 or 43? This is hilarious good for him.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:15 PM ^
OSU (that OSU) should sit him down and he's representative of the University, and that acting unhinged isn't the representation they are looking for.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:16 PM ^
I work in the construction industry, mostly on college campuses in New York. Yes I am in management so I can't really wear Michigan apperal (aside from the occasional polo) but I wouldn't wear a Michigan polo to work on say Ohio State or even MSU's campus. That is disrespectful to the people of the other university.
IMO this guy wore the OU shirt hoping to cause an altercation, and did just that. Good for Gundy for making a point to someone being disrespectful. (Maybe cursing was slightly over the top, but message wasn't flawed).
August 13th, 2011 at 10:20 AM ^
The guy acted like an asshole so he deserved to be treated like one. Good for Gundy. You know the carpenter was bragging to his friends about wearing the shirt the night before. Jobs are precious these days, don't screw yourself out of one by being cute.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:17 PM ^
August 12th, 2011 at 10:27 PM ^
as an idiot reading that article. The worst part is him telling the guy "that he offended his wife" by wearing the shirt. I'm not extremely knowledgable about contract law, but I'm am pretty sure Gundy's actions constitute a breach of contract.
The guy could have excercised a little better judgement and not worn the shirt. That doesn't make Gundy's over the top reaction any less idiotic though.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:28 PM ^
Gundy is such a man that he has to make his wife the bad guy when he's upset.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:28 PM ^
I would think at least he has a wrongful termination case and couldpossibly sue for defamation.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:51 PM ^
How the hell is this defamation?
August 13th, 2011 at 2:16 AM ^
Not wrongful termination either, as he was a contractor not an employee. Breach of contract is all that he's got.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:27 PM ^
I love the guy's excuse for wearing the OU shirt... he "got dressed in the dark"? I guess he didn't look down the rest of the day and notice the big Oklahoma logo on his chest. I agree w/ fhshockey- he definitely did this on purpose.
I don't know if it justifies Gundy going off to the extent that he did, but that seems to be Gundy's thing.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:42 PM ^
I can see how he would get mad, but I think firing the guy is taking it way too far. If he was really that mad he could have made the guy turn it inside out or go home and change or something. But firing him is dumb.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:46 PM ^
How long would someone wearing the scarlet and gray last at Brady Hoke's house?
August 13th, 2011 at 1:04 AM ^
up in smoke
August 12th, 2011 at 10:50 PM ^
I agree. Firing the guy is petty, childish and basically a jackass type of thing to do. And yet, it's kind of cool...in a demented way.
It's amazing what a simple t-shirt can do to one's emotions. Last year, my mom showed me an old picture she found of me from when I was five years old wearing a...gulp...Notre Dame Fighting Irish t-shirt. I was horrified. I told her to give me the picture so I could burn it but she wouldn't hand it over.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:50 PM ^
....what we have here.
Guy wears OU tshirt to do a job at the home of the OSU football head coach. Jerk.
OSU head coach blows a gasket because a guy hired to work at his house is wearing an OU shirt. Jerk.
Two jerks.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:44 AM ^
You blew a perfectly good opportunity to do the Sesame Street Count "Ah Ah Ah" thing there.
BLEW IT!
You, sir, are a blower of things.
Ok, I went too far. My bad.
August 12th, 2011 at 11:37 PM ^
When I first read the title, I thought that he fired an assistant coach with the name Carpenter that wore it to practice or something. Then it would be totally acceptable. But firing a carpenter over that? I don't know if the dude meant to do it or not, but regardless I think Gundy went over the line. My guess is that it won't hold up in court.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:38 AM ^
What would you expect from Hoke if a UM coach wore a OSU shirt to work?
August 13th, 2011 at 12:40 AM ^
Figured it was a coach named carpenter... Im also a lil' impaired
August 13th, 2011 at 2:20 AM ^
August 13th, 2011 at 6:31 AM ^
Am I the only one who could see Brady Hoke doing something similar? Certainly not swearing at the guy and firing him, but giving a guy grief from wearing an OSU shirt--or even just the color red for that matter?
Wearing blue, however, would result in several "tremendous" comments.
August 13th, 2011 at 4:15 PM ^
Hoke would screen all contractors in advance about their sports/color preferences.
August 13th, 2011 at 6:59 AM ^
Completely understand this, I'm not allowed to wear any of my t-shirts that are my employers competition to work. If I did, I would be fired and handed a check on the spot! There's nothing my union can do about it.
August 13th, 2011 at 7:02 AM ^
Commercial carpenters build schools, hospitals, business, etc... Not houses...
August 13th, 2011 at 7:52 AM ^
This just seems dumb, especially since Gundy is going to lose this lawsuit and have to pay the guy as well. If he really wanted to get back at him, have the sprinklers go off "accidentally" while the guy is working.
August 13th, 2011 at 10:56 AM ^
Basis for Gundy losing? It won't go to trial, it will settle or be dismissed on summary judgment. As a few previously stated, defamation is not a viable cause of action. Breach of contract is the best argument, even then, it may not be a viable one.
August 13th, 2011 at 11:16 AM ^
I presume it would be on a breach of contract, unless Gundy could argue that wearing this shirt was deliberately aimed to cause HIM to break the contract or was somehow so inflammatory as to offend the senses and force this type of confrontation. I'm not sure about the law in Oklahoma, but I doubt that any judge would view this incident in such a light.
August 13th, 2011 at 11:22 AM ^
Agreed. An argument can be made that there was intent to be inflammatory. Especially if Gundy can show the contractor was a football fan, an Oklahoma football fan, that he knew Gundy to be the Okie State coach, and that there was some sort of intent (previous conversations with friends, knew of Gundy's reputation with this sort of thing).
August 13th, 2011 at 7:53 AM ^
what they can and cannot wear? WHAT a AZZ
August 13th, 2011 at 8:33 AM ^
Sounds like the carpenter was trying to make a point that he was a Sooners fan. Do that on your own time, pal. You're being paid by the other guys in a day and age when jobs are hard to come by. You don't have to like it, but keep your opinion to yourself for the time being.
This week, I happened to be in a local supermarket and I ran into Jim Brandstatter. I was wearing a Texas Longhorns shirt (I'd been in Austin; do as the Romans do). His reaction was "What is THAT?!" He made a point about it at least three times as I talked to him. And that was in a supermarket. It's not like I showed up at his house wearing it.
August 13th, 2011 at 8:37 AM ^
Gundy is an idiot. I mean WTF. Go in the house and get the guy an OSU shirt if you're going to be offended.
Sure, we'd all be annoyed if a guy showed up in an Ohio tee, but if he says he's sorry and offers to turn it inside out, I'm 100% fine with that.
August 13th, 2011 at 10:59 AM ^
And the contractor isn't? Please. The immediate reaction is to bash Gundy because people don't like him. So, in turn, you are going to believe a guy who says he got dressed in the dark and didn't see what he wore? I would be willing to venture that at some point before he left his house, whether in a car or bathroom or what not, he could see what he was wearing in the light; decided not to change his shirt.
I'm not sure I understand how this is Gundy's job to supply the guy with clothing. I'm pretty sure the contractor doesn't have just one shirt. Yet he picked that exact shirt to wear on a job involving Gundy? Real smart.
August 13th, 2011 at 10:31 AM ^
Good luck to the guy trying to dig at Brady by showing up at this house to do work wearing an OSU shirt.
August 13th, 2011 at 10:57 AM ^
I think its fine...The guy knew what he was doing wearing that shirt ...
August 13th, 2011 at 12:04 PM ^
...just curious, what about when the contractor claims he would turn the shirt inside out? Is it too late? Just looking for honest opinions...I see both sides to be honest.
August 13th, 2011 at 4:24 PM ^
At that point, Gundy should have let it go. That's where he went too far. (Well, that and pretending that it was his wife that was upset.) Being upset about the shirt, I can understand, but if the contractor was genuinely apologetic, there was no point in making a huge scene. At the least, he caused himself the hassle of having to hire a new carpentry team.
August 13th, 2011 at 4:41 PM ^
I hope he doesn't teach his kids that it's ok to act like an asshole.