Mike Gundy scores big during his first ‘Pat McAfee Show’ appearance
- Aug 22, 2024 Updated 49 mins ago
Tulsa World Sports Columnist & Writer
When I turned on a television for the first time on Wednesday, there was ESPN and Pat McAfee’s introduction of the Oklahoma State football coach.
“Absolute dog!” McAfee announced. “Mike Gundy!”
Gundy has done hundreds of news conferences and interviews, but this 21-minute exercise might have more value any other media-related activity since “The Rant” in 2007.
A 17-year-old football athlete may not feel compelled to watch 76-year-old Tony Kornheiser and 64-year-old Mike Wilbon on “Pardon The Interruption” (my favorite of all ESPN conversation shows).
However, that 17-year-old probably knows and probably likes the 37-year-old McAfee — a former NFL punter who wears tank tops on live TV. In addition to hosting his Monday-through-Friday show, he is an “ESPN College GameDay” panelist. For the WWE, he does color commentary and occasionally wrestles.
I enjoy the heck out of “The Pat McAfee Show.” Since he got a five-year and $85 million contract from ESPN, you might have heard or read that McAfee’s ratings are not impressive. His live-television audience apparently is much smaller than the audience for the show that precedes his — the Stephen A. Smith-anchored “First Take.”
It should be noted that the McAfee show’s YouTube channel has 2.6 million subscribers. On Instagram, there are 2 million followers. On Twitter, there are 3 million followers.
While some or most older viewers still are conditioned to reach for a TV remote, McAfee’s fans are on social media. They might be more inclined to watch McAfee at 11 p.m. on YouTube than when the show airs live on ESPN at 11 a.m. Central.
Six hours after it happened, Gundy’s first-ever “Pat McAfee Show” appearance already had been viewed 199,800 times on YouTube.
Gundy says his sons Gavin, Gunnar and Gage were “fired up” when their dad was booked to be interviewed by McAfee.
“They all watch your show,” Gundy told McAfee. “They knew I was coming on . . . They were lighting me up. They were on my butt big-time. Like, ‘don’t screw this up.’
“I said, ‘You know I’m a great interview. I’m not going to screw this up because I don’t do coaches’ talk.’ But anyway, I really appreciate you guys having me on. The show is awesome.”
Gundy’s sons range in age from 19 to 27. If they watch the McAfee show, then it’s safe to presume that there are great many additional viewers within that demographic.
By having guested and performed well on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Gundy benefited his own brand and that of the Oklahoma State football program.
The Wednesday’s topics included Gundy’s “I’m a man! I’m 40!” rant of 2007.
During the 2007 season, McAfee was a placekicker and punter for the West Virginia Mountaineers. His memory of the Gundy rant: “As a player at the time, when I see a coach go to bat for his players like that, I obviously love it. But your delivery was going to be talked about forever. Here we are (in 2024), and we’re still talking about it.”
Gundy: “Now, when I go into homes for recruiting, the grandparents bring it up. They were around. The younger generation — they’re like, ‘Eh — what?’ . . . It might have been the best thing that ever happened to us in recruiting.”
There was some talk also about Gundy’s hair. He reported that he’s “in the process” of letting his hair grow once again to a mullet length and shape.
“We’re looking at six to eight weeks, Pat,” Gundy said.
McAfee show cast member Connor Campbell: “I want to thank (Gundy), really, for being a godfather of the mullet.”
Gundy noticed that Campbell himself has an impressive mullet.
“That is a big-time mullet right there,” Gundy stated. “He’s got the one with the ballcap, where it looks really good. That goes back to the ’80s mullet.”
Some of the dialogue centered on Gundy’s expectations regarding NIL and the transfer portal.
“When the portal opens back up – whether we like it or not – I think you’re going to see more players going in the portal to negotiate (and) not necessarily to try and leave,” Gundy said. “That’ll be the big change.
“We’re going to be negotiating seven-figure contracts. I don’t know anywhere in the world where there’s a seven-figure (compensation situations) that are negotiated without a contract.”
“I really believe,” he added, “that college football (programs) are eventually going to break away and become their own company.”
At the start of each McAfee show is a warning disclaimer, read by a cast member in a hilarious Lou Holtz impression: “There may be some ‘cuss’ words because that’s how people in the real world talk.”
It would be easy for an older coach to try too hard to fit into McAfee’s informal, young-energy show structure. The 57-year-old Gundy was relaxed, with his “BIG DADDY” coffee mug on display, and he did or said nothing that would qualify as having tried too hard.
McAfee used some profanities, because he always uses some profanities, but Gundy gets credit for not going there.
With McAfee, Gundy kept it clean. Smart choice. Gundy was representing his university.
Last season, then-Alabama coach Nick Saban was a weekly regular on the McAfee show. You wouldn’t think that a no-nonsense figure like Saban would click with McAfee and his crew, but it was great television.
After Gundy’s appearance, one of “The Pat McAfee Show” producers messaged OSU media relations staff member Sean Maguire and indicated that he was “very pleased” with the segment.
“You’re at the top of the list, bud,” McAfee said to Gundy as the segment ended. I suspect you’ll be seeing a lot more of Mike Gundy on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
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Scott Wright
