We’ve all been moved by an article or speech at some point in our lives. Or at least had one where, afterwards, we gave a little fist pump or said “Damn straight!” Well, for me, one of those speeches was the one delivered by Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy (link provided below) responding to a newspaper article that had completely downgraded one of his players.[This is not one of my 3 official blogs for the class, only a strict opinion that may spark something for the class project. Though it does have something to do with an article and a video, I’ve already used up that blog topic type.] I understand that this may not be completely related to consumer behavior as a whole; however, I do believe it has something to do with our project and may just put into words how the Wake Forest student community feels. Thus, I am putting this post up on our blog and Facebook pages because I don’t know how to just post it on our Facebook page. It concerns the article written in this past weekend’s Winston Salem Journal about the drinking incident (I suggest watching that before reading the parody. [link provided below]) and touches on the question we posed in class for the possible freshman survey: What should/could the administration have done to address the issue?
With the following parody of Gundy’s speech, I’ve tried to encompass the students’ desire that the administration actually respond publicly to the article/incident and the fact that the administration needed to respond in order to save its own image and let the students know that they are, for the most part, on our side and are making huge efforts to change things about the drinking issues at Wake Forest. So, without further ado, here goes: (Keep in mind that this would probably be delivered by Ken Zick or some other high-ranking member of the administration.)
I’m not going to talk about education today. I’m not going to take a question about applications and such. I’m going to talk about this article right here. [Show Winston Salem Journal article] If anybody hasn’t read this article — I don’t read it, this was brought to me by a concerned adult with children in college at WFU. Think this is worth reading.
Let me tell you why I want to talk about this article. A good portion of this is inaccurate. It’s fiction and this article embarrasses me to be involved with media relations, tremendously. And that article had to have been written by a person that doesn’t have a child in college and has never had a child that’s had their heart broken and come home upset! And had to deal with the child when he is upset! And kick a person when he’s down!
Here’s all these kids did! They go to class. They are respectful to their professors! They’re respectful to the public! And they’re good kids, and they’re not professionals and they don’t deserve to be kicked when they’re down.
If you have a child in college someday, you’ll understand how it feels. But you obviously don’t have a child in college. I do. If your children go down the street and somebody crucifies them in the paper because they made a mistake that we all have before, or says they’re irresponsible and stupid, and they come home crying to their moms, you’d understand. But you haven’t had that.
But someday you will and when your child comes home, you’ll understand. If you want to go after a student — one of my students — you go after some that don’t do the right things! You don’t downgrade them because they work harder than 99% of college students around the country and may not make a perfect decision on Saturday night! And you let us, as an administration, make that decision!
That’s why I don’t read the newspaper! Because it’s outrageous! And the editor that let it come out is completely out of line! Attacking an amateur, a student, for doing everything right and making one honest mistake! And then you want to write articles about students that don’t go to class and downgrade them, the ones that do work their butts off.
Are you kidding me? Where are we at in society today? Come after me! I’m a man! I’m 40! I’m not a st…I’m not a kid! Write something about me! Or the administration. Don’t write about kids that do everything right, that’s hearts’re broken, and then say the administration says that we were “feeling optimistic about students heeding the message to drink responsibly”! That ain’t true! And then to say that the police came to the party because of an assault! That’s not true!
So get your facts straight! And I hope someday you have a student in college and somebody downgrades them and belittles them and you have to look them in the eye and say, “You know what? It’s OK. They are supposed to be mature adults but they’re really not.” Who’s the kid here? Who’s the kid here? Are you kidding me? That’s all I’ve got to say. It makes me want to puke. [Exit stage right]
Let me tell you why I want to talk about this article. A good portion of this is inaccurate. It’s fiction and this article embarrasses me to be involved with media relations, tremendously. And that article had to have been written by a person that doesn’t have a child in college and has never had a child that’s had their heart broken and come home upset! And had to deal with the child when he is upset! And kick a person when he’s down!
Here’s all these kids did! They go to class. They are respectful to their professors! They’re respectful to the public! And they’re good kids, and they’re not professionals and they don’t deserve to be kicked when they’re down.
If you have a child in college someday, you’ll understand how it feels. But you obviously don’t have a child in college. I do. If your children go down the street and somebody crucifies them in the paper because they made a mistake that we all have before, or says they’re irresponsible and stupid, and they come home crying to their moms, you’d understand. But you haven’t had that.
But someday you will and when your child comes home, you’ll understand. If you want to go after a student — one of my students — you go after some that don’t do the right things! You don’t downgrade them because they work harder than 99% of college students around the country and may not make a perfect decision on Saturday night! And you let us, as an administration, make that decision!
That’s why I don’t read the newspaper! Because it’s outrageous! And the editor that let it come out is completely out of line! Attacking an amateur, a student, for doing everything right and making one honest mistake! And then you want to write articles about students that don’t go to class and downgrade them, the ones that do work their butts off.
Are you kidding me? Where are we at in society today? Come after me! I’m a man! I’m 40! I’m not a st…I’m not a kid! Write something about me! Or the administration. Don’t write about kids that do everything right, that’s hearts’re broken, and then say the administration says that we were “feeling optimistic about students heeding the message to drink responsibly”! That ain’t true! And then to say that the police came to the party because of an assault! That’s not true!
So get your facts straight! And I hope someday you have a student in college and somebody downgrades them and belittles them and you have to look them in the eye and say, “You know what? It’s OK. They are supposed to be mature adults but they’re really not.” Who’s the kid here? Who’s the kid here? Are you kidding me? That’s all I’ve got to say. It makes me want to puke. [Exit stage right]
- Joel Fletcher is a senior BEM major (Marketing concentration) and a member of the Wake Forest Varsity Cheerleading team and a cappella group Plead the Fifth
Disclaimer: The opinions put forth in this post are entirely of the individual who wrote them and are not necessarily seconded by any member of the cheer team, a cappella group or Wake Forest community in general.
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