The battle lines were drawn and it was quite easy to figure out what side everyone was on in the Mike Gundy-J. Carlson debacle.

Coaches and former players loved what Gundy said. They liked the way a journalist was put in place when attacking another athlete. If a journalist can criticize a coach or an athlete, why can’t they fire back?

On the other end side of the spectrum, journalists stick together. They don’t like when a coach acts like that. So it was no surprise when Gundy took a big hit from the national media people. This was expected.

I’ve said it over and over again, I have no problem that he called Carlson out. I just wish he would have done it in a different way. I think he should have done it behind close doors.

This former Oklahoma State standout quarterback should have learned from former coach Pat Jones. Jones wasn’t winning a lot of games in his final years at OSU. But he wound up hanging on because the media liked him.

By the way, Jones thinks it was a mistake the way his former signal-caller handled the situation. He thinks it will hurt him in the long run. However, I do think Gundy has won over players and fans with the way he did things. However, in the end, Mike Gundy will build his future on his won-loss record. . .

IVE BEEN WRONG a lot before, and I’ll probably be wrong once again, but I still contend that the OU game with Colorado will be a lot tougher than just about everyone expects.

Maybe to me it’s just a matter of history. But Oklahoma has struggled in Boulder the last couple of decades. I realize this Cololrado team isn’t as good as others and this OU team is one of the best that has played there during this time period.

But you at the time Bob Stoops has been at OU, he’s had tremendous teams. And the bottom line is that only a handful of conference road games have been easy. This is the first true road test for the Sooners this year.

I think it’s a perfect tune-up for the Texas game. OU is going against a good defensive team and Sam Bradford will be playing against a hostile crowd for the first time in his career.

I think Colorado will make it interesting for awhile. The problem the Buffaloes will have is moving the ball. Freshman quarterback Cody Hawkins has been very inconsistent. If OU doesn’t hurt itself with a bunch of penalties or turnovers, it comes away with a victory in the Rocky Mountains.

I’ll go Oklahoma 31, Colorado 10. And Oklahoma State 52, Sam Houston State 17. Let’s see how Rhett Bomar does against Big 12 competition once again.