They say that everyone is the hero of their own story, but sometimes it’s hard to nail down the hero in other tales. Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy, for example, is a bit fuzzy on the events of 1992’s A Few Good Men.
This all originates from the universal truth that everyone needs to give a take on Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest. At a press conference on Wednesday, Gundy was asked why he shakes the hands of the people from Folds of Honor, even in tight games. Folds of Honor is an organization that offers assistance to family members of fallen or disabled veterans.
“I am a full blood American,” Gundy says. “For what they do for our country, are you kidding me? … I can jog my skinny butt out there 30 yards and shake their hand and, you know, I just think that’s the right thing to do.”
Gundy declines to comment on Kaepernick’s ongoing protest against the police’s treatment of people of color, then employed a clunky analogy about Jack Nicholson’s Col. Jessup from the military courtroom drama.
“Well, to a certain extent, it’s almost like Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men, right?” Um… Okay. Go on.
I mean, grab a gun and go stand guard if you want to say something about it. I mean, that’s just the way I feel. I mean I don’t want to get into the politics part of it and tell you who I’m voting for and all that. But I’m just gonna say I have all the respect in the world for people who are gonna fight for our country because I’m not tough enough to do it.
In the film, Nicholson’s Jessup, spoilers of course, commands his men to carry out the murder of a fellow Marine. Now I feel for Gundy here because I’ve never seen A Few Good Men. I have, however, seen the “You can’t handle the truth!” scene and I know that Jessup does kind of come off looking like a murderer there. Won the battle but lost the war. That kind of thing.
Anyway, Gundy would benefit from adopting my general rule when it comes to Jack Nicholson movies. Just by default, assume he’s not the hero of the film. He may be the main character, sure, but he’s probably not the good guy. Assume he’s the bad guy and you’re fine.
Listen, I know this doesn’t work with One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest but chaotic good is always the exception to the rule. Otherwise, it works. Unless, of course, you think Jack Torrance was just trying to get some writing done in some goddamn peace and quiet and Frank Costello was just trying to live an ordinary life in Beantown.
Then you might be ready to coach Big 12 football.
(via For the Win)
