Eighteen years later, the college football internet still hasn’t recovered. On May 23rd, CBS Sports dropped a nostalgic bomb on Instagram, throwing it back to one of the wildest moments in college football history: Mike Gundy’s now-legendary 2007 press conference crash-out/meltdown. The moment Gundy slammed a local columnist and bellowed, “Come after me! I’M A MAN! I’M 40!” has officially re-entered the chat — and college football fans are spiraling down the greatest YouTube rabbit hole known to mankind. But to really appreciate why that rant hits so hard, you have to go back to what sparked it.
This wasn’t just a random outburst. Back in September 2007, Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy, only in his third year at the helm after Les Miles bolted for LSU, had just pulled off a chaotic 49-45 win over Texas Tech. It was a shootout for the ages. Graham Harrell threw for 646 yards with Michael Crabtree and Danny Amendola both eating like All-Pro receivers. But somehow, someway, Oklahoma State still came out on top, thanks to QB Zac Robinson and a late 54-yard bomb to Brandon Pettigrew.
But that game? It was supposed to be Bobby Reid’s. Reid was the guy. A high school phenom dubbed “the next Vince Young,” rocking a dual-threat style that made scouts drool. But the injury bug hit early. After a shoulder injury derailed his freshman year, and with Les Miles gone, Gundy sold him on staying: “You’re the future of the program, son.” By 2006, Reid was making steady progress, doing the whole Tom Brady game-manager thing. Then came 2007. After just two games, Gundy shockingly benched Reid in favor of Zac Robinson. The fans were confused. The media smelled drama.
Enter Jenni Carlson. She dropped a spicy column, basically torching Reid’s mental toughness and effort. The wildest part? It alleged his own mom was babying him with chicken dinners and that he planned to transfer. It wasn’t just gossip — it read like a hit job. And Gundy? He lost it.
In a press conference that started normally and ended in sports history, Gundy went scorched earth. “Three-fourths of this [Article] is inaccurate... YOU WANNA GO AFTER AN ATHLETE, ONE OF MY ATHLETES, YOU GO AFTER ONE WHO DOESN’T DO THE RIGHT THINGS!” he screamed. “THE EDITOR WHO LET THAT COME OUT IS GARBAGE!” And then came the phrase etched in college football lore: “I’M A MAN! I’M 40!”
The clip exploded. It hit every sports show. Memes. Parodies. You name it. But for Bobby Reid? It was pain. Years later, he admitted that rant didn’t help him — it hurt him. “It basically ended my life,” he said, feeling betrayed and thrown aside. Despite outplaying Robinson against rival Oklahoma in the season finale, the decision had already been made. Zac was the guy. Bobby transferred to Texas State, his career never really taking off.
Still, the rant lived on. It became Gundy’s signature moment, even bigger than his mullet era or his First Take appearance in 2017. And like clockwork, that moment resurfaces every offseason.
Years later, Mike Gundy’s legendary “I’m a Man” rant still fires up fans
When CBS Sports reposted that sacred “I’m a man! I’m 40!” clip, college football fans didn’t just watch — they testified. Comments poured in like it was 2007 all over again. And whether they were laughing, quoting, or low-key shedding a tear, Mike Gundy lives rent-free in people’s heads, just like Michigan in the Buckeyes’ heads.
A fan started the banter by tagging his buddies: “@patjshanks @mjmueller23 come at me. I’m a man, I’m 40!” Pure nostalgia. This wasn’t even a comment — this was war cry energy. He brought his boys in like it was a group huddle before kickoff. A literal reenactment through Instagram.
Another fan just screamed: “LEGEND.” No lie. You had to be there. That one word says everything. No context needed. That moment? Legendary. The energy, the chaos, the fact that it’s somehow still quotable in 2025? Certified. Sometimes you don’t need 280 characters to tell the truth. Gundy didn’t just give us a rant — he gave us a meme that refuses to die.
Then came the midlife crisis king: “When this happened I was 20 and now I’m almost 38 and I’m so excited that I get to do this rant in 2 years”—This is what college football does to people. Man’s literally counting down the days until he hits 40 just so he can scream about the thermostat with a Gundy cadence. Peak fandom.
Another fan chimed in real casual: “Lol I was thinking about this the other day.” Understandable. Makes sense, since Oklahoma State went 3-9. That iconic line is more memorable than last season. That’s how deep this moment lives in people’s heads. Random Tuesday in April? Gundy rage flashback—like muscle memory.
Then the historian entered the chat: “Highlight from the craziest year in College sports.” That’s not even a hot take. 2007 was absolutely bonkers. Absolutely, 2007 is often called the wildest year in college football history. The season kicked off with Appalachian State shocking Michigan in Ann Arbor, setting the tone for nonstop upsets. Top-ranked teams kept falling—six different No. 2-ranked teams lost to unranked opponents—and unlikely contenders like South Florida, Kansas, and Missouri cracked the top five. LSU won the national championship despite 2 losses, a rarity in college football. Stanford upset USC as huge underdogs, and Pitt knocked West Virginia out of the title race. Week after week, chaos reigned, making 2007 a rollercoaster season nobody could predict.
18 years later, Mike Gundy’s iconic meltdown still hits like a fourth-quarter pick-six. It wasn’t just a rant — it was raw, real, and chaotic. Sure, there was drama, fallout, and heartbreak for Bobby Reid, but the moment itself? Untouchable. Every offseason, fans bring it back like it’s a sacred ritual. And let’s be honest, college football isn’t really college football unless someone’s yelling, “COME AFTER ME, I’M A MAN, I’M 40!” in their living room at full volume. Iconic doesn’t even begin to cover it.
The post “I’m a Man”: Mike Gundy’s Famous Rant Resurfaces and Sends CFB World Into Nostalgia appeared first on EssentiallySports.