Quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Oklahoma Sooners delivered a victory on Saturday that caught the attention of everyone in the college football world.
The Sooners’ rousing road win over the Ohio State Buckeyes was a program-changing victory that provided an absolute boost to Oklahoma’s playoff aspirations. Sooner Nation has plenty of reasons to be excited about a season that, if it continues along this path, could turn out to be very special indeed.
A controversial moment occurred when a joyous Mayfield ran around the field carrying a large crimson Oklahoma flag, which he then proceeded to plant smack dab in the middle of the scarlet “O” in the center of the Buckeyes’ home turf. Many college football fans felt Mayfield disrespected the Ohio State Buckeyes with this gesture, prompting the star Sooner gunslinger to apologize on Monday. But was this apology even necessary?
Let Baker be Baker
Even casual college football fans know Baker Mayfield plays with an edge and a huge chip on his shoulder. And why not? The former two-time walk-on has overcome all kinds of setbacks to cement his place as arguably the game’s most electrifying player (no disrespect to Louisville’s amazing Lamar Jackson).
Mayfield is the engine that makes the Sooners go, and with spectacular play comes boundless confidence and a devil-may-care attitude that can rub some the wrong way. But, once the emotion of the moment passed, Mayfield felt an explanation and apology for the incident were needed.
Mayfield’s apology was meant to clarify that the flag planting was not intended to disrespect Ohio State, but to express the unbelievable joy and emotion the Sooners felt after accomplishing quite a feat that no one outside of the Sooners themselves and the most loyal of fans expected them to accomplish. In his own words, the Sooners deserved the right to celebrate a huge accomplishment that will have significant implications moving forward.
During an interview on The Rich Eisen Show (available on the AT&T Audience Network), Mayfield jokingly said he caught way more flack from Oklahoma fans upset that he apologized at all. He also clarified that the fact that many people in this day and age get easily offended had some bearing on his decision to apologize.
Next: Was Baker Mayfield's flag plant at Ohio State wrong?
And, Mayfield said if he had the chance to relive the moment, he would plant the flag. Again.
Now that’s more like it.