Just because you are floored with a black eye, that doesn't mean you can't win the fight.
It makes the task more difficult, that's all. And that's where coach Brad Underwood finds himself today, having long since put the Oklahoma State brouhaha behind him (an FBI probe caused his assistant in 2016-17, Lamont Evans, to plead guilty to bribery), and now being absolved of wrongdoing in an internal investigation of his handling of 2017-18 basketball team members.
Perceptions, true or false, carry weight, so it doesn't help that Underwood's harsh language and aggressive treatment — typical of many veteran coaches — are making headlines just four days ahead of Wednesday's intended signings of two or three recruits.