Today, college football recruits live in a completely different world than the one Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy found himself in in 2007.

At the time, he was busy defending his players against harsh criticism in the newspapers, which led to his famous rant and the phrase heard in college football: “I’m a man. I’m 40.”

These days, players have to deal with so much more than just newspaper clippings, and social media has made criticism available 24/7. These days, Gundy’s rant is also a relic of the past, because 17 years ago, most of the players he now interacts with were just kids.

That’s not to say the tirade doesn’t come up in player recruiting, though, and Gundy recently revealed on “The Pat McAfee Show” (h/t On3) that it’s actually still a big hit with the grandparents of the players he recruits.

“What’s interesting is that I signed a lot of them (photos), but now when I go into homes and recruit people, the grandparents talk about it because they were there. The younger generation then says, ‘What?’ They may have heard it on a ringtone, but essentially it’s the grandparents who bring it up,” Gundy said.

Ultimately, the unforgettable nature of this moment helped Gundy recruit new talent.