Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Should 361 Sooners be seeking sugar daddies? (Opinion, page 4) The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916

W W W.O U DA I LY.C O M

2 011 G OL D C ROW N F I N A L I S T

T U E S DAY, J A N UA R Y 31, 2 012

HEALTH

Heart disease attacks both young, old Cardiovascular risks can be seen by age 12, study says

younger ages, and conditions are likely to be worse in Oklahoma, according to a new study by the OU College of Public Health.

XIAOQIAN WANG Christina Shay, assisCampus Reporter tant professor at the colMore and more Americans lege and lead investigator of are dying of heart disease at the study, looked at health

profiles of more than 5,000 children and teenagers, ages 12 to 19, she said. The results indicated that none of them met all the criteria outlined by the American Heart Association for ideal cardiovascular health.

The study looked at

whether participants smoked, their body mass indexes, diets, physical activity, total cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure, Shay said.

The three most important factors influencing obesity and heart disease in the U.S.

are long periods of sedentary behavior, low rates of physical activity and poor diets, Shay said. Smoking and obesity levels contribute to why residents in Oklahoma typically rank below national averages on healthy lifestyle measures.

“Healthy lifestyles and diet both affect blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol,” epidemiology professor Gary E. Raskob said, “Those issues should be dealt with as early as possible SEE SOLUTION PAGE 2

CONFERENCE

Peace efforts raise queries Criminal activity still reigns in Brazilian ‘favelas’ COCO COURTOIS Campus Reporter

All of the presidential Republican candidates will be in attendance and will speak at the conference, as well as several Republican congressman and senators, Camp said. “ I t ’s l i k e O U -Te x a s

From a third-world countr y to one of the emergent economical powers, Brazil has a lot to teach, even to Americans, according to speakers at a conference Monday.

The OU College of International Studies hosted the conference in the Oklahoma Memorial U n i o n ’s M e a c h a m Auditorium to educate people about “Brazil, Development and the City.”

OU professor Er ika Robb-Larkins began with a discussion about the pacification Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, poorer neighborhoods of Brazil, undertook and the consequences.

“In the favelas, [drug traffickers] were ruling,” Robb-Larkins said. “The police freed the favelas from the [drug traffickers] without a single gunshot, but the security victory which has been declared has been premature.”

B ra z i l i a n re s i d e nt s question the success of the pacification because police are still corrupt, and they are anxious the state will not secure the favelas, Robb-Larkins said.

The pacification brought changes to the area, but it came with problems, Robb-Larkins said. After pacification there have been more murders, thousands of people are unemployed and sales of specific products, such as beer, have dropped because they are not being bought by drug traffickers anymore.

“The ideal of pacification, which is removing the criminal element and trying to implement a good

SEE REPUBLICAN PAGE 3

SEE SPEAKERS PAGE 3

Anatomy class opens minds JA K E M O RG A N • C A M P U S R E P O R T E R

Students encounter new, unforgettable experiences with cadavers in OU lab Male. Caucasian. Mid70s. Cause of Death : Incarceration of the lungs.

The cadaver, known only by these four qualities and encased within

plastic and fitted linen sheets, lay prone before pre-nursing student Katherine Leavey in a white dissection lab characterized by drains set in the linoleum flooring

and the strong stench of formaldehyde. “[The smell] gets in your clothes, ... [and] my hands still smelt like the gloves even after I showered,” Leavey said.

Leavey joins 193 other OU students as they begin a semester of cadaver SEE DISSECTION PAGE 2 PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY BEN WILLIAMS/THE DAILY

POLITICS

OU College Republicans campaign for support Group to begin canvassing when candidate is picked

national conferences to promote the Republican party and its candidates this election season, according to officers.

RACHAEL CERVENKA The organization is camCampus Reporter paigning in Norman by T h e O U C o l l e g e knocking on doors, putting Republicans are campaign- up signs and making calls ing locally and attending to support their endorsed

OPINION VOL. 97, NO. 90 © 2011 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25 cents www.OUDaily.com www.facebook.com/OUDaily www.twitter.com/OUDaily

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NOW ON

New Twitter policy not bad for speech

candidate, Chairman Sam Camp said. Members are currently campaigning for Wayne Pettigrew, Oklahoma’s 2nd District Congressional candidate.

Pettigrew is running for Dan Boren’s previous seat in eastern Oklahoma because of Boren’s retirement.

The OU College Republicans executive board also is attending the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 9 to educate themselves further on all Republican candidates, Camp said. This Republican conference is held annually in Washington, D.C.

Injuries thin out Sooner roster

The corporation’s system actually limits censorship of tweets. (Page 4)

LIFE & ARTS Black History Month kicks off with film Movie about slavery in the U.S. to be shown in Cate Lounge. (Page 5)

CAMPUS

SPORTS

OU forced to cut 50 Post Office jobs

Sooner adjusting to team atmosphere

ASTRUD REED/THE DAILY

USPS notifies university of terminations at training facility. (OUDaily.com)

A British OU tennis player is playing doubles for the first time. (Page 7)

Sophomore center Nicole Griffin drives around a Baylor player during OU’s 89-58 loss to the Lady Bears on Thursday. Griffin has had to step up after two Sooner centers were injuried this year. (Page 7)

The Daily’s open record requests Requested document and purpose

Date requested

All drafted recommendations by the President’s Tobacco Advisory Committee from Jan. 1, 2012 to present — This was requested to gather more information on the recommendations provided to President David Boren before the tobacco ban was implemented.

Wednesday

All complaints filed against the OU Police Department during the past two years — These documents were requested to look into the types of and number of complaints filed against OUPD.

Monday

Mike Stoops’ contract — This was requested to gather more information on the contract offered to Stoops.

Monday

2

• Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Laney Ellisor, campus editor Kathleen Evans, assistant campus editor Chris Miller, assistant campus editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

CAMPUS

DISSECTION: Initial apprehension is replaced by feelings of excitement, OU professor says Continued from page 1

TODAY AROUND CAMPUS Art Adventures will take place from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Dee Dee and Jon R. Stuart Classroom. The event is focused on art for children and will feature the book Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh.

A seminar on time management will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. in Wagner Hall, Room 245. The seminar is part of the Student Success Series.

A forum on opportunities to study abroad will be led by Education Abroad staff and study abroad alumni at 7 p.m. in Cate Main Social Lounge. Free pizza will be provided.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 1 Black History month begins.

A seminar on picking a major or minor will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. in Adams Center’s Housing Learning Center. The seminar is part of Student Success Series.

A film screening of “Traces of the Trade: A story from the Deep North” will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in Cate Center’s Main Social Lounge. The movie is being shown as part of Black History Month, and a discussion about the movie will take place after. Free pizza will be available.

THURSDAY, FEB. 2 An information session for students interested in the Journey to Latin America program will be held at 4:30 p.m. in 221 Old Science Hall.

A meeting of the Animal Volunteers Alliance group will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Alma Wilson Room.

The group will discuss the benefits of spaying and neutering pets and create dog toys out of jeans.

FRIDAY, FEB. 3 An opening reception will be held for “Reclaimed and Remixed: Chicano Art” by Narciso Argüelles at 5 p.m. in Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Lightwell Gallery. The reception is free to public. Exhibit runs Friday to Feb. 17.

The women’s gymnastics team will host a quad meet against Nebraska, Minnesota and Centenary at 7 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center.

A film screening of “Eadweard Muybridge, Zoopraxographer,” directed by Thom Anderson will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Mary Eddy and Fred Jones Auditorium.

SATURDAY, FEB. 4 The women’s basketball team will play Oklahoma State at noon at Lloyd Noble Center.

A tennis match against Nebraska will take place at 1 p.m. at Gregg Wadley Indoor Tennis Pavilion.

The men’s basketball team will play Iowa State at 5 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center.

SUNDAY, FEB. 5 A faculty recital with Vicki Schaeffer on Organ will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. in Gothic Hall, Catlett Music Center. Recital is free.

MONDAY, FEB. 6 Men’s basketball team will play Missouri at 6 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center.

A seminar on improving reading in the Student Success Series will be held at 5 p.m. in Room 245, Wagner Hall.

TUESDAY, FEB. 7 A concert with Gaye LeBlanc Harp Studio will be held at noon in Sandy Bell Gallery, Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. Concert is free.

dissection as part of OU’s human anatomy class, a course Leavey calls a “relationship-killer” for its considerable study obligations.

Professor Cindy Gordon, who has been teaching the course since fall 2003, said she always attends the first set of labs to ensure the first day runs smoothly. Lab sections began Jan. 18, 19, and 23.

“We do a little icebreaker exercise ... and give them some time to ease into the fact they’re standing next to a dead body,” Gordon said.

“They dissect right from the start.”

The Willed Body Program, a non-profit medical education organization run by OU Health Sciences Center and the State Anatomical Board, distributes the bodies to OU, Gordon said.

Each semester, the course utilizes 14 cadavers, with groups of seven students each working on one side of the body.

“Our No. 1 r ule is, of course, respect for the cadavers,” Gordon said. “There is a fine line in this course between maintaining [this respect] ... and dehumanizing enough that their first thought every day isn’t, ‘Oh my God, I’m dissecting a human.’”

In addition to guiding the students through their first lab, Gordon structures the course to ease students into the experience by starting with the least humanizing aspects of the body, the back muscles, and working the way to the face.

“I feel like a lot of people as a teaching assistant for would have dropped [if we the same course. started with the face],” pre“Unlike the students ... nursing student Madison when you’re a new [assisTollison said. “I probably tant] for the course, you’re wouldn’t have dropped, but in charge of prepping the I ... would have thought, ‘I bodies ... with everything don’t know if I can do this exposed,” Gordon said. “My right now.’” first exposure was a room full The usual initial reaction of cadavers just waiting to be to dissecting human bod- prepped and cleaned.” ies isn’t what most people And, as with any course, would expect, Gordon said. myths are bound to arise.

Very few students lack the “I heard that when they motivation to continue with saw off the skullcap, it smells the course. like exactly like Cool Ranch “The students just take Doritos,” Leavey said. it in stride, [and] it’s kind Tollison, whose grandof cool because you would mother recently decided to think that people would flip donate her body to science, out,” Gordon said. “They are said she’s glad to be taking all very professional about the course now while her it.” grandmother is still alive.

Leavey, who skipped din“[Dissecting a relative] ner before the would be hornight lab as a Tollison “The students rible!” precaution, said. just take it in said the first day A few years wasn’t as trauago, by random stride, [and] matizing as she hance, that it’s kind of cool cnearly imagined. came to because you “Breaking the fruition. skin was kind of would think that Before any hard, because dissection beo n c e i t w a s people would flip gins, the teachopen it looked out. They are all ing assistants ... like it wasn’t very professional read off the genhuman,” Leavey der, age, race about it.” said. “Now, evand cause of er yone in my death for each CINDY GORDON, group wants to cadaver, Gordon HUMAN ANATOMY dissect.” said. The stuPROFESSOR Although dents are asked thoroughly interested in dis- if any relatives have passed section, Tollison said she away in the past year. One couldn’t bring herself to student cautiously spoke make the first cut. up.

“It was a little awkward “It was his grandfather at first when everyone was who had passed away of like, “Who wants to go first?” what was listed as the cause Tollison said. of death, ... so we had evGordon, of course, re- erybody leave the room,” members her first experi- Gordon said. “I called up to ence with cadavers working the Willed Body Program

AT A GLANCE Dissection schedule » January 18: Superficial back » March 5: Chest cavity and heart » April 25: Brain and Cranial Cavity Source: Class syllabus

and said, ‘Here’s the cadaver number and here’s the name of the student.’”

T h e re s p o n s e : Mat c h confirmed.

“We got lucky, ... but now, we have students who come in and say, ‘We heard someone was dissecting on their grandpa,” Gordon said. “Of course, it’s always embellished.”

Extravagant legends and initial queasiness aside, Tollison said she looks forward to attending lab every week.

“It’s going to be a hard class, but it’s going to be the most rewarding,” Tollison said. “It really puts [death] in perspective , and it hits you when you’re looking right at it.”

Gordon said she likened the course to a marathon: the journey is arduous, but accomplishment is worth it.

“It’s a soul-sucking four months, ... but they love the kind of bragging rights that come along it.” Gordon said. “[They say], ‘Oh, I got to cut someone’s face off today, ... I got to hold someone’s heart in my hands.’

“They get so jazzed about that ... how can it not be cool?”

SOLUTION: Experts urge diet, exercise Continued from page 1 to avoid cardiovascular disease and related disease”.

The study also revealed that more females had ideal healthy diet scores, and the percent of overweight or obese participants was nearly the same in males and females, Shay said.

The American Heart Association recommends an hour each day of physical activity for children and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables but low in sugar drinks, OU Health Sciences Center graduate student Yi Xiong said.

AT A GLANCE Study statistics -No children and teenage participants met criteria for healthful diets -More than 30 percent of boys and 40 percent of girls have elevated blood sugar putting them at risk for type II diabetes -35 percent of boys and girls were overweight or obese -About 38 percent of girls and 52 percent of boys had ideal physical activity levels -65 percent of girls and 73 percent of boys had healthy cholesterol levels -About 25 percent of teens smoked within a month of the survey Source: Study published by Shay

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CAMPUS

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 •

3

REPUBLICAN: Students divided over candidates SPEAKERS: Latin life, Continued from page 1 society discussed weekend for college Republicans,” Camp said.

The OU College Republicans will begin campaigning for the officially nominated Republican presidential candidate in the fall, Camp said.

“We will rally behind them and do as much as we possibly can,” Camp said.

For now, the OU College Republican’s executive board is endorsing Republican candidate and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Camp said.

However, there is some disunity among the organization, as well as nationwide, regarding which Republican candidate should receive the presidential nomination, he said.

“It is the most divided I have seen the party in a while,” Camp said.

Camp said that Gingrich is his favorite candidate and the best debater by far.

“He is the guy with the big enough ego, sadly enough, to match Obama’s,” Camp said.

Gingrich also has a lot of good fiscal views, OU College Republicans Secretary Lance Custar said.

Continued from page 1

MATT ROURKE/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Republican presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich addresses a crowd during a campaign stop Monday in Fort Myers, Fla.

kicked off today, are Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Ron AT A GLANCE Bipartisan dinner Paul and Rick Santorum competing for the G OP OU College Republicans and Virgin (D-Norman) and Scott nomination. Three differOU Young Democrats will host Martin (R-Norman) also will be attending to give speeches a bipartisan dinner Feb. 7. ent candidates have won in Fifteen members from each and lead discussions. previous primaries in Iowa, organization will attend the New Hampshire and South Source: OU College Republicans Chairman dinner.

Carolina.

Sam Camp House representatives Emily “I think it really shows how geographically different our country is politically,” Camp “He is the smartest person Custar said. on the stage in a debate, and Still participating in the said. he is the quickest thinker,” Florida primar y, which

CAMPUS BRIEFS FOOTBALL

LITERATURE

Red-White spring game tickets to be availabe Tickets for the Red-White spring game on April 14 will become available to students at 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Tickets are free for students and will be available at the stadium ticket office, athletic department spokesman David Bassity said.

Tickets will be sold to the general public for $5 until April 10 and $10 thereafter, according to a press release.

Sarah Martin, Campus Reporter

crime novelist, grew up in Shanghai, where he became an award-winning author before immigrating to America.

Best-selling author First published in the French newsto lecture about book paper Le Monde, “Years of Red Dust” A best-selling Chinese author reads as a compilation of stories that will present a free, public lecture focuses on the lives and histories of the Wednesday over his book, “Years of residents of Red Dust Lane, according to Red Dust: Stories of Shanghai,” which a press release. details the experiences that have Xiaolong plans to read excerpts and defined China for more than 50 years, discuss the book’s conception during according to a press release. the lecture. Copies of the award-winSponsored by the College of Arts and ning book, along with other Xiaolong Sciences, the lecture will be held at 6 novels, with be available for purchase p.m. Feb. 8 in the Sam Noble Oklahoma during a reception held at 5 p.m.

Museum of Natural History’s Robert S. Kerr Auditorium.

Jake Morgan, Qiu Xiaolong, author of the book and Campus Reporter

quality of life, is good, the reality not that much,” RobbLarkins said. “If the mess that it turned out to be is better or not, we can’t say yet.”

After Robb-Larkins’s discussion, professor Derek Pardue from Washington University in St. Louis spoke on São Paulo, Brazil.

Pardue examined how hip-hop music affects urban youth in terms of race or identity and emphasized AT A GLANCE the cultural development of the hip-hop movement.

Brazil speech “Hip-hop houses, with hundreds of other places, His Excellency Mauro Vieira, Brazilian are now points of culture,” ambassador to the U.S., Pardue said. “A change in will speak about urban the meaning for São Paulo: development in Brazil at a rejuvenated citizenship 6 p.m. today in the Sam through new detours of Noble Museum of Natural public perception.”

History.

Brodwyn Fischer, the last guest and a history professor from Northwestern, discussed in-depth about favelas.

Fischer said favelas are not a place of misery in which people are trapped, despite popular beliefs.

“Favelas are not places were poor people arrived with few jobs and education,” Fischer said. “These are not places built to answer emergencies. They are more a solution in illegality where people help each other, promoting local market and the sense of community.”

For Fischer, the problem is if shanty towns are always seen as symptoms of deep flaws in the Brazilian system or an answer to a national emergency, then they will not be appreciated for their history and culture, she said. One of the first samba dances was made in the favelas.

Where a whole part of the society based on illegality may seem strange to more developed country, Fischer said the Brazilian favelas are not the only ones.

“One of the reasons I like teaching about Brazil is that in a way, it is a mirror country comparing to the U.S.: large country, lots of natural resources but especially the use of illegality,” Fischer said. “We’ve created a whole class of people whose illegality is useful to people. By studying that, you actually understand Brazilian problems, not from a third world point of view, but more from our own society point of view.”

The conference ended with the screening of “Waste Land,” a documentary retracing the work of Vik Muniz, who uses garbage to create art and incorporates everyday objects into his photography.

The Brazilian artist decided to study the life of the pickers of Jardim Gramacho, the biggest trash dump in the world, who pick material from garbage to recycle and sell.

With the help of the pickers, Muniz created portraits entirely from recyclable material. He auctioned them and donated all money collected to the pickers to give them an opportunity for a fresh start.

The discussions of Brazil emphasize the importance of understanding other cultures, Pardue said.

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4

• Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Comment of the day on OUDaily.com ›› “I believe Norman restricts residency (or at least rentals) to more than 3 non-related tenants. It’s a shame, this really restricts GLBT families. And even college students.” (baconbits, RE: EDITORIAL: Norman must protect gay rights)

OPINION

Mary Stanfield, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

?

» Poll question of the day

EDITORIAL

#PromiseFreeSpeech to all allowing users to track which countries are censorOur View: Look beyond the controversy and see that Twitter’s new censorship policy is a win for free ing tweets and under what justification. speech.

We understand, and appreciate, that the gut reaction to any censorship policy is outrage. It took us On Friday, Twitter announced changes to its three editorial meetings to work through the probcensorship policy, allowing country-specific relem and choose a side. But it’s important to look at strictions of tweets. On the coattails of the passion- the policy in the context of what it is replacing. ate protests of the Stop Online Piracy and Far from cowardly giving in to political Protect Internet Protocol acts, the Internet pressure from censors, as many have acThe Our View was instantly aflame with allegations that is the majority cused, Twitter is leading the pack by ofthe policy threatens free speech and free opinion of fering an innovative system for lessening The Daily’s expression. the current level of censorship and provid10-member But, like most issues, there’s more to it ing unprecedented transparency in the editorial board than that. process.

The new system would allow counThat doesn’t mean the policy is perfect. tries and private businesses to submit complaints Twitter should go forward with the local-level centhat a certain tweet or user account violates local sorship while more precisely defining what it is and laws, such as Germany’s strict laws against prois not willing to restrict access to.

Nazi speech or China’s laws against criticizing the A look at Google’s Transparency Report shows government. that, while it is more than willing to comply with If Twitter found the complaint was justified local pornography and defamation laws, it has freunder local laws, the tweet would be replaced with quently denied censorship that is blatantly politia gray box — in that country only — explaining that cally motivated and would harm free speech. it had been censored and linking to an explanation Twitter should follow this example and offer of the complaint. This information also would be users an explicit promise of the same to quell their available online at ChillingEffects.org. fears.

Previously, when Twitter received such a reKeep Twitter honest. Users can demand quest, its only option was to take down the tweet Twitter create an explicit policy to protect free on a global level, making it inaccessible from any speech by joining us in tweeting with the hashtag country. #PromiseFreeSpeech. But this should go beyond Twitter’s own statement on the issue and the Twitter. site’s Terms of Service admit that it was already reNow that the kinds of censorship already quietly moving tweets in this way in response to legal chal- happening across the web have been exposed, all lenges, as most Web companies do. social media companies must adopt similar poliThis new system means less censorship, because cies to increase transparency and limit censorship. the tweets will be taken down only within the counAnd users, in the U.S. and across the globe, try making the complaint and will remain available shouldn’t stand for anything less. to all other users.

When two U.S. censorship bills recently threatIt is a pragmatic way for the company to abide ened the open nature of the Internet, users came by the laws of the nations it operates within while together in a massive blackout and protest push still protecting as much speech as possible — much that resulted in the shelving of the legislation. more than was protected under the old policy.

But this fervor shouldn’t be reserved for these It also will increase the transparency of Twitter’s one-time big events. It is a continuous battle to procensorship. Before, there was no way to track what tect free speech online and off. was being removed and at whose request.

We’re ready to commit for the long haul. Are you?

Now, this information will be available on the censored tweet itself and in an online database, Comment on this at OUDaily.com

COLUMN

Sugar daddies: sweet or sour?

T

he other day, I was in disbelief that there were really people who did this.

OPINION COLUMNIST having my daily So, I did some research to see if this was a common pracSkype session tice. Not only is it common, but it is advertised as the next with my cousin Candice big thing — an easy way for students to afford college and Mendes Relix, who attends pay off mounting debt.

Oglethorpe University in SeekingArrangment.com is one of the many websites Atlanta. that hosts sugar daddies and sugar babies for anyone who She had been stressed seeks them. According to an interview with The Wall Street over money, as many colJournal, the website’s CEO, Brandon Wade, says it now has Jennifer Camacho lege students are, and she nearly 900,000 members. jcamacho52292@gmail.com thought she might have OU has the fifth most students registered at the site, found an answer to her with 312 sugar babies, according to a list of accounts with money problems. Her solution was a shock to me. .edu emails compiled by the site at the request of The She told me she had a couple of friends who had “sugar Huffington Post. daddies” and that it is very common at the University of So far, there haven’t been any big scandals related to Georgia. these relationships. But the possibility is there.

I asked her to explain it to me since I had never heard the Sometimes these relationships do end fairly badly with phrase. Candice explained that a sugar daddy was an older exhortation and blackmail, Relix told me after speaking to wealthy man who would take his female friend out to nice women in such relationships about their experiences. And places, buy her nice things and potentially give her allowyet, there have been instances where people have their ances ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 dollars own version of happily ever after. a month.

My biggest fear with this rising phenom“Candice told me My first concern was that my younger enon is safety. I’m scared that one day a their relationship was young woman will have to be buried becousin was going to exchange sexual acts for these treats. Luckily, she told me she merely a friendship, cause her so called sugar daddy ended up was not. going a little sour one night, because he nothing sexual, and wanted something that the baby did not She said a sugar daddy was only a friend, that these men wanted someone to talk to, feel comfortable with. that this man had and that was it. Candice expressed to me just don’t see why a man would spend paid for another young soImuch that her friend had been having a relationmoney on a young lady when he woman’s college ship with a sugar daddy for a few months is getting nothing more in return than mere and receiving monthly allowances of company. tuition prior to her $3,000.

My parents always taught me to work friend.”

Candice told me their relationship was hard for everything in life and to never take merely a friendship, nothing sexual, and the easy route. To me, this kind of relationthat this man had paid for another young woman’s college ship is wrong whether you’re exchanging sexual favors or tuition prior to her friend. not.

An estimated 30 percent of sugar daddy relationships do I personally would rather be in debt knowing I worked not involve sex, according to SeekingArrangement.com, a hard for my money to pay off whatever I owed, rather than website for sugar daddy relationships. using a lonely older man who just wants company.

Many sugar daddies have multiple “sugar babies” or All I know is, to me, Sugar Daddies are not as sweet as have had other relationships like these in the past. Most they might sound. sugar daddies only want companionship, but it’s the possibility that they might want more that scares me.

Though my cousin recently decided that a sugar daddy Jennifer Camacho is a political science and journalism was not for her, this conversation alarmed me and left me sophomore.

Should American companies censor the Web to respect foreign laws?

To cast your vote, visit COLUMN

Strive to put smiles on faces around you

E

very day, you OPINION COLUMNIST probably hear hundreds of names. Some you forget; others you cherish in your mind.

Becky Parker. The majority of people at the university wouldn’t pick her Kimm Johnson name out in a list or find kimm.johnson@ou.edu her face in a crowd. Yet, this woman has had an impact on my life.

She’s not a professor, academic counselor, resident advisor or a dean. But if you’ve gone through advising in University College in the last few years, you’ve probably met her; that is how I did.

As an incoming freshman, I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed with way too much enthusiasm about choosing my class for my “first real college semester eva!!!” When signing in to meet my counselor, I met Parker, the woman at the check-in desk at Wagner Hall.

On that particular day, I made a little bit of small talk, and she was surprisingly authentic — and, for lack of a better term, downright awesome.

Over the next few months, I had to keep coming back to that office. Routinely, no matter how rude and disrespectfully students may have talked to her at times, Parker never stooped down to their level. Her demeanor really began to inspire me.

I found myself coming to see her just to talk about my life and hear about hers because her positivity was so captivating. In fact, although I have left University College, I still venture over to Wagner Hall just to see her.

And there’s a reason for that. Every time I see her, she brightens my day. So my challenge for the entire college campus is to be that way for someone else. Just because someone is a janitor, works at the cafeteria or is your trolley cart driver doesn’t mean they are a robot. They have value, and sometimes simple small talk, good manners or a genuine smile really can rock someone’s world.

It might seem like a cliché, but I want to be remembered for setting the world on fire. What I have to remember is that change always is necessary. Every single moment, I am morphing into a new and different person I wasn’t five minutes ago because I am learning continuously from the people around me. My reaction to that person who cut me off in traffic, that server who gave me only mediocre service and that bus driver who left me running to the bus stop dictates how I will influence people in the world.

When someone gives you bad service, someone they love may have just passed away. They may have been in a car accident that morning. Something very difficult to deal with may have occurred. We should treat each person around us with dignity and respect. If we don’t, we are continuing the negativity.

That is the legacy we are leaving. We build our legacy through our character, which is built by our interactions.

I feel inspired by the courage I have acquired from people who have treated me well, making me think that at any point, in any circumstance, I am able to move the world. I want to make friends with everybody and anybody, even that person at the gas station working the graveyard shift.

Some people might view that as inappropriate or a lack of restraint and logic. But I won’t stop making an effort to thrive on passionate memories of people I have only spent a few moments with.

Still, I wish for everyone I meet to leave with a little part of me. Simply put, I want them to take my happy-go-lucky nature and share it.

By the end of the day, I want to know that even if I am weak and tired, someone else feels a little bit better because they ran into me.

I don’t say that in an egotistical way. Honestly, I think we all have to live for the smiles of strangers that are the result of genuine happiness. There is something great about making the day of a person you have never met or having them make yours. The acknowledgement that you have a face, a name, a life, a story and an importance to someone who has only known you for a short time is an amazing feeling. And I like making people feel like that.

If you’ve never experienced that, try it. Get out there and change the world by being awesome to everyone, no matter who they are.

You never know; you could find your own Miss Parker like I did.

Kimm Johnson is an environmental design sophomore.

The Oklahoma Daily is a public forum, the University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice and an entirely student-run publication.

Chris Lusk Chase Cook James Corley Laney Ellisor Greg Fewell Lindsey Ruta

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One free copy of The Daily is available to members of the OU community. Additional copies may be purchased for 25 cents by contacting The Daily business office at 405-325-2522.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 •

Tomorrow ››

LIFE&ARTS

Visit the life & ar arts section to read a feature about the School of Drama’s head costume designer designe — Lloyd Cracknell.

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Lindsey Ruta, life & arts editor Mariah Webb, assistant life & arts editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

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WHO TO FOLLOW ON TWITTER? For those with funny bones

LIFE & ARTS COLUMNIST

@cracked Tweets from humor site Cracked.com.

@FailBlog Epic fail tweets and blogs.

Twitter accounts you should consider following

T

witter: the constant, virtual stream of information about the lives of people close to you, people whom you may have met once and people whom you may have never met. What did my best friend do today? Check Twitter. What’s the latest gossip on Justin Beiber? Check Twitter.

This constant source of information is a growing trend and, if you ask me, a bit of an obsession. I am constantly clicking the little blue app on my phone and refreshing the news feed to see if there are any new tweets — constantly as in maybe every 15 minutes. Obsession? Nah. But who’s to blame?

It’s all there — everything anyone will ever need to know, anything and everything from the latest news on politics to things shorter than Kim Kardashian’s marriage (which by the way, there are many). All you ever want to know about someone is right there at the touch of a button, no friend request needed.

The trend is going viral, especially on college campuses. The phrase “Facebook me” has quickly evolved into “tweet me.” Some people even have jumped ship from Facebook and have blissfully joined the tweethappy world as their primary connection to social media.

Brooke Buckmaster brooke.n.buckmaster-1@ou.edu

@tw_top_funny Collection of posts that have been retweeted and are spreading online.

Many organizations even use Twitter as their information hub and form of advertisement. Need information about what time a meeting starts? Check Twitter.

It’s simple, it’s entertaining and it’s quick.

With all of these things in mind, it’s easy to get a Twitter account and have a momentary lapse: Who to follow? Well, the answer is quite simple: anyone. And on most accounts, you don’t even need permission.

To weed out the overwhelming bombardment of celebrities, sports media and academic journals to follow, here is a brief compilation of who to follow based on personality and interests: short and sweet.

Are you the sports-minded type of person? Be a sports groupie.

Want all the celeb gossip? We know who to tweet. And just for fun, visit OUDaily.com to check out the life & arts staff’s personal favorites.

Brooke Buckmaster is a University College freshman.

For the star-struck users

@extratv Entertainment news and exclusive stories from the glamorous world.

@celebsgonegood Linked stories about what celebrities are doing to change the world.

@celebritygossip News and gossip from the website PleasantMorningBuzz.com.

For the crimson and cream junkies

@OUProblems Simple observations and friendly campus-related frustrations.

Compiled by Brooke Buckmaster

ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS LUSK/THE DAILY

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Documentary to highlight the North’s slavery history Professors, student groups to kick off monthlong events with film screening MARIAH WEBB Life & Arts Reporter

Students will be exposed to a different side of the country’s experience with slavery when a documentary is shown Wednesday night in honor of Black History Month.

The Cate and Couch faculties in residence are cosponsoring a screening of Katrina Browne’s documentary, “Traces of the Trade: A Story From the Deep North,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Cate Center’s main lounge.

The film highlights the history of slavery in the United States by examining its lessdiscussed prevalence in the northern states.

In this documentar y, Browne follows the extended members of the DeWolf family. In the early days of America, the DeWolf ’s owned and operated the largest slave trafficking company in U.S. history, according to the film’s website.

Browne herself is a member of the family. Although it is often not considered as

severe as the southern slave trade, “Traces of the Trade” attempts to show how deeply rooted slavery was in the northern states.

While the DeWolf family operated in Cuba, its company was based in Rhode Island. Browne follows 10 descendants of the family as they retrace their ancestors’ footsteps and shows how the people learn to cope with the emotions that follow their discovery of the family’s past.

Browne said she believes the main questions of the film are not only applicable to the descendants of slave traders, but the United States as a whole, according to the film’s website.

Following the screening, there will be a discussion session led by Cate Faculty in Residence Barbara Norton and Couch Faculty in Residence Lupe Davidson.

D av i d s o n , w h o i s a n African-American studies professor, said she selected the documentary to kick off Black History Month.

GO AND DO See the film WHAT: “Traces of the Trade: A Story From the Deep North” WHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday WHERE: Cate Center’s main lounge INFO: Free pizza will be provided and a discussion led by Cate Faculty in Residence Barbara Norton and Couch Faculty in Residence Lupe Davidson will follow the screening

Davidson said she is excited to discuss the film with the students in attendance.

The Black Student Association and the Iota Phi Theta fraternity also are sponsoring the screening.

The groups will sponsor other Black History Month events during February, including: • Miss Black OU • Stompdown 2012 • movie screenings • discussions For a complete schedule of events, visit OUDaily.com.

It’s the NUMBER ONE cancer killer.

Stay connected with the life & arts desk for entertainment news and features from the Norman community

NO MORE EXCUSES. NO MORE LUNG CANCER.

@OUDailyArts

lungcanceralliance.org

5

Are you on Twitter?

www.twitter.com/OUDailyArts

A CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Undergraduate Research Day 2012

Saturday, March 31, 2012 OCCE Thurman J. White Forum Building, 1704 Asp Avenue Deadline for submission is February 27, 2012 Apply online at h p://www.ou.edu/honors/SRPD-applica on.html Undergraduate Research Day is an annual event for undergraduate students to present their papers and crea ve works. Topics include the natural sciences, performance art, life sciences, business, engineering, social sciences, cri cal studies in ancient or modern literature, and the humani es.

Prose and poetry submissions and other forms of crea ve ac vity are also encouraged. Par cipants will have a 10-15 minute period to give their presenta ons.

Prizes are awarded to the best presenta ons in various categories.

All undergraduate students at OU are eligible to apply and do not need to be a member of the Honors College to par cipate.

Students who have received undergraduate Research Opportunity Program grants are required to present before they graduate.

Sponsored by The Joe C. and Carole Kerr McClendon Honors College

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• Tuesday, January 31, 2012

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The Oklahoma Daily will not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religious preference, national origin or sexual orientation. Violations of this policy should be reported to The Oklahoma Daily Business Office at 325-2521.

But new treatments offer hope.

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HOROSCOPE

By Bernice Bede Osol

Copyright 2012, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

TUESDAY JANUARY 3 31, 2012

More than a few new friends will be made in the year ahead, through two divergent groups with whom you’ll become closely involved. Each bunch will be predicated upon a common interest greatly different from the other.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- If you’re in need of some cooperation or support, submit your request post haste. Others are likely to be more willing to go out of their way to do favors now than they will be tomorrow.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- On matters of importance, you should take a middle position, so that you’ll be better able to evaluate the advantages of each alternative. You must look at both sides.

7

5 3

2 6

4 8 1

4 8 3 1 4 7 5

Previous Solution

6 2 8 3 4 6 5

5 4 9 6 5

2 8

1 2 9 8 6 4 7 3 5 3 7 5 1 2 9 4 6 8 6 4 8 3 5 7 2 9 1 5 9 6 7 8 3 1 4 2 4 8 1 2 9 6 5 7 3 2 3 7 5 4 1 6 8 9 7 1 2 6 3 8 9 5 4 9 6 3 4 1 5 8 2 7 8 5 4 9 7 2 3 1 6 Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard

7

Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- It would prove to be quite advantageous for you to focus today’s efforts on situations that could either increase your present resources or save you money. Both facets are very favorable.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Don’t leave any key assignments up to others if you can help it. The matters that you attend to personally should work out quite well for all concerned.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- This can be an exceptionally rewarding day for you if you are determined to satisfactorily conclude every project that you begin. You aren’t likely to settle for less than you envision.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- You’ll not only be a pleasant companion, you can also be an excellent teacher when you choose to be. Instinctively,

you know how to inspire others with your words and deeds.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- A financial opportunity could develop through your work or through someone with whom you have close bonds.

Take advantage of what develops, because your material prospects look snappy.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- There is no better time than now to take action on plans you’ve recently cooked up. Your ideas look extremely promising, so get rolling on things while conditions are good.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- If you take the time to determine some meaningful targets for yourself, important objectives can be achieved right now. You could be successful both socially and materially.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- There is a strong possibility that you could meet and make a new, lasting friend through someone who is presently one of your best pals. The new party will be a welcome addition.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- A huge challenge that your associates would love to achieve but are too fearful to attempt isn’t likely to intimidate you. Your better qualities will emerge and get you past the rough spots.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- A hot tip passed onto you through a friend of a friend may be too enticing to ignore. Study it carefully to determine if it has any value, and only then act on it if you so choose.

Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker January 31, 2012

ACROSS 1 2000 presidential candidate 5 Craggy ridge 10 LaBeouf of “Transformers” 14 Soothing plant extract 15 Began smoking 16 Televises 17 Batters’ banes 19 1944 Normandy beach code name 20 Papas of “Zorba the Greek” 21 One of the Jackson 5 22 Rabbit fur 23 Places to get manicures 25 Cook just below the boiling point 27 Bomber letters 29 Knightwear 32 Drinks like a cat 35 Arabian Peninsula resident 39 “Now ___ seen everything!”

40 Beholden letters 41 Old Russian ruler’s domain 42 Needing buoying 43 ___ Arbor, Mich.

1/31

44 ___ around (roughhoused) 45 Scandinavian capital 46 Odd-numbered page 48 “Dear” partner 50 Frequents 54 Pitches 58 Illegal mound move 60 Chunks of history 62 Bird with white plumes 63 “Fifteen Miles on the ___ Canal” 64 Kept for a rainy day 66 Revealing skirt style 67 City of a famed shroud 68 Bog 69 Port near the Red Sea 70 Oregon or New York 71 Overnight stops DOWN 1 Foundation 2 “Violet” starter 3 French philosopher Georges 4 Really evil 5 Its cousin is stout 6 Lawless outbreak 7 Decorative toiletry cases 8 ___-frutti 9 Type of salts

used in a bath 10 Limoges item 11 Haphazard 12 Present-day Persia 13 Like a burntout briquet 18 Burns and Berry 24 Authority 26 Hurt badly 28 “The only thing we have to ___ is ...”

30 Shape of the president’s office 31 Change the wallpaper 32 Dishonest speaker 33 As good as it gets 34 Point of a joke 36 Post-wedding title

37 Biblical utopia 38 Central points 41 “___ shalt not steal” 45 Art of paper folding 47 Adopt, as a pet 49 Did impressions of 51 Treetop homes 52 Brook swimmer 53 Pelvic bones 55 “Desert Fox” Rommel 56 Be a good student 57 Eyelid ailments 58 Altar area 59 Adjective for Death Valley 61 Comic routine 65 Opposite of WSW

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

1/30

© 2012 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

KNOCK ABOUT By Kathy George

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 •

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OUDaily.com ››

SPORTS

With baseball season weeks away, former major league baseball players, managers give lecture on “sabermetrics� in Oklahoma.

Greg Fewell, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

WOMEN’S TENNIS

COLUMN

Sooner learns team play

Injuries force OU to adapt midseason

British athlete must make adjustments to new schedule

O

GREG FEWELL Sports Editor

Athletes reach the highest level by not only competing at the highest level, but also preparing the same way. That means doing all the extra things and training just as hard in the offseason as during the season.

This is one of the things that makes being a freshman athlete in college so difficult.

Older players have the luxury of having been with the team and learned the system; freshmen are essentially starting from scratch.

Now, imagine a freshman arriving on a brand new campus in a new country with just over a week to prepare for the upcoming season.

So was the case for OU freshman tennis player Abbi Melrose when she arrived in Norman from Brighton, England just over two and a half weeks ago.

Among balancing the work load of college, adjusting to a new culture and competing with the No. 25 tennis team in the nation, the newest Sooner has not even had time to feel homesick. “I’ve never been lonely here because I’m always so busy,� Melrose said. “Just dealing with all of the schoolwork and still having tennis really consumes most of my time.�

One of the biggest adjustments since starting college, Melrose said, is the amount of schoolwork she is required to keep up with. One thing not new to her, though, is playing tennis at the highest level.

In England, Melrose played in four International Tennis Federation semifinals, three quarterfinals and one final. She has proven that she has the skills to compete with just about anyone. Now, she needs to prove that she can compete with a team. “As most tennis players are, they’re used to playing for themselves,� coach David Mullins said. “And now (Abbi’s) playing for a team.

You never know how they’ll react to that.�

Melrose reached the top of her game in Britain by focusing on her game. She was not bothered about keeping up with overall team scores or developing chemistry with a doubles partner. It was plain and simple. Step out on the court and compete.

However, just over a week after arriving in America, Melrose was thrown right into the fire with a doubleheader against Drake and Arkansas-Little Rock. She responded.

Melrose and sophomore Mia Lancaster quickly disposed of their competition, winning both matches, 8-2.

Lancaster acknowledges that though the duo experienced

Above: OU freshman Abbi Melrose prepares to return a volley against Arkansas-Little Rock Saturday, Jan. 21, in Norman.

Melrose went 4-0 in her opening weekend with Oklahoma, winning two doubles matches and two singles matches.

Left: Melrose and her doubles partner, sophomore Mia Lancaster, talk strategy in between points during their match against Arkansas-Little Rock. The duo opened the season with a dominating 8-2 win.

ERIKA PHILBRICK/THE DAILY

early season success, it will take time to reach their peak. “It just takes some time, but the more matches we play, the better we’re getting and the more we know each other,� Lancaster said. “I think in singles when it’s all on me, I can relax more and feel like if I mess up it’s not as big of a deal. In doubles, you have a teammate relying on you.�

Before arriving at OU, Melrose did not play doubles and admits that she had no desire to. She liked the idea of everything being on her.

No pressure to let down a teammate, no need to anticipate how a teammate was going to react to a serve.

Now, though, she is slowly beginning to appreciate the team aspect of the sport. “The importance of it (has changed,)� Melrose said. “It didn’t matter to me before, but here (doubles matches) are a lot more important because that’s points going toward our team total. I didn’t enjoy doubles until I got here, but I am definitely enjoying it now.�

Everything has not gone her way since arriving on campus. Just Friday, Melrose lost a match by just two points that would have given the Sooners a victory. It will

PLAYER PROFILE Abbi Melrose Year: Freshman Hometown: Brighton, England Season stats: Melrose was ranked as the No. 1 18 and under player in all of Britain from February 2010April 2011.

be just one of many setbacks for the freshman as she tries to adjust.

Her coach has been in her shoes before and says his newest player is progressing faster than he hoped. “I came in 1998 from Ireland and was in a similar position,� Mullins said. “I didn’t start playing my best tennis until three months into the semester. She’s adapted faster than I have, honestly.�

With numerous accolades and accomplishments from her time playing in Britain, there is plenty for Melrose’ coaches and teammates to get excited about.

The thing that excites her new head coach the most, though, is her legitimate passion for her new role.

“Abbi’s still kind of wideeyed and soaking it all in right now,� Mullins said. “We really want to keep that enthusiasm alive in her.�

As for the freshman’s recent loss, Mullins is less disappointed about it than one might expect.

As the coach points out, losing is a huge part of the learning process. “That’s the kind of experience that you can’t get on the practice court,� he said. “We just need to keep putting her in positions like that.�

Melrose realizes she has a long way to go to reach the top. Her personal goals have not wavered, though. She still wants to crack the national rankings like she did back home in Britain. Since becoming a Sooner, she has added new goals, though. “I’d like to have a national college ranking,� Melrose said. “But, team-wise, our goal is to get to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA’s.� “Our� goal. It is a new concept for Abbi Melrose in regards to the sport she loves.

So far, though, it seems to be one she is embracing.

SPORTS COLUMNIST klahoma’s loss to No. 1 Baylor last week revealed that this season’s injury list is beginning to suck the air right out of the Sooner women’s basketball team.

OU coach Sherri Coale Tobi Neidy mentioned the injury tobi.a.neidy-1@ou.edu dilemma played a role during the double-digit loss to Baylor, commenting that her team was just ‘too thin’ to keep up with a Bears team that had “tremendous depth at all positions.�

And the thinned-out roster also affected Saturday’s come-from-behind, three-point win over Missouri, as Coale admitted that the “absence of [Joanna McFarland] is making it difficult for the freshman group.�

McFarland was averaging 8.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in her 15 starts for the Sooners before sustaining a broken jaw against Oklahoma State on Jan. 18.

Losing the rebounding leader on the team was a tough blow to a team that was struggling to find its defensive identity.

And McFarland’s absence wasn’t the only factor that led to a three point deficit at halftime against the Tigers, who are still winless in the Big 12 conference stint this season.

In fact, no one on OU’s current roster played against Missouri the last time the Sooners traveled to Columbia two years ago. That’s how young this OU team is, but it’s not because Coale wanted it that way.

Three significant losses to the Sooner roster have really complicated this season’s starting line-up mix.

One of the biggest questions this season was how the Sooners would react to a slowed system after losing AllAmerican Danielle Robinson last year to graduation.

Robinson’s speed allowed the Sooners to secure doubledigit points in transition, but she also had the experience and the basketball IQ to make smart decisions.

Senior guard Jasmine Hartman would be an integral part of the point guard rotation but a knee injury has sidelined the former starter from this season’s action.

And Coale wasn’t relying on just Hartman to fill that void. Coale has done her part to recruit and keep the pipeline of potential all-stars streaming through Norman.

With six guards currently listed on the roster, there’s little doubt that the Sooners have enough personnel currently in the program to eventually have a carousel of guards to keep opposing defenses dizzy out on the perimeter.

But apart from junior guard Whitney Hand, who sat out for over 400 consecutive days with an injury sustained two years ago, the Sooners lack that experience that OU is used to playing with.

And the injury issues just get worse when discussing the power players at the post positions.

Junior centers Lyndsey Cloman and McFarland have been sidelined due to injuries this season. While Cloman surrendered her season to a knee injury during the preseason game against Central Oklahoma, McFarland’s return from a broken jaw is still pending.

Due to these significant injuries, senior Jelena Cerina and sophomore Nicole Griffin are consistently being rotated in order to keep some size underneath the basket. Cerina, a junior-college transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M has played in all of the Sooners’ 19 games this year, just one less than last year’s season total.

Griffin started the final 12 games of her freshman year and has already eclipsed that starting number in her second year with 18 starts. Griffin is still a big part of the Sooners’ post presence, but the sophomore out of Milwaukee, Wis. is still learning how to pick up defensive assignments and offensive rebounds.

The added minutes to these players should end up paying dividends in the long run for the Sooners, but having those extra bodies out on the court now could certainly help the team right now.

This may not be the type of approach that Coale or her players wanted but injuries have forced this factor into OU’s game plan.

And now the Sooners just have to elevate to that challenge.

Tobi Neidy is a public relations senior.

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8

SPORTS

• Tuesday, January 31, 2012

MEN’S BASKETBALL

BASKETBALL

Self: ‘I think [Big 12] is a coin toss’

Bears still atop women’s top 25

New conference slate has no easy games, coach says Kansas coach Bill Self is sticking by the prediction he made back in October, before the season began and long before the Big 12 race started heating up.

Four losses will still mean a chance to win the league.

Three may be good enough to do it outright.

The eighth-ranked Jayhawks had a two-game lead heading into last weekend, but a loss at Iowa State on Saturday bunched up the standings.

Fourth-ranked Missouri and No. 6 Baylor were a game back heading into Monday night’s slate of games, as the Big 12 reaches the midway mark of a newly expanded 18-game conference schedule.

“I think it’s a coin toss, I really do,” said Self, whose Jayhawks have won seven straight conference championships. “You can make a case that we’re in good shape, but we still have to go to hard places — some real hard places.”

I n S e l f ’s e s t i m a t i o n , Missouri may be the frontrunner heading into the Tigers’ game Monday night against Texas. They’ve had arguably the toughest road so far. “ To m e, e v e n t h o u g h teams with four losses, whether that be Kansas State or Iowa State or whatever, they can still win the league,” Self said during the coaches’ Monday teleconference. “I think 14-4 would be a really good record and 15-3 would be one that wins it outright.”

The math is certainly skewed in the revamped Big 12.

In the past, the dozen teams that comprised the league played each team from its own division twice, and alternated home and road games on a yearly basis with teams from the other division.

The result was 16 games with a bye week thrown in the mix somewhere.

That extra time off has been eliminated, and two more games against rugged conference foes put in its place. Now, teams play home and road games with every other opponent, resulting in the 18-game meatgrinder that should serve to separate pretenders from contenders soon enough.

“There is no easy game,”

Baylor unanimous No. 1 in Sunday’s newest AP Poll

Above: Iowa State’s Royce White is mobbed by students who stormed the court after their 72-64 win against Kansas on Saturday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. (Justin Hayworth/ The Des Moines Register) Left: Kansas head coach Bill Self looks on during second half of Iowa State’s 72-64 win against the Jayhawks on Saturday in Ames, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall/ The Associated Press)

AT A GLANCE Big 12 teams in the rankings 4. Missouri 6. Baylor 8. Kansas Others receiving votes: Kansas State (40), Iowa State (3) Source: ESPN

said Baylor coach Scott Drew, whose team lost at Kansas but awaits a return trip from the Jayhawks next week. “Really, it’s a matter of who can succeed and thrive on the road and defend the home court. That’s where the league will be decided.”

Everybody in the league has at least three conference wins except Texas Tech, which remains winless through eight games. That gives a pretty good indication of the Big 12’s depth.

Kansas (17-4, 7-1) remains in first place heading into a home game Wednesday against Oklahoma and a road game Saturday night at Missouri, the first of two matchups between bitter rivals down the stretch that could have as big an impact as anything on the eventual champion.

“I haven’t put a lot of thought into this weekend and Kansas,” Missouri coach Frank Haith said, “but I do know when I got the job, they

made sure to tell me how important a game it is, and how passionate people are about that game.”

While it appears that the Jayhawks, Tigers and Bears have separated themselves from the rest of the Big 12 — at least according to the national polls, which have all three in the top 10 — that isn’t necessarily the case.

Iowa State is still in the thick of the race, and is coming off a confidence-building 72-64 win over the Jayhawks

on Saturday. The Cyclones (15-6, 5-3) have already played Kansas twice and Missouri once, and could climb into position to challenge for its first Big 12 title since 2001 before a threegame finishing kick against Kansas State, Missouri and Baylor.

The Wildcats (15-5, 4-4) wasted an opportunity to keep pace with the league leaders when they failed to defend their home court against Oklahoma last Saturday.

Things don’t get any easier for them with a trip to Iowa State looming Wednesday night.

Such is life in the Big 12, though.

The league is currently second in RPI, and its three teams in the top 10 are the most of any conference. It also has the nation’s best winning percentage against nationally ranked opponents, and the second-best winning percentage overall.

“In sports, period, you have to get ready for the next game, win or lose,” said Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford, whose team stunned Missouri last week and will be trying to play spoiler again down the stretch. “You can never get too high in this league. You can never get too low.”

The Associated Press

Bay l o r re ma i n s t h e unanimous No. 1 choice in The Associated Press women’s college basketball poll.

The Lady Bears received all the first-place votes Monday for the ninth straight week after routing Oklahoma and Kansas.

Baylor visits Missouri and Kansas State this week.

Notre Dame, UConn, Stanford and Duke followed the Lady Bears to round out the top 5.

Connecticut and Duke play each other on Monday night. Kentucky was sixth. Miami, Tennessee, Maryland and Green Bay round out the first 10.

It is the highest ranking ever for the Phoenix, who along with Baylor are the only unbeaten teams left in Division I. Georgia Tech entered the poll for the first time this season at No. 24. The Yellow Jackets host N.C. State on Thursday.

DePaul dropped out of the Top 25.

The Associated Press

AT A GLANCE AP Top 25 1. Baylor 2. Notre Dame 3. Connecticut 4. Stanford 5. Duke 6. Kentucky 7. Miami (Fla.) 8. Tennessee 9. Maryland 10. Green Bay 11. Ohio State 12. Delaware 13. Rutgers 14. Louisville 15. Purdue 16. Nebraska 17. Georgetown 18. Texas A&M 19. Penn State 20. Gonzaga 21. Georgia 22. Brigham Young 23. North Carolina 24. Georgia Tech 25. Texas Tech Others receiving votes: ... Oklahoma (6) Source: ESPN

SPORTS BRIEF

CALL FOR RESEARCH PROPOSALS

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Wildcats headline men’s basketball rankings for 4th time this season Kentucky starts it second straight week — and fourth this season — as the No. 1 team in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll.

The Wildcats were again a runaway choice, receiving 63 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel on Monday.

Syracuse, which got the other No. 1 votes, and Ohio State both moved up one place to second and third. Missouri, which had been No. 2, dropped to fourth after its loss to Oklahoma State.

North Carolina, Baylor, Duke, Kansas, Michigan State and undefeated Murray State round out the top 10. The Racers, the lone remaining unbeaten team in Division I, cracked the top 10 for the first time in school history.

Gonzaga and Vanderbilt return to the rankings at 24th and 25th. The Bulldogs, who have won 12 of 13, were out the last two weeks, while the Commodores, winners of 10 of 11, were out the last six.

Kansas State dropped out from 22nd after a four-week run, while Connecticut, which has lost three straight and five of seven, fell from 24th. Connecticut had been ranked for the last 28 polls, the sixth-longest current streak.

The Associated Press

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