Thursday, May 3, 2012

Where’s the outcry for higher education funding? (opinion, page 4) The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916

T H U R S DAY, m AY 3 , 2 012

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

2 011 S I LV E R C R O W N W I N N E R

gEnDEr-nEUTrAl hOUSing

Boren, coalition discuss compromises In leiu of full gender-neutral housing, students may see more intergrated upperclassmen co-ed suites next fall EMMA HAMBLEN Campus Reporter

OU President David Boren is still considering if, how and when a gender neutral housing plan could be implemented at OU. Members of the Gender Neutral Housing Coalition met privately with Boren on Wednesday afternoon to discuss potential compromises to its

gender-neutral housing proposals.

The coalition gave Boren a proposal on March 7 requesting portions of student housing feature floors allowing students to live with others of any requested gender.

“I am deeply grateful for Boren’s cooperation and his willingness to truly listen to us and to hold truly meaningful dialogue with us,” English and

women’s and gender studies junior Laurel Cunningham said. “I feel like his sympathy was evident, his concerns were valid and that the meeting was overall very constructive. Regardless of the actual implementation of gender neutral housing, Boren has promised to make steps towards a more accepting environment for GLBT students.”

The coalition originally asked for a freshman gender-neutral floor in every university residence, according to the

UPDATE gender-neutral housing Background: The Gender Neutral Housing Coalition gave OU President David Boren a proposal on March 7 requesting student housing feature floors allowing students to live with any requested gender.

What’s new: Boren met with the Gender Neutral

Housing Coalition to discuss the proposal. The meeting featured potential compromises that could be implemented in leiu of a full gender-neutral hosing plan.

What’s next: Boren said during the March 26 meeting with the coalition that nothing concrete will be decided until June.

see HOUSING paGe 5

PETS

FinAlS wEEk

Shelters barely contain strays Mass breeding, careless owners to blame for strays PAIGHTEN HARKINS Campus Reporter

The sound of dogs barking filled the concrete-lined hallway. To the left there was a gray, brick wall. To the right there were onceabandoned dogs, saved from the brink of death and seeking attention.

A shy dog, a new comer, sat quietly looking up at the people that walked by.

It didn’t bark, just stared and pressed its long face against the chain-link fence as it waited for a new owner. pHotos by erika pHilbriCk/tHe daily

David lam, Housing Center Student Association member, hands a care package to a Couch Center resident on Wednesday. Students who had a package purchased for them can pick their package up in the Housing Center Student Association office in Couch Center from 11 a.m to 7 p.m. today.

Packages to boost spirits before finals More than 200 care packages ordered for students this semester, association says PAIGHTEN HARKINS Campus Reporter

Students whose parents ordered care packages through the Housing Center Student Association can pick the packages up from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today.

This semester the association received 207 care package orders from parents, and the group ordered 217 packages total, association president Allie Kallmann said. The packages have been available since Monday in Couch Center, Room 351.

The orders include: fruit basket packs, energy kits, stress busters, and schooner spirit care packs. The packages include different items depending on the type of package, and in general, they contain snacks like gum, bags of chips, coffee and tea bags and fruit, mathematics and letters junior Kallmann said.

Also, the packages contain encouragement items, like a letter from home and stress balls, see PACKAGES paGe 2

see PETS paGe 3

BOwl TiCkETS

Records indicate unsold tickets OU absorbs little from Insight Bowl CARMEN FORMAN Campus Reporter

Packages are filled with stress busters, fruit basket packs, spirit packs and encouragement letters.

OU and the Big 12 Conference absorbed fewer dollars this year in unsold tickets to OU’s December 2011 Insight Bowl game, according to official records.

For this season’s bowl game against Iowa, OU absorbed $44,870 from 638 tickets and the conference absorbed approximately $490,000 from 7,571 tickets, according to postseason see BOWL paGe 5

SPOrTS VOL. 97, NO. 151

© 2012 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25 cents Campus ........................

Classifieds ..................

Life & Arts ...................

Opinion ......................

Sports .........................

2 6 9 4 7

nOw OnlinE AT

Requested document and purpose

The two teams renew the Red River Rivalry in Norman this weekend to see which squad is the best in the Big 12. (Page 7)

liFE & ArTS

School of Dance founder ‘Botanicula’ a great, to be celebrated at event point-and-click game Students and faculty of the OU School of Dance will pay tribute to the school’s founder at 3 p.m. Sunday. (life & Arts)

The Daily’s open record requests

OU softball prepares for showdown with Texas

New video game is simple but effective in telling a fascinating story about five creatures who live in a tree. (Page 9)

riCardo patino/tHe daily

Hannah Jew, Savannah Hawkins,and Sydney Gettel rehearse a dance during rehearsals for “T.B.D.” on Wednesday. The student-produced show showcases the work of graduating seniors, and runs friday and Saturday in the Reynolds Performing Arts Center. (OUDaily.com)

Date requested

President Boren’s correspondence with college deans regarding the fiscal year 2013 budget — To gather information about the president’s process for deciding whether to raise tuition.

Wednesday

All emails between Dean Paul Bell and Jill irvine from Jan. 1 to present — To gather more information about funding cuts to the College of Arts and Sciences and its Women’s and Gender Studies program.

Monday

Pharmaceutical invoice data from goddard health Center from August 2011 to present — To learn if the use and prescription of certain drugs increases as finals week approaches.

April 24

Visit OUDaily.com/openrecords for a complete list of The Daily’s requests

2

Campus

• Thursday, May 3, 2012

Campus

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

Architecture

Today around campus OU Write Club will host an open mic night from 7 to 9 p.m. at Café Plaid.

OU Juggling Club will meet from 8 to 10 p.m. in the Huston Huffman Center, Room 140.

Suessical the Musical will be performed

by OU School of Musical Theatre students at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center’s Rupel Jones Theatre.

Friday, May 4 A lecture about how American artists and critics perceived Disney animation as a new American art form will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Mary Eddy and Fred Jones Auditorium.

The softball team plays Texas at 7 p.m. at Marita Hynes Field.

A choreography and dance showcase will take place at 8 p.m. at the Reynolds Performing Arts Center.

Photo Provided

The Alvis Hotel sits on a street corner in Paul’s Valley after a fire destroyed the property. An OU professor and five students will present their proposals for remodeling the hotel at BrickFest in Paul’s Valley on Saturday.

Professor, students to present hotel plans Proposal to take place at BrickFest in Paul’s Valley An OU professor and five students will present their remodeling ideas for a Paul’s Valley landmark Saturday.

Ron Frantz and the Institute for Quality Communities’ students will

present their proposal for the Alvis Hotel during a presentation in Paul’s Valley.

The Alvis Hotel, located in Paul’s Valley endured fire damage in September 2009, according to Daily archives.

Frantz and the students have traveled to the site to examine it to help create ideas for the site’s future.

They have traveled to Paul’s

Suessical The Musical will be performed by OU School of Musical Theatre students at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center’s Rupel Jones Theatre.

Saturday, May 5 The softball team plays Texas at 2 p.m. at Marita Hynes Field.

Suessical the Musical will be performed by OU School of Musical Theatre students at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center’s Rupel Jones Theatre.

Valley, Shawnee, Oklahoma City, and Sulphur to gather a variety of ideas to choose from.

The students will work with property owners, construction companies, developers, and Main Street directors.

The Alvis Hotel will try to become registered with the National Register of Historic

Places, according to a press release. Current owners, Larry and Jenny Wallace are thinking of opening shops, restaurants, and apartments around the surrounding areas.

The BrickFest event will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at East Paul Avenue and South Santa Fe Street.

Daily staff reports

PETS: Careless owners a factor in overpopulation Continued from page 1

“I can see students being like, ‘Hey, I have some free time.

Might as well get a dog I can take to the park whenever I want to,” she said.

College-aged owners may also get frustrated because of the time it takes to train a dog, OU senior Clare Gary said.

Dogs don’t know not to have accidents or how to obey, she said.

“They have to learn like we learn,” Gary said. “They don’t just know how to be a good dog.”

“I find it very hard to walk down here,” said Kay Stout, executive director of Second Chance Animal Sanctuary in Norman.

The dogs in the kennel will never be in another shelter, and they’ll never be euthanized because there isn’t enough space to hold them. The sanctuary where they wait for a home has given them their second chance and has saved them, Stout The college pet experience said.

While some college students struggle with owning a pet, Yet millions of animals won’t get that luxury. Three to four million died this year, according to estimates by the American some take on the challenge and are easily able to balance a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, because a busy school schedule around the needs of their pet.

One of the biggest adjustments Hale made when she got shelter couldn’t accommodate them. Mostly, though, it was because their former owners couldn’t take care of them or a dog was being aware that she’d need to come home to let they were born unwanted because an owner didn’t spay or her dog out.

“I can’t just stay on campus all day long and just come neuter their parents, Stout said.

In a college town these problems are often amplified be- home in the middle of the night from the library,” Hale said. cause of inexperienced owners who don’t Gary said having a pet hasn’t been much understand the time it takes to raise an of a time commitment for her. She owns a animal. Because of this, shelters including

BY THE NUMBERS small dog, so she doesn’t have to take it for Second Change Animal Sanctuary don’t Second Chance walks, which would take a lot of her time. allow college students to adopt pets, Stout Animal Sanctuary In addition, both women have found said. that having a dog doesn’t take away much “They were wonderful (pet) owners in Animals adopted time from their studies, and if it does it isn’t September, October, November,” she said. out last year by a problem.

“Then we have them all back in May and Second Chance Animal “I already avoid work. So [having to take June.”

Sanctuary care of a dog] is just another reason to do Reasons for overpopulation that,” Hale said.

Animals that can be Stray animal overpopulation in the held in the facility Overpopulation statistics United States is so prevalent because peoPhone calls per The pet population is ever-increasing, ple don’t understand the importance of day the facility Boyer said. spaying or neutering animals, Stout said. receives from people trying Although it is impossible to determine This lack of comprehension is at the to surrender a pet the number of stray dogs and cats in the source of the overpopulation problem, vetUnited States, experts project that there are erinarian Jake Boyer said.

Source: Kay Stout, Second Chance up to 70 million stray cats living in the U.S., “For a long time we’ve tried to round up Animal Sanctuary executive director according to the American Society for the everybody that didn’t have a home and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website. adopt them,” Boyer said.

But that wasn’t working. The rescuers found they couldn’t The number of dogs is unknown.

Many of the pets received by a shelter are among the stray build shelters fast enough for the increasing pet population, population. Only about 10 percent of the animals come Boyer said All pet owners should get their pets spayed or neutered, to a shelter spayed or neutered, according to the ASPCA with the exception of pure-bred breeders, which are a small website.

A fertile cat produces one to two litters per year, ranging percentage of all owners, Stout said.

“Ninety-nine percent of [people] are pet owners just be- from four to six kittens per litter. A fertile dog produces one litter a year, with an average of four to six puppies per litter, cause we fell in love with a pet,” Stout said.

Another reason for pet overpopulation is when the owner according to the ASPCA website.

Those numbers of stray animals that are breeding condoesn’t see his or her pet as a member of the family and detribute to the five to seven million stay cats or dogs taken in cides to make life easier by giving up the pet.

“For those of us involved in animal rescue, we do love our by shelters every year. The unwanted animals in the shelchildren more than we love our dogs … but our pets can run ters become the three to four million that are euthanized a pretty close second,” Stout said. “For some people, [pets] yearly, according to the ASPCA website.

To add to the pet overpopulation problem by not spaying are simply an added benefit for the family … but they’re not or neutering an animal is irresponsible, said Stout. a part of the family.”

“If you don’t think you’re being irresponsible, just go to a For college students time is also an issue, OU sophomore Colleen Hale said, because they don’t think about how their shelter and walk down the aisle and realize how many dogs schedule will change with the semester, and they may just and cats are going to die every day because of overcrowding because you didn’t spay and neuter,” she said. get a pet on a whim.

699

80 7-10

Thursday, May 3, 2012 •

Column

I still smoke some, but cutting back has made me feel better Editor’s Note: Sam Higgins is a campus reporter who started the university-sponsored smoking cessation class four weeks ago.

He has written a column once a week to describe his first-person experiences and struggles with trying to quit smoking.

L

ife is a great thing.

Staff Columnist As recently as last week, I never would have said that. It may surprise readers who have followed at least some of my previous columns to hear that. I know it surprised my editors.

Sam Higgins There’s something Email@address people have told me, especially older people, and it’s a falsity that I feel like is being instilled into today’s troubled and tormented youth. “It gets better,” they tell me.

It can get better, but only if you get stronger.

Life itself doesn’t get better. You get stronger as life gets harder. Life is a struggle, and that’s what makes it great.

When you have to work hard and battle the odds, then — and only then — do you appreciate the genuinely good things in life. You appreciate those good things because you appreciate the hardships. You appreciate the fear.

That’s what makes you a more resilient person.

I haven’t completely quit smoking, but I have significantly reduced the frequency of my rendezvous with cigarettes, and it’s saved me money, I feel better, and that sharp stabbing pain in my chest is almost completely gone.

My dentist knows I smoke. It’s weird because I’ve been seeing the same dentist since I was a kid. Not only am I probably the only patient he has who smokes, I’m also probably the only patient who shaves his belly hair. Ladies?

When I think about the best times in my life, I think about some of the hardest times. I think about my freshman year of high school. It was so real. It was so rebellious.

It was so Linkin Park, blame-your-parents stupid.

It was the plight of being that awkward, sexually frustrated and naïve kid that gave me the life lessons to propel me into being the awkward, sexually frustrated and naïve man.

I turn 24 this week, and I know that in another 24 years, I will look back on the awkwardness, frustration and selfconsciousness of these days with fondness. I’ll remember the faces of the first friends I made here. I’ll remember most of their faces. OK, I’ll remember like six of their faces.

I’ll remember the summer I quit smoking and how pissed off I was — about nothing.

Sam Higgins is a journalism junior and a campus reporter for The Daily.

Sunday, May 6 Suessical the Musical will be performed by OU School of Musical Theatre students at 3 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center’s Rupel Jones Theatre.

STUDY AT WAGNER

A memorial celebration of the life of Miguel Terekhov, hosted by the OU School of Dance, will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Reynolds Performing Arts Center.

Corrections The Oklahoma Daily is committed to serving readers with accurate coverage and welcomes your comments about information that may require correction or clarification. To contact us with corrections, email us at dailynews@ou.edu.

In preparation for finals, Wagner Hall will be open

24/ 7

In a Wednesday sports story, “Oklahoma gets the horns,” Caleb Bushyhead’s name was misspelled.

In Tuesday’s editorial, “Decision needs student opinions,” the number of state funding decreases was erroneously misreported. Appropriations to OU have fallen three times in 19 years. Two other years, decreases were covered by federal funds.

2 p.m. Sunday, April 29 to p.m. Friday, May 11

Visit OUDaily.com/corrections to see an archive of our corrections

Are you on Twitter?

Stay connected with The Oklahoma Daily for campus, sports and entertainment news

@OUDaily @OUDailySports @OUDailyArts

(For your safety, Wagner Hall will be staffed during these hours)

GOOD LUCK ON FINALS!

help is just a phone call away

9

number

crisis line

1 15 VAL UE!

Wagner Hall services: quiet study rooms, equipped with whiteboards and available for reservation (call 405.325.2072) wireless service computer lab textbooks, laptops, and iPads available for hourly check-out from the Learning Center (Room 245) Writing Center walk-in hours 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Mon. - Thurs. (Room 280)

atbtanning.com

325-6963 (NYNE)

OU Number Nyne Crisis Line

8 p.m.-4 a.m. every day

except OU holidays and breaks

Grand Opening Today!

529 Buchanan Ave Campus Corner

www.chimys.com

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution.

*Some restrictions apply.

3

2

Campus

• Thursday, May 3, 2012

Campus

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

Architecture

Today around campus OU Write Club will host an open mic night from 7 to 9 p.m. at Café Plaid.

OU Juggling Club will meet from 8 to 10 p.m. in the Huston Huffman Center, Room 140.

Suessical the Musical will be performed

by OU School of Musical Theatre students at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center’s Rupel Jones Theatre.

Friday, May 4 A lecture about how American artists and critics perceived Disney animation as a new American art form will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Mary Eddy and Fred Jones Auditorium.

The softball team plays Texas at 7 p.m. at Marita Hynes Field.

A choreography and dance showcase will take place at 8 p.m. at the Reynolds Performing Arts Center.

Photo Provided

The Alvis Hotel sits on a street corner in Paul’s Valley after a fire destroyed the property. An OU professor and five students will present their proposals for remodeling the hotel at BrickFest in Paul’s Valley on Saturday.

Professor, students to present hotel plans Proposal to take place at BrickFest in Paul’s Valley An OU professor and five students will present their remodeling ideas for a Paul’s Valley landmark Saturday.

Ron Frantz and the Institute for Quality Communities’ students will

present their proposal for the Alvis Hotel during a presentation in Paul’s Valley.

The Alvis Hotel, located in Paul’s Valley endured fire damage in September 2009, according to Daily archives.

Frantz and the students have traveled to the site to examine it to help create ideas for the site’s future.

They have traveled to Paul’s

Suessical The Musical will be performed by OU School of Musical Theatre students at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center’s Rupel Jones Theatre.

Saturday, May 5 The softball team plays Texas at 2 p.m. at Marita Hynes Field.

Suessical the Musical will be performed by OU School of Musical Theatre students at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center’s Rupel Jones Theatre.

Valley, Shawnee, Oklahoma City, and Sulphur to gather a variety of ideas to choose from.

The students will work with property owners, construction companies, developers, and Main Street directors.

The Alvis Hotel will try to become registered with the National Register of Historic

Places, according to a press release. Current owners, Larry and Jenny Wallace are thinking of opening shops, restaurants, and apartments around the surrounding areas.

The BrickFest event will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at East Paul Avenue and South Santa Fe Street.

Daily staff reports

PETS: Careless owners a factor in overpopulation Continued from page 1

“I can see students being like, ‘Hey, I have some free time.

Might as well get a dog I can take to the park whenever I want to,” she said.

College-aged owners may also get frustrated because of the time it takes to train a dog, OU senior Clare Gary said.

Dogs don’t know not to have accidents or how to obey, she said.

“They have to learn like we learn,” Gary said. “They don’t just know how to be a good dog.”

“I find it very hard to walk down here,” said Kay Stout, executive director of Second Chance Animal Sanctuary in Norman.

The dogs in the kennel will never be in another shelter, and they’ll never be euthanized because there isn’t enough space to hold them. The sanctuary where they wait for a home has given them their second chance and has saved them, Stout The college pet experience said.

While some college students struggle with owning a pet, Yet millions of animals won’t get that luxury. Three to four million died this year, according to estimates by the American some take on the challenge and are easily able to balance a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, because a busy school schedule around the needs of their pet.

One of the biggest adjustments Hale made when she got shelter couldn’t accommodate them. Mostly, though, it was because their former owners couldn’t take care of them or a dog was being aware that she’d need to come home to let they were born unwanted because an owner didn’t spay or her dog out.

“I can’t just stay on campus all day long and just come neuter their parents, Stout said.

In a college town these problems are often amplified be- home in the middle of the night from the library,” Hale said. cause of inexperienced owners who don’t Gary said having a pet hasn’t been much understand the time it takes to raise an of a time commitment for her. She owns a animal. Because of this, shelters including

BY THE NUMBERS small dog, so she doesn’t have to take it for Second Change Animal Sanctuary don’t Second Chance walks, which would take a lot of her time. allow college students to adopt pets, Stout Animal Sanctuary In addition, both women have found said. that having a dog doesn’t take away much “They were wonderful (pet) owners in Animals adopted time from their studies, and if it does it isn’t September, October, November,” she said. out last year by a problem.

“Then we have them all back in May and Second Chance Animal “I already avoid work. So [having to take June.”

Sanctuary care of a dog] is just another reason to do Reasons for overpopulation that,” Hale said.

Animals that can be Stray animal overpopulation in the held in the facility Overpopulation statistics United States is so prevalent because peoPhone calls per The pet population is ever-increasing, ple don’t understand the importance of day the facility Boyer said. spaying or neutering animals, Stout said. receives from people trying Although it is impossible to determine This lack of comprehension is at the to surrender a pet the number of stray dogs and cats in the source of the overpopulation problem, vetUnited States, experts project that there are erinarian Jake Boyer said.

Source: Kay Stout, Second Chance up to 70 million stray cats living in the U.S., “For a long time we’ve tried to round up Animal Sanctuary executive director according to the American Society for the everybody that didn’t have a home and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website. adopt them,” Boyer said.

But that wasn’t working. The rescuers found they couldn’t The number of dogs is unknown.

Many of the pets received by a shelter are among the stray build shelters fast enough for the increasing pet population, population. Only about 10 percent of the animals come Boyer said All pet owners should get their pets spayed or neutered, to a shelter spayed or neutered, according to the ASPCA with the exception of pure-bred breeders, which are a small website.

A fertile cat produces one to two litters per year, ranging percentage of all owners, Stout said.

“Ninety-nine percent of [people] are pet owners just be- from four to six kittens per litter. A fertile dog produces one litter a year, with an average of four to six puppies per litter, cause we fell in love with a pet,” Stout said.

Another reason for pet overpopulation is when the owner according to the ASPCA website.

Those numbers of stray animals that are breeding condoesn’t see his or her pet as a member of the family and detribute to the five to seven million stay cats or dogs taken in cides to make life easier by giving up the pet.

“For those of us involved in animal rescue, we do love our by shelters every year. The unwanted animals in the shelchildren more than we love our dogs … but our pets can run ters become the three to four million that are euthanized a pretty close second,” Stout said. “For some people, [pets] yearly, according to the ASPCA website.

To add to the pet overpopulation problem by not spaying are simply an added benefit for the family … but they’re not or neutering an animal is irresponsible, said Stout. a part of the family.”

“If you don’t think you’re being irresponsible, just go to a For college students time is also an issue, OU sophomore Colleen Hale said, because they don’t think about how their shelter and walk down the aisle and realize how many dogs schedule will change with the semester, and they may just and cats are going to die every day because of overcrowding because you didn’t spay and neuter,” she said. get a pet on a whim.

699

80 7-10

Thursday, May 3, 2012 •

Column

I still smoke some, but cutting back has made me feel better Editor’s Note: Sam Higgins is a campus reporter who started the university-sponsored smoking cessation class four weeks ago.

He has written a column once a week to describe his first-person experiences and struggles with trying to quit smoking.

L

ife is a great thing.

Staff Columnist As recently as last week, I never would have said that. It may surprise readers who have followed at least some of my previous columns to hear that. I know it surprised my editors.

Sam Higgins There’s something Email@address people have told me, especially older people, and it’s a falsity that I feel like is being instilled into today’s troubled and tormented youth. “It gets better,” they tell me.

It can get better, but only if you get stronger.

Life itself doesn’t get better. You get stronger as life gets harder. Life is a struggle, and that’s what makes it great.

When you have to work hard and battle the odds, then — and only then — do you appreciate the genuinely good things in life. You appreciate those good things because you appreciate the hardships. You appreciate the fear.

That’s what makes you a more resilient person.

I haven’t completely quit smoking, but I have significantly reduced the frequency of my rendezvous with cigarettes, and it’s saved me money, I feel better, and that sharp stabbing pain in my chest is almost completely gone.

My dentist knows I smoke. It’s weird because I’ve been seeing the same dentist since I was a kid. Not only am I probably the only patient he has who smokes, I’m also probably the only patient who shaves his belly hair. Ladies?

When I think about the best times in my life, I think about some of the hardest times. I think about my freshman year of high school. It was so real. It was so rebellious.

It was so Linkin Park, blame-your-parents stupid.

It was the plight of being that awkward, sexually frustrated and naïve kid that gave me the life lessons to propel me into being the awkward, sexually frustrated and naïve man.

I turn 24 this week, and I know that in another 24 years, I will look back on the awkwardness, frustration and selfconsciousness of these days with fondness. I’ll remember the faces of the first friends I made here. I’ll remember most of their faces. OK, I’ll remember like six of their faces.

I’ll remember the summer I quit smoking and how pissed off I was — about nothing.

Sam Higgins is a journalism junior and a campus reporter for The Daily.

Sunday, May 6 Suessical the Musical will be performed by OU School of Musical Theatre students at 3 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center’s Rupel Jones Theatre.

STUDY AT WAGNER

A memorial celebration of the life of Miguel Terekhov, hosted by the OU School of Dance, will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Reynolds Performing Arts Center.

Corrections The Oklahoma Daily is committed to serving readers with accurate coverage and welcomes your comments about information that may require correction or clarification. To contact us with corrections, email us at dailynews@ou.edu.

In preparation for finals, Wagner Hall will be open

24/ 7

In a Wednesday sports story, “Oklahoma gets the horns,” Caleb Bushyhead’s name was misspelled.

In Tuesday’s editorial, “Decision needs student opinions,” the number of state funding decreases was erroneously misreported. Appropriations to OU have fallen three times in 19 years. Two other years, decreases were covered by federal funds.

2 p.m. Sunday, April 29 to p.m. Friday, May 11

Visit OUDaily.com/corrections to see an archive of our corrections

Are you on Twitter?

Stay connected with The Oklahoma Daily for campus, sports and entertainment news

@OUDaily @OUDailySports @OUDailyArts

(For your safety, Wagner Hall will be staffed during these hours)

GOOD LUCK ON FINALS!

help is just a phone call away

9

number

crisis line

1 15 VAL UE!

Wagner Hall services: quiet study rooms, equipped with whiteboards and available for reservation (call 405.325.2072) wireless service computer lab textbooks, laptops, and iPads available for hourly check-out from the Learning Center (Room 245) Writing Center walk-in hours 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Mon. - Thurs. (Room 280)

atbtanning.com

325-6963 (NYNE)

OU Number Nyne Crisis Line

8 p.m.-4 a.m. every day

except OU holidays and breaks

Grand Opening Today!

529 Buchanan Ave Campus Corner

www.chimys.com

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution.

*Some restrictions apply.

3

4

Reader comment on OUDaily.com ››

• Thursday, May 3, 2012

“The fact is that they are not equal to regular students; its politically incorrect, but it is the truth. More is expected of them and they return more to the University. They have to pass their classes, practice every day, and travel for games and tournaments.” (ThatGuyWithTheFace, RE: ‘GUEST COLUMN: Student-athletes undeserving of added benefits’)

OPINION EDITORIAL

It’s time to get angry about the lack of state higher ed support so quickly and substantially outpaced by OU’s budget.

We stand by our position: The university must With the economic and political situation as it find ways to cut anything else before they pile furis in Oklahoma, it’s easy to get pessimistic about ther cuts on academic departments. Anything not the possibility of change. That’s what we did in integrally connected to the academic mission of Tuesday’s editorial about likely tuition increases. this university is, in some senses, an extra.

After seeing more than a decade of lukewarm — Having world class dining facilities and services, and sometimes antagonistic — reception of high- for example, is a great boon to OU, but it doesn’t er education from the state Legislature, we simply contribute to students’ education. It’s not that accepted the situation would not change. these “extra” areas aren’t important, it’s that we’ve Because of this — and because we have adreached the time for difficult decisions. We have dressed the Legislature in the past — we focused to prioritize academic departments and course ofon the role of the administration, and President ferings above all else — even if these decisions are David Boren in particular. But let’s not forget the unpopular, and even if they result in lost jobs.

Legislature also plays a central role in Pay freezes and hiring freezes are not higher education funding. Dealing with enough.

And continually requiring small, The Our View this problem will require work from both across-the-board cuts to academic deis the majority sides, and it will require that Oklahomans partments is no longer acceptable. OU opinion of The Daily’s not give up hope for change. has cut all it can from academics without nine-member With Gov. Mary Fallin proposing deep sacrificing the excellence of its education. editorial board tax reductions leading up to the possible In the end, though, if the current irreelimination of the income tax, it’s clear sponsible push toward drastic revenue officials are moving to make public services like decreases continues in the Legislature and higher higher education a last priority. Their dismissive education continues to be a last priority, it won’t remarks show a clear disregard for challenges fac- matter what creative solutions OU comes up with ing institutions like OU. or what difficult decisions the administration This situation isn’t new, but it seems to be com- makes. Boren frequently asks a good question: At ing to a head in a surprisingly quiet way. With what point in the falling appropriations is OU no OU facing yet another year of potential tuition longer a public institution? increases and funding cuts across departments, If the Legislature fails to change its tune on it’s clear that a plan is needed for the future. But higher education funding, OU will be left with two the average Oklahoman doesn’t seem to underoptions: It can slide backward and compromise stand the drastic stakes in this debate. Where are on the quality of its education and the breadth of Oklahomans’ voices? its offerings, or it can become essentially a private None of this absolves the university of its reinstitution, with private institution prices. sponsibility in dealing with this situation responNeither of these options is acceptable. sibly from its end.

Students, faculty and Oklahomans, where is the Though state allocations have fallen three times outrage? Where are the clarion calls for the prosince Boren took office in 1994, and those cuts tection of Oklahoma’s education? For the only have been significant, we can’t ignore the overhope of progress and leadership and capable citiall upward trend. State appropriations have risen zens? For the future? nearly $90 million from the 1994 appropriations.

It is recklessly irresponsible for politicians to That’s about 37 percent. But the university’s bud- continue to call for tax decreases when the state get rose $530 million, or 65 percent. cannot even afford to fund its first-class educaAnd that’s the real problem. State appropriational institutions. tions have fallen as a percentage of OU’s operating Investment in higher education is an investment budget, from 53 percent in 1994 to 29 percent in in economic growth, cultural progress and the 2012. state’s future. Oklahomans must stand up and deOf course, OU is a completely different univermand their tax dollars go to something other than sity than it was when Boren first took office. The pointless abortion restrictions and gambling with academic standards — along with the graduation generous tax breaks to companies. rate — have risen sharply, and many incredibly It’s time to contact your representatives. It’s time beneficial programs (such as the Honors college) for rallies and petitions and social media camhave been added under Boren’s leadership. When paigns. It’s time to make sure every Oklahoman we add that to the increase in fixed costs like knows about the importance of higher education health care, some substantial increase in the uni- and what their Legislature is doing to spurn it. versity’s budget is understandable.

More than that, it’s time to get angry and to use But we also can understand why legislators that anger to defend the future of the Sooner state. have expressed discontentment when their appropriations, even when they increase them, are Comment on this at OUDaily.com Our View: It’s time to call out the Legislature for their stance on higher education.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

OU must fix social injustice through education Editor’s Note: This letter is in response to the April 12 editorial, “Sooners must learn social justice.”

On April 12, The Daily reported the sad news that the Women’s and Gender Studies program faces significant funding decreases.

This sad news caused me to reflect on my experiences at OU. In 1969, I joined a department that had no women faculty members. The Women and Gender’s Studies program didn’t exist.

Thank goodness, times are better today, because that department now has nine female faculty of its 25 members. This transition during the last 40 years in my department and OU in general has brought me great pleasure. It has been a gradual transition to a place where social justice is not perfect, but it certainly is better than when I arrived at OU, and the transition continues.

Recognizing the positive transition that has occurred at OU prompts one to ask several questions. How far into the state does OU’s transition reach?

How does the level of social justice on campus compare to Oklahoma social justice in general? Is the OU campus the norm for the state, or is it an oasis in a desert of despair?

A quick look at the status of women in our state helps to answer these questions. Oklahoma has the unfortunate distinction of leading the nation and the world in the rate of women’s incarceration. This has been the case for 16 of the last 17 years.

The deplorable status of women in Oklahoma does not stop with incarceration. Unfortunately on the national scale, our state has ranked in recent years: first in child abuse, fourth in divorce rate, sixth in teen births, ninth in women murdered by men, 41st in women’s employment and earnings, 42nd in women’s overall health

and 47th in women without health insurance.

Do these numbers suggest this is the time for the state’s flagship university to reduce funding for the Women’s and Gender Studies program? Or do these numbers say the proper thing to do is double or triple the Women’s and Gender Studies funding and change it from a program to an institute with the intention of making it the world’s leader in the field of women’s advancement?

Create and build the world’s leading institute in the middle of the social injustice laboratory that already exists in Oklahoma.

Please let your voices be heard on the issue of funding for all OU programs that strive to correct the social injustice issues of this state, this nation and the world.

John Fletcher, professor emeritus in botany and microbiology

?

» Poll question of the day Do you think OU’s student-athletes receive an adequate amount of benefits?

To cast your vote, log on to COLUMN

Student-athlete lifestyle not all that glamorous Editor’s Note: This column is in response to a Wednesday guest column, “Student-athletes undeserving of added benefits,” by Lauren Hall.

B

eing a studentOPINION COLUMNIST athlete is nowhere near the cake walk it appears to be.

Coming to college, students are generally excited about the freedom they will receive and the opportunity to try things Kimm Johnson they never have been able kimm.johnson@ou.edu to do. Sleeping in, eating whatever you want and having friends over at will are a few things these fresh-outof-high-school students are looking forward to.

Student-athletes are led to believe they will get a similar lifestyle. But this is not the case.

Although I am not an athlete, I lived with several during my freshman year as a result of being placed in the Sooner Housing Center — commonly known as the athletic dorms. Whenever the conversation came up about where I was staying, most of my peers shot me a confused look and continued talking about how much they loved Walker Center.

Conversations would ensue about close encounters with their resident adviser almost catching them with alcohol or a member of the opposite sex in their room past curfew. I’d hear qualms about how they had too many meal exchanges to use in one week or how they cleaned out their points in the first two weeks of school because they did not under“You can’t really stand their meal plan. compare what During my stay in the you go through in Sooner Housing Center, curfews were more strict than college to what living with my parents. In my they go through. building, there was one way It isn’t better or in and one way out, and it was guarded from 7 p.m. to 5 worse for the a.m. every day. If you wanted collegiate athletes, members of the opposite sex but it is different.” to come visit, they could only come between 7 p.m. to midnight or 1 a.m., depending on the day of the week. When friends came to visit, they had to surrender their ID card to the person working the desk so housing officials would know who was in your room at all times.

Unlike the other dorms, to exit the building, you had to swipe your ID card or you would set off an alarm. After forgetting my ID a few times, I asked one of the desk assistants why we had to do that. Coaches wanted to check when their athletes entered and exited the building. Sometimes coaches gave their athletes special curfews, so they could find out if the athletes were abiding by them. There also are people who are paid to go around to classes of studentathletes to make sure they’re going to class.

As for the food situation, NCAA guidelines dictate athletes have to eat a certain way too. Instead of eating at Cate Center, Crossroads Restaurant or Couch Restaurants, the athletic dorms come with its own eatery. While I hear rumors constantly about how good the athletic dorm food is, I have to say it’s really not all that different. Yet, studentathletes are required to eat there and only there unless they have a friend in the other dorms who will get them into the Couch Restaurants. This greatly stifles the amount of other freshmen these students get to meet.

Besides the fact that the social scene is about 300 people verses upward of 4,000 in the other dorms, the lifestyle of a student-athlete is different than of what we lovingly called “normal students.” That’s because the majority of athletes were up and working out by at least 6 a.m. every day. At first, this may not seem like a big deal, but it cut into the time that other people were hanging out.

I don’t say all of this to say college sucks for studentathletes. They still get a lot of help on their school work.

The staff in the athletic dorms, although strict, was about as close to a family as you could get. And they do have their schooling paid for.

But most people forget these things come at a price.

While athletes may not deserve getting a new car or a fancy apartment, you have things they don’t.

All in all, you can’t really compare what you go through in college to what they go through. It isn’t better or worse for the collegiate athletes, but it is different. They work hard for what they have. Just remember, the lifestyle is not as glamorous as it may seem.

Kimm Johnson is an environmental design and professional writing senior.

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Campus

Thursday, May 3, 2012 •

5

Bowl: Unsold tickets affected by prices, location Packages: Healthy Continued from page 1 snack on time crunch expense records. For the 2011 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, OU absorbed 1,530 tickets at the expense of $337,080.

OU senior associate athletic director Kenny Mossman chalked the decrease in the number of unsold tickets up to less expensive ticket prices, compared with the previous year’s bowl game. Tickets for the Insight Bowl ranged from $25 to $85.

“To me, the tickets unsold are a cost of doing business against a much larger financial landscape where there are much larger dollars in corporate sponsorship and television money,” he said.

During the past five years, OU has absorbed $871,310 in unsold tickets, an average of $174,262 a season, according to records. The conference absorbed approximately $2.8 million in five years from OU bowl games, half of which came from the 2011 Fiesta Bowl game against the University of Connecticut.

The Big 12 negotiates bowl contracts, and in those contracts it agrees to sell any tickets universities can’t, Mossman said.

“Here’s the ticket responsibility,” Mossman said. “If the school can’t meet that responsibility, the conference provides a safety net so the school isn’t burdened unnecessarily.”

The conference agrees to absorb the costs because of the benefits to the universities for participating, said Bob Burda, associate commissioner of communications for the Big 12.

“The philosophy of our member institutions is that the bowl experience is a valuable experience for student athletes, coaches and member institutions, and participating in a bowl should not

Continued from page 1

NAME NAME/ORGANIZATION

OU’s football team accepts the Insight Bowl trophy. Both OU and the Big 12 absorbed fewer dollars this year in unsold tickets, according to official records.

necessarily result in lost revenue for the institution,” Burda said.

The Fiesta Bowl more than tripled this season’s costs for the conference with $1.8 million absorbed from 10,403 unsold tickets, according to documents. For the three bowl games prior to the 2011 Fiesta Bowl, the Big 12 absorbed more than 3,000 tickets for any one game. In the 2009 Bowl Championship Series game, the Big 12 didn’t incur any costs from unsold tickets, according to postseason bowl expense documents.

Mossman called the 2011 number of absorbed tickets an “anomaly figure.” He said the number of unsold tickets can be affected by ticket prices, opponent and location.

“We’d been to Phoenix numerous times for a game in recent years, so getting fans to make a return trip is going to be a little bit of a challenge,” Mossman said. “Then, it was not a game that had National Championship implications,

and frankly, we played an opponent (Connecticut) there that our fans didn’t find particularly interesting.”

The Big 12 absorbs the costs and gives the school an allowance from tickets sold to cover transport of the team, band, cheerleaders, official party and pay for meals and lodging, associate athletics director Luther Lee said.

The allowance for the Insight Bowl has not been released, but OU received about a $1.85 million allowance from the Big 12 for the 2011 Fiesta Bowl.

“Every dollar from that game goes to the Big 12,” Mossman said. “That game was about $14 million that went to them, then they take that money and divvy it up among conference members.”

All of the funds made off of Big 12 bowl games are then redistributed amongst the schools in the Big 12 in the form of bowl payouts, Mossman said.

The bowl payouts following the bowl games vary based on what game a team plays in and the tier of a team’s opponent in the game, Burda said.

“Not all bowls are equal,” Burda said. “Very similar to opponents, not all opponents are equal.”

The bowl payout document for the 2011 to 2012 season will not be released until summer, but the payout for playing in the Insight bowl last year was $145,779, according to last year’s bowl payout document. ”The average ticket for the Insight Bowl was less than half of the cost of the Fiesta Bowl, so that’s not going to be an apples-to apples-comparison,” Mossman said.

The Big 12 made about $14 million from the 2011 Fiesta Bowl from television time and sponsorships, Mossman said. OU then made about $1.4 million in the Big 12 bowl payout for the 2011 season’s Fiesta Bowl, according to the bowl payout document.

she said. “[The packages are] a nice way for their parents to get in touch with them at the end of the semester and reassure them, let them know that they’re proud of them and that they’ll get through this week as traumatic as it seems,” Kallmann said.

University College freshman Tre Gissandaner said he plans to eat the food in his care package during breakfast before his 8 a.m. finals. Because his finals are so early, he doesn’t know if he will have time to eat before them and also get enough sleep, he said.

“I usually like to sleep as much as I can, so that will help,” Gissandaner said.

University College freshman Kate Le said she is thankful for the fruit in her care package.

“It’s really nice of my mom,” Le said. “I like fruit, and she knows me enough. ... It helps to have a little boost here and there.”

Eating healthy food during finals is a way to do better on tests, she said.

“It’ll make me feel healthy because I know that if you’re feeling unhealthy and crappy you’re not going to do well on a test,” Le said.

The care packages come from On Campus Marketing, an outside company. The company sends letters asking the parents of all students living in the residence halls if they’d like to buy a care package, Kallmann said.

The Housing Center Student Association gets a portion of the funds obtained from the company selling the care packages, and uses them as a fundraiser so the group can go to leadership conferences, she said.

The group does not yet know how much money it raised this year but in the past has received $4,000 to $5,000, Kallmann said.

Erika Philbrick/The Daily

Paige Abernathy (left), letters sophomore and Housing Center Student Association member, hands Darren Tillman his care package Wednesday. The packages are filled with fruit, candies and toys to promote a healthy and sucessful finals week for students.

Housing: Coalition discussed all of its concerns in meeting with Boren Continued from page 1 March 7 proposal. However, the grouped proposed a compromise by making the existing upperclassmen coed floor in Adams Center more integrative with coed suites, Cunningham said. Currently, men and women can live in the same hallway but cannot be roommates or suitemates.

The group also proposed a plan to phase freshman into the upperclassmen coed floor and to train resident advisers better, Cunningham said.

When students are harassed, it isn’t usually by their roommates but by other students in their hallway, women’s and gender studies

“You can’t convince me that whatever way gender-neutral housing goes can affect the negative trend in the state Legislature toward higher education.”

Elizabeth Rucker, coalition member

senior Katie Knutter said. Often, students are afraid to go to their advisers because they’re afraid it will make the situation worse.

It is important to understand that gender-neutral housing is primarily focusing on the safety and acceptance of students, Cunningham said. Boren told members at

the March 26 meeting that nothing concrete will be decided until June, she said.

A concern keeping Boren from implementing the plan is OU’s budget, Knutter said.

“You can’t convince me that whatever way gender-neutral housing goes can affect the negative trend in the state Legislature toward higher education,” said Elizabeth Rucker international studies and interdisciplinary perspectives on the environment senior.

The coalition said it was able to discuss all of its concerns with Boren. Members came in with high spirits after they had been mentioned in the national publication “Jezebel” about the issue and because Texas schools are debating the issue now as well.

“Gender neutral housing is still incredibly

important, and people should be and will be continuing to work toward that ultimate goal” Rucker said.

Boren kept the meeting private because he said he wanted to encourage a candid discussion with the coalition, OU spokesman Michael Nash said in an email. He was not required legally to hold an open meeting on the issue because no action was taken.

Editor’s Note: Opinion editor Mary Stanfield attended the meeting as a representative of the OU Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender group, not in any capacity with The Daily.

Stanfield did not have any role in the reporting of this story. Elizabeth Rucker is an opinion columnist.

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Spring Specials

HOROSCOPE

By Bernice Bede Osol

Copyright 2012, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2012 A secret hope or desire can be fulfilled in the year ahead by making it your primary objective. Keep it in the front of your mind, regardless of what else you have going on, and you’ll have a good chance of realizing your dream.

$445 $515 $440 $510 $700

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Be careful about unthinkingly getting involved in a complicated project before you truly know all the facts.

It behooves you to thoroughly check things out.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- If you’re unable to do so yourself, it might be wise to have somebody you trust keep an eye on your spending.

This isn’t likely to be one of your better days for managing funds.

Previous Solution

Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard

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.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- The only way you’re going to be productive is to make a schedule and stick to it. Tasks or projects that you leave until the last minute aren’t likely to get accomplished.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- You have great self-discipline when you choose to exercise it, and it behooves you to do so when it comes to certain things you know you should not eat or drink. Don’t overindulge.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Be on your toes when it comes to someone in your social group who is looking for another to pay his or her way. If you’re not careful, she or he is likely to take advantage of your generous nature.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) --Because you’re usually the one who is a step ahead of everybody else, you

might think you can let your guard down. The moment you do, however, someone will shoot out in front of you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- You’re usually smart enough not to believe everything you hear, but you could easily be snookered based on some very colorful information that is the product of another’s vivid imagination.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) --Be mindful of the risks involved if you find yourself tempted to impulsively make a financial investment on something just because it sounds intriguing. Check it out first.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) --You’ll be much more popular if you take the emphasis off of your own desires and make an effort to go along with what others want. Be a joiner.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) --Although our hunches can sometimes provide us with things our logic overlooks, don’t think this is the case for you just because you want it to be true. Use common sense.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) --Think carefully before involving yourself in a joint venture being formed for either a commercial or social purpose. Know what you’re getting yourself into.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- If some kind of an agreement you made hasn’t lived up to what you expected, get in touch with the others involved to see if they feel the same way. Make whatever adjustments you can.

Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker May 3, 2012 ACROSS 1 Expire, as an insurance policy 6 Tiny bit of liquid 10 Be sulky 14 With the mouth wide open in shock 15 100-cent unit, on the continent 16 Black, poetically 17 Coffee-shop freebie 18 Monopoly card 20 “High School Musical� extra 21 Affleck and Kingsley 22 Essential things 23 Blade holder 25 Road map units 26 Far away from one’s usual surroundings 28 If-possible connector 30 “Beaches� co-star 31 “Halloween ___� (1982 movie) 32 Topmost position 36 Baby newt 37 Library prop?

40 “... ___ the fields we go ...�

41 Slangy negatives 43 Solitaire quorum 44 One of the Baltic States

5/3

46 Lousy car 48 1896 Olympic Games site 49 London apartments 51 Look villainously 52 Tuscany tourist town 53 Crossword constructor’s “map�

55 Awestruck 58 Drama essentials 60 “Even so�

61 Adolescent’s outbreak 62 “Anti-art� movement 63 Home on a height 64 Cousin of the herring 65 Missing, to MPs 66 Acrylic fiber brand DOWN 1 “Save the ___ dance for me�

2 Fever and chills 3 Website designer’s specification 4 Droopy-eared canine 5 Musket add-on?

6 Block the path of 7 Totally destroy 8 Bits of leftovers 9 Capitol Hill figure, briefly 10 Lower half of the brainstem 11 Beyond husky

12 Some open mic performers 13 Airs the final episode of 19 Actor Jannings 21 Sleeping places 24 Ancient Roman commoner 25 The lower 48, to a Hawaiian 26 Worshiper’s “So be it!�

27 World soccer org.

28 “American Idol� contestant Clay 29 Item in pop’s closet 33 Makeup brand 34 Lo ___ (Chinese noodles) 35 Historical divisions 38 Bed-in

participant Yoko 39 Certain charity auction prize 42 Having a bias 45 Place of entertainment 47 Abbr. after a list of authors’ names 49 Steal 50 Former hotelier Helmsley 51 Plant fiber used for making rope 52 Mudbath offerers 53 Be a busy beaver 54 Change the decor of 56 Grab bags 57 Country crooner Campbell 59 “Apple cider� gal 60 ___ Paulo, Brazil

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

5/2

Š 2012 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

READ ALL ABOUT IT By Alice Walker

Thursday, May 3, 2012 •

SPORTS

7

OUDaily.com ›› Junior backup center for the Oklahoma football team, Austin Woods, started treatment Monday for his battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

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

Softball

Sooners to battle Texas for Big 12 control With only six regular season games left, Oklahoma looks to clinch conference title Tobi Neidy

Sports Reporter

With the Texas series scheduled this weekend, the OU softball team is in the driver’s seat of the Big 12 — and that’s exactly where the Sooners say they wanted to be at this point.

OU coach Patty Gasso said the team often has talked about being in this position. “We’re not going to hope that other teams beat other teams,� Gasso said. “We’re going to win this ourselves.�

With a 14-4 Big 12 record, the Sooners hold the conference’s top-honors edge over the second-place Longhorns, who they host this weekend.

After capturing eight previous Big 12 titles, the team understands how important standings and seedings are this time of year.

Oklahoma also has a reason to end up at the top of the Big 12 standings this year: to prove preseason voters wrong.

OU’s three-year streak as the preseason conference front-runner ended this season when Missouri took the spot as the Big 12’s favorite to win the conference championship. The Sooners earned 56 overall points — Missouri finished with 59 — to take the second runner-up spot in the standings despite earning the most first place votes.

But the Sooners stepped up to the plate when it Astrud Reed/The Daily counted, taking the overall Junior left-handed pitcher, Keilani Ricketts, fires a strike in the Sooners’ 8-0 shutout win against Kansas series from the Tigers with on March 30 in Norman. Going into the weekend matchup with Texas, the second-ranked team in the con- two wins almost two weeks ago at Marita Hynes Field. ference, Oklahoma is in the Big 12 driver’s seat with a 14-4 record in Big 12 play.

“We needed to win two of the three games against a team like Missouri in order to put ourselves in a good position to win the Big 12 championship,� Gasso said. “I’ve worked these guys hard, but we want to be in control and not wait for teams to beat other teams.�

Now, the Sooners need to ride that momentum going into the key matchup against the Longhorns.

With five Big 12 teams represented in the national top 25 rankings and no Big 12 tournament this season, six victories to wrap up the regular season would earn the Sooners an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

Texas has power behind its bats, led most recently by junior Taylor Hoagland on the mound in the 2-1 series win over Texas A&M last weekend. The Flower Mound native swung for a .625 series average that saw three home runs with four RBIs to lead the team. Her performances earned her co-Big 12 Player of the Week honors.

But O U junior hurler Keilani Ricketts and the rest of the Oklahoma defense will be the difference in the series against the Longhorns.

For the sixth time in 13 w eeks, Ricketts earned Pitcher of the Week honors Tuesday after leading the Sooners to a pair of wins over Oklahoma State and Central Arkansas last week. She held opponents to a .128 batting average, allowing just five hits while slinging chairs to 20 batters in 11 complete

AT A GLANCE Softball schedule Friday vs. Texas Saturday vs. Texas Sunday vs. Texas May 11 at Iowa State May 12 at Iowa State May 13 at Iowa State Bold games are in Norman

innings of work.

Ricketts is the only Sooner to earn that many honors in a single season and joins former Texas pitcher Cat Osterman and current ace Chelsea Thomas as the only Big 12 pitchers to earn more than 10 career weekly awards.

And as one of the 25 finalists to win the National Player of the Year award, there is little doubt that Ricketts is a essential piece to OU’s success.

The Sooners finish best when their ace is at her best, but OU has room to improve on defense with the postseason approaching. Currently, the Sooner defense is ranked fifth in the nine-team league with 36 errors this season.

But Ricketts can’t be the only line of Sooner defense, Gasso said. “All Keilani can do is handle what she can handle,�

Gasso said. “She can’t force people to make plays behind her.�

OU took some practice time to clean up its defense after taking a brief departure from Big 12 play last weekend. “We don’t get a lot of practice days,� Gasso said. “But when we do get them, we make the most of it.�

8

Sports

• Thursday, May 3, 2012

NBA

Column

Brooks says team is ‘locked in’ as series moves to Dallas

OU track team set for plenty of postseason success

OKC clinging to 2-0 lead DALL AS (AP) — That young up-and-coming Oklahoma City team that made things so difficult on the Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs last year may not even let the defending NBA champions get out of the first round this time.

Even though Kevin Durant has struggled with his shot, and each of the first two games in this openinground series has gone down to the closing seconds, the Thunder certainly aren’t in awe of Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks. “We’ve played very well the first two games, but we come away empty because we just haven’t been able to make one extra play,� Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said.

In last year ’s Western Conference finals, Dallas needed only five games to get past the Thunder’s group of 20-somethings.

This time, the Thunder won the series opener on a clutch shot by Durant and held on to win Game 2 despite not making a field goal in the final 4:51. They were tough, they were physical and they’re growing up in a hurry.

So what happened to that Oklahoma City team that some viewed as soft before? “I don’t think we were ever soft,� Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. “The last two games, I like the fact that we just clawed and battled and fought our way. Maturity helps, and you do it one day at a time.�

Russell Westbrook is averaging 28.5 points per game in the playoffs for Oklahoma City, helping make up for

W

sue ogrocki/associated press

Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant elevates to hit a jump shot over Dallas Maverick forward Shawn Marion during the first quarter of Game 1 in the first-round NBA playoff series between the two teams.

Marion’s stiff defense has helped the Mavericks hold Durant to 15-44 shooting.

fellow All-Star Durant’s 15of-44 shooting so far that isn’t even that big of a concern since Oklahoma City has won both games. “That’s what it’s all about.

That’s why I’m a winner.

That’s what I want to be labeled as, a guy that wins games,� Durant said. “I know I’m not shooting the ball well but I’m just trying to do other things. I can’t dwell on the last two games. I’ve just got to move on. Move on. We’ll

see what happens in the next game.�

Dallas had an extended practice session Wednesday after taking off the previous day. The Thunder worked out again at home before traveling.

Brooks said his team had a good film session and practice Wednesday. He said guys were “locked in� while talking about areas they want to improve in moving ahead in the series.

Something that won’t change for the Thunder is running the offense through Durant. “He’s getting good looks,�

Brooks said. “It seems like he’s missing the open ones and making some of the contested ones. Hopefully he can make the open ones.

But he’s fine. Kevin’s a terrific player that works hard and works on his game. He’s working on his game as we speak.�

sports briefs

May 3-6 Thursday, May 3 FREE Massages | 1 p.m. in Crossroads Lounge. Take a study break and de-stress with a FREE massage, brought to you by the Union Programming Board.

Seussical the Musical | 8 p.m. in the Rupel J. Jones Theatre. This is the last week the show will be showing. Tickets are $15 for students. Contact the OU Fine Arts box office at (405) 325-4101 for additional information.

Friday, May 4 Thoroughly Modern Mickey: American Art and the Animation of Walt Disney Studios | 6 p.m. in the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. Dr. Mark White, Eugene B. Adkins Curator, will discuss how American artists and critics perceived Disney animations as a new art form.

FREE Movie: “The Vow� | 6, 9 p.m. and midnight in Meacham Auditorium. Presented by the Union Programming Board and the Campus Activities Council.

OU Softball: OU vs. Texas | 7 p.m. at the Marita Hynes Field.

Think Pink! FREE admission for students with a valid OU I.D. Visit soonersports.com for more information.

Seussical the Musical | 8 p.m. in the Rupel J. Jones Theatre. This is the last week the show will be showing. Tickets are $15 for students. Contact the OU Fine Arts box office at (405) 325-4101 for additional information.

Saturday, May 5 FREE Movie: “The Vow� | 1 p.m. in Meacham Auditorium.

Presented by the Union Programming Board and the Campus Activities Council.

Men’s Tennis

Football

Team looking forward to NCAA Championships

Student season tickets for 2012 season on sale now

After winning its first-ever Big 12 title, the No. 10 OU men’s tennis team was selected to host one of the 16 NCAA Regionals.

OU will host its third regional in as many years. Coach John Roddick knows that it will be a tough journey but is excited to be hosting the event again. “We know it is going to be a tough road, but we are excited about the opportunity, Roddick said. “We have momentum following Big 12s and hope that carries over into regionals.�

In last year’s regional, OU made an early exit, falling to Tulsa in the opening round.

No. 20 Tulsa returns in this year’s regional, along with No. 33 Minnesota and Missouri-Kansas City.

The Sooners draw Summit League Champions UMKC in the first-round matchup at 2 p.m. Friday, May 11 at Headington Family Tennis Center.

Tulsa and Minnesota will play at 11:00 a.m., with the two winners matching up at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 12.

Student season tickets for the 2012 Sooner football season are currently on sale to anyone enrolled at OU who will be a full-time student in the fall 2012 semester.

Season tickets for students this season are $175 each with all charges being made to students’ bursar accounts, and there is a non-refundable $15 processing fee for all orders made.

Only full-time students, those enrolled in at least 12 hours of undergraduate courses or nine hours of graduate school, will be eligible to purchase student tickets.

In addition to purchasing season tickets for $175 a piece, students have another option this year — OU’s new Student Combo Pack.

With the combo pack, OU students receive access to not only every football game, but also every home men’s basketball game during the 2012 season. The package deal would cost students $20 extra at a price of $199 for the entire year.

Daily staff reports

OU Softball: OU vs. Texas | 2 p.m. at the Marita Hynes Field. FREE admission for students with a valid OU I.D. Visit soonersports.com for more information.

Seussical the Musical | 8 p.m. in the Rupel J. Jones Theatre. This is the last week the show will be showing. Tickets are $15 for students. Contact the OU Fine Arts box office at (405) 325-4101 for additional information.

Be

Paint Your Own Pottery & Glass Fusing (405) 307-9971 bewildforart.com

Sunday, May 6 OU Softball: OU vs. Texas | Noon at the Marita Hynes Field. FREE admission for students with a valid OU I.D. Visit soonersports.com for more information.

Check out the newest and greenest apartments in Norman

t UI "WF /8 4VJUF /PSNBO 0,

Seussical the Musical | 3 p.m. in the Rupel J. Jones Theatre. This is the last week the show will be showing. Tickets are $15 for students. Contact the OU Fine Arts box office at (405) 325-4101 for additional information.

This University in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, age, religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid and educational services. For accommodations on the basis of disability, please contact the sponsoring department of any program or event.

Monnett Place at 715 Monnet

3 Bed/ 3 Bath All bills paid except electric 405-329-4910

Leasing Now!

Great Home Cooking You’ve Been Missing!

Open Tues-Sat 11am-8pm 100 S. Main Street Noble, OK 405.872.0303 kendallsrestaurant.com

ith just one Sports columnist meet remaining before the conclusion of the track and field outdoor regular season, the OU men and women’s teams held on to their top-25 rankings and look to be in prime Greg Fewell position to do big things greg_f@ou.edu at the upcoming Big 12 championships.

The men’s team slipped slightly in the rankings but still hold a solid standing at the No. 20 spot. The women, meanwhile, stayed put at No. 15 after a very impressive month.

Tia Brooks again extended her program record in the women’s shot put with a new national-best mark at the Drake Relays on April 25. The new record mark of 60-7.25 is the second best by an American this year and ninth best in the world.

In addition to Brooks, Brittany Borman continued her recent success by overtaking the No. 1 spot in the javelin throw after winning the event at the Sun Angel Classic, Borman is ranked sixth on the Unites States alltime outdoor list.

The throwers will definitely be the anchor to the women’s team if it hopes to make a run at a conference outdoor championship. However, for the men’s team, it is the distance squad that will need to make sure the Sooners stay in contention.

The men’s distance team, especially seniors George Alex and Eric Harasyn; juniors Bill Kogel, Frezer Legesse and Riley Masters, has paced the Oklahoma men all season, continuously putting up top-10 UP NEXT finishes.

The standout meet was Arkansas Twilight the Stanford Invitational on When: all day Friday April 6. Kogel made history with his sixth-place finish Where: Fayetteville, Ark. in the men’s 10,000-meter run. He topped every collegiate athlete at the event and ran a collegiate-best 28 minutes, 39.54 seconds, easily topping the previous program record. Alex also made history by lowering his own program record in the men’s 5,000-meter run to 13:35.27, good enough for the 10th fastest time in the nation this year.

These consistent performers will need to be at their peak to give OU a chance at two Big 12 championships.

However, everyone on the team, not just the bigger names, will have to step up. After all, the Sooners will be facing some of the best competition in the nation.

On the men’s side of things, Texas A&M is ranked No. 2, Texas Tech is sitting at No. 10, Texas is No. 12, and the Kansas Jayhawks round out the ranked Big 12 teams at No. 23.

Meanwhile, the women don’t have it any easier. The Longhorns are No. 1 in the country after overtaking Clemson this week, Kansas and A&M are just behind at No. 5 and 6, respectively, and Tech is ranked No. 9.

Baylor and Kansas State also are right on OU’s heels at No. 22 and 25, respectively.

The Sooners have been a national power since the beginning of the year and have only improved, both in the rankings and their performances as the year has gone on.

However, the part of the season that really matters is rapidly approaching, and none of the rest of the season will matter after that. The team has one last competition, the Arkansas Twilight on Friday in Fayetteville before gearing up for the Big 12 Championships on May 11.

So far, the Sooners have performed well and surprised many. But the next two weeks could determine what kind of team Oklahoma will be when it shoots for a national title later this month.

Greg Fewell is a journalism senior and the sports editor of The Daily.

Thursday, May 3, 2012 •

SPORTS

7

OUDaily.com ›› Junior backup center for the Oklahoma football team, Austin Woods, started treatment Monday for his battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

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

Softball

Sooners to battle Texas for Big 12 control With only six regular season games left, Oklahoma looks to clinch conference title Tobi Neidy

Sports Reporter

With the Texas series scheduled this weekend, the OU softball team is in the driver’s seat of the Big 12 — and that’s exactly where the Sooners say they wanted to be at this point.

OU coach Patty Gasso said the team often has talked about being in this position. “We’re not going to hope that other teams beat other teams,� Gasso said. “We’re going to win this ourselves.�

With a 14-4 Big 12 record, the Sooners hold the conference’s top-honors edge over the second-place Longhorns, who they host this weekend.

After capturing eight previous Big 12 titles, the team understands how important standings and seedings are this time of year.

Oklahoma also has a reason to end up at the top of the Big 12 standings this year: to prove preseason voters wrong.

OU’s three-year streak as the preseason conference front-runner ended this season when Missouri took the spot as the Big 12’s favorite to win the conference championship. The Sooners earned 56 overall points — Missouri finished with 59 — to take the second runner-up spot in the standings despite earning the most first place votes.

But the Sooners stepped up to the plate when it Astrud Reed/The Daily counted, taking the overall Junior left-handed pitcher, Keilani Ricketts, fires a strike in the Sooners’ 8-0 shutout win against Kansas series from the Tigers with on March 30 in Norman. Going into the weekend matchup with Texas, the second-ranked team in the con- two wins almost two weeks ago at Marita Hynes Field. ference, Oklahoma is in the Big 12 driver’s seat with a 14-4 record in Big 12 play.

“We needed to win two of the three games against a team like Missouri in order to put ourselves in a good position to win the Big 12 championship,� Gasso said. “I’ve worked these guys hard, but we want to be in control and not wait for teams to beat other teams.�

Now, the Sooners need to ride that momentum going into the key matchup against the Longhorns.

With five Big 12 teams represented in the national top 25 rankings and no Big 12 tournament this season, six victories to wrap up the regular season would earn the Sooners an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

Texas has power behind its bats, led most recently by junior Taylor Hoagland on the mound in the 2-1 series win over Texas A&M last weekend. The Flower Mound native swung for a .625 series average that saw three home runs with four RBIs to lead the team. Her performances earned her co-Big 12 Player of the Week honors.

But O U junior hurler Keilani Ricketts and the rest of the Oklahoma defense will be the difference in the series against the Longhorns.

For the sixth time in 13 w eeks, Ricketts earned Pitcher of the Week honors Tuesday after leading the Sooners to a pair of wins over Oklahoma State and Central Arkansas last week. She held opponents to a .128 batting average, allowing just five hits while slinging chairs to 20 batters in 11 complete

AT A GLANCE Softball schedule Friday vs. Texas Saturday vs. Texas Sunday vs. Texas May 11 at Iowa State May 12 at Iowa State May 13 at Iowa State Bold games are in Norman

innings of work.

Ricketts is the only Sooner to earn that many honors in a single season and joins former Texas pitcher Cat Osterman and current ace Chelsea Thomas as the only Big 12 pitchers to earn more than 10 career weekly awards.

And as one of the 25 finalists to win the National Player of the Year award, there is little doubt that Ricketts is a essential piece to OU’s success.

The Sooners finish best when their ace is at her best, but OU has room to improve on defense with the postseason approaching. Currently, the Sooner defense is ranked fifth in the nine-team league with 36 errors this season.

But Ricketts can’t be the only line of Sooner defense, Gasso said. “All Keilani can do is handle what she can handle,�

Gasso said. “She can’t force people to make plays behind her.�

OU took some practice time to clean up its defense after taking a brief departure from Big 12 play last weekend. “We don’t get a lot of practice days,� Gasso said. “But when we do get them, we make the most of it.�

8

Sports

• Thursday, May 3, 2012

NBA

Column

Team is ‘locked in’ as series moves to Dallas, Brooks says

Track and field set for plenty of postseason success

OKC clinging to 2-0 lead DALLAS — That young upand-coming Oklahoma City team that made things so difficult on the Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs last year may not even let the defending NBA champions get out of the first round this time.

Even though Kevin Durant has struggled with his shot, and each of the first two games in this openinground series has gone down to the closing seconds, the Thunder certainly aren’t in awe of Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks. “We’ve played very well the first two games, but we come away empty because we just haven’t been able to make one extra play,� Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said.

In last year ’s Western Conference finals, Dallas needed only five games to get past the Thunder’s group of 20-somethings.

This time, the Thunder won the series opener on a clutch shot by Durant and held on to win Game 2 despite not making a field goal in the final 4:51. They were tough, they were physical and they’re growing up in a hurry.

So what happened to that Oklahoma City team that some viewed as soft before? “I don’t think we were ever soft,� Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. “The last two games, I like the fact that we just clawed and battled and fought our way. Maturity helps, and you do it one day at a time.�

Russell Westbrook is averaging 28.5 points per game in the playoffs for Oklahoma City, helping make up for fellow All-Star Durant’s 15-of-

W

sue ogrocki/associated press

Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant elevates to hit a jump shot over Dallas Maverick forward Shawn Marion during the first quarter of Game 1 in the first-round NBA playoff series between the two teams.

Marion’s stiff defense has helped the Mavericks hold Durant to 15-44 shooting.

44 shooting so far that isn’t even that big of a concern since Oklahoma City has won both games. “That’s what it’s all about.

That’s why I’m a winner.

That’s what I want to be labeled as, a guy that wins games,� Durant said. “I know I’m not shooting the ball well but I’m just trying to do other things. I can’t dwell on the last two games. I’ve just got to move on. Move on. We’ll see what happens in the next

game.�

Dallas had an extended practice session Wednesday after taking off the previous day. The Thunder worked out again at home before traveling.

Brooks said his team had a good film session and practice Wednesday. He said guys were “locked in� while talking about areas they want to improve in moving ahead in the series.

Something that won’t

change for the Thunder is running the offense through Durant. “He’s getting good looks,�

Brooks said. “It seems like he’s missing the open ones and making some of the contested ones. Hopefully he can make the open ones.

But he’s fine. Kevin’s a terrific player that works hard and works on his game. He’s working on his game as we speak.�

The Associated Press

sports briefs Men’s Tennis

Football

Sooners to host 3rd NCAA Regional 2012 season tickets now available in three years starting on Friday to full-time students in fall semester

May 3-6 Thursday, May 3 FREE Massages | 1 p.m. in Crossroads Lounge. Take a study break and de-stress with a FREE massage, brought to you by the Union Programming Board.

Seussical the Musical | 8 p.m. in the Rupel J. Jones Theatre. This is the last week the show will be showing. Tickets are $15 for students. Contact the OU Fine Arts box office at (405) 325-4101 for additional information.

Friday, May 4 Thoroughly Modern Mickey: American Art and the Animation of Walt Disney Studios | 6 p.m. in the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. Dr. Mark White, Eugene B. Adkins Curator, will discuss how American artists and critics perceived Disney animations as a new art form.

FREE Movie: “The Vow� | 6, 9 p.m. and midnight in Meacham Auditorium. Presented by the Union Programming Board and the Campus Activities Council.

OU Softball: OU vs. Texas | 7 p.m. at the Marita Hynes Field.

Think Pink! FREE admission for students with a valid OU I.D. Visit soonersports.com for more information.

Seussical the Musical | 8 p.m. in the Rupel J. Jones Theatre. This is the last week the show will be showing. Tickets are $15 for students. Contact the OU Fine Arts box office at (405) 325-4101 for additional information.

Saturday, May 5 FREE Movie: “The Vow� | 1 p.m. in Meacham Auditorium.

Presented by the Union Programming Board and the Campus Activities Council.

After winning its first-ever Big 12 title, the No. 10 OU men’s tennis team was selected to host one of the 16 NCAA Regionals.

Oklahoma will host its third regional in as many years. OU coach John Roddick knows that it will be a tough journey but is excited to be hosting the event again. “We know it is going to be a tough road, but we are excited about the opportunity, Roddick said. “We have momentum following Big 12s and hope that carries over into regionals.�

In last year’s regional, OU made an early exit, falling to Tulsa in the opening round.

No. 20 Tulsa returns in this year’s regional, along with No. 33 Minnesota and Missouri-Kansas City.

The Sooners draw Summit League Champions UMKC in the first-round matchup at 2 p.m. Friday at Headington Family Tennis Center.

Tulsa and Minnesota will play at 11 a.m., with the two winners matching up at 2 p.m. May 12.

Student season tickets for the 2012 Sooner football season are on sale to anyone enrolled at OU who will be a full-time student in the fall 2012 semester.

Season tickets for students this season are $175 each with all charges being made to students’ bursar accounts, and there is a non-refundable $15 processing fee for all orders made.

Only full-time students, those enrolled in at least 12 hours of undergraduate courses or nine hours of graduate school, will be eligible to purchase student tickets.

In addition to purchasing season tickets for $175 a piece, students have another option this year — OU’s new Student Combo Pack.

With the combo pack, OU students receive access to not only every football game, but also every home men’s basketball game during the 2012 season. The package deal would cost students $20 extra at a price of $199 for the entire year.

Daily staff reports

OU Softball: OU vs. Texas | 2 p.m. at the Marita Hynes Field. FREE admission for students with a valid OU I.D. Visit soonersports.com for more information.

Seussical the Musical | 8 p.m. in the Rupel J. Jones Theatre. This is the last week the show will be showing. Tickets are $15 for students. Contact the OU Fine Arts box office at (405) 325-4101 for additional information.

Be

Paint Your Own Pottery & Glass Fusing (405) 307-9971 bewildforart.com

Sunday, May 6 OU Softball: OU vs. Texas | Noon at the Marita Hynes Field. FREE admission for students with a valid OU I.D. Visit soonersports.com for more information.

Check out the newest and greenest apartments in Norman

t UI "WF /8 4VJUF /PSNBO 0,

Seussical the Musical | 3 p.m. in the Rupel J. Jones Theatre. This is the last week the show will be showing. Tickets are $15 for students. Contact the OU Fine Arts box office at (405) 325-4101 for additional information.

This University in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, age, religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid and educational services. For accommodations on the basis of disability, please contact the sponsoring department of any program or event.

Monnett Place at 715 Monnet

3 Bed/ 3 Bath All bills paid except electric 405-329-4910

Leasing Now!

Great Home Cooking You’ve Been Missing!

Open Tues-Sat 11am-8pm 100 S. Main Street Noble, OK 405.872.0303 kendallsrestaurant.com

ith just one Sports columnist meet remaining before the conclusion of the track and field outdoor regular season, the OU men and women’s teams held on to their top-25 rankings and look to be in Greg Fewell prime position to do big greg_f@ou.edu things at the upcoming Big 12 championships.

The men’s team slipped slightly in the rankings but still hold a solid standing at the No. 20 spot. The women, meanwhile, stayed put at No. 15 after a very impressive month.

Tia Brooks again extended her program record in the women’s shot put with a new national-best mark at the Drake Relays on April 25. The new record mark of 60-7.25 is the second best by an American this year and ninth best in the world.

In addition to Brooks, Brittany Borman continued her recent success by overtaking the No. 1 spot in the javelin throw after winning the event at the Sun Angel Classic, Borman is ranked sixth on the Unites States all-time outdoor list.

The throwers will definitely be the anchor to the women’s team if it hopes to make a run at a conference outdoor championship. However, for the men’s team, it is the distance squad that will need to make sure the Sooners stay in contention.

The men’s distance team, especially seniors George Alex and Eric Harasyn; juniors Bill Kogel, Frezer Legesse and Riley Masters, has paced the Oklahoma men all season, continuously putting up top-10 UP NEXT finishes.

The standout meet was Arkansas Twilight the Stanford Invitational When: all day Friday on April 6. Kogel made history with his sixthWhere: Fayetteville, Ark. place finish in the men’s 10,000-meter run. He topped every collegiate athlete at the event and ran a collegiate-best 28 minutes, 39.54 seconds, easily topping the previous program record. Alex also made history by lowering his own program record in the men’s 5,000-meter run to 13:35.27, good enough for the 10th fastest time in the nation this year.

These consistent performers will need to be at their peak to give OU a chance at two Big 12 championships. However, everyone on the team, not just the bigger names, will have to step up. After all, the Sooners will be facing some of the best competition in the nation.

On the men’s side of things, Texas A&M is ranked No. 2, Texas Tech is sitting at No. 10, Texas is No. 12, and the Kansas Jayhawks round out the ranked Big 12 teams at No. 23.

Meanwhile, the women don’t have it any easier. The Longhorns are No. 1 in the country after overtaking Clemson this week, Kansas and A&M are just behind at No. 5 and 6, respectively, and Tech is ranked No. 9.

Baylor and Kansas State also are right on OU’s heels at No. 22 and 25, respectively.

The Sooners have been a national power since the beginning of the year and have only improved, both in the rankings and their performances as the year has gone on.

However, the part of the season that really matters is rapidly approaching, and none of the rest of the season will matter after that. The team has one last competition, the Arkansas Twilight on Friday in Fayetteville before gearing up for the Big 12 Championships on May 11.

So far, the Sooners have performed well and surprised many. But the next two weeks could determine what kind of team Oklahoma will be when it shoots for a national title later this month.

Greg Fewell is a journalism senior and the sports editor of The Daily.

Thursday, May 3, 2012 •

Life&arts

9

OUDaily.com ›› Students and faculty to pay tribute to OU School of Dance founder Miguel Terekhov with memorial event Sunday.

Video Game review

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

Book Review

As expected, third ‘Fifty Shades’ book is just as terrible Editor’s Note: This is the third review of a three-part novel series

by E.L. James. To read the first two reviews, visit OUDaily.com.

Rating: «

Photo Provided

A new video game “Botanicula” is about the adventure of five creatures (named Mr. Lantern, Mr. Twig, Mr. Poppy Head, Mr. Feather and Mrs. Mushroom) that are trying to save the last seed of their home tree from evil creatures that have infested their home.

Simply put, ‘Botanicula’ is awesome Life & Arts Columnist

instruments — which you could click to make their sound come in and out, controlling the song they played.

I said earlier that this game is my favorite release of the year, and it most definitely is.

It isn’t that this game is really pushing gameplay, because Shawn Stafford it’s not. It’s not that it’s pushshawn.a.stafford@ou.edu ing technology, because it can run on most computers made in the last five or so Rating: ««««« years.

What makes “Botanicula” ’ve decided Photo provided my favorite game of the year “Botanicula” is by far The game play of “Botanicula” allows the player to control a protago- is its ability to transport you my favorite release nist — or multiple ones — while exploring the game’s environment. to this alien world that we this year. There’s something walk by every day and conspecial about this pointsider the lives of the little and-click adventure from never really have been creatures.

Amanita Design. known for complex control At a glance By doing this, it makes Not only does it take you schemes, but rather, for how ‘Botanicula’ players think about the world back to the golden age of simple the interface can bepoint and click — populated come. “Botanicula” succeeds around them in a different by classics like “Day of the in this aspect with the menus fashion — something that is achieved by books and other Tentacle,” “Dig,” “Beneath automatically hiding themforms of media far more a Steel Sky” and “Monkey selves when you move off of Island” — but it also managthem — giving every screen a often than video games. It does all of this without words es to tell a thought-provoking clean and artistic look. and just the body language of narrative without the use of The only problem that these little seeds and insects. language. comes from this is when I “Botanicula” is great, plain During the past few years, would try to find the arrows and simple. You can purAmanita Design has develat the edge of the screen chase it, as well as a handful oped a reputation for creatto move to another area, I of other goodies, including ing amazing adventures with found myself triggering the “Machinarium,” on humbleamazing artwork and music menus and obscuring my Release date: April 19 bundle.com until 5 p.m. that’s equally, if not even clicks. It was frustrating, but Company: Amanita Design more, amazing. only a minor inconvenience Friday.

Available platforms: • Microsoft Windows Humble Bundle provides “Botanicula” tells the story in the grand scheme of • Mac OS X a name-your-price model, of the inhabitants of a tree things.

• Linux which lets you pay whatever when their world has beMy favorite part of this you would like, but gives you come threatened by a group game is the music. Every some extras if you pay above of spider-like creatures that screen acts like an instruthe average donation. The suck the life out of everything relationship. ment, with the ambient donations are split between in their way. In the game, sound changing with every I would describe the art charity and the developers. you take control of a group of style as “The Very Hungry area. Most of the music is After that, it will be available anthropomorphic seeds on a Caterpillar” for adults. It reminiscent of “Animal on Steam for a higher price, mission to save their home.

Collective” or “Panda Bear,” keeps a pastel, tissue-paper but I recommend you buy it The concept is simple, look, but with more detail on giving this tiny world a surnow. but it conveys a complex real feeling. the characters. The bright group of ecological ideas as A memorable moment colors really contrast the our heroes move from area in regards to the music was black spider monsters and Shawn Stafford is an to area, learning how each when there were two catermakes the areas with the international and area of the tree’s inhabitants live pillars putting on a concert. monsters truly frightening. studies junior. together in a mutualistic They both played four or so Point-and-click games

I

Life & Arts Columnist

At this point, I just had to know the ending.

I know I’ve been droning on about how these novels really suck, but in reality, I always knew I was going to read all of Katie Piper them. piper_katie@ou.edu These novels are a total mess, but I had to know how bad the ending was going to be. “Fifty Shades Freed” didn’t disappoint me, because I didn’t expect anything good.

In the final novel, Ana Steele and Christian Grey are married and are now on their honeymoon.

Grey showers her with gifts, but Steele claims she didn’t marry him for his money. I can almost hear the collective sigh of the middle-aged housewives who dream of this ridiculous lifestyle.

As they return to their home in Seattle and back to their respective jobs, Steele is immediately promoted to editor of the book publishing company she works for, and Grey has bought her publishing company and plans to make her president.

Not only are you married to a super hot CEO who immediately fell head-over-heels for you, but now you can run your own company too. Boom. It’s that easy.

At a glance Of course, problems ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ with stalker bosses, exsubmissives hell-bent on meeting the new Mrs. Grey and some other surprises fill the space in between the beginning and the happily ever after, but the reader already knows everything ends up working well for the couple.

One of the many things that kills me in this novel is the whole Author: E.L. James I’ll-do-whatever-youPublish date: April 17 say bit.

Grey literally dictates everything Steele does in her life, yet she’s totally cool with it. She has to ask permission to drive her car to work, eat what food she wants and go to the bathroom — kidding on that last example, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she did.

It’s so annoying that the author assumes this is completely OK, but I guess I shouldn’t be bent out-of-shape about it considering the other useless, sexist content.

Speaking of sex, the sex scenes in the novel go into all of the usual gory details.

At this point, nothing fazes me. It feels like I’m reading the same novel over and over again, with most of the pages talking about the couple’s latest sex adventure, peppered with little pieces of the plot here and there.

The most powerful emotion I’ve felt from these novels is the extreme horror I felt when my 47-year-old mother called me last week and asked if I wanted to borrow these disturbing novels from her.

I honestly don’t know what’s worse: The fact that I actually paid money and read all three of these novels, or that my mother wanted to talk about them.

In short, the only things I’ll take away from this trilogy are an extreme fear of older women talking about the novels and the lingering feeling of shame — because I know I will probably end up going to see the movie.

I feel sorry for myself.

Katie Piper is a journalism senior.

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NEWS

• Thursday, May 3, 2012

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Billy Graham backs anti-gay marriage amendment in N.C. RALEIGH, N.C. — The Rev. Billy Graham urged North Carolina voters Wednesday to support an amendment to the state constitution banning gay marriage, a move that one observer says is highly unusual but another says is in keeping with the minister’s moral beliefs.

“Watching the moral decline of our country causes me great concern,” said the 93-year-old Graham, who lives near Asheville. “I believe the home and marriage is the foundation of our society and must be protected.”

His complete statement about Amendment One will be part of full-page ads slated to appear in 14 North Carolina newspapers throughout the weekend Graham’s statement was issued by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which is based in Charlotte and is led by Graham’s son, the Rev. Franklin Graham.

Franklin Graham recorded a message last month in support of Amendment One, which is on the ballot in the election Tuesday.

“At 93, I never thought we would have to debate the definition of marriage,” Billy Graham’s statement said.

“The Bible is clear — God’s definition of marriage is between a man and a woman.

I want to urge my fellow North Carolinians to vote for the marriage amendment” Tuesday.

William Martin, who wrote the authorized Graham biography “A Prophet With Honor,” couldn’t recall another effort by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association like the one the ministry plans in

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NATION NEWS BRIEFS 1. FORT DAVIS, TEXAS

Texas wildfire still near houses, but not advancing, official says An official says a wildfire threatening a rugged West Texas resort has not crossed the lines built to stop it and firefighters are making progress.

Texas Forest Service spokeswoman April Saginor said Wednesday that the fire jumped outside the lines in two places but was quickly controlled. She says the fire is “holding, but we are not out of the woods.”

Firefighters also focused on protecting structures in the Davis Mountains Resort by clearing brush and setting up sprinklers and hoses near the houses in case the fire approaches them.

About 60 residents out of the 160 houses in the resort have not yet complied with an evacuation order.

No damage or injuries have been reported in the Livermore Ranch and Spring Mountain fires, which have burned about 24,000 acres.

The Associated Press ALLEN BREED/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mollie Kimpbell (left), 12, bows her head in prayer during a rally at the North Carolina state Capitol supporting a constitutional ban on gay marriage on Friday. Voters will decide May 8 whether North Carolina will remain the only state in the South without such a constitutional ban.

support of Amendment One. The elderly evangelist preached often on the need for sexual purity, but rarely spoke about same-sex marriage, Martin said.

“I am somewhat surprised that he would take that strong a stand,” said Martin, professor emeritus of religion and public policy at Rice University. “In the past, I have heard him say with respect to homosexuality, there are greater sins. Franklin has been more outspoken about it, but it sounds as if this is Mr. Graham expressing his own will.”

Although Graham’s last crusade was in 2005, he

remains deeply influential. In April 2010, President Barack Obama made the pilgrimage to meet with Graham, continuing a trend of counseling commanders in chief that began with Dwight Eisenhower.

Since the death of his wife, Ruth Bell Graham, nearly five years ago, he has spent most of his time at his home in Montreat. Public appearances have been rare, and he’s been hospitalized several times, most recently in December for pneumonia.

Danny Akin, president of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, said he’s not

surpr is e d that Graham took such a strong stand on Amendment One. “I think he would see this as I do, not so much as a political issue — which it is — but a moral issue,” Akin said. “He believes it’s right to affirm that marriage should be understood as a covenant between a man and a woman.”

North Carolina already outlaws gay marriage, but adding that ban to the state constitution would make it much harder to change in the future. Opponents to the amendment argue the language is vague and it could have wider consequences beyond those for gay couples.

2. GILBERT, ARIZ.

Five people dead in shooting in Phoenix-area home, police say Police in the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert now say they’re not sure whether a man who fatally shot four people, including a toddler, committed suicide.

Police originally said the gunman killed himself Wednesday, but they now say they’re not positive about that.

At a briefing for reporters, Gilbert police Sgt. Bill Balafas says all the evidence points to the shooting being a domestic violence situation.

Authorities say the man was armed with several firearms, and officers recovered two handguns and a shotgun. The gunman’s identity and motives aren’t immediately known.

Balafas says the genders and ages of the victims aren’t known either, except for the toddler, a girl between 1 and 2 years old.

He says the girl was alive when authorities arrived, but she later died at a hospital.

The Associated Press

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