November 2-5, 2017

W E E K E N D E D I T I O N | N O V E M B E R 2 - 5 , 2 0 17 | T W I C E W E E K LY I N P R I N T | O U D A I LY. C O M

OU DAILY

SGA ELECTION GOES TO RUNOFF

Presidential and vice-presidential candidates Yaseen Shurbaji and Hannah Hardin miss majority by 13 votes, will face Vanessa Meraz and Jake Mazeitis in a runoff next week.

BUCKLE UP Then junior quarterback Baker Mayfield walks on the field before the Bedlam game Dec. 3, 2016. Mayfield will play in his final Bedlam game Saturday, Nov. 4.

SIANDHARA BONNET/THE DAILY

Brash quarterback leads Sooners into key Bedlam matchup

B

y Friday, senior quarterback Baker Mayfield will have shaved. His characteristic beard will give way to a more-fitting, ostentatious mustache — a mustache that symbolizes not only Bedlam, but also the start of the Sooners’ final push for the national championship. The mustache indicates two things: Mayfield is in his most competitive form, and Bedlam is upon us. With that comes an intense rivalry fueled by mutual dislike and a desire for bragging rights.

From the back-to-back 2015 and 2016 embroidery on the shirt he wore under his jersey last year, to his token Bedlam mustache, Mayfield has made the in-state rivalry one to remember in his years at the helm of the Sooners’ offense.

Despite Bedlam not determining a Big 12 champion for the first time in two years, a win against Oklahoma State is pivotal.

“Championship November” starts in Stillwater.

No. 5 Oklahoma’s road to the Big 12 title — and Atlanta — starts in Boone Pickens Stadium. The Sooners (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) have a tough road ahead, as the last half of their schedule is by far the

KELLI STACY • @ASTACYKELLI hardest. With Oklahoma State, TCU and West Virginia remaining, Oklahoma does have one advantage: Mayfield.

The senior quarterback embodies everything Oklahoma is this season — loud, brash, self-assured and full of heart. The Sooners are confident in their ability and in their chances to make it to the playoffs. While others doubt them, they’ve never second-guessed themselves.

They upset Ohio State when no one thought they could, clawed their way through an unexpectedly rough start to conference play and proved they could put a team away.

F ro m s o p h o m o re re c e i ver Marquise Brown’s gold grill to junior offensive lineman Orlando Brown’s bandana and foxtail, multiple Sooners have their own Mayfield-esque flair.

From Orlando Brown’s physicality to sophomore corner Parnell Motley’s trash talk, they each play with their own dash of confidence. In a way, they’ve all taken on the chip Mayfield carries on his shoulder.

“I think he’s a really good player … He’s been a great leader for them,” Oklahoma State coach Mike

Gundy said of Mayfield during his Monday teleconference. “In my opinion, he’s changed the thought process down there in football during his time. I don’t know that to be true, obviously I’m not down there. That’s just my feeling from an outsider looking in.”

“I think he’s a really good player ... He’s been a great leader for them. In my opinion, he’s changed the thought process down there in football during his time. I don’t know that to be true, obviously I’m not down there. That’s just my feeling from an outsider looking in.”

MIKE GUNDY, OSU HEAD COACH

The senior quarterback shines in big games, especially Bedlam. In the past two seasons, he’s thrown for 468 yards and five touchdowns against the Cowboys, helping the Sooners to two Big 12 titles and extending Oklahoma’s Bedlam

record to 86-18-7. Mayfield has faced freezing temperatures and rainy conditions, each time finding a way to maintain his accuracy.

The more obstacles there are, the better he is.

“I love it. I love the big stage,” Mayfield said. “I love a good atmosphere. I think it’s a good opportunity for us to show the country what we’re made of. People might have thrown us in the trash after the Iowa State game.”

When it comes to big games, Mayfield performs, but when his back is against the wall, he comes alive. Despite the Sooners being ranked six spots ahead of the Cowboys, Oklahoma State (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) is currently favored, which could be a big advantage for the Sooners.

“Underdog?” Mayfield asked when told the Cowboys were favored. Then he paused, as if scrawling it at the top of his mental list of motivators. “OK.” The last time a team was favored against OU was Ohio State. Like Bedlam, the game in Columbus was the host of ESPN’s College Gameday, where every member of the show picked the Buckeyes to beat the Sooners.

Then, Mayfield did what he’s

known for — he took the slight to heart and used it to fuel him.

He went 27-of-35 for 386 yards and three touchdowns, leading Oklahoma to a 31-16 upset victory.

Mayfield has never lost a true road game in his career.

“We have an intensity about us when we’re on the road,” Mayfield said. “We like going into somebody’s house. It’s going to be a good one. Great atmosphere, going up against a great team (and a) good coach, and I’m just looking forward to it.”

Now headed into his final bout with Oklahoma State, Mayfield is expecting the game to be intense, per usual. Paddles out and faces painted, the Cowboys’ student section will be in Mayfield’s ear all game.

The stakes will be high and the stadium will be loud, but that’s nothing new for the self-proclaimed sheriff.

“He’s a dog,” Orlando Brown said. “At the end of the day, he’s been through a lot in life. When he gets out there he just lets his emotions and will take over — I think that’s what y’all see on Saturdays.”

Kelli Stacy

kelliastacy@ou.edu

MAYFIELD’S STATS Oklahoma’s quarterback is garnering Heisman consideration for the third straight year for his strong start to the season.

Passing yards: 2,628 Passing touchdowns: 23 Interceptions: 3 Passing Efficiency: 195.6 Source: NCAA

OU VS. OSU

When: 3 p.m., Nov. 4, 2017 Where: Stillwater, Oklahoma JULIA HARTH/THE DAILY

Junior quarterback Baker Mayfield proudly displays a shirt reading “back to back” after the Sooners took home the Big 12 championship in the Dec. 3, 2016 Bedlam game. Mayfield wore the shirt under his pads during the game.

How to watch: FS1 Source: soonersports.com

2

• November 2-5, 2017

NEWS

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Health and Exercise Science department adviser Megan Denny sits in her office Nov. 1. Denny spoke about her experience being an academic adviser.

Advisers go beyond role Academic guides juggle more students, hectic schedules NICK HAZELRIGG @nickhazelrigg

Megan Denney goes above and beyond for the students she advises. At one point, she found herself meeting with students as late as 10 p.m. and scheduling 15 different advising appointments on a single Sunday.

As an academic adviser for the department of health and exercise sciences, Denney is forced to go to such lengths to accommodate her students’ schedules. She advises more than 450 students, one of the largest student-to-adviser ratios at OU. “I do have a very large number of students I advise.

We’re a growing department — I like to say we’re busting at the seams,” Denney said.

“Being limited to 30 minutes often presents a challenge.

For me it’s making the most of those 30 minutes and not just glazing over the advising process and trying to make it as meaningful as I can.”

Denney isn’t the only adviser with hundreds of students to advise. Due to the high ratios of students to academic advisers across academic colleges and departments, OU’s administration

is exploring new methods of enhancing the advising process.

Most academic units have hundreds of students being advised by a single academic adviser. Kathleen Smith, associate provost for academic advising, is looking for creative ways to make the advising process more holistic and meaningful for students.

“I do have a very large number of students I advise.

We’re a growing department — I like to say we’re busting at the seams.”

MEGAN DENNEY, ADVISER FOR HEALTH AND EXERCISE

“What I’ve been doing since I got here is looking at the entire system,” Smith said. “Let’s look at the ratios, let’s look at the numbers, let’s see how students are being advised. Let’s look at how people are interpreting policy to make sure there is consistency across the board.”

Data provided by Smith shows OU’s average ratio of students to academic advisers is 241-to-1. Smith said anything below a 300-to-1 ratio is “pretty good.”

She also said the OU administration is looking at

UPB leaves gifts for sleeping Sooners in Union spaces

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IPEK DUMAN

@oudaily

@Ipek_Duman1

@oudaily @theoklahomadaily

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OU’s high ratios.

“President Boren said he wanted us to be really strategic during times of financial stress for when the finances come flowing back in,” Smith said.

Smith said her plan of action at the university is to make the advising experience better for students across the board by building a relationship between the student and the adviser, something she said high ratios could limit.

Despite the issues academic advisers face, most students still rely on their guidance and support in their college experience.

Phu Tran, an undecided freshman, said he almost didn’t return to OU after having a “disastrous” first semester. However, Tran said Smith personally reached out to him to find out what he struggled with at OU. Since he decided to return, Tran has been paired with a different adviser who has helped him feel more comfortable with his studies.

“My adviser was ver y helpful helping me through the process of me figuring out what I wanted to do

here,” Tran said. “He senses the uncertainty that I feel and he always reminds me that I have my options open and I don’t have to restrict myself.”

Tran said the advice and personal attention Smith gave him made him want to give OU another try. “(Smith) reached out to me and it was like a beacon of hope,” Tran said. “She helped me talk through it and that she understood my situation. She met with me and heard my story. Since then I’ve been slowly rebuilding my life here.”

Denney said she was confident academic advising will continue to improve, and was optimistic about advising at OU. “I love my job, I love what I do. I don’t like to say I have students; I have purposes,” Denney said. “I think academic advisers truly believe that and are driven by the fact that we can be a small part of this journey for students to be supportive of them.”

Nick Hazelrigg

hazelriggn@gmail.com

AVERAGE RATIO

OF STUDENTS TO ADVISERS

241-1

OU students snooze but don’t lose

/oudaily

VOL. 102, NO. 91

new methods of academic advising by switching to a “case management” model of advising.

“That’s where a student has an assigned adviser, they know exactly who their adviser is and their adviser knows exactly who they are,” Smith said. “It’s not just coming in and talking about classes but it’s more ‘how are you, how’s your semester going, and what are you hoping to have to enhance their academic experience?’”

Smith said despite the high ratios, she has undertaken new initiatives to help academic advisers be of greater service to the students, such as creating the Provost’s Advisery Committee on Academic Advising to hold workshops and increase communication between advisers on campus. Smith also said she is working toward training advisers to be “academic life coaches” to help them create a better bond with students.

“Academic life coaching is a way to enhance advising and train advisers to be more holistic and more developmental,” Smith said.

“I’ve found what we can say to an adviser is ‘we want you to go deeper with a student, because if you don’t go deeper with that relationship and get to know them better, you don’t know how to really serve that student.’”

Smith pointed to budget issues as one of the causes of

PROVIDED BY MACKER WILSON VIA TWITTER

A free mug left for a student sleeping in the Oklahoma Memorial Union as part of a campaign from the Union Programming Board.

Macker Wilson was napping on a couch in front of Meacham Auditorium when he woke up to find a mug next to him.

The mug, branded with t h e U n i o n P ro g r a m i n g Board logo, had a flyer in it that said “Looks like we caught you sleeping!”

“I thought I knew the risks of falling asleep in public, but I can’t say I had thought about this one,” the mathematics senior said. “I was mostly just confused.”

Todd Riddle, public relations director for UPB, sa i d t h e mu g i s p a r t o f a n e w c a m p a i g n t o re ward students for using

the Oklahoma Memorial Union for a variety of activities, including sleeping.

“We were just trying to find ways to thank students for using our Union beyond just self advertisement and beyond just UPB events in general,” Riddle said.

This campaign began last week when UPB posted a “Yawn Review” on social media to showcase different areas within the Union to sleep, Riddle said. He said students then rated the napping spots on their sleep-worthiness using a five star scale.

Followed by the yawn reviews, UPB memb ers began giving mugs to students caught sleeping in the Union at random times throughout the day. “ We ’ v e s e e n a r e a l l y positive reaction because (students) think it’s cool and neat,” Riddle said. “It’s something different that

you don’t really see much on campus.”

Riddle said UPB is going to continue passing out mugs to napping students until supplies run out. A second set of mugs may be passed out closer to finals week or possibly next semester, he said.

“I think it’s a pretty small gesture that still made me happy for the sheer absurdity of it,” Wilson said.

Ipek Duman

ipek.duman-1@ou.edu

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November 2-5, 2017 •

OU Press Secretary Matt Epting sits in his office Nov. 1. Epting has been press secretary and special assistant to OU President David Boren for less than a year.

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CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

The man behind the president

OU press secretary serves as special assisstant to Boren KAYLA BRANCH @kayla_branch

On a cold January morning, Matt Epting was peering through the side windows of Boyd House, wondering if he was in the right sp o t to m e e t P re si d e nt David Boren.

He wandered back toward the front door, and when Boren finally opened it, the president asked a question Epting wasn’t expecting: “Why are the police here?”

“I looked behind me and saw that the OU police were parked out front,” Epting said. “They had seen this f ra n t i c l o o k i n g p e r s o n looking through the windows and banging on the door and they said, ‘Oh yeah, just wanted to make sure everything was okay,’ and President Boren just laughed.”

That was Epting’s second day as press secretary and special assistant to the president. Now, roughly 10 months later, he’s become more accustomed to the job that requires him to spend most of his time with the biggest name on OU’s campus.

Since Boren came to OU in 1994, there have been 11 press secretaries, most of whom have gone on to become leaders in politics or academia, like former Oklahoma Speaker of the House Jeff Hickman or OU assistant vice provost Blake

Rambo.

The position entails being able to do a variety of jobs, especially in recent years as the “special assistant to the president” duties were added on with Boren aging.

Epting said he spends m o st d ay s i n h i s o f f i c e at Evans Hall answering emails and calls from stud e nt m e d i a a n d o t h e r s wishing to interview Boren, doing research to assist the president with various projects or accompanying him to meetings.

Through the years, the p o s i t i o n h a s g ra d u a l l y evolved from strictly dealing with press to occasionally advising the president, said Jabar Shumate, vice president for University Community and press secretary from 1998 to 2000.

“I was lucky to have just the work of doing the press secretary portion, but it’s evolved into managing aspects of the president’s action line and being special assistant,” Shumate said.

“As time has gone on, he’s maybe relaxed a little bit and the role has changed in that the press secretary probably has more leeway to guide and advise, because when I was press secretary, he was very direct and you were learning.”

Juggling both sets of responsibilities — interacting with media and assisting Boren — can be stressful, but the jobs complement each other, Epting said.

“I think it’s about an even split and a lot of times (the jobs) overlap, especially with something like the retirement announcement,

which was something where I was doing both at the same time,” Epting said.

“It’s really about balance.”

Every press secretary’s tenure deals with large e v e nt s l i k e B o re n ’s re tirement announcement, from the SAE racist chant scandal in 2015, to football coach switches and national titles, to events that bring famous names to campus, Boren said.

“It’s a little different than most positions because a lot of people — and they can’t help it — just talk too much and don’t keep confidences, and you can’t have that and function well,” Boren said. “You have to have trust, and I’ve been so fortunate that the young men and women I’ve had go through this process have all been trustworthy.”

there were men holding the press secretary position while she was working in the office.

There is no open application process. Boren said he bases his decisions off of those he has previous relationships with and those he thinks he can trust. Beyond press secretaries being able to keep confidences, their advice is also valued and taken into account when decisions are made, he said.

“Since I was in the Senate, I’ve gotten used to finding really bright young people to serve as press secretary for roughly a two or threeyear period,” Boren said.

“So I started thinking about who the brightest people are on campus and a good number of them are students … I figured I could

“President Boren really guided me, and he’s mentored so many individuals, and I think he knows where you want to go and what things you need to experience and be exposed to to be successful.”

JABAR SHUMATE, VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY

Boren has hand-picked each of his press secretaries, who, prior to being chosen, held campus leadership positions like Student Government Association p re s i d e nt, w h i c h ha s a high degree of access to the president.

Of the 11 press secretaries, only one was a woman.

Boren said there had been two, but one of the women was classified as a president’s office intern and

make one of my principle advisers someone who’s just been a student.”

When Boren feels like he’s found someone who “believes in the mission” and would fit the position, he gives them a call. “ He t o l d m e h i m s e l f, which was one of those moments that you have to take time to process it, like did that really just happen?”

Epting said. “It’s such a personal job – I’m with him so

much – so it makes sense he’ll pick people he knows well.”

While there are perks to the role, Epting said it has also proven emotionally difficult at times, especially when there are student deaths. Epting said he and Boren have attended two memorials for students so far this year.

“Responding to a student death doesn’t get any easier,” Epting said. “The reality is that we’re such a large university, so we lose students every single semester, and I still run the names through my head … There is inspiration, though, when you see students rise to the occasion and care about the legacy of each student.”

There are simple things, like never being able to turn his phone off or having to reschedule meetings if something happens out of the blue, that make the job challenging, but the “joy of the job outweighs the stress,” Epting said.

And the experience pays off, said Shumate, who spent 11 years as a state representative in the O k l a h o m a Ho u s e a f t e r working as Boren’s press secretary.

“I realized how to handle myself in crisis situations, which you often have to do in politics,” Shumate said. “It was really like two years of being in a life class.

P re s i d e n t B o re n re a l l y guided me, and he’s mentored so many individuals, and I think he knows where you want to go and what things you need to experience and be exposed to to be successful.”

Epting said he isn’t sure what he wants to happen come Boren’s potential retirement June 30, but he hopes for a future in communications or non-profit work.

Boren said he keeps in contact with his former press secretaries, watching with pride as they flourish in other areas, some of them even moving up the ranks at OU. “Matt is in and out of the office half a dozen times in the day. We have lunch together, he travels with me — they really are like a member of the family,” Boren said. “I feel that the reason I’ve been able to listen to students and be very sensitive to student opinions is because I’ve had these press secretaries telling me that ‘I better listen, the students are right,’ and I have listened and I don’t think I would have been as successful as president if I hadn’t had that strong voice.”

Epting will be the last press secretary while Boren is university president, ending the line of those who can say they’ve worked closely with one of Oklahoma’s most famous political leaders.

“It’s a tall order to send him off in the way that he d e s e r ve s,” Ep t i ng sa i d .

“So many facets of my life were changed thanks to the people here and thanks to President Boren, and so it’s kind of daunting to try and preserve his legacy, but it’s an exciting opportunity.”

Kayla Branch

kaylabranch@ou.edu

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United Way of Norman

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Way to go! Keep up the good work!

The University of Oklahoma is an Equal Opportunity Institution. For accommodations on the basis of disability, call 325-7869.

4â&#x20AC;˘

November 2-5, 2017

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

Supriya Sridhar, a&e editor dailyent@ou.edu â&#x20AC;˘ phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/a_and_e â&#x20AC;˘ Twitter: @OUDaily

Styles of ballet mix in new show

Company performs â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Swan Lake, Act II,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; other dance pieces DANIELLA PETERS @danisaur19

The Oklahoma Festival Ballet companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swan Lake, Act IIâ&#x20AC;? will open at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3 in the Elsie C. Brackett Theatre. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swan Lakeâ&#x20AC;? is the centerpiece of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main annual show, which will also feature several contemporary ballet pieces.

Ballet performance junior Carlie Preskitt is one of three students who will dance the lead role of Odette, a princess who is turned into a swan by a sorcererâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s curse. Portraying the contrast between Odetteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sorrow and hope is one of the most challenging and important aspects of the role, Preskitt said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;(Odette is) this beautiful girl trapped in a birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body, so sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very sorrowful. But then she meets the prince, Siegfried, and she has this little spark of optimism â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that maybe heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the one that can break the curse,â&#x20AC;? Preskitt said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To approach the role, I try to have a lot of vulnerability â&#x20AC;&#x201D; really expose myself â&#x20AC;&#x201D; (act) how I would feel if this person was my on last chance at having a normal life.â&#x20AC;?

Au d i t i o n s t o o k p l a c e during the second week of

VIA OU COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS

Ballet performance junior Carlie Preskitt dances the lead role of Odette in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swan Lake, Act II.â&#x20AC;? The Oklahoma Festival Ballet companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance of the classic ballet will open Friday, Nov. 3 at 8 p.m in the Elsie C. Brackett Theatre.

this semester, but they were structured like regular dance classes. The final casting was not announced until early October, even though rehearsals for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swan Lakeâ&#x20AC;? started last semester, Preskitt said.

School of Dance director Michael Bearden has spent some time working with ballet students and other faculty to prepare â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swan Lakeâ&#x20AC;? for the stage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve helped with the rehearsal schedule and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve

been involved in the staging of the pas de deux (partner dance) for act two,â&#x20AC;? Bearden said.

Bearden, who is in his first year as director of the School of Dance, also said his job concerning â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swan Lakeâ&#x20AC;? is mainly to oversee the production process and help tie together the different sections that each faculty member has restaged.

In a d d i t i o n t o â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swa n Lake,â&#x20AC;? Oklahoma Festival Balletâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production will also

feature one of Beardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own choreographed pieces, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Simpatico,â&#x20AC;? which he created in 2013. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Simpaticoâ&#x20AC;? is performed on bare feet and is more of a contemporary ballet piece, Bearden said.

The production will also feature the debut perf o r m a n c e o f â&#x20AC;&#x153;O p a q u e , Unfazed,â&#x20AC;? which is another contemporary ballet piece created by guest choreographer Trey McIntyre.

The inclusion of more contemporary pieces in the OU School of Danceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diverse repertoire is vital to the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; future success in the dance world, Bearden said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Historically, (ballet) has had kind of a stigma that, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Well, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only tutus and pointe shoes,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and while that is ballet, ballet is more than just that,â&#x20AC;? Bearden said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hope that (our audiences) come away with an appreciation for the classics and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Swan Lake,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; but I hope they also come away saying, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wow, ballet is not just one thing.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

Oklahoma Festival Ballet will also perform a pas de deux called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Harlequinade,â&#x20AC;? and a classical-contemporary ballet hybrid called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Estancia,â&#x20AC;? according to a news release.

The production will take place in the Elsie C. Brackett Theatre, located on 563 Elm Ave. The first show will open at 8 p.m. Nov. 3, with additional 8 p.m. performances

Local business is blooming Flower shop offers classes to create crafty arrangements SAM TONKINS

@samanthatonkins

The Flower Shop, formerly known as Wrightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Floral Market, was full of tables covered in light orange pumpkins and flowers the color of autumn leaves last month.

They were setting up for a fallthemed flower arrangement class, part of a series of classes teaching participants how to mix different types of plants and flowers to create decorative displays.

The smell of cinnamon drifted through the air, and soft music piped from the speakers as participants of the class walked through the door.

They were handed glasses full of apple cider and asked to pick a pumpkin.

They then hollowed out the pumpkins and used them as a flower vase. They stuck leafy greens and bright flowers into the pumpkins.

When the class ended, there were a dozen personalized flower arrangements. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love how they all turn out so different, but they are all gorgeous,â&#x20AC;? said Monica Owen, who taught the class.

Owen has been working at the shop for six years. She started with no experience,

however, she quickly fell in love with arranging flowers, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m an artist. I get to express my creativity by arranging flowers,â&#x20AC;? Owen said.

Lori Wright, the owner of The Flower Shop, is fond of these classes. She likes that each class lets her meet new people and have a good time doing something she loves, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something that we always wanted to do, but since we expanded, we had the space to do it,â&#x20AC;? Wright said.

Kate Benard, who has been working at The Flower Shop for a year and a half, spent the class helping various participants arrange their flowers into beautiful creations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These classes are so much fun. I love being able to extend the way we are a part of the community in Norman,â&#x20AC;?

Benard said.

The final class of the year takes place Nov. 27, and will teach participants how to make festive wreaths for the upcoming holidays.

The shop, located at 1440 N. Porter Ave. in Norman, will be hosting classes on a more regular basis last year, with monthly flower arrangement classes for anyone who wants to learn a new skill or make some flower arrangements.

Sam Tonkins

samantha.tonkins@ou.edu

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.

be available for purchase at the door before each performance at a price of $35 for adults and $15 for students, according to the news release. Only cash and checks will be accepted to purchase tickets at the door, according to the news release.

Danielle Peters

daniellapeters@ou.edu

CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED City of Norman Parks & Recreation/12th Ave Recreation Center Recreation Leader I (PPT) Applicant must be at least sixteen (16) years of age. Experience working with youths in a recreational atmosphere and knowledge of recreation activities and programs. $10.74 per hour. Work Period: 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., M-F during the school year (August-May). Hours vary during the summer. Works 15-20 hours perweek during the school year and 30-38 hours a week during the summer. Will be required to work special events, holidays, and weekends when needed. Selected applicant must pass physical examination, background investigation and drug screen.

Application deadline: Open Recruitment. A complete job announcement and application are available on our website at www.normanok.gov/hr/hr-job-postings or call (405) 366-5482, or visit us at 201-C West Gray, Human Resources Dept., City of Norman.

City of Norman Parks & Recreation/Recreation Division Parks & Recreation Photography Intern (part-time) High school diploma or equivalent. Must be currently enrolled as a student at the University of Oklahoma. Knowledge of the operation of standard office equipment including personal computers and usage of both video and still photography cameras. Advanced photography skills and the ability to operate photography and video editing computer programs. $9.00 per hour. Work Period: Work period varies. Average 10-15 hours per week.

Selected applicant must pass background investigation and drug screen. Application Deadline: Open Recruitment. A complete job announcement and application are available on our website at www.normanok.gov/hr-job-postings or call (405) 366-5482, or visit us at 201-C West Gray, Human Resources Dept., City of Norman. EOE

City of Norman Parks & Recreation /12th Ave Recreation Center Special Instructor I: After School Instructor Applicant must have experience working with children and have knowledge of recreation activities and programs.

Responsible for working in a program for youths ages (6) to ten (10) in an after school program. Organizes sports activities, recreational games and craft classes. $7.50 per hour. Work Period: May vary. 2:30pm to 6:00pm, M-F during the summer, May - August (average 30-35 hrs per week). Selected applicant must pass physical examination, drug screen, and a background investigation. Application Deadline: Open Recruitment. A complete job announcement and application are available on our website at www.normanok.gov/hr/hr-job-postings or call (405) 366-5482, or visit us at 201-C West Gray, Human Resources Dept, City of Norman. EOE Part-time job, Flexible hours, SundayThursday. Approx. 3 hours/day. $150/ week. Washing car wash bays, taking out trash (can be heavy). Work can be done any time between 7pm and 5am. Call or text (405) 334-9010.

my friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got mental illness

To a friend with mental illness, your caring and understanding greatly increases their chance of recovery. Visit whatadifference.samhsa.gov for more information.

Mental Illness â&#x20AC;&#x201C; What a difference a friend makes.

PLACE A PAID AD Phone: 405-325-2521 E-mail: classifieds@ou.edu

Fax: 405-325-7517 Campus Address: COH 149A

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3 days prior Place line ad by 9:00 a.m. 3 business days prior to publication.

PAXSON HAWS/THE DAILY

The Flower Shop located on North Porter Avenue Nov. 1. The shop will be hosting monthly flower arranging classes starting next year.

Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy Parker November 2, 2017

ACROSS 1 Light brown shade 5 Seaweed 9 Fits together 14 That moment 15 Lass 16 HI hi 17 Groovy heavyweight at the zoo?

20 More frigid 21 Lack of slack 22 Join 25 Word with â&#x20AC;&#x153;warâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;battleâ&#x20AC;?

26 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Blackfishâ&#x20AC;? animals 28 Kotterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kaplan 32 Fragrant climbing plant 37 More wise 38 Not so groovy results of hard falls?

41 Pungent vegetable 42 Totâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appointment 43 PIs, slangily 44 Injures 46 Continuous noise 47 Winter wear 53 Audiotape 58 Low card 59 Groovy cheer?

62 No-brainer?

11/2

scheduled for Nov. 4, 9 and 10. Oklahoma Festival Ballet will also present two shows at 3 p.m. Nov. 5 and 12.

Tickets can be purchased through the University Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website and cost $25 for adults, $20 for OU employees, military personnel and seniors at least 60 years old, and $10 for children and OU students with valid ID cards. Tickets will also

63 New York canal 64 Rib of corduroy 65 Type of larceny 66 Convene 67 Plant starter DOWN 1 System of principles 2 Marx brother 3 Fasten anew 4 Let loose 5 Live another year 6 Backtalk 7 Cave, poetically 8 Llama relative 9 Dressed nicely 10 Flamboyant flare 11 Imprecise amount 12 â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a result ...â&#x20AC;?

13 See 6-down 18 Fury 19 Word of possession 23 Get by 24 Not kosher 27 Wrist bones 28 Cheap trinket 29 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Slumdog Millionaireâ&#x20AC;? city 30 Red root veggie

31 Gaelic language 32 Vaccine vehicle 33 Drink kept in cellars 34 â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Ten Commandments,â&#x20AC;? e.g.

35 Heroic verse 36 Badge material 37 Farm closure 39 Charitable donations 40 â&#x20AC;&#x153;The ___ of Amontilladoâ&#x20AC;?

44 Minute arachnid 45 Country song?

46 Supreme being 48 Wedding words

49 Cat sounds 50 Sensations before migraines 51 Map ratio 52 ___ up (excited) 53 One of many in a casino 54 Trusted assistant 55 Expectorate 56 See 57 Another name for Ireland 60 Pudding alternative 61 ___ up (old-style perturbed)

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Display Ad ............................................................................3 days prior Classified Display or Classified Card Ad Place your display, classified display or classified card ads by 5:00 p.m. 3 business days prior to publication.

HOROSCOPE

By Eugenia Last

Copyright 2017, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last

down some ground rules. Romance is encouraged.

Getting along with people who could influence your future is necessary. You have plenty to gain if you are consistent and resilient.

Aim for long-term results, and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry so much about the day-today issues that crop up. Time is on your side.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- An unexpected turn of events will leave you wondering what to do next. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t share personal data or passwords. If you gather the available information, you will realize you have nothing to worry about.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Push hard to bring about the changes that will help you get ahead at work or where your personal finances are concerned. Persistence will pay off in the end.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Home improvements, physical alterations and stabilizing personal elements are favored. Make love and romance a priority. Pitch in and help a cause you care about.

10/1 Š 2017 Andrews McMeel Syndication 10/30 Š 2017 Andrews McMeel Syndication www.upuzzles.com www.upuzzles.com

SHOOT FROM THE HIP-PIE By Timothy E. Parker

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- An emotional disturbance could result in problems with a friend, relative or neighbor. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do something youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll regret when you should be concentrating on getting ahead.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- If you love someone, share your feelings. A joint venture can change the way you earn your keep. Embrace new beginnings and partnerships that offer greater stability.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- An unexpected change will turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Embrace whatever comes your way and see where it leads. Going against the current will cause a stalemate.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Keep the peace. Offer kindness, compassion and reasonable suggestions.

A partnership can flourish if you are willing to compromise and lay

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Make a big splash if you want to be noticed. Your ability to adapt to whatever comes your way will give you a competitive edge. Romance is in the stars.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- A steady pace will get you where you want to go. Discipline, hard work and the willingness to help others will help you counter any negativity you feel or face.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let an opportunity pass you by just because you are being stubborn or you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t agree with someone.

Work around your differences. A personal change will be rewarding.

Romance is highlighted.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bend if someone tries to goad you into making a donation or signing a deal. Negotiate on your own behalf. Time is on your side. Ask pertinent questions before you proceed.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Change is inevitable. Discipline will be required to manipulate a situation to your liking. Relationships, when handled properly, will stabilize.

Keep the peace and offer love over criticism.

November 2-5, 2017 •

SPORTS

5

Kelli Stacy, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports

PAXSON HAWS/THE DAILY

Sophomore linebacker Caleb Kelly tries to tackle the Kansas State ball carrier Oct. 21. Oklahoma defeated the Wildcats 42-35.

Linebacker brings defensive spark Sophomore makes plays, focuses on enjoying the game ABBY BITTERMAN @abby_bitterman

Oklahoma sophomore linebacker Caleb Kelly is playing up to expectations after not having as much p r o d u c t i o n a s e x p e c ted at the beginning of the season.

The Sooners’ defense has needed playmakers

to bring a spark that gets it going, and lately Kelly has been the one bringing that spark.

“I didn’t start out the season like I wanted to and I know a bunch of people were all disappointed — all the fans,” Kelly said.

Kelly tries to avoid listening to the outside noise, though, preferring to keep a positive outlook and shrug off any negativity that comes his way.

At the beginning of the season, he was being too

hard on himself and worrying too much about stats, Kelly said. After the Texas game, Kelly realized he needed to let loose and remember it’s just a game.

Part of that fun comes on the sidelines, where the sophomore linebacker likes to dance and keep things light.

“I tell some of the younger guys on the team if you want to be serious in the game, don’t stand by me because I’m going to be laughing at something,”

Kelly said. “Unless I just messed up on a play, I’m pretty much just having fun and just messing around the whole time.”

Kelly has made 32 tackles on the season, and defensive coordinator Mike Stoops seems to be finding a new way to use him each game. Against Texas Tech, Kelly caught his first career interception, which later resulted in a touchdown for Oklahoma.

The interception came as a surprise to senior safety

Steven Parker, who said he knew Kelly was a playmaker, but assumed he had “defensive hands.” Senior cornerback Jordan Thomas was the exact opposite, saying he wasn’t worried about Kelly’s ability to haul in the interception.

“He’s one of those guys who’s just freakishly athletic,” Thomas said.

Despite his recent success, Kelly has continued to be humble — something he attributes to the way his mom raised him. He thanks

Stoops after every game for the opportunity to play for Oklahoma, he said.

While he has continued to improve week after week, Kelly is focus ed on the games ahead of him. He will get to play in Boone Pickens Stadium for the first time on Saturday when the Sooners play Oklahoma State at 3 p.m. CT in Stillwater.

Abby Bitterman abbybitt@ou.edu

Men’s basketball has depth New faces bring adaptability to team this season JADYN WATSON-FISHER @jwatsonfisher

While more than half of the players on the Sooner roster are underclassmen, coach Lon Kruger is sure of one thing: his team has depth.

At the 2017-18 media day Monday, Kruger said he thinks this team could be the deepest Oklahoma has seen under his tenure — and he’s taken multiple trips to the NCAA tournament.

Part of what will make Oklahoma successful is its ability to change lineups and have players in multiple roles. Multiple guys in the backcourt — including freshman Trae Young, sophomore Kameron McGusty and juniors Christian James and Rashard Odomes — can move positions easily. The same is true for the frontcourt where players are shifting in and out of the four and five spots.

“I imagine this will be a team that has several different starting lineups,” Kruger said. “In the past, we’ve had stretches with the same starting lineup for a long time, but I think the depth this year allows for a healthy competition and a healthy pressure to line up every night and focus and compete to play well.”

Kruger has already experimented with his starting five during the team’s overseas trip — one that he and the players continually emphasize the importance of.

“It seems like just yesterday we were working in the summer in preparation for the foreign trip,” Kruger said.

“That was a great benefit — those 10 practices, chance to travel 10-12 days together — huge for a group, especially that’s got a lot of new guys and people in different roles, and things are going well.”

The new season brings in

PAXSON HAWS/THE DAILY

Head coach Lon Kruger gives instructions to players during practice Oct. 10. The Sooners play their first exhibition game on Nov. 8.

seven new faces, all of which are working toward performing effectively for the team, and returning players hope to contribute to a year more successful than the last.

“Anything I can do, personally, to make sure we don’t have the same mistakes as last year I’m going to do. I see my teammates doing the same thing, too. We’re fighting, we’re working hard. This year is going to be fun.”

Oklahoma unofficially started its season Saturday in a loss against UT Arlington for its charity scrimmage, but that doesn’t deter the Sooners. It motivates them to work harder toward their primary goal.

“Come around March, we’ll definitely still be playing,” Lattin said. “I see this team as the sky being the limit. If we come together

and work hard like we’re supposed to, we can go where we want to go or we can have a repeat of last year if we fall.

Every day is a fight with the goal in our mind of what we want. We’re going to work tirelessly until we get it.”

Jadyn Watson-Fisher jwatsonfisher@ou.edu

OU VS. EAST CENTRAL (EXHIBITION)

When: 7 p.m., Nov. 8 Where: Lloyd Noble Center

6

SPORTS

• November 2-5, 2017

OU’s first ‘Heisman moment’ Billy Vessels won trophy through speed, toughness JOE BUETTNER @joe_buettner

It didn’t take long for Billy Vessels’ teammates to learn he was unique.

The track star from Cleveland, Oklahoma, was as good as any halfback in the old Big 7 Conference as just a sophomore, his former teammate Merrill Green says. The rest of the country remained in the dark on the special talent until Oklahoma football earned its first opportunity to play on national television against Notre Dame Nov. 8, 1952.

Green, now in his 80s, struggles to recall much of the classic meeting between the Sooners and Fighting Irish. Green played opposite Vessels at halfback, but he knocked himself out of the contest after blindsiding a Notre Dame defender on a Vessels touchdown run.

He’s certain, however, it was that game that won Vessels the 1952 Heisman Trophy.

“In 1952, there wasn’t that many televisions, but if you had one, you were watching Oklahoma play Notre Dame, and Vessels was the star,” said Oklahoma football historian Mike Brooks.

“That really propelled him.”

Vessels was doing all of this in the infancy of Oklahoma football’s rise to national prominence.

Before Vessels, Oklahoma had neither a national championship n o r a He i s ma n T ro p hy to its name. The kid from Cleveland helped the Sooners accomplish both, despite only playing two full seasons in Norman.

Vessels lifted Oklahoma to its first national title in 1950, rushing for 870 yards and 13 touchdowns. His junior season was curtailed by a knee injury, but he returned the next year to rush for a 1,072 yards on 167 attempts and scored 17 touchdowns.

The Notre Dame game was the crown jewel of his Heisman-winning season — the season that earned Vessels’ real estate within Norman’s Heisman Park five decades later.

Heisman Series This is the second article in The Daily ’s “Heisman Evolution” series. A new article will run every week for the rest of the football season, and the pieces can be found at projects.oudaily.com.

...

Even if the term had yet to enter anyone’s vernacular, the showdown between the Sooners and Irish was Vessels’ Heisman moment.

He gashed the Irish defense for 195 yards rushing on 17 carries and three

VIA OU ATHLETICS FILES

Billy Vessels scored three touchdowns against Notre Dame in 1952. His performance on national TV helped him win the Heisman trophy that year.

touchdowns. A massive media contingent was present in South Bend to see Oklahoma, with as little history as it had, carve up a Notre Dame team that had already claimed seven national titles and three Heisman winners by the time the two programs met for the first time in 1952.

“Notre Dame had such an aura about them,” Brooks said, “and the Sooners go to South Bend and we go toeto-toe with Notre Dame.”

Vessels did everything he could to put Oklahoma in front, producing all 21 of his team’s points that day. The first came when quarterback Eddie Crowder found Vessels open for a 28-yard touchdown reception on a play-action pass. On the next score, he took a handoff from OU’s 38-yard line, busted through a hole and left every defender looking at the No. 35 on the back of his crimson jersey as he sprinted toward the end zone.

His final highlight was a 47-yard rushing score.

Crowder pitched to Vessels,

who avoided one tackle in the backfield, tight-roped the right sideline past two more defenders and cut back across to the center of the field to score.

It was the perfect culmination of a big stage and a great player, who took advantage of the spotlight. The only downside to Vessels’ historic day?

Oklahoma lost 27–21.

...

Vessels will always be remembered as the speedy r unning back who tore up the Fighting Irish, but he was much more to Oklahoma.

Ve s s e l s w a s a s t o u g h physically and mentally as they come.

Among his 327 career carries at Oklahoma that totaled 2,084 yards, one play stands out to Green.

He best recalled a defensive play from Vessels’ shortened junior season when Oklahoma faced William & Mary.

Green cannot forget the image of Vessels, who played both sides of the ball

at Oklahoma, delivering a devastating hit to an opposing player and leaving the other guy hospitalized.

“I can still see (his) helmet when he hit the guy,” Green said.

The intense nature of Vessels’ playing style helped ignite Oklahoma’s ascension into a college football power. Vessels’ intensity and discipline were a result of his upbringing in the coal-mining region of northeast Oklahoma.

He experienced a troubled home life, living by himself for parts of his childhood after his parents left him to move away from Cleveland.

A bronze statue of Vessels now resides in the town of 3,222 people in front of the Cleveland Event Center on North Gilbert Avenue.

His humble beginnings and difficult relationship with his family did not deter him from paving a path to the University of Oklahoma in 1949. Freshmen weren’t allowed to play on legendary Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson’s varsity squad at the time, but he would soon immortalize his name along with the sport’s elite as a gifted football player who transcended his time.

“I suspect from all the guys I played with … he’d probably be the only the one that today I could assure you would play today as well as anybody else,” Green said. “He was a very good-sized guy, as well as a great runner. One of the toughest guys physically and mentally that you’d ever be around.”

...

Billy Vessels with the Heisman trophy. Vessels won the award in 1952.

VIA OU ATHLETICS FILES

All of what made Vessels an outstanding player was hard to come by in one halfback. Toughness.

Quickness. He was purely unmatched.

That well-roundedness was adored by Wilkinson, who guided Oklahoma to its first three national

championships.

“Wilkinson just loved Billy Vessels,” Brooks said.

“Wilkinson stated many times (that) Billy Vessels was the only player that he ever had that was the fastest player on the team and also the toughest player on his team.”

“He was a very goodsized guy, as well as a great runner.

One of the toughest guys physically and mentally that you’d ever be around.”

MERRILL GREEN, TEAMMATE OF BILLY VESSELS

His intense approach to football led him to an illustrious collegiate career that ended with a trip to New York. It was there the senior halfback from Oklahoma carried a wide grin as he shook hands with the president of the Downtown Athletic Club and accepted his Heisman Trophy.

For those who followed the sport at the time, it was no surprise to see the dominant back take home the coveted award.

Former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer was still in high school when Vessels was tearing up defenses. He knew of the talented Vessels f ro m f l i p p i n g b e t w e e n Oklahoma and Tennessee football games on his car’s battery radio every Saturday in Crossett, Arkansas.

He continued to see Vessels pop up at his local movie theatre when he’d go to a double feature to catch a Western. Switzer remembers seeing the Oklahoma halfback rip off runs against Nebraska on Movietone News — a now-defunct newsreel that ran in theaters for decades until the early ‘60s — on the blackand-white movie screen.

Switzer was still a little under two decades away from coaching a pair of Heisman Trophy winners himself. But he fondly remembers the stud halfback Vessels, who died at the age of 70 in 2001.

Vessels was a good man and a great football player, from what Switzer recalls.

He was drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft in 1953, but opted to go for the big money at the time and play a season in the Canadian Football League before eventually taking a crack at the NFL. He also served his country in the U.S. Army, along with Green. The former Oklahoma teammates became close during the time at Fort Sill. It was there Green came to better understand Vessels and the mentality that helped him shape an unforgettable legacy.

“He was a very amicable, very easy to get along with, ver y easy to know, ver y much a part of the team, very encouraging,” Green said. “But he was tough. He was very tough. On the field as well as off. He had a lot of strong discipline about him, and a very determined football player.

“He was ver y unique.

He was cut a little different from the rest of them.”

Joe Buettner

joebuet@ou.edu

FAST FACTS: BILLY VESSELS Year Heisman won: 1952 Position: Running back Rushing yards: 1,072 TDs: 17 OU record: 8 wins, 1 loss, 1 tie