3-6-15 Escape

ESCAPE

STAYING NO. 1

OU GYMNASTICS STRIVES TO KEEP NUMBER ONE SEED FRIDAY (WOMEN’S) AND SUNDAY (MEN’S) PAGES 3&4

SMILE. EXPLORE. RELAX. | MARCH 6 | WEEKEND

#FTK

THE HISTORY AND FAMILIES OF SOONERTHON PAGES 9&11

BEAT KANSAS LOOK INSIDE FOR GAME DAY POSTER PAGE 6

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• Friday, March 6, 2015

Mar. 5-8

Thursday, Mar. 5 Glow-U | 7 PM at Molly Shi Boren Ballroom, Oklahoma Memorial Union. n.

Glow-U is a glow-in-the-dark event where students can tie-dye/paint FREE glow in the dark tank tops just in time for spring break! There willl be FREE food, mocktails, light painting, and plenty of fun! Presented by the Union Programming Board, there’s ALWAYS SOMETHING with UPB, upb.ou.edu.

Friday, Mar. 6 FREE Movie: ‘Interstellar’ | 6, 9 PM & Midnight at Meacham Auditorium, torium, Oklahoma Memorial Union. Watch the FREE screening of a team of explorers as they travel through a wormhole in an attempt to ensure humanity’s survival! Check it out before this movie is available on DVD/ Blu-ray! Presented by the Union Programming Board and Campus Activities Council.

Baseball vs. Purude | 6 PM at L.Dale Mitchell Park. Cheer on the baseball team as they take on Purdue in a weekend series. Students get in FREE with Valid Student ID. Women’s Gymnastics vs Florida | 7 PM at Lloyd Noble Center. Come support the #1 ranked women’s gymnastic team in their last home meet before the Big 12 Championship. Students get in FREE with Valid Student ID. La Cage aux Folles | 8 PM at Reynolds Performing Arts Center.

Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre and University Theatre present the Tony and Olivier Award-winning musical La Cage aux Folles. Final weekend 8 p.m. March 6 and 7, and 3 p.m. March 8. Advance ticket prices$30 for adults, $25 senior adult, OU faculty and staff, and military, and $20 for students at theater.ou.edu or (405) 325-4101. Tickets at the door are $40 for adults and $25 for students, cash or check only.

Salsa Ball | 9 PM at Molly Shi Ballroom, Oklahoma Memorial Union. Come to Salsa Ball for a FREE night full of dancing and fun with a live band, performances, food, trivia and prizes, face painting, and dancing! FREE dance lesson at 9 PM by the famous Wander Rosario from the Dominican Republic.

Intramural Update: Softball & Soccer Registration | All Day at Front Desk, Huston Huffman Fitness Center. Entries for intramural softball and 8v8 soccer end Mar. 11; play begins Mar. 23. Cost for either sport is $60/ team (teams where all participants live in OU Housing play for FREE as well as Faculty/Staff teams playing for FREE thanks to Healthy Sooners). Each student player may play on ONE divisional team as well as ONE coed team for both softball and soccer.

Saturday, Mar. 7 Soonerthon | 10 AM at Huston Huffman Fitness Center. Soonerthon, the official philanthropy event of the Campus Activities Council, is a 12-hour dance marathon that benefits Oklahoma’s children through the Children’s Hospital Foundation and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Registration for Soonerthon is $30.00. For more information, contact cac@ou.edu.

Salsa and Bachata Workshops | 1 PM at Studio B, Huston Huffman Center. A dance workshop with the famous dancer Wander Rosario all the way from the Dominican Republic! Come learn Salsa and Bachata! Price: $25 for all 3 hours if you pre-register or $35 at the door or $15 for 1 hour drop-in.

Baseball vs. Purdue | 2 PM at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The Sooners continue their series against the Boilermakers. Students get in FREE with Valid Student ID. Softball vs Missouri State/Samford | 2:15 PM at Marita Hynes Field.

Our softball team plays a double header as part of the Courtyard Marriott tournament. Missouri State start time: 2:15 PM, Samford start time: 4:30 PM. Students get in FREE with Valid Student ID. Men’s Basketball vs. Kansas | 3 PM at Lloyd Noble Center. Cheer on the Sooners in their last home game of the season when they battle other Big 12 power, Kansas.

Sunday, Mar. 8 Softball vs Missouri State/Samford | 12:15 PM at Marita Hynes Field. The Sooners play the second day of the Courtyard Mariott tournament with games at 12:15 PM and 2:30 PM. Students get in FREE with Valid Student ID. Baseball vs. Purdue | 1 PM at L.Dale Mitchell Park. Cheer on the baseball team as they wrap up the series against Purdue. Students get in FREE with Valid Student ID. O Symphony Orchestra | 3 PM at Sharp Concert Hall, Catlett Music Center.

OU This performance is part of the Sutton Concert Series. Tickets: $9 adults, $5 Th T students, OU faculty/staff, senior adults $10 at the door. sstu Love Letters | 8 PM at Pitman Recital Hall, Catlett Music Center. School of Lo Music presents Love Letters, a play by A. R. Gurney, featuring Rena Cook and Kim Josephson.

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.

Friday, March 6, 2015 •

LOOKING TO LAND IN HISTORY

STICKIN’ IT TO CHAMPIONSHIPS

A WIN FOR NO. 1 WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS COULD COME DOWN TO LANDINGS IN HISTORIC MATCHUP

SPORTS EDITOR

HALEE POWERS @HALEESTORM12 March 6, the biggest women’s gymnastics meet of the Sooners’ 2015 season will be taking place at the Lloyd Noble Center. It will be a rematch of the national championships from last year.

Last year at the NCAA championship, history was made. For the first time ever there was a tie for the national championship. OU and the University of Florida tied with a 198.175.

OU comes into the meet ranked No. 1 in the country for the eighth consecutive week. The Florida Gators are ranked third in the country. This will be the Sooners second-to-last meet before heading into the postseason.

Next they will face off against Alabama on March 13.

Head coach K.J. Kindler said she is looking forward to a few things for Friday’s meet, including a huge crowd for what she called, “the biggest matchup in program history,” for the Sooners. Kindler said the Sooners will have to be mentally strong to win against the Gators.

The main things that will help the Sooners get the win are the landings, junior Keeley Kmieciak said.

“It will come down to the landings,” Kmieciak said.

“We are both pretty clean teams on the equipment but if you don’t stick that landing,

DILLON HOLLINGSWORTH @DILLONJAMES94

T

he No. 1 Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team will travel to Berkeley, California, this weekend to take on No. 7 UC Berkeley on Sunday.

Oklahoma is coming off of back-to-back record breaking performances, following up their NCAA record 456.400 team score against Michigan with a 457.300 against Illinois last week.

UC Berkeley has one

first place finish this season and is coming off of a third place finish at the Collegiate Challenge against No. 3 Stanford and No. 9 Minnesota. The Bears highest team score this season is a 438.300, which checks in 2.25 points behind the Sooners’ lowest tally of the year.

The record setting OU squad has been No. 1 in the country for eight weeks in a row, and shares its campus with a women’s gymnastics team that has held the top spot in its sport for just as long.

T h e w o m e n ’s s q u a d will welcome Florida, with whom they tied for a national championship in 2014, to Norman this week in hopes of separating themselves from their final foe from a

3

year ago. The men’s team has already banished that demon. Michigan, the reigning national champions who defeated the OU men in the national championship last season, came to Norman on Valentine’s Day, and the Sooners handed them a 16.8 point defeat, posting the highest team score in NCAA history at the time.

Now the men’s team will look to finish the regular season strong. After their meet at UC Berkeley, they will come home to host No. 9 Ohio State in their last regular season meet. Then it’s off to the conference championships and NCAA tournament.

The Sooners and Bears are set to square off at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

THANT AUNG/THE DAILY

Freshman Ali Jackson does a perfect hand stand during the meet against TWU and Southeast Missouri State on Jan. 23 at Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners won with an overall score of 197.850.

you won’t get a good score.”

Sophomore Mckenzie Wofford agreed.

“It will come down to the landings since Florida is such a great team,” Wofford said.

With the Sooners competing in Lloyd Noble for the first time since January, senior Rebecca Clark said she is looking forward to “being back home in front of the

students and fans.”

“The atmosphere is going to be a lot different than any other home meet since we did tie with them last year at nationals,” Kmieciak said.

The meet will start at 6:45 p.m. on March 6 in the Lloyd Noble Center.

CHRISTOPHER MICHIE / THE DAILY

Senior Sergey Resnick performs his pommel horse routine during the Feb. 27 match against Illinois at McCasland Field House. The Sooners broke their own NCAA record score with a 457.300 to 434.200 victory over Illinois.

4

• Friday, March 6, 2015

NUMBERS DON’T LIE FOOTBALL SCHOOL? TRY AGAIN. OU GYMNASTICS IS THE MOST DOMINANT PROGRAM ON CAMPUS IN 2015

9-0

9 first place finishes in 9 matches

10

-197.625 -197.700 -196.500 -198.150 -197.850 -197.275 -197.650 -197.375 -197.875

TWO PERFECT 10’S

5-0

5 first place finishes in 5 matches

WEEKS

10

Source: Soonersports.com

WOMEN’S

(Against SE Missouri and Texas University Women’s)

Highest bars score

Highest vault score

Highest beam score

vs. SE Missouri and Texas University Women’s

vs SE Missouri and Texas Women’s University, and AGAIN vs. Iowa State

against Illinois

-441.550 -440.850 -440.550 -456.400 -457.300

TWO NCAA RECORDS BEATEN their 456.400 against Michigan beat the previous highest team score by 8.55 points. Then they beat their own record with their 457.300 against Illinois.

ranked No. 1 in the country

42 individual event winners

MEN’S

30 individual event winners

49.625 49.575 49.575 77.050 75.050 76.500 OUT OF 50

WINS OVER TOP-25 OPPONENTS

Highest bars score

Highest vault score

Highest rings score

against Michigan

against Michigan, then again vs. Illinois

against Michigan, then again vs. Illinois

8 10

OUT OF 100

WINS OVER

TOP-25 OPPONENTS

Friday, March 6, 2015 •

5

REFLECTING ON OU VS. KU RECALLING THE BEST GAMES OF THE OF BORDER-SHARING TEAMS

JOE BUETTNER | @JOE_BUETTNER Two schools built on different sports will collide on the court Saturday.

Oklahoma doesn’t possess the same hoops pedigree as the Kansas Jayhawks, but both teams share a storied past.

It’s a long history between OU and KU, and March 7 will mark another page in a battle

its 20th victory of the season by beating Kansas, 71-63, and they’d go on to earn a

of premier programs from bordering states.

These two rarely disappoint on the hardwood, despite KU’s recent dominance of Oklahoma.

Regardless, let’s reflect on some of the best games between Oklahoma and Kansas.

three-seed in the 2005 NCAA tournament.

FEB. 5, 2006

MARIO CHALMERS DELIVERS AS SOONERS GIVE UP BIG LEAD

APR. 4, 1988 ASTRUD REED / THE DAILY

Kansas wasn’t ranked at the time, but the Sooners were No. 19 in the country. The Sooners went up by as many as 16 points in Lawrence, Kansas, but the Jayhawks stormed back.

The Sooners trailed by two points with 28 seconds left in the game, but former OU big men Kevin Bookout and Taj Gray set two screens to set up Michael Neal for a three-point attempt out of an in-bounds play. Neal

drained the triple with two Jayhawks around him to give OU a late advantage.

However, former KU standout Mario Chalmers raced to the other end and sunk a floater to give the Kansas its lead back. Terrell Everett tried playing hero taking a contested last second shot, but nothing would fall for OU in the last 19 seconds and the Sooners lost, 59-58, at Allen Fieldhouse.

TUBBS’ SOONERS RUN OUT OF GAS IN NCAA TITLE GAME Freshman guard Buddy Hield guards his opponent during the game Billy Tubbs’ 1988 Sooners clash of Big 8 schools in the against Kansas at the Lloyd Noble Center on Sat. Feb. 9, 2013. The were one of the best to not NCAA title game, but Danny Sooners will play the Jayhawks this Sat. Mar. 7 at the Lloyd Noble only grace OU’s hardwood, Manning and the Jayhawks Center at 3p.m. for their last regular season home game. but college basketball. They matched OU basket-for-bas- showed OU beating Kansas, in Norman in a regular seawere up-tempo, high-scor- ket and the wheels fell off for 77-70. Oklahoma went in son clash between the two ing and exhausting to their Oklahoma. Kansas was only to cruise control after tak- schools. OU would go on opponents. However, for- a sixth-seed in that season’s ing their massive lead. KU to win its third consecutive FEB. 9, 2013 mer KU coach Larry Brown’s tournament field, but they got within five points with Big 12 tournament chamKRUGER MAGIC HANDS JAYHAWKS’ Jayhawks did not fear the pulled a major upset over under a minute to go, but the pionship that season over THIRD-STRAIGHT LOSS Sooners, despite OU only OU, 83-79, and denied OU’s Sooners held on for the win Missouri.

OU and KU were both on first round draft pick Ben losing three games prior chance of claiming its first two game losing streaks, McLemore couldn’t will to the 1988 NCAA tourna- men’s basketball national FEB. 21, 2005 but the No. 5 Jayhawks his team to victory, and OU ment. It was a hard-fought title.

EVERETT, SOONERS ROCK JAYHAWKS IN TOP 25 BATTLE couldn’t possibly lose three- held on for a crucial win in FEB. 23, 2003 A white out in Norman, Center and shot 56-percent in-a-row, right? Wrong. A Lon Kruger’s second season Oklahoma did not go to from the floor in the second Romero Osby-led Sooners as the Sooners’ head coach.

NO. 5 OU CRUISES PAST NO. 6 KANSAS waste.

The Sooners looked half, but OU pulled away squad earned its first win The OU students stormed It was a battle between Quannas White each poured focused and prepared and with late free throws and a over a top five opponent the court and then-freshman No. 5 Oklahoma and No. 6 in 19 points and helped in seven years and defeat- Buddy Hield was lifted on to Kansas, but it was less of a Oklahoma go up 32 points got out in front of Kansas 19-point performance from ed KU, 72-66, in Norman, the shoulders of two stuearly.

The Jayhawks settled ex-Sooner guard Terrell battle and more of a shel- on the Jayhawks in the secOklahoma. The then-Kan- dents in a postgame frenzy. in to a hostile Lloyd Noble Everett.

Oklahoma claimed lacking. Hollis Price and ond half. The final score sas guard and eventual NBA

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8

• Friday, March 6, 2015

CHANGES AHEAD?

at night. The Sooners lost four of the five starters from 2014 and are no more than two-deep at any position.

Oklahoma recruited its offensive line well in the 2014 class, so the program is not totally unprepared. The offensive line will be tested in spring scrimmages against a punishing defensive front, led by defensive end Charles Tapper and linebacker Eric Striker.

STAFF AND PLAYER REVAMP LEAVES QUESTIONS FOR SPRING PRACTICES Riley’s term will not begin slowly, however. The Sooners have been recruiting for a much different style of play over the last few cycles. The talent at wide receiver – vital in a pass first scheme – is shaky and untested, at best. Spring Each year, the NCAA allows college football programs to practice will offer the Sooners and fans alike an early look at hold up to 15 spring practices, including a spring game, over Riley’s style of play. a period of 34 consecutive calendar days.

Oklahoma football begins spring practice Saturday with 2. JOE MIXON REJOINS TEAM a revamped coaching staff and several question marks on Highly touted running back recruit Joe Mixon was allowed the depth chart. to rejoin the team this semester, meaning fans will get their The Sooners have added four new coaches to the sidefirst look at the former five-star in crimson and cream. line since they were demolished by Clemson Dec. 29.

Had Oklahoma continued with the power run style it deFurthermore, the quarterback job is completely up for grabs veloped in the last half of 2014, Mixon’s playing time might with Trevor Knight underperforming in 2014. have been limited behind Samaje Perine. However, the air raid allows more opportunities for running backs to go out for the pass, something Mixon did especially well in high SPRING PRACTICE STORYLINES: school.

1. THE SWITCH TO THE AIR RAID If Mixon is as good as advertised, Oklahoma looks loaded in Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops hired new offensive coordina- the backfield heading into spring.

BRADY VARDEMAN | @BRADYVARDEMAN

4. QUARTERBACK BATTLE

Trevor Knight is still Oklahoma’s starting quarterback, but that is based on seniority and experience alone. This spring, Knight, Cody Thomas and Texas Tech transfer Baker Mayfield will compete for the starting quarterback position.

Thomas stepped in for Knight in 2014 after the sophomore went down with a neck injury, and Thomas ended up being a machine to hand the ball to Perine. As more of a pocket passer than a mobile quarterback, Thomas has the potential to turn heads this spring in Riley’s new system.

Mayfield, once Big 12 Freshman of the Year, is a complete wildcard. Having never taken a live snap for the Sooners after sitting out last season, Mayfield could walk in and steal the job away from Knight and Thomas.

Of course, the odds of Stoops declaring a starter six months removed from the beginning of college football seator Lincoln Riley to bring the Sooners back to a pass-heavy 3. OFFENSIVE LINE DEPTH son are very, very low. However, the picture could become offensive attack. Stoops expressed his desire to return to the The depth – or lack thereof – on the offensive line is some- slightly less fuzzy before summer begins. offense his team ran in 2008, when Oklahoma broke the thing that should keep position coach Bill Bedenbaugh up NCAA record for points scored in a season.

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Friday, March 6, 2015 •

GETTING BETTER WITH AGE SOONERTHON REACHES MORE SUCCESS THROUGH THE YEARS MIKE BRESTOVANSKY | @BRESTOVANSKYM This Saturday’s Soonerthon, the Campus Activities Council’s premier fundraising event, promises to be the most successful installment in the event’s 19-year legacy.

Started in 1996 under the name “OU Dance Marathon,” Soonerthon includes 12 hours of non-stop activities and opportunities to donate to the Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Children’s Miracle Network, said Soonerthon executive chairperson Jessica Freeman.

9

Freeman said Soonerthon has changed “We had different themes of music each “WE GIVE STUsignificantly in the three years she has hour — one hour of pop music, one of ‘90s DENTS AN OPPOR- music ... and I think that’s why we weren’t worked for the event.

TUNITY TO GIVE “We have actually started working with as popular,” Konowitz said. “Some people BACK ... AND high schools,” Freeman said. “We want thought, ‘Dancing? I don’t like dancing.’” to encourage fundraising to go up, but “The way I understand it, there was IT’S AS EASY AS we also want to reach out further into the dancing when it started [19 years STANDING ON community.”

YOUR FEET FOR 12 ago], but there were a lot of sports Last year, Soonerthon raised $318,711.14, tournaments, too,” Freeman HOURS” which is the most Soonerthon has ever said. “People would watch raised, Freeman said. the tournaments and then Miranda Konowitz, alumna and forjust leave.” mer Soonerthon co-chairperson, said MIRANDA KONOWITZ, Originally, Soonerthon has become more focused since Soonerthon was a ALUMNA AND FORshe joined the event during her freshman Panhellenic and MER SOONERTHON year in 2009.

IFC event, but CO-CHAIRPERSON “[In 2009,] we raised $32,000,” Konowitz was almost cansaid. “And we had to end early because not celed after a few enough people showed up.” years due to its lack of success, Since her freshman year, though, Konowitz said Freeman said.

Soonerhon has become much more focused with greater The event has sucsuccess. In 2010, the event raised $77,000; in 2011, $105,000; ceeded and is now one of the top 15 of and in 2012, $196,000.

Although Freeman said she cannot reveal how much has over 200 National been donated this year yet, there are already 2,300 partici- Dance Marathon events across the napants registered, 300 more than last year.

About 88 percent of the donations go to the Children’s tion, Freeman said.

Hospital Foundation, Freeman said, and 10 percent goes Now, after a name back into the Hospital Foundation’s fundraising costs. change, Soonerthon Administrative costs are covered by the remaining 2 percent. i s m o re p o pu l a r Freeman said the Hospital Foundation is the reason than ever, and has much less sitting.

Soonerthon is a 12-hour-long event.

“Nurses’ shifts are 12 hours,” Freeman said. “So they stand “We give stuon their feet for 12 hours to take care of those amazing kids.” d e n t s a n o p Soonerthon hasn’t always been a 12-hour event, portunity to give back,” Konowitz said. It was originally a six-hour dance marathon. Konowitz said. “And it’s as e a s y CALEB SMUTZER/THE DAILY

CALEB SMUTZER/THE DAILY

A crowd of Soonerthon participants dance along with dancers on stage in the Huston Huffman Fitness Center last year. This year’s Soonerthon will take place on Saturday.

10

• Friday, March 6, 2015

Blayklee Buchanan Paighten Harkins Dana Branham Katelyn Griffith Tony Ragle Paris Burris Dillon Hollingsworth Emily Sharp Kaitlyn Underwood Jamison Short

Editor in Chief Managing Editor Online Editor Print Editor Visual Editor News Editor Sports Editor Life & Arts Editor Opinion Editor Advertising Manager

The University of Oklahoma’s Independent Student Voice

HOROSCOPE

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

Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and must be fewer than 250 words, typed and signed by the author(s). Letters will be edited for accuracy, space and style. Students must list their major and classification. To submit letters, email dailyopinion@ou.edu.

Our View is the voice of the Editorial Board, which consists of nine student editors. The board meets at 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday in Copeland Hall, Room 160. Board meetings are open to the public.

Guest columns are accepted and printed at the editor’s discretion.

Columnists’ and cartoonists’ opinions are their own and not necessarily the views or opinions of The Oklahoma Daily Editorial Board.

To advertise in The Oklahoma Daily, contact advertising manager Jamison Short by calling 405-325-8964 or emailing dailyads@ou.edu.

contact us 160 Copeland Hall, 860 Van Vleet Oval Norman, OK 73019-2052

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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.

Copyright 2015, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2015

Rely on your intelligence and insight. There is money to be made if you refuse to let personal problems that are beyond your control stymie your professional progress. Keeping your two lives separate will ensure success in both areas. Productivity should be your focus.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Overly sensitive family members will be hard to deal with. Do whatever it takes to avoid confrontations. Concentrate on finishing a creative project that you have been postponing.

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

phone:

By Eugenia Last

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Someone from your past will make a surprising contribution.

This is not a good time to deal with government agencies or authority figures.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Negativity will be your downfall. Don’t allow self-doubt or indecisiveness to keep you from taking an advanced position. With your intellect and insight, you will succeed in any venture you attempt.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Check out travel magazines and websites or visit a travel agent. The stimulation and inspiration you are looking for can be found in an exotic or out-ofthe-way destination.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Don’t allow your frustration to cause an emotional outburst. Keep your opinions to yourself and think twice before you blurt out something you may regret.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Put extra effort into developing better connections with people you can relate to. If you engage in activities that attract caring people, you will be appreciated for your contributions.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- You work hard for your money, but reckless spending or unnecessary extravagance will wreak havoc on your budget. Be wary of anyone looking for a handout or donation.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Organize a pleasure trip or outing with a close friend. Tension with family members will leave you feeling dissatisfied and uptight. The GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Don’t less time spent at home, the better. let anyone take advantage of you.

If you feel you are being pressured, CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) stand up for your rights. A change -- It’s time to put your financial, of scenery will help to clear your insurance and legal papers in order. mind and avoid a troublesome Update contracts or agreements. confrontation.

An older individual will be able to provide some valuable advice.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Share your happiness with the AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) people you love. Plan a family gath- -- Emotional pressure or personal ering or hook up with friends for issues will have you feeling pulled in some entertainment. An intellectual two different directions. Take some or physical challenge will stimulate time to pamper yourself. A day your senses. spent doing enjoyable activities will lessen your stress.

Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker March 6, 2015

ACROSS 1 Better than better 5 Lustful looker 10 “Buona ___� (Italian greeting) 14 With the bow, to a violinist 15 “Mine eyes have seen the ___ ...�

16 Ball of yarn 17 .035 ounces 18 Ross of the Supremes 19 Split or tear 20 Hard-tounderstand voicemail, e.g.

23 In-flight announcement, for short 24 “First off ...�

25 Have a view 27 Synagogue bigwig 29 Gunfighter’s “Go!�

32 Program interruption?

33 From Qatar or Kuwait 36 Antecedent to margarine 37 William Hurt film of 1980 40 Four-hand piano piece 41 Do a spot check 42 $20 bill dispenser, briefly 43 To the right, on the map 44 Damage beyond repair 48 Jokey stuff 3/6

50 Feathered bigfoot 52 Fool’s gold, e.g.

53 Some literary flubs 58 Misfortunate Boleyn 59 Contradict, as testimony 60 Elevator pioneer 61 Good at dodging questions 62 Negative terminal 63 Turning counterclockwise 64 “When all ___ fails, read the directions�

65 In perfect order, as a piano 66 Genesis locale DOWN 1 Grocery store employee 2 Typesetting mistakes 3 Gem of a beetle 4 King Tut’s resting place 5 Utah city 6 Tango movement 7 The good earth?

8 Atlantic bird 9 Some shaggy rugs 10 Machine shop refuse 11 Meeting all the requirements

12 Business incomes 13 Astonish 21 France’s longest river 22 Babe’s mom, for one 26 Id’s counterpart 28 Matted cotton sheet 29 Accomplished, Biblical style 30 Make a grating sound 31 You’ll get a hand for it 34 Part of an oratorio 35 Vereen and Franklin 36 Von Bismarck 37 Fall-like 38 Migratory rodents 39 Become troublesome

40 Morse code word 43 Before, back and forth 45 Blew the horn 46 Become a celeb 47 Teaching session 49 Daisy type 50 Practice piece for one instrument 51 Beat, in chess 54 Undeleted expletive 55 Diner’s card 56 Black, as piano keys 57 Doughnut center 58 “Detective� role for Jim Carrey

PREVIOUS PUZZLEANSWER ANSWER PREVIOUS PUZZLE

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MASS CONFUSION By Tim Burr

Friday, March 6, 2015 •

11

#FTK: THE ‘KIDS’ GIVE BACK SOONERTHON BENEFICIARIES TO SHOW APPRECATION WITH PERFORMANCE AND STORY

KATE BERGUM | @KATECLAIRE_B Although today Sydney and her older sister Shelby may be concerned about dazzling college students with their voices in the Soonerthon talent show, about five years ago, Sydney was struggling just to breathe.

Sydney, a six-year old girl who has been to OU’s dance marathon event for four years now, is one of the many children who has benefited from Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Children’s Hospital Foundation, both of which receive funding from the event.

Money raised from Soonerthon helps recruit doctors to practice and research at the OU Children’s Hospital — doctors who help Oklahoman children like Sydney, said Linzy Hall, a senior development officer for the Children’s Hospital Foundation.

When Sydney was three months old, she contracted pneumonia the day after Christmas, said Malena O’Connor, Sydney’s mother. Over the next four months, Sydney contracted pneumonia two more times, as well as croup and Respiratory Syncytial Virus, O’Connor said.

“Her body wasn’t fighting things off,” O’Connor said.

Further, Sydney’s face would almost turn blue when she cried, which was the result of restricted airways, O’Connor said.

After the many illnesses, a pulmonologist said that Sydney’s lungs were restricted and suggested that O’Connor take her to the OU Children’s Hospital for surgery, O’Connor said.

Because of funding from the Children’s Miracle Network, the OU Children’s hospital was able to recruit specialists like the pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon who operated on Sydney when she was seven months old, O’Connor said.

Having a specialist in the state allowed Sydney and Shelby to see their father, who was about to be deployed overseas with the Air Force at the time, during the operation, O’Connor said.

Further, not having to travel far for care made life easier for O’Connor, who was trying to take care of her sick baby and her four-year-old daughter largely on her own, O’Connor said.

“I can’t imagine having to go to another state,” O’Connor said.

OU’s Children’s Hospital, which is the only children’s hospital in the region, also offered specialized care for Sydney, O’Connor said.

Baby’s bodies are very different from adult bodies, and hospitals that focus on adult care sometimes don’t know how to treat infants and toddlers as effectively, O’Connor said.

“THERE’S NOWHERE ELSE YOU COULD GO THAT WOULD TAKE BETTER CARE OF YOUR KIDS.” MALENA O’CONNOR, SOONERTHON PARENT

CALEB SMUTZER/THE DAILY

Shelby and Sydney sing at Soonerthon in Spring 2014. The two will return to participate in Soonerthon again this year, March 7.

While staff at other hospitals were unable to put an IV in Sydney’s arm, the children’s hospital offered a positive experience, O’Connor said.

“There’s nowhere else you could go that would take better care of your kids,” O’Connor said.

Even after her daughter’s surgery, O’Connor had to give Sydney breathing treatments every four hours for two years, she said. Still, O’Connor wakes up every four hours — she cannot help herself, O’Connor said.

Today, Sydney is much healthier. Though she catches illnesses such as pneumonia frequently and has to take three medications for asthma per night, she has not been to the hospital for three years, O’Connor said.

O’Connor has brought her daughters to Soonerthon in the past years for a variety of reasons. First, as an OU alumna, she loves the Sooners, she said. Second, she wants to show her appreciation for the students who are raising money for the Children’s Hospital Foundation. And third, her daughters have a great time, O’Connor said.

Sydney loves Soonerthon — more specifically, she loves the carnival, the food, the dancing and most of all, the talent show, O’Connor said.

For the show this year, Shelby, an excellent rapper, will perform Ariana Grande’s “One Less Problem,” O’Connor said. Meanwhile, Syndey will perform Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off,” and she has grand plans for her choreography — including being lifted onto the shoulders of the OU students who will be her back-up dancers.

At this year’s event, O’Connor will also speak in front of all the students participating and share her story, O’Connor said.

After the show and the rest of Soonerthon’s events, students will reveal the total amount of money raised during the fundraiser, a moment that usually makes O’Connor emotional, O’Connor said.

“It’s so important what those dollars really do,” O’Connor said.

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• Friday, March 6, 2015

SOONER

DON’T LET THIS BE

yearbook

SENIOR PORTRAITS

OKLAHOMA MEMORIAL UNION March 3-6 (Grad Gear-Up, Beaird Lounge) March 9-13 (Sooner/Bartlett rooms) March 23-27 (Presidents/Bartlett rooms) March 30-April 3 (Bartlett Room) April 13-17 (Traditions Room)

HOW YOU’RE REMEMBERED