The Oklahoma Daily

FRIDAY APRIL 23, 2010

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Read about the final featured Norman Music Festival local artist.

See page 5.

The OU women’s ’ gymnastics tics team advanced ced to its first-ever Super Six. Recapp pa ppage g 7. ge

What is the definition of a “Sooner?”

The Daily sought answers from students.

Read page 3.

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Sam leads Sooners in historic draft Bradford, McCoy and Williams selected No. 1, 3 and 4 in first round of the NFL Draft; Gresham picked 21st to cap statement night RICKY LY Daily Staff Writer

OU made history as former Sooners were taken as three of the top four picks in the NFL Draft on Thursday night in New York City.

As expected, the St. Louis Rams selected Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford with the first pick.

After former Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was taken second by the Detroit Lions, two former Sooners were taken in the third and fourth spot.

All-American defensive tackle Gerald McCoy went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, followed by offensive tackle Trent Williams to the Washington Redskins.

With Bradford, Suh, McCoy, Williams and sixth-pick

Russell Okung of Oklahoma State, the Big 12 started the evening with five of the first six selections.

OU ended the night with four first-round picks after Cincinnati selected All-American tight end Jermaine Gresham with the 21st pick.

Head football coach Bob Stoops said the night was a statement for the program.

“I am just overwhelmed and feel privileged to have had the opportunity to get to know these guys and coach them,” Stoops said. “To think that four guys who came in as members of the same recruiting class went in the first 21 picks is amazing.”

Thursday’s festivities come a year after no Sooners were selected in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

The first Sooner chosen in 2009 was offensive tackle Phil Loadholt at the 54th spot to the Minnesota Vikings in the second round.

Bradford and Gresham both opted to enter this year’s draft after injuries sidelined the players for almost the DRAFT CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

AP PHOTO

Former OU quarterback Sam Bradford smiles Thursday after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the St. Louis Rams in the NFL Draft.

Green invaders ambush campus

SINK OR SWIM? OU’s Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge team will also compete to build a bridge stable under pressure AUDREY HARRIS Daily Staff Writer

NEIL MCGLOHON/THE DAILY

Students dressed up in green body suits run around Thursday on the South Oval in celebration of Earth Day. The masked students handed out seed packets and flying discs courtesy of The Nature Conservancy, which owns and protects 70,000 acres across the state.

OU named ‘green campus’

by The Princeton Review Campus only public university in OK noted as most environmentally responsible RICKY MARANON Assignment Editor

NEIL MCGLOHON/THE DAILY

Students dressed up in green body suits Thursday and ran around in front of the Bizzell Memorial Library in celebration of Earth Day.

demonstrated a continued and deep commitment to environmental stewardship,” Boren said by e-mail.

OUr Earth President Chris Applegate said his group is proud OU received the award.

“This university has made great progress in going green, but we still have a long way to go,” said Applegate, geography senior. “I think this shows that we are heading in the right direction.”

Applegate said responsibility for the award should be shared with Boren.

“He has made great progress in not only suggestions students have given him with ways to go green, but he has implemented those suggestions and is moving us in the right direction,” Applegate said.

Applegate said he and his group will continue to make suggestions for ways of

OU is the only public university in the state noted as one of the country’s most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review.

The nationally known education services company selected OU for inclusion in a unique resource it has created for college applicants — “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 286 Green Colleges.”

OU President David Boren said it is an honor to be chosen as a green campus by the review.

“Much of the credit for this recognition goes to our students who have GREEN CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

OU’s Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge team will host teams from 11 schools this weekend to build a canoe that floats and is easiest to maneuver.

The team also will compete for the fastest bridge-building time for a bridge that bends the least with added pressure, said Jesse Berdis, team member.

OU’s team consists of about 20 engineering students divided to work on the canoe or bridge for the competition, which is organized by the College of Engineering, Berdis said.

Berdis, architectural engineering junior, said four judges from across the country, two of whom are OU alumni, will judge each boat on its aesthetics.

Then the boats will be evaluated in what is called a “dunk test,” which involves a canoe being placed in a box pool and filled with water to see if it floats, he said.

On Saturday, the canoes will be tested on the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City in strength and endurance races. There are courses laid out on the river, Berdis said.

Three people will ride in the canoe for endurance and two for sprint. Berdis said the paddlers have to have a strong upper body strength, and they are generally selected based on participation and grades.

Stephen McCollam, mechanical engineering junior, is paddling for both the sprint and endurance races.

McCollam said the paddlers prepared by running and lifting weights at the gym last semester.

“Once it got warm out, we practiced paddling in a pond here in Norman,” McCollam said.

Cody Burch, civil engineering sophomore, is paddling in the sprint competition. Burch said they practiced working with last year’s canoe that was on display in Carson.

The boats will be on display on the lawn between Devon Energy Hall and the engineering practice facility this afternoon. The canoe team worked all night on Wednesday and Thursday to finish painting the craft. The team spent about 2,000 man hours on the CANOE CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

Freshman named first Mr. Black OU; hopes to stand out as a leader After Michael Jackson medley and five categories, judges award Matthew Griffin with title SAMANTHA BRULE Daily Staff Writer

Matthew Griffin, University College freshman, was declared the inaugural Mr. Black OU on Thursday night at Sooner Theatre.

Griffin was one of eight students who competed for the crown in the Black Student Association’s pageant.

“I hope to be a leader, and stand out as a leader,” he said.

The pageant was divided into five categories, including

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interviews, talent, formal wear, athletic wear and an onstage question.

The panel of judges included Jillian Whitaker, Miss Black Rose State, and Avery Moore, Mr. Langston University. The main qualities they looked for in the contestants were personality, excitement and courage, Whitaker said.

Supporters said they also wanted the same MATTHEW qualities in a winner.

GRIFFIN Christina Blakely, psychology junior, said she rooted for no one specifically, but hoped Griffin would stand up and make a change on campus.

“Guys are here to change the world as well. This allows us to

© 2010 OU PUBLICATIONS BOARD

say we appreciate our guys, and we need good guys to stand up and be leaders in our community,” Blakely said.

The event began with a dance performance to a medley of Michael Jackson songs, in accordance with the pageant’s theme of remembering historic black American achievements.

The reigning Miss Black OU, Kenisha Lloyd, welcomed the contestants to the stage, where they introduced themselves and presented their platforms.

The contestants showed off their athletic wear first, each representing a different sport.

Most of the candidates chose to demonstrate their musical, theater or dance abilities in the talent portion.

MR. BLACK OU CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

VOL. 95, NO. 141

2 Friday, April 23, 2010 Caitlin Harrison, managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 325-3666 • fax: 325-6051

OUDAILY.COM » CATCH VIDEO OF THE TOMS SHOES EVENT WHERE PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED TO STYLE THEIR OWN SOLES.

Mr. Black OU Continues from page 1 Audience members could vote for their favorite contestants for the People’s Choice winner during a brief intermission.

The contestants then competed in the formal wear and onstage question portions.

The men also participated in a photo shoot prior to the pageant. The pictures taken were used to choose the winner of

Draft JEREMY DICKIE/THE DAILY

The OU Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge team prepares to put on the final touches to its canoe Thursday evening in Devon Energy Hall. The team will race its canoe this weekend against 14 other schools in the state along the Oklahoma River.

Canoe Continues from page 1 canoe, said Shannon Jenkins, team captain.

“When you’re up until 6 in the morning working, you become like a family,” Berdis said. “People’s personalities really come out.”

This year marks the 100-year anniversary of OU’s engineering school, so the competition also will honor the centennial.

“Our concrete name is ‘100-year Storm,’” Berdis said. “The canoe is cream colored and says ‘OU Centennial’ in crimson.”

The title comes from a civil engineering term; storm means to design things for the worst storm, said Jason Kilpatrick, civil engineering sophomore.

In order to build the canoe, team members assembled it by forming the concrete around a mold with their hands, Berdis said. They added a mesh-wire grid into the concrete that aids in holding it together while floating on water.

“If you took a cross-section of the boat, it’d be concrete-grid-concrete,” Berdis said.

One of the guidelines set by the American Society of Civil Engineers states that each canoe must contain 50 percent recyclable material. Berdis said the team collected green bottles out of trash cans and crushed them into the cement mixture.

The other half of the team is preparing to build a steel bridge according to guidelines set by the American Institute of Steel Construction.

Mark Emde, civil engineering graduate student, is the team captain for the bridge team. Emde said the team builds the bridge in sections, and each has to fit in a specifically measured box. The team prepares the bridge to be a “snapping bridge,” one that snaps together in different places, but still must have the required nuts and bolts.

Their goal is to put it together within five minutes.

“It takes a lot of welding and design beforehand,” Emde said.

The bridge team is evaluated based on its speed of construction, the weight of the bridge and “deflection,” which describes how much the bridge goes down with 2,500 pounds placed on it.

“It’s a real-life project but on the small scale,” Emde said.

Continues from page 1 entire 2009 season.

Bradford was sidelined for all but three games as repeated injuries to his AC shoulder joint ended the possibility of a return.

Gresham missed the entire season with a knee injury, ending his collegiate career five touchdowns short of former wide receiver Mark Clayton’s career record of 31.

In 2008, Bradford led the Sooners to a 12-2 record as the team broke the NCAA record for most points scored in a single season with 702 points.

Green Continues from page 1 improvement to campus buildings.

“We’re a little worried that old buildings have become greener while our new buildings take us in a step in the wrong direction,” Applegate said.

Applegate said OU also should be concerned with its sustainability rating.

“We made a C last year, and we need to find a way to be more sustainable in the future,” Applegate said. “I don’t believe we have ever made an A, and we should really strive for that grade.”

He said he is looking forward to OU

the Mr. Photogenic title, said committee member Chylloa Jackson, mechanical engineering junior.

Another title, Mr. Industrial, went to the contestant who sold the most ads for the program.

First, second and third place winners all received monetary prizes, and Mr. Photogenic won a professional photo shoot.

Mr. Black OU will be responsible for holding various events according to their platform, as well as participate in community service events, Jackson said.

Bradford also earned the Davey O’Brien Award, the Sammy Baugh Trophy and the Heisman Trophy.

As a junior, Gresham caught 66 receptions for 950 yards and scored a teamleading 14 touchdowns in garnering AllAmerica honors from multiple media outlets.

McCoy had a year left of collegiate eligibility, but chose to forgo his senior season and enter the draft after earning enough credits to earn his degree in human relations this spring.

Williams was named a first-team AllAmerican as a senior, ending the year as arguably the top professional prospect at offensive tackle.

becoming 100 percent sustainable, dependant on wind energy by 2014 and also the installment of smart-grid technology that would allow OU to measure how much electricity each campus building uses.

OU joins the ranks of outstanding universities and colleges nationwide that are leading the “green” movement through their own special programs and initiatives, said Robert Franek, senior vice president and publisher at The Princeton Review.

OU has established a Sustainability Committee to manage campus green initiatives, and has an active student environmental group, OUr Earth, that already has established a Game Day Recycling program, Franek said OU recieved the award on Earth Day.

University of Oklahoma Bookstore

Friday, April 23, 2010

Relay to raise money for fight against cancer

Sooner Sampler

What do you think a “Sooner” is?

12-hour walk brings sense of community; raises awareness of impact of the disease, cancer survivor says

life to the cause.

“I strongly believe in the cause of Relay For Life and I’ve been able to communicate that importance to others, ultimately accuJESSICA SHEETS mulating in a monetary investment in the Daily Staff Writer fight against cancer,” Brockway said.

Relay For Life began in May 1985 when Dr. Gordy Klatt ran a marathon around a Students will walk a 12-hour trek to raise track in 24 hours to show support for his money for the American Cancer Society patients who had battled cancer, said Josh at 7 tonight on the South Oval. For cancer Fried, Relay For Life co-chair. Relay For Life survivor Wade Brockway, howfirst began at OU in spring 2002 ever, Relay For Life is more than a and raised $35,000. fundraiser.

“Money aside, Relay For Life ofBrockway, accounting junior, fers all participants the chance to was unexpectedly diagnosed with realize the impact of cancer, honor stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma those who have survived, rememlast summer after experiencing ber those who have passed and symptoms in the spring. Although learn what they can do to make Brockway was not at OU last fall, cancer a part of history,” Fried his primary goal during treatment WADE said. was to return.

Co-chair Casey Morgan said BROCKWAY “‘Boomer Sooner’ helped me hopefully more people will be through some of those lonely and made aware of Relay For Life and difficult nights in the hospital,” Brockway participate. said.

“I feel like Relay For Life is one of those Brockway said he believes students buy events that you really can’t completely into an illusion about cancer and whom it understand until you attend,” Morgan affects. said. “It’s so much more than just walking “I think college students can easily be around a track for 12 hours.” lured into a false sense of invulnerability,” Morgan said students interested in atBrockway said. “I feel comfortable saying tending who aren’t registered or don’t have that because, until last June, I bought into a team still can come out to the event. this misconception. Unfortunately, cancer Brockway said students should be aware can and does affect individuals of every of major issues, such as cancer. demographic.”

“As young people, we exist in a unique Brockway is the top individual fundraiser position of opportunity,” he said. “When so far in OU’s Relay For Life, having raised we do choose to address crucial matters, more than $1,800 as of Thursday evening. such as cancer, our voices carry significant Brockway said he has now dedicated his weight.”

For more information on Relay For Life at OU, visit www.ou.edu/relay

Melissa Mock, international and area studies sophomore “Sooners were part of the Oklahoma land rush that went over the line early to get land.”

Steven Dixon, University College freshman “A person who likes to have things done quicker rather than later.”

Jacquie Baker, architectural engineering junior “Somebody who goes to OU and takes pride in their school.”

Shelby Richison, University College freshman “A Sooner was the people who ran first across the line to get the land.”

David Adje, engineering graduate student “I have no idea.”

Christina Miles, University College freshman “I think Sooners were the people at the land run who cheated and snuck over early.”

CAMPUS EVENTS TODAY TRANSFER STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD Applications for the new Transfer Student Advisory Board are due at 5 p.m. in the Student Life office. Applications are available at studentlife.ou.edu. You must be an undergraduate transfer student who has been at OU for at least one semester.

RELAY FOR LIFE OU’s Relay for Life “Just Beat It,” a walking relay to raise funds for cancer research, starts at 7 p.m. on the South Oval. There will be a live band and food. Event wristbands are $10.

FESTIVAL OF ARTS Starting today, the Arts Council of Oklahoma City will host the Festival of the Arts from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in downtown Oklahoma City at the Festival Plaza, Stage Center and the Myriad Botanical Gardens. There will be original artwork by 144 visual artists on Artist Row, sculpture park, children’s activities, four stages of live entertainment, street performers and more.

SUNDAY MEDIEVAL FILM SERIES There will be a free screening of “Kingdom of Heaven” at 3 p.m. in Meacham Auditorium as part of the Medieval Film series.

CASSI TONEY/THE DAILY

POLICE REPORTS The following is a list of arrests and citations, not convictions. The information given is compiled from the Norman and OU Police Departments. At times, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department and the Oklahoma City FBI will contribute to these reports.

All those listed are innocent until proven guilty.

SECOND-DEGREE BURGLARY Paul H. Webb, 38, 313 Forest Ave., Tuesday, also obstructing an officer and assault and battery on an officer POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA Michelle Lindsey Simer, 19, 3001 Oak Tree Ave., Wednesday, also possession of drug paraphernalia

PUBLIC INTOXICATION Alba Nydia Reyes, 25, West State Highway 9, Tuesday

Wednesday Brian Benjamin Capers, 18, 1205 E. Lindsey St., Tuesday

COUNTY WARRANT Savannah Nicole Smith, 19, 2900 Meadow Ave., Wednesday Perry Gene Estes, 22, East State Highway 9, Tuesday Bruce Henry Freeman, 56, Oakhurst Avenue, Wednesday

PETTY LARCENY Melinda S. Carter, 22, 333 N. Interstate Drive, Tuesday Cyle Lynn Crosnoe, 34, 3201 W. Main St., April 13th Alana Edwards, 23, 333 N. Interstate Drive,

MUNICIPAL WARRANT Eddie Frank Owen, 18, 2306 Glen Oaks Drive, Tuesday Walter Derrick Heard, 35, 201 W. Gray St.,

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te t a to s n aso e r 5 ege l l o C Collinsummer: this

graduate 1. Catch up and on time out of 2. Get Calculus fall the way before rs!

3. Great professo r load 4. Take a lighte next year th 5. Score points wi your parents

Tuesday DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE Keeli Rana Clements, 21, 2000 Cherokee Lane, Wednesday GRAND LARCENY Jeremy Dale Davy, 32, 418 N. Interstate Drive, Wednesday

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Friday, April 23, 2010

COMMENT OF THE DAY »

Annelise Russell, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 325-3666 • fax: 325-6051

In response to Wednesday’s guest column about UOSA reelections.

YOU CAN COMMENT AT OUDAILY.COM

“Can we stop with this records number nonsense. The last presidential election which by the way only featured two candidates (instead of this years four) had more votes cast than this year.

I don’t know what record was broken unless it was some record pertaining to low voter turnout.

- SOONERBOOMERS

CARTOON

OUR VIEW

Enjoy music festival but try to give back Norman Music Festival, one of the most popular attractions for the Norman community, kicks off Saturday.

This is a unique chance for students to get involved with the local community and see some talented local and national musicians.

More importantly: in its third year of existence, the festival still remains free.

But like many music festivals, charging for future ones is a possibility for the Norman Music Festival. However, if we each donate a few dollars Saturday or Sunday, we can help keep the festival open to the public.

Norman is a vibrant community and students should show their gratitude for the city bringing in such events.

It may mean the difference between a third or fourth beer, but festivalgoers are in luck because the beer is now six point.

More bang for your buck means you can use the money you’ve saved to keep the music playing.

Norman has not always had things like the festival or even a vibrant Campus Corner.

The downtown has, at times, looked more like a ghost town.

Norman has made major improvements students too often take for granted because they know no different.

The Norman Music Festival is one of those major improvements.

Imagine what it would be like to pay $20 or $40 for this two-day festival that covers the downtown and brings together all walks of life. The dollar or two you donate could prevent the festival from going to a ticket system.

So when you grab your friends and head to downtown Norman for a music-filled weekend, remember to donate.

It’s an investment for future festival attendees.

Brice Beckwith is an English senior.

GO TO OUDAILY.COM FOR ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL INFORMATION AND GUIDES.

Do you have something to say? The Oklahoma Daily is

COLUMN

now hiring opinion columnists for the fall. To apply, e-mail Annelise Russell at

Charity is never enough The word America brings forth lots of images: Fat people, Hollywood, business suits, churches, Lady Gaga, televisions, hamburgers, soccer moms, cell phones, fake boobs, Google, Hummers, Facebook, shiny buildings, YouTube, Coco Chanel, football, American Idol, Obama…

We represent the good and the bad. But everything we represent, and everything we strive to be, revolves around the dollar bill (make that multiple). The one image that represents the concept of America BROOKE is simple: Money.

Fat people pay too much money MYERS for too much food and often too much money for diet programs and pills that do too little. Hollywood is defined by money.

Business suits represent the man on a hunt for money, and shiny buildings are his expensive hunting grounds. Churches beg for money to use and give and whatever else they do.

Soccer moms want their kids to be the best so colleges will buy them off their mothers. Everything else is a business. I guess the president is the only one of us not in it for the money.

Money, the heart of our cultural spirit, has truly been our uniting factor. We’ve been bonded as Americans by the acknowledgment that you, I and everyone else are on a mission to take a larger portion of the finite amount of money. So goes for anyone working, at least, in the corporate world.

That’s why we’re here. We want to “make a living.” We want to make a presence. We want to earn our place in American society, and that place is as valuable as the number behind each of our salary’s dollar sign.

We should be happy to know that our culture, and the nation constituted by it, has gotten past all the frivolities of worrying about survival.

Whew.

Worrying about that stuff is a hassle. You can’t even enjoy life when you have to think about hunger or safety or religious persecution or whatever. We have achieved what Maslow calls our “basic needs.” We can now self-actualize.

So, American self-actualization amounts to nothing more than materialism. We all know it’s true. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. What we have done with our materialistic mindset are some admirable things.

For example, according to the Giving USA Foundation, Americans gave more than $300 billion to charity in 2008, most of which came from private individuals — not corporations or foundations.

Why do Americans give?

Because they love to fix things. It’s in our blood to look at a problem and do what we can to solve it.

Our grand old founding fathers created this nation for that very purpose.

The rest of our ancestors, or even parents, crossed seas and rivers because it was the solution to a problem. We don’t stand alongside injustice, and we do not tolerate oppression.

That is a value my country has instilled in me and in you, whether you are liberal or conservative, and whether you agree or disagree upon certain definitions of injustice or oppression.

We all have an underlying sense of morality — whether we admit it or not — that is a product of our American heritage and culture. We as a people value human rights, and we value human potential.

In our giving we perpetuate a tradition of constant progression. The magnitude of our giving represents our desire to plant hope for a better future in those who otherwise don’t have it.

Three hundred-billion dollars — $300,000,000,000 — is more money than we can fathom. It is a pretty representation of our priorities as Americans.

But it isn’t enough.

We can’t put a cap on how much we give because it looks like a great amount. It’s not enough. If we have this inherent drive to fix problems, why are millions in our own country still homeless?

Why are our student organizations buying free food and free drinks and free this and free that for people who do have enough?

Why, especially, are organizations that should be committed to providing for those in need buying — literally — buckets of food and drinks to dole out to people as a means of publicity, and maybe even as bribery? If people care, they’ll come. They don’t need food as an incentive, especially since no one here is starving.

The majority of us are not thinking every day about what we’re going to eat, or if there will be anything to eat at all.

Most of us don’t have to worry about the dirt floor of our home during the rainy season or about a lack of medical care afforded to our sick and dying children. Most of us aren’t scared to sleep at night.

The majority of our children are well-fed and robust little things. Most of us have nice beds to sleep in.

But don’t forget the rest of us.

Brooke Myers is a University College freshman.

Annelise.Russell-1@ou.edu

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For more information on The Oklahoma Daily or OU Student Media, visit OUDaily.com or www.studentmedia.ou.edu.

GUEST COLUMN

Students controlling standards About a week ago, professor Dominique Homberger, a tenured professor at Louisiana State University, was relieved of her teaching position because she was accused of making her teaching curriculum too difficult. About 90 percent of her class was failing or had dropped the class after the first of four tests.

Homberger has been a professor for more than thirty years teaching graduate and senior-level biology classes, and up until the latter half of the semester an “Introduction to CHRIS Biology”.

In her introductory biology class, GIBBONS she gave quizzes at the beginning of each class. As for tests, instead of using the general format of four answers per multiple choice questions, she used ten.

She lectured the class at the beginning of the semester that she has high standards, but is very generous with points when a student demonstrates improvement throughout the course.

Homberger expected her students to make an extra effort to comprehend and apply the material, rather than just memorize and regurgitate facts. Because of her students’ inability to meet her standards, the students complained to the dean, and she was relieved of her position by the LSU administration.

Given the background of the professor, the prestige of LSU and the subject of the class, I find this to be absolutely terrible for higher education and our student body as a whole.

This act demonstrated by LSU’s administration undermines everything a professor works toward when pursuing her career — academic freedom.

The professor’s academic freedom has been undermined by lazy, over-privileged students — which hurt us all.

We need higher standards in our classrooms. If we do not have higher standards in our classrooms, how do we expect to gain a competitive advantage in the workplace

T=: O@A6=DB6 D6>AN Jamie Hughes Caitlin Harrison Ricky Maranon Lauren Harned Chris Lusk Michelle Gray Marcin Rutkowski

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when we graduate? What would you as a student have to offer if you were just handed your grade?

Higher standards in the classroom allow us to actually work for our grade.

Higher standards give us the opportunity to not just memorize the material — but to apply it. Higher standards allow us to learn how to learn, learn how to be curious and learn how tackle problems outside of the classroom.

But as Homberger’s revoked position reflects, that is not what universities want.

Universities do not care about a student’s education or higher standards but about numbers. Those numbers would be how many students are enrolled in the university, how many students stay enrolled until graduation, and how much money the university is receiving from those students.

We have to understand that students like us are just tuition dollars to the university’s eyes. If we complain about standards being too high, the university will lower them. If a consensus is reached by students that a class is too difficult, the university will dismiss the professor — merely because the university does not want to see dollars lost to actual learning.

However, we should not be demanding lower standards, but higher standards. We should constantly push our university to give us better equipment, better professors and better classrooms.

Why? As students and future members of the workforce, we need an environment that will prepare us for the global marketplace.

We need to make sure professors’ and teachers’ academic freedom isn’t encroached upon because we need to be satisfied that our professors have the ability to teach us what they deem prevalent in the world outside our classrooms.

Chris Gibbons is a botany and chemistry junior.

The Oklahoma Daily is a public forum and OU’s independent student voice.

Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and should be fewer than 250 words, typed, double spaced and signed by the author(s). Letters will be cut to fit. Students must list their major and classification. OU staff and faculty must list their title. All letters must include a daytime phone number. Authors submitting letters in person must present photo identification.

Submit letters Sunday through Thursday, in 160 Copeland Hall. Letters can also be submitted via e-mail to dailyopinion@ ou.edu.

Guest columns are accepted at editor’s discretion. ’Our View’ is the voice of The Oklahoma Daily.

Editorial Board members are The Daily’s editorial staff.

The board meets Sunday through Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in 160 Copeland Hall.

Columnists’ and cartoonists’ opinions are not necessarily the opinions of The Daily Editorial Board.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Joshua Boydston, L&A editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 325-5189 • fax: 325-6051

5

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For full coverage of Norman Music Festival, including live tweeting, blogs and reviews, go to OUDaily.com/normanmusicfestival.

ORIGINAL WORK ‘READY’ TO ENTERTAIN

DUSTY SOMERS Daily Staff Writer

Paul Stuart is a self-professed musical theater lover, but despite his high school experience in a number of musicals, he never was cast in one at OU. Now, Stuart, a drama senior, is at the helm of his very own musical, “Ready,” which he wrote and directed. It opens tonight in the Weitzenhoffer Theatre.

The production is presented by the Student Theatre Initiative, a campus organization that presents entirely student-driven work.

Stuart began developing “Ready” in a playwriting class, JEREMY DICKIE/THE DAILY but when it was chosen to be performed, it helped moti- Drama senior Paul Stuart watches from the audience as drama students rehearse the show “Ready” vate him to get it stage-ready, in the Weitzenhoffer Theatre Wednesday evening. Stuart is both the director and playwrite for the student production performing April 23 and 24 at 8 p.m. in the Weitzenhoffer Theatre. he said.

“It’s really easy to start a move to New York City after graduation, where an actor’s place project, but to finish it is a lot of work,” Stuart said. is never certain.

Stuart’s acting reputation is well-established — he’s starred “It’s just insane how crazy this business is,” Tyler said. “I can in a number of University Theatre productions, including lead really relate to her. Emmy just represents what we represent as roles in “Is He Dead?” and “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and he people.” recently won the top award in the regional Irene Ryan Acting Tyler related the influence that the character of Emmy has Competition. Writing and directing represents a much lesson her fellow characters to Amy Boe, OU drama sophomore trodden path. who died of cancer in October 2008. Boe Still, despite the new challenges inherent in had a warmth that affected all her peers, directing a musical, there’s a weight lifted at not PLAYBILL Tyler said. having to be the one on stage, he said.

“Even the littlest thing in life can help Plus, it’s his creation — a fact that makes him What: “Ready” someone along their way,” Tyler said. visibly elated.

When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday Helping one another develop the musi“There’s just nothing as cool as doing your Where: Weitzenhoffer Theatre cal has been the signature of the production own work,” he said.

Tickets: $5 at the door since she came on board, said Kourtney Stuart didn’t always envision the story as Kae, drama sophomore and the show’s a musical, but at some point it became clear choreographer. that’s what it needed, and he wrote lyrics and The collaborative process of perfecting guitar accompaniment to go along with it. the show’s dance numbers — which cover the genre spectrum, “I don’t know why it became a musical, [but] I think music is from tap to ballet to hip-hop — has resulted in an organic prosuch an effective storytelling tool,” Stuart said. cess where everyone contributes, she said.

The guitar- and piano-based musical takes a singer-song“It’s been nice for somebody to say, ‘What about this?’” Kae writer approach to the story of Emmy, a young woman who said. “This is very much our musical.” leaves home and treatment for her illness to pursue her dreams That’s part of the appeal of doing a solely student-based proof making it big in New York City. There, she leaves something duction, Stuart said. It often gives students opportunities they impacting with every person she encounters. Characters might otherwise not have, he said. play the instruments needed for musical accompaniment “When you do something student-run, you realize how onstage. much talent there is [in the department],” Stuart said. “There’s It’s a common experience for actors to peer into the dauntso many times in a program where students don’t get a ing chasm of life and potential jobs after graduation, Stuart chance.” said, and that greatly informed his writing.

Without the academic pressures inherent in a university “A lot of the story is about what artists face — the unknown production, it can be a more true-to-life artistic endeavor, he of what comes,” he said. “[And it’s] what you do in the moment said. of fear before you go on stage.”

“In the real world, you please an audience; in academia, you Musical theater sophomore Meredith Tyler understands please a teacher,” Stuart said. “[I tell the cast,] I am not the one that feeling. She plays the show’s lead, Emmy, and has plans to to please. Your best work is for the audience.”

Festival has successful start, continues through weekend ANNA MARIE STONE Contributing Writer

Nestled between the picturesque Myriad Botanical Gardens and the dramatic skyline of downtown Oklahoma City is a special place where everyone can enjoy the beauty of spring, tempting treats and beautiful artwork from accomplished artists across the nation.

This year’s annual Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts runs April 20 to April 25. The event showcases visual, culinary, and performing arts, according to the press release from the Arts Council of Oklahoma City. The festival has brought people to Oklahoma City during the last 44 years to experience art.

The Arts Council of Oklahoma City started as a non-profit arts agency to bring the arts, artists, and friends together said Cindy Mason, volunteer of the Arts Council of Oklahoma City and co-chair of the Artists Market.

“The Arts Festival is for artists, students and the community; you see people here from all walks of life,” Mason said. “The festival is music, food and art and it makes everyone feel good.”

Original fine art work for exhibition and sale includes glass, jewelry, oils, pottery and other mediums. Will Armstrong from Virginia is a first-time artist at the festival this year, coming

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from a show in Atlanta. Armstrong and his wife, Kim Eubank, create jewel-like quilts made of shiny metal for wall hangings and mirrors.

After viewing the visual arts, everyone can enjoy live music performances showcased on three different outdoor stages,throughout the day and into the evening.

Many organizations, such as the Oklahoma City Ballet, Oklahoma Children’s Theater and many others, raise funds by offering special culinary art delights. The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition offers the Strawberry Newport with layers of strawberries, pastry and whipped cream, which is a staple for many festival attendees each year.

New this year is the Six-day Cellars, a wine and arts venue, showcasing a selection of wines along with an exhibition and sale of art designed from recycled materials.

Projected attendance for the festival is about 750,000, weather permitting, Susan Edwards, public relations spokesperson and past chairman of the festival, said. Edwards encouraged everyone to come and enjoy the festival.

Additional information listing hours, artists and performers is available through the festival website at www.artscouncilokc.com/festival-of-the-arts.

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Local musician embraces Norman Editor’s note: The Oklahoma Daily has featured one Oklahoma band each day leading up to Norman Music Festival.

The final featured artist is OU student and musician, John Calvin.

MATT CARNEY Daily Staff Writer

It’s a sunny weekday afternoon on Campus Corner and John Calvin is sitting outside the restaurant, enjoying the pleasant weather. He buys a paper from a salesman whose name he knows, and four or five different people stop to chat with him over the course of 45 minutes.

“This guy’s going to be famous one day,” says a smiling shoeless man with shoulderlength hair, his thumb pointed at Calvin.

Calvin, anthropology junior, has haunted Norman coffee shops, bars and pretty much anywhere else that exhibits live music since enrolling at OU two years ago. He loves the city’s friendly attitude toward artists and musicians from Norman like Penny Hill, Early Beat, Extra Ginger and Michael Loveland.

“You’ll be playing guitar outside and someone will just sit down next to you and listen,” Calvin said. “You’ll be painting a picture and somebody will just come be a part of that experience.”

Calvin relishes the chance he has to contribute to the Norman community this weekend at Norman Music Festival. See him live and you risk exposure to half a dozen different genres of rock

music in a single sitting, favoring brands like folk and jazz.

The trio’s most recent work sounds like early Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, combined with the aforementioned local influences.

Bassist Dave Leach plays both standup and electric and has a background in ska and jazz.

Drummer Mike Shorrosh loves jazz and Rush.

“We all bring a little something to the table,” Calvin said.

The band typically arranges songs around individual parts. Its omnivorous instrumental talent affords the band a lot of creativity to record songs focused on specific instruments, beats, harmonies, melodies and specific lyrics.

The singer and guitarist said that this weekend’s festival is genuine to the character of Norman and contributes enormously local businesses and artists.

“It’s not like a Lollapalooza or an Austin City Limits, but it’s something more special to us as a Norman community,” he said.

Out-of-towners — both tourists and artists — are pouring in this weekend, and Calvin said he’s most excited to see Edan, the ra p p e r f ro m Boston.

“I’d make beats for him,” Calvin joked.

“I respect him so much. He makes all his own beats, he presses all his own records and even if he can’t make the food, he’s still making tapes.”

“Everyone in Norman is still a part of something really massive,” Calvin said of the festival. “NMF hasn’t gotten too many of these corporate whack-jobs who’re trying to say ‘We’ll give you a million dollars to kick all these stupid little indie bands out and let us bring the good stuff in.

I’ve heard groups here in Norman that deserve to make a million dollars more than any of them.”

As much a part of the community as any store or restaurant on Campus Corner, Calvin w i l l p l ay at 8 p.m. Saturday on the Bill and Dees Stage west of the railroad tracks.

6 Friday, April 23, 2010 Thad Baker, advertising manager classifieds@ou.edu • phone: 325-2521 • fax: 325-7517

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Apply at the Cleveland County Family YMCA, 1350 Lexington Ave. EOE. Hiring Leasing Agent Immediately Large apt complex seeking responsible student P/T & Sat, flexible schedule, F/T during breaks. $7.50 - $8.50 based on ability. 613-5268 Bartending! Up to $300/day. No exp nec.

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Summer nanny needed M-F 8am-6pm, July 5 - Aug 18, 2010. Send resume & 3 refs to aknoedler1@gmail.com

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2 col (3.25 in) x 2 inches Sudoku ..............$760/month Boggle ...............$760/month Horoscope ........$760/month

Hiring Leasing Agent Immediately Large apt complex seeking responsible student P/T & Sat, flexible schedule, F/T during breaks. $7.50 - $8.50 based on ability. 364-3603

TUTORS WANTED!!!

Available positions in the OU Athletics Department!!! Junior, Senior, Graduate, and Post-graduate applicants only!!! Italian (3000 and 4000 level)!!! Hiring for Spring 2010. Call 325-0117 for more infro!!!

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The Oklahoma Daily is responsible for one day’s incorrect advertising.

If your ad appears incorrectly, or if you wish to cancel your ad call 3252521, before the deadline for cancellation in the next issue. Errors not the fault of the advertiser will be adjusted. Refunds will not be issued for late cancellations.

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Help Wanted ads in The Oklahoma Daily are not to separate as to gender. Advertisers may not discriminate in employment ads based on race, color, religion or gender unless such qualifying factors are essential to a given position.

All ads are subject to acceptance by The Oklahoma Daily. Ad acceptance may be re-evaluated at any time.

9

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3 8 4

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6 1 4 8 4 7

8 7 7 1 6 4 5

3 8 9

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7 8 6 3 4 1 9 5 2

9 5 1 8 6 2 7 3 4

3 4 2 9 7 5 8 6 1

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6 2 4 7 3 9 5 1 8

8 1 7 2 5 6 4 9 3

4 6 5 1 2 7 3 8 9

2 7 8 5 9 3 1 4 6

1 9 3 6 8 4 2 7 5

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.

HOROSCOPE

By Bernice Bede Osol

Copyright 2008, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

Friday, April 23, 2010

results you desire.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) - Both friend and foe might observe the way you react to developments today, and if you’re not careful the wrong type could use this against you.

How you behave will become very important.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) - If an important matter needs to be taken care of properly today, don’t delegate the job to another. There will be no one more effective in handling it than you would be.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) - A job you’re doing could take on greater significant than you first suspect. To be on the safe side, go over your work with a fine-toothed comb to make sure everything is perfect.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21) - At the moment your sign is very much in tune with some strong financial trends, so although it is important that you use good judgment, you can still be a bit bold, resourceful and imaginative.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) - Someone who isn’t part of your normal peer group might ask you to participate in something s/he has created.

Don’t hesitate to join in if you think you would enjoy it; it could as expand your circle of friends

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) - What makes you more popular than usual with your peers is that you’ll instinctively be looking for the virtues in your friends, not picking on their faults or the things they do wrong.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Desire is a strong motivator in getting what you want. If it is important enough to you, you will figure out a way to acquire what you crave without making things more complicated than they should be.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) - Although it might not be evident to you until later on in the day, you will be lucky before midnight strikes. Hang in there.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Don’t assume others will realize that if you do something for them, they should automatically do something for you in return.

If you want a favor from them, make an agreement up front.

Previous Answers

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) - Early indicators may only be straws in the wind, and not likely to give you clues as to what’s to come. Make sure things go as you want by pressing forward at all times to achieve the end

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) - Because you’re likely to be such an attentive listener to a progressive friend who is starting a new endeavor, there may be a way for you to fit into the picture if you want to.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) - Keep your work-related plans to yourself today. You might be tempted to discuss them with a co-worker, but that could end up working against you if they become known before you can implement them.

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ACROSS 1 ___ spell over 6 Test release 10 Petri dish jelly 14 Accepted rule 15 Spoken aloud 16 Highway subdivision 17 Imprecise measurement 19 Fairy-tale preposition 20 L.A.-to-N.Y. flight path 21 Fishy eggs 22 Pick on endlessly 24 Christian of fashion 25 Nickname for Ireland 26 No middle ground, successwise 31 Oktoberfest links 32 Horde member 33 “___ day will come” 35 Nursemaids in India 36 Have an illness 37 Easy gait 39 Till now 40 Colt creation 41 It works like a charm 42 Inevitably 46 Education by memorization 47 Grimm heavy 48 City of Israel 51 Brewed

beverage 52 Group of attys.

55 Heroic poem 56 Ultimatum words 59 Like Pinocchio, later 60 Stadium seating level 61 Birdcage sound 62 A ___ technicality 63 Symbols of royal power 64 Misters, abroad DOWN 1 Tagged along 2 Nerve-cell part 3 Man o’ War, to War Admiral 4 Single digit 5 Gallants 6 Ravel classic 7 Before, in poetry 8 Far from offensive 9 Person in second place 10 College reunion attendees 11 Jawdropped look 12 Shortly, to the Bard 13 Office overhead, often 18 Bleachblonde

betrayers 23 What an air ball misses 24 Recipe amount 26 Noxious emissions 27 Poetry muse 28 Serengeti lumberer 29 Blue blood 30 Swiss mathematician Leonhard 31 Give___ (yield) 34 Pt. of AARP 36 Nice farewell?

37 Love-liesbleeding, for one 38 Universal remote button 40 Become involved with 41 Horatio of fiction

43 Big name in databases 44 Fall month, for short 45 Helicopter parts 48 Time in office 49 Pointless sword 50 Pinocchio, during a growth spurt?

52 Declare firmly 53 Common Super Bowl ad product 54 ___ and sciences 57 Spider’s handiwork 58 Merino mother

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

© 2010 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

EITHER OR by Jim Downey

Friday, April 23, 2010

7

Aaron Colen, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 325-3666 • fax: 325-6051

« MEN’S TENNIS The Sooners host Nebraska this weekend.

OUDAILY.COM

OU advances to first-ever Super Six AARON COLEN Sports Editor

MARCIN RUTKOWSKI/THE DAILY

Gymnast Candace Cindell performs on the beam during the women’s gymnastics match against the University of Alabama on March 5 in the Lloyd Noble Center.

pretty confident. But there are always nerves when it comes to nationals.”

Head coach K.J. Kindler, who is in her The No. 4-seed OU women’s gymnas- fourth year with the Sooners, became tics team placed third in the first session the first head coach to lead two different of the NCAA Championship semifinal programs to the Super Six, a format that Thursday afternoon in in Gainesville, was instituted in 1993. Kindler led Iowa Fla., clinching a berth in the Super Six State to the team finals final for the first time in in 2006. program history.

SOONER ALL-AMERICANS Vise said that even The Sooners posted a though the team is score of 196.550, and will The Sooners garnered seven happy to have adjoin No. 1-seed UCLA total All-America honors vanced, they recogand nine-time national nize that there is much Thursday in the NCAA semifinal, champion Utah, the No. room for the improvethe most in a single season in 5-seed which finished ments that will be program history. first and second respecnecessary if they want tively, as the teams that to compete for the naHollie Vise (bars and floor - first will advance from the first tional title. team; beam - second team) semifinal to the Super Six. “We had a couple Alabama, Florida, and of uncharacteristic Kristin Smith (beam and floor Stanford advanced from mistakes that I’m sure second team) the second session. we’ll take care of,” Vise The Sooners hit 23 said. “We’re really Megan Ferguson (bars - second out of 24 routines on the going to focus on the team) night, but their NCAA details and our landChampionship hopes ings, which is where Jackie Flanery ( floor - second rested on the final three we could have saved a team) routines from seniors lot of tenths tonight.”

Hollie Vise, Kristin Smith The Sooners won’t and Jackie Flanery. have much time to “It’s absolutely amazing, I am so ex- ponder what they may have done well or cited right now,” said Vise of the team ad- poorly, as they compete in the finals are vancing. “We did what we needed to do 6 p.m. tonight. for tomorrow night to advance, but we “Obviously it’s not like we get any definitely have room to improve so we’re practice time between the meets, so it hoping to make those improvements to- really comes down to us believing in ourmorrow night.” selves that we can make the changes and Vise’s performance qualified her for do things that we know we can do from Saturday’s individual event finals, where practice,” Vise said. “We have to come toshe also will compete on the uneven gether as a team, that’s the only way we bars. . can prepare.”

Thursday’s semifinal was the first time Only four women’s teams have won Vise competed floor exercise in an NCAA the national title: Alabama, Georgia, Championship, and she performed well UCLA and Utah. Georgia, the four-time despite admitting to some nervousness. defending champion, failed to ad“Of course you’re always a little bit vance to the championships after being nervous,” Vise said. “I felt pretty good upset by Oregon State at the regional today, and I think overall the team felt championships.

Sooners to wrap OU baseball team seeks up Big 12 Play consistency against Aggies DANIELLE ALVA Daily Staff Writer

JONO GRECO Daily Staff Writer

The OU women’s tennis team is scheduled to host its last two conference matches of the season this weekend.

The Sooners will face the No. 40 Nebraska Huskers at 2:30 p.m. Friday and Iowa State at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Headington Family Tennis Center.

No. 37-ranked Sooners will look to continue their threematch winning streak. OU defeated bedlam rival No.59 Oklahoma State 4-3 on April 14, This past week OU defeated No. 59 Oklahoma State, 4-3, Kansas, 5-2, and Kansas State 6-1.

After these wins the Sooners are 6-3 in Big 12 play.

“These games are crucial for our future in post season,” junior Ana-Maria Constantinescu said. “We had a good past week with three good wins I hope this positive energy will carry WHAT’S NEXT over to this weekend.”

Winning the next two The Sooners are getting near the matches against two conend of the conference schedule, ference foes Nebraska and and will have their final two Big Iowa State would ensure the 12 matches at home.

Sooners a place in post-season tournament.

OU vs. Nebraska OU (16-4, 6-3 Big 12) has been working harder than ever When: 2:30 p.m. Today in doubles play. The Sooners are lead by nationally ranked Where: Headington Family No. 28 Constantinescu and Tennis Center freshman Teona Tsertsvadze.

The Sooners have won the doubles point in 13 of 20 matches.

“Doubles are so important, getting an early lead lets you go into singles more confident,” Constantinescu said. “This will be crucial on Friday against Nebraska.”

The Sooners are off to one of the best seasons in schools history, beating five nationally ranked teams and this in only the sixth time that an OU team has gone 16-4 or better.

“This is an important match for us,” Constantinescu said.

“We have been working really hard to prove ourselves and its time to close out the season with two big conference wins.”

This weekend has to be one where the No. 17 baseball team has to make a turnaround.

The Sooners (27-10, 6-7 Big 12) have been inconsistent the past two weeks heading into this weekend’s series with the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station, Texas. That inconsistency has resulted in a drop in the various national polls and caused the team to take a look at itself and re-evaluate what made this team successful during the first half of the season.

The re-evaluation has caused head coach Sunny Golloway to try hitters in different spots in the batting order, and this weekend’s starting pitching rotation will take on a new look after back-to-back weekends with the same three starters.

Junior pitchers Zach Neal and Bobby Shore remain in the rotation, but they are pitching on different days than usual. Neal (5-1, 4.08 ERA), who has started every game-one of weekend series and has been stellar in his last four starts, will start game two on Saturday, and Shore (5-2, 3.35 ERA) is being bumped back to the Sunday start, a position he opened the season at.

Golloway has not announced who will start Friday.

There are many reasons for the change, but the main one has to be the fact the Sooners have struggled in each of their Sunday games. OU is 0-4 on Sundays during Big 12 play, which means it has been able to complete three-game sweeps, avoid sweeps and pull out series victories during rubber games.

The main cause for that is Golloway has used multiple pitchers on Sundays throughout the season and two pitchers, freshman Ryan Gibson and senior Jeremy Erben, since the start of conference play.

The plan was to have the right-hander start every Sunday until the end of the season, Golloway said before Erben made his first weekend start on April 11, but that plan seems to have changed because it did

9

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crisis line

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325-6963 (NYNE)

OU Number Nyne Crisis Line 8 p.m.-4 a.m. every day except OU holidays and breaks

MARCIN RUTKOWSKI/THE DAILY

Rick Eisenberg, junior outfielder, swings at a pitch in the game against TCU on Tuesday. The Sooners travel to face Texas A&M this weekend.

not work out.

“We’ve clearly seen that Erben has not been as good a starter – and I kind of knew that going back to his freshman year – as he is a setup guy,” Golloway said.

So maybe the most recent change in the pitching rotation will result in wins during the tail end of Big 12 series, but it could result in starting off series in a 0-1 hole. Either way, a change was needed to end the Sunday woes and make a run to have be multiple games over .500 during conference play.

8 Friday, April 23, 2010

«

WOMEN’S GOLF

Sooners to host Big 12 tourney Women’s OU golf team competes at home for the first time this season in conference tournament

PHOTO PROVIDED

Ellen Mueller, junior, takes a swing for OU. Mueller is ranked No. 62 nationally by Golfweek magazine, and will compete with the Sooners in the Big 12 tournament.

tournament started.”

The lineup for the Sooners will look like this through the weekend, as substitutions are not allowed: ZACK HEDRICK • Leading the way for the Sooners Daily Staff Writer is junior Ellen Mueller, who is ranked No. 62 nationally by Golfweek.

The OU women’s golf team is set to • Behind Mueller is freshman Taylor host the Big 12 Championship tour- Schmidt, coming off her first career nament this weekend at the Jimmie top-10 finish last week at the Baylor Austin Golf Club.

Spring Invitational.

The team is excited to host the • Next is senior Andrea Sellmeyer, championship, said head coach carding three top-20 performances on Veronique Drouin. the year.

“It's also great to be playing this • Rounding out OU’s lineup is sechampionship on a golf course that we nior Chelsey Collins and her sister, play almost every day,” Drouin said. sophomore Brooke Collins.

This marks the first time since 1998 The Sooners enter the tournament that the Big 12 Championship for as the 10th-seeded team in the Big 12 women’s golf will be played at the golf and will look to set the pace paired course. with Kansas and Kansas State, No. 11 The 18-hole course is 6,327-yards and 12 seeds respectively. with a par of 72. The The threesome league’s teams will will tee off at 8 a.m.

BIG 12 WOMEN’S GOLF play a total of 54 holes today on hole No. over the course of the 1. OU’s group will Fans can watch the Big 12 weekend, each team be followed by No. tournament free of charge playing 18 holes a 7-seed Nebraska, No. at the Jimmie Austin Golf day.

8 Missouri and No. 9 Club, or follow live scoring at Drouin said Rodney Colorado teeing off at SoonerSports.com Young, Jimmie Austin 8:50 a.m. golf director, and his Starting on the OU will tee off at 8 a.m. each staff have done a fanback nine, teeing off day of the tournament, which is tastic job preparing at 8 a.m. is No. 4 seed Friday through Sunday. the course for chamBaylor, No. 5 Texas pionship play.

Tech and No. 6 Iowa The women’s golf State. Behind them team has been preat 8:50 a.m. is No. 1 paring for this tournaseed Texas A&M, No. ment all year, Drouin said, and playing 2 Oklahoma State and No. 3 Texas. on the home course for the Sooners Drouin said if the team plays smart will have its advantages. golf and the individual players play She said over the course of the their own game, the women’s golf preparation week, the team has been team has a shot of bringing home the playing the course more and read- Big 12 Championship. ing the greens to ensure they have a “ The girls are hungr y to win,” feel for the course heading into the Drouin said. weekend.

Fans are invited to watch the team “The girls have been working re- and follow the action at Jimmie Austin ally hard, and I hope it pays off for Golf Club this weekend for free. them this week,” Drouin said. “I beFollow OU stroke for stroke as it lieve we've had some great practices competes for the Big 12 title with live out here and we are ready to get this scoring on SoonerSports.com.