The Oklahoma Daily

YEAR IN REVIEW 2009–2010

THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE

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2A Year in Review 2009–2010 Caitlin Harrison, managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 325-3666 • fax: 325-6051

Boren: reinforcement needed for OU alcohol policy Boren calls for reinforcement for alcohol policy, UOSA proposes drug policy to student code.

THREE-STRIKES POLICY » The student will get an automatic suspension for a semester from OU.

DANIELA MCCORMICK Daily Staff Writer

» Additional punishment such as community service will be given.

This year, OU President David Boren reflected on the fourth year of OU’s alcohol policy.

In 2005, President Boren proposed a new alcohol policy that would make OU a dry campus. The proposal was sparked by the alcohol-induced death of freshman Blake Adam Hammontree.

The proposal is what students know as the three-strikes policy: first strike, the student’s parents will be notified and the student will undergo alcohol education.

The second strike will result in the notification of parents and additional punishment such as community service.

The third strike is automatic suspension for a semester from OU. President Boren proposed new rules to cut down on alcohol abuse. Last semester, Boren shared his thoughts on the effectiveness of the policy.

According to Daily archives, in 2008, OU received 261 reports from law-enforcement agencies about OU students charged with driving under the influence.

The article said that this is 53 more reports than what OU has received in any of the previous three years of the three-strikes

» The student’s parents will be notified, and student will undergo alcohol education.

SOURCE: OU ALCOHOL POLICY

ARCHIVE PHOTOS

Four OU students are charged with felony counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor in relation to Blake Hammontree’s death. policy. Boren said two factors contribute to the increasing number: increased enforcement of drunken driving laws both by OUPD and Norman police, and students no longer remember or don’t know about Hammontree.

“You could probably contact 100 students at random and say, ‘Have you ever heard of Blake Hammontree?’ And I would imagine a majority of them [would] say

‘Who?’” Boren said last semester.

Also, last semester, Boren said he believes the policy is making a difference despite the fading memory of Hammontree.

He said it just needs some reinforcing.

Although there have not been any changes to the three-strikes alcohol policy, UOSA proposed last April to add a threestrikes drug policy to OU Student Code.

Director of Student Conduct Andrea

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Kulsrud said before the student code can be amended, the proposal must be sent to the Student Code Revision Committee for consideration.

She said positions like the UOSA President, the Chair of Graduate Student Senate and the Chair of Undergraduate Student Congress that serve on the committee must filled first too.

“The committee meets and either sends the original or revised version of the recommended change back to the legislative bodies for final approval or submits a dissenting opinion and/or alternative recommendations to the legislative bodies,” Kulsrud said by e-mail. “If the change goes forward to the legislative bodies and they accept the final recommendation of the Committee, the change is forwarded to the President who then presents it to the Regents with his recommendations.”

Year In Review Section Editors John S. Kunze Qifeng Huang

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.

Year in Review 2009–2010

3A

Marcin Rutkowski/ The Daily Icycles line a bench on campus after an ice storm passed through Norman.

The University of Oklahoma was closed for 2 days due to the severe weather.

WHAT TO KNOW

» » » » »

Guymon had 29 inches of snow this year, setting the season’ s record.

Oklahoma city has a little more than 23 inches of snow.

ODOT spent only $7.7 million last winter on snow and ice removal.

This year, ODOT already has spent $9 million by February on snow removal.

The normal cost for keeping roads safe each winter is $7 to 8 million.

Source:Oklahoma department of transportation

Marcin Rutkowski/The Daily Students walk along the Michael Price walk. Winter weather came back to Norman with a wet snowfall.

Remarkable snowfall this year brought cost, opportunity Oklahoma Department of Transportation spent $9 million to clean excess snowfalls in the state, while one OU student started collecting snow photos from all 50 states CASEY WILSON Daily Staff Writer

For a few days earlier this year, Oklahoma found itself under a layer of snow, creating an oncein-a-lifetime opportunity for one OU student and reminding Oklahomans of the unpredictable nature of weather.

Oklahoma’s snowfall totals this year were above normal, said Frederick H. Carr, OU School of Meteorology director.

Carr said 29 inches of snow fell in Guymon this winter, setting the season’s record. Oklahoma City found itself beneath a little more than 23 inches, just off the record

of 25 inches, he said.

“Even southeastern Oklahoma got into the act with a half of a foot to a foot of snow falling across that area,” he said.

Carr said he thinks the excess of snowfall taught meteorologists just how difficult it is to predict how all the different factors of the atmosphere and ocean will interact with each other to bring the state variable weather.

For example, he said meteorologists did not expect El Nino to become as strong as it did, nor did they see the Arctic Oscillation anomaly becoming particularly strong as well.

So if those factors were not well forecasted, then the interaction of the two, which resulted in the cold and snowy weather across the eastern half of the country, was definitely not seen in advance, he said.

However, all this snow gave Patrick Marsh, meteorology graduate student, the opportunity to

collect photographs showing snow on the ground in all 50 states.

Marsh said he posted a message Feb. 11 on Twitter that said if it snowed in Florida on Friday, Feb. 12, then there would be snow on the ground in all 50 states at the same time.

A friend replied to that post to suggest Marsh gather snow photos from all 50 states.

He would do so, taking on a project to take “a snow shot of America.”

It turns out someone in Arkansas who saw that tweet, called the Associated Press bureau chief in Oklahoma City, Marsh said.

“The AP tracked me down and interviewed me about it,” Marsh said. “I told them about my snow project as well.”

When AP ran that story, Marsh said News 9 called him, and then wrote a news piece about the project.

“The Drudge Report picked up the story, and it was off to the races,” he said. “I spent all day Friday doing media interviews about the project for newspapers, radio and television.”

That Saturday night, Marsh got an e-mail from an astronomer working on Mount Mauna Kea in Hawaii. The e-mail contained a photo confirming what he had been waiting for: there was snow in Hawaii.

Marsh said, in all honesty, the project did not really teach meteorologists anything really meteorological.

“However,” he said, “a lot of people learned that Hawaii has snow on top of some of the volcanoes.”

But clearing all that snow from the streets in Oklahoma cost state and local authorities time and money.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation had already

has spent $9 million by February removing snow and ice from roads, said David Meuser, ODOT spokesman. ODOT spent only $7.7 million last winter on snow and ice removal, he said.

ODOT has an overall budget of $140 million. The normal cost for keeping roads safe each winter is $7 to $8 million, he said.

For next winter, Carr said it is very difficult to predict if the winter weather will be as it was this year.

The latest oceanic forecast models indicate the possible development of La Nina conditions, which can influence our weather, he said.

And La Nina sometimes means drier and warmer winters for our part of the country, so meteorologists will have to wait and see what develops, he said.

“However, the natural variability of the climate says we should be prepared for just about anything,” he said.

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Year in review 2009-2010

OU law school to welcome new dean in July Joe Harroz will step in as the new dean for the OU College of Law; outgoing dean will help on transition Charles Ward Daily Staff Writer

A new dean will be in charge of the College of Law for the first time in 14 years when classes begin in the fall.

Joe Harroz will take the reigns of the college July 1, stepping in for Andy Coats, who will retire and take dean emeritus status.

Harroz spent 12 years as OU’s general counsel before leaving in 2008 to serve as president of Graymark Healthcare Inc. in Oklahoma City.

According to Daily archives, Harroz said two things mattered to him when deciding to accept the position: the kind of legacy he wanted to leave and how frequently an opportunity like this would be available.

“The last time this was available was 14 years ago,” he said following the March 25 meeting of the OU Board of Regents, where he was officially selected for the position.

“For me, I thought about it, and to me the answer was, you can have a chance to be involved with students, and I can do something

I am passionate about, which is the law.”

At that meeting, OU President David Boren said the law faculty “overwhelmingly” approved Harroz’ appointment.

PHOTO PROVIDED Harroz earned an undergraduate degree in economics from OU before receiving a law degree from Georgetown University.

Harroz and Coats’ professional paths have crossed before. Harroz said he was an associate attorney at Oklahoma City law firm Crowe and Dunlevy when Coats served as the firm’s president. When he served as associate counsel for OU, Harroz was also one of the people who asked Coats to apply for the position of dean of the law school, he said.

“Following him, I think, he has big shoes to fill,” Harroz said. “[The building that houses the college is] named Coats Hall. I think there’s an obligation to work hard every day to meet the standards that have been set by him and by the faculty and by the students.”

WHO’S JOE HARROZ

» 2008 » 1996-2008 » 1997 » 1994-1996 » » »

President of Graymark Healthcare, Inc. Vice President of the University of Oklahoma General Counsel to the Board of Regents of OU Adjunct Associate Professor of Law at the University of Oklahoma College of law Vice President for Executive Affairs in OU Prior to coming to the University of Oklahoma, he was an attorney with the Oklahoma law firm of Crowe & Dunlevy.

Mr. Harroz was awarded his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

He received his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Oklahoma.

Coats will remain a part of the law school faculty, taking the title of dean emeritus. He also plans to help Harroz transition into the dean’s suite, Coats said.

“Joe Harroz is a very talented and capable guy, but he doesn’t know the alumni as well as I do ... so my hope is to help him get acquainted with our various constituencies, the bench, the bar and our alums,” Coats said. “And to help him find his way in terms of fundraising a little bit.”

Coats said he is most proud of the renovations of the College of Law building he oversaw, along with reducing student numbers. The college’s largest graduating class in history was in 1988, when it hooded 227 students, and in 1995, 218 Sooners received

J.D.s. In 2009, the college graduated 165 students.

“By shrinking the size of the classes, we can do better in terms of providing a more hands on sort of teaching and instruction, and I think that’s been helpful,” he said.

Harroz said he wants to increase OU’s international profile through teacher and student exchanges. However, he said he will work with students and teachers to lay out plans for the college’s future.

“To be successful, there has to be a conversation with the faculty and the students, where you agree upon the goals,” he said. “No one can walk in there and say, ‘I’m the dean, I’m going to mandate these sorts of things.’”

Construction projects on campus help fulfill student needs for technology, space Anna Marie Stone Contributing Writer

Current construction projects across the OU campus during the 2009-10 academic year help fulfill student technology needs and the need for more classroom space.

Two projects were completed during the current academic year and four more are still under construction.

DEVON ENERGY HALL

This 103,000-square-foot, $30 million building features team rooms with marker walls, research spaces, study lounge spaces and labs, according to OU’s Public Affairs press release. Students at Devon Hall believe that the building is the best on campus because of the technology and the natural light the new building brings in.

“I think it’s the best building on campus,” Tri Noensie, computer

science junior said. “The biggest thing is the natural light to study; it is a big psychological factor.”

EXXONMOBIL LAWRENCE G. RAWL PRACTICE FACILITY

The 41,000 square-foot companion building to Devon Hall is the ExxonMobil Lawrence G. Rawl Practice Facility, according to the college’s website.

Tracy Cline, receptionist for the building and chemical engineering senior, said the building has practice bays to allow OU engineering students the space to apply what they learn in the classroom and space for constructing projects for competitions. The building also has an observation deck that Cline shows to visitors and tour groups.

“I like showing off the building to mid-high and high school students and they get excited about engineering,” Cline said. “It [the experience] crystallizes in their minds”.

JEANNINE RAINBOLT COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

The renovation of Collings Hall will include 15,000 additional square feet of space for student use, and will feature new classrooms, new technology center, study spaces, student services, courtyard and a working school bell, according to a statement from the Director of Communications for the Rainbolt College, Bill Moakley.

Moakley stated in an e-mail that the new donated bell tower, currently under construction, will be located at the new entrance of the college, with a working bell to be used for certain events.

Amanda Hearn, OU Facilities Management spokesperson, said the improvements to the Collings Hall, OU’s education building, should be ready for students in the fall. Hearn said Facilities Management is working to refurbish the carpet, ceiling and paint

in the building, while Architectural and Engineering Services are in charge of the building’s addition.

GOULD HALL

Gould Hall for the College of Architecture is undergoing extensive renovation and will include 107,000 square feet, two courtyards, student gallery, commons area, team room and study rooms, according to the College of Architecture website.

“We, our class, toured it [the new building],” Temple Hull, first year interior design student said as she left the temporary location of the College of Architecture on Main Street. “We saw the classrooms, the lighting studio, and the specialty rooms. It was awesome!”

Construction on Gould Hall should be completed in early 2011, Kathy Sandefer, assistant to the director of Architectural and Engineering Services, stated in an e-mail.

ANNE AND HENRY ZARROW SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

A new building under construction began with moving the contents of the Jim Thorpe Multicultural Center to a new home at another campus location in order to prepare for the demolition of the building this spring, according to a press release from OU’s Public Affairs.

The current construction timeline has the completion date scheduled for fall semester 2011, as confirmed by Jay Doyle, the Press Secretary and Special Assistant to the President.

As students return to campus next fall, the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education should be completed. Students can look forward to seeing the rest of the construction projects progress toward completion as the new 2010-11 academic year unfolds.

– Audrey Harris contributed to this report.

Year in Review 2009-2010

7A

Annelise Russell, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 325-7630 • fax: 325-6051

STAFF COLUMN

Daily editor reflects on year at the helm This year has been a difficult one for many student organizations on campus, The Daily included.

We’ve offended various groups on campus through cartoons and columns and have had our own internal struggles as well.

I want to take this opportunity to take complete responsibility for what has gone wrong this year. I don’t believe in making excuses, and that is not what I seek to do. Rather, I want to give a few short explanations for why things JAMIE weren’t up to par this year.

First, I had no idea what I was HUGHES doing when I took this job. I had seen The Daily run like a welloiled machine under its previous editor, Meredith Simons, and wasn’t aware of how much oversight and constant hands-on control it took to make what she did happen.

Unfortunately, my biggest problem affected everyone on my staff. We had lost a lot of experienced staff members to graduation and internships last May, and while I had full confidence in my staff, the majority of them were as inexperienced at their new jobs as I was.

I’m not saying this to put the blame on them, however. I should have been ha rd e r o n t h e m at t h e b e g i n n i n g . I should have had a more clear-cut and defined vision for how they would perform. I should have known more about management and leadership so I could pass it on to them.

I should have done a lot of things differently and in the past few months, those thoughts have kept me up more

nights than I can count. I don’t know if I’ll be able to forgive myself for not living up to the expectations of the OU community. And I don’t expect anyone else to forgive me.

Somehow I’ve still managed to make it out of this school year with my optimism intact. And if there’s one thing I truly believe, it’s that no matter how bad an experience is, you can make it good if you learn from it.

This year’s staff at The Daily, including myself, has definitely l e a r n e d f ro m e v e r y p ro b l e m we’ve encountered this year.

Many of the editors from this fall and spring’s editorial boards are working as editors next year. I have complete confidence they will do an amazing job, and I know a part of that is because of the problems they’ve seen this year.

I know they will be prepared to handle almost any challenge that comes their way, and I know they’ll be more proactive in keeping those problems at bay, leaving more time to focus on how they can best serve the OU community.

I will not ask anyone to excuse me of my failures this year. I simply ask you to not hold it against The Daily in the future, because as I said earlier, I have faith that next year’s staff will live up to the expectations this year’s couldn’t always meet.

Jamie Hughes is the outgoing editor-in-chief of The Oklahoma Daily and is a political science junior.

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Year in Review 2009–2010 1B

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

Campus concerts keep music fans entertained JOSHUA BOYDSTON Daily Staff Writer

It was a good year for music around the state, and it was just as good a year for music on campus.

If you wanted good, free entertainment, campus was the place to be.

The school year started off on a high note. Fresh off the success of their hit single “Daylight,” Matt and Kim performed with Norman’s Early Beat the first day of school in the Union. Playing to a capacity crowd at Meacham Auditorium, the band turned the place into a loud, sweaty dance party with its raucous electro-tunes.

In October, campus would be treated to another pair of high-

Authors celebrate culture LARON CHAPMAN Daily Staff Writer

In recognition of two prestigious awards and in attempt to bring awareness to different cultures, the University of Oklahoma held the Neustadt Festival of International Literature and Culture last October. During the two-day event, OU’s office of World Literature Today honored author Vera B. Williams (“A Chair for My Mother”) as the 2009 recipient of the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature. Also, poet Li Shizheng (better known as “Duo Duo”) became the first Chinese author to win the Neustadt International Prize for Literature, an award second only to the Nobel Prize in Literature. Shizheng will return to OU to accept the award in the fall.

While Williams and Shizheng were the central subjects of the occasion, the festival also displayed the talents of a variety of poets, musicians, filmmakers and authors from all around the world.

Aside from the award ceremonies, the first evening of the festival showcased “An Evening of Music, Film, Theater, and Poetry,” which included a screening of the heartfelt Hebrew film “Jellyfish” (Shira Geffen and Etgar Keret). The film portrays an intimate look at modern Israeli life as seen through the eyes of three female natives. This segment of the festival also presented poetry and music in performance by Neustadt juror Pireeni Sundaralingam and her husband, composer Colm Ó Riain, as well as a theatrical performance by Neustadt juror Niloufar Talebi and Bobak Salehi.

On the final day of the festival, Neustadt jurors of the 2010 Neustadt International Prize for Literature performed readings of their works during the “Festival Symposium.” The readings were followed with a lecture from NSK Prize winner Williams. The event concluded with a festival book signing and reception, which gave students the opportunity to meet, speak with and get autographs from all the attending writers.

It also gave students a chance to discuss their own work with a variety of experienced authors.

It was a rare occurrence to have so many talented and influential figures in one place at the same time.

The festival gave those who attended exposure to a variety of different writers and cultures, increasing awareness and appreciation of the world we live in. Those who enjoyed the event can look forward to participating in the next festival, scheduled for the fall at OU.

profile performers.

First came indie-stalwarts The Walkmen — best known for their hit single “The Rat” — who performed songs from their critically-acclaimed albums “Bows and Arrows” and “You & Me” along with Oklahoma’s own indieheavyweight Student Film in early October.

Next were folk darlings Great Lake Swimmers, who performed singles, including “Pulling On a Line,” just a week later in Meacham Auditorium with Andrew Kenny’s band The Wooden Birds for a gorgeous night of acoustic melodies.

On the first day of November, the campus received its biggest and most talked about concert of the year — other than U2, of course.

Owl City was arguably at the peak of its popularity as it came to campus. Owl City’s smash single “Fireflies” was topping the pop charts, and its album was doing some damage as well. When word got out that Owl City would be playing on campus, students were definitely abuzz. Originally scheduled for the Will Rogers Room, the show was moved to the much larger McCasland Fieldhouse. Even then, officials were forced to turn away people at the door as fans filled the place to capacity. The night went off without a hitch, and fans got their “Fireflies” in its final encore.

In Apr il, Camera Obscura and Kevin Devine made their appearances.

Scottish group Camera Obscura has long been an indie darling, and fans showed up in droves to see them in Oklahoma.

Nearly stealing the show, though, was Princeton, an afropop band from L.A., whose lively set kept the energy buzzing until Camera Obscura took the stage.

The final campus concert was when Kevin Devine performed with Norman’s resident pop star Jacob Abello just days later in the Will Rogers Room, playing hits like “Longer That I’m Out Here” and “I Could Be With Anyone.”

All in all, it was a great year for free, eclectic campus concerts.

Add in the Norman Music Festival, and the life of a college music fan was a pretty nice one this year.

JEREMY DICKIE/THE DAILY

Adam Young, the only member of Owl City, performs Nov. 1 in McCasland Field House. The band’s single “Fireflies” peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 twice in November.

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Year in Review 2009–2010

MUSICIANS ROCK DOWNTOWN MATT CARNEY Daily Staff Writer

Dirty Projectors’ 9:30 p.m. headlining set April 25 at the third-annual Norman Music Festival was bittersweet for the thousands in attendance. Sweet were the Brooklyn sextet’s otherworldly vocal harmonies and frontman Dave Longstreth’s unique ability to recreate them with his guitar. Bitter was many fans’ realization that their party was near its end.

NMF v3.0 outdid the two previous by attracting more fans with more bands for the same price — zilch, nothing, zero, nada. That’s right, festival organizers (kudos to the non-profit Norman Arts Council) were able to expand this year’s format to two full days of music without charging your Joe Blow concertgoer a single dime. And what did the council get for its efforts? An estimated 30,000 on Main Street created an atmosphere fundraising chair Jonathan Fowler described as that of an OU game day.

“As a free festival with no click-tracks and no clicking and no ticket sales, all you can do is guess. But my guess was 8,000 for last night,” festival committee chair Quentin Bomgardner said of NMF’s first-ever Saturday attendance.

“I don’t think everybody g o t t h e m e s s a g e re a l l y that the closed street was on Sunday, I think a lot of people thought it was on Saturday,” Fowler said while giving his personal estimate of 10,000 to 12,000 Saturday attendees.

All that garble about community-building and non-profit organizations is well and good, but what about the music, man?

More than 150 acts entertained on 15 different stages. These included jazz acts, instrumental bands, singer-songwriters and comedians. Other acts were more than just your typical bar room locals. (Though there were plenty of those too.) Grupo Fantasma, an 11-person Latin funk act, played on the main stage Sunday, as did Boston rapper Edan (assisted by his good rapper friend Dagha) and local indie acts Mayola and Gentle Ghost.

Blackwatch Studios and Guestroom Records both opened their backdoors to host stages, featuring a ton of most excellent local talent. The Boom Bang lived up to their name by lighting smoke bombs that guitarist Tommy McKenzie stuck in his mouth while still playing, Shitty/Awesome made fools of themselves and Beau Jennings sang his love for “The Opolis,” the stage that also played host to blistering sets from Hush Hu s h C o m m o t i o n a n d Colourmusic before being cleared out for a fire code Dave Longstreth, Dirty Projectors frontman, performs April 25 in downtown Norman. violation.

Jacob Abello opened his 45-minute set at Sooner Theater by singing from the balcony, only to shed his stylish black shirt and jacket for a big finish that featured backing dancers hoisting him, Madonnalike, into the air, his arms stretched out in a cross. The Non followed Abello, closing out the theater stage with help from the Cloud Collision Orchestra and a guest appearance by none other than the patron saint of Oklahoma rock himself, Wayne Coyne. Tracks like “Pigeon Force” and “Tofu Fire” received enormous benefit from the backing violins, accentuated to perfection by the beautiful venue.

And to the headliners: The Sword trampled north from Austin with mustaches and heavy metal in tow. Electric Six induced dancing while singer Dick Valentine asked if anybody was smoking weed between songs. And then there were the Dirty Projectors. Amber Coffman and Haley Dekle harmonized beautifully all evening while drummer Brian McOmber conjured up a thunderstorm behind Dave Longstreth’s eclectic barrage of guitarfiddling. “Remade Horizons” and “ Useful Chamber ” ended the festival the way a festival ought to end -- plenty of booms and bangs, all still framing the beauty of the melodies.

It’d be an understatement of the greatest caliber to call the expanded festival, which organizers want to augment further in the future, a success. It was a triumph resulting in a collective Norman hangover that won’t be cured until the beginning of the football season.

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Knights visit Norman COURTNEY SILVA AND RYAN QUERBACH Daily Staff Writers

Have you ever wondered where you can find deadly weapons and funnel cakes within an arm’s reach of one another? This year’s annual Medieval Fair of Norman provided that and so much more.

The fair took place the last weekend of March at Reaves Park. While providing us with our annual dosage of weird, the Medieval Fair managed to entertain us all.

Ever y which way you turned, costumed participants fiercely committed to the cause of medieval reenactment were about.

Whether they were juggling knives or bereaving your lack of medieval spirit, they made sure to stay in character.

However, Linda Linn, Medieval Fair Coordinator, said people don’t have to be fanatics of the Middle Ages to enjoy the fair and all that it has to offer.

“This event is enjoyable for everyone,” Linn said.

JOSHUA BOYDSTON/THE DAILY

“There are over 200 artisan booths selling pottery, jewelry and other crafts. You don’t have to like the Middle Ages to like shopping.”

There was no shortage of animal attractions. Fair goers had the chance to ride elephants and camels.

There were plenty of dogs in fairy wings and other guises. However, when we got our hopes up after seeing signs advertising dragons, we were disappointed to find that they were actually hermit crabs.

Other highlights of the fair included jousting tournaments with knights riding horseback, a human chess tournament and two wedding ceremonies open to the public using the traditional customs of the Middle Ages.

The average attendance each year for the Medieval Fair is 300,000 people, making it the third largest event in Oklahoma annually.

So if you’re ferreting for a fortune telling, get a hold of yourself and come to next year’s Medieval Fair.

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Year in Review 2009–2010

3B

FLAMING LIPS SPEAK TO FANS WITH RECENT WORK MATT CARNEY Daily Staff Writer

Oklahoma’s favorite rocking sons were especially busy and inspired this academic year, releasing two excellent albums, one original and critically lauded, the other a classic covered, which prompted mixed reviews.

“Embyronic,” a double album showcasing the band at its most unsettling and crazed, dropped hefty, squirming and pulsating into fans’ laps on Oct. 13.

Buried deep under frenetic layers of sonic chaos and beauty are the Lips’ most ambitious and soul-scathing lyrics yet.

There’s little in “Embryonic” for sunny-day fans of the lush, orchestral melodies and silly topicality in “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.” Instead, the album features fuzzy ballads

of madness and regret (“See the Leaves,” “Evil”) and stuff that can only be described as a full-fledged freakout (“Worm Mountain,” which features heirs to Wayne Coyne’s weirdo crown, MGMT).

Critics immediately recognized “Embryonic” as the Flaming Lips’ best work since their 1999 release, “The Soft Bulletin.” British music rag NME dubbed it “brilliantly unhinged” and decided it was worthy of their highest rating.

Stuart Berman of Pitchfork gave it a 9.0 out of 10, claiming the record caught the band “at their most sprawling and ambitious, boldly pushing themselves toward more adventurous horizons.”

Coyne and company played a few selections from “Embryonic” at their New Year’s Eve Freakout this year, the event that sparked the recording of

their live album, “The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs with Henry Rollins and Peaches Doing The Dark Side of the Moon,” which is exactly what it sounds like. 2010 began, and the Lips welcomed it with a live performance of one of history’s greatest, best-selling albums.

“The Dark Side of the Moon” wasn’t any kind of statement of superiority or conceit. Coyne defended the album, saying it was something he thought the band’s fans would enjoy hearing live, and enjoy we all did. Nobody’s versions of “The Great Gig in the Sky” or “On the Run” will ever stand up to the paranoia of Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, but that doesn’t make it less fun to hear earnest contemporaries play them live. The Lips have announced their intention to play through the album during their headline spot at this Album art from the Flaming Lips’ “Embryonic” year’s Bonnaroo Festival.

PHOTO PROVIDED

4B

Year in Review 2009–2010

U2 heats up OU with 360 tour º

JOSHUA BOYDSTON Daily Staff Writer

Who would have thought that the biggest event of the year held in Oklahoma Memorial Stadium would not be a football game?

On the weekend of the Red River Rivalry game in Texas, U2 made Sooner fans forget the hurt of another loss when the group performed October 18 on campus with superstar pop group the Black Eyed Peas.

The U2 360˚ Tour was the biggest touring event of 2009 — and will continue on until late 2010 — with a cast of opening acts (Interpol, Lenny Kravitz, Muse) that could sell out arenas in their own rights. Opting out of the traditional indoor arena route, the 360˚ Tour was held solely in outdoor stadiums and arenas — enter OU. And only stadiums could hold the massive, rotating stage, one that took a fleet of dozens of trucks and three days to set up and tear down. Revenue from the concert went toward The OU Athletics Department. The concert also marked one of the few occasions where the sale of alcohol was allowed in the stadium, with the OU Athletics Department receiving a portion of those sales as well.

But more than anything, OU students and Norman citizens were just excited to see one of the biggest bands in the world play in their hometown.

“I’m totally pumped about the concert and even more excited that it will be within walking distance of my room,” said Kurt Cockran, political science and religious studies sophomore. “Seeing the semi-

trucks transport parts of the stage down the Van Vleet Oval just gives me chills.”

Madeline Dilner, mathematics sophomore, was another student excited about the opportunity.

“I’ve been a huge fan of U2 for about six years n o w ,” D i l n e r s a i d . “ I bought their ‘Best of ’80s and ’90s’ CD back in high school and fell in love. I haven’t been t o many concerts, really, so I’m psyched to see U2.”

For some older fans, the 360˚ Tour is a reminder of how much things have changed d for U2 over the years.

“I’m a big fan of U2 up to and including ‘Achtung Baby,’ but ever ything about them these days is ridiculously bloated,” said Chris Harris, a musician and producer based in Norman. “I still think that they’re a great rock band, though.”

The show p rov e d t o b e a re s o u n d i n g success. Though short of selling out the entire stadium, attendance at the show was high, and fans were pleased with the performance.

Bono, of course, was the star of the show, entertaining the crowd with his usual stage antics and stunts.

“Bon no is “Bono nothin ng if nothing not a co omcommitted showm maan, showman, which is half h ha lf the fun un of seeing U2 live,” the Daily’s mers said of Bono’s Dusty Somers esence in an Oct. stage presence w. “Being outfitted 19 review. in a laserr suit and swinging from an illuminated microphone is the kind of stuff he probablyy lives for, and with erbly talented band that superbly behind him, it’s the kind of

stuff that makes enduring the often impersonal nature of a stadium show worth it.”

With Wi th things tthi hing ngss lo look k i ng up looking for the Sooner football team next year, and little prospect pe ct of of another anot an othe her band as big as U2 trekkingg tthr hrough stathrough diums across the he U U.S., it’s doubtful that the co ommucommunity will be treated to t o ana an other performance of tthis his hi caliber on campus. But aass big as the U2 concert was, waas, we won’t likely forget tthis hiss hi show anytime soon.

MARCIN RUTKOWSKI/THE DAILY

Above: U2 frontman Bono. Right: U2 guitarist The Edge.

Left: Black Eyed Peas vocalist Fergie.

On behalf of the Joe C. and Carole Kerr McClendon Honors College, Dean David Ray, Associate Dean Rich Hamerla and Melanie Wright, Director of Honors Curriculum, wish to thank the following for their help serving on national scholarship selection committees, practice interview panels, scholarship information meetings, and as chairs for Undergraduate Research Day during 2009-2010. We also thank the countless professors who assist our students with their Honors thesis and those who sponsor students in the Research Assistantship Program and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. We appreciate your dedication to our students.

M. Cengiz Altan, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Jeffrey Callard, Petroleum and Geological Engineering Amy Cerato, Civil Engineering and Environmental Science Marcia Chatelain, Honors College Thomas J. Cline, Jr., Architecture Marie Dallam, Honors College Cynthia Gordon, Zoology Kevin Grier, Economics Robin Grier, School of International and Area Studies Glen Krutz, Carl Albert Center Marcia Haag, Modern Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Ronald Halterman, Chemistry/Biochemistry Mariëlle Hoefnagels, Botany/Microbiology Lex Holmes, Economics Brian Johnson, Honors College Charles Kenney, Political Science Heather Ketchum, Zoology

Joshua Landis, School of International and Area Studies Cindy Lopez, J.C. Penney Leadership Center Zach Messitte, International Program Center Amanda Minks, Honors College Aparna Mitra, Economics Catherine Tyler Mooney, Economics Carolyn Morgan, Honors College David Nagle, Botany/Microbiology Karl Rambo, Anthropology Ron Peters, Carl Albert Center Simin Pulat, Industrial Engineering Mary K. Sallee, Norman Rotary Club Holly Schmidt, School of Dance Susan Schroeder, Chemistry/Biochemistry Jerry Straka, Meteorology James N. Thompson, Jr., Zoology

5B

Year in Review 2009–2010

Aaron Colen, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 325-7630 • fax: 325-6051

MEET HIM IN ST. LOUIS

BY JONO GRECO DAILY STAFF WRITER

AP Photo

Reflections on Heisman-winner Sam Bradford’s legacy at OU This was not the year anyone wanted for Heisman-winning quarterback Sam Bradford, especially with how high the expectations were coming into the season.

The Sooners were destined to make another run for the national championship, but that destiny quickly evaporated when Bradford was driven awkwardly on his throwing shoulder near the end of the first half of a 14-13 season-opening loss to Brigham Young on Sept. 5 in Arlington, Texas.

Bradford, who threw for 50 touchdowns in a historic 2008 season, suffered a seconddegree AC-joint sprain in his shoulder, and opted to wait a few weeks to try to have his shoulder heal.

Within a couple weeks he was able to throw short passes, and returned to the playing field Oct. 10 against Baylor at home, a game in which he completed 27 of 49 passes for 389 yards and a touchdown in a 33-7 victory.

But that was the last complete game Sooner Nation got from its hometown hero.

Just seven plays into his next game, which was a highly touted match up against the Texas Longhorns, Bradford aggravated his shoulder injury. The fall was his first hard one since returning to action.

At the time the shoulder felt the same as it did when Bradford originally injured it, he said, but this time he decided the best thing to do was to have surgery and to enter the NFL draft.

He had a successful 35-minute surgery performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews on Oct. 28 in Birmingham, Ala. And that was the last thing Sooner fans saw from Bradford for a while that did not involve wearing a sling. During the rest of the season, he roamed OU’s sideline acting as a supporter for his teammates and coach for redshirt freshman quarterback Landry Jones.

The Sooners ended the 2009 season 8-5 and with a victory in the Sun Bowl, but they failed to do what they did during both of Bradford’s full seasons: win the Big 12 and make a BCS game.

Bradford reappeared on the national scene March 29 when he held his pro day at Everest Training Facility in front of many NFL scouts, general managers, coaches and analysts. Some of the people in attendance included Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren, Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary.

Bradford threw 63 passes – 13 warm up and 50 scripted – and impressed everyone watching by completing all but one attempt, and that one was dropped.

His pro day was the best individual quarterback workout since Troy Aikman’s before he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1989, said Gil Brandt, former vice president of player personnel for the Cowboys and current NFL.com writer.

Bradford leaves OU holding program records for career yards (8,403), yards in a single season (4,720), career touchdown passes (88) and touchdown passes in a single season (50).

“I’ve been extremely blessed to be here,” Bradford said in his press conference announcing his decision to leave OU on Oct. 27. “The past three-and-a-half years have been three-and-a-half of the best years of my life. I wouldn’t trade a day of it.”

BRADFORD’S CAREER STATISTICS Seasons ................................................................................................................................... 3 Games ................................................................................................................................... 31 Completions ......................................................................................................................... 604 Attempts .............................................................................................................................. 893 Completion percentage ....................................................................................................... .676 Yards ................................................................................................................................ 8,403 Touchdowns ........................................................................................................................... 88 Source: soonersports.com

Projections about Bradford’s future as a St. Louis Ram

Also, some analysts think he could have the same bad luck as former Houston Texans quarterback David Carr by being drafted by a team with a bad offensive line.

The Rams allowed 44 sacks in 2009 and have not given up less than 40 sacks in each of the past 10 seasons – most of those seasons St. Louis had the services Former OU quarterback Sam Bradford of Pro Bowl offensive lineman Orlando was selected No. 1 overall by the St. Louis Pace.

Rams in last month’s NFL Draft, and since Bradford is not going into the best then there has been some speculation on offensive line situation, and the strength exactly what the 2010 NFL season would of his shoulder is still in doubt, but those hold for the Heisman Trophy winner. things don’t exactly mean he’ll be a bust.

Making Bradford the top pick was a Secondly, when will the Rams start no-brainer for the Rams. They have been Bradford? trying to rebuild for the past couple seaBradford impressed coaches during sons to try to reclaim the title of “Greatest the team’s first minicamp Show on Turf,” and one of of 2010, but he hasn’t been the biggest missing pieces named the No. 1 quarterOU’S FIRST was a new, younger quarback on St. Louis’ depth terback.

ROUND DRAFTEES chart. The Rams have three Former Rams quarterback other quarterbacks on their Marc Bulger tried to fill the roster, and quarterback Sam Bradford, No. 1, St. void former NFL quarterA.J. Feeley has the most Louis Rams back Kurt Warner left when NFL experience out of the the team released him in group.

Gerald McCoy, No. 3, 2004, but the experiment There have been some Tama Bay Buccaneers didn’t work. reports that if Bradford With Bulger at quarterdoesn’t start the first game Trent Williams, No. 4, back, the Rams went from of the season, then the Rams Washington Redskins being a playoff team to the may go a similar route to the cellar of the NFC West, one the Tennessee Titans Jermaine Gresham, No. and eventually the NFL, took with quarterback Vince 21, Cincinatti Bengals and Bulger suffered mulYoung during his 2006 seatiple injuries that severely son, when they waited a few impacted his on-field pergames before they started formances. him.

The Rams were feeling pressure to This could work for Bradford, who will make a change at quarterback, and they need some time to learn the playbook and had their opportunity to make the move adjust to defensive schemes in the NFL, with Bradford leaving college to pursue but he is a smart enough player that it his career in the pros. won’t take too long before he has all of So St. Louis released Bulger April 5, that down. leaving little doubt Bradford would be Plus, he can’t get the full learning expetaken first overall. rience without playing in a regular season Now that Bradford is a Ram, there are game, so if he doesn’t start the first game, some questions that need to be answered then the Rams would be smart to not so he doesn’t have the same fate as former wait too long before they bring him into first round quarterback Ryan Leaf. a game.

First, will his shoulder hold up after Bradford has the makeup and a situatwo injuries during the 2009 season? tion where he could succeed within the It is hard to tell exactly how strong his first few years even if he struggles during shoulder is at this point since the only his rookie season. drills anyone has seen Bradford perform Remember, Indianapolis Colts quarterhave been non-contact drills. His shoulder back Peyton Manning wasn’t that amazin terms of arm strength looks to be fine, ing of a quarterback during his rookie and his shoulder has healed to the point season even though he showed signs of where it’s stronger than before the first potential. injury suffered Sept. 5, Bradford said.

Give Bradford some time before you Still, there are questions about whether judge him as a good pro player or a bust, his shoulder can sustain a hit from players but all signs point to him avoiding being who are much bigger than the ones who remembered as only a good college quarinjured him. terback.

The results: a brief look at how all of OU’s 17 sports faired (or are fairing) this year Baseball As of press time, 33-12 and 10-9 in Big 12 play

Men’s basketball 13-18 and 4-12 in Big 12 play

Women’s basketball 27-11, appeared in the NCAA Final Four

Cross country Men finished 12th in the NCAA, and women finished 12th in the Big 12

Football 8-5 record with a win in the Brut Sun Bowl

Men’s golf Tied for 7th in the Big 12 Championship

Women’s golf Finished 11th in the Big 12 Championship

Men’s gymnastics Finished 3rd in the NCAA Championships

Women’s gymnastics Finished 2nd in the NCAA Championships

Rowing Finished 2nd at the Big 12 Championship

Soccer 7-10-2 and 2-7-1 in Big 12 play

Softball As of press time, 40-10 and 13-3 in Big 12 play

Men’s tennis As of press time, 16-7

Women’s tennis 18-6 and 8-5 in Big 12 play

Track & Field As of May 4, both the men and women were ranked in the national top 10

Volleyball 18-12 and 11-9 in Big 12 play

Wrestling Finished 3rd at the NCAA Championships

Sources: soonersports.com, big12sports.com

6B

Year in Review 2009–2010

STAFF COLUMN

Despite disappointments, Sooner fans have plenty of reasons to be proud There’s been much ado about sports this year. Although I suppose that’s the case every year when you’re in Norman and especially on the campus of the University of Oklahoma.

The difference between this year and last year, however, is that the talk wasn’t about national championship losses or NCAA tournament runs; much of it centered on a common theme: disappointment.

The football team went from playing in the BCS National Championship game against Florida to a five-loss season and the Sun Bowl.

The men’s basketball team went from an Elite Eight berth to a losing record and a season that ended after the conference tournament, not to mention the postseason roster turnover and allegations AARON of misconduct.

But it would be unfair to dwell on those things, at COLEN least in this particular column. There will be plenty of articles in the future rehashing the details of those two relative failures.

So, what else is there to talk about? Plenty.

First, the women’s basketball team made it to the Final Four for the second straight year, despite the graduation of Courtney and Ashley Paris and the loss of star guard Whitney Hand for a majority of the season.

The women’s gymnastics team had an undefeated regular season and took the programs to new heights. The Sooner women’s gymnasts beat their first-ever No. 1 opponent, Alabama, in front of a record crowd. They also reached the program’s first Super Six, and recorded a best-ever second-place finish at the NCAA Championships.

Men’s gymnastics finished third in the nation. The indoor track team won the Big 12 title. And the baseball and softball teams still have a chance to make waves this season and in the postseason.

With that said, I’m hoping to let the past be the past. The beauty of sports is that there is always next year. A new season, a fresh start, a new opportunity.

As far as the football team goes, the Sooners brought in the No. 7-ranked recruiting class, according to Rivals.com. Not to mention Sam Bradford, Gerald McCoy and Trent Williams were the 1, 3 and 4 picks in the NFL Draft, respectively.

The men’s basketball team has cleaned house, so to speak. Willie Warren, Tommy Mason-Griffin, Tiny Gallon, Ray Willis and Orlando Allen all left the team for various reasons. Tony Crocker, Ryan Wright and Beau Gerber graduated. We’ll be seeing a dramatically different men’s basketball team next season.

There has been so much written about the bad of this past year, and that’s understandable. As journalists, we often focus on the negative aspect of things (sometimes to a fault). But now, I believe it’s time to put that to rest.

It’s time to remember that last year is done and next year is ahead.

As bad as a previous season might be, there is no limit to how good things can be when you look forward to the next.

Aaron Colen is a journalism senior.

Hollie Vise, senior, performs in the floor exercise during the NCAA Championships in Gainesville, Fla.

AP PHOTO

Women’s gymnastics team finishes second in the nation Team accomplishes several firsts in memorable year AARON COLEN Daily Staff Writer

The OU women’s gymnastics team had a historic season, which saw the program reach new heights under head coach K.J. Kindler.

Starting the season ranked No. 9, the Sooners wasted no time in climbing the rankings, opening the season with an upset win over thenNo. 4-ranked Florida at home.

OU won its first 11 meets of the season leading up to a much-anticipated match-up against then-No. 1 Alabama. The two teams had been alternating between the No. 1 and No. 2 rankings for several weeks beforehand.

The meet, which was held in the Lloyd Noble Center, brought in the largest crowd ever to watch a gymnastics meet in OU history. The

Sooners did not disappoint, posting the highest score in program history in the historic upset of the top-ranked team in the nation, also a program first.

There was no letdown after the upset for OU. The Sooners continued through the remainder of the regular season undefeated.

OU won its third-straight Big 12 Championship, posting its highest score in the conference championship since 2001.

While the Sooners were having an exceptional season by any standard, they still hadn’t done what they set out to do.

The conference championship had been won before. But OU had never advanced to the NCAA Super Six. Continuing what seemed to be a season of first-time accomplishments, the Sooners finished third in their session on the first day of the NCAA Championships to advance to the team’s first-ever Super Six

team final.

OU ended up finishing second in the NCAA Championships, the team’s best showing in program history.

“I couldn’t be more proud of my squad,” Kindler said. “It’s a testament to the vision, determination and will of this squad.”

To top it off, senior Hollie Vise placed second in the individual championship on bars and on floor.

“My teammates are my best friends and my coaches have helped me so much inside and outside of the gym during my time at Oklahoma,” Vise said. “Competing in college has made me love the sport all over again.”

Vise and fellow seniors Jackie Flanery, Julie Kramer, Mary Mantle and Kristin Smith will be departing from the program, but the class, which came in the same year Kindler did, has laid a foundation for future success.

On behalf of the Joe C. and Carole Kerr McClendon Honors College, Dean David Ray, Associate Dean Rich Hamerla, and Melanie Wright, Director of Honors Curriculum, wish to acknowledge the accomplishments of the following students who won or were named finalists for nationally competitive scholarships in 2009-2010. We congratulate them on their outstanding achievements.

Dennis Ardis Marshall Scholar Finalist

Logan Maingi Goldwater Scholar

Melissa Caddell Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship

Sarah McGuffee Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship

Bryan Crable Fulbright Scholar

Amanda Mullins Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar

McKinzie Crews Fulbright Scholar Amy Dalecki Fulbright Scholar John Erne Fulbright Scholar Caleb Gayle Truman Scholar Andrew Heaton Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar Elizabeth (Elise) Knowlton Goldwater Scholar

Mark Nehrenz Fulbright Scholar Amanda Plewes Luce Scholar Finalist Daniel Reck Rhodes Scholar Finalist Brittany Ryan Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar Chris Schroeder Goldwater Honorable Mention Austin Slaymaker Truman Scholar

Year in Revew 2009–2010

7B

Women’s hoops surprises in ‘rebuilding year’ ANNELISE RUSSELL Daily Staff Writer

Fast forward to this year and it was almost a completely different player. Was it maturity, confidence, necessity? Whatever the reason the senior forward was putting up 13.1 points per game.

The most impressive fact is that at only 6-1 she led the Big 12 in rebounding with an average of 10.5 rebounds per game.

The lost art of the jump shot was not lost on Amanda Thompson this season, and neither was it forgotten by the floor leader, junior guard Danielle Robinson.

Robinson may have been only a junior, but she rallied her team like a senior leader.

The All-American averaged 16.8 points per game this season, but most of the work she put in was not reflected on the stat sheet. With her on the floor, she gave a calming presence to the Sooner offense and led them to a Final Four berth.

Her most impressive performance of the season was arguably a 36-point performance against Bedlam rival Oklahoma State.

When Hand went down in the fall before

This year was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the OU women’s basketball team.

Sherri Coale’s squad lost seniors Courtney and Ashley Paris and saw its three-point threat and leader go down when Whitney Hand tore her ACL. Niether recruit coming in this year was highly touted.

It looked like a rebuilding year for Sooner women’s basketball.

Boy, were the critics ever wrong about that one.

OU surpassed all expectations this year to reach an unprecedented consecutive Final Four behind the will and determination of the Sooner leaders.

This season, the biggest story had to be the break-out performance of senior forward Amanda Thompson.

She averaged 6.8 points per contest in the 2008-2009 season, but was streaky and never seemed to put it all together game-in and game-out.

the Notre Dame match-up it looked like the Sooner’s lofty goals were in real jeopardy.

Enter senior guard Nyeshia Stevenson.

Stevenson played the role of the 6th man last season, coming in to provide a momentum swing, fresh legs or knock down a three point shot.

She was a role player, but this season that role got a whole lot bigger. She entered the starting line-up and picked up the slack left over in Hand’s absence. Stevenson posted 14.6 points per game.

Her break out performance this year was in the regional championships at the NCAA tournament. As the tournament’s MVP, she drilled Kentucky for 31 points and knocked down the winning three against Notre Dame to send the Sooners to the Elite Eight.

These three players combined with an improved supporting cast to defy this season’s expectations.

MARCIN RUTKOWSKI/THE DAILY The Sooners were picked to finish fifth in the Big 12 Conference, but they ended up no lower Danielle Robinson, junior, drives to the basket in an OU win over Arkansas-Little Rock. than fourth in the nation.

Football team faltered in ’09, but may rebound next season ZACK HEDRICK Daily Staff Writer

line became a cohesive unit during the spring practices.

“We’re taking care of the small things first to build on the big things. Once we build on the little things, everything is just going to keep flowing. We’re cutting down on the penalties. That’s a big goal for us,” sophomore offensive guard Tyler Evans said.

Having sophomore quarterback Landry Jones in the spring huddle from the beginning has also helped the offense run together like a machine.

“We all have the mental process down.

We’re thinking on the same level and also moving on the same level,” Evans said.

When you think of OU, almost all of the time, you’re thinking football.

Undoubtedly, the football and basketball programs had frustrating seasons. However, with the standards and expectations associated with the football team, many would say that the football program’s season was a bigger disappointment.

Yet, both programs have opportunities for big rebounds next year. But football will have the bigger bounce.

Stoops stated at the start of the spring football conference in March, “We have to improve in all areas.” Those improvements are RECEIVERS IMPROVING already evident at the end of spring practice The receiving corps is also coming togethand the closing of the 2009-2010 academic er as a group. When asked if the spring snaps year. with Jones as the signal caller benefited the receiver group, Broyles replied, “Definitely.

THE FRONT LINE Not just with me, but with the receiving corps At the annual Red/White spring game, the in general. I feel like we’re putting things tooffensive line showed vast improvements gether and we’re having more confidence in from last year. Now with players playing in each other. The more options that we have, the same positions on a consistent basis, the the better offense we’ll be.”

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Jones also commented on his receiving said. group, stating, “Guys are stepping up. Guys Personally, I look for the Sooners to overare coming together. You can tell [now] that come their struggles from 2009 and regain everybody’s got some game experience.” their usual swagger and confidence. I think they will get back into the national champiTHE ‘STACHE onship picture.

Jones is in control of the offense and has The schedule is favorable for the Sooners gained even more confidence since the Sun next year. The first three games are in Bowl, exhibited by his performance at the Norman versus Utah State, Florida State and spring game. Jones completed 17 of 34 passes Air Force. With the opportunity to achieve for 211 yards and two touchdown passes. The the program’s 800th win, break a milestone improved offensive line gave him extended with the all-time consecutive sellout and the time in the pocket to find his receivers.

2010 athletics season being dubbed “The “The offensive line just as a whole unit has Year of the Fan,” the Sooners will pick up a really improved. You can tell that they gained lot of steam over the span of those first three game experience. Our tackles, they’ve been home games. doing a great job. Our offensive line has been After a road game at Cincinnati, the really stepping up,” Jones said.

Sooners will face rival Texas to open Big 12 Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson has play. Conference games at home will include liked what he’s seen throughout the spring Iowa State, Colorado and Texas Tech. The and thinks that last season served as a learn- team will visit Missouri, Texas A&M, Baylor ing process for many players to gain invalu- and in-state rival Oklahoma State to conclude able game experience. conference play. The Big 12 Championship is “A lot of these guys played … all those set for Dec. 4. young linemen played, the tight ends had The drive for National Championship No. to play, the quarterback had to play,” Wilson 8 has already begun.

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