Issue 12, Volume 85

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Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt wednesday, October 30

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Issue 12, Volume 85

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SpooKY Edition Four haunted hotspots to visit all within minutes of the University | pg. 2

SportS

Khator, NCaa board vote to let student athletes profit off their image | pg. 6

opinion ‘The statue of Four lies’ provides a unique, interactive experience | pg. 8

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in foCuS

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haUNTeD hOUsTON

Four haunted places one metro ride away from UH IaN EvERETT

FeaTUres eDiTOr @iaNeVereTTUh

With Halloween bursting through our doors, hands outstretched for our candy like an ill-dressed child, it seemed appropriate for The Cougar to dig into some of the haunted history of our city.

However, students don’t have money to ghost hunt, and they certainly don’t have time to spend overnight in a cemetery or at the site of a grisly murder.

Luckily for the amateur ghost-buster, Houston has a past wide and deep enough for a few ghosts to hide in the cracks just a short Metro rail ride from UH, and all within 2 square miles of each other.

glenwood Cemetery 2525 Washington Ave, Houston, TX, 77007 Nestled below the Houston Skyline, 84 quiet acres shelter not only generations of Houstonians, 20 of our city’s mayors and famous aviator Howard Hughes, but a haunted reputation.

The cemetery has been called the “River Oaks of the Dead” because of its star studded graves. Besides Hughes and former mayors, it also is the final resting place of Anson Jones, the last president of the Republic of Texas.

Glenwood also has a “stranger’s rest” section devoted to people who died accidentally.

Ghost hunters have flocked to Glenwood for its high electromagnetic fields and the legend that its former owner, a murder victim, haunts the grounds.

The Glenwood Cemetery is the final resting place of many famous Houstonians and Texans. | Ian Everett/The Cougar

spaghetti warehouse 901 Commerce St, Houston, TX, 77002

Daily Cougar Classifieds HELP WANTED All Position Pump It Up is where kids come to celebrate their birthday party.

Two Large Arenas feature gigantic inflatables for kids to bounce, slide, roll and enjoy with their friends on a private setting. After the Arenas they move to a private party room to continue with the celebration. We need happy, energetic people to create a festive environment while performing their duties of attending (keeping kids safe and within the rules) coordinating (hosting, serving, cleaning) party rooms, etc.

You must be OK working around noisy children and lots of cleaning.

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The Spaghetti Warehouse was flooded after Harvey and bought by another company last year. | Ian Everett/The Cougar

The Spaghetti Warehouse, which was long a staple of the Houston restaurant scene, was forced to close after Harvey flooded the building up to the first floor.

While the Dallas-based chain has plans to reopen at a new location in Houston, the property was snapped up by a local development group, which has plans to renovate the building with respect to its historic past.

But a part of that past? The ghost of a pharmacist who fell down an elevator shaft and his forlorn wife who died less than a year after he did, according to legend.

Built around 1912, the Spaghetti Warehouse was once a fruit and veggie warehouse and later a pharmaceutical company, before becoming a restaurant in 1974.

Some people have reported seeing objects floating, and some employees have heard their name called by disembodied voices.

Child ghosts have reportedly been playing throughout the building.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019 | 3

iaN eVereTT, EDITOR

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Julia Ideson library 550 McKinney St, Houston, TX, 77002

According to legend, the Julia Ideson Library plays host to Jacob Frank Cramer, a ghostly night watchman that plays the violin, and his dog, Petey. | Ian Everett/The Cougar

Named for the first Head Librarian of the Houston Public Libraries, Julia Bedford Ideson, this building serves as a part of the Central Library, housing archives, manuscripts, and the Texas and Local History Department.

The building also houses two ghosts, a man and his dog, according to folk-tale and rumor.

Jacob Frank Cramer was a night watchman at the building for many years. He could often be heard in the early evening playing his violin from the top floor. But one morning November, 1936, librarians found him dead.

Various spook-cataloging websites, would-be ghost hunters and even the Houston Public Library blog itself have all spread tales of Cramer’s posthumous violin playing serenading the building, as well as the sound of toenails clicking on the floor — Cramer’s faithful German Shepherd, Petey, following him even in the afterlife.

Elder street artist lofts 1101 Elder St, Houston, TX, 77007 Currently, the Elder Street Artist Lofts offers low-income spaces for artists. But once, before the distant year of 2005, it was the ruins of the Jefferson Davis Hospital, built atop an actual cemetery in 1924 and named for the former president of the Confederacy.

The cemetery was the site of numerous unmarked graves and burial places for Civil War veterans and victims of yellow fever and cholera, according to the Houston Historic Preservation website.

The building’s construction apparently unearthed human remains, and the basement had to be built above ground to avoid public outcry.

The hospital accepted lowincome patients and even served as a psychiatric ward until 1939 when it closed. It was eventually abandoned in 1985, and wouldn’t be rescued until two decades later, when the lofts opened.

Folklore and legend have it that patients reported ghostly figures wandering the hallways and voices crying out, and some believe the disturbed dead still wander the place. news@thedailycougar.com

The Jefferson Davis Hospital currently houses low-income artists, but perhaps also the disturbed dead buried beneath, according to legend. | Ian Everett/The Cougar

4 | Wednesday, October 30, 2019

nEWS iaN eVereTT, EDITOR

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CampuS

UH tunnel system not haunted, just dangerous, says Facilities mCKENZIE mIsIasZEK

area that presents a number of hazards to those who are not trained and qualified to work in this environment,” Benjamin said.

NeWs eDiTOr @misiasZeKUh

Dark, dirty, dank, dangerous and possibly demon infested.

The University tunnel system has rumors swirling around it that range from creepy to bizarre. From the idea that the tunnels were used to transfer dead bodies to different parts of campus, to an abandoned hot dog cart used in the days of yore, many of these rumors are just that, according to Assistant Vice President of Facilities Services Jeffrey Benjamin.

In reality, the purpose of the tunnels are more practical, and some may put it, more boring, than their Halloween dreams.

“They were constructed to create an underground conveyance system for a network of steam and chill water pipes,” Benjamin said in an email. “In recent decades, communication cables (have run) between the Central Plant and the core campus buildings.”

The tunnels are still in use, but only trained personnel are allowed to traverse the vast underground network.

“The tunnels are not designed for pedestrian traffic; this is a highly industrial

History of the tunnels The tunnels were built beginning in the 1960s when the University began expanding and wanted to keep the campus clean and green, according to UH Special Collections.

While modern architecture, which is the style of many of the buildings of the time, was still popular, four more buildings were built underground along with basements of others.

Around 1980 the style faded out. About six buildings were constructed in the height of the modern architecture movement on campus.

Remaining structures The oldest building few know about on campus is the University Computing Center, which was built in the early 1960s. The reason so few know about this structure is not only because it is underground, but it has been abandoned.

The facility was originally used to hold the University’s computing mainframes. When the facility was moved to a new location in

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The entrance into the tunnel system suffers from frequent flooding. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

the 1970s, the underground building was transformed into an office annex for the Ezekiel W. Cullen building.

Then, Tropical Storm Allison hit.

Allison flooded much of the Bayou City in 2001, causing extensive damage, including to every underground structure at UH. The storm led UH to lock the doors and abandon the old University Computing Center, where it sits, gathering dust, to this day.

While it may be hard pressed to include the next building in the line up, as it is now filled in, the University Center Annex was built in 1965 next to the University Center. The plan was to have a underground annex topped by a plaza so people had ample room.

The space no longer exists since the new Student Center South and Student Center North were built over the hole the annex once resided in.

One of the buildings that still exists, and debatably one of the creepiest on campus due to its seemingly never-ending construction, elevator malfunctions and basement, is Agnes Arnold Hall. The six-story building is more than half a century old and has been witness to many changes the University has undergone.

The Law Center, opened in 1970, not only has a basement, but is primarily underground, leading to flooding almost every time a severe storm hits Houston.

The building is still in use but is slated to be demolished after a new law center is built in the coming years, bringing an end to the long-standing underground building.

Possibly the most well-known of all the underground buildings is the Student Center Satellite, which holds multiple restaurants, study spaces and a game room. The Satellite was built in 1973 and still serves students, even after being flooded by multiple storms and undergoing heavy renovations every time.

The Satellite, like the Law Center, will be redone in the coming years due to the constant flooding, once again taking away part of the once popular underground UH. The Hilton Hotel Parking Garage, built

in the early 1970s, is the last underground structure. The garage was built along with the Hilton hotel. The garage, like all other underground structures, flooded during Allison.

Other buildings that have an underground, or basement, aspect are the Fred J. Heyne building and the Student Center South, built in 1958 and 2015, respectively.

Haunted or just creepy?

The last reported time non-facilities people went into the tunnel system was in 2014. Two videos were posted online showing people who were trespassing in the tunnel system.

The videos show a lot of nothing. The halls are pitch black, aside from the flashlights the students have, and viewers can see a few doors, cables, some pipes, trash, dirt and possibly mold. All in all, what viewers could see of the tunnels isn’t pretty and instead looks like something seen on “Ghost Adventures.”

The entrances to the tunnels are few and far between. The most prominent is the staircase to nowhere near Philip Guthrie Hoffman Hall.

The staircase is sometimes blocked by a metal bar or caution tape and leads to a glass door and window that shows the pitch black abyss. The door can be opened by only those who have permission since it’s locked.

The videos do not show any apparitions, possessions or demonic voices to further the theory the tunnels are haunted. In addition, Benjamin said he has had zero paranormal encounters and has heard of no spooky stories by other members of his crew.

The Cougar cannot confirm the tunnels aren’t haunted, because Facilities doesn’t let the public tour the corridors.

As for the hot dog cart rumor, Facilities said they have never seen one in the tunnels.

“I have not seen a hotdog cart in the tunnels. If it is there it is well hidden, and I don’t know that I would want to eat anything from it,” Benjamin said. news@thedailycougar.com

jhair romero, EDITOR

Wednesday, October 30, 2019 | 5

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football

College football at UH ‘completely different’ experience for Baseball Brit The 34-year-old, well into the journey that has seen him spend the bulk of 2019 traveling the US watching America’s pastime, spent his Saturday night at TDECU Stadium for UH vs. No. 16 SMU Jhair Romero

sports editor @justjhair

Deep in the heart of Houston’s Third Ward, a wide-eyed Briton, far from his home across the pond, stared awestruck and amazed at what unfolded in front of him.

A large cannon fired Houston-branded shirts to tens of thousands of screaming fans, and the largest arrangement of booming tubas and trombones he has ever seen made their presence felt on the field as students in trenchcoats and cowboy hats ran across holding a large red flag bearing the oldschool UH logo.

“They’ve got a cannon?” he asked, bewildered by the Spirit of Houston’s generosity during their self-proclaimed “World’s Largest T-Shirt Toss.”

In town for the Astros-Nationals World Series matchup, baseball superfan Joey Mellows, better known as Baseball Brit on Twitter, had never experienced anything like what he saw at his first college football game Thursday at TDECU Stadium as Houston took on No. 16 SMU. Joey Mellows (left), better known as Baseball Brit by his followers, attended his first college football game at TDECU Stadium. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar “This is normal?” he asked, still processing his surroundings. “My brain is frazzled.” them,” he said. “It’s completely different. This The Baseball Brit persona, which came is all new to me. My brain hasn’t worked out about after Mellows left his teaching job in what is happening yet.”

China in 2018 to travel around Japan, Korea Although he would still pick baseball over and the United States to watch professional *Must bring this ad college football because “it gets people out, baseball, has taken him all around the and it brings people together on a daily basis,” country to over 140 games of America’s Mellows enjoyed his first game. pastime.

And one of his favorite parts? Houston’s Throughout the way, Mellows became a special teams. baseball advocate on a mission to spread the “There’s a tiny guy that kicks,” Mellows sport’s popularity in Europe, especially his said, referring to junior kicker Dalton native England.

Witherspoon. “He had to rush his field goal, But college football was uncharted and I thought he kept a cool head to kick territory. those points.”

“I don’t know what’s going on half the If the Cougars are ever looking for a new time,” Mellows said as he watched fans cheer kicker, however, they know who to call. the Cougars on. “There is so much new stuff “I’m a soccer player, so I can kick it,” to compute and understand and learn about.”

Mellows said. “I’m a little guy myself.”

It was not, however, his first taste of the He also took a liking to punter Dane gridiron.

Roy because of the senior’s age and his “We have the NFL in London, so I kind background. of know what the rules are,” Mellows, who “He was on my ticket today,” Mellows said watched the Chargers top the Titans 20-19 of the Australian. “Somebody told me he was at Wembley Stadium in 2018, said. “But this 30 years old. It seems like there are a lot of seems more localized than the NFL. It means unique stories within each team.” more to the people that are here.”

His recent time spent in the country and Similarly to how he watched baseball Texas was not his first rodeo here; he spent bring people together across the country six weeks coaching soccer in the Dallas throughout his travels, Mellows observed Fort-Worth area at 21. But Mellows would Houstonions doing the same for football, recommend his experience to anybody back namely in the Cougars’ student section.

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Sports jhair romero, EDITOR

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administration

Khator, NCAA votes to allow student athletes to profit off name, likeness, image jhair romero

sports editor @justjhair

The NCAA Board of Governors, made up of officials from universities around the country, including President Renu Khator, reversed its stance on student athletes profiting from their name, likeness and image after a unanimous vote, the organization announced Tuesday afternoon.

“We must embrace change to provide the best possible experience for college athletes,” said Michael V. Drake, chairman of the board and president of Ohio State University. “Additional flexibility in this area can and must continue to support college sports as a part of higher education.”

The board directed each division to implement the new rules by January 2021.

The decision came after several states, including Florida, New York and California, pushed bills aiming to prevent the NCAA from blocking student athletes from financial compensation.

After California Senate Bill 206, better known as the Fair Pay

to Play Act, passed in the state’s legislature, the board, including Khator, urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to not sign the bill into law.

“If the bill becomes law and California’s 58 NCAA schools are compelled to allow an unrestricted name, image and likeness scheme,” the NCAA said, “it would erase the critical distinction between college and professional athletics and, because it gives those schools an unfair recruiting advantage, would result in them eventually being unable to compete in NCAA competitions” Newsom has since signed the bill, and it is slated to take effect in 2023.

“This modernization for the future is a natural extension of the numerous steps NCAA members have taken in recent years to improve support for student athletes,” Drake said in the statement announcing the NCAA’s decision, “including full cost of attendance and guaranteed scholarships.”

The decision has garnered praise from UH athletes, including senior punter Dane Roy on Twitter.

“I endorse this message,” he tweeted with a laughing emoji.

In a detailed plan laid out by the organization in the statement, NCAA promised to “Reaffirm that student athletes are students first and not employees of the university,” and “Make clear that compensation for athletics performance or participation is impermissible.”

The NCAA was advised by several NCAA federal and state legislature working groups, which included university presidents, current and former student athletes and athletic directors.

NCAA president Mark Emmert is hopeful the decision made by the organization will improve student athletes’ success.

“As a national governing body, the NCAA is uniquely positioned to modify its rules to ensure fairness and a level playing field for student athletes,” Emmert said.

“The board’s action today creates a path to enhance opportunities for student athletes while ensuring they compete against students and not professionals.”

sports@thedailycougar.com

President Renu Khator, a member of the NCAA Board of Governors, joined the vote to allow student athletes to profit from their name, likeness and image. | File photo

intramural

Intramural clubs offer world of culture, experience to University students aNDY YANEZ

“This year, our goal is to create a fun, energetic routine that will surprise audience members around the nation,” Iyyangar said.

“We want to make every person who is affiliated with our team proud to represent Roarin’ Raas.”

SENIOR STAFF WRITER @AYANEZ_5

More than 25 intramural sports leagues and clubs on campus are available to all UH students and allow them to experience the competitiveness, excitement and camaraderie that joining a sports club entails. There are more traditional sports leagues such as volleyball, rugby and soccer for both men and women.

There are also unique clubs for those who are looking to try new things, like Roarin’ Raas, Wushu Kung Fu or Cougar Kendo. These are not usual intramural clubs.

Instead of competing in sports like basketball or soccer, they dance and perform martial arts.

“We are a team founded on happiness, family, passion, resilience and discipline,” said co-captain of Roarin’ Raas Anushka Iyyangar in an email.

“Our club provides an outlet to express yourself through dance, music, art and to join the proud Roarin’ Raas family.”

Celebrating culture Roarin’ Raas celebrates Indian

Not just dance

Courtesy of Roarin’ Raas

culture through traditional dances and is unlike any other sports leagues offered on campus.

“Raas/Garba is a Gujarati dance form that emerged through celebration, color and happiness during Navratri, which is a very auspicious time of the year for Indians and everyone in the world,” Iyyangar said.

The group, founded in 2011, has competed against roughly 85 Raas circuit teams in the nation during many competitions and has been to the national finals for the last five years in a row.

Students have a variety of options when it comes to choosing a club. They can join a group that provides different opportunities like learning and engaging in a new culture or simply exercising in a different way.

Wushu Kung Fu club, a martial arts group that practices in the Campus Recreation Center on Mondays and Wednesdays, is a club for students who practice martial arts, but they primarily focus on growing in the art of Wushu.

“There’s a big sense of accomplishment when you can finally do that jump or know that form by memory,” said Wushu Kung Fu member Abigail Nava.

“It’s a nice bonus to have your Wushu friends supporting you in the process.”

The Cougar Kendo, the largest

and most active Kendo Dojo in the Houston area, is a demanding sport and helps participants stay physically and mentally fit.

Kendo is a form of Japanese martial arts in sword fighting based on traditional Kenjutsu.

Athletes use bamboo swords, wear armor and spar with each other.

They also compete in both local and national competitions.

“Each practice is a good workout and can appeal to those who are seeking to work out in a non-traditional way,” said Cougar Kendo member Rose Nguyen. “We emphasize individual and group development beyond fitness. Team ethic builds the discipline that helps everyone succeed in college and after.”

Open for all In order to join a sports league, students must sign up with their UH ID and password through the Campus Recreation Portal. To join an intramural club, a student can find contact information online and contact clubs directly for more information.

While these clubs are accessible to all students, some do hold

tryouts for their events, like Roarin’ Raas, which held tryouts Monday in the Student Center South.

Even though Roarin’ Rass requires tryouts to join, it also holds fall workshops, which are open to everyone looking to learn about the club and to teach the club’s dance style.

There are more clubs that do not require experience with the sport, and some even prefer beginners.

“Wushu and martial arts is a tough sport to commit to because you’re constantly challenging yourself to learn something new and improve at what you already know,” Nava said. “It’s actually to an advantage if you join without any previous experience because it means that you learn the specific style.”

Overall, intramural clubs are a way for UH students to be active and meet new people.

“We hope those who join learn to grow as individuals supported by a community of great people,” Nguyen said. sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, October 30, 2019 | 7

jhair romero, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/sportS

Sports

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713-743-5303

football

Houston hits the road to take on AAC powerhouse through Week 9, leading UCF to six wins.

He has one weakness, however, and the Cougars must exploit it if they want to get to him.

Since UCF’s Sept. 21 loss at Pitt, Gabriel has been sacked 14 times, including six times against the Nittany Lions.

His 14 total sacks ranks thirdhighest among the 15 best passers in the country.

With the likes of defensive lineman David Anenih and safety Deontay Anderson, both juniors, Houston has the tools to mess with Gabriel’s rhythm.

Anenih has five sacks on the season, tied for fifth in the AAC, while Anderson’s seven passes defended so far in 2019 tie for third in the conference.

As a whole, UH has sacked opposing quarterbacks 14 times.

Although the Cougars must find a way to be disruptive against Gabriel, they must keep their own quarterback on his feet.

Keep Tune safe

Sophomore Clayton Tune had a career-high 407 yards against No. 16 SMU on Saturday. The quarterback had two touchdowns in the loss. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

jhair romero

sports editor @justjhair

Houston and UCF are much different than the last time the two programs faced each other on the gridiron.

The Cougars won the 2016 matchup on a 31-24 decision a season after besting the Knights 59-10, the same year Houston was named American Athletic Conference Champion.

Between then and now, the Knights, now a perennial conference powerhouse, won consecutive AAC titles from 2017-18, had a 27-game regularseason winning streak and even became self-proclaimed national champions.

UH, meanwhile, is in the midst of a rebuild in head coach Dana Holgorsen’s first year at the reigns that has seen the team go 3-5 overall, including 1-3 in the AAC. Two-loss UCF, also having an off-year after suffering defeats to Pitt and Cincinnati, is a favorite after a 63-21 win over Temple, but it is beatable.

With the two teams setting up to

face off Saturday night in Orlando, Florida in one of Houston’s last chances to stave off bowl ineligibility, the Cougars must play their cards right to take down the Knights.

Holgorsen has historically been an Air Raid head coach, but Houston has made good use of the ground game in 2019.

Junior running back Kyle Porter, the Cougars’ leading rusher, has carried the ball for 479 yards this season, close to his Knights counterpart junior Otis Anderson’s 513 yards.

Both teams average over 200 yards rushing a game. UCF (233.9) holds the slight edge over Houston (206.8).

If the Cougars can keep up with the Knights on the ground, Houston will have an easier time in the air.

Tune, in his first game back from a nagging hamstring injury that kept him out of UH’s Oct. 19 win over UConn, threw for 407 yards, a career-high, and two touchdowns.

His favorite target, junior wide receiver Marquez Stevenson, recorded five receptions for a career-high 211 yards.

Stevenson’s best play of the night came late in the fourth quarter: a catch off a slant route he took 96 yards to the house to put the Cougars within a field goal of the undefeated Mustangs.

While it is unlikely Tune and Stevenson will put up such numbers for the second week in a row, the two getting more comfortable with each other can mean good things going forward for Houston.

As for UCF’s passing game, the Knights have one of the best freshmen in the country leading the way.

Repeat success

Disrupt the pass

Sophomore quarterback Clayton Tune played the best game of his career in Houston’s 34-31 loss to No. 16 SMU last Thursday.

Spectrum Stadium, the home of the Knights, has recently been a haven for quarterbacks.

Senior McKenzie Milton, out

Match the rush

since suffering a severe knee injury in UCF’s 2018 regular-season finale against South Florida, led the team to much of the success it has seen.

Now, freshman quarterback Dillon Gabriel leads the Knights, and he’s rolling.

The Hawaiian, No. 13 nationally in total passing yards, has tossed for 2,218 yards and 20 touchdowns

Against SMU, Tune — despite his career game — went down seven times, including the game-ending sack that sealed the Mustangs’ victory.

When it comes to protecting its quarterback, Houston ranks near the bottom of the AAC with 25 sacks given up.

Quarterback D’Eriq King took the brunt of the damage with 12 sacks in the four games he played before deciding to redshirt his senior season, but Tune has still gone down 10 times.

If the Cougars cannot keep Tune safe in the backfield, they’ll find themselves defeated again. sports@thedailycougar.com

Junior wide receiver Marquez Stevenson caught five passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns in Houston’s close loss to No. 16 SMU. | Katrina Martinez/The Cougar

8 | Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Opinion Maryam baldawi, EDITOR

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OPINION@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

art

‘The Statue of Four Lies’ is a fun, interesting art installation

Editorial Board editor in chief

Michael Slaten managing editor

Morgan Horst

creative director

Jiselle Santos News editor

McKenzie Misiaszek

features editor

Ian Everett

sports editor

Jhair Romero photo editor

Trevor Nolley opinion editor

Maryam Baldawi assistant editors

Kathryn Lenihan Autumn Rendall Juana Garcia Santiago Gaughan Katrina Martinez

Chief Copy Editor

Mason Vasquez

Staff editorial The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

“The Statue of Four LIes,” located near Cougar Village 1, should be decorated again as it is a good way to show school spirit. | Lino Sandil/The Cougar

KYLE DISHONGH

Opiinion Writer

The University of Houston’s “The Statue of Four Lies” is among the most notable of the vast collection of outdoor art that decorates the campus.

It’s rife with misinformation, looks strangely ominous, is surrounded by peculiar little details and claims to house a time capsule to be opened on the University’s 100th anniversary.

Despite all this, the most interesting aspect of the statue is how students interact with it and that they do at all.

On Oct. 12, the Cougars squared off against the Cincinnati Bearcats in a game of football.

In an effort to display their excitement and school pride, the Coogs of CV3, an unofficial spirit organization, teamed up with the Art Guys to decorate “The Statue of Four Lies” by painting the statues red and white and displaying a flag behind them that read the now post-ironic phrase, “Ya Woo Cougar Football.”

And, honestly, it looked pretty good.

Unfortunately, not all news surrounding the statue is happy. Michael Galbreth,

one of the statue’s designers, recently passed away due to complications during surgery.

Cougars dressing up and posing with the statue in ways similar to the Coogs of CV3 would be a great way to honor the memory of this legendary UH alumnus.

Interacting with the statues and dressing them up has been a tradition since their unveiling in late 2010, and the artists wanted that.

They designed the art piece with the intention of it continuously seeing new attention and being treated lightheartedly.

This was best exemplified by the statue’s grand unveiling on campus.

What could be compared to a circus or a county fair was held, complete with magicians, musicians and a petting zoo to mark the beginning of what could only be described as a giant, secret joke among Cougars.

As an aside and in the spirit of full disclosure, researching this topic is a nightmare.

Most sources seem to gather information from the statue’s website, which has been inactive for over seven years, but the date of the unveiling has been

widely inconsistent, ranging from September 2010 to early 2011.

This raises questions about the validity of other information surrounding the statue. It would be entirely believable and appropriate if an art installation named for lying intentionally had misinformation spread about it.

Some of its history, however, is definitely true. For one, the two models the statues are based on are their very own designers — Jack Massing and the late Galbreth, two Cougars themselves and otherwise known as the aforementioned Art Guys.

The models being the statues’ own creators is hilarious when put into context, as its name is in reference to Harvard’s “Statue of Three Lies,” which was intended to be modeled after the university’s founder.

The irony displayed by the artists created a stark contrast between Harvard’s founder and the statue itself.

Additionally, Massing and Galbreth’s intentions were to out-do Harvard, claiming that Texans could tell more lies than “those Yankee upstarts,” furthering the up-punching hilarity from the statue.

Such an entertaining history has led to one of the most fun and interesting pieces of art on campus. Interacting with and observing the statues is fun in a way that can’t be accomplished by most art, and witnessing the occasional decorations placed by other Cougars is always a treat.

It’s a fun tradition, and hopefully it will stick around for the foreseeable future for the sake of school spirit and to uphold of Galbreth’s wishes for his art.

It’s a bizarre piece of art, too, in the best possible way.

It certainly has more than four lies.

Its ominous nature is strangely inviting, the little details may or may not mean anything at all and the time capsule, for all anybody knows, might not have anything in it or be in the ground at all.

This would be hilariously fitting, given what the statue’s creators envisioned for it. Its mysteries will continue to stump and confound onlookers who seek a meaning that may not be there at all.

Opinion writer Kyle Dishongh is a finance junior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

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