Friday, September 25, 2020
Getting the Willies
Stillwater bars play fast and loose with COVID rules
Jenny Maupin Two Oklahoma State students walked into Willies Saloon, where stale cigarette smoke hung in the air, equipped with face coverings and social distancing in mind. It was 6 p.m. on a Wednesday, not a busy hour. They approached the bar for a celebratory birthday drink. The unmasked bartender told the students: “By the way, you all don’t have to wear your masks in here.” Willies Saloon is on Washington Street, alongside most of Stillwater’s bars. The street got national attention after a series of videos revealed a lack of social distancing and masks at the bars. Willies took advan-
Vasily Koloda OSU graduation will be virtual for the fall 2020 semester because of COVID-19. Claire Boomer Willies Saloon on Washington Street has lax restrictions amid COVID-19, even telling customers, "You all don’t have to wear your masks in here.”
tage of the outdoor seating option given by the city and has a fence blocking off the outdoor seating. Bella Beffer, a marketing and graphic design major, said she is trying to get the most out of her senior year, but the lack of consistency in the way bars are handling the mandate makes it difficult to know which bars are safe. “It was a little unsettling to hear,” Beffer said about the
bartenders comment. “We are trying to be safe if we go out, but obviously we can’t control anyone else.” Stillwater’s Aug. 18 “State of Emergency” declaration said, “Employees and all other persons involved in the operation of the bar, shall wear face coverings at all times while on the bar premises.” See Willies on page 2
Spit take Where OADDL is going By Sheyenne Mitchell Think 23andMe: a tube is sent, it’s spit in, then sent away for results. This could be the same process for a Covid-19 test. Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory made national headlines in May with its ability to handle more testing than any other lab in Oklahoma and they haven’t stopped progressing. Dr. Kenneth Sewell, vice president of research at Oklahoma State University, has been instrumental since the beginning and spoke about the promising improvements the lab is working toward. The big ticket item being saliva specimen testing. Saliva testing would open doors
toward a mail transport system, Sewell said. The lab works with mostly swab tests transported via a courier system. Saliva would allow anyone to mail in their nonintrusive test either from home, their company, or various medical locations directly to the lab. Since August, this mail-in system is awaiting FDA approval. OADDL developed a validated test for saliva specimens, but they wouldn’t be able to perform in the needed capacity as they are now. They need new automation and uniform testing equipment used across the state. The most needed equipment is specimen tubes. See Spit on page 2
OSU's OADLL evolved from a pet hospital to one of the premier COVID-19 labs in the state.
Claire Boomer
IS
Digital diplomas OSU moves fall 2020 graduation online citing COVID-19 concerns
Marcus Trevino Oklahoma State seniors will end the college chapter of their lives not in Gallagher-Iba Arena surrounded by close friends and family, but alone in their bedrooms. This is not how the 2020 graduating class expected to celebrate its once in a lifetime accomplishment. Then again, so little of college turned out as expected. It must feel like a lifetime ago when these graduates first stepped foot on OSU campus. The first time they shuffled through the crowds of the student union or the first time school was canceled because of snow and they got a chance to gaze upon a frozen Theta Pond, reminding themselves to enjoy the little things along the way of their college journey. Those freshman didn’t yet know how each setback would force them to grow or how warm each achievement would feel. They surely didn’t know that their college experience would end with an email. That they would have to pack everything up and return home to finish senior year in front of a webcam. That amidst a worldwide pandemic, they wouldn’t get the chance to walk the stage, receive their degree and throw their caps in the air as one final goodbye to the OSU community. When OSU President Burns Hargis announced that the 2020 spring, summer and fall commencement ceremonies would be held virtually, Alexia Benson, a first generation college student, was profoundly disappointed. “While I’m aware that these times look a lot different for many, OSU continues to pride themselves in sports rather than academics,” Benson said. “I have worked so hard for three and a half years to graduate early. My parents have worked hard, mentally
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and physically, to give me this opportunity and they won’t even be able to witness me finish what I started.” The idea of sports taking precedence over academic achievements isn’t solely Benson’s. Many upcoming graduates, including Isaac Walden have echoed this sentiment. “It’s a double standard to keep football and continue to have classes held in-person if we can’t have graduation,” Walden said. In his statement, President Hargis said holding an in-person ceremony with social distancing and other safety protocols is “not feasible.” “Our commencements draw large crowds inside Gallagher-Iba Arena and to move outside that time of year is not practical,” Hargis said. Robyn Hearn didn’t care what her graduation looked like, whether it required masks or was divided into several days to accommodate for social distancing. All she cared about was being able to walk the stage. “I started a job in New York, 1,500 miles away from my hometown. I was looking forward to getting to see my OSU friends one last time,” Hearn said. “I even put in for my vacation days as soon as I could. Nothing was going to stop me from getting to my graduation.” Oklahoma State has been the home of generations of students. For the past four years, it has been theirs. In a world of uncertainty, many of them won’t know what’s in store for them when they log off of their commencement, tassel on the left and degree in the mailbox. But they did something very few people ever will and the OSU community is proud of them for it. news.ed@ocolly.com
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The O’Colly
News
Spit... Continued from page 1
Courtesy of Unsplash OSU professor Dr. Zhuqi Miao is working to help medical experts with COVID-19 by developing a tool to predict severity.
COVID calculator OSU professor designs program to predict COVID-19 severity By Chloe Morrissey Oklahoma State University professor Dr. Zhuqi Miao is revolutionizing the way we diagnose COVID-19 patients. Miao helped design a program that can predict the risk of death for those diagnosed with COVID-19. This technology is able to reveal underlying conditions in a patient that will contribute to case severity and chances of fatality. After collecting data from more than 18,000 patients, the program is about 75% accurate at predicting the severity of each COVID-19 case. “These predictions can help doctors optimize health care resources and focus on the patients at the highest risk,” Miao said. Miao also said he wants to continue research and hopefully receive faster authorization from the U.S
Food and Drug Administration to allow the technology to be used in hospitals. In an interview with News 9, Miao said the program revealed other conditions and demographic information linked to a higher mortality rate “The Hispanic demographics and also males seem to have a higher risk,” Miao said in the interview. “Of course, those risk factors need to be further validated with more data and more trials,” he said in the interview. Miao said he hopes that his technology will be able to contribute towards the ongoing battle against COVID-19, and stated that having his tool used in clinical practice would be extremely rewarding. “If we are going to be battling this virus for a long time, we hope that our technology can be used,” Miao said. news.ed@ocolly.com
Editorial board
Editor-in-chief Ryan Novozinsky editorinchief@ocolly.com
Photo editor Claire Boomer photo.ed@ocolly.com
News editor Jennifer Maupin news.ed@ocolly.com
Digital editor Chris Becker digital@ocolly.com
Lifestyle editor Chase Congleton entertainment.ed@ocolly.com Design Editor Maddison Farris design.ed@ocolly.com
Sports editor Sudeep Tumma sports.ed@ocolly.com Adviser John Helsley john.helsley@okstate.edu
Newsroom 108 Paul Miller Stillwater, OK 74078 (405)744-6365
“We’re not there yet,” Sewell said. “But that is one of the capabilities we’re hoping to build. We have not been in a situation with the state where there was a willingness to commit to a single way of moving saliva around.” The cost of automation equipment able to handle this new type of testing is high, which is an expense waiting to be taken up by the state. “We [OADDL]
don’t know which way we would go with saliva automation [funding],” Sewell said. “But I think it would be purchased by the state and we would have that automation to then contribute to the state’s testing effort.” There may come a time when the state decides to stop funding testing and require those who need testing such as hospitals, their patients, insurance, or individual
companies to pay for it themselves, Sewell said. If this were to happen, the lab could establish contracts with these new clients requiring uniformity in testing equipment like the specimen tubes. Sewell could not provide a timeline, but he explained that beginning high volume saliva testing in their lab is a high priority to the state. news.ed@ocolly.com
Continued from page 1 The declaration states that a violation of the mandate is a Class “A” offense, which carries up to a $750 fine and 60 days imprisonment. When the O’Colly asked the city manager’s office what they are doing to enforce the mandate, their answers were vague. The O’Colly attempted to reach out to Willies management for comment via phone call, email, social media and in person but was unsuccessful. Each bar in
Stillwater adapted to the city’s guidelines differently. College Bar keeps track of capacity and turns customers away once it has reached its limit. Inside The Union, tables can be found six feet apart. It still allows seating at its bar while the staff is wearing masks. Stonewall posted signs on every pool table reminding customers to wear a mask while playing and no longer has seating at its bar. J.R. Murphy’s
reopened last Friday, after nearly a sixth month hiatus, with limited capacity and outdoor seating. Cierra Shoemaker, a business marketing sophomore, said hearing the bartenders comment made her anxious for the future of in-person classes. “I am wary of what could happen for the spring semester if students keep going to these bars who do not care about their safety and well-being,” Shoemaker said. news.ed@ocolly.com
Willies...
Reporters/photographers Sports reporters: Adam Engel Jared A‘Latorre Jospeh Fazio Ben Hutchens Sam Hutchens Jacob Sturm Marcus Trevino Lifestyle writers: Maleeha Hameed Jonathan Harrington Amelia Jáuregui Christopher Sneed
News reporters: Ryan Boyce Sheyenne Mitchell Chloe Morrissey Harmony Nelson Chase Weems
Photographers: Joshua Cleary Zachary Hunter Bryan Pizana Alicia Young
The O’Colly
Friday, September 25, 2020 Page 3A
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 2020
STARRING WATERMELON SLIM AT THE LOWRY ACTIVITY CENTER
Page 4A Friday, September 25, 2020
The O’Colly
Lifestyle
GEICO vs. McDonald's a tale of two commercials Marcus Trevino Stop me if you’ve heard this before: “Tara Tara, look at her go with a fresh cup of j-” I’m serious please stop me, this song stinks. It’s been over two months since GEICO unleashed their onslaught of terrible commercials alongside the return of sports on television. First, there was Idina Menzel, who’s had a wonderful singing career. GEICO may have ruined the image she spent years building with a 30-second commercial. Sure, the song is so catchy that it stays with you in your nightmares, but the song is almost unanimously hated. Then, American audiences were introduced to Rocky the flying squirrel and Bullwinkle. This is something that OSU professor Shane Hoffman would call a “hard drugs” commercial because a hard drug is the only substance that would make someone enjoy
Carolyn Cole Idina Menzel is a musical icon, but repetitive singing in her Geico commercials may be dissuading fans.
it.
When I first saw these commercials, I asked myself how anyone involved could think these were good ideas to release on television. How could they possibly help sell insurance? I hadn’t even mentioned GEICO’s unskippable YouTube ads that are nothing more than an expensive pop-up ad. Compare GEICO’s marketing strategy to one of the most successful campaigns of the year: the McDonald’s and Travis Scott collaboration.
The concepts of the Travis Scott meal commercial are similar in many ways to both GEICO ads, but the former’s execution is far better. The major difference is GEICO played it safe and McDonald’s took risks that paid off tremendously. Both campaigns feature famous musicians. On one side there is Idina Menzel, a former Broadway singer and the voice of a Disney princess. She’s family-friendly. Then there’s Travis Scott, a controversial rapper that some McDonald’s shareholders
opposed partnering with because of his song’s explicit lyrics. The difference is Travis Scott’s immense popularity. He can sell anything from Nike shoes that sold out within seconds to a virtual concert on the video game Fortnite, which drew in over 27 million players. He was selling burgers so fast that McDonald’s executives said there was a “burger shortage.” Both campaigns used animation. GEICO stuck with the traditional 2D animation and their characters could be mistaken for a children’s movie-family friendly again. Meanwhile, McDonald’s turned Travis Scott into a 3D-animated toy, something wide audiences have never seen before. That’s the key. People like seeing original work, and they’ll remember it for the right reasons. They’ll remember Idina Menzel misreading “tax attorney” as “taxidermy,” but they’ll do so with hatred. People will remember the Travis Scott meal as a one-of-akind campaign that consumed the country. entertainment.ed@ocolly.com
Behind the microphone: What an OSU radio play entails
our degrees and pause our industry, or we can do what’s really happening,” Kersnar said. “The industry Chase Congleton is transforming and therefore our Since the antheatre department nouncement that needs to change Oklahoma State with it and our job University’s theatre is to lead.” department would In preparahost radio plays, tion for directing those involved in the first radio play those productions at OSU, Kersnar knew they would listened to the chart in challengoriginal radio ing territory. adaptation of “War The theatre of the Worlds” with department’s proOrson Wells as duction of “War well as the original of the Worlds” is material written by the first of its kind H.G. Wells during at the university. a road trip. Never before has “I noticed a radio play been when I was griphosted at OSU, let ping my steering alone during a pan- wheel harder I demic that’s affect- realized ‘Hey, I’m ing the performing into this,’” Kersnar arts industry. said. However, for Although the department head cast meets over and director David zoom most nights Kersnar, the panof the week, the demic is allowing members have been local theatre to able to meet in evolve in the midperson once a week dle of unforeseen on Monday nights. circumstances. However, the layout “We can pause is much different
than any other ordinary rehearsal. There are a total of six cast members and two understudies. Each member has his or her own microphone in a chair more than six feet apart from other members and every one wears masks to maintain social distancing measures. Olive Payne is junior studying theatre at OSU. Comparing her time in the production of “Steel Magnolias,” Payne said one of the most difficult parts in transitioning from a stage play to a radio play is the lack of audience interaction to see which jokes get laughs and which jokes need work.. “[Performing] is so much about the comedic timing and we didn’t even know until we got an audience,” Payne said. “With [radio], we’ll never have an audience. Our audience is each other.” However, Payne also said that the students working on the
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A GREAT CAUSE
Courtesy of OSU theater department The OSU theater department is adapting to COVID-19 by performing a radio play instead of in-person ones.
soundstage provide great feedback and have helped the cast work on the comedic timing. “We feed off each other. It’s hard because, like, when you’re recording you have to stay in it … but no one can see you because its just your voice,” Payne said. “So, you can smile and nod at them and be like ‘That was good.’” Off-stage has been converted into
a fully-fledged sound studio with several crew members working the soundboards. With what was once a venue used for stage plays, the Vivia Locke Theatre has become a recording studio. “This is one of those experiences that you’re gonna wanna listen to with headphones,” Kersnar said. “We’re going to be recording some sequences with the cast live, but also we’ll do retakes with
each of their parts separately.” “War of the Worlds” will air on the O’Colly Media Group app on October 22. A fundraiser in collaboration with the Red Dirt Rangers will occur between the intermission period to help those in performing arts affected by the pandemic. entertainment.ed@ocolly.com
THE SOUND OF RAIN! “Elijah was a man just like us...he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” (Ja.5:17-18 NIV) “...Elijah climbed to the top of (mount) Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. ‘Go and look toward the sea,’ he told his servant. And he went up and looked. ‘There is nothing there,’ he said. Seven times Elijah said, ‘Go back.’ The seventh time the servant reported, ‘A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.’” (1 Ki.18:42-44 NIV) We have to be reminded often that the people mentioned in the Bible were people just like you and me. It is easy to classify them differently because they are mentioned in the Bible, and God worked in a very real way through their lives. After he had told the king that the drought was over, Elijah climbed to the
top of Mt. Carmel and got on his face before God. He was praying. Seven times he sent his servant to look for a sign of rain. I am not sure how this happened, but it seems he would pray and send his servant to look. Nothing! He would pray again and send his servant again until he saw a small cloud to the west. Not only did he believe in prayer, but also in persevering until something happened. Over and over we are encouraged in the Bible to persevere; don’t give up praying. Elijah was a human being like you and me. He prayed until the answer came; the abundance of rain. It came with refreshing and then fruitfulness. Possibly you are praying for a specific need, maybe a greater reality of God; or for God to help in another ’s life. God is not limited in hearing and answering! Let’s not give up until it comes.
The O’Colly
Friday, September 25, 2020 Page 5A
Lifestyle and news Things to do in Stillwater during a pandemic By Maleeha Hameed
Courtesy of G&M Body Shop
The Bumblebee statue is one Stillwater's many fun roadside attractions you could see to pass time during COVID-19.
To fill her seat
OSU students share thoughts on Trump selecting a new Supreme Court justice before the election
By Chloe Morrissey After the passing of supreme court justice Ruth Badger Ginsburg, the question arose: should President Donald Trump elect a new Supreme Court justice before the presidential election? The O’Colly obtained statements from members who have been involved in College Republicans and College Democrats who shared their opinions on this: Michael Baughman, a junior marketing major at OSU who is a registered Republican: “The tragic death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg shocked the country as we lost a brilliant judicial scholar and a pop culture icon. While I did not agree with a number of her stances, I immensely respected her service to the bench on the highest court in the land. The president however, has a constitutional obligation to fill that vacant seat on the Supreme Court. Since we do not live in a dictatorship, the Senate as well, has a constitutional obligation bestowed by the people to check the president’s power. Many have pointed to Senate majority leader Mitch McConell’s actions in 2016 when President Obama nominated Merrick Garland and Republicans blocked his nomination from getting to a vote. The people elected a Republican Senate during Obama’s last year to check his power. I would say the exact same thing if the people elected a Democrat Senate in 2018. It is all up to who has control of the Senate and the White House. If the country had elected a Democrat Senate and a Republican president, then they would have to negotiate on the pick. The people, right now, want conservative justices on the bench, justices who look at the constitution as set and stone that can only be amended by congress, that is why they elected a Republican Senate and a Republican President.”
Sam Barron, a senior agriculture business major with a pre-law emphasis and a minor in legal studies at OSU who is a registered Democrat: “In light of the recent passing of progressive Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, all politically-inclined eyes will be trained on the senate and their upcoming confirmation hearings once a nominee is announced, which President Trump said will happen Saturday. With Mitch McConnell leading the Republican controlled senate, progressives fear there is little they can do to stop President Trump from creating the most conservative Supreme Court since the 1950s. Unfortunately, they are correct. Trusting McConnell to conform to his own precedent set in 2016 during the infamous Garland blockade is a fool’s errand. That leaves Democrats with very few options, given that Republicans already have the 51 necessary votes to move to the hearing stage. On one hand, they could continue to call on the preservation of our country’s “norms” as they have throughout Trump’s term. This strategy has yielded little success. On the other hand is a more interesting option. If the House of Representatives were to vote to impeach President Trump a second time, the confirmation process would likely be ground to a near standstill, potentially buying the Democrats enough time to vote Trump out of office. It would be a petty move, but given what’s at stake, it may be the only feasible option left. If I were a House member, I would certainly be urging Speaker Pelosi to do this.”
Let’s face it. Life during a pandemic is not the most ideal. COVID-19 has either got you sick, scared, or bored. I’ll be the first to admit that I watched an entire season of “The Great British Baking Show” in one day. I encourage you to remain hopeful, but here are some activities to do in Stillwater even in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. The Botanic Gardens Okay, I didn’t know Stillwater had botanical gardens either, but it’s there and it’s beautiful. Located off Sixth Street, the Stillwater botanical gardens feature an entire garden of picturesque photoshoot opportunities and romantic date spots. A few classes and even events— think yoga with the bumblebees— are hosted by the botanical gardens. Out of all the things on this list, this is definitely the place to go if you’re searching for a tranquil escape from campus and homework. Bumblebee Transformer I cannot be the first person to wonder if this has
always been here. I’ve driven on Sixth Street multiple times, and this year was the first time I noticed the humongous Bumblebee Transformer stationed on the side of the road. It’s a cool homage to a dying movie franchise, but I hear Optimus Prime is on the other end of town. Maybe, we’ll have our own real-life Transformers movie right here in Stillwater. Netflix Hear me out on this one. I know you’ve already watched, and rewatched, “Outer Banks” and “Stranger Things,” but Netflix has rolled out some exciting new shows recently. For fans of “American Horror Story,” Ryan Murphy just released “Ratched.” All three “Back to the Future” movies are finally back on Netflix for those who are nostalgic for a young Michael J. Fox. Finally, “The Good Place” season four will be streaming on Saturday, September 26, and I know we’re all dying to see how it ends. These are just a few of the shows Netflix is rolling out. Update your Linkedin Out of everything in this list, this is probably the
smartest, though I know visiting Bumblebee might be more enticing. If you’ve ever told yourself, “I need to update my Linkedin, but I’ll do it tomorrow!” then now is the time to finally complete your resume and change your current job position. Businesses haven’t stopped searching for interns and employees just because of COVID-19, so keeping your Linkedin profile and resume updated will ultimately benefit you in the long run. Trust me, you’ll be saving yourself time in the future. Try every restaurant in town Thai Loco, Fruity Patootie, Da Vinci’s and Nogoya. These are just a handful of the many tastes Stillwater offers. I didn’t even realize there was such a diverse selection until this semester, but Stillwater has it all, from East Asian cuisine to hamburgers and hotdogs. I dare you to try all of them. Plus, you’ll be supporting local restaurants. It doesn’t get better than that. entertainment.ed@ocolly.com
Page 6A Friday, September 25, 2020
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gameday Preview The Thurmanator Thurman Thomas returns to OSU for ring of honor ceremony, hopes more OSU legends return soon
Ryan Novozinsky A couple of years back, Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas walked around an unfamiliar looking Oklahoma State University campus. Most of the buildings changed, the Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center appeared out of nowhere and Lewis Field, where Thomas rushed for 4,847 in his four-year career at OSU, has now donned the name “Boone Pickens Stadium.” This wasn’t the same OSU that Thomas became a legend at. But he can’t wait to come back this Saturday. “I’m excited to
Courtesy of OSU Athletics Thurman Thomas played at OSU in the 1980s, but returns in 2020 with a vision of bridging the gap between former players and coaches.
get back and obviously I got to go hang out at my place Eskimo Joe’s,” Thomas said. “A couple of my kids are coming, and they’ve never experienced that. So it’ll be something different for them and just kind of see where everything started with me and my wife. You know, 33 years ago, the game against Wyoming 1987 that we met and it’s been great. Just
happy for everybody to be a part of it.” Thomas will be the first inductee to the OSU football Ring of Honor during this Saturday’s game vs. West Virginia. He found out about this honor because of a phone call from fellow OSU legend, wrestling coach John Smith. See Thurmanator on page 2
'Running Back U'
Thurman Thomas believes OSU holds the title
David Longstreath Between Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas and Chuba Hubbard, Thomas believes that OSU is the definitive “Running Back U.”
Chris Becker Thurman Thomas always planned to go to school at Texas or Texas A&M, but when they asked him to play cornerback, he shifted his path and ended up at Oklahoma State as the No. 6 running back. Years later, that “cornerback” transformed into a Hall of Fame running back.
From then onward, Stillwater became a destination for talented running backs to stop before they head to the NFL. In recent months, arguments over the best schools to pump out NFL talent at a particular position have arrived. Some schools claim to be “Quarterback University,” some defensive back and some linebacker. OSU fans have staked a claim to “Wide Receiver U,” citing the deep his-
tory at the position, but Thomas said OSU has an argument to be “Running Back University.” “(They) talk about LSU as ‘DB U,’ defensive back university,” Thomas said. “Oklahoma State could very easily be ‘Tailback U,’ and I know when you talk about that you talk about Barry, myself, Hubbard now. Before us, there was Ernest Anderson, a guy that led the nation in rushing. We’ve had a number of great running backs that’s come through there and I think that needs to continue.” Thomas went through the ranks of the NCAA and the NFL, which laid the groundwork for the running backs of today. The all-purpose back is a popular trend in the NFL today. A running back who can not only beat teams on the ground, but also through the air has become a hot commodity since Thomas went through the league. And it’s become even more so in recent seasons. “I can see that in a lot of the running backs today,” Thomas said. “I think more and more guys are coming up to be that sort of all-purpose back. The guy right now is Alvin Kamara for the New Orleans Saints. He can run the football, catch the ball down the field and is smooth as silk. Yeah, I do see (the trend of RBs) changing, but I also see it changing because of the quarterback position too.” sports.ed@ocolly.com
Top photo: Rob Ferguson, bottom photo: Joshua Cleary
Shane Illingworth’s debut against Tulsa was a spirited comeback for the true freshman from Norco, California.
Super Shane
OSU’s staff, players confident in potential QB Shane Illingworth ahead of West Virginia
Ryan Novozinsky Oklahoma State quarterback Shane Illingworth is changing up game plans. Whether it’s leading OSU to a 16-7 victory against Tulsa or striking intrigue into the minds of opposing defensive coaches, Illingworth has done it with poise and confidence. “He handled (the Tulsa game) really well,” said OSU wide receiver Dillon Stoner. “There’s no doubt about it, there’s no secret. He’s here for a reason, he’s a baller. His confidence and poise is really what impressed me. To come into a game where not a lot’s going on on offense, have some guys hurt, that’s what surprised me the most. Hats off to him, and I know
he’ll just continue to get better.” Illingworth, a true freshman from Norco, California, came into the game last Saturday to replace an injured Spencer Sanders and a struggling Ethan Bullock. With no update on Spencer Sanders’ playing status yet, Illingworth could play his second ever college game against West Virginia this Saturday. If Illingworth is to play, his confidence could cause concern for the Mountaineers. “He came in the game last week and I thought he did a nice job,” WVU coach Neal Brown told reporters. “Anytime on the first play from scrimmage you throw a touch fade — as hard of a play in football — and he did it.... I don’t think the moment will be too big for him.... you go back to watch his high school film just to get his understanding of who he is.” See Super on page 2
Page 2B Friday, September 25, 2020
sports
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Thurmanator...
By Sudeep Tumma
Continued from page 1 “He’s a legend around there,” Thomas said. “I’ve actually been to a couple NCAA Championship Wrestling events, the one in St. Louis not too long ago. To have him, a legend like that, introduce me with this honor was really special. We keep in touch a lot of the times. To have a legend like that, I don’t know what other legend could have been bigger than John Smith.” But Thomas doesn’t just see this visit as an opportunity to go to his college town, get a round of applause and leave. He sees the Ring of Honor as a chance to revitalize OSU’s relationship with past athletes. “Obviously there’s not going to be as many fans, and they’re not going to allow many players to come back,” Thomas said. “I would have guaranteed you that most of the guys that I played with and that were in my class, they were coming to this. That’s how you bring people together, because I told them — once I got this, I sent an email out to all the guys that I know. For me, I could have sat back and not invited anybody. “This is an opportunity to bring some of the older guys to meeting some of the younger guys. I would love for Dez Bryant to come back. I would love for Justin Blackmon to come back, because those guys, I never really had the opportunity or chance to meet them or know them. And there’s so many of them. I see (Brandon) Weeden all the time, but I want to see a lot more of those players.” In addition to mending the gap between the university and its former players, Thomas sees this trip as a way to get closer to coach Mike Gundy, who he once shared a backfield with in the 1980s. “Look, my relationship with Mike Gundy is probably strong,” Thomas said. “I wish it could be stronger. Hey, he’s the head coach at Oklahoma State University, a big time school. He has his thing and his family to worry about. “Like I said, I ran into Mike a couple of times throughout this time since he’s been the head coach, but that relationship is going to continue to be strong. Like I said, I don’t sports.ed@ocolly.com
THE Sudeep Tumma Last week: 2-5 Ryan Novozinsky Last week: 5-2
Chris Becker Last week: 3-4
Jared A’Latorre Last week: 5-2
The O’Colly
Devin Wilber Tanner McCalister had an impressive debut.
Tanner McCalister Tanner McCalister had a tremendous first game as one of the three starting safeties. He looks to have a breakout season, and his next test will be against an improving West Virginia squad.
Rob Ferguson Shane Illingworth looks forward to the game against West Virginia.
Super... Continued from page 1 But the decision to potentially play Illingworth — or any backup QB — can be complex. OSU coach Mike Gundy has had to deal with this many times in his 16 years as a head coach. “It’s extremely difficult. It’s become the hardest part of offensive football for a head coach, in my opinion, in that they don’t get as many reps as they should get,” Gundy said. “Sadly enough I was thinking about that a few months ago. There can be good quarterbacks that never really show up because they don’t get enough practice or work with the ones. For example, Joe Burrow. “That can happen at times, just based on the way things fall,
who the starter should be, who the backup should be. And the toughest part for a quarterback is to be the No. 2 guy in spring practice, because it’s difficult to work with the twos when the offense is generally a little further ahead than the defense.” Regardless of the difficulty involved, however, Gundy was proud of the way his first-year QB was able to step up in the face of adversity. “I thought he was composed and executed very well,” Gundy said. “I don’t think we could have asked him to do anymore than what he did, so we were pleased with his play.” com
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Caleb Saunders Tykee Smith is the safety for WVU.
Tykee Smith OSU has the “Leo” and West Virginia has the “Spear,” a do-itall hybrid defensive back/outside linebacker who’s all over the field. Tykee Smith plays that role and is a true impact player on this defense.
Rob Ferguson Dillon Stoner hopes to improve vs. WVU.
Dillon Stoner When the already-inexperienced right side of the O-line went down with injuries, it struggled so badly, OSU had to move Teven Jenkins to right tackle. Will that be the case against West Virginia, and if so, can Jake Springfield hold the blindside down?
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Catch up
Friday, September 25, 2020 Page 3B
sports
OSU ramps up conditioning ahead of West Virginia By Ryan Breeden When the players returned to campus in late June, the coaching staff knew that they were going to have to focus on conditioning and game readiness. Due to the unprecedented effects of COVID-19, all of the players went home for several months and had to keep themselves in shape. They weren’t conditioned at the same rate they normally would be, which showed against Tulsa with so many players rotating in and out. “We’re gonna have to push them,” We had that discussion yesterday, obviously myself and coach (Rob) Glass. We have to push them now. We’re healthy, we’ve had discussions with our medical team, we had discussions with Dr. (Val Gene) Iven, our team physician, about where we’re at. “We feel good about the cardio and the health of the guys that are on our football team, because we’ve been very fortunate with the virus. So we had to begin to push them now.” Despite the conditioning woes Gundy pointed out, several players said that they felt ready to go last Saturday. “I actually felt pretty good,” senior linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez said. “There were a couple long drives where I kind of felt it, but
coach (Rob) Glass and coach Gundy did a very good job of getting us conditioned.” Senior wide receiver Dillon Stoner agreed that the conditioning was fine, but there were other things that he had to readjust to. “The big adjustment was the heat,” Stoner said. “You know, playing at 11 o’clock and getting back into the shirts. We hadn’t done that since this summer.” The fact that the players were able to come back fairly early certainly helped with the conditioning, but there were some drawbacks. The team had to endure over a month of practicing amidst some uncertainty about the season before game one actually happened. “(Coach) Gundy said we had something like 33 practices in a row, which is mind-boggling,” senior running back LD Brown said. “[The game] was something to look forward to. We just kept our heads straight and stayed mentally straight.” In the end, the Cowboys came out with a victory, but now they’ll focus on rebounding from a weird offseason. “We’ve got to get in better shape,” Gundy said. “To answer your question, we’ll push them now more than we have the last three weeks… We were probably at 75% Saturday. Hopefully we can be at 85% and then maybe the next week 95 or better.”
File photo
Chuba Hubbard and company will look to be more conditioned against West Virginia during this weekend’s game.
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John Clanton Tulsa World OSU Cowboys looked to fix conditioning during this week in practice to prevent injuries.
Musical chairs: OSU offensive line with a 'next man up' mentality after injuries
Chris Becker The music had just started, but then it stopped and left guard Cole Birmingham was out, which left the Cowboys scrambling to find someone to replace him on an already-thin offensive line. After the Cowboys lost their starting right guard, they were left playing a not-so-fun game of musical chairs for the remaining three quarters. Hunter Woodard would then take over the right guard duties for the Cowboys. The constant moving of pieces in a position group as vital as the offensive line is difficult for any team, but the Cowboys struggled to find their groove. “It’s extremely difficult, you can call it what you want, but when you move people around that much, the continuity is difficult,” coach Mike Gundy said. “Hopefully we can get set in what we need, guys can get quality reps this week and have them where we want them based on where we think it gives us the best chance for success. “When you have six different people moving to multiple spots in a game, you’re not going to have the same continuity or consistency as you want.” The Cowboys were left thin
at offensive line before the season started after losing three key pieces all of whom were expected to log keysnaps this season. Dylan Galloway decided to step away from football due to repeated injuries, and Bryce Bray and Jacob Farrell both transferred after violating team rules. This week of preparation for West Virginia is important for everyone, but extra importance weighs on the offensive line as it has to find continuity with new faces. A lot of the replacements for OSU don’t have much if any game experience. “We played average at best and honestly probably below average,” Gundy said. “So, we have to be smart with our schemes and concepts, we’ve got to get guys in the right spot before we start practice on Tuesday. Play musical chairs and hopefully we can keep them healthy and play.” Fortunately for the Cowboys, they have two talented seniors on the offensive line who were able to motivate the young replacements. Josh Sills and Tevin Jenkins had to step up more than they already had to, but teammates took notice. “It was a lot of adversity, but we got a lot of seniors in that group,” running back LD Brown. “Credit to Josh Sills and Tevin Jenkins who just kept their group ahead as a whole. Just kept saying they can do this and pushing through everything. They withstood everything. We had a lot of injuries. They had to move some guys around, but they did very good and we got the W, so that’s really all that matters.” On top of the seniors, the
The Oklahoma State offensive line faced many injury issues in the game against Tulsa.
Cowboys have a veteran offensive line coach in Charlie Dickey, who has experience dealing with adversity. Dickey has been coaching football for 32-years and will have one week to get the offensive line in shape before facing a tenacious pass rush from West Virginia. “He’s got the most difficult job,” Gundy said. “He’s coaching five guys that, in most cases, play in every play of the game on offense and everybody else other than the quarterback rotates. They get tired, they’re 300 pounds, they’ve got to see multiple looks, they’ve got to use a lot of strength and energy on every play so he’s got a difficult job. “Being an offensive line
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coach is extremely difficult. He’s experienced, he’s a very good technician, he’s a good person and he’s a good motivator.” The offensive line is vital to the success of the offense, and the Cowboys have to have a next man up mentality to get ready for their second game of the year. “It’s tough anytime we have two guys go down in a position group, it’s hard,” wide receiver Dillon Stoner said. “Especially on the offensive line, it’s such a vital part of any offense. With the circumstances given, I thought they handled it well. It’s unfortunate for those guys, praying for them for a quick recovery, but it’s the next man up mentality.” sports.ed@ocolly.com
Page 4B Friday, September 25, 2020
sports
Column: Etched in stone
Who’s next into the Cowboy Ring of Honor?
Chris Becker Out of Oklahoma State’s rich history, Thurman Thomas is the first to be inducted into OSU’s Ring of Honor, But who’s next? There are a lot of names, but here are a few guys who could find their names forever etched in Stillwater. Barry Sanders, Running back Tier I No shocker here. After Thomas has to be Sanders. He is the only Cowboy to win the Heisman Trophy, and he had one of the single-best college football seasons ever. Sanders might deserve a statue but a Ring of Honor spot will do. Bob Fenimore, Running back Tier I The only Cowboy running back to be able to say he’s a national champion. He’s the leader of the 1945 winning team and didn’t lose a game in that season. He finished third place in Heisman voting in 1945 and ninth in 1944. He was drafted first overall by the Chicago Bears in 1947. Leslie O’Neal, Defensive End/Linebacker Tier I Perhaps no one puts together a better resume than defensive end/linebacker Leslie O’Neal, who was a two-time All-American at OSU and voted a unanimous pick in 1985. He was also the eighth overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft, selected by the San Diego Chargers. In his 13 seasons in the NFL, O’Neal was a six-time Pro Bowler and won Defensive Rookie of the Year. Mike Gundy, Quarterback Tier I From 1986 to today, Mike Gundy has only spent five years away from Stillwater, compared to the 29 years he’s been at OSU. As a player, Gundy was one of the best quarterbacks to come through Stillwater. Mike Gundy graduated as the Big 8 all-time leading passer and still is, as the conference is since disbanded. As a coach, there is no argu-
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ment that Gundy has built this program to where it is. Without him, this program would not be as successful as it has been since he took over. Bedlam record aside, Gundy’s record speaks for itself. Russell Okung, Offensive linemen Tier II Russell Okung made such an impact at OSU, Mike Gundy named an award after him. The award is given each season to OSU football’s outstanding newcomer. Okung was also a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. In college, he was two-time First Team All-Big 12 selection, the 2009 Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year and a two-time All-American. In the NFL he is a two-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl Champion with the Seahawks. Justin Blackmon, Wide Receiver Tier II This one is interesting. With his on the field production Blackmon was one of the most lethal receivers in history and that would have him in tier one easily. Blackmon won back-toback Biletnikoff Awards, he was a two-time unanimous AllAmerican, two-time First-Team All-Big 12 and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. He still holds NCAA records for most consecutive games with 100-plus and the most games with 200 or more yards. However, with Blackmon, the problem comes with his off the field issues. Between multiple arrests for DUI and drug, charges Blackmon saw only one full season in the NFL. Dan Bailey, Kicker Tier III One word described Dan Bailey’s college career and much of his NFL career: automatic. The same goes for the majority of his NFL career. Bailey is second in OSU history in points scored and won the Lou Groza Award and Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year in 2010. Bailey is in his 10th season in the NFL. He spent 2011-17 with the Dallas Cowboys before going to the Minnesota Vikings. He was a pro bowler and Second Team All-Pro in 2015. sports.ed@ocolly.com
Key Matchup
Daily Athenaeum Josh Sills will face his former teammate Dante Stills this weekend.
By Chris Becker Dante Stills is one of the pieces of the Mountaineers dynamic pass rush duo along with his brother, Darius. Dante will have the tough task to go up against former West Virginia teammate and now Oklahoma State starting left guard Josh Sills. Stills had 23 tackles and seven sacks last season, making his name as one of the stars on defense in the Big 12. Going up against Sills will be a fun matchup throughout the game.
3 key storylines
John Clanton Tulsa World OSU has many storylines going into the second game against WVU.
By Chris Becker Can the offensive line slow West Virginia’s dominant pass rush? Last week was not a good start for the Oklahoma State offensive line. Against Tulsa, it allowed 14 tackles for loss and six sacks. With Cole Birmingham’s injury status unknown and the rest of the offensive line a little banged up, how well can they slow the dominant pass rush of the Stills brothers? Dante Stills led the West Virginia pass rush in the Mountaineers’ first game. Will the defense continue its performance against a seemingly-improved West Virginia offense? The Oklahoma State defense lived up to its hype from the offseason — so far. They allowed only seven points to Tulsa, which bailed out the struggling offense. The defense allowed less than 300 yards to a Tulsa offense that put up nearly 400 yards in the team’s last meeting. The defense now turns its attention to an improved West Virginia offense led by Jarret Doege. How will Shane Illingworth look with a week of practice with the ones?
Joshua Cleary Many OSU Cowboys have the potential to go into the Ring of Honor in future years.
Late in the third quarter, Shane Illingworth took over for Etan Bullock, who had taken over after Spencer Sanders left the game with an ankle injury. Illingworth immediately provided a spark to the offense. leading the Cowboys to their only touchdown of the game in his first drive. Illingworth looked good on limited practice, but how much better will he look with a full week of practice this week?
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Classifieds
Business Squares Seeking Student Art Submissions for on campus displays! E-mail allied.arts @okstate.edu Come check out the wide variety of elegant clothing at Formal Fantasy! Located on 121 E. 9th Ave, Downtown Stillwater The best selection of beer, wine and liquor that Stillwater has to offer! Perfect for all your game day needs, come to Brown’s Bottle Shop located on 128 N. Main Need some extra cash? Visit BPL Plasma and become a donor today! Located on Washington Street and open everydayeven weekends!”
Furniture Showcase is Stillwater’s BEST Furniture & Mattress Store! Located in Downtown Stillwater, we can help you design any room. Visit http://Stillwater FurnitureShowcase.com to see more!
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Church Meetings
Every Monday from 4pm-9pm you can get steak, a side of your choice, and a salad bar, all for only $10 at Freddie Paul’s Steakhouse! Visit us for more information at http:// freddiepauls.com or give us a call at 405-377-8777. See ya there!
Join us every Sunday for our live streaming services! Matins @ 8:50am and Divine Liturgy @ 10:00am.” Join the New Covenant Fellowship for service every Sunday at 10am and share in our passion for Jesus Christ!”
Free Wi-Fi, great place to study, free bottled water and keurig coffee! Fun board games and card games only walking distance from campus! The Coffee House at 519 W. 3rd Ave is open Sun-Thurs 2-10 pm. Come see us on campus corner and bring a friend or 2!
UKirk university group at First Presbyterian Church meets every week! Join us for Bible study every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.! For more information or for Zoom access, visit us at stillwaterfpc.com
Horse Stables
Horse Stables
Complete horse stabling facility: Indoor/Outdoor arena, round pen, pasture available. RV parking available also. Also have nice 3-bedroom mobile home for rent. Jack 405-372-2291 April Henry 260-242-6886
Daily Horoscope
Friday, September 25, 2020 Page 5B
News
Lost and Found
Lost and Found
Lost and Found
If you had a Trek model 4300 mountain bike stolen from around campus please contact investigator Brandon Myers with the Payne County Sheriffs office at 405-533-6853 FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 25, 2020
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Word with a wave 4 Table __ 10 Big name in Norwegian history 14 Political scientist Bremmer 15 Undermines 16 Fountain with a wind 17 According to 18 Frenetic drummer’s output? 20 Literally, half-year periods 22 Hawaii, on many maps 23 Cast doubt upon 24 They’re not from around here 25 Like a professional gambler’s life? 29 Expected 30 Theme park array 31 Marine bird 32 Stinky 33 Legislative creation 37 “Wonderful!” 38 Debate fixtures 39 Consistently wins prizes for carrots, turnips, etc.? 42 Butter source 44 Row divider 45 Golf nickname 46 Flat out? 50 Specially designed Valentine’s Day burgers? 52 Veer sharply 53 Like Magellan, for long periods 54 Correctly, oldstyle 55 ORD posting 56 Jumbotron displays, briefly 57 “Good riddance” 58 Worked on DOWN 1 Prejudice 2 Official school color since 1894 3 Jewelry artisan 4 Stretch in therapy, say
9/25/20
By Jeffrey Wechsler
5 Evidence of a large impact 6 Wander 7 Month between Shevat and Nisan 8 Hat-hanging aids 9 Montpelier-toProvidence dir. 10 Christmas morning cry 11 Auto options 12 When some local news is broadcast 13 Road workers’ garb 19 “Greatest gymnast ever,” per Retton 21 Like storied North Pole workers 24 Not up 25 Home security giant 26 Tundra’s lack, usually 27 Try to strike 28 Bunker of note 32 Stew 33 Helping hand 34 Worshipped
Thursday’s Puzzle Solved
©2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
35 Ones who do things by the book? 36 __ Cruces 37 Sticky 38 Aaron and Eli, in the Old Testament 39 Carried on 40 “The Golden Arm” of the Baltimore Colts
9/25/20
41 “At the __ Core”: Burroughs novel 42 Authoritative type of bull 43 Wipe out 46 Hematology prefix 47 Traditional dairy farm item 48 Ship that sailed from Iolcus 49 “Zounds!” 51 Luke’s pilot pal
By Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Today’s Birthday (09/25/20). Domesticity flowers this year. Patience, persistence and steadfast discipline reap home benefits. Financial surprises abound; strategize to conserve. Discover new routes and explorations this winter, before a creative project flowers. Editorial revisions and preparation next summer lead to an educational breakthrough. Harmonize at home. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Friends are a big help. Connect and share valuable info and resources. Disciplined team efforts win. Stand for each other. Support flows through your circles. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Business takes focus. Consider a challenge from all angles. Take charge for the results you want. Opportunities hide in plain sight. Pursue an enticing possibility. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Dive into your subject without actually going there. Savor armchair travels, complete with recipes and music from your destination. Enjoy cultural, intellectual and scientific exploration. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is an 8 — Together you’re a formidable team. Communicate to manage shared expenses. Find inventive solutions and make new connections. Apply your talents and support each other. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Love finds a way. Despite obstacles, or due to them, find new ways to connect and collaborate. Share the load. Align on matters of heart. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is an 8 — Nurture yourself with good food, rest and exercise. Prioritize health and physical action. Your workout energizes your work. Recharge mind, body and spirit. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Relax and have fun. Add water to fresh air and sunshine for the perfect combo. Get immersed in a subject of your passion. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 7 — Enjoy domestic comforts. Amplify them with simple touches. Clean spaces and remove what’s no longer useful. Make repairs and upgrades to nurture your household. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Capture your brilliant ideas. Creativity blossoms with good food and peaceful settings. Journal, sketch and film. Get feedback and adjust. Mold your story. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — Take advantage of a lucrative opportunity. Keep your head down and focus on bringing home a prize. Provide excellent service and value. You’ve got this. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 9 — Your influence is on the rise. Dress for success and prepare for a spotlight. Your good work is gathering attention. Share thanks and appreciation. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — Settle into your sanctuary to reduce distractions and noise. Get especially productive in peaceful privacy. Avoid risk or fuss. Organize and prepare. Savor meaningful rituals.
Level 1
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9/25/20
Solution to Thursday’s puzzle
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk
© 2020 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
Page 6B Friday, September 25, 2020
The O’Colly
sports
Down but not desperate Cowgirl soccer picks up lessons from early deficit against Iowa State
Sam Hutchens A deficit is like a searchlight. Both can illuminate key areas. When the Oklahoma State Cowgirl soccer team fell behind 1-0 against Iowa State on Saturday, the Cowgirls could have panicked. The offense had been stagnant for both teams and goals were hard to come by. After a rocket off the foot of ISU senior forward Kassi Ginther in the 50th minute made it 1-0 in favor of the Cyclones, OSU was in uncharted territory. The Cowgirls, who scored twice in the first four minutes against Kansas State in the season opener, experienced their first game of the season where they played with a deficit. Being down gave OSU its first opportunity this season to cave under pressure, but it also gave the Cowgirls their first chance to deliver when called upon. Instead of being flustered by the deficit, OSU immediately answered with a goal of their own, just three minutes after falling behind. “They didn’t lose their composure, which I thought was great,” coach Colin Carmichael said. “I think if you have a young team, it is easy to get flustered if the other team scores on you, but we have such great leaders — including Gabriella (Coleman) — that I don’t
The Oklahoma State Cowgirls are looking to continue their winning ways after a comeback victory against Iowa State..
think there was a sense of panic.” Coleman, who provided the game-tying goal on a beautiful pass from Grace Dennis, is one of the stabilizing presences Carmichael mentioned in the Cowgirl lineup, who helps the team avoid getting rattled. Part of how the Cowgirls remain steady when facing a deficit is by maintaining their focus and determination. “We knew we were
behind and that we needed to pick it up and get that goal,” freshman defender Kiona Simon said. “Because obviously, we don’t want to lose but I think our mentality was stay focused, keep grinding and see what we can make out of it.” Although the Cowgirls got off to a slow start that they hope to avoid in the future, managing to claw back from a deficit in a short time was something to
take confidence in moving forward. “(The players) weren’t happy with how they played but they were really happy with how they figured out a way to come from behind and to come back and win,” Carmichael said. “Which is not an easy thing to do.” Falling behind this season may be a rarity for the Cowgirls, who were ranked No. 6 in the most recent poll. Having the experience of coming
Alicia Young
from behind to win a match could prove invaluable in high-profile future matches, including Friday’s match against No. 4 West Virginia. “I wouldn’t say we wanted to fall behind because that would be a silly thing to say, but I think it was good for the development of this team,” Carmichael said. sports.ed@ocolly.com