November 10, 2017 Print Edition by ORU Oracle

Vol. 52, No. 04

Season’s greetings: basketball preview Food wasteland Page 6

Heaven is for real at VBC Page 13

Tulsa, Oklahoma • November 10, 2017 • www.oruoracle.com

Soccer season wrap up Page 14

The Oracle is the premier student news media organization of Oral Roberts University. Our mission is to serve the ORU community with accurate and relevant media content, integrity, creativity and a focus on continual improvement. Faculty Advisers Linda Royall Jason Howell Director of Student Media Associate Professor of Art lroyall@oru.edu jhowell@oru.edu

Section Editors Cicely Rubottom News Editor Emma Giddens Editorial Editor Kayley Forshey Lifestyle Editor Reporters Abby Zellmer Staff Writer Alejandro Arroyo Staff Writer Brenda Aldama Staff Writer Chae Woon Yoo Staff Writer Grant Holcomb Staff Writer Hannah Nelson Staff Writer

Kendall Brown Lauren Brewingtion Luis Cruz Lydia Echols Makenzie Trotter Natalie Wilkinson Paige McQueen Rejoice Christisking Staci McCoy Tori Taylor

Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer

Editorial Raegan Dougharty Haley Gibson Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor/Sports Editor oraclechief@oru.edu

Jeremy Luczak Photographer Editor Anabell Torres Photographer Andrew Hartzler Photographer Caitlin Peach Photographer Hannah Mou Photographer Josh Crow Photographer Luis E. Fernandez Photographer Onneke Holland Photographer Tamika Wiley Photographer

Advertising Abigail Cole Sales Manager

Membership • Associated Collegiate Press • College Media Advisers • Oklahoma Collegiate Media Association Address Web Phone Email

7777 S. Lewis Ave. www.oruoracle.com (918)-495-7080 oracle@oru.edu

@oruoracle

Letters to the Have a thought or story idea you’d like to share? Send us an email at oraclechief@oru.edu Editor

Corrections The Oracle strives for accuracy and integrity in all content. If you find a mistake, let us know (918)-495-7080

2 • Oracle • November 10, 2017

Media

Photography

Joshua Martin Media Editor Alicia Crum Videographer/Editor Hayden Smalley Videographer/Editor Jessica Gough Videographer/Editor Trevor Garvin Videographer/Editor

Graphic Design Tabitha Levi Production Design Editor Xavier González Design Editor Alejandro Contreras Senior Designer Brandi Whitney Charlie Jialin Liu Nicole Meléndez Anthony Labonté Quentin Harrup

Designer Designer Designer Contributing Cartoonist Contributing Cartoonist

New logo debuts at Midnight Madness Managing Editor @Gibson_hay

Hampton serves currently as the chair of the alumni board at the university, and describes his company as a trusted partner of the university. ORU retailers, the campus bookstore and all sports teams and players will now be sporting the new brand. “Nothing better to say that we’ve changed, than to really change,” Hampton said.

“Nothing better to say that we’ve changed, than to really change.”

Photos by Jeremy Luczak

Midnight Madness on Oct. 30, welcomed the new basketball season, the new men’s team coach Paul Mills and the newly designed logo of the ORU mascot. During the event, ORU athletics director Mike Carter and University President William M. Wilson pulled open the curtains on the new floor. “ORU is a recognized as a world class academic and athletic institution dedicated to life change and global impact,” said Carter. “It is critical that the visual elements which reflect the institutions image coincide with the forward momentum of this university.” The announcement confirmed that the Golden Eagle would remain the university’s mascot, but that the image would be changed. The previous Eli, designed by a former Disney graphic design artist was adopted in 1993. The modern logo, wearing an identical color scheme, was created in partnership with Hampton Creative, a local Tulsa Advertising Agency. Hampton Creative played a major role in the athletic department’s 2017-2018 slogan “Rise Up” creating the art, fonts and vision across all of the athletic platforms offered at ORU. “We both discussed [the idea] together, there were lots of things on the table at the moment,” said Hampton Creative founder Johnie Hampton. “We felt like the power in ‘Rise Up’ didn’t really match with the aesthetics and the feeling behind the current Eli.”

Hampton, a 1991 graduate of ORU, and his company have been in partnership with the university for more than 20 years. He believes that the new design is more adaptable, saying that his office wall was covered ceiling to floor with Golden Eagle mascots to be certain that ORU’s would be original and one hundred percent unique. “There were four designers on our team. They all spent hours and did research on what is going on in athletics all over the U.S.,” said Hampton. “All four of them submitted designs for Eli, and only one surfaced as the winner and that’s the one that ORU went with.”

Logo provided by ORU Athletics

Haley Gibson

In partnership with ORU Athletics, Hampton Creative also designed the athletics slogan “Rise Up” for the 2017-2018 season.

November 10, 2017 • Oracle • 3

Anti-Trump senators bow out Grant Holcomb

Staff Writer @grantholcombORU

4 • Oracle • November 10, 2017

Bannon appeared at rallies supporting Ward and Moore in their respective states, and the former Trump adviser seems to be striking a chord with grassroots Americans more so than the politicians backed by McConnell. Bannon also announced he will be targeting establishment Republican senatorial candidates in many other states. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer and Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch were added as likely incumbents to be targeted by Bannon. “Nobody’s safe,” said Bannon. Photo by Oliver Le Queinec

Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake announced he will not be seeking re-election in a speech from the floor of the Senate on Oct. 24. Referring to President Donald Trump’s behavior as “outrageous and undignified,” Flake pinned Trump as the primary reason for not seeking re-election. “We must never allow ourselves to lapse into thinking that this is just the way things are now. If we simply become inured to this condition, thinking that this is just politics as usual, then heaven help us,” said Flake. Flake is not the only Senate Republican to share anti-Trump sentiment. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee also announced his retirement for reasons relating to the president. Before Flake announced his retirement, polls in Arizona projected a loss to candidate Dr. Kelli Ward, a current member of the Arizona Senate, according to The Hill. If Corker remained in the race, the Trumpsupporting Rep. Marsha Blackburn was projected

to run a close primary against Corker, according to polls back in the summer per The Tennessean. Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore succeeded in beating Luther Strange, a candidate hand-picked by Sen. Mitch McConnell. Strange was the appointed replacement to Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ senate seat, but lost the primary after Moore coalesced around the evangelical Trump base in rural Alabama. After all the defeats to the GOP “swamp creatures,” as they have been nicknamed by the Republican leadership, has started to take notice of Steve Bannon. Bannon is a former White House adviser, who left Washington and took over the position of executive chairman of Breitbart News, a right-wing news site. After the Flake announcement, Bannon said it was “another day, another scalp” in the Republican establishment which he claims is undermining Trump’s agenda. “Note to self, Mitch: Big Luther Strange and Little Bobby Corker are both going home,” Bannon said at an Arizona rally last week. “The people of Alabama and the people of Tennessee have spoken. Your folks are going home, and their folks are making policy.”

Sen. Jeff Flake and Sen. Bob Corker both announced they will not run for re-election.

Social media giants unveil Russian catfishes Cicely Rubottom News Editor @cicelypixely

Last week, Congress called on Facebook, Twitter and Google to testify regarding discoveries of Russian-linked accounts tampering with last year’s U.S. presidential elections. Representatives of these companies testified on the manipulation tactics through their platforms. What ads? Disguised as American political activists, these Russian-linked accounts, bots and ads reportedly spread misinformation regarding American news topics during and after the U.S. presidential election. The accounts pushed propaganda to an estimated 150 million Facebook users, uploaded more than 1,000 YouTube videos and spread millions of tweets that included fake news on the election. The pushed content largely included incorrect information on how to vote, anti-Clinton posts, Black Lives Matter activism and more. While some ads aimed to attack Trump’s image, the majority promoted a “down with Clinton” ideology. In one ad, the headline read, “Satan: If I win, Clinton wins.” Aside from blatant support or unsupport for either candidate, the ads also highlighted American divi-

sion with posts all displaying either extreme right or extreme left ideals. Why is this a problem? More than 139 million Americans cast their vote in the 2016 presidential elections according to data collected by the U.S. Elections Project. The discovery of Russian involvement in the spread of manipulative information indicates that many of these votes may have been cast under misguided pretenses. Since Trump has taken office, the FBI has continually investigated Russia’s alleged ties to the election. The discovery of Russia’s previous influence on American political movements through social media gives way to the notion that Russian interference on America’s popular political opinion goes beyond the 2016 election, according to Sen. Marco Rubio. “These operations — while we’re talking about the 2016 presidential race — they’re not limited to 2016, and they were not limited to the presidential race, and they continue to this day,” he said. “They are much more widespread than one election.” According to the Washington Post, an estimated 56 percent of the Russian-linked ads were displayed after the Nov. 8 election. Many of the findings linked to the Russian government-funded television network, Russia Today. In a statement on the network, Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan defended the network against allegations.

“Somehow it did not cross our mind that in a developed democracy, regular media advertising can be considered suspicious or detrimental activity,” said Simonyan on RT. “Similar campaigns are conducted by the American media in the Russian segment of Twitter. It’ll be very interesting to find out how much they spend on it, who they target and for what purpose.” What is being done about this? Facebook reportedly revealed its findings of 450 accounts and $100,000 in political ad spending linked to Russia. “We’re going to bring Facebook to an even higher standard of transparency,” said Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a statement on the site. “Not only will you have to disclose which page paid for an ad, but we will also make it so you can visit an advertiser’s page and see the ads they’re currently running to any audience on Facebook.” Twitter PublicPolicy announced in a blog post that they plan to “donate the $1.9 million we are projected to have earned from RT global advertising since they became an advertiser in 2011 . . . and donate those funds to support external research into the use of Twitter in civic engagement and elections.”

November law changes in Oklahoma Cicely Rubottom News Editor @cicelypixely

Last week, 228 new laws went into effect for the state of Oklahoma. Here are the highlights:

➢ Attention all Oklahoma drivers, left lanes are now off-limits on divided highways, unless passing another vehicle. ➢ Senate Bill 34 eliminates “I didn’t know they were a minor” as a valid legal excuse for human trafficking someone under the age of 18. ➢ Oklahoma tells minors to stick to spray-ons with a new bill that aims to keep everyone under 18 out of tanning beds.

➢ Any public or private college may now seek financial compensation in court against coaches, sports agents or other members of a third party who violated rules of a governing authority and caused a financial loss.

➢ Military personnel, members of the Reserves or National Guard and veterans of such organizations can now receive a handgun permit at the age of 18 instead of the previous age of 21.

➢ Previously, a victim of child abuse had to report the assault within two years of the act taking place in order to obtain recovery of damages. House Bill 1470 extended the timeframe to the victim’s 45th birthday.

➢ House Bill 1466 extends safety precautions to domestic violence victims through the new opportunity for victims to have their cell phone accounts transferred to their new address without informing the account holder.

To view all the laws changed and their specifics visit oklegislature.gov.

November 10, 2017 • Oracle • 5

Photo by Haley Gibson

Photo from Oracle Archives

Sodexo uses 24,000 pounds of chicken, 4,200 pounds of Romaine lettuce, 4,500 gallons of milk, 31,200 bananas and 1.2 million napkins per semester to feed the people of ORU.

Beyond the conveyor belt Chae Woon Yoo Staff Writer @chaewoonyoo

Saga, also known as the ORU cafeteria serving food from Sodexo, serves meals to thousands of students, staff and faculty each week. People come and go, eat and converse and fill their empty stomachs with the buffet-style food options. Yet, many people drop their concerns off on to the dish conveyor belt with their plates of half-eaten food. Exactly how much food at ORU is consumed? Saga serves an average of 3,000 meals a day, a statistic given by Randy Page, the Director of Operations of Sodexo. Sodexo uses 24,000 pounds of chicken, 4,200 pounds of Romaine lettuce, 4,550 gallons of milk, 31,200 bananas and 1.2 million napkins per semester to feed the people of ORU. However, out of all the prepared meals, Page says that only “75-80 percent of the food that gets prepared actually gets eaten. At the grill, pizza, deli and salad bar stations nearly 100 percent gets eaten and there is very minimal preparation waste and has almost no spoilage at all.” Sodexo tries their best to gauge students tastes and prepare accurately, but there are leftovers that cannot be repurposed and get thrown away. This

6 • Oracle • November 10, 2017

includes the meals at the “mindful” and international stations as well as the soups served. What happens to the leftover food? “Where there are large events, seasonal closings or some otherwise rare occasion where we have substantial high-quality leftovers, we typically donate them to the Tulsa Dream Center,” said Page. In the past, Sodexo has also donated leftover meals to students who stay on the ORU campus during breaks. The biggest cause of food waste is “the food that students take and do not consume,” said Page. “We try to portion food in a way that makes it more likely that students will be able to finish all that they take. Frankly, it is startling to see the amounts of food that come back to the dish room.” According to Page, Sodexo is in discussion with a group of students on campus, at least one professor and a representative from the EPA about their Food Recovery Program, which is a government program designed to bring awareness to food waste and help society look at multiple solutions cutting food waste. “We believe that food waste reduction really does begin with our students, and we can only make a difference if we all partner together for the greater good,” said Page.

Update on Catalonia’s independence

Catalonia has been in a tug-of-war with Spain over seceding from the country. Last month, Spain took control over the region after their declaration for independence. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called for new elections to replace the ousted Catalonian officials. Last weekend, things escalated when former Catalan leader and four associates turned themselves in to the Belgian police. Meanwhile, Spain issued an international arrest warrant for the former Catalonian president. Protests continue to break out across the region. Photo by Jeremy Luczack

Paradise Papers unveil hidden cash

A large group of mega-rich individuals were caught red-handed this week with the release of the Paradise Papers. The Paradise Papers are 13.4 million documents that exposed the “shady offshore accounts” of many wealthy and powerful people including the Queen of England, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and some of President Donald Trump’s top advisors. A seemingly popular activity among these individuals was to hide large portions of money in “tax havens” across the world.

Reverb: The Ivy homecoming show Staci McCoy Staff Writer @stacerslynn

Shawn Abhari taps the space bar to cue the track playback as he drums his fingers over the desk. The sound to which he’s devoted countless late nights comes to life in his ears. Nodding his head to his own music, he dreams of the future. In Nov., The Ivy will be headlining at the Vanguard with opening rock and pop bands Space4Lease and Future Tapes. The Ivy is under the music genre of Indie Dream-Pop, which is a more melodious and smoother form of Indie music. The band will be performing their released single Gold and their EP titled Nest Stop in their upcoming concerts,

along with more original songs written by Abhari. “It’s like driving on an empty highway in 1985 right as the sun is going down,” Wyatt Clem, lead vocalist for The Ivy, said about their music. “Then a cop pulls you over, but he decides to not give you a ticket because he loves the band playing on your radio. We are that band.” All three members of the band, Abhari, Clem and Zack Siddiqui, are originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Abhari writes the majority of the music, plays keys and sings backups while triggering backing tracks. Clem sings lead vocals and shreds the guitar, and Siddiqui plays drums. The compilation created by their instruments is unique, setting them apart from other bands.

The Ivy has witnessed steady growth within their fan base since they formed in April of 2016. They have traveled all around, performing in festivals and showcases, including the South by Southwest Conference in March. The band most recently performed with The Band CAMINO in Oklahoma and Texas. “Playing shows in Tulsa is unreal. Being able to play the songs I’ve been showing my friends for the last year live and hear the feedback is a really great feeling,” said Abhari. Abhari and Clem were drawn to the idea of combing electronic elements to alternative music when they began creating music. They tried placing wide synth pads on top of guitars, which happens to emanate a familiar 80’s vibe that sounds very

characteristic, according to Abhari. The Ivy stands out to their audience because of the fresh, innovative ways they create music. “Touring with a bigger artist is definitely a shared dream of ours for the near future, and writing and producing a full debut album is a goal that’s a bit further away,” said Abhari. The up-and-coming band works hard to balance all of the moving elements in their lives, but they are encouraged by other artists and bands that successfully do so. The Ivy’s concert on Nov. 18 opens the Vanguard’s doors at 7 p.m. and has tickets on sale for $10. All three members look forward to performing in their hometown for those who feel like family.

Photo by Shawn Abhari

Shawn Abhari and Wyatt Clem were friends when the band formed in 2016 and Zack Siddiqui joined a year later.

November 10, 2017 • Oracle • 7

Pumpkin spice and everything nice Staff Writer @victoriafaith97 There is no doubt that autumn has finally arrived at ORU. The leaves and temperature are falling and boots and flannels are coming out, which means Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to go home for Thanksgiving, so here’s a simple way to enjoy a little Thanksgiving treat right from the microwave of a dorm room. Ingredients: • three tablespoons white cake mix • one tablespoon pumpkin puree • one tablespoon water • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice • whipped cream (optional) Instructions: These measurements do not have to be precise. One full spoonful will equal about one tablespoon

and about 1/3 spoonful will 1/2 equal teaspoon. First, add the cake mix, pumpkin puree, water and pumpkin pie spice into a microwave-safe mug. The batter should be fairly thick, about the consistency of mashed potatoes. If the mixture looks too dry, add a little more water or pumpkin puree for a stronger pumpkin flavor. If the mixture is too wet, add more cake mix a little at a time. Then mix all of the ingredients until they are well blended and the mixture appears smooth. Make sure it is mixed thoroughly to prevent any lumps of pumpkin puree or cake mix from forming. Microwave on high for 60 seconds, or until done. If the cake looks soupy or wet, microwave in 20 second increments until the cake looks set. It should be firm but still spongy. Finally, top the cake with some whipped cream and a sprinkle of the pumpkin spice. Vanilla ice cream, caramel or pecans can also be added to make the dessert even tastier.

Photo by Jeremy Luczak

Tori Taylor

Couple this holiday treat with hot chocolate for an extra sweet dessert.

Things are getting stranger Kayley Forshey & Tori Taylor

Lifestyle Editor & Staff Writer @mybestfriendjo @victoriafaith97

The much-anticipated second season of Stranger Things was released on Netflix on Oct. 27, and most fans pulled an all-nighter or two to finish before spoilers flooded the internet. The season picks up about a year after the close of season one, around Halloween in 1984 and follows the stories of Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), and Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), along with Will’s mother, Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) and other familiar characters. After the traumatic ending of season one and the party’s loss of their mage, Eleven, the boys seem to have acclimated back to normal school life as best they can. But things are still strange.

8 • Oracle • November 10, 2017

As the last season revealed, though Will is outside the Upside Down, the Upside Down doesn’t seem to be outside him. The party and Joyce spend the season trying to figure out what is going on with Will, since it seems to be more than just post-traumatic stress disorder. To parallel their storyline, Sheriff Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) grow closer this season as both characters learn how to define themselves as people outside of their crises. A major theme echoed from the first season into the second is friendship. It is expressed in every relationship, from the party and their new friend, to Joyce and Hopper, to Eleven and the family she’s always wanted. This theme is explored through the constant search for answers about the Upside Down, a creepy new pet, more teen angst, and some closure for a few of the more mysterious characters. In addition to the same old town of Hawkins, the eerie and mysterious Hawkins Lab also makes a reappearance

as a central part of the story’s climax. The several new characters and storylines introduced this season reveal that the story of Stranger Things happening in Hawkins is nowhere near finished. The second season allowed for more character and setting development while keeping the audience fascinated

until the end. Every glimpse of closure seems to reveal more questions than answers, and fans eagerly await the anticipated release of season three in late 2018 or early 2019. Photo by Josh Crow Videographer Jeremy Luczak Edit by Joshua Martin

Netflix original series, Stranger Things, is a science-fiction thriller show created by the Duffer Brothers.

Pops of color for fall

Graphic by Student Association

Emma Giddens Editorial Editor @em_giddy

ORU’s Student Association recently revealed this year’s homecoming theme: The Blue Note. The theme takes ORU’s traditional colors of blue and gold and gives them La La Land vibes. Homecoming will be held at Cain’s Ballroom from 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $25 for singles and $40 for couples and are on sale on SA’s website, orutoday.com, or through their various social media platforms @ORUStudents. Grab a date or some friends and don’t miss out on live jazz music, a macaroni and cheese bar and much more. Photo by Andrew Hartzler

Air1 Positive Hits Tour in Tulsa tonight

Photos by Jeremy Luczak

In one of my favorite novels, F. Scott Fitzgerald writes, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” Of course, Fitzgerald had a rather different meaning for that quote but, when taken out of context, it’s the sweetest way to describe my favorite season. Fall marks the beginning of cozy sweater trends and—my personal favorite—chic boots. I’ve always been a neutral-palette type of girl, but I decided that this fall I needed to add a pop of color to my beige, black and blue closet; and so, this beautiful orange H&M sweater joined my fall line-up. Whether it’s new shoes in a statement color or a funky sweater straight out of Nancy Wheeler’s closet, don’t be afraid to add color to your wardrobe this season! Step out of your comfort zone with some high ankle boots in a herringbone pattern that still coordinates with a neutral-themed wardrobe. You won’t believe how much life a splurge of color can add to your outfit. Throughout the rest of season, opt for fall-tinted hues like orange, red and dark green that correlate with the season and have the ability to transfer well into winter. In a season bursting with color, add your own little patch of prettiness with a new color to brighten your day.

Homecoming 2017: The Blue Note

Air1, a national Christian radio station, stops in Tulsa tonight at the BOK Center for their Positive Hits Tour. The tour features various well-known Christian artists, like rock band Skillet, pop artist Britt Nicole, rock and pop artist Tauren Wells, electro-pop artist Gawvi and singer-songwriter Colton Dixon. Dixon recently released his new album, Identity, on March 24, 2017. Food for the Hungry, an international charity, will also join these artists on tour. Tickets start at $14 and the show starts at 7 p.m.

November 10, 2017 • Oracle • 9

Golden Eagles Women’s Basketball preview Haley Gibson

Managing Editor/Sports Editor @Gibson_hay

2017-2018 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL RANKINGS

PLAYER’S CORNER: Words from Faith Ihim: Q: What does this season look like coming in for you? “So far, the season is looking pretty good with the newbies on the team. It’s a lot to learn for them but they are picking up pretty fast.” Q: How does having a young team affect your game personally? “It makes me have to speak up as a leader and show them and help them out, and answer questions and showing up as an example.” Q: Any players we should be keeping our eye on this season? “They’re all good. In particular, watch out for the three ball from Sarah,” said Ihim. “Also, Mayberry’s handles are not far off from her sister, that’s for sure.” Q: Many teammates last year were

10 • Oracle • November 10, 2017

affected by injuries; do you have any concerns this season? “The past years we have dealt with [injury], it is not something new I think. It is just the same old, same old almost. It doesn’t really affect us at all.” Q: What is your overall expectation this season? “I have high expectations for the team to win our conference championship. This season feels like it’s pretty bright.” Thoughts from Coach Cussen: “We are young and we knew going into this year that Faith Ihim would be our only senior. She, of course, is a special senior, starting for us since day one. The camaraderie and the chemistry of some of these players is probably the best I have ever had here at ORU, even in my years as an assistant coach. “Last year, we came out of the gate great, we had a big win at OU, a big win over Arkansas and 8-9 in our conference. Then in January and February, we really got hit with the injury bug. This year has the potential to be a bit of a reverse. Jordan Gilbert had an ankle reconstructed back in April. We lost Hillary Hurst to an ACL injury this year in September so we are a little thin in the guard positions, but our front line is the best in the conference. We are strong there, as Gilbert continues to get healthy, and red shirt junior Jordan Doyle, who will be back playing with us by early December. We will see a thin team in [guards] early in Nov. and Dec., but by conference season we should be able to put some things together.”

Projected Starting Lineup

MEN’S BAS

HOM

COM

GAM Montserrat Brotons

Jordan Gilbert

Avila Uni Faith Ihim

FRI Maria Martianez

Gr ap

Rachel Skalnik

SKETBALL

ME -

MING

Golden Eagles Men’s Basketball preview Haley Gibson

Projected Starting Lineup

NEW PLAYERS:

Albert Owens

RETURNING PLAYERS:

Austin Ruder

iversity

Chris Miller

NOV

Emmanuel Nzekwesi

ics

Managing Editor/Sports Editor @Gibson_hay

by Xa vie

le z

Jontray Harris

PLAYER’S CORNER: Words from Albert Owens: Q: Coming into your senior year and final season, what are your goals? “Last year here, I am excited to get started and win games, and reconcile things that happened last year and get Oral Roberts back on the map.” Q: How does the age of the team affect your playing style? “We are pretty young, but honestly, I think that it’s not gonna make much of a difference. A lot of our guys are from junior college, so they have quite a bit of experience outside of high school basketball under their belt.” Q: How does the team feel after the transition with new coach Paul Mills? “It was tough for the guys at first, just because most of us have known

Coach Sutton pretty much since we have heard about ORU. But Coach Mills has done a good job of making us comfortable and assuring us.” Q: Any drastic adjustments? “It’s been hard. Overall, I would say that Coach Mills really understands that nobody really signed up for things to happen the way they did. He understands that in order for us to be good, we have to earn his trust and he has to earn our trust, and he has been trying to do that everyday.” Q: What are your plans after the conclusion of your last year at ORU? “I am going to keep playing basketball after this, and will need a pretty good year to boost my resume for professional basketball. Either it is going to be the NBA or over seas.”

2017-2018 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL RANKINGS

Thoughts from Coach Paul Mills: “This is an enjoyable time of year for college ball, because you know you are on the brink of the season, and at the same time you are undefeated. “It has been great. For the last 14 years, I have had the privilege of being at Baylor, but the desire was always to become a head coach at a place similar to Oral Roberts University. It is a school where the sport people pay attention to basketball. So to be at an institution where you have quality young men and to be around them [everyday] is a joy. “We only have two seniors and the two seniors, Albert Owen and Austin (who is new), are great. We have two juniors, and then the rest are underclassmen. There is no [team on] the schedule I look at and think ‘Man I don’t think we can win that game,” It’s hard to predict the future, but the expectations are that you are prepared very well everyday.”

November 10, 2017 • Oracle • 11

www.thevintagepearl.com 12 • Oracle • November 10, 2017

Bringing heaven’s story to Tulsa Staci McCoy Staff Writer @stacerslynn

From heaven’s streets to the streets of Tulsa, Oklahoma, the widely known little boy from the bright yellow book titled Heaven is for Real is now a first-year student at Victory Bible College, directly across the street from ORU. Well known for his unique story, Colton Burpo still finds passion in sharing his experience with anyone ready to hear. Born and raised in Imperial, Nebraska, Burpo lived an hour’s drive away from the closest Walmart. Cows outnumbered the town’s small population of 2,000, said Burpo. At the time, his father was the local pastor of a church called Crossroads Wesleyan Church. Burpo’s slow rise to the public eye began at the age of three when he became sick with appendicitis and required surgery after five days of a ruptured appendix. The boy’s vitals plummeted during the

surgery, causing him to slip from consciousness and enter heaven, according to Burpo. Young Burpo survived the surgery and drew unusual attention from his family when he began talking about his visit to heaven. “I was lifted out of my body, and I could see my body. Then I was sitting in Jesus’ lap,” said Burpo, remembering his experience. Burpo’s parents noticed the strange things said by their threeyear-old son, and they questioned him until they became convinced of a heaven encounter. Todd Burpo, Colton’s father, recorded the things he heard and felt God telling him to write about his son’s story. The book records the boy’s comments on unknowable things, including his great-grandfather who died 30 years before his birth, his miscarried sister and details of heaven. Heaven is for Real was published Nov. 2, 2010, when Colton was entering sixth grade. Burpo started traveling as the book gained attention,

and in 2011, the book was put on the New York Times bestseller list for paperback nonfiction. The gospel story told throughout the book is simple, because it is told through the eyes of a toddler, according to Burpo. Today, the Burpos lead Heaven is for Real Ministries and offer the book in children’s versions for children struggling with loss. “People are hurting and looking for something authentic,” said Burpo. “They can turn to a child’s testimony because it’s simple. Adults make things complicated, which is something I’ve learned, and I’m barely an adult yet.” The massive success of the book created many opportunities for the Burpo family, including the multiple offers to create a film based on Burpo’s heavenly experience. Todd Burpo was hesitant to partner with anyone from Hollywood for a film, but said he heard God tell him that He is bigger than Hollywood. In May 2011, Sony Pictures acquired the film rights of Burpo’s story and partnered with Joe Roth

Photo from HIFR Ministries

and T.D. Jakes as the film’s producers. Greg Kinnear was announced to star as Todd Burpo in 2013, after his wife read the script and insisted he take the part. The film was released during Burpo’s freshman year of high school, which brought newfound chaos. Burpo admitted that he lost 40 days of school his freshman year due to the whirlwind brought with the film. “Back when the book came out, people didn’t know what I looked like. When the movie came out, people knew what I looked like,” said Burpo. The past three years have been a time of laying low, resting and growing for his family said Burpo. Currently his dad, Todd Burpo, is in the process of releasing a new book titled God is for Real, where he shares about his testimony and life prior to starting his family. Networks have reached out to the family with interests in a television show, which is something snowballing into the making according to Burpo. Burpo, now a first-year student at VBC, is studying worship arts. He enjoys the perfect balance between musical-based classes and ministrybased classes, and said he is following the calling God placed upon his life in worship. Burpo said he grew his musical talents when he would travel countrywide to share his story. “How I view my life down here now… it’s like the apostle Paul said— if I die, I get to be with Jesus, if I live, I get to tell people about Jesus— so while I’m down here, let’s share.” Burpo has encountered other people with similar heaven encounter stories and said he loves to connect similarities with those who have. He is a leader at Victory Youth where he openly talks about his story to help those struggling in their faith. Burpo said he cannot help but tell others about it, because he would have many questions if he was in their shoes.

The Burpo family began Heaven is for Real Ministries to tell Colton’s story and bring people to God. They encourage people to reach out to them because they want to share their experiences with others.

November 10, 2017 • Oracle • 13

Golden Eagles’ season comes to an end

Photos by Jeremy Luczak and Amari Washington

MEN’S

Natalie Wilkinson Staff Writer @nwilk17

The Golden Eagles men’s soccer team fell to Omaha in a season-ending 2-0 loss while competing in the team’s first Summit League conference tournament game on Saturday. Despite the abrupt end to their season, ORU head coach Ryan Bush maintained a positive attitude. “We’re pleased with the performance of the group overall considering the age and youthfulness of the team,” said Bush. “We played a lot of teams that had been ranked in the top 25, and the group has competed very well.” According to Coach Bush, up to 8 of the 11 starters throughout the season were consistently freshmen.

“It’s hard to be young in college soccer, because most programs are playing fourth and fifth year seniors,” Bush said. “But they’re learning to adapt to the college game.” ORU’s senior night against Western Illinois proved to be a heartbreaking loss for the team. “The winning goal scored against us in the last 20 seconds was really gut-wrenching,” said Tyler LaCourse, sophomore defender. Throughout the season the Golden Eagles 4-11-1 record resulted from five games lost at the death, meaning they were lost either in overtime or in the last minute of the game. “The most important thing about

those losses isn’t that they happened, but what we learned from them on the back end,” said Coach Bush. “The guys have learned how to manage the last five or ten minutes of a game. Those things will come with time, experience and failure.” For six members of the team, their time in the program has ended, one of who is Corey Cantor, senior captain and leading goal scorer of the 2017 season with four goals scored. “The coaches put a lot of emphasis on playing hard for the seniors,” Lacourse recalled. “They’ve brought a lot to our program.” The Golden Eagles will now spend the spring semester preparing for

next season. They will compete in five exhibition games, as well as endure weeks of strength and conditioning and participate in leadership training. “A lot of the spring for us is about who we are as a team,” Bush said. “The fall is more of a test of what we produced in the spring.” Bush believes the incoming class will be one of the most talented in ORU men’s soccer history, but they will need time to adjust. “By the time this class ages and matures, I believe this team will be a conference championship contender every year,” he said.

preseason,” said Anna Gornell, sophomore midfielder. “We had a rocky start, but overcame those adversities in time to be ready for our conference games.” Brooklyn Eardley and Jordan Langebartels were named to the Summit League All-League First Team for their performance throughout the 2017 season. Brianna McGowan, Jessica Misquez and Amogelang Motau were named to the allfreshman team. Langebartels led the team with six goals on the season, tying for fifth in

the Summit League for goals scored. Ryliegh Bohnenstiehl, junior goalkeeper for the Golden Eagles, earned two consecutive Player of the Week accolades during the season. Bohnenstiehl boasted a total of 67 saves and four shutouts. Two of the eight wins in the season resulted from overtime play against South Dakota and Denver, both Summit League conference teams. ORU’s stellar performance this year was not without difficulty. Multiple players sustained injuries and were placed in and out of the

starting lineup, forcing the coaches to reconfigure positions. “One of our center backs got injured early on and we were unsure who would replace her,” said Gornell. “But Caroline Frank stepped up and did a phenomenal job.” Frank was a team captain this year and is one of the eight seniors retiring their ORU uniforms. The team will now spend both the spring semester and summer healing from injuries and preparing for 2018-2019 year.

WOMEN’S The Golden Eagles women’s soccer team fell 1-0 to the Denver Pioneers in the semifinal round of the Summit League conference tournament on Nov. 2 in Fargo, North Dakota. The lone goal, scored off a cross within the first minute of the game, proved to be a fatal blow. ORU finished with an overall record of 8-10-1 and 121 total shots on goal, with 26 finding the back of the net. The Golden Eagles won five of their seven Summit League conference games this year. “The team has grown a lot since

14 • Oracle • November 10, 2017

Astros’ small beginnings

Alejandro Arroyo Staff Writer @Dro3686

In the upcoming days, don’t be surprised if you hear people talking about this year’s World Series, asking, “did you watch game five,” or “this must be the greatest World Series of all time, right?” Yeah, this World Series was awesome. Thankfully, for those who haven’t been watching, here’s your guide to everything you need to know about the 2017 World Series. Who Won? Go ‘Stros! Wrapping up one of the most entertaining World Series I have ever watched, the Houston Astros will be taking the Commissioner’s Trophy to Houston, a city still recovering from hurricane damage, is now living in a surreal celebratory moment. Why was this series so memorable? Throughout the series, record after record was smashed. From Cody Bellinger striking out a record 17 times in the post season, to an astonishing eight dingers hit in game three by both

teams. Ridiculously, George Springer’s record tying five home runs this series (tying Reggie Jacksons record in 1977) were accompanied by Jose Altuve’s seven home run shocker, falling two runs short of the post season home run record. Not only was this a series of long balls, but five out of the seven games were decided by only one or two runs. Each team scored 34 runs throughout the series. Game five will arguably go down as one of the greatest World Series games of all time. It had it all: suspense, emotion, home runs, clutch strike outs and heartbreak. Kershaw cruised effortlessly into the bottom of the fourth, pitching with a 4-0 lead, but Houston didn’t quit. Yuli Gurriel cranked one over the fence, tying the game 4-4 to end an entertaining fourth inning. The Astros rejoiced, only to watch LA’s Cody Bellinger send one over the right-field fence, giving the Dodgers a 7-4 lead at the top of fifth. However, no lead was safe. Jose Altuve tied the game with a three-run bomb in the same inning, making Houston the second team ever to come back twice from a three-run deficit in a World Series game. Followed by an offensive onslaught by the Astros in the seventh, Houston sat comfortably with a 12-9 lead. Miraculously, LA found a way through Yasiel Puig’s two-run homer at the top of the ninth to tie the game at 12-all. America was astonished, yet it still wasn’t over. It looked like both offenses were going stagnant through the 10th, but LA unraveled in the bottom of the inning with Alex Bregman hitting a single into left field, rolling out the red carpet for Derek Fisher to score the winning run. It’s taken awhile for it to pay off but each player was added to the Astros team to get them to the World Series, and it all started with small beginnings about three years ago for Houston.

Graphics by Alejandro Contreras

“Wrapping up one of the most entertaining World Series I have ever watched.”

Photo by Josh Crow

Volleyball seeks victory at season finale

In their final season match against South Dakota State, the Golden Eagles emerged with a four set win against the jackrabbits. (25-12, 24-26, 25-15, 25-18) Graduating in may, Laura Milos finished her final night on the court hitting .482. Milos showcased her four-year career with 31 hits, and 15 digs contributing to a double-double. She also nabbed OklahomaSports.net player college player of the week on Nov. 7, 2017. On Nov. 10 the team will go to Omaha chancing The Summit League championship, the game is set to begin at 7 p.m. Photo by Haley Gibson

Coaches radio show hosted by Tres Amigos

In a two-in-one homecoming season opener for Men’s Basketball, ORU Golden Eagles will be taking on Avila University from Kansas City. The game will take place in the Mabee Center on Friday at 7 p.m. ORU coaches Paul Mills and Misti Cussen are hosting a weekly radio show courtesy of Tres Amigos at 83rd and Lewis. Fans can tune in to the program, featuring host Adam Hildebrandt via “The Franchise” at 107.9 FM and 1270 AM. The show began last Monday, Nov. 6 and continues with the season up until Dec. 18 right after finals.

November 10, 2017 • Oracle • 15

Cold weather and cuffing season

Kayley Forshey Lifestyle Editor @mybestfriendjo

I’m no expert on love, but I’ve been around enough healthy and God-glorifying relationships to have an idea of how it should work. I think those two things, healthy and God-glorifying, have been swept under the dirty rugs of something I’ve only recently learned about and am not a fan of—cuffing season.

After extensive research in the form of googling, I found out that cuffing season is a phenomenon that occurs due the cold weather and holidays, with people rushing to enter relationships so as to not brave the chilly nights and intrusive family questions regarding your current relationship status alone. While two may seem better than one, relationships like these become defined by both partners’ inability to be alone and the fleeting feelings that come with hand-holding and cozy sweatshirt-stealing, rather than an actual relationship. I suppose it’s important to define my terms, rather than relying on common definitions, most of which I disagree with. A healthy and Godglorifying relationship between a guy and a girl is not a marriage covenant, and isn’t characterized by those aspects that make marriage indeed marriage, namely physical and emotional intimacy. However, it is intentional, holy and ultimately, a prerequisite for marriage. Fewer people see dating as something more than fun and casual—though it certainly is a lot of fun, it’s ultimately a way of seeing if you two are

ready and compatible for marriage. And, rather than enter a relationship, I’ve known people to blur the lines between friendships and relationships. I guess that’s easier than the long-term benefits of acting like an actual adult in a real-adult relationship. With those definitions in mind, cuffing season bothers me. And treating another brother or sister in Christ as something more than that without the commitment of actually being in a relationship frustrates me as well. It cheapens something that could be beautiful, fun and holy. The Bible calls us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and something like grabbing the nearest warm body to curb your lonely holiday season seems very antithetical to this call. My two-cents—date or don’t. There’s nothing wrong with being in a relationship or staying single, but riding that line between dating and not dating isn’t fair to you, the other person or God. So the next time you’re lonely and feel like snuggling, grab a body pillow or go crash at your best friend’s place. You won’t regret spending your time with them.

Over-sharing on social media

Kendall Brown Staff Writer @oruoracle

I don’t manage my own Instagram account—one of my best friends does. She made it, picks the captions, edits the pictures, tags herself and follows people for me.  She has my login information and posts stories, some of which I don’t even know about. See, I didn’t want an Instagram because

16 • Oracle • November 10, 2017

I knew I was going to spend more time scrolling on it than I would on homework, and I was right. It’s always fun to see the new things I’ve posted, and everyone else’s photos, of course.  I wrote a poem about someone who I never see anymore, and one of the lines I wrote was “My life in pictures, my time with you.” Drawing parallels from social media to this line of my poem, I can see the similarities in the amount of time people spend on social media informing people of what they’re doing, and the time they actually spend living. But that doesn’t apply to just Instagram. All social media tells a story. Your story, your timeline. You must be careful about what story you tell.  We tell the world who we are and what we’re about by posting on

social media. I’ve seen people whose lives have been altered because of something stupid they said or did online. Most of the time, we post to share information, to let the world know something or because we want appreciation. Don’t roll your eyes, I know you do it. No one posts a selfie intending for someone to think, “Man, I know what’s going on with them now. That selfie really informed me on their life.” Nope, we do it because we want to show off, be noticed and have someone tell us how pretty we are. I don’t know where this trend of showing off every detail of your life came from or where it’s heading, and I’m not sure I want to. In an interview, actor Will Smith talked about what it was like to be a teenager, “I was

very dumb when I was fourteen. Nobody will find out. No Twitter. No Facebook. So when I was fourteen, I was dumb, but I was dumb in private.” Now that we are constantly online, everyone knows everything. I don’t know how great that actually is.  Social media is a great thing that connects everyone everywhere and I’m so grateful for it. Nevertheless, we do need to be extra careful how we present ourselves and what we show the world. You might look cute and that’s cool, but does everyone need to know your every thought? If nothing else, just be careful and put it all on your finsta. That seems to work for a lot of people.

Ending the private prison business

Hannah Nelson Staff Writer @avidr3ader

It turns out that enslaving people for profit isn’t a thing of the past—private prisons in America have been making revenue off their prisoners for years now, and their business is increasing. Struggling with overcrowding, some state prisons contract their inmates to be housed in private facilities. The first private prison contract was in 1984, and since then, private prisons have grown

to house roughly eight percent of the incarcerated population in 2015—a 45 percent increase from the year 2000. The fact that prison companies are growing wouldn’t be worrisome if they had a better track record of providing quality care for the people in their facilities. But reports attest to the mediocre efforts of private prisons. Riots, deaths of prisoners and correction officers and instances of neglect have been reported numerous times. Prison companies have incentive to cut corners– all at the cost of the ones being held captive. It’s easy for them to prioritize financial profit over quality care. Why rehabilitate prisoners? More free people means less money. Why provide quality healthcare? Cheaper services equal higher pay-offs. The same goes for food, facilities and number of guards. GEO and Corrections Corporations of America, two of the largest prison corporations in North America, have even lobbied for laws that would improve their business. Together, GEO and CCA have contributed 25 million dollars to lobbying efforts since 1984. CCA stated in a 2005 report that the demand for private correctional facilities could be reduced

“by the relaxation of enforcement efforts, leniency in conviction and sentencing practices or through the decriminalization of certain activities.” Policy change regarding the penalty for drug use or illegal immigration is a significant topic to these companies because of how it could influence their dollars. Fortunately, some states–Arkansas, Utah, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan and Wisconsin–have cut their use of private prisons, because of health and safety concerns. In 2016, the Federal Justice Department announced they would no longer be contracting with private prisons. Nevertheless, many facilities remain open. The CCA currently has eight locations in Oklahoma. Cimarron Correctional Facility, located in Cushing, had an incident in 2015 that resulted in the death of three inmates. The Tulsa World described it as “the deadliest single incident on record to occur in an Oklahoman prison.”

NFL provokes degenerative brain disease

Emma Giddens Editorial Editor @em_giddy

There are some things I’ll never forget about high school—pranking my history teacher, asking my nowfiancé to prom (and getting rejected) and writing an “educational” rap about Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson. But there’s one group of memories from high school that I treasure the most, and they revolve around one thing—football. I was on the cheerleading squad

for three years before I realized I wasn’t cut out for it. I hated skirts and high-kicks, but I loved football with my whole heart, so sophomore year I made the smartest choice of my high school career, and became the trainer for the Summit Christian Academy Eagles’ football team. I was all in. I devoted myself to taping ankles, doling out Ibuprofen and cleaning water bottles for a team that I adored. Every day after school, I drove the underclassmen to football practice and stayed until everyone left. For five months every year, the team was my world. There was one word that scared the daylights out of me during football season—concussion. Thankfully, there weren’t very many during those three years, but I knew the danger they posed, and I knew about a condition that people were barely whispering—let alone discussing—

the American news stage. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, commonly referred to as CTE, is a “degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma.” It starts with little symptoms like mood swings and behavioral changes, but with time, develops into something more. Mood swings become memory loss, and behavioral changes segue into progressive dementia. It’s not a pretty disease, and before 2002 when Dr. Bennet Omalu cited the first recorded case, it was relatively unknown. The NFL denied it, debated it, then went to court over it, eventually paying out a massive settlement to former NFL players diagnosed with CTE. When questioned about health and safety regimens in an August fan forum, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell dodged the topic, saying, “The

average NFL player lives five years longer than you…and I think because of all the advancements, including the medical care, that number is going to even increase for them.” Goodell’s responses to CTE throughout the years have struck a chord with prominent voices in sports culture. Bob Costas, longtime NBC sportscaster, responded to Goodell’s previous statement in November, saying, “The reality is that this game destroys people’s brains. The cracks in the foundation are there.” Football cannot be separated from American culture, and I never want it to be, but ignoring CTE is a crime that affects not only NFL players, but also their families and fans. Without respect for their players—the men making the league possible—the NFL could swiftly lose the respect of its players, as well as the rest of America.

November 10, 2017 • Oracle • 17

Sudoku

Can you solve the Impossible Arrow? Form the following figure by connecting all the black dots without lifting your pencil! Remember: you cannot redraw over any previously drawn lines.

Solutions from October 27th edition

18 â&#x20AC;˘ Oracle â&#x20AC;˘ November 10, 2017

1. I’m white, and used for cutting and grinding. When I’m damaged, humans usually remove me or fill me. For most animals I am a useful tool. What am I? 2. I’m at the end of time and space and the beginning of the end and at the end of life. What am I? 3. You bury me when I’m alive and dig me up when I’m dead. What am I?

Corrections The Oracle strives for accuracy and integrity in all content. if you find a mistake, let us know (918) 495 -7080 Letters to the Editor Have a thought or story idea you’d like to share? Send us an email at oraclechief@oru.edu Applications Want to work for the Oracle? Stop by LR 175 and fill out an application. Positions include photography, graphic design, multimedia and reporting

November 10, 2017 • Oracle • 19

November 10, 2017 • Oracle • 20