34th Street Bridge
Getting Over It
Veteran of the Month
Paul Wilson
Moore Holiday Activities
Merry Christmas
LAMB Y E A R
O F
T H E
November | CONTENTS 2019
08 by Bill Moakley
Getting Over It
34th Street bridge over I-35 set to open in November.
12 by Bill Moakley
Not Forgotten
Decorated WWII Vet recalls one of war’s deadliest battles.
16 by Paige Uhr
Playing it Safe
Moore Schools to be first in state to establish canine program.
20 by Sharla Bardin
Driving Future Success
Norman car dealer donates car to education program.
24 by Chelsey Kraft
Merry Christmas
Holiday activity awaits families in Moore.
ISSUE 11 - VOLUME 2 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Doescher
MANAGING EDITOR
Chip Minty
SENIOR EDITOR
Lindsay Cuomo
PHOTOGRAPHY
Mark Doescher
CONTRIBUTORS
Roxanne Avery | Sharla Bardin Lindsay Cuomo | Chelsey Kraft Steve Marshall | Bill Moakley Chris Plank | Paige Uhr
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PUBLISHER Randy Laffoon
28 by Steve Marshall
Abundance of Caution
Certified athletic trainer shares view on head injuries.
32by Roxanne Avery
Reborn Tradition Okie Tonk Café rises from relics of 2013 tornado.
36 by Chris Plank
Year of the Lamb
Sooner receiver chooses big stage to make major statement.
44 by Lindsay Cuomo
Diving into Sick Season
Keeping your family healthy during cold and flu season.
4 | November 2019
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Cover photo by: Mark Doescher
COM M U N I T Y
BY: BILL MOAKLEY
Getting Over It
34th Street Bridge Over I-35 Set to Open
C
onstruction on the 34th Street Bridge connecting S 19th Street with Indian Hills Road over Interstate 35 in Moore is scheduled to be completed in November. “There’s some utility work that needs to be done and that should finish it up really soon,” Moore City Manager Brooks Mitchell confirmed about this month’s anticipated opening of the bridge. “Everything is moving right along. Unless there is something unforeseen, it should be opened in November.” The $11.3 million project is being led by Moore’s Silver Star Construction and is funded with a combination of local and federal funds. Mitchell said the bridge should alleviate some of the traffic tension on the city’s heavily traveled 19th Street area, a hub for retail outlets off of I-35 through the heart of Moore. Several new housing developments have also gone in on the city’s south side, adding to the growth and congestion in the area. “A lot of it has to do with the growth we’ve had in the south part of the city,” Mitchell said. “For traffic to get across I-35, 19th Street is the closest place. So, this will give them another option, which we think will take a lot of the traffic off 19th Street.”
8 | November 2019
In addition to the new interstate crossover, S.W. 34th Street has been widened to four lanes from Telephone Road to just shy of the BNSF Railroad tracks east of I-35. A new bridge also now crosses the Little River on the east side of the interstate. Most of the work in that area is also complete. “A lot of that is done,” Mitchell said. “There are just a few things left.” The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has overseen the project. During construction, contractors have maintained three lanes of I-35 traffic in each direction through most of the project. Crews resurfaced the shoulder, shifting traffic away from the median during construction of the center bridge pier. But, some overnight lane closures were necessary at the beginning of the project, according to ODOT. The new bridge includes an arched architectural style, with plenty of lighting, stone facade and a sidewalk that includes nods to historical elements of the city. Officials designed the bridge with both traditional and modern elements that express the city’s unique flavor. Federal funds will pay for $4 million of the project, with the remaining $7.3 million coming from the City of Moore. The funds were approved by city residents during a 2014 bond election.– 19SM
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COM M U N I T Y
BY: BILL MOAKLEY
Not Forgotten
PRESENTED BY
CENTURIONCG.NET
F
Decorated WW II Vet Recalls One of War’s Deadliest Battles
or nearly 60 years, Paul Wilson never spoke of his experiences in World War II. The reason was simple.
“I was surrounded by death and dying,” Wilson explained solemnly. “I just didn’t want to remember it.” That changed one day as Wilson found himself asking his son if he’d ever told him about the war. “He said no,” Wilson recalled. “I said, ‘sit down, I’m going to tell you.’” Wilson had a lot to tell. In January 1944, the U.S. Army came calling on Wilson with a draft notice. In order to earn an extra $50 per month, he volunteered to be a paratrooper, and he was assigned to jump school at Fort Benning, Ga. Wilson’s first incursion into the war would not come from the sky, but by ground. Gen. George S. Patton’s Third Army punched a hole in the German front following their offensive in the Ardennes Forest, and that victory led to the Battle of the Bulge. When Wilson went into battle with the 17th Airborne Division, it was baptism by fire when he found himself in what became known as the Battle of Dead Man’s Ridge. 12 | November 2019
“Guys were dying all around me,” Wilson remembered. “We were under heavy fire, and we were running right up to a ridge where Germans were shooting.” Wilson took cover behind a small mound of dirt he found. He remembers a German artillery round passing close by his head. “I heard it whizz by,” Wilson said. “It was less than an inch away. I never saw it, but I heard it. If it had been an inch closer, I would have been dead.” Wilson used the mound for cover, and he was under constant fire until a mortar round landed nearby and created a large crater. He decided it was time to move his position. “I ran to the crater, and I was there for hours,” Wilson continued. “I kept using my bayonet to push my helmet up. Every time I did, I’d see dirt fly up. A German sniper must have been trained on me.” After a period, he stopped drawing fire, so Wilson made a run for safety. Along the way, he and another soldier brought an injured American soldier to an aid station. At the end of his first of day of fighting at the ridge, Wilson was one of only 16 survivors from his company, which started with 130 men.
The Battle of Dead Man’s Ridge was part of the Allied counter offensive in the southern part of the Battle of the Bulge, and over the course of the battle, Patton’s division suffered nearly 1,000 casualties.
Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Ribbon, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon and three Battle Stars for campaigns in the Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe.
Wilson, a devout Christian, credits God for his survival.
In June 2016, he was awarded France’s highest honor, the Medal of the Knight in the Historic French Order of the Legion of Honour.
“I know without question I survived because God just predetermined it,” Wilson said. “I don’t know why, but it was just that way.” Wilson would take part in a number of other battles and suffered severe foot damage from cold, wet conditions, trench foot as he and his fellow soldiers called it. For his bravery in battle, he was awarded the Purple Heart, WWII Victory Ribbon,
After discharging from the Army, Wilson went on to letter in tennis at Oklahoma City University and established a successful real estate business in Central Oklahoma. He and his late wife of 64 years, Greta, had three children. - 19SM
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COM M U N I T Y
BY: PAIGE UHR
Playing it Safe
Moore Schools to be First in State to Establish Canine Program
A
fter experiencing a heightened period of bomb threats a few years ago and witnessing the uptick in school shootings around the country, Moore Public Schools will be the first district in Oklahoma to use a weapon detecting canine to protect its students and facilities. In other words, a bomb dog and its handler will be walking through the district’s hallways within a matter of months, school officials say. Dustin Horstkoetter, director of security and safety at Moore Public Schools, has been developing the program for about a year. Acquiring a weapons dog is not uncommon, he said. They are widely used by school districts in Texas, Nevada and California, just to name a few. Horstkoetter connected with the Hous16 | November 2019
ton K9 Academy, an agency that specializes in acquiring and training canines for law enforcement, military and private security. Shortly after that, he and district leadership made the decision to move forward with his plan. “Our leadership team is next level, and we made a next level decision,” Horstkoetter said. “Dr. Romines is constantly moving the bar forward, and I’m so thankful for his forward thinking.” Originally, the district selected Horstkoetter to serve as the canine handler, and he was scheduled to begin training with a dog in August. However, district officials determined the responsibilities of a dog handler would need to be a full-time job, so the project was briefly put on hold until the district’s board of directors could approve a new position at a meeting this fall.
They are now in the process of hiring a new handler, and Horstkoetter is confident they will have someone selected in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, Houston K9 Academy is searching for the best breed and dog to fit with the district. The dog, either a Vizsla or German Short Haired Pointer, will come from Europe and be 12 to 14 months old when the handler begins training. Before the handler arrives, the dog will be imprinted on all odors related to weapons – guns, ammunition, bombs and anything related. Once the dog is ready and the handler is hired, both will spend four weeks of intensive training at the academy. The handler will work on canine safety and care, obedience training, search patterns, detection dog training and safe handling of weapons and explosives. Horstkoetter is confident the dog will be in district schools by the start of school this January.
Day in and day out, the handler will continually work on maintenance and training. The duo will be in schools, parking lots and both the interior and exterior of campuses within the district. They will also be present at school functions including events and games. In addition to its main functions, the dog will also be used in a public relations role. Horstkoetter foresees the dog having lots of interaction with younger students. The handler and canine will visit students around the district for education related to violence and safety precautions. Having a specially trained canine in Moore supports Horstkoetter’s ultimate goal of keeping children safe. He is thankful that Moore is a community that holds the same standards. “We are so happy to have a supportive community that stands for our children and schools,” Horstkoetter said. “Protecting them is our highest priority.” – BSM
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COM M U N I T Y
BY: SHARLA BARDIN
Drivin g F u t u re Succe ss
Norman Car Dealer Donates Car to Education Program
A
recent car donation to Moore Norman Technology Center will help students accelerate their learning and cruise into new opportunities. Gulf States Toyota and Fowler Toyota donated a 2017 Toyota Corolla to the center’s automotive service technology program in September. Instructor Lee Dow said the car will help enhance student learning by giving them a newer model vehicle that will be like the vehicles they’ll encounter in the industry. Experience working with the car will add to their skill set when they’re looking for job opportunities. “This is a tool for learning – a firsthand look at technology that they’ll be facing,” said Dow, an instructor in the program and internship coordinator. Dow said the donation also helps accomplish a goal to update the center’s training fleet of vehicles to include newer models. More than 100 students a year will have 20 | November 2019
the opportunity to train on the donated Corolla. That work includes “bumper to bumper” repairs, Dow said. The program covers the skills that students will need for jobs as entry-level automotive service and repair technicians. Subjects include automotive preventative maintenance, suspension systems, emissions control systems, brakes, drive trains and electrical work. Student Noah Storey, 17, said he’s excited to start training on the donated car. For him, it provides the chance to work on a different make of vehicle. The Norman North High School senior is an intern at Fowler Honda. He said the donated car allows him to expand his skills by learning about Toyota technology. Storey said he’s also impressed with the center’s automotive service technology program, the support from instructors and the opportunities that are providing for students to increase their knowledge.
“We’re all here to learn,” he said. Dow said he believes the Toyota donation also represents the support the program has from area dealerships and industry representatives, including those who serve on the program’s advisory committee. He believes those in the auto industry see the quality training that the center offers and the skills students display when they’re in the workforce. “That’s going to give them that return on investment,” he said. The car was presented to the center during a ceremony that included Toyota, state and center officials and students. Officials talked about the long-lasting impact of the donation and the strong partnership between the center and local employers. “Providing this vehicle for the automotive program to teach their students to perform modern technical vehicle repairs is very important to us,” said Gulf
States Toyota Workforce Manager Robert Trevino. “We’re proud of our strong relationship with Fowler Toyota and Moore Norman Technology Center and the work they are doing in Oklahoma to prepare the next generation of skilled workers.” Brian Ruttman, superintendent at the technology center, said having solid partnerships between the center and local employers is essential. “To have Fowler Toyota and Gulf States Toyota make an investment of this size to our automotive service technology career program shows that they are truly committed to our students learning and training on vehicles with advanced technology,” Ruttman said. “We are so very grateful to both Fowler Toyota and Gulf States Toyota for this donation. We look forward to a long, continued partnership, and we remain focused on providing qualified graduates for our local workforce and for the automotive industry.– 19SM
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COM M U N I T Y
BY: CHELSEY KRAFT
Merry Christmas
Holiday Activity Awaits Families in Moore
W
ith Christmas right around the corner, residents of Moore have plenty of opportunities to get in the holiday spirit.
Breakfast with Santa, Christmas Spectacular and A Norman Rockwell Christmas Parade all provide families a chance to celebrate the season together. Both Breakfast with Santa and Christmas Spectacular are scheduled for Dec. 7 and will be held at 700 S Broadway Ave., with the breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. and the other event slated for 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or in person, and attendees can enjoy a big breakfast catered by Nosh, said Marina Melrose, sales and special events coordinator for the City of Moore. The morning includes holiday crafts, a visit and story time with Santa Claus and a candy cane hunt, inside The Station at Central Park recreation center. “It’s a very fun, interactive family event,” Melrose said. “We decorate the whole facility, so it’s just very holly jolly around here. I love it. It puts everyone in a great mood.” 24 | November 2019
The cost for Breakfast with Santa is $7.50 per person, with children ages 2 and under admitted free. Families can conclude the day at the Christmas Spectacular, which is free to the public and held at the Central Park Amphitheater. Local community groups provide live music, and children can chat with Santa and take photos. The evening ends with a bang during a fireworks show choregraphed to Christmas music at 8:30 p.m. Hot chocolate and cookies will be available for purchase, and people are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets or sit in the amphitheater during the fireworks. The fireworks are sponsored by companies and organizations, both local and from throughout the state. Melrose said this is just one more element of the community coming together. The city could not coordinate the event without the sponsors and participation by schools and other groups. “I have kids myself, and I’m always looking for events that just embrace the Christmas season,” Melrose said. “Both of these events are great events.”
A week later, the Old Town Moore Association will host its A Norman Rockwell Christmas Parade at 6 p.m. on Dec. 14. The parade route begins at Central Jr. High, turns west on Main Street and concludes at Howard Street. Santa rides on one of the floats, but children will be able to take photos with him afterward, according to parade organizer Kelly Johnson. Additionally, some shops in the Old Town area will be open during the event. Last year, the parade had nearly 30 entries, and the event continues to grow each year, Johnson said. Characters,
including Mickey and Minnie Mouse, will also be making an appearance at the parade. “It’s family time,” Johnson said. “It brings everybody together and gets everybody into the Christmas spirit.” For more information about Breakfast with Santa or the Christmas Spectacular, call 793-5090 or visit centralpark. cityofmoore.com. To stay up to date about the parade, visit www.facebook. com/OldTownMoore/ or contact Johnson at 799-9898. – 19SM
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S P O RT S
BY: STEVE MARSHALL
Abundance of Caution
PRESENTED BY
Certified Athletic Trainer Shares View on Head Injuries
T
he safety of the high school athlete has become a big story during the last couple of months, both in Oklahoma and throughout the country.
Families suffer losses in many different ways, but when it happens on the field of competition, it becomes a critical topic.
A) A certified athletic trainer is a jack of all trades, but a master of none. We’re kind of a mixture of the EMT, the nurse, the orthopedist, the physical therapist all rolled into one. We don’t specialize in any of those things, but have training in all of them to evaluate, prevent, protect and rehab injuries.
Joe Waldron is a certified athletic trainer and manager of sports medicine for Norman Regional Hospital. He’s also a member of the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee for the Oklahoma Secondary School Activity Association and a football medical observer for the Big 12 Conference.
Q) WHAT PROTOCOL IS FOLLOWED WHEN A HEAD INJURY IS SUSPECTED?
Waldron has a unique perspective on head injury issues that concern young athletes and the schools they represent.
We also ask subjective questions, such as, ‘Where are you, do you know who you’re playing, what’s the score’ and so on. Then, we typically go into the memorization of things and ask them to repeat words and sentences along with checking eye-tracking, making sure they’re able to follow the trainer’s moving finger. We’re watching their balance, making sure the pupils are re-
The following is an edited transcript of a recent interview.
Q) WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A CERTIFIED ATHLETIC TRAINER? 28 | November 2019
A) The first thing we want to do is get them out of the game. We want to remove them from play, and we want to get them calmed down, evaluate them and monitor their mannerisms.
sponsive, trying to detect any neurological issues that would show the athlete may have sustained a head injury. If at any time I feel like there is something wrong, then we’re going to remove them from the game. We will evaluate them, but most of the time, when an athlete is removed, they’re done for the day. I don’t want to be quick to throw the label of ‘concussed’ on an athlete, but I also don’t want to err on the side of being too aggressive to get the athlete back in the game. To me, I would rather err on the side of caution and hold them out and make sure that they’re able to play in the next game.
Q) MOST 6A AND MANY 5A SCHOOLS HAVE ATHLETIC TRAINING STAFF AT EVENTS. CAN MORE BE DONE? A) There is definitely more that can be done. We’re finally getting to see where some of the larger schools have multiple athletic trainers on staff. In Texas,
most of their larger schools have three or four athletic trainers on staff. We would love to have just one at least at every school in Oklahoma and multiple trainers at the larger schools. One thing that parents should understand is that there is no such thing as a concussion-free helmet. Until you can stop the brain from shifting inside the skull, a helmet will never stop concussions. Helmets were designed to prevent skull fractures, not concussions. Our goal at Norman Regional is to help area schools find a way to fund athletic trainers in their schools. If schools don’t already have trainers, we would love to work with them and find a way to place an athletic trainer in their school to ensure support on a daily basis. We can continue to improve on safety. We are learning more about head injuries and the best avenues to reduce and treat them. It really is a team effort. A team effort that everyone should embrace and support. – 19SM
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B U S I N E SS
BY: ROXANNE AVERY
Re b o r n Trad i tio n
Okie Tonk Café Rises from Relics of 2013 Tornado
I
f you’re old enough to remember the rowdy honky tonk bars where loud, country music was played, full of drunken hillbillies having a good ole’ time, then you’ll understand where the name Okie Tonk Café came from. Owner Jim Fields says it’s always been a local music kind of place, exactly what a honky tonk is all about. Based on that idea, Okie Tonk is a modern version of a “made in Oklahoma” honky tonk but with a twist. That twist is great food. “We have a cool little concept going that not only is a lot of fun but is also a restaurant with quality food.” Fields learned the restaurant business in Memphis before moving back to Oklahoma. “I was a manager for a progressive owner who opened seven restaurants by the time I left.” The owner thought it was time to set me up in Oklahoma, Fields said, so they came and picked out property for an Irish pub concept, and they opened Dan McGuiness. Growing up in the Putnam City area, Fields remembers looking at property “all over” until his sister suggested 19th Street in Moore. “We found this little piece of property when it was just dirt, and the rest is 32 | November 2019
history,” Fields said. Dan McGuiness opened Thanksgiving in 2006 and was very successful until the May 20, 2013 tornado. Fields had been working on plans to open a new restaurant with the Okie Tonk concept in Oklahoma City, along Meridian Avenue, near the Will Rogers World Airport. After the tornado damaged the Dan McGuiness establishment, insurance negotiations and discussions led to the decision to start fresh with a “made in Oklahoma” concept. As a 56-year-old, Fields said the Okie Tonk concept is really about what he remembers growing up in Oklahoma. “The menu is based on what everybody remembers growing up here,” Fields said. “The Indian Taco at the fair, the onion burger that was invented in El Reno or Chickasha depending on who you believe.” The menu is filled with many other popular “pub grub” items, he said. Everything at Dan McGuiness survived the storm except a couple of air conditioners. With the structure and everything inside saved, they decided to rebuild. He said they wanted to use everything from before. They added extra square footage, and developed a horseshoe
bar, Fields said. The bar needed a centerpiece, so they found a big I-beam that had been twisted by the storm into the perfect shape. “Our centerpiece was actually made by the tornado.” There’s a tremendous history with items in Okie Tonk. The nonsmoking dining room is almost exactly the way it was before the tornado, and it resembles a Viking Great Hall, complete with stained glass windows, wood booths and beer steins hanging from the walls. There’s a feature table known as the Kellogg Room because the woodwork is from the Kellogg Mansion in Battle Creek, Mich. The mansion burned in the early 1970s, but the game room portion of the mansion was saved, and Field’s mentor bought it. “It has a lot of history,” Fields said. “Mr. Kellogg’s poker room from 1920 is set up here at our location. It was part of our restaurants in Memphis for six years and was part of Dan McGuiness.” Okie Tonk caters to a wide range of patrons, Fields said.
“We do a little bit of everything for most everybody.” Starting with a homemade lunch menu designed for the working crowd. Daily specials are featured with meat and two veggies. Happy hour is a place to join friends after work and relax after a long day. The restaurant is also a popular dinner location for everyone from newlyweds and families to late night party crowds. “The later it gets, the younger it gets,” Fields laughs. Covering every genre of music, house music at Okie Tonk ranges from classic rock to everyday country, modern rock, popular dance bands and country bands. “Red dirt is what most of our country is, and we hire local red dirt musicians,” Fields said. With aggressive food and drink specials, Okie Tonk is a great location for game days from OU and OSU to Thunder and everything else. It’s definitely a great place to make your “home away from the stadium” headquarters.– 19SM
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S P O RT S
LAMB YEAR OF THE
BY: CHRIS PLANK
PRESENTED BY
McIntyre Law is a proud supporter of OU athletics. Contact McIntyre Law for all your personal injury needs 36 | November 2019
Photo by: Mark Doescher
SOONER REVIEW
T
he list of the best receivers in Oklahoma Football history is a long one and the debate over who is at the top may be impossible to answer. As the 2019 season progresses, there is one point becoming increasingly obvious, CeeDee Lamb is putting together an impressive resume, one that will likely include him in that conversation. Now, we wait to see how his final chapter in crimson and cream will be written.
A RED RIVER STATEMENT
Once OU’s 34-27 victory in the Red River showdown was complete, much of the attention turned to Lamb. The junior wide receiver’s individual performance was full of highlight moments that won’t soon be forgotten, etching his name into the story of the greatest rivalry in sports. Lamb completed a jaw-dropping 10-catch, 171-yard, three-touchdown performance. To say he was feeling it would be an understatement. Lamb was jumping around strumming an air guitar, celebrating as he should. As the clock hit zero, Lamb raced for the Sooner end zone, where fans were
whipped into a frenzy, and he began to lead cheers for Sooner fans and the OU band.
“I was rocking out,” Lamb said with a smile. “We knew that the game was going to be like this, and we knew that these guys were going to fight. In my mind, I’m just thinking, ‘Why not me? Why can’t I make the play? Why can’t I be the reason that we turn it up a notch?’ “On offense, I just wanted to get the guys clicking and be the leader for this team.”
It had been a bit of a roller coaster start to the season for the junior out of Richmond, Texas. Lamb had a touchdown reception against Houston in the opener but that was one of just two catches. His monster 7-catch, 185-yard, two touchdown performance against Texas Tech seemed to be overshadowed by the fact that he had just one catch in the previous game and two in the game following. Despite the inconsistent start, Lamb kept grinding. He put his head down and continued to work and was rewarded with a historic performance against Texas.
19th STREET MAGAZINE | 37
THE SIGNATURE MOMENT(S) Lamb’s performance is one that will be remembered for years to come, in a series that is all about memorable moments. From the Roy Williams’ Superman play in 2001, Quinten Griffins’ six touchdowns in 2000 to James Allen’s game-winning touchdown in 1996, the Red River showdown is all about individual accomplishments that stand the test of time. His numbers are impressive, but two plays may define just how dominate Lamb was against the Longhorns.
With just under eight minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, Lamb made a play that still is hard to fathom. He came in motion in the backfield and found himself uncovered in the flat. After a flea flicker, Sooner quarterback Jalen Hurts hit a wide-open Lamb at the Longhorn 30-yard-line. That’s when Lamb showed just how special he truly is, surveying the field as he caught the ball near the sideline. He cut back toward the middle of the field, then he juked past Longhorn safety Brandon Jones, but four Texas defenders were waiting. As the quartet of Longhorn defenders converged, it looked as if the play might be over. But that’s when he found another gear and another lane.
Lamb broke through a diving tackle from linebacker Joseph Ossai and proceeded to kick it into overdrive, racing untouched to the corner, essentially walking into the endzone. The 51-yard touchdown reception gave the Sooners the lead for good. “Coach Riley did a great job of scheming to get me the ball,” Lamb said after the game. “I tried to use my ability to make the best of every opportunity.”
For Lamb, that wouldn’t be the only big moment that he would have against Texas. Fast forward to the 4th quarter with 12 minutes to go in the game, Lamb pulled a tight rope act that again showcased his athleticism. Hurts hit Lamb crossing toward the right sideline. This time with hardly any space. Lamb had a Texas defender all over his back. Somehow, Lamb not only made the catch, but was able to shake a tackle while powering through another. He then tight roped down the sideline, crossing the ball over the plane of the endzone for his third touchdown of the game. 40 | November 2019
Sooner fans erupted, pro scouts gasped, and the internet exploded, as two memorable moments in the history of the OU/ Texas series were written into the long history of this bitter rivalry.
“He was pretty good today. No doubt we’ve been able to coach some great wideouts over the years. We still got some time together. I’m not going to anoint him yet,” head coach Lincoln Riley said. “He’s a special player. It’s been fun, the journey with CeeDee, really just like Kenneth (Murray), too, seeing their development through the years. They came in here talented, hungry kids. They’ve really both turned into great players.”
CEEDEE AND HIS WHY
As the celebration on the field grew, Lamb was only interested in finding one person to celebrate with, his mother Leta Ramirez. Ramirez has watched Lamb grow and excel, overcoming an incredible amount of tragedy for such a young man.
Lamb wears a gold chain with the number 32 attached. It is a keepsake he has worn since the beginning of his senior season at Foster High School in Richmond, Texas. Lamb wears the number to honor his late uncle Chester Ramirez Jr. who passed away at the age of 42, during the summer before Lamb’s senior year. Ramirez was a decorated Air Force veteran and football standout. As a player, Ramirez wore the number 32, which is why Lamb wore three in high school and two in college. Unfortunately, the untimely passing of his uncle was not the first or last tragedy that Lamb would experience.
His stepfather was shot and killed when Lamb was 14-years old and his cousin, Casey Pickney, died in March 2019 after a battle with Lupus. So, it makes sense that after his performance against the Longhorns, the very first person that Lamb tried to seek out was his mom. “Family is literally everything to me, it all starts there, in my opinion,” Lamb said. “For me to go back and hug my mom, there’s no better feeling than being with your mom after a game like that.” Lamb has turned tragedy into motivation. Everything he does is about getting better to provide for his family, and to build up those who are no longer here to enjoy his success.
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY The party was officially on at the Cotton Bowl, and Lamb’s performance was one of the major reasons OU was able to walk away with the win. As the Gold Hat Trophy was passed around and two separate OU flags were planted at the 50-yard line, the dominance that Lamb has shown against Texas became even more obvious.
In four career games against Texas, Lamb totaled 487 yards and five touchdowns on 25 receptions, helping the Sooners to a 3-1 record. There may be a reason why there is a little bit more fire when Lamb squares off against the Longhorns, and it goes beyond the fact that the junior wears crimson and cream.
According to 24/7 Sports, Lamb attended a Texas satellite camp in June 2016, the summer before his senior year of high school. Charlie Strong’s staff hadn’t offered Lamb a scholarship, so he went to the camp in an effort to speak with the staff and get on their radar. Lamb already had more than a dozen offers, but an offer from Texas still hadn’t materialized.
After taking over as Texas head coach in December 2018, Tom Herman extended Lamb an offer at the last minute, but it was too late. Lamb was Norman bound.
According to the same report, when asked about that satellite camp during the post-game, the Sooner receiver looked as if he was a bit confused by the question, replying, “I don’t really … I don’t really remember that one. But I’m glad you do, though.”
Then he looked the reporter in the eye, broke out into a big grin and walked away. The final chapter in Lamb’s collegiate career is yet to be fully written, but he has already etched his name among those immortal moments in the history of the storied OU/Texas series.
Lamb may still be a work in progress, but once that final chapter of Sooner football is written, discussion may center around whether Lamb is the greatest receiver to ever play the position at Oklahoma. – 19SM
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M O O R E • M U S TA N G • E D M O N D • WA R R A C R E S • D E L C I T Y • N O R M A N • C H O C TAW • Y U K O N • N O R T H O K C • S O U T H O K C
HEA LT H
BY: LINDSAY CUOMO
Diving into Sick Season
Keeping Your Family Healthy During Cold and Flu Season
A
s the temperatures go down outside, many of us might find our own temperatures going up, but the old wives’ tale about the cold making us sick isn’t exactly based on facts. It is true that doctors do diagnose more cases of illnesses like the common cold, flu, strep throat and the dreaded rotavirus and norovirus, often mistakenly called the stomach flu. But the winter months do play a role in increasing our chances for getting sick. “We tend to spend more time closer together, breathing the same air, touching the same surfaces,” said Dr. Shaylea Beach, a family medicine doctor at the Primary Care Robinson Medical Plaza.
As we seek shelter from the cold, we are stepping into closer quarters with germs, but there are some tried-and-true ways to reduce your risk of getting sick and Dr. Beach recommends starting with getting a flu shot. “The best way to protect yourself is to get your flu shot as soon as possible,” Beach confirmed. 44 | November 2019
Next up, Beach says the community should take note of practices used by hospitals and doctors’ offices everywhere. “Wash your hands often with warm water and soap long enough to sing Happy Birthday or about 15 to 20 seconds,” Beach advised. Just like the staff at Norman Regional do, Beach suggests parents have their kids “wash in and wash out” when they are around germ hot-bed areas like schools and daycares. “Wash your (baby’s or toddler’s) hands when you get to daycare and when you leave,” Beach said. She also encourages your school-age kids to do the same, that way they are less likely to bring germs in or out of school. And, finally, if you do find yourself feeling under the weather, Beach recommends that you stay home. Not only will you reduce the spread of the illness but you will also give your body the time its needs to recuperate. If you are deciding on whether a doctor
visit is in order, Beach said it’s important to look closely at your symptoms, a main concerning symptom being a fever. “If you are having cold symptoms like a running nose, congestion or cough without fever or body aches, it’s okay to wait up to 10 days,” Beach said. “After that you might have a bacterial infection that needs to be treated.” But, if you do have a fever paired with other common flu symptoms, its best to schedule an appointment sooner rather than later. “If you have fever or body aches, you should try to get in within two days so you can take Tamiflu,” Beach explained. There are plenty of over-the-counter medications and at-home remedies that can help alleviate your symptoms. “Hot tea with lemon and honey and saltwater gargles for sore throats, saline sprays or rinses for nasal congestion, ginger for nausea are natural, at-home remedies you can try,” Beach said. Just be sure to not use Afrin (oxymetazo-
line) for longer than three days or you might have to deal with a rebound phenomenon and make your congestion worse, Beach cautioned. Nasal saline rinses or sprays and nasal corticosteroids are safe for daily use. There are a variety of over-the-counter medicines that can help you feel more comfortable as well, including pseudoephedrine for congestion, an expectorant for more productive coughs, dextromethorphan as a cough suppressant and Tylenol or ibuprofen for fever and aches. “A good, one-stop shop for all those meds in one would be something like Nyquil or Dayquil,” Beach said. “But you need to make sure to read the label to determine the active ingredients so you can be sure to not to overlap.” Dr. Beach is accepting new patients and she has some same-day appointments available. Her office is located at 701 E Robinson St, Suite 101. Appointments can be made by calling 515-1935 or online at www.normanregional.com – 19SM
