Old Town Christmas Parade
Lighting Up Moore
Sooner Football
Billy, Billy, Billy
Fowler Auto X OU NIL Rising
MHS Theatre Students Take Center Stage From “Puffs” to “Mean Girls”
The department performs two major performances each year - a play in the fall semester and a musical in the spring semester. This year’s fall show is “Puffs,” a parody of the “Harry Potter” series.
Performances will be held on Nov. 7, 8 and 9. In the spring, MHS will perform “Mean Girls” on Feb. 27 and 28 and March 1.
In addition to these shows, MHS Theatre also competes in one-act competitions. Recently, the students performed “Radium Girls” at Mustang and Deer Creek High Schools and earned ones at both locations, which is the highest score awarded. At the Deer Creek competition, the team also brought home first place for set design and tech. During the spring, they hold senior-directed one-act plays.
Gina Thomison is one of two theatre teachers at MHS and is in her 29th year in education and 20th at Moore High School. She teaches the advanced classes, while the other teacher oversees Theatre I. The two also co-teach the techni-
cal classes, which run about 40 students in each of those hours. Overall, the theatre classes have about 180 to 200 students, Thomison said.
Most years, Thomison said she comes up with ideas for the performances and then has her students choose. This year, she was “kind of stuck and having a hard time figuring out what would be best for them,” so she asked for input from students earlier in the process. They helped her choose the play and one-act. In collaboration with the choir teacher, Thomison selected “Mean Girls” as the musical, which they knew the students were really interested in.
MHS Theatre has also recently earned recognition at the Kelli O’Hara Awards, which celebrate achievement in Oklahoma high school musical theatre. Last year, two students - Luke Peterson and Gabby Llanusa - were among five nominees in the “Outstanding Performance by an Actor” and “Outstanding Performance by an Actress” categories, respectively. In 2023, MHS’s production of “Anastasia” was one of three finalists for “Outstanding Musical Performance.”
Thomison said it has been exciting to see the growth of the program. When she first started at MHS, the school did not have a performing arts center, so students had to go to Central Junior High or Westmoore High School to perform. After the Moore High School Performing Arts Center was established, Thomison pushed for a tech class to be added so students could learn lights and sound, set building, makeup, costumes and other skills to benefit them in non-acting theatre jobs.
Along with those technical skills, theatre teaches students valuable life skills that can be applied in various situations.
“I think it helps them find themselves and gives them pride in a program,” Thomison explained.
“It teaches them how to work in a group because they’re all going to have a job someday, even
if it’s not in theatre, and they’re going to have to learn how to work with other people. It also teaches them how to project and speak and how to be willing to try new things.
“Sometimes you can find a part of you you didn’t even know through theatre.”
To purchase tickets for performances or learn more about Moore High School Theatre, visit the program’s Facebook (MHSTheatreok) or Instagram (@MHSTheatre) accounts.– SMS
LIGHTING UP MOORE
CHRISTMAS PARADE DRAWS
LARGE CROWDS TO OLD TOWN
BY: CHRIS PLANK BY: SHARLA BARDIN
Call it a story of quick thinking and a flurry of community spirit - that’s a fitting way to describe the origin of Moore’s Old Town Christmas Parade of Lights.
Kelly Johnson, organizer of the parade, and John Ireland, co-organizer, recall how the late Moore Mayor Glen Lewis approached them about eight years ago with the idea of creating a community Christmas parade.
It was only two weeks before Christmas that year, and Johnson and Ireland worked alongside family, friends and other community volunteers to make the parade possible.
“It started off so small and now it has grown over the years,” Johnson said. “It’s a great parade. It gets you in the Christmas spirit.”
The first parade had about 20 participants and now features 80 or so entries, she said.
The nighttime parade, set for Dec. 7 at 6 p.m., also includes a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and a chance to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus as well as some Disney costumed characters. This year, trophies also will be awarded to top floats, Johnson said.
The popular event draws close to 3,000 people who line up in the area of Main and Broadway located in Old Town, the city’s original business district and neighborhood. Ireland said he’s excited to see how the parade has evolved and the excitement from the crowd.
“It is kind of thrilling when you see people start lining up to get their seats,” he said.
There is no entry fee for parade entries. Participants just have to contact Johnson who sends them an application. Participants include businesses, churches, first responders, civic and youth organizations and elected officials.
Ireland said another aspect that makes the event memorable is the location in the city’s historic district, which also is the area for other community events, such as trick-or-treating at Halloween. Ireland and Johnson also are merchants in Old Town.
Johnson said the best part of the parade is watching the joy from children.
“Their faces light up when the parade goes through,” she said. “They get so excited.”
Ireland said his hopes are for the parade to grow. He takes inspiration from Plaza Lights, a tradition in Kansas City, Mo., where 15 blocks of the Plaza Area shopping district feature thousands of holiday lights.
“For our community, I want to expand it and keep it going,” he said.
Ireland also sees the Christmas parade as a way to shine a light on Moore and what the community has to offer, from shopping to restaurants to entertainment.
“There’s not a better place to live,” he said. “It’s just a great environment.”– SMS
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WOMEN’S
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PRESEASON TOP 10
Expectations are sky high, and excitement is building to a level that has not been felt in years.
Jennie Baranczyk’s team is loaded with talent, returning production and incoming excitement. In year one of the SEC, the OU women’s basketball team looks to reach new heights with what might be the most talented roster in the history of Sooner women’s basketball.
In her fourth season, head coach Baranczyk returns every major contributor from last season, bolstering the roster by adding one of the biggest and best players in the transfer portal in Raegan Beers.
“We’re heading into a pretty high-expectation league,” Baranczyk said. “We’ve had a great three years, and it was really fun to be part of the Big 12. We’re really excited to be able to compete against the best teams in the country and that’s what this conference is all about.”
In three years at Oklahoma, Baranczyk is 74-26 with the Sooners, getting to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 each season. Also, she led the Sooners to backto-back Big 12 regular season titles.
The Sooners welcome back nearly their entire roster from last season’s Big 12 championship team, including
all five starters and 11 letter winners, including 2024 Big 12 Co-Player of the Year, Skylar Vann, along with last year’s Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Payton Verhulst, and returning starting point guard Nevaeh Tot.
“I think you’re looking forward to playing everybody,” Baranczyk added. “Because, honestly, I think every night it’s a dogfight. It’s new to us… there’s no familiarity so that’s going to be really fun in itself, especially that first year or two.”
But the biggest addition to the roster might be the most valuable post player the Sooners have had in the Baranczyk era. During the off-season, the Sooners added the top transfer in the portal, 6’4” center All-American Raegan Beers from Oregon State. This past season, Beers averaged 17.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and shot over 66% from the field for an Oregon State team that secured a No. 3-seeding in the NCAA Tournament. She led Oregon State in scoring and rebounding and the country in field goal percentage (66.4%). Her efforts earned her a second consecutive All-Pac-12 honor and a Third-Team AP All-American. She recorded 16 double-doubles despite missing time late in the season with a broken nose.
Transfer Raegan Beers is the Final Piece in the Sooners’ Return to the Top 10
“Jennie was great. She made it super easy,” Beers said of her decision to move to Norman. “When I entered the portal, she had built a relationship with my high school coach who I trust a lot. I knew that I had someone in my life who already trusted her.
“She’s a relationship person, she cares about you as a person. Sometimes it’s all basketball, but successful programs care about the girls. She wants to be involved in every aspect of your game.”
Beers hit the ground running when she came to Oklahoma.
“The biggest takeaway is how hard everyone works all the time,” Beers said. “Practice is treated like a game, and we are all so competitive. We’re going at it every single day, every single rep. It’s a super cool atmosphere to be in with all the communication that happens here, and you have to communicate in this system that we run.”
For Beers, the move to Oklahoma was more than just a geographical shift, it was a cultural and systematic shift.
“First couple of weeks this summer was rough,” Beers said. “I didn’t know what I was doing here, I was ques-
tioning my decision, I didn’t feel like I belonged here. But Peyton Verhulst was great…she was a transfer too and we had some good talks. Skyler Vann helped me too… they were constantly reminding me that everyone has gone through this.”
Beers eventually found a comfort zone this off-season and is now ready to attack the Sooners’ first season in the SEC.
Beers will join a frontcourt that includes Vann and 2023 Lisa Leslie Preseason Watch List honoree Liz Scott, who missed the 2023-24 season due to injury.
The Sooners also return starters Nevaeh Tot, Lexy Keys and Sahara Williams who each started every game last year for OU. Additionally, Oklahoma keeps Aubrey Joens, Kiersten Johnson, Reyna Scott, Beatrice Culliton and Landry Allen. In total, Oklahoma returns 98% of its scoring.
“There’s already going to be so much change, and we’ve got to adapt, we’ve got to grow, so we’ll be ready to do that,” Baranczyk said. “I couldn’t be more excited, and I say this every year, but I mean it every year. I couldn’t be more excited to get this team together.” – SMS
Photos by: Mark Doescher
As Billy Bowman Jr. plays his final months in a Sooner uniform, the defensive back has been one of the top performers for a Sooner defense that has established a new standard for Oklahoma football. His impact on Sooner Nation is one birthed in hard work, commitment and loyalty.
But for Billy Bowman Jr., none of this success happened by accident.
“What they say is right. … Once you come into college, the same people are not going to be there when you leave,” Bowman Jr. said about his time at Oklahoma. “Being here shows the loyalty we have for this school, for this program, for these teammates and coaches.”
Loyalty is a keyword in Bowman’s career. He has been loyal to Oklahoma, loyal to his preparation, and loyal to his faith. He has been loyal to his coaches, his teammates, his family and to the game.
Bowman stayed loyal to Oklahoma at every turn when he had a chance to go somewhere else, and stayed loyal to his coaches and teammates when he had a chance to move on to the next level.
LEARNING THE GAME
Maybe you know Bowman for his playmaking on game days. Maybe you know him because his softball playing fiancé Jayda Coleman set a new standard for greatness during her four years with Patty Gasso and the Oklahoma Sooner softball team. Regardless of how you know him, he has been making an impact from the first moment he stepped on a field.
“My dad played ball,” Bowman Jr. said of Bowman Sr. “When I was a little kid, he tried out for the Jets and got hurt, but played semi-pro and I loved watching him play.
“I was 3 years old when I started playing football and I fell in love with football from watching him play and I always wanted to do it. I would sit on the sidelines and watch him, and it made me fall in love with the game.”
And then when he got the ball in his hands, his ability shined.
“When I was little, I used to play every position,” Bowman said. “On offense, I was the guy who they would give the ball to, and no one could pull my flag. Once I started playing tackle, all I would do was run straight to the sideline and cut it straight up the sideline and no one could catch me. I would run all the way horizontal, and no one could catch me.”
Bowman’s early success translated to high school success and, during his career at Denton Ryan High School in Texas, he established himself as one of the best dual-threat athletes in the country. During his senior season, he caught 86 passes for 1,207 yards and 15 touchdowns in helping Ryan to a 15-0 record and Class 5A Division I state championship. He also rushed 26 times for 158 yards and four touchdowns and as a defensive stalwart recorded 32 tackles, four interceptions, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles on defense.
In a word he was special, but out of high school his first choice wasn’t Oklahoma.
“I was recruited by Coach Jay Valai who is here now and was at Texas then. I got caught up in the material things and honestly, I don’t have any hate for them,” Bowman said of his original decision to play for Texas. “I was committed my sophomore year. But things changed and I am glad I made the choice I did.”
Four years ago, Bowman considered committing to Texas out of high school. But it wasn’t the only time he was tempted to choose somewhere other than Oklahoma. When Lincoln Riley was hired by USC in 2021, Bowman had another decision to make.
BY: CHRIS PLANK
BILLY BILLY BILLY
Bowman had a solid freshman season and was going to get a chance to play some on offense during his sophomore season under Riley. But when Riley left, Bowman questioned whether it was time for him to make the jump as well.
“He came to me,” Billy Bowman Sr. said, “and asked ‘Do I get in the transfer portal? Do I go to USC with coach Riley?’ … I told him he’s never done anything because someone else has done something. He needed to wait it out.”
Bowman decided to wait it out and eventually after the hiring of Brent Venables he decided to stay at Oklahoma.
“Billy has given himself wholeheartedly to this university and this football team,” OU safeties coach Brandon Hall said. “Billy was very adamant about wanting to come back feeling his best football would be ahead of him. He also felt like he could be a better leader and a mentor.”
THE JAYDA CONNECTION
One built-in excuse for Bowman to choose to stay in Norman was the fact that his then-girlfriend and now-fiancé Jayda Coleman was starring for Patty Gasso and the Oklahoma softball team.
Long before Bowman was making plays on the field at the Palace and Coleman was winning four straight National Championships, the two were high school sweethearts who met when they were teenagers.
“It’s been a wild ride. We’ve been together in a stage of life where you get to see people grow up and mature,” Bowman said. “We’ve been together since she was 17 and I was 16, now she’s 22 and I’m 21.
“We go through everything that normal relationships go through. It’s hard… but we do a good job. It’s never easy but I think it makes it simpler to come together at the end of the day and realize what we have together.”
The couple has shared incredible moments together. From Bowman being one of the most prominent Sooner fans in attendance at Sooner Softball games to Coleman being front and center at OU football games and even on the field for some of the biggest moments in Bowman’s career.
“When OU was playing Baylor, we got our rings for the National Championship, and we were on the field getting ready for the halftime celebration and that was his first interception, and I was on the field and was standing in the endzone,” Coleman said. “I was trying to chest bump him to celebrate. He was trying to celebrate with his teammates, and I was over there trying to chest bump with him. It was an incredible moment.”
Despite their different approaches, the two are constantly competing.
“We are completely different athletes. I’m hype and over the top and he’s very calm and neutral and the hardest worker I’ve ever met in my life,” Coleman said of her fiancé. “He is always watching film, always at the facility. We’re competing all the time. It’s so fun living life with someone who truly understands the struggles I’m going through. He also appreciates that I understand what he is going through. To have someone alongside who truly understands and is in the grind with you.”
“Her being my fiancé is amazing,” Bowman said. “Being able to be with her and live out our dreams together, it’s amazing… She’s amazing. She’s the better athlete — for all y’all out there, she is the better athlete. Winning four national championships is sort of unheard of.”
ONE MORE YEAR
After his junior season, Bowman had a choice to make. Turn pro or return for a final season at Oklahoma. Had he decided to take his chances in the NFL, it would make sense after his incredible breakout season. He finished with six interceptions — three of which were pick-sixes — and tallied the most interception return yards in OU history. He also had 63 total tackles and was named a 1st-Team All-American by CBS Sports.
“Billy was a fantastic athlete and more of a skill player coming out of high school but really sunk his teeth in when it comes to learning a defensive position,” OU Head Coach Brent Venables said of his meeting after last year with Bowman. “My exit meeting with him postseason was just amazing. He and his family and the humility and respect that he has for the game, his self-awareness on who he wanted to be - that’s a refreshing perspective.”
The decision did not take long to make, as Bowman let his father know that the job was not done and he was returning for another year.
“When he speaks, people listen, because he doesn’t speak very much,” Bowman Sr. said of his son. “People always follow him. Through elementary, through middle school, through high school, Billy didn’t talk much. He wanted to prove himself on the field.”
The defensive backs that would have benefited if Bowman decided to turn pro celebrated his return. Why? Because he has become a valuable resource for information beyond just football.
“He’s a leader, so I know he’s just going to make me better at the end of the day,” safety Peyton Bowen said. “Iron sharpens iron. He’s one of the hardest workers I know, so that’s just gonna make me work harder every day.”
“Whenever he speaks? Listen,” freshman safety Michael Boganowski said. “It’s almost like he’s a coach. I thought he was more of a quiet guy, but since I got in the room, he’s actually a pretty vocal leader.”
While the championships that Bowman desired when he decided to return are out of reach, the long-term impact of his final season with the Sooners cannot be truly quantified due to the foundation he has helped build for the defensive mindset of Oklahoma football.
CHANGING THE GAME
Billy Bowman Jr has established himself as one of the best defensive backs in college football. While the road to success has been littered with adversity, Bowman has elevated himself thanks to a consistent and strong work ethic and his ability to handle challenges with grace.
“Just seeing him going out and enjoying it,” Bowman Sr. said, holding back tears. “His passion, his ambition, his love for it - that is what excites me because he is having fun. He absolutely loves the game.”
While the game is his passion, his foundation and purpose are much deeper.
“His faith in God, that is what I am most proud of,” Bowman Sr. said. “I always ask him to be better. Be better than me, be better than the day before. Just be better.”
Bowman has become one of the most popular members of the Sooner Nation and his legacy is one that while still being written, will not soon be forgotten.– SMS
Gary Shelton, public safety program instructor and coordinator at Moore Norman Technology Center, was recently awarded the Oklahoma VINE Award. He was recognized by the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office (OAG) for his dedication and compassion in promoting a victim-centered approach in law enforcement training.
His efforts equipped law enforcement trainees with the knowledge and resources needed to effectively respond to domestic violence and support survivors. These critical resources and services are provided by the OAG, specifically through the Victim Services and Advocacy Unit.
Shelton has been instrumental in integrating training on VINE (Victim Information and Notification Every-
ADVANCING VICTIM-CENTERED LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING
Moore Norman Instructor
Gary Shelton
Recognized for Leadership in Domestic Violence Response Training
day), Victimology, and the Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP) Tool for responding to cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. As a result of his leadership, trainees are well-prepared to support victims effectively.
Shelton is a retired 25-year veteran of the Norman Police Department. Before joining MNTC in 2023, he was employed by the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security’s Oklahoma School Security Institute where he conducted risk assessments, school security training and developed emergency plans.
He has worked with Oklahoma public and private schools statewide to enhance their school security.–SMS
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A Hub for Native American Art and Community
Oklahoma’s legacy of Native American art stands out in our state but in one Norman gallery, it stands tall. Tribes Gallery has been an authentic art hub in the Norman community for nearly 35 years, a community staple at 512 W. Main St.
Local resident Leslie Pate owns Tribes Gallery, as well as Native American Calendar, Inc. and Tribes Appraisers. Pate’s lifelong journey in art and entrepreneurship is inspired by her father, who instilled in her a passion for business.
“My father was a builder and developer. He put me in a real estate academy during my senior year of high school. I graduated and earned my real estate license in the same month; I had to wait until I turned 18 to take the state exam, which fell in the same week as graduation,” said Pate.
While attending the University of Oklahoma, Pate began assisting a prominent American Indian/Southwest gallery with events in Oklahoma City. When a six-year apprenticeship became available under Doris Littrell, a renowned gallery owner and expert in Native American art, Pate seized the opportunity.
Though Pate studied geography and geographic information systems (GIS), her passion for art led her to run her own gallery, even after considering a move to Washington, D.C. The opportunity to give her daughter a childhood surrounded by friends and family won out. The gallery has changed addresses, most recently from 24th Ave to its current location three years ago, but remains something the public returns to again and again. She describes the gallery as family-friendly, with children welcome.
When asked what she wants people to feel upon visiting the gallery, she said she wants patrons “to enjoy the evolution of art through each generation.”
“With the vast inventory of fine art and the gift boutique… from the historical works on paper, textiles, cultural items, jewelry and pottery to the current artists, (I want visitors) to have a better understanding of our Indigenous community through the arts,” Pate explained.
When Boyd Street Ventures (BSV) founder James Spann reached out about showcasing art in his business location at 331 W. Boyd St., Pate recognized the potential for a partnership. Featuring live art at home games and events is the result of that connection.
The BSV Collection also features art for sale.
“For each home game, we have live art at BSV cheering on the Sooners at the tailgate. His gracious offer affords the gallery the ability to promote local artists to those who might otherwise never see their works,” said Pate. “All works in the 3,000 square-foot location are available for purchase, with Tribes Gallery donating 10% of sales to the endowment fund.”
The Norman Economic Development Coalition has formed a similar partnership, with the NEDC Collection pieces for sale through Tribes Gallery.
“This style of gallery is different and more involved than your standard gallery. Most have an assumption that this is easy, but the reality is long hours, extensive knowledge and research of all tribal cultures and history,” she explained. “Expectations are higher, as each painting has significance pertaining to the tribal affiliation depicted.”
Tribes Gallery is a Made in Oklahoma retailer, carrying artisan products from around the state, which are sold in its gift boutique.
“I support other small businesses across the state and across the nation,” said Pate. “We have a wonderful selection of unique items, from hand-dyed and stamped silk and linen scarves and bandanas to spa products, Pendleton gifts, Bedre chocolates, teas, coffees, unique pet items, books, journals, turquoise and more. If you are seeking something special associated with the region, we probably carry it.”
Known for its calendars featuring Native American art, this year marks three decades of the gallery’s signature product – the Annual Native American Calendar. A calendar signing & Holiday Market will take place Nov. 16 and Nov. 17 at Tribes Gallery.
“I will have more than 20 artists with new works during that weekend,” said Pate. “This event kicks off our holiday events and shows with several events and live art each weekend until Christmas Eve. Small Business Saturday [the Saturday after Thanksgiving] is another weekend we will have live art and festivities.”
Find event announcements at facebook.com/ Tribes131. More information about Pate’s work and Tribes Gallery is also available at tribes131.com. – SMS
Book by Joseph Robinette Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul Based on the motion picture A Christmas Story distributed by warner bros., written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark, and upon In God We Trust.
NIL RISING
Fowler Automotive’s Game-Changing Role in OU
Athletics
Jonathan Fowler remembers the infancy of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) when University of Oklahoma football player Spencer Rattler reached out with a business proposition.
“He said, ‘Mr. Fowler, I’m the starting quarterback at OU, and I’d like to talk to you about possibly having a vehicle in exchange for some NIL,’” Fowler, the president of Fowler Automotive, told Boyd Street Magazine. In exchange for new wheels, Rattler agreed to promote the Fowler brand during the 2021 season.
“We got some pictures with Spencer in street clothes in front of our dealership and we got to post that on social media, and he posted it to his social media,” Fowler recalled.
Three years later, Fowler Automotive is getting much more for its investment than an athlete who wasn’t allowed to appear in his jersey.
Fourteen OU athletes — football players Nic Anderson and Gavin Sawchuk and softball players Kierston Deal and Ella Parker among them — are starring in TV commercials for Fowler dealerships in Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
“It’s gone from a very small amount of money and maybe a few cars to what it’s become today, which is substantially larger,” Fowler said.
Before the NCAA changed its rules in 2021, student athletes were prohibited from making money from their NIL. The change came after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in NCAA vs. Alston that the NCAA could
not prevent member schools from offering certain education-related benefits to student-athletes.
The NIL deal with Rattler, who later transferred after losing his starting job to freshman Caleb Williams, was the first for Fowler, which owns 11 dealerships in Oklahoma and Colorado and has been a supporter of OU athletics for decades.
It was sealed with a handshake and looks nothing like the auto group’s latest arrangement with Sooner Sports Properties (SSP), which negotiates NIL contracts on behalf of OU athletes.
“Today, there’s contracts, there’s insurance, there are lawyers, there’s agents, there’s all these things,” Fowler said.
Most of all, there’s money to pay athletes. Large sums of it. Much of it paid by corporate sponsors such as Fowler Automotive, which recently extended a partnership with SSP that has been in place since 2010.
The top athletes in college football and other sports are pulling down upwards of $1 million or more for their services, according to reports.
Fowler characterized it as an “arms race.”
“What you’ve seen, now that everybody’s gotten into it, is it’s supply and demand,” he said. “There is a limited supply of top-tier athletes in any Division 1 sport,
especially when you get to those QB1 positions.”
Sooner Sports Properties, a division of the sports marketing company Learfield, is the multimedia rights holder for the University of Oklahoma. As such, SSP manages all aspects of the rights relationship. Multiple sports. Multiple athletes. Multiple platforms.
“We manage everything from the Devon Energy logo on Brent Venables’ headset, to the Chick-fil-A cows that come out on the field when some lucky person kicks a field goal to win free chicken for a year, to the signs in the stadium for all venues,” said Kelly Collyar, vice president and general manager of Sooner Sports Properties. “Anything that’s corporate sponsorship comes through Sooner Sports Properties.”
While Fowler Automotive will continue to provide marketing dollars through Sooner Sports Properties, the auto group has committed 22 vehicles to OU athletes across multiple sports along with cash for as many as 50 NIL athletes.
Collyar views the athletes as “brand influencers.”
“No, they’re not all getting the same thing, but it is based on what their deliverables are,” he said. “Student athletes that don’t receive cars are compensated with a fund that Fowler has set aside for NIL based on ... the fair market value of that sport.”
Neither Fowler nor Collyar would disclose the amount of the investment, but Fowler called it “the largest partnership from an automotive dealer group with any university athletics program.”
“For that, we’ve been able to put together this marketing campaign under Kelly’s team’s leadership and have released our first batch of commercials.
“As we continue to roll out this partnership through the end of the year, you’re going to see a lot more commercials with a lot more athletes.”
Former OU running back Rodney Anderson manages NIL operations for Sooner Sports Properties.
Anderson, 28, who played briefly in the NFL, works directly with OU athletes and acts as “an agent for our partners.”
“The guidelines that we have now compared to the guidelines back then ... it’s crazy different,” he said. “Autograph signings became appearances, appearances became social media posts, social media posts became commercials and different social media content series. Now we’re making full-fledged commercial series for Fowler.”
Filming started in July at six Fowler dealerships in Norman and Tulsa, and two dozen commercials featuring football, softball and men’s and women’s basketball athletes, as well as mascots Boomer and Sooner, the RUF/NEKS, and members of the Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band were completed as of mid-October, said Matt Archibald, supervising producer for Sooner Sports Properties.
“Most of the athletes show up and are unsure of what they’re getting into,” Archibald said. “Most are a little nervous because they haven’t been in front of the camera or at least not acting on camera for a commercial.”
In a 30-second spot for Fowler’s Volkswagen dealership in Norman, Anderson appears with younger brother Nic Anderson, an OU wide receiver, and tight end Kaden Helms.
Rodney Anderson tells the service dealer, played by Helms, that he’s getting a “weird grinding noise” when he shifts gears.
When Helms tells him it’s probably his clutch, Nic Anderson, who caught the game-winning touchdown pass to beat Texas in 2023, pops up from behind the vehicle and says, “Someone say clutch?”
“There’s a lot of laughs after takes, which is a great sign that what we’re doing is resonating with them, too,” Archibald said. “It’s been really fun to watch that type of growth on camera in only an hour.”
Archibald said the reaction to the spots “has been amazing.”
“It has been super rewarding to see that these silly ideas are resonating with Sooner fans,” he said.
Archibald writes and oversees production of the “Sooners on the Lot” commercials, 30-second spots that are modeled after ESPN popular “This is Sports Center” theme.
“I have enjoyed seeing these ideas that have been brainstormed and typed out in an office come to life and exceed my expectations,” he said. – SMS
MOORE URGENCY
Urgent Care Clinic Opens in West Moore
Norman Regional Health System opened a new urgent care clinic in West Moore this fall, offering area residents expanded urgent care services. The clinic offers a full range of medical services including diagnostics, vaccinations, on-site x-rays and laboratory testing and their urgent care co-pays are set to what patients pay for their primary care visits, which is generally lower than typical urgent care copays. Their urgent care locations also bring added value to existing Norman Regional patients by already having access to their medical records, which brings quicker access to care and less paperwork.
“Whether you need standard sick care or injury care, our clinic is here to take care of your urgent medical needs,” said Dr. Hieu Nguyen.
The clinic, which is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., accepts walk-in visits, appointments and tele-visits. Nguyen said that urgent care clinics are a convenient option when you aren’t able to get in quickly to see your primary care physician.
“Urgent care clinics fill in the gap when you need to see a doctor today,” he explained. “Our clinic is backed by a full medical system to provide patients with a complete continuum of care.
“We can help set up follow-up care with a primary care physician or specialist depending on what our patients need.”
Nguyen, a board-certified family medicine physician, has worked in urgent care for a number of years because he enjoys helping patients when urgent needs arise.
“I like that I can see a lot of patients in a day,” he shared. “I enjoy that I can provide high-quality care when patients need it.”
Nguyen said that the philosophy of treating common upper respiratory infections has changed in recent years, especially concerning antibiotics.
“Antibiotics can do more harm than good sometimes,” he said.
Previously, antibiotics might have been prescribed for patients experiencing cold symptoms, but that is not considered a good practice. But, Nguyen said there are still treatments available to help patients dealing with viral illnesses such as COVID or the flu. However, antiviral treatments for the flu are most effective when started within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
If you are feeling ill, Nguyen offered a few things to consider when deciding on whether to see a medical professional or not.
“Whether you need to see a doctor depends on your symptoms and comorbid conditions that may increase risk of complications,” he said.
“Most upper respiratory infections can be managed with supportive care at home and with over-thecounter treatments. However, patients with certain bacterial infections such as strep throat, ear infections, or UTIs should come in to be seen and treated with antibiotics if deemed necessary.
But, if you aren’t sure, give us a call and we can help you determine the best course of action.”
BY: LINDSAY CUOMO
Nguyen added that patients who experience upper respiratory symptoms that last for more than 10 days despite supportive care should be seen by a medical professional.
To learn more about Norman Regional Urgent Care – West Moore or to make an appointment, visit normanregional.com.– SMS
URGENT
CARE vs ER
URGENT CARE
• Cold & flu symptoms
• Minor burns
• Sprains or strains
• Small cuts that may require stitches
• Urinary tract infections
• Rashes
• Ear infections
• Mild to moderate asthma exacerbations
• Sinus infections
• Allergies
EMERGENCY ROOM
• Chest pain
• Possible stroke
• Serious burns
• Loss of consciousness
• Slurred speech
• Shortness of breath that limits activity
• Fractures
• Deep or complicated wounds
Orangetheory
