Jan. 26-Feb. 1

W E E K LY E D I T I O N | J A N U A R Y 2 6 - F E B R U A R Y 1, 2 0 2 1 | O U D A I LY. C O M

CULTURE

OUDAILY

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OU alumni featured in inauguration concert

OU’s independent student voice since before the 1918 pandemic

Vaccinations spark hope OU students express relief, cautious optimism amid campus vaccine rollout as community members show hesitancy

JONATHAN KYNCL @jdkyn

For nearly a year, immunocompromised individuals and health care workers have been looking toward the future amid the bleakness of the pandemic.

When the Pfizer vaccine was officially approved for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Dec. 11, with other vaccines approved in the following weeks, embers of hope emerged for some in the OU community.

Callie Pettigrew, a public and community health junior, said the approval of the vaccine lifted a tremendous weight from her shoulders.

Pettigrew is immunocomp ro m i s e d a n d w o rk s at a nursing home in Kentucky when she returns home. She sa i d s h e n o r ma l l y t h i n k s about her health every day, but the pandemic compounded her concern.

“With underlying health conditions, you think about it every day normally, and then with a pandemic on top, you really have to stress about where you are, who you’ve been around,” Pettigrew said. ”It’s just a lot of thinking and your brain hurts a lot. ... I was so happy, I screamed with excitement (when the vaccine was approved).”

Audrey Stehsel, an architecture junior who is also immunocompromised, said the stress of possibly getting COVID-19 has made her feel isolated.

“Having a global pandemic on top of (a typical semester) is a whole other thing,” Stehsel said. “With the fear of just going out and being stuck at the apartment the entire time I was isolating, I felt constantly trapped by moving between two rooms and having my apartment that used to be my happy place (become) a place of stress and anxiety.”

Stehsel said after the vaccine was approved, she began to relax when thinking about the future. “(The vaccine) gave me hope,” Stehsel said. “With talk of the pandemic supposedly going to last two years, it felt like I could finally relax knowing it’s not going to be that strenuous forever.”

Pettigrew said while she share d the initial fe eling of calm, her work inside of a nu r s i n g h o m e ke p t h e r cautious.

“Since I’m the COVID-19 tester at the nursing home, I was the one having to ask everyone like, ‘Oh, are you going to use the vaccination?’ And about 50 percent of the healthcare workers did not,” Pettigrew said. “That scared me because they are healthcare workers and they’re on the front lines, like they see this and they aren’t getting it.”

OU Chief COVID-19 Officer Dr. Dale Bratzler previously acknowledged the OU Health Sciences Center physician’s practice experienced some “vaccine hesitancy,” with 25 percent of those eligible for the vaccine opting out for various reasons — uncertainties around the vaccine’s affect on pregnancy, for example. Others had yet to

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RACHEL LOBAUGH/THE DAILY

receive the vaccine for travel reasons, since vaccinations began during the holiday season, Bratzler said.

As of Jan. 22, OU has vaccinated 600 people within phase two of the vaccination plan, which includes OU faculty and staff and their spouses over the age of 65.

According to an email sent by the university, there will be a large scale vaccination clinic coming to Goddard.

Pettigrew said she was re-

and peace in this now.”

Pettigrew acknowledged the fact that many are skeptical of new vaccines, but she said she has confidence in the processes used to verify their safety.

“I know a lot of people are really skeptical, but I believe in modern science, and I believe this is really good for the world,” Pettigrew said. “I felt confident in modern science that this is going to be okay and safe for me to take.”

Goddard Health Center on March 31.

cently given the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine and now feels safe to do things most people still stress about.

“I don’t have to worry as much, I can go to dinner now instead of getting takeout every time. ... I can go out and enjoy the presence of other people,” Pettigrew said.

“I feel like that is definitely relieving. I mean, we still have to show social distance and wear masks, because it’s not gotten rid of, but I think and feel some more comfort

Daniel Jackson, a biology pre-med senior, received the vaccine because he is a patient transporter at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City. He said that people shouldn’t be afraid of taking the vaccine, but it is ultimately their decision.

“It is their choice, but if we want to get out of this pandemic, then we have to do something about it,” Jackson said. “It hasn’t been a huge problem to the people who have taken it already.”

Ma ra Ke n n e d y , a n e l e mentary education junior, has been on the front lines of COVID-19 because of her job in patient care for mainly immunocompromised children. She said she received the vaccine to do her part toward reaching societal herd immunity.

“I can’t control who else in the world wears a mask and I can’t control who goes out and then comes to class the next day, but I do have

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

hope that herd immunity is possible with the vaccine,” Kennedy said. “It is just a vaccine. It is not a terrifying thing. It doesn’t hurt. It’s not scary. It didn’t turn me into an alligator or anything. But it did give me a lot of hope that we are going to be safer in the future.”

Kennedy also said she received the vaccine to stop the “COVID-19 cycle.”

“The majority of the reason that I got the vaccine was just because of the opportunity

to actually do something, because throughout this entire pandemic, a lot of it has been kind of out of our hands on whether or not we were safe,” Kennedy said. “We could do what we could with masks and everything, but (the vaccine) was the first concrete opportunity. I had to really help be a part of changing the cycle.”

Pettigrew said she believes people should take the vaccine whenever given the oppor tunity. Throughout the pandemic, people have hoped for a vaccine to fight COVID-19, and now their hopes are being realized.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, we all prayed, like, ‘Come on, we need a vaccine, right?’ And now we have it and people aren’t getting it,” Pettigrew said. “If not enough people are going to get it, then we can’t get rid of it. So I am a little more relieved, but I’m also wanting people to understand the science behind it and not be scared to get it.”

Even with the anticipation and relief attached to the vaccine, Kennedy said she is skeptical of a complete return to normalcy.

“I don’t know that things will ever be completely the same just because I think that a lot of fear has been placed in our hearts about t h e p o ss i b i l i t y o f g e tt i ng sick, and we have a lot more concern for each other than we did before — for ourselves too,” Kennedy said.

“But I think the hope is that over time, we’ll get back to a place where we feel comfortable and safe going out and doing the things that make us happy.”

Jonathan Kyncl jkyncl@ou.edu

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NEWS

• Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2021

‘What we do here will be seen’ OU alumna named Norman diversity, equity officer JILLIAN TAYLOR @jilliantaylor_

Twenty years ago, OU alumna Cinthya Allen drove past the “Welcome to Norman” sign on Flood Avenue for the first time as a resident. For Allen, the sign symbolizes inclusivity — a trait she believes defines her community.

Norman’s nuanced history with diversity is apparent in its history as a ‘sundown town’ — which city councilmembers officially apologized for in 2020. A town that once excluded Black people from its residence now recognizes a Hispanic woman — and native of Chihuahua, Mexico — in a leadership position.

In its most recent meeting, the Norman City Council introduced Allen as Norman’s first chief diversity and equity officer — a position established in parallel to the City of Oklahoma City — charging her with molding Norman into the “inclusive city that we say we are,” she said.

Allen first earned experience in diversity and equity through over a decade of work at AT&T’s Oklahoma City branch. She said she operated under various titles, including area manager of external affairs, where she oversaw diversity and inclusion programs.

“I was able to … grow employee engagement, employee resource groups, diversity and inclusion practices locally, at a national level (and) globally,” Allen said. “It’s just amazing to me — the power of energy — when we were able to get our employees to come together around an idea to program a vision (and) how we were able to move the needle.”

Corporate experie n c e s h a p e d A l l e n ’s

understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion, she said, empowering her to observe how the broad terms individually touch people.

She said she learned the importance of expanding communication, engaging in cultural understanding and acting with integrity.

“We want to make sure that everyone feels like they can raise their hand, that they’ll be heard and that they have an opportunity to join whatever engagement or opportunities there are,” Allen said. “(Each term) is broad, but they are also unique. You do need each of these elements to work for each other and together.”

In June 2020, Mayor Breea Clark requested Norman City Manager Darrel Pyle hire a diversity and equity officer despite an “unprecedented budget crisis.”

When the City of Norman announced this new function of its government, Allen said she recognized the rare opportunity and felt called to contribute her expertise.

“It’s those opportunities that are sometimes few, where there’s a situation that you can … serve and help make a difference,” Allen said. “When I saw this, I knew I had to go for it and do my best to serve the community which I’ve called home and which my family calls home.”

Expanding accessibility is one of the first things on Allen’s agenda, she said.

According to U.S. Census records from 2018, 5.6 percent of Norman’s population speaks Spanish. Allen said she hopes to apply her knowledge of the language, bridging communication barriers between the city and its Spanish-speaking community.

“Just this Wednesday, we had a vaccine center activity going on at the City of Norman, and there was some Spanish-speaking need,” Allen said. “I happened to be there and was

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CINTHYA ALLEN

OU graduate CInthya Allen was named Norman’s first chief diversity and equity officer at the Norman City Council’s Jan. 13 meeting.

able to translate for one of our citizens. It was really special to be able to fill in the gap and to jump in and ensure that person felt informed and safe.”

Allen also said she wants to use her role to focus on one of her passion points — youth engagement.

Throughout her career, Allen has worked closely with young adults, engaging university students as OU’s former director of corporate relations and mentoring Hispanic youth as the president of HACEMOS, AT&T’s Hispanic and Latino employee resource group. She said she is excited to build relationships with OU and Norman’s K-12 students.

“We have a wonderful community and family at OU, and … in just engaging (with) our students, (I know) they want to be part of not just the OU community, but Norman as a whole, our state and so forth,” Allen said.

“I am excited to work with Belinda Hyppolite and David Surratt and be able to create lines of communication for

opportunities.”

Although a large portion of the position concentrates on expanding diversity, Allen said she also sees an opportunity to mend some of the political division Norman experienced in the past year.

The city became politically divided through council recall efforts, contention surrounding an $865,000 cut to a proposed increase in the police department’s budget June 16, racial justice rallies, challenges to city government from the Fraternal Order of the Police on charges of violating Oklahoma’s Open Meetings Ac t a n d U n i t e No r ma n protests against city mask mandates.

Allen said her position has become even more necessary amid this division, and she hopes to inspire strength in the community.

“You know we see it almost every day, where there is a divisive situation,” Allen said. “What I’ll say is that to counter division, we need to elevate understanding. I

hope to really be able to engage different parts of our communities that are looking for that understanding and create a safe space for any entity, any community member (and) any citizen to feel heard.”

Looking back on her residency in Norman, Allen said she has observed immense growth in the realm of diversity and inclusion. She said she had the opportunity to watch her hometown become increasingly proactive in encouraging understanding among its residents.

“I’m really proud that now, here we are in 2021 (and) our cit y council, mayor and city manager have been responsive to recognizing the needs we have,” Allen said. “(They are) creating strong pipelines for future talent, for incoming economic growth and just to be able to be seen as a city that gets it right.”

Allen said entities like OU, Norman Public Schools and the Norman Regional Hospital already touch an abundance of lives. She said Norman could potentially impact communities on a larger scale by partnering its entities with those of neighboring cities.

“I think that it’s important that we recognize it’s not about the size of our city or our role — it’s about the output in the end,” Allen said.

“We want to shoot high to draw significant results in inclusion and equity. … And whatever we do here will be seen by our neighbors, whether that’s in the city of Moore, Oklahoma City down the road, Dallas, etc.”

A position without precedent accompanies endless possibilities. Allen said she recognizes the power that comes with this role and she looks forward to using this “blank slate” to create continuous change.

“If there were previous processes or ways established, then it’s kind of easier to jump in,” Allen said.

“But I definitely recognize the responsibility that’s been trusted to me, and I’m thankful for it. … It’s not an initiative, it’s not a project — it’s a sustainable element of our organization. It’s an opportunity where we want to scale, so I feel that we’re going to do some really good things moving forward together.”

As Allen drives past the “ We l c o m e t o No r m a n ” sign 20 years later, she said she now thinks of her three daughters — one who is 15, and twins who are seven years old. Every day, she said she tries to instill in her daughters the values she gained through her work in diversity, emphasizing “service over self” and welcoming the ideals of other cultures.

“O n e o f my you ng e st daughters came home from school one day, and I guess they learned about what Kwanzaa is. She was so excited and asked if we could celebrate Kwanzaa,” Allen said. “So this year, we celebrated Kwanzaa for the first time, and it was the coolest thing ever that we were able to learn together. … I was just so proud they were interested in doing something outside of our regular norms. I hope they are picking up on being a little bit more open to understanding others.”

Allen said she encourages young people to expand their horizons, as growth and unbelievable opportunities could come from anywhere.

“Be ready to raise your hand, take challenges and enjoy the ride,” Allen said.

“We’re really being prepared every day because I look back on all of the pieces of my career within AT&T and my community engagement locally, and I think it has all come together for this opportunity today.”

Jillian Taylor

jillian.g.taylor-2@ou.edu

CULTURE

Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2021 •

3

Inauguration special shows OKC OU alumni shoot ‘Celebrating America’ scenes SAM TONKINS

@samanthatonkins

As Brandon Graves danced on the roof of Midtown Plaza Court against the OKC skyline, a team of Oklahoma creatives stood behind the camera with only a few hours to get the perfect shot.

Five Oklahomans were featured in a collection of videos of people singing and dancing along to the song “Lovely Day,� performed

by Demi Lovato, during the “Celebrating America� concert on Inauguration Day. The clips were filmed by a group of Oklahoma producers, including three OU alumni, and they were created on a tight timeline.

Hillary Self, who graduated from OU in 2003, has worked in the event production and event marketing industry for 20 years. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Self moved back to Oklahoma and started reconnecting with old friends and coworkers.

Self said these industry connections are what enabled her to get involved in the project.

On the night of Jan. 18, just two days before the inauguration, Self received a text from a friend who was working on the “Celebrating America� concert, saying that they needed several videos to fill in gaps in the program. “She told us what she needed, which was diversity, examples of different beautiful landscapes and sceneries from around America,� Self said.

After getting the text, Self began reaching out to her local contacts and creating spreadsheets late into the night. Early the next morning, the crew was on set and ready to start filming, Self said.

Ty McMahan, who graduated from OU in 2003 and now works with Fencerow Productions, was the first person Self called. “He’s got a camera. He’s got an eye, and he’s got a

Brandon Graves dances on the roof of Midtown Plaza Court in “Celebrating America.�

Sgt. Denny MedicineBird dances on Skydance Bridge in “Celebrating America.�

crew,� Self said.

Soon, the team included another OU alum, Blake Brown, who graduated from OU in 2008 and works with Mortimer Creative, as the director of photography for the project.

Self said her production

skill paired with McMahan and Brown’s cinematography enabled the team to create the videos in a short amount of time. “Ty and Blake have a cinematographer’s brain; I have an event production spreadsheet brain,� Self said. “If

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Previous Solution

Enterprise Editor Culture Editor Copy Chief Art Director Staff Adviser

Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.

By Eugenia Last

Copyright 2020, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Put more thought into how you do a job or take care of your responsibilities. Taking a different approach will draw the attention of someone influential. Don’t be afraid to ask direct questions.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -Keep your secrets to yourself.

Someone will use personal AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) information against you if you -- Refuse to let negativity set are too trusting. Look for ways in, regardless of what those to stabilize your life; focus on around you do or say. Keep saving and personal growth. your emotions under control, VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -and set a standard for others.

You’ll get help when needed. A An optimistic attitude will help friendly gesture will bring high you attract supporters. returns. Fitness, self-improvePISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) ment and quality time with -- Make changes at home to someone special are favored. suit your needs. Feeling comMake a plan and get moving. fortable encourage you to do LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) things that make you happy.

-- Emotions will surface if you Reach out to someone who mix business with pleasure. makes a difference in your life.

Choose your words carefully, Romance is in the stars. and direct your energy into ARIES (March 21-April something constructive. Use 19) -- Be conscious of what’s your imagination. happening around you. Look SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) for solutions that are fair and -- Do your own thing. Refuse practical. Learn from mistakes, to let anyone draw you into and make adjustments that an impossible or confounding will help you achieve the sucsituation. Soul-searching will cess you desire. lead to self-improvement and TAURUS (April 20-May 20) greater confidence. Romance -- Keep things simple. Don’t will enhance your life. alter your life because of what SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. someone else does. Use your 21) -- A change at home may imagination to come up with a be upsetting, but, in the plan that will utilize your skills. end, you’ll adjust. It’s time to Take ownership of your life embrace new beginnings and and decisions. discard what no longer works GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -for you. A change of scenery Seek refuge in what you know will be enlightening. and what you can do, not in CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. what others want.

19) -- The changes you make Manage your money well, and should result in greater comdon’t make donations you fort for you and your loved cannot afford. Take better ones. Look over your options care of yourself. and weigh the pros and cons.

Ask for the approval of anyone affected by what you do.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021

ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last Let your creative imagination take charge, and you’ll come up with ideas that will improve your living space, relationships and outlook. Listen to suggestions, mull over your intentions and pursue your goals with passion, integrity and the desire to make your life better. A change of pace will be enlightening.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY TY MCMAHAN

you need budgets balanced, I’m your girl. If you need someone to dream up what’s going to look incredible on the big screen, that’s what these guys do.�

Because of the quick timeline, McMahan said the filming locations were limited,

HOROSCOPE Jordan Miller Editor in Chief Blake Douglas News Editor Mason Young Sports Editor Trey Young Visual Editor Makenna Buckskin Engagement Editor Justin Jayne Video Editor

PHOTO PROVIDED BY TY MCMAHAN

but the team wanted to include easily recognizable aspects of Oklahoma. “We wanted things that w e re re p re s e n t a t i v e o f Oklahoma, things that were going to be icons, locations that people from Oklahoma were going to recognize and

get excited about when they saw it on screen,� McMahan said. “And then Blake was able to take that and frame it up and make it look like art.�

One of these locations was Skydance Bridge, where B row n sa i d Sg t. D e n ny MedincineBird’s traditional dance and bright outfit contrasted with the hard lines and empty space of the scenery, drawing attention to the dancer. McMahan said he felt this combination exemplified Oklahoma scenery. “You think about those landscapes in Oklahoma and then you get a sunset and whoosh, colorful and crazy,� McMahan said.

The team filmed nine clips, and five were included in the broadcast Jan. 20.

Other locations included Heritage Hills, Carl Albert High School and the downtown community basketball court in OKC. “Celebrating America� reached viewers across the country, and McMahan said he was happy to contribute to a large-scale project. “14 million viewers is really exciting,� McMahan said. “I don’t know how often I will make something that gets that many eyeballs on it, so obviously that is super exciting.�

Brown said he enjoyed showcasing the diversity of Oklahoma and representing the state in a fun way. “People get really fixated on one demographic or on one representation of something ‌ and, instead of that, it’s being able to show a lot of different faces and a lot of different kinds of people with values that aren’t just this one type of value, to break down the stereotype,â€?

Brown said.

Self said she was glad to be able to give Oklahomans some good news during the pandemic and felt that this project was able to bring some unity to the community. “It just felt like this ember that we could rally around and maybe spark a fire again,� Self said. “And I feel like we’ve done it. The response the last couple of days has been amazing.�

Sam Tonkins

samantha.tonkins@ou.edu

Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg January 26, 2021 ACROSS 1 Sidewalk art supply 6 See 15-Across 10 Pop singer Del Rey 14 Diameter halves 15 With 6-Across, phone number part in parentheses 16 Aircraft designer Sikorsky 17 Elizabeth ___ makeup 18 Word before “admiral� or “axle�

19 Sandpaper statistic 20 It should be placed carefully 21 Apt jobs for Cliff and Glen?

24 “Holy smokes!�

26 Over-the-top adorable 27 Trade ___ (Coca-Cola’s recipe, e.g.)

29 India’s first Prime Minister 31 Cry of dismay 32 Apt jobs for Ace and Jack?

36 Make public, as grievances 37 Lost-at-sea signal 39 Start of school?

40 2018 Wall St. move for Spotify 1/26

41 Apt jobs for Bud and Herb?

44 Pizza place?

45 Island country south of Sicily 46 Crown sparklers 48 Harden into bone 51 Easier to reach, say 53 Apt jobs for Jimmy and Rob? 55 Truck stop idler 58 Fir, for one 59 Sacha Baron Cohen character before “Borat�

60 Kitchen appliance choice 62 Taj Mahal’s city 63 DNA sequence 64 Squabbles 65 Cosmetic car flaw 66 Oracle 67 Frank Beard is this band’s beardless member DOWN 1 Chesapeake Bay catch 2 Loser in an Aesop fable 3 Online shopping button with a + 4 No-no on the stand 5 Exclamation after a diagonal move 6 Billiards ricochet

7 Seasoning in many Italian dishes 8 Beloved 9 Swimmers’ maladies 10 Show sudden joy 11 Say “Me, too!�

12 Gritty crime films 13 Like a creative type 22 Cook’s encouragement 23 Runs smoothly, as an engine 25 Pay stub abbr.

27 Former Swedish automaker 28 Lovestruck boy in “Call Me by Your Name�

30 Squeaks by, with “out�

32 Hushed “Hey, you!�

33 Whitewater rapids conveyance

34 German automaker 35 Twins, sometimes 37 Major mix-up 38 Auto garage fire hazards 42 Exclamation of exhaustion 43 Mark left by a bikini 44 Be behind 46 Loose change holder 47 Artificial 48 Legs of an arachnid, numerically 49 Army base nickname 50 Rigidly rule-enforcing 52 Rarin’ to go 54 Joy 56 Contact ___ (email, phone number, etc.)

57 (Oh, my!)

61 B’way’s “Les ___�

PREVIOUS ANSWER PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

1/25 Š 2021 Andrews McMeel Universal 11/17 Š 2020www.upuzzles.com Andrews McMeel Universal www.upuzzles.com

Men at Work by Greg Johnson

4

SPORTS

• Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2021

Manek recovers, faces K-State Sooners forward suffers freak lung accident, COVID-19 AUSTIN CURTRIGHT @AustinCurtright

When Brady Manek returned to Norman after OU’s 76-61 loss to No. 2 Baylor on Jan. 6, something felt off.

The next morning, Brady had precautionary tests run at a hospital by the team on his chest and lower back after a collision with Baylor guard Mark Vital with 15:41 remaining in the first half.

Brady hit his head on the court, and was bleeding from his mouth after being called for a blocking foul.

He was diagnosed with pneumomediastinum — air leaking from the lungs into the chest cavity — from the hit, his mom Tina told The Daily. Additionally, Brady had a bruised lung.

Both injuries caused significant pain in his neck, chest and lower back, and because he was so sore from the hit, Tina said, head OU athletics doctor Brock Schnebel didn’t want Brady to return to his room off OU’s campus alone. Schnebel suggested he returned to his home in Harrah, approximately 45 minutes from Norman.

Brady talked about being sore and undergoing tests after the Baylor game in a press conference Jan. 21, but never specified the extent of the injury.

Later the day of the tests, Brady’s mother, Tina, met him at McBride Orthopedic Hospital in Oklahoma City — where Schnebel works — and drove him home. Tina expected to care for Brady, her 22-year-old son, during his injury and planned for him to recover at home before the Sooners’ game two days later against Kansas on Jan. 9. But then the unexpected happened.

Brady had been sleeping all day, without eating due to his headache. When he woke up to watch his brother, Kellen, play in his season

Senior forward Brady Manek shoots the ball during the game against UTSA on Dec. 3, 2020.

opener for Southeastern Oklahoma State the night of Jan. 7, Schnebel called Brady and informed him that he’d tested positive for COVID-19.

What followed for the 6-foot-9 forward was perhaps the most challenging 11 days of his life before he returned to action Jan. 19 against Kansas State.

From testing positive for COVID-19, to dealing with a serious injury and missing two games in his senior year, Brady quarantined with his mother, who was in contact tracing for the virus due to being around him — his dad was in quarantine at the family’s lake house — as they watched Brady’s teammates at OU play from his couch in one of the strangest sports seasons in history.

As of Jan. 23, OU has

played 13 games, with two cancellations and two postponements. College basketball scheduling has been chaotic due to the pandemic, with every Big 12 team having to postpone at least a game thus far.

“It’s just a weird thing, weird season,” Brady said in a press conference Jan. 21. “We got West Virginia, OSU shutting down, got me being out, you get players taken out, teams taken out. I mean we didn’t play the first few games of the season.

“It’s just constant and it’s definitely something you get ready for especially having so much time off before the season, and you just gotta get prepared for it and make the most out of the games that you do get to play.”

The events meant Brady

missed a game for the first time in his college career, and ended his streak of 100 consecutive starts as he watched OU’s nail biting road loss to then-No. 6 Kansas.

“It’s been a crazy couple of weeks for the Maneks,” Tina told The Daily in an i n t e r v i e w Ja n . 2 1 . “ We watched both games he missed and he would look at me and say ‘This is really strange to be sitting here and having to watch this without being involved.’”

During their quarantine, Tina to ok Brady’s temperature every four hours to monitor his bruised lung and make sure there were no signs of pneumonia while Brady rested to get over the virus. The pair bonded over Netflix and spent one-on-one time t o g e t h e r t hat n o r ma l l y

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

doesn’t happen during the season.

Fortunately, Tina tested negative for the virus the next week and Brady had mild symptoms, although he couldn’t smell or taste.

“I’m a registered nurse on top of everything,” Tina said. “So my mother mode and my nurse mode kick in when my kids don’t feel good or are injured. It’s always nice to have him here and to be able to baby him. … It’s not your normal semester. … I was thankful to be there with him.”

Coincidentally, Kellen started experiencing symptoms after the opening game of his redshirt senior season, on top of which he re-fractured his foot. Kellen tested positive for COVID19 on Jan. 12 and had been quarantined at the family’s lake house with his dad.

After quarantining with Tina, Brady returned to campus Jan. 18 for a series of tests before rejoining the team. He received an X-ray on his lungs to check the air in his chest and was deemed fit to play, then was administered cardiac tests to ensure it was safe to play after having the virus.

Brady scored six points off the bench Jan. 19 in the Sooners’ 76-50 win over Kansas State. He played just 11 minutes, and head coach L o n K r u g e r s a i d B ra d y logged just one practice before the game and wasn’t back “in game shape” quite yet.

“It’s great to see him out there,” Kruger said after the game against Kansas State.

“I didn’t know if he’d be able to get out there but it’s good to get him out there, get his feet wet (and) get down a shot.”

Before returning to play, Brady did the only conditioning he could: running sprints alone outside his Harrah home.

Kruger knew Brady would need time before regaining his full strength, and opted for a four-guard lineup against Kansas State that’s shown success in Brady’s absence. Yet, Brady’s quicker-than-expected recovery is a testament to the type of player he is.

“Brady has always been a ver y, ver y hard worker,” said Tina, who played college basketball at Oklahoma Christian and was an Oklahoma All-State selection in high school. “A lot of Brady’s work goes on behind the scenes. Brady has always been a hard worker and I don’t expect that to change.

“This pandemic has made it harder for him because he can’t just come and go into the gym like they have in the past. But, he’s going to work and do what he needs to do to get back to where he needs to be. And I have no doubt in that.”

Austin Curtright

austincurtright@ou.edu

Sooners best Kansas in upset win at home Harmon leads team amid ‘tough’ week of family loss AUSTIN CURTRIGHT @AustinCurtright

Sophomore guard De’Vion Harmon was elated.

As the upset stood complete, and the Sooners had beaten No. 9 Kansas at home for the third time in the past four seasons, Harmon was smiling. He embraced fellow guard Austin Reaves near the free-throw line and was all over the court postgame, from ESPN’s TV interview to taking pictures with young fans.

Behind the smile, however, was a recently-turned 20-year-old college athlete, mourning the loss of Hazel Blunt, his great-grandmother, who died last week at 90. He was also thinking about former Little Elm High School coach Rusty Segler, who died at 63 this week.

Both died of cancer. Harmon looked to his family when the court cleared out after the game, and knew the cast of eight in section F4 of the Lloyd Noble Center was supporting him.

S e g l e r, w h o c o a c h e d Harmon’s friend and Denver Nuggets guard R.J Hampton in high school, developed a strong relationship with Harmon after their battles on the court in high school.

Harmon missed practice on Thursday attending his grandma’s funeral.

“It was tough,” Harmon said after the game, before taking a long pause. “I know big momma’s watching,

Sophomore guard De’Vion Harmon during OU’s game against Kansas on Jan. 23.

I know she was watching and I know she was proud.

Just going to go out there, it wasn’t about me. It wasn’t about playing Kansas. It was about giving everything I had for my teammates, for my family and for all the people who genuinely want to see me succeed.

“And I just left it all out on the court.”

Harmon did just that.

He led the Sooners with 22 points and helped hand Kansas (10-5, 4-4 Big 12) its third consecutive loss in OU’s (9-4, 5-3) 75-68 upset win Saturday in Norman.

Harmon is finally playing up to the hype he garnered in high school and finding himself as one of the Sooners’ top contributors. During OU’s

three-game winning stretch, Harmon has scored 22, 16 and 22 again, respectively.

Harmon told his fat h e r, D e o n , d u r i n g h i s great-grandmother’s funeral that she was going to be with him in spirit the rest of the season. When the COVID19 pandemic began and OU’s classes became virtual, Harmon was able to spend time with his great-grandmother, and he accompanied her while she grew weaker over five months at home.

“The court’s always been his safe place,” Deon said in an interview with The Daily.

“It’s been his way to get away from whatever reality provides him. It’s a peace of mind. As a parent, you’re

always wondering if the foundation you laid is strong enough. … For him to take all of that, and use it as fuel, it put everything into perspective for him.”

Mentally, Harmon struggled his freshman year at OU. He wasn’t playing with the same confidence he’s used to, and he wasn’t his fiery self. As a sophomore, Harmon learned from his struggles and matured, now playing with the confidence he had as a blue-chip recruit out of high school. The 6-foot-2 guard is averaging 12.8 points-per-game this season, improving his poor shooting of 36 percent from the field last season to over 47 percent this season.

Harmon said after the

TY RUSSELL/OU ATHLETICS

game that visualizing plays before it happens helped him grow, and allowed him to just “react” after the initial tip-off happens.

“I think having success is the thing that’s allowing (Harmon) to continue having success,” OU head coach Lon Kruger said after the game. “He’s playing with so much confidence right now.

He’s making shots, he’s attacking the rim. … I think just the level of confidence right now allows him to feel good about continuing to do what he’s doing, and that may seem funny, but I think right now that confidence is such a big factor, and he’s playing at a high level.”

Ha r m o n s e t t h e p a c e from the start, as he scored

OU’s first eight points in under a minute. Kansas got out to an early 5-0 lead and was commanding the pace with easy scores, but it was Harmon who responded and slowed the Jayhawks’ offense. Oklahoma went on a 12-0 run that lasted over five minutes.

The Sooners are clicking right now. Over their threegame win streak, they’ve outscored their opponents 233 to 164. With Harmon’s b re a k o u t y e a r, R e av e s’ play, senior forward Brady Manek’s return from testing positive for COVID-19 and junior guard Elijah Harkless’ energy, OU is proving to be one of the better teams in the Big 12.

With a 5-3 conference record, OU is now third in the conference standings, behind No. 2 Baylor and No. 5 Texas. The momentum from the upset win on Saturday could be huge for the Sooners, as they take on Texas on the road, and SECleading No. 18 Alabama at home next week.

Deon knew his son would break out eventually, and he just wanted him to have fun and play his game, with his great-grandmother in the back of his mind, and the hardships he faced since joining the team in 2019 in the rearview.

“Bet on yourself, be yourself,” Deon said. “And what he’s done is, he’s really taken that to heart. Everybody’s seeing that he’s getting the chance to be the best version of himself, and he’s getting to be it with his confidence.”

Austin Curtright

austincurtright@ou.edu