Mar. 23-29, 2021

W E E K LY E D I T I O N | M A R C H 2 3 - 2 9, 2 0 2 1 | O U D A I LY. C O M

NEWS

OUDAILY

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McGarry to resign from Norman City Council seat

OU’s independent student voice since before the 1918 pandemic

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXIA ASTON AND MEGAN FOISY

A graph of Oklahoma’s COVID-19 cases from January through March.

Vaccine efforts generate hope OU Chief COVID Officer, elected officials encourage vaccination, mask wearing, criticize lack of state-level mitigation efforts

ALEXIA ASTON @alexiaaston

On Feb. 5, OU Chief COVID Officer Dr. Dale Bratzler said Oklahoma ranked third in the nation for COVID-19 rates per capita in a COVID-19 update. Now, Oklahoma has left the top 10 and continues to see reduced case counts.

Bratzler and several state and local elected officials discussed the ways they think Oklahoma leaders are and aren’t handling the pandemic effectively.

With Oklahoma’s COVID19 rates declining, Norman City Council member Stephen Holman said the state has done a “seemingly good job” at rolling out free vaccines.

“It’s nice to see that our state has been able to get it together on a statewide level and get this vaccination out to the people that are willing to (take) it,” Holman said.

Bratzler said March 9 that 13.5 percent of the Oklahoma population is fully vaccinated, while about 24.7 percent has received at least one dose. He said the current vaccines generate high enough

levels of the antibodies to combat other strains of COVID-19.

Holman said he has received the vaccine and encourages other Oklahomans and Normanites to receive theirs as well.

“I definitely encourage people to (take the vaccine) so that we can get over this and go back to some sort of normalcy,” Holman said.

Minority Leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Emily Virgin (D-Norman) said she received the COVID-19 vaccine when vaccinations were offered to legislators before the beginning of their legislative session the week of Jan. 12.

“I think that it’s very important for everyone, when it’s offered to them, that they take the vaccine,” Virgin said. “Herd immunity is really important. We have to reach that critical mass for the vaccine to have effectiveness for the population as a whole.”

Virgin said the state’s former top-ten ranking in cases per capita was partially due to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s lack of safety measures such as a statewide mask mandate. “(Stitt) has sort of taken an attitude of ‘it’s a personal choice’ and

‘you should wear a mask when you think it’s necessary,’” Virgin said. “That has been really unfortunate, and I think (it) has caused our mask wearing to be fairly low when compared to other states.”

Holman said he believes the high rates were due to a “lack of a unified response” from the Oklahoma government.

“Until the vaccine arrived, by the time we got to October, November (and) December, the numbers were astronomically higher than they were when we shut everything down,” Holman said.

Holman said he believes Stitt should have enacted a statewide mask mandate. He said Stitt’s lack of executive action seemed “politically motivated.” “(Stitt) seemed reluctant to want to do much of anything when it came to (the pandemic),” Holman said. “To me, not doing it would mean not listening to medical professionals and science on the matter.”

Virgin said she believes a statewide mask mandate has not been enacted due to “political opposition” and legislators’ concern for “political repercussions.”

“The governor is up for reelection in 2022, and that’s something that I think is coming into play here,” Virgin said. “The science is very clear on (masks), and medical experts have been calling for a statewide mask mandate for a long time now.”

Virgin said although a statewide mask mandate would have been “more helpful” earlier in the pandemic, she believes enacting a mandate now would “send an important message” on the importance of masking.

“The things that we know … slow the spread are mask wearing and physical distance, and I think that we still have to stress those,” Virgin said. “Enforcement might be more difficult. … I think that we should send that message from the state level, rather than forcing cities and other local governments to enforce these and individual businesses and employees having to enforce these mandates rather than having authority from the state.”

Bratzler said a statewide mask mandate could have helped prevent the surge of cases in Oklahoma following the holiday season.

Oklahoma’s provisional death count for COVID-19 is 7,636 at the time of publication. Provisional death counts are based on death certificates as the “most reliable source of data,” according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“There are multiple studies that have shown that both cities or states that have had mask mandates have lower rates of transmission of the virus,” Bratzler said.

“Locations that put into place mask mandates have lower rates of infection cases and death.”

Virgin also said Oklahoma’s ranking in general health outcomes is another factor contributing to the spread of COVID19 within the state. Oklahoma is ranked 43rd in the nation in health outcomes. Health outcomes are changes in health that result from measures or specific care investments or interventions, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

“When you have a population that’s already unhealthier than in other states, then your rates of severe infection and death are see COVID page 2

‘She gave us the opportunity to dream’ Head coach Sherri Coale retires after 25 years at the helm MASON YOUNG @Mason_Young_0

Sherri Coale has an obsession.

That’s what she called her passion for developing young women and teaching basketball, which steadily grew after the Oklahoma native fell in love with the sport during the fifth grade. Twenty-five years later, she’s gone from smalltown Healdton to the Hall of Fame and is now closing the book on her storied career.

Coale, 56, announced Wednesday she’s retiring from coaching, a move that comes after the last years of her career were fundamentally different from the past two decades. In an, at times, emotional Zoom press

TY RUSSELL/OU ATHLETICS

Head coach Sherri Coale during her retirement press conference March 17.

conference, called on little more than an hour’s notice, alongside OU President Joseph Harroz and athletics director Joe Castiglione, she reflected on her time at OU on Wednesday morning.

“Sherri is not just an exceptional coach,” Harroz said. “She’s so much bigger than that. … She drove our program of women’s basketball to a place of prominence and everyone in the Sooner

nation, every one of us and well beyond, even those that aren’t sports fans, have been impacted by Sherri Coale and the role model that she is.”

After playing at and graduating from Oklahoma Christian University, Coale began her coaching career with two seasons as an assistant at Edmond Memorial High School. From there, she jumped to Norman High and took over a dismal program that, after going 11-12 in her first year, never again had a losing record under her leadership and won two Class 6A state titles.

Coale faced a tall order again at Oklahoma, which dropped its program in 1990 due to subpar performance before reinstating it shortly thereafter. The average per-game attendance in 1990 was 65 people and from 1990-96, the program posted a mediocre 91-81 record. Coale was hired by former

athletic director Donnie Duncan in 1996 following the retirement of Burl Plunkett.

“The task was a big one and it was not for the faint of heart,” Coale said. “But I so wanted to build a place where Oklahoma kids could come and have a chance to win a championship.

A place that would be adequately reflecting of this great institution and this amazing state, and 25 years later I still cannot believe the ride that Oklahoma women’s basketball has taken me on. I have had the time of my life.”

She responded to the challenge with a 513-294 career record, 10 Big 12 titles and 20 postseason appearances, including 19-straight NCAA tournaments from 19992018. Coale took OU to the Final Four in 2002, 2009 and 2010, with the Sooners losing the national see COALE page 4

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NEWS

• Mar. 23-29, 2021

City councilmember to resign from Ward 2 seat OU professor to leave Norman following job offer

SCREENSHOT FROM OU HEALTH FACEBOOK LIVESTREAM

Luminaires were lit as part of the ceremony to commemorate Oklahomans lost to COVID-19 over the past year.

BLAKE DOUGLAS @Blake_Doug918

No r m a n Wa r d 2 C i t y Councilmember and OU Professor Matt McGarry will resign from the seat he won just over a month ago.

In a March 18 interview with The Daily, McGarry confirmed he would resign as Ward 2’s councilmember, effective March 23. McGarry said although the move was unplanned, he was offered a notable position related to his field of study but chose not to reveal the title yet. The new job will move McGarry out of Norman.

McGarry was sworn into office Feb. 25 and attended two council meetings during his tenure as Ward 2 councilmember. McGarry said he will attend the March 23 meeting.

McGarry is the Russian language program coordinator at OU, according to his faculty biography. In addition to teaching the language, McGarry has conducted research on Russian l i t e r a t u re, s p e c i f i c a l l y “on ethics of history and the rhetoric of reading in Russian prose and poetry.”

“I might catch flak from a lot of people. ... People might say, ‘Well why would you run for council if you were going to leave,’” McGarry said.

“This wasn’t planned, but it is a position you just can’t say no to. ... People in this field, where there’s really only two or three ‘real’ jobs,

‘We’ve been marked by darkness’ OU Health honors Oklahoman lives lost in ceremony ALEXIA ASTON

@alexiaaston

PHOTO PROVIDED

OU Russian professor Matt McGarry.

will respect that.”

According to official results from the Oklahoma State Election Board website, McGarry secured 51.34 percent of Ward 2 votes during the Feb. 9 municipal elections. The only other candidate to receive significant votes in Ward 2 was Unite-Norman-backed Jay Wendorff, who received 42.25 percent of votes.

McGarry’s short tenure continues a trend in Ward 2 over the last year. Former Ward 2 Councilmember L. David Perry died unexpectedly in August 2020, less than two months after being

sworn into the office he won in the February 2020 municipal elections.

Following Perry’s death, Ward 2 passed to Joe Carter, w h o w a s a p p o i n t e d by the council during its Oct. 13, 2020 meeting. Carter, who had previously served as Ward 2 councilmember from 2018 to 2020, did not seek reelection in the February 2021 contest.

According to Article II, Section 22 of the Norman city charter, a vacancy created by resignation will be filled “by a majority vote of the remaining members of the City Council” until the

next municipal election, which will be held alongside regularly scheduled elections to fill the remaining term.

McGarry’s successor will hold the seat until the Feb. 2022 municipal elections if the city council chooses to fill the seat by appointment within 60 days. If not, a special election will be called to fill the seat, according to the charter.

Jillian Taylor contributed to this report.

Blake Douglas

bdoug99@ou.edu

OU community denounces antiAsian violence, discrimination Administrators, AASA condemn Atlanta shootings BLAKE DOUGLAS @Blake_Doug918

OU administrators and the Asian American Student Association condemned recent hate crimes targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders after a year of rising incidents and the March 16 shooting in Atlanta that left eight dead, including six women of Asian descent.

The OU Asian American Student Association published its statement Wednesday, writing it was “disgusted to witness the rise in violent attacks” against its community across the U.S. and the world.

“We are deeply saddened, repulsed, angered and continue to mourn as the Asian community is being targeted and attacked,” the statement

COVID: continued from page 1

going to be higher,” Virgin said. “But, I think really what we’ve seen is that we just haven’t enacted enough measures from the state level to get this under control.”

Holman said he’s “certainly aware” of parties and large gatherings on and near campus regarding OU’s potential contribution towards the local and statewide spread of COVID-19.

“Five hundred (students) at one event or party (in) someone’s backyard is a pretty big deal,” Holman said. “I understand why students want to go to the parties … but I think it (has) not helped the situation

read. “AASA is in solidarity with the community, and our members, and condemns all forms of violence against Asians as well as other minoritized communities.”

In the statement, AASA wrote “it is okay” for community members to “take some time to breathe, grieve, and process (their) feelings.”

The full AASA statement, as well as information on upcoming “action plan” events, a list of resources and places to donate to combat anti-Asian and Pacific Islander violence can be viewed on the AASA’s Instagram post.

Although investigators have not yet ruled out racism as a motivation for the Atlanta attack, the suspect, 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, told police he targeted massage parlors due to a “sexual addiction.”

Independent of the Atlanta attack, reports of anti-Asian and Pacific Islander hate crimes have risen dramatically since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last

at all.”

Virgin said although she doesn’t believe OU specifically contributed to Oklahoma’s high COVID-19 rates, a “larger population coming and going” does contribute to the state’s rates.

“I think that our leadership at OU has been pretty proactive in sending that message that masks are required,” Virgin said. “And the same from our leadership at the city level (with) the mayor saying masks are required.”

Bratzler said individuals between the ages of 15 and 25 could have potentially developed some level of herd immunity.

“That’s the group that was spreading the disease — the engine of the pandemic,” Bratzler said. “We think that some of those infection rates

year, according to NPR, which has published an extensive catalog of articles on the surge in violence.

Since the start of the pandemic, Stop AAPI Hate, an organization that tracks hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, has received more than 2,800 reported incidents, according to NPR. In a Wednesday afternoon email to the OU community, OU-Norman administrators, including OU President Joseph Harroz, Dean of the College of International Studies Scott Fritzen, interim Senior Vice President and Provost Jill Irvine, Dean of Students David Surratt and Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Belinda Higgs Hyppolite condemned the Atlanta shooting and other attacks.

“It’s with deep sadness and horror that we write today in response to the recent upsurge in anti-Asian violence and discrimination,” the email

read. “Yesterday’s murders in the Atlanta area are the most recent reminder of appalling acts of violence that have disparately affected the Asian community both historically and throughout the course of the pandemic. The marked rise in acts of anti-Asian hatred and violence — which have often targeted women — is deplorable.”

In the email, administrators wrote xenophobia and racism have “no place” at OU and called on the OU community to “continue to reject hatred and violence.” The statement included mental health resources for all OU campuses.

“Counselors can be reached at 405-325-2911 (for OU-Norman), 405-271-7336 (for the OU Health Sciences Center), or 918-660-3109 (for OU-Tulsa) to make an appointment,” the statement read.

Blake Douglas

bdoug99@ou.edu

ILLUSTRATION BY MEGAN FOISY/THE DAILY

became so high that they actually developed some degree of herd immunity.”

Bratzler said although he cannot predict it, studies have shown other coronaviruses that infect humans are

seasonal. He said this might cause the virus to disappear in the spring and the summer and peak next fall and winter.

“Here’s the scenario that I see happening: I think we may do well over the spring

OU Health hosted a virtual ceremony of remembrance on the anniversary of the first COVID-19 death in Oklahoma on Thursday night.

According to an OU Health press release, March 18, 2020 is when the first Oklahoman died of COVID-19. OU Health hosted the ceremony to acknowledge the death as well as other lives lost to the virus since.

OU Health President and Chief Executive O f f i c e r C hu ck Sp i c e r began the ceremony citing the more than 7,000 COVID-19 deaths in Oklahoma in a year also spent grappling with racial inequality.

“Let it be a reminder that we survived not one pandemic, but pandemics to become one human race to g ether where all lives are valued,” Spicer said. “Black Lives Matter, and the Asian American lives that have been impacted. We’ve been marked by darkness.”

Assistant Profess or of Medicine at the OU School of Community Medicine Dr. Jabraan Pasha said COVID-19 started as a “problem somewhere else,” prog re s s e d i n t o “a l i t t l e more than an inconvenience,” then it became an “uncertainty.” “ We w o r r i e d a b o u t our health. We worried about the health of our family (and) the health of our friends,” Pasha said. “We worried about keeping our jobs, keeping our lights on (and) keeping food on the table. I think about the surreal feeling in the hospital hallway best — described as a deafening silence as we waited.”

Infectious disease expert at the OU Children’s Hospital Dr. Donna Tyungu reflected on the beginning of

and summer (with) warm weather (and) people are outdoors,” Bratzler said. “Where we have to be worried is next fall because if you have groups of people who don’t get vaccinated, they could be susceptible to the infection.”

With OU planning to reopen campus to full capacity in the fall, Holman said he is hopeful. He said the Norman City Council could lift the Norman mask mandate before its June 1 deadline, especially if Stitt lifted emergency rules early.

“I’m not expecting us to extend the mandate again after the first of June,” Holman said.

“At this point, I don’t think we will. I think we’re going to be in a position where we won’t need to.”

Bratzler said while it’s too early to decide whether OU’s

the pandemic, recalling the initial outbreak in China. She said she worried about her family and colleagues, adding “but we thank God that this pandemic spared the majority of our children.”

“We understand that w e are not out of the woods yet,” Tyungu said.

“As we stand here, some states are seeing cases r i s e, b u t a s w e m ov e forward, with cautious optimism, we won’t forget the thousands of Oklahomans we have lost. We hope to honor their memories by lives well lived, learning from the mistakes of our distant and recent past.”

OU College of Medicine assistant professor of medicine Dr. Tony Abdo said COVID19 did not discriminate.

He said the pandemic has been an “emotional rollercoaster.”

“This pandemic has been humbling,” Abdo said. “It made us appreciate the little things that we took for granted.

It also brought the best and worst in each person, but let’s try to look for the good in others.

Let’s remember the act of kindness, selflessness and courage that we witness during this pandemic.”

The ceremony concluded with about 7,000 luminaires in front of the hospital’s new patient tower and water feature representing the Oklahomans who have died due to COVID-19.

“I know this evening, when I look at the lights, I see hope and I see promise,” OU Health S ciences Vice Provost Jill Raines said.

“I see hope that the things we’re doing — the masking, the social distancing,the vaccinating — hope that (it) will continue to make a difference for us. I also see promise — a promise to the individuals represented by each of these l u m i na r i e s a n d t h e i r families and friends that we will not forget.”

Alexia Aston

alexiaaston@ou.edu

mask mandate will continue through the fall, there is “good data” that masks protect people from infection even in short distances. He said he would like to see the COVID-19 rates per capita in Oklahoma below five before ending these mitigation efforts.

Holman said while the pandemic has been stressful, he can see a “light at the end of the tunnel.”

“I think that, for some of us, (it’s) going to take a while for us as a society … to heal from it,” Holman said. “Hopefully, with the vaccines and the rate (at) which people are getting them, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and we can get through this.”

Alexia Aston

alexiaaston@ou.edu

CULTURE

Mar. 23-29, 2021 •

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Drive-in event fosters inclusion Colombian Cultural Night celebrates ethnic diversity, identity ROBERT LOAYZA @robertlovnews

OU’s Colombian Student Association will celebrate its 20th anniversary of the Colombian Cultural Night event with a drive-in at the Lloyd Noble Center parking lot.

The association’s faculty advisor Andres Gonzalez said the event will incorporate traditional Colombian dances, food and contests.

Attendees will be able to see the pre-recorded performances on large screens from their cars and participate in the contests using social media.

This year’s event is titled “Where the Mountains Reach the Sky,” a theme centered around Colombia’s Andean region. Gonzalez said the region is known for its cultural and ethnic diversity and for being one of the

main producers and exporters of coffee, flowers and emeralds in the world.

“In this event, students will perform different dances that emphasize the region’s multicultural roots and Colombian identity,” Gonzalez said. “We are really happy to showcase all the beauty that comes whenever we embrace that diversity and promote the integration of different cultures.”

Members of the Colombian Student Association and a group of children, Gonzalez said, will perform dances from different parts of the region, including San Juanero, Carranga, Pasillo and Reggaeton. He said attendees will be able to experience the influence of African, Indigenous and European rhythms on the dances.

Vo l u n t e e r s f r o m t h e Colombian Student Association will distribute food boxes to each car to maintain COVID-19 safety protocols. The boxes will contain beef, chicken or vegetarian arepas, which are

VIA THE COLOMBIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION’S INSTAGRAM PAGE

A digital flyer for the 2021 Colombian Night drive-in event

traditional Colombian corn patties from the Andean region, Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said there will be a pre-recorded video about the 20 years of the

association which will talk about the association’s impact at OU and its notable alumni’s impact in society.

A m a s t e r o f c e re m o nies will be in charge of

introducing the American and Colombian national anthems and the contests, which will allow members of COLSA to see if the attendees paid attention to the different explanations of the dances, Gonzalez said.

People will also have the chance to participate in a contest to choose the best photos from the Colombian Andean region. They can submit their photos using social media, and the most liked photos will be displayed live at the event for a chance to win.

“Our sponsors will sponsor the prizes which usually range from baskets with different types of foods or gifts, gift certificates to different restaurants or places to buy things, t-shirts from the Colombian Student Association and coffee that is brought directly from Colombia,” Gonzalez said.

Every year, COLSA gives scholarships to deserving students at the university, based not only on their socioeconomic needs but also on their participation helping the Colombian Student

Association, Gonzalez said. This year, the scholarships will be presented and awarded live at the event.

To apply for a COLSA scholarship, students must become members of the association.

The event will take place March 27. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m., and the cultural show will start at 8 p.m. at the Lloyd Noble Center parking lot.

Tickets, which include dinner and the show, can be purchased on the association’s website for $10 for students, $15 for general admission and free for members.

“It is not only vital to promote diversity but also inclusion to make sure that the different communities here at the university are talking to each other, learning from each other and working with each other,” Gonzalez said.

“So the event is precisely to show the community that when we work together, things actually get better.”

Robert Loayza roblov@ou.edu

Mr. & Miss Asian OU to represent culture Asian American Student Association releases event trailer SILAS BALES

Culture Reporter

OU ’s Asian American Student Association released a trailer on social media for the 2021 Mr. & Miss Asian OU Scholarship Pageant this April. The trailer announced this year’s event and revealed the seven contestants.

The OU Asian American Student Association puts on this annual event to award scholarships to leaders on campus who represent the Asian American community, according to a YouTube video from OUAASA. “The goal of this competition is to give Asian American leaders on campus a platform to proudly share their culture,” said event chair Audrey Given

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

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Beth Wallis Abby Tow Francisco Gutierrez Megan Foisy Seth Prince

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The Editorial Board, which consists of student editors, meets Monday to Thursday in Copeland Hall, Room 160. The newsroom is open to the public.

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ad sales. Multiple scholarships will be given out — two for each of the following places, Given said.

First place will receive $500, and the runner up will receive $250. Winners of Best Interview and Best Talent will receive $200, and the winners of the Social Media category and Congeniality will receive $100.

Lastly, the winner of the Crowd Favorite category will be awarded however much money is raised from people voting on their favorite contestant.

Given said that the event is not only open to students but also the entire commuSCREENSHOT OF MMAOU TEASER nity and invites anyone who The 2021 Mr. and Miss Asian OU will be 7-9 p.m. April 17 in Meacham Auditorium. would like to come and watch the pageant.

Hoang, an accounting and fi- chemical biosciences ju- competition are Native Wear, in an email to The Daily.

Individuals can follow nior; Dung Nguyen, a chem- Talent, On-Stage Interview OUAASA on Instagram or The three men competing nance sophomore.

The four women compet- ical biosciences junior; and for Mr. Asian OU are Tommy Twitter to stay up to date. and Crowd Favorite. There Phan, a microbiology junior; ing for Miss Asian OU are Aiman Saleemi, a biomedical will also be a category of social Saad Anwar, a biochemis- Rena Sun, a biology soph- engineering sophomore.

Silas Bales The categories for the media contest and ticket and try freshman; and Andrew omore; Lauren Nguyen, a silasbales@ou.edu

Enterprise Editor Culture Editor Copy Chief Art Director Staff Adviser

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One free copy of The Daily is available to members of the OU community. Additional copies may be purchased for 25 cents by contacting The Daily business office at 405-325-2521.

Corrections: The Daily is committed to accuracy in its publications. If you find an error in a story, email dailynews@ou.edu or visit oudaily.com/site/corrections. html to submit a correction form.

VOL. 107, NO. 9 Copyright 2021 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25 cents

Previous Solution

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.

HOROSCOPE

By Eugenia Last

Copyright 2020, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last Let your creativity flow this year, and you’ll come up with something new and exciting. Invent fresh ways to socialize, and share with people who are as innovative and conscientious as you. Put your heart and soul into improving relationships and taking on a challenge that supports a cause or your community.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Attend a virtual networking event that interests you. Anger will set in if you sit back instead of taking action. It’s up to you to do your part if you want to make a difference.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Make a positive change at home.

Be willing to do the work yourself, and you’ll feel good about your accomplishment. Speak up about matters that concern you, and resolve issues swiftly.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Be careful not to lead someone on.

Honesty will help you maintain a good rapport with others without jeopardizing your reputation or your integrity. Learn the lessons of experience.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Consider what you are trying to achieve, and gather the information that will help you reach your goal.

Don’t jeopardize your health in order to advance. Know when to say no or cut your losses.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Improve your life, looks and relationships with others. Concentrate on being the best you can be. Offer kindness, support and understanding to the people around you. Romance looks promising.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- You’ll get help from people who share your

concerns. Speak up and do your best to make a difference. Anger will solve nothing, but physically taking responsibility will pay off.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Set out on a pilgrimage that will lead to valuable information. Educational pursuits will open your mind to all sorts of exciting possibilities. Share something special with a loved one.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Uncertainty will hold you back.

Concentrate on what’s required to reach your destination and put everything in place. A minimalist lifestyle is encouraged if you want to avoid setbacks.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Don’t be fooled by someone trying to part you from your hard-earned cash. Set ground rules at home or with anyone you share expenses with. You cannot buy love or respect.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Refuse to take chances with your health. Make adjustments to the way you live or how you handle your money to ease stress and foster better decisions.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Put your energy where it counts, and you’ll get good results. Home improvements will encourage you to take better care of yourself and those you love. Don’t get angry; let go of the past and begin again.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Concentrate on creative ideas and living life your way. Don’t get stuck in a rut when change is necessary. Reach out to someone you enjoy collaborating with, and you’ll get good results.

Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg March 23, 2021 ACROSS 1 Expire, as a subscription 6 Some movie theaters 10 Animal that oinks 13 Portion out 14 Put on a pouty face 15 Raunchy writing 17 Miso and udon dishes 18 *Improvise (see letters 6 to 9 in this answer) 20 Get-together, casually 21 Where poodles are pampered 22 “Midsommar” director Aster 23 *Home in a tall building (7 to 12) 26 Arcade game pioneer 27 Precursor to rocksteady 28 Number that shares a key with @ 29 Problem 33 Poodle’s annoyance 37 *1979 Rod Stewart hit whose title is a question (1 to 3) 41 The “S” of GPS: Abbr.

42 Aetna competitor 43 Overtime cause 44 Hosp. surgical areas 47 Windshield hazard

3/23

49 *Shared characteristics (4 to 8) 55 80, for Dr. Fauci 56 Professional pursuit 57 Showroom model 60 Workplace respite, and a hint to the starred answers’ indicated letters 62 Consume completely 63 Rogen of “Steve Jobs” 64 Kept in the email loop 65 Like a fresh muffin 66 Retirement benefits org.

67 Egg farm mothers 68 Poker entry fees DOWN 1 Glasgow girl 2 Hand cream additive 3 Teddy bears, e.g.

4 Bush of “One Tree Hill” 5 Mars rovers, perhaps?: Abbr.

6 According to 7 Prefix meaning “many” 8 School group 9 Uses a certain video chat program 10 K-pop star who rose to fame in 2012

11 “To be clear ...”

12 Watch over 16 The Chicks, e.g.

19 Support with funds 21 Engage in an online scam 24 Stick-toitiveness 25 Bumbling ones 26 Out of town 28 Six-pt. plays 30 (This wasn’t my error) 31 College, in British slang 32 Heart test, briefly 34 “We need proof!”

35 Walk off the stage 36 Assent that sounds like a vowel 38 Molecule component 39 Conclude through logic

40 “Mary Magdalene” star Rooney 45 Loser to paper 46 Grab 48 Most likely to win 49 Airport-tohotel transports 50 Folklore meanies 51 Swim team events 52 Blink of an eye 53 Macho sorts 54 Plants used in basketry 58 Creative inspiration 59 Goes (for) 61 “I figured it out!”

62 Thurman of “Gattaca”

PREVIOUS ANSWER PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

3/22 3/16

© 2021 Andrews McMeel Universal © 2021www.upuzzles.com Andrews McMeel Universal www.upuzzles.com

Holding Periods by Zhouqin Burnikel

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SPORTS

• Mar. 23-29, 2021

Sooners sweep Team Mexico OU softball in good shape ahead of World Series PRESS JOHNSON @pressjohnson2

Senior infielder Grace Lyons stepped up to the plate with two runners on in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Oklahoma was holding a comfortable 9-3 lead over Team Mexico and Lyons was looking to add to it. She launched the first pitch she saw over the left field fence to not just add to the lead, but end the game.

No. 1 Oklahoma (22-0) runruled Team Mexico, 12-3, in five innings March 21 to sweep the Olympic-bound team. The sweep was an outcome many didn’t see coming, but for the Sooners, it was expected.

“We knew we were playing elite athletes and I was really proud of our team,” head coach Patty Gasso said in a March 19 press conference.

“We wanted to make a statement early and grab the first game and we did it.”

The March 19 matchup was highlighted by senior catcher Lynnsie Elam. Elam, who has been splitting time with sophomore catcher Kinzie Hansen behind the plate, hasn’t played much this season for OU. She was a two-year starter heading into this season, but with the stacked Sooner lineup, Gasso is having a tough time finding ways to get her involved. When she got her chance during the weekend,

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Freshman utility Jayda Coleman during the game against Liberty in the Hall of Fame Tournament at the USA Softball Hall Of Fame Stadium on March 14.

she delivered. Elam went 4-for-4 in the first game of the series leading OU with three RBIs and a solo home run.

“I’m really proud of Lynnsie Elam,” Gasso said. “She got her opportunity and made the most of it. I was really impressed.”

The weekend was dominated by OU in all areas of play. Offensively, Oklahoma put up 25 runs over the three games, including 11 and 12 run performances.

On March 20, freshman Tiare Jennings stole the show.

In a game that ended in a final score of 2-1, runs were at a premium. Jennings was one of just two Sooners who tallied

more than one hit, going 3-for3 on the day including a walkoff single.

Jennings shined even with Team Mexico ace Sierra Hyland, one of the top pitchers in the world, in the circle.

She shut down OU for most of the game, but Jennings showed she might be one of the best hitters in the world, lining three singles in her three at-bats.

“She has turned herself into something unbelievable,” Gasso said of Jennings in a March 20 press conference. “I don’t know if I have ever seen a freshman at that level since I have been coaching. Her swing is almost mechanically

perfect, and her decision making is incredible.”

March 21 saw a plethora of Sooners contribute. OU put up 12 runs on 15 hits and three home runs, including the walk-off run-rule blast

by Lyons. The Sooners have shown this season it doesn’t matter who’s in the lineup.

They’ll have nine players who can get the job done and put runs on the board if needed.

OU’s pitching staff also impressed against the Team Mexico lineup over the series.

The Sooners got complete games from seniors Giselle “G” Juarez and Shannon Saile.

Juarez was dominant to open up the series March

19. She went six innings, allowing just two hits, no runs, two walks and recorded four strikeouts. Saile came on in relief of Juarez to close the game out, going the final inning and retiring the side in order.

Juarez, who’s performance could have impacted her chances of playing for Team Mexico in the future, had arguably her best performance of the season in the March 19 matchup.

“Giselle finds herself in an interesting spot fighting for a spot on Team Mexico right now,” Gasso said March 19.

“She really made a statement with her performance tonight.

COALE: continued from page 1

title game to Connecticut during that first trip.

In sentiments to OU Daily editors in 2017, Coale said she laughed at an interviewer who once asked if she’d consider her career a failure without a national title. Instead she pointed to a letter inside guard Derica Wyatt’s locker as her own championship trophy. The letter, written unbeknownst to Coale by former guard Whitney Hand-Jones to the locker’s future owner, gave 10 tips she’d learned under Coale’s tutelage she hoped to pass on to the next great Oklahoma player.

“If that’s what we leave our CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY players with,” Coale said, “then Former Sooner basketball players Buddy Hield and Trae Young stand with OU women’s basketball coach Sherri Coale at the I don’t need a trophy.” game against UCLA on September 2018.

‘A PIVOTAL MOMENT’ As Coale and Stacy Hansmeyer sat together on the bench inside Boise State’s ExtraMile Arena in 2002, they were having a moment of deja vu.

Coale and Hansmeyer had experienced dominance in 1996, the duo’s final year together at Norman High before departing for Oklahoma and Connecticut, respectively. In the Class 6A State Championship game, the Coale-led Tigers, captained by Hansmeyer, soundly defeated Sapulpa High, 73-35.

In the second half of the 2002 NCAA West Regional Finals, Coale in her sixth season leading the Sooners and Hansmeyer in her first year as an OU assistant were watching similar dominance. Their squad ran up the score on No. 3 seed Colorado, eventually winning 94-60. Oklahoma punched its ticket to the program’s first Final Four appearance before a trip to the NCAA championship game. At that moment Coale’s OU basketball renaissance was only beginning to surface.

“We had such a huge win in our state championship game, and then just to have that game that felt like a similar moment we’d lived before in the game to go to the Final Four, it was such an exciting time,” Hansmeyer told The Daily on March 17. “And such a pivotal moment for the OU women’s basketball team.”

A four-time Big 12 Coach of the Year, Coale filled Norman’s

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SUE OGROCKI/AP

OU women’s basketball head coach Sherri Coale during a basketball practice Jan. 17.

Oklahoma head coach Sherri Coale, right, attends to guard Whitney Hand (25) after Hand injured herself in the first half of a women’s NCAA college basketball game against North Texas in Norman on December 2012.

Lloyd Noble Center with crowds it had rarely seen before her time. She’s responsible for the 50 largest home crowds in program history, highlighted by 10,713 fans against Connecticut in 1999 and 12,205 spectators against Oklahoma State in 2008.

C o a l e’s p h i l a n t h ro p y has also been prominent during her time at OU. She’s been a champion of Special Olympics, Race for the Cure, Habitat for Humanity and Oklahoma City Children’s Hospital, among other organizations. She’s also on the board of directors for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, which raises money and awareness for women’s cancer research.

She was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and is set to be added to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame this summer.

All the while, Coale has shown an unwavering

a press release two days later, saying, “it is clear that there have been moments where my intent has not been the same as my impact.” She later added in a Big 12 Conference call she attempts to provide an “environment that is inclusive for all.”

“I’m grateful to my players for letting me coach them,” Coale said Wednesday. “I have not ever taken that responsibility lightly, and the joy that comes from that I cannot put a price tag on. I want my players to know that they have left pieces of themselves with me, and that I’m the one that’s better for it.”

Coale’s retirement decision comes after a three-year stretch in which OU failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament. The Sooners finished the 2020-21 season with a 12-12 record, while playing multiple games with just six or seven players due to

commitment to helping players prepare for post-college life. Sixty-seven of her players graduated from OU, with all but one landing Academic AllBig 12 honors. She developed stars like forwards Ashley and Courtney Paris — the latter now being an assistant coach at OU — and Phylesha Whaley and guards Stacey Dales and Danielle Robinson. Her pupils hold four combined First Team All-America honors and 14 WNBA draft selections, including six first-round picks.

‘YOU WALKED THE WALK’ In the past year Coale’s character was questioned.

Over the summer, as racial justice movements spanned the nation, former players Gioya Carter and T’ona Edwards criticized her handling of racial issues on social media. Coale apologized in

COVID-19 opt-outs, injuries and academic ineligibility.

“There could not have been a better, more appropriate year for me to use as the dot of the exclamation mark on this amazing journey,” Coale said Wednesday, trying to hold back tears. “Because what they did this year was everything that I believe in most fully in the marrow of my bones.

There are more important things than winning. And what we have always been about is maximizing what we have (and) playing the heck out of the hand we’ve been dealt.”

Castiglione indicated, after Harroz said Coale chose to retire on her own terms, the search for her replacement will begin right away. He’s looking for someone who’s willing to embrace following in Coale’s legendary footsteps while trying to lead OU back to competing for titles immediately.

“We’re not going to shy away

Two hitting that team is saying something.”

After collecting the save March 19, Saile started in the circle March 20 and picked up right where she left off. She went all seven innings allowing just three hits, one run, two walks and recorded five strikeouts. Gasso had nothing but praise for pitching staff post series, a unit which only allowed four runs to an Olympic team.

“Shannon was impressive,” Gasso said. “She was ready to go eight if she needed to. She has made a big leap from last year and has been great for us so far this year.”

“I’m really loving what our pitching staff is doing right now. Doing what they did this weekend is impressive and something we can build on moving forward.”

Ultimately, Oklahoma’s dominance over Olympiclevel talent shows that it can compete on any stage. The Sooners’ ultimate stage isn’t the Olympics, but just down the road in Oklahoma City at the Women’s College World Series.

As the Sooners proved this weekend, they have the capability to compete and beat anyone in the country and will look to continue doing so as they move forward into Big 12 play next week.

The conference slate will be stout, with the Big 12 boasting three teams ranking in the top 25, but Oklahoma doesn’t seem to be intimidated by even the toughest task.

Press Johnson

preston.l.johnson-1@ou.edu

from those kinds of goals,” Castiglione said. “That’s what we are made of here. And thanks to Coach Coale. She gave us the opportunity to dream, and those players took the dream and made it a reality and showed that it could be done. And we want to be able to get back in a position where we can do it again and again and again.”

Coale’s contract was worth $1.33 million and ran through 2024, making her the athletics department’s fourth-highest paid figure behind football coach Lincoln Riley, men’s basketball coach Lon Kruger and Castiglione.

She said she has yet to plan out all of her next steps other than spending more time with her 9-day-old granddaughter Austyn. Austyn is the first child of her son and assistant coach Colton and his wife Morgan Coale, formerly Hook, who played for her from 2011-14.

Coale also mentioned her love of reading, writing, reflecting on her days as a high school English teacher, as well as speaking publicly and supporting charities as other opportunities she’s weighing in retirement. Quoting former OU football coach Barry Switzer, she announced she “might write a book.”

Above the door of OU’s locker room, there’s a sign Coale’s particularly fond of. It states “leave your story better than you found it.” At the end of her coaching career, through the many highs as well as some lows, Coale’s done just that.

“Much the sentiment or meaning of that quote was to challenge any and all to think about one’s vision of themselves,” Castiglione said. “Their purpose, their opportunities, their commitment to investing in and enriching their own lives. At every level, not just basketball. … Sherri, you didn’t just talk the talk. You walked the walk.”

Mason Young

mason.e.young-1@ou.edu

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