Monday, December 12, 2011 by OU Daily

Back to the desert Sooners look to end season with bowl victory (Page B1)

2 010 G OL D C ROW N W I N N E R

W W W.O U DA I LY.C O M

FALL 2011 FINALS WEEK

JAMES CORLEY/THE DAILY

KINGSLEY BURNS/THE DAILY

OU athletic director Joe Castiglione (left) and President David Boren laugh during a press conference with OU football coach Bob Stoops in September to announce the Big 12 Board of Directors’ decision to keep the conference together. Texas A&M and Missouri will leave the league and West Virginian and Texas Christian University will join in 2012.

Michelle Simer, multidisciplinary studies senior, smokes a cigarette on the South Oval. The tobacco committee is now looking to make OU tobacco free.

THE SEMESTER IN PHOTOS

AUBRIE HILL/THE DAILY

Students and friends hold candles while listening to stories at a candlelight vigil in September in the Unity Garden on the South Oval. The vigil marked the one-year anniversary of the suicide of Zach Harrington, a bullied, gay teen from Norman. Harrington’s suicide sparked reform among students on campus. Some of the participants officially came out of the closet as gay individuals in front of the candle-lit crowd. Leaders of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community on campus showed their support to OU students who attended the vigil.

MELODIE LETTKEMAN/THE DAILY

Contestants perform during the opening acts of the second annual Mr. Black OU pageant Nov. 16. Zoology sophomore Felton Knighton was crowned Mr. Black OU. Knighton performed a hip-hop routine for his talent and modeled in a golf athletic outfit for the active wear portion.

REmEmBERInG fALL 2011 As the semester races to a frenetic ﬁnish, the time has come to reﬂect upon the people, places and events that have shaped our collective university experience these past 16 weeks. For this reason, The Daily has compiled these photos of fall’s most memorable moments and issues. Whether it was the near collapse of the Big 12, the proposal of a tobacco ban or a vigil held to honor lost loved ones, since August, Sooners have made history and memories in equal measure this semester. For more photos, see Page B9.

KINGSLEY BURNS/THE DAILY

Cast members perform a snow-swirled ballet during dress rehearsal for “The Nutcracker” on Nov. 29 in the Rupel J. Jones Theatre. The classic holiday ballet was the last show for University Theatre before winter break.

• Finals Week 2011

OUDaily.com ››

news

Despite the men’s basketball team’s early success and ticket price incentives, student turnout at the Sooners’ games remains low.

Chase Cook, managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

smoke-free campus

Ban decisions soon to be announced Possible policy would take effect this summer, committee chairman says Blayklee Buchanan Campus Reporter

The Advisory Committee on Tobacco Policy’s final recommendations are slated to be announced by President David Boren at the Jan. 20 meeting of the OU Board of Regents. But Gary Raskob, committee chairman and College of Public Health dean, said there is nothing new to report. “Discussions continue in looking into all aspects of a policy on campus, including evaluating possible implementation of designated smoking areas,” Raskob said. President Boren said in a press conference in November that the possibilities the committee is contemplating, including designated smoking areas or a ban on all tobacco. Raskob said students, faculty and staff still are encouraged to voice their opinions to the tobacco committee’s email,

tobaccopolicy@ou.edu. “While the committee may not be able to respond to all emails, rest assure all recommendations and suggestions will be considered by the committee in drafting their own recommendations for President Boren,” Raskob said. Raskob also dispelled rumors that the policy would take effect in January with the new semester. “The committee plans to have its final recommendations presented to President Boren in time for the January Board of Regents meeting,” Raskob said. But, Raskob said, if whatever recommendation the committee does decide to make is passed, it would take effect this summer. No matter the outcome, the committee is still encouraging students, faculty and staff to kick the habit with the programs offered through Goddard Health Center. MELODIE LETTKEMAN/ THE DAILY “Cessation programs would continue to be offered to help those who want to quit using tobacco do so by the time the University College freshman Mickey Mei walks toward Adams Center policy takes effect,” Raskob said. while smoking a cigarette, which might change at OU this summer.

in-depth

Professor’s past alludes to recent questionable behavior Kerksick accused of unsafe practices Kathleen Evans

Senior Campus Reporter

An OU professor who received $75,000 for resigning because of questionable research practices may have had a pattern of unsafe behavior. OU Health and Exercise Science professor Chad Kerksick began a study on creatine nitrate exercise supplements and its effects in February 2011 for the company ThermoLife. In June 2011, the OU Institutional Review Board began investigating the study after graduate students filed complaints. The university and Kerksick reached a settlement agreement in September, stating he would receive $75,000 for resigning after a yearlong leave of absence.

Unsafe practices

In the complaints filed, students said he coerced them into having him practice muscle and fat biopsies on them, and some of them had painful bruising. Kerksick told the review board he had done 305 of these biopsies in the past five years with no reported complications. However, an OU business professor involved in a different study in December 2010 said his thigh biopsy left him hurting for weeks. “They said I would be jogging right out of the place and could go lift weights afterwards,” professor Jeff Schmidt said. “I could barely walk to the car afterwards.” A muscle biopsy involves sticking a needle into the tissue to remove a small piece to examine. This study looked at the effects of aging on muscle and the amount of different muscle types in participants. After the biopsy, Schmidt said he couldn’t walk without pain for two weeks, let alone

AT A GLANCE Kerksick timeline of events • January 2006: Kerksick hired as assistant professor of Health and Exercise Science • December 2010: Creatine nitrate study approved by IRB • February 2011: Creatine nitrate study began

has cost more than $2,000 in equipment and in lab results for his study participants, including himself, which is against research rules, according to receipts requested by The Daily.

Questionable sponsor

Ellis said. “They can change the whole record of credibility through people like Kerksick.” His organization attempts to be the first point of contact for athletes instead of the companies and scientists with false data, he said. Often, these studies happen by researchers either creating false data or manipulating the way data is analyzed so that it seems more or less important than it really is, Ellis said. The OU review board approves all research through a heavy application process in which researchers outline their studies, how they will conduct it and any potential harms or benefits. For outside companies, they also attempt to look into the people sponsoring it to

make sure they are able to pay and have a clean record, vice president of research Kelvin Droegemeier said. “This includes screening for international security purposes, verification that the organization is not on the debarred or suspended list and ensuring the organization is current on payments if the university has entered into business with this organization previously,” Droegemeier said in a statement. As a result of the settlement, Kerksick can still list OU as an employer, according to the document. Kerksick cannot work at an institution governed by the OU Board of Regents, but he could still find a job doing research again, a former graduate student Patrick Dib said.

Kerksick’s latest study was sponsored by ThermoLife, a • April 2011: Allegations filed against Kerksick for creatine company managed by a connitrate study victed felon. It is not uncommon for • June 30, 2011: All studies by Kerksick terminated by the IRB these exercise supplement industries to use a univer• Aug. 31, 2011: Kerkisck signs resignation agreement with sity to try to legitimize their university Source: Documents acquired by The Daily, Patrick Dib products, said Dave Ellis, president of the Collegiate and Professional Sports work out. The site was swol- never received his results, the Dieticians Association. This len for months, and the scar entire reason he signed up for is a nonprofit organization started healing after a year. the study. that looks to protect athletes. In the study protocol, “This is a shining example The settlement Kerksick said risks involved of what we are up against with University officials will not supplement companies,” are only “minor pain and bruising at the site of needle comment on the Kerksick insertion.” All participants investigation or the settleshould have received a sheet ment, which was part of the detailing how to take care of agreement. Employee complaints are the wound afterwards. Throughout this process, not uncommon in a system Schmidt said he felt like he with 11,000 faculty and staff was never given proper in- members, university spokesman Michael Nash said. formation About 95 percent of these to make an cases never reach a court. informed However, only about 11 to decision to 20 of these claims a year reparticipate Your fully-furnished, on-campus apartment community. sult in financial settlements, in the study. Nash said. Of those 11 to 20 Schmidt curcases, the median settlement rently teachis $11,500. Kerksick received es a class on CHAD marketing re- KERKSICK more than six times that figure, an amount that is about search, and one and a half times his anhe teaches about informed consent to nual salary of $53,024. “Primary considerations his students. Kerksick, whom Schmidt described as very certainly involve a cost-bencharming and confident, efit analysis,” Nash said in an never mentioned any down- email. “Potential costs to the sides to the biopsy, even Board of Regents include financial exposure in the way when asked. “When he was doing the of legal liability, litigation exincision, there were probably penses (which can be more six to seven doctoral students costly than settlement), and watching,” Schmidt said. “I time, effort, stress and strain thought it was weird that if on faculty, staff, departments they were doing like 50 of and academic units when it’s these things that it shouldn’t necessary to prepare and undergo litigation.” be that exciting to see.” Kerksick’s study thus far On top of that, Schmidt

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News

Finals Week, Fall 2011 •

Spring enrollment

Athletics

Largest class an adjustment Students stay

on top of work

Schedule changes, additional sections prepared for class

Sooner athletes must balance their grades with their athletic obligations

Paighten Harkins Staff Reporter

The number of freshmen enrolled this spring semester will not be determined until the third week of the semester, but planning has been in the works since April of last year. To prepare for the semester, many individuals must work together and make projections based off various data, such as application and admission reports and trend charts. Matt Hamilton, vice president for enrollment and student financial service and registrar, said spring enrollment is in some ways easier to predict, because new enrollments are not nearly as large as fall. Most are continuing students so the planners have a good idea what classes they will need, Hamilton said. For many years the average retention rate for entering freshmen from the fall to the spring semester is 95 percent, said Cheryl Jorgenson, associate provost and director of OU Institutional Research. The timeline for preparation for spring enrollment starts in April of the previous year when the Classroom Management office sends information to academic departments about the spring schedule. That information is updated in June or July, and the classrooms are assigned by September before spring semester. Planning for the fall semester is done in much the same way, with preparation beginning 15 months before classes begin. The projected number of incoming freshmen is based upon areas including

Blayklee Buchanan Campus Reporter

ASTRUD REED / THE DAILY

The Class of 2015 student committee carries its banner proudly displaying hundreds of student signatures from the largest freshman class in OU history during the Homecoming 2011 parade on Oct. 22.

expected yield rates, number of housing contracts, enrollment commitments and enrollment appointments, said Hamilton. The size of any entering class is related directly to the number of high school graduates from Oklahoma and Texas, specifically in areas which are the source of a large number of nonresidents, Jorgenson said. Leading up to this year’s record freshman enrollment, OU had experienced growth in that area, which generally has “risen with the ripple of the baby boom from 2000,” Jorgenson said. But growth hasn’t been smooth, Jorgenson said. In 2006, OU’s enrollment of first-time students was 3,342 students, according to OU Factbook. The number rose in 2007 to 3,883 and dropped in 2008 to 2,803. Enrollment in 2009 was 3,760, and similar in 2010 with 3,724. In 2011, the freshman class is more than 4,000.

More Online Visit OUDaily.com to read the complete story Nancy Mergler, senior vice president and provost, said once OU realized the freshman class would be so robust, administrators began working with classroom scheduling, academic advisors, Vice President of Instruction Paul Bell and chairs and directors so that there were sufficient seats for freshmen in all classes. Measures were taken, including increasing the size of sections, sometimes necessitating changes of classrooms. Options are still being taken to have more classes open in the summer for students who were unable to get into a particular course for the fall or spring semester, and Mergler said the university is trying to remain as

flexible as is possible to address any unforeseen issues caused by such a large class. The Introduction to Film and Media studies classes are one of many classes that have been affected by increased enrollment. Generally, the course is offered in two classes — one 40-person majors section and one 200-person non-majors section. This year with such a large freshman class, there was enough demand for another introduction class that an extra 100-person section was added. Katrina Boyd, professor of film and media studies, has taught classes of up to 285 students, but generally teaches classes of around 200. She said this freshman class is the most problematic that she’s ever had, and much of that can be attributed to the obvious problems associated with teaching a large lecture class, namely getting students engaged and focused on the lecture.

On most days, Jordan John gets up before the sun rises and heads to baseball practice. From there he goes to class and then tries to fit in study time before practice again. John is a geographic information sciences junior and a redshirt sophomore pitcher for the Sooners. He also is president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, which represents student athletes. John said his days are a constant combination of balancing practice, conditioning, school obligations and inseason traveling. He said traveling during school can be difficult, especially during finals, but it is possible if students use their time well. “When we’re traveling we still have study hall in the hotel … and you bring your laptop on the bus so you can knock out some homework,” John said. “It is like a job, but it’s a great job because you’re doing something you love.” Outside of performance on the court or field, the OU Athletic Administration stresses the importance of academic success, said Nicki Moore, Senior Associate Athletic director. Moore said the study hall located in the Student Athletic Academic Services center in Oklahoma Memorial Stadium offers study opportunities to help students stay on track. “We have a cadre of academic assistants — academic coaches — to help students organize what they should be doing, learn study skills, etc,” Moore said. The study center also helps coaches ensure their players fulfill expectations as student athletes, John said. “Basically it’s a way for coaches to make sure you get your work done and are on top of studying so you can be eligible,” John said. Athletes must meet certain academic requirements to remain eligible for their sports. Freshmen have to log a minimum of 10 hours per week while some upperclassmen athletes don’t have to log any, because some More Online athletes have proven they Visit OUDaily.com to read can stay ahead in their acthe complete story ademics, John said. This includes maintaining the universitywide 2.0 GPA — which, on average, all sports are maintaining. The average GPA of all student athletes at OU is about a 3.0, according to a record provided by OU’s Open Record Office. Women’s track and cross-country had the highest average at a 3.4. Men’s basketball held the lowest average at a 2.6.

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News

• Finals Week, Fall 2011

fall 2011 graduation

International students

Grads take pride in diploma Hispanics face difficult goals

Commencement not as important to some OU seniors

Number of students at OU rises despite poor federal funding for disadvantaged

Jake Morgan Staff Reporter

When history senior Liz Stevens sent in her December graduation application, she had one thought. “I’m going to be done, and I’m going to be out of here,” Stevens said. Stevens, along with about a thousand other students, will graduate at the close of the fall semester. Although a set number of December graduates for this year hasn’t been determined, Becky Heeney, director of OU’s graduation office, said the figure would be comparable to the previous year’s count of 1,025 conferred degrees. GPA and college break-out information are not yet available, but December graduates usually encompass a wide range of majors, Heeney said. There are, however, a few differences between the fall and spring graduation periods. Most notably, commencement, the universitywide graduation ceremony, is held only at the end of the spring semester. Those who graduate in December or August still have an invitation to return to campus and attend the ceremony. Each college holds convocations or recognition ceremonies for both December and May graduates. At these gatherings, each graduate will be recognized individually, have his or her picture taken and be presented a diploma cover by his or her college dean, Heeney said. Stevens said she doesn’t plan to attend commencement or her convocation. “I will have my diploma

Victoria Garten Campus Reporter

SIMONE ORJIAKO/THE DAILY

Jaren Collins, entrepreneurship and venture management senior, takes pictures of graduating Makaela Dunn, social studies education senior, on Sunday on the South Oval. “Fall graduation is less of a production in comparison to the spring commencement, we do not even get a convocation speech by President Boren,” Dunn said.

when I finish my last final, and that’s graduation for me,” Stevens said. Women’s and gender studies senior Caitlin Campbell had a similar reaction upon handing in her graduation application. “I thought ‘woo-hoo!’ I was already finished in May, but now I’m [truly] finished,” Campbell said. “I can’t wait to see my name on a diploma.” Campbell, who is currently studying abroad in Arezzo, Italy, accumulated enough hours to graduate in May but decided to travel abroad as a bonus this semester. “I have also previously taken two years of Italian at OU, so studying abroad in Italy seemed like an appropriate way to round out my OU career,” Campbell said. The Atlantic Ocean will keep Campbell from attending her convocation, but

she said the most important thing is knowing that she is a college graduate. Both Stevens and Campbell have set plans for the future. Stevens will complete an internship in Rome during the spring semester, and Campbell plans to pursue a Master of Public Health degree at an undetermined institution. Campbell, who will graduate summa cum laude, said OU has provided her with many opportunities and made her into a determined, more confident individual. “I have met many amazing individuals at OU — professors, students, administrators, guest speakers and international students,” Campbell said. “Here, I learned that education is something that continues throughout the life span, and I will never stop learning.”

AT A GLANCE OU colleges

There was no question for Hispanic microbiology senior Alia Ramirez whether she would have a college education. Ramirez said she considers herself lucky to have had the help of her father, a first-generation college graduate, in pursuing her education. “A lot of us are having to pay for our own college and don’t get help,” Ramirez said. “So many people don’t realize Hispanic students face different obstacles.” The four-year graduation More Online rate of Hispanic students who enter OU in 2006 was Visit OUDaily.com to read 23 percent, up more than 3 the complete story percent from 2005, according to recent reports from OU Institutional Research and Reporting. However, according to a recent New York Times article among Mexican immigrants age 19-23, fewer than six-percent are enrolled in college. “It is important that the university continues its efforts to ensure Latino students are not only enrolling in college but graduating with a degree,” said Crystal Garcia, Hispanic American Student Association adviser.

• College of Architecture • College of Arts and Sciences • College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences • Michael F. Price College of Business • Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education • College of Engineering • Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts • College of International Studies • Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication • College of Liberal Studies

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Ana Maria Meléndez, a psychology student from Colombia, sits in her Traditions East apartment with her new set of luggage, purchased to carry home purchases from her semester in Oklahoma.

Finals Week, Fall 2011 •

OUDaily.com ››

Opinion

The finals week phenomenon, Bizzell Memorial Library’s silent rave must remain completely quiet to not disturb, but fascinate students.

Mary Stanfield, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

Update

editorial

Fall editorial follow-ups

Media utilize open records to empower

Editor’s note: The Daily publishes an editorial in every issue advocating for change on an important issue. Some of these have produced changed; others have seen a suspicious lack thereof. The following are some of the noteworthy editorials and the action that has followed them.

‘Smoking debate shows the need for greater student input,’ Sept. 16 We argued that President David Boren’s decision on the smoking ban was obviously unilateral, and that the tobacco advisory committee would not provide enough of a forum for student input. Students were able to express their opinions to the committee during an open forum on Nov. 10, but committee members were criticized for offering no real information and simply promising to take these concerns into account. On Nov. 14, The Daily urged the administration to make the committee’s meetings public to provide greater accountability and let students ensure their views are being represented. Boren said July 1 is the target date for the on-campus tobacco ban to begin.

‘GLBT tragedies spark reform, but work remains,’ Sept. 19

relevant and must be seriously discussed. If students’ representatives would rather update Facebook than do their jobs, no wonder so many view Student Congress as pointless and impotent. Student Congress members voted to table the bill for future discussion.

‘Meeting minutes demand more focus,’ Oct. 12 The Daily reported that Student Congress was potentially in violation of the Open Records Act because its minutes were unclear, lacked detail and only included voting and attendance records in a separate document. We encouraged Student Congress to update their minutes to more clearly reflect the meetings and bring them in line with the law. UOSA began taking more detailed minutes, with all required information, starting with the Oct. 18 meeting. This has greatly increased transparency since then.

‘Phones hinder proceedings,’ Oct. 11 Inspired by a proposed policy in Texas that would ban public officials from using distracting electronic devices during government meetings, The Daily urged UOSA to pass its own version of the bill. Banning these devices would help ensure that the students representing the entire student body and controlling a $750,000 budget are focused on the important tasks at hand, and not on playing Angry Birds. On Oct. 18, Student Congress discussed and rejected the first version of legislation to ban electronic communication during meetings. On Oct. 25, it discussed a second version of the restriction as part of a larger standing rules reform. During the discussion, Representative Eric Lyle argued against the restriction, commenting, “To be honest, we’re UOSA. We’re not the state legislature; we’re not running an entire country.” He went on to argue, “I personally feel like sometimes it is a waste of my time because other members are not using their time appropriately, or what I consider appropriately.” Lyle said that because all the representatives are students and have classes, other work and family to balance, they should be allowed to take a break during meetings to text friends or talk to family. This blase attitude is disgraceful. This organization is responsible for a huge budget and is charged with representing the entire OU student body. Everything they decide is

Kimm Johnson is an environmental design sophomore.

Comment on this at OUDaily.com

In an interview with The Daily, Boren mentioned plans to create a “Scholar’s Walk” on the South Oval, similar to the walk honoring athletes near the Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. We encouraged him to pursue this plan quickly, to emphasize that OU is a college first and a football team second. The OU Board of Regents approved the plans to turn the right side of the South Oval into a walkway with statues and plaques featuring OU’s academic elite at its Dec. 2 meeting.

‘Campus elections require student voice,’ Nov. 2 With General Elections coming up, we outlined the ballot questions and urged students to participate in this important election to express their opinion on the tobacco policy. This fall’s election only drew 1,064 students, about 4.5 percent of the Norman campus’ student population — a decrease of about 300 students from last year’s fall elections. This outcome is disappointing, and we urge students to do better in the spring. The redistricting ballot question passed, giving UOSA power over its own redistricting. The question urging the administration to create designated smoking areas as a compromise to the proposed smoking ban did not pass. But with 4.5 percent voting, that’s hardly a mandate.

‘Students shouldn’t add to the city’s pet problem’ on Nov. 7 We urged students to vote for the much-needed $3 million renovations to the animal shelter on the Nov. 8 ballot. But a simple vote is not enough. We also reminded students that they play a huge role in the growing problem of abandoned pets in Norman. The shelter renovations were passed by 68 percent.

column

In the kitchen, barefoot and feminist

am a feminist. I like to Opinion columnist wear dresses and skirts and anything frilly. I want to get married, have 2.5 kids and a small dog. I can only hope that chivalry is not dead. I have no problem being a stay-at-home mom who is president of Kimm Johnson the PTA. I love to do launkimm.johnson@ou.edu dry, watch HGTV and make sandwiches. So I’ve realized that sometimes, after I tell people these things, they’ll say things like, “Wow, wait to put yourself back into the 1950s.” Or, “Feminists are really going to get at you for that one.” Or my personal favorite, “You just set back the feminist movement by 50 years.” But when people say this, my first thought is who the hell do you think you are? Wasn’t the idea of the feminist movement equality? Yes. Sure thing, sugar. But just because I want to do these things doesn’t mean I think every woman wants the exact same thing. We are all different people. Just because I love these “antifeminist” roles doesn’t mean I think we all need to have the same “antifeminist” role.

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Being a feminist means believing that women can do anything they want to do. If I know that I am good at laundry, being in the kitchen and doing other domestic things, why should I be forced into the corporate world? Everyone screams about equality on the street corner, but I think the only equality we need is the freedom of choice. I don’t think a woman who wants to be a stay-at-home mom should be given any grief for this. She is the atypical feminist. Women have fought long and hard for the rights they have in this country. However, this was so we as women could live how we see fit. If every women’s right’s activist says we need to get out there and reclaim male-dominated jobs, they are hindering the feminist movement just as much. This movement is not about being as “important” as the male. It is the freedom to pursue any opportunity — not to shift the stigma from one place to another. If a woman wants to be domestic, let her. If she wants to be an engineer, let her do that. Both of these are hard work, and both of them should be choices someone makes because they like it and not because of guilt or lack of opportunity. And opportunity for everyone is the only thing that feminism should be about.

‘Norman City Council should focus on real issues,’ Oct. 14

‘Students deserve recognition for academic success,’ Oct. 17

The Daily covered the Occupy Wall Street movement while most other media outlets were ignoring the story. We demanded politicians, journalists and the public pay attention not just to this burgeoning movement, but to the disturbing stories of police brutality coming from the camps. Media coverage of the occupations has picked up, but much of it has been confused and limited. Occupy Norman began Dec. 3 in Andrews Park, planning to run until Dec. 17.

Our View: Freedom of information is necessary

This semester, The Daily has made a concerted effort to educate our readership on freedom of information issues and to advocate for greater transparency from the administration and the local government. The issue of free access to information is not just important to journalists, it is an absolutely essential right for any citizen of a democracy. In a democracy, it is vital that citizens stay informed and keep an eye on what their representatives are doing. If the voting public is uninformed or misinformed, democracy cannot function. These officials work for the public, so the public has the power and responsibility to hold them accountable The Our View is the majority for their actions. These are the opinion of people making your laws and The Daily’s spending your money. They 10-member need to know you are watching. editorial board It creates a culture of accountability that helps keep officials in line. Even the most honest public official could be tempted to do things the easy, unethical way at some point in their career. Public accountability is necessary to keep the country running smoothly and in the best interests of the people. This is where journalism comes in. Media outlets are a bridge bringing information to the public, so you can stay informed. Any citizen could file an open records request and keep watch over public officials. But because the average person doesn’t have the time or training to do that, journalists are necessary. Like with any other business, when a need arises, people step up to fill it. Journalists are able to devote their days to the important task of watching the actions of public bodies and reporting their findings to the public. We do this so you don’t have to. We’re not going out there requesting records just looking for trouble, waiting for a representative to mess up. Filing records requests is simply part of our job. It’s how we keep track of what’s going on. It’s how we investigate and find information to report. It’s how we ensure important information doesn’t slip through the cracks. We request many records that never turn into stories because nothing is off about them. If things are going right, people simply are doing their jobs. And a public official doing his or her job correctly is not news — it should be the status quo. You cannot just trust public relations departments, as one commenter on OUDaily.com suggested. Spokespeople have a clear conflict of interest, as they are hired to make a company look better. Their goals are in direct conflict with those of a journalist — they are paid to spin information, in some cases directly evading or downplaying the truth. Open records give us a way of externally verifying the truth. We at The Daily — like most journalists — are not motivated by a dislike of our public officials or a hunger for sensational stories of wrongdoing. We’re simply motivated to provide a service that is in the best interest of our community. Making information public and holding officials accountable can only improve the OU community. Recent national stories have vividly illustrated how easy it is for horrible secrets to hide from the public eye for decades. Locally, without public records, no one ever would have known that OU paid off a professor accused of dangerously experimenting on his students and allowed him to represent himself as an employee of OU while he searched for a job. He could have been hired by a university with no idea what he is accused of, and OU could have never been held accountable to the public for this questionable decision. In order to continue the important service of keeping our representatives honest and our readership informed — and to keep empowering you to make informed decisions about who and what to support or protest — we will continue to work next semester to increase transparency and improve open records policies.

We decried the Norman City Council’s efforts to add “In God We Trust” to the city council chamber as a waste of time and effort — a distraction from the important, but more difThe Daily wrote a three-part series raising awareness ficult issues at hand. about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues and On Nov. 9, the council decided to add the nation’s sloadvocating for greater equality. We detailed what more the gan, along with the state slogan “Labor Conquers All,” to its military can do now that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is repealed, chambers. Hopefully, now it can move on to more pressing and urged the administration to create gender-neutral hous- issues, such as the Human Rights Commission’s push to add ing for gender nonconforming students. sexual orientation to the city’s nondiscrimination policy. In November, the Staff Senate created a committee to con- Oklahoma City passed a similar measure on Nov. 16, and atsider suggesting OU extend equal benefits for same-sex cou- tention from the Norman City Council could help the comples. The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Friends mission pass this proposal quickly and easily. student group and Students for a Democratic Society continue to work toward gender-neutral housing.

‘Wall Street protests demand attention,’ Sept. 28

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LIFE&ARTS

• Finals Week, Fall 2011

LIFE&ARTS

Finals Week, Fall 2011 •

OUDaily.com ›› OU professors discuss the link between stress over fianls and dreams.

Katherine Borgerding, life & arts editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-5189

Money doesn’t have to be an issue with giving gifts during the holidays

LIFE & ARTS COLUMNIST is the season to be jolly. I want to get my parents something Dusti Gasparovic dustikristine@gmail.com they will like, my friends something thoughtful and my significant other something special, but I have little to no money to fund all this gift giving. Does this scenario sound familiar? Some of the best gifts are homemade, and I’m not talking about the tacky macaroni picture frames you made your mom or dad in elementary school. Believe it or not, there are some great gift ideas that are easy and inexpensive to make.

REPURPOSING FOR THE HOLIDAYS

For another ornament idea, get out the old Scrabble board game tucked away in the back of the closet and hot glue some letters together to spell a friend’s name, “Merry Christmas” or “Boomer Sooner” and attach some fishing wire to the top. You can also use Scrabble letters to personalize picture frames. Simply paint a wooden frame a base color and then hot glue the Scrabble letters on the frame. Frames can be purchased at any local craft store. Other picture frame ideas include using a Sharpie to write inside jokes, song lyrics or memories around the frame for friends or significant others. Fill the frame with a picture that you believe will make them smile or a favorite quote or scripture.

ADDING CHEER TO CANDLES

MAKING YOUR OWN ORNAMENTS

SPRUCING UP HOLIDAY COOKING

Make your own Christmas ornaments. Buy a clear, round ornament from Michaels or Hobby Lobby and decorate the outside with puff paint. You can even fill the ornament with beads and pearls or shrink down a favorite picture and slip it inside. Finish the ornament off with a ribbon tied around the top. Ornaments are great gifts by themselves or added to a decorative wreath.

Food is one of the best holiday gifts. Everyone enjoys a sweet treat. For delicious and easy holiday sweets, visit www.allrecipes.com. Just to be a little bit different, instead of plain ol’ chocolate chip cookies, bake a sheet of brownies and use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes. You can even add some sprinkles, M&Ms and chocolate chips to your brownies.

top 5s Candles are used year-round but are especially great for the holiday season. Decorate and personalize candles with ribbon and puff paint.

Dusti Gasparovic is a University College freshman.

OU has the good, the bad, the ugly to offer Sooners during the semester

e have compiled lists of the top five elements of campus life: dorm boo-boos that we have all heard about, retweets by the notorious @OUProblems Twitter feed that is such a source of enjoyment, study spots that you may not have known about, but you now must hunt out, desserts offered by Couch Restaurants you must have before you leave this semester and some websites that will make great alternatives to Facebook stalking at 2 a.m. in a desperate attempt to distract yourself from studying.

TOP 5 THINGS NOT TO DO IN THE DORMS

1. Don’t give birth in the bathtub: I am sure we all remember or have heard about the Walker Baby. 2. Don’t adopt a stray dog and house it in the basement: One of Walker’s residents actually did bring home a stray dog and kept it as a pet in the basement. 3. Don’t give tattoos in your room: The stuff of OU dorm legend. It’s a moneymaker yes, but also a no-no. 4. Don’t install a hot tub or a stripper pole in your room: Again, the stuff of legend, although I am sure it made for some great study breaks. 5. Don’t bring a fog machine and set off the fire alarm: For the life of me I can’t understand why you would need a fog machine in your dorm room, but to each his own.

a song in return. If you’re feeling chipper, leave a song for someone else. 4. Is Ryan Gosling cuter than a puppy?: A timeless argument wrapped up into one comprehensive reference (by the way, the answer is yes). 5. Flurrious: It’s like making those paper snowflakes, without the mess … or the paper cuts. Megan Deaton is a journalism sophomore.

TOP 5 LITTLE-KNOWN STUDY SPOTS

1. The basement of Evans Hall (Administration): I have heard students tell of a great little study spot for one or two people under the stairs of the basement. It’s not a group study spot, but if you need a quiet getaway in the middle of the day, this is for you. 2. Second floor of Zarrow Hall: The second floor of the new School of Social Work features a cozy set of table and chairs nested by the windows facing campus is perfect for three or four students looking for a spot for group studying. 3. Children’s book collection, basement of Bizzell Memorial Library: If you are stuck in the ‘Biz’ this week, make a trek down to the basement for coffee and then settle down with the children’s books. If you need a study break, grab some light reading. Dusti Gasparovic is a University College freshman. 4. Fine Arts Library, Catlett Music Center: One of OU’s spectacular libraries, the Fine Arts Library TOP 10 WEBSITES TO DISTRACT YOURSELF houses books on everything from Renaissance art to graphic design to modern jazz music. This library has a perfect WITH THAT AREN’T FACEBOOK. atmosphere and is usually pretty quiet. 1. Cute Roulette: 5. Western History Collection, Monnet Hall: The best part about Cute Roulette is that you know that The Western History Collection is housed in a library no matter how many times you play, the outcome will most that looks as old as OU itself. The library makes a perfect likely make you coo with delight. setting for the quietest of quiet study. The library atten2. Draw a Stickman: dants will ask to keep your bag, but the views are amazing. It’s exactly what it seems, and yet there’s so much more to it! It will mystify you for days. Katherine Borgerding is a journalism senior and The Daily’s 3. Emotional Baggage Check: Leave a message detailing how awful your life is, and get Life & Arts editor.

TOP 5 COUCH CAFETERIA DESSERTS

1.Pie: Nothing puts me into the holiday mood like a slice of pumpkin pie. Whether you select pumpkin, sweet potato, pecan or just plain chocolate, a slice of pie topped with a dollop of whip cream will definitely make you anticipate being home for the holidays. 2.Fudge Brownie: A huge slab of chocolaty goodness. Need I say more? 3.Lemon Bar: For those who aren’t too into the chocolate scene, the sweet and tangy mixture of the lemon square is by far the most delicious way to fulfill that sweet tooth. 4.Chocolate Overload Cake: When the words “chocolate” and “overload” are in the same sentence, you know it has got to be one heck of a cake. 5.Cheesecake: Depending on the day, the Caf always has a variety of cheesecakes, anything from cookies and cream to just plain and simple. If you never know what to get, a slice of cheesecake is never a regretful option. Brooke Buckmaster is a University College freshman.

TOP 5 RETWEETS BY @OUPROBLEMS

1.Tom_Diamond: When I was I freshman I was set to prove you could walk under the clock tower and graduate in 4 years... And I was wrong. @OUProblems. 2.KirstyBaze: “Please, if you can, bring a flashlight to your exam. In some areas of the classroom, the lighting is not as bright as others..”@OUProblems 3.carterbaum15: girl sending a mass email to our class asking someone to send her an invite for pinterest... #seriously #OUproblems 4.dearestbrittany: My roommate is watching her freshman fifteen jiggle in the mirror #ouproblems #roommateproblems 5.MackenzieGibbz: Our light switch just officially broke the rest of the way. On the bright side our cable is fixed. #bittersweet #dormlife @OUProblems Sydney Allen is a broadcast and electronic media sophomore.

Time spent online takes away from study time, could hurt final grades

teps to managing LIFE & ARTS COLUMNIST study time: 1. Open up Word document. Post status about writing a term paper: “Ugh, writing term paper, yuck.” 2. Write heading in the top left corner of docuBrooke Buckmaster ment. Check to see if anybrooke.n.buckmaster-1@ou.edu one has liked my status. One person. Facebookstalk them momentarily. 3. Write a few sentences. At this rate, your paper will be finished … never. Good luck. This is my routine process when it comes to anything school related — write term paper while Facebook-stalking; study for quiz while Pinteresting. The gap in this logic, however, can be found in the fact that Facebook and Pinterest have absolutely nothing to do with making an A on my upcoming test. In honor of finals week, on Monday, I made the decision to have my roommate change my password on my Facebook so I wouldn’t be tempted to do anything other than, well, study. After a period of two hours, I painfully realized this decision was going to take a bigger toll on my

daily routine than I thought. different light. I found myself constantly clicking the Safari button on “I find that Pinterest or Facebook don’t necessarily afthe bottom left hand corner of my computer, then selecting fect my studying,” said Michaela Tomalin, international Facebook from my selection of top and area studies sophomore. “I might sites … only to — over and over again check either one for a few seconds, as — realize that I was not able to log on. a quick study break, but I still study To see if this constant preoccupamajority of the day studying or in tion with time-wasting sites in reclass.” “Facebook was placement with studying was a comWhether you consider social sites a distraction mon trend, I asked 15 of my classsuch as Facebook to be a hindrance from studying, a mates around campus to keep track or merely a quick break from studyof how many times they checked ing, it is always helpful to be aware of hindrance from the their Facebook or Twitter account the time you actually spend on them. potential A that I and compare it with how many hours For me, it was a rude wake up call to was hoping to get.” they studied that day. the time I was wasting in the day. “I’m a procrastinator, and when I For the duration of time when I feel like I have enough time, I waste could no longer get on Facebook, I it on Facebook — then I soon realwas made aware to how much I could ize there is no time left to study,” actually get done in one sitting withUniversity College freshman Kelsey out any distractions. Baker said. Especially as finals are just around The results were not surpristhe corner, take time to stop and ing. More than half of the students spent more time on evaluate how much time you are actually wasting. You just Facebook and Twitter than they had studying. might need your roommate to change your password to For me, Facebook was a distraction from studying, a hin- Facebook as well. drance from the potential A that I was hoping to get. Other students viewed their constant visitation of such sites in a Brooke Buckmaster is a University College freshman.

LIFE&ARTS

• Finals Week, Fall 2011

LIFE&ARTS

Finals Week, Fall 2011 •

OUDaily.com ›› OU professors discuss the link between stress over fianls and dreams.

Katherine Borgerding, life & arts editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-5189

Money doesn’t have to be an issue with giving gifts during the holidays

REPURPOSING FOR THE HOLIDAYS

ADDING CHEER TO CANDLES

MAKING YOUR OWN ORNAMENTS

SPRUCING UP HOLIDAY COOKING

top 5s Candles are used year-round but are especially great for the holiday season. Decorate and personalize candles with ribbon and puff paint.

Dusti Gasparovic is a University College freshman.

OU has the good, the bad, the ugly to offer Sooners during the semester

TOP 5 THINGS NOT TO DO IN THE DORMS

TOP 5 LITTLE-KNOWN STUDY SPOTS

TOP 5 COUCH CAFETERIA DESSERTS

TOP 5 RETWEETS BY @OUPROBLEMS

Time spent online takes away from study time, could hurt final grades

LIFE&ARTS

• Finals Week, Fall 2011

LIFE&ARTS

‘HOME ALONE’ (1990): Being a ’90s kid, no Christmas would be complete without the wildly hilarious “Home Alone,” which showcased the impeccable comic timing of Macaulay Culkin. One wonders what happened to that cute, mischievous little troublemaker who went on to become the biggest child star in the world before disappearing off the face of the Earth. Ah, well, we still have this holiday classic to admire his talents and watch him cleverly orchestrate a Christmas butt-kicking for a pair of unfortunate burglars, Harry and Marv (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern).

‘BAD SANTA’ (2003): Now that we are old enough to view rated-R movies without parental supervision, we all can appreciate Billy Bob Thornton’s cheerful obscenities in the raunchy “Bad Santa.” This is, of course, an adult Christmas film not to be confused with the cutesy, inoffensive Tim Allen flick “The Santa Clause.” While this is by no means a sappy, heartwarming affair, it does supply some outrageous gags and spirited chuckles. No matter how politically incorrect this Santa may be, it is easy to warm up to the jolly banter, drunken delights and crude charms of Thornton’s terrific performance.

‘A CHRISTMAS STORY’ (1983):

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Who could forget the meek, starry-eyed Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley), his eccentric parents (Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon), the suggestive stripper leg lamp or the infamous pole-licking scene? As a coming-of-age story, the film brilliantly captures the pressures, anxieties and awkwardness of adolescence in a darkly comical fashion. As a holiday-themed tale, it is the ultimate Christmas film with enough heart and humor to go around.

IL L

LIFE & ARTS COLUMNIST t is that time of the season. No, not the holidays, but a different cause for celebration: the end of the Laron Chapman semester. Laron.M.Chapman-1@ou.edu However, while the end is near, it cannot be fully appreciated without the completion of the ... you guessed it, the fatal finals week. As students struggle

RA UST

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to get swept up by the Christmas spirit, the consequences of procrastination begin to take effect as mounting assignments and exams threaten to steal everyone’s joy. Well, that simply won’t do. I have created the perfect holiday diversion to keep your spirits high and your anxieties low, sprinkling some festive optimism on top of a likely stressful week. There’s nothing like a few Christmas classics and rich treats to liven up our Scrooge or Grinch-ish attitudes.

‘ELF’ (2003): Displaying an irresistibly charming and lovable performance from Will Ferrell, “Elf” is a modern holiday treat that will melt the hearts of even the grumpiest of grinches. Ferrell stars as Buddy the elf, a human raised in the North Pole who travels to New York City to meet his biological father (James Caan). One clumsy mishap at a time, Buddy wins his stern father’s affection and compassion in both comedic and heartwarming ways.

‘THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS’ (1993): OK, OK, so it is not a Christmas movie, exactly. Whether you watch Tim Burton’s enchanting “The Nightmare Before Christmas” for Halloween, Christmas or both, there is enough visual spectacle and invention to satisfy any mood. When Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon), king of the seedy Halloween town, discovers a portal to the colorful, festive Christmas town, bizarre misadventures and misunderstandings ensue. This cinematic gem is a marvelous feast for the eyes. Laron Chapman is a film and media studies senior.

Finals Week, Fall 2011 •

studyon

Get your Classical music can be boring, but to upbeat songs for finals

LIFE & ARTS COLUMNIST veryone knows you’re supposed to listen to classical music or something while you’re studyMegan Deaton ing, have you actually meggiejennie@ou.edu tried it? It’s boring, and besides we’re in college and deserve high-tempo songs to accompany a time of the semester as frenetic as finals week. Thus, I bring you a finals week playlist that will have you studying like a rock star, and not falling asleep to Mozart.

“You’re the Best” by Joe “Bean” Esposito Everyone needs a little positive self-encouragement every now and then. It’s pretty self-explanatory how “You’re the Best” could help with that. Pull out your pencil pouch and get going to some ’80s motivational tunes. Also, this song was in “The Karate Kid,” and what’s more inspiring than that?

“Wetsuit” by The Vaccines Now that you’re in study mode, we can tone it down a little. The Vaccines will soothe your weary mind and remind you not to forget to have fun every once in a while. Study break time?

“Octavio” by Viva Voce This is a chill song if I’ve ever heard one. It’s chill enough to help you relax and stop pulling out your own hair but upbeat enough to keep you from drooling all over your final paper. That would be bad.

“The Calculation” by Regina Spektor This is for all of you math and engineering majors out there to get you in the calculating mood. Yay, numbers!

OUDAILY.COM Get the playlist Link: Search for the

username “meggiejennie” on Spotify and look for the OU Daily Finals Week Play List. To download Spotify, go to www.spotify.com/us

“Don’t Slow Down” by Matt & Kim Uh oh, I can tell at this point you might start to lose speed. Don’t slow down! Seriously though, that’s pretty much the premise of this song. We don’t need any confusing concepts to muddle your overworked brain.

6 7

“When I’m Small” by Phantogram Let’s slow it down again with some breathy whisperings. You might actually be able to focus during this one, so use it to your full advantage. “Puzzle Pieces” by Saint Motel Nothing says study time like a song about plastic surgery. It’s a metaphor, or something. Not to mention, it will make you feel like you’re on the sunny beaches of California.

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“Harold T. Wilkins, Or How To Wait For A Very Long Time” by Fanfarlo Three cheers for great background music. Repetition and senseless lyrics are the key to this one. “Late Nights” by Brown Shoe At this point it’s probably about 2 a.m. Thus, “Late Nights” is a song you will be able to relate to, and don’t you love that a band named “Brown Shoe” feels the same way you do? I know I do.

“Something We’re Becoming” by Time Machine and Maggie Horn This is your celebration song! You’ve made it through the playlist, so hopefully you’ve gotten at least a smidgen of work done. Wake your snoring study buddies up and start a dance party. You deserve it. To listen to the whole playlist, find me on Spotify. Search for the username “meggiejennie,” and look for the OU Daily Finals Week Play List. Megan Deaton is a journalism sophomore.

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LIFE&ARTS

• Finals Week, Fall 2011

LIFE&ARTS

‘A CHRISTMAS STORY’ (1983):

DA ILY

IL L

RA UST

IO N

I HR

/ SK LU

Finals Week, Fall 2011 •

studyon

Get your Classical music can be boring, but to upbeat songs for finals

“The Calculation” by Regina Spektor This is for all of you math and engineering majors out there to get you in the calculating mood. Yay, numbers!

OUDAILY.COM Get the playlist Link: Search for the

username “meggiejennie” on Spotify and look for the OU Daily Finals Week Play List. To download Spotify, go to www.spotify.com/us

6 7

8 9

wherever you decide to move... WE GOT YOU COVERED!

for

Norman

Avalon 579-0158 Beaumont Crossing 364-9071

Midwest City

Meadowood Village 737-6897 Midwest Territory 736-6045

Visit www.oklahoma.bkstr.com for additional buyback hours and locations.

University Bookstore Memorial Stadium | 405-325-3511

2nd 16th

South OKC

Meadow Park 634-6329 Eastlake Village 691-4646

North OKC

“It’s All About Living” When You Choose An NPMA Home... Locations Also In: Oklahoma, Texas, Florida and New York

Aspen Place 751-6433 Coventry Cove 842-0712

Visit Our Website At: www.npma.ws

RENTAL

CHECK-IN Return your rental books now through:

December 19, 2011

Light it up A10 •

Finals Week, Fall 2011

Life&Arts

View these local areas illuminated in lights

ust because fi- Life & Arts Columnist nals are creeping up on us, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t allow ourselves to take breaks Alex Niblett and enjoy the holiday alexandra.g.niblett@ou.edu spirit around us. Take a break from all of that studying and enjoy some of the most fantastic Christmas lights and decorations around the area, consider visiting some of these festive places this year. NEIGHBORHOOD LIGHTS DANCE TO RADIO STATION:

Off of Highway 9 in Norman is the Downs family’s Christmas lighting display. At 2900 72nd Ave., the light show is said to last around 18 minutes and is synchronized to music played on 107.1 (FM radio). Park up close and watch the light display come to life. Several holiday tunes will play, including selections from the Nutcracker and other holiday classics. The family who hosts this annual light show also has a donation tub as you drive out, so if your feeling the giving spirit, be sure to drop off a donation, small or large.

CHICKASHA’S FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS:

This festival began on Nov. 22 and will continue through New Year’s Eve. It takes place in Chickasha, about 45 minutes from Norman, but the main attraction is well worth the drive. The park is open each evening from 6-11 p.m., and a live nativity scene is performed four times every night until Dec. 18. The great thing about this place is that it’s free to the public and feels like a Christmas wonderland with thousands of lights that you can enjoy driving or walking through.

Above: Sitting across from Dale Hall Tower on Elm Avenue, residents made their home look like a wrapped gift, using flood lights to keep the look even after dark. In a shining display of holiday cheer, Christmas lights show how much Norman residents enjoy the season. Left: Creating a winter wonderland in their front yard, residents of a street off Berry Road employed lights in the shapes of reindeer and trees, as well as holiday mannequins on their porch, to enhance the lights on their roof, porch, trees and bushes. photos by MELODIE LETTKEMAN/The daily

LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD CLOSE TO CAMPUS:

If you’re just looking for a quick, 10-minute break, head off campus and visit the Tarman Circle, a roundabout filled with many lit-up homes and a variety of beautiful decorations. When you’re leaving campus, head toward 12th Street on Boyd. Before you reach 12th Street, you will cross the railroad tracks and just a short ways before 12th Street, you will see the entrance to Tarman Circle in the neighborhood called Lincoln Terrace on your right. It’s a short drive and definitely worth taking a glance.

OKC BRICKTOWN:

In downtown OKC, the Bricktown district is decorated with many festive lights. What began on Nov. 25, Bricktown’s “Downtown in December” event features fun festivities for all. Lights decorate the ice rink and line up along the canal and Automobile Alley. The water taxi rides are free from 6-9:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays until Jan. 1. This may not just be a quick drive-through, but it is sure to be a fun evening break. Alex Niblett is a University College Freshman.

oKlahoMa SoonerS VS. ioWa haWKeyeS — inSiGhT boWl, DeC. 30 F i n A L s W e e K , FA L L 2 011

Bowl preview

Desert deja vu sue OgrOCKi/The assOCiaTeD Press

Sooners return to Arizona — again OU prepares for fourth postseason trip to same state in last six years

At A GlANCe Sooners in arizona bowls

klahoma will play in its 13th straight bowl game when the team takes on Iowa in the Insight Bowl on Dec. 30 in Tempe, Ari. That is a big deal. That many bowl games in consecutive seasons is a solid sign that a program is having success. Try telling that to Sooner fans, though. The Sooners entered the 2011 football season as the top-ranked team in the nation for good reason. The team finished 2010 with a win in the Fiesta Bowl and had virtually every impact player returning. Both junior quarterback Landry Jones and senior receiver Ryan Broyles were touted as Heisman contenders, the entire offensive MORE INSIDE line was returning, the receiver oklahoma’s position appeared to be loaded offense hasn’t been the same and the defense was looking like it in the three games since could be Oklahoma’s best in years. Broyles’ injury. Once the season was under way, PaGe b5 OU did not give anyone reason to doubt its prowess as a national powerhouse. The Sooners opened the season at home against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and rolled to an easy 47-14 victory. In a highly touted matchup with No. 5 Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla., Oklahoma took care of business on both sides of the ball and silenced any doubters with a clutch fourth quarter that led to a 23-13 victory. “Our offense and defense, when we’re on the same page, we’re going to be very tough to beat,” senior linebacker Travis Lewis said after the game. “When we needed them, they stepped up, and when they needed us, we stepped up.” see SOONERS Page b3

» 2011: insight bowl Tempe, Ariz. After a 9-3 regularseason finish dropped ou to fourth in the Big 12, the Sooners will face off against the iowa Hawkeyes in the insight Bowl. ou coach Bob Stoops, wide receivers coach Jay Norvell and tight ends coach Bruce Kittle graduated from and coached iowa. the only time ou and the Hawkeyes met — in 1979 — Stoops started for iowa as a redshirt freshman safety, and the Sooners won, 21-6. » 2010: fiesta bowl Glendale, Ariz. oklahoma redeemed itself in the desert, winning in the Grand Canyon State for the first time in 34 years. the Sooners beat the Big east champion Connecticut Huskies, 48-20.

Top: Sophomore linebacker tony Jefferson (1) celebrates with fellow sophomore linebacker Corey Nelson (wearing Austin Box’s No. 12) after an interception during ou’s 62-6 blowout win against Ball State on oct. 1 in Norman. Jefferson finished with three interceptions during the game, ending three straight Cardinal drives. left: Sophomore wide receiver Jaz Reynolds (16) scores a touchdown during ou’s 41-38 loss to texas tech on oct. 22 in Norman. Reynolds finished third on the team in receptions and yards, just behind fellow sophomore wide receiver Kenny Stills. the loss to tech ended ou’s 39-game PhOTOs by Kingsley burns/The Daily home win streak.

» 2007: fiesta bowl Glendale, Ariz. West Virginia ran up and down on the Sooners during a 48-28 romp. » 2006: fiesta bowl Glendale, Ariz. Hook-and-ladder and the Statue of liberty. ou may never forget this 43-42 overtime loss to Boise State. » 1994: Copper bowl Tucson, Ariz. BYu 31, ou 6 » 1982: fiesta bowl Tempe, Ariz. Arizona State 32, ou 21 » 1976: fiesta bowl Tempe, Ariz. ou 41, Wyoming 7 Source: OU athletic department

• Finals Week, Fall 2011

Finals Week, Fall 2011 •

Bowl preview Sooners: OU losses force team to watch promising season slip away The Daily’s best of 2011 Offense Ryan Broyles Year: Senior Position: Receiver Season stats: 83 catches, 1,157 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns (nine games) Overview: Broyles’ impact on OU football will be felt for quite a while. The Norman native is, stastically, the best receiver the Sooners have ever had and holds all but a few school receiving records. Broyles acounted for 25 percent of Landry Jones’ passing yards this season, including yards gained in the three games Broyles sat. Jones did not throw another touchdown pass after Broyles’ injury.

DEFENSE Frank Alexander Year: Senior Position: Defensive end Season stats: 51 tackles (18 tackles for loss), 8.5 sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles (one recovery), six pass break-ups Overview: After lots of hype as a recruit and flashes of promise throughout his career, Alexander put it all together this season in his finest year at OU. He was a dominating force and anchor for Oklahoma’s defensive line and was the Sooners’ most consistent defender, putting together impressive games regardless of whether the rest of his team was.

SPECIAL TEAMS Michael Hunnicutt Year: Freshman Position: Kicker Season stats: 20-of-23 field goals (long of 53 against Kansas State), 51-of-51 extra points Overview: After a few unstable performances by senior Jimmy Stevens, Hunnicutt was handed the reins to the most tumultuous position on the Sooner squad and performed admirably. Even though two of his misses were from close range during OU’s three-point loss to Texas Tech, he has been consistent throughout the rest of the season, including making several kicks of longer than 40 yards. Compiled by James Corley, Sports Editor

Sports Columnist

Continued from page B1 The team had cleared one of its toughest hurdles of the year and was heavily favored in every game the rest of the season, but games are not played on paper. The Sooners got a taste of that lesson the very next week on their home field, when — despite poor play and no intensity — OU scraped by Missouri with a 38-28 victory. A win is a win, but everyone on the team expressed disappointment with the performance. “We had mental bust after mental bust, and it was a very easy game plan,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables said after the win. “We practiced poorly this week, and we played poorly and coached poorly. You can’t let your guard down. You lose your edge, lose your respect for the game, and you’re going to get exposed. It’s very disappointing.” Was the game a fluke, simply a reminder to the team that if it doesn’t play well, it can lose? Or was it more of an omen of things to come? It does not take much to get football fans in Oklahoma riled up. However, OU fans did not worry long. Oklahoma rolled over Ball State at home the following week, and all worry was put aside when the team dominated Texas, 55-17, in the annual Red River Rivalry. Oklahoma seemed to have reached another peak with that win, having hurdled its second major obstacle en route to a national title. The question was answered: Missouri was nothing more than a fluke, a letdown after a splendid performance on the national stage. Or so it seemed. OU rolled to its sixth win the following week, beating unranked Kansas, 47-17. Just like that, the team found itself in a valley. Texas Tech came to Norman on Oct. 22, unranked and struggling to find itself, but the Red Raiders broke the nation’s longest active home winning streak by knocking off the No. 3-ranked Sooners, 41-38, at Owen Field. “They came out, and they flat out beat us,” senior defensive end Frank Alexander said. “It wasn’t anything special they did.” A simple statement, but painfully true. Texas Tech played the same football it had been playing all year. The problem was the Sooners did not. They played like they played against Missouri; this time, though, it got the best of them. The Missouri game was suddenly less of a fluke and more of a symbol for this team’s

Greg Fewell greg_f@ou.edu

“Obviously, the season didn’t go the way we planned,” junior center Ben Habern said. “We have to take ownership of what happened.” Now the Sooners are left with a Dec. 30 appearance in the Insight Bowl against their head coach’s alma mater, Iowa — unbelievable considering where OU started the 2011 season. Undoubtedly, the Sooner players are just as disappointed as their loyal fans. With only one more chance to finish this season on a strong note, though, the team cannot afford to be disapKingsley burns/The Daily pointed. A loss in the Insight Redshirt freshman quarterback Blake Bell (10) celebrates after rushing for a touchdown against Baylor on Bowl could turn the season from terrible to disasterous Nov. 19 in Waco. Bell scored 10 touchdowns in the final five games out of the “Belldozer” formation. in the eyes of Sooner nation. “I think we’re going to come back and finish strong,” inconsistently. coach Bob Stoops said. “But But by the fourth quarter sophomore fullback Trey OU faced No. 8 Kansas in the end, [Baylor] made a of Bedlam, Oklahoma had Millard said. “We have State the next week, going few more big plays than we five turnovers, Oklahoma enough character to do that.” from losing at home to a sub- did, and that’s the difference State had almost 500 yards The Sooners still do have .500 team to blowing out a in the game.” of offense and the pecktheir character to defend, top-10 team on the road. It was true. OU played with ing order in Oklahoma had and of course, there is the Led by the new heart the entire game. The just taken a huge hit. The prospect of a shiny new “Belldozer” package, the team played with intensity Cowboys gave the Sooners Sooners’ offense was unand played through mistakes their most embarrassing loss Insight Bowl trophy to satisfy the fans until next year. stoppable, and the defense to give itself a chance to win. of the year, a 44-10 blowout, Oh yeah, and there’s aldecided to show up that Despite that, or maybe beto become outright conferways next year. week. Oklahoma blew out cause of that, the loss some- ence champions. the Wildcats, 58-17, and how seemed more painful. The once-favored future Greg Fewell is a journalism everyone wondered more After easily dispatching national champions had senior and the assistant sports than ever what went wrong Iowa State, only OSU stood finished the year 9-3 with editor for The Daily. You can against Texas Tech. between the Sooners and a another trip to the desert in follow him on Twitter at The Sooners — minus jushot at a BCS bowl to redeem their future, only this time @gregfewell. nior sensation Dominique their season. not as glamorous. Whaley, who suffered a season-ending injury against K-State — returned home the next week and had a repeat performance against Texas A&M. Two straight wins against ranked opponents, combined with other top-five teams being defeated, meant the Sooners still had an outside shot at a national title. But without senior AllAmerican Ryan Broyles — who saw his college career abruptly end against the Aggies — and Whaley, the road became considerably more difficult. If OU shot itself in the foot in the Tech game, the Baylor contest was more of a knife to the heart. Unlike the Missouri and Texas Tech games, OU did not lose to Baylor by falling behind early — they lost the game in crunch time by making mulLTRS 2103 Introduction to Constitutional tiple errors with minutes to Studies go and the game on the line. (Butterfield, Porwancher, CRN 27469) A false start, a timeout that CL C 3113 Greek Epic Poetry in probably shouldn’t have English Translation been called and a defensive (Knudsen, CRN 23214) breakdown resulted in a 45-38 loss. CL C 3613 Classical Influences on “I never questioned our Modern Literature players’ want to and fight,” (Coodin, CRN 26526)

Looking for a course to fulfill Gen-Ed requirements in the spring semester? These courses still have seats available. Enroll now, before someone else takes your seat!

LTRS 3143 The Examined Life (R. Huskey, CRN 27509)

Consider taking one of our elective courses LTRS 3510 Supreme Court and the U.S. Constitution (Lomazoff, CRN 27471) LTRS 3923 Oklahoma and the U.S. Constitution (Lomazoff, CRN 27810) LTRS 4970 Revenge Tragedy, Ancient and Modern (Coodin, CRN 27475) CL C 2413 Medical Vocabulary (Wagner, CRN 28694)

For addtional information on any of these courses, contact the Department of Classics and Letters at 325-6921 classicsandletters@ou.edu or visit us in the Carnegie Building, room 100

• Finals Week, Fall 2011

Finals Week, Fall 2011 •

Sports Columnist

Greg Fewell greg_f@ou.edu

Looking for a course to fulfill Gen-Ed requirements in the spring semester? These courses still have seats available. Enroll now, before someone else takes your seat!

LTRS 3143 The Examined Life (R. Huskey, CRN 27509)

For addtional information on any of these courses, contact the Department of Classics and Letters at 325-6921 classicsandletters@ou.edu or visit us in the Carnegie Building, room 100

• Finals Week, Fall 2011

Finals Week, Fall 2011 •

BOWL PREVIEW BOWL PREVIEW COLUMN

Injuries continue to cripple Sooners SPORTS COLUMNIST

Blanking without Broyles

Player’s injury had lasting influence on Sooners’ season JORDAN JENSON

BY THE NUMBERS Sooner offense

Sports Reporter

jjenson@ou.edu

he last time OU won a national championship — 2000 — most of the players on the current roster were still in elementary school. Since that time, the Sooners have fielded teams on a yearly basis that could compete for national championships. Each of those teams arguably was loaded with more talent but was still unable to produce an eighth title. While there are several factors that determine a season’s outcome, the one that clearly separates that 2000 team from others is quite simple: injuries. Under coach Bob Stoops, the injury bug historically has bitten his teams almost every year he has been in national championship contention — Jason White in 2001 and 2002, DeMarco Murray in 2008. In 2009, when the Sooners had the opportunity to field their most talented team, they lost key pieces Jermaine Gresham and Sam Bradford, along with a majority of the offensive line. Any time a team loses key pieces on its roster, it drastically alters its season. Case in point, the 2011 Oklahoma Sooners. In a season that began with lofty expectations with OU ranked as the No. 1 team in the initial preseason polls, a fully healthy team could have made it to New Orleans. The last time all 24 projected starters going into the season made it through a complete game was against Texas, clearly the best performance the Sooners have had all year. From that point on, at least one Sooner player has gone down in every game. While coaches will preach that backup players are ready to fill in and play, the fact remains it is increasingly difficult to replace key players on a weekly basis. Against Texas Tech, a team that has struggled ever since its stunning win in Norman, OU was without three defensive starters. Those three players — Casey Walker, Tom Wort and Jamell Fleming — are key in stopping the run and the pass. It was in this game that Texas Tech moved the ball at will against Oklahoma, with OU

KINGSLEY BURNS/THE DAILY

Above: Junior running back Dominique Whaley, on crutches, moves off the field after OU’s 44-10 loss to Oklahoma State on Dec. 3 in Stillwater. The walk-on suffered a season-ending ankle injury during OU’s game against Kansas State on Oct. 29 in Manhattan, Kan. Right: Junior defensive end Ronnell Lewis is attended to by trainers during OU’s 45-38 loss to Baylor on Nov. 19 in Waco. He suffered a sprained knee during the game. The team has not released whether Lewis will return in time for the Sooners’ bowl game against Iowa.

ultimately unable to keep up on offense since the Sooners were without Dominique Whaley at running back due to an illness. The Sooners should have been back on track for the rest of the year, as they had yet to see a player injured for the season. Instead, they have seen three players go down with season-ending injuries in three consecutive weeks, an alarming number. All three losses have greatly affected the Sooners. Without Whaley, the Sooners lost the nation’s most explosive walk-on and a running back on pace to have a 1,000-yard rushing season. The loss of Ryan Broyles is clearly the most devastating, as OU lost one of the top receivers in all of college football and Landry Jones’ go-to receiver. The loss of defensive end

Ronnell Lewis brought with it an immediate impact against Baylor. The Bears scored 17 points in the two quarters Lewis played and 28 points in the two quarters he did not. His absence leaves Oklahoma without one of its most explosive pass rushers on defense. The Sooners also had Frank Alexander go down with an injury against Iowa State, but he returned for the Bedlam game. It isn’t always difficult to replace players who go down with injuries, and the backups for OU have certainly filled in admirably. But replacing players as talented as Whaley, Broyles and Lewis doesn’t come easily. Imagine an Alabama team without Trent Richardson, an OSU team without Justin Blackmon or an LSU team without the “Honey Badger,” Tyrann Mathieu. It would

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greatly impact the type of team the coaches would put on the field. The 2011 season allows for comparison to the 2009 season, a season that is remembered for what could have been were it not for numerous injuries that occurred. While it’s possible OU still may have lost to Texas Tech and Baylor this season, having a fully healthy team would have made for

different games entirely. Without injuries, it is possible OU could have beaten OSU and be preparing for a national championship matchup against LSU. Instead, the Sooners find themselves with those hopes dashed. If Oklahoma is to win the Insight Bowl against Iowa, it will most certainly depend on the players who were waiting for their opportunity

call today

to contribute. Injuries may have derailed the Sooners’ national championship and Big 12 championship aspirations, but the backups playing in OU’s bowl have a chance to save what little is left of the Sooners’ season. Jordan Jenson is a film and media studies senior. You can follow him on Twitter at @oujordanjenson.

(405) 310-4477

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OU’s offense lost effectiveness after the loss of senior receiver Ryan Broyles, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Texas A&M with three games to go.

Third-down efficiency

45.5

Percent of third-down opportunities the Sooners converted with Broyles in the nine games prior to his injury

KINGSLEY BURNS/THE DAILY

Jordan Jenson

hen Dominique Whaley went down with a broken ankle, many felt the Sooners’ offense could still thrive. After all, before the season began, Roy Finch was expected to take over as the starter. But when Ryan Broyles went down with a season-ending ACL injury, there was panic among Sooner nation. How would the offense finish the regular season without its leading receiver? The Oklahoma State game provided the answer, and it wasn’t a pretty one. Perhaps the most alarming statistic to come out of Broyles’ injury is the lack of touchdowns junior quarterback Landry Jones has had in the games since then. In the three games Broyles did not play, Jones threw for no touchdowns. While the argument would be that Blake Bell has taken the touchdowns Jones would have had, as Bell scored seven in those final three games, the reason the “Belldozer” package was installed in the first place was because Jones and the offense struggled in the red zone. Jones’ lack of touchdowns was only one area that began to plague the Sooner offense as the season went on. The receivers knew they would have to play without Broyles at some point — they just assumed it would be during the 2012 regular season. When he went down, a greater weight was placed on the shoulders of Kenny Stills, Jaz Reynolds and the other receivers and tight ends. It was a weight they were never fully able to carry. As was evidenced in the OSU game, several players had key drops or failed to fight for the ball. Those things, along with an inability to get open like Broyles could, led to a dramatic increase of turnovers. In their first nine games with Broyles starting, the Sooners had 16 turnovers. In the three games without him, the offense had 12 turnovers. This means that 43 percent, nearly half, of OU’s turnovers came without Broyles in the game. With this lack of a go-to receiver, OU was forced into many third-and-longs. With Broyles starting, OU converted 45.5 percent of its third downs. Without him in the last three games, that number plummeted to 32 percent. With the offense unable to stay on the field, it put more pressure on the defense, which helps explain some of the issues that plagued that side of the ball. The offense was able to put up points against Baylor, but it struggled the rest of the time to have any real success. With the coaches realizing their biggest playmaker was gone, they put the ball in Jones’ hands. While he is a great quarterback, it was obvious the offense was simply not the same with Broyles out of the lineup. With a bowl game against Iowa still to come, the offense has time to begin to figure out how to find success without Broyles. That game could dictate how the Sooners play in 2012, as they begin their first full year without Broyles. As was evidenced by the last three games of the regular season, replacing him will be no small task.

Percent of third-down opportunities the Sooners converted without Broyles in the three games after his injury

Turnovers

Turnovers Oklahoma suffered in the nine games prior to Broyles’ season-ending injury

Turnovers Oklahoma suffered in the three games after Broyles’ injury

Scoring passes

Touchdown passes thrown by Landry Jones in the nine games prior to Broyles’ injury

0 Senior All-American wide receiver Ryan Broyles ended his OU career after suffering a knee injury against Texas A&M on Nov. 5 in Norman. After OU’s Fiesta Bowl win against Connecticut in January, the Norman native opted to forego the NFL for one more season to return for his senior year. He amassed 1,157 receiving yards from 83 catches and scored 10 touchdowns in the nine games before his injury. Broyles finished his Sooner career with 4,586 yards, a Big 12-record 45 touchdowns and an NCAA-record 349 catches. Broyles also holds school records for receptions (game, season, career), yards (game, season, career), receiving touchdowns (season, career) and 100-yard receiving games (season, career).

Touchdown passes thrown by Jones in the three games after Broyles’ season-ending injury

Completion percentage

64.6

Completion percentage of Jones’ passes in the nine games prior to Broyles’ season-ending injury

Completion percentage of Jones’ passes in the three games after Broyles’ injury

Wins-losses

8-1

OU’s record in the nine games prior to Broyles’ injury

1-2

OU’s record in the three games after Broyles’ injury Compiled by Jordan Jenson, Sports Reporter

@OUDailySports

• Finals Week, Fall 2011

Finals Week, Fall 2011 •

BOWL PREVIEW BOWL PREVIEW COLUMN

Injuries continue to cripple Sooners SPORTS COLUMNIST

Blanking without Broyles

Player’s injury had lasting influence on Sooners’ season JORDAN JENSON

BY THE NUMBERS Sooner offense

Sports Reporter

jjenson@ou.edu

KINGSLEY BURNS/THE DAILY

Above: Junior running back Dominique Whaley, on crutches, moves off the field after OU’s 44-10 loss to Oklahoma State on Dec. 3 in Stillwater. The walk-on suffered a season-ending an ankle injury during OU’s game against Kansas State on Oct. 29 in Manhattan, Kan. Right: Junior defensive end Ronnell Lewis is attended to by trainers during OU’s 45-38 loss to Baylor on Nov. 19 in Waco. He suffered a sprained knee during the game. The team has not released whether Lewis will return in time for the Sooners’ bowl game against Iowa.

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Open 10am-4pm

Christmas Day - Sunday, Dec. 25th

KINGSLEY BURNS/THE DAILY

different games entirely. Without injuries, it is possible OU would beat OSU and be preparing for a national championship matchup against LSU. Instead, the Sooners find themselves with those hopes dashed. If Oklahoma is to win the Insight Bowl against Iowa, it will most certainly depend on the players who were waiting for their opportunity

call today

(405) 310-4477

ON CAMPUS CORNER 730 Asp Ave. Suite 210 Norman, OK 73069

OPEN 5pm-2am

New Year’s Eve - Saturday, Dec. 31st

Open 10am-2am

*Reservations suggested, ask about our specials!

New Year’s Day - Sunday, Jan. 1st

OPEN 5pm-2am

Open all other days of winter break at 10 am. Sundays we will open at noon.

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OU’s offense lost effectiveness after the loss of senior receiver Ryan Broyles, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Texas A&M with three games to go.

Third-down efficiency

45.5

Percent of third-down opportunities the Sooners converted with Broyles in the nine games prior to his injury

KINGSLEY BURNS/THE DAILY

Jordan Jenson

Percent of third-down opportunities the Sooners converted without Broyles in the three games after his injury

Turnovers

Turnovers Oklahoma suffered in the nine games prior to Broyles’ season-ending injury

Turnovers Oklahoma suffered in the three games after Broyles’ injury

Scoring passes

Touchdown passes thrown by Landry Jones in the nine games prior to Broyles’ injury

Touchdown passes thrown by Jones in the three games after Broyles’ season-ending injury

Completion percentage

64.6

Completion percentage of Jones’ passes in the nine games prior to Broyles’ season-ending injury

Completion percentage of Jones’ passes in the three games after Broyles’ injury

Wins-losses

8-1

OU’s record in the nine games prior to Broyles’ injury

1-2

OU’s record in the three games after Broyles’ injury Compiled by Jordan Jenson, Sports Reporter

@OUDailySports

• Finals Week, Fall 2011

OUDaily.com ››

SPORTS

In a video by The Daily’s Zack Hedrick, OU men’s basketball players say open practice gives them a boost when fans show up.

James Corley, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

Coming up short Fast start ends in disappointment Future of Sooner program rests with McLaurin

Sooners didn’t play tough all the way through, coach says Luke McConnell Sports Reporter

Overall record

Sophomore will need to take a bigger role moving forward, Restrepo says Luke McConnell Sports Reporter

Derrick Adams/The Daily

Senior middle blocker Carlee Roethlisberger (7) blocks an attack during a game this season. Roethlisberger, a former OU women’s basketball player, used her fifth year of eligibility to play volleyball.

BY THE NUMBERS Sooner volleyball

.246

this season

8-8

The Sooners’ record at McCasland Field House

.191

Opponent attack percentage allowed by Oklahoma

4-7

13.5

Kills per set tallied by OU during the 2011 season

15.6

Digs per set averaged by Oklahoma’s defense

OU’s record away from Norman on the road in 2011

Seniors graduating from OU’s volleyball program this year Number of starters plus libero returning for OU next season Source: OU athletic department

“I think it was a combination of a lot of things,” he said. “At the end of the season, our bodies were pretty beat up. We have a couple injuries to our key players and, overall, we didn’t play as tough as we were accustomed to from the beginning of the season to the end of the season.” The biggest problem, though, was the Sooners’ inability to perform in crunch time. The Sooners were just 5-8 in four-set matches this season. The Sooners only won three games in which they trailed after three sets,

Key victory

21-12 Texas Big 12 record

14-3

Attack percentage for the Sooners

and none after the Sooners defeated Kansas on Oct. 15. “I think the bottom line is I should have put a lot more pressure on them, but I didn’t because there were seniors, and I thought they would take the responsibility,” Restrepo said. Restrepo added that the success of the team was his responsibility no matter how the team performed on the court. “I take the full responsibility for the blame, and it’s my responsibility to change what happened,” Restrepo said.

In several matches, including the Sooners’ NCAA tournament loss, OU had a better attack percentage, but a lesser number of total kills and a failure to come through in the clutch really killed the Sooners’ ability to have a more successful season. 2011 wasn’t a failure by any stretch of the imagination, but the Sooners didn’t meet the expectations they laid out for themselves at the beginning of the season. With 10 letterwinners returning next season, plus the incoming recruiting class, the foundation has been laid for OU volleyball to continue to be a force. Restrepo said he and his staff aren’t feeling any pressure to continue the winning tradition OU is establishing. “To me, once you coach for the excitement, to make the team every year better, to me there is no pressure as far as continuing the success,” Restrepo said. “We just try to continue the traditions, continue what we have established here, realize that we have new blood, but with the new blood comes a lot of responsibility and accountability.”

OU volleyball sophomore middle blocker Sallie McLaurin has been a big presence ever since she set foot on campus in the fall of 2010. Now, with the 2011 season in the books and one of the most decorated classes in OU volleyball history departing, the 6-foot-2-inch Midwest City native will be needed more than ever to make her presence felt on the court. “I definitely like being a leader,” McLaurin said. “I like leading by my actions. I like to calm down the team and stay stable for them.” OU coach Santiago Restrepo said the graduation of five seniors and next year’s small senior class will require McLaurin to shoulder a heavier role next season if the Sooners hope to be successful. “She’s going to have to become a bigger voice, bigger role, bigger leader, a better player for those young ones to follow,” Restrepo said. “She is going to have to step up, and I think she’s looking forward to the challenge.” Restrepo said McLaurin has done a great job of stepping up her first two years as a Sooner. “She came in as a freshman and had to do a role as a starter, but she didn’t necessarily know what to expect,” Restrepo said. “She went and took the job and established herself as one of the bigtime middles in our conference, and this year she was our defensive player of the year and led the Big 12 in blocks.” McLaurin said winning the Big 12’s defensive player of the year was an honor considering all the other great players in the conference, and added the award Salle wasn’t solely for her. McLaurin “It’s awesome,” McLaurin said. “I wouldn’t have it without my teammates. Basically, it’s just lucky I feel like.” While McLaurin racked up individual awards, the team didn’t fare as well as it would have liked, finishing just 8-8 in conference play and a first-round exit from the NCAA tournament. “I definitely don’t think that we made our goals, but I think the season went pretty well,” McLaurin said. “It wasn’t what we expected, but it was a winning season, so you have to be happy about that.” McLaurin said every team the Sooners played this year came out with their ‘A’ game and seldom had a bad performance. It was a lesson she and the rest of the team learned the hard way. “I just learned that you have to come out every night expecting the best from the other team,” McLaurin said. “If you do watch film of them losing and they are not the best team, just know that they can play lights out. Whenever they are playing you, they’re a different team than playing anyone else.” Since coming to OU, McLaurin has worked hard to improve her game and make it more complete. “Last year, people probably weren’t expecting [senior setter Brianne Barker] to set me because I was a freshman,” McLaurin said. “But this year, they normally had a double block. I had to learn how to work around and try to check the other team whenever I was approaching and hitting.” Restrepo said McLaurin’s transitions make her a dominant force in the middle. “She gets off the ground very fast and lands and turns and gets off the net and goes up and hits as fast as she can,” Restrepo said. “The transition has to be one of the biggest things for her.” The 2012 volleyball season is still a long way away, but for McLaurin, the disappointments from this season make her and the rest of the team wish it started sooner.

Most Valuable Player

Most Improved Player

Offensive Player of the Year

Defensive Player of the Year

Newcomer of the Year

Brianne Barker

Keila Rodríguez

Suzy Boulavsky

María Fernanda

Tara Dunn

In front of a crowd of 2,074 on Sept. 28 at McCasland Field House and a national TV audience, the Sooners knocked off the Big 12 leaders in five sets.

SMU — W, 3-0 • Oral Roberts — W, 3-0 • Missouri State — W, 3-1 • Colorado State — W, 3-0 • Cincinnati — L, 3-1 • North Texas — W, 3-0 • Sam Houston State — W, 3-0 • Arkansas — W, 3-1 • Florida A&M — W, 3-0 • Auburn — W, 3-0 • Miami (Fla.) — L, 3-1 Wichita State — L, 3-2 • Texas Southern — W, 3-0 • Arkansas-Little Rock — W, 3-0 • Arkansas-Pine Bluff — W, 3-0 • Boise State — W, 3-2 • Baylor — W, 3-1 • Texas — W, 3-2 • Texas Tech — W, 3-2 • Missouri — W, 3-2 • Iowa State — L, 3-1 Texas A&M — L, 3-2 Kansas — W, 3-2 • Kansas State — W, 3-1 • Missouri — L, 3-0 • Iowa State — L, 3-1 • Kansas State — L, 3-2 • Baylor — L, 3-1 • Kansas — W, 3-1 • Texas A&M — L, 3-1 • Texas Tech — W, 3-0 • Texas — L, 3-1 • Tulsa — L, 3-1

Compiled by Luke McConnell

The 2011 season for the Oklahoma Sooner volleyball team was supposed to be one of the best in program history. Ho w e v e r, t h e s e a s o n ended earlier than expected in the first round of the NCAA tournament at the hands of Tulsa. For the Sooners, it was a disappointing finish, but the big picture of the program remains extremely bright. “I am already excited for next year,” OU coach Santiago Restrepo said. “We have new blood, very talented new blood, which is very exciting for a team that perhaps needs a change.” Coming into the season, the Sooners were ranked 16th in the preseason AVCA coaches’ poll and were picked by Big 12 coaches to finish second in the conference behind Texas. Bolstered by the return of all but one starter, the Sooners were poised to capture the program’s first Big 12 title. The likelihood of that possibility increased significantly when the Sooners knocked off preseason favorite Texas on Sept. 28 in Norman. “Obviously the exciting part of our season is that we made it into the tournament,” Restrepo said. “We also beat Texas in a nationally televised match that was really exciting for people in Oklahoma, people across the nation to see how our sport has grown and how Oklahoma volleyball has gotten much better.” However, even in the midst of that dramatic win, the Sooners began to show some chinks in their armor. Three straight five-set matches took their toll on the Sooners and led to a pair of losses in October to Iowa State and Texas A&M. The Sooners closed the first half of conference play at 6-2 and were still in good position to make a run at a conference championship. However, the Sooners stumbled out of the gate in the second half, losing their first four and finishing 2-6 for an overall record of 8-8 in conference play and 21-12 overall. Injuries were a major problem for the Sooners this season, something Restrepo’s team had not had to deal with in the past several seasons.

Puzzles

Finals Week, Fall 2011 â&#x20AC;˘

Previous Solution

Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard

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.

Previous Solution

Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard

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.

Previous Solution Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard

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.

Universal Crossword

Edited by Timothy E. Parker December 12, 2011

Edited by Timothy E. Parker December 13, 2011

ACROSS 1 Knight in training 5 Jackson 5 hairdos 10 Singer-actor Kristofferson 14 Opera solo 15 Having had too much to drink 16 Cheep accommodations? 17 Good bettors follow it 19 Spanish jar 20 2,000 pounds 21 Wellmannered 22 Perry Mason, e.g. 24 Illustrations and such 26 ___ Fein (Irish political party) 27 Suffix with â&#x20AC;&#x153;socialâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;urbanâ&#x20AC;? 28 Twists out of shape 32 Billiards stroke for sharks 35 Like a plug, but not a socket 36 Follow, as a suspect 37 Suffix with â&#x20AC;&#x153;sermonâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;cigarâ&#x20AC;? 38 Charlton Heston role 39 Add to the payroll 40 Roger Rabbit, e.g.

41 Currierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partner 42 Made it through crunch time? 43 One reason for italics 45 ___ Leandro, Calif. 46 Contemporary of Raymond and Agatha 47 Anatomical quintet 51 BogartHepburn movie locale 54 Source of misery 55 Sound that broke the silence of the lambs? 56 Like a long shotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chances 57 Think tank product 60 Global extreme 61 ___ nous 62 Grades K-6 63 Clairvoyant 64 Type of surgery 65 Not one, to Jethro Bodine DOWN 1 Lasagna or linguine 2 Knightwear 3 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fee-fi-fofumâ&#x20AC;? sayer 4 Hearing aid? 5 Esteem 6 Monkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s robe 7 Ancient German

character 8 Homophone for â&#x20AC;&#x153;wonâ&#x20AC;? 9 Penthouse views 10 Ignoramus 11 Depend (on) 12 Skye or Man 13 It may twinkle 18 CD alternative 23 Formicary inhabitant 25 Smart aleck 26 Cobblerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stock 28 Court events 29 Parade stopper 30 It keeps on rolling 31 Luge 32 Allot 33 Tiny source of energy 34 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Say no moreâ&#x20AC;? 35 Dinner companion?

38 Identify incorrectly 42 Borgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s countrymen 44 ____ de Triomphe 45 One with a confession 47 Word with â&#x20AC;&#x153;laissezâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;savoirâ&#x20AC;? 48 Fever-causing virus 49 Less plentiful 50 Rat Pack pal of Dean and Frank 51 Snakes in hieroglyphics 52 Ice mass 53 Infuriate 54 Some make it to Cooperstown 58 Genetic material 59 Royal flush component

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

12/11

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LOTS UPSTAIRS By Harper Dantley

12/12

ACROSS 1 Hair line 5 Poetic foot 9 Cowboy boot feature 13 Filled cookie 14 Juicy pear 15 Superboyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sweetheart Lang 16 What an also-ran may get? 18 Part of the eye 19 Granola grain 20 Belfry resident 21 Garden walkway 22 Literary sisters Emily and Anne 26 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a ____ nerve ...â&#x20AC;? 28 Didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t linger 29 Letters with â&#x20AC;&#x153;messengerâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;transferâ&#x20AC;? 31 Like many diet products 34 ___ grabs (available) 36 Relevant, to lawyers 38 More than displeasure 39 Abbr. after many a generalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name 40 They may be current or foreign 42 U.S. gun lobby 43 â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Christmas Carolâ&#x20AC;? comment 44 Adhered (to) 45 Birds or fruit 47 Acoustic term

49 Televise 51 Jazz great Brubeck 52 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dear ____ Madam ...â&#x20AC;? 54 Spent time at Betty Fordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 56 One of the four Gospels 58 A day in Spain? 60 Feel sick 61 Potent pints 62 Small kitchen appliance 67 Hardly healthylooking 68 TV group featuring Mr. T 69 Celsius freezing point of water 70 Report-card blemishes 71 Hint to an unexciting speaker 72 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thanks ___ so much!â&#x20AC;? DOWN 1 â&#x20AC;&#x153;The GoldBugâ&#x20AC;? author 2 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Woofâ&#x20AC;? alternative 3 ___ Speed Wagon (old vehicle) 4 Rogers Centre locale 5 Schubertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fantasia ___ Minorâ&#x20AC;? 6 â&#x20AC;&#x153;This looks like ___ for Superman!â&#x20AC;? 7 Point of a fable 8 Certain garment worker 9 Don, as a sweater

10 What Halloween lips are made of 11 Inventory item 12 Allergy reaction, sometimes 14 Second photo in a testimonial ad 17 Scarf down 22 Book jacket bits 23 Already-aired TV show 24 Readily available, as parts 25 A big mess 27 Russian city or oblast 30 Site of Churchillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1943 Turkey conference 32 Get there 33 Made oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hair stand on end? 35 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kept on track, hope-

fully 37 Far from flexible 41 Path of a cresting river 46 Put on a pedestal 48 Gets the suds out 50 Coin of the ___ 53 Cowboyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s calf catcher 55 Even-steven situation 56 Mocking comment 57 Count ___ (Lemony Snicket villain) 59 Cruise film, â&#x20AC;&#x153;____ Good Menâ&#x20AC;? 63 Summer air circulator 64 Gun, as an engine 65 Minerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vein contents 66 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Neither rain ___ sleet ...â&#x20AC;?

Previous Solution

12/12

ÂŠ 2011 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard

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.

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

F TROOP By Hank Bowman

12/13

Previous Solution

Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard

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.

Solution 5

Universal Crossword

Edited by Timothy E. Parker December 14, 2011

Edited by Timothy E. Parker December 15, 2011

Edited by Timothy E. Parker December 16, 2011

ACROSS 1 Throw with great effort 6 Received 9 Like some wits or cheeses 14 Harold who composed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over the Rainbowâ&#x20AC;? 15 Stat for a clean-up hitter 16 Bearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s treat 17 Saber fish? 19 Rarinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to go 20 Altoids containers 21 Sculpture material, sometimes 22 Alla ___ (cut time, in music) 23 Down greedily 25 Fluffy scarf 27 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Supermanâ&#x20AC;? baddie Luthor 28 Amazonian shocker 29 Hawaiian porch 31 Large lunch sandwich, for short 34 Done before an operation 38 Heel wheel 40 Take in, as a movie 41 Yard neatenerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tool 42 Like overt crimes 47 Young male 48 Immunesystem unit 49 Shepherdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

12/14

milieu 50 Poetic work 52 â&#x20AC;&#x153;King of the Cowboysâ&#x20AC;? Rogers 53 Footrest 58 ___ Gras 60 â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Iron Horseâ&#x20AC;? Gehrig 61 â&#x20AC;&#x153;___Jailâ&#x20AC;? (Monopoly directive) 62 1966 Michael Caine title role 63 Colorful squawker 65 Wheels at sea 66 Grow older 67 Pasta in tubes 68 Up until now 69 Peasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; package 70 A lot of assessments? DOWN 1 Cause of waste? 2 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Desert Foxâ&#x20AC;? Rommel 3 â&#x20AC;&#x153;All ___ the Watchtowerâ&#x20AC;? (Jimi Hendrix hit) 4 Left page, in a manuscript 5 Beginningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s counterpart 6 Without poise 7 Theater award 8 Up to, briefly 9 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wholeâ&#x20AC;? thing 10 Coating of frost 11 Opposite of

devilish 12 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Supermanâ&#x20AC;? actor Christopher 13 Beaker material 18 Princeton mascot 24 Salesman, briefly 25 Aristocratic 26 It may go for a dip in the ocean 30 Every breath you take 31 180 degrees from NNE 32 Certain news agency (Abbr.) 33 Swimming stroke 35 ___ of Galilee 36 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aliasâ&#x20AC;? equivalent 37 Batted first (with â&#x20AC;&#x153;offâ&#x20AC;?) 39 GOP fundraising org. 43 Spooky to

the max 44 ___-mo (replay feature) 45 Rain more gently 46 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Put some meat on those bones!â&#x20AC;? 50 Largest city of Nebraska 51 Evans and Carnegie 54 Baddies in many bedtime stories 55 Daybreaks, poetically 56 When the mouse ran down the clock 57 Classroom jottings 59 Two-fifths of one quarter 60 Building block for kids 63 Music style 64 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Greatâ&#x20AC;? creature

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

12/13

ÂŠ 2011 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

SOMETHINGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FISHY By Henry Quarters

ACROSS 1 Indian garment 5 â&#x20AC;&#x153;... and make it fast!â&#x20AC;? 9 Bettorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bet 14 Queenly role for Liz 15 Old king of rhyme 16 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Come here ___?â&#x20AC;? 17 Curriculum sessions to overcome? 20 Man from Katmandu 21 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s held in the hold 22 .com kin 23 Adj. modifier 25 Advanced degree in mathematics? 26 Bit in a feedbag 29 CD track 31 â&#x20AC;&#x153;I saw a mouse!â&#x20AC;? 33 Seize before it passes 35 Brushes with the law 38 Typewriter type size 39 Traffic jam causes, sometimes 41 Blithering fool 43 â&#x20AC;&#x153;For fun itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a wonderful toyâ&#x20AC;? item 44 Applesauce topper 46 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Help!â&#x20AC;? et al. 47 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Graphicâ&#x20AC;? opening 51 Word preceding a womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birth name 52 Rugged

12/15

coastline feature 54 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Quiet on the ___!â&#x20AC;? 56 Third-Sunday-in-June honoree 57 Turn a deaf ___ (ignore) 59 Apply improperly 61 Tripperuppers 65 Bad and then some 66 Cafeteria offering 67 Bottom-ofthe-barrel stuff 68 Christmas dinner bird 69 â&#x20AC;&#x153;To be,â&#x20AC;? for Caesar 70 Classic Icelandic poetry DOWN 1 Biscuits served with tea 2 Reflective power, as of a planet 3 Took another turn on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wheel of Fortuneâ&#x20AC;? 4 Extremely small amount 5 Insured event 6 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do re mi fa ___ ...â&#x20AC;? 7 â&#x20AC;&#x153;30 Rockâ&#x20AC;? co-star Baldwin 8 Nut used for pie 9 Hooligan 10 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hairâ&#x20AC;? do 11 â&#x20AC;&#x153;___ now or never!â&#x20AC;?

12 Poker term 13 Warrant officerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s superior (Abbr.) 18 ___ mode (topped with ice cream) 19 Dinner discards 24 Bridal concealers 26 ___ Day & the Knights (band in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Animal Houseâ&#x20AC;?) 27 Play a role 28 Titleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first word, often 30 Best manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best friend, often 32 Mournful bell sound 34 Resin in adhesives and paints 36 Unlike sign language 37 Barbershop sounds 39 Dental

concern 40 Touring company 41 Wayfarerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lodging 42 Deserved recognition 45 Future woman 48 Brought forth 49 Disguised, in a way 50 City in western Texas 53 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once upon ___ ...â&#x20AC;? 55 â&#x20AC;&#x153;___ death do us partâ&#x20AC;? 57 Australian ratites 58 ___, tens, hundreds 60 Catch of the day, perhaps 61 Bend under pressure 62 Number for the show? 63 Venusian vehicle, e.g. 64 Sign along an interstate

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

12/14

ÂŠ 2011 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

TROUBLE AHEAD By Donald Stubin

ACROSS 1 Vegetarianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no-no 5 Administers medicine 10 Black, in an ode 14 A good shoe supports it 15 Ringlike coral island 16 Pew locale 17 Colorful growing building 19 â&#x20AC;&#x153;True ___â&#x20AC;? (Wayne flick) 20 Six-Day War participant 21 Cardinalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; nickname 23 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Podâ&#x20AC;? starter 24 Prevent from having 25 Infringe upon 30 Arrowed street sign 33 Digestive fluid 34 Suspend 36 Color quality 37 Redding, the singer 38 Birds of peace 39 Largest city of Latvia 40 Tony winner Cariou 41 Missing from oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s post 42 Roman way 43 Exhibit principal 46 Climbs awkwardly 49 Scottish hillside 50 Anatomical 12/16

egg holder 51 Madagascar language 55 Tooth covering 59 Mild expletive 60 Colorful Navy show squad 62 Gaming cubes 63 Actress Kedrova and singer McCann 64 State, in France 65 Prepares a printing press 66 Abrasive file 67 ___ serif (plain type style) DOWN 1 â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Gift of the ___â&#x20AC;? 2 Boots an easy grounder 3 Computer brand 4 Movie houses, in Britain 5 Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national flower 6 Siouan speaker of Oklahoma 7 Lip-puckering 8 Otherwise 9 Musherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team 10 Cabooseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opposite 11 Colorful deep-voiced

singer 12 â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Art of Loveâ&#x20AC;? poet 13 New Jersey team 18 Roman emperor 22 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reindeer Gamesâ&#x20AC;? star Affleck 25 Virus named for a river 26 Saltpeter 27 Colorful â&#x20AC;&#x153;Put Yourself in My Shoesâ&#x20AC;? singer 28 Chuck wagon grub 29 Chaos 31 Boring tool 32 Insurance policy measurements 35 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gimme a Break!â&#x20AC;? star Carter 38 Single and lacking baggage

39 Lung protectors 44 Muslim decrees 45 Droop in the middle 47 Comparable to pie? 48 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Blinded by the Lightâ&#x20AC;? singer Manfred 51 Prefix with â&#x20AC;&#x153;gapâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;careâ&#x20AC;? 52 Once more, in Dogpatch 53 Fat, as a chance 54 Christmas season 56 â&#x20AC;&#x153;I ___ man with seven wivesâ&#x20AC;? 57 Dash of panache 58 WWII landing crafts 61 Corn measure

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

12/15

ÂŠ 2011 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

BEING COLORFUL By Harper Dantley

SPORTS

• Finals Week, Fall 2011

ANALYSIS

Meltdown ends high hopes Season ends below high expectations for OU soccer team Sports Reporter

Replacing Palmer

The void left by graduated all-time program scoring leader Whitney Palmer prove d to o larg e to fill immediately. OU initially looked to junior forwards Caitlin Mooney and Dria Hampton to pick up the slack due to their past performances and seniority on a team mainly consisting of underclassmen. Both veterans scored in the season opener and performed well during the season, posting a combined 10 goals and 11 assists. Mooney’s six goals and Hampton’s six assists both led the Sooners in their respective categories this season. However, the duo didn’t have much success scoring game-winning goals. Not having that go-to scorer with the game on the line hurt the Sooners. OU never rallied to win after falling behind this season, and the Sooners dropped five games this season by one goal.

Inconsistent defense

In postseason interviews, the players said coming from behind to win is harder than holding off an opponent. Against then-No. 20 BYU, the Sooners owned the entire game from box to box on the defensive side. Junior goalkeeper Kelsey Devonshire didn’t give up a goal and did not have to the make a save

Sooner basketball has potential to win

Tobi Neidy

The 2011 Oklahoma Soccer season can be summed up in one word: incomplete. After beginning the season with a combined eight goals scored in exhibition and the season opener, the OU offense sputtered during the second half of the season, producing just six goals during the last 10 games for a 2-8 record. What was supposed to be a maintenance term for a program that saw tremendous success in the Big 12 conference last year turned into a sub-par performance from a Sooner team that returned eight starters from 2010’s record-setting season. OU was supposed to avenge a Big 12 championship trophy that was stripped away last season in penalty kicks. The Sooners also were looking to stay near the top of the loaded conference for consecutive seasons after claiming the program’s highest Big 12 ranking (third) last season. But for the 2011 Sooners, neither happened as the team fell hard in the latter half of the season to post a 2-6 Big 12 record. There were three main factors that contributed to the Sooners’ late-season meltdown:

COLUMN

Melodie Lettkeman/The Daily

Senior forward Michelle Alexander (left) fights for the ball with a Tennessee player during OU’s 3-1 loss to the Volunteers on Aug. 21 in Norman. The Sooners won just two of their last 10 games this season.

during her 90 minutes in goal. OU won, 2-0, by attacking the net early and often. Both of the Sooners’ goals came in the first half at the 17th- and 21st-minute marks, and the defense didn’t let up, giving up just four shots to the Cougars in the second half. This stat is significant when taking into account that the Sooners let 24 of their opponents’ 36 total goals come after halftime. While the BYU game highlighted the Sooners’ defensive potential, it was one of the few instances OU played a complete game this season. Following the BYU win, OU dropped five straight games by a combined goal total of 11-2. In the three final games of that stint, the Sooners failed to score a goal while the opponents scored two or more goals each game. As the last line of defense for OU, Devonshire only had three shutouts this year. She allowed 33 goals in 19 games this season after

allowing just 30 goals in 23 games last season.

Tough conference

OU struggled to finds wins in the unyielding and talented Big 12, besting only Iowa State and Kansas during the regular season. And it didn’t play to the Sooners’ favor that the Big 12 had the nation’s top scoring offense (Texas A&M, 3.17 goals per game) and top defense (Oklahoma State, .337 goals allowed per game). The Big 12 sent five teams to the NCAA championship tournament, with OSU making it to the quarterfinals before losing to top-ranked Stanford. OU was the only team in the Big 12 to finish below .500 this season, but the team was able to top Iowa State in the standings due to a head-tohead tiebreaker. OU’s season ended in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament, when OSU snatched a win away from the Sooners in the last two

AT A GLANCE Nelson leaves program Former head coach Nicole Nelson just finished her fourth year at the helm of the Sooners, compiling a 29-46-6 record at OU. After coaching the Sooners to a 3-14-1 record during her first season, Nelson compiled a 26-31-6 in the last three season, including the 12-8-3 winning record in 2010. The Yukon native directed the program to its first ever Big 12 championship game appearance where OU remained tied with OSU through regulation before relinquishing the trophy during penalty kicks. She earned co-Big 12 Coach of the Year honors due to the Sooners’ 2010 success. What looked like a perfect marriage between an Oklahoma native and a program needing a strong leader dissipated when Nelson decided to leave the program after the 2011 season with no pertinent reason other than the fact that she thought “it would be in the university’s best interest to look for new leadership.” Tobi Neidy, Sports Reporter

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BY THE NUMBERS Sooner soccer

Goals scored by the Sooners in 20 games this season

Academic All-Big 12 members on the OU soccer squad

Televised games at John Crain Field, the first and second ever in program history

Road wins by the Sooners this season Source: OU athletic department

minutes of the contest. The team’s woes also continued into the offseason when coach Nicole Nelson tendered her resignation to OU’s athletic department just nine days after the seasonending loss to the Cowgirls. Now, with an incomplete coaching staff and a team that is still struggling to put the pieces together, OU soccer will need to make the most of the offseason in order to come back next year with a solid team. The Sooners plan to return 10 starters next season from this year’s roster, including Mooney, Hampton and Devonshire, who will take their final tour in crimson and cream in 2012. Combine those three with several experienced underclassmen and OU could be ready to make another run at the Big 12 championship. Although 2011 left many unanswered questions, the upcoming 2012 season has the potential to put the program back on track.

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otential is a groSports Columnist tesque word. It’s one of those lethal words in the English language no one describes or elaborates about until it’s too late. It’s a word used in passing and in expectation of RJ Young the future. It’s not a word rjyoung@ou.edu we have come to associate with the superlative sporting few — after the fact. After winning six NBA rings, earning five MVPs and delivering two Olympic gold medals, no one says of Michael Jordan, “He had so much potential.” That word isn’t associated with any of the following in today’s times either: Lindsey Vonn, Mia Hamm, Lance Armstrong, Pelé, Jim Brown, Mickey Mantle, Wayne Gretzky, Cheryl Miller. To use that word when describing any of the aforementioned seems downright demeaning because by claiming they have so much potential, you’re also claiming they never met their full potential. You’re nullifying the compliment and adding a qualifier that needn’t be. Oklahoma’s men’s basketball team, on the other hand, does have an exorbitant amount of the grotesque: potential. As a fan of Oklahoma, that should scare you. The Oklahoma teaming play throughout the 2011-12 season is brimming with athletic ability, great coaching and work ethic. Also, they’re young; too young. But these men have shown they are coachable, they listen, and they will stand and fight for one another. They don’t act like they know they are not supposed to win. Knowing the disheartening facts about the Sooners, Oklahoma assistant coach Chris Crutchfield, a coach with 10 years’ experience at the Division-1 level of the game, sees a team with the tools to win more than it will lose. “We’ve improved a lot from where we started from,” Crutchfield said. “The guys have really bought into what we’re talking about, what we’re teaching, and they’re working hard. We’ve still got a lot of things to improve on, but if they keep doing what they’re doing, by the first of January, we have a chance to be a good ball team.” So far, coach Lon Kruger hasn’t started a senior — of which there are only three — or a man taller than 6-foot8-inches. Yet, early this season, the Sooners are getting it done on both ends of the court and where it counts: the win-loss column. Through six games, Oklahoma dropped just one. It scored at least 82 points in three of those games and averaged 79 points per game as a team through the first week of December, despite a roster of 13 possible players that was recently cut down to 12. Oklahoma lost 13 points per game — artillery it has no choice but to replace with more minutes from fewer players — and its purest scorer on the floor in Calvin Newell. The sophomore guard was more than capable in one-onone situations and starting scoring runs for the Sooners. Yet, next year, Oklahoma will likely get his points back and then some. It likely won’t come from Kruger’s incoming 2012 class but from a towel-waving, ever-grinning 6-foot-9-inch forward from Bordeaux, France, with a last name many Oklahoma fans will still fumble well into the 2012-13 season. In December 2011, Amath M’Baye embodies one word: upside. He has the tools — right this instant — to play professionally overseas. In time, the Wyoming transfer could be ready for the NBA. Many sportswriters will fawn over this man’s skill set in the coming years, provided he avoids injury and allows his coaches to continue to keep chipping and smoothing away at his marble. Until then, M’Baye will be a loud voice on southern end of Lloyd Noble, rooting on his team as it prepares to enter the meat grinder better known as the Big 12 conference schedule in January. It’s murderous, that conference. Kansas and Baylor will likely ascend to the top of it, though they’ll be bludgeoned and bloodied too. Only the Mariana Trench rivals the depth of that conference, and Big 12 coaches picked the group of men from Norman to finish tied for last place. Yes, the same Sooner team that started the season with just one loss in six games. And you know what? They’re probably right. The Sooners will exceed the expectations of many if they win 21 games and give Lon Kruger his 500th career victory in his inaugural season at Oklahoma. It would shock many and confound a few more. The hustle is there, as are the pieces to orchestrate a beautifully surprising season. Yes — the potential is there. See? It’s a grotesque word. RJ Young is a second-year professional writing graduate student. You can follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young.

The Commons on Oak Tree

1111 Oak Tree Ave Norman, OK 405-321-8877 commonsonaoaktree.net

Semester in photos

Finals Week, Fall 2011 •

FALL 2011 FINALS WEEK

Kingsley Burns/The Daily

The new Stuart Wing of OU’s Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, an 18,000-square-foot expansion of the exhibit space, opened Oct. 22. The wing is home to one of the nation’s largest collections of Native American art.

Astrud Reed/The Daily

Students fill the top of the Union Parking Garage for the Union Programming Board’s annual foam party Sept. 9. Students dance and slip around with friends. The foam party was the eighth one hosted by UPB. Last year, a little fewer than 800 guests attended the event. Students could enjoy the foam while waiting for the party to begin, a new feature this year. UPB places students’ safety first when conduction an event such as this. Admission was free with ID.

Melodie Lettkeman/The Daily

A kitten paws its cage at the Norman Animal Welfare center. Norman voters passed a ballot measure in November to provide $3 million in improvements for the shelter through increased property taxes.

Matthew Griffin/The Daily

Victoria Garten/The Daily

Kingsley burns/The Daily

Members of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and Delta Upsilon fraternity perform “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” during dress rehearsal of University Sing 2011: The Underdogs on Nov. 2. Delta Delta Delta sorority and Delta Tau Delta fraternity won the competition.

A protestor leans outside Dale Hall on Nov. 2. The Occupy Norman movement has seen few participants, aside from a few protestors who claim to have come from out of state.

A 1,200-pound statue of former OU quarterback Sam Bradford was erected Aug. 31, in time for the Sooners’ season-opening game against Tulsa.

B10

â&#x20AC;˘ Finals Week, Fall 2011