October 14-20, 2019

W E E K LY E D I T I O N | O C T O B E R 14 - 2 0 , 2 0 19 | O U D A I LY. C O M

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

RED RIVER REVENGE

OU

DAILY

NEUSTADT LIT FEST Celebrating Excellence and Diversity in YA Lit

OCT. 15 -17, 2019 at the University of Oklahoma with 2019 NSK Prize winner

Margarita Engle

neustadtprize.org/litfest

FEATURED AUTHORS, ARTISTS, AND SCHOLARS

Margarita Engle

Anna Badkhen

Edith Campbell

Austin Hartel

Sarah Hines

Tassie Hirschfeld

Kapka Kassabova

Charles Kenney

Leslie Kraus

Nancy LaGreca

Joseph O. Legaspi

Roxanne Lyst

Philip Metres

Dunya Mikhail

André Naffis-Sahely

Vi Khi Nao

Felipe Restrepo Pombo

J. L. Powers

Lilliam Rivera

Katherena Vermette

Caleb Westby

SCHEDULE TUESDAY, OCT. 15

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16

Understanding Cuba – A Roundtable Conversation

Margarita Engle and Lilliam Rivera – Dance Performance – A Conversation about Writing YA Fiction The Surrender Tree

Noon – 1:15 p.m. | Lunch provided (RSVP online)

12:30 – 2 p.m. | Lunch provided (RSVP online)

10 – 11 a.m.

Scholars Room 315, Oklahoma Memorial Union

Scholars Room 315, Oklahoma Memorial Union

Reynolds Performing Arts Center

“Two Wings, One Generous Heart” – A Talk by Lilliam Rivera

Neustadt Night at the Museum – Reception and Book Signing

The 2019 NSK Keynote – Margarita Engle

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Scholars Room 315, Oklahoma Memorial Union

Readings and Book Signings by the 2020 Neustadt Prize Jury and Visiting Writers 4 – 5:30 p.m.

Scholars Room 315, Oklahoma Memorial Union

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Sandy Bell Gallery, Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art

Books by our visiting authors will be available for purchase at some events, courtesy of the OU Campus Corner Bookstore.

Sponsored by World Literature Today and the University of Oklahoma. Co-sponsored by the Norman Arts Council, OU’s College of International Studies, the Center for the Americas, the OU School of Dance, the OU School of Music, OU School of Library and Information Studies, OU Department of Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum, the Pioneer Library System, the Norman Public Schools, and Colorado Academy. For additional information and/or accommodations, call World Literature Today at (405) 325-4531. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. www.ou.edu/eoo. Design by OU Visual Communication student Marley Smith.

THURSDAY, OCT. 17

11 a.m. – Noon

Reynolds Performing Arts Center

Celebrating Diversity in YA Lit – A Roundtable Conversation 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Scholars Room 315, Oklahoma Memorial Union

The UNIVERSITY of OKLAHOMA

Oct. 14-20, 2019 •

SPORTS

3

George Stoia, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Junior linebacker Kenneth Murray wears the Golden Hat trophy after the Sooners won the Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl Oct. 12.

K9 came to play, make history Murray leads key defensive effort in Red River Rivalry GEORGE STOIA @GeorgeStoia

DALL AS — Kenneth Murray climbed into the crowd, Sooner Nation swarming to him.

Exhausted, the junior linebacker took a seat in section 26, row two, seat 10 of the Cotton Bowl alongside dozens of family and friends.

His dad, Kenneth Murray Sr., gave him a hug, wrapping his arms around his 21-year-old son, patting him on the back.

“It was a hug of affirmation,” Murray Sr. said. “He was made for this moment.”

Minutes earlier, Murray stood at midfield of the Cotton Bowl and, in one swift motion, planted a white flag with an interlocking crimson “OU” in the center of the field. He and the No. 6 Sooners (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) had taken down No. 11

Texas (4-2, 2-1 Big 12), 34-27.

For Murray and Oklahoma’s defense, it was a statement — OU’s defense is for real.

“I’m a true believer in ‘the past doesn’t define you’,” said Murray, who had five tackles, two of them for loss, and a sack Saturday. “This is a new year. A completely different approach. A completely different mentality.”

A year ago — 371 days to be exact — Oklahoma’s defense hit rock bottom at the Cotton Bowl, giving up 48 points and 386 total yards from Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger. A day later, then-defensive coordinator Mike Stoops was fired.

This year, Oklahoma held Texas to 27 points and 201 total yards from Ehlinger.

“They did a really good job swar ming the football,” Ehlinger said. “I just feel like they let them make plays instead of trying to be complex.”

In recent years, Oklahoma’s offense often bailed its defense out. That wasn’t the case Saturday.

The Sooner defense continued to get stops, giving Oklahoma’s offense multiple chances to put the game away.

“Obviously on offense, when you fail to score and the defense keeps picking you up and doing their job, and holding up their end of the bargain, the energy just switches over to the offense,” junior wide receiver CeeDee Lamb said. “As a team, we did a great job of complementing one another, the defense did a great job in the first half like coach Riley said.”

Murray, as he typically does, spearheaded Oklahoma’s defensive performance. He set the tone from the start, swinging Texas wide receiver Devin Duvernay to the ground for no gain on the second play of the game. Then, on the first possession of the second half, he fought through Texas’ offensive line and sacked Ehlinger on third down.

He looked like the player Oklahoma has expected

him to be for the last couple years. He looked like Sooner Butkus Award winners of the past — Brian Bosworth, Rocky Calmus and Teddy Lehman.

“To see my son out there doing what he’s doing — he’s living his dream.

He’s pursuing his passion. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

KENNETH MURRAY SR., KENNETH MURRAY’S DAD

“The best defensive player at Oklahoma should be in the conversation for national awards,” Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said. “I think he’s just one of those guys ... I thought today was exciting to see that. As a defensive coach, when the play kind of breaks down, you’re out looking for No. 9 ... ‘Go save the day, bud.’”

Si tt i ng i n s e c t i o n 2 6 , Murray’s family and friends

watched him do just that.

After the game, they said they expect that type of play from him. He’s always risen to the occasion, even when he was a kid.

“He’s always been that way,” said Timothy Boutte, Murray’s high school trainer and personal coach. “The game is slowing down for him. He’s playing free and attacking ... He’s playing like we always knew he could.”

For Murray himself, the people sitting in section 26 are the source of his strength.

“Family is ever ything to me. I had a big support group come out today. My family is my ‘why.’ The reason why I do things. The reason why I go so hard. Just being around them means everything.”

As for his father, a preacher, who first taught Murray what it means to be a leader, he was overcome with emotion by his son’s performance.

“For me, there’s no words, no superlatives to describe the joy I have right now,”

Murray Sr. said. “To see my son out there doing what he’s doing — he’s living his dream. He’s pursuing his passion. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

Murray and Oklahoma have a ways to go, with daunting tasks waiting for them in Manhattan, Kansas; Waco, Texas; and Stillwater, Oklahoma. But Saturday’s feat is reason for celebration.

And for Murray — who has said all season he wants to go down in Oklahoma history as one of the best linebackers to come through Norman and bring home another Butkus Award — he’s well on his way.

On Oct. 7, heading into the game, Murray said about the Red River Rivalry: “You make a play in this game, you will be remembered forever.”

S o , t a k e a b o w , M r.

Murray. Your performance Saturday will live in Cotton Bowl lore forever.

George Stoia

georgestoia@ou.edu

Lamb proves instrumental in win over UT Receiver surpasses expectations, puts Sooners on top VIC REYNOLDS @vicareynolds

D A L L A S — Ev e r y o n e wanted to talk to CeeDee Lamb.

First, it was various TV stations interviewing him.

Then, it was starstruck kids asking for pictures. Even cheerleaders and members of the band were shouting at Lamb asking for photos.

It’s understandable why Lamb had so many people trying to chase him down.

The junior wide receiver just had one of the best games of his career, hauling in 10 receptions for 171 yards and three touchdowns in No. 6 Oklahoma’s (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) win over No. 11 Texas (4-2, 2-1 Big 12).

After wading through countless fans, Lamb finally made his way over for the most important postgame interaction — with his mother, Leta Ramirez.

The two embraced for a long hug, and they likely would have talked longer had Director of Football Operations Clarke Stroud not called Lamb into the locker room.

“I don’t know how to describe it — I’m just amazed,” Ramirez said. “I’m so excited for him, and I’m just so, so proud of him.”

For Lamb, meeting up with his mother after the game is something he always tries to do, but doing it after a win over Texas was special.

“Family is literally everything to me — it all starts there, in my opinion,” Lamb said. “For me to go back and hug my mom, there’s no better feeling than being with your mom after a game like that.”

Coming into the season, Lamb was expected to be one of the nation’s best receivers, but he started out slow. He caught only nine passes through the Sooners’ first three games, but it was fine because other receivers like redshirt sophomore Charleston Rambo were able to pick up the slack.

But the Sooners needed Lamb against Texas. In a game where, uncharacteristically, they weren’t able to light up the scoreboard, Lamb made critical plays to put points on the board when his team needed him most.

Whether it was a 1-yard fourth-down pass on the game’s opening drive, a 51yard go-ahead flea flicker

JACKSON STEWART/CRIMSON QUARTERLY

Junior wide receiver CeeDee Lamb jumps over a defender during the Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl Oct. 12.

pass in the third quarter or a 27-yard grab where he acrobatically maneuvered to reach the end zone to extend the lead to 10 in the fourth quarter, every score Lamb made was crucial.

“He’s a special player.

It’s been fun for the journey of CeeDee,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said.

“I’m proud of these guys.

I’m proud of how CeeDee played on the big stage.

“He’s a big-game player.”

With Oklahoma’s defense playing as well as it did, one may have thought the team wouldn’t have needed such a monster performance from Lamb. But with two early, poorly timed turnovers in the red zone, the Sooners entered halftime with just a 7-point lead.

After the Longhorns tied the game early in the third quarter, Riley called

a flea flicker. Lamb caught the pass, avoided several Longhorns defenders and scampered into the end zone.

It didn’t put the game away right then and there, but it gave the Sooners a 17-10 edge, and they never ceded the lead for the rest of the day.

“We knew that the game was going to be like this, and we knew that these

guys were going to fight,” Lamb said. “In my mind, I’m just thinking, ‘Why not me? Why can’t I make that play? Why can’t I be the reason that we turn it up a notch?’ On offense, I just wanted to get the guys clicking and be the leader for this team.”

Vic Reynolds

victor.reynolds@ou.edu

4

SPORTS

• Oct. 14-20, 2019

Riley, Hurts count on defense Offense relies on other units to come up big over Texas

players like junior linebacker Kenneth Murray and sophomore defensive end Ronnie Perkins made explosive plays against the Longhorn offense that torched the Sooner defense, 48-45, in 2018. But Murray has said again and again that this year is going to be different, and now Hurts can add “Red River Rivalry champion� to a resume that also has Iron Bowl wins.

It didn’t take a spectacular performance for the Alabama transfer to show he was all in with Oklahoma.

Hurts trusted his team as a whole to make the plays needed for a victory. In response, Hurts sat at the podium after the win and told the world he’s emotionally invested in his new team. “I think that’s a testament to my teammates,� Hurts said. “I wouldn’t rather do it with any other group. Talk about emotional ties I have to this university — they’re there now, for sure.

In the 2018 OU-Texas game, switching to defense troubled the Sooners.

Now-Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray didn’t play the first half he wanted either, and Ehlinger made the Sooners pay for it.

The first four drives for the Longhorns resulted in three touchdowns and a field goal,

CALEB MCCOURRY @CalebMac21

DALLAS — In his Red River Rivalry debut, senior quarterback Jalen Hurts had to rely on his defense.

With a fumble and an interception — in the red zone — in back-to-back drives, Hurts and the No. 1 offense in the nation kept leaving the field empty-handed in the first half, giving the responsibility back to the defense after each falter.

But defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and his unit had Hurts’ back. With junior Longhorn quarterback Sam Ehlinger struggling to escape a suffocating Sooner defensive front, Texas almost left the first half — where Hurts’ woes were plentiful — scoreless. The Oklahoma defense held on to a 10-3 lead. It prompted the Sooners to regroup for the second half, where sacks were numerous and suffocation from the OU defensive line was key in the No. 6 Sooners’ 34-27 win over No. 11 Texas Saturday.

And Hurts is all for it. He saw from the sideline how

prompting Texas to go into the half up 24-17.

On Saturday, when Hurts and the offense couldn’t score in the first half, the Sooner defense made sure Texas’ next drive usually resulted in punts. Texas punted four consecutive times to start the game and was held to a field goal right before both teams walked through the tunnel, with the Sooners on the high side, 10-3, at halftime.

Despite his struggles in his worst game as a Sooner, Hurts finished with 235 passing yards, three touchdowns in the air, 131 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. He showed flashes of greatness, like his behind-the-back move in the third quarter when a Texas defender just about sacked him. But he stayed on his feet and completed a pass to junior wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who finished the day with 171 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

But Hurts didn’t play it safe. He fumbled the ball in the red zone when he could’ve slid, threw an interception and led his team to a turnover on downs on their own side of the field. If the defense hadn’t changed from last year, it could have produced a different

PAXSON HAWS/CRIMSON QUARTERLY

Senior quarterback Jalen Hurts wears the Golden Hat trophy after the Sooners won the Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl Oct. 12.

outcome.

But this season, the Sooners showed they could fall back on the defense to bail out Hurts and the offense. “I don’t care what our defensive calls are, schemes, any of that,� Riley said. “The way we play right now, today, was the difference.

The aggression, fundamentally sound — kept our aggression, even in the second half when Texas made a few plays. We were outstanding

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By Eugenia Last

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2019

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- A roadblock will occur if you are LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -vocal about your plans. Feel Consider what you want to do out situations before you reveal next. Be open to suggestions, your ideas. A change someone but don’t lose sight of your long- makes will leave you questionterm goal. Set priorities and put ing your next move. your plans in motion.

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Set goals and boundaries.

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there. We’re going to continue to get better. This won’t be our best game.�

Oklahoma has now gotten past its biggest test this season so far. A win over No. 11 Texas was a testament that OU is moving in the right direction, and that the five other wins over lesser teams weren’t a fluke. Hurts, a Heisman contender, doesn’t need to carry his team like Murray did last year. Hurts can rely on his defense giving the team a chance to

start over. That was certainly the case on Saturday, and it looks like it’ll continue throughout the season. “I didn’t put the team in the greatest, best situations,�

Hurts said. “We had each other’s back. “I definitely think this team showed some perseverance and some mental toughness.�

Caleb McCourry

caleb.a.mccourry-1@ou.edu

Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg October 14, 2019 ACROSS 1 Pencil remnant 5 Poses a question 9 “Who’s there?� response 14 Killer whale 15 Bottle for a model 16 ___ 6 17 *Like some basketball drills 19 Hyde Park buggies 20 Spanish candy heart words 21 *Sugar maple, for Vermont 23 Japanese drama 25 French playwright Jean 26 *Rural byway 31 Rare, and then some 34 Fuse unit 35 Crew propeller 36 Actress Garr 37 Group at family gatherings?

38 Palindromic text 39 Made bread, e.g.

40 Part of, as a scheme 41 Rom-___ 42 Certain tropical vacation 43 Title of nobility 44 *Sony console 46 Bit of salt

10/14

48 Very, very long time 49 *Military’s capability 52 Word after “heavy� or “sour�

57 Do a whiteboard chore 58 Big event for a Realtor, or what each word in the starred answers can do 60 Color of honey 61 City north of Carson City 62 Opera piece for one voice 63 “Yum!�

64 Palindromic title 65 Horse color DOWN 1 Blanket descriptor 2 Faithful 3 School that anagrams to ACLU 4 Lip application 5 “Four score and seven years ___ ...�

6 Like some winter walkways 7 Author Vonnegut 8 Do an early projectplanning step 9 Loom 10 Rich cake 11 Sci-fi sequel subtitled “The Wrath of Khan�

12 Internet sensation 13 “What ___ is new?�

18 Prefix related to anti22 Rip 24 Mined matter 26 Sleeveless undergarments, for short 27 Yemeni’s neighbor 28 Not yet claimed 29 Dusseldorf dissent 30 Spacious 32 “Am not!� rebuttal 33 Add a lane to, say 36 Like a drumhead 38 “Kindergarten� or “juggernaut,� linguistically 39 Satellite office, e.g.

41 Emmy : TV :: ___ : ads 42 VIP at a Silicon Valley co.

44 Thin and dry 45 Placid 47 Stopwatch button 49 Accomplishment 50 ___ Pince, librarian at Hogwarts 51 Olympian sword 53 Simba’s sound 54 Bread for a Bologna sandwich?

55 Its smallest country is Maldives 56 Intend 59 Tacit approval

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SPORTS

Oct. 14-20, 2019 •

5

‘Did we overrate Jalen Hurts?’

Reporter answers reader questions after Sooner win GEORGE STOIA @GeorgeStoia

No. 6 Oklahoma (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) took down No. 11 Texas (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) 34-27 Saturday.

After the game, The Daily’s sports editor, George Stoia, answered all your questions about the game.

Here are his answers: @s o onerfan432: The Sooners passed their defensive test. What encourages you going forward this year?

I think this team could run the table. I really do.

Texas was the game everyone circled as Oklahoma’s toughest test, and they passed. Now, that’s not to say the road will be easy.

The Sooners still have to go to Waco, Texas; Manhattan, Kansas ; and Stillwater, Oklahoma. But if the defense plays like it did Saturday and the offense continues to improve, I don’t see how this team loses until the postseason. @AdamLaManque: Kenneth Murray has to be an all American, right? Will the Big 12 evaluate their officials after a very questionable game?

He’s most definitely an All-American. He’s probably OU’s best middle linebacker since Travis Lewis.

If he continues to play this way, he could be in serious

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Junior wide receiver CeeDee Lamb runs the ball during the Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl Oct. 12.

contention for the Butkus Award at the end of the season.

That’s what you get with the Big 12. They’re not going to be great, but I will say, the pregame penalty was sooo Big 12. Unreal, really.

he did Saturday. He was unbelievable.

I think Jalen Hurts is still a great quarterback, he just made some mental errors Saturday. So I think we might have kind of overrated him, considering the talent he was going against. The kid still @Andrew_Zimmel: Did came through in the biggest we underrate CeeDee or moments in the game. overrate Jalen?

Great question. Both, I @Wit_recycler: People think? saying bad play calling We all knew CeeDee Lamb from Lincoln, but I saw him was a great player, but what adjust for Jalen not executhe did Saturday — wow. It’s ing. I guess my question is hard to take over a game does Jalen learn anything at the wide receiver posi- from this? tion, and that’s exactly what I think Hurts will learn a lot

from this. Riley was in his ear after a few bad throws, which will help. But you have to remember Hurts is still relatively new to the Oklahoma program. It’s going to be a learning process the entire season.

My biggest takeaway from Hurts on Saturday was this quote he had after the game: “I think that’s a testament to my teammates,” Hurts said. “I wouldn’t rather do it with any other group.

Talk about emotional ties I have to this university — they’re there now, for sure ...

OUDNA in me.”

@ d a r e 2 s c h e r r : Wi l l Lincoln Riley swallow his air raid pride and pound the rock going forward?

The best chance this team has to win it all this year is to keep the pressure up on defense and run the ball on offense.

I don’t think he has “air raid pride.” He runs the football quite a bit. I think Saturday he got a little carried away, trying to get the ball into his playmakers’ hands — CeeDee Lamb and Charleston Rambo — instead of running. I also think he has more confidence

in his offensive line’s pass blocking than run blocking.

They did rush the ball 36 times Saturday. Only 28 passes. @JuniorMint15: Is Sermon hurt or is he just way down the depth chart?

I think Trey Sermon might be a little dinged up, not sure.

I was also a little surprised he didn’t play more. Kennedy Brooks and Rhamondre Stevenson played well, though.

George Stoia

georgestoia@ou.edu

Game grades for Sooners’ win over Texas Defense outshines offensive show for first time in years TARIK MASRI

@TarikM_Official

Oklahoma (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) defeated Texas (4-2, 2-1 Big 12), 34-27, on Saturday in Dallas.

The two teams came into the Red River Rivalry in what appeared to be the most evenly matched meeting between the Sooners and the Longhorns in the past decade.

The contest featured two prolific quarterbacks, coached by two of the most innovative young coaches in college football.

A n d t h e ga m e d i d n ’ t disappoint.

Here’s how the Sooners performed in week seven: Offense: BSenior quarterback Jalen Hurts was inconsistent at times on Saturday. He forced passes late into traffic, fumbled inside the red zone and, overall, didn’t perform the way Sooner fans have come to

expect this season.

That isn’t to say Hurts played badly. The Alabama transfer threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns while completing 16 of his 28 attempts and an interception.

Hurts’ biggest contribution came in his run game. The Houston native wore the Longhorns down with 17 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown.

Ju n i o r w i d e re c e i v e r CeeDee Lamb had arguably one of the best games of his career in the Cotton Bowl, with 10 catches for 171 yards and three touchdowns. Lamb showed off impressive runafter-the-catch ability, highlighted by a 51-yard touchdown grab in the third quarter.

The ground game is really what kept the Sooner offense alive when the passing game stalled. Oklahoma averaged 7.3 yards per carry for a total of 276 yards rushing. Redshirt sophomore running back Kennedy Brooks took most of the load at the running back position, finishing with 10 carries for 105 yards.

Collectively, Oklahoma’s offense gained 511 yards against a very good Texas team. The

Sooners came away with points on four of their six red zone attempts and were just 3-of-12 on third-down conversions. This wasn’t Oklahoma’s best offensive performance of the season, but they did enough to get the win.

Defense: A+ Oklahoma’s defense had one of its best performances at the Cotton Bowl in a long time. The Sooners had 15 tackles for loss, which is the second-most ever against Texas. Oklahoma’s defense was in the backfield the whole game, registering a school-record nine sacks. Despite being unable to force any turnovers, Oklahoma’s defense kept Texas from picking up big-chunk plays while holding Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger to 210 yards through the air on 26-for-38 passing and just over 8 yards per completion.

Sophomore defensive back Delarrin Turner-Yell led the team with 10 tackles and one tackle for loss. Sophomore defensive end Ronnie Perkins had a solid performance, recording five tackles and a sack.

But Perkins wasn’t the only

NE

Y EM

ACAD S W

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Creed Humphrey wears the Golden Hat trophy after the Sooners won the Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl Oct. 12.

Sooner making plays in the backfield. Oklahoma’s nine sacks came from eight different players. Redshirt senior Neville Gallimore finished with a career-high two sacks to go along with four total tackles.

The Sooners held Texas to 310 yards of offense, the lowest total they have held any team to this season. Of the Longhorns’ 25 first downs on Saturday, six were the result of a defensive penalty by Oklahoma. Penalties have

been an issue for the Sooners on all sides of the ball this season, but this week it was mainly due to the defense. Texas accepted six Oklahoma defensive penalties for 79 yards.

had two punts for 76 yards, including one that was downed at the Texas 7-yard line. The Longhorns started six drives inside their own 20-yard line after a solid performance by the kickoff coverage. Redshirt Special teams: A+ freshman Gabe Brkic made One way Oklahoma had an both of his field goal attempts advantage in the close contest from 19 and 34 yards. was in the kicking game. Texas’ average starting field position Tarik Masri was at its own 19-yard line, Tarikmasri@gmail.com while the Sooners’ was their own 41. Redshirt sophomore punter Reeves Mundschau

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6

• Oct. 14-20, 2019

NEWS

Jordan Miller, news managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily

Cities recognize heritage month Acknowledgment empowers Latinx, Hispanic students BLAKE DOUGLAS @Blake_Doug918

As Hispanic Her itage Month comes to an end, a leader of the OU Hispanic American Student Association said the month’s official recognition by local governments has helped Hispanic and Latinx students feel supported despite divisive national rhetoric.

On Sept. 10, Oklahoma C i t y May o r D av i d Ho l t and Norman Mayor Breea Clark signed proclamations officially recognizing Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month in Oklahoma City and Norman. Arturo Alonso, m e c h a n i c a l e n g i n e e ring junior and OU HASA Latino liaison, said celebrating the Latinx contribution to Oklahoma’s cultural identity has been a “great move.” “ I t h i n k i t ’s a m a z i n g just to see the different,

diverse cultures just within Oklahoma as a state, especially in Oklahoma City, being a larger city,” Alonso said. “The fact that we’re able to celebrate our diversity and our Hispanic culture, and seeing that on official g overnment documents is great to me, especially since central Oklahoma does tend to be a more conservative area.”

Alonso said the official recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month was even more impactful because many people within Hispanic and Latinx communities have somet i m e s f e l t a l i e nat e d by the rhetoric used on the national level, including by President Donald Trump and other federal officials, to describe their communities. “(Official recognition has helped) just because of the fact that our president is saying all these different things and putting us into different categories when, for the most part, they’re untrue,” Alonso said. “So just seeing that, it’s great that even with the current political climate,

ILLUSTRATON BY CARLY OREWILER/THE DAILY

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt and Norman Mayor Breea Clark signed a proclamation officially recognizing Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month in the two cities.

ou r mayo r s a re ab l e t o give recognition in a positive way and empower the communities rather than suppress.”

On Sept. 13, the White House issued its own official proclamation recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month nationally.

Amid governmental recognition of the month, OU ’s annual Day of the

Dead festival will not be held this year due to budget cuts, although it is expected to return next year.

But HASA is collaborating with the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art on Nov. 2 to hold a Day of the Dead event, Alonso said. The Latin Dance Club is also expected to host its annual Latin Ball on Nov. 1.

Holt said he first

recognized Hispanic Heritage Month in 2018 dur ing his first year as mayo r a n d wa s “ hap py to do so again” after Hispanic and Latinx leaders in Oklahoma City approached him “I certainly want everyone to feel welcome, and of course, I want the rhetoric and recognition we use to reflect our inclusive and welcoming approach,” Holt said.

In the future, Clark said she would like to expand Norman’s recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month to include not only a proclamation recognizing it in city government, but also events organized by the city to celebrate Norman’s Hispanic and Latinx residents.

“O n e o f t h e t h i n g s I would like to see us expand on is involvement in the events surrounding Hispanic Heritage Month,” Clark said. “I’m more of a woman of action, I suppose, and while I enjoy proclamations and know they’re appreciated, I think actions are more important than words.”

Clark said in the future the city could potentially partner with Norman’s Pioneer Library System, which currently holds independent events celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. This year, the system hosted a Day of the Dead themed light show Oct. 10 and an evening featuring Hispanic food and music Sept. 19.

Cooperation with OU student and cultural organizations is also a priority to help build a more inclusive environment and celebrate the diverse cultures OU students bring to Norman, Clark said.

“I often find OU and Norman can sometimes be separate entities, and I’m really trying to build that bridge,” Clark said.

“I’m happy to work with student organizations because I don’t want to see our students as ‘other people’ — they’re residents of Norman, too.”

Blake Douglas

bdoug99@ou.edu

OU deems potential threat not credible OU alert not issued for false rumors of armed gunman SCOTT KIRKER @scott_kirker

After rumors circulated of a possible security threat south of campus Wednesday, no OU Alert was issued regarding the situation.

Multiple sources told The Daily Wednesday evening that Greek fraternity and sorority houses were taking precautions due to messages related to a possible gunman near campus. Police later determined the suspicious person was not armed and not a threat.

Kesha Keith, OU director of media relations, said in an email that police determined the potential threat was not credible, and the OU alert system is only used when a potential threat or emergency is identified as credible.

At 9:48 p.m., Keith said in the email, the Norman Police Department received a call reporting a possibly armed suspicious person

near a Greek house within its jurisdiction. Once they arrived, Keith said, NPD determined there was no threat and no lockdown was issued, and OUPD continued to monitor the situation.

At 9:57 p.m., Keith said, OUPD located the individual on university grounds, and after further assessing the situation with NPD, confirmed there was no weapon or threat.

Javier Ramirez, human relations and women’s and gender studies senior, was at the Sigma Nu fraternity house when it obtained security footage of the suspicious person Wednesday night trying to open the door to the house. Ramirez is a member of the fraternity but does not live at the house.

Ramirez said he thought of past incidents such as the 2017 shooting at Phi Gamma Delta in which no OU alert was issued. An OU official said at the time that the shooting was contained before an alert could be issued.

Keith said the OU alert system is not used for non-credible threats to avoid desensitizing the system’s more than 48,000

users.

“The Emergency Alert system is used when a critical incident occurs on campus. OU does not use the Emergency Alert system to calm or dispel rumors as that is not its intended use,” Keith said in the email.

“Addressing rumors would result in an overuse of the system and would desensitize users, prompting them to opt out of the system and miss out on valuable information needed during an emergency.”

If a threat is found credible near OU’s greek houses or at other locations where students may be affected, Keith said, an OU alert will be sent out. The system is intended to cover threats on OU’s campus and immediate areas adjacent to campus.

“Credible threats that impact our community and call for the dissemination of an Emergency Alert include active shooter, gas leak, large fire, bomb threats, inclement weather, area lockdowns,” Keith said in the email.

Keith said if the incident is called into OUPD and is a clear danger, the OUPD shift

Campus police respond to an incident on the South Oval Feb. 8.

lieutenant issues an alert immediately. Otherwise, alerts are vetted through OUPD Command, Operational Leadership, and Marketing and Communications.

In April 2018, the alert system was not used when an armed subject was barricaded at the Crimson Park apartment complex, and the university received criticism after no alert was sent, though it was not immediately adjacent to campus.

The OU alert system has

since been used most recently in the case of a suspicious package near campus.

Ramirez said he did research at the University of Arizona this past summer, and that he received more alerts of possible security threats there — he still gets multiple alerts from Arizona each week of possible threats.

“I feel like it’s a ‘better safe than sorry’ kind of situation,” Ramirez said. “Better to have it and not use it than

JACKSON STEWART/THE DAILY

to not use it when something bad actually happens. ... That would make you feel safer to be on this campus than to not hear a single thing and find out from our fraternity group chat that our house is potentially broken into, or trying to be broken into.”

Scott Kirker stk@ou.edu

OU to keep custodial, landscaping in-house Harroz, university leaders choose to retain existing staff BAILEY LEWIS @BaileyLewis75

After several months of review, OU announced Wednesday that it will be keeping custodial and landscaping services in-house, as opposed to contracting landscapers from outside of the university.

Findings from an assessment that looked into custodial and landscaping staffing levels, costs and quality of work, along with a recommendation to keep current staff, were given to interim OU President Joseph Harroz and Chief Financial Officer Ken Rowe. The recommendation was given full endorsement, according to an Inside OU article.

The assessment was conducted by Eric Conrad, OU vice president of operations and chief operating officer, and custodial and landscaping management officials and purchasing, according to the article.

In June, two OU employees told The Daily that OU Facilities Management held a meeting where Conrad told staff about the plans to assess the costs of landscaping and custodial services and that outsourcing options were being explored for departments in facilities management.

Another employee said staff was also told OU would send out requests to outsource landscaping in July and would most likely hear back by November, leaving staff worried about losing their jobs.

The Daily first reported plans to assess costs of

landscaping and custodial services one week after the university announced a 69-person reduction in force June 13 and after 25 people in the landscaping department were let go during OU’s Nov. 1, 2018 layoffs.

According to the Inside OU article, Conrad said in a letter to Norman campus custodial and landscaping teams that he was grateful for their work. “ We a r e e x c e e d i n g l y proud that OU is able to provide outstanding service at one of the lowest cost models in the industry,” Conrad said in the letter. “While we will always strive to improve and set new performance goals, we can approach our work knowing we are cost-effective.”

Bailey Lewis

bailey.n.lewis-1@ou.edu

A file photo of OU landscapers working on the South Oval.

JORDAN MILLER/THE DAILY

Oct. 14-20, 2019 •

CULTURE

7

Abigail Hall, culture editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/culture • Twitter: @OUDaily

Oklahomans start LGBTQ show

‘Scandalous Tales’ shares community stories on YouTube MOLLY KRUSE @mollykruse98

When Alexandria Carr was growing up, she didn’t have an outlet to deal with her depression or learn about her sexuality. No one on TV seemed to face the same struggles she did.

But now, the Oklahoma native is finding ways to tell her community’s story through YouTube. Her web series “Scandalous Tales” is the first LGBTQ web series in Oklahoma, she said.

“Oklahoma, you know, it’s a red state, and it’s the Bible Belt ... I guess I wanted to give us a voice,” Carr said.

The homemade show follows a group of friends as they find love, discover their sexualities and deal with topics like mental illness and religion — all on the streets of Oklahoma City. Its season 1 finale gathered more than 28,000 views, and a second seas on w ill b e releas e d in November.

The idea for the webbased show began online about two years ago.

One day, Carr was tagged in a Facebook post that said while major cities like Atlanta or New York had LGBTQ web series, Oklahoma City didn’t.

Although Carr mostly writes poetry and was nervous at first, she agreed to give screenwriting a try.

“I was like, ‘You know what? I’m going to push myself and I’m going to actually do this, like, for real,’” Carr said.

Other people were tagged in the Facebook p o st a s a c to rs, a n d t h e team set up a casting call.

“Scandalous Tales” soon assembled a group of about 20 people, who produced the first six episodes in 2017.

Ron Marshall plays the character Jacob, a closeted bisexual man who is married to a woman. Marshall said he was drawn to his character b e caus e he’s known a lot of men in the same situation, who feared rejection if they came out to their families.

“It’s basically to kind of show the world that everything that ... heterosexuals (suffer from) — the LGBTQ community suffers from those things,” Marshall said. “Things (like) depression, anxiety, acceptance, wanting a family.”

W h i l e Yo u T u b e i s a good way to reach people, “Scandalous Tales” doesn’t make much money.

Everyone involved in the show volunteers their time, and the crew has to get creative finding public places to film in Oklahoma City: restaurants, strip clubs and parking lots are all fair game for a set.

“I think it’s like maybe $7 every thousand views,” Carr said. “But it’s tricky.

If you say certain words, if you show certain things or if your music is not your own, you can’t get paid for it.”

It’s common for writers and actors to invest hundreds of hours in making a web series for little to no profit, said Robin Nystrom, who co-hosts “The Web Series Podcast.”

But web series can also provide a way for anyone to tell their story, unlike traditional streaming or

VIA ALEXANDRIA CARR

Actor Goldie Barclay plays Jodie in the web series “Scandalous Tales.” The show is the first LGBTQ web series in Oklahoma.

TV, Nystrom said.

“That allows people from all walks of life to ... film projects, and just put them up online and build their own audiences,” Nystrom said.

Balancing a full-time job with screenwriting and other projects is hard work for Carr, who said she is busy 98 percent of the time.

As for Marshall, sometimes he and other actors don’t leave set until 1 a.m., he said.

But sharing stories about the LGBTQ community — especially in Oklahoma — is important to both of them.

Viewers from Germany to the Virgin Islands watch the show, and Carr said it prompts them to

do research on her home state.

“It’s funny because we were invited to a workshop in Atlanta that another LGBT web series had put on,” Carr said. “And the first thing that they asked me when we got there was, ‘ Your web series is in Oklahoma.’ We’re like, ‘ Yeah.’ And they’re like, ‘Where is that at?’”

Recently, Marshall bumped into a fan in a clothing store who told him that her ex-husband had been in the same situation as Marshall’s character: attracted to men, but married to her. Watching

the show had helped her find peace and understand her ex-husband b etter, Marshall said.

“That was the one thing that really touched me,” Marshall said. “I thought, ‘Wow, I thought that my character would resonate with other men that are bisexual ... but not to a woman that was married to someone in that situation.’”

Since starting “Scandalous Tales,” Carr has had viewers from all over share how they’ve been impacted by her web series.

“We’ve had so many different people email us or

inbox us on Instagram or Facebook, and they’re just like, ‘Watching your series helps me come out, watching your series helps me cope with my depression, watching your series, this and that,’” Carr said. “And that right there itself is why I’m doing this: my want to reach people.”

The cast will celebrate season 2 of “Scandalous Tales” with a special release party on Oct. 19.

Molly Kruse

molly.kruse@ou.edu

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CULTURE

Oct. 14-20, 2019 •

8

Q&A with poet Andrea Gibson Artist to perform OKC show with Lauren Zuniga

be truly experienced live.

To read spoken word in a book, or to hear it on an album, never quite brought the magic to life for me.

But with video that has changed a lot, and I think it’s wonderful. Video is the next best thing, I think, to seeing a live performance, and it’s giving many, many more people access to the p ow er of sp oken w ord.

Through video I’ve also had the chance to do some beautiful collaborations with videographers and musicians and dancers and visual artists that I look forward to doing more of in the future. As for the challenges of reaching a larger audience — whatever challenges that have thus far arisen for me because of that, I’d be more inclined to call blessings.

ABBY TOW @abby_tow

Nationally recognized spoken word poet Andrea Gibson will stop in Oklahoma City on their tour Oct. 27.

One of the nation’s most notable poets and spoken word artists, Gibson will travel across the United States this fall and give one performance in Oklahoma.

In 2008, Gibson was the first winner of the Women of the World Poetry Slam, and they have released five books to date, according to their Button Poetry bio.

Gibson’s latest collection of poems, “Lord of the Butterflies,” was published in 2018. It was distinguished with awards from the Independent Publisher B o o k Aw a rd s, Mi d w e s t Book Awards and the Eric Hoffer Book Award.

The show also will feature Oklahoma City poet L au re n Zu n i ga, f o u n d e r o f O k l a h o m a Yo u n g Writers and 2012 Activistin-Residence at the Center for Social Justice at OU, according to her bio. Her latest release was in 2012 with her book, “The Smell of Good Mud.” The performance will take place at 8 p.m. Oct. 27 at Tower Theatre, 425 N.W. 23rd St. in Oklahoma City.

Doors open at 7 p.m.

Tickets are available online for $22.

In anticipation of their upcoming performance, The Daily spoke with Gibson about their poetry, career and tour.

VIA ANDREA GIBSON WEBSITE

Nationally renowned poet Andrea Gibson, above, and Oklahoma City-based poet Lauren Zuniga will perform in Oklahoma City at 8 p.m. Oct. 27 at Tower Theatre as part of Gibson’s U.S. tour.

A: I discovered spoken word 20 years ago at the Denver Poetry Slam. There were a lot of local Denver poets who were my first inspirations and they still, today, are some of my biggest influences. It’s rare that I write a poem now without hearing their voices and styles in the piece.

After traveling to national events with the slam team for several years, I began to get invited to perform at slams around the country, and after doing that for a bit I began to get invitations to universities. Aside from the incredible local poets who first got me writing, my biggest early influence was the poet Patricia Smith. She is arguably the greatest spoQ: How did you get start- ken word artist on earth, and her work convinced ed in spoken word?

me this art form had the creating events that are power to be a big factor in communal and welcoming. changing the world.

Q: What will you read Q: What’s it like being a during your set? touring spoken word poet, A: My set includes and what are your favorite poems from “Lord of the aspects of the career?

Butterflies,” as well as some A : I f e e l i m m e n s e l y much older poems, and grateful to have had the poems that are new and opportunity to tour for so have not yet been publong and to have spoken lished. That said, I don’t word be such a daily gift perform the same set each in my life. It was nothing I night. I perform poems that ever dreamed was possible are up for me that day, and until my first tour. I travel that changes depending on with my dogs and with peo- what’s happening in the ple who I love, so the lone- world and what’s happenly aspects of being on the ing in my emotional world road ease some, but for the from moment to moment. most part I love it. I love the people I get to meet each Q: Have you toured in night, and I love how many Oklahoma before? Why artists I have the chance to d i d y o u w a n t t o c o m e collaborate with through- back? out a long tour, and I love A: I’ve toured through

Oklahoma quite a bit, and I love performing in OKC as it’s a city that seems to get very excited to support artists. It’s also home to some of my favorite poets — Lauren Zuniga, for example, who will be opening the show. Lauren and I have done several performances together in the area, and around the country, and she’s one of my favorite people to put on a show with.

Q : Yo u ’ r e o n e o f t h e most-viewed spoken word poets on YouTube. As the medium grows, what are the challenges of being a poet who reaches such a wide audience?

A : Fo r m a n y y e a r s , I thought spoken word was an art form that could only

Q: What do you want people to feel when they s ee your tour? What is the message you want ever yone that hears your poems to take home with them?

A: I’ve always loved the idea that “art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable,” and that speaks to the tone of most of my shows.

Q: As someone with lots of experience in poetry, what is your advice to younger writers, poets and artists?

A: Dare to make art that nobody loves but you. Even when the truth isn’t hopeful, the telling of it is. The process is the most vital part of all creating — not the outcome. Love what you do.

Abby Tow

abby.tow1@ou.edu

Local favorite Ozzie’s delays reopening Norman diner will return after kitchen renovation finishes ABIGAIL HALL @abigail_wah

A beloved Norman diner plans to reopen to the public in late October.

O z z i e ’s D i n e r a n nounce d its temporar y closure Aug. 31 for kitchen renovations through a sign posted outside the shop: “We will be closed Sat. Aug. 31st until on/or before Tues. Oct. 1st for renovations. Text Ozzie to 95577 to receive updates.

We look forward to seeing all of you when we reopen,” the sign said.

Pa t r o n s o f t h e d i n e r commented on Facebook p ra i s i n g t h e d i n e r a n d

looking for ward to its return.

“Hope it truly is temporary!” said patron Karen Kuntz Maloy.

Others questioned the closure announcement.

“First I’ve heard of it.

No texts of closing from O z z i e ’s ,” s a i d p a t r o n Donald Lee. The diner announced through a mass text message Oct. 5 that the restaurant is still under renovation and will reopen to the public later in October.

“Ozzie’s: Thanks for your patience as we grow! We are continuing to make upgrades! We can’t wait to serve you later this month!

We’ll keep you posted,” the text read.

The diner opened in 1986 in the Max Westheimer Airport and is a local favorite known

for its all-you-can-eat breakfast.

The diner has not yet released a statement about the closure over its social media.

To receive updates from the restaurant, text “Ozzie” to 95577.

Ozzie’s Diner is regularly open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday through Saturday and from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sunday at 1700 Lexington Ave. in Norman.

Editor’s note: The Daily reached out to Ozzie’s Diner three times between Aug. 31 and Oct. 13 and did not receive comment by the time of publication.

Abigail Hall ahall@ou.edu

A file photo of Ozzie’s Diner. Ozzie’s plans to reopen in late October.

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Norman gets creative with new bike racks Art council adds 3 colorful bike racks to Lindsey Street ABIGAIL HALL @abigail_wah

Norman has three n e w a r t i s t i c b i ke ra ck s on L inds e y Street as of Thursday.

On Oct. 10, the Norman Arts Council announced on Twitter that the three new bike racks — designed in the shapes of an ice cream cone, a carrot, and three hearts — are open to the public for use.

The ice cream and

carrot racks were designed by Megan Nance, and the three hearts rack was designed by Dennis Sp i e l m a n , p ro d u c e r o f “Uncovering Oklahoma,” according to the tweet.

The new racks are part of the council’s artist-designed bike rack project, which started in 2013 to i m p l e m e n t m o re f u n ctional art in the Walker Arts District in conjunction with sponsorship from Fowler Toyota, said Joshua Boydston, council associate director, in an email.

Bike racks were specifically chosen due to a lack of bike racks at the time of the project’s conception.

“It’s given the community an opportunity to have what they care about in the city illustrated through these icons that pop up around town, which has taken so many different forms since we started,” Boydston said. “At the same time, it encourages a more bike-friendly community, and the three racks now located on Lindsey Street do that doubly so by being located along the dedicated bike lanes now running both ways there.”

While most of the racks h av e b e e n i m p l e m e n ted in the downtown area, newer installations include Campus Corner, Lions Park

and now Lindsey Street.

More designs are currently being created and will be installed at locations to be determined in 2020, Boydston said.

The ice cream rack is located in front of the Classic ‘50s Diner at 1521 W. Lindsey St., the carrot rack is next to the bus stop in front of the Homeland gas station at 1724 W. Lindsey St., and the three hearts rack is in front of Sooner Pharmacy at 1811 W. Lindsey St. VIA NORMAN ARTS COUNCIL TWITTER

Abigail Hall ahall@ou.edu

Lindsey Street in Norman has three new decorative bike racks — in the shapes of an ice cream cone, a carrot and hearts — designed by Megan Nance and Dennis Spielman.