Who or What is a Provost
QUIZ SHOW
Friday, April 8, 2022
“Isn’t provost one of the floors here (in the Student Union),” Schully said. The provost, the head of the academic affairs department of the university, resides in Whitehurst Hall on the west side of the OSU campus — not the Student Union. The provost Chris Becker is a key figure in the universiEditor-in-Chief ties hierarchy serving just below the president in most Two Oklahoma State students sat universities, which through chatting and scrolling through their interviewing numerous phones, playing their part in an ordinary students students are afternoon inside the Student Union. largely unaware of the Andrew Schully and his friend duties or the name of the Tom Davis shared a table while other OSU provost. students bustled around, studying and Since April 1, 2021, eating lunch on a crisp spring Thursday. Jeanette Mendez sits as The pair had finished their lunch and the interim provost since were relaxing when The O’Colly posed the retirement of Gary some questions, including: Sandefur. What exactly does a university With one of provost do? the top offices in the Schully and Davis were stumped, university hierarchy as were many OSU students pressed with open for the taking, similar questions by The O’Colly report- The O’Colly hit the ers who conducted a survey on the role campus to poll stuof the provost. It’s an important job; a dents’ knowledge of provost is the chief officer in charge of the search, and the academic and budgetary affairs and OSU position. currently seeks a new one, a process In game involving a search committee, which is show-esque fashcomposed of students and faculty from ion The O’Colly different areas of campus. This group asked students two will head the three-part search. questions: For Schully and Davis, the provost Do you know who the current OSU question broke out a conversation which provost is? involved no shortage of humor, intended Do you know what the provost and unintended. does? If not, they were told, take a guess. “Well they’re a pro, so a profesNone of those who answered knew sional. A pro-activist. What does a ‘vost the precise duties of the provost, aldo, Andrew?” Davis said, puzzled. though a handful were in the ballpark. Schully, equally unsure of the No one knew the name of the current answer, took his guess. OSU provost.
“Obviously, it’s a position of power from context, but I don’t know exactly.” - Brennan Smallwood
“The academic side of what the president does. I don’t know, that’s all I got.” - Lauren Whitmire
“Are they like the pope of the school?” “I’d assume something with education.” - Anonymous Student - Cecilia Smith
“Some kind of publication manager.” - Seth Long
“Pro-vost. They promote vascular operations of standard trajectories.” - Declan Simmons
“I’m going to guess it’s a board over an environment thing, I don’t know.” - Hayden King “The provost is the one in charge of academics in each major, right?” - Gabriel Parker
“It sounds like Latin. I’m guessing it has something to with money.” - Noah Greeson “They’re a consultant for the president. Like somebody Dr. Shrum goes to if she needs help making decisions.” - Emily Taber
Contributions to this article provided by Adam Engel and Abby Cage Graphic and design of page by Abby Cage
“It’s like you said something in a different language and told me to guess, that’s as far as my knowledge goes on this. I have no clue.” - Caleb Burson
“Something with maybe administration... developing university policy?” - Bethany Merino
“It’s not the president but it’s like below it.” - Nicole Ziske
“I was thinking, an advocate for some department.” - Lilyana Sestak
“Not a clue, maybe like a counselor?” - Jessia Foster
“They’re one of the higher ups, I know they’re overhead people.” - Darren Cartwright “I have no clue, they might be an advocate for the university.” - Isabel Webb
“I should know this, I work in leadership in campus life.” “Maybe to establish rules wider across the board like not just in Stillwater. Maybe the state?” - Lexi Marroquin
“Maybe they communicate more with the students, to see how students feel, they’re like the connecting part between the students and the president.” - Kate Douglas
“It has something to do with academics, they make a lot of important decisions.” “I do not. Has organizational and leadership - Lauren Quinlan duty within the college, I would assume.” - Robert Paddack
“I’m guessing it’s supposed to be an important person that isn’t given enough recognition. I didn’t know that was a word.” - Bradey Wilson news.ed@ocolly.com
Page 2A Friday, April 8, 2022
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Cowboys in the Masters There are three Cowboys playing in the 86th Masters this week. Viktor Hovland is the world No. 4. Talor Gooch is the world No. 34 and Matthew Wolff is the world No. 45.
“Radiate boundless love toward the entire world.” -Buddha
Photo of the week by Karisa Sheely
Wingstop has opened its first location in Stillwater, bringing students like Kaitlyn Wood (left) and Abbey Phelps (right) to enjoy a chain resturaunt favorite.
Countdown to Finals Week
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Friday, April 8, 2022 Page 3A
News
Humans of OSU: Matthew Smith Payton Little Staff Reporter
“It was around Halloween, so we went into the costume store just to mess around,” Smith said. Oklahoma State “I saw this orange suit football games are home and I said as a joke, ‘Hey to all sorts of people. mom, I’d wear that to Some are there to OSU football games.’ She take pictures. There are was like, ‘No you won’t.’ diehards who don’t miss So, she bought it to spite a second of the action. me, and I’ve worn it ever Others try the assortment since to any sporting of concessions Boone event in general.” Pickens Stadium has to Matt Smith may be offer. known for being the man Matthew Smith, a in the orange suit, but junior majoring in chemi- there is more to his story cal engineering, shows off that many people may his school spirit in a much not know. He started his more vibrant way. college career in 2017 in What started off as hopes of graduating from a joke between him and OSU in 2021, but during his mother, has turned his sophomore year, Matt into Matt being easily Smith received news that recognized at any Oklawould alter his life and homa State athletic event his time in Stillwater. he attends. No matter the “Sophomore year, Courtesy of Matthew Smith sport, Matt will be seen March 19, I was diagMatthew Smith is easily recognizable at games; wearing a bright orange in a bright orange and nosed with Hodgkin’s black striped suit with an lymphoma,” Smith said. suit paired with an orange cowboy hat. orange cowboy hat, boast- “One of the hardest things transplants, it was saying So, saying bye to that was bye to people. OSU is a the hardest thing.” ing the OSU logo on top wasn’t necessarily what family. It is so tight knit. See Smith on 4A of his head. chemos and stem cell
ROSA robot conducts surgery
File Photo Dr. Mark Patten will begin to use ROSA Knee Replacement System in May or June.
Christopher Sneed O’Colly Contributor
is there’s still a human element,” Paden said. A patient tells Paden he or she wants a knee replaced. The cartiRobots are far from taking lage is wearing out, leaving bone to over but are a welcomed addition to rub against bone. The patient is in Stillwater Medical Center. pain. Paden rules out other options Dr. Mark Paden, an orthosuch as steroids or physical therapy. pedic surgeon at Stillwater, plans Paden takes an X-ray of the to do his first surgery with ROSA patient’s knee, and he will enter the Knee Replacement System in May information into ROSA. The comor June. He performed 102 of the puter identifies the alignment of the 272 standard knee replacements at knee, helping gather measurements Stillwater Medical Center in 2021. of the connected bones. His experience guides his transition Before ROSA, Paden placed to ROSA. a long rod in the canal of the thigh “The beauty of any sort of ro- bone. It might cause more pain botic technology computer system after surgery but necessary in
traditional knee surgery. Surgeons use the metal rod to guide making cuts on the knee. ROSA allows Paden to skip this step. Two pins are used instead of the rod. One pin is inserted into the thigh bone and the other is drilled into the shin bone. The robot uses the pins to identify special information in the knee. An image of the knee and plan for performing the cuts are displayed on ROSA’s monitor. Paden reviews the robot’s recommendation and makes any changes he feels are needed. See Robots on 5A
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Impeachment articles filed: SGA president, vice president • Since 2007, no SGA president or vice president has been impeached. • A vote must happen before Pritzlaff and Dunn can be tried for the charges. • SGA is continuing to keep up with the senate’s procedure as they go through the impeachment process and will start to make decisions on the outcome.
Dru Norton News Editor On April 4, Senator Cassidy Baughman filed articles of impeachment against the student body Presidentelect, Riley Pritzlaff, and Vice Presidentelect, Maddie Dunn. Section 7 of the SGA Constitution qualifies grounds of impeachment as willful neglect of duty, corruption in office, violation of the SGA constitution, bylaws or enacted legislation, or misconduct committed while in office. The articles allege Pritzlaff and Dunn were told and knew about election results before the election commision validated results, violating Title X, which states, “Any election administrator shall not disclose election results or data to anyone not associated with the EC prior to the election results’ validation.” The articles allege Pritzlaff and Dunn defamed senator and SGA presidential candidate Sydney Adkins by spoken words during the SGA Supreme Court hearing March 24, violating Title IV, section 2.2 of the SGA bylaws, which states, “SGA officers shall not intentionally and/or maliciously blemish the reputation of another SGA officer. This includes (but is not limited to) anything that defames an individual through mediums such as obscene gestures, spoken words, cyber content or printed documents.” The articles allege Pritzlaff and Dunn committed perjury at the SGA Supreme Court hearing March 24, violating the
Oklahoma State Student Code of Conduct Honesty, specifically the Integrity statement under the Cowboy Community Standards, which states, “Oklahoma State students are expected to exemplify honesty, honor, respect for the truth in their actions.” Also by committing perjury, the articles allege Pritzlaff and Dunn violated the Oklahoma State Student Code of Conduct Honesty statement, “The University expects that all information presented will be truthful and accurate. If false information is willfully provided, a student will violate Section II (21) of the student code of conduct and may be held accountable through the student conduct process.” The articles claim Prizlaff and Dunn be impeached for defaming Adkins by spoken words and committed perjury during the SGA Supreme Court hearing March 24, violating Title IV, section 2.2 of the SGA code of conduct, specifically the integrity and honesty statement. SGA announced a special senate session will be called soon to consider these resolutions.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Page 4A Friday, April 8, 2022
O’Colly
Lifestyle
Courtesy of Tribune News Service
“Morbius” raked in an estimated $44 million in the U.S. and an estimated $84 million globally.
‘Morbius’ Review: The newest Marvel film falls short in more ways than one Connor Gray Staff Reporter
I usually pride myself on being optimistic and allowing the occasional plot hole, but “Morbius” managed to reach the point where it was too much for me. April Fool’s Day gave us the theatrical release I would not even consider “Morbius” to be a of “Morbius” and Sony Pictures Studios won the day film where you can turn your brain off and enjoy it because I felt like a fool after watching this train visually, because it does not even seem to deliver wreck. in that department either. The action sequences it “Morbius” is the newest installment from Sony, attempts are filled with pointless slow-motion and in association with Marvel, in their comic book world teleportation effects that just make the fight hard to of Spider-Man villains. Following mediocre but fun follow. movies, such as 2018’s “Venom” and 2021’s “Venom: I will, however, give credit where it is due and Let There Be Carnage,” I did not have high expecta- say that they did do well with the appearance of Mortions for “Morbius,” but I figured I would at least bius himself. He looks as if he was ripped straight have an enjoyable time at the theater. off a comic panel. Unfortunately, that is about all the I was quickly proven wrong and awakened im- positives this movie had to offer. mediately to the fact the next hour and 44 minutes The performances in “Morbius” are not terwould be a chore to sit through. rible, but they are far from being anything good. If I There are few to no redeeming factors about the was forced to compliment one of the performances, Jared Leto led film. With a script that feels as if it is it would have to be Matt Smith. With a great resume written by a 7 year old, the writing can be described and appearing in things such as “Doctor Who” and as nothing short of comical. “The Crown,” it really begs the question of why
Smith... Continued from 3A After Smith’s diagnosis, he returned immediately back to his home of Colorado Springs, Colorado. With treatments beginning, Smith had to withdraw from OSU. During his two and a half year battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Smith endured 11 types of chemotherapy along with stem cell transplants. After enduring all these treatments, Smith is now cancer free. “Actually, this last December I got my port removed,” Smith said. “So, it was like the exclamation mark on being done with everything.” Even after defeating Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Smith continues to have a positive outlook on his life. “One thing I’ve learned is that negativity helps nobody,” Smith said. “Power of positivity goes a long way. When I think I’m having a bad day now at school, I’m really not. When school is brutal, it could be worse. It could always be worse.” When Smith was fighting cancer, campaigns were held to help raise awareness for him. Orange bracelets were printed with “#SmittyStrong! Never Yield.” Smith was also a part of the fraternity Phi Delta Theta at the time, and they hosted an event called “Canines and Cookies” to raise money for Smith and his family. People did whatever they could to help raise awareness and show support for him during his fight. “I actually had a few guys come out and visit me before everything went south,” Smith said. “I showed them around Colorado Springs when I was feeling alright. I would text people all the time, and they’d want to keep in touch with me just to see how I was doing. “It was actually very humbling with the amount of people that reached out. I didn’t realize I had an effect. There were people who would text me that I wasn’t really involved with. Just a very humbling experience to have an effect on people when you don’t
even realize it.” Looking back at his journey has helped Smith put many things of his life into perspective. He was once stuck in a routine that purely prioritizes school and non-stop work. Although studies are still a crucial part of his life, he has learned to appreciate the social side of life much more. “Before I got diagnosed, I was really heavy on school,” Smith said. “I would do nothing else besides school and I would get in my routine and stick with it. After going through that, it put things into perspective for me like friendships. Sometimes, you just need to take a step away from school and live in the moment and have good times with your friends.” Smith credits his biggest supporters as his parents, his roommate, the doctors and nurses who helped to make the process of fighting against Hodgkin’s Lymphoma so much easier and the people from both of his homes giving him some light in a lot of darkness. Smith is back at OSU classified as a junior within the chemical engineering program in CEAT. He’s on track to graduate in 2023, and in the future, he plans on working within the oil and gas field. Now the biggest hurdle for Smith is moving forward to graduation and adjusting to being at OSU again. “My first semester back after everything was actually this last fall,” Smith said. “The biggest adjustment there was actually the age difference. It’s not a big age difference, but some of my classmates are 19 and I’m 23. That was a little bit of a struggle, but honestly it felt so good to be back on campus that nothing was really going to get in the way of getting back into the groove of things.” Smith does not let his time fighting cancer define him, instead he uses it to inspire to reach for great things. He now uses this experience to help encourage others that may be battling cancer elsewhere. He has helped those that he has known from Colorado to help fight the disease through his words of encouragement and through being able to relate to their struggles.
anyone would ever damage their resume with a movie such as “Morbius.” With the writing that he was given, Matt Smith went all out and seemed to have a blast with whatever scene he was in. Leto also seemed to give his best performance with what he was given, but in the end, you are left with a forgettable main character and an even more forgettable plot. “Morbius” also marks the first time that I have ever left a post-credit scene to a Marvel film, wishing it never happened. If I had to summarize “Morbius,” I would say that it is one Linkin Park song away from being a generic early 2000s movie. This truly feels like a movie that could have succeeded about 20 years ago, but by today’s standards just falls short in every aspect. Save yourself the brainpower and money by waiting for “Morbius” to come out digitally. Even then, I do not think I would ever recommend it or see myself rewatching it unless it is purely for a research purpose for a future film. entertainment.ed@ocolly.com
Music Festival and Arts Festival
Ellen Slater Stillwater Community Center is hosting a festival which will includ OSU students Courtesy of Matt Smith Matt Smith endured 11 types of chemotherapy and stem cell transplants to become cancer free.
I had a few people that had gone through what I went through and I talked to them,” Smith said. “When I got the diagnosis, I thought it was a death sentence like most people do sometimes. It’s one of those things like talking through things. It’s going to get rough. I was able to help a few people from my high school who actually went through the same process. Just being able to talk really changed how they perceived what they had to do.” Smith has had quite the journey at his time at OSU, but he remains as loyal and true as they come. He calls campus home, and he is proud to be able to be a part of the Cowboy family. Although his persona as the man in the orange suit is a fantastic contribution to the culture on campus, his story of overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphoma and returning to OSU truly embodies everything the cowboy culture entails.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Kaylie Sequira Staff Reporter
performers, Emma Rose and Jake Moffat, are students at OSU The Stillwater Martial Arts group Mark your calenwill showcase a martial dars for the Stillwater arts demonstration. Music Festival and Other performers Stillwater Arts Festival will travel to Stillwater coming April 15-16. to perform at the festival. This combined Grand Apollo, an indie event is put on by the rock duo from Tulsa, and Stillwater Community will perform at the festiCenter Foundation and val. Aalim Dance Acadthe Stillwater Arts and emy, out of Oklahoma Humanities Council. The City, will belly dance. festival will be taking Other acts include a place on Friday, April 15 Native American dance, from 12-7 p.m. and Satballet group and many urday, April 16 from 10 more. a.m-7 p.m. There will be This event is free to two stages in Block 34 of attend. Food trucks and downtown Stillwater next vendors will be present. to the Stillwater Commu- Permitting weather, the nity Center. event will be held outside, Christopher Sneed, but if rain does not allow, the marketing and comthe event will be moved munications officer for inside the Stillwater Stillwater Community Community Center. Center Foundation, said For more informathat this event has never tion, contact Christopher been as big as this year. Sneed at chrisbsneed@ “This is the first gmail.com or call the time these two events are Stillwater Community working together,” Sneed Center at 405-533-8433. said. “There will be over 300 musicians and dancers performing.” Two of these entertainment.ed@ocolly.com
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News
Friday, April 8, 2022 Page 5A
All Photos Courtesy of Tribune News Service During the 64th Grammy Awards, first-time-attendees like Olivia Rodrigo won big by taking home three golden trophies, while seven-time award winner Billie Eilish took the stage to perform a song off of her newest album “Happier Than Ever.”
Taking home the gold Recap of this year’s Grammy Award winners
short of firsts. Trevor Noah hosted the event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, the first time the star-studded show has been hosted in the city. The show opened with performer Silk Sonic and an ode to sin city by singing the song titled “777.” After the Teyte Holcomb opening performance, the awards porLifestyle Editor tion began. Though many artists took home Awards season is heating up, and the gold-plated trophy, some artists left the Grammy’s have shown no exception with a bit more than one. Olivia Rowhen it comes to jaw-dropping events. drigo took home three of the trophies With artists like Olivia Rofor Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal drigo and Doja Cat winning their first Album and Pop Solo Performance. Grammy award, the show was nothing Even though this is her first
Robots... Continued from 3A Surgery can begin. A patient who enters the operating room at 8 a.m. will typically enter the physical therapy program before 1 p.m. “Our goals are to try to get them mobile as quickly as possible,” Paden said. Becoming mobile quickly means Lee Wills, a knee replacement surgery patient, can start enjoying retirement as quickly as possible. Wills said he believes ROSA can make that happen. Wills sits upright in a thick recliner, wearing tartan pajama pants and an oversized T-shirt. He smiles as he rubs his left leg, which is visibly swollen.He watches his adult son, Joshua, rush in and out of the hospital room, cleaning and gathering belongings. It is 2:30 p.m. March 2, and he is waiting to be discharged from Stillwater Medical Center. Knowing ROSA would be involved motivated Wills to pursue surgery for pain he felt since he was 19. “I was playing donkey baseball when I fell and hurt my left knee,” Wills said. Despite Wills’ regular involvement in various athletics in Pawnee, his first major injury came outside of football and basketball. Wills climbed on top of a donkey during a charity fundraiser. The event was going well until somemembers of the audience requested Wills ride a donkey named Tornado. He had watched the beast toss several of his teammates to the ground but said he thought he could handle it. When Wills finished the game, he started to dismount Tornado. His right foot made it to the ground. Before he could get the left leg free, the donkey darted sideways unexpectedly. Wills’ left leg twisted. He felt a pop. His meniscus tore. While working at Spears Furniture in Pawnee as co-owner after high school, he further aggravated his left knee. A fall down a set of stairs while moving a clothes washer resulted in micro-surgery. His condition worsened, but he hesitated to make an appointment for knee replacement surgery. “My wife got real sick and I spent a lot of time in the hospital with her,” Wills said. “After she passed, I just didn’t want to spend more time in here.” When Stillwater Medical Center bought the ROSA Knee Replacement System, Wills said he was eager to take the surgery option. The option imbued some patients, such as Wills, with eagerness, but not everyone understands the role ROSA
plays during the procedure. Dr. Scott Stubbs, an orthopedic surgeon, overhears misconceptions and addresses them. One myth he has heard is robots perform the surgery. People should think of ROSA as a robotic assistant, Stubbs said. It is designed to help surgeons achieve more precise cuts, which should, in theory, lead to better positioning of implants and better recovery. Stubbs is in charge of the procedure, though. “There’s no real inherent risk of anything,” Stubbs said. “The robot doesn’t go crazy and start making wild movements.” Stubbs is one of four orthopedic surgeons who requested the robot in October. He gave a presentation to The Stillwater Medical Center Authority Board of Trustees, and it approved buying ROSA Knee Replacement System and related accessories for $1.25 million. The Joint Replacement Center received its one-armed robotic assistant in February. To prepare for ROSA, Stubbs took the required class through Zimmer Biomet, the company responsible for designing and selling the robot. The training involved watching surgeries firsthand and practicing on cadavers. Because Stubbs wanted to build his confidence, he took additional courses and travelled to Fayetteville, Arkansas. He was able to assist a colleague in a knee replacement surgery using a ROSA Knee Replacement System. Stubbs completed his first six surgeries in February and March, and more are scheduled. Stubbs said if someone is a candidate for traditional knee replacement surgery, he or she is most likely a good candidate for using ROSA. Some of those candidates might easily be athletes, such as defensive end Trace Ford, who is open to robotic surgery if he needs it for recovery. Ford, a business management major, injured his left knee twice during OSU games.His first injury happened in December 2020 when he jumped into the air for an interception and landed wrong, damaging the ACL in his left knee. “I remember everything so vividly,” Ford said. “I thought someone shot me in the knee. I was like, what the heck happened? And then I couldn’t get up. And that’s when I realized something was bad.” A career in football drives Ford. If the condition of his body is compromised, it will threaten his professional plans. Although Ford’s condition is improving after three surgeries, he said he would gladly allow doctors to use ROSA on him, if needed. “If they’re talking about this for like heart surgery, that’s a different story,” Ford said. “But I don’t know. It’s my knee and this robot has success.
awards show, Rodrigo is the second youngest artist to receive a Grammy award, just behind Billie Eilish. Along with Rodrigo’s first wins, other artists shared the spotlight as first timers. Doja Cat took home the award for Pop Duo/ Group Performance for her song with SZA titled “Kiss Me More.” While this is Doja Cat’s first Grammy award, she wasn’t prepared to actually take home the title. As Doja Cat’s name was called to make it down toward the stage, SZA appeared on crutches to seemingly hold Doja Cat’s spot. As Doja ran toward the stage, she told the audience that she
has never “taken such a fast pee.” As Doja Cat accepted her award, she began to tear up, saying being a part of something that is such a big deal means the world to her. The 64th annual Grammy Awards was nothing short of spectacular. With first-time attendees winning, to impromptu bathroom breaks, this year’s Grammy Awards gave audience members and at-home viewers the chance to live in the spotlight for a night. entertainment.ed@ocolly.com
File Photo The Stillwater Medical center uses ROSA, a robot, to help with medical procedures.
I don’t think I would freak out.” Ford said he expects a full recovery before August without need for anything requiring robotic knee replacement. In the meantime, he continues physical therapy and sometimes attends practice until he can return to the field. Dr. Robert Hines, with Oklahoma Sports Science & Orthopedics, sees more knee injuries than any other part of the lower body. Although he has never worked on an injury so severe as to require knee replacement, Hines said it could lead to the surgery. ROSA might be an option. “What happens long term is post traumatic arthritis can occur at a later date like 10, 20, 30 years down the road,” Hines said. Although Ford might not see ROSA in his future, nurse manager Alberta Bertenshaw predicts ROSA will impact the future of the hospital and community. Bertenshaw sits down at her desk in Stillwater Medical Center. She makes a call to a patient and asks him or her if he or she has any questions. Then, she confirms the date and time of the patient’s surgery. Her next contact is shortly after the patient leaves the operating room. Bertenshaw guides the patient through a vulnerable journey, from the moment surgery is scheduled until he or she is discharged. After 16 years of experience in patient care, Bertenshaw said she thinks ROSA will affect more than the patients’ knees. “The robotic surgeries are the cutting edge of technology right now,” Bertenshaw said. “It is important that we are able to stay competitive in the
market.” Bertenshaw said offering robotic services places the hospital at the level of other hospitals in Oklahoma. As a result, patients find state-of-the-art technology without having to travel. She said patients are more involved in their self-care than they were. Patients research health options available, which makes it important for hospitals to offer as many services as possible. Reducing drug abuse and dependency is another benefit of using ROSA. The surgeon, in a traditional knee replacement, twists the leg slightly to access it at certain angles. This manipulation of the leg and joint could add to the pain a patient experiences during recovery. ROSA can do the work without the need to bend tissue and ligaments unnecessarily, which can reduce pain. Bertenshaw said lowering pain levels could impact opioid abuse. Patients could stop taking pain medication before becoming addicted. Although Bertenshaw said it is too early to compile an in-depth report about ROSA’s total influence, she has observed patient attitudes. “What I have seen is that the patient is happier knowing they had the robot,” Bertenshaw said. Wills said he was excited to complete rehabilitation therapy after surgery and go home within 24 hours. He looks ahead to spring, a stronger knee and walking around a lake to fish again. “I’d recommend [ROSA] to anyone that can do it,” Wills said. news.ed@ocolly.com
Page 6A Friday, April 8, 2022
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News
Stillwater roads take a toll on cars Dallas Haggerty O’Colly Contributor Traveling in Stillwater has drivers worried about more than rising gas prices. Chipper Skelton, a senior at OSU, has had his fair share of nightmare scenarios. Four years of traveling to and from campus in his white Nissan Altima wondering when the next tire light problem will appear on his dashcam take a toll on a college student’s wallet. “I’ve poured hundreds of dollars into different tire shops around town,” Skelton said. “I feel like the mechanics know me by name considering the amount of times I’ve had tire problems.” Various potholes around town serve as the culprit for what feels like never-ending car issues. Drivers have made their point clear to the city through voicing opinions online and taking their concerns to the Stillwater City Council in attempts to force Stillwater to take action. “I just wish the city would listen to its people,” Skelton said. “I’ve been here for four years with just one simple wish.” It turns out repairing all the roads in Stillwater isn’t as simple as it might seem. Monty Karns, the director of City Engineering for Stillwater, is aware of the ongoing struggles many experience while taking a commute around town. The city and Karns understand the roads in Stillwater aren’t up to standards. The focus has always been serving the community while staying within the city’s $4 million yearly budget. Staying within the city’s budget for repairs and getting enough votes hasn’t been a problem for Karns and his engineering team. “We have an Asset Management plan in place to better the roads,” Karns said. “The hardest part of maintaining the plan is staying within the $4 million budget so we can afford to keep everything operating the way it should be.” The Pavement Management Program is responsible for imple menting and maintaining the vision of
File Photo John Killam, president of Stan Clark Co., said summer in Stillwater is the busiest time for Eskimo Joe’s, despite the drop in OSU’s student population.
Summer in Stilly Maggie Burke O’Colly Contributor
Abby Cage Monty Kerns, the director of City Engineering for Stillwater, is aware of the ongoing struggles many experience while taking a commute around town.
having less harmful roads throughout Stillwater. Every five years, each road is re-evaluated and given a priority score. The scale of scoring ranges from 0 to 100. If a road reaches the 100 range, the area is immediately repaired. Reaching a top score is rare, something Karns has been a part of a handful of times. “It’s a rare sight to be near the 100 number,” Karns said. “This is something myself and my team take pride in. When a road starts to get ratings that high, we almost immediately take action.” It’s a constant battle to keep roads upto-date when thousands of drivers use them daily. Closing roads for a repair is also a major point of emphasis the Pavement Management Program attempts to control. Allowing for easy access when traveling around Stillwater is the department’s goal. When it’s time to close a main road for repair, residents typically voice their opinions without hesitation. Karns and his crew attempt to get the job done without upsetting the community. Succeeding is rarely a given. “We try to do most of our work on the main roads during times of low volume,” Karns said. “The less angry the drivers get, the happier the ground construction workers are at the end of
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the day.” It’s a stay out-ofthe-way-and-everythingwill-be-fine mentality. One that continues to be the theme of the construction sites. Gary Morton, the owner of Morton Construction, attempts to keep the community content while getting the job done in a timely manner. Morton Construction handles the majority of road construction in Payne County. Handling the bulk of operations in a town primarily made up of college studentscan sometimes make for a long day. Balancing getting the job done and staying away from the flow of traffic presents a challenge to Morton and his crew. “I just tell my crew to handle the business and to stay away from irritated drivers,” Morton said. “At the end of the day, we’re doing the community a favor. It’s not the other way around in our eyes.” Making necessary road repairs on main roads in cities is a different story. Perkins Road is a popular route choice for many Stillwater drivers that is under repair. Kaleb Clark, a senior at OSU, is a frequent user of Perkins Road. There is one road Clark relies on daily to get to class on time.
See Roads on 8A
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agers to hire more people than they think is necessary, especially going into the summer months. “We could hire everyone who walks through that door (Eskimo Joe’s) in a day and still be short staffed,” Killam said. Although thousands of people come into Stillwater during the summer, the demographics change. Morrison said there are more families than college students, so bars might see a struggle. Businesses that attract less of a family crowd notice this transition. Javier Cervantes owns College Bar and Still Chill, and he said the summer is the slowest time of the year for both bars. “We focus on summers because if we can sustain through June and July, the rest of the year falls into place,” Cervantes said. “We can usually make up for it all when the students come back in August and football season starts.” Along with Cervantes, Zach Morrey, general manager for Coney Island and Coney Bar, said Coney Bar prepares for a 40% decrease in profit during the summer. Along with the loss of service, Coney Bar adjusts to an older crowd than college students. Morrey said Coney Bar sees more Stillwater residents who are not students and parents in the summer, so the drinks offered change to adjust to a new target market. “Instead of a vodka Red Bull, it’s an espresso martini,” Morrey said. “I don’t think that I’ve ever seen a 40-year-old couple order a ‘Slutty Barbie’ shot. It is just a little more of a refined experience here than normal.” Morrey said Coney Island sees college students, but there is only a fraction of them in comparison to the school year. He said summers are inconsistent with how many college students leave. Morrey said one summer the bar lost 20% of college customers, but another summer the bar lost 60%. Cervantes said he will take a population decrease for a few months over having to close for a few months any day. “When restrictions are lifted and students are gone, there are locals that want to come see what these places are about,” Cervantes said.
Even though the town’s population is cut in half, the Stan Clark Co. doubles its sales. That’s summer in Stillwater. John Killam, president of Stan Clark Co., said summer in Stillwater is the busiest time for Eskimo Joe’s and Eskimo Joe’s Clothes despite the OSU student population leaving. Stillwater brings in thousands of people for camps, events and orientation all summer, supplying companies with new customers. “It’s unbelievable the number of people who come to town, and you know where they want to go?” Killam said. “It’s Eskimo Joe’s.” Killam said when people come to Stillwater, they have to get cheese fries. Eskimo Joe’s has more customers throughout the summer than on football game days. Cristy Morrison, the president and chief executive officer of Visit Stillwater, said summer is the busiest time of the year. “The locals just don’t see it as much because there’s 20,000 people who left town, but what they’re not seeing is the amount of people that come into town,” Morrison said. “They just don’t see it because a majority of them are on campus or out at the Payne County Exposition Center.” Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association hosts a summer show that brings in 500 to 1,000 people for a week in June. The Stillwater Area Sports Association has baseball tournaments with 93 teams every other weekend all summer. The Epic Sports camp in June uses almost all of campus. These do not include all of OSU’s sports camps put on in July, new student orientation or Camp Cowboy. “May kind of starts it off,” Morrison said. “You have Calf Fry, graduation, then Special Olympics Summer Games and then this year, we will also have an NCAA women’s golf regional. It’s back-to-back-toback-to-back.” Killam said the struggle is not getting people to come support the businesses, it is finding enough workers when students leave. Killam said Stan Clark Co. has struggled the past few years to find enough workers year-round, not to mention when student workers leave. news.ed@ocolly.com Killam said he tells his man-
O’Colly
Friday, April 8, 2022 Page 7A
News
Ellen Slater
Bond for new fire station passes The new fire station will have improved living quarters to house 10 firefighters with 15,000 square feet of space.
tion and remodel the municipal administration building. In 2013, a new fire station was a part of a bond proposition package that failed, with 70% of voters rejecting the propositions. Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce said the passage of this bond shows residents Dru Norton support the growth and safety of the News Editor community. “It’s exciting and an important step forward for our community to see For the first time in 23 years, the value in this investment,” Joyce Stillwater has passed a municipal bond said. “It’s a good sign for the future of proposal. investment in Stillwater.” On Tuesday, voters passed a $9 A small property tax increase on million bond proposition by almost 85% all residential and commercial property to build a new fire station. This bond in Stillwater will pay for the $9 million will allow Fire Station No. 2 on Campus bond. Corner to relocate to Western Road with “The easiest way to explain it is, a new modern facility. if you own a $200,000 home, it will The last time a bond was passed amount to a $30 property tax increase was in 1999, when voters approved on a yearly basis,” Joyce said. $14.7 million to build a new police staJoyce said a new fire station may
also boost Stillwater’s ISO fire rating and potentially lower property insurance rates for residents. The historic fire station on University Avenue was built in 1938; since then, facility conditions have deteriorated. Fire Chief Terry Essary said these poor conditions can cause longer response times and safety hazards. The new station will have improved living quarters and could house 10 firefighters with 15,000 square feet of space. The central location will also give firefighters a faster response time. “(The new station) will not just be in the heart of campus, but every part of campus,” Essary said. “And it will be built on an arterial roadway made for heavy traffic, so we would be able to get anywhere in the city much faster than we can right now.” At the current facility, Essary said essential equipment, like ladders, is unable to fit. The station also does not
have an adequate exhaust system, posing a safety threat to firefighters. Fire Marshal Steve Sylvester has worked with the Stillwater Fire Department since 1992, and said a new station has been needed for a long time. “When firemen are backing the trucks in, breathing on those fumes, we have learned over the years it’s very harmful,” Sylvester said. “The new station will be equipped for firefighters’ safety and also put our communities safety of most importance.” Joyce said the new station will better serve the needs of the fire department and Stillwater residents.
“Firefighters are going to be able to have a facility where everything fits, everything works, it’s comfortable and safe for the folks that live there while they are working,” Joyce said. “It will be a much better fit for our department.” news.ed@ocolly.com
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Roads... Continued from 6A “I can’t believe Perkins is down to a single lane,” Clark said. “I’ve already been late to class multiple times this week. It’s starting to become a problem.” This isn’t the only problem Clark has had to face driving on Stillwater roads. Clark’s 2005 Toyota Corolla has been out of alignment since he moved to Stillwater. Clark is full of frustration after multiple adjustments and a few hundred dollars spent in attempts to reset his car’s alignment. “It’s a never-ending uphill battle,” Clark said. “I will get my car exactly how I want it and then these bad roads will put me right back where I was, waiting in line at all these auto repair shops.” Clark factored road quality into his final apartment decision after almost not re-signing his lease at Cottage Row Stillwater. The endless holes and cracks on 920 Loveland Drive have made it a difficult task to simply drive out of the driveway. “The road conditions inside the gates at Cottage Row have been ridiculous,” Clark said. “You would think I’m getting a major discount just having to deal with this every morning on my way to class.” Each driver has their opinion on which road should be repaired first. This is often the road they have to travel on the most. Choosing which road to service first is determined through an online program that calculates the volume and amount of cars that use a particular area per day. Through the use of the Pavement Management Index, construction companies can see which roads have the highest volume. This index leads to some roads having a higher priority fix rate. Karns uses the Pavement Management Index to make decisions on which roads are currently in the worst condition, much like the current Perkins Road construction situation. “The Pavement Management Index makes our jobs a lot more reasonable,” Karns said. “Without this technology, we would just simply be going off of what road looks worse at the time with little to no facts to back up our reasoning.” Road problems in cities are often a tough sell. Gathering the required amount of money to get the job done
Abby Cage
basis,” Karns said. “Working here all OSU campus aren’t as bad as the streets these years, thereisn’t anything I haven’t right is a common theme in Stillwater. throughout Stillwater. Karns said the heard used as a complaint when locals The city gets its money for road restudents’ complaints about the OSU talk about our road issues.” pairs through a sales tax. Brock Drew, campus roads are handled separately Soon, the Pavement Management a senior at OSU studying construction from the city roads. Program will make its way through engineering, is unaware of sales tax dol“The roads on campus are a Stillwater. Karns said residents will lars going toward road repairs. separate issue that we don’t deal with,” eventually travel in peace because of his “I feel like it’s important to know Karns said. “The only way we would team’s endless efforts to repair as many where my tax paying dollars go,” Drew get involved is if an OSU campus road roads as possible. said. “It was news to me when I found connects to a city of Stillwater road.” It’s a movement toward bettering out I pay a sales tax on anything I buy Karns has witnessed complaints the city. A movement OSU engineering transportation related when I’m in primarily coming from the Perkins students are preparing for in the classStillwater.” Road and Sixth Avenue intersection room. Drivers focusing on their destinaThe city’s ability to add a halfduring his years working as the direction and not worrying about the next cent sales tax on all purchases ranging tor of City Engineering. Even though time they will find themselves in hour from gas to car part expenses has been Karns and his crew work to repair as lines at auto repair shops is the goal. the difference maker. Stillwater is fixing many roads as possible, each construc“That’s the background of what some of the major road problems that tion worker has complained on multiple I learn in my classes,” Drew said. “It’s have been long overdue on many comoccasions. The crew travels on the same all about everyone working together to munity members’ lists. The goal has roads to and from work likeother drivsolve a greater issue to improve Stillwaalways been the same for Morton and ers. Karns wants the city to know he ter. I look forward to the day when I can his company; continue to chip away at and his crew are aware of the poor road benefit a city through my work.” the roads with the highest volume rates conditions and are doing everything in and soon Stillwater will no longer be their power to fix them. known for its poor roads. “I hear the concerns on a daily The road conditions on the news.ed@ocolly.com Stillwater roads are a constant hot topic amongst OSU students who drive to and from campus.
Bell, Pursley transitioning from homeschool life to work for her family, take care of horses and instead of spending time at public schools, enter an homeschooling environment. Now a freshman equestrian rider at OSU, Bell adjusts from homeschool to becoming a colGabriel Trevino lege student-athlete — an easier transition than it seemed. Staff Reporter “Homeschooling really prepared me to come to college and Lydia Bell’s parents gave manage my own schedule,” Bell their daughter an ultimatum. said. “Before coming to college If she wanted to own a I had multiple jobs and helped horse, Bell would have to take my family run a ranch, so it was care of the horse herself and a lot of moving things around. It work on the family’s ranch. With helped me in the long haul.” a passion for horses, Bell chose See Bell on 4B
Foul ball sponsorship elevating softball fan experience Sam Hutchens Assistant Sports Editor
season. “One of our donors was traveling with us to Texas A&M,” Gajewski said. “They give away every ball. They say, ‘That ball is yours, courtesy of the Dixie Chicken,’ which is a big establishment there.” OSU’s donors from Loft Holdings LLC wanted in. Up to that point, fans at Cowgirl Stadium were asked to return foul balls for a small prize. The donors asked Gajewski whether they could sponsor foul balls, allowing fans who caught them to keep them instead of swapping them for memorabilia such as a T-shirt or wristband. “I was like, ‘Finally,’ Gajewski said. Getting a foul ball sponsor solves a conundrum the Cowgirls faced: How to elevate fan experience at games while keeping costs low. “It’s really cool,” Gajewski said. “It’s been something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. It’s expensive. Those balls cost a lot. They’re about $9 or $10 a ball. It’s alarming when you know what they cost.” Gajewski said OSU kept track of foul balls for seven or eight games to get an average. It is usually about 10 but can get up to 20.
Osu’s softball coach Kenny Gajewski traces back the heartwarming sight to an unusual place. The Dixie Chicken. The sight was after a game in Cowgirl Stadium. Gajewski observed a young female fan leave the stands with three softballs. She had tracked down foul balls that went out of play and she was standing by the Cowgirls’ clubhouse vying for an autograph. “We think that giving (kids) everything they want is the best,” Gajewski said. “It’s not. It’s when they have to get something that has a meaning or a purpose. It can change your life. It can shape you.” The Dixie Chicken, a western-themed bar in College Station, Texas, with pictures covering its wooden walls and a rattle snake on display, was part of the reason the girl left with a cache of potentially life-altering, game-used softballs. Loft Holdings LLC is doing the same thing for Oklahoma State. The Cowgirls played two games in late February against the Aggies this See Foul Ball on 6B
Courtesy of OSU Athletics Osu rider Lydia Bell worked multiple jobs and on her family’s ranch while being homeschooled.
RUNNING HOME
Bedlam Baseball
The Mederos’ harrowing journey to the United States
O’Brate Stadium
Friday: 6 p.m. (ESPN+) Saturday: 8 p.m. (ESPNU) Sunday: 3 p.m. (ESPN+)
Bedlam’s future could be stranded Braden Bush has defined the Staff Reporter storied Bedlam
Jaiden Daughty Victor Mederos has grown close with his brother from an early age.
Without telling anyone in his family, Mederos Sr. boarded a boat and floated 90 miles north in about two hours. He surrendered his life to ocean currents and waves Ben Hutchens and illegally stepped foot Staff Reporter on American soil to give his family a better opporVitin Mederos won- tunity. dered why his dad wasn’t “(He didn’t tell the one to knock on the anyone) because he didn’t door. want us to stop him, to tell Mederos, 10, and him not to do it because he his 2-month-old brother, knew it was it was the best Victor, were at their for us,” Vitin said. grandmother’s home in In the moment, Vitin Santa Clara, Cuba waiting didn’t want to talk to his for their dad to pick them father. The suddenness up. Instead, one of their of his father’s departure father’s friends knocked on was impossible for him to the door, sat down and told absorb. the boys and their mother, “It was tough,” Odalys, their father would Vitin said. “He was always call in half an hour to thinking of the future, explain everything. but when you’re there you Odalys Mederos an- don’t see it that way. You swered the phone and was think he’d run out on us.” devastated. Her husband, Mederos Sr.’s deciVictor Mederos Sr. was sion to leave Cuba for calling from the Florida Florida in 2001 has ramiKeys. fications in Stillwater. His
son, Victor, has taken advantage of the decision. Victor is the Saturday pitcher for the Oklahoma State Cowboys and has turned down hundreds of thousands of MLB dollars, a far cry from the impoverished lifestyle he left behind in Cuba. Vitin said it was nice having his father with him in Cuba. He did not have to worry about buying groceries and providing for his family. He said the first week without his father was the hardest. He had to be strong for his mother and be a father figure for his younger brother. While Mederos Sr. worked in a Florida grocery store, sending all the money he made back to Cuba, Vitin was the man of the house. Since Odalys worked, Vitin was responsible for taking care of his younger brother. See Running Home on 5B
baseball series. The series now faces uncertainty with OU preparing to depart for the SEC. A threegame Bedlam series begins at O’Brate Stadium on Friday – the stadium’s first full-capacity edition of the rivalry since COVID’s diminution – and it’s likely to break O’Brate attendance records. The series’ continuation hinges on if the schools would consider continuing to play after OU leaves. “I think so, as long as it’s good for both schools.” OSU coach Josh Holliday said. “All that kinda comes down to when you do it, where it fits on the schedule and between all those things.” To continue after 2025 (OU’s expected departure year), the Bedlam series would have to jump the hurdle of the new Big 12 schedule featuring BYU, Cincinnati, Central Florida and Houston. The new schedule will consist of 30
Carl Myers’ fastball smacked the back of John Douglas. Bedlam erupted. Opposing dugouts cleared and met on the field of Allie P. Reynolds Stadium for an all-out brawl. One play earlier, OSU catcher Paul O’Callaghn was trucked by OU base runner Paul Oster at home plate, causing a heated confrontation between the crimson and orange. Myers, OSU’s pitcher, remembered that play. Minutes later, Douglas, an OU outfielder, took the brunt of the retaliation via beanball and stormed toward the mound, cueing the scuffle. Near the OU dugout, OSU’s Bobby Perna knocked Oklahoma’s Darron Cox to the ground and began violently swinging at the Sooner. After the halfhour hiatus, there were 14 ejections and three suspensions. The 1989 game serves as a sample of the See Bedlam on 6B animosity that
Page 2B Friday, April 8, 2022
O’Colly
sports
Neergaard-Peterson fought to regain OSU roster spot
Jax Tompson Staff Reporter
news.
Alan Bratton had to break the bad
Midway through a practice round for the General Hackler Championship, Bratton, OSU’s golf coach, informed Rasmus Neergaard-Peterson he wouldn’t be in the lineup. This was the third tournament Neergaard-Peterson failed to crack the lineup in the first four tournaments of the season. Neergaard-Peterson, a senior, knew he’d only get so many more chances, so everyone he missed was that much more disheartening. But Bratton had more. A spot in the tournament had opened up, and Neergaard-Peterson was able to compete as an individual. This is a common practice, where the player would compete in the individual competition, but would not contribute any points to their team’s score. It was hard to miss out on competing for his team, but NeergaardPeterson had been given an opportunity. By the end of the first round of the three-round tournament, it looked like that opportunity might go to waste. He finished that round at 1-over, in the middle of the pack and six back from the leaders. Neergaard-Peterson knew he wasn’t out of it and better golf was yet to be played. “I started struggling a bit in the first round, ended up shooting 1-over, but I felt like the game was there,” Neergaard-Peterson said. That game showed up starting in the second round, where he got off to a fiery start, finishing his first nine holes in 5-under. By the end of the second round, he was only one behind the leaders, in contention for the first time in his college career. Neergaard-Peterson hadn’t been in contention in college. He had experiences from other levels to lean on, along with the example of his idol growing up, Tiger Woods. For many members of NeergaardPeterson’s generation, Woods is someone they heard a lot about, but didn’t get to watch in his prime. After all, Woods won all but one of his major championships before 2009, when Neergaard-Peterson was barely 10 years old. But Neergaard-Peterson had a head start on his peers. “I got started early, both my parents played, so I was already on the golf course when I was four or five years old,” Neergaard-Peterson said. Neergaard-Peterson was 5 in 2004, and witness seven of Woods’ majors. More than enough to see how Woods handled being in contention. He put that knowledge to good use, winning six events in his amateur career. As the third round began and he sat one behind the lead. NeergaardPeterson was confident his experiences from before college would carry over. “I’ve been in contention before, when I’ve gotten up there in the amateur events I’ve been really good at converting contention into wins,”
Chris Becker Lyle Miller-Green, an OSU outfielder, was adopted from Russia at the age of one.
Miller-Green carries Russian origins to Stillwater, Cowboys
Adam Engel Staff Reporter
Courtesy of OSU Athletics Rasmus Neergaard-Peterson suceeded in individuals at the N.I.T
Neergaard-Peterson said. Thirteen holes into the closing round, that confidence looked wellfounded. He was 6-under on his round, had just eagled and held the lead with five holes to go. But golf is a fickle sport, and anyone trying to win a tournament will hit adversity. For Neergaard-Peterson, that meant bogeying the next two holes and losing the solo lead. He wasn’t done yet. He rallied to make one more birdie on the secondto-last hole, regaining the lead before making a par on the final hole to close it out. “I definitely feel like I handled myself well,” Neergaard-Peterson said. “I was able to kind of slow myself down on the 53rd hole of the tournament, just take my time, make sound decisions, and hit a couple of good shots to make the birdie.” Neergaard-Peterson was back in the starting lineup later that week, securing 14th place at the National Invitational Tournament and contributing to a 21-point Cowboy team win. After falling out of the Cowboy lineup, he responded in style. His second round 64 at the General Hackler Tournament broke the course record, and he followed that up by contributing to a ridiculous 53-under team total at the N.I.T., another tournament record broken. sports.ed@ocolly.com
She was there to adopt Kornev. No one else. Once Miller-Green immersed himself into a baseball life, his bat became a ticket to college. Beyond his dirty red facial hair and lengthy mane, power is his strength. One that was quickly noticed by Thomas. “I always had a pretty good idea that he had an elite level bat in him,” Thomas said. “He’s got big league pop whether or not he develops all of it. We’ll see. Throwing that kid, a round of BP when we have 14, 15 or 16 was something else.” His elite ability to mash balls 400-plus feet doesn’t influence his personality. Lyle authentically remains Lyle. With the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, it’s hard for Miller-Green to fully connect to Russia. He doesn’t remember anything about his birthplace. A quick escape left many questions. His mental images and conclusions are formed from others. Someone had to tell him he was adopted. Someone had to tell him he was from Russia. His sister, Samantha Miller, who was also adopted from Russia, can’t bear to watch, or follow the news of the war in Ukraine. The idea of her home country terrorizing a neighbor is too aggravating. It’s an act that Stephanie refers to as villainous. Miller-Green hasn’t returned to Russia. A small footnote in his life is reduced to a hypothetical. Where would he be if it wasn’t for Miller? “I wish I had some memories or at least remember some things from over there, but I was way too young,” Miller-Green said. “I’d love to go back someday though. I think that’d be really cool. Any part, really. Moscow. The biggest city in Russia or even Tomsk, my hometown.” For the time being, Miller-Green focuses on one destination.
In below-freezing temperatures, Lyle Miller-Green embraced his beginnings. During high school baseball practices, vomit dripped down his bare chest as he led his team in sprints and pull-ups. In tense situations, Miller-Green, an OSU outfielder, could make his teammates laugh. His coaches and teammates at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Virginia, remember it all. Especially coach John Thomas. “He took his shirt off and yelled that he was a Russian polar bear,” Thomas said. Miller-Green lived in Russia. For a year. Born Oleg Sergevich Kornev, an adoption at the age of one brought Kornev from his Siberian orphanage to Burke, a southern suburb of Washington D.C. Kornev became Miller-Green. For years, his mother, Stephanie Miller, wanted to adopt a foreign child. She said that legalities in the U.S. created an ultra-long adoption process. Russia wasn’t so complicated. After a multi-flight journey to the orphanage in Tomsk, Siberia, Russia, Stephanie began to witness the city’s conditions. “I remember it being very old,” she said. “Crumbling sidewalks and really old buildings.” When she entered the orphanage, the older kids walked toward Stephanie. “They would say, ‘Momma. Dadda,’” Miller said. “Trying to get adopted.” It was a scene that emotionally crushed Stephanie. Tears started flowRead full story at ocolly.com ing down her cheeks.
HIMALAYAN GROCERY STORE
O’Colly
Friday, April 8, 2022 Page 3B
sports
Moncrieffe third Cowboy to enter transfer portal Gabriel Trevino Staff Reporter On Thursday, OSU forward Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe entered his name into the transfer portal, as first reported by Travis Branham of
247Sports. Moncrieffe is OSU’s third forward to enter the portal, following Donovan Williams and Kalib Boone. As a freshman in 2020-21, Moncrieffe started 14 games, but after transfers Moussa Cisse and Tyreek Smith earned starting jobs in 2021-22, Moncriffe’s role diminished. In his sophomore season, Moncrieffe started
in seven games and averaged 4.2 points per game, while playing 14 minutes a game. The former threestar recruit from Ontario, Canada, will enter his junior season once he finds a new home through the transfer portal, and will have two years of eligibility remaining.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Noah Weber After a confidence boost from competing in the Junior Wimbledon, OSU tennis player Ayumi Miyamoto’s personality shifted from timid to outgoing.
Miyamoto changed by Wimbledon shy,” Miyamoto for Miyamoto Daniel Allen ranking points, depending on their said. “I wanted to as she continues Staff Reporter performances, that change all that by to mature in her
Abby Cage On Thursday, OSU forward Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe became the third Cowboy to enter the NCAA
Birmingham anticipating improvements offensive line Rowdy Baribeau Staff Reporter
Birmingham has also found himself in a new position. He originally was recruited to play guard but instead was moved outside to tackle. Birmingham Cole Birmingham, a fourth-year is enthusiastic about the chance to play offensive lineman, has stepped into a guard this season as he believes it caters leadership role this season. more to his playing style, while reBirmingham said he is excited to learning how to play the position at the see younger guys like Caleb Etienne get collegiate level. to a comfortable weight to play at his “I was at left tackle all last seahighest potential on the offensive line. son, so I’m moving to left guard,” “He is just moving around a lot Birmingham said. “Just kind of getting better,” Birmingham said. “I mean, it all the aiming points, (they’re) a little seems like he is a lot more comfortable different, hand placement, so I’m just doing what he’s doing now than what he getting back used to playing guard. was.” That’s just mainly what I’m focusing on Another individual on the ofright now. I’m definitely more comfortfensive line that has stood out is the able at guard, it’s kind of more of my improvement of Tyrone Webber. Birplay style.” mingham said he understands Webber’s Even though the team has only transition from JUCO to Division I had six practices, Birmingham likes football is not easy. what he has seen from the offensive line “He is doing good, he’s spending group as a whole despite being stretched extra time watching film, like makthin on bodies. ing sure he knows the playbook and “Honestly, everyone’s doing really everything,” Birmingham said. “Just good,” Birmingham said. “We’ve only from people I’ve talked to, going from had six practices so far, so it’s going a JUCO to a Division 1 program, it’s a great so far. We’re a little low on offenbig jump and people don’t think that it sive linemen but everyone’s willing to is as big of a jump as it is. Speed of play jump in if anyone needs help or fill in a is different, your opponent’s definitely spot. It’s been really good and it’s helpdifferent. He is doing everything he can ing our chemistry I believe.” to make sure he knows our playbook, make sure he knows what he’s doing sports.ed@ocolly.com and you know, he’s going a long way.”
he t t ou k c e Ch
way! a e d i al H n i g i Or
Every athlete has a moment in their lives that sticks out to them. Cowgirl tennis junior Ayumi Miyamoto has been through it all; from scrimmaging professional tennis players in her youth to attending countless professional events with her family, one specific moment in her athletic career sticks out to her the most. The Junior Wimbledon is a prestigious event that serves as a showcase for diehard fans to get a chance to watch potential future stars face off against each other while also giving a chance for young tennis prodigies to compete and test their overall status as tennis players, seeing how they match up against other top athletes within the sport. Top-ranked tennis players from around the world will meet at the Bank of England Sports Grounds in London to compete in qualifying matches. Afterwards, those who advance will compete in doubles and singles events that will result in the addition of
will end up having an effect on their international ranking. In spite of being engrained in the sport, Miyamoto hadn’t ever considered taking part in the Junior Wimbledon. “I was busy and had school,” Miyamoto said. “Then I guess I realized what was best for my future as a professional tennis player and I said to myself, ‘This could really help me out in the future’, so I (went through). I wanted to compete in (the event).” Miyamoto competed for the first time in 2017 before returning in 2018, not regretting either appearance. As successful as she was on the court, even prior to the Junior Wimbledon, she had a common issue within herself that she was troubled by. It was something that she felt held her back for as long as she could remember. A lack of confidence. Aside from the perks and notoriety that comes with competing in the Junior Wimbledon, Miyamoto sought a confidence boost. “My whole life I was, I guess,
facing better competition, or what I considered to be better competition, or top (tier) competition.” She would receive that confidence booster and more as Miyamoto went from what was a timid and shy person to an outgoing and extremely vocal athlete following her trips to the Junior Wimbledon. Her demeanor has only since taken off during her time at Oklahoma Stave, developing and cementing herself as a veteran and leader on a young Cowgirl tennis team. “She has extremely high expectations for herself,” Cowgirl tennis coach Chris Young said. “She’s certainly played in quite a bit of big time, nationally prominent events as a junior player and (the Junior Wimbledon) was obviously one of her best events in Japan prior to coming here to Stillwater. So, I do think that was a big experience for her. It’s helped her a lot experience and confidence wise because she’s been on the grand stages before.” The lessons learned from the experience have been a big thing
young career as a tennis player. Whether it be the boost in confidence following her appearance in 2018 or just the opportunity to test her skill set against the best of the best, Miyamoto has certainly blossomed since then. There is no question that she has seen drastic growth in her game as a whole since her stops at the prestigious event. In spite of all she has been through during her young tennis career, the Junior Wimbledon will always be one that she credits a large portion of her success to, primarily because of the experience. “(The Junior Wimbledon) will always serve as a moment in my lifetime,” Miyamoto said. “I learned a lot, a lot of good things too from that experience. There were so many good players I competed against that helped me get better (at tennis). I guess it really changed my standard (for the sport). But overall, it was a really good experience.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
SINCE 1957,
WHEN IS LITTLE MUCH?
There is a short chorus that has encouraged me many times. “Little is much if God is in it. Labor not for wealth or fame. There’s a crown and you can win it. If you go in Jesus’ name.”
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The woman, who poured the precious ointment on Jesus just before he was crucified, was criticized for “wasting” this expensive item. Yet, Jesus said everywhere the gospel is preached this woman’s action would be told. (Mk 14:3-9) Little things mean a lot as we are willing to serve the Lord. Paul mentions many in Romans 16 who helped him. The Good Samaritan stopped to help the man beaten and robbed. (Lu.10:30-37) Paul writes as you have opportunity, do good to all men, especially to other believers.(Gal.6:10) When the poor widow dropped the two pennies, all that she had, into the temple offering. Jesus said she gave more the large offerings given. Her “large giving” was in relation to what she had. (Mk.12:41-44)
Many people may plan to give when they receive a great amount of money, but that large amount of money may never come. We may plan to give time or talent to a project when we have more time, but that perfect time arrangement may never happen. Again, the apostle Paul encourages us “as you have opportunity, do good to all men.” We never know when a little gesture of kindness, with money, or helping in an area of service, spending a little time with a person, a word of encouragement, will be just the action that will be a great help to someone. These can be practical ways of living out the Lord’s challenge to love one another. This is the fulfilling of the many commandments in the Bible: loving people by word and action.
Page 4B Friday, April 8, 2022
O’Colly
sports Bell... Continued from 1B
OSU running back Dominic Richardson had the third-most carries on the team last season.
Abby Cage
Richardson leading inexperienced running back room this spring Ivan White Staff Reporter Losing a 1,200-yard rusher might be cause for pessimism for some teams. But not the OSU. Without Jaylen Warren, Oklahoma State’s top running back from last season, the Cowboys look to transition to a younger group to lead the way. As OSU looks to next season, coach Mike Gundy expressed the importance of junior running back Dominic Richardson’s expanded role. Richardson will be looked upon to carry the load among running backs with Gundy expecting around 18-20 carries for him in the first game. “Jaden Nixon just showed up and Ollie (Gordon) is supposed to be going to the prom next week,” Gundy said. “CJ (Brown) is doing great, but he’s in high school, so (Richardson) better get ready.” While being OSU’s primary running back will be new to him, Richardson has had no shortage of
players who have previously been in that position to look up to. “It’s different, for sure,” Richardson said. “Being the leader of the group, it’s a big difference but I just try to be like Chuba (Hubbard), LD (Brown), Jaylen (Warren), I learned from them. I learned a lot from them actually and just being that leader and just showing them what’s right and wrong. To be that leader to them, that means a lot to me.” As a sophomore last season, Richardson amassed only nine carries for -3 yards over the team’s final three games. Despite that, Richardson was still OSU’s third-leading rusher and finished the season with 262 yards and two touchdowns on 67 carries. After Richardson, redshirt freshman Jaden Nixon is anticipated to get the most reps with the incoming freshmen likely to fill out the rest of the snaps. Although OSU will miss its departures at running back, the next generation of Cowboy rushers looks to be a promising one. sports.ed@ocolly.com
A major reason Bell did not have a difficult transition to studentathlete was because she did not experience the traditional homeschooling process. Throughout high school, Bell joined the Central Oklahoma Association of Christian Homeschoolers (COACH), a place where tutors taught once a week, then students worked at their own pace. Bell’s original plan was to attend a community college, but after the opportunity arose to join OSU’s equestrian team, she quickly changed her mind. There was only one issue — the NCAA. “The hardest thing was getting the courses I took approved by the NCAA,” Bell said. “Not many people had transitioned from homeschool. They just wanted to make sure that you actually did your classes. I actually took really hard classes.” Bell’s upbringing taught her independence and time-management, useful skills for a studentathlete, who must balance practice, competitions, classwork and a social life. The change of scenery is not a lone encounter for Bell, as fellow OSU equestrian freshman Lauren Pursley is also from a homeschooling environment. For Pursley, the switch is almost not even a difference. “It hasn’t been as difficult as you would imagine,” Pursley said. “I was homeschooled so I would have more time to ride horses. Now that I’m a member of the equestri
Courtesy of OSU Athletics OSU rider Lauren Pursley was also homeschooled.
an team, all I do is school and ride horses.” Pursley was not always homeschooled, but when her family moved and she changed school districts, she decided to focus on primarily riding horses and alter her academics to online. One aspect of college life Pursley did not consider before becoming a student athlete was group projects, but being a part of a team helped the unforeseen predicament. “It’s all about teamwork and picking up others’ slack,” Pursley said. The athlete side of student-athlete came easier than being a student for both. Bell connected with other members of the equestrian team at the National Reining Horse Association prior to her attendance at OSU, and Pursley met fellow
freshman Peyton Baxter with team USA’s AQH YWC organization. “There’s a large equestrian community,” Pursley said. “So I knew a lot of these girls before I came to OSU. It made the transition easier since I wasn’t a complete stranger.” Despite their unique backgrounds as studentathletes, Bell and Pursley don’t think homeschool affected their ability to be successful. In fact, both are thankful for the way they approached managing school and horses. “I love talking about stuff I’m passionate about,” Bell said. “I love hanging out with friends and just being social. Homeschooling didn’t change me in any way.” “It was easier than public school,” Pursley said. sports.ed@ocolly.com
Foul Ball... Continued from 1B
Even so, the foul balls deflected out of play during games are a small part of operational costs. Many practice balls wind up in a hard-to-reach place. “The hard part is we launch them into that creek all the time in practice,” Gajewski said. “You’re spending a lot of money. We’re very aware. We’ve actually started hitting less on our field over the last couple years because it’s just a waste. It really is.” The pitchers who don’t take batting practice have to pick the balls up. They get in a golf cart and go outside the fence, collecting the costly balls the powerful OSU lineup deposited over the wall. Chyenne Factor, a senior center fielder who leads OSU with nine home runs, is a contributor to the tally of balls in batting practice that wind up in the creek behind Cowgirl Stadium’s batter’s eye. She knows there is a cost to getting in a groove. “It’s funny,” Factor said. “I knew that they cost ($10) because (Gajewski) says it to the pitchers when (the balls) go into the creek. He’s pissed if they’re losing balls out there, or they’re not shagging them when they’re out there. We’re well aware that they cost money.” Sophomore right fielder Katelynn Carwile said she is grateful picking up home runs after batting practice is not her job. She has trouble estimating how many home runs are hit in a day. “I couldn’t even tell you,” Carwile said. “I lose track. Everybody gets up there and when we’re on, we’re on.” Players aren’t expected to fish around in the creek for softballs. Factor said there is an agreement that, “If it’s gone, it’s gone.” If players succumb to the temptation of sitting on the wooden decks in the outfield instead of hunting for balls, it doesn’t end well. “I don’t know if it was last year or two years ago, but coach (Stacie Pestrak) picked up seven or eight balls that were left out the back,” Factor said. “She was pissed.” Loft Holdings LLC makes a donation to the OSU softball team for every foul ball hit into the stands during games. In exchange, Brodie Myers, the public address announcer, makes an announcement mentioning Loft Holdings LLC, which reminds fans they can keep the balls. “We want to make this the greatest experience,” Gajewski said. “When you can give away balls like that, it’s cool. We’ve had that kind of in the works.” Gajewski said softball has grown tremendously in recent years, something he has tried to foster at OSU. Big acts, such as the Cowgirls visiting youth softball teams in the Stillwater Area Sports Association, to small ones like clearing the way for a child to come away with a prized souvenir softball at a game, help connect people to OSU softball. “These are all things that we want to do,” Gajewski said. “We want to create this environment that we’re around them and they’re around us.” Carwile, who is from Purcell, came to many
Abby Cage OSU is improving its fan experience at Cowgirl Stadium, allowing fans to keep foul balls through a sponsorship.
OSU softball games as a kid. She knows the impression getting a softball can make, and is glad OSU found a way to let fans keep them despite the cost. “I think it’s awesome,” Carwile said. “Especially the new foul balls they have where they get to keep them. I think that’s so memorable for little girls. They get to come and have a piece of the game.” With a signature, the foul balls become a more special keepsake. “Those little kids love those balls,” junior infielder Karli Petty said. “They come and have us sign after the game. I feel like it’s a really good way to interact the crowd and also give a little kid a souvenir as well.” Recently, a husband and wife visited the Cowgirl Stadium press box after a game and shared their desire to sponsor OSU. They heard what Loft Holdings LLC was doing. It appears the Dixie Chicken set off a chain reaction. “You never know how things get started,”
Gajewski said. “And there’s people that want to help that just don’t know how. I think our game is a very marketable game. This is a marketable team. We need to strike while the iron is hot. There’s some really cool people involved here. We’re doing that.” For Cowgirl softball, a non-revenue sport, dollars are especially precious. The sudden sponsorship has let OSU engage young fans, not take souvenirs out of their hands. “The bottom line is, look, it’s nine or 10 bucks,” Gajewski said. “In the grand scheme of things, it’s a lot. It’s real. Somebody had to give that money, or it’s part of our budget, but the experiences that we’re trying to create here. The game day experience for some kid, if it’s the first time, or the only time she’s ever going to get to come, she has a chance to grab a ball. I think that’s kind of neat.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
O’Colly
Friday, April 8, 2022 Page 5B
sports
Running home... Continued from 1B
Victor Mederos immigrated to the United States when he was 6, leaving behind an impoverished life in Cuba.
had been bribed, but a third guard, brandishing an AK 47, was not paid off. The Mederos’ lay prone on the rocky terrain 20 feet away from the guard for two hours, willing him to move to a different post along the border. It was almost too much for 5-year-old Victor, who was getting cut by the rocks. He whispered to Vitin, ‘Daddy, this hurts. I can’t hold anymore.’ Vitin implored his little brother to stay strong, saying there was no other choice. “There was a time that was like, ‘If this guy doesn’t move we’re gonna get caught because there’s no way we can keep waiting here,’” Vitin said. The unbribed guard finally changed posts and the Mederos’ sprinted across the border and hopped into a car. It was one of four Central American borders they crossed over an 11-day journey to the United States. Traveling on busses, cars and on foot the Mederos’ plodded north. The Mederos’ were told to travel only at night or early morning. Odalys has blonde hair, which would be suspicious if authorities questioned her. Traveling under cover of darkness was the only way to prevent being recognized and arrested. The Mederos’ were also told not to speak. Their Cuban accents were a dead giveaway they were not supposed to be traveling through Central America. “You go through these points with police guys and the bus stops, if they know you’re not from there they can pull you over and then ask for money or they know what to do, “Vitin said. Other immigrants weren’t as fortunate as the Mederos’. The Nicaraguan guide’s group started out with 10 and finished with five. The others in the group ran out of
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He changed Victor’s diapers, fed him and woke up in the night when he was crying. “I never saw my brother as a brother,” Vitin said. “To me he was my little kid.” Vitin built a wooden seat and fastened it to the front of his bike so he could pedal his brother to kindergarten. Vitin woke up at 6 every morning because he would ride 30 minutes to drop off his brother and to turn 180 degrees and pedal an hour more right by his house to attend school himself. One time, Victor squirmed a little too much and fell off his perch. His foot got stuck in the tire, upending the bike and sending both boys flying. After dusting off, they got back on the ride and Vitin continued pedaling. When Vitin came to pick Victor back up from kindergarten later, the kids would say ‘Victor, your dad is here,’ because Vitin was the only person they ever saw transporting their classmate around. “It was expected of him,” Victor said. “Obviously, we don’t want to take that for granted, all the sacrifices he made for me but yeah it was amazing now that I realize everything he did for me.” The Mederos’ plan was to unite in Florida. A year after Mederos Sr. crossed the Gulf of Mexico he was eligible to apply for a citizenship, which he received. He called home as often as possible and once he had the proper paperwork, twice flew back to Cuba to see his family but always returned to Florida to continue saving money. The plan had a large hang up. In the early 2000s, leaving Cuba was onerous. On penalty of imprisonment, it was illegal to leave the island without the proper passports and visas, which are difficult to obtain. Odalys applied for a Costa Rica travel visa, which was granted because of a distant relative in the country. Her children could travel with her because they were minors. With the timing of the visa, Mederos Sr. decided it was time for his family to join in Florida, six years after he unexpectedly left Cuba. Mederos Sr. paid a captain in the Nicaraguan military $9,000, he earned working several different jobs, to guide his family to Florida. In 2008, Odalys and her sons boarded a plane to Costa Rica, leaving their small home, two bicycles and destitute life in Cuba behind. “The only thing you think when you when you come (to the United States) or any other country from Cuba is just about the family,” Vitin said. “That’s the only thing you think about because there’s nothing there that you will leave that you will miss.” Odalys and her sons landed in Costa Rica but had no intention of staying. They were only legally allowed to be in Costa Rica and had 2,500 miles and five borders to cross before entering the U.S. The first border, Nicaragua, was the most difficult to cross. Two of the guards at the border
money. Because Mederos Sr. paid up front his family had enough. At each checkpoint along the journey someone police, border guards, government officials demanded money. If someone didn’t have enough, they were pulled aside from the group. “When they pull you to the side you either find a way to pay them or make the money or they’ll kill you and you’ll disappear,” Vitin said. There was no communication with Mederos Sr. during the journey.
There was a time that was like, ‘If this guy doesn’t move we’re gonna get caught because there’s no way we can keep waiting here.
Courtesy Vitin Mederos Vitin and Victer Mederos taking a nap together in Cuba. The brothers are close despite a 10-year age gap.
Vitin Mederos
Jaiden Daughty
“We’re like, ‘Nah, this is not happening,’” Vitin said. “He grew up he was always a powerful kid. Now he’s good at pitching, but before he hit like a monster.” Some scouts projected him as a first-round pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, but teams didn’t meet his desired signing bonus so he honored his commitment to Miami. Mederos struggled at Miami. Over eight starts, he had a 6.08 earned and was moved to the bullpen. Vitin said he felt like his brother wasn’t getting an opportunity to grow or work out of jams. In July 2021, he transferred to OSU and left his family in Florida behind. “It’s kind of a decision you have to make for your career and the best thing about it is they support you with everything and that’s what I love about my family,” Victor said. “That’s why I’m so family oriented.” Victor doesn’t refer to Vitin as his dad anymore, but the uniquely strong bond created on bike rides to kindergarten and border hopping in Central America remains. Vitin, who owns a company that deals in windows and doors, video calls his brother often. “We talk every day,” Victor said. “I mean, he’s basically my idol.” The conversations are far reaching, covering baseball, the challenges of life and sometimes Cuba. “I always tell my brother, ‘Remember what you got through to get here,” Vitin said. “So, if you see a little bump, you’ve already been over a bunch of them. So just keep going forward. Keep going forward.’”
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Vitin had never seen a cell phone and had no idea how to use one. Vitin said he and his mother equally led the family through Central America. It was a team effort but Vitin, who felt responsible for his mother and brother, positioned himself strategically. “At the end of the day, if somebody have to go down, have to be the sports.ed@ocolly.com face at the front, I was trying to have it always be me,” Vitin said. The last border, the United States, was the most joyful to cross. The Mederos’ arrived at the Texas border but still had to go through a tangled web of legal processes to gain access to the United States. “At first, they talked to you like you’re a piece of s--t, you’re not supposed to come here. If you don’t like how this is, you can go back,” Vitin said. Because they were from Cuba, the Mederos’ were granted refugee status. Odalys handled the paperwork and interview with a consular official and the Mederos’ were free to enter the United States. Stepping on U.S. soil was overwhelming. Vitin said he felt like he was in a movie. He had never seen so many people and cars. A bustling four-lane highway surprised him the most. “You look around and be like, ‘I’ll never be able to drive here,’” Vitin said. The Mederos’ flew to Miami International Airport, where they surprised Mederos Sr. He was told the flight his family was on got delayed. Vitin saw his dad first and ran to him for a hug. The rest of the Mederos clan piled in for a tear-filled embrace. Mederos Sr. had unexpectedly left his family in Cuba six years earlier and now unexpectedly had his family with him in the United States. Soon after arriving in Florida, Victor started playing baseball. He hit a home run onto the roof of a house in his first game and said it took off from there. Victor played catch with his brother in the street and started playing competitive travel ball as a teenager. At 14, he threw 87 miles per hour and won a home run derby with Courtesy Vitin Mederos a 414-foot blast in the Miami Marlins Victor Mederos pictured in Cuba, where he lived for stadium, now LoanDepot Park. six years.
Page 6B Friday, April 8, 2022
O’Colly
sports Bookout didn’t follow family’s heritage Daniel Allen Staff Reporter
program like OSU became apparent, he caught coach Josh Holliday’s attention. “(We saw) he had a strong interest in being at Oklahoma State,” Holliday Casey Bookout has not been acsaid. customed to a lot of orange and black Jacob said his 2019 campus visit during his life. attracted him to OSU. He was blown He and his wife, Danielle, were away by the coaching staff’s hospitalprominent athletic figures at the Uniity, the close-knit feel and the family versity of Oklahoma. Bookout is one of values. the most decorated figures in the his“I had never spent much time on tory of OU baseball, holding the title of campus myself,” Casey Bookout said. all-time home run leader (60). His wife “But I could just see the attraction (to built a successful volleyball career with OSU) in Jacob’s eyes from the start. the Sooners. They just did a great job of kind of For decades, the Bookout name showing him the community and what has been ingrained in Norman. Howall they value.” ever, in late 2020 the family name Jacob hasn’t contributed much on expanded to Stillwater. the baseball field, but his goals beyond Jacob Bookout, a redshirt freshbaseball stick out the most. man pitcher at OSU, grew up an OU “Jacob is a brilliant young man,” fan. He and his dad would attend count- Holliday said. “(He is a) very conscienless football and baseball games. Retious person, a very well-pieced kid. He gradless of the sport, Bookout remem- is a real standout person. And he hasn’t bers the tenacity of Bedlam and how it contributed on the field that much but was present within his family. he’s a contributor to our program in Jacob said despite the connecwho he is and what he does as a memtions, not once did he feel pressured or ber of our team each day.” forced into any sort of fandom or callJacob is majoring in economics, ing to the OU. wanting to pursue a career in the field “It was definitely Boomer Sooner of business if his goal of playing basefor a long time for me,” Bookout said. ball post-college doesn’t materialize, “But my mom and dad were never specifically in the category of consultreally like, ‘(Oklahoma) is where you ing. need to be, you need to be here.’ My “I love solving problems,” Jacob dad did a great job in how he kind of said. “That’s kind of how my brain approached me with it.” works. I like to find unorthodox soluDuring his high school career, tions and approaches to things. So, I Jacob consistently attended prospect could honestly see myself going into camps at OSU. The more his presence something like (consulting).” was shown, and his desire to play for a Juggling multiple activities has
Courtesy of OSU Athletics OSU pitcher Jacob Bookout grew up loving OU, after his father, Casey, was a standout on the Sooners baseball team.
been difficult for Bookout. He credits a large portion of his time management skills to joining the Spears School of Business Scholar Leaders program last year. He recalls joining a case study group early on and winning first place in the annual case study competition held within the school. These major accomplishments have all compiled a resume for Bookout that have led to him attaining the title of a top 10 freshman, and being on track to graduate early. Casey Jacob still reminisces about when he was a vital part in his son’s baseball career. He still misses coaching Bookout, helping him fix his
swing occasionally and even throwing him batting practice. In addition, Jacob’s mother reflects on her time driving Jacob to games and practices, or even when she used to homeschool her son. “Whatever he does, Jacob is going to give 100% because that’s who he is,” Casey Bookout said. “He does it when people are watching and he does it when people aren’t watching. I can proudly say that this family didn’t start off with any orange and black but we have definitely added some since then for sure.” sports.ed@ocolly.com
Bedlam... Continued from 1B
conference games over 10 weekends compared to the current 24-game, eight-week schedule. Adding two weeks of conference play limits OSU’s nonconference slate, especially since it typically looks for away series at programs with fair weather during the late winter months. “We’ve played on the road this year during those first four weeks, as you know, just to guarantee the games,” Holliday said. “So, I don’t know that that leaves a ton of room for nonconference games or things like that, but we’ll cross that road whenever we get there.” The absence of an early-season nonconference Bedlam matchup would potentially eliminate having the multiple-game series – which has given Oklahomans bragging rights for decades. A sweep of OU in 2006 found Pistol Pete – broom in hand – on top of the OU dugout, dancing and celebrating to the disdain of the Sooners inside, such as Joe Dunigan, who called the OSU mascot a “clown on top of the dugout.” That is the type of moment that has nourished the rivalry and the reason it’s hard to imagine it withering away. But if a nonconference series can’t be negotiated, a midweek game is an option. One game could be a better alternative than none. A midweek game could be inserted anywhere throughout the schedule, and it would give the state its fix. “I’m always looking to build a schedule that is good for the players, good for our chances to have a successful season, interesting to our fans because I think our fans want to see
Abby Cage This weekend’s Bedlam series will be the 338th matchup between the two terms.
things that they like,” Holliday said. “So, we’ll keep an open mind about everything if it’s what’s best for the team.” Midweek Bedlam games have been around for years, and those games have offered superior moments, such as OU’s 12-9 win in an 18-inning classic in 2014. The six-hour game epitomized the passion and pride of the in-state rivalry. Even for Holliday, a special sense of pride comes with the Bedlam territory. In a 14-4 OSU win in 1996, Holliday, a freshman, was ejected when the dugouts rushed the field after he noisily confronted an OU shortstop who aggressively tagged out teammate Rusty McNamara. “The rivalry to me is personal because I’m an Oklahoma State person, and I was raised here, so I believe in Oklahoma State,” Holliday said. “So, I believe in competing on behalf of
Oklahoma State, proudly.” Former outfielder Cade Cabbiness, who played for the Cowboys from 2017-21, spent his first 18 years of life in a Sooner household. But everything changed when he committed to OSU. And like Holliday, the ardor for Cowboy baseball manifested and Bedlam became personal to him, too. “I grew up on the other side my whole life,” Cabbiness said. “And I basically took that same attitude to baseball and OSU and Bedlam. I was like, ‘I never want to lose to these guys. Ever.’ Not that I ever wanted to lose to anybody, but it was a little bit more; it meant a little bit more when you beat OU.” The history of the rivalry can’t be ignored, and the desire to continue it exists. But Holliday said he and athletic director Chad Weiberg have to keep the program’s interests in mind rather than the rivalry’s. “We’ve played OU as
many as seven times in one year,” Holliday said. “So, trust me, I don’t back down from anything. But it also has to be sensible, too, and also has to be what’s best for the team.” Bedlam this weekend will bring the all-time total to 338 matchups between the schools, meaning life without the annual strive for state supremacy is hard to picture. The series faces obstacles and the future of it is grainy. The fabrication of new Bedlam chronicles is in jeopardy. But Holliday and OSU are keeping the big picture in mind. “Is it something that I feel like without it something would be missing? No,” Holliday said. “Because our season isn’t defined or judged by just one team or one series. But is it a part of the season that we enjoy? Yes.” sports.ed@ocolly.com
O’Colly
Friday, April 8, 2022 Page 7B
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ACROSS 1 Mumbai melody 5 Group playing mind games 10 Criticizes 14 Mocks 15 Poem of 15,000+ lines 16 And more of the same, in brief 17 Field worker having a pastrami on rye? 20 Like the Godhead 21 Fantasized 22 Diplomacy 23 “Isle of Dogs” director Anderson 26 Tom or jack 27 Prominent part of a Tex-Mex chain’s logo? 30 Bygone Mideast gp. 32 Capital of colonial Burma 33 Bill 36 “No objection here” 38 Try to deal (with) 40 Sharply outline 41 Israeli-born designer Tahari 42 Kane’s boyhood sled 46 Taps 49 Indonesian dive bar? 51 Memory of the 1996 Olympic flame lighting? 55 Lucretius’ love 56 Spry 57 Rowers 59 Pastoral group 60 Sly tactics 61 Simone of song 62 Revolution constant 63 Since Jan. 1 64 Impede DOWN 1 Passel 2 Besides, with “from” 3 Job field that embraces seniority 4 To an equal extent
4/8/22
By Jeffrey Wechsler
5 Bog 6 Ivy attendee 7 “Collages” novelist 8 Couldn’t stand anymore? 9 Condition treated by Ritalin, briefly 10 Overturned card consequence, perhaps 11 Nibbled 12 ___ d’Or: Cannes award 13 Cut 18 Records 19 Fur that’s a symbol of royalty 23 Its nose says a lot about its quality 24 __ roll 25 Refuse craft 28 Cartoon ruckus sound 29 Old TV knob 30 One often paying a fee 31 Soul, for one 34 Came down 35 They work in cells
Thursday’s Puzzle Solved
©2022 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
37 1963 film that was a 1991 Horror Hall of Fame inductee 39 Strings, woodwinds, etc. 43 Keurig Dr Pepper brand 44 Like the “funny bone” nerve 45 Mr. Fixit, casually
4/8/22
46 Made illegal contact with, in some sports 47 Buenos __ 48 Albuquerque sch. 50 Floor support 51 Visa competitor 52 Actress Petty 53 File target 54 Bond baddie 55 “Eureka!” 58 Bromide
Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Linda Black Horoscopes Today’s Birthday (04/08/22). Win through collaboration this year. Strengthen teamwork with regular practices for shared gain. A lucrative springtime provides a cushion for a shared summer financial shortfall. Your joint investments grow stronger next autumn, supporting with slowing winter personal income. Together, you’re invincible. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is an 8 — Domestic renovation or beautification projects flower. Coordinate with family. Take advantage of favorable conditions for positive change. Discover a treasure that inspires a makeover. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Good things arise in conversation. Connect and share. Grab a lucky chance. Make your pitch. Express a possibility that inspires you. Others contribute. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 9 — Develop a lucrative project. Allow an insider advantage for someone special. Take advantage of profitable conditions. Invest in success. Promote to a growing market. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Step into leadership. Take charge for the results you want. Authorize another to get something for you. Accept assistance. Grab a lucky break. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 7 — Private productivity suits your mood. Discover a lucky opportunity to advance your vision. Don’t push ahead blindly. Coordinate and prepare. Put the pieces in place. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 9 — Team communication is key. Strategize to take advantage of a lucky break. A shared dream is within reach. Plan carefully. Reinforce support structures to advance. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 9 — Productivity at work leads in exciting directions. Pursue an interesting opportunity. Develop strategies, budgets and plans. You can find what you need. Determination pays. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Consider new directions. A dreamy opportunity presents itself. Don’t push ahead blindly. Make long-distance connections. Find out the best strategies. Plan your exploration in detail. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 9 — Collaborate for shared gain. Strengthen basic support structures. Maintain positive cash flow. Grab a lucky break. Coordinate to pull in a nice harvest. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — Support each other and get farther, with greater ease. Abandon preconceptions or assumptions. Creative collaboration invites romance and fun. Express what’s in your heart. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 9 — Maintain your healthy path. Actions taken have long-term benefits. A physical dream is within reach. Practice to master the basics. Don’t push into pain. Nurture excellence. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 9 — Talk about what you love. Your words can inspire others to take action. Speak for a cause close to your heart. Use creativity and charm.
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4/8/22
Solution to Thursday’s puzzle
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk
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Page 8B Tuesday, April 8, 2022
O’Colly
sports
Zink, Nothhaft doubling down on new partnership Baylor Bryant Staff Reporter Tyler Zink and Sebastian Nothhaft stay undefeated together. The new Cowboys doubles pairing has started at an 5-0 in their first month as partners. Zink and Nothhaft have helped the Cowboys continue their streak in the doubles, now standing at 14 consecutive doubles wins. Coach Dustin Taylor has been impressed by the success of the new pair, and how quickly the chemistry of the duo has grown. “They complement each other very well,” Taylor said. “They’ve beaten a number of ranked teams. Their energy together is positive, and they build each other up out there. It was a pairing that we envisioned when we signed them together. It was just a matter of when the time was going to come that they got the opportunity to play together. Luckily that time came, and it’s been fun to watch them. And now they’re ranked in the top 30 in the country.” Zink and Nothhaft are 26th on the Men’s ITA doubles ranking, and their success on court has led OSU to a No. 44 team ranking. Taylor said the pairings’ personalities complement each other well and he gives a lot of credit to the duo’s success to how they mix. “Tyler is super positive, super energetic,” Taylor said. “He is a work horse. Sebastian is more cool, calm, collected. He is pretty smooth out there and the more of the talented lefty. They mesh really well because they’re a bit opposite. Temperament wise, Zink is Mr. positive. He is always building Sebastian up and I think Sebastian feels that and he returns it well. Good chemistry out there within the tennis and within the personality and dynamic of the team.”
Branson Evans Since being paired together in doubles play, Tyler Zink and Sebastian Nothhaft are undefeated, rising to the No. 26 spot in the ITA rankings.
Zink said his pairing with Nothhaft has helped the two grow as teammates. “We’re good buddies off court,” Zink said. “When you can be friends off court and when you’re in the moment, enjoy each other’s time, it’s good.” Zink acknowledged what has made Nothhaft and him effective in
Zink reflected on how Nothhaft is different compared to other doubles partners he has had in the past, and how Nothhaft sets himself apart from the rest with his game. “I haven’t had much experience with lefties,” Zink said. “I’ve mostly played with righties. I think everyone would say it’s harder to play against lefties then righties, so I think his ball comes in at a different angle then everybody else and it gives us an advantage.” Their level of play is not the only thing that makes the duo strong doubles. Nothhaft said playing disciplined and being smart with their on-court decisions has helped with the impressive start. “Zink leads away a little bit and he does it really well and it helps me out to,” Nothhaft said. “It keeps me a little more calm. I think that’s been really effective for us.” Nothhaft said Zink also carries the leadership role, which helps him. He said Zink is experienced in doubles and knows how to read the game. “That’s a huge advantage for us as a doubles team,” Nothhaft said. “That’s what separates him from doubles players I have played with in the past.” Nothhaft noted his chemistry with Zink and their level of play have strengthened since they became partners. “I think our chemistry growing has helped us on the doubles court as well,” Nothhaft said. “At the beginning we had some simple matches, and it got a little tighter in the last couple. And I think our chemistry has helped us battle going to break down or returning against them down.”
doubles play together. “We pair well together with our game styles,” Zink said. “I love being at net and he has a good presence up there as well. He’s got a big serve and it helps me a lot cleaning up at the net when he’s serving well and when we’re both back as well. I think we have good chemistry.” sports.ed@ocolly.com