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AMBER FRIENDCampus Reporter @amberthefriend
Three OU faculty members are working to bring a fab-rication laboratory to OU in an attempt to help people bring their projects to life through 3-D printing and other technology.
Associate business professor Jeffrey Schmidt, engi-neering professor Zahed Siddique and IT analyst Jonah Duckles were inspired by the IT Store’s recent incorpora-tion of 3-D printers for student use, a similar Tulsa facility
SHAIDA TABRIZICampus Reporter@ShaidaBee
The deadline for 15th Big Event volunteer applications is March 7, and the event’s coordinators are working to attract more than 5,300 vol-unteers before the deadline.
This year’s Big Event will have OU students swarming the Norman and Oklahoma City metro area for land-scaping, painting, singing to the elderly and completing various community-orient-ed activities on April 5, said Kathryn Hillis, economics sophomore and the event’s vice chair of public affairs.
Last year, 5,300 people participated in the annual community service event and this year organizers hope to attract more volun-teers, Hillis said.
Organizers for the event, have planned several ben-efits and donation oppor-tunities to attract new vol-unteers, including benefit nights at local restaurants and setting up donation stations on the South Oval, Hillis said.
The Big Event executives will serve as car hops at Classic 50’s from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, with 10 per-cent of proceeds and all tips
going toward the cause, Hillis said.
There will also be a ben-efit night at Chipotle on Campus Corner form 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Hillis said.
The money received will fund operating costs and a special fund for one particular business that is chosen based on grant submissions, Hillis said. This special funding is awarded later in the se-mester, she said.
Organizers are reaching out to students from vari-ous areas of study like en-gineering and art, as well as international students, to help them feel con-nected to their school and community, Hillis said.
S t u d e n t s c a n s i g n u p t o v o l u n t e e r o n the Big Event website. Accommo dations are available for disabilities and transportation needs.
Shaida [email protected]
W W W . O U D A I L Y . C O M 2 0 1 3 P A C E M A K E R F I N A L I S T
T H U R S D A Y , F E B U R A R Y 2 7, 2 0 14
� e University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916
Sports: Coaches in the Big 12 don’t agree about the rule, which could slow OU down. (Page 7)
VOL. 99, NO. 110© 2014 OU Publications BoardFREE — Additional copies 25¢
WEATHER CONTACT US
Sunny today with a 20 percent chance of rain tonight. High of 55, low of 38.
INDEX
C a m p u s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
C l a s s i f i e d s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
L i f e & A r t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
O p i n i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
S p o r t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7@OUDaily theoklahomadaily OUDaily
ALEX NIBLETTAssistant Campus Editor
Donning a black suit and OU tie, CIA Director John Brennan took the stage for the President’s Associates Dinner Wednesday to discuss his job with the CIA and the organization’s duty to pro-tect U.S. citizens.
Hundreds of guests attended the dinner, where Brennan gave a speech and then answered questions from the audience.
Brennan answered questions about drones during the informal question session.
“Each drone is remotely piloted … It presents tremendous capability,” Brennan said.
Brennan also said that most of the pictures people see of women and chil-dren who’ve been killed or injured by drones are propaganda.
Brennan’s visit to OU was met with opposition as student protesters held signs and chanted outside the Oklahoma Memorial Union where Brennan spoke. The protesters could be heard inside during Brennan’s speech and security closed the doors to the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom.
Brennan acknowledged the protest-ers and said the ability to protest was what made the U.S. great.
Current CIA director John Brennan delivers a speech on the state of the organization in contemporary society in the Molly Shi Ballroom in the Oklahoma Memorial Union Wednesday evening.
Plans for fabrication laboratory to be considered for university campus
“NO MORE DRONE WARS”
JESSICA WOODS/THE DAILY
Students protest the university’s decision to host John Brennan outside Oklahoma Memorial Union. One protester, sociology senior Jason Byas, explained the protest was against Brennan’s use of kill lists and torture.
Protesters:CIA directornot welcome
Protesters shouted, “no more drone wars,” so loudly Wednesday night
outside Oklahoma Memorial Union that attendees had to shut the doors to the President’s Associates Dinner.
New lab a ‘game changer’ for OU
SCIENCE
MIKE BRESTOVANSKYCampus Reporter@BrestovanskyM
University College officials are ac-cepting instructor applications for the college’s Gateway to College Learning fall semester course until Friday.
Gateway to College Learning, com-monly referred to as Gateway, is a freshman-only elective course that helps new students transition between high school and college life, said Lillian Miller, director of Freshman Programs.
The course is divided into multiple different theme-based sections that students can choose based on their ac-ademic and career interests, Miller said.
These themes include “Gateway: Small Town Sooner,” for students com-ing to OU from smaller towns, and an array of Gateway classes focused on different academic pursuits, such as psychology and math, according to oZONE.
“Being a part of Gateway allows stu-dents the opportunity to quickly inter-act with other incoming students who share mutual interests,” Miller said. “It also serves as a guide for students to navigate the institution and achieve their personal goals at OU.”
University College officials select more than 65 different instructors each year to be Gateway instructors. These instructors represent a range of more than 30 disciplines and departments campus-wide, Miller said.
The professors come from many areas of campus including sociology, information technology, journalism, international studies and more, accord-ing to the University College’s website.
“Instructors are trained to teach stu-dents about the process of learning and to assist them in their transition to the university,” Miller said.
Applicants are required to have a master’s degree, as well as prior teach-ing experience. Applications can be found on the University College website.
Mike [email protected]
PHILANTHROPY
Big Event: More volunteers needed to exceed last year
Calling all experienced professors to applyUNIVERSITY COLLEGE
Applications for Gateway instructors ending soon
PRESIDENT’S DINNER
CIA director speaks at dinner
Campus to capitol: students represent
GOVERNMENT
MIKE BRESTOVANSKYCampus Reporter@BrestovanskyM
On one hand, there is Shane Stone — a political science major who will graduate in May. On the other hand is Jason Weger — a 31-year-old para-medic and administration graduate student at OU.
Both OU students are running for public of-fice this year, which adds
them to a growing list of OU students who have run for office while at OU, said Jessica Jones, communi-cations director at the OU College of Law.
Law alumnus John Handy is running for State Senate. Emily Virgin, OU alumna, was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives while still at school. Another alumnus, Thad Balkman was recently appointed dis-trict judge for Cleveland County, Jones said.
OU alumni hold gov. positions
SEE GOV PAGE 3
New NCAA rule proposal Opinion: We support OU students exercising their right to protest the CIA director’s on-campus speech. (Page 4)
How big is the Big Event?Last year more than 5,300 people volunteered for the BIg Event.
Businesses raise funds for event
SEE SCIENCE PAGE 2
SEE DRONE PAGE 3
MIKE BRESTOVANSKY • CAMPUS REPORTER
BENNETT HALL/THE DAILY
Brennan answers questions about work at CIA, drones
\THURSDAY /
\ FRIDAY /
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI LECTURESFEB, 27TH
FEB, 28TH
Al Hawaayaj, Al Maghrebiyya: Moroccan Clothing and Tea, with Nistrine Slitine El Mghari; special lute performance by Kamel Aljabor, 10 a.m., Kaufman Hall 230.
FOCUS ON A&S WEEKCELEBRATING OU’S OLDEST, LARGEST, & MOST DIVERSE COLLEGE
W. ROGER LOUIS VANCE RAYE
RAMEZ MALUFINA JAVELLAS
My Life as a Historian: From OU to UT via Harvard, Oxford, Yale and a German Wife, 10:30 a.m., Heritage Room, Oklahoma Memorial Union. Presented as part of the 2014 Distinguished Alumni Lectures.
A Little Bit of Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing: Press Coverage of Courts in the New Media,3 p.m., Heritage Room,OMU. Presented as part of the 2014 Distinguished Alumni Lectures.
What’s on (Arab) Television? 4:30 p.m.,Heritage Room,OMU. Presented as part of the 2014 Distinguished Alumni Lectures.
Pioneering Professional Social Work Practice: The Vital Role of Collaboration and Colleagues over the Career Spectrum, 1:30 p.m.,Community Room, Zarrow Hall. Presented as part of the 2014 Distinguished Alumni Lectures.
Presented by the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures & Linguistics
- cas.ou.edu/focus-week -
Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, a CNN Hero Award recipient, will be accompanied by Reggie Whitten, co-founder of Pros For Africa, a local non-profit also formed by former OU All-Americans: Adrian Peter-son, Roy Williams, Tommie Harris, and Mark Clayton, at the Norman store for a book signing of Sewing Hope which shares its title with a documentary film narrated by Forest Whitaker.
Saturday, March 1st Barnes & Noble /// 590 Ed Noble Pkwy - Norman, OK2:00-4:00pm
BOOK SIGNING
Paighten Harkins, campus editor Alex Niblett, assistant editor
[email protected] • phone: 405-325-3666oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily
2 • Thursday, February 27, 2014
CAmPusOUDaily.com ›› State newsOklahoma legislators are trying to add a new monument to the Capitol’s lawn.
and the myriad of applications and possibilities. The three are working with many campus administrators and faculty members to propose a digital fabrication laboratory, or ‘fab lab,’ for OU’s campus.
Fab labs, available in a handful of locations throughout the country, are workplaces that include 3-D printers, CNC wood mills, vinyl cutters, metal fabricators, a laser cutter and etcher and several kinds of electronics, according to the “White Paper” document released by Schmidt, Siddique and Duckles about the lab.
The fab lab allows students to experiment with their ideas and become familiar with technology, whether it’s the 3-D printer that prints digital designs layer by layer in several different materials, the CNC wood mills that craft wooden products within minutes or the vinyl cutter that helps create signs or circuits.
Daniel Pullin, Michael F. Price College of Business interim dean, said he supports the lab and the use of 3-D printing because of how they can shape the business industry.
“3-D printing can collapse the duration between custom-er needs and satisfaction,” Pullin said in an email.
Schmidt and Siddique said they hope students can eventually start their own businesses by making or de-signing cheaper products in the lab.
The fab lab can be help-ful for students outside the business college, notably
the fields of engineering, architecture and art, Schmidt said. Architecture students can create scale models of blue-
prints, artists can make prototypes of sculptures and engi-neers can make and alter designs, Schmidt said.
Schmidt and Siddique also said the fab lab can change teaching styles. The two have talked about teaching classes together in the lab and plan to open the lab to other profes-sors as well.
“This is literally going to change my research and my teaching,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt and Siddique’s class would be a cross-function-al class to teach students how to work with different people obtaining different skills and, from a business sense, pro-duce better products, Schmidt said.
The lab would make it easier for OU to get more teach-ing and research grants to use the lab. Before the lab, classes and researchers would have to travel to the Tulsa lab to use their equipment. Since faculty and students must no longer travel, they’ll be able to get more grants, Schmidt said.
Schmidt and Siddique said they hope the facility will be a resource, not only for OU students, faculty and staff, but also for Norman high schools, Oklahomans and citizens
from surrounding states.Schmidt sees the fab lab as a way to boost the local econ-
omy. As there are very few of these labs, people will come from hours away to use it and spend money at Norman busi-nesses, restaurants, hotels and gas stations.
“I think this is a game changer for the state of Oklahoma,” Schmidt said.
Though plans for the fab lab are still in early stages, the goal is to station the lab either on or very near campus in a place that is easily accessible to OU and to the community, Schmidt said.
Associate Dean of Library Technology Carl Grant hopes Bizzell Memorial Library will hold the lab. However, OU’s Research Campus, located on David L. Boren Boulevard, is also being considered, partially due to easier parking for traveling visitors, Schmidt said.
Schmidt and Siddique said the fab lab should be open within the next two years.
Amber Friend [email protected]
“This is literally going to change my
research and my teaching.”
Jeffrey SchmidtASSociAte buSineSS
profeSSor
SCIENCE: Fabrication labs can be used by architects, artists, engineers Continued from page 1
Jessica Woods/The daily
entrepreneurship senior Grant burke (front) and associate marketing professor Jeffrey Schmidt (back) listen to daniel pullin (right), interim dean of the price college of business, explain the college’s new 3-d printer machine. the college recently acquired the 3-d printer and hope to incorporate it into their curriculum for the business students.
URGENTSUmmer Financial aidInfo for ou students!
For complete summer aid information, log into oZONE and go to the Money Tab, then go to the Summer Application link.
FIVE $500 scholarships have become available for summer 2014 Classes At ou!
These scholarships have become available for Summer 2014 classes. Submit summer
application by March 14, 2014.
*Scholarship may be in the form of tuition waivers.
Just South of 4th Street on I-35 in MooreMovie Line: (405) 703-3777 • WarrenTheatres.com
T H E B E S T B A L C O N Y
campus Thursday, February 27, 2014 • 5
Stone, a democrat, for-mally announced his can-didacy last week for the Oklahoma State House of Representatives, House District 89.
He is running for the seat left vacant by Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, D-Oklahoma City, who cannot run again because of term limits.
Stone said that his life in the working-class districts of Oklahoma City quali-fies him to represent those community members.
“I started working in manual labor at 15,” Stone said. “I have a small busi-ness background, which I think is very important. So I understand what these people want, and I want to stand up for them.”
Stone said if he is elect-e d , h e h o p e s t o h e l p change the state’s attitude toward the future of higher education.
“ W e ’ v e s e e n t h a t Oklahoma is willing to make million-dollar cuts to higher education,” Stone said. “We need to put high-er interests above special interests.”
Meanwhile, Weger, who received his bachelor’s degree in 2012, is running for Oklahoma’s open U.S. Senate seat.
According to his web-site, wegerforsenate.com, Weger, who is gay, wants to run in part because of the lack of diversity in the Republican Party.
“I’m running because the leadership of the GOP represents a status quo that is not healthy,” Weger said. “Our party has a long history of touting smaller government involvement, but we haven’t seen a lead-er like that in a long time.”
Weger said his experi-ence as a paramedic has taught him the value of teamwork and leadership, two vital skills in saving lives, as well as politics.
“Something I’ve learned is you cannot help anyone without a team,” Weger said. “So [paramedics and politicians] have a lot in common.”
While Weger intends to take a team-player stance with Oklahoma politics, he said he plans to make Oklahomans’ voices and concerns his top priority.
“ W h e n I ’ m i n Washington, I won’t be beholden to anyone,” Weger said. “Not donors, not corporations, just the Oklahoman people. And I think I’m the only candi-date who can say that.”
All elections for the U.S. and State Senate and House of Representatives will take place on Nov. 4. The filing deadline for all candidates is April 11.
GOV: OU students runningContinued from page 1
The students staged their protest outside of the Union entrance facing Asp Avenue and directly underneath Beaird Lounge and the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom, where John Brennan, CIA director, was speaking. The protesters organized in opposition of Brennan and started shout-ing after the dinner when Brennan began to speak.
The protesters were also holding signs proclaiming: “Snowden is a hero,” “Drone strikes create terrorists,” “Collateral damage is mur-der” and “John Brennan is not welcome.”
“Brennan is responsible for escalating the United States military’s drone strike program,” said Neil Pruthi, economics junior and mem-ber of the Young Americans for Liberty. “Drone strikes kill civilians, as you can see from the sign.”
Pruthi motioned toward his sign, which said “End drone strikes: 3,549 killed and counting.”
Pruthi said that any male found dead after a drone strike, who is deemed be-tween the ages of 15 and 80 years old, is considered a combatant.
This means, said Jason Byas, president of OU ’s Yo u n g A m e r i c a n ’s f o r Liberty, that the number of reported civilian deaths is deflated, s ince many civilians are counted as combatants.
Byas is protesting because he doesn’t agree with OU official’s decision to wel-come Brennan to campus, which he believes implies they [OU] have disrespect
drOne: Students make signs to protest CIA director’s visitContinued from page 1
for human life and dignity, he said.
“The lives of the people he’s speaking to tonight would be completely disre-garded if they were the vic-tims of a drone strike,” Byas said.
T h e p ro t e s t e r s s t o o d along the sidewalk to pass out fliers to passersby, many of whom are attending the dinner.
T h e f l i e r s a r e t i t l e d
“‘Patriot’ Visits OU” and list Brennan’s controversial pol-icies and statements.
“I want to break the nar-rative of unquestioningly re-specting people with power,” Grayson English, co-found-er of Students for a Stateless Society, said. “Brennan is... a very salient example of the problems with government officials not being bound by their own laws.”
Anthropology sophomore
English said the protest was a joint effort between vari-ous student organizations, including Students for a Stateless Society, Young Socialists and Students for Justice in Palestine.
While the majority of protesters are OU students, some are from Oklahoma City University or Norman High School.
“ I f i n d i t w r o n g t h a t more people have died to
drone strikes than died in 9/11,” said Kolby Wilson, a Norman High School soph-omore and member of the Young Socialists.
Mike Brestovansky [email protected]
Campus editor Paighten Harkins contributed to this story.
Bennett Hall/tHe Daily
OU President David Boren delivers a speech before welcoming CIA director John Brennan in the Molly Shi Ballroom in the Oklahoma Memorial Union Wednesday evening. Outside Oklahoma Memorial Union, protesters could be heard voicing their displeasure at Boren’s decision to invite Brennan to the President’s Associates Dinner.
Tweets about the CIA director’s visit to campus
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Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and must be fewer than 250 words, typed and signed by the author(s). Letters will be edited for accuracy, space and style. Students must list their major and classification. To submit letters, email [email protected].
Our View is the voice of the Editorial Board, which consists of eight student editors. The board meets at 5 p.m. Sunday to Thursday in 160 Copeland Hall. Board meetings are open to the public.
Guest columns are accepted and printed at the editor’s discretion.
Columnists’ and cartoonists’ opinions are their own and not necessarily the views or opinions of The Oklahoma Daily Editorial Board.
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[email protected] • phone: 405-325-3666oudaily.com/opinion • Twitter: @OUDailyOpinionOPINION
Thursday, February 27, 2014 • 4
Our View: We applaud the students who exercised their First Amendment rights and protested CIA Director John Brennan’s speech at OU Wednesday.
CIA director John Brennan spoke at OU’s President’s Associates din-ner Wednesday, but many are not pleased with Brennan’s presence and welcoming reception on cam-pus. In fact, some students protested Brennan’s Wednesday speech out-side Oklahoma Memorial Union. One main grievance with Brennan is his role in devel-oping and maintaining the U.S. drone program.
We applaud the student protesters for exercising their First Amendment rights and standing up for what they believe in, even if that differs from the university.
Brennan’s visit is controversial because he doesn’t have a squeaky -clean past. As President Barack Obama’s top counterterrorism advis-er, prior to being named CIA director last year, Brennan helped develop the administration’s policy on CIA drone strikes. During Brennan’s ten-ure as counterterrorism adviser, the unmanned aerial aircrafts were used to kill an estimated 1,577 people in Pakistan, 143 of whom were civilians, according to a CNN article.
Although people like Brennan are
put in positions of power so that cit-izens don’t have to make tough mil-itary decisions, we don’t believe it is OK to kill other citizens unwarrant-ed. Even in cases of national security, it isn’t acceptable to kill citizens of other countries, because it’s basical-ly saying Americans’ lives are more valuable.
Yes, the Senate confirmed Brennan as CIA director in a 63-34 vote on March 7, but not without a nearly 13-hour long filibuster from Sen.
Rand Paul (R-Ky). Paul de-layed Brennan’s confirmation hearing to raise questions about U.S. drone policy, and the administration’s answers weren’t all that comforting.
Paul wanted clear confir-mation that drone strikes would not take place
against American terrorism sus-pects on home soil. What he and the American public received was a letter from Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. explaining that under ex-treme circumstances it might be “nec-essary and appropriate” for the pres-ident to authorize the use of military lethal force in the U.S., according to a Washington Post article.
Considering Brennan’s past and the spooky possibility of the drone poli-cy he helped orchestrate being used against U.S. citizens, it’s understand-able that some OU students are not happy about Brennan’s appearance
on campus.This isn’t the first time OU President
David Boren has used his ties to the U.S. intelligence community to bring in speakers from the CIA. Boren, who served as co-chairman of Obama’s President’s Intelligence Advisory Board in 2009 and served on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence during his time as a sena-tor from 1979 to 1994, had former CIA Director George Tenet give OU’s com-mencement speech in 2003.
Of course, Boren can invite whom-ever he would like to speak at the din-ner; however, we support the student protesters raising concerns over the selection of Brennan. We should host guests whose actions the university believes in and emulates, and we ar-en’t so sure a CIA director responsible for helping develop the drone pro-gram is the most model guest.
Comment on this at OUDaily.com
The Our View is the majority opinion of The Daily’s eight-member editorial board
EDiTOriAL
Speaker for president’s dinner, questionable
COLUMN
Five reasons for eating locally
This letter to the editor is in response to the Feb. 2 opinion column “Most study abroad programs are a waste of time.
I am a big fan of your student newspaper and usually don’t disagree with you. As a teacher, I am shocked you will make blan-ket statements about (study abroad) being a privilege of “well-off students.” I know, having made several personal recommen-dations on behalf of (student) applications (to study abroad), some (applicants) come from very small, literally one-street towns in Oklahoma and are very top notch stu-dents from typical working class American families.
Every one of them have come back with great travel experiences and made friends with people from India, Dubai, Turkey, Germany, France, Italy, Argentina, Costa Rica, Saudi Arabia, etc. They are sometimes the first in their families to venture outside the United States. It adds incredible value to their learning process.
Arguably, some trips are expensive, but some of them borrow money and also work hard to earn the money (even working two jobs to pay for the trips), and there are scholarship opportunities as well; it is not just the wealthy who get to do this.
In the post 9-11 world, I unequivocally support President Boren’s efforts to encour-age students to study abroad. To see new places and see other nations, even if you are studying in English, will open our eyes, and
it will help create a better informed set of citizens. That way they cannot be lied to by governments.
If you recall,students from France and German sent our university anti-war pro-paganda because they didn’t like our inva-sion of Iraq? Turns out, they were right to oppose it. The more informed our young citizens are, the better our nation will be able to understand the world . Not every-one hates us the way terrorists do, and most people love the U.S. People will find out there is a lot more in common (between them) if we all open our eyes and see the world.
Yes, ideally, studying in a foreign lan-guage immersion program is best, but in the absence of that, we have a great idea at work here. We cannot make future “in-ternational business” leaders if they don’t know how the rest of the world thinks and acts. Our Price College of Business does a great job of opening the eyes of our dynam-ic students through these programs.
I resent the one-sided commentary of your opinion column. As a teacher, I highly encourage my students to study abroad, if they are able to. It helps break stereotyp-ing … even some faculty can benefit from studying abroad, considering some of the outrageous, uninformed views they have of the world outside.
Mano Rawatte, Management information studies professor
Studying abroad adds value to learning process
LETTEr TO ThE EDiTOr
Jessica WOOds/The daily
Students protest the university’s decision to host John Brennan outside of Oklahoma Memorial Union. Protester and sociology senior Jason Byas explained that the protest was against Brennan’s use of kill lists and torture.
If you’ve ever been to the Norman Music Festival, down-
town Norman or just outside the confines of your home, then you’ve probably noticed those little food trucks that spring up around town. They may seem sketchy at first glance, but believe me, once you try what those trucks have to offer, your life will be changed for the better.
In the past couple of years, several locally owned restaurants have been established in the OKC and Norman areas. While some, such as Scratch and Tucker’s Onion Burgers, are not as popu-lar, others like Big Truck Tacos and Waffle Champion are exploding with popularity. For example, Big Truck Tacos does not even have a location in Norman, yet every now and again you’ll see a truck parked somewhere in central Norman just wait-ing to serve hungry customers.
Aside from the obvious fact that the food from local restaurants is substantial-ly better in terms of quality and taste than the food from corporate restaurants, such as Olive Garden or Chili’s, there are sever-al other factors that should persuade you to start eating locally. Here are the top five reasons why I think eating locally is in your best interest:
1. Many local restaurants do not pur-chase food in bulk from factory farming operations but instead from local farmers and markets. Factory farming accounts
for 37 percent of methane (CH4) emissions, which are a large proponent in global warming.
2. Eating locally stimu-lates the local economy. We’re all aware of the major growth Oklahoma City and the surrounding areas are currently experiencing, so why not help contribute to that growth?
3. Most local restaurants specialize in one genre of food. Syrup is famous for its won-derful breakfast food and Big Truck Tacos for its spin on Mexican-style street food, so would you rather have a taco from a restau-rant that specializes in tacos or from one that “specializes” in tacos, hot dogs, sushi and spaghetti?
4. You get more bang for your buck. You can walk in most locally owned restaurants with a $10 bill and walk out satisfied. I can guarantee you won’t feel like you got ripped off or that you’re going to be sick because the food you just consumed was of the poorest quality.
5. Eating locally is hip. And who doesn’t want to be hip? If someone asks you what your favorite restaurant is, wouldn’t you rather stand out by saying you love to get the (insert favorite menu item) at your fa-vorite local hipster restaurant instead of being generic and saying you love the end-less breadsticks at Olive Garden?
Rachael Montgomery is a public relations sophomore.
Rachael [email protected]
ASSiSTANT OPiNiON EdiTOR
phOTO prOVided
This close-up view of a globe shows the southern part of Europe and a small portion of north Africa. in the center of the photo is italy, a popular study abroad option and home of OU’s flagship study abroad program, OU in Arezzo.
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HOROSCOPE By Bernice Bede Osol
Copyright 2014, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2014
You will start fulfi lling some of your dreams this year. The ability to see your efforts through will enable you to take on many new and interesting projects. Your concentration and intensity will bring you that much closer to your goals.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Don’t let uncertainty stop you from making necessary changes. Personal growth requires you to take one step at a time. Once you consider the pros and cons, you won’t be afraid to move forward.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- You will become involved in an interesting new relationship. Unusual rewards will come your way as a result of offering your services to a worthy cause or deserving individual.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- By concentrating on love and the fun things in life, you will feel good about your future. Don’t let negative people drag you down.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Opportunities are coming your way. Indecisiveness or hesitation will end up being costly. Relentless pursuit of your goals and keen concentration will enable you to achieve the desired results.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- You will make substantial progress if you listen to advice given to you. With the relevant information, you will be able to take control of the situation and forge ahead with confi dence.
LEO -- (July 23-Aug. 22) Money matters will weigh heavily on your mind. Pay off outstanding debts
and remind others of what they owe you. You will be able to relax once you have a clean slate.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- By making some inexpensive and simple changes around the home, you can reduce your stress and calm your nerves. A comfortable and relaxing environment is essential to your health and well-being.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Don’t feel as if life is passing you by. Find an activity that motivates you to participate. Being active will renew your energy and help you rediscover your passion for living.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Someone may be withholding information. Ask direct questions that will reveal hidden secrets. Once that is determined, an answer will be found that will satisfy everyone.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Attend meetings or social gatherings conducive to learning valuable information about something you aspire to. An expert will provide you with a practical plan for advancement.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Positive changes lie ahead. Discuss your future and your dreams with your loved ones. Now is an opportune time to seal contracts, close deals and fi nish up any incomplete assignments.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- You will be overwhelmed by the tasks expected of you. Discipline and courage will help you live up to your obligations. Be proud of your accomplishments.
Instructions:Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.
Previous Solution
Monday- Very EasyTuesday-EasyWednesday- EasyThursday- MediumFriday - Hard
ACROSS 1 Many a
homecoming attendee
5 Bacterial infection
10 Delighted expression
13 Goldfish relative
14 Diagram grammati-cally
15 Eugene O’Neill’s “___ Christie”
16 What every sales rep seeks
19 “... __ he drove out of sight ...”
20 “My fault!” 21 “It just
doesn’t ___” 22 Arm bone 23 Cobbles,
in a way 25 Main arteries 28 Group of six 29 Northern
seabird 30 One who
puts the punch in punch
31 “His Master’s Voice” co.
34 What college provides
38 “All right!” 39 Egypt-
inspired Vegas hotel
40 Look ___ (visit briefly)
41 Bathroom fixture
42 Bounce on one’s knee
44 Some appetizers
47 Contorted 48 “In memo-
riam” items 49 Aug. follower 50 “The Princess
and the Pea” prop
53 Where the most important things are listed
57 Celebratory poems
58 Flooded 59 Abbey
resident 60 Always,
poetically 61 They’re left
at sea 62 Orange
or cherryDOWN 1 Feel
the pain 2 Animal
house 3 Sudden
hankering 4 Dashboard
abbr. 5 Some
silverware 6 Buccaneers’
home 7 Gives
guns to 8 Tire gauge
meas. 9 “For ___
a jolly good fellow”
10 Battery terminal
11 Untie the knot?
12 Hinged door fasteners
15 Assisted 17 Coke or
Pepsi, e.g.
18 About 30 percent of Africa
22 State whose motto is “Industry”
23 Happen again
24 Board member, for short
25 Covered with soot, e.g.
26 “Grapes of Wrath” character
27 Floor coverings
28 Wore 30 All the words
in a language 31 Brie
covering 32 “___ Hand
Luke” 33 “Green
Gables” girl 35 Run out 36 Trojan
Horse, e.g. 37 Color lightly
41 Tub events 42 Bottommost
areas 43 Initial
poker stake 44 Small
salmon (var.) 45 Bear with
patience 46 Country east
of Mali 47 Beauty’s
beau 49 Appen-
dectomy evidence
50 Crude, rude dude
51 White-tailed eagle
52 Actor Dick Van ___
54 Maple fluid 55 Love-seat
capacity 56 Clock
standard, briefly
Universal CrosswordEdited by Timothy E. Parker February 27, 2014
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
© 2014 Universal Uclickwww.upuzzles.com
REACH THE PEAK By Luke Cayon2/27
2/26
IdDo you know me?
wants talented individuals who want to gain experience designing ads for our
premier publications:ESCAPE The Oklahoma Daily Sooner yearbook
Apply now! studentmedia.ou.edu/jobs
OU Student Media is a department within The University of Oklahoma’s division of Student Affairs. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. For accomodations on
the basis of disability, call (405) 325-2521.
LIFE&ARTS� ursday, February 27, 2014 • 5
Tony Beaulieu, life & arts editorLuke Reynolds, assistant editor
[email protected] • phone: 405-325-3666oudaily.com/life&arts • Twitter: @OUDailyArts
Ma n y n e w s t u -dents get their first impression
of OU from running through a terrifying spirit tunnel, competing with strangers who will soon be friends and dancing all night in c o s t u m e i n O k l a h o m a Memorial Union.
Camp Cr ims on is the summer orientation camp for incoming freshmen or transfer students, and about 2,200 students are expected to attend next summer, ac-cording to camp director Zac Stevens.
Camp Crimson has be-come so popular that it needs multiple sessions and requires planning to begin months ahead of the event. It’s only February, but Steven and crew are al-ready mobilizing for what will be one of the most high-ly-attended camps ever.
“You could say that prepa-ration for Camp Crimson 2 0 1 4 b e g a n a s s o o n a s Camp Crimson 2013 start-ed,” Stevens said. “As soon as we begin camp, we start taking notes and coming up
with ideas to make the ex-perience the following sum-mer even more amazing.”
Many students are al-ready at work, with camp registration opening March 1, staff applications opening in October and small group leader interviews beginning in February.
“As of now, crew, orienta-
tion guides and orientation staff are all working toward the selection of our small group leaders for summer 2014,” said human relations junior and Camp Crimson orientation guide, Kristen Cash.
This year has had a re-c o rd - b re a k i n g n u m b e r in small group leader ap-plications, said business management and human
“ You could say that preparation for Camp Crimson 2014 began as soon as
Camp Crimson 2013 started,ZAC STEVENS,
CAMP CRIMSON DIRECTOR ”
re l a t i o n s j u n i o r C h l o e Tadlock. Tadlock is also a Camp Crimson operations staff member and is pre-paring for camp early by at-tending a higher education leadership conference in Houston, Texas.
“Our operations staff for Camp Cr imson and our exe cutive commit-
tee for Sooner Orientation Weekend are discussing schedule changes, coming up with new event ideas, ei-ther for creating new events or improving the ones we already have and making some of the preliminary arrangements for those events,” Tadlock said.
One major change for camp 2014 is that the ser-vice session will be format-ted more like the tradition-al sessions in July, Stevens said. Stevens doesn’t want to add more community
ser vice into all of the sessions.
Camp Crimson is con-tinually evolving to make it better for incoming students and help make t h e m e xc i t e d t o b e a Sooner, but for Stevens, one thing is always the same.
“The thing that excites
me most about Camp Crimson 2014 is the same thing that has excited me most about every other Camp Crimson I’ve been part of : seeing our cur-rent students all shining in their own way to help our incoming Sooners fal l in love with OU,” Stevens said.
Sarah [email protected]
Camp Crimson expected to be bigger than ever
Preparation in full swing
KELLY POWERS/SOONER YEARBOOK
TOP: Campers directed by Zac Stevens stand in a circle, sit on each others laps and attempt to walk as one big circle at last year’s camp.
ABOVE: Campers built a human pyramid at last year’s camp.
SARAH PITTS • LIFE & ARTS REPORTER
TransportationC
AUTO INSURANCE
Auto InsuranceQuotations Anytime
Foreign Students WelcomedJIM HOLMES INSURANCE, 321-4664
HELP WANTEDAfter School Teachers
Community After School Program now hiring part-time staff to work in our school-age childcare programs in Norman Public Schools. Hours: M-F 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Closed for all Norman Public School holi-days and professional days. Competitive wages starting at $7.75/hour. Higher pay for students with qualifying coursework in education, early childhood, recreation and related fi elds. Complete application online at www.caspinc.org. Email [email protected]
$5,500-$10,000PAID EGG DONORS. All Races needed.
Non-smokers, Ages 18-27,SAT>1100/ACT>24/GPA>3.00
Contact: [email protected]
Housing RentalsJ
HOUSES UNFURNISHEDVictorian home FACULTY/GRAD STU-DENTS ONLY 5500 S.F. $1200/mo See oudaily.com ad for more info. 405-414-7277
HELP WANTED
Modeled after nationally-popular movie, game and comic conventions such as San Diego Comic-Con— College Con will bring all things geek to the Union this Friday.
Film and media studies senior and a UPB executive Patrick Vaughn is the founder of the event.
Vaughn said the idea of College Con formed when he was brainstorm-ing event ideas with his graduate adviser. They noticed how OU was home to a number of anime lovers, video gamers and comic book nerds.
“There isn’t any event on campus, to our knowledge, that combines all these different groups under one nerd culture banner, so we just want to provide an outlet,” Vaughn said.
So, College Con was born. Since this is the � rst year, UPB decided to forgo the registration procedure commonly done for comic conventions. Vaughn said that it might discourage some people from attending and organizers wanted to keep the convention open to everyone.
“UPB is all about bringing people together,” said Jeremiah Stinnet, human relations sophomore and a core member of the UPB College Con committee.
Other than that, College Con will be based closely on what actual comic conventions.
“There are going to be booths set up so people can walk around and get a real convention feel,” Vaughn said.
The booths mostly will be local gaming and comic shops around Norman and Oklahoma City, as well as pan-
els on various topics, Stinnet said.Stinnet said Impact Props also will be holding
a panel. Impact Props is a student group that focuses on bringing props from movies and
video games to life, he said.Of course, no comic con-
vention is complete without a video game section.Vaughn said companies
such as THQ and Ubisoft will be present to show demos of their latest video games. Video gaming tourna-
ments featuring games like “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” will be held in the
union, Stinnet said.“We’re also giving away a PS4 during
the convention,” said Khoi Trinh, University College freshman and UBP member. The contest will be based on drawing raf� e tickets
Representative positions available in the following districts:
seat
seat
1 seat
1 seat
seat
1 seat
1 seat
PHYSICAL
SCIENCES
1 seat
Interested in getting involved on campus and bringing the needs of your peers to SGA Undergraduate Student Congress? There are positions for everything from Greek Affairs to Information Technology! Thereis a position for everyone! Check it out online, or pick up a copy in
OMU 181.
If you have any questions, please contact Congress Chair at [email protected]
Printing funded by SGA
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT CONGRESS
REPRESENTATIVE & LIAISON POSITIONS
Applications are available in the Conoco Student Leadership
Wing, OMU Room 181 and online at:
Applications are due Thursday, February th at :00pm to
Deborah Strong in OMU Room 181
Spring 2014 General Election
ARTS 1 seat
BUSINESS 4 seats
COMMUNICATION 4 seats
EARTH AND ENERGY 1 seat
EDUCATION 2 seats
ENGINEERING 4 seats
LIFE SCIENCES 1 seat
MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY 1 seat
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE 1 seat
Representative positions available in the following districts:
The Student Government Association (SGA) Spring 2014 General Elections will take place on Tuesday, April 1st, and Wednesday, April 2nd. The following SGA positions will be
open for election: President/Vice President • Campus Activities Chair
Housing Center Student Association PresidentStudent Bar Association President
Election fi ling is currently open and will close Thursday, February 28th by 4:00 PM.
Forms are available on the fi rst fl oor of
the Conoco Student Leadership Center and online at
ou.edu/sga.
For questions, please contact Election Chair, Avik Mukherjee at [email protected]
Candidates must attend one of two mandatory meetings offered on the following
dates or make plans to have a proxy:
1) 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 5th, 20142) 7:00 p.m. Thursday, March 6th, 2014
Tony Beaulieu, life & arts editorLuke Reynolds, assistant editor
[email protected] • phone: 405-325-3666oudaily.com/life&arts • Twitter: @OUDailyArtsLIFE&ARTS
6 • � ursday, February 27, 2014
around Norman and Oklahoma City, as well as pan-els on various topics, Stinnet said.
Stinnet said Impact Props also will be holding a panel. Impact Props is a student group that
focuses on bringing props from movies and video games to life, he said.
such as THQ and Ubisoft will be present to show demos of their latest video games. Video gaming tourna-
ments featuring games like “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” will be held in the
union, Stinnet said.“We’re also giving away a PS4 during
the convention,” said Khoi Trinh, University College freshman and UBP member. The contest will be based on drawing raf� e tickets
PHOTO PROVIDED
Bigfoot holds up one of the many prizes available at College Con, an event hosted by the Union Programming Board. College Con will be held 6 p.m. Friday in Oklahoma Memorial Union.
EVENTS
Nerd alert: College Con comes to campusFirst
College Con event
will take place
Friday in the Union
GO AND DOOU College ConWhen: 6 p.m. Friday.
Where: Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Beaird Lounge
Info: The Union Programming Board will host the � rst ever OU College Con
that students can earn by winning gaming tournaments, Trinh said.
The College Con is piquing the interest of the student body. Mariah Lee, University College freshman, said even though she isn’t a gamer she appreciates the idea of holding a con-vention here on campus.
“It’s a way to branch out and make new friends with similar interests,” Lee said.
“Hopefully (College Con) will be a very pioneering event,” Stinnet said.
SAMA KHAWAJALIFE & ARTS REPORTER
Top: Mario from “Super Smash Bros.
Brawl”
Middle: Annie & Tibbers from
“League of Legends”
Bottom: Thor from
“Marvel’s Thor: The
Dark World”
Julia Nelson, sports editorJoe Mussatto, assistant editor
[email protected] • phone: 405-325-3666oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySportsSPORTS
� ursday, February 27, 2014 • 7
SPLIT VIEWSWill up-tempo off enses be forced to slow down?
JOE MUSSATTOASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Two prominent coaches have backed a rule proposal that would slow the pace of college football, but a backlash among their peers has put the pending approval in doubt.
Alabama’s Nick Saban and Arkansas’ Bret Bielema have championed the rule that would require offenses to wait for the play clock to hit 29 seconds before snapping the ball.
If passed, defenses would be given 10 seconds to make substitutions and correctly match up before each play. The Playing Rules Oversight Panel will weigh the proposal March 6, and if ap-proved, the rule would be effective this fall.
Citing player safety as the primary reason be-hind the proposal, Saban and Bielema’s true motives in support of the change have appeared to be self-serving. Their fellow coaches have questioned both.
Bob Stoops has voiced his disapproval of the rule, along with a number of notable coaches around the country: Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin, Washington State’s Mike Leach, South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier, Auburn’s Gus Malzahn and Texas Tech’s Kliff Kingsbury — all of which regularly run an up-tempo offense.
Several coaches in opposition of the “Saban Rule,” as Spurrier dubbed it, view the proposal as a ploy by Bielema and the ‘Bama coach to bring back a traditional style of offense.
The Crimson Tide typically run a slower brand of pro-style offense that still huddles, a grow-ing rarity in today’s game. Saban wants others to do the same. Or as Kingsbury pointed out, the Alabama coach is tired of facing fast-paced threats.
“The last three losses he’s had have been against up-tempo teams,” Kingsbury said on ESPN’s Outside the Lines. “I’ll leave it at that.”
Saban’s most recent defeat came against Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl in a game where the Sooners snapped the ball within the first 10 seconds several times. Stoops doesn’t see anything wrong with playing fast, he told The Oklahoman.
“The offense is capable of operating without substitution, in all downs and distances,” Stoops said. “If they’re able to adjust to keep the same personnel on the field, they ought to be able to use whatever pace they want to. And the defense ought to be able to adjust.”
Assistant athletics director of communica-tions Pete Moris told The Daily that Stoops would be unable to comment until the Spring Media Session on March 6.
Coaches against the rule haven’t been insensi-tive to health concerns but are unconvinced due to the lack of evidence connecting pace of play to player safety. Malzahn, Saban’s chief rival, told reporters that zero evidence exists, only opinions.
If no evidence surfaces before next week’s rul-ing on the proposal, Air Force coach and NCAA Football Rules Committee chairman, Troy Calhoun, is doubtful a change will be made.
“I think the only way that it can or it should be-come a rule is if it is indeed a safety concern. And that can’t be something that’s a speculation or a possibility,” Calhoun told reporters last week.
Are you on Twitter?Stay connected with The Daily
@OUDaily, @OUDailyArts, @OUDailySports@OUDailyOpinion
Do you have thoughts and views about issues affecting the university community?
The Daily is searching for opinion columnists.
Email [email protected] to apply.
Top left: Bob Stoops Bottom left: Cliff Kingsbury Top right: Bret Bielema Bottom right: Nick Saban
Feb 27-Mar 2
This University in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, age, religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment,
fi nancial aid and educational services. For accommodations on the basis of disability, please contact the sponsoring department of any program or event.
Thursday, Feb. 27
College Con FREE PS4 Trivia | 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Frist Floor Lobby, Oklahoma Memorial Union. Swing by the UPB booth and answer some questions in the genre of comics for a chance to win a PlayStation 4! There’s ALWAYS SOMETHING at the Union. Presented by the Union Programming Board, upb.ou.edu.
Intramural Update: Soccer & Softball Entries | 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Huston Huffman Center Front Desk. Coed 8v8 Soccer Entries are $30/team (FREE if all participants live in university housing). Coed Softball Entries are $30/team (FREE if all participants live in university housing). Contact Jonathan Dewhirst, (405) 325-6755, for more information.
Party in Our PJs! | 7 p.m. in Cate Main Social Lounge. Come to this midterm study party with Spanish tutors, peer editing for papers, and FREE food. Everyone is encouraged to wear pajamas, house shoes, etc. For more information, contact [email protected].
Intramural Update: 5v5 Basketball Bracket Placement Meeting | 9 p.m. at the Huston Huffman Center Room 130. All teams with a 3-2 record or better and an appropriate sportsmanship rating during the regular season must attend this meeting. Contact Jonathan Dewhirst, (405) 325-6755, for more information.
Friday, Feb. 28
College Con | 6-8 p.m. in Beaird Lounge, Oklahoma Memorial Union. UPB is bringing the Comic Con craze to campus with College Con. The event will include video game tournaments, demos from local vendors, FREE giveaways and PRIZES including a PlayStation 4, and more! There’s ALWAYS SOMETHING at the Union. Presented by the Union Programming Board, upb.ou.edu.
FREE Movie: Thor: The Dark World | 6, 9 p.m. & midnight in Meacham Auditorium, Oklahoma Memorial Union. Continue the big-screen adventures of Thor and the gang as they battle and ancient nemesis. Watch the FREE screenings at 6, 9, & midnight before this movie is available on Blu-Ray/DVD. Presented by Campus Activities Council and The Union Programming Board.
Women’s Gymnastics vs Illinois | 6:45 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center. Come check out one of the nation’s best gymnastics programs as they look to continue to make history at the Lloyd Noble Center against Illinois! Consistently ranked in the Top 2 all season they are not something you want to miss! Students get in FREE with ID.
FREDTalks | 7 p.m. at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. FREDTalks is a new program that features distinct creativity-related topics suggested by the museum’s faculty advisory board. Each panelist will share short presentations during the lively forum, followed by Q&A. Light refreshments will be served. Panelists include the History department’s Dr. David Wrobel and the Geography and Environmental Sustainability department’s Dr. Darren Purcell. The program is FREE and open to the public.
Saturday, Mar. 1
Movie Matinee: Thor: The Dark World | 1 p.m. at Meacham Auditorium, Oklahoma Memorial Union. Watch the matinee presentation of the Thor sequel before it is available on Blu-Ray/DVD. Presented by Campus Activities Council and The Union Programming Board.
Softball vs Nebraska | 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Marita Hynes Field. Your defending national champion OU Softball team FINALLY comes home to play in Norman. Come check them out and give them huge support as they look to defend their national championship. They face Nebraska in a home-opening double header.
Men’s Basketball vs Texas | 3 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center. The Red River Rivalry comes to Norman on the hardwood as the Sooner Basketball team looks to get a season sweep, and an important win at home against Texas. A win here could place the Sooners in prime position for a Top 3 Big 12 finish for the first time since 2009.
Sunday, Mar. 2
Softball vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff | 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. at Marita Hynes Field. The Sooner softball teams hosts their second straight double-header, this time against Arkanas-Pine Bluff as the Sooners are looking for a strong start to their home schedule! Students get in FREE with ID.
Men’s Tennis vs Louisville | 12 p.m. at OU Tennis Center. The top 10 ranked OU Men’s Tennis team looks to continue their blistering start to their season with another home victory as they get into the last part of their non-conference schedule. FREE to the public.
Oscar Watch Party | 6-11 p.m. at Meacham Auditorium, Oklahoma Memorial Union. Come to the Union to watch the Oscars live on the big screen. FREE food will be provided including a chocolate fountain, mocktail bar, and more. Everyone is encouraged to dress up and there will be a competition for best dressed and best picture. Presented by Campus Activities Council. Contact [email protected] for more information.
School of Musical Theater - Junior Showcase | 8 p.m. at Pitman Recital Hall, Catlett Music Center. This performance is FREE and open to the public. For more information, please contact Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre, [email protected] 405-325-0538.
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8 • Thursday, February 27, 2014 SportS
Spencer DaviSWrestling Beat Reporter
The Oklahoma softball team (10-5) will play their home opener against Nebraska (9-5) on Saturday. The double header will feature a pair of top 15 teams before the Sooners see Arkansas Pine Bluff (1-4) on Friday.
Coach Patty Gasso said on Tuesday that she expects pitcher Kelsey Stevens to start one game against Nebraska, and Georgia Casey to get the nod in the other. As for giving them run support, Gasso thinks that her hitters need to be more aggressive.
“We’re getting ourselves into two-strike counts quite a bit, which automatically puts [us] at a disadvantage and it creates a defensive hitter” said Gasso. “I think we’ve been looking at hittable pitches just a little too much.”
However, Oklahoma’s offense was better this past week-end. After two straight disappointing weekends to open the season, Oklahoma went 4-1 in the Marry Nutter Classic, only falling to No. 5 UCLA (16-0). The Sooners mercy-ruled two of their opponents, and managed to score at least six runs in every win this weekend.
“I think we were much better this past weekend with that, than we had been in the past 10 games. We’re on to something for sure,” Gasso said.
Junior Lauren Chamberlain, who at one point was on pace to break the NCAA career home run record this sea-son, is hitting just .194 with one home run through 15 games. Chamberlain is still getting on base, as she leads the team in walks (19) and is second in on-base percentage (.482), but her power numbers have gone missing to start the season.
“Lauren is just trying to do her job by finding her way on base” Gasso said.
Gasso added that she wasn’t worried about Chamberlain and that her numbers would begin to resurface as she saw more live pitching in practice.
Until then, Oklahoma will continue to ask Georgia Casey, Shelby Pendley, and Destinee Martinez to pick up the slack. Martinez was just named Big 12 Player of the Week for her efforts in the Marry Nutter Classic, as she compiled a .500 average to go along with seven RBI and seven runs scored in five games. On the season, all three players are hitting at least .325 and have combined for seven of the teams’ 13 home runs.
First pitch against Nebraska will be on at 2 p.m. Saturday in Norman.
Spenser Davis, [email protected]
Marry Nutter Classic breeds anticipation for a successful season
Season opener Saturday at home
SoftballbaSEball
Hit it or quit it: Good pitching needed for Sooner baseball
Good hitting always beats good pitching.
That’s not how the phrase goes but it has been the tale of the new season for the Oklahoma base-ball club. The Sooners (5-3) have been red hot at the plate, but its trust-ed trio of young starting pitchers has struggled.
Following the departure of the squad’s two premier arms from a sea-son ago, Jonathan Gray and Dillon Overton, coach Pete Hughes has drawn from the Fountain of Youth to shoulder the starts for the Sooners.
Sophomores Adam Choplick and Jacob Evans along with true freshman Jake Elliott have started six of OU’s eight games. While each has pitched well on occasion, the three have com-bined for a 2-3 record matched with a 5.25 ERA.
Hughes has confirmed his confi-dence in the inexperienced starting staff, but through the early goings of the season, the key to Sooner success has been at bat.
Oklahoma’s lineup features five hitters batting north of .300 includ-ing juniors Taylor Alspaugh and Mac James who are averaging better than .400. The numbers are inflated due to the small number of games that have been played, but the OU lineup has already exceeded expectations.
Before the season began, Hughes questioned where the power in his lineup would come from. Through eight games, Oklahoma has slugged eight homers — already 25 percent of the amount of long balls the team logged in all of 2013.
Jacqueline eby/The Daily
Redshirt junior outfielder Taylor Alspaugh (center) raises both hands to high five his teammate and freshman infielder Sheldon Neuse after Neuse scores a run on Feb. 16. The Sooners flat-tened Seton Hall 16 to 5.
But over the squad’s last two con-tests, the Sooners were silenced at the plate and averaged just two runs per game. Without the cushion of sup-port, OU’s young pitchers were un-able to take control.
With an underwhelming perfor-mance at the UCF Tournament be-hind them, the Sooners will square off against Manhattan, Santa Clara, Arizona State and Gonzaga in Surprise, Ariz. in a four-day tourna-ment beginning Thursday.
Oklahoma’s early season resumé is the strongest in the ASU Tournament field and the slate of games give the
Sooners a chance to show their worth outside L. Dale Mitchell Park.
More importantly, four winnable contests will provide Choplick, Evans and Elliot with an opportunity to not only build confidence but also to erase any doubts about the starting staff.
Good hitting will keep the Sooners competitive. Good pitching will win them games.
Joe Mussatto is a journalism sophomore.
ASSiSTANT SpoRTS EdiToR
