June 20, 2020 Issue, Page 6 of 10

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Page 6 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Saturday, June 20, 2020 What happens to OU-Texas game if State Fair gets benched? By Tyler Palmateer, The information is coming from er this month about whether on Sept. 5, the (preseason) single program is problem- historically black colleges Norman Transcript experts on how businesses he was concerned the fair model begins summer access atic on a number of levels. have been canceled, includ: Editor’s note: There can operate and keep cus- would affect the OU-Texas activities July 13 and adds Kansas State is work- ing one that affects Langstor more questions than tomers safe,” the State Fair game. meetings & walk-throughs ing through a scare within University, located about 3( swers regarding when, release said. “Over the com- “As far as the Texas game on July 24. Preseason prac- its team. According to the miles north of Edmond. how, college football will ing weeks, we will see what and state fair is concerned, I tice begins Aug. 7,” the Wichita Eagle, citing a re- Southern University-Ten: begin again. Each week until that means for large events. don’t know that will have a council stated in a release. port from the Riley County nessee State on Sept. 5 ir next season, The Transcript “Discussions surrounding huge impact on the football --Trending down: Most Health Department, four Detroit and Jackson State. will produce its Watch List the 2020 State Fair of Texas team and our players,” Riley officials have been optimis- players have now tested pos- Tennessee State Sept. 12 ir to monitor developments, and what that may or may said. “Our deal is kind of the tic about college football re- itive. Memphis were both can- setbacks or points of inter- same no matter what, we're maining on course, the one That’s better than an- not look like continue on a celed, according to the paper est surrounding college foot- daily basis. If the Fair opens, going to drive somewhere, exception being another na- ticipated earlier this week. Jackson State’s Sept. 5 sea- ball’s anticipated return. it will look different from go into the locker room and tionwide virus outbreak. A clerical error within the son opener against Langstor Oklahoma and Texas’ an- every other year in order to then we're going to go out Now, COVID-19 cases health department initially was canceled because NAIA nual football game is the ensure a safe environment.” on the field and play. I don’t are rising in some areas. The identified six positive cases, schools aren’t allowed tc centerpiece of the State Fair That would include lim- know that would have any state of Oklahoma’s seven- the Wichita Eagle reported. play before Sept. 12. of Texas. ited attendance, pre-entry more concerns there than at day average is moving up, The department told the pa- That’s not indicative of But what if the fair gets screenings and social dis- any of our other games, at with 259 new cases reported per anything more than five larger trend at this point, bu benched? The State Fair of Texas tancing, according to the least off the top of my head.” Wednesday, though the hos- positive tests on the team shows that smaller schools announced it will decide by fair’s release. --Trending up: As ex- pitalization rate is stable. would have been considered will have difficulty navigat: “mid- to late-July” about As Texas moves forward pected, the NCAA Division It’s worth noting: College an outbreak. ing this season from a finan. with opening its economy, whether to hold the event in I Council approved a pre- coaches and administrators --Dates to consider: July cial standpoint. the wake of the COVID-19 it’s experiencing a spike in season plan for college foot- have expected positive tests 1 (approaching quickly, --Quotable: Florida athlet: pandemic. positive COVID cases. The ball Wednesday. among players considering it’s the date OU players are ic director Scott Stricklin, tc The fair runs Sept. 25 state saw an increase of 165 The council provided spe- the large scope of the virus. scheduled to return to cam- ESPN: “My motto has been through Oct. 18. OU and hospitalizations from Mon- cifics for schools whose sea- Big 12 commissioner Bob pus for voluntary workouts).‘Predict nothing and prepare Texas are scheduled to play day to Tuesday as it hit a sons begin Sept. 5, the date Bowlsby has gone on record for everything.’ Anybody Oct. 10 at the Cotton Bowl. new state high of 2,518. OU and Missouri State are saying he believes the sea- --Notable: The New York who tells you they think they “Every day more business- OU coach Lincoln Riley scheduled to play. son will face interruptions. Times reported four college know right now is making i es begin to open, and more was asked specifically earli- “Assuming a first game But an outbreak within a football games involving up.” Gundy needs to give his school some relief By Berry Tramel, The outrage at Gundy’s ward- We're a red state. All a Joe Biden flag or wearing from the pandemic to Black he said. Oklahoman robe selection - wearing a 77 counties voted Donald an MSNBC T-shirt. Lives Matter, and has done Gundy can do the same. You're the ticket manager One America News T-shirt Trump in 2016, and all 77 Lincoln Riley has. I have so in the context of his play- But he’s got to be careful. on a fishing trip, two months counties might vote Trump at OSU. You've got a pan- OSU football can’t take demic that is threatening the after Gundy expressed sup- again. A whole bunch of no idea if the OU coach is a ers. Riley’s words at times much more of this. seating in Boone Pickens port for President Trump those people are OSU fans, Republican or a Democrat or have been politicized, but Berry Tramel is a sports Stadium, if not the football and the pro-Trump network and they didn’t like Gundy a Whig. He has talked about not by him, rather by those columnist at The Oklaho- season itself. - it started a college football being called out for support- all kinds of hot-topic issues hearing and processing what man. You're the athletic fund- forest fire. ing Trump or a pro-Trump raiser at OSU. You've got The flames were tempered network. to raise money when unem- Monday night when Gundy Some are mad at the me- ployment has soared and and Hubbard appeared to- dia. Which is nothing new. oil prices have crashed, just gether on a video - Hub- The media is always to when the university needs funds more than ever. bard apologized for taking blame. to Twitter; Gundy said he But some were mad at live, worsh1p, attend or You're the strength and would try to be more sen- Hubbard and his teammates. conditioning coach at OSU. sitive - and were doused That’s just dandy. A sizable You've had to condition Tuesday when Gundy re- chunk of a fan base disgust- your players via digital means, and now you're try- ally fell on his sword. On a video, Gundy said he met ed with a star tailback who dared to call out his coach. have in ing to get them in shape with his team and now un- Other fans are upset with while maintaining distancing. social derstands their opposition to the television network that Gundy, and not all of them politically. Some of them are County? You're the athletic busi- does not support the Black just tired of the university’s ness manager at OSU. Lives Matter movement. football program being em- You've got a budget that Maybe this will be a turning barrassed and making na- always is met, but it’s not point. Maybe OSU won’t tional news for reasons other easy. Then the pandemic hit, have to issue any more im- than the gridiron. the NCAA Tournament was mediate apologies or state- And all the people back canceled, and football sea- ments in the wake of Gun- in Stillwater, working tire- son is threatened. The finan- dy’s lapses in judgment. lessly through the pandemic cial crisis is profound, and Maybe Gundy and his play- issues, have to board another you're working overtime on ers can develop, or redevel- train and tackle all the Shirt op, real chemistry. various plans to make the Happens consequences. money work. The culture of Gundy’s Gundy must stop alienat- Then more Mike Gundy program has been solid. He ing people. His administra- nonsense lands on your head. has prided himself on mak- tion. His players. His fan Your troubles increase. Your ing the OSU football experi- base. Everybody must row problems multiply. Your ence enjoyable for his play- the boat together. workload is rerouted. ers, and most seemed to have Gundy denounced One Monday, when the OSU indeed enjoyed it. As I wrote America News in his lat- football coach was called Tuesday, Hubbard himself est video and probably had out by his star tailback, Chu- gave OSU football the best to for his players, but it’s ba Hubbard, the pandemic possible endorsement, when time to stop all the political problems were cast aside. he opted to stay in Stillwa- talk. One way or the other. If (3ndurance The Cowboys had more crit- ter rather than declare for I’m an OSU loyalist, I don’t ical things to worry about. the NFL Draft. No greater want my football coach talk- The acute chemistry of compliment can a program ing politics. a team in these turbulent receive. Issues arise that a coach times. The chronic fallout, But now these rifts. Not must address - Black Lives of division within a team, a just the Gundy/players di- Matter comes to mind quick- Federal Credit Union department, a university. vide. The fans are involved, ly. You can respect Black www.endurancefcu.org When Hubbard tweeted too. Lives Matter without flying 105 Regional Drive send photos to Elk City - 225-2690 Insured by NCUA Stop! by one/of/our, branches) or visit Our website to,become/a member, editor @ecdailynews.com and take'advantage of higher dividends” and lowerloan rates!