For me at least, 2007 has been a pretty crappy year. So for the last six months, I have been eagerly awaiting writing and posting the obligatory “best of” year-end news stories. Enjoy it after the jump…
15. Saving Grace debuts…then asks OKC for money.
When Saving Grace debuted, we thought it was a big deal and kind of cool. Seriously, how many times is a cable crime drama going to be set in our hometown. But after a few episodes we realized the show sucked and reinforced a tremendously terrible stereotype of OKC. Then, just a few months ago, the producers of the show came to town with Holly Hunter and asked for money to possibly film scenes in Oklahoma. Screw that. That’s a dumb idea, kind of like building a Bass Pro Shops near downtown. Plus, we’re hoping that Grace will accept a higher paying job in Texas like most other Oklahomans.
14. Big 12 Basketball Tournament comes to town. Is actually a success.
The Big 12 Men and Womens Basketball Tournament came to town in March. According to the people who allegedly know these things, it was considered a success because attendance was strong and a lot of people from out-of-town spent a lot of money. What was lost in all the success was the silly inaccurate “step meter” that city leaders used to gauge the distance between the Ford Center and
MyriadCox Center and Bricktown. Seriously, it was like they had a Courtney Paris mark off the steps while walking on giant stilts. Someone should get sued for false advertising.
13. Gary England makes The Daily Show.
Does anyone think it’s a tad ironic that only a few months after making fun of Gary England that the Writer’s Guild of America goes on strike, halting production of The Daily Show. Hmmn…maybe the fancy big wig Hollywood types will reconsider the next time they mess with Lord Gary.
12. 1957 Plymouth Belvedere is unearthed. Tulsa finds a way to screw it up.
I don’t know too much about old cars. Sometimes, I know that a whole whole bunch of them show up on S. Meridian and white trash people line up along the street, drink beer and beg fat girls to flash their breasts. Also, I don’t know too much about Tulsa. But I do know they seem to be screwing up stuff, like putting an old car in a time capsule and then unearthing it 50-years later only to find out they should have frozen it in carbonite.
11. Patrick Gets Divorced.
Yeah…so maybe the list is a little subjective. I guess this is the benefit if owning your own website.
10. Sonics Announce Plans to move to Oklahoma City.
It’s still not a done deal, but it looks like the Sonics may move to Oklahoma City. If you’re tremendously bored, you may want to check out a couple of interviews I did from my SonicsBeat days with some Seattle “mover and shakers” Chris Van Dyk and Steven Pyeatt regarding the whole arena issue in Seattle.
9. The Fiesta Bowl Debacle.
As I said, 2007 has been a pretty crummy year. And I should have known it was going to be after the debacle known as the Fiesta Bowl. Being on the”losing side” of what will go down in history as one of the greatest games ever played is a really crappy way to lose. Maybe even the worst. At least I kind of know what it’s like to be a Kentucky basketball fan.
8. Centennial Celebration takes place. Is considered very fun and very cool if you are very lame.
As we have discussed in the past, this was kind-of-sort-of Oklahoma’s second centennial in the past 20 years. The first one was in 1989 when we celebrated the Land Run, which everyone called the centennial. I don’t remember too much about that one, but I hope it was better than this one, because the 2007 centennial was obviously planned by stuffy 50 year olds who enjoy reading the Oklahoman. For one, the big expensive parade was outdone by a Halloween Parade put on by the Gazette. And the only highlight of the concert was that Garth Brooks didn’t sing.
7. Fun times at Oklahoma county jails.
Last October we shared some stuff regarding the Custer County Jail and how the sheriff was basically trying to recreate some Girls Gone Wild prison-style stuff. Then, just a month later, Joe Francis, the founder of Girls Gone Wild, was held in the Grady County Jail in Chickasha. While in jail, he accused the guards of denying him food and blankets and threatening to strap him naked to a chair for 48 hours. What the hell is going on with our state county jails. Maybe something cool will happen in Beaver County in 2008.
6. HB 1804: The Racism Bill.
Earlier this year, our brilliant state government past a draconian bill that basically discriminates against illegal aliens (i.e. the people who escape to the US from Mexico so they can work the lower-wage, hard ass jobs that nobody else will work.) Anyway, the mastermind behind the bill, Randy Terrill, is now being linked to racist hate groups. Imagine that.
5. Three Weeks of Rain.
Last June, we broke the Oklahoma City record for consecutive days with rain. The rain caused floods, which sucked. It also ruined three good weeks of summer. That sucked, too, albeit to a lesser degree.
4. Dean Blevins On-Air Urination.
Last January, Dean Blevins had surgery. Then Jim and Al called to check in on him. The rest, as Clark Matthews says, is history.
3. Ice Storm 2007
The good news about the ice storm. I was assigned a
generouscool insurance adjuster who got me $1,800 in damage on my house. The bad news. After deductibles and depreciation, I only got $300. The other bad news, a bunch of people were without power and even a few people died. For some reason, I am now expecting and ice storm of the century every 2-3 years.
2. The attack of Mike Beckett, the OU Scrotal Assassin.
When the Oklahoman ran this story last August, I don’t think they expected the buzz it would create. We didn’t either. The day we posted Mike Beckett’s picture, traffic went through the roof. I guess people like stories that involve torn scrotum incidents at sports bars.
1. Gundygate
The video that (according to a mother of children) started it all. Thank you Mike Gundy.
Great list! Except #6. HB 1804 should more appropriately be called the “Force Government to Enforce the Law” bill. Really, read it. It mainly slaps fines on employers who hire illegals. Take the incentives away and we’d see a drastic reduction in illegal immigration (i.e. In-state tuition for illegal immigrants). Oh, and it’s not racist to oppose illegal immigration.
#8 - “the 2007 centennial was obviously planned by stuffy 50 year olds who enjoy reading the Oklahoman.”
Ouch! I’m a man. I’m 51. I enjoy reading The Lost Ogle. COME AFTER ME!
If Canadians were flooding into Oklahoma illegally, but the only way to tell the difference between them and a legal American was the fact that they add a “u” to the spelling of everything, I doubt Randy Terrill cares enough to introduce a bill.
Also, where is the launch of TheLostOgle? We can’t get in the top 15 news stories on our own website?
I can’t speak for Randy Terrill’s racism, whether he is or isn’t. I don’t personally know the guy. I think it’s side the people on my side of the aisle are racist and that is the motive behind their objection to illegal immigration (and immigration in general).
But I can definitely say his bill is not racist.
“I think it’s side the people…”
*Sad.
My bad.
Wow I really screwed up my post. I meant to insinuate that some people are racist on my side of the argument, and that is their reason for objecting to illegal immigration.
Ahh yes, just a like a Republican, speaking to hear himself speak.
Er?!? Am I right or wrong though?
If the law simply held employers responsible for hiring undocumented workers, I’d say you were right. The fact that it denies prenatal care to non-citizens and the fact that Terrill constantly uses a racist term (”anchor baby”) makes me think HB 1804 is more about driving away brown skinned people than homeland security.
Now, if you’d like to discuss something else, I think Patrick dropped the ball by failing to place the Omniplex’s name change in the top stories list.
So there’s one thing you think is racist in a bill and all of a sudden it’s racist? The fact that the entire bill forces the government to enforce the law does not make it racist, it simply means that no one, no matter what the case, is exempt from immigration laws…hopefully.
The reason I hit on this is because I like your blog. It’s extremely funny. I love reading in downtime at work. But I fear it is beginning to go the way of Family Guy and MASH. Those are two very funny shows that started out being hilarious, feeling no need to force their views through cynical, political sarcasm. Over time though, they let their political beliefs dictate the show. They became less funny. Early on the political beliefs fused into the scripts were few and far between, now (for Family Guy) their every show.
I’m just sayin…it’s not me. It’s science.
I’m sure you wouldn’t complain if we were making fun of evolution or gun control laws. May Gary England cast fire and brimstone upon you.
I too think it’s sad that there are so many racist Republicans. Thanks for admitting that part, at least. There may be hope for you yet, Mr. Republican Guy.
How is calling a state law passed by the legislative and executive branches, and not as of yet declared unconstitutional by the judicial branch “racist” making fun? That reads more like the shrillness of Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton, and they’re paid professionals in that game. Making fun would be mentioning that rich folks will soon start receiving municipal citations as they are unable to mow their yards.
HB 1804. Called whatever but the fact is that is targeted towards Mexicans. My Republican friend call things the way they are.
Immigration reform = Amnesty 2.0
ACLU: Godless money seeking lawyers.
Republicans: Don’t care for minorities.
Democrats: Don’t care for mayorities.
PETA: HIPOCRITE extremist.
Conservative: right wing cynical (see: Inhofe)
Liberal: Left wing ignorant (Also cynical)
HB 1804: ANTI-MEXICAN bill!
Simple as that, by the way do u know Mr Terrill is a prominet teacher?
Oklahoma does NOT have a problem with other cultures, just the Mexicans.
PS.
If you pick sides at least be honest about it….
pedro-
It is targeted towards illegal immigrants, a large percentage of whom (in this state) happen to be of hispanic decent. But, as far as being honest, is it ok for people to come in to this country illegally or not? This should be a slam-dunk issue.
But for the record, did you investigate this issue yourself, or did someone else allow you to use their opinions? I asked this because most people who like to debate via stereotyping en masse generally hear a few catch phrases of one side of an argument or another.
boz-
Don’t get carried away with what I said. I said there are few, not many.
And remember this is Oklahoma, where little Dixie Democrats still rule the Oklahoma Democratic Party. I would bet you have more racists on your side than there are on mine.
Patrick-
I believe in evolution, thank you very much. But I was a creationist when I was a little younger. I can say that I think it’s foolish for evolutionists to ridicule creationists because there IS an effort to make creationism more scientifically credible, and should be debated fairly. I just don’t believe it. And I always love encouraging, rather than discouraging, debate.
I’m more of a libertarian (wait, does the word “conservatarian” exist?). This means I’m just as much pro-1st Amendment as I am pro-2nd Amendment.
Preferably though, I would rather not make such comments, because your blog is funny enough without politicizing every post. You almost force me to comment every time you b’downgrade (an under-used Gundy-ism)our Senators. Or at least Coburn. Inhofe is luny (even though I could make his case on global warming any time of day). But Coburn is viewed by (me) to be the best Republican in the Senate. Certainly worthy of admiration for combating useless pork projects.
“Comments are always encouraged, but please remember that TheLostOgle.com is not a message board.”
No more talk about the racism bill/law. There are much better things on the list to talk about.
The Omniplex has a new name? What the Hell?!! What is it? Do they still have the thing that freezes your shadow on the wall?
I like boobs
Science Museum of Oklahoma — or something else just as generic.
Remembering the Ominplex. What a great photo essay.
Also, maybe we can have a photo contest to see who can take the dirtiest pictures from inside the shadow picture thing.
Bosley
Thanks for bringing these comments back to my level!
There is no more racist/anti-white group than the SPLC. It is a joke. Google Morris Dees and see how the leader of the SPLC treats his step-daughter.
Randy Terrill is no racist.