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It was a blessing in disguise, he says. Youre young, naive and not really understanding what the world is. When something like that happens, you grow up really quick.

You just have to keep getting on with life and sometimes you have no choice but to pick yourself back up and live life to the fullest. Fortunately, I had a really good support network and it changed the trajectory of where my life was going.

I always wanted to represent Australia in a sport and looking back now, that may not have been a possibility if I had two legs. I still sit here and say losing my leg is the biggest opportunity I have been given.

Three years later, on the other side of the world in Germany, Low stumbled from an overcrowded platform and into an oncoming train. She lost both legs and sustained significant head and back injuries.

In one moment, everything changed, Low says. Growing up, I was always that confident little girl that had those big dreams and goals. I grew up in a small little town in Germany, so all I wanted to do was travel the world and see the world. I spent five months in hospital and two weeks in a coma while all my friends were having this amazing time and I was fighting for my life.

Vanessa Low at the AIS athletics track in Canberra. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

One thing I really struggled with initially was belief in myself. I was always that sporty girl then all of a sudden that became impossible. For me, Paralympic sport enabled me to travel the world after all and really make my dream a reality in a very different framework that I originally imagined.

Determined to make the most of their circumstances, Reardon and Low turned to Paralympic sport as a way of making sense of what had happened to them.

In 2009, seven years after his accident, Reardon was so serious about the Paralympics that he moved to Canberra to train at the Australian Institute of Sport. Three years after that, he won silver in the mens 100m T42 at the London 2012 Paralympic Games and gold in Rio.

The London Paralympics were not nearly as successful for Low, who had decided to retire at the end of that year after a mediocre campaign in London had convinced her she would never reach the heights required to ever win a medal.

Id done very little improvements in my first four years of athletics, Low says. Nobody thought someone with my disability at that point would be able to be successful.

Low needed a break, so she travelled to Oklahoma to visit her long-time friend and fellow athlete Katrin Green. The pair, along with Katrins husband Roderick Green, an athletics coach, had a few drinks one night and hatched a plan.

On a wild night, he said he would train me to win a gold medal, Low says. I said if he was right Id get his autograph tattooed on me. I went back to Germany, quit my job, and sold everything I owned and moved to Oklahoma City.

The move paid off - in Rio, Low won gold in the T42 long jump, silver in the T42 100m and ended up with a new tattoo.

Professional athletes make many sacrifices and Reardon and Low are no different.

From 2013 to 2016, they saw each other just twice a year, for a couple of weeks at a time if they were lucky, due to conflicting schedules.

In the eight months heading into the Rio Paralympics, they didnt see each other once.

Had it not been for technology, Reardon doesnt know how they would have coped.

The fact you can pick up a phone and video chat to somebody from anywhere in the world is pretty special, Reardon says. It makes life so much easier.

We werent complaining because we could see each other every single day, even if it was just through a phone screen.

Low and Reardon are hopeful of more glory in Tokyo. Credit:Georgina Beasley

After Rio, the easiest solution was for Low to move permanently to Canberra and switch national allegiances heading into Tokyo.

Any country when they get an opportunity to adopt a gold medallist, I think theyd jump at that pretty quickly, Reardon says. Its pretty cool that were on the same team together its something Ive been looking forward to since she made that transition.

Low adds: It wasnt necessarily easy because I really cherish where Im from and Im really grateful for everything the German team has done for me. I wouldnt be where I am today without them. Its such a privilege to be competing for Australia. The team is amazing.

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It makes it so much easier being able to do things side-by-side and being able to share their experience. We really bounce off each others positive energy and pick each other up when were having bad days.

Asked if they are Australias power couple, Low chuckles before saying: Its not a secret that were a couple. We know how to divide sport from our relationship. Its really great to have him by my side. Scott still inspires me to find that bit of resilience in my everyday life.

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Two golds, two silvers and a tattoo: The Paralympics power couple - Sydney Morning Herald

Then-freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler during the game against Kansas in Lawrence Oct. 5, 2019.

The night before returning to Norman for summer workouts ahead of the biggest season of his life, Spencer Rattler returned to his roots.

Oklahomas quarterback traveled 20 minutes southeast from his Phoenix home on June 4 to Scottsdale Ranch Park, where a few hundred children waited. They were all participants in Friday Nights, Under the Lights, a recurring offseason camp of the Scottsdale Firebirds Youth Football program.

Founded in 2008, the Firebirds are a storied kids tackle organization, having won 20 state titles and several national awards while producing 65 current Division I college players. Club coordinator and coach Matt Frazier isnt shy about calling it the nations best youth football program.

Rattler, the pride of the Firebirds from upper elementary school through junior high, has returned each of the past six summers. He coaches and encourages campers on the same field where his Firebirds career began. By Fraziers design, he pays his experience forward to players hoping to one day match his footsteps.

At this years event, per Frazier, Rattler sat before a microphone as campers rapidly fired 10 questions in one minute to the greatest Firebird of all time. One attendee quickly addressed the elephant in the room the Heisman Trophy, which Rattler is a frontrunner to win in December. Seven other Sooners have claimed the award for college footballs most outstanding player, including Rattlers predecessors Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray in the past four years.

The gist of Rattlers reply? Great, if it happens. It took another question to reveal his real prize.

Whats your goal? another camper asked, and there was the moment of truth.

To win the national championship, Rattler announced.

Then, Describe yourself in two words.

Confident and committed, Rattler responded.

Frazier had seen that moxie before. It reminded him of when he approached a 12-year-old Rattler in the huddle with one minute left in their state championship game. The coach had drawn up a quarterback counter fake a play his young passer had never run, which required him to sell the defense on a handoff before keeping the ball and running. Despite the challenge, little Rattler mustered the outsized confidence now ascribed to the likes of Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes.

I got this, coach, he told Frazier before executing the play, scoring and winning the state title by one point, securing one of his four Arizona youth championships as a Firebird.

Nearly nine years later, Rattlers conviction lives on in socks that read I got this, which Frazier fashioned for all his current Firebirds. That night at Scottsdale Ranch, more football attire took on greater symbolism, as Frazier presented Rattler with a framed Firebirds jersey, and revealed the organization is retiring his No. 7. Rattlers father Michael and sister Olivia surprised him by attending the impromptu induction. While the Firebirds boast notable alumni like Arizona Cardinals receiver Christian Kirk, Rattlers number is their first retired.

Scottsdale Firebirds coach Matt Frazier fashioned "I got this" socks (left) as a tribute to Spencer Rattler before retiring his No. 7 jersey (right).

I don't keep real detailed stats, but I know that there has never been a quarterback probably in high school, and certainly in Arizona youth football that accomplished what that kid did, Frazier said. He made everybody better and he made us all proud.

After becoming 2012 United Youth Football League Player of the Year, Rattler followed his Firebirds career with four years of stardom at Pinnacle High School, where he set Arizona records for passing yards and touchdowns. He became a High School All-American and a highly coveted prospect whod gained national attention before arriving at OU in 2019. There, he was briefly usurped from starting by graduate transfer Jalen Hurts in his first season before claiming the starting job in his second.

Now, Rattler enters his redshirt sophomore season with enormous hype as the Heisman favorite who could be the first pick in Aprils NFL draft. He also stands to benefit as much as anyone in college football from new name, image and likeness powers. But more than acquiring awards and signing lucrative contracts, Rattler is committed to winning the national championship which would be OUs eighth and first since 2000 he and those in his inner circle say.

Amid a crucial offseason, Rattler has trained to become, as he put it during spring practice, the most unstoppable quarterback in college football. From calisthenics with his adept fitness trainer to throwing sessions with his longtime quarterback guru, he has been maturing physically all summer. Rattler has always exhibited confidence, but he hasnt always held it together like the 12-year-old wunderkind fighting for a state championship. A high school suspension, a brief college benching and some regrettable screen time bear his struggles out.

Over the past eight weeks, however, eight interviews with those close to the quarterback indicate Rattler is prioritizing his mental maturity, too. He has focused on increasing his leadership at OU and looking out for others in Norman, Arizona and abroad. This is the story of Rattlers maturation in full, as he looks to put everything together and do what Heisman winners Jason White, Sam Bradford, Mayfield and Murray could not do win the national championship for Oklahoma. If he can pull off what they couldnt, hell not only etch his name in school history, but also provide a significant boost to the Sooners looming entrance in the Southeastern Conference. The Heisman Trophy, heightened NIL earnings and the top selection in the 2022 NFL Draft are plausible personal rewards.

Like the left leg tattoo Rattler has featured in recent social media posts states, N:OW is the time for him to prove he has got this."

Then-redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler celebrates after OU scores a touchdown during the game against Texas Tech on Oct. 31, 2020.

From the home side at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, David Yost watched as Rattler dismantled Texas Techs defense, making any throw from anywhere with perfect finesse and command. Then the Red Raiders offensive coordinator, he had witnessed a similar performance from Rattler before.

Previously, Yost spent the 2016 season as Oregons quarterbacks coach after a three-year stint at Washington State. At the time, class of 2016 prospect and future Los Angeles Charger Justin Herbert was the Ducks successor under center.

Upon arriving in Eugene, Yosts charge was evaluating Herberts heirs. He visited Arizona in January, but didnt happen upon Rattler, whod just finished his freshman football season and begun basketball. Yost returned to the desert that spring to watch Oregon commit Ryan Kelley, a four-star 2017 recruit from Basha High. This time, he also ventured to Pinnacle for a peek at Rattler, who around that time was offered a scholarship by Lincoln Riley, then Oklahomas offensive coordinator.

Yost was quickly impressed by the young quarterback, two years Kelleys junior. The velocity and spin on Rattlers ball plus his footwork, athleticism and ability to throw from multiple arm angles indicated hed be one of the nations top passers in his class.

A third visit solidified that notion. During Rattlers sophomore season, Yost attended a weeknight practice and was astounded. Rattler threw with pinpoint accuracy even outside the pocket, on the run and in uncomfortable positions. Yost also noted how catchable Rattlers throws were timed perfectly, tailored to each receiver and delivered with masterful touch beyond his age.

When defensive drills began, Rattler kept calling his receivers by name and slinging more reps as he jogged off the field. By Yosts count, Rattler made close to 300 passes that night. Only five or six fell incomplete.

I went to watch Trevor Lawrence throw. I hung out for three days with (Tua Tagovailoa) in Hawaii when I was at Oregon, Yost said. Ive seen all these guys, and (Rattlers) probably the best I've ever seen as far as just consistently accurate, throwing such a catchable ball, and it's so easy for him.

Despite the allure, Yost never offered Rattler a scholarship. After Kelley decommitted from Oregon in May, Yost spent his remaining Ducks tenure chasing a replacement 2017 quarterback before he was fired that November.

After landing at Utah State, Yost bumped into Rattler a fourth time during his junior season while scouting a Pinnacle offensive lineman. Yo, I dont hear from you anymore, the quarterback quipped. You thinking about coming to Utah State? Yost joked. Both knew the answer, but theyd meet again nonetheless.

Following two seasons with the Aggies, Yost arrived at Texas Tech in 2019, and the Red Raiders traveled to Norman that September. He reunited with Rattler on the sideline before the Sooners backup relieved Hurts for one series in the twilight of a blowout win. By the teams 2020 meeting Rattler was the starter, and Texas Techs defensive plan was little more than hoping he would keep struggling like he had sporadically against Kansas State, Iowa State and Texas beforehand. OU had barely held on against the Longhorns after losses to the Wildcats and Cyclones games in which turnovers and missed tackles were plentiful.

Instead, a rejuvenated Rattler coming off two-straight wins played possessed that evening, having told his teammates the night before, Its time for us to go out and embarrass somebody. Bolstered by a strong running game, he deftly dotted 21-of-30 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns, and OU blasted the Red Raiders 62-28.

The bad thing was that it looked like that practice I was at that night where he threw all completions all the time to everybody, said Yost, who was fired by Texas Tech in December. By the time we played (OU) where he kind of got rolling, he wasn't making any bad decisions at all. He was attacking and we looked like a scout team that night against them.

Then-Redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler throws the ball during the game against Texas Tech on Oct. 31, 2020.

Rattler couldve added two more scores had receivers not dropped a pair of precision throws. Nevertheless, one touchdown pass he completed stood out. Early in the second quarter, Rattler faked the handoff, feigned a throw to his left and rolled back to his right. Spying H-back Austin Stogner downfield, he didnt bother to set his feet before uncorking a spiraling 27-yard strike through heavy endzone traffic.

Former Oklahoma running back Spencer Tillman, the color analyst on that nights broadcast, quickly recognized the off-balance feat. Most quarterbacks have to get set, he said. Patrick Mahomes is the only other guy I know that can do this from a standing position."

Its fitting Tillman compared Rattler to the former Texas Tech gunslinger who on the same turf five years prior threw for 734 yards and five touchdowns while dueling Mayfield. Now an NFL MVP with Kansas City, Mahomes is still the Rattler blueprint to many, including former Firebirds coach Bill Phaturos.

He looks like him, he walks like him (and) he throws like him, Phaturos said. Obviously, Patrick's the highest paid player (in the NFL). He has a lot to go to live up to Patrick, but he has the ability. It's hard to compare anybody to Patrick Mahomes in college. Youve gotta make your way and earn that. But I think his arms just as good.

Phaturos noticed Rattlers throws just sounded different, emitting a faint pssss or whoosh upon release in eighth grade. It was then, during his final youth season, that Rattler easily discharged a 60-yard touchdown pass in the state championship game, hitting his receiver in the back of the end zone from beyond the 50-yard-line. Such plays werent uncommon for Rattler, whose natural arm talent, like Mahomes', creates new pages in his teams playbook.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Spencer Rattler during practice March 24.

When Rattler was in upper elementary, Phaturos alerted his best friend Mike Giovando to the childs innate gifts. Giovando, who Firebirds coaches call the quarterback whisperer, has been instructing quarterbacks for over 20 years, even venturing to India and Switzerland to teach. Frazier calls him the best quarterback coach in the country and refers all Firebirds passers to his Elev8 QB Academy. Giovando is largely responsible for Arizonas hotbed of quarterback talent, and Rattler is among his most accomplished disciples.

All the while, Giovando has maintained a penchant for drills some consider unorthodox. This summer, he briefly trained incoming Minnesota freshman Athan Kaliakmanis, who during workouts told Giovando, Ive never done any of this stuff. He wasnt the first to say that.

Rattler worked out with Giovando two to three days a week this summer, reinforcing old tricks and learning new ones. First and foremost, Rattler rarely trains with his longtime coach alone. Some quarterback instructors prefer private lessons, but this summer Rattler threw next to Purdues Jack Plummer, Cals Kai Millner and San Diego States William Haskell, among others, as Giovando recorded and gave feedback.

Rattler also spent a 100-degree day throwing with OU teammate Tanner Schafer to former Sooners tight end Mark Andrews, a Scottsdale native now with the Baltimore Ravens. Rattler previously trained with NFL veterans Colin Kaepernick and Tyrod Taylor as a youth.

We don't come out here and do private workouts because that's not going to help him, said Giovando, who pushed Rattler to throw with varsity passers in seventh grade. He's got to get around the other guys, plus the energy's better when there's more guys and there's that competitive feeling. We've always done it this way, and I just think it just creates a better vibe and it creates a competitive atmosphere.

Rattler practices deep throws to sharpen his touch in each session. While thats typical of quarterback workouts, Giovando teaches other manifestations that arent. He puts his quarterbacks in uncomfortable positions, throwing off balance, to the receivers back shoulder or on the run from different arm angles. It all enhances Rattlers escapability which some say makes him the perfect hybrid of Mayfield and Murray and ability to tuck the ball and run when needed.

In one drill, Giovando forces his quarterbacks to keep their non-throwing hand on their chest as they pass, increasing ball control and downfield accuracy. In another, he puts the player behind a soccer goal and has them throw over the top to emulate a high release that wont be tipped. Then they work underneath the goal, simulating intermediate throws to shallow crossing receivers.

Some throwing begins with the receivers back turned. When the quarterback rolls out, a call is given to the receiver and he must come out of his break and find the ball. While it benefits the pass catcher, it also teaches the passer to anticipate where to hit his man without making eye contact with his target.

In addition, Giovando teaches how to read defenses quickly, while shooting minuscule throwing windows most other quarterbacks cant hit. Since Rattler was in seventh grade, his coach has repeatedly preached one principle: They cant defend what they cant see.

Rattler has a special knack for timing throws to when defenders turn their heads. When Texas Tech broke down Rattlers game film before their matchup, Yost noticed Rattlers able to throw the ball over the defense better than anyone.

Combined, Rattlers strengths help him stand out among other college quarterbacks. Even so, hes always looking for an additional edge. In the weight room at Elite U Training in Scottsdale, he worked tirelessly over the summer with Rube Oliver, his fitness trainer since high school.

Oliver communicates regularly with OU strength coach Bennie Wylie to keep Rattler on track for everything he hopes to accomplish in Norman. Their workouts are proprietary and paired specifically to Rattlers strengths and limitations. Oliver also provides consistent mental coaching, approaching every rep like its third-and-14.

This kid is a workhorse, Oliver said. He'll work his tail off, and then he'll do extra reps. It's just a testimony to his willingness, and his effort and his focus to just be a dominant level athlete.

In throwing with Giovando, Rattler focused on his lower body mechanics. Critiques of his delivery are few and far between, but he does occasionally minimize his power by lifting his back foot off the ground early. Giovandos main instruction this summer was for Rattler to fire his hips more before releasing the ball, uncoiling more full-body strength and creating better arm efficiency.

He has such a good arm talent that sometimes he can forget about the lower half and just throw it since hes got such good control of the ball, Giovando said. But hes always wanting to get better hes just focused on winning games, trying to get that national championship for Oklahoma, and we always say, if you take care of that stuff on the field, then the Heisman stuff, thats gonna take care of itself."

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) is tackled from behind by Texas Longhorns linebacker Joseph Ossai (46) during the first quarter of the Red River Showdown at Cotton Bowl on Oct. 10, 2020.

Rattler has come a long way since accepting the high school Heisman while telling OU assistant coach Cale Gundy hed see him at practice soon. Gundy has long kept an eye on Rattler, examining tapes of his training with Giovando since his high school sophomore year. After Rattlers senior year at Pinnacle, Gundy introduced him at the 2019 National Quarterback Club Awards in Scottsdale, where he was named co-High School Quarterback of the Year.

Oklahomas co-offensive coordinator and inside receivers coach, Gundy is a former Sooners quarterback himself. A team captain his junior and senior years at OU and a coach for 27 years, he knows plenty about leadership and maturity. While, according to Riley, Rattler didnt attend Big 12 Media Days this summer because of his youth, hes undoubtedly expected to be a crucial voice for OU this fall.

Hes going to be one of the leaders of this team because hes a quarterback at the University of Oklahoma, Gundy said during spring practice, slipping as he spoke and hinting Rattler could be a team captain. Theres great responsibilities there. I can see some of the change in him from last fall to this spring where hes trying to step up and take more responsibility.

When Rattler received the top high school quarterback award from Gundy, he expected to compete for OUs starting job in wake of Murrays NFL departure. Instead, Rattler spent his first college season sidelined, learning from someone else who saw him receive his national accolade. Hurts was also at the National Quarterback Club that day, splitting the college award with Alabama teammate Tagovailoa, although hed declared his transfer to OU three days before the ceremony.

While playing in three games as a freshman, Rattler saw Hurts, the former Crimson Tide national champion, become a Heisman finalist and lead the Sooners to their fourth College Football Playoff berth in five years. That peer-to-peer mentorship was something Rattler lacked in high school, where he was forced into starting as a freshman after Pinnacles junior quarterback quit the team.

I think that sitting behind Jalen was definitely a positive for him, said Michael Rattler, whos in banking while his wife Susan is a teacher. He got to see a kid who was a little older, who's probably a little more mature, and just watch how he conducted his business. I think that he and Jalen formed a friendship that they'll have for a lifetime, and he'll have a mentor that he can call on, hopefully, at any time.

Then-freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler watches senior quarterback Jalen Hurts as he walks off of the field for the last time as a Sooner during the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Dec. 28, 2019.

Hurts departure for the NFL gave Rattler the keys to Rileys offense last fall, and he looked ready after throwing four touchdown passes in the first half of his first start. He unloaded for 300 yards or more each of the next two games, but he lacked the polish of Mayfield and Murray, and his mistakes proved costly.

Rattler tossed three interceptions during Oklahomas 38-35 loss to Kansas State as the Sooners defense folded in the second half. One week later, frustration boiled over when he delivered the game-sealing pick in OUs 37-30 loss at Iowa State, handing the Sooners their worst conference play start since 1998.

TV cameras caught Rattler after his final throw was intercepted amid questions of a missed holding call. A prodigy become a work-in-progress, Rattlers anger toward recent struggles exacerbated into three words of rage-fueled self-questioning:

What the f---?

Even then, Rattler hadnt reached his lowest point. One week later came the Red River Showdown, the rivalry legendary OU quarterbacks must win consistently, where Texas induced a Rattler interception and fumble on consecutive possessions in the second quarter. Riley benched his starter for three offensive series, favoring backup Tanner Mordecai, who has since transferred to SMU. In the second half, Rattler returned hungrier, sharper and more composed and led the Sooners to a classic four-overtime victory against their chief rival. An off-platform touchdown pass to Drake Stoops and a well-placed two-point ball to Theo Wease sealed Rattlers comeback.

Riley revealed nothing particular when asked what he told Rattler on the sideline, while Rattler said his coach told him to take a break and hed be back out. Most concur it was a clear-your-head breather and not a punishing timeout, although Pinnacle coach Dana Zupke said he has his suspicions about the conversation. Rattlers current and former coaches all consider the benching and comeback a pivotal moment in his season.

His father sees it differently, having watched him in similar situations. As a high school sophomore against border rival Horizon High, Rattler threw an interception and struggled through a scoreless third quarter before rallying to win 43-42 on the road in overtime.

I think people have made a big deal out of that, and I just think that I didn't even bat an eyelash because I knew that he would be able to rebound from whatever, Michael said. That's what he's done his whole career since he was a kid, so I didn't worry about him being able to perform, and then I wasn't surprised when we came out and came back and battled and did overtime and the whole nine. He's always been best in overtime so I knew if we got to overtime, we'd win.

Regardless of how the Texas benching is perceived, Rattler was different afterward. Following six turnovers in his first four games, he made only three in the next seven contests while leading Oklahoma on an eight-game winning streak to finish the season.

Spencers got, as we all know, some of the most incredible moxie. Its part of what makes him so good, but it also can be a flaw at times where he thinks he can make every throw at any time, Zupke said. I think Coach Riley's done a fantastic job of kind of reeling that in and getting him to know when it's appropriate and when it's not. Last year after that Texas game, I just saw a different Spencer, a more mature Spencer on the field.

Then-redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler and freshman wide receiver Marvin Mims celebrate after scoring a touchdown during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic against Florida at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 30, 2020.

Malik Zaire has seen Rattler at some of his highest highs.

When Rattler was fresh off a junior performance of 45 touchdowns and around 4,000 passing yards, Zaire arrived in Phoenix for winter training with Giovando ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft. The former Notre Dame and Florida quarterback quickly bonded with the younger Oklahoma commit.

Their friendship led to exploits beyond quarterback training like trick shots and viral videos. During his time near Rattler, Zaire was also a host for multiplatform sports show Overtime, which featured him and Rattler in a couple episodes.

In one, Rattler navigated an obstacle course, answered questions about his personal life and recruitment and threw footballs into trash cans blindfolded, among other tasks. But the peak of his and Zaires Overtime exploits occurred months before he came to Oklahoma on a literal mountaintop Tempe Butte at Arizona States main campus where Rattler attempted to throw footballs into a trashcan 1,495 feet below. For comparison, the highest perch at OUs Gaylord Family Oklahoma-Memorial Stadium is slightly less, measuring 1,165 feet.

Rattler and Zaire expected theyd need four or five hours to accomplish their goal and hired help to retrieve footballs from the ground below. Instead, Rattler needed just 10 minutes, splashing the difficult shot on his eighth attempt.

He's a Hollywood quarterback, its just what it is, said Zaire, who now coaches high school football in Los Angeles between appearances as a college football analyst for CBS Sports. He's got Johnny Manziel charisma, so he's gonna toe the line. But that's why people fall in love with him just like they did (Baker Mayfield), just like they do all the edgy quarterbacks.

The mountain video has over 400,000 views on Overtimes Instagram and over 400,000 more on Rattlers Instagram and Twitter combined. Zaire still watches it often and said he thinks it shouldve blown up more. Regardless, the moment and the months that surrounded it showed the growth Rattler needed to make mentally to keep pace with his physical prowess.

Ahead of Rattlers senior year, the Netflix series QB1: Beyond the Lights went to Phoenix, following the Pioneers star for 10 episodes. It didnt air until Rattler had already arrived at Oklahoma, but some content captured during his last high school slate wasnt flattering.

In episode four, Rattler, a team captain, blamed backup and former Michigan commit JD Johnsons lack of mental toughness after they lost a competition to the defense in practice. Rattler then missed two weeks with an ankle injury before returning against California's JSerra Catholic, a national powerhouse, in episode six.

Rattler proceeded to trash talk his JSerra opponents throughout the game before struggling in the fourth quarter of a loss. He quickly brushed it off, telling his teammates, Were still winning state, afterward, but the season took a turn for the worse.

Zupke informed his team Rattler wouldnt play against Chaparral in an ESPNU-televised game, with Rattler later blaming an MCL sprain for his inactivity. After the Chaparral game, news broke that Rattler was suspended for the remainder of the season for an unspecified violation of the school districts code of conduct. His family has preferred to keep it a private matter, other than his father acknowledging it wouldnt appear on his record. Rattler himself called it a childish, dumb mistake.

When I first had my conversation with Spencer, he was devastated, Zupke said. We all were and it was really unfortunate. I'm really big on teachable moments, and at the end of the day, thats what it ended up being. We get so caught up on chasing championships and trophies, and there's nothing wrong with striving for those things. But we're also supposed to be learning things about life and that was a big life lesson for Spencer in particular, but it was also a life lesson for our program and for our kids.

Sidelined for the seasons remaining four games, Rattler supported Johnson and his teammates. The Pioneers finished the season 11-2, losing in the state semifinals to a team theyd previously beaten. The coveted championship eluded the grasp of the player who once told his coach, I got this.

While Rattlers punishment is his lowest low, Zaire said the response is his favorite story in the young quarterbacks journey.

I just think that situation showed that hes got enough edge and hes got enough talent where he could shake off adversity and still be able to go in and do his business, Zaire said. I mean, hes a kid that doesn't waver too often. He rubs some people the wrong way, but when youre playing quarterback at a high level, (confidence), in my opinion, is what you need. I always knew Spencer was going to be good based on attitude alone.

Ask anyone in Rattlers inner circle and theyll admit his confidence can be mistaken for arrogance, but none have ever questioned his character. All his coaches say hes respectful, Phaturos particularly appreciating how his former pupil kindly treated his son Zak, the Pioneers third-string quarterback during Rattlers senior season.

Frazier believes Rattler doesnt have an ounce of arrogance in him. Thats why it has been an easy choice to bring Rattler back to camps regularly, and to retire his jersey number this summer.

We wouldnt have done that on accomplishments alone, Frazier said. My litmus test for an athlete is not touchdowns scored or thrown (or) how many games you win. My litmus test is, do you elevate the people around you? And thats what Spencer does.

Then-freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler before the game against Iowa State Nov. 9, 2019.

His retirement ceremony over, a shocked Rattler lingered at Scottsdale Ranch for over an hour, taking pictures and autographing anything from water bottles and shoes to even baby carriages.

That's where I know the maturity level is he's not thinking about himself, Giovando said. Hes thinking about others and the other people that are there who want to at least shake his hand, or get a picture or maybe ask him a question, so there's good growth. Hes always been like that, though, but that was pretty impressive, just the way he interacts with everybody. I think hes got a very level head.

In the early offseason, Rattler enjoyed considerable luxury and relaxation. He spent a few days in California with his girlfriend and also bought a dog. For a short time, his Instagram story became a search bar for material wants.

But once he returned from California, it was back to business. He called Giovando the night before he arrived in Phoenix. See you tomorrow, he told the coach who used to see him every Sunday, even after youth games on Saturdays.

New name, image and likeness powers took effect for NCAA athletes on July 1, and Rattler capitalized immediately. He swiftly joined Cameo, a platform that allows fans to buy personalized video messages from celebrities, and began charging $125 per shoutout, having since raised his price to $177.

A sharp social media manager, Rattler was valued at $769,300 in potential yearly NIL earnings from Twitter, Instagram and other apps by Opendorse, a company that helps athletes with their digital brands. That was in May 2020, before he had even started a game at Oklahoma, much less become the 2021 Heisman favorite and a national championship contender.

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'I got this': How OU quarterback Spencer Rattler matured from confident kid to national championship contender - The Oklahoma Daily

The Olympics are such a happy time. Nations and cultures come together in a festive atmosphere to witness and celebrate the achievements of the worlds greatest athletes.

So, then whats with all this crying?

Tear-jerking moments and the Olympics go together like medals on ribbons. For every moment of jubilation, there are those that stir deep emotions. Maybe its a sense of loss, a farewell or a new beginning. Or sometimes its the realization of a goal, the culmination of a lifes work and an opportunity to share a most special moment with family, friends, teammates and countrymen.

So, grab the tissue box and prepare to bawl with this top tear-jerking moments of the Tokyo Games:

With a chiseled physique and an eagle tattoo across his shoulder and chest,Caeleb Dresselcuts an imposing figure in and out of the pool. But that all melted away when Dressel was greeted via video by the folks back home. During an emotional post-race interview following his 100m gold medal victory, the 6-foot-3 swimmer was brought to tears at the sight of his wife, parents, friends and family. Love you too, an otherwise speechless Dressel managed. Thank you, guys.

SEE MORE:Caeleb Dressel sets Olympic record in 100 free, wins first individual gold

Unless you speak Spanish, you might not have realized what was happening during an interview with Argentine fencerMara Beln Prez Maurice. But it didnt take long to figure out. Standing behind BelnPrez Maurice was her coach and partner Lucas Saucedo with a marriage proposal scrawled on a sheet of paper. Saucedo went down on bended knee and, thankfully, she said yes.

SEE MORE:Mara Beln Prez Maurice gets surprise marriage proposal

Something clearly was not right withSimone Bilesafter she got lost in the air during an uncharacteristically shaky vault to startthe womens team final. After meeting with her coaches and trainers, Biles stunned the Games by withdrawing from the finals with a case of the twisties, and concerns over her mental health. I love you guys, but youre gonna be just fine, Biles is heard telling her teammates.

SEE MORE:Biles exits womens Olympic team final after vault

So touching was the farewell for Olympic diverKen Terauchiof Japan, it brought NBCs Cynthia Potter to tears. Making me cry, she said as Terauchi, 40, saluted his well-wishers. Minutes later it wasRommel Pachecoof Mexico who made his final Olympic dive and enjoyed another emotional moment.

SEE MORE:Divers Terauchi, Pacheco get standing ovations in farewell

Seventeen years ago, at the 2004 Games in Athens,Luis Scolahelped the Argentina mens basketball team make history with a victory over Team USA en route to a gold medal. In Tokyo, in what is expected to be his last international game, Scola received an emotional and deserving farewell.

SEE MORE:Argentinas Luis Scola receives standing ovation in Tokyo finale

Oksana Chusovitinagot the Olympic farewell she deserved in Tokyo. At 46, the eight-time Olympian from Uzbekistan failed to qualify for the final in the womans vault and said goodbye to the Games to a standing ovation from her fellow competitors, coaches and others in an other empty arena. She formed a heart with her hands and said a simple bye-bye as her Olympic career came to an end.

SEE MORE:Oksana Chusovitina gets farewell standing ovation

In 1920, Karel Capek wrote the ground-breaking play R.U.R. about robots taking over the world and dominating the human race. Fast forward 100 years and heres a robot sinking free throws and three-pointers at the Tokyo Games.

Capek was right the human race is doomed!

SEE MORE:Our robot overlords are better at basketball than we are

See the article here:

The top tear-jerking moments of the Tokyo Games - KFOR Oklahoma City

ANTLERS, Okla. (KNWA/KFTA) The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI)announced on Wednesday that it has linked the suspect in a double shooting in Sequoyah County on Saturday night to a stolen vehicle from an Oklahoma City carjacking earlier that same day.

According to a release from the department, the OSBI Latent Evidence unit recovered evidence from the silver Nissan, founded abandoned in Antlers on Sunday, that places Lee King, 27, inside the vehicle.

King is suspected of shooting two Good Samaritans, identified as John Derek Riggs and Jake Myers, who picked him up and took him to the Loves Travel Stop near Vian, where they were seen purchasing a gas can and gasoline before leaving in the victims car, according to OSBI.

The two victims were found minutes later on Interstate 40 near mile marker 293 with gunshot wounds.

King was last known to be in the Antlers, Oklahoma area on Sunday morning. An Antlers officer attempted to pull him over for a traffic violation, but King led the officer to a dead-end road where he ditched the car and disappeared into a heavily wooded area.

He was last seen at around 9:30 on Sunday morning at an Antlers thrift store.

Riggs and Myers remain hospitalized in critical but stable condition, OSBI said.

King is known to have connections to the Shreveport, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas areas.

He is a 27-year-old black man with a neck tattoo in the shape of the state of Louisiana, with LA in the center.

King is considered armed and dangerous and the public should not engage or approach him, according to OSBI.

If you see him, please call 911 or the OSBI at (800) 522-8017 or tips@osbi.ok.gov immediately.

See the article here:

Stolen vehicle linked to Sequoyah County double-shooting suspect - KNWA

It was another fantastic weekend of music in Medicine Park over the Independence Day holiday. With an electric fierceness from the Main Stage and the eclectic cornucopia of sounds from the side stages, a walk in the park meant you got a full dose of the 9th Annual Rock in the Park Music Festival.

Event coordinator Rodney Whaley was pleased as punch with its kickoff. The nights double-dose of rock featured Echo 21 and the closer, Another Pink in the Floyd. He said Hitchin Post Park was electrified, or more like electrifried by the nights performances end.

Echo 21 wowed everyone, he said.

Under the tree-canopied audience and performers, with lasers lights, smoke machines and no mirrors, Another Pink in the Floyd found its way to the Dark Side of the Moon and back over a ferociously authentic three hour set. Whaley said it was above and beyond last years already called historic, standing room only set at the fest.

Throughout the town on Saturday and Sunday, the sponsored stages at Santas Snack Shack at Bath Lake and Nice Ice/American Legends Tattoo Stage provided music from noon until night. From the Lightfoot Family Singers near the swimming area to Brad Good, Richard Clift Jr., Cade Roth and so many more near the fire station, music filled the air.

Whaley credited the businesses for seeing the potential during the side stage inauguration at the Roots Ball in May. They took it upon themselves to make it happen and to see the potential to create that vibe from South By Southwest in Austin about 25 years ago. Thats what Whaley wanted and hopes to see grow and flourish with the Blues Ball to close out the summer season.

Always steady at the soundboard, Jim McLinden kept the system running to perfection through the next two full days of performances on the Main Stage. Backstage, the interaction between a mingling of the band members of the following acts provided insight into the familial connection between musicians.

Johnny Mack (Jernigan) opened his acoustic performance with moments as electric as any amp-plugged sonics. It would have to be with RDO Smokewagon to follow. After exploding onto Medicine Park stage to open the Roots Ball, Ryan Oldham and company continue to build their reputation through memorable performances that leave a mark.

With the Wight Lighters closing out the night, including the 9:30 p.m. fireworks show intermission, it was up to Gannon Fremin & CCRev to spark their own explosives beforehand. These young guys are a Southwest Oklahoma red dirt rock and roll panzer division. Enough so, Whaley said they were invited back for another fiery set at 5 p.m. Then they headed over for a 4th of July concert at Lake Lawtonkas Schoolhouse Slough.

Drummer Tyler McCartney said this is the payoff from the live music shutdown over the pandemic. It was the proper tribute for an aspiring rock god.

Im loving playing music, he said. It probably makes it more special each time I get on stage.

And thats what Sunday was about with a pair of tribute acts to a pair of rock and roll deities. Even if you didnt make it there in person, theres a lot of Facebook live video from the days performances.

Louisianas spicy contribution to the Elvis-universe is Jelvis. As video from his performance showed, he came to rock, to roll and to leave it all out there to kick off the days music with The King, baby.

The grand finale brought Next Halen to the stage. Following the Van Halen (and not Hagar) model of this indelible 1980s rock and roll machine, the band put out and shouted out loud enough everyone heard Jamies Cryin. And at its close, you can be sure there was an Eruption from the audience.

You can rock and you can roll all you want. But when you want to do it right, do it in Medicine Park.

Its been six years.

Six very long years.

But when the first new song from Allusion comes out like Dropping Out has, you understand why they did. Heres a sneak preview: https://www.facebook.com/allusionokla/posts/1966549743498016.

For six years, the bands 2015 EP, Land of Sleep has remained in slot two of my Hondas multi-disc CD player. For six years, my ear has come back to crave it at least weekly and, for many weeks at a time, only. All I can say is, Its about time. I can also say, Man, did that pay off.

They took the time to hone and refine their strengths into the fullest potential in this over-5-minute tonal wonderland. Opening with the sound of rainfall and Tyler Farmers hypnotically spiraling guitar, the fuzzy pummel of Pete Skulskis bass line sets a stage. Its here where singer Seth Andrus takes his stage with vocals carrying nuance and unbridled support of the lyrics point. If I could only find the truth, Id hide it from you ... This hook is masterful in execution.

Ive heard snips of snares and other bits of the rest of the recording during various stages over the past year. Produced by fellow band/blend member Brandon Cramer at 1121 Recordings in Lawton and mixed/mastered by Mychal Soto at Oklahoma Citys Slamnasium, theres nothing produced as clean as this since WiseSpoken III by Takeez at Fyu-Chur Recordings. They each punch differently but no less powerfully.

Ill be hanging with these guys this weekend to hear the rest of the collection, find out its title and torment them for insights into the songs, the recording process and in surviving steadily as a band without the rushed pace of their youth. Youll get the scoop in next weeks edition.

Looks like Ill have a fresh CD to log into the ol multi-disc player in the car real soon.

Although the Todays Best Soundemonium! radio show is no more, our social media presence remains so you can keep up with whats happening and whats next.

Remember that all #VirtualSoundemoniumFest performances from the COVID-19 shutdown are archived on the column/radio shows Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/steveoandthescribe/.

And, hey, if you have a song you want us to check out, email us: soundemonium@gmail.com.

Visit, like (love) and follow our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/steveoandthescribe/.

Soundemonium Musaic Lawton music archive homepage: Scott Rains https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPw__GedGPOUD-wROFcuZ8w.

Excerpt from:

Rock in the Park offered sonic fireworks | Photo Galleries | swoknews.com - The Lawton Constitution

Tom McCarthy cites Mediterranean noirs as the inspiration for Stillwater, but theres little of that mystique in this uneven 90s throwback, despite the mostly untapped potential of its atmospheric setting in the French port city of Marseille. Matt Damon gives a solid performance as an unemployed Oklahoma oil rig worker with a messy past, determined to do right by the daughter stuck in prison for a murder she claims she didnt commit. But that story is clunky, old-fashioned and predictable when its not implausible. In any case, its less involving than the shot at renewal the failed family man gets with a French single mother.

The latter role, Virginie, is played by Call My Agent! lead Camile Cottin in a quietly luminous performance, juggling French and English dialogue with the same relaxed warmth. As Damons Bill Baker grows closer to Virginie and her 9-year-old daughter Maya (Lilou Siauvaud, a charming natural), this reticent man who wears his disappointment like a heavy overcoat slowly opens up to the possibilities of a life he had thought off-limits. That thread taps into the same kind of sensitively observed cross-cultural connections McCarthy explored in The Visitor, which, along with The Station Agent, remains his most accomplished work as director regardless of that best picture Oscar for Spotlight.

Unfortunately, the A plot keeps dragging the movie down. Following its out of competition premiere in Cannes, this late July Focus release looks likely to make only a brief theatrical detour en route to streaming platforms.

Scripted by McCarthy and Marcus Hinchey with French writers Thomas Bidegain and No Debr, best known for their collaborations with Jacques Audiard, the screenplays earliest draft is from a decade ago and it does indeed play like something thats been gathering dust in a drawer. There are allusions to current-day red-state America in the blinkered worldview that is part of Bills baggage, but that contemporary veneer is undernourished and the storys political teeth have no bite.

Bills daughter Allison (Abigail Breslin) is five years into a nine-year sentence for the murder of Lina, the French Arab girlfriend she met while attending college in Marseille. Allisons mother committed suicide for reasons never revealed, and the declining health of the maternal grandmother who raised her (Deanna Dunagan) means she can no longer travel. So Bill flies to Marseille as often as he can, delivering supplies, picking up her laundry and praying for Allison even though her affection for him seems muted. He was a screw-up before going into recovery for alcohol and drugs, but we only ever get generic hints about the reasons for her coolness toward him.

When Allison learns new information about Linas murder, implicating a young man named Akim from the projects, she asks her dad to deliver a letter to her lawyer Leparq (Anne Le Ny), requesting that she have the case reopened. But Leparq declines, pointing out that hearsay is not considered evidence. So while Bill keeps this from Allison, he makes it his mission to find Akim and prove his worth to his daughter. This despite her having made clear in her letter to the lawyer that she considers her father incapable and untrustworthy.

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The language barrier and a lack of understanding of how the different social strata of Marseille work make his task a difficult one. But he gets help when he strikes up a friendship with theater actress Virginie, who has a habit of adopting causes.

Unfurling over a sluggish two hours plus, Stillwater is least convincing when McCarthy attempts to build suspense, with most of that work being done by Mychael Dannas score. The late plot twists become almost risible, once Akim (Idir Azougli) enters the picture.

Part of the problem also is that theres never much reason to invest in Allison, despite the heavy burden Bill clearly carries. Her case was big news at the time, and in a town where poverty and race draw sharp dividing lines, the sentiment of neither public nor press was much in favor of the American lesbian. Breslin has a few tender moments when she gets reacquainted with her father and his new adoptive family during a day release. But mostly, Allison remains remote as a character, especially when she blurts out heavy-handed lines like, Life is brutal. The fact that she might not be entirely blameless in Linas death should make her more interesting, not less.

Considering that Bidegain was a co-writer on Audiards great prison drama A Prophet, an enthralling representation of Muslim identity in a French microcosm, the race elements here are fairly basic. Liberal-minded Virginie bristles at the indiscriminate urge of many to put another Arab kid behind bars as they get closer to tracking down Akim, while for Bill, that kind of kneejerk racism is so familiar he barely notices it.

But those differences are also what makes the gradual transition from friendship to romance of Bill and Virginie so disarming. Hes a religious man who literally wears his patriotism on his sleeve in a bald eagle tattoo. Hes also the owner of not one but two guns, the idea of which Virginie finds incomprehensible. In one amusing scene, while her friend Nedjma (Naidra Ayadi) is helping them with some Instagram detective work, she asks Bill if he voted for Trump. He says only that he didnt vote because of his arrest record.

Damon finds understated humor in this uncultured man who is nudged for the first time in his life to see himself and by extension Allison as the outsiders, the way the rest of the world sees Americans. A telling moment in an early scene finds him in the back of a van with a tornado cleanup crew chattering away in Spanish, while he sits in absent silence. His time in Marseille shows in subtle ways that hes learning to see beyond otherness, and Damon never overplays that softening of Bills closed-off views.

The actors many scenes with young Siauvaud are quite lovely, avoiding cutesiness while gently showing Bills pleasure in getting to experience the kind of bonding he skipped with his own daughter. His awkward comments when Virginie invites him to watch a rehearsal of a play shes doing show how completely hes outside his comfort zone. (What am I gonna do in a fuckin theater? he asks Allison earlier, with blunt self-awareness.) But the melting of the distance between them is so well played by Damon and Cottin you keep wishing this was their story. A gorgeous interlude in which they dance to Sammi Smiths Help Me Make It Through the Night, with Maya demanding to get in on the act, further cements that desire.

Bill may have stayed on in Marseille to remain in Allisons life even after her rejection. But its the different version of himself he discovers there that provides the often clumsy Stillwater with some grace and heart.

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Matt Damon in Tom McCarthy's 'Stillwater': Film Review | Cannes 2021 The Hollywood Reporter - msnNOW

SILOAM SPRINGS, ARKANSAS: Two sisters who lost their father to the Covid-19 chose to pay tribute to him by getting inked with his final words. Anna Harp, 27, and Abrielle Clausing, 21, are the two sisters whose father Rudolph Clausing succumbed to the coronavirus leaving them, their mother, and their four other siblings grieving. The sisters described Rudolph as the hardest worker and the most selfless person" ever met.

Anna said, He was a friend to everyone. He always saw the best in everyone. We would be at the grocery store sitting out in the car and he would always walk outside talking to someone like he's known them forever. I've always admired that about him, that he so effortlessly could make someone smile.

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According to reports, Rudolph was already suffering from a hereditary lung disease, and just a few months before Thanksgiving, he got infected with the Covid-19. My sister and I, for the whole year leading up to when he got COVID, we were just obsessive about his health. It was our worst nightmare come true, Anna stated. For weeks, Rudolph had to frequently get admitted to the hospital as he struggled with the deadly virus. However, one night in January, his situation began to worsen and the family had to rush him to the hospital.

Once he was back in, it was just like, endless, like no good news, basically, like he wasn't recovering. It just seemed like, his lungs were just tired and they couldn't work anymore, Anna said. And, eventually, she, her sister, and their mother had to bid goodbye to Rudolph, who breathed his last on January 13. They also found a handwritten note near his bed that stated, It has been such a good life.

Anna noted: He's such a selfless person to be thinking about other people in the last moments of his life. He thought to write this note to us, so that we knew that he had a good life, and he was at peace with the life that he had. That just shows like the type of person he was.

Rudolphs death reportedly left a big void in the sisters life and they decided to pay him tribute by getting tattoos of his final words. The sisters went to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to a tattoo artist -- Dustin Cleveland to get themselves inked. It was just really important to us because we just have so much love for him. This was the only way we could think to show it and just have this reminder everyday that he did live such a good life, Anna added.

Anna shared the video of her and her sister getting inked on her TikTok account. She also shared the same on Instagram and received a lot of praise from people online. It's crazy because after something like this happens you just feel so isolated because you're only seeing people online that are like living their normal lives now, but I'm never going to be able to go back to a normal life. Seeing all those comments you realize you're not alone in this, Anna said.

More here:

2 Arkansas daughters tattoo final words of their father who succumbed to Covid-19 - MEAWW

TAHLEQUAH Oklahoma is becoming a hot spot for Hollywood filmmaking by showcasing various Native American-based television shows and movies that more accurately depict Native American life historically and currently.

Talent for these projects hail from various tribes throughout the state, including Cherokee Nation citizens Nathalie Standingcloud, of Tahlequah, and Winnie Guess Perdue, of Muskogee.

Standingcloud has been acting since she was 6 years old, with her first appearance in an independent film called Standingcloud, that was loosely written about her mother.

It was written and directed by my aunt Kimberly Norris Guerrero, who has been my mentor and inspiration, Standingcloud said. I love being able to help tell Native stories and history through film and theater.

Standingcloud is a tattoo artist by trade but has always been interested in film.

I used to make short YouTube videos in high school, but I want to write and direct my own professional feature film one day. Cartoon animation is also something Im interested in as an artist, she said.

She plays a feisty optometry receptionist in Reservation Dogs, a new comedy series on the FX network created by Indigenous filmmakers Taika Waititi (Maori) and Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Muscogee). The show follows four Native teens in rural Oklahoma and is set to premier Aug. 9.

I received an audition from my agent, Standingcloud said. Ive also known writer/director Sterlin Harjo for some time now. Ive performed alongside him at live 1491s comedy shows. Before that I was in a few 1491s YouTube videos and was an extra in his film Mekko.

A casting agent for the Killers of the Flower Moon movie contacted Perdue, who is known as one of the first female traditional fancy and hoop dancers. She initially thought it was a prank but soon realized she was being sought for a part in the movie.

Killers of the Flower Moon is a major motion picture produced by actor Leonardo DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese, and is based on a non-fiction book by author David Grann. It is about the real-life murders of Osage Nation people in the 1920s for their wealth.

Perdues role in the film is that of a wealthy Osage woman. She said she was amazed at the attention to detail of the period-style clothing.

The attention to detail was amazing as selections were made, discussed and finalized to include appropriate petticoats, lace up high heeled shoes, skirts, blouses, jackets, hats, jewelry, gloves and handbags, she said.

Perdue said this is another form of storytelling for her, as she has been sharing her stories and culture since childhood with her father George Guess.

I expect the filmmakers to remain true to the Osage history as the recount the events of this most alarming time, she said. I highly respect the leadership of the Osage Nation as they have successfully been involved in this project from the beginning.

Standingcloud said it is important for Native people to have modern and authentic representation in these types of projects.

Real Native people dont need to paint their skin or wear wigs to be Native, she said. We have a special kind of humor and even more special connection to each other as Native people. Im very excited for everyone to see it, and Im honored to have been able to be a part of it.

Jennifer Loren, CN Film Office and original content director, shared Standingcloud and Perdues sentiments about the need for accurate representation in filmmaking.

The significant need for diversity, inclusion and accurate representation of Native identity within film and television has been prevalent since the industries earliest years, Loren said. Indigenous communities need and deserve to see positive and authentic representations of ourselves, our people and our narratives in the media.

She said Cherokee people have long been known for story-telling abilities. We are extremely proud to see Cherokee Nation citizens recognized and included in major projects, such as Killers of the Flower Moon, Reservation Dogs and many more to come.

She said it is important that Cherokees and all Native people create messages and content that accurately depicts their people and stories.

The Cherokee Nation Film Office is working diligently to engage, support and increase Native talent within these industries, Loren said. Through partnerships, educational opportunities, and our first of a kind Native American talent and crew directory which has already supported several Native film and TV projects, we are excited to continue our mission of increasing the presence of Native Americans in every level of film and television, while creating opportunities for economic development and jobs in the Cherokee Nation.

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Standingcloud, Perdue appear in Oklahoma-based productions | Movies & Television | cherokeephoenix.org - Cherokee Phoenix

A Georgia man who authorities say faked his own death to avoid criminal charges after he attacked his wife with a hatchet was arrested in Oklahoma nearly 1,000 miles away after six years on the lam.

The Oklahoma City Police Department on Friday confirmed that 37-year-old Christopher Tomberlin was taken into custody without incident following a multi-week joint investigation by the OKCPD Violent Crimes Apprehension Team and members of the U.S. Marshals Service Metro Fugitive Task Force. According to an OKCPD press release, there was an outstanding warrant for Tomberlin in Bib County, Ga., stemming from a violent domestic dispute incident involving a deadly weapon.

Tomberlin in 2015 allegedly threatened to kill his wife immediately before biting her hand and then launching a hatchet at her, The Macon Telegraph reported at the time. The warrant reportedly said that the hatchet missed Tomberlins wife and became lodged in a door inside the couples home. Bib County sheriffs deputies arrested the defendant on family violence charges of aggravated assault, battery, and terroristic threats, but the defendant faked his own death and fled the state after being released, authorities said.

Andrew Joseph, the Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Oklahoma, on Friday told The Daily Mailthat Tomberlin had been living in Oklahoma for at least the past two years using multiple aliases to prevent being detected until an anonymous caller tipped off authorities as to his whereabouts.

That tip from a caller had information that indicated that Mr. Tomberlin was alive and residing in the Oklahoma City metro area, Joseph said. Authorities had previously believed that Tomberlin was actually dead.

He also noted that Tomberlin, who had been running a freelance tattoo shop from his home, appeared surprised when authorities showed up on his doorstep.

Analysts from our Criminal Intelligence Unit worked diligently, and were able to piece together Tomberlins latest steps, leading officers to the area of SW 77th and Douglas where today, he was taken into custody without incident, OKCPD said. Great work by everyone involved in getting this dangerous man off the streets!

John Wilson, one of Tomberlins neighbors for the last two years, told local NBC affiliate KFOR that he was really surprised to learn of his neighbors past, adding that he seemed like a decent guy.

Tomberlin is currently being detained in Oklahoma City but will be extradited to Georgia in the near future. He was booked on Thursday at 5:04 p.m. and is merely listed in jail records as being a fugitive from justice. Law&Crime reached out to the Bibb County Probation Office regarding the specific charges Tomberlin might face, but we did not immediately hear back.

[image via OKCPD]

Have a tip we should know? [emailprotected]

The rest is here:

Police Catch Man Suspected of Faking His Own Death, Spending Six Years on the Run from Attempted Murder Charge - Law & Crime