Blog Archives

The Killman Memorial Trophy Has Made it to OIL2 Commish Nick Reed

3/31/2014

The OIL2's Killman Memorial Trophy is now proudly displayed in the home of OIL2 commissioner Nick Reed. He will keep the trophy in trust until a champion is crowned.

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"Oklahoma City Infantry" Wins NFL in OKC Design Contest

3/29/2014

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It was a long process, but readers of the OIL have chosen a winner. Shane Maddox's and Anthony Wustenfeld's Oklahoma City Infantry ended up garnering 34% of the votes to beat Blake Campbell's Roughnecks (26%) in our "NFL in OKC" design contest.

Congratulations to the men. And thank you to everyone who submitted designs, shared the page, and voted in the poll.

A special thank you goes to Uni-Watch, who linked to the contest multiple times. Click the image to see the complete Infantry submission.

Shane and Anthony can now choose something from our online store as a prize. Let me know what you'd like by emailing me and I'll make that happen.

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Fantasy Football March Madness Sweet Sixteen

3/29/2014

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Only 16 players remain in the tournament. Who will advance to the Elite Eight? Vote now.

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The 'Oklahoman' Highlights 158th Soldiers in Afghanistan

3/26/2014

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In February, we linked to an Oklahoma National Guard story about 158th Field Artillery soldiers in Afghanistan. Now the Oklahoman has told their story as well.

Two Oklahoma National Guard soldiers follow in their fathers' footsteps

By Silas Allen Modified: March 24, 2014 at 3:00 pm • Published: March 24, 2014

As a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, Chad Hale has a good idea of what his son is seeing during a deployment to Afghanistan.

There are differences, of course. Kuwait was hot when Hale, of Chickasha, served there — much hotter than the area of Afghanistan where Spc. Joshua Hale is serving.

But one of the most noticeable similarities is the sand. It’s finer than the coarse sand found on beaches, Chad Hale said, and it gets everywhere.

“It’s like baby powder,” he said.

The younger Hale, an Oklahoma National Guard soldier, is serving as a rocket launcher crew member in Afghanistan with the Battery A, 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery Regiment, 45th Fires Brigade. It’s the same unit his father served in during the Gulf War.

The Hales aren’t the only father-and-son pair from the unit. Sgt. Matthew Schoolfield, of Ninnekah, served as the crew’s launcher chief. His father, Richard Schoolfield, also served in the unit during Desert Storm.

During the unit’s deployment to Kuwait in late 1990, soldiers fired 903 rockets in support of coalition efforts to drive Iraqi forces from Kuwait.

Since 9/11, the 158th Field Artillery Regiment has deployed thousands of soldiers. Until recently, however, the regiment hadn’t fired a single rocket on any of those deployments. Instead, soldiers from the regiment were given other tasks like security and convoy support.

Then in October, the Lawton-based Battery A deployed to Afghanistan with its first artillery mission. In January, the crew fired two rockets, destroying an enemy repeater tower. It was the first time the unit had fired a rocket in a combat situation since 9/11.

The deployment is Joshua Hale’s first. In a telephone interview from Afghanistan, he said he had been training with the same crew for about three years, preparing for anything the deployment might require.

Hale said it was no coincidence that he ended up in the same unit as his father. Chad Hale didn’t talk much about what he did while he was in Kuwait, but Joshua Hale knew his father had fired rockets.

“My dad raised me in a military household,” he said. “When I found out what he did in Desert Storm, I wanted to do the same thing.”

Chad Hale said he was proud when he found out his son would be following in his footsteps. But as a parent, he was concerned, he said. The unit fired countless rockets during his deployment, and seeing the damage they wrought took an emotional toll.

“I don’t want him to have to go through that,” he said.

Matthew Schoolfield was 17 when he decided to enlist, meaning he needed his parents’ permission. His mother had her concerns about the decision at first, he said.

But his father, who couldn’t be reached for an interview, supported him, and his mother has come around to the idea.

“They’ve supported me 100 percent on it,” Schoolfield said.

The OIL is proud of all our 158th brothers, and especially SGT Schoolfield, who served in Iraq in the same squad as Bruesch and Cliburn.

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Fantasy Football March Madness Round Two

3/21/2014

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The first round is over. There were a few upsets, but nothing crazy. Let's see how the second round goes.

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Rogers Shows His OIL Pride

3/19/2014

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AmmoDogs manager Michael Rogers is the new owner of an insulated travel mug bearing the OIL logo. The mug and much, much more is available in our online store.

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Fantasy Football March Madness Round One

3/16/2014

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It's time for Fantasy Football March Madness. After the break, you can vote on each of the 32 first-round matchups. Click the bracket for the full size image. Get to voting and let's see who is the consensus number one player heading into the 2014 fantasy football season.

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POLL: Which OKC NFL Uniform Design is Your Favorite?

3/15/2014

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If I've learned anything from our design contest, it's that the average Internet user can do a better job than whoever approved the new Buccaneers uniforms.

Since we first asked for logo and uniform submissions for a hypothetical NFL team in Oklahoma City, we've received tons of great feedback. Now, it's time to crown your favorite.

The poll answers are randomized, and you can see the results as a percentage after you vote. You can refresh your memory by looking at the roundup of designs after the jump. We truly appreciate all who participated in this endeavor. It was a lot of fun.

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OIL2 Moves Further Towards Fruition, Nick Reed Becomes Commissioner

3/15/2014

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We previously posted the arrival of the OIL2's Killman Memorial Trophy. Now, the OIL2 has a commissioner as well. Nick Reed, a veteran of the 158's 2006 SECFOR mission in Iraq, will serve as the league's commish.

OIL commissioner Justin C. Cliburn shipped Reed the Killman Friday afternoon. Reed will hold the trophy in trust until the OIL2 crowns its first champion. Then he'll ensure the champion's name is engraved on the side and deliver it to the next caretaker until another champion is crowned.

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Custom Mini Football Helmets for Hangovers and Arrogant Americans

3/14/2014

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Justin C. Cliburn and Adam Duffy ordered their custom mini football helmets today from Helmet Nation. The Arrogant Americans and Hangovers helmets will be the first for any OIL franchise. They are in production now and will be prominently featured here in 4-6 weeks. Stay tuned.