I know by the time you read this week’s column, you will already know how this turned out.
However, the deadline for content for each week’s edition is 2-3 p.m. Mondays, so Monday night’s Game 5 of the 2025 National Basketball Association Finals had not tipped off yet when this edition was printed late Monday afternoon.
If things went right, the Oklahoma City Thunder won Monday night’s Game 5 at Paycom Center to take a 3-2 series lead back to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for Game 6 on Thursday night. A winner-take-all Game 7 is slated for Sunday night at Paycom Center if necessary.
The Thunder evened the series at 2-2 with Friday night’s 111-104 win in Game 4 in Indianapolis.
Florida Panthers Closing in on Repeating as Champions
The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers were trying to repeat as champions Tuesday night on home ice at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla., after beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 on Saturday night in Game 5 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals at Rogers Place in Edmonton. As you know, the same two teams vied for Lord Stanley’s Cup last spring, with the Panthers beating the Oilers in seven games.
Just like with NBA Finals, by the time you read this column, you will know if the Panthers repeated as Stanley Cup champions or if the Oilers forced a Game 7 for the second straight season, which would take place Friday night back in Edmonton.
‘OmaHogs’ Facing Elimination
The Arkansas Razorbacks, a.k.a., “The OmaHogs,” were facing elimination Monday afternoon at the 2025 Men’s College World Series after losing 4-1 Saturday night to Southeastern Conference rival Louisiana State University.
The Razorbacks were slated to meet the Murray State Racers in Monday afternoon’s elimination game. Arkansas is facing elimination the rest of the way through bracket play as they must beat the Racers, then beat the loser of Monday night’s LSUUCLA game and finally beat the LSU-UCLA winner twice to make it to the best-of-3 championship series.
Go, Hogs! WPS!
Congratulations, J.J. Spaun
What a way for golfer J.J. Spaun to win the 2025 U.S. Open on Sunday as he sunk a 64-foot putt on No. 18 to seal the deal.
His initial shot veered left, then veered back right and went right into the cup.
I know that’s not a hole-in-one, but that’s still quite a feat.
Way to go, J.J.!
College Athletes on Their Way to Making More Money On June 6, the class action lawsuit House vs. NCAA took place.
The lawsuit passed, so it will mean athletic departments will share revenue directly with their student-athletes for the first time ever.
For example, beginning July 1, the University of Oklahoma is planning to contribute the maximum allowable amount of $20.5 million annually.
I can remember when there was no such thing as this nor the name, image and likeness (NIL) policy in college athletics.
All there was was athletes playing their sports while earning their degree.
As the late, legendary Burl Ives’ song was called, “The Times They Are a-Changin’” I’ll Be Out of Pocket Most of Next Two Weeks As you are reading this week’s column, I currently am on vacation. Other than working next Monday to prepare next week’s edition, I will be out of pocket until June 30.
If you will need immediate assistance, please reach out to my newsroom cohorts — Editor Amie Cato-Remer (amie@cookson. news), Reporter Lynn Adams (lynna@cookson. news) or one of our three summer interns, Haley “Jade” Phillips (haley@cookson.news), Jacie Eubanks (jacie@ cookson.news) and Ally Trotter (ally@cookson. news). They will be more than glad to assist your needs.
••• Seeley is the sports editor The Vian Tenkiller News. He can be reached by calling (918) 7754433, Ext. 139 or by emailing him at davids@ cookson.news.
