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Family-owned Oklahoma City bar named one of the best bars in US

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Family-owned Oklahoma City bar named one of the best bars in US


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Edna’s, a longstanding fixture in Oklahoma City’s bar scene, the origin point for a beloved signature cocktail and a local watering hole for both residents and their visiting friends and family is one of 27 bars included on the 2024 USA TODAY Bars of the Year list. 

The list was created by USA TODAY Network food writers across the country and includes everything from humble dives to high-end cocktail bars. 

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“It’s pretty crazy and quite an honor,” said Tammy Lucas, owner of Edna’s and daughter of the bar’s originator and namesake Edna Scott. “My mom just built such a legacy there. That place has a life of its own. It’s bigger than us. She’s just always there with her hands on everything and we’re just blessed.”

What makes Edna’s stand out

Edna’s has been offering up Lunchboxes and love to the community since the day Scott opened the doors 35 years ago. Today, Edna’s is owned by Lucas, who’s own children are also involved in the day-to-day running and management of the bar.

“It’s always going to be a family business,” said manager Kate Kezpers, who is Lucas’ daughter-in-law. “There aren’t as many these days. A lot of things have gone corporate, and I like that it’s still within the family and that it continues that legacy that Edna built.”

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Edna’s is perhaps best known for the Lunchbox, created, in fact, by accident when Edna mixed a shot of amaretto with Coors Light and orange juice. The blunder became a menu staple that has grown into a full list of variations available at the bar, including secret off-menu options.

“We’ve now developed many flavors of Lunchboxes. … Try the original first because that’s the one that’s been around for 30 years. That’s the classic one, and then all of the other ones are just based off of that,” Kezpers said. “If you get the right person at the right time, you might just learn a secret one. We have a little Lunchbox bible behind the bar with all of them in it.”

What to know about Edna’s — beyond the Lunchbox

Edna’s also offers up a selection of tasty bar snacks — wings, chicken fingers, loaded fries, fried green beans and more — to satisfy the cravings that often come with a trip to the bar.

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The most well-known visual feature at Edna’s is the hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollar bills lining the walls, ceiling and even a few epoxy-resined tables throughout the bar at this point.

There is an unspoken understanding amongst guests that the dollar bills stay on the walls and are not to be disturbed and any guest who comes into the bar can decorate a bill of their own and add it to the wall. There are some less cluttered places in need of decoration in the newly expanded and renovated area of the bar that was added during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That expansion also gave new life to the patio, which gained additional square footage for added seating and games. Patrons can play cornhole or oversized Connect Four on the patio during the bar’s regular hours. But don’t be surprised if seating is limited on nights and weekends when Edna’s gets busy and stays that way.

‘We’re just blessed’

Kezpers said you also shouldn’t be surprised if, on your first visit, a regular offers to buy your first Lunchbox, a common occurrence at Edna’s she’s seen too many times to count.

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“I think the Lunchbox is a big part of it, but I also think we have a good community here. I think everyone that comes in is just instantly welcomed by the staff or the other people in the bar,” Kezpers said.

With three and a half decades under its belt, a committed family running it, strong community support and daily hours from noon until 2 a.m. Edna’s does not appear to be going anywhere.

“All I ever wanted to do, and my family, too, is just honor [my mom] and what she’s done and brought to Oklahoma City and how she wants people to be treated,” Lucas said. “You know we’ve had our ups and downs, but we’re hanging in there and we’re just blessed.”



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NBA Draft: Jeremiah Fears, Jalon Moore Boost Draft Value while Lifting Oklahoma to SEC Win

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NBA Draft: Jeremiah Fears, Jalon Moore Boost Draft Value while Lifting Oklahoma to SEC Win


As Oklahoma pulled off a massive win over No. 24 Vanderbilt, the play of their two draft prospects caught attention. Senior forward Jalon Moore and freshman guard Jeremiah Fears both delivered strong performances, lifting the Sooners to a 97-67 win over the Commodores and continuing their climb up the SEC standings.

Let’s take a closer look at these two players’ impressive outings and break down the aspects of their games that will be highly coveted by NBA teams.

Jeremiah Fears has impressed for O

Feb 1, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Jeremiah Fears (0) shoots the ball against Vanderbilt Commodores guard Chris Manon (30) during the second half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Jeremiah Fears bounced back from a scoreless performance in his last game with a strong showing. He finished with 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals in 30 minutes of action. It was an efficient outing, as he shot 8-of-12 from the field, 1-of-3 from three, and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. He continued to navigate screens well and used his shifty handle to create space. While he looked good on catch-and-shoot threes, he primarily shined by attacking the rim and finishing with soft touch.

Fears appears to be a safe bet to be selected in the lottery of the upcoming draft. As a young and productive prospect, his ability to stuff the stat sheet is highly promising. While he is not the most athletic player vertically, his lateral quickness and impressive change of direction should continue to boost his stock as the season progresses.

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Jalon Moore has impressed for Oklahom

Feb 1, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners forward Jalon Moore (14) drives to the basket around Vanderbilt Commodores guard Tyler Tanner (3) during the second half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Jalon Moore has not received nearly as much draft buzz as Fears, but his budding offensive game and defensive versatility hold significant value. This two-way effectiveness was evident in yesterday’s game, as he finished with 19 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block while shooting 66.7% from the field, 50% from three and 55.6% from the free-throw line. He is an extremely long and explosive athlete who did a great job of getting to the rim and finishing through contact. Moore frequently served as the roll man alongside Fears, creating consistent driving lanes. He also continued to showcase his hot shooting season, connecting on 2-of-4 of his catch-and-shoot threes.

Whether or not he is selected in the upcoming draft, Moore possesses the athletic tools and defensive upside to warrant consideration at the next level. While he is somewhat positionally in-between, his ability to attack the rim and stretch the floor gives him intriguing potential. His defensive value is the most compelling aspect of his game, as his aggression, long arms and nonstop motor allow him to guard multiple positions effectively.

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.





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Oklahoma routs No. 24 Vanderbilt 97-67 for 3rd win in 4 games

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Oklahoma routs No. 24 Vanderbilt 97-67 for 3rd win in 4 games


NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Freshman guard Jeremiah Fears scored 21 points to help Oklahoma dominate No. 24 Vanderbilt in a 97-67 win on Saturday.

Oklahoma’s Jalon Moore added 19 points and surpassed 1,000 career points. Dayton Forsythe scored 14 points for the Sooners (16-5, 3-5 Southeastern Conference), who have won three of four after losing their first four league games.

Oklahoma took control with a 23-0 run in the second half. The Sooners shot 63.2% from the field overall, including 72.7% after the break.

Devin McGlockton led Vanderbilt (16-5, 4-4) with 22 points. Jason Edwards scored 21 points for the Commodores, but he needed 20 shots to get them.

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Vanderbilt led 38-27 late in the first half before Oklahoma closed on a 9-2 run to cut the deficit to 40-36 at the break.

Oklahoma controlled the second half. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Brycen Goodine and Moore put the Sooners up 52-42 with 16:31 remaining, and a timeout by Vanderbilt didn’t help. By the end of Oklahoma’s 23-0 run, the Commodores had missed eight consecutive shots.

Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner sliced through the lane for a one-handed jam that cut Oklahoma’s lead to 60-52 with about 10 minutes to go, but Oklahoma regrouped and expanded its lead.

Takeaways

Vanderbilt: The Commodores shot 30% in the second half and made 1 of 12 3-pointers.

Oklahoma: Coach Porter Moser had made rebounding an emphasis after some rough performances, and the Sooners responded by outrebounding Vanderbilt 39-24.

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Key moment

Oklahoma took its first lead, 44-42, on a 3-pointer by Goodine early in the second half. The Sooners never trailed again.

Key stat

Vanderbilt had 10 turnovers and nine made field goals in the second half.

Up next

Vanderbilt visits No. 5 Florida on Tuesday night.

Oklahoma visits No. 1 Auburn on Tuesday night.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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Oklahoma State wrestling hoping to get ’10K in GIA’ for Missouri dual

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Oklahoma State wrestling hoping to get ’10K in GIA’ for Missouri dual


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STILLWATER — David Taylor isn’t the type to hide his goals.

One in particular that the first-year Oklahoma State wrestling coach has expressed is attendance — and the pursuit of bringing 10,000 fans to Gallagher-Iba Arena.

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The Cowboys have surpassed 8,200 twice this year, and are well ahead of pace to break the program’s single-season average for attendance since the arena was expanded to its current capacity for the 2001 season.

But the third-ranked Cowboys have one last shot to hit Taylor’s 10,000 mark when they host No. 20 Missouri at 2 p.m. Sunday at GIA. They’ve labeled the goal as “10K in GIA” on social media promotions.

OSU’s season high attendance is 8,257, set a couple weeks ago in the 30-12 rout of West Virginia, and that brought the season average to 7,073.

Last year’s Cowboys set the known record for season average at 5,871. This year, the team has been over 6,000 for every dual. 

“It’s pretty awesome,” Taylor said after the West Virginia win. “When we sat down with guys, we were like, ‘Hey, these are our goals for the season.’ They said, ‘You guys aren’t gonna be able to do that unless you get Team X, Y and Z to come in here. I was like, why’s that? You don’t know.

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“Oklahoma State wrestling, this is an important thing to people. So I think it’s awesome.”

It’s possible that OSU has had a higher average attendance than whatever this year’s number ends up being. 

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Before the major renovation for 2000-01, which brought the capacity to 13,611, the previous arena had seated 6,381 since 1986. It was in the 6,700 range for a few years before that. 

But the exact attendance numbers from anything before 2001 weren’t as closely tracked as they are today.

So maybe there was a season when the historically legendary program brought more fans through the GIA turnstiles. 

But this year remains historical regardless, and signals the excitement Taylor brought to OSU both with his reputation and the product he’s putting on the mat — an aggressive, enthralling style of wrestling that draws fans’ attention.

“I love the amount of fans that we have,” OSU 141-pound sophomore Tagen Jamison said. “Other programs, if you look at their videos, they’re not having the support system that we have here. It’s really awesome to see the amount of fans that we get to show up.

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“I think it helps drive what we’re doing already.”

At a point in time when revenue is about to become a much more impactful term in college athletics — with the NCAA antitrust settlement expected to open the door for revenue sharing directly with athletes.

“We’re in a time in college athletics where that stuff matters,” Taylor said. “How many people that come to our matches matters. 

“I think we’re continuing to push the limits. It means a lot to our guys, our program, our university. It’s really cool to see that and be a part of a program that can show that type of support for wrestling.”

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And it’s been particularly inspiring for the newcomers from other programs that don’t draw the way OSU has this year to see the support Cowboy fans have brought. 

“I think it’s really exciting,” said OSU heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson, who wrestled the last four years at Air Force. “Stillwater is a special place. The wrestlers that come here are all special guys. There’s a lot of good stuff going on here and it’s contagious when you’re in that environment and there’s so much passion toward a sport. 

“They’re all here to support the Cowboys and see some good wrestling, and we like to deliver that every single time.”

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