Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sheriffs’ Association backs strengthening cockfighting laws
COMANCHE COUNTY — The Oklahoma Sheriffs’ Association is calling cockfighting a public safety crisis. The OSS wrote a letter to the Oklahoma Congressional Delegation, strongly supporting the FIGHT (Fighting Illegal Gaming and High-Risk Animal Trafficking) Act, or HR 3946.
It is viewed as a positive step by animal rights groups, like Animal Wellness Action, that have often accused Oklahoma law enforcement of turning a “blind eye” to enforcing illegal animal fighting operations.
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According to the letter signed by OSA Deputy Director Kyle Keller, the FIGHT act would provide tools that would be indispensable to Oklahoma sheriff’s departments, many of which are limited on budget and manpower.
It states sheriffs often encounter other illegal activity associated with animal fighting events, like gambling, drug dealing, violence and human trafficking.
The letter states the FIGHT act would:
• Ban simulcasting and gambling on animal fights
• Prohibit the shipment of mature roosters through the U.S. mail
• Create a citizen suit provision, allowing private individuals to take legal action against illegal animal fighters
• Enhance forfeiture provisions to include real property used in the commission of animal fighting crimes
2 News often hears from the gamefowl community after airing stories, and are told their voice isn’t heard. We spoke with B.L. Cozad of Comanche County on his views of the laws.
He believes that banning cockfighting goes against seven amendments of the U.S. Constitution, and that the government shouldn’t place higher value on gamefowl lives than his rights.
2 News interview with gamefowl farmer
2 News’ Erin Christy: Are you a cockfighter?
Cozad: I own gamecocks. Yes, I do I’m a gamecock farmer.
Christy: Do you fight them?
Cozad: You harvest your gamecock, you harvest your livestock.
Christy: When you use the term harvest, what do you mean?
Cozad: You’re making an economic harvest are you not?
Christy: Oh you’re making money. So your ‘economic harvest’ is fighting gamefowl.
Cozad: The same way gamecocks have been harvested for more than 3,000 years. You compete them against another gamecock.
Christy: You believe cockfighting should be legal because it’s within your right?
Cozad: It is legal. The law is unconstitutional. Any law that is unconstitutional is an illegal law.
Christy: But you would have to take the issue of cockfighting to the Supreme Court for them to declare it’s unconstitutional. We can’t just make that assumption on our own.
Cozad: Oh, yes, we can, because every person every person has their own, ideas and their own understanding of the Constitution of the United States. We don’t have rulers in America.
Christy: You believe regardless of whether the state law, the federal law… you just believe that no matter what, the current status is– It is a legal thing to do.
Cozad: Here’s the thing…
Christy: No, I’m asking you a question.
Cozad: I understand you’re asking me a question. The thing is, is what I’m telling you, the law is unconstitutional. Any law that is unconstitutional is illegal.
Christy: As one, I’m assuming, goes or has been to cockfighting events, based on what you’re telling me, do you believe the notion that cockfighting events bring along with it other illegal activity?
Cozad: No, there’s no notion. Understand, If you criminalize a football… there are drugs at every football game ever played. Okay? And if you criminalize football, Or, can you criminalize football because someone at the football game had drugs?
Christy: Football is not illegal.
Cozad: If somebody was to show up at a football game with drugs, we could call the police and have them arrested. But if somebody, because I wouldn’t want drugs at the football game, if someone shows up with drugs, we are at a disability (sic).
Christy: Because you’re at an illegal event.
Cozad: When are you gonna wrap your head around the fact that the law is unconstitutional, and any law that is unconstitutional is an illegal law?
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere —
The Oklahoma City Thunder were shocked by the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night in Paycom Center, losing 124-97. This is OKC’s second loss in as many days, losing last night in Phoenix to the Suns 108-105.
The Thunder’s record is now 30-7 and they are 6-6 in their last 12 games. The No. 1 seed in the Western Conference is playing its worst stretch of basketball in over two years.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points on 7-of-21 shooting to keep his 20-point streak alive. OKC shot a rough 28.2% from three-point range and 66.7% from the charity stripe.
Here are three takeaways from the Thunder’s 27-point home loss.
1. Inability to Make Shots
The glaring struggle for the Thunder tonight was on offense, with the team shooting 36.6% from the floor and 28.2% from three-point range. It’s difficult for any team to win shooting that poorly in a game.
The Thunder found open look after open look across the perimeter, but were unable to convert at a high rate. The Hornets were able to consistently help off of perimeter shooters to bring more defensive attention around Gilgeous-Alexander and inside the paint.
Poor shooting creates poor spacing and poor spacing creates ugly offensive execution. Poor spacing and shooting defined OKC’s woes against Charlotte.
2. Young and Hungry Hornets
Charlotte was by far the more energetic team in its win, amped up on both ends from start to finish, flying in for every loose ball. The young team came in looking to send Loud City home unhappy and they succeeded.
The Thunder were on the back end of an away/home back-to-back, having to quickly fly in from Phoenix to prepare for the game. The Hornets smelt blood in the water early, taking the game from their very first run.
After the game was tied at 33 at the end of the first quarter, Charlotte blazed into a 23-7 run throughout a large part of the second quarter to grasp a firm control of the flow of the game. The Thunder’s struggling offense could not find any momentum to claw back into the hole they fell into.
Charlotte’s shooting performance was remarkable from distance. With a plethora of shots taken with great difficulty, the Hornets managed to shoot 51.4% from three-point range.
The Hornets came in hungry and caught the reigning champions by surprise.
3. Gilgeous-Alexander Keeps Streak Alive Amid Struggles
Gilgeous-Alexander scoring above 20 points, with 21, to keep his historic 20-point streak alive, is the lone positive from a rough loss. Despite struggling through constant full-court pressure and double teams from the Hornets, the reigning MVP was able to muster just enough to keep his hunt for the record alive.
Gilgeous-Alexander shot 7-of-21 from the floor and 1-of-6 from three in the loss, adding six assists to his totals. He was OKC’s only 20-point scorer on the night.
The Canadian’s streak of scoring 20-or-more points now sits at 108 games, 18 behind Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 126.
The Sooners have added reinforcement to their backfield for the 2026 season in the form of Colorado State transfer Lloyd Avant.
The rising junior has committed to Oklahoma, and will join the program with two years of eligibility remaining. He’ll add explosiveness and versatility to an OU running back corps headlined by returning workhorses Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock.
It’s a return to the Sooner State for Avant, who spent his freshman season at Tulsa in 2024. He signed with the Golden Hurricane out of high school as a three-star recruit. At the time, TU’s head coach was Kevin Wilson, who’s now on staff with Oklahoma as an offensive analyst.
Avant made an immediate impact at Tulsa as a true freshman, rushing for 259 yards and a TD and adding a kick return touchdown. But after Wilson’s dismissal, the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder elected to enter the transfer portal and eventually landed at CSU. There, he became a weapon in several facets for the program during his lone season with the Rams. He totaled over 900 all-purpose yards, 417 of which came on the ground and 261 of which came via pass reception. He scored six total TD’s and averaged nearly six yards per touch.
Upon Avant’s second portal entry, the Sooners quickly emerged as the team to watch in his recruitment. He visited campus Sunday and didn’t take long to lock in his decision.
A native of Humble, Texas, Avant gives Oklahoma six scholarship running backs heading into the new season. He joins Robinson, Blaylock, Andy Bass, and a pair of incoming freshmen in Jonathan Hatton and DeZephen Walker. It’ll also be of some intrigue to see whether OU offers him the chance to return kicks. As a team, the Sooners attempted just two kickoff returns in 2025, opting almost exclusively for fair catches. That philosophy could change with a proven special teams weapon like Avant in the stable.
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Charlotte Hornets (12-23, 12th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (30-6, first in the Western Conference)
Oklahoma City; Monday, 8 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Thunder -15.5; over/under is 232.5
BOTTOM LINE: Oklahoma City hosts Charlotte looking to continue its three-game home winning streak.
The Thunder have gone 17-2 at home. Oklahoma City scores 121.9 points while outscoring opponents by 14.7 points per game.
The Hornets have gone 5-13 away from home. Charlotte ranks fourth in the league averaging 15.1 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 36.7% from downtown. Kon Knueppel leads the team averaging 3.6 makes while shooting 42.8% from 3-point range.
The Thunder’s 13.6 made 3-pointers per game this season are the same per game average that the Hornets allow. The Hornets are shooting 45.6% from the field, 2.5% higher than the 43.1% the Thunder’s opponents have shot this season.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Thunder won 109-96 in the last meeting on Nov. 16. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 33 points, and Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 15 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Chet Holmgren is averaging 18.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 25.0 points over the last 10 games.
Bridges is averaging 20.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is averaging 4.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 6-4, averaging 118.9 points, 42.5 rebounds, 24.7 assists, 9.9 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.3 points per game.
Hornets: 5-5, averaging 118.7 points, 45.6 rebounds, 28.8 assists, 7.6 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.8 points.
INJURIES: Thunder: Nikola Topic: out (groin), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee), Ousmane Dieng: out (calf), Jaylin Williams: out (heel), Isaiah Hartenstein: out (calf).
Hornets: Mason Plumlee: out (groin), Grant Williams: out (acl), Ryan Kalkbrenner: day to day (elbow), Tidjane Salaun: day to day (ankle), Moussa Diabate: day to day (wrist).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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