Mike Kays: HASHMARKS: Artwork at Rougher Village entrance has mystery

Jan. 18—Leftovers from the breaking in of Rougher Village in all its fullness over the weekend:

There's a few people who've looked up at the murals overlooking the entrance area to the new arena and think they recognize one of the athletes portrayed.

They do. Kind of. Maybe.

Secretly, guys like MPS public relations coordinator Shane Stewart know some — at least one he can't remember. One, Stewart said, barely played in that sport — "but it was a good picture."

And that was purpose No. 1 — good, appealing art to greet you.

Hey, even AT&T Stadium has its own art collection.

Originally, Stewart said, Manhattan Construction had its idea for the walls, something of a more clip art variety, but after looking at it, Stewart, who is responsible for just about every MPS related graphic you've seen over the last couple decades, had his own idea.

He and former MPS media relations director Steve Braun vetted photos they liked, then utilizing different digital alternation processes came up with a more homemade option.

"I wanted us to use our own photos not so much for who the kids were, but what they were," Stewart said.

Numbers were changed. Logos on uniforms were added in some cases, and if you look hard enough, you'll see the original Bulldog mascot — the only place it exists among all the new branding logos on campus.

Athletic director Jason Parker sees it as the best of both worlds.

"You don't know who it is, easily. It makes you guess so it becomes timeless," he said.

Which it should do for what is being seen as a 50-year facility.

There's similar art on the wall inside the Rougher Store.

So go on, gawk, and guess. You may be right. They're all of somebody, just not completely.

Ron Milam legacy

Those concerned about the legacy of Ron Milam Gymnasium, the now-departed home of Muskogee basketball at least on the varsity level, know that it will be preserved, just not as a transferred name to the new Rougher Village.

Parker said the district had been approached by some entities interested in sponsorship deals for naming rights on one or the other or both football and basketball facilities.

"They already reached out, but we really hadn't gotten our ducks in a row to decide what we want to offer and how much," Parker said. "My plan is for this spring to restart those conversations not only to get names but generate some revenue."

Meanwhile, Ron Milam Gymnasium, named for the ex-Rougher who was among the victims of the Pentagon terror attack in 2001, will get what Parker called an "upgraded memorial" toward the front to commemorate his legacy "in an enhanced way." while also retaining the name.

"It's still going to be an existing facility," he said, noting volleyball, wrestling and underclassman basketball will still utilize it. The facility will also enhance expanded concepts for tournaments in volleyball and basketball — the latter sorely needed having absorbed a hit to home games with the shutdown of the Bedouin Shrine Classic tournament.

More events coming

As for the new arena, the uses will soon be frequent.

It's not yet official, but likely, that the NJCAA Region II basketball tournament secured through the Muskogee Tourism Authority will wind up at Rougher Village rather than the Civic Center. Contingency talks have been held between tourism and school officials and final details are still pending. Rougher Village would have to add a college-length three-point shot arc, a shot clock and block-charge arc in the lane.

It's also possible that MPS will host either a OSSAA regional or area tournament — if not this year, in the coming years. Those take place this year in the two weeks prior to the NJCAA tourney.

Parker said he is scheduled to meet with the OSSAA on Thursday as they look over the facility and not only that one, but the cross country layout at Hatbox, which last fall was used for the Frontier Conference meet.

Finally, another benefit to all these facilities: Superintendent Jarod Mendenhall said last week that families with four athletes transferred in this semester — and if you remember, for all the pros and cons of cost of the bond package that has not only done this but rebuilt two schools, with one on the way and multiple other renovations, a pro was to reverse the numbers of enrollees being lost by the year.

So Muskogee — even if you weren't raised a Rougher, it's a great day to be one, or just living around one.