It was no different when they recently spent an evening in a local parking lot shooting a music video for their song “Beard Like Harden,” which is a parody of Maroon 5's “Moves Like Jagger” - all about Oklahoma City's star basketball player James Harden and his trademark beard.

They thought the video might make a splash in the local community, but were surprised when it exploded into a statewide sensation.

The video was posted on YouTube on May 10, and in its first week received almost 140,000 views.

“I was thinking Woodward has about 15,000 people, so maybe we'd get around 10,000 views. We have some other videos on the site that have gotten a few thousand views, so we thought maybe we'd get a few more because a lot of people like the Thunder,” Chris said.

The video surpassed his expectations in its first day.

“I'm very surprised it took off like it did,” he said.

The song grew out of an inside joke.

It all started with Game 3 of the Thunder's first-round playoff series with the Dallas Mavericks.

Chris's brother, Daniel, and their friends Gary and Abby Babb, had decided to all go watch the May 3 game at Pizza Hut. As he often does when watching the Thunder play, Gary said he joked about how he wished he could grow a beard like Harden's.  

At halftime the trio decided to leave the restaurant, and just by luck, Maroon 5's “Moves Like Jagger” happened to come on the car's radio. When the song's chorus came around Abby began substituting the lyrics with “beard like Harden.”

Pretty soon, all three were singing along with the new chorus, and Daniel was inspired.

“He said, ‘I like this, I think I'm going to write the rest of it and make a full song,'” Gary said. “The next thing I know I got a text from Daniel saying ‘Beard Like Harden' is done.”

Daniel said he finished writing the majority of the three-minute song while watching the second half of Game 3 against the Mavericks

“Then I showed the song to Chris the next day at lunch,” Daniel said, noting he and his brother worked together to “polish it up.”

Chris then met up with their sister, Bobbi, to record the song, for which the duo sings the vocals.

But just recording the song wasn't enough.

A couple days after the first inspiration, Gary said, “Chris called me and said, ‘Hey, do you want to help do a short music video for the song?' I've always had fun making the other videos, so I thought, why not? So we came up here and shot some baskets and danced awkwardly while they sang.”

Daniel and Gary were joined by friends Jordan Wilson, Sterling Parks and Zach Jackson for the dancing and basketball footage. They credited Zach as their choreographer.

Much like winning a basketball game, the creation of the song and its success was “all about the timing,” Chris said.

He said he thinks interest in the video has been spurred by the fact the Thunder continue to play well in the NBA playoffs.

Also, because the song is focused around Harden, a lot of the interest comes from the fact “Harden's doing well and people like him,” Chris said.

It also didn't hurt Harden himself seemed to appreciate the video,  retweeting it to all 330,000 of his followers on Twitter.

It is unclear how Harden himself learned of the video, but on May 11, on his Twitter account @JHarden13 he tweeted “Haha!! The Beard #ThunderUp” followed by a link to the YouTube video.

The group said social media has really helped the song soar.

“We have lots of people tweeting it and reposting it,” Chris said.

The talk isn't just limited to the Internet though. The group said they've been interviewed by a number of news media groups, and “Inside the NBA” played a clip from the video during its post-game coverage on TNT, after the Thunder's win over the Lakers Wednesday night. A link to the clip also was posted at nba.com/insidethenba. It is titled “Fear the Beard.”

Ricks is assistant editor of the Woodward News.

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I'll Have Another wins Preakness, will chase Triple Crown

BALTIMORE -- I'll Have Another did just that, winning another Triple Crown race with even more flash and dash than he did in the Kentucky Derby.

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Thunder forward Kevin Durant forces Lakers guard Kobe Bryant into a difficult shot in the fourth quarter of Game 4 on Saturday night at Staples Center. (Stephen Dunn / Getty Images / May 19, 2012)

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This will be one the locals talk about for a while. Final score, Oklahoma City 103, Lakers 100. Thunder lead 3-1, with Game 5 coming Monday in OKC.

Here are five takeaways...

1. Kobe Bryant continued to attack

He came out of the gate hot, hitting three of his first five shots and earning four trips to the line in the first quarter en route to 10 points. At the half, Bryant had 16 points, along with three assists. Certainly nothing to scoff at, but relative to what he did in the third quarter, it felt like a trifle. Bryant attacked relentlessly out of the break, pounding on Thabo Sefolosha in the high post, bullying him to favored spots on the floor before rising for baby jumpers. When he wasn't putting bruises on Sefolosha's upper body, Bryant went at the rim, earning seven free throws. He capped a brilliant 12 minutes with a 22-footer at the end of the quarter so tight against the buzzer, it made .4 look like an eternity in comparison.

Combined with the 18 he took in Game 3, Bryant has now taken 35 in the last two games after only getting nine attempts in Games 1 and 2. This only happens if he's in full attack mode, sending all his energy forward, as opposed to settling for the outside game. When it happens, the results can be staggering.

2. Unfortunately, it came at a price.

While Kobe was red hot in the third quarter, he cooled off considerably in the fourth and perhaps emboldened by the tear he just finished, started forcing shots. He missed six of his first seven, and the one make was a brutally tough, don't-try-this-at-home baseline jumper on James Harden. In the process -- I'm talking about both the third and fourth quarters -- the post game with Andrew Bynum serving them so well in the first half was basically abandoned. Bynum had 11 shots and 14 points in the first half, and only four attempts in the second.

Not to say Bryant was the cause of Saturday's loss, but brilliant as he was in the third, he shot them out of the fourth. The Lakers' offense, as productive as it has been through the first four games of the series, scoring 29, 27, and 24 points in the first three quarters, died in the down the stretch. Only 18 points, in part because Bryant made only two of his 10 shots (the second being a totally meaningless jumper at the buzzer).

There was no balance, and very little ball movement. Blame his teammates for not capitalizing on opportunities or being aggressive enough -- Pau Gasol for example passed up an open shot off a pick and roll with Kobe, compounding the error by turning the ball over trying to kick to Metta World Peace on the perimeter. Kevin Durant jumped the pass, and hit a 3-pointer from the top of the arc tying the score at 98-98 with 33 seconds remaining. It was a horrible, horrible play from any player, let alone one of his caliber. Throw some blame at the coaching staff as well for not figuring out ways to penetrate an Oklahoma City defense once again fronting Bynum and working hard to deny post entries.

But in the end, it's telling that nine of the team's 18 fourth-quarter points came in the first three minutes with Kobe on the bench, two more just after his return, when Jordan Hill put back a Bryant miss, then one more on a technical free throw.

He finished with 38 points on 28 shots, thanks to the FT's, but with a very inefficient 12-28 mark from the floor. What was shaping up to be a spectacular game went south. Bryant is going to take plenty of flak for Saturday's result, and with cause.

3. Offensively, the Lakers received critical contributions from the supporting cast.

For most of the game, at least.

Nobody can complain about the work Metta World Peace has done defensively through the first three games of the series. To paraphrase the great actor Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, playing Roger Murdock in Airplane ("I'm the co-pilot!"), tell your old man to drag Durant up and down the court for 48 minutes. Yeah, KD gets his, but he led the league in scoring. Offensively, though Metta has been a major drag. Saturday, though, he came alive. The outside shot failing him so badly in the last two games was on, as he hit four of eight triples on his way to 14 points.

Ramon Sessions finished with a strong 10 points, showing good aggression going to the bucket, even while his jumper remains toxic. He added five assists, as well. Jordan Hill had four offensive rebounds, and a block. The "other guys" were a presence, always critical for the Lakers.

4. In the fourth quarter, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook took over.

They were both good through three, no question. Westbrook hit 11-of-20 for 27 points, while Durant had 20 points on 8-of-15 from the floor. Moreover, K.D. was clearly building some momentum, scoring eight points in the third. But together, OKC's dynamic duo was a force down the stretch, combining for 21 points on only nine field goal attempts, plus another 10 trips to the line. Westbrook displayed the full arsenal, hitting mid-range shots off the screen and roll, but also attacking the basket and finishing at the rack. They were the fuel of a Thunder attack shooting 67 percent in the final period. Each came up with a critical steal, as well.

The Lakers simply had no answer.

5. Pau Gasol didn't bring enough.

It's been a season long struggle for Mike Brown's Lakers to find the most effective way to use Gasol, and an equally long slog for Gasol to figure out the best way for him to function. Too often the offense has reduced him to a perimeter playmaker, not someone who can score in the post, where on a points per play basis, he's still their best weapon. Gasol, in turn, has allowed himself too often to be swallowed up, not taking matters into his own hands and forcing the issue. Saturday, he did a lot of dirty work around the ball. Setting screens, crashing the glass to try and create second chances, and so on. But he's not supposed to be Udanis Haslem. Gasol is a two-time champion and many times an All-Star. His Game 5 line -- 10 points, five boards, and two assists -- isn't good enough, and that's before the aforementioned turnover, which was critical.

Critics will note he had no shots in the fourth quarter. So will Gasol. His critics will say it's because of a lack of aggression. He'll say it's reflective of a shrinking role as a scorer, and a lack of touches in good position to attack. In the end, it's some from column A, some from column B, the quantities varying depending on the night.

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Wiig started crying during the final skit, a graduation ceremony featuring cast mates, old friends and SNL creator Lorne Michaels.

“Many of you are moving onto college, but I'd like to take a moment to say goodbye to one particular student who is leaving this summer … to become a nun,” Jagger said, calling Kristen to the stage.

Wiig ditched the cap and gown to reveal a beige dress. Backing band Arcade Fire began playing the Rolling Stones hit “She's a Rainbow,” and Wiig danced with a cavalcade of cast mates, her expression a mix of smiles and tears.

Andy Samberg spun Wiig around … a funny, happy moment, but nearly a wardrobe disaster due to Wiig's skirt.

Michaels appeared for Wiig's final dance, then Mick led the group in “Ruby Tuesday.” Somewhere along the way, former SNL stars Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, Chris Parnell and Chris Kattan emerged onstage with perennial guest Steve Martin and “Mad Men” actor Jon Hamm (who played Wiig's jerky boyfriend in her hit movie “Bridesmaids”).

Wiig blew kisses to the crowd, bowed and waved – an end to seven seasons of quirkiness and heart. Sure, some of her characters made your skin crawl (Gilly's classroom antics became a one-note comedy flat liner).

But Wiig brought something special to the show, steering SNL through lean seasons and intertwining herself with the show's tapestry.

SNL's most powerful moments don't always involve laugh-out-loud humor. John Belushi proved that by dancing on graves. Phil Hartman and Gilda Radner understood that, too. The show's post-9/11 episode served as a tribute to tragedy.

At its best, “Saturday Night Live” makes you feel something, makes you say ‘wow' every once and again. This weekend's episode carried a few ‘wow' moments because it allowed its host and outgoing star to shine.

Mick provided an early highlight by crooning a melancholy “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction” after being ditched at the karaoke bar by his life insurance chums. The song feels so different when it's stripped of brash and brass – a lovelorn, sad sort of quality matched in the skit by Jagger's undone tie and shattered ego.

Jagger showed off his comedy chops later in the show with a blues song about the presidential race.

“You're going to have to raise about $100 million or you'll end down deep in the s-,” he sang.

His other performances included “The Last Time” with Arcade Fire, and “It's Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It)” with the Foo Fighters.

Mick's strongest laughs came during a “So You Think You Can Dance at an Outdoor Music Festival” skit, with the Rolling Stones singer raiding the women's clothing counter – and plugging Burger King – to portray Aerosmith's Steven Tyler.

The episode also featured a digital short, “Lazy Sunday 2.” No Magnolia cupcakes this time – the line at the bakery is too long. Instead, Parnell and Samberg sip mimosas and catch “Sister Act” on Broadway.

“Cause once you buy ‘em, you can't get your tickets back,” the pair raps.

The show rallied with another installment of the addictive “Californians,” a travel-conscious soap that features wine, dusted off ‘Valley Girl' accents and group mirror stare-offs.

And then it was onto the final skit, with Wiig graduating with honors.

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Cool, calm and collected - those are not just the properties of the old. The Oklahoma City Thunder, under the Lakers' thumb most of the night, erupted in the fourth quarter and won, 103-100, to lead this Western Conference semifinal, 3-1.

Kevin Durant's 3-pointer, as cold-blooded a shot as anything the Black Mamba ever produced, was the difference-maker after Pau Gasol, given space and time, elected to throw an errant cross-court pass instead of attacking the hoop.

But it was Russell Westbrook's relentless 37 points that kept the Thunder within range on a night when the Lakers played brilliantly and together until it really counted.

Kobe Bryant took over, or was saddled with, the big-shot burden at the end and couldn't beat Oklahoma City by himself. He was 2 for 10 in the fourth quarter while Andrew Bynum, the ruler of the first half, got just four shots in the second half.

And maybe the fact that it was a back-to-back situation finally consumed the Lakers' energy. No excuse will hold up very long when this crushing loss is fully dissected.

As we all know, this schedule does not pander to the obsessive-compulsives who coach NBA teams. Mike Brown, pregame, was talking about how he wished the Lakers had just a little more time to tweak and adjust and scheme.

He also said, "You just gotta go play."

To that end, the Lakers did not do their usual shootaround Saturday morning, preferring to arrive at Staples at 5 p.m., watch tape, walk through some things, and avoid stepping on what was left of the Clippers.

Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks replied, "We heard they canceled their shootaround so we had a two-hour shootaround because we have so much more energy."

He was kidding, of course, just as he replied, "Coach Mulligan," when someone asked him where he got his defensive orientation. Brooks was an All-PCAA player for Bill Mulligan's UC Irvine Anteaters in the rousing 1980s, when the conference featured all sorts of draftable talent from UNLV, Long Beach State, UC Santa Barbara, New Mexico State, etc.

"I didn't get to this league because of my defense," Brooks said. "But Jeff Van Gundy ... basically every coach I ever played for stressed how important it was. Like I tell Kevin (Durant), you're a great player now but you can be a truly elite player in this league for 13 or so years if you make yourself a great defensive player."

Then the Thunder came out in the first half and went from elite to lit-up. The Lakers shot 60 percent in the first quarter, 49.9 percent for the first half, and sopped up nine offensive rebounds. The towering figure was Bynum, who hit his first five shots and was 7 for 11 for the half with two blocks.

At the end, the Thunder swarmed Bynum like iron filings around a magnet, highlighting that Bynum still needs to improve his passing out of traffic. But since every other part of his game has blossomed so prominently given health, one can assume he'll learn to do that.

The keepsake play of the half was Bynum's block of Nazr Mohammed in the paint. The ball had not yet landed in Ramon Sessions' hands when Bynum started sprinting down the middle of the floor, the type of "rim-running" exercises that coaches preach. Sessions rewarded Bynum with a pass right into his pocket just above the foul circle, and Bymum finished strongly, as the building bubbled up. That gave the Lakers a 36-26 lead early in the second quarter.

The Thunder's strategy of guarding Bryant by parade was not working either. He had shot (and made) 16 free throws on Friday. He opened this game with two more foul shots. At the end of the half he barged into the lane, got blocked by Kendrick Perkins, and watched Russell Westbrook slam. But then Bryant saddled up and went right back into the lane to get the andone 3-point play.

Brown was asked if Bryant was hassled, disrupted or worried by the fact that the Thunder is sending different defenders against him on nearly every possession. Or does Bryant even notice?

"I don't think he notices," Brown said. "I'll say, look, Kobe, do you want us to set a pick and get a particular matchup for you? And he'll just give me that look, like it doesn't matter who's guarding him."

Brown simulated that look almost perfectly - an insolent frown, an are-you-kidding-me glance, as if someone had asked Bryant if he'd ever visited Italy.

That same look was on the vast majority of 18,997 faces, at the bitter end.

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Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace and Pau Gasol walk off the court after the Lakers 103-100 Game 4 loss to the Thunder. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times / May 19, 2012)

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