Kailyn Ogle’s canine leads a double life.
Arrow, a tan cattle canine combine with white markings and button ears, is an adoptee from Oklahoma City’s Country Roads Animal Rescue.
Oklahoma City Thunder followers usually tend to know the spunky canine by her alias.
This is the origin story of Bark Daigneault.
The canine’s squinting expression has drawn comparisons to Mark Daigneault’s distinct gaze when he challenges a name, and the joke traveled throughout social media till reaching the Thunder coach.
“I started getting text messages from friends who are also huge Thunder fans being like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I think Mark just referenced your dog,’” Ogle mentioned. “And I was like, ‘What?’”
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As the Thunder hosts its first playoff video games since 2019, the world can see OKC’s quirky solid of loyal followers. There’s Jeremy Price, recognized for his intricate tattoo sleeves and his Jalen Williams jersey. Japanese artist Nanae Yamano creates charming drawings of Thunder gamers. Garrett Haviland, aka “Thundor,” donned his signature wrestling masks and had “PLAYOFFS” painted on his stomach Sunday evening.
Ogle, who mentioned she’s no relation to Oklahoma City’s well-known information personalities, opted to mix into the ocean of followers together with her playoff T-shirt as a substitute of sporting an elaborate costume. But the longtime Thunder supporter from Edmond has gained recognition within the fandom for a special cause.
This cause has 4 legs and paws.
Ogle adopted Arrow in 2018, two years earlier than the Thunder made Daigneault head coach. She mentioned she reached out to the rescue a few totally different canine, and unexpectedly, then-puppy Arrow received her over. Arrow’s ancestry is a thriller, however her mixture of cattle canine and maybe Labrador retriever has created a one-of-a-kind companion Ogle described as “expressive.”
“She’s just a good dog,” Ogle mentioned. “That’s what I tell people.”
Ogle is aware of Arrow’s squinting face as one in all her traditional expressions. She mentioned when Arrow desires one thing — a deal with, or possibly a second dinner — the communicative pooch stares at folks with narrowed eyes.
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Because of a comical coincidence, Ogle calls it the “coach’s challenge face.”
Once, as Ogle watched a Thunder recreation, Arrow planted herself in entrance of the TV and squinted. With impeccable timing, the published confirmed Thunder coach Daigneault delivering the identical targeted stare.
Ogle burst into laughter and despatched a textual content to her mother: “Have you ever realized that my dog’s facial expression actually looks a lot like Coach Daigneault?”
In Ogle’s household of Thunder followers, the remark was a success. She credited her dad for considering up the “Bark Daigneault” nickname.
“If that isn’t a dad joke,” Ogle mentioned, “I don’t know what is.”
The “challenge face” is Arrow’s blonde Hannah Montana wig, the important thing to immediately turning into Bark Daigneault. This previous Christmas, Ogle gave the internet the gift of Barksharing photographs of the Thunder coach and the canine facet by facet.
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“My dog makes this face at me when she’s annoyed and every time it makes me think of Daigneault,” Ogle wrote on X earlier than mentioning the punny nickname.
A reply from @WeAreOKC: “You thought you could post 4 pictures of Mark and we wouldn’t notice?”
Ogle’s publish garnered 625 likes, and Bark reappeared this month.
When NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski introduced Daigneault because the National Basketball Coaches Association’s NBA coach of the 12 months, Ogle shared a intelligent response on X.
“No need to challenge this vote – Bark Daigneault approves,” Ogle posted with a photograph of the canine squinting whereas sporting a Christmas bandanna.
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A pair days later, it occurred.
Mark Daigneault talked about Bark Daigneault in a media scrum. Laila Wani, Senior Basketball Communications Lead for the Thunder, noticed the picture and shared it with the Thunder coach.
“Laila showed me the dog, so I’m aware that that’s a thing,” Daigneault mentioned, laughing. “My eyes are fine. It’s a habit. I don’t know.”
In the background of the interview, a reporter added a layer to the pun, saying “Bark Dogneault.”
Ogle couldn’t consider her household’s inside joke had unfold to the newly topped coach of the 12 months. An avid Daigneault fan, she made clear it was all in good enjoyable.
“I think he’s a great coach,” Ogle mentioned. “Seems like an awesome guy. Hopefully, he got a laugh out of it. The last thing I was ever expecting was for him to actually see that.”
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The legend of Bark Daigneault/Dogneault persists. Friends inspired Ogle to make an indication with Arrow’s image for the primary playoff recreation, however she didn’t have sufficient time upfront. With a vigorous Paycom Center crowd echoing the young Thunder’s hype routine of barking, an indication that includes a canine would have match proper in.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard 18,000 people bark at the same time before, until (Sunday),” Ogle mentioned.
The total playoff expertise has a surreal factor for Ogle, who has adopted the Thunder together with her household because the group’s 2008 inception.
“It’s just such a special environment because of what the team means to the city, how much the city has grown with the team,” Ogle mentioned.
Ogle exhibits up for home video games. She even traveled to Madison Square Garden to look at the Thunder this 12 months, connecting with some New Yorkers who cheered for OKC due to their Norman roots.
It’s an exhilarating journey, and the emergence of Bark Daigneault makes it that rather more enjoyable.
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Hallie Hart covers highschool sports activities for The Oklahoman. Have a narrative thought for Hallie? She may be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @halliehart. Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access extra highschool protection. Support Hallie’s work and that of different Oklahoman journalists by buying a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by utilizing the hyperlink on the high of this web page.
