CELEBRATING OUR ONE-HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH YEAR OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Monday, February 2, 2015
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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‘U’ cancels class due to snowstorm ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Demonstrators march Saturday in protest of the prosecutor’s decision not to press charges against the AAPD officer who fatally shot Ann Arbor resident Aura Rosser.
Protesters respond after officer receives no charges Prosecutor says police employed self- defense in residential shooting By ANASTASSIOS ADAMOPOULOS Daily Staff Reporter
Protesters marched through downtown Ann Arbor on Saturday in response to the decision
by the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office not to press criminal charges against Ann Arbor Police Department Officer David Ried following the fatal shooting of 40-year-old Ann Arbor resident Aura Rosser. The protest was led by an organization known as Ann Arbor to Ferguson. Participants arrived at City Hall around 4:30 p.m. the day after the decision was announced. Friday evening, the prosecutor’s office announced that Ried
employed “lawful self-defense” when he shot Rosser. The report said Rosser charged toward Ried and the officer accompanying him with a knife, and refused to put it down when ordered to do so by the police officers. Protesters marched holding pictures of Rosser while others held signs reading “Black Lives Matter” and “End Police Violence.” The protesters chanted “No Peace No Justice” as well “Hey hey ho ho, racist cops have got to go” and “Show me what
democracy looks like? This is what democracy looks like.” The protest moved from City Hall to East Washington Street, blocking traffic on Liberty Street and State Street, and ultimately ended on Main Street. The protesters held a moment of silence on the corner of Huron and Main streets before returning to City Hall where the protest concluded shortly after 6 p.m. Throughout the protest, stopped traffic angered some See PROTEST, Page 3A
Snow Day is the second on campus in nearly 40 years By AMABEL KAROUB and IRENE PARK Daily News Editor and Daily Staff Reporter
The University has canceled classes and events on Monday due to inclement weather. This is the second time since 1978 that the University has canceled classes for weather conditions. The Division of Safety and Security issued a notice of “emergency reduction in operations” late Sunday evening. The alert said classes and events would be canceled through 6 p.m. The University’s hospitals will remain open. Classes have also been canceled at the University’s Dearborn and Flint campuses, though those campuses cancel classes at their own discretion.
GREEK LIFE
CAMPUS LIFE
Chapters could face ‘U’ and state actions Processes may lead to further action beyond suspension for resort damage
By MICHAEL SUGERMAN and GENEVIEVE HUMMER Daily News Editor and Daily Staff Reporter
Six University Greek life chapters who reportedly caused damage at two Michigan ski resorts have already been suspended by their national chapters. Now, they will face a number of processes that could yield further punishment beyond the suspension of their chapter events, philanthropy, recruitment and social activities. One of the main issues at play is vandalism and property damage. The Sigma Alpha Mu
fraternity has been the focus of attention after causing damages at Treetops Resort, which according to manager Barry Owens, could cost between $85,000 and $100,000 to repair. Owens said the resort plans to press charges in the incident. Officials with the Boyne Highlands Resort have estimated damages there will total about $25,000. The damages could qualify as “willful and malicious destruction of property” under Michigan state penal code. In a scenario where enough students were on the trip to reduce individual damages to between $200 and $1,000, each student would face misdemeanor charges. These could result in up to one year in prison, “a fine of not more than $2,000 or three times the amount of the destruction or injury, whichever is greater,” or both. See SANCTIONS, Page 3A
According to the National Weather Service, southeast Michigan is predicted to experience subzero wind chill and wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour on Sunday night, and eight to 12 inches of snow by Monday morning. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 15 degrees and a low of zero degrees. The last time the University canceled classes due to inclement weather was Jan. 27, 2014, the first time in 36 years. Following the closure, the University established an updated policy to address concerns raised by the faculty, staff, students and parents. At a meeting of the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs last January, University Provost Martha Pollack said the University did not have a substantial plan in place to guide the closure of classes. “By the time it became clear that we were facing an extraordinary weather event, we realized that we didn’t have appropriate mechanisms See SNOW DAY, Page 3A
‘Culture shift’ event promotes discussion
ROBERT DUNNE/Daily
LSA freshman Adam Davis examines artwork at the judging and opening for the Science as Art contest at the Hatcher Graduate Library Friday.
Science as Art competition showcases scientific pieces Exhibit examines understanding of physical processes through artwork By EMMA KILBANE For the Daily
Science met art on Friday night at the second annual Science as Art Contest Exhibition
and Awards. The exhibition and award ceremony, co-sponsored by the Science Learning Center and Arts at Michigan, provides an outlet for undergraduates to display and receive recognition for their accomplishments, showcasing not only their artistic ability, but also their conceptual and creative understanding of science. Organizers sectioned off the Hatcher Graduate Library to
Students participate in dialogue on sexual assault prevention, policy By LEA GIOTTO Daily Staff Reporter
make room for all 23 submissions as well as the four winners from the previous year’s contest, with entries ranging from poetry to sculptures and digital renderings. The submissions encompassed various scientific topics including entropy, neurons and malarial infection. “Our goal is to actively engage undergraduates in the arts and sciences and to provide an outlet for the creative expression See SCIENCE, Page 3A
Amid an ongoing campus conversation surrounding sexual assault, students gathered at the Trotter Multicultural Center on Friday and Saturday to continue the discussion. The two-day retreat, titled “Culture Shift: Organizing Student Leaders to Stand Against Sexual Violence,” examined topics such as the University’s Student Sexual Misconduct Policy and bystander intervention through lectures and gorup c LSA junior Fabiana Diaz, event organize, communications comSee CULTURE, Page 3A
Close isn’t enough Michigan came up short in overtime against Michigan State
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Aarica Marsh and Derek Wolfe Editorial Page Editors Regent Kathy White delivers the keynote address at the Student Veterans of American annual benefit dinner at the Union ballroom Friday.
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Veterans group raises funds for local programs Regent Kathy White, local judge featured at annual Student Veterans Benefit By TANAZ AHMED Daily Staff Reporter
Dressed in their finest, residents from across Washtenaw County gathered in the Michigan Union Ballroom for the sixth annual Student Veterans Benefit Dinner on Friday. The gala and silent auction was hosted by the University’s chapter of the Student Veterans of America to raise funds for the Washtenaw County Veterans Treatment Court, a program that employs a treatment-based approach — rather than the traditional sentencing — for veterans impacted by substance abuse or mental health. The annual benefit dinner is held to raise awareness about issues veterans face. “Correctly identifying those who
need help first is often the most lifesustaining step,” said LSA senior and SVA President William Kerkstra in his opening remarks. “There are few causes more worthy than helping veterans meet their psychological and substance abuse needs.” Student Veterans of Michigan was founded in 2007 by Derek Blumke, then a 26-year-old Air Force veteran, during his first year at the University. Blumke created the organization because he said he initially felt disconnected from his civilian peers and realized that other student veterans may have felt the same way. He later went on to found the national organization, Student Veterans of America, in 2008. “When we first got here it was challenging, being isolated and not feeling like you have a sense of connectedness with others,” Blumke said at the dinner. “Albeit we don’t have that experience today because I know that the University is trying to change and better itself.” Other attendees at the gala agreed
that prior to 2007, the University did not have adequate resources to support student veterans. Ryan Bouchard, a Business graduate student and a veteran who also attended the University for his undergraduate degree, said University officials initially noted that available services were not extensive because of the University’s small population of student veterans. “Why do you think?” he said. “The University’s services were not up to par with some of their peers.” Along with SVA, the University now has a Veterans and Military Services Program that helps veterans and other military personnel smoothly transition into the University community. Judge Christopher Easthope and University Regent Kathy White (D) also spoke at the event. Easthope, the judge for the 15th District Court in Ann Arbor, under which the Washtenaw County Veterans Treatment Court falls, spoke on the experiences of veterans in the
justice system. “Veterans courts address the real and ongoing cost of war,” Easthope said. “I firmly believe that we owe the men and women of our country the moral obligation to return them as close to whole as possible.” White, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, discussed diversity in the military as well as in higher education. White said universities must strive for the same kind of diversity that the military possesses. “They pick people based on merit and the needs of the military at the time,” White said. “This process tends to actually produce a very diverse group of people who end up working together.” She also mentioned the importance of trust in maintaining diversity, which she said the military instills in soldiers. “Reconciliation and common understanding cannot be attained in an environment of distrust,” White said. “So, in some ways without trust there’s a perception of injustice no matter what the facts are.”
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Detroit’s culture and growth shaped by immigrant communities Multitude of cultures continue to mold city’s neighborhoods By NEALA BERKOWSKI Daily Staff Reporter
As The Michigan Daily continues to watch and report on Detroit shaping its future, we want to reflect back on how the city got here. Our hope for this week’s Detroit History Series is that readers learn something new about the city and, in turn, better understand what’s to come. Detroit is known for its rich past. Much of this richness can be attributed to its history of immigration and migration — movements that continue to shape the city today. The French founded Detroit in 1701. Before their arrival, the region experienced a constant turnover of people, Joel Stone, senior curator of the Detroit Historical Society, said. Groups of Native Americans would occupy the area, then would move west or north as other tribes and clans came from the east. “While there were many more Native Americans living around here, tens of thousands of them, as opposed to a few thousand French, it really remained a French town even as other groups started coming in,” Stone said. “That being said, it was pretty early on that we started to get a pretty multicultural group of folks of here, meaning mostly Western Europe.” Early Detroit also attracted other populations. JoEllen Vinyard, a history professor at Eastern Michigan University who specializes in U.S. social and immigration history, said major groups such as the Germans, Irish and British immigrated to Detroit in the early 1800s due to factors including cheap land, affordable homes and better opportunities. Vinyard said there is a general immigration theory that the “pull is stronger than the push,” meaning people often chose to immigrate to Detroit when its economy
was strong, rather than because they were forced out by circumstances in their home country. “You could come in pretty much at your skill level and move up because they needed workers,” Vinyard said. “It was a medium city and it was a family city where they could afford a home. For Catholics, like the Irish, for example, it was much more friendly than Boston or Philadelphia or New York because it was already a Catholic town with a French base.” Vinyard added that not everyone moving to Detroit was “straight off the boat.” Between 1800 and 1830, many migrated to Detroit from New York and communities throughout New England. Some learned about opportunities in Detroit as they moved around, while others came to follow family that had already settled in the city. Most often, people traveled to Detroit in small groups or on their own, Vinyard said. In some families, one brother would go first and then send money back for the others to come. Less frequently, people traveled in larger groups with people from their town, or in a group sponsored by a church. Vinyard said many immigrants tried to straddle becoming Americanized and retaining their original culture. “The immigrant generation didn’t want their children to become too Americanized because they were afraid they would lose them. They would move away from the culture and they wouldn’t be a part of the family,” Vinyard said. “But you could see in all of these groups they would say, ‘But we are the ones that are marching in the Fourth of July parade. We’re the ones who are celebrating the American holidays in visible ways. We’re teaching our children about George Washington.’” Stone said the next wave of immigrants consisted predominantly of Polish, Italians, Greeks and Belgians by the 1870s. Prior to the turn of the century, Detroit started seeing people from the Middle East, Eastern Europe and
Asia. “Before the Civil War, they were coming for the land, and after the Civil War, Detroit’s industrial economy really took off,” Stone said. “So that’s when they started coming for the jobs. Or maybe they thought they were coming for land but when they got here they realized that the factory jobs were so good.” Vinyard said by the early 1900s, the Polish became one of the major groups that settled in Detroit. The Polish, along with people from Central and Eastern Europe, were often recruited to work in various industries and factories in Detroit. Many Polish moved to Poletown, and later to Hamtramck in 1910 after the Dodge Brothers opened a new automotive plant. African American migration has also played a large role in Detroit’s diverse population. LaNesha DeBardelaben, the vice president of assessment and community engagement at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, explained that African Americans began migrating to Detroit in a sizable number as early as 1850, when the Fugitive Slave Law was enacted, forcing people of color to leave the Deep South and seek freedom in northern states. DeBardelaben said African Americans migrated to Detroit again in large numbers during World War I and World War II. Called the Great Migration, this movement was largely fueled by the availability of jobs, with men typically working in factories while women found domestic work. “Detroit has had a long history of African Americans migrating into the city,” DeBardelaben said. “African Americans began to migrate in the teens during World War I when factory jobs opened up for African Americans as a part of the war effort. So there was a Great Migration into Detroit in the teen years, numbers skyrocketed, and then again during World War II. Until that time many African Americans
still remained in the South.” DeBardelaben said many African Americans also migrated to Detroit because of social reasons like racism and discrimination in the South. “Their livelihood and quality of life was threatened with racism and discriminatory practices,” she said. “Blacks could not go to the schools they wanted. They could not even go to the public library in the South. So it was more than just an economic factor. There were social conditions that propelled them to leave the South and to settle in what they thought would be advantageous opportunities in the North.” African Americans faced similar problems in Detroit. Blacks were prevented from purchasing homes in certain neighborhoods. Highly skilled African Americans were not given as many opportunities for work and were often left with less desirable work. Debardelaben said African Americans had to learn to rely on their own communities. “African Americans who migrated here were able to find pretty much what they needed in those Black neighborhoods in terms of pharmacy and business and lawyer,” she said. “The Black community was self-serving.” DeBardelaben added that African Americans have had a major impact on social change — an
influence that continues today. In the 1850s, Detroit’s African American community drew the attention of national figures such as Frederick Douglass and John Brown. In the 1900s, they created their own agencies and centers. “It was Detroit’s Black women who organized orphanages and homes for the elderly and community centers for young people because they were not allowed to go to the white YMCAs,” DeBardelaben said. “They created their own agencies and centers and petitioned for equal opportunity. Detroit is a strong city and it’s strong because the African Americans could not accept second class citizenship.” Currently, Mexicans and Arabs are two of the city’s most notable immigrant groups, though both communities have been immigrating to Detroit for hundreds of years Arab immigration to Michigan, which first began in 1898, has steadily increased in recent years, according to Sally Howell, assistant professor of history and Arab American Studies at the University’s Dearborn campus. In 1921, the area’s first structure built specifically as a mosque opened in Highland Park, a block away from the entrance to Ford’s Model-T factory. It joined Detroit’s existing Greek Orthodox and Maronite Catholic churches,
which Illustration by Francesca Kielb were all built by Syrian-Lebanese migrants. Howell said while many of the earlier immigrants came seeking economic opportunity, the ArabIsraeli Wars, civil wars in Lebanon and Yemen and more recent conflicts in Iraq brought many immigrants to Detroit seeking refuge. In the 1950s, jobs in the auto industry caused the Chaldean and Palestinian populations to grow in the city, Howell said. A decade later, in the 1960s, the Arab-Israeli War and a war in Lebanon brought many refugees to Detroit. Howell said people emigrated from Arab countries like Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine, Jordan and Syria. Between 2000 and 2010, Arab immigration increased by 35 percent, which means the population overall is still majority immigrant, Howell said. Yet, she said it is important to remember that the Arab community is an integral and integrated part of southeast Michigan, with the first immigrants having helped build the auto industry and the city itself, while second- and third- generation Arab Americans are dispersed throughout the economy. Adam Thibodeau, staffer at Congress Communities of Southwest Detroit, a neighborhood board, said Mexicans and Latin See HISTORY, Page 3A
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CULTURE From Page 1A mittee chair for CSG and SAPAC volunteer, said the retreat was designed to create an environment conducive to serious dialogue around sexual assault on campus. “I think we are fed up with the national narrative that is being portrayed in the media — and not just that, but in our campus,” she said. Diaz alluded to students calling for former Athletic Director Dave Brandon’s termination from the University, where more than 1,000 students gathered in protest. Brandon came under fire after a series of events, most notably the Athletic Department’s controversial handling of sophomore quarter-back Shane Morris’s concussion in a September game against Minnesota. “Where is that when it comes to real, serious issues, such as rape?” From the start of the retreat, Anna Forringer-Beal, co-coordinator of SAPAC’s Networking, Publicity, and Activism program, emphasized using the word “survivor” as opposed to “victim” in conversations about sexual assault. “We use the term ‘survivor’ instead of ‘victim’ because it’s a more empowering term and because sexual assault at its core is such a disempowering thing, one of the ways to regain control is to refer to yourself as a survivor and show that you have ownership over this event,” she said. On Friday, SAPAC Director Holly Rider-Milkovich and Dean of Students Laura Blake Jones delivered a presentation on the University’s Student Sexual Misconduct Policy. “Basically, our policy falls into four categories: respect, report, respond and review,” RiderMilkovich said. Both went on to discuss the definitions of important terms pertaining to sexual conduct, namely consent. She said consent must be given on a continuous basis, not just once. She also emphasized that consent can’t be given by “a person who is incapacitated.” “Students need to be mutually agreeing to each step of behavior as it’s happening,” Rider-Milkovich said.
SANCTIONS From Page 1A If individual damages were to total between $1,000 and $20,000 each, the individuals would face felony charges — which could result in up to five years in prison, “a fine of not more than $10,000 or three times the amount of the destruction or injury, whichever is greater,” or both. However, no individuals have yet been identified, at least publicly, as culpable for the damages. Beyond state law, E. Royster Harper, vice president for student life, said in an interview last week with The Michigan Daily the students will also face University-centric procedures to address their actions. The Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities is a set of rules to which all students who attend the University are bound. In its introduction, the document states that the University’s standards of conduct extend beyond the University and Ann Arbor “only if the behavior poses an obvious and serious threat or harm to any member(s) of the University community.” Harper said individuals involved in damages to resorts exacted not only physical damage, but also reputational damage to the school — as there has been national attention surrounding the issue. “How do we as an institution do what’s right?” she asked. “Lots of people were harmed by the irresponsible behavior. So then the question becomes, ‘How do you repair that harm?’ And that’s what we’re trying to think about.” Student violations to the Statement of Student Rights include “stealing, vandalizing, damaging, destroying or defacing University property or the property of others” — which the resorts have accused all six Greek organizations of doing. The process under the Statement of Student Rights would likely deal with individual students, and subsequently these students would have three options for resolution of the issue. However,
The speakers also highlighted the fact that one in six men and one in four college-aged women will experience some form of sexual assault. However, Jones said because sexual assault is the most underreported crime in the United States — with about 60 percent of cases going unreported — the statistics can vary depending on the source. LSA junior Jacob Abudaram, an LSA representative in the CSG Assembly who attended the conference, said the topics were important to discuss given the prevalence of sexual assault. “People think, ‘Well, I don’t need to go to these workshops because I would never sexually assault someone’ and that’s not the right role to play,” he said. The topics discussed at the retreat focused heavily on prevention from all parties involved. For example, LSA junior Don Lyons, co-coordinator of SAPAC’s Men’s Activism program, led a presentation Saturday on bystander intervention that considered the concepts of coercion and sexual harassment. After showing the group an advertisement for an episode of FX’s “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” in which one character discusses isolating a girl on a boat so that she will have sex with him, Lyons explained coercion as “taking away someone’s ability to say no.” To curb sexual assault, Lyons also said people must take sexual harassment more seriously. “It’s a really horrible thing that leads to other really horrible things,” Lyons said. “A lot of the times this is how someone will start exerting their power over someone.” On campus, the topic of sexual misconduct has attracted significant attention in recent months. In October, student protestors called on University officials to address several demands to address perceived issues in the University’s procedures to combat sexual assault on campus. Earlier this month, University President Mark Schlissel, who attended a portion of the Culture Shift retreat, announced the University’s plans to survey students on campus climate surround sexual misconduct and public safety.
because individuals have not yet been identified, the proceedings are as of now undetermined. If the students came to a “general agreement” with the involved resorts about how to resolve the conflict, they could discuss potential sanctions before entering into a formal agreement whereby they accept “responsibility for the alleged violations of the Statement.” Informal conflict resolution processes “such as mediation, facilitated dialogue and restorative justice circles” are available. However, these are highly unlikely to be employed given the large monetary damages inflicted in this situation. The students could have a University-affiliated hearing arbitrated by either a Resolution Officer or a Student Resolution Panel. These hearings could take place in a group or on an individual basis. They would ultimately “result in findings of fact” and subsequent recommendations for punishment, which would then be reported to Dean of Students Laura Blake Jones. Jones has the final say on either accepting or modifying the recommendations. Potential punishments, referred to in the Statement of Student Rights as “sanctions/ interventions,” include a “formal reprimand,” which is essentially a warning; “restitution” which is “reasonable compensation for loss” through community service, money or material replacement; suspension from coursework and University activities; and most severely, expulsion from the University. SOAR, a University body housed in the Center for Campus Involvement, is meant to create a formal relationship between the University and its student organizations. Its accountability procedure outlines how the University responds to student organizations that violate the Standards of Conduct for Recognized Student Organizations. University students, faculty and staff can bring complaints against student organizations through the SOAR accountability process. Any enrolled student, faculty
SNOW DAY From Page 1A to close the University even if we wanted to,” she said. “Closing a university is more like closing a city than closing a building. You can’t just close; there is a hospital, there is a police force, there are students on campus who need to be fed.” After last January’s cold day,
PROTEST From Page 1A drivers, who honked as they passed the demonstrators. However, most waited for the protesters to continue down the street. Police arrived when the protest reached the intersection of Huron and Main streets. Officers did not interfere with the protest and allowed the group to continue marching. Saturday’s rally was not the first in recent months. In December, demonstrators convened on the Diag and outside Winter Commencement for “die-ins” to protest police brutality. Shae Ward, Rosser’s younger sister, participated in the march and thanked the protesters. In an interview Saturday with The Michigan Daily, Ward said she appreciated the turnout. Ward, who lives in Detroit, noted that this is her first time in Ann Arbor since Rosser’s death. “I’m disappointed, but I hate to say that it is to be expected,
HISTORY From Page 2A Americans are immigrating to Detroit to seek refuge from danger in their homeland. Thibodeau said some Latinos have difficulty finding jobs if their education from home isn’t recognized in the United States or if they are undocumented. In these cases, the Latino community has been able to support itself by establishing its own work.
SCIENCE From Page 1A of scientific ideas,” SLC Director Claire Sandler said in an e-mail interview. The panel of judges was composed of five individuals with expertise in a wide variety of fields, including science, art, education and literature. The submissions were ranked according to their scientific basis, originality, skill and technique and quality of the written explanation. This year, the grand prize was awarded to Art and Design senior
member or staff member at the University can file an official complaint form at the Center for Campus Involvement within six months of the incident. These complaints must include background facts showing which Standards of Conduct have been breached and a request for relief. Complaints can be referred to the student governing body that has jurisdiction over that organization if the body has a written procedure for investigations, though some cases may be referred to the Office of Student Conflict Resolution, which can conduct their process currently with the SOAR process. The director of the CCI can also refer the complaint to a specific academic unit for an informal resolution. In this case, the “student governing body” that the complaint would be referred to is the Greek Activities Review Panel, the judicial branch for the University’s Greek Councils — the Panhellenic Association, the Interfraternity Council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Multicultural Greek Council. GARP, which includes up to eight justices and one chief justice from each Greek council, is in charge of investigating and resolving misconduct allegations against any chapter or individual members affiliated with the Greek Councils. Complaints submitted to GARP can be filed by any individual or organization and must provide written details of the violation. Within seven days of receiving the complaint, the chief justices must review the complaint and determine one of the following
Monday, February 2, 2015 — 3A
the University created a committee to update its severeweather policy. The updated policy, released in October, provides more detailed protocols for reducing service in the situation of severe weather. To do so, the executive director of the University’s Division of Safety and Security and the executive vice presidents assess the weather conditions and provide recommendations to the University
president, who makes the final decision. Eddie Washington, executive director the University’s Division of Public Safety and Security, wrote in a release that dangerous road conditions factored into his recommendation to cancel classes. “Snowfall totals of 12 to 18 inches with high winds are making the roads dangerous, especially for the many faculty, staff and students who live outside the city of Ann
Arbor,” he wrote. Despite the closure, Atmospheric Sciences Prof. Perry Samson said he will still hold his class Extreme Weather, or AOSS 102. Students were “advised to stay home, but can use the class Echo360 technology to view the live broadcast.” This story has been updated to include additional background and information from a University release.
unfortunately, with our history in this country,” she said. “I am hoping for a change. I am hoping that the American people — right now, 2015 — will wake up and see what’s going on. And It’s not about class and color. It really is about money.” Ward described Rosser as a kind, compassionate, soft and highly educated woman who loved Ann Arbor. She added that while Ann Arbor is supposedly a liberal city, racism is prevalent in the AAPD and that citizen groups have spoken about this. “My hope is that I can get strong enough to speak for her,” Ward said. “Because I know her person. She would have never attacked Officer Ried. She would have never made him feel that he would have to take her life to defuse the situation. That is just outlandish. It totally is outlandish.” Rackham student Austin McCoy, a member of Ann Arbor to Ferguson, said he hopes that the protest raised awareness about the issue.
“We believe that since the prosecutor made the announcement so late last night that they were trying to evade accountability,” he said. “So this is partly to show that we have some strength and to try hold people responsible but then we hope that this action is one of many. We hope to actually put out some demands and go from there.” “I think what people can do is join organizations like ours, educate themselves about the criminal justice here, especially it’s inequities when it comes to people of color in this country and make sure they are involved.” Darius Simpson, a student at Eastern Michigan University who participated in the march, said he hopes the protest inspired further action rather than just personal feelings of accomplishment. “This is a first step rather than the end all,” Simpson said, “I am hoping folks leave with inspiration and curiosity, because the reality is that people don’t know what to do. They’re not doing stuff because they have no idea
where to go and who to talk to.” In a statement released Friday evening on Facebook, Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor (D) noted the ongoing necessity of combating racial injustice, but also said he believes the officer’s actions were justified in this situation. “The events of that night of course were a tragedy, but not a tragedy of racism, which is loathsome and unacceptable and contrary to everything Ann Arbor and the Ann Arbor Police Department stands for,” he said. “The events of November nine were a tragedy of mental illness untreated and drug use unabated. They were a tragedy of a society that does not devote the resources necessary to give help to those who require it.” Protesters also demonstrated against police brutality at the Ann Arbor City Council meeting in December. During that meeting, the Council voted to equip AAPD officers with body cameras, which are expected to be in operation by the summer.
“We have someone who came from Honduras recently and she was a teacher in Honduras, but obviously that’s not going to translate here in America,” Thibodeau said. “The Latino community does an awesome job with really creating their own economy, creating their own businesses. Usually it’s labor work: building up houses, fixing up houses, landscaping, they do a lot of work in the suburbs and surrounding areas.” Southwest Detroit is also a
cultural hub, which helps immigrants adjust to life in Detroit, Thibodeau said. “It’s very possible to grocery shop, go to school, go to church, live in the community and be in this insulated cultural community,” he said. Detroit’s 300-year legacy of immigration and migration to Detroit has contributed to the city’s culture and growth, but DeBardelaben, who moved to Detroit three years ago, said the city continues to provide opportunities for both
newcomers and former residents deciding to return home. “Those Detroiters who leave for college, they come back,” she said. “A lot of young professionals have options of going any and everywhere. They can go to L.A., New York, Philadelphia, but they want to come back to Detroit to work because it’s a place where they have a passion for and it’s in a period of transition and they want to be a part of that. People see the opportunity to shape a better future for Detroit.”
Sidney Krandall for her piece “Progressive Resistance Exercise Design Concept,” a pen and ink illustration. Several new categories were incorporated for the first time, including the People’s Choice award, which allowed attendees to vote for their favorite pieces. LSA junior Ashley Miller won this year’s People’s Choice award for her piece, “Unobjective Research,” which depicted a woman’s face surrounded by a mass of long, flowing hair from which different three-dimensional shapes protruded. The hair curled into the form of a hand,
choking the woman. The submission was done in acrylic paint and clay. “My piece is about doing research and how sometimes some of the things that you want to do in research are not always things that you want to do,” Miller said. “It’s really hard to work with animals, but you just have to look at what comes out of it and the good that you’re working towards.” LSA junior Lawrence Chen also participated in the exhibition with a large piece examining the seemingly chaotic, yet strictly structured nature of DNA.
“Science and art are both a very large part of my life and I see them intersect all the time,” Chen said. “This competition is exactly what I’m looking for. Both bring great joy to my life.” Miller emphasized the importance of the event in that it provided a more visual medium of science. “This event is really important because it shows people what science is doing through more of a visual and easier way to get it out to people who aren’t particularly scientifically-knowledgeable,” Miller said. “It makes it more interesting to the everyday person.”
reached, requiring two-thirds of the justices to agree. The final agreement is put into writing, provided to all involved parties and filed as a public record. Similar to the Student Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, GARP’s imposed sanctions vary depending upon the case, but can include: a letter of reprimand, restitution charges, monetary fines, community service requirements, educational programming, or more severely, probation, suspension or expulsion from member’s respective Greek Council. The final decision can be appealed by submitting a written notice of appeal within seven days of receiving the GARP decision to
the Greek Appellate Board, which comprises two chapter presidents from each of the Greek councils, randomly selected by the chief justices, and a ninth member who is selected from the list of GARP members uninvolved in the original case. A two-thirds vote is necessary to overturn GARP’s decision. Jones, the dean of students, is charged with imposing sanctions based on the student governing body’s decision, which in this case is GARP. Though the dean of students will focus the recommendation in most cases, she can deviate from the recommended sanctions.
outcomes: to dismiss the case, call for a mediation or call for a hearing. Mediation requires the complainant and the defendant to reach a mutual agreement, facilitated by the chief justices. If the mediation succeeds, the agreement will be put in writing and enforced by GARP. If not, the complaint proceeds to a GARP hearing. In the event of a hearing, the complainant carries the burden of the proof and the involved parties are expected to present relevant evidence and testimony. After all testimony and evidence is presented, the justices deliberate until a decision is
Opinion
4A — Monday, February 2, 2015
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com JENNIFER CALFAS EDITOR IN CHIEF
AARICA MARSH and DEREK WOLFE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS
LEV FACHER MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
there in the first place. To say I’m glad I went is an understatement … but at first I didn’t want to, and absent encouragement from my family, I probably wouldn’t have. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 19.6 percent of adults ages 18 to 25 had a mental illness in the United States in 2012. If your eyes are blue or green, it’s more likely that any given student your age has a mental illness than shares your eye color. But despite its prevalence, mental health issues aren’t among the things that most people — including myself — are comfortable talking about. There is
FROM THE DAILY
One small step for marijuana
Loosened regulations may increase research and understanding
M
arijuana has become a modern crusade for some, with medical marijuana rights and a growing number of advocates for the free use of the substance across the nation gaining traction. To certain lawmakers and drug enforcement advocacy groups, it’s the proverbial thorn in their side that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Further adding to the debate, the American Academy of Pediatrics recently revised its policy on marijuana, with its main concerns targeted toward marijuana usage among adolescents. The AAP advocates that pediatricians should be extremely conservative with prescribing marijuana to teen patients, except in the case of debilitating conditions; they are also calling for the removal of marijuana from the federal Schedule I drug classification. However, they advise against legalization. The AAP’s stance is cautiously optimistic, with the potential to help many people throughout the nation. Similarly, the effects of removing marijuana from Schedule I could potentially lead to the legalization of marijuana in the United States by increasing research and reducing stigma. Because marijuana is classified as Schedule I — meaning there’s no accepted medical use and it has high potential for abuse — there has been very little research done on its effects. This fact is specifically cited in the AAP’s report as the leading contributor to the medical community’s ambiguity on the substance’s benefits. The reason why there hasn’t been sufficient research on marijuana doesn’t have to do with the medical community, but rather the federal government’s refusal to remove marijuana from the Schedule I substance list, created as part of the 1970 Controlled Substances Act. Under this legislation, which was the forerunner of Nixon’s “War on Drugs,” Schedule I substances are “the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence.” Schedule I includes dangerously addictive drugs such as LSD, heroin and ecstasy. While to some it may seem laughable that marijuana is regarded in the same light as hard drugs by the federal government, it’s a serious concern for patients across the country who are waiting with bated breath for any new research on marijuana that could be potentially beneficial for a litany of different medical concerns. On a smaller scale, more research could also be constructive for our own university and its hospital system. With a plethora of research tools on or affiliated to campus, ground-breaking marijuana studies could be conducted if the drug were removed from the list of most dangerous controlled substances in the United States. There are other gains from removing marijuana from the Schedule I list, such as removing unnecessary stigma associated with the substance. The description of Schedule I substances is clearly not indicative of marijuana’s true nature. If marijuana were to remain on the Schedule I list, then
W
any and all offenses related to the substance could carry undue ridicule from potential employers or anyone who would have access to an individual’s records. For those with petty misdemeanors on their record, this kind of attention and unwarranted scrutiny can be hugely detrimental to the job search, forever damaging their career prospects. Moreover, the horrible racial disparity in our nation’s prison system could be alleviated, at least in part, as well as the overall overpopulation of jails across the United States with the removal of marijuana from the Schedule I substance list. Since offenses related to those drugs typically carry the worst sentences, some of which are required to follow harsh federally mandated guidelines and cost taxpayers billions of dollars every year. The AAP’s new position on marijuana is certainly a step in the right direction, but more action must be taken by the government to help increase the amount of information about this highly contested drug and to allow its seemingly numerous benefits to be enjoyed by the adults of this country. The AAP recognizes, along with many others, that marijuana can have detrimental effects on the developing mind; if marijuana were to be decriminalized or even legalized, only adults who are 21 and older should be allowed to possess and use the substance. The onus is now on the federal government to remove marijuana from the Schedule I controlled substance list to allow for more research that will help remove incorrect notions associated with the drug and allow for patients to reap the medicinal benefits of a substance that has already been legalized for medical uses in 23 states and the District of Columbia. With these reforms, the United States will certainly be better off and reach a new high in the ongoing dismantling of the war on drugs.
Not a weakness
alking along State Street the other day, I noticed a bright big banner proudly displayed above the steps to the Michigan Union, advertising — for lack of a better term — the Counseling and Psychological Services center. Glancing up at the sign, I remembered the first time I had gone to CAPS earlier this year. I had decided I probably needed to see someone long TORI before I actually called to NOBLE make an appointment. A bunch of ridiculous, though probably common, fears prevented that initial phone call. What if my friends see me walk in there? What if this appointment shows up on my academic records? (It doesn’t, by the way.) But mostly, I was preoccupied with what I thought registering for a CAPS appointment meant — that I couldn’t take care of my problems on my own; that I had a problem to take care of in the first place; that something about me was abnormal, problematic and in need of fixing. Ironically, these were not concerns of mine when I went to the doctor to get antibiotics for a sinus infection or to the dermatologist for a skin check. So instead of making an appointment when I knew that I probably should have, I waited until seeking help was pretty much necessary to deal with the stress that had accumulated as a result of harder sophomore classes and
involvement in several organizations. And while I had done my best to keep all of this to myself, I finally told my mom what had been going on. She suggested that I “go talk to someone about it.” Eventually, I did. It didn’t take long for the psychiatrist to figure out what was going on. She identified my sometimes-inability to get work done, sit through lectures and stay on task as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder — something I had been told before but didn’t want to hear. I didn’t like the idea of a mental health “disorder,” and I didn’t really see the connection between stereotypical images of disruptive, struggling 10-year-olds and my high GPA. One of the most helpful things CAPS did was help me challenge the negative picture I had developed about mental health issues and their treatment. A major focus of subsequent sessions at CAPS centered on the positive aspects of ADHD. Recently, I came across a cover letter I had written earlier that fall. I recognized many of the self-identified “strengths” — quick thinking, problem solving skills, creativity — that I mentioned in the letter as some of the positive aspects that the CAPS worker had mentioned. Growing up in a culture that labels mental health disorders as a mark of abnormality, I had never thought to consider that there might be accompanying attributes as well. Eventually, that first CAPS appointment led to an effective treatment plan and a reduction of many of the issues that had brought me
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com still so much judgment, stereotyping and negativity surrounding mental health illnesses and their treatment. Which is exactly why I decided to write this column. I know that some people reading this column might view me differently once they’re done. But, despite that, many, many students could benefit from mental health care even though it’s rarely talked about in social situations. I know that I don’t talk about it with most of my friends. I also know that many of them have, at one time or another, really needed someone to talk to about the plethora of pressures that come with being a stu-
dent at such a difficult, oftentimes competitive school. And because so many of us don’t talk about mental health, it’s easy to presume that it isn’t an issue that affects a significant number of students. So if you think you might benefit from an appointment at CAPS, please make one. It’s not a sign of weakness, lack of capability or abnormality — it’s a resource. And though they may not want to discuss it, many of your peers are using it, too. — Victoria Noble can be reached at vjnoble@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Claire Bryan, Regan Detwiler, Devin Eggert, David Harris, Jordyn Kay, Aarica Marsh, Victoria Noble, Michael Paul, Allison Raeck, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Matthew Seligman, Linh Vu, Mary Kate Winn, Jenny Wang, Derek Wolfe
W
Farcical frat life
e have to stop acting surprised when we hear reports of Greek life “misconduct.” When we hear about demolished hotel rooms, pledges forced to swim in pools of shit, women degraded, sexually assaulted, raped and so on, ZAK we tend to react WITUS in what we think is the humane and moralistic way. We say: “My god, how could this happen? How terrible! How disgusting! Whoever did this harm ought to be punished! How could this have happened?” But do we consider the assumptions and prejudices already at play in our supposedly moralistic reaction? Do we consider how our good liberal reaction to routine Greek life horrors actually supports the very organizations and acts that we think we’re opposing and denouncing? Whenever we speak about Greek life “misconduct,” we have to put the “misconduct” in quotes. In the face of the regularity of the “misconduct” (hazing, violence, sexual assault, etc.), one can no longer seriously claim that these events are out of the ordinary for Greek life. When we react to these horrors as if they were scandals, as the Greek life organizations, universities and the media say they are, we’re implying that they are out of the ordinary; that these events deviate from the normal functioning of the Greek life system; and that Greek life as a whole (that is, Greek life as an institution and system) is innocent. These horrors seem to occur so regularly that, ironically, the true scandal for Greek life would be if one weekend there were no binge drinking, violence, hazing or rape. The lack of “misconduct” would constitute a true Greek life scandal. We all know — that is, anyone even remotely familiar with today’s Greek life knows — that the horrors we read about in the newspapers constitute only a small fraction of the total “misconduct.” Aren’t we all aware that the prohibitions against certain “misconduct” in Greek life are a joke? Don’t we know that within the prohibitions against, say, hazing, is the expectation that the prohibition will be violated? It insults the intelligence of the public when Greek life and university spokespeople react with their phony shock and surprise at the most recent hazing “scandal” or whatever. They know fully well that hazing goes on. But it’s this false surprise on the part of the organizational leaders in response to the incriminating reports that allows the hazing to continue. A major step forward for the reformation of Greek life would be if, in response to the next report of University-affiliated Greek life misconduct, University President Mark Schlissel stood on his podium, shrugged his shoulders and just said, “Yep, this is how Greek life works.” This, I claim, would be the truly compassionate and progressive response: not pretending that the plight of these victims (e.g., the vic-
tims of hazing, sexual assault, etc.) is out of the ordinary; not pretending that it’s shocking or surprising that this happened to them; and not pretending that we don’t know that this supposed “misconduct” really happens all the time and that these horrors occur because of the normal functioning of the Greek life system. For example, we all assumed that when the University Greek life chapters left for their “ski trip” they brought gallons of alcohol and ounces of drugs with them (referring more so to hard drugs, not marijuana, which I believe, if used without alcohol, might have actually prevented the extensive property damage). Though it’s not every year that Greek life at the University causes more than $80,000 worth of damage to a hotel, most of the underlying causes of that destruction, like binge drinking to the point of belligerence, do happen every year — indeed, every week. What’s most disturbing about resort-gate is not the damage to property alone: it’s what the destruction of property signifies. Compare this instance with the extensive destruction of property that took place during the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, following the grand jury’s failure to indict Officer Wilson for the killing of unarmed Black teen Mike Brown. How did we react to the destruction of property in Ferguson? For many of us it almost constituted reason to denounce the protest as a whole. Some Conservatives even used the looting and rioting to argue racist or racialist claims, like, “This just goes to show that these people (Black) can’t be trusted; they deserve their lowly lot in life; we need more and stricter policing, not less,” etc. And what about the “ski trip”? Why not conclude that these people cannot be trusted? Why not more policing for them? Shouldn’t we be more afraid of rich, white frat brothers than of poor, Black urbanites? Rich, white Greeks feel they are invincible and cause $80,000+ worth of property damage without even trying. The protesters in Ferguson who destroyed property did so deliberately. What’s more, these riots, even if one disagrees with them as a political tactic, were at least partly redeemable because they were founded on legitimate discontent (economic, political, social and otherwise). The carelessness, ease and nonchalance with which the Greeks on “ski trip” destroyed $80,000+ worth of property scares me far more than the deliberate destruction of property in Ferguson. There is no purpose — political or otherwise — and hence no excuse for the Greeks’ destruction of property. The sheer nihilism and cynicism of it, and the nihilism and cynicism throughout Greek life that it exemplifies, is what scares me — scares me far more than, say, the Ferguson riots did. This seems to fit the larger cultural paradigm of white America’s greater fear of the hooded Black man robbing a gas station clerk at gunpoint than of Big Banks ripping off hundreds of thousands of people with subprime loans. The clerk loses, at most, a few hundred dollars. The victims of aggressive subprime lending lost millions. Who are the real degenerates? Who are
the real criminals? But — and this may seem counterintuitive given my writing about it — I claim that we need not worry too much about Greek life. The institution cannot survive for long in its current form (friends of mine in fraternities tell me pledging will basically be over within 10 years). Greek life depends on high levels of organizational secrecy in order to function, much like big corporations do. As we move further into the age of social media and smartphones, Greek life’s organizational secrecy will become increasingly difficult to maintain. Its first enemy is itself. I’m not afraid of generalizing the Greeks as a bunch of drunk idiots. As drunk idiots who (when drunk) don’t understand the necessity of secrecy for their institution’s survival, they expose and incriminate themselves and bring themselves closer to their own destruction. There’s a video — we’ve all seen it — shot on a cellphone camera by an anonymous Pike brother, showing a drunk woman giving the brother a blowjob as he asks her, “What’s the best fraternity at MSU?” She says, “Pike.” What did we learn from this video? Ironically, that, by any and all standards, Pike is definitely not the best fraternity at MSU. Not just because the girl, being drunk, could not legally give consent, but that this brother violated the highest imperative for a “good” fraternity in our era: secrecy. A “good” fraternity, by which I mean a fraternity with a good chance of survival, is one that does all the normal frat stuff (disrespects women, sexually assaults them, etc.), but does so in secrecy. The Greeks, it seems, are having difficulty accepting the fact that our world no longer accepts such violence, misogyny and sexism. The Pike video, I claim, exemplifies the reason why the ideology of Greek life will be Greek life’s own ultimate destruction. Greek life cannot reconcile its need for secrecy with its own stupidity (brought on largely by routine alcoholic stupor). So, while we should continue to resist Greek life and advocate for its reform, we should not be too concerned, because, in the long term, Greek life will likely destroy itself. Now — and, again, this will seem somewhat surprising to my reader — I am not totally opposed to Greek life. To clarify, I’m not condemning or accusing every chapter or every Greek of rape, hazing, etc.; I’m condemning the institution that systematically produces these horrors. I have many friends in Greek life and they tell me — and I’ve also seen it for myself — that the institution is not all bad. When we talk about Greek life, we have to make certain abstractions and generalizations, and, in doing so, I fear that we may too readily dismiss the genuinely good elements of this institution — such as friendship — and the genuinely good experiences of many of the Greeks. Nonetheless, I maintain that the institution as a whole is sick. I advocate for reform and resistance to Greek life while also knowing that the system is already on a trajectory toward its own destruction. — Zak Witus can be reached at zakwitus@umich.edu.
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Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Monday, February 2, 2015 — 5A
FILM REVIEW
‘A Most Violent Year’ explores corruption
TV REVIEW
By JAMIE BIRCOLL Senior Arts Editor
NBC
“Is that Llewyn Davis?”
‘Parenthood’ ends in perfect form Series finale of tearjerking show ties it all together By CHLOE GILKE Managing Arts Editor
There’s a certain art to crafting the perfect series finale. The ideal finale has to wrap everything up in a satisfying way, but still A+ leave a few ends untied. It has Parenthood to boil down seasons’ worth Series Finale of storylines NBC and episodes into one final message, one ending that gives meaning to the hours that viewers devoted to watching this show, instead of, you know, working or spending time with their families. “Parenthood” successfully accomplishes the basics, but also does something rare with its series finale. More than just validating hours spent in front of the TV, it reinforces the relationships that viewers maintained with these characters and this family who felt as breathing and real as the ones sitting on the couch next to them. “Parenthood” is a notorious “mom show,” a supreme cry-fest because of its relatability. As the Bravermans embrace on a baseball field in the sunshine, the lines between real family, real grief and real love disappear into the script and the images. It’s not a TV show anymore. This is family. “Parenthood” begins this perfect hour of television by setting up Sarah’s (Lauren Graham, “Gilmore Girls”) wedding, bringing the family together for this joyful celebration. Sarah hastens her plans so her ailing father Zeek (Craig T. Nelson, “Coach”) could be there to see his “favorite” child wed to a kind and stable man worthy of her open heart and unconditional love. Of all the Braverman siblings, Sarah was the one to lean on her parents the most; she lived in the Braverman compound until her parents sold the house, and they supported her financially until she found a good career as a photographer. Before her father passes, she wants to show him that all his support allowed her to find happiness and love, one final thank you to all he’s given her. Sarah’s situation finds a parallel in her daughter, Amber (Mae Whitman, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”). Amber appeared to be making all her mother’s worst mistakes, getting involved with a man who drank too much and couldn’t be bothered to hang around to raise their child. But she’s already on the path to a happier future, after her uncle Crosby (Dax Shepard, “Hit and Run”) offers her a job at his revamped Luncheonette recording studio. Rather than running away and trying to do everything on her own like Sarah did, she accepts help from her family from the start. At the wedding reception, Zeek tells Amber that he’d like her to live with them for their “third act” of life. With Zeek’s finale rapidly approaching, this is a double act of kindness: Amber has a supportive
place to raise the baby, and Zeek’s wife Camille (Bonnie Bedelia, “Die Hard”) will have company once he passes. Their wedding is predictably upbeat and beautiful, but even more remarkable is how the show uses the wedding scenes to weave effortlessly between ending narratives for different characters. While swaying around the room to reception music, Joel (Sam Jaeger, “Inherent Vice”) and Julia (Erika Christensen, “Swimfan”) decide to adopt another child. Though they’ve only just reconciled, they promise that this is it, that they’re a couple and a family and will never break again. As he holds her while dancing and whispers that the child “is already ours,” we truly know their union is stronger than ever. Even Max (Max Burkholder, “The Purge”) finds his happy ending at the wedding. All season, he’d been chasing after a girl who didn’t understand that his Asperger’s made navigating his crush difficult, and didn’t like him back. Max is the acting photographer of the wedding, but instead of hiding behind his camera all night, he goes off to dance with a young, friendly wedding attendee. The parallel between Max and Hank is striking: Hank (Ray Romano, “Men of a Certain Age”), Max’s mentor and a fellow Aspie, found an understanding and wonderful woman to share his life with, and when Max looks at his dance partner and lets her touch his shoulders, it’s evident that Max’s future is similarly bright. He’s not defined by his disease — he can take impressive photos, connect with other people and even graduate high school. It’s a long way from his portrayal in earlier seasons, a hopeless burden to his family and the “difficult child” that his sister describes in her heartwarming conversation with him. Leaving Max Braverman on this note, that he’s got a promising future beyond a textbook definition of “highfunctioning,” almost makes up for the fact that we won’t get to spend more seasons watching him grow. Almost. But beyond the wedding, the element linking the entire episode together and bringing it to transcendent heights was its tribute to Zeek. Despite his brashness and averseness to change, he’s always been the glue of the family and the leader of Team Braverman. We know going into this episode that his heart condition is dire, but that doesn’t make it any less painful to hear Camille calling out his name at home and see the look on her face when there’s no response. The most heartbreaking scene in the episode (and possibly the entire series) is Zeek sitting like a peaceful king in his leather armchair, eyes closed but still watching over his territory, the home he loved so much. After Camille walks over to him, the scene quickly cuts to a baseball field, where the Bravermans spread his ashes and play a celebratory game of ball. The final montage is the ultimate eulogy to Zeek: we see what accomplishments the rest of the Bravermans are up to in the years following his death. Considering that the rest of the
episode set the characters down these paths, these flash-forwards could seem fairly redundant. Joel and Julia have four kids, two boys and two girls just like Zeek and Camille did, and open presents on Christmas day with their big family. Crosby and Amber record in the studio, while Adam (Peter Krause, “Six Feet Under”) hands a diploma to a cap-and-gownclad Max. Camille finally visits Chez Marie, the place Zeek told her about in the weeks before his death, the place they were going to visit together. Instinctively, we knew where all the characters were going, but actually seeing it (set to the most gorgeous cover of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young”) gave the episode a special sense of finality. If the best finales leave you with one final message, “Parenthood” offers its parting words in the last shot. The Bravermans, arm-inarm and supporting one another, walk off the baseball field and onto the green grass together. In the end, “Parenthood” was all about the power of loved ones to hold, to heal, to love unconditionally. It’s not a TV show. This is family.
There’s a particular dearth of violence in “A Most Violent Year,” which is perhaps contradictory to its title. But vioB lence is not the subject of the ‘A Most film; rather, it’s the back- Violent Year’ drop for a story Rave 20 and of corrupState Theatre tion. There’s an inherent A24 anger and frustration in the characters of this story, and “A Most Violent Year” is director J.C. Chandor’s (“All is Lost”) exploration of how that anger and frustration manifests itself. Honest businessmen, housewives, gangsters, hopeful employees, ultimately everyone turns to some form of corruption, and sometimes that corruption turns into violence. Oscar Isaac (“The Two Faces of January”) plays Abel Morales, the wealthy immigrant owner of a heating company, which he bought from his wife Anna’s (Jessica Chastain, “Interstellar”) gangster father. Abel prides himself on playing fairly, staying honest, never resorting to the shady dealings that the corrupt heating business tends to use. He’s good at what he does, better than most in the business, and he looks to expand. But assailants constantly rob his oil trucks while on the job, and the DA (David Oyelowo, “Selma”) is seeking to file charges against Abel, believing that he’s cheating the system. Abel wants to handle all of these matters honorably, working with the DA and the police, paying his debts on time, but the compounding weight of all of these issues threatens to undo his credo. Really, what we have in “A Most Violent Year” is a perverse reworking of the fable of the American Dream. It seems hon-
A24
“Is that the guy from ‘Coach’?”
esty can only get one so far. The New York City presented here is a crumbling, ruinous center of urban and moral decay, and if those ruins can be navigated by stepping over or on that which hinders you, you can achieve success. But Chandor makes clear that with one’s success comes another’s failure. The American Dream is attainable, sure, but only to some — the rest will be crushed beneath it. “A Most Violent Year” is not dissimilar to “The Godfather” in that each portrays the undoing of a good man; Oscar Isaac even resembles a young Al Pacino. Isaac’s Abel is an admirable character, vying desperately to retain those ideals that have carried him up the social ladder. It’s impossible not to hear the defeat in his voice when he says, “So this is what it’s come to? Walking outside like a couple of gangsters?” But the film’s most compelling character is Anna. Chastain proves a force to be reckoned with as a sort of Lady Macbeth — seductive, persuasive, indomitable, almost femme fatale. Her charm is only superseded by her bite, undoubtedly grown out of her gangster upbringing. Chastain dominates the screen,
Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Monday, February 2, 2015
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
taking control of each conversation, her eyes piercing into the souls of the other characters. She is utterly electrifying, and her absence from the Academy Awards’ Best Supporting Actress Category is truly regrettable. Despite these performances, the film often drags through heavy-handed dialogue that, while important and plot driving, slows much of the film’s uneasy energy. Chandor also has no problem hitting the audience over the head with metaphors, going so far as to include a scene where Abel must rely on his wife to kill a deer that’s been hit by his car. But these early setbacks are overcome in the film’s second half when Abel is pushed further into the muck. Chandor has an uncanny ability to pick apart the human psyche under pressure. How do we respond to adversity: do we yield to it? Fight it? Be destroyed by it? And if adversity is defeated, how much of ourselves have we lost? The streets of New York City are not paved with gold, but its rivers run black, thick like the oil of Abel’s tankers. And it’s in flowing down those rivers that Abel, for better or worse, finds his heart of darkness.
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ACROSS 1 Burst into tears 5 Wander off the point 11 Rainy 14 Hodgepodge 15 In the plane’s cabin, say 17 New Year’s __ 18 Pennsylvania borough in today’s news 20 Clinton’s instrument 21 Ambulance VIP 22 ’50s nuclear experiments 23 Founded, on signs 25 Foe 27 Approved, briefly 29 Pop singer Diamond 31 Henry VIII’s sixth wife Catherine 32 Conk out 35 “Make up your mind!” 37 Germany’s __ Republic, 1919’33 40 Flip-flops 41 What we’ll have of 3-Down, according to folklore, if 18Across 62-Down sees his 50-Down on 65-Across 43 Puppies 45 Bahamas capital 46 Thick fog metaphor 48 Dirt road groove 49 Amt. on a new car window 53 Venus de __ 54 Mess of hair 56 Employee handing out playbills 57 Stoolie 59 Workshop grippers 63 Word after Iron or Stone 64 Corp. leader 65 February 2, every year 68 Coffee hour vessel 69 Asian language in a region famous for tigers 70 __ vault 71 Letter before tee 72 La Brea discovery 73 Filled with wonder
DOWN 1 Girl who lost her sheep 2 Barnard graduate 3 Cold season 4 Bagel go-with 5 Landslide victory 6 Poker pot starter 7 Corp. execs’ degrees 8 Bend before in reverence 9 Lucky Luciano cohort Meyer __ 10 Before, in poetry 11 Cowboy movies 12 Shirking, as taxes 13 LBJ’s home state 16 Salon coloring 19 Speak 24 Sweetie pie 26 Dennis the Menace’s grumpy neighbor 28 Hate 30 Part of UCLA 32 Chinese appetizer 33 “I think ...,” in texts 34 Make, as money 36 Mets’ old stadium 38 Old Montreal baseballer 39 Back
41 Flippered aquarium attractions 42 Sch. with a Spokane campus 43 Typist’s stat. 44 Some young cows 47 Pennsylvania raceway 50 Sundial casting 51 Entertain in style 52 Victimized, with “on”
55 Outlet inserts 56 GI show gp. 58 USSR secret service 60 Santa __: West Coast winds 61 1551, to Caesar 62 Given name of the critter in today’s news 64 Billiards stick 66 NBA official 67 Dean’s list no.
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Arts
6A — Monday, February 2, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
CONCERT RECAP
Ann Arbor Folk Festival returns Brandi Carlile headlines 38th annual show By AMELIA ZAK Daily Music Editor
The first night of the 38th annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival was in full swing this past Friday, Jan. 30. With a stacked lineup and the silly wit of the night’s MC, Steve Poltz, a singer-songwriter, the festival explored the expansive genre of folk music. The night began with the smooth, simpler sounds of rising folk bands. Billy Strings and Jon Dulin, a Michigan duo, had the audience begin its night with some bluegrass samples. “Walk On Boy” was the highlight of the duo’s set, giving everyone old-school bluegrass with a jolt of energy from modern day music. Mandolin Orange, a North Carolina-based group, followed these boys with a softer variety of folk. Performing simple songs made large by one acoustic guitar, one electric guitar and a mandolin, Emily Frantz and Andrew Marlin were another duo who, although currently of only mild acclaim, will undoubtedly expand their sound and popularity before the year’s end. With a strong bass and bluesy electric guitar, the Bahamas were the self-declared “odd ducks” of the night. Throughout their 30-minute set, the group held the intriguingly juxtaposed moments of heavy instrumental and vocal intensity followed by short bouts of calm silence. Afie Jurvanen, the band’s lead singer, led the show with his dark humor and booming voice through their well known hits like “Never Let You Go” and
the highly acclaimed “Lost In The Light.” The Bahamas reiterated the intention behind The Ark’s chosen lineup: finding folk artists who reform the genre’s classic sounds with individuality and personal taste. Here, the personal taste was laced with a bluesy electric guitar and ethereal vocals. Yonder Mountain String Band jumpstarted its set by declaring, “we’re not going to say much after this – we’re just going to play.” The 30-minute set held no breaks, nor any perception of fingers. Each member’s hands, fingers and movements were so quick and so dedicated to the high intensity bluegrass jam session they began that both audience and artists had lost themselves in the art they created. The band’s fiddler and banjo player added some of the set’s most notable solos. Following this fierce five-person jam session were the fierce folk sisters of the Swedish band Baskery. Aware of the power of Hill Auditorium, these three sisters began their set with a short, eery and ethereal a capella number before drastically transitioning into some crowd-clapping, physical folk rock numbers. Songs like “Catslap” and “The Shadow” were slathered in electric banjo slides and harsher acoustic rock sounds, all with an underlying lyrical emphasis on feminism. With heads cocked and hair pushed to the side, these three sisters confidently introduced their sound to the older folks of Hill Auditorium. The top acts of the night, critically acclaimed Alabama native Jason Isbell and folk-rock powerhouse Brandi Carlile, refused to disappoint. Isbell glided on stage
smoothly with wife and violinist Amanda Shires to deliver a sad and at times darkly humorous performance. Songs like “Live Oak” and “Cover Me Up” left some audience members a bit teary-eyed as Isbell and his wife told the stories beneath their detailed storytelling lyrics. The couple finished the set with a quietly beautiful Warren Zevon cover before exiting the stage, holding the same intense eye contact they held for most of the loving performance. Brandi Carlile finished the night with alternative folk finesse filled with her powerful attitude and vocals. With a tattered leather jacket and widerimmed hat, Carlile and her band coolly floated on stage and ripped into her set. Her signature voice painted each song, making the instruments always fall second to the first-place performance she and her twinning bandmates provided for an adoring crowd. Time, age and experience have deepened her appreciation for her career and allowed for more confidence in her performances. She experimented with the crowd and venue, at one point using the amazing acoustics of Hill Auditorium to sing unamplified to her adoring audience. Whether amplified or not, Brandi’s throaty, crescendoing voice expanded throughout the auditorium in song and word as she told stories of inspiration and growth. She finished the night with a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.” As she twirled and danced across the stage, Carlisle made herself worthy of any possible Stevie Nicks comparison as “we must never break the chainnn ….” echoed throughout the adoring Hill Auditorium.
CONCERT RECAP
ROBERT DUNNE/Daily
Folkin’ awesome, man.
Amos Lee stuns at day two of Folk Fest By ADAM THEISEN Senior Arts Editor
The Ark prides itself on stretching the definition of “folk music.” While the Ann Arbor institution is primarily known as a “folk” venue, in reality, it loves to accommodate all kinds of genre-breaking artists. In The Ark’s eyes, it seems, folk isn’t always just a guy standing alone on stage with a guitar, but rather a guiding set of principles for making art. That philosophy couldn’t have been more apparent on Saturday night at Day 2 of the 38th Annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival. The seven-artist, five-hour show was like a sampler pack of everything The Ark has to offer year-round. While the show’s headliner was, in fact, a man by himself singing with an acoustic guitar, the journey to Amos Lee covered confessional singer-songwriters, old-school blues and even a true depressionera big-band throwback. The night began with Ann Arbor native Laith Al-Saadi, who played with what he called the cheapest and most-traveled guitar of the night. Bearing at least a slight resemblance to Jerry Garcia with his long beard and glasses, AlSaadi got a great response from the crowd, especially when he added riffs from Led Zeppelin songs to his virtuosic guitar solos. He captivated the audience, and he clearly had a very special relationship with his instrument. Following Al-Saadi was the young Seattle-born Noah Gundersen, who played acoustic guitar and sang while his sister played violin and provided back-up vocals. His songs were more elegiac, more delicate, with slow-building, powerful vocals. After the Gundersens left the stage, they were replaced by the eight-piece Dustbowl
Revival, a group that was a complete throwback to depression-era hoedowns. Opening with a spirited rendition of “John the Revelator,” the horns livened the crowd and the five-part harmonies were quite impressive. The band even included a vaudeville-inspired number in its set, and it was a bit of a shame that everyone in the reverent audience was sitting down and not dancing. Between the sets, while the stage crew was switching out instruments, New England folk singer Cheryl Wheeler kept the crowd entertained. Self-deprecating, upbeat and off-the-cuff, she seemed to talk about whatever popped into her head, including stories from seventh grade or tales about her dogs. She sang short songs that were goofy, like her song about potatoes set to the “Mexican Hat Dance” melody, and heartfelt, like her ode to her wife. Wheeler was especially proud to introduce the legendary Buffy Saint-Marie, a singer-songwriter of Canadian Cree decent who has been around since the ’60s. The oft-covered Saint-Marie yelled her way through rock ‘n’ roll protest songs with environmentalist lyrics, alternating those numbers with softer, prettier acoustic tracks, including the classics “Universal Soldier” and the Academy Award Best Original Song winner “Up Where We Belong.” SaintMarie was clearly a crowd favorite. After an intermission, Holly Williams, granddaughter of country legend Hank Williams, took the stage. Dressed like a cowgirl with hat, boots, jeans and long blonde hair and singing with a southern twang, Williams played a very personal, confessional style of folk music. She sang about her grandparents in Louisiana and a cemetery where five generations
of her family lay. Then it was time for the night’s two headliners. Ani DiFranco announced, while she usually tries to mix up her setlists, tonight she would only play new songs. With two backing musicians (percussion and bass), DiFranco played tracks from her most recent album as well as songs she had just written. The music was mostly open arrangements played at slow, relaxing tempos, and though most of it was unfamiliar to the audience, DiFranco did relent and close her set by playing 1998’s “Swandive.” Finally, after over four hours of music, Amos Lee arrived. Standing tall with glasses and a beard, Lee took control of the crowd, singing like a folk Otis Redding with tons of charisma in his rough soulful voice. He was one of the poppiest musicians of the lineup, and even though he was performing solo with just his guitar, his songs felt fully developed. He garnered tons of “Whoo!”s from his fans when he moved all across his vocal register. Lee told plenty of stories, introducing his classic “Sweet Pea” by telling the festival attendees about a time when he made an elderly woman in a hospice with a reputation for being difficult dance when he played this “little ditty” for her. He expressed admiration for the city of Ann Arbor, for the fans who sat through a marathon night of music and for the other performers. He backed up that last comment when he brought out every other artist who had performed throughout the night, all of them harmonizing together on “Angel from Montgomery.” After 50 years of music and 38 years of a folk festival that still sells out both nights, the sense of the community between musicians and audience at The Ark feels stronger than ever.
EVENT REVIEW
Sexy ballet delights By COSMO PAPPAS Daily Arts Writer
Before you see their performances, there are many things about Compagnie Marie Chouinard that cry out for a furrow-browed contemplation punctuated only by cultivated “ahs” and “hms.” An avantgarde dance company from Montreal, the group bears many of the markers of high pretentiousness in the American cultural imagination – abstract dance, 20th-century classical music, nudity. And did I mention they’re French (-speaking)? The Statue of Liberty must have been the last moment of genuine cultural camaraderie between the U.S. and the Francophone world, since in response to the stereotypes of French-language media we as Americans carry with us – disaffected, independently wealthy faux-radical youth smoking hand-rolled cigarettes in a seedy bar – we typically give little more than an irritated sigh. When Compagnie Marie Chouinard came to Ann Arbor on Jan. 23, they performed two different works. The first, entitled Gymnopédies, was built around Erik Satie’s canonical series of compositions for the piano of the same name. Beginning with the company’s 11 dancers silently walking
through a yonic curtain rigging in pairs, suggesting creation or birth or a reverse birth, I expected an uninhibited, selfindulgent performance. But Compagnie Marie Chouinard is a lot smarter than its audience. The next scene, a formation of about five to seven dancers donned in clown noses comes out bunny-hopping across the stage. A few audience members, including myself and the person I went with, laughed a bit. “Is it supposed to be funny?,” we sheepishly wonder, as we try to suppress our laughter because it seems like we’re supposed to strain for its commentary on the human condition with an expressively unexpressive face. It becomes obvious that there’s something more at play when a second group, similarly garbed in red noses, enters stage right hopping in the same way toward the first group. And then something extraordinary happened: everybody laughed! Stunt after stunt, the company brilliantly played on its audience’s expectations by foregrounding the silly and the goofy amid the gorgeous choreography. Compagnie Marie Chouinard does not eschew expertise and technique in refusing ballet-as-serious-art and its attendant stuffiness. But perhaps even more importantly, this dance company is interested in sex. And yet, the depiction of
sex is no less awkward or goofy than the rest of the show. This aspect is part of the company’s great success. Compagnie Marie Chouinard’s thoughtful and inclusive sex-positivity consists iofits interest in the unsure, early erotic encounters that often fall outside heteronormative conceptions of sex. There is no shame or guilt or pretentiousness; and rather only a sense of goofy, playful, tender and merrily raunchy unknowingness in their representations of sex: gay and lesbian and hetero. The second half of the show, titled Henri Michaux: Mouvements, is an engaging exploration of the representational capacity of ballet as each dancer, dressed in a black body suit, mimics the monochromatic ink drawings of the Belgian poet and painter of the title. Once again, Compagnie Marie Chouinard averts the risk of coming off as uncavalierly pretentious with the choice of music – abrasive, fast-paced metal. This choice cements the company’s commitment to poking fun at its audience by saying, We’re not stuffy, so why do you watch it that way? Their delight is in subverting the typical conditions of the reception of ballet and high culture by producing an intelligent and simultaneously very funny show.
SportsMonday B
The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | February 2, 2015
SNOW
CLOSE
Michigan State 76, Michigan 66 (OT)
RUBY WALLAU/Daily
Everything but the finish E L AST LANSING — Michigan State forward Denzel Valentine waved his arms to pump up the Breslin Center crowd, then he fired some words toward the Michigan men’s basketball JAKE team’s bench. LOURIM Aubrey Dawkins rolled his eyes. The freshman guard had been in the in-state rivalry game for less than a half, and he was already fed up. On the road, in likely the loudest atmosphere of the season so far, Michigan didn’t flinch for 40 minutes. Then, with 3:59 left in overtime, junior guard Spike Albrecht found himself all alone at the top of the key, but his potential go-ahead 3-pointer rimmed out. Michigan drew up the play perfectly, as it had several times before, and got everything but the finish. Albrecht muttered something and backpedaled down the court, and the Wolverines never scored again, losing in overtime, 76-66. Sunday morning, they trudged through the snowy weather, sent an undermanned team against Michigan State and withstood everything the crowd had to offer. And they did everything but finish. ***
ate in the first half, just after Valentine shouted at the Michigan bench, the Spartans started to pull away for the first — and, really, only — time. Valentine knocked down a 3-pointer in the final minute, and there was the slightest sign of a smirk on Michigan coach John Beilein’s face as he hit it. Perhaps it was out of frustration or dejection, but perhaps it was because he had the Spartans right where he wanted them. Seconds later, Valentine hit another, giving Michigan State its largest lead of regulation. But even then, the Michigan coach had confidence in his team. Even then, as the crowd noise notched up and Michigan State could have taken advantage, he knew there was a lot of basketball left. Even then, he knew the Spartans couldn’t keep up their 3-point shooting. The last points of the first half were Albrecht hitting a pair of free throws as the crowd chanted “Just-in Bie-ber!” at him. The Wolverines pulled within five after a lackluster first half, and they weren’t going away. At halftime, it seemed Michigan had played as well as it could have played. It mustered up some offense, and though it was beaten on the glass, it played well defensively. But in the second half, somehow the Wolverines played even better. They started building a lead, to the disbelief of the crowd. Albrecht drove See MICHIGAN, Page 2B
Michigan State outlasts Michigan with 10-0 overtime spurt at Breslin By LEV FACHER Managing Editor
EAST LANSING — Last year, it was Derrick Walton Jr., then a freshman, who rose to the occasion for the Michigan men’s basketball team at Breslin Center, leading the Wolverines to an 80-75 victory on January 25, 2014. This year, with Walton on crutches and confined to the bench, it was another freshman guard who took the reigns in an attempt to will Michigan to victory: Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman. But Abdur-Rahkman’s career day wasn’t enough to get the job done for the injury-plagued Wolverines, who dropped a 76-66 decision in overtime, falling to 6-4 in the Big Ten and 13-9 overall. Making just his third career start, Abdur-Rahkman scored 18 points on 8-for13 shooting from the field, easily eclipsing his previous career high of nine. “I think you’re seeing that great growth from Muhammad right now,” Beilein said. Beilein added that he “saw a little bit in video when we recruited him,” though Abdur-Rahkman was added to Michigan’s recruiting class too late for the coaching staff to witness his in-game abilities in person. “I think we’re starting to see it,” Beilein said. “You saw it in the month of January, now let’s hope it continues in the month of February.” Junior guard Spike Albrecht also scored 18 points, while sophomore forward Zak Irvin added 11 on 5-for-14 shooting, converting only one of his six attempts from 3-point range. But while Michigan State (5-3, 14-7) scored 10 points in the overtime period, the Wolverines couldn’t score at all. The final score of 76-66 belied the game’s back-and-forth nature, a trend that disappeared quickly once the first 40 minutes were up. The Wolverines stayed in the game throughout despite being easily outmuscled on the glass — the Spartans
pulled down 43 team rebounds to Michigan’s 29, including a 13-7 disparity on the offensive end. Michigan State shot just 6-for-11 from the free-throw line in the half, but their presence on the offensive glass allowed them to enter the locker room with a halftime lead. The Spartans recorded 26 team rebounds in the frame, 10 of which came on the offensive end. Michigan jumped out to an early 8-3 lead on the back of four points from AbdurRahkman, who converted on all three of his first-half field-goal attempts. But Michigan State quickly muscled their way back into the game, thanks in large part to 14 first-half points from junior guard Denzel Valentine. A thunderous finish by Branden Dawson on an alleyoop lob from Valentine punctuated the comeback and gave the Spartans a 20-19 lead. “I was really impressed today with Valentine,” said Michigan coach John Beilein. “No matter what we threw at him … he sees the floor well, he rebounds well, he shot the ball well.” Valentine finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, including another lob to Dawson to tie the game at 61 in the final minutes of the second half. “I thought (Valentine) really stood out, in that he was able to just pick us apart with different things we did, one-on-one, zones, everything,” Beilein said. “So when you have a tall guy that can really see like that and can shoot, it really makes your team go. “I didn’t like his game, but I’ve got to respect his game a ton today.” Despite Valentine’s continued efforts, Michigan found momentum early in the second half, beginning with a well executed, back-and-forth fast break between Abdur-Rahkman and freshman
ICE COLD
SALES PITCH
n The Michigan hockey team cooled off and lost to Michigan State, 2-1. Page 4B
n Just two days remain until National Signing Day. SportsMonday Column, Page 2B
guard Aubrey Dawkins. After a Dawkins layup in Michigan’s ensuing offensive sequence, Irvin stole the ball along the right flank and found himself with enough open space to attempt a thunderous one-handed jam and give Michigan a 34-33 lead. The momentum shifted back and forth throughout the half, with the Spartans eventually gaining a four-point lead in the game’s final minute before a heroic tip-in from Max Bielfeldt tied the game at 66. Though the Wolverines forced an extra five minutes, they simply couldn’t muster any additional productivity beyond the two regulation periods. “We probably panicked when we got down by six,” Beilein said. “We took an ill-advised 3. Your jump shot shouldn’t get blocked. You should shot fake and go to the basket. Those types of things changed the See STATE, Page 2B
SportsMonday
2B — February 2, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SPORTSMONDAY COLUMN
L
Jay Harbaugh’s eight-part recruiting pitch
ast week, Jay Harbaugh, the Michigan football team’s tight ends coach,
As hockey coach Red Berenson recently told the Daily, “If you’re not interested in school, don’t come to Michigan.” If you are prepared to play school, you’re in the right place.
made national news when a top recruit posted a handwritten letter from Harbaugh. The letter ALEJANDRO outlined eight reasons ZÚÑIGA — bolded below — that four-star tight end Chris Clark should commit to Michigan on National Signing Day on Wednesday. Here at the Daily, we’re all about factual accuracy. With National Signing Day right around the corner, we wanted to make sure recruits really know what Michigan is all about. Below, the Daily breaks down some of Harbaugh’s listed reasons to come to Michigan. 1) We have used, know how to use and will use tight ends … a lot! For starters, it’s good Jay knows how to use tight ends — after all, that’s the position he coaches. Frankly, it would behoove the Wolverines if they knew how to use all the positions on the football team. Last year, it seemed as if they struggled to properly utilize a number of players, including an athletic quarterback and an NFL-caliber wide receiver. Ideally, Michigan would know how to use all its best players, a lot. 2) You can wear No. 8 here! And 104,909-74,340 = 30,569 more people will see it every week if you come to the Big House.
6) We have the most wins … ever. It helps that Michigan has been playing football since 1879. It also helps that the Wolverines went 165-29-1 under Fielding Yost in the early 1900s. His teams were so good that he won the inaugural Rose Bowl, 49-0. That game was so lopsided that Stanford asked the Wolverines to call it quits with eight minutes left. Wins don’t come that easily anymore, not for anybody. But 915 victories is a lot. It’s why Michigan fans can sing “The Victors” — about their team — before the game has even been played. Notre Dame leads in winning percentage, though, so there’s catching up to do there. JAMES COLLER/Daily
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh’s staff is making some aggressive final recruiting pitches ahead of Wednesday’s National Signing Day.
First, a note to Russell Bellomy, who wore No. 8 for the Wolverines in 2014: You were thrust into some of the most difficult situations imaginable. Replacing Denard Robinson partway through a night game against Nebraska at Memorial Stadium in 2012? Tearing your ACL the following year? Making only one appearance as a junior for two quick series against Penn State? You never had a consistent chance to succeed here, and the letter from Jay unceremoniously indicated you were transferring. You deserve a stroke of good luck, wherever you go.
As for the attendance: Don’t sell yourself short, Jay. Michigan averaged 104,909 people in 2014 because there was no marquee home game and because there was dwindling fan support for the last administration. The Big House will be full next year — there are home games against Michigan State, Notre Dame and Ohio State, and there is genuine excitement surrounding the future of the program. Plus, student tickets cost a more reasonable amount next year. 3) We are close to Chicago/Indianapolis/ Cleveland/Detroit/Madison/
Milwaukee/Green Bay/ Buffalo Seriously, Cleveland? Ann Arbor is decidedly not close to Piscataway or College Park, which is unfortunate, because those are locations of conference opponents. 4) We will have a QB… a good one! See item No. 1. Michigan had a good quarterback in Devin Gardner, but there are only so many hits and protection breakdowns and coaching changes you can take before all that talent becomes what we saw last year out of him.
STATE From Page 1B
MICHIGAN From Page 1B
momentum.” FOOTBALL SPARTANS: During the second media timeout of the game, the Spartans trotted out football coach Mark Dantonio, as well as several star football players, to showcase their Cotton Bowl trophy. Eager to exploit the rivalry, MSU’s students immediately began chanting “five and seven,” reminding Michigan fans of their school’s 5-7 football record in 2014. INJURY UPDATE: Walton was sidelined for the second consecutive game with a left foot injury. His status has seemingly worsened since Beilein first referred to the injury as a sprained right toe — he wore a boot and used a set of crutches as he watched warmups from the sidelines at Breslin Center. Following the game, Beilein said that Walton’s return “won’t be in the foreseeable future.”
and kicked to freshman guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman for a 3-pointer. He pointed three fingers toward the stands, and the Michigan State fans went silent. This time the crowd implored the Spartans to buckle down. They were going toe-to-toe with players like Abdur-Rahkman and Sean Lonergan and Andrew Dakich. Abdur-Rahkman drove past Dawson to the hoop. Dakich pump-faked past Valentine. Lonergan came in for energy on defense. Michigan was clearly outmatched physically against a team known for playing tough. But the Wolverines out-toughed them, beating them at their own game for the better part of 40 minutes. As the second half wore on, Michigan State could have pulled away at any minute. With 5:06 left, Dawkins grabbed an offensive rebound, scored the basket and drew a foul. That got another roar from Irvin. The Spartans, meanwhile, huddled up and regrouped in front of 14,000 people who thought it’d be the other way around. Valentine threw his second alley-oop to Dawson with three minutes to play, and seconds later Beilein winced and called a timeout. Maybe Michigan State thought this was finally the moment it would pull away. Dawson grabbed the rebound on the next possession and handed it to Trice to walk it up
RUBY WALLAU/Daily
Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman scored a career-high 18 points Sunday.
Will it be Shane Morris, Wilton Speight, Zach Gentry or Alex Malzone? My guess is Morris. And my other guess is he’ll be much improved from what we saw last year. 5) This is the best public school in America. Cal would like a word. So would UCLA (the other school Clark is rumored to be strongly considering) and Virginia. Look, Michigan is a great school, and there are tools here to succeed academically as well as athletically. One hundred percent of Brady Hoke’s seniors graduated, and that’s a standard that should continue.
the court. “Let’s go, baby,” Dawson said, perhaps smelling blood. Why shouldn’t he? The Wolverines had already hung around longer than they were supposed to. Eventually, they had to fade, right? Trice hit a jumper in the lane, then grabbed a steal and drew a foul. The students chanted “Stand up!” to the rest of the building, and the rest of the building obliged. Now everyone was into it. When play resumed, Michigan State’s Bryn Forbes drained a dagger 3 to make it a five-point game with 1:20 to play. Ballgame, right? That’s what the Spartans thought too. Instead, Albrecht fought back with a 3-pointer of his own with 40.9 seconds to go. Valentine missed the front end of a 1-and-1, and Bielfeldt got to the rim on the next possession for a tip-in with 19.8 seconds left. In just over a minute, the Wolverines had erased the deficit. Trice had one more chance to rip Michigan’s heart out, but his last-gasp 3-pointer rimmed out. The game was headed to overtime. Beilein smiled. ***
B
ack to Albrecht. The junior — thrust into not just a bigger leadership role with co-captain LeVert out, but also a star role as the team’s second-leading active scorer — had led his team into battle and done everything he needed to. He
7) We have the biggest Adidas contract in the nation. And you’ll get all that gear washed for free in the best laundry facilities in the world: A brand-new, $6-million laundry center near the fieldhockey facilities! 8) This is a very special time at a very special place. That’s how legacies are cemented. We are both going to be a part of that! I promise you we will win and grow together. No argument there. Zúñiga can be reached at azs@umich.edu and on Twitter @ByAZuniga.
had banged bodies with bigger players, hit tough jumpers into the defense and distributed the ball around to the offense. “I saw the old Spike Albrecht out there today,” Beilein said. Now he was all alone on the perimeter, getting the ball at the end of a beautifully developed play. His miss was his first clear mistake, and the Spartans went on an 8-0 run to close overtime as the smile drifted away from Beilein’s face. Albrecht winced when asked about it later. “That was a crucial play,” Albrecht said. “I don’t know what it was, but (in) overtime, we didn’t seem to have the same juice we had the whole second half.” With 15 seconds left — 44 minutes and 45 seconds after his team took the floor and made it a dogfight, against all odds — Beilein finally called off the dogs. Michigan State dribbled out the clock, and the Breslin Center let out a collective sigh of relief. The deck was stacked against the Wolverines on Sunday, and yet they still managed to do everything short of winning. The deck has been stacked against them for weeks as the injuries have piled up, yet they have still managed to do everything they can — everything but finish. After Sunday, it’s clear they’ll continue to do everything they can. Next time, they’ll just have to finish. Jake Lourim can be reached at jlourim@umich.edu or on Twitter @jakelourim.
SportsMonday
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Second half dooms ‘M’ By JACOB GASE Daily Sports Writer
All of the Michigan women’s basketball team’s Big Ten road contests this season have followed the same script: a firsthalf scoring drought followed by a furious second-half comeback. In four tries, the MICHIGAN 60 pattern has NEBRASKA 75 produced only one win for the Wolverines — a seven-point victory over Northwestern on Jan. 17. In Sunday’s matchup with No. 15 Nebraska, the exact opposite scenario occurred. Despite starting the game on a 20-9 run and never trailing in the first half, the Wolverines were overwhelmed by the Cornhuskers’ offense in the second half, dropping the game, 75-60. “I don’t really know (what happened),” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. “(The Cornhuskers) made shots, they got some rebounds. We had a tough time scoring down the stretch. They just played better down the stretch, they found the open person.” The Wolverines (5-5 Big Ten, 13-8 overall) let their early lead slip away with 16:04 remaining in the game, when Nebraska forward Hallie Sample forced a layup past senior forward Cyesha Goree to give the Cornhuskers their first lead of the contest, 37-35. Still, Michigan seemed poised to recover and pull off the upset. After both teams traded several baskets to tie the score at 45, senior guard Shannon Smith and sophomore guard Siera Thompson buried consecutive 3-pointers to give the Wolverines a six-point lead with 10:13 to play. But after the ensuing timeout, Nebraska took over the game. The Cornhuskers (7-3, 17-4)
scored the game’s next 11 points as part of a 26-5 run that dashed Michigan’s hopes. The run included three consecutive 3-pointers from guard Tear’a Laudermill to extend the lead from seven points to 16. With 11 offensive rebounds and 15 secondchance points, Nebraska simply refused to let the Wolverines put them away. “(The Cornhuskers) got a lot of extra opportunities because of their offensive rebounds,” Barnes Arico said. “Sample did a nice job on the weak side of offensive rebounding for them, and she was 7-for-7 from the floor. Our game plan was to help off of her, and she really made big plays for them.”
“We had a tough time scoring down the stretch.”
RITA MORRIS/Daily
Close not enough for ‘M’ in defeat Daily Sports Writer
Track and field might as well be called horseshoes and hand grenades due to how often the word “almost” could be used. Almost counts for something with horseshoes and hand grenades. In track and field, almost means its definition — not quite. Saturday, the No. 15 Michigan women’s track and field team lost its first dual meet of the season to No. 23 Michigan State, 81-80, a meet decided by one place. An almost-win. “There were a lot of things where we lost by one place, and I’m not sure how we’re going to talk about that,” said Michigan coach James Henry. “There were some close ones that we won and some close ones that we lost.” The meet took place in Allendale, Michigan at Grand Valley State University, providing a neutral site for a new Michigan and Michigan State track and field tradition — a dual meet between two historically successful in-state rivals. The crowd was divided 50/50 with both Michigan and Michigan State fans providing support, but neither created a home-field advantage. The tradition started in 2013 (Michigan won, 89-73), and regularly brings intense competition and excitement despite being toward the beginning of the season. “There’s more emotions in this competition than there is when we’re at a conference championship meet,” Henry said. “One-on-one is going straight up against your rivals, so that’s always fun.” Fifteen Wolverines set personal bests in the meet, including freshman high jumper Claire Kieffer-Wright (first place with a height of 1.73 meters) and junior Danielle Pfeifer, who finished first in the 600-meter race with a time of 1:30.66. Michigan won six races and
Elmblad. In addition to her tiebreaking triple, Smith finished the game with 22 points (18 in the second half ) despite battling foul trouble all day — she ultimately fouled out with seven seconds to play. Elmblad, who was averaging 6.8 points and had reached double digits just four times this season, finished the game with 10 points, including three early baskets that keyed Michigan’s quick start. But then the offense went cold in the second half, allowing the Cornhuskers to forge a comeback and run away with the game. “We got a little bit stagnant late,” Barnes Arico said. “I didn’t think we moved the ball as well as we did at the beginning of the game, and we didn’t have the open looks.” The loss dropped the Wolverines’ road record to 1-6, including an 0-4 mark against ranked opponents.
Senior forward Nicole Elmblad stepped up offensively in Michigan’s upset bid against Nebraska, scoring 10 points.
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
By CHRIS CROWDER
The Cornhuskers’ dominant second half wasted a strong effort from a Michigan offense that has struggled to get going on the road. Trying to inject some offense into her team, Barnes Arico inserted junior guard Madison Ristovski into the starting lineup in place of defensiveminded sophomore guard Danielle Williams. Ristovski scored just five points in the game, but they all came in the first seven minutes and facilitated the fast start Barnes Arico was looking for. More importantly, the Wolverines received contributions from two players who haven’t been major offensive factors lately: Smith and senior forward Nicole
earned 25 top-three finishes on the day. Junior Cindy Ofili won three titles — the 60-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles and 200meter race. Henry was pleased with the whole team, but didn’t want to leave anyone out when he was thinking of specific accomplishments. “If you bring up two or three names, you miss two or three. It was a good team effort,” Henry said. “We tried to compete as a team and win as a team.” Henry also said that the team is coming together even more, as now, every athlete’s performance counts because meets are scored for the rest of the season. Despite the loss, Henry believes that the experience was beneficial for the Wolverines. An almost-win comes with its share of lessons. “We have compared ourselves with two things: with what Michigan State is like and we compared ourselves against ourselves so we can improve,” Henry said. With collegiate personal bests being achieved early in the season, Michigan looks well on its way to continued and consistent improvement. Even with a loss to a lower-ranked opponent, the Wolverines have both veterans and freshmen racing well, leaving no reason to worry. Henry wasn’t disappointed, but rather has confidence that his team will succeed. He believes that his team has the capability to win races with slim margins for error as the season goes on. “We just have to be mentally tough, that’s what it comes down to,” Henry said. “We have to win the close ones. There were a number of close ones by hundredths and thousandths of a second.” Almost counts for something instantly in horseshoes and hand grenades. In track and field, almost might take a while to count for something. But it immediately brings motivation for the next race.
February 2, 2015 — 3B
MEN’S TENNIS
Slow start dooms ‘M’ in close match By KEVIN SANTO Daily Sports Writer
Six singles matches. Three doubles matches. One deciding set. Redshirt freshman Davis Crocker lost his first set, 6-0, and he attributed the slow start to being caught up in the moment, given that 3 MICHIGAN he was VANDERBILT 4 forced to watch as the Michigan men’s tennis team fell behind early against Vanderbilt on Sunday. Though Crocker recovered to win the second set 7-6 against Vanderbilt’s Suresh Eswaran, it proved not to be enough. While his teammates attempted to urge Crocker on toward victory, he squandered the final, meetdeciding set, 4-6, resulting in a 4-3 loss to Commodores. The defeat was the Wolverines’ third straight on the road this season. The redshirt freshman explained that the entire match was a battle, and that ultimately, if he had played more aggressively, it may have yielded a different result. Despite the loss, Crocker was optimistic about Michigan’s fate moving forward. “This one stings a little more because we fought so hard,” Crocker said. “I definitely think we can build on this match. We have a really tough schedule, so the fact that we were that close to beating such a good team on the road bodes well for our next couple of matches.” Crocker’s match was one of the many comeback circumstances
that the Wolverines (1-3) found themselves in during their 4-3 loss to Vanderbilt. Though Michigan started the meet with a pair of commanding doubles victories, it fell in a hole as the Commodores (5-2) won three straight singles matches. Freshmen Alex Knight and Runhao Hua found themselves down early in their single matches against Kris Yee and Daniel Valent, and the young competitors could not salvage victories. And after a positive start, winning his first set 6-4, senior Alex Petrone faltered in his final two sets, losing to Vanderbilt’s Gonzales Austin. These three results left Michigan down 3-1 with three matches remaining. Senior Michael Zhu and freshman Carter Lin fought valiantly and proceeded to establish a 3-3 tie. This left the meet-deciding match to Crocker, and both teams swarmed to the final court in support of their respective athletes. “Everybody was going nuts on both sides,” Crocker said. “The yelling was echoing throughout the building.” Though the freshman garnered incredible support from his teammates, he could not prevail against Eswaran. Despite the heartbreaking loss, Michigan coach Adam Steinberg focused on the positive aspects of the meet. “I thought they fought amazingly well,” he said. “I thought we competed great. I was really proud of them. We’re getting better.”
“Everybody was going nuts.”
‘M’ wins top-10 showdown Wolverines knock off No. 7 Nebraska at Crisler By CINDY YU Daily Sports Writer
A matchup against the topranked vault squad in the nation was enough motivation for the Michigan women’s gymnastics team to prove it can compete with the best. In a showdown between the top two teams in the Big Ten, the fourth-ranked Wolverines (3-0 Big Ten, 5-0 overall) recorded a season-best total of 197.300 to beat No. 7 Nebraska’s 195.875 points at Crisler Center on Saturday. For the fourth consecutive week, sophomore Nicole Artz, senior Sachi Sugiyama and freshman Brianna Brown filled the top three spots in the allaround standings. Artz led the team with a career-high 39.600, while Sugiyama and Brown improved their career-best totals with scores of 39.500 and 39.450, respectively. As improved landings continued to escalate the Wolverines’ vault scores, Sugiyama and Artz delivered two of the best vaults of their careers. Sugiyama tied her careerbest 9.950 to win the event. After nearly sticking her Yurchenko 1.5 landing, the audience repeatedly chanted “10,” to signify their approval of the routine. “We’ve been really focusing on sticks, especially this week, because Nebraska (2-1 Big Ten, 5-1 overall) is known for their really good vaults,” Sugiyama said. “I had no doubt in my mind going down (the runway) that it was going to be a good vault. “I think that it was just having that mindset that really helped out, and obviously it paid off.” Artz scored a career-high 9.900 on vault, good enough to tie for second with Nebraska senior Jessie DeZiel.
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
Sophomore Nicole Artz scored a career-high 9.900 on the vault in Michigan’s win over Nebraska.
“It literally took my breath away,” Artz said. “I told Dave, ‘Dave, I don’t think I can finish the meet.’ I was just so excited, because I worked really hard on that event.” Following the first rotation, Michigan led Nebraska, 49.30048.900. On the uneven bars, Brown and Artz took first and second place with season-best scores of 9.900 and 9.875, respectively. Senior Brooke Parker made her first appearance in competition on the bars, scoring 9.800 in an exhibition routine. At the halfway point, the Wolverines led the Cornhuskers, 98.500-98.225. As usual, Nebraska showcased an impressive vault rotation, scoring 49.325 in the event and sticking five of six vault landings. Ranked second in the nation on balance beam, Michigan recorded a season-best 49.275 in the event. Junior Briley Casanova scored her season-
best 9.875 in the leadoff position with a routine highlighted by a back handspring to layout stepout and straddle jump to back salto stuck cold. Sophomore Talia Chiarelli tied Casanova for first with her confident routine performed in sync with Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy.” In a three-way tie for third with Artz and Nebraska junior Hollie Blanske, Sugiyama tied her career-best 9.850. “I just got to really learn to calm myself down before beam,” Sugiyama said. “I’m really enjoying being back in the all-around.” In her second exhibition of the night, Parker scored a career-best 9.750 on beam, unofficially competing in the all-around and totaling a respectable 39.225. “Brooke has been such a worker bee in the gym and we’ve been working a great deal on her confidence,” said Michigan coach Bev Plocki. “She’s a very talented athlete,
but we need her to transfer what I see in the gym to what we see in competition … We need her to be ready, because she provides us with a depth that’s at a very high level, and that’s what we need right now.” On floor exercise, the Wolverines maintained their momentum, topping the season average of Alabama, the best team in the nation, 49.52549.367. The five counted scores toward the team total placed in the top five on the event, with each scoring a season best. Junior Lindsay Williams led off with a 9.850 performance followed by Brown, Parker and Sugiyama scoring 9.900, 9.875 and 9.925, respectively. In the second round of “10” chants, Artz actually received a 10.000 from one judge. Averaged with her other floor score, she totaled 9.975 on the event. “To see a 10 flash (on the scoreboard) is just overwhelming,” Artz said.
SportsMonday
4B — February 2, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Michigan drops rivalry matchup ‘Pretty’ not enough to Spartans at Joe Louis Arena for Michigan in loss ICE HOCKEY
By ERIN LENNON
By ZACH SHAW
Daily Sports Editor
Daily Sports Writer
DETROIT — It started with Andrew Copp flipping a Michigan State defender into the Spartans’ bench. It ended with the junior forward 2 MICH. ST. and several 1 MICHIGAN other Michigan players throwing fists at Spartans, having suffered their first defeat since Dec. 13. The much-anticipated matchup between the Spartans and No. 13 Michigan at Joe Louis Arena — a tradition dating back to 1991 — was typical of the rivalry, with the game decided in the third period. And in typical rivalry fashion, Michigan State (4-2-2 Big Ten, 10-11-2 overall) managed to all but shut down the nation’s No. 1 offense, forcing the Wolverines (7-2-0, 15-8-0) into a battle of goaltenders in front of more than 20,000 fans. “It’s pretty obvious what happens,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “Everyone builds this game up as an offense against a defense, and you know what happens. Defense wins. “It’s pretty clear to us that the puck isn’t going to go in every night, and we’ve got to play tougher if we’re going to win close games.” Though sophomore goaltender Zach Nagelvoort stopped 25 shots in his second straight start, it was Michigan State goaltender Jake Hildebrand who stood on his head, handing Michigan a 2-1 loss. Hildebrand even stonewalled Zach Hyman, denying the senior forward on several backhanded wraparound moves, snapping his seven-game goal-scoring streak. Following a scoreless second period, Michigan State found
Sometimes, being pretty simply doesn’t cut it. For the past month, the Michigan hockey team had played pretty hockey better than any team in the country. Whether it was one-time goals by any of four superb lines, wrap-around shots by Hobey Baker award candidate Zach Hyman or flawless shots from beyond the face-off circle, the Wolverines had been playing highlight-reel hockey, and it worked incredibly well. In its seven-game win streak, Michigan scored 5.43 goals per game and looked nearly perfect doing so. But that all came to an abrupt end Friday night when Michigan State goaltender Jake Hildebrand stopped 29 of 30 shots and guided the Spartans to a 2-1 win. “Michigan State is always going to play hard against us,” said sophomore forward JT Compher. “We’re going to get everyone else’s best game. Tonight we got a little too pretty. We’ve got to get back to playing hard, playing gritty, getting to the dirty areas and playing Michigan hockey and not relying on our offense as we have the last couple of weeks.” Noticeably absent from the game were pretty goals, and the Wolverines struggled to produce much else in the game. Certainly there were pretty moments. Be it one of Michigan’s plethora of forward threading through defensemen, timely passes in front of the net or even clutch shots that temporarily snuck through the defense to Hildebrand, the Wolverines had plenty of pieces in place to succeed. Putting it together against
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
Dylan Larkin added a goal to his sterling freshman season, but Michigan had its seven-game winning streak snapped.
twine first in the third period. From there, the Spartans exposed the Wolverines’ transition defense, adding several more scoring chances. Meanwhile, with less than four minutes remaining in regulation, the penalty kill stymied a Michigan power play that has led the nation since Nov. 29 by converting 42.9 percent of its chances. Plagued by neutral-zone turnovers through the majority of the second period, the Wolverines couldn’t manage to find rhythm despite an equally shaky Spartans’ forecheck. Then, with 5:34 left in the period, Copp poked a puck through the legs of Hildebrand for what looked to be the go-ahead goal, but after a review the goal was discounted and the game remained tied. After four consecutive penalties and two poor powerplay efforts from both sides, the Wolverines headed into the second intermission without a lead for the first time since Jan. 9.
Michigan surrendered its first goal in five periods when Michigan State forward Villiam Haag took a breakaway pass from Joe Cox and flipped it over Nagelvoort’s right shoulder just minutes into regulation. From there, the Wolverines spent most of the frame in their own zone, allowing nine shots. “He’s a good goalie,” said sophomore forward JT Compher. “You’ve got to get guys in front of him, get dirty chances, get rebounds, and tonight we were shooting from the outside and once again trying to be too pretty.” Michigan earned the equalizer on a late period power-play goal, when Larkin — who hadn’t played at Joe Louis Arena since his youth hockey days — snagged a puck from the air with his left hand, dropped it and fired topshelf. In doing so, the Wolverines extended their team goal-scoring streak to 15 straight periods — a five-game stretch dating back to an overtime win over Minnesota on Jan. 9.
The 15th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, Larkin’s appearance was his first at Joe Louis Arena as a Detroit Red Wings prospect. That added pressure, Berenson said, may have hurt the center man who struggled along with his teammates after the first frame. “I thought at times he was really good, and at times he tried to be too good, trying to do too much,” Berenson said. “He was probably overly excited to play this game.” Still, Larkin and Hyman continued to distinguish themselves as Michigan’s top scorers. They have now tallied points in eight straight games. Several skirmishes ensued after the final buzzer sounded, but they were of little importance. Michigan State had avenged its 2-1 loss to Michigan in the Great Lakes Invitational. “We played more like they’re playing now at the GLI,” Berenson said. “We played with desperation, tonight they had the desperation.”
one of the nation’s hottest goalies, however, was an entirely different story. “We had our chances, absolutely,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “The face-off play, where Alex Kile hit the crossbar, and that was a near goal. We had isolated chances that maybe they were going in last week, but they weren’t going in tonight.” Berenson had preached for weeks that, one day, the puck luck was going to run out. Finally, it did. The game was far from the high-scoring games the team was used to, full of fights, scrums, turnovers and missed opportunities. The defense was tough, but it couldn’t compensate for what Michigan State had prepared on the defensive front. Hyman and freshman forward Dylan Larkin, who each continued their eight-game point streaks, connected on a pretty power play goal near the end of the firs period, but even the pair, who had risen to among the nation’s best in recent weeks, were contained by their own confidence. “I thought at times (Larkin) was really good,” Berenson said. “And at times he tried to be too good, trying to do too much. A lot of guys did.” The Wolverines will have another shot against Michigan State next Saturday in Chicago. But if one lesson is learned from Friday’s defeat — Michigan’s first since Dec. 13 — it’s that a good hockey team needs more than just a pretty offense. “You’ve got to get guys in front of the goalie,” Compher said. “Get dirty chances, get rebounds, and tonight we were shooting from the outside and once again trying to be too pretty. That’s not going to cut it.”
WRESTLING
Abounader shines in defeat for Michigan vs. Penn State By OLIVER HENRY For the Daily
As Matt McCutcheon’s left shoulder neared the surface of the mat, sophomore Domenic Abounader further intensified his efforts and resolve. With the possibility of a pin seemingly imminent, the crowd at Cliff Keen Arena rose to its feet and cheered in excitement. In the closing moments of the second period, Abounader dug deep and pushed McCutcheon just a few more inches and the referee’s hand hit the mat. Abounader rose to his feet in exaltation as the crowd erupted with cheers after his match in the 184-pound weight class. Such was the scene Friday night as the No. 14 Michigan wrestling team (3-3 Big Ten, 5-4 overall) lost to No. 5 Penn State, 19-15. Despite a disappointing team loss, tenthranked Abounader provided the highlight of the night with a pin on the Nittany Lions’ McCutcheon, ranked No. 17 in his weight class. “It was a huge impact, a huge boost and a huge lift. (Abounader) is a fierce competitor,” said Michigan associate head coach Sean Bormet. “He doesn’t want to lose individually and he does not want the team to lose. He’s one of those guys that rises up.” And that is just what Abounader did. With his team down 16-6 and in desperate need of a boost, Abounader stepped up to the mat. During the first period, Abounader managed to earn
two points on a takedown to earn an early advantage. The wrestlers were even for the rest of the period as time expired. McCutcheon elected to begin the second period in the down position, which in hindsight was a fatal decision. “I actually wasn’t even thinking about it,” Abounader said in reference to the pin. “I just knew that we were really struggling, and I wanted to get some of the energy going back into the crowd. I thought the best way to do that was just to wrestle as best I could, and I’m pretty good on top so I just tried to utilize that and get the pin for the team.” As the second period began, Abounader was able to maintain his hold on McCutcheon and prevent him from escaping early. Abounader then wrestled him down to the mat, making a series of adjustments to attempt the pin. “It was just straightening that arm out,” Abounader said. “If his arm starts bending, he’s able to (escape). He wasn’t very flexible. He’s very strong, but he wasn’t the most flexible (wrestler), so it was a little bit easier to keep that arm from being limber, and once I straightened it and scooped the head, it was over.” And with just eight seconds left in the second period,
Abounader pinned McCutcheon to bring the crowd to its feet. But Abounader’s path to success has not been an easy one. Despite early setbacks, Abounader has posted five victories out of six opportunities against nationally ranked opponents in the Big Ten. “He started the season a little slow because he had a minor knee surgery, so he was a little behind,” Bormet said. “It took him a while to get his conditioning back to where it needed to be, and get his confidence back to where it needed to be in his leg and his knee. Since he’s gotten to that point, he’s just been working himself over and over on positions, working his conditioning, he’s lifting weights with more intensity and he’s doing everything with more intensity.” Abounader is not relishing this victory, though, as he continues to work toward the postseason. “I want to keep the train rolling, and I know my coaches will continue to prepare me,” Abounader said. “This (victory) doesn’t mean a whole lot. What matters (most) is in March in the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. I need to peak at the end of the season and just keep getting better and better and not halt my progress.”
“I wanted to get some of the energy going back into the crowd.”
CHECK MICHIGANDAILY.COM FOR MORE COVERAGE
INCLUDING A LOOK BACK AT TOM BRADY’S LAST CAREER GAME AT MICHIGAN
SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily
Sophomore Adam Coon won 5-2 in the heavyweight class in the Michigan wrestling team’s loss to Penn State on Friday.
Urgency missing for ‘M’ By BRANDON CARNEY Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan men’s wrestling team just couldn’t find the right moves in time. Redshirt sophomore Conor Youtsey, PENN STATE 19 freshman MICHIGAN 15 Alec Pantaleo and fifth-year senior Max Huntley all lost matches by one point in the Wolverines’ 19-15 defeat to Penn State (5-2 Big Ten, 9-2 overall). A win in any one of those matches would have created a six-point swing that could have put Michigan (3-3, 5-4) on top. Youtsey and Huntley came into Friday’s match in winning form, as both went undefeated last weekend against Wisconsin and Indiana. But when it came down to a crucial point in the match, Youtsey and Huntley couldn’t execute the moves to find the winning points against their Nittany Lion opposition. But if there was a loss that stung the most for the Wolverines, it was Pantaleo’s defeat. The freshman led for a majority of his match and only had to stall through the final period. But in the final 10 seconds, Pantaleo was taken down, giving Penn State’s Zach Beitz the two points he needed for an upset victory.
While Michigan expected several of Friday’s matches to be close and prepared for that during the week, the lack of execution was the match’s most hurtful takeaway for the Wolverines. “We had some really tough moments, and they got tougher than we did,” said Michigan associate head coach Sean Bormet. “That’s disappointing, and that can’t happen if you’re going to win close bouts. We lost some positions we knew we were going to be in. We didn’t drive the nail through the board and finish.” Bormet also credited the Nittany Lions for coming out more aggressively than the Wolverines did. The four-time defending national champions won their first four duals to take a 12-0 lead, sucking the energy out of the sold-out crowd at Cliff Keen Arena. “The guy that stays more aggressive is usually going to win matches,” Bormet said. “We want offense, because offense wins matches in our sport. We’re constantly hammering our guys about scoring, building leads and attacking through the whole match.” Michigan has been trying to implement aggressive strategies like Penn State’s all season, and sophomore Brian Murphy was one of the few Wolverines who
came out assertive within his bout. But even then, Murphy thought there was more he could have done. “I knew we needed to get a win to get us going,” Murphy said. “We didn’t end up pulling it out. For me, winning in the tough positions (was huge), but I could have extended the score of that match a lot (more).” In addition to Murphy, three other Wolverine sophomores pulled out big wins that nearly got Michigan the points needed to win. Domenic Abounader was able to pin his opponent and get the Wolverines a huge six-point victory that cut the Nittany Lion lead to four. Adam Coon continued his domination over Big Ten heavyweights, winning his match 5-2. Redshirt sophomore Taylor Massa scored against his opponent early and gathered nearly two minutes of riding time in his 6-3 win. Despite results that leave room for optimism, the coaching staff will reevaluate the team before a weekend of must-win duels against Nebraska and Purdue. “When we got to critical scoring spots, we needed more urgency,” Bormet said. “We needed urgency to control the ties, we needed urgency to control the attacks. That’s what was missing, and that’s something we’ll be working on.”