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ATHLETICS
Physicians silent on Morris concussion TERESA MATHEW/Daily
University Athletic Director Dave Brandon discusses the Athletic Department’s recent mistakes, including playing sophomore quarterback Shane Morris at Saturday’s game against Minnesota, during a one-on-one interview at The Michigan Daily Thursday.
AD Brandon speaks out on ‘mistake’ after controversy AD says he hasn’t considered resiging after Morris’ concussion
resigning. Nor has he considered firing Michigan football coach Brady Hoke, he said. And he admits that the Athletic Department made a mistake on Saturday. Two days after a student protest called for Brandon’s termination, he sat down for an interview with The Michigan Daily Thursday to answer questions that have been on the minds of members of the Michigan community. The outcry followed the Athletic Department’s response to a concussion sophomore quarter-
By GREG GARNO, JEN CALFAS and ALEJANDRO ZUNIGA Managing Section Editors
Amid nationwide controversy of fans, alumni and students calling for his removal, University Athletic Director Dave Brandon has not considered
back Shane Morris suffered in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s football game against Minnesota. Morris was left in the game for another play after taking the hit and was later reinserted for another snap, apparently not undergoing evaluation for head trauma. According to NCAA policy, a player must be removed from the game immediately if he shows any sign of a concussion. But Hoke has maintained that he, other coaches and medical personnel did not see the incident occur in real time.
Brandon said he doesn’t know how Hoke eventually learned of the concussion. As of Monday afternoon’s press conference, the coach had claimed he was only aware of Morris’ high ankle sprain, also suffered against Minnesota. “That was just another example of the failure of communication that took place between among of the doctors, all of the trainers — in this case, the head coach — to try to piece together what happened,” Brandon said. Monday afternoon, Hoke See INTERVIEW, Page 3
Team’s medical personnel have yet to release a statement one week after event By IAN DILLINGHAM and MAX COHEN Daily News Editor and Senior Sports Editor
One week after sophomore quarterback Shane Morris suffered a concussive hit in the Wolverines’ matchup against Minnesota, the University Athletic Department has begun to open up about the incident with media outlets — including Athletic Director Dave Brandon in an interview with The Michigan Daily Thursday. In addition to Brandon, University President Mark Schlissel and Michigan coach Brady Hoke have both addressed the media. However, as of Thursday, there has been no communication from any of the eight team physicians currently contracted with the football team. In a 12:30 p.m. Monday press conference, Hoke told the media
CAMPUS LIFE
BUSINESS
Play promotes dialogue about sexual assault ‘Good Kids’ production part of new awareness campaign By NEALA BERKOWSKI Daily Staff Reporter
The University is trying to renew the conversation about sexual assault on campus by taking it to the stage. As part of the University’s new sexual assault awareness campaign, the School of Music, Theatre & Dance debuted Naomi Iizuka’s play, “Good Kids” Thursday evening in the Arthur Miller Theatre on North Campus. “Good Kids” is the first production from the Big Ten Theatre Consortium’s New Play Initiative. Produced with support from the University’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center, the play is part of the University’s Expect Respect: Flip the Script campaign to prevent sexual assault. “I think that theatre as a whole is incredibly powerful because it transforms an audience into a story,” SAPAC director Holly Rider-Milkovich said. “It asks them to imaginatively contemplate this happening in their own lives or the lives of someone else. And that is a different kind of learning than in a
WEATHER TOMORROW
workshop or in training.” Set in a Midwestern high school, the play is loosely based on events that occurred in Steubenville, Ohio in 2012 when the rape of a female high school student by two football players was documented and posted on social media, gaining national media attention. Sexual misconduct has also been a prominent topic on campus in the last year. The University’s response to allegations of sexual misconduct is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. Last year, the University ranked second nationally among colleges and universities in the number of reported sexual assaults, though officials have attributed the increase to higher reporting rates. In recent weeks, the University announced plans to hire a sexual misconduct program manager and to release a full report on sexual misconduct on campus, separate from the Office of Student Conflict Resolution’s annual report. “We know that sexual assault happens at the University of Michigan,” Rider-Milkovich said. “We know that alcoholfacilitated sexual assault happens and we know that students are victimized by social media. All those things happen on our campus happen too, so it’s very See SAPAC, Page 3
HI: 50 LO: 40
the medical department would deliver a statement on Morris’ condition. However, no further communication was received until Brandon’s 12:52 a.m. statement Tuesday. And there have been no followups by medical personnel since. Attempts by The Michigan Daily since early Wednesday to contact the team’s eight physicians yielded no responses. Two of the eight declined comment — one citing his desire to not comment on the work performed by colleagues — while the other six did not respond to interview requests. In addition to their roles with the Athletic Department, seven of the team physicians hold a professorship in the University of Michigan Health System. Each holds a medical degree, unlike the athletic trainers and athletic medicine staff. Jeffrey Kutcher, the football team’s neurologist, has been widely credited as a leader in concussion research and safety. His prominence in sports medicine landed him a place as one of the Team USA physicians for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, See CONCUSSION, Page 3
Local start up looks to compete in Ann Arbor PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney attends a rally in support of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Terri Lynn Land in Livonia Thursday. University regent candidates Ron Weiser and Rob Steele attended the rally.
Romney campaigns for Michigan GOP candidates Republicans gather support before upcoming midterm election By SHOHAM GEVA Daily Staff Reporter
LIVONIA – A slate of statewide Republican rallies received a boost Thursday morning when former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney visited the state for a rally a little more than one month before Election Day. Romney, a Michigan native who lost the state by 450,000 votes in the 2012 presidential election, spoke at Laurel Manor in Livonia in support of mul-
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tiple GOP candidates, namely U.S. senatorial candidate Terri Lynn Land (R) and Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette (R), who is running for reelection. Both have been within single-digit margins in recent polls with their opponents. Before Thursday’s engagement, Romney visited Colorado, which, like Michigan, features several tight statewide races. Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who is running to maintain his seat in another major statewide election, was absent from the rally. He hosted a campaign town hall Thursday evening in Sterling Heights. “As many of you know, this could not be a more critical year for Michigan,” Michigan GOP Chairman Bobby Schostak told
NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Data analysis: Students minority of petition signees MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS
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the crowd to kick off the event. “Michigan Republicans have been working diligently the past four years to put Michigan back on the road to recovery.” Romney spoke to the crowd about his Michigan roots, and said he enjoyed visiting the state because of the connections many of his family members have with it, including his father, a former governor who served between 1963 and 1969. “I have family here, and I feel like you’re family,” Romney said. “I appreciate the support of people in this great state.” He said he supports Land because of the contrast she represents to the policies of President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry See ROMNEY, Page 3
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Vaultd storage company hopes to make inroads into student market By MICHAEL SUGERMAN Daily Staff Reporter
One of Ann Arbor’s fledgling startups is looking to vault its competition by creating an easier, more social way of storing students’ valuables. Its motto: “Your closet away from home.” The goal of Vaultd, co-founded by LSA senior Mikey Shen and Engineering junior Brett Mecham, is to provide low-cost storage, in addition to free drop-off and pickup capabilities, to students throughout the year. Shen said there are currently few storage facilities in Ann Arbor. “The options here are pretty limited,” Shen said. “They do have self-storage things that are around here, but most of my friends are paying a couple hundred dollars a month for storing whatever.” Shen said his idea for more affordable storage came during his freshman year, when he noticed how expensive it was for his outof-state friends and international students to store their belongings over the summer. He ultimately started the company in April 2014. See STARTUP, Page 3
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Students rally for President Mark Schlissel to fire Athletic Director Dave Brandon on the Diag Tuesday. (Ruby Wallau/Daily)
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CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
Social justice conference
Costume design exhibit
Musicology Lecture
Good Kids performance
WHAT: A conference about data, social justice and the humanities will explore how these three topics are connected. WHO: Digital Currents WHEN: Today from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. WHERE: North Quad, Ehrlicher Room
WHAT: Prof. Jessica Hahn will showcase a selection of costumes from plays and musicals that were created by students. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: Today at 12 p.m. WHERE: Duderstadt Center
WHAT: Explore 20th century cinema with Prof Berthold Hoeckner. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: Today at 5 p.m. WHERE: School of Music, Theatre & Dance, Room 506
Freshman Friday
WHAT: Take in a play exploring sexual violence in the world of social media. Student tickets are $10. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: Today from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. WHERE: Walgreen Drama Center - Arthur Miller
Cold War lecture
WHAT: Eat some lunch and join the Career Center advisers for free food. WHO: The Career Center WHEN: Today from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. WHERE: Student Activities Building
Marilyn Horne Matt Jones & the singing class Reconstruction
WHAT: Arvind Rajagopal will discuss India in relation to the Cold War and Cold War communication. WHO: Center for South Asian Studies WHEN: Today from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. WHERE: School of Social Work Building , Room 1636
WHAT: Renowned soprano Marilyn Horne will work with members of the voice department. The public is welcome to observe. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: Today at 5 p.m. WHERE: Walgreen Drama Center, Stamps Auditorium
WHAT: Matt Jones, a songwriter from Ypsilanti, will perform in Ann Arbor. His music explores sin and the human condition. WHO: Michigan Union Ticket Office WHEN: Tonight at 8 p.m. WHERE: The Ark, 316 S. Main St.
Grant for Detroit transit should improve access Federal and state money to bring 50 new buses to city By NEALA BERKOWSKI Daily Staff Reporter
New federal money for the Detroit Department of Transportation offers an opportunity to improve the city’s bus system. Detroit was granted nearly $26 million by the Federal Transit Administration last Thursday — a grant that was partially matched by state funds for a total of $32.3 million. The money went toward the purchase of 50 new city buses, said Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United. “The Federal Department of Transportation provides support for purchasing new buses regularly and the secretary of transportation said that Detroit made
a compelling case that they have a real need to increase their bus fleets,” Owens said. “There was about $100 million available nationally and Detroit got about $26 million, which is pretty substantial.” She said Detroit will receive its buses in the next six to 18 months. Owens explained this implementation time is typical because the city has to work out the logistics of contracts and of manufacturing the buses before they arrive. “Another nice thing is that the city was able to repurpose some other funds that they had to purchase another 30 buses,” Owens said. “Those are already on order and they’re hoping to have at least some of those buses running before the end of the year. Altogether, gaining another 80 buses over the next year or so should provide a big help to the city, improving its reliability.” One third of Detroit house-
holds do not have a car and rely on buses, biking and walking, she said. Detroit’s transportation system is unreliable in part because there are not enough buses running to meet current schedule requirements. The current schedule requires about 225 buses, but there are only 180 buses in the city’s fleet. “There are bus routes that just don’t have a bus operating and there’s no way for the passengers to know that; say, Woodward is supposed to have six buses operating on it in order to handle the 20,000 people a day who ride, but if they only have four buses that day, the buses get very overcrowded and get behind,” Owens said. “It really makes a lot of people late.” Daniel Spyker, associate member of the Consumer Family Adversary Council of the Detroit Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency, has been riding city buses as many as six times per day for the last 32 years. He said the bus system is undependable and not accessible for those with mental health disabilities. “I would say as far as performance, my view of the city buses is unfavorable for me and the people I work with,” Spyker said. “People can’t get to their jobs or job interviews on time and miss doctor’s appointments.” Unlike major Midwestern cities like Chicago, Detroit does not have a sales tax on transportation, Owens said. Cuts have been made to transportation over the last decade as Detroit struggled with its finances and decides how to distribute its scarce dollars, leading to inadequate transportation services. “The amount that the city has allocated has dropped to half over the last six or eight years,” Owens said. “They used to be spending $80 to $90 million every year to run a transit system for the city. Now that’s closer to $50 million. And so that’s one of the big challenges, that there is no money that automatically goes to the transit
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
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Tom Cutinella, a high school junior, died Wednesday due to a head injury sustained while playing football, ESPN reported. He collapsed on the field after being hit. He was rushed into surgery, but later died.
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The Michigan Daily Editorial Board proposes stricter concussion policies that the University and NCAA should adopt immediately. It’s time to take student safety seriously. >> FOR MORE, SEE OPINION
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In Texas, health officials say 100 people are being monitored for Ebola, The New York Times reported. Many people being monitored came in contact with Thomas Duncan, a patient who is in serious condition at a Dallas hospital.
STARTUP From Page 1 Shen and Mecham began working with one another through “Startup Academy,” an annual event put on by entrepreneurship-focused student organization MPowered. There, Shen said, Mecham helped him explore the idea of renting out self-storage and catering that to students as a profitable service. The duo conducted a test run this summer with a group of roughly 30 students, selling them cardboard boxes for a nominal fee and storing their goods in a small warehouse space. What made their services different from other storage facilities, they said, was charging students for their boxes on a monthly basis and not charging them at all for pickup and delivery. The average rate for these boxes is $10 per month — totaling roughly $40 for the duration of summer break. Now, they are changing their business model and moving away from cardboard boxes. Vaultd has paired with a manufacturer and has ordered a limited quantity of large plastic boxes measuring 24 by 22 by 12 inches. “Because we used the cardboard boxes, we found that after a few months, even in a climatecontrolled facility, between mov-
agency.” Detroit’s total area is disproportionate to its population, which is now less than 700,000. Population decline has eroded Detroit’s tax base, leaving less money to devote to transportation. Detroit’s population peaked at around 1.8 million residents in the 1950 census and has been declining since. “There is hope that in the next couple of years there will be a regional tax on the ballot to help support an improved regional transit effort that would improve regional transit between Detroit and Ann Arbor to supplement what the city is doing and provide some additional options for people to get around,” Owens said. “We now have this Regional Transit Authority that oversees DDOT, Ann Arbor Transit, SMART and the People
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ing and transporting stuff, and stacking the boxes on top of each other, they just kind of got warped and damaged,” Mecham said. “With plastic bins, they’re a lot more sturdy, they’re waterproof … you can even zip-tie them,” he added. Vaultd’s main competitor as of this moment, it seems, is John’s Pack and Ship. For its standard, 18-by-18-by-24-inch large box, the company charges from $55 to $187.50 for five to eight months of storage, with the pricing contingent on the weight of the box. John’s Pack and Ship also sells its own cardboard boxes; each large box costs $5. Furthermore, a local self-storage unit, such as Stop ’N Lock, costs $33 per month for its smallest locker, which is 5 by 5 feet. Since its summer trial period, in which Shen and Mecham invested their personal funds, Vaultd has received a $5,000 grant from Grand Rapids startup accelerator Start Garden. Mecham said the company will now use this to test a new theory that students may even desire extra storage during the year. The decision to test this comes after Vaultd used its capital from the summer to invest in a larger storage warehouse in downtown Ann Arbor, for quick and local access to students’ stored goods. The hope, after this threemonth trial period, is to re-pitch their business to Start Garden
Mover. They’re looking for ways to improve the service.” Owens said adding 50 new buses to the fleet is a step in the right direction for Detroit’s transportation system, but there are still changes to personnel hiring and the buses’ maintenance that the city needs to make to permanently improve its transportation reliability. “They still need to fix their maintenance so that these buses can stay in good condition,” Owens said. “Getting new buses and then not keeping up on them doesn’t help.” When bus drivers quit or retire, it is hard for the city to find people to replace them who have experience, training and can pass drug testing, Spyker said. “If a bus breaks down or one
for an additional $20,000 investment. Shen said the company has also networked with other helpful local sources through the University’s Center for Entrepreneurship, where Mecham works as a peer advisor. The duo has attended events at startup incubator Ann Arbor SPARK, and was even encouraged to apply for a grant through a Ross School of Business commercialization fund. Another goal of the company is to expand into a peer-to-peer storage service by creating a web — and eventually, mobile — app. Essentially, Mecham said, Vaultd wants to set up a social network through which students can keep extra items in the homes of local students and residents willing to store them on their behalf for a small fee. The company would still charge its standard $10 per box per month, and would seek commission from the people storing boxes in their homes. Mecham said Vaultd has also considered pairing ridesharing services such as Uber or Lyft to streamline delivery and pickup methods as well as engage more with the Ann Arbor community. “We’re hoping that this … onesize box, flat rate, monthly, will definitely be able to compete well,” Mecham said. “Especially with our modernized web and mobile app, which definitely appeals to college students.”
person doesn’t come in, the whole system shakes,” Spyker said. “Last year one of my favorite drivers on the Livernois bus told me his supervisor was literally having a stressrelated mental breakdown because someone didn’t show up. When this happens people just sit around waiting for the bus to come.” To succeed, Detroit needs reliable public transportation for the people who rely on it, Owens said. “It’s just something that every city needs to have,” Owens said. “We need to have transportation options. Every one of us is one broken leg away from needing transit to get where we need to go, but especially in Detroit … Ultimately, Detroiters are never going to be able to get ahead if they’re unable to get around through reliable transportation.”
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INTERVIEW From Page 1 said he had not met with Brandon since the game. However, Brandon said, “right after the game, whenever anyone’s injured, there’s immediate discussion, and the discussion really is centered around, ‘are they OK?’” “The discussion I heard was that Shane was doing fine,” Brandon said. The Athletic Director said he spent Sunday “getting further acquainted to what happened on the sidelines” without Hoke. And Brandon decided that, at least for the time being, Hoke will remain in charge of the football team. As the person “responsible for Michigan athletics,” Brandon explained that he made the decision to release Tuesday morning’s statement, despite Hoke previously saying it would come from medical professionals. The Athletic Director said information learned throughout the day Monday led to the release being finalized close to 1 a.m. “The appropriate person in athletics — and I judged that to be me — needed to make it very clear that a mistake was made,” Brandon said. “We own it, we recognize and we acknowledge that a mistake was made, we apologize for it — and I did — and we immediately committed that we would learn from it and make changes to ensure that it wouldn’t happen again.” New protocol Brandon said he is moving forward to improve sideline communication to avoid a situation “where everybody isn’t on the same page.” As a first step, he said the Athletic Department will bring in technology the team has never had before, wiring in trainers and doctors to be in communication while the game progresses. With 110 players on the sideline spread between the 30-yard lines, Brandon’s larger goal is to have his staff connected at in real-time to process everything. “There are a lot of voices, a lot of people interpreting information, communicating information,” he said. “One of the things
ROMNEY From Page 1 Reid (D–Nev.), particularly those pertaining to the Keystone XL pipeline, the Affordable Care Act, amnesty for undocumented immigrants and Common Core education standards. The Obama administration has delayed a vote on Keystone XL, a controversial oil pipeline approved by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in June, which would carry oil from Alberta, Canada, to the Gulf Coast. The ACA, the signature legislative achievement of the administration, has been a similarly salient policy for the GOP, especially House Republicans, who have voted to repeal it more than 50 times. The Common Core, a set of federal mandates for state K-12 education, has also received bipartisan scrutiny. “This is a person who will make a difference in Washington because her voice will take us in a very different direction,” Romney said of Land.
SAPAC From Page 1 relevant.” In the play, Chloe, played by Music, Theatre & Dance junior Daisy Bishop, becomes intoxicated at a high school party and can’t remember the events that proceed. After live tweets and YouTube videos begin to unravel the mystery, the media arrives and everyone begins pointing fingers. Christopher Kilmartin, Ph.D., a psychology professor at the University of Mary Washington
we worked really hard to fix, is to try to bring more protocol and more process around the whole communication side of this so that we don’t get into a situation where everybody isn’t on the same page.” Brandon’s bigger plan is to insert a medical professional into the press box, separate from coordinators and “distractions,” where they can review each play in real-time and on a monitor broadcasting a six-second delay, all on top of a TV feed of the game and the stream it displays. Michigan will implement the policy as soon as Saturday’s game against Rutgers. “That provides a couple of advantages,” Brandon said. “He’ll be able to see the field and and see things occurring that are hard to see on the sideline. He’ll be wired to the sideline so that he can communicate with all those doctors and trainers in a real-time basis. He’ll have a television set that is always on a six-second delay. So what he’ll be able to do is watch the player live from their vantage point and then he can refer to the play on television. “What I’ve learned, going through this process, is that one of the great advantages we can provide them, is to get them wired up in a way they can talk to one another without having to necessarily stand next to one another, because sometimes that’s difficult.” But that doesn’t mean Hoke will be wearing a headset on the sideline as a result of the failure in communication. Brandon already believes Hoke’s communication is more prevalent than any other coach he has seen. Hoke rarely wears a headset on the sideline, using an assistant behind him to relay any “information that is specific to him,” according to Brandon. “That frees him up to better communicate better with players,” Brandon said. “And that’s just something that coach Hoke has had as a practice in the way that he coaches and the way that he communicates with his players from the very beginning.” “We’ve taken some steps that are both innovative and are directly addressing the situation that occurred Saturday in hopes that something like that is not going to happen again.”
Student connect As of Thursday, more than 11,000 people have signed a petition calling for Brandon’s removal from his position, and nearly 1,000 students marched through the Diag to University President’s residence Monday, demanding Schlissel to take action. Schlissel, who has the power to terminate Brandon’s contract if he finds it necessary, and Brandon began communicating about Morris’ condition Saturday. Brandon said Schlissel was “interested and engaged” in understanding the situation, and discovering exactly what happened and why communication errors occurred. Brandon added that the University’s executive officers — which would include Schlissel, University Provost Martha Pollack and E. Royster Harper, the vice president of student life — met this week as usual and discussed the situation in the Athletic Department and Brandon’s statement he issued early Tuesday morning. For Brandon, though, he said he hopes to fix his relationship with students. The protest Tuesday, he said, hit him hard. “That’s very hurtful,” Brandon said. “Anybody who thinks that they want groups to gather with the topic being criticism and sometimes very personal attacks on the work and the job. It’s hurtful. It’s hurtf ul to me, it’s hurtful to my family.” “I’m not tone-deaf,” he added. “I felt very badly. My job and my personality is to the best of my ability, I have to fix that.” Brandon also noted that he has received incessant feedback from alumni and donors. He noted that some of it was constructive, though he did not mention how much of it was negative. This event is not the first to call for changes within the Athletic Department. Students have voiced concern over several initiatives introduced during Brandon’s tenure, including a General Admission seating policy, an uptick in student season ticket prices and an underwhelming 2014 football home game schedule. The department came under fire in January after The Michigan Daily reported former kicker Brendan Gibbons was “permanently separated” from the University for violating the Student
Sexual Misconduct Policy. The incident calling for his removal occurred in 2009. With a heavy amount of criticism, Brandon said he hopes to fix this relationship with students. Despite the outcry, Brandon characterized his relationship with students as “outstanding,” noting widely positive reviews of night games and other initiatives developed within the Athletic Department under his tenure. “I think there are a lot of people who have decided to not like me who have never met me or have probably never met me or have never been in the same room as me, so I need to fix that,” Brandon said. “One of the things I want to do is to figure out ways I could connect more with the student body.” One of the largest criticisms of Brandon throughout his tenure has been his attention to building the brand of the department, rather than honoring Michigan’s historic athletic tradition. Brandon, who played football for the University in the 1970s, noted the differences between the gameday experience between then and now, which for the most part is due to the increase of college football on television. “The most difficult decisions we make are balancing the commitment and respect we have for traditions while also recognizing the world is changing around us,” Brandon said. “...Everything’s different now. We compete with television sets.” In an effort to make himself more transparent, Brandon will make a host of media appearances Thursday, and said he hopes to meet with students and media more often to build a better relationship. The most important part of athletics, he said, is the student-athletes. “Michigan athletics cannot be successful without the community embracing this work, caring about student-athletes and caring about coaches, and supporting the work they do.” Brandon said. “We have 931 student-athletes and 31 teams, and they’re not always going to be winning championships. “I’m just hopeful that with the controversy, personal attacks, and demonstrations aside, we stay focused on the real purpose and mission of the Athletic Department and the young people we care about.”
Analysts view Michigan as a key state that the GOP could flip in their quest to gain control of the Senate, following the retirement of incumbent Sen. Carl Levin (D– Mich.). However, the Senate race is now viewed as leaning in favor of Rep. Gary Peters (D–Mich.), the Democratic senatorial candidate who has maintained a consistent edge over Land during the last month of the race, according to recent polls. Land, who took the stage after Romney spoke, echoed several of the same issues, repeating a pledge to vote against the ACA and also pledging to oppose amnesty for undocumented immigrants. She pointed to several other policy areas as additional focuses, including fixing Michigan’s roads, and criticized both the Democratic Party and Peters for their stances on those issues. “Washington is broken, and now it’s trying to break Michigan, and we need a senator who’s going to put Michigan first,” Land said. “We’ve been through some tough times here, but we’re making a comeback.” Land also called on the state to
provide more options for skilled workers in the form of grants, namely for those who choose to participate in vocational programs instead of attending fouryear colleges. “The federal government gives loans for four-year colleges, but they leave behind those who don’t attend a university,” she said. The auto industry bailout in 2008, which state Democrats have criticized Romney and Land for not supporting, largely went unmentioned by both speakers, though a protest by a SuperPAC outside the venue over the issue drew roughly 100 people. Republican candidates for three of the state’s university governing bodies — Michigan State University, Wayne State University and the University of Michigan — were also in attendance at the rally. Each university’s governing board currently has two open seats. “We have an opportunity on our campuses to create more of a balance … politically and from a policy standpoint,” Schostak said before introducing the candidates. The University of Michigan’s Board of Regents currently has six
Democrats and two Republicans. Both seats up for reelection this year are currently held by Democrats. Republican candidate Ron Weiser, a former U.S. ambassador to Slovakia, stressed several goals, including reducing tuition and the financial burden on students after graduation. Rob Steele, the other Republican candidate, echoed this call for fiscal responsibility. He also pointed to diversity issues on campus, and suggested that the University could do more in that area by recruiting veterans through the G.I. Bill. Weiser also touched on some of the negative publicity the University has been receiving recently. “We have a new president,” he said. “There are some problems. Give him a chance to fix those problems.” Romney is the second major out-of-state politician to visit the state in recent weeks following a visit last week by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) to support Snyder. Michelle Obama is expected to visit the state later in the month in support of Democratic candidates.
who attended the performance, said blaming the survivor was a common occurrence in the play. “This is a very common reaction in this case where people are asking, ‘Why did she drink so much? Why did she dress that way?’ Victim-blaming is a security operation. It’s a way for people to feel safer. I’m going to find something that the victim did and attribute her victimization to that then because then if I don’t do that, I’m going to be safe.” Music, Theatre & Dance senior Jocelyn Weberg, who attended the performance Thursday, said the play was successful in explor-
ing themes surrounding sexual assault. “The script is new and it’s really relevant,” Weberg said. “I really think it brought up a lot of issues that people don’t really talk about. A lot of people aren’t really educated in what’s right and what isn’t in these kinds of situations.” After the show, Rider-Milkovich and Kilmartin moderated a discussion where audience members had a chance to ask questions and share their comments with actors and others involved in the production. Music, Theatre & Dance sopho-
more Tara Stallion, who plays the character of Madison, said some characters in the play have a hard time speaking up for themselves and the victim. “When you’re around your friends a lot of times it’s harder to speak your mind and say, ‘Hey, that’s wrong,’” she said. “When you have a bunch of girls together, it becomes a lot harder to stand out as an individual and to point out things that are messed up or that you don’t agree with so you kind of just go with the flow.” “Good Kids” runs Oct. 3, 4, 10 and 11 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 5 and 12 at 2 p.m.
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CONCUSSION From Page 1 Russia. Hired by the Athletic Department in 2011, Kutcher is a longtime Michigan athletics supporter with ties to several teams. Prior to his trip to Sochi, the department praised his contributions to sports medicine nationally. “His affiliation with Michigan and especially his work as team physician has parlayed his knowledge into becoming one of the most sought-after sports neurological experts in the United States,” the department wrote in a NCAA.com post in February. **** After the fourth-quarter hit on Morris Saturday, Kutcher “saw Shane stumble and determined he needed to head down the sideline to evaluate Shane,” according to Brandon’s statement. However, before a neurological examination was conducted, medical trainers — who, Brandon wrote, were unaware of the head injury — finished an examination of Morris’ ankle and allowed him to go back on the field for one play after fifthyear senior quarterback Devin Gardner’s helmet came off, mandating an exit. “The neurologist and other team physicians were not aware that Shane was being asked to return to the field,” Brandon wrote. “(The) probable concussion diagnosis was not at all clear on the field on Saturday or in the examination that was conducted postgame.” The official diagnosis, delivered via Brandon’s statement: a probable, mild concussion. However, there is little consensus regarding the definition of a “mild” concussion within the medical field. Most resources dictate that symptoms must not persist past 15 to 30 minutes. Accepting this timeframe, it remains unclear how such a diagnosis was reached after Hoke’s press conference, especially when the postgame examination did not reveal the injury. Based on Twitter updates from the Daily’s football beat, Morris returned to the game at 6:21 p.m., three minutes after sustaining his probable concussion. All indications from Hoke and Brandon are that a concussion examination was never started on the sidelines.
ity of symptoms. The more serious consequence, second impact syndrome, results from a secondary blow to the head or body before the brain has recovered from the first. Cantu said these situations, while rare, can set off a devastating chain reaction in the body. “There can be a very rapid loss of auto-regulation of blood flow to the brain so that the brain becomes engorged with blood causing massive increased inter-cranial pressure, which in turn causes brain herniation, which in turn causes death with about 50 percent of those cases,” Cantu said. The second danger, an increase in symptom severity, is the most common. In these cases, a player returning to play with a concussion can aggravate the concussion — transforming a potentially minor injury into one that involves weeks, or even months, of symptoms. Contrary to second impact syndrome, however, increases in symptom severity can occur even if a player does not sustain an impact after returning to play. The physical exertion of just returning to the field again is enough to cause serious damage. While a medical diagnosis and treatment are often conducted on the sidelines during both college and professional games, Cantu said more and more physicians are electing to move players to the locker room for exams — away from the chaos and noise of crowds, coaches and other players. Cantu also said presentday coaches are much better at respecting the role of physicians on the sideline, but that historically there have been concerns with regard to coaches permitting — or even encouraging — players to ignore injuries. He added that an ideal setup would be one that gives physicians carte blanche over removing players from the field. In 2013, Hoke told The New York Times he views his role as separate from medical staff. “I’ll defer to Jeff (Kutcher) on concussions, and he won’t tell me how to coach the defensive line,” Hoke said. “We’ll be good.” But the responsibilities of the medical staff — especially while players are participating in the game — appear uncertain in this case. After he took the hit, Morris took one more snap before being removed, calling into question the team physicians’ jurisdiction under Hoke’s management system.
**** **** Robert Cantu, clinical professor of neurosurgery at Boston University and senior adviser to the NFL’s Head, Neck and Spine Committee, said a proper concussion evaluation — had it been conducted — would have taken at least 10 to 12 minutes. Certain symptoms, such as loss of consciousness, stumbling and impaired eye movements can lead to a positive concussion diagnosis in fewer than 10 to 12 minutes, but a concussion cannot be confidently ruled out in a shorter amount of time. “At the moment of concussion, you don’t really know if it’s going to be mild, moderate or severe, because you don’t know how long the symptoms are going to last,” Cantu said. Proper neurological examination following a concussion includes — but is not limited to — a 26-symptom checklist, a neurological assessment of cognitive aspects and memory, assessment of eye-tracking and movement and a range of physical balance tests. Each one of these steps is critical to the overall diagnosis, especially in potential minor injury, Cantu said. “There are certain things that you really know within seconds, but for those that have a lesser degree of concussion you need to go through a complete neurological exam.” Players who have sustained concussions face two major risks if they return to a game prematurely: second impact syndrome and increased sever-
In an interview Wednesday with The Detroit Free Press, Brandon placed the fault for Morris’ reinsertion on the medical staff. “Our medical staff, which incorporates all of our trainers, our physicians — it’s a rather large complement of people down there — their job is to notify the coaches if a situation occurs where either somebody needs to come off the field or somebody cannot go back on the field.” Brandon said. To improve this communication, the Athletic Department sent out a statement Thursday evening outlining its plans to improve communication regarding player safety. The new measures will include having a certified athletic trainer in the press box to receive a better perspective on injuries that may occur on the field. This improvement will allow the athletic trainer to view multiple replays to best watch for potential injuries. To increase the effectiveness of the system, the program plans to add a two-way radio communication process between the medical staff and trainers to ensure there are no further breakdowns in communication. Another update to the protocol includes taking players’ helmets away once they are ruled out of the game with an injury. The new protocol will be implemented Saturday night when Michigan plays at Rutgers.
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Opinion
Page 4 — Friday, October 3, 2014
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com PETER SHAHIN EDITOR IN CHIEF
MEGAN MCDONALD and DANIEL WANG EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS
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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.
FROM THE DAILY
A painful lesson
Improved concussion response protocol needed across the NCAA
T
he recent debacle surrounding the Michigan football team’s handling of sophomore quarterback Shane Morris’ health inevitably turns the discussion toward concussions and player safety policies. A recently released study found that of 79 deceased NFL players whose brains were examined, 76 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease. Of a larger pool including 128 former professional, semi-pro, college and high school players, 80 percent tested positive for CTE. Concussions can also have serious consequences in the short term, as a second hit to the head of a concussed player can result in serious permanent injury or death. The standard line is that protecting student-athletes is a priority for the University and the NCAA, but these institutions must prove this through action rather than words. The NCAA’s official concussion policy contains guidelines that each of its member schools must follow. These policies mandate that institutions have a yearly concussion education session for players, a process for taking players out of games when they exhibit “signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion,” a policy that prohibits concussed athletes from returning to athletic activity for the rest of the day and a policy that requires medical clearance for concussed athletes wishing to return to athletic activity. These steps are important, but there remains a lack of oversight and ability to enforce these guidelines. For an issue as important as player safety, unenforced guidelines that are followed at the schools’ discretion lack the power and enforceability that would come with clearly defined rules and subsequent consequences for failure to comply. Otherwise, the policy not only poses a risk to players’ careers, but also to their lives. The University and NCAA must also be proactive in addressing the growing problem of concussions. Recently, the lack of a proper response to the issue led to a $70-million settlement by the NCAA in a class action lawsuit. Pursuing new helmet technology that aids in concussion detection from helmetmakers such as Riddell and Xenith should be enthusiastically backed by the NCAA. With the potential unreliability of on-field concussion examinations, the NCAA should also support new testing protocols such as a proposed breathalyzer test that can detect concussions. At his press conference after Saturday’s loss against Minnesota, Michigan football coach Brady Hoke commented on Morris’ injury, later determined to be a concussion, saying he’s a “tough kid” and “if he didn’t want to (play) he would’ve come to the sideline or stayed down.” However, athletes are immersed in a culture of toughness and playing through injury, and often come off the field only as a last resort.
Hoke’s comments reinforce this drive to be tough at the risk of personal safety. Because of this mindset, important decisions that impact player safety cannot be left up to players alone. These decisions not only fall on the coaching staff and medical teams on the sideline, but also on the NCAA and its conferences to make sure schools follow through on the commitment to the health and well-being of its student-athletes. In order to help remove the human element from determining whether a potentially concussed player should be removed from a game, the NCAA should expand the types of situations in which such a removal must take place. Currently, a player must leave the field if his helmet comes off during a play, but this rule should be expanded to include players involved in helmet-to-helmet contact penalties and any other flagged penalties involving a hit to the helmet, such as roughing the passer. This would give the medical staff an opportunity for a quick check for any signs of concussion-like symptoms, which, if found, would then allow them to conduct the full concussion assessment. Since the hit on Morris was flagged, this expansion of the rules would have forced him to leave the field for a play. Michigan is also instituting a plan starting with Saturday’s game vs. Rutgers to have a health professional in the press box to look for potential player injuries and have two-way radio communication between the sideline staff and the press box. This setup, proven necessary by the Morris incident, should not just be a standard for Michigan, but across college football. While the situation with Morris was a huge mistake, it also serves as a wakeup call for the University and for other schools around the country to prevent repeats of the situation and continue to make player safety a priority. Better concussion protocol is essential for players’ futures, both on the field and off.
MOZHGAN SAVABIEASFAHANI | VIEWPOINT
The environmental poisoning of Iraq
When I arrived at Michigan in 2001, I was interested in researching effects of environmental pollutants to help protect this planet from further degradation. By 2004, wars and invasions had disfigured the face of my home, the Middle East, so much that it was no longer recognizable. By that time, the United States and Israel were both beating the drum to obliterate my country Iran. This past summer we all witnessed what public health looks like after a high-tech military outlaw is let loose on a civilian population. Israel killed over 2,100 Palestinians and left more than 10,000 injured, many of whom will die since the hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation centers have been heavily bombed. Every one of these deaths is due to intense U.S. military and political support for Israel. Iraq and Afghanistan were put through the same nightmare. They will be traumatized for the next century by the experience. As global health researchers, it is our responsibility to think about how we may be able to prevent such public health catastrophes from happening ever again. I have tried to encourage the University to defend public health in the Middle East in the past. Following my interest in public health, under virtually impossible circumstances, I developed collaborations with Iraqi doctors and published our findings with them. Our Iraq research suggests severe public contamination by metals heavily used in weapons manufacturing including lead, titanium (Savabieasfahani et al. 2014, in press) and magnesium. Simultaneously, many Iraqi children are being born with birth defects
and neurodevelopmental disorders. Some of these birth defects are so severe that they have not been reported in any medical books. Against this backdrop, my colleague, Dr. Muhsin Al-Sabbak, is coming to the United States to tour U.S. campuses with me. We will be discussing our findings on the environmental poisoning of Iraq and the epidemic of birth defects in Iraqi cities. He will arrive in Ann Arbor this Oct. 6. Our tour begins in Michigan. Our first appearance is at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment. Those interested can come to 1040 Dana Building on Wednesday Oct. 8 at 5 p.m.. Our talks are entitled “The epidemic of birth defects in Iraq and the duty of public health researchers.” We have also been invited to speak at Princeton, Columbia, Harvard and Boston University, among others. Indeed students at the University of Michigan School of Public Health would benefit from our presentations. I invite the UMSPH to seize the opportunity of having an Iraqi researcher on their campus and to allow our research in Iraq to become widely known to their student body. We all know that Iraq is in shambles because of the outlaw behavior of the U.S. government. As public health researchers, we are responsible to all people of the globe. A onehour presentation to UMSPH students would be of immense value to their global health mission. Mozhgan Savabieasfahani is an Ann Arbor resident.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
What is Michigan?
I
love sports. I grew up playing them. I grew up watching them. I grew through stages where sports were my entertainment and sports were my identity, where the baseball fields and the tennis courts were my home. I grew up inseparable from DAVID sports. HARRIS I also grew up in Michigan Stadium. I went to Michigan football games before I could walk. I grew up wearing different Michigan shirts to school every day in elementary school. The son of two Michigan alums, the maize and blue way was ingrained in me from a young age, and I would never look back until I set foot on campus as a student. My freshman year I walked into the MDen and picked up my student football shirt, and on the front was emblazoned “THIS IS MICHIGAN,” with a graphic of the players running out of the stadium tunnel to touch the banner. From a team led by Michigan men to the Michigan Difference that’s so often touted, there’s a distinct Michigan way that the University prides itself, the way that makes Michigan, Michigan. And as I watch the University take leading spots on everything from ESPN to ABC’s “World News” and even Al-Jazeera this past week, it isn’t hard to look at all of these events and transgressions and say: this is not Michigan. This is not the representation of the top public school in America that deserves to be in the news. This is not the true portrayal of a university that accomplishes so much in the classroom and out. A Michigan
shirt worn in public shouldn’t elicit questions about why the football team doesn’t care about its own players or why the University’s Athletic Department administration seems inept. Michigan is walking through the Diag to get to the library, trees and leaves full with the colors of fall, backpack full of books, all while avoiding stepping on the M. Yet the Michigan we see is one where hundreds of students instead flood the Diag in protest to call for the firing of the Athletic Director. Upon his hiring at the University, University President Mark Schlissel made his opinions on athletics at the University clear. “Athletics isn’t part of the mission statement of the University,” Schlissel said. “We’re an academic institution, so I want to work on the appropriate balance between athletics and academics.” The events that have transpired this past week have shown a failure to realize this statement. But as well-meaning as Schlissel’s purposes for his statements are, it fails to recognize that athletics is Michigan too. Whether the name of the school is stitched onto a basketball jersey or printed on a diploma, it is Michigan, defined not only in the classroom, but also on the field and court. Just as I wouldn’t claim that sports were my only pursuit growing up, athletics too are not the primary mission of Michigan. But sports are and were a key piece to my own character and they are an integral component to what Michigan is. Last year I would sit outside in below freezing temperatures to wait
in line for basketball games. With basketball games on weekday nights, I’d bring textbooks to read and math homework to do while in line and sitting in the stadium prior to the game. Because that is what Michigan is; striving for the academic vision of the University while having pride in the school name, wherever it may be. This is why the events that have put Michigan in the national spotlight this past week have elicited such a big response. One could be cynical and take the unwarranted and contemptuous position that people who care about sports are wasting their time, or instead recognize the ability and role of university athletics in establishing the national pedigree of this University as well as its culture. And it is weeks like these when we say that this is not Michigan — not because the attention is on athletics, but because we know that Michigan is better. I love “Michigan sports,” but it’s more because of the former rather than the latter. Legendary former football coach Bo Schembechler once said, “When your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing.” Michigan has lost a lot on the field, but it has lost more off of it. Yet at the end of every game without fail, the band plays “The Victors” and the last words that echo through the stadium are “the leaders and the best,” even after a loss. Because that is Michigan.
Whether the name of the school is stitched onto a basketball jersey or printed on a diploma, it is Michigan.
— David Harris can be reached at daharr@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS David Harris, Rachel John, Nivedita Karki, Jacob Karafa, Jordyn Kay, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Matthew Seligman, Paul Sherman, Allison Raeck, Linh Vu, Meher Walia, Mary Kate Winn, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation. to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.
R
Unspoken barriers
ésumés, cover letters, job applications, college essays, ACT/SAT essays, reference letters, semi-professional e-mails. I’ve been tutoring high school and college students for a few years now, and starting this past summer, I’ve been helping my students specifically with JENNY their writing. To WANG be clear, I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, an expert on the craft of the perfect cover letter or any of the abovementioned pieces of professional writing. The only thing I really have over my students is an ability to string words into semi-coherent sentences and possibly paragraphs. Except this use of “only” is a severe understatement to just how important language is. My mother was recently laid off, and so this job application stuff has become especially salient in my family. My mother’s grasp of the English language is limited, which also limits the kinds of jobs she can apply for. Based on her work experiences, she qualifies for plenty of positions that don’t require “strong communication skills,” but the barrier is still there. I spent a good deal of time removing the rookie spelling mistakes, the grotesque capitalization errors, the blatant ignorance of proper formatting techniques until all that was left on the page was what I really believed my mother to be — dedicated, hard-working, team-oriented, with over a decade of relevant work experience in a diverse set of environments. In other words, when the clunky language no longer drew attention to itself, the skills that my mother genuinely could offer to the position finally came through. In practicing for an interview:
“No, Mom, it’s ‘oriented.’ Or-EE-ented. Try saying it again.” I’m always anxious when my mother goes out to her interviews. Will her voice on the page or in the e-mail match her speaking voice? Will the interviewers look past her accent? Will they even understand her? To my student: “You see, in English, we say ‘across from.’ ‘Across from’ and ‘opposite’ pretty much mean the same thing in this context, except we don’t say ‘opposite from.’ Yeah, I know. It’s weird. And confusing.” It’s disheartening to hear that some of my international students spend the majority of their summer vacation studying for the ACT English section, only to score significantly lower than they hoped. At this point, they probably have a better grasp of sentence structures than native English speakers do, but they still don’t know when to attach a “from” to certain words, thus losing that point that would’ve been a “nobrainer” to fluent speakers. I try my best to explain the concept to them, their faces scrunch at the incredulity of a seemingly arbitrary rule, and then they take meticulous notes on something that probably won’t show up on the actual test. From a professor: “I will not respond to your e-mails if you don’t proofread for errors.” It’s easy to ignore these barriers, some of which are so minor that they don’t mean much to even my students. It’s easy to assume that everyone is fluent or literate. (By “fluent,” I mean fluent in Standard American English, because we all know the stigma attached to many
other dialects.) It’s easy to dismiss those struggling with the language as lazy, incompetent or undeserving of recognition and prestige. Sometimes, I feel especially removed from non-native speakers because I’m an English major. I take classes with students who speak much more eloquently than I ever will, and churn out polished, 12-page analytical essays in a single night. There are individuals who talk about how they’ve been writing/ reading ever since they could walk, and use this fact as proof of some sort of natural talent, all the while ignoring the inherent privilege that comes with being born here and/ or being raised by parents who also speak the (SAE) language fluently. From a student: “It’s hard because I came to America so late. The visa took so long to approve.” But if not cover letters, résumés and college essays, then what else would employers and admissions officers use as alternatives? So the ACT and SAT basically function as reading tests. Is there another way to gauge high school students’ abilities against a national standard? And are we going to yet again point to how certain teachers are failing our students, even though they are arguably overworked and unpaid? I don’t know all the answers. All I know is that my students want to be engineers, scientists, artists and all the things we would expect students to aspire toward. So let’s not think of whether or not we should help, but how.
Sometimes, I feel especially removed from non-native speakers because I’m an English major.
— Jenny Wang can be reached at wjenny@umich.edu.
Arts
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Friday, October 3, 2014 — 5
COMMUNITY & CULTURE NOTEBOOK
TV REVIEW
Burlesque comes back to Michigan By KATHLEEN DAVIS Daily Arts Writer
FOX
‘I am the danger.’
Tepid ‘Gracepoint’ FOX’s ‘Broadchurch’ remake fine but unnecessary By ALEX INTNER Daily Arts Writer
Remakes are tricky beasts. In television, some of them don’t try to advance from what the B original series was aiming to do Gracepoint and just sit there, like the short- Thursdays lived remake of at 9 p.m. “Viva Laughlin.” FOX Others find a way to break out of the original’s model and turn into something great, like the long-running comedy “The Office.” After seeing seven episodes out of “Gracepoint” ’s ten episode run, it’s still unclear which path it will follow, either reinventing the original’s idea or settling for something much more generic. “Gracepoint,” is a remake of the ITV drama “Broadchurch,” and focuses on what happens in the small beach town of Gracepoint when 12 year old Danny Solano turns up dead. David Tennant (reprising his role from “Broadchurch”) and Anna Gunn (“Breaking Bad”) play the detectives who are tasked with
investigating the crime. There’s a lot that’s worth celebrating in “Gracepoint.” The show features a vast cast of interesting characters who fill out the small town. Each member of the ensemble, which includes a grumbling and heartbreaking performance from Nick Nolte (“Luck”) in the David Bradley role and an eerie performance from Jacki Weaver (“Silver Linings Playbook”), brings their character to life in a way that makes each of them pop in the proper moment. The show nails what it’s like to live in a small town where everyone knows everyone. The show’s locations are also highlights. Shot in British Columbia, standing in for California, the locations the show uses are gorgeous and the directors work to make sure that they feature in each shot in those scenes. Ultimately, the best aspects of the show are Tennant and Gunn. Tennant, despite being saddled with an unfortunate American accent, gives a great performance. And, like Olivia Colman in “Broadchurch,” Gunn is the beating heart of “Gracepoint.” As she grows into the role, she gives an increasingly heartbreaking performance. Their relationship starts out with tension between the characters but as their friendship evolves, their scenes become the best
parts of the show. The big issue, however, is that “Gracepoint” is too similar to the already excellent “Broadchurch.” Everything great about the show is something that the British version did just as well, if not better. After seeing “Broadchurch,” every twist and turn in the first half of the series seems familiar instead of surprising. According to former FOX Chairman of Entertainment Kevin Reilly, the ending will be different, and the show starts to hint at differences in episode seven. But that doesn’t stop the first half from feeling like a lesssubtle version of “Broadchurch” or help the fact that Tennant is giving a performance that’s nearly identical to his in the British version. The accent is different but a lot of the quirks and characteristics are the same. It’s really unfortunate that’s the case, because on its own “Gracepoint” is actually quite good. However, given “Broadchurch” ’s recent run, which hits a lot of the same points in a much more subtle fashion, it’s hard to give a full recommendation to “Gracepoint.” That may change at the end of the season with the different ending, but for now, “Gracepoint” can’t be given all the credit it might otherwise deserve — and stays firmly in the shadow of the original.
MOVIE REVIEW
‘Boxtrolls’ delights By NOAH COHEN Daily Arts Writer
A boy (Isaac HempsteadWright, “Game of Thrones”) grows up thinking he’s a boxtroll, living underground B+ in the madcap boxtroll grotto. The Thanks to Boxtrolls coincidence, the daughter At Rave and of a Victorian Quality 16 aristocrat (Elle Fanning, Laika “Maleficent”) finds him aboveground and, à la “Titanic,” teaches him how to pass for a boy from the upper crust of Cheesebridge. The two of them form a bond and shenanigans ensue. Their friendship, put to the test by the conniving atrocities of Archibald Snatcher, changes their respective ways of life. The power of the claymation as a medium and the synergetic creativity of co-directors Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi, make this movie unique, weird and exciting. Think “Wallace and Grommit,” but less inexplicably creepy. Eggs, the human boy who grows up as a boxtroll, is your everyboy. He and his composite, Winnie, aren’t very interesting in and of themselves, but the world of the movie is like a dirty, dystopian Hogwarts. Totally enchanting. The plot, though warm and easy as a standalone, is chock full of higher-order jokes for adult viewers. The dramatic arc feels like a jamboree of crowd favorites: there are hints of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Hercules” and “Tarzan” (where do I belong?); handsome dollops of “The Lion King” and “Tangled” (important child lost until adulthood, reclaims supremacy with help from friends); and even minor brushes with “Ratatouille,” “Despicable Me” and “Frozen,” (pint-size quasihumans performing communal
heroics). All of these, cobbled into a functional package of cute nonsense. It’s fun to pick apart the borrowed bits, but even without intentional deconstruction, the morals of the story are very clear and unsullied by reuse. Putting the community before the pleasures of the aristocracy is Good and self-indulgence at the expense of the townspeople is Bad. The moral dichotomy is lampshaded by the Bad Guys themselves, who say at one point, “…they’re running from us because they’re the Bad guys and we’re the Good guys!” This is a joke written for an adult that a child can laugh at. Well done; it’s Calvin & Hobbes-ian, and that’s high praise. In this definitely-a-children’smovie, there are so many symbols, political allegories and philosophical asides that I, in my pretentious, twentytwo-year-old glory, felt like an included audience member. The screenplay occasionally slips in words like “dichotomy” and the old-school cartoons are clever and referentially detailed. For example: the swelling of the lips of the Bad Guys? That’s probably an allusion to gout, the “rich man’s disease”; in the Victorian
era, people mistakenly thought that too rich a diet led to tissue inflammation. And the white hat? A snarky poke at the idiom “to don the white hat,” a saying indicating the wearer assumes the role of Righteousness. In the case of “The Boxtrolls,” the white hat is a symbol of aristocratic power, and to the upper crust of Cheesebridge, “might is right.” The white hat, in Boxtrolls, is the golden idol serving as a grail for the antagonists while the protagonists pursue greater, community-oriented dreams. Why boxes? It’s unclear. The most central symbol of the movie is the most difficult to unravel. We imagine it has something to do with class and Eggs’ dubious self-identification, which makes a cute subplot, but maybe it’s not a childish question. Maybe we each need to decide for ourselves what our “box” is, in our own lives, and then, after deciding that, decide whether or not to take it off. This movie provides us with sweet, easy answers and endings, but on the sly, offers some very complex and difficult questions. Not an extraordinary movie, but a curious one. You won’t care for the plot, but you’ll remember how you felt when Eggs licked the fat lady’s wrist.
LAIKA
Life is like a box of trolls. It’s creepy as fuck.
Striking a balance between beauty and strength is difficult, and one that in many ways defines the feminine experience. This balancing act is explored in a unique way during shows like “Pick a Card: A Burlesque Exploration of Tarot,” spearheaded by Ann Arbor native and burlesque dancer Elizabeth Lottman. A 16-act burlesque variety show and multimedia experience, the event brought together a multitude of national and international performers in a one-night exploration of the mysticism of occult tarot cards. Lottman, who performs under the pseudonym Gala Delicious, is a student at Eastern Michigan University who has been performing burlesque in Ann Arbor for about four and a half years. She previously performed with Ann Arbor-based burlesque troupe Tickled Fancy until its recent disintegration. Lottman has been a dancer her whole life, attending Ann Arbor Community High School’s program Dance Body Company, where she dedicated three hours a day, five days a week to classical dance. It was during this time that Lottman’s Dance Body teacher urged her to begin choreographing her own dances. After graduating from Community and losing the opportunity to dance on such an intensive level, she felt the need to get back into dancing as part of her creative outlet. A friend and MC at Tickled Fancy suggested she come to a show and possibly consider tryouts later that week. After sitting through a performance, Lottman said she was overwhelmed by the need she felt to try burlesque herself. “I’ve always been a little audacious, and I’ve always pushed boundaries, and I’ve also been interested in exploring what it meant to be a woman and what I was allowed to do as a woman,” Lottman said. “In high school that’s a really skewed and messed up perspective that’s put on you, so I saw (burlesque) and ran with it.” Through Tickled Fancy, Lottman formed a solid group of dancer friends and formed the basis for the performers appearing in “Pick a Card.” In conceptualizing the show, Lottman had her heart set on two things: a burlesque
show involving tarot and the Michigan Theater as its venue. After consulting with her co-producer, Lottman picked up the phone and booked the date immediately. “I thought, ‘You know what? This is going to be a really big test of everything, but I want to do it,’ ” Lottman said. “I was just trying to put together what was actually preventing me from doing this? And the only thing I could come up with was money. And if we can put this together and find the money we need, I know at least someone wants to see the show.”
‘Pick a Card’ featured 16-act variety show. With the help of two friends, Lottman decided to start a Kickstarter campaign to fund “Pick a Card.” Their first attempt failed, falling $1,000 short of their goal, but a revamped campaign raised the funds before deadline. The performers of “Pick a Card” come from varying experience in burlesque, from a former belly dancer – for whom last Friday night’s performance will mark her second burlesque show – to Roxi D’Lite, Miss Exotic World 2010 (the most prestigious award in the world of burlesque). Many of the dancers are Michigan-based, and nearly all come from classical dance backgrounds. For each of the 16 acts in “Pick a Card,” the performer or performers of the act chose one occult tarot card they want to represent during their piece, with complete creative freedom. Due to financial constraints, the sets of the show remained relatively simple but the costumes could be as elaborate or as simple as needed. Lottman notes that the performer’s geographical diversity set “Pick a Card” apart from other burlesque shows. This diverse coming together typically only occurs in festival settings, which are based on a panel choosing a handful of best acts out of hundreds, with minimal communication between performers and organizers. “I wanted this show to be a collaborative effort between all the performers, and I wanted all the performers
to be communicating about it for a long time. This show is performers from all over coming together for a common goal.” Lottman notes that this “long time” had been a collaborative communication and development since January, with Lottman and her team, plus the performers, communicating via email, text messages and Google Hangout sessions due to the geographic distances between everyone involved in “Pick a Card.” Lottman also notes that burlesque is an art that cannot fully support a person, save Roxi D’Lite, so everyone involved was working between heavy work or school schedules. Lottman wants people to know that burlesque is not all feathers, fans and gowns, and “nothing like that terrible movie with Cher and Christina Aguilera.” None of the performances in “Pick a Card” are considered truly traditional style burlesque, but rather neo-burlesque. Neo-burlesque, largely made famous by artist Dita von Teese, focuses more on selfexpression of the dancer rather than the sexual gratification of the audience. “Sometimes, burlesque is an intimidating form of art on paper, for women especially, but I know for a fact that everyone in this show comes from a very strong, feminist perspective,” Lottman said. “This is reclaiming my body, this is also sharing what a different form of beauty is. It’s so much more than really talented people stripping.” “A lot of (the dancers) bring a really deep passion for women and magic,” Lottman added. “The two combined are what this show is about. It’s a force of femininity from every angle as well as a chance to daydream about magic.” An incredibly important aspect of “Pick a Card” was the ability for Lottman to bring burlesque back to the Michigan Theater. “A lot of people don’t know what modern burlesque is, and we (the “Pick a Card” organizers) come from a very historical perspective. The Michigan Theater was originally built as a vaudeville theater which went hand in hand with burlesque, but we’re the first large scale, multi-performer production. There’s a really strong feeling of bringing burlesque back to the Michigan Theater.”
Arts
6 — Friday, October 3, 2014
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
MUSIC NOTEBOOK
FOOD COLUMN
Building a perfect playlist for a party With today’s musical diversity, you can’t please everyone
the majority of people attending and there can’t be a theme dictating the tunes. There always seems to be a basic formula applied to concoct a playlist to appease the general audience. Typical playlists at parties consist of the following: EDM/Dubstep, throwbacks, pop music and novelty songs. All of these selections have either lots of bass or are simply well known. Electronic music is commonplace at parties because it’s upbeat, exciting and often has aggressive, repetitive bass that’s easy to dance to. I’ve heard “Clarity” by Zedd way too many times. Throwbacks are tracks known by most everyone because of their convenient placement in our childhoods, so they resonate with everyone’s younger self and are fun to sing along to. In my mind, pop music consists of rap (whether for comical or hype affect) and anything on the Top 40 – “Anaconda” by Nikki Minaj, “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus or anything by Juicy J. The novelty category applies to songs that a lot of people know because they are bizarre or wild. The couple tracks that immediately come to mind are “Gangnam Style” and “Hot N*gga,” both of which have accompanying dances, too. And yes, that’s a lot of songs covered in the four categories, but there are still a number of genres left out. As a music snob of sorts, I find myself exclaiming “this song sucks” a handful of times at parties, but is there crossover between good party music and good music in general? Yes. Looking at my own track record of musical interests, I’m
By KEN SELANDER Daily Arts Writer
The course load at the University of Michigan is timeconsuming and requires a lot of hard work. Music definitely helps me to relax, unwind and chill out during a stressful day. It’s no secret that students also like to unwind by partying, whether you’re in Greek Life or throwing a rager at your house or apartment every so often. I recently found myself at a party where the music selection on a friend’s playlist was simply not cutting it. I stepped in and DJ-ed for an hour (read: plugged an aux cable into my iPhone and pressed play on a bunch of songs). By the end I felt as if I had compromised my own musical integrity for the sake of entertaining people. Everyone responded well to Katy Perry, Gnarls Barkley and Eminem, but the second I turned on some personal favorites like ZZ Top or Lil Boosie I could immediately see the dissatisfaction brewing in the crowd. What exactly makes a good party song? How did I intuitively know which songs people would make people stay and which would be a stretch, and how do others know the same? Obviously this article will be biased toward my own experiences, but I’ll proceed anyway. To loosely define a “party,” as I’m trying to explain it, whoever is running the musical selection cannot personally know the music preferences of
all over the board —rock, rap, hell, even heavy metal. I qualify most of what I listen to as “good” music because it requires skill in my mind. Accordingly, I often ponder the difference between what is more thoughtful rap and extreme gangsta rap — Gucci Mane, Migos, Lil’ Boosie and Chief Keef — and why a very white kid from the suburbs listens to some Boosie Bad Azz on the way to class in between Led Zeppelin and Elvis records. Why do I like it? Analyzing gangsta music in the context of party playlists, it’s essentially a grey area between party music and good or personal music. It’s just fun to listen to – I don’t think it has any particular musical value to speak of, and I sure as hell can’t relate to selling crack out of a trap house. I’m not saying Oj Da Juiceman is the greatest rapper ever, but “Make the Trap Say Aye” is too funny not to blare on some speakers. How do I relate this tangent to party music? The everconstant song requester. When you think about it, that requester bothering a DJ despite your carefully selected playlist is actually a good sign. The requester is just attempting to make a party more personal. While requests in my experience are highly obnoxious and frequent, the basic concept behind such requests shows exactly how party playlists are supposed to work — the requesters are satisfied enough to stay at the party even though a particular song they want hasn’t been played, but nonetheless they want to hear their own song so they can feel special. So in the end, party music keeps everyone content and in attendance — until the booze runs out, that is.
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RELEASE DATE– Friday, October 3, 2014
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
FOR RENT
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Wine order 6 NFL linemen 10 European capital 14 Kind of comprehension 15 Basket 16 Land in un lago 17 Duck royalty? 20 It may be taken 21 French 101 pronoun 22 In the cooler 23 Iowa city on I-35 25 Highly skilled ones 26 Heck of a pop? 31 Symbol seen in viola music 32 Parisian map line 33 Oracle 37 Edinburgh souvenir 38 Army post merged with McGuire AFB and Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst 42 Youngest goal scorer in MLS history 43 Hops kiln 45 Took top honors 46 Exasperated cry 48 Trader who doesn’t take the market seriously? 52 Some runners 55 Betrayed, in a way 56 Like most tupelo leaves 57 His epitaph reads “And the beat goes on” 59 Part of a roof 63 Classified instrument? 66 Language that gave us “plaid” 67 Green Gables girl 68 Provider of store melodies 69 Caustic cleaners 70 __ swings 71 Slanted columns DOWN 1 Mountain passes 2 Angler’s item 3 The “Toreador Song,” for one
4 19th-century trail terminus 5 Utah luggage tag initials 6 Pick 7 Vegan menu item 8 Garden divisions 9 Spring resort 10 Vital pair 11 Town including part of Fire Island 12 Pick 13 Florist’s inventory 18 Not-one link 19 Longtime Connecticut senator 24 Offend 25 Gulf of __ 26 Numerical prefix 27 Sports regulatory org. 28 Canopy components at the Mall in Central Park 29 Quaff 30 Verb type: Abbr. 34 One titled “Lord” 35 Do lawn work 36 River past Duisburg 39 Uncommon bills 40 Bashful companion?
41 Green stone 44 Sleeping sickness carriers 47 Seemed logical 49 Place for a nest egg 50 Gave up the ball 51 “Time __ the essence” 52 Roadside business 53 Creamy white 54 Memory problem
57 Czech Republic’s second-largest city 58 Wine opener? 60 Carving tool 61 Historic “Impaler” 62 Comics screams 64 Carolina quarterback Newton 65 Letters before a view, maybe
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From screen to plate: my top 10 cinematic food scenes
I’m not sure if there is a defined genre of food movies, but if there isn’t, there should be. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t movies, or at least scenes in them, invested in food and cooking, in chefs and restaurants. Yes, these movies can ultiGIANCARLO mately be BUONOMO about life or love, but the food still matters. As Jim Harrison once said to a New York Times reporter, “Food is a great literary theme. Food in eternity, food and sex, food and lust. Food is a part of the whole of life. Food is not separate.” With that in mind, I would like to share with you a few scenes that celebrate food, scenes that have meant and always will mean a great deal to me. 10) The cooking scene from “The Godfather.” Peter Clemenza shows Michael Corleone the secret to making great spaghetti and meatballs: a dash of sugar. It’s a sweet moment between two g uys who end up killing about a dozen people each. 9) The roast chicken scene from “Amèlie.” Our titular heroine finds a box hidden in her bathroom wall, placed there by a boy named Dominique Bretodeau years ago. She wants to return the box to the now adult Dominique, and season his life with some happiness. However, we learn what really makes him happy: carving up a roasted bird and then sinking his hands into the steaming carcass to pick out every last scrap of meat. 8) The sandwich scene from “Spanglish.” I’ve always found it, well, funny, that Adam Sandler excels in dramatic roles. This is one of his best, in his portrayal of LA chef John Clasky. In one scene, John improvises a glorious sandwich that looks like a combo of a ham and cheese and BLT, complete with a runny egg. My favorite part of this scene is that world-renowned chef Thomas Keller actually designed the sandwich for the movie and taught Sandler how to make it. 7) The eggplant scene from “The Lunchbox.”
I saw this film over the summer, and when I left the theater, I didn’t talk for a solid 20 minutes. Of all the “food” movies I’ve seen, I think “The Lunchbox” is the best exploration of what food can mean both by itself and as a source of connection between people. A young housewife sends a lunchbox into Mumbai everyday, except instead of going to her husband it gets delivered to a widowed accountant. Food and memory constantly intertwine — she sends him a special eggplant dish, the comforting f lavor of which reminds him of a dish his wife used to make. 6) The spaghetti and risotto scene from “Big Night.” As an admittedly snobbish Italian, I’ve always gotten a kick out of the saga of two old-world brothers and their struggle to serve authentic food to Americans. The funniest part is when a customer tells Secondo, the general manager, that she wants a side of spaghetti with her risotto — a starchy taboo. When Secondo brings this request to Primo, his brother and the chef, he exclaims “That bitch!” Secondo pleads with him to just indulge her, but Primo replies, “She’s a criminal. I need to talk with her!” 5) The Big Kahuna Burger scene from “Pulp Fiction.” After a vigorous exposition of what McDonalds in France calls their burgers, Vincent and Jules barge in on Brett and his buddies, who have Marcellus Wallace’s briefcase. As a gesture of his power over Brett — or maybe just because he’s hungry — Jules takes a nice bite out of Brett’s Hawaiian burger. I’ve always wondered how a burger becomes “Hawaiian”; is the bun a Hawaiian roll? Does it have pineapple? Either way, that look on Jules’ face when he washes the burger down with Brett’s Sprite is priceless — it can only be described as an extraterrestrial smirk. 4) The soup scene from “Ratatouille.” Anyone can cook, according to this Pixar tour-deforce. How they came up with the plot — a French rat who wants to become a gourmet chef — is beyond me, but that’s why I don’t make movies. The best scene by far is when Remy covertly
fixes Ling uini’s soup. With that great big-band music in the background, Remy pours in broth and cream, salt and seasoning, herbs and whatever else he can get his paws on. Apparently the animators researched how leeks fall off the stalk when sliced. Whatever they did worked, because the ones Remy throws in the pot are très bons. 3) Anything from “Chef.” So that I don’t turn out like Jonah Lehrer, I won’t just quote the review of it I wrote this summer, where I couldn’t contain my excitement for this magical movie. It’s as if Jon Favreau was smoking joints rolled out of back issues of Gourmet Magazine. 2) The shrimp-vibrator scene from “Tampopo.” This Japanese f lick, affectionately labeled a “Ramen Western,” is one of the funniest films ever made. The main story arc is the plight of a young widow to make the best ramen possible, aided by a truck driver and her young son. However, there are numerous other vignettes that all deal with food and sex and folly. My favorite is one about a mobster whose appetite for food overlap with his appetite for his girlfriends’ body. One of his preferred games is placing live shrimp in a bowl with some soy sauce, and then overturning it onto his ladies lady parts. The crustaceans thrash and swim, giving her a literal food orgasm. 1) The dinner scene from “Tom Jones.” Based on Henry Fielding ’s novel, this quirky comedy chronicles a hedonistic yet kindhearted foundling, raised as a country gentleman, and his quest to learn his origins and win the love of his life. In the dinner scene, Tom and a woman he met on the road share supper at an inn. Without speaking, they slowly consume a variety of foods — oysters, chicken, fruit, soup — while imitating each other eating in the most innuedo-laden manner possible. I’m talking tong uing drumsticks, fruit juices dripping down the chin, slippery oysters slurped … OK, you get the point. Buonomo is making a vibrator out of shrimp. To try it, e-mail gbuonomo@umich.edu.
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Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Wolverines open at Ferris By ZACH SHAW Daily Sports Writer
Ready or not, Michigan hockey is back in action. Despite NCAA rules limiting the coaching staff’s participation in practice and a young group still getting acclimated to college hockey, the No. 8 Michigan hockey team opens its Michigan at 2014-15 season Ferris State with a trip to Big Rapids, When: Michigan, to Saturday 7:37 p.m. take on No. 9 Where: Big Ferris State. “We haven’t Rapids, Mich. had enough TV: Comcast time on any one phase of the game for me to tell you we’re gameready,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “But I think the players are anxious to play, and the enthusiasm will be there. We just need to capitalize on our breaks and minimize their breaks.” The opening game kicks off yet another season of high expectations for the Wolverines. Following a disappointing 18-134 campaign last year, Michigan still showcases enough talent to garner a top-10 ranking and be picked by coaches to finish second in the Big Ten. Junior forward and returning captain Andrew Copp and sophomore forward JT Compher look to bring back their top-scoring tandem from last season. In total, the Wolverines bring back five of their top-10 scorers from last season, and the addition of highly touted recruit and freshman forward Dylan Larkin will give Michigan plenty of scoring threats on its top three lines.
Daily Sports Editor
The Michigan men’s basketball team’s leadership duties for the 2014-15 season will fall to a pair with a reputation for being soft-spoken: junior guards Spike Albrecht and Caris LeVert. Albrecht, LeVert and senior forward Max Bielfeldt are the only upperclassmen among the 15 players the Wolverines list on their roster. And it seems that from the get-go, beginning with Michigan’s summer trip to Italy, the duo of juniors has been taking its role-model responsibility seriously. “It could be something as simple as making sure you’re showing up to practice 10 or 15 minutes early and not in there looking sleepy-eyed,” Albrecht said. “That type of stuff will drive the coaches nuts.” Albrecht admitted that neither he nor LeVert is outspoken in the first place, making their emergence as leaders more of an intentional transition than an organic one. “It’s interesting, because both Caris and myself are a little bit more mellow, kind of shy,” Albrecht said. “But when we talk, people listen. Like I said earlier, we’ve kind of earned our stripes here. We’re juniors now. We have respect among some of the other guys in the locker room.” The team’s early cohesion has impressed Michigan coach John Beilein, who said this squad has gelled in the early going as well as any other in his eight years at the helm. The Wolverines had the advantage of spending 10 days in Italy over the summer, playing four games against competition that generally wasn’t ready for them. And with six incoming freshmen, Michigan was happy to take advantage of a readymade opportunity for bonding and growth while overseas. “This group right now is very connected for this age,” Beilein said. “That has a lot to do with the personality of Spike and
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Waldeck trifecta leads to easy win By KEVIN SANTO For the Daily
JAMES COLLER/Daily
The Michigan hockey team’s road back to the NCAA Tournament begins Saturday with a tough test away from Yost.
But questions remain on defense — a weak point in each of the past two seasons. This year’s team features just two upperclassmen on the blue line. Berenson is counting on the talented and energetic crop of freshmen and sophomores to mesh with the experience of returning goalies junior Steve Racine and sophomore Zach Nagelvoort. “I think we’ve got two goalies we can play, whereas last year I wasn’t sure,” Berenson said. “On defense we don’t have the seniors we had last year, so we’re going to be relying on some of our younger guys to step up. So far I’ve liked the energy from the younger guys. “We might not be as deep on defense as last year, but we
might be better on defense.” On the other side of the ice, the Bulldogs are quite the opposite. After falling just one double-overtime loss shy of the Frozen Four last March, Ferris State graduated a number of key offensive weapons, but returns an experienced and hungry lineup led by senior goaltender and captain CJ Motte. “Their strength starts in goal, where CJ Motte is as good as it gets and is a real top college goalie, and their defense is good around him,” Berenson said. “They’ve got all their defensemen back but one, so I think it’ll be a tough challenge for us.” The matchup also presents a unique challenge for Michigan sophomore forward Tyler
Motte, CJ’s brother. The two faced off last year in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines winning in a shootout. “Last year (against Ferris State,) my mom had the split sweater going with halfMichigan, half-Ferris, and my dad went with the neutral gray,” Tyler said. “Our friends and family get into it, probably more than we do, but it can be a lot of fun. We’re both playing on competitive programs and trying to get a victory, so we really look at it as just another game.” It’s early in the year, it’s a non-conference game and the Wolverines may not feel ready, but ultimately come Saturday night, Michigan hockey will be back.
LeVert, Albrecht take veteran roles By LEV FACHER
Friday, October 3, 2014 — 7
Caris and (sophomore forward Zak Irvin and sophomore guard Derek Walton), who are extremely outgoing.” It’s clear that Albrecht and LeVert will lead more by example than anything else. “I’m not some crazy rah-rah guy,” Albrecht said, indicating that he, Bielfeldt and LeVert are happy to lead more through example. “Caris is just a really good kid. He’s always helping out the younger guys, the freshmen. So that type of stuff goes a long way.” Beilein’s personality classifications didn’t quite match up with the reputation LeVert, especially, has held in prior seasons. LeVert developed
a reputation in his first two years with the program as a shy, softspoken player content to remain out of the spotlight, leaving the more ostentatious aspects of leadership and gameplay to teammates like Nik Stauskas and Mitch McGary. “We definitely have to make sure we’re looking out for the younger guys,” LeVert said. “We have a growing team right now.” LeVert was also quick to acknowledge that simple circumstance played the biggest part in changing his role from team member to team leader. “It has to be different,” LeVert said. “We’re the oldest guys on the team. … We’ve been there
“Both Caris and me are a little bit more mellow.”
before, we’ve had so much playing time in the past, on and off the court we know what goes on around here.” With several freshmen expected to contribute right off the bat, the upperclassmen’s collective ability to hold down the fort will be critical. Talent stopping briefly in Ann Arbor before making its way to the NBA is a good problem to have, and Michigan’s upperclassmen have gone out of their way to avoid a potential issue that cycle carries with it: continued loss of leadership and consistency. Beilein seems confident that Albrecht and LeVert are key components, along with Bielfeldt, of the leadership his remarkably young team needs. Rather than shirking its massive responsibility, the duo seems to have welcomed it with open arms.
Despite conceding early, the Michigan women’s soccer team left no doubt on the field Thursday against Nebraska. Nicky Waldeck’s hat trick led the Wolverines to a 3-1 comeback victory. From 1 NEBRASKA 3 MICHIGAN the first whistle, the Wolverines exhibited a comfort in possessing the ball out of their own defensive third. Michigan’s back line patiently circulated the ball until opportunities to play it over the top to a target striker were available. Nebraska prepared with a counter-attacking defensive shape, employing all 10 field players to sit behind the ball until they gained possession. Although Michigan displayed dominance in the air and an acute level of defensive discipline for the majority of the game, it found itself down early due to a poor defensive clearance. In the eighth minute, after the Wolverines failed to clear a blocked shot, Nebraska forward Mayme Conroy gained possession inside the 18-yard box and buried a shot firmly in the bottom right corner of the goal. However, Michigan continued to dominate possession and apply intense pressure until its scoring breakthrough. In the 31st minute of the first half, redshirt freshman forward Ani Sarkisian won possession in the midfield and played a ball over the top of the defense to sophomore forward Waldeck. After beating a defender in a one-on-one situation, Waldeck dribbled past the goalkeeper and tapped the
ball in from three yards away. After putting one on the board, the Wolverines played with an air of confidence, when they scored for the second time in the first half. In the 42nd minute, after an interception, freshman midfielder Niki Wilkinson played Waldeck in on a breakaway with the Cornhuskers’ keeper. In a similar fashion, Waldeck drew the keeper off her goal line and slotted the ball in. In the second half, Nebraska began with intense pressure and escalated the speed of play. It appeared that the Wolverines would concede a second goal for the first 20 minutes of the second half, as the Cornhuskers maintained the majority of possession and had two shots on goal. However, in the 65th minute, Waldeck relieved the pressure by completing her hat trick. Junior midfielder Corinne Harris sent a through ball to Waldeck, who hit it across her body and placed it brilliantly in the bottom left corner. Waldeck’s hat trick makes her the Wolverines’ highest scorer, with eight goals. Waldeck though, was quick to deflect credit for the feat to her teammates. “The last person to do it was Nkem (Ezurike) in 2011. … So the fact that I’m being associated with that is humbling and incredible,” Waldeck said. “They were all pretty similar goals. … They were just great passes, the balls through were perfectly timed and weighted.” The Wolverines remain undefeated at home this season, and Michigan coach Greg Ryan won’t understate the unblemished home slate.
NOTABLE QUOTES FROM JOHN BEILEIN AT MICHIGAN AVAILABILITY: “If my sons were high school football players, I would love for them to play for Brady Hoke and his staff.” “The leadership right now of Caris and Spike has really been tremendous. ... There is no question they are in charge.” “This group right now is really connected for this age. ... These guys are as connected as we’ve been.”
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Spike Albrecht, despite being a junior, is the oldest player on a young Michigan team that has to replace several players.
Sports
8 — Friday, October 3, 2014
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
First meeting for programs Conference moves create matchup between oldest teams in FBS
FOOTBALL
Q&A with Daily Targum reporter By ALEJANDRO ZÚÑIGA Managing Sports Editor
The Daily Targum writer Greg Johnson discusses the upcoming Michigan-Rutgers game.
By MAX COHEN Daily Sports Editor
When Rutgers joined the Big Ten, there were numerous questions about how its football team would fit into the conference. The Scarlet Knights were viewed as an underwhelming program, one incapable of competing for Big Ten titles. But it’s Michigan (0-1 Big Ten, 2-3 overall) that desperately needs a win entering the firstever meeting between the historic programs. Rutgers (0-1, 4-1) put a scare into Penn State in its first Big Ten game, ultimately falling short in a 13-10 loss in Piscataway, but the Wolverines fell to Minnesota in their opener, 30-14. Though the Scarlet Knights are new to the Big Ten, the program’s history is lengthy. Rutgers participated in the first-ever college football game, defeating Princeton, 6-4, on Nov. 6, 1869. Michigan played its first game 10 years later, defeating Racine, 1-0, on May 30, 1879. Rutgers and Michigan are the two oldest FBS football programs. The Scarlet Knights historically haven’t experienced the success the Wolverines have. Rutgers is 464-437-22 all-time, and didn’t have a single winning season between 1992 and 2005. But the Scarlet Knights have had just two losing seasons since. Former head coach Greg Schiano helped put the program in position to win consistently during his 11-season tenure from 2001 to 2011. The highlight of Rutgers’ recent success came during the 2006 season, in which
The Michigan Daily: Quarterback Gary Nova has really struggled at times this year, including that ugly fiveinterception game against Penn State. How much of the blame lies with him? Greg Johnson: Nova’s inconsistencies over the years have been his own sporadic decision-making, but he tends to run into trouble when he’s asked to do too much. Nova has talent and can make plays when the offense is in rhythm, but he’s best suited as a game manager. He’s excelled in that role the last two weeks, so granted Rutgers runs the ball effectively early, we’ll see if he can deliver in a big game against the Michigan defense.
JAMES COLLER/Daily
The Michigan football team has struggled to manage much offensively, and it will be tested by a ferocious Rutgers ‘D.’
the Scarlet Knights went 11-2. Running back Ray Rice became a national star, leading the offense and rushing for 1,794 yards and 20 touchdowns. On Nov. 29 of that year, the undefeated, 15th-ranked Scarlet Knights upset No. 3 Louisville, 28-25, in a game many remember as “Pandemonium in Piscataway.” Because of the program’s previous lack of success, the fans were raucous when presented with the opportunity to see their team play in a big game. When the upset concluded, the fans rushed the field. Though the team eventually lost two games, the contest set the precedent for added excitement about the Rutgers
program. Many compared the environment at the Scarlet Knights’ first Big Ten home game against the Nittany Lions to the atmosphere at the 2006 Louisville game. Saturday’s game against the Wolverines is sold out, and the atmosphere is expected to be rowdy. Fifth-year senior Devin Gardner will be Michigan’s starting quarterback once again after he was benched in favor of sophomore Shane Morris before the Wolverines’ loss to Minnesota. Gardner won’t have much time to get comfortable now that he has regained his position. Rutgers currently leads the Big Ten with 21 sacks, posing a challenge to Michigan’s
relatively inexperienced offensive line. Michigan coach Brady Hoke said a variety of issues have plagued his team in pass protection. “We cut some guy loose because we were a little overaggressive, and we cut some guys loose because we hadn’t picked it up the right way from a backfield standpoint, and we cut some guys loose because our quarterback hasn’t stepped up in the pocket,” Hoke said Wednesday. In most weeks, off-field issues serve as an interruption from football talk. But with controversy swirling around the handling of Morris’ injury, football will give Michigan a much-needed break from everything else.
TMD: Saturday’s meeting will be the first between these two storied programs, but Michigan is far from the level most people expect of it. What’s the excitement level like given the Wolverines’ poor start? GJ: Despite the 2-3 record, Michigan is still Michigan to Rutgers and its fans, and a win would be huge this weekend. Given the crushing loss to Penn State and the fact that this athletic department has had its own share of PR nightmares the last couple years, fans are desperate to see this program make noise in the Big Ten and keep moving in the right direction. TMD: Rutgers is a big firsthalf team; Michigan can’t seem to score in any way. The Scarlet Knights capitalize on turnovers; the Wolverines’ offense can’t stop committing them. Does it
feel like Michigan is walking into a buzz saw in Piscataway? GJ: It’s funny how the narrative has gone from “Rutgers might have a chance” in the preseason to now essentially “Rutgers better not lose.” I wouldn’t be shocked if the Knights pull away handily in this one, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if Rutgers lays a goose egg. There a lot of reasons to think Rutgers is getting Michigan at a perfect time, but there’s still a lot of talent on that roster. On paper this is certainly a game Rutgers should win. TMD: What has the move to the Big Ten been like? GJ: It’s exciting. It’s bringing in tons of notoriety and definitely helping recruiting in a lot of ways. Having The Big Ten Network set on campus for the first time a few weeks ago was great for the fans. Granted, the conference’s football product hasn’t been great so far this year, but there’s a tremendous buzz when people think of the history and prestige of the Big Ten. TMD: Finally, we’d be remiss not to talk about Andre Hunt, the freshman walk-on who is listed as a co-starter for Saturday’s meeting. And in the bigger picture, how will Rutgers be affected most by the 19-man injury list? GJ: Hunt is a great guy with an even better backstory. Almost quit football after blowing out both of his knees in high school back in Minnesota. As far as the lengthy injury list, most of the guys on there are just for precautionary measures. Only star running back Paul James’ torn ACL really matters long-term. Kyle Flood is also less cryptic with injuries than a lot of college head coaches, including Brady Hoke, it seems like.
Q&A: Kyle Flood Breakdown: Distractions loom By ALEXA DETTELBACH Daily Sports Editor
Michigan coach Brady Hoke said Wednesday that Rutgers is a “well-coached football team” whose success begins with coach Kyle Flood. Flood has led the Scarlet Knights for three years after replacing coach Greg Schiano, who left for the NFL in 2011. He’s gone 16-10 with Rutgers. The Daily sat down with Flood at Big Ten Media Day in August. The Michigan Daily: What are you most excited about with Rutgers joining the Big Ten? Kyle Flood: I think there’s a couple things that come up right away. It’s one of the power five conferences; we’re in the elite academic athletic conference in the country. So to me, you have a destination location, which in college football the landscape a couple years ago, not everybody has that now. We feel like we belong here. This is a very good marriage for Rutgers and the Big Ten. So to me that part of it now we can move past it, and now we’re trying to win championships. TMD: What have you found as the biggest challenge with the transition? KF: For us as coaches, we have a yearly routine of how you go about things, so now this year because it’s a new conference, 12 new opponents on our schedule, not just the conference schedule. That’s been the most taxing thing on our staff. But really in terms of how we got about things and how we train, we’ve been doing it at Rutgers a long time so that doesn’t change for us. TMD: You’ve been coaching for over 20 years, how do you still find it exciting everyday? KF: There’s no better way to spend your waking hours than to work with young people and to me, I started as a high school math teacher, then I moved to
the coaching profession. When you have the opportunity to work with young people that energizes you a lot I think. TMD: You guys were in the Jabrill Peppers conversation for a while, what kind of player do you think he is? KF: I think Jabrill is quite a good football player. He was certainly a good football player in high school, but now he’s going to have to transition into college. There’s no question he has a high ceiling. TMD: Now that Rutgers has a Midwest connection how can that help with recruiting and the direction of the program? KF: I think what it does it really opens up some not traditional areas. We have a quarterback and a receiver that we got from Michigan, a tight end from Minnesota, a tight end from Texas. The access to those players, although we’re not going to be full time recruiting in the Midwest, because there’s not really a huge population of players close to home, but if there’s a position we need we can go out there and get it and that’ll be good. Plus, they’ll be interested in coming to the Big Ten. TMD: Did you notice a big bump in recruiting over the year once it was decided you were moving to the Big Ten? KF: Absolutely, there’s no doubt. The best players in high school want to play against the best. You’re playing against some of the most historic programs in the history of college football. There’s no doubt that’s what they want. TMD: What can you say about the Michigan-Rutgers matchup that’s going to be at night in High Point Solutions Stadium stadium? KF: It’s a very big game and will be great for our program. As for the event side, like I said I don’t know much about it, but I’m sure it will be great.
By GREG GARNO Managing Sports Editor
The Daily breaks down this week’s matchup. Michigan pass offense vs. Rutgers pass defense Michigan’s passing lives and dies with junior wide receiver Devin Funchess, which should make for easy game planning for the Rutgers defense. Fifthyear senior quarterback Devin Gardner’s rapport with wide receivers against Minnesota didn’t look better than it did two weeks before against Utah. But the Rutgers passing defense ranks 13th in the Big Ten, and has allowed nearly 1,400 total yards having played the likes of Tulane and Howard. The Scarlet Knights have just three interceptions this season, but they could feast on Gardner’s inaccuracy. In this case, it’s a matter of which one makes the fewest mistakes. Edge: Rutgers Michigan rush offense vs. Rutgers rush defense The Michigan rushing game, once led by sophomore Derrick Green, is now up in the air after he struggled against the Golden Gophers. Sophomore De’Veon Smith hasn’t proved to be much of a better back, but did find some room last Saturday. The Wolverines’ line hasn’t been able to open up enough holes between the tackles. Combined with Rutgers defensive end Darius Hamilton, who has six tackles for loss this season, and a 49th-ranked Scarlet Knights rush defense, this doesn’t bode well for Michigan. Edge: Rutgers Rutgers pass offense vs. Michigan pass defense Scarlet Knights quarterback Gary Nova won’t be an intimidating threat for the Michigan secondary, even if it does play like it did last week. Nova has seven interceptions on the season and relies on the
EDWIN GANO/The Daily Targum
Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova threw five picks against Penn State, but he can be an efficient game manager.
running game’s success to take the pressure off him. When’s he forced to drop back to pass, as opposed to using play action, Nova’s arm is exposed. Against Penn State three weeks ago, he threw five interceptions. Michigan’s secondary, meanwhile, returns junior safety Jarrod Wilson and senior corner back Raymon Taylor to bring back some experience and depth at the positions. Edge: Michigan Rutgers rush offense vs. Michigan rush defense One team’s strength against another team’s strength means something has to budge. And the way Michigan has played against the rush, it should find the upper hand. It’s led by a line that doesn’t miss a beat often, regardless of who steps in. Redshirt sophomore defensive tackles Willie Henry and Ryan Glasgow held their own this year. But against Minnesota,
they were gashed for 167 yards. The Wolverines have allowed more than 100 yards in just two games this season, and have otherwise allowed exactly three yards per carry. Rutgers, led by Paul James’ five touchdowns and 5.7 yards per carry, hasn’t been tested at the line. Edge: Michigan
Redshirt sophomore Amarah Darboh and Peppers haven’t made much of an impact themselves as returners. While Rutgers hasn’t played much better on return coverage, it does have four blocked kicks that could be pivotal to swinging momentum. Edge: Rutgers
Special teams This could very well determine a game in which both sides appear even with each other. And if that’s the case, it doesn’t bode well for the Wolverines. Its punting blunder against Utah aside, Michigan hasn’t given reason to be optimistic that it can make a big play. The Wolverines are 11th in the Big Ten in puntreturn average and 12th in kick returns. Junior Dennis Norfleet hasn’t had a chance to run with the ball when punt coverage doesn’t give him enough time to catch the ball and break free.
Intangibles In theory, Michigan should be motivated to silence critics who have grown louder each week. But with all the distraction surrounding Michigan coach Brady Hoke and Athletic Director Dave Brandon, it’s going to be tough to keep focused on this game. It’s an opponent the Wolverines haven’t faced, and things could come crashing down quickly on the road. With Michigan earning all of the attention, the Scarlet Knights should be more focused . FINAL: Rutgers 24, Michigan 21