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Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Ann Arbor, Michigan

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ADMINISTRATION

Rally held in advance of GSI contract negotiations More than 150 graduate students marched to union bargaining meeting JENNIFER MEER Daily Staff Reporter

JOSHUA HAN/Daily

University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel announces new methods for dialogue between University faculty and the public in the Michigan League on Monday.

Schlissel announces new teach-out courses for academic innovation

Program to cover fake news, authoritarianism and Affordable Care Act in current climate TIM COHN & EMILY MIILLER Daily News Editor & Daily Staff Reporter

The introduction of a Teach-Out Series on topics ranging from “fake news” to the rise of increasingly authoritarian governments was announced by University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel at an Innovation Forum hosted by the University’s Office of Academic Innovation on Monday night.

There are four “global community learning” events scheduled so far in the series to be hosted on the edX platform — a digital education company which aims to improve education research at universities worldwide. The event was also a continuation of Schlissel’s Academic Innovation Initiative, which launched in fall 2016 in an effort to foster growth in technology use to further classroom learning. At the beginning of the event, Schlissel said he was excited the University is hosting these

teach-outs, which are modeled after the teach-ins that began at the University starting in 1965 to protest then-President Lyndon B. Johnson’s military escalation in the Vietnam War. The four course offerings available through the edX platform will cover: the transition from democratic to authoritarian rule, fake news, communication of scientific research, and the future of the Affordable Care Act, former President Barack Obama’s health care law. These topics were selected because of their relevance to

modern-day global politics — much like the inspiration for the teach-ins held at the University over 50 years ago. “Tonight’s event is keeping with the University’s historic ideals as we move forward into its third century,” Schlissel said at the event to an audience of over 100 attendees. However, unlike the teach-ins of the 1960s, which were in-person lectures given in university classrooms, the online teach-outs, according to Dean of Libraries James Hilton, the vice provost for See INNOVATION, Page 3

Nearly 160 graduate student employees rallied Monday afternoon in support of proposals to improve their contracts with the University of Michigan, which have hitherto been declined. Protesters began in the Diag before marching to Palmer Commons for the Graduate Employees’ Organization’s biweekly bargaining session with the University. The GEO — the union that represents graduate student instructors and graduate student staff assistants at the University — has been in the midst of contract negotiations since November. Their proposals were declined or not addressed sufficiently, according to GEO members. GEO President John Ware, a physics Ph.D. student and research assistant, said the rally was organized in an effort to make visible the continued struggles graduate employees face. “We’ve been at the table for

four months now and we’ve just seen very little progress,” he said. “We’re still a long way from where we need to be, especially on some of the core issues that we really need to get us to equitable and inclusive employment for graduate employees. We think that’s really an integral component of an equitable and inclusive University.” Ware noted the small bargaining team represents universal concerns. “The point we’re trying to make out here is that it’s not just the six dedicated volunteers that sit at the bargaining table, that these are issues that come from the University community,” Ware said. “They are widely felt and people care about them and we’re all watching.” One of the central proposals is to increase graduate employee pay, because the cost of living in Ann Arbor is higher than most other Michigan cities and the housing market for students is very competitive. “Two percent won’t pay See RALLY, Page 3

Michigan gubernatorial candidate, Panel talks Bathroom Trump era, alum Abdul El-Sayed pitches campaign policies, ‘U’

GOVERNMENT

ACADEMICS

issues with xenophobia

College Democrats hosts former Detroit Health Director and University alum

Professors outline history of “otherizing” in America, bipartisan racial priming

Michigan gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed discussed his candidacy and platform to more than 150 students and community members at the Ford School of Public Policy Monday night. The event, hosted by the University of Michigan’s chapter of College Democrats, allowed students to ask questions and hear the story of the 32-yearold University alum and Rhodes scholar. As the son of Egyptian immigrants, El-Sayed recognized the unlikeliness of his candidacy. However, he stressed that his background of coming from a biracial family reflects the goals he has for Michigan to become more inclusive. “This is the American family I grew up in,” El-Sayed said. “We didn’t always agree. The one thing we could agree upon was our future, that we could believe in this society regardless of background.” Opposite to what some have said about his campaign, El-Sayed said his background and religious differences won’t hinder him, but will hopefully inspire a more diverse government. “If you’re not going to vote for me because I’m Muslim, you weren’t going to vote for me anyway,” he said. The idea of more diverse representation was reflected

KATHERINA SOURINE For the Daily

A panel discussion addressing xenophobia under President Donald Trump’s administration was held Monday afternoon in the University of Michigan International Institute, where action against microaggressions and social threats were among the most highlighted topics. The panel, which more than 50 students and faculty attended, opened with Ann Arbor City Councilmember Chuck Warpehoski (D–Ward 5), director of the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, who led with a call to action against xenophobia not only in the rejection of visible hate crimes, but of microaggressions as well. “I’ve seen the importance that these social affirmations of values can have for people who are under attack,” he said. Warpehoski’s sentiments and the panel’s title — “Xenophobia in the Age of Trump: The Roots, Context See PANEL, Page 3

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CARLY RYAN

Daily Staff Reporter

by LSA junior Ali Safawi, also a member of the Michigan Daily edit board, who introduced El-Sayed for the event. “When you have a name like Ali, you get the feeling the politics isn’t for you, certainly less so than if your name was Bill or Craig,” Safawi said. “So I was very excited to hear that Dr. El-Sayed was running.” El-Sayed also said his background as the former director

of the Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion will have a large impact on his candidacy, as it gave him a more intimate and open look into public health — an issue he intends to stress in his campaign. He said his unconventional background will help Michigan stray from “politics as usual,” which he believes is a mindset that hasn’t been working. “It’s not just public health that suffers when you run government

as a business,” he added. “It’s also things like public education.” In an interview, El-Sayed said millennials will have a large impact on this campaign, much like the 2016 presidential campaign, “Nobody has as large a stake in our future as students do,” El-Sayed said. “They have been very involved in my campaign and its message that we have to take See EL-SAYED, Page 3

MATT VAILLIENCOURT/Daily

Michigan gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed speaks in the Ford School on Monday.

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INDEX

FOIA suit discussed

Faculty modifies policy to expand provisions for transgender community AARON DALAL

Daily Staff Reporter

The Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs met on Monday afternoon to discuss the bathroom policy for transgender students it passed last week, hoping to expand the resolution. The board also welcomed Cynthia Wilbanks, the University of Michigan’s vice president of government relations, to discuss the Freedom of Information Act. Last meeting, the board passed a bathroom policy that allows for members of the community to use the bathrooms they feel match their gender identity. SACUA derived its policy from the one in place at Oberlin College, but modified it slightly to include its own wording, while still capturing the essence of the other college’s policy. For this meeting, the members expanded their discussion to pinpoint more ways they could further provide for the LGBTQ community. SACUA member Robert Ortega, associate professor of social work, weighed in on the bathroom policy and suggested See SACUA, Page 3

NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................6

SUDOKU.....................2 CLASSIFIEDS...............6 SPORTS....................7

News

2 — Tuesday, March 14, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ON THE DAILY: SCHOOL OF INFORMATION GETS GREENER The University of Michigan’s School of Information has achieved a Platinum-level certification for sustainability from the Office of Campus Sustainability. All three UMSI locations earned the platinum certification —the highest certification offered— and is the first school within the University of Michigan to do so. UMSI’s locations in North Quad, Maynard Street and North University Avenue achieved Silvers status in 2014 and Gold status in 2015. These locations are among the 165 certified Sustainable Workplaces on campus. “Earning this certification was truly an all-school effort, led by a dedicated and determined team of staff members who worked with imagination and commitment to improve our

Planet Blue status, year by year,” said UMSI Dean Thomas Finholt, according to the University Record. The standards set by the Office of Campus Sustainability in 2012 provide departments with steps to certification, including recommendations on sustainable practices and methods for identifying potential issues. UMSI trained all its new employees with the Planet Blue Ambassador program, which made 85 percent of its staff certified Planet Blue Ambassadors and earned them the Platinum-level certification. Planet Blue represents the University’s commitment to becoming even more sustainable by 2025. Additional UMSI initiatives contributed to their Platinum rating, including

increasing reusable mug usage, programming printers to print double-sided, purchasing rechargeable batteries, enabling sleep mode on computers and

Dr. Mark Schlissel @DrMarkSchlissel

printers and installing timers on hallway lights. - CARLY RYAN

It’s great to be a Michigan Wolverine! Congrats @umichbball B1G champs. Go Blue!

SPEAKING OUT

sarah @sgorcyca I accidentally left my ring in the ugli bathroom for like 2 hours BUT no one stole it!!!! This Monday is blessed my brothers

AARON BAKER/Daily The Graduation Employees’ Organization lead a march from the Diag to Palmer commons protesting current working conditions for graduate students on Monday.

CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Pie Day

Why Big History?

Spring Career Expo

WHAT: Dining halls will be serving pie-inspired foods all day to commemorate the infinite and important number. WHO: Michigan Dining WHEN: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. WHERE: All Dining Halls

WHAT: This lecture will discuss how the Big History Project can help us make sense of the boundless information at our fingertips. WHO: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute WHEN: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. WHERE: Rave Theater, 4100 Carpenter Rd.

WHAT: Students will be able to connect with organizations that are both hiring interns and looking for full-time employees. WHO: University Career Center WHEN: Noon to 4 p.m. WHERE: Michigan Union

LGBTQ+ Wellness Week

Strings Showcase

Design-a-Thon!

WHAT: As a part of the LGBTQ+ Health and Wellness Week, lectures on “Coping with the Closet,” “Providing Affirmative Care” and leadership will be delivered. WHO: Spectrum Center WHEN: 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. WHERE: Michigan League, Room D

WHAT: Faculty-selected soloists and chamber music groups from the SMTD will perform in this showcase. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN:3 p.m. WHERE: Earl V. Moore Building, Britton Recital Hall

WHAT: Planet Blue Ambassadors and the Student Sustainability Initiative will offer a prize for the design of a sustainability-focused app. WHO: Student Sustainability Initiative WHEN: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. WHERE: Dana Natural Resources Building

Communist White Alex @PoeticHistorian

Biopsychology Colloquium Talk

UMich Catholics @UmichCatholics

Object Oriented Feminism WHAT: This book panel will discuss the implications of objectification and will feature work by Art & Design students. WHO: School of Art & Design WHEN: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. WHERE: Architecture Building, Room 2417

ALEXIS RANKIN Daily Staff Reporter

Students and faculty discussed ways to manage the nation’s energy requirement and protect the rights of both Native Americans and the environment during a town hall hosted Tuesday evening by LSA Student Government. The town hall

WINDAY. PEACE NEW WEEK, OUT, NEW JANUARY. ME.

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Opinion

4 — Tuesday, March 14, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ZACHARY COX | COLUMN

How to brave the Ides of March

Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com

EMMA KINERY Editor in Chief

ANNA POLUMBO-LEVY

and REBECCA TARNOPOL Editorial Page Editors

REBECCA LERNER Managing Editor

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Carolyn Ayaub Megan Burns Samantha Goldstein Caitlin Heenan Jeremy Kaplan

Sarah Khan Max Lubell Alexis Megdanoff Madeline Nowicki Anna Polumbo-Levy

Jason Rowland Ali Safawi Kevin Sweitzer Rebecca Tarnopol Stephanie Trierweiler

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.

MICHELLE PHILLIPS | COLUMN

Better late than never

ver Spring Break, I since attending the University of had an Uber driver Michigan, I have learned about ask me, completely out the stigmatizing stereotypes of nowhere, “How women face in long was your past society and how relationship?” I some individuals remember thinking cannot see beyond to myself, “Why is he the binary. Not only asking me this? He had my Uber driver has no right to know.” asked me about As a white female something that was college student who strictly dependent was clearly out of her on my gender, he element in southern MICHELLE came to conclusions Florida, he probably that ignored the PHILLIPS saw me as an easy obstacles women target. While I found have to overcome it very creepy, I responded with constantly in society. something that I knew would end It took every fiber of my the conversation: “Three years.” being to not go on a 20-minute And the fact is, I have never been rant about socially-constructed in a romantic “relationship,” gender roles. I calmed myself but then again, what defines a down and realized that as much “relationship” anyway? as I wanted to change this man’s I have had many relationships beliefs, there was no way that — none that have been socially would happen in the 10-minute constructed as “romantic” — car ride back to the hotel. but relationships nonetheless. It takes a lot of mental I have had relationships with strength to choose your battles friends that have taught me a and move on. As sad as it is, it is lot about myself and have had not often that you get into a deep relationships with teachers that conversation with a stranger have benefited me immensely that results in changing their as a learner. I have had a strong beliefs about an issue you relationship with my mom all feel to be morally important. my life and had an amazing Everyone is different, and our relationship with my math experiences throughout life tutor that I would not change shape the way we think and live for anything. Until college, I within our communities. did not really think much about This Uber driver’s lifestyle relationships; I have not been in was likely vastly different from a socially constructed boyfriend- my own, and though I did not girlfriend relationship and am appreciate the way he talked to perfectly OK with that. me, he made a point to relay that “How long was your past he was mildly joking. However, relationship?” I said to the driver, in every joke there is some truth. surprising my friends in the Though I did not feel threatened, back seat with my pursuit of the it saddened me that he thought conversation. He replied, “You about women this way. don’t need to know that.” When In 1848, the women’s suffrage I asked why, he said, “Because movement began at the Seneca you’re a girl; girls have vagina Falls Convention. It was more power that men will never have.” than 50 years later that women At this point, I was fuming. got the right to vote in 1920. A Sitting in this Uber, I thought right that female youth in the 21st about why on earth my century often take for granted driver would ask me such a took more than half a lifetime meaningless question. I couldn’t to implement. In 1963, the Equal help but think of the labels Pay Act was passed, but we still young women innately have just have a wage gap. In 1965, the by being women. In the women’s Weeks v. Southern Bell case studies classes I have enrolled in fought against restrictive labor

laws for women, but women are still not treated equally in the workforce. In 1973, Roe v. Wade granted women the right to be educated on contraceptives and obtain legal abortions, but policymakers still try to restrict women’s control over their bodies. And in 2013, the ban against women in military combat positions was removed, finally reducing restrictions on women wanting to sacrifice their lives to serve our country, but they are still objectified by their male counterparts. Our history as women has been strong. We have come a long way to make waves in an oppressive society, but we can’t stop fighting and must always be aware of how we can help enact this change. Transforming the ways our society views women has not and is not going to happen overnight. Instances like the one with that Uber driver in Miami frustrate me and show me that some people still don’t know the meaning of feminism and the true progress that women have made. As I got out of the car that night in Miami, my final words were “Thanks for the ride, but you should look up a definition of feminism and educate yourself.” Unsure of what his response was, I felt reassured knowing that I at least tried. Did he look up the definition? Probably not. But at least I knew that I made a conscious effort to plant the seed in his mind on something that needs to be reinforced in our society. In an age when women are holding marches to support unity and educating others on ground-breaking reconstruction of gender norms, there are many small acts we can perform to help make this change. I have come to terms with the fact that I can’t change everyone’s beliefs, and in order to make a significant difference, it is the small stuff that really counts. Michelle Phillips can be reached at mphi@umich.edu.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and op-eds. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while op-eds should be 550 to 850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.

“

NOTABLE QUOTABLE

This University has a comprehensive history of civic engagement, but this dedication of citizenship is dependent on how the University prioritizes students’ ability to vote and participate in our democracy. — Engineering freshman Mario Galindez introducing a Central Student Government resolution to make Election Day a University holiday. The resolution passed last Tuesday.

”

elcome to the post- refine our skill set. A gifted Spring-Break log-jam pianist who procrastinates his of large assignments practice may find himself falling and late midterm exams. I was behind his peers. Moreover, lucky enough not to be the institution of saddled with the latter. personal discipline Of course, I didn’t want helps us all become to work on that project better at what we do, assigned two weeks be it writing, singing ago, but lo and behold, or playing basketball. I have arrived at the A graduating panic zone of three senior may have the days before the due impression that he or date without having she has little to gain done any of the work. from putting effort ZACHARY into his or her final I, of course, rushed to COX finish the project that semester. You already I was certain I would secured your dream do well on, only to receive a grade job or internship? You’re not reflective of my effort. worried about your GPA dropping This is a common because you already secured a procrastinator’s problem, spot in graduate school? Surely, a brought on by the end-of- healthy dosage of senioritis is due, the-year fatigue and an right? Wrong. A slip-up in attitude overwhelming desire to fast- and academic performance could forward to summer, when some bring significant consequences. of us will pursue professional If your employer sees that your development, employment and effort dropped after accepting a educational opportunities, and job offer, it may tell them that you not focus on schoolwork as focus only on short-term goals much. While March may be a and don’t think about trying to difficult time to find motivation achieve long-term objectives. to put one’s best effort into They may anticipate that once academic work, hopefully this you get a promotion you want, column can help my fellow you may decide to stop putting procrastinators find value in effort into tasks and could lose starting projects and exam your desire to be an effective preparations early. employee. Why would they want No matter what your class to hire someone who is only in it standing is, using this time as for themselves and is not invested an opportunity to either create in long-term projects? They momentum for next year or wouldn’t. According to Forbes cap off a good academic record Reporter Susan Adams, GPA upon graduation will yield matters quite a bit to employers, tremendous rewards (the very because “it’s really one of the only least of which is a solidified indications (employers) have work ethic). of a student’s technical ability What do we lose when or competence to do the job.” we allow ourselves to So not only do grades indicate procrastinate? We lose the attitude and work ethic, they ability to get ahead on projects also demonstrate competence, and develop relationships with something essential in the others, but, most importantly, current job market. we lose the opportunity to So how does one maintain develop ourselves and grow the motivation to continue to personal discipline that will demonstrate this competence serve us throughout life. We and zeal to complete projects lose the chance to practice and successfully in the latter half of one’s

senior year? College admissions counselor Kat Cohen has a few recommendations, the most important of which being taking the time to relax and recharge. Yes, you have achieved something spectacular that required a great deal of effort, preparation and sleepless nights spent preparing resumes and cover letters or studying course material. You deserve to relax. But instead of letting this become permission to turn on auto-pilot, use it as an opportunity to prepare for the next chapter, which begins now. How can you use the remaining time in the year to build your organizational skills so you are successful at your internship or job? How can you take full advantage of the opportunity to end the year on a high note, whether that means giving more of yourself to your extracurricular activities or challenging yourself to learn a new skill in your classes that may prove useful going forward? Letting success get to your head will prohibit your personal growth by keeping you focused on staying in the same place, instead of finding ways to innovatively move forward. Complacency consequently grows out of this self-satisfaction. Former Intel CEO Andrew Grove once said, “Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive.” So when you find success, after briefly re-charging, take the chance to ask yourself, “Now what? Where can I go from here? How can I add value and challenge myself?” Because the time we have to make productive contributions to society is inherently limited, we mustn’t lose time during the Ides of March being idle.

Zachary Cox can be reached at coxz@umich.edu.

ENVIRODEMS | OP-ED

Last month in environmental policy

resident Donald Trump’s first month in office came to an end recently, and the world of environmental policy is still reeling from the dramatic and counterproductive changes Trump’s administration has made. The futures of critical Obama-era legislation and agencies, which were designed to protect ecosystems and foster sustainable industry practices amid the realities of climate change, now appear threatened by the potential of executive orders aimed at dismantling them. One of the most troubling changes has been Scott Pruitt’s confirmation as head of the Environmental Protection Agency on Feb. 17. Pruitt has been a longtime adversary of the EPA, having sued the agency 14 times for its efforts to regulate mercury, smog and carbon emissions from power plants. But his history of opposition to environmental regulation extends beyond the EPA: Pruitt has also developed long-standing ties with the fossil fuel industry. During his time as the attorney general of Oklahoma, for example, he dismantled a specialized environmental protection unit and established a “federalism unit” to counter what he referred to as “unwarranted regulation and systemic overreach (by federal agencies).” This aggressive approach secured him the approval of many Republicans and the oil and gas industries. Pruitt has made numerous claims that he is determined to eliminate the Clean Power Plan, a critical climate policy created under the Obama administration that aims to reduce carbon emissions in order to combat climate change. However, Pruitt’s continuous skepticism of climate change data, evident in his efforts to defend these interest groups, has highlighted his willingness to compromise public and environmental health in order to further support the fossil fuel industry, leaving even more room for further dismantlement of key climate change regulations.

To make matters worse, Trump has proposed substantial cuts to the EPA’s budget, resulting in the elimination of dozens of core programs and reducing the agency’s staff by 20 percent in the first year alone. Additionally, the cuts would shrink grants to states — including those for air and water programs — by 30 percent. For example, restoration efforts in the Great Lakes are expected to experience a jolting stop, as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative budget is facing a potential 97 percent cut. Jeffrey Reutter, a special adviser of the Sea Grant College Program at Ohio State University, voiced the fears of many environmentalists on how “we’ve seen (Lake Erie) go from the poster child for pollution problems to the best example in the world of ecosystem recovery. Now it’s headed back again.”

Last month alone was a trying time for advocates of environmental stewardship.

mining regulation, which was implemented in order to protect waterways from coal mining waste and maintain public health. With coal being the largest source of carbon emissions and a major contributor to global warming, the reversal of this regulation could result in immense, immediate and long-term water, ecosystem and climate damage. Moreover, despite months of protests and public outcry, on Jan. 24, Trump signed executive orders that authorized the continuation of the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline and Keystone XL Pipeline. Today, the construction of DAPL is nearly complete. Not only does the pipeline encroach on sacred indigenous land of the Sioux Tribe, it also threatens the ecological quality of the land itself. The Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes have now filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the hopes of ending the pipeline’s drilling. The lawsuit details how, in the event of an oil spill or any damage to the lake, the water supply and quality surrounding the land could be compromised, thus posing an enormous threat to the food supply. Last month alone was a trying time for advocates of environmental stewardship, and we now await updates regarding the future of the Clean Power Plan, the EPA and climate regulation. However, campaigns and organizations founded to support scientific research and data, including the March for Science, are now even stronger. The continuous growth of these movements will require united and steadfast support in the face of such opposition in order to continue fighting for the implementation of strong and effective environmental regulations.

Other restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay, Puget Sound and the Gulf of Mexico are also at risk of facing major cuts. Moreover, Trump signed a repeal of the transparency rule, a regulation that required energy companies to disclose their payments to foreign governments. The repeal of this rule reduces the accountability of the fossil fuel industry. In response to this decision, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D–Ohio) said, “this kind of transparency is essential to combating waste, fraud, corruption and mismanagement.” The president continued to EnviroDems is the environmental act on his skepticism of climate justice committee within the University change by signing a bill on Feb. of Michigan’s chapter of College 16 that ended Obama’s coalDemocrats.

Arts

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Tuesday, March 14, 2017 — 5

COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW

CONCERT REVIEW

Yun’s ‘Shelter’ describes the reality of family strife George Washington University professor discusses debut novel ELI RALLO

Daily Arts Writer

Lil Yachty hanging above the crowd at his concert in Paris

Sal DiGioia/The Michigan Daily

Lil Yachty in Paris: Young Boat unites the culture Arts Writer Sal DiGioia travels to the French capital and reports on one of hip-hop’s breakout stars in a foreign land SALVATORE DIGIOIA Daily Arts Writer

“Est-ce que vous respectez Gucci Mane!?!” I think he’s asking if the crowd respects Guwop? Of course, DJ Weedim speaks in French, so I can’t understand a single word he’s saying. Yet, the songs in his opening set are exclusively American: Anthems by A$AP Mob, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, Migos and more earn emphatic reactions from Paris locals, equal participants in the culture. The opening set of a rap concert is always a uniquely fraternal gathering, with excited fans reacting in unison to hit songs they have obviously been waiting to hear on proper speakers for some time. But on Sunday, February 26, the crowd at La Maroquinerie is particularly ecstatic, because Lil Yachty — the infamously red-haired crooner, who has found remarkable success as a part of hip-hop’s new wave — is sailing through the Old World, preparing to play his first concert in Paris, France. The energy in the venue is almost overbearing. In preparation for Yachty’s performance, DJ Weedim is only playing tracks that are associated (either in form or spirit) with the Atlanta-raised artist’s unconventional, niche realm of hip-hop, and the French concertgoers clearly approve, their excitement vividly manifesting itself in wild mosh pits. More than once, I watch as a fan removes himself from the standing pit to take a break from the raucous crowd, only to hear the first few notes of DJ Weedim’s next selection, defenseless against his own instinct to turn up! Wow, what a scene! The room is aged primarily between 16 and 26 years old and, naturally, many bodies are marked by notorious streetwear brands like Supreme and A Bathing Ape. Paris! Fashion! As I anxiously await the arrival of Young Boat, I cannot help but notice some curious stares being shot in my direction by foreign hypebeasts who mistakenly believe that I might actually be

somebody. It is so fascinating how — no matter where one is in this grand, vast world — simply wearing a Supreme cap and holding onto an entrylevel DLSR camera can seem to signal some amateur level of importance to those in a certain subcultural crowd. What is more fascinating, however, is that such a crowd exists even in Paris, France, the alleged home to high culture itself. Some time around 21:30, Lil Yachty steps onto the venue’s small cement stage wearing bright red sweatpants and a crewneck sweatshirt the same shade, both of which are carefully matched to his signature braids. Though La

Naturally, many bodies are marked by notorious streetwear brands like Supreme Maroquinerie is much smaller than many of the North American festivals and arenas where he has played in recent months, all of the fans present have come out solely to see him, and the crowd is completely captivated. The energy seems to excite Yachty. Yachty opens with a brief introductory skit, then dives into “Bentley Coupe” to bring the crowd to its maximum volume. He walks out what feels like his entire discography, talking through older, mellower songs like “Wanna Be Us” in a teaserlike fashion before bringing out his most loyal sailing partner Burberry Perry. Perry helps erupt the venue on explosive hits like “Mase In ‘97” (his collaboration with DJ Carnage). Other joint ventures, such as “Broccoli” with D.R.A.M. and “iSpy” by Kyle, are also included in the show, as are Yachty’s in-character antics. At one point, he asks if those in the room smoke weed and — after they obviously

reply loudly in affirmation — announces that he and Perry do not. Oh, the irony. Lil Yachty is a major figurehead for a young generation of rap stars. The Internet-fueled subgenre through which he earned himself a Grammy nomination consistently stirs up controversy among the genre’s older, more seasoned gatekeepers (think Funkmaster Flex). Yet, at a time when records are expected to f lop and the amateur rapper market is especially saturated, this 18-year-old has accomplished the unthinkable: He blazed his own odd-ball trail, fueled by a weirdly cool, playful energy and already, he has not only shifted the culture, but has apparently become an international star, too. After his set, Lil Yachty announces that he and Perry will remain on stage for a bit to “turn up!” with fans, so naturally, they proceed to bop and boogy while Kanye West and Jay-Z’s hit record “N*gga’s In Paris” scores the scene. In those moments, the sheer sight of Yachty’s shy, boyish smile, standing up there in Paris, France with a glistening collection of diamond-coated rope chains dangling around his neck, literally illuminating (and illuminati-ing) his cartoonish persona, the underground, rainbow-headed rock-star, was truly a spectacle in itself. Yet, the way the foreign kids respond to his music, and the energy with which they attempt to replicate the weirdly nasal, extremely specific twang in which he sings, shouts and (yes, of course) mumbles his lyrics — this remains the real sight worth emphasis, and breathtaking is the only word that can accurately describe it. Lil Yachty’s music hardly make sense to most native English speakers. Surely, these French kids cannot understand the words? But they mouth along with tracks anyway, and their faces light up magnificently in his presence. “It get colds like Minnesota!” It sure does, and now they know, even if many of them still have no idea where that place is.

DO YOU HAVE IMAGINARY DIALOGUES WITH DECEASED MEMBERS OF THE BEATLES? SO DO WE! So join Daily Arts and let me know what was going through Ringo Starr’s mind when he wrote “Octopus’s Garden.” E-mail arts@michigandaily.com for information on applying.

Jung Yun, writer and assistant professor of English at George Washington University, will be at Literati Bookstore on Wednesday to celebrate the paperback release of her first novel “Shelter.” Yun began writing the first scene of her debut novel in 2004. After 12 years, “Shelter” was finally published in 2016 and is now being released as a paperback book. Yun studied at Vassar College, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where she received her M.F.A. in Creative Writing. In graduate school, she wrote many short stories, and “Shelter” is her first to recieve wide acclaim. In an email interview, Yun said she starts with the image. “That tends to be my writing process — image first, storyline later,” Yun wrote. “Sometimes it takes a while to understand what the story is and how the image connects, so I often tell people that it took ten years to complete the novel if I include all the thinking time, or 3.5 years if I only include the research and writing time.” “Shelter” follows Kyung Cho, a young father who is burdened by a life he cannot afford. A few miles away, his parents, Jin and Mae, live in the most exclusive neighborhood in the town. They are surrounded by material things that Kyung wishes he could have for his own family. The plot describes Kyung’s uncomfortable childhood, his own parents affluent, but extremely unkind in nature. Later, Kyung refuses to see them, or even ask them for help when he needs it most. However, when an act of violence leaves Jin and Mae

unable to live on their own, Kyung American to be broke in this is forced to take in his parents. country and living beyond your Quickly, tensions begin to arise means to read my book. You don’t as Kyung’s new relationship with have to be Asian-American to his parents resurfacse old feelings have challenging relationships of guilt and anger, along with the with your family. And you don’t constant question of how to be a have to be an immigrant to caring father, when he was never question whether you want the shown love as a child. responsibility of caring for your Yun’s upbringing and childhood elderly parents, particularly if they has shaped her writing style didn’t take such good care of you,” immensely. Born in South Korea, she said. but raised in America, English “These challenges are relatable is not her first language. In to many, I think. I just chose lieu of constant to approach communication them from the with the English perspective of a Fiction at language, Yun Korean-American Literati: became very family because I observant. found that culture, Jung Yun’s “I constantly ethnicity, class, “Shelter” watched people, immigration, etc. studied their complicated these Literati Bookstore expressions and challenges in Wednesday March mannerisms, tried interesting ways 15th @ 7 P.M. to glean meaning that I wanted to from how they explore,” she said. Free behaved in addition What I found to what they said,” most fulfilling from Yun said. “I think this watchfulness speaking with the new author carried over to my adulthood and was the advice she gave to me for it’s served me well as a writer. I aspiring authors. Often, young find the disconnect between what people trying to make it in the field people do and how they might feel of literature hear “keep reading.” endlessly fascinating.” But Yun points out that while this “Shelter” has already been very is important, it’s also overstated. well-received and is a finalist for Instead, she told me: “Simply the 2016 Barnes & Noble Discover disappear.” Great New Writers Award, the Her explanation: “The stories Goodreads Best Fiction Book of the that instantly engage me as a Year and long-listed for the Center reader, that pull me deep into for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. another world, are typically stories Yun claimed it is still shocking driven by characters, not by the the way that complete strangers, author’s hand. I think writers like booksellers, librarians and should be creators, not puppeteers readers, have recommended her — no one should see our strings novel to others. She supposes she — so I’d encourage people to be had always hoped for her novels to patient and take the time to really be lining major bookstore shelves, get to know their characters (as if but it has taken some getting used they’re starting a new relationship to. because that’s essentially what “You don’t have to be Korean- they’re doing).”

DOCUMENTARY REVIEW

Documentary “Tickled”

MAGNOLIA PICTURES

‘Tickled’ digs into bizarre competitions, finds more Documentary explores the strange world of competitive tickling ALEX INTNER Daily Arts Writer

A few months ago my roommate walked into the living room of our apartment and told me about this documentary he watched called “Tickled.” He told me what it’s about, and that it’s one of the best (and weirdest) movies he’s seen in 2016. So, when I saw that HBO was airing the doc, I followed his recommendation and watched it. Boy, am I glad I did. “Tickled” might just be the most bizarre documentary I’ve ever seen, and it’s one of the best as well. “Tickled,” directed by New Zealand entertainment journalist David Farrier and Dylan Reeve, a filmmaker, follows what happens after Farrier spots an online video of a competitive tickling league. When he reaches out to the company that produces the videos, he receives homophobic threats as a form of denying a request for an interview. The deeper he digs, the more legal threats he receives.

What starts out as an absurd look shocking how much the people into the world of competitive behind the “competitive tickling” tickling becomes something much would want to keep it a secret, bigger, and much more nefarious. and the lengths they’ll go to keep The reason why the true reason I’m being slightly for what they do “Tickled” coy about what quiet. Through “Tickled” is truly this narrative, Documentary about is a part of the documentary what makes this tackles the power HBO documentary that comes with a so fascinating is lot of money. Many watching everything unfold. The of the participants in the tickling film knows about the absurdity “competitions” have been doxxed of what happens to Ferrier and online, and have been threatened Reeve, and it takes great care with lawsuits or other life-ruining of how it tells its story. There events. When these people are are twists and turns I wouldn’t interviewed by Farrier and Reeve, have expected from it. By the the impact of these threats is clear, time the movie finishes, it’s no as is the tragedy of the situation. longer about something as simple “Tickled” introduces itself as a as competitive tickling, and documentary that takes a look at has become about something the bizarre sport of competitive much deeper and much more tickling. However, by its end, it interesting. In this case, to say shows itself to be so much more more would be a disservice to than that. It unfolds its true story the movie, as the surprise of it all in a way that’s as fascinating as it is one of the documentary’s best is bizarre. Farrier and Reeve have aspects. made one of best documentaries For most of “Tickled,” it’s truly I’ve seen in a long time.

Arts

6 — Tuesday, March 14, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

GENDER AND MEDIA COLUMN

ALBUM REVIEW

Separating art from the artist: Take 200 Diving into the pernicious world of film production, why nothing has changed and what we can do to change it

Virgin EMI Records Circa Waves released their new album this past Friday

Circa Waves, who hurt you? Breaking from previous sound, Circa surprises and broods from the opening song, “Wake grim lyrics and downhearted Up.” Rapid-fire electric guitar perspective of nearly every song chords build with intensity then construct impermeable layers immediately dissolve to the of negativity. It’s startling, the lyrics “So, coming, tryna break pronounced dreariness of this my fall / leaving, spitting sticks album, and a bit forced. and stones.” “Wake Up” is jarring With Different Creatures, and initiates a there appears to be bleakness that a conscious push to Different is ref lected be more impacting. throughout the rest Young Chasers was Creatures of the album. decently successful Circa Waves Through lead but unoriginal. Its singer Kieran songs are pleasant Virgin EMI Shudall’s hopeless and innocuous vocals and but hardly novel melodies wound tight with enough to make waves. Through tension, songs “Goodbye” and their newest release, Circa Waves “A Night On The Broken Tiles” seems to strive to prove that it are grating. And while the more can break through the generic placid components of songs — indie-rock label and compose “Fire That Burns,” “Different something inf luential. However, Creatures” and in this drive to make a name for “Out On My Own” themselves, Circa Waves lost the — help to create authenticity that Young Chasers, brief moments in all its uninspired, conventional of respite from glory, reverberated with. surrounding highThe songs in Different energy tracks, they Creatures are brooding and do nothing to shape gritty but unapproachable. The the album overall. emotions it struggles to portray Different appear distant and difficult to Creatures is dense connect with. The drive behind with similar- the bleak vocals and the pointed sounding songs, tightly packed tempos is one that is empty of any with no real sense of purpose. It’s actual emotion. In pushing for easy to get lost in the constant notability, Circa Waves conceived antagonism. an album that is explosive but Circa Waves created an empty — a hollowed out shell that album wrapped in cynicism; the has only decorative value.

SHIMA SADAGHIYANI Daily Arts Writer

Circa Waves’ debut album Young Chasers exists in the heat of the summer: smooth transitions from one laidback song to the next putting the listener in the mindset of sunsoaked afternoons, cotton clouds chasing down the endlessly blue line of the horizon. Repetitious but comforting, the album’s greatest strength lies in its genuine simplicity. By contrast, Circa Waves’ newest release, Different Creatures, exists in harsh shadows. Backed by aggressive harmonies and armed with pointed vocals, Different Creatures seems to be a complete rebranding of Circa Waves, trading in mellow for forceful. Even the two albums’ cover art are markedly dissimilar; Young Chasers’ coats fantastical imagery with hazy colors, while the harsh reds and blacks seen in Different Creatures brings to mind Pink Floyd’s The Wall. The album sets its tone right

It’s easy to get lost in the constant antagonism

Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, March 14, 2017

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Casey Affleck won an Oscar, so as per usual when a rich guy in Hollywood with serious sexual allegations against him wins something, everyone is revisiting the “can you separate the art from the artist” debate. Even weeks later, my Facebook and Twitter feeds are full of people giving their own takes on whether this separation is possible, necessary and appropriate. This debate is not new, and even though it has been around for centuries, it feels fresh, as the current design of American society makes it almost impossible not to be constant consumers of media, or avoid the social implications of everything we do. Do I believe that I can like a movie without liking the heinous things its director has done? Yes. I can adore the opening sequence of “Manhattan” while still despising Woody Allen (though admittedly those emotions may be heightened for me by virtue of being a native New Yorker who really doesn’t like seeing him around town). But this debate isn’t as simple as it is made out to be; it holds more questions than just whether it’s possible to draw a line between artist and artwork. The fundamental question at the root of this debate is whether we as a society believe that a person who has committed a crime — assuming for simplicity’s sake that the crime isn’t something banal like jaywalking — should be allowed to participate in the production of art. Opinions on this often depend on the crime itself, the perpetrator, the kind of art they want to produce, their current status of incarceration or punishment and their attitude (i.e., level of remorse). The follow-up question is

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whether they should be allowed to reap the benefits of others consuming their art, and the third is whether the rest of us should want to consume it at all. But the reality of this debate in current contexts, and the reason I’m sure no one is confused as to why I’m writing about it within the framework of a Gender and Media column, is because nowadays when people talk about separating the art from the artist, they are almost always talking about sexual misconduct — because it is only within the realm of sexual misconduct that we have a supposed gray area the size of an ocean. No other kind of behavior or crime elicits such a passionate rush by the masses to this gray area where people sit and argue whether something does or does not count as assault, whether someone is or is not a rapist, whether she was or was not “asking for it” by her dress, her behavior, her intoxication, her agreement to work on that film or with this director. When

SOPHIA KAUFMAN it comes to allegations of sexual harassment or assault — against Casey Affleck, Bill Cosby, Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, Nate Parker, the list goes on and on — everyone seems to jump to defend their art while simultaneously diminishing the severity of or questioning the validity of the accusations. I’m not just talking about Casey Affleck, or the women who have come out with their stories about his behavior. I’m talking about the rampant harassment and assault that women in this particular maledominated, art-based industry still face. I’m talking about the patriarchal power structures so deeply entrenched they leave women who do make it in the door — actors, writers, assistants, directors and those who do the invisible, nonartistic work — vulnerable not only to these kinds of things but also to a boys club that protects their own. The rate of fake accusations of rape and abuse is incredibly low, but our society views those as more dangerous to our precious art world than the literal safety and well-being of the women involved. Another aspect missing from current discussions about this debate is that there’s an obvious reflection of people’s ingrained attitudes towards women in the art that they make. People write what they know. Woody Allen knows how to be an old guy going after women half his age, so that’s what he writes. That’s why so many of his movies are so damn predictable: Beautiful young ingenue blinks at a cynical, grizzled man twice her age, who suddenly realizes that he can embrace life again. Many people believe the allegations of rape against Nate Parker to be true — and if they are, is it really a surprise that a man who has committed sexual assault directs a film in which the rape of women is used solely as a plot device to further the arcs of the heroic men? Is it really a surprise that a male-dominated industry produces films in which women are still often written as twodimensional archetypes — and when they aren’t, the writers are asked why they write such “strong female characters?” Is it really a surprise that the film industry is one of the biggest contributors to rape culture, when so many movies sexualize the lack of consent?

The most visceral example I can think of that shows how ingrained attitudes towards women is manifested in the production of art is the rape scene in Bertolucci’s film “Last Tango in Paris,” in which Marlon Brando plays a character who rapes Maria Schneider, using a stick of butter for lubrication. In the past year, it has come out that this scene wasn’t filmed with Schneider’s full consent; she was only informed of how they planned to film the scene once she arrived on set, and didn’t consent to the butter, but felt at the time she couldn’t say anything, as she was young and new and Brando and Bertolucci were stars. Bertolucci, in a revolting display of dehumanization, didn’t deny this; he defended his decision by saying he, “... wanted her reaction as a girl, not as an actress. I wanted her to react humiliated.” Instead of trusting that she was a capable actor and treating her like a fellow professional, he targeted the pain he thought she would feel as a woman, for whom the fear of gendered violence is a constant reality. His lack of respect for women was directly translated into the production of his art. Last year, Lady Gaga brought survivors of sexual assault onstage as she sang a song about survival, and they received a standing ovation and several hugs from the celebrities in the audience. But that’s not nearly enough. I’m still waiting for someone to get up on the that stage and hold everyone in the audience accountable for their normalization of sexual harassment in the industry, that is both bolstered and reflected in the kinds of subtle misogyny still present in the films that they make. We shouldn’t be angry about Casey Affleck winning an Oscar; that’s just the natural culmination of the atmosphere in which women are often still expected to put up or shut up. It’s not that Affleck’s artistic performance itself is tarnished by his behavior; it’s that people shouldn’t want to work with him in the first place, or support someone who acts that way. Fully separating the art from the artist is a seductive position; it allows us to be voracious consumers of art that is inhibited only by our own tastes — and for the vast majority of us, our strained wallets — so we fool ourselves into thinking it’s really that simple. If you believe that art, from conception to production to consumption, is inherently political, as I and most of the people I know do, then it isn’t that simple. It can’t be. This argument isn’t about whether the morality of the artist affects the intrinsic quality of the art; what people are really asking is if we should let our perception of the artist inform or affect our perception of the art. If you want to pretend it’s possible to separate the art from the artist, despite the fact that you literally can’t, as the art is a reflection of the artist’s experiences, as has been proven time and again, fine. But don’t pretend you can separate either the art or the artist from the inherently patriarchal power structures in which they are both already ingrained. Silence can be deafening in more ways than one. The silence that so often meets these women when they take the brave step of bringing the behavior of these men to light is repulsive. And Brie Larson’s silence — her refusal to clap for Affleck on national TV — was brave, but it was drowned out. I’m still waiting for us to get to a place where Casey Affleck would have been left standing up there, holding the weight of that trophy in his sweaty hands, looking out over a sea of stony faces, with a deafening silence ringing in his ears.

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Sports

Tuesday, March 14, 2017 — 7

NCAA Tournament: Breaking down the Midwest Region DAILY BASKETBALL BEAT By winning the Big Ten Tournament, the Michigan men’s basketball team earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Once on the bubble, the Wolverines ripped off 10 wins in 12 games to make it into the field as the No. 7 seed in the Midwest Region. Michigan kicks off its NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon at 12:15 p.m. ET in Indianapolis, where it will take on No. 10 seed Oklahoma State. If the Wolverines make it out of Indianapolis, they will head to Kansas City for the Sweet Sixteen and potentially the Elite Eight. The Final Four will be held in Phoenix. With that, the Daily’s basketball beat breaks down the top six seeds in the Midwest Region as well as the team we think has the best chance to write a Cinderella story. No. 1 Kansas

The Jayhawks may not have finished their season as the champions of the Big 12 Tournament — falling to TCU, 85-82, in the quarterfinals — but don’t let that fool you. The Midwest Region’s top seed is still very dangerous. Though Kansas fell short against the Horned Frogs, it did so without freshman phenom Josh Jackson, who was suspended one game after being cited for three traffic violations. The Jayhawk forward is second on the team in both rebounding and scoring, averaging 7.2 boards and 16.4 points per game, respectively. Led by senior guard Frank Mason III — who averages 20.2 points per game — Kansas ended its regular season on an eight-game win streak. Though the Jayhawks surely would have wanted to take hardware home with them from the Sprint Center, they are poised to make a run at the trophy every team in the Big Dance is looking to

claim. Should the Wolverines make a run to the Elite Eight this postseason, they could likely find the Jayhawks standing between them and a Final Four. No. 2 Louisville If Michigan can manage to defeat Oklahoma State, Louisville will likely await in the tournament’s second round as a rematch of the 2013 National Championship game. Just like the team that faced the Wolverines four years ago, this version of the Cardinals is built upon sound defense and strength in numbers. Louisville has the nation’s sixth-most efficient defense and plays with a 10-man rotation that will help give the Cardinals the physical edge over most any opponent they face. Leading the charge for Louisville is guard Donovan Mitchell. The sophomore was a first-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, and led the Cardinals in points, steals,

SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily

The Michigan men’s basketball team is the No. 7 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

No Big Dance for ‘M’ ETHAN WOLFE Daily Sports Writer

There had been 45 minutes of chatter and giggling from the Michigan women’s basketball team as it watched ESPN’s selection show for the NCAA Tournament. But after the final region was announced with the Wolverines missing from the bracket, the room immediately fell silent. Michigan waited patiently for its name to be called Monday night. When they realized that moment would never come, the players uniformly stood up and huddled around fifthyear coach Kim Barnes Arico, who stressed the importance of resiliency in the face of disappointment. Athletic director Warde Manuel hugged Barnes Arico as she said goodbye to her team for the night. Just three weeks ago, the Michigan women’s basketball team was a top-25 team in the country on the verge of having its best season in program history. And yet, Monday night, it was left in an alltoo-familiar position — with a Women’s National Invitation Tournament matchup with Kent State scheduled for Thursday. it was no wonder that the feeling of uneasiness filled every crevice of the room. Despite losing four of their last five games and suffering an early exit from the Big Ten Tournament, the Selection Committee’s decision to leave the Wolverines (11-5 Big Ten, 22-9 overall) out of the tournament left Barnes Arico and her players scratching their heads. Instead of the Tournament, Michigan will enter the WNIT, where the Wolverines will host the Golden Flashes in Ann Arbor for the first round. “(I am) surprised, devastated, really disappointed — especially for our senior class, who has worked so hard

and done things that haven’t been done in our program for a long time,” Barnes Arico said. “I just wanted them to have the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament. I thought we put ourselves in a really good position to be selected. “We’ve never not been in all season long. We were a top-25 team at one point. We played the No. 1 conference schedule. There were a couple of teams that came up that were not in the bracketology that would knock some teams out, but we didn’t think it would be us.” The Big Ten had just four teams make the tournament, and most of the qualifiers were not seeded favorably. Maryland — a top-five team for almost the entire season and one of just two teams to lose by single digits to powerhouse Connecticut — was slotted as a No. 3 seed. Ohio State, Michigan State and Purdue rounded out the Big Ten representatives, seeded at No. 4, No. 9 and No. 9, respectively. “When that first bracket came out and Maryland was a three in the UConn bracket it wasn’t a good sign for us. ... It’s just disappointing how they voted our league,” Barnes Arico said. For much of the season, the Wolverines received votes in both the Associated Press and Coaches Poll, ranking as high as No. 20 in the Feb. 13 poll, and finished in third place in the regular season Big Ten standings — points that surely will fuel the fire for Barnes Arico’s team the rest of the way. “They’re gonna take it and take advantage to prove the rest of the country wrong,” Barnes Arico said. The Wolverines have proven that they can run with nearly any team in the country, but after their sluggish finish, they will have to iron out their f laws with a lot to prove as they prepare for their WNIT game against the Golden Flashes.

three-pointers and minutes played. Mitchell is the engine behind Louisville’s offense, while also one of the ACC’s toughest lock-down defenders. Alongside Mitchell in the backcourt is junior Quentin Snider, who will also provide a difficult matchup for the guard assigned to him on both ends of the court. The Cardinals have one of the more interesting frontcourts Michigan could possibly face, as Louisville splits its post minutes fairly evenly between four different players. Anchoring the Cardinals’ frontcourt is center Anas Mahmoud. The seven-foot Egyptian finished second in the ACC in blocks per game (2.1) and is an imposing presence for any opposing offense waiting in the paint. No. 3 Oregon For the Ducks, there is more bad news than good news. They are fresh off a loss in the Pac-12 Tournament championship, received a lower seeding than many expected and got news that senior forward Chris Boucher is out for the season with a torn ACL that he suffered in the semifinals of the conference tournament against California. Boucher was a steadying force for Oregon, averaging 11.8 points, 2.5 blocks and 6.1 rebounds — good for second on the team. Even with Boucher, the Ducks were mediocre on the offensive boards and even worse at keeping opposing offenses from hitting the glass hard. Without Boucher, Oregon will be forced to rely even heavier on Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey, who are currently first and second on the team in scoring with 16.3 and 13.3 points per game, respectively. If Michigan and the Ducks can both advance past the opening weekend, the two teams will face off in the Sweet Sixteen in Kansas City.

No. 4 Purdue The regular season Big Ten champion, No. 15 Purdue (257) glided through much of the conference season, but turned it up a notch in the second half. The Boilermakers won eight of their final nine regular season games — falling only to No. 23 Michigan in Ann Arbor — to finish just ahead of No. 25 Wisconsin in the conference standings. But Purdue’s joy ride came to a crashing halt in the postseason, as the Boilermakers lasted all of one day in the Big Ten Tournament after earning a double-bye. Facing off against Michigan once again in the quarterfinals, the Boilermakers suffered a 74-70 loss but still received a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. No. 5 Iowa State No. 17 Iowa State (23-10) weaved its way through a challenging Big 12 conference, finishing the regular season tied for second place with No. 12 Baylor and No. 13 West Virginia. Though the Cyclones fell to then-No. 2 Baylor and then-No. 2 Kansas in January, they bounced back in February to knock off the then-ninthranked Bears and then-secondranked Jayhawks. After winning six straight games, Iowa State lost its regularseason finale to then-No. 10 West Virginia. But the bump in the road didn’t keep the Cyclones down for long, as they blitzed through the Big 12 Tournament all the way to a title. Iowa State topped Oklahoma State and TCU before capping off the run with a victory over the then-eleventh-ranked Mountaineers to receive a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. No. 6 Creighton Creighton was one of the country’s hottest teams from the nonconference season through mid-January, once owning an 18-1 record with the lone loss coming against thenno. 1 Villanova.

That all changed when senior point guard Maurice Watson tore his ACL at Xavier and was ruled out for the rest of the season on Jan. 17. The Blue Jays finished the regular season winning just five of their final 12 games, which included an ugly 20-point loss to Georgetown and one-possession defeats against Xavier and Providence. Creighton did exact revenge against both those teams in the Big East Tournament, and reached the championship game where the Blue Jays fell to the Wildcats for the third time this season. Though Watson’s 12.9 points and 8.5 assists per game have been missed, junior Marcus Foster has been carrying the Blue Jays offensively where Watson once would have. Foster now averages 18.3 points per game and will have to keep leading Creighton if the Blue Jays are to find any success in the NCAA Tournament. Cinderella: No. 11 Rhode Island With five losses in the Atlantic Ten, the Rams went into the Atlantic Ten Tournament squarely on the bubble. But Rhode Island didn’t leave its NCAA Tournament spot up to the committee. The Rams won three games in three days — including over fellow tournament team, VCU, to clinch the Atlantic Ten Tournament championship and solidify an automatic bid to the Big Dance. Rhode Island’s biggest strength comes on the defensive end on the floor, where it is ranked No. 32 in the country. It guards the 3-point line exceptionally well, allowing just 29 percent on shots behind the arc, which ranks No. 2 in the country. Entering the tournament with seven straight wins, the Rams will look to keep rolling and bust some brackets in the process.

Freshmen prepare for first B1G Tournament As Michigan looks to play spoiler, it will need contributions from underclassmen MIKE PERSAK

Daily Sports Editor

The Michigan hockey team is on a roll heading into the Big Ten Tournament. The Wolverines have won four of their last five games and just capped off their first weekend sweep of the season against No. 15 Penn State. With Michigan getting set to take on the Nittany Lions again Thursday in its firstround matchup, it would be reasonable to assume the Wolverines are prepared for the familiar opponent. But almost immediately after Michigan beat Penn State 4-0 on Saturday, senior goaltender Zach Nagelvoort was quick to say that Thursday could be completely different. “We’re going to talk about this Monday when we show up to the rink; what we played tonight, the game is going to be so much more intense than that next Thursday,” Nagelvoort said. “It’s just a whole different animal when you get to the playoffs. We’ve seen it every year when we’ve gotten to the Big Ten (Tournament). So that’s what we’re looking forward to. Yes, we’re playing the best hockey, but we’re going to continue to grow and play even better hockey if we want to make it last longer than a game.” Most of the Wolverines have experienced the change of pace that comes with playoff hockey. Yet, as has been the narrative all season, the freshmen on the team are expected to contribute heavily. For them, this weekend will be the first time they’ve played in the conference tournament. According to Michigan coach Red Berenson, whether or not the freshmen, and as a result the whole team, will be ready for Thursday depends on their preparation up to this point. “This time of year, you just can’t turn on a switch and

say, ‘I’m going to turn on last year’s switch,’ ” Berenson said. “You’ve got to build up momentum during the year, and even this week. This is a time to just focus on this one game. Like, we might only have one game left, and we’ve got to be ready for it.” A few of the freshmen have their own playoff experiences from their time playing juniors. Forward Jake Slaker tallied 12 points in 10 playoff games with the Bloomington Thunder in the United States Hockey League last season. But just as the transition from juniors to college hockey requires some adjustments, Slaker knows that the Big Ten Tournament will bring an intensity he hasn’t seen yet.

“I know it’s a whole different game,” Slaker said. “Right now we have some confidence with these last few weekends. We got some big wins against some better teams. I think right now we know it’s a new season.” For those who don’t have experience, this weekend will not just bring a competitiveness they haven’t experienced before, but it could also bring a larger workload than what they’re used to. After all, if things go how the Wolverines want them to, they will be playing in three games in three days. To prepare for this potential stress on their bodies, Michigan has put an emphasis on making sure its conditioning is where it needs to be. “Our goal is to play three

“Our goal is to play three games this weekend”

games this weekend,” said freshman forward Will Lockwood. “… We’ve been taking some time out of the weight room and focusing on being on the ice, being in good shape, but being well rested at the same time. So just having that confidence coming into the weekend and knowing that we’re going to want to play three games, everyone’s got to take care of themselves and be ready.” All of this has been discussed all year, though. The Wolverines have known throughout this tumultuous season that they need to improve, and this week is no different. “I don’t think we have to do a lot of scouting,” Berenson said. “It’s more about understanding our opponent, but really getting the most out of our group. We know that we can play better, and we have to play a lot better. ... They’re a really good team, and we have to play better.”

ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily

Freshman forward Jake Slaker is leading the Wolverines in points heading into this weekend’s Big Ten Tournament.

Sports

8 — Tuesday, March 14, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Baseball, and optimism, at Ray Fisher this weekend

t doesn’t take more than a couple of seconds for Ako Thomas to address it. The question wasn’t even about it. But to start an interview in the lobby of Ray Fisher Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, JAKE asked what LOURIM has gone well as Thomas and the Michigan baseball team have raced out to a 12-3 start this year, the sophomore second baseman knows just the answer. “We felt like we had something to prove this year,” Thomas says, “ending the way we did last year.” Of course, everyone in the program remembers that. Last season, as the Wolverines were on their way to their best season in eight years, they instead sputtered, losing nine of their last 11 games and missing the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in eight tries. Twelve months later, last season’s optimism is back, and Michigan has the promise to back it up. The Wolverines’ quest now is to make sure they don’t repeat 2016. “I just felt like towards the end, I feel like we just, I don’t know, got tired and started to fall apart towards the end,” Thomas said. “But with this year’s group, I just feel like we all have the same goals. We’ve all got one thing on our mind, and that’s winning each game.” Michigan returns home to Ray Fisher Stadium as a ranked team this weekend for a four-game series against Northern Illinois. A month into this season, a 15-game road swing has gone about as well as the Wolverines could have hoped. They have started

FILE PHOTO/Daily

Michigan coach Erik Bakich and the Wolverines are approaching the 2017 season with a new optimism, determined to keep history from repeating itself.

12-3 — improving on their 15-game start last season — including a 7-1 spring break trip to California in which they knocked off Southern California and San Diego, which doesn’t happen often to teams from the cold Midwest. Michigan came back and drew a No. 24 ranking in the national poll. The only other ranked team from north of the Mason-Dixon Line and east of the West Coast was No. 19 St. John’s. And the Wolverines will likely move up in this week’s poll after going down to Nashville and sweeping Lipscomb this past weekend. The catch is that all of that was true at this time last year — the hot start, the national ranking and a 5-0 win against

then-No. 10 California. Last year’s squad started 5-0, then went to 11-3, then 20-5 after sweeping Northwestern. Those Wolverines showed a few signs of letting up, but they were still 34-12 after they pounded Rutgers in May. Most 34-12 teams end up in the NCAA Tournament. But Michigan finished 2-9 and lost to Ohio State five times in the last three weeks — twice in the Big Ten Tournament. Had the Wolverines won any one of those games, they might have returned to the postseason. Instead, the momentum they gained from a dramatic run to the 2015 conference tournament title disappeared. Michigan still finished with its best record

since it won the last of three straight Big Ten titles in 2008, but it had nothing to show for it. So yes, Thomas and coach Erik Bakich admit, the Wolverines have the proverbial “chip on their shoulder” — “if we said there wasn’t, we’d be lying to you,” Bakich said Wednesday. They do not deny the influence last year’s collapse had on this season’s start. They embrace it. “I think last year and this year, there was definitely optimism,” said senior infielder Michael Brdar. “I think the difference this year is we’re a lot more motivated and tough towards our goals. Not that we expected to be great last year, but we kind of just had, ‘we’re going to show up and

we’re going to play well.’ This year, it’s more like we get to the ballpark and we’re on a mission every single game.” The result is a team that again looks like it’s ready to take the next step as a program. Michigan now ranks tied for third in the country with 30 stolen bases and has the pitching, led by ace left-hander Oliver Jaskie, to compete with anyone. The evolution came in the offseason when Michigan reevaluated how it approached games as a program. First, according to Brdar, that meant what the team calls “mental toughness” — or in practice, a lot of running. The Wolverines also adopted a more aggressive mindset (which shows in the

stolen base category) and discussed as a group what values were most important to them. The beliefs they thought of as implicit, they made more specific. The classic ideals of baseball — every pitch matters — they have now seen in action. “You always talk about that, but we never really saw it until last year, so now we know that it’s important to have intent with everything we do,” Brdar said. “…I think the end of last year helped, because there’s no taking the foot off the gas pedal.” In response to a slump in which the Wolverines could never manage the win they needed, they have come back this year believing they’re never out of any game. The intensity has paid off. Against Creighton last month, Michigan blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning and then rallied to win in the 10th. At Lipscomb on Friday night, the Wolverines rallied from down 4-2 in the ninth and won 5-4. They believe last year’s sour finish helped build that resiliency. “Maybe now more than ever, we’re going to be able to embrace, you know, when the garbage hits the fan,” Bakich said. Wednesday, the fifth-year coach jogged into the Ray Fisher lobby for a media session with reporters and took a seat facing a wall plastered with a photo of the team celebrating the 2015 Big Ten Tournament title. Looking at that picture, he reaffirmed that no, this season’s early success will not influence his team as it heads into a promising spring. By now, Michigan knows the danger of that already. Lourim can be reached by email at jlourim@umich.edu and on Twitter @jakelourim.

Nagelvoort gives ‘M’ a chance

he Michigan hockey team has found success over its last few games, and, like when it had some success early in the season, it has done so with goaltending. Then, the Wolverines relied on a rotation of goaltenders — freshman Hayden Lavigne MIKE earned two PERSAK shutouts in the first nine games of the season, and strong performances from freshman Jack LaFontaine and senior Zach Nagelvoort led Michigan to victories against Ferris State, Arizona State and Lake Superior State. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, the netminders could not sustain their level of play, especially with the volume of shots they began to face. Immediately after Michigan’s series against the Lakers, it traveled to take on Penn State, where LaFontaine and Nagelvoort were peppered with 106 shots over two games and gave up 11 goals. It was a series that sent the goaltending, and the team as a whole, into a downward spiral, as the Wolverines gave up two or more goals in 14 of their next 15 games, accruing a 3-10-2 record over that span. Michigan has righted the ship once again, winning four of its last five games heading into the Big Ten Tournament. Saturday, the Wolverines completed their first weekend sweep of the season against the 11th-ranked Nittany Lions, and the importance of good goaltending was never more apparent. Nagelvoort again faced a bevy of shots from Penn State, but this time, he was up to the task. The senior stuffed all 46 of the Nittany Lions’ shots, fueling Michigan’s 4-0 victory. The shutout was Nagelvoort’s second of the season and his third win in his past three starts. Paired with Lavigne’s

winning effort in net Friday, the Wolverines turned in perhaps their most impressive weekend of the season, and it was fueled, once again, by their goaltending. “Yes, it’s the best we’ve played so far, I think,” Nagelvoort said after Saturday’s game. “But I think we’ve played really well in spurts throughout the season, and I think we’re figuring out how to put it together now. And that’s important now that we’re going into playoff hockey. “We’re going to talk about this Monday when we show up to the rink; what we played tonight, the game is going to be so much more intense than that next Thursday. It’s just a whole different animal when you get to the playoffs. We’ve seen it every year when we’ve gotten to the Big Ten (Tournament). So that’s what we’re looking forward to. Yes, we’re playing the best hockey, but we’re going to continue to grow and play even better hockey if we want to make it last longer than a game.” Nagelvoort is right. If

Michigan doesn’t improve at all heading into next weekend, it might be able to beat Penn State in its first-round matchup. But then the Wolverines will have to face No. 5 Minnesota, a team they have beaten only once in four tries this season, with the one win coming as a result of a late-game, three-goal flurry. Yet, in playoff hockey, sometimes all it takes is a hot goaltender to make the difference for a team. And with Nagelvoort’s recent string of performances, Michigan will almost surely turn to him again next weekend. So the Wolverines will need to play their best hockey to win the Big Ten Tournament and move on to the NCAA Tournament, and maybe that won’t even be enough. But if Nagelvoort can repeat his performance from last weekend, he will at least give Michigan a chance. Persak can be reached by email at mdpers@umich.edu and on Twitter @MikeDPersak.

ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily

Senior goaltender Zach Nagelvoort led Michigan to its first sweep of the season.