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Cancer detection University researchers provide guidelines for prostate cancer detection.

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Dingell calls for support of EPA in light of budget cuts

>> SEE PAGE 2

NEWS

Health care Students respond to GOP Healthcare reform passage in the House.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

GOVERNMENT

Legislation introduced in state gov to regulate breath tests Proposed bill would only apply to minors not behind wheel

>> SEE PAGE 8

By REMI MURREY

OPINION

For the Daily

Campus climate “I am seemingly protected/ guarded by the ‘support’ of the administration...” >> SEE PAGE 5 MAX KUANG/Daily

U.S representative Debbie Dingell (D-Mich) speaks at the EPA Press Conference outside the EPA in Ann Arbor on Monday.

ARTS

TV: ‘Silicon Valley’ interview Josh Brener discusses real life Silicon Valley

>> SEE PAGE 5

Budget cuts to EPA funding could lay off 435 Ann Arborbased employees By JENNIFER MEER Summer Managing News Editor

SPORTS

Betsa’s legacy The ace right-hander leads Michigan into the postseason. >> SEE PAGE 12

NEWS .................................... 2 OPINION ...............................4 ARTS ......................................6 CLASSIFIEDS.........................8 MiC.........................................9 SPORTS................................ 10

On Monday afternoon, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D–Michigan) addressed a crowd of approximately 70 media personnel, Environmental Protection Agency employees and environment advocates on the 2000 block of Traverwood Drive, outside the EPA office in Ann Arbor. The purpose of the press conference was to draw attention to severe cuts in EPA funding under the Trump administration that could threaten the closure of the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory — a part of the Ann Arbor facility that employees 435 people. The NVFEL, part of the EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality, is a facility that provides

emission testing services for vehicles and engine programs, among other things, according to its website. It also certifies vehicles and engines that meet federal emissions and fuel economy standards. In a letter to Trump, dated April 19, Dingell voiced concern for the closure, asking the president to reconsider the “misguided idea” when making his final budget proposal to Congress. “Cutting EPA’s fuel economy and vehicle emissions budget would create uncertainty, cost jobs, and could potentially allow other nations to gain a competitive edge in this critically important work,” she wrote. Dingell, who toured the laboratory prior to speaking, said the work she observed inside “confirmed” what she knows happens every day at the EPA. “To the employees — the working men and women here — the work you do here every single day keeps our air clean to breathe and keeps our nation on the cutting edge,” she said. “You are our true public

servants and your work here has got to be protected.” Dingell noted the Trump administration is planning to cut EPA funding by $2.6 billion, a 31 percent decrease — the largest percentage cut of any agency in the president’s budget. She added it became evident through a leaked budget document that Trump is proposing drastic cuts to the EPA’s fuel economy and vehicle emission programs, possibly resulting in the closure of the NVFEL — an act she deemed “unacceptable.” “We need to understand what we have here in Ann Arbor, among us,” she said. “It is the world’s premier environmental compliance and transportation research center. This facility does critical work every single day to reduce the vehicle emissions and ensure that the United States remains at the forefront of innovation in this critical field, and that is critical to our staying competitive and creating jobs in this country.” See DINGELL, Page 3

The Senate Judiciary Committee has passed a new bill which, if implemented, will require police to attain a warrant when performing a preliminary chemical breath analysis on people younger than the age of 21. The bill will specifically apply to minors who are not driving. House Bill 4213, proposed by state Rep. Peter Lucido (R–Shelby Township) would amend the Michigan Liquor Control Code to prohibit the administration of a preliminary breath analysis if a minor did not consent to it and require a police officer to seek a court order for such test. The new bill would also eliminate tickets and fines, and two points will no longer be added onto a minor’s driving record for refusing to submit to a breath test. In a Facebook post, Lucido emphasized the bill would not apply to youth behind the wheel, but rather in situations such as house parties or walking down the street. “Again, the bill would apply specifically to people who were NOT DRIVING,” he wrote. “Currently under state law, police can ask people under 21 to take breath tests in almost any scenario — at a party they break up, as passengers in a car they pull over or walking down the street — with probable cause.” University students such LSA senior Breanna Sullivan believe the law would be good to enact, adding on that a minor’s driving record should See BREATH TEST, Page 3

2 NEWS

Thursday, May 11, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Michigan Medicine increases detection of prostate cancer Study could save companies thousands of dollars with fewer diagnostics By JORDYN BAKER Daily Staff Reporter

A team of professors and students from the University of Michigan College of Engineering and the Medical School recently made breakthroughs in a study to create guidelines for urologists to use when deciding whether or not newly-diagnosed prostate cancer patients should be recommended for bone scans and/or computerized tomography scans. The study used data from the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative, which includes about 90 percent of urologists in Michigan.

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In an email interview, Selin Merdan, a Ph.D. candidate in Industrial and Operations Engineering and researcher in this collaborative study, said clinical guidelines state bone and CT scans are necessary only in cases where patients have “certain unfavorable characteristics,” but there currently is no agreement regarding the best uses of

...a lot of tests that unecessarily burden patients have been eliminated. scans for men who are newlydiagnosed prostate cancer patients. “Our work involved

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developing predictive models to design guidelines to determine which patients should receive an imaging test and which patients can safely avoid imaging based on their individual risk factors,” Merdan wrote. The results of the collaborative study have helped to reduce negative effects of excessive scans and improve the detection rate of metastatic cancer. Brian Denton, professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering and Urology, served as a supervisor throughout the process, and stated in an email interview the guidelines created from the study have been implemented by MUSIC, and have had successful results. “Results following implementation show that the number of diagnostic tests ordered have gone down significantly and the rate of detection has gone up,” Denton wrote. “In other words a lot of tests that unnecessarily burden patients have been eliminated.” The work completed by researchers has seen other positive effects as well. According to the Michigan News, the reduction in scans has saved both patients and insurance companies roughly $275,000. More importantly, it is estimated that millions of prostate patients could be spared from painful follow-up treatments because of the use of

more selective diagnostic scans. Along with the criteria instituted by MUSIC for administering bone and CT scans, publications from the study have also been referenced in the recent National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, an acknowledgment researchers hope will influence national policy. “The biggest takeaway from this work is that we can improve the efficiency and quality of healthcare delivery by influencing clinical policy making through the development of new engineering approaches combining optimization and statistics,” Merdan wrote. LSA junior Emma Bergman, a member University’s chapter of Phi Delta Epsilon medical fraternity, stated while studies like these are important in helping individual patients reduce the amount of unnecessary time and money they spend, she feels it is also important that members of society continue to remain aware of progress such as this so as to understand the options for issues that may one day affect them. “I think it’s easy to not pay attention to things when they don’t directly affect you but the truth is anyone can get cancer, anyone can get some sort of illness,” Bergman said. “It’s really important that you know how the science is developing and you know how it might impact you later on.”

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The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published every Thursday during the spring and summer terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $110. Winter term (January through April) is $115, yearlong (September through April) is $195. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press.

Thursday, May 11, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

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Proposed legislation will require police to attain a warrant to conduct a breath test on people under the age of 21.

BREATH TEST From Page 1

DINGELL From Page 1

not be at stake if they are not driving. “Beyond the current procedure being unconstitutional, the ramifications are not in accordance to the crime,” she said. Sullivan also said she understands that this new tactic can be extremely time consuming for officers; however, she believes constitutional rights are more important than convenience. Under probable cause, the current state law allows police officers to request minors to administer to a breath test if the police officer believes the minor has consumed alcoholic liquor or has any bodily alcohol content. If a person refuses to comply with a breath test, two points are added to their driver’s license and

She noted the regulations designed in the lab have led to historical environmental innovations, such as catalytic converters, unleaded gasoline and the use of computers on vehicles. She went on to say the research and studies conducted at the lab provide background for establishing and monitoring Corporate Average Fuel Economy and emissions standards. She said policymakers depend on such work, as do consumers who are protected by the regulations. Dingell said she sent her letter to Trump to make sure America becomes aware of the “jewel” located in the local EPA office. “This is a national treasure in Ann Arbor and we will not let them destroy it,” she said. Dingell noted the budget is

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

Washtenaw County officials allocate taxpayer funds in support of undocumented immigrants Proposals aim to welcome immigrants and offer human services support By AMARA SHAIKH For the Daily

Washtenaw County officials have allocated funds to support undocumented immigrants with a 5-2 vote from the County Board of Commissioners on a series of resolutions. These proposals will be funded with taxpayer money and are estimated to total about $135,200 of one-time expenses. Two of the proposals aim to express the county’s welcoming attitude toward immigrants, while the final resolution gives authorization to the county to fund the Barrier Buster program, which provides short-term human services support. It also aides the Michigan Immigrants Rights Center, which provides services to those struggling with the immigration process. During a meeting on the resolutions Wednesday, Commissioner Conan Smith said the recent climate surrounding immigration has had negative effects on the community. According to Smith, local governments should worry most about “the intimidation effect these policies

and actions have on the immigrant community.” Though the package of resolutions faced opposition, it was able to pass with the support of Commissioners Jason Morgan, Andy LaBarre, Ricky Jefferson and Kent Martinez-Kratz. Commissioner Martinez-Kratz and Commissioner LaBarre both expressed the primary goal of the resolutions was to aid families caught in the crossfire of immigration issues. “Originally the resolutions were written up to support families who might be going through difficult times due to increased immigration enforcement, and we envisioned that the money would go to supporting them,” Martinez-Kratz said. LaBarre also explained how the decision allowed the board to express their disagreement with President Donald J. Trump and his administration’s sentiments on immigration. “The package of resolutions allowed us to one, enumerate our position as a board in terms of what we thought of the (Trump) administration’s immigration policies, obviously the majority voted to express their displeasure with them,” he said. The resolutions will allow the county to aid undocumented residents with issues such as deportation, child custody and visas, among others. The board, however, made

it clear it would not support any instances of criminal activity. Much of the opposition to the resolutions came from individuals who feared aiding undocumented immigrants would lead to a decrease in job availability. LaBarre, however, discussed the decision in terms of public health and how it would not just benefit the immigrant community, but all residents of Washtenaw County. “We’ve had a lot of folks yell at us, ‘Well you’re just helping a bunch of illegals,’ “ he said. “However, if people are here and have a public health need but are afraid to get treatment because they’re worried about getting wrapped up in immigration action, then it hurts them and the general public, which is why this isn’t some left-wing political action, but instead a level-headed set of policies.” LaBarre also spoke to the human aspect of the immigration controversy. “What many people don’t realize is that if you detain or deport a member of a family who is here undocumented then you tend to leave behind family members — in many cases citizens — who suddenly have their world turned upside down and may need services.” Martinez-Kratz explained the majority of residents in Washtenaw County supported diversity and wanted to help families who were

facing adversity due to immigration status. He also talked about his excitement for the Barrier Busters program specifically because of the services it would provide each family. Though the resolutions were controversial, both LaBarre and Martinez-Kratz believe they will help the overall community, especially those facing immigration challenges. Washtenaw County isn’t the only local community that has been trying to find ways to aid the immigrant community. At a Central Student Government meeting in January, the University of Michigan chapter of BAMN — the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary — called upon the assembly to pass a resolution asking the White House to protect undocumented students. Art and Design senior Keysha Wall, a member of BAMN, criticized the outgoing presidential administration for its inaction. “The safety of these undocumented immigrants is only promised under the Obama administration,” Wall said. “For Obama to know these things, and not take every cautionable step to ensure the continued safety of undocumented peoples in this nation is disgusting and inhumane. If he will not act on his own, then we must take action, in doing so set the example for him.” Last December, CSG passed a sim-

ilar resolution — authored by former CSG President David Schafer, former CSG Vice President Micah Griggs and former Chief of Staff Noah Betman, all then LSA seniors. The resolution was a joint-statement by members of CSG expressing solidarity for undocumented students and need for a continuation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program, which allows undocumented immigrants to “apply for temporary deferrals of deportations and (for) work permits.” In late January, University President Mark Schlissel released a statement affirming the University’s commitment to protecting international students and faculty — a response to an executive order signed by Trump that banned immigration from several Muslim-majority countries. The Ann Arbor community also recently came together to aid a resident’s possible deportation. LaBarre said although there wasn’t always much local governments could do about issues of this size, he was optimistic about the resolutions. “This issue has become so bastardized and overheated, it’s sad, and real human beings suffer when that happens,” he said. “These resolutions won’t fix many things, but for a few lives in Washtenaw County, it will have a major impact –– a good one –– and a good overall impact on the community.”

4 OPINION

Thursday, May 11, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

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

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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.

BRENNAN POPE | COLUMN

Justice is more important than safety

n April 18, the Los Angeles Police Department adopted new rules that require police officers to try to defuse situations before firing a weapon. Regardless of how disturbing it is that police departments were previously not operating under these guidelines, one would expect this to mitigate police brutality. With this new rule and growing backlash toward law enforcement agencies, police are surely on their way toward reformation and improvement, right? While this is a step in the right direction, it does not address what is inherently incorrect about police: its principles. In every institution, especially government institutions, principles and values are areas of fierce debate. In fact, the core principle of the size of government is a contributing factor toward the divide in contemporary U.S. politics. Some argue that with bigger government, one sacrifices freedom. Alternatively, others cite that with smaller government, one compromises safety. This continuum that measures security and freedom is often debated among those discussing surveillance, national security and other partisan issues. However, the continuum that is more pressing to the morality of U.S. law enforcement is that of safety and justice. That is to suggest that many times, justice is sacrificed in the name of safety. Specifically, modern law enforcement prioritizes safety over justice, and this prioritization punishes lower-income African Americans for the unsafe conditions in which they often live. Alternatively, a focus on justice could spur reformations

resulting in equity among races. Safety and justice are principles that collide with each other, but cannot exist without the other. To put it in concrete terms, justice refers to the equal and fair treatment of an individual under the law. Alternatively, safety is the law’s protection of an individual from any danger or threat to their life. There is often a sacrifice made to prioritize one over the other. Obviously, safety could not truly exist without a level of justice, and vice versa. For instance, a country fully prioritizing justice of all people would allow every Muslim immigrant into its country despite potential terrorist threats. Here, the Muslim immigrant’s justice is valued higher than the complete safety of residents. Alternatively, a country fully prioritizing safety would not permit any Muslim immigrants into the country despite the millions of innocent Muslims who are not terrorists. Here, the immigrant’s justice is sacrificed for the safety of the resident. The trend of police generally prioritizing safety over justice is an unsurprising one. The United States has a retributive justice system — meaning it punishes crime — and is naturally focused on safety. Many will argue safety is always of paramount concern, and if all people’s safety is valued equally, the system is flawless. This is problematic because a prioritization of safety is inherently a punitive focus. That is to say a police force that looks to safety as its guiding principle will always punish those that exist in unsafe conditions. Social conditions such as poverty, low employment rates

and lower educational attainment produce unsafe communities, and these conditions are frequently found in African-American-dominated and lower-income communities. This is to suggest that safety guides police to disproportionately target Blacks and the poor. Alternatively, a priority on justice is reformative. By focusing on justice, the social conditions that put safety at risk can become more salient and addressable. Instead of punishing Blackness, justice looks to improve the environment of Blacks in America. This is exemplified through modern developments in predictive policing. The Marshall Project examined HunchLab, a crime-predicting program that “surveys past crimes, but also digs into dozens of other factors like population density; census data; the locations of bars, churches, schools, and transportation hubs; schedules for home games — even moon phases.” HunchLab predicts where crime is likely to be, then sends police to patrol that area more heavily. Craig Atkinson’s documentary “Do Not Resist” also examines a predictive policing program, LACER. LACER goes as far as to predict whether or not a person will be a criminal based off of historical actions, age, sex, race and other characteristics. This is exemplary of law enforcement’s emphasis on safety as a principle. Police departments send more officers to confront areas and individuals more likely to be unsafe. Alternatively, a philosophy of justice may lead police departments to send more beneficial resources toward the areas and individuals. Safety will punish those

in these high-risk situations; whereas justice will address the conditions that make it high risk. That is to reinforce that justice can be more reformative, and ultimately generate larger change than safety can. This being said, the responsibility does not all lie on law enforcement. It is imperative that citizens start to bear the responsibility as well. In his book, “Between the World and Me,” Ta-Nehisi Coates writes, “I called politicians and questioned them. I was told that the citizens were more likely to ask for police support than to complain about brutality… According

to this theory ‘safety’ was a higher value than justice, perhaps the highest value.” Here, it’s made clear that even citizens value safety over justice, that “the destruction of the black body is incidental to the preservation of order.” If any changes are going to be made in law enforcement, it is essential that there be a reformation within ourselves and at the University of Michigan. Our values must change. If justice is to be upheld by the police, we must start to prioritize it as well. —Brennan Pope can be reached at popeb@umich.edu.

LENA DREVES | COLUMN

Fully known

aster morning stands out in my mind from all the collected memories of my childhood. My parents would take my five siblings and me to church. In a sense of quiet reverie, we would listen to the grief of Jesus’s rejection by mankind, and how his ultimate love overcame it all when He rose from the dead. As I sat in that hard pew, fully embracing the love I felt from the story of Jesus’s resurrection, I dedicated my heart to always being full of love and acceptance like Him. This dedication in my heart has been the reason I am able to overcome a destructive belief that LGBTQidentifying individuals are somehow “sinners” — from certain Christian perspectives — and the reason I have been able to accept myself as an individual attracted to the same sex. Ironic, isn’t it? That faith and love can overcome religion? I can continue in this dedication of love only because I have first received love for who I was. I accept myself and others because I have been accepted by this love. This is my Christianity. Some call it Christianity with a little “c”, some call it spirituality and some call me religious. However, for me, it is Love. It is what I want to receive and what I want to give away. I didn’t fully understand what love meant until I felt hate, and I didn’t fully understand acceptance until I felt rejection. I knew I was gay since I was 17 years old. It took me four years to accept this part of who I am. Though my religion toldmeIwassinningtoacceptmyidentity, it ironically supported me and helped me accept myself. This contradiction changed the way I thought about religion and Christianity specifically. The same heart that surrendered fully to this God I’ve come to know was the heart that knew it was falling in love with a girl. The same heart felt His love and acceptance. The word “intersectionality” was used throughout the winter semester in my Women’s Studies class. I believe I didn’t fully understand the wisdom of the word

‘intersectional’ until recently. The day my mom told me, over the phone, she would not be attending my wedding, I felt I could identify — if only a little — with minority individuals battling the majority. It was only after that week that I understood intersectionality. An individual cannot be “partially” accepted. A Black woman cannot be accepted as a woman without being fully accepted for being Black. An LGBTQAI-identifying individual cannot be accepted as a white person without being accepted for their sexuality. Who we are is not divisible. All the books I read and the movies I ever watched about minority groups experiencing rejection seemed to float through my mind that week: the civil rights movement, women suffrage, the entire LGBTQ community — all brought to mind an understanding of the rejection of minorities simply because of one factor that was “not acceptable” about them, according to society. Some are the wrong color, some are the wrong gender and some love the wrong sex. If I went to get a tattoo today, I would tattoo the words “fully known” from 1 Corinthian 13:12. It states: “For now, we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known”. I find it incredible that God fully knows us, yet also chooses to fully love us. Love chooses to see beyond external characteristics, to not be afraid of individuals who are different, and to embrace the uncertain. Love does not fear. Without fear, I am free to be who I know myself to be. Because of love, and because of God, I am able to allow myself to be fully known without the fear of rejection. The love may come from those around us — or may not for now. However, by choosing to stand in the open, and live according to who I am, I believe it will give others the courage to do the same. —Lena Dreves can be reached at ldreves@umich.edu.

Thursday, May 11, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

STEPHANIE MULLINGS | COLUMN

Empty chairs

xactly one month ago, while standing on the Diag at around 4 am, I felt at ease listening to the gentle song of birds around me. The warm glow of the streetlights illuminated the 900 empty maize-andblue chairs positioned throughout the grounds. I assumed I would be the only one there at this late hour, but I wasn’t. A few rambunctious guys sauntered out from around the UGLi, pushing and kicking at the chairs, standing on top of them while laughing and shouting. Guards, tucked secretively away near the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library, jumped out and yelled for them to back away. The culprits, surprised and scared, immediately sprinted in the opposite direction. This encounter was very striking to me. They were just folding chairs, right? Why did they need body guards? What was all the commotion about? The following day, I learned the meaning of the chairs: they were one of the art installations in the University Bicentennial “Stumbling Blocks,” project. These 950 empty seats were representative of the 950 students of color who were not able to attend this University due to Michigan’s Proposal 2 referendum, which outlawed racebased affirmative action within the state of Michigan. Therefore, each day, while walking through the Diag, students would be reminded of the various obstacles the University of Michigan has faced throughout the years. A week after I first saw the chairs, and the boys who trampled on top of them, I walked to Mason Hall for my Asian Language class, and saw the Diag was empty—the chairs were gone. They were collected, folded up. Now, the chairs are on the market, for $10/ each, sold by the University’s Property Disposition Department. After the exhibition ended, I met with a member of the University’s administration, who, for the remainder of this piece, I’ll refer to as Mr. “What can I do?”— since that seems to be his trademark response when asked about issues of diversity and inclusion on campus. After respectfully listening to my frustrations with the campus climate, including recurring incidents of racist rhetoric, Mr. “What can I do?” offered his remorse and explained that because racism is so deeply rooted within this country, what could he possibly do to prohibit it from rearing its ugly head here at University of Michigan? He then went on to explain his frustrations with students continually demanding immediate action regarding race issues on campus,

who often demand he “fix this. Fix it now,” and his inability to do so. He, instead, suggested it was on us, the communities of color, to develop ways to establish safe and productive intergroup relations on this campus. You may be wondering what these two occurrences have to do with one another—the disappearance of the Stumbling Blocks chairs and my meeting with Mr. “What can I do.” The answer to that question is scary to admit. I am an empty chair. Although I am a student of color here at Michigan, and was not excluded due to Proposal 2, I am still an empty maize-and-blue chair. Why? I am here, on display every day. I am on display when I find myself one of the only students of color in my classes. I am on display when fliers are distributed stating that men within my community are

I am not meant for display. I do not wish to be pushed away and silenced. inadequate, unintelligent and violent simply because of the color of their skin. I am on display when emails are released saying I deserve to be killed. Throughout this display, I am seemingly protected/guarded by the “support” of administration, student organizations, and faculty—just as the maize and blue chairs were the night I was standing in the Diag. Then, after a little while, when my moment is suddenly over, I am folded up, tucked away, ignored, and forgotten. I am an empty chair. In 1903, W.E.B. DuBois published The Souls of Black Folk. In the book, he inquires, as a black American, how does it feel knowing you are regarded as a problem? Now, in 2017, at the University of Michigan, DuBois’s question is still relevant: How does it feel knowing that others on this campus view me as a problem? And more still, thanks to Mr. “What can I do?”, I now also wonder how must I be the problem and its solution? I am not meant for display. I do not wish to be pushed away and silenced. I no longer want to be an empty chair. —Stephanie Mullings can be reached at srmulli@umich.edu.

OPINION 5

REGAN DETWILER | COLUMN

Seeing home with new eyes

he first time I returned home for the summer, to the suburb I grew up in outside downtown Columbus, was two years ago, the May after my freshman year at Michigan. I lived at home, worked at a posh coffee shop a 10-minute drive away, and wspent most of my free time hanging out with high school friends and trying to catch up on reading. Even though I was busy, I was bored. Just like in high school, I felt I was surrounded by people exactly like me. I knew there was more to Columbus outside the bubbles I hopped to and from where I lived and worked, but I didn’t know how to access what was outside the places I already knew. I didn’t intend on living at home for another summer, partially because of the boredom I felt during those four months in 2015. But this past winter, out of a series of chance occurrences, I found out about an internship opportunity in Columbus and decided to give it a go. When I settled to the conclusion that I’d be home again, I was determined to make this summer different from the last one. I couldn’t handle another summer under the beating Midwestern sun, glued to the flat landscape by the stifling humidity that hangs in the air. I wanted to try new things, to meet new people, to actually engage with the city where I spent 19 years of my life. And now I had three years of school, a car, and a bike to help me do it. Since the beginning of sophomore year, after my summer at home, I began learning about social issues relating to race, class and gender in greater depth. What’s more, I became specifically interested in these topics as they manifested in current events in Southeastern Michigan. My job as opinion editor at the Daily meant I read tons of articles and had lots of conversations about affordable housing in Ann Arbor, Detroit Public Schools reform, gentrification in Ann Arbor and Detroit, and lots of other issues broad and specific. The importance of local activism as a means of directly helping people became clearer and clearer to me, while at the same time, I began to understand some implications of my status as an outof-state student. Although I was learning about issues that impacted all of the Midwest, I wasn’t learning about the state, city, or suburb

where I grew up. What also became clearer to me was that the people who could give some of the most poignant insight about local issues were people who had simply lived in Southeastern Michigan for a long time. My best friend’s parents, who now live in a suburb of Detroit, can tell me exactly what Midtown was like decades ago because they lived there. It didn’t matter how many articles I read or how many nights I drove into the city for a concert or other event — nothing would allow me the perspective they gained from simply spending time in a place. Although Southeastern Michigan is where I had my coming-of-age as a socially aware person, the place I’ve spent the most time is Columbus, Ohio. I can tell you that 4th Street did not used to have all the fancy coffee shops and restaurants there now; I can tell you about going to the now-closed mall downtown during my mom’s lunch break on take-your-kid-towork day; I can tell you about the ice cream shop on High St. with the best ice cream flavor ever — Coffee Oreo — that shut its doors after only a few years ago. But, over the course of this past semester, as I began to investigate more into the history of my city and began paying more attention to current events in Columbus. In the course of doing so, I was shocked by the things I didn’t know about home. I started reading poetry from Columbus that spoke to police violence on the Near East Side, right over the edge of Bexley. I started Googling things about economic and racial segregation, only to find out that Columbus is one of the most segregated cities in the country. The dissonance between how well I thought I knew Columbus and how well I actually knew Columbus sharpened the further on I read and the more searches I ran. Although my shock is probably unsurprising to many who are familiar with these issues, I found it hard to fathom just how uneducated I was, despite having been through one of the best school systems in the state. I knew the suburb where I spent my adolescent years had been dubbed a “bubble” by most of the greater Columbus area — and rightfully so. While I went to a private Montessori elementary school that was considerably diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and ability, I spent my adolescence going to public

schools in Bexley, a neighborhood that’s predominantly white and upper-middle class. Bexley is a wonderful and odd little place, 2.45 square miles that’s actually a city of itself inside of Columbus. It has its own mayor, its own city council, and yes, its own school system — it’s one of the best in the state, and it’s why my family moved there when I left Montessori. With wide streets lined with beautiful old trees that flood your vision with green, teeming with blossoms in the spring and summer, Bexley was actually named an arboretum in 2013. It’s different from the stereotypical midwestern suburb in that the houses are older and don’t all look the same; but it’s similar in that its people are mostly homogenous and the community is largely isolated from the world immediately outside its borders. I could write for a very long time about all the ways my high school education was excellent, and I’d be remiss not to mention the generous and knowledgeable teachers who helped make my experience at Bexley High School irreplaceable. However, I will say that my high school education did not offer much in the way of experiential learning and connection to the greater Columbus community. I remember volunteering once, maybe twice, for a community garden on the edge of town. That was a valuable experience I’m unlikely to forget, but still. I feel there have been some gaps in my education, and I intend to close them in the following months. I’m not sure what form this will take, but my efforts to more deeply know my home will be thoughtful and reflective. I’m particularly interested in the history of the suburb I lived in during my adolescent years, in the neighborhoods directly outside of this suburb, and in the natural landscape of central Ohio. These are all parts of central Ohio’s culture that I hope to learn more about, but I also understand my experiences — researching area histories and meeting new people — may lead me to topics and ideas I haven’t thought of yet.

Read more at MichiganDaily.com —Regan Detwiler can be reached at regandet@umich.edu.

6 ARTS

Thursday, May 11, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

BOOK REVIEW

TV INTERVIEW

Elif Batuman’s story is beautiful By SOPHIA KAUFMAN Daily Book Editor

HBO

“Silicon Valley” star Josh Brener looking weary

Josh Brener talks tech By WILL STEWART Summer Managing Arts Editor

“Silicon Valley” became an instant success, one of television’s most well crafted and hilarious shows, following its premiere in 2014. Now, in its fourth season, “Silicon Valley” continues to thrive by satirizing the bizarre, though insanely lucrative, tech companies and their eccentric culture. Josh Brener (“The Internship”) stars as the show’s loveable goof, Nelson Bighetti, better known as “Big Head” among his friends and coworkers. In an interview with the Daily, Brener talked about real life Silicon Valley experiences, his acting background and the show’s talented cast and writers. Brener, with no background in tech, has learned a lot about the field through playing Big Head and previous roles, like Lyle in “The Internship.” “I am not really a tech person at all. I’m kind of a dummy when it comes to that stuff, but by virtue of looking like someone who might know about tech, I have gotten exposed to it a fair bit through acting,” said Brener, who has met some of the most successful names in Silicon Valley, including Craigslist founder Craig Newmark. “You sort of expect people who are like Craig, or other names you would recognize, to have big CEO personalities and to be very polished. They are not that. They’re odd people in odd clothing choices, and they’re amazing — really nice and wonderful people.” “Getting to meet luminaries that are the people, as much as we make fun of them, changing the world … is a really unique thing. With our show, a lot of it is pretty accurate, and I think it’s what the real people in Silicon Valley appreciate, and

enjoy watching themselves. We’re all egomaniacs: We just want to watch ourselves,” Brener stated. After transitioning from the laughingstock of the show’s fictitious tech startup, Pied Piper, to a multimillionaire working for the rival company, Big Head has fallen back to his initial lousy status. When asked about this drastic change, Brener explained how his character is able to remain so indifferent. “One of my favorite things about the character is that he doesn’t really seem to care one way or another. His change in dynamics between being a multi-millionaire to some guy on a couch doesn’t change him. He’s just a guy looking to snack well and avoid conflict or any real responsibility,” Brener said. Beyond Brener’s talent and knack at playing nerds like Big Head, he claims luck played a huge role in his success. He found himself at the right place at the right time a few years after his move to Los Angeles. “I was in a weird theater group at Harvard called Hasty Pudding where guys dress up in tights and high heels … it’s really silly and crazy. After I was [in Los Angeles] for a few years, I ended up auditioning for a role on the show ‘House of Lies,’” Brener stated. This role, coincidentally, was “to play a recent Harvard graduate talking about the Hasty Pudding. And, it just blew my mind. I went it wearing my goofy Harvard tie, made up stuff about the Hasty Pudding and ended up getting the role.” “Silicon Valley” features an ensemble of hilarious and gifted actors. Brener expressed gratitude for working with such an incredible cast and the opportunities the show has provided him in future projects. “Going to work with some of the funniest people on the planet is

equal parts inspiring, humbling and intimidating,” Brener said. “I think we’re all trying to do as much with the good fortune that ‘Silicon Valley’ has given us. My wife and I are writing partners, so we’re busily trying to get projects started on that front as well. It’s a grind out here, so you take whatever advantages you get, and ‘Silicon Valley’ has had more happen to us than we’ve had happen to it. We’re really lucky.” Brener, in addition to his fellow actors, acknowledges the high quality of writing on the show, particularly in the characterization of Big Head. “I have to give most of the credit for Big Head to the writers — Mike Judge, Alec Berg and their staff — because when we started the show, it wasn’t really clear what the character was,” Brener said. Interestingly enough, he auditioned for the part of Erlich Bachman, played by TJ Miller (“Deadpool”). “I never auditioned for Big Head; I didn’t know what it was or where it was going. So when we shot the pilot, I didn’t know a ton, but then when they started writing season two, they honed this character. I think they nailed it and I’ve been incredibly lucky to get to be the wide eyed, confused dumb-dumb,” he stated. Brener explained the future of the show and the philosophical change in the plot, now becoming more focused on bigger ideas. “I’m excited about [the shift]. We’re going to start looking at big picture, big ideas, which is what Silicon Valley is all about: changing the world and revolutionizing the way people live their day to day life.”

The title of Elif Batuman’s new novel is a direct nod to Dostoyevsky, but it’s also a sly nudge to the narrator, Selin; or, more accurately, Selin’s curiously detached perception of herself. “The Idiot” follows her as the American teenage daughter of Turkish immigrants making her way through college. Set in 1995, the story winds its way down the path of a year, during which she takes Russian classes, falls in love, decides to travel to another country to impress a boy and agonizes over every email she sends and receives. “The Idiot” has no true beginning and no real end; rather, it is a collection of the moments and panics and discoveries and revelations and mundane evenings and mornings spent covering up last night’s heartbreak that make up a freshman’s year. Throughout her first year at Harvard, Selin finds herself obsessed with language and with Ivan, a boy in one of her classes; but she cannot speak to him, well, in person. The two find their intellectual sparks are at their hottest when they’re emailing back and forth through all hours of the night, revealing intensely personal thoughts and pushing each other to always be more precise, always be more probing, always look for the profound. The book itself feels profound (though Selin would deny that with all of her might) despite it’s often whimsical, self-deprecatingly tangential nature, because Selin has no qualms about sharing any of her thoughts, as cringeworthy or absurd or unremarkable as she might think them. A quiet presence in most of her classes, relationships and

life, Selin sometimes forgets that, though she is constantly paying attention to what’s in her own head, other people do notice her, and take note. Her philosophizing is compelling and clever and open and droll and somehow never pretentious, and the fact that we get to be in her head with her is a gift. “The Idiot” captures that which we don’t even like to admit to ourselves, much less to other people. How we derive meaning, ridiculously, from example stories in our textbooks, applying them to our own lives against all reason. How we spend hours in universities analyzing the meanings of specific passages, right down to the phrases, words and punctuation, yet make fun of ourselves and each other when we do the same thing with messages from a potential romantic partner. How we all sometimes think of ourselves as Dumbo or Cinderella, despite all evidence that points to the fact that sometimes we are the mean kids at the circus or the wicked stepsisters. How thoughts sprawling over a handwritten page can be pulled into a tightly written email, full of sharp language and tantalizingly unclear threads and a timestamp that makes you wonder if they’re also up at 3:00 a.m., thinking about you. How stupid it feels when you’re constantly awed by the beauty of someone’s intellect but scared shitless at the thought of being with them in person. “The Idiot” has one of the most absurdly simple endings I’ve ever read, somehow managing to feel abrupt and seamless at the same time. The book feels almost too plain and too long to be called breathtaking; Selin would laugh at me were I to say that’s what it is. But I think she’d also get it.

“The Idiot” has no clear beginning or end; rather, it is a collection of the moments and panics

Thursday, May 11, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

MUSIC REVIEW

‘No Shape’ is bold By SEAN LANG Daily Arts Writer

The work of Mike Hadreas — the Seattle native behind Perfume Genius — was, at least until 2014’s Too Bright, always lo-fi and poignantly intimate. Dark narratives that confront depression, sexuality and the dangers of being gay characterize his first two efforts, Learning (2010) and Put Your Back N 2 It (2012). On Too Bright, the tinny piano and fragile croon metamorphosed into menacing drones and piercing screeches. The deviation in form from Too Bright to No Shape is equally as impressive as that between his second and third records. Anger and frustration, palpable on Too Bright, are almost entirely absent here, and Hadreas’s new mindset is perhaps best explained by a lyric from “Just Like Love”: “They’ll talk / Give them every reason.” It’s not necessarily that his anger has subsided; he has simply shifted focus, from the world outside to his personal life. If anything is immediately apparent about No Shape, it is that it will be praised for being Hadreas’s most mature or developed work — primarily because it is, both thematically and sonically. It also functions as a thoroughly satisfying denouement for his discography thus far. Learning and Put Your Back were as bare-bones as albums come, reflections of a newly sober Hadreas with an uncertain future. Too Bright saw Hadreas in control enough to express not just sorrow but fury. Now, No Shape, a reflection on Mike’s almost eight years with his boyfriend Alan and eight years of sobriety, is rich with textures, the sort that augment and, ironically, embody the somewhat vague notion of having “no shape.” Upon first listen, you might wish that Hadreas hadn’t

released singles “Slip Away” its effeminate and kitschy and “Go Ahead” before the glory. “Wreath,” which refalbum itself. “Slip Away,” erences a Kate Bush song, the most triumphant and functions as the album’s misaccessible song of No Shape, sion statement: “Burn off proudly announced the direc- every trace / I wanna hover tion of the album, and “Go with no shape / I wanna see Ahead” signified a level of the days go by.” This song, experimentation to the same along with the Weyes Blooddegree as found on Too Bright. featuring “Sides” and “Run Both tracks are stunning, and Me Through” seem to invoke together express Hadreas’s Angelo Badalamenti’s “Twin impressive range, but the Peaks” soundtrack, with simalbum’s opening song, “Oth- ple but hard-edged bass and erside,” a pervasive air would have of mystery. “Die been a 4 You,” Hadreas much more told Fader in ‘No Shade’ suitable, an interview, bait-andis about erotic Perfume switch style asphyxiation. Genius introduc“Braid” recalls tion. The the work of Matador track opens Vincent Gallo with the with it’s doused, Records same tinnydrowned-out sounding quality, while piano of Learning and Put “Choir” feels like a considerYour Back, but after a minute ably more evil manifestation it explodes with a shimmer- of Learning’s “Mr. Peterson,” ing synth M83-style. Regard- with its closing lines, sung by less, no album in 2017 has a Hadreas’s voice overlaid with better start than No Shape, as a lower one, “What if I prom“Otherside” launches directly ise / To keep it quiet,” before into the joyful protest of “Slip the melody dissolves into chaAway.” otic chimes. From there, the album With its ostensible focus on sprawls in multiple directions. transcending the physical, it The lush strings — a new addi- would be easy to miss the ultition to Hadreas’s aesthetic mate focus of No Shape with— that are introduced during out its closer, “Alan” — named, the chorus of the reassuring of course, for Hadreas’s boy“Just Like Love” return on friend. Despite his desire for “Valley,” the album’s most metaphysicality, Hadreas direct reference to Hadreas’s finally comes to rest, still struggles with addiction: mystified, on the conclusion: “How long must we live right “I’m here / How weird.” On / Before we don’t even have paper, the four words seem to try?” In between the two, too plaintive to invoke feeling, the offputtingly synthetic “Go but Hadreas’s soaring croon Ahead” is No Shape’s “Queen” could probably evoke gooseequivalent, an appropriately bumps even if he were singing prideful but casual reminder about shaving one’s nose hair to anyone still trying to write (or any number of other equally off Hadreas for his “weird- romantic activities). Whether he ness” that they will never be means that he is literally there in the right as far as Hadreas with Alan or simply here, on is concerned. Earth, is left a mystery. What What’s so impressive about is absolutely clear, however, is No Shape isn’t just the breadth that No Shape should solidify of sonic territory it covers, Perfume Genius as not just one but its ability to do so while of the most important LGBT also capturing, in many ways, acts today, but as one of the most the essence of camp in all important acts today, period.

FILM REVIEW MOVIE REVIEW

ARTS 7

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

“Guradians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” stars in their battle positions

‘Guardians Vol. 2’ thrives By JEREMIAH VANHERHELM Daily Arts Writer

The one thing that must be said about “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” by those who will love it and those who don’t, is that it aspires to be bigger than the first in every way. The action is bigger and more inventive. The cast not only adds new characters but adds new layers to the old ones. There are so many jokes packed into every scene — every line of dialogue — that the Guardians of whole the Galaxy 2 thing starts to Walt Disney feel remiStuidios niscent of “The Goodrich 16/ LEGO Rave Cinemas Movie.” In many ways, this lends the new “Guardians” movie a freshness that it might otherwise lack, and with the ever-confident direction of James Gunn (“Super”) once again leading the charge, the resulting film is sure to be one of the most deliriously entertaining films of the year. From an early gag that takes the action movie staple of the pointless opening fight scene and gleefully flips it on its head to the last of the five pre/mid/post-credits stingers, every scene of “Guardians Vol. 2” will in some way elicit a smile. Not every joke lands, but considering the sheer volume of one-liners and witticisms tossed about, that’s hardly a problem. Of course, all of the humor would be pointless if “Guardians of the Galaxy” didn’t star

the most entertaining ensemble in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is where Gunn does his best work; while the film may have been good had it centered on the humor, Gunn continues the character-driven approach that made his first entry such a treat. These characters are, by their own admission, “a-holes,” and “Guardians Vol. 2” doesn’t just give lip service to that idea: It fullon embraces it and uses the Guardians’ most unlikeable aspects as the driving force of the story. This allows Gunn, both as writer and director, to add new layers to his leads and their relationships. Nowhere is this more evident than with Yondu (Michael Rooker, “The Walking Dead”) and his first mate, Kraglin (Sean Gunn, “The Belko Experiment”), who go from being secondary antagonists in the first film to the characters behind some of the sequel’s funniest and most emotional moments. There’s even laudable restraint shown with Baby Groot (Vin Diesel, “Fate of the Furious”), whose sheer adorableness could easily have caused him to take up exorbitant amounts of screen time, likely with few complaints from the audience. One new addition to the team comes in the form of Mantis (Pom Klementieff, “Oldboy”), an alien empath who strikes up a strange yet endearing relationship with Drax and winds up being a highlight, even among the already established charac-

ters. The scenes she shares with Dave Bautista (“Spectre”) also gives the former pro-wrestler further opportunity to flex his acting muscles. Bautista already proved his comedy chops in the original, and he shows the same talent for comedy here, but his best moment is completely dialogue free and reliant on surprisingly subtle facial expressions. It’s a truly impressive bit of acting. This greater scope allows Gunn to tell a unique and more emotional story, but it does come at a cost to the pacing. The character-centric scenes and comedy bits are great on their own, but there are several moments where the two must come right on each other’s heels with little warning. It may seem like a nitpick, but the resultant tonal whiplash inevitably robs one moment or the other of its weight. That aside, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is nothing short of a delight. Its pacing issues mean it may not meet the sky high expectations set by the first, but considering the original is one of the most purely entertaining cinematic experiences of the last decade, that’s by no means a serious issue. Instead, Gunn focuses on growing his first entry into the MCU wherever he can. “Guardians Vol. 2” is funnier than the original, the action is better shot, the characters are better developed and by the end, it has become a surprisingly moving story. Fans of the original rejoice. James Gunn has done it again.

8 NEWS

Thursday, May 11, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Michigan congressman helps pass health care bill repeal the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act — passed the House of Representatives with 217 “yes” votes, barely clearing the 216 it needed. It now heads to the Senate, where it will need a simple majority to pass. Although Upton announced his

By ANDREW HIYAMA Summer Daily News Editor

Following the revisions of Congressman Fred Upton (R–Mich.), the American Health Care Act — the Republican Party’s proposal to

Classifieds

opposition to the bill Tuesday, he announced Wednesday he would be supporting the bill as well as attempting to gather further support and offering revisions to make it more palatable to moderate Republicans like himself. The original GOP bill would

Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com

RELEASE DATE– Thursday, May 11, 2017

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

FOR RENT

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Eye-related prefix 5 Acht minus sechs 9 Con 13 Rock guitarist Eddy 15 Make 16 Dracula costume item 17 Workshop sticker 19 Major in astronomy? 20 64-Across’s realm 21 Pacified 23 CBS maritime drama 26 Lay bare 27 Kitchen sticker 32 Personal assistant 33 “Zounds!” 34 __ Mahal 37 Had already learned 38 City north of Memphis 39 Pacific island where much of “Lost” was filmed 40 Scrape (out) 41 “Wheel of Fortune” name 42 Half-note feature 43 Mailroom sticker 46 Kicks out 49 Water source 50 I-15 city between Los Angeles and Las Vegas 52 Service interruption 57 Stage direction 58 Desk-bottom sticker 61 Icy coating 62 Numbers game 63 Knife hawked on infomercials 64 Old despot 65 Try to find 66 Is appropriate

4 “Devil Inside” band 5 Crazy consonant? 6 Used to be 7 La Salle of “Under the Dome” 8 Subtle slur 9 Make busts 10 Producer Ponti 11 Spots for religious statues 12 Civil War general 14 Getting a good look at 18 10K, say 22 They may not be on speaking terms 24 Clarifying words 25 City “it took me four days to hitchhike from,” in Paul Simon’s “America” 27 Hoops move 28 Zamboni domain 29 __ fixe 30 Meadow drops 31 Parking place 34 “Cheerio!” 35 “Shh!” relative

36 Head start 38 Full-length clerical garments 39 East of Essen 41 Electric Chevy 43 Annoy 44 Childlike race in “The Time Machine” 45 Thrown 46 Critic Roger 47 Line on which y=0

48 Ballerina descriptor 51 “This is fun!” 53 “What a brutal week!” 54 Lambs, in Latin 55 A strong one may invert an umbrella 56 Big birds 59 Hydrocarbon suffix 60 Asian pan

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michigandaily.com

have made federal waivers to ACA insurance protections available to the states, allowing insurers to charge higher premiums for people who have pre-existing health conditions and let their insurance coverage lapse. The ACA prohibits higher premiums for people with pre-existing conditions in all cases. The GOP bill proved widely unpopular leading up to the vote, polling at 17 percent approval nationally. An attempt to bring the bill to a vote in March was halted when it became clear it would not pass. The revision Upton proposed to the GOP bill, however, added $8 billion over five years to “high risk pools” intended to aid individuals affected by the higher premiums. Both the revised and original versions provide for a $130 billion general fund for states to use for whatever problems may arise with the plan. Many students on campus did not find advantages to the bill, like recent University graduate Juyeon Ha. “I know that one of the reasons they wanted to pass this bill was to decrease premiums, but I don’t think they’re going to do that at all — especially for people with pre-existing conditions,” she said. “That’s my biggest concerns honestly, because I think that was one of the biggest successes of Obamacare.” She said she isn’t sure how aware people are of the contents of the bill. “I don’t really know if people are aware that this is happening — that they’re trying to repeal that part of Obamacare,” she said. “I think it’s kind of written in fine print, which I think is unfortunate. Hopefully it doesn’t pass the Senate.” Prior to Wednesday, Upton was the only Michigan Republican in Congress opposing the bill apart from Rep. Justin Amash (R– Mich.), who was still undecided. Amash opposed an earlier version of the bill, saying it didn’t go far enough in repealing the ACA. Upton’s revision, though, has drawn the support of three other House Republicans previously opposing the bill, putting it narrowly over the margin it needs to pass. Amash ultimately was one of those who voted for the bill. Upton’s reversal has come under fire from Democrats in the state. In a statement, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Brandon Dillon said the move was hypocritical of Upton, pointing out Upton’s recent statement that “more money does not do the trick” to provide relief to individuals with pre-existing

conditions. “Donald Trump must have promised Fred Upton that being heartless and spineless won’t be considered pre-existing conditions under Trumpcare,” Dillon said. LSA senior Candace Miller said the bill’s passage points to a lack of understanding about universal health care, particularly because it only appeals to a certain class. “I think it’s kind of shocking that people don’t fully understand what ‘healthcare for everyone’ means,” she said. “To overturn this, I think it’s very classist and they’re thinking of it in terms of who can actually pay for their health insurance. They’re thinking in terms of their friend groups but they’re not thinking about access for all.” She mentioned there are people in her home community who do not have access to a lot of resources that people of a higher SES do have. In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Upton said he expected the bill to garner the support of other moderate Republicans. “It’s not quite a done deed yet, but it addresses many of my concerns,” he said. Public Policy junior Lauren Schandevel, Communications Director of the University’s chapter of College Democrats and a columnist for the Daily, expressed concern about the passage of the bill. “We are disappointed in Representative Upton’s decision and we anticipate resistance to the bill in the Senate,” she wrote in a statement to the Daily. LSA junior Enrique Zalamea, president of the University of Michigan’s chapter of College Republicans, saw Upton’s decision to support the bill as a good sign. “Seeing Fred Upton change his mind by supporting the GOP health care bill gives me more confidence that after years of Obamacare, real change in health care is finally going to happen,” he said. Engineering senior Andrew Lavery said he isn’t surprised by the passage. “I don’t expect Congress to do anything sane most of the time,” he said. “I’m a computer science major who pays a lot of attention to tech and copyright policy and Congress never makes sense with that. So them continuing to not make sense with health care policy is no surprise, though it is a disappointment.”

10 SPORTS

Thursday,May 11, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Montemarano hitting stride Wolverines fall to Central Michigan

BASEBALL

By PAIGE VOEFFRAY Daily Sports Writer

With two gone in the top of the ninth, Miles Lewis stepped up the to the plate. The redshirt sophomore left fielder knocked a single down the middle, but his base running was what gave Michigan the edge. He stole second base and the catcher’s throw was overthrown, allowing Lewis to advance to third. So when sophomore designated hitter Nick Poirier ripped a two-out double down the right field line, Lewis scored easily to put the Wolverines up by one. But the late heroics weren’t quite enough for the No. 16 Michigan baseball team (11-7 Big Ten, 36-11 overall), as Central Michigan had an explosive ninth inning and took the game, 4-3, with a walk-off double. The Chippewas (13-5 Mid-American, 25-22 overall) were the first on the board. After second baseman Jason Sullivan singled through the first and second base gap on a ball that hit a bump and sailed over a diving Jake Bivens at first base, it brought up right fielder Daniel Robinson at the plate. Michigan freshman right fielder Christian Bullock barely moved as he realized Robinson’s hit would easily clear the right field wall for a two-run home run. At the beginning of the game, Michigan struggled to have quality at bats, let alone get a hit. Tuesday against Central Michigan, Michigan coach Erik Bakich worried that his team was being too defensive when on offense, and they continued that trend Wednesday. “We have an approach where we want to only swing at balls we can drive with less than two strikes and I thought we got ourselves out a little bit,” Bakich said. “I thought offensively we could have taken better swings early in the count than some of the weak contact that was made early in the count.” But the Wolverines broke out of their slump in the top of the fourth inning. Junior third baseman Drew Lugbauer recorded the first hit for Michigan with a single into shallow left field. With senior shortstop Michael Brdar taking a walk prior to Lugbauer’s at bat, that left two men on with only one out. A wild pitch advanced both runners and allowed

Lewis to pick up an RBI with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. From then on, the contest became a pitcher’s dual. Junior right-hander Jayce Vancena continued his normal style of groundout pitching, but did give up three walks — prior to this outing, he hadn’t walked a batter all season. “Sometimes you get liberal zones and tight zones. There were some borderline pitches.” Bakich said. “He had a decent outing and certainly gave us a chance, pitching into the sixth inning and holding them to only three hits and two runs. I thought he settled down nicely.” Right-hander Cam Newton came in for the Chippewas in the fourth inning and had held Michigan to only one hit until Lugbauer struck again when he doubled past a diving Central Michigan first baseman and into right field. Lewis followed Lugbauer with a walk, and Poirier bunted to try to advance Lugbauer and Lewis. Central Michigan decided to throw Lugbauer out at third base, eliminating the leadoff runner. Fortunately for Michigan, a double steal by Lewis and Poirier made the Wolverines a threat once again. Sophomore second baseman Jimmy Kerr then squeeze bunted to score Lewis and level the game. The Chippewas threatened to retake the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. Halfway through the inning, Michigan brought in senior right-hander Keith Lehmann with two men on base. Fortunately for the Wolverines, Central Michigan tried to double steal and the leadoff man was thrown out at third base. Lehmann did manage to load the bases, though, with only one out. But the righty came up big with a strikeout and pop up to end the inning. Both teams appeared anxious to end the game. But in the end, it was Central Michigan who finished it. Two men were on base, no outs and an 0-2 count awaited junior lefthander Austin Batka when he took over the mound. Things appeared to be going well for Michigan as Batka struck out a batter with a single pitch. But shortstop Alex Borglin crushed a deep ball to right field that landed on the warning track, and it was enough to bring two men home and end the game.

ARNOLD ZHOU/Daily

Senior third baseman Lindsay Montemarano has rebounded from a two-month long slump to spark Michigan’s offense.

By MARK CALCAGNO Daily Sports Writer

February has never been kind to Lindsay Montemarano. Last season, the senior third baseman started the year 0-for-16 at the plate, recording her first hit on the last day of the month. 2015 had been only marginally better, as Montemarano recorded a .212 batting average. March — and the following months — usually brought an uptick in offensive production for the New York native. Montemarano was a vital part of the Michigan softball team’s run to the Women’s College World Series last year, hitting .388 over the final 45 games of the season. In the Super Regional, she launched key home runs in consecutive games to boost the Wolverines to Oklahoma City. 2015 was a similar story, as Montemarano provided a spark out of the sevenhole with a .277 batting average after February. But this year, the calendar page turned, and Montemarano’s bat stayed cold. She struggled from the plate throughout February and March, hitting just .265 with only one home run midway through the year. Montemarano frequently finished games hitless as she clung to the eighth and ninth spots in the order, a far cry from the usual lift she had provided

in previous seasons from the sixth or seventh spot. And when Michigan coach Carol Hutchins decided to challenge her Wolverines by benching many of her upperclassmen April 22 at Wisconsin, Montemarano saw the third base spot she’d occupied for four years taken over by sophomore Alex Sobczak — a backup catcher. Hutchins’ move paid off for both Michigan’s previously anemic offense and Montemarano. In the last six contests, she’s leading the Wolverines with an astounding .466 batting average as Michigan has won its last nine games by a combined 84 runs. “In the beginning of the season, I had to fight through a couple of personal things that were going on,” Montemarano said. “I wasn’t able to put in the reps that I really wanted to put in, and I had to change a couple things around. But lately, I’ve been feeling really good, and I’ve been able to put in a lot of extra work.” That extra work has focused around Montemarano’s lower half at the plate — something that allowed her to provide surprising power in years’ past despite being just 5-foot-3. “I’ve been working on getting some whip in, using my legs a lot more than I had been in the beginning of the season,” Montemarano said. “I was using way too much

upper body, and I formed a couple of bad habits. But I (now) feel really loose and really strong in my lower half.” Added Hutchins: “She’s coming in early, and she’s accepting constructive criticism, and she’s accepting ideas.” In Tuesday’s game against Western Michigan, Montemarano’s extra work was on full display. In the bottom of the third inning, she took her familiar swing — only her legs were especially behind it this time — and sent a shot over the left-field wall for a two-run homer. As she trotted from third base to the plate, the sense of relief the blast brought Montemarano was evident. Touching home, she took a deep breath, made a causal dance move with her arms and looked up to her teammates for congratulatory highfives and helmet-slaps — all while smiling ear-to-ear. “It was really awesome,” Montemarano said. “I haven’t hit a ton of home runs this year, and the fact that the ball went over shows that hard work does pay off. One of the best feelings is touching home plate when your team is so excited for you, and everyone was so excited for me.” It lasted longer than just February this year, but through that extra practice, it appears that Montemarano has finally emerged from her slump.

Thursday, May 11, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SPORTS 11

Lamb thrives under pressure By JACOB SHAMES Summer Managing Sports Editor

One of the defining features of a closer is his entrance music, the song that plays as he jogs out from the bullpen in the ninth inning looking to seal a victory. The two greatest closers in MLB history are nearly as famous for their entrances as they are for their pitching dominance — Trevor Hoffman and his 601 career saves are inextricably linked to AC/DC’s “Hells Bells”, while Mariano Rivera’s unhittable cut fastball and his entrance to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” earned him the nickname of “Sandman.” Junior right-hander Jackson Lamb has a long way to go before he nears the legacy of Rivera and Hoffman. But Michigan’s redshirt junior right-hander at least has the entrance music nailed down. It’s not just that Eminem’s “Cinderella Man” is an intimidating introduction, with the rapper’s forceful delivery and lyrics on top of a monstrous beat. But the song’s theme — coming back from adversity to earn a second chance — is almost a perfect description of Lamb’s career. Lamb’s first chance began wwith terrific promise. He was a highlytouted two-way player out of Temperance Bedford High School, as he was named the Gatorade Michigan Player of the Year as a senior and was selected in the 20th round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers. Lamb displayed his vast potential his first year at Michigan — while he pitched only sparingly, recording a 2.84 earned-run average in 6.1 innings, he went 3-for-3 with two doubles in his college debut and appeared on SportsCenter’s Top 10 for his diving catches in the outfield. But injuries quickly derailed this initial promise. Lamb’s freshman year ended with a back injury. Moving to pitcher full-time as a sophomore, he made just five appearances before he needed Tommy John surgery. Last season he appeared fully recovered — striking out 13 in 8.1 innings — but again, his season ended prematurely after he broke three ribs. It’s not as if Lamb’s talent ever disappeared — his 6-foot-6 frame and mid-90s fastball enticed the St. Louis Cardinals enough to draft him in the 35th round last summer. He has always been a weapon when

healthy — his 1.50 earned-run average in 24 innings prior to 2017 attest to that. But until this season, that wasn’t very often. “He’s a guy who’s patiently waited for this opportunity — patiently or impatiently, his road to getting here has been very curved,” said Michigan coach Erik Bakich. “He’s a guy who came in with a lot of expectations and his first three years had not gone as expected.” In the opening bars of “Cinderella Man,” Eminem shouts, “Some of us don’t get a second chance, but I ain’t blowing this one.” Fortunately for the Wolverines, Lamb was lucky enough to get a second chance — or to be precise, he’s finally healthy. And he hasn’t blown this chance, either. This season, when “Cinderella Man” begins to echo throughout Ray Fisher Stadium, it almost invariably results in a bitter end for opposing hitters. In 23.2 innings this season, Lamb has struck out 23 while holding opponents to a .188 average. He ranks second in the Big Ten in saves with 10, and most incredibly, hasn’t allowed an earned run all season. Tuesday against Central Michigan was not Lamb’s most flawless outing, but it may have been his most important. He took the mound with one out in the eighth inning and two runners aboard, Michigan ahead by three runs. Lamb promptly gave up an RBI double to left fielder Daniel Jipping and walked catcher Evan Kratt. His flawless ERA — and more importantly, the Wolverines’ lead — hung in the balance. Lamb calmly retired the next two batters he faced, ending the inning with a strikeout. And after a single and a walk gave the Chippewas two runners in scoring position in the ninth inning, Lamb refocused and induced a game-ending flyout to left field to seal the win. It was at this point in the season last year — the 47th game — when Michigan began its slide out of postseason contention. It was this kind of game — a low-scoring slugfest against a mid-major opponent — that would test the Wolverines’ resiliency as much as anything. In this scenario, Lamb’s performance epitomized what any team hopes for out of their closer — someone who everyone has faith in to calmly put a team away when crisis could occur with any swing

of the bat. “(Senior right-hander) Mac Lozer and Jackson Lamb are terrific in late innings,” said junior third baseman Drew Lugbauer. “When you see them on the mound, you just have complete trust in their ability to close the game out and get the job done.” Bakich — who has stressed mental resolve all season long — sees much more in Lamb than just an overpowering four-seamer, calling him a “fearless competitor.” “The thing that we know about him is that he’s got a winning mindset,” Bakich said. “He’s extremely tough, he’ll fight you on the mound and he’s not going to back down or give in. He’s not scared of anything. “In an extended save situation, it’s not about the matchup, it’s not about lefty-righty. You want that type of makeup on the mound. You want Jackson Lamb makeup on the mound.” Lamb, for his part, recognizes the impact that adrenaline has on the role of the closer, and emphasizes staying in a routine as an important part of his approach. “If you get too amped up out there you get a little crazy, and if you’re too calm then maybe you sacrifice some attack,” Lamb said. “Sticking to a routine helps you stay in flow.” Bakich has emphasized intangibles and character more than any strategic changes or tactics in describing the success Michigan has had this season. The impact of intangibles in baseball has always been hotly debated. It’s impossible to measure intensity, fearlessness or makeup in the way one can count strikeouts or saves, or measure command or velocity. But so much of a closer’s job description focuses on these intangibles — that one needs a certain type of personality to succeed in that role, and record supposedly the toughest three outs in baseball. And based on his performance this season, it’s hard to debate Lamb has whatever it takes to succeed in that role. As Eminem raps, “Technically, I’m not even really supposed to be here right now, so might as well make the most of it.” Last season, based on his overall career trend, few could have pictured Jackson Lamb where he is right now. But given a second chance, Lamb has emerged as the dominating closer he originally seemed destined to be.

MIGUEL MARTINEZ/Daily

Redshirt junior right-hander Jackson Lamb has enjoyed a breakout season.

12 SPORTS

Thursday, May 11, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SOFTBALL

Cold tubs, strikeouts and ‘Zen Golf’: The legacy of Megan Betsa By MAX MARCOVITCH Daily Sports Writer

Megan Betsa sat in a cold tub. The television above her showed the game she had just exited. Top 7: Missouri: 4, Michigan: 1 Her back ached from the worst pain she’d ever had from playing softball. Her body felt the wear and tear of throwing 213 pitches in less than a 24-hour span and from pitching just about every inning all postseason. But none of that concerned her then — her focus lay squarely on finding a way to get the Wolverines past their Super Regional matchup against the 5th-ranked Tigers to return to the Women’s College World Series. With her team down 4-1 in the seventh inning, she needed to get ready for an impending win-or-gohome third game later that day. “I said, ‘Go get in the cold tub now, get ready for game two (of the day). Get mentally ready because we can still win this thing,’ ” said Michigan coach Carol Hutchins. “You can’t be like ‘Oh, crap.’ We can still win it. So off she went. “I said, ‘I’m only gonna put you (back in) if we get in the game.’ ” Focused on heeding her coach’s advice, Betsa kept a watchful eye on the television just in case. “And we scored one run.” With the bases loaded, senior second baseman Sierra Romero knocks a sacrifice fly to deep right-centerfield, scoring senior outfielder Mary Sbonek. 4-2. “And then we scored another run.” Junior outfielder Kelly Christner ropes a line drive past the diving Tiger first baseman, scoring junior shortstop Abby Ramirez. 4-3. “And then we scored another run, and I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ ” Senior outfielder Kelsey Susalla lines a single into centerfield, scoring senior outfielder Sierra Lawrence from third. 4-4. “And then we scored the fourth run, so I jumped out (of the cold tub).” A darting Christner scores on a passed ball. 5-4, Michigan leads. As quickly as Christner raced home to take the lead, Betsa left the tub, put on her dirty socks and was back in the dugout to potentially close out the Super Regional in front of the Michigan faithful in Ann Arbor. She didn’t feel the back pain — or so she claims — nor the stress on her arm. She was going to win this game. Unless Hutchins didn’t let her.

Hutchins and her staff gave senior right-hander Sara Driesenga the ball to open the bottom of the seventh inning. They left their ace on the bench to defrost; all she could do was watch. The move was clearly a precaution for the ailing Betsa. If Missouri tied it up, Betsa would likely have to pitch into extra innings, with no guarantee of a win. If the Tigers took the lead and won the game, she would have to pitch seven innings or more just hours later. But Hutchins would all but admit later that not putting Betsa in at that moment was a mistake, especially as she watched Driesenga hit the first batter of the inning in the knee. “I walked out there and I had to gauge whether Sara was nervous, or whether I should go with her,” Hutchins said. “I walked back in the dugout and I thought, for about a half a second, ‘We’re going to win this game. We’re going to put Betsa in.’ Because who’s the most confident kid? And who has the biggest heart? “I knew that Megan was going to win the game.” *** Michigan assistant coach Bonnie Tholl still remembers the return flight to Ann Arbor from Georgia. She recalls with horror the bumps that she insists nearly led to the plane’s downfall. She also remembers the kid who was the reason Tholl had traveled to rural Georgia on only one day’s notice in the first place. The young right-hander had the type of natural spin and ability to miss bats that Tholl, Hutchins and assistant coach Jennifer Brundage coveted — but rarely found — in high school pitchers. “I actually thought my plane was going to crash,” Tholl said. “And I thought ‘This kid is going to commit to Michigan, have an outstanding career and I’m not going to see one inning of it.’ I actually thought that on the airplane.” That kid was Megan Betsa. A kid from rural Georgia who had a riseball like they’d never seen, and the fiery mentality of a bonafide ace. A kid who left Georgia as one of the most decorated players in state history. A kid who will leave Michigan as one of the most accomplished players in the program’s rich history. Tholl has, according to Hutchins, “a better recruiting mind than anybody in the country.” She scours every publication and website out there, searching around the country

for the potential next crop of Michigan players. And ironically enough, in the case of Betsa, Tholl originally intended to scout a different player from the area. A day later, Tholl was in Betsa’s hometown of McDonough, Ga. — a small town 30 miles southeast of Atlanta — scouting Betsa at her high school games. Betsa would go on to finish her career at Union Grove High School as a four-time all-state selection, two-time Georgia state player and pitcher of the year award winner and a state champion her senior year. Tholl has recruited hundreds of kids — some successfully, some unsuccessfully — in her 24 years at Michigan, and she remembers just about every single one of them, their year of graduation, their playing style and even their birthdays. So when she saw Betsa pitch for that first time, she knew Betsa was unique. She knew that type of spin and strikeout ability wasn’t something commonly found in high school pitchers. Even as her plane was seemingly plummeting to the Earth, Tholl knew she wanted Betsa at Michigan. Betsa, on the other hand, didn’t even know where Michigan was, much less harbor any deep-seated desire to play for the Wolverines. On her first visit to Ann Arbor to meet the team and coaching staff, Betsa asked the coaching staff for book recommendations to enhance the mental aspect of her game and help keep her emotions in check on the mound. They recommended “Zen Golf” and another book that “had to do with numbers,” Betsa recalled. She was still a few years from stepping foot on campus as a student-athlete, but Betsa had already begun to display what the Michigan coaching staff unanimously deemed the best work ethic they’ve ever worked with. “I just remember my very first visit, I hung out with the team, we went and got Pizza Bob’s shakes, kinda did everything that you do in Ann Arbor,” Betsa said. “I fell in love. Instantly I knew this was the place for me. … I wanted to be apart of something that had a really good culture, really big tradition, and that’s exactly what this place was.” She was a kid from rural Georgia in Ann Arbor in the middle of January.

Against all odds, it was love at first sight. *** It was December of her senior year, and Megan Betsa was ready to be unchained. Gone were Sierra Romero, Sierra Lawrence, Haylie Wagner and the legends who had come before her. This was her team now. She hadn’t thrown a pitch since she gritted through six innings of one-run ball against No. 7 Florida State in the Women’s College World Series, back pain and all, only to fall 1-0. She has never, and will never, use her back as the excuse — but Betsa (and Hutchins) knew that she couldn’t go through another postseason at a self-proclaimed “80 percent” like she had the season before. She now carried the weight of the Wolverines’ season on her right arm. They had to ensure she would be fully healthy for the wealth of innings she would inevitably throw this year — but more importantly, she had to be healthy for the postseason. There was only one way to do that. So Betsa took the entire fall season off, not throwing a single pitch from June until December, mentoring junior right-hander Tera Blanco and sophomore right-hander Leah Crockett in the process. “We needed her to be ready for this part of the year. That’s the only way we could almost guarantee it,” Hutchins said at the beginning of the season. “She is one driven kid, you gotta hold the reins on her.” Those reins, as it turned out, were only confined to pitching. Instead of resting on her laurels, the pitcher who had already compiled 546.1 career innings pitched, 789 strikeouts and a 1.92 earned-run average asked a simple question few with her pedigree would dare to posit: How can I get better? So she went to work, doing everything she could short of throwing a softball. She worked to refine her spin, despite her natural ability that Brundage calls “the best spin of any pitcher Michigan has ever had.” She also worked to include two more pitches — a curveball and drop-ball — more often in her pitching repetoire. Doing so, she hoped, would counteract teams that tried to gameplan for just the riseball/ changeup mix that she had traditionally used. The work paid off: Betsa’s unpredictability has baffled opposing batters, with teams less capable of

game-planning for the riseball alone. This season, Betsa has compiled 91 strikeouts looking — tops in the Big Ten by 51 — because of her ability to mix all four pitches. With Michigan set to kick off its postseason run Friday afternoon, Betsa’s health remains as strong as it’s been in years. And in Betsa’s case, being healthy bred confidence — perhaps a confidence level she never knew she could reach. *** At some point in the next four weeks, Megan Betsa will throw her final collegiate pitch. When she does, Betsa will finish with 100+ career wins, 750+ innings, 1100+ strikeouts and an ERA well below two. She will finish with three unanimous first team All-Big Ten selections and, more importantly from her perspective, vie for a third straight appearance in the Women’s College World Series in the coming weeks. And with 82 more strikeouts, Betsa would pass Jennie Ritter for the most strikeouts in a season from a Michigan pitcher. These are all statistics that will immediately cement Betsa in the pantheon of great Michigan softball pitchers in recent decades. Jennie Ritter. Jordan Taylor. Sara Griffin. Haylie Wagner. Kelly Kovach. Megan Betsa. But right now, as the May sun shines into the state-of-the-art Michigan softball facility, a smiling Megan Betsa isn’t focused on records she could gain or players she could surpass on some hypothetical list. You can’t go five minutes without somebody asking her about her health (The answer? “I feel really good right now.”), but that doesn’t faze her either. She knows last year’s team might have won the national championship with her at full health, and, at the risk of stating the obvious, she desperately wants that chance again. Four years of working hard, massages after games, constant injury treatment, game-planning with the coaching staff, motivational books, persistent work on her already-elite spin, Pizza Bob’s milkshakes, expansion of her pitching arsenal, near plane crashes and cold tubs have led to this moment. Megan Betsa’s legacy is written into Michigan lore. But there’s still one chapter left.

Read the full feature online at MichiganDaily.com