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Monday, October 21, 2019
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Too little, too late
Michigan fails to overcome early 21-0 deficit at Penn State, falling 28-21 in heartwrenching fashion.
» Page 1B RESEARCH
Solar Car team finishes third in international five-day race ‘U’ group designs increased efficiency vehicle to compete in Australian Outback MICHAL RUPRECHT Daily Staff Reporter
JULIA SCHACHINGER/Daily Ann Arbor residents participate in the first annual National Period Day on the Diag Saturday afternoon.
First annual National Period Day rally reduces stigma, raises awareness
Menstrual activism organizations advocate for accessibility of products CLAIRE HAO
Daily Staff Reporter
More than 100 people from across the state of Michigan gathered on the Diag for the first annual Michigan National Period Day rally on Saturday afternoon. Sponsored by the non-profit PERIOD, the event was one of a series of rallies being held in every U.S. state to reduce the stigma around menstruation and to advocate for greater accessibility to menstruation products.
Part of PERIOD’s mission is to cultivate national conversations about the difficulty of affording period products for low-income individuals, which the movement refers to as “period poverty.” According to PERIOD’s website, the rallies were meant to kick off a yearlong campaign calling for free, clean, healthy and easily accessible menstruation products in prisons, shelters and schools. The rallies also demanded the end of the “tampon tax,” a popular
ANN ARBOR
AADL hosts journalist, discussion on elections FiveThirtyEight writer Clare Malone gives talk on race, gender in politics JENNA SITEMAN Daily Staff Reporter
The Ann Arbor District Library hosted a lecture from political journalist Clare Malone on Saturday afternoon. Malone, a senior political writer for online media platform FiveThirtyEight, discussed the role of gender, class and race in the 2016 presidential election and how those identities may affect the 2020 election. About 80 faculty, students and Ann Arbor residents attended the event. Malone noted the immense stress that is often associated with discussing politics in our current climate. “I know that politics can be an overwhelming topic to talk about these days, so I first of all want to thank all of you for spending your night here talking about this,” Malone said. “I hope I can be of some help unspooling a few of the tangled threads in our political debate. Malone began her discussion by explaining the concept of electability. Malone said when people discuss a candidate being more “electable,” they are often describing a white man due to the biases that exist in this country.
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term used by menstrual activists to refer to the value-added sales tax on menstruation products. While some products are considered “basic necessities” under the tax code and are thus tax-exempt, Michigan is one of 34 states in which the “tampon tax” still exists because menstruation products are considered “non-essential goods.” The Michigan rally was headed by Wayne State University’s PERIOD chapter and organized alongside chapters at the University
of Michigan, Western Michigan University and Washtenaw International High School. The event was co-hosted with organizations involved in menstrual activism including Corner Health Center, Dot.org, Planned Parenthood, National Organization for Women, Taylor Law Firm and Helping Women Period. Along with chants and spontaneous read-outs of poetry See PERIOD, Page 2A
The University of Michigan Solar Car team placed third in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge on Thursday afternoon after a five-day, 1,800-mile race through the Australian Outback. The team’s car, Electrum, reached the finish line in Adelaide, South Australia averaging about 49 miles per hour. The Belgian team, Agoria, placed first, followed by the Japanese team from Tokai University. Engineering junior Andrew Dickinson, the project manager of the 20-member team, said he was proud of his team’s persistence through all the challenges they faced. “I’m really proud of my team,” Dickinson said. “We did a whole lot together. We went through a lot of challenges, and just one thing about this team more than
Ann Arbor Fire Department installs environmentally friendly panels Solar installation intends to implement, improve clean energy in the community BARBARA COLLINS Daily Staff Reporter
The city of Ann Arbor celebrated the installation of solar panels on the roof of Fire Station Six with an event Friday afternoon. About 50 people attended the celebration, including city officials and community volunteers. Students for Clean Energy at the University of Michigan originally brought the idea of installing more solar panels to the city last year. Club participants as well as other community members volunteered to prepare and perform the installation of 142 solar panels on the fire station’s roof. Engineering senior Grant Dukus and LSA senior Taylor Lind, members of Students for Clean Energy, helped the club take the idea to the city. Dukus said the city was supportive of the student group’s ideas. “We reached out to the city, basically saying that we had a bunch of passionate, energetic students who were looking for this kind of like real world, handson experience and we are willing to put in whatever work necessary to kind of get this to this point,” Dukus said. The installation occurred over a two-day period, Lind said. Volunteers laid out the panels Thursday and Harvest Energy LLC, the company which partnered with the city to provide the solar panels, ran the electric to get the system up and running. “It was a pretty hefty job for two days of work,” Lind said. “We’re definitely thankful for all of the volunteers.”
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The group raised a total of $3,295 to go toward the solar panels, which cost the city $74,000. In May 2019, the installation was postponed due to safety and financial finalization. The city of Ann Arbor was able to reduce the overall cost through a Solar Power Purchase Agreement. Josh MacDonald, sustainability energy coordinator for the city of Ann Arbor, said the students from Students for Clean Energy played a pivotal role in taking initiative on the project. “For us to continue to meet our goals, it’s going to be important to partner with the University,” MacDonald said. “I think in many ways, University of Michigan students are that bridge and start
those kinds of conversations.” MacDonald said an installation of this size would normally last a week, but the large number of volunteers helped it run smoothly. He estimated about 50 volunteers helped with the project over the two-day span. “We were very, very happy and pleased to see all the volunteers come out,” MacDonald said. “I think in many ways it also shows that there’s a real untapped interest in this community to be a part of sustainability to really reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. I’m really hopeful that as we proceed, we can continue to replicate the same model.” The city’s Office of Sustainability and Innovations and their Energy Commission also
worked in partnership with the Students for Clean Energy on the installation. At the event, attendees were able to climb onto the roof to see the newly installed solar panels and learn about solar energy. The new system will be powering approximately 98 percent of the building and can generate 52 kilowatts of energy at peak capacity. Mike Kennedy, Ann Arbor fire chief, told The Daily the fire station was excited to be able to partner with University students and have the opportunity to implement sustainable energy sources into Fire Station Six.
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any other team that I’ve been on is that, every time I would walk into the room and say, ‘guys, this bad thing happened to this challenge at this roadblock,’ … everybody in the room is just ready to go, ready to tackle it. It’s that persistence that sets us apart.” Assistant professor of mechanical engineering Neil Dasgupta was the team’s adviser this year, but wasn’t able to travel to Australia with the team. Joanna Millunchick, associate dean in the materials science and engineering department, joined the team instead. Millunchick said she was proud of the team, saying they represented the “Michigan difference.” “I’m so proud of this team,” Millunchick said in an email interview. “They showed incredible resilience in the face of tremendous stress. See SOLAR, Page 2A
GOVERNMENT
University voter rates increased in midterms Proposal 3 may lead to higher turnout on campus in future political races MAEVE O’BRIEN Daily Staff Reporter
Some attribute a jump in University of Michigan student voter turnout in 2018 to increased efforts in getting students registered, and hope the passage of Proposal 3 in the 2018 Michigan midterms will make these results increase even more in future elections. Proposal 3 amended the state constitution to expand access to voting. The proposal added eight policies, including allowing same-day voter registration, straight-party voting and absentee ballot voting by mail without having to provide a reason. Last month, the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement released data on the voting patterns of college students in the 2018 midterm elections. Voter turnout among University of Michigan students increased nearly threefold in the 2018 midterm elections, jumping from 14 percent in 2014 to 41 percent. Nationally, the collegeage voter turnout rate doubled from about 19 percent to about 40 percent in 2018, putting the University slightly above the national average.
EMMA MATI/Daily
Volunteers and members of Students for Clean Energy celebrate the installation of solar panels on the roof of Fire Station Six Friday afternoon.
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INDEX
Vol. CXXIX, No. 6 ©2019 The Michigan Daily
NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 CROSSWORD................6
Read more at MichiganDaily.com MIC.....................3 ARTS...................5 SPORTS.................1B
News
2A — Monday, October 21, 2019
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SOLAR From Page 1A They embody the Michigan difference.” Dickinson said the team designed Electrum about one year ago and began construction in May. The team made aerodynamic changes in the nose and canopy areas of the car and added new solar cells and battery design. He said the cost of the entire project was about $1.2 million. “(With) any new technology, there’s always a risk, but I’d say these were not the type of drastic changes that we made when we switched the body style up in 2017,” Dickinson said. “This year, the game was not necessarily to make it a drastic change and shake the waters, it was more ‘how can we take this proven design and incrementally improve it and try to get it closer to number one?’” Dasgupta emphasized the team’s innovations, and said they also focused on team dynamics this year. “We have focused on our team dynamics in order to maximize
SPICE IT UP
efficiency during the race and control stops as well as being prepared for any challenges that we face along the way,” Dasgupta said. The team received funding from a number of sponsors, including the University, to build the car. Millunchick said the cars are state of the art and use expensive technologies, so it’s important that the University financially assists the team. She added the University will continue to sponsor the team because of the team’s successes. University alum Charles Hutchins has been a donor since 1989. Dickinson called Hutchins the team’s number one fan. Hutchins said he has traveled to the race with the team almost every year. “We came into town and were there when they crossed the finish line, so it’s a wonderful feeling,” Hutchins said. “The number of things they overcame to be third is mind boggling.”
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PERIOD From Page 1A on the topic of menstruation, the event featured speeches by student activists, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., state Rep. Tenisha Yancey, D-Harper Woods, and 2018 Michigan gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Dingell told the audience she used to hear menstruation referred to as “the curse” when she was in high school. As someone who had endometriosis, Dingell said she felt like she couldn’t talk about it because men would minimize her pain. “I cannot tell you what it means to me, as a woman … to be with women talking about a subject that’s been way too taboo for too long, and to be here on the first day we’re gathering for it. I want to thank all of the women that are here ending the stigma that should’ve ended years ago,” Dingell said. Tenisha Yancey spoke about two bills, House Bill 4165 and 4166, she introduced alongside state Rep. Brian Elder, D-Bay City, to eliminate the tampon tax in Michigan. She urged the audience to contact their representative in support of the bills. “If you happen to be lowincome or homeless, you might often find yourself having to make a decision each month that’s unthinkable for many of us: Do I eat, or do I pay for tampons and pads?” Yancey said. “‘Do I feed my children, or make sure I have the sanitary products that I need?’ every 28 days. No one should have to be faced with those choices ever.” A 2019 survey of low-income individuals in the U.S. who menstruate found almost half of those in the study had to choose between buying food or menstrual hygiene products. In lieu of products such as tampons and pads, individuals used alternatives such as toilet paper, paper towels, rags, socks and diapers instead. Acknowledging his privilege as someone who has never menstruated before, El-Sayed drew on his experience as a
doctor to discuss the health implications of period poverty. When individuals have to ration menstruation products, El-Sayed explained they are more at risk for disease and toxic shock syndrome. He also said the stress of inaccessibility can weigh heavily on an individual’s mental health. “When we advocate for access to basic goods that people need to live their lives, we are talking about a matter of human rights,” El-Sayed said. Wayne State University student Emily Tujaka, the co-president of her campus’s PERIOD chapter and lead organizer of the rally, said she believes abolishing the tampon tax would be a good step toward alleviating period poverty. “There’s a lot of stuff — Viagra, corrective shoes, canes — that are exempted from the sales tax, because they’re considered necessary,” Tujaka said. “Period products are not one of those, which we think is ridiculous, so we want that tax gone.” One table with free donuts also had a sign providing attendees with food for thought: why are donuts exempt from sales tax but my tampons aren’t? Public Health junior Sarah Jang, a member of the University’s chapter of PERIOD, said she created the sign to draw attention to the “ridiculousness” of the tampon tax. “One of the members of our club was buying donuts and she found out that there are no taxes on these donuts, but then tampons are taxed,” Jang said. “It’s absurd. Donuts aren’t essential, you don’t need them to live. But you need tampons.” Rackham student Ashley Rapp explained she became involved in efforts surrounding period poverty after a friend working in Detroit public schools asked for product donations because her students couldn’t afford them. Rapp noted the University doesn’t provide free menstrual products, unlike some other schools across the country, such as University of Texas at Austin, Yale University, Saint Louis University and others.
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Monday, October 21, 2019— 3A
Mahalaya DEEYA CHATURVEDI MiC Featured Artist
For most Bengalis, Mahalaya marks the return of goddess Durga to Earth and also marks the beginning of the Durga Puja festivities. This usually occurs midto-late September, after the monsoons--also a time when a lot of flowers are in full bloom in India. Coming from a Bengali family, I looked forward to this time most of all, mostly because it was the time when my grandmother’s garden would
look the prettiest. She grew roses, mogras (arabian jasmine), shiuli (nightflowering jasmine), marigold, and a variety of other flowers. Through deep blues signifying rain, mellow whites symbolizing rain clouds and purity, and yellows and reds communicating warmth and happiness, I wanted to capture the essence of Mahalaya in this painting. Along with depicting my grandmother’s flowers, I used actual flowers from the past year’s Durga Puja to physically connect this painting to one of my happiest childhood memories.
Debunking immigration myths MONICA KIM MiC Columnist
An unknown number from San Diego was calling me. Earlier that day, I’d reached out to San Diego LGBTQ+ bars and businesses for a non-profit supporting LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. I picked up the phone, expecting to hear a friendly voice on the other end who wanted to talk about supporting the nonprofit I was interning for during the summer. Instead, the man who called me started ranting about how, even though he was gay, he didn’t support LGBTQ+ asylum seekers — or any asylum seekers and immigrants for that matter — who were coming to the border. He yelled about how they were coming illegally and about how his grandmother was on food stamps and her welfare was being taken advantage of by immigrants. My hands were shaking while he was ranting; I wanted to argue back, but what was the point of engaging with someone who clearly would not be swayed by anything I said, who lacked empathy for those fleeing persecution and trying to find a better life? It was draining to listen to him, so I just hung up. I cried for a while after. His phone call was an all too familiar reminder of the anti-immigrant sentiment and policies that were happening over the summer, of the unwillingness of our government to recognize the humanity of other people, regardless of their national origin or documentation status. Everything the man said was misinformed and based on stereotypes. No, asylum seekers and immigrants are not coming to the border illegally — they are going through legal ports of entry. But the Trump administration has actively made it harder for asylum seekers to claim asylum by “metering” them, meaning Customs and Border Protection officials wrongly turn asylum seekers away at ports of entry because they say there’s no room to process them. This and other policies under the current administration — like “Remain in Mexico” — violate both domestic and international law. It isn’t like asylum seekers and immigrants have been coming for
an isolated reason either. Many of them are fleeing Central American countries such as Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, for various issues such as gang violence and a lack of accountability by the state. It’s important to remember, though, that the current instability is affected by U.S. intervention in the region during the ‘80s and ‘90s (let’s also not forget the longterm consequences of colonialism, too). There’s a tragic irony in the fact that the U.S. is turning away the very people who have been harmed by the country’s actions (for example, creating conflicts in the region and supplying guns to gangs). Many of the asylum seekers identify as LGBTQ+, escaping a region that has the highest rate of reported murders of transgender people. Other reasons include indigenous peoples fleeing persecution and farmers and environmentalists who have had to leave because of worsening environmental conditions. As for this man’s comment about welfare and immigrants: If he wanted to blame someone for the inadequate amount of welfare Americans receive, he should look at Ronald Reagan, who drastically cut back on welfare in the ‘80s, and Bill Clinton for nailing the coffin on welfare in the ‘90s. Undocumented immigrants, despite paying taxes and social security fees, can’t even access health care or reap any of the benefits for the things they pay for. Refugees receive only nine months of government assistance and asylees receive none. And up until 2009, immigrants with documentation were barred from Medicaid and CHIP for five years after entering the U.S. (Androff, David K., et al.) My parents and I felt the effect of this kind of legislation; we didn’t have health care until after we were naturalized five years ago. I wish there had been a way for me to tell that stranger on the phone all of this — though I doubt it would’ve really changed his mind. Our country has become so polarized on immigration that even when people are faced with facts, they still buy into the misinformation and stereotypes. They forget to see the people behind the numbers and the policies: people who have hopes and dreams and fears and stories that expand beyond a border.
A classroom through my eyes RAHIMA JAMAL MiC Blogger
When going to a lecture that you know no one in, you hope that friendly people sit next to you. There is that intimidation of not knowing anyone and awkwardly looking through your phone or doing things on your laptop to keep yourself preoccupied while others around you chatter away. Half of the people there seem to know exactly what is going on and the other half seem to be just as lost as you. You hope that someone nice, who also doesn’t know anyone,
sits next to you and that you can both bond over the fact that the professor is a little quirky or that the in-class quizzes are super confusing. There is comfort in knowing that there is someone there who is feeling the same exact way you are and that is how friendships are built in the classroom. But being a person of color really changes how I feel about all of this. Walking into a discussion section for the first time, Read more online at
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Allyson Felix: Athlete, mother, activist without conditions MICHAELA MINNIS MiC Columnist
Allyson Felix, an American track runner and field sprinter, recently earned her 12th Gold Medal at the World Athletics Championship in Qatar –– she also surpassed the legendary Usain Bolt in winning the most olympic gold medals in history. She welcomed her daughter 10 months ago, and this will be her first win since giving birth. Nike sponsored Felix for seven years, but the relationship ended due to their mistreatment of pregnant athletes. The track star is now the face of Athleta, its first ever sponsored athlete. Felix gave birth two months earlier than expected, had to undergo an emergency C-section and experienced life-threatening pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is marked by high blood pressure in women during pregnancy in women who have not had high blood pressure before. Other women like Beyonce, Serena Williams and Mariah Carey have also experienced preeclampsia during pregnancy. Her accomplishments deserve to be celebrated. However, there is much needed discussion around how, and most importantly if, these brands are truly in support of their ambassadors. Felix shared her Nike pregnancy story as well as two other athletes, Alysia Montano and Kara Goucher, who broke their nondisclosure agreements
in order to reclaim their autonomy back in May. There was a lack of support, and no secure maternity protections for any of these women, and therefore they were silenced. Women are able to hold more than one identify regardless if they were considered to be an athlete first. Female athletes train hard, have sleepless nights, do not get to spend time with their loved ones and have to constantly prove themselves as skilled in their
sport compared to men. There should be no conditions about one’s personal life, like wanting to start a family, that may jeopardize their career. Women are allowed to do what they feel makes their life worthwhile, without facing scrutiny from a support system that is supposed to have their best interest in mind, and this should go for society, as well. Felix said she now she runs for her daughter, for younger girls, and for single mothers. Her daughter
gave her motivation when she was unsure about being able to run again. I am grateful to Felix for sharing her Nike story and being loud and proud about being an athlete, mother, and activist. There is no order that those words have to be in for any woman that plays a sport or for any mother to be considered less of an athlete or less of a mother. And there is no need for an explanation to anyone about the order in which one lives their life.
JAMES B. HUDAK PROFESSOR OF HEALTH POLICY LECTURE
POPUL ATION HE ALTH DISPARITIE S: HIS TOR Y, T ENSIONS, AND NE W P OLIC Y DIREC T IONS
PAUL A L ANTZ
Associate dean for academic affairs, James B. Hudak Professor of Health Policy at the Ford School
Thursday, October 24, 2019 4:00-5:20 PM Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy Annenberg Auditorium, 1120 Weill Hall 735 S. State Street
Free and open to the public. Reception to follow. Info: fspp-events@umich.edu fordschool.umich.edu
@fordschool #HudakLecture
Opinion
4A — Monday, October 21, 2019
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CHERYN HONG | COLUMN
We need to fortify our sexual assault education
I
am no stranger to one should feel the need to sexual harassment. My dismiss their story, regardless developing years were of where it is on the spectrum. There is also a stigma around littered with various types of who predators can be. these experiences. When conversations The first kiss I had of rapists and was with a drunk attackers arise, people actor my family automatically turn to had adored, I was extreme instances. a victim of a game Rapists such as that involved the Brock Turner and groping of middle Ted Bundy are the school girls and archetypes people I had playdates believe to be predators, where boys would CHERYN which creates a tie me down and one-dimensional touch me. As a HONG perception. It creates result, from a young age, I came to understand the idea that a predator is an how detrimental the lack of abstract monster, because education about sexual assault no one they know could potentially harm someone could be. As a survivor, I’ve noticed else. It makes rapists and a borderline in the past several weeks how assaulters cautious and aware students intangible characters, when, are of specific acts of sexual in reality, anyone who violates harassment or assault. There the rules of consent by failing is an elemental idea of what to receive an enthusiastic sexual assault is and how to “yes” or “no” from a person in prevent it on campus, such as a sober mindset can become making sure to travel in groups and to not take drinks that you have not poured yourself. However, the biggest issue plaguing the freshmen class is the overall atmosphere of indifference. After a night out, I have heard several female students talk about how they were groped or forced to dance in a sexualized manner at a party and didn’t think twice about it. It made me realize that we associate college with sexual harassment by default. Our new experience of secondary a predator. According to education comes hand-in-hand Planned Parenthood, consent is composed of the factors that with adverse risks. In our current political it is freely given, informed, specific and atmosphere, the prevalence enthusiastic, of conversations about sexual reversible. It is integral to note assault, harassment and rape that someone can give consent has desensitized students but then change their mind, toward the issue. While I and the other party needs am not stating that ongoing to respect that. The more conversations have a negative we remove ourselves from effect on how we deal with the idea that we could hurt sexual assault, the persistent someone else, regardless of our use of it in media has made it intention, the more we create a seem hackneyed. It is no longer bigger risk for ambiguity and shocking to many students harmful relationships. While I acknowledge that in terms of cases of college assaults, which is probably there is no simple solution what is most disheartening. to the shallow mindset of Consequently, this creates the forms of sexual assault, apathy towards victims of and how it occurs, there are sexual assault, which can still steps the University and translate to a lack of urgency students can take to promote in the effort to rectify society’s healthy relationships. I must perception of sexual assault as a note that the University does take actions to address this “norm.” It is crucial to clarify the concept through Relationship term sexual assault before Remix, a two-hour discussion discussing the underlying all freshmen are required to issues behind it. The nonprofit take a month into their first organization Rape, Abuse semester. The session consists & Incest National Network of discussion over personal defines it as “sexual contact values, identity, how to identify or behavior that occurs consent and proper use of without explicit consent of contraception. And while it the victim.” Consequently, is a very comprehensive and anything from an unwanted thoughtful session, there needs touch to penetration falls to be further incentive for under the umbrella of sexual students to take the course to assault. However, it seems as heart rather than with a grain if in college, when we think of of salt. Such as approaching programs seriously, sexual assault we automatically these think of rape. Sexual assault rather than advertising it like takes numerous forms and no a bullet point to check off the
There are still steps the University and students can take to promote healthy relationships.
school year checklist. This is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed in the community because, while many misconceptions may exist about sexual assault, many students have personal experience, either of their own or someone close to them, which can make it a difficult topic to tackle. In fact, Making Caring Common, a report lead by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, revealed in a national survey that 87 percent of 18 to 25 year old women reported they had been a victim of at least one form of sexual harassment. While it may seem futile to discuss basic ideas such as consent and definitions of assault, these changes could be incredibly useful to a wide variety of students. Due to the large student population at the University, there is a plethora of diversity in regard to socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicity, race, nationality and sexuality. It is dangerous to assume that every student holds the same definition of sexual assault and understanding of consent. Unifying the student body on a baseline of the same definitions of assault, safe relationships and consent during their first year of college will create student accountability. Preventative actions would rectify a blurry understanding of the various forms of sexual assault and, while it may not solve the issue of sexual assault altogether, it is a giant step toward a safer community. The Washington Post published an article stating the major cause of sexual assault is not alcohol abuse, but rather the aggressors. They argue that a major combatant to sexual assault is to implement education programs that teach bystander intervention, healthy masculinity, how to set boundaries and how to protect oneself from attacks. Education of bystander intervention and definition of consent was also mentioned in the Huffington Post as mediums to combat the numerous mishandled college sexual assault cases. The education we receive now is the most recent lesson we will be taught as we go on with our lives. We are in a special position where this is likely the last time we will be sat down and prepared to build healthy relationships in order to avoid sexual assault, rape and harassment. Lastly, if you know anyone that is struggling with sexual violence in any form, please call 800-656-HOPE (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. Cheryn Hong can be reached at cherynh@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.
W
hile the Amazon’s fires blazed on, despite worldwide outcry and aid efforts, hundreds of protesters in Quito, Ecuador were setting fires of their own. On Oct. 3, Ecuador’s President Lenín Moreno declared a nationwide state of emergency after protests erupted over the end of the country’s 40-year-long subsidy for gasoline. Along with the decision to terminate the gasoline subsidy, Ecuador’s government decided to depart from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to avoid committing to their guidelines on reducing output. For a country that is fairly reliant on oil (petroleum constituted a third of Ecuador’s export earnings in the year 2017), it is not surprising that Moreno’s recent policy has been met with a heated response. The end of the gas subsidy also comes on the heels of Moreno’s economic agenda, which encompasses broader structural reform including changes to the country’s central bank and the code of budget and planning. Domestic prices of most consumer goods have been highly responsive to the end of the subsidy. For example, the Ecuadorian price of diesel rose from $1.03 to $2.30 per gallon on Thursday, while gasoline climbed from $1.85 to $2.39, according to NPR. Ecuador is no stranger to drastic economic reforms. A financial crisis in 1999 led to systematic changes including the shift to dollarization. But Moreno’s latest change, some say, is a political ploy. The decision to end the fuel subsidy hurts Ecuador’s marginalized populations much more than the country’s economic elites, who will still be able to afford the spikes in prices. While Moreno claimed the decision was intended to help Ecuador’s economy grow and decrease the debt, the decision to end fuel subsidies also came with a hefty loan from the International Monetary Fund. Protests have escalated well beyond demonstrations. As of last week, an estimated 50 police officers have been taken hostage by demonstrators. Carlos Pérez, the country’s minister of energy and natural resources, noted “oil industry installations are being
guarded against attempts to occupy them.” Quito’s surrounding cities have faced violence as well. Pharmacies and supermarkets are being looted by enraged citizens, and there are videos of police officers beating down protesters in the streets and using tear gas. Outside of Ecuador’s domestic panic, we can already see some of the early international effects of the protests. Several major flights have been forced to reschedule or re-route as the road blockades have prevented traffic from entering or exiting the Quito airport. The result of these protests has been an odd private conversation between two persons: Moreno has accused the protesters of attempting to destabilize Ecuador’s government, while the protesters allege that the president has turned a blind eye to the effects of the policy on the lower and middle classes in the country. Moreno ought to consider that some of the residual anger many Ecuadorians feel is a result of the lack of returns on other economic promises. For example, the president’s proposed expansion of funding for social programs in the country has not seen follow-through yet. Because these protests center around the massive spike in prices for a variety of consumer goods in the country, and because the decision to end the subsidies has received support from the country’s elites, moving forward with an aggressive reform of the country’s social safety nets could alleviate some of the most vulnerable protesters’ economic concerns. This is especially the case given that Moreno’s loan from the IMF was, among other things, intended to expand government provision of aid to Ecuador’s poorest populations. While the loan has been cancelled due to the protests, the IMF has stated that they are open to renegotiating. The world will be watching Ecuador now and, more importantly, watching the renegotiation — to see if Ecuador uses this opportunity to do its citizens right in a time of increased social upheaval. Much of the news frenzy around Ecuador’s civil unrest lies in the equally enormous levels of passion and strategy behind the protests. Ecuador’s central government was
forced to flee as a series of riots descended upon the capital. This, some policy analysts have suggested, is in line with the way that recent Latin American protesters have shifted their tactics to attempt to combat corruption. Guatemala, Peru and Colombia have experienced similar unrest after citizens took to the streets to protest corrupt officials. While thousands of Colombians blocked the Pan-American Highway to highlight the systemic violence indigenous people continue to endure at the hands of officials who have turned a blind eye, protesters in Peru targeted bribed attorneys general as well as federal judge Pedro Chávarry, who sought to unlawfully remove prosecutors from upcoming controversial cases. Just this month, Peruvian citizens took to the streets again to protest President Martín Vizcarra’s decision to dissolve the country’s current congress and hold new elections — a move that many have labeled as a blatant attempt to break Peru’s constitutional order for personal political gain. In Latin America these days, protesters’ attention is hyper-focused on the lawmakers responsible for socioeconomic problems. In the age of Donald Trump, the United States has seen a variety of movements develop around the need to address widespread socioeconomic disparities. Those who want to see change in the United States ought to align with those protesting government corruption in Ecuador. This is especially true for the many organizations and movements that have roots in Ann Arbor, including the fight for lecturer working standards and the recent climate strike. Many of the people in Ecuador who are currently protesting are facing a crisis that shares common ground with many of the United States’s political woes: economic policy that benefits elites, corrupt politicians and lack of reform. The world will be watching to see whether Moreno will decide to meet protesters’ demands, and the United States should certainly be paying close attention. Allison Pujol can be reached at ampmich@umich.edu.
SONEIDA RODRIGUEZ | COLUMN
Primary care should be a grassroots movement
Z
ip code, postal code, area code — whatever you want to call it, this fivedigit, benign figure identifies your general location on the U.S map. In 2017, the National Center for Health Statistics released life expectancy across American neighborhoods that actually proved your zip code is a map in and of itself. Similar to how your DNA can map out your susceptibility to disease or death, so can your zip code. So much so that even the Director of the National Institute of Health Francis Collins is referring to zip codes as “our ZNA.” How can a five digit number be so powerful? In short, years of inequality have left their mark on American society. Where one lives largely correlates to what has been coined one’s social determinants of health. These determinants refer to factors like “access to healthy food, good schools, affordable housing” and income, all of which empower individuals to prevent illness, protect against stress or access health care. The Detroit News found that Michigan’s life expectancy had a 29-year range across different neighborhoods. It maxed out at around 91 years in an East Grand Rapids neighborhood, and fell to as low as 62 in one Detroit area. Clearly, we need to be treating disease as not just a breakdown of the body, but a symptom of a breakdown in American society. Right now, primary health care providers, local non-profits, local health departments and community members are working independently to promote community health. Combating years of inequality will require these stakeholders to work together in order to identify and target a community’s social and medical needs. In essence, we need to revolutionize America’s reactive health system and transform it into a proactive one. A grassroots movement approach to community health can catalyze this revolution by enhancing communication and collaboration between those four key stakeholders. As powerful as the federal government sounds, it’s the local government that has the most profound impact on day-to-day well-being. All over the country,
there are 2,800 local health departments, each one entrusted with protecting community health. These departments run free health clinics, launch heart disease awareness campaigns and respond to public health threats like the Hepatitis A outbreak currently ravaging Washtenaw County. While this work is vital, it is still far too reactive. Health departments should be anticipating the social and medical needs of a community before those needs turn into the next infectious outbreak or chronic disease epidemic. The best way to do this is by communicating with the front lines of health care: primary care professionals. Primary care providers include nurses, doctors, physician assistants and allied health professionals. Whether they work in emergency departments or out-patient clinics, these providers witness the results of our different “ZNA” firsthand. The clinical trends observed by primary care workers on the frontlines are powerful. If primary health care professionals have the ability to communicate clinical trends to health department officials, they can tailor public health programs to fit the needs of community members. Consequently, informing health departments of new data about high blood pressure diagnoses in a particular neighborhood can prevent a decrease in life expectancy in this area years later. A grassroots movement approaches demand meetings between all stakeholders. Organizing consistent meetings to discuss these trends will empower health departments to customize public health initiatives in order to tackle these concerns. Furthermore, such communication could enhance shared infrastructure between the two stakeholders, yet another key component of a healthy grassroots effort. Working together, local health professionals and health departments could design software that could de-identify patient data and map out unmet social and medical needs in different neighborhoods. Beyond building bridges between health departments and health providers, a grassroots approach would also foster collaboration between health providers and local non-profits.
When creating treatment plans, health providers are well qualified to combat chronic disease threats like heart disease with prescriptions and diet recommendations. However, this type of treatment is worthless if a patient lives in a food desert or does not have the proper housing to refrigerate their medication. The reality is that many communities have local nonprofits who can satisfy the social needs of patients. Consequently, these non-profits deserve to be a part of the treatment plan. For instance, Fresh Express is a non-profit mobile produce market that purchases produce “at wholesale and sells it without a markup” in food desert neighborhoods in Arizona, or areas where it is difficult to access affordable produce. Imagine if health care professionals had the capability to make non-profits such as Fresh Express a part of their patients’ treatment plans, rather than only prescribing a diet recommendation. Health providers could also connect patients with local nonprofits that can provide access to the fresh produce needed to live up to this diet recommendation. Patients would no longer be alone in the struggle to adhere to a treatment plan and improve one’s health. Through a grassroots approach, non-profits serving the community would have an established relationship with health practitioners. In turn, this relationship would enable non-profits like Fresh Express to communicate when patients reach out to them for support and see if their resources are enough to help the patient. Perhaps you are convinced this is the responsibility of social workers; however, not all primary care clinics are equipped to hire a full-time social worker. There is no reason that social needs and medical concerns cannot be integrated into the same treatment plan.
Read more at MichiganDaily.com Soneida Rodriguez can be reached at soneida@umich.edu.
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Monday, October 21, 2019 — 5A
WORLD MUSIC COLUMN
TV REVIEW
The unwavering fluidity of unity in highlife music SAYAN GHOSH
Daily World Music Columnist
NETFLIX
Paul and ... even more Paul JUSTIN POLLACK Daily Arts Writer
In many ways, Netflix’s “Living with Yourself” is your standard sitcom — Miles Eliot (Paul Rudd, “Avengers: Endgame”) is in his late thirties, his marriage and career tread water as he faces the impending reality of middle age. The only difference is that while others attempt to learn how to play an instrument or buy a new car, Miles attempts to escape his familiar lifestyle by cloning himself. In all fairness, this was not his goal. Miles learns from his co-worker Dan (Desmin Borges, “You’re the Worst”) about an extremely exclusive spa that gives their clients a DNA detox in order to let them live life to their fullest potential. Desperate enough to pay the $50,000 fee, Miles lies down in the treatment chair and wakes up as a new man — one with a rejuvenated sense of life. He sticks his out of the car window like a dog, outshines Dan at the office and cooks meals for his wife Kate (Aisling Bea, “This Way Up”). The only problem is that original Miles wakes up in a body bag in a forest and isn’t too fond of this new Miles, who is literally a better version of himself, taking over his life. Based on the first few episodes, the show mostly alternates between the perspectives of the original Miles and his clone. At its worst, it can get repetitive and confusing. At its best, this show demonstrates Rudd’s ability as an actor to simultaneously play a worn-out pinhead and a charismatic maniac. Every
episode thus far has ended in a cliffhanger. But the source of most of the drama comes from its (sort of confusing) narrative structure as the episodes begin by rewinding the cliffhanger sequence and playing it from the other Miles perspective. In some ways, Timothy Greenberg’s “Living with Yourself” is like Michael Schur’s “The Good Place,” both utilizing fantastical premises to explore the potential for self-improvement. Although “Living with Yourself” is less magical, it too uses absurdist humor to break up awkward situations. Contrasted with “The Good Place”, where there is an explanation for everything, Greenberg doesn’t seem too concerned in the science or rules surrounding the premise. This is problematic as there is minimal explanation for how Top Happy Spa operates — they create a clone with genetic improvement and transfer memories of the original client who is normally killed in the process. Additionally, the rules feel inconsistent: New Miles knows everything that original Miles has learned but feels none of the frustration from Kate’s failed pregnancy. It’s extremely unclear as to why refreshing one’s DNA would rid Miles of past disappointments that led him to make the decision to become cloned to begin with. “Living with Yourself” feels simultaneously original, yet tired. It combines standard sitcom tropes coupled with technological anxiety, grounded with the talented Paul Rudd. If you are a fan of Rudd, that is enough reason to watch. Aside from that, the eight-episode season makes it a minimal commitment.
Living with Yourself Series Premiere Netflix
My introduction into the world of highlife music came incidentally through my love of the distinctive, jangly sound of Johnny Marr’s Rickenbacker 330. You can often see the associations online, even though Marr himself says he never himself was really aware of the genre when he started experimenting with his signature tone. Nonetheless, the obvious comparisons still persist, providing an introduction to the diverse, political genre. It’s difficult to pin down the precise origins through the multitudes of sub-genres, but most sources seem to agree that highlife began in Ghana in the early 1900s as a mix of local Ghanaian musical traditions with European instrumentation and a distinct jazz inf luence, which itself at the time was reaching its peak popularity. The term itself came from the idea at the time that, going to certain clubs and other establishments to listen to bands playing this type of music was indeed “living the highlife.” Listening to renditions of classics of the early highlife era such as Jacob Sam’s “Yaa Amponsah,” one can hear the inf luences on Anglophone works that would appear several decades later, from Paul Simon to The Talking Heads. Highlife itself takes most of its rhythms and structures from the folk music of the Akan people, the predominant ethnic group in the Gold Coast area of West Africa. Musicians who were familiar with traditional instruments such as the seperewa, a harp-lute transitioned easily to guitars, a representation of this type of synthesis of new instrumentation and
traditional motifs. During the postwar period, and especially during the time when Ghana gained its independence from England, highlife became not only the country’s most popular form of music, but also a symbol of national unity and a mode of celebration, even though the genre in its early stages heavily catered towards the wealthy and colonial elite in the urban centers of the country. Even Louis Armstrong came to Ghana to perform alongside the “King of Highlife” E.T. Mensah and his band The Tempos. During the 1940s and ’50s, the genre spread from its origins in the coast of Ghana into neighboring countries, becoming especially popular in Nigeria. Fela Kuti, arguably the most famous Nigerian musician ever, was heavily inf luenced by highlife when creating the style of music he dubbed “Afrobeat.” In both countries, the genre consumed inf luences from funk and reggae as well, yet again blending new elements. Some of the genre’s best tracks came out of this period of popularity in Nigeria in the 1960s and ’70s, a time when the genre declined in popularity (albeit with a short revival) in Ghana, including Celestine Ukwu’s sunny “Ejina Uwa Nya Isi.” Even until the 1980s, classics such as “Osondi Owendi” were being released by artists such as Stephen Osita Osadebe, who aimed to further “Africanize” the genre rather than take most of its inf luences from external forms such as jazz. Highlife is a difficult genre to precisely define since it resists all such attempts. Yet its inf luence has been felt far and wide, and has lent itself to both political and nonpolitical movements.
Listening to renditions of classics of the early highlife era such as Jacob Sam’s “Yaa Amponsah,” one can hear the influences on Anglophone works that would appear several decades later, from Paul Simon to The Talking Heads.
ALBUM REVIEW
FILM REVIEW
God forgives, but not NEG ‘Jexi’: Artifice meets itself JIM WILSON
Daily Arts Writer
The band is Never Ending Game. The album is Just Another Day. The following are real reactions to the music found on the internet: “Music created by sentient neck tattoos,” “You must listen and punch at least three of your friends in the face,” “Definitely never wearing a shirt at a show again after listening to this one time” and the especially poignant, “Never Ending Game FUCKS.” If such pleasantries don’t make you want to listen to this album, I’d like to offer my sincere apologies, but your tastes are out of whack. Never Ending Game, otherwise known as NEG, is composed of the former members of the bands Freedom, True Love, Detain and Breaking Wheel, a few of Detroit’s finest hardcore bands. In plain terms, the band has some serious pedigree. NEG’s brand of hardcore is for the purists: Anyone who wants it, as long as they can deal with the band’s sawed-off-shotgun energy. They do what they do, and someone doesn’t like it — well, too bad, they’re going to keep doing it. NEG crafts brooding, methodical, groovy, riffy, bass-heavy hardcore with lyrics filled with venom and cynicism, and on Just Another Day, they push the limits of that sound. Lead single “God Forgives…” aptly prepares listeners for the band’s current mission. Looping guitar chugs and drum snaps provide a just backdrop to lyrics like, “Don’t crawl back / What we possess is what you lack.” NEG posits themselves as a band that has transcended the scene. They’re setting the pace for all other hardcore bands. In one of the best calls of the year, a robotic sample drops an ominous “God forgives…” and vocalist Mikey barks a fearinducing “N-E-G don’t” in response. It could not be more perfect. The band makes it clear that no one can mimic their sound, and if they try, they will be sorry. The first four tracks are an unforgiving onslaught of NEG’s best material, but then
something strange happens. The brutality lets up, but just for a moment. A minute and 41 seconds, to be exact. On “N.E.G. Jams,” the band breaks down into a groovy garage metal set, free of vocals. It’s not much, but it sure is a hell of a lot of fun — the perfect way to break up the violence. Much of the same happens for the rest of the album, but that’s not a bad thing. Rather, it’s a testament to NEG’s consistency and their mastery of craft. Late album highlights include “Bleeding,” a storm-siren track littered with quotable lines and gang vocals, and “Stolen Life,” a winding, haunting (almost medieval) track with lyrics like, “I learned at an early age / Life can’t be given back, only taken away … Only the faces change, it all stays the same.” The song in which Never Ending Game is at their best, however, is album closer “1 of Those Nights.” “1 of Those Nights” finds NEG at their best, their most dynamic and their most earnest. On this track, the band metamorphosizes into a metal act á la Power Trip or Gatecreeper while still maintaining their hardcore roots. NEG isn’t trying to pummel listeners with this one. Instead, they’re trying to teach listeners a lesson in getting through hard times. Downtrodden early lines like “Every night, I close my eyes / I’ll give this life one more try / The tears I’ve cried have left me blind” are contrasted by later lines like “You brought me to the light / With you, I’ll make it through the night / Wish I had the words to thank you for opening my eyes.” It’s powerful, and especially given the hardcore delivery of the message, the record may well be the band’s best work. Never Ending Game is obviously a good hardcore band, but their quirks are what make them great. They’re much more nuanced than many of their contemporaries, and Just Another Day does an excellent job proving that. They wear their influences on their sleeves, but it’s not just their influences within the genre. The soul samples and the movie samples demonstrate NEG’s ability to pull inspiration from other media and warp it to fit their needs in fresh, exciting ways. If Never Ending Game can keep up with the pace they set on Just Another Day, we may be talking about them in the
ANDREW WARRICK Daily Arts Writer
“Jexi” is a “what if” movie, that sad brand of stale comedy that’s framed by a conceptually intriguing idea — like “Isn’t It Romantic,” which asked what if someone was stuck in a romantic comedy? With major studio comedies frequently tanking at the box office, this type of writing has become increasingly popular as producers search for a unique idea to get people into theater seats. This time, unfortunately, that didn’t work. In its opening weekend, “Jexi” grossed a meager 3.2 million dollars. For the benefit of those who didn’t see it (meaning most of the world) the film’s “what if” question is what if a cell phone fell in love? Phil, played by Adam Devine (“Isn’t It Romantic”), works an unsatisfying job at a Buzzfeed-style website making listicles about cats while pining for something more. When he buys a new phone, its unusually vivacious artificial intelligence software, Jexi, sets out to improve his life, and falls head over heels for him in the process. Of course, these feelings aren’t quite reciprocated, as Phil has fallen in love with Cate (Alexandra Shipp, “Love Simon) and starts to use his phone less. Devine and the cast, especially Wanda Sykes (“Bad Moms”), are funny enough to carry mediocre scenes that have been done before in countless other comedies. The science fiction elements, centered around a sentient, emotional AI, are interesting at a base level, asking common but still pressing questions about artificial life and the future of human connection. Jexi herself is also hilarious, delivering expletive-filled rants with the dryness of a taciturn artificial personality like Siri. The movie is a strange combination of science fiction with a social point a la “Black Mirror” and a Lifetime network romantic comedy. The two genres in “Jexi” mix like oil and water. The science fiction is kept a wall away from the love story, shoved into a subplot. The film employs elements from two distinct genres
with widely different rules and conventions, without considering how they would appear in juxtaposition. Since a balance is never achieved, they manage to diminish the effects of each other. Imagine going from a meditation on life with AI to a showy dance montage — it’s jarring. The romance comes off as frivolous and unrealistic, while the sci-fi appears impersonal, just a gimmick in service of the plot. On top of the blithe romance and its science fiction sojurns, “Jexi” clumsily tries to say something about society. It’s a basic message: Technology dependence bad, personal connection good. The opening scene is a montage of Phil diving into a cell phone to escape his parents’ troubled marriage. Then there’s Adam painstakingly working to create the “perfect” Facebook picture, slathering it in filters and emojis. Finally, and most ham-fistedly — a phone literally tries to stop Phil from having a human relationship. This idea would work if “Jexi” had any real humanity, yet everything about it invokes the superficiality of the internet age. The cinematography chokes in colors straight out of Snapchat’s most garish filters, and the music used wouldn’t be out of place in an Apple commercial. The characters are like Instagram personalities, too. They fit their assigned roles perfectly, without any blemishes, and there is never any real depth. Kid Cudi’s awkward cameo furthers the unreality. “Jexi” dispenses surface pleasures perfectly, conjuring brief laughs or mild interest, but in the end, nothing sticks. Its many disparate parts are too underdeveloped and contradictory to work. Satires about similar topics, like the episode “Nosedive” from “Black Mirror,” work because the comedy and science fiction are intertwined, combining to say something meaningful about the human experience. In “Jexi,” they’re too chopped up, which keeps it from saying anything at all. “Jexi” will be buried in the streaming sludge among other forgotten movies, joining the evergrowing pile of colorful, smiling thumbnails that don’t do much but look pretty. This seems like the most appropriate fate.
Just Another Day
Jexi
Never Ending Game
Goodrich Quality 16, Ann Arbor 20+ IMAX
Triple B Records
Lionsgate
Arts
6A — Monday, October 21, 2019
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
BOOK REVIEW
ALBUM REVIEW
‘Institute’ brings terror CLARA SCOTT Senior Arts Editor
NETFLIX
‘Two Hands’ lands gracefully SAMANTHA CANTIE Daily Arts Writer
At Bear Creek Studios last summer, just outside Seattle, the indie band Big Thief hit a point of contention. In their secluded, wooden cabin studio, they realized they had over two albums worth of music to record. Lead singer and prolific writer, Adrianne Lenker, had created over 50 songs in the two years since releasing their sophomore album, Capacity. Only five days after recording their third album U.F.O.F, Big Thief hunkered down to record the follow-up Two Hands. Big Thief physically linked the two albums together from the beginning; when fans purchased U.F.O.F. on vinyl in July 2019, they noticed blank 7” records in their purchase, with the unreleased single “Two Hands.” Little did fans know, this subtle gesture hinted at the connectedness to a companion album that was on its way. Now, we finally have both — Big Thief’s golden age is in full bloom. Two Hands is a down-to-earth album that investigates the nature of bodies and of the earth, illuminating brothers, lovers and the planet as a collective body. Where U.F.O.F escapes towards out-of-body experiences (with production that matches the drum of a spiritual ethos), Two Hands roots itself in the body, launching into uncharted territory in its practical yet questioning encasement of the human experience. Still, the temporal closeness of both records’ creation shows: Lenker’s autobiographical moments and use of characters peels back layers, which is paired with an extreme willingness to be vulnerable. This is Big Thief’s sweet spot. Two Hands interrogates the social follies we’re all responsible for, while remaining in touching distance to the beautiful glow of our bodies and earth. The record does the same sonically: Lenker’s voice has a delicate desperation that cries out as if for justice, but the fingerpicking and chord progression always pulls her back into a swing. All the while, the use of descending chord progressions in Two Hands lowers listeners down to the soil. Lead single “Forgotten Eyes” is emblematic of what Big Thief does thematically throughout the album. “Forgotten Eyes” dives into climate change, homelessness and violence, taking these social issues and situating them in a singular identity. The lyrics position “them” next to “I,” creating a sort of accountability with the lyrics “And the poison is killing them, but then so am I.” In these lines, Lenker’s voice breaks, but is saved by the chorus, a rush of soothing chords, as the listener is settled into the grounded, fruitful message: “Everybody needs a home and deserves protection.” Desperate breakaways in vocals followed by humming instrumentation might be the best way to describe the genius of Two Hands, both sonically and lyrically. Lenker’s voice breaks and shreds, allowing her to
Two Hands Big Thief Saddle Creek
delicately stray for emphasis, until the chord progression and more symmetric fingerpicking brings the listener back under her protection, weaving a soothing cocoon that pulls her breaking voice back in. The album is quiet at the right times, building gently to Lenker’s piercing moments. The title track “Two Hands” emphasizes the earthen nature of this record. Lenker is in her upper register, complemented with guitar sequences that emulate birds chirping — it has a Snow White quality. She goes from a Disney princess singing to the birds, earthly in every sense, to a musician of much harsher tones later in the record, specifically on the track “Not.” “Not” carries the most pent-up anger on the album, repeating the use of “not” or “nor” at the beginning of each line, then listing entities we touch, feel, taste, see and hear. Right after the aggression of the track “Not” we get “Wolves,” which brings us back to nature, using a consistent droning note and a complex rhythm on top, as if to catch the morning sun. Lenker’s “ooos” start to sound like the howl of a wolf. My personal favorite on the record, “Shoulders,” reflects on violence in our own veins, with the fierce lyrics: “It’s me, it’s me, it’s in my veins.” Big Thief takes on large topics like violence and looks at them microscopically. For another example, “The Toy” haunts with a sound that coos, while its lyrics suggest the toy in her hand could be a gun. 2019 is the year of Big Thief. Lenker draws in fans with an intense stare that kills, and a voice that murders. With Two Hands, Big Thief evolves their sound to be gentle yet powerful, melodic social commentary on our own bodies and the body of human beings collectively. Big Thief’s pair of 2019 albums emphasize the love of interconnection. This sort of locked-in, groundedness to each other and to the earth itself, as displayed on Two Hands, is best encompassed in the following quote from Lenker in an interview with Stereogum: “I think in the next 10 years, we’re probably going to find some way to protect some patch of the earth and maybe build a studio and have underprivileged children be able to come and make music … We want to create something that would help, not just donate money we get from tour to organizations but try and grow closer to the earth, closer to our own centers.” That’s what Two Hands does — it grounds us. It brings us closer to our own centers.
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis DOWN 1 Fifth tire 2 Pamplona runners 3 Utah ski resort 4 Quick look 5 Ages and ages 6 Beat by a bit 7 Paperwork accumulation 8 “A __ Is Born” 9 Tense NBA periods 10 Slam-dancing area 11 Tesla self-driving car system 12 Fruity metaphor for a rumor mill 13 Burden 14 Clock radio toggle 18 “No one __ blame” 23 Crude in a tanker 26 2018 Best Actor Gary 28 Dog’s bark 29 What students take at lectures 30 Legendary Garbo 31 Twelve 24-Acrosses 32 Melancholy
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The Institute Stephen King Scribner Sept. 10, 2019
COMMUNITY CULTURE REVIEW
Release Date: Monday, October 21, 2019
ACROSS 1 Thespian’s platform 6 English Derby site 11 Earlier 14 Handsome god 15 “Me too!” 16 Coffee hour vessel 17 Vessel for Bond 19 Sigma follower 20 Golf tournament kickoff 21 Clairvoyant 22 B-ball 24 Spanish “month” 25 Money in the middle of a poker table 27 Smoke for Sherlock 28 “... for the remainder of my days” 34 No-holds-__ 37 “Like it __ ... ” 38 2020 Super Bowl number 39 Lemony Snicket’s evil count 40 Celestial shower component 42 Ice cream holder 43 “The Greatest” boxer 44 Painter of café scenes 45 John of “Three’s Company” 47 Places to get bronzed skin 50 Adolescent 51 Cuteness reactions 52 State-of-the-__ 55 “Me too!” 56 Give off 59 Debate topic 61 Game with Draw Two cards 62 Communication confusion ... or what’s literally found in this puzzle’s three sets of circles 65 Quito’s country, to the IOC 66 “Time is money,” e.g. 67 Texting devices 68 Filming site 69 Tibetan priests 70 Engaged in battle
The idea of “gifted and talented” programs is nothing new: In fact, I would expect many of the people at the University were a part of one in the past. It’s a good way to group students with exceptional promise together, and also a perfect opportunity to infuse school with a sense of bizarre competitive edge early on. It’s this idea of gifted children, especially those who might be more gifted than the average child, that serves as the bedrock of Stephen King’s newest novel “The Institute,” an entertaining and wholeheartedly disturbing take on what happens when institutions take advantage of bright youngsters. Looking at the title, it’s easy to make connections between the novel and several other stories of gifted children, most notably Charles Xavier’s school for mutants in the X-Men franchise. But King, as the master of thrillers he is, takes a slower, more deliberate approach to the premise, building suspense and terror with an expert hand. In fact, the book is so slow in the beginning that it’s not clear what the plot will actually be for the first forty pages or so, one of its only faults. For any other author, most readers wouldn’t have the stamina to continue through a slog of exposition like that of King’s description of protagonist Tim Jamieson. Despite this, the first few chapters of the novel are just interesting enough to maintain intrigue, expecting something to happen at every turn. The slow burn is typical of many King novels, but holds a special prescience in this narrative. In this way, King’s reputation as a writer precedes even the content of “The Institute,” but it’s a trust that is earned quickly as the novel revs up. Jamieson, a cop with a broken past, finds himself inexplicably thrown into the rinky-dink goings-on of a small South Carolina town called DuPray. Every character the reader is introduced to seems like a stereotype, from the lovable sheriff to the town’s resident conspiracy nut. But somehow, in true King style, not even these tropes seem contrived. In the setting of DuPray, anything could happen and you’d brush it off as small-town antics. Although not clear at the beginning, this environment’s characteristics lend themselves to larger happenings, the close net of townspeople supporting each other through it all. This attention to detail is what makes a reader start to realize the brilliance of King’s work, and the fact that even he, the master of an entire genre, can improve with each book. Not many writers could spend so much time on a seemingly run-down Southern town and have it pay off, but he is always 12 steps ahead. Although the beginning of “The Institute” is dedicated to DuPray, the vast majority of the novel is centered around its other protagonist, 12-year-old genius Luke Ellis. Ellis is considering going to college before he even goes through puberty, and his unassuming but loving parents are all on board. They meet with the principal,
figure out the money, and hesitantly wait to push their son, both brilliant and grounded in atypical fashion for a child prodigy, out into the big scary world. That is, until Luke is suddenly kidnapped and shipped under cover of night to the book’s eponymous Institute. This happens as quickly in King’s writing as it must have felt for the characters themselves, one day hemming and hawing over the cost of college tuition and the next in a completely different world. The Institute isn’t a place for young geniuses to go and be supported into their adult genius lives; no, it’s much more sinister than that. Despite Ellis’s status as one of the smartest preteens in existence, this is not the reason he’s taken from our world into that of the Institute. Instead, it’s the fact that he is slightly telekinetic (TK, as the other kids at the compound put it), that make him a perfect target for the forces behind his kidnapping. Though the premise may seem like that of a cheesy young adult novel, King manages to make their predicament urgent, and the situations the children find themselves navigating very, very adult. Inside the Institute, children both telekinetic and telepathic are put through a rigorous battery of tests and tortures, all under the guise of military service. They live in rooms that are perfect replicas of theirs at home, except without windows. They are served gourmet meals in a posh cafeteria, but the vending machines offer cigarettes and tiny minibar alcohol in addition to their usual wares. The children are given shots and plunged into ice-cold tanks. Clearly, this isn’t a normal school for gifted children. But it isn’t a prison, either — the real dread of the novel is the reader’s inability to tell where it falls in the middle. Children between the ages of eight and 15 roam the concrete halls, being used for an unknown purpose to further an unknown cause. King’s portrayal of the Institute is subtle, but that subtlety is what makes it even more terrifying. There are clear antagonists, but their intentions are fuzzy, the morals of what they are doing hard to discern. All the reader knows is that the kids shouldn’t be there, with a low hum of suspense coloring every move they make. The novel is hefty, as King’s books typically are, but it plugs along at a pace that makes its density nearly effortless to navigate. You can tell that “The Institute” is one of over 50 books in King’s catalog, because it seems like it was written by someone with nearly infinite wisdom and insight into his own ideas. Every question that needs to be answered is answered, eventually. Though it’s the questions that King chooses not to tie up that make the novel so intriguing. Reading the book’s nearly 600 pages seems like walking down a carefully laid path, with every stone in the perfect position to lead you to the next one. Nothing is revealed too early, or brought up too late.
33 Of all time 34 Yacht or ferry 35 Suddenly 36 Postponed, as a ball game 41 U.K. language 42 Dime’s 10: Abbr. 44 Barely enough 46 Acumen 48 Prefix with liberal 49 Pull-up muscles, briefly 52 Yoga posture
53 Measuring stick 54 Hardy’s “__ of the D’Urbervilles” 55 Takes to court 56 More than a quiz 57 Prefix between kilo- and giga58 March 15, notably 60 Skiing surface 63 Wash. neighbor 64 Hoppy brew, for short
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
By Kevin Salat ©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
10/21/19
10/21/19
‘The Pirates of Penzance’ prevails ALIX CURNOW Daily Arts Writer
The University’s Musical Theatre Department’s production of “Pirates of Penzance” can be categorized as a pleasant surprise. Full of intense choreography, immense vocal skill and colorful costumes, the production was brimming with excitement. The stage was alive with pirates, nervous generals and a slew of intelligent daughters. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my Sunday afternoon anywhere besides Cornwall, England with this hodgepodge of characters. “Pirates of Penzance,” with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W.S. Gilbert, has never been my favorite theatrical endeavor. In fact, most of Gilbert and Sullivan’s work is not my favorite — I find the work dated and overdone. When I heard that the Musical Theatre Department was doing it this year, I rolled my eyes. It’s marketability to University donors makes it a fiscally reasonable choice for University productions. However, artistically, its story doesn’t strike me as much of a theatrical challenge for the students involved. However, under the direction of The School of Music, Theatre & Dance’s faculty Vincent J. Cardinal, this version of “Pirates” was unlike anything I could have anticipated from the 18th century comic opera. Cardinal’s vision brought a newfound sense of liveliness and flare to the production. It was “Pirates,” but on steroids. The choreography by Cassie Abate contributed greatly to the high production quality of this opera. Abate used the number of talented dancers at her disposal to her advantage. For less experienced choreographers, the sheer amount of bodies on stage could be a recipe for disaster as it opens up opportunities for creating a cluttered and messy image. However, Abate’s detailed and intricate choreography work allowed for fabulously orchestrated movements between performers. There was constantly something to catch your eye, be it a flip, a kick or a tap dance (yes, a break-out tap dance number in “Pirates” — talk about surprises!). Thanks to Abate and her assistant choreographer Maya Alwan, SMTD senior and musical theatre major, the lack of an interesting story line was made up for by the incredible dancing. There was not a single actor on stage who did not fully commit to their role. The talent of each performer proved why the University
is known for its stellar Musical Theatre program. With a cast so incredibly talented, it is difficult to pick out performances that shine above the rest. However, the performances from SMTD senior musical theatre majors Commodore C. Primous III and Nina White are certainly worthy of note. Primous played Pirate King, a comedic villain of sorts, who ruled over the other pirates in the show. Primous had a physicality that many actors would kill for, not to mention his lively facial expressions and comedic timing. If someone had told me he played this role eight times a week on Broadway, I wouldn’t bat an eye. It seemed to be made for him. White was fiery as Ruth — an older woman who is abandoned by her love, Frederic. Similar to Primous, the playfulness White incorporated in her rendition of Ruth made for some great comedic bits. She proved to be a fantastic character actor and fully committed to her role as a 45-year-old nanny. If someone were to ask you to see an 18th century comedic opera, you might politely decline. However, sometimes expectations don’t coincide with reality. The University’s production of “Pirates of Penzance” was one full of delightfully good surprises. Get your tickets for the second weekend now, while you still have the chance.
Cardinal’s vision brought a newfound sense of liveliness and flare to the production. It was “Pirates,” but on steroids.
The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | October 21, 2019
MAX MARCOVITCH Managing Sports Editor
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — It was all right there in Ronnie Bell’s hands. The ball, hitting his jersey between the numbers as he leaned slightly forward. The game, a chance to erase a 21-point deficit and pave the way for overtime, rested there, too. The trajectory of a season — and maybe, just maybe, a chance to flip narratives and tilt the Michigan football program along its axis. With just over two minutes left, facing a fourth-and-goal from the Penn State four-yard line, the hopes of a program handicapped by an inability to win games of this ilk, against opponents like this, in environments like these rested in Bell’s hands. Then the ball hit the turf. Penn State, buoyed by an early 21-0 lead and atmosphere unlike many in college sports, held on to beat Michigan, 28-21, as the Wolverines’ furious comeback came agonizingly short. “Ronnie’s a fierce competitor,” said senior quarterback Shea Patterson after the game. “He’s being pretty hard on himself right now. That definitely didn’t take away the fact that he made a ton of great plays to put us into that situation. So, we’re just going to move on.” Amid the bevy of what-ifs, though, moving on won’t be easy. What if Michigan’s hadn’t gone and allowed 21 points on the Nittany Lions’ first five drives, threatening to get swept away in the sea of white inside Beaver Stadium? What if the Wolverines’ offense had capitalized on opportunities inside Penn State territory, instead of reflecting on four drives in opposing territory that ended scoreless? What if those 50/50 plays — including multiple offensive pass interference calls and non-calls — turn in their favor? What if that ball stays in Ronnie Bell’s hands? “Of course it’s frustrating,” said junior center Cesar Ruiz. “Like I said before, you can’t harp on situations like that. You’ve got to just keep executing, keep doing what you’ve got to do. “… We were in those situations a couple times (and) didn’t come up with a touchdown or any points. But, you know, it’s onto the next drive.” Added sophomore linebacker Cam McGrone: “We gave up some key explosive plays in the beginning, and it came back to hurt us. Like a game like this, with a team as good as this, we can’t allow any explosive plays. We did that.” Statistically, Michigan will reflect on the box score and feel it was the superior team. It outgained Penn State, 417283; nearly doubled the Nittany Lions on first downs, 26-14; had close to 15 minutes greater time of possession; converted on third down at a higher rate, 41 percent to Penn State’s 30 percent. Throughout most of the game, in the shadow of a seeminglyinsurmountable deficit, though, it hardly felt that way. “Yeah, it didn’t (go off the rails early), but our guys play with great effort and great character,” said Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. “… Made adjustments at halftime. They were good and I felt like our guys were not nervous. They were playing and executing. It felt like, just keep going and get this game won. “That was our belief.” Harbaugh came out of the halftime exuding that belief. Staring down a 14-point deficit and an eighth loss against ranked opponents on the road in nine attempts, Harbaugh told ESPN: “This will be our finest hour.” With just over six minutes, Patterson and the Michigan offense had a chance to prove those words prophetic. They marched methodically inside the Penn State 10-yard line, the fans increasingly hushed, tension mounting. It all came down to a fourthand-goal from the four-yard line, when Patterson found Bell flashing toward him. The ball hit the turf, and the ramifications soon came into focus. The Wolverines are now 1-8 on the road against ranked opponents in the Harbaugh era. They are a middling 16-12 on the road in that span. With two Big Ten losses, their season, as they once envisioned it, is ostensibly over, if still not mathematically so. When the clock ticked to an end, the final grain of sand falling through that hourglass, Harbaugh walked off the field with the rest of the team back into an all-too-familiar locker room setting. His finest hour, once again, must wait.
ALEXIS RANKIN & ALEXANDRIA POMPEI / DAILY DESIGN BY JACK SILBERMAN
SportsMonday
2B — October 21, 2019
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
No more moral victories The Michigan football team played one of its best halves of football in years. But we’re past the point of moral victories.
M
ichigan played its best football game of the season Saturday. Michigan also lost, notching a second Big Ten defeat, which equates to something of a death knell in modern college MAX football. MARCOVITCH It’s difficult to square these two distinct facts, so I won’t try to do so. There are surely hot takes to be read, and this won’t be one. Josh Gattis’ offense looked better, particularly in the second half. Shea Patterson offered his best performance of the season. After an early speed bump, the Wolverines’ defense settled in quite comfortably. The talent of this team is present — and, at times, quite obvious. Michigan outgained Penn State, 417 to 283, and could have easily posted 35-plus points had it capitalized on five drives inside Nittany Lions territory that resulted in zero points. It’s a game the Wolverines probably should have won. Where have we heard that before? This column obviously takes on a whole different tenor if Ronnie Bell catches that pass in the end zone, if a couple 50/50 calls go Michigan’s way, if Patterson doesn’t errantly throw an interception on the screen pass in the second quarter, if—we could entertain these equivocations all day. All that’s left to say — after a game which will mark Jim Harbaugh’s seventh loss to a ranked opponent on the road in eight tries and his eighth loss in eight games as an underdog — is that there are no more moral
victories. This is Year Five. Half a decade into what should have been a golden age of Michigan football, the Wolverines will have not a thing to show for it. This program is not what it thinks it is, plain and simple. The second half against Penn State showed glimpses of what this team could be if it ever reached its apex. Patterson was in a groove, dealing to
his trove of weapons. The offense had tempo and purpose, wearing down a Nittany Lions defense that entered the game top-10 in SP+ defense. The defense was as aggressive and imposing as it perceives itself. It was at once a glimmer of hope, and a cruel twist of the knife — the full comeback ending mere yards shy, No. 7 Penn State escaping with a 28-21 win.
I’m not gonna sit down and feel sorry for ourselves.
The performance in the second half Saturday, one of the best halves of football this team has played in years, changes nothing. Just because Harbaugh’s team surpassed the menial expectations it set for itself through the first six games does not excuse another in a remarkably consistent line of disappointments. “I’m not gonna sit down and
feel sorry for ourselves,” said junior defensive end Kwity Paye. “We still have a lot of big teams to play — we have Notre Dame, a ranked team, Ohio State, a ranked team. There’s still plenty of opportunity to be able to go out and finish the season great.” You’d expect a player of Paye’s maturity to say that, of course, and it’s not entirely untrue. This team could
We’ve just got to work even harder in practice...
ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has now lost seven of eight games against ranked opponents on the road during his five years coaching the Wolverines.
quite possibly run the table to Ohio State; it opened as a slight favorite over No. 8 Notre Dame next weekend, and will almost certainly be favored against Michigan State, Indiana and Maryland. Winning those and then capping the year with a win over the Buckeyes would constitute some sort of successful season, if unconventional and still hollow. “Just complimented them on the effort they gave, the character they showed,” Harbaugh said, on what he told his team after the game. “Hold their heads high and come back at it again on Monday.” Added senior VIPER Khaleke Hudson: “We’ve just got to move onto the next day. We’ve got to work even harder in practice and we’ve just got to stay on top of our film work and keep trusting our guys.” It’s tiresome to hear, and must be more tiresome to live. There are still meaningful prisms through which to view the rest of the season. Increased opportunities for promising young players — the Cam McGrones, Zach Charbonnets, Daxton Hills, Chris Hintons scattered about the roster — will help enlighten present and future talent. Wins over Michigan State (a requirement) and Ohio State (a bonus) would certainly do wonders to quell the angst in and around the team. A bowl win for the first time since 2015 would mean something, to be sure. But there are no more moral victories left to deduce anymore. All that counts are the literal ones. And in the biggest moments, those remain absent. Marcovitch can be reached via email at maxmarco@umich.edu or on Twitter @Max_Marcovitch.
Michigan offense stifled in physical matchup, ‘M’ rebounds with win fight breaks out after ugly 2-1 loss to WMU over hapless Rutgers DOMINIC DIFRANCO For The Daily
When Western Michigan (9-4-0 overall, 1-0-0 MAC) visited the Michigan men’s soccer team (6-4-3 overall, 2-1-2 Big Ten) last Thursday, the visitors looked to use a seemingly simple tactic— turn the beautiful game into something, well, less beautiful. Their attempts proved successful as the Broncos beat the Wolverines 2-1. “It wasn’t much of a soccer game, which made it a lot more difficult for us,” said Michigan coach Chaka Daley. A talented Western Michigan team, ranked 33rd in the country in the latest RPI poll, used physical play to its advantage to turn the game away from a chess match. Despite totaling 14 fouls, the Broncos only earned one yellow card in the 14th minute. Michigan looked frustrated trying to deal with Western Michigan’s energy while struggling to keep possession in the attacking half of the field and went into the half trailing 1-0. After a few more hard fouls in the second half,
the frustration started to boil over, as Michigan exchanged frequently pleasantries with Broncos players. Coach Daley did his best to cool his team down and refocus it on its own play. “It’s tough, I think it should be sorted out by the officials,” Daley said. “But if it’s not, you have to make sure that you respond and continue to play and not get too distracted or emotional from it. I think our team got a little emotional as a result.” Emotions reached a peak point after the final horn, the game ending in a 2-1 Western Michigan win. The Broncos performed a spirited rendition of their fight song in front of their supporters, to the great dismay of a few Michigan players who approached the opposing team with seemingly ill intent before being held back by teammates and coaches. Theatrics aside, Western Michigan ultimately outplayed Michigan and could cruise back to Kalamazoo with an impressive win against the Wolverines. Undoubtedly the Wolverines will have their next bout with the Broncos circled on their calendars.
It’s tough, I think it should be sorted out by the officials.
CLAIRE MEINGAST/Daily
Michigan coach Chaka Daley said physical play should be handled by officials.
NICK MOEN For The Daily
Once the outcome was decided, Western Michigan poured onto the field and sang their fight song at the top of their lungs. The fight song was appropriate in more than one way on Thursday. On a night where 20 fouls were committed, neither team pulled any punches both on and off the field. The Michigan men’s soccer team (6-4-3 overall, 2-1-2 Big Ten) fell to 2-1 to Western Michigan (9-4-1 overall) . The Wolverines struggled in the first half against the Broncos’ high press, as the opposing side scored within the first minute. With senior forward Jack Hallahan out due to injury, the Wolverines lacked the creative spark to break down the opposition. Western Michigan’s tall back line cleared everything Michigan crossed into the box, making it difficult for its front line to get shots on target. The game got choppy by the end of the first half as the Broncos committed four fouls and had one yellow card, a preview of what was to come. “We let a half pass us by,” said Michigan coach Chaka Daley. “We did ourselves a disservice by not being prepared for the energy they would bring. It wasn’t much of a soccer game which made it a lot more difficult for us, but we have to respond to those things.” The Wolverines came out strong in the second half, scoring a 46th minute goal from graduate transfer Nebojsa Popovic. Freshman midfielder Harry Pithers played a one-touch pass high to the far end of the box to freshman forward Christian Pullselli, who headed it back to the center. Popovic met the ball and volleyed it home. “You need some personality
players to break them down and we have three that weren’t available,” Daley said. “It makes it difficult and we knew it would be a challenge because we know those guys can unlock the game.” Forty seconds later, Western Michigan responded with a high-shot goal at the top of Michigan’s six-yard box. Then, the Broncos shifted the tenor of the game, committing 10 fouls in the second half. Whether it was swinging for the man, not the ball, or throwing elbows while going up for a header, the message was clear from the Broncos. “It’s tough,” Daley said. “I think it should be sorted out by the officials.” Michigan followed Western Michigan’s goal with a great scoring chance in the 51st minute. A low driven ball across the box came to Popovic, who shot it towards goal. But, Broncos goalie Isaac Walker came up with the save denying Michigan one of their best chances of the game. “We’ve got to put it in the rear view mirror,” Daley said. “It’s a tough night for our group. We are disappointed we responded too late. We need to get back to the drawing board.” Compared to Michigan’s six fouls, Western committed 14 by the end of the match. The Broncos switched to a more compact formation and stuck five players in their back line to further stymie the Wolverines. This gave Michigan no choice but to move 6-foot-5 senior center back Jackson Ragen up top and bomb crosses into the box. Elbows were thrown, fingers were pointed and a rivalry brewed. “You have to respond, continue to play, and not get too emotional about it,” Daley said. I think our guys got a little bit too emotional. That’s a style or tactic for sure. We didn’t do a good job handling that.”
JOSEPH ARONOFF For The Daily
The Michigan volleyball team had a fatigued Rutgers squad on the ropes late in the second set, desperately scrambling to patch together a sustained attack. Sensing a break in the Wolverine defense, the Scarlet Knights rallied, but freshman middle blocker May Pertofsky rushed to the ball, greeting it with an emphatic solo block. On the very next play, in the exact same spot, the Rutgers attack was stuffed again, this time by redshirt freshman outside hitter Grace Persson. The rest of the night played out in much the same way for the Wolverines (13-5 overall, 6-2 Big Ten), who swept the Scarlet Knights (6-13, 0-8) to the tune of 25-10, 25-15, 25-16. Following consecutive Big Ten losses to No. 5 Nebraska and No. 8 Penn State, Michigan wasted no time righting the ship against another conference foe. “We knew Rutgers wasn’t as strong of an opponent, but for us, we always judge on our side of the net,” said Michigan coach Mark Rosen. “It’s about how are we playing comparative to our level rather than the opponent, and that’s probably one of the most dialed-in team wins, playing for each other.” The Wolverines set the tone early with a swarming, physical defense that left few gaps on the court, frustrating the Scarlet Knight attack, which was unable to correct course even after burning two timeouts in the first set. Rutgers had no answers for the freshman tandem of Pertofsky and middle blocker Jess Robinson, who combined for 25.5 points and 10 blocks. Michigan’s competence
in both phases of the game continued during the match, as the Scarlet Knights scored on 45.2 percent of their possessions when receiving the serve, while the Wolverines scored on a gaudy 81.4 percent of theirs. Not a single Scarlet Knight reached doubledigit points, while Pertofsky, Robinson and sophomore outside hitter Paige Jones all tallied 10 or more. “I thought tonight we were just really clean,” Rosen said. “When you hit almost .500 and side out at 80 percent, you know, those are numbers that are crazy. (A hitting percentage of) .250 is a good number, and we were double that tonight. We were really efficient.” The Wolverines’ efficiency was the product of a fluid, communicative attack befitting an older, more experienced group. Each player seemed to be innately aware of the other’s presence on the court, filling in the defensive gaps as necessary. “I think our team has gotten along really, really well, especially in the quickness in which we were put together,” Robinson said. “To pull off wins in a conference this hard, you have to be working together all the time.” While Michigan’s pair of freshman flashed its two-way potential, the team should remain competitive within the conference by leveraging the talents of veterans like senior setter Mackenzi Welsh, who added two blocks and one of the team’s seven service aces. “It’s not just our freshmen that are carrying the load right now,” Rosen said. “I think this team has a ton of potential to just keep getting better, and I’m pleased with the direction we’re heading in, but we’ve gotta win some of these big matchups.”
This team has a ton of potential to ... keep getting better.
SportsMonday
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
October 21, 2019 — 3B
Close isn’t good enough for offense in loss
Penn State burns ‘M’ with big plays ARIA GERSON
THEO MACKIE Daily Sports Editor
Daily Sports Editor
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Ronnie Bell stood in the middle of Penn State’s end zone, Shea Patterson’s pass floating toward his outstretched fingertips. A few yards away, Nick Eubanks started to raise his fists in celebration, because, somehow, Michigan’s season had a lifeblood. The belief emanated for just long enough to make dreams seem tangible, something that felt impossible when Penn State led, 21-0, two quarters earlier. Only, like it had been all game, fleeting hope turned out to be just that. Bell let the pass slip through his arms, Eubanks plastered his hands on his helmet in disbelief and 110,000 white pom-poms rose to the air in unison. “That definitely didn’t take away the fact that (Bell) made a ton of great plays to put us into that situation,” Patterson said. “So, we’re just going to move on.” The issue is what Michigan moves on to. The Wolverines’ three biggest rivals remain on the docket, but the season and all the goals they carried into it are gone, a 28-21 loss putting the final nail on a coffin that’s been steadily nearing the grave for the past seven weeks. On Saturday, for the first time in more than a month, it felt as if that course may be reversible. Michigan’s offense put together its most coherent performance of the season, behind 276 passing yards from Patterson — the second-best total of his Wolverines’ career. “I thought the offense did a lot of really good things tonight,” said Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. As a result, an offense that entered opposing territory nine total times in two previous games against ranked opponents did so eight times against the Nittany Lions. Yet, those lengthy drives too often ended without points. And, at the end, they had just 21 points and another loss to show for it. “Of course it’s frustrating,” Ruiz said. “Like I said before, you can’t harp on situations like that. You’ve got to just keep executing, keep doing what you’ve got to do. That way, the next time you get in those situations you’ll score. We were in those situations a couple times (and) didn’t come up with a touchdown or any points. But, you know, it’s on to the next drive.” To their credit, the Wolverines kept that mentality throughout. When their first two trips across midfield ended in a third-and-1 stuff and a fourth-down incompletion, they came back three drives later and manufactured a eight-play, 75-yard drive to get on the scoreboard. A quarter later, they followed a punt from midfield with a run-heavy, 65-yard touchdown march. Still, as the final pass fell to the ground through Bell’s arms, it was hard to not reflect on an evening of missed opportunities. The blame spreads from execution to decision-making. The execution part is obvious — Bell’s drop will forever be the game’s — and maybe the season’s — defining moment. As for his decision-making on two punts from midfield, Harbaugh said, “we were playing for field position and we wanted to get the ball — put it inside the 15- or 10-yard line.” Both times, Penn State took over possession outside the 20. The most confounding decision, though, came with Michigan facing a fourth-and-6 from the Nittany Lions’ 41 with 51 seconds left in a oncedisastrous first half that sat on the precipice of rescue. Despite senior kicker Quinn Nordin — normally the first choice for long field goals — being unavailable, Harbaugh pulled his offense off the field to go for three. “Thought we could make it,” Harbaugh said. “Was right at that line where we could make it. And it’s a long field goal, but it was either that or go for it on the fourth down.” The kick fell five yards short, finishing a third fruitless drive into Penn State territory and setting the course for the Wolverines’ second loss. “It’s just onto the next one,” Patterson said. “We’ve got a big game next week.” As he spoke, the stream of fans outside Michigan’s media room drowned him out with chants of “We are Penn State,” a fitting end to a day when talk doesn’t matter anymore.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The door opened and the noise from outside streamed in, fans lingering in the bowels of the stadium, still singing, “We are Penn State!” Inside the visiting media room, Khaleke Hudson kept talking, his words juxtaposing the commotion outside. The senior VIPER spoke of Michigan’s defense, how it had given up too many big plays, how that was the difference in a 28-21 loss to Penn State on Saturday night. “It was nothing that they did,” Hudson said. “It was not that they outschemed us or anything, it was just our mistakes that we made ourselves. Things we knew how to do. We just messed up.” The Wolverines committed a few too many penalties. They didn’t play through their hips enough. Occasionally, their eyes landed in the wrong place. Little things, yes. But Saturday’s game, especially the first half, was a display of how easily little things can turn into big things. Michigan outgained the Nittany Lions by almost 150 yards. It had more first downs and a better third-down conversion rate. And it handily won the time of possession battle, with its offense on the field for over 15 minutes longer than Penn State’s. Stats like that usually add up to a win, but there’s a reason the Nittany Lions ran so many fewer plays and scored more points. They had six plays of over 15 yards — including three of their four touchdowns — with three of those plays over 30 yards. Chunk plays only take up a few seconds. Meanwhile, intermittent offensive struggles, as the Wolverines had throughout the game, eat up clock. “Big games like this, you can’t do anything wrong,” said redshirt freshman linebacker Cameron McGrone. He was right. Michigan’s defense, for the most part, was very good Saturday. But it wasn’t perfect, and the big plays burned the Wolverines again and again. McGrone’s theory was slightly different than Hudson’s, maintaining that, “it’s not that we did anything wrong, it was just, they outplayed us in that play.” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh had yet another explanation.
ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily
Sophomore wide receiver Ronnie Bell dropped a potential game-tying touchdown pass late in Michigan’s 28-21 loss to Penn State.
White Flag
Harbaugh gets close, but comes up short again in a big spot ETHAN SEARS
Managing Sports Editor
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jim Harbaugh’s hands were on his hips. His sweatshirt creased, the lines making their way around the back. He stood near the epicenter of a stadium that shook and swayed, singing and cheering in something nearing delirium, speaking with referees. He bore a look of exasperation and déjà vu. The call on the field — that Penn State made the line to gain — was confirmed. Minutes later, as 110,000-plus voices serenaded him and his Michigan football team in mocking unison, Harbaugh threw off his headset and started to walk towards midfield, a horde of cameras following. The clock ticked towards zero and in a game where the Wolverines had pulled their way back from the abyss encompassing the program all the way to fourth-andgoal at the three-yard line, they lost anyway, 28-21, to the Nittany Lions. “We’ve just got to move onto the next day,” said senior VIPER Khaleke Hudson. Next to him, Shea Patterson nodded silently, having been on the edge of tears for nearly all of a sevenminute press conference. “We’ve got to work even harder in practice and we’ve just got to stay on top of our film work and keep trusting our guys.” This is the kind of game Michigan has gained a reputation for losing spectacularly under Harbaugh, the hump he can’t seem to get over. The game’s first 30 minutes felt like a bad remake. The Wolverines wasted a timeout before the game’s first snap. They got conservative in their decisionmaking on offense. They dropped passes and dropped an interception. With 10 minutes left in the second quarter and Penn State leading 14-0, Patterson, a senior quarterback, got picked off on a screen pass and the stadium breathed fire.
But this wasn’t another 35-14 blowout at Wisconsin or another 62-39 shellacking at the hands of Ohio State. This was a vulnerable Penn State and a Michigan that seemed to click into place as the game went along. Where the Wolverines seemed completely overmatched in those earlier contests, Saturday merely felt like a missed opportunity. “Made adjustments at halftime. They were good and I felt like our guys were not nervous,” Harbaugh said. “They were playing and executing. It felt like, just keep going and get this game won. That was our belief.” Harbaugh, mostly, fell back on the same platitudes that have become commonplace when he gets behind a microphone. At one point, he brought up the officiating — a borderline holding call on Lavert Hill that extended a Penn State drive at the start of the fourth quarter and cost Michigan a decisive seven points, among others. It’s easy to look at that call on Hill and gripe. But when KJ Hamler burned Josh Metellus on a post for a 53-yard score four plays later, it was — according to Harbaugh — because Michigan missed a signal, and didn’t have a safety covering the post as a result. When Harbaugh got to Michigan in 2015, he garnered a reputation for being so precise and detail-oriented that even the student managers felt the heat, needing to tighten up. On Saturday, when they missed that call and Hamler waltzed into the end zone, Harbaugh paced up the sideline, staring into a sea of white and adjusting his headset. This is the closest Michigan has come to winning a game like this — a game it wasn’t supposed to win, a game in which it was on the road as a touchdown underdog — since 2016, when Harbaugh still held all the promise of a savior. Now, after the Wolverines’ second
loss effectively ended their hopes of making the College Football Playoff, winning the Big Ten or even making the conference title game for the first time under Harbaugh, there is no surprise in this program’s identity. As close as it came to taking that elusive first step on Saturday, a tectonic shift has yet to happen. More and more, it seems like it might never. For a moment in the fourth quarter, Michigan was right there on the cusp. The Wolverines held Penn State under 100 yards in the second half. Their offense looked like something to be reckoned with — Patterson leading drives with authority, the Nittany Lions struggling to keep up with the tempo. “I felt like we kinda found our groove a little bit,” Patterson said. “The run game got us in the game, our receivers made big plays in space.” “We felt like we had them right in our hands,” said redshirt freshman linebacker Cam McGrone. “This is where we wanted them. We felt we could force them to do what we wanted to. We did.” They got as far as the goal-line, with two downs to play with. Harbaugh’s hands were on his knees, his back hunched forward, when that number dwindled down to one. He said later that he wanted a fade in the corner of the end zone, but Penn State covered that up. Instead, Patterson hovered in the pocket. He saw Ronnie Bell in the center of the end zone, just past the goal line. As the football hit Bell’s hands, Harbaugh’s arms went up, a palpable expression of relief. As the ball hit the ground, his arms came back down. He ran up to Patterson and said something about getting the ball back. With two minutes left and three timeouts, possibilities remained. In the end, though, it was just more of the same. For Harbaugh and for his program.
In loss, Patterson flashes brilliance THEO MACKIE Daily Sports Editor
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Shea Patterson stifled tears, his faded eye black running down a solemn face. Beneath the table where Patterson sat, stains from Beaver Stadium’s green grass covered his once-white uniform, the product of a day when he did everything he could for Michigan. Criticized for not going through his reads, being too tentative to scramble and missing open receivers, Patterson excelled in those aspects in Saturday’s 28-21 loss to Penn State, finishing with a season-high 276 yards on 24-of-41 passing. For the Wolverines, it’s the type of performance they envisioned when Patterson transferred from Ole Miss two years ago with the billing of a can’t-miss quarterback prospect who would get Jim Harbaugh over the hump. Twenty games later, that hump remains pervasive as Patterson enters the final stretch of his Michigan career with a 15-5 record, but void of the lofty goals he carried to Ann Arbor. After Saturday night, that’s the juxtaposition Michigan has to live
with. “I was just proud of our guys and the defense held them to one touchdown in a real tight second half,” Patterson said. “I just love the way our offense fought back.” Patterson, so often a microcosm of Michigan’s offense, stood at the center of that turnaround. When the Wolverines went down 21-0 midway through the second quarter, it was Patterson’s interception — his one glaring mistake all game — that put Penn State in prime position for its third touchdown. As Patterson walked off the field, he cast a familiarly frustrated figure, his right hand planted on his hip as Harbaugh gave him a condoling pat on the helmet. Patterson seemed to be heading toward a similarly uninspired performance to his 14-of-32 showing against Wisconsin a month ago. Behind him, Michigan was on its own march to a repeat of that day in Madison, with the game seemingly over before halftime. Only this time, it wasn’t. “It didn’t (go off the rails early), but our guys play with great effort and great character,” Harbaugh said. “Yeah. Made adjustments at halftime.
They were good and I felt like our guys were not nervous. They were playing and executing.” On his first throw after the interception, Patterson found Nico Collins on a 30-yard gain, part of a season-high 89-yard game for Collins. Amid a season in which he’s drawn criticism for not targeting Collins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black, Patterson found the trio for 14 completions on 22 tries Saturday. Seven plays after Collins took the Wolverines into Penn State territory, Michigan found paydirt for the first time. “I thought the offense did a lot of really good things tonight,” Harbaugh said. “The offensive line, pass protection was really good. Thought Shea had a really good night throwing the football.” The rest of the evening was more of the same for Patterson, who constructed seven drives into Penn State territory. The problem: only three ended in points, sending the Wolverines to a loss that ended every tangible goal they carried into the season.
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This game was just down to who made the big plays. In the first half, he said, the Wolverines got burned on one particular play — the slot-fade route. That play worked to perfection on a 25-yard touchdown to star receiver KJ Hamler on third down in the second quarter. Michigan adjusted in the second half, but there, it was another mistake that cost it. Whether it was poor coaching, a lack of focus or being rattled by the raucous whiteout crowd, the Wolverines missed their defensive playcall. With one minute left in the third quarter and the Nittany Lions on first down from Michigan’s 47, the Wolverines lined up in cover-zero, with senior safety Josh Metellus the lone player assigned to Hamler. Hamler ran a post route straight past Metellus, caught Clifford’s pass in stride and motored into the end zone. The play put Penn State up by two scores and ended up being the deciding touchdown. And while the play seemed to be on Metellus for his lack of speed, he shouldn’t have been in that position in the first place. According to Harbaugh, the players missed a hand signal that would have told them the correct formation to be in. “Didn’t get a call in there, KJ on a safety, and it was a huge play,” Harbaugh said. “(We) didn’t have the right defense, and the play was a good call, so we didn’t have a post safety.” So in the end, it didn’t matter that Michigan gained 417 yards to the Nittany Lions’ 283. It didn’t matter that the defense had a good showing the rest of the night, with five tackles for loss and six three-and-outs. All it took were a few missed assignments that turned into big plays, and that was all Penn State needed to send its fans home singing along to Zombie Nation. “This game was just down to who made the big plays,” McGrone said. “And you see who won.”
SportsMonday
4B — October 21, 2019
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
How sweep it is!
Behind Jack Becker and a high-octane offense, Michigan earns its first wins of the season against Lake Superior State BAILEY JOHNSON Daily Sports Writer
Mel Pearson spent the week leading into the series against Lake Superior State stressing that his team needed to get out to an early lead. The Lakers are a big, structured team and they are more than happy to sit back and defend if they get the lead early on. Michigan faced a similar style against Clarkson in the season-opening series, and the Golden Knights struck first both nights. Both nights, it allowed them to shut down the Wolverines’ chances the rest of the way and Clarkson came away with a tie and a win. Friday night against Lake Superior, sophomore forward Nolan Moyle lit the lamp for Michigan just over five minutes into the game. And on Saturday, sophomore forward Jimmy Lambert did the same. This time, it took four minutes for the Wolverines to find twine, and they didn’t look back from there. Michigan added two more goals in the opening period and one in the second to sweep Lake Superior State, 4-3. “Great start, three-nothing off the get-go,” said Michigan coach Mel Pearson. “Much, much better start (than last night).” Halfway through the first period, after Lambert opened the scoring, junior forward Jack Becker scored his second goal of the weekend when he picked up a loose puck in the slot and backhanded it into the net behind goaltender Mareks Mitens. And it didn’t take Becker long after that to get his second goal of the night and third on the season. On the power play, a pass across the crease from freshman forward Johnny Beecher found Becker waiting on the other side of the net. After whiffing on his first attempt, Becker tapped the puck into the open net, and Mitens didn’t have a chance to make the save. “The puck came across the
crease really fast,” Becker said. “Beecher made a nice pass to me. I kind of just corralled the puck and then hit it out of the air. Trying to stick with it and it went in the net, so it felt good.” After a back-and-forth start to the second period, the Lakers found twine on their first goal of the series when forward Hampus Eriksson poked a loose puck in the slot past sophomore goaltender Strauss Mann. And under a minute later, forward Louis Boudon made it a one-goal lead for Michigan as he cleaned up a rebound off a shot from defenseman Lukas Kaelble. “I just don’t like when you get off to a great start like that and then you have that sag,” Pearson said. “You’re going to have moments in the game, but you have to make sure if one line has a tough shift, then the next line’s ready to go and get the momentum back.” With all the momentum going toward the offensive zone for Lake Superior State, it seemed like the game would be tied before long. But a few shifts later, sophomore defenseman Jack Summers changed that. At the 8:14 mark of the second period, shortly after Boudon’s goal, Summers beat Mitens high on his
glove side to extend the Wolverines’ lead back to two. “That was a huge goal,” Pearson said. “All the momentum was going the other way, and then Sums comes in and that’s a big, big goal. Good for him. He’s played well.” To close the second stanza, freshman forward Eric Ciccolini was whistled for tripping, and the Lakers started the third period on the power play. Michigan got the kill, but three seconds after the power play ended, Kaelble fired a shot over Mann’s shoulder to bring the lead back to one. “I saw that third one, it was a heck of a shot and the guy made a good play,” Pearson said. “He’s a really good player.” Chances came and went for both teams in the remainder of the period, but the score remained unchanged. With just under two minutes left to play, Lake Superior State pulled Mitens for an extra attacker in an attempt to tie the game. A scramble in front of the net in the final seconds nearly gave the Lakers what they were looking for, but Michigan held off the attack. In the end, the early lead Pearson preached all week made all the difference.
TIEN LE
Daily Sports Editor
Last Saturday, you wouldn’t be able to find Jack Becker on the ice. Instead, you would find him sitting on the fifth floor of Yost Ice Arena, in the press box, with the remaining players not dressed for the game against No. 10 Clarkson. He wasn’t injured. He wasn’t suspended. He just wasn’t what Michigan hockey coach Mel Pearson thought the team needed to win that game. “You have to make tough decisions,” Pearson said. “We’ve got a lot of good players. He knows. “He knows.” In response, Becker upped his effort, his physicality, his game — both the little things and the obvious — against Lake Superior State. He wanted to play and he made sure Pearson knew. The junior forward closed last season with six goals and nine assists, an overall disappointing performance after many had anticipated a jump in production from his
MILES MACKLIN/Daily
Junior forward Jack Becker worked his way back into Michigan’s lineup after getting benched last week by Mel Pearson.
freshman to his sophomore year. Instead, he matched his freshman year point total and left many uninspired by his play. And he picked up where he left off with his season debut against the Golden Knights last Friday. Neither the effort nor determination was there, let alone production. In turn, Pearson chose to sit him for the Saturday matchup of the series, which resulted in a loss. Afterwards, Pearson sought him out and made sure he understood the reasoning behind the decision. “We want to make sure we have open lines of communication,” Pearson said. “Door’s always open. We want the players to understand why they’re not playing. I think it’s important that they hear that from the coach and then you go from there.” Becker listened to the critiques. He heard the concerns about his game — including about his effort and work ethic. To Pearson, every second of every shift matters. And Becker wasn’t maximizing his time on the ice. So he spent the week working on what needed to be done. “He did a real good job of reevaluating his game and the things he needs to do,” Pearson said. “And it’s not scoring.” Ironically, working on the small things helped Becker tally three goals against the Lakers, one Friday and two Saturday. The two goals in the second matchup proved essential in a tight-knit onescore game. “I think just focusing on things that lead to goals,” Becker said on what was clicking for him, “like intensity, physical play, just getting to the net. I think that’s what contributes to putting pucks to the net. Focusing on the little things.”
One of those small things was battling hard. And to score his first goal Saturday, he fought hard for position in front of the net. After freshman Keaton Pehrson centered the puck into traffic, Becker secured the puck out the reach of pursuing sticks and backhanded it into the net. Lake Superior State called for the play to be reviewed for offsides, but after a few minutes of deliberation, it was ruled onside, and Becker, sitting on the bench waiting for the decision, couldn’t help but turn his head to the Lakers’ bench and chirp. The message he told them was unclear, but the message of his gritty play spoke for itself. He came ready to play. “He got three goals on the weekend, but he played harder,” Pearson said, “played more determined, played more physical, won a lot of the 50/50 battles, got to the net, so he did a lot of the small things, the little things that maybe he wasn’t doing last weekend.” His second goal came from another hard fought battle in front of the net. On the power play, freshman forward Eric Ciccolini brought the puck from the blue line to freshman forward Johnny Beecher, who was waiting glove-side of the Lake Superior State goaltender. Making a cross-crease pass, Beecher delivered the puck to Becker. He whiffed on his first attempt at a shot. Recovering instantly, he tried again — this time finding twine. It was a bounce-back performance for a player whose wasted shifts forced him from the ice to the press box, left to watch his team suffer in his absence. “We like Jack,” Pearson said. “It’s nothing personal.” It wasn’t personal. And on Saturday night, Becker made it strictly business.
With added muscle and ‘green light’
Castleton looking to take the leap DANIEL DASH
Daily Sports Writer
Thanks to 20 pounds of added muscle, a green light and positional versatility, Colin Castleton feels ready to take a leap forward. Like the rest of the Michigan basketball program, things changed drastically for the sophomore forward this offseason. He showed promise as a shot-blocker in limited playing time during his freshman season, but a frail physical frame ultimately limited his impact. That’s no longer the case. Castleton remained in Ann Arbor over the summer, where he worked with strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson to gain muchneeded muscle. With firstyear coach Juwan Howard’s positionless basketball philosophy, his added speed, strength and ability to guard multiple positions bodes well for his anticipated spike in playing time. The additional muscle helps, but it boils down to what Castleton can show in practice. So far this fall, it’s making an impact. “It’s been so different, especially since his freshman year,” said senior center Jon Teske. “Coming in last year it was so easy to move him around. Now this year, I’m having a little bit more difficulty. He’s put in so much time and effort and he has a great work ethic.” Added junior forward Isaiah Livers: “He’s definitely rolling to the basket and banging with big (redshirt junior center) Austin Davis and Jon Teske. Those are some shot blockers and rim protectors in there, and he’s rolling into them, their bodies and putting that 20 pounds extra on them.” In that regard, Howard’s hiring is a plus. Castleton cited his new coach’s emphasis on using his base to score on bigger defenders, adding that
NATALIE STEPHENS/Daily
Sophomore forward Colin Castleton has gotten into better shape this offseason.
Howard uses a football pad to bump the Wolverines’ big men around the rim in practice. “Everyday, (Howard) is working us out one-on-one, all the big guys, and he’s the coach that’s getting down and dirty with us,” Castleton said. “… I don’t think it’s (something) any other coach can do because he’s that position player. He’s done it for so long, played at every level, so it’s great personally for me.” Still just 46 years old and six years removed from winning an NBA title with the Miami Heat, Howard’s experience brings a special element to his big men in practice. In five seasons as an assistant coach on Miami’s staff, his coaching keyed the breakouts of Hassan Whiteside and Bam Adebayo. And to Howard, there isn’t much difference between coaching big men at the NBA and college levels. “When it comes to the bigs, I’m hands-on,” Howard said. “I’m there working them out, I grab the pad or I play defense on them. I love teaching, so I’m big on player development hands-on.” The scrimmages aren’t any easier than the physical drills for Castleton, who deals with a 30-pound weight disadvantage when guarding Teske. But like Teske last season, Castleton is looking to add a long-range shot to his arsenal. He didn’t attempt many threes last year
despite shooting well from distance in high school, but Castleton’s teammates claim his stroke has looked good in practice so far. “Last year, he didn’t have that green light Teske had, but he’s definitely going to get that green light to be shooting the ball because Colin’s a very, very talented big man,” Livers said. “… (His shot) looks like it has last year, he just never really got the chance to do it. It never really caught on to the philosophy last year and that kind of made him struggle.” For a team that lost over half of last year’s scoring to the NBA Draft, Castleton’s added muscle and green light from behind the arc could be crucial early in the season. With Livers and freshman forward Franz Wagner expected to shoulder much of the load from the wing, Castleton will produce immediately if he proves capable of scoring both inside and out. In nine minutes of action against Nebraska last February, Castleton posted 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, three rebounds and a block. Regular performances like that on a greater scale can stretch the floor, open opportunities for others and, most importantly, ease the transition between coaching eras. For Castleton, that’ll define whether or not he makes the leap his teammates expect.