ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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College students frustrated with lack of benefits in $2 trillion federal stimulus bill Recent legislation intended to provide relief offers minimal aid to young adults SARAH PAYNE
Daily Staff Reporter
The recent coronavirus outbreak has sent the economy reeling, with fears of a looming recession and massive spikes in unemployment. The federal government has stepped in to provide relief for individuals and corporations through a series of economic stimulus packages over the past several weeks. At $2 trillion, the most recent bill is the largest stimulus bill in U.S. history. As part of the package, millions of people older than age 18 will receive $1,200 checks, with an additional $500 checks going to the parents of qualifying children under age 18. The legislation includes $377 billion to small businesses and boosts unemployment benefits by $600 per week. However, college students and young adults across the country are largely ineligible to receive benefits because they are claimed as dependents by their parents.
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Students have struggled to deal with the economic toll of the virus, facing internship cancellations and the loss of on-campus jobs. Many students are also bound to pay rent
for 12-month leases in Ann Arbor while they are away, and many students have had trouble finding people to sublet their apartments over the summer.
Thomas Lyon, professor of sustainable science, technology and commerce at the University of Michigan, called the bill “enormous and complex,” noting
City approves $200k to stop evictions
Council unanimously passes resolution allocating funds to address housing insecurity ISABELLA PREISSLE Daily Staff Reporter
The Ann Arbor City Council met Monday evening via Zoom in a public livestream. Despite the meeting’s alternative format, the council kept its usual structure, including public comments via phone calls and speakers from various city government organizations, informing the public on issues such as zoning policy and the city budget. With people across the country as well as local tenants calling for a rent freeze, or the forgiveness of debt, council members took up the issue. Council members unanimously passed a resolution that extended eviction prevention for tenants of Ann Arbor Housing Commission properties. The resolution also allocated $200,000 in emergency assistance funds. Councilmember Zachary Ackerman, D-Ward 3, said the COVID-19 outbreak and the
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ALEC COHEN/Daily The Ann Arbor City Council votes via Zoom to provide funds to stop potential evictions caused by loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
necessary public health solutions, such as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order, have had major economic repercussions that impact Ann Arbor tenants. “We have a set of tenants who find themselves in a financial hole and, when the states release their hold on evictions, may face
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becoming homeless very quickly,” Ackerman said. “As a community and an affluent one, in fact the most affluent in the state, we can take it upon ourselves to fill that hole.” Councilmember Jack Eaton, D-Ward 4, said the council should strive to help the Ann Arbor community during this difficult time.
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“We are really going to have a horrible economy for the foreseeable future, and to the extent that we can help our residents, we should do that,” Eaton said. The council opened their meeting with comments from various council members to the public. Council members used this time to thank essential workers, citizens for 3D-printing protective equipment for health care workers and citizens doing their part by social distancing. Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor encouraged citizens to continue to practice social distancing. “Go outside, but do so in a matter that is safe,” Taylor said. “Your attention to detail will help a nurse on her shift or a doctor on her rounds. Your attention to detail will save lives, so please be careful at all times.”
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the importance of providing relief for everyday Americans. He said the bill would provide some help for students regarding loan payments. See LEGISLATION, Page 3
ACADEMICS
Collins talks evaluations for semester
Interim provost addresses SACUA on faculty feedback CELENE PHILIP For The Daily
The Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs held a meeting on Monday afternoon with Interim Provost Susan M. Collins as a guest to discuss current operations at the University of Michigan in light of the recent coronavirus pandemic. Collins talked about faculty and student mental health efforts, considerations of evaluations of remote instruction and alternate plans for graduate students involved in research that has been halted. The meeting took place virtually.
See SACUA, Page 3
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DOMINICK SOKOTOFF/Daily A worker welds materials in preparation for a field hospital at the TCF Center in Detroit Monday afternoon. Governor Gretchen Whitmer designated the center as an “alternate care facility” and it’s largely being built by Michigan National Guard soldiers and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Feminist blogger discusses value of political engagement
Multi Ethnic Student Affairs hosts virtual meeting featuring Jenn Fang in celebration of Asian/Pacific Islander American Heritage Month CHERYN HONG
Daily Staff Reporter
In honor of Asian/Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, the MultiEthnic Student Affairs held a virtual event on Monday with feminist blogger Jenn Fang titled “Speaking Up and Speaking Out: Why the AAPI Community Must Be Politically Engaged.” Forty-three viewers tuned into the event, during which Fang discussed the history of A/PIA activism and the anti-Asian racism in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Fang is the founder, editor and primary blogger of Reappropriate, one of the oldest and most popular A/PIA race advocacy and feminism blogs. Her writing has been featured in NBC News, Teen Vogue and The Washington Post. Fang began the event by discussing her personal background with activism, which she said started when she was an undergraduate at Cornell University and took a class in Asian American studies. In this class, Fang said she learned material beyond what she was taught in high school history classes. In high school, Fang said she
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learned about the Chinese American Exclusion Act, an immigration law that prevented Chinese laborers from coming to the United States. She said she was also taught that many Chinese immigrants were crucial to the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, the first railroad to connect both coasts of the U.S., despite dangerous conditions and widespread discrimination. In college, Fang said she learned more about the indentured servitude of Asian American laborers on West Coast sugar plantations. Fang noted these Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Filipino agricultural workers partially helped inspire America’s labor movement. She also highlighted the importance of Michigan as the home of one of her role models, Grace Lee Boggs. “Michigan is an especially integral point for Asian American activism, as Troy was home to Grace Lee Boggs, a community activist, scholar and my personal hero,” Fang said. “She taught me that our work is founded upon the assertion that Asian and Pacific Islander Americans are, for better or for worse, part of this country’s national and political fabric.” Fang used the murder of Vincent
Chin to continue her discussion of Asian American history and oppression in the state of Michigan. In 1982, autoworkers Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz brutally beat and murdered Chin at his bachelor party in Highland Park days before his wedding date. They blamed the Japanese automotive companies for losing their jobs and mistook Chin as a Japanese man. Despite their role in Chin’s murder, the judge stated, “these weren’t the kind of men you sent to jail.” The two men were only sentenced to three years of probation and a $3,000 fine. Taking this history into account, Fang emphasized the need for the awareness of anti-Asian racism more than ever due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The virus has been deemed by some — including President Donald Trump — as the “Chinese Virus.” According to Fang, calling coronavirus the “Chinese Virus” is representative of the racial microaggressions, assaults and widespread systemic stigmatization of Asian people during the SARS epidemic 20 years ago. See BLOGGER, Page 3
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LEGISLATION From Page 1 “We could well find ourselves in an extended recession, making it hard for students graduating this year and next year to find the kind of jobs they were hoping for,” Lyon said. “This, in turn, makes repaying student loans more challenging. The stimulus bill provides some loan relief: no payments on federal loans through the U.S. Department of Education need be made until October, and no interest will accrue during that time. However, federal loans not run through the Department of Education are not affected, nor are private loans. There are no provisions for debt forgiveness. Thus, many students will not see any relief on their student loans.” Several students also commented on the historic stimulus package and what its implications are for college students.
BLOGGER From Page 2 This discrimination, Fang said, is still present today. Fang also noted some media outlets continue to run stories of the pandemic alongside Asian faces, which she said contributes to the fear that some Asian Americans may have of being in public. “Just last week, the FBI described the attempted murder of an Asian American family as part of their warning of a growing surge in hate crimes against anyone perceived to be East Asian,” Fang said. “A website launched by the Asia Pacific Policy and Planning Council already received over 1,000 self-reports in just two weeks of incidents of racial harassment and assault.” Recently, former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang suggested in an op-ed in the Washington Post that the best way
SACUA From Page 1 It began with introductions of SACUA’s three new members: Jennifer Caitlin Finlayson, associate professor of English literature at the U-M Dearborn; Allen Liu, associate professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering; and Kentaro Toyama, professor of information and community information in the School of Information. Collins then began speaking about the implications of the coronavirus pandemic along with the University’s response. “We are committed to protecting health and safety while we proceed with the University’s core mission,” Collins said. “That includes instruction, maintaining academic continuity for our students and it also includes things like keeping on track the faculty promotions, which are so essential to the University’s
News
Tuesday, April 7, 2020 — 3
LSA freshman Nick Schuler, freshman chair of the University’s chapter of College Republicans, said these measures were necessary given the unprecedented circumstances of the coronavirus outbreak. “Because this is the first economic downturn to come from the service sector, the money must largely go directly to the hands of small businesses and the taxpayers which President (Donald) Trump has done,” Schuler said. “Which is why many students are frustrated, only those that work will receive a check which is equitable in my eyes.” Business sophomore Ari Bosse, vice president of investments for the Alternative Investments Club, told The Daily that the stimulus package was a necessary shortterm solution to the financial crisis facing the nation amid the coronavirus outbreak. Bosse said he understood the backlash from young adults over their exclusion from the federal check
distributions. “College students classified as dependents have every right to be upset about being excluded from federal check distributions, as college students are often independently responsible for a variety of financial obligations,” Bosse said. “While a more inclusive plan would be preferred, it will be difficult to make a case for why the aid package — which is already the largest in history — should be expanded.” Business junior Jon Rotbard said the stimulus bill is able to provide a temporary fix during these unprecedented times. He also commented on the ineligibility of many college students who qualify as dependents for these stimulus checks. “From my understanding parents get more money if they have children or dependents so it evens out,” Rotbard said. “I think a dependent needs it a lot less than someone who’s actually been laid off and will seriously
have their quality of life reduced without that check.” The stimulus package also has provisions that benefit major businesses and corporations. Rotbard told The Daily that this stimulus is critical not only for individuals but for businesses as well. “From a finance and business perspective, (it) keeps businesses running too,” Rotbard said. “Most businesses have so much debt and so little cash that they will all shutter without massive stimulus.” Lyon was more critical of the inclusion of some of the features of the legislation, particularly a $500 billion corporate liquidity fund. “The most questionable part of the package is the $500 billion fund to provide loans to large businesses,” Lyon said. “Many large businesses are sitting on large cash reserves and used much of the historic $1 trillion Trump tax cut to buy back their own shares. It is hard to see
why big business(es) should be a high-priority concern for the U.S. at this time. The original Republican proposal had very few oversight measures on how the Trump administration could dole out the $500 billion, but at Democratic insistence, the final bill requires immediate disclosure of beneficiaries and includes some congressional oversight.” LSA sophomore Regina Egan, communications director for the University’s chapter of College Democrats, declined to comment on the specifics of the bill but said the country is looking for leadership during this crisis. “We are living through a rare and tumultuous time in which the need for government is clearer now more than ever,” Egan said. “What Americans and young people especially need is government leadership and a system that serves each and every one of us.” Daily Staff Reporter Sarah Payne can be reached at paynesm@ umich.edu.
for Asian Americans to address the tide of racist violence directed towards them is to remind attackers of how Asians are still American. According to Fang, Yang’s statement suggests Asian Americans who have been attacked are at fault and have something to apologize for. “Let me be clear, Asian Americans are not responsible in any way for anti-Asian hate crimes against our community,” Fang said. “We have not invited, nor incited violence against our bodies, and we have nothing to apologize for and we see in Yang’s op-ed what happens when we are not connected to our history.” Fang ended her speech with a call for the A/PIA community to combat these injustices by working together with other minority communities. “To be an Asian Pacific Islander American is to be inextricably interconnected with that of other
Black and brown people and we must understand how our struggles are interrelated,” Fang said. “We must work in solidarity and understand we cannot afford tunnel vision and recognize that racial oppression does not occur in a vacuum.” LSA senior Dim Mang said she found Fang’s response to Yang’s article poignant. According to Mang, Fang’s emphasis on both learning and actively engaging with Asian American history was refreshing. “My biggest takeaway from this event was that Asian Americans must not allow white people and institutions to decide our history or even rewrite it for us,” Mang said. “We must stand in active solidarity with other people of color, and essentially use collective liberation.” LSA junior Osa Svensson logged onto the event due to it being a requirement for a class, but said they found Fang’s talk very
impactful. Svensson said they were not previously taught about topics such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and Angel Island, the immigration station in San Francisco Bay designated to control Chinese entry into the U.S. “Especially in the current climate and the blatant racism being spouted by so many people due to the current pandemic makes me want to learn as much as possible and speak out about this mistreatment,” Svensson said. “Joining this event helps me fuel my rage at the ways Asian people are being attacked for something which has nothing to do with them.” After her lecture, Fang opened the floor to questions from viewers. Music, Theatre & Dance junior Alyxandra Ciale Trinidad Charfauros asked Fang how to make activism more accessible and personal. Fang responded by pointing to the importance of social media as a
tool to influence people to engage with one another. Since she said she found her own voice through her blog Reappropriate, Fang suggested people produce their own media, such as art, comedy or any individual form of artistic expression. Through art, Fang said she believes people can more easily facilitate Asian American discourse and help activism become more accessible through technology. “The main advice I have to young people who want to get involved is to start thinking about the ways you can learn from people you are not currently learning from,” Fang said. “What every single person has to say is important, and amplifying your own voice is a radical act that is important, necessary and worth hearing.” Daily Staff Reporter Cheryn Hong can be reached at cherynh@ umich.edu.
long-term excellence.” To accommodate the challenges of online instruction, specifically for faculty, Collins discussed changes to course evaluations for the winter semester. “We are just about to roll out changes to the course evaluations for this semester … we’ve added new questions that will ref lect the unusual circumstances and give lots more room for students to give qualitative feedback,” Collins said. “Evaluations will not in the traditional way be used to address promotion and tenure cases because the circumstances are just so unusual.” Additionally, Collins emphasized the mental health resources that remain accessible for both students and faculty. The Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office is providing telehealth counseling sessions to faculty and staff and their dependents. Counseling and Psychological Services is still open for virtual appointments and has added
a few more resources to their website as well. Collins also said incoming graduate students may face uncertainty in enrolling at the University in light of the rapidly changing economy. “There is more uncertainty about graduate and professional enrollments … in the short-run many students may choose to defer or forego their plans and we have certainly recognized that,” Collins said. “Or even considering the broader economy as a factor, sometimes when the economy is more challenged, more people go to graduate school.” Collins then opened the f loor to questions from SACUA members. Colleen Conway, professor of music education in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, asked about the consistency of messaging surrounding the new approach to course evaluations. “What is the language that is going to go out to faculty about the use of course evaluations
in tenure and promotions?” Conway said. “Is it at the unit level that those decisions will be made?” Collins said her intent is that the message comes from both her and the deans of the schools and colleges to reiterate that it does not make sense for evaluations for this semester to be used as they traditionally would be. Annalisa Manera, a professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences in the College of Engineering, asked about plans regarding pauses in research for Ph.D. and graduate students. “In my department, this has already taken place, so I was wondering whether there are some plans of what to do with all the Ph.D. and postdoc students who are in these circumstances,” Manera said. Collins said some units are further along in monitoring students’ progress, adding that, overall, plans were being made on a case-by-case basis. Elena Gallo, an associate
professor of astronomy in LSA, commented on the issue of stalled research. “This is really a source of enormous stress for the graduate student population and students are extremely worried about funding continuity, so any approximate deadline (for plans moving forward) would be extremely helpful,” Gallo said. Though there is not yet a clear timeline, Collins said she would make communication regarding research plans a priority going forward. Collins emphasized her desire to utilize SACUA, especially in this unprecedented time, as the “eyes and ears” of campus in order to make future decisions. “We’re now in a place where we can be thoughtful about what we need to prioritize so there aren’t major pockets in our community that are not being considered,” Collins said. Contributor Celene Philip can be reached at celenep@umich. edu.
Opinion
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ELIZABETH COOK | COLUMN
I
The protagonist of the new normal
n periods of societal uncertainty, individuals must turn to rationalism and self-control rather than relying on external factors. It has been about 15 days since the reality of COVID-19 settled into the streets of Ann Arbor. Classes were canceled, Greek life was extinguished and students began packing their bags — our education was bookended not by a reflection of accomplishments but by an elusive and highly contagious virus. The strangeness of social distancing creates tension between boredom and intensity. In the blink of an eye, the traditional formats, expectations and responsibilities of our education have shifted. The proverbial rug of syllabi and deadlines has been yanked from beneath us, which feels even more jarring because of the United States national government’s delayed reaction (besides the immediate response
in regards to personal stocks) to the virus. Student life as we know it is on hold, with no clear timeline as to when we will shift back to normal. Sadly, what we know as normal will never be reclaimed after the pandemic has slowed. It is clear the world is under a stage of significant transition, where every critical decision will have an immense impact for years to come. My family and I decided that it would be best for me to come home to our cottage in West Michigan, and while my lake view and the wildlife surrounding the area is calming, I feel the intrinsic motor of motivation grinding to a halt. Personally, as classes have become Pass/No Record Covid and my additional responsibilities shift online, it is difficult to not be swept up in the discourse pertaining to COVID-19. We have all the time in the world with no definitive end in sight,
but our lives have been dictated by deadlines and sociality for our entire collegiate careers, so the pressure of progress and achievement still hovers in our personal quarantines. This being said, all societal expectations and sociological surges are becoming less important in our personal lives compared to the massive shifts in health care, policy and politics. Right now, life seems to be controlled primarily by external factors. We rely on the politicians we have elected, the health care systems currently in place and late-stage capitalism to handle this pandemic. With each additional restriction, the underlying fear and unrest increases.
Read more at MichiganDaily.com Elizabeth Cook can be reached at elizcook@umich.edu.
EASHETA SHAH | COLUMN
M
Embrace the existential crisis
y kitchen island has served as a place where time gets lost in long hours of insightful conversation. Now, when time seems to stand still and daily discussions don’t steer far from the all-consuming, mindnumbing coronavirus pandemic, I often reminisce to one of my last conversations with my college friends. We’d landed on my favorite discussion of all time: the simulation argument. The argument juggles the capacity of technological advancement with the probability that we are living in a matrix. While it’s intriguing to momentarily entertain such questions, philosophers have studied these kinds of thought experiments for centuries. The real-world implications of working through these purely imaginative exercises have been heavily debated in philosophy and science, but one thing many thinkers can agree on is their importance. By limiting an existing realm to either be a matrix or to be a technologically lagging society, thought experiments, like the simulation argument, yield clear intuition that can be translated into real-world dilemmas. While life is messier than a carefully crafted
hypothetical, popular culture offers a medium in which we can further consider philosophical questions through movies, TV shows and books. The actual challenge, however, is actively engaging in the intelligent participation this kind of content calls for — and allowing any existential epiphanies to shape our perception and way of life. Existentialism has existed as a prevalent theme in books and movies, taking the form of dystopian futures, dangerous diseases and exaggerations of reality, but these conversations often circle back to the same conclusion: “That’s just a big ‘what if,’ though.” Well, what if we didn’t take these interpretations lightly? Instead, in times like these, we should indulge in the uncertainty of existence. Among all the chaos it has already caused, a global pandemic serves as yet another reminder of the frailty of human nature, and as Albert Camus, author of the commonly revisited novel “The Plague,” suggests, the absurdity of life. Written post-World War II when existentialism began gaining popularity, Camus’s classic novel eerily mimics the current crisis and, subsequently, the potential
lessons to be learned from it, as many have already connected. While Camus’ philosophies seemed purely educational when plowing through the 320-page book for an elective class, its relevance and truth feel unsettling in our current context. It’s as if hypotheticals in popular culture have some truth behind them — as if we just may be living in our own twisted episode of “Black Mirror.” From 1999’s “The Matrix” to contemporary Netflix originals like “The Society,” TV shows and movies have encouraged us to question reality and contemplate our own purpose, though it’s not as if we’ve ever really needed this push. Feelings of existential dread, or intense feelings of indifference triggered by external stimuli, are common among college students, especially when the sleepless nights of studying never seem to be enough and successes are questioned at the first stumble.
Read more at MichiganDaily.com Easheta Shah can be reached at shaheash@umich.edu.
Stay safe.” It’s a phrase that’s becoming all too familiar in the days of COVID-19. My husband says it to me as he hugs me before I leave for work. I read it in texts from friends and family who I haven’t seen in weeks. The grocery store clerk utters it through a plexiglass barrier in the checkout line. These two words are a ubiquitous mantra the whole world is crying out in desperation. I want to tell you all today that I am not safe. I am not safe because Michigan Medicine will not let me protect myself. I am an ICU (intensive care unit) nurse at Michigan Medicine. I am one of thousands of front-line health care providers at the hospital who are faced with the impossible task of handling the coronavirus pandemic. Similar to any other health care system in the United States, our hospital was wholly unprepared to face this unprecedented crisis. Personal protection gear for hospital workers is limited worldwide and many health care systems have had to adapt to preserve their limited supply of masks. Unfortunately, “The Michigan Difference” here is that our hospital administration is not only rationing protective gear but also prohibiting bedside staff from using their own personal equipment to protect themselves from the virus. So much is still not understood about COVID-19. One of the greatest areas of debate is whether the disease is transmitted through the air or through respiratory droplets. For health care providers caring for patients, appropriate droplet precautions include a simple surgical face mask, along with a gown, gloves and eye shield. Diseases with airborne transmission can easily penetrate these masks. Because of this, when a disease is airborne, a more sophisticated respiratory mask is recommended such as an N95 or N100. The world has only known about COVID-19 for a few months. Researchers are working around the clock to study its transmission. Some studies are suggesting the virus is airborne, but there is still not a definitive consensus. The World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both postulate that COVID19 transmission is primarily airborne and close transmission via respiratory particles is “uncertain.” However, the CDC has yet to update its recommendations and maintain that droplet precautions provide healthcare workers with adequate protection. Is this reluctance a product of insufficient evidence? Of course, a shortage of personal protective gear is not a problem unique to Michigan Medicine. Up until recently, the hospital was recommending and supplying COVID-19 providers with N95 masks. That rug was pulled out from under us on March 19 when the administration announced that we will now be using simple face masks and N95 masks will only be used in special circumstances. This policy change feels alarming and irresponsible. The hospital administration has shown a profound lack of transparency on showing staff what data they are using to support this change. The change has left many of us panicked. Are we really expected to just believe that a mask will protect us when there is still no consensus on transmission? On March 30, it was announced that, in anticipation of an influx of patients, a new staffing model would be introduced
to address patients exceeding our current nursing capacity. We will all be forced to work 12-hour shifts, with very few exceptions. We will work with non-ICU trained nurses to care for up to 12 patients at a time, including several patients who are critically ill. This means as bedside staff, our exposure to this virus will increase exponentially, while our only protection is a face mask that will “probably” protect us. Maybe it’s too much to ask for a hospital to provide N95 masks to all its frontline staff during a global crisis. The shortage of gear is obviously not just a Michigan problem. But what if I purchase my own personal N95 mask or reusable respirator mask online to use at work? Many are expensive and difficult to find, but perhaps the price is worth it when you are fearful for the health of yourself and your family. Henry Ford Health System has not only allowed staff to use their own personal gear but also has allowed staff to make their own masks amid the shortage. On March 30, the Joint Commission released a statement supporting the use of health care providers utilizing their own personal protective equipment, saying “the degree to which privately-owned masks and respirators will increase the protection of health care workers is uncertain. However, the balance of evidence suggests that it is positive.” Despite this recommendation, on April 1, Michigan sent a hospital-wide email saying they will continue to prohibit the use of personal protection brought from home. The CDC has also published recommendations for ways to protect providers when masks are limited or unavailable. They have even gone as far as to say that we can use bandanas and scarves as a last resort. Yet if I have an N95 mask at home for personal use, Michigan says that it is not OK to use at work. It is frustrating how our administrators can pick and choose which recommendations they will abide by. As health care providers, we take an oath to do no harm. We did not take an oath to stand by and allow ourselves to be harmed in the process. There is a fine line between essential employees and sacrificial staff. This week it was announced that a Henry Ford Hospital nurse died after testing positive for COVID-19. Hospital administrators are making choices around infection control, but we are the ones paying the ultimate price. Michigan Medicine is a respected leader in health care and should be setting an example for the rest of Southeast Michigan as we fight through this pandemic. By not allowing us to wear our own gear, the hospital is being negligent and disrespectful to every single person who is putting their life on the line to help these sick patients. We have a right to do anything we can to protect our lives and the lives of those we love without fear of retribution from our superiors. Michigan Medicine, I am disappointed in you. You already are overwhelmed, understaffed and unprepared. You will lose some of the most brilliant medical professionals in the world to this disease if you don’t allow us to become better protected. Instead of telling me to stay safe, why don’t you give me a fighting chance?
The change has left many of us panicked.
Editor’s Note: The author of this op-ed has been kept anonymous due to their fear of retaliation.
Arts
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Tuesday, April 7, 2020 — 5
MUSIC INTERVIEW
Searcy’s IG Live concerts to benefit Nashville musicians first year of gaining some success and starting to sell out rooms, but still having a lot of expenses,” Daily Arts Writer Searcy said. “A lot of my friends are the people Over the course of mere days, COVID-19 has that got hit the hardest because they may not have changed our lives in ways we never could have streaming, or online merch sales, or savings from imagined. While we’ve heard countless stories of a bunch of hit records saved up like a lot of other workers being laid off due to the economic strain professional musicians do. A lot of my friends rely of the stay-at-home order, musicians, who rely on exclusively on touring for income. They rely on ticket sales to pay their rent, have been relatively touring, but it’s like five people that rely on one forgotten amid the madness. tour to pay (each member’s) rent.” Though big artists Last Tuesday, Searcy who’ve made millions hosted a livestream to in hit records will raise money for The probably make Brook and the Bluff, a it through these pop-soul band out of uncertain times Nashville that had their without incurring shows canceled due to irreversible damage, the virus. On top of public “low-tier” professional show cancellations, the musicians who are just group also had their Tuesdays 9:30 p.m. CST starting their music private events canceled Streaming via Instagram careers have been — which would have greatly impacted by been a major source of show cancellations. income heading into the As artists who rely summer. on touring to gain a “A lot of musicians following and who make cash not just from barely make anything from streaming, they are tickets to shows, but also from unpublicized facing severe financial struggles after investing special events, like a high-profile wedding, or a much of their savings into crews and equipment bar mitzvah, or a corporate event,” Searcy said. for touring, only to have all of those shows “The Brook and the Bluff had a lot of big corporate canceled. events booked to keep them afloat through the I had the opportunity to chat with Jordy summer, and all of those got canceled.” Searcy, a folk singer/songwriter based out of While Searcy is an out-of-work musician Nashville, about the unique impact of COVID-19 himself, he claims he is doing well for the time on musicians and what’s being done to support being and wants to dedicate his time to helping the them during this time. As an artist working his artists that truly need it. way into mainstream music, Searcy has been “I actually got pretty lucky because I make most supporting the Nashville music community of my income from streaming,” Searcy said. “My by hosting livestreams on his Instagram every cash flow actually wasn’t affected and I’m kind of Tuesday night, with each virtual show dedicated on a gradual rise this year anyway. I’ve been lucky to raising money for a different band. enough to now be making a little bit more money “I had the idea (because) I have a lot of friends than I was making even a few months ago.” that are touring off of their first record and they’re Though Searcy is the one coordinating the starting to make fans, but it’s really just like the livestreams, he believes their success comes from KAITLYN FOX
Jordy Searcy: Live from My Van
JORDY SEARCY
fans’ willingness to help out. “I’m not the one giving cash. I’m just basically playing a few songs, orchestrating it,” Searcy said. “What’s been really cool is the number of people watching every week has grown. The number of dollars that the fans give to the bands has been growing every week too, which has been really cool. It’s been really encouraging to see people support my friends, who I love a lot.” On top of performing some of his own music and covers, Searcy invites other musicians to join the livestreams in an effort to get the entire Nashville music community involved. Searcy has featured the bands he’s raising money for, as well as outside artists like Caleb Chapman from Colony House, a rock band based out of Nashville, who played a few acoustic songs from the band’s new album. Staying true to the spirit of struggling musicians, Searcy films the livestreams from a van he recently purchased for touring. “We bought the van maybe a month and a half ago and then everything got canceled, so it’s basically my office now,” Searcy said. “The van was a touring thing and now I’ve built that out a little bit. I moved everything into my van, and now I record and write out of there.”
During his livestream dedicated to raising money for the band Sawyer, a female indiepop duo, Searcy had to pause the livestream periodically to talk to Mike, the stranger that was allowing Searcy to park his van on his property. About halfway through the livestream, something must have come up, and Mike politely asked Searcy to move his van, forcing him to find a new spot to park so he could finish the livestream. Needless to say, Searcy has been on a lot of adventures during this quarantine. “Last week I took (the van) out surfing for a while, self-quarantined in the van and surfed for a week, did one of the livestreams from out close to the beach,” Searcy said. “Now the van is parked in Nashville, so usually my daily routine is I drive out to a little secluded area like a scenic park and just park it and work all day in the van in my officestudio thing, and then I drive it back home.” As someone who loves to perform live, Searcy has missed the in-person interactions that can’t be replaced by virtual shows, but he still believes he’s been able to make unique connections with his fans through livestream concerts.
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FILM REVIEW
‘Road to Roma,’ a moving, making-of-the-movie-type movie JACOB LUSK
Daily Arts Writer
“Parasite” made history two months ago (yes, two months is right — time is all sorts of funky in the age of corona) with its Best Picture win, but it certainly wasn’t the first non-English-language film to make an attempt at the Academy’s top prize. The twentieth century saw a number of French, Italian and Swedish films have a go. The year 2000 featured Ang Lee’s martial arts epic “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” And it was only as recent as 2019 that a perhaps equally deserving film was in Best Picture contention: Alfonso Cuarón’s sublime blackand-white Netf lix f lick (Netf lick?) “Roma.” It didn’t win. But the cast and crew still
NETFLIX
went home happy with the awards for Best Foreign Language Film (since renamed Best International Feature), Best Director and Best Cinematography. Despite falling short of the top prize, “Roma” is one of those rare movies that may have truly earned the title of “instant classic,” a status that is being recognized by the film’s recently announced inclusion in the Criterion Collection. As Netf lix’s first-ever home video release, it’s set to be accompanied by the 72-minute making-of documentary “Road to Roma,” co-directed by Andres Clariond (“Hilda”) and Gabriel Nuncio (“Cumbres”). And, this being a Netf lix shindig, it’s already on the streaming service for everyone’s viewing pleasure. “Labor of love” is a phrase that gets
thrown around a lot; in “Road to Roma,” we learn what exactly a labor of love looks like, as the documentary is largely a grand picking of director Cuarón’s brain. If one reads anything about “Roma,” they’ll learn that it’s a deeply personal film, a semiautobiographical tale of Cuarón’s childhood in Mexico City and an emotional ode to his beloved nanny Liboria Rodríguez, the inspiration for the film’s own protagonist Cleo. He goes so far as to call it his “first film” (an especially meaningful claim considering his sci-fi film “Gravity” was a contender for Best Picture in 2013, not to mention Oscar nominations for “Children of Men” and “Y Tu Mamá También”). In this light, “Road to Roma” brings the same keen quality of appeal that arises whenever one listens to someone talking about something they’re truly passionate about. Cuarón definitely fits the role of the neurotic director — hemming and hawing over every angle, every set piece, every minute expression — and to that end, some might be exhausted by the eccentricities of a stereotypically ostentatious artist. But what “Road to Roma” really pounds in is that “Roma” is a film that set its sights beyond artistic quality. Cuarón’s perfectionism was not in service of perfection itself, but rather in pursuit of truth, in fidelity to Libo and to Mexico, plumbing the depths of his memory to make sure the garage tiles matched, the local delicatessens had the right signage, that even that the extras playing his neighbors looked at least a little similar.
It’s insights like these that proliferate in “Road to Roma,” as the film is largely an extended interview with Cuarón as he takes the viewer through the casting process, the set construction, the blocking and specific methods of acting and all the minutiae of film production. Anyone looking for sitdowns with the film’s lead Yalitza Aparicio — or discussion with really any other crew or cast member beyond candid footage —
Road to Roma Netflix Now Streaming
will be disappointed. Ultimately, like most making-of films, this movie is an “extra.” But if one was captivated by the grace and endurance of Aparicio’s Cleo and has any interest at all in the life and work of Alfonso Cuarón, then “Road to Roma” is an enlightening experience, augmenting rather than merely ornamenting the already excellent “Roma.”
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PHOTO ESSAY
Multimedia
Tuesday, April 7, 2020 — 6
Working from
home:
TMD photographer edition
Becca Mahon/Daily
Asha Lewis/Daily
Alexis Rankin//Daily
As millions of people adjust to working, learning and trying to live their normal lives from home, some jobs simply can’t be done from the confines of your living room. At first, being a Michigan Daily photographer seemed to be one of those jobs since all events and games had been canceled, not to mention social distancing prohibiting us from even leaving our houses. This means we’ve had to photograph what’s around us: quarantine. Most of us have been adjusting to online classes in our new workspaces at home. Some of us have taken on projects ranging from making face masks for local hospitals experiencing shortages to building skateboards. We’ve also been getting outside and staying active. Most importantly, we’ve been washing our hands, and we hope you are too!
Alexis Rankin//Daily
Allison Engkvist/Daily
7 — Tuesday, April 7, 2020
JARED GREENSPAN Daily Sports Writer
Bryan Finnerty gazed across the table and saw himself. It was late last October, and he was out to lunch in Ann Arbor, in town for that night’s men’s soccer game between Michigan and Wisconsin. Bryan was catching up with one of his fraternal twin sons, Owen, who doubled as the Wolverines’ backup goalkeeper. Michigan had only three games left on its regular season schedule and Owen, a freshman, had yet to see the pitch. He was the backup to senior stalwart Andrew Verdi, the eventual Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. Bryan had been in Owen’s shoes before. Thirty-two years ago, he was a backup goalkeeper for San Diego State, slotted behind senior Felipe Hernandez on the depth chart. To begin the 1987 campaign, Bryan, a redshirt sophomore, readied for life on the bench, unlikely to contribute for the third straight season. Then everything changed. Eleven games in, Hernandez fell victim to a broken leg in an ugly collision during practice, thrusting Bryan into the starting lineup. Bryan took his opportunity and ran with it. In his first game in the net against rival San Diego, he anchored a 2-0 shutout win. He steered the Aztecs all the way to the NCAA Tournament final, the first chapter in what would become a successful 13-year career that spanned the collegiate and professional ranks on the National Professional Soccer League’s Detroit Rockers. So as Bryan looked at Owen, whose lack of playing time made redshirting a possibility, he had just one message to relay: be ready. “Most guys just shut it down mentally at that point,’’ Bryan said. “They’re just done, ready for next year. But what if the coach looks down the bench and says it’s time for you to go in? Do you say yes or no? Without hesitation, Owen goes ‘Yes, for sure. I’m taking every chance I can get. I’m ready for it. I’m ready to go.’ ” That evening against
Sports The bond between Owen and Bryan Finnerty
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Wisconsin, Verdi suffered an injury that forced him out of the game. Owen was summoned. “Hearing my Dad’s story so many times before, I think I was prepared in a way that I knew I needed to be ready because my Dad always told me to be ready,” Owen said. “I put myself in the right mental place, the always be ready aspect.” Verdi’s injury proved to be season-ending; the reins to the net were now Owen’s. He didn’t miss a beat. In his first collegiate start, he shut out rival Michigan State, 2-0, much like Bryan did against San Diego all those years earlier. He piloted the Wolverines on a run in the NCAA Tournament — just as Bryan had done with his Aztecs — ending in the Sweet Sixteen. Like father, like son. Said Bryan: “You just can’t script it.” *** A sobering predicament faces kids pursuing a sport in which one of their parents found success. Every day of their childhood, they confront a reminder of all they have yet to achieve. Some aspiring athletes crumble under the pressure, engulfed by their parent’s shadow. Others opt for a more auspicious outlook. Owen always viewed his Dad as a beacon of possibility, not a towering wall of his own unfulfilled expectations. “I felt a drive, almost like I wanted to experience my dreams to play professional soccer and collegiate soccer and take the game as far as I can,” Owen said. “Having a Dad who did the same thing I wanted to do, that inspired me to do that as well. I knew it was feasible.” From an early age, Owen grew cognizant of his Dad’s soccer career. He watched old tapes of Rockers games, seeing his Dad shine in goal against his adversaries. It was through these films that Owen got a sense of who his Dad was as a goalkeeper. “Watching the games, not a lot of (my actions) were censored out back then,” Bryan remembered, laughing. “Owen would go, ‘Dad are you cussing there? Are you yelling that?’ It was just the intensity I played with. He grew to understand
that, when you’re on that side of the touchline, you should have that level of intensity that the game deserves and needs.” Playing with that vigor is a requisite for goalkeepers, perhaps more so than it is for other positions. Manning the net comes with the utmost pressure — being the last line of defense, the boundary between win and loss and often the scapegoat for the latter. Accordingly, goalkeepers, the good ones, have trademarked characteristics. They are dogged, unshakable. Bryan calls it a “bravery chip.” It’s a trait that’s been visible in Owen since he was 13, only a year after he took up goalkeeping full-time. It was the 2014 State Cup final and he got peppered with shots, his team vastly outmatched. In the first half alone, he made 15 saves and allowed just one goal. In the halftime huddle, Owen inspired. “He comes in and just pumps the guys up,” Bryan recalled. “It’s a spot where most goalkeepers want to be in a shell and crawl under a rock, cause they know that’s coming in the second half. He just showed a lot of moxie, to have what it takes between gears to be able to get scored on and still bounce back and have that resolve. I remember thinking to myself he’s got it, he’s got that chip.” Owen and Bryan’s similarities in the net go beyond the chip. They share the same charisma and demeanor, that fervor. They’re both risk-takers and have a knack for making the big save. Hard work runs in Finnerty blood — “control the controllable” is a family mantra. And Owen’s career path, rather eerily, continues to resemble that of his father. Last May, Owen stood out on the turf field at Keyworth Stadium, the home venue for his new team, Detroit City FC. The stands were filled with those Bryan labels “generational fans” of Detroit soccer. It’s a vibrant community that didn’t exist when he played for the Rockers. The ‘90s marked an era where the fans, while devoted, were novice and limited in number. Bryan has long been a fixture
MADELINE HINKLEY/Daily
Owen Finnerty’s career path mirrors his father, Bryan, who also played goalkeeper in college.
in Detroit’s soccer community. He won over followers with stellar play on the field and activism off it, making routine appearances at schools and camps. When his career ended in 2000, his involvement didn’t cease. Along with his wife, Denise, he launched Opportunity Seed, a nonprofit program designed to stimulate soccer in the area and assist younger players. On that May evening, Bryan found himself caught up in the moment. He looked on as his son signed autographs for a fanbase he cultivated. Owen lacing up to play on a field he laid the groundwork for. He couldn’t help but get emotional. Here was Owen, literally following in his doting father’s footsteps. *** All father-son relationships evolve over time. And along the way, all have their ups and downs. Sports have a way of surfacing these tensions. The Finnertys were never exempt from any of this. Bryan and Owen’s relationship has had its strains, for which the dinner table was the usual stomping ground. “There were plenty of times where I thought I knew better, and Owen thought he knew better, which led to some pretty spirited discussions,” Bryan said. “You know, where as a Dad who might have grown up playing hockey and then Owen played soccer, I probably wouldn’t have had as much of an opinion.” Gradually, their relationship has matured. It’s taken effort
on both sides. Bryan, who coached Owen in his early playing days, has acclimated to a more handsoff approach. He’s learned to embrace the life of a spectator, as someone who can’t affect the outcome of the game any longer. Owen, meanwhile, has grown to appreciate everything his Dad has brought to the table, learning it’s often best to heed to Dad’s wisdom. In hindsight, he realizes just how fortunate he’s been to have a former goalkeeper around all the time. “I just love when he watches me,” Owen said. “And having him to coach me and kinda show me what he could show me. Especially as a young kid, to be exposed to someone like that, it was huge. Just having him to talk to all the time and ask questions, to have him by my side all the time was huge for my growth and knowledge of my game.” Their bond extends beyond the soccer pitch. The two share many of the same passions and cherish the times when they’re not talking about soccer at all, the “guy time” — fishing, surfing, golfing. “I think through that goalie-to-goalie, dad-to-son relationship, it created a lot of space for us to build many other relationships, which has just been really cool,” Bryan said. “Certainly, soccer has made us closer. I’ll go back to the conversations at the dinner table. To me, that’s like any relationship. It’s tough to have your relationship grow if you don’t have those healthy
contention points where you’re challenging each other. Not only did it give us time to communicate with each other about soccer, but also to communicate about life.” *** In Owen’s second start as a Wolverine, Michigan hit the road to take on No. 17 Maryland. As the last contest of the regular season, the match had major implications on seeding for the impending Big Ten Tournament and a potential NCAA Tournament bid. With under a minute to play, the Wolverines nursed a 3-2 lead. The Terrapins had possession and in a quickly developing play found themselves on the lip of Owen’s 18-yard-box. As a Maryland forward ripped a screaming shot toward the top-right corner of the net, Owen propelled himself into the air. He punched the ball away with his right fist, denying the equalizer with a highlight-reel save. Michigan held on to win, 4-2. After the game, Owen made a beeline for the stands to greet a beaming Bryan. “To just go over there, hugging him as a fan, I think that was a great moment for both of us,” Owen said. “It felt like a lot came together in that moment. I’ll never forget that one.” “That Maryland moment, it was culminating,” Bryan said. “A critical point in the season, as a young player when you’re still being tested. To make that save, I was just taken aback. It was kinda like, man, he did that. “And I was just so, so proud.”
The Michigan memories that defined college It is the case, even outside the realm of sportswriters like myself, that students often remember their time at Michigan through the snapshot of sports. MAX Questions MARCOVITCH like, “Where were you when Poole hit the shot?” both capture a moment
in time and a nostalgic reverence for the past. We get that brief rush of dopamine thinking back to a single moment of joy. Who did we hug? What did we do? Who climbed that light pole on South U? Students graduating this year — or whatever word we choose — have seen a four-year span packed with Michigan sports success, maybe more so than any crop of graduates since … the late-90s? The early 90s? Earlier?
There were iconic moments, legendary athletes, historic runs and unexpected twists. There was a shot, a frozen dagger, a gut-punch in the pouring rain. There was heartbreak — oh, plenty of that. A loss at Kinnick. Inches of a football separating triumph and tumult. Titles and near titles. Surprise postseason runs. Coaching changes we expected and coaching changes that seemed unfathomable. But let’s not get too
far ahead of ourselves. I picked eight. Your eight might be different. We’re all susceptible to our own biases. But here are the eight moments, runs, games and events that will define how I remember our four years on this campus. I’d love to hear from you, particularly my fellow graduating seniors — @ Max_Marcovitch on Twitter or maxmarco@umich.edu — to see where you agree or disagree. See MEMORIES, Page 8
DAILY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS/Daily
Michigan had various memorable moments over the last four years.
Sports DeParted
8 — Tuesday, April 7, 2020
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In surprise move, David DeJulius enters the transfer portal, leaving ‘M’ without presumptive starter DANIEL DASH
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan guard David DeJulius plans to enter the transfer portal, according to a program spokesperson. The news was first broken by Josh Henschke of 247Sports. A former four-star recruit from Detroit in 2018, DeJulius played sparingly as a freshman before taking on a bigger role this past season. He averaged 7.0 points on 42 percent shooting this past season and started in place of senior guard Zavier Simpson during the Wolverines’ trip to Lincoln in January. DeJulius, who was recruited by former Michigan coach John Beilein, seemed to be adjusting well to the beginning of the Juwan Howard era in Ann Arbor. On Dec. 2, DeJulius praised Howard’s open door policy. “You can just walk into his office at any time of the day and just talk about anything,” DeJulius said. “It doesn’t even have to be about basketball. A lot of times, he’ll pull you in and talk to you and it won’t have nothing to do with basketball, ‘How’s your family? How are you? How’s school? How are you doing mentally?’ ” In a conversation during January, DeJulius echoed a similar sentiment after the two met for breakfast at Sava’s on State Street. “No matter the time of day, you can hit him up,” DeJulius told The Daily. “Just to know you have a coach that’s been through what you’ve been through,
MEMORIES From Page 7 2019: John Beilein leaves for the Cleveland Cavaliers I’d imagine if you’d taken an on-campus approval poll of every athletic figure at the school (addendum: someone should do this), Beilein likely would have ranked highest. People inside and outside the program knew him to be a good person. And most importantly, he won — a lot. He singlehandedly made a program relevant at a school that prioritized football first, second and third. He never recruited quite as well as you’d hoped; by the end, he made you a truther in that philosophy, anyway. For those not plugged into Beilein’s inner-circle, the departure came as a shock. That ship seemed to have sailed for a 66-year-old college basketball lifer to gamble on a professional job, in the
you’re able to relate to him and he’s able to relate to you. It’s a very good feeling to go out there and play for him.” Even beyond Howard, DeJulius was outspoken in his ability to connect with the rest of the stuff. In particular, he bonded with assistant coach Howard Eisley over their shared Detroit roots. “(Eisley) was like an OG from the city,” DeJulius said in February, “But now he came in and now he’s my coach, so I’m just going to embrace it. He had a great career in the NBA so I’m just trying to pick (up) as much knowledge from him as I can. We connected, just both being from Detroit. Being from the inner city, just seeing the type of life he made for himself and his family, how he conducts himself on and off the court, and me (being) inspired to get to the level he’s on. We just kind of connected from that standpoint.” Given the Wolverines’ five public class of 2020 commitments, attrition was always going to be inevitable. But with Michigan in strong contention for class of 2020 five-star shooting guard Josh Christopher and Harvard graduate transfer Bryce Aiken, perhaps DeJulius’ departure boils down to a desire for playing time. He’s shown enough in his time at Michigan to draw national high-major interest. And now, with his decision to transfer expected to become official later this week, DeJulius will finish out his remaining two years of eligibility elsewhere.
unlikely event one would even surface. But he did. On a random May morning, a single tweet from Adrian Wojnarowski sent ripples from Ann Arbor to Cleveland and beyond. His departure also marked an inflection point in the trajectory of the program. Could the infrastructure he built sustain his departure? Would interest around the program wane? Early signs are eminently positive on both fronts, though far from a closed book. In other words: it should speak volumes about his successor that when Beilein’s tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers petered out, there wasn’t even the slightest suggestion that Michigan should try to rekindle the flame. That doesn’t make that single moment — the kind that triggered double- and tripletakes — any less startling. 2018: Jordan Poole’s miracle shot
MILES MACKLIN/Daily
David DeJulius will enter the transfer portal, a program spokesperson confirmed to The Daily.
CONNOR BRENNAN Daily Sports Writer
What was already likely to be a revamped Michigan men’s basketball roster heading into next season became even more so Monday afternoon with the announcement that guard David DeJulius had entered the transfer portal. A Detroit native, DeJulius was in line to compete for the starting point guard job following the departure of senior Zavier Simpson. Instead, DeJulius will complete his two remaining years of eligibility elsewhere. DeJulius’s announcement comes as somewhat of a surprise given his reportedly strong relationships with first-year coach Juwan Howard and assistants Phil Martelli and Howard Eisley. DeJulius was one of the first players off the bench for the Wolverines, averaging 20.9 minutes across all 31 games and even started against Nebraska on
Much has been written about this, so much of it is really, really good. There is one thing that I think routinely gets overlooked, though. Put yourself in the shoes of Muhammad Ali AbdurRahkman in this moment. Your college career, one which not only ranks among the best in program history, but which has never received the credit it deserves, hangs in the balance. This play is for you — the same play they ran against Minnesota earlier in the season to get him to the freethrow line and force overtime. You should be the hero. The ball is in your hands. The clock is dwindling. You catch the ball at midcourt, begin to dribble and hear this voice belting your name. You have to make this split-second decision: keep dribbling and try to get this yourself, as roughly 99 percent of college basketball players in his spot would, or pass to the freshman who had yet to take
Jan. 28 following Simpson’s one-game suspension. At times, DeJulius provided a jolt of much-needed energy and even amidst struggles, displayed a certain bravado and confidence. “At my position, if I’m hitting shots, good,” DeJulius said back in November. “Each and every night, I can’t have a night off, where I’m not rebounding or where I’m not guarding. That’s gonna keep me on the floor. Hitting shots just adds to that. But, at the very least, I’m going to give my teammates all I can on the defensive end and in the muscle areas.” But, even with Simpson and center Jon Teske departing and junior forward Isaiah Livers testing the NBA Draft waters, an offseason transfer or two was probable. On top of bringing center Austin Davis back on a fifth-year scholarship, Michigan will usher in a loaded 2020 recruiting class of five commits. Fivestar guard Josh Christopher
a shot all game, made just five of his 19 shots in the Big Ten Tournament and averaged just over 12 minutes per game. It’s easy to imagine a scenario where Poole’s wayward attempt bricks rim, Michigan packs up a rollercoaster season and AbdurRahkman spends years regretting giving up the ball at all. The shot, of course, went in. Pandemonium ensued. The bench went nuts. Skeeps lost its mind. Students flooded the streets. Poole became an instant legend. Michigan made the National Title Game. The rest is history. There are plenty of ways to dissect this play from Poole’s perspective. But man, that’s also an astounding display of faith from Abdur-Rahkman, a habitually selfless basketball player. Let’s not lose sight of that. (Oh, it also gave us the single most iconic image in Michigan Daily history.)
may add to that number with an announcement in the coming weeks. The Wolverines are also in the running for sought-after graduate transfers Bryce Aiken of Harvard and Mike Smith of Columbia — both point guards. Once all those questions are answered, Michigan will need to come away with just 13 scholarship players. DeJulius has yet to speak publicly about his decision, but guaranteed playing time likely factored into the equation. The addition of Aiken or Smith to Michigan’s backcourt would undoubtedly jeopardize that prospect. As for now though, his exit means rising senior Eli Brooks will have to shoulder much of the burden, both from an offensive and leadership perspective. Brooks started alongside Simpson at the “2” last season but served as the backup point guard the two years prior. Brooks enjoyed somewhat of a breakout
2019: Bakich leads insurgent Michigan team to College World Series They just kept winning. The Wolverines entered the Big Ten Tournament unsure if they’d even make the NCAA Tournament. They did. The won their Regional. They beat Texas Tech, then Florida State, then Texas Tech again. There were folk heroes, like Jimmy Kerr and Tommy Henry. There was late-inning magic. At some point, those of us who believe in whimsical things like “destiny” in sports couldn’t help but feel this was it. Suddenly, coach Erik Bakich, the disciple, was staring down Vanderbilt coach, Tim Corbin, the master, with a chance at college baseball glory. Quietly, Bakich took a middling Big Ten program and made it a model for midwestern baseball during the last four years. And I say quiet, knowing that emergence from subtlety probably came earlier
junior season under Howard, averaging 10.6 points and shooting 36.4 percent from deep. He also was the Wolverines’ best perimeter defender. “A lot of people overlook Eli,” Livers said after Michigan’s February win over Michigan State. “I honestly hate when he guards me in practice. You can’t come off any ball screens, you can’t drive. He doesn’t give up any angles. He told me his dad taught him that at a young age, so that’s why he’s so excellent at it now.” From a production standpoint, Brooks is more than capable of stepping into a primary role. Dubbed “the silent assassin” by teammates, Brooks is not the vocal presence that Simpson or even DeJulius was. Whether he likes it or not, now Brooks has to assume more of that role — especially if Livers opts to leave. Brooks, Davis, freshman standout Franz Wagner and versatile sophomore forward Brandon Johns Jr. will all have significant roles next season for the Wolverines. Accompanying a premature and abrupt offseason though, are a number of questions yet to be answered: Will Livers return for his senior season? Who else might transfer? Will Christopher join a stacked 2020 class? Can Michigan land Aiken or Smith? And, what does the rotation look like heading into next season? DeJulius’s transfer announcement is just the first of many dominoes still to fall.
than expected. The Wolverines came just short, of course, losing Game Three of the College World Series to the Commodores, 8-2. But the run put Michigan baseball on the map, locally and nationally, in a way it hasn’t been in quite awhile. 2017: Michigan loses to Michigan State, fans have fun anyway Time to get on a bit of a soapbox. If you crowdsourced the entire senior class, I bet a plurality would point to this game as their single favorite sports moment in college. They’ll tell you about how the rain actually energized everyone. They’ll pull out their iPhone, pull up the link of everyone singing Mr. Brightside. And that’s cool. They leave out one convenient fact: This is one of the worst losses of the Harbaugh era to date!
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