ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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SCIENCE
Eight ‘U’ professors awarded fellowship Faculty represent various science departments By RACHEL PREMACK
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Daily Staff Reporter
LSA sophomore Arielle Wisbaum (left) and LSA freshman Miles Denudt (right) inform passersby about the dangers of Bangladeshi sweatshops. This “die in” in, which took place Monday in the Diag, was organized by the University’s chapter of United Students Against Sweatshops.
Protest asks for factory safety Students say ‘U’ should require licensees to abide by fire-safety code By AMIA DAVIS Daily Staff Reporter
Anyone walking through the Diag Monday would have seen several students lying on the ground. Fortunately, they hadn’t succumbed to the harsh weather — they were only playing dead.
United Students Against Sweatshops held a “die-in” to symbolize the work-related deaths of thousands of Bangladeshi factory workers. Their goal was to pressure University President Mary Sue Coleman to require the University’s licensees to sign the Accord on Fire and Building Safety, which would ensure facilities that produce Michigan-branded apparel comply with fire safety code. USAS members lay on their backs for 30 minutes, while LSA sophomore Ryne Menhennick, LSA sophomore Sorin
Panainte and Public Policy junior Maya Menlo spoke about factory conditions. Most of the University’s apparel is manufactured in unsafe factories in Bangladesh, Menhennick said. These factories have exposed boiler rooms, non-enclosed staircases and insufficient signage near fire escapes. “The president’s office has indicated that she is concerned about the state of Bangladeshi workers, but that concern has yet to transition into action,” Panainte told passerbys. Menlo said in an interview
HEALTH
Eight University professors, hailing from the fields of psychology, dentistry, biological sciences and ecology, were named as fellows with the American Association for the Advancement of Science fellows Monday. They were among the 388 AAAS Fellows receiving the prestigious recognition this year. The fellows were nominated by their peers, based on their contributions to the advancement of science or its applications. Last year, the University had 19 AAAS fellows — the most of any other institution. AAAS is the world’s largest scientific society and selects fellows who have been members of the association for four years. In order to become a fellow, members must be nominated by three
that the main goal of the protest is to persuade Coleman to add a rule to the University Code of Conduct for Licensees — which governs how licensees like Adidas produce University merchandise — requiring them to sign the Accord on Fire and Building Safety. More than 100 brands have signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety, including H&M and Abercrombie and Fitch. Duke University has also required their licensees to sign the accord. Menhennick said students See PROTEST, Page 3
FOOTBALL
S I N G T H E N I G H T AWAY
Struggling team says ‘All bets are off’ vs. Buckeyes
Smoking ban to evolve with incoming pres. Coleman will leave having inspired a healthier campus By MAX RADWIN Daily Staff Reporter
University President Mary Sue Coleman will leave behind a healthier student body when her appointment ends this summer. July will mark three years since the University made its campus smoke-free through the Smoke-Free University Initiative, which the University administration hopes to improve and expand under the incoming president. The Smoke-Free University Initiative was developed under MHealthy, a presidential initiative established in 2005 that encouraged a healthier community through cost-effective health delivery, public discussions about healthy living and campaigns like the smoking ban. When the initiative was proposed, the University waited two years to make implementation plans. “I think campuses that tried to (ban smoking) from one day to the next with no preparation just didn’t work,” Coleman said in a 2011 interview.“So this gives us some time, and we’ll try to resolve the issues. I think it’s the right way to go.” After approving the ban,
WEATHER TOMORROW
HI: 27 LO: 20
Coleman took a hands-off approach to the planning and implementation of the initiative. Robert Winfield, chief health officer and director of University Health Service, spearheaded the operation. In the two years spent researching, five committees representing different aspects of campus developed questionnaires, held town halls and organized student focus groups. “Primarily, they wanted to be sure that the program was respectful to smokers and it wouldn’t in some way demean them and make them into some kind of pariah,” Winfield said of student input. “The principle of the program was being respectful to smokers, (but) creating an environment on campus that was not smoke-welcome.” From this research, the University chose not to install “butt huts” to allow for the disposal of finished cigarettes, believing it would encourage smoking rather than stifle it. It also chose to allow smoking on sidewalks adjacent to road in an effort to prevent smokers from moving onto the property of city businesses. Marsha Benz, alcohol and other drugs health educator for UHS, consulted student focus groups in her role in the development of the campaign. She said they expressed a desire to see posters that showed them what else they could be spending their cigarette money on, See SMOKING, Page 7A
previous fellows, one of the 24 steering groups of AAAS’ sections or the AAAS chief executive officer. The policymaking council then votes on nominees and constructs the final list. Fellow Bradley Cardinale, an associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and natural resources and environment, is researching how biodiversity can benefit humans. Cardinale’s lab conducted data syntheses from more than 1,600 ecosystems worldwide. These studies revealed the relationship between the number of species and the environment’s productivity. Productive environments include crops repellent to disease, lakes producing more oxygen and forests with a high wood yield. This means that preventing extinction is favorable for people; a greater variety of species promotes a slew of human benefits. “There’s an increasing number of examples that show that biodiversity affects you and things you care about,” Cardinale said. See FELLOWSHIP, Page 3
The Wolverines goals have dwindled, all that remains is a win over Ohio State By LIZ VUKELICH
JAMES COLLER/Daily
Internationally renowned native Hawaiian artist Kaumakaiwa Kanaka’ole performs with her mother for the Makawalu concert and lecture series organized by the U-M Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies Program at Mendelssohn Theater Monday.
BUSINESS
Bar2Bar Transport aims to provide taxi alternative Seniors’ business caters to Greek life, athletes By WILLIAM LANE For the Daily
One year ago, LSA senior Harris Markowitz and Business senior Daniel Matian founded Bar2Bar Transport, a bus service marketed as a social alternative to taxi cabs. Now, the duo’s LED-lit buses are a frequent sight off campus. For a fixed fee of $3 per person, groups of up to 15 people can hire a Bar2Bar bus anywhere in Ann Arbor between
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10 p.m. and 3 a.m. Geared for partiers, the mini-buses are furnished with LED lighting and speakers. Alcohol is permitted onboard for those of age. Markowitz said despite being price-competitive with local taxi services, he believes the social aspect of the ride has a competitive advantage over alternatives. “It’s not just a ride; it’s part of a night out,” Markowitz said. Because of its ability to cater to groups, the service has become popular among the Greek community and athletes who want to go to bars or parties together. The company owns two
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15- passenger shuttles, each driven by licensed drivers. Max Sanders, a manager at Scorekeepers Bar and Grill and co-owner of Bar2Bar, said the startup has had a positive influence on business at Skeeps. “It definitely helps,” he said. “In my experience, most people come in groups of 15 to 20, so getting them there quickly and easily is more efficient and keeps them together.” Currently, Matian and Markowitz are focusing on publicizing and patenting the ability for users to purchase a ride from their phone. A purchased “ride code” provided by the app eliminates the need See TRANSPORT, Page 3
INDEX
Vol. CXXIV, No. 35 ©2013 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
Daily Sports Editor
Sure, the Michigan football team has squandered its Big Ten title hopes. Sure, redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner has been beaten, bruised and battered the past four games. Sure, the Wolverines haven’t shown a propensity for moving the ball consistently. But come Saturday, none of that matters to them. Fifth-year senior left tackle Taylor Lewan has several hopes for when Ohio State comes to town, which include fans potentially putting aside Michigan’s less-than-ideal record and Michigan Stadium being filled with maize and blue instead of scarlet and gray. In a game as big as The Game, preconceived notions don’t mean a thing to the Wolverines. “Saturday, all bets are off,” Lewan said. “We’re playing football. Anything could happen Saturday.” And why does he think the Wolverines would be capable of pulling what would be the biggest upset of the season? “Because we have heart.” In a season in which very little has gone according to plan, pride is the only thing the Wolverines have left to play for. Michigan coach Brady Hoke scheduled a team practice early See BUCKEYES, Page 3
NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................5
SPORTS.....................6 SUDOKU...............2 CLASSIFIED..............6
News
2 — Tuesday, November 26, 2013
MONDAY: This Week in History
WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers Before You Were Here
TUESDAY: Professor Profiles Profiles
THURSDAY: CampusProfiles Clubs Alumni
Prof. studies former news reports Communications Studies Department, which brings in a journalist for a year to teach. I did that for two years, then I became a lecturer in Communication Studies, which is my current position. It was a good offer and Michigan has a very good reputation.
What made you decide to come and teach at the University?
In this day and age, which is journalistically better: speedy coverage or fully informed coverage?
I wanted to be in the Midwest because I have three sons and two of them were living in Chicago at the time. I was offered a position as the visiting Howard R. Marsh Professor of Journalism in the
In journalism they say it’s better to be right than to be first. I don’t think the general public cares whether or not one organization beat another organization by one or two minutes,
CRIME NOTES
FRIDAY: Photos the Week Week Photos of the
even though news organizations seem to think it’s very important. It’s the Internet that’s changed things. CNN and Fox both got the Supreme Court decision wrong about the Affordable Care Act, and that was because they didn’t wait until the Chief Justice had finished speaking. That’s a very good example of rushing a story out too quickly, and it speaks to the fact that when every news organization has a website, it increases the time pressure on journalists.
— MICHAEL SUGERMAN
NICHOLAS WILLIAMS/Daily Art & Design student Sushmita Charlu links a printing block during a printmaking class at the Stamps School of Art & Design Monday.
Movie Night
Jazz Ensemble
WHERE: Michigan Union WHEN: Sunday at 1 p.m. WHAT: Staff members found graffiti on the walls of a room on the fourth floor, University Police reported. Two people were located and escorted out of the building.
WHERE: Sports Coliseum WHEN: Sunday at 4:05 p.m. WHAT: Staff found damage to a hallway wall after two children were observed in the area between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., University Police reported.
WHAT: A Yiddish movie portraying a young woman taking on the role of mother for her father and brothers. The film was recorded in Poland and is a pre-World War II cultural staple. WHO: Judaic Studies WHEN: Today at 6 p.m. WHERE: 202 South Thayer, room 2022
WHAT: A performance by a campus ensemble conducted by graduate student conductor David Sayers. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: Today at 8 p.m. WHERE: Moore Building, McIntosh Theatre
Hula lecture
Science art contest
WHAT: Part of a lecture series on the importance of hula and its social, ecological, psychological and spiritual aspects. WHO: Department of American Culture WHEN: Today from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. WHERE: Haven Hall, room 3512
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Child’s play
WHERE: West Quad Residence Hall WHEN: Monday at about 2:15 a.m. WHAT: Clothing was reportedly taken from two dryers in the laundry room sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 2:15 a.m., University Police reported. There are currently no suspects.
KIRBY VOIGTMAN
EDITORIAL STAFF
Covert artist
WHERE: 1227 South University Ave. WHEN: Sunday at 4:35 p.m. WHAT: A vehicle struck another vehicle and left the scene, University Police reported. There were no injuries, and the amount of damage is unknown.
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Anthony Collings is a lecturer in the University’s Department of Communications Studies and has worked at the University since 1997. He is a former foreign and Washington correspondent for CNN, and was part of a team that won an Emmy for their coverage of the Oklahoma City bombing.
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WHAT: The Science Learning Center is seeking submissions of artwork that express scientific principles, concepts, ideas, processes and/or structures. WHO: Science Learning Center WHEN: Tonight from 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. WHERE: Chemistry Building, room 1720
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
1
A 10-year-old Farmington Hills girl successfully sued for custody of her mother’s ex-boyfriend’s poodle, the Detroit Free Press reported. The case followed the girl’s mother’s suit that claimed the man took jewelry and things that belong to her.
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After a recent stabbing at a fraternity party off campus, how can the Interfraternity Council improve its security efforts? >> FOR MORE, SEE OPINION, PAGE 4
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According to Gawker, Arkansas Police say a murder plot was thwarted because the wouldbe murderer accidently buttdialed his intended victim, detailing the crime. The suspect was arrested before he could commit the crime.
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BUSINESS STAFF Amal Muzaffar Digital Accounts Manager Doug Soloman University Accounts Manager Leah Louis-Prescott Classified Manager Lexi Derasmo Local Accounts Manager Hillary Wang National Accounts Manager Ellen Wolbert and Sophie Greenbaum Production Managers The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $110. Winter term (January through April) is $115, yearlong (September through April) is $195. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press.
Yale ‘U’ Police: campus safe Egyptian government limits after possible gunman hoax call citizens’ right to protest Student in ninja-like costume arrested
Controversial actions justified with ‘security’, met with criticism
was on the way to the univer- football game against Harvard. sity to shoot people, Officer But many students were still David Hartman said. in their dorm rooms, Hartman Esserman said he was lean- said, and Yale authorities sent ing toward the incident being a out their first warning about hoax and a witness who report- half an hour after the 911 call. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) ed seeing someone with a rif le “The Yale police made the — Yale University was locked likely saw a law enforcement right call,” Esserman said. down for nearly six hours Mon- officer. “They went to immediate lockCAIRO (AP) — Egyptian govday as authorities investigated “Though it is starting to tilt down to keep everybody safe.” ernment officials on Monday a phone call saying an armed in the direction of an innocent Yale advised students and defended a new law that sharply man was heading to shoot it up, mistake, it started with a pur- staff members to shelter in restricts the right to protest as a warning they later said was poseful and malicious call,” place. It also issued an advisoneeded to bring security, trying likely a hoax. Esserman said, vowing to track ry asking people off campus to to counter a storm of criticism SWAT teams searching the down and arrest the person stay away. The shelter advisory from allies and opponents alike Ivy League campus didn’t find who made the call. was lifted by late afternoon. who say the rules stifle freedom a gunman after a room-by-room Authorities don’t believe that Police blocked off several of expression and endanger the search, and the lockdown was the caller was a Yale student streets near the university’s country’s democratic transition. lifted Monday afternoon. No or that his roommate attended Old Campus, in the heart of The law, issued by the interone was injured, police said. Yale, Esserman said. There New Haven, where they were im president a day earlier, bans “New Haven is safe. The Yale was nothing specific about the concentrating their search. public gatherings of more than campus is safe,” New Haven threat, he said, and the call Several local schools also were 10 people without prior governpolice Chief Dean Esserman lasted only seconds. placed in lockdown. Police in ment approval, imposing hefty said. Classes aren’t in session this tactical gear entered several fines and prison terms for violaA 911 call was received at week, and many students and campus buildings. Pedestrian tors. It also empowered security 9:48 a.m. from a man at a pay staff members left campus for traffic in the normally bustling agencies to use force to break up Sudoku Syndication http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ phone about a mile from the the Thanksgiving holiday fol- area was sparse, with cold and protests. campus who said his roommate lowing Saturday’s traditional windy weather keeping many The protest law has caused people indoors. cracks in the loose coalition of The response included sevsecular and non-Islamist groups eral police departments, the that rallied behind the militaryFBI and other federal agencies, backed government installed Hartman said. following the ouster of elected MEDIUM Police had difficulty gaining Islamist President Mohammed access to some rooms because Morsi in July. those people locked inside Morsi supporters have been weren’t convinced they were holding constant protests since dealing with law enforcement, his fall, often descending into he said. Most rooms don’t have bloody clashes amid a rising peepholes. Yale sent out an wave of violence. But opponents email telling community memof the new law, including among bers that officers would be slipthose who have backed the govping a Yale ID under the door or ernment, say it will silence all using keys to gain access. critics — and that it goes against Undergraduate classes are the spirit of the protest moveset to resume Dec. 2 ments that ousted autocrat Yale has been the target of Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and rose violence in the past. In May up against Morsi, paving the way 2003, a bomb damaged an for the coup that removed him. empty classroom and adjacent The government portrays it as reading room at the law school. a measure to restore security and A Yale professor, David J. stability and help the country’s Gelernter, was seriously injured economy — arguments that have in 1993, when a bomb mailed strong resonance with an Egypby Theodore Kaczynski, the tian public weary with violence. man known as the Unabomber, “There will be no economy exploded in his campus office. without security and a stable © sudokusolver.com. For personal use only. puzzle by sudokusyndication.com EASY AS (APPLE) PIE. Monday’s search came severpolitical environment now and in al weeks after a scare on another the future,” interim Prime MinConnecticut campus. ister Hazem el-Beblawi said, at
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a government meeting in which the law was discussed, according to the state news agency. He said some in the opposition aim to create “confusion and sow mistrust between the authorities and the public.” Egypt’s powerful military chief, the man who removed Morsi, weighed in as well, urging political factions and the media to support the transition process and line up behind a push to restore security — though he did not specifically mention the law. Political groups should drop “criteria and considerations that don’t fit the reality Egypt is living and the challenges it faces,” Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said, pointing to security threats, including the increasing militant attacks in the Sinai Peninsula. “The political, economic and social challenges Egypt faces need effort and will and a correct understanding of the requirements of this phase,” el-Sissi said at a meeting of officers, according to MENA. He said a number of measures under way will “correct the democratic path and establish a regime that pleases all Egyptians.” It was an apparent reference to the new protest law and a drive to finish amending the constitution. In the latest violence, attackers on a motorcycle threw a grenade at a police checkpoint near a historic royal palace in Cairo, wounding at least one guard, according to MENA. Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim, in charge of police, insisted the protest law doesn’t undermine the right to peaceful expression, as he met with top security officers on how to implement it, starting Monday. “The law grants the right to organize public gatherings, convoys, and peaceful protests and to join them, in accordance with the law,” Ibrahim said according to the state news agency MENA. Among the restrictions, however, would-be protesters must
seek a permit for their gathering three days in advance, which security officials can turn down with little explanation, requiring the applicants to turn to the courts to appeal. Rights groups, secular political parties and activists, who had lobbied against protest law, said that despite an initial uproar over an earlier draft of the law, the final version had only small changes. “It gives a legal cover to repression,” said the Popular Current, a group led by leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahy, who had backed the removal of Morsi. The group said the law “is not befitting for a country that had two revolts in two years mainly against repression.” In a snub to the law, the youth activist group April 6 and other political groups held a rally outside a central Cairo police station Monday, calling on the government to “eat popcorn!”— a joke to say the government is wasting time. They mockingly presented a request to organize a rally they said will be attended by 10 million Egyptians. The military-backed interim government, meanwhile, is pushing through with a political road map that calls for new presidential and parliamentary elections next year. The prime minister, el-Beblawi, said Monday that a key first step in the process — a referendum on amendments in the constitution — will likely take place in the second half of January. He did not give a precise date, which is still to be announced by the interim president. The 50-member appointed panel is still working on amending the 2012 constitution, mainly drafted by Islamists and approved under Morsi. The process is also seeing a rising chorus of criticism against the secrecy of its discussions and a number of articles that have granted the next president greater powers.
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YPSILANTI, Mich.
Police arrest two in shooting of EMU football player Police have arrested two people in the fatal shooting of Eastern Michigan University football player at an off-campus apartment complex, the Ypsilanti school announced Monday. One suspect was arraigned Sunday and the other was being arraigned Monday in the slaying of Demarius Reed, the university said. University President Susan Martin issued a statement thanking city and campus police investigators for their work “in identifying suspects in this tragic and senseless crime against a wonderful student and inspiring young man.”
ST. PAUL, Minn.
Unlucky sibling of pardoned turkeys meets governor With two other turkeys ticketed for a presidential pardon at the White House, their brother met Minnesota’s governor Monday at a state Capitol ceremony featuring much of the same upbeat pageantry ahead of a far gloomier fate for the bird. Jokingly dubbed “Delicious” by a farmer traveling with the 20-pound gobbler, the unfortunate turkey enjoyed only a brief stay of execution — not a reprieve — during a ceremony laced with gallows humor at Gov. Mark Dayton’s Capitol office. The next stop for the pink and white bird: a trip to the St. Paul Salvation Army and, eventually, dinner for the less-fortunate. Conversely, his two brothers are headed to the White House Wednesday where they’ll be officially spared.
STOCKHOLM
Swedish journalists abducted trying to leave Syria Two Swedish journalists were abducted in Syria as they were trying to leave the country, Sweden’s Foreign Ministry said Monday. The men were “taken” on Saturday as they were on their way out of Syria, spokeswoman Catarina Axelsson said. She declined to give other details, and said Swedish diplomats in Beirut were trying to get more information on the situation. The ministry didn’t name them, but Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter said they were the newspaper’s stringer in Paris, Magnus Falkehed, and a freelance photographer, Niclas Hammarstrom.
NICOSIA, Cyprus
Cyprus leaders halt reunification talks The rival leaders of ethnically divided Cyprus on Monday failed to agree on resuming stalled talks aimed at reunifying the country. Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu said after an informal meeting that obstacles remain in restarting fullfledged peace negotiations. “Unfortunately, there’s still some way to go before we can arrive at the hoped-for result,” Anastasiades said after emerging from the three-hour meeting at a restaurant inside the United Nations-controlled buffer zone dividing the capital. Cyprus was split into an internationally recognized Greek Cypriot south and a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Turkish Cypriots declared independence in 1983, but on Turkey, which maintains 35,000 troops there, recognize it.
—Compiled from Daily wire reports
“As we lose those species, are we going to produce as much food and air and water? The answer appears to be no.” Other distinguished research-
PROTEST From Page 1 ought to be more aware of the factories that manufacture their maize-and-blue apparel. He added that students should not disparage the welfare of laborers outside U.S. borders. “If this was in the U.S., we wouldn’t stand for it,” Menhennick said. The die-in was one of several recent USAS events directed toward Coleman and students
SMOKING From Page 1 rather than being told they were going to get cancer. Students noted that trying to quit could be more expensive than maintaining the habit, so the University offers smokers free patches, lozenges, gum and other consultations if they join a weekly smoking support group. The University also decided that enforcing the initiative should not be punitive, but rather rooted in changing social norms. In addition to posters, stenciled sidewalk chalk messages appeared during Welcome Week and in smoker hotspots in the earlier months of the ban. University Police do not enforce the initiative and do not issue tickets to people smoking on campus. Instead, students can file a complaint about smokers at the Office of Student Conflict Resolution, while supervisors handle complaints from faculty and staff. “The principle that we went for was treating people with respect,” Winfield said. “Not using law enforcement, trying to use social norms and social pressures and cultural pressures to get people to not smoke on campus and to consider quitting.”
TRANSPORT From Page 1 for a dispatcher and the process of paying by cash or credit on site. “This is a piece of technology that no one has never done before and is going to revolutionize the way that people go out,” Matian said.
News ers studied innovations in chemical and fuel production catalysts, the importance of social relations while aging, cancer genetics, cells’ signaling pathways and other topics. Cardinale said there were few more respected awards in his field. He added that he
appreciates the recognition the award carries; the public and policymakers are now more apt to learn about Cardinale’s discoveries. “These awards give you a platform to speak out to people you might otherwise be unable to speak to,” Cardinale said.
concerning the unsafe working conditions of factories in Bangladesh. Past events include a vigil commemorating the Rana Plaza collapse in April 2013 and Workout for Worker’s Rights. A letter will be sent to Coleman to brief her on the die-in event Menlo said. Coleman wrote a letter to Adidas in October 2012 expressing concerns about the company’s mishandling of severance payments for over 2,700 workers at a bankrupt supplier. In April of this year, Adidas
agreed to pay the employees the remaining severance pay they were entitled to. Menhennick said signing the accord is a small step in ensuring safe factory conditions worldwide. If manufacturers in Bangladesh sign the accord, others will follow. “Bangladeshi workers are endangered every single day when they enter their places of employment, and that’s just unfair,” Menlo said. “If we have the chance to change that, we should as a university.”
A survey conducted in November 2012 demonstrates the effectiveness of those two years of research, as well as the decision to approach enforcement through a collective effort. The survey reported that the number of people who said they smoked dropped from six to four percent. Thirteen percent of faculty and staff said the initiative helped influence their decision or attempt to quit smoking. Despite these figures, LSA senior Jonathan Kang said he doesn’t think the majority of students comply with or acknowledge the initiative. “A lot of people haven’t taken into consideration that there’s a smoking ban,” Kang said. “I haven’t really noticed a difference since I was a freshman.” Kang, who started smoking habitually two years ago, said that he usually respects the nosmoking policy, but most people don’t care. “I think a lot of it’s because it’s not reinforced,” Kang said. “I’ve never had anyone come up to me and say, ‘hey, there’s a smoking ban on campus, and you should put that out.’ ” In an effort to make this invisible social enforcement less transparent, Benz said the University is developing a smokefree ambassador program
similar to the one at the University of Kentucky. Ambassadors would hand out informational packets, toothbrushes and candy to on-campus smokers. Benz also said she is working with Central Student Government to develop a way to show students how to address someone they see smoking on campus. Smoking hotspots have also been a problem. Winfield identified the Hatcher Graduate Library steps, the front of the Michigan League, an overhang on the side of the Michigan Union, the Duderstadt Center and the backside of Mary Markley Residence Hall adjacent to the hospital as some areas where smokers frequent, but he did not provide a specific plan for eliminating them. These issues — as well as spit tobacco, snooze and e-cigarettes — will be receive greater attention after a new University president takes office, Winfield said. He noted that the momentum of initiatives to create a culture of health has been too strong to wane in the future. “This is going on all over the country, and I can’t foresee any backing off,” he said. “But this is not a good time to make any adjustments to the policy; the president’s leaving in less than a year.”
In the future, the duo plans to become a platform that connects passengers with drivers for hire, similar to car-hire app Uber, removing the financial risk of having to buy more buses. Up to this point, Matian and Markowitz are extremely grateful for the support and resources of the University’s
Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, as well as that of startup competitions Dare to Dream, Lightning Pitch and Accelerate Michigan Innovation, all of which they competed successfully in. “It’s great knowing we have the support of the school,” Matian said.
Thailand prime minister institutes emergency law because of protests Security act will seal off roads, impose curfiews BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s prime minister invoked an emergency law on Monday after demonstrators seeking to remove her from office occupied parts of the finance and foreign ministries. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced that the Internal Security Act would cover all of Bangkok and large parts of surrounding areas. Three especially sensitive districts of the capital have been under the law since August, when there were early signs of political unrest. The law authorizes officials to seal off roads, take action against security threats, impose curfews and ban the use of electronic devices in designated areas. Peaceful rallies are allowed under the law. Protesters swarmed into the two government ministries earlier Monday, overrunning several buildings and cutting electricity in an escalating campaign to topple Yingluck’s government. Protesters say they want Yingluck to step down amid claims that her government is controlled by her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a military coup in 2006 for alleged corruption. On Sunday, more
than 150,000 demonstrators took to Bangkok’s streets in the largest rally Thailand has seen in years, uniting against what they call the “Thaksin regime.” The incursions into the finance and foreign ministries were the boldest acts yet in opposition-led protests that started last month. They highlighted the movement’s new strategy of paralyzing the government by forcing civil servants to stop working. The opposition Democrat Party, which is spearheading the protests and has lost to Thaksinbacked parties in every election since 2001, also plans to challenge the government Tuesday with a parliamentary no-confidence debate. “The protesters have escalated their rally, which previously was a peaceful one,” Yingluck said in a televised address. She said the government respected the people’s right to freely express opinions, but also had the responsibility to safeguard the country’s peace and stability and assets, along with the safety of citizens and their right to access government offices. The law will cover the city’s international airports. In 2008, anti-Thaksin demonstrators occupied Bangkok’s two airports for a week after taking over the prime minister’s office for three months. Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban led the crowd at the Finance Ministry on a day when protesters fanned out to 13 locations across
Bangkok, snarling traffic and raising concerns of violence in the country’s ongoing political crisis, which has revolved around Thaksin for years. “Go up to every floor, go into every room, but do not destroy anything,” Suthep told the crowd before he entered the ministry and held a meeting in its conference room. “Make them see this is people’s power!” said Suthep, a former deputy prime minister and opposition lawmaker. Protesters sang, danced and blew noisy whistles in the hallways as part of their “whistleblowing” campaign against the government. One group cut power at the Budget Bureau to pressure the agency to stop funding government projects. Police made no immediate move to oust them. The protesters in the evening burst onto the Foreign Ministry grounds, which was not on their original list of targets. “The protesters are on the ministry’s compound but they promised they will not enter the buildings,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee said by phone. “We are now asking them to provide ways for the officials who were still working to leave the offices and they will likely have to work from home tomorrow.” He did not know how many protesters there were, though Thai media said there were several hundred.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013 — 3
BUCKEYES From Page 1 Monday morning, a day that the players usually have off, to kick off the biggest week of the year with intensity. The practice day seemed necessary, though, as there’s still a laundry list of things Michigan needs to address before Saturday. There’s the offensive line that underwent its sixth personnel change on Saturday. There’s Gardner who is not physically able to make the electric plays that were so common early in the season. And above all, there are the frequent negative play on offense. Hoke said all of that is manageable — it just comes down to consistency across the board. The Wolverines have loved the term “consistency” this season. It has become the go-to buzzword, and the lack of it has become the explanation for offensive struggles. But the question remains whether or not consistency can be coached. Week in and week out, Hoke has started his press conferences saying he’s been impressed with what he sees in practice that given week, yet game spasms still take over when it actually counts. According to the coaches and players, part of that seems to be not having all 11 players on the field on the same page. “No one’s going to play a per-
fect game,” said senior cornerback Courtney Avery. “No one’s going to have a perfect practice. In a game, hopefully you remember the mistakes that you made and correct them. The key is to get as many guys playing as hard and as perfect as they can as possible.” It’s no secret that the Wolverines have had difficulty putting points on the board through the month of November, and with Ohio State averaging 49 points a game, it’s questionable if Michigan will have the offensive production necessary to even keep the game remotely close. But Hoke isn’t worried about the point spread, or the fact that the Buckeyes are two games away from a second straight undefeated season. In fact, spoiling Ohio State’s perfect record is the last thing on any of the Wolverines’ minds right now. “We talk about ourselves and what we have to do,” Hoke said. “We’ve never, ever mentioned it, and I won’t. That’s not what it’s about. It’s about us playing our best football for our seniors and the greatest rivalry in sport.” Hoke admitted that Ohio State is the best team Michigan will face all season. But he stands by his statement from the beginning of the season: that he likes his team and that there are still a few surprises. “I’m very confident it could happen, otherwise we wouldn’t play,” Hoke said. “I’d called down there to Columbus and say we won’t do it.”
U.S. & Afghanistan continue to disagree over troop presence Karzai won’t to sign pact, Rice says refusal means 2014 withdrawl KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan’s president and the U.S. delivered blunt messages to each other Monday that gave no indication of a resolution of their disagreements over a pact that governs the future of the American troop presence in the country. Hamid Karzai said he won’t back down from his refusal to sign during the rest of his term in office, with National Security Adviser Susan Rice responding that this would mean the U.S. would then start planning to pull out all its forces after 2014. Their meeting in Kabul came the day after Karzai’s surprise decision to ignore Sunday’s recommendation by an Afghan assembly of dignitaries to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement, a refusal that cast doubt on whether American and allied troops would remain in Afghanistan to train Afghan forces after most foreign troops withdraw next year. According to Karzai’s office, he told Rice during Monday’s meeting that he wouldn’t back down from that decision, deferring it to whoever succeeds him as president in April elections. The White House said Rice responded by telling Karzai that the United States will plan to pull all troops out of his country after 2014 if he doesn’t promptly sign. It added that Rice told Karzai that a signed agreement is necessary to plan for thousands of troops to stay in the country to train and mentor Afghan security forces to face the Taliban. “President Karzai outlined new conditions for signing the agreement and indicated he is not prepared to sign the BSA promptly,” the White House said. “Without a prompt signature, the U.S. would have no choice but to initiate planning for a post-2014 future in which there would be no U.S. or NATO troop presence in Afghanistan,” she told the Afghan president. Karzai announced his decision at a gathering of 2,500 tribal elders and regional leaders known as a Loya Jirga, even though the council not only overwhelmingly approved the deal after a four-day meeting but urged him to sign it by Dec. 31.
Washington has asked him to change his mind. But the mercurial Karzai, in the meeting with Rice, says he laid out a series of new demands — albeit ones mostly involving steps the U.S. has already said it would take. One new demand was that the United States should address a suggestion by the Loya Jirga that all Afghan prisoners be released from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. According to the statement, Karzai “said the United States of America should respond to the suggestion mentioned in the resolution of the Loya Jirga to free all the afghan prisoners in Guantanamo.” There are nearly 20 Afghans currently being held at the American facility in Cuba. Karzai’s office said that in the meeting with Rice, he also asked for further assurances from the United States that its forces will not raid Afghan homes and that America express a sincere commitment to help start stalled peace talks with the Taliban. He also reiterated his demand that the United States commit to holding free and transparent elections on April 5. The statement further added that Karzai asked Rice to convey his concerns about the raids and peace talks to President Barack Obama so that he can “give assurances regarding the issues to the Afghan people.” Obama has already addressed the issue of raids in a letter to Karzai last week that was read to the assembly. In it, Obama assured Karzai that under the agreement, the U.S. will continue to respect “Afghan sovereignty.” He also said the U.S. military will not conduct raids on homes except under “extraordinary circumstances” involving urgent risks to U.S. nationals. The US has repeatedly urged Karzai to sign a deal that would allow about 8,000 American troops to stay in the country beyond a 2014 withdrawal deadline. The two-term Afghan leader has insisted that the winner of an April 5 election to succeed him should be the one to sign the deal. More than $8 billion in annual funds for Afghanistan’s fledgling security forces and development assistance also are at stake. Karzai may be concerned about his legacy, worried he might be seen as responsible for an agreement that some Afghans will likely see as selling out to foreign interests.
Opinion
4 — Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com MELANIE KRUVELIS ANDREW WEINER EDITOR IN CHIEF
MATT SLOVIN MANAGING EDITOR
and ADRIENNE ROBERTS
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
FROM THE DAILY
Universal security standards The University should develop a program to increase party safety
O
n Nov. 1, two students at the University’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house were stabbed while attempting to remove patrons from the premises. Following the incident, the security measures taken by fraternities for their parties have come under scrutiny. While SAE’s party wasn’t sanctioned by the Interfraternity Council, most fraternity events are required to be, which means fraternities must follow strict guidelines and go through a brief security session to ensure the safety of attendees. Although it’s difficult to determine whether the incident at SAE could have been prevented at an IFCsanctioned party, an overhaul of the current fraternity security system should be discussed, as well as University-provided security training for all students, regardless of where they live. Under IFC guidelines, fraternities are required to have some members on guard — called sober monitors — at each party, with the number of them needed depending on the size of the event. Each year of pledges for each fraternity are trained to understand the responsibilities of a sober monitor, which include controlling who enters parties, helping those who have fallen sick and keeping the party itself under control. This training, as well as abiding by IFC sanctions, is beneficial for the fraternity. IFC-registered parties are surveyed twice a night and sober monitors are tested to ensure sobriety. However, the system is not without its flaws. The training is not entirely comprehensive — only a single, one-to-three-hour lesson is required. There is also a general lack of uniformity between the training of fraternities and sororities, as some sororities are required to take GreekLifeEdu — an alcohol education course designed for Greek Life members — while fraternities are not. In order to improve this system, both pledges and brothers should take refresher courses on sober monitor training at least once a year to ensure party security remains up to the latest standards.
On a larger scale, the University should consider implementing similar training for all students. The University has acknowledged the realities of student life outside of campus with its Stay in the Blue program, so expanding the program to training shouldn’t be out of the realm of possibilities. Most of campus is outside of the jurisdiction of the IFC, so the current lack of training creates an unnecessarily dangerous environment. The University has a history of distancing itself from fraternities that violate sanctions, but administration must both come to terms with the fact that students are involved with these organizations and embrace an opportunity to improve safety across campus. The IFC sanctions offer the best model to ensure fraternity safety. But its flaws in minimal training for sober monitors coupled with the lack of alcohol education across Greek life are concerning. While the University should acknowledge the independence of the IFC, it should also begin working on a program to increase party safety for all students — GreekLife-affiliated or not. Maintaining the safety of its students should be a top priority for the University, even if the events occur off-campus.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan, Rima Fadlallah, Eric Ferguson, Jordyn Kay, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Adrienne Roberts, Matthew Seligman, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
DANIELLE PARSONS | VIEWPOINT
‘But you’re smart’ The #BBUM campaign’s intention was to spark discussion about the lack of diversity on the University’s campus. The campaign has caught national interest and has become a huge trend on Twitter. This was a catalyst for the much-needed discussions of the unfulfilled promise of higher enrollment rates for minority students and the fact that the University promotes tolerance but not acceptance of the different racial, ethnic and religious groups that inhabit this campus. I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to speak about my experiences as a biracial woman at the University. I often joke that I’m racially ambiguous and will change races depending on how someone will classify me. Though it makes me and other people laugh, it covers up the actual discomfort I feel. I identify as bi-racial — half White and half Black — but I’m not always seen as how I identify. Perhaps my very light complexion gives a twist to people’s preconceived notions of how a bi-racial woman should look. Depending on whom you ask, I have been classified as Puerto Rican, White, from “some” island, and when people are completely unsure they will say, “you’re something, right?” These racial and ethnic classifications come from some small-binding stereotype. For example, my very curly hair gives some type of indication that I may be a minority, and it’s furthered when some hear that I use slang that doesn’t fit in with mainstream white vernacular. Once it’s confirmed that I’m bi-racial, people will say, “that makes sense,” “I could tell by the way you spoke,” “your hair is different” and many other variations. Then the annoying questions come: “Can you wash your hair?” “Why do you speak Black?” “Which parent is Black?” “Do you sometimes get confused on how you should act?” Before I understood the complexity of the ignorance surrounding race, I would become
furious and defensive when asked these idiotic questions. What the hell do you mean, can I wash my hair? Can you wash your hair? Why do I speak Black? I was unaware that Black was a language — please educate me. These experiences are a small sliver of the amount of ignorance and racism that my counterparts in the Black community, and other minority groups, face on a day-to-day basis. A moment that stands out in my memory was during my freshman year in one of the Modern Language Building’s infamous 300-person lectures. I had a discussion regarding race with a gentleman that sat next to me. I mentioned that I was bi-racial and the expression on his face changed from a smile to one of confusion. I was expecting this. But what I wasn’t expecting was his response: “But you’re smart?” Those three words will forever be ingrained in my mind. Perhaps he thought it was a compliment — I’m not sure. What I’m sure of is that the stereotypes that we may have thought were long gone with slavery and Jim Crow still exist. Needless to say, I stopped sitting next to him after that. The purpose of this reflection was to bring more awareness of the inequalities that minorities in race, religion, culture and other social identities that do not fit white culture face. However, this discussion shouldn’t be limited to just the Black community but should be a catalyst for improving how we look at and discuss diversity. We are doing a disservice to our peers and ourselves by not speaking out about the oppressive cloud that constantly rains over minority students. If everything else that I have written is forgotten, I hope to leave this message: This is not just a Black problem. This is a community problem that affects far more than the naked eye can see. Things can be done and they will be done, but only if people are open and willing. Danielle Parsons is an LSA senior.
T
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Misrepresented by the media
wo years ago, I lost my greatest hero and role model in life. After a short battle with cancer, my father passed away due to complications from chemotherapy, leaving me without the most important male presence JAMES in a young man’s development. By BRENNAN the time he died I was 18-yearsold and technically an adult, but as we all know, very few boys have become men at that age. I needed another role model. Not just because I’m supposed to have one, but also because I desired it. I was hungry for guidance and a direct example of how to be a man, like a primal instinct. Time and again, as I reached out and tried to fill this void. I was lucky to find people willing to teach me. In high school I was exposed to a network of incredible AfricanAmerican men any person should be honored to meet. Chief among these is Trevor Coleman, the author and chief speechwriter for former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. He was a close friend of my father and has become like a second dad to me. Mr. Coleman introduced me briefly to people such as Judges Eric Clay, Damon Keith and Ted Shaw, who’s a Law School professor and the former NAACP Legal Defense Fund director. In college I’ve been able to work under incredible professors, such as Matthew Countryman and Harwood McClerking, while being mentored at the ACLU by attorney Mark Fancher. While some of these men have played far more significant roles than others in my life, it’s safe to say that all of them have pro-
vided me with endless motivation, encouragement and vision. While network news pundits and our uncles at Thanksgiving dinner proclaim that there aren’t enough positive Black, male role models outside of pro-sports, Hollywood and the music industry, I’ve met and been mentored by more great African-American men than I can count. The problem isn’t a lack of role models; it’s a lack of visibility. The news and television love covering Black athletes or musicians — almost as much as they love covering Black criminals — but it seems that hardworking, intelligent, admirable Black men just don’t fit into their programming. Furthermore, one of the worst and most pervasive stereotypes of Black men in America is the portrayal of their role as fathers and role models. The media portrays Black males as dead-beat dads, philanderers and absentee parents to illegitimate children. The men I’ve had the honor of being mentored by are not just successful in their professions, but they’re also men of integrity and father figures far beyond what is required of any individual. They’re family men who provide an excellent role model for their children, while mentoring myself and countless others. What the news also conveniently forgets are the stories of AfricanAmerican men who have made mistakes and are working tirelessly to break away from the life that the media seems to believe is their only option. Every week working in Detroit I meet people in bad situations — often young men with chil-
dren — who are doing everything they can to avoid falling into the stereotype society has created for them. Though I wouldn’t call these men “mentors,” they command the same respect that any other hero of mine does. One day over the summer while visiting a soup kitchen on Detroit’s East Side, I watched as a 21-year-old broke down sobbing in front of his pregnant girlfriend and a community organizer. He told us about how he was trying so hard to avoid committing a crime to pay off tickets he had because he knew that without the money he would go to jail, lose his job and have to start all over again. As he sat there crying, the community organizer explained to him that he had been in the exact same position a decade ago — trying to avoid falling into old ways while taking care of his daughter, cutting grass and washing cars for cash. It was a struggle, but earlier that spring, his daughter graduated from high school with a full ride to college. I was moved by that event in a way I can’t really explain. The pure strength and commitment they showed to themselves, their family and their community was beyond anything I had ever witnessed and inspired me the same way that my father and other role models have. Whether we’re talking about educated men at the top of their fields or just guys trying to get by for their families, ignore what the media says — there are amazing Black role models all around us. We simply have to open our eyes and look.
The problem isn’t a lack of role models; it’s a lack of visibility.
—James Brennan can be reached at jmbthree@umich.edu.
CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.
Unlimited access, limited options
L
ast Thursday, University Housing announced a new meal-plan structure for students living in residence halls. Starting in 2014, all student meal plans will include unlimited meals. This is a change from previous years HARSHA in which plans were separated NAHATA into blocks of 125, 150, 200 and unlimited meals. Additionally, these plans included significant amounts of Dining Dollars and Blue Bucks: The 125 meal plan, for example, came with 300 Dining Dollars and 75 Blue Bucks. The new plans don’t include Blue Bucks and only include 25 Dining Dollars, a significant change from previous years. The policy also changes the way guest meals are distributed, allowing students only two guest meal swipes. According to a University Housing official, the new plan was discussed at length and chosen to create a sense of community through dining halls. Christine Siegel, senior associate director of housing services, wrote in an e-mail to The Michigan Daily: “We want students to feel comfortable that they can eat as often as they like in the dining hall. We are hoping that the plans will encourage students to use our dining facilities as hubs for socializing and studying.”
“
Allowing students unlimited access to dining halls will definitely serve as motivation to spend more time there and allow them to swipe in for smaller snacks and meals without penalty. As dining halls across campus are renovated and offer more options, this meal plan structure provides those who frequent dining halls to take full advantage of all the different varieties offered. While this plan is a great way to encourage students to take full advantage of the dining halls, it also creates a large opportunity for waste. I had a 125 meal plan my freshman year, and I still had more than 60 meals left at the end of the year. Now I may have been an anomaly as I barely ate in the dining halls, but that concern was echoed by others as well. Of course, this isn’t applicable to everyone as students vary in their use of the dining hall, but there are many who don’t eat large numbers of meals in the dining hall. This could be for a variety of reasons. Sometimes when students are out in between classes and meetings, it’s easier to just grab something where they are instead of coming back to a dining hall. Other times, the food just isn’t up to par. Regardless of how many meals I had, I still found myself supple-
menting that with outside food, and Dining Dollars and Blue Bucks provided a great avenue to do so. At the end of the day, while the dining halls are the primary source of meals for students living in the dorms, they aren’t the only source. For students who don’t eat in the dining halls as much, this new policy takes away flexibility and choice that students used to have. Furthermore, there isn’t yet a systematic way to deal with waste from dining halls. With the onslaught of larger dining halls, the quantity and variety of food available will only grow. Perhaps, with the new policy more students will be inclined to eat there resulting in more consumption. But if that isn’t the case, there is also a lot of food that may go to waste. In a walk around campus, we are exposed to members of the community who don’t have the same access to food that University students may have. If there is going to be an expansion of the meal-plan policy to place more emphasis on dining hall meals, the least we can do is also examine ways to minimize waste within the dining halls or explore opportunities to donate excess food.
The least we can do is examine ways to minimize waste.
— Harsha Nahata can be reached at hnahata@umich.edu.
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
Frankly, it’s offensive that it’s something to be brought before the Legislature — requiring women to have rape insurance.”
CHECK US OUT ONLINE Keep up with columnists, read Daily editorials, view cartoons and join in the debate. Check out @michigandaily and Facebook.com/MichiganDaily to get updates on Daily opinion content throughout the day.
— Robert McCann, spokesman for Michigan Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing), said regarding a petition that garnered over 315,000 signatures, which would require women to pay extra in order to have abortion coverage as part of their health insurance.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts MUSIC COLUMN
ALBUM REVIEW
I COLUMBIA
“Los pollos hermanos?”
Banal ‘Memories’ One Direction loses momentum with third album By ADAM THEISEN Daily Arts Writer
If One Direction’s first two records are any indication, Midnight Memories is set to be one of 2013’s bestselling CDs. D It’s hard, if not impossible, Midnight to imagine an Memories album that could be less One Direction deserving of that title. Even Columbia just approaching Midnight Memories as typical boy-band stuff leads to disappointment. Back in 2011, One Direction struck pop-music gold with its debut single, the energetic earworm that was “What Makes You Beautiful.” You’d hope that at least a little bit of the spirit behind that song would still be present on the tracks of Midnight Memories, but no, every idea here is botched, every sign of potential immediately thrown away and every band member whitewashed until they lose all charisma and uniqueness. The lyrics and voices are inexplicably put at the forefront of the mix, even though they’re so banal and generic that they’re impossible to recall by the time each track ends. Midnight Memories is most attention-grabbing when you’re just trying to spot all of the
Tuesday, November 26, 2013 — 5
songs that One Direction and its songwriters are “borrowing” from. The album unnecessarily opens with a copy of the first 30 seconds of The Who’s “Baba O’Riley,” despite it having no relation to the actual first song. Elsewhere, “Diana” bastardizes the vibe of the Footloose soundtrack, “Midnight Memories” steals from Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Does He Know” takes from “Jessie’s Girl,” among countless others. The “Friday Night Lights” theme song can’t even escape thievery here. The songwriters can’t be bothered to be original in the songs’ titles, either. Come on, guys — “You and I” was a Lady Gaga hit just two years ago. Keeping with the theme of re-appropriating other artists’ styles (because, let’s be honest, Midnight Memories does nothing original of note), the album’s most interesting theme is One Direction’s marketing team trying to subtly reposition the group alongside mainstream folk-rock revivalists like Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers. Songs like “Through the Dark” has whoever is singing (it’s seriously impossible to tell — they all sound like a young Rob Thomas) doing his best Marcus Mumford impression as bass drums drive the song and the producers try to evoke a campfire atmosphere. It’s reminiscent of when U.S. record executives changed The Beatles’ Rubber Soul to better position it among the burgeoning folk scene of the mid-1960s. The only difference is that Rubber Soul was, you know, a little bit better. The makers of this
album don’t seem to realize that adding a One Direction dancetint to folk makes it less palatable, not more interesting. Considering the resources at the group’s disposal, it’s really surprising how terribly executed Midnight Memories is. Surely the band could’ve hired better songwriters than the ones featured on this record, and even the producers don’t seem to know what they’re doing. The record’s artificial and overdone style is the musical equivalent of putting a poem through five different languages in Google Translate and then seeing what it looks like again in its original tongue. When Midnight Memories isn’t bland, it’s simply frustrating. Verses with potential give way to poorly written, boring choruses. There’s no spontaneity and no energy, which is a damning offense for a pop album that needs to be constantly holding your attention. The few “highlights” are the optimistic cheesiness of “Don’t Forget Where You Belong” and the best track, “Little Black Dress,” whose relatively rough guitars make it sound like a lost Big Star cut from the 1970s. However, these songs are nowhere near enough to save an album that is destined to be played on repeat in your local Toys ‘R’ Us during the holiday season before quickly being forgotten altogether. Whether it’s puzzling evidence that record companies think kids will buy anything, regardless of quality, or simply a mess of a CD from an alreadypast-its-prime boy band, Midnight Memories is sub-par and certainly not worth your money.
TV REVIEW
Writing with the inkwell of music
have a confession to make, something that could affect your perception of me as the writer you’re currently reading. It’s the type of revelation that I usually wouldn’t even bother marking down, but it has gotten to the point where the ELLIOT truth needs ALPERN to be heard. Ready? Wait — first, actually, it’s important to give you a little context before my admission will make sense. Regarding my own ability to write, I’m actually pursuing a sub-concentration in Creative Writing here, specializing in fiction. All of this is to say I take what I pen down quite seriously. So it’s tough to divulge something I consider (perhaps erroneously) to be a flaw in my technique as a writer. Put simply: I need outside help when I write. Sitting down to a blank page — and it pains me to say this — is too difficult, sometimes. Occasionally, I go through the motions; I toss a few throwaway sentences down to see how they break up the white space. But, sooner or later, I always seem to return, begging for a chance — just a chance! To confess more specifically: I tend to turn to music when nothing else will get me going. It’s easy to overlook the implications of that. After all, who doesn’t play a little The xx when that homework gets to be a slog? How could I be blamed when I just want a little f lavor to build my recipe around? Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as that. Each master author these days seems to sell the same advice like it’s going out of style: In a world where the Internet is suffocating humanity on par with Lovecraft’s “The Crawling Chaos,” the only way to stay true to
your fiction is to eliminate any kind of outside influence. Hell, Jonathan Franzen goes out of his way to glue an Ethernet cable into his computer, only to sever the cord itself. Establishing my mood with music? That’s positively cowardly. I can only imagine what Hemingway would think as I work my way into this column, humming along to the Arctic Monkeys. Not only is it a travesty, it’s a disservice to my voice as a writer. Right? As the Arctic Monkeys gives way to Rage Against the Machine, allow me the opportunity to shift my own argument here. I grew up reading a fairly fluctuating range of authors. And yet, one staple (wherever you want to place him within that group) was Stephen King. Regardless of your opinions about the guy, he’s undeniably one of the most successful writers of the past few decades. You could do much worse in emulating an artist, right?
Unplugging can be beneficial, but music keeps you moving. Though he admits to a diminished ability to tolerate music while he writes (as is completely understandable), there’s one key point he’s touched on in interviews regarding the beneficial effect that music can achieve. “When I sit down to write, my job is to move the story,” King told The Paris Review back in 2006. “ … To achieve that pace I used to listen to music.” This is exactly the point I like to tell myself as I get out the headphones for another session of prose. For all the talk that a writer must be able to work his craft as a lone
entity, is it really that extreme to use anything else as a tool to better yourself? “Now I’ll only listen at the end of a day’s work,” King continued, “when I roll back to the beginning of what I did that day and go over it on the screen. A lot of times, the music will drive my wife crazy because it will be the same thing over and over and over again.” If music can be an immediate and often spontaneous gateway to a specific memory, embedded within a single moment of time, can’t music then achieve the same purpose in writing? Case in point: I listen to The Decemberists’s “The Mariner’s Revenge Song,” and ensuingly get to work on some sort of old-timey sailor’s tale. The atmosphere, the tone, the mood is so specific that leaving the work unfinished risks never recapturing it. But, luckily, the specificity of that mindset can be accessed, at least to some degree, by revisiting the music I listened to during that. And, if need be, I can solidify that feeling by playing the same song over and over again as I progress through my story, likely to the eventual chagrin of the future Mrs. Alpern. But really, how can you ignore a tool like that which may better your overall product, no matter how that’s accomplished? Why are authors like Franzen so afraid of being influenced by something outside of their own ability — are they so egotistical that nothing can better their craft outside of their own concentration? To me, that’s the ultimate flaw of a writer: to ignore whatever can improve your story from some preconceived notion of detrimental influence. So, like King, I’ll be rocking away in my room — just don’t interrupt me while I’m writing. Alpern is writing stories. To give him things to write about, e-mail ealpern@umich.edu.
ALBUM REVIEW
‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’ fails to capitalize Jones, Armstrong travel to the past By HANNAH WEINER
By MADDIE THOMAS Daily Arts Writer
“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” was given every opportunity to succeed. Backed by the multibillion-dollar CMarvel franchise and one Marvel’s of the hottest directors in Hol- Agents of lywood today, S.H.I.E.L.D. Joss Whedon (of “Buffy the Vam- Season one pire Slayer” and midseason “The Aveng- Tuesdays ers” fame), it at 8 p.m. was destined to be the break- ABC out pilot of the season — or at least destined to immediately earn strong viewership. How could it not, when it was marketed as a small-screen spin-off of the immensely popular “Avengers” movie? And yet, somehow, “S.H.I.E.L.D.” is floundering. Formulaic episodes, two-dimensional characters and the lack of a cohesive overarching plotline are turning a once-promising project into the biggest flop of 2013. This week’s “S.H.I.E.L.D.” episode, titled “The Well,” is the seventh episode of a (recently picked up) 22-episode season. Usually by now, about seven episodes in, a new show wants to have found its footing and be settling into a groove that allows writers to experiment with characters and generate some quality television. “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” isn’t quite there yet. This newest episode, advertised as a companion to the “Thor: The Dark World” feature film, was a yawn-inducing hour of television complete with boring, empty vil-
lains (Norwegian hipsters who are … pagan?), a relatively low-stakes plot featuring an Asgardian staff that pisses people off and one guy in a suit who apparently used to be a Berserker soldier. “S.H.I.E.L.D.” ’s predictable, formulaic setup (team finds otherworldly object, member of team is infected by it, team works together to overcome struggle) might be acceptable if its characters were actually compelling, but seven episodes in, we’re still dealing with six dull, two-dimensional leads. “The Well” offers up a wonderful opportunity to explore Grant’s past, but instead of actually taking advantage of that chance, the writers decide to stick with the show’s “secrecy” motif and tease us with an incomplete flashback featuring young Grant and a little boy (presumably his brother?) who is stuck in a well. Secrets are valuable — they keep a TV show interesting and allow for confrontation when they’re revealed — but the writers are so focused on keeping the secrets locked up that the plotlines become too vague to be captivating. Rather than piquing curiosity, secrecy leads to confusion.
Could use more Whedon. The one redeeming moment of “The Well” comes at the very end, with an implied hookup between Grant and May (the wonderful Ming-Na Wen, who has consistently been the best part of this show), which was a small but very welcome plot twist after watching the will-they-won’t-they tension
between Skye and Grant build up over the past few weeks. Hopefully, this surprise character pairing is a sign that things are about to be headed in a new and exciting direction, because that is exactly where “S.H.I.E.L.D.” needs to go. ASAP. At the end of the day, “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is simply not stepping up to the plate. In the first seven episodes, the writers have fallen into a rut of formulaic episodes and characters without chemistry. The only plot driving the season forward as a whole is Coulson’s mysterious Tahiti trip, and even that is wearing thin after being mentioned basically every week without any new revelations to keep us invested. Joss Whedon knows how to make a TV show, and though he’s not running it day to day, he must be aware of “S.H.I.E.L.D.” ’s total lack of intrigue. Perhaps the writers are taking advantage of the guaranteed hype and popularity that comes with the Marvel franchise to start out the first season cautiously, but time is running out. They can only get by on Marvel’s good name for so long; eventually they’re going to have to delve into the characters’ back stories and take some more risks. I’m at my wit’s end with “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” but my admiration for Joss Whedon is keeping me from giving up on it just yet. Though seven episodes in is pretty late in the game to still have trouble developing characters, every new show has a learning curve. With 15 installments left in the season, “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” still has time to turn itself around, but it’s going to take some drastic changes.
Daily Arts Writer
There’s something to be said for a musician taking on a genre entirely different than his or her own. There’s Asomething to be said for Foreverly two musicians doing this. And Billie Joe there’s some- Armstrong and thing even Norah Jones more to be said Reprise for two musicians doing this in order to honor icons of the music industry. Enter: Billie Joe Armstrong — the spikey-haired and heavily eyelinered punk rocker from Green Day. And then, enter: Norah Jones, the sweet-voiced singer-songwriter. The two met at a Stevie Wonder concert, and at Armstrong’s wife’s suggestion, he invited Jones along to cover The Everly Brothers’s 1958 Songs Our Daddy Taught Us, which eventually turned into Foreverly. Unlike Armstrong’s typically whiney and harsh-sounding vocals on Green Day songs, Foreverly features a gentle side of Armstrong that we may not have expected — he’s not full of angst or anger; instead, he sounds fairly refined. Perhaps this has to do with Jones’s ability to tame the artists she works with (she has collaborated with the Foo Fighters, calming Dave Grohl’s usually rough voice). Or, it could have to do with the message that Foreverly sends. There are generally three ways a cover album can go: It can lend the songs a new inter-
pretation by making rowdy songs tender, it can make quiet songs sound wild or it can mimic the original sound. Foreverly takes this last option, which surrenders Armstrong and Jones to criticism of producing a safe and boring album. But, is it really safe and boring? Billie Joe Armstrong — a guy who previously yelled angrily on tracks like “American Idiot” — is now crooning traditional folk songs like “Down in the Willow Garden” alongside the sweetheart Norah Jones. Nobody expected that. Nobody expected him to take on country-folk as his next album. And even if, by some slim chance, someone did expect that from Armstrong, nobody would have expected for him to cover an entire obscure album by The Everly Brothers, nonetheless. Songs Our Daddy Taught Us isn’t full of hits, nor is it bursting with catchy songs. So, while Armstrong and Jones are undoubtedly an unlikely duo, the album they chose is doubly surprising.
Duo produces beautiful harmonies. The two musicians make clear that their intentions are not to mess with the integrity of the songs, noting that The Everly Brothers created this album markedly of roots songs for a reason. When the album was released in 1958, Rolling
Stone noted that not even Elvis Presley “had the nerve to do an album as rootsy as this one.” Maybe Armstrong and Jones genuinely are huge fans of this album; Armstrong, himself, has stated in several interviews that he has loved The Everly Brothers since childhood. Yet, it’s curious that these two have teamed up to release a roots album that’s sparse in production, relying entirely on their vocal harmonies, soft drums and occasional lambent piano notes. While it appears that Armstrong and Jones have subscribed to the trend of Americana folk/roots albums (á la The Avett Brothers, The Lumineers, etc.), this effort doesn’t seem so transparent; in fact, Foreverly feels like an honest tribute. The songs themselves feel authentic and full of gorgeous harmonies between Jones and Armstrong, especially in tracks like “That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine” and “Roving Gambler.” The two prove they may not intend to make a statement with Foreverly. And while the album doesn’t feel incredibly progressive, it also doesn’t act as a standstill: It’s not exciting, yet it’s not boring, either. In the end, the album exceeds expectations in idea more than in execution: Nobody would have expected this of Armstrong and Jones. With that in mind, it’s easier — and, almost beautiful — to hear Billie Joe Armstrong and Norah Jones’s voices entangle themselves in The Everly Brothers’ down-to-earth lyrics. Because in all honesty, no one expected them to sing country folk so mellifluously.
Sports
6 — Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Five Things: Puerto Rico
Wolverines ink top-20 recruiting class By ALEXA DETTELBACH Daily Sports Writer
By DANIEL FELDMAN Daily Sports Writer
1. Nik Stauskas is this team’s only consistent offensive threat right now. This is an easy one to see. After averaging a tournament-high 23.3 points per game, leading to a tournament MVP honor, it’s clear that Michigan is relying on the sophomore guard a lot. The first glimpse was seen Thursday, when Stauskas scored 24 points on 7-for-10 shooting. The trend carried over to Friday, when Michigan (4-2) trailed by as many 16 in the second half against Florida State. Despite a cold first half in which he scored just three points, Stauskas was central to Michigan’s dramatic comeback, pouring in 16 in the second half and seven more in overtime. And it wasn’t even from jump shots — he drove to the basket, he drew fouls and he attempted nine free throws in the game. Michigan coach John Beilein has said that with Stauskas’s added weight and strength, he wants him to draw more fouls and take more contact as he puts the ball on the ground. The issue is that he can’t do it all. And while it’s unfair to say that no one else is contributing for the Wolverines, it is fair to say that no one is playing on the level of Stauskas. Looking down the road, the team as a whole will need to raise its level of play. Especially if Stauskas’s ankle injury — he appeared to twist it, though he did stay in the game — proves to be more serious than originally thought. 2. Glenn Robinson III needs to demand the ball more.
PATRICK BARRON/Daily
Sophomore guard Nik Stauskas earned tournament MVP honors, even though Michigan lost in the finals to Charlotte.
This year was supposed to be different for the sophomore forward after he averaged 11.0 points on just 7.5 shots per game while playing third — if not fourth — fiddle on last year’s squad. This year, as captain of the team, Robinson was expected to be more of a vocal and scoring leader. But up to this point, the expectations have not materialized. Sure, he is averaging 11.8 points, but he’s only taking 1.7 shots more per game compared to last season. And upon further analysis of the numbers, we see that he’s averaging 1.5 more 3-point attempts a game. Yes, the sample size is small, but for a player that decided to stay another year after flirting with leaving for the NBA Draft, he needs to be doing more on offense. He’s still deferring on open looks and not showing the aggressiveness he should as the No. 1 or 2 option for Michigan. Robinson still averaged 10.3 points in the tournament and that would have been higher if not for the hard foul he took on his back on Sunday that limited him to nine minutes and four points. Clearly he’s still making an impact. But the back injury could hinder Robinson’s assertiveness. Michigan coach John Beilein said in his postgame press conference Sunday that the team was following trainers’ advice to keep him moving. The forward did start the second half before coming out after three minutes because he didn’t feel comfortable.
Classifieds
If the injury becomes more serious, Robinson will lose precious time to define the role he will play this season before Big Ten play starts. 3. Mitch McGary will only get better as the season goes on. The sophomore forward didn’t start any games in the tournament, but when he did enter, his presence was felt immediately. Playing in just his second, third and fourth games of the season, McGary looked every bit like the All-American he was picked in the preseason to be. After playing just 14 minutes in Michigan’s win against Long Beach State on Thursday, McGary played 33 on Friday as he battled against a tough front line from Florida State. Knocking down bodies, making outlet passes and dribbling the ball in transition, the forward looked in mid-season form in Michigan’s win. Against Florida State, McGary attempted 15 shots, well above his average of 5.7 last year. Going forward, Michigan will need to run more of its offense through McGary to establish more of an inside game. In the tournament, Michigan attempted 77 3-pointers – 10 more than the next team, Virginia Commonwealth. The Wolverines also made the most 3-pointers, and finished with the second-most points in the tournament. But going forward, Michigan needs to rely less on the long ball and design more
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RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, November 26, 2013
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plays for McGary at the hoop for success. McGary aside, both of Michigan’s other big men — redshirt junior forward Jon Horford and fifth-year senior forward Jordan Morgan — played well in limited minutes. Morgan looked especially good on Sunday, snagging nine rebounds — five on the offensive end — in 13 minutes. “Jordan Morgan went in there and played his tail off,” Beilein said. “He had five offensive rebounds, he worked so hard. He had a big bucket for us and two huge foul shots. I’m really happy for him because finding playing time with Mitch in there is tough.” While it remains to be seen how much Morgan will play going forward, it’s promising to see him play well while McGary works his way back to full health.
The Michigan women’s basketball team is currently riding a three-game winning streak, during which it is outscoring its opponents by an average of 15 points per game. After NOTEBOOK starting the season 1-2, the Wolverines have jumped out to a 4-2 record thanks in large part to their offensive production. Sparked by junior transfer guard Shannon Smith’s 32 points against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 16, Michigan’s offense has been red hot the past three games. Freshman point guard Siera Thompson poured in a career-high 22 points against Pittsburgh on Wednesday. The Wolverines also have the
Prospects Nation ranks the class No. 20 in the country. “I’m super, super excited about the (five) young ladies that signed with us today,” Barnes Arico said. “I think it’s a tremendous class, and we really were allowed to get a lot of needs. (They) are super basketball players as well as great students and great people from terrific families.” Leading the class is the nation’s ninth-ranked prospect: Katelynn Flaherty, a point guard from Townson, N.J. As a junior, she averaged 30.3 points, 5.8 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game. “Katelynn is probably one of the highest-ranked recruits to ever sign with Michigan,” Barnes Arico told MGoBlue. com. “I have been watching her play since she has been in the
4. Zak Irvin isn’t afraid to shoot, and he shouldn’t be. Against Charlotte on Sunday, Michigan shot 8-for-34 in the first half. Nothing was falling for the Wolverines, who essentially live and die with the jump shot. With sophomore guard Caris LeVert — Michigan’s surprising second-leading scorer — on the bench with two early fouls, the Wolverines had to rely on freshman guard Zak Irvin to score. And he tried to fill the void as best he could, attempting nine first-half shots. But only one would fall, a 3-pointer with less than 20 seconds that cut Michigan’s deficit to two. While it was his first make, it was encouraging to see him trust his shot. Coming off the bench, Irvin’s role is to be a shooter. At 6-foot-6, the swingman should be looking to be a sparkplug, especially when the offense becomes stagnant. In Michigan’s first two games in Puerto Rico, there were times when Irvin took shots early in the shot clock that weren’t necessary. But in those moments, Irvin wasn’t seen as one of the go-to options on the floor. That’s why those shots looked bad. On Sunday, with LeVert out and Robinson out in the second half, it was appropriate for Irvin to attempt 14 shots, even if he missed 11 of them. “We had pretty good looks,” Beilein said. “Unfortunately, many of them were Zak Irvin’s looks and you know he’s a heck of a shooter. So he’s going to have nights like that, and we’ll tell him to keep shooting.” 5. Bold Prediction: Stauskas will average 20 points in non-conference games. Stauskas averaged 39.3 minutes in the tournament, and while that number will drop off with some cupcake games on Michigan’s schedule, his scoring won’t. At the moment and for the foreseeable future, Stauskas will remain the Wolverines’ No. 1 scoring option. With an expanded game, Stauskas needs to be on the floor, especially for a team that loves to drive and kick the ball out for three. He went 8-for-19 in the tournament from deep and with McGary back in the middle for the Wolverines, more fast breaks and outlets will result. Yes, the guard could struggle against Duke and Arizona, but you know full well that he, along with the rest of team, will be up for those games. With Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway gone, the ball runs through Stauskas. Until another player steps, that will remain the
TERESA MATHEW/Daily
Junior forward Nicole Elmblad is averaging 12.8 points per game, and Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico called her Michigan’s hardest worker in practice.
ever-consistent junior forward Nicole Elmblad. The captain is averaging 12.8 points and 10 rebounds per game and leads the team with almost 39 minutes per game. Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico has often cited Elmblad as the hardestworking player in practice, so it comes as no surprise that she’s productive every night on the floor. Her success was recognized on Monday when she was named to the Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll for her performance last week. But recently, it has been a true team effort for Michigan, which has found multiple scoring outlets throughout its lineup. The Wolverines have showcased their ability to put points on the board, having scored at least 70 points in five straight games, twice hitting 80. And against the Panthers, Michigan shot above 50 percent from the field for the first time this season. TOP-20 RECRUITING CLASS: In the midst of Michigan’s recent success on the court, Barnes Arico has inked the best recruiting class in program history.
seventh or eighth grade. She is just an exceptional talent.” Guard/forward Maria Backman, guard/forward Jillian Dunston, forward Emoni Jackson and center Terra Stapleton round out the class. “This class has the potential to be a special class, a group that makes a great impact on our program,” Barnes Arico said. EYEING THE COMPETITION: After playing three games in five days, the Wolverines had an eight-day break. Next up for Michigan is the Barclays Invitational in Brooklyn, N.Y., where Michigan will face Texas Tech on Friday and either LSU or Rutgers on Saturday. With the Scarlet Knights joining the Big Ten next season, this is an early chance for the Wolverines to get a look at a future conference opponent. But before that, they will meet the Red Raiders. Texas Tech (3-1) sports three players who average double figures — one fewer than Michigan. But like the Wolverines, the Red Raiders have a fairly small starting lineup, with both teams averaging 42.5 rebounds per game.
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Sports
Tuesday, November 26, 2013 — 7
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Redshirt freshman Kyle Kalis began the season as the starter at right guard. After a benching and several moves on the offensive line, Kalis started again against Iowa. He is listed atop the depth chart this week for the game against Ohio State.
Offensive line carousel goes for another spin By ZACH HELFAND Daily Sports Editor
This year, the situation on the interior of Michigan’s offensive line has can be likened to a horrific game of musical chairs. And each time the music stops and the whistle blows, the result is usually a sack of redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner. NOTEBOOK Or a rush for negative two yards. The situation began with redshirt sophomores Graham Glasgow along with redshirt freshman Kyle Kalis. Miller was the first to go, replaced by redshirt sophomore Chris Bryant. Then Bryant and Kalis were replaced by redshirt junior Joey Burzynski and redshirt freshman Erik Magnuson. Freshman Kyle Bosch filled in for Burzynski after he was injured. The combination of Glasgow, Magnuson and Bosch lasted for
a while. But last Saturday, Kalis got back in on the action, replacing Bosch. It’s enough to make your head spin, but after all of the switching and swapping, four of the five opening-game starters are at the head of the depth chart in the last week of the regular season. After Saturday’s game, Michigan coach Brady Hoke declined to discuss Kalis’s play until he could watch the game tape. On Saturday, Hoke said Kalis won back the starting job because “he earned it.” “It’s really no bigger decision than that,” Hoke said. “He had earned it. He had done a good job in the week. They evaluated him. Thought it would be good for the other Kyle, for Bosch, to take a step back and watch a little bit and keep learning. And I think that’s what Kalis did.” With the new line combination, Michigan allowed only one sack after surrendering a com-
FOOTBALL RECRUITING
OT Erik Swenson commits to Michigan 2016 commit is 6-foot-7, 290 pounds and labeled a top prospect By JAKE LOURIM Daily Sports Writer
Michigan has lost three of its past four games to Big Ten teams and is a 12.5-point underdog against Ohio State on Saturday. But on Monday the Wolverines won a battle on the recruiting trail, snagging 2016 offensive tackle Erik Swenson from Downers Grove, Ill. Swenson (6-foot-7, 290 pounds) is not yet rated in the class of 2016, but experts label him as a top offensive line prospect. Swenson started as a freshman and sophomore at left tackle at Downers Grove South, which went 6-4 this season and lost to Naperville Central in the first round of the Division 8A playoffs, 36-0. Swenson said he committed so early because he has always wanted to go to Michigan and didn’t feel the need to prolong the decision. “Erik is just a pretty simple kind of kid,” said Swenson’s father, Swen. “He’s not into traveling across the country and doesn’t want to take official visits and waste people’s time and money. He truly had no desire to go anywhere else. He loves the school, the tradition and every-
thing that is Michigan. He will get a great education and will get a chance to play at a high level.” Swenson made an unofficial visit to Michigan for the Notre Dame night game on Sept. 7 and will visit again this weekend for the Ohio State game. He also attended camps at Michigan the past two summers. Along with Michigan, Swenson held offers from Ohio State, Notre Dame, Northwestern and Illinois. Illinois was the first school to offer Swenson on Dec. 7, 2012. Ohio State followed on May 10, with Michigan coming 12 days later. Northwestern offered him a scholarship on June 7 at a camp, and he came to Michigan’s camp on June 16. Along with 134 years of tradition, Swenson cited the caliber of Michigan’s coaches and their leadership styles at the camps he attended as major factors in his decision. In Chicago, a solid Michigan recruiting location, Swenson is familiar not only with the coaches, but also with some players, including freshman guard Kyle Bosch. Bosch is from St. Francis, Ill., 25 miles from Downers Grove. From the current roster, freshmen linemen Kyle Kalis, Erik Magnuson, Kyle Bosch and Ben Braden will be seniors when Swenson arrives in 2016. Fourstar offensive tackles Juwan Bushell-Beatty and Mason Cole have also committed for the class of 2014.
bined 19 in the previous three games. Still, Iowa does not rush the passer aggressively, and the rushing game grinded its way to just 60 yards on 29 carries. COLUMBUS, MINUS ‘M’s, PREPARE FOR RIVALRY: This sentence -ay look -uch different if it were -oved fro- the –ichigan Daily to the newspaper in Colubus. A little overboard? –aybe. But Ohio State students have covered, or tried to cover, every letter ‘M’ around campus with red tape. It has become a tradition each year during the rivalry week. Ohio State coach Urban Meyer
has adopted the Woody Hayes tradition of referring to Michigan as “That School Up North,” perhaps in response to Michigan coach Brady Hoke’s preferred “Ohio” over “Ohio State.” But Meyer slipped up at his Monday press conference. Answering a question about his appreciation for the rivalry, Meyer said, “Where I grew up in the 10 year war … I learned to dislike Michigan at a very young age.” A reporter pointed out he said “Michigan.” “Did I really?” Meyer asked. “Wow. (I) Apologize.” Elsewhere, two Buckeyes took some indirect and some not-so-
“I know (Michigan) has probably given up a thousand tackles for loss.”
indirect shots at the Wolverines. According to Ben Axelrod of Buckeyesports.com, linebacker Ryan Shazier poked fun at the Michigan offense Monday. “I know they’ve probably given up a thousand tackles for loss this season,” he said. That’s either some mild trash talking or just a mild overstatement. Michigan has given up 107 negative plays this season, according to Big Ten reporter John U. Bacon. That should be welcome news for Shazier, who leads the team in both tackles (108) and tackles for loss (19.5). Later, safety Christian Bryant tweeted a photo of himself stepping on a Michigan jersey to accompany the tweet, “#NORESPECT.” Later, he posted a tweet saying, “All I can think about is when (Michigan) threw the ball after the game in 2011. They had No respect for us.” INJURY UPDATE: Michigan was hampered by a string of
injuries against Iowa, but Hoke indicated Monday that everyone should be ready to go against the Buckeyes. Two starting linebackers — junior Desmond Morgan and sophomore James Ross III — sustained undisclosed injuries against the Hawkeyes that forced them to leave the game in the first half. After the game, Gardner also appeared to be nursing a shoulder injury. He hooked his finger in his belt loop during his postgame press conference to support his right arm. “They’re all going to be fine,” Hoke said. “All three of them.” On whether he expects them to play Saturday, Hoke added, “Oh yeah.” The only exception could be junior running back Thomas Rawls. He sustained an injury to his medial collateral ligament, and Hoke said he would be questionable to play. Rawls plays mostly in a special-teams role.
Wolverines find offensive groove By JEREMY SUMMITT Daily Sports Editor
Last week was a particularly special one for the No. 3 Michigan hockey team. Friday, the Wolverines finally found an offensive surge in a 6-0 rout of Niagara. Most importantly, players who have been looking to get on the score sheet for much of the season were able to do so, including freshman forward Alex Kile, who scored the first goal of his Michigan career. “There’s a little more confidence, absolutely,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “Anytime a kid scores his first goal, it’s going to jump-start his confidence. You saw that with JT Compher and hopefully you’ll see that with Alex Kile now.” Until Friday, even freshman forward Tyler Motte — who’s been one of the most productive freshmen this season with five goals and two assists — had been held without a goal since Oct. 25. Motte netted a goal just 34 seconds in, which was the fastest goal he could remember scoring dating back to his youth hockey days. Completing the trend of Friday’s accomplishments by the freshmen class, goaltender Zach Nagelvoort picked up the first shutout for any Wolverine goaltender this season. GUPTILL’S NEW GROOVE: Junior forward Alex Guptill was able to find the back of the net twice on Friday — once when he
found himself wide open in the slot and again after spinning off a defenseman and scoring from an awkward angle. Guptill has been in a bit of a slump this season after leading Michigan in scoring during last year’s campaign. He doubled his season total for goals on Friday with two tallies, giving him eight points on the year — good for fifth on the team. Friday was one of Guptill’s better games thus far, and it isn’t just because his name stood out in the box score. Guptill simplified things for himself. He played deep in the offensive zone and exhibited patience to put his potent goal-scoring abilities to good use. “Not much went for him, but it was good that he stuck with it,” Berenson said. “And then finally in the third period the puck went in for him. Up until then, it was a lot of hard work but no results. But I think we’re getting him back onto his game.” THANKFUL FOR HOCKEY: While most of the country will be rushing to put a turkey in the oven on Thursday morning, the Wolverines will be on the ice practicing. For the players that live near Ann Arbor, most will be lucky enough to make it home for a mid-afternoon dinner with their families. But for the players not staying, senior captain Mac Bennett isn’t worried that they’ll miss out on a quality meal. He says there are plenty of good cooks on the team, and anyone who
JAMES COLLER/Daily
Junior forward Alex Guptill scored twice Friday to break out of a scoring slump.
lives too far away to travel back home will be enjoying a hockey Thanksgiving at Bennett’s house with Derek DeBlois, Adam Janecyk and Mike Chiasson. “It’s Thanksgiving, man,” Bennett said. “We’ll probably just make a ton of food, and whoever shows up shows up. There definitely won’t be anyone who doesn’t have anywhere to go.” Bennett thought long and hard before admitting the sophomore class probably has the best chefs on the team. He
mentioned that DeBlois’s breakfast lineup isn’t anything to take for granted, though. It’s too bad that eggs, hash browns and pancakes aren’t a staple on Thanksgiving menus. To be fair, Bennett said the Thanksgiving spread might be light with the Big Ten opener against Ohio State looming the next day at 7 p.m. However, there was no hesitation when Bennett mentioned stuffing his face with turkey and taking a nap as being among his favorite holiday traditions.
Sports
8 — Tuesday, November 26, 2013
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
COURTESY OF COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOL
Michigan commit Wilton Speight broke his collarbone during a game on Sept. 9, 2011. The next year was supposed to be his senior year, but surgery upended his college plans and forced him to enroll in a fifth year of high school.
For quarterback commit Wilton Speight, a dream is realized, but later than planned The three/four-star recruit seemed bound for Virginia Tech. But after surgery to insert a metal rod and eight screws in his shoulder, the plan changed. By ALEXA DETTELBACH
salvage his future playing career.
Daily Sports Writer
*** It seemed like yet another Friday night game under the lights. Yet another quarterback taking the field looking to lead his troops and leave a legacy. Yet another star in the making. For Wilton Speight, the night started out ordinary. But at night’s end, when the team left the field, the fans emptied the bleachers and the Friday night lights shut off, Speight’s future as a football player seemed anything but certain. It was Sept. 9, 2011 and the junior quarterback was opening Richmond, Va.’s Collegiate High School’s football season with a matchup against Trinity Episcopal in front of a home crowd. On a drive in the middle of the game, Speight led the Cougars down the field with ease. A quick runoption play had Speight heading for the end zone. Quickly, all that stood between Speight and six points was a Trinity safety, but Speight paid him little mind. As he reached for the right pylon, he collided with the safety, landing on his elbow to brace the fall. With all eyes on him, the junior jumped up after the touchdown — and the collision — celebrating as he made his way to the Collegiate sideline, amid deafening cheers from the home crowd. Thriving on adrenaline, Speight had to wait for the trainer to check him out on the sideline before he knew anything was wrong. The trainer quickly felt three breaks underneath his shoulder pads, and the diagnosis was clear — a broken right collarbone, his throwing arm. “I definitely knew he was done after that,” said Collegiate coach Mark Palyo. Collarbone injuries are common in football. But Speight’s required a metal rod and eight screws to be inserted. He had the surgery almost immediately after the game. “The recovery (with the rod), the way I’ve seen it, is a faster way than on its own, and that’s why he had it put in,” Palyo said. “And of course it takes some time to come back, but amazingly he was back on the field in 22 or 23 days after the surgery doing light arm motions and light tosses.” The Cougars ended the season 2-6 without the guidance of their quarterback. But despite the quick recovery, Speight had essentially missed his entire junior season — the most important year for an aspiring college athlete — so something had to be done to
COURTESY OF COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOL
Speight exploded for 2.900 yards and 32 touchdowns in 10 games during his second junior season and had offers from North Carolina State and Miami, but he decided to sign with Michigan on Feb. 6, 2013 instead.
In 2011, going into his junior season, Speight was a highly regarded recruit. Though he had yet to commit to a school, for the Virginia native, all signs pointed to Virginia Tech. Following the injury, though, the Hokies withdrew their offer, leaving Speight with little choice on how to resurrect his career. Speight decided to reclassify and repeat his junior year at Collegiate. “A lot went into the decision,” Speight said. “A lot of conversations with my friends, my family and the school. It was a tough decision, especially seeing all my buddies go off to college early, but last season, my second junior year, was really good.” “Really good,” is an understatement. During his second junior season, Speight exploded for 2,900 yards and 32 touchdown, and he rushed for six more — all in just 10 games. And despite an early exit from the state playoffs, Speight’s season launched him back into the national spotlight and onto Michigan’s radar. Following the 2012 season, Speight had multiple offers — suitors coming in from North Carolina State and Miami. He chose to commit to the Wolverines on Feb. 6, 2013, signing day for the 2013 class. Since signing with Michigan, Speight has shot up the recruiting rankings. He’s now considered a three and four-star recruit from multiple sources. ESPN currently ranks the quarterback as the sixth best at his position, while Rivals and Scout rank him the 16th and 21st quarterback, respectively. *** As a player, Speight has everything a team looks for in a quarterback. At 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, he is blessed with size. He’s a pro-style player with strong pocket presence and a cannon of an arm. Speight has also shown flashes of mobility and an ability to make throws outside of the pocket. “I have been with Wilton for five years, and I can still remember his very first year when we had to pull him up to the varsity team (because) we had a need for a backup quarterback,” Palyo said. “In our very first scrimmage, which was against a really good public school team, I had to put him in because our first string quarterback got hurt a little bit. “One of the first things that really stood out to me was his pocket poise and presence. For such a young person to get thrown in against a really good opponent, he actually showed great composure in the pocket at a very early point.” Above all else, though, Speight has a cerebral game that only the best players in the sport can add. “One thing I’ve done with him that I haven’t done with any other quarterback (is) I will turn it over to him, and he knows,” Palyo said. “We just have a little hand signal, and I let him make the call according to what he has seen on the field. He understands those aspects of the game.” Considering Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson attended Collegiate and played under Palyo, his praises for Wilton can’t be brushed off as pretentious. Speight’s early ability to audible not only illustrates his complex understanding of the game, but also his leadership in the huddle and the locker room. He’s
COURTESY OF COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOL
Speight knows he’ll face a logjam at the quarterback position at Michigan, with current redshirt junior Devin Gardner, freshman Shane Morris and and redshirt sophomore Russell Bellomy. “When I agreed to play at Michigan, I agreed not (to) shy away from competition,” Speight said. “We have to embrace it, and I’m looking forward to the future.”
also shown early signs of leadership at the collegiate level, having reached out to many of his future teammates and taking part in linebacker commit Michael Fern’s Project 135. Fern’s project has been a way to promote Michigan to fellow recruits and help spread the Wolverine brand. “I think the most important thing that we did was to communicate with recruits and do our best to build up a relationship so that they feel comfortable,” Speight said of the project. Following his senior season at Collegiate, Speight will join four of his teammates and enroll at Michigan in January. Coming to campus early will help him get acclimated to the team and the culture, as well as give him an opportunity to participate in spring football. Among those early relationships he’s already made, Speight has grown close with four-star wide receiver Drake Harris. The two will be roommates in the spring and have already put in some early work together at the Elite 11 weekend in California this past spring. “I’d say I’m probably closest with (Harris) because we’re just excited that we get to learn together and, hopefully, do incredible things on the field,” Speight said. “He and I are just excited to hit the ground running.” But when Speight arrives on campus, the quarterback picture will look murky. Behind redshirt junior Devin Gardner, the team also has redshirt sophomore Russell Bellomy and freshman Shane Morris. While Bellomy has never been viewed as a viable long-term option, Morris was brought in to assume the role in future seasons. When he was initially recruited, Morris was one of the top quarterbacks in the country, but a case of mononucleosis during his senior year of high school dropped him from a fivestar recruit to a four. But Speight’s addition to the equation should make the quarterback competition fierce and entertaining in the near future.
“(Drake Harris) and I are just excited to hit the ground running.”
“Everyone including Shane and myself (are) going to be in an intense competition for years to come,” Speight said. “But when I agreed to play at Michigan, I agreed not (to) shy away from competition. We have to embrace it, and I’m looking forward to the future.” *** Since his injury, Speight has appreciated football in a new way. “He doesn’t take anything for granted because it could be that one simple play that wasn’t that big of a play that could change everything,” Palyo said. “It makes him realize anything can change. It can be that one play, so since then he has been very diligent in his work to be prepared both mentally and physically.” Having watched Speight develop for the last five years, Palyo knows Michigan is getting a special player. “They’re going to find a young man who’s passionate about football,” he said. “A young man who is open and willing to be coached and (willing) to listen and to learn. He’s always looking to learn to try to understand the field better and better his vision in the pocket. Wilton is definitely going to bring that with him.” At the time of Speight’s injury, he never imagined re-classing would lead to a turf field emblazioned with a block ‘M’ and a winged helmet. But one thing Speight has learned in his four and a half years in high school is that plans change, and you have to take obstacles as they come. “I would never have been able to do any of this without my family’s support,” Speight said. “They’ve always been supportive in whatever I want to do, and they’re behind me 100 percent. I’m where I am because of them.” While his parents’ eyes will always stay focused on him, new sets of eyes will be cast on Speight when he arrives at Michigan. Ones from coaches. Ones from teammates. And if things go as planned for Speight, over 100,000 sets of eyes when he takes the field at Michigan Stadium as the starting quarterback for the Wolverines.