ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Ann Arbor, Michigan
michigandaily.com
ANN ARBOR
A Council pushes for smoking regulations 2
Ordinance would prohibit smoking in public areas By MATT JACKONEN Daily Staff Reporter LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
Wolverine Wellness director Mary Jo Desprez speaks about the alcohol climate at the University at a Senate Assembly meeting in the Fleming Administration Building Monday.
SACUA discusses possible alcohol education changes Presentation notes high rate of alcohol consumption at ‘U’
ing towards reducing the public health risks of alcohol consumption on campus. E. Royster Harper, vice president for student life, Chief Health Officer Robert Winfield, director of the University Health Service, Wolverine Wellness director Mary Jo Desprez and J. Ann Hower, director of the office of new student programs, joined SACUA for the meeting.
By ANDREW ALMANI Daily Staff Reporter
The Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs met Monday with several administrators who are work-
During her presentation, Desprez presented materials on alcohol consumption trends and strategies for combatting high-risk drinking. She said 64 percent of students drink socially, and 61 percent drink to celebrate. At one point, Desprez asked the faculty seated around the table if they were familiar with the “I’m Shmacked” video filmed at the University. No
one in the room had seen it, so Desprez proceeded to play the video and explain the role that social media plays on the environment that induces drinking for students. “I’m Shmacked’” is a video series that glamorizes partying and alcohol consumption at campuses across the nation. There are at least three “I’m Shmacked” productions featurSee SACUA, Page 3
The smoke is beginning to clear. After being deferred twice, the Ann Arbor City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance that would prohibit smoking in certain parts of the city. The ordinance received eight votes. Only Councilmembers Jane Lumm (I–Ward 2), Sumi Kailasapathy (D–Ward 1) and Jack Eaton (D–Ward 4) voted against the ordinance. The ordinance would prohibit citizens from smoking within 20 feet of any bus stop or city building as well as within certain areas of specific city parks. While the official penalty for violating the ordinance is $50, the new legislation would ensure that offenders must first be asked to extinguish any outlawed product before receiving a citation. Another pressing issue with
the ordinance has been who has the responsibility to enforce the law. Councilmember Chuck Warpehoski (D–Ward 5) amended his legislation to guarantee that only police officers can write citations and give warnings, whereas the ordinance previously stated that any city employee reserved such power. Further, the bill’s sponsors Warpehoski and Christopher Taylor (D–Ward 3) also allowed an amendment by Councilmember Sabra Briere (D–Ward 1) that added e-cigarettes to the list of banned smoking products explicitly laid out in the ordinance. Councilmember Stephen Kunselman (D–Ward 3) expressed concerns about the lack of focus on preventing smoke from wood burning as well, and added that smokers having the ability to walk down the sidewalk while smoking near buildings would be cause for worry. He added that he does not believe there should be a fine for violating the ordinance since the ordinance will be “self-regulating.” He instead asked council to eliminate the fine and revisit the See COUNCIL, Page 3
BUSINESS
CAMPUS LIFE
New products bring caffeine to baked goods
Engineering event looks into student health at ‘U’
University alum’s start-up expands to campus cafés By HILLARY CRAWFORD Daily Staff Reporter
Getting that caffeine fix has become tastier and more convenient than ever before — no coffee required. For lack of a better alternative in the local market, University alum Chris Bogdan decided to combine his favorite breakfast items into one product, called Get Up and Go. While it is not necessarily uncommon for bakeries to add espresso to their offerings for taste, it is rare that they do it to pack the punch of a cup of coffee. Bogdan said he used his Cellular and Molecular Biology major to combine the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee and the baked goods commonly found in cafés. The entrepreneurial path was a sharp digression from Bogdan’s original plan to apply to medical school. However, he said the long process to becoming a doctor lost its appeal. “I realized I had a good idea, I’m still young and I really didn’t have anything to lose,” Bogdan said. “The way I look at it is that I could graduate and get a job or I could start a business.”
WEATHER TOMORROW
During his busy schedule as a student, Bogdan found himself stopping into local cafés such as Espresso Royale to grab a quick coffee and muffin. “Basically I was spending $6 to $7 a day because I didn’t have time to make breakfast,” Bogdan said. “I wanted something that was convenient but also that was a better price.” During his junior year at the University, Bogdan’s kitchen turned into a “lab,” as he experimented with crushing and purifying caffeinated pills to add into muffins. When this combination didn’t work out, Bogdan began using coffee bean extract— a natural form of caffeine that does not require the masking of any bitter taste. “The whole idea is that you’re getting a cheaper product that’s kind of killing two birds with one stone, but also something that’s convenient and quick,” Bogdan said. Until this past fall, Get Up and Go items were only sold online. The 7-Eleven at 1300 S. University Ave. underneath Landmark was the first business to sign on and agree to sell the product. “I’ve literally been in retail for six months, so it’s really been the past six months that have proved this is a viable business,” Bogdan added. Get Up and Go products can now be found at twenty locaSee CAFFEINE, Page 3
HI: 56 LO: 31
Keynote speakers address methods of attaining joy, fighting depression By MICHAEL SUGERMAN Daily Staff Reporter
ADAM GLANZMAN/Daily
Benjamin Sommers, an assistant professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, spoke about Medicaid policy and national healthcare reform at the School of Public Health Monday.
Lecture examines possible Medicaid expansion effects Harvard Prof. says current system fails to meet needs of lowincome population By AMABEL KAROUB Daily Staff Reporter
June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court voted the U.S. government could not require states to expand Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Today, 26 states and the District of Columbia
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have chosen to expand Medicaid, and the other 24 have yet to do so. At the University’s School of Public Health Monday night, Benjamin Sommers, assistant professor of Health Policy & Economics at Harvard School of Public Health, discussed the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision regarding Medicaid expansion. Sommers said a Medicaid expansion is overdue because, contrary to popular perceptions, Medicaid does not cover most underprivileged individuals. Medicaid has traditionally
NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM Denzel Curry to perform at the Blind Pig April 9 MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS
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covered low-income people who have a disability, are pregnant, are under 18 or are parents of children who live at home. But these categories fail to capture the majority of the low-income uninsured. “What’s conspicuously absent from those categories are the bulk of uninsured — adults between the ages of 19 and 64,” Sommers said. “Because they don’t have a child who live in the home and they don’t have a disability, they’re not eligible.” The ACA proposed that Medicaid be expanded to every perSee MEDICAID, Page 3
Vol. CXXIV, No. 97 ©2014 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
Observe. Connect. Act. — This is the motto of Own It, a fledgling student movement in the College of Engineering aimed to build community awareness of mental health issues since its inception this fall. In its second keynote event Monday, titled “Leading Inclusion: Ending Stigma Around Mental Health,” Own It hosted three speakers to address the importance of combatting depression among students in engineering. Engineering senior Luke Bruski, executive director of Own It, said the organization’s main goal is to foster academic success by encouraging inclusivity within the College of Engineering. “Own It is a challenge to the Michigan Engineering community to be our most authentic selves and to support others in doing the same,” he said. Bruski added there is a culture of poor mental health awareness at the University — an assertion substantiated by data presented by Public Health Prof. Daniel Eisenberg Monday night. See ENGINEERING, Page 3
NEWS............................ 2 SUDOKU........................ 2 OPINION.......................4
ARTS............................. 5 CL ASSIFIEDS.................6 SPORTS.........................7
News
2 — Tuesday, April 8, 2014
MONDAY: This Week in History
TUESDAY: Professor Profiles Profiles
WORK OF ART
WEDNESDAY: In Other Ivory Towers Before You Were Here
Prof. focuses on instrumentation
What classes do you teach?
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
In the past couple of years I’ve mostly been teaching an introductory astrophysics course called “Aliens in the Sky,” and also in the last year I’ve been teaching an advanced introductory course
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FRIDAY: Photos the Week Week Photos of the
SEEING STARS
Mario Mateo is a professor of astronomy specializing in instrumentation and the spectroscopy of stellar bodies in the universe. He received his BA at Rice University and Ph.D at the University of Washington. He completed Carnegie and Hubble fellowships at Carnegie Observatories and has worked at the University for 21 years.
Art & Design freshman Nina Brewster works on her abstraction pieces for Drawing II Monday in the Art & Architecture Building.
THURSDAY: CampusProfiles Clubs Alumni
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
THE FILTER
Climate change Denzel Curry BY ABHISHEK CAULIGI
BY SALLY KIM
Cauligi explores several reasons that climate change emerged on the national political stage — and stayed there consistently since its introduction in the late eighties. Some explanations include the slow innovation of green technology and the Great Recession.
Hip-hop star Denzel Curry forced his way into the music scene and is here to stay. He will be performing with The Underachievers at The Blind Pig on April 9. His performance comes a year after his album release, as he anticipates releasing two new EPs shortly.
THE PODIUM
THE WIRE
Dear Lucinda
Sparty down
BY AUSTIN DAVIS
BY SAM GRINGLAS
In this installment of Study-a-Blog, Davis delivers an apology to Lucinda from Chapel Hill, a girl he scorned while studying abroad in Barcelona by confusing her for another. Will she see it and accept his apology? Only time will tell...
The Michigan-Michigan State rivalry took an unfriendly turn this weekend after a fight broke out on the Diag at around 2 a.m. Two apparent Spartan fans were yelling “Go Green, Go White,” when two males approached and threw several punches.
for our potential majors. Also, this semester I’ve been teaching an introductory class on galaxies. What kind of research do you do? My research is primarily in observational astronomy. I do work using spectrographs at the Magellan telescope in the Southern Hemisphere, which is partly operated by the University in consortium with other universities. I’ve done two things that are relevant to that in the past few years. One, I’ve just actually finished building an instrument for that telescope and in the past six months we’ve began to use that
CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
Beehive investigation
Aftermath of financial crises
WHAT: This presentation will examine why a beehive did not survive the winter’s extreme weather conditions. WHO: Ann Arbor Backyard Beekeepers WHEN: Tonight from 7 to 8:30 p.m. WHERE: Matthaei Botanical Gardens
WHAT: A lecture on past economic crises throughout various countries will examine the policies each country’s government adopts. WHO: Ford School of Public Policy WHEN: Today from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. WHERE: Michigan Union
Education job fair
Architecture Fellows
WHAT: More than 70 schools will be attending a fair to schedule interviews for positions and get different perspectives in careers in the educational field. There will be an on-site registration on the day of the event. WHO: The Career Center WHEN: Today from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. WHERE: Michigan Union
WHAT: Architectual fellows will present their semester exhibit. WHO: Taubman Collge of Architecture WHEN: Today 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. WHERE: Taubman College Gallery CORRECTIONS l Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@michigandaily.com.
instrument effectively. A lot of my research is devoted to looking at fairly nearby galaxies that you can actually see the individual stars there and from that try to study how the stars are moving within their gravitational field. Which one of your projects or research are you most proud of? The main thing is the stuff that we did with our earlier version of this instrument, where we were actually able to determine details about how the mass is distributed within these galaxies. — AMIA DAVIS
THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY
1
CNN reported comedian John Pinette, 50, died in a Pittsburgh hotel on Saturday. There will be no autopsy because his doctor signed his death certificate. Pinette starred as “Howie” in the series finale on Seinfeld.
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Senior captain Matt Freeman has proven to be the rock of the men’s gymnastics team. A walk-on his freshman year, Freeman can be depended on to consistently stick the landing. >> FOR MORE, SEE SPORTS, PAGE 8
3
42,000 Mazda6 cars are being recalled due to yellow sac spiders, CNN reported. The spiders are known to crawl into the fuel tanks and create webs that can block airflow within them, causing a fire risk. The recall includes 2010-2012 models.
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Student org. announces theme for fall conference Michigan Sports Business Conference to examine role of ‘game changers’ By EMILIE PLESSET Daily Staff Reporter
The Michigan Sport Business Conference unveiled the theme for their third annual event as “Game Changers: Innovating Today. Defining Tomorrow.” The conference will be Oct. 24, though a venue has yet to be finalized. Founded in 2011 by University alumni Brandon Rhodes and Dustin Cairo, MSBC aspires to inspire future sports business professionals and provide students access to industry leaders on campus. Kinesiology junior David Herman, MSBC co-president,
said MSBC is the only studentrun undergraduate conference. While other professional business events may be expensive to attend, MSBC aims to provide students with networking opportunities at a lower cost. “Our model is to bring that same caliber of eager quality and networking opportunity into a student university environment for a very affordable cost to our students,” Herman said. Herman said that while the themes of previous conferences have focused on how the sports industry has changed in the past, this year the conference will focus on how the industry will innovate and progress in the future. “There are a lot of cool things going on in the background of sports that a lot of people don’t know about,” said Kinesiology junior Josh Kadden, MSBC brand and website director. “We want to focus this year on what the
next 10 years are going to be in sports and how the game changer are changing tomorrow.” The conference will host about 500 people, including 30 to 40 speakers, sponsors, alumni, industry professionals and almost 400 students from the University and other schools throughout the country. “We want to spread the great work we’re doing and give students who are interested in the industry opportunity,” Herman said. MSBC will announce its speakers for the upcoming conference in the fall. Past speakers have included ESPN President John Skipper, Monday Night Football announcer Mike Tirico and real estate mogul Stephen M. Ross, a donor to the University and owner of the Miami Dolphins, among others. Herman said that this year’s speakers will reflect the conference’s theme of innovation and leadership. “This year we really want to try and find those people, those companies, individuals, teams who are looking for what the next decade will bring in sports business,” Herman said. “We are really looking for people who are creating new things today and are trying to change things up or do something new.” The MSBC planning team is looking into different ways of speaker presentation to further engage students and increase networking opportunities. In the past the conference was set up in a panel format, but this year there may be more of a debate format.
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CAROLYN KASTNER/AP
President Barack Obama looks over a student’s work as he visits a classroom at Blandenburg High School in Blandenburg, Md, Monday.
Obama announces grants to students for ‘in-demand’ jobs Over $100 million approved for ‘cool stuff’ after executive order stands
BLADENSBURG, Md. (AP) — President Barack Obama on Monday announced more than $100 million in grants for two dozen schools across the country that are helping students gain work experience for what he called the “in-demand jobs of the future.” The money, which comes from fees that companies pay for visas to hire foreign workers for specialized jobs, is the result of an executive order Obama signed last year to better prepare high school students for college or for careers. Students are working on “cooler stuff than when I was in high school,” Obama said as he announced the grants before cheering high school students in Washington’s Maryland suburbs. A total of 24 schools are being awarded the money after a nationwide competition, including the Los Angeles Uni-
fied School District, the New York City Department of Education and districts in Denver, Indianapolis and Clinton, S.C. Obama explained it will allow schools to “develop and test new curricula and models for success. We want to invest in your future,” he said. Obama announced the grants at Bladensburg High School, one of three high schools in Washington’s Maryland suburbs that have created a Youth CareerConnect Program that is the recipient of $7 million under the announcement. Students at Bladensburg work on realworld projects with community partners to get ready for college admission or careers. The grant at the school, where more than 70 percent of students are lowincome, will expand the Health & Biosciences Academy to prepare more students for careers in the region’s fast-growing healthcare field. Obama visited a 10th grade microbiology class, where he asked the students in lab goggles huddled over microscopes what careers they are interested in. “You on the CSI thing, forensics huh?” the president said to
one student. In another effort to make education more accessible, Vice President Joe Biden announced that the Education and Labor departments will run a program to facilitate community college students getting academic credit for apprenticeships in business and industry, in line with the federal job-training revamp that Biden has been charged with leading. Colleges will agree to provide credit for apprenticeships that are certified by an independent group, enabling students to finish their degrees quicker. Obama also planned to take action Tuesday to use the federal government’s vast array of contractors to impose rules on wages, pay disparities and hiring on a segment of the private sector that gets taxpayer money and falls under his control. He was scheduled to issue an order prohibiting federal contractors from retaliating against workers who discuss their pay and direct the Labor Department to issue new rules requiring federal contractors to provide compensation data that includes a breakdown by race and gender.
News
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NEWS BRIEFS DETROIT
Man found guilty in family killings A jury has found a 29-year-old Detroit man guilty of first-degree murder for gunning down his 7-year-old daughter, grandmother and aunt. Police report that Ferdarius Shine’s mother told them he ran from the house after the Feb. 15, 2013, shootings, screaming that “the devil” made him do it. He surrendered at a psychiatric hospital the next day and underwent a mental competency exam before his trial in Wayne County Circuit Court. A jury convicted him Monday. The victims were Shines’ daughter Amera Jones, his 49-year-old aunt Santangela Williams and his 68-year-old grandmother Geraldine Bates. Investigators say he had a concealed weapon license. First-degree murder in Michigan carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
SAN FRANSISCO, Calif.
Several Smart cars found vandalized Four Smart cars were flipped over in an apparent vandalism spree Monday in two San Francisco neighborhoods. Police said they didn’t know whether the attacks were a prank or another episode in escalating tensions among some residents who blame the tech industry for rising rents and cost of living. “It’s hard to determine a motive without any suspects identified or in custody,” said Officer Gordon Shyy, a police spokesman who said the culprits would face felony vandalism charges. The first car was found flipped on its roof around 1 a.m., and a second was spotted on its side around a couple of blocks away about 10 minutes later in the city’s Bernal Heights neighborhood, said Shyy, a police spokesman.
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.
Driver investigated in train derailing An engineer driving a speeding commuter train that derailed last year, killing four people, had a sleep disorder that interrupted his rest dozens of times each night and said he felt strangely “dazed” right before the crash, according to federal documents released Monday. Asked if he was clearheaded enough to realize he was entering a curve just before the Dec. 1 derailment in the Bronx, engineer William Rockefeller told investigators “apparently not.” The Metro-North Railroad train hit the curve, which has a 30 mph speed limit, at 82 mph. More than 70 people were injured.
CAIRO
Four prominent activists convicted An appeals court on Monday upheld the convictions and three-year prison sentences handed down to three of Egypt’s most prominent political activists, a ruling that is likely to revive opposition to a draconian protest law they were accused of violating. It is also certain to deepen the rift between the current military-backed government and Egypt’s liberal and secular prodemocracy campaigners, many of whom participated in the 2011 popular uprising against Hosni Mubarak. The ongoing campaign against dissent and pro-democracy activists has been overshadowed by a much larger crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood group and other Islamists. That push has led to the death of hundreds and the jailing of at least 16,000 people since the July ouster of President Mohammed Morsi. The verdict swiftly drew condemnation from international rights groups. —Compiled from Daily wire reports
COUNCIL From Page 1 possible need for it after evaluating the effectiveness of the ordinance’s self-enforcement for one year. Warpehoski responded to Kunselman’s concerns regarding the penalty by stating the proposed legislation was not simply a suggestion. “We have a code of ordinances,” Warpehoski said. “Not a book of suggestions.” Warpehoski also responded to concerns of some councilmembers — including Lumm and Kailasapathy — that implementation of this ordinance by law enforcement officers would detract from their focus on more pressing issues. Warpehoski cited a study regarding a similar smoke-free
MEDICAID From Page 1 son whose income is lower than 138 percent of the federal poverty line. Sommers said such an expansion would help the bulk of low-income individuals, who many assumed it was helping already. “The ACA essentially said forget about these categories — if you are low-income and you meet legal residence qualifications, you can get Medicaid,” Sommers said. “It essentially gives the country the Medicaid program many people think we already have.” Sommers said the expanded Medicaid program looks great on paper. If a state chooses to expand Medicaid, the federal government promises to cover costs of the newly eligible for the first three years and at least 90 percent until 2020. For citizens formerly eligible for Medicaid, government contribution will remain the same — 60 percent or less, on average. Although this seems large, Sommers said states that have not expanded harbor important concerns, such as the affect of expansion on state budgets. Due to the immense outreach sur-
ENGINEERING From Page 1 Eisenberg presented results from both nationwide and University studies on mental health. According to a survey of 29 schools, 32 percent of students face some type of mental health challenge, and 9 percent suffer from major depression. However, Eisenberg said engineering students at the University have a slightly higher prevalence of mental health problems, hovering around 40 percent of students surveyed. He added that engineering students have also proven to be less likely to use mental health services at the University, such as Counseling and Psychological Services. He said there is a reason for this discrepancy. “The first thing people usually think of is stigma and nega-
Tuesday, April 8, 2014 — 3
ordinance as evidence that such claims are unsubstantiated. A 2014 study of municipal costs stemming from Ontario, Canada’s smoke-free ordinance found that no significant costs were incurred as a result of the ordinance. Ellen Rabinowitz, Washtenaw County’s interim director of public health, spoke at the meeting in favor of the legislation. She noted that of the 12 years that a similar smoke-free ordinances have been in place throughout the county, only about 400 complaints have been made — none of which were complaints about repeat offenders. Rabinowitz noted that the bill has been “largely selfenforcing.” UHS director Robert Winfield, the University’s chief health officer, also attended Monday night’s meeting to give imput regarding the University’s
smoke-free policy. “This is a difficult subject, but when we were considering the issues for the University of Michigan we understood that we wanted to behave in a respectful way to smokers,” Winfield said. “But we also wanted to set up a healthy campus.” Winfield added that a combination of social pressure and education has limited the number of smokers causing issues on the University’s campus. “Our central campus is a very nice example of a practically smoke-free place with no heavyhanded enforcement,” Winfield said. The council also unanimously passed a resolution against Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and Republican Gov. Rick Snyder’s efforts to appeal the March 21, 2014 decision of DeBoer v. Snyder overturning the ban on same-sex marriage.
Although the resolution is largely symbolic, it follows the on city council’s precedent of supporting rights for LGBTQ citizens. While Councilmember Taylor is the sponsored the resolution, five other members of city council signed on as co-sponsored including Mayor John Hieftje, Margie Teall (D–Ward 4), Lumm, Briere and Warpehoski. Taylor criticized Snyder’s defense of the appeal and the lauded Judge Friedman’s decision. “It does not advance any conceivable legitimate state interest,” Taylor said. Warpehoski also spoke on the issue, and said he hopes the resolution will move the city and state forward to a day where “marriage is just marriage for everybody who loves each other.”
rounding the ACA, many people who were previously eligible for Medicaid but had not signed up would enroll after expansion. The federal government will not increase coverage for previously eligible enrollees, and the states could face high costs. “There are actually about 10 million people in the U.S. who were already eligible for Medicaid but just hadn’t signed up,” Sommers said. “It could drive up costs for the states. They have to pay 25-50 percent of the costs for those people.” Sommers said a majority of states also believe the federal government will not follow through on covering costs. “Two-thirds of these states that are expanding Medicaid predict that the federal government is not going to hold up its end of the bargain,” he said. “These officials have no more insight into that issue than I do or than you do — they’re guessing.” Sommers spent a large part of the lecture discussing what states can expect when they expand Medicaid. He cited states that expanded Medicaid relatively early, meaning in 2010 or 2011, including Connecticut, New Jersey, Minnesota, Washington and California, lessons and examples for the program’s
implementation. Sommers listed a few lessons of these early expansions. He said states gained many more enrollees than expected and the states that were not politically divided encountered fewer problems when implementing the Medicaid expansion. Some states are choosing to expand Medicaid using alternatives to the federal system. Arkansas was the first state to implement the ‘private option,’ which takes the federal Medicaid funding and puts all would-be enrollees into private insurance plans. In an article published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Public Policy Prof. John Ayanian, who co-authored the JAMA viewpoint with two graduate students, wrote that the level of state autonomy with regards to ACA implementation has led to uncertainty over the law’s effectiveness. “State flexibility is a double-edged sword,” the authors wrote. “By shifting some difficult decisions from the federal government, states can tailor health reform to the needs of their stakeholders. But implementing reform through the states increases the number of elected officials able to influence
implementation.” The article notes that, across the nation, Michigan is one of only five states to accept a federal Medicaid waiver, which provides federal funding for expansion while allowing states to maintain a larger degree of self-governance. Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana and Pennsylvania are the others that have either implemented or are in the process of implementing similar programs. While this option uses private health insurance companies, it appears to experience less resistance from conservative lawmakers, who want to avoid increasing Medicaid enrollment, the authors noted that the staterun plans could become “vulnerable to shifts in the political climate at the state and federal levels,” especially after the 2016 presidential election. Public Health student Lauren Kuenstner said she finds it regrettable that some states have not expanded Medicaid. “It’s unfortunate that so many uninsured people are essentially political pawns.” Kuenstner said. “A lot of governors don’t want to expand Medicaid purely for ideological reasons, and the people who are uninsured are the ones suffering the consequences.”
tive attitudes about seeking help or about disclosing mental illness,” Eisenberg said. “But we actually see — and this is consistent across, really, most of the campuses — that very small percentage of students actually agree with the statement that’s intended to measure stigma: ‘I think less of people who receive mental health treatment.’ ” Following Eisenberg’s presentation, University alum Blake Wagner, a research specialist in the School of Public Health, screened a public service announcement produced by Inkblots, an organization he started with his father to address issues of depression among students. The short film, “Treadmill,” highlighted four major steps to coping with stress and insecurity: stop, breathe, reflect and choose. Wagner said these are a reflection of Inkblots’ general slogan: “Tiny shifts can lead to big changes.”
University alum Richard Sheridan, the CEO of local Ann Arbor tech company Menlo Innovations, was the final speaker at the event. He said he founded Menlo Innovations because he was tired of the standard bureaucracy of software development, which had at one point instilled in him “a personal trough of disillusionment.” According the Menlo Innovations website, the company’s mission is to end human suffering in the world as it relates to technology. Sheridan said this concept requires a unique working environment with open workspace that embraces “the serendipity of noise” to maximize productivity. He added that this method is conducive to collaboration, which is required of his employees. Sheridan said students must not be afraid to persevere in the
face of disappointment, because fear of failure is an obstacle to joy. “I can tell you that in your work lives, as you go forward, most things you think about will be shot down before you ever try them,” he said. “We pierce through that at Menlo with one simple phrase: ‘Let’s run the experiment.’ ” Angie Farrehi, the assistant director of student affairs in the College of Engineering and Own It’s faculty adviser, said this mindset — fostering inclusion and “running the experiment” — is exactly what the student movement seeks to encourage. “Own It takes on the challenge of improving the climate and connectedness of our community,” she said. “Those two pieces are integral to any keynote event … with the end result of hopefully improving success of our students.”
SACUA From Page 1 ing the University. “This (video) has 807,749 views, while the University Campus Tour video only has 63,202 views,” she said. “This is recruiting students before we get to. I might not play the whole thing, because it sucks your soul.” “The social network and the viral nature of the Internet is in some ways is great on college campuses, and it also has a harder time for us to manage in terms of the perception of alcohol use,” Desprez said. Hower spoke about the changes the University is considering making to the orientation process due to concerns that new students have easy access to parties and alcohol, posing a high risk of irresponsible drinking. Another concern expressed is the time students have before classes start, while many are moving to Ann Arbor. Several speakers expressed concerns that Welcome Week fosters an unsafe drinking environment—especially for new students. Several SACUA members said they were concern about the issue, and requested additional meetings to discuss ways in which the administration is working to make progress. The last SACUA meeting of the
CAFFEINE From Page 1 tions across Michigan. Campus vendors include U-go’s in the Union, Bert’s Café, Mujo Café, as well as the café in the Architecture School’s Media Center. Bogdan is also targeting other universities, including Michigan State as a new market for his products. LSA junior Brie Commons, student manager at Ugo’s in the Michigan Union, said that although she was unsure about the idea of a “chocolate chip blondie,” it exceeded her expectations. The campus convenience store sells a variety of other Get Up and Go products, the newest being the espresso cookie, but Commons said the traditional chocolate chip cookies are the best seller. LSA senior Alma Worthy, also a student manager at Ugo’s, said while it is difficult to advertise the products, those who know about them come in to buy them frequently. The startup will be launching an Indiegogo campaign on April 15, with the goal of reaching $10,000 to help fund its first manufacturing order. Bogdan is currently making the products himself in a commercial kitchen, which restricts the number of items being produced. Once a manufacturer is secured, Bogdan projects his products will spread to a couple of hundred stores throughout Michigan by the end of the year. The products will soon feature Indiegogo stickers to publicize the campaign and Bogdan said he will be giving out samples in campus libraries. “People will definitely see us around campus,” Bogdan said.
Ships hunting for ‘pings’ in continuing plane search Hunt reaches critical stage as beacon battery nears depletion PERTH, Australia (AP) — Search crews hunting for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet have failed to relocate faint sounds heard deep below the Indian Ocean that officials said were consistent with a plane’s black boxes, the head of the search operation said Tuesday. Angus Houston, the retired Australian air chief marshal who is heading the search far off Australia’s west coast, said sound locating equipment on board the Ocean Shield has picked up no trace of the signals since they were first heard late Saturday and early Sunday. Time may have already run out to find the devices, whose locator beacons have a battery life of about a month. Tues-
day marks one month since the plane vanished. Once the beacons blink off, locating the black boxes in such deep water would be an immensely difficult, if not impossible, task. “There have been no further contacts with any transmission and we need to continue (searching) for several days right up to the point at which there’s absolutely no doubt that the batteries will have expired,” Houston said. If, by that point, the U.S. Navy listening equipment being towed behind the Ocean Shield has failed to pick up any signals, a sub on board the ship will be deployed to try and chart out any debris on the sea floor. If the sub maps out a debris field, the crew will replace the sonar system with a camera unit to photograph any wreckage. Houston’s comments contradicted an earlier statement from Australia’s acting prime minister, Warren Truss, who said search crews would launch the
Bluefin 21 autonomous sub on Tuesday. The towed pinger locator detected late Saturday and early Sunday two distinct, long-lasting sounds underwater that are consistent with the pings from an aircraft’s “black boxes” — the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, Houston said, dubbing the find a promising lead in the monthlong hunt for clues to the plane’s fate. Still, officials warned it could take days to determine whether the sounds were connected to Flight 370, which vanished March 8 on a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing with 239 on board. “This is an herculean task — it’s over a very, very wide area, the water is extremely deep,” Defense Minister David Johnston said. “We have at least several days of intense action ahead of us.” Houtson said finding the sound again was critical to narrowing down the search area
before the sub can be used. If the vehicle went down now with the sparse data collected so far, it would take “many, many days” for it to cover all the places the pings might have come from. “It’s literally crawling at the bottom of the ocean so it’s going to take a long, long time,” Houston said. Despite the excitement surrounding the Ocean Shield’s sound detections, Houston warned that the search had previously been marred by false leads — such as ships detecting their own signals. Because of that, other ships cannot be sent in to help with the underwater search, as they may add unwanted noise. “We’re very hopeful we will find further evidence that will confirm the aircraft is in that location,” Houston said. “There’s still a little bit of doubt there, but I’m a lot more optimistic than I was one week ago.” Finding the black boxes is key to unraveling what happened
to the Boeing 777, because they contain flight data and cockpit voice recordings that could explain why the plane veered so far off-course. “Everyone’s anxious about the life of the batteries on the black box flight recorders,” said Truss, who is acting prime minister while Tony Abbott is overseas. “Sometimes they go on for many, many weeks longer than they’re mandated to operate for — we hope that’ll be the case in this instance. But clearly there is an aura of urgency about the investigation.” The first sound picked up by the equipment on board the Ocean Shield lasted two hours and 20 minutes before it was lost, Houston said. The ship then turned around and picked up a signal again — this time recording two distinct “pinger returns” that lasted 13 minutes. That would be consistent with transmissions from both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder.
Opinion
4 — Tuesday, April 8, 2014
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SOPHIA USOW
E-mail Sophia at sophiaus@umich.edu
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com PETER SHAHIN EDITOR IN CHIEF
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KATIE BURKE MANAGING EDITOR
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
Recognizing gifted students Developing academic talent is imperative to Michigan’s future
M
ichigan is currently one of nine states that doesn’t provide any funding or support for accelerated education in local and intermediate school districts. The 2015 budget proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder allocates $1.8 million to support dual enrollment programs for high school students. Though this would allow high school students to earn college credits, money also needs to be allocated to programs and after school activities that encourage gifted students to challenge themselves academically and develop targeted interests from an early age. Though accelerated education programs funded by independent districts and high schools exist, the range of gifted education services available to students in the state is extremely limited. The Michigan Department of Education does provide information concerning the “Talent Development” programs offered by the state, however the information hasn’t been updated in the past four years. It’s worrisome that the state has taken such a passive approach to developing the academic talent of its young citizens. Snyder’s current budget proposal is a constructive step toward recognizing the needs of gifted students. Additionally, providing college credit to high school students is a constructive way to reduce the cost of attending college. Though Advanced Placement programs offer college credit to students, high schools are inconsistent in the range of AP courses they offer. For example, the Three River’s school district in Kalamazoo lacks sufficient resources to offer AP programs to its students. By funding dual enrollment programs, the state can ensure that students get credit, while receive an education on par with that of a college course. Dual enrollment also enables students to pick classes and take ownership of their education, easing their transition into college life. Though programs for high school students require immediate attention, Snyder’s administration should also look toward providing funding to programs that encourage gifted students to actively pursue their interests, especially at the elementary
level. Support for after-school activities should be expanded at the elementary level so that all students have equal opportunity to pursue an accelerated education in the future. This is especially necessary to avoid creating a dichotomy between high- and lowachieving kids. Challenging young learners and inspiring interest early on can prevent students from underestimating their abilities and falling behind. Expensive after-school programs that currently exist don’t receive state funding, and therefore most students miss out on such opportunities. The state should have mandates in place that allow all students easy access to such programs in their early development. Since these programs would supplement their education, students should also be allowed to join or drop the program after a year. As students move to middle school and high school, gifted students can be identified through already existing statewide exams such as the MEAP and Michigan Merit Examination. Using the results of these tests, along with other academic indicators, can help administrators of gifted programs identify these students, and take a step toward providing resources to foster development. Though some private programs already provide parents with information to help their educationally advanced children, a state mandate needs to be created in order to implement programs in all schools. Snyder and the state legislation must provide state funding to make these programs a reality.
NICOLE ROJAS | VIEWPOINT
Learning from experiences
During the first week of May, nine Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers students departed from various locations in the United States. We arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica May 4th, 2013 to spend a week volunteering through the international non-profit organization, Maximo Nivel. The main objective of the trip was to make various construction improvements at an hogar de ancianos, a shelter for the elderly in Tejarcillos, an outlying town of San Jose. By the end of the week we created shelves and cabinets, rebuilt windows and doors to prevent snakes and spiders from entering the homes, added metal railings in showers to prevent falling and repaired locks on doors to improve security. Above all, we grew closer as a group as we explored and learned about the culture and people of Costa Rica. Volunteering has always been known as an activity that helps others, but what we don’t initially realize is that it helps us as well. We developed essential teamwork skills and gained stronger empathy for people with different life experiences than us. We better understood our own identities, and we gained immense perspective. Volunteering was so much more than learning how to apply our engineering skills, it was developing the skills to understand others’ needs and gaining a wider perspective that we will need in our future leadership roles. Planning an international volunteer trip was not easy. Several times throughout the planning process we were uncertain whether it was worth spending so much time and effort; we were unsure that the trip would even occur. If we had known the experience to be gained from this trip, we would not have once questioned the value in the volunteer opportunity. We gained more perspective, not only on hands-on construction skills, but also problem-solving, team-building and communication skills. We learned more about our identity as Hispanics, as well as our identities and roles as engineers in a global environment. The positive response and enthusiastic gratitude from the community members is what stuck out to us the most. While we believed we were helping with small improvements, the community assured us that our contributions would have a lasting positive impact. We all have our own set of biases and predetermined outlooks on life, but volunteering in a new community helps us better empathize with others and become more aware of the multifaceted issues the world is now facing. We were the first group to volunteer with this elderly community and because of our success with
this community, Maximo Nivel will continue to have groups volunteer in this area of San Jose. Soon after our arrival, even local teenagers began to enter the elderly shelter and help with our work. We were even more encouraged after learning that this involvement positively influenced these teens away from crime. Jobs are becoming more and more globalized, so it is essential that we are able to understand and collaborate with people from all walks of life. As Michigan helps shape the minds of future leaders, students must spend time volunteering during their undergraduate years in order to enter the real world with a broader, more aware mindset. Many of the SHPE members that attended this volunteer experience are now just beginning their specific engineering major, taking very technical classes that introduce us to the type of information an engineer should be able to understand after graduation. Even if we received straight As in these classes, this would mean nothing if we had no idea how to apply these skills. Students must be able to adjust to situations that don’t work out perfectly like in textbooks. Therefore, we are encouraged to join design teams to have a hands-on experience in engineering. The same goes for volunteering. We can take a variety of classes on various cultures and read about global issues, but the most effective way to truly understand other people, cultures and problems is to go out into the field and experience them for ourselves. Volunteering in Costa Rica this past summer has not only helped develop our problem-solving skills as engineers, but above all, because of this experience, we now know some of the causes of poverty in Tejarcillos, why there is the disparity in classes, why they live the way they do and what their true needs are. While we spent a mere week in the town, we learned far more about the customs and people of Costa Rica than any semester-long class would have taught us. This international volunteer trip was the highlight of our summer, not solely because of the incredible country, culture and people, but because we had such an invaluable experience to gain perspective, develop leadership skills and grow closer as a group. No matter what your major is, what your interests are, what organizations you are involved with, any form of volunteering will shape your life and give you much-needed awareness of the community around you. Nicole Rojas is an Engineering sophomore.
I
Turning the page
n May 2012, graduating Yale senior Marina Keegan wrote a remarkable piece titled “The Opposite of Loneliness,” that ran in the commencement edition of the university’s student newspaper. There are a few SARA pieces of writing MOROSI that I have bookmarked and revisit on occasion — this is one of them. Keegan wrote about the defining moments that fill our college years — years that feel fleeting and timeless all at once. Keegan reminded us of the decisions we made, and those we didn’t, that changed us equally as much. She reminded us of the nights we felt unapologetically alive. She reminded us that we’ll never get these years back, but makes us think maybe we wouldn’t even if we could. Because, for us, this fabric of time has been woven by the people we’ve met and by our experiences at Michigan; and despite the inevitable knots in the thread, it’s ours and it’s unique and it’s perfect in its imperfection. It’s what we will take with us moving forward from this place. “We’re so young. We’re so young. We’re twenty-two years old,” Keegan wrote. “We have so much time. There’s this sentiment I sometimes sense, creeping in our collective conscious as we lay alone after a party, or pack up our books when we give in and go out — that it is somehow too late … I plan on having parties when I’m 30. I plan on having fun when I’m old.” Keegan was killed in a car accident days after her graduation from Yale. The 22 year-young daughter, sis-
ter, friend, exceptional wordsmith and soon-to-be editorial assistant at The New Yorker, was in the passenger seat of her boyfriend’s car when it hit a guardrail and flipped on a Cape Cod highway. She was on the way to her father’s birthday dinner. Keegan’s legacy will live on in the pieces she wrote with authority, about the life she witnessed. The one in which she did, she went, she saw, she laughed, she felt. Many of us have touched lives that ended too soon. Perhaps, some of us have barely escaped death ourselves. If I had left the house moments earlier … If I hadn’t changed plans... Whether they’re ours or someone else’s, we all have stories to remind us that time is precious. For me, Keegan’s is one. As I write this, sunshine and fresh air are pouring through the open windows of my house, and I’m listening to my friends laughing on our front porch. It’s the same mix of laughter that fills our family room on Sunday mornings, when we lethargically gather to piece together the events of the night before. For the moment, I’m taking in the distinct mélange of their laughs, because I know in a month I’ll be hearing it much less often. This is the mindset so many of us seniors have come to adopt in recent weeks. We’re appreciating this place and the people here more than we ever have before. The bonds we’ve nurtured since freshman year. The way ivy always stood out against old brick and tarnished copper. The times we surprised each other. The walk down Hoover
Street on a brisk Saturday afternoon. The nights we chose a good time over a slightly better grade. The professor who taught us a lot more than grammar. In reflecting on it, though, I can’t help but wonder what it is about the human condition that allows us only to fully appreciate the passing of a time or chapter of our lives as it comes to an end. Maybe it’s only when the time is short that we come to fully embrace what we’ve had. Maybe this mindset can’t be adopted when we think we have so much time. But maybe we don’t. Keegan won’t host parties when she’s 30. She won’t have fun when she’s old. She won’t live out these and other dreams mentioned in her final piece. Class of 2014 — we won’t be second-semester seniors for much longer. Soon, the whirlwind of celebrating what we’ve accomplished these four years will be over. We’ll collect our diplomas, subsequently turn the page and begin the next chapter on May 4 — scared and unprotected, but preparedly. Let’s do our best to maintain this mindset, though. To take in defining moments for what they are — despite where they occur in our stories. Because, to quote Keegan, “…let’s get one thing straight: the best years of our lives are not behind us.” Though perhaps, every once in a while, we’ll glance over our shoulders at what we’ve left behind.
Our best years lie ahead, but every once in a while we’ll look back at what we’ve left behind.
— Sara Morosi can be reached at smorosi@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Barry Belmont, Edvinas Berzanskis, David Harris, Rachel John, Nivedita Karki, Jacob Karafa, Jordyn Kay, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Matthew Seligman, Paul Sherman, Allison Raeck, Linh Vu, Meher Walia, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Creating confidence TO THE DAILY: Finally! Another round of Central Student Government elections finally over. And, another columnist shaking his fists at the elections and claiming that it all ends with someone winning on a technicality. Admittedly, there might be something of substance underneath all of Mr. James Brennan’s ranting and raving. But before we get to that, let’s take a moment to set the record straight. As this year’s Election Director, I’m a bit biased when I say this, but I’ll say it anyway: Winter 2014’s elections were the best I’ve seen in my three years at the University of Michigan. Yes, there were lawsuits. Yes, some candidates and parties were issued demerits for failing to adhere to the rules.
Send letters to: tothedaily@michigandaily.com But it’s important that students know the truth: no litigation resulted in any altering of any election. Let me repeat that: not one election was won or lost this year due to election-related litigation. Not one. Nada. Zip. Zero. Every candidate who swears an oath of office in the coming weeks will do so because he or she won the most weighted votes, period. Being something of an electioninsider, I agree that it can be frustrating to see the Election Code as it stands right now. I argued as much in my dissent in Fernandez v. ForUM, et al. (you can read the UEC’s opinions online). I agree with Mr. Brennan that some of the rules in the Election Code are hypertechnical nonsense that probably confuse more than they elucidate. But consider this: even if we designed the perfect Election
Code, the elections themselves still wouldn’t be perfect. Why? Because the only way to ensure positive, fair outcomes is to sit down with all the candidates and talk things through before campaigning begins. And that’s exactly what we did this year. We talked about how student confidence in CSG declines when people win because of lawsuits. We discussed why it’s not just whether you win, but how you win, that matters. And we talked about respecting other candidates, no matter how fierce and heated the campaign gets. I agree with Mr. Brennan that the code must be reformed. But I hope that he will also agree that while no election is perfect, this year’s election is a step forward in creating confidence in CSG elections. Bryson Nitta Third year law student
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Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
TV REVIEW
Tuesday, April 8, 2014 — 5
TV REVIEW
HBO
“Did the president call?”
‘Veep’ continues to roll in new season ‘Friends with Better
CBS
Even they look bored.
Hilarity ensues as Selina begins her presidential campaign By CHLOE GILKE Daily Arts Writer
Just like “Game of Thrones,” the other returning HBO Sunday favorite, “Veep,” has always been a show about power. Vice APresident Selina Meyer (Julia Veep Louis-Dreyfus, “Seinfeld”) often Season misfires and rarely seems to Premiere have it together, HBO but when it comes down to it, Selina is ruthless. She lives for the moments when a higher-up falls ill and jumps at the chance to occupy a vacated post of authority. She’s the comedy version of Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood in “House of Cards” — she’d do anything to ascend the throne. But thankfully, “Veep” isn’t just a show about angsty men and political conspiracy. Its rapid-fire jokes and sardonic humor point to showrunner Armando Iannucci’s well-honed British sense of humor. It’s dark without resorting to plot contrivances and its biting satire of American government is spot-on. Selina is power-hungry and often ridiculous, but underneath her silly antics she is just really good at her job. She’s a master at playing
the game. Season three brings us to Selina on the campaign trail, promoting her new book “Some New Beginnings: Our Next American Journey” (she comments on the lame title, but says that the other options she was given were far worse) while also trying to suck up to the good citizens of the nation’s premier caucus state: Iowa. Selina is usually at the top of her game when faced with a crowd of people (and an assistant at her side), but with most of her staff attending coworker Mike’s wedding, Selina is thrown. Replacing the freakishly attentive Gary (Tony Hale, “Arrested Development”), who even at the wedding continues to facilitate small talk, is a less-skilled wannabe who tells the long line of patrons at Selina’s book signing that she is helping a senator with very important and very dire problems. His weak excuses are especially hilarious because he seems to be the only character on “Veep” who isn’t flawlessly successful at navigating the political machine. Even at the wedding (which is between Selina’s director of communications and a reporter), politics rule. Groom Mike (Matt Walsh, “The Hangover”) requires the attendees to place their phones in a bowl so the guests are not distracted, but when Gary gets a call during his speech, chaos takes over. Thanks to a leak from everyone’s favorite piece of garbage, Dan Egan, (Reid Scott, “My Boys”), everyone learns that
the president will not be running for reelection, and even in the midst of Mike’s wedding, the politicians and staff can’t help but reach for their phones and keep up with the news. But even Mike, who is often the butt of the joke for obsessing over his boat and his (probably fake) dog, is energized by the news. He graciously allows his guests to grab their phones out of the bowl and even engages in some calls and news briefs himself. Just like everyone else, politics is his life. The urgency of the presidential campaign gives the season three premiere a much-needed jolt. While past episodes were always strong, the humor often derived from the claustrophobic setting of Selina’s office and the stagnant opportunities. Dan and Amy were antsy for promotions that meant little, White House liason Jonah (the fabulous Timothy Simons) marched around the place like a dictator and Selina had nothing better to do than spin around in her office chair. But the ultimate test of Selina’s willpower and political prowess comes from the opportunity for real power. The new sense of urgency is palpable even in the premiere. This is Selina’s one chance at the throne, and if she fails, the loyalty of Dan, Amy and Gary is likely to snap. But as of right now, Selina’s the golden girl of D.C. and has the tenacity and determination to make it through this campaign. Whether she succeeds or not, the results are sure to be hilarious.
ALBUM REVIEW
‘Vatican’ blasts metal By AMRUTHA SIVAKUMAR Daily Arts Writer
There he comes, walking onto the stage in “Game of Thrones” fashion, with facial hair too long even by rock ‘n’ roll Astandards and clothes that Catacombs seem to have lasted through of the the 1900s. His Black band looks Vatican old, worn out from Black Label years of tour bus pastries Society and stage eOne falls, with patterned instruments that look like they came out of Amazon boxes. But then, out of the silence, a guitar string reverberates. And then another. And then a drum beat comes in, only to be accompanied by the rest of the band in a unison unheard of by most millennials. The crowd screams, still not letting their voices overpower the orchestral metal that they would be granted over the next hour. Twenty five years into his career, Zakk Wylde seems to still have it all. Fashioned by years of experience in both solo and collaborative careers, Wylde has once again brought his technical proficiency and his knack for constructing elaborate rock ‘n’ roll to his band, Black Label Society. Its latest release, Catacombs of the Black Vatican, isn’t anything you haven’t heard before from Black Label Society. In fact, it follows the
same format — each track loops through an enduring guitar theme. Three quarters of the way into the song, there’s a free-time riff. Yet no two tracks sound the same. In fact, Black Label Society seems to have covered its bases, with songs that are thematically varied and melodically assorted. Catacombs of the Black Vatican has something for everyone. Impassioned “Scars” draws on country slide guitars to resonate to balladfavoring fans, and “Shades of Gray” closes off the album with melancholy, showing that emotions have their place even in an album where many of its lyrics go mumbled and unnoticed. No track is simple. Even the acoustically
No track is simple. constructed “Angel of Mercy” incorporates more instruments than I can count on my fingers. At the same time, Black Label Society isn’t afraid to show that it means business. Every ballad has a more eccentric track that follows, spontaneously jumping between keys and tempos, coming together in the form of a record that never fails to keep you surprised. “Damn the Flood” is chaos, but an organized one at that. “My Dying Time,” the first single off the album, and “Believe” immediately hook, with enough instrumental variation
in its steady pulse to keep listeners till the end. While Catacombs of the Black Vatican may have tracks that are far more memorable and intuitively constructed than the heavy metal and rock music making its mark today, Black Label Society has lost some of the grace and charm it had the turn of the 21st century. When Sonic Brew was released in 1999, Wylde’s proficiency on multiple instruments ensured that all of its sounds were equitably featured throughout the album’s tracks. The album was difficult to place in any one genre, as each track seemed to contain elements belonging to different categorizations. “Born to Lose” started off with a slow, hard metal, only to transition into rhythmic rock ‘n’ roll, similar to what you would have heard from Wolfmother back in the day. In contrast, “Spoke in the Wheel” brought out the softer tones in Wylde’s voice and the Jersey twangs in Wylde’s pronunciations, backed by nothing other than acoustic plucking. Catacombs of the Black Vatican is less hyped. It’s less weighty, with tracks that fall more under the category of heavy rock than metal, and its guitars are less distorted, accompanied by more articulated vocals and explicit lyrics. At the same time, it’s refreshing. Wylde stays true to his roots as heavy metal vocalist and guitarist to incorporate its technical elements of bassladen instrumental harmonies and fast riff transitions to rock. No, it’s not innovative. But it’s still so damn good.
Lives’ traditional fare By REBECCA GODWIN Daily Arts Writer
“Friends with Better Lives,” which premiered last Monday at 8:30 p.m. on CBS, follows six very different young friends B and their constant Friends tendency With to compare and despair. Better Although Lives the title of the show Series may seem to suggest a story Premiere about friends, CBS the focus is far more centered on their various rocky romantic relationships. The characters, set up to be friends from college living in the same unspecified city, have arrived at very different phases of life. There is the married couple and new parents, bored with their (non-existent) sexlife, who feel their days of youth moving further away, and their counterpart, a hot new couple, played by Brooklyn Decker and Rick Donald. Both are made to look like they just stepped on a Hawaiian beach after a day of surfing and sunbathing. While Decker sometimes feels more like a prop than an actress, Donald’s character, an
Australian, hippy hunk (overly spiritual and of questionable intelligence) is an easy punching bag and never fails to draw out a laugh. “I surf, I garden, I love,” he remarks at one point, embodying a stereotype of trendy young people today with the kind of humor that appeals to a younger audience, the way that other shows like “Girls” does. This is a strength for a series that is very much a sitcom — a segment generally preferred by an older generation of viewers.
Nothing ‘Better’ about new CBS comedy. The remaining two friends are single, one recently divorced and the other an impossibly difficult dater. The difficult dater, a young workingwoman, is a slightly more irritating character, however seems to be the vehicle for most of the punch lines. Reviewing the dating history of Kate (Zoe ListerJones, “Whitney”), the one who can’t commit, provides some of the show’s funniest moments. It is hard to imagine how
this group of friends came to be living in the same city, let alone came to be friends at all given their differences and sometimes obvious lack of chemistry. On top of the unlikelihood of their friendship, it is even harder to understand how they manage to regularly gather in the living room of a married couple every Friday night to chat about dates and sex. This recurring situation on the show seems highly unlikely in reality. Sitcoms are challenging. It can be hard to strike a balance between good humor and good plot. It is easy for episodes and conflicts to feel repetitive and jokes recycled. As a result, it can be difficult to hook in a fan base. That being said, recent shows like “How I Met Your Mother” and “Parks and Recreation” have managed to do just that. “Friends with Better Lives” would do well to learn from them. Looking ahead, it will be important that the setting varies and new characters are brought in for fresh material. On the whole, this is an easy and entertaining watch, but it does not, however, offer anything that we have not seen before. So, if you like predictability and the genre, “Friends With Better Lives” could be your new Monday night pleasure.
Sports
6 — Tuesday, April 8, 2014
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
‘M’ finds success despite new defense Bakich makes important defensive changes in heart of season By BRAD WHIPPLE Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan baseball team has been mixing up the defensive alignment in the most high-stakes moments. The Wolverines (4-5 Big Ten, 14-17-1 overall) have won five of their last eight games while constantly altering the defense in the midst of heated conference play. But the experimentation is seemingly working to Michigan’s advantage in the field. “We’ve shuffled so many lineups this season,” said Michigan coach Erik Bakich. “I think everyone is comfortable shifting around in different spots. I don’t think there’s any
BY THE NUMBERS Michigan Youth
4
Number of Wolverines whose batting average qualifies to be recognized.
213
Number of strikeouts by Michigan batters this season.
.316
Junior center fielder Jackson Glines batting average — a team best.
1.000
Junior first baseman Kyle Jusick’s fielding pecentage this season.
liabilities out there.” March 28, in a series against Iowa, freshman third baseman Ramsey Romano broke his hand in an attempt to tag a runner stealing, taking him out for eight weeks. The loss of Romano left a vacant spot that Bakich filled with sophomore Jacob Cronenworth, the former starting first baseman. Cronenworth was previously experienced at both corner positions and has started at third base in four of the last six games. In the most recent series against Minnesota, junior Kyle Jusick, the former starting left fielder, replaced Cronenworth at first and boasts a perfect fielding percentage after making the transition. Standing his ground at first base is not the only contribution Jusick has made to the team. To be qualified for a ranking in batting average, a player must average two at-bats and three plate appearances per game, and Jusick is one of four Michigan players to do so. As one of two players boasting an average over .300 this season, Jusick brought in the Wolverines’ first run last Saturday while tallying three hits and three runs throughout the weekend. Jusick and Cronenworth have grown into their new roles, and their adaptability has been needed in the ever-changing infield rotation, with four different groups of starters in the last eight games.
Senior catcher Cole Martin left midway through last Wednesday’s game against Central Michigan because of soreness in his arm and has since undergone an MRI — the results are not yet determined. Freshman Harrison Wenson filled Martin’s void, starting all three games against Minnesota last weekend. Friday, Wenson allowed the first run on a throwing error to third, and on Sunday mistakenly thought he tagged the batter on a dropped third strike and overthrew to first base trying to get the out — a showing of how he still has room for growth. Naturally, Wenson still has a few skills to fine-tune — throwing behind runners, setting his feet and throwing accurately — but Bakich is pleased with the toughness and aggression his catcher brings. Bakich believes the playing time Wenson’s receiving will set him up as a great catcher once Martin graduates this year. “Harrison’s a natural leader,” Bakich said. “He brings great leadership skills even though he is a young guy … We need him to always be ready to throw the ball. We want him to throw because that’s how we’re going to win.” Aside from injury-related substitutions, Bakich also made a major addition to the starting lineup two weeks
“I think everyone is comfortable shifting around in different spots.”
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
Junior second baseman Eric Jacobson has become a consistent starter in the infield for the Wolverines, posting a 1.000 fielding percentage since he began starting in the regular season.
ago when he inserted junior Eric Jacobson at second base against Indiana. Jacobson hadn’t started all season before playing in Bloomington, but nonetheless proved he could make an impact on the game in his eight consecutive starts that followed. You wouldn’t find his .353 batting average — a team best — in the Big Ten rankings, but the absence of Jacobson from the list is misleading of his talent due to his mid-season bloom.
If he were qualified, though, Jacobson would place seventh in batting average — the only Wolverine to be in the conference’s top-10. With Romano out and Martin questionable, the Wolverines are trying to find a reliable alignment in the field. Though the recent performances of the new substitutes show that there is depth and versatility inside Michigan’s dugout, it also reveals that nothing is set in stone.
Bakich isn’t afraid to toss a player into the lineup as he did with third baseman Trey Miller. In the second game against Iowa, the freshman had a gamewinning two-RBI single and earned a starting spot at third base the next day. He quickly relinquished it, though, when he went 0-for-8 in the next five games. The test failed, but Bakich moved on to the next man for the job, and he’s not afraid to do it again.
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Big House to host third night game By ALEXA DETTELBACH Daily Sports Editor
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MARISSA MCCLAIN/Daily
Michigan Stadium will host its third night game in program history this year.
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It’s official: Under the Lights III will take place at Michigan Stadium Oct. 11 when the Michigan football team faces Penn State. Rumors swirled about whether or not the Wolverines would play their third-ever home night game in the 2014 season. The first two night games, which took place in 2011 and 2013, were both against Notre Dame. But with Michigan facing the Fighting Irish in South Bend this season in the programs’ last scheduled matchup, also scheduled to be a night game, the primetime opponent was in question. The Wolverines won their first two night games against the Notre Dame. But after the Athletic Department’s announcement Monday, the news is out and the
Wolverines will play the Nittany Lions at 7 p.m. in a nationally televised game on ESPN or ESPN2. It will be Michigan’s second night game of the season, as its matchup against Notre Dame, in week two, is slated for a 7:30 start time. “The night game atmosphere created by our fans has been electric and we expect that same type of energy for our first-ever conference night game against Penn State,” said Michigan coach Brady Hoke on MGoBlue. com. “Our players really enjoy playing in primetime at Michigan Stadium.” In the first two night games, Michigan Stadium set the attendance record with the most recent crowd reaching over 114,000 fans. With the game taking place over the University’s Fall Break, the Athletic Department’s hopes of surpassing the attendance number may be short lived.
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Tuesday, April 8, 2014 — 7
Grading the Season: Worthy of the honor roll By LEV FACHER Daily Sports Writer
To everyone’s surprise, the Michigan women’s basketball team’s window of contention in the Big Ten opened a year early. Led by second-year coach Kim Barnes Arico, the Wolverines earned their third consecutive 20-win season, made serious noise against bigtime opponents like Michigan State and LSU, and laid an encouraging foundation for the future. The most impressive part: it all happened in a year that began with some close to the program questioning Michigan’s ability to win more than a handful of Big Ten games. With the season over and the Wolverines in recovery mode, the Daily grades Michigan’s seven main contributors and hands out a few awards. Junior forward Cyesha Goree: As a sophomore, Goree averaged a measly 2.7 minutes per game. But going into her junior year, she knew that a team with no experience in the post would count on her perhaps more than anybody else, and responded in kind. Goree dropped 20 pounds over the offseason, and it took no time at all for the results to show. Thirteen double-doubles later, it’s hard to imagine what else she could have done to improve personally, and the fact that she now owns Michigan’s singleseason rebounding record speaks for itself.
Grade: A+
Junior guard Shannon Smith: After transferring to Michigan from North Carolina,
by way of Trinity Community College in Texas, Smith was a relative unknown entering the season. Her talent was obvious, and it became quickly apparent that it would translate to on-court results even in an entirely new and unfamiliar setting. Smith did a good job of scoring early in the season before her less experienced teammates settled into their roles and allowing freshman guard Siera Thompson to shoulder the scoring load from the backcourt late in the season once the offense grew into its own. When she played with an equivalent amount of energy on the defensive end, Smith proved to be a game-changer — she finished tied for the team lead in steals with 45. The bottom line is that Smith is a dynamic offensive player who did an excellent job facilitating the Wolverines’ offense, and she’ll continue to grow throughout the rest of her career.
Grade: A-
Freshman guard Siera Thompson: Call her a freshman, but Thompson played like an upperclassman in her first year. She drained a 3-pointer in each of Michigan’s 34 games, jockeyed with Smith for the title of leading scorer throughout the second half of the campaign and shot .419 overall from beyond the arc. After scoring 13.2 points per game in her freshman campaign, Thompson is already on pace to become one of Michigan’s alltime leading scorers. With the Wolverines’ offensive core all slated to return next season, Thompson could become even more prolific as a scorer and add to her game as a distributor
SOFTBALL
‘M’ to go for 16th straight vs. WMU By JUSTIN MEYER Daily Sports Writer
It’s been a rough year for the Western Michigan softball team. The Broncos are 11-23 on the season and have been Western struggling to find production Michigan at from the circle. Michigan That Matchup: shouldn’t figure W. Michigan to change much 11-23; when they Michigan 29-6 travel to Ann When: Arbor Tuesday. Wednesday Michigan 6 P.M. softball coach Where: Carol Hutchins Alumni Field and her fifth-ranked Wolverines don’t take games against local competition lightly. These games allow Michigan to tinker with still-unrefined parts of its game. “When you get down to the end of the season, you don’t really think about what happened to you in February,” Hutchins said on Sunday. “It’s all about May. We play for May.” The biggest of those concerns — the depth of the pitching rotation has been largely laid to rest after last weekend’s Ohio State series. Freshman right-hander Megan Betsa, who struggled with nerves in her first home game of the season against Indiana, has since allowed only one hit in her last two games. The turnaround has its roots in a midweek game. Hutchins didn’t start Betsa during a weekend series against lowly Penn State on March 28-29, instead opting to instill confidence in the freshman during a Wednesday game against Detroit. Betsa responded by throwing a no-hitter, and has looked confident and poised ever since. It’s exactly that kind of development that Hutchins looks for in these games against lesser competition. The atmosphere allows her to watch how the rest of the Wolverines perform under pressure. Michigan (9-0 Big Ten, 29-6 overall) even tries to create these stressful scenarios in practice, using full-count drills to challenge both the pitchers and
the hitters. But game scenarios don’t just build confidence, they demand it. “You give me a player with confidence and they’re worth way more than anybody who’s just their physical self,” Hutchins said. “That confidence makes you twice the player.” Western Michigan (2-4 MAC, 11-23) won’t threaten the Wolverines often on Tuesday. The Broncos have just two starters hitting above .300 and both of their pitchers are struggling to the tune of losing records and earned-run-averages over 3.5. Still, the matchup against the Broncos lets Michigan see the in-game intensity they can’t recreate in practice. The hope is that the more in-game experience the Wolverines get, the more cool and collected they will be when it counts. The team has come a long way since February, but it’s hard not to think about Michigan’s late-innings collapse against No. 6 Florida in the first game of the year. It’s exactly the kind of scenario Hutchins is working to eradicate before the postseason. Since that game, the Wolverines have improved their pitching and made strides defensively, but perhaps the biggest leap has come at the plate in the form of senior designated player Taylor Hasselbach. Hasselbach had never started more than six games in a season, but is now an integral part of Michigan’s lineup. “I approached this season and I said to myself, ‘I have no regrets,’ ” Hasselbach said. “I was just waiting for my opportunity, and once I got my opportunity to be in the lineup permanently, it just flowed from there. “I’m just lost for words because I didn’t have any expectations coming in. I feel extremely blessed to be in the position I am.” Hasselbach racked up eight RBI in Sunday’s doubleheader against Ohio State and has quickly grown into an offensive force. Against Western Michigan, Michigan will look for yet another player to emerge from its lineup as Hasselbach and Betsa have, and in the process, take one step closer to being ready for May.
— she also averaged just shy of three assists per game.
Grade: A
Sophomore guard Madison Ristovski: Only on a technicality is the sophomore guard not, by consensus, one of the country’s best 3-point shooters. Ristovski’s 54 makes on 116 attempts were plenty for the Wolverines but not enough to qualify for the national standings, which require an average of two made 3-pointers per game. Ristovski ran into issues with inopportune turnovers here and there, but all in all, her clutch presence as a sharpshooter was invaluable, and it’s easy to see her growing into a force to be reckoned with.
Grade: B+
Junior forward Nicole Elmblad: While her role may have been somewhat lowprofile, Michigan’s season wouldn’t have been half as successful without Elmblad quietly directing traffic from the small forward position. Never animated and rarely the center of attention, the Academic AllAmerican quietly averaged 11.4 points and 7.6 rebounds and held down the fort as Michigan’s only experienced returner.
Grade: A
Freshman guard Paige Rakers: Given her status as a role player (Rakers averaged less than 14 minutes per game), it’s hard to evaluate her on a full season. While she lacked the poise that made Thompson so impressive, Rakers was good for the occasional dramatic 3-pointer. She didn’t play enough to be consistently impactful, but will be a useful piece moving
PATRICK BARRON/Daily
The Michigan women’s basketball team exceeded expectations this season in what was thought to be a transition year.
forward. Rakers doesn’t yet have the skill set to contribute on the level of Thompson, though to be fair, the bar Thompson set for freshmen is hardly one that even an above-average first-year player could be expected to reach.
Grade: B-
Senior forward Val Driscoll: Driscoll is an interesting case, in that she was essentially a freshman experience-wise heading into her senior season. Scoring-wise, she seemed lost in the early going, but underwent a remarkable transformation midway through the season that
saw her develop a real presence in the post, a beautiful midrange jumper and a penchant for picking up blocks on the defensive end. While Goree typically overshadowed Driscoll at the forward position, the senior’s accomplishments are among the team’s most notable, and are certainly worth celebrating.
Grade: B+
Head coach Kim Barnes Arico: Barnes Arico claimed at the beginning of the season that she fully expected the 201314 campaign to be a transition
year for the Wolverines. It was an honest prediction, which makes the masterpiece Barnes Arico spun in 2013-14 all the more impressive. She’s starting to play with her recruits and her talent, and it’s clear that Barnes Arico has a vision for turning Michigan into a destination program. If this season is any indication, she’s headed in the right direction.
Grade: A
Most Valuable Player: Goree Freshman of the Year: Thompson Most Improved: Driscoll
Sports
8 — Tuesday, April 8, 2014
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Michigan’s Mr. Dependable: Matt Freeman How the walk-on turned captain found his role By CAROLYN KODIS Daily Sports Writer
Michigan men’s gymnastics coach Kurt Golder was running out of time. Just an hour before his team’s flight left for the 2011 Big Ten Championship, Golder was thrown a curveball: one of his gymnasts was sick and unable to compete, leaving him short a man for the meet. He went through the entire roster before his eyes finally landed on one name, and a walk-on at that: Matt Freeman. Four years ago, as a freshman, Freeman had only competed in two meets during the regular season and his scores weren’t anything special. On this weekend, though, Golder couldn’t accept any non-special scores — especially in a season where Big Ten competition was at an all-time high. One slip-up could be the difference between first place and second. Golder needed someone who could deliver a strong performance. With a potential Big Ten
Championship on the line, the decision was made. Freeman had an hour to pack his things. His team needed him. He was having a bizarre day. Just hours earlier, he was expecting to watch his team compete at the Big Ten Championship from his couch. Now, he was on the roster presumably as a back-up. It was on the bus ride to the meet that he learned the truth: he wasn’t going as a back-up, but instead would be competing. “It got a lot scarier,” Freeman said with a laugh. Freeman’s entire season played out in his mind. He had only competed twice, and his most recent rings performance at Arizona State ended poorly. What was coach thinking, giving him of all people, a chance to compete at the Big Ten Championship? “It was kind of nervewracking,” Freeman said. It wasn’t just an ordinary meet. Each movement was scrutinized now more than ever. Freeman earned a 14.55 on rings, an impressive score and, at the time, a career-best for the freshman. Michigan would finish second in the meet, and Freeman would find his role.
*** One word comes to Golder’s mind when he describes the current senior co-captain Matt Freeman: dependable. “He probably has one of the higher hit-percentages of all the guys on our team,” Golder said. In a sport of constant scrutiny, where one slip-up can result in a major point deduction, dependability is everything. A high hit-percentage is a sign not of consistent excellence but rather of talent. Now, Freeman regularly competes in two of the most difficult events in men’s gymnastics — pommel horse and still rings — where a strong performance can result in major points. During Freeman’s sophomore year, he didn’t suffer a single major deduction in a pommel horse routine all season. On pommel horse, it’s not uncommon for even the best to slip off the horse every once in a while. But for Freeman, it’s a rarity. This season, Freeman has competed in every meet on both pommel horse and rings, consistently scoring well. He also competed on the high bar — an event he seldom competes in. In a critical situation yet again, Freeman proved dependable even in a different setting. He scored a career-high 14.25 against Nebraska. Dependability is a key component of leadership and of being a good teammate. And Freeman isn’t just reliable on the mat, but also outside of the gym. If someone needs a ride to Meijer, he’ll drive them. If they need to be dropped off at the airport, he’ll take them. If they need a place to stay on Thanksgiving, his house becomes theirs. “He’s been the most dependable, most giving guy,” Golder said. “Everybody knows that Matt has their back.” ***
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Freeman has been just as dependable on the mat as he has been off of it.
When he first joined the team, Freeman didn’t know if he belonged. It’s hard to stand out in an incoming class of 11 freshmen, especially when you’re a walk-on. Freeman wasn’t the best at any particular event, so he decided that instead of trying to stand out, he’d try to fill in and help the team wherever he could. “I decided whatever event we
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Senior Matt Freeman has come along way since entering Ann Arbor and has developed into a consistent force.
needed, I’d work on, and that was (pommel) horse and rings,” Freeman said. He didn’t make his competitive debut until the end of his freshman season against Penn State, though. He got one shot: the rings. His 13.90 score wasn’t stellar, but it was a start, especially in an event that he wasn’t used to. “He’s extremely hardworking, if not the most hardworking person on our team,” said Freeman’s co-captain Syque Caesar. “He came in his freshman year a little bit out of shape and then worked his way through the entire season and didn’t compete a lot, but he always kept himself ready.” But nothing could’ve prepared him for his jump to the lineup. *** The story of walk-on-turnedcaptain is not uncommon in Michigan athletics. Remember Jordan Kovacs, a safety on the football team? In the case of the gymnastics team, both of its current captains are walk-ons. Freeman isn’t like most captains, though. His leadby-example style trumps the typical, verbal-leadership rout. Freeman’s work ethic helped him earn his spot as a captain. And now Freeman expects his team to work just as hard.
Together, he and Caesar hope that the hard work they put in to earn their spots as captains trickles down to the rest of the team. “Matt’s just a no crap kind of guy,” Caesar said. “Everyone has to be very independent and on their own, but at the same time, also be very helpful to others and be there for other people. Matt’s that kind of guy. He’s a very straight-up kind of guy.” It’s the way Freeman carries himself both in and out of the gym that reminds Golder of a standard set for Michigan’s studentathletes a long time ago — a phrase echoed throughout all Michigan athletics. “He’d fit in well with Bo Schembecherler’s, ‘The Team. The Team. The Team,’ ” Golder said. It takes a lot to stand out on a team with two Olympians. It takes a lot for someone to deliver consistent performances that push the team ahead of the competition. And it takes a lot to lead a team to a perfect season. But Matt Freeman has found
a way to do just that. *** In his final meet of the regular season, Freeman found himself back where he started: on the rings. He held a handstand, swung his body downward before releasing his grip on the rings and doing a flip through the air. He then found his feet planted on the floor. For a moment, all of Crisler Arena held its breath. Freeman took a moment before saluting the judges. In the background, the crowd rose to its feet. His teammates celebrated on the sideline. The judge raised a small green flag, signaling that Freeman has stuck his landing, giving him an added .20 points to his routine. His score lit up on the jumbotron: 15.15, a new career best and enough to win the individual event title. Freeman’s journey has been similar to his rings routine. There have been ups, downs and a couple of swings, but he always finds his feet firmly planted on the floor.
“He’s been the most dependable, most giving guy.”
No longer timid, Donnal storms into next season By NEAL ROTHSCHILD Daily Sports Editor
Of the Michigan men’s basketball team’s freshmen last year, each saw important minutes and had big moments. Two of this year’s three freshmen did too. Except for Mark Donnal. The 6-foot-9 freshman from Monclova, Ohio was redshirted and rode the bench as his teammates moved on the Elite Eight. Even the walk-ons that entered blowouts late in the game became more recognizable than Donnal, the four-star recruit who flashed a dynamic inside-outside game in high school. The 240-pound newcomer is reticent and softspoken, and if there were character traits that would keep him from blooming into a welladjusted, productive freshman, those were a few of them. “Coming in, I was a little timid,” Donnal said. The lack of assertiveness and the slow learning curve were enough for Michigan coach John Beilein to tag Donnal with the “redshirt candidate” label early in the season. In a December victory over Stanford, fifth-
year senior Jordan Morgan and redshirt junior Jon Horford both fouled out. Six-foot-six sophomore Glenn Robinson III had to play the ‘5’ in the final possessions, and yet, burning Donnal’s redshirt never crossed Beilein’s mind. That was the last game before sophomore Mitch McGary was ruled out with his back injury, and so it would be just Morgan, Horford and a dash of redshirt sophomore Max Bielfeldt in the frontcourt the rest of the season. Donnal said the possibility of a redshirt was never brought up when Beilein recruited him, yet, it still lingered in the back of Donnal’s mind. When Beilein broached it to him early this season, he marketed the plan as a chance to bulk up (he gained 10 to 15 pounds this year), become stronger and get to learn the offense. It sounds nice enough, but that also meant spending the season watching from the bench, down on the opposite end from Beilein, where the guys who wouldn’t be of service on a given evening were placed. It was something Donnal never had to do. It was tough for him, but he knew there was nothing to do but soak in information. “Jordan, especially defensively, just going up against him, I’m learning from what he’s
“He’s going to make a really big difference for this team next year.”
doing when he’s playing against me,” Donnal said. Donnal was on the scout team this season, and by seeing the angles and nuances Morgan and Horford played with in practice, he was able to absorb the new concepts. “He’s still learning the ins and outs of the game,” Morgan said. “I don’t even remember what I knew in high school, but he’s learning.” Donnal’s not sure when exactly it was, just that it came around the middle of the regular season, but he turned a corner. He’d found success against Morgan and Horford enough in practice that he knew he belonged. “I started to pick up everything, and my game started to come back to me, and I’m getting in the flow of the college game,” Donnal said. If it wasn’t for the redshirt, Morgan and Horford might have had to worry about their job security. “He’s becoming a force,” Morgan said. “He’s hard to guard down there in the post, and he’s definitely come a long way. “Over the past couple months, he’s just become really good. Really dominates, shoots the ball well.” The tentativeness that plagued Donnal through the season’s first couple months seemed to disappear. “Now that I have my confidence back, I know that I can play with these guys,” Donnal said. The hallmark ‘5’ of the John
TERESA MATHEW/Daily
Freshman center Mark Donnal has used this season to mature into a force under the hoop and beyond the arc.
Beilein offense is a guy that can hang with the best big men under the rim, but also take his defender outside to shoot the 3-pointer. West Virginia sensation Kevin Pittsnogle was the paradigm for the type of player Beilein wanted at that position. But since he came to Michigan, Beilein’s ‘5’ has looked less like Pittsnogle and more like, well, Morgan. The outside shot has never been a threat from Beilein’s center in his Michigan days. With Donnal, though, that
might change. “He’s told me that he’s excited to have a big man that can shoot threes,” Donnal said. In a 50-minute open practice at Lucas Oil Stadium a day before Michigan’s Sweet 16 bout against Tennessee, Donnal showed fans for the first time — outside of pregame warmups — what he could do. He had the most fluid jump shot of Michigan’s big men, he finished around the rim with both hands and he had perhaps the most polished post game
behind Mitch McGary. Asked if he’s thought about what the team might look like if Donnal was on the court late this year, Morgan sidestepped the question, but made a point with authority. “I think about next year,” he said. “I think he’s gonna make a really big difference for this team next year.”
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