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Monday, February 6, 2017

Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Sweepless

After taking a two-goal lead against the 11th-ranked Buckeyes, the Michigan hockey team faltered late and failed to notch its first sweep of the season.

» Page 1B CRIME

AAPD, DPSS respond to Ohio State 6, Michigan concern over robberies MAX KUANG/Daily

Visiting Lecturer Norhayati Abdullah speaks at the the Hijabi Monologues in Rackham Amphiltheater on Friday.

Hijabi Monologues aim to share experiences of Muslim women

Student speakers share stories of post-election frustration, faith and community MADELEINE GERSON Daily Staff Reporter

“Being a hijabi, I know the sense of betrayal that I felt after this election and I wasn’t probably alone.” Experiencing and witnessing hatred towards Muslim

women during the election and after the recent presidential inauguration, University of Michigan LSA sophomore Fatima Haidar said she felt she had no choice but to act. Haidar, alongside LSA sophomore Alyiah Al-Bonijim, decided to create an avenue for students and community

members to voice their stories, feelings and frustrations about what it means to be a hijabi in America. After less than a month of organizing and planning, the two students revived the Hijabi Monologues: a two-hour series of personal stories, songs, poetry and spoken word. A

crowd of more than 250 packed the Rackham Amphitheatre, reaching full capacity within minutes after doors opened on Friday evening. In their opening statement of their theme, “Halfway Hijabi,” Haidar and Al-Bonijim explained the importance See MONOLOGUES, Page 3A

String of off-campus crime alerts over the weekend alarms students MATT HARMON Daily Staff Reporter

An LSA freshman who requested to remain anonymous was held up when walking back to South Quad Residence Hall from a fraternity party Friday night — he could have called an Uber, but instead, he decided to set out on foot. During the walk back, a car pulled up next to him and an occupant of the car demanded his property. This incident has occurred amidst a series of similar robberies near campus in the past few weeks, something the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security and the Ann Arbor Police Department

Ohio State 70, Michigan 66

said they are still trying to combat. “(I was) on East (University) and a car pulled up,” the victim said. “I didn’t think anything of it just because I thought it was like a normal car parking and then a guy jumped out. He had a longer gun, like possibly a shotgun kind of thing. He was like, ‘Hold up. Don’t say anything.’ ” The robber, wearing a red bandana, proceeded to take the victim’s wallet and cell phone, and then drove off in his what a police report would later describe as a gray, four-door car. The victim walked back to South Quad, borrowed his roommate’s phone and called the police. This is one of four robberies in downtown Ann Arbor in the See CRIMES, Page 3A

University community works to save DNC holds Travel ban gov. data from presidential transition blocks ‘U’ forum to

GOVERNMENT

CAMPUS LIFE

introduce candidates

Local archivists join bipartisan preservation effort in tense political climate

National leaders call on local Dems to forge party unity, coalitions

As part of a national movement to preserve various data sets stored on government websites, University of Michigan students, faculty and Ann Arbor community members have begun working together to prevent the loss of important data. Information graduate student Noa Kasman, a member of the University’s Society of American Archivists Student Chapter, helped coordinate a dataarchiving event held by University libraries last weekend, in which 300 attendees gathered at the Undergraduate Library with the same goal — to ensure data is not lost amidst the efforts of President Donald Trump. She said the preservation efforts originally stemmed from the Internet Archive’s End of Term harvest, which started in 2008 in an effort to protect data on government websites that tend to be either removed or overlooked during transitions between presidential administrations. “There’s an understanding that when there are presidential transitions, websites will change, and data that’s available online, especially from government agencies, is quite vulnerable,” she said. Justin Schell, director of the Shapiro Design Lab, said the current political climate lends a sense of urgency to these archival efforts, referencing changes the

ANNA HARITOS Daily Staff Reporter

DETROIT — The Democratic National Committee held its third “Future Forum” at Wayne State University to introduce local Democrats to the candidates running for leadership offices at the national level. The event opened with remarks from Democrats such as Rep. Debbie Dingell (D– Mich.) and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. The morning session was devoted to discussing issues considered relevant in Michigan, which would prove to be hot topics as the day progressed. Speeches echoed themes of party unity, demand for labor, the importance of the younger generation and voter rights. Chuck Jones, the president of the United Steelworkers Local 1999, spoke about the demand for work. “For the working-class people, jobs are what we are interested in — we’re not asking for handouts, we’re asking for an opportunity to See DNC, Page 3A

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EMILY MIILLER Daily Staff Reporter

Trump administration have instituted such as the amount of information on climate change on the Environmental Protection Agency website. “We’re seeing webpages change, we’re seeing different kinds of data under threat,” he said. “The geospatial databases related to the racial disparity in housing is one thing that people are talking about. We’ve had contacts inside the EPA who

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have told us about particular data sets that they’ve heard could go down. So we quickly try to back those up and preserve those, so it is this moment where we have a particular thing to work on and not just the general ‘we’re trying to fix government data.’ ” He said the archiving efforts during their event focused mainly on information from National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration,

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the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Energy. The Educational Data Governance Initiative and the Data Refuge are two groups that help coordinate the national events and guided the areas of focus for the event to minimize overlap with efforts of other universities. Schell said collaboration both with other See ARCHIVE, Page 3A

MICHELLE PHILLIPS/DAILY

INDEX

honoree’s reception

Iranian researcher unable to accept award in U.S. due to Trump legislation MAYA GOLDMAN Daily Staff Reporter

Iranian researcher Hamed Razavi recently received the Sumner Myers Award in January for best mathematics thesis at the University of Michigan. However, the University Ph.D. graduate will not accept the award in person due to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order that barred immigration from citizens of seven Muslimmajority countries, including Iran. Razavi is currently in Switzerland doing his postdoctoral research at the Biorobotics Laboratory of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. According to a public Facebook post from University mathematics Prof. Karen Smith, Razavi’s visa process has been halted. “His visa application process has been suspended by the recent Presidential Executive Order restricting immigration from several countries,” Smith wrote. “Welcome to Trump’s new ‘great’ America, where the See BAN, Page 3A

NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................6

SUDOKU.....................2 CLASSIFIEDS...............6 S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . B -S E C T I O N

News

2A — Monday, February 6, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ON THE DAILY: ICE GUYS FINISH FIRST At noon on Saturday, teams of culinary students from southeastern Michigan participated in an ice-carving festival at County Farm Park with a student from Henry Ford College coming in first place. Some of the designs submitted in the contest were of birds, elephants and a fish wearing fishnet leggings. The event, now in its second year, was hosted by the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission as part of its Winter Fun Fest, which will continue until Feb. 18. Attendees drank hot chocolate and young children participated in arts and crafts activities.

E N G L I S H R E V I VA L

According to MLive, the event was organized as a competition, whereas last year, it was only an art show. Students from Henry Ford College came in first and third place, while a student from Oakland Community College came in second. Other events and programs scheduled for the Winter Fun Fest are family-oriented. They include a talk on how to identify animal tracks in the snow, a hike — or short walk — for toddlers and their parents, a day of ice-fishing and a daddy-daughter dance. - JENNIFER MEER

Isaiah @isaiah_02 finally made it to AA for a umich game LETS GO BLUE!

leah @leahhardyyy feeling torn bc tom brady played for michigan but i also find him mildly insufferable

MAX KUANG/Daily English professor Scotti Parrish talks about recovering Vaudeville performances at the Clements Library on Friday.

CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Social Work Internship: Workplace CultureMatching Reality with Expectations

A Hospital of our Own: The Origins and Early History of the University of Michigan Hospital

WHAT: A coordinator at the Career Center will answer questions about workplace culture and expectations WHO: University Career Center WHEN: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. WHERE: School of Social Work, Room 1794

WHAT: A lecture on the history of the University’s hospital WHO: LSA Bicentennial Theme Semester WHEN: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. WHERE: Hatcher Graduate Library, Room 100

LSA Social Impact Fair WHAT: Several nonprofit organizations will come to campus and talk to students about social impact opportunities including internships, volunteer positions and part-time jobs. WHO: LSA Professional Opportunity Preparation WHEN: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. WHERE: Michigan Union, Pendelton Room

20th Annual Cafe Shapiro: Poems and Short Stories WHAT: Join nominated undergraduate student writers as they read their work. WHO: University Library WHEN: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. WHERE: Shapiro Undergraduate Library

U-M Library @UMichLibrary

Art on the Street: Detroit

I Don’t Speak Digital Graffiti Installation

WHAT: This panel brings together street artists and curators to talk about art as expression and its capacity to effect change. WHO: Institute for the Humanities WHEN: 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. WHERE: Institute for the Humanities, Osterman Common Room

WHAT: This art exhibit focuses on the evolution of digital language, featuring art by Detroit-based Keaton Fox. WHO: Institute for the Humanities Exhibitions WHEN: 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. WHERE: Outside Gallery Windows of 202 S. Thayer St.

Body Peace Talk WHAT: This talk will go over how to keep a positive body image in the presence of sexual harrassment. WHO: SAPAC and Body Peace Corps WHEN: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. WHERE: East Quadrangle, B804

HANA DADIC

Daily Staff Reporter

This past Friday afternoon, the Science as Arts competition exhibition and awards ceremony took place in the Hatcher Graduate Library for the fourth consecutive year to celebrate the collaboration between art and science. The Science Learning Center,

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terrorists come from,” Doudi said. “We are one of the most generous and hospitable people that I have ever met.” Midway through the event, two performers led a rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” eliciting a standing ovation from the audience. The second portion of the night featured an open mike session. Alum Sarah Khan’s monologue centered around a disclosure of her depression and anxiety in what she said was the first time she spoke in public about her struggle with mental health. Khan said she used to fear discussing mental health in her community. “Having depression means sometimes hating my religion because my religion hasn’t fixed me and sometimes hating my religion because I can’t hide it,” Khan said. “I can’t hide my scarf, something that feels like a second skin to me. I have been harassed so many times for it.” Khan said being a member of the Muslim community while having depression can be burdensome. “Here I am, a brown Muslim woman trying to figure out how to survive in a world not built for my existence and trying

Monday, February 6, 2017 — 3A to fix myself piece by piece,” Khan said. “I am so burdened with the responsibility of speaking for Muslims that I can barely focus on my own spirituality.” In Canton high-schooler Khadega Mohammed’s spokenword piece titled “Once Upon a Time,” Mohammed told of a time in the United States, before Sept. 11, when Muslims were not seen as terrorists, she did not have to endure random screening checks at airports, did not fear attacks upon entering her mosque and her mother did not fear for her safety every day. “Your 9/11 is our 24/7,” she said. “America would not be America without me, without Muslims, Blacks and Hispanics and minorities. Once upon a time, we were not a threat to your Americanism. Once upon a time people chose love over hate.” Being a Black Muslim woman is tiring, Mohammed emphasized, in her second piece titled “Breathe.” “I wish my skin color didn’t define whether I’m a Trayvon or a Zimmerman,” she said. “I wish the scarf on my head didn’t stereotype if I’m a devout Christian or a Taliban.” LSA juniors Angela Hong

BAN From Page 1A USA’s status in science will continue to plummet.” At the end of January, Trump released an executive order that halts citizens of Muslim-majority countries such as Syria and Somalia from traveling or immigrating to the United States for a period of three months. The order sparked criticism and protest across the countries, as many viewed it to be discriminatory toward Muslims and fatal toward those f leeing violence in their home countries. Judge James Robart of Seattle temporarily blocked the order this weekend, ruling that all green card and visa holders should still be allowed to enter the country during this period. It is uncertain how this development will affect Razavi’s ability to enter the country.

The University community was concerned about the effects the travel ban might have on higher education as

The university does not share sensitive information like immigration status

a whole. Several petitions have circulated around the University, asking for administration support of refugees who were affected by the order. University President Mark

and Komel Khan attended the event to gain awareness about the meaning of hijab, and to hear the stories of University students striving for social change through their activism. Hong said she was appreciative that the event coordinators were able to find speakers of all different identities. “I felt like all of us could identify at least some part of ourselves in the speakers,” Hong said. “It’s really difficult to become open and to talk about life experiences in front of a large crowd, but I felt like everyone presented it in a way that was very relatable.” For Khan, the monologues were empowering and uplifting, reminding her that she has the power to speak out and make a difference. “I saw a lot of love from the speakers and from the audience,” she said. “I saw a lot of sadness. It helped me realize that although there are differences in faith or lack of love, we all, regardless of our identities experience the same emotions, the same feelings of love and sadness. From tonight, I just want to remember that I can be vocal about my different identities and to know that there is support from the University.”

Schlissel released a statement last weekend affirming the University’s commitment to its international students, staff and faculty. “The university complies with federal requirements associated with managing its international programs,” Schlissel wrote in his statement. “Otherwise, the university does not share sensitive information like immigration status.” Smith’s post has been shared more than 120 times, and other members of the University community showed their support for Razavi and distaste for the ban in comments on the post. In a follow-up comment on her post yesterday, Smith updated followers on how the Math department would proceed with the situation. “We hope Razavi will give his Sumner Myers talk in Switzerland and we will livestream it on a big screen to our colloquium,” Smith wrote.

Opinion

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

4A — Monday, February 6, 2017

JEREMY PHILLIPS | OP-ED

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EMMA KINERY Editor in Chief

ANNA POLUMBO-LEVY and REBECCA TARNOPOL Editorial Page Editors

REBECCA LERNER Managing Editor

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Carolyn Ayaub Megan Burns Samantha Goldstein Caitlin Heenan Jeremy Kaplan

Max Lubell Alexis Megdanoff Madeline Nowicki Anna Polumbo-Levy Jason Rowland

Ali Safawi Kevin Sweitzer Rebecca Tarnopol Ashley Tjhung Stephanie Trierweiler

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.

ISAIAH ZEAVIN-MOSS | COLUMN

Our imagined American identities

n Jan. 16, Claudia perfect integration and 100 is Rankine spoke at complete segregation, the U.S.’s Rackham Auditorium largest metropolitan areas about her bookhave segregation length poem, levels between 50 “Citizen: An and 70. Yet this American Lyric.” crowd member — There was an along with me and exchange during the millions of others — question-and-answer has been taught that portion that I will our lived experience expound upon here: of a segregated, Crowd Member: I divided country ISAIAH want to preface my does not resemble question by saying ZEAVIN-MOSS the real United I come from an allStates. white suburb which And Rankine, whose does nothing for Martin Luther work deals explicitly with King Day. Where people have the white imagination and Confederate f lags hanging out of its deleterious consequences, the back of their pickup trucks. demands that we do not allow Claudia Rankine: Oh, so you this collective, dominant come from America. imagination to shape our This moment had a profound perception of the United effect on me. It made me reckon States, but, instead, that we with the way in which I imagine scrupulously and skeptically the United States based on New interrogate what we see and York City, where I grew up, and feel every day. the diverse group with which I Amanda Alexander, rode subways every day. assistant professor of AfroI do not mean to suggest American studies at the that New York City is some University of Michigan, egalitarian wonderland — introduced Rankine’s lecture far from it. Eventually, the introduced the lecture with an subway ride ends, and I come excerpt from Rankine’s poetry: out onto streets, which are “Because white men cannot starkly divided by color, police their imaginations, creed and background. The Black men are dying.” subway ride, then, serves as In her discussion, Rankine a moment, a fleeting blip, also mentioned the 2016 film in which the influence and “Moonlight,” whose main existence altogether of certain character, Chiron, is a closeted fundamentally American homosexual. As a child, Chiron barriers seems to dwindle. is nicknamed “Little” because And I think this blip, this of his small size and meek moment, which allowed me personality. But as he gets throughout my childhood older, Chiron gets extremely to view the United States as buff. We see him at the gym wholly egalitarian and diverse, lifting massive weights; he also spreads to people who has physically transformed. grow up in almost entirely Rankine connected this muscle white suburbs, who did not building to a trend she sees experience this daily blip in the among Black Americans at form of subway rides. Instead, large: She argued that Chiron it might have come in the form tones his body this way as a of certain narratives promoted shield for the evil, restricting by the media, by their teachers world around him. and their textbooks, etc. And I would like to extend this blip expands and can very Rankine’s point to white people easily consume us until it is all and, specifically, to the person we see. who chose to preface her In the above interaction, the question by saying she comes crowd member subconsciously from a homogenous, racist tries to transcend the world she town, for the purposes of saying knows in order to align herself she comes from a wild, unusual and her experience with the place: This is indeed also a United States in the world of shield against the dangerous that fictitious blip. According and scary idea that the United to a Brookings Institution States is a homogenous, study, if zero is a measure for racist place. This shield, like

AARON SANDEL | CARTOON

Chiron’s, stems directly from the dominant narratives that we are told: Chiron is forced to transcend his actual identity because of the homophobic world around him. Likewise, this crowd member was forced to transcend her background because of the insistence of the dominant narratives about the United States that this is indeed a relentlessly egalitarian, democratic place. This reminds me of Shaun King’s discussion at Rackham Auditorium on Jan. 23, in which he continually asked the question, “If this is true, how is this true?” Then he would show two consecutive images: The first might be a graph that shows linear human progress over time, therefore situating the present moment with the pinnacle of our progress, while the second image might be a video taken in 2016 of a young boy being shot and killed by the police. If Black people are being murdered by the police, if Donald Trump was just elected, we cannot be at the pinnacle of our progress. Instead, King posited that history operates in a series of what he called “dips:” moments in which humanity regresses intellectually, politically and socially. Crucially, King noted that in American history, these dips always take place after what he called “introductions of innovation.” His first example was the end of slavery, which was followed by an era of Jim Crow laws and segregation. His next example was the civil rights movement, which was followed by the war on drugs and mass incarceration. Finally, he noted that the election of our first Black president was followed by the election of Donald Trump. So today we live in a dip. It seems to me that the only way out of a dip, just like the only way out of any difficult situation ever, is to face it, to name it, to recognize it and to call it what it is. And this is what Rankine was getting at with her response: She was calling the questioner’s experience one that is foundationally, centrally and fully American. Isaiah Zeavin-Moss can be reached at izeavinm@umich.edu.

U needs to care about workers

have observed the price of a candy bar in the vending machines on the University of Michigan’s campus rise 40 percent since 2006. A Coke, 60 percent. The cost of an employee membership at the Recreational Sports facilities, 100 percent. An employee meal in a residence hall cafeteria, 145 percent. For the members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees contracted to work at the University, this poses a significant problem. Who are these AFSCME workers, you ask? They are your custodians, maintenance mechanics, groundskeepers, bus drivers, cooks, food service workers, patient transporters and so much more. The University community expressed in last November’s election a concern about income inequality and what can be done about it. While those at the top are earning far more than they need, those at the bottom do not earn enough to live in the area. Maybe the fight against income inequality seemed like a distant far away battle that nothing could be done about locally, but that fight is here, on this campus. It does not matter what a person’s job is or how much they make. If prices and the costs of everyday goods and services rise faster than their income, they lose purchasing power. For people at the bottom end of the income scale this loss is more noticeable more quickly. While President Schlissel enjoys a pay raise that by itself is more than a

full-time custodian makes in a year, as a member of AFSCME, I can no longer afford the same standard of living today as I could 20, 10 or even five years ago. Unless their spouse works, they get a second job or have some other secondary source of income, they have been forced to make decisions about what they can live without. Some have no television service and drive cars older than incoming freshman. Some wear old worn-out clothing and carpool, while others live with their parents or other families to save on costs. There is a certain amount of injustice when a person gives most or all of their working adult lives to a company or organization and cannot afford the same standard of living at the end as they had at the beginning. Low wages have made it difficult to meet basic living costs. Food prices are 30 percent higher on average than they were in 2006. Rent in the Ann Arbor area has risen 14 percent in the last five years alone. The average rent is now $1,075 per month, which would leave very little money for these workers to cover all other living expenses, assuming they have the cheapest health insurance option available and no children. They still have not paid any utilities, transportation expenses or bought any food. To combat these high living expenses, some people choose to live outside of the city, which increases traveling expenses such as gasoline and parking. As bad as those numbers are, it only gets worse when

health expenses are factored in. Since 2003, the monthly premiums these men and women pay for their health insurance have risen from zero out-of-pocket expense for premiums and a very low co-pay to $42 a month for the lowest cost Preferred Provider Organization option premiums. The Universityprovided prescription drug plan is still free, but there are drugs it covered then that it no longer covers, and the co-pays for generic drugs are now five times higher than they were before. The co-pay for name brand prescriptions is even higher. The problem becomes even larger if they have an adult dependent or children to carry on their insurance. Washtenaw Community College, Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University and Ohio State University all pay their service and maintenance employees $4,000 to $6,000 more per year than the University of Michigan, ref lecting a better understanding of the cost of living in the areas those schools are located in. Not only would the men and women of AFSCME benefit from a wage increase matching those peer institutions, but the Ann Arbor area and state economy would as well. The time to tell the administration that the people who work here meeting the community’s needs on a daily basis should be paid enough to live in or near the community they serve is now. Jeremy Phillips is a university custodian.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and op-eds. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while op-eds should be 550 to 850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com. MICHIGAN IN COLOR

What the Obama Presidency Meant to Me MICHAEL HEYWARD

n the winter of 2007, 10-yearold me bitterly watched then-Senator Barack Obama announce his bid for the presidency from his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. As I sat on my grandmother’s bed, arms folded, I lamented, “He is going to take my job! I want to be the first Black president!” She rubbed my back and with a smile said, “He might actually win, and it would be good for us.” I grimaced. “But don’t worry, you can be the second Black president.” Although I was not initially onboard with this funny-named candidate, I eventually conceded to my grandmother’s rationale. Maybe he would be good for us. Within no time, I was my field office’s youngest volunteer for his campaign: calling voters, posting signs and canvassing neighborhoods. On election night in 2008, I celebrated with screams and applause while my mom cried tears of joy and my entire family watched him accumulate 270 electoral votes. On Inauguration Day, I stayed home from school to watch the first person who looked like me take the oath of office, after 43 other men had done the same. For generations, Black parents have told their children to aspire to be the best thing that they could be, even the president of the United States. However, that opportunity, although optimistic, had not been previously attainable. With the election of President Barack Obama, we now know this opportunity is real. Representation matters, and the visual of a Black first family was undeniably inspiring to African Americans all over the country. However, the Obama message resonated with myself and so many others on a deeper level. ‘Hope’ was not just a slogan, it was our feeling. ‘Change’ was not just an empty campaign promise, it was our premonition. And

Obama came through on these commitments, leaving our country better off. President Obama appointed a record number of women and racial minorities to his cabinet and nominated the nation’s first Hispanic Supreme Court justice. During his administration, there were more LGBTQ ambassadors representing this country around the world than ever before. His army secretary was gay. The first full-time transgender White House employee worked in his West Wing. I celebrated the president’s successes as though they were my own, and bore the weight of his failures just the same. Despite the harsh criticism President Obama faced for exercising a “feeble” foreign policy, I was reassured by the fact that after nearly eight years of a more hawkish (and failed) pursuit, U.S. special forces — under the president’s command — successfully found and killed Osama bin Laden. Inversely, the debacle induced by the Affordable Care Act, his namesake domestic policy, was incredibly frustrating. After President Obama’s election, there was talk of America being a “post-racial” society. To many, the new Black commander in chief served as a mark of our country progressing beyond its ugly past of prejudice and racial inequity. However idealistic, this claim was hardly the reality. At the peak of the recession, I heard the Republican congressional leadership vow to make his presidency unsuccessful. I heard a lawmaker shout, “You lie!” in the middle of a speech to a joint session of Congress. Confirmations for President Obama’s nominations stalled due to partisan obstruction that lasted longer than those of any other chief executive. Between 2008 and 2016, the nation became desensitized to the unprecedented lament of a president whose legitimacy was questioned nearly his entire governance. As a Black man, Obama’s presidency made me feel like I

mattered. His assertion that if he had a son, “He would look like Trayvon (Martin)” was poignant to me and so many other African Americans at a time of heightened racial animosity. In light of the many killings of unarmed Black men caught on camera and circulated via mass media, I applauded his efforts to reform police departments around the country. President Obama made himself accessible to at-risk minority youth with his mentoring program My Brother’s Keeper. He made criminal justice reform a household topic, and was the first sitting president to ever visit a prison. Although his economic policies benefited all Americans, Black unemployment in particular was decreased by a third. Obama administration policies have also improved high-school graduation, uninsured and incarceration rates in our community. In recognizing the effect Barack Obama’s presidency had on my identity as an African American, it is just as important to acknowledge the intersectionality of my identities. As a gay man, I considered it a good start when he banned the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that was keeping so many LGBTQ service members in the closet. Then, when he came out in support of the legalization of same-sex marriage, and in-turn influenced the country to do the same, I felt as though I had a genuine ally in the White House. President Obama was my president. I loved him because he looked like me, he cared about the same issues I did, and he fought for my interests. In the face of defiance, he actually made America great again. But I love him most because he was what we should all aspire to be: the bigger person. In the era of alternative facts, rising nationalism and heightened division, I will always keep his words near to my heart: “Choose hope over fear.” Thank you, Mr. President. Michael Heyward is a Michigan in Color contributor.

Arts

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

BOOK REVIEW

Monday, February 6, 2017 — 5A

TV REVIEW

‘Dream’ a vivid nightmare VANESSA WONG Daily Arts Writer

Argentinian author Samanta Schweblin’s debut novel “Fever Dream” is titled after the vivid, hallucinatory dreams that accompany an illness. Except “Fever Dream” isn’t a dream. It’s a nightmare, one that glows with taut, sinister energy. “They’re like worms,” it begins. Amanda lies dying in a hospital clinic, speaking to David, the son of her friend from her vacation hometown. He questions her, prodding her to recount her experience getting acquainted with him. He seems to be searching for something, but doesn’t explain what the worms mean, nor what sparks their importance. Told entirely in sparse dialogue, “Fever Dream” leaks out just enough detail needed to invoke a sense of dread. Hints of evil permeate its pages, but its nature is undefined. “Nina!” Amanda often calls out for her daughter; “Where is Nina?” There is no answer. David dodges her questions, and tells her there isn’t much time left, to keep going, to keep telling the story. A sense of urgency pulses throughout, keeping the reader in

a constant state of the unknown. “That’s not important,” he interrupts. “What happened next? What did she say?” Amanda wants to stay in her memories, wants to tell the story to completion. David impatiently shoves her forward, and we whip our heads backward in confusion, trying to grab hold of quickly vanishing details before we’re forced to fly on to the next. Through their unsettling

“Fever Dream” Samanta Schweblin Riverhead Books January 10, 2017 conversations, pieces of the story eventually emerge. After drinking water from a poisoned stream, David falls ill and his mother begs a witch healer to transplant his soul into another body. She warns that though he may survive physically, his soul will be split in two, leaving something “unknown” to fill the void. At David’s urging, Amanda recounts how her and her daughter, Nina’s lives change after encountering the new David. Amanda obsesses over the “rescue distance” between Nina and herself, the physical proximity

she must maintain to protect her daughter if something goes awry. She describes it as the “invisible thread” connecting them, one that tightens around her stomach to signal danger. It is through charting the ever-evolving length of this “rescue distance” that we circle closer to the truth. With two unreliable narrators acting as the only portal to understand what happened, Amanda’s bewilderment and fear becomes the reader’s own. How much of the story is real, and how much of it is Amanda’s imagination? David sometimes corrects her, moves her to different places. Can we trust him? Everything about “Fever Dream” is dizzying, with the only certainty being the visceral need to protect one’s child. It’s this uncertainty that makes “Fever Dream” so horrifying. Amanda knows just enough to realize that something is terribly wrong but cannot fix it. She’s stuck, a bystander in history, trapped in the sands of her own fate, with nothing to do but yield to her terror. “Fever Dream” harnesses the power of instinct, throwing its characters into a poisoned dreamworld, dissolving their social pretenses in the face of desperation, so that what’s left is the primal relationship between mother and child.

‘Diet’ revives zombie tale Barrymore’s new series proves watchable, not binge-worthy MEGAN MITCHELL Daily Arts Writer

Marriage is messy — especially when mom has an insatiable hunger for human flesh and dad is trying hard to rock the suburbia lifestyle. At least, this is what “The Santa Clarita Diet” reminds us when real-estate agents Sheila (Drew Barrymore, “Blended”) and Joel (Timothy Olyphant, “Justified”) navigate a new normal as Sheila makes a sudden departure from the land of the living. In a time when most couples face the demons of menopause and the infamous midlife crisis, Sheila seems to experience the opposite — her sex drive has tripled, she’s less uptight about parenting and she begins to experience the joys of clubbing. After all, the show is a satirical look at the zombie phenomenon. Where zombies drag themselves aimlessly, Sheila is excitable, rejuvenated with the newfound energy that accompanied her sudden death. Her complete oneeighty in regards to personality is what makes a zombie, ultimately, a zombie. This phenomenon is noticed most by her teenage daughter Abby (Liv Hewson, “Before I Fall”), who notes the transformation on multiple occasions. Where Sheila once worried about her daughter’s SAT scores, she now couldn’t care less if Abby were to drop out of high school

FILM REVIEW

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

‘Rings’ is abruptly uneven Gutiérrez’s ruins potential in disappontingly sporadic film the plot forward, so audiences are expected to accept them Daily Arts Writer with no questions asked. Almost every moment feels Perhaps more than any other manufactured, instead of letting sub-par horror movie released the natural fear that drove the recently, “Rings” aspires for a original do the talking. quality viewing experience. The With the exception of Johnny filmmakers behind it are clearly Galecki (“The Big Bang Theory”) passionate about their project, playing against type, the cast and while that enthusiasm doesn’t do particularly well with doesn’t stop the film from being what they’re given, either. The mostly forgettable, it makes it central couple, as portrayed by more digestible than one would Matilda Lutz (“Summertime”) assume. It’s creepy more often and Alex Roe (“The 5th than not, and Director F. Javier Wave”), is one of the most selfGutiérrez (“Before the Fall”) righteously pretentious couples is skilled at the atmosphere- in recent horror memory. Any building that made “The Ring” relationship between two such a huge hit fifteen years ago. ostensible teenagers — both However, in many ways, this portrayed by twenty-six-year competency behind the camera olds — that begins with them makes the reliance on genre reciting the Greek tragedy clichés all the more frustrating. of Orpheus as a thinly veiled The atmosphere metaphor for the is well-conveyed, plot is doomed to “Rings” but the same be unbearable, jump scares and and Julia and Rave Cinemas, pointless dream Holt make this Goodrich Quality sequences that rule. They are 16 pervade modern so obnoxiously horror still make self-important Paramount their presence both in the Pictures known. The fact performances that it takes the and in their more difficult road three times relationship that they are out of ten doesn’t make the other insufferable. They strive to be seven times it takes the easy way likeable to such an extreme, out any less infuriating. off-putting extent that they’re This frustration applies to anything but. The dialogue the story, as well. As with the is wooden, sure, but it can’t original film, “Rings” feels like shoulder all the blame. a horror movie disguised as a All of this doesn’t add up mystery, and it’s a genuinely to a bad movie, though. If interesting mystery that only “Rings” had ended five minutes becomes more involving as the before it does, it would have plot moves along — until the end, been anticlimactic, and it that is (but there’ll be time for would have left some plot that calamity later). Its potential threads unresolved, but it is squandered as the storytelling would have been an average, behind “Rings” becomes even moderately likeable flick progressively more muddled. It with positives to balance out can’t seem to choose between its negatives. Then comes being a reboot or a sequel, and the “twist,” a lazy possession it settles for something halfway, plotline that makes no sense — alternatively following and both for what the audience has changing series canon to suit been shown so far and for the the scene. new “rules” it sets up — and In addition, the story relies which damages the movie the on a series of contrivances and longer it lasts. It is the kind of plot holes to work, especially lazy, tacked-on non-sequitur at the beginning. Characters that buries the merits of the frequently make decisions that film and elevates the flaws, make no sense, but they move ultimately resulting in a film JEREMIAH VANDERHELM

NETFLIX Drew Barrymore stars in “Santa Clarita Diet”

more memorable for its failures than for its commendable ambitions.

altogether. Though at first she his sweetheart off hapless enjoys the more carefree side to pedestrians. When neighbor and her mom, as the series progresses, police officer Carlos (Ricardo Abby’s distress regarding the Antonio Chavira, “Desperate current situation continues to Housewives”) becomes grow. Her tough-girl exterior suspicious, Joel pushes the around neighbor and resident geek nervous smiles and half-thought Eric (Skyler Gisondo, “Vacation”) out excuses with a fervor. slowly begins to shatter when she At times, however, Olyphant’s comes to realize the true extent performance can feel forced and a of her mother’s condition. While tad overplayed, as his normal role they’re all eating spaghetti, mom as the Hollywood villain is tossed is eating human brains. Hewson aside for the nervous and obedient does remarkable husband. However, work in the his chemistry “Santa Clarita emotional baggage with Barrymore department, is more believable Diet” balancing acts of than most All episodes badassery with on-screen couples. streaming on background Practically picturedepression as her perfect, the two Netflix cries for normalcy complement begin to make one another in cracks in her stony exterior. a manner that evens out their At the same time, as Sheila polarized personalities well, slurps on her blood-flavored an aspect that many network protein shake, Joel just manages shows spend episodes to even to keep it together. A former jock out. With the chemistry of the who has never fully adjusted show constantly shifting from one into the suburban lifestyle, Joel episode to the next, “The Santa struggles even harder to find Clarita Diet” is a show that, though balance when his wife joins the not binge-worthy material, will ranks of the undead. Perhaps it’s keep viewers coming back for because of his insecurities that the satirical sarcasm. Once the he chooses love over ethos, but initial overkill, both literal and Joel’s inability to get over the past figurative, of the pilot passes, the is what ultimately drives him to series develops a steady rhythm agree to harvest people for food. accentuated by a passionate cast As high school sweethearts, he and the irresistible draw of brain can’t imagine, nor function, in a smoothies. world without Sheila. Extremely The first season of “The protective, he spends most Santa Clarita Diet” is currently episodes desperately searching streaming on Netflix in its for a cure whilst dragging entirety.

Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Monday, February 6, 2017

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Arts

6A — Monday, February 6, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

DAILY MUSIC COLUMN

The modern meaning of ‘The Joshua Tree’ Music Columnist Lauren Theisen explores U2’s relevance in today’s sociopolitical climate LAUREN THEISEN Daily Music Columnist

Over the past two weeks, my brain has felt like it’s split in two: a frivolous half and an anxious half. I’m spending my days nervously refreshing Twitter, monitoring updates from the Oval Office and wondering which country the President has offended today, or which Americans’ rights are now in

jeopardy. At the same time, however, I can’t help but be occasionally preoccupied by the same random pleasures I’ve always enjoyed. What’s going to happen on season two of “The Good Place?” I wonder, guiltily. Will Michigan’s basketball team make the tournament? It’s like there’s an oasis of escapism right in the middle of my stressed-out mind. One of the only artists that’s

doing much to bridge this gap has actually been U2, a band I’ve looked at to try to make sense of what art can do and what it can mean right now, in such an unpredictable, threatening world. While U2 has been around for so long that it’s hard to imagine them as anything other than the legendary institution they’ve become, back in the ’80s, they were a young, hungry, disruptively fresh band with grand political

ambitions. And, as Irishmen, they also had a lot of familiarity with living in a country divided to the point of violent extremes. There’s an almost religious power in the first decade of U2’s work. Their albums are filled with songs of faith, hope, love and passion. They seek to speak out against injustice, to provide clarity to the unknown terrors of the world. The music is unwaveringly committed and direct. You can imagine millions of people around the world closing their eyes and feeling Bono’s words flow through them. Songs like the classic, searing indictment of “Sunday Bloody Sunday” or the beautiful elegy for Martin Luther King, Jr., “Pride,” can stir emotions and demand thought and action like few other songs. But one can see why the band turned away from these types of protest anthems in the ’90s. There’s a great power in the ability to spread messages to millions of people, to have thousands of fans every night sing words you wrote. It must also be incredibly intimidating, and in the ’90s, U2 seemed to retreat behind a curtain of post-modern irony, with Bono portraying characters on stage and the songs often carrying much more superficial meanings. The only example of the old spiritual power from this era comes on Achtung Baby’s famous “One.” When people accuse Bono of having a “savior complex,” this is the song they’re thinking of, a slow ballad that maybe doesn’t get enough credit for Bono’s vocal performance and thoughtful lyrics. However, it represents a permanent shift in the band’s point of view. In “One,” Bono comes off as a largerthan-life presence, a man looking down on humanity and evaluating all the lives he sees. U2 was playing the biggest concerts any band could by the time of Achtung’s release, and they had lost their everyman

perspective. The members of U2 were professionals, no longer passionate young men living in Dublin. Their view of the world came not from the streets anymore, but from the largest stages their employees could build. When U2 reversed course and put out 2000’s All That You Can’t Leave Behind, a no-frills rock album that attempted to win back the fans who had been put off by the self-indulgence and experimentation of their last few records, their attempts at anthems lacked the fiery conviction of their youth. Empty platitudes and vague choruses fill All That You Can’t Leave Behind’s runtime, as the songs try harder to evoke memories of the old U2 rather than say anything meaningful. Since that album, while they still retain their live power, the band has seemed lost on record, and at times it’s very unclear what’s motivating them to write new songs beyond market demand. But this year, after fiercely resisting the label of “nostalgia act,” U2 has announced a tour celebrating the 30-year anniversary of 1987’s The Joshua Tree — probably the band’s most essential work — in which they’ll play the album in its entirety on a nightly basis. It’s certainly an interesting time for U2 to come back to this record. Recorded in an era of revived conservatism, Joshua is an album that celebrates both the best and attacks the worst of America. It’s an ode to discovery, with songs like “Where the Streets Have No Name” conjuring feelings of endless freedom and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” conveying a restless need to find something greater than yourself. But it also doesn’t shy away from political realities. “Bullet the Blue Sky” is U2 at its rawest, with the Edge’s feedback-drenched guitar slashing through Adam Clayton’s lumbering

bass as a furious Bono takes the Reagan administration to task for its Central American policy. The Joshua Tree is the perfect album for this moment in history because it simultaneously explores two Americas. There’s the ideal conception of America as a place of freedom and endless possibility, but it’s tainted by the reality that sometimes the people who run this country are nothing more than greedy bastards. Joshua Tree doesn’t solve that conflict or even attempt to bridge the gap. It lets this vision of America stay split in two. But does it matter now? Will this tour work? Will anyone who isn’t already converted care? If The Joshua Tree affects other Americans like it’s affecting me right now, then I think so. Right now is a time when millions of Americans feel lost in their own homes, with many losing faith in the humanity of their neighbors or wondering what “land of the free” even means anymore. Old pleasures feel hollow, and previous ideas of who we are don’t seem to make sense. We’ve been left questioning where we are, and what our purpose is. The Joshua Tree doesn’t answer those questions, but no album has ever made me think more about my place in the world. It doesn’t shy away from portraying my home country the way it truly is, but it also presents inspiring American images worth aspiring to. To some, fantasizing about running through a place “where the streets have no name” might be pure escapism, but it’s a powerful call to build a real place that lives up to our ideals. When they recorded Joshua, U2 was still a band searching, unsure of their duty in a chaotic, unjust world. But amid corruption and conflict, they offered a helping hand towards unity and reminded us of the beauty in our home that was still worth pursuing.

The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | February 6, 2017

ORION SANG

Daily Sports Editor

The defensive problems were still there, and while that did not matter Friday night, it came back to bite the Michigan hockey team in the second game of its series against No. 11 Ohio State. Just one night after nearly blowing a four-goal lead, the Wolverines surrendered six goals to the Buckeyes in the second game of the weekend series. On Friday, Michigan held on for a 5-4 victory, but it could not do the same Saturday, blowing a two-goal lead to fall, 6-5.

“... We have to play better in the third period,” said Michigan coach Red Berenson. “... They were the better team in the third period. Maybe they’re the better team on paper, but we’ve got to play better. I don’t care about the paper, what the paper says. Our team has to play better. We’ve got to play better in our own zone, and we’ve got to play better in their zone. We didn’t have enough push in this game, we didn’t have enough second efforts

or leadership to make a difference in the game. Disappointing. That’s all I’ve got to say.” The Wolverines gave up too many power plays and too many chances from near the crease and in the slot — both recurring themes throughout this season — which made things difficult for Hayden Lavigne. The freshman goaltender was outstanding, stopping 29 of 35 shots, and made big save after big save to limit the damage.

“Maybe they’re the better team on paper, but we’ve got to play better”

At times, Lavigne’s play appeared to be enough. While Michigan’s defense struggled, its offense continued to play well — but just not well enough to make up for the defensive shortcomings in the end. The Wolverines (2-7-1 Big Ten, 9-13-2 overall) poured in five goals, keeping pace with the Buckeyes (4-5-1, 13-7-6) for most of the night. “I think we were getting pucks to the net a lot more this weekend,” said freshman forward Jake

Slaker. “Probably these last two games were the most shots we’ve had in any game this season, so that’s something we’ve really worked on in practice, just getting pucks to the net and bodies to the net.” Saturday’s game was a chippy, backand-forth affair, as both teams traded big hits and the lead. The Buckeyes jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first period when forward Nick Schilkey sniped one past Lavi-

“We’ve got to play better in our zone, and ... in their zone”

gne on an Ohio State power play. Michigan responded quickly, though, off sophomore forward Cooper Marody’s goal — his fourth of the weekend after a natural hat trick Friday — that tied things at one. The Buckeyes took the lead once more just three minutes later before Michigan responded in a big way. Senior defenseman Sam Piazza’s sixth goal of the season tied things up at two, and then Slaker’s power-play goal gave his team a 3-2 lead. Marody continued his hot streak on offense in the second period. His pass during a 2-on-1 See MICHIGAN, Page 4B

Ohio State 6, Michigan 5

Ohio State 70, Michigan 66 BRANDON CARNEY Daily Sports Writer

Derrick Walton Jr. has started over 100 games for Michigan in his career, and the Wolverines have needed every minute of his experience, leadership, and will to win in its recent stretch of games. Walton came into Saturday’s contest against Ohio State (4-7 Big Ten, 14-10 overall) averaging 18.6 points and 6.2 rebounds in Michigan’s past five games. The senior guard had proven to his team and the Wolverine faithful that any hopes of a tophalf Big Ten finish and NCAA Tournament trip rested upon his shoulders. So when Michigan (4-6, 14-9) faced a four-point deficit with just over half a minute to go,

Double trouble

The Michigan men’s basketball team was plagued by both foul and rebounding trouble in its loss to the Buckeyes on Saturday.

» Page 4B

everyone knew who and where the Wolverines’ next shot was going to come from. Within just a few ticks of the clock, Walton had the ball in his hands, positioned behind the 3-point line, corked to fire the shot that would bring Michigan within a point of digging out of a second-half hole it had dug itself into. To no one’s surprise, Walton hit the shot, and after the Buckeyes missed a free throw on the other end, Walton had the ball in his hands again to potentially send the game to overtime or even win it outright. But Walton, whose body was moving faster than anyone’s

in Crisler Center on Saturday, rushed the shot, pulling up from two with 16 seconds remaining, and watched it clank off the rim. Ohio State extended its lead to four following a pair of free throws, and time had run out for the Wolverines to come back, falling to the Buckeyes, 70-66. “I took a shot I thought was the best shot available,” Walton said. “I’ve made that shot a thousand times. Kind of left it short, but, again, the ball just didn’t go in.” Michigan had clawed back from multiple eight-point deficits to make the game close in its final possessions. Walton spear-

“I took a shot I thought was the best shot available”

headed the Wolverines’ effort, finishing with a season-high 25 points and 10 rebounds. Sixteen of his points came in the second half, in which Michigan never had the lead, though it had tied the game on two occasions. With 4:23 left on the clock, Walton hit one of his six 3-pointers on the night to knot the game at 60. Two minutes later, redshirt sophomore forward DJ Wilson dialed up from deep to tie the game at 63 — the closest the Wolverines would be to tasting a lead in the final 20 minutes. Michigan’s struggles were exposed within the opening 1:08 of the second half, when sopho-

more forward Moritz Wagner and Wilson had each picked up their third fouls. The Wolverines had no choice but to rely on two bench players — senior forward Mark Donnal and redshirt junior wing Duncan Robinson — to carry the load for the two most productive players in their frontcourt. Michigan had an 11-point advantage in the first half, but that lead evaporated as the Buckeyes’ big men began to bully the Wolverines’ post defenders down low. Ohio State went into halftime with a onepoint lead thanks to a massive 20-8 advantage it had on the glass. Of the Buckeyes’ 20 first-

“We just got to get back to the basics of being tough”

half rebounds, 10 came on the offensive end, allowing them to keep possessions alive and the ball away from Michigan on offense. Ohio State ended up handily winning the contest on the boards, outrebounding the Wolverines 42-24 on the night, including a 16-7 advantage on the offensive glass. “In a game when it looked like it was so under control from the first couple minutes of the game, things turned with all the missed shots they had and the offensive rebounds they got,” Walton said. “We just got to get back to the basics of being tough.” With its two key big men in foul trouble and without an answer to the Buckeyes’ dominance inside, Michigan knew See MICHIGAN, Page 4B

Real concerns

Mokhtar Al-Yamani’s future has become uncertain due to Donald Trump’s recent executive order.

» SportsMonday Column, Page 2B

SportsMonday

2B — February 6, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SPORTSMONDAY COLUMN

A swimmer, his father and an executive order

okhtar Al-Yamani just wants to see his dad and swim for his country. He has a father, Ali, from Yemen and a future competing in the Olympics. But for him, as for so many others, by the end of the day on Jan. 27, the world had changed. The JAKE LOURIM 19-yearDaily Sports Writer old sophomore swimmer at Michigan is hoping to travel to Baku, Azerbaijan, in May to swim for Yemen in the Islamic Solidarity Games. Now he doesn’t know for sure if he’ll be allowed to come back. He is an American citizen, born in New York. His Japanese mother and Yemeni father met in college at the University of Kentucky and then moved when Mokhtar was a baby back to Japan, where Mokhtar grew up. So Al-Yamani is a triple citizen of the United States, Japan and Yemen, by virtue of his parents. His next chance to swim for his father’s home country is still shrouded in uncertainty by the controversial executive order from President Donald Trump. The order suspended entry by citizens of seven majority Muslim nations, including Yemen, into the United States. Since then, Al-Yamani has kept his eyes on the news in search of what that policy means for him. Reports from the White House have been unclear in the days following the ban about exactly whom it impacts, but as of now, Al-Yamani appears to be unaffected as a U.S. citizen. On Jan. 29, CNN reported that a State Department official told the network that the ban “should not

U-M PHOTOGRAPHY

Sophomore Mokhtar Al-Yamani has been affected by Donald Trump’s executive order, as it could prevent him from competing in the Islamic Solidarity Games.

affect dual-national Americans (like Al-Yamani) at all.” But Al-Yamani will keep following the news because he knows much could still change between now and May. The government has already modified enforcement of the policy in the past 10 days; the Baku trip is in three months. And the fact that he’ll be traveling with a Yemeni passport to the Islamic Solidarity Games has Al-Yamani worried. “I know the Yemeni delegation is really excited for me to go, and I’m excited to compete there also,” he said, “but it is troubling times.” For now, Al-Yamani will focus on his collegiate season, though that causes another problem. Later this month, he will compete in the Big Ten Championships. His father, a citizen of only Yemen, will not be able to come see him.

Ali Al-Yamani, who lives in Japan separately from Mokhtar’s mother, passed down a middle name and a heritage to his son. He keeps up with Yemeni news and listens to Yemeni music. His home has couches with traditional Arabian designs and a room dedicated for prayer to the Muslim faith (Ali is Muslim, Mokhtar is not). And while the executive order’s implication on Mokhtar is unclear, the 19-year-old has struggled to come to terms with an administration that deems his father unwelcome here. Mokhtar knows that his father thinks the travel ban is “outrageous,” but the two haven’t talked at length about it. “He’s just told me that he won’t be able to come to Big Tens, and he just said not to worry about (him, he’ll) be fine,” Al-Yamani said. But does Al-Yamani worry

about his father, in light of recent events? “Yeah, because I don’t know if he’ll ever be able to come.” Al-Yamani did not seem angry as much as he did incredulous, still six days after the executive order was signed. He was not eager to turn his situation into a political statement. He worried mostly about swimming and seeing his family, which he could do until a man he has never met signed a piece of paper making both uncertain. “It seemed like such a farfetched idea, no one would pass it,” Al-Yamani said. “And then he just singlehandedly did.” Again, Al-Yamani tries to stick to positives: His father lives in Japan, where he is safe, and Al-Yamani noted that several other countries have voiced their opposition to the travel ban, putting pressure on the United States. If Al-Yamani is able to

Michigan tops Spartans despite early deficit NATHANIEL CLARK Daily Sports Writer

EAST LANSING — Following the 149-pound bout, things looked bleak for the No. 10 Michigan wrestling team. Redshirt sophomore Malik Amine had raced out to an early 7-2 lead, but was unable to hold on as Michigan State’s Nick Trimble stormed back to earn a 13-8 victory. The Wolverines trailed 9-4 at that point and were in danger of taking their second-straight loss to an in-state foe following a loss to Central Michigan last Thursday. But senior Brian Murphy put the Wolverines (4-4 Big Ten, 8-5 overall) back on track by earning two third-frame takedowns to ensure a 5-1 triumph over Austin Thompson in the 157-pound weight class. Redshirt freshmen Logan Massa and Myles Amine followed up Murphy’s performance with technical falls to springboard Michigan to a 24-9 lead. The score could have been more lopsided

had redshirt junior Ayoola Olapo’s injury not forced the Wolverines to forfeit the heavyweight match, giving the Spartans (1-7, 4-10) the final six points of the meet. “We mentioned briefly after we got back from Central Michigan, ‘Don’t forget how we felt when we got back,’ ” said Michigan coach Joe McFarland. “We had to make sure that we wrestled better today, and I think for the most part we did.” Massa scored early and often in the 165-pound bout, nabbing six takedowns in the first period to take a 12-5 advantage. He added four more takedowns in the next two stanzas en route to his 23-8 win over former high-school teammate Drew Hughes, putting Michigan ahead for good. Massa’s individual record this season is now 23-1.

Amine also had a stellar bout, earning five takedowns and 3:28 of riding time in the first two periods, which gave him a 13-3 lead. But Amine was most dominant in the third period, as he used a doubleleg and a near fall to secure the 21-5 technical-fall victory. “We’ve talked a lot about bonus points,” McFarland said. “If you’re working towards bonus points, that means you’re wrestling aggressively and you’re working hard.” Yet the most surprising result of the day was that of redshirt junior Ernest Battaglia in the 184-pound bout. In his first start since defaulting out of a match against Illinois on Jan. 20, Battaglia netted three takedowns, eight back points and 2:05 of riding time en route to a 16-5 major-decision win. “Bouncing back with this win,

“You just sometimes have to weather the storm”

especially against an in-state rival, it’s always nice,” Battaglia said. “You just sometimes have to weather the storm and stay solid.” Redshirt freshman Jackson Stiggow sealed the dual meet for the Wolverines with a 7-1 victory over the Spartans’ Matt Okaiye. Stiggow nearly earned a majordecision on a potential takedown near the end of the third period but did not receive the call from the official. The middle and heavyweights were not the only ones who found success against the Spartans, though. Redshirt freshman Stevan Micic dominated his match at 133 pounds, as he cruised to a 10-2 major decision win over Javier Garcia. Micic outscored Garcia 6-0 in the third period thanks to 2:06 of riding time, two stalling points and a single-leg takedown. With Sunday’s triumph, Michigan has now won its last seven dual meets against Michigan State and is 69-35-3 in the all-time series.

MAX KUANG/Daily

Redshirt junior Ernest Battaglia earned a 16-5 major-decision win against the Spartans in his first start since defaulting out of a match against Illinois on Jan. 20.

travel to Baku in May, his father plans to join him for the occasion. “He’s very proud of me,” Al-Yamani said. “Just the fact that even after living in Japan all these years, I chose to represent his home country, I think he’s really happy for that.” Al-Yamani began competing for Yemen to have a better chance of making an Olympic team. In advance of last summer’s Rio Games, he made the international swimming federation’s B-cut qualifying time and was even issued credentials. But he couldn’t go to Rio as a Yemeni wild card — the Olympic designation for the fastest man and woman in certain small countries — because he hadn’t competed in the 2015 World Championships. In the end, despite his time, he didn’t make it into the field of

athletes, which was capped at 900. Still, he was encouraged by the journey and looks forward to continuing his international career at the 2020 Olympics in his hometown of Tokyo. That’s a bright future, but questions surround much of it. Al-Yamani wants to compete for the country of which his father is so proud, but the travel situation puts that dream in doubt. He hopes to travel to Yemen to learn more about the culture for himself, but the country’s civil war makes that a dangerous proposition for now. And he’s trying to learn Arabic to connect with a fellow Yemeni swimmer, Ebrahim Al-Maleki, whom he would have met in December in Canada if Al-Maleki’s visa had not been denied. Now, Al-Yamani must live with uncertainty. “I don’t want to talk too much about my own political opinion on each of the candidates,” Al-Yamani said. “But I do feel that, completely policies aside, I think that someone who’s going to lead an entire country should have more morals and just human character than Trump had shown during his election. I guess we’ve seen more of Trump during the election than during his presidency so far, but we’ll just have to see where that goes.” When news of the executive order broke, Al-Yamani first received a text from a friend back home who wondered if Al-Yamani would be able to return to Japan under the new policy. Al-Yamani was shocked. He read the news of the order and then continued following cases of people being detained or deported over the weekend. “And then,” he said, “I was just like, ‘Wow, this is real.’ ” If you have a story like Al-Yamani’s, we want to hear from you. Lourim can be reached at jlourim@umich. edu and on Twitter @jakelourim.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

‘M’ falls to Ducks MATTHEW KENNEDY Daily Sports Writer

Coming into its first game of the 2017 season, the Michigan women’s lacrosse team was full of excitement. For the first time in program history, the Wolverines have a senior class that will don the maize and blue. The women’s lacrosse team kicked off its inaugural varsity season with an exclusively freshman roster in 2014, and those same players are now seniors. “The energy on the team was very high,” said Michigan coach Jennifer Ulehla. “The girls are very excited about the season and what can be accomplished.” But all the energy in the world could not help Michigan overcome a slow start against Oregon on Saturday, ultimately falling, 11-8. Though the Wolverines won the draw, 10-1, in the first half, it wasn’t enough to contain the Ducks’ offensive onslaught in Eugene, Ore. Oregon took an early lead three minutes into the game off of a free shot from midfielder JoJo Hesketh. Two more Ducks would find the back of the net over the next eight minutes to surge to a 3-0 lead. But with 16:30 remaining in the first half, one of Michigan’s seniors stepped up to put the team on the scoreboard. Midfielder Anna Schueler — a two-time team captain and leader of the program — scored an unassisted goal, breathing some muchneeded life into the Wolverines. Yet, Michigan was unable to capitalize further, and three more Oregon goals put the deficit at 6-1 with seven minutes remaining in the half. Finally, the Wolverines mustered up a slight run at the end of the half — outscoring

the Ducks 3-1 with goals from freshman midfielder Molly Garrett and senior midfielders Kim Coughlan and Lauren Oberlander — to build momentum going into the second half. Although Michigan found itself trailing after the first half, its success in the draw provided some consolation. “We had been practicing the draw a lot,” Ulehla said. “But Oregon showed a different defense and stopped us from being as successful as we would have liked. We needed to be able to capitalize on our success better.” Coming into the second half, the Wolverines kept their momentum up from the end of the first half, and just 1:30 after play resumed, senior midfielder Lauren Oberlander narrowed the deficit to just two. After six minutes of backand-forth play, another senior — midfielder Kim Coughlan — closed the gap to only one goal. But 7-6 was as close as the game would become, as Oregon went on a 4-2 run to end the game, ultimately securing victory for the Ducks. Michigan attacker Tess Korten, another senior, scored the team’s final two goals. The Wolverine seniors will have to wait another day to win their first game in their final season, but Ulehla is excited about the future after their performance Saturday. She is hopeful that the Wolverines will win their first ever Big Ten game this season, and with a roster full of seniors, this will be the year to do it. “The team as a whole stood out today,” Ulehla said. “I’m disappointed about this result. A few things here and there could have changed the outcome, but there is lots to be optimistic about.”

“The girls are very excited about the season”

SportsMonday

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

February 6, 2017 — 3B

After trailing the entire game, Wolverines eke out victory Nicole Munger scored a layup with 20 seconds remaining to maintain Michigan’s undefeated home record SYLVANNA GROSS Daily Sports Writer

Nicole Munger was the fourth option. The final play was meant for sophomore center Hallie Thome. If the ball wasn’t going to her, junior guard Katelynn Flaherty was supposed to receive, and after Flaherty, freshman guard Kysre Gondrezick. But Munger, a sophomore guard, had the best matchup of the five Wolverines on the court. Flaherty knew that if she couldn’t make it, Munger was going to be the kickback. With 20 seconds to go, Munger scored the winning basket on a baseline layup. “We got (Flaherty) coming off like we wanted,” Munger said. “I hesitated on the 3-pointer, but then I just drove, and I got a step, and it went in. “That was just one play. Our team grinded out for a full 40 minutes. We were a little rickety in the first half, but we were able to come back and fight. What we did in that second half is just a testament to our team and our hard work.” Hosting Iowa (5-5 Big Ten, 14-9 overall) for the first time this season, the Michigan women’s basketball team prevailed in its closest final minute the team has seen this season. The Wolverines have gone undefeated on their home court and have won 19 of 24 games this season — the best mark in program history — and won eight of their first 10 Big Ten games. Contributing to the great game was Thompson, as she became the second player in program history to reach 500 career assists. But for the first time this season, Michigan ended its first quarter at Crisler Center trailing. The Wolverines were down 20-15 and trailed the Hawkeyes until the final minutes of the game when they pulled away to notch a 72-70 victory.

“I think Iowa’s a very good team,” Thome said. “They’re scrappy.They would do anything to get the ball. So at the end of the day we just had to make sure we were on point.” In the first period, though, things looked bleak. Thome had almost half of the Wolverines’ points, but they were unable to defend against the Hawkeyes. The second period didn’t bode well for Michigan, either. In the first minute the Wolverines let up seven points, led mostly by Iowa guard Tania Davis. In response, Michigan coach

“Our team grinded out for a full 40 minutes”

With only one minute left on the clock in the fourth quarter, the Michigan women’s basketball team (8-2 Big Ten, 19-5 overall) trailed Iowa, 68-65. The Wolverines hadn’t lead since the end of the first quarter, and had gone down by as much as 15 points over the course of the game. But the energy in Crisler Center was pulsing, and the crowd was deafening. As freshman guard Kysre Gondrezick stepped up to the free-throw line, she felt the pressure of the intense game and the chance to redeem herself after missing three of her last six attempts at the line. This time, she sunk both tries. “I said, ‘If I miss another free throw’ ... I told (senior guard Siera Thompson) ‘If I get the ball, come get it from me,’ ” Gondrezick said. “I think we just had a tough day at the line, but we were able to convert when it mattered.” The score was now 68-67, and Michigan was close to solidifying what once seemed an unlikely victory. But 58 seconds remained, and coming within one point of a victory was not enough. Seconds later, Gondrezick snagged a poorly-handled Iowa ball and bolted down the court, passing it forward to an open Katelynn Flaherty. The junior guard finished the layup at the 47-second mark. The Wolverines led for the first time in over 30 minutes, but their lead was still tremulous. The Hawkeyes (5-5, 14-9) were not done battling. Iowa passed around the offensive zone, carefully setting up a 3-point attempt that just missed. But it still managed a hard-fought layup, swinging the lead back in favor of the Hawkeyes. With just 35 seconds left on the clock, the Wolverines needed to overcome their scoring struggles — they scored just 44.1 percent from the floor all game — to keep their home record immaculate. A timeout was called, and Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico gave her team a play to run — but things

12 this year so we know we can do it, we just have to stick to our morals.’ There’s no 12-point shot so we’re going to need to defend.” The first minute of the second half was almost a complete turnaround for the Wolverines, though. Flaherty, Gondrezick and Dunston each managed a layup apiece to make the game 45-39. The Wolverines entered the final quarter trailing 61-52, but Munger sunk a three in the first minute. With two seconds left on the shot clock, Thome then converted a

“We couldn’t really get our mojo going in the first half”

JEREMY MITNICK/Daily

‘M’ pulls away late Daily Sports Writer

was very important. She’s as important as one of our starting five. The way that she was able to come in and create a spark off the bench, it shows our versatility.” But the Hawkeyes responded with a pair of baskets and the Wolverines found themselves facing a 10-point gap once again, eventually ending the half down, 45-33. “(In the Iowa game last year at home) we were down 17 at half and we came back and won,” Munger said. “So this year we were like, ‘Well, we did it last year and we’re only down

Sophomore guard Nicole Munger scored just seven points but managed to save the Wolverines from suffering their first loss at Crisler Center this season.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MAGGIE KOLCON

Kim Barnes Arico called the team’s first timeout with 8:50 left in the second, when the game stood at 27-15. With less than five minutes to go in the first half, Munger brought the Wolverines out of their 10-point deficit. “I thought (Munger) was outstanding,” Barnes Arico said. “She played the front of the press, her length is great. She disrupts everything. Her ability to get the ball and shoot the ball is tremendous. She’s just active and was all over the place, she was a spark for us tonight.” Added Gondrezick: “(Munger)

turned out differently on the court. “We would have had (sophomore forward Hallie Thome shoot) first, Katelynn second, Kysre third,” Barnes Arico said. “So (sophomore guard Nicole Munger) was actually a screener in that play. But she had the best matchup.” Munger cut to the outside from beyond the 3-point line, got her shoulder in front of the defender and drove down the baseline, burying a layup. “That was just the move that she made to the basket,” Gondrezick said. “It’s a move that she makes in practice every day, and it showed in the game. So we trusted her.” But there were still 20 seconds on the clock, and the ball was in Iowa’s possession. Once again, the Hawkeyes missed a 3-point attempt, and there to snatch the rebound was Munger, who got fouled in the process. Despite missing her free throw attempts, the ball ended up back in the Wolverines’ hands, as Thompson grabbed the ball off of Munger’s second attempt and was promptly fouled as well. With just six seconds left, she scored one of two attempts, earning Michigan’s final point for its 72-70 win. The seconds that remained could have been enough time for Iowa to sink a 3-pointer, but Barnes Arico still had a few tricks left. “We had so many fouls to give that we were trying to foul in the back court and stop the play,” Barnes Arico said. The Wolverines gave three of their four remaining fouls in the last three seconds of the game, slowing things down and killing off the clock so the Hawkeyes had no chance to reclaim the lead. As the buzzer sounded, both the team and the crowd exploded with cheers to celebrate Michigan’s comeback victory. “Last year we didn’t come out on the winning side of these games,” Barnes Arico said. “We had to go all the way down to the wire to get our lead and to win the game, and I think it took everything we had.” Added Gondrezick: “That’s our motto. By any means, we just have to find a way to win.”

layup before Michigan forced a stop on the next possession. Gondrezick got the ball and brought it down court for a layup to cut Iowa’s lead to two. Another missed layup by Iowa’s Gustafson had the crowd on its feet. And an added free throw by Gondrezick made the game 60-61 and created a deafening Crisler Center crowd. Iowa quickly called a time out, sensing the game slipping from its grasp. With 3:54 left on the clock, the Wolverines looked at a 61-66 deficit after Gustafson hit a layup. But Gondrezick swooped in and brought Michigan back in the game with a 3-pointer, which was quickly followed by an Iowa turnover. The turnover ended in an injury substitution, though, when Davis finished sprawled on the paint and had to leave the court. Iowa guard Kathleen Doyle fouled out of the game, leaving Gondrezick with a chance to make a quick free throw to once again put the Wolverines within three points. Gondrezick then successfully made a pair of free throws, pushing the Wolverines within one point for just the second time of the game. Flaherty then hit a layup with 45 seconds to go after Gondrezick forced a turnover, but Iowa responded with a quick basket, making the score 70-69. There were 35 seconds to go. The rest was a nail-biting back-and-forth struggle between the Wolverines and Hawkeyes, but after Munger’s layup, Iowa couldn’t capitalize within the time-pressure and Michigan maintained its undefeated streak at home. “This was a special game,” Munger said. “We couldn’t really get our mojo going in the first half just with our offense, but I think that makes this game almost sweeter. We were able to fight through that.”

Michigan starts year with same expectations ANNA MARCUS Daily Sports Writer

The 2016 season was the one that got away for the Michigan softball team. The Wolverines had all the ingredients for success: They were the top-scoring team in the country, had a strong defensive unit, went 21-2 in conference play and won their ninth-straight Big Ten title. But, once again, the coveted Women’s College World Series title eluded them, after they were eliminated by Florida State to cap off a disappointing performance in Oklahoma City. Part of what made Michigan’s WCWS performance so heartbreaking was that the team’s seniors went to three WCWS in their four years but never took home a championship win. Four of those seniors were core players, including 2016 National Player of the Year Sierra Romero. As a four-year starter, she posted a batting average of at least .450 for three straight years and cemented her place as one of the greatest collegiate softball players of all

time. But the Romero-era is over, and for Michigan coach Carol Hutchins, it’s far in the past. “It’s a huge loss, but I got over it, like, in September,” Hutchins said. “That’s Team 39. My only focus is on Team 40.” Hutchins — the NCAA’s winningest softball coach — will begin her 33rd season at the helm of the Michigan program, but she has the same expectations and goals that she has every year: to be Big Ten Champions and to reach the World Series. But a 10th-straight Big Ten title and a WCWS berth isn’t a certainty for No. 6 Michigan. With the loss of six seniors, the Wolverines are younger than they have been in recent years. Michigan has less star power to bail them out, so a balanced lineup will be crucial this season. While the infield is mostly unchanged from last year, the outfield will be almost completely new, as senior outfielder Kelly Christner is the lone returner. This opening will allow some of the four freshmen Wolverines to see playing time, a unique

responsibility for such a historically impressive team. “You really want your freshmen to come in and not be freshmen,” Hutchins said. “The game doesn’t know if you’re a freshman or a senior.” To ensure that the freshmen play with the confidence and strength that Hutchins looks for, strong senior leadership and support from Michigan’s four seniors will be imperative. Christner, senior right-hander Megan Betsa, and senior infielders Abby Ramirez and Lindsay Montemarano are poised to step into those familiar roles. “We all got a lot of playing time freshman year,” Christner said. “Looking up to the seniors and upperclassmen, that really showed us how to lead a team and how to be a voice on and off the field.” While Christner was a captain last season, Betsa has mentored junior right-hander Tera Blanco and sophomore right-hander Leah Crockett while she took the fall off with an injury. With an influx of youth and strong returning talent, the

Wolverines have all the pieces to succeed in both the regular and postseason. However, there are still lingering questions determining the future of the season. A huge question mark for the Wolverines will be whether Christner can return to her form from two seasons ago, which saw her hit 21 home runs. Another question is whether Betsa will return to her top-notch pitching form coming off her injury. Yet another is whether Blanco will demonstrate prowess on the mound as well as the plate, after starting just five games as pitcher last season. Michigan will begin its season in Florida for the Wilson-Demarini Tournament in the first of five non-conference tournaments the Wolverines will participate in. Michigan will take on teams such as No. 4 Florida, No. 3 Florida State and No. 8 UCLA to begin their journey back to the top of the collegiate softball landscape. “We’ll see how well Team 40 does as we go through this journey,” Hutchins said. “But we’re excited to get started.”

MARINA ROSS/Daily

The Michigan softball team fell short of its expectations during the 2016 season, but could still make a push for the Women’s College World Series.

SportsMonday

4B — February 6, 2017

BASKETBALL From Page 1B it had to change its game plan to make up for the deficit it then faced. Michigan began hunting shots outside the arc, with 22 of its 30 field-goal attempts in the second half coming from deep. The Wolverines hit just 32 percent of those shots and 27 percent of all of their secondhalf attempts, coming up with empty possessions that made their job on the defensive end much tougher. “We wanted to drive the ball really hard into the paint,” Michigan coach John Beilein said. “We had a package to throw the ball inside to (Wagner) as much as we could. They took some of that away, we didn’t do it sometimes, and he was in foul trouble. So we

“Complaining about our circumstances won’t help” couldn’t get enough of the post touches as we wanted to get.” Despite Walton’s heroics down the stretch, Michigan didn’t get the bounces it needed to finish off the Buckeyes in the end. The Wolverines’ postseason hopes now lie damaged, as the road to a potential NCAA Tournament berth becomes much harder with just over a month left in the Big Ten regular season. “Complaining about our circumstances won’t help,” Walton said. “That’s pretty much how I look at it as. Circumstances are what they are, even though you hate that they’re this way. Everybody’s got something going on at this point of year. Nothing’s perfect. “But if what we’re going through at this point spearheads a run and us taking the next step in some places we lagged in, then I’m all for it. I’m more so excited. I think it’ll make it a better story.”

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Rebounding, foul trouble plague ‘M’ against Buckeyes KEVIN SANTO

Managing Sports Editor

Derrick Walton Jr. pulled up for a fadeaway jumper from the baseline. There were 15.3 seconds left, and Walton’s shot could have have tied the game at 68. Instead, it clanged off the rim. For a moment, there was still hope, as the Wolverines got their fingertips on a potential offensive rebound. But when Ohio State forward Marc Loving snatched the ball out of the air, he simultaneously extinguished Michigan’s chance of salvaging a must-win game on its home court. Sophomore forward Moritz Wagner was forced to foul Loving to extend the game, and he walked to the bench with his fifth and final foul, only to watch from the sidelines as Loving iced the game with a pair of free throws. That one play told the story of the entire game. All night, the Wolverines’ frontcourt found itself in foul trouble, and all night, it got dominated on the boards as a result of it, falling to the Buckeyes, 70-66. “I think we kind of fed off of (forward Andre Wesson) there and did a great job,” said Ohio State coach Thad Matta. “They switch a lot, so we had some advantages in there size-wise. But the guys pursued the ball and did a heck of job with that.” Added junior guard Muhammad-Ali AbdurRahkman: “I think we weren’t putting ourselves in the position to get rebounds. Also, I think that we were just trying to jump instead of boxing people out and getting people off the glass, and I think that’s essentially what hurt us.” Ohio State finished with a staggering 42-24 advantage on the glass. Sixteen of those boards came on the offensive end, leading to its whopping 19

EMMA RICHTER/Daily

Redshirt sophomore forward DJ Wilson struggled against the Buckeyes on Saturday at Crisler Center, collecting only one rebound in 25 minutes played

second-chance points. As Michigan coach John Beilein alluded to after the game, some of the Buckeyes’ rebounds came as a result of Michigan’s defense being caught in the wrong position when the first shots went up. Others boiled down to defensive mismatches, as 6-foot-8 and 6-foot9 forwards Duncan Robinson and Mark Donnal were forced to compete down low with Loving, forward Jae’Sean Tate and Ohio State’s seven-footer, Trevor Thompson. But the fact of the matter is that Wagner and redshirt

sophomore forward DJ Wilson weren’t facing that same disadvantage when they were on the floor, but were outplayed on the boards anyway. The Wolverine duo wasn’t out there enough either. Too often, they fell prey to foul trouble that largely stemmed from situations where they couldn’t get position battling for rebounds underneath and were forced to commit cheap fouls. “Just physically, right now, Thompson’s probably been down in that basket his whole life,” Beilein said. “Moe hasn’t been there very much. That was a physical mismatch. And

“And it shows that they wanted it more”

Tate has been there three years, playing big minutes for three years — not a good matchup for DJ. He took advantage of those situations, and we couldn’t stop in those areas.” Just over a minute into the second half, Wagner and Wilson both picked up their third fouls. Wilson went to the bench with just three points and one rebound. Wagner didn’t fare much better, joining Wilson on the sidelines with five points and a single rebound as well. Neither returned until the 13:04 mark. By that time, though, the Wolverines had been trying to cope with the precarious situation of having Donnal and Robinson as the sole options in the frontcourt. Ohio State held a five-point advantage and had led for the entire frame — something that wouldn’t change despite

Wins or not, Yost Ice Arena remains the same AVI SHOLKOFF

Daily Sports Writer

They come to Yost Ice Arena every week. Some for five years, some for 10, and for John Sterbenz and Craig Kuras, 24. There’s a mayor — Tony Corey, a season ticket holder since 2004. You can’t forget the children, either — not literal adolescents, but the Michigan hockey team’s famous student section, “The Children of Yost.” They came this past Friday night, when they watched the Michigan hockey team cling to a slim lead and upset No. 11 Ohio State. They returned on Saturday, and saw the Buckeyes climb back from a two-goal deficit to win, 6-5. The weekend serves as a microcosm of Michigan’s inconsistency this season. After one of the Wolverines’ best years in recent memory, many expected regression in 2016.

“I had very low, expectations for on-ice performance, or the record,” said Ed, a fan from Newport, Mich. “I was hoping to see some improvement over the course of the year. I wasn’t expecting an NCAA berth or an NCAA championship, not with all that we lost. Few major scorers came back.” Added Travis Smith, a senior engineering major: “We understand that we’re not gonna be great every year, we’re not like the Alabama football team.” But some fans still held high hopes before the season began. “You expect them to compete every year for at least a Big Ten title,” Sterbenz said Friday night. “In the past, you would lose guys and that didn’t seem to matter. There was always enough firepower in the arsenal to replace those people. Over the past 3-4 years, there’s still the firepower there, but it doesn’t seem to be quite as potent as it

used to be.” For “The Children of Yost,” those overhauls certainly have led to a different feel to it than last season’s Big Ten Tournament championship team. “People come to every game no matter what,” said LSA senior Barry Snyder. “The big difference you see is with the other people. You have the multiple sections, they’re always full, but it’s a matter of timing. Especially last year, they were packed 30-40 minutes before the game started. In previous years, it was a little slower, and this year it’s been a little slower. But the rivalry games have been filled up like this (on Saturday night). Last night there was a line outside before the doors even opened. I think the fans are still into it.” As for long-time season ticket holders, the biggest difference — whether in terms of energy or atmosphere — has nothing

to do with the Wolverines’ performance. Instead, it comes from the recent renovation of the arena. The remodel shrunk the student section, which originally streched from red line to red line. While few of the current students have had an opportunity to sit in the old environment, many of the longtime fans have recognized the effects of the smaller section. Corey — the Twitter famous “Mayor of Yost — believes he has missed just a handful of games in the last 13 years. He believes that the Yost renovations have changed how the students and players interact. “Ever since they redid the arena, they moved the students away from the glass in the student section,” Corey said on Saturday. “And I think that’s made a big difference. The students aren’t right on the glass, right on the ice. It’s a shame, because that’s

EVAN AARON/Daily

“The Children of Yost” are among the dedicated Michigan hockey fans that have continued to pack Yost Ice Arena despite the Wolverines’ down season.

really what made Yost what it was. I feel like since they added the corner, the students just aren’t in the players’ faces. It separated the team from the ice and the students. It’s not as loud as it used to be, I think that’s partially because when I was a student, this whole side was all students.” According to the leaders of “The Children of Yost,” however, the energy hasn’t gone anywhere — there just might be fewer fans. “Obviously the offense isn’t scoring as much, so we’re not screaming after goals as much,” said LSA fifth-year senior Melanie Lowry. “But the energy is still there. We want the team to know that we’re still there for them. We can be down by five, and we’re still going to be yelling.” Added Snyder: “When you’re playing better, it’s not just the students who are getting into it, but it’s the non-students, the people sitting on the other side of the arena, they’re getting into it. Students are there, they’re gonna be there no matter what. We can’t control what the nonstudents do, we do our part to be there. We only have four years.” So while Michigan ended the weekend on a sour note, “The Children of Yost” refuse to be discouraged. They’ll be back next Friday in Detroit at Joe Louis Arena. Sterbenz and Kuras will be there too, and of course, so will “The Mayor of Yost.” “We pride ourselves on being the best Michigan sports environment, winning or losing,” Snyder said. “I think there’s a lot of people that come to one game and keep coming back.” It was the case for Sterbenz, who attended his first game after hearing about it from friends at work. Just as it was for Smith, who went to a game his freshman year and has continued to follow collegiate and NCAA hockey. And this season is the perfect indication — it’s been the case for nearly fan that walks through the doors of Yost.

Wagner and Wilson’s presence. While Wilson upped his point total to 11, neither of the two fared much better on the glass — each finishing with the same rebound total they had when the second half began. In the end, Michigan’s guards shared the bulk of the rebounding responsibility, as Walton and Abdur-Rahkman finished with 10 and seven, respectively. The loss stung enough in its own right, as it may well prove to be the one bad loss that the Wolverines couldn’t have afforded if they hoped to receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament. But how it happened might sting even worse. “The way we lost,” Abdur-Rahkman said. “Got outrebounded, especially by that much, I think that hurts more. And it shows that they wanted it more.”

HOCKEY From Page 1B opportunity found the stick of freshman forward James Sanchez, whose goal extended the lead to two and chased Ohio State goaltender Christian Frey from the game. After Mason Jobst and Max Shuart traded goals, leaving the score at 5-3, the Buckeyes mounted another comeback attempt. A power-play goal from forward John Wiitala off a feed from Matthew Weis cut the deficit to one. Then, nearly eight minutes into the third period, sophomore defenseman Nicholas Boka and forward Brendan Warren were each sent off for high-sticking. The penalties gave the Buckeyes a 5-on-3 advantage that Jobst capitalized on, scoring his second of the night to tie the game at five. Neither team could muster any consistent offense for the rest of the period, but with just 29.5 seconds left, Schilke struck yet again for the Buckeyes. His goal gave Ohio State a lead that it would not relinquish this time, stunning the Yost Ice Arena crowd and leaving Michigan still in search of its first sweep of the season. With just 10 games left in the regular season remaining, opportunities to move up the PairWise Rankings — however slim those chances may be — are few, and Saturday’s loss just may have been the nail in the coffin. It has not been a banner year for the Wolverines. The chances of capturing a NCAA berth in the regular season are slim to none, and with the way the team has struggled against every conference foe, winning the Big Ten Tournament appears to be a tough task as well. After tonight’s loss, Slaker and Marody were both introspective. Slaker thought Michigan made “strides in the right direction” when it came to establishing consistency on a game-to-game basis. Marody acknowledged the youth of the team and expressed his belief that a team has to take a loss — or two or three — like Saturday’s to “really learn a lesson and move forward.” And while Marody’s sentiment is most certainly true, there isn’t enough time to swallow a loss at the expense of learning those lessons.