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2019-08-08

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Thursday, August 8, 2019

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

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Principal files lawsuit against school district

NEWS

Car show Sixth annual event for hospitalized kids takes place on roof of C.S. Mott >> SEE PAGE 2

Shannon Blick alleges ‘reverse discrimination’ at AAPS’ Lawton Elementary School

OPINION

Pleasure reading Erin White explores the importance of and need for prioritizing reading for pleasure >> SEE PAGE 4

ARTS

‘The Farewell’ Lulu Wang’s latest is a heartwrenching tale of beauty and sorrow, grief and nostalgia >> SEE PAGE 6

MICHIGAN IN COLOR

‘On Punjab’

Harnoor Singh shares his pride on being Punjabi and the lasting effects of colonization and Indian nationalism

>> SEE PAGE 9

SPORTS

Football Early impressions from Michigan’s fall football camp

>> SEE PAGE 12

INDEX Vol. CXXVIII, No. 121 © 2019 The Michigan Daily

NEWS .................................... 2 OPINION ............................... 4 ARTS...................................... 6 MiC......................................... 9 SPORTS................................ 10

michigandaily.com

SAMANTHA SMALL Summer News Editor

Vistitors walk through the exhibitor area during Ann Arbor Pride in Ann Arbor Saturday.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM TOY COMMUNITY CENTER

Community celebrates love, acceptance at Ann Arbor Pride Thousands flock to Kerrytown for annual celebration FRANCESCA DUONG Daily Staff Reporter

Ann Arbor Pride’s 25th anniversary was celebrated in Kerrytown with performances, vendors and kid-friendly activities over the weekend. There was yoga, belly dancing, a street fair, poetry slam and a performance by AJA from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” throughout the day Saturday. On Sunday, JuJubee, also from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” hosted Pride Bingo Brunch at Blue Llama Jazz Club and a Pride Picnic that took place in Wheeler Park. Among the attendees were members and supporters of the LGBTQ+ community, from people who have just started their identity journey to people who have been fighting for equal rights for years. Joe Schoch, co-director of Ann Arbor Pride, reaffirmed how the festival achieved that goal this year by planning a plethora of age and gender-inclusive activities and performances.

“It’s really important for us to be sure that Pride is inclusive for everybody,” Schoch said. “Ours is very community-centric, and we try to do a little bit of everything for everybody.” The proceeds from the festival will benefit the Jim Toy Community Center, an LGBTQ+ resource center in the Washtenaw County area. Cadence Cartier, drag queen performer with Boylesque, noted the importance of Jim Toy’s work. “The services that they provide really do help our youth, really help give them the support that they need when they don’t have support,” Cartier said. In addition to the performers, booths selling merchandise, promoting political campaigns and giving away items were set up close to the main stage. One of the booths was run by an organization called Free Mom Hugs, a non-profit group of affirming allies and parents aimed to spread love and acceptance. Arleta Greer, co-lead of the organization’s Michigan chapter, described the hardships faced by many LGBTQ+ youth. “So many of our younger generation in the LGBTQ+ community is struggling with

being accepted at home, or being accepted at school,” Greer said. “Sometimes, this is the only parental hug they’ve gotten in days or weeks.” Alongside Free Mom Hugs, there were also numerous support and mental health organizations. A 2015 report by GLSEN on the National School Climate Survey found that 85 percent of LGBTQ+ students have experienced verbal harassment and 27 percent have been physically harassed due to their sexual orientation. Rackham student Lindsey Beaver said she recently began identifying as bisexual, and shared her experience with discovering herself. “(Your identity) is a huge part of your daily experience, your interactions with other people,” Beaver said. “I found that when I started realizing that I wasn’t straight, it was like this whole thing wasn’t locked inside me where all of a sudden I could love people more. All of a sudden, I feel a lot more comfortable.” Drawing from her own experience, Beaver emphasized the importance of Pride festivals and celebrating gender identity.

Read more at michigandaily.com

Shannon Blick, former principal of Ann Arbor Public School District’s Lawton Elementary School, is alleging the district ousted her in an act of “reverse discrimination,”according to her lawsuit against the school. On May 1, Dawn Linden, Ann Arbor Public Schools executive director of Elementary Education, sent out a letter to the parents of students at Lawton Elementary School, reporting that Blick was on a temporary leave of absence. With no formal reason provided or a specified time length, Dottie Davis, former Huron High School athletic director and assistant principal, assumed the role as “guest principal.” Two months later, Blick, with aid from Ann Arbor attorney William Tishkoff, filed a $5 million lawsuit against Ann Arbor Public Schools. Superintendent Jeanice Swift, in line with other administrators and the AAPS School Board, attributed her termination to “reverse discrimination.” In addition to financial compensation, Blick is asking to be reinstated as principal of Lawton Elementary. Blick claims the AAPS board and their key administrators “subject white administrators to hostility and harassment in the workplace based on their race; accelerate the promotion and advancement of African American and minority administrators at the expense and to the detriment of white administrators and refuse to ‘reasonably and properly investigate’ and take remedial action for, ‘reverse discrimination’ workplace complaints,” per her lawsuit. Tishkoff declined to interview on record, but pointed The Daily to online reports for further information.

Read more at michigandaily.com


2 NEWS

Thursday, August 8, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Talk looks at Black life, legal system Local attorney examines biases in criminal justice system, legal rulings ALYSSA MCMURTY Daily Staff Reporter

On Monday night, a crowd of 20 people, mostly women, gathered in the Ypsilanti District Library to partake in a panel put on by Mothering Justice, a non-profit organization that advocates for women to become active in policymaking. The panel discussed how Black women are viewed in the legal system. The focal point of the evening was the caricature of “Sapphire,” a character made famous on the “Amos n’ Andy” show. According to Ferris State University, the character Sapphire was a berating housewife who saw her husband as a failure and regularly scolded him Sudoku Syndication for his flaws.

Attorney Erane Washington, who practiced law for 26 years and opened her own law firm in 2005, said the Sapphire narrative has not only negatively impacted her clients’ lives, but hers as well. Washington also told a story of road rage between an older Black woman and two young white men. The two white men jumped out of the car and started harassing the woman. Fearing for her life, she placed her gun on the passenger seat and was charged with brandishing a weapon. Though the older woman was acquitted, Washington said she thinks the situation would have progressed much differently if she was white. “If it had been a white man that pulled the gun out to protect himself, nine times out of ten no charges would have occurred,” Washington said. “But it was a Black woman, so she was charged was brandishing a weapon.”

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Ann Arbor residents participate in a die-in at the University of Michigan Museum of Art Saturday.

C.S. Mott hosts car show for kids Friendship inspires annual event on roof for children in hospital

Jennings, former president and editor-in-chief of Automobile Magazine, and Caden Bowles, a young boy born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which left him with half a heart. Caden had a passion for cars that rivaled Read more at michigandaily.com most car experts, Jennings http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ said, which was apparent to OLIVIA SCOTT Daily Staff Reporter everyone he met. The fundraiser is named after a hand-drawn car On Sunday morning, around newsletter Caden created. Meg Zamberlan, pediatric 150 kids, family members and more than 200 volunteers nurse practitioner and pediatric transplant program gathered on top of the parking heart garage at C.S. Mott Children’s coordinator at Mott’s congenital EASY Hospital at the University of heart center, called Automobile Michigan for the sixth annual Magazine when Jennings worked as Editor in Chief, and Jennings Caden’s Car Show. The car show takes place decided to go and visit sevenevery year during the summer year-old Caden. Caden was in the and is preceded by a fundraiser hospital with cancer resulting the Friday before the show. from anti-rejection drugs from Full Throttle, an organization the heart transplant he had when focused on congenital heart he was one. Jennings said when she walked research, raised around $68,000 into Caden’s room he was talking dollars this year. The car show is a way to about Jaguar cars, and she was brighten the Mott patients’ day immediately taken with him. “I walked in that room and and to raise awareness for organ donation, according to Christine I could see the ball of light La Jeunesse, administrative surrounding him,” Jennings director for Congenital Heart said. “This kid was something to Center at Mott. La Jeunesse said reckon with. He was so engaging, she has helped plan the event he was so amazing.” They quickly formed a for the past few years and said it friendship. Jennings said she positively impacts patients. “For the families in the brought him toy cars and books, hospital it’s time away from a and they wrote letters to each difficult time in their life,” La other after Jennings left. Jeunesse said. “It’s sunshine and © sudokusolver.com. For personal use only. SUMMER LIFE puzzle by sudokusyndication.com a sense of hope for the future. “ Read more at michigandaily.com Caden’s Car Show grew out of a friendship between Jean Generate and solve Sudoku, Super Sudoku and Godoku puzzles at sudokusyndication.com!

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Student tapped for athletic trainer oversight board

Thursday, August 8, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

NEWS 3

Gretchen Whitmer selects Morgan McCaul to represent general public ALEX HARRING

Summer Managing News Editor

LSA junior Morgan McCaul has been selected by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, pending state senate approval, to serve on the Michigan Board of Athletic Trainers as a representative of the general public. McCaul, a sister survivor and sexual assault prevention advocate, said her personal experiences with athletic trainers give her a different view to bring to the board. “I think I have a unique perspective to bring to the board, because not only was I introduced to the profession of athletic training as a patient, but I was also victimized during that introduction — under the guise of medical treatment — and the failure to ensure that proper procedures were taking place,” McCaul said. “My priority is really the safety and wellbeing of all Michiganders both in their lives outside of that exam room, but also inside of it.” The statewide board is tasked with overseeing the continued education and competency of those who hold licenses and taking action against those who have adversely affected the health, safety and welfare of the public. It is comprised of 11 total voting members — six athletic trainers, two physicians and three public members — with terms lasting four years. Tiffany Brown, Whitmer’s press secretary, wrote in a statement to The Daily that Whitmer sees McCaul playing an active role in ensuring the work of athletic trainers is conducive to rehabilitation and improved health. “Athletic trainers are vital to the treatment and management of individuals to prevent injury and aid in rehabilitation and conditioning,” Brown wrote. “The

administration is proud to “Especially as a repreappoint Morgan McCaul to sentative of the general pubfurther the mission of the lic, I want to do outreach,” Michigan Board of Athletic McCaul said. “It’s a passion of mine to be a facilitator of Trainers.” McCaul works at Safe- connections and education, House, an organization dedi- so I think using my backcated to ending domestic ground and my professional violence and sexual abuse, experience in the violence and is involved with the prevention sphere can be University of Michigan Sex- something that’s really beneual Assault Prevention and ficial. I hope to bring traumaAwarness Center. She also informed discussions into serves on the board of the the medical profession, both Jane Doe Fund, a proinside and outside choice advocacy group, of my role as a and as a consultant board member.” for Survivor Strong, a According to support network aidthe SAMHSAing survivors through HRSA Center advocacy and educafor Integrated tion. Health Solutions, Part of the an organization reason her run by the abuser National could Councilfor work for Behavso long ioral without Health, anyone traumaraising a informed red flag was care recoghis alleged nizes the expertise in the widespread field of athletic impact of training. One trauma, as of McCaul’s well as the goals as a signs and public member, she said, symptoms is to make of trauma inroads in and integrates knowlincreasing edge about accountability as trauma into well as policies, procedures and educating pract ices. patients. With the goal McCaul also of avoiding said she retraumatihopes to zation, traucreate a ma- informed culture of approaches traumaare linked to informed COURTESY positive health care OF outcomes for among athMORGAN letic trainpatients. MCCAUL ers and University other alum Laura medical Sinko, who profeswrote her sionals. Ph.D. in

Nursing dissertation about trauma and inclusive healthcare, said survivors should have a seat at the table in health care discussions. Just as medical professionals do not know the full extent of their patients’ injuries without listening to them, she said, care cannot be as effective as possible without listening to those who seek it. Sinko said traumainformed care at its core is helping patients receive the professional medical treatment they need in order to reach their desired physical state. She said this type of care is like wearing gloves when touching blood because it is an approach that ensures every person is being treated safely, regardless of prior experiences. “Whenever you’re touching blood products, you need to wear these gloves, because you never know what’s going on in their blood and what they’ve been through,” Sinko said. “You want to protect yourself but you also want to protect them. I think of this similarly to traumainformed care — you always want to be wearing those gloves when you’re interacting with patients, because just because a patient hasn’t disclosed a traumatic experience to us doesn’t mean it hasn’t occurred.” Sinko noted that many people have faced some form of trauma, and a trauma-informed approach can reduce stress among patients. A study from SAMHSA-HRSA found 61 percent of men and 51 percent of women report exposure to at least one traumatic life event. A key part of traumainformed care, Sinko said, is respecting both the patients’ boundaries as well as including survivors in conversations about health care. Read more at michigandaily.com

COURTESY OF CLAIRE HAO

Fest brings vegetarian, vegan food to Washtenaw

Attendees sample plant-based foods, camp at fairgrounds in Ann Arbor CLAIRE HAO

Summer News Editor

Thousands of vegans and vegetarians traveled to the Washtenaw County Fairgrounds on Saturday, Aug. 3, for the third annual Great Lakes Regional VegBash, a Midwestern vegan and vegetarian food festival. Attendees sampled and bought various food, crafts and health products from a wide range of vendors based across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Bill Lonskey, the event organizer and owner of the Quintessential Event Company, explained he started the event hoping to help attendees discover new foods. “We’re a unique event for vegans and vegetarians and those who are interested in exploring more plant-based options in their diet to come out and check out some wonderful restaurants,” Lonskey said. The theme of VegBash 2019 was “The Summer of Veggie Love” in honor of the 50th anniversary of Woodstock,

a 1969 music festival widely associated with the American counterculture movement of the 1960s. In line with the theme, attendees had the opportunity to speak briefly on camera about an area of activism they are passionate about as they walked in. The project, a new introduction this year, will be compiled into a series of videos later posted online, Lonskey said. “Woodstock and the whole hippie movement was a pinnacle time of activism in this country,” Lonskey said. “Vegans and vegetarians particularly are very much into their activism, so we saw a lot of correlation there.” This spirit for activism is at the core of Radical Plants, a vegan-specialty foods company owned by Melissa Heath. By introducing customers to superdip, the company’s oil-free, sugar-free dip, Heath said she hopes to inspire people to follow the company’s slogan and “eat plants for a change.” Read more at michigandaily.com


4 OPINION

Thursday, August 8, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

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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.

ERIN WHITE | OP-ED

I

Read, even when you don’t have to

remember my early childhood as the stack of picture books my parents read to my brother and me each night before we went to bed. My consistent reading habits were rooted in these bedtime stories and grew throughout my primary school experience. I would take bi-weekly library trips with my mom that would result in her cutting the stack of eight novels I brought up to checkout to four. I had every reading phase a young, Gen Z child could have, from my obsession with “Harry Potter” to the classic “Little House on the Prairie,” both of which I enjoyed while using the flashlight I hid under my bed so I could stay up for “just one more chapter.” But as life got busier and filled with school, work and the balance of everything else, recreational reading began to take a backseat in my life. I’m a communication studies and film, television and media double major. I am an editor and (sometimes) writer for The Michigan Daily. I research current events and build presentations for the Residential College forum I co-facilitate. I’ve spent the last 10 weeks of my summer working as an archival research assistant. While I still read constantly, it’s hard to find the drive to read anything not assigned to me in one of my communication-centered obligations. I’m confident this feeling is a popular sentiment among other college students. Research highlights that reading for pleasure can lead to an increase in empathy, improved interpersonal

relationships, reductions in the effects of depression and an increase in general well-being. Additionally, promoting reading for pleasure — especially among children — is considered so important that professors like Jeffrey D. Wilhelm dub it a civil rights issue, an argument taken by him and colleague Michael W. Smith in their book “Reading Unbound,” due to pleasure reading being a “more powerful predictor than even parental socioeconomic status and educational attainment.” Major longitudinal studies highlight the same set of facts about reading in youth: It is one of the greatest explanatory factors of cognitive progress and social mobility. However, despite these benefits, the 2018 American Time Use Survey performed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the share of Americans 15 and older who read for pleasure fell by more than 30 percent since 2004 — dropping from 28 percent to 19 percent. This raises the question: If the general American public isn’t prioritizing reading, how is the next generation going to? While my reading has decreased over the past few years, my connection to it has not. I still acknowledge the impact of reading and writing on my thinking, on my understanding of the world and other identities, on me as a person. Reading provides insight into alternative experiences and perspectives — it is an introduction to the world as a multi-dimensional and complex space. These are the benefits of reading that every English teacher has raved about, but it’s something

that American citizens — including myself — need to do a better job of encouraging in our communities and daily lives. We cannot allow reading rates to continue to decrease. We must push ourselves and those around us, especially those younger than us, to centralize reading. My inspiration for this op-ed spurred from the unfortunate passing of Nobel laureate Toni Morrison on Monday. Morrison’s contributions to literature are prolific, with a body of work that spans 11 novels and also includes both children’s books and essay collections. Her novels, which were revered by both the public and critics, illuminate the Black — and largely female — experience through awe-inspiring prose. Reading about her loss saddened me on behalf of the American public. Her words impacted so many minds and hearts. “Beloved,” the winner of the 1988 Pulitzer Prize and one of my favorite novels of all time, taught me lessons about home, memory and gender that I didn’t know I needed to learn until after I closed back cover. And these feelings of mourning have been common, as evident from the outcries of sympathy and admiration by famous figures, as well as the posts by many of my friends, indicating a deeper emotional and social connection to reading that should be spread throughout our country.

Read more at michigandaily.com Erin White is the Summer Editorial Page Editor and can be reached at ekwhite@umich.edu.

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Thursday, August 8, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SAMANTHA DELLA FERA | COLUMN

I

In pop culture we trust

t’s been a pretty hectic summer. Twenty Democrats have debated each other on stage twice in the lead up to what might be America’s most important election. The nation has seen divisive language coming to a nasty head. And Hannah B. ended her season of “The Bachelorette” by picking lying Jed, who she later dumped, instead of picture-perfect Tyler. America has been through a lot. I’ve spent this summer trying to make sense of it all in the best way I know how — finding a center in pop culture. Pop culture is often mocked, the people who follow it ridiculed. If you can name every “Real Housewife” or every song on today’s Top 40, you’re viewed as less intelligent and less in touch with important societal events. I’ve found the very opposite to be true. The status of a society is often reflected in its culture. I don’t think anything speaks more to the majority’s rejection of Trump than the fact that a country/rap song by a gay Black man is now the longest running Billboard No. 1 ever. Today’s pop culture looks a lot different from the media and music of 10 years ago. There are teenage gay couples on Disney, superheroes that little girls can become and an overall rise in the representation of people of color on TV. While there is still a long way to go before our media truly represents the lives and faces of the American people, the change in who we watch on TV or listen to on Spotify is reflected in our government. Of the top five Democratic presidential candidates, two are women and one — Senator Kamala Harris — is a Black woman who is the daughter of immigrants. Another top five candidate is an openly gay man. Public conversation on progressive policies are being driven by a young Latina woman. Politics is moving into the direction of true representation — but pop culture did it first. Pop culture has seen female presidents, a feat our own country has yet to achieve. Pop culture put a committed gay couple on screen six years before their marriage would be legal. From “Orange is the New Black” to “Hamilton,” pop culture has released visions and ideas into the world that one would not see if they merely read the first two pages of The New York Times without flipping to section C. This isn’t a new development. Mass media and culture has long been seen as a liberal realm, one that will show the controversial material, albeit if for ratings, and get a conversation started. Pop culture is where

kids turn when they want to find ideas different than those spoiled by their parents, to discover if they disagree or not. So why should it be such a bad thing to turn to? Representation is important on so many levels. For the people being represented, it allows them to actually feel recognized, to see that their story is worth telling. On the other hand, it teaches those who may have grown up in a bubble and who were never exposed to stories other than those similar to their own. The face of the government doesn’t change unless the people want it to, and the people won’t want it to change unless they are accustomed to and accepting of a diversity that reflects the United States. Pop culture and media are great ways to provide such exposure. Yes, people will get angry, but society has slowly shifted towards broader representation, and what we see in media now is a lot different than what was shown fifty years ago. This isn’t to say pop culture is the end all, be all of representation or progress. Pop culture still has plenty of issues with its portrayal of body image, race, gender, etc. I don’t believe pop culture is healthy when it is the center of your life, the sun around which you orbit. But being completely blind to it or scoffing at the notion of caring about it is lazy and pretentious. Politics, especially now, have just as much drama, ridiculous figures and toxic traits as an MTV reality show. It is in the harmony between these two toxic, exhausting industries that we find reason, and maybe a sliver of sense in this senseless world. If you spend every morning listening to The Daily podcast, then NPR News Now, then throw in a couple episodes of Lovett or Leave It, that’s great. But your worldview is more limited than you may think, and a huge problem with politics is the exclusivity associated with it by those who dedicate their lives to it. If you’re on the other end, and can list the past 10 winners of Best Picture faster than the best 10 presidents, impressive. But the exclusivity of politics lives in part because few people make an effort to break it down. It may be silly to compare pop culture to politics, some may say it’s like comparing apples to oranges. But with a reality TV star as president and Broadway plays about former presidents, we have moved far past the blurring of the lines. It’s time to accept it, instead of reject it — you might be surprised by the things you learn. Samantha Della Fera can be reached at samdf@umich.edu.

OPINION 5

AKAASH TUMULURI | COLUMN

D

Disney’s monopoly on nostalgia

isney just broke (its own) record for annual box office earnings with five months still to go in 2019. The number? $7.67 billion. That’s on track for $13.15 billion by the end of the year, which would almost double the $7.61 billion record they set in 2016. Disney’s direct production studio, Buena Vista, has captured 38 percent of the market share so far this year, and that doesn’t even include the earnings from recent acquisitions like 21st Century Fox (home of “Dark Phoenix,” “Bohemian Rhapsody”) and multi-studio productions like “Spiderman: Far From Home.” But even excluding those, Disney’s slate this year has been ludicrous: “Avengers: Endgame,” “Aladdin” and “The Lion King” have all grossed over $1 billion each. With “Frozen 2” and the “Star Wars” finale waiting in the wings to close out the year, the house of mouse should find themselves even more comfortable after a profitable 2019. But do you notice something about all these movies? They’re either part of — or ending — an existing franchise or a remake. So, is the industry slowly becoming a vacuum for originality? Or is Disney, in its role as marketmaker, leading the industry away from what Walt himself used to embody: creativity and innovation? Obviously, this is an exaggeration. There are still original movies. This past weekend, Quentin Tanrantino’s “Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood” rewrote history, and Jordan Peele stripped away the comfort of seeing our own reflection with “Us” earlier this year. But both of those movies were greenlit, for the most part, because both directors have track records of success. That’s really all Disney wants: proven capability in the market. Few truly original scripts are even produced for the silver screen these days, a symptom of streaming companies like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon buying and turning those ideas into longer-form, binge-worthy content that can be re-signed for a second season if successful. In short, they turn those ideas into TV. Movies have followed suit. Instead of “Toy Story: Season

4”, we get “Toy Story 4.” We get a spit-shined “The Lion King” remake with diversity to somewhat rectify the vanilla original cast of a movie set in Africa. But it’s not just Disney. Lionsgate’s biggest movie this year is “John Wick: Chapter 3.” Sony’s biggest movie this year is “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (which was still made in conjunction with Marvel, owned by Disney). Universal’s biggest movie is about to be, barring a catastrophic fluke, “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.” Their current worldwide biggie is “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” which is intellectual property from an acquired company (DreamWorks Animation). Warner’s biggest movie will most likely be “It Chapter Two,” and Paramount’s biggest is likely to be “Terminator: Dark Fate,” per Scott Mendelson of Forbes.

Is the industry slowly becoming a vacuum for originality? So, it’s tough to say that Disney has caused this proliferation of recycled intellectual property. Moviegoers in a content-saturated, streamingdominated market want to have some security in their investment, especially when they could’ve just stayed at home and watched something else on their streaming app of choice. “Going to the movies” just isn’t necessary anymore. The public now requires the movie to be “an event” to even show up. “Avengers,” “The Lion King,” “Star Wars”: we go to those movies for the community presence, the experience of shared fandom and the nostalgia of growing with characters. And that is why Disney owns the box office — they own nostalgia. Millennials who grew up on the Disney animated features of the ’90s are having their own children, and Disney is hoping to influence them also, continuing

the cycle of recycled nostalgia. The one good part about remaking movies is the opportunity to fix their original mistakes. Disney, in particular, has made a conscious effort to rectify the diversity issues that have plagued Hollywood, with “Black Panther,” “Aladdin” and “The Lion King” featuring diverse casts, the remake of “A Little Mermaid” featuring an African American Ariel, and “Captain Marvel” showing off a strong female lead. That is the most valuable asset of the Disney “entertaimpire”: the ability to introduce diversity and still make money. Movies like “If Beale Street Could Talk,” “BlacKkKlansman” and “Moonlight,” while highlighting stories less told and winning Oscars, will never net anywhere near the amount any Marvel movie will — so Marvel can afford, and is given the freedom, to franchise a movie with an allBlack cast; the “suits” of entertainment can still expect to make back their investments with “Black Panther 2.” But nowhere in the future will we be seeing a “BlacKkKlansman 2,” so we need to see diversity wherever we can, even if it is under a superhero costume or princess makeup. It is also why those voices of diversity are starting to be heard louder on TV and streaming media. Shows like “Atlanta,” “Insecure,” “Master of None” and “Ramy” are winning Emmys and slaying ratings, because money is made differently and audiences want something different in TV than in traditional films. So, until Disney runs out of iterations of its own ideas, it seems like we’re due for a slate of stories that we’ve heard before, at least on the big screen. And with Disney+ launching in 2020, don’t expect the king of entertainment to give up its crown anytime soon. If you’re looking for something new, something authentic or something that’s plain different, look on your phone. You’re more likely to find it there than anywhere else. Akaash Tumuluri can be reached at tumula@umich.edu.


6 ARTS

Thursday, August 8, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SINGLE REVIEW

FILM REVIEW

Brockhampton’s been born again

A24

‘The Farewell’ is at once sorrowful and beautiful SAMANTHA NELSON Daily Arts Writer

There’s a saying that no one has your back like family. Through the good, the bad and the ugly, the people who have been by our side from the start are (hopefully) the ones we can turn to when the going gets tough. With endless ways to define what makes a “family,” it would seem nearly impossible to capture the essence of the word in just one film. That said, by illuminating the universal inescapability of our roots, in “The Farewell,” director Lulu Wang (“Posthumous”) commendably depicts the power that the people who raise us and the places we call home have over us all. While navigating the trials and tribulations of young adulthood, independent and witty Billi (Awkwafina, “Crazy Rich Asians”) learns of her beloved grandmother Nai Nai’s lung cancer diagnosis. Torn apart at the news, Billi is in disbelief over her family’s intentions not to tell Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhou) she is fatally ill. As the extended family gathers together in China, under the guise of Billi’s cousin’s faux wedding, their reunion is bittersweet, with each family member anticipating the loss of the adored family matriarch. Though

opposed to the family consensus, Billi promises to bite her tongue and play along with the fabrication, her heart set on enjoying what little time she has left with Nai Nai. Central to the film’s success is the pure, loving bond between Nai Nai and Billi. Despite the generational, cultural and lingual gaps between them, their connection is incred-

The Farewell A24 The State Theatre

ibly strong. Awkwafina’s personable humor and Shuzhen Zhou’s embodiment of Nai Nai’s matriarchal yet warm temperament is a dynamite combination. Their relationship gives the film focus, a point of reference that we graciously grab onto while confronting the complex overlap of funny and tear-jerking moments. When we look at Nai Nai and Billi, we don’t just see a grandmother and a granddaughter. We see a friendship, an attachment that is built on care, trust and love, not just shared blood. While the film’s core revolves around the intricacy of familial love, the underlying narrative of Billi’s self-discovery journey holds a sig-

nificant role. Born Chinese but raised in the U.S., Billi’s visit to see Nai Nai pushes her to face the duality of her identity, as well as others’ perceptions of that duality. When checking into a hotel her first night in China, the concierge lights up at the revelation that Billi is from the U.S., probing her about whether it is “better.” Billi awkwardly deflects the question, answering that neither the U.S. or China is better, but both are different. Though the context of the scene is quite lighthearted, Billi’s response holds a lot of depth. She has unbreakable ties to both countries, with some pieces of her rooted in America and others eternally belonging to China. Neither is superior to the other because both are, in their own ways, home. “The Farewell” reminds us that familial love, like love in all its forms, is messy. Though there are times that it pulls at our heart strings, there are others where it makes us belly laugh. The mixed emotions we feel perfectly tie into the complex feelings of grief, nostalgia and joy that the characters are grappling with. Filled with moments of beauty and sorrow, “The Farewell” may conjure up a few laughs, or even make you shed a few tears. One thing is certain though: When the lights go black, you’ll definitely want to give your grandma a call.

eerily pitched for a chopped and screwed sound, and his abstract DYLAN YONO lyrics are silky smooth. Summer Senior Arts Writer Afterward the beat breaks down and an out-of-place bridge Hip hop’s most beloved boy echoes, “You oughta be ashamed band is back on the album roll- of yourselves.” Matt Champion out circuit for their upcoming closes the song with a catchy record GINGER, and they’re outro, but Dom Mclennon and here in full form on “I BEEN Merlyn Wood don’t add much to BORN AGAIN”: All six vocalists the track — in fact, Merlyn manon the track, a bass-booming ages to make it weird in his brief beat from in-house producers appearance when he says, “She Romil Hemnani and Jabari so bad I let her touch my butt.” Manwa and a gritty black-and- It’s a goofy line and a mental white music video accompany- image nobody asked for. (“Merlyn, what the fuck?”) ing the single. One of the musical elements The track starts with a breathy and blood-curdling that garnered BROCKHAMPTON so much love intro that turns on their SATUthe group RATION trilogy dynamic on its is catchy hooks, head once you the kind of chorealize it’s bearrus that wraps face delivering ‘I BEEN BORN its words around the sinister lyrAGAIN’ your brain. The ics. Although group scrapped BROCKHAMPBROCKHAMPTON their stickyTON switched RCA (Question sounding hooks up their forEverything) for more experimula in 2018, mental song bearface is still structures on irithe most undedescence. A catchy rutilized vocalhook is absent on ist, making his “I BEEN BORN appearance on AGAIN” too, a album-closing ballads and the occasional sign that GINGER will continue bridge or chorus. Hopefully this to switch up the formula, experteases more new bearface cuts imenting with their sound and structure. to come. While “I BEEN BORN Layers of instrumentation make waves on this beat, but it’s AGAIN” shows that the chemas if each sound pops in and out istry is back and all the boys to give the others time to shine: are showing up to bat, it’s easy piano keys, an ominous synth, to miss the old BROCKHAMPrecord scratches, chants and TON formula. Long gone are claps and kicks and hats over guarantees of a catchy hook a booming bass. It’s densely from Kevin, or show-stealing packed without being overbear- verses from Matt and Dom. ing, cartoonish but a little bit While the track still holds up, creepy — almost reminiscent of it’s hard not to think about it: If “The Grim Adventures of Billy Dom and Merlyn’s quick verses and the bridge were cut and the & Mandy.” Lyrics have been in tighter song had a proper hook instead, focus on more recent releases for the whole song would land so the band, and here is no excep- much stronger. It’s good that tion. Kevin Abstract’s verse is BROCKHAMPTON continues intensely personal as usual. He to experiment — the SATURAcontinues to talk about a lot of TION formula would get old the things he spoke on in iri- after a while — but this track descence and his solo release shows they still haven’t nailed a ARIZONA BABY. Joba’s voice is new dynamic.


Thursday, August 8, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

MUSIC NOTEBOOK

DESIGN BY KATHRYN HALVERSON

Wainwright: A renaissance musician and songwriter CLARA SCOTT Senior Arts Editor

“You can never publish my love,” Rogue Wave chants, in the song that the title of this series riffs on. Maybe that’s true, and we can never quite account for our love on paper or in print, but we sure can try. That’s what this series is devoted to: publishing our love. Us, the Arts section of The Michigan Daily, talking about artists, some of the people we love the most. Perhaps these are futile approximations of love for the poet who told us we deserve to be heard, the director who changed the way we see the world, the singer we see as an old friend. But who ever said futile can’t still be beautiful? The story of my love for Rufus Wainwright begins in a darkened auditorium. The crowd bustles, hushed giggles and whispers muted by the shuffle of feet returning to their spots. I was already seated, my face eerily blue as the light of my phone reflected back on me. The setlists for every previous artist lined the screen as my cursor dropped to the bottom. I don’t know anything by this guy, I thought. I didn’t know what he looked like, either, mistaking the guitar tech for the performer and prematurely clapping. On the second

night of coverage for the Ann Arbor Folk Festival this year, I was expecting more folk from the headliner. What I didn’t anticipate was something beyond any genre, a voice that would stick with me like a pleasant parasite for the foreseeable future. I’m sure I had heard Wainwright’s music before in passing — The man is something of a musical unicorn, an artist Elton John once called “the greatest songwriter on the planet” and has released 10 albums, written two full-length operas and performed on five continents. Still, Wainwright is something of a well-kept secret for musicians and performers alike, as we cherish his success, but still hope to keep his genius to ourselves. Rufus Wainwright isn’t just a singer: He does everything, in a way you would never expect. His unpredictability is delightful, his humor brash, his outlook both joyous and nihilistic. Everyone can get something out of his music, and the same person can gather different things from those songs throughout their life. Wainwright’s work is classic in that way, and translates to each era of growth like a well-loved novel might. So, when he finished his set that night in Ann Arbor, I turned to my fellow music writer to talk about it and realized that my face was wet with tears. The performance had been so

moving that I hadn’t even realized I was crying in the first place. I have been in Hill Auditorium so many times that it barely feels like a venue anymore, but Wainwright changed that. My posture straightened, the beams vibrated with each note from his Steinway grand, his voice resonated through the half-shell auditorium like summer air. And from then on, I finally got it. All the things I hated about his voice with his first song of the set ― the nasality, the theatrical flair, the sarcasm in every word ― made sense by the end of the night. What Wainwright was doing wasn’t just putting on a show, but telling a drawn-out story of his life, of all of our lives in the microcosms of specific moments. From then on, I was hooked. His talent for capturing these moments, whether they are profound (“In the drifting white snow / You loved me” of “Dinner at Eight”), or darkly funny (“Now I’m drunk and wearing flip flops on Fifth Avenue” of “Poses”), is what makes Wainwright stand out. There are several artists from the early-aughts era he came up in who managed to fuse folk, rock and theatrics in the same way, like Regina Spektor and Imogen Heap, but no one does it quite as well as Rufus. People tend to point to his musical heritage to divine the source of this

talent, as he was parented by wellknown folk musicians Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle, but I believe he is merely an unlikely product of his circumstances. He flitted between Montreal and New York for much of his childhood, seeing the beauty and the ugliness of both cities in good time. By the time Wainwright reached adulthood, he was already fully self-realized, a proud gay man with a penchant for the weirder corners of this world. In one of his most well-known songs, “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk,” Wainwright explains this plainly: “Everything it seems I like’s a little bit stronger / A little bit thicker, a little bit harmful for me.” The lyrics dance over a polka piano beat, his languid baritone stretching across the notes like honey over toast. It just makes sense to the ears, like most of his work does. As a person who’s grown up around music for much of her life, listening to Wainwright’s songs is an equally inspiring and daunting experience. His melodies aren’t obvious to the instrumentals, and sometimes a full horn section comes out of nowhere, but somehow, it works perfectly. He can blatantly steal a Spanish bolero beat (“Oh What A World”) and turn it into a meditation on modern life within five minutes. He can reappropriate a Beatles song (“Across the

ARTS 7

Universe”), a Leonard Cohen song (“Hallelujah”), and produce covers so convincing some people don’t realize they’re not his words. To me, Wainwright represents the infinite possibilities of music, beyond what any of us could hum in the shower or think of in our wildest dreams. This translates beyond his studio recordings and into performance seamlessly. It’s why I cried in Hill Auditorium that night, and every time I’ve looked up live videos on YouTube since. I really can’t help it ― when someone captures the ups and downs of life in our fucked-up world so well, you have no choice but to let it take you on a ride. His songs feel like screaming out of windows on freeways, like walking through streetlight-dotted roads in the middle of the night, like tumbling out of the rain into a warm home. His music is unabashedly truthful, mixing the dirty laundry of reality with the points of light along the way. And still, it never feels contrived. Wainwright knows how to write a song that will make you feel everything at once, make everyone feel like a “beautiful child again.” From the soaring highs of happiness to the lowest lows of addiction and grief, he doesn’t hide anything. Wainwright embraces it, making the raw nerve of human emotion into a striking sculpture of his own creation.


8 NEWS

Thursday, August 8, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

‘U’ study finds Flint an injust census district School for Environment and Sustainability names most environmentally harmful areas in the country MICHAL RUPRECHT Daily Staff Reporter

A study published last month by the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability reported Detroit, Grand Rapids,

Flint, Saginaw, Lansing and Kalamazoo as some of the most environmentally unjust areas in the country. University alum Laura Grier, Delia Mayor and Brett Zeuner co-authored the study with their faculty advisor, SEAS professor

Classifieds

Paul Mohai. The group wrote in an email to The Daily the study is the first comprehensive quantitative and qualitative assessment of environmental justice in Michigan. The researchers proved environmental injustice exists in the state of Michigan and an online

Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com

Release Date: Thursday, August 8, 2019

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

FOR RENT

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

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34 Singer Fogelberg 36 Mauna __ 37 Fortune rival 39 Seized wheels 40 Ambiguous response 43 Short 44 Japanese title of respect 45 Roofing pieces 46 Trick-taking card game

47 Recital bonus 49 Private teachers 52 Like much of Idaho 53 Nasty type 54 Hightail it 55 Hitch on the fly 59 Utah city on I-15 62 Private aid prog. 63 Spot for a recliner 64 Tolkien creature 65 Manhattan liquor

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environmental justice screening tool is feasible and desired. They also found a screening tool must be accompanied by strong state-level policy that supports communities burdened by high risk of exposure to environmental hazards. Zeuner mentioned states like California use an environmental justice screening tool to leverage funding to communities most impacted by environmental justice issues. Grier added their study provides the state of Michigan with concrete, comprehensive and practical information about possible ways to address environmental injustices. She wrote she hopes Michigan adopts a similar screening tool. “We also hope it encourages the Environmental Protection Agency and other national environmental leaders to consider cumulative impacts when making environmental decisions instead of one pollutant or facility at a time,” Grier wrote. “Specifically in Michigan, we hope this study encourages the State to adopt a screening tool, consult with impacted communities in permitting and policy decisions and consider cumulative environmental impacts.” Mayor added if Michigan adopts an environmental justice screening tool, funding could be prioritized better and future environmental injustices could be avoided. “We hope to see is that this information could be used by decision-makers to both prevent further environmental exposures

and to prioritize allocation of funding to correct the already experienced impacts,” Mayor wrote. The group partnered with the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition to interview 30 environmental justice leaders. They also used social and environmental data from the EPA, Department of Housing and Urban Development and Census Bureau to rank Michigan’s census districts. According to the researchers, the Flint water crisis was a result of environmental injustice. The water crisis began in April 2014 after the drinking water source for the city of Flint was changed from Lake Huron and the Detroit River to the Flint River to save money. Several scientists including Mona Hanna-Attisha and Marc Edwards have denounced drinking water quality data collected under the Safe Drinking Water Act Lead and Copper Rule by the EPA during the Flint water crisis. Zeuner wrote the group didn’t use that data and instead used a lead exposure indicator from the EPA, which is the percentage of homes within a census district that were built before 1960. The researchers used the indicator to represent a risk of exposure from lead-based paint and lead pipes. The research group quantified environmental injustice on a map and based injustice on 11 environmental indicators and six demographic indicators. Read more at michigandaily.com

08/08/19

08/08/19

ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/DAILY


Thursday, August 8, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

MICHIGAN IN COLOR 9

On Punjab

“I took it at Dr. Hari Singh Sevak Senior Secondary School in Kot Kapoora, Punjab (school named after my Nana ji, parental grandfather in my mom’s hometown)”

HARNOOR SINGH MiC Assistant Editor

Punjab. Literally the land of five rivers. . . or, well, it used to be. You see, even the name of our homeland brings pain these days. How can I tell you the pain of Punjab? Quite honestly, it is a pain that I can hardly even understand. My experience as a member of the Punjabi diaspora has been filled with tragic realizations, one after the other. In the moments where I realize that my Bebe Ji (maternal grandmother) did not just “develop” a brain tumor, but she likely developed it after growing up and spending much of her life in the “Cancer belt” of Punjab, a region so named due to the presence of villages having cancer rates near 100 percent. This, of course, is the result of Indian state-man-

dated pesticides that used by farmers in the region. Mind you, those pesticides were not needed when farmers were able to grow the crops they wanted on their land. The Green Revolution and the Indian State, in collaboration with powers in the West like Rockefeller, the U.S. and others, forced these farmers to adhere to Western standards of farming that were designed for high yield. What they did not realize was that these farmers had the wisdom of their ancestors and knew how to take care of this land. These crops and the water they require are drying up a water table that has allowed Punjab to be one of the most fertile places on earth, yet soon Punjab will be a desert. The land of five rivers reduced to none. The pain I feel comes from the fact that on this issue alone I could talk for days on end about farmer suicide, can-

cer rates, and how farming families are slowly being destroyed by the Indian state. There are so many more issues in my ancestral homeland. And you see it was these farmers that invented this bhangra that you all enjoy so much, or perhaps you’ll recognize it more if I refer to it as “bong-ra”. You see, those same farmers that used to dance so joyously when their crops were successful are the ones committing suicide as their work only brings profits in their dreams these days. The five rivers are now diverted from the land of Punjab and sold back to Punjabi farmers. And yet that same water is sent to the rest of India for free. Yet I see so many engage in Punjabi culture without even realizing that the derivatives of my culture that they participate in may be all that is left of it in a few decades. All I ask

is that you realize how little is left of authentic Punjabi culture and the fact that the Indian state is systematically destroying Punjabi land and culture in a pure act of empire. The links to Palestinians being robbed of their water by the Israeli state should be recognized, but this also just proves that Imperial states are not creative in their violence. And of course, now we see Kashmir being prepared for full-on occupation as the Indian state, using their philosophy of Hindutva, attempts to finally complete its colonial project of destroying the one of the Muslim-majority state in the South Asian region. Of course, I cannot do Kashmir justice in a few lines, but I plead to all of you to educate yourself on what is happening to my Kashmiris and Palestinians and support their resistance and efforts to finally be free. But I

Courtesy of Harnoor Singh

digress . . . This is not a claim of cultural appropriation. This is a plea to simply recognize that the minimizing of Punjabi culture to songs about “Patiala peg” and whatever other intoxicant y’all want to romanticize this week is just another violence on top of what Punjab has been put through for the past 72 years if you want to only speak of Indian state-sponsored violence. I just hope that I will see some responsibility in how Punjabi culture is represented in spaces and not simply minimized to hype music and getting hammered. For those of us that spend every day learning more and more about how much we lost, please remember us next time you understand Punjabi culture within this minimalistic lens. The spirit of Punjab cannot be boxed in, no matter how hard y’all try.


10 SPORTS Michigan hockey roster preview: An overview of returning players Thursday, August 8, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

JORGE CAZARES & TIEN LE Summer Managing Sports Editors

The Michigan hockey team’s season ended earlier than expected in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis. After an inconsistent regular season, the Wolverines were unable to collect themselves and make a deep postseason run. Players and coaches alike assert that it was not a season up to par with normal program standards. If this year is any different, the returning players and coaches will need to turn the sour taste from last year into a sustained level of motivation and urgency that, at times, eluded last season’s team. The Daily breaks down Michigan’s returning players for this season. Senior defenseman Luke Martin Martin enters his senior season as perhaps the most polished returning defenseman. He injured his left arm in February and missed the rest of the year. Prior to the injury, he recorded 6 assists in 28 games, finishing with a plus-one rating in plus-minus — good for third-best among Wolverine defensemen. Senior defenseman Griffin Luce Luce finished with the team lead in blocked shots, 74, along with one goal and three assists last season. He was a mainstay on the left side of the blue line for Michigan last year, appearing in 35 games. Prior to Martin’s injury in February, the two were a strong defensive pairing. If the two are paired together once again for their senior seasons, expect solid defense and physicality at the cost of some offensive upside. Sophomore defenseman Jack Summers Summers received inconsistent playing time to begin his freshman campaign. After the injury to Martin, Summers was frequently slotted alongside Nick Boka. The sophomore is a solid skater with offensive potential. He finished with one goal and 10 assists over 29 games last year. It would not come as a surprise to see him take on a more consistent role next season as an extra defenseman or starter, in light of the departures of Joseph Cecconi and Quinn Hughes. Sophomore defenseman Jake Gingell Gingell appeared in only one game last season after spending two seasons in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms. The physical lefty may be an option for Michigan coach Mel Pearson as an extra skater after a season of getting accustomed

with the program. Senior defenseman Christian Meike Meike played in two games last season, recording a goal in an exhibition match against Waterloo. The senior adds depth to the defense — whether he will receive extended playing time remains to be seen. Sophomore defenseman/ forward Nick Blankenburg Blankenburg was arguably the most impressive freshman on the team last season. He is a fast skater and good shot creator — dynamic enough to receive time at both forward and defenseman. Pearson referred to Blankenburg as a “Quinn Hughes lite.” The sophomore did struggle at times as an off-puck defender but showed the ability to make up for it with his aggressiveness and speed. If he cuts down on his defensive gambles and becomes more comfortable as a defender, he will continue to make an impact on both ends of the ice. Junior forward Jack Becker At six-foot-four and 205 pounds, Becker has the potential to be a dominant forward on the ice. After a promising freshman season in which he recorded 15 points and two game-winning goals, he turned in similar numbers in his sophomore campaign — 15 points on six goals and nine assists. Becker can be one of the driving forces on offense if he sees an uptick in production. Senior forward Will Lockwood Lockwood faced the decision of whether to leave for the NHL or return for his senior season this summer. He chose the latter and became the 100th captain in program history. The Bloomfield Hills-native led the Wolverines with 16 goals and will spearhead the offense once again. His combination of speed and stick handling makes him a difficult matchup for most collegiate defenders. The secondround selection by the Canucks is Michigan’s most polished scorer and became one of the main sources of offense after Josh Norris’s seasonending injury in January. Lockwood will be featured on the top line, likely alongside some combination of senior forwards Jake Slaker, Nick Pastujov and junior Jack Becker. Junior forward Dakota Raabe Last season, Raabe was a part of two units that impressed and improved as the season progressed. His line with Garrett Van Wyhe and Nolan Moyle drew praise from Pearson for their yeoman-like effort.

ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily

Michigan hockey coach Mel Pearson will enter his third season as head coach of the Wolverines with plenty of talent.

For that reason, Van Wyhe and Raabe were often called upon to kill penalties. Raabe is among the fastest skaters on the team, and despite his relatively small stature, was also among the team leaders in blocked shots for a forward. After an impressive sophomore season, expect Raabe to continue to make strides on the penalty kill as well as improving his offensive repertoire. Senior forward Jake Slaker Slaker enters his senior season as a potential top-line forward and figures to be a big part of the offense once again. He excelled on the top line at the beginning of the year alongside Norris and Lockwood, but eventually switched lines after Norris’s injury. Slaker was streaky last year, accumulating the majority of his points at the beginning of the season before going into a midseason slump. The lefty has a strong shot, good vision and often played around the net. Senior forward Adam Winborg Winborg struggled to crack the rotation early on in his junior season. But by the time November came around, he was receiving consistent playing time. First it was his faceoff success the impressed. Over his first three games last season, he went 18-26 in the faceoff circle. Then, he showed enough consistency for Pearson to decide to keep Winborg in the lineup — he went on to play in 27 games, recording five points. Entering his senior season, he brings a solid faceoff presence and stability up the middle of the ice. Sophomore forward Jack Olmstead Olmstead appeared in seven games

last season, scoring his only goal in a 3-1 victory against St. Lawrence. Perhaps after a year of building familiarity with the program, he will receive an extended opportunity for ice time. Junior forward Michael Pastujov Pastujov is a skilled skater and playmaker who showed some inconsistency throughout last season. After recording three points over the first four games of the season and being featured on the top line, he hit a dry spell. From Oct. 7 to Dec. 1, Pastujov recorded just one point and missed three games due to injury. After being a healthy scratch at Ohio State in January, he rebounded and reemerged as a contributor — including five goals over the course of two series against Penn State and Michigan State. If he can piece together a consistent year, Pastujov can help address some of the Wolverines’ offensive woes from last season. Senior forward Nick Pastujov Pastujov has improved upon his season totals in each of his three seasons thus far. Last season, he finished with 11 goals and 13 assists — often slotted in alongside Lockwood after the injury to Norris. Pastujov told the Daily earlier this summer that though the confidence in his game is high, he is still looking to make strides and continue his trend. Pastujov, along with Lockwood and Slaker will lead Michigan’s offensive attack this winter. Sophomore forward Garrett Van Wyhe Van Wyhe is often one of the larger players on the ice, but what makes his skillset unique is his combination

of size and speed. It made him an effective penalty killer alongside Raabe and contributed towards his four goals and six assists over 36 games. Van Wyhe continued to improve as the season progressed. If that trend continues, he will play an even larger role next season. Sophomore forward Jimmy Lambert The sophomore forward played in 31 games, tallying four goals and nine assists for thirteen points. In the latter half of the year, he broke out of his slump and started producing, scoring and assisting on two big goals against Wisconsin late in the seasons. Redshirt-junior forward Luke Morgan Morgan played in all 36 games last season, finishing with six goals and seven assists. He is a physical forward who became a solid contributor after getting off to a slow start on the stats sheet. Expect Morgan to play an equally big role this season in his second season on the ice. Sophomore forward Nolan Moyle Moyle appeared in 30 games last season, putting up seven goals and three assists. He offered a consistent physical presence on the fourth line alongside Raabe and Van Wyhe. Once the line founds its chemistry, Moyle found his groove. If he makes the jump with the rest of the fourth line, Moyle could become a 20-point scorer. Senior goaltender Hayden Lavigne Lavigne earned the starting job over the offseason between his

Read more on michigandaily.com


Thursday, August 8, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SPORTS 11

Four position battles to watch as Michigan starts fall camp MAX MARCOVITCH Managing Sports Editor

It must be August already, because fall camp is just starting to ramp up under the distinct whiff of optimism. The possibilities for the Michigan football team are endless and the hope, as it always does about this time, springs eternal. This summer, that enthusiasm is catalyzed by the promise of a revamped, modernized offense from new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. The Michigan offense returns at least seven starters from last year’s squad, led by senior quarterback Shea Patterson — and all-Big Ten caliber receivers, Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones. If Gattis is the engine behind the hype train, that trio is the wheels. The defensive alignment comes with a few extra question marks this year. The Wolverines lost several key contributors from last year’s defense, including first-round picks Devin Bush and Rashan Gary, along with Chase Winovich and David Long, among others. The unit is once again backstopped by Don Brown, though, who has coached his defense to no worse than third in the nation in total defense during his time at Michigan. For now, that all amounts to a consensus, if not unilateral, anointment as the preseason Big Ten favorite. But there is still plenty to be sorted out before the ball kicks at the Big House in 25 days. Here are four position battles — two on offense, two on defense — to monitor throughout the coming weeks. Stueber vs. Mayfield at right tackle: The battle for the fifth and final starting offensive line spot appears to be the most highprofile, mano-a-mano battle on the team. Junior Andrew Stueber played in 11 games last year, including starts against Ohio State and Florida when Juwann Bushell-Beatty was injured at the end of the year. Perhaps there’s something to glean from those starts, as Stueber largely held his own in both games. That hardly inf luenced the outcome of either game, of course — two losses by a combined 49 points. Jalen Mayfield comes in with

less experience, but might have the higher upside of the two. After coming to Michigan a highly-touted recruit, Mayfield secured his redshirt last season while still appearing in three games. He’s a guy who, longterm, has the athletic build to be a starter at either tackle spot. For now, this one seems to be roughly a coin f lip. The two split reps in the spring game and spring public practices. Mayfield brings the upside and athleticism of a potential future NFL pick, Stueber carries the experience and reliability the coaches covet. Both will likely get their shot early in the season to be the entrenched starter, with the high likelihood — either via injury or rotation — that both see major time this year. Who’s going to step up at running back? Karan Higdon is gone, and so goes his 1,178 yards and 224 carries from a year ago. The remaining running backs/ fullbacks on the roster — Tru Wilson, Zach Charbonnet, Christian Turner, Ben Van Sumeran and Ben Mason — bring a combined 119 career carries and 544 yards into fall camp. That’s not to say the cupboard is entirely barren, but for now, there are more questions than answers. Much is made of Wilson’s tenacity and shiftiness, but what really endears him most to the coaching staff, and thus what makes him the safest option at the moment, is his sound passblocking. He is the de facto starter until someone takes it from him. With uncertainty abound, that’s no inevitability. Charbonnet has been handicapped by a knee injury that held him out of spring practice, making the uphill battle of freshman fall camp an even more lofty burden. He is, however, the most highly-touted running back recruit Michigan has had in quite some time — and the staff has done nothing but sing his praises in the interim. Turner f lashed glimpses of his vision and quickness in the Peach Bowl loss to Florida, including a 41-yard touchdown run that was eventually called back. He also tallied 55 yards in a win against Nebraska earlier in the year. If anyone is to snatch Higdon’s workhorse mantle, it seems

ALEC COHEN/Daily

Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh has several decisions to make after the fall training camp though he’s returning several starters.

likeliest to come from Turner, a running back of similar ilk. Smart money is on a by-committee approach, with Turner ending up with the highest snap count of the group, and Van Sumeran and Mason grabbing a few carries here and there. Charbonnet, ultimately, is the wild card. If he makes the most of an opportunity early, he could ascend earlier than expected. What will Daxton Hill’s role look like? Is this a cop-out? Sure. But where — and if — Daxton Hill sees regular time from the getgo might be the most intriguing defensive storyline still to sort out. He comes to Michigan one of the most coveted recruits in program history, with experience at safety but talent to play elsewhere. Safety is an option. He could slot at VIPER. He could play nickel. There is a more obvious

immediate need at nickel, with scant cornerback depth potentially looming. If you view Hill as a plug-and-play, threeyear starter at safety, though, there is a real question as to why you’d then risk hindering his development simply to Band-Aid over a short-term need. This is a guy who could be a top-10 pick one day. You want to mess with that? That all assumes Hill — who did not enroll early — is ready to go from day one. Even for the elite of the elite, that’s not an assumption you can bank on. What happens to the second cornerback spot? The cornerback room was already thin. Now, it appears, an injury to Ambry Thomas is adding to that strain. “Ambry Thomas... he’s working through a little something right now,” Harbaugh told reporters at Big Ten Media Days. “We’re hopeful he’ll get back with us.”

That ambiguity cannot be a welcome sign, weeks before a season that portended Thomas’ breakout. He was the natural heir to David Long’s spot on the other end of Lavert Hill. If Thomas is in fact healthy and ready to go, he could still occupy that spot, all of that could still come to fruition. If not, the Wolverines will have a competition of guys without much experience. The 2018 recruiting class featured four cornerbacks, of which Vincent Gray appears the closest to breaking through. Gemon Green and D.J. Turner could figure into that mix, too. This spring will be about identifying which, if any, of those guys could be ready to play meaningful time — and if Thomas will be ready to go. If the answer to those questions is no, the defense could find itself in some real trouble before too long.


12 SPORTS

Thursday, August 8, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Notebook: Josh Gattis talks offense at the start of fall camp ETHAN SEARS

Managing Sports Editor

At Big Ten Media Days last month, Maryland coach Mike Locksley made headlines in characterizing the workload distribution between himself and Josh Gattis. The two were co-offensive coordinators at Alabama last year, though Gattis’ responsibilities also included the receivers. When Locksley got the Maryland job, he originally intended to bring Gattis with him, per reports at the time, but then Jim Harbaugh got involved. Gattis instead went to Michigan, taking sole responsibility of the Wolverines’ offense. “(Gattis) was very helpful as an assistant in our program,” Locksley said last month. “He had an opportunity to see me call every play and put together game plans.” On Wednesday, speaking to media for the first time since Michigan opened fall camp last week, Gattis confirmed that he wasn’t calling plays for the Crimson Tide, as he

will for the Wolverines. However, he took some exception to the latter part of Locksley’s comments. “Mike Locksley can say I watched him call every play, but ask him where the game plans usually come from,” Gattis said. “So I’m fine with that. He did call every play, and I’ve got a notebook upstairs with all the game plans written down in them. But I’ve got tremendous respect for him, obviously.” Sniping aside, Gattis faces the mammoth task of satiating expectation that has only grown since the spring. Michigan’s offense returns most of its starters, including senior quarterback Shea Patterson, and with Gattis running the show and implementing a spread, it’s expected to buoy the Wolverines. It’s the first time during the Jim Harbaugh era that the comfort of the fan base rests on the offense. Gattis — as well as the experience that comes back — is the reason why. “Shea is playing the lights out right now,” Gattis said. “I was a little bit worried about him because he spent

so much time on the golf course this summer. But his playmaking, his ball placement, his footwork in the pocket, I’ve been really pleased. He’s playing at a really big-time level, so he sets the standard. The other players around him can really see it.” That’s the kind of thing you expect to hear about a senior quarterback in fall camp — all positive. Given that Patterson is coming off the best season a Michigan quarterback has had this side of Denard Robinson, and is now playing in an offense tailored to his skill-set, there’s no reason to doubt Gattis. • At running back, the biggest question mark going into the year for the Wolverines’ offense, Gattis said Michigan likes all five of their options: Tru Wilson, Christian Turner, Zach Charbonnet, Hassan Haskins and Ben VanSumeran. Realistically, the battle for the starting job is between the first three, with Charbonnet, the freshman, being perhaps the most intriguing option. “Zach’s maturity stood out right

away to us, as did the way he is always in the weight room and the coach’s offices,” Gattis said. “He missed all of spring ball but still hasn’t made any mistakes in fall camp.” • Gattis highlighted Mike Sainristil’s production at wide receiver, little surprise after the freshman earned rave reviews throughout spring ball. He also made sure to mention Cornelius Johnson in the same breath. Johnson, a freshman from Connecticut, has the kind of physicality to compete in the Big Ten already. However, it would be a surprise to see him earn real playing time given Michigan’s depth at receiver. • Unsurprisingly, Gattis didn’t name a starter at right tackle, only praising both Jalen Mayfield and Andrew Stueber. Given the precedent set by Harbaugh, Michigan shouldn’t be expected to give away who the starter is before the Aug. 31 opener against Middle Tennessee State. • Donovan Peoples-Jones has

been practicing through a groin injury, though Gattis didn’t say whether the receiver was at 100 percent. In the spring, Harbaugh said the injury could go into the season, so take this as a positive development. “He’s been making plays and has dnoe a really good job kind oof taking it over and learning the details and techniquest that we learn at that position and applying them this camp,” Gattis said. “He missed all of that this spring, but he’s done a nice job catching up.” • As for the defense, coordinator Don Brown said that junior cornerback Ambry Thomas hasn’t returned to practice, nor did he specify a timeline. The nature of Thomas’ injury is unclear. • Brown also said that senior defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour is practicing, though still working his way through a torn plantar fascia suffered last season in a win over Maryland. Luiji Vilain, who missed two full seasons with knee ailments, is practicing as well.

Depth in front seven allowing room for healthy competition at camp AKUL VIJAYVARGIYA

Summer Managing Sports Editor

Losing a majority of starters from his top-five defense, Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown stood in front of the media five days into training camp, reflecting upon how last season could have gone differently. “The first 19 minutes of the regular season were not very good for the Michigan defense,” Brown said. “The next 10-game stretch was pretty damn good and then we got 19 minutes left (in the final game), and it’s a 7-point game, 8-point game. And the last 19 minutes weren’t very good. If we would have just squeezed out the first 19 and the last 19, which is probably the result of the things we can control, it might have been a historic year. “That means mentally you gotta be tougher, that means from a preparation standpoint, we gotta be better. That means from my standpoint, we have to be better. So, you know, that’s really the challenge.” But perhaps an even greater challenge for Brown is figuring out a combination of 11 guys who can line up on the same side of the field and

replicate what last year’s defense did. And though he didn’t give many specific answers as to who the clearcut favorites are at each position, his answers did often include a plethora of contenders, specifically within the front seven. They showcased the most important thing any defense needs in order to be successful all season long — depth. With the departures of Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich, the trenches lost the most star power of any unit on defense. Though pass rushers like junior Kwity Paye, sophomore Aidan Hutchinson and junior Donovan Jeter were already expected to step up and follow their predecessors’ footsteps, Brown was most impressed with the guys right behind them. “Probably the most improved guy that I can speak on behalf of is Carlo Kemp,” Brown said. “Stronger, way faster, confident. Just body language and the whole deal, leadership, really playing at a high level. Ben Mason vastly improved, obviously was a former running back but we put him into that mix, and we feel good about him.” Brown also mentioned that senior Michael Dwumfour is continuing to

recover from his injury that ended his junior year campaign but he has practiced already as well, making that six guys who are in a position to win four starting roles. The linebacker squad suffered perhaps the greatest loss as middle linebacker and defensive anchor Devin Bush declared for the NFL Draft. And with the SAM being one of the weakest positions in last year’s defense, Brown has his hands full trying to figure out the best fits at each spot. But once again, he preached the depth in the middle unit starting with junior Josh Ross, going as far to say that all of his contending linebackers are some of the best in the nation. “It’s not a challenge to coach Josh Ross — he’s the brightest linebacker I’ve been around in a long time,” Brown said. “Ross, Cameron McGrone, (Jordan) Glasgow, Devin Gil, and Jordan Anthony can play a lot of places in this country, let me just tell you that… this is probably the most depth I’ve had. “Let the competition just go. Isn’t it a beautiful thing when we have five guys who can play all three positions? So, if you’re not playing at your best, sorry.” For Brown, this philosophy won’t

stick to just the linebacker unit, though. With the depth he has, it’s

starting to become a central theme of fall camp.

ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily

Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown is ready for the competition at fall camp.


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