2019-08-15 by The Michigan Daily

Thursday, August 15, 2019

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inside

City sees rise in absentee ballots cast

NEWS

Admissions Kedra Ishop and Erica Sanders discuss the application process and incoming class >> SEE PAGE 2

Clerk anticipates more absentee ballots in future due to passing of Proposal 3

OPINION

Welcome back Olivia Turano gives her insights to “welcome week”

>> SEE PAGE 4

ARTS

Jia Tolentino Acclaimed New Yorker writer to speak on her literary debut “Trick Mirror” at Literati Book Store >> SEE PAGE 6

MICHIGAN IN COLOR

‘Mother of the sea’ Ana Maria Sanchez-Castillo shares a poem on her multicultural identities connecting with the religion of Santeria

>> SEE PAGE 9

SPORTS

Soccer

FC Barcelona cruises past SSC Napoli 4-0 in weekend game held at the Big House

>> SEE PAGE 12

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

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MELANIE TAYLOR Summer News Editor

FILE PHOTO Stephen M. Ross speaks at an event.

‘U’ community weighs in on Ross fundraiser for Trump Alumni call for separation from Stephen M. Ross CLAIRE HAO & SAMANTHA SMALL Summer News Editors

Stephen M. Ross, the New York-based real estate mogul who is the largest donor in University of Michigan history and namesake of the School of Business, has faced backlash from University alumni and on social media following his decision to host a reelection fundraiser for President Donald Trump in his Southampton home. Following reports of Ross’s scheduled fundraiser — with tickets ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 — he was trending on Twitter, with many calling for the boycott of SoulCycle and Equinox, two luxury gym companies owned by Ross. Ross, whose net worth is estimated at about $7.7 billion, also owns football team the Miami Dolphins. In a statement to the Miami Herald, Ross defended his fundraiser, explaining he and Trump agree on some issues but “strongly disagree on many

others.” “I started my business with nothing and a reason for my engagement with our leaders is my deep concern for creating jobs and growing our company’s economy,” Ross wrote. “I have been, and will continue to be, an outspoken champion of racial equality, inclusion, diversity, public education and environmental sustainability.” SoulCycle and Equinox also released statements affirming their commitment to diversity and tolerance. Both companies emphasized they do not endorse the event and said Ross is a passive investor uninvolved in management. However, some on social media continued to cancel membership to the two businesses and still condemned Ross’ support of Trump, citing the president’s rhetoric as racist, misogynistic and homophobic. Among Ross’ critics are former Hillary Clinton advisor Phillippe Reines, model Chrissy Teigen, actor Sophia Bush and actor Billy Eichner. In particular, Miami Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills suggested Ross’ support for Trump is contradictory to the mission statement of RISE, a nonprofit Ross founded aiming to “educate and empower the

sports community to eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice and improve race relations.” University community members have also shared their concerns about the fundraiser to the Ross School of Business, prompting Dean Scott DeRue to send an email to students, faculty and staff in response. DeRue said the school does not endorse or support this fundraiser or any others for any political candidates. The email emphasized the school’s values of diversity and inclusion as well as civic responsibility. In upholding these values, DeRue wrote the importance of listening to and working with people holding different opinions is key to the democratic process. “I want to close by saying that we, as an educational institution built on these core values, reject all attempts to divide our community,” DeRue wrote. “We are strong because of our diversity, and hate has no place in our society. At Michigan Ross, we rise above hateful rhetoric and live the values we aspire to. It is the Michigan way, and it is the way we will create a better world, together.”

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University admissions staff speak on review proccess at the Student Activities Building Wednesday.

Admissions staff talks review process Kedra Ishop, Erica Sanders discuss applications, incoming class

of test scores (and) we require a teacher and a counselor letter of recommendation. And then once those documents are received, then we will start the evaluation process. So first, we process the app and then it goes on to evaluation process, all of our applications are http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ BARBARA COLLINS & evaluated at least twice. And within ALEX HARRING that process, the first evaluation Summer Managing News Editors is done randomly, we have about 100 external staff members that go Following heightened interest through between 25 and 50 hours of in the college admissions process training yearly, depending on how nationwide, The Daily sat down with many years they’ve read for the University of Michigan admissions office in the past and what has been officials to discuss the various the pattern of their read both speed pieces of the University’s process. and accuracy so that we’re able The following interview with Erica to ensure that everyone basically Sanders, director of undergraduate has the same level of competency admissions, and Kedra Ishop, vice with evaluation as they’re reading provost for enrollment management, files. Once that initial read is done, has been edited for length and clarity. they are assigned randomly — so The Michigan Daily: In light they don’t read for any particular of the Varsity Blues scandal, there territory or volume of application, has been heightened attention on so that there isn’t a bias towards, the college admissions process ‘Oh I want all of my students to read nationally. We would like to ask a it at x level,’ they’re read randomly. The second evaluation is done few questions to clarify some of the lesser-known pieces of the process based upon a territory management at the University. Please explain system, and so our staff basically what happens to an application on are split into in-state, out-of-state the University’s end from the time and international territories that the applicant presses submit to late they become far more familiar August, when the incoming class with. So they have more expertise in regards to this whole system, arrives on campus. Erica Sanders: Once the the grading system and curriculum students submit the application, choices that students may have we receive the application available. electronically. And the student then receives reminders to submit Read more at michigandaily.com all the required documents: so the transcript, official submission

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Thursday, August 15, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

NEWS 3

City, ‘U’ add new security in buildings

Mason Hall gets door locks, City Hall receives security guards and front desk CLAIRE HAO

Summer News Editor

COURTESY OF FRANCESCA DUONG

2019 Information and Technology Services Internship Cohort students present at the ITS Internship Showcase in the Michigan League Friday.

Interns present work at annual technology event Students share projects, take part in panel during ITS open house FRANCESCA DUONG Daily Staff Reporter

After 14 weeks of working on various projects, students in the 2019 Information and Technology Services Internship Cohort lined the Michigan League with posters at the ITS Internship Showcase on Friday. The showcase featured a poster session, a student panel and closing remarks from Ravi Pendse, vice president for information technology and chief information officer. This year, the Internship Cohort was comprised of 47 university and high school students. While many were from the University of Michigan, there were also students from University of Southern California, Michigan State University and surrounding Ann Arbor high schools. DePriest Dockins, co-chairman of the ITS Internship planning committee, stated there was

a jump in the number of applicants this year. “We went from about 130 the previous year to 320 this year,” Dockins said. “We were astonished.” According to Dockins, many students selected stood out in enthusiasm and ability to grow. Dockins stated many of the candidates come in with little to no hands-on experience, so the program administrators hope the ITS Internship provides interns with the perfect complement to their strong academic background. Diane Jones, executive director of operations in ITS, serves as a sponsor for the program and worked with the planning committee to expand and improve the program. This year, Jones explained they integrated the Wolverine Pathways Program to introduce high school students to technologyoriented fields. The Wolverine Pathways Program is a free local program

that helps seventh through 12th grade students prepare for college. “We’re hugely proud that we’re able to contribute to that and bring students from surrounding areas,” Jones said. “The Wolverine Pathway Program is so important to helping students understand how to manage life.” Tamariah Davis is a senior at Ypsilanti Community High School and was a participant of the Wolverine Pathway Program. She said she learned how to use adobe, manage responsibilities and become more self confident. “I’m very undecided about what I want to do in life,” Davis said. “I want to be a nurse, I want to be in ITS, I want to be a teacher, I want to be so many things … This helped me narrow down what I wanted to do.” Michigan State University senior Raisa Morrison worked on creating the ITS Intern Portal to

improve and centralize intern communication. As an English major, she said she was able to apply what she learned in classes to being the project manager for her group. “Being nontechnical, I was really nervous,” Morrison said. “But they create a lot of space for technical and non-technical students.” LSA senior Joseph Lisi, on the other hand, was exposed to many different experiences that improved his technical skills. He worked on a project about significant incident automation to improve the coordination and responsiveness to various information and technology issues. “I was able to take a professional business process and learn about it and learn how to improve it,” Lisi said. “It’s not really stuff you can learn in school.” Read more at michigandaily.com

Visitors to Ann Arbor City Hall last Monday were greeted by a new front desk staffed by an unarmed, private security guard, where they will now need to check in to gain access to the third through sixth floors. Two days later, the University of Michigan began installing door locks to all classrooms and class labs in Mason Hall — the site of a false active shooter scare last semester — as part of a pilot project to enhance security and emergency preparedness campuswide. Though planned for ahead of time, both projects were coincidentally implemented the week after a string of mass shootings — two less than 24 hours apart in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, and one earlier in the week in Gilroy, Calif. — in which more than 32 people were killed. According to the Gun Violence Archive, as of August 5 there have been 255 mass shootings in the United States this year — a rate of more than one per day. Soon after, the governments of Venezuela and Uruguay and Amnesty International all released travel advisories, warning those visiting the U.S. of the high levels of gun violence. In response to these national trends, institutions in Ann Arbor are also taking precautions. Though independent of one another, the two back-to-back projects share a common purpose: to protect people frequenting the buildings from violent threats and emergencies as mass shootings become

deadlier nationwide. University door-lock project The door-lock project is being led by the Division of Public Safety and Security. Working with a team from the University’s Architecture, Engineering and Construction division, DPSS plans to finish the locks by the end of August so the classrooms can still be used in the fall. According to a University press release, the pilot project will guide University administration in exploring the scope and process of installing door locks to classrooms campuswide. DPSS Executive Director Eddie L. Washington Jr. noted Mason Hall was chosen as the first location due to its proximity to the Diag. “The safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors is our top priority,” Washington Jr. said. “This project is part of our broader efforts to continuously identify technology, enhance alerting and implement training to ensure the safety and security of our community.” In an email to The Daily, University spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald explained Mason Hall was chosen as the pilot location in part because it was the site of the scare, but also since it is an LSA and central campus building used by many undergraduates. Heather Young, DPSS director of strategic communications, emphasized the decision to implement door locks in Mason Hall is not directly related to the March incident, as she explained talks between LSA and DPSS began in December. Read more at michigandaily.com

4 OPINION

Thursday, August 15, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

APPLY TO BE PART OF OPINION Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@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.

OLIVIA TURANO | COLUMN

ugust has always had a tangible, special air for me. It is undeniably the beginning of the end — the end of summer, of feeling the sun on your skin, of family vacations, of internships and jobs, of being able to take a day and just breathe without classes or deadlines or meetings or reading or anything else. But as the first Canvas notifications begin to appear in my inbox and Facebook notifications alert me of welcome week event invitations, it’s impossible to avoid the impending term. I love summer, but strangley to some, I love school too. I’ve always been exhilarated by the promise of new knowledge, the crispness of new school supplies and the palpable optimism; the idea that this is the semester we will all truly dedicate ourselves to school. For about a week, nearly everyone is the perfect student — approaching new ideas with zeal and enthusiasm, and actually doing class readings. Though I know the magic of the new school year will be short-lived, I’ve always felt it. Welcome week is the week before classes begin, when our University’s infamous Greek life is in full swing, when many students spend days partying and drinking. The excitement of returning to campus and seeing friends is clear, and the most alluring social aspects of our school are magnified, while the demands of academic life only lure in the future. But there is an undeniable dark side to the start of school, too. The culture of partying and drinking at the University is certainly not unique; most colleges face the reality that, despite the legal drinking age, many college students

Undergraduate students are encouraged to apply for an Opinion column for Fall term. Columns publsih bi-weekly, and writers will attend Editorial Board meetings as part of staff. Applications are due Tuesday, August 20, by 11:59 pm. Email Editorial Page Editors Joel Danilewitz (joeldan@ umich.edu) and Magdalena Mihaylova (mmihaylo@umich.edu) for application materials, or more information.

Welcome week is all fun and games, until it isn’t drink. As of 2016, 57.2 percent of fulltime college students aged 18 to 22 drank within the past month, and 38 percent engaged in binge drinking, defined as four or more drinks on an occasion for women and five or more for men. For many students, “going out” entails drinking at least this much — often more. Alcohol consumption, and particularly binge drinking, is undeniably unhealthy. Both the short and long-term consequences are well known to most. But while drinking isn’t healthy, it’s common. Approximately 56 percent of adults over 18 report they drank in the last month. So, alcohol consumption is not unique to our university, or colleges generally. And while binge drinking certainly carries a heavy, negative connotation, many individuals are capable of surpassing the number of drinks that constitute binge drinking without throwing up, blacking out or doing things they later regret. Many students engage in behaviors that young adults engage in — maybe drinking too much occasionally, but more or less conducting themselves responsibly while doing so. However, this is definitely not the case for everyone. This poses a significant problem when we think about welcome week. Especially in a campus environment where a “work hard, play hard” culture permeates strongly, a week dedicated to, simply put, drinking and partying, heightens the risks we face while participating in these behaviors. When entire days are structured solely around alcohol and parties, there is an inherent pressure to keep

drinking. Especially for freshmen who likely have less experience with these kinds of environments, welcome week poses significant danger, and it shows. As of 2016, drinking by college students aged 18 to 24 contributes to an estimated 1,519 deaths annually. It’s not uncommon to hear about students who had to make hospital trips due to severe intoxication — so severe that friends fear they might die without medical attention. Perhaps one of the most hotbutton issues regarding universities, and Greek life in particular, is the number of sexual assaults that occur on campuses. In 2016, the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimated that there are an annual 97,000 sexual assaults by students who had been drinking. At the University of Michigan, 2018 brought a 61 percent increase in the number of reported sexual assaults — attributed not to an increase in assaults, but an increase in reporting. Pamela Heatlie, Senior Director of the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX Coordinator, said, “This is likely due to continuing efforts around training and awareness of the Policy, as well as increased societal awareness of sexual misconduct, such as through the #MeToo movement.” I wish to see the best in people and places, and how I feel about the University of Michigan is no different. I love this university, and I wish I could say that this issue feels far removed, that it hasn’t happened in my community, and that it’s getting better. And while it has never happened to me, everyone knows someone who has

been impacted by sexual assault. The number of reports at the University of Michigan rose from only 92 in 2017 to 148 in 2018, and most of them were not investigated. Of the tens of thousands of students at the University, this figure still falls alarmingly short when contrasted with the 23.1 percent of female and 5.4 percent of male undergraduates who experience rape or sexual assault via physical force, violence or incapacitation. There are a hundred things we could blame for this. But to me, the most important thing we can do, as students, is to be aware and hold each other and the University accountable. This isn’t necessarily about cracking down Greek life or drinking or parties. College students will inevitably find ways to party and drink, regardless of the regulations put in place. We are not entirely responsible for our own campus culture, but we’re not powerless either. Creating a safer campus for everyone begins by facing today’s reality, and sexual assault does happen. All the time. U-M, like many universities, is often labeled as liberal. But on a micro-level, women are still objectified and devalued. Binge drinking is seen as the norm — to the point where sometimes, virtually no one is in an alert state of mind. When I think about the upcoming welcome week, I am excited about the fun and reunion that will occur. But with all of these factors manifesting themselves in one all-encompassing week, I can’t help but think about what can happen. Young freshmen girls approached by older boys who

can drink more, who are in a familiar environment and who have the unfortunate inherent advantage of being male, surrounded by others often too drunk to realize what may happen. I can’t help but mourn for student survivors of sexual assault who may not view welcome week as a fun, new beginning, but as a difficult reminder. Instead of offering more hypotheticals of what could happen, or telling everyone to categorically abstain from alcohol consumption, I would rather urge everyone to, at the very least, be aware. Make sure your friends are safe and accounted for, but also make sure that all the people around you are safe — even those you may not know. To members of Greek life, hold each other accountable for the impression that the community creates. Even by doing things as simple as calling out your fellow frat brother’s female-objectifying language, or telling your friend to maybe sit out of the next shot while pregaming, we work to create a better Greek life system, a better campus and a better society generally. This welcome week will, sadly, be my last. And while I enter with optimism for a new year, I also enter with trepidation, because I know what is at stake. And it is this apprehension and awareness that often prevents the trauma and even death we hear about from friends and in the news, feelings we may never truly understand until they impact us. Olivia Turano can be reached at turanoo@umich.edu.

Thursday, August 15, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ANNE ELSE | COLUMN

ZACK BLUMBERG | COLUMN

Slowing down our food

waying prairie grasses as tall as your shoulders. Corralled animals prancing in the distance. Folk-band cadences mixing with the setting sun. Farm to table buffet food spread out under a barn awning. These are the makings of a summer farm dinner, complete with locals and low impact foods. In Ann Arbor, Green Things farm hosts these evening picnics with food prepared from farm fresh ingredients. I’ve gone with my family several times and felt welcomed by the cultivated land, enjoyed delicious, fresh food and explored the raspberry patches. The appeal of slow food became obvious to me: I got to see first-hand the impact of quality ingredients and sustainable production practices. The term “Slow Food” comes from the worldwide organization of the same name which wishes to bring clean and healthy foods to people all around the world. Their website describes slow food succinctly, stating, “Slow Food is food that’s good for us, good for our environment and good for the people who grow, pick and prepare it. In other words, food that is good, clean and fair … Slow Food is fresh and healthy, free of pesticides and chemicals and produced in a way that’s beneficial to all — from the farmer to the eater.” The organization also stands against the use of GMOs and supports the notion that decreasing the consumption of meat will greatly benefit the environment. Their progressive stance is one I believe in and one I know could help reduce the carbon emissions made from farm products. Every type of farmed food creates emissions and contributes to the growing epidemic of climate change. Our task is to decide each day what kind of ingredients we are choosing to purchase and use that may be able to reduce our carbon footprints. Of course, a vegan diet would be the most environmentally-friendly as it eliminates the need for animal products, dairy and all of the emissions and resources used to keep farm animals. However, if you can’t take the full plunge into veganism, there are alternative ways to keep emissions low, like simply reducing your meat and dairy consumption or cutting out red meat completely as its high concentration of emissions is harmful to the environment.

OPINION 5

The slow food campaign can help combat harmful food practices and ultimately cut down our impact on the environment. By engaging with local food producers, we can cut down several environmental costs of transportation and emissions. The organization is pushing to create a sustainable loop between consumers and producers that is admirable. Their work across the world is aimed at changing lifestyles and helping epidemics. John Kariuki, Kenyan Leader Summit attendee, explained their goals from a worldwide standpoint, stating, “We all share the responsibility for the future, and as Slow Food in Africa we believe in collaboration and not aid. Our combined efforts can increase the global cooperation, awareness, grassroots interventions and push policy makers towards a more sustainable future.” Many countries lack the resources to have access to quality food, so a push towards intervention is needed in order to ensure people are being fed. I truly admire the concept of slow food, but at the same time, I question the accessibility. Quality ingredients, organic items and locally farmed ingredients notoriously come at a higher price. This price imbalance makes me worry that not all people can access this kind of product. We must make slow food more accessible through an increase in local markets, the reduction of costs or even pushing local foods into more corporate companies. While these changes may be difficult to implement, I think slow food should be prioritized and made into a more common product in order to reduce prices and widen audiences. Slow food is a promising strateg y in sustainability. It shifts the view of food production to local farmers and their hard work, which allows a decrease in food transportation and the production of less emissions. If this inspiring outlook on the way we purchase and obtain food can become a more accessible and localized option, it will become an inclusive way to combat climate change. Through conscious efforts to consume less environmental affectors, we can individually strive toward a safer future and healthier food intake. Anne Else can be reached at aelse@umich.edu.

Indian nationalism reaches north

n August 1947, Britain announced the partition of the British India Colony, creating two separate, independent nations: the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. To say the Partition was controversial would be an understatement; it has, nearly single-handedly, defined the geopolitics of the region since. In the decades following, the Partition India and Pakistan have quarrelled ceaselessly, fighting over land and power. However, no issue has been more contentious than the dispute over the region of Kashmir. Driven by the forces of Hindu nationalism, India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, with President Narendra Modi at the helm, have made rash decisions in an attempt to gain political clout, both endangering the region’s (limited) stability and forsaking India’s founding principles. Like many of the issues which define the India-Pakistan conflict, tensions over Kashmir have been present since the day the two nations became independent. Lead by the last British Raj, Viceroy Louis Mountbatten, the objective of Partition was to divide the British territory along religious lines, with Hindus in India and Muslims in Pakistan. Unsurprisingly, this exercise in oversimplified nation-building went poorly: it lacked adequate consideration for religious minorities like Sikhs, and the lines themselves were not drawn particularly well, leading as many as 15 million people to try and flee across the newly created India-Pakistan border. Caught in the middle of the chaos was Kashmir, an area which Mountbatten was unsure how to handle. Though the region was majority Muslim, it had close cultural ties to greater India. Ultimately, Kashmiri leaders were permitted to choose between remaining independent or joining either nation. While Kashmir initially chose independence, Pakistan soon invaded in an attempt to conquer it, leading to a UN intervention and a ceasefire. Included with the ceasefire was a UN-backed border division which gave nearly all of the land from the original, colonial province to India. In 1950, India passed constitutional Amendment 370, which

allowed Kashmir a great deal of political autonomy, something which made it unique among Indian states. Though conflict over Kashmir has persisted since 1950, the fundamental workings of its political existence have remained largely unchanged, at least until very recently. Earlier this week, Kashmir’s political fate took a dramatic turn thanks to Modi and the BJP. Under Modi’s command, the Indian government sent 10,000 military troops into the region, forced people into their houses and cut off internet. Though this was the most drastic action Modi has taken, it is all part of his larger plan to essentially annex Kashmir.

Surprise annexation of the area is likely to spur more conflict In addition to simply using military force, Modi is working with the Indian government to remove a Kashmiri law, included under Amendment 370, that does not permit foreigners to buy property in the region, something which was implemented to preserve its unique cultural and religious positions and allow Kashmiri Muslims to remain a majority. In addition to that, the Modi-led government plans to repeal Amendment 370 as a whole, and they have revealed plans to divide the region into two provinces, one of which would contain a Hindu majority and be ruled directly by New Delhi. In doing this, Modi would have annexed a historically autonomous Muslim region, with the goal of making it a Hindu-majority Indian province. Though this is obviously not the first time an Indian leader has looked to expand the nation’s territory, this is a particularly concerning move for several reasons. First, it reflects the forces of populist nationalism, which Modi and many other leaders of his ilk utilize. A

common move among populist leaders is making decisions with the primary goal of firing up their political base, even if they are divisive or do not benefit the country as a whole. In this situation, it is clear Modi believes that politically and religiously annexing Kashmir will appeal to his Hindu nationalist base, allowing him to retain voters going forward. However, like many moves aimed primarily at firing up one’s political base, this will certainly have many negative externalities. Kashmir is already extremely dangerous thanks to longstanding India-Pakistan tensions, and a surprise annexation of the area is likely to spur more conflict, inciting violence and potentially leading to the deaths of civilians. Furthermore, it is unclear how the region’s Muslims, who learned of India’s annexation goals via military crackdown, will be treated in the coming months by the government. While this move is based in Modi’s Hindu nationalism, it also represents an attack on one of India’s basic governing principles: religious freedom. Although Mountbatten and the British attempted to divide India and Pakistan along religious lines, India decided to become a secular state with no national religion, despite being around 80 percent Hindu (this contrasts with the “Islamic Republic of Pakistan”). Despite containing both a Hindu majority and a great number of religious minorities, India has managed to maintain its secular status ever since its founding. However, Modi’s Hindu nationalism stands in direct contrast to India’s principle of state secularism, and Modi’s actions in Kashmir could damage the latter. Annexing Kashmir in the name of advancing Hindu political power puts India’s secularism into question, and creates a dangerous precedent going forward. Ultimately, while India and Pakistan have long fought over regional territory, including Kashmir, Modi’s actions represent a religious, nationalist assault on India’s legacy of secular governance and are cause for concern. Zack Blumberg can be reached at zblumber@umich.edu.

6 ARTS

Thursday, August 15, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

BOOKS INTERVIEW

ELENA MUDD

A talk with Jia Tolentino CLARA SCOTT Senior Arts Editor

There are two stereotypes that routinely plague the modern writer. One is the recluse, the innocent bookworm, who recedes into the woods like Thoreau and writes about butterflies and the meaning of life for days on end. No one knows how they subsist on tea and biscuits alone. The other is, essentially, the newspaper editor from “Spider-Man.” These writers are the human equivalent of a pack of Marlboro Reds. In between yelling about the deadline and chugging acrid coffee, they stay up until 2 a.m. trying to finish a piece on what Quentin Tarantino means to them. I like to think of these archetypes as the bookends of the spectrum for self-branded writers. Jia Tolentino, celebrated staff writer for The New Yorker and author of the recently-released essay collection “Trick Mirror,” sits smack dab in the middle. Tolentino, who young writers and journalists (or at least the ones I know) have christened the second coming of Susan Sontag, is unabashedly honest in her analysis. With that honesty, and her placement as the fulcrum of a made-up personality scale, she is somehow able to write about everything with the charm and hilarity of an expert in each topic. It’s an uncanny skill,

one that allows her to attack subjects like the rise of “step on my neck” fandom with the same ferocity she does when dissecting the history of Trump’s assault allegations. “There could potentially be a world in which I write about books all day,” Tolentino said in a phone interview with The Michigan Daily, “but it’s nice to accurately reflect literally just what’s on my mind.” When I called Tolentino a few weeks ago for this interview, I didn’t feel the same anxiety that I typically do when on assignment. It must have been because I felt like I already knew her, the same way that I assume many of her thousands of Twitter and Instagram followers do, too. The writer has always been game to share her thoughts: “There are certain types of personalities that the internet favors, that can work well within the performative structures of the internet.” She added, “I’ve always had that kind of personality, I’ve always been extremely open.” Tolentino takes to social media with an ease often only seen in figure skaters and birds of prey swooping through the air. She knows what she’s doing, but she might as well have fun on the ride. Watching Tolentino’s rise through the annals of literary journalism has been exciting, to say the least. To see someone unapologetically young be so successful at not only digital media through her edi-

torship at Jezebel, but then become a star in the crown of traditional magazine publishing, gives hope to a so-called dying industry. She has no niche, no specific beat, no borders to her sea of subjects. “I don’t want to write about the same things all the time, and I don’t think about the same things all the time, or think at the same level of seriousness all the time,” she elaborated. “You can really throw your voice around, like at Jezebel I could write dead serious about something and then I could write something so stupid, like a meme, about a subject that I take very seriously.” In the same vein, the writer has never given up her wit and cultural precocity in lieu of her literary venue’s unspoken parameters. Her piece about the rise of Juuling was hilarious, yes, but it was also in the top 10 most read New Yorker articles of 2018. In my own experience, I’ve used her articles to explain things like vaping to my parents, but my friends and I also applaud her for getting the phrase “real men eat ass” into a heritage magazine. She has struck gold in a balancing act, one that is entertaining to watch her navigate in its own right. “Trick Mirror” is no exception to the rule of her talent, instead acting as an extension of both her writing for other publications and personality alone. Tolentino is the only writer I can think of that

picks apart the Book of Revelation reason “Trick Mirror” is flying off and the history of MDMA in the shelves and appearing every three same breath. It’s what makes her so tweets in my newsfeed, is her genrefreshing to read, in a media land- uine excitement for life. The last scape clogged with sadness and four years have been a rollercoastfluff. Reading her writing means er, something that Tolentino says laughing and learning at the same was the impetus for her book in the first place: “I was so miserable in time. Tolentino walks the line early 2017, and I was like, I’m going between comedy and blinding to be miserable for the next four years.” She reflecttruth carefully, ed, “A book is one successfully repway to be miserlicating the path able in a way that’s that we all trareally productive.” verse throughJia Tolentino @ Productive or not, out our lives in Literati the fruit of her her writing. Her misery is surpristransparency on Monday, Aug. 26 ingly optimistic. social media fol7:00 p.m. The world since lows the same 2016 has seemed rules. “It seems Free like a cruel joke to like the only way many, but she sees of making social a reason to laugh media bearable is at it. To Tolentino, literally just not thinking about what you’re doing the urgent nature of our country’s and hope that it’s ok! Because it’s problems are countered by brilliant just like life, you know?” Tolentino art, books and cultural phenomena continued, laughing, “I actively that make surviving the darkness try to guard against … that sort worth it. Tolentino is fascinated by Gen of calcification — I try to allow a lot of space for inconsistency.” I Z and their relationship with the believe this avoidance of creating media and internet. We talked a “brand” is what makes the writer extensively about the differences so approachable. She is incredibly in social media between those in smart, incredibly online, incredibly my age group, her millennial expefunny, yet Tolentino’s understand- rience and the experiences of those ing of her own identity creates a younger than me. She interviewed level of comfort that serves as the many Gen Z-ers for an upcoming piece, saying that “It’s really foundation for that variety. In “Trick Mirror,” Tolentino interesting, as someone who still writes about religion, scams, drugs, interacts with the world as a young athleisure — everything under the person, to be talking to these teensun. But it’s always obvious who’s agers, and I’m asking them about talking — the writer captures the these extremely basic facts of life, human phenomenon of curiosity like it’s really nothing to them, and better than anyone I’ve ever read. it’s very clear they feel as though The inconsistency she was talking they’re talking to someone that’s about isn’t a negative trait of the 70, you know?” Despite this, they modern era, as it is typically seen, would probably find Tolentino’s but a strength. The pressures of writing pretty interesting, maybe the internet, as she speaks about in even let out a giggle or two. She the book’s first essay, have forced is undeniably relevant to any age many to turn themselves into a group, something that not many solidified brand, avoiding change people can claim. “I feel weirdly gratified by getat any cost. We have to remember that although it seems like self- ting, I mean, especially with femibranding is necessary, we’re not all nism, an email from a 75-year-old woman, being like, ‘I really like Kardashians here. Tolentino, however, embraces this thing you wrote,’” Tolentino that unpredictability and runs said on the subject. She has activewith it. Reading her essays makes ly avoided settling into the siloed you feel like you could learn any- nature of modern media, instead thing, because hey, Jia did. Know- challenging herself to get over ing yourself is a more crucial asset that “internal hurdle,” “like (she’s) than anything else these days, going to write a piece about a pheand allows for a bigger worldview. nomenon that has to make sense to Tolentino’s talent is capturing this somebody who has no idea about perspective in words, inspiring her anything about it.” readers to take the same leap. Beyond her raw talent for writRead more at michigandaily.com ing, Tolentino’s “it” factor, the

Thursday, August 15, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

MUSIC NOTEBOOK

DESIGN BY KATHRYN HALVERSON

My time with the Tanyas “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? Last summer, I spent a lot of time wandering around Boston listening to music. I wasn’t lonely, exactly — I was living with my best friend — but we both worked, and I was often alone, on the bus to a catering gig or entering data into a spreadsheet at my internship. Every week, I walked from our third-floor bedroom in Mission Hill to the main branch of the downtown library, which was a two-mile straight shot down Huntington Avenue, and I listened to The Be Good Tanyas. I first heard The Be Good Tanyas when my mom checked out one of their CDs from our local library in Philadelphia. I was in elementary school, six or seven years old, and I listened to what she listened to: Joni Mitchell, Norah Jones, a rotating mix of folk singers and

women whose voices sounded like bird calls. The album from the library was Blue Horse, The Be Good Tanyas’ 2001 debut, and we listened to it on the orange wooden stereo system my parents kept in the living room alcove. When I rediscovered The Be Good Tanyas in high school, I liked Blue Horse for its nostalgic power. Still, their music was like an article of clothing I was holding onto until it fit. Each one of their songs was a meditation on emotions I hadn’t experienced yet — the real, grown-up variations on the fledgling feelings of adolescence. The Be Good Tanyas seem to inhabit the kind of fullness that is created by acknowledging it, by wanting it. Their music made me want to be the kind of person who would look for this largesse. During sophomore year of college, I got back into the Tanyas — not just Blue Horse, but also Chinatown (2003) and Hello Love (2006). That spring, I played “Draft Daughter’s Blues” for a guy I liked. I wanted to impress him with my obscure music taste (ugh), and I also thought the way he might understand me through the song was the way I wanted to be understood: “Impossible to keep a straight line / Too young to keep these bitter hearts / And all around me, somebody’s singin’ / Get back, get back.” But even as we listened to it, I

was already imagining him into the mythology of my own life, wondering how future-me would explain to someone else what our relationship had been. I was thinking about how he would fade into a character who only mattered for the ways he exposed something truthful about me, my desires, my selfishness, my tendency to refuse to cede the moral high ground even when maintaining my position meant hurting the people I cared about. As much as I didn’t like thinking this way, there was something good about it, too, knowing I was figuring out unflattering truths about myself. I left for Boston as soon as school ended, ready to find out if the person I’d become in college was a product of my influences or something less malleable. When I listened to The Be Good Tanyas in Boston last summer, I finally felt they were singing to me, about things I was old enough to understand. “Keep it light enough to travel / Don’t let it all unravel,” vocalist Frazey Ford sings on “Light Enough to Travel.” This was what I was after in Boston: an impossible balance, a mixture of freedom and security with equal portions of each. More concrete lyrics struck me, too: “Promise me we won’t go into the nightclub / I really think that it’s obscene / What kind of people go to meet people / Where they can’t

be heard or seen.” I like how the Be Good Tanyas sing about finding a nightclub obscene without coming across as frumpy. This became something I want to say: “Don’t you think nightclubs are obscene?” Obscene. That summer, I wrote in my journal that I worried my personality was a “mish-mash of everyone I’ve ever admired and that I have no original ideas or interests.” It’s ironic, then, that The Be Good Tanyas have joined the conglomerate of people whose personalities and interests I have pawned and emulated. I stumbled on my version of the anxiety of influence last summer — a set of fears which is itself derivative, proving my point that nothing exists outside of its circumstances. It’s true that I spent a month crafting detailed, snarky diary entries after I read David Sedaris’s “Theft by Finding,” and it’s true that I bought my black carpenter pants because I saw them on Man Repeller. Whatever! The Be Good Tanyas are a part of this, giving me something less concrete to steal: a mindset, a way of walking around while I’m listening to their music in my headphones. I’ve decided to stop feeling uncomfortable about this, because cribbing from the people I admire is just the way life works

ARTS 7

— and it’s even better to give credit to everyone I’ve copied something from. A non-exhaustive list: Caroline’s Swedish clogs, Claire’s razor brand, Nora Ephron’s motto (everything is copy!), Summer’s obsession with the eye makeup in “Euphoria,” the star-shaped hoops on that girl in my English class. Sally’s middle-school cell phone and Rory Gilmore’s journalism aspirations. Also, a million other things. In an editorially satisfying twist, The Be Good Tanyas are notorious for covering other people’s songs. “The Lakes of Pontchartrain” dates to the 19th century. “For the Turnstiles” is a Neil Young song. They’ve covered Prince and Blind Willie Johnson, and a version of “House of the Rising Sun” fits nicely into an album of their original songs. The Be Good Tanyas aren’t shy about reworking other people’s material, which seems to support my theory that the most interesting people have forgotten all about the anxiety of influence. What I want — what the Tanyas have embraced — is the serenity of influence, the confidence of influence, the creative thrill of turning someone else’s thing into your thing and forgetting to be embarrassed that someone else always did it first.

8 NEWS

Thursday, August 15, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Admissions more selective, new data shows First-year acceptance rate decreased, average ACT score increased compared to last year’s admitted students acceptance rate and stronger ACT and grade point average scores compared to last year’s admitted students. The first-year acceptance rate decreased by 0.08 percent, while the transfer student acceptance rate increased by 3.3 percent and

MICHAL RUPRECHT & JIALIN ZHANG Daily Staff Reporters

Early numbers from the University of Michigan Office of Undergraduate Admissions show a lower first-year

Classifieds

the number of transfer applications decreased from last year. The admitted students’ average GPA rose by 0.02 points and ACT test scores rose by one point in the middle 50th percentile ACT score range, while the SAT test scores see no noticeable change.

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

Release Date: Thursday, August 15, 2019

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

FOR RENT

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 “Cheers” cheer 5 Lyft or Uber 8 Makes fun of 13 Melville’s “Typee” sequel 14 Seafood delicacy 15 “Oh, darn!” 17 E-cig user’s package 19 Dollhouse accessory 20 Playground retort 21 ER “Now!” 23 “What fun!” 24 Place for an apian colony 27 Married person 30 “Furthermore ... ” 31 Keats’ “Sylvan historian” 32 Actor McShane and novelist McEwan 35 Fields of study 39 Come to a compromise ... and a homophonic hint to what each of four long answers contains 43 Offspring 44 Merrie __ England 45 Alumna bio word 46 “Argo” setting 48 One of the four Evangelists 51 Self-arming protection system 56 May, to Peter Parker 57 North-of-theborder brand 58 Kick to the next level 62 Scribe 64 Beach party with shellfish 66 Inhumane one 67 The whole lot 68 Frank 69 Flows slowly 70 Chi follower 71 Gridiron play DOWN 1 Super star 2 “Rubáiyát” poet Khayyám 3 One may be tied around a saddle horn

4 Chinese dish with pancakes 5 Torah holder 6 Composure 7 Picayune 8 Fisher-Price parent 9 Need to pay 10 “Mommie Dearest” mommie 11 Buckwheat dish 12 Ranch critter 16 Goblet part 18 Outback hoppers 22 Cut down to size 25 Teutonic turndown 26 Morales of “La Bamba” 27 Basic math homework 28 Help the chef 29 Draft card designation 33 More than apologizes 34 Org. with Canadiens and Canucks 36 Poet St. Vincent Millay 37 Astro or Angel 38 Car radio button

40 Drawstring alternative 41 Crucifix letters 42 Painted Desert landform 47 Heads off 49 Airport conveyance 50 1997 charttopper for Hanson 51 Bear hands 52 Mysterious glows

53 Like some remarks 54 Music licensing fee-collecting org. 55 Takes it easy 59 Nickname for Haydn 60 Hawaiian strings 61 Rollerball items 63 Ability to pick things up? 65 Boxing legend

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

CENTRAL CAMPUS, FURNISHED rooms for students, shared kitch., laundry., bath., internet, rent from $700 and up. Call 734‑276‑0886.

LSA freshman Sukainah Khan wrote in an email to The Daily she believes high test scores and the increasingly competitive college process correlate with the use of prep books and tutors, which are primarily available to higher-income students. “Increasing test scores definitely indicates an upward trend in academic excellence and competitiveness, but it also brings a certain degree of uniformity to the student body,” Khan wrote. “Certain academic results correlate to demographic factors that have contributed to students’ ability to succeed. There’s a reason why a large percentage of the student body at UM comes from high-income families.” LSA sophomore Isabella Yockey attended Northville High School, a school that regularly sends a high percentage of students to the University. She said the school offers a multitude of resources to keep students on the college track, such as counselors, tutors and representatives from the University. “At Northville, they took a lot of pride on their SAT and ACT scores,” Yockey said. “They offered a lot of help with raising your scores, in the counseling office they offered a lot of resources to find tutors and go to classes. ... We worked really close with our counselors to make sure we were on the right track.” Yockey said she believes the

help Northville offered her gave her an edge when applying to the University. She said she thinks in-state high schools who are unable to offer as many resources may be at a disadvantage from an admissions perspective. “I think it’s unfair in the sense that the schools don’t have the resources to give their students,” Yockey said. “I think that since (Northville) is a wealthier area, the biggest difference is that we were able to be given those opportunities.” Business sophomore Ariana Khan agrees with Sukainah Khan, stating in an email to The Daily she believes test-prep classes play an important role in the increase in test scores. To combat this socioeconomic disparities in college applications, Ariana Khan created RealU, a company that gives low-income and first-generation students an opportunity to receive mentorship from a college student. “Many lower-income and firstgeneration students did not have the opportunities and access to connections of experienced adults in their field of interest,” Ariana Khan wrote. “For this reason, many of the students feel lost in the application and college search process. We hope to make the college search process as easy as possible to ensure students can enter college confidently.” Read more at michigandaily.com

08/15/19

ALEC COHEN/Daily

Thursday, June 15, 2019 The Michigan Daily â&#x20AC;&#x201D; michigandaily.com

MICHIGAN IN COLOR 9

Poem: Mother of the sea, of all living and nonliving things ANA MARIA SANCHEZ-CASTILLO MiC Senior Editor

I imagine her waves, before I enter like hands softly caressing the sand of the shore They ease their way towards my feet And we meet each other halfway Halfway between serenity and death The balance of Delicious paradise and ominosis danger Of which the ocean encompasses Reminding me that in this part of the world we experience pain when we need to Sometimes it does not make sense, but everything is not meant to These forces, like us, have the control to make integral decisions about what is and what is not There comes a point, a point of surrender Where this larger strength teaches you it can bare more than you And you mustw let it I sink further into this notion Into her motion and it all begins to feel more like breathing She builds her waves with an inhale scooping me onto her tongue It is possible that with this momentum she may swallow me whole But her exhale pushes me in the direction of the shore where she relinquishes all that does not serve her Today she pulls me in more then pushes me out And keeps me balanced in the warmth of her mouth I sing to her my gratitude sometimes a hum sometimes the sum of all her power For this she sings back in the music of fluidity like a child, a baby of which she adores she cradles me and rocks me melodically Like a whispered soft song I learn she is as grateful for me as I of her Courtesy of JOANNA KOSINSKA vis UNSPLASH

10 SPORTS Harbaugh calls Fickell’s claims “erroneous” amid Hudson transfer saga Thursday, August 15, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

MAX MARCOVITCH Managing Sports Editor

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh fired back at Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell on Tuesday evening, after Fickell scolded Harbaugh for his role in the handling of tackle James Hudson’s transfer and immediate eligibility waiver. Hudson, who transferred from Michigan to Cincinnati last October, was denied his petition for immediate eligibility after speaking out about his struggle with depression while at Michigan. “Here’s what I believe in the whole waiver process: the number one, most important thing, and all the power, comes from the school that a kid is leaving. No matter what,” Fickell told The Athletic. “(Michigan) didn’t back the waiver. They can say what they want to say, but the only thing they said that was positive was that if the NCAA chooses to make (Hudson) eligible, then they would accept it — that they didn’t have an angle. They are just trying to cover their ass. And I’m really, completely disappointed in it.” Harbaugh refuted that claim, noting that it’s within the NCAA’s purview -- not Michigan’s -- to determine Hudson’s eligibility, and that Michigan did nothing to deter Hudson’s chances. “I read Luke Fickell’s comments and unless I’m reading them wrong or mistaking them, I believe he’s under the impression that these waivers are decided coach to coach in some kind of deal fashion. And that’s not the understanding that I’m under. I’m under the understanding that the NCAA decides these waivers. Unless he has something that he can bring forth and share and enlighten us and the entire football world, I would really like to know what that is. “Erroneous, erroneous,”

ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily

Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh denies any interference with tackle James Hudson’s transfer and preaches truth and integrity.

Harbaugh then said Tuesday, of Fickell’s assertions. “Michigan did not block the waiver, no. We wish James Hudson well but that is not in the coach’s hands, it’s not in the university’s hands. It’s not in his hands. It’s the way the process works right now. Those waivers are decided by the NCAA.” The NCAA’s decision on Hudson comes amid a f lurry of inquiries from transfers, some of whom successfully gain eligibility while others fail to do so. Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson, of course, was granted immediate eligibility to play last season after leaving Ole Miss, which was under heavy NCAA sanctions at the time. This year, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields will be immediately eligible, leaving Georgia after he was subjected to racist comments from a baseball player. The NCAA’s rulings in

I’m under the understanding that the NCAA decides ...

these situations have become notoriously difficult to predict. The NCAA provision states that a player can receive immediate eligibility if “the transfer is due to documented mitigating circumstances that are outside the studentathlete’s control and directly impact the health, safety and well-being of the studentathlete.” Hudson and Fickell certainly felt his circumstances met those criteria, though Hudson never expressed his feelings of depression to school administrators. This public back and forth comes just weeks after Harbaugh insinuated players often feel the need to fabricate reasons to seek eligibility -- comments that drew the ire of those who felt he was directly suggesting Hudson misrepresented his mental health. “And the other piece that bothers me about it is, the youngster that says ‘this is a mental health issue, I’m suffering from depression.’ Or that’s a reason to get eligible,” Harbaugh said at Big Ten

Media Days, in the context of post-transfer eligibility.. And once that’s known that ‘Hey, say this or say that’ to get eligible. The problem I see in that is you’re going to have guys that are ‘OK, yeah, I’m depressed.’ Glenda Hudson, James’ mother, recalled to The Athletic receiving a text from her son shortly after. “My son text me and told me, ‘Coach called me a liar, mom,’ she said. Days later, Harbaugh issued a tweet to clarify his remarks, stating “My belief is that a one-time transfer should be allowed for all student athletes. I am clearly advocating for rights that college football players have not had.” He reiterated that stance Tuesday, which, were it NCAA policy, would render this entire situation moot. But it’s not. And Harbaugh said Tuesday that when Fickell initially reached out to him to

discuss Hudson’s situation, Fickell “tried to coach me into saying it differently”, presumably in an attempt to sway the NCAA toward a more lenient ruling. “I called him to say that I don’t know what’s going on with all these waivers, but I know James is here,” Fickell told The Athletic. “Are you guys going to be vindictive against him, or do you want to help this kid?” “And I told him, ‘Coach I mean I believe you’re telling the truth, forthright,’ ” Harbaugh recalled. “ ‘What I told James, what I told you, what I told compliance is going to be the truth.’ As I said, I read the article. He asked a question in the article, ‘What’s most important: personal beliefs or what’s in the best interest of the kid?’ And I can answer that. What’s most important is the truth.”

I can answer that. What’s most important is the truth.

Thursday, August 15, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SPORTS 11

Fans at the Big House share thoughts on state of U.S. soccer AKUL VIJAYVARGIYA

Summer Managing Sports Editor

The pregame festivities ahead of Saturday’s friendly between FC Barcelona and SSC Napoli was vastly different than most tailgates at Michigan Stadium. International music echoed throughout the parking lots as people from all over the country prepared to see some of the world’s most talented soccer players. But for the magnitude of the teams playing, the number of fans in attendance was a relatively mere 60,000, filling just over half of the seats at Michigan Stadium. One of the main purposes of the International Champions Cup is to improve the following of soccer in America and the audience’s demographic showed that it’s clearly working — some were from as far as Texas and North Carolina. “It’s crazy because these teams barely come and you have to see these teams over there in their country,” said Javier from Chicago. “For them to come here, it’s kinda like, you know what, one-time opportunity, you gotta take it and come to the game and just enjoy it.” But these fans who traveled to get the chance to watch premier soccer grew up in countries whose cultures idolized soccer — Poland, Honduras, Mexico, Costa Rica and more. They were raised around the sport and treat it like Americans might baseball or football. Since the turn of the century, the United States men’s soccer team has repeatedly failed to position itself as World Cup contender. The MLS has grown, but still finds itself a league where the biggest names are already past their prime and the best young players don’t stay for long. And though the women’s national soccer team has won the last two World Cups, the sport finds itself as an afterthought to American football, basketball, and baseball. “I don’t want to say it’s humiliating, but I want to say that it’s a reminder of what we

could (be) if we decide to allocate our resources the right way,” said Parker from Washington D.C. who got into the sport through a college class. “I just feel like, I think we’re at a point in the narrative of professional sports where people are getting tired of football for a number of reasons that are all valid. And you’re going to see more kids getting access to soccer and traveling more and being more competitive at younger ages, so I think the future is bright, honestly.” This sentiment was one that fans throughout the stadium shared. “Soccer is drawing more fans as time goes by, but I think (American fans) are liking the star players here,” said Oscar, a 35-year FC Barcelona fan originally from Honduras. “They have the financial means to make it happen. But it’s just the way they do it that’s not really relevant. They’re bringing notquality players from overseas. “It’s also just that the way they structure the (MLS) without relegation and stuff like that, doesn’t make it that competitive compared to the European leagues.” Oscar brought up a valid point — bringing attention to the domestic league is a key component to increasing the fandom of the sport in America. However, the MLS struggled to get going in the first place, something many European leagues were devoid of, as it was just another shot at an American soccer league that became subject to a tight salary cap space due to previously failed attempts. Now, with the MLS finally taking off and salary cap space being created, albeit at a relatively slow pace, the competition of the league is something that takes a lot more effort to change. Though the United Soccer League, or the USL, is sometimes considered to be a minor league to the MLS, it doesn’t receive the attention or respect that the English Championship receives as the next level down from the English Premier League, eliminating the

Soccer is drawing more fans as time goes by ...

ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily

F.C. Barcelona fans share thoughts on the state of American soccer and the impact of international teams such as F.C. Barcelona on it.

current attempt at relegation. Moreover, MLS teams haven’t participated in international tournaments like European teams who get a shot at the UEFA Champions League every year. Such changes cannot be made during a single offseason, either, but they are definitely something to think about. Javier, a 21-year-old who has played soccer for a majority of his life, offered a player’s perspective — though signing big-name players and increasing domestic competition is important, surrounding today’s youth with the right coaching staff is what will make soccer a staple in the United States. “I feel like the United States needs to bring the coaches from other countries to teach these young players,” Javier said. “Their playing style, their tactics. It’s a different type of soccer to develop.” But the optimism remains

present among these fans, and they think that events like the International Champions Cup combined with more attention to soccer players’ development is driving the sport’s growing popularity in America. “I think soccer is growing (in the United States), and I think in 10 years, 12 years, the US can win the World Cup,” said Rubin, another fan from Chicago. “I think the US is doing great with the minor league teams, if that’s what you want to call it. Kids nowadays, it’s such a diverse (talent pool) that they’re going to have a strong team. In 8 years, they’re going to be one of the strongest teams in the world.” Now, the expectations

are slightly unrealistic considering that the country’s talent is nowhere near that of powerhouses like Germany and France. But the resources and spotlight are there for soccer to take off in the United States. Now, it’s up to the nation to focus on building a culture that treats soccer like a premier sport, similar to the countries where many of these fans come from. And it all starts with events like the International Champions Cup. “I hope the people had a great match, that they enjoyed watching it,” said FC Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong. “(I hope) that they got a bit inspired but it’s all up to their chance (now).”

I think in 10 years, 12 years, the US can win the World Cup.

12 SPORTS

Thursday, August 15, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

F.C. Barcelona cruises to a 4-0 victory against S.S.C Napoli JORGE CAZARES

Summer Managing Sports Editor

It took 47 minutes for the f loodgates to open Saturday evening. Over the course of 15 minutes early in the second half, F.C. Barcelona rattled off four straight goals to power its way to a 4-0 victory over S.S.C. Napoli. The two European clubs squared off in front of a heavily pro-Barcelona crowd of 60,043. It was small by Michigan Stadium standards, especially in light of its soccer history. In 2014, The Big House set the record for the biggest crowd ever at an international soccer match in the United States, attracting 109,318 fans when Manchester United took on Real Madrid. Saturday was the fourth international soccer game that has been played at Michigan Stadium since 2014, drawing the lowest attendance of the four. “In the first half we were

very dominant,” said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde through a translator. “We were unable to score, but the game was ours from our point of view. Overall, we had a good game. In the second half we were also dominant, but the game opened up a little more and we were able to pressure and score.” Barcelona is known for is possessive style of play, and it was on full display against Napoli. The Spanish side held possession for 58 percent of the match, completing over 91 percent of its pass attempts. When it didn’t have possession, Barcelona’s defensive pressure often prevented Napoli from working into its attacking third. Barcelona forward Luis Suarez opened up scoring in the 48th minute off a rebound after Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret saved Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann’s one-onone opportunity. He added another goal 10 minutes later

which put his side up 3-0. Newly signed forward Antoine Griezmann also notched his first goal for Barcelona in the 56th minute after making his club debut in late July. He finished on a cross from defender Jordi Alba inside the six-yard box for an easy tap-in score. Forward Ousmane Dembélé added the fourth and final goal in the 63rd minute. Midfielder Frenkie De Jong, Barcelona’s other high-profile signing this summer, found Dembélé with space on the right wing. He cut inside towards the top of the 18-yard box and finished past an outstretched Meret. What started off looking like a stalemate through 47 minutes quickly became a decisive victory for Barcelona. “I think we played well in the first half,” De Jong said. “We didn’t score as many goals, but most of the time in the first half you build it up and in the second half you finish it.”

ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily

Forwards Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez scored a combine three goals in win.

New talent put on display in final tune-up match for F.C Barcelona JORGE CAZARES

Summer Managing Sports Editor

Two out of four potential trophies made their way home to Catalonia last season. That did not stop a wave of disappointment and criticism from engulfing FC Barcelona this summer. The reality is that winning only two out of four trophies last season is a letdown for a club that has won 74 domestic and 20 international trophies in its storied history. Despite winning La Liga and the Supercopa de España, the team still entered the offseason with a bitter taste in its mouth. Barcelona blew a 3-0 aggregate lead to Liverpool in the Champions League semifinal — allowing four goals in the second leg at Anfield— and lost 2-1 to Valencia in the Copa Del Rey final. Both trophies were seemingly in their grasp but slipped away. This summer, the Spanish side made two big splashes on the transfer market, acquiring a pair of superstars in French forward Antione Griezmann and Dutch midfielder Frenkie De Jong.

Now, more than ever, Barcelona fans expect results. “It’s the last game of the pre-league and we’re going to have to show what we’re doing this year and hopefully show how things will end up in the league,” Valverde said through a translator. “We’re not going to deceive ourselves; the manager of Barcelona is always the one who is asked these questions and people always have to think about when we lose more than when we win. So, we have to be ready to answer those questions. And I’m always the person who needs to be open to speaking about our defeats. We are in the situation where we have to win as many games as possible, and if there are criticisms now for a certain game or something that happened in the past, those are going to be criticisms, but my job is to make sure that we’re winning going

forward.” In Saturday’s match, the two new additions started and received ample playing time. Griezmann netted his first goal for Barcelona in the second half after missing a quality opportunity to score from inside the six-yard box in the early minutes of the game. De Jong dominated the midfield — facilitating play in the middle of the pitch and rarely making a mistake. The club fared well, even without forward Lionel Messi, winning easily against last season’s Serie A runner-up. And both De Jong and Griezmann figure to be featured regularly in the starting 11. Though Saturday’s exhibition match was exactly that — an exhibition — it marked the last tune up for the Spanish champions and the final chance for the newcomers to integrate into the lineup before league play begins.

It’s the last game of the pre-leauge.

ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily

Forward Antoine Griezmann scored his first goal for F.C. Barcelona for a 3-0 lead.