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Monday, June 11, 2012
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Monday, June 11, 2012
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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First seen on
,he game
Athletes earn Big Ten brass
Hoke talks recruiting,
possible BCS changes
By COLLEEN THOMAS
Daily Sports Editor
On Thursday, two Michigan ath-
letes were awarded one of the most
prestigious conference awards.
Softball senior Amanda
Chidester and men's swimming
senior Dan Madwed were honored
with the Big Ten's Medal of Honor
as one of 24 conference athletes that
"attained the greatest proficiency in
athletics and scholastic work."
Chidester led the Wolverines to
its fifth consecutive Big Ten softball
title this year in addition to a NCAA
Regional championship. The Allen
Park, Mich. native was also named
the Big Ten Player of the Year for
the second consecutive season.
Madwed helped the Michigan
men's swimming and diving team
to the Big Ten title this season. The
senior collected Big Ten's Swim-
mer of the Year and Swimmer of the
Championship honors after win-
ning four conference titles in 2012.
The award, which started in
1915, was originally intended for
one graduating student-athlete
from each university but has since
expanded. According to the general
release from the Big Ten, "The Big
Ten Medal of Honor was the first
award in intercollegiate athletics to
demonstrate support for the educa-
tional emphasis placed on athletics.
It was acclaimed throughout the
nation 'as one of the significantges-
tures yet made in college sports."'
First seen on
-the game
Prices set for Winter Classic
By MATT SLOVIN The most expensive ticket is in the
Daily Sports Editor club levels.
"(Prices) are set to be consis-
Seating charts on the Detroit Red tent with previous Winter Classics
Wings' website revealed official and previous big events at the Big
ticket prices for the 2013 Winter House," an NHL source told the
Classic and this year's Great Lakes Daily on Saturday.
Invitational. The four-team Great Lakes Invi-
The Winter Classic, which tational will be played at Comerica
will feature the Red Wings and Park. According to the seating
the Toronto Maple Leafs, will chart, every seat in the ballpark will
be played on New Year's Day at beon sale for the tournament's first
Michigan Stadium. The cheapest outdoor edition.
tickets will be in the lowest part outfield seats, as well as seats
of the stadium bowl, where sight- right along the first and third base-
lines are the poorest. A majority lines and behind home plate, will go
of the lower seats will be sold for for $18. The most expensive tickets
$149, while most of the tickets in are in the upper deck, priced at $38.
the upper rows will be worth $129. No sale date has vet been set.
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By COLLEEN THOMAS
Daily Sports Editor
Michigan coach Brady Hoke's
job would be so much easier if he
could waltz right into an Ohio high
school, sweep up all the five-star
recruits and call it a day.
But unfortunately for Hoke, it's
a lot harder than that.
"You can take all the 'stars' and
all the ways the guys are rated and
that's great," Hoke said in Wednes-
day's meeting with the Michigan
Associated Press Sports Editors.
"It's great for the fan base and the
public - the year-round recruit-
ing. (But) Michigan's not for every-
body. It's hard and demanding
from an academic standpoint, from
a social standpoint forwhat Michi-
gan represents, and the football
standpoint."
The Wolverines have had some
trouble with academics in the past,
most notably former quarterback
Tate Forcier. Though Forcier was
a hot prospect coming out of high
school, he struggled academically
and was forced to drop out.
Hoke noted that though there
are a lot of players with talent that
could fit into his system, he's not
just looking at scouting reports and
highlight reels.
"If you had the kids with charac-
ter who are football players, that's
who you want," he said. "I think
we're doing that now - there are
a lot of guys who have 'stars,' but
that's not what we're recruiting."
Hoke has had notable success
recruiting so far in his tenure,
especially in Ohio. In the class of
2012, nine of 25 incoming fresh-
men and eight of the 21 members
of the expanding class of 2013 hail
from the Buckeye state.
But with Urban Meyer as the
new head coach at Ohio State, the
'Brady vs. Urban' recruiting com-
petition has gained momentum
throughout the Midwest.
Though to Hoke, it's not about
recruiting against Meyer - it's
Michigan vs. Ohio State.
"You're talking about the great-
est rivalry in sports, and I don't
think that's ever changed," he said.
"This has never been (about) who's
the coach at Michigan (or at Ohio
State) - it's about those two great
institutions. It doesn't make a dif-
Michigan coach Brady Hoke discussed his opinion ona new BCS system.
ference, you're representing your come to fruition, however, Hoke
universities." wouldn't mind hostinga site.
But with technology changing "You always want to play at
the recruiting landscape, Hoke home, wouldn't you?" he said. "But
said colleges around the nation that's not going to happen. People,
might be modifying their method. and networks - I'm getting way
"We've talked a little bit more too far into this - they're going to
about an early official visit cal- want to play in a controlled envi-
endar, like having official visits ronment."
for two weeks in June, because KING HOKE: If the NCAA
then you'd have to incorporate decided to make Brady Hoke king
an early signing date," Hoke said. for a day, what would he change
"The technology is what has made about college football?
(recruiting) go faster. I don't know "I've neverthought ofit, because
if I like it, but I think it's kind of I don't think that's ever going to
the world we live in right now, (so) happen," Hoke said.
we've talked about (it)." But if Hoke really had to choose,
POTENTIAL PLAYOFFS: In he said he knows exactly what
response to the debate over the would be revised.
validity of Alabama's spot in last "They need to redefine what the
year's BCS National Championship academic year is in Division-I foot-
Game, the major conferences have ball," Hoke said. "The academic
been discussing an alteration of year right now is September until
college football's postseason. May for us, where we have contact
Big Ten commissioner Jim Dela- (and) we can be with our players. If
ny opposes the four-team playoff there are class issues, there can be
idea, and Hoke doesn't necessarily consequences. (But when) summer
think the current system is flawed. starts, (the) academic.year is over
"Look at the BCS (and) what's (and) we aren't allowed to be with
going to happen," he said. "I don't our players."
have any problem with that and Because of the NCAA no-con-
(Alabama) playing (for a national tact rule, many of his players that
title)," he said. "Conference cham- take spring and summer classes
pions ought to be part of (deciding can't be monitored and Hoke said
who plays for the title). they cannot be provided with the
"Whatever happens, I hope they right kind of guidance and assis-
think about the kids and the fami- tance.
lies of those kids that are out there "They'll be in class through-
on the field. These aren't profes- out the summer," he said. "I don't
sional athletes - they have classes. know if there's a Division-I school
Yes, we all know it's about money that won'thave kids in classes dur-
(and) it's about TV ... but let's think ing the summer. We can't go class
about what's best for the kids." check like we normally would, (so)
If the post-season playoff does I'd change that in a heartbeat."
As a teenager, I, like many other
girls, loved "The Notebook." It
was the ideal love story and, more
importantly, it included Ryan Gos-
ling. Since my teenage years, my
definition of romance has changed,
though Ryan Gosling will always
hold a special place in my heart.
"The Notebook" follows a famil-
iar yet alarmingpattern: boy wants
girl, girl does not want boy, boy
pressures girl, boy gets girl. Gavin
de Becker, a specialist in security
matters, explains in his book "The
Gift of Fear" that, "Girls are taught
from a young age to expect this
kind of behavior ... it is shown to
be a model for a love story, where
man pursues woman and gets her
regardless of her consent."
It's notable that in movies like
"Fatal Attraction," where the roles
are reversed, the ending is drasti-
cally different; instead of the girl
getting the boy, she ends up dead.
Movies like these perpetuate a dis-
turbing double standard. They sug-
gest that when a man says, "no," it's
final. But when a woman says, "no,"
it means try harder.
Though it's unfair to blame
society's attitudes solely on the
messages we find in movies, films
often reflect what we deem accept-
able as a culture. Unfortunately,
the norms enforced by Hollywood
can translate into chilling real-
life situations. For example, in
2010, one group of Yale frater-
nity pledges chanted, "'No' means
'yes!' 'Yes' means 'anal!"' in front
of women's dorms. The ramifica-
tions of these attitudes go beyond
offensive chants. According to the
U.S. Department of Justice, 25 per-
cent of college women are victims
of attempted or completed rape,
and 90 percent of these victims are
attacked by someone they already
know. These facts demonstrate
why our society desperately needs
a romance makeover.
We must ensure that both indi-
viduals in a relationship respect
their love interest's boundaries.
This means separating persis-
ALICIA KOVALCHECK E-MAIL ALICIA AT ALIMARKO@UMICH.EDU.
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KELSEY TROTTA
Redefine romance
Lessons from childhood
tence from courtship and teach-
ing people to honor the word "no."
While rejection is difficult for
everybody, accepting it is essential
for both parties. Gavin de Becker
asserts, "'No' is a word that must
never be negotiated, because the
person who chooses not to hear
it is trying to control you ... " Ser-
enading somebody with the help
of the school marching band ("10
Things I Hate About You"), watch-
ing somebody sleep ("Twilight") or
attempting to sabotage a wedding
("My Best Friend's Wedding") in
an effort to win someone over all
may seem romantic in the context
of a movie,rbut in fact suggest per-
sonality traits that could lead to
unhealthy relationships and poten-
tially unsafe situations.
Many fear that chivalry will die
if we change our interpretation of
romance. Redefining courtship
may be difficult, but it does not
mean that traditional elements of
dating, such as roses and choco-
lates, need to disappear - they will
just play a different role in roman-
tic pursuit. Besides, the roses will
smell sweeter coming from some-
one whom the receiver wants in his
or her life.
Hollywood, fortunately, already
has examples that demonstrate
what ahealthy courtship looks like.
For instance, in "The Notebook,"
there is a scene where the protago-
nist, Allie, debates between stay-
ing engaged to her fiance, Lon, or
reuniting with her old boyfriend,
Noah. After Allie tells him about
Noah, Lon says, "I love you, Allie,
but I want you for myself. I don't
want to have to convince my fian-
cee that she should be with me."
When Allie chooses Noah, Lon
leaves her alone. His actions were a
powerfulmicrocosm demonstrat-
ing what romance should be about:
respect. After the movie, I kept
wonderingif Lou ever found some-
body. Because that is a love story I
would want to hear about.
Kelsey Trotta is a LSA senior.
Since the death of the leg-
endary sci-
ence fiction
author Ray
Bradbury
last week,
there have
been many
statements of
admiration
and respect MICHAEL
from a wide SPAETH
variety of
people who
were influenced by the man and
his stories. One of the first state-
ments after Bradbury's death is
particularly interesting. Speaking
with io9.com, Bradbury's grand-
son, Danny Karapetian, lovingly
stated that Bradbury "was the
biggest kid I know."
Bradbury's childlike enthu-
siasm toward nearly every topic
he discussed is clearly evident in
video clips of the author. In sev-
eral of these clips, Bradbury has
a large plastic dinosaur in his
house, a visual representation of
the unbreakable bond between
his childhood interests and his
final years of life. It's remarkable
that he remained so consistently
excited and loved life so intensely
since the 1920s. It's difficult to
know for certain how he accom-
plished this feat, but it's helpful
to pay attention to the children
around us to gain insight.
Anyone who has ever seen the
wide eyes and half-open mouth of
a toddler knows that young chil-
dren in particular are extremely
curious about the world. While
we remain curious about top-
ics within our major, most stu-
dents aren't overcome with
curiosity about every little thing
we encounter in our day-to-day
lives. In contrast, young children
are fascinated with almost every-
thing around them. Their eyes
frequently scan their surround-
ings, fixating on objects both
large and small.
Neil deGrasse Tyson, astro-
physicist and host of "NOVA
scienceNOW," is a prominent
advocate for the benefits of curi-
osity, particularly among chil-
dren. "Kids are born scientists,"
he said in an interview in Decem-
ber. "They're bornprobing the
natural world that surrounds
them." He argues that children
should be allowed to conduct
their own "experiments" by get-
ting messy, banging household
items together and touching their
natural surroundings. "I think
the best thing a parent can do,
when raising a child, is simply get
out of their way," Tyson said.
It seems that as we become
preoccupied with additional
responsibilities and become more
cynical about life, we lose some
of this natural curiosity about
the world around us. Yet, even
though we aren't children any-
more and many of us won't enter
a science-related career field,
all of us can still use our natural
curiosity in more constructive
ways than we could have as chil-
dren. This allows us to use more
sophisticated tools to explore our
surroundings and run a lower
risk of accidentally hurting our-
selves in the process. Perhaps
most importantly, a sustained,
high level of curiosity allows our
minds to actively consider new
or less obvious concepts, which
could help spark innovative ideas
for a rapidly changing world.
Above all else, we should fully
engage in everything we do and
enjoy every minute of it, no mat-
ter how boring it may seem. One
of the best examples of this con-
cept is a popular YouTube video
of a 3-year-old boy conducting the
fourth movement of Beethoven's
Fifth Symphony. In the video, his
exaggerated gestures and emo-
tional facial expressions show that
he's completely in love with the
music. At such a young age, he's
unrestrained by formal technique
or the notion that he may possibly
look foolish. He's free to enjoy the
music in an incredibly pure way.
Unfortunately, we seem to lose
some of thisjoyful innocence aswe
become older.
Live like a
kid again and
explore.
Ray Bradbury also had a very
strong, pure love for books, comic
strips and movies. In interviews,
he repeatedly described how he
"fell in love" with just about every-
thing he did throughout his life.
His enthusiasm is infectious and
inspiring. Asa result of Bradbury's
unwavering love for life, he cre-
ated innovative stories that have
inspired generations of readers.
We're still young and have the
ability to change our attitudes
about the world around us. If we
get in the habit of being curious
about everything we do, con-
stantly asking questions and dig-
ging deeper, the world becomes a
much more interesting and beau-
tiful place. And when we love
a beautiful world, we naturally
become curious about everything
surrounding us. The powerful
interaction between curiosity
and love could be the secret to
not just a successful career and a
more innovative world, but also a
more fulfilling life.
Bradbury himself summed up
his life in the best words possible:
"Here lies Ray Bradbury, who loved
life completely." Summer break is
full of free time and infinite oppor-
tunities for discovery and enjoy-
ment. It's the perfect time to start
living by Bradbury's example.
Michael Spaeth can be
reached at micspa@umich.edu.
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