Thursday, June 19, 2014 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com The Schefters: Remembering the year's best Thursday, June 19, 2014 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com ( 3 Town-gown relationship major focus of mayoral forum By GREG GARNO ManagingSports Editor It was the best of years and the worst of years for Michigan ath- letics. A season that began with wom- en's soccer on Aug. 23, 2013 and ended with men's and women's track on June 14, 2014 was full of both disappointment and joy. Regardless, the 2013-14 sea- son was like every one before it: unforgettable, spectacular and heartbreaking. The Daily's awards, named after ESPN analyst Adam Scheft- er, honor the best of Michigan athletics in the past season. Schefter was Managing Sports Editor and football beat writer for the Daily in the late 1980s and is one of the Daily's most esteemed alumni. The only rule: An athlete or team cannot win more than one category, ensuring it's fair game to any athlete from any sport. Game of the Year: Michigan Football's loss vs. Ohio State Yes, it ended as a loss, but "The Game" was tense and dramatic right until the very last second. It was the best rivalry in col- lege football living up the hype that surrounds it. The Buckeyes entered undefeated with a chance at a National Championship Game berth on the line, and the Wolverines came in reeling with questions about the coaching staff looming. There were punches thrown and middle fingers raised, as both teams traded touchdowns early. And even when Ohio State took the lead in the third quarter, Michigan fought back, marching down the field in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. Trailing 42-41, with quarter- back Devin Gardner playing on a broken foot, Michigan coach Brady Hoke opted to go for the two-point conversion instead of kick the extra point. Gardner's pass was intercept- ed, and the game over, but for a moment, 110,000-plus fans forgot about the season at hand and held their breath. Coach of the Year: Mike McGuire, Women's Cross Country Mike McGuire has quietly pro- duced one of the best teams on this campus. Not just this year, but in the past decade. This year, he led the Michigan women's cross country team to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. The Wolverines finished runner-up at the Big Ten Championships and first at the Great Lakes Regional, led by Finn. The results speak to McGuire's continued strength at recruit- ing, bringing athletes from the state and around the nation away from schools on the east and west coasts and to Ann Arbor. In the last decade, he has led his team to five top-six finishes and three straight regional titles and has been named Great Lakes Coach of the Year eight times. This year, he received the honor again. Female Athlete of the Year: Sierra Romero, Softball The Michigan softball team has always had a strong cast of players, but few have been as important as Sierra Romero has been. This year, the sophomore standout was a first team All- American, the Big Ten Player of the Year and one of three finalists for National Player of the Year. She improved on her eye-pop- ping numbers from last year by hitting .491 with 18 home runs and 72 RBI - even more impres- sive when you consider she was walked 66 times. Male Athlete of the Year: Sam Mikulak, Men's Gymnas- tics Any number of athletes could have grabbed this award, but then none of those athletes have seven individual national champion- ships to their name, let alone two team national titles. He won the all-around compe- tition at the national champion- ships this year, even with a fall on the high bars that dropped his score down nearly five points. Mikulak completed his illus- trious college career with first place on the parallel bars for the seventh title, which puts him in a three-way tie for the most all- time. But his presence was notice- able as Michigan produced higher team scores with the Olympian in the lineup. Aff past As approa mayor urdayz the An to deb in thei Cur (D) is n ing thi that th bent ri produc tive ra cratic memb: 1), Stel 3), Sal 2) and Ward1 Asv Repub giving import wins w nent i ring i campa Top from b tion, ti versity city a: townc of affo archin selves: mayor comps tives, a priorit each A As n ordable housing, the candidates had somewhat 1, *,, similar objectives, but their strat- t pOliCy pOSitOiS egies varied widely, especially when it came to the city's current also concern1s policy frameworks. While Taylor expressed the By EMMA KERR belief that the city, under Mayor Daily StaffReporter Hieftje's leadership, is already on the right track, other candi- the August primary dates, particularly Kunselman, ches, all four Democratic expressed the need for redirec- al candidates gathered Sat- tion. morning for a forum held by Several candidates also argued in Arbor Democratic Party that two parties have formed ate several of the key issues within City Council and within upcoming election. the race - those who stand with rent mayor John Hieftje current mayor Hieftje's policies, not seeking reelection, mak- and those who don't. is the first time in 14 years During the debate, Briere con- nere hasn't been an incum- demned this approach, and asked unning for the position and candidates to focus on the cur- cing an especially competi- rent election, not past divisions. ce between the four Demo- "I don't belong to a faction," candidates - City Council Briere said. "John (Hieftje) is gone ers Sabra Briere (D-Ward and we should get over it. Now we phen Kunselman (D-Ward look at the future. As much as we ly Hart Petersen (D-Ward may like John or agree with his i Christopher Taylor (D- policies, I'm not running against 3) - vying for the seat. John and I'm not running to beat well, there are currently no John." licans running for mayor, As Briere emphasized her long the primary heightened history of maintaining an open tance because whoever minded, representative perspec- 'ill likely not face an oppo- tive on issues before the Council, n the general election, bar- Petersen discussed her vision for ndependent or write in improving Ann Arbor through her igns. relatively newer, unique perspec- ics at the forum ranged tivebytakingthe cityin adifferent basic background informa- direction. This is Petersen's first o questions about the Uni- term on City Council, and Briere's 's relationship with the fourth. Kunselman and Taylor nd concerns about down- are serving their fourth and third development and the lack terms, respectively. rdable housing. Two over- "I am running for mayor in g themes presented them- order to bring new leadership and how would the elected a new plan to Ann Arbor that will 's goals for the city differ in transform the economic growth rison with Hieftje's objec- ahead of us into much needed nd how did each candidate revenue to pay for our priorities," ize the unique needs of Petersen said. nn Arbor citizen? One of these priorities, she nembers of the same party, added, will be to create a more open and cooperative relation- ship between the University and the city. Instead of asking for measures such as the controver- sial payment in lieu of taxes pro- gram, which has been brought up by city officials several times as a solution to the tax revenue the city loses every time the Univer- sity buys property and it becomes tax exempt, Petersen said the city needed to create a dialogue with the University to address these kinds of issues. Other candidates leaned more towards a focus on representing the non-University portions of the city and prioritizing the needs of local, voting citizens, emphasiz- ing a different kind of cooperation from the University. "We certainly need to have a Board of Regents that is cognizant that if they keep growing and buy- ing Ann Arbor city property, they are goingto kill the goose that laid the golden egg because all of these amenities downtown are going to be nothing but a student food court," Kunselman said. Taylor encouraged this same sort of education and awareness from the University. "They (the University) are not evil," he said. "They just don't understand." Candidates also debated the importance of prioritizing either the downtown area, or its sur- rounding neighborhoods. While Briere argued that improvements downtown will benefit neighborhoods and therefore should be the prior- ity, Kunselman preferred a more infrastructure focused approach, providing safe, well maintained neighborhoods and roads first before funding downtown needs. Petersen and Taylor remained more neutral in their stance on either pro downtown or pro neighborhood, emphasizing the need to work with both groups, instead of being in favor of one or the other. The need for affordable hous- ing, a concern City Council has discussed for years and which continues to be an unsolved prob- lem in the city, proved to be one of the most differentiating issues of the morning, eliciting multiple different stances from candi- dates. Briere argued that Council needs to reach out to other enti- ties in order to fund workforce housing to achieve what she believes is a necessary goal while not taking money away from roads, parks, police, and other necessities. In contrast, Kunselman said as mayor, he would focus on the Ann Arbor Housing Commission, maintaining those residences and attempting to create more, if pos- sible, in lower-cost real estate areas ?:stead of on a downtown location. Petersen also empha- sized the need to make afford- able housing a priority, and said as mayor she hoped to de-mystify the idea of affordable housing near other neighborhoods. Taylor said part of the afford- able housing problem stems from students, and proposed incentiv- izing onvestors to build affordable housing downtown instead of student housing. Candidates also discussed inspiring commercial develop- ment and the possible re-zoning of Main St., better non-motorized transportation, the City Council's relationship with the Downtown Development Authority, and how to further utilize the University as a resource to the city's growth and development. The Ann Arbor Democratic mayoral primary will be held Aug. 5. Five additional debates between candidates are sched- uled within the next few weeks. Sam Mikulak won an all-around national title and led Michigan to the team title. S uy one sandwich, get one FREE! I hwaiw w , wew I I BAGELS .a." - .----3-11 ---m Team of the Year: Michigan Men's Gymnastics As the only program to win a national championship, the Michigan men's gymnastics team has earned this honor. Led by Mikulak, the Wolver- ines won their second straight title - the first Michigan team to win back-to-back titles since the trampoline team did it in 1976-77 - in dominant fashion. They led from the first round all the way to the sixth in front of a home crowd that energized all of Crisler Cen- ter. Michigan never lost a dual meet this season and finished first in every scored meet. Con- sider that Michigan is in arguably the hardest conference for men's gymnastics, and the feat looks even more impressive. Perhaps it's time Michigan be referred to a "gymnastics school." Career Achievement Award: Mac Bennett, Ice Hockey Mac Bennett will probably tell you he didn't expect his last two years to end without an appear- ance in the NCAA Tournament, not after 22 straight years of qual- ifying asa team. But the senior defenseman was the face of the Michigan hockey team, in moments when it excelled and moments when it faltered. He remained the anchor of the Wolverines' defense, even when he was injured. In 2012-13, Bennett injured his back, missing several weeks, and last season he sat out for four games with a punctured lung. But he was at every practice watch- ing and learning even when he couldn't skate. This award isn't necessarily given to the best athlete. Bennett knows other defenseman before and after were better players, but it's given to the athlete who best embodies the team over his four years. He made the right plays, even if they didn't show up on the scoresheet, finishing his career with 14 goals, 51 assists and a plus-40 mark on the ice. But as a two-time captain, Bennett also made everyone else around him better, setting up goals or mini- mizing mistakes. And he was rewarded when he signed with the Montreal Cana- diens this April, where he'll take. his energetic attitude with him. VIRGINIA LOZANO/Daily Mayoral Candidate Sabra Briere (DWard 1) speaks at a dehate hosted by the Ann Arhor Democratic Party at the Ann Arbor Community Center Saturday. TECHNOLOGY From Page 1 Potentially, platforms like Unizin could also protect property rights. The system ensures profes- sors have control over who gains access to their research, and that they receive due credit for their work. The partnership also paves the way for advancements in digital learningatthe University,delivered via massive open online courses, or MOOCs. The University currently offers 12 of these courses on Cours- era, an online platform that allows individuals from around the world to access University content and instruction for free. While Unizin is not designed as a platform to host online courses, Business Prof. Gautam Kaul said it provides "the ecosystem needed for us to flourish in that environment." Kaul highlighted the importance of being on campus for students, so theycouldinteract withfaculty and gain hands on experience in their respective fields. However, he said the current methods of education should be carefully reconsidered to improve learning efficiency and to get students to campus with greater knowledge, prior to ever stepping in a classroom. "A lot of the stuff that we do in residential education doesn't need to happen (in residence), quality stuff needs to happen," Kaul said. In one of Kaul's finance courses, students complete online content the summer prior to the start of the course. He said students come to campus with about 25 percent of the course material alreadycov- ered, allowing the class to cover more topics, in greater detail, by the end of the semester. It remains to be seen whether the implementation of online courses can add value to education while reducing costs, but Kaul said the advent of MOOCs signifies that price is an increasing concern on college campuses. "Education shouldn't be that expensive," he said. "I think the public is saying, 'Let's take a break here and see if we can do a better job keepingcosts under control"' While MOOCs could provide an alternative for U.S. students who can't afford to come to cam- pus, he added that they have major impacts abroad as well, especially in areas where they may be the only option available for individu- als seeking an education. "We are talking about choices here," Kaul said. "(In other coun- tries), they mightnot have choices, but digital education could pro- vide them one."