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Volume 51, Issue 84 | friday, february 10, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Blais, Shewit elected president, VP Sanctions against Fonseca-Narimatsu inconsequential as winners prevail with majority of all votes cast By MEGAN VALLEY Associate News Editor
Judicial Council announced the results of the campaign for student government at 1:50 a.m. Friday in an email sent to the student body. Juniors Becca Blais and Sibonay Shewit will take office as student body president and vice president April 1. Blais and Shewit were up against one other ticket, juniors Rohit Fonseca and Daniela Narimatsu. “We’re incredibly honored to have this opportunity to serve the student body,” Blais said. “We’re here to listen to every voice and amplify those voices. We would like to commend Rohit, Daniela and [campaign manager Madi Purrenhage] on an incredible campaign. It was an honor to run with friends.”
The Election Committee of the Judicial Council announced at 1 a.m. Friday in a press release that the Fonseca-Narimatsu ticket for the student government election was required to forfeit 5 percent of the votes cast for the candidates’ ticket, a reduction from the original 7 percent forfeiture that was announced in a press release Wednesday. According to Friday’s release, Fonseca and Narimatsu were found to be “in violation of Subsection 17.2(e) of the Student Union Constitution” during their campaign. “Receipts for all election materials purchased or donated must be presented to the Election Committee prior to any use of the materials,” the section reads. “All receipts
EDDIE GRIESEDIECK | The Observer
see ELECTION PAGE 4
Juniors Becca Blais, left, and Sibonay Shewit speak at the student body president debate Monday at Carey Auditorium. Students voted Wednesday, electing Blais the next president and Shewit the next vice president.
Students protest refugee ban
SMC Chinese night to explore culture, traditions By GINA TWARDOSZ News Writer
Saint Mar y’s eighth annual China Night w ill take place in Moreau Center’s Little Theatre on Saturday. A lice Siqin Yang, associate director of international education, said China Night w ill feature
Photo courtesy of Daniela Cabada
Students hold signs at Fieldhouse Mall on Thursday afternoon in protest of President Trump’s recent executive order on immigration. By MARIE FAZIO News Writer
Students, faculty and South Bend community members braved the 20-degree weather and gathered at Fieldhouse Mall in a peaceful protest against President Trump’s executive order that is attempting to temporarily ban the entry into the
U.S. of nationals of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Libya for 90 days. Carrying signs that read “no human being is illegal” and chanting, “No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here,” a group of around 20 students, faculty and staff marched see PROTEST PAGE 4
Scene PAGE 5
a variet y of performances centered around Chinese culture, presented by both Saint Mar y’s international exchange students and local Chinese communit y members. “In addition to our Chinese international students, we have some communit y [dance groups]
— children from six to 20 [years old] w ill come to perform from the local Chinese communit y,” Yang said. A lthough this is China Night’s eighth consecutive year, Yang said China Night has a long history at Saint Mary’s. see CHINA PAGE 3
Squad to raise funds for breast cancer research By COURTNEY BECKER News Writer
The Notre Dame women’s basketball team is partnering with RecSports to raise money and awareness for breast cancer by hosting the Pink Zone Fitness Party at Rolfs Sports Center on Friday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Viewpoint PAGE 6
The Fitness Party format is an adjustment from the Pink Zone Spin-a-Thon that RecSports has hosted in the past. Fitness and instructional program coordinator for RecSports Tabbitha Ashford said this change came about in response to a desire to make the event more accessible for everyone. “This year, it’ll be five hours
Men’s Basketball PAGE 12
on Friday evening, with each hour being a different fitness class ranging from Zumba to yoga to boot camp — something for everybody, hopefully,” she said. “I think it was just kind of going back to the basics of what we offer through our regular programming, and seeing see PINK PAGE 3
ND W Basketball PAGE 12
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Lecture: “Innovative Energy Generation” Mendoza College of Business 10:40 a.m. - 12:10 p.m. Open to the public.
Total Body Conditioning Rolfs Sports Recreation Center 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Space is limited.
Women’s Basketball vs. Georgia Tech Purcell Pavilion 1 p.m. The Irish take on the Yellow Jackets.
Strategic Litigation on Behalf of Trafficking Victims: The New Reality Eck Hall of Law 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lecture: “Evolution and Life in a Synthetic Universe” Jordan Hall of Science 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Admission is free.
Performance: Bach’s Lunch DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 12:10 p.m. - 1:10 p.m. Free but ticketed.
Men’s Basketball vs. Florida State Purcell Pavilion 6 p.m. The Irish take on the Seminoles.
Vespers Basilica of the Sacred Heart 7:15 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. All are welcome to join for evening prayer.
Presentation by Dr. James Gingerich, M.D. Geddes Hall 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Discussion will follow.
Bengal Bouts Preliminaries Joyce Center 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 for all four rounds.
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Badin hosts Polar Bear Plunge By ALEXANDRA MUCK News Writer
Bad i n Ha l l’s a n nua l Pola r Bea r Plu nge, i n w h ich st udent s ju mp i nto St . Joseph’s L a ke for cha rit y, w i l l be held Sat u rday f rom 2 – 4 p.m. T he cost of pa r t ic ipat i ng i s $ 5, a nd t he proceed s f rom t he event benef it t he Hope I n it iat ive, w h ich seek s to ser ve women a nd or pha n s i n Nepa l. L a st yea r, t he event d rew 30 0 people, but ju n ior Kel ly Hei n iger a nd sophomore K at h leen Ry a n, t he orga n i z er s for t he event, sa id t he y a re hopi ng to d raw at lea st a s ma ny t h i s yea r. Given t he w a r mer weat her ea rl ier i n t he week, Hei n iger a nd Ry a n sa id t he w ater shou ld be w a r mer t ha n nor ma l, w h ich t he y hope w i l l d raw more pa r t ic ipa nt s. Ry a n sa id her favor ite pa r t of orga n i z i ng t he event i s seei ng how much f u n ever yone ha s w h i le pa r t ic ipat i ng. “I ju st love seei ng people r u n i n a nd see how cold it i s,” she sa id. St udent s c a n stop i n a ny t i me
du r i ng t he event to complete t hei r plu nge, a s it w i l l r u n i n sh i f t s. T hose w ho d id not prereg i ster at Sout h Di n i ng Ha l l on Wed nesday or T hu r sday c a n st i l l prereg i ster on l i ne at Not re Da me St udent Shop u nder Bad i n Ha l l. St udent s w ho prefer to reg i ster at t he event shou ld br i ng $ 5 i n c a sh. P rereg i ster i ng a l low s st udent s to avoid t he l i ne before complet i ng t hei r plu nge. Towel s will be av a i lable t h roug hout t he t wo hou r s for t hose w ho complete t he plu nge, a nd hot chocolate a nd mu sic w i l l be a rou nd t he la ke, a s wel l. P ic t u res f rom t he event w i l l be av a i lable on t he event ’s Facebook page for t hose w ho a re u nable to at tend or w a nt to f i nd pic t u res of t hem selves at t he event . Hei n iger sa id people pa r t ic ipate i n t he event pr i ma r i ly for brag g i ng r ig ht s a nd to suppor t cha r it y. “I t h i n k t he concept of doi ng a plu nge i s a pret t y wel l-k now n idea . … It ’s neat to have one t hat benef it s a loc a l cha r it y, a nd it ’s
a l so a pret t y est abl i shed event,” Hei n iger sa id. Before R y a n pa r t ic ipated i n t he Pola r Bea r Plu nge la st yea r, she had a lw ay s w a nted to t r y a plu nge. “I had hea rd about people doi ng plu nges a nd I had never been able to do a plu nge before — t here ju st w a sn’t one i n t he a rea,” she sa id. “It w a s so cool, not on ly k now i ng t here w a s a plu nge I cou ld do, but t hat it ’s on ly st udent s. It ’s a ver y Not re Da me com mu n it y feel.” A com m it tee of eig ht to 10 Bad i n resident s w ho ser ve on t he dor m’s Hope Com m i ssion helped Hei n iger a nd Ry a n pla n t he event . T he com m i ssion i s a l so responsible for pla n n i ng Con sc iou s C h r i st ma s i n t he fa l l semester, w h ich benef it s t he Hope I n it iat ive a s wel l. T he dor m bec a me i nvolved w it h t he I n it iat ive t h roug h A n n-Ma r ie Con r ado i s a teachi ng professor a nd Bad i n Ha l l fellow, a s wel l a s a co-fou nder of t he I n it iat ive. Contact Alexandra Muck at amuck@nd.edu
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Filmmaker examines nature of poverty By LUCY LYNCH News Writer
Filmmaker Michael Matheson Miller hosted a discussion with Sara Sievers, Keough School of Global Affairs associate dean for policy and practice, following a showing of his critically acclaimed 2014 documentary “Poverty, Inc.” on Thursday night. In the film, Miller argues that the current system of development, which originated during the reconstruction of Europe following World War II, is broken. The film cites examples to show how donor governments have
China Continued from page 1
“The first one was in 1967 and then 1969; they did two years of China Night on this campus in the ... O’Laughlin Auditorium,” she said. “This should be our 50-year anniversar y.” Yang said this year’s focus for China Night is the Year of the Rooster, one of the t welve Chinese zodiac signs that cycle through the years. “Those born under the sign of the Rooster are hardworking, confident, proud and ready to meet challenges,” she said. “This w ill be a luck y year for those born under this sign.” Junior Chinese Culture Club president Jinglun Zhang said she likes sharing Chinese culture w ith American students because
Pink Continued from page 1
the numbers and realizing that you can’t have a part y w ithout Zumba — that’s the essence of any fitness part y.” Sha rla L ew is, specia l event s coord i nator for women’s ba sketba l l, sa id t he idea wa s pa r t ia l ly i nspi red by a n of fer f rom Beyond Zen Yoga St ud io to cont r ibute to t he Pi n k Zone’s cause — somet h i ng it w i l l do by host i ng a “Zenat hon” on Sat u rday. “They’re going from 8 a.m. and their last class stops at about 5 p.m.,” she said. “They have two classes going on at the same time and [University president Fr. John Jenkins] is going to end it with a prayer service at 6 p.m.” The Fitness Part y w ill also feature classes suited to various experience levels,
profited off of foreign aid and hindered the prosperity of underdeveloped nations. “We take this neocolonialist approach, we take money from them and then we congratulate ourselves,” Miller said. “We knew we were giving money to bad guys and we knew they were abusing it and then we were making people pay them back.” Miller said aid programs cannot help people prosper because the lack of rights is the more pressing problem. “They are not poor primarily because they lack stuff, they are poor because they are excluded by the institutions of justice,” Miller said.
“The legal system is simply unfair to poor people. Aid creates incentives for the government to not build institutions of justice and access to private property. The main point is that foreign aid politicizes development.” Westerners tend to view those living in areas of extreme poverty as objects rather than subjects, Miller said. “Poor people in poor countries are not somehow radically different from us — we’d be poor too if we didn’t have access to land and institutional justice,” Miller said. “I think what we need to do is realize that we are dealing with human beings who have
hopes and dreams and fears.” Sievers said she has seen and participated in beneficial aspects of foreign aid, specifically in Nigeria. “These countries get to decide what happened with that money,” Sievers said. “All the power was largely in the hands of the African governments themselves. The power really does all reside with them.” Sievers said that despite what is shown in “Poverty, Inc.,” there has been major development in the past decade in positively changing the power balance of foreign aid and helping these thirdworld nations.
“It does mean a profoundly different relationship between who you think is the donor and who you think is the recipient,” she said. However, Sievers and Miller said they weren’t in disagreement on every aspect of foreign aid. They agreed that regardless of the outcome, organizations and personal efforts to help these nations come from good intentions. “This film is not about intentions — when aid it is well intended, there are still negative externalities,” Miller said.
it helps to form a bond between all Saint Mar y’s students. “It helps Chinese students not be so an x ious, as we are in a completely new env ironment,” she said. “We feel a lot of pressure from both the academic areas and the social ones too, so this event can help us not feel so nervous, as we are all a big family here.” Zhang said many of the events to be performed are of traditional Chinese culture — namely dance, song and poetr y — along w ith a costume show that spotlights traditional Chinese dress. There w ill also be several performances w ith traditional Chinese instruments, as well as a lotter y game w ith red envelopes for the w inners and a craft sale w ith products from China, she said.
“The money we w ill raise w ill be donated to [young Chinese] girls in the rural areas who are not able to study because they are poor and their families cannot afford the fees for them to study,” Zhang said. “This is especially important because ... [in Chinese culture] the family tends to ignore the girls and afford the boys the study opportunities.” The event is aimed at display ing the importance of hav ing a diverse campus, Yang said. “This event is a part of our campus internationalization,” she said. “We promote diversit y [and] inclusion, which is ver y important right now, so many people can have the opportunit y to learn about Chinese language and culture.” The event is also a great
opportunit y for the College’s Chinese exchange students to showcase their talents, Yang said. “Many international students are ver y talented and this offers them a platform to showcase their talents and share their expertise w ith Saint Mar y’s and the local communit y,” she said. “ ... I think it is a great collaboration bet ween Saint Mar y’s and the local communit y,” she said. “We open Saint Mar y’s doors and welcome communit y members to come to our campus and create a ver y good interaction. They come to celebrate the Chinese New Year w ith us and it’s a good outreach to the communit y. More people w ill know about and appreciate Saint Mar y’s because of China Night.” The international students should be v iewed as Chinese
cultural conduits on campus, Yang said. “I send students to study abroad in 18 countries and we always say our students are cultural ambassadors in those countries,” she said. “The same thing is true here. We have about 30 - 40 international students, and half of them are Chinese international students. They are also playing the role of cultural ambassador and bringing Chinese culture to campus. “It’s a great opportunit y for our students to learn about the culture because today, it’s as important as ever to have a global mind, to be open minded and have strong intercultural confidence. This event offers ever yone the opportunit y to access diverse culture.”
including high-intensit y training and a boot camp class, in addition to Zumba, RecSports assistant director of fitness and fitness facilities Jennifer Phillips said. “The whole point of this … is for people to come and have fun,” she said. “You don’t have to be a great Zumba dancer, but if I see people out there having fun with their friends and doing something different on a Friday night, then it’s totally worth everything that we’re doing to bring them out there.” In addition to the fun the event offers, however, Phillips said she hopes those who attend keep the underly ing cause in mind. “One of the messages we’ve tried to get across in the events in the past is that while you’re out there and you are hav ing fun — you’re out there because your body is working, and
it’s working right,” she said. “W hile you’re out there and you’re doing that, remember that part of why you’re doing that is for people’s bodies that aren’t working right, right now. By you being out there — if you can donate five bucks, great, if you can donate more, great — that’s helping somebody whose body is struggling.” In addition to pay ing the $ 5 per class at the Fitness Part y, people can contribute to the cause by bidding in a silent auction at the women’s basketball pink game against Georgia Tech on Sunday, by pledging money for each three-point shot made by the team or simply by volunteering at the event, Lew is said. “People have their ow n way that they want to help and support — we just want to have an avenue where there’s different ways that
you can do that,” she said. “Even if you don’t have the money, maybe you can volunteer. [We’re] just tr y ing to find ways for people to give back.” Sophomore guard Arike Ogunbowale said she appreciates the opportunit y the pink game offers for her to contribute to “a big cause.” “I’m glad we do this and a lot of people participate,” she said. “We have great fans who really want to give back, so I’m just really excited that a game of sports can bring awareness and bring money to a cause like this.” In particular, Ogunbowale said she loves know ing she has not only contributed to her team’s success, but also to this cause when she makes a 3-point shot. “It’s great that something as easy as shooting a 3-pointer can help this cause,” she said. “We’re a
prett y good shooting team, so we’re raising a lot of money, and I’m just really happy that by easily just play ing the game I love, I am able to bring money and awareness to this cause.” Lew is said she encourages communit y members to attend the pink game on Sunday in addition to the Fitness Part y to experience the game’s traditional halftime tribute to breast cancer sur v ivors. “This yea r we have members of t he footba l l tea m t hat w i l l ta ke pa r t in just g iv ing out a litt le t reat to t hose sur v ivors or t hose t hat a re a f fected by ca ncer,” she sa id. “They’re going to pa r t ner w it h us t his yea r a nd help us out. Ha lf t ime is a lways excit ing for me. I love it.”
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Contact Courtney Becker at cbecker3@nd.edu
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NEWS
The observer | friday, february 10, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Protest Continued from page 1
from McKenna Hall to join a larger group huddled outside of LaFortune Student Center. The event was organized by the Stand with Us, a club dedicated to seeking social justice following the recent presidential election. The group was responsible for the silent sit-in Sanctuary Campus movement last semester, which asked University President Fr. John Jenkins to recognize a petition circulating the student body to protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival students and make Notre Dame a sanctuary campus. Junior Matthew Donohue, a core member of We Stand For and an organizer of the rally, hoped to use Notre Dame’s position as a premier, Catholic institution to gain awareness for social justice issues and made it clear that We Stand For does not oppose the administration. “We applaud the administration in coming out in strong condemnation against it … it’s been great to see Fr. Jenkins’ support especially with the Mass last Wednesday,” Donohue said. “It’s very easy to see some of these protest movements as either
against the administration but this is a solidarity rally. It is nonviolent, very peaceful. This event is to complement the support that we’ve seen from the administration, from the Office of the President and the student body president very strong statements in support of the students here.” This demonstration was part of a larger grassroots movement, Academics United, that was started by two Muslim Ph.D. students from Virginia Tech who were personally affected by the executive order — which remains on hold after a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling Thursday — and asked fellow students, post-docs and employees of universities to stand with them. As a student of Notre Dame, a university that boasts a diverse background of professors from all over the world, Donohue said he believes that the ban — or anything that would decrease the diversity of the University — would only serve to weaken it. “So much of our academic richness and strength comes from diversity, comes from abroad,” Donohue said. “People come to America for freedom for opportunity and freedom of expression and thought that might not be in the countries that they’re coming
from. People coming from all over truly do cherish and engage in and strengthen American life, especially American academic life. This is in solidarity with students, faculty, staff.” The rally opened with a prayer led by Imam Muhammad Sirajuddin, of the Islamic Society of Michiana. Following an a cappella rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine” sung by sophomore Selwin LeMont and interspersed chanting, three members of the Notre Dame academic community took the floor to share their personal perspective on the ban. A. Rashied Omar, a scholar of Islamic studies and faculty member of the Kroc Institute for International Studies, used the word “kairos” to describe today’s political atmosphere. “We are living through challenging times,” he said. “Kairos is a biblical term, a Greek word, which means a moment of truth. It is both a moment of crisis as well as a moment of opportunity.” Perin Gurel, an assistant professor of American studies and concurrent assistant professor of gender studies, said she spoke from the perspective of a female Muslim immigrant with the privilege of citizenship. “Our criticism of the ban must
take into account both gender and race, as well as other structural factors, like citizenship status, national origin, sexuality, ethnicity and disability,” she said. “We must love and strengthen our communities, but we also must push against old-fashioned identity politics and towards a politics of solidarity that recognizes our differences and is informed by each other’s intersectional, historically-constituted identities and experiences.” Lastly, Majd Alshoufi, a Master’s student in international peacebuilding and a non-Muslim Syrian human rights activist and community-based trauma therapy expert, said he realized the kindness and the power of good Muslims after an Islamic community took him in after being arrested for participating in nonviolent protests for Syrian refugees. “Jihadist terrorism that claims the name of Islam is real and dangerous,” he said. “Second, most radical Islamic terrorists have been dying — literally — to send one very important message to the [billions of] Muslims around the world, namely that they are the real Islam and that they are the only good Muslims. ... Kind Muslims, like the ones
Photo Courtesy of Daniela Cabada
The protest against President Trump’s policies took place at Fieldhouse Mall on Thursday afternoon. The demonstration was part of the grassroots Academics United movement.
Election Continued from page 1
must be accompanied by a list of materials purchased.” According to Wednesday’s press release, Fonseca and Narimatsu purchased Facebook advertising prior to receiving the Election Committee’s approval. Section 17.2(f ) of the Student Union Constitution calls for a “forfeiture of candidacy,” rather than a forfeiture of votes. “The Election Committee voted to remove Subsection 17.2(f ) from the allegation result ‘in light of the senate’s decision’ per Subsection 13.5(j),” Friday’s release read. The 5 percent sanction was
inconsequential, as Blais and Shewit’s 2,435 votes accounted for 52.89 percent of valid (non-abstention) votes prior to the sanction and 54.17 percent of counted votes following the sanction. Fonseca and Narimatsu’s initial 2,169 votes accounted for 47.11 percent of valid votes; following the sanctions, the ticket received 2,060 eligible votes, or 45.83 percent of the post-sanction total counted. There were 4,846 votes cast, with 242 abstentions — meaning the Blais-Shewit won a narrow majority of all votes cast — for a turnout rate of 58 percent. “We’re just ver y thankful to our team for standing by us — ever y student that shared their ideas with us,” Shewit
said. “[Blais] and I are ver y, ver y excited to carr y on the idea of revamping student government and making it student first.” The results were originally scheduled to be released to the campaigns at midnight Wednesday, however the appeal process delayed the release. W hen Blais and Shewit take office in April, they will become just the second female president-vice president pairing. The Obser ver reached out to Purrenhage for comment on behalf of the FonsecaNarimatsu campaign, but had not received a response by the time of publication. Contact Megan Valley at mvalley@nd.edu
who protected me in Turkey, are the single most important actors in the fight against terrorism.” Following the official speakers, a diverse group of people utilized the space to share their own stories and personal statements about the executive order. “It is critical to give a platform to the student and the faculty voice to make this issue known, to increase awareness and kind of a catharsis for people more affected by this issue to make it known to them that people stand with them,” Donohue said. Proceeds from the event went to the Islamic Society of Michiana, a nonprofit religious organization that provides Michiana Muslims with spiritual, educational and social activities, as there is no refugee resettlement organization in South Bend. We Stand For is collecting donations via a GoFundMe page until the end of February, with the end goal of $2,000. Donohue said he had a message for President Donald Trump. “Show me what democracy looks like — this is what democracy looks like,” he said. Contact Marie Fazio at mfazio@nd.edu
Photo Courtesy of Daniela Cabada
Students protested against President Trump’s recent executive order that attempted to ban entry to the U.S. by nationals of seven countries.
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Inside Column
Intelligent debate in our generation Emmet Farnan Photo Editor
There have been numerous debates on a wide number of societal debates over the past year. I hesitate to call them debates, though. Instead, it seems more like a shouting match in which opposing views try to “win the argument” by drowning out the opposing view. By definition, a debate is a “discussion involving both parties of opposing viewpoints.” Note the word discussion in that definition, which means to “talk about a topic, especially to explore solutions.” The problem is many debates these days are devoid of the exploration of possible solutions. Two reasons I believe that strongly contribute to this issue are the ability to easily surround yourself with like-minded people via social media and the success that a number of social movements have had despite not having “full legitimacy.” Surrounding oneself with like-minded people on social media is certainly something that most students are familiar with. Algorithms on sites like Facebook continue to show content that is determined to interest you. This can result in the only posts being shown on your timeline are from people whose posts you have previously liked because you agree with their views. The narrowness of your social media feed narrows even further when you actively “defriend” or “unfollow” people with opposing views as your own. When paired with confirmation bias — the tendency to give more weight to information that you agree with than information that you disagree with — this selective information can be disastrous to progress. If you as an individual believe that the world is flat, your browser could open up the Flat Earth Society website each time that you start it. You could defriend anyone who even hints at believing in the heretic thoughts of a round earth. Within a few weeks, it would appear that everyone around you is crazy because your online persona makes it seem as if it is fact that the Earth is flat. As far as social movements go, take one look at the anti-vaccination movement. In the past century, diseases such as smallpox and the measles have been declared as eradicated through aggressive vaccination movements; in the past, these diseases used to claim thousands to millions of lives a year. Despite this, 668 cases of the measles were reported in the U.S. — most of whom were people that never received the vaccination. The resurgence of this eradicated disease is proof that the anti-vaccination movement has had detrimental effects on the health of people in this country. How can it be defended? Because many still make claims that vaccines cause autism or other side effects that scientists have proven time and again are false. Unfortunately the issue has been less of a discussion, and more of a, “You’re wrong and I am right!” response from the anti-vaccine supporters. Clearly these two examples are extreme and many of the current issues are notably more complex, but why should that discourage people from making a discussion out of disagreements? How can this be done? Surround yourself with opposing ideas. Understand your opposition’s point of view. Keep emotions out of it and stick to cold, hard facts, if possible. And at the end of the day, respect others, even if you disagree with them. Contact Emmet Farnan at efarnan@nd.edu The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
LETTERs TO THE EDITOR
Being anti-abortion does not make you ‘pro-life’ On the day following Donald Trump’s inauguration, women around the world organized in protest. It has been reported that the Women’s March was the largest demonstration in U.S. history, with nearly three million people participating in cities across the country. Though the march was a success in the eyes of many, there was still some controversy surrounding the event. In the days leading up to the march, the anti-legal abortion group, New Wave Feminists, was removed from the list of official sponsors. This sparked a debate about where the “pro-life” movement belongs in feminism. While this is an important issue to discuss, there is another question that should be answered; what is “pro-life” and who should really belong to the “pro-life” movement? When you think about it, that term is rather silly. If you are not “pro-life,” then does that make you anti-life? Pro-death? With few exceptions, I doubt that anyone knows someone who would genuinely fall into either of those categories. “Pro-life” is most commonly associated with those groups that oppose the decision that was made in Roe v. Wade and feel that abortion should not be legal. These antilegal abortion groups have claimed the mantle of “pro-life,” but is opposition to legal abortion the thing that qualifies someone as “pro-life?” What about those that are anti-legal abortion, but want to see the Affordable Care Act repealed? Experts have said that repealing this without a proper replacement could leave millions uninsured and put thousands of lives at risk. Is that “pro-life?” What about those that are anti-legal abortion, but still support the death penalty? Or those that oppose the government programs that support poor Americans or oppose the implementation of a living wage so those same poor Americans can support themselves? Are these sets of beliefs to be considered
“pro-life?” I consider myself pro-life, but I am also pro-choice. I strongly believe that a woman has a right to make decisions about her own body, especially in cases involving rape, incest or in which the life of the mother is at risk. At the same time, I believe that as a society, we should strive to reduce the number of abortions that are performed in our country. Instead of outlawing abortions or restricting access to them to the point that they become essentially illegal, I believe that our goal should be to make the alternative choices more appealing. This can come in the form of better sexual education and easier access to contraception in order to prevent unwanted pregnancy, or in providing affordable health care, child care, paid maternity leave and easier access to adoption to help mothers that may otherwise feel like they would be unable to support a child. Increased awareness of sexual assault and steps taken to prevent it can help reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies from rape. There are countless ways in which we can work to reduce the number of abortions without violating a woman’s right to choose what to do with her body. So if it is possible to be both “pro-life” and pro-choice, what makes someone truly “pro-life?” Anti-legal abortion groups often state that “life begins at conception” but they sometimes forget that life does not end at birth. “Pro-life” is not defined by a single belief — that abortion should be outlawed — but is instead an upholding of human dignity. While ending abortion may be a part of this, it is not the same thing as being “pro-life.” To be “pro-life” is to remember that life has value at all stages. John Gadient senior Jan. 25
New secretary of education must uphold IDEA As a sophomore in high school, I became a member of Best Buddies International, an organization that works to promote inclusion for people with disabilities. I was matched in a one-to-one friendship with my best buddy, a student with an intellectual disability, who to this day is one of my best friends. She is a dancer and a music lover, and, while words can sometimes confuse her, music is a language in which she is fluent. At her high school, she had the opportunity to take dance classes with her peers and eventually choreograph routines for the rest of the class. Despite the challenges she faced with verbal and written communication, she worked tirelessly to improve with the help of her teachers. Every time I would see her, she would always remind me that she would be in the class of 2016 with me, and that we would graduate within weeks of each other. Watching her walk down the aisle of the auditorium in her blue cap and gown was one of the proudest moments of both her and my life. Her educational success story is a result of the backbreaking work of the disability rights movement. Prior to 1975, only one in five children with disabilities received appropriate and quality education. In 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) set a legal precedent for making space for students with disabilities in the public school system. It required that all students with disabilities be provided with a free, appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible. As a result of IDEA, according to data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics in 2013, 62 percent of students with disabilities spend 80 percent or more of their school day in a general education classroom with their peers. IDEA allows students around the nation, like my best buddy, to participate in
and contribute to the global community of learners. It upholds the human dignity of students with disabilities and allows the world to benefit from their insights and talents. Earlier this week, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as our nation’s next Secretary of Education in a historically close vote. At her confirmation hearing, Secretary DeVos not only declined to assure the hearing committee that she would enforce IDEA, but also expressed confusion on whether IDEA was a federal law. As the soon-to-be point person on educational issues for our nation, the fact that Secretary DeVos was not aware of one of the most foundational pieces of disability legislation to date is more than concerning. Having witnessed the positive effects of special education first hand, I cannot support a Secretary of Education who will not embrace her role as protecter of all students, including students like my best buddy, and who is so deeply uninformed on the history of special education. Being a Notre Dame student is a privilege, a challenge and a call to action. It is now more important than ever to listen attentively to the needs of all students, specifically students with disabilities. It is important to recognize that we have a responsibility as members of the global community of learners to uphold every student’s inherent dignity, and right to learn and to be included. We have the obligation to join our peers with disabilities on campus and around the country in urging our new Secretary of Education to uphold IDEA, educate herself on the history of special education and support the inherent worth of every student. Alice Felker freshman Feb. 9
The observer | Friday, february 10, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
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No draws in tennis Rebecca Feng Redefining Beauty
The 2006 French Open was the first time Roger Federer played Rafael Nadal in a Grand Slam final. Nadal won the game after four sets. It was also that sizzling summer I first started to practice tennis. The elegance of Federer and the persistence of Nadal kept me practicing each serve, forehand, backhand and interception. Again and again — 200 hits at a time. Playing their images in my head was one of the very few motivations for me to keep running and saving the ball, the others being my coach’s cheers, the Coca-Cola I had after each training session and my own self-respect. At the age of 11, the sky was the limit; at the age of 11, I dreamt about standing on Roland Garros’ red clay court one day. At the age of 11, I wrote a letter to Federer. I entered Federer’s official website URL into the browser and gently hit the enter key on the dusty keyboard, as if pressing the nuclear button that would end the world. The green and purple color theme of his 2006 website filled every molecule of my body with a kind of tantalizing excitement that only came with makebelieve fake hopes. W hen I saw his home address in Switzerland, I felt so close to a foreign place and a foreign person that I could see Federer sitting by his window and feel his breath against the bright windowsill. I chose a piece of vintage yellow paper, and against the deep blue ink, I carefully wrote the letter, using a brand new fountain pen I bought that morning from the international supermarket in Beijing. I checked the grammar and spelling three times. Everything needed to be
perfect — it was almost a religious ceremony. At the end of the letter, I wrote down my home address so that he could return my letter. My mom and dad had said I should never go onto the streets by myself. They said it was dangerous, and so I did not tell them my plan. I brought all the pocket money I had been saving for a month, put on Queen’s “We are the Champions” in my earphones and mailed my first-ever international letter from Beijing, China to Bottmingen, Switzerland. I imagined Switzerland to be sunny, with Federer smiling under the bright sunlight, writing an equally long letter back. It would be the beginning of a lifelong friendship. I even rehearsed what to say and do when he invited me to meet his then-girlfriend and now-wife Mirka. I would agree to meet her, of course, and I would tell her she was a lucky woman. Then there was the waiting. And the waiting was long, very long. From 2006 to 2017, life happened. Federer became a father of four children and Nadal had multiple knee injuries. With the bouncing of tennis balls in the background, I grew up from a fan girl in China studying natural sciences, determined to take gaokao and become a scientist, to a young woman studying English literature in America. On Jan. 29, Roger Federer once again played Rafael Nadal in the final of the Australian Open, a championship title Federer had been craving since his 2012 Wimbledon victory. Same people playing, same person watching, same sport, same passion, same elegance; the only difference was what Wordsworth so quietly and powerfully described as the irreversible passage of time — “These wild ecstasies shall be matured / Into a
sober pleasure.” In the replay of their game, I saw Federer jumping up after his victory. My friends were cheering and posting on Facebook, but I was crying inside. A great age was officially ended for me. As Federer said in his speech after the winning, in this cruel sport of tennis, there was no draw. There needs to be a winner and a loser. However, these 10 years were a big, mesmerizing draw. So many tennis matches they have played and so many of them I have watched. Yet, time went by, like the beating drums in a Beethoven symphony, whitening Federer’s hair, improving Nadal’s English and touching my soul. Then I heard Wordsworth again — “W hile here I stand, not only with the sense / Of present pleasure, but with pleasing thoughts / That in this moment there is life and food / For future years.” Suddenly, the irreversible time reversed, and although I could not relive the past, I tasted the same kind of crazy, ecstatic, honeydew-sweet hope that was embedded in that very letter I sent to Federer in 2006. Maybe Federer did receive my letter. Or maybe it was lost on the way from Beijing to my new world. If it were lost, I hope it is now lying on some clean ground of a quiet, faraway village — unopened and untainted. Rebecca Feng is a senior at Notre Dame, double majoring in accounting and English, but traveling and living abroad is her real education. She read Shakespeare and old English poems in Scotland last semester and interned at Forbes Magazine Asia in New York this summer. Email her at yfeng2@nd.edu for story ideas and comments. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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DAILY
The observer | friday, february 10, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Will Shortz
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Using the element of surprise will serve you well. Keep whatever you are trying to accomplish a secret until you are ready to wow everyone. Your original way of going about personal and professional matters will hold people’s interest. This is a year of change, so don’t neglect to follow through and shoot for the stars. Your numbers are 4, 15, 22, 28, 32, 39, 41. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Get involved in physical activities that will give you an outlet for pent-up energy. Turn your angst into something constructive and you’ll avoid putting yourself in a vulnerable position. Personal improvements and romance will alleviate trouble. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Emotions will surface along with unpredictable situations at home and at work. Take a moment to recap what’s happened and consider your position before you respond. At times like this, it’s best to let things play out naturally. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take a trip or do some research online. You will discover valuable information that will help you achieve your dreams, hopes and wishes. Focus on looking and offering your best as well as engaging in a romantic adventure. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Too much of anything will lead to trouble. You’ll find peace and enlightenment if you explore different cultures or lifestyles that can offer you the type of tranquility that helps to stabilize and keep you calm and stress-free. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You’ve got everything going for you, so don’t sit back when you should be moving forward. Put your plans into motion and make your ideas and solutions heard. Take a position of leadership and show everyone what you have to offer. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Don’t take a risk. Before engaging in a financial scheme, research the possibilities and make the necessary adjustments. Your high expectations will be reached if you rely on past experiences to make the right choice. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Live in the present, not the past. Once you start moving forward, you will find it much easier to achieve your goals. Thoughts and ideas combined with diligent action will lead to the results you’ve been dreaming about. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Travel or educational plans will give you the push you need to take on a creative venture. The mental and physical stimulation you get from being a participant will inspire you to trust your own instincts instead of following others. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Someone will use emotional tactics to try to get you to take on too much or to change the way you do things. Listen to your instincts and do what you believe is in your best interests. Use charm to get your way. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Stick close to home and don’t get into situations that require you to deal with institutions, government agencies or educational facilities. Problems with friends or relatives will surface. Keep a close eye on your health. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Your passionate and exciting way of handling whatever comes your way will intrigue onlookers. Polish whatever you are working on and you will bring about positive changes. Personal improvements are encouraged. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You’ll be tempted to cut corners. There will be no way to bypass the details required in order to be successful. Slow down and do your best to aim for perfection. Don’t get confused when choosing between quantity and quality. Birthday Baby: You are dynamic, outgoing and popular. You are unique and bold.
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Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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Sports
ndsmcobserver.com | friday, february 10, 2017 | The Observer
nfl
Sports Authority
Updates due for NFL overtime Elizabeth Greason Sports Writer
Super Bowl LI was decided by a coin toss. And that should never be the case in a championship. Maybe I’m just saying this because I am one of the many Americans who do not like the Patriots and I’m bitter that they will go down in histor y as having played one of the best second halves in histor y. But I genuinely feel that if the Falcons had been in the same position — winning the coin toss, marching down the field for a touchdown and lifting the Lombardi trophy — I would feel the same way. Yes, the Patriots were able to win the Super Bowl because they played a fantastic second half. Tom Brady put on an MV P-worthy performance for 30 minutes. A 31-0 run to win in overtime and overcoming a 25-point deficit deser ves a trophy. But the Falcons never had the chance to put points on the board in that overtime period simply because their one-in-two chance of winning the coin toss did not go their way. Sure, the Falcons defense could have stopped Bill Belichick’s and handed the ball back into the capable hands of Matt Ryan. And there’s a perfectly good chance that, despite the scoring drought in the second half, Atlanta also could have marched down the field and scored, had they stopped New England or won the coin toss. In my mind, the idea of sudden-death overtime is unfair. It leaves the results of the game up to the luck of the draw, instead of skill. The Super Bowl should be won by whichever team plays the better game. In Super Bowl LI, the Falcons took the cake in the first half, whereas the second half was all about New England. The fact that the game came down to
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overtime is great. It added suspense to a game of runs. It was unprecedented. But it would have been better if the two teams had had an equal opportunity to wind up in the endzone. The NFL needs to change its overtime rules. W hether it moves to a modified version of the NCA A overtime procedure or starts fresh, it needs to ensure that the result of the game is governed by the skill of both teams’ offensive and defensive prowess or the clock, as opposed to a 50-50 shot at winning a coin toss and a prayer that the losing team’s defense will be able to come up with a stop. It is worth pointing out that the NFL postseason overtime rules do allow for both to have the same number of possessions during overtime, unless the first team with the ball scored a touchdown. This is what happened Sunday in Houston. The Patriots won the coin toss and scored a touchdown, ended the game and handing them their fifth championship. But, this does not change the fact that the Falcons could have done the same thing, given the opportunity. W hile the coin f lip matters in college overtime, as it can give one team a slight strategic advantage, it certainly does not decide the outcome of the game. The way the NFL postseason overtime rules stand at the moment, the winner of the coin toss has a significantly greater chance of winning the game. The NFL needs to rethink its postseason overtime procedure to assure the best team wins. I’m not saying the Patriots were not the better team this year. But the Falcons deser ved the chance to prove themselves as well. Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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Raiders push governing board for relocation Associated Press
L AS V EGAS — The Oakland Raiders and the board overseeing the proposed NFL stadium in Las Vegas have high hopes for the project despite losing an instrumental supporter, but their plan is still missing hundreds of millions of dollars in financing. Team leaders and the stadium authority board met publicly Thursday for the first time since casino magnate Sheldon Adelson withdrew a $650 million pledge for the project. Both sides plan to continue to work on a lease agreement, but the team didn’t give a definitive answer for the major financial gap. “The organization remains fully committed to this project,” Raiders president Marc Badain told the stadium authority board members. “We are not deterred. Financing will not be an issue.” Badain told the board the team is in discussions with “multiple financial institutions,” but declined to elaborate beyond that when asked by The Associated Press. The cost of the 65,000-seat
domed stadium is pegged at $1.9 billion. The meeting in Las Vegas came at a crucial time for the Raiders’ proposed relocation: less than two weeks after Adelson pulled out of the project and six weeks before an NFL owners’ meeting where they are expected to vote on whether to approve the move. Badain and stadium authority board members on Thursday expressed confidence in their ability to make significant progress in a proposed lease and use agreement ahead of the owners gathering. A draft of the agreement that the Raiders presented to the stadium authority board last month includes a proposed $1 annual rent for the team. “We’ll work to make it better,” board chairman Steve Hill said. “We may make six weeks’ worth of progress in the next three or four weeks.” The Raiders paid $3.5 million in rent to play at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in 2016, up from $925,000 for the 2015 season. The team has options to remain at the stadium for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Adelson and his family had pledged $650 million and the Raiders promised $500 million, with the stadium authority putting up $750 million in Las Vegas tax revenues. Adelson, the chief executive of Las Vegas Sands Corp. whose holdings include the Venetian and Palazzo resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, played an instrumental role in winning state approval to help fund the stadium with public money. In withdrawing, he declared that he had been shut out of talks that led to the lease document being presented to the stadium authority. Another lingering question is location. A site hasn’t been picked for the stadium, although a parcel of land near the Las Vegas Strip has emerged as a preferred location. The stadium authority is a public board whose operations will be funded by the newly approved Las Vegasarea hotel tax increase that’s expected to yield $13 million a year. Casinos won’t start collecting that until March 1, and money won’t f low to the authority until April.
NCAA men’s Basketball | pURDUE 69, INDIANA 64
Boilermakers defeat Hoosiers at Indiana Associated Press
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Vince Edwards matched his career-high with 26 points and Caleb Swanigan added 16 points and 14 rebounds Thursday night as No. 16 Purdue used a late charge to beat rival Indiana 69-64. The Boilermakers (20-5, 9-3 Big Ten) have won three straight and six of seven to move into second place in the conference. Thomas Br yant scored 23 points and James Blackmon Jr. added 11 in his return from a lower left leg injur y. It still wasn’t enough for Indiana (15-10, 5-7), which has lost two in a row and four of five. Indiana led 57-55 after Josh Newkirk’s 3-pointer with 4:56 to go, but the Boilermakers scored seven straight and then made it
64-59 when Swanigan completed a three-point play with 1:02 left. Purdue sealed it from the free throw line. It has won four of the last five in this series — though this one came with a bizarre sequence that began with a blocking call on Swanigan with 44.5 seconds left. After conferring, the refs called a double foul, causing Br yant and Swanigan to foul out on the same play. It was that kind of night in the state’s biggest rivalr y. Edwards scored 15 points in the first half that was ever y bit as back-and-forth as the second. Purdue jumped to a 21-15 lead about 10 minutes into the game, but the Hoosiers charged back with a 9-0 run to take a 30-26 lead and closed the half on a 6-2 f lurr y to make it 36-32. Indiana
stayed in front most of the second half — until the Boilermakers’ late charge.
Big picture Purdue: The Boilerma kers are rolling. They are 9-3 in conference play for t he f irst time since 2010-11 and have won at Indiana, Michigan State and Ohio State in t he same season for t he f irst time since 2009-10. A nd w it h a well-deser ved weekend of f, t he Boilerma kers should ma ke t heir 34t h consecutive appearance in t he A P Top 25. Indiana: Even Black mon’s return wasn’t enough Thursday. The defending Big Ten champs are t wo games under .500 in conference play and have to do a lot of work over t he next mont h if t hey’re going to ma ke t he NC A A Tournament.
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Sports
The observer | friday, february 10, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
swimming & diving
Irish qualifiers head to ACC championships By BRENNA MOXLEY Sports Writer
KATHLEEN DONAHUE | The Observer
Irish senior guard Lindsay Allen leaps toward the hoop during Notre Dame’s 85-66 win over Louisville on Monday at Purcell Pavilion.
W Bball Continued from page 12
for the Nancy Lieberman Award. She and junior forward Brianna Turner were also named as candidates for both the Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy. Sophomore guard Arike Ogunbowale was also listed in the Naismith Top 30. W hen asked about being in the running for the honor, Ogunbowale noted that basketball is a team sport and she would not have made the list w ithout the help of her teammates. “It’s just really exciting,” Ogunbowale said. “I mean, thanks to my teammates for helping me get open, helping me score and making plays when I pass it to them, but it’s just a team effort, really.” The Irish w ill face off against Georgia Tech (14-9, 3-7) for the second time this season. The two teams met in Januar y, a matchup that ended in a 55-38 v ictor y for Notre Dame. McGraw said she expects her squad to be stronger offensively this time around. “It was a really low scoring game [in Januar y],” McGraw said. “I thought they were ver y physical w ith us. They played well defensively. We didn’t shoot the ball particularly well. We weren’t really in our rhy thm at that point, just coming off the loss to North Carolina State, so I think we were not as confident. I think we’re play ing a lot better right now.” McGraw noted that the Yellow Jackets might play aggressive defense, but the Irish are prepared for whatever comes their way Sunday. “I think they’re gonna probably play a little bit slower than we want to,” McGraw said. “They have been pressing a lot of other people so
they might come out and press us, but we’ve gotta be ready for whatever happens. This is a turning point in the season and ever y game is really key for us right now. “ … I don’t [mind seeing a press], as long as Lindsay’s in the game,” McGraw added, jokingly. Despite being ready to tack le the Yellow Jackets on the offensive side of the ball, McGraw feels the Irish still have work to do in order to combat Georgia Tech’s strong inside presence. “They’re a really good team, especially inside,” McGraw said. “[Georgia Tech junior foraward] Zaire O’Neil, she had 13 rebounds last game. She’s a force inside. We really have to work on how we’re gonna guard her. They’ve got enough people around her that they can kind of stretch us a little bit, so we’ve got to do a couple of different things and things we didn’t do in the last game.” Sunday’s game is also Notre Dame’s annual Pink Zone game, so the Irish w ill be wearing special warmup clothing to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. Ogunbowale said the cause, on top of play ing at home, w ill help the Irish be productive offensively against the Yellow Jackets. “I think we should just play for the cancer cause and just tr y to get 88 for all the people that are coming to support, so I think it’ll be a good game,” Ogunbowale said. “I mean, we’re in front of our home fans, so we always double the points, really.” Notre Dame and Georgia Tech w ill play Sunday at Purcell Pav ilion. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu
This weekend Notre Dame is splitting its team as the Irish send a group of athletes to the Ohio State Winter Invitational, while the members of the team who qualified for the ACC championships will head to Atlanta. Those who did not qualify for the ACC championships will head to Columbus, Ohio, for a two-day meet comprised of approximately 15 teams. Irish head coach Mike Litzinger said the meet provides the team with an opportunity to end the season on a strong note. “It is a great opportunity for our non-conference team members to finish out their year,” Litzinger said. “The expectation is for them to go and put up lifetime best times, perform well and do a good job competing.
M Lax Continued from page 12
kind of journey for this team has been figuring out who we are this year without not just them … but a number of guys — guys who played for a number of years for us. … Each year, it’s about figuring out what does this group have — what are the strengths and weaknesses — and you don’t want to start with the idea of ‘We’re replacing this’ or ‘We lost that.’ “We didn’t lose anything — this year’s team only has what it has — and so we haven’t lost anything to date. So that’s what this has been about this year. It’s why we’ve had four scrimmages; we’ve never had more than two scrimmages in a year, but we had four this year plus a fall where we played two others, so that’s six chances against outside competition for us to really help define in our minds who we are and who we need to be to be effective … and have a shared vision as we go into the year.” For Corrigan, that shared vision starts with strong leadership. And this year’s team has already made great strides in that area, as it even
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It’s a non-scoring meet in the championship format, so you swim a preliminary and then the top 24 swimmers get to compete again in the evening in the finals. It is a great opportunity for our kids to finish off the year.” The women who qualified for the ACC women’s championships will leave for Atlanta on Friday for all-day meets that begin Monday and finish Thursday. There will be 17 swimmers and two divers making the trip to Georgia, and each can compete in up to seven events during the weeklong meet. Traditionally, each competitor has done three individual events and four relay events. Litzinger said he is confident in his team’s ability to perform. “I feel really good about the women’s championships — we had a great year, and now it is time to step up and put what we practiced all year
long into the championship format,” Litzinger said. “This is our vehicle to qualify for the NCAA championships and that’s the goal: ... to see how many kids we can get to the NCAA championships.” Part of his confidence lies in the team’s performance in last Saturday’s Downstate Dual in Muncie, Indiana. The Irish cruised past Ball State, with the men posting 148.5 points to the Cardinals’ 82.5, and the women scoring 129 points to Ball State’s 108. The men who qualified for the ACC meet will be competing Feb. 27 through March 2 in Atlanta. “It is that time of the year where we put all of our great training and competition experience to work. This is it,” Litzinger said. “We are ready to head to the NCAAs in March.”
delayed voting on captains until last week — an atypical practice for the program — because of the team-wide leadership that was on display throughout this offseason. And although the team eventually settled on four seniors — midfielders Sergio Perkovic and Nick Koshansky, attack Anthony Marini and goalie Shane Doss — to lead the way, Corrigan is expecting the Irish to continue displaying team-wide leadership. “We really have had great leadership this year,” Corrigan said. “ … I’ve been really really delighted by the number of guys that have stepped up and really conducted themselves as leaders in both our senior and junior classes. … I think that’s really important. We haven’t had any issues with leadership to date, but now we go into the cauldron of the season, and we’ll see … what happens then. But I think we have very good leadership and will continue to.” But one area the Irish will have to continue to improve, particularly with an 11-game schedule featuring seven top20 opponents, is focusing less on the ball and more on their individual assignments in order to open up more
opportunities on offense and limit those same chances on defense. “Our team tends to fixate too much on what’s going on with the guy with the ball in his stick and less with what’s going on with the other five guys on the offensive end or the six guys at the defensive end when the ball is not in their stick or not with their man,” Corrigan said. “So I think that’s been a good focus for us that guys have been working really hard at and starting to develop a sense of how effective we need to be doing that so that the guy with the ball in his stick has the room and the time and the ability to make plays.” And when the Irish begin that daunting schedule Feb. 18 in Dallas against Georgetown, Corrigan expects to find out then just exactly what his team is really made of. “We’ll find out,” Corrigan said. “ … We’re going to have to show up every week with the teams that are on our schedule this year, and that’ll be a challenge for us — but certainly one that we like to think we’re up to.”
Contact Brenna Moxley at bmoxley@nd.edu
Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu
Sports
ndsmcobserver.com | friday, february 10, 2017 | The Observer
Hockey Continued from page 12
MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer
Irish sophomore guard Rex Pflueger tries to maintain control of the ball during Notre Dame’s 88-81 win over Wake Forest on Tuesday at Purcell Pavilion. Pflueger had three blocks and two steals in the game.
M Bball Continued from page 12
strateg y, Brey said, as their length and aggressive defensive style means offenses are forced to react more to the defense’s actions. “They kind of take your spirit defensively, trapping it right there,” Brey said. “It’s almost as if you’re not running much of your offensive principles sometimes — you’re reading and reacting to ball pressure, traps and you’ve gotta continually do that. So that’s where you’re really, really tested.” Junior guard Matt Farrell struggled most with the Seminoles’ pressure in the first meeting, turning the ball over six times, a season high. Brey said that he doesn’t want to take Farrell’s attacking mindset away from him, but notes that his point guard has made strides over the last couple games in play ing a little smarter. “You don’t want to take his ‘go-for-it’ mentalit y,” Brey said. “I do think he’s been better; we talked about calling off some transition stuff and not forcing stuff in transition. I think he’s been better in that area — more conser vative in that area. He’s also been better on that initial drive in the lane as you see — sometimes he just goes all the way through, instead of maybe tr y ing to make a play over all this length. Since the Georgia Tech game — that game I
thought he was tr y ing to take ever ybody on — I think since then, that’s helped him.” Another thing that could help Farrell — and the Irish as a whole — avoid turnovers is the increased minutes freshman guard T.J. Gibbs and sophomore guard Rex Pf lueger have played over the last couple games. Pf lueger played 26 minutes against Wake Forest on Tuesday and 23 at North Carolina on Sunday, while Gibbs played 22 minutes against Wake Forest and 18 against the Tar Heels. It means Brey’s opted to go to a smaller lineup more often, which means more players comfortable w ith the ball on the f loor. “The one thing that helps is play ing smaller; you have more ball-handlers on the f loor, you have more guards on the f loor,” Brey said. “I thought T.J. Gibbs gave us great stuff down there and took some pressure and [it] could be a game where maybe he ends up playing maybe more than he usually plays. “But playing with our spread motion and with the smaller lineup, it gives you more decision-makers with the ball against their pressure. I think that can help us.” Perhaps more uncharacteristic than the turnover mark was how the Irish lost despite their best 3-point shooting day of the year, hitting 15-of21 attempts. “It’s like, ‘God, we wasted
a great shooting night because we couldn’t handle the ball like we usually handle the ball,’” Brey said. “But it’s encouraging to look and say, ‘W hen we did move the ball, and were good with it, we got looks.’ … So hopefully we can get some really clean looks again.” Florida State freshman forward Jonathan Isaac had his way with the Irish in the first meeting, going off for 23 points, while junior guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes hit a couple of late buckets to help seal the result, one that set Notre Dame off on a six-game stretch where it went just 1-5. But a four-game losing streak was snapped Tuesday, when the Irish dow n Wake Forest 88-81 in a comefrom-behind w in. Brey said the Purcell Pav ilion crowd helped his team get the stops it needed dow n the stretch against the Demon Deacons. “Our crowds have really been good and our student crowds have been great — they really have,” Brey said. “Now it’ll be crazy, this one’s been sold out for a while, but the other night … I thought we had a great crowd. W hat’s helped us in the second half, our crowd has been great when we’ve been on defense.” Tipoff bet ween the Irish and Seminoles is scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m., a change from the originally scheduled tip time of 2 p.m.
is really beneficial to the success of our team, guys like [freshman Cam] Morrison and [freshman] Cal Burke and [freshman] Felix Holmberg,” Jackson said. “That really helps our depth, so when we lose guys, especially a guy like Anders [Bjork] and Joe Weg werth and even on the back end with Bobby Nardella, guys have elevated, and it’s primarily been the younger guys, so when the young guys step up, there’s a lot of guys that took over quality minutes, especially on special teams, penalty kill, things like that. It’s a matter of guys elevating and helping fill those voids. I don’t need to bring it up — I think they know that for us to do well, we’re going to have to have guys step up when those types of things happen.” One gap the Irish have struggled to plug, however, is the power play. In the two games against Vermont, the Irish only went 1-for-9, and are 1-for-18 in their last five games. W hile the absence of Nardella has obviously hurt, Jackson still thinks the Irish need to improve beyond that. “We’re not getting a good enough net-front presence, and we’ve gotta get pucks to the net when we do,” he said. “I don’t think we recognize the difference sometimes. Sometimes we shoot it and we don’t have a good net-front presence; other times we don’t shoot it when we do, so it’s just a matter of the pointmen trying to get shots through to the net, with the shot blocking that goes on nowadays, and then it’s about getting retrievals. Sometimes there are rebounds and it’s a matter of competing for that body position — it’s like a rebound in basketball. So
11
we have to have that aggressiveness with the guys that on the f lanks; they have to get inside the defensemen and try to get body position for those rebounds.” With the injuries and struggles piling up, Jackson hopes that the young players can maintain their presence from last weekend into an important road series. “I think opportunity is a large part of it,” he said. “[Freshman] Mike O’Leary is a guy who I thought had a coming out party this weekend, and it all happened because of Joe Weg werth’s injury, unfortunately, but it gave Michael an opportunity to play more minutes. He was not playing center — he was moved to left wing in between periods — but he grabbed a hold of it, and I thought he gave us something, so it’s about opportunity. It’s no different than Cal Burke or [sophomore] Jack Jenkins, guys like that getting a little bit more opportunity to kill penalties, get some power play time, and sometime that gives them confidence, and they run with it, and that’s what you hope happens. There’s always those instances when they get frustrated because they can’t accomplish what they want to, but our underclassmen are starting to come around a bit, and we’ve had pretty consistent production out of some of the upperclassmen, and some of the younger guys now are starting to think they can accomplish more.” The Irish will face off against Maine at two different arenas this weekend, with the first game on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine, and the second game on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. at the Alfond Arena on Maine’s campus in Orono, Maine. Contact Tobias Hoonhout at thoonhou@nd.edu
KELLY VAUGHAN | The Observer
Contact Alex Carson at acarson1@nd.edu
Irish freshman forward Cal Burke controls the puck during Notre Dame’s 4-4 tie with Vermont on Feb. 3 at Compton Family Ice Arena.
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The observer | friday, february 10, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
MEn’s Lacrosse
MEn’s Basketball
Notre Dame looks for revenge against FSU
Corrigan looks for progress in 2017
By ALEX CARSON
By BEN PADANILAM
Assistant Managing Editor
Associate Spor ts Editor
For the first time this season, Notre Dame will have a chance to avenge a loss, as it prepares to host No. 14 Florida State on Saturday evening in Purcell Pavilion. Last month, the Irish (18-7, 7-5 ACC) traveled to Tallahassee, Florida, for a matchup between a pair of teams who were then 16-2; the Seminoles (20-4, 9-3) prevailed that night, 83-80, in a game that saw Notre Dame uncharacteristically turn the ball over 18 times. That’s something Irish head coach Mike Brey wants to fix heading into Saturday’s 6 p.m. showdown. “Eighteen turnovers is something we don’t see hardly ever,” Brey said. “So I think our guys are embarrassed about that and know that we have to be better with it.” Playing Florida State requires a bit of a different
Seven consecutive trips to the NCA A quarterfinals. A share of last season’s ACC regular season title. Another top-five preseason ranking. High expectations aren’t new for Notre Dame, but it w ill look to build on its impressive stretch over recent years this season, as the Irish enter the campaign tabbed as the fourth best team in the countr y. Last year, the Irish had a slightly different look, as they entered the season ranked No. 1 by media behind the veteran leadership of attack Matt Kavanagh and defenseman Matt Landis. However, both those stalwarts graduated in May, leav ing Notre Dame w ithout t wo players who had been the face of its program the last four seasons. “[They were] arguably the t wo best players, you could say, that we’ve [ever] had,” Irish head coach Kev in
see M BBALL PAGE 11
MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer
Irish junior guard Matt Farrell dribbles up the court during Notre Dame’s 88-81 win over Wake Forest on Tuesday.
ND seeks sweep in key series Sports Writer
The No. 16 Irish play their final regular-season road series this weekend as the team heads to Maine to face the Black Bears. Notre Dame (15-9-4, 8-53 Hockey East) is currently tied for fourth in the Hockey East standings after taking four points in last weekend’s series against Vermont, and, with eight teams separated by just seven points between third and 10th in the conference, sweeping the Black Bears (10-15-3 4-11-1), who sit in second-to-last place, would be a major boost for Notre Dame’s hopes of a first-round bye in the conference tournament. “The guys know the importance of every game at this point,” Irish head coach Jeff Jackson said. “It’s almost playoff hockey right now; for where we want to finish in the league, I think our guys have a pretty good grasp of how tight it is in the league,
see M LAX PAGE 10
ND WoMEn’s BasketbaLl
Hockey
By TOBIAS HOONHOUT
Corrigan said of the duo. “ … Frank ly, what we’re going to miss most is just their abilit y to make plays in big moments. We came to count on both of them as guys that we knew would show up in all the big games and do what they needed to do. And so we’ll miss them, first and foremost, just on the field and the things they did there.” And while those t wo faces of the program were responsible for a significant amount of on-field production, the Irish won’t be looking for players on the roster to replace. Rather, the team has made a conscious effort — even play ing more preseason contests than it has in recent memor y — to develop an identit y based on the roster’s current makeup and talents. “You don’t tr y to replace somebody like that,” Corrigan said of Kavanagh and Landis. “The whole
and one or two points could make the difference between four spots in the standings, so every point matters. We got to go there with the objective to get points in every game.” Although the Irish were able to come from behind and tie Vermont last Friday night, and then dominate in a 4-1 victory Saturday night, the grind of the season has taken its toll on the team. Sophomore defenseman and power-play specialist Bobby Nardella remains out, and junior forward Anders Bjork and sophomore Joe Weg werth were not at 100 percent for the series against the Catamounts. But luckily for Jackson and the Irish, with playoff hockey right around the corner, some of the young guys have been stepping up in a major way. “I think a big part of it is we’re in February now, and I think our young guys are starting to step up, which see HOCKEY PAGE 11
Irish prepare for ACC game against Georgia Tech By ELIZABETH GREASON Sports Writer
KATHLEEN DONAHUE | The Observer
Irish sophomore guard Arike Ogunbowale drives toward the basket during Notre Dame’s 85-66 win over Louisville on Monday.
The Irish are looking to continue their hot streak against Georgia Tech on Sunday after coming off one of their most conv incing w ins of the season over No. 12 Louisv ille on Monday. Irish head coach Muffet McGraw felt Monday was a strong game for No. 7 Notre Dame (22-3, 10-1 ACC) from tip-off to the final buzzer, a good indicator for Sunday’s game. “I thought we were really sharp [against Louisv ille],” McGraw said. “I thought the energ y was good; the focus was good. We really took care of the ball — we shot it really well. It f lowed right from the beginning of the game.” Despite hav ing six days off bet ween matchups, the week was not a quiet one for the Irish, as senior guard Lindsay A llen was named a finalist see W BBALL PAGE 10