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Volume 54, Issue 74 | monday, february 3, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Group discusses lawsuit involving ND insurance policy I4RH continues lawsuit regarding University birth control coverage restrictions By CLAIRE RAFFORD Associate News Editor
On Jan. 17, Irish 4 Reproductive Health (I4RH) — the independent reproductive rights group at Notre Dame — announced their group had been cleared to proceed in their lawsuit against Notre Dame after the University announced they would restrict access to certain forms of birth control for those people receiving insurance coverage through the University. The lawsuit was filed in June of 2018 and says the University and the Trump administration reached an “unlawful” agreement which would allow the University to refuse to cover
certain forms of birth control under the insurance plan. “The lawsuit was filed ... in response to the Notre Dame administration announcing that it would be restricting access to insurance coverage for birth control,” sophomore and coleader of I4RH Sophia Kics said in an email. “This [announcement] came after the Trump administration’s back-door deal with Notre Dame and 73 other institutions that allowed for them to deny birth control coverage on the basis of religious beliefs. Prior to this, the university had been waging a legal battle against the Affordable Care Act’s mandate that many women’s health services (including
Students honor SMC heritage By Hannah Thomas News Writer
Beginning today, there will be daily events celebrating the rich history of Saint Mary’s College through Alumnae Relations Committee’s Heritage Week. “[Heritage Week] is basically just a week in homage to our heritage,” said Saint Mary’s senior Marianna Sanchez, chair of the Alumnae Relations Committee. Different events are planned throughout the week to explore and celebrate Saint Mary’s roots. A Mass on Feb. 2 kicked off the week. “Monday we’re starting a new sort of tradition,” said junior Giavanna Paradiso, vicechair of the Alumnae Relations Committee. “After the Avenue Alumnae Spotlight, every month there is going to be an email from an alumnae to sort of explain her career path and how Saint Mary’s helped her.” Along with this, Paradiso said, there will be various ways to thank the Sisters of the Holy
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Cross and spend time with them. “Tuesday, there’s Heritage Tours and special prizes,” Paradiso said. “Then on Wednesday, we’re kind of having a ’Why you love St. Mary’s’ ... type of thing. Thursday is going to be ice cream with the Sisters and Friday is thank you letters to the sisters and donuts.” The Heritage Tours, as well as the socials with the Sisters, will provide an opportunity to explore the convent and historical spots within the building. “[For] the Heritage Tour … they have a museum and so a sister comes and takes you on tour of that museum,” Sanchez said. “... It’s incredible — it has so many artifacts from our history and information on people who started Saint Mary’s … the stories that go along with it are incredible over there, so that’s just super cool.” Paradiso said that extra care had been put into planning this year’s Heritage Week, as it did not take place last year.
contraception) be provided without cost sharing, and they had been unsuccessful until this point.” Graduate student and founding member of I4RH Kate Bermingham said at the time of the University’s announcement, Notre Dame was not “incurring any direct costs for birth control” for those who were receiving access to contraception under the University insurance plan. “What they decided to do when they got a green light from the Trump administration was to actually use their economic position as an employer to prevent people who had insurance through the university from
Virus impedes travel
accessing the supplemental plan that they were not paying for whatsoever at the time,” Bermingham said. I4RH advocates for access to contraception on campus, especially for those insured under University health plans. The lawsuit, filed in the spring of 2018, is being co-sponsored by several nonprofit organizations — the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AUSCS) and the Center for Reproductive Rights — as well as the law firms Fried Frank and Macey Swanson. “Our rights are being
In light of the rising concern around the country and the world regarding the respiratory illness caused by a strain of coronavirus, Notre Dame officials said in an email they have no reason to believe members of the Notre Dame community are at risk of acquiring the virus. The officials that penned the email included the vice president for student affairs Erin Hoffman Harding, vice president for human resources Robert McQuade, vice
see LAWSUIT PAGE 4
see VIRUS PAGE 4
Observer Staff Report
Ryan live-in priest reflects on time at University By ALYSA GUFFEY News Writer
Currently in his 11th year of living as a priest-in-residence in Ryan Hall and his 35th year living with students on campus, Fr. Joe Carey has been a part of the Notre Dame community for as long as he can remember. Carey, a graduate of the class of 1962, was born into a legacy family — both his dad and uncle attended Notre Dame. He cites his family as a large reason why he ultimately chose Notre Dame. Carey began college as an accounting major, but in his junior year, he felt a change of heart and a pull toward the priesthood. ”I started to feel a desire and see the appeal of working with young adults,” Carey said. After his ordination in 1969, Carey taught at a Chicago high school for six years. Then, in 1977, he received an offer to
see HERITAGE PAGE 4
see RYAN PAGE 3
SCENE PAGE 5
Viewpont PAGE 6
Courtesy of Fr. John Carey
Father Joe Carey of Ryan Hall poses with students at a Fr. Joe’s event. At FJs, members of Ryan Hall bake treats and chat together.
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ND M BAsketball PAGE 12
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Sunday
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Thursday
Women’s Tennis vs University of Kentucky Eck Tennis Pavilion 11 a.m. Irish take on Wildcats.
Arts and Letters Career Discussion 526 Duncan Student Center 11 a.m. - noon RSVP on Handshake.
Tools, Tips & Time 125 Hesburgh Library 11 a.m. - noon Workshop designed for dissertation writers to gather and work.
Life Lunch with Clemens Sedmak Geddes Hall Coffeehouse Noon - 1 p.m. Register online.
Lecture on Neoliberalism LaFortune Ballroom Noon - 1:30 p.m. Open to the public, free lunch will be provided.
Conducting Recital Basilica of the Sacred Heart 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Featuring conductor Howard Eckdhal.
Panel: “India’s Winter of Protest” 1050 Jenkins Nanovic Hall 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. All are welcome.
Summer Grants and Funding Info Session 155 DeBartolo Hall 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. All undergraduate students are welcome.
The Tempest Washington Hall 7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Actors from the London Stage will perform.
Lecture and Artist Demonstration Snite Museum of Art 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Hosted by the Liu Institute.
The impacts of the Iowa caucus
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By ELLIE DOMBROWSKI News Writer
Iowa will host the first major vote of the 2020 presidential election cycle at the Iowa caucus Monday, Feb. 3. The results of the caucus will likely determine the party nominations, and coverage of the event will let voters across America know where candidates stand on crucial issues. The Observer has two reporters at the caucus. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram to see the reporting Editorin-Chief Kelli Smith and videographer Gretchen Hopkirk are doing from the field. This democratic caucus is unlike other state caucuses and primaries, where ballots are cast in secret. Iowa’s caucus allows for lively discussions and debates. The Des Moines Register reported that only “45% of likely caucusgoers said that they could be persuaded to support someone else. 13% said that they had not yet picked a favorite candidate.” This leaves over half of the caucusgoers open to persuasion by the candidates. The candidates use
the caucus as an opportunity to finalize their campaigns and to convince Iowans and the American public to give their support. Historically, the Iowa caucus became famous accidentally, due to a venue error in 1972 and Jimmy Carter’s underdog win in 1976. According to The New York Times, after seeing two long-shot candidates solidifying their win in Iowa, other candidates — like George H. W. Bush — were inspired by McGovern and Carter, making Iowa’s caucus a determining factor in the presidential election cycle for years to come. The caucus starts with the candidates stating their running platforms. After, the candidates stand in designated areas in the room, and the caucusgoers then physically move to one of the areas to confirm their support for that presidential candidate. Caucusgoers can also stand in an uncommitted space if they choose not to vote. Next, caucus organizers tally the votes. All candidates that do not have 15% of the total participants in their group are eliminated from the caucus. Individuals from an unviable group
(their candidate had less than 15%) now have the opportunity to join a viable group or the uncommitted group. The caucus organizers count a second time. Now, candidates with a viable number of individuals win delegates. The Iowa Democratic Party determines the “number of state delegate equivalents per candidate at all the caucus locations,” according to The Washington Post. The democratic candidate with the most state delegates and thus DNC delegates wins, improving his or her chance to become the Democratic nominee for the 2020 presidential election. The Iowa Democratic Party made a new rule this election season to increase transparency after the 2016 presidential election. According to The Washington Post, the American public is allowed access to the raw vote totals and the delegate allocations for the first time. By doing this, the Iowa Democratic Party intends to prevent disinformation. Contact Ellie Dombrowski at edombrow@nd.edu
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Students, professors react to impeachment By ANDREW CAMERON Associate News Editor
As the Senate trial to remove President Donald Trump from office comes to a close, student leaders and faculty weighed in on the historic proceedings. Following the decision by the U.S. House of Representatives to impeach Trump on the charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, the Senate will vote whether to convict the president — requiring a twothirds vote in favor — to result in removal from office. Senior Sheila Gregory, president of the College Democrats of Notre Dame, said that she has been following the trial through the New York Times, as well as television broadcasts and Twitter. Gregory said it has been difficult for her and her fellow students to keep up with the proceedings, despite the strength of the charges brought against Trump. “As a student, it’s been hard to follow I would say because everything is happening during the day, and we’re busy, we’re not tuning in. I doubt, even anyone has a large capacity to watch the proceedings,” she said. “I’d say that is kind of a disappointment to start off because
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return to Notre Dame and work in the Office of Financial Aid, a position he found rewarding.
from what I’ve been able to watch, which isn’t as much as I would have liked, there is an extraordinarily strong case being presented at least by the Democrats followed by, honestly, a laughable legal argument from Trump’s attorneys.” Gregory said the Notre Dame student body often avoids contentious political discussion. Even in her political science classes, she said, students often go silent at the mention of Trump. “I think we have tendency on Notre Dame’s campus to shy away from anything controversial when it comes to politics,” Gregory said. “When that’s kind of the overwhelming campus attitude — ‘Oh, I don’t want to rock the boat, I don’t want to voice an unpopular opinion or something’ — I think that can cause people to stop paying attention as closely to what’s going on, because when you start paying attention you realize how egregious everything that’s going on is, and you’re mad about it. She encouraged students to engage in dialogue with their peers — including those with whom they disagree. Gregory said she was not optimistic about enough Republicans ultimately crossing the partisan
divide to vote for removal. “At the end of the day, I think their allegiance to party is stronger than their allegiance to country, and I think Trump has poisoned what used to be a decent party to be something that is a cult of personality,” she said. Senior Dom Ferrante, president of the College Republicans of Notre Dame, said he was skeptical of the allegations from the beginning, due both to the timing and to the disposition of Democrats in Congress. “I always thought that it was kind of convenient timing on in terms of when they decided to go forward with this,” he said. “Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi had been holding out on doing it for a while, despite pressure from her party members even in wake of the Mueller report when some were thinking that she should have gone forward with impeachment.” Ferrante said he expected most Democrats to vote for removal with a few exceptions, but he is “100% certain” that President Trump will not be removed from office. “If the president were to be removed, it would be quite detrimental to our democratic institutions in this country,” he said. “I think
the impeachment itself already has done a bit of damage along those lines and I just hope that, should the President be acquitted, some of that damage can be reversed.” David Campbell, a professor of political science and chair of the political science department, said he has been closely following the impeachment proceedings through multiple media channels, as well as following how students have been reacting. “Interestingly, at least in my conversation with students, I don’t get the sense that our students feel like they’re in the middle of a historical drama,” Campbell said. Campbell said this impeachment trial feels very different than the 1998 trial to impeach President Bill Clinton, in part due to the abundance of media options making it easier to “tune out” news. He also suggested that students may not be paying close attention due to the way people consume news media. “I think we’re all naturally inclined to focus on highly salient stories that have a fairly short window. … In the case of something like impeachment, it unfolds over a very long stretch of time, and in this administration, it’s not as
though impeachment is the first time we’re hearing about scandals and whatnot and accusations leveled against the administration,” Campbell said. “I think for a lot of people, this just feels like background noise, because it doesn’t feel like this is anything new.” He encouraged Notre Dame students to remain politically engaged and to also recognize the strangeness of this political moment. “I would put a plea out to Notre Dame students that they should be paying at least enough attention to know what’s going on in Washington and not just simply assume that this is business as usual. This is not,” he said. “There are many things about this administration that have been unusual, and I do fear that we have undergraduates who are now going through this very important period in their lives of political socialization where they think that what we’ve seen in Washington over the last three years is the way things always are. That’s not the case. It’s not the way that things normally are and likely it will not be the case in the future.”
”I think that God has called me to love a lot of people,” Carey said. ”And when I worked in financial aid, I had this amazing job of helping people stay at Notre Dame who might have to leave because of family issues, the death of a
parent, divorce or illness.” When he returned to campus as a staff member, Carey became the rector of Dillon Hall, a title he would hold for 20 years. For Carey, being in a position of leadership was difficult as he struggled to
enforce discipline while serving as a priest to his residents. ”I decided that discipline shouldn’t be just a totally negative thing, and so I would always talk to people on Sunday night,” Carey said. ”I don’t know how many thousands of these conversations I’ve had, but we would talk about it from the perspective of how can this person learn from this experience.” After his years in the Dillon community, Carey moved to Pasquerilla East Hall, where he was a priest-in-residence for four years. Then, Carey moved to Ryan Hall, where he has resided since the hall opened in 2009. Carey said having the opportunity to build up the traditions of Ryan Hall has been ”a joy and an honor.” One of the traditions Ryan Hall has established is the popular ”FJ’s” event on Tuesday nights — a weekly event named after Carey himself. Every Tuesday, around 30 members of Ryan bake a variety of sweets and open their doors to invite students from around campus to grab a quick treat and chat. Carey describes the founding of the tradition as the first connection he felt to the Ryan community. ”Everyone was new to the hall in 2009 and this one student came in and said, ’Oh, you have a great kitchen. Do you know how to bake?’ and I said, ’No,’ and she said, ’Can I teach you?’ And that was a profound question, because it changed my life,” Carey said. Baking together is an activity that Carey feels has helped members of Ryan feel more connected to the dorm and to each other.
”A lot of people make their best friends by baking, and we’ve had some people who are transfers who didn’t know anyone, and they just kind of come in and get to know people,” Carey said. Carey said he believes ”FJ’s” also allows the members of Ryan to share love to the rest of the Notre Dame community. “It’s just one indication of the hospitality of this community, and the people who bake really feel like they’re serving,” Carey said. “ ... People come in and bake, some because it relieves stress for them, but it feels like they’re really doing something for someone.” In addition to serving in Ryan, Carey works in the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) as a chaplain on regional retreats that teachers in the program particopate in over the summer. “I go and meet [the teachers] and have a weekend with them where we reflect and pray and relax,” Carey said. “I also do some interviews and help support the staff here.” Carey believes he has made the right decision to live with students for the past 35 years, and he cites Fr. Hesburgh as an influential figure who has motivated him to always focus on the students. “I’ve seen a lot of different parts of Notre Dame, and I’ve always felt like my life at Notre Dame has been with students,” Carey said. “I see all of the things students here do and think that it is amazing … I see people here who have a wider worldview because they’ve done all of these things and they will continue to do more.”
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Lawsuit Continued from page 1
violated. It was clearly a violation of the Affordable Care Act,” Bermingham said. “We tried, first, to deal with this through advocacy on campus, through trying to talk to Fr. Jenkins and his advisors, and it seemed clear that was not going to amount to success for us.” Bermingham said the agreement reached between the University and the Trump administration was “really problematic” because it could set a legal precedent that Notre Dame is exempt from future federal regulations. “Yeah, Notre Dame is a private institution. It still has to follow the law, right?” Bermingham said. “Once we realized the gravity of the situation and the way that the University’s policies were really an attempt to circumvent the law, that’s what prompted the lawsuit to move forward, [or] at least prompted our participation in the lawsuit.” Bermingham said that the administration’s policies have directly affected her and people in her life, and her efforts have been a “very formative but also kind of unfortunate” part of her time at the University. “This is something that has directly impacted my progress towards the degree that I came to Notre Dame to obtain. That’s true for so many people that I know,” Bermingham said. “And this really is an issue of gender justice at Notre Dame, right? You have people who could become pregnant
who are spending an inordinate amount of time and money dealing with something that is basic health care and would be considered so at any other university.” Kics said the lawsuit has helped to bring the work that I4RH does to provide contraception access at Notre Dame to light. As for the next steps, Bermingham said all the advocacy is being handled by the nonprofits who filed the suit — the NWLC, Center for Reproductive Rights and the AUSCS. “I assume that Notre Dame’s lawyers, and the Trump administration’s lawyers will try to appeal,” Bermingham said. ”... And I think there’ll be another court date eventually. So basically, both sides are kind of preparing their cases at this time.” Kics said she hopes that the lawsuit’s success for I4RH would allow students to have greater access to contraception and sexual health resources under University health insurance coverage. “Ideally, all students and staff would have access to these resources whether they are insured or not,” Kics said. ”... But for the time being, I think that this coverage is a feasible goal.” Bermingham said her hope for the lawsuit is Notre Dame employees and students who are insured under the University’s plan would be able to have greater autonomy in their reproductive healthcare options. “You know, your employer should not be able to dictate what form of birth control you have access to,” Bermingham said. ”That should be a decision that you are Paid Advertisement
able to make with your doctor.” Kics said the lawsuit’s success would make Notre Dame a more inclusive and welcoming place. “Notre Dame champions a ’spirit of inclusion’ and encourages students from diverse backgrounds to apply, but imposing Catholic values upon the health of all students and staff members is certainly not an inclusive practice,” Kics said. Kics said that having access to birth control and sexual health resources is especially important for groups who have historically experienced discrimination and marginalization. “Restricting access to birth control further places a person’s health into the hands of their financial resources, and for historically and systematically marginalized groups this simply may not be feasible,” Kics said. ”Birth control and sexual health resource coverage would make Notre Dame a more inclusive place for people of color, survivors of sexual assault, members of the LGBTQ+ community and anyone else who is marginalized in any way.” When asked for comment, Paul Browne, vice president for public affairs and communications for the University, gave the following statement. “Notre Dame stands on firm legal and moral ground in refusing to subsidize the limited number of contraceptive products that can act as abortifacients and harm an unborn child,” Browne said. Contact Claire Rafford at crafford@nd.edu
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“It did not occur last year because it was the 175th anniversary and it just kind of fell through the cracks with everything going on,” Paradiso said. “So we wanted to make sure that we gave it it’s adequate due, because obviously we love Saint Mary’s and think heritage is important.” The Saint Mary’s College Alumnae Association works to promote relationships between students and alumnae, Sanchez said, and has both students and alumnae on its board. “I sit on the board of directors for the Alumnae Association and then next year Giavanna will sit on the board,” Sanchez said. “We are the student liaison between the alumnae and the students here on campus, so we meet with the board of directors when they’re in town.” Paradiso said she was excited for the week’s programming, especially for Monday’s Alumnae Spotlight. “The alumna we’re spotlighting first is my sister,” she said. “... I’m excited for everyone to meet her through email.” These events will also connect current embodiments of Saint Mary’s history through the events with the Sisters and at the Convent. Sanchez said she was most excited to spend time with the Sisters. “I’m most excited for the Thursday event which is an ice cream social with the sisters at the Convent,” Sanchez said. “… They’ve got such a rich history over there and all of them are so amazing. They just want to know how you’re doing, how school’s going … know about your life. They’re the best.”
president for internationalization Michael Pippenger and vice president for campus safety and university operations Mike Seamon. While coronaviruses are a family of viruses which cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, the recent strain of coronavirus which originated in Wuhan, China has risen as a cause of concern recently. In order to ensure the health of students, faculty and staff, the email said the University is taking several proactive steps which are based on guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All University-sponsored travel to mainland China for members of the campus community is prohibited until further notice, the email said. Those returning from mainland China are also advised to limit contact with others and consult with University Health Services, the Notre Dame Wellness Center or a primary care provider if they present with fever or respiratory symptoms. “Notre Dame values the many people of different nationalities and cultures who are cherished members of our community and, in keeping with the recommendations of the CDC and State Department, is taking these steps out of an abundance of caution,” the email said. The University will continue to monitor the health risk of this strain of coronavirus and provide updates if recommendations change. Some Chinese students and alumni have responded to the outbreak by raising money and gathering donations to send to Wuhan.
Contact Hannah Thomas at hthomas01@saintmarys.edu
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The observer | monday, february 3, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
By MATTHEW KELLENBERG Scene Writer
You know your favorite indie band has made it when you hear them in a car commercial. Maybe it is a spot for the practical-yet-fun Nissan Quest. Or the classic-yetfresh Cadillac SRX. Or the sustainable-yet-hip Toyota Prius. For whichever car it may be, a commercial spot not only confirms a band’s marketability, but it also provides a career-launching publicity boost. This tradition began with the 1990s Volkswagen advertising campaign “Drivers Wanted,” run by the advertisement agency Arnold Worldwide. “The people who drove Volkswagens, they thought of themselves as being more underground—a little bit cooler and younger—and they were,” Lance Jensen, who worked for Arnold during the campaign, told the Boston Globe. “You needed to show, that we know what your CD collection looks like.” “Milky Way,” a 1999 spot for the Volkswagen Cabrio convertible, features four twenty-somethings on a moonlit drive through the countryside. They pull up to a house party, then, on second thought, put the car in reverse and keep driving. In the background plays “Pink Moon,” the fragile, acoustic title track to Nick Drake’s 1972 album. The spot was a massive success. The One Club, which honors excellent advertisements, in 2012 deemed “Milky Way” one of the 10 best commercials in the past 25 years.
By NICOLE BILYAK Scene Writer
When you think of comedy in Britain, the first thing that immediately comes to mind is the surreal British comedy group Monty Python. For more than five decades, this group has brought laughter to the world. Monty Python went on to revolutionize comedy not only in Great Britain, but also in nations across the world, and their projects are still held to high esteem. Monty Python was brought to life in 1969 with their famous sketch-comedy-show, “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.” The comedy troupe included Terry Jones, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman and Michael Palin. The whole concept of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” was to act out absurd situations, while at the same time, fusing the situation with risqué and innuendo-laden humor, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines. The Pythons’ goal was to make something that was unlike anything that was on British television. When “Flying Circus” first aired in Great Britain on BBC1 on October 5, 1969, it became a huge success. It initially failed to draw an audience in the United States, but it soon gained popularity after the Public Broadcasting Service affiliates began airing it in 1974. With this success,
And Drake, who passed away in 1974, sold more records in the month following the advertisement than in the previous 30 years. The ad became a gold standard. In “As Heard on TV: Popular Music In Advertising,” Bethany Klein writes, “it is because the [Volkswagen] ad is so well executed and so aesthetically successful that the industry and the public reassessed the use of music in advertising around this example.” Indie music gives car commercials the cool factor needed to draw younger consumers. There is a second factor at play in the “indie-fication” of car commercials: the decline of the music industry, especially for indie artists. CD sales once provided adequate financial support for indie artists, but in the past two decades, the internet has drained that market. (“Milky Way” was actually the first Volkswagen ad to appear online, with viewers prompted to purchase a digital download of “Pink Moon.”) Unlike CD sales, online streaming royalties do not provide a livable income for indie artists. And for that reason, indie artists are under financial pressure to license their music to advertisers. Today, the indie music and car commercial industries are inextricably linked. A sample of indie bands and the car brands to which they have licensed music: Band of Horses, Ford; Fleet Foxes, Toyota; Grizzly Bear, Volkswagen; Matt and Kim, Buick; Modest Mouse, Nissan; M83, Pontiac; Noah and the Whale, Saturn; Phoenix, Cadillac; Sea Wolf,
Chevrolet; Vampire Weekend, Honda. Harmless, this link is not. Not only has the car commercial industry built itself around indie music, but indie music has also increasingly built itself around the car commercial industry. If an indie song sounds perfect for a car commercial, it might be because it was made to be. Father John Misty captures this phenomenon well in his satirical 2016 single “PRIUS COMMERCIAL DEMO 1.” “Oh my brother,” Misty sings tongue-in-cheek over a cheesy acoustic guitar riff, “I think that the moon is high / I rode that train car / where the mountains meet the sky.” Background singers chime in “Ho!” and “Hey!” On my first listen, I’ll admit I found myself nodding along— the song felt familiar. For the most part, the relationship between indie artists and advertisers is mutually beneficial. Advertising royalties provide artists financial compensation where streaming royalties fall short, and indie music gives car commercials youth appeal. However, the sanitization of a boundary-pushing genre for the purpose of selling cars should be the subject of concern. Indie music loses independence when it caters to a commercial interest. As an indie fan, the next time I hear an artist I love sing about hitting the open road, I want to be thinking about the road, not the car.
the Pythons began to go on live tours and created three additional films. After the success of “Flying Circus,” the Pythons made a film, related to their previously loved series, named “And Now for Something Completely Different” on September 28, 1971. The film includes sketches from the show’s first two series; however, the film received mixed reviews from both British and American audiences, and it did not make a decent profit compared to the budget. In 1975, the group created the famous film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” This film is centered around the legends of King Arthur and the film was conceived around the hiatus of the third and fourth seasons of the “The Flying Circus.” The Pythons that starred in this film were Chapman as Arthur, King of the Britons, Cleese as Sir Lancelot, Gilliam as Arthur’s servant Patsy, Idle as Sir Robin, Jones as Sir Bedevere and Palin as Sir Galahad. This film was considered one of the best comedy films ever made in the mid 1970s, despite the mixed reviews from critics. With a $400,000 budget, the film turned in a profit of $5 million. After “The Holy Grail” and “The Flying Circus,” the Pythons went on to make “Life of Brian.” Released in 1979, the film depicts the life of a young Jewish man named Brian Cohen, portrayed by Chapman, who was born on
the same day and literally next door to Jesus Christ and is subsequently mistaken for the Messiah. Interestingly, this film was financed by George Harrison of the Beatles, and the film was said to be almost rated X due to the amount of nudity, sexual references and accusations of blasphemy, but it got a AA (14) rating in the UK. The film received positive reviews from critics and earned $20.2 million from a $4 million budget. In 1983, the Pythons released their final film titled “The Meaning of Life.” The film was structured in same style as “The Flying Circus,” where there are many sketches pieced together to create the film, and these sketches were loosely based on the true stages of life. After the release of “The Meaning of Life,” the Pythons parted ways in 1983. In 1989, Graham Chapman passed away after cancer spread to his spinal cord. The Pythons did reunite for benefit shows, but they officially discontinued reunions in 2014. Since 2014, Monty Python has made audiences laugh to crude humor, and the films are considered to hold nostalgia and they will bring a smile to anyone’s face. This story is in honor of Terry Jones, who passed away on January 21, 2020 at the age of 77.
Contact Matthew Kellenberg at mkellenb@nd.edu
Contact Nicole Bilyak at nbilyak01@saintmarys.edu CRISTINA INTERIANO | The Observer
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The observer | monday, february 3, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Is God a woman?
Inside Column
To my ‘girl dad’ Olivia Luchetti Viewpoint Copy Editor
This past week, the entire world was shocked by the news of the passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi. Tributes from all over the world began pouring in, each one sincere and heartfelt in its own way. However, one testament to Kobe Bryant’s character stood out to me. Elle Duncan’s story of her encounter with Bryant was different because it didn’t focus on the basketball aspect of his life — it focused solely on his relationships with his daughters. He proudly declared to Duncan that he was a “girl dad.” When I heard that, I immediately became emotional and realized, “Wait, I have a girl dad too.” I never really took the time to think how difficult and rewarding it must be to raise a family of all girls. But this tribute by Elle Duncan made me stop and think. All these years, I never realized the special care and concern it took my dad to raise three fiercely independent girls. My mom always tells me that my dad always insisted that I be dressed in denim overalls and baseball caps as a baby, just because he could not believe he had a daughter. But with each new female addition to the family, my dad grew more and more into a “girl dad.” Between all of the car rides to volleyball tournaments (trying to beat the GPS’s estimated time), the college visits, my late night phone calls from school about organic chemistry, the drama, you name it — my dad has dealt with it. And he dealt with it while being the punchline of the majority of the jokes made in a houseful of girls. I know for a fact that I would not be where I am today without the impact my “girl dad” made on me, and it’s time that I take a step back to appreciate all he has done for me, my mom and my two sisters. So, to the man who cried when I got on the bus for the first day of kindergarten, thank you. To the man who f lew over the church parking lot curb on the way to the daddy-daughter dance because he was blasting AC/DC (popping two tires in the process), thank you. To the man who is determined to become TikTok famous for dancing with his daughters, thank you. All of these fun memories happened because you are a “girl dad” — a one of a kind, big softie with a heart of gold. I remember going to the grocery store with my family when we were little, and people always used to stop and ask if all three of us little girls were sisters. My mom would always reply proudly with a “Yes, these crazy girls are all mine,” while my dad would jokingly sigh as he said, “Yep… three weddings to pay for.” The other people would always laugh, but I know he will be crying like a baby at all three weddings — and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Contact Olivia Luchetti at oluchett@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Ashton Weber Welcome to Ashtown
“Wait … did you say ‘she’ earlier?” I was walking down library quad last week when my best friend turned to ask me the question. We had been talking about his theology class and it naturally turned into a conversation about the attributes of God. At one point, I decided to refer to God with a new set of pronouns and apparently, he had noticed, asking the question to pivot us back to that moment. “Yes! I did. That was my first time,” I said, smiling to myself as I looked up at the very large, very masculine representation of divinity plastered on the building ahead. “I love that,” he replied, affirming my word choice and sending us into a deeper discussion of God’s gender. A typical Tuesday night conversation, really. A few years ago, I was first introduced to the idea of calling God by gender neutral or female pronouns and I was deeply opposed. My scrupulous religiosity was entirely threatened by the idea that maybe, just maybe, God wasn’t the old, bearded man in the sky with a long list of rules, ready to rain down hellfire on those who disobeyed, like I had always pictured *him* to be. And if God wasn’t that guy, who even were they? It was infinitely easier, I thought, to just follow bearded God’s rules and regulations than to enter the spiritual rabbit hole of woman God. Bearded God wasn’t broken. Why did all these people want to ‘fix’ him? But as I grew older, I started to realize that bearded God was very broken. And that the way I engaged with him was breaking me. I followed his rules, but never because I loved him so fully that I wanted to perfectly align my will to his. I followed them because, if I didn’t, I thought I would be condemned. I allowed the rules to make me hyper-judgmental of myself and the people around me. Instead of using my relationship with God to become a more loving, compassionate person, I allowed it to harden me. Eventually, I came to the realization that my “love for God” was making me miserable. Seriously, if I spent as much time practicing kindness for myself and my friends as I did writing “sin lists” for confession, my life would have been vastly different. I’m not saying that recognizing God as female would have solved all my problems. Woman God could have been equally regulative and my relationship with her could have similarly harmed plenty of human relationships. But I think there’s something to be said for visibility and the way it increases our comfort. I never saw myself in God. Which raises a question, I guess, of whether that’s something humans should be able to do. I assume a lot of people would say no — we’re human and God is God and we shouldn’t be able to see ourselves in him at all because we’re not him. Okay, sure, we’re different, but I feel like there would be something beautiful about seeing ourselves in God, even if only a small piece. At
the very least, maybe I would have seen God as more merciful and less scary. I’m in a class right now called “Faith and Feminism” and I’ve been thinking a lot about how I, a woman, could see myself more represented in the divine. Our professor told us in the first class about biblical imagery that addresses God as ‘mother,’ and I was shocked. I can recall multiple occurrences where, in high school theology class, a female student would ask why we still call God ‘father’ and use only masculine pronouns if we recognize that men and women are both made in the image and likeness of God. In response, teachers would usually grumble something about how we only have biblical and historical precedent for calling God ‘father,’ so even though yes, technically God transcends gender, it’s okay to defer to God as male. After a bit more research, I found this article from U.S. Catholic, which points to several instances where God and Jesus are referenced with female imagery. The image these references paint is gentle and warm. Comforting and caring. Forgiving and loving. Not threatening and overbearing and demanding. And it makes me wonder: If I had heard about this motherly God when I was a little girl, would I have had a vastly different experience of faith? Would it have led me to different conclusions about womanhood? Would it have led me to an entirely different experience of God? I don’t really know if I have much of a point this week, except that I called God ‘she’ the other day and I’ve been thinking about it a lot since. I don’t call God ‘he’ anymore except when I’m referring to bearded God, but bearded God isn’t actually God … he’s just some deeply distorted image of divinity that I created from the imagery I was given as a child. Instead, I usually opt to call God just that — God — in class. It almost feels like I would be drawing too much attention to myself if I said ‘she’ in class. Which is upsetting because it’s not radical at all to call God ‘he’ and we know that God is technically just as much ‘she’ as ‘he.’ But, anyway, I think my point is this: When we are creating spaces for people to belong, it is important to create spaces for them to see themselves. When I met God as a little girl, I immediately understood that there would always be a degree of separation between myself and God because of my femaleness. But, as I’ve been challenging my inability to find home in the Church, I’m realizing that a lot of my disconnection stems from the fact that I only recently came to understand that bearded God is a myth. I’m not asking that everyone starts calling God ‘she’ all of the sudden, but I think it’s fair to ask that we all be more conscious of what we’re really saying when we only call God ‘he.’ Ashton Weber is a sophomore with lots of opinions. She is majoring in econ and film, television and theatre with a JED minor. Making new friends is one of her favorite things, so feel free to contact her at aweber22@nd.edu or @awebz01 on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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Keep Ugly Room ugly Sophia Sheehy BridgeND
At the tail end of fall semester, a petition was posted outside of the second f loor area of Hesburgh Librar y where renovations are scheduled to soon take place. The petition, which read “Keep Ugly Room Ugly” amassed signatures by passersby in the last week of school, as students crammed into Ugly Room to study for finals. The petition may well have accrued quite a few more signers, had it not been removed recently. Instead, the poster board show ing how the room w ill be transformed stands on its trifold unmarred by the petition’s blatant rejection of the remodeling. Surely, the administration believes the student body to be kidding. Ugly Room is a sore spot in an other w ise state of the art librar y. Its wooden tables and chairs, its dim lighting, and its dearth of modern-art-turned-furniture prevent the librar y from becoming nationally unrivaled. Yet, once again, the administration poorly estimates students’ preferences. There are some on this campus who prefer the sterile look of metal ever y thing, who thrive under blinding white light, and who love w ide open study spaces. For them, there are plenty of spots on campus. For those who prefer an aged, homier look, Ugly Room is one of the last enclaves in an empire of computer lounges and innovation centers. Some people actually like darker rooms and worn in chairs. It is because of the room’s comfortable and unpretentious atmosphere, not in spite of it, that Ugly Room is often teeming w ith students. And for students whose siblings and parents have attended Notre Dame, places like Ugly Room evoke a proud sentimentality of cramming for your orgo midterm just like they had, exactly where they had.
Last I checked, new ideas are not better fostered in new spaces. Ding y lighting and wooden ever y thing was good enough for Shakespeare and Einstein, why is it not good enough for the students of Our Lady’s University? If you ask current students, it is. If the petition outside Ugly Room and conversations with others ser ve as any barometer of student satisfaction, Ugly Room is well loved as is. But the scheduled renovation is not for current students. It is to attract prospective students, to catch the attention of bright young minds touring college campuses with unparalleled renovation schedules and an unimaginable number of construction sites. The Ugly Room remodeling is Notre Dame’s way of keeping up with colleges around the countr y that promise an ever-newer campus and ever-improving experiences. Rather than rest on reputation to bring in new students, Notre Dame, to the regret of its student body, has given in to the incessant demands of adding bells and whistles to compete with the hedonism of other colleges. Not once has the administration stopped to ask why it wants the ty pe of students who need to be attracted by the number of television screens in each room of the librar y. Never mind that Ugly Room is one of the most popular spaces in Hes. Ignore the money and time lost, disregard the environmental damage inf licted by constant renovations. Forget that no one asked to tear up tile that has been loved by generations of students. In classic 21st centur y fashion of devaluing any thing old enough to be loved and revered, the administration has taken an old adage to the extreme. It is no longer “If you build it, they will come.” It has become “If you never stop building it, they will never stop coming.” By the time the University is done, there will not be one spot in Hesburgh librar y where Fr. Hesburgh stepped himself. For a school built on ancient traditions, the
administration has certainly lost sight of the value of old. One can only hope the University heeds the clear desire of students to keep Ugly Room ugly. Yet, given the administration’s refusal to acknowledge student body dissatisfaction with other recent policies, such as off-campus differentiation and “enhanced security” swiping in dorms, one can see the writing on the soon-tobe painfully white walls. It may soon be time to mourn the loss of study breaks spent reading the etchings of Domers past on the wooden tables. Let us join the University in resigning to see that newer is always better, that the next construction site and next cohort of students is always more important than the current one. For those who will dearly miss Ugly Room, I suppose we have no one to blame but ourselves. We should have chosen to go to a college whose identity embraces contentedness over incessant ambition. Instead, we chose one that only pretends. Sophia Sheehy is a junior and proud Cavanaugh resident. She is President of BridgeND, a nonpartisan political discussion club that aims to foster virtuous civic engagement on campus. BridgeND meets at 5pm on Mondays in the McNeill Room of LaFortune. On Feb. 10, BridgeND will host a deep-dive discussion on abortion in the LaFortune Ballroom at 5:30. All are encouraged to join the conversation and start bridging the political divide. BridgeND is a multi-partisan political club committed to bridging the partisan divide through respectful and productive discourse. It meets on Mondays at 5pm in the McNeill Room of LaFortune Student Center to learn about and discuss current political issues, and can be reached at bridgend@nd.edu or on Twitter @bridge_ND. The views expressed in this Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
letter to the editor
Siegfried Hall’s 14th annual Day of Man Dearest members of the Notre Dame, Holy Cross and Saint Mar y’s community, No, you are not dreaming. There are indeed athletic, good-looking, (mostly single) Ramblers roaming Our Lady’s campus dressed for the beach in the middle of w inter. This Wednesday, Feb. 5, the Ramblers of Siegfried Hall w ill brave the elements and host their 14th annual Day of Man. The tradition was born one frantic morning 13 years ago, when a Siegfried resident forgot his coat on his way to class and realized how cold the w inters of South Bend can really get. He put this thought into action and gathered a group of friends to stand out in the cold to raise money to benefit the homeless community of South Bend. Over the past 13 years, Siegfried Hall has raised over $145,000 to benefit the South Bend Center for the Homeless. This year, we once again need your help. And so, we are calling on you to stand w ith us and donate to help a cause ever yone can get behind. You may be asking, “So how will I find a Siegfried man to give my donation to? ” Well, ty pically shouting about PB Proteins from Duncan w ill make a pack of Ramblers appear. We will also be manning the doors of the beautiful North and South dining halls during dinner. We w ill sing, dance or even tell a joke in order to secure your donation. If it snows by next Wednesday, we might even make you a snow angel. If you are strapped for cash, Day of Man w ill once again be gladly accepting Venmo donations, and the event w ill have an online donation site where
you, friends and family can all donate to this worthy fundraiser. Look for the link shared on the Day of Man Facebook event page and please share it. Please help us make this year’s event our most successful ever. Peace, Love, PDub, and Live, Laugh, Lewis,
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Charlie Lemkuil sophomore Kieran Wurl junior Ethan Lipnicky junior Andrew Schmogyi junior Jess Hatfield senior Jan. 31
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Classifieds
The observer | monday, february 3, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Mike nothnagel
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Being progressive and forward-thinking will help you let go of the past. Channel your energy into worthwhile causes, and you will make connections that will help you advance. Learning to live in the moment and to make the most out of each day will have an impact on the goals you set and the path you take to reach your destination. Your numbers are 2, 8, 14, 23, 25, 34, 41. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Scour your surroundings, listen to what’s said and make a fair assessment of whatever situation you face before you take action. Someone will try to keep a secret from you that could influence a decision you need to make. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your emotions will prompt you to make a premature move. Listen to reason, and consider your options. An offer that didn’t grab your attention the first time should be looked at again. Concentrate on personal improvements, not trying to change others. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Speak up and share your thoughts with someone who will be affected by the decisions you make. Consider an alternative way of doing things if it will help keep the peace. Getting along with others will make your life easier. CANCER (June 21-July 22): You will feel good if you open your heart to those less fortunate or help a cause you believe in. Share your experience with someone you love, and it will bring you closer together. Romance is in the stars. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t take on more than you can handle emotionally or physically. It’s good to be fit and to keep moving, but be reasonable. A set routine, healthy diet and rest will get you in tip-top shape. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Taking a day trip, spending time with friends and family or trying your hand at something new and exciting should be your priority. Idle time will lead to dissatisfaction, fault finding and arguments. Keep busy, and keep the peace. Romance is encouraged. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Think matters through before taking action. Discussing sensitive issues will spin out of control, leaving you in a weak position with little leverage. Give yourself time to look for reasonable solutions. A peace offering may be necessary. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Do something that you enjoy. A creative outlet and spending time with someone who shares your interests or who you love deeply will result in positive changes to the way you live. Romance and personal growth are favored. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Be cautious while traveling or dealing with people who don’t share your opinions or beliefs. A situation can erupt into a physical confrontation if you or the person or people you are dealing with are stubborn. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Get the go-ahead before setting plans in motion. The changes you make at home or to the way you live will improve your life and your relationship with someone you love. A long-term goal is within reach. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Someone from your past will cause more havoc than help if you are too trusting or gullible. Question motives before you give someone the authority to speak or do something on your behalf. Keep your feelings and your opinions a secret. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Dream on. Use your charm, intuition and your broad spectrum of ideas, acquaintances and experiences to get what you want. Initiate your plans, but know when to take a break to avoid mistakes or accidents. Romance is in the stars. Birthday Baby: You are unique, steadfast and insightful. You are resourceful and productive.
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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W BBall
Sports Authority
Continued from page 12
What makes a great contender Hayden Adams Associate Sports Editor
Being a Kentucky Basketball fan, I’m like a Farmers agent, because I’ve seen a thing or two. Because of that, also like a Farmers agent, I know a thing or two. But enough with the free advertising. The point I’m trying to make is, as a Kentucky Basketball fan, I’ve seen enough quality teams to recognize the pieces that are needed to build a championship contender. I also want to say that I am primarily using male examples, but the same is very applicable to the women’s game. With that said, here they are: Facilitator The fact of the matter is that not every team has a Lebron James who can basically be your point guard at the small forward position. Like every football team needs a good quarterback to distribute the ball (unless, ironically, you were Kentucky Football this season), every contender needs a guy who will, at the very least, take care of the rock and find the open man. It’s a bonus if your point guard can create off the dribble, but being able to distribute is a foundational component of any championship-level point guard. Sniper Typically, you’d like to have multiple guys who can knock down shots, but to be a real contender, you need a guy who can hit a big-time longrange shot, or at least draw some defensive attention away so somebody else can. Look at Virginia last year. Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome were knock-down shooters. Or, look at Kentucky in 2012, when you couldn’t leave Doron Lamb open from three. The same is true in the NBA. Even Michael Jordan needed John Paxson (shoutout Notre Dame alum) and Steve Kerr to each hit a huge shot in the NBA Finals. We’ll get back to the Jordan of it all, but for now, the next piece is… Rim Protection If you want to be successful in basketball, the reality is that, while the name of the game is putting the ball in the basket, it helps a lot to be able to stop the other team from doing that. Three-point shooting has become increasingly prevalent in basketball, but very rarely can a team survive by only jacking up
threes. If you can make a team live and die solely by the three by taking away easy inside buckets with a long, athletic shot blocker, you’re in a really good position. You also need solid rebounding to be able to bring the other team’s possession to an end, otherwise you’ll just wear yourself out defensively. It’s a bonus if your front court guys can also get buckets in the post, or at a minimum get second chance points, but let’s be real, no team anymore wins a championship with a big man as their best player. Kareem, Russell and Wilt are long gone and now it’s all about guard play. Lock-down Defender Again, while having explosive offensive scoring ability is all well and good, you need to be able to stif le the other team. However, once you’ve taken away inside scoring opportunities, the next step is to make it difficult to score everywhere else. Plus, while the opposition may be balanced, chances are they have a key figure (again, getting there) that shoulders most of the offensive responsibility. Whether it’s a lanky player that can tip balls and contest shots (e.g., Tayshaun Prince, Trevor Ariza) or a small, quick gnat of a defender (e.g. Rajon Rondo, Patrick Beverely) who will be physical with guys bigger than them, there has to be someone who can limit a strong offensive player. Speaking of strong offensive players… Go-to Guard We’ve come full circle. You don’t just need a go-to guy, but a ball-handler who can create for himself and get a bucket. A guy like Jordan or Kobe (R.I.P.) who can make shots through tough defense, get to the free throw line and who has a clutch factor. Post-scoring is great, but a guard has got to be able to get them the ball period, so you need a competent backcourt scorer to either be able to beat the defense himself or draw enough attention to open things up for everybody else. This is a lot to ask of a team, but it you’ve got these pieces, then you’ve got a chance to make a serious run come March. Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
from star freshman forward Sam Brunelle. The Irish did not make a 3-pointer all game, but their efficient 47% shooting from the field and lockdown defense allowed them to edge out the Yellow Jackets on the day. The first quarter was a tightly contested and low-scoring battle, which turned out to be an indicator for how the rest of the game would play out. Neither team led by more than two points in the frame. In another preview of the rest of the game, the Irish got all of their points on layups, while forcing the Yellow Jackets into a series of mid-range jumpers. While Georgia Tech kept pace for the first 10 minutes, keeping the score tied at 12 after a quarter, the approach proved unsustainable. The offenses stayed sluggish throughout the first half, as neither team could establish any consistent scoring. Georgia Tech extended their lead to 20-16, but
they quickly saw it cut down to 24-23 at halftime. No Yellow Jacket player had more than four points at halftime, while the Irish got 10 points from Vaughn, six from Walker, and five from sophomore guard Kaitlyn Gilbert. After a Georgia Tech free throw, both teams traded 6-0 runs to start the second half — the biggest spurt by either team all game. However, down 31-29, Walker hit a pair of free throws for the Irish with 6:41 to go in the quarter, erasing Notre Dame’s final deficit of the game. After trading points for a few minutes, Gilbert drilled a jumper with 3:50 remaining in the third quarter, giving Notre Dame the lead for good. After the Yellow Jackets cut the lead back down to one, the Irish ripped off another 6-0 spurt, giving themselves a 42-35 cushion heading into the final frame. The Irish held the Yellow Jackets to just two field goals in the period, as part of a stellar defensive effort that held Georgia Tech to just 30% shooting from the field, including 2-16 from long range. Although the Irish made their
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money scoring layups on Sunday, they used some clutch shooting from the free throw line to polish off their upset victory. After outscoring the Yellow Jackets 32-8 on layups, Notre Dame scored 9 of 15 points from the charity stripe. After an extremely quiet first three quarters, Brunelle knocked down a jumper and then hit three free throws to give the Irish their largest lead of the night at 52-39. The Yellow Jackets never got any closer than seven points, as the Irish sealed the result with relative ease. Overall, the Irish took advantage of their easy shots — scoring 49 of their 59 points on layups or free throws, while allowing the Yellow Jackets just 19 points of the same variety. Despite their offense stalling out on several occasions, their spectacular defense was enough to pull out the win in Atlanta. Notre Dame improves to 8-14 and 3-7 in conference play. They visit Wake Forest on Thursday before returning home for a matchup against Pittsburgh in a week.
hannah huelskamp | The Observer
Irish graduate student guard Marta Sniezek looks for an open teammate during a 76-53 victory over Miami at Purcell Pavilion on Jan. 19. Sniezek is averaging 3.5 rebounds per game this season.
hannah huelskamp | The Observer
Irish graduate student guard Destinee Walker dribbles past a defender during a 76-53 victory over Miami at Purcell Pavilion on Jan. 19. Walker is averaging a 13.4 points per game this season. The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.
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The observer | monday, february 3, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Tripucka Continued from page 12
Tripucka looked to the new banner in awe. “This is very humbling, it’s an honor to be back at Notre Dame and to hang up there with some of the people that I used to watch as a kid, some of the greats of the game,” he said. Tripucka then acknowledged the many people who he had to thank. “I’ve got to thank some people [that were here] during my time, almost 40 years ago. Boy does time fly, the days go by slow and the years go by fast,” Tripucka said. “There were some special people in my life here when I was a Notre Dame student, Father Ted Hesburgh and Ed Joyce, they were awesome. Awesome.” After a quick shout out to Morrisey Manor and the small rooms he stayed in and loved, he continued to thank the people in his life. “I have to thank my teammates,” Tripucka said. “I’ve been praising them all weekend and I still want to praise them because you don’t get here without teammates and my guys are special. The best era ever in Notre Dame basketball history, no question about it.” The final group Tripucka had left to thank was his family. “I have to thank my mom,” Tripucka said. “She’s 92, she couldn’t make it here. She was a big fan of mine and she still is… and my dad would have loved this. He passed away about six and a half hears ago. Former Notre Dame quarterback, four undefeated seasons, he would’ve
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play this season the Irish were able to shut down three of three of the Nittany Lions’ power play opportunities. To prove to Irish head coach Jeff Jackson that they were in fact listening to him, they not only killed all the penalty opportunities of the evening but even got on the board first with a short-handed goal from senior forward Cam Morrison, his first short-handed goal of his career and the first short-handed goal of the year for the Irish. Morrison flew down the length of the ice, beating every defender, and dumped the puck in for the first Irish goal, giving Notre Dame a 1-0 lead. Senior forward Cal Burke would push the Irish lead to 2-0 with a hair over six minutes remaining in the first period. This lead would hold up for the remainder of the first and the Irish would head into the locker room for the first intermission, sitting pretty with the Nittany Lions’ score on the board still a goose egg. After 20 more minutes of action, Penn State was able to put up one goal to shrink their deficit to just 1-2. The tide would
had a ball here at this.” Then with his head turned to the sky and pointed up, calling out “Miss you dad.” He turned then to thank the rest of his “brothers, friends and sisters” as well as his wife Jess and his three children. Before the induction, Tripucka gave the story of his time at Notre Dame. “You know, I grew up on this place. I knew more about it than the guys that probably were already here. But that wasn’t why I came,” Tripucka said. ”You know, people just assume because my father went here, I had to come here. He probably wanted me to come here. But he also let me make my own decision as it should be … But I’m certainly thrilled that I chose here.” But today, campus doesn’t look quite the way Tripucka remembers it. “I don’t even recognize campus anymore,” Tripucka said. ”It’s changed. I would love to have another trial year with the facilities they got here and, and all that’s going on, because there wasn’t much to do. So we were just basketball players and students that was it. But that’s what made us who we are. And that’s important. There’s no question about it.” It wasn’t only the place, that Tripucka credited the greatness of his four years to but his teammates as well. “I’ve been fortunate to play with great guys, we’re still pretty friendly,” Tripucka said. ”We don’t see each other a whole lot but we communicate when we can and, you know, life goes by in a blur. Days go slow and the years go fast. You know, we all
get up there in age. It’s hard to believe next year will be 40 years since I graduated, I’m still trying to figure out what happened to the last 20. So it’s, it’s an honor to be here to do this and have your name up there with some great players, obviously, that I admired and just to be in included in that is great I don’t know what else to say.” The current basketball team received some inspiring words from Tripucka as well before Saturday’s game, advice stemming directly from the experience he had here and afterwards. “I said ‘Guys, time goes quickly. We lost a legend last weekend suddenly, you know, call your parents if you have them, call your friends or whatever, just to say hello,’ and they’re so young, and they don’t know what’s ahead of them,” Tripucka said. “But if they want to get to my level, you know, or some other pros level, you got to work at it, …love this game, trust one another, and worry about the little things.” Tripucka commented on the Irish’s season so far this year. “I’ve seen six games where they’ve lost by less than five points or something,” he said. “If you won four of those, you’re 12-8 now I think, you’d be 16-4. That’s a huge difference. It’s about the little things. Whether it’s in life or playing basketball, making sure you wait on a screen or how to set a screen or don’t have a turnover, know the clock, time and situation … And in those situations, if you think and believe and trust your teammates, I think we’ll get over the hump.”
Sports
Photo courtesy of Alan Wasielerski
Former Irish forward Kelly Tripucka looks to the basket. Tripucka was inducted into Notre Dame’s Ring of Honor on Saturday afternoon.
Photo courtesy of Alan Wasielerski
Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcgiln3@nd.edu
Former Irish forward Kelly Tripucka looks to pass the ball. Tripucka is the 12th leading scorer in Notre Dame men’s basketball history.
turn in the final period, however, when Nittany Lions senior forward Nikita Pavlychev was able to slip one past Morris to tie up the game, 2-2. Irish sophomore forward Graham Slaggert would score the eventual game winning goal with exactly five minutes remaining in the third period, and the Irish wou=ld come away with their second win in their last eight games against a team ranked No. 8 in the country. Morris would finish the game with 23 saves in net and coach Jackson would praise his effort after the game. “He has slowly started to get his confidence back,” Jackson said. “He started off the season with an injury, was out six weeks and it took him another six weeks to really get going. He has had some good games for us here over the last month and we are only going to go as far as he takes us. He is the backbone of our team and he stood strong tonight against a really good offensive team.” The Irish will get some rest this week with a bye and will return to action on Valentine’s Day, playing host to Minnesota in Compton Family Ice Arena. erin fennessy | The Observer
Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu
Irish sophomore defenseman Nate Clurman passes the puck to sophomore defenseman and teammate Spencer Statsney during a 5-2 victory over Wisconsin at Compton Family Ice Arena on Jan. 25.
Sports
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with a three of his own to get the Irish (13-8, 4-6 ACC) on the board. After that, though, both teams struggled to find an opening against the other’s defense as they went into the first media timeout tied 5-5. After returning to action, the Yellowjackets would regain the lead with a baseline dunk, but a long three from senior guard T.J. Gibbs gave Notre Dame their first lead of the game at 8-7. The Irish kept looking to beat Georgia Tech’s zone by bombing threes, with Pf lueger hitting a pull-up from the top of the key and sophomore forward Nate Laszewski drilling one in transition. However, the Irish couldn’t stop Georgia Tech on the other end, giving up close-range baskets that kept the margin close. Georgia Tech’s size continued to give Notre Dame problems throughout the contest, with their duo of towering front court players, junior forward Moses Wright and senior center James Banks III exerting their will on the offensive end. Yellowjackets head coach Josh Pastner discussed how that has been a focal point of his team’s approach this season. “One of our big things for this year is about offensive rebounding,” Pastner said. “We did a great job in that category.”
ndsmcobserver.com | monday, february 3, 2020 | The Observer
The Yellowjackets grabbed 23 rebounds in the first half, 11 of which were offensive, resulting in 10 second chance points. Even so, neither could gain much of an upper hand — as Georgia Tech dominated inside the paint, the most they could stretch their lead to was a mere four points. The response for the Irish came from more hot shooting outside the paint. Notre Dame managed to corral Georgia Tech for the remainder of the half and went into the intermission with a 36-33 lead. Senior forward John Mooney discussed the difficulty of facing such a lengthy front court. “They got some long guys down there, especially Banks and Moses Wright,” Mooney said. “They’re big bodies, they definitely beat us up a little bit on the offensive glass … But again, you got to tip your hat to their athleticism and their length.” While Georgia Tech held the advantage inside, scoring 20 points in the paint to Notre Dame’s six, the hosts were 6-15 (40%) from three point range, compared to the visitors going 2-8 (25%) in the first half. Pastner complimented the Irish for their ability to get baskets outside the paint. ”We did a good job of taking care of the basketball, and we’ve continued to make good strides on that with only five turnovers,” Pastner said. “[But] the three-point shot’s the equalizer, and as much Paid Advertisement
as we got offensive rebounds and 23 more shot attempts, the three point shot is the equalizer.” The start of the second half saw the emergence of Mooney. He scored the first eight points of the half for the Irish, knocking down a three and converting an and-1 in the process. Mooney, who struggled from the free throw line earlier in the season, started out the game 8-8 from the stripe before missing the ninth, making him 15-16 in the last two games after going 7-7 from the stripe in the win over Wake Forest. “I think [Notre Dame is] just a really, really, really good offensive team, maybe the best offensive team in this league,” Pastner said. “They’re highly skilled, very well coached, and you can’t leave points on the board because they will make you pay for it based on their offensive skill set.” Absent for the Yellowjackets was sophomore guard and leading scorer Michael Devoe, who has averaged 16.2 points per game in 19 contests this season. Devoe was out with a foot injury that has caused him to miss the last three games. Notre Dame also managed to neutralize some of the Yellowjackets’ size by tagging Wright with his fourth foul early in the second half. Along with that, Brey opted to run four guards against the Yellowjackets for the offensive advantage it provided them.
“We were praying it would bounce to us on the first miss, and Johnny [Mooney] became, you know, really good in the second half,” Brey said. “We held our own … I feel the last two games, we’re just harder to guard and we can absorb some of that shock.” As a result of Georgia Tech’s foul situation, Mooney gained a more favorable matchup and continued his hot streak, knocking down a three to match Notre Dame’s biggest lead of the day at 53-48. With that three pointer, Mooney became the 64th player in Notre Dame history and 25th in the Mike Brey-era to surpass 1000 career points. Reflecting on the milestone postgame, Mooney simply gave thanks to those around him for putting him in the position to succeed. “It’s a tremendous honor no doubt. I gotta thank my coaches first … and then my teammates,” Mooney said. “These guys find me, so it’s easy when Rex [Pflueger], T.J. [Gibbs] and [sophomore guard] Prentiss [Hubb] are finding you right by the rim to put it in, and they stack up. So it’s a tremendous honor, but my teammates really, and my coaches, help me out.” After sophomore guard Dane Goodwin drained a three to make it an eight-point game, which put the Irish at 9-21 for the game to that point. Notre Dame stretched the lead to 58-50, but Georgia Tech managed to trim it back down to just a five-point Irish lead. A baseline fadeaway from Pflueger and a fast break dunk by Mooney gave the Irish their first double digit lead of the game at 65-55 and awakened the Purcell Pavilion crowd. Georgia Tech would
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continually chip into the lead from there, but the Irish made enough free throws down the stretch to all but seal the result. Brey said it came down to two conflicting styles grappling, and the Irish got the edge. “They kept playing big. We kept playing small. Something was going to give at some point,” Brey said. “We got better. We were just better offensively and harder to guard … We’re confident offensively. If we can score 75 and 80, you’re going to have a chance to win every game.” All that was in question was whether or not Mooney, the second leading rebounder in the nation who also had a game-high 28 points, would get his usual double-double, which he achieved with his tenth rebound with less than a minute remaining. Mooney is tied with William & Mary senior center Nathan Knight for the national lead in doubledoubles with 17. “This is what I love about Mooney,” Pflueger said. “He can always just come out there and once he turns it on, you can just see the switch flip. He becomes more aggressive, more confident in his game. And that’s when we know as a team, we need to find him. Because not only is he a great scorer, but he can also make plays out of the high post or wherever he’s at. And when Mooney’s in that mood, then we’re just in a great spot.” The Irish will stay in town taking on Pittsburgh in Purcell Pavilion next on Wednesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu
ann curtis | The Observer
Irish senior forward John Mooney puts up a tough shot during an 80-72 victory over Georgia Tech at Purcell Pavilion on Saturday.
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The observer | monday, february 3, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
ND MEN’s BASKETBALL
Irish win back-to-back ACC matchups Mooney leads team to victory over Georgia Tech
Tripucka inducted into Notre Dame Ring of Honor By MANNION MCGINLEY
By HAYDEN ADAMS
Sports Writer
Associate Sports Editor
On Saturday afternoon, with the lights dimmed at half time in Purcell Pavilion and two spotlights trained on him and his new hanging banner, Kelly Tripucka took the mic during his induction into the Ring of Honor, a tradition started by the current men’s head basketball coach at Notre Dame, coach Mike Brey. Tripucka started by addressing the crowd, acknowledging the people who would know who he was and also acknowledging the students and joking with them. “Probably a lot of people here don’t know who I am, I know some of the older people know who I am,” Tripucka said and then pointed at the student section. “You guys can google me, alright, but you’re still the best.” The ceremony continued as
The Notre Dame men’s basketball team got a muchneeded 80-72 win against Georgia Tech Saturday to give them their second home win in the ACC season and their first back-to-back conference wins since 2018. Head coach Mike Brey gave the credit to his upperclassmen for leading the way to the victory. “I’m really proud of our seniors,” Brey said. “You talk about setting the tone for us … I thought all three of them really set the tone for us in a very important game.” Georgia Tech (10-12, 4-7 ACC) got the scoring started with a three-pointer from junior guard Jose Alvarado, but graduate student guard Rex Pf lueger would match him
see TRIPUCKA PAGE 10
Ann curtis | The Observer
Irish senior foward John Mooney guards the ball during an 80-72 victory over Georgia Tech at Purcell Pavilion on Saturday. Mooney put up a dominant stat line in the game with 28 points and 10 rebounds.
Hockey
ND Women’s Basketball | Notre Dame 59, Georgia tech 51
Squad defeats Georgia Tech in upset victory Observer Sports Staff
Entering Sunday, the Notre Dame women’s basketball team was 2-7 in the ACC and 7-14 overall, with their only conference wins over a struggling Miami team and the cellar-dwelling Pittsburgh squad. They had lost three straight on the road and everything pointed to a bad recipe heading into Sunday’s road matchup vs. Georgia Tech. While the Yellow Jackets are not an ACC powerhouse, they entered the game 14-7 and 5-5 in the conference, both far superior marks to the Irish. Yet, the Irish defied the numbers, and, behind standout performances from junior center Mikayla Vaughn and graduate student guard Destinee Walker, marched into Atlanta and took down Georgia Tech 59-51 in a huge confidence-boosting victory. Vaughn notched 20 points on 10 of 15 shots to go along with her seven rebounds, while Walker chipped in with 15 points, making up for an unusually quiet night see W BBALL PAGE 9
see M BBALL PAGE 11
ND beats PSU in away series By JIMMY WARD Sports Writer
Hannah huelskamp | The Observer
Irish sophomore guard Katlyn Gilbert puts up a shot in the paint during a 76-53 victory over Miami at Purcell Pavilion on Jan. 19.
After their first contest resulted in a tie, the Notre Dame hockey team defeated No. 8 Penn State on the road this weekend in front of a Nittany Lion (17-9-2, 9-7-2 B1G) crowd in University Park. Although the first game of the series resulted in a tie, the Irish (12-11-5, 7-7-4) did not come away completely emptyhanded. As they trailed 3-2 to the eighth-ranked team in the nation with less than two minutes remaining in the third, two sophomore forwards, Alex Steeves and Michael Graham connected to knot the game up for the Irish. Steeves found an open Graham who would score the late game-tying goal for the Irish. The overtime period would come and go with no scoring and the teams would head into a shootout to determine the winner of the Big Ten point. Senior goaltender Cale Morris would stop seven attempts on his net in the shootout period
and the game would be determined when sophomore forward Cam Burke snuck a shot past the Nittany Lion’s goaltender to earn the conference point. It mustered up some confidence in the Irish locker room, who had recorded just one win over their past six games, ending a dry spell that started in early January when the Irish played host to Michigan. Though the confidence for the Irish was finally there, the Nittany Lions certainly did not want to take a loss to the Irish, who sat six games behind them in the conference standings. The second game would be just as hotly contested as the first and the Nittany Lion faithful would show out in full force, filling Pegula Ice Arena to capacity. The Irish would jump to an early lead in the first period after notching two goals against the Penn State defense, but the next period would see the Nittany Lions start to mount a comeback. In contrast from their typical see HOCKEY PAGE 10