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Volume 55, Issue 42 | Friday, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Senate tackles election petitions Student senate discussed signatures required for student government elections By MARIA LUISA PAUL News Writer
The Notre Dame student senate convened Wednesday evening during an agenda-rich meeting. As the night progressed, this student government branch approved two orders, debated procedures pertaining to the forthcoming student body presidential race and culminated with the distribution of sweaters described by senior student body vice president Sarah Galbenski. Once Baumer Hall senator, first-year Daniel Schermerhorn, delivered the opening prayer, the chamber unanimously voted to suspend vacancy elections in Keough and Johnson Family Halls, as vice-presidential
candidate, Patton Meacham, and senatorial hopeful, Eliza Smith, were running unopposed in their respective dorms. The issue of officials vacating their positions is one that the pandemic has brought upon since last semester. Newlyinstituted Judicial Council President, junior Thomas Davis, said the “difficult” and unprecedented semester had encumbered office-holders in different ways. “Last year when people signed up for the role of senator or president, etcetera, no one knew what to expect once we got to this point,” Davis said. “So we have to respect if people see SENATE PAGE 3
Observer Staff Report
MARIA LUISA PAUL | The Observer
The student senate convened in person Wednesday evening to discuss petitions for the upcoming student body president elections.
SMC alumna speaks on Black excellence in politics By EMMA GONZALEZ News Writer
During a virtual conversation with the Saint Mary’s community Thursday evening titled “Black Excellence in Politics” 1995 alumna Dr. Felicia Brabec discussed her role in the fight for racial equity.
Brabec, currently a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, is also a practicing clinical psychologist. Despite her deep commitment to student government during her time at Saint Mary’s, Brabec said she never saw herself running for a government position as a career move. “I am here [in this position]
College freezes costs
because the residents have entrusted me to be their voice,” she said. Prompted by executive director for the office of Inclusion and Equity Redgina Hill, Brabec spoke of the difficulties and dangers of removing race from politics. She warned see POLITICS PAGE 5
Saint Mary’s vice president for strategy and finance Dana Strait announced tuition costs for the 2021-2022 academic year in an email Thursday. Changes to cost of attendance were given close consideration due to external factors brought upon due to the pandemic, such as financial stress on families and upgraded technology for remote learning, according to the email. see COSTS PAGE 4
Voyeur reported to NDPD Observer Staff Report Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Feb. 11.
An incident of voyeurism was reported to the Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) Thursday afternoon in a North Quad men’s residence hall.
According to an email sent out to the Notre Dame community, the complainant was in a bathroom stall when he noticed “a cell phone being placed over the stall dividers from an adjacent stall.” The complainant was not able to provide a description of the individual with the cell phone.
BAVO creates ‘Belles Supporting Belles’ group The Belles Against Violence Office (BAVO) has begun a new initiative w ith its expansion to form an additional organization called Belles Supporting Belles (BSB). BAVO strives to help cultivate a culture free from interpersonal v iolence through education, training, support and advocacy, cochair of the organization’s education and outreach committee, senior Meghan McNamara said. Students,
such as McNamara, have had the opportunit y to be involved in the mission of this office in the past. But, now they have the opportunit y to be involved in a new way. Prev iously, students were a part of BAVO committees which were connected directly w ith BAVO itself. The Student Adv isor y Committee — which includes McNamara and junior Emily Karalus, co-chair of the events and campaigns committee — has taken this student component of BAVO and created an official and
separate organization. Both Karalus and McNamara emphasized that no ser v ices w ill be taken away as a result of this new development. The main change is that as an official student organization, BSB now has more financial freedom and the opportunit y to work w ith other on-campus organizations, Karalus said. “Our material w ithin our events w ill not be as censored as it was when we were working as a department,” McNamara said. BSB w ill still be overseen by BAVO director Liz
Coulston, who students can expect to see attending and involved w ith most events, Karalus said. BSB w ill be led by the current Student Adv isor y Committee. Positions such as president, v ice president and secretaries are likely to be members of this committee but have yet to be decided. The name was proposed by a current committee member and voted upon by the entire organization, McNamara said. “As Belles, we work to support ever yone on
campus so students feel safe and heard,” McNamara said. “[The name] Belles Supporting Belles embodied our club the best.” Karalus said BSB has a number of events planned for the coming weeks including “An Evening w ith Debbie Riddle” Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. v ia Zoom — during which a conversation about stalking and v iolence prevention w ill take place. Additional opportunities include selfdefense classes and a group v iew ing of the documentar y
NEWS PAGE 4
ViEWPOINT PAGE 8
SCENE PAGE 9
ND MEN BASKETBALL PAGE 16
HOCKEY PAGE 16
By JULIA ZUSI News Writer
see BELLES PAGE 5
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TODAY
The observer | Friday, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
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Who would be your celebrity valentine?
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“Jack Black because he’s the only TikTok creator I need and is the epitome of romance.”
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New indoor eating spaces have been opened at Notre Dame for the spring semester, as colder temperatures make outdoor dining inconvenient. One such space is located in the Hesburgh Library’s Scholars Lounge, where students have 20 minutes to eat.
The next Five days:
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Dante’s Antipurgatorio II virtual 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Workshop with George Corbett on Dante.
Celtic Gra Washington Hall 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Irish Dance Club’s performance.
Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. and noon All are welcome to attend.
Eucharistic Adoration CoMo chapel 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Consider signing up for a regular slot.
Integral Human Development talk virtual via Zoom 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Prof. Clemens Sedmak will lead the talk.
“Racism and the Catholic Church” virtual 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. With speaker Fr. Bryan Massingale, S.J.
WinterFest: Love at Frost Sight across campus 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. Valentine’s-themed dinner and events.
Messe en française Malloy Hall Chapel 4 p.m. Mass rooted in the French cultural tradition.
Kellogg Scholars Research Night virtual via Zoom 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Learn about current research and network.
Spring Semester Career Fair virtual 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. Network, explore jobs and find opportunities.
News
ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 | The Observer
Senate Continued from page 1
are overwhelmed — we want our senators to be representing people fully. There are also a lot of schedule changes, and some can’t come to meetings.“ Consequently, Smith was sworn into office and a round of applause ensued. The next order of business was to discuss an order sponsored by the student body parliamentarian, sophomore Madison Nemeth, proposing to conduct a referendum in order to gauge student opinion on the number of signatures necessary to refer a petition to the senate.
‘Our standard is extremely low’ Article XIV, Section 1(a) of the Student Constitution states that in order for a petition to be brought forth to the senate it must garner “the valid signatures of 200 members of the undergraduate student body.” According to Nemeth, this number is “extremely low,” as it represents less than 3% of the current student body. She said that in other peer institutions, like Washington University, Baylor University and Duke University, 5%, 10% and 15% respectively are necessary to do the same.
“We believe that 200 signatures is just not a substantial amount of the student body to truly reflect the will of the student body as far as petitions go,“ Nemeth said. Despite asserting the need to increase the number of signatures, Nemeth said the Judicial Council had ultimately decided to recommend the establishment of a referendum in order to allow greater student involvement in the decision. “I think it’s important that, if we’re altering the right of the undergraduate students, to ask them about that,” Nemeth said. “This is our attempt to be as democratic as possible in raising that standard.” A lively debate went on for approximately 30 minutes, as the senators and Judicial Council officials discussed the pros and cons of enacting the referendum. Concerns were raised about possibly suppressing minority views with this move. “Three percent is small, I agree, but it’s not totally insubstantial,“ sophomore Henry Jackson, the senator from Keenan Hall, said. “If you raise the number, you’ll make it harder for the students to have their voice heard.“ Nevertheless, Nemeth and Davis said that the aim is to optimize the legislative process. “There have been petitions that have had insignificant
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— that’s the best way I can think of right now — number of signatures, and it failed in the senate,” Nemeth said. “Petitions that have had a higher number of signatures have been more successful being passed. So I guess that’s kind of the rationale.“ “The standard is so low it immediately forces the student senate to talk about it within one week,“ Davis said. “Like you guys have things to do, so whenever there’s some sort of constitutional bar that says you must do this in a week, it really slows down business.“ Davis also added that senatorial responsibilities include representing minorities. “If there is a minority voice, or if there is something that less than 200 students on a 8600-student campus, believe in that should go to the senate, they should go talk to you,” Davis said. “That’s why you’re here. Your job is to represent your residence halls. So if there’s something that three people in your residence hall believe in, they should come talk to you.” While senators considered having the referendum, they proposed raising a cap in the number of signatures and debated how the “yes” or “no” question should be posed to students to allow for greater transparency — some considering a set amount should be established while others preferring a range of percentages. Ultimately, compromise was achieved when 70% of all senators voted to determine the student body’s opinion via a referendum that will ask whether they agree to raise the number of necessary signatures “with the addition of 5 to 8% to give students more clarity,“ Galbenski announced. However, this was not the evening’s final debate.
‘It seems like we’re beating a dead horse’ After Galbenski briefly described next week’s agenda, Dunne Hall senator, sophomore Michael Murakami, voiced Paid Advertisement
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MARIA LUISA PAUL | The Observer
Judicial Council president Thomas Davis and student body parliamentarian Madison Nemeth led an order to gauge students’ opinions.
concerns brought upon by some of his constituents about petitioning practices for the upcoming student government election. Friday is the deadline for hopeful tickets to solicit the required 700 signatures to begin officially campaigning. Murakami pointed out that students had complained about not having “ample communication with people” and other petitioning limitations due to the ongoing pandemic. Davis recognized that there were significant issues with the petitioning process, as students are unable to garner “pen and paper” signatures in the dining halls. He also said there were two options: either to suspend petitioning completely or extending some of the tickets’ timeframes. “There is a clause in the constitution that allows us to extend the petitioning period for those that cannot make the deadline for various circumstances through the election committee,” Davis said. “And that is on a case by case basis — with written approval.” However, director of Student Activities, Karen Kennedy, had a word of warning against altering the existing protocols. “When you change the rules in
the middle of the race, you have people who started in the way that they were, and if we change the rules in the middle, it can feel unfair to those who were playing by the original rules,“ Kennedy said. “So it is not something that I think ever should be done lightly.” Freshly-installed Smith weighed in on the hardships students could face during COVID-19, especially as Judicial Council regulations on communications leave them with “very limited opportunities” to garner support. “Communication is limited and it’s hard for a group of individuals to reach 700 people and that include things such as social media,” Smith said. “You have an issue of people not reading certain captions or posts, but also spreading those posts with people who they don’t already follow.” Zahm House senator, sophomore Henry Bates, said it perhaps would not be prudent to have students petition in face of increasing COVID-19 cases on campus. “One thing that stood out to me is the personal interaction nature of petitioning,“ he said. “I think that if we’re going to still encourage students to get to the 700 signature number by Friday, I don’t know that that is the best idea, especially considering the rise in our COVID cases, to encourage people to go out and get so many more signatures over the next few days.“ Despite the lengthy deliberation, no official resolution resulted from it. To entertain the issue, the senate would have required unanimous consent. Noticing the lack of agreement, Alumni Hall senator Dan Baudendistel remarked “it seems like we’re beating a dead horse.” “This is an example of a constitutionally mandated stipulation as to the number of signatures required,” Davis said. “You don’t have to do anything. It just initiatives you should talk about because it is relevant.” As it stands, the Elections Committee will review petitioning tickets and grant them an extension, if they deem it to be appropriate. Contact Maria Luisa Paul at mpaulrangel@nd.edu
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NEWS
The observer | Friday, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Professor studies climate change By ISABELLA LAUFENBERG News Writer
Though only published in December, Gary Belovsky began the work for his recent climate change study over 40 years ago. Freshly off his doctoral studies of calculating a model of the diet of moose in northern Michigan, Belovsky, who is currently a professor emeritus of biological sciences, moved to Montana to work on the National Bison Range intending to apply his study of moose diets to the herbivores living on the expansive property. Belovsky said he chose this location because of the great diversity of the animals living there. “When we started looking for a place to work in 1977, we chose the bison range because it has the greatest diversity of large herbivores in North America,” Belovsky said. “A lot of people call it the Serengeti of North America.” It was only after spending multiple years studying the herbivores that Belovsky
says he realized something strange was happening with the plant growth in the area. “After a series of years, we noticed that there seemed to be a pattern of increasing production plants,” Belovsky said. “All of a sudden, we realized that what that data was showing us was counter to what was being predicted due to climate change.” Belovsky and his team found that while the largely accepted prediction of the Montana climate growing hotter and drier over time was true, they were also seeing the production rates of the grasslands in the area increasing. Belovsky said this discrepancy is what made him look further at the data to find the cause behind this seemingly hypocritical increase in plant growth. “[The increase in grass production] made us then examine those climate changes in greater detail than just the average annual values, which is what most people talk about,” Belovsky said. Belovsky said he found that the climate was changing
differently at the time when the grasslands grew the most. “We found that at the time which the plants are productive, it actually got cooler and wetter. And because, as you increase moisture, and you decrease temperature, that means there’s more moisture for the plants.” Belovsky said. “A seasonal change was driving the increase in production.” Belovsky has now published all the data he had been collecting from the past 40 years on plant growth in a new paper advocating for more seasonal analysis on environmental changes due to climate change. Belovsky said he wants more ecologists to collect detailed data that can help explain the more nuanced changes that occur in many environments. “A lot of these effects are maybe counterintuitive to what you expect, based on average values,” he said. “And so, we need to be a lot more careful and collect a better set of data to make these forecasts than what we
have available and present.” Belovsky is now currently working on a long-term study on the harvesting of brine shrimp eggs in the Great Salt Lake for the State of Utah. He explained that the brine shrimp eggs are very important for the health of the Great Salt Lake and all of the animals who utilize it. Studying the long-term effects of harvesting from the Great Salt Lake is essential due to the rare nature of the lake, he said. “[Salt lakes] have unique biology involved in them; they’re rare in North America, but they’re not rare in South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. The Great Salt Lake is probably the fourth largest of these salt lakes in the world. Most of them are disappearing, because people will take the water away before it gets mixed in with the salt,” Belovsky said. “The Great Salt Lake is relatively rare now because its one of these large lakes and it is not disappearing.” Contact Isabella Laufenberg at ilaufenb@nd.edu
Costs Continued from page 1
Undergraduate tuition and fees for the upcoming year will increase 5% to $48,010, Strait said. “This figure covers all expenses related to student government, technology, facilities, the yearbook, and — new this year! — access to 24/7 telecounseling services through SMC Care,” the email said. Strait said the College plans to mitigate these costs plan through the “over $39 million in scholarships for students next year.” Because room and board charges are not eligible for Saint Mary’s scholarships, there will be no change in room and board costs from the 2020-2021 academic year. Additionally, the College is adopting two new billing processes for room and board charges. “First, room charges will be simplified in an effort to level the affordability playing field for students,” the email said. “What used to be 10 different price points for different types of rooms is now one, more equitable base price with upcharges only applied to three optional upgrades: a single, an en suite bath and an apartment. Second, room and board will now be charged as a single line item.” The new change in costs will be considered in determining financial aid eligibility, per the email.
SAO to host ‘WinterFest: Love at Frost Sight’ By ADRIANA PEREZ News Writer
Courtesy of Alicia Bates
The Student Activities Office and Campus Dining will offer Valentine’s Day-themed activities on the evening of Jan. 13 around Notre Dame.
The cold temperatures and snow predicted for this weekend would be, for many, enough of an excuse to stay in and have a cozy movie night. But this Saturday, the Student Activities Office (SAO) has other plans for Notre Dame students: WinterFest. In fact, the weather “only helps to enhance the [WinterFest] theme and provide an added backdrop to the Love at Frost Sight part of our theme,” Alicia Bates, SAO assistant director of student programming, said in an email. SAO will nonetheless keep an eye on the temperatures and make adjustments should they be needed, Bates added. Bates said this is the first year SAO will be hosting WinterFest in collaboration with Campus Dining. “This comes off the heels of the three successful festivals we hosted in the fall (Harvest Fest, Halloween Spooktacular and ThankfulFest) and hearing students desire to have more campus-wide programs such as this,” she said. This year’s theme, “Love at Frost Sight,” combines the seasonal winter ambiance with Valentine’s Day celebrations. Between 4 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, both dining halls will offer a special dinner with themed desserts to students
who have meal plans. “It is our hope that WinterFest offers students a fun and healthy event that allows them to get out of their rooms, make friends, relax their minds and just have fun for the evening,” Bates said. From 8 to 11 p.m., activities across campus will range from mechanical snowboarding on North Quad to laser tag in Stepan Center to “Snowga,” or cold yoga. Because of COVID-related capacity restrictions, Bates said, online pre-registration is required to participate in most events. “As of 9 p.m. on Tuesday, we had over 700 registrants for the events,” Bates said. Most of the activities have already reached registration capacity. As of Thursday night, only three events had free spots:
Rom Com Trivia at Legends, an ice sculpture scavenger hunt around campus and canvas painting at Dankhe Ballroom from 9 to 11 p.m. For those who are unable to pre-register for these events, however, SAO will offer other activities, such as the opportunity to make crafts and winter stuffed animals in both North and South Lodges. Both dining halls will offer free hot cocoa from 8 to 11 p.m. The Notre Dame Student Union Board will also have two “Chick Flick-A” showings of “The Broken Hearts Gallery” in 101 DeBartolo Hall at 5:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. It will serve free Chick-fil-A food in front of DeBartolo at 6:30 p.m. Contact Adriana Perez at aperez8@nd.edu
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SMC dining tent receives mixed reactions By MEG LANGE News Writer
Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Feb. 11.
From outdoor picnic tables to plexiglass dividers, Campus Dining at Saint Mary’s is continually changing. This semester the new addition is a heated dining tent on Library Green. Many students have mixed emotions on this new edition. “Overall I like it, I like that it’s an option without plexiglass, I think it’s fun, sitting outside is a nice change,” junior Grace Dennis said when asked her thoughts on the new addition. “It’s just harder to sit with a group of friends because fewer people can sit at one table. The fact that it’s two per table is kind of cringe because it almost promotes being anti-social or having smaller groups or cutting people out.” Junior Caroline Christian said she enjoys having the option as a change of scenery
Politics Continued from page 1
against frustrating statements such as “I don’t see color” and the way in which our words can misconstrue reality. Brabec also spoke about the necessity of addressing racial equity, especially in the political realm. “[The work is] like pushing a boulder uphill all the time,” she said, quoting a friend. During her time in the Michigan House of Representatives, Brabec has taken part in creating her county’s first racial equity
as the student body is urged to remain on campus. The new dining tent resolves issues some students were having in the Noble Family Dining Hall last semester, such as not being able to hear other students and having a normal conversation because of the plexiglass barriers. First-year Emerson Henry felt this problem was magnified among the deaf and hard of hearing community. “It’s hard to have barriers in the dining hall, especially being a deaf student at Saint Mary’s,” Henry said. “W henever I eat in the dining hall with my friends, it’s difficult to hear, and I feel like I am missing out on what my friends are talking about. I don’t go to sit down in the dining hall that much because of the difficulty of being able to hear through the barriers.” In the tent, however, there are no such barriers to impede conversation. A Tuesday email from
policy and is currently working on a bill which, if passed, will be a step toward solving the current teacher shortage in Michigan. Brabec offers a unique lens on policy as a result of her experience in the field of psychology, she said. This experience has given her the ability to see firsthand how government decisions directly impact the lives of citizens. Brabec shared two more ways in which she approaches issues in policy. “The practice of lawmaking is one of approximation. … [It’s about] taking steps in the right direction,” she said.
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Gloria Jenkins shared new rules and policies concerning the tent. Jenkins detailed new restrictive hours of operation which are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., but students may only unmask during the lunch hours of 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. With the new hours, students are only permitted to eat lunch in the tent on weekdays, and they may not eat breakfast or dinner in the tent. “It’s an OK way to put restrictions on the tent, but you would think there would also be dinner hours, too. I find it odd how there are lunch hours but no dinner hours,” first-year Olivia Pandolfi said. The new dining hours are confusing to some, like Dennis. “I think it’s kind of random because then what’s the point in having it at all if you can’t have it on a consistent basis,” she said. Saint Mary’s staff members
She also expressed her desire to look at bigger issues when it comes to change through policy. She encouraged listeners to recognize when one issue at hand is only a byproduct of a far greater one. Brabec offered advice to listeners on mental health. She said she believes in the necessity of laughter and seeking help when needed. “When I want to laugh uncontrollably, I call my girlfriends from [Saint Mary’s],” she said. “Finding a therapist is like finding a comfortable pair of shoes.” In her final comments, Brabec recalled a time when
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MEG LANGE | The Observer
The heated dining tent on the College’s Library Green provides students a communal space for eating meals and socializing.
will be overseeing activity in the tent “during all hours of operation and full time during the lunch window,” Jenkins said. “It feels like I’m in fifth grade again,” junior Shelby Franken said. Others see the new rule as thoughtful in ensuring
then-Vice President Joe Biden said, “Know what you are willing to lose your seat over, and fight for those things.” Brabec said she hopes the legacy she leaves behind reflects her willingness to “lose her seat” in order to create change. At the end of the discussion, she offered encouragement to students about the present and the future. “What you are doing now matters, and what you will do in the future matters,” Brabec said. Contact Emma Gonzalez at egonzalez01@saintmarys.edu
students’ safety. “I guess it’s good,” Christian said. “I had never thought about that, so I guess it’s good that they’re thinking about all the different options.” Contact Meg Lange at mlange03@saintmarys.edu
Belles Continued from page 1
“Athlete A” and a discussion to follow. Karalus said encourages students to consider applying for positions on committees and taking advantage of services such as Green Dot training that are provided through BAVO. Although BSB is still finding its feet as a student organization separate from BAVO, this new development will increase students’ ability to improve the atmosphere in the tricampus community, Karalus and McNamara said. The services BAVO offers and the work that involves students will not change, but the capacity for more advocacy or better conversations will increase with the formation of BSB. Karalus and McNamara said they encourage students with any questions or interest in BAVO and these events to contact the its office. Additional information can be found on BAVO’s events page. Contact Julia Zusi at jzusi01@saintmarys.edu
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The observer | friday, february 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
The other virus
Inside Column
Bring back the North Quad diagonal Claire Rafford Assistant Managing Editor
Picture this: You’re me, walking back from South Dining Hall at 3 a.m. several nights ago after a long night of proofing pages and forcing everyone else in The Observer office to listen to my music choices. As I exited the building, I was hit with a brisk negative eight-degree windchill and immediately began speed walking back toward my dorm, Farley Hall, in a way I believe would rival even Olympians. As I rounded the corner of North Quad — the normal sign that warmth is just around the corner — I was reminded of a horrible truth, one I had deliberately pushed from my mind. The North Quad diagonal, long a staple of quad residents and NDH fans alike, has been cruelly disrupted by construction of the new Quad Lodge (North Lodge? North Quad Lodge?). In order to adapt, I was forced to take the longer route and walk by Stonehenge and BP before finally reaching my destination. In so doing, my walk was prolonged by at least three minutes. By the time I finally returned to my room, I could not feel my toes. Even my broken radiator, which sits at a comfortable 80 degrees at all times, could not remedy my frozen appendages. I’m an English major, but I do remember basic geometry. The diagonal used to cut across North Quad forms a right triangle with the path directly parallel to the scenic Stonehenge and the horizontal walkway that stretches from BP to beyond North Dining Hall. Of this triangle, the diagonal is the hypotenuse. If you will recall the Pythagorean theorem, square of a right triangle’s hypotenuse equals the sum of the square of its sides. Thus, walking along both sides is mathematically and factually a longer route than cutting across the diagonal. Providing this shortcut in the first place was an act of pure generosity, a geometric gift. Why now obscure this path? I am not the only North Quad resident who has noticed that our beloved diagonal (friends call her “diag”) has been ripped away from us. Farley Hall vice president, junior Jazz Ling created a GoFundMe raising money for the cause of restoring the diag to its original glory. Echoing through the halls of Farley has been a profound sense of loss. Quite frankly, I don’t think it’s dramatic to say that without the convenient path connecting Farley to LaFun, the beautiful women of Farley Hall have been robbed of an important member of our community. I am sympathetic to the need for the University to create alternative spaces for students to safely socialize. I appreciate this effort! And while I haven’t yet ventured into Quad Lodge (South Lodge? South Quad Lodge?), I’m excited to walk in and pretend I’m in a ‘80s ski-themed murder mystery. I can’t help but notice that on South Quad, the diagonal (which, due to the windchill, creates a much less pleasant walking experience) has not been impacted. This kind of injustice will not stand. I understand South Quad is bigger, but North Quad is tired of being treated like the younger sister of South. Why must we suffer? Still, I am not a naive woman. I understand the University is not trying to make our lives harder, but rather to help us adapt to the unique limitations of the times we face. And my mother always advised me to be a problem solver, not a problem creator. Since I have now brought this egregious issue to your attention, Notre Dame, I am prepared to offer you several solutions. The most obvious, I think, is to create a tunnel in the middle of Quad Lodge (North Lodge? North Quad Lodge?) so students wanting to take the shortcut can do so with ease. As a business economics minor, I think I can estimate with some authority that this would not be that expensive — all you have to do is cut a few holes and put up some insulation. Plus, who doesn’t love tunnels? Another solution would be to dismantle the tent and build many small igloos out of the tent material. I’m not an engineer or an architecture major, but I feel like this could be economical and sustainable, as reusing materials saves money and the planet. This would also solve another problem of the tent background noise, which makes it impossible to hear your social counterpart. Who among us hasn’t had to shout about their personal problems in the North Dining Hall tent in order to be heard by their friends? Now that Notre Dame has received this feedback from a concerned resident, I trust I will be able to see these changes and walk to LaFun blissfully along the diagonal within a matter of days. My cold toes thank you. You can contact Claire at crafford@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Megumi Tamura Subject to Change
“We are the voice brave enough to cry out. [...] We are the candle in the dark room. We are the only hope this country has left. [...] We need to take this country back.” I want you to take a moment to guess where I got the words written above from. Because this language sounds familiar, right? Language that invokes fear that someone or something is threatening our country, our values, our freedoms, and it’s our responsibility to “take it back.” It can sound patriotic, even noble — the little guy against the big guy. The quote above is actually from the website for the parody conspiracy theory: Birds Aren’t Real. This satirical “movement” claims the government secretly killed all birds over the course of the 20th century and replaced them with robotic surveillance drones that watch our every move. I know, it’s ridiculous and clearly a joke. Yet, it still sounds a lot like the language used in claims and theories many people believe in and even act upon today. I bring this up because of the concerning rise of conspiracy theories in American politics that have emerged over the course of the last few years, from people blaming the spread of COVID-19 on 5G mobile technology to believing the virus was made in a lab or that the 2020 election was fraudulent despite a lack of evidence found by courts, election officials and the U.S. Department of Justice. This type of conspiratorial politics doesn’t exist only in one party or only within the realms of social media and the internet. Conspiracy theories about the election even helped lead to the riot at the Capitol in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6, where language that is strikingly similar to the Birds Aren’t Real website was used: “You’ll never take back our country with weakness,” “this is our house.” Then there’s Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has gained quite a lot of attention recently over her past remarks and social media activity where she suggested the 2018 wildfires in California were caused by “space lasers” and used the phrase “so-called plane” when discussing the events at the Pentagon on 9/11. She is not just someone on the Internet but a newly elected congresswoman representing Georgia’s 14th congressional district. She is a concerning example of what happens when conspiracy theories leave social media and enter the congressional chambers. These sorts of outlandish theories which many Americans believe to be true honestly don’t look much different from the one that claims birds aren’t real — that was started as a joke. Members of the extremist, loosely organized network called QAnon believe America is run by
“pedophiles and Satan-worshippers who run a global sex-trafficking operation.” Does that really sound any less outlandish or make any more sense than saying birds aren’t real? Yet, there’s something about these conspiracy theories that lure people in and make them want to find ways to believe they’re true. They can sound funny and entertaining, but — like claims that lead people to not attend to necessary preventative measures and potentially spread a virus that can be deadly or claims of election fraud that can lead to what happened Jan. 6 — conspiracy theories have consequences that can be seriously harmful and dangerous. Not only are they dangerous because they can lead people to actually act on them, but also because they are creating a political environment run on anxiety, massive distrust, misinformation and a dissolving need for truth and facts to justify belief. If there is no widely agreed upon consensus for truth, then nothing can get done to improve the lives of the American people, stop the spread of COVID-19, hold the next administration accountable for getting our country back on course and fixing the economy so people can return to work and provide for their families as they deserve to do. I’m honestly not sure what the best approach toward confronting the age of misinformation and conspiratorial politics might be. Perhaps it’s becoming more aware conspiracy theories exist and are out there on social media, encouraging others (and ourselves) to fact-check and question before sharing and trying to be led by a desire for truth and not by emotion. Perhaps more social media platforms can develop systems to fact check and label misinformation to their users. Maybe the government could do a better job of being more transparent to gain public trust. Similar to a virus, misinformation and conspiracy theories spread like wildfire and are almost impossible to contain. Also like the virus, politicians don’t do much to help but rather turn these dangerous and false claims into political rhetoric. Unlike the virus, there is no vaccine for misinformation and a political climate rampant with distrust and paranoia. The key to stopping the spread of misinformation might be similar to stopping the spread of COVID-19 — checking our own individual actions and holding ourselves accountable. Megumi Tamura is a freshman in the Gateway Program. She is originally from Ridgewood, New Jersey, and enjoys going to museums, watching political debates and eating Jersey bagels. She can be reached at mtamura@nd.edu or @megtamura on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Please recycle The Observer.
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Campus Compact raises significant due process concerns On Jan. 21, students received an email titled “COVID Update: Testing and Campus Compact.” The email, which was signed by both University vice president for Student Affairs Erin Hoffmann Harding and vice president for Campus Safety and University Operations Mike Seamon, described updates to Notre Dame’s disease control measures and noted that enforcement of rules would be handled by the Office of Community Standards (OCS) via a newly created “expedited COVID administrative process.” The recently promulgated COVID-19 Addendum to du Lac lays out the potential consequences for failing to follow Notre Dame’s COVID rules, which are formally referred to as the “Campus Compact.” Two new disciplinary outcomes have been created for students, namely “COVID Probation” and “COVID Dismissal.” COVID Dismissal is a special form of dismissal with the opportunity to reapply for admission, provided that a student satisfies certain criteria communicated to them by OCS at the time when they are dismissed. COVID Probation, per the addendum, is a status that will render a student to face COVID Dismissal from Notre Dame if they violate associated rules (including the missing a surveillance test) at any point throughout the remainder of the spring semester. The addendum also outlines the protocol by which allegations that students have violated the Campus Compact will be adjudicated. This protocol, referred to in du Lac as the “Campus Compact Administrative Process,” has been the subject of significant backlash from students, who are concerned about the potential for Notre Dame to arbitrarily and capriciously punish students accused of violating the Campus Compact without giving them an adequate chance to prepare and present their defense. These concerns are well-founded. The Campus Compact Administrative Process, as currently defined in the COVID-19 Addendum to du Lac, does not give students sufficient time nor an adequate setting to defend
themselves against allegations that have been issued by OCS — the Campus Compact Administrative Process contains no language that guarantees students the right to a hearing whatsoever and fails to provide for any clear mechanism where accused students can call witnesses to provide testimony on their behalf. Meanwhile, the language contained therein explicitly requires students to provide their full response to allegations on exceptionally short deadlines (24 hours, or 48 hours if a student is facing COVID Dismissal), after which OCS will render a final judgment on a student. In some cases, such as when the University alleges a student has missed their first or second surveillance test, the written policy does not appear to offer an opportunity for accused students to defend themselves; even if an accused student could provide evidence that they did not miss their test, there is no language within the relevant section of the addendum itself that guarantees students a right to provide any sort of response. And, as it turns out, students are denied the right to appeal any decision rendered against them by OCS under this process, except when OCS decides to issue the severe sanction of COVID Dismissal. Just under 850 students, including myself, have signed a petition that addresses these concerns and asks for specific changes to be made in order to remedy the existing defects in the Campus Compact Administrative Process. Our asks are common sense. The petition asks for students accused of non-compliance with COVID protocols to have an adequate seven-day period to review all materials that are being used against them, and for students to be given the opportunity to contest allegations of missing a mandatory COVID-19 surveillance test. The petition calls upon Notre Dame to guarantee students the right to elect a hearing setting where the accused can both hear and respond to all information presented against them, as well as to be able to call witnesses to provide testimony in their defense. Finally, the petition calls upon Notre Dame to grant students the right to meaningfully appeal decisions rendered against them by
OCS, even in cases where students are not facing COVID Dismissal. On Feb. 3, the student senate voted to support our petition’s common sense asks, with 31 senators voting in favor and none voting in opposition. In doing so, the senate has called upon the University to revise and reissue the current portions of du Lac that implement the Campus Compact Administrative process, so that students’ rights are protected in disciplinary hearings. In their email to students, Hoffmann Harding and Seamon wrote that the Campus Compact Administrative Process would “allow the University to act swiftly to address COVID violations.” This is true — the swift deadlines imposed by the process will allow the University to unabashedly discipline students with breakneck speed — but swiftness should not be the only pressing consideration in creating a just disciplinary process. But, if Notre Dame does not make modifications to the “expedited” process it has chosen to embrace, the University must somehow justify that this process — one that does not afford students a fair shot to defend themselves, while generally denying students the right to appeal judgments rendered against them — is in some way fundamentally fair to all parties involved, including the accused. Notre Dame has a right, and a responsibility, to enforce mask-wearing and social distancing requirements, restrictions on social gatherings and other public health measures that are designed to keep students here safely. But, in doing so, Notre Dame must not skimp out on due process — Notre Dame must significantly revise the Campus Compact Administrative Process. Mike Dugan senior Feb. 3 Editor’s note: Mike Dugan is a former news writer and systems administrator for The Observer.
My surround sound Theresa Azemar Show Some Skin
“Crazy” is a term people often use to dismiss the neurodivergence they see in others. It is also a term often used to describe women/non-men with outspoken opinions. Internalized ableism and sexism push me to question myself … am I crazy? Probably. No … no, I’m not. Yes, and so what if I am! No, I can’t be. Because if I’m crazy, then who isn’t? The questions arise anytime I talk to people. Am I making sense? Why are people laughing? Was that funny? Am I funny? Now why are they making that face? Am I scary? Am I stupid? What am I talking about? I should stop talking. Have people been listening? Am I even human? Yeah, I do my own gaslighting. It only takes a few people calling you crazy before you start to question your entire worldview. A professor looking a little too concerned. A partner questioning every statement you make. A friend calling you “insane, but in a good way.” Then the next time you are visited by a troubling thought or concern, you think, “Maybe this is something I keep to myself.” It’s a smothering feeling. The best relief for this feeling? I don’t know. I’ve spent countless years doing intense research with the planet’s best scientists (my six braincells and several unverified online sources), and still, I don’t know. But while the cause remains untreated, I have discovered a personal remedy for the symptom. When I feel that pain like a fire
in my mouth, like maybe I might really be crazy, I fasten my headphones and surround myself with the voices of other “crazy” people who topped the charts. When news developments leave tears stinging my eyes, Marvin Gaye asks me, “Who really cares to save a world that is destined to die?” and I at least feel less alone in wondering. When I feel like the black sheep among my friends and my family, Nina Simone reminds me that I may feel like I “ain’t got no love,” but “I got life,” and I start to feel like the most content person on Earth. When my inbox is overflowing with demands and unsolicited recommendations, Billy Joel belts, “I don’t care what you say anymore; this is my life!” and somehow, I regain my agency. When I feel like no one really cares to know me, Joni Mitchell comforts me, whistling, “we all come and go unknown,” and I feel blessed to at least know myself. And when people call me crazy, both Fiona Apple and I shout at the top of our lungs, “KICK ME UNDER THE TABLE ALL YOU WANT; I WON’T SHUT UP! I WON’T SHUT UP!” and I don’t shut up. It matters to me that I’m only as crazy as the people who inspire me, which, to me, is not crazy at all. When I’ve got my headphones on, know that I am finally in good company. I sing or hum along to my music, and it feels like finally letting out a pressurized scream. That is my freedom. I am no longer sitting in a room full of people and wondering how in the world I belong. I am not wondering if I am crazy. I am backed by an army of great minds, artists, free thinkers, pioneers. People who, like me, feel intense emotions and let those emotions
add color to their work. People who sometimes cry on Zoom. People who sometimes laugh without explanation. People who sometimes fall silent for days. People who sometimes see the world with such wonder, it’s like the first time they’ve ever opened their eyes. People who are willing to go on record being authentically themselves because, deep down, they know they have never been crazy a moment in their lives. People who know they have always been sound. They surround me, my good company, my surround sound. And “crazy?” “Crazy” is just a word people use to describe the things, ideas and people for which they are not willing to make room. Good thing I never cared much for the will of others. I’ve found space for myself in the silences between each track on my records. I think if you can make room for music, then you can make room for me. I promise to make room for you. Because you’re not crazy, and neither am I. Theresa Azemar is a senior and the director of this year’s Show Some Skin. Show Some Skin is a student-run initiative committed to giving voice to unspoken narratives about identity and difference. Using the art of storytelling as a catalyst for positive social change across campus, we seek to make Notre Dame a more open and welcoming place for all. If you are interested in breaking the silence and getting involved with Show Some Skin, email s.someskin@gmail.com The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | Friday, February 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Amending for justice Vince Mallett Independent Idealist
The death penalty, at its core, is the murder of a defenseless human person. Those persons don’t pose a credible threat to others, given the security of America’s prison industrial complex. Those two sentences should be enough to convince anyone, especially Christians, that the death penalty is morally abhorrent. If you’re not yet convinced, I’ve written about the need for pro-life activists to combat the death penalty, the ACLU has written about the role of racism in its application, Pope Francis’ most recent papal encyclical called for its abolition and Amnesty International found that its cost is 70% more than alternatives. I also highly recommend Br yan Stevenson’s book “Just Mercy” or even the movie adaptation. This column, however, isn’t about the need to abolish the death penalty. It’s about how we get there. Good news: President Biden is the first United States president to be elected on a platform that included the abolition of the death penalty. Bad news: Biden hasn’t done anything concerning the death penalty as of yet, even though he has the power to commute the sentences of all the prisoners currently on federal death row. Worse news: Biden can’t take any unilateral action to end the federal death penalty, Congress may not be willing to pass the legislation required to do so and the states have historically killed many more prisoners than the federal government anyway. In fact, before last year, the combined state governments had murdered over 1500 prisoners since 1977, and the federal government had killed only three in the same time period. Given former President Trump’s push to execute as many defenseless humans as possible in the last year of his presidency, the number of lives ended by the federal government in this manner since 1977
has quadrupled. Biden absolutely should take any action he can to end or effectively end the federal death penalty. It is morally imperative that he do so. But I am not convinced that this should be the end of the fight against capital punishment at the federal level. There are three paths, as far as I can tell, to entirely eradicating this sinful stain from our countr y. One of them is to pressure ever y state government to abolish its own death row. That piecemeal process has steadily progressed over the last decades: Only 12 states had outlawed capital punishment as of 2000, and that number has risen to 22 in the 20 years since. At that rate, abolition will be entirely complete in this countr y by 2077. Another path is through the Supreme Court, which has the power to interpret the Eighth Amendment to preclude state executions. That seems exceedingly unlikely, since the Court is both currently accepting of the death penalty and virtually immune from public pressure. The third path is that which I think would prove most fruitful: Let’s propose a constitutional amendment which clarifies that capital punishment is a cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment. It takes two-thirds of each chamber of Congress, plus three-quarters of the state legislatures, to ratif y an amendment to the Constitution. That’s a tall order, given the facts: Less than half of the states have even eliminated their own death penalties, and Congress would be required to take bold bipartisan action, an idea that seems almost laughable. Compared to the alternatives, however, I believe it to be the best path we have to complete abolition of the death penalty on American soil. Consider this: Ever y single state in the nation needs to oppose the death penalty for the piecemeal approach to be ultimately successful. If a constitutional amendment is used, on the other
hand, 12 states can be opposed to the measure without hindering its ratification. The state of Texas has carried out about a third of America’s capital punishments since 1977; almost 75% of Texans said they support the death penalty in a Texas Tribune poll in 2013, and nearly half of Texans in that poll said that they strongly support it. Is it really feasible that we could convince the state of Texas to eliminate the death penalty? I certainly believe it is far less realistic than convincing a supermajority of other states to support a constitutional amendment. Amending our nation’s foundational document to specif y the illegality of the death penalty would not only be practically beneficial, however. It would codif y a moral victor y, creating a lasting testament to the value of human life. It would be an act of defiance towards a culture focused on hatred, punishment and racist violence; it would move us towards a culture of love, redemption and peace. The fight against the death penalty should not be, must not be, a one-pronged attack. President Biden can take serious steps toward ending federal executions whenever he would like, and he absolutely should. We must continue to push state legislatures to end their attacks on their own defenseless citizens. Saving lives, wherever possible, is imperative. But I sincerely believe, since the absolute abolition of the death penalty should be our goal, we must take action to make the 28th Amendment the ultimate fulfillment of that goal. Vince Mallett is a senior majoring in Philosophy, with a minor in Constitutional Studies. He currently lives off-campus, though he calls both New Jersey and Carroll Hall home. He can be reached at vmallett@nd.edu or @vince_mallett on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | Friday, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By NICOLE BILYAK Scene Writer
It comes as no surprise that we have lost a lot of bigname celebrities in 2020. 2021 has just started, but we have already lost a lot of influential artists and movie stars. But none of them were as well-known or as prominent as Christopher Plummer, who passed away on Feb. 5. Born Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer on Dec. 13, 1929 in Toronto, Canada, Plummer lived a difficult life. His parents divorced shortly after he was born, and he was raised by his mother in Senneville, Quebec. While at school, he began to study to become a pianist, but he quickly grew a passion for theater. He took up acting after watching Laurence Olivier’s 1944 rendition of William Shakespeare’s “Henry V.” Despite going to acting school, he never really went to college, something he would always regret. Plummer made his acting debut in 1948 with Ottawa’s Stage Society, where he performed as an apprentice alongside William Shatner. He made his Canadian television debut in 1953 with a production of another Shakespeare play, “Othello.” He also made his American television debut
By PATRICK WITTEMAN Scene Wrier
In the years following Playboi Carti’s sophomore project, “Die Lit,” the Atlanta rapper’s cult following satisfied its desire for new music with snippets, leaks and features posted to SoundCloud and YouTube. Leak compilations circulated online, with Carti validating popular leaks (“Kid Cudi/Pissy Pamper”) during live performances. Although the proliferation of Carti leaks and compilations satisfied his rabid fan base, it consequently delayed his next release. Two years is a long wait, especially when most rappers teeter between relevancy and irrelevancy at any given moment. Fans (somewhat) patiently waited for any news from Carti’s camp, while hype grew exponentially with each new leak or pixelated Instagram Live snippet. By the time Carti officially announced a release date, expectations for the album had reached stratospheric heights. Hip hop pundits like DJ Akademiks drummed up hype, telling fans to “expect a classic” during a Twitch stream that was ultimately featured on “Whole Lotta Red.” So did Playboi Carti live up to expectations? The reaction to “Whole Lotta Red” was polarized and visceral, with fans firing off hot takes on Twitter and reactions on TikTok. If the expectation was another “Die Lit,” Carti did not deliver. “Whole Lotta Red” certainly builds on elements of “Die Lit,” but its energy and delivery are completely different. Listening to “Whole Lotta Red” makes “Die Lit” and Carti’s self-titled debut feel like snoozefests. This album is aggressive, and its most aggressive tracks are produced
that year in Studio One’s “The Gathering Night.” Plummer’s many contributions to acting were primarily Shakespearean, such as “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Richard III” in 1961. In 1964, he starred in the American epic drama “The Fall of the Roman Empire,” where the film was unfortunately a box office failure. One year later, Plummer went on to star in what was then the highest grossing film of all time, “The Sound of Music,” based on the 1959 stage musical of the same name. The film tells the true story of the Von Trapp family, who are taught music by an Austrian woman named Maria (Julie Andrews). Plummer played Captain Georg Von Trapp, the patriarch of the Von Trapp family. When the film was released, it delighted audiences, despite mixed reviews from critics. Despite the success of the film, Plummer was not happy with the character of Georg Von Trapp. He described the experience of filming the movie as “so awful and sentimental and gooey.” He at first refused to attend the cast reunion for the movie’s 40th anniversary, but five years later he relented and attended the 45th. In 1977, Plummer starred in the television drama “Jesus of Nazareth,” which depicted the life, death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. Plummer portrayed Herod Antipas, one of the leaders who put Jesus on trial. Plummer married three times. His first marriage, Tammy Grimes, lasted from 1956 to 1960; they had a daughter, actress Amanda Plummer. His second marriage was to journalist Patricia Lewis, which lasted from 1962 to 1967. Three years after his second divorce, Plummer married Elaine Taylor in 1970 in Weston, Connecticut, with whom he remained for the over fifty years. According to Elaine Taylor, Plummer suffered a hit to the head after a fall. He died with Elaine by his side. Throughout his 91 years, Plummer received many honors for his work. He won numerous awards for his acting, including an Academy Award for the 2011 rom-com “Beginners.” But the highest honor he ever received was the Companion of the Order of Canada in 1968 for his contributions to the performing arts, both at home and abroad. Christopher Plummer brought joy to everyone who watched his work. His memory will forever be remembered, and he will live on in our hearts.
by Working On Dying’s F1LTHY, who rose to fame making beats for tween rapper Matt Ox. The instrumentals on “Whole Lotta Red” are washed out and intense, with “Rockstar Made” instantaneously setting the tone for the rest of the album. Carti’s voice sounds raspy and strained as he shouts, “Rockstar maaaade! Rockstar maaaade!!” over a F1LTHY beat. Carti is channeling his inner punk rocker on “Whole Lotta Red,” with multiple references to punk culture throughout the album. During “Die 4 Guy,” he proclaims, “We some rockstars, we the new Black Flag!” The song “Slay3r” pays tribute to the band of the same name, and the artwork on the album’s cover is a riff on another cover from punk publication Slash Magazine. Carti’s punk influences are wildly innovative — few if any rappers from the SoundCloud era have taken creative risks to the extent seen on “Whole Lotta Red.” Interspersed between mosh pit ready tracks like “Meh” (different than “@ MEH”) and “New Tank” are melodic songs featuring syrupy “Hotel Transylvania” beats, providing a welcome reprieve from the album’s skull-rattling bass and aggression. The second half of the album is more melodic than the first, and tracks like “Sky,” “Over” and “ILoveUIHateU” gained traction on TikTok following the album’s release. The track “Vamp Anthem” is noteworthy because it samples and flips a Bach composition that is frequently used in vampiric or ghastly entertainment. These songs are a fun break from the album’s aggressive production. Compared to “Die Lit” , I found “Whole Lotta Red” significantly more enjoyable. I know this is a renegade take,
but I haven’t stopped playing “Whole Lotta Red” since its Christmas release. At The Observer, our ratings are relative in the sense that the reviewer can give albums that they like whatever score they want. This results in many fours and fives, a few twos and threes. The only other album I have given a five-star review to was “Titanic Rising” by Weyes Blood. Did I like “Whole Lotta Red” more than “Titanic Rising?” It certainly comes close. “Whole Lotta Red” was creative, hard-hitting and exactly what I wanted from a “Die Lit” follow-up. When “Die Lit” was first released, the reaction was polarizing, given how people were expecting an album exactly like Carti’s self-titled debut. “Whole Lotta Red” will certainly gain popularity over time, especially as some of the more melodic songs become staples in Carti’s discography. Now fans must wait for the follow up to Carti’s best and most innovative project yet.
Contact Nicole Bilyak at nbilyak01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Patrick Witteman at pwittema@nd.edu
“Whole Lotta Red” Playboy Carti Label: Interscope Records Favorite songs: “Meh,” “New Tank,” “Rockstar Mode” If you liked: Black Flag, Lil Uzi Vert, Gunna
ELAINE PARK | The Observer
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The observer | Friday, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By COLLEEN FISCHER Scene Writer
I learned that Bob Dylan’s lyrics don’t make bad pickup lines — especially when you put a picture of yourself reading his memoir in your profile. I also learned how to resist answering the message, “You should check out the Grateful Dead,” with “You mean John Mayer’s — Taylor Swift’s ex’s — band? I’ll give them a listen.” (Though, next time I might.) I can only laugh at the men on Tinder trying to put me on to one of the most popular bands of all time. I also learned that having heard of the Arctic Monkeys makes me cool and Phil Ochs is way more popular than I thought. I love to talk about music and the profound ways it connects us; I just don’t like talking about it on dating apps. There is nothing I dread more than receiving the “What music do you listen to?” question three messages into the conversation. It’s always so artificial. We already judged each other based on our music tastes when we swiped or liked, and I was able to reinforce my toxic opinions on how people look with my toxic ideas about who listens to what kind of music. Looking at people’s music taste on Tinder or Bumble reminds me of listening to music in high school, a
By WILLOUGHBY THOM Scene Writer
There are very few bands who have earned a reputation like the one afforded to the Foo Fighters. They are not only the friendliest rock band that has graced the Earth — this is from personal experience — but they are also incredible musicians. It may seem unnecessary for a band that is associated with Nirvana, which won 11 Grammy Awards and released 10 studio albums, to feel the need to develop a new sound. But it’s Dave Grohl, and he can do whatever he wants. The Foo Fighters released their 10th studio album “Medicine at Midnight” on Friday, and, unfortunately, it proved to be nothing special. The album often unsuccessfully feels like it’s trying to be an extension of their previous album “Concrete and Gold.” “Concrete and Gold” was the album that marked the change in the Foo Fighters’ sound; it packed a punch but was evidence the band wanted to start making more complex music. “Medicine at Midnight” doesn’t highlight this complexity; instead, it brings forth a devolution. Prior to the album’s premiere date, the band released three singles, “Shame Shame,” “No Son of Mine” and
time where the discussion around music was so toxic I would claim I didn’t know my exact taste even though I did. During Tinder conversations, listing off my favorite artist just to move on to the next message leaves me feeling empty as if the opportunity for connection is already lost. This thing I love so much gets brushed off quickly just so a boy can impress me with the indie band he’s into or the cassette label his friend started. Dating apps are a question of volume over quality; in the end, conversations about music are just another level of that reality. For every boy who says he listens to 70s rock and roll just to agree with me and then asks, “Who is George Harrison?” there is one who says, “I like music, but I don’t know that much about it. What’s your favorite moment in music history?” Or maybe it’s more of a three-to-one ratio with the former boys outnumbering the latter. Sometimes music offers the last push a relationship needs for two people to bond. One conversation I had was going poorly. I was on the edge of not responding, and I would suppose he was too. Then came the question, “What kind of music do you listen to?” A call into the void. I shot off my usual answer: “Vampire Weekend, The Lumineers, Talking Heads, Bob Dylan.” A list I expertly curated, and one that usually gets
shrugged off. This time it didn’t; instead, he told me a story about the time Vampire Weekend played at his frat house because he volunteered for Bernie Sanders in college. In an instant, we opened up three different incredible conversations: talking about politics, Ezra Koenig and what this guy thought about Greek life (Spoiler alert: He wasn’t a fan.). We became friends, and he still texts me every time he plays a Vampire Weekend album at work — a branding feat I’ve been working on for over a year. Asking the dreaded music question is often disappointing only because it has so much potential. Ask more than just that question: “What got you into that artist?” “Have you ever seen them live?” “If you could see one band that’s no longer together perform, who?” “What’s one song you would want to live in?” Then, offer your own music stories. Music is so much more than trading suggestions — it’s a part of who we are. That and men who think women don’t know anything about it. Well, good luck out there. If you need more dating advice or want to talk about music, my email is always down below.
“Waiting on a War,” and their simplicity leaves me wanting something more. It’s apparent that “Shame Shame” and “Waiting on a War” are politically driven songs describing the band’s embarrassment at the country’s politics and warmongering, both evergreen concerns. “Shame Shame” in particular is a very catchy tune undercut by repetitive lyrics and notable lack of a musical climax like the ones found in classics “The Pretender,” “Monkey Wrench” and “Run.” “No Son of Mine,” and “Cloudspotter” are the best two songs off the album; both are lyrically simple but present the traditional Foo Fighter sound fans love. “No Son of Mine” resembles a punk version of Devo’s track “Jocko Homo.” Sadly, there is no concrete evidence of Grohl being inspired by this track, but the intro rhythms and the way in which the lyrics are sung are very similar. Did they pull inspiration from Devo because of their opinions on society? Themes of devolution? “Medicine at Midnight” feels like a radio version of “Concrete and Gold;” in other words, it’s the Foos’ dance record. Foo Fighter fans (myself included) may be shocked by such a change in sound, but there’s a precedent for success with this kind of musical shift.
Plenty of legendary bands released a dance record and still continued to produce great music — think of U2 with “Pop” or David Bowie with “Let’s Dance.” What makes this album so underwhelming isn’t the fact that it’s a so-called “dance record” but that it doesn’t show any evidence of a musical evolution. There’s a difference between evolving and conforming, and I think The Foo Fighters forgot this distinction in the making of this record.
Contact Colleen Fischer at cfischer01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Willoughby Thom at wthom@nd.edu
“Medicine at Midnight” Foo Fighters Label: RCA Records Favorite songs: “Cloudspotter,” “No Son of Mine,” “Holding Poison” If you liked: Queens of the Stone Age, The Killers, Green Day
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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Channel your energy wisely. There is so much you can accomplish if you stay focused on what you want to achieve. Tunnel vision, discipline and a good imagination will set the stage for a better tomorrow. Don’t let negativity or a challenge ruin your plans. Set your goals high, and refuse to let anyone stand in your way. Your numbers are 5, 16, 23, 25, 32, 36, 41. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Embrace those who share your concerns, and find a collective way to make a difference. Be objective, and take on a leadership position. Changes that take place may not be as planned but will lead to a better future. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take a step back if uncertainty prevails. You’re better off having a well-thought-out plan in place before you make a move. Look at every angle, and you’ll find a unique way to overcome a problem that stands in your way. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Forge ahead with intelligence and enthusiasm. You can master whatever you set out to do as long as you don’t let anyone interfere. Know your capabilities, and you’ll live up to your expectations. Personal gain and growth are apparent. Romance is favored. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Let the past be your guide. Trust your instincts, and refuse to let someone charm you into something that isn’t in your best interest. Do what feels comfortable, and rely on common sense to make the right decision. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Stay calm. Don’t feel obligated to make a change because someone else does. Weigh the pros and cons, then consider what will be in your best interest. A partnership will need an adjustment before you proceed. Romance is on the rise. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Time is money, so step up and get things done on time. Your effort and ability to adjust to whatever comes down the pipeline will put you in a good position. A partnership will take an unusual turn, revealing what lies ahead. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Excitement and new beginnings are heading your way, but that doesn’t mean you can be overindulgent. Pace yourself; don’t overspend or overdo. Keep your costs down and your plans within reason. Romance and self-improvement are encouraged. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Take care of domestic problems quickly. If you let things linger, you will face double the trouble. Look for unique solutions, and take a proactive approach that will encourage implementing the changes required immediately. Avoid risky situations. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Offer food for thought. A stimulating conversation will give you an inside look into the way others think and feel. Positive suggestions will have a more significant impact than criticism. Plan something special with someone you love, and it will enhance your life. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Fix up your space, but don’t spend more than you can afford to appease someone who isn’t contributing as much as you. Equality is necessary if you don’t want to jeopardize a relationship that’s important to you. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Distance yourself from anyone trying to pick a fight or tell you what to do. Too much of anything will work against you. Pace yourself and be aware of what’s going on around you. A practical plan will help maintain your budget. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Refuse to let anger take over when focusing on your responsibilities will get you closer to what you are trying to achieve. A unique idea will grab your interest and encourage you to incorporate something new and exciting into your daily routine. Birthday Baby: You are conscientious, insightful and charitable. You are impulsive and assertive.
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Sports Authority
Sports Authority
Settle ties with a home run derby David Kramer Sports Writer
Take it from the media experts at Nielsen. Take it from your resident fanatic. Take it from anyone, anyone at all: the MLB needs an upgrade. For years, this axiom has pervaded the minds of MLB front office executives. The global pandemic has only catalyzed the downward spiral of worldwide baseball viewership, leaving the 2020 World Series with 32% fewer domestic viewers than the previous record low in 2012. It comes as no surprise, then, that America’s most fragile professional league has bent over backwards to replenish its office with vibrant, dynamic and exciting minds in an effort to regain the former appeal of baseball’s golden age. In arguably the most momentous baseball appointment of the last decade, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred elected Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. to his personal advisory board for the upcoming season. As senior advisor, Griffey will oversee the front office’s work in baseball operations, youth development and diversity. Considered one of the most electrifying athletes of all time, Griffey dazzled in the outfield, amazed at the plate and oozed an infectious personality both on and off the field. No big leaguer exuded such a beautifully delicate balance between fun and focus, between diligence and antics quite like The Kid. Perhaps the apex of this entertaining duality came in Griffey’s Home Run Derby appearances. A three-time champion in 1994, 1998 and 1999, The Kid almost effortlessly sent baseball after baseball into orbit, each swing even more electrifying than the last. The first nationally televised Derby in 1998 left viewers captivated by the grandeur and energy of the long ball frenzy. Fittingly, then, Ken Griffey Jr. himself can help the MLB recapture the entertainment value of his Home Run Derby performances. He now holds the power to impose a radical change that just might save the fun of baseball as we know it: settling ties with a home run derby during regular season games. The current structure of extra time in baseball, especially amidst a lingering health crisis, poses risks to the longevity and health of active players. Deadlocked teams often find themselves expending every
available resource to emerge victorious in games that seem to stretch into oblivion. The strain induced on pitching staffs when platooning as many innings as necessary dilutes and invalidates the MLB’s commitment to promoting the health of its players. Granted, the prospect of an enduring nail-biter keeps current MLB fans watching. But to save baseball, Rob Manfred faces an entirely different issue in the seasons to come: promoting the game to a new — and larger — audience of sports fans that crave immediacy, intensity and commotion. As a stand-alone event, the Home Run Derby shows signs of relative appeal. Regular season games, still on their dangerously steep ratings decline that began in 2012, deserve a share of this heightened entertainment value. Surely baseball purists would object to this outrageous proposal. But a derby-style format would satisfy the vast majority of fans — the audience that Manfred ought to target — by both reducing game times and ensuring an enthralling end to an otherwise painfully boring game. Take the NHL as a case study. Since 2005, the National Hockey League has settled ties with a brief overtime period followed by a shootout, which brings a narrow subset of breakaway specialists to the limelight. In many ways, a shootout feels altogether tangential to the wide arsenal of skills necessary for regulation. Nevertheless, the NHL shortens its games, promotes the health of its players and ends a matchup in riveting fashion by limiting the environment of competition. In a shootout, only a single magical save or brilliant shot separates each team from an extra point in the standings In both the NHL and the MLB, extra time deserves extraordinary treatment. If two teams fail to settle the score in regulation, continuing play in identical fashion feels counterintuitive at best. Yes, a derby format strays from the beautiful intricacy of orthodox play. But in many ways, the greatest moments in baseball arise in the most unorthodox circumstances. Ken Griffey Jr.’s career proves this reality best of all. Contact David Kramer at dkramer2@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Analyzing Major League Baseball offseason trades Liam Coolican Sports Writer
Lost in the shuffle of all the major events in the sports world that have happened recently, this year’s MLB offseason has been one of the craziest in recent memory. Many teams, using the pandemic as an excuse to cut spending, traded away star players who were on expiring contracts, and contenders loaded up for what promises to be an exciting season in 2021. The players who were traded this offseason, from Francisco Lindor to Nolan Arenado to Yu Darvish, could change the landscape of the league for years to come. Without further ado, here’s my analysis of the key trades that went down over the last two months.
Lance Lynn to the White Sox Chicago White Sox receive: RHP Lance Lynn Texas Rangers receive: RHP Dane Dunning and LHP Avery Weems Lance Lynn has quietly been one of the best pitchers in the league recently, and the White Sox needed another quality starter. Lynn is heading into the final year of a reasonably priced contract, so this deal makes a lot of sense for both sides. Dunning is an intriguing player, and was ranked as Chicago’s fifth best prospect according to FanGraphs, but he has only pitched 34 innings in the big leagues, and he is already 26. Weems has potential, but has yet to see pro action above rookie ball. All in all, this is a fantastic trade for the White Sox, but you have to think, even with the low demand for starters this offseason, the Rangers could have gotten a little more.
Josh Bell to the Nationals Washington Nationals receive: 1B Josh Bell Pittsburgh Pirates receive: RHP Will Crowe and RHP Eddy Yean Regardless of if Josh Bell ever returns to his breakout 2019 form, one thing is certain: The Pirates bungled this situation. Yes, Bell is a career 0.261 hitter and is a defensive liability, but he’s arguably just entering the prime of his career and is only a year removed from a 37-homer season. The Pirates traded him when his value was lowest, and all they got in return were two pitching prospects, neither of whom are all that exciting. On the other hand, this is a low risk, potentially very high reward move for the Nationals, and for a retooling team, it’s the perfect trade.
Blake Snell and Yu Darvish to the Padres San Diego Padres receive: LHP Blake Snell
Tampa Bay Rays receive: RHP Luis Patiño, RHP Cole Wilcox, C Francisco Mejía, C Blake Hunt San Diego Padres receive: RHP Yu Darvish, C Victor Caratini Chicago Cubs receive: RHP Zach Davies, OF Owen Caissie, OF Ismael Mena, SS Reggie Preciado, SS Yeison Santana The Padres are now one of the most exciting teams in baseball, and they went all in on these two trades. Acquiring two elite starters goes a long way towards achieving their world series hopes. The Rays traded Snell coming off a season in which he led them to the World Series. Their strategy is clear: trade expensive players when their value is at their highest for young players with plenty of years of team control, and they’ve done it again. Patiño stands out as the center piece, and the other players could also make contributions to the Rays sooner rather than later. Darvish was also coming off a career year, finishing second in NL Cy Young voting. Davies is the lone established player the Cubs got in return, as the other four prospects are all very young, but it is still an impressive haul. The outcome of this trade will depend what the Cubs do: Are they moving towards a rebuild, or do they plan to retain the rest of their core and compete for the playoffs? If it is the former, then this is undoubtedly a success, but if it is the latter, this was likely a mistake. However, the clear winners in both these trades are the Padres.
Franciso Lindor to the Mets New York Mets receive: SS Francisco Lindor, RHP Carlos Carrasco Cleveland Indians receive: SS Andrés Giménez, SS Amed Rosario, OF Isaiah Greene, RHP Josh Wolf The Mets are another team going all in 2021, and they substantially upgraded their roster in this deal. Lindor is unquestionably one of the best players in the game, and Carrasco is a solid, back end starter. They didn’t give up too much, either. Rosario is a solid player, but Lindor is certainly a major upgrade. Josh Wolf and Isaiah Greene were the Mets’ 2019 and 2020 second round picks, respectively, and Giménez made his debut in 2020, and is likely to be the shortstop of the future in Cleveland. This trade looks bad for the Indians, but Lindor was entering the final year of his contract and the Indians were likely to walk away with nothing more than a compensatory draft pick if they kept him. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place, and while they could have
possibly asked for more in return, they didn’t have many options. The Mets, on the other hand, will have to pay — big time — to keep Lindor, but new owner Steve Cohen has shown he is willing to spend major cash, so this is a big win for the Mets.
Nolan Arenado Cardinals
to
the
St. Louis Cardinals receive: 3B Nolan Arenado Colorado Rockies receive: LHP Austin Gomber, INF Mateo Gil, 3B Elehuris Montero, RHP Tony Locey, RHP Jake Sommers Arenado was long rumored to be unhappy in Denver and had an opt-out clause in his contract after the 2021 season, so Colorado, much like Cleveland, may not have had a ton of options. However, none of these prospects are very highly rated. For the Cardinals, even if Arenado stays only one year, this was still a major win simply because Arenado is a transcendent talent, and they didn’t give up all that much. The Rockies mismanaged the Arenado situation terribly, but even when it got to this point, it seems that every contender in the league would want Arenado on their team and the Rockies did not even receive a legitimate headliner. It’s a tough way to see the face of your franchise leave. The Cardinals must find a way to keep Arenado long term, even if it costs them a lot of money.
Elvis Andrus and Khris Davis swap Oakland Athletics receive: SS Elvis Andrus, C Aramis Garcia Texas Rangers receive: DH Khris Davis, C Jonah Heim, RHP Dane Acker This is a tough one to analyze. Elvis Andrus has been a Texas cornerstone for his entire career, yet his production dropped off precipitously in recent years. Davis has been one of the best power hitters in baseball, but he doesn’t play the field or hit for average, so he’s a rather onedimensional player. The A’s were left with a hole at shortstop, but Andrus is expensive ($28 million and two years remain on his contract) and Davis’ contract expires at the end of 2021. The A’s will save money this year, which frees them up to upgrade other areas of need, and Andrus still can be a quality player. The Rangers, on the other hand, got another quality bat to add to their lineup and a few prospects thrown in, so both sides achieved their goals in this swap. Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
sports
W Tennis Continued from page 16
confidence up and dow n the Irish lineup. Sophomore Page Freeman, who has been play ing at the No. 2 seed, has had good results throughout the season. She went 6-4, 6-2 in her singles match Feb. 4 against DePaul and went 6-3, 6-1 in her singles match Jan. 30 against Toledo. Additionally, freshman Julia A ndreach stood out w ith a fourth-seed w in 6-2, 6-2 in her singles match against DePaul. This followed A ndreach’s v ictories against players from Ball State and Toledo on the weekend of Jan. 29-30. With the Irish currently 5-3 overall this season, the team is looking to continue their momentum as they look to further challenge themselves. Through matches and practices, the team is working hard to prepare for the rest of the season. “We want to continue to push our momentum forward,” Silverio said. “We
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want to challenge ourselves ever yday, not just in the matches, but certainly in practice. Persistence has been a focus for us this week, and just getting a little bit better each day in practice.” The last time Notre Dame faced Bowling Green on the court was Jan. 19, 2020, at the Eck Tennis Pav ilion. The Irish went 6-1, coming out v ictorious over the Falcons. In that match, Corse, Bojczuk and Freeman all had big w ins in their single matches. After a shutout by the Irish in 2015, Marquette is returning to the Eck Tennis Pav ilion this weekend for another faceoff. Currently, the Golden Eagles are streaking after w inning their last t wo matches against Milwaukee and Universit y of Illinois at Chicago. Notre Dame w ill host Bowling Green on Friday at 3 p.m and Marquette on Saturday at 11 a.m. The matches can be streamed live on und.com. Contact Madelyn Stout at mstout2@nd.edu
Hockey Continued from page 16
being out. But it’s also just tr y ing to give other guys an opportunit y because it wasn’t operating at a real high level earlier on. It’s just a positive step mov ing for ward.” The Gophers (15-5-0, 115-0-0-0-0 Big Ten) have looked stellar throughout most of the season, but they struggled mightily last weekend, losing to Wisconsin by scores of 4-1 and 8-1. The Irish have had success against the Gophers this year as well. In midJanuar y they were able to sweep then-No. 1 Minnesota in Minneapolis by scores of 3-2 and 2-1. The Irish and Gophers have had a lot of one goal games over the past few seasons, and Jackson expects more of the same this weekend. “I attribute this to the level of competitiveness of both both programs. In recent years, we have developed that tradition of being one of the better teams in the countr y, and Minnesota has always had that tradition,” Jackson said. “Any time you play another team that has that kind of success, there’s always that competitive nature that makes the difference to making it a real close and high-qualit y game.” Jackson talked about how both teams’ st yles differ greatly in some respects, but how puck possession is a similarit y among the teams. “Both teams play a prett y good puck possession game,” Jackson said. “And when you have t wo teams
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that play that way, it’s probably going to minimize big scores running up either way, unless goaltending is inconsistent or if there’s a lot of special teams.” Jackson has put an emphasis on net play on both ends in recent weeks. “I didn’t think we were doing a great job in front of our goaltenders because a lot of pucks were going off of bodies and off of us into our net,” Jackson said. “We put a lot more emphasis in the last several weeks on the [defensive] net w ith our box ing out. With the offensive net it is just getting to the net and then tr y ing to establish body position. Body position at both ends is really what we are talking about.” Jackson also talked about the goalkeeper situation ahead of the Minnesota series. As of late, senior Dylan St. Cy r has received the majorit y of play ing time in goal. St. Cy r initially received more play ing time due to an injur y to sophomore Ryan Bischel. “He seems really dialed in when he’s play ing right now,” Jackson said of St. Cy r. “He’s play ing a quiet game, which I always look at as being one of the biggest components to being successful because that means he’s not sprawling all over the place and giving up lots of rebounds. He’s controlling his crease really well. And he also gives us some advantage w ith his puck handling skills.” The Irish w ill be missing some players once again this weekend due to nagging day-to-day injuries. Notable names that are likely out for the
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weekends’ contests include sophomore for ward Ma x Ellis, junior for ward Michael Graham and freshman defenseman Zach Plucinski. Even so, Jackson has been impressed w ith the guys that have stepped up in the midst of the injuries. “Other guys stepped up, and that’s what’s so important, that you can get other guys that can contribute,” he said. “I thought that especially guys that haven’t played a lot in the earlier part of the season, such as upperclassmen like [senior for ward] Matt Steves, [junior for ward] Cam Burke and [senior for ward] Pierce Craw ford, I thought they all did a really good job of taking advantage of the opportunit y.” This weekend’s series could have big implications for the Irish w ith the postseason roughly a month away. Currently, Notre Dame is sitting in third place in the Big Ten standings w ith 27 points behind Minnesota (33 points) and Wisconsin (34 points). A sweep this weekend over the Gophers would see the Irish level on points w ith them and keep them w ithin striking distance of the Badgers. This weekend could also be ver y important because of the uncertainties of how the NCAA tournament committee w ill select teams this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Another sweep for the Irish over a top-five Gopher team would help to bolster them in the eyes of the committee come March. Jackson discussed how not hav ing non-conference games could make it ver y difficult in selecting teams for the tournament. “It’s going to be a challenge. They’re going to have to basically go on w inning percentage to some degree, but they’re also going to have to go on the qualit y of the conference at least from prev ious years as to where the conferences have been,” he said. “I think that the histor y of what the conferences have done over the last several years should play into it a little bit.” The puck w ill drop at 7:30 p.m. for Friday’s game and 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Friday’s game can be v iewed on the NBC Sports Net work while Saturday’s game may be v iewed v ia the NBC Sports Stream and v ia local coverage across the countr y. Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu
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The observer | Friday, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
M Bball Continued from page 16
happen aga in [at Not re Da me], cer ta in ly not while [he is] a live” in a press conference fol low ing the game. The last team to beat both the Wildcats at Rupp Arena and Blue Dev ils at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the same season was No. 1-ranked North Carolina in the 2007-08 season. The Irish now turn their attention to Miami, a team they beat 73-59 on Jan. 24. Junior guard Prentiss Hubb showed up big in that matchup, tally ing 19 points and nine assists. Junior and graduate student for wards Nate Laszewski and Juwan Durham added 16 points apiece, as the firststring Irish players answered Brey’s challenge when he benched them in favor of a second unit — consisting of Ryan, graduate student for ward Nik Djogo, freshman forwards Tony Sanders Jr. and Matt Zona and walkon sophomore guard Elijah Morgan — that had outplayed them in practice. Notre Dame shot the ball ver y well against Miami, shooting 53.9% from the field and
55.6% from three-point range. The Irish were also ver y disciplined defensively, allow ing the Hurricanes to shoot just 38.7% from the field and a dismal 13.6% from three while only committing eight fouls throughout the entire contest. Brey and his team w ill look to replicate that effort the second time around against Miami, as well as going for ward as they attempt to make a final push to improve their resume w ith March quick ly approaching. In his press conference follow ing the Duke game, Brey mentioned he had put together a series of good offensive and defensive clips from the three prev ious games that he showed the team prior to tipoff. “The last four games, we have kind of played, really, at a different level — a better level. The title of it was ‘Stay the Course’; just stay the course. I know we didn’t get the other night,” he said in reference to Notre Dame’s 82-80 collapse against Georgia Tech that saw the Irish outscored by 17 points in the second half, “but I think we are play ing prett y darn well. Let’s not panic, let’s be ready
to compete again and I think we got a great opportunit y.” Notre Dame has the chance to move w ithin one game of .500 w ith a w in, both overall and in the ACC. In a dow n year for the ACC, these late-season conference games w ill be extremely important in determining seeding for the ACC tournament. The team’s success at this crucial juncture of the season is dependent on their unselfishness, an attribute that Brey praised follow ing the Duke w in. “Our unselfishness is really neat to see how contagious it is,” he said. “You can coach that a little bit, but that’s got to be a little bit innate and come from a group that takes ow nership of itself.” The Irish assisted on 19 of their 28 field goals against Miami in the first matchup, and they w ill hope to follow that model to another w in on Sunday when the Hurricanes make their way to frigid South Bend. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. on the ACC Net work. Contact Jamison Cook at jcook22@nd.edu
M Tennis Continued from page 16
The Irish are led by senior Richard Ciamarra. The Southington, Conn. native was the sixth-ranked player in the countr y in the preseason, but he w ill enter the weekend looking to break a t wo-match losing streak. Ciamarra dropped a close third-set tiebreaker to Tennessee freshman Johannus Monday 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) before falling to Kentuck y sophomore Liam Dra x l — preseason 45thranked player nationally — by a score of 6-4, 6-0 in Lex ington. Sachire emphasized he was not looking to make excuses for the dip in form while still underlining that Ciamarra did not play a fall season like his last t wo opponents. “The SEC did play in the fall,” he said. “And a guy like Richie is a really good example of [someone] who didn’t play a competitive match in nine months.” Sachire appeared quite confident that Ciamarra and the Irish w ill play closer to their potential as the season continues. “It’s [about] getting, again, those competitive matches underneath our belt, getting some confidence,” he said. “And once we break through w ith a w in or t wo at a high level, I think things w ill open up a little bit from there.” Sachire can also point to strong upperclassmen leadership behind Ciamarra to help the Irish
nav igate this unusual season. He specifically mentioned senior Tristan McCormick and junior A xel Nef ve, who t y pically fill out the top three spots on the Irish ladder w ith Ciamarra. “Those guys have all been through the battles,” Sachire said. “And they’ve been a part of a team that [was] top-15 in the countr y for a better part of a whole entire season t wo years ago. And so they know what it takes.” A pair of non-Power Five opponents to finish up Notre Dame’s non-conference slate might sound like a simple tune-up before the beginning of ACC play next week, but Sachire was adamant his team is well aware of the talent on the ladders for both the Broncos (5-0, 0-0 M AC) and Blue Raiders (4-3, 1-0 C-USA). “Both are high qualit y programs,” he said. “Western has dominated the M AC in recent years, certainly. And honestly, Middle Tennessee is a top-40 team for sure this year. They’ve already had a few good Power-5 w ins, and they’re gonna be to be a ver y, ver y tough out on Sunday. We w ill have to play really well to w in that one.” Play is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday. Though no in-person attendance w ill be permitted, live streaming w ill be available online. Contact Greg McKenna at gmckenn2@nd.edu
Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics
Irish junior guard Trey Wertz dribbles around a pick from his teammate graduate student guard Nikola Djogo during Tuesday’s 93-89 win against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
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wanted Labor of Love Childcare serving the South Bend/Mishawaka area is looking to expand our team. We are looking to hire a Full-time Nanny for a family of 2 girls.
Candidates must have at least 6 months of childcare experience and be willing to sign a 1 year employment contract. Apply by sending your resume to: director@laboroflovechildcare.com. Visit our website for more information about our program at: www.laboroflovechildcare.com
Pick up your phone / I know you just gave me your number but I wanna know / What’s up, with us because I got a feeling / Tell me if it’s mutual / Are you, with anybody right now? / Or could you step out and talk to me? / I’d text you, but it’s better to call / ‘Cause tomorrow there’ll be less that I have to delete.
ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer
Irish senior Richard Ciamarra returns a volley during Notre Dame’s 6-1 home win over Boston College in the Eck Pavillion on Feb. 8, 2019.
sports
ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 | The Observer
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Irish softball to kick off season with Stinger Classic tournament in Alabama By MANNION McGINLEY Sports Writer
This coming weekend, Not re Da me sof tba ll w ill open its season at t he St inger Classic in Montgomer y, A la. “We’re excited to get on t he f ield,” Irish head coach Dea nna Gumpf, who is entering her 20t h yea r as a coach at Not re Da me, sa id. “We had a g reat fa ll, we had a bunch of rea lly committed student-at h letes who a re w i l ling to do whatever it took for us to stay on t he f ield t he whole t ime, a nd t hey’ve been a ma zing [w it h] t heir f lex ibilit y, a nd t he way t hat t hey just ha nd le t he situat ion t hat we’re in right now. So, I’m ver y excited about t his g roup.” Gumpf a lso sa id she was excited to see how t he tea m comes toget her over t he nex t few weeks since, w it h t he NC A A issuing a bla n ket wa iver for 2020 spring spor t at hletes, t he Irish did not lose a sta r ter f rom last yea r’s roster. This tourna ment ma rks t he f irst t ime Not re Da me w i l l ta ke t he f ield since COV ID-19 cut t heir 201920 season shor t last Ma rch. Inf ielder a nd tea m capta in Sa ra h Gen z sa id it was t he longest st retch t hat most, if not a l l, of t he tea m had gone w it hout sof tba l l in t heir ent ire ca reers. Gumpf stated, t hough, t hat t he leng t hy brea k was not
wasted. “We wa nted to ma ke sure t hat we were a ll prepa red for t he level of play ing t hat we needed to be at. So we took our t ime, a litt le bit longer t his yea r,” she sa id. “So we’re mov ing a litt le bit. Just ta k ing t hings a litt le bit slower a nd ta k ing a litt le more t ime w it h ever y t hing to ma ke sure we’re ready. Now, of f t he f ield w it h COV ID, I mea n, it ta kes up 50 % of our day to ma ke sure t hat we’re ready to go, ma ke sure t hat tea ms t hat we’re play ing a re complying w it h our sta nda rds, ma k ing sure t hat we’re prepa red for t he t ravel, because t his tea m’s t raveling for t he f irst, what, f ive weeks? So we need to ma ke sure t hat we a re doing ever y t hing we ca n to put us in t he ver y best posit ion to play t hose f ive f irst weeks.” In t heir 38 conference ga mes t his season, t he Irish, ra n ked as t he No. 3 tea m in t he ACC in t he preseason coaches poll, w ill face f ive tea ms t hat a re current ly ra n ked or receiv ing votes in t he nat iona l preseason poll. They w ill play ever y conference opponent four t imes. “We a ll looked to t his yea r [a nd] we a ll k ind of sa id, ‘Okay, what’s nex t? How ca n we prepa re for t he 2021 season? ’” Gen z sa id. “So, we a ll were incredibly committed over t his summer, especia lly
ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer
Irish junior pitcher Payton Tidd winds up a pitch from the mound during Notre Dame’s home win over Louisville on Mar. 24, 2019.
during t he fa ll, putt ing in t he work, putt ing in ex t ra work, going one more t ha n we norma lly wou ld. It helps t hat you k now, even t hough we haven’t played t he ga me in so long, we have one of t he best sta f fs, I t hin k, in t he count r y. So to see pitching like t hat ever y day has been incredibly, incredibly helpf u l to us as hitters. So, I t hin k we had spent a while w it hout a ga me, but it’s on ly been since yesterday t hat I hit of f some of t he best pitchers in t he count r y, so I t hin k we’re ready.” That pitching crowd consists of seniors A lex is Holloway a nd Morga n Rya n a nd junior Pay ton Tidd, who combined for last season’s t hird-best ER A in t he conference at 1.86. Bot h Gen z a nd Holloway a re t wo of t his yea r’s capta ins a nd t he t hird is out f ielder Abby Sweet. “It’s rea lly surrea l. I feel incredibly luck y. My goa l is just to go out ever y day a nd feel like I’ve ea rned t hat t r ust f rom my tea mmates my coaches.” Gen z sa id of her new leadership posit ion. “I feel incredibly blessed a nd honored, a nd I t hin k Abby, A lex is a nd I a re doing ever y t hing we ca n to cu lt ivate a g reat at mosphere on our tea m, ma ke sure we get tea m chemist r y going.” Wit h ever y t hing t he coronav ir us pa ndemic has hindered, Gen z reca lled how t hey t ried to f ind ways to get new tea m members
incor porated. “It’s been dif f icu lt w it h COV ID protocols, but we’ve k ind of had to t hin k outside t he box of ways to get ever yone included,” she sa id. “We feel st rong a nd conf ident in ourselves a nd in our tea mmates, a nd a l l of our abi lit ies to get t he job done. We’ve a lso done a g reat job of incor porating, you k now, current f reshmen into ever y t hing; a nd t he current sophomores, f reshmen last yea r who felt li ke t hey rea l ly cou ldn’t get going in t he season.” Gen z had goa ls for herself a nd t he tea m whi le out on t he dia mond as wel l, not just in her new role as capta in. “I t hin k, indiv idua l ly, my goa l is just to suppor t t he tea m, f irst a nd foremost. As a tea m, since I’ve been at Not re Da me, my class’ goa ls have been to w in t he ACC cha mpionship a nd ma ke it to t he Women’s Col lege World Series,” she sa id. “So, we’re as committed to t hose goa ls as we ever have been. I just need to be rea lly consistent of fensively. Coming up big in big situat ions a nd hitt ing t he ba l l well w it h r unners in scoring posit ions. Each of us needs to sta nd st rong in being consistent.” Tidd sha red t he sa me tea m goa ls of ma k ing it to t he big stages. “In terms of goa ls for me, I just wa nt to compete,” she sa id. “I wa nt to compete w it h my tea m a nd w in t he ACC
cha mpionship.” One pat h to t hat success is t hrough t he cont rol she a nd Hol loway have f rom t he mound. “We’re li ke t wo people a nd one bra in,” Tidd sa id. “Li ke, we k now each ot her’s st reng t hs, a nd I t hin k we complement each ot her in terms of her st yle pitching a nd my st yle pitching a re ver y dif ferent, a nd so when she’s pitching a nd I get put in or v ice versa, I t hin k t hat t hat’s a whole new set of pitches t hat t he hitters a re look ing at. A nd I t hin k t hat for me a nd A lex is, we’re ver y good f riends, so, t herefore, we’re ver y good at suppor t ing each ot her a nd told each ot her, ‘Hey, li ke, I t hin k you get better at t his,’ a nd we’re ver y good at communicat ion.” Tidd a nd Gen z bot h sa id t hey wa nt to bring a cha mpionship home for t heir tea mmates a nd, as Tidd put it, “most impor ta ntly, just hav ing t hat ND on my chest a nd representing my school a nd myself a nd my tea mmates on t he f ield.” The Irish w i l l face Nor t h A laba ma at 12 :30 p.m. Saturday fol lowed by a quick turna round matchup w it h t he tourna ment host A laba ma State at 5:30 p.m. They w i l l t hen w rap t he weekend aga inst Tennessee Tech at 10 a.m. Sunday. Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu
ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer
Irish junior infielder Quinn Biggio steps up to bat during Notre Dame’s 9-1 home win Mar. 24, 2019 at Melissa Cook Stadium. In her two seasons, Biggio has had 26 runs and 25 RBIs.
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The observer | Friday, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
nd men’s basketball | ND 93, Duke 89
nd men’s TENNIS
Irish look to Blue Raiders, Broncos By GREG McKENNA Sports Writer
After a difficult first road trip, Notre Dame w ill look to rebound at home when the Irish (4-3, 0-0 ACC) take on Western Michigan and Middle Tennessee at Eck Tennis Pav ilion on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. After w inning four of their first five matches of the season at home, Notre Dame was blanked 7-0 by both then-No. 10 Tennessee (8-0, 0-0 SEC) and then-No. 21 Kentuck y (9-1, 0-0 SEC) at the end of Januar y. Though head coach Ryan Sachire said his team did not play “great tennis” in Knox v ille and Lex ington, he admitted the absence of a customar y fall season means his team is still shaking off some rust.
Brey looks to Hurricanes, praises unselfish Irish
“I think our lack of high-level match experience showed that weekend,” Sachire said. “I think the positive we took from [those matches] was [they] showed us where we need to get to. We know we’re certainly capable of playing at a really high national level w ith this group of guys.” Though adjustments in tennis are t y pically implemented on a player-byplayer basis, Sachire wants his squad to prioritize their team identit y during indiv idual matches this weekend. “The best teams have that bond and have that cohesion when they are out there on the court competing w ith one another,” he said. “And so we’ve got to get back to that. It’s been a hallmark of our program.”
Courtesy of Note Dame Athletics
There w i l l be no love lost bet ween t he Not re Da me men’s basketba l l tea m a nd Mia mi (Fla.) when t he Irish host t he Hurrica nes on Va lent ine’s Day. Not re Da me (8-10, 5-7 ACC) w i l l look to stay hot aga inst “The U” (711, 3-10 ACC) a f ter w inning f ive of t heir last seven ga mes. Most recent ly t he Irish took dow n t he Du ke Blue Dev i ls by a score of 9389 behind a ca reer-high 28 points f rom junior t ra nsfer g ua rd Cormac Rya n. The w in mea nt Not re Da me has won at bot h Kentuck y a nd Du ke t his season, a feat t hat Coach Mi ke Brey cla imed has not “happened before a nd won’t
see M TENNIS PAGE 14
Irish junior guard Trey Wertz and graduate student forward Juwan Durham defend a Duke player’s shot during Tuesday’s 93-89 win.
see M BBALL PAGE 14
By JAMISON COOK Sports Writer
ND WOmen’s Tennis
Hockey
Irish return home against fifth-ranked Gophers
Irish face second split weekend
By NATE MOLLER
By MADELYN STOUT
Sports Writer
Sports Writer
Notre Dame hockey w ill return to action this weekend at Compton Family Ice Arena, where the Irish w ill play host to the fifth-ranked Minnesota Gophers. The Irish (10-9-1, 8-7-1-1-21 Big Ten) are coming off of a road series sweep against Ohio State last weekend. In both games, the Irish dominated from start to finish and secured v ictories of 6-1 and 8-1 respectively. Head coach Jeff Jackson acknowledged that the special teams play of his squad has improved this season, and it looked the best it has all year in last weekend’s series sweep. “Last weekend was the best our power plays looked all season long,” Jackson said. “I think a lot of it had to do w ith some of the personnel changes because of guys
This weekend, the Notre Dame women’s tennis team is gearing up for a split weekend against Bowling Green and Marquette. After facing the Falcons (0-0, 0-0 M AC) at the Eck Tennis Pav ilion on Friday, the Irish (5-3, 2-1 ACC) w ill return to their home court to face the Golden Eagles (2-1, 0-0 Big East) Saturday to round their off weekend. Follow ing a road loss to Kentuck y last Saturday and focusing on improv ing their play st yle, head coach A lison Silverio has the team working on honing an aggressive strateg y and their performance during pressure moments. “We certainly wanted to take the lessons learned from our prev ious match and implement those into practice and put our team in different situations,” Silverio said. “We have focused on doubles
see HOCKEY PAGE 13
ERIN FENNESSEY | The Observer
Irish junior forward Jake Pivonka grapples with a Badgers defender during Notre Dame’s 5-2 home win on Jan. 25 2020.
and the aggressive, or strike, tennis that we want to play.” In addition to discussing preparation for the upcoming weekend, Silverio also noted how her players, in both doubles and singles, have seen a lot of improvements so far this season. She also mentioned t wo players who have helped lead the team through the season: senior captain Cameron Corse, playing the No. 1 seed, and fellow senior captain A lly Bojczuk. Bojczuk was notably the only team member to have a v ictor y against Kentuck y last weekend. “Those t wo have done an incredible job leading through the adversit y that COV ID has brought on for all of us,” Silverio said of Corse and Bojczuk. Additionally, Silverio expressed that she has see W TENNIS PAGE 13