Print Edition of The Observer for Wednesday, October 7, 2020 by The Observer

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Volume 55, Issue 21 | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Officials weigh new restrictions Dunne’s St. Joseph County health experts expect to implement further COVID protocols entire hall staff isolated

Observer Staff Report

St. Joseph County health officer Dr. Robert Einterz said he expects the county to implement new health guidelines in the next day in order to inhibit the spread of the coronavirus, the South Bend Tribune reported Monday. Einterz said the guidelines could include moving back a stage or two in the state’s reopening plans. Governor Eric Holcomb recently lifted almost all lockdown restrictions Sept. 26 as part of the state’s Phase 5 reopening plan. Masks are still mandated in the county until the end of the year and

statewide through Oct. 17. Einterz and others including members of the Unified Command team, the countr y‘s response team to the coronavirus pandemic, discussed options for additional restrictions Monday morning. The Tribune reported Andy Kostielney, president of the county Board of Commissioners, said he asked Einterz to set up a meeting Tuesday between the Unified Command team, South Bend Mayor James Mueller and Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood. State statute empowers the county health officer to close schools, churches and social

gatherings, Einterz noted. The Tribune reported COVID-19 hospitalizations were the highest level since late April Friday. Last week, deputy county health officer Dr. Mark Fox said there was no obvious cause of the increase in COVID-19 cases. Einterz said the health department has begun to issue abatement orders — an official notice telling the establishment steps must be taken to improve conditions — to some bars and nightclubs in the county recently, where officials have found conditions that can further the spread of the virus. Health department inspectors have found

Eck Institute hosts webinar to combat COVID myths By LAYTON HALL News Writer

Heidi Beidinger-Burnett and Mary Ann McDowell, both of the University of Notre Dame’s Eck Institute for Global health, are taking on misinformation and misunderstanding of the coronavirus pandemic with their new webinar series called “Consider This! Simplifying the COVID-19 Conversation.” Beidinger-Burnett serves as

the director of the Eck Institute for Global Health and president of the St. Joseph County Board of Health. McDowell, an associate professor of biological sciences and a member of the Eck Institute for Global Health, is an expert in infectious disease and immunology. Through their combined backgrounds, the two doctors said they hope to increase the scientific literacy of the Notre Dame community regarding the virus and public health

policies. “We were finding misconceptions or myths about the science and public health of COVID-19,” BeidingerBurnett said. “The idea for us is to simplify the conversation for people to be more comfortable with the terminology and to be more in control of the information.” Consider This! aims to cut through the growing distrust in

“individuals packed shoulder to shoulder and not wearing masks and in violation of the governor’s orders,” Einterz said. The abatement orders outline the necessary actions and give establishments three days to comply or face closure. Einterz said some requirements such as closing a dance floor would be immediate. “I think there was a misconception on the part of the public and some of the establishment owners and managers that going to Stage 5 meant that ever ything was open and it was business as usual,” Einterz said.

The Na nov ic Inst itute for Europea n Studies hosted a v ir tua l lecture Tuesday t it led “Raphael in Rome,” where Ing rid Rowla nd, professor at Not re Da me’s School of A rchitecture, led a v ir tua l lecture f rom her home in Rome a nd

NEWS PAGE 3

discussed some of her resea rch of Raphael’s work in t he Eterna l Cit y. The f irst ha lf of t he lecture commenced w it h Rowla nd a na lyzing severa l inf luent ia l works of a r t by Raphael. The lecture closed w it h a brief quest ion-a nda nswer session in which pa r t icipa nts, including

VIEWPOINT PAGE 8

see DUNNE PAGE 5

Volunteers sew masks for South Bend schools

CHRISTOPHER PARKER | The Observer

Jennifer Staats, who is sewing masks for students with Burman, said they have created kits for those in the community who want to help. By CHRISTOPHER PARKER

News Writer

Dunne Hall residents received news Monday night that all of the hall’s staff have entered either isolation or quarantine outside of the hall based on University contact tracing, according to an email from Breyan Tornifolio, director of Residential Life rector recruitment, hiring and retention and supervisor of Dunne Hall rector Fr.

see WEBINAR PAGE 3

Virtual lecture explores the influence of Raphael By ELIZABETH PRATER

Observer Staff Report

facu lt y a nd students, posed quest ions for Rowla nd to a nswer. One of t he a r t pieces Rowla nd a na lyzed during t he lecture was “Madonna della segg iola.” It depicts Ma r y embracing Christ while John t he Bapt ist see RAPHAEL PAGE 5

SCENE PAGE 9

News Writer

Elizabeth Burman has been stitching together PPE since the beginning of the pandemic. “I could probably sew a mask in my sleep,” she said. Starting as a lone seamstress who volunteered w ith local charities, Burman has since tapped into the

ND W XCOUNTRY PAGE 16

tri-campus communit y and organized the production of over 4,500 face masks for South Bend schools. Burman moved to Notre Dame three years ago to accompany her husband, Thomas Burman, the Robert M. Conway Director of the Medieval Institute. She quick ly joined the ranks of see MASKS PAGE 4

ND FOOTBALL PAGE 16

TODAY

The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

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What is your best game day memory?

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freshman Duncan Hall

“Cheering alongside my roommate.”

“Lifting someone up to do push ups.”

Greg Gavenda

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junior Alumni Hall

junior Ryan Hall

“Freshman year, first game, Michigan night game.”

“Michigan game my freshman year! I loved the fireworks and we won.”

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freshman Dillon Hall

junior Ryan Hall

“The first game I ever went to in third grade. It was my first time coming here.”

“The game where the ref mixed up UCLA and the team we were playing. It was really unifying.”

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webmaster@ndsmcobserver.com Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of either institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content. The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors. Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer. Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged. Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information. Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Maria Leontaras. Post Office Information The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except during exam and vacation periods. A subscription to The Observer is $130 for one academic year; $75 for one semester. The Observer is published at: 024 South Dining Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 024 South Dining hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-077

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MARIA LEONTARAS | The Observer

Notre Dame’s New Orleans Brass Band, one of the school’s three jazz enssembles, played live music on Library Lawn on Oct. 6, 2020. Due to COVID-19 restrictions on indoor gatherings, Notre Dame has encouraged students to enjoy outdoor activities.

The next Five days:

Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

“Understanding and Engaging Movements for Justice” virtual 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. Register online.

Lecture virtual 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. Talk on colonialism in a Mexican psychiatric institution.

MFA Open Studios virtual and Riley Hall of Art 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Explore Notre Dame’s MFA programs.

Football Pregame Festivities Library Lawn Noon - 7 p.m. Open music, food and live WVFI broadcast.

Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. and noon All are welcome to attend.

Career Session virtual 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Learn about communication in the workplace.

Work-in-Progress Seminar virtual 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Join to discuss Venezuelan populism.

Lecture: “Housing Segregation” virtual 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Featuring Richard Rothstein.

Saturday Scholar Series virtual Watch highlights from past series seasons on game day.

La Misa en Espanol Basilica of the Sacred Heart 4 p.m. Mass rooted in Hispanic tradition.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020 | The Observer

Service program to offer in-person projects By RYAN PETERS News Writer

Despite COVID-19 limiting the availability of in-person service opportunities for the Summer Service Learning Program (SSLP), students in SSLP will be able to participate in service projects in their local communities for summer 2021. SSLP participants serve for eight weeks at a vetted nonprofit organization. The program offers 24 different site categories, including parishes, hospital clinics and community-based organizations across the country. Students who participate completely in SSLP receive academic credit. Students who serve are usually able to either live at their personal homes, live on the site of their service program or live with a Notre Dame Alumni Club host family. This summer, SSLP is not allowing students to stay with host families and will require students in the program to serve on sites within four hours of their local community. Students’ local communities can be their permanent residence or anywhere that they have access to secure housing. SSLP assistant director

Webinar Continued from page 1

the media and correct the common myths of the virus so that the Notre Dame and St. Joseph County communities can better protect themselves. McDowell said the myths that concern her the most are the beliefs that herd immunity should be embraced, that the coronavirus pandemic is over and that a widely available

Emily Garvey said the requirement to serve on a site near a local community is a safety precaution for students in case the service project gets shut down due to health concerns. “They will serve there with the condition that they have a safe community to get to within four hours so that if everything shuts down they are four hours away from a safe, local community without having to take mass transit,” Garvey said. Although students are not able to stay with host families, Garvey said there are still around 120 service opportunities offered by SSLP. All sites are prepared for the student to serve both in person and virtually in the event the University shuts down inperson service. Last summer, all students in SSLP served virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sophomore Nate Cieplik worked for the St. Joseph County chapter of Faith in Indiana, a faith-based advocacy group for social justice. Despite not being able to serve in-person, Cieplik said he enjoyed his experience and recommends students to apply

before this year’s Oct. 11 application deadline. “It’s really fulfilling. I would definitely recommend that students get involved. [Service] is an important part of being a good citizen,” Cieplik said. Sophomore Olivia Althoff served for Project Renewal, an after-school care program for children in Davenport, Iowa. Althoff said SSLP provided her with a valuable opportunity to serve and connect with others. “I learned that you can serve people in various ways. It’s a great learning experience [and] a great way to make a little difference in this world,” Althoff said. “It was a really fun experience, and I learned a lot about virtual communication and trying to build relationships through the internet.” Students in SSLP receive a $500 stipend and a $2,500 academic scholarship applied to their fall tuition statement. The program requires that students perform at least 35 hours of service per week and complete weekly reading, record journal entries and submit a capstone project in the fall. Garvey, who has been

involved with SSLP for 11 years, said the program offers students an opportunity to give back and develop personal and professional skills. “One of the things that … students have said to me is that it gives them so many professional and personal skills. It helps them improve their confidence, their sense of building community [and] their intention for what they want to do in their academic career and in their postgraduate career,” Garvey said. Even though the program

is based in Catholic Social Thought, Garvey said students of all backgrounds are encouraged to participate. “Students are learning about cultivating the common good, solidarity, respect for human dignity, care for creation, so it doesn’t matter if they come from a Catholic perspective or nonCatholic or atheist perspective,” she said. “Anyone can participate and learn how to contribute.”

vaccine will arrive prior to election day or early next year. “We have a president who was saying, ‘We don’t need a mask, oh, it’s not masculine, I don’t need it.’ Remember, he made fun of Joe Biden,” BeidingerBurnett said in an interview. “Well, Joe Biden was adhering to what CDC and all the others were telling us that we needed to be doing to safeguard ourselves. So that void in leadership has significantly contributed to the myths and the rumors that

have been spread about this, and the distrust in the science.” The interview with BeidingerrBurnett and McDowell was conducted after the news of U.S. President Donald Trump’s and U niversity President John Jenkins’ diagnoses with COVID-19 had gone public. The webinar series will be conversational in tone while also drawing upon the expertise of over 15 specialists in immunology, public health and public policy.

“I think that we have a science literacy problem all over the world but [also] in the United States,” McDowell said. “And you know, I would say that’s really a fault of the scientists, in some ways, because we haven’t done a good job of communicating our work and making it accessible.” The two co-hosts want their series to be as accessible and conversational as possible to students and community members. They hope this approach

can alleviate fears and increase cooperation with community guidelines set by teams of public health experts. McDowell also encouraged students to contact consider@nd.edu with any questions or myths they want the series to address. Monday night, Consider This! went live for the first time. The two co-hosts began by discussing the current virus statistics in St. Joseph County. They continued on to a segment titled “Rumor Has It,” in which they confronted “herd immunity parties” on college campuses and the dangers they pose to young adults. The episode concluded with a conversation with University Provost Marie Lynn Miranda. Miranda has a background in the field of children’s environmental health and, while provost, teaches in the applied and computational mathematics and statistics department at Notre Dame. The inaugural episode emphasized one thing: COVID-19 is still around and something that communities will have to learn to live with. Next week, Beidinger-Burnett and McDowell will talk with Brian Baker, department head in the department of chemistry and biochemistry, and Jeffery Schorey, a professor in the department of biological sciences. Registration for the webinars can be found under the Eck Institute for Global Health’s website.

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Courtesy of Emily Garvey

ND’s SSLPs offer 24 different site categories. This year, students are required to live within four hours of the site in case of cancellations.

Contact Ryan Peters at rpeters5@nd.edu

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NEWS

The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Masks Continued from page 1

the Ladies of Notre Dame and Saint Mar y’s College (LNDSMC). The organization dates back to 1934 and consists of many facult y members and their spouses. “I got involved w ith t hem for socia l events, a nd I found a couple of people who like to sew whi le I was work ing w it h t hem,” Burma n sa id. “So when t his oppor tunit y a rose, t hey were t he f irst people I reached out to.” Burma n was inspired by a sister orga ni zat ion, Elk ha r t Count y Student Masks, which set a goa l to sew over 26,000 masks for El k ha r t schoolchi ldren. She sa id she wondered whet her Sout h Bend schools might a lso need masks, a nd t hey did. In tota l, 10 dif ferent Sout h Bend Communit y School Cor porat ion schools requested face masks. Burma n sta r ted by ca nvassing t he LNDSMC, but by June, t he ef for t was quick ly g row ing outside t he club. “It sta r ted w it h us. We got our init ial stash of fabric and a couple of people w illing to

sew, and then just reached out to other members of the communit y,” she said. As a result, a new group was born: Face Masks for South Bend Students. Cather Craker, adjunct professor at Holy Cross a nd i n t he West v i l le Pr ison Prog ra m, hea rd about Bu r ma n’s i n it iat ive at t he chu rch t hey bot h attend. Si nce t hen, she est i mates t hat she has sew n bet ween 175 a nd 200 mask s, eit her w it h her mach i ne or by ha nd. “Most ly I do sew ing, a nd lately I’ve a lso been cutt ing out t he no-pleat mask k its,” she sa id. Her ch i ld ren help w it h t he most cr ucia l role of a l l — pick i ng t he fabr ic patter ns. Jen n ifer Staats a nd her husba nd bot h attended Not re Da me a nd live loca l ly. Staats, li ke Bu r ma n, sta r ted ma k i ng mask s on her ow n but soon got involved w it h loca l sew ing g roups. Bu r ma n approached her i n Ju ne, a nd t he women worked toget her to sol id if y log ist ics for t he group. Staats said their group’s kits are intuitive and fun.

“The mask assembly process is simple, even for a nov ice,” she said in an email. “W hen you get the kit, you have all the pieces measured and cut, ready to sew. It’s so easy, and it’s fun to see what cute new prints w ill be in each kit.” Burman said her jobs earlier in life had taught her one thing about big volunteer campaigns. “A lways partner up. We partnered up as fast as we could,” she said. Burman applauded Busy Hands of Michiana, a volunteer group who sewed over half of the masks. Other partners on the project included the Cathedral of St. James, Sew Loved Inc., the South Bend Communit y Schools Corporation and The Christ Child Societ y. Anyone interested in helping to make a mask can join the Facebook group, Face Masks for South Bend Students. Volunteering can entail cutting and organizing materials, delivering kits or sew ing. People of all skill levels and genders are welcome. Helping others while

Courtesy of Elizabeth Burman

Elizabeth Burman is working with several friends and organizations to sew nearly 5,000 masks for students in South Bend schools.

helping themselves, Burman ca l led it “m i n ist r y bot h ways.” In a t i me of isolat ion, she sa id, she wa s able to for m a com mu n it y a nd ma ke f r iends w it h people she ha s never met i n person.

“Hav i ng a project l i ke t h is t hat we ca n work on toget her ha s been i mpor ta nt to me, a nd I gat her it ha s been so for t he ot hers,” she sa id. Contact Christopher Parker at cparke22@nd.edu

Sailing Club practices after delay in season By MEGHAN CAPPITELLI News Writer

The Not re Da me Sa i l i ng Club ha s adjusted to new COV ID-19 r u les a nd reg ulat ions, both on and off the boats, and is now setting sail into its third week of practice. As a RecSports-registered team, Sailing Club was not permitted to begin practicing until Sept. 14. In the spirit of safet y, the club took an extra week to dev ise a practice plan that adheres to necessar y health guidelines. This plan includes wearing masks while sailing, staggering entr y to the boathouse area, spray ing dow n the gear and boats post-practice and practicing in eight “pods.” Each pod has 10 members. Senior and v ice commodore Peter Pillari said these measures and the nature of sailing itself allows the team to conduct practice in a safe manner that closely resembles the way in which the team used to practice. “Sailing is a distanced sport inherently because we are all on different boats,” Pillari said. “We are able to get out there and do many of the things we normally would, like teaching new members about sailing.”

MEGHAN CAPPITELLI | The Observer

The Sailing Club was not allowed to start practices until Sept. 14 due to COVID-19 health guidelines. Even though training has resumed, the team is adjusting to new protocols, which include not competing

However, there is one major difference bet ween practices pre-pandemic and practices now, senior and commodore Chloe Frentzel said. “Normally our practices are prett y free-f low ing, and people just come when they are available,” Frentzel said. “This year, because of contact tracing, we have to assign groups and times, so people might not be able to

come four times a week like they usually would.” W hile practices have resumed in a semi-normal way, the team w ill be unable to compete in regattas this semester. For Frentzel and many other team members, not attending regattas is disappointing, as the events are t y pically a team-favorite. “It’s nice to get to see the new sailors at their first

regattas and also host teams here and show them around,” Frentzel said. The club hopes to compete at some point during the year, but at this time continues to adhere to Universit y policies, as well as the policies of other teams in the conference. In the absence of regattas, the club has been making efforts to foster an atmosphere of team bonding in other ways, including

team dinners after practices. Sophomore and v ice captain Hope Gallagher described her favorite aspect of Sailing Club as the communit y, noting that the social part of the club looks a bit different this semester. “A big part of the sailing club is the social piece, and a lot of years we get a handful of social members,” Gallagher said. “We tr y to host team dinners after practice to kind of build up some of those relationships, especially w ith the freshmen.” For Gallagher, the lost opportunit y of sailing in the warmer weather earlier this year was a significant disappointment. “A big bummer of COV ID was that in the time it took to coordinate ever y thing, we lost a lot of time and warm weather,” Gallagher said. “We didn’t get to start until about t wo weeks ago, which is unfortunate since we were here for a good part of August.” As the semester progresses, the Sailing Club hopes to continue practicing and get out on the water as a team. Contact Meghan Cappitelli at mcapitte@nd.edu

W r i t e N e w s . Em a i l us at news@nd smcobser ver.com

News

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020 | The Observer

Raphael Continued from page 1

watches from the side. Rowland cited this work as a representation of how Raphael changed his style of painting. “Raphael figures out that composition is a process of abstraction and the way that he paints changes. You get paintings like ‘Madonna [della seggiola]’ where you can see all of this looks totally lifelike,” Rowland said. Rowland described seeing this painting as “deeply emotional.” “When I first saw this painting, I really just burst into tears,” she said. “It’s so moving and so perfect. But at the same time, on a technical level, he is brilliantly just taking the human body and slightly improving it, making it slightly better than it really is. ... That’s a real master of work. You take reality and you shift it.” Rowland explained the impact Rome had on Raphael. A primary influence was Pope Julius II. Attributable to the Pope’s decision to commission the best artists of the time, Rome was revolutionized in culture, artistic mastery and style. Pope Julius II commissioned Raphael to paint

ELIZABETH PRATER | The Observer

From her house in Rome, architecture professor Ingrid Rowland analyzed Raphael’s painting, “Madonna della seggiola,” as an example of how he altered the composition in his artwork in a virtual lecture hosted by the Nanovic Institute for European Studies on Oct. 6, 2020.

four apartments located in the Vatican Palace. She said Bramante, one of the architects for the Pope, snuck Raphael into the Sistine Chapel to get a sneak peak of Michelangelo’s work before it was officially released. She mentioned this source of competition as an influence in Raphael’s work, alongside the social and political context of Rome during this period. Rowland said that it is evident from some of Raphael’s work that he imitated some of Michelangelo’s work.

“I think [in ‘School of Athens’], Raphael’s saying, ‘I can do those colors. I can do paintings as beautiful as Michelangelo,’” she said. “School of Athens” depicts philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle and even portrays a form of the artist, Raphael, himself. Professor Rowland commented on her emotional connection to “School of Athens.” “The first time I saw this painting in any form was a partial reproduction in a little art book I got for my ninth birthday,” she said. “I love this

painting because I knew what was going on with all the people and knew that they were exactly where they were supposed to be. The fact that Raphael could communicate this to a nine-year-old is an amazing confirmation of his mastery.” Clemens Sedmak, interim director of the Nanovic Institute for European studies, introduced Rowland as a fellow of the Institute for European Studies. “She is a citizen of the world, and specifically, a citizen of Rome. Ingrid writes and

lectures on classic antiquity, the renaissance and the age of the Baroque,” Sedmak said. He said Rowland “has been trained in Classics, Greek Literature, and Classic Archaeology.” Additionally, Sedmak stated that Rowland is a fellow at the American Academy in Rome, the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Scientists and part of a plethora of other organizations. Contact Elizabeth Prater at eprater@nd.edu

FTT chair named 2020 Sheedy Award recipient Observer Staff Report

Dunne Continued from page 1

Eric Schimmel. “Unless otherwise communicated to you directly, Fr. Eric and the entire hall staff will continue to be available to your community virtually,” Tornifolio said. A head staff member — meaning a rector or assistant rector — will conduct rounds in Dunne each evening, from 8 p.m. until the final round after midnight. This head staff member can be found at the front desk of Dunne Hall during this time. A rector from another hall will be on call each evening and overnight “for situations that might warrant an inperson response.” Additionally, a member of the Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) will stay in Dunne from midnight to 6 a.m.

26 as part of the state’s Phase 5 reopening plan. Masks are still mandated in the county until the end of the year and statewide through Oct. 17. Einterz and others including members of the Unified Command team, the country‘s response team to the coronavirus pandemic, discussed options for additional restrictions Monday morning. The Tribune reported Andy Kostielney, president of the county Board of Commissioners, said he asked Einterz to set up a

Students may continue to contact the NDPD at 574-631-5555 and Dunne Hall staff at 574-631-6786 in case of an emergency. “Fr. Kevin Grove and the Deaks remain in residence, and are available to meet with you as usual,” Tornifolio said. Tornifolio said contact tracing did not indicate transmission happened in Dunne Hall. “However, out of an abundance of caution, all Dunne Hall residents willbetestedoverthenextthreedays at the University testing center,” Tornifolio said. Residents will receive further communication regarding testing details via text or email. The only residents who should not report are those currently in isolation or quarantine, have a UHS positive COVID-19 test result within the past three months or were tested at the University testing center on Oct. 2, 3, 4 or 5.

meeting Tuesday between the Unified Command team, South Bend Mayor James Mueller and Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood. State statute empowers the county health officer to close schools, churches and social gatherings, Einterz noted. The Tribune reported COVID-19 hospitalizations were the highest level since late April Friday. Last week, deputy county health officer Dr. Mark Fox said there was no obvious cause of the increase in COVID-19 cases.

Einterz said the health department has begun to issue abatement orders — an official notice telling the establishment steps must be taken to improve conditions — to some bars and nightclubs in the county recently, where officials have found conditions that can further the spread of the virus. Health department inspectors have found “individuals packed shoulder to shoulder and not wearing masks and in violation of the governor’s orders,” Einterz said.

The abatement orders outline the necessary actions and give establishments three days to comply or face closure. Einterz said some requirements such as closing a dance floor would be immediate. “I think there was a misconception on the part of the public and some of the establishment owners and managers that going to Stage 5 meant that ever ything was open and it was business as usual,” Einterz said.

Trader Joe’s to open at Eddy Street Commons Observer Staff Report

Notre Dame is partnering with Kite Realty Group Trust to open a new Trader Joe’s grocery store at Eddy Street Commons, a press release announced Monday. University executive vice president Shannon Cullinan said in the release that the addition of a grocery store was part of the vision of Eddy Street Commons from the beginning. “This vision has been realized with Trader Joe’s, a truly iconic brand in America. We are confident that this

key addition to Eddy Street Commons will be a wonderful resource in many ways for both the campus and broader communities,” Shannon said. Eddy Street Commons, the residential, retail and dining district close to campus, is the result of a 15 year partnership between the University and Kite Realty Group Trust. “We are thrilled about the impending arrival of Trader Joe’s and what it will mean for the community,” Tom McGowan, president and chief operating officer of Kite Realty Group, said.

The press release said several years of focus groups have been wanting to add a small, specialty grocer and even specifically, a Trader Joe’s, for years. Construction is underway and a future opening date will be announced at a later time. Cullinan thanked the city of South Bend, the Notre Dame Trustees, advisory council members and Kite Realty Group Trust for their support. “We are deeply grateful to the Kite team for their tireless efforts in helping us bring Trader Joe’s to the region,” she said.

The observer | Wednesday, october 7, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

I can’t

Inside Column

Gratitude when things aren’t great Stephen Hannon Associate Sports Editor

The pandemic has changed just about every aspect of life at Notre Dame, and it’s easy to get caught up in thinking about how many things are worse now. We can’t visit friends in other dorms, and until recently, we couldn’t even go in the rooms of friends inside our dorms. Online classes make it harder to learn, harder to pay attention and harder to meet new people. Gone are the days of cramming 20 people at the same table in the dining hall or five people at the same pew in Mass, because we don’t want anyone to sit alone. Notre Dame had to back out of hosting the first Presidential debate (although in hindsight, maybe that was for the best). The traditions of football Saturdays, the band, 80,000 screaming fans and turning the parking lots into a mid-size city — no more. I could write 500 words just listing all the things we can do, but I don’t want to dwell on that. That wouldn’t help things. Personally, I have been very fortunate that what I just mentioned is the worst COVID-19 has taken from me, rather than the life of a loved one like hundreds of thousands of people have had to experience. And even in the sadness of opportunities lost, there is a silver lining: a greater appreciation for what I have, and some genuine improvements. So far this semester, I’ve spent much more time outside than in the past, and I have enjoyed the nice weather and our beautiful campus. The atmosphere of South Dining Hall is pretty nice, but nothing beats eating on the Sorin College porch with a perfect view of the Basilica and dome. When we had to pause printing The Observer in the spring, I found myself missing the long nights in the basement of South Dining Hall, working with friends to construct the paper. Now we’re back, and although there are fewer people in the office and wearing a mask for hours on end is uncomfortable, there’s no place I would rather be on a Sunday night. Sorin’s Thursday night Mass and Cheese often attracted dozens of churchgoers, and afterward we would enjoy good mac and cheese and conversation. Now, we can neither serve food nor welcome guests, but we have adapted by live-streaming the Mass over Zoom to allow friends to join in — and family members from back home have started to partake, too, which wouldn’t have been possible before. The University has had to rapidly adapt to the myriad of changes this semester; some of their efforts fell short (such as quarantine and isolation during the initial outbreak), and some were successful (especially the outdoor seating and entertainment options). One particular recent bad example of leadership notwithstanding (you know what I’m talking about), the administration has listened and adjusted and generally done a satisfactory job of giving us a semi-normal college experience. So let us continue to fight for transparency and accountability in our leadership, but the next time you find yourself complaining over a minor inconvenience, take a step back and be grateful for what we have HERE. Contact Stephen Hannon at shannon3@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Andrew Sveda Church and State

If you had 60 seconds to deliver a message to the entire world, what would you say? This was the premise of an international competition last May. I thought about entering it, but I just couldn’t find the words. I thought of all the one-liners and words of encouragement I’ve heard since March, and then it hit me: We’re talking about COVID all wrong. Think about every motivational speech you’ve heard the past seven months. They all seem, more or less, to be variations of “we will get through this and be stronger and more united than ever before” or “this will pass and things will get back to normal.” These words are supposed to comfort us in the difficult times we’re in. But they don’t, or at least shouldn’t. Part of me really wonders if anyone believes we will actually be stronger and more united because of the pandemic. After all we‘ve seen in the past few months — from riots and political animosity to people literally fighting in grocery stores over food and parking spaces — we know deep down that these are nothing but hollow and unfeeling words. The problem, it seems, is that our culture today can’t deal with any admission of weakness. See how the phrases are worded. They offer no words of hope for the dark times at all but merely skip over the present and put all their hope into a hazy future. Indeed, they act as if everything will be “OK” once a vaccine is developed and the restrictions are lifted, as if we were perfectly fine before the pandemic and that once we just “get through this,” we’ll finally be “OK.” We all know what a lie this is, but it seems we’re so desperate to pretend we’re always happy that we’ve become unable or unwilling to admit that we’re not. We know that the vaccine will not solve our deepest troubles, but we cling to it because all the other things we run after, even if they were enjoyable for a time, have left us utterly empty inside. Not knowing where to turn, we act like these things — whether it’s our grades, our internship and job prospects, our physical fitness, our appearance, finally finding the “perfect” boyfriend or girlfriend or something else — will make us happy because it seems to make everyone else happy. In the back of our minds resides the heart of our fear, something we would never ever admit: the creeping suspicion that the things we’ve been told will finally give us rest and fulfillment are not, in the words of Dane Ortlund, “saviors“ at all but are “masters” that “will neither forgive you if you fail them nor satisfy you if you get them.” So we find ourselves running. Some of us never stop. We are like Leonardo DiCaprio’s character in “Catch Me if You Can,” always afraid of being found out, constantly terrified that the searchlight will one day

shine upon us and we will be exposed for not being as smart or as kind as our carefully crafted public image suggests. But to stop here, to simply say “it’s okay to not be okay” or “everyone is feeling the same thing” and nothing else, is the greatest tragedy of all. It is to say: “Yeah, everyone else has the same problems. We don’t have the answer either, but you’re in good company.” This is like someone saying to you on a sinking ship that even though you don’t have a seat on a lifeboat, they don’t either so there’s no need to worry. This makes me feel even more lost. I don’t want solidarity in misery. I want answers! I want life! But with all the self-help books and meditation apps, we know deep down that they won’t work, at least not for long. We know we can’t find the answer within ourselves. In the words of one preacher, “a man who is drowning doesn’t need faith in himself, he needs a lifesaver. A condemned man walking to the electric chair doesn’t need faith in himself, he needs forgiveness. A man lost in the jungle doesn’t need faith in himself, he needs to know the way out.” We’ve been chasing after two things all our life: the desire to be fully known and fully loved, and there is only one place where our heart’s yearnings find their fulfillment, and that is in Jesus Christ. To accept the Cross is to admit that you don’t have it together, that there’s something wrong with you and that you can’t fix it. But it also provides the answer: the atonement, redemption and love that we so desperately need and desire. God is able to forgive you, not because He doesn’t know what you’ve done (He knows that full well), but because of what He has done for you and for me. He sees all of it — and it is because He sees it that He went to the Cross for you. Religion says “you must do this and that before I can accept you.” Christ alone says “This is my body given for you … ” (Luke 22:19). In Him, we are fully known and fully loved. In Him, we find the answer. To those empty, to those tired of running and faking it, to those desiring the Truth, forgiveness and hope, God’s word calls out to us right where we are: “the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned” (Matthew 4:16; cf. Isaiah 9:2). This is something no one, no election, no pandemic can take away from you and that nothing else can give you. We cannot earn this, yet it is presented to each and every one of us. You must either accept or reject Him. There is no middle option. Andrew Sveda is a sophomore at Notre Dame from Pittsburgh majoring in political science. In his free time, he enjoys writing (obviously), reading and playing the piano. He can be reached at asveda@nd.edu or @SvedaAndrew on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com

The observer | Wednesday, october 7, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Do more to combat climate change Lucie Kniep BridgeND

Two and a half weeks ago, Metronome’s 62-footwide clock face was doing the same thing it had done every day in New York’s Union Square for more than 20 years: telling the time. Now, it continues to do the same, but the numbers have changed. A few moments ago, the clock read 7 087 15 30 03. Seven years, 87 days, 15 hours, 30 minutes and three seconds until we must achieve zero emissions, according to calculations by the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate change. Inspired by the online Doomsday Clock, the initiative aims to “remind the world every day just how perilously close we are to the brink,” says Stephen Ross, chairman of Related Companies, the developer that owns One Union Square South. This latest climate clock erected in New York, and other symbolic messages that undercut even the most valiant of efforts by policymakers and interest groups to develop solutions to mitigate climate change … These are all testament to the urgency of the climate situation and are a reminder that we cannot afford to fail. Thus, internally I commend those policymakers and officials who have channeled every ounce of their diplomatic and strategic prowess into negotiating treaties, agreements and policies, for though their efforts be insufficient, they manage to effect change despite the weight of millions resting on their shoulders, a weight none of us critical and high-minded citizens can claim to have born. Yet externally, I will continue to ask for the impossible from our leaders. Because the minute we back off, the minute we display complacency, is the minute we cease putting pressure on policymakers.

That is the minute we fail. Though current measures such as the Paris Agreement are insufficient to effectively combat climate change, they do reflect a level of decisionmaking that approaches global unification to care for citizens and the environment. There is a level of cosmopolitanism that is beginning to be recognized as essential on the international stage. What can be done at present, given the current circumstances, political climate and players at hand? What policies or measures should be the next ones in the global fight against climate change? What is the right line to walk between ambitious and feasible? As a leader in democratic efforts around the world, the United States has a responsibility atop the international stage to serve as a paradigm of sustainable efforts. We cannot continue to promote a standard of living that is contingent of the inability of millions to reach it. We must follow the successes of countries like Sweden, which has developed innovative solutions from waste-fueled heat and power plants, to low carbon usage and cars fueled by renewable biogas. It has ambitious goals embedded in its climate policy framework. It aims to achieve net zero GHG emissions by 2045 and a 70% reduction of domestic transport emissions by 2030. Present and future administrations are required to set long-term goals to reduce emissions. Initial diplomatic steps must go beyond a reentry into the Paris Agreement. The United States must also demonstrate its commitment to holding the GHG-induced increase in temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius and pursuing efforts to limit increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. It is imperative that temperature increase be kept at a minimum to give the highest chance at a sustainable future, both for the United States and for the world.

Those responsible for higher percentages of the accumulation of atmospheric GHGs that threaten the livelihoods of billions must take the largest steps to reduce their environmental impact. Further, developed states with higher economic stability should view it in their best interests to contribute to funding for developing states to implement mitigation measures. The United States falls into both of these categories. It should respond to efforts like China’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 and prove to its people, and to the world, that it recognizes the importance of its role in the climate crisis. No policy initiative is straightforward nowadays. What I suggest may seem impossible to many. But a few days ago I had the pleasure of speaking to Sarada Peri, former senior speechwriter to President Barack Obama and founder of Peri Communications. On speaking of the challenges of diplomatic efforts, she made a point that sticks between the eyes. The essence of it was this: As a policymaker you can either increase the level of political consensus to a higher ambition or you can lower your ambitions to meet a lower level of political consensus. This is a challenge. You can let that make you cynical or you can let that motivate you to find a solution. Lucie Kniep is a junior at Notre Dame. BridgeND is a multi-partisan political club committed to bridging the partisan divide through respectful and productive discourse. It meets on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. in the McNeill Room of LaFortune Student Center to learn about and discuss current political issues and can be reached at bridgend@nd.edu or on Twitter @bridge_ND The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Letter to the editor

Why was he there? This letter is not about University President Fr. John Jenkins’ behavior at the White House last weekend when he attended President Donald Trump’s announcement of the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the Supreme Court seat of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Instead, it is about a question that has been lost in all the noise about that event. Namely, just what was Jenkins doing there in the first place? Whatever the merits of Barrett’s nomination, trying to fill this seat less than a month before a consequential national election is improper, contrary to recent precedent, and opposed by a majority of the American people. Yet there was a smiling Jenkins in the Rose Garden, giving the imprimatur of the University to the nomination of a judge who, by her own admission, would do away with the Affordable Care Act, reasonable restrictions on the sale of military-style weapons designed solely to kill human beings and protections for immigrants and those who seek asylum. Other than rightfully protecting the rights of the unborn, it is hard to see how Barrett would promote the teachings of Church leaders or advance the cause of Catholic Social Doctrine — which, among other things, declares health care to be a fundamental human right, condemns any use of torture, deems draconian restrictions at our border to be immoral, calls for a total ban on assault weapons,

considers unions to be an indispensable element of social life, and demands an end to the death penalty. Do those things, and the way Barrett would likely rule in cases concerning them, not matter to Jenkins? Or was the allure of hob-nobbing with the politically powerful simply irresistible? If Notre Dame wanted to honor a law school professor being nominated to the high court, issue a statement from South Bend that says we are proud of her and wish her well. But why fly to Washington and attend what was effectively a GOP campaign event, giving the unmistakable impression that the University wholeheartedly endorses this judge’s nomination and views? And now that Jenkins has returned to campus with the virus, his presence and irresponsible behavior is national news, bringing further embarrassment to Notre Dame. Here, one might expect me to shout the equivalent of “Cancel my subscription!” and sever my ties to the University. But I am not going to do that. First, I am a Notre Dame guy. I went to Notre Dame; my wife went to Notre Dame; we got married at Notre Dame; both of my kids recently graduated from Notre Dame. Almost 40 years ago, I met young men and women who, like me, were tentatively exploring what it meant to be their own persons in this often indifferent world and with whom, now decades later, I remain close friends. I was challenged intellectually, emotionally and spiritually at Notre Dame, and

the lessons I learned there have shaped who I am today. Second, this University is as much mine as it is those who would co-opt it on behalf of the Republican Party, something we veered dangerously close to last weekend. Contrary to what Fox News says, American Catholics are not a one-issue voting bloc in which being against abortion is all that matters and absolves one of thinking about what other policy positions an allegedly pro-life politician holds. The richness of Catholic thought and the lived-in experience of lay Catholics make that impossible, as Pope Francis has repeatedly reminded us. Fr. Ted Hesburgh didn’t fight for 35 years on behalf of the GOP. Instead, he fought to make this University the place where the Church came to think — clearly, honestly, humbly and without seeking political favor. So I and others like me will do our best to wait for an administration worthy of Hesburgh’s legacy. Sadly, that it didn’t come last weekend doesn’t surprise me — nor will it deter me. I hope Jenkins makes a full and speedy recovery. I also hope he declines further invitations to make himself, and the University he leads, props in political charades, whatever their stripe. Sincerely, Tom Szromba class of 1987 Oct. 4

The observer | wednesday, october 7, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Jenkins should still resign Ashton Weber Living Relig-ish

Hello, again! W hat a strange (and maddening) few weeks it has been since you last heard from me. It all started on Saturday, Sept. 26, when University President Fr. John Jenkins attended the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. The event was held in the Rose Garden of the W hite House, with over 200 individuals in attendance, many of whom neglected to wear masks and maintain physical distancing. Like many other students, I was immediately angered by Fr. Jenkins’ deliberate disregard for the agreement our campus community has made to follow safety guidelines at all times. As this was his second public ignorance of COV ID policies and the second time we were emailed with a now-empty promise to do better, some friends and I decided we needed to take action immediately and drafted a resolution to the student senate, calling for Fr. Jenkins’ immediate resignation. Within 24 hours, we had more than the required 200 signatures to bring a student resolution to the senate. I’ll spare the rest of the dramatic details, as you can read them reported here, but our resolution was voted down on Thursday evening. The next morning, I woke up to the news that the U.S. president had tested positive for the virus and, hours after that, the student body was alerted that Fr. Jenkins was COV ID-positive as well. Throughout the rest of the day, several other public figures who had been in the Rose Garden also began to test positive for COV ID-19. Almost immediately, I received messages from news outlets asking for comment on Jenkins’ positive test. As one of the students who had been fervently calling for Jenkins’ resignation, did his diagnosis change my position? No. In fact, Jenkins’ diagnosis strengthened my belief that he should resign. On Twitter, one of my classmates made the point that there are only three possible ways Fr. Jenkins could have

contracted the virus. He either had it before the nomination and received a false negative rapid test upon entry, caught COV ID at the nomination because someone else received a false negative test upon entry or contracted the virus in the time during or immediately following his travel back to South Bend. The implications of each scenario are different, but all demonstrate a clear failure of leadership on Jenkins’ part. If he or someone else present received a false negative test, the fact that rapid testing is highly ineffective is anecdotally validated. This explains precisely why Jenkins should have been wearing a mask in the Rose Garden and why his apolog y email to students, in which he spent an entire paragraph explaining how his quarantine would be a mere formality, fell short. If he contracted the virus upon his return to South Bend, it may suggest that he did not enter quarantine immediately, as his email declared. In the initial email response, Jenkins’ rhetoric appeared to suggest that, while he regretted his actions, he was not truly sorry for them. As I mentioned earlier, much of the email implied that there was an overreaction on the campus community’s part for expressing disapproval of his attendance. He wrote of how important his attending the nomination was and shared many details about the testing process he was subjected to. Clearly Jenkins felt safe in the environment, but this does not excuse his decision not to wear a mask. He was pictured sitting next to Marcus Cole, Dean of the Notre Dame Law school, who was wearing one. This means that Jenkins had an example of how a good leader may behave seated next to him and still concluded that he was beyond the rules he has asked the rest of the campus community to follow. This whole scenario evokes memories of Jenkins’ Op-ed in the New York Times on May 26. He wrote extensively about how his Catholic education has taught him the value of courage and moral strength amid adversity. He explained that, in reopening Notre Dame, we could prove these qualities to the rest of the world. As a lifelong attendee of Catholic school myself, I found the lessons he gleaned from Catholic education to stand

in direct opposition with the things I was taught. My Catholic education taught me that noble risks are those which may cause one to lose wealth, popularity or status for the sake of those most in danger. To be a good leader is not to follow the crowd. It is not to travel to the W hite House against your own ban on unnecessary travel. It is not to sit maskless in a crowd of over 200 on national television, amid a global pandemic, especially when you have asked your community to limit themselves to gatherings of under 20. To be a leader is to do the unpopular thing that keeps people safe. Fr. Jenkins has brought national scrutiny upon our school and failed to demonstrate effective leadership. If he wishes to be a true leader, he will recognize that he is no longer the right person to guide our University through this academic year. If he wishes to be a true leader, he will resign. W hen we met with the student senate Thursday evening, they seemed to disagree with resignation as the proper call to action because, as many of them noted, testing protocols were in place to keep Jenkins safe at the W hite House gathering. W hile his diagnosis is unfortunate and I hope for his full recovery, it proves that there is really no way to know what is safe in this current climate. As Fr. Jenkins was quoted in the email announcing his diagnosis, “The positive test is a reminder for me and perhaps for all of how vigilant we need to be.” Our campus community deserves a leader who is vigilant amid a global pandemic before it personally affects them, not someone who becomes more vigilant only after they fall ill. I hope we start receiving our emails from this leader soon. Ashton Weber is a junior with lots of opinions. She is an econ major with a minor in sociology and she can often be found with her nose in a book. If you want to chat about intersectional feminism, baking blueberry scones, growing ZZ plants or anything else, she’d love to hear from you. Reach Ashton at aweber22@nd.edu or @awebz01 on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Jumping the shark Ella Wisniewski Consider This

“Jumping the shark” describes the moment when a piece of media, usually a long-running telev ision series, gets completely derailed from its original content. The show usually gets gimmick y and overdone, experiences a drastic drop in qualit y and essentially becomes a shell of its former self. Jon Hein, radio personalit y and creator of the now-defunct JumpTheShark.com, described the phenomenon as the “defining moment when you know from now on … it’s all dow nhill … it w ill never be the same.” The phrase gets its name from the episode of “Happy Days” where Fonzie literally jumps over a shark while water-skiing, and other examples include “Friends” when Joey and Rachel start dating, “The Office” after Michael Scott left or “How I Met Your Mother” when they introduced Zoey (though that stor y arc did bless us w ith Kyle MacLachlan). A ll this to say: Fall 2020 at Notre Dame has unequivocally jumped the shark. I mean, what are the w riters doing? We’re way past believable now. They threw a giant cur veball at us last season, introducing COV ID-19 and sending all the students home. That was a bold choice to make, but it somehow paid off when we

were renewed for another season back in May. This was the w riters’ chance to get back on track — and they totally blew it. The season started out decently strong, though there were a few odd choices made right from the start, like hav ing the football team join the ACC for the year and discontinuing fan-favorite character Muffet McGraw. The HERE campaign was a good v isual gag for a few episodes, and then they had that whole case spike stor y arc, which was a good source of tension, if not a little predictable. After that was resolved, the semester almost seemed to feel familiar again. Football games started up. They brought in Librar y Law n, arguably the best new set piece since they built Pizza Pi. There were even some interesting B-plots: an outbreak in Zahm House, a controversy in the student senate and the introduction of the SDH bees (talk about a literal bee plot). However, the w riters didn’t stay on track for long. They ventured dangerously into sharkjumping territor y when a law professor from Notre Dame got nominated to the Supreme Court, which was already a little out there for this semester. They strapped on their waterskis after Universit y President Fr. John Jenkins sparked controversy by attending the nomination ceremony w ithout wearing a mask. And

then, the moment came — Jenkins tested positive for the coronav irus. We didn’t just jump that shark, we did a 360º backf lip over it. My complaint? It’s just not plausible. The Universit y president blatantly def y ing his ow n regulations and then actually contracting COV ID-19? It’s tack y. It’s bad w riting. It doesn’t go at all w ith the themes of the season that the w riters have been pushing, not to mention that it essentially re-hashes a plot from earlier on in the season. This just doesn’t make sense, you guys ! Writers of ND Fall 2020, I implore you — come back from this. Give us a break. Bring back other fan-favorites — might I suggest hav ing Fr. Pete McCormick guest-star for a few episodes or bringing back the Cafe de Grasta set? We just want some good, old-fashioned, believable plots. Film a bottle episode about students waiting in LaFun for their Subway to be ready. Have a socially-distant, quarantine-themed SY R. W hatever you do, just make it conv incing. Is that too much to ask? Ella Wisniewski is a junior studying English and economics. She tries her best not to take herself too seriously. You can reach her at ewisnie2@nd.edu or @ellawisn on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

By RYAN ISRAEL Scene Editor

The weather is changing and so should your wardrobe. Scene’s men’s fall style guide has tips and recommendations on how to get through the season without looking like a fool. Gentlemen, this is your blueprint — do with it what you will. Don’t underestimate the number of sweatshirts that you’ll need. In the summer, if you have 10 t-shirts, you can wear a different shirt every day for 10 days. But in the fall, when it’s too cold to wear a shirt and not cold enough to level up to the winter jacket if you have five sweatshirts, you’re limited to five choices, and that can get old quick. It’s simple math. The thrift store is always a good solution. You can pick up two or three solid crewneck sweatshirts for cheap and add them to the rotation. Mix in other pieces too, like a simple shirt jacket, fleece or flannel, a fall style staple. Flannels work great for layering too — which if you don’t know about yet, you should learn about now. Hoodie sweatshirts, on the comeback after the crewneck’s dominance for the last five years, combined with a flannel over them are a combination that works easily — as long as you can color coordinate. The simpler the better when it comes to autumn colors, mix in some dark oranges, greens and browns with the basic blacks and blues. Lastly, when it rains, it pours. Secure a versatile rain jacket and rainy days become an opportunity

By AIDAN O’MALLEY Scene Writer

Dick Johnson is dead. Well, sort of. Not really. The 86-year-old psychologist is still kicking but with a little less verve than usual. He’s scheduling different clients at the same time, asking the same questions only minutes apart and just the other day, he drove through a construction site on four flat tires. Like his late wife, he is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Dick’s daughter, Kirsten, is worried about him. She saw how the disease affected her mother; it was a “long goodbye,” as Dick himself put it. “Just the idea that I might ever lose this man,” Kirsten says, “is too much to bear.” So, she finds a creative way to cope — directing a documentary. But “Dick Johnson Is Dead” is no ordinary documentary. A celebrated cinematographer, Kirsten turns to the magic of the movies to contextualize the fear she is feeling. With Dick’s enthusiastic blessing, Kirsten hires a professional stunt crew and special effects team to imagine every way that Dick Johnson might die. In one scene, he’s hit by a loose AC unit. In another, he’s smacked by a big, wooden board. And in another still, he trips down the stairs. With fake blood pooling around his head, Kirsten directs: “Can you just, like, put one arm up against the wall? Yeah, that’s nice.” “Dick Johnson Is Dead” is a kind of contradiction. It’s a morbid movie, but never morose; it’s charming,

to flex a fire fit. The brands you need to know to cop some next level outerwear: Bode’s fall line is inspired, a back-to-basics collection of handmade pieces that are genuinely cool and hopefully signal a new direction for fashion. Brain Dead has a number of fleeces worth your attention, including this green, spray-painted “polo fleece,” and a number of sweatshirts with attention-grabbing graphics. Speaking of attention-grabbing graphics, Online Ceramics continues to stay at the forefront of new-age hippie collaborations with some Grateful Dead shirts and sweaters among other things, and Levi’s new vintage line, an “an ode to the underground of Reagan’s America,” is a good look from the big name brand. The lowdown on below the waist is fairly simple: If the temperature is below 60 degrees, shorts are an absolute no-go — and even that’s stretching it. When the weather’s in the 60s, a pair of baggies — pick your brand among L.L. Bean, Patagonia, Big Dog or any other — or monochromatic workout shorts — think Lululemon, athleisure — can be paired with a sweatshirt for the much-hyped sweatshirt and shorts combination. But the thing is, there won’t be many days that warm, so get together a collection of pants that’ll last till April and don’t be “that guy” who’s wearing battered gym shorts in November because he “doesn’t feel the cold.” Jeans, khakis and corduroy pants are all viable options for fall dressin’ — pick your favorite and do the research or visit a tailor to make sure they fit. Sweatpants aren’t

totally taboo, just avoid pajama pants and the boring, basic, baggy greys — unless you’re going normcore, in which case, tuck them into your white mid-calf socks and rock out. The brands you need to know to keep your legs covered in style are too numerous to list. Todd Snyder has a variety of styles in a variety of colors; Adriano Goldschmied has denim and more; and Tory Van Thompson makes a fire pant that combines two pairs of Dickies into one. Regarding shoes, the standout option for fall weather is a solid pair of boots. Duck boots have been all the rage for the past few years and for good reason: They’re practical and well made. More than anything though, their color scheme — tan, brown, navy blue — is perfect for autumn. Beyond the duck, Chelsea boots are a reasonable option for when you need to dress a little more formally. The collaboration between fashion podcasters Throwing Fits and shoe brand Diemme combines the duck and the Chelsea for a surprisingly successful boot. It’s tragically sold out, but some similarly stylish boots are out there at staples Dr. Marten and Sorel. The final note is this: Develop your own style. Use these tips as a starting point but not as a Bible. Take pride in your outfits, your outward presentations to the world, your one of many chances to use consumerism to express and define yourself. And don’t be boring.

celebratory, yet heartbreaking and sad. Johnson — as in Kirsten — wades into tricky tonal waters, but it doesn’t take long for you to realize she knows how to swim. The film effortlessly dances between slapstick and sorrow, and the grace with which Johnson threads the needle only reaffirms her arrival as one of the most perceptive documentarians working today. “Dick Johnson Is Dead” is just as much about death as it is about the brilliant joys of life. Before becoming a director in her own right, Johnson established herself as a leading cinematographer in the documentary sphere, photographing the films of Michael Moore (“Fahrenheit 9/11”), Kirby Dick (“Derrida”) and Laura Poitras (“Citizenfour”). In 2016, she made her directorial debut with “Cameraperson,” a collage-type documentary that transformed her footage from decades of work across the continents into a personal memoir crossed with a manifesto on the art of documentary filmmaking. It opened to immense acclaim, just recently inducted into the Criterion Collection. Kirsten’s creativity is on full display in “Dick Johnson Is Dead.” Instead of using intertitles or static, on-screen text, Johnson incorporates what clarifying context is needed into the actual environment of the film, including paperweights, airplane banners and the noodles in alphabet soup. And in addition to Dick’s elaborate executions, Johnson stages her own vision of heaven, complete with confetti and black-andwhite cutouts of Dick’s many heroes and loved ones. These fictionalized elements enliven the film’s reserved, real-life

moments, such as a sobering visit to the doctor’s office or a tender conversation between a daughter and her dad. 2020 — for reasons outside of its control — has been a garbage year at the movies. Can I even say that phrase anymore? Does “at the movies” even exist? It feels like forever since I last wrote a positive review, so for that reason alone “Dick Johnson Is Dead” was worth the watch. But even for those who don’t feel the need to transcribe their every waking thought, “Dick Johnson Is Dead” is another exciting addition to Netflix’s documentary catalog, right alongside “Athlete A,” “Crip Camp” and “Disclosure.” It’s a life-affirming film about death, a coping mechanism turned celebration. More than anything, it’s an enduring cinematic monument to an ordinary man. Dick Johnson is dead? No, Dick Johnson is immortal.

Contact Ryan Israel at risrael1@nd.edu

Contact Aidan O’Malley at aomalle2@nd.edu

“Dick Johnson Is Dead” Director: Kristen Johnson Starring: Dick Johnson, Kirsten Johnson If You Liked: “Cameraperson,” “The Act of Killing”

ELLIS RIOJAS | The Observer

The observer | Wednesday, October 7, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

By JAKE WINNINGHAM Associate Scene Editor

A half-century after its release, Mart Crowley’s “The Boys in the Band” plays on. Super-producer Ryan Murphy and director Joe Mantello bring their 50th-anniversary Broadway revival of the landmark play to Netflix, retaining all of its original poison and potency while adding a visual dynamism not present in either the stage productions or William Friedkin’s 1970 film adaptation. Since its off-Broadway premiere in 1968, “The Boys in the Band” has seen its critical and public acclaim fluctuate. Initially a word-of-mouth success, it soon became viewed as a relic of a rougher, more problematic time before settling into its current status as a watershed moment in gay representation. Created with an entirely-out cast and above-theline crew, the 2020 version of “Boys” at once looks back to the uncertainty of its conception and revels in the modern freedoms that allow a group of gay men to tell their chosen story on a scale that would have been unthinkable even a decade ago. Part of what drove conservative audiences away from “Boys” is the unadorned nastiness of its plot: Michael, a lapsed Catholic and failed teetotaler, invites a group of friends to his Upper East Side apartment for a birthday celebration. The coterie is made up of former lovers and permanent rivals, all arriving with a gift and their own baggage. Michael, as we’ll come to find out, is more interested in the latter. Tensions rise thanks to the intrusion of two unexpected guests: Cowboy, a beautiful hustler hired as entertainment, and Alan, Michael’s straight-laced (and straight-presenting) college roommate who shows up in a state of emotional distress and is only furthered disturbed by the open homosexuality of Michael’s friends. As booze flows and punches fly, Michael devises a “game” of unflinching cruelty: Each man must call one person he has loved and admit to them how they feel. Each subsequent call unearths pain these men had buried away, reaching out to childhood crushes and unrequited loves only to relive the

By WILLOUGHBY THOM Scene Writer

You’re all invited to The Nude Party! The New York-based band’s sophomore album, “Midnight Manor,” is a reincarnation of the Velvet Underground sprinkled with Mick Jagger’s swagger. The six-piece group, which consists of a mix of childhood friends and stepsiblings who escaped boredom by learning how to play instruments, was formed in 2012 at an Appalachian State University dormitory. The group is composed of Patton Magee as lead vocalist and guitarist, Shaun Couture on lead guitar, Don Merrill on the organ, Alec Castillo on the bass, Austin Brose as percussionist and Connor Mikita on the drums. Soon after their formation, the six of them decided to move in together and begin creating music. During their time in their off-campus house, they would practice in the basement and throw parties while playing in the nude, earning themselves the local reputation of being the naked party band. Even though they are no longer playing in their birthday suits, they still proudly hold the title of The Nude

rejection of years past. At once, their trauma is personal and universal. The specifics of each man’s past may change, but the unique agony of a closeted man grasping out for a lifeline carries through every story. That it is a gay man inflicting this torment on each member of the group isn’t lost on Crowley and Mantello. For a generation raised on “Queer Eye” and RuPaul, “Boys” may seem so ugly as to be alien. Hollywood audiences are used to seeing gay characters either in oppressed pain or flamboyant joy — as genuinely great as each movie is, films like “Brokeback Mountain” or “The Birdcage” aren’t exactly revolutionary. Conversely, those same Hollywood audiences aren’t so used to seeing pain doled out to one gay man from another, to say nothing of the mirth which with Michael hurts his ostensible friends. Rather than shy away from the acid coursing through the script, Mantello embraces it, emphasizing each heartbreak as it comes. Michael’s apartment, where most of the play takes place, is initially presented as a safe space before revealing itself to be just as inhospitable as the world outside of it. Prior to their arrival, each man is shown going about his dayto-day life: playing squash, riding the subway and working 9-to-5 jobs. Here, we see how they choose to “pass” as straight (or, for a few characters, choose not to) prior to showing up to a place where they think they can be themselves. Michael’s apartment is no haven, however; even the film’s few moments of true glee end up having the wind knocked out of them. An early dance routine to Martha and the Vandellas’ “Heatwave” is the closest the movie comes to being comfortable in its own skin.Much like Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” an obvious influence on Crowley, “Boys” positions its set as a stage where the characters perform for each other just as much as the actors perform for the audience. Every phone call leads into a filmed flashback to the encounters that inspired it. These addendum scenes are the closest the film comes to visual poetry, conveying the pain and the potency of a stolen glance or a forgotten tryst. Nearly every performer finds space to shine here; real-life couple Tuc Watkins and Andrew Rannells alternate between

being loving and caustic as a bickering pair of lovers debating the merits of monogamy, while, as the only two people of color on-screen, Michael Benjamin Washington and Robin de Jesus form a tense rapport. As birthday guest Harold, Zachary Quinto leans too far into the remove that made him a perfect Spock; one gets the sense that Quinto mistakenly believes you have to fall asleep if you want to come across as dreamy. The “Big Bang Theory” star is nothing short of phenomenal, vitriolic and commanding without losing sight of the intense self-hatred that forms the bedrock of Michael’s personality. His late-film trip to a midnight Mass is a high point for actor and movie alike; ever the lapsed Catholic, Michael’s last-ditch attempt to atone for all the pain he caused gives Parsons the opportunity to silently judge himself, doing more with a furrowed brow and clasped hands than most actors can do with a full script. “Boys in the Band” is a vicious, seething laceration of a film. The pain at the heart of the play hasn’t dulled in the interlude since its writing; if anything, it’s grown more intense, with the audience’s creeping realization that some (if not most) of these characters would be dead 20 years later from a virus ravaging their community. Indeed, the director and half the cast of the original 1968 production died of AIDS or of complications from HIV; rather than cast a pall over the film, however, the promise of the mourning to come only strengthens the bond between the men at its heart, however tenuous their connections may be. The ugliness of “Boys” doesn’t hamper the incredibly human heart at its core, but instead forces the audience to confront our own prejudices and how we treat those we love the most. “If we could just learn not to hate ourselves quite so very much …“ Michael trails off at the end of the film. Crowley left that thought unfinished in his original script; with their definitive adaptation, Mantello and Murphy have finally created the painful, essential closing that the line demands.

Party. The Nude Party released their first, self-titled album in 2018, and it was a prime example of the new reviving the old. Magee’s Lou Reed style of vocalization, the band’s very ’60s sound and the southern twang of the steel pedal guitar combine to form a sound which was once forgotten. It was an extraordinary experience. Unfortunately, the sparkle has dimmed. The Nude Party’s new album, “Midnight Manor,” was a bit disappointing, to say the least. The album was predictable, and we already know the band is heavily influence by the ’60s. What made their 2018 album so great was their unspoken homage to their heroes and inspirations — “Midnight Manor” is lacking just that. This recent release may contain a number of extremely catchy tracks, but it’s desperately missing the creativity and personality which we were all hoping it would achieve. No one wants the band’s sound to be radically altered, but the issue lies in the album’s lack of uniqueness. Unfortunately, it sounds as if they are trying to imitate their idols. By their sophomore album, the band should have evolved away from those

tendencies. Putting aside the obvious absence of creativity in “Midnight Manor,” they can still put together one of the best live performances I have ever seen. Each member brings their own personality and energy to the stage. At one moment you may be watching Alec Castillo on the bass wiggling, and then Austin Brose might catch your eye as he bangs on the bongos. The band isn’t suffering from a lack of energy; I’m just wondering where all that energy went in the making of this album.

Contact Jake Winningham at jwinning@nd.edu

Contact Willoughby Thom at wthom@nd.edu

“Midnight Manor” The Nude Party If you like: The Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones and Black Lips Favorite Tracks: “Pardon Me, Satan” and “Thirsty Drinking Blues”

MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer

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ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020 | The Observer

Crossword | Andrea Carla Michaels

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Take more time to do things that make you happy. Discuss your intentions with the people you want to be involved in your plans. Look for viable solutions that will help you dismiss situations you no longer want to have as burdens. Concentrate on learning, discovering and enjoying enlightenment. Take action, and make changes to the way you handle and earn money. Your numbers are 8, 13, 23, 28, 31, 38, 47. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Consider what you’ve been doing to earn your keep and how you can adjust your daily routine to suit your needs. Striving for a healthier, happier lifestyle will ease stress and bring you closer to someone who shares your values. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Safe socializing will be a must if you want to maintain good health. Physical improvements will lift your spirits and prompt someone you love to notice. Romance is in the stars and will lead to talks about intentions and long-term plans. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Avoid getting into a standoff with someone you love. Listen, and look for solutions that will not jeopardize a meaningful relationship or your integrity. Channel your energy into creative ideas and pastimes. Don’t do anything for people who won’t do it for themselves. CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Don’t react irrationally regarding something you cannot change. Look for the positive in whatever situation you face, and you’ll come up with a workable solution that will encourage you to look, be and do your best. Romance is encouraged. LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Calm down, stay focused and avoid emotional confrontations. Don’t feel you have to get involved in other people’s melodramas. Consider what’s best for you and how to use your skills to get ahead. Channel your anger and frustration into achievement. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Put emotional matters aside, and focus on whatever brings the highest return. Use your intelligence to come up with a unique way to use your skills to improve your personal and professional life. Romance will encourage a positive lifestyle change. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Uncertainty at home will change the way you live and how you do things. Be balanced. Address shared expenses to maintain equality. Pulling your weight will make a difference in the way others treat you. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Emotional spending will lead to trouble. Don’t subject yourself to individuals who have not been social distancing. A change regarding how you take care of your responsibilities will affect your income. Love yourself. Be proactive, and suggest alternatives that are just as efficient. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): An emotional situation will surface if someone challenges your beliefs and values. Listen carefully, but don’t reveal your opinion. It’s best to keep the peace and go about your business. Silence is golden and will help you avoid interference. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A change you make will upset someone, but it will be beneficial. Offer compensation for what someone has to give up so you can get your way. Maintaining equality will encourage a better relationship as you move forward. AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take care of your home, family and yourself. Rest, proper diet and exercise will help you stay healthy. Refuse to let a change someone puts into play cause stress and anxiety. Do your own thing, and focus on self-improvement. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Emotional upset will interfere with your productivity if you give in to someone’s manipulative tactics. Make changes that suit your needs and help you protect your position, reputation and financial security. Money or a gift is heading your way. Birthday Baby: You are sensitive, helpful and curious. You are generous and persevering.

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The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Sports Authority

The case for Jimmy Garoppolo

To Cam Newton, with hope Mannion McGinley Sports Writer

Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Oct. 6. Dear Mr. Newton, Welcome to New England. You’re much closer to my home right now than I am, but let me just say thank you for being there. You’ve brought new life to the quarterback position at Gillette Stadium and I could not be more grateful, nor could Foxborough. While I should’ve known more, I admit that anytime your name came up before you arrived, I could see in my head two things. I’d see your impeccable game day outfits, and I’d see the Panther’s Super Bowl L entrance including Steph Curry and the drum. Then the announcement came: Cam Newton was going to replace Tom Brady. First emotion: hesitant. You had just been injured and had been sidelined for the season after two losses. That wasn’t exactly promising, but the struggle was mainly due to the pain in your foot according to CBS Sports so that was understandable. Second emotion: relief. As much as I love Jarrett Stidham, none of us were sure how long he had been in on Brady’s decision to leave. We know he had been training under Brady for a long while, but was he briefed? Was he ready to be a starter? Would he ever be? These weren’t questions of doubt but instead, sheer wonderings. How much had Belichick filled him in? Could he handle it — did we have any full proof outside of a solemn claim from Belichick that he could? I much preferred that we had you coming in, a household name with an appearance in a Super Bowl under his belt even if it wasn’t a win. You knew what it meant to get there, and that’s what

Belichick’s Patriots have been all about. Third emotion: excitement. In the last three seasons, the team has changed immensely. Gronk left, followed by a good portion of the defense and, the next year, Brady. I applaud how well you have adjusted, with 149 rushing yards in three games — that’s more than Brady had from 2017 until Week 4 of 2020 combined. With your ability to run, and Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead and J.J. Taylor by your side, you’ve created a powerful run game that can hold its own and creates a worry for defenses when they have to decide who to cover and when. You and the new guys really hit it off too. With N’Keal Harry and David Byrd, both fairly new to the game and the Pats line up respectively, working with you has proven effective. Since you are also new to the roster, the three of you under a well-established coach like Belichick has been highly effective And then there’s Edelman. Thank you for knowing how to use Edelman. Thank you for acknowledging who he is and what he can do and consistently being able to capitalize on that. I intended to write using this week against the Kansas City Chiefs as a definitive yardstick for how well you could lead our beloved Pats to a winning record yet again, especially in the AFC. You started the season strong, but as you’re sick this week, I don’t want to make a judgment off of only three games so instead of writing with confidence, I write with hope. Get well soon. With hope, Notre Dame’s New Yorker Pats fan. Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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Email Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu

Thomas Zwiller Sports Writer

When Jimmy Garoppolo was injured in week two of the NFL season, I instantly became worried about the 49ers’ hopes moving forward. They had gone from being the NFC West favorite at best, and a wildcard team at worst, to missing the playoffs. While, yes, it was a high ankle sprain and not a season-ending injury, I looked at Russell Wilson in Seattle chasing down the MVP, a solid Rams team looking to make a resurgence and even the Cardinals looking like they could be competitive (They had won week one against the 49ers by four). With the NFC West being so competitive, Jimmy G being out of commission for even a few games could put the 49ers behind and miss the playoffs. But backup QB Nick Mullens came onto the field, played mediocrely, didn’t blow it and the 49ers won. In week three I didn’t expect the 49ers to lose to the Giants, but I figured with a lot of key injuries, the game might be closer than it otherwise would have. The 49ers won 36-9. Mullens played pretty well in that game, putting up 343 yards, one TD and zero INTs. This made me think I had been wrong about the 49ers and that they might just be okay. Then, in week four, they played the Eagles and San Francisco lost 20-25. Mullens threw for 200 yards on 18-26 passing, one TD and two INTs, one of them being a pick-6. This led him to be benched for C.J. Beathard, who threw for just under 140 yards. This was the result I was originally expecting when Jimmy G went out: an offense that could score some points but couldn’t play all that well. The good 49ers results came when they played the Jets and the Giants, who are currently a combined 0-8 in what can only be described as “Tank for Trevor” seasons. This all made me think back to a question that came up before and even more so after the 31-20 Super Bowl LIV loss: Is Jimmy G simply a game manager? But, in light of current events, I’m here to say Jimmy G is one of the most underrated Quarterbacks in the NFL. No, underrated is the wrong word for it — I think he’s the

most underappreciated QB in the NFL. Allow me to explain why. Game Managers are typically defined as the following: A QB who makes very few costly mistakes and turnovers, has mediocre or below-average statistics and is typically buoyed by a strong defense and rushing game to win. That’s a pretty big mouthful, so I’m going to break it down into a few chunks:

Strong defense At a first glance, Jimmy G seems to fit that definition. The 49ers defense was easily one of the best in the league last season, ranking top-10 in most metrics. They were No. 2 in yards allowed, No. 6 in turnovers and No. 3 in percent of possessions allowing a score. They allowed only 310 points throughout the 2019 campaign, which was No. 8 in the league. That being said, there were some games that Jimmy G needed to come up big in. I would like to highlight the game against the New Orleans Saints, on the road, at the Super Dome, the toughest home venue bar none. It was a game that quite literally decided the fate of the playoffs; it enabled the 49ers to get a firstround bye and gain home-field advantage for the rest of the postseason. It was a game that was a barnburner, a shootout, and it was all Jimmy G. He posted 349 yards and four touchdowns, giving him a QBR of 132. Compare that to Drew Brees, considered to be one of the all-time great QBs in NFL history, who had 349 yards and five touchdowns, giving the latter a rating of 138. The key difference that makes me give this matchup to Jimmy G? He had fewer attempts than Brees (35 to 40) but threw more accurately (75% to 72%). Not a big difference, but had Jimmy G thrown as much as Brees, he would have had a better stat line. Jimmy G can put a team on his back when it matters.

A strong rushing game The 49ers rushing game ranked No. 2 in yardage (2,305) and No. 1 in TDs (23) on the ground in 2019. This compared to a passing game that ranked No. 13 in yardage (3,792) and No. 11 in TDs (28). However, the 49ers attempted just the 29th-most total passes (473) while recording the second most rushing attempts (498).

In my mind, the sheer volume of rushing is almost inflating the yardage numbers. Had the 49ers passed more, they could have racked up a lot more yards through the air. But beyond that, I’d like to go past the stats and look more so at the strategy employed by head coach Kyle Shanahan. Traditionally, a good running game forces defenses to change their strategy to stop the run, allowing for a good passing game to emerge. With the 49ers, though, the opposite is true. The 49ers have Jimmy G, who is a great passer and could have better stats if given the opportunity. Defenses know this and move to neutralize him, or at least limit him, which opens up the opportunity for a high volume run game. The 49ers have a great run game, in part thanks to Jimmy G. This great run game also contributes to the defense because it allows the defense to rest while the offense to record a good time of possession. San Francisco burned 31 minutes and 25 seconds of clock on average last year, helping to control the game. Not only does Jimmy G help to support the run game, but he also supports the defense.

Average statistics A good case of average statistics in a QB is former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme. In 2003 when the Panthers made the Superbowl, Delhomme went 10-5 as a starter and recorded 3,219 passing yards, 19 TDs and 16 INTs. That is a game managing QB. He put up mediocre stats, and his team made it to the Super Bowl more in spite of him than because of him. Jimmy G, on the other hand, went 13-3, was just shy of 4,000 yards, 27 TDs and 13 INTs. Delhomme had an 80.6 quarterback rating; Jimmy G was at 102. Over Delhomme’s 11-year career he had a win-loss record of 56-40, threw for 20,975 yards, 126 TDs and 101 INTs with an 81.3 rating. In Garoppolo’s five years of starting, he has already won 22 games, only lost six, has thrown for 7,336 yards, has 48 TDs and only 21 INTs with a rating of 101. How about that for a Game Manager. Contact Thomas Zwiller at tzwiller@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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Marvel Continued from page 16

team in the midst of a global pandemic and protests over racial injustice spoke volumes. He’s arguably the biggest no-brainer choice for captain in Notre Dame program history. He’s the undisputed leader of the defense, which makes him Steve Rogers. Ogundeji, on the other hand, has made a physical transformation akin to that of Rogers once receiving the coveted super soldier serum. Once a 210-pound recruit committed to Western Michigan, through five years in South Bend Ogundeji has morphed into a 6-foot-4, 268-pound havoc-wrecker on the edge. So yeah, Captain America seems right. Now get these men a shield (or two).

Iron Man — Tommy Tremble The term “Iron Man” is thrown around in sports for athletes who simply refuse to miss time for injury. It just seems most appropriate that the guy who said, “I love contact,” after abusing USF in the run blocking game — and who shows plenty of resourcefulness as a pass catcher/fullback — would be compared to the guy who built an iron suit to escape a cave and save the world (or, in this case, Notre Dame’s championship hopes). So Tremble is Tony Stark; don’t at me.

Thor (‘Ragnarok’/‘Infinity War’) — Kyle Hamilton I think we can all agree the best Thor is the short-haired, joke-cracking, lighting- and Stormbreaker-wielding Thor from “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Avengers: Infinity War.” He’s flying around cracking skulls, and it seems like Hamilton is doing the same thing in the secondary. Sometimes Hamilton’s tackles — though not quite on the same level, but close — are even reminiscent of Thor making a grand lightningsoaked entrance to Wakanda in Infinity War, so this seemed fitting.

Thor (pre‘Ragnarok’/‘Endgame’) — Marist Liufau Last year I would have given this to Trevor Ruhland because of the luscious mane and beard on that man, but now I have to go with Liufau. That hair, man. No one (except Stan Lee as an intergalactic barber) is touching that flow.

Black Panther — Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah It’s arguable that Notre

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Dame’s most important defensive position is the rover, the niche outside linebacker/ safety hybrid role frequently tasked with bringing pressure, stopping runs and dropping into coverage. It requires a level of awareness and agility, exemplified by JOK, that reminds a Marvel nerd, such as me, of King T’Challa’s panther-like abilities. (R.I.P. Chadwick Boseman).

Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) — Liam Eichenberg Oh, how perfectly it would fit if we still had Quinton Nelson at left guard. But w ith Q and Mike McGlinchey both gone to the NFL, Eichenberg is the next closest thing to a gamma radiation-infused berserker on the O-line. If only the Hulk wore a jean jacket instead of purple shorts, this would be absolutely perfect. And I’m making the distinction between Ruffalo’s Hulk and Edward Norton’s because, well…

Hulk (Edward Norton) — purple-faced Brian Kelly circa 2011 vs. USF This seemed appropriate because a) much like Norton as the Hulk, Notre Dame and Marvel fans like to pretend these respective incidents never occurred, and b) Kelly’s face during that game actually did match the color of comic book Hulk’s shorts.

Winter Soldier — Shaun Crawford I’m really tempted to go w ith Craw ford as Nick Fur y here because, as another team captain alongside Hayes, Craw ford is orchestrating the defensive troops while also boasting some scars (though no eye patch). But c’mon, man. it has to be Winter Soldier. Craw ford’s had so many season-ending injuries; you’d think the only way he could go through all of that and still end up a starter in his sixth year at Notre Dame is by hav ing a bionic appendage attached.

Spider-Man Skowronek

—

Ben

Fort Way ne, Indiana, is a far cr y from Queens, New York, but the hands on this man. My goodness. You’d think Skow ronek was bitten by a radioactive spider the way he makes the ball stick to his hands. For context I refer you to his snag against Notre Dame in 2018 while still a member of Northwestern, as well as his div ing TD grab to clinch the Big Ten West title against Iowa the same year.

Quicksilver Lenzy

—

Braden

Was Braden Lenzy an Oregon high school track star? I feel like I heard that once (or a million times from Mike Tirico and Doug Flutie/ Tony Dungy anytime Notre Dame plays), but maybe I’m imagining things. Jokes aside, when you think speed on this Notre Dame team, for the last two years you’ve probably been thinking of Lenzy (or maybe Chris Tyree, but we’ll get to him momentarily). Lenzy has also been injury-prone, so let’s just hope if there’s another in the future that he sees that one coming, unlike a certain speedster (too soon?). And on the topic of speed…

Ant-Man — Chris Tyree This was basically bet ween Ty ree and Craw ford, but the latter already got his comparison. Ty ree stands 5-foot-9-and-a-half according to his Notre Dame athletics page. Despite his stature, he’s shone not only his speed, but the abilit y to pack a mean punch when he gets a head of steam, so we’re going w ith Ant-Man. And speaking of heads of steam…

Punisher — C’Bo Flemister I know, I know. Technically the Punisher isn’t in the Mar vel Cinematic Universe, just their Netf lix T V show sphere. That said, I wanted to give Flemister a shoutout here for the way he bulldozed South Florida. He seems like Notre Dame’s most punishing running back, so this seemed an apt assignment.

of rocks), but he hasn’t yet proven to be — and I don’t know if he w ill ever become — an A-list member of the team. For now, though, I guess it’s cool to have him tagging along for the ride, because he doesn’t seem to be doing any harm.

Doctor Strange — Avery Davis This is probably a stretch, but here’s my reasoning: Doctor Strange was a bit of a journey man. He went from world-renow ned surgeon to out of work and homeless to apprentice sorcerer to Sorcerer Supreme; Dav is has gone from quarterback to running back to cornerback to w ide receiver now in his senior campaign. Seems close enough to me.

Hawkeye Doerer

—

Jonathan

Let’s get serious for a minute (if you haven’t been taking the previous assignments as seriously as I have, that is). It’s pretty easy to take the guy whose whole M.O. is kicking a ball between the uprights and compare him to the guy whose whole M.O. is shooting a bow and arrow. To be clear, Ian Book was Hawkeye in 2018 when he completed over 70% of his passes through his first five starts — including two games over 80% . He’s since become Hawkeye if Hawkeye were riding a horse backwards and drunk while blindfolded — and singing the Canadian national anthem for good measure. So I’m going with Doerer, who, although he did miss a chippie against South Florida, has been a revelation the last two years at place kicker. As for Book though…

Drax — Bo Bauer Bauer’s a loose cannon on special teams. He seems like the t y pe to jump into the belly of a space worm to cut it open from the inside, despite the fact that it’s the same thickness inside and out. It’s the perfect temperament to match the w ild Dra x from the Guardians of the Gala x y films.

Korg — Brock Wright Remember Korg? The sentient pile of rocks making rock-paper-scissors jokes in a New Zealand accent and tagging along w ith Thor in “Ragnarok? ” Brock Wright gives me a lot of those same v ibes, mostly because he’s just … there. Don’t get me w rong, Wright seems like a nice guy (like Korg), and he can help some on the (battle) field just by nature of being big and strong (or made

Agent Coulson — Ian Book Yes, Phil Coulson. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who made his debut in “Iron Man” (2008), was killed off by Loki in Mar vel’s “Avengers” (2012), resurrected in the ABC series “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (2013-2020) and then killed off again and brought back as an inter-dimensional v illain and android in later seasons (or something like that; I stopped watching after the fifth season). Ian Book is that guy. Book was an under the radar guy whose greatest successes came through a high-completion percentage, balanced, move-thechains st yle offense. But then he suffered his greatest defeat at the hands of Clemson (in this case filling the role of Loki). That was a season where he took over

for Brandon Wimbush, but after a spring it was clear it was Book’s team, representing Coulson’s transition from film to headlining his ow n T V show. But just when you think Book and his offense w ill be the hottest thing on the block, it under whelms. W hat’s more, it’s like he’s turned into someone completely different. Last season saw him unleash havoc against subpar competition in the wake of the Michigan loss, almost like an (aforementioned) interdimensional v illain. Plus, it was in a completely revamped premise for an offense w ithout a solid run game (kind of like introducing time travel into a show season five to keep things fresh). But now, Book is like a shell of himself (like an android). He didn’t look good against Duke or even really against South Florida in the passing game. Granted, his receivers aren’t what they have been, but he made as many passes behind the line of scrimmage against Duke as he missed in all of 2018 combined (three). Book is Coulson because he thrives against the lower level opposition, and w ith some help, he can put up a fight against the mid-level baddies (re Mar vel: Obadiah Stane, Justin Hammer, etc.). However, until he shows me some hidden abilities like super speed and strength, a f ly ing metal suit or magical a xe, I cannot see him taking dow n the god-tier threats. And make no mistake, Dabo Sw inney is Thanos and Trevor Law rence and Trav is Etienne headline his Black Order. Notre Dame fans need to know that Book w ill put up more of a fight against that level of competition than a guy w ith a robot hand and a handful of B- and C-list celebs alongside because Book does have better weapons than that (as I have illustrated). So there you have it. Was this the greatest or stupidest piece you have ever had the absolute pleasure of reading in your time follow ing The Obser ver? No need to respond; I know the answer is yes. Now, it is time to turn my attention to my next great adventure: comparing Notre Dame football players and coaches to Harr y Potter characters. I’ll see you then. Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Sports

The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

OBSERVER roundtable

Observer Fantasy Corner: Week 5 Gavin Aitken, Jamison Cook, Elizabeth Gasiorowski, Justice Mory and Sam Ouhaj Sports Writers

It’s time for another rendition of the Obser ver Fantasy Football Corner. No time for chitchat. Let’s get to it.

Sam Ouhaj Must Start: Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals have had a shak y last two games as a team against the Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions, but luckily for them, they get to face arguably the worst team in the NFL, the New York Jets. The Jets have been atrocious this season and show no signs of getting better. Murray had been argued to be an early MV P candidate, but the t wo-game losing streak does not help his case. Currently, the Jets are giv ing up an average of 16.88 points to opposing quarterbacks, but outside of Buffalo QB Josh A llen (28.18 points) they have faced average-to-below-average quarterbacks. It should also be noted that Sam Darnold is not expected to play at quarterback for the Jets, meaning Murray w ill presumably be on the field longer, which gives him more opportunities to score points. I expect Murray to have a big day against a terrible Jets team and put his name back into the MV P conversation. Must Sit: Brandin Cooks, WR, Houston Texans It is clear Watson and Cooks are not working out through four games. I understand it is still early on in the season but Cooks is off to a terrible start w ith only 138 receiv ing yards total. Cooks is averaging just under six points per game which ranks him as W R84 in fantasy. The reason I am talking about Cooks at is the point is due to the firing of Bill O’Brien. W hat was a long time overdue, the firing of BOB brings hope to the Texans for the foreseeable future, but this is not going to translate to this season nor Cooks’ play. The Texans have already dug

themselves into an 0-4 hole which is hard to come back from especially w ith how the Colts have been play ing. Cooks is not even the number one receiver he once was w ith that going to Notre Dame’s finest, Will Fuller V, who even disappears at times too. The Texans are set to face the Jacksonv ille Jaguars who have struggled in the passing game, but it is not enough to conv ince me to give Cooks the start this week. Who to pick up: Justin Jackson, RB, Los Angeles Chargers (ow ned in 9.8% of leagues)

Gavin Aitken Must Start: Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals Burrow has put up prett y solid numbers ever since a prett y miserable start to his NFL career against the Chargers, totaling over 300 yards in all of his last three games. However, a big struggle for him has been an incredibly leak y offensive line, one that has let him get sacked 15 times already in just his first four games. Enter the Baltimore Ravens, a team that has been prett y aw ful both at getting to the quarterback (20th in the league in sack rate) and against QBs in general in terms of fantasy (seventh most fantasy points given up to QBs). Combine this w ith an explosive Ravens offense that w ill keep Burrow throw ing, and you have a QB who’s going to get both efficiency and volume this weekend. Must Sit: Darrell Henderson, RB, Los Angeles Rams It’s been an up and dow n year for the Universit y of Memphis alum so far, w ith two near 20-point performances bookended by atrocious week one and four outings, where he totaled a combined five points between the two. However, his prospects going for ward don’t look any sunnier, as his work load has recently been cut into by veteran Malcolm Brow n, who looks to be the preferred receiv ing back. W hile the Washington Football team’s defense is

was outscored in fantasy 4.4 to 3 by rookie Dobbins in Baltimore’s loss to the Chiefs. Don’t be fooled by his RB1 status on a decent offense. Even as the Ravens take on the Bengals this Sunday, I’m conv inced there are much better, more consistent options at running back instead of Ingram.

horrid, they’ve been surprisingly stout against the run game, giv ing up the eighth least fantasy points to RBs in the league. Acknowledging this, I think we’re more likely to see the Rams’ passing game shine this week, which leads to less touches for Henderson.

best defense in the league against the run by several metrics. The Steelers offense also has the potential to put up some points, so expect the Eagles to be playing from behind and meaningless carries for Sanders. He should be on your bench in week five.

Who to pick up: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Carolina Panthers (ow ned in 12.6% of leagues) Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys (ow ned in 46.0% of leagues)

Who to pick up: Scott y Miller, W R, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (ow ned in 15.4% of leagues) Chase Edmonds, RB, Arizona Cardinals (ow ned in 33.6% of leagues)

Jamison Cook

Elizabeth Gasiorowski

Must Start: Mike Davis, RB, Carolina Panthers

Must Start: Robby Anderson, WR, Carolina Panthers

Must Start: George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

Mike Dav is has done an outstanding job filling in for Christian McCaffrey w ith over 20 points in each of the last t wo weeks. The Panthers’ offense has been great at continuing to give their running backs targets in the passing game, which is great news for Dav is ow ners in PPR leagues. He should be locked into lineups due to the volume he receives alone, at least until McCaffrey returns.

Anderson has had a phenomenal start to the year, hav ing at least five receptions ever y week and seeing double-digit targets in t wo of those weeks. Excluding a low-yardage performance in week three, he has at least 99 receiv ing yards in ever y game. He has averaged double-digit points in standard PPR leagues despite not hav ing caught a touchdow n since week one. Additionally, Carolina QB Teddy Bridgewater has stepped up recently, leading the Panthers to t wo straight v ictories, a trend that should excite Anderson ow ners. A week five matchup w ith the Falcons makes for an appealing matchup for Anderson, as they rank second to last in opponent passing yards per game and dead last in opponent passer rating. This, combined w ith the shootout potential of the matchup given Atlanta’s talented offense, makes Anderson a lock to start this week. Must Sit: Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles Sanders has struggled since a week t wo outburst, and these struggles are mostly due to his being a part of the dreadful Eagles offense. Philadelphia somehow finds itself in first place in the NFC East w ith a record of 1-2-1, but anyone who has watched the NFL this season knows that they are not a good team. This week the Eagles v isit Pittsburgh, who boasts the

After coming off of a sprained knee which forced him to sit for weeks two and three, 49ers tight end George Kittle put on a stellar performance in San Francisco’s loss to the Eagles on Sunday. Kittle snagged a perfect 15 of his 15 targets for a total of 183 yards and one touchdown. For the A ll-Pro TE, Sunday’s game marked his career high in both receptions and yards as he put up an outstanding 25.1 fantasy points (and 40.1 in PPR leagues). Especially with Jimmy Garoppolo’s return to the field after a highank le sprain suffered in week two in the near future, Kittle should continue to be the Niners’ main target in the end zone. After Sunday’s performance, it’s safe to say that Kittle has recovered nicely and should continue to dominate this week as San Francisco takes on the Dolphins. Must Sit: Mark Ingram II, RB, Baltimore Ravens Though Mark Ingram had a decent 34 yards on eight carries and one touchdow n for the Ravens this past week against the Washington Football Team, I wouldn’t rely on him heav ily in the weeks ahead. W hile still listed as RB1 on the Ravens’ depth chart, Ingram has been sharing the work load w ith fellow RBs JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards and hasn’t yet proved to be a player this season who can consistently bring in points. In week three, Ingram

Who to pick up: Damien Harris, RB, New England Patriots (owned in 23.1% of leagues)

Justice Mory

Must Sit: Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons Matt Ryan has played terribly in the last t wo weeks, w ith less than 13 points in both games. The Panthers are allow ing the third least points to quarterbacks this season, and Julio Jones and Calv in Ridley have been dealing w ith lingering injuries. Ryan w ill still be worth rostering but is not a safe enough bet this week, and a quarterback on the waiver w ire may be a better streaming option. Who to pick up: Tee Higgins, W R, Cincinnati Bengals (ow ned in 36.6% of leagues) Lav iska Shenault Jr., W R, Jacksonv ille Jaguars (ow ned in 35.7% of leagues) Contact Gavin Aitken at gaitken@nd.edu, Jamison Cook at jcook22@nd.edu, Elizabeth Gasiorowski at egasioro@nd.edu, Justice Mory at jmory@nd.edu and Sam Ouhaj at souhaj@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

sports

Kelly Continued from page 16

football team for a very challenging opponent in Florida State,” Kelly said. During the conference, Kelly touched on some of the talent within the Seminoles’ offensive line, predicting they will have notable draft picks. Specifically, Kelly sees Florida State’s running backs and wide receivers as key to challenges the Irish might face Saturday. Additionally, Kelly pointed out that, despite some setbacks, Florida State also has a talented defensive line. “Again, we’re coming off of a long layoff, and we’re going to have to be at our very best and get off to a really good start,” Kelly said. “We didn’t get off to a good start in our opener against Duke, and it factored into the game. We got off to a great start against South Florida and it did factor into the game. And we’ll need to get off to a good start against Florida State.” In terms of Notre Dame’s offensive line, Kelly remarked on the potential for the wide receiver position. Junior Kevin Austin, Jr. is expected to be seen in the wide receiver position in a 15 to 20 play range, according to Kelly. Austin underwent foot surgery prior to the season. Graduate student wide receiver Ben Skowronek injured his hamstring during the second half of the Irish victory over Duke but is also expected to be back. “Eventually we’re gonna look for some more production from that unit, but it has been, quite frankly, one that has not had great continuity yet,” Kelly said. “We’ve had some guys out and injured. I think what you’ll see is that that unit will be one that provides a little bit more consistency and continuity for

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020 | The Observer

Ian [Book] in the passing game. And I do see a unit that will produce at a higher rate. But it’s still going to be one that takes some time. There’s a lot of firstyear players that are out there.” The press conference also included discussion on the scrimmage held on Sunday in order to prepare for Saturday’s upcoming game versus the Seminoles. According to Kelly, the scrimmage also sought to work on timing, pace and tackling — especially when it came to the quarterback position. “We wanted to get the speed that you can’t duplicate in just a scout team preparation,” Kelly said. “You’ve got to try to bring that speed, and our defense is a good group to go against. They bring a lot of speed to the equation relative to preparations. It was important on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively.” Sophomore safety Kyle Hamilton was said to have been held out of the scrimmage due to an ankle injury sustained during the Duke game earlier in the season. However, Kelly noted this was a precaution and that Hamilton will be in the game Saturday. The upcoming matchup against Florida State marks a first for Kelly as a coach. This game will be the first time he’s prepared a football team after having two weeks off after playing two games. However, he said the upcoming game against the Seminoles won’t be like a season opener. “It’s really hard to take two weeks off and think that you can just pick it up without a lot of work and attention to detail,” Kelly said. “I think we can go out and play well, but it’s going to require everybody to be really purposeful in their work this week.”

W XC Continued from page 16

Everyone competed in the same way that they’ve been practicing.” Sparks said he was impressed with Schneider in particular, though. Schneider played field hockey in high school rather than running cross country, so she has limited experience in these types of races. “She’s had track success, but for her to be as successful as she is at cross country is great. I am really proud of her for being able to make that transition and be confident in coming out and racing at that level,” Sparks said. Sparks said Archibeck is proving to be a leader in the team. Archibeck walkedon the team towards the end of her sophomore year and beginning of her junior year and is now a graduate student. “[She] is kind of the glue that’s holding this together. … She’s been our number two the last couple of meets,” Sparks said. “She has now evolved to be a true leader on the team that keeps everyone together and going in the right direction. I’m proud of the way she guides the team through practices and obviously meets. She is

the one person that everyone looks to when the gun goes off.” Beating a traditional top15 team in the country in Ole Miss in the last meet before the ACC Championships at the end of the month, Sparks said, is key to the team’s future success. “It gives us a lot of confidence to know that if we can compete with them, then we feel that much more comfortable competing against Florida State and NC State who are on paper two of the better teams in the conference,” he said. With no more races between now and the ACC Championships on Oct. 30, Sparks said training will be different from past years where there are traditionally more competitions. “We are going to hit some of the training sessions harder,” he said. “Typically our races are on Fridays in October, and we had a meeting with our staff this morning to talk about some of the training sessions and what we are going to do on Fridays coming up that would simulate some of the harder efforts that we put into race days. There are some things that will simulate race scenarios a little more than we normally do, which is the biggest difference with this bigger window of training

that we have.” W hile neither the men’s nor the women’s teams have not had positive cases of COV ID-19, the men’s team decided not to compete because some members of the squad were in close contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus. “As a result of those two guys that might have tested positive, we were worried about the rest of the team that might test positive, and we didn’t want to get down there and infect ourselves, each other or anyone else we might be competing against,” Sparks said. With no national meet on the schedule this year, the regular season holds less importance than usual, Sparks said, and the main focus for both teams going forward will be the conference meet in three-and-ahalf weeks. “In order to make sure that we were most healthy and fit for the conference meet, it seemed like it would make sense to make sure that we were healthy rather than potentially spreading the virus among ourselves or others,” Sparks said. “We like to believe that we did the right thing for all involved which was to stay home.” Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

Contact Madelyn Stout at mstout2@nd.edu

Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Irish freshman running back Chris Tyree rushes up field during a 52-0 victory over South Florida in Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 19.

Grace Aubry | The Observer

Irish junior runner Katie Rose Blachowicz sprints toward the finish during the Joe Piane Invitational at Burke Golf Course on Oct. 4, 2019. The Notre Dame Women’s XC team is undefeated this season.

The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

ND Football

Kelly discusses Florida State in press conference By MADELYN STOUT Sports Writer

Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Oct. 6. Notre Dame football head coach Brian Kelly spoke with the press in preparation for Saturday’s home game against Florida State. This press conference comes off of a two-week break for the Fighting Irish, and Kelly discussed lessons learned and the wide receiver position. “Certainly for me and our team, and certainly, our entire staff, we’re excited about getting back into a game week situation,” Kelly said. “We’ve been off now, obviously for those that are following us, the last few weeks.” The game against the Seminoles will mark the first for the Irish since the Wake Forest game was postponed due to a spike in COVID-19 cases amongst team members. The outbreak amongst the team involved 39 players, with 25 testing positive and 14 in quarantine and isolation. However,

a recent press release on Twitter provided updated information. Two positive cases were recorded last week, and a total of 11 players are currently in quarantine and isolation. “In terms of who’s available, we feel like we’ll continue to test during the week, so the roster is a fluid situation,” Kelly said. “We’re in a very good place relative to our two-deep. We’re going to be just fine for Florida State.” Kelly summed up the loss of some of the student-athletes to a “celebration” around the time that the Irish won 52-0 against South Florida on Sept. 19. The team also saw incidents surrounding a pregame meal and a sidelines vomiting episode within recent weeks. Despite these setbacks, Kelly remained positive about the upcoming game and reiterated past points on wearing a mask, something he said he reminds his players to do. “We believe that we sit in a very good position right now and we’re preparing our see KELLY PAGE 13

Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Irish junior running back C’Bo Flemister runs through a couple of defenders during a 52-0 victory over South Florida at Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 19. Flemister had 127 yards and a touchdown in the game.

ND Women’s Cross Country

ND Football

If ND football players were Marvel superheroes

By NATE MOLLER

Hayden Adams

Sports Writer

Sports Editor

When it comes to this, my word is gospel (or so I like to think anyway). Athletes are the closest thing in everyday life to superheroes. Their physical prowess awes the masses. With that in mind, leave it to a wannabe Scene Writer like me to write a column combining my two greatest passions: sports and superhero movies. So let this be either the greatest or stupidest piece I have ever written in my Observer tenure: making Notre Dame football comparisons to Marvel superheroes. Please enjoy…

Captain America — Daelin Hayes/Ade Ogundeji OK, I’m cheating a little bit here, but they’re both defensive ends so I think this is acceptable. The way that Hayes stepped up this offseason to lead this see MARVEL PAGE 13

Women’s team stays undefeated

Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Irish graduate student quarterback Ian Book launches a pass down the field during a 52-0 victory over South Florida on Sept. 19.

The Notre Dame women’s cross country team remained undefeated on the season by winning its second meet of the season at the Louisville Classic on Saturday. The Irish placed first in the seven-team meet with 47 points, beating out SEC teams Ole Miss (54), Kentucky (76) and Tennessee (93). Head coach Matt Sparks said he is very pleased with his team’s great performance across the board. “The biggest takeaway I had from the weekend was that no one struggled,” Sparks said. “A lot of credit goes to the girls for that because they took their mind out of the race and raced to their current fitness. In any sport, your head can creep into the competition a little bit and allow you to struggle. They did a great job of ignoring exterior factors and negative self talk in their head and competing to what their current fitness is.” While in the past the Irish

have been led by frontrunners like Molly Seidel and Anna Rohrer, Sparks said this year the team does not have a clear frontrunner. “This year we know that if we are going to have success it is going to be a bit of a mob mentality of we are all working together for this. It’s neat to see everybody bunched up so close together,” he said. Leading the Irish pack Saturday was sophomore Jessica Schneider (17:01.9), who was followed closely by graduate student Erin Archibeck (17:08.3), senior AnnaSophia Keller (17:10.9), sophomore Olivia Markezich (17:20.9) and freshman Erin Strzelecki (17:23.6). When asked about a standout performance, it was hard for Sparks to name one person specifically. “That’s what is so neat about it,” he said. “No one stepped up and did exceptionally well, but everyone just ran to what their potential has been. see W XC PAGE 15

Print Edition of The Observer for Wednesday, October 7, 2020

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