Print Edition of The Observer for Friday, October 16, 2020

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Insider

The observer | FRIDAY, october 16, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

HEAD TO HEAD

2:30 p.m. ET notre dame stadium on nbc

notre dame

Louisville

(Jr.) Braden

Lenzy

0

(Sr.) Avery

Davis

3

WR WR

(Gr.) Ben Skowronek 11

(Jr.) Lawrence Keys III

(So.) Kyren Williams 23 (Fr.) Chris Tyree 25

13

(Gr.) Liam Eichenberg 74

RB

(So.) Andrew Kristofic 73

(Sr.) Aaron Banks 76 (Sr.) Dillan Gibbons 76

(Gr.) Ian Book (So.) Brendon Clark

12 7

QB

(Jr.) Jarrett Patterson 55

(So.) Zeke Correll 52

(Gr.) Tommy Kraemer 78 (Jr.) John Dirksen 56

(Jr.) Robert Hainsey 72

75

(Sr.) Josh Lugg

(Sr.) Brock Wright 89 (Jr.) Tommy Tremble 24

(Gr.) Javon

McKinley

88

(Jr.) Joe Wilkins Jr. 18

(Gr.) Nick McCloud 4 (So.) Cam Hart 5

(Sr.) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah 6

(Gr.) Isaiah Pryor 10

(Gr.) Shaun Crawford 20 (Jr.) Houston Griffith 3

SS

LT LG C RG RT TE WR

(So.) Kyle Hamilton 14 (Jr.) DJ Brown 12

(So.) Jacob Lacey 54

(Jr.) Justin Ademilola 19

(So.) Marist Liufau 35

(Fr.) Clarence Lewis 26

(Gr.) Dawson Goepferich 39

(So.) Jay

Bramblett

19

(Gr.) Dawson Goepferich 39

(Jr.) Kevin

Austin Jr.

4

(Jr.) Matt Salerno 32

NOTRE DAME OFFENSE Notre Dame Passing The Irish offense is looking much more settled through the air than it did in the first month of the season. Quarterback Ian Book has clearly gotten more comfortable with his receivers, and he spread the wealth to seven different guys during last week’s matchup against Florida State. Louisville has returned the majority of a secondary that struggled in 2019, and the woes have continued in 2020. The raw talent in this mismatch should be enough for Notre Dame to pass the ball at will.

EDGE: Notre Dame Notre Dame Rushing The Notre Dame ground game is looking strong as of late and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is relying heavily upon Kyren Williams and Chris Tyree. The two young backs put up big numbers in the win over FSU with their No. 1 PFF rated offensive line providing ample run blocking. Notre Dame should be able to use their dominant line and shifty backs to work the ball downfield on the ground against the Cardinals,

PK P PR

8

(Jr.) Michael Vinson 65 (Fr.) Alex Peitsch 44

Offensive

Louisville just can’t seem to find any luck with defensive coordinators. From Todd Grantham to Brian VanGorder to now Bryan Brown, with Lamar Jackson gone the Cardinals’ defensive flaws are now laid bare for the world to see.

While they won eight games last season, they did so while giving up more points per game than they scored. This year that differential has increased, and despite veteran players at key positions along the defense, the dysfunction persists and only grows. Tommy Rees hasn’t yet proven to be a revelation as the Irish offensive coordinator, but that’s mainly because of the competition he’s faced. But

Tabarius Peterson (R-Sr.)

57 Dayna Kinnaird (R-Jr.)

13

10

H KR LS

5 Robert Hicks (Jr.)

3

Russ Yeast (Sr.)

20 Lovie Jenkins (So.)

Rodjay Burns (R-Sr.)

Kei’Trel Clark (So.)

27 Anthony Johnson (R-Jr.)

WR Dez Fitzpatrick WR Tutu Atwell RT Renato Brown RG Robbie Bell C Cole Bentley LG Caleb Chandler LT Adonis Boone TE Marshon Ford WR Justin Marshall

(R-Sr.)

(Jr.)

56

(R-Fr.)

79 Cameron DeGeorge (Sr.)

75

66

71 Joshua Black (R-Fr.)

QB

(Sr.)

55

79 Cameron DeGeorge (Sr.)

74

49

RB

(R-Sr.)

79 Cameron DeGeorge (Sr.)

H KR LS

Dorian Etheridge (Sr.)

17

1 Zay Peterson (Fr.)

3

Malik Cunningham (R-Jr.)

(R-Jr.)

(So.) (R-Jr.)

Ryan Harwell (Jr.) Hassan Hall (Jr.)

36 Maurice Burkley (R-Sr.)

24

Mitch Hall (Sr.)

38 Drew Brenowitz (So.)

if he puts forth the sort of efforts he has so far against a team like Louisville, that alone provides a major advantage.

EDGE: Notre Dame Louisville Passing The Cardinals return Mikal Cunningham at quarterback, who has been struggling from the pocket despite a fairly successful season in 2019. Cunningham has thrown five interceptions across four games, as many as he gave up across the entirety of last year’s season. He’s not the only one to blame, however, as Louisville has recorded nine fumbles with an overall turnover ratio of -8.

The Notre Dame secondary has been consistent, and with Kyle Hamilton who should look stronger than he did against FSU, Louisville will have trouble having their way through the air.

EDGE: Notre Dame Louisville Rushing Notre Dame’s defense looked rusty after a three-week hiatus from the gridiron. That and a surprisingly strong performance from Florida State dual-threat quarterback Jordan Travis still

Javian Hawkins (R-So.)

19 Hassan Hall (Jr.)

6 Evan Conley (So.)

43 Logan Lupo (So.)

19

10

(Jr.)

18

(Fr.) Chris Tyree 25

EDGE: Notre Dame

92 Malik Clark (R-Jr.)

29

C.J. Avery (Sr.)

7 Monty Montgomery (Jr.)

Jared Goldwire (Sr.)

90

ILB ILB SS

9

80 Jordan Watkins (Sr.)

(Sr.) J.D. Carney 14

whose rush defense is below average. Louisville is ranked in the bottom half of the country against the run, and Tommy Rees is showing that he is not scared to keep the ball on the ground and tear through defenses with his stout offensive line. Expect Williams and Tyree to get plenty of touches out of the backfield again as the Irish air game is piecing itself together at a somewhat slower clip.

Yaya Diaby (Jr.)

6

41 Ramon Puryear (R-Fr.)

14 Ean Pfeifer (Gr.)

CB

Isaiah Hayes (Sr.)

38 Jack Fagot (R-Jr.)

Yasir Abdullah (Jr.)

83

(Sr.) Jafar Armstrong

33

11 Nick Okeke (R-Jr.)

70 Trevor Reid (Jr.)

(So.) Jay Bramblett 19

Notre Dame Coaching

DE DT NG DE

Buck

(Jr.) TaRiq Bracy 28

(Sr.) Jonathan Doerer 39

CB

22

1

(Sr.) Kurt Hinish 41

(Jr.) Shayne Simon

OLB

81 Branden Smith (So.)

(So..) Howard Cross III 57

33

FS

OLB

Rover

(Gr.) Adetokunbo Ogundeji 91

FS

Marlon Character (Sr.)

2 Chandler Jones (Jr.)

7

(Jr.) Jayson Ademilola 95 (Jr.) Bo Bauer 52

12

86 Corey Reed (Jr.)

(Jr.) Ovie Oghoufo 29

Mike

DE NG DE

CB

(Gr.) Daelin Hayes 9

(Sr.) Drew White 40

CB

only led to the Seminoles rushing for 153 yards. Louisville’s run-game is similar in that the Cardinals, like the Seminoles, boast talented players coming out of the backfield and a quarterback who can make plays with his feet.

That said, Louisville’s offensive line is also similar to FSU’s concerning its poor ability to open holes. They’ll likely play up to the competition of Notre Dame, but the Irish front seven — even while missing senior defensive tackle Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa — should look sharper as time goes on.

EDGE: Notre Dame Louisville Offensive Coaching It’s not much of a secret that Clark Lea has the advantage over most offensive coordinators he faces in college football, both in terms of the personnel at his disposal and the way he goes about implementing them. The defense did not look its best against Florida State, but extenuating circumstances make that performance less worrisome, assuming they get back to what has made them successful against the Cards. They’ll have the opportunity to do that

PK P PR

32

James Turner (So.)

40 Brock Travelstead (Fr.)

43

Logan Lupo (So.)

49 Ryan Harwell (Jr.)

10

Rodjay Burns (R-Sr.)

1 Tutu Atwell (Jr.)

as, despite talented skill players, Louisville offensive coordinator Dwayne Ledford’s unit is averaging 29 points per game and has a -8 turnover margin. Even if the Cards get something going in the first half, expect Lea to quash it in the back 30.

EDGE: Notre Dame

CARDINALS (1-3)

SCHEDULE

Sept. 12 WKU (W 35-21) Sept. 19 @ Miami (Fl) ( L 34-47) Sept. 26 @ Pitt (L 20-23) Oct. 9 @ Georgia Tech (L 27-46) Oct. 17 @ Notre Dame Oct. 24 Florida State Oct. 31 Virginia Tech Nov. 7 @ Virginia Nov. 20 Syracuse Nov. 27 @ Boston College Dec. 5 Wake Forest

IRISH SCHEDULE (3-0) Sept. 12 Duke (W 27-13) Sept. 19 South Florida (W 52-0) Sept. 26 @ Wake Forest Oct. 10 Florida State Oct. 17 Louisville Oct. 24 @ Pittsburgh Oct. 31 @ Georgia Tech Nov. 7 Clemson Nov. 14 @ Boston College Nov. 27 @ North Carolina

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Volume 55, Issue 25 | Friday, October 16, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Sister speaks on immigration Pimentel shares stories from her time at southern border during annual lecture

By LYRIC MEDEIROS News Writer

A version of this story was published online Oct. 15.

Notre Dame’s Center for Social Concerns hosted its 2020 Annual Rev. Bernie Clark C.S.C lecture virtually Wednesday evening, highlighting justice in the world.

The event, entitled “Justice at the Border: The Dignity of Human Life at the Core of Our Faith,” welcomed Sr. Norma Pimentel who shared her personal experience as an immigrant.

Named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People of 2020,” Pimentel is a sister with the Missionaries of Jesus and a licensed professional counselor.

Devoted to service, she is the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Real Grande Valley, leading various programs that benefit the lives of those in need. Her efforts to make a difference in the community brought her acknowledgement as a recipient of the 2015 Martin Luther King, Jr. “Keep the Dream Alive” Award from Catholic Charities USA and a nomination for “Texan of the Year.”

Pimentel is an immigrant from Mexico, and crossed the border into the U.S. while her mother was still pregnant with her. Her father believed that bringing his family to the U.S. would give them better opportunities.

“My dad as a young father, like many other parents [came] to the

United States in search of an opportunity to provide a dignified life for his family,” Pimentel said.

Growing up, she traveled back and forth between the U.S. and Mexico with citizenship in both countries, always face-to-face with the reality of immigration.

Pimentel explained how “it has been a blessing to have the richness of two cultures defining” who she is. Her personal experience as an immigrant influenced her to help families arriving at the border, she said.

“I heard many horrific stories of the atrocities that we as a nation were contributing with our own technology,” Pimentel said. “This is when I began to better understand the injustices that our nation was a part of.”

Faculty react to Barrett’s nomination in viral letters

By CLAIRE RAFFORD Assistant Managing Editor

Since President Donald Trump nominated Notre Dame law professor Amy Coney Barrett to fill the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the Supreme Court on Sept.

26, the political climate around her selection has been contentious and controversial. Within the Notre Dame community, many

faculty members have spoken out regarding Barrett’s nomination.

Eighty-eight Notre Dame professors signed an open letter asking Barrett to postpone her confirmation to the court until after the election.

“We ask that you honor the democratic process and insist the hearings be put on hold until after the voters have made their choice,” the letter said. “Following the election,

your nomination would proceed, or not, in accordance with the wishes of the winning candidate.”

John Duffy, an English professor at the University who originally wrote the letter, said his intention in writing it was not to disrespect Barrett, but simply to urge her to consider postponing her nomination until after the presidential

She noticed many children traveling to the border by themselves, in very poor conditions, as their parents could not afford to go with them. After being granted access into the U.S., the immigrants had no necessities or guidance. They were alone, hungry and fearful. Pimentel recalled working to alleviate their suffering through border control.

Immigrants still face hardship today, Pimentel said, and she stressed the need for policies that prioritize human life over political conflict. She believes that it is the responsibility of the people to address the humanitarian crisis and initiate change. see PIMENTEL PAGE 5

SMC News Editor

The Saint Mary’s Student Government Association (SGA) is composed of seven committees, each with its own respective responsibilities and areas of expertise.

The Mission Committee strives to improve faith and spirituality among Belles, while maintaining a connection with the Sisters of the

NEWS PAGE 4

Holy Cross, sophomore committee chair Angela Martinez Camacho said in an email.

In addition the committee is responsible for maintaining a relationship with Campus Ministry, vice president for mission Judy Fean and SGA as a whole, she said. As committee chair, one of Martinez Camacho’s largest responsibilities is to collaborate with SGA’s alumnae relations chair to plan and execute an annual

VIEWPOINT PAGE 7

Observer Staff Report

The University announced that informal, outdoor gatherings would be limited to 10 people effective immediately following a large increase in COVID-19 cases on campus, according to an email from the Division of Student Affairs Thursday.

The limit on gatherings previously was 20 people, according see LIMITS PAGE 5

Saint Mary’s cancels spring study abroad

see LETTERS PAGE 4

SGA Mission Committee aims to foster spirituality

By MIA MARROQUIN

ND limits group numbers

Heritage Week.

According to Martinez Camacho the Mission Committee differentiates itself from other committees by types of events it hosts.

“This year we were motivated to collaborate with Campus Ministry for Bible study and offer meditation sessions,” she said. “We try to correlate with the main focus of the see COMMITTEE PAGE 5

SCENE PAGE 9

CLAIRE RAFFORD | The Observer

All of Saint Mary’s spring study abroad programs were canceled, including the one at St. Mary’s University in Twickenham, London.

By PAIGE MADDEN News Writer

Saint Mary’s announced the cancellation of all study abroad programs for the spring semester due to the global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in an Oct. 7 email, leaving some students with a change to their plans.

Saint Mary’s study abroad

ND W SOCCER PAGE 16

programs are popular among the student body, as there are 28 programs in nearly 20 different countries, and 51% of students study abroad at some point within their four undergraduate years, according to the Saint Mary’s study abroad webpage.

The global COVID-19 pandemic cut study abroad programs see ABROAD PAGE 5

FOOTBALL PAGE 16

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A group of friends sit in South Dining Hall’s tent at night. Notre Dame’s Division of Student Affairs announced Thursday that group gatherings would be limited to no more than 10 people following an increase of COVID-19 cases on campus this week.

The next Five days:

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MFA Open Studios virtual and Riley Hall of Art 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

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3

Four Leprechauns cheer on Irish this year

By ISABELLA VOLMERT Associate News Editor

Donning a mask with the legendary green suit and hat has become part of the uniform for Notre Dame iconic mascot: the Leprechaun.

After a postponed audition process, seniors Conal Fagan and Lynnette Wukie have returned to their roles alongside their new leprechaun teammates senior Pat Johnson and junior Gabe Ramos, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Athletics announced last month.

The 2020-2021 Leprechaun class has four members this year, the largest team thus far, as a result of the increasing amount of sporting, media and other events the Leprechauns work at.

The audition process begins in March, Ramos said. Candidates answer a series of questions and submit a short video personal statement. Those who moved on to the final round of tryouts did so in the fall. “[The try out process] looked vastly different from a normal year,” he said.

Normally, candidates participate in a live pep rally, media interview and community engagement skit in the spring. Ramos said each of these three events still happened, but

individually for each candidate.

“They really tried to accommodate the situation so each of us and each of the judges in attendance would be as safe as possible,” he said.

The tryout was in the Joyce Athletic and Convocation Center, and all involved were socially distanced and masked. Ramos said the candidates performed for 11 judges; consisting of cheerleading coaches, athletic staff and Mike Brown, the first Black man to be the Leprechaun.

“It was really very exciting to see Mike Brown at the tryout,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he found something special in the smaller than normal tryout.

“I felt there was a greater opportunity to forge more personal connections individually with your audience members,” he said.

Fagan — a native of Derry, Northern Ireland — has worn the green suit of the Leprechaun for two seasons now and was the first native from his country to take up the role.

Fagan said the reduced number of fans this year at athletic events has magnified the role of the Leprechaun.

“It presents a lot of different challenges,” he said. “But the very essence of the Leprechaun hasn’t changed, and that’s to continue to spread that joy and cheer for our teams and

students.”

Fagan has performed as the Leprechaun at the football games this year and said he misses interacting with the normal crowds of fans. “[However,] there’s still the same amount of cameras on and still the same amount, if not more, of people watching from home,” he said.

He also said it was a little disappointing to see some athletic seasons cut short last year, but he is excited to be back.

“I think our athletics team and medical staff have done an incredible job at getting us back to where we are today,” he said.

Wukie also expressed her gratitude for the year, especially when the future of sporting events were uncertain a few months ago.

“As Conal said, you never know what your last game is going to be,” Wukie said.

Wukie gained national attention last year as the first woman to become the Leprechaun and the third Africian American.

“Having that newfound diversity as a unit was super important to us,” she said.

Wukie said she had multiple amazing experiences as the Leprechaun, and many fans shared stories and pictures of children, specifically young girls, dressed up as the Leprechaun, with her.

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“Opening up the Notre Dame brand to everyone, even though it was always like that, but really showing that in such a concrete way was so important,” she said.

Wukie has recently become the in-game host for football games in Notre Dame Stadium, in partnership with the Fighting Irish Media.

She said the idea was years in the making, as in-game hosts have become popular in some professional stadiums. The host might become a regular tradition at football games and other athletic events, she said.

“It’s worked out really well, students seem to really like it,” Wukie said. “And it’s a good chance to bridge that gap between sports, entertainment — as in the band, cheerleaders, leprechauns — and the fans.”

New edition Johnson said he grew up a Notre Dame fan, and always looked up to the Leprechaun and the traditions of the football games.

“Over time, as I was on the cheer team, I started to understand the role of the Leprechaun more, and realized it’s a platform, it’s an influencer,“ he said. “You can bring energy, yes, but you are also a role model. You are an ambassador for the University.”

Johnson said he is grateful to be able to take up the role and bring joy to the fans this year. He led the march out parade last Friday with

the band and cheerleaders, and he said he most looks forward to the opportunity to make people smile.

Ramos said his reason to audition ultimately came down to the spirit of what it means to be Irish.”

Despite his upbringing in Scranton, Penn., a predominantly Irish American town, it took him moving 700 to feel rooted in the heritage of the place he grew up, he said.

Ramos said he is either and second or third Latino student to become the Leprechaun.

“This gives me a forum to be friends with a lot of people and to share a lot of happiness with others, while also showing people being Irish isn’t about being the archetypal Leprechaun or Irish man at that,” he said. “It’s about having a conviction to be gritty and to show others that you are fighting for something you give your whole heart to.”

Ramos said he’s most excited to be on the courts and fields, but also to interact with the fans.

“I’m so excited to be given this opportunity and even more excited to show everyone what I got,” he said.

The team is going to cheer on the soccer and volleyball teams this weekend, in addition to the football game on Saturday.

Contact Isabella Volmert at ivolmert@nd.edu

4

NEWS

The observer | Friday, October 16, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Groups collaborate to bring Trader Joe’s to Eddy Street

By SIOBHAN LOUGHNEY News Writer

Last week, Notre Dame announced that California-based grocery chain Trader Joe’s will be the next addition to Eddy Street Commons, an area the University has been developing in collaboration with Kite Realty Group Trust.

Stretching several blocks off the south end of campus, Eddy Street Commons has become a popular spot for shopping and dining in the Notre Dame community.

With the partnership of Kite Realty Group Trust of Indianapolis, the University approached the creation of Eddy Street Commons over the past 15 years in two phases.

The first opened in 2009 and established the structure for a modern town center, introducing retail and restaurant space with condos, apartments and townhomes. Since then, Eddy Street has served not just the students of the tri-campus community, but also the Northeast Neighborhood.

Trader Joe’s, known for its Hawaiian shirt-clad employees, will be joining a blend of restaurants, fast food options, businesses and residences as it opens on the southern end of Eddy Street.

Letters Continued from page 1

election Nov. 3.

“I had heard so much about what a wonderful person Amy Coney Barrett is, I’ve heard nothing but good things about her,” Duffy said.

“So I thought I would write her a letter and suggest that maybe she take the extraordinary step of calling for a halt to the nomination process until after the election was done, and then to be guided by the results of the election. That’s an incredibly difficult thing to ask of any person. I recognize that, you know, a nomination to the Supreme Court is the honor of a lifetime. And it’s very presumptuous of me to have us to ask such a thing, but we felt it was necessary.”

Duffy said he believes the best thing for the United States at this point is to postpone Barrett’s nomination. However, he said the letter is not questioning Barrett’s qualification or experience for the court, but rather the circumstances surrounding her candidacy.

“I want to make it clear, we have not asked her to withdraw,” Duffy said. “We have not taken issue with any of her judicial philosophy. We’ve not been critical of her in any way at all. This is not a letter about her qualifications. It’s not a letter about her ideology. It’s not a liberal about her religious beliefs. It’s none of those things. It’s really more about, what does the country need right now?

What is best for the country?”

Dr. Catherine Bolten, an anthropology professor at the University and signatory of the letter, said the letter allowed for Notre Dame faculty to show that the public image of

The store stands out from many typical grocery store chains, as it sells private-label goods. With its growing popularity among young people, many students are looking forward to having access to Trader Joe’s within a short walk from the Notre Dame residence halls.

Junior Daley Ryan said Trader Joe’s will be conveniently placed for on-campus students who do not want to venture too far for groceries.

“I think it’s going to be really beneficial for everyone who wants to go to the grocery store and buy some things and not have to Uber there,” he said.

Junior Katherine Urasky believes Trader Joe’s is the right kind of store to add to Eddy Street Commons.

“I go there every so often, usually to Chipotle or Purely Pressed,” Urasky said. “I think it’s a great addition. I feel like there’s a community here that is attracted to that type of store.”

Having access to a nearby grocery store, especially a familiar one, proves to be very desirable to college students. First year Kayla Nguyen frequents her local Trader Joe’s and said she is happy to know that the chain is coming to Notre Dame.

“I’m really excited about it because Trader Joe’s is one of my favorite grocery stores back at home,” Nguyen said. “Having it in walking distance, especially at Eddy Street, a place that I’m really familiar with, it’s really convenient.”

Although the University had no further details to share at this time, the now highly anticipated opening does have students excited to grab some of their favorite Trader Joe’s items, and even recommend some to friends. “‘Hold the Cone’ ice cream is my favorite little treat to eat after a meal,” Nguyen said. “I also love their sparkling watermelon juice.

That one’s classic.”

Nguyen believes having the specialty grocer on Eddy Street will bring more students to the area, whether they need groceries or a bite to eat.

“I think it could also open more things to do because a lot of people like to grocery shop together,” Nguyen said. “Even if you didn’t need groceries, you could always go there for a sweet snack or some ice cream if you wanted to treat yourself with your friends.”

any given institution is not necessarily representative of the community as a whole.

“Obviously, there are a diversity of views in every institution, but it’s not always the case that that diversity is highlighted or recognized,” she said. “In this case, you know, it may be that Amy Coney Barrett was a professor at Notre Dame Law School, but that does not mean that she represents the views and values of everyone in this institution.”

Bolten said that by signing, she wanted to urge Barrett to honor former Justice Ginsburg’s last wish that her seat not be replaced until after the election.

“We wanted to highlight … the importance of not letting ambition overtake integrity, and that accepting a nomination immediately upon the death of a justice whose dying wish was that this nomination be held until after the election, combined with the fact that Judge Barrett herself had said on prior occasions that no new Supreme Court justices should be nominated in election years, let alone a month before an election that she needed, reminding that in this moment, perhaps her elation at being nominated overtook her good judgment,” Bolten said.

However, some Notre Dame faculty members have publicly stated their support of Barrett’s nomination. Nearly two dozen tenured Notre Dame law professors signed a letter encouraging the Senate Judiciary Committee to confirm Barrett to the court.

“A number of us disagree with the President on many things, and some of us object to the timing of the confirmation process,” the letter said. “But we all agree that, given

her background and qualifications, Judge Amy Barrett would serve with honor and distinction on the Supreme Court of the United States.”

Notre Dame law professor Paolo Carozza, who signed the letter, said it was a great honor to have a member of the Law School appointed to the Supreme Court.

“We’re excited and proud — almost everybody in the building is — about someone who isn’t only one of our students and colleagues, but someone who has been, you know, in her years here universally admired and loved and respected, for what she does for her mind for her character.”

Carozza, who attended the Rose Garden ceremony, said he has a close personal and working relationship with Barrett, and believes strongly in her capability to serve on the court.

“I know her really well and, and just think the world of her in terms of her fundamental kindness and decency as a person,” he said.

In response to the letter from 88 faculty members who asked Barrett to postpone her confirmation, Carozza said he believed the letter “presumes that her being nominated by this president at this time, will inevitably taint and diminish her candidacy.”

“I don’t agree that it has any bearing on how she will serve as a judge, how well she will serve the rule of law,” Carozza said. “I think the letter is unfortunate, because it’s really based on, I think, a fundamental misunderstanding of her relationship to the president and his party.”

Contact Siobhan Loughney at sloughne@nd.edu

Contact Claire Rafford at crafford@nd.edu

Senate provides updates on calendar

By RYAN PETERS News Writer

The student senate gathered Thursday evening to provide updates on planning for the spring semester and winter break and to swear in a new senator.

Chief of staff, senior Aaron Benavides announced the Student Advisory Group for Campus Reopening convened Wednesday evening.

The group met with University President Fr. John Jenkins to discuss his appearance at the White House for the announcement of Notre Dame law professor Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court. Benavides said the discussion focused on rebuilding trust with Jenkins following his release from isolation after his diagnosis of COVID-19.

“We will be continuing conversations with him as we work to rebuild trust and get on the right path again with the administration,” Benavides said.

The Student Advisory Group for Campus Reopening also met with vice president of the Graduate School Dr. Laura Carlson, vice president and associate provost for undergraduate affairs Fr. Hugh Page and provost Marie Lynn Miranda to discuss the possibility of amending the spring semester to provide a break for students and faculty and to receive updates regarding programming for winter break.

The advisory group sent out a survey Tuesday evening to gain student feedback about how to incorporate an academic reprieve into the spring schedule. Benavides said the group received over 800 responses to the survey in fewer than 24 hours.

“We’re so happy to see people filling that out, and we are so grateful to get students’ perspectives on how difficult this semester has been,” he said.

The survey feedback was sent to Miranda, who is hoping to finalize her plans for the schedule for next semester by the end of the month, according to Benavides.

Benavides added that Page said the courses and programming that will be offered during the winter session are expected to be finalized and sent out by the end of the month.

Following Benavides’ announcement, Rachel Ingal, senior student body president, announced that the Campus Life Council (CLC) held its first meeting Thursday morning.

Ingal, who serves as chair of the CLC, said the council had a productive dialogue about student behavior and the need for an academic break in the spring.

“We talked about weekend behavior and heard from the rector as to what they saw going on on campus and in the residence halls and … just how they think their residents are feeling. And [the rector was] taught from a student perspective as to kind of why we’re backsliding a little bit in terms of our behavior,” Ingal said.

Ingal said the meeting served as a unique opportunity to provide updates from the student perspective directly to Student Affairs about the stress students are experiencing from a semester with no breaks.

After the executive announcements, Dan Law took an oath of office to be instated as Dillion Hall senator. Law was sworn in following the resignation of senior Michael Dugan. (Editor’s Note: Dugan is a former News Writer and Systems Administrator at The Observer.) Dugan resigned following controversy surrounding a Letter to the Editor he and other Dillon officials submitted in September.

Contact Ryan Peters at rpeters5@nd.edu

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News

Limits Continued from page 1

to an Oct. 1 email from vice president for student affairs Erin Hoffmann Harding.

The University’s HERE dashboard reported a total of 41 cases since Monday, with 18 new cases of COVID-19 reported Thursday. A large number of these cases, the email said, resulted from large social gatherings from the previous weekend.

“As was true earlier in the semester, our experience demonstrates that transmission occurs in social settings where individuals are unmasked and often sharing food or drink together,” the email said.

Indoor gatherings may have to be limited according to capacity for physical distancing, the email said.

In addition to limiting the

Committee Continued from page 1

sisterhood bond. Regardless, we want to give back to the students in recognition of their hard work and dedication to the school and their academics.”

Kathleen Hannon, a first-year committee member, said the intimacy of the group is a blessing in disguise.

“The Mission Committee is actually only three people, so we have all bonded since the committee is so small,” she said. “This has been really neat as we have created friendships that have allowed us to work better as a group.”

Last month the Mission Committee sponsored the “Letters for Sisters” event during which students wrote a letter to a Sister of the Holy Cross. Martinez Camacho said the event had a high turnout rate from students.

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, October 16, 2020 | The Observer

size of gatherings, the email encouraged students to avoid bars and restaurants that are not enforcing health and safety protocols.

“The St. Joseph County Health Department is concerned about local trends, and they have increased their enforcement efforts accordingly,” the email said.

In a video message to the student body Thursday, University President Fr. John Jenkins emphasized the importance of continuing to follow University COVID-19 guidelines.

“I understand the weariness we all feel after a semester under COVID-19 restrictions and this can lead to laxity as we socialize,” Jenkins said in the video. “Yet so many have worked so hard to bring us to this point. If you have made mistakes — as I certainly have — let us own the mistakes and resolve to do better going forward.”

The email urged students to continue abiding by health and safety measures, including observing social distancing, wearing masks, hand washing, completing the daily health check and attending surveillance testing when selected.

“Notre Dame students are the most caring, dedicated, resilient, and talented people we know,” the email said.

“Please use these wonderful talents to recommit yourselves to our community’s well-being.”

In a new release Thursday, vice president for public affairs and communications Paul Browne said with 37 days left of the semester, community members need to be vigilant in adhering to guidelines.

“By observing these fundamentals, we can finish the semester in person and on campus instead of returning to distance learning,” Browne said in the statement.

The committee is also responsible for hosting weekly meditation sessions in Regina North Lounge on Wednesday nights.

“We encourage you to take a mid-week break to focus on yourself and wind down from stress,” Martinez Camacho said.

Hannon added that it is rewarding to see people attend and enjoy the events.

“The mission committee does a great job of bringing a source of light to campus,” she said.

Despite the high reward of the events the committee’s largest challenge has been determining what they can and cannot do in light of the pandemic, Hannon said.

When asked about the importance of the Mission Committee to the greater Saint Mary’s community, Martinez Camacho said, “We believe students should take the time to focus on their faith and spirituality.”

Martinez Camacho also spoke to the Mission Committee’s objective to support both students and Sisters of the Holy Cross.

“Mission is perfect for that because we offer opportunities to explore those aspects of life. It is one of our school’s core values,” she said. “And the Sisters play a huge role in our school; we have to show that we appreciate them and are thinking about them, especially in these difficult times.”

The Mission Committee’s next event will take place in November.

“We are so excited about the first of the month event: [a] sticker handout,” Martinez Camacho said. “We designed these cute stickers with a motivational quote to inspire Belles for November, as we enter the homestretch of the semester.”

Contact Mia Marroquin at mmarroquin01@saintmarys.edu

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“It is disheartening to see so many people suffering, people who are hurting, and those who can make a difference are not taking action to do so,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel asked the audience to be open to hearing the stories of refugees, and to make an earnest attempt to understand their struggles. She said she believes that people can make a difference in the lives of those who suffer at the

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short last spring and cancelled them for this fall, causing the College to make exceptions in some major departments to allow students an opportunity to study abroad at some point.

Emily Moriartey, a sophomore nursing student, was planning to study abroad in Rome this fall.

Due to the rigorous and structured nursing curriculum, study abroad is only possible in the fall of a student’s sophomore year or during the summer, in order to keep them on track to graduate in four years.

Moriartey said she strategically saved a few of her required Sophia courses for when she went to Rome because she couldn’t take her nursing classes abroad.

“Clinicals start junior year so I will not have the opportunity to study abroad for the semester again and this breaks my heart,” she said. “I was so excited to travel to as many countries as I could, including Belgium where my mom’s whole side of the family lives.”

Amidst their disappointment, students say they

5

border, underscoring that it is America’s responsibility to help refugees, instead of rejecting them with inhumane policies.

To inspire the audience to participate in solving this refugee crisis, Pimentel shared a quote from Pope Francis.

“By coming together, we can accomplish a lot of good,” she said. “Collectively, we can make a difference. It takes all of us to build a better tomorrow for everyone.”

Contact Lyric Medeiros at lmedeiro@nd.edu

understand why Saint Mary’s made the tough decision.

Taylor Bean, a sophomore double major in communication and humanisitic studies, said she tried to stay optimistic about her plans to go abroad to Rome in the spring, but wasn’t surprised when she received the email from the College.

“I am thankful for the College’s precautions to keep all of its students healthy and safe, but like everyone else in the world right now, the pandemic is altering my plans in very unexpected ways,” Bean said.

Many students, including Bean, are still undecided about when or if they will study abroad if given the opportunity.

Aside from moving course schedules around to study abroad and again after, junior business administration and economics double major Meredith Heckert has to plan around her tennis schedule.

Heckert planned to study at St. Mary’s University in Twickenham, London this semester and had to delay that plan until spring semester, but now does not know if studying abroad is in the picture anymore.

“Because of COVID-19 and my junior status here at Saint Mary’s, it’s very uncertain if I will be going abroad before I graduate,” she said.

The College said in the email to students that they sympathize with students who might not have another opportunity to study abroad, and they are still contemplating a decision for summer programs.

Students like Heckert and Bean have the option to consider study abroad programs in the summer, but all plans are still in the decision making process.

Contact Paige Madden at pmadden01@saintmarys.edu Paid Advertisement

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The observer | Friday, October 16, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Fly will vote

Inside Column

To doing better Maria Leontaras and Mariah Rush Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor

To our tri-campus community: As the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor of The Observer, we would like to address a recent misstep in our publication. The Wednesday issue of The Observer placed a talk given by former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan above a discussion with activist and prominent social justice leader Angela Davis on the front page in the print layout.

Wednesday evening, we saw a comment on social media criticizing the page layout for placing greater emphasis on the former speaker’s lecture rather than the legendary Black academic’s. While Ryan’s former position and political stature warrant a top space in a typical newsroom, The Observer is working toward becoming a more socially aware outlet. This means highlighting stories, such as Davis’, that represent historically marginalized communities in our institutions.

We apologize to our readers for failing to follow through with this ideal.

The Observer frequently receives feedback regarding our coverage. We discuss almost every comment internally; however, we have never addressed a critique like this one before.

After seeing the post and reviewing the page ourselves, we immediately knew the criticism was warranted and deserved to be publicly discussed.

We have addressed the problem internally with our staff and are now addressing it with you, our readers. This is an important reminder that we must step outside of our lived experiences to see the bigger, and more inclusive, picture. Remembering to frequently ref lect on our own biases while producing content for an expansive audience is necessary to become the most responsible publication we can be.

As an institution striving to hold the tricampus community accountable, we cannot properly and honestly continue our work if we are not being held accountable ourselves, and are not admitting when we have made a crucial error. Just as we hold our institutions accountable, we appreciate when our readers do the same for us.

The Observer strives to promote and highlight the diversity of our campuses, but in this case, we failed. As The Observer’s Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor, we are committed to confronting our mistakes and promise to do better.

Contact Maria at mleontaras01@saintmarys.edu and Mariah at mrush@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Megumi Tamura Middle GrouND

The w inner of the first t wo debates in this election cycle — the presidential debate on Sept.

29 and then the v ice presidential debate on Oct. 7 — was the f ly that landed on Vice President Mike Pence’s head, and the loser was the American voter.

The v ice presidential debate occurred about a week after what most people can agree was the worst debate in recent histor y bet ween President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. It was basically 90 minutes of interruptions, anger and lies to the American people, who walked away learning next to nothing about either of the candidate’s plans or specific v isions for the future, and instead w ith a higher blood pressure and an unpleasant feeling about the political climate we’re liv ing in.

A lthough Joe Biden attempted to tell us his plans a few times throughout the debate, he was consistently interrupted by Donald Trump or was put on defense for attacks both personal and political. We saw the President fail to condemn white supremacy and fail to say that he would accept the election results … t wo softball questions which should have immediate answers.

We saw, for the first time in American histor y, a presidential part y nominee tell the incumbent president, “Will you shut up, man? ” We watched the President, who rarely wears a mask and consistently holds large campaign rallies, seemingly make fun of his opponent for wearing a mask and follow ing CDC guidelines just days before he himself was hospitalized after testing positive for COV ID-19.

Overall, I have to agree w ith the statement that this debate was a “hot mess, inside a dumpster fire, inside a train w reck.” It was somehow easier to watch the nearly ten-person debates during the Democratic primar y than it was to watch this t wo-person debate. The true w inners were perhaps the people who didn’t watch at all.

Compared to the presidential debate, the v ice presidential debate was calmer and more polite — a good representation of the contrasts bet ween the personalities of Trump and Pence.

Mike Pence and Kamala Harris are on presidential tickets w ith indiv iduals who would be t wo of the oldest presidents in histor y, are are bound to be looked at more closely and w ith greater scrutiny.

There were a few memorable moments from this debate, including Harris referring to the Trump administration’s response to COV ID-19 as “the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the histor y of our countr y,” a line which had a substantial impact as she spoke from behind a layer of plex iglass separating her from the v ice president whose boss had tested positive for the v irus just a few days earlier.

There was also the historical significance of the first woman of color to be on a presidential ticket going back and forth w ith the Vice President on the topics of abortion, racial injustice and

policing.

A lthough it may have felt like a respite for v iewers at home from the utter mess that was the presidential debate a week earlier, I don’t believe this v ice presidential debate moved the needle much. In fact, what generated the most buzz from the night was the f ly that landed on Mike Pence’s head and stayed there for around t wo minutes — lending the internet plent y of time to produce meme after meme, and even the Biden campaign to almost immediately monetize the moment w ith “Truth Over Flies” f ly swatters (they sold 35,000 swatters w ithin just a few hours).

According to the N Y U Institute of Mathematical Sciences, the f ly that landed on the head of the Vice President during the debate received 29% more mentions on Tw itter than Pence, Harris, Biden or Trump. After the debate, the Biden campaign redirected the URL “f ly w illvote.com” to “iw illvote.com,” where voters could check to see if they were registered to vote. The f ly f lew away after t wo minutes, being the only one onstage to know when its t wo minutes were up (although clearly failing to adhere to social distancing guidelines).

I’ll admit that “Flygate” gave me a much needed laugh in the midst of an other w ise civ il yet still unsettling V P debate and the dumpster fire that was the presidential debate. However, the fact that jokes about a bug that landed in the Vice President’s hair was talked about (at least online) more than the actual candidates themselves makes me wonder how much these debates actually do any thing besides make a lot of people angr y.

Are many voters still undecided this close to the election involv ing one of the most controversial and polarizing political figures in modern American histor y? Have these telev ised debates really changed anyone’s mind? Looking at the 2020 Democratic primar y, I would say not really: Biden was never the most talked about at any of the debates, yet he still became the part y’s nominee.

With news that the next presidential debate, which was originally scheduled to take place on Oct. 15, had been cancelled as a result of the president declining to participate in a v irtual debate after his COV ID-19 diagnosis, the future remains unclear. As the political climate continues to disappoint and disgust, I can only hope for the end of this trend of American voters feeling like they’re the ones who are losing, and that politics and our political leaders change to ref lect the best in our countr y, rather than the worst.

I also hope that f ly enjoyed its t wo minutes of political fame.

Megumi Tamura is a first year in the Gateway Program. She is originally from Ridgewood, New Jersey, and enjoys going to museums, watching political debates and eating Jersey bagels. She can be reached at mtamura@nd.edu or @megtamura on Twitter.

The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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

The observer | Friday, October 16, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

I believe in the American voter Clark Bowden Snowflake Standpoint

Donald Trump may be one of the best things to happen to America. Now for those of you who have read my columns before (a number I’m fairly certain I could count on two hands), you know me to be a left wing bleeding heart liberal … and you’d be correct. So my opening sentence may come as a surprise when I appear to have been caught up and hypnotized into the mindless craze of a diehard Trump supporter. Fear not. Donald Trump is a terrible president and an even worse man, but it’s his awfulness that provides us with this opportunity for progress.

Donald Trump represents an ideology that drives a moral decay of true American values, but usually this ideology stays in the shadows, out of sight from the public eye. Now, thanks to the President, it sits in the White House for all to see.

Come Election Day, we finally have the opportunity to address his nationalistic creed head on.

Trump will turn out his supporters in droves to the polls. He has a significant swath of the electorate who would follow him off a cliff and has managed to co-opt enough of the Republican Party to make him a formidable force come November. But, as I said earlier, this might be a good thing.

I actually want every person who supports Trump’s reelection to vote. I want every person who sees no issue with his misogynistic comments or treatment of women to vote. I want every person who has shrugged off his racist past and allyship with white supremacy to vote. I want

every person who nods in agreement when he disparages the U.S. military to vote. I want every person who ignores America’s plummet in world standing to vote. I want every person who doesn’t care that he mishandled a pandemic so horribly that almost a quarter of a million Americans have died, to vote. I want all of them to vote. And I want to crush them. I want to defeat Trumpism once and for all.

I believe in this country, in freedom and in democracy, but most importantly, I believe in the average American voter. Donald Trump is not good for this nation, and he is an even worse representation of the American people. Americans recognize that too many people have sacrificed too much for him to dismantle our nation from the inside out. A clear, decisive, unapologetic victory at the voting booth this November will spell the beginning of the end for Trump and his ideology.

I want all of his supporters to vote so that when we win, there is no question that America soundly rejected Trumpism.

To my peers at Notre Dame, we have really been taking it on the chin these past few weeks. First Lou Holtz goes off the rails at the Republican National Convention and tries to paint Trump as the more religious of the two candidates (which is the equivalent to arguing that a lake has more salt than the ocean). Then Trump nominates one of our own, Amy Coney Barrett, to be his Supreme Court nominee with the hopes that she can strike down healthcare and revoke the basic human rights of women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. And finally, our illustrious leader, Father Jenkins, ignores his own protocols,

contracts the coronavirus, loses any moral high ground he hoped to maintain throughout this year and retreats into hiding. You know, to Notre Dame’s credit, not many institutions could damage their public image so much so fast, but I guess HERE™ anything is possible.

Ok, so September wasn’t our finest month, but let’s f lip that around in October. This is a great opportunity for students at Notre Dame and young people every where. A megaphone has been placed at our lips and all we have to do is speak. Voting has never been easier than it is this year, and the stakes for us are enormous. Remember, friends don’t let friends not vote. We have the chance to seize control of our future and vote out systemic racism, sexism and corruption in our local communities, as well as on the national level.

As an important note, while this coming election is an incredible opportunity, it is vital to remember that it’s just that — an opportunity.

Beating Donald Trump is no easy task, and he and his supporters are more fervent than ever. It is imperative that we vote in record numbers because that is what it will take to win. This Election Day is a great chance for America, and we as students and young people cannot afford to pass it up.

Clark Bowden is a senior political science major.

When he is not sleeping through his alarm or reminding people that he studied abroad, he can be found having heated political debates or watching the Washington Nationals play baseball. He can be reached at cbowden@nd.edu or @BowdenClark on Twitter.

The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Be fearlessly authentic Krista Akiki Inquisitor of the Unconventional

Dubbed one of the greatest forgers of all time, Han van Meegeren sold $60 million worth of fake Vermeers to everyone from high-ranking Nazi officer Hermann Göring to the government of the Netherlands. Dutch artist Han van Meegeren didn’t start out as a forger. He simply wanted to be recognized as an artist. For a while he got away with selling the detailed forgeries for astounding prices, reaching the equivalent of $60 million for six fake Vermeers sold on the Dutch market, according to The Telegraph.

Researchers Newman and Bloom conducted an experiment on 180 participants to try and understand why people cared so much about the authenticity of artwork. The participants were asked to evaluate two paintings they had never seen before — “Son of a Covered Bridge” and “A Covered Bridge” — both of which portray the same scenery. Half of the participants were told that the paintings were created by two different artists and that their similarity is a pure coincidence. The other half was told that one art piece was painted as an original work while the other piece was made as a copy of the first piece, by an artist inspired by the first painting.

When asked to estimate the artworks’ value, the first group attributed a similar value to both paintings while the second group valued the piece they considered to be a copy much lower than the one they considered to be an original.

So, why do art enthusiasts care so much for originals? It’s because our appreciativeness of an artwork doesn’t depend only on the appearance of the piece but also on the originality of the artist’s idea and his/her personal involvement in the actual creative process. “It’s almost like we humans believe that artists somehow infuse the essence of themselves into their work simply by touching it,” writes

the Art Acacia Gallery. “By looking at works by Paul Gauguin or Vermeer we feel connected to them as if somehow we are looking into their minds. And that’s a feeling that forgery, no matter how close to the original, can never evoke.”

The conclusions attained by this study pushed me to go a step further and ask: Why does authenticity matter so much?

Think of someone who has inspired you and motivated you. Now, I want you to think of why you thought of this person first. Most likely, your first thought wasn’t related to how quickly they could code or simply how many awards they won. Your first thought encompasses how this individual has made you feel. You probably associate them with feelings of trustworthiness and sincerity and authenticity.

The true leaders within our communities are authentic when their outer behavior is congruent with their inner values. Alignment is what we experience when in the presence of an authentic leader. They also have high emotional intelligence because they understand the impact of their words, actions, behaviors and even their moods.

As Brene Brown says, “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.” Being authentic means you know who you are. You stand for something. And by being true to that something, no one ever questions the truth about you.

Authenticity is fundamental to relationships and communication. As Mike Robbins preaches in his book, “Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken,” “being real, honest and even vulnerable are key elements to individual and group success and engagement.” Mike Robbins, former pro baseball player, writer and motivational speaker, discussed in a TEDxYouth talk about the power of authenticity and how the Iceberg Theory can also be a metaphor for authenticity. Also known as a writing technique coined by Ernest Hemingway, “The Iceberg Theory

is the idea that the deeper meaning of a story should not be evident on the surface. Think about the tip of the iceberg and that being what you visibly show to people. … Getting past your fears and being vulnerable takes trust and courage to make that waterline recede and show more of what you want to convey and your feelings behind it … letting people see you as you are and also understanding and accepting who you are as a person.”

With that said, I leave you with Michelle Obama’s words, “There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice.” So go out there and be fearlessly authentic.

KERRY SCHNEEMAN | The Observer

Krista Akiki is a sophomore at Notre Dame majoring in business analytics. Coming from Beirut, Lebanon, she always enjoys trying out new things and is an avid travel-lover. She hopes to take her readers on her journey as she navigates college life and stands up for the issues she believes. She can be reached at kakiki@nd.edu or via Twitter @kristalourdesakiki The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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The observer | Friday, October 16, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

LETTERs TO THE EDITOR

It’s your ballot, genius Our presidential election has become a family squabble. The choices are both septuagenarians — the grievance-prone, exaggerating, flamboyant, crazy uncle who dyes his hair or the empathetic grandpa whose calm temperament while conveying wise stories from another era strain to inspire us. To join our family food fight, read these tips carefully to sidestep sloppy, stupid mistakes that will void your absentee mail-in ballot on Nov. 3.

With a plethora of subtle pitfalls across varying states, your vote can be easily disqualified. To successfully submit your ballot via mail, follow four rules of smart hacks and tricks: 1.) Apply now for an absentee mail-in ballot, 2.) Understand your state’s ballot instructions, 3.) Complete every requirement as directed and 4.) Mail your ballot immediately after receiving it. Like taking a SAT, be laser focused on your ballot instructions or you will lose the most precious right you own as an American citizen.

If you have not applied for your ballot, time is tight, so apply now and learn if you can apply without an excuse (away at school).

Rule 1: The National Association of Secretaries of State website can guide you through your state ballot application; I personally prefer Vote.org. Not inspired to vote? Vladimir Putin — who presides over an economy only the size of Texas — loves your attitude so he can brag about his national strength.

Rule 2: Understand how to mark the ballot ovals within the lines (no-brainer) and the instructions for stuffing your ballot into envelopes. President Trump has already lost seven military votes in my native state, Pennsylvania, but not due to fraud as some thought. A new untrained elections contract employee should have held them aside rather than trashed what he knew to be voided loose ballots (recovered and then held aside). These overseas soldiers did not fully understand and follow Pennsylvania’s two-envelope instructions. Instead, they submitted a loose, or so-called “naked” ballot, and they are solely

responsible for losing their opportunity to vote.

They should have simply sealed their ballots within a smaller “secrecy” envelope preprinted “Official Election Ballot.” That smaller secrecy envelope — not the loose ballot alone — is then placed in the larger mailing envelope, which on the back contains places for a signature and other declaratory information.

Without being “fully clothed” within the secrecy envelope, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in September that all “naked ballots” would not be counted.

Rule 2a: Has your state provided a postage-free envelope? Due to the pandemic, Pennsylvania for the first time provided a free return outer envelope.

Review your enclosed instructions for “By mail – No postage necessary” or on the envelope itself find “No Postage Necessary If Mailed in the United States.”

When in doubt, always place postage on the envelope, and as a safety backup, write your election board address in the upper left corner as your return address.

Then your election board will always receive your envelope should the post office kick it back to the sender.

Rule 3: Understand the instructions to completely execute your voter’s declaration with your signature, the date you signed your outer envelope, your permanent voting address (NOT your absentee address), precinct (if required) and any witness signatures (required for all ballots in North Carolina and for now in South Carolina while pending a court ruling).

Some states like Pennsylvania only require a witness signature if someone is ill or physically disabled and can only make a mark as their signature. Be alert to understand that on ballots like Pennsylvania’s, two areas are provided for signatures, but only the top half is used if you sign your own ballot.

Do not assume anything. Fill out every informational field EVEN if your election board applied a sticker with all of your information already accompanying a bar code sticker. Make sure your signature exactly matches your registration — middle initial or

middle name. Most importantly, your signature must look like the one on your driver’s license or whenever you registered to vote. Now is not the time to mimic Andy Warhol.

In short, the major political parties have battled in dozens of lawsuits governing the electoral process including timelines to count ballots. One party advocates restricting such things as drop boxes, shorter early voting, eliminating no-excuse absentee applications along with limiting ballot receipt timelines and limiting ballot counting beyond election day. Avoid the tiniest of infractions that may void your ballot by knowing the nuisances of your state’s requirements.

Unofficial Rule 5: Either Uncle Crazy or Grand-Pops will win the presidency, so choose the one who most favors your agenda despite that candidate not being your dreamy first choice. One may be partially receptive to your ideals while the other may set back your causes for the next decade. Politics is a slow directional glide like captaining an ocean liner. Not choosing between these two major party candidates is the top cause of unwanted presidencies and voter’s remorse.

Quirky political strategist James Carville, the architect of Bill Clinton’s 1992 win, remained focused with his campaign message, “It’s the economy, stupid!”

This year be a genius, mail your perfectly completed envelope immediately and make your ballot count for the winner.

Gary Caruso class of 1973 Oct. 4 Gary J. Caruso, Notre Dame ‘73 American Studies major, serves in the Department of Homeland Security and was a legislative and public affairs director at the U.S. House of Representatives and in President Clinton’s administration. Contact him on Twitter: @GaryJCaruso or e-mail: GaryJCaruso@alumni.nd.edu

Is that it?

Is that it?

While those of you may or may not agree with the sentiments written in the following paragraphs, that is not the point. For all “man” and “woman” have lived, experienced and thought about their lives in different and unique ways. The words yet to come are just one’s own formulation and understanding of life as a whole.

The idea of this is not to teach, yet it is meant to bring light to areas of one’s life that may have gone unnoticed.

Written for all those who are living, without actually living. For all those who are doing, without actually doing.

Life, or that is, the life that “humans” have created, is all but just a game. A game that is played, without actually being played. At least for some. Since the day we were born, our parents, or those who raised us, have set certain “rules” for us to follow. A way in which life is meant to be “lived.” No matter your background, all humans have had a set of ideals and priorities taught to them, for the way they should live their lives. This has become the way of life for all.

In this life, there are “wins” and there are “losses.”

The wins and the losses are defined by the way in which we have been taught to live. Achievements are what we have been taught bring value to our lives, and are what allow us to feel “fulfilled.” Yet how many times have you achieved something and thought, “Is that it?”

This very feeling of emptiness was the key to my understanding of the way life simply is. This feeling of “Is that it?” allowed me to understand that it was sadly, only “it.”

But why?

We have been taught since a young age that

achievements and successes are what bring our lives value. We have focused and fought for the feeling of fulfillment, and in that, have chased these achievements and successes. But when you finally reach your goal and achieve what you have “given” your life to, why does it feel so empty? Why do we not feel more?

This is because the gift is not in whether we succeed or fail. The gift is hidden within the journey to get there.

The only way to truly feel the magnitude of life, and to feel the magnitude of success is to cherish the journey to get there. To be there, when you are there.

When we are so focused on the definition of success that we have been taught, when we are so focused on not failing, we miss the true gift.

The gift of life. The gift of experiences. The gift of being where you are, blended in the flow of the entire universe, where nothing else in the world matters.

The power and the feeling you are looking for when you are striving for success is hidden in the time that you spend thinking about getting there. It is lost in the chaos and the built-in chatter of your mind where you are constantly thinking ahead. Where you are constantly thinking behind. That is where the power is lost.

That is where the “it” is disguised.

When you are able to get to a point in your life when you find yourself in the flow of life, do not cherish it, do not think of it. Live it. For it is in that very moment, in that very flow of time, that fulfillment can be found. As long as you are there, when you are there.

When you do not live in the time that you are in, when you can not find yourself lost in the flow of life, moving weightlessly throughout reality — the very “it” that you cherish so much, is lost and never to be found

again.

The human brain’s conditioning to move towards these “successes” that have been taught to us, prevents us from being where we need to be. It prevents us from feeling the “it,” from feeling the gift that life really is.

While we may achieve these “successes” we all seek so vehemently, what are they really worth if we are left feeling, “Is that it?”

They may be worth putting on your transcript or they may be worth telling your friends about. But when you are in your waning moments of life, in your waning moments of conscious thought, what will they really be worth?

That question can only be answered by those who did the “living.”

If you let your life pass away with only your goals of “success” in mind, you are left with what you accomplished. Yet, you will be left with a life that was not lived.

If you live your life where you are, when you are there, you are left with all that you experienced. You are left with life.

So the next time you accomplish something powerful, something that you “lived” for, look back and ask yourself if you were truly there throughout the journey.

Ask yourself if you were there, in the moments that have now passed, that have gotten you to this exact moment, reading this exact word.

For if not, there is your answer to, “Is that it?”

Ryan Carmichael sophomore Sept. 22

9

The observer | Friday, October 16, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

By PATRICK WITTEMAN Scene Writer

When 21 Savage and Metro Boomin released “Savage Mode” in 2016, the hip-hop and trap landscape was considerably different. In 2015, Metro Boomin was key to the production of seminal projects like Future’s “DS2” and the Future/Drake collaboration tape, “What a Time to be Alive.” Although Metro had already entered into the mainstream, 21 was at the very beginning of his meteoric rise. He had released projects like “The Slaughter Tape” and “Slaughter King,” both of which contributed to his popularity on SoundCloud at the time. In June of 2016, he was named to the XXL Freshman Class, and in July of that year, he released “Savage Mode” with Metro. “Savage Mode” propelled 21 to superstardom; he followed that project up with the multi-platinum albums “Issa Album” and “i am > i was.”

It never really felt like 21 had fully arrived, though.

Since the 2018 release of “i am > i was,” other trap artists like Gunna and Lil Baby have grown in popularity, pushing trap away from Metro and 21’s 2016 sound.

With “Savage Mode II,” 21 Savage and Metro Boomin make a triumphant return, once again placing themselves at the forefront of hip-hop consciousness.

By NICK BRIGATI Scene Writer

On May 25, 2020, I, like so many other Americans, witnessed the disturbing video of George Floyd dying after a white police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes — an image that has unfortunately become all too familiar. Seeing the video immediately reminded me of Spike Lee’s magnum opus, “Do the Right Thing,” a film that, 31 years later, remains as pertinent as ever.

“Do the Right Thing” captures the nuance and complications of race relations in a way few other films before or after have been able to. Spike Lee does a meticulous job of capturing the sights and sounds of the Brooklyn neighborhood through his set design, making tensions feel palpable with each shot on screen. Not only that, but he effortlessly balances numerous characters that drive those tensions — not typical within a Hollywood film — transitioning from one character’s plot line to the next with ease.

Taking place over the course of a day in the diverse Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, the film’s conflict revolves around the various ethnic groups that live there and the racial tensions that exist between them. Mookie (played by Lee), is the central protagonist, a pizza delivery man for Sal’s Pizzeria, a local joint owned by an Italian-American (Sal) and

“Savage Mode II” sounds like a victory lap with both artists performing at the highest level.

In terms of production, Metro’s beats are head and shoulders above other 2020 hip hop albums. 21 Savage is the beneficiary of Metro’s brilliance; he has the space he needs to craft varied and interesting flows. On “Runnin,” 21 is at his most aggressive while setting the tone for the rest of the album. Metro provides a venomous, cold beat that hinges on an incredible Diana Ross sample. 21 invokes the original “Savage Mode,” rapping: “Called the first one Savage Mode, my mood, that’s what it was.” It is clear that 21 and Metro aren’t taking any prisoners, as they immediately come out of the gates sharp and focused.

I wouldn’t be doing this album justice if I ignored “Snitches & Rats” and its interlude. Although 21 has clarified that this song wasn’t meant to take direct aim at 6ix9ine, it certainly reads like some type of diss track. The song is introduced, like many are on this album, with a Morgan Freeman interlude. The interlude, written by spoken word artist Big Rube, clarifies the difference between a “regular citizen who reports seeing a crime,” a snitch and a rat. It is clear that 21 Savage reviles rats like 6ix9ine, as Morgan Freeman ends his interlude by saying: “The difference is, at least a snitch is human, but a rat is a

f----n’ rat, period.”

On “Intro,” Morgan Freeman opines about Metro Boomin and 21’s collective power. “When [great men with ideals] join forces [with] the focus of reaching the same goals … they are not two, but one. Instead of simply adding one’s common attributes to another’s, they somehow tend to multiply all attributes of both.”

From top to bottom, Metro and 21 certainly multiply their attributes, making “Savage Mode II” one of the standout releases of the year. The album has extraordinarily high playback value, and I would definitely recommend giving it a listen!

his two sons. When Sal refuses to add, at the request of the excitable local, Buggin’ Out, pictures of AfricanAmerican heroes to his Italian-American “Wall of Fame,” it triggers a chain of events that destroys the lives of everyone in Bed-Stuy.

At the heart of this conflict is Radio Raheem, a character who goes about his day blasting Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” through his prized boombox. In one of our first encounters with Raheem, he delivers a touching monologue to Mookie about the “love” and “hate” rings he wears on his hands, explaining the constant conflict that exists between the two forces and the idea that they ultimately go hand in hand (in regards to the fight against racial inequality). Throughout the film, the volume of Raheem’s boombox (and his refusal to turn it down) puts him at odds with numerous residents of the neighborhood, including —eventually — Sal. After being forced to turn off his boombox in Sal’s Pizzeria, a frustrated Raheem later marches into Sal’s alongside Buggin’ Out, once again blasting “Fight the Power” (this time, in protest). Sal responds by spewing racial expletives at Raheem and destroying his precious boombox, resulting in the two characters getting into a fight that ultimately ends in the street. Sal’s overt racism in this scene reminds the viewer that prejudice often lies underneath the surface and may not be readily apparent.

Once the police show up, they choke Radio Raheem to death in front of many of the neighborhood’s residents, an image reminiscent of not only George Floyd’s death, but Eric Garner’s, as well as the other Black lives lost at the hands of police. Like so many unjust Black deaths that happen as a result of police brutality, Raheem’s was caused by something insignificant — the volume of a boombox — just as George Floyd’s death is allegedly linked to a counterfeit bill.

After Raheem’s death, Mookie throws a trash can through the window of Sal’s, yelling “hate” (a callback to Raheem’s rings, with Mookie ultimately choosing “hate”). At this point, a riot ensues, paralleling the riots that have taken place over the last few months.

Mookie and Sal, standing in the ruins of the pizzeria the following morning, reflect the images of what many have been experiencing in their own neighborhoods, with no solution to the events from the previous night found and the divisions within their community (and society at large) remaining.

The film ends with a black screen containing quotes from both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, two civil rights leaders who differed vastly in their vision toward solving racial inequality. The ambiguity of this ending still applies today, showing the unresolved nature of racial inequality and police brutality in America.

Contact Patrick Witteman at pwittema@nd.edu

“Savage Mode II” 21 Savage and Metro Boomin Label: Epic Records/Slaughter Boomin Favorite songs: “Runnin,” “Snitches & Rats,” “Brand New Draco,” “Many Men” If you liked: Migos, Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty

Contact Nick Brigati at nbrigati@nd.edu JACKIE JUNCO | The Observer

10

The observer | Friday, October 16, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

By WILLOUGHBY THOM Scene Writer

Fall has arrived — and girls, it’s time for a wardrobe change. We all know the transition between summer and fall is not an easy feat. As you pack up your vibrant summer attire, you must not pack style up with it. Oftentimes when the weather gets chillier, all we want to do is throw on a big sweatshirt. But resist the urge. Try and break away from the standard black leggings and oversized t-shirt look and find something unique, yet accessible. Behold, Scene’s women’s fall style guide, full of tips and tricks to stand out and dress properly in October’s freshly fall weather.

Please note: The leggings comment has nothing to do with the black leggings debate of 2019, but simply trying to provide you with alternatives to a very common look seen on campus. Like Scene Editor Ryan Israel said in the men’s style guide, “This is your blueprint — do with it what you will.”

Let’s start from the top. Due to the chill in the air, you will most likely be sporting some sort of jacket or sweater. Remember, it isn’t winter yet, so put away the parka. One of my favorite fall looks is a sweater paired with either a classic white — or solid-colored — t-shirt or a crisp, pressed button-down. I

By SOPHIA MICHETTI Scene Writer

I didn’t realize how much I had missed Chris Harrison until he graced my TV screen last Tuesday night, introducing Clare Crawley as the lead for the sixteenth season of “The Bachelorette.” The Bachelor franchise has been a major component of American pop culture for as long as I can remember, and this season may be “the most dramatic yet.”

Clare Crawley is a 39-year-old woman from California, and she is a Bachelor franchise veteran. First appearing on Bachelor Juan Pablo Galavis’s season seven years ago, she famously told him off for leading her on until the very end.

“I would never want my children having a father like you,” is still one of the most iconic lines in reality television history. In the years leading up to this season, Clare appeared on the first two seasons of “Bachelor in Paradise,” and was briefly engaged to a Canadian man she met on “Bachelor Winter Games.” However, she is full of hope that this season will be the one where she meets the love of her life.

After watching the season opener, I have a lot of respect for Clare. Being only the second Bachelorette to lead the show in her thirties, Clare makes it clear that she knows what she wants in a partner, and she will not settle for anything less. She’s so confident that she unapologetically pets Bachelor Kenny’s chest because he’s wearing a shirt with her dogs printed on it. She is not afraid to ask her Bachelors

recommend checking out J.Crew and Uniqlo to find some of these staples. Don’t forget about concert tshirts, either. Sport your favorite band’s t-shirt over a fitted turtleneck or long-sleeved t-shirt.

If you want to mix up your sweater wearing or need an extra layer of outerwear, this is when your denim jacket becomes your best friend — and don’t be afraid of the Canadian tuxedo. Fitted denim jackets are great on mildly cool days with a white long-sleeved t-shirt and pair of jeans or colored pants. For the days you need to layer, an oversized jean jacket is a must.

It may consume you, but it will definitely keep you warm. Nevertheless, even on the sunny cool days, oversized denim jackets are great to throw on over a jean skirt or a dress. You can find great denim options on both Levi’s and Madewell, but if you are looking for a more luxurious jean jacket, AG is a great option.

For your legs, think pants. As the weather gets colder and windier, skirts and dresses may not be the best option. Mother, Levi’s, 7 for all mankind and Dickies are great brands to explore for a diverse array of denim or a simple pair of skater pants. If you are interested in a sportier and more casual look, check out Lululemon’s alternative to sweats. And for a more daring look, a bold pant found at Big Bud Press (a small independent clothing brand in Los Angeles)

is always my go-to. Their colors are not traditionally “fall,” but they will always brighten a room.

The toes need to be protected, so it’s time for boots.

Clearly, Dr. Martens has the prescription for you.

Almost every girl has pair of Docs, but in order to call yourself a true owner of Dr. Martens you must appreciate its history. If it doesn’t feel like a boot kind of day, Birkenstocks and socks have made a comeback.

This pairing is no longer ridiculed and is met with frequent praise. To spice up the coupling of sock and sandals, find bold socks at RipnDip or a classic pair of clean white socks. Socks are an important aspect of any outfit — even if they are hidden in a boot or underneath pants, they always add a hint of surprise.

Your winter fashion might not change, but I hope you take one thing away from this article: Create your own unique style. Don’t become complacent and conform to the world around you. Find pieces of clothing that excite you and define you. Be creative and have fun — don’t let social media and peer pressure tell you what you must wear. I hope this style guide inspired you to explore new brands and develop your own style that is clearly and authentically you.

tough questions or openly express her emotions. After her father’s passing and her mother’s current struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, Clare exudes strength and is vulnerable with the men vying for her heart.

Of course, one of the Bachelors had to cause drama the first night. Tyler C. (who I couldn’t help but compare to the absolutely iconic Tyler C. from Hannah Brown’s season of “The Bachelorette”) pulled fellow Bachelor Yosef aside to address DMs he had allegedly sent to a mutual friend of his. There doesn’t seem to be any substance to this allegation, though, especially since Tyler C. is from West Virginia and Yosef is from Alabama. While social media does connect people from all over the world, this is a big stretch.

So, what did Yosef do after Tyler C. pulled him aside?

He tattled to Clare, of course. Clare immediately and brilliantly shut down any further spread of rumors. She quickly pulled Yosef and Tyler C. aside together to hear both sides, and she didn’t give any more time to the bickering than she needed to. Unfortunately for Tyler C., Clare didn’t find his claims believable either, as she sent him packing while Yosef got to stay.

Contestant Brendan asked in his quarantine vlog, “Isn’t it crazy what we do for love?” In order to film this season, Clare, Chris Harrison and all of the Bachelors had to be tested for the coronavirus multiple times, as well as live in isolation before shooting the season in their COVID19-free bubble. Filmed solely at the La Quinta Resort and Club, this bubble allowed the contestants to hug and kiss

Clare like any other season. The Bachelors were able to pull off memorable first impressions, including wearing a pregnancy belly to “foreshadow” their future, and jumping through a giant poster designed in a comic style with the words “future husband” printed in the middle. There seems to be a pretty good mix of energetic, soft-spoken, sweet and bold guys this season.

Of course, the future of this season of “The Bachelorette” will be determined by Clare’s relationship with first-impression rose winner Dale, especially since Clare claimed she felt like she had met her husband after first meeting him. The previews for the rest of the season clearly suggest that she will “blow up The Bachelorette” at some point and leave early. I guess the question is: Will she be leaving with Dale?

Contact Willoughby Thom at wthom@nd.edu

Contact Sophia Michetti at smichett@nd.edu

“The Bachelorette” Season 16, Episode 1 Dreamiest of the week: Eazy (for having a great energy the first night) and Blake Moynes (for reaching out to check on Clare during quarantine) Where to watch: Netflix, ABC app or website

MARY O’REILLY | The Observer

Classifieds

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, October 16, 2020 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

11

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Stand your ground and make a statement. Remain calm, and use intelligence to make your point to help get your way. It’s time to position yourself for the future and to put the past behind you. Don’t dwell on what you cannot change. What you want will be granted if you focus on what’s important to you and strive to achieve peace and tranquility. Your numbers are 3, 14, 20, 23, 31, 37, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Pick up the pace. Don’t let anyone mess with you.

Remain focused on your objective. You will overcome any obstacle that stands in your way. The best is yet to come, so hang on and take one step at a time TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’ll face a challenge if you can’t come to terms with what’s happening around you. Take a step back and look at every angle before you make a decision that has lasting effects. Be smart, and set strategic plans in motion.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’ve got what it takes to make a difference. Don’t waste time on the impossible; focus on what you can do, and don’t look back. Walk away from risky situations and people who try to lead you astray.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Emotions will dictate how well you do. Buck up, and refuse to let trivial matters get to you. Back away if someone doesn’t see things your way. Getting into a dispute will not be worth your time, effort or the trouble it will cause.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Do something energetic. Self-improvement projects will bring the best results. Do your own thing, and let others do as they please.

Concentrate more on you and less on outside influences. Anger will lead to setbacks, not gains.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Say what’s on your mind, but don’t force your will on others. Kind gestures, truth and understanding will win support. Use your imagination, and you will come up with a plan that will catch on and set the trend.

Romance is favored.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Listen to your heart, and take a passionate approach to achieve your goal. Refuse to let anyone stand between you and what you want.

Look for innovative ways to deal with negativity, and you will surpass expectations SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Choose a unique lifestyle that accommodates the changes you want to implement. Remembering what has made you happy in the past will encourage you to start planning to backtrack where you left off. Personal and spiritual growth are favored.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You can help others without jeopardizing your health, finances or reputation. Make it clear what you are willing to do, and refuse to let anyone talk you into ramping up your contribution. Someone will mislead you if you are gullible.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Let go of situations that consume you. Anger isn’t going to help you accomplish what you set out to do. Concentrate on the changes you want to make, and work alongside the people willing to help you make your dreams come true.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Look over contracts and agreements. Update documents, and be sure to handle your finances with care. Moderation will be necessary to avoid money troubles. Refuse to let someone interfere with or control you. Verify the information you receive before you agree to anything.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): How you help others will lead to unexpected rewards.

A change to how you handle a legal, financial or health issue will lead to positive results. A partnership will allow you to expand your ideas and plans.

Birthday Baby: You are proactive, ambitious and persuasive. You are charismatic and mysterious.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

Write Sports.

Email Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu

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Sports

The observer | Friday, October 16, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Sports Authority

Sports Authority

Save tailgating with a reuben David Kramer Sports Writer

Unrelenting belief marks one of the extraordinary paradoxes of human psychology. History’s strangest narratives arguably revolve around overzealous faith in the most implausible phenomena. Cults, astrology, fake news and pseudoscience withstand the tests of time, devouring the credulity of society through ever-changing media and informational sources. Such a tendency now looms so largely that brilliant minds dedicate their careers to extensively researching defense mechanisms against it, a field better known as “informational literacy.”

But in spite of this reprisal fueled by journalists, scientists and religious leaders vying to save their integrity and career, oftentimes our pleasure found in believing the wildly improbable far outweighs our fear of it. The success of nearly every film and television series depends on our almost reckless devotion to protagonists that we insist emerge from ridiculous situations unscathed, against all odds.

As we find ourselves in low-stakes situations such as these, our heart grows heedlessly invested in the underdog. When our mind and soul need not worry about the ethical or ideological consequences of being proven wrong, our faith gravitates toward the very people that have no business being right.

Overnight sports sensations like Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Alec Mills prove no exception. Mills began his incredible climb to stardom as a walk-on at the University of Tennessee at Martin. During an otherwise normal team practice, he approached the coaching staff and requested a tryout. A dominant tenure in his college rotation earned him a 22nd round draft selection in 2012. He ascended the minor league ranks with ease, and he emerged from a battle with Tommy John with a dominant sinker.

Mills entered the majors with a four-seam fastball averaging 90 miles per hour.

In an era unswervingly consumed by intensive velocity development, the figure looks laughable next to the names of flamethrowers Jordan Hicks and Aroldis Chapman. In only his fifteenth major-league start last weekend, however, Mills’ arsenal of off-speed pitches

spoke for itself.

Needless to say, Mills’ meager five strikeouts and 114 pitches against a lackluster Milwaukee Brewers offense will not be remembered as an overwhelming dominant performance, nor even a flawless one. But the blend of sheer random chance, pitch design, happenstance and control forced outs at every turn. A quiet, goggle-donning rookie epitomized the late Greg Maddux in just the right moment, securing the most improbable of no-hitters as he embraced catcher Vic Caratini.

As I watched Mills punctuate his legacy in baseball fanfare, I expected to spread the news with the euphoria of a baseball fan relentlessly placing his faith in the underdog. I expected to enjoy it. Like my absolutely awful case of Sunday scaries, I never did.

Perhaps fear of the inevitable got the best of me. Esteemed analysts across Major League Baseball advocate against performances like that of Mills, and their rationale continues to gain rapid traction. Commonly referred to as “bull-penning,” the idea seeks to eliminate the role of starting pitchers entirely, instead sending an array of relief pitchers to the mound. Under this concept, managers would limit the use of each pitcher by the number of batters faced, the hitting teams’ spot in the batting order, and the favorable individual matchups between pitchers and hitters.

Statisticians who support bull-penning point to hitters’ drastic increase in success against starting pitchers in their third time through the batting order.

Normally a keen proponent of letting sports statistics run their course, I would seriously hate to remember Alec Mills as one of the last complete game pitchers of my generation.

Without a doubt, bull-penning stands as a well-defended, alluring idea in theory. But for a game struggling to salvage the luster of America’s past time, Alec Mills’ narrative should make its value trivial in practice. Baseball needs more stories like Alec Mills.

After all, our untamed, reckless faith depends on them.

Contact David Kramer at dkramer2@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

College football season beginning to take shape Nate Moller Sports Writer

With ACC, SEC and Big 12 teams now a couple of games into the season, the landscape of college football for the 2020 season is slowly starting to take shape. All that I can say after these first couple of weeks is “Wow.” If you would have told me at the beginning of the year that Oklahoma, Texas and LSU would both be sitting at two losses and North Carolina and Cincinnati would be sitting at No. 5 and No. 8 in the AP Poll, respectively, I would have thought you were crazy. As 2020 has shown us, though, it’s time to expect the unexpected and embrace the craziness that is going to come along with the 2020 college football season.

So what does all of this craziness mean for the season ahead? What are the conference championships and playoffs going to look like by the time December and January roll around? It’s hard to say, but I’m going to give a brief assessment of what I expect to happen.

The Big 12 is out of the playoffs this year for sure Texas and Oklahoma were clearly the favorites for the Big 12 conference going into the season. With two losses, both of these teams are eliminated from contention no matter what happens. To make matters worse for the Big 12, the two teams that beat Oklahoma were Kansas State and Iowa State ,and both of these teams have a loss to a non-Power 5 team on their resumes. With a poor loss like this, both of these teams are effectively out of contention as well.

That basically leaves Oklahoma State as the only reasonable chance at the Big 12 getting into the playoffs.

The Cowboys are currently ranked seventh in the country with wins over Tulsa, West Virginia and Kansas.

Despite victories in all these games, the usual potent Cowboys offense has looked lackluster at times and doesn’t appear to be a serious contender for the playoffs. The Cowboys will face Iowa State, Texas, Kansas State and Oklahoma over their next four games, and I don’t see them winning all of

these. Once they lose, the Big 12’s shot at the playoffs goes down the drain.

The ACC has a chance at two teams The ACC has a serious chance of getting two teams in the playoffs this year if things play out right for them. The only problem is that this will likely require that a team beats Clemson once in the regular season or the conference championship, which will be a big task considering how strong the Tigers have looked so far.

With three teams currently in the top five, though, the ACC has to have two teams as a goal.

Assuming Clemson is basically a lock at this point, Notre Dame and North Carolina have to be the teams also in the discussion. Both teams are ranked fourth and fifth respectively right now, and both teams offenses have really started to click with the Tar Heels putting up 56 this past weekend against Virginia Tech and the Irish running all over Florida State. Both of these teams will have their fair share of tests, though.

The Tar Heels avoid playing Clemson, though, so if they can pull off a win against Notre Dame, it is not unfeasible to think the Tar Heels could be undefeated going into the ACC Championship game. If this is the case, the Tar Heels could still be considered for a playoff spot even if they lose to Clemson in the title game.

The SEC is in for a wild season too The SEC is still the best conference in football, and there’s no relevant argument against that. The only question this year is does the SEC have enough dominant teams to get more than one team in the playoffs? So far, it appears that the conference is as balanced as it has been in years.

Look at Alabama for example. Although the Crimson Tide are in great shape to make the playoffs this year, their defense gave up 48 points against Ole Miss last weekend. That typically doesn’t happen to Alabama.

It will be interesting to see if the SEC defenses aren’t as strong as they used to be or if all of the offenses are just that good. I’m going to guess

that it’s more that the offenses are over-performing, and that the defenses will hit their stride later on in the season, but it’s something to watch.

Outside of Alabama, Georgia is the other team with a real shot at the playoffs. The Bulldogs have a huge game in Tuscaloosa this weekend, and if they can win that, they will be sitting pretty to make the playoffs. With a loss, though, the Bulldogs will still be alive assuming they can run the table, beat Florida again to win the SEC East, and play in the conference championship.

Outside of Bama and Georgia, there are a slew of one-loss teams who hold onto slim chances of making the playoffs in Texas A&M, Florida, Tennessee, and Auburn. While it’s certainly possible for all of these teams to play back into the competition, they will all need to improve if they want a shot at beating Bama or Georgia.

What about the Big Ten and Pac-12?

The Big Ten returns a week from today, and they will play an eight-game season with a conference championship. The Pac-12 will play a six-game schedule with a conference championship game.

With how things have played out in the Big 12, the Big Ten champion will likely be in the playoffs assuming they are undefeated. With only eight games, however, there is no room for slip-ups.

I expect it to be yet another Ohio State-Wisconsin conference title game this year, and both teams should be undefeated.

With only six regularseason games, I don’t believe the Pac-12 deserves a spot.

In a conference that is considered weak anyways, the Pac-12 champion better be undefeated and they better dominate their opponents.

Arguably the top two teams in the Pac-12 in Oregon and USC don’t play in the regular season either to make matters worse for the conference’s playoff chances.

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.

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Ward Continued from page 16

interesting dynamic between both these teams in that regard. Notre Dame has a great defense, don’t get me wrong, but they have been susceptible to giving up chunk plays for a while now. These plays seem to snowball and often end up in the opposition getting on the scoreboard as well as subsequent drives being affected by the lapse, offensively as well as defensively.

Louisville, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. They have found success finding brief gaps or weaknesses in a defense, exploiting it, picking up big yardage and then being able to maintain that momentum for quite some time. For example, in their tough 46-27 loss against an uninspiring Georgia Tech team last week,

Roundtable Continued from page 15

especially w ith their stout running game. Boston College has made a case for one of the more solid teams, coming close to beating out North Carolina and squeaking one out against Pitt. As solid as Jurkovec and the Eagles might be, I don’t think it w ill be enough to slow the roll of the Hokies.

Virginia Tech w ins but does not cover.

UCF and Memphis both had high aspirations to start off the season this year. In what was scheduled to be a showcase game, it has instead turned into a desperate rebound attempt from both programs. Memphis w ill have the benefit of rest v ia a bye week, coming off a tough loss to SMU and should be fresher to take on the Knights who struggled in their loss to Tulsa.

Memphis w ins outright.

They don’t ask how, they ask how many and that seems to be what the Bears live by as they are one of the more odd 4-1 teams.

They’ve found ways to w in games they shouldn’t w ith their only loss being to Indianapolis. The Panthers

W Soccer Continued from page 16

remained scoreless going into the final five minutes, and it seemed more and more likely the match was going to end in a tie. However, Wake Forest junior forward Shayla Smart capitalized on one final opportunity in the 87th minute that Notre Dame would not be able to overcome.

Looking to find a teammate in the penalt y area, Demon

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13

Louisville was able to convert a few unconventional chunk plays that would eventually result in 21 points on three consecutive drives. But they lost their momentum, could they have competed if they kept the ball rolling?

FSU was able to get going early last week thanks to some unforced errors from the Irish. Duke did the same in the opener, and how could you not mention the start against Louisville last year?

Could you really look at this game without having that fresh memory in the back of your head if you’re Clark Lea? I don’t think so. But I have full faith in this Irish defense and I sure hope they are able to piece something together this week because whatever happens this week will be of the upmost importance in the scope of this season, specifically for this defense.

The Irish will probably

come away with a win on Saturday — there is little doubt there. But this defense absolutely needs to play to their standard. They simply cannot afford to keep playing at the level they have these past few weeks. The Irish will have two consecutive away games following this matchup against the Cardinals, albeit against less than intimidating opponents in Pitt and Georgia Tech.

Then it’s Clemson. The Irish can get away with losing this game and still make the CFB Playoffs, but it would be ideal to come into the biggest game of the season with a defense that is prepared and capable of lining up against some of the best talents in college football. If the Irish play Clemson the same way they have been playing against offenses this year, it will not even be a competition. And at that point, even if you do

meet Clemson again in the ACC Championship, they came into your house and dominated you. How much does a 52-0 win over South Florida mean if you have proven that you cannot get a leg up on your rivals, in your home stadium nonetheless — even if it isn’t filled to capacity with 80,000 roaring fans? Not much to me. And the scariest thing about the Clemson game is what succeeds it.

Let’s just assume Notre Dame does lose to Clemson.

They will be on the road the next two weeks at Boston College and then at No. 5ranked UNC. Besides the Clemson game, these are the next two hardest on the schedule. If the Irish defense continues to not play to their fullest of capabilities in these three games … well I’m not going to say it will happen, but I think you can tell where I am going.

That is why a statement weekend for the Irish defense is absolutely necessary. Clemson, UNC and Boston College will all be going through this Louisville game’s film with a fine-tooth comb trying to find exploits in Clark Lea’s defense. A strong showing would not only assert a dominant presence to these teams but in all reality with the f luid situation that is college football right now, each and every game is just as important as the next. For Clark Lea and his defense, a win on the scoreboard would be great, but being able to enforce their will upon an offense that was — at least in the preseason, somewhat highly touted — would be a win that extends leaps and bounds beyond the confines of just this week.

have found their stride in the last three matchups and w ill look to carr y their momentum into this contest.

W hile it seems like anything can happen w ith this Chicago team, I think that Foles and company w ill fall short. Carolina w ins and covers.

The Brow ns are a difficult team to get behind when it comes to their hy pe.

Some weeks they look like a complete team and others they ser ve up a letdow n performance. However, the Steelers team they are facing has some issues to address, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Pittsburgh seems to have their offense figured out but I don’t think they’ll be able to outscore their problems. I’ll take the Brow ns outright.

Aaron Rodgers is hav ing himself a stellar start to the season along w ith the rest of his offensive pieces. The Buccaneers have show n f lashes of a capable team but last week’s loss against the Bears shows how much they need to figure out.

Green Bay should w in and cover.

For my upset pick, I’m going to take the Bengals over the Colts. Cincinnati w ill be

coming off of an embarrassing loss but bear in mind to the Ravens. Other than that blowout, Joe Burrow has kept games extremely close. I think that they w ill find a rebound game here and w in a close one against Indianapolis.

I’m not going to overreact and say Alabama has a bad defense, but there is some cause for concern after giving up 48 points to Ole Miss. Georgia has been solid under Stetson Bennett, and their defense has been extremely good. Had it not been for a defensive touchdown by Tennessee last weekend, Georgia would have allowed 14 or fewer points to their first three opponents. This defense may be historically good, and I think they’ll pull off the upset on Saturday.

BC has been surprisingly decent so far in a 3-1 start, while Virginia Tech struggled defensively against UNC last weekend. That being said, I still think the Hokies are the far better team and will be able to put up a lot of points this weekend — Hokies win, but Phil Jurkovec helps BC cover the spread.

UCF is a 3-point favorite on the road in a pair of unranked A AC squads v ying to stay in contention for a New Year’s Six bid. Both suffered tough upsets their last time out, but I like Memphis to rebound faster under Brady W hite. Tigers win outright.

The surprising Panthers are three-point favorites against the Chicago Bears, but the offense is not good enough to move the ball effectively against this Chicago defense.

Meanwhile, the defense has surprised, but the Bears have enough playmakers in Jimmy Graham, Allen Robinson and David Montgomer y to make plays.

Bears take the road victor y outright.

I bet against the Browns last week, and it backfired.

However, the Steelers have been really good this year, and I’m going to do it one more time. Pittsburgh is unbeaten and Chase Claypool is emerging as a serious problem in a deep receiving corps. The defense is getting sacks at a historical clip, and I’ll take the Steelers to win and cover.

It’s an unbeaten Aaron Rodgers taking on Tom Brady and his 3-2 Bucs this weekend in what should be a

great one. Quite frankly, all the numbers say to ride the Packers in this contest, as Green Bay hasn’t been held under 30 points. However, I’m going to say Tom Brady doesn’t fall to .500 and avoids a second consecutive loss with an outright win at home.

And finally, for my upset pick, which I f lunked last week with a horrible Texas State call, I’m headed to the ACC. Pittsburgh has lost two straight and will be looking for a much-needed conference win. Miami got exposed last week against Clemson, and time will tell if they are an actual contender, with no real quality wins to their name yet. Pitt always seems to spring an upset, so I’m sending it on this one. Give me the Panthers over the Hurricanes as 13.5 point underdogs.

Deacon freshman midfielder Reese Kim sent a cross in that bounced off of an Irish defender and fell right at the 6-yard box. Interian quickly jumped off of her line to collect the loose ball, but Smart arrived there first and smashed the ball into the top of the net to give Wake Forest the 1-0 lead and the w in.

Notre Dame might be disappointed w ith the result, especially considering that the Irish outshot the

Demon Deacons 18-11 and forced Parks to make nine saves on the night. However, Notre Dame w ill not have much time to rest, as they w ill welcome fourth-ranked Clemson on Sunday for another home game at A lumni Stadium.

The Tigers (4-2-0, 3-2-0 ACC) are coming off of a 2-0 v ictor y against Wake Forest on Oct. 11, and they w ill bring a potent offense w ith them to South Bend. Clemson comes into Sunday’s match

w ith the ninth-best scoring offense in the countr y at t wo goals per game, and they w ill look to get sophomore midfielder Caroline Conti and freshman midfielder Megan Bornkamp heav ily involved since they are the team’s leading scorers.

Clemson’s defense has also been stout to start the season, as the team has only allowed three goals so far through six games. Notre Dame sophomore for ward Kiki Van Zanten w ill look to

change that total Sunday, however, and she has a great chance to do so considering that she is second in the nation w ith six goals on the season.

Prior to their loss to the Demon Deacons on Thursday, the Irish had an eight-game home unbeaten streak, and they w ill hope to get a new one started Sunday when they take on Clemson at 1 p.m. at A lumni Stadium.

The game w ill be broadcast on ACC Net work Extra.

Aidan Thomas

Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu

Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu, Patrick Gallagher at pgallag4@nd.edu, Dominic Gibson at dgibson@hcc-nd.edu, Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu and Aidan Thomas at athoma28@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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ROUNDTABLE

Observer Roundtable: NCAA, NFL picks Liam Coolican, Patrick Gallagher, Dominic Gibson, Nate Moller and Aidan Thomas Sports Writers

Patrick Gallagher – 68 points (14) Liam Coolican – 57 points (16) Dominic Gibson – 44 points (INACTIVE) Nate Moller – 44 points (12) Aidan Thomas – 41 points (5) NCA AF #3 Georgia @ #2 Alabama (-5.0) Boston College @ #23 Virginia Tech (-11.0) UCF (-3.0) @ Memphis NFL Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers (-3.0) Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5) Green Bay Packers (-1.5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Patrick Gallagher The Crimson Tide actually showed weakness defensively in last weekend’s matchup against Ole Miss, but I expect that Nick Saban w ill make the necessar y adjustments for better performances mov ing for ward.

A labama’s offense was still phenomenal as Najee Harris ran for over 200 yards while collecting five touchdow ns, and Mac Jones looked confident under center throwing for 417 yards. Georgia may have the best defense in the nation, but the Tide’s star power should prove too much to overcome. A labama w ill remain undefeated while just barely covering the spread.

Virginia Tech seems to have one of the most prominent offensive units in the ACC. The Hokies are managing to average about 43 points per contest while display ing consistent performances from both their running and receiv ing attacks. Boston College did come close to upsetting a talented North Carolina team earlier this season; however, I am not conv inced that the Eagles can play at this level ever y week. Virginia Tech should not have too much trouble on Saturday, so expect the Hokies to w in big and cover the spread.

This Saturday, Tulsa w ill have to play against their third straight ranked opponent, and, although they are coming off of a bye week, I still think that the Golden Hurricanes w ill show some signs of mental ex haustion.

Tulsa’s quarterback, Zach Jones, bounced back from a slow start to the year by

throw ing for almost 300 yards and three touchdow ns against UCF, but he w ill be faced w ith his toughest challenge yet facing a staunch Cincinnati defense who have not allowed over 20 points in a single game this season. The Bearcats have a more complete roster than the Hurricanes, so I am confident that they w ill achieve v ictor y and cover the spread.

After three straight v ictories, the Panthers appear to have some real momentum heading into this Sunday.

Carolina has impressively obtained these results w ithout their best player, Christian McCaffer y, but I believe that they are overachiev ing due to the general lack of high-end talent on their roster. Chicago’s offense may leave much to be desired, but their elite defense w ill stif le any hope of a Panthers w in. Expect the Bears to keep pace w ith the Packers and upset Carolina.

I have been burned before, but I just cannot help buy ing into Cleveland’s hy pe this year. Sure, Baker May field has not been impressive and the Brow ns’ defense ranks in the bottom half of the league for yards allowed; however, something just seems special about this Cleveland team.

Coach Stefanski has really unlocked his offense’s true potential as the Brow ns lead the NFL in rushing yards while the receiv ing core is looking solid from top to bottom. Pittsburgh is an elite franchise, but their defense showed some f laws versus Philadelphia. I think that the Brow ns w ill take advantage of this development, earn a huge upset, and open up the race for the AFC North title.

In what might be the easiest pick of the week, I expect Aaron Rodgers to completely outshine Tom Brady in Tampa. Rodgers has undergone a bit of a renaissance in 2020 leading the league in QBR while hav ing an impressive 70.5 completion percentage. On the other hand, Brady has struggled to adjust to Bruce Arians’ offensive system throw ing for four interceptions on the season w ith a 64.3 completion percentage. The Buccaneers w ill figure themselves out as they have too much talent to miss the playoffs, but I do not think that this w ill happen against Green Bay. The Packers should cruise to v ictor y covering the spread by a w ide margin.

After watching last week’s game in Notre Dame Stadium, I was actually

prett y surprised by Florida State as they displayed some toughness against a much better team on the road.

Sophomore quarterback Jordan Trav is showed promise throw ing for over 200 yards and the rushing attack also seemed better than expected. North Carolina has one of the better rosters in their conference; however, the Tar Heels have been far from dominant as both BC and Virginia Tech had chances to w in against them. I predict that Trav is w ill continue to improve and help pull off one of the most shocking v ictories of the year.

Liam Coolican Georgia is 3-0 with three blowout wins, but in two of those games, they have come out of the gate slowly.

The only way they’re going to keep up with Alabama is in a shootout, and while the Crimson Tide’s defense may be the worst it has been in years, if Georgia doesn’t score on their opening few drives, the game could be out of hand by the second quarter. No Nick Saban adds an interesting wrinkle, but I believe in Alabama’s offense. As good as Georgia’s defense is, the Tide’s offense is better. Alabama wins and covers.

Virginia Tech’s offense has been on a roll to start the year, averaging nearly 500 yards per game. However, North Carolina exposed its defensive weaknesses by putting up 56 points last week. Boston College has actually proven itself to be a solid team this year, defeating a very good Pittsburgh team and narrowly losing to North Carolina. Former Irish quarterback Phil Jurkovec will have a big day, but Virginia Tech will still put up enough points to get the win but won’t cover.

UCF has played poorly in back to back weeks, struggling for much of the game against East Carolina and falling to Tulsa last week.

Memphis is coming off a tough road loss to SMU, but they have the advantage of a bye week. UCF’s defense has been very poor, and I’ll give Memphis the edge at home.

Memphis wins outright in a high-scoring affair.

It’s tough to believe in the Bears. They might be one of the worst 4-1 teams in NFL history, but they keep finding ways to win football games. The Panthers have also quietly been on a roll, winning three straight games, even without Christian McCaffrey. This game will be a defensive battle because neither offense

is prolific. The Bears defense is slightly better, but I have to go with the Panthers.

Bridgewater leads a gamewinning drive in the fourth quarter and Carolina wins and covers.

The Steelers offense is meshing at the right time.

Mike Tomlin is playing to Ben Roethlisberger’s strengths perfectly, and if his season ended today, he would have the highest passer rating of his career.

The Browns have won four straight, but mostly against sub-par teams, and I think the Steelers stay undefeated.

Pittsburgh wins and covers.

Aaron Rodgers has been unbelievable so far this year, and he’ll have another big game this week. The Bucs and Tom Brady have not lived up to the lofty expectations thus far, and this Packers team is the best team they’ve faced so far.

The Packers defense has looked vulnerable at times, but I expect Rodgers to outduel Brady. Packers win and cover.

I’ll try to keep my good fortune and pick an upset for the fourth consecutive week. There is a real lack of Power-5 games with upset potential this week, so I’ll turn to UTSA. The Roadrunners had some impressive wins to start the season, and they kept it close with BY U for four quarters.

Army has been impressive as well but has struggled in the past two weeks, and UTSA’s explosive offense isn’t a great matchup for them.

UTSA gets the upset at home.

Nate Moller It’s been a while since Georgia and A labama have met in the regular season, and the anticipation leading up to this game is huge. Without Nick Saban on the sideline, it w ill be interesting to see how the Tide performs. Their defense struggled a lot last week against Ole Miss, and I anticipate the Bulldogs keeping it close for most of the game. A labama pulls away at the end and covers, though.

Phil Jurkovec has performed well for the Eagles this season, and he led his team to an upset against Pittsburgh last weekend.

I think the Eagles come to play in this one, and I expect them to be up at halftime. The Hokies are the more talented team, though, and they avoid losing a second game in a row. Hokies w in but don’t cover.

UCF and Memphis were t wo teams that had aspirations for a New Year’s Six Bowl that were likely

crushed due to an earlyseason loss. Both teams w ill look to rebound in Saturday’s game, but I like UCF to take this one.

A lthough they lost to Tulsa a couple of weeks ago, this team is still one of the better non-Power 5 teams in my opinion. Knights w in and cover.

The Bears are maybe the biggest f luke of the NFL so far w ith a 4-1 record despite not looking overly impressive in any game this season. They w ill face Teddy Bridgewater and the Panthers this weekend, who have also been overachieving so far this season. I think this one is close but I w ill take Nick Foles and the Bears to continue their early-season success.

This Brow ns-Steelers matchup has big implications for the AFC North w ith the Steelers currently sitting at 4-0 and the Brow ns at 4-1. A lthough the Steelers are undefeated, they haven’t show n much this year w ith slim v ictories over the Giants, Broncos, Texans and Eagles. It’s dangerous to believe in the Brow ns, but I am going to do just that and take the Brow ns outright here.

The Packers’ offense this season has looked absolutely f lawless, and Aaron Rodgers is performing as good as ever. Brady and the Buccaneers have show n f lashes of greatness this year, but I don’t think their offense is ready to match the explosiveness of the Packers. I w ill take the Packers to w in and cover in this one.

A lthough Pittsburgh got upset by Boston College last week, I firmly believe that this Panthers team is still ver y talented. Kenny Pickett is one of the more experienced quarterbacks in the ACC, and I think the Panthers can upset Miami.

The Panthers spoiled the Hurricanes’ magical run in 2017, and I expect them to hand them another loss this year.

Dominic Gibson In what should be a big SEC heav y weight bout, A labama and Georgia w ill face off against each other outside of a conference title game setting. The Crimson Tide defense looked extremely shak y at best against Ole Miss, giv ing up 647 yards. Both teams w ill put up a good amount of points but A labama should w in and cover.

Virginia Tech has made it clear they can score points, see ROUNDTABLE PAGE 13

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The observer | Friday, October 16, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

nd women’s soccer | WAKE FOREST 1, nd 0

Irish winning streak snapped by Wake Forest Observer Staff Report

Notre Dame’s three-game winning streak came to an end Thursday at Alumni Stadium, as the 14th-ranked Irish lost 1-0 to Wake Forest following a late goal from junior forward Shayla Smart in the 87th minute.

After a long break since their last game against Syracuse on Oct. 4, Notre Dame (3-2-0, 3-2-0 ACC) was looking to come out strong and build off of threestraight shutout performances, yet the Demon Deacons (2-4-1, 2-3-1 ACC) had other ideas.

Notre Dame started fast by forcing Wake Forest redshirt freshman goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks to make a stop in the fourth minute, but the Demon Deacons quickly settled in and began creating numerous chances on goal for themselves.

Notre Dame junior goalkeeper Mattie Interian was first thrust into action in the 21st minute when she had to dive to stop a shot from

Demon Deacon junior midfielder Giovanna DeMarco that def lected off of an Irish defender. DeMarco threatened the Irish again in the 26th minute when she got behind the Notre Dame defense and found herself in a oneon-one opportunity against Interian, but Interian kept the game level with a kick save that pushed the ball out of the penalty area.

The Irish nearly fell behind soon afterward, as Wake Forest was awarded a penalty kick in the 30th minute following a challenge from a Notre Dame defender in the box. Demon Deacon freshman midfielder Faith Adams stepped up to take the shot, but her attempt bounced off of the left post to keep the match scoreless going into halftime.

Notre Dame immediately took control of the game coming out of the locker room, and it looked as though they would take the lead early in the second half as junior forward Olivia Wingate fired a shot on goal from inside the

box in the 48th minute. The ball clanged off the crossbar, however, and Wake Forest quickly cleared the ball out of the penalty area to eliminate the threat.

Notre Dame continued to pressure Wake Forest for the remainder of the second half with its attack, and senior forward Ellie Ospeck nearly broke the deadlock in the 71st minute with a great opportunity. Dribbling up the field towards the penalty area, Ospeck deftly cut past a Demon Deacon defender at the top of the box and unleashed a powerful shot on goal. Unfortunately for the Irish, Wake Forest goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks was ready for the attempt, as she got a hand on the ball and def lected the shot over the goal for an Irish corner kick.

The Irish had two more shots on goal in the 75th minute from senior forward Eva Hurms, but Parks was again able to keep Notre Dame off of the scoreboard. The game see W SOCCER PAGE 13

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish junior forward Olivia Wingate controls a ball during Notre Dame’s 2-3 loss to Iowa on Sep. 15, 2019, at Alumni Stadium.

COLUMN

Notre Dame defense needs to have huge week Jimmy Ward Associate Sports Editor

Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Irish senior defensive lineman Kurt Hinish rushes the backfield alongside teammates during Notre Dame’s 52-0 win over South Florida. The Irish defense recorded 11 tackles for loss in the outing.

Many fans went into Notre Dame Stadium last Saturday skeptical of what they were about to see on the field. Three weeks away from the field did not appear to faze the Irish offense too much. But on the other side of the ball, the Irish defense failed to live up to expectations. Senior defensive lineman Myron TagovailoaAmosa’s absence played a large factor in that. The Irish were able to return sophomore safety Kyle Hamilton from what had appeared to be a gruesome injury but ended up being just an ankle sprain. The defense was not atrocious but the rust or stiffness or whatever you want to call it that the Irish had accumulated from the strange week leading up to the game could be shown in Clark Lea’s squad throughout the night.

Noles quarterback Jordan Travis threw for more than 200 yards on 13 for 24 against the Notre Dame secondary, which was forced to step up dealing with absences and injuries.

That said, it is difficult to assign blame or place judgment anywhere on this defense. The Seminoles were expected to lose the battle in the trenches — bad. Notre Dame did not come away completely emptyhanded, posting four sacks on six hurries and nine tackles for a loss, but as Brian Kelly put, it they did not play to their standard.

There is certainly no fleeting faith in this Clark Lea defense.

Kyle Hamilton is awesome, and in just his sophomore year he has a bright future ahead.

Fellow defensive back turned safety Shaun Crawford is starting to get into his groove, senior linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoa has some massive strength and hitting power that was put on display briefly on Saturday and he lines up alongside graduate student and captain Daelin Hayes, who is also coming into his own.

Last year Notre Dame gave up a lot of chunk plays to Louisville and this was without Malik Cunnigham at quarterback. There is an see WARD PAGE 13

Insider

ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, october 16, 2020 | The Observer

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Notre Dame is building one of the strongest recruiting classes in program history

By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS Senior Sports Editor

While college football programs around the country continue to wrestle with the constant changes in testing, player availability and schedules, one thing remains constant — recruiting.

At a time when every major program is adding some new installation to their locker room or developing a new incentive to prospective players, they all find themselves looking through computer screens as they try to convince 16 and 17-year-olds around the country their school should be home for the next four years. Notre Dame is no different.

Throughout the first three games of the season, Notre Dame’s recruiting has remained remarkably consistent. They currently have the 10th-best group for the class of 2021, a major improvement over the class of 2020 in which they ranked 18th. That said, Bryan Driskell of Sports Illustrated identified four-star athlete Titus Mokiao-Atimalala from Hawaii as a big target for the Irish down this final recruiting stretch.

Hamilton Continued from page 4

me, I trust him,” Crawford said.

“I trust that he’s going to make me right if I’m wrong.”

Hamilton played in two of Notre Dame’s three games this fall, and he is tied for the team lead in tackles with 15. He has yet to record a pick, although Crawford notched one against Florida State. Through three games, the Irish are giving up just 13 points per game, which ranks eighth of the 76 teams

Crawford Continued from page 4

With regard to Kelly specifically, Craw ford says it comes back to trust. He stressed how important it is to have that faith permeating the program.

“He’s definitely built relationships w ith all of his players. He’s interacting w ith the entire squad more,” Craw ford said of Kelly.

“W hen you have that t y pe of bond and you have Coach Kelly who’s at the top, able to make those decisions and put the coaches in the right position, put the players in the right positions, then you naturally just build trust.

And when you have trust bet ween the two, you ultimately just go out there and play fast and lay it on the line for

While Brian Kelly and his staff still await national signing day to confirm the class of 2021, Driskell said the class of 2022 is likely a greater concern for them, considering the current obstacles to recruiting. As some states remain closed and high schools try to navigate their own seasons, there simply isn’t enough footage available for programs to evaluate.

“There’s kids that they can’t evaluate. They liked them as sophomores,” Driskell said. “Now those kids aren’t playing. Some kids in Michigan just got started.

There’s just not enough film to evaluate the class of 2022.”

While Driskell acknowledges this is an obstacle affecting every program, he admitted that Notre Dame’s unique recruiting strategy might be particularly impacted by the virtual approach.

“That hurts all schools but because Notre Dame puts so much emphasis on its entire package, I do think it could hurt them a bit differently,” he said. “Notre Dame doesn’t just sell football. They sell the whole thing — the whole experience. Community, what Notre Dame, the institutions, can offer these young people as

opposed to just football.”

Driskell said face-to-face meetings can make a huge difference for both the player and the team. On the one hand, schools can evaluate how a player’s skill sets might translate beyond the confines of film. On the other hand, players get a realistic sense of what their day-to-day might look like as a student-athlete. He likened the process to marriage, enforcing the importance of introductions and transparency before committing.

“A lot of these kids haven’t had that first meeting to really take the relationship to the next level,” he said.

One player Driskell said he expects the Notre Dame coaching staff to be very excited about in the coming months is Sebastian Cheeks, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound linebacker from Evanston, Illinois. The four-star recruit from the class of 2022 has offers from 15 programs including rivals Stanford and Michigan.

While the last six months have certainly hindered Notre Dame’s recruiting momentum, Driskell said their reputation for being proactive on getting recruits out to

campus early in the process certainly works in their favor as some of the class of 2022 has already made that first impression.

“Notre Dame experience is a whole lot more impactful when you experience it in person,” Driskell said.

Going forward, Driskell said Notre Dame needs to keep their eye on the prize — Nov. 7 — knowing it has major implications not

just for this season but for the competitiveness of the program in years to come.

“Handle your business against Louisville, Georgia State,” he said.

“Notre Dame needs to continue to win and continue to show they’re a top-five football program because the best players want to win.”

that have played so far.

That mark comes with a sluggish performance against Florida State this past weekend, in which the Irish gave up 26 points while struggling to contain dual-threat quarterback Jordan Travis. Hamilton attributed the sloppiness to some poor practices, saying the Irish were locked in on preparing for Louisville’s Malik Cunningham, who can be lethal with both his arm and his legs.

“It all starts in practice.

Last week, we had a few iffy

practices, and we can’t afford that. We can’t waste a rep,” Hamilton said.

The Irish have their eyes on No. 1 Clemson, an ACC championship and snapping a 32-year drought for a national championship. Hamilton will be a key part of any run that comes close to accomplishing those goals, but he isn’t caving under the pressure.

“In terms of people saying I’m a star, that’s good and all, but I try not to get caught up in that,” he said. “Just try to be myself and keep down the path I’ve

been going.”

Taking time away from football during the week helps Hamilton focus on that path, he said.

“Once I feel like I have the game plan down for the week, I try to leave that in a different space and focus on being a regular college student — hanging with friends, playing video games, and stuff like that,” he said. “That keeps me humble, knowing that I’m never too big a deal.”

Hamilton said he remains driven to improve his own play

as a safety and to help Notre Dame reach their lofty goals.

If Notre Dame continues to improve on their current No. 4 ranking in the AP Poll, the sophomore safety and Atlanta product will be front and center, quarterbacking this Irish defense. But he said he doesn’t want the spotlight.

“I don’t get caught up in accolades,” Hamilton said. “Once I start doing that is when I start falling off.”

one another.”

Those bonds have allowed Craw ford to nav igate a sixyear collegiate career in which he’s w itnessed several ups and dow ns. That includes a 4-8 disaster of a season in 2016, an 11-2 campaign capped by a trip to the Camping World Bowl in 2019 and the program’s sole College Football playoff appearance in 2018.

Now, he’s w itnessing the strangest college football season of the modern era w ith a v iral pandemic affecting nearly ever y aspect of it, which gives even more weight to his title of captain.

“This summer — or this whole year, honestly — has been a tough one for all of us; it’s been a different one,” he said. “So, my leadership had to step up and I answered the call and I was just grateful to

be in this leadership role.”

One of the more direct, on-field consequences of the pandemic for Craw ford was making another move back to corner. With the program shutting dow n activ ities because of a coronav irus outbreak, the cornerback room was hit hard enough that it prompted the coaching staff to temporarily move their journey man of the secondar y back to his original position for Saturday’s game against Florida State.

Again though, Craw ford saw that as a sign of the belief the coaching staff has in him.

“First of all, it’s an honor to have the trust from my teammates and from my coaches to be able to move around midweek and [fill] whatever position fits the scheme best that week,” Craw ford said.

“I’m just trying to still get familiar with safety. And going back to corner was a little different just because I’ve been, as safety, seeing the game from a different angle, playing things a little different. So going back to corner was a little frustrating, but I took that as a challenge.”

Now though — at least according to Notre Dame’s Monday depth chart — Crawford will be moving back to starting alongside sophomore Kyle Hamilton at the safety position. Crawford says that playing alongside a freshman All-American in Hamilton is a great opportunity.

“The communication back there is getting better, has continued to progress throughout the season,” he said. “The more games and the more practices that we could

get under our belt together or on the field together is just going to help us throughout the year. So being back there with Kyle and being back there with someone who has a lot of game experience and a lot of playmaking ability just enhances my game and just allows me to play a little bit faster.”

Ultimately, in the midst of a virtually unprecedented year, Crawford is staying focused on helping the team by being the best leader that he can.

“For me to just make an impact on the new guys and still have a voice and still be a leader in the locker room to many of the young guys, and then some of the guys who were also here with me throughout this journey, I’m just grateful and I’m honored.”

Observer File Photo

Irish freshman defensive lineman Jordan Botelho lunges towards USF’s quarterback during Notre Dame’s 52-0 win at home on Sep 19.

Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond3@nd.edu

Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu

4

Insider

The observer | FRIDAY, october 16, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

FOOTBALL

Sophomore safety Hamilton doesn’t need your accolades – but he gets them anyway

By AIDAN THOMAS Sports Writer

In the age of the crystal ball and recruitment rankings, some may see drama made over who is being underrated and overrated as a recruit, which players deserve five-star ratings and everything else. So when current Notre Dame sophomore safety Kyle Hamilton — eventually ranked as a top-10 safety in his class — was listed as a three-star, was he a little annoyed, given he was being recruited by the likes of Notre Dame, Georgia, Michigan and Clemson? Would he, like so many recruits before him, make his ranking a proverbial chip on his shoulder entering his college career?

The short answer: no.

“When I first saw I was a three-star, I was pretty excited,” Hamilton said, “Seeing my name on a website with a ranking — it was pretty eye-opening”.

So maybe there is no chip on Hamilton’s shoulder, but he hasn’t really needed it since joining the Irish secondary, becoming an elite playmaker from the moment he stepped on campus. In his true-freshman year in 2019, Hamilton racked up four interceptions, leading the team, including a pick-6.

He also notched 41 tackles and

was a key contributor all season long.

Last year, Hamilton was a freshman, and he spent much of his time soaking up as much as he could from veterans like eventual sixth-round NFL draft pick Alohi Gilman, whom Hamilton roomed with during road trips.

“He had a big influence on the player I am today,” Hamilton said of Gilman. “He taught me a lot of life lessons, and I just try to emulate the good traits that he has and then apply them to myself.”

This year, Hamilton is one of the leaders of the defense, flashing his talent as a safety who can both be used in coverage or in blitz packages. Despite taking on a heavy leadership role as a sophomore, Hamilton still benefits from a veteran presence in the secondary, in sixthyear player Shaun Crawford.

Crawford’s experience helps Hamilton along the way.

“It kind of makes you feel safe,” Hamilton said . “They know what they’re doing. It elevates my game. We’re working together, and we respect each other equally”.

Crawford said he finds the same comfort in playing alongside Hamilton.

“Because I have him next to see HAMILTON PAGE 3

Observer File Photo

Irish sophomore safety Kyle Hamilton returns an interception to the endzone during Notre Dame’s home opener last year against New Mexico. The Irish found victory in the game, winning 66-14 on Sept. 4, 2019.

Crawford shoulders trust of teammates

By HAYDEN ADAMS Sports Editor

Believe it or not, Shaun Craw ford has been at Notre Dame longer than Sam Ehlinger at Texas, longer than Hunter Renfrow at Clemson and longer than Perr y Ellis at Kansas.

Follow ing two ACL tears, one ruptured Achilles and one dislocated elbow — amounting to nearly three missed seasons in total — the veteran out of Lakewood, Ohio returned for a sixth year w ith the Irish on an injur y waiver. W hat’s more, after ser v ing primarily as a cornerback in nickel packages through his prev ious campaigns, Craw ford made the move in the offseason to starting strong safet y, a move he describes as a dream come true.

“I never thought I’d be starting as a safet y,” Craw ford said. “It was always in the back of my mind, just a dream that I had, just because some of my favorite players play safet y, like

Ty rann Mathieu, Ed Reid, Troy Polamalu, Budda Baker.

Those are some people that I look up to, that I tr y to model my game after. And although they’ve been safeties most of their career, I just tried to take the physicalit y, the instincts, the play making skills that they have, and just put it into my game wherever I am on the field.”

If you ask Craw ford about the various ways in which he and the team are nav igating the season, one word comes up frequently: trust. That trust was made ev ident to Craw ford in being selected a captain by his peers.

“It means the world to me,” he said. “I’m just grateful for the opportunit y, grateful for this group of guys who voted for me. A lot of ... the teammates that I have currently weren’t w ith me when I got here on campus.”

Craw ford was part of Notre Dame’s 2015 recruiting class, along w ith school recordsetters Quentin Nelson, Josh Adams and Justin Yoon.

W hen his freshman season

began at Notre Dame, Barack Obama was still in office, “Birdman” was the most recent Best Picture w inner at the Academy Awards and Drake and Adele were tearing up the charts w ith “Hotline Bling” and “Hello,” respectively. Additionally, head coach Brian Kelly had not yet dispatched defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder as part of the mid-2016 firesale.

With Craw ford now hav ing been a part of more than half of Brian Kelly’s Notre Dame teams — six in eleven seasons — he’s had a front-row seat for the evolution of the head coach and his program.

“You can just see the program shift, really, over the years, and just the talent that we’re getting, the players that we’re getting, and also just the coaches that were getting,” Craw ford said. “I think the coaches complement the players well and I also think the players complement the coaches well.” see CRAWFORD PAGE 3

Observer File Photo

Irish graduate student Shaun Crawford celebrates during Notre Dame’s 38-18 home win over South Florida on Sept. 19.