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Volume 56, Issue 30 | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15 | ndsmcobserver.com
Students gather to celebrate LGBTQ+ joy In wake of Irish Rover piece, tri-campus LGBTQ+ community discusses activism, belonging By EVAN MCKENNA Managing Editor
Editor’s Note: A full version of this story is available online. The ground was wet, the sky was gray and the temperature was nearly below freezing — but still, Library Lawn emanated joy. Students held colorful signs with loving messages, socializing with old friends and making new ones. A nearby speaker played upbeat pop songs. Under scarves and heavy coats, each face was red and smiling. These students gathered on Library Lawn as part of a celebration of LGBTQ+ joy, held at 3 p.m. on Friday. Featuring an art installation, music and a number of student speakers, the event invited all
LGBTQ+ tri-campus students and allies to gather to celebrate identity, visibility and “queer joy” on the University’s campus. ‘This is really not about the Irish Rover’: How the movement found its roots in joy
Despite its joyful culmination, the movement began in a moment of hurt. Following the Irish Rover’s Oct. 13 publication of “No Man Can Serve Two Masters” — in which Irish Rover editor-inchief Mary Frances Myler condemns the University’s “erosive” initiatives of LGBTQ+ inclusion — many in the tri-campus LGBTQ+ community spoke out against the piece’s rhetoric. Ashton Weber, a senior at the University and the event’s primary organizer, said her initial reaction was a “sinking
gut feeling.” “Unfortunately, it was not shocking, because this is not the first homophobic publication in the Irish Rover or anywhere on campus that I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” she said. “… but that doesn’t mean that it didn’t hurt.” Weber said she believes strongly in the power of protest, and this belief is evident in her history of campus activism. Following Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court last October, Weber facilitated the organization of the student protest against her nomination. And after University President Fr. John Jenkins failed to uphold the University’s health and safety protocols at Barrett’s nomination
ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer
see JOY PAGE 3
Students meet on Library Lawn in cold, wet weather Friday afternoon to celebrate identity, inclusion and “queer joy” on the tri-campus.
Woman ND promotes peace in South Sudan killed near campus By ADRIANA PEREZ Editor-in-Chief
Observer Staff Report
According to reporting from local NBC affiliate WNDU, an unidentified South Bend woman in her 60s was killed by an oncoming pick-up truck while attempting to cross State Road 933, just south of the intersection that connects the Saint Mary’s College and University of Notre Dame campuses on Saturday evening. A police commander at the scene said that a pick-up driver had the green light and right of way to go north on SR 933. The pick-up then reportedly struck the woman, who was crossing the street without using the crosswalk. Officials from multiple agencies responded to the crash at around 6 p.m. Saturday, the commander stated. The report said the pick-up driver stayed on the scene and the investigation is ongoing.
News PAGE 3
In October 2010, Sudanese bishops visited Notre Dame 100 days before a referendum vote in which citizens of southern Sudan would be able to decide whether they wanted to secede from the north. The delegation of the Sudan Conference of Catholic Bishops sought to reach out to the Catholic community in the U.S. to ensure a peaceful resolution after more than half a century of conflict. “Notre Dame became a part of the story of the formation of South Sudan,” said former student body president and Master of Global Affairs (MGA) student Elizabeth Boyle ’20. Two months later, the Notre Dame student government and the Fighting Irish men’s basketball and men’s lacrosse teams organized “Playing for Peace,” a 3-on-3 basketball tournament followed by a rally for peace in Sudan. University President Emeritus Fr. Hesburgh attended both, and then accompanied student leaders on a visit to Washington, D.C., in January 2011. There, they met with policymakers and
Scene PAGE 5
advocated for peace. South Sudan was founded six months after that, in July 2011. Over a decade later, on Thursday, Boyle joined a virtual and in-person discussion with Andrea Bartoli, president of the Sant’Egidio Foundation for Peace and Dialogue. The talk focused on the organization’s role in the peace process in South Sudan, which has endured civil war since 2013. Catholic Peacekeeping Network coordinator and Kroc Institute professor Gerry Powers (left) introduced and moderated a talk by Sant’Egidio president Andrea Bartoli (right) on Sant’Egidio’s role in facilitating the peace process in South Sudan. Sant’Egidio is an affiliate of the Catholic Peacekeeping Network (CPN), which is housed in the Kroc Institute and the Keough School and seeks to strengthen the study and practice of Catholic peacebuilding. Their faith-based approach to peace, evident in their work in Mozambique and Algeria, has earned Sant’Egidio recognition as a leader in Track 2 diplomacy. Now, Sant’Egidio is bringing South Sudanese groups who did not sign the 2018 regional
Viewpoint PAGE 7
peace agreement into the current peace process — “striving [for] a system where everybody is included,” Bartoli said. “So, it’s a very technical piece, a very tiny piece,” he added. “But it’s important because it sends a signal that the political process is still alive, that peace is still possible, that it is possible to imagine a South Sudan where the South Sudanese themselves are actually in charge of their own peace — excluding nobody.” And this capacity for inclusiveness lies in people’s hearts, Bartoli said. On the cross, for example, the Good Thief asked Jesus to remember him when he went into his kingdom. “He demonstrates that friendship, the human space where the Spirit speaks, is always possible,” he said. Boyle joined the talk over Zoom from Rome, where she is serving as Sant’Egidio’s South Sudan project director for her field immersion experience in the MGA peace studies concentration. “The Rome initiative, up until this point, has really been focused on the high-level political dialogues that most definitely need to happen to bring these
non-signatory groups to the table,” Boyle said during a question and answer session at the end of the talk. Echoing Bartoli’s sentiments, Boyle said peace in South Sudan will not come “until it is owned by and driven completely by the people of South Sudan.” Sant’Egidio’s work is thus key in moving this process forward in an inclusive, sustainable way. For instance, Sant’Egidio recently facilitated workshops and dialogues in tandem with and at the South Sudan Council of Churches in Juba, which included Christian and Muslim religious leaders, civil society leaders and women leaders, Boyle said.
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on the ground PAGE 12
‘Everyone can be a little bit more of a peacemaker’
The Observer interviewed Bartoli and Boyle about the role lay people and students can play in keeping, making and building peace, particularly through their faith. “If there is anything that I hope this first encounter will do is to strengthen the discipline of self-reflection. Ask yourself: Are
see PEACE PAGE 4
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Students woke up to the first snowfall of the 2021-2022 academic year Sunday morning. Even though the total amounted to less than an inch, this was many students’ first experience of snow. As Thanksgiving nears, daily temperatures dip closer to freezing.
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Monday
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“Surviving Winter” Workshop online 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. How to survive and thrive in the cold.
Poetry and Music in the Hindi World 334 Bond Hall 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Discover current popular Indian music.
Portuguese Game Night 106 Bond Hall 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Language practice with traditional games.
An Evening with Author Lauren Groff Decio Theatre 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Book signing and talk for her novel “Matrix.”
“The Military and Civil Rights” Lecture online 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Exploring racial justice in the U.S. Military.
Postgrad Service Info Session 135 Geddes Hall 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Learn about service work in Honduras.
“Solidarity and the Church’s Call to Action” Carey Auditorium 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Open to the public.
“Felon: An American Washi Tale” Philbin Studio Theatre 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. Poet Reginald Dwayne Betts performs.
Salsa Night Legends 9 p.m. - midnight Party and learn new dance moves with salsa DJ Ramzi.
Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra Concert Leighton Concert Hall 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. Annual fall concert.
News
Joy Continued from page 1
and subsequently contracted COVID-19, Weber petitioned for his resignation. In the wake of the piece’s publication in the Irish Rover, Weber said she knew something had to be done in response. Continuing her streak of on-campus advocacy, Weber teamed up with other organizers — some of whom were also involved in the Barrett protest — to form a plan. But upon reflection, the group
ndsmcobserver.com | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15 | The ObserveR
realized that this particular movement had to be different. Rather than emerging in response or in protest, this campaign would arise on its own terms. In place of protests and petitions, the students opted for something simple: a celebration of joy. This emphasis on joy was crucial, Weber said, because the organizers did not want to call unnecessary attention to the “homophobia and transphobia” of the piece. “A lot of us were recognizing that we don’t even want to
validate [Myler’s] opinion,” she said. “We don’t even want to give it a response. By spending so much energy contesting it, we would almost be validating that there were points made — and I think that’s not something we care to do.” When faced with the burden of an unaccepting world, Weber said, many LGBTQ+ people, especially those growing up within the Catholic Church, feel a compulsion to convince the world of their own validity — but this might not always be productive. “If you have grown up in
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Catholic spaces, you spent time figuring out the apologetics of your identity and how to make sense of queerness in a way that’s compatible with the Catholic Church. And I think so many of us are just so tired of that,” she said. “We can give all the best arguments rooted in all the soundest theology … and it’s exhausting to keep doing that. And at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if we convince everyone at the Irish Rover that we deserve to be here, because the fact is that we do. So we’d much rather spend our time and energy being happy that we’re here … and showing to this community all the value that we add, instead of spending more and more time fighting for our right to exist on this campus — because we’re already earned it.” ‘We are joyful, we are here, we are loving’: Students share stories, celebrate joy
The movement culminated on Friday afternoon, when students gathered on Library Lawn for a public, colorful demonstration of LGBTQ+ joy. Following a brief introduction from Weber, senior Sara Ferraro took the mic to read students’ anonymous stories of queer joy. “Hopefully if you don’t have a queer joy story yet, this could become yours,” Ferraro said. One anonymous submission told the story of a male student taking his boyfriend to his residence hall’s formal as a first-year, and the acceptance that ensued. “Multiple guys in every grade, many that I’m not even necessarily close with, actively made an effort to meet and talk to him. Some remembered his name weeks later and asked how he was doing,” Ferraro read. “Straight men don’t know how much their actions mean. It’s little things that count.” The conversation then shifted to the event’s art installation, created by sophomore studio art major Mae Harkins. Entitled “Faces of Joy,” the installation featured photographs of 28 LBGTQ+ Paid Advertisement
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tri-campus students, each smiling against a colorful background. Beside the photographs hung the question “What brings you joy?” written on a sheet of paper, inviting attendees to share their responses. “After the Rover piece, I was thinking a lot about queer visibility on campus, and how often we’re either invisible or belittled to our queerness — and that’s not an okay way to represent us,” Harkins said. “And so I wanted to take portraits of some of my queer friends and people in the community, not just because they’re queer, but because they’re joyful people, because they have stories, they have backgrounds.” Luis Sosa Manubes, a junior also majoring in studio art, said he had similar hopes for the installation’s impact. “I would like [Mary Frances] to look at all of these photos and see that when [she] wrote that, it hurt someone’s heart,” he said. Gesturing to the crowd, he added, “And look how many hearts there are.” Harkins said she originally envisioned the piece as a depiction of anger, but in line with the event’s positive philosophy, the project eventually became a manifestation of joy. “Originally, I was thinking of having us all stare down [the camera], almost as a confrontation to Mary Frances and to other homophobic people,” she said. “And then I was talking with a friend and she said, ‘Maybe that’s what they want to see: us as hateful or confrontational or fighting back with anger. But that’s not our community.’” And Harkins agreed. She recalled a quote from Pope John Paul II — “We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song!” — and argued that this assertion of joy can also be extended to the LBGTQ+ community. “We are people of joy. … We are smiling. We are happy,” Harkins said. “And the only way to fight hate is with love.” But Harkins made a clarification: The demonstration’s lack of anger does not imply a lack of hurt. “We’re not angry. We’re not responding to this with anger, with hatred, even though we are responding with hurt,” she said. “I’m feeling hurt. Notre Dame has been the only accepting home to me … so to be out on campus has been so transformative for me, and to live in Lewis, a beautiful community. But that was marred when this article was published, especially because Mary Frances is in Lewis.” In spite of the harm done to the tri-campus LGBTQ+ community, Harkins had a joyful message for Myler — who lives just two doors down from her in Lewis Hall. “Mary Frances, I love you,” she said. “I wrote you a letter saying that I loved you and put it outside your door. I have nothing but love for you. I was hurt, but I don’t know how to do anything without love.” Contact Evan McKenna at emckenn2@nd.edu
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NEWS
The observer | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15 | ndsmcobserver.com
Peace Continued from page 1
you doing what you can to serve peace today?” Bartoli said during his talk. “Are you sure that you’re using all your talents, all your connections, all your knowledge, to help somebody who is not in peace to move a little closer to peace?” Sant’Egidio grew out of a dedication to receive the Gospel and act on the Gospel, Bartoli told The Observer. “So, the idea is that each of us actually has personal skills, personal qualities, personal gifts, that could be used for the good of all and it’s good to be invited to believe in these skills, believe in these options and develop our peace potential,” Bartoli said. One way to develop that potential is through prayer. On Friday, Bartoli and Boyle led a prayer for peace with a group of students. “The hope with the prayer for peace is that it’s something that
could grow organically by any student who’s interested in taking it up,” Boyle said. “... I joked that you don’t need SAO approval to start a prayer for peace; not everything has to be so bureaucratic or club-oriented to be established.” A prayer for peace on campus, she said, could be as simple as a group of students getting together however frequently they feel called to do so in order to sit together, read the Gospel, reflect on it and say a prayer for those countries at war. “There’s a great need for peace in South Sudan, but there’s also a great need for peace in South Bend, and there’s violence in our own communities,” Boyle added. In order to be a force for good in the world, she said, students have to realize they don’t need to start another club. They just have to be willing to learn from each other and their communities. “Peace might sometimes seem daunting and impossible, but it’s just as easy as sitting down with
a friend,” she added. Boyle considered the role of Catholic Social Teaching in informing the peacekeeping work Sant’Egidio and other lay Catholics are called to carry out in the world. “Catholic Social Teaching at its best is when it’s the Gospel in action,” she said. “And that’s where peace comes into it. Because inherently, religions are a call for peace — peace through love, through solidarity, through friendship with each other. And at Sant’Egidio, in our smallest of ways, we’re just trying to live out that Gospel a bit more more truly.” Students can get involved with Sant’Egidio locally through Cardinal Nursing Home in South Bend, where the community has been present for over 20 years. They can also contact the foundation through their website for other ways to get involved. Contact Adriana Perez at aperez8@nd.edu
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Club raises funds for Logan Center By LIAM PRICE News Writer
SMC for the Spectrum hosted a cornhole tournament fundraiser Friday afternoon in the Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex. Contestants paid to participate, then formed teams and lined up across the field house to compete. The tournament was in fact originally planned to be outside but was moved inside the field house due to cold weather. Half of the money raised will be donated to the Logan Center in South Bend, with the other half being used to aid the club in its activities throughout the year. The club aims to host
seasonal activities throughout the year. “We chose cornhole because we figured that it would be a fun fall event,” senior club president Molly Heath said. Heath emphasized the desire to host activities outside the traditional classroom setting. “We especially wanted to have a fall event other than just having a club meeting in a classroom,” Heath said. SMC for the Spectrum was founded during the pandemic in 2020 by members of Saint Mary’s Masters of Autism Studies program. The club aims to “educate students about autism spectrum disorder, create an accepting culture at Saint Mary’s and to provide support for the autistic community,” Heath said. The club is excited to help at local centers and organizations this year after having volunteer opportunities restricted by the pandemic. “We weren’t allowed to do much due to not being able to go out and do anything and not being able to go visit,” Heath said. “So, this year, our goals are to get out to LOGAN, go help at Reins of Life, Hannah and Friends and just be there in their communities and donate to them.” The Logan Center supports people with disabilities to help elevate their quality of life. One of the founders of the club, Anna Mullek, worked at the Center, helping to form a relationship with the club. Both Reins of Life and Hannah and Friends are nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities. Reins of Life focuses on providing therapeutic horseback-riding. Club vice-president Emily Jezek mentioned the 5K run the club is planning on hosting in the spring 2022 semester. “We’ve been planning it for a while, so we’re hoping to have a big [turnout at] it,” she said. Jezek is a double master’s student at Saint Mary’s getting her master’s in autism studies and speech pathology. As an undergraduate, she was a behavioral therapist for kids with autism and feels the club is an outlet to teach others about autism. “There is a lot of negative stigma around autism and disabilities in general, just because there’s definitely a lack of education and knowledge,” Jezek said. “This is not something that needs to be looked down upon.” Contact Liam Price at lprice3@nd.edu
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The observer | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15 | ndsmcobserver.com
By JOHN CLARK Scene Writer
“Red,” in my humble opinion, was Taylor Swift’s magnum opus. The album was originally released at a critical point in my life, and one of my fondest memories is going to see Swift perform it on tour just a few weeks after burying my father. That concert brought me joy at a time when I really needed it. Nine years later, “Red”’s lofty position as the crowning jewel of Taylor Swift’s discography now belongs to “Red (Taylor’s Version).” Swift took me by surprise in the direction she took in differentiating “Red (TV)” from the original album. A lot of the discourse on the differences between the two versions of “Fearless” focused on the differences in Swift’s voice over the past 13 years. That framework of comparison isn’t quite as applicable for “Red (TV),” as the changes in Swift’s voice over the past 9 years haven’t been quite as dramatic. This places the onus of differentiation on other components of the music, which I have found much more interesting to explore. I have listened to the original “Red” countless times, as I imagine most Taylor Swift fans have. Most folks who have an intimate familiarity with original album will immediately notice many of the differences between the two releases. In fact, these differences begin with the opening seconds of “State of Grace,” during which their iconic pounding drums take on a substantially different tone. Even so, the composition,
By ROSE ANDROWICH Scene Writer
The English department held their long-awaited Creative Writing Festival on Friday, Nov. 12. The festival, which included readings from Mustard, Notre Dame’s creative writing club, as well as Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) students, gave students the opportunity to learn more about various writing opportunities at Notre Dame. The opportunities introduced by the English department included writing for Mustard and working for the Notre Dame Review. Mustard’s president, JP Spoonmore, called the club a great place to workshop writing pieces and said that meetings were “a magical place where [club members] work things out.” According to Spoonmore, meetings include three read-ins per week in, during which writers can receive feedback from the club members. This feedback typically includes what the other club members believe can be strengthened and puts an emphasis on the writing process. Mustard also helps writers understand both the purpose of the writer and the purpose of the text. The process of writing is important; the groups present at the creative writing festival— Re:Visions and Notre Dame Review, in particular— reflected this
structure, lyrics and instrumental ensemble of these songs are all identical to those from the original album. The locus of the transformation of this collection of songs into “Taylor’s Version” lays outside of that. Indeed, Swift reclaims her work in the slight changes to the tenors and tones of the sounds that define the album’s musical aesthetic. Her voice still plays a role in that, but not as significantly as it did with “Fearless (TV).” At times, there are fuzzier electric guitars; the lead guitar line in the intro to “State of Grace,” for instance, sounds more unruly than the crisp and controlled tone that defined the original version. The acoustic guitars in ballads like “I Almost Do” and emotional centerpiece “All Too Well” also sound warmer. Intimacy has always been what makes Taylor Swift most special. She pours her heart out on every album and arguably treasures her relationship with her fans more than any other pop star. Swift’s musical evolution over the course of her first four albums was defined by growth of her sound into something that would fill stadiums while still maintaining some of the intimacy that makes her music special. On “Red (TV),” that evolution was completed, which is probably why she chose to rip everything up and start again on “1989.” In reclaiming “Red” as her own, Swift chose to differentiate it by optimizing the intimacy that defines her as an artist while preserving the grandeur of the original album. It’s the best thing she’s given us yet. The “From The Vault” tracks are, as expected, not
purpose. Re:Visions is an undergraduate magazine filled with fiction, nonfiction and visual art. Every year, Re:Visions sets a theme, and you tailor your work to create a theme. In addition to providing the opportunity to submit your work yearly, Re:Visions also provides the opportunity to become a student editor. According to Jillian Fantin, a graduate student who is the Editorin-Chief of Re:Visions, the magazine is a great place for students who are interested in art and literature. The submission deadline for Re:Visions is February 28th, and submissions can be emailed to Revlitmag@ gmail.com. Notre Dame Review is an opportunity for students to get editorial experience, but instead of student work, the Review publishes the work of poets from around the world. There seems to be quite a flourishing creative writing community at Notre Dame, even though the writing process is something that is typically viewed as being solitary. Perhaps, this should not be surprising: To Spoonmore, community is an important part of writing. Spoonmore says that a project that he has been working on for three years was originally inspired by something he heard from a fellow writer at a Mustard meeting. Further, Spoonmore said his experience knowing upperclassmen at Mustard was what inspired him to become president.
just outtakes that weren’t good enough to make it onto the album proper. Instead, it’s clear that these songs didn’t make it on the album for a variety of reasons, this demonstrating the thoughtfulness Swift puts into crafting her albums. As it is, the album proper (Vault songs not included) is sprawling, but it somehow manages to remain cohesive (though this isn’t necessarily a virtue). Some of the Vault tracks skew stylistically more toward the aesthetic of “Speak Now,” and would have muddied the uniformity of “Red.” It’s also clear that Swift wanted to avoid redundancy in emotional beats on the album proper. With that being said, the songs here are great and a welcome additions to the core masterpiece of “Red (TV).” Contact John Clark at jclark20@nd.edu
“Red (Taylor’s Version)” Artist: Taylor Swift Label: Republic Records Favorite tracks: “State of Grace,” “Treacherous,” “Holy Ground,” “Forever Winter” If you like: Joni Mitchell, The Cure, Mitski, Neutral Milk Hotel
Spoonmore was especially thrilled with the creative writing festival. He says that he loves seeing the Mustard writers read live because of the excitement they exhibit both during the process and upon seeing the audience’s reaction to their work. The creative writing festival is Mustard’s key event every year, and gives writers a great opportunity to showcase their work. The best part is that Mustard is open to everyone, regardless of major. Spoonmore himself is even a film major and likes to focus on writing with very cinematic and concrete imagery, each writer comes a distinct writing style, a fact made manifest by the selections shared at the festival. As a result of writers’ different styles, festival attendees experience a wide range of content, and this variety reveals a central theme: There is no standard for creative writing. Instead, creative writing means different things to different people. That difference, at least in part, constitutes the beauty of the art form. Students interested in joining Mustard can reach out to mustard@nd.edu in order to be added to the mailing list. Mustard’s weekly meetings take place on Wednesday at 9:30 at McNeill Room, which is located in LaFortune Student Center. Contact Rose at randrowich01@saintmarys.edu DOUGLAS ABELL | The Observer
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The observer | Monday, November 15 , 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Inside Column
Going through a breakup during ‘Red’ Bella Laufenberg News Writer
You’ve seen the videos on TikTok, the captions, the comments — “In an unfortunate turn of events, I will now be relating to Taylor Swift’s re-release of ‘Red.’” How sad, I thought to myself. What poor girls that their boyfriends dumped them and now they must experience the most anticipated release of the year fresh off a heartbreak. And then it happened to me. I should preface this by saying that my breakup (and relationship for that matter) was in no way, shape or form toxic or abusive. My boyfriend, now exboyfriend, has always been nothing but loving and supportive to me during our entire long-term relationship. For the sake of the column, I will disclose to you, dear reader, that our breakup was very mature, and we are still best friends — but that unfortunately, does not take away from the pain. Although I was through the worst of the pain by Thursday night, I was still fresh and primed to feel the entirety of my heartbreak again when the clock struck midnight. In case anyone is going through the same pain right now (and from the likes of the TikToks I’ve seen, plenty of people are), I will now share with you my ~expert~ tips on how to survive a breakup during the reincarnation of Taylor Swift’s “Red” era.
Tip 1: Ignore all your obligations. As most of us are busy college students, I realize this is a hard tip to follow, but hear me out. The night that “Red” was released, I stopped doing my assignments in order to start listening right at midnight. I forced myself to stay up until I physically couldn’t anymore so I could listen to as much of the album as possible. In turn, the next morning, I literally could not wake up in time for my 8:20 a.m. class. My morning-person (derogatory) roommate claimed she called my name multiple times, but not even the apocalypse could have woken me up at that point. In summary, “Red” >>>>> any other obligations.
Tip 2: Make separate “Red” playlists. Something that comes with the territory of breakups, if any of you are unfamiliar, is a lot of mood swings. One minute, you may be sobbing your eyes out and begging for another chance, and the next minute realizing that you do not need no man/woman. To solve this problem, my suggestion is to split “Red” up into different categories. Some potential combinations include: 1. Sad with a touch of anger: “All Too Well,” “Better Man,” “The Moment I Knew” 2. ‘I want my man back’: “Come Back…Be Here,” “I Almost Do,” “The Last Time” 3. Moving on: “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “Begin Again”
Tip 3: Do NOT watch the short film of “All Too Well.” This is an unpopular opinion — I am aware, but I think the point is still valid! The first thing I did when “Red” was released was listen to the “All Too Well” 10-minute version. It was heartbreaking and cathartic in the best way. It made me cry and gasp and scream. The pain I felt from just listening to the song was more than enough for me to handle at that moment. And although I have heard amazing things about the short film starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien, the suffering from seeing the visual depictions of this heart-rendering song is more than I think I can bear. This is why I suggest my fellow heartbreak sufferes take more time to digest the pain of the album before subjecting ourselves to the excruciating experience that comes with the short film.
Tip 4: Be GENTLE with yourself. Going through a breakup is hard. It exhausts you from the bottom of your soul. I think that we can all agree on. Ladies and gentlemen, you need to take some time for you. Please, please be gentle with yourselves. Know that your feelings are valid, in any way you need to express them. Take some time away from your phone to do some self-care. Take a nice, long shower and shave your legs just for yourself. Eat that chocolate AND that popcorn. Don’t let anybody tell you no (unless it’s in the context of consent). Experiencing a breakup at the same time as the world is experiencing “Red” for the second time is like the two most draining events of the year happening simultaneously. Whether your fix is to turn the music up and belt your heart out or to take some time to just sit in silence — please sympathetic to your own feelings and needs. You can contact Bella at ilaufenb@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Jesus on adultery Trevor Lwere On the Other Hand
In Matthew 5:27-30, Jesus pronounces Himself on the question of adultery. This passage is found in the Sermon on the Mount — within the Gospel of Matthew — which is Jesus’ ethical teaching on a righteous life. Most scholars agree that the overarching theme of this passage is the identification of impediments to ultimate salvation and their removal. Jesus invites His followers to cast off sin by whatever means necessary in order to be ready themselves for the kingdom of God. He offers a new, revolutionary interpretation of the pre-existing law on adultery. It is revolutionary in as far as it transcended conventional understanding at the time. Jesus also circumscribes a penalty for adultery: eternal suffering in hell. In verse 27, Jesus invites His audience to call to mind ancient laws on adultery, the object of His speech. In the first phrase of the verse, “You’ve heard it was said…,” Jesus implicitly acknowledges the knowledge of and faithful adherence to the law on adultery by the members of His audience. According to Jesus, not all those who have ears do hear. He expresses this sentiment in Jeremiah 5:21, where He says that “Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.” Therefore, by inviting members of His audience to call to mind what they have heard, Jesus acknowledges that they are able to hear. And in the second phrase of the verse, when Jesus re-echoes the ancient law on adultery, “You shall not commit adultery,” He implicitly acknowledges that the members of His audience are aware of and understand the law of Moses on adultery as well as Jewish laws and customs pertaining to the same. This is view is supported by a general consensus amongst scholars that the prohibition of adultery was not a novel idea amongst the Jews. It was part and parcel of Jewish law and custom. For instance, both Douglas R. Hare and Leon Morris, observe that according to ancient Jewish law, a married woman was not allowed to lay with another man or a married man to lay with a married woman. Aside their culture and customary law, the Jews were also aware of the ancient law of Moses on adultery. Indeed, most scholars agree that in verse 27, Jesus is speaking in reference to the ten commandments. Craig S. Keener asserts that Jesus invokes the seventh commandment as presented in Exodus 20:14, which the Matthean writer here
quotes directly thus “You shall not commit adultery.” Keener further states that Jesus also alludes to the tenth commandment which, as presented in Exodus 20:17, states that “You shall not covet your neighbor’s property.” Given that in Jewish custom women were considered to be the first property of a man’s household, coveting another man’s wife was tantamount to a violation of his right to his property. It is this knowledge of customary and ancient law on adultery which Jesus appeals to in His opening statement. And in doing so, Jesus sets His audience up for a clarification of interpretation of these laws in the subsequent verse. Yet, Jesus uses very careful language in order so as to avoid ambiguity around what is considered adultery and what is not. The use of the verb to look implies that adultery begins with the eyes. When we see, we perceive and then we generate impulses that become intentions which translate into action. Jesus is concerned with the initial stage of the sin which is to look. This view is shared by most scholars who agree that Jesus’ interpretation of the law implies that adultery commences with the act of looking. Yet, Jesus is not speaking of mere looking but looking with lustful eyes. The literature indicates that the word used for lust in the original text is the Hebrew verb epithymia. According to Hare, epithymia does not mean idle envy; it means intentional planning to obtain something for oneself. Perhaps a more accurate translation can be found in the Good News translation in which verse 28 is translated as “... anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her …” Whereas Jesus implies that adultery begins with the eyes, His emphasis is on looking with lustful eyes, not merely looking. John Nolland argues that Jesus’ emphasis was not on physical attraction. Rather, emphasis is on the desire and implicit planning for sexual relations. I agree with Nolland that Jesus is not concerned with sexual attraction between man and woman but the implicit planning to engage in illicit sexual activity. Condemning sexual attraction would be against God’s pronouncement in Genesis 9:7 “Be fertile then, and multiply, abound the earth and subdue it.” Trevor Lwere is a senior from Kampala, Uganda studying economics and global affairs with a minor in PPE. He is currently studying abroad at SOAS University of London. He is a dee-jay in his free time and can be reached at tlwereT@nd.edu or @LwereTrevor on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | Monday, November 15, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
LETTERs TO THE EDITOR
The definitive top 10 Taylor Swift songs 1. “You Belong With Me” She wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts, Taylor wrote an absolute banger, and we want to see this in concert. This song is absolutely iconic, from the music video, to sing-along lyrics, to the controversy it caused with Kanye, to so much more. It encapsulates everything that we love about Taylor Swift, and really does belong with us on the top of this list.
2. “Love Story” As a modern day Shakespeare, it was only a matter of time before Taylor created her version of Romeo and Juliet. The strings, background vocals and layered guitars create an incredible backdrop for a great melody and lyrics that are meant to be shouted. “Love Story” is one of the tracks that make “Fearless” truly fearless, and Taylor’s discography uniquely hers. It’s a classic love story, so how could we not say yes?
3. “New Romantics”
kinda rush, and one that easily makes the top half of our list.
lists, we’ve never heard silence quite this loud (kind of a bad line).
5. “Mine”
9. “Shake it Off”
Hidden behind another memorable hook is one of Taylor’s deepest and most powerful songs. Written for “Speak Now,” “Mine” describes the trials and tribulations of a young couple trying to make their own way in an unforgiving world. While “Speak Now” may have some shallower songs, “Mine” clearly demonstrated that Taylor was a serious songwriter and a musical force to be reckoned with.
Returning to the lead single off “1989,” we find ourselves with the hot girl anthem of 2014. After being known for longing love songs and tragedy at the 2009 VMAs, it was great to see Taylor have some fun and shake it for the fella with the hella good hair. Taylor shook off the haters and embraced who she really is. Speaking of Taylor’s true personality, she hand-selected 100 fans for the end of this music video, showing how she truly cares for her fans.
6. “Tell Me Why” Perhaps Taylor’s greatest country song, “Tell Me Why” comes off of “Fearless.” The opening violin melody immediately captures the listener, and it contains an impeccable hook that makes Taylor’s music so accessible. Tell me why you love Taylor’s music, and I can show you something to love in this song.
In an incredible tribute to the ‘80s, Taylor enraptures us with one of the most underrated songs in her catalog. “New Romantics” shows Taylor celebrating the joys of youth and those things that make life so good, wrapped in another incredible hook. Maybe the best things in life really are free, or at least however much it costs to stream this song.
7. “All Too Well”
4. “The Way I Loved You”
8. “The Story of Us”
We’re not exactly sure which one of the two authors Taylor whists for in this song, but we do know that it is one of the greatest songs in her catalog. An incredibly memorable hook details the conf lict Taylor has between her current “perfect” boyfriend and her former problematic love interest, who she is still interested in. The song truly is a roller coaster
Written after being seated next to ex-boyfriend John Mayer at the 2010 CMT Awards, “The Story of Us” is one of the most fun tracks off of “Speak Now.” There is definitely a pop-punk feel to some of these songs off of the album, which we love to see. And regarding the lack of love and mentions for Speak Now on many of the other top Taylor Swift songs
For those of you who like Taylor for her sad songs, there is perhaps no greater sad Taylor song than “All Too Well.” Taylor wrote this about Jake Gyllenhaal, and it details how she appreciates the memories of her former relationship, while not necessarily wanting to do it over again. Some of you bigger Taylor fans may know that feeling all too well.
10. “Wildest Dreams” We start this track with the sound of Taylor’s heartbeat as the baseline, but we get fully immersed by the captivating synthesizer and string combination. We also fully appreciate the Lana del Rey inf luence on this song, which demonstrated how Taylor was expanding her musical inf luences in the “1989” era. Taylor impresses us here by displaying serious range on her vocals, and some of the more suggestive lyrics can’t help but remind us of Carroll Hall’s own Paul Skorcz (pskorcz@nd.edu). We may not ever be able to meet Taylor, but she’ll always be in our wildest dreams. If anyone has any qualms with the rankings, please contact Matt Carranza at mcarran2@nd.edu and he will explain why your opinion is wrong. Matthew Carranza senior Brian Conlon senior Nov. 11
Shamrock 105-heavy For most people, the clock moving from 11:59 p.m. to midnight on Sunday into Monday, Nov. 7/8 proved an event unworthy of much celebration. To me, and many others from beyond these shores, it marked the restart of a hugely important and emotional element of once-everyday life, as the U.S. reopened its border. Beginning on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, “non-essential” travel into the United States by foreign nationals is once again a possibility. To most Americans this news likely means little more than a return of overseas tourists, but for me, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Ireland, the reopening of the air-bridge is an issue that goes to the heart of the emigrant’s experience and the nature of one’s own family. Many people undoubtedly look upon transatlantic air travel as a luxury, a method to escape for a few weeks of vacation. In my life, however, the direct and unbroken air link between the United States and the European Union has held my family together. For nearly two decades, unhindered ease of access between Ireland and America allowed me to see my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and even my siblings on either side of the tossing main. That reality, however, ceased to exist in March 2020. In the face of the growing COVID-19 Pandemic, then President Donald Trump restricted travel to the U.S. from the United Kingdom, Ireland and the
E.U.’s Schengen free travel zone. From then until Nov. 8 of this year, families in both America and Europe endured the hardship of separation. Like everyone else, transatlantic families missed crucial milestones in life: births, marriages and deaths, due to the COVID crisis. In the United States, however, that anguish for many American families began to recede in the summer of 2020 with the easing of domestic restrictions. Those of us reliant on unimpeded air connectivity, on the other hand, felt no such sweet release from heartache. To families such as mine, the transatlantic air bridge kept us connected in ways Zoom could never possibly match. The cross-ocean air link exists as far more than a vacation vehicle. It is the glue that holds us all together. Indeed, I often and unironically refer to Aer Lingus as “my cousin” — the company’s frequent and easy Dublin to New York/ Boston/Chicago/Hartford flights allowed me to keep one foot firmly planted on both sides of the Atlantic. The past eighteen months brought into focus just how important such flights are to families like mine, and their return is a cause for the utmost joy and celebration. In my case, at long last, my octogenarian godparents can finally make their first trip to the United States to visit us. The pain and agony of long-suffered detachment can now, finally, recede into an unpleasant but bygone
memory. The resumption of non-essential travel into the U.S. may seem like a mere matter of facts and figures. Airlines can expect X dollars of profit, while T.S.A. wait lines will grow by Y minutes each day. This issue, however, is also an emotional one which cannot be encapsulated into statistics. Nov. 8 became a day of unbounded joy, of celebration, of relief, and perhaps most of all, of hope. The erstwhile bitter rivals of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic perfectly captured this hope. Both airlines’ first f lights last Monday simultaneously took off from London Heathrow for New York JFK — a unique occurrence in Heathrow’s operating history — to mark the significance of restarted trans-ocean travel. On their wings, those two sleek Airbus A350 jets carry my hopes and thousands of other expatriates, all of us counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds to long-awaited reunions. For me at least, I think the emotional tumult wrapped up in renewed E.U.-U.S. travel is perfectly summed up by the words of JFK’s air traffic control to Aer Lingus’ inbound f light from Dublin: “Shamrock 105-Heavy, cleared to land. It’s good to have you back.”
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Eoghan Fay junior Nov. 8
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Sports
The observer | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15 | ndsmcobserver.com
HOCKEY | 5-1, 3-0, 3-0
Football FEATURE
No. 15 Irish sweep series against Badgers Observer Sports Staff
The No. 15 Notre Dame hockey team (8-3-0, 2-20-0-0-0 B1G) recorded a series sweep over the Wisconsin Badgers (48-0, 2-4-0-1-0-0 B1G) this past weekend at Compton Family Ice Arena to pick up their first Big Ten v ictories of the season. In the series opener on Friday, the Irish pulled off a 5-1 v ictor y after erasing an early 1-0 deficit. The Badgers opened the scoring just t wo and a half minutes into the game off of a power play w ith Roman A hcan of the Badgers picking up a clearing attempt in the faceoff circle and sending the puck past graduate student goal-tender Matthew Galajda. A lthough the Irish generated a multitude of chances throughout the second period, the Badgers were able to hold the Irish off and retain a one-goal lead after twent y minutes of play. The Irish scored early on in the second period to tie it up, though, w ith sophomore for ward Landon Slaggert scoring off of a def lection. Sophomore for ward Ryder Rolston was credited w ith the assist on the play. Just over two minutes later, the Irish struck again to get their first lead of the game at 2-1. This time it was junior for ward Jesse Lansdell who found the back of the net by tipping in a tip-shot from senior defenseman Spencer Stastney. Junior for ward Trevor Janicke added another goal for the Irish later on in the period during an Irish power play. Janicke stationed himself just outside of the crease and moved the puck to his forehand to slip it into the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season. The Irish tacked on t wo goals in the third period to w in by a commanding score of 5-1. Both goals came off the stick of junior for ward Ma x Ellis. The first
goal came off of a rebound and the second goal came off of an empt y netter in the game’s dy ing minutes. Those goals were good for the sixth and seventh goals of the season for Ellis, making him the team’s leading scorer. The Irish recorded the v ictor y on Saturday night as well w ith a 3-0 v ictor y to earn a series sweep over Wisconsin. The Irish grabbed the lead at the 7:26 mark in the first period w ith sophomore for ward Grant Silianoff finishing off a passing sequence in the front. The Silianoff goal was set up by passes from senior defenseman Nick Leivermann and Ryder Rolston. The Badgers earned some power plays at the end of the first period, but the Irish successfully staved off the Badgers to retain their 1-0 lead. Then at the 19:13 mark of the first period, Leivermann scored during a four-on-four segment to give the Irish a 2-0 lead at the end of the first period. The Irish then tacked on their third goal of the game w ith just a minute left in the second period w ith freshman for ward Hunter Strand follow ing up on his ow n shot that hit the post and forcing the rebound over the goal line. That goal was good for Strand’s third of the season. The Irish would hold the Badgers scoreless to ultimately w in by a score of 3-0. The shutout was Galajda’s second of the season and 21st of his career, which is tied for third alltime in NCA A Men’s Div ision I histor y. The Irish were also phenomenal on the power play kill in this one, holding the Badgers to zero for six on the day. The Irish have allowed just t wo power-play goals all season. The Irish w ill hit the road next weekend to face the second-ranked Michigan Wolverines (10-2, 5-1-0-0-0-0 B1G).
‘It’s the expectation’: Henderson fills new role By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor
A f lu bug ripping its way through the locker room. No A ll-American safet y Kyle Hamilton. Two more defensive captains in graduate student defensive lineman My ron Tagovailoa-Amosa and senior linebacker Drew W hite out w ith high fevers. Forced to prepare for t wo different quarterbacks against a third straight opponent w ith an extra week of rest than the Irish. But when guys like sophomore Ramon Henderson step up on the defense, the adversit y faced by the Irish seems triv ial, all things considered. Notre Dame made it look easy on the field as they throttled Virginia 283, in no small part due to Henderson’s contributions, as the sophomore cornerback got his first career start w ith the Irish … except it was as a safet y. “I was told on Tuesday that I’d be mov ing to safet y and possibly starting if I got it all dow n,” Henderson said. “It’s ver y different from cornerback, so it’s kind of a hard transition.” Henderson says the transition was difficult, but it was hard to tell. If someone sat dow n to watch the Irish play for the first time in the 2021 season, it would have been hard to differentiate Henderson’s play from fellow starter, senior DJ Brow n. Henderson recorded a couple of big-time tack les to help stall Virginia drives. His highlight-reel play came at the end of the first half, w ith the Cavaliers looking to chip away at a 21-0 deficit. At their ow n 40, U VA quarterback John Woolfolk launched a deep pass that Henderson tracked all the way, leaping past the Virginia receiver, and the Irish corner in coverage, to haul in an impressive interception. Henderson was quick to credit the play to Brow n’s guidance: “Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have got it if DJ [Brow n] didn’t tell me to do something. He told me to show t wo-high coverage, and he bumped dow n.” Henderson recalled of his interception, “[Jay Woolfolk] just showed eyes at [receiver Dontay v ion Wicks] so I just ran over there and tried to catch the ball.”
Early in the game, Henderson was exceptionally active, w ith the scoreboard still ref lecting a close game. Notre Dame’s first drive resulted in a turnover on dow ns, meaning the Irish led by just seven towards the end of the first quarter. Woolfolk found a Virginia receiver open over the middle of the field w ith what could have been a first-dow n pass. However, Henderson closed w ith remarkable speed and didn’t even let the receiver turn, sticking him to a six-yard gain. That kept U VA hunting to move the chains, and a pre-snap penalt y ended up dooming the Cavaliers’ drive. That indiv idual Henderson play won’t be highlighted as a gamechanging moment, but it further sparked the Irish offensive momentum. Notre Dame scored on the ensuing possession and never looked back. Of course, Virginia was not at full strength on offense either. But that nearly made things more difficult in preparation for the Irish. U VA signal-caller Brennan Armstrong is one of the best passers in the FBS and ser ves as both the leading passer and rusher for the Cavaliers. Virginia’s offense was not the same w ithout his presence. However, preparing for Woolfolk brought its ow n set of challenges. The true freshman had v irtually no film, and the Cavaliers also brought out a w ildcat offense to start the game. Woolfolk was a dual-threat that required exceptional discipline from the Irish at ever y level of the defense. “I think they’re a little bit more f luid w ith [Armstrong], but [Woolfolk] is good too,” Henderson commented on the defensive preparation. “W hen we heard the news, at the end of the day, we’ve still got to go play them. They’ve still got to come play us.” The Irish took the fight to U VA right away, holding the Cavaliers to a net loss of four yards on their first t wo possessions, allow ing the offense to build a t wo-touchdow n cushion. Armstrong complimented the defensive line’s abilit y to w reak havoc on the Virginia line. “They did a good job moving around and making [Woolfolk] a little ner vous.” Henderson also def lected some of the praise he
received for stepping up in a new role — quick to not only talk dow n his efforts but praise some of the other members of the Irish defense that stepped up on Saturday. “It’s just the expectation. I had to step up,” Henderson noted. He went on to praise his roommate and fellow sophomore Xavier Watts. Watts was a wide receiver at the beginning of the year, converted to linebacker, and then finally has made his way to the safety position, which he played in high school. As Virginia began to exploit a suspect Irish run defense with Woolfolk’s running ability, Watts made a couple of big tackles that minimized potential big gains. “That’s my guy,” Henderson said of Watts. “I’m so proud of him. He’s worked so hard and is doing whatever he can to get on the field.” The Irish may continue to lean on Henderson. Hamilton, who left the USC game on Oct. 23 with a knee injury, has yet to return. Leaving the field on Saturday, he still didn’t look particularly comfortable in even a light jog. The Irish have two more games remaining as they hunt down an unlikely but possible College Football Playoff berth. “It was not an easy week. With injuries, illnesses, another team that had the week off, being on the road at night, which was not easy,” head coach Brian Kelly said of the Irish’s performance. “The guys took this as a challenge to play our best football … to get a victory on the road this late and to have some individuals step up and play their best football was impressive.” On a night where Notre Dame was forced to continually f lex their depth on both sides of the ball, yet another unheralded contributor shone in the limelight. The defense has been oft-critiqued for the Irish, but with their goals still laid out ahead of them, Ramon Henderson added his name to the list of players that continue to elevate their game for the Irish. Look for #11 in the blue and gold to continue to log key snaps, as the Irish try and stay hot down the stretch with two games remaining on the schedule. Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu
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Crossword | Will Shortz
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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: How you handle change is up to you. Use your imagination, and you’ll develop a plan that excites and inspires you to use your attributes uniquely and diversely. Reach out to people who encourage you to be bold, and you will find your purpose and place through exploration. Embrace romance and self-improvement projects. Your numbers are 8, 13, 22, 27, 31, 38, 42. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Gather information, ask for advice and touch base with people you appreciate. Don’t jump to conclusions or decide in haste. Extenuating circumstances will arise that will change the way you think and feel. Bide your time to avoid a costly mistake. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): An unexpected emotional issue will surface if you don’t get approval before making a change that affects others. Play by the rules by sticking to protocol and you’ll avoid negative feedback from someone you love and respect. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take note of money matters, shared expenses and what you owe to others. You’ll alleviate stress if you focus on finishing what you start and knowing where you stand emotionally, financially and physically. Researching will put your mind at ease. CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Refuse to let your professional responsibilities ruin your downtime. Mellow your mood swings by doing something relaxing. A romantic encounter will ease stress and take your mind off everything that is aggravating you. A personal improvement will lift your spirits. LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Take a moment to recognize what others are going through, and it will be easier to sidestep being trapped in a no-win situation. Research something that interests you, and you’ll find a novel way to pass your time. Learn something new. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Plan something you can enjoy with someone you love. Kick back, relax and be open regarding your intentions. Start putting plans in motion, and you will feel the excitement mount. Update your image, spruce up your wardrobe and embrace romance. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Organize and prepare for upcoming events, but don’t press personal issues. Keep the peace with someone you love, and you will save time, money and torment. Look for a self-rewarding way to make personal improvements at a cost you can afford. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Leave nothing to chance. Map out your course of action, and do everything in your power to turn your thoughts and passion into a reality. Make decisions that are consistent and will take you where you want to go. Live, love, laugh. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): An outing or get-together with friends or relatives doesn’t have to be costly. Taking a responsible position will encourage others to respect your insight and follow suit. It’s in your best interest to take control instead of letting someone take over. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A change of plans will encourage you to move things around at home to accommodate what you want to pursue. Update your image, and it will give you a pick-me-up that will get you back on track and boost your confidence. AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Inconsistency is a problem. If you can’t make up your mind, walk away. It’s best to be safe, not sorry. Look inward and revisit what makes you feel comfortable, happy and proud; follow the path that will take you there. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Pay attention to detail when dealing with financial, emotional and medical matters. If change is required to get ahead, start initiating what’s needed. Figure out what’s essential, and you’ll save money, time and face. Birthday Baby: You are knowledgeable, appealing and playful. You are determined and proactive.
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Virginia Continued from page 12
of 96 yards on 15 carries. Sophomore tight end Michael Mayer led the receiv ing corps w ith seven receptions for 84 yards and a touchdow n. “He’s a freak,” Kelly said, “We targeted him a lot today.” Kev in Austin Jr. and Lenzy each had three receptions and a touchdow n grab, as the seniors led a w ide receiv ing room that lost Aver y Dav is to injur y this week. Lenzy also contributed by draw ing a pass interference call and notching a 31-yard run as well. He caught his touchdow n reception in the backfield and finished his scoring effort strong through a pair of defenders. “Braden Lenzy was gritt y tonight. He finished his run strong; he had a hard touchdow n run,” Kelly said. “He got himself dirt y. That goes a long way to w in football games.”
Short-handed defense dominates Cavaliers Defensively, Notre Dame put together a fantastic effort. Senior linebacker Bo Bauer had a few major impact plays, including two sacks, both on third dow n. He also had a pass breakup on second dow n — all three plays stalled out promising Virginia drives, keeping a comfortable cushion in the scoreline. Senior safet y DJ Brow n ended the game w ith a pick of his ow n, as Notre Dame made it two consecutive weeks w ithout allow ing a touchdow n. The Irish also received some contributions from deeper on the depth chart. Sophomore Rylie Mills
ndsmcobserver.com | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15 | The Observer
notched a pair of sacks, mov ing to defensive end for the game after graduate student starter TagovailoaAmosa was ruled out w ith a 101-degree fever. Kelly joked about the good issues that Mills’ effort created in terms of depth chart competition for the Irish. “We made the really w ise move to sw itch him to defensive end and he answered the bell,” Kelly said, then w r yly adding, ”That’s kind of a good thing — he earned the right to stay there [at defensive end.]” Sophomore Ramon Henderson, making his first career start, collected his first interception as well, to preser ve the first-half shutout. Henderson sw itched from cornerback to safet y on Tuesday.
Irish half
dominate
first
Notre Dame moved the ball w ith ease at almost ever y moment in the first half. They scored on three of their four drives, w ith their only unfruitful effort being a turnover on dow ns just outside the red zone. A fter that, it was three straight touchdow ns for the Irish, who diced a struggling Virginia defense w ith ease. The initial Irish drive featured a pair of thirddow n conversions, and they would have had another, had freshman receiver Lorenzo St yles not slipped after a short reception. Coan was stuffed on a sneak attempt. However, Notre Dame didn’t allow a first dow n, and the Irish soon got another chance to work. The Irish got a short field after a 14-yard U VA punt, and they immediately car ved out 15 yards to sophomore tight end Michael Mayer. Notre Dame did face a fourth
dow n later in the drive, but junior running back Ky ren Williams had no issues in running for 14 yards up the gut. Coan hit Mayer for six yards and a touchdow n on the next play for a 7-0 Notre Dame lead. After Virginia’s second offensive possession netted them a loss of four yards, the Irish again got some nice field position. Setting up camp at their ow n 40yard line, the Irish rolled 60 yards in seven plays for another score. The key play in this drive was a jaw-dropping 26-yard run from true freshman running back Logan Diggs. Diggs broke loose dow n the left sideline and hurdled a defender to polish off the effort. Senior receiver Braden Lenzy punctuated the drive w ith a four-yard touchdow n reception. Needing a momentum shift, U VA finally started to move the ball on their third drive. They slugged towards the red zone but stalled out. The Cavaliers faked a 47yard field goal attempt, but a scramble attempt for the first dow n was just short. Notre Dame took over and marched 80 yards on nine plays. The Irish broke out some offensive tricker y on this drive, as w ide receiver Lorenzo St yle received a reverse handoff out of a t woback set, racing 30 yards. One play later, Williams broke a couple of tack les and broke out a w icked juke move on a 22-yard touchdow n run. Henderson’s big interception allowed the Irish to bring the game to half w ith a 21-0 advantage.
Is Notre Dame making a playoff case? The second half didn’t feature as many offensive
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fireworks for the Irish, but the result never was in doubt. The Cavaliers marched dow n the field to start the half, but senior linebacker Bo Bauer came up w ith a big thirddow n sack. That pushed the Virginia field goal attempt back to 44 yards, and it was pushed w ide right. Both offenses stalled for a bit after ward, but after U VA turned it over on dow ns once more late in the third quarter, the Irish polished the game off w ith a quick 61-yard drive. This one started w ith a 30-yard Braden Lenzy run on a double reverse, and it finished w ith Coan hitting Kev in Austin in the end zone on a 15-yard pass that the graduate transfer dropped in a bucket. The rest of the game was a formalit y. U VA notched a field goal to ruin the shutout, but that was about it. The game ended 28-3, as Notre Dame continues a late push to be a one-loss playoff team. Asked about whether he believed his team deser ves a berth, Kelly was strong in his response. “We’re better than we were in September and October,” he said. “We’re ascending as a football team — the eye test says this team is playing better, offensively and defensively.” The Irish should certainly jump to at least eighth after Ok lahoma’s loss, but they’ll need a little more chaos than that to crack the playoff field. They have t wo games remaining against unranked competition. Their home finale is next week at 2:30 p.m. against Georgia Tech. Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu
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OOTG Continued from page 12
through a tunnel of smoke and f lame, cheers of “Let’s go Hoos” could have been heard from our hotel half an hour away. However, when the leprechaun led the Irish onto the field, shouts of near-equal volume from a much smaller crowd took over the stands. The orange rally towels of UVA fans were in constant movement throughout the night, but the Irish came with their own fervor, to the point where it was hard to distinguish whose cheers were echoing throughout the stadium at times. UVA fans were led by their band in traditional chants; while with each Irish score, Notre Dame fans increased in volume as they carried on the touchdown pushup tradition despite it being an away game. It was a back-and-forth between the two groups for who could control the volume of the stadium. However, once the end of the second quarter rolled around, the UVA student section decreased by half, that 50% electing not to return for the second part of the game. No section in the stadium remained entirely full. By the time the third quarter rolled around and Notre Dame was up 28-0, the majority of those left on the hill were Irish. Troves of Cavaliers supporters exited the stadium, leaving the stands absolutely depleted of UVA students and the two teams almost equal in terms of fans. The two were not equal on the field, though, and tensions rose between the groups of players as the battle continued. The Irish cheerleaders continued to perform their celebratory sprint across the field with each touchdown as if it were their own home game, while any victory became cause for celebration for the Virginians. The field goal that put UVA on the board elicited an overjoyed response, with fans swaying back and forth and singing praise to their school. Yet, in the end, only the Irish fans remained in the stadium as the players walked out to a chorus of cheers for Old Notre Dame. People called out to their favorite team members, taking home a considerable amount of gloves and towels that were tossed into the stands by the players. The travelers made it feel like home for the Irish, and their dedication proved effective in combating the difficult away-game atmosphere. Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu
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The observer | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15 | ndsmcobserver.com
FOOTBALL | ND 28, UVA 3
Irish lock down end zone against Virginia Cavaliers in Charlottesville shellacking By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor
GABRIELLE PENNA | The Observer
Irish juniors JD Bertrand and Nana Osafo-Mensah, linebacker and defensive lineman respectively, prepare for the snap in Notre Dame’s 27-13 home win over Purdue on Sept. 18 in Notre Dame Stadium.
The news got scary for Notre Dame before it got better. With defensive captains Kyle Hamilton, Myron TagovailoaAmosa and Drew White not dressed for their clash with Virginia, the Irish defense was severely depleted. Against a Cavaliers offense averaging 39 points a game, that was a major concern. But then UVA quarterback Brennan Armstrong, questionable all week, did not dress, and the matchup evened out. Virginia started John Woolfolk, who became the first true freshman to start at quarterback for the Cavaliers since 1977. And with a depleted offense facing an injury-riddled defense, the storyline shifted to Notre Dame’s improved offense against a porous Virginia defense. Notre Dame poured on the pressure early and cruised to the finish line in a 28-3 victory over the Cavaliers. With No. 8 Oklahoma losing, the Irish
positioned themselves for another small jump in the College Football Playoff rankings. Notre Dame received a balanced offensive effort. Graduate quarterback Jack Coan threw for just 132 yards on 15-20 passing, but he had three touchdowns to just one interception.
Offense shows balanced effort
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Coan continued to perform well in the up-tempo offense, going 12-13 for 109 yards on dropbacks of 2.5 seconds or less. He was 3-7 for 23 yards and an interception on all other efforts. Meanwhile, the rushing attack was led by junior running back Kyren Williams (14 carries, 70 yards), but Notre Dame got contributions from just about everywhere. Receivers Braden Lenzy and Lorenzo Styles Jr. both ripped off chunk plays while running backs Logan Diggs and Chris Tyree effectively spelled Williams to the tune see VIRGINIA PAGE 11
OBSERVER On THE GROUND
Observer on the Ground: Traveling Irish fans make Charlottesville feel like home By EMILY DeFAZIO Associate Sports Editor
For anyone who has Charlottesville did not feel like UVA territory until the very start of the game. Though the university may be Thomas Jefferson’s center of knowledge, it was the luck o’ the Irish that took over Virginia. Had we not known any better, we could have believed that it was a regular South Bend game day, with fans flocking to watch Notre Dame notch another home win. Groups of green and blue took over the sidewalks, outnumbering the Cavaliers fans three to one in our experience. At nearly every restaurant in The Corner, the university’s business district, the majority of patrons were associated with the Irish, making it an uncharacteristic Saturday for shop owners. It seems as though UVA fans took their celebrations elsewhere — namely fraternity
houses packed to the brim with people — as even their tailgates were spread out and mild in character. There were some families dotting the lawn as they threw footballs and frisbees in front of the rotunda, but that was most of the action seen from the home crowd until game time. When we entered the stadium about three hours beforehand, it was eerily quiet. Even the media entrance was fairly devoid of life. Though The Observer camera bag lost years’ worth of colorful tags from sports coverage (in accordance with UVA’s no-tag-but-the-one-we-gaveyou-today policy), we made it inside without much clamor. That was the confusing part. Notre Dame fans may not be let into their stadium until 90 minutes beforehand, but their excitement can still be heard from outside the walls of the house that Rockne built. In Virginia, one could hear a pin drop. Any noise from
tailgating would have been easy to hear in Scott Stadium, as the trademark hillside seating sports an open-air walkway rather than enclosing the field. Instead, silence. All that changed come an hour ’till kickoff. Once those golden helmets began to glisten under the lights, the excitement in the crowd really took off. Virginia formed about 60% of the fans, despite their absence during pregame festivities. Though the stadium was on the emptier side compared to other crowds the Irish have played this season (with 48,584 in attendance compared to the 61,500 capacity), fans on both sides of the ball brought the noise that was missing earlier in the day, which was easy to observe in an open-air press box. When the Cavalier cantered onto the field, waving his sword to ignite the crowd as the Virginian team strode see OOTG PAGE 11
GABRIELLE PENNA | The Observer
Irish graduate student quarterback Jack Coan awaits a snap during Notre Dame’s dominant 28-3 victory over the Virginia Cavaliers.