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Volume 56, Issue 51 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
Black students discuss experiences at ND Student leaders reflect on challenges, community while at Notre Dame as part of Black History Month By BELLA LAUFENBERG Staff Writer
The Black student population is a sma ll segment of t he Notre Da me communit y, ma k ing up a reported t hree percent of t he entire student body as of 2019. The Obser ver conducted inter v iews w it h Black student leaders across ca mpus in order to celebrate Black Histor y Mont h a nd shed light on Black students’ experiences at t he Universit y.
Doctoral student and podcast host Emorja Roberson “The music f ield is sma ll, but t he f ield of Black musicia ns is sma ller,” Emorja Roberson sa id. Roberson w ill be t he f irst
student of color to receive a Doctora l of Musica l A rts in Chora l Conducting at t he Universit y when he receives t he degree at t he end of t he spring semester. He got his undergraduate degree in music a nd voca l performa nce from t he Universit y of Nort h Florida in Jacksonv ille — a ver y different env ironment from Notre Da me, he expla ined. “I grew up a round a lot of people who looked like me, a nd cultura l identit y was never questioned,” Roberson sa id. “In my quest to f ulf ill my [degree], I a lso had to f ind spaces where I was able to a f f irm who I was as a Black ma n on a ca mpus t hat didn’t quite seem to see LEADERS PAGE 5
MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer
Student body President Allan Njomo, doctoral student Emorja Roberson, Black Student Association president Ifeyinwa Nwebube and treasuer Kayla Seepersad share their experiences at Notre Dame.
Notre Dame community responds to blood shortage
Crowd gathers for prayer service By MAGGIE EASTLAND Associate News Editor
Braving flurries and freezing temperatures, more than 100 students gathered at the Grotto Thursday night for a prayer service hosted by the Ukrainian Society of Notre Dame. Students filed in from the north and south ends of campus just before 11 p.m. to pray the Rosary
EMMA DUFFY | The Observer
The South Bend Medical Foundation is urging communite members to donate blood in the face of a nation wide shortage . The Red Cross declared the U.S. is in it’s worst blood shortage in over a decade. By EMMA DUFFY News Writer
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story was published online on Feb. 24. A The Red Cross has declared that the United States is in the worst blood
NEWS PAGE 3
shortage in over a decade. Starting in March of 2020, there has been a decline in blood that is affecting the nation and South Bend in particular. “We have seen the same situation that’s happening nationwide,” South Bend Medical Foundation blood
VIEWPOINT PAGE 6
donor recruiter supervisor Mary Ankrapp said. “We’re up and down with our inventory in the South Bend area.” External factors are making it difficult for people to come out and see RED CROSS PAGE 3
SCENE PAGE 9
and show their support for the nation of Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia a day prior. Junior Maryna Chuma, a member of the Ukrainian Society, said she was pleasantly surprised by the crowd. “Given that it was such short notice that we spread the news see UKRAINE PAGE 4
SMC donor challenge begins By LIAM PRICE News Writer
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story was published online on Feb. 24. Saint Mary’s will be hosting its 10th annual 24-hour Donor Challenge Thursday to raise unrestricted funds for the College. Being “unrestricted,” the College can use these funds
BENGAL BOUTS PAGE 16
however it needs to. Donor Challenge is a fundraising drive aimed to collect donations from from all affinity groups in the Saint Mary’s community, which includes faculty, staff, friends, parents, students and alumnae of the College. It derives its name from the multiple fundraising goals the event has planned for Thursday, which, if achieved, unlock a see 24-HOUR PAGE 4
W BASKETBALL PAGE 16
2
TODAY
The observer | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com
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What is your favorite dessert?
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“Peaches and cream.”
“Dining hall broccoli.”
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“The Sahara.”
“Egg.”
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“Salt and pepper.”
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Editor-in-Chief Adriana Perez Managing Editor Evan McKenna Asst. Managing Editor: Isabella Volmert Asst. Managing Editor: Colin Capece Asst. Managing Editor: Nelisha Silva Notre Dame News Editor: Saint Mary’s News Editor: Viewpoint Editor: Sports Editor: Scene Editor: Photo Editor: Graphics Editor: Social Media Editor: Advertising Manager: Ad Design Manager: Systems Administrator: Talent & Inclusion Manager:
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webmaster@ndsmcobserver.com Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of any institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content. The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors. Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer. Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged. Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information. Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Adriana Perez. Post Office Information The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except during exam and vacation periods. A subscription to The Observer is $130 for one academic year; $75 for one semester. The Observer is published at: 024 South Dining Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 024 South Dining hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-077
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RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer
Despite getting a taste of spring this week with temperatures in the mid-fifties, Notre Dame experienced flurries of snow yesterday afternoon. The forecast predicts another week of cold weather as students prepare for upcoming midterm exams and spring break.
The next Five days:
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Scene Viewpoint Hannah Hebda
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Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
“A Conversation with Marcus Freeman” Mendoza College Jordan Auditorium 11 a.m. - noon Free public lecture.
“Drive My Car (2021)” Browning Cinema 3 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. Screening of Japanese film.
Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m & noon All are wecome to attend.
Women’s Herstory Month Trivia Night Duncan Student Center 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Kahoot with prizes.
Confession Duncan Student Center noon - 1:30 p.m. Priests available for Confession.
Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra Leighton Concert Hall 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Tickets available online or in DPAC.
Theater: “Cyrano” Philbin Studio Theatre 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Classic play performed with a modern musical twist.
Organ Recital: Renée Anne Louprette DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Tickets required.
Ryan Hall’s Behind the Past Workshop Ryan Hall 9 p.m. Learn to love better in this workshop.
Beyond the Borders of Gaza Hesburgh Center C103 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Listen to a talk by Salem Al Qudwa.
News
ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 | The Observer
3
ND hosts Human Development Conference By ANNEMARIE FOY News Writer
The Kellogg Institute for International Studies w ill host the 14th annual Human Development Conference today and Saturday. Conference events w ill take place in the Hesburgh Center for International Studies and Jenkins-Nanov ic Halls, w ith hybrid and v irtual options also available due to the COV ID-19 pandemic. This year’s conference chairs are seniors Stella Cho and Maria Teel, who oversee a team of students managing logistics, marketing, research presentations and graphic design. Within the topic of human development, the focus theme for 2022 is “Our Global Responsibilit y: Seeking Inclusive Grow th Amidst Widening Inequalit y.” During the pandemic, Cho and Teel recognized the potential for the conference to work on “how to seek grow th out of adversit y.” As v irus case rates fell during the summer, Cho said she felt hopeful about the future of inclusive grow th, but the pandemic exacerbated some disparities and highlighted inequalities in areas such as education and healthcare. Cho added that inclusive grow th is a broad term that encompasses more than just economic grow th.
Conference recognizes student research, holds panels The conference w ill consist of a key note address by
Red Cross Continued from page 1
donate blood. According to the Red Cross, the pandemic seems to be the reason for a 62% drop in college and high school students donating blood. “The past year we have not been able to host as many drives because of COVID,” Ankrapp said. “And we have staffing shortages on top of that and just people not coming out as much as they were before.” Ankrapp noted that the Red Cross can no longer depend on past partners for blood donations because of the nationwide shortage. “In the past, we have partners across the country that we work together with so if we were short on a particular blood type, we could reach out to our partners across the country and try to find supplements until our inventory gets back to a safe level,” Ankrapp
economist John Cavanagh, former director of the Institute for Policy Studies, as well as student panel discussions and a student mi xed media display. Students participating in these events hail not just from Notre Dame but from universities around the world. Cho and Teel were connected to Cavanagh through professor Ray Offenheiser, director of the Pulte Institute for Globa l Development and former president of Ox fam A merica. “[Offenheiser] has so many connections in the world of internationa l development, but a lso governmenta lly, internationa lly,” Cho said. Offenheiser k new Cavanagh through their work in Ox fam and on the water crises in Latin A merica. A fter the key note address this afternoon, the w inners of the Bartell Prize for Undergraduate Research on Povert y and Development w ill be recognized. Additiona lly, there w ill be a reception and mi xed media display event. On Saturday, the conference w ill hold three sessions in which attendees can choose which panel to attend. Each panel has a topic and is moderated by a professor. The panelists are students from Notre Dame and other institutions presenting their research. “I’m rea lly look ing for ward to being on a panel w ith other students who are researching similar content and engaging w ith students from other colleges and around the world,” Teel, who w ill be presenting her ow n research at the conference, said. The conference w ill end
w ith concluding remarks and a reception. There w ill a lso be an opportunit y for post-conference v irtua l network ing for v irtua l attendees who cannot net work in person.
said. “But because everybody nationwide is in the same scenario, when we reach out to our partners, they don’t have [blood] to give”. The lack of a fall back option makes the issue of blood supply in South Bend hospitals more urgent, Ankrapp said. “That really puts the pressure on the immediate community here to step up and be able to provide the blood that is needed for the hospitals,” Ankrapp said. While there are issues on a national level, community leaders like South Bend Medical Foundation training coordinator Tina Kebik claimed their immediate concern is on South Bend. “My main focus is worrying about our community. So hearing our levels and what the reports that we get from our local hospitals is pretty much our motivation,” Kebik said. The South Bend Medical Foundation is looking for partners. To create more
of an ample supply of blood for the hospitals, the South Bend Medical Foundation would like to partner with clubs and organizations to sponsor blood drives. Any interested club or organization should reach out to Mary Ankrapp at 574-204-4132. There are a myriad of opportunities to donate blood. There are donor centers in South Bend and Mishawaka, along with blood drives in the tri-campus community on April 5 at Saint Mary’s College and April 13 at Holy Cross College. The South Bend Medical Foundation has recognized Notre Dame as reliable donors and hope for the trend to continue. “Everyone here at the University is just very giving. A lot of people are just willing to come down,” said Kebik. “Notre Dame is really good to us, with great donations.” Kebik sees it as though it is one’s moral duty to take part in blood drives,
Hybrid format allows conference to grow, presents challenges
After Cho and Teel were appointed conference cochairs in July, their first step was to develop a theme. Early in the fall semester, they began spreading the word about the conference and assembling their team, as well as calling for papers and mixed media. In terms of logistical planning, Cho and Teel had to consider how they would address the challenges presented by the pandemic. They decided the conference would take place using a hybrid format, w ith attendees, presenters and moderators hav ing the option to attend ever y session v irtually. “Hybrid was our greatest challenge,” Teel said. Teel said the great networking opportunities at the conference are an important aspect of the conference. “A ll those little interactions have become slightly more complex,” Teel said. To facilitate those connections, Cho and Teel established a Slack channel so that participants can directly message each other and “continue the conversation even after the conference is over.” However, the hybrid model has also allowed the
conference to grow. “It’s ama zing the scale we’re able to grow our conference in because of the v irtual model,” Cho said. Cho also praised the technolog y, especially in Jenkins-Nanov ic Halls, that facilitates v irtual attendance and presentations. “It’s ama zing the capacit y that we have at the Universit y to host this conference,” Cho said. Teel said that she hopes that the hybrid model w ill be able to “incorporate people internationally” in future years as well. Without the travel barrier, Teel said she hopes it w ill be easier for international researchers to submit their work.
Conference allows students to network, gain motivation Cho and Teel encouraged younger students to get involved in the conference. There is no requirement for a particular major or level experience. Teel has had a minor in International Development Studies since her first year at Notre Dame, so she said she has always had an interest in human development. She began her work w ith the conference her junior year as the co-chair for the abstracts committee, managing who would present their research. “Starting out in committee work… was really enjoyable, so I would recommend that,” Teel said. Cho, who is majoring in neuroscience and Spanish, was draw n to the conference
especially in a time such as this. “It’s your responsibility. Also, if you were to need it, and it’s not there, how are you going to receive it?” Kebik said. Ankrapp echoed Kebik’s sentiments. “It’s something
by her interest in public health and global health, spurred by her Experiencing the World Fellowship in Guatemala. She was on a committee her sophomore year and was co-chair of the logistics committee last year. “I want to stand for all the people who are interested in global health,” Cho said. “[The conference] has so much to offer from so many different backgrounds.” The conference opens applications for committee members in the fall semester, but for now, Teel inv ites all students to attend the conference. “It’s a real opportunit y, an opportunit y that I myself took as an underclassman, to come and see what other upperclassmen have done as their research, who are good facult y to contact,” Teel said. She said the conference is especially valuable for students who w ill need to do research for a capstone or thesis. Cho and Teel hope attendees leave the conference w ith a better understanding of their global responsibilit y and their abilit y to shape the future of the world. Their goal is for attendees to “feel motivated in their ow n area of expertise to do some good in the world” at the end of the conference, Cho said. “Hopefully it’s a meaningful experience for all of us,” Cho said. Contact Annemarie Foy at afoy@nd.edu
that is very easy to do,” Ankrapp said. “It doesn’t cost anything. It’s a simple, goodwill gift that somebody can give to somebody that literally saves their life.” Contact Emma Duffy at eduffy5@nd.edu
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NEWS
The observer | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
Ukraine Continued from page 1
about the service, it was very inspiring and heartwarming,” Chuma said. Led by Fr. Andrij Hlabse, S.J., those gathered prayed the Rosary, and a smaller group, many of them wearing Ukrainian flags, sang the Lord’s Prayer in Ukrainian to begin each decade of the Rosary. “We feel that solidarity with the suffering of those people who now are under bombs, missiles, and an invasion,” Hlabse said before beginning the Rosary. “We also remember that our God is a God who is with the oppressed, those who are violated and kicked aside.” Hlabse encouraged those in attendance to focus on several intentions throughout the service. “We pray for peace that comes from the spirit of God to descend upon the Ukrainian land, upon the Russian land, and we pray for justice,” he said. “We pray for those who are suffering.” In addition to the people of Ukraine, Hlabse extended prayers across the lines of war. “And when we hit war, which is a tragedy, always, it seems to me we’re hit with one of the hardest Christian commandments: love your enemies, bless those who curse you,” he said. “So tonight we also pray for Vladimir Putin, for his regime, for all those who
24-Hour Continued from page 1
large swath of funds from major donors for the College. “We’re trying to get ‘X’ amount of donors before noon. Once we reach that, an extra amount of money is unlocked that goes towards the Saint Mary’s Fund,” Saint Mary’s assistant director of annual giving Nathan Stroup said. “With that, there’s a lot of energy leading up to it.” The “unlocked” money, Stroup explained, comes from major donors for the College who donate to the Fund once the goals are achieved. The challenges target each affinity group as well as the overall Noon Challenge, which unlocks $30,000 in funds for the College if the Challenge receives donations from 1844 donors — a reference to the year Saint Mary’s was founded. If each Challenge goal is met by 11:59 p.m. Thursday, the College will unlock $100,000 in extra donations. The focus on quantity of donors over total money raised adds to the excitement of Donor Challenge senior and Donor Challenge committee member Ellie Gibney said. “It’s not about how much you give, but it’s how many people give,” she said. “Which I think is a fun part because every time people hear donations, its like, ‘I don’t want to give money,’ but you know, you can give one dollar it’s still great for you to be able to participate.” Students are strategically important targets in fundraising for the event, sophomore and committee member Kat Hannon said. “Our bosses have told us that if students give or if students donate now when they’re actually in college, they
cooperate with the evil plan that is being executed on the people of Ukraine.” Hlabse also encouraged the group to pray for people in Russia who may disagree with their country’s military decisions. “We pray for the people of Russia, many of whom are opposed to what’s happening,” he said. “We pray that they may have the moral strength to make their voices heard.” After the prayer service, Hlabse said he was inspired by the turnout and hopes the attendance at events like these sends a message to Ukraine and Russia. “I’m very moved and encouraged that so many young people at Notre Dame recognize the power of prayer and the need for solidarity, and I hope they understand that their witness is a powerful encouragement to people who are suffering,” he said. He said he hopes students leave the service with two takeaways. The first takeaway emphasized love and justice. “As Christians, we believe in a God of love — of love and of justice — and we preach a message therefore of love, of peace, of justice, of reconciliation, not hatred — even for those who attack us,” Hlabse said. The second message focused on the truth of the conflict in Ukraine and Russian propaganda.
are a lot more likely to keep giving in the future,” she said. The 2022 Challenge will feature an expansive use of social media to garner wider excitement for the fundraiser. Stroup emphasized Facebook Live in raising alumnae participation. “With Facebook Live, our hope is that it will be a wider audience for the entire Saint Mary’s community ultimately to come together, which is what Donor challenge really is geared behind,” he said. The co-chairs also highlighted the role of social media in garnering student excitement around the challenge. “The Instagram @bellesgiveback has been working pretty hard on creating fun posts and exciting posts and engaging posts to try to just get that enthusiasm going,” Hannon said. Gibney also mentioned using mobile apps to make donating easier for students. “This year is exciting because we were able to bring Venmo donations back, which is obviously great for college students,” she said. Along with a heavy online presence, Donor Challenge leaders hope to excite the campus Thursday with on-campus events. “We’ll have tables set up in the dining hall and other areas around campus where students visit a lot,” Hannon said. “And the point is just to have interactions with students. Let them know what’s going on and hopefully make it really easy for them to donate if they want to spread the word.” Contact Liam Price at lprice3@nd.edu
“The second is to realize that Ukraine is a peaceful country that is a military threat to no one,” Hlabse said. “The Putin regime has generated propaganda, falsehoods and lies, not just recently but over the last eight years to justify what is now being done. It is truly a situation in which there is an unjust aggressor and innocents who are suffering.” He cited evidence of when Putin accused Ukraine of genocide. “When your propaganda accuses your enemy of genocide, you’ve really leaped quite far,” Hlabse said. As the Russian attack on Ukraine continues, Hlasbe encouraged students who want to show their support to first pray. Next, he urges students to continue informing others about the truth of the conflict, to “peel behind the misinformation that has been spread by the Kremlin to justify an attack on a peaceful country.” Finally, Hlasbe encouraged students to use this time of conflict to put efforts toward leading a life of virtue. “I think it’s especially important when you’re young to prioritize trying to lead a life of virtue,” he said. “And what I mean is developing those good habits that turn you into a good person, so that when crisis hits, you can respond in a loving and generous
MAGGIE EASTLAND | The Observer
A group of students gather outside the Grotto on Thursday evening during a prayer service led by the Ukrainian Society of Notre Dame.
way.” Like many Notre Dame students, Hlasbe has historic and current connections to the nation of Ukraine. Before his maternal grandparents met in the U.S., they lived on opposite sides of Ukraine — his grandmother near the eastern city of Kharkiv and his grandfather near western city of L’viv. Currently, he has relatives living in the western Ukrainian provinces near Poland and the eastern provinces now occupied by the Russian military. Though Hlasbe is in his first
year pursuing a doctorate at Notre Dame after graduating from the University in 2006, he encouraged students with connections to Ukraine to reach out to him for support. “I’m still building those relationships because I’m new at Notre Dame, but it’s something I’m certainly looking to do,” he said. “If there are people who want to talk or need community and support in this difficult time, I am certainly available.” Contact Maggie Eastland at meastlan@nd.edu
English professor’s poem featured in NYT Magazine By MILI GARCIA CASAS News Writer
Joyelle McSweeney, a professor of English and the director of Creative Writing Program at Notre Dame, recently published a poem featured in The New York Times Magazine titled, “Kingdom.” McSweeney was inspired to write “Kingdom” after she experienced tragedy. “Well, that poem was written in the early months after we lost our little baby, who was born with an unexpected birth defect and died when she was just 13 days old,” McSweeney said. “I had to come back from the Children’s Hospital to my house where my 10 and 7-year-old daughters are and explain to them that their baby sister had died.” Following her daughter’s death, McSweeney said her main priority was keeping her other daughters’ worlds “right side up.” The title “Kingdom” comes from a Bible verse which states, “For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.“ McSweeney said this verse encapsulates the grief she experienced. “Many other things are within you, like the isolation of grief. It’s like this whole planet of grief is within you.” McSweeney said. “Everyone else is on a different planet than you and then they pay a lot of grief that is within you.”
While McSweeney said it did not take long for her to write the poem, the writing process did anger her at times. “I must confess that I almost got mad at myself for that too, for writing, for being able to write and I made myself stop writing and then it was very, very hard to start again,” she said. Poetry was an ideal medium to communicate McSweeney’s grief because it holds a unique ability to communicate powerful sentiments, she said. “There’s just the intensity and a sonic force to poetry that makes it special. And so more and more I just found myself really thinking about poetry.” The last lines of “Kingdom” describe a postcard arriving from a doctor. McSweeney wrote that she was “cheered to learn that there are flowers even in hell.” “So this is another example of how painful it is to receive even acts of kindness when you’re suffering and how painful it was to keep having art and beauty arrive,” she said. Her comfort, when not in her poetry, was and remains in South Bend, she said. “I would just walk my dog and cry. I would just be like one of those people that’s falling apart right in front of your eyes, but I almost felt safe,” she said “Because other people are falling apart, right?... It was strangely comforting.”
After writing about such a personal event and then publishing it, McSweeney said she is still navigating through the decision to share a poem about such a personal experience with others. “This poem was about a time of feeling drawn to art and then being pushed away by art, feeling drawn to life and being and wanting to push life away, and also that it is both public and private,” she said. “Like obviously it’s about this very private experience.” McSweeney said publishing the poem was a unique experience because even though the poem is available to be read by the public, it is still about a deeply personal experience. “But once you publish it, it becomes public. Even as it’s private. It becomes public and private at the same time, and that’s the paradox. That’s the thing that keeps it spinning,” she said. Even though “Kingdom” has a special meaning to McSweeney, readers will develop their own interpretations of the poem and relate to it in their own way. “For how people read the tone, or what’s being discussed or all that will just be totally a matter of who they are and where they’re positioned, but hopefully the intensity and the acuteness will transfer,” she said. Contact Mili Garcia Casas at egarciac@nd.edu
News
Leaders Continued from page 1
have t hings of my upbringing ref lected. For exa mple, you go to t he Basilica, you see no a ngels of color.” Roberson sa id when he moved here in 2015, he was able to f ind his place in Notre Da me by exploring more of his identit y as a Black ma n t hrough music a nd his church communit y. “It was ha rd for me to f ind a spiritua l grounding on ca mpus. I sta rted going to church of f ca mpus w it hout a problem,” he sa id. “Ever y student should feel as if t here’s some fa it h belonging t here for t hem, a nd so now t he choir t hat I preside over, Voices of Fa it h, is t hat element for some people.” During 2020 — a yea r t hat w itnessed nationa l conversation about race follow ing t he deat h of George Floyd — Roberson sa id he k new t here was more he could do. In collaboration w it h Ly nnette Wuk ie, a 2021 Notre Da me graduate, Roberson sta rted t he podcast “Black@ND” in Aug ust 2020 w it h help from t he Center for Socia l Concerns. Roberson sa id one aspect of t he podcast t hat ma kes it unique is t he dif ference bet ween his experience as a graduate student a nd Wuk ie’s experience as a n undergraduate. Roberson emphasized his belief in t he importa nce of students being t hemselves a nd appreciating a ll aspects of t heir identit y. “[The students should] be t hemselves because if we’re tr y ing to f it t his norm of what Black ness looks like from a one-dimensiona l lens, t hen we w ill miss t he beaut y of t he va riet y of Black ness a nd t he va riet y of experiences t hat we ca n bring to t he table,” Roberson sa id. Roberson sa id lea rning about dif ferent aspects of Black histor y is not just a one mont h endeavor. He sa id he hopes ever yone ca n use t he mont h to appreciate Black histor y as a n integra l pa rt of A merica n histor y.
Black Student Association president Ifeyinwa Nwebube and treasurer Kayla Seepersad Senior Ifey inwa Nwebube a nd sophomore Kayla Seepersad sa id t hey have experienced a number of cha llenges t hroughout t heir experiences as Black women at Notre Da me. Nwebube, now a resident assista nt (R A) for Pasquerilla West Ha ll, sa id she has been t he v ictim of microaggressions a nd racist rema rks on ca mpus.
ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 | The Observer
She sa id when she was mov ing to ca mpus in t he fa ll of her sophomore yea r, she had a racia lly-cha rged interaction w it h a n elderly usher who mistook her for a student at hlete. “I got [out] of t he ca r… look ing ver y at hletic, a nd I look up a nd t his usher, so t his old ma n, was like, ‘Oh, do you play sports? ’ Because t hat is a common microaggression t hat Black people on t his ca mpus experience. I was like ‘No, I don’t.’ A nd he kept say ing ‘No, come on, you have to play sports here,’” she sa id. W hile in R A tra ining, Nwebube sa id a woma n ca me up to her a nd ra n her ha nds t hrough Nwebube’s bra ids. “[The woma n] was like, ‘Oh, my God, your ha ir is rea lly prett y.’ A nd as I was going to turn a nd be like, ‘Oh, t ha nk you,’ she ra n her f ingers t hrough my ha ir, t hrough my bra ids,” she sa id. “Ever yone was shocked by it. Like, t hey didn’t k now what to say.” Seepersad sa id most of her ha rdship at Notre Da me has come from her fellow students — bot h in her dorm communit y in BreenPhillips Ha ll (BP) a nd w it hin her classes in t he Mendoza College of Business as a f ina nce major. During Welcome Week, Seepersad felt like she was on t he outsk irts of a ll t he conversations, she sa id, a nd t hat ot her students did not seem as w illing to ta lk to her or sit next to her a nd appea red to be more inclined to be friendly w it h ot her white students. Seepersad expla ined t hat interactions like t hat continued to happen t hroughout t he rest of Welcome Week a nd in her dorm communit y. “That rea lly set t he tone for what k ind of place t his was. I immediately k new t hat t his was just, ‘it’s me,’ a nd I gotta f ind my business,” she sa id. “I have to do what I have to do. A nd I have to move on. I experienced a lot of microaggressions in BP.” In her classes, Seepersad sa id she experiences simila r circumsta nces where ot her students — white men, she specif ied — would ta lk over her, specif ica lly ignore her a nd chose not to pa rtner w it h her for projects. “I have faced [dif f iculties] more so from t he younger crowd, so we’re not as progressive as Notre Da me t hinks t hey a re. Not by a ny mea ns actua lly,” Seepersad sa id. Nwebube, who was a Welcome Week leader in t he fa ll of 2020, sa id she was disappointed by t he lack of diverse student of ferings during Welcome Week for
t he class for 2024. She expla ined t hat t he Black students in her class a re much more tight ly bonded toget her t ha n t he class of current sophomores. Hav ing experienced t his f irst-ha nd, Seepersad agreed a nd sa id she feels a lot of disconnect bet ween her a nd ot her classmates of color. Seepersad sa id her only cha nce to get to k now t he ot her Black students was at a retreat put on by Ca mpus Ministr y ca lled “The Plunge.” They expla ined t hat t he event is specif ica lly for Black f irstyea rs across t he tri-ca mpus communit y. The Plunge ta kes place of f ca mpus a nd ser ves “to help connect incoming Black students w it h one a not her a nd introduce t hem to t he socia l, spiritua l a nd academic aspects of life under t he Dome,” according to Ca mpus Ministr y. Nwebube sa id when she was a f irst-yea r, some Black upperclassmen ca me up to her a nd told her to sign up for The Plunge. Intrig ued, she signed up, a nd her experience at The Plunge ended up being centra l to t he rest of her ca reer at Notre Da me a nd f inding her friends, she sa id. Nwebube a nd Seepersad, t he president a nd treasurer of t he Black Student Association, respectively, bot h sa id t hey encourage minorit y students to be involved in clubs a nd activ ities. Seepersad sa id t he most importa nt t hing to remember is t hat a lt hough t here w ill be dif f icult times, students should a lways be tr ue to t hemselves. “For younger Black students, I would just say it ta kes time a nd it’s going to be pa inf ul sometimes,” she sa id. “Doing t hings you rea lly like a nd being tr ue to yourself about what you rea lly like, I believe, is ver y importa nt.” Nwebube sa id she hopes Black students k now t hey a re never a lone in t heir experiences a nd t hat people a re work ing ha rd to ma ke cha nge. “As fa r as t he negative t hings, t he microaggressions a nd t he negative comments, t he racist a nd t he blata nt ly racist t hings, you’re not a lone in your experience,” Nwebube sa id. “There a re people at t he universit y t hat a re tr uly, tr uly tr y ing to ma ke t his universit y a better place. It just sucks t hat’s ta k ing so long…just k now t hat work is being done. A nd t hat your experience is va lid.”
Student Body Allan Njomo
president
A lt hough he moved to t he U.S. a nd grew up in A rling ton, Texas, student
body president A lla n Njomo spent t he ea rly pa rt of his childhood liv ing in K ia mbu, Kenya. For Njomo, his et hnic identit y as a pa rt of t he K ikuy u tribe was centra l to how he v iewed his ow n identit y. “I a m K ikuy u, a nd so I grew up a round t hat culture a nd understa nding what it mea ns to be of t hat tribe,” Njomo sa id. “A big pa rt of it is just collectiveness a nd how we a re toget her — we do ever y t hing toget her. W henever someone needs help, as a communit y, we ba nded toget her.” W hen he f irst moved to t he U.S. in 2009, Njomo sa id he did not adopt Black as his identit y right away. “People would ask, ‘a re you Black, a re you Kenya n? ’ Of tentimes, I would say, ‘I’m Kenya n,’ a nd I’m strayed away from adopting t his ‘Black identit y,’” he expla ined. “I t hink t he reasoning behind t hat is one, I didn’t have a n understa nding of race, but t wo, I was in spaces t hat rea lly limited my expression of who I was as a person.” Njomo sa id it was not until Black f ig ures beca me prominent in t he media a round 2016 t hat he bega n to become more comfortable w it h his identit y as a Black ma n. He expla ined t hat t his was a positive overa ll experience for him. “I t hink [adopting Black as my identit y] is a positive t hing because I’ve rea lly understood who I a m to ot hers, even t hough it ca me on by a negative set of circumsta nces,” he sa id. W hile grow ing up in A rling ton, Njomo sa id he was exposed to ver y diverse
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communities a nd experienced his “formative” yea rs in predomina nt ly Black, Hispa nic a nd Asia n institutions. He sa id he k new going to Notre Da me would be a big jump from what he was used to a nd t hat he would have to actively work to f ind belonging. A lt hough he never intended to be in a n inf luentia l role on ca mpus like student body president, Njomo sa id he is happy to be a role model for ot her minorit y students. However, he sa id he does not wa nt to spea k for a ll minorit y experiences on ca mpus. “I’ve a lways t hought it was importa nt to have people from diverse backgrounds in leadership positions because it brings a diverse set of experiences, a diverse set of problemsolv ing sk ills,” he sa id. “In a lot of ways, I tr y not to spea k for ever yone’s experience a nd for ever yone’s understa nding. I don’t wa nt to be t he representative of a ll students of color on ca mpus, so it’s been neat tr y ing to ba la nce t hat.” To honor Black Histor y Mont h, Njomo sa id he encourages ever yone to spend t he mont h educating t hemselves f urt her. “Ever yone’s in a dif ferent position on t heir understa nding of race a nd priv ilege,” Njomo sa id. “Black Histor y Mont h, in a lot of ways, is just a n inv itation to engage w it h what race mea ns to a ll of us a nd in pa rticula r, uplif ting Black voices.” Contact Bella Laufenberg at ilaufenb@nd.edu
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The observer | Friday, February 25, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
Inside ColumnS
On walking it off
Not going anywhere
Claire Lyons
Adriana Perez
Interim Scene Editor
Editor-in-Chief
Early in my freshman year, I received a flirtatious text from a friend that I had absolutely no idea how to respond to. Naturally, I panicked, ignored them and went on a walk from my dorm to the grotto. By the time I got back, nearly 30 minutes passed, my head was clear and the potential suitor had lost all interest in me. Creatively dubbed by my friends as a “walk to the grotto and back moment,” my characteristically avoidant response to emotionally distressing situations has now evolved into a (slightly) neurotic personal philosophy. Now, whenever life becomes too overwhelming, I grab my jacket, shirk my responsibilities and go outside. Don’t get me wrong, I still get my homework done, but nature has become just as essential to my holistic education as my classes and lectures. Now, you may be wondering: Claire, you have a course overload, work two jobs and are heavily involved with three different extracurricular activities on campus. Why in the world would walks be a priority in your life? The answer is: I’m an anxious person. Many things deeply upset me. In fact, I have cried nearly every day for the past two months. Reasons include a cute video of my friend’s dog, “I’ll Take Care of You” by The Chicks, a Chinese test, a research project presentation, lack of sleep, a plethora of personal setbacks and dilemmas, the current crisis in Ukraine, the widespread suffering of humankind and the impending end of the world, etc. But (most of) my worries fall away when I am on the move. When I’m walking around St. Joe’s lake, I don’t have to stress about what kind of grades I’m making or what people think of me. I just get to be me. It may sound silly, but the geese in the lake, the way the trees look against the sky and the Dome peeking through the leaves in the distance reminds me of the bigger picture. Despite everything, the world continues to turn and will keep doing so long after I am gone. The lake will still have geese and ducks. The deer will keep having their babies, the birds will chirp and, as always, the squirrels will cause chaos. (I am terrified all this, too, will disappear.) I know I shouldn’t catastrophize. I won’t pretend to know what we should do with all of our brief and beautiful time on Earth, but I am done repenting. Instead, I rejoice in small things: putting on a warm sweatshirt from the dryer, the satisfaction of turning in a well-written paper and the glorious moment when North Dining Hall’s soda machine actually has ice at dinnertime. Ultimately, my walks are a practice of gratitude. I’m grateful to be able to go to one of the best colleges in the country, even if I feel like my head is going to explode 90% of the time. I’m grateful for my second semester Moreau professor, John Lloyd, for introducing me to St. Joe’s lake. I’m grateful for my walks in the cold, even if they sting my nose and numb my fingers. But mostly, I’m grateful to God for somehow putting me on the path to Notre Dame — toward my friends, toward my passions, toward a brighter future. Dr. Laura Walls, one of my previous professors told me, “prayers should be praise.” In that sense, I pray almost every time I walk, although I’ve never considered myself a religious person. I pray for peace. I pray for change. But mostly, I pray for a better world and for a small role in improving it. I’ll share with you a prayer from last winter. I was knee-deep in a snowdrift in the woods near Carroll when I saw deer tracks in the snow. They went all the way across the ice on St. Mary’s lake. Now, I don’t know if animals know if they’re walking on ice, but the tracks showed no signs of hesitation. Easily, the deer could’ve fallen through, but it didn’t fear anything, didn’t question anything. I think life is a little like that. It’s an act of faith. If you were there … if you were a deer, what would you do: stay on the shore (fear) or step forward onto the ice (hope)? When I stand on the precipice between fear and hope, I want to choose hope. I want to step forward; that’s what walking is all about.
So, I guess this is goodbye. After a year of serving as Editor-in-Chief of The Observer, I can say it has been nothing short of an adventure. For my last Inside Column, I thought I’d take a self-indulgent trip down memory lane. Bear with me, if you will. My journey at The Observer began when I joined From the Archives the fall of my sophomore year after then-project leader Jim Moster visited my Fundamentals of Journalism class to recruit students. The first meeting I went to, I had so much fun looking for quirky ads in the physical archives of the paper in the office. The group was so welcoming, and I decided the commitment was light enough that I wanted to stay. Then, a conversation with now-columnist Julianna Conley — who was then preparing to join Viewpoint’s podcast — led to a spontaneous decision to join what would become “The Sixth Seat.” Though my interviewing skills were lacking a bit back then, and I didn’t even make it to the first episode due to a concussion, the podcast eventually became a big part of my life and how I remained engaged with the tri-campus and its fascinating people. It wouldn’t be until the spring of my sophomore year, however, that I would delve into the news department. One of my journalism classes required a weekly rotation in which we had to pitch and produce stories for the newspaper, and I knew I would get a better experience from just showing up to meetings and actually reaching out to the editors, but I was deathly scared. Only two of my stories got published, and at the time they felt like my big break. After that, former social media editor Mary Bernard tried to recruit me, though I didn’t have the guts to commit. Mary, thanks for seeing something in me. Believe me that it meant more than I can express. It was your insistence that made me think maybe there was a place for me somewhere where my work was valued and appreciated. But then, the pandemic struck. My study abroad program in Copenhagen essentially got canceled, so I decided I’d have to do at least one thing that would make it worth staying behind instead of traveling Europe for a semester. I finally decided that one thing would be The Observer. I had been so intimidated by the institution I hadn’t dared dip my toes beyond the podcast and the archives teams. Boy, was I wrong to be scared. I will always regret not joining earlier, but better late than never, right? And after a semester of speed-racing my way through a variety of departments — news, social media, Viewpoint, heck, I even wrote for Scene — I became Editor-in-Chief. Before being elected as EIC, being staff news writer was the highest position I had held at The Observer, ever. And being part of the staff just meant I worked production and did the layout for the news pages of our print edition on Thursdays. But I knew a lot about the paper, and I loved it all. Nonetheless, I was once again intimidated by the idea of being out of my depth. So, I didn’t even dare think about applying to be
Go, Irish. Keep fighting, Claire The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
editor of anything. That is, until I talked with former director of the Gallivan Program of Journalism, Ethics and Democracy, Rich Jones. He said this position would be a very unique opportunity to serve the tri-campus, and that was enough to convince me to shoot my shot. I can only hope I made good on that aspiration of service. It has been the honor of my life to serve my community in this role. It has been the honor of my life to serve our newsroom in its leadership. When I applied for the position, I wrote about healing and rebuilding in the wake of COVID’s impact on our community, in a sometimes divided tri-campus, in an increasingly divided country, and after so much grief and loss, as one of my main goals for my hypothetical tenure. I am eternally grateful to my Editorial Board for helping me in this mission. Not only that, but as we rebuilt, you kept raising the bar for quality journalism in the tri-campus. We dealt with so much this year — a dorm’s disbandment, resignations (looking at you, BK), pandemic uncertainty, controversial opinions, and so much more. And you and our staff did a fantastic job of keeping your head and standards high through it all. The photos, graphics, reviews, columns, stories you have shared have been nothing short of breathtaking and thought-provoking. Every day, I wake up excited to look at the content we have put out, and feel an incomparable sense of pride when I see people reading copies of The Observer, because I know they won’t be disappointed. I have also been lucky to find my closest friends at the paper, including (but not limited to) my four managing editors: Evan, Nelisha, Colin and Issy. They have shouldered so much for me, especially as I took this job in the midst of struggling with mental illness, and they have held me up through some of the worst moments both on and off the clock. When I named the four of you as my managing editors, my dad told me that a newspaper is a solidarity effort, the sum of wills and devotions to serve the institution, our community and history itself. Thank you for your dedication to inspiring truthful, ethical journalism and making this newspaper the welcoming and loving space that it is. All of these people on staff that I am proud to call my friends work hard day in and day out to keep our tri-campus informed, to seek the truth and report it accurately. They are incomparably committed to it. And they juggle so much at the same time. If you see one of them, give them a hug. They deserve it, as well as all the love you can give them. The memories, lessons, challenges and friendships I have found here are not going anywhere, and neither am I. I know I will spend the rest of my life indebted to all my fellow student journalists at The Observer for the work that they do and the passion they do it with. I am endlessly proud of you all for making this world better by just being in it. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Want to get involved at The Observer? Email viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com
The observer | Friday, February 25, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
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Restoring habitats and justice for indigenous peoples Alexa Schlaerth Soapbox Symposium
As a Californian, I have borne witness to the ever-growing climate crisis in many forms, but none are more concerning to me than the rampant wildfires plaguing my home region. W hile we are out of the wildfire season for the time being, it is important now more than ever to ref lect on the shades of complexity that this issue deals with, especially as it relates to the intersection of climate and social justice issues. W hen we look at solutions for the wildfire problem, we look to the experiences of Native communities who have dealt with fires in the region for generations. My ancestors experienced similar issues of property rights and wrongdoing. With the fires affecting my family personally, this growing issue weighs heavily on me. Northern California tribes like the Yurok and Karuk viewed controlled, deliberate burns on their lands as vital. This practice not only helped protect habitats from more dangerous fires, but it also helped control invasive species spread and aided in native plant reproduction, among other environmental benefits. These cultural
controlled burns have also aided in the marketplaces of tribes like these, particularly for craft practices. But development and migration in the modern wildlife-urban interface, combined with centuries of blatant disrespect for indigenous land, have led to disallowing this sustainable practice. This result is not only a matter of cultural erasure, it is quite literally a matter of life and death for some. Needless to say, the stakes are quite high for a matter such as this one. It is imperative that these native lands and practices be reinstated so that restorative justice can take place and nature can begin to heal. Wildfire prevention techniques are inter woven into the cultural heritage and practices of tribes that have been run out of their lands, Native Americans whose rights historically have been grossly violated. Now, in a turn of events, the populations not native to these fire-v ulnerable areas must also turn back to the expertise of those who came before them. To further investigate and to take steps in solving the issues of climate change-related wildfires, we must look to sustainable solutions and to do that, we must first reckon with the historical
acts of injustice committed against indigenous peoples in these areas and beyond. We must restore and repair what has been done to transform these areas, and we must sacrifice some modern comforts for the greater good of fire-prone areas. We must embrace two aspects of life in these areas that we have for too long ignored or stif led. We must shift our thinking on controlled burns, a form of “preventative medicine” for wildfires as well as on Indigenous rights. First, the idea that this land is meant to be occupied in a commercially-palatable way, ser ving market and consumer interests alone is a system of thinking that is not working out. We must recognize and adapt our wildlife-urban interface to match the needs of the ecosystems at play. Second, we must right the wrongs of the land in question and restore its ownership. Alexa Schlaerth is a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame pursuing degrees in Chinese and philosophy. As an Angeleno, Alexa enjoys shopping at Erewhon Market, drinking kombucha and complaining about traffic because it’s “like, totally lame.” Alexa can be reached at aschlaer@nd.edu over email. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
God, country, Notre Dame and Mike Mary Ellen Woods MEWsings
Friday morning, I was on campus with a number of Inspired Leadership Initiative (ILI) Fellows. We gathered in our Lounge in DeBart to watch the livestream of a memorial ser vice for our fallen Fellow, Mike Boyce. Another Fellow and his wife made the trip back home to Atlanta to join Mike’s wife, Judy, and their family and friends to say goodbye to our friend. Tom and Mar y were joined by Mike’s ND Spiritual Advisor. In Tom’s words, “As we approached the Church, the street was lined with American Flags. Police were directing traffic and hundreds of people were making their way to the Church. Lots of Militar y are in attendance, and veterans’ organizations’ representatives are prominently displaying their f lags and support. It is quite amazing. The Church is large and there are three T V cameras professionally filming the event. There is a supporting choir of fifty singers. We are proudly representing ND, ILI and all of you from the front rows.” I returned to ND for my ILI year with a list of things to do, people to meet and plans to accomplish. I hoped to make some new friends along the way. I can tell you, however, that I had no way of anticipating how quickly Mike would come to be a force to us and how deeply I would feel his loss. In times of loss, people often say “he/she was the best among us.” And though those words are often a comfortable way to express grief or to provide solace to the living, about Mike, truer words have never been spoken.
W hen thinking about Mike, it is almost impossible to decide who or what he loved most. His wife, Judy, was dear to him. He was devoted to her and never left her company without an endearment or a kiss, but most often, both. Mike graduated from Notre Dame with the Class of 1971. An accomplishment that he recounted with some glee, describing how he sneaked by when an insurmountable requirement was dropped. Upon graduation, Mike entered the Marine Corps, a ser vice he continued for 30 years. Along the way, he rose to the rank of Colonel, but I can’t tell you how many places I had to search to find his rank. You see, his ser vice was more important to him than the rank he achieved. As a Marine, he pledged ser vice to his countr y. As we learned from her at his Atlanta memorial ser vice, he was especially devoted to Frances Cook, Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman. Mike and his unit earned her enduring admiration. Mike came to Notre Dame as a Fellow in the ILI Program. He had not had many opportunities to return to campus over the years as his militar y ser vice took him far and wide. ND was never far from his heart, however, and he relished being back. In fact, after many years of devoted ser vice to his wife’s church in Atlanta, Mike returned to Mass with great regularity. His ND spiritual advisor, Fr. Kevin Sandberg C.S.C. said his funeral Mass in the Basilica. Judy was honored by the Notre Dame NROTC and was presented with a f lag in honor of Mike’s ser vice. On a personal note, beyond my sense of loss, I have been so moved by the number of students who shared their concern for Mike and Judy. You have highlighted what is so wonderful about our friend Mike — his ability to have a special and
unique friendship with ever yone irrespective of age and even politics. You have shown grace and maturity in the face of loss. Mike’s ser vice to countr y was not limited to his Militar y ser vice. Upon his “retirement” from the Marines, he returned stateside and eventually ran to be County Board Commission chair of one of the largest counties in Georgia. His government ser vice was as distinguished as his militar y career. A Republican, he funded additional green spaces, increased compensation and benefits for all employees, added Veterans Day as a county holiday and guided the county through a turbulent 2020. His death was mourned by the Democrat who ousted him after one term in office. Asked about the outcome of the election, Mike acknowledged that his opponent just “got more votes.” Mike was true to his God, honored his countr y with life-long ser vice and loved Notre Dame. He is gone too soon and leaves a hole in our hearts that will be difficult to fill. We will remember his impish smile and be challenged to love and ser ve others as Mike would want us to do in his memor y. Mike will be laid to rest at the Arlington National Cemeter y. Mary Ellen Woods is a graduate of the Notre Dame class of 1980. She has returned to campus as a Fellow in the Inspired Leadership Initiative (ILI). As an undergraduate, she lived in Breen-Phillips and now lives off campus. Her columns appear every other Thursday. A longtime resident of Chicago, she can be reached at mewoods80@nd.edu or @MEWsmuses 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 | Friday, February 25, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
The underappreciated “Old Hollywood” of the Middle East Renee Yaseen Didn’t Know That
I was introduced to v intage fashion at the tender age of eight, thanks to a mini-rev ival of rockabilly st yle in the late 2000s. I dreamt of the circle skirts, red lipstick, sharp cat eyeliner and soft, mov ie-star curls that marked American Holly wood royalt y between the 1930s and 1960s. Reader, a tube of Mac Ruby Woo and a copy of “Pygmalion” in the w rong hands is a time machine. Late on school nights, our household became awash w ith the sounds of a much older person’s telev ision — I couldn’t get enough of Turner Classic Mov ies. I’d roll curlers in my too-long hair to Audrey Hepburn’s singing in “My Fair Lady,” Marlene Dietrich’s commanding presence in “Witness for the Prosecution,” and of course, Marily n Monroe and Jane Russell in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” There was a lot of tap dancing for some reason, but I loved watching Fred Astaire throw dow n w ith his female co-stars — there was lev it y, competition and laughter. They were always a match in dancing skill and spunk. This era in American histor y was marked by wealth and the rise of consumerism. Many famous Old Holly wood films like “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” “My Fair Lady” and “Gone w ith the Wind” feature women from all social classes striv ing to end up w ith wealthy men. The war was over, and it was time to indulge. Consumerism was advertised as American patriotism. The American Dream on T V looked like a car in the garage, a woman in the home, a diamond on her ring finger and a couple of kids surrounded by toys. Around the same time, an ocean away, Middle Eastern pop culture contended w ith class, wealth and gender somewhat differently. The Golden Age of Eg y ptian Cinema (1940-1970) occurred during what can be grossly simplified as a decades-long trend towards secular social progress after the overthrow of King Farouk’s British-installed Eg y ptian monarchy.
The films created during this period are snapshots of a post-imperial, secular Eg y pt that was proud, progressive and ephemeral. Religion was relatively uncoupled from formal political institutions. Art and music f lourished like never before. There was rev ived patriotism and conv ivial public spirit. Eg y ptian women’s fashion during the 1950s, 60s and 70s was bold and risqué. Arab actresses wore slink y spaghetti strap dresses, off-the-shoulder and back less gow ns. Crop tops and beach sarongs, miniskirts and towering heels. The makeup was a mix of eastern and western trends, w ith many Arab actresses accentuating their eyes w ith dark smokey liners, and others opting for the classic red lip and simpler eyes. Hair might be worn long in lu xurious updos or short dark curls that framed the face. Importantly, many in the era saw these new fashions as an assault on modest y and traditional Muslim values. The clothing of 1950s and 60s Eg y ptian film actresses might appear far too revealing in many parts of Eg y pt today. Estimates from 2012 suggested 90% of Eg y ptian women wore some form of hijab. The films themselves are interesting cultural and thematic artifacts. These films focus on illuminating the lives of the dow ntrodden and destitute. 1940s Arab icon Abdel Halim Hafez illustrated a man’s worth had little to do w ith wealth, aggression, family name or social status in his music and acting. Hafez played humble characters, soft-spoken and sensitive amateurs, star v ing artists and scandalized children on screen. In an ”Appointment w ith Happiness,” Faten Hamama plays the daughter of a live-in ser vant who is sexually assaulted by the wealthy ow ner of the house. These films did not shy away from the inequities resulting from gender and class-based v iolence. Relatedly, Eg y ptian cinema approached emotions, romance, v ulnerabilit y and softness in new ways. In “Woman’s Enemy” it is mutual care and softness (Dr. Issa making Nadia a cup of tea, Nadia tending to his burned hands) that brings
the unlikely pair together, teaching the misog y nistic Dr. Issa how to be more comfortable w ith his emotions. Despite modern stereot y ping of Arab men as aggressive, people forget Eg y pt’s darling, Abdel Halim Hafez, “The King of Music” and “The Son of the Revolution,” was also know n as “The King of Emotions and Feelings.” In addition, these films often portrayed the notion that a woman would want a man for his money as outdated and gauche. In fact, the Arab women in these films often eclipsed their male counterparts in education, career success, intellect or social status. Take for example Nawal (Faten Hamama) in “The Date,” a pluck y and respected journalist who falls for a struggling musician tr y ing to get his big break. Or Souad Hosny and Nadia Lutfi as geologists denied work due to their gender in the comedy “For Men Only” (they disguise themselves as men to get the job). Or Nadia Lutfi as a former law yer and upper-class aristocrat in “Woman’s Enemy.” Prominent figures challenged prevailing Eurocentric norms pertaining to race and colorism in postcolonial Eg y pt. In a 2018 inter v iew w ith Brittle Paper, Sudanese-American poet Safia Elhillo notes that Abdel Halim “would address a lot of his love songs to ’asmarani,’ which is a term of endearment in Arabic for a brow n-skinned or dark-skinned person … That felt prett y radical to me — that his song ly rics were taking time out to specif y she was a darker girl. In this world that’s prett y racist and colorist, that felt important to me.” You can find many of these films on YouTube; relics of Eg y pt’s recent past and of its future, too. Renee Yaseen is a senior economics major with minors in theology and Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). In her free time, she writes poems, hangs out with loved ones and ponders the view from her undisclosed study spot in [redacted] Hall. Please send all comments, diatribes and warm fuzzies to ryaseen@nd.edu. 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, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
By CHARLIE MAXWELL Scene Writer
Kanye West’s 2022 has been riddled with turmoil. Any followers of his Instagram account know that Kim Kardashian, Pete Davidson, Julia Fox and Kid Cudi are just a few of the names on West’s mind in recent weeks. Following months of delay for his tenth studio album, “Donda,” which was released in August, longtime fans were rightfully skeptical about the legitimacy of a “Donda 2” project just half of a year later. To his credit, West showcased 16 new tracks — on time — at the DONDA 2 EXPERIENCE event in Miami last Tuesday. Though the project has not been officially released, the rough draft that listeners heard Tuesday is worthwhile to examine as a disorderly, but nonetheless captivating, array of styles, narratives, production and emotions from an unprecedented period in West’s life. While West credits Future with executive production of the album, it was challenging to ascertain any sort of stylistic direction upon first listen. The LP appeared wildly unfinished, with mumble verses and audioengineering errors scattered throughout the two-hour performance in Miami’s LoanDepot Park. Certain production choices feel eerily similar to the album’s prequel, with a nearly-identical guest cast. Other tracks on the currently unreleased album entirely diverge from the sounds of 2021’s “Donda.” The
By AMY LENKIEWICZ Scene Writer
In “Uncharted,” a movie based on the eponymous PlayStation video game, the characters respond to death as glibly as if they can respawn. Tom Holland’s Nathan Drake, dangling from a plane, yells, “Oh, crap,” reacting to a 35,000-foot drop like a peeved video gamer, instead of a terrified adventurer hanging in midair. The brink of death does not warrant a real curse word, and “Uncharted” is all the more fun for it. The film is not set in a video game but in the landscape of the last forty years of Hollywood adventure movies. Visual references to classic adventurers like One-Eyed Willie and the crew of the Black Pearl create the sense that Drake’s team travels through the adventure genre itself. Even the dialogue gives the borrowing a self-aware edge with the characters teasing each other about acting like Indiana Jones and Jack Sparrow. When Drake lights a torch, he exclaims, “I’ve always wanted to try these,” encapsulating the movie’s tone towards its costuming, sets and plot. Every adventure stereotype is indulged. The characters carry binoculars, letters written in invisible ink, tiny daggers, postcards, maps, flashlights and messages in bottles. The movie neatly breaks into “spy” and “safari.” In the jungle, they wear cream Henley’s and cargo pants, but they switch to leather jackets and black jeans in the
fan-titled “Security” (Track 6), for example, is reminiscent of the experimental project “Yeezus” and its brash, genre-destroying atmosphere. A challenging (but enjoyable) listen, West comes off as characteristically aggressive in his inflections with the line “I put your security at risk,” an obvious allusion to his recent hostile feud with Pete Davidson. As with any West release, there are sure to be some highlights. The opener features the late XXXTENTACION chanting the hook “I thought I’d die in your arms” atop a piano rhythm before West enters, accompanied by a drum loop that samples the 2010 hit “Runaway”— nostalgic, to say the least. Track 3, titled by fans as “Get Lost,” is a raw, emotional cut inspired by his frequent collaborator, Justin Vernon, frontman of Bon Iver. West prefers no background instrumental here, opting for pure auto-tuned vocals. Halfway through the performance, West unveils a trap banger in which he boastingly raps, “Who they waitin’ on? That’s Pablo” before passing the anthem to Travis Scott. To be clear, these records have the potential to be some of West’s best in recent years — just not in their current form. Known for his perfectionism, the LP seemed disappointing to fans that have grown to expect so much from West each album drop. The remainder of the live event was filled with lackluster performances from Jack Harlow, Soulja Boy and even an underwhelming encore from West himself.
West gives the refrain on “Jail” to Marilyn Manson who, both off-beat and out of tune, butchers the song (originally released as part of “Donda”). Later, Migos shows up on an inspiring and energetic trumpet instrumental but sounds uninspired and unenergetic. In many ways, the blueprint of “Donda 2” heard on Tuesday is as messy as Kanye West’s life. Conceptually, the project remains memorable, but it fails in execution. However, West still has time. West draws upon thematic elements of divorce, spirituality, death and mental illness, but in no coordinated or intentional manner. A number of tracks on “Donda 2” attempt to push sonic boundaries, while others feel flat and random. Given the inconsistency, it is hard to imagine that the LP will fit comfortably within West’s legendary discography.
city. The spy half is set in elite auction houses, in the villain’s control rooms, in island resorts and in luxurious Spanish apartments. The safari half is nestled in thick cobwebs, in tunnels and caves, below Latin engravings and in the crypts of Renaissance churches. For every cutlass used to glide down a ship’s sail, there is a stereotype which is turned on its head: glass will not break on first impact, villains are cut down in the middle of their evil speeches, the erotic aspects of hand-to-hand combat are verbalized, the classic “I’ll hoist you up” scene is revealed to be awkward and painful for the booster. The movie also succeeds, for the most part, in minimizing deus ex machina. The coordination behind Drake’s bartending tricks is the product of intensive workouts. His fear of nuns traces back to his time in an orphanage. Settings are mobilized: chandeliers are for swinging; fountains are not just scenery. Even cargo pants pockets are put to use. “Uncharted,” unfortunately, borrows more than just images from 1980s adventure classics. It also borrows the typecast “foreign villain” role. Spaniard Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas), accoutered with villainous black sunglasses and a flashy vintage car he refers to as “her,” exclaims, “Maravilloso,” as he surveys his stolen treasure map. A villain lazily oversimplified and presented with minimal effort, he embodies the assumption that the foreign and exotic stand as cardboard placeholders that need no fleshing out. The
director’s choice to type-cast one-dimensional antagonists detracts from the movie’s ability to deepen past superficial fun. In addition, the movie is so fast-paced that the audience is not invited to work their way out of problems. The audience is only shown solutions, not the clues that lead to them. Where most deaths are implied, gun-wielding enemies can be dismissed with a “God, those guys suck.” All that is left to do is revel in the adventure spectacle, removed from its stakes. The result is that Drake, touted by his love interest as “too good of a guy” and the perpetrator of many bloodless deaths, ends the movie cackling about his newly acquired taste for betrayal. What “Uncharted” really charts is the way in which Drake becomes his genre, bending to the self-preserving moral landscape of the adventure-themed world; only then does Drake win his place as protagonist.
Contact Charlie Maxwell at cmaxwel4@nd.edu
“Donda 2” (unreleased) Artist: Kanye West Label: G.O.O.D. Music, Def Jam Records Favorite tracks: “Pablo,” “Lift Me Up,” “Security” If you like: Pusha T, Travis Scott, Kid Cudi, Jay-Z
Contact Amy Lenkiewicz at alenkiew@nd.edu
“Uncharted” Starring: Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Taylor Ali Director: Ruben Fleischer If you like: “The Goonies,” “Indiana Jones,” “James Bond”
w MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer | Image sources: Complex, the verge
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The observer | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
By JOHN CLARK Scene Writer
Considering the fact that my music taste is dominated by white rock music, it always surprises me when I remember that I got into Beach House via Kendrick Lamar. On the song “Money Trees” from his 2012 album “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City,” Kendrick sampled Beach House’s “Silver Soul” from their 2010 breakthrough album “Teen Dream.” When I was first getting turned on to Kendrick, “Money Trees” was the track that stood out the most to me, as it is ominous and haunting. It was when I first got into Beach House and listened to “Silver Soul” that I first truly grasped what people mean when they describe something as “hauntingly beautiful.” Everything Beach House produces is beautiful, and everything they produce is instantly recognizable as their work. As is the case with many musical artists (Fleet Foxes, Animal Collective and Drake come to mind), Beach House music as heard by fans and as heard by Spotify passers-by is very different. In the musical imagination of contemporary indie rock listeners (at least those who treat Pitchfork like gospel), the “Beach House sound” — following in the footsteps of earlier dream pop groups like Cocteau Twins and Mazzy Star — is the aural signifier of deep emotional intimacy. You can hear it in
By JP SPOONMORE Scene Writer
With DC’s “Extended Universe” (DCEU) dueling against Zach Snyder fans and comic-book accuracy, director James Gunn seems to be a lucrative gift that keeps on giving. His retcon-reboot/sequel of “Suicide Squad” — titled as “The Suicide Squad” to really highlight it as a replacement rather than a follow-up — was a huge success on HBO Max, but he didn’t stop there. Immediately after wrapping production, he filmed a TV series with one of the film’s characters, Peacemaker. Making the first DCEU show not focus on any of the Justice League members is a bold move, but if they follow through and do it right, it could be a contender to the over-hyped MCU shows on Disney+. Turning away from apocalyptic threats or international goose chases, “Peacemaker” enjoys a small-scale, black ops mission with the absolute worst team for the job. From escaped convicts and disgraced government agents to a psychopath choosing to be a vigilante over a serial killer, the crew of characters shines in their quirks. When the script develops them outside of a joke, this show becomes a fun watch, but these scenes are unfortunately rare. If crass jokes about farts and other low-hanging fruit are your thing, this is the show for you. Multiple scenes are perfect for social media clips, especially the ones of Peacemaker trashing Batman for not killing his enemies
the music even before attending to the lyrics. Their music fully actualizes all the imagery that is summoned by the phrase “dream pop.” On the surface, it might seem like all Beach House songs sound the same, but the dedicated listeners can quickly discern between the variations of their sound from throughout their career transitions. For example, I tend to think of 2010’s “Teen Dream” and 2012’s “Bloom,” my two favorite of their albums, as the yin and yang of Beach House’s stadium era. “Teen Dream” is the comparatively sunnier and more passionate record while “Bloom” is more nocturnal and meditative. When Beach House dropped two albums within the span of a few months in 2015 (“Depression Cherry” and “Thank Your Lucky Stars”), they left many wondering why they weren’t released together as a double album, but fans understood and could immediately detect a significant gap between the styles and moods of the two. Seven years later, Beach House have finally released an actual double album. “Once Twice Melody” adheres to principles similar to that of the Beatle’s self-titled record, also known as the ”White Album.” Rather than weaving a grand narrative that demands a run time of over an hour, like The Who’s “Tommy” or Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” Beach House uses the double album format to deliver their most diverse set of songs yet.
I definitely regret not playing along with Beach House’s interesting approach to releasing “Once Twice Melody,” which was to release it one “side” at a time each month starting in November. Beach House fans will definitely notice that “Once Twice Melody” has more acoustic guitar than probably all of their previous albums combined — a scarcity hitherto ironic given that the acoustic guitar, in popular imagination, often indexes intimacy much more strongly than its electric counterpart. “Once Twice Melody” is a lot to wrap your head around, even for a double album, but I’ve listened through it four times so far, and I’m looking forward to spending more time with it. While it may not be the most innovative or my personal favorite of their releases, I definitely think it is brilliant.
and him wanting to frame Bill Cosby for murder. The jokes follow James Gunn’s typical flare with awkward losers shouting at each other over minuscule disagreements. It may not be as emotional as “Guardians of the Galaxy,” but both share similar energies with visual gags and lovable, third-tier characters. I, personally, am not a fan of James Gunn’s craft. His focus on improv comedy trips the pacing and destroys most emotional moments. I cannot fall in love with a character when their lowest moment is a set up for another character’s punchline. The power behind the camera feels too loose to bring the story to a neat close as more of the runtime is bogged down by jokes that get weaker by the episode. Only half the jokes land, and the ones that do are not enough to make the humor entertaining. John Cena is the lifeblood of this show. With the sincerest approach to the most pointless character, his commitment convinces the toughest crowd. If you think his muscles do all of the talking, his range will be a glorious surprise. The only emotions I bought came from his performance. He utilizes his WWE background brilliantly, spitting speeches out of thin air with full dedication. Even though many scenes stall with characters watching him perform a singular joke over and over again, it’s his energy that saves the script every time. There isn’t much to talk about when it comes to the story. The characters may be wacky as they soak up the mature-rated humor and gore, but the story beats feel one note. There is so much
potential with these nobody superheroes in the middle of a conflict way out of their control, but instead we get the standard espionage and the now-cliché, disjointed team bickering every second. With a collection of neoNazis and alien invaders, you’d think the episodes would be packed with fun antics on the run, not running gags about hair dye and butts. HBO has already announced a season two, which I will be ignoring. John Cena really grew on me as an actor, and I hope he uses this project to catapult into a celebrity status alike Dwayne Johnson. The rest of the cast is great with their own little moments, even if their few subplots never amounted to climactic resolutions. Besides them, everything else can go. The conflict is generic and its twists are expected two episodes earlier. James Gunn, please do something other than superhero flicks — they all look the same.
Contact John Clark at jclark20@nd.edu
“Once Twice Melody” Artist: Beach House Label: Sub Pop Favorite Tracks: “Runaway,” “Sunset,” “Hurts to Love” If you like: Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Lorde
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Contact JP Spoonmore at jspoonmo@nd.edu
“Peacemaker” Starring: John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma Director: James Gunn If you like: “The Suicide Squad,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”
CLAIRE KIRNER | The Observer | Image sources: IMDB, filmbook, The Telegraph
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ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 | The Observer
Crossword | Will Shortz
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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Take your time. Go over every detail. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Take a secretive approach to what you plan to achieve this year. Once you have a doable plan mapped out, you can connect the dots and work toward your goal. Leave no room for discrepancies or mistakes. Have a good backup plan in place, and feel confident moving forward. Your numbers are 5, 11, 16, 27, 31, 39, 44. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Bite into something that you feel passionate about and turn it into a project that makes you feel good about what you accomplish. Stop waiting for something to come along. Concentrate on what you want, and take responsibility for your happiness. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Be careful what you donate to or get involved in financially. Shared expenses, joint ventures and unorthodox investments won’t pan out as planned. Don’t get swept up in someone else’s dream. Protect your assets, interests and reputation. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A steady pace forward, resourceful approach and avoiding interference will carve a path to a successful venture. Take note of what you have, what you want and what you must do to maintain and surpass your expectations. Trust and believe in yourself. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take time to explore new possibilities. Update your skills, consider other positions and take an honest look at the past and the changes you want to make. Invest time, money and effort in your skills and the way you present yourself. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Put your head down, work hard and don’t stop until you reach your designated destination. Take control of situations, and refuse to let anyone convince you to go against your gut feeling. Don’t allow emotional matters to turn into costly affairs. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep life simple, avoid emotional chaos and don’t overreact. Keep busy; do something physical that makes you feel good about how you look and feel. A healthy routine and spending time doing things with people you love are encouraged. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Rethink your strategy for dealing with friends, relatives and peers. Don’t just wing it and expect to avoid setbacks and discord. Use your intelligence and put a well-thought-out plan in place before you bring about a change that requires precision, detail and ample funds. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Rethink your strategy regarding earning your living, managing your money and living your life. Don’t be fooled by what others say or do. Misleading information will hold you hostage when you want to forge ahead and initiate plans. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Put your emotions aside and concentrate on what’s required and expected of you. Delve in, and don’t stop until you are satisfied with the results. Discipline and moderation will help curb any temptation that comes your way. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Go it alone. If you let others talk you into something you don’t need or want, you’ll have regrets. Trust in your insight and ability to get things going all by yourself. Information you receive will be disproportionate to your expectations. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Spiff up things at home or work. Make your surroundings support a good mood and excellent output of work. Achieving what you set out to accomplish will raise your spirit and ward off temptation. Don’t waste time with rash people. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Keep your emotions in check, and refuse to let unwise behavior take over. A well-balanced, positive attitude will help you overcome any controversy you encounter. Pick and choose your words wisely to avoid backlash from someone critical or negative. Birthday Baby: You are sensitive, forgiving and generous. You are accessible and a humanitarian.
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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The observer | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
Sports Authority
Sports Authority
Competing with no responsibility Nelisha Silva Assistant Managing Editor
Despite Russia’s two-year ban from competing in the Olympics due to state-sponsored doping, clean Russian athletes competed as the “Russian Olympic Committee” (ROC) and secured 32 medals in the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Six of these medals came from figure skating, where controversy brewed. Kamila Valieva, a 15-year old Russian skater, seemed to be the favorite to win at the Olympics this year, and gave an impressive performance in the individual women’s short program, successfully executing multiple quad jumps in women’s competition — a feat never before done in Olympic women’s competition. But shortly after her much-lauded short program performance, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Russia Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) announced that Valieva had tested positive for banned heart medications used to increase stamina and endurance in athletes. Valieva was suspended from competing in the rest of the games and the medal ceremony for the team figure skating competition was pushed back until the IOC decided what to do with Valieva’s positive doping result. But, the next day, Valieva’s suspension was lifted and she was allowed to compete in the individual competition, with restrictions on medal ceremonies if she were to win. Despite a clear case of doping, Valieva is considered a “protected person,” due to her age, which essentially argues that individuals under the age of 16 are too young to be held fully responsible for their actions. But if she’s too young to be held responsible for the substances she’s consuming, why is she considered old enough to compete on the biggest stage in her sport? The minimum age for Olympic competition is set by the International Federations of each sport, with the minimum age for figure skating being set at 15 years old by the International Skating Union (ISU). With the age of full responsibility for doping and the age for competing being set by different governing bodies, young athletes fall in a gray area where they compete against adults, but don’t have the same level of personal responsibility as these adults. So, if Valieva isn’t responsible, who’s responsible for the positive test result then? Valieva’s coach, Eteri Tutberidze, is a world-renowned figure skating coach who has coached multiple Russian skaters to gold medals on an international stage. But she’s also a controversial figure who pushes her skaters to their limits, often leading to burnout in many of her students. In the women’s individual free skate, two of Tutberidze’s other students, Anna Shcherbakova and
Alexandra Trusova, won gold and silver, respectively, but neither had the joyous reaction one might expect from an Olympic champion. In an interview, Shcherbakova said that she felt “an emptiness inside,” and Trusova was visibly upset after winning silver, loudly declaring that she would never go on the ice again. Valieva placed 4th in the individual program after falling multiple times during her performance. After coming off the ice, Tutberidze didn’t comfort Valieva or try to affirm her effort. Rather, Tutberidze was heard reprimanding the girl, saying “Why did you stop fighting?” Tutberidze has repeatedly created teenage champion figure skaters who soar to great heights in their early years, only to injure themselves or burn out of the sport before the next Olympics can come around. The reactions from all three of these girls give us a look into the mindset Tutberidze has encouraged in her athletes — a dangerously competitive mindset that prioritizes competitiveness over wellbeing. By allowing athletes as young as 15 to compete at the Olympics, the ISU essentially moves up the age at which figure skaters must be at their most competitive, putting their physical and mental health at risk for the sake of winning. The minimum age for Olympic figure skating must be raised. The ISU is set to hold its first Council meeting since the Valieva controversy, and will reportedly create a proposal to raise the minimum age of competition from 15 to 17. The proposal will undergo a vote in June at the ISU’s Congress and will require a two-thirds majority in order for the motion to pass. The events of the Beijing 2022 competition have shown the world that, at the very least, teenagers who aren’t able to fully comprehend the scope of their actions should not be allowed to be competing at the Olympic level, for their own sake. Young skaters like Valieva, Trusova and Shcherbakova have dedicated their lives to figure skating. The ISU should protect these athletes from potentially coercive and dangerous situations. These young girls could be the future of figure skating if they’re nurtured and coached in a safe and healthy way. Instead, they seem to be on a fast path to burnout before the 2026 Milano Games come around. The ISU needs to prioritize the mental and physical health of their athletes over the competitiveness in the sport if they want to see a future for figure skating that offers any sort of longevity and stability for the athletes they claim to prize so dearly. Contact Nelisha Silva at nsilva1@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Let National League Baseball pitchers hit Liam Coolican Associate Sports Editor
Major League Baseball announced earlier this month that the league would adopt a universal designated hitter for the 2022 season. The reasoning behind this decision is simple — pitchers are over whelmingly bad hitters. According to FanGraphs, pitchers batted .108 last year. Even Madison Bumgarner — w idely considered among the best-hitting pitchers in the league — ow ns a career batting average well south of the Mendoza line. Additionally, injuries to star pitchers are a risk — notably when Ma x Scherzer broke his nose while attempting to lay dow n a bunt during batting practice. Teams would prefer not to risk $130 million investments when the outcome of each at-bat is effectively predetermined. Competitive balance is also at issue. W hen National League teams play in American League parks, they often have to use a light-hitting utilit y player as they don’t have a true DH. On the other side, when AL teams play in NL parks they lose a valuable bench player unless their DH can also play in the field. In the World Series, these seemingly small factors can ultimately decide who w ins the championship. These are all valid reasons, but the league is still making a mistake. The moments that a pitcher comes through when it is least expected are pure magic. Every baseball fan remembers where they were when Bartolo Colon hit his first career home run. Dae-Sung Koo doubled off Randy Johnson and scored from second on a bunt, after having looked hapless in his only previous career plate appearance. Bumgarner once hit two home runs on opening day. I could list plent y more examples, but they are admittedly few and far bet ween. The anticipation is what makes these moments so special. Interestingly, despite what their name implies, designated hitters are not t y pically the best hitters on their team. Last year, designated hitters batted just 0.248 as a group,
only slightly better than the 0.244 league average. The designated hitter w ith the most home runs last year? Two-way phenom and AL MV P Shohei Ohtani. W hen the pitcher is in the lineup, teams have to strategize much more carefully. They have to decide when to pinch-hit for their starter and have to get better at manufacturing runs. As a whole, baseball has trended away from the small-ball era. There’s nothing better than watching a lowscoring World Series game in which the two managers play a mental game of chess against the other. However, for better or for worse, analytics say that stealing bases and bunting are generally ineffective. Teams don’t value pushing a run across; they would instead prefer a player who hits a lot of home runs even if he strikes out a lot. One of the principal reasons why baseball is declining in popularity, especially among younger audiences, is the slow pace of play. There are myriad reasons for this — pitchers throw harder and batters are stronger, which leads to more home runs, more strikeouts and ultimately, fewer balls in play. There are other solutions to this problem, such as implementing and actually enforcing a pitch clock, but universalizing the DH will only exacerbate it. Designated hitters are typically slow, aging power hitters, many of whom strike out at disproportionate rates. Home runs are certainly exciting, and the league is trying to encourage as many of them as possible. I, for one, however, find it much more exciting to watch Fernando Tatis Jr. try to score from second on a single than watching another Nelson Cruz home run. Of course, watching someone like Cruz hit is much more entertaining than watching a helpless pitcher merely wave at three center-cut fastballs. The adoption of the universal DH, however, will be the final nail in the coffin of the dying art of small ball. Additionally, if the league says pitchers don’t have to hit, what’s stopping them from implementing a second designated hitter for catchers? They are clearly the
most important defensive position on the field and as a group they don’t swing the bat well. This is of course preposterous and would never happen, but then why should the league say that pitchers don’t have to hit? It only discourages players like Ohtani — perhaps the most globally popular player in a decade — from developing both skills. The MLB may think they are giv ing fans what they want, and perhaps they are. According to a 2020 informal poll from MLB Trade Rumors, nearly half of more than 12,000 respondents are in favor of a universal DH. Other sites w ith fewer respondents have estimated this number much higher. It is clear that a great number of fans are in favor of this proposal. It was also apparently one of the only things the league and the players association could agree on in this ongoing lockout. Perhaps then, this column is merely shouting into the w ind, but I felt I had to w rite it. I actually think the system in which one league has the DH and the other does not is the right way to do things. The competitive advantages I mentioned above certainly play a role but are ultimately rather small. Instead, this allows one league the opportunit y for strateg y and finesse while the other prov ides a home for aging sluggers who still belong in the league, and fans get to experience both. It was a perfect system. The league shouldn’t just consider the fans it already has; it should consider potential new fans. Baseball has faced steadily declining support over the last t wo decades, as more and more young people turn to basketball and football. Bringing back the DH to the National League won’t fix this problem. We may have unknow ingly w itnessed the last plate appearance by a pitcher, and that is disappointing. The legacy of Bartolo Colon’s home run lives on, but we’ll never see any thing like it again. Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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establish our inside game. They’re there working hard, and that’s how we get our easy buckets,” Citron said. Notre Dame’s defense was also locked in, working all game to stop Clemson’s star guard Delicia Washington. Washington was held to 13 points on a 5-16 shooting night from the field. Head coach Niele Ivey made it clear after the game
how important shutting her down was to her team’s path to victory. “She’s somebody that I think the whole ACC is aware of. I watched film of her against Georgia Tech when she dropped 40, and I made sure that was known in practice. Every time we practiced with our practice guys I made sure whoever was playing her in practice knew where she was,” Ivey said. “The team knew this player is so talented that at any moment she can take over the game. A player like that you just really have to lock
in defensively and in a zone you just have to know where she is. I thought we did a great job of pressuring her.” Looking ahead, the Irish now face a marquee Sunday rematch with No. 4 Louisville, in what will be the team’s final game before the ACC tournament. Though Notre Dame has already secured the all-important double bye for the tournament, the Irish still have plenty of pride on the line when the Cardinals come to town. Just weeks ago, Louisville dismantled the Irish
73-47 in Louisville, a game Ivey said will be fresh in her and her players’ minds as they prepare for Sunday. “I think last time we didn’t play our game, and we got hit with a lot of adversity. We had to grow from that game,” Ivey said. “It was really hard and we learned a lot of tough lessons that night, especially playing in a top three arena. I think we learned a lot from that. We didn’t play our game — we didn’t do a great job defensively, we didn’t establish our inside presence. So now it’s our last opportunity to have
them on our home court. I hope the outcome is a lot different, but I hope we compete. I don’t think we competed the last time around, and I think we’ve really grown from that.” Notre Dame women’s basketball will return to action Sunday when they take on the No. 4 Louisville Cardinals at Purcell Pavilion. The game will tip off at noon and will also be broadcasted on ESPN2.
Ring B
Chaves vs. Ryan “Mr. Sir” Collins Both fighters shot out of the gate, throwing hard punches right away. Collins put Chaves on the defense early, forcing him to block most of his shots, but each was able to land some in a well-matched first round. Collins gained momentum in the second round as he kept his opponent away from him while breaking through with punches. He again had Chaves on the defensive, but Chaves recovered to land some shots to the body, with both fighters wearing down into the third round. Collins was the stronger fighter throughout the bout and was named the victor by unanimous decision.
round, which was largely even. Molka’s early effort, however, carried him to victory by split decision.
contest. Tarasenko was declared the winner by unanimous decision.
Continued from page 16
with little regard for defense, each landing numerous hits. Roche had his opponent against the ropes as the bell rang. Kerns recovered, landing several shots to the head. The rest of the round was evenly matched with each landing blows against his opponent. The third round was too, as the fighters tired. It was likely Roche’s early success that carried him to the unanimous decision victory.
Continued from page 16
Matthew “Ponyboy” Potter vs. Sean “Milk” Mullen The fighters danced around the ring for much of the first round. The second round continued to be quite competitive. Each fighter landed impressive punches, and Mullen danced around Potter’s punches, showing impressive agility. Both seemed to tire as the fight wore on, but Mullen had Potter against the ropes in the final round and was named the victor by split decision.
Yanni “Quadzilla” Vu vs. Matthew “Double Jeopardy” Downing Vu had a strong opening round, landing multiple punches to his opponent. Vu carried his momentum into the following round, but Downing recovered to put pressure on Vu as he tired. Vu rediscovered his energy after the brief pause, but Downing was the aggressor in the third round, landing multiple headshots right before the bell. Downing rode his late success to a split decision victory.
Jack “The Hammer” Murphy vs. Charlie “Scro” Freudian Both fighters brought a quickness from the start, but Murphy was able to parry most of his opponent’s punches away while landing a number of hits of his own in the first round. The second round was much of the same. Freudian had the intensity, but Murphy routinely used his aggressive punches to his advantage, continuously hitting his opponent as the round progressed. Freudian recovered with a strong start to the final round, but Murphy was able to land punches right before the bell and was declared the winner by split decision.
Michael “Florida Man” Perenich vs. Riley “Titto” Titterton Perenich opened the fight on the attack, pinning Titterton against the ropes early, and continued to land hits throughout the round. Titterton turned the fight around as the second round commenced, landing multiple shots. Both fighters seemed to gain energy into the third round, each landing impressive shots on the other. Titteron closed the fight with the momentum, with an impressive series of punches before the bell. However, the early success of Perenich was too much for him to overcome, and Perenich was named the victor by unanimous decision.
Emmanuel “El Chapo” Telles
“Sweet Baby” Ray Sierra vs. Jan “Janimal” Jhaveri It was an impressive start for Jhaveri, landing a plethora of shots in the first round which culminated in a knockdown of Sierra. After the fight restarted, he continued to pummel his opponent against the ropes until the bell. The momentum didn’t shift in the second round; Jhaveri had his opponent on the continual defensive. The fight was stopped before the conclusion of the second round, with Jhaveri as the victor due to referee stoppage.
Rob “The Voodoo Ranger” Rucki vs. Michael “Crispy Chicken” Rauch Rucki opened the first round on the offensive, driving his opponent back, and evading most punches thrown his way. Both seemed content to sit back, in what was an evenly matched second round. Rucki landed punches to begin the final round but seemed to tire in the final seconds, allowing Rauch to climb back in. It wasn’t enough, however, and Rucki was named the winner by unanimous decision.
Tannish “Lone Wolf” Goel vs. Dean “Sug(ar)” Maloney Maloney had Goel on the back foot early, pressuring his opponent throughout the first round and landing numerous punches, although he took some in return as well. Maloney continued this momentum into the subsequent round, avoiding punches and taking advantage of any gaps left. The third round was more evenly matched, but Maloney clearly had more energy. He was named the winner by unanimous decision.
Patrick “The Hash-Slinging Slash” Roche vs. Brian “Double Shot” Kerns As the fight opened, Roche knocked down his opponent. The two continued to throw punches
Jaimie“GreekFreak”Marines vs. Daniel “Legs” Tekerian Marines wins by walk-over.
Kevin “Armando” Prata vs. Ryan “The Hound” Hersey The fighters traded blows early, but it was Prata who was able to land the majority of punches in the first round. Hersey came out strong in the second round, knocking Prata to the mat early. Prata recovered and closed the round on a strong note. The pair came into the third round with intensity, Prata had Hersey on the back foot, but he was able to land punches as well in what was ultimately a competitive bout. Prata was named the winner by split decision.
Andrew “Gaslight” Biskup vs. Jared “Scarface” Walsh The two fighters danced around each other early, but Biskup was able to land multiple shots to the face area early. The first round was evenly matched, neither fighter landing significant blows. Walsh opened the following round on the attack, forcing Biskup onto the ropes. Biskup recovered as the round wore on and both fighters grew tired. Walsh found energy in the final round, and was able to hold his opponent back. He was named the winner by unanimous decision.
Connor “The Hound” Hinkes vs. Dillon “Weber” Hughes The fight opened with the pair trading punches, but it was Hughes who had Hinkes pinned against the ropes multiple times throughout it. He maintained this momentum through an equally intense second round. The third round opened with Hinkes knocking Hughes to the mat, and he seemed to gain energy afterward. Hughes never recovered, and Hinkes won by unanimous decision.
Evan “Milk” Molka vs. Matthew “Whiplash” Turzai Molka battered his opponent against the ropes right from the opening bell, but Turzai was able to recover, landing a flurry of blows as the opening round concluded. Molka drove his opponent back as the second round opened. Turzai rediscovered his energy in the final
Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu
Brendan “Classic” McGinn vs. Thomas “Clipz” Hintz
Andrew “Cowboy” Foote vs. Phil “The Arthur Avenue Assassin” Hough
Both fighters came out with energy, each landing numerous blows. Neither fighter had a clear advantage in the opening round. McGinn stepped on the offensive in the second round and had Hintz pinned back multiple times. Hintz recovered before the bell, landing several blows right before the end of the round. McGinn regained the advantage as the third round began, evading punches and landing plenty of his own, but Hintz recovered quickly, enough to win by unanimous decision.
Hough was able to force his opponent back early thanks to a barrage of punches, but Foote landed blows too as the round continued. Hough forced Foote onto the ropes early in the second round, holdin him, but Foote stayed in the fight thanks to timely responses and gained momentum as the second round expired. The pair found renewed energy and traded punches throughout the third round, in what was an extremely competitive fight, but Foote was named the winner by unanimous decision.
Johnathan “Papa Jon” Lis vs. Roos “Roos” McIllvaine
Nate “The Great” Ciocca vs. Cesar “Southside” Sanchez
The fighters largely evaded each other through the first round, but each landed blows against the other. Early in the second round, Lis evaded punches and took advantage of the gaps, but McIllvaine drove him back as the round wore on. Each maintained a defensive style, only striking when their opponent left an opportunity. In the final round, neither could gain a clear upper hand until McIllvaine landed several punches, earning a unanimous decision victory.
The two evaded each other for the start of the first round, neither landing a significant blow until Ciocca pinned Sanchez against the ropes and dealt a flurry of punches. The second round opened with the two trading punches, neither gaining the upper hand, each dealing the other blows throughout the round. In the third round, Ciocca immediately opened by hitting Sanchez against the ropes, but Sanchez responded with multiple strong punches, and it was enough to win by unanimous decision.
Russell “The Henggeler vs. “BDR” Amisano
Hunter” Ricardo
The fight started off with traded punches. Henggeler was able to knock his opponent back several times in the opening round. They maintained their energy in the second round. Henggeler had the early advantage, but as the round continued, Amisano recovered and took the momentum into the final round. He drove Henggeler back as the final round progressed but took blows in the process. After adjusting his headgear, Henggeler landed some punches, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Amisano, who won by split decision.
Niko “Hi I’m Niko” Tarasenko vs. Jonathan “Glide” McKenna Tarasenko immediately began to force his opponent back against the ropes, landing punches in the first few seconds. He dodged punches and found opportunities to strike back, continually pressuring McKenna in the opening round. Tarasenko showed his agility by ducking under punch after punch, before using combos to attack McKenna. McKenna found a way past his defenses in the third round, landing several solid blows, but the two traded blows for the rest of the
Devin “Piano Man” Lilly vs. Greg “Falcon” DeFalco In the first round neither fighter was able to connect significantly with the other. They continued blocking and evading each other’s punches in the second round before Lilly was able to land a few at the end of the round. The energy heightened early in the third round, each landing punches to the head of their opponent, but Lilly finished the bout with momentum. Still, Falco was more consistent throughout and won with a unanimous decision.
Connor “Mad Dog” O’Rourke vs. Justin “Slim” Darwin O’Rourke opened the fight by dealing multiple blows to the head of Darwin. O’Rourke dealt several blows in quick succession, necessitating a stoppage, but Darwin was able to deal multiple shots to the body before the round expired. The fight intensified into the third round with the pair trading blows once again. The last few seconds before the bell saw a frenzied exchange of fists. Darwin emerged as the winner after a split decision. Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu
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The observer | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
ND WOMEn’s Lacrosse | 17-16
Swimmming and dIving
Irish shatter records at ACC Championships By MADELINE LADD Sports Writer
The Notre Dame swimming and diving team competed at the 2022 ACC Swimming and Diving Championships this past weekend at the McAuley Aquatic Pavilion in Atlanta, Georgia. After five days of competition, the Irish women finished sixth and the men finished eighth. The teams had 651 points and 474 points respectively. Six school records were broken, with contributions from both the men’s and women’s teams. Assistant coach Joe Brinkman was pleased with the way the team was able to come together at the championship meet and post up some season-best times as well as NCAA qualifying cuts. “Overall, the weekend was a really special weekend for the team,” Brinkman said. “Competing at that meet, it’s the fastest conference meet in the country, so for us to have the success that we did and perform the way we did with that kind of competition was definitely very spectacular for our group.” The meet atmosphere was different this year than last, as there were now fans allowed in the stands and men and women competed the same weekend. In the past, men’s and women’s competitions have been separated by a weekend, and COVID-19 restrictions did not allow fans to attend last year. Brinkman said these changes made for a positive experience. “We went from having no fans to having both men’s and women’s fans,” Brinkman said. “It made for a very loud meet, which provided a great, energetic atmosphere for the athletes to compete. Last year you could hear a pin drop at the meet, so it certainly means a lot to be able to compete in an environment like that and it gives you a lot of adrenaline. This definitely makes a huge difference in the way our athletes performed this year.” A standout performer of the meet was freshman Chris Guiliano, who broke school records not once but three times. On the second day of competition, Guiliano secured a spot for finals in the 50 freestyle with a time of 19.28. He came in right under the 19.30 record set by Justin Plaschka back in 2018. In the evening finals, Guiliano broke his own record during the 200 freestyle relay. He led off, swimming a 19.17 and ripping .11 off his time to contribute to the relay team’s NCAA A Cut time of 1:16.98. Guiliano, junior Cason Wilburn, sophomore Stephan Lukashev and senior Josh Bottelberghe swam the race for the Irish. The quartet was .1 second off from breaking the school record in the 200
freestyle relay. As competition progressed, Guiliano gained more momentum. On the last day, Guiliano broke the 100 freestyle record with a finals time of 42.60. Moments later, he went on to break his own record in the lead-off leg of the 400 medley relay with a 42.34. This swim helped contribute to the relay team finishing sixth with an NCAA B Cut time of 2:51.68. The four swimmers in the 400 medley were Guiliano, Wilburn, junior Alec Delong and Lukashev. Brinkman was impressed with Guiliano’s performance as a whole, especially considering this was Guiliano’s first experience at the ACC Championships. “He just continued to get better as the meet went on,” Brinkman said. “The guy just loves to compete, loves to race and wants to get his hand on the way. You really saw him maturing throughout the meet and got more and more experience being really confident on the block. He was a really big asset for our team not only individually but for the relays, helping us get those A Cut times for NCAAs.” The Irish broke two more school records. This time the men’s and women’s 200 medley relay teams broke records on the third day of competition. The men’s team of Kaden Smesko, Bottelberghe, Wilburn and Guiliano broke the school record in the event. They swam the race in 1:23.81, surpassing the previous record set in 2017 and getting an NCAA A Cut. Similar to the men’s squad, the women earned an NCAA A Cut in the 200 medley finals. Freshman Jessica Geriane, junior Elizabeth Fry, junior Coleen Gillilan and freshman Madelyn Christman finished seventh overall. They swam a time of 1:37.53. Bottelberghe broke his previous school record in the 100 breaststroke that he set earlier this season at the Ohio State Invitational. He finished second overall with a time of 51.61. Also on the fourth day of competition, Smesko, Bottelberghe, Wilburn and Guiliano broke the 2017 school record in the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:06.28. This was the second record the quartet took down this week. For the divers, senior Kelly Straub earned a bronze medal in the platform on the last day of competition. Senior David Petrison and junior William Rains contributed to the Irish men’s team. “I think Will Rains and David Petrison dove within themselves. They probably did about how they’d been training, so from that standpoint they didn’t
do too bad,” Head diving coach Mark Bradshaw said. As a whole, Bradshaw said he felt the diving performance at ACCs was not reflective of the work put in at practice. However, he acknowledged overall improvement throughout the season and sets his sights on applying this to competition. “We really haven’t shown our improvement in our competitions yet, but some of us have another shot at it,” Bradshaw said. “We are relatively young and we just have to keep building. The training that we’ve done, we need to apply that more in competitions. So moving forward that’s kind of going to be our goal.” The divers will be competing in a separate zone competition in the next few weeks in hopes of qualifying for NCAAs. Straub, freshman Calie Brady, senior Annie Wiese, and junior Samantha Gillis are qualified for the regional meet. Brinkman has hopes of them performing well enough to make it to NCAAs. “Our regional zone competition is March 7, 8 and 9,” Brinkman said. “Aside from our championships, that’s our biggest meet. We hope to try to qualify as many people as we can.” Next up for the Irish swimmers is NCAA Championships in Atlanta, taking place in mid-March. B cut times were achieved this weekend by senior Luciana Thomas, junior Liam Hutchinson, senior Max Miranda, junior Coleen Gillilan, sophomore Sean Faikish, Lukashev, sophomore Tyler Christianson, sophomore Megan Deuel, junior Maddy Potter, Wilburn, freshman Madelyn Christman, junior Charles Korndorffer, and Smesko. The team has a few last-chance meets to allow other swimmers a chance at qualifying for the meet. “After those last chance meets are done, we’ve got another two weeks until the women’s NCAA and three until the men’s,” Brinkman said. ”It’s all about preparation and getting the kids ready to swim faster than they did at ACCs. It’ll be an exciting next few weeks, getting ready to go on a national stage.” The Irish are set to compete in the D1 NCAA championships throughout the second half of March. The women will compete first March 1619, followed by the men March 23-26. Both competitions will be taking place in Atlanta. The meet will be available on WatchESPN and live scoring will be provided. Contact Madeline Ladd at mladd2@nd.edu
Irish fall to No. 5 Northwestern By OLIVIA SCHATZ Associate Sports Editor
After a back-and-forth battle, the No. 17 Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team lost tragically to No. 5 Northwestern 16-17. While the Wildcats came out of the gate hot, the Irish were able to close the gap but ultimately failed to take the lead. Although the Wildcats dominated the first quarter, sophomore midfielder Kelly Denes and graduate student attack Maddie Howe found the back of the net quickly. However, they were the only Irish goals of the quarter. Starting at the seven-minute mark, the Wildcats scored five points — all unassisted — pushing their lead to 5-2 into the second quarter. However, the Irish were not ready to surrender. For the second period in a row, Denes hit off the scoring, assisted by sophomore attack Madison Ahern. The Wildcats hit back hard, scoring three quick goals within three minutes. This was followed by an unassisted Irish goal by junior attack Cailin Field, before an answer from Wildcat Samantha Smith. The Irish deficit was widening, but sophomore midfielder Mary Kelly Doherty scored, unassisted. This appeared to light a spark in the Irish attack, and junior midfielder Kasey Choma scored assisted by junior attack Jackie Wolak, before Wolak herself scored within the last minute. Although the Irish outscored the Wildcats in the second quarter, they were still trailing Northwestern 9-7 going into the half. Yet again, the Irish kicked off the quarter, this time with a goal scored by Choma assisted by Ahern. However, the momentum would not last and Wildcat Lauren Gilbert would score back-to-back unassisted, widening Northwestern’s lead. Scoring would go back and forth for the remainder of the quarter, with Choma answering for the Irish before yet another Gilbert goal. The Irish attempted to close the gap to two with a goal from Howe. However, within the last two minutes Gilbert scored again and her teammate Carleigh Mahoney found the back of the net. Irish senior midfielder closed the gap to 14-11 moving into the final quarter. The fourth quarter was the final chance for the Irish to regain their lead. Yet, it was the one and only quarter they allowed the Wildcats to have the initial goal. Another Northwestern goal reignited the Irish attack. Trailing by five, with only eight minutes left, Choma took initiative and scored on a free position shot to tighten the lead. This was followed by two unassisted goals by Wolak and then another by Denes. With less than three minutes remaining in the game — and only one point behind — the Irish needed to dig in to take the lead. However, a Wildcat goal
halted the Irish run. And with 17 seconds left, Howe found the back of the net to tighten the final score to 17-16. Although the Irish could not surpass the Wildcats, they put up a fight. Almost completely across the board, the Irish and the Wildcats had similar stats: Northwestern only had two more shots than Notre Dame and recorded two more turnovers. Yet sometimes there is a singular player who overtakes any stats – in this case it was Lauren Gilbert. With seven goals, she scored close to half of Northwestern goals. After a loss to Vanderbilt, a close loss to Northwestern does not sting as bad. However, once ranked higher than the Wildcats, the Irish appear to be slipping game after game. With the first of three home games over, the Irish need to win their next two to regain their status among the college lacrosse elite. The Irish are back in action Saturday playing No. 3 Syracuse in Arlotta Stadium at 6 p.m ET. The divers will be competing in a separate zone competition in the next few weeks in hopes of qualifying for NCAAs. Straub, freshman Calie Brady, senior Annie Wiese, and junior Samantha Gillis are qualified for the regional meet. Brinkman has hopes of them performing well enough to make it to NCAAs. “Our regional zone competition is March 7, 8 and 9,” Brinkman said. “Aside from our championships, that’s our biggest meet. We hope to try to qualify as many people as we can.” Next up for the Irish swimmers is NCAA Championships in Atlanta, taking place in mid-March. B cut times were achieved this weekend by senior Luciana Thomas, junior Liam Hutchinson, senior Max Miranda, junior Coleen Gillilan, sophomore Sean Faikish, Lukashev, sophomore Tyler Christianson, sophomore Megan Deuel, junior Maddy Potter, Wilburn, freshman Madelyn Christman, junior Charles Korndorffer, and Smesko. The team has a few last-chance meets to allow other swimmers a chance at qualifying for the meet. “After those last chance meets are done, we’ve got another two weeks until the women’s NCAA and three until the men’s,” Brinkman said. ”It’s all about preparation and getting the kids ready to swim faster than they did at ACCs. It’ll be an exciting next few weeks, getting ready to go on a national stage.” The Irish are set to compete in the D1 NCAA championships throughout the second half of March. The women will compete first March 16-19, followed by the men March 23-26. Both competitions will be taking place in Atlanta. The meet will be available on WatchESPN and live scoring will be provided. Contact Olivia Schatz at oschatz@nd.edu
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Ring A Continued from page 16
the round. McLeod began the second round taking control. Brinkley got in a few good hooks and put up a solid defense but McLeod continued to dominate, ending the round with a direct jab. In the final round, Brinkley brought the energy but McLeod eventually took control again. The ref stopped the contest, naming McLeod the winner.
Jack “Twinkle Toes” Lennon vs. Ben “Put ‘Em on a Stretcher” Fecher Lennon entered the match swinging, but Fecher quickly returned the punches. “Twinkle Toes’s” fast feet allowed him to dominate the ring. He caused Fecher to retreat to the corner. Round two began with Lennon hitting Fecher with a combination resulting in an 8 count. Fecher came back with a few jabs, but Lennon continued to use fastpaced combinations to the head. In the final round, Lennon confined Fecher to the corner again, the match ultimately resulting in the referee deciding to stop the contest. Lennon reigned as champion.
Alex “The Love Kielbasa vs. “Sweepin” Scholl
Doctor” Cooper
Kielbasa and Scholl came out strong in the first round. Eventually, Scholl took control of the ring, pushing Kielbasa into the corner until he took a knee. Kielbasa made a quick return, attempting an undercut which Scholl blocked. In round two, Kielbasa shifted the control of the ring with a combination of hooks. Kielbasa began the final round with a jab and maintained his energy hitting Scholl with a series of hooks. Scholl responded with some hooks and body shots until a reset. They put up an even fight. Ultimately, Kielbasa took the win by a split decision.
Dan McGuire of St. Edwards Hall vs. Jack “The Train” Lane Lane came out of the gate headhunting with fast, aggressive jabs, negating McGuire’s body-shot approach. McGuire dominated the ring in the beginning of the second round, pushing Lane into the corner but he couldn’t effectively combat Lane’s headshots and Lane ultimately cornered him. In the final round of the match, McGuire emerged with quick feet and fast body shots, maintaining his energy through the fight. He caused Lane to pull back, but he still continued to get jabs in. The match concluded with Lane throwing a heavy jab to McGuire’s face and Lane won by unanimous decision.
Jerod “The Colonel” Junkins vs. Sirak “Em Sock’Em” Negash Negash knocked Junkins to the canvas within the first 30 seconds of the fight. Junkins responded well, hitting Negash with a few jabs of his own. Negash drew blood from the nose of Junkins in both the first and second round However, Junkins returned to the fray after getting cleaned up. The two fighters exchanged a flurry of blows before backing off towards the end of the round and coasting to the bell. Junkins came out
aggressive in the third round but was caught by a Negash hook that sent him stumbling backwards. The fight concluded shortly after another Junkins’ nose bleed. The winner, by unanimous decision, was Negash.
Joe “The Jokah” Fiocca vs. Reed “Nonstop” Popp Fiocca had a clear home crowd advantage with the former Zahm House crowd making a strong showing. The pair exchanged a few jabs before Fiocca’s shoulder popped out of place. Fiocca returned to fight to raucous cheers. The two landed a few punches in the first round, dancing around the exterior. Both fighters came out much more aggressive in the second round. Fiocca’s shoulder came out of place again and the stoppage lasted longer this time. After returning, while on the run from Popp, Fiocca asked the referee to call the fight due to his shoulder. The winner, by referee stoppage, was Popp.
David “The Baker” Couri vs. Bryan “BoBrown” Heideloff Once again, Heideloff had louder supporters prior to the fight, and he rode the energy to land some early uppercuts. The fighters traded some big blows, one of which sent Couri stumbling. Couri then pushed Heideloff back into the ropes as the fighters exchanged punches up until the bell signaling the end of the first round. The fast-paced exchanges continued throughout the second round, with Heideloff forcing Couri back into the ropes. The third round began with another flurry of punches and the crowd energy picked up just before the final bell. The winner, by split decision, was Couri.
William “Double the W” White vs. Hector “Bueno” Juarez White backed Juarez into the ropes multiple times throughout the first round. In round two, White kept his opponent in the corner after multiple exchanges, and he seemed to turn the momentum in his favor by landing a variety of punches on Juarez. Juarez came back with a big right hook late in the round to even up the bout. Juarez came out hot in the third round, and his devastating right hook made contact time and time again with White’s head. The hot finish gave Juarez the win by unanimous decision.
David “Dorf Dog” Arndorfer vs. Josh “Barstool Athlete” Williams The pair settled in after a few wild exchanges, circling as they both targeted their opponent’s head. Neither boxer wasted any time getting into the action in the second round, and punches were flying left and right. Williams seemed to be in the driver’s seat, but Arndorfer landed solid blows of his own. Williams landed some huge jabs early in the third round and continued to press forward, drawing blood from Arndorfer’s nose. Williams landed two right hooks in quick succession just before the final bell. The winner, by unanimous decision, was Williams.
Drew “Hammerfist” Lyons vs. Elliot “Big E” Como
Lyons pressed inside early, pushing Como back to the ropes. He threw punches in quick succession that kept Como off balance. Como seemed reluctant to engage throughout the round. Lyons continued to be the aggressor in round two, landing enough punches to earn Como a count from the referee. Como stayed on the defensive, preferring to strike from distance. Como was much more aggressive in the early stages of the third round, but Lyons held his ground and went back on the offensive, with his right-hand jabs damaging Como. Lyons was named the winner by unanimous decision.
Nolan “Schweffo” Schwefler vs. Mark Choate Schwefler knocked Choate to his knees midway through the first round, but both boxers pushed the pace through the round. The two got wrapped up multiple times as the bell approached, and they ended the round grappling. Choate seemed to settle in as the second round progressed, but Schwefler responded by pushing him to the ropes. The two fighters exchanged a series of jabs down the stretch, with Schwefler landing the majority of the blows. The winner, by split decision, was Schwefler.
Andres “The Road Runner” Mejia vs. Alex “Jack” Potts Potts went on the offensive first, knocking Mejia to the canvas and pushing him back into the ropes. Mejia found his rhythm late in the round with a few hooks. In the second round, Mejia snuck in some body shots. Potts responded with a few left jabs, but it was evident that Mejia’s body shots had done some damage. Both fighters were aggressive in the early stages of the third round, but neither seemed to be landing many solid punches. Potts fired in some jabs to the head of Mejia, but the body shots kept coming from Mejia and were ultimately the difference for a split decision win from Mejia.
James “Simple Man” Meiman vs. Rogba “The Bug” Ayoola Both Meiman and Ayoola came out incredibly aggressive. A right hook from Ayoola earned a count for Meiman, but they continued. Ayoola landed a few more head rocking shots, and another count for Meiman ended when the bell rang. Ayoola dominated the second round. He forced Meiman to the canvas to start. Sensing blood, Ayoola went to the body and forced Meiman into yet another count. Less than a minute into the third round, Ayoola ducked under yet another punch and rose up with a thundering right jab, which ended the fight at the discretion of the referee.
Creed “Apollo” Leathers vs. Jack “The Ghost” Crilly A rowdy crowd welcomed these two fighters to the ring. Leathers went on the attack early before the two got wrapped up multiple times. Leathers then backed Crilly into the corner with a flurry of headshots. The second round started slower. Then, out of nowhere, Leathers hit Crilly with a vicious right hook to the head that sent Crilly careening into the ropes and to the ground. Crilly got up quickly, evidently shaken as
he stumbled to his corner. He did not make it to the end of the count, granting Leathers the victory.
Andrew “Red Scare” Cassidy vs. Jack “Cakeboss” Kelly Cassidy was the first to land a few blows after some pacing, and his success got the crowd into the fight. After that, however, the defensive skills of the two were on full display. Kelly came out much more aggressive in round two, but Cassidy responded, sending Kelly to his knees. Kelly responded well, taking the fight to the body. Both fighters came out swinging in round three. The two shared an embrace after the end of the match, capping off a hard-fought bout with sportsmanship and respect. The winner, by unanimous decision, was Cassidy.
Bobby “Boba’ Fitzpatrick vs. Will “Vlad” Covington Covington came out on the offensive in this one, immediately making Fitzpatrick uncomfortable in the ring. Covington continued to bring the fight to Fitzpatrick throughout the first round, landing a vicious left jab with 10 seconds left in the first round. Fitzpatrick eventually settled in and landed a big left jab. Covington responded with two big headshots that seemed to daze Fitzpatrick. Covington came out swinging in the third, landing a big headshot. Covington’s consistent offense proved to be the difference. The winner, by unanimous decision, was Covington.
Alexander “Excalibur” Frank vs. Alex “Baller” Flor Flor brought the initial action, delivering a hard right hook that earned a count for Frank. Seconds later, another flurry from Flor forced Frank into another count that closed the first round. Flor continued his relentless attack in the second round, earning another pair of counts. Flor was not content to wait for a decision and once again pressed forward as the third round opened. The next count proved to be the last one, and Flor’s dominant night ended in victory.
Mitchell “Mr. Snowman” MacDonald vs. Nicholas “In The Lounge” Dodig MacDonald broke the fight open with a vicious right cross that sent Dodig spinning. The crowd got into it following this punch, and the two fighters drew on the energy. MacDonald landed a few right-hand jabs through the raised arms of Dodig. MacDonald carried this momentum into the third round by landing blows early in the final frame. Dodig responded with a rally of his own, but MacDonald shut him down with some powerful right hands. The winner, by unanimous decision, was MacDonald.
Connor “The Milkman” Tsikitas vs. Charles “Chip” Martin The two fighters settled in and began trading blows. Round two began in similar fashion, with Tsikitas bringing the action. The volume of punches overwhelmed Martin, and he struggled to keep up with the pace of Tsikitas. Martin hit Tsikitas with a couple blows that forced a count, and a fight that Tsikitas seemed to have under control was now anyone’s bout. Martin continued the
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onslaught, and another count closed the fight as the final bell sounded. The winner in a hotly contested bout, by split decision, was Martin.
Josh “Too Hot to Handle” Peters vs. Jackson “The Stallion” Graham Fists were flying as soon as the bell signaled the start of the fight. The two finally settled down about halfway through the round, and a final exchange punctuated a fast and furious first round. The pace picked back up again in the second round, with Graham throwing the majority of the punches, landing three big right-handed body shots late in the round that hurt Peters. They finished with one final exchange just before the final bell. The winner, by split decision, was Graham.
Matthew “Plaid” Eichten vs. Griffin “Premium” Hawthorne In a battle of two Keenan seniors, Eichten landed the more forceful of the blows early. Hawthorne responded by driving Eichten to the ropes. Hawthorne, once again taking the fight to the body, seemed to gain an advantage early in the second and finished the round strong with solid headshots. The fight was still up for grabs heading into the third and final round, and the Keenan crowd was raucous. Hawthorne continued to press forward aggressively throughout the third, but Eichten held his own. The two shared an embrace before the final decision. The winner, by split decision, was Hawthorne.
“The Real Big” Mike Guyette vs. Sean “Ice” Cole Guyette came out swinging early, but it cost him a few times as Cole caught him with a few jabs. Guyette continued to press the action, but Cole’s blows seemed to land heavier than Guyette’s. Guyette’s punches landed much more accurately in the early stages of the second round, and Cole seemed to be caught off guard by the onslaught. Guyette took control of the fight heading into the third and final round. Guyette kept Cole under constant pressure. The flurry of punches earned Cole a referee’s count, but Guyette kept coming following the interruption, and a second count took the fight to its conclusion. And the winner, by unanimous decision, was Guyette.
Aidan “Sigma” Francfort vs. Dante “The Inferno” Gardini A slow pace held the first round. A right-hand hook from Gardini highlighted the action. Both boxers picked up the pace in the second round, but the frequent exchanges only lasted a few punches. It was anybody’s fight heading into the final round of the night. Gardini was more eager for action in the third round and Francfort responded in turn. Both fighters began to land consistent headshots. Both fighters went out swinging in the final 10 seconds of the bout. The night concluded with a raucous finish. The winner, by split decision, was Gardini. Contact Molly Ferazani and Jamison Cook at mferazan@nd.edu and jcook22@nd.edu
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The observer | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com
BENGAL BOUTS
WOMEN’s basketball | 77-56
Bengal Bouts Prelims: Irish defeat Clemson, look Ring A results to Louisville clash Sports Writers
heavy jab to the head and ultimately dominated the ring and won the fight in a unanimous decision.
Raul “Rat Joe” Amezcua vs. Buyi “B” Chen
Jack “Topgun” Lannon vs. Drew “Brother” Curtin
Buyi “B” Chen came in hot with a jab to the face to begin the first round of this year’s tournament. Amezcua defended well, but was unable to fully retreat. Amezcua answered but Chen continued to lead the second round. Amezcua overpowered Chen with a combination of hooks and jabs in the final round. This leveled out the fight and led to a split decision favoring Chen.
Curtin emerged offensively but backpedaled against strong defense in a fast-paced and aggressive fight. Both threw endless combinations that resulted in a break in the action. They began again with Lannon taking a strong right hook to Curtin. In the second round, Lannon drilled Curtin with two jabs to the face, causing him to retreat until they ended in another clinch. Lannon then knocked Curtin’s helmet off with a headshot. The final round began with Curtin delivering a combination that caused Lannon to retreat. However, Lannon’s early dominance resulted in a unanimous decision for him.
By MOLLY FERAZANI and JAMISON COOK
Aidan “Tomp” Tompkins vs. Ryan “For The Love of The Game” Tressler The pair played it cool for the majority of the first round, displaying controlled aggression. Round two took off with strong right hooks from Tompkins, and Tressler was headhunting in response. The two fell pretty evenly through the rest of the round. Tompkins dodged a great punch from Tressler and got in a few jabs before the time was up. In the final round, Tressler delivered a
By J.J. POST Sports Writer
Nathan “Muscle Man” McLeod vs. Connor “C Breezy” Brinkley Brinkley started off with a heavy jab to McLeod’s face. The freshman responded with a combination of jabs and dominated for the rest of see RING A PAGE 15
GRACIE LEE | The Observer
Thursday night, Notre Dame women’s basketball dispatched Clemson, taking down the Tigers 77-56 at Purcell Pavilion. The win was powered by an impressive double double from freshman guard Sonia Citron, who posted 23 points and 13 rebounds on the night. Graduate student forward Maya Dodson chipped in with another big performance down low, adding 20 points and 9 rebounds. Dodson and Citron’s dominance around the rim proved a major indicator of Irish success, as Notre Dame outscored Clemson 40-26 in the paint. Citron stressed after the game the importance of the team asserting themselves down low. “[Dodson] is one of the best post players in the country … [sophomore forward] Maddy [Westbeld], [junior forward] Sam [Brunelle], all of our post players really are. So when our shots aren’t falling, and when things aren’t going our way, it just shows how important it is to
Irish freshman guard Sonia Citron looks to dish the ball during Notre Dame’s 68-55 home win over Virginia Tech on Feb. 3.
see WBB PAGE 13
BENGAL BOUTS
Bengal Bouts Prelims: Ring B results By LIAM COOLICAN Associate Sports Editor
Emilio “Lefty” Fernandez, vs. Colin “One Lung” McDonald Both fighters came out aggressively in the first round, each landing multiple punches, with Fernandez forcing McDonald into the corner multiple times early. Fernandez wore his opponent down as the fight went on. The fight was decided after a third round in which Fernandez peppered McDonald with shots to the body. In the gold corner, Fernandez was declared the winner by unanimous decision.
Joey “The Milk Man” Brenner vs. Connor “My Way” O’Brien The first round was eventful, with both fighters landing plenty of shots to their opponent’s body. Both kept up their intensity in the following round. O’Brien was on the offensive, but Brenner was able to land numerous punches to avoid being forced onto the ropes. The pair seemed to tire into the third round, but each hit their opponent with shots to the head. Although the fight was competitive throughout, Brenner won from the gold corner by unanimous decision.
Glenn “Queens” Fiocca vs. Thomas “Mountain Man” Etchart Fiocca seemed to be able to parry away most of Etchart’s punches while forcing his opponent back early and often. Etchart found a groove in the second round, however, landing numerous shots and forcing Fiocca to duck below his punches. The two kept up their energy in the final round, but Fiocca was able to land multiple shots to the head which proved to be the difference, as he was declared the winner by split decision.
Thomas “Tex” Edwards vs. Brien “The Liability” Friery Edwards opened the first round with intensity, but Friery was able to quickly recover and land shots to the body of his opponent. Edwards maintained his momentum into the second round, and the referee had to separate the two multiple times as he landed shots. Friery again recovered towards the end of the round, and at the beginning of the third, forced his opponent into the corner, as Edwards seemed to tire. Ultimately, Edwards was declared the winner by split decision. see RING B PAGE 13
Photo Courtesy of the Bengal Bouts Captains
Bengal Bouts captains stand arm in arm, ready to lead the rest of the boxers into the prelims of the tournament. The winners of Thursday’s bouts enter the quarterfinals on Tuesday, March 1 at 7 p.m.