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Volume 55, Issue 17 | Monday, September 28, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Barrett nominated Trump appoints ND law professor to Supreme Court Observer Staff Report

President Donald Trump nominated Notre Dame law professor Amy Coney Barrett to be the newest Supreme Court justice Saturday, replacing the late liberalleaning Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In a press conference Saturday, Trump said Barrett’s qualifications are “unsurpassed,” and he expects her confirmation hearing to be “extremely uncontroversial.” see NOMINATION PAGE 3

Observer Staff Report

MARIA LEONTARAS | The Observer

Notre Dame law professor and judge Amy Coney Barrett spoke at a women’s empowerment brunch March 1 in the Dahnke Ballroom.

Scientist discusses racism within Flint water crisis By GRACE DOERFLER News Writer

When Dr. Mona HannaAttisha learned that children in Flint, Mich. were drinking water so contaminated that it was corroding car engines, she knew she had to act. In a virtual lecture Friday, Hanna-Attisha, who serves as the director of the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, described the water crisis in Flint and her role as a

researcher in exposing the problems. The lecture was a part of the Klau Center’s initiative this semester entitled, “Building an Anti-Racist Vocabulary.” The author of “What the Eyes Don’t See: A Story of Crisis, Resilience and Hope in an American City,” HannaAttisha was spurred to action after a friend told her that there were reports that Flint’s water was not being treated properly. Flint residents had long been suspicious of the quality of the drinking water, citing its

unusual color, smell and taste. But despite their concerns, the government continually reassured residents that there was nothing to worry about — and even offered safeguards to the corporations that are the backbone of Flint’s economy. “The most jaw-dropping red flag for me — and it still makes my jaw drop — is learning that our drinking water was corroding engine parts at a General Motors plant,” Hanna-Attisha said. “Can you believe that? Our drinking

News Writer

This summer Notre Dame’s International Summer Service Learning Program (ISSLP) will plan to hold both in-person and virtual programs in light of the pandemic. The ISSLP program sent their first students abroad in the summer of 1998 at a time when

SCENE PAGE 5

there were very few options available to travel to “less traveled countries,“ ISSLP director Rachel Tomas Morgan said. “A lot of our study abroad was in Europe, and study abroad options were pretty much a semester or year long at that time,” Tomas Morgan said. “And so the Center for Social Concerns, and director Fr. Dan McNeil at the time and myself saw

VIEWPOINT PAGE 7

A video circulating online shows University President Fr. John Jenkins failing to wear a mask or socially distance at the White House ceremony for law professor Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination Saturday. Marcus Cole, dean of the Law School, was seated next to Jenkins and appeared to be wearing a mask.

Upon arrival at the White House, both Jenkins and Cole were directed to a room where individuals attending the ceremony were tested for COVID-19, vice president for public affairs and communications Paul Browne said. Every guest was tested by nasal swab prior to entering the ceremony. “Only when the test results returned negative were they and see JENKINS PAGE 4

Project aids students seeking career in policy

see FLINT PAGE 4

Service learning programs to offer virtual options By DANE SHERMAN

Jenkins criticized for violating ND protocols

opportunity for the summer months to give Notre Dame students the opportunity to experience the rest of the world.“ ISSLP’s are run through the Center for Social Concerns (CSC), and students traditionally apply each year to conduct a summer of service abroad in a number of countries around the see ISSLP PAGE 3

VIEWPOINT PAGE 7

Courtesy of Greg Miller

The Student Policy Network, a project dedicated to aiding students interested in a career in policy, hosted its first meeting on Aug. 20. By ERIN FENNESSY News Writer

The Student Policy Network (SPN), a project of BridgeND that pursues student/firm partnerships in public policy, has launched three projects for the fall semester. Juniors Greg Miller and Patrick Aimone said they initiated the launch of SPN after identifying a gap in the opportunities for students to learn more about careers

ND VOLLEYBALL PAGE 12

in public policy at Notre Dame. SPN provides undergraduate students with opportunities to pursue policy research and advocacy with partners. Both Miller and Aimone said they designed SPN to be structured similarly to the Student International Business Council (SIBC). “Notre Dame does a great job connecting and placing students see POLICY PAGE 4

ND M SOCCER PAGE 12

TODAY

The observer | Monday, September 28, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

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What is your favorite movie?

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“‘Interstellar.’”

Billy Micard

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“‘The Dark Knight Rises.’”

“‘The Breakfast Club.’”

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“‘10 Things I Hate About You.’”

“‘Searching for Sugar Man.’”

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

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ERIN FENNESSY | The Observer

The Junior Class Council hosted “Donut Forget to Vote” Sunday afternoon on Library Lawn as a part of Civic Engagement Week to encourage voter registration. Krispy Kreme donuts were provided to students who attended and registered to vote at the table.

The next Five days:

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

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Conversation virtual 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Conversation on racial justice and the upcoming election.

Virtual Lecture virtual 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. A discussion on social media, democracy and dangerous speech.

Lecture: “Consuming Patterns” virtual noon - 1:30 p.m. Learn about the role of insects in Oaxaca.

Panel: “Where We’re Going” virtual 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Part of virtual series by Think ND.

Marvel Trivia Night Library Lawn 9 p.m. - 11 p.m. Competition presented by Student Activites.

SAB Bonfire outside of Le Mans 7 p.m. Join Student Activities Board for snacks and activities.

Guest Speaker Zoom 6 p.m.- 7 p.m. A discussion with alumnus John Beckham.

Lecture: “Style and Substance” virtual 5:15 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. Hosted by the School of Architecture.

Snite @ Nite: Around the World in One Snite Snite Museum of Art 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Masks are required.

Food Truck Friday Library Lawn 9 p.m. - 11 p.m. The Rolling Stonebaker and Smothered & Covered will serve.

News

Nomination Continued from page 1

“I pledge to discharge the responsibilities of this job to the best of my ability,” Barrett promised during the announcement. Barrett currently serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, after having been confirmed in 2017. She has been teaching law at the University since 2002 and was named professor of the year by three of the law school’s graduating classes. The nominee attended Rhodes College for undergraduate, where she received a B.A. in English literature, and she earned her J.D. from Notre Dame. She was named a Kiley Fellow and earned

ISSLP Continued from page 1

world. The program usually looks to focus it’s resources and attention on countries with emerging economies, Tomas Morgan said. This past March the program was forced to suspend all of the outbound international trips in response to the global pandemic, but some of the programs were able to move to a virtual platform. The CSC is currently exploring the possibility of an ISSLP

ndsmcobserver.com | Monday, September 28, 2020 | The ObserveR

the Hoynes Prize, which is the law school’s highest honor. After graduating from Notre Dame, Barrett clerked for the late Justice Antonin Scalia. Like Scalia, Barrett is a strict originalist and textualist, believing in the importance of viewing the law through the eyes of the founding fathers as well as the public the Constitution was created to serve. “If a judge parts from the text in the service of a more general purpose, that judge risks undoing the very compromise that made the enactment of the statute possible,” she said in a lecture in 2018 at Notre Dame. Originally from New Orleans, La., Barrett currently lives in South Bend, Ind. with her

husband, Jesse, whom she met in law school, and commutes to Chicago for her judgeship. The couple has seven children, two of which they adopted from Haiti. A devout Catholic, Barrett has spoken on being both a judge and a Catholic. At a 2019 event hosted by the Notre Dame Club of D.C., she mentioned the lessons she learned from Scalia, a fellow Catholic, and described him as “a man of faith.” “He took a lot of criticism from many quarters for the values that he had and the choices that he made, his Catholicism and his faith,” she said at the event. As a part of Notre Dame’s Faculty for Life, Barrett signed a letter in 2015 addressed to

Catholic bishops affirming the teachings of the Church, including the “value of human life from conception to natural death.” Barrett’s faith has raised concerns in the past as opponents have questioned whether Barrett can set her religious beliefs aside and remain unbiased while judging. At Barrett’s confirmation hearing to serve on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017, Sen. Dianne Feinstein questioned whether her faith would influence her decisions on the bench. Barrett discussed her faith during the hearing but said her religious beliefs would not affect her decisions as a judge.

If confirmed, Barrett would be the fifth woman to serve on the Supreme Court. At 48 years old, replacing Ginsburg with Barrett will reinforce a conservative majority in the court for years to come. University President Fr. John Jenkins congratulated Barrett on her nomination in a press release Saturday. “An alumna and a faculty member of Notre Dame Law School, Judge Barrett has epitomized the University’s commitment to teaching, scholarship, justice and service to society,” he said. “She is a person of the utmost integrity who, as a jurist, acts first and foremost in accord with the law.”

learning-living community for this coming summer. For those students who only have a virtual option, they may be given option to live with other students also working on virtual projects. This way, students can build a community environment while carrying out their online projects independently, Tomas Morgan said. “It would allow us to invite faculty to come and provide lectures and workshops, allow us to do additional skills training and ideally have excursions and field trips in South Bend, and in

the local region with an aim to explore global issues localized,” Tomas Morgan said. She said the CSC is still hoping some students will be able to experience a summer abroad. “We hope that we’ll be able to send some students to some countries. I know we will not be able to send all students to all our countries,” Tomas Morgan said. “Our ISSLP site directory that is online will specify which sites are only in person, which sites are only virtual and which sites can accommodate both.” The ISSLP programs begin with

a one credit theology class participating students are required to take during the spring semester before departing campus to go abroad. The course is followed by an eight to ten week service learning immersion in a developing country through which a student will receive another three credits of theology. The program provides funds for airfare, room and board and a $1,000 travel award. Senior Ellis Riojas went on an ISSLP two summer’s ago to Kitete, Tanzania. There, he worked with kids and young adults

who were either attempting to finish high school again or were attending a trade school. Editor’s Note: Riojas is a graphics designer for The Observer. Riojas said he enjoyed his program in Kitete, tutoring the students and playing games with them. However, Riojas also mentioned how challenges were inevitable. ”Some things are going to go poorly, and that can really shake you up,” he said.

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Contact Dane Sherman at lsherma2@nd.edu

NEWS

The observer | Monday, September 28, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Policy Continued from page 1

who have even just a passing interest in consulting and finance in those worlds,” Aimone said. “I think part of it is the existence of these student organizations that make it really easy to take a first stab at figuring out if it’s something you enjoy doing.” Aimone said the goal of SPN is to provide an opportunity for students to get a feel for a career without committing to a fulltime summer internship, while also gaining real experience on projects. “There are a lot of students who have a minor that’s associated with political science or have a passing interest in politics, but don’t want to devote a summer doing an internship,” he said. “So part of why SPN exists is to bridge that gap.” Similar to SIBC, students in SPN connect with partner organizations and work in teams to

Flint Continued from page 1

water was corroding car parts.” General Motors was permitted to use water from a cleaner source, but the people of Flint “were told to relax,” HannaAttisha recalled. When Hanna-Attisha learned of the reports that could confirm residents’ suspicions, she began her research to determine that community advocates’ fears were grounded in r eality: lead levels in Flint water were not safe. Hanna-Attisha underscored how environmental justice and racial justice intersect, noting that it was “no surprise” that lead poisoning is most prevalent in minority communities. “Lead poisoning [is] a form of environmental injustice and also a form of environmental racism. I think the words can be used the same [way],” she said. A range of investigations into the Flint water crisis support Hanna-Attisha’s conclusion, including one from the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. Flint’s demographics are central to understanding the crisis: compared to other Michigan cities such as Ann Arbor and Grosse Point, Flint has a much larger African American and low-income population. “This never would have happened in a richer or whiter community,” Hanna-Attisha said. While the crisis in Flint revealed a number of racial inequalities and disparities, the pandemic in 2020 has similarly had a disproportionate impact on poor and African American communities, Hanna-Attisha said. She said four major lessons officials learned from responding to the Flint crisis can also help the United States learn from the COVID-19 pandemic. She emphasized the importance of a good government that

develop a project. This semester, SPN is pursuing three projects: one focused on human rights abuse sanctions under the Magnitsky Act, one lobbying for undocumented immigrants to be eligible for driver’s licenses in the state of Indiana and one researching solutions to the housing crisis in the city of South Bend, according to Miller. Miller is a lead for the Magnitsky Act project with the partner organization Human Rights First. Miller said the team is drafting a request to sanction that will be submitted to the U.S. Department of State, an idea he took away from the Washington, D.C. program this past spring. Miller said he thinks SPN is an example of how youth can make an impact in public policy and governance. “A lot of these public policy firms are really interested in user input, and they don’t get that enough,” Miller said. “So the projects we’re working on are all very real world and very useful

values public health, the essential nature of democracy, the need to respect science and medicine and the value of investing in preventative and proactive health care measures. “We were trying to share these lessons in Flint, and now much o f the nation is experiencing these very same lessons,” Hanna-Attisha said. “That gives me hope that we will be able to reimagine and rebuild and finally take heed of these lessons.” Despite the tragedy of Flint’s drinking water, Hanna-Attisha remains hopeful that lessons can be drawn from the crisis and response in Flint. “I am this eternal optimist,” she said. “I am hopeful — I am absolutely hopeful. I have already seen some of the ripple effects of our crisis that have prevented other crises.” As cities across the country saw the drinking water crisis unfold in Flint, they became much more aware of drinking water and regulations in their own governments. Prior to the Flint crisis, many people viewed lead in water as a problem that had already been fixed. Once the failings in Flint’s water system were revealed, however, it was impossible to continue to take clean drinking water for granted. Hanna-Attisha said that this national reckoning sparked many cities to make important changes to ensure safer water for their residents. “The nation’s really woken up to the issues of drinking water, and that’s strengthened a lot of regulations in some places and forced folks to ask more questions and hold folks accountable to the status of the quality of our drinking water,” Hanna-Attisha said. Contact Grace Doerfler at gdoerfler@nd.edu

to our partners.” Aimone said he is leading a project for a coalition of immigration organizers in northern Indiana, in which SPN students will lobby the Indiana State Government to pass a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants in Indiana the ability to drive. He said he thinks it’s a great example of what the SPN is capable of doing to assist partner organizations. “Many of these organizers have their hands full dealing with day to day immediate needs of the communities they serve,” he said. “And this is an area where the devoted efforts and research of a team of college students can really push forward something that a coalition might not have the manpower to do.” Robert Caruso, also a junior at Notre Dame, said he is leading a team of students in crafting a strategy to address homelessness in South Bend, which will be presented to the mayor’s office for consideration.

Jenkins Continued from page 1

others in their group escorted into the Rose Garden for the ceremony,” Browne said in a statement. However, according to CNN, “two of Barrett’s colleagues at Notre Dame, who attended the Rose Garden event ... said they were not tested for the virus by the White House.” The two guests also said they did not hear of any coronavirus testing

Caruso said he’s excited about the local impact SPN has the potential to make. “I’m excited to see our projects actually implemented,” he said. “We’re emphasizing in our project the fact that it is so localized, we feel as if we can really make an impact, and that’s really powerful. … It gives students a sense of agency in the issues of the world around them, makes them feel as if they can really make a difference, even in the undergraduate experiences when it often feels like we don’t have any agency at all.” Looking ahead, Aimone said he’s confident that the organization will expand to take on more projects next semester and beyond. SPN will seek official recognition as a student organization for the spring semester. “We actually had more interest from [partner organizations] than our three projects could accommodate,” he said. “We’re hoping to double or more the number of projects we have next

precautions prior to the event, according to CNN reporting. Earlier in the academic year, Jenkins issued an apology for failing to follow recommended health and safety practices while taking photos with students. “While all of the scientific evidence indicates that the risk of transmission is far lower outdoors than indoors, I want to remind you (and myself!) that we should stay at least 6 feet apart,” Jenkins said in his prior apology. Paid Advertisement

semester.” Beyond projects, Miller said he hopes SPN becomes an avenue to internships and careers in public policy for students. “While working on projects, students will get a chance to network and see what the partner organization is all about, and, hopefully, to develop internship routes and job routes,” he said. Echoing Miller, Aimone said he hopes the ND alumni network will embrace SPN, allowing students the opportunity to make connections with graduates working in the field. “We’re optimistic that Notre Dame alumni in the public policy sphere will see this as an opportunity to bolster their connection with current students,” he said. “We hope alumni will give back to the community by hosting these projects in the future and giving current students the opportunity to learn.” Contact Erin Fennessy at efenness@nd.edu

Please recycle The Observer.

The observer | Monday, September 28, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

By RYAN ISRAEL Scene Editor

You, a modern music hater, says: “Rock is played out, man. There’s nothing that hasn’t already been done, and there’s no new ground to explore. The genre has been fractured into subgenre after subgenre and nothing remains that’s truly ‘rock.’ The most popular bands of today that could even pass as ‘rock’ — like Maroon 5 or Imagine Dragons — are overblown arena rock acts using scraps of the rock ethos to sell record after record. The greatest rock music and bands are in the past, and anyone who disagrees is clinging to a dead genre.” Me, an astute and cultured individual, replies: “Rock may be played out, but that’s not a problem at all. It’s true that a lot of variations of rock have emerged — almost too many to count — but there’s still more to explore. The most popular bands may be a bit gaudy, but that’s been the case for the most popular rock acts at any time. For every one soulless chart-topping rock band, there are 1,000 more that still view selling out as a true evil and genuinely rock. And that last point about rock being dead and whatnot is just a baseless, attention-grabbing phrase to throw out when you want to have an opinion. Rock’s not dead. There’s a really interesting thing happening, that’s almost always happening in any genre, where modern artists dive into a rock subgenre and explore it. For example, Tim Heidecker’s ‘Fear of Death.’ Tim Heidecker is most commonly known as one half of

By AIDAN O’MALLEY Scene Writer

In the promotional blitz leading to the release of “The Ascension,” the eighth studio album from the prince of sad boi hours, Sufjan Stevens, much has been said about the singer-songwriter’s shame toward the current state of our country. Of course, such discourse isn’t without warrant; on the final song of the album, “America,” Stevens pleads with an unknown entity — “Don’t do to me what you did to America!” This criticism is especially interesting in the context of the indie darling’s discography. With albums like “Michigan” and “Illinois,” Stevens canonized the American Midwest with folk-tinged nostalgia, conjuring up images of sprawling plains, rolling hills and a land of possibility. But he dismissed his “50 States Project” as a promotional gimmick a decade ago, and in “America,” he might as well be putting the nail in the coffin. It’s the highlight of the record — an evocative song that seeks to reconcile the American Dream with our collective anxiety for the future of this country. But “The Ascension” is about more than just “America.” Many of the songs carry platitudinous titles like “Tell Me You Love Me” and “Run Away With Me” and the rest are more than abstract enough to extrapolate an American metaphor if you want to. Ultimately, this is a Sufjan Stevens album, and his normal obsessions with love, death and religion are as potent as ever. It’s a solid addition to his staggering oeuvre, albeit one that might get lost in your Spotify shuffle.

the comedy duo Tim and Eric. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Heidecker and Eric Wareheim created and starred in a number of television shows for Adult Swim. Their brand of distinct comedy, combining low production value, often grotesque jokes and truly absurdist humor, is a clear predecessor to some of the funniest shows on television today — see ‘Nathan For You’ and ‘I Think You Should Leave.’ While Heidecker created a good amount of humor-based music alongside his television productions, his recent work as a solo musician has toned down the comedy and turned to thoughtful songwriting and ‘70s soft rock aesthetics, although he still gets off a few jokes. ‘Fear of Death,’ the newest album from Heidecker, goes deep into ‘70s rock — as did his previous projects — but it emerges as his best work yet thanks to the help of new collaborators and its focus. Along with a number of talented musicians, Weyes Blood’s Natalie Mering joins Heidecker on a number of tracks on the album, adding some necessary backup vocals, and she goes solo on the album’s terrific closing song, ‘Oh How We Drift Away.’ Mering’s phenomenal 2019 album, ‘Titanic Rising,’ explored living in a world of doom and death, a topic which guides Heidecker’s appropriately titled album. It’s not all about doom and gloom, but death and the fear of it is the guiding focus of the album. That’s not to say it’s a sad album, as Heidecker’s musings are placed over breezy and fun soft rock arrangements which create the contrast that makes the album so interesting. On the project’s title

track, steady drums and electric guitar riffs play under ruminations on dread and dying. ‘Backwards’ brings out the steel pedal to guide a country-inspired track on our collective devolution. ‘Nothing’ stares at the endless black void and meets it with a grand piano and balladry. ‘Property’ brings a dash of humor, asking how we’ll possibly resist turning cemeteries into ‘Property, money makin’ property.’ Of course, ‘Fear of Death’ isn’t a revolutionary rock album. It doesn’t break any new sonic ground or push the genre into new territory. But it does extremely well with its channeling of ‘70s rock — creating arrangements that even the biggest modern music hater could enjoy — and putting them together with lyrics on death that are so dark they’re kind of funny. And that’s about all I have to say about that.”

I’ve only ever reviewed movies for Scene, so this is, like, a super vulnerable moment for me (humble emoji). But when it comes to music, I consider myself a capital “C” connoisseur of “Sadjan Stevens,” and in listening to this record I was reminded that there are two kinds of Sufjan Stevens stans. In one corner are the purists, those who relish in the indie folk whispers and soft banjo twangs of something like “Carrie & Lowell.” In the other are the rebels, who bang their heads to the lush, techno symphonies and dynamic, emotional heights of an album like “The Age of Adz.” Of course, you’re allowed to be both — I consider myself to be — but most are a little more of one than the other. Unfortunately for “The Ascension,” whose blips and bloops are like a mellow “Age of Adz” or a Stevens-centric “Planetarium,” I am a purist. I really appreciated this album; its textured instrumentation and sonic consistency are a marvel. But I didn’t love listening to it. It starts off strong with “Make Me An Offer I Cannot Refuse,” an escalating track that does justice to the name of the record. Subsequent songs are solid too; “Video Game” and “Lamentations” play with Stevens’ sound in compelling and unique ways. But the deeper you get into the 15-track, 80-minute run time of “The Ascension,” the more the bottom starts to fall out from under you. “Die Happy” repeats the same lyric, “I want to die happy,” for nearly six minutes, while “Gilgamesh,” “Death Star” and “Goodbye To All That” start to blend together about three-quarters in. Luckily, tracks like “Ativan” and “Landslide” punctuate the drag with absorbing harmonies and, in the case of “Ativan,” unexpected lyrics (“I sh*t my pants and wet the bed,” Sufjan

sings. Keep that to yourself, bro.) On the penultimate and title track, “The Ascension,” the swaying, beautiful instrumentation betrays the lyrics. “I thought I could change the world around me,” Sufjan all but sobs. But in the song’s final moments, Stevens makes peace — “[I]t strengthens me to know at last,” he sings, “I did it all with exultation.” “The Ascension” is slow, sparse and sad. Tired and hopeless, it’s not an album you’ll be keen to revisit, or even one you might remember next to giants like “Carrie & Lowell” or “Age of Adz.” But it’s a starry constellation of a record, and in its final moments it delivers on its promise. “I did it all with adoration,” he reaffirms. America is hurting, and Sufjan Stevens doesn’t know how to heal it. But damn, did he try, and in so doing, he ascends.

Contact Ryan Israel at risrael1@nd.edu

“Fear of Death” Tim Heidecker Label: Spacebomb Records Favorite songs: “Backwards,” “Property,” “Oh How We Drift Away” If you like: Carole King, Big Star, Townes Van Zandt

Contact Aidan O’Malley at aomalle2@nd.edu

“The Ascension” Sufjan Stevens Label: Asthmatic Kitty Favorite songs: “America,” “The Ascension,” “Make Me An Offer I Cannot Refuse” If you like: LCD Soundsystem, Grimes

LIYA BLITZER | The Observer

The observer | Monday, september 28, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

Yes, there’s two of us Adriana Perez

What about my freedom? (to vote safely during a pandemic)

News Writer

Renee Yaseen

Yes, there’s two of us. Having to repeat this phrase has become a bit of a habit for me here in college. It has also become an odd alteration to my usual “Yes, there’s three of us.” See, I am a triplet. Surprisingly, sharing a womb — and most of my life thereafter — with my brothers did not prepare me for the bizarreness of sharing both my first and last name with someone else. Yes, there’s two of us — two girls named Adriana Perez in the class of 2022. (No, we’re not related.) And before you roll your eyes and stop reading, indulge me for a few minutes. I assure you, I recognize this is not that big of a deal, especially at Notre Dame. If you are called Jack, Matthew, Michael, Elizabeth, Abby or Katie (or any variation of these names), you most likely share a first and last name with someone at this school. Maybe I just did not expect to have to travel to a whole different hemisphere to find someone with my same name. But I guess both Adriana and Perez are common enough in the Hispanic world. Although we are namesakes, there are actually some easy ways to differentiate us. Firstly, she hails from Dorado, Puerto Rico, and I come from a bit farther south, from Guayaquil, Ecuador. Secondly, I currently have shoulderlength brown hair, whereas Adriana is a redhead with beautiful long locks. Thirdly, Adriana is also a phenomenal dancer, whereas I cannot dance without making an absolute fool of myself. Not even an easy dance, like the “Macarena” — not even if my life depended on it. Also, she graciously hyphenated her two last names to Perez-Negron (in Hispanic cultures, people often carry both their paternal and maternal surnames, in that order) in the Notre Dame directory. And though I could not find a way to do that, I was able to add my middle given name (Maria, also a common name in Hispanic, predominantly Catholic cultures. You can learn more about naming conventions in Spanish-speaking cultures here.) Pointing out these directory changes and distinctions is necessitated by the funny — and sometimes awkward, even frustrating —consequences of being namesakes. Not that you asked, but here are some of the most notable confusions our name has caused: After roommate assignments our first year, her roommate followed me on Instagram and sent me a sweet direct message. I promptly had to correct them. Yes, I did have a “ND ‘22” and a shamrock in my bio, but I was not the Adriana they were looking for. Once we got to campus, Adriana and I found out we were both in different sections of the same Writing and Rhetoric class. Predictably, our professor mixed up feedback on our work a couple of times. But to her credit, once we gently mentioned it, she tried her best to not confuse us again. The worst possible misunderstanding happened our first year too, only a few weeks into the fall semester. Another student approached me on her birthday, as she sat in front of me — I had approached her to congratulate her — and he wished me a great day, hug and all. Even now, I get emails meant for her all the time. As does she. We try our best to forward messages to each other and connect people with the correct Adriana, but alas, sometimes people slip through the cracks. (On a similar note: if you reached out to her about some research project you are involved in, thinking she wrote for The Observer, and she gave you my number, it was the Ecuadorian one. I promise I am not ignoring you. I hope you read this and are able to connect with me.) And some of my friends have shared classes with her. One of my closest buddies, for instance, actually had to delete her number from her phone after way too many instances of texting and calling the other Adriana. I wish I could glean a life lesson from this to share with you, but after midterms, I do not think I have the mental capacity to do that. And even if I did, whatever profound thing I say would probably be a bit of a reach. So, consider this just a friendly — even somewhat gratuitous —public service announcement. Who knows? It might come in handy, should you ever meet either of us. I do want to clarify, though: This was definitely not meant to put anyone on blast — Adriana and I know these mistakes are genuine. In fact, they give us something to bond over, to laugh about. They serve as little reminders to check up on each other, too. So, do not worry if you get confused. I never expected there might be two of us, but I would not have it any other way. You can contact Adriana at aperez8@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Outside the Lines

I remember sitting in AP Government class and learning that states have the right to determine the time, place and manner of elections. This made sense to me then: Local and regional governments are more familiar with constituent life and, theoretically, they can better ensure that as many people who are eligible to vote can vote. But come on, Indiana. Indiana is one of just five states in the country that refused to expand mail-in voting capacities in response to COVID-related concerns. Indiana usually has “strict-excuse requirements” for absentee voting and now they are one of just five states — Louisiana, Texas, Indiana, Mississippi and Tennessee — that still require an excuse other than COVID-19 concerns to vote by mail. This is unjust. Not everyone thinks so. Many conservatives are citing voter fraud as a concern with voting by mail. But numerous reports, includingthis onefrom the Brennan center — a nonpartisan law and policy organization — indicate that actual rates of voter fraud are minute. Specifically, they cite a report that found rates of voter fraud to be between 0.0003% and 0.0025%. The report, which closely tracked the presence of voter fraud in several elections, concluded it is more likely that an American citizen “will be struck by lightning than that he will impersonate another voter at the polls.” They also note a review of the 2016 election, which found just four instances of voter fraud. Despite its rarity, the possibility of voter fraud is obviously a very serious concern in a democracy. As such, no one should attempt to vote twice (something President Trump appeared to encourage voters to do on Sept. 2). This is the first presidential election in which I am eligible to vote. I have already given up a semester of my college experience to protect myself and my family from COVID-19. I do not regret that decision — with Notre Dame itself reporting case numbers in the hundreds at the beginning of this semester, I am glad I stuck to my principles as I continue to live with my family. But now I have another issue to evaluate. Millions of American voters in Indiana, Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee and Mississippi likely share these concerns for the health of their communities. Concern or no concern, if adequate safety precautions are not taken at

the polls, Election Day has the potential to be a superspreader event that has public health repercussions into December. Concerns about coronavirus are very real for many Indiana residents. And while I’m personally not facing a life-or-death risk at the polls, the choice to go into a public space at this time is a critical one for many Hoosiers with serious pre-existing health conditions. More than 1,000 Hoosiers tested positive for COVID-19 between Thursday and Friday, consistent with the state’s average. During those days, 11 people in Indiana died due to COVID-19. Since March, 3,351 Indiana residents have lost their battles with coronavirus. A lmost 40% of Americans have pre-existing conditions that put them at high-risk for serious complications with the novel coronavirus. And while Indiana does permit seniors over 65 to vote by mail without any other excuse, this too has been the subject of controversy: Indiana Vote by Mail filed a f ederal appeal t o a district court decision against no-excuse voting on August 25, claiming that “Indiana’s absentee voting law that permits those over 65 to vote by mail is discriminatory on the basis of age ... those younger are not afforded the same right.” The pandemic has increased the risks of in-person voting beyond precedent in any normal cold and flu season. Voter suppression is a term I won’t throw around flippantly here, but when the stakes are so high, current policies that force us to gather at the polls in person make us choose between our right to health and our right to vote. A democracy is supposed to respect every vote equally. And when the observance of safety protocols for the COVID-19 pandemic and concern about the virus are beliefs largely d ivided along partisan lines, o ne has to wonder if these five red states are neglecting their responsibilities to both political and public health in their refusal to allow those concerned about COVID-19 to vote by mail. Renee Yaseen is a junior who majors in international economics and Arabic. She’s currently on a gap semester doing lots of creative stuff and lots of un-creative stuff. She can be reached via the chat on a shared Google Doc at 3 a.m., on Twitter @ReneeYaseen or by email at ryaseen@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

KERRY SCHNEEMAN | The Observer

The observer | Monday, september 28, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Trevor Lwere On the Other Hand

BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER.

JUSTICE FOR BREONNA TAYLOR. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER.

BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. Trevor Lwere is a junior at Notre Dame majoring in economics, with a PPE minor. He hails from Kampala, Uganda and lives off campus. He is a dee-jay in his other life and can be reached at tlwere@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

What Notre Dame risks in its tilt to the right “Did you watch the game last weekend? ” my family and friends ask me. “Us against Florida State — we shut them out.” “No,” I reply. “I had a really busy weekend, and I was running some errands.” The honest answer? As a queer woman married to another woman, as a former senior-level employee at Planned Parenthood who cares deeply about women’s rights and as a proud Catholic, I find it harder and harder for me to donate to or to meaningfully engage w ith my alma mater, much less don the Shirt and cheer on our football team ever y Saturday. At our core, we are a Catholic universit y — our identit y should transcend political part y lines and our words and actions should center around a spirit of inclusion. By these two measures, though, Notre Dame leadership has recently failed on both counts: First, in recent months they have brought Notre Dame more narrowly dow n one particular political path; second, and more egregiously, they have failed to stand up for the basic rights of those in our Universit y family. I have always appreciated that you shouldn’t be able to reduce Catholicism to a clear-cut political label. In my time as a student, these characteristics of campus led to rich discussion,

appreciation for diversit y of thought and — in a good way — occasional discomfort. However, as I read about Notre Dame facult y members’ attendance at Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination announcement this weekend and saw the news that Notre Dame negotiated a settlement w ith the Trump administration to allow them to deny birth control coverage to students and employees, I was disappointed by my alma mater. In engaging more and more deeply w ith the current U.S. president, the Republican part y and politically conser vative ideologies, Notre Dame increasingly ties itself to a particular political slant. The Universit y may say their support for Judge Barrett only goes as far as supporting her skills as a jurist and that the birth control settlement was an important defense of religious freedom. That’s fair. In an abstract way, this gentle alignment could be construed as neutral or harmless. However, these words and actions are concerning when considered against the context of what is not being said by Universit y leadership. As a member of the LGBTQ communit y, for example, my right to not be discriminated against is still not fully acknowledged. It is confusing and hurtful to see Notre Dame recently update its policies on discriminator y and sexual harassment

but continue to fail to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identit y” from its notice of non-discrimination, especially in light of Fr. Jenkins’ support of public figures, such as Judge Barrett, who seem to oppose marriage equalit y. W hen not paired w ith a full-throated defense of basic human rights, members of the Notre Dame family and the broader communit y are left to read bet ween the lines of the universit y’s recent “neutral” words and actions. It is now almost October and the fall season is upon us. Yet far more is at stake than our standing in the college football rankings this autumn: It is a critical election year, up and dow n the ballot. I am not being hy perbolic when I say that our basic rights — the rights of women, the LGBTQ communit y, immigrants and v ulnerable people across this countr y — are at stake this fall. W hatever your political slant (or your religious beliefs, for that matter), I urge you to “open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:9) in the ballot box, and in your day-to-day concern for fellow members of the Notre Dame family. Emmie Mediate class of 2015 Sept. 27

DAILY

The observer | Monday, September 28, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | WILl shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Look for the good and the positive in every situation, and you’ll find peace and happiness. You’ll gain insight into what’s best for you if you open your mind, heart and options to new beginnings. The changes going on around you will dictate how you can prosper. Enlightenment, personal gain and romance are heading your way. Your numbers are 9, 17, 23, 30, 42, 44, 48. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Make personal improvements that will lead to new opportunities. Refuse to get trapped in a position that leaves no room for advancement. Focus on adding to your skills and focusing on making a positive lifestyle change. Romance is favored. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’ll have a change of mind regarding your attitude toward work and your peers. Redefine what it is you want to do, and consider how to turn your talents into something tangible. Don’t let someone come between you and your dreams. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Expand your plans to include someone you love and the changes you want to make to your life personally and professionally. Not everyone will agree with you. Follow your heart, and you’ll achieve the peace and happiness you desire. CANCER (June 21-July 22): A tempting offer to socialize will be hard to turn down. Stay put, play it safe and avoid excessive behavior. Intelligence and common sense will help you prevent getting into a dangerous situation that will cause emotional setbacks. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): An emotional situation will escalate if you make changes without the approval of loved ones. Do what you can to include everyone in your plans, and it will help alleviate hurdles that can make your life difficult. Make romance a priority. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Put some muscle behind your ideas and plans. Draw from those who can offer insight into the possibilities that lay ahead. Refuse to let emotions interfere with making a clear-cut decision that will benefit you and the people you love. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Avoid emotional spending. Focus on physical improvements that will encourage better health and emotional well-being. Put an end to situations that cause anxiety. A change that takes place will get you fired up to initiate what you want. Romance is encouraged. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t act in haste. Time is on your side. Look for innovative ways to get what you want. Concentrate on your surroundings and achieving a welcoming space to work, play and live life your way. Opportunity is heading in your direction. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A few kind words will have an impact on your relationship with a friend, relative or lover. If you make a promise, be sure to follow through. Refuse to let someone meddle in your business. Romance will enhance your life. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Improving your living space will motivate you to invest in comfort and peace of mind. Make adjustments that ease stress and encourage stability. How you live and handle your financial affairs will be instrumental to your emotional well-being. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Share your intentions and feelings with someone special. The outcome will help ease your mind. Don’t let uncertainty prevail. Be bold, direct and determined to get the answers you need to move forward. A romantic gesture is encouraged. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): When opportunity knocks, open the door. Don’t miss out on something because you are afraid of change or hanging on to the past. Share your thoughts, and make a smart move. Don’t take a risk with your health or money. Birthday Baby: You are unpredictable, trendy and opportunistic. You are passionate and fun-loving.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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SPORTS

Volleyball Continued from page 12

The Cardinals (0-1, 0-1 ACC) started strong, jumping out to a 7-2 lead behind five straight points in the first set. They reached an 11-5 advantage and forced Notre Dame (1-0, 1-0 ACC) to take a timeout. The Irish played catch-up throughout the set, cutting the deficit to two with a 22-20 score. Four consecutive points put them on the verge of victor y, up 25-24, and they ended up winning 27-25. The Irish were propelled to victor y by winning nine of the last 12 points of the set. The visitors kept up the momentum going into the second set, and the beginning was the inverse of the previous set, as Louisville was chasing Notre Dame for much of the set. Monson hit three straight aces to propel her team to a 9-2 lead, and the Irish stayed consistent by pushing the score to 16-8. The Cardinals went on a run of their own after a timeout, cutting their deficit to two, with the score at 1816. The teams traded pairs of wins, and Niego hit two straight kills to put her team up 23-19. A Mueth kill sealed the victor y for Notre Dame,

ndsmcobserver.com | Monday, September 28, 2020 | The Observer

25-22. The third frame was also a back-and-forth affair; the home team jumped to a 4-1 lead, but Notre Dame responded with a 7-1 run and was up 9-5. The Irish won four straight, but the Cardinals claimed 10 of the next 11 points and took a 16-15 lead. After an 18-18 lockup, both teams scored three consecutive points to even the score once again at 21. Tied again at 24-24, the Irish were able to string together back-toback kills from the freshmen Miller and Hamilton to complete the sweep, 26-24. Both teams had a sloppy set; the Irish committed 10 errors, and the Cardinals had nine. The stats sheet showed an even matchup, with Louisville and Notre Dame achieving similar numbers of points (53-56), kills (4441), blocks (7-8), assists (4138), and digs (50-45). The teams were due for a second matchup on Saturday, but Friday night the team announced that the second match had been postponed due to “COV ID-19 issues.” The Irish are scheduled for two home games against Syracuse this weekend. Friday’s game starts at 7 p.m., and Saturday’s is set for 6 p.m. Both will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.

Sports Authority

Ranking the best 8 sports talk show hosts Liam Coolican Sports Writer

It’s almost a rite of passage for Observer sportswriters to write a Sports Authority ranking something or other, so I’ve decided to give it a shot. I often spend my mornings watching sports talk shows, so I’ve compiled a definitive ranking of sports television talk show hosts. As an added bonus, writing this column gave me a great excuse to procrastinate my actual work and watch clips of these shows. For the purposes of this exercise, I haven’t included radio hosts because there are simply far too many to rank.

8. Skip Bayless, “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed” To no one’s surprise, Skip Bayless finds himself at the bottom of this list. His opinions routinely make me question whether he has ever watched the sport he is discussing (*ahem* LeBron James.) He’s had a lot of bad takes (including when he tweeted in 2016 that field goal kicks should be eliminated), but his comments on Dak Prescott earlier this month were horrendous. He said that he thought Prescott’s public admission of depression was a sign of weakness, because he is an NFL quarterback. As if Skip’s routinely ridiculous comments weren’t enough, he’s also an insufferable Cowboys fan. I actually enjoy “Undisputed,” but that doesn’t save Skip from the bottom of these rankings.

7. Colin Cowherd, “The Herd”

EMMA FARNAN | The Observer

Former Irish libero Madison Cruzado bumps the ball during Notre Dame’s 3-1 victory over Syracuse on Nov. 17 at Purcell Pavilion.

“The Herd” is much better suited for radio than for TV. For one, the show almost entirely revolves around Cowherd himself, with little back and forth between co-hosts and guests. The banter that makes shows like “First Take,” “Undisputed” and “Pardon the Interruption” so great is missing. Cowherd routinely makes “hot takes,” which are often entertaining simply because of how ridiculous they are. Last week, he somehow ranked both Carson Wentz and Derek Carr ahead of Drew Brees, which is one of the worst takes I’ve heard in a long time. He’s clearly a knowledgeable commentator, but his show leaves a lot to be desired in terms of a dynamic quality and gets boring quickly—and it’s three hours long.

6. Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Lee Corso, Rece Davis and others, “College GameDay” “College GameDay” is a great way to start your day on a fall Saturday. It’s the best place to get all the college football information for the week. Seeing the hilarious signs fans make is always a treat. However, people don’t tune in to “College GameDay” for the hosts. Despite working together for more than five years now, the hosts don’t have the same chemistry that many of the others on this list do. They travel to a new game every week, and often cater to the local audience. If you aren’t a fan of either team, you’re out of luck. The main highlight, Corso’s headgear pick, where he dons a mask, helmet or other object of the team he picks to win, is quite frankly, an old shtick. Now, I’m not saying I dislike “GameDay,” and the show’s main draw, unlike others on this list, is not the hosts. But the hosts don’t make this show.

5. Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, “Pardon the Interruption” If you’re looking for a great way to catch up on the previous day’s sports news without too much perseverating, check out “Pardon the Interruption.” This is one of my favorite shows because it analyzes the entire spectrum of sports news in just 30 minutes. Wilbon and Kornheiser are the perfect hosts for the program. They don’t discuss topics to death like most of the other hosts on this list. It’s short and to the point, but still provides insightful analysis, and it’s clear the hosts have a great chemistry. The show has been airing for nearly 20 years, an indication of how well-liked it is.

4. Shannon Sharpe, “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed” “Undisputed” is a great show because of the energy it has, and Shannon Sharpe is a big reason why. As a former NFL tight end, he brings the knowledge of a former player, and he often performs stunts on air, such as Friday when he walked in to the studio with a goat mask on, to tease Skip about LeBron James. He knows how to put Skip in his place, which is always a sight to behold, and their styles contrast perfectly. Even without Skip, however, Sharpe is a fantastic host in his own right. He’s funny, knowledgeable, opinionated and very entertaining.

3. Max Kellerman, “First Take” Max Kellerman may not be as loud and outgoing as his cohost, Stephen A. Smith, but he demonstrates his intelligence in a way few others do. Kellerman always backs up his assertions with facts, and perfectly matches Smith’s loud, semi-obnoxious style with his own measured demeanor. He’s had his share of hot takes, especially in the NBA realm, but overall, his opinions are usually very good. He’s also not afraid to tackle social justice issues, as shown in last week’s episode when he discussed the protests going on around the country, and he should be applauded for that.

2. Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Ernie Johnson, “Inside the NBA” “Inside the NBA” might be the best sports show on television. It brilliantly combines insightful analysis and slapstick comedy, but it can also handle serious issues. The hosts routinely have hilarious antics, such as when O’Neal and Barkley were wrestling on the floor of the studio, but it can also promote racial justice when Smith walked off the set in solidarity with athletes protesting. The hosts have a brilliant dynamic, such as the constant roasting of Barkley, and also provide the audience with everything they need to know about that night’s NBA games. Simply put, a must-watch.

1. Stephen A. Smith, “First Take” Stephen A. Smith is everything a talk-show host should be. Funny, loud, self-assured of his opinions and very insightful. His analysis is always spot on, and he brings a sense of humour to his work, too. He frequently makes bold takes, but more often than not, they turn out to be right. He knows when to sit back and let his co-hosts talk, and when it is time to simply yell over them. He also engages with guests in a way few others do, producing some iconic “First Take” segments, from Lavar Ball to Mark Cuban and many people in between. Smith does have a bit of an inflammatory style, but it’s impossible to turn away. 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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Sports

The observer | Monday, September 28, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Adams Continued from page 12

receiver Seth Williams was doing stud wide receiver things as he hung six receptions, 112 yards and two scores on the Wildcats. It was kind of reminiscent of the way Chase Claypool embarrassed secondaries for the Irish last season (and, to a lesser extent, the way Miles Boykin and Equanimeous St. Brown did in years prior). Through two games this season, it has become pretty evident to most Notre Dame fans that the Irish are feeling the loss of Claypool in the passing game. The receivers have combined for 11 catches, 110 yards and one touchdown so far this year. The tight ends have 13 catches for 151 through the air and the running backs have eight receptions for 150. That’s a problem… sort of. On the bright side, they’ve shown that they have a decent amount of flexibility in the pass game, and they’re doing it without any contributions from injured graduate student Ben Skowronek and junior Kevin Austin Jr. at the receiver spot. Plus, Tommy Tremble has been a jack of all trades, and I’ve even heard him called the tight end version of Chase Claypool. He’s not far off from being (and might already be) a DUDE on this Irish roster. That’s not a bad thing for Tight End U to have in the arsenal, so ND fans should count themselves fortunate

(because Kentucky certainly doesn’t have a guy like that anymore). However, Tremble could still use some help, which leads to the next insight…

2. Recruiting is pretty ___ important (fill in the blank) Watching Kentucky’s secondary get torched by Williams opened my eyes to the way in which you get dudes like that: recruiting. “Geez, Hayden, who’d a thunk that recruiting’s the way to get ballers,” you may be sarcastically asking me. Well, call me an optimist and apologist for player development coaches. I especially have some sympathy for Notre Dame given the balance they have to strike between kids who are great players, but are also well-adjusted young men. That said, you gotta go down and get some guys that can play. The problem though, even though I know I shouldn’t, is falling victim to the graduate transfer hype train. It’s that Joe Burrow syndrome. I get blinded by the possibilities of a player without thinking about why he’s transferring. Kentucky has an LSU transfer at cornerback: the very braggadocious (check his twitter @bossmanfat1) Kelvin Joseph, who was beat on one of Williams’ touchdowns. LSU may be Defensive Back U, but there’s clearly a reason Joseph is now at Kentucky; that’s a reality check for me — and I hope for many others as well. For Notre Dame, seeing

connery mcfadden | The Observer

Former Irish wide receiver Chase Claypool tries to break a tackle during Notre Dame’s 30-27 victory against USC on Oct. 12 at home.

“former Ohio State safety” next to Isaiah Pryor’s name probably had a lot of people intrigued, but the fact he is now a third-string safety/rover at ND speaks volumes. The same holds for Northwestern transfer Skowronek and even NC State transfer cornerback Nick McCloud. Best case scenario, guys like that should shore up depth at a program of Notre Dame’s stature, not be relied upon to turn a team into a title-contender. With regard to Skowronek and the receivers specifically, it’s evident that graduate student quarterback Ian Book has trouble connecting with his pass catchers, and even more than he would if any were in the same vicinity of athleticism and range as Claypool. The way to solve that issue would have been to stock the roster with game-changing receivers over the last few years, which is why the Irish HAVE to land at least two of Jayden Thomas, Dont’e Thornton and Deion Colzie this recruiting class, and ideally all three. But for the time being the Irish are getting by, and they’ve managed to find something they didn’t have when leaning on Mapletron last season: a legitimate ground attack. And to bookend this (pun intended) with some Ian Book discussion…

3. Guys are who they are, and there’s no way around it Unless his name is Trevor Lawrence or (I anticipate) Justin Fields, no quarterback is going to look very impressive against half-decent defensive competition to start this season (yes, K.J. Costello broke the SEC passing record, but it was against a historically depleted team and he still threw two picks). Some may perform adequately or even admirably, but keep in mind how rusty some defenses are (and some nonexistent; *cough* Louisville *cough*). Fields and Lawrence are clearly the only generational talents in college football this year, so you might want to cut the rest of the QBs throughout college football some slack. Oklahoma redshirt freshman Spencer Rattler completed 14 of 17 passes for 290 yards and four scores in his season opener. This Saturday, he went 30 of 41 for 387 and another four scores but added three interceptions in a loss. The opponents were Missouri State and Kansas State, respectively. (Side note: Kansas State lost to Arkansas State two weeks prior, so make of that what you will). The same principle is true for experienced guys who had high expectations this season. Sam Howell of North Carolina and Louisville’s Micale (or Malik? I can’t keep track) Cunningham have thrown interceptions in every game this year. Howell had

erin fennessy | The Observer

Irish graduate student quarterback Ian Book lets loose a pass during Notre Dame’s 40-7 senior day win over Boston College on Nov. 23.

two against Syracuse and Cunningham has five through three games, with three picks coming in his most recent game against Pitt. By the way, God bless Cunningham after he was taken off on a stretcher against Pitt. The point is, while Ian Book has been infuriating as hell given the expectations of a fifth-year senior and thirdyear starter under center, at least some of those expectations were unrealistic. I don’t mean to disparage him, but Book is clearly not an elite quarterback, and that should have been made apparent to us last season. He’s been described as a “manager” in each of the first two games this year and that moniker is apt. Joe Burrow was an exception, because you can tell that who he was in 2019 is who he has been for a long time. He’s always had that edge, but it took a change of environment, getting healthy and the LSU staff opening up a historically anemic offense to put what he could do on full display. Having playmakers around him helps, but his poise and precision were evident. Book, on the other hand, is who he is: a guy with underrated athleticism who clearly can’t single-handedly win games of consequence for the Irish. That’s an unreasonable expectation with which to shoulder a 6-foot-nothing former 3-star recruit who was previously committed to Washington State. It’s the same way it was unreasonable to expect a big

leap this year from a junior college quarterback who had been carried by his defense, special teams and running game for 13 contests in 2018 then tore his patellar tendon after two games last season (talking about Terry Wilson, Kentucky’s quarterback; it always comes back to Kentucky). So with all of that said, I hope that we as collective appreciators of college football can recognize that, despite how abnormal this season is, these are some truths that are pretty much eternal in this game. Although, when we do take 2020 for the chaotic year that it is, I would hope that the Notre Dame loyal in particular would temper their usual craziness. But who am I kidding? It wouldn’t be college football without outrageous expectations and massive overreactions to every minute detail. It wouldn’t be college football if Kentucky didn’t perpetually disappoint with the most frustrating and heart aching moments. So please try and take everything I just said for what it’s worth, and know that I appreciate all of you all the same for the way you make college football what it is. Yes, even you, Kirk Herbstreit and Paul Finebaum. Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Sports

ndsmcobserver.com | Monday, September 28, 2020 | The ObserveR

Sports Authority

NFL Week 3 roundup: Colts, 49ers win big Thomas A. Zwiller Sports Writer

Weeks 1-2 picks record: 23-9 (.718) Week 3 picks record: 8-5-1 (.642)

Dolphins 31, Jaguars 13 Dolphins: Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick turned into Fitzmagic, posting a QBR of 97 as well as 160 yards and two TDs. Miami’s defense also showed up to play, picking off Minshew and forcing a fumble. Jaguars: QB Gardner Minshew didn’t play well, taking four sacks for 30 yards, throwing an interception and no TDs. He and the Jaguars defense, which allowed 294 yards, will have to be better next time.

Panthers 21, Chargers 16 Panthers: The Panthers played a solid game, with Teddy Bridgewater passing for 235 yards and a TD in the absence of running back Christian McCaffrey. The big boost came from the defense, forcing four fumbles and recovering three, as well as picking off Herbert once. The win is Matt Rhule’s first in the NFL. Chargers: Justin Herbert had a solid passing game for a rookie, passing for 330 yards and a TD, along with an INT. The rushing game didn’t offer much help, and the three fumbles really ended the Chargers’ hope of winning this game.

Bears 30, Falcons 26 Bears: Nick Foles looks to be the QB for the Bears moving forward; he was subbed for Mitch Trubisky in the third quarter, posting three touchdowns and 188 yards. Falcons: The Falcons looked great in the first three quarters — exactly why I picked them over the Bears. The last quarter proved to be their downfall when the offense and defense fell flat.

Bills 35, Rams 32 Bills: Josh Allen and his receiving corps were the stars of the show, scoring four TDs and 311 yards, spread across seven different WRs. That and a solid defensive performance — getting a pick and a fumble — led them to the win. Rams: The Rams fell behind 3-28 at one point, before rattling off 29 straight unanswered points to get back in the game. They fell short, allowing the Bills to march down the field and score in the remaining seconds, largely thanks to an untimely pass interference call.

Browns 34, Washington 20 Browns: Baker Mayfield throwing for 156 yards and two TDs — alongside a great outing by Nick Chubb for 108 yards and two touchdowns — was good enough to put up 34 points. That, combined with a defense that forced three interceptions and two fumbles, was enough for the Browns to get a good W. Washington: Dwayne Haskins took a step back and lobbed up three interceptions in the loss as well as a fumble. That plus a poor defensive performance that allowed Cleveland 300 yards wasn’t good enough for a W.

Titans 31, Vikings 30 Titans: Stephen Gostkowski — yes, the Titans kicker — was the star of the show, kicking six for six on field goals and accounting for 19 of the Titans’ 31 points. Vikings: Kirk Cousins played a lot better, but still threw two costly interceptions. The team falls to 0-3 with lots of questions heading into Week 4.

Patriots 36, Raiders 20 Patriots: Cam Newton took a big step back when compared to the first two games. He threw only one TD and one INT and only rushed for 27 yards. Sony Michel rushed for 117 yards and Rex Burkhead got 2 TDs. Thanks to the Pats defense and rushing game, they got the win. Raiders: Derek Carr played really well; he had a QBR of 120, 261 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Josh Jacobs didn’t play as well as he had in the last two games, with only 71 yards. What killed the Raiders were fumbles, two by Carr and one by Jacobs.

49ers 36, Giants 9 49ers: Nick Mullens played a solid game despite only throwing for one touchdown. The 49ers running game compensated with 100 yards and three TDs in a solid game. The defense played great, forcing two fumbles and snagging an interception. Giants: The Giants really struggled to move the ball. Saquon Barkley will really be missed this year, and his absence leaves the Giants offense with lots of questions.

Bengals 23, Eagles 23 Bengals: Joe Burrow played a solid game, throwing for 312 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The defense stepped up, picking off Carson Wentz. It may not have been a win, but it was an improvement for the Bengals. Eagles: Carson Wentz has

continued his poor performance this season, being outplayed by rookie Joe Burrow, only putting up 225 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The Eagles head back to the drawing board with more questions than answers.

Jets: Sam Darnold played exceptionally terrible, throwing three interceptions to the Colts defense — two of which were run back as pick-sixes. The Jets need to do something and fast. This seems to be the team most likely to go 0-16.

Steelers 28, Texans 21 Buccaneers 28, Broncos 10

Steelers: A solid rushing performance of 169 yards out of the Steelers’ run game helped them to control the clock and dominate TOP, which was really the difference. Big Ben put up 237 yards and 2 TDs to lead the Steelers to 3-0. Texans: The Texans really struggled to sustain drives with first downs, only getting 13 to the Steelers’ 25. Their time of possession was at 23:09, and the Steelers had over 36 minutes with the ball. Just not enough time to match a solid Steelers team.

Buccaneers: Tom Brady really found his footing in the Tampa Bay system, throwing for just under 300 yards and three TDs. The defense picked off backup QBs Jeff Driskel and Brett Rypien once each. Broncos: The Broncos were unable to get anything going on offense. Neither backup QB played well, combining for one touchdown, two picks and only 184 yards. There was no support from the running game or the defense, and the Broncos fall to 0-3.

Colts 36, Jets 7

Lions 26, Cardinals 23

Colts: The Colts defense picked up where it left off against Minnesota, picking off Darnold three times, hitting him seven times and sacking him twice. Philip Rivers became the sixth QB with 400+ TDs in NFL history with a touchdown in the game against the Jets.

Lions: Matthew Stafford threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns. The big story was the defense coming up with three picks, setting up the Lions with good field position. Kicker Matt Prater capitalized on the good field position, going 4/4 on field goals, and 2/2 on extra points. Paid Advertisement

Cardinals: Kyler Murray took a big step back from the progress he had made in Games 1 and 2. He threw three interceptions, allowing Detroit to win the battle of TOP.

Seahawks 38, Cowboys 31 Seahawks: Future MVP of the season Russell Wilson threw for 315 yards and five touchdowns. He took four sacks for 20 yards, but otherwise played a perfect game. The defense seems problematic as they have now allowed an average of 29 points per game, but as of right now, the Seahawks should be the frontrunners of the NFC West. Cowboys: Dak Prescott, while putting up good yardage numbers (472), threw three touchdowns and two interceptions as well as a fumble. The run game didn’t offer help, with Ezekiel Elliott only rushing for 34 yards. The defense looked like it was made of Swiss cheese, allowing 38 points. Contact Thomas A. Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

The observer | Monday, September 28, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

nd men’s soccer | pitt 3, nd 1

No. 5 Notre Dame falls to No. 4 Pittsburgh Observer Staff Report

The No. 5 Notre Dame men’s soccer team competed against the No. 4 Pitt Panthers on Saturday at Alumni Stadium. This was the team’s last nonconference game before starting ACC play. The Panthers are in the ACC, but this game did not count for conference standings. The Irish lost the game 3-1, bringing their record to 1-1. Pitt came out of the gate ready to play. The first goal was scored by Alexander Dexter in the 11th minute, to put the Panthers up 0-1. A great deal of the pressure applied by the Panthers was felt by Irish senior goalkeeper Keagan McLaughlin. Pitt had six shots and three corners in the first half alone. Despite the powerful Pitt offense, the Irish were able to level the score before the end of the first half. Sophomore midfielder Michael Pellegrino netted one for the Irish in the 32nd minute, a big momentum shifter heading into the second half. The assist came from senior midfielder Aiden McFadden off a corner, the second Irish

goal from a corner in as many games. Pellegrino’s goal was the second of the season for the Irish and the second of his career. Things did not quite go Notre Dame’s way in the second half. In the 55th minute, a Panther cross bounced around in the Irish box and deflected off of two defenders before going into the goal. With this own goal, the score was now 2-1 in Pitt’s favor. The Irish got two shots off in the next 15 minutes, but they were unable to convert. The Irish trailed by one until the 73rd minute, when Pitt’s Bertin Jacquesson converted for the Panthers’ third goal of the game. This was the nail in the coffin for the Irish. After this point, the Irish struggled to show offensive force. The referee handed out a pair of yellow cards late, in the 82nd minute. Irish junior midfielder Mohamed Omar was the recipient of one of the yellow cards on Notre Dame’s side, and Filip Mirkovic was the Panther receiving the card. Of notable regard was that the visiting Panthers team only

played with one substitute and, they only subbed him on in the 89th minute. This game was much needed test for the Irish before heading into the main part of the

Irish senior midfielder Aiden McFadden leaps to try to head the ball during Notre Dame’s 4-2 win over Seattle on Sept. 6, 2019, at Alumni Stadium. McFadden got an assist off a corner kick in Saturday’s win.

COLUMN

Irish open season with road sweep of Cardinals Observer Staff Report

see VOLLEYBALL PAGE 9

first away game of the season. Kickoff against the Cardinals is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Irish will face the Panthers again on Oct. 30, this time in conference play.

Observer File Photo

nd volleyball | nd 3, louisville 0

The Notre Dame volleyball team opened their season with a sweep in three sets of the Louisville Cardinals on Friday afternoon at L&N Federal Credit Union Arena. The match scheduled for Saturday was postponed due to COV ID-19 concerns. Junior outside hitter Charley Niego and sophomore outside hitter Caroline Meuth were a strong presence at the net, leading the Irish offense with 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Freshman libero Hattie Monson marked Irish debut with a team-best 20 digs and three aces. Freshmen outside hitter Aubrey Hamilton and middle blocker Lindsey Miller also posted strong numbers in their first collegiate games; Hamilton had eight kills, and Miller had a .385 hitting percentage while adding seven kills.

season, shortened this year to just six conference games. The Notre Dame men will be traveling to Kentucky to face off against Louisville on Friday. This will be the team’s

Takeaways for ND following week off Hayden Adams Sports Editor

emma farnan | The Observer

Irish junior setter Zoe Nunez sets the ball during a 3-1 Notre Dame victory over Syracuse at Purcell Pavilion on Nov. 17.

I’ve said it a million and one times, but I am from Lexington, Ky., and as such I have a rooting interest in University of Kentucky athletics. The Southeastern Conference kicked off their football season this past Saturday with a full slate of games that included FloridaOle Miss, LSU-Mississippi State, Georgia-Arkansas and Auburn-Kentucky. That last matchup was the only contest between two ranked teams, and it seemed to be an intriguing one where the teams would be pitting strengths against weaknesses on both sides of the ball. Fast forward through three UK turnovers, two embarrassingly sick touchdowns by Tigers junior receiver Seth Williams and one of the worst nonoverturns on a replay review for a touchdown that I have ever seen, and the Wildcats were limping out of the Plains

with a 29-13 loss. I’m gonna be honest. It still hurts. I freely acknowledge my expectations were overblown, but what did I have to lose? It was such a long summer not knowing what was going to happen with college sports. So, I let my imagination run wild, talked a lot of trash to other Observer sports writers and thought Kentucky would win. I was let down. C’est la vie. However, while it was a very disappointing showing, both the Kentucky game and this weekend of college football in general have enlightened me. It’s provided me with some insight that I think is beneficial for myself and other college football fans — but especially Notre Dame fans — to consider. So let’s get to it.

1. It is a real luxury — and a necessity going forward — to have a DUDE catching passes As I alluded to, stud wide see ADAMS PAGE 10