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Volume 56, Issue 4 | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Student government leaders set agenda Njomo, Bisner, Basden discuss goals for academic year, look onward to campus improvements By ISABELLA VOLMERT Assistant Managing Editor

Student government is the name and “onward” is the game this year for student body president A llan Njomo, v ice president Matthew Bisner and chief of staff A lix Basden. The administration started its term in the spring semester of 2021 and now, as the new semester starts, plans to focus on bringing back Notre Dame’s traditions and culture to the student body in addition to spearheading initiatives related to affordabilit y, ethical investing, sustainabilit y and more.

“I think we are falling back on the idea of mov ing onward,” Njomo, a Stanford Hall resident and business analy tics major said. “[We’re] tr y ing our best to frame how we approach events and policy initiatives as our way of mov ing forward to as much normal as we can move for ward to.” Over the summer, the three leaders were part of the Student Adv isor y Group on Campus Reopening and worked w ith Rev. Gerard Olinger to communicate the needs of students as the pandemic continues into a fourth academic semester. see GOVERNMENT PAGE 4

Notre Dame redesigns graduate program

Courtesy of Kim Merz-Bogold

A student participates in a Capstone Field Research project through the Eck Institute and College of Science’s MSGH program. By RYAN PETERS Associate News Editor

Notre Dame is expanding its one-year Master of Science in Global Health (MSGH) program to two years in an effort to prov ide students w ith more f lex ibilit y to take a w ider breadth of courses and have a broader experience in global health, according to director of the Eck Institute for Global Health

News PAGE 3

Dr. Bernard Nahlen. The Eck Institute, Keough School of Global A ffairs and College of Science collaborated to revamp the MSGH program, which is on hiatus this year, follow ing a rev iew from a team of external consultants that began in Jan. 2020. The program w ill begin accepting applications for the first class on Aug. 30. see GRADUATE PAGE 4

M SOCCerPAGE 12

Isabella Volmert | The Observer

Notre Dame student body president Allan Njomo, vice president Matthew Bisner and chief of staff Alix Basden pose for a group picture at the begining of the academic year.

NDPD reports armed robbery Saturday Observer Staff Report

The Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) and the Office of Campus Safety sent out emails to the University community reporting an armed robbery of a Notre Dame student south of campus near the intersection of Notre Dame Ave. and Sorin St. early Saturday morning. NDPD reported no one

was physically injured in the incident. Authorities said the suspects were described “as two African American men with dark complexion, dressed in all dark clothing.” One of the suspects was reportedly around 6’2” tall, skinny and approximately 20 to 30 years old. He had a semi-automatic pistol with a red laser, according to information given to NDPD. The

second suspect was reportedly 5’8” or 5’9” tall, with “slender build and shoulderlength dreadlocks,” per the emails. In its email, NDPD said it has been in contact with the South Bend Police Department (SBPD) in regards to the incident. They urged anyone with any information to contact SBPD at 574-235-9263.

Campus Dining resumes pre-pandemic operations By BELLA LAUFENBERG News Writer

Within the Notre Dame community, a high vaccination rate has allowed everything from dorm life to football games to seemingly go back to normal. One change that is especially noticeable is the dining halls. North and South Dining Halls now offer in-person communal dining with self-serve buffets and increased meal options.

Scene PAGE 5

Senior Director of Campus Dining Luigi Alberganti said he is excited about being able to offer students a more normal dining experience this school year. “Being back to normal allows people to select their choice of meal from quantities to dressings to the way you make your salad, which I think is exciting,” Alberganti said. Alberganti said hours for the dining halls and Grab and Go stations will stay steady

throughout the year, but that they are looking into increased offerings for Grab and Go. He said they are currently planning on providing more fresh options, such as sandwiches and the Farmer’s Fridge salads already being offered at the Huddle. The dining halls will continue to be open for sit-down meals, Alberganti said, in order

volleyball PAGE12

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see DINING PAGE 3

TODAY

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Students enjoyed the first week back on campus with minimal COVID-19 restrictions. Despite the warm temperatures, many spent time outside. After the rain this weekend, campus is expected to cool down and be in the high 70s and low 80s this week.

The next Five days:

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Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

SMC Activities Fair Library Green 5pm-7pm Join and meet student clubs and organizers.

HCC Activities Fair Pfeil Center 3:30pm-5:30pm Join and meet student clubs and organizers.

Talk on Sept. 11: Cause & Effect 1030 Nanovic Hall 12:30pm- 1:30pm All are welcome.

Schitt’s Creek Trivia Night Legends 8pm-10pm Test your knowledge on Schitt’s Creek.

Daily Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 11:30am & 5:15pm All are welcome to attend.

ND Activities Night Stadium Concourse 7pm-10pm Join and meet student clubs and organizers.

Jim Dine Exhibition Snite Museum of Art All day View a collection of 238 prints by Jim Dine.

The Healthy City after COVID- 19 Virtual 5:15pm-6:30pm Lecture by Gabriele Tagliaventi.

Best of LaFortune LaFortune Student Center 9pm-11pm Get to know everything LaFortune has to offer.

Live Band Karaoke Legends 8pm-12pm Perform karaoke with a live band.

News

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Retired university College of Science Dean appointed astrophysics professor dies Observer Staff Report

Notre Dame appointed Santiago Schnell as the dean of the College of Science, the University announced this summer. Schnell will begin his new position on September 1. The College of Science encompasses six departments, with over 375 faculty and staff members, 480 graduate students and 2,000 undergraduate students. Schnell, who was previously the chair of the department of molecular and integrative physiology at the University of Michigan Medical School, will also hold a tenured appointment as a professor in the department of biological sciences. While at Michigan, Schnell led his department in increasing its operating revenue, investments and endowment. Schnell received a bachelor of science in biology from the

Dining Continued from page 1

to boost community after a year of isolation. Alberganti also explained that the dining halls need to operate in this style of dining because it generates less waste. “We created a lot of waste with the to-go containers,” he said. “This is something we want to make sure that we make up by reusing as much as possible right now.” Alberganti said that student feedback to the changes this year has been overwhelmingly positive. “The feedback that I’ve received about the dining halls warms my heart,” he said. “[Bringing back normalcy] is something I really, really wanted to do, and we’re going to fight as hard as we can just to protect that.” Among that feedback is sophomore Bridget Fuller, who said she is happy about the increased options. “[These options] are a lot better, especially because I’m pescatarian, so it’s a lot easier to find stuff,” Fuller said. “It’s just less of a hassle.” Along with the dining halls, there are new changes in the retail offerings on campus, including the Noodle Nook in LaFortune Student Center and a new Chickfil-A location in Duncan Student Center beginning in the spring 2022 semester. Sandra Garcia, Campus Dining’s new director of retail, said she shares students’ excitement for both new locations, but especially the Chick-fil-A because of the increased revenue it will create. “[Chick-fil-A] will help us fund more scholarships and return more to the University, as all of our profits are unrestricted dollars to the university,” Garcia explained.

Universidad Simón Bolívar in Venezuela as well as a doctorate in mathematical biology from the University of Oxford. In the press release, Schnell said he felt privileged to serve as dean. “I look forward to working alongside an impressive group of faculty members and staff as we answer cutting-edge scientific questions, while educating the future scientific leaders who also seek to contribute to human flourishing,” Schnell said. University President Fr. John Jenkins praised Schnell as an exceptional addition to the Notre Dame community. “Santiago [Schnell] is an internationally recognized expert in theoretical and mathematical biology, an accomplished academic leader and someone who is attracted by Notre Dame’s distinctive Catholic mission,” Jenkins said.

Alberganti echoed Garcia’s sentiments, explaining that deciding to bring Chick-fil-A to campus was not an easy decision. “The talks with Chick-fil-A have been pretty long conversations,” Alberganti said. “It was a decision that wasn’t taken lightly for sure. There was a lot of conversations in there, but the University only made it official the day that the contract was signed.” As Campus Dining experiences employee shortages in the midst of hiring more staff, many retail chains on campus are operating under decreased hours. “We have made a lot of changes to hours of operation [for retail locations], in terms of limiting those, but we are actively and creatively recruiting, and as we bring additional staff members on, we will extend hours,” Garcia said. Garcia said that Campus Dining is now offering a higher starting wage, especially for skilled employees, and more job perks to new employees, also emphasizing a great workplace culture. She mentioned that Campus Dining is focusing on community partnerships to foster new employees as well. Garcia said she also played a part in recruiting food truck options outside of the student centers to increase student dining options even further and supplement shortened retail hours. “I have been involved very heavily with the food trucks,” Garcia said. “Most of the feedback we’ve gotten is positive — people like the food and they like having additional options. Obviously, the food trucks themselves are excited to be on campus and be able to serve our community. And so, it seems like a win-win.” Contact Isabella Volmert at ivolmert@nd.edu

Observer Staff Report

Terrence Retting, a retired astrophysics professor for Notre Dame, died Sunday, August 22, according to Notre Dame News. An Indiana University alumnus, Retting earned a degree in astrophysics before beginning his work at the University in 1983, becoming a full professor in the physics department by 2001. Peter Garnavich, physics department chair, views Retting as a key founder of Notre Dame’s astronomy program. While teaching students and moving up the tenure track, Retting also helped create the longest-running

Research Experience for Undergraduates physics programs in the country. “He played a leading role in operations for Notre Dame’s two telescopes, the Sarah L. Krizmanich Telescope in the Jordan Hall of Science Observatory and the Napoleon Telescope in Nieuwland Science Hall,” Garnavich said. Also located in Jordan Hall, Retting assisted in planning the Digital Visualization Theater, which provides professors the opportunity to teach under a 50-foot-diameter dome featuring some of the most advanced projection technology often used to display high-resolution images.

Apart from his personal career accomplishments, fellow physics professors remember Retting as a friendly, calm colleague and a dedicated researcher. He studied the collapse of proto-planetary disks and several unique conditions under which planets form. In 2000, the International Astronomical Union named an asteroid “Retting” in honor of his contributions to the field of astrophysics. He is survived not only by his lasting research but also by his wife, Shari, three stepchildren, five grandchildren, three sisters, two brothers, his stepmother, an aunt and uncle and his nieces and nephews.

NEWS

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Government Continued from page 1

Njomo sa id a priorit y for t he administration t his yea r is t he hea lt h of students but a lso a return to t he traditions held at Notre Da me t hat were not possible to hold last academic yea r. “I t hink somet hing t hat is f unda menta l we’ve beg un to lea rn is t hat we have t wo classes of students who don’t f ully k now what Notre Da me has a lways been about: what some of our traditions a re, some of t he events t hat a re key pa rts of t he Notre Da me experience a re,” Njomo sa id. Student government’s Student Union Boa rd has hosted a number of events to k ick of f t he school yea r including t he Bounce Back Bash a nd Flick on t he Field. Now t hat t he semester is in f ull sw ing, t he administration is look ing to adva nce its ca mpa ign goa ls into t he 2021-2022 school yea r. “A big pa rt of our platform was ‘Be Bold,’” Njomo sa id. “So we wa nt to continue to do t hat as we hit t he ground r unning.” Coming into t his semester, Njomo sa id a policy from t heir ca mpa ign t he administration is focusing on is a f fordabilit y. “How ca n we ensure t hat students, especia lly students from low-income

Graduate Continued from page 1

Nahlen said the consultants’ recommendation to extend the program to two years was met w ith a lot of support from facult y. “A lot of the facult y also thought that was a great idea because they were more interested about taking a student under their w ing and working w ith them for two years, rather than just a one-year intense period,” he said. The consultants drew on their ow n experience from other universities’ in addition to conducting a rev iew of other programs across the countr y to better understand how Notre Dame can leverage its ow n resources to create an interdisciplinar y program that can stand out from other programs. “Global Health is a big tent so it involves a whole variet y of things and we tr y to work w ith students and based on their real interests,” Nahlen said. A student participates in a Capstone Field Research project through the Eck Institute and College of Science’s MSGH program The three areas of concentration in the new MSGH program are vector biolog y/parasitolog y,

backgrounds, have access to textbooks, summer classes [a nd] tutoring? ” Njomo sa id. Njomo sa id conversations have been initiated w it h t he Of f ice of t he Provost, Universit y Relations a nd t he Of f ice of Student Enrichment a mong ot hers to discuss how t he Universit y ca n ca re for students in ta ngible ways. “I t hink t hat’s ver y much shaped by our identit y as low-income students,” Bisner, a politica l science a nd peace studies major liv ing in Baumer Ha ll, expla ined. The administration was excited to see t he Of f ice of t he Provost begin its tra nsformative leaders progra m last week, Bisner added. The progra m seeks to bring QuestBridge students toget her “to see what needs a re still in t he communit y.” Some of t hese conversations have included potentia lly introducing OpenSta x, a n a f fordable textbook prov ider, to ca mpus. “I t hink a not her ra lly ing point of t his semester is student voices,” Bisner sa id in rega rds to policy decisions w it hin t he classroom, residentia l life a nd ot hers. Njomo sa id t hat one way t he t hree have t hought about t heir goa l in ma k ing policy decisions is t hrough t he metaphor of a pot luck:

ta k ing t he students’ voices, ideas a nd opinions a nd enjoy ing t hem a ll. “Democratizing t hrough pot luck,” Bisner joked. Bisner sa id t he administration has a lso initiated conversations w it h t he Universit y’s administration a nd t he Mission Engagement a nd Church A f fa irs of f ice about where t he Universit y should be investing its money. Chief of sta f f Basden, a n internationa l economics major w it h a concentration in French liv ing in Howa rd Ha ll, added t hat t he administration, in light of t heir commitment to susta inabilit y, was delighted to see t his yea r’s Notre Da me For um devoted to t he topic. “Our director of susta inabilit y w it hin t he executive cabinet is work ing rea lly closely w it h t he folks over at t he for um to give student perspective about what t hat could look like a nd what action items could come from t he for um,” Basden sa id. The Off ice of Sustainabilit y has a lso initiated a pa rtnership w it h t he Student Activ ities Of f ice to host more events t hat a re “green approved” on ca mpus. Additiona lly, t he NjomoBisner administration is overseeing a continua l restr ucturing of ca mpus government, t he pla nning of a

la rge Pride event in t he fa ll, t he establishment of a n interfa it h council as well as ef forts to increase sex ua l hea lt h a nd education resources on ca mpus.

health policy/governance and health analy tics. Each of these concentrations was designed to take advantage of Notre Dame’s strengths in ex isting programs, such as vector biolog y and parasitolog y, according to Nahlen. “Notre Dame — going back to the 1970s or earlier — has always had an incredibly strong internationally recognized program in vector biolog y and parasitolog y,” Nahlen said. “I don’t think I’ve ever worked w ith a vector biologist or medical entomologist who hadn’t done their undergrad, their grad school or their postdoc at Notre Dame, and that continues.” The collaboration w ith the Keough School of Affairs allows students to connect global health issues to development and policy making, according to Ted Beatt y, associate dean for Academic Affairs in the Keough School of Global Affairs. Classes in the Keough School’s Master of Global Affairs program and in the MSGH program are offered to each other’s students in order to bring students together to pursue interests in development and global health. “Students have access to a much broader range of

classes whether those are sort of general politics and policy classes or skills classes of your research methods, data management; we’ll throw in hard skills of monitoring and evaluation of health programs or development programs,” Beatt y said. “Issues related to economic and social development, in places like Africa or Latin America or Asia, always involve issues of global health, so we want to bring students who are interested in both development and global health issues together.” Beatt y added that another form of collaboration between the Eck Institute and Keough School is the two schools work together to hire new facult y members. He said last year they worked together to hire a facult y member whose expertise is in maternal health and global health and she now teaches for both the Eck Institute and Keough School. A key component of the MSGH program is the Capstone Field Research, where students have the opportunit y to apply what they’ve learned to handson projects w ith facult y and partners both in the US and abroad. Students have traveled to locations such

as Ecuador or Kenya to apply what they learned in the two one-credit courses they took during the first year in the program to prepare for the Capstone research project. “We have an ongoing collaboration w ith the Hesburgh Hospital in Ecuador on antimicrobial resistance, so we’ve had quite a few students who have gone to Ecuador,” Nahlen said. “One student I remember was in Kenya, and worked w ith facult y to look at women’s experience w ith antenatal care and, frank ly, v iolence against women and their experience w ith antenatal care.” In addition to offering more f lex ibilit y, Nahlen anticipates the expanded program might attract applicants who are not applying directly after completing their undergraduate studies. “I suspect w ith a two-year program there may be more students who’ve been out and about in their careers and now they have a good idea of why they would want to come to Notre Dame and spend that two-year period of time to do this,” Nahlen said.

Reflecting on the spring semester Look ing back on t he end of last semester, Njomo sa id student government concluded t he academic yea r on a high note. Njomo spoke highly of t he Student a nd Facult y Voice Summit t hat concluded at t he end of t he spring semester, in which communit y members discussed what to bring from pa ndemic lea rning into t he follow ing fa ll semester. “Last semester, we were rea lly building up for t his semester,” Bisner sa id. The Ma rtin Lut her K ing Jr. Day Coa lition, sta rted last spring, recent ly pushed for t he f ull obser va nce of Ma rtin Lut her K ing Jr. Day t hrough t he Universit y’s academic council. “I’d love to give props to a ll t he students involved w it h t hat,” Njomo sa id. The coa lition included Eliza Smit h, Cassidy Ferrell, A maya Medeiros, Grace Fra nco, Luzolo Mata ndu, Nata lie Ortega, Ma x Siegel, Zoë Case, Renee Pierson a nd ot hers, Njomo sa id. “They spent a lot of work in meetings over t he summer w it h dif ferent members

Contact Ryan Peters at rpeters5@nd.edu

of t he administration to advocate for t he f ull observa nce of t he holiday,” he sa id. Under t he direction of Ha llie Butterf ield, director of gender relations, t he administration has been work ing w it h Holy Cross College a nd Sa int Ma r y’s College to implement t he sex ua l assault prevention app Ca llisto, which has been whitelisted at Notre Da me, across a ll t hree ca mpuses. Fina lly, t he t hree leaders a ll stressed t hat t heir doors, of f ices a nd inboxes a re open to t he voices, opinions a nd ideas of a ll students. “Student government represents t he students,” Basden sa id. “At t he end of t he day, if t he students have somet hing t hat is of concern to t hem a nd we miss it, we haven’t successf ully f illed out t he promise of our jobs. So we rea lly wa nt to meet people a nd hea r t heir concerns.” A nd t he student government of f ice is a lways open to a ny student who wa nts to utilize it, Njomo sa id. “If you ever need a space to ta ke a ca ll, use my of f ice,” he sa id. “If you ever need a place to do some homework, feel free to ta ke a ny desk a nd do so.” Contact Isabella Volmert at ivolmert@nd.edu

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By JOHN CLARK Scene Writer

Warning: Spoilers for “Loki” season one! Loki is probably the most charismatic character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a franchise that thrives partly due to its witty banter and the charming characters that fuel its stories. “Loki,” the latest Marvel miniseries on Disney+, tells his — or rather, their — story. Perhaps the most defining feature of the show, as well as the feature that drags it down most, is the fact that it functions as a bridge to the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As a result, “Loki” attempts to provide the most important world building in the MCU so far while also following the titular god of mischief. “Loki” is equally dedicated to both of these tasks. The first episode makes that much clear, equally dividing its time between providing one of the biggest exposition dumps in the MCU and, as Mobius M. Mobius himself says, exploring “what makes Loki tick.” These two elements converge when the show introduces the concept of variants, one of my personal favorite tools of characterization (and one that is unique to sci-fi and fantasy). “Loki” doesn’t really take full advantage of the concept of variants until the fifth episode, during which “Loki” encounters a diverse cast of variants of himself at the end of time. Seeing classic Loki, kid Loki and President Loki gave insight both into the Loki we’ve been following since the first film and into his relationship with Thor. That episode was also a highlight because it was incredibly silly, with the inclusion of gator Loki and the

By SOPHIA MICHETTI Scene Writer

After missing the original release date in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marvel fans anxiously awaited the release of “Black Widow” on big and small screens alike with the theatrical and Disney+ Premier Access releases on July 9, 2021. Boy oh boy, it was glorious. Starring Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanov (aka. Black Widow), the film provides the spy-turned-superhero’s backstory Marvel fans had been guessing at since Johansson first appeared on screens in 2010 with the release of “Iron Man 2.” The film is set immediately after the events of “Captain America: Civil War.” It follows Romanov as she eludes government agents looking to arrest her and reunites with the “family” that the Red Room — a secret Russian agency — assigned her to play undercover with for two years when she was a tween. After facing the breakup of her adult family because of the Avenger infighting in “Civil War,” Romanov must now face her pre-superhero past while taking down the very organization that once trapped her and continues to use hundreds of young women. To say that “Black Widow” is emotional is, I think, the understatement of the year. From the get-go, it is evident how much Romanov loves her “sister,” Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). The scene in which she and Yelena catch fireflies while their “mother,” Melina (Rachel Weisz), explains bioluminescence is touching to watch, making it even more heartbreaking when that family gets broken up a mere ten minutes later. Malia J’s version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Loki-versus-Loki fight being obvious highlights. The showrunners for “Loki” clearly learned a lot from Taika Waititi’s “Thor: Ragnarok,” which got a lot of mileage from throwing Thor and Loki into a bizarre and unfamiliar environment. Where in “Thor: Ragnarok,” we got a hilarious performance from Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster, in “Loki,” we get Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson), Loki’s de facto parole officer/therapist. Wilson’s performance and his dynamic with Tom Hiddleston are some of the highlights of the show. Seeing Loki actually develop a friendship with Mobius was handily the best piece of characterization that the show had to offer. The most important relationship in the show, though, is between Loki and Sylvia, not between Loki and Mobius. Unfortunately, this relationship is also the least compelling part of the show. This is a shame, because there was a lot of potential in the premise of Loki meeting a female variant of himself. The best of their content is when they are fighting each other. I really appreciate the novelty of introducing the concept of “selfcest,” a term that refers to a romantic relationship between different versions or incarnations of the same character, something that often appears in sci-fi stories that deal with variants. In fact, the potential the story had with this concept excited me much more than the revelation that Loki is bisexual, a piece of information that Sylvie elicited from him with the same subtlety of a mother trying to ease her son out of the closet. Of course, because this is Disney, it is never brought up again, and I actually think Marvel did more for gay representation with all the homoeroticism and tension between Bucky

and Sam in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” Still, though Sylvie and Loki are each very charming and fun characters in their own right, the way the writers try to build a relationship between them feels very forced and pushes each of them out of character. It was also pretty boring compared to the rest of the show. I liked it a lot more when the characters tried to kill each other. As a whole, “Loki” engaged with a lot of concepts I find fascinating and I really enjoyed Owen Wilson and Tom Hiddleston’s performances, but ultimately, I feel that the show fell apart when the relationship between Loki and Sylvie fell flat. In light of this, while “Loki” was fun, my main takeaway was a feeling of anticipation: I am excited to see how Marvel will utilize the concepts of the multiverse and variants.

backs the opening credits, which see young girls transported by Russian soldiers to their Red Room training; I still get goosebumps thinking about it. To go from warm and fuzzy firefly feelings to the utter horror of watching young girls get kidnapped — all before the opening credits roll — will hook any audience member, so hats off to director Cate Shortland. The acting in this movie was superb. Each cast member embodied their character to the fullest. Johansson has played Natasha Romanov for over a decade at this point, but she brought a level of vulnerability to this film that audiences had never seen before, probably because those same audiences never actually knew much about her. Florence Pugh is amazing in all her movies, and “Black Widow” is no exception. She and her “father” Alexei (David Harbour) brought the comedy (yes, I still have “American Pie” stuck in my head after watching their duet) as one fully believes in their family and the other wants to protect his family while still looking for his past glory as Russia’s Red Guardian. But the most interesting character of the four might be Melina, who Weisz portrays as someone torn between their duty to the organization she has spent their life working for and a family she only had for two years. “Black Widow” is a fascinating study on familial love, but it still has that Marvel action flare. The fight scenes in this film were different from any other Marvel flick, though, because they were unbelievably intricate and complex. When you look at all of the Avengers’ fighting styles, Black Widow is the most agile and clever. She’s the least likely to win a fight just by blowing something up or hitting someone really hard. As a result, this film’s fight scenes displayed a certain

level of intelligence in the way they used the set to help our main characters. For example, there is one sequence where Natasha is literally fighting Russian agents while falling through the sky and navigating around falling debris. Who would have thought of that? I would argue that this is one of the best Marvel movies ever made — and one of the most important. The Black Widow has been on Marvel fans’ screens since 2010, but it has taken a decade for her to get her own solo project. “Black Widow” finally gives the spotlight to Marvel’s most prominent female figure, and it does so in a way that acknowledges both her fierce, fighter side and her other, more vulnerable half. Visually exciting and emotionally driven, “Black Widow” takes us through the highs and lows of filial bonds and reminds us that our relationships are what give us our place in the world.

Contact John at jclark20@nd.edu

“Loki” season one Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino and Gugu Mbatha-Raw Favorite episodes: Episodes 1 and 5 If you like: “Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle” (manga), “Back to the Future,” Marvel Cinematic Universe Where to watch: Disney+

Contact Sophi Michetti at smichett@nd.edu

“Black Widow” Director: Cate Shortland Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour Genre: Action/Adventure If you like: Marvel Cinematic Universe

MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer

The observer | monday, August 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Columns

Why you should join all of the clubs that I’m in Veronica Navarro Social Media Editor

Between making early-morning social media posts for The Observer, spending hours arguing about a fictional court case for mock trial and working three jobs, I have little free time. I wouldn’t have it any other way. My time spent as Social Media Editor for The Observer has been incredibly rewarding. Not only have I developed my marketing skills and learned more about graphic design, but I also have made a ton of amazing friends. As Social Media Editor, it isn’t required that I attend production nights, but I always try whenever possible just to be in the presence of the amazing people on our staff. Every Sunday, before the weekly Editorial Board meetings, each of us go around and answer ice-breaker questions intended to help us get to know each other better. Once, Managing Editor Evan McKenna even asked us to share our most “unhinged Twitter draft” and it ended with each of us laughing. After that, I realized I had made the right decision in joining this team. Another reason I’m grateful for The Observer is our awesome Editor-in-Chief. Adriana Perez has welcomed me to this team with open arms, always making sure that I am accommodated with the resources to run our social media smoothly. Every concern I have ever raised was addressed immediately and with care. I can always count on Adriana to help whenever I need it, and I am so glad that I’ve been able to spend my first year on the Editorial Board with someone so amazing as the Editor-in-Chief. W hen I’m not working at The Observer, many of my nights during the academic year are spent in a DeBart classroom with the Notre Dame Mock Trial team. W hile arguing over a fake case seems like something only the nerdiest people on campus would do, I’ve made great friends (that aren’t too terribly nerdy). In a typical year, we spend around one weekend every one or two months traveling to tournaments across the Midwest. Beyond everything I’ve learned on the team, I’ve visited cities that I had never been to before and have made some of my fondest memories alongside my teammates. After participating in mock trial, I have found a true passion for all things law, and may one day attend law school. I’m so incredibly glad that I found this team. Believe it or not, they also throw some pretty fun parties. As the activity fairs at each campus take place over the next two days, I hope that you consider joining one of these two amazing campus organizations. There is a place for everyone on The Observer. Anyone from Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s or Holy Cross College is welcome to join our team. If you won’t be attending the activity fair and would still like to join one of our departments, visit https:// ndsmcobserver.com/join/ Anyone from Notre Dame or Saint Mary’s is able to try out for the mock trial team. If you’d like to join the Notre Dame Mock Trial team but won’t be at the activity fair, attend our information meeting this Tuesday at 7 p.m. in DeBart 140. You can also fill out the interest form at https://w w w.irishmocktrial.org You can contact Veronica at vnavarr3@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Notes from a recovering English major Nelisha Silva Assistant Managing Editor

I love to read. It’s my favorite form of entertainment, over watching TV or movies, or listening to podcasts. I’ve always loved to read. My mom loves to tell me that I was an easy kid because all I did was read books quietly in the corner. I was definitely that weird kid in elementary school that would read during all classes and get in trouble for not paying attention in science class. I would read absolutely anything and everything — from reading ahead in the short stories textbook to the “Goosebumps” books I not-so-stealthily borrowed from the class library. I read so much that when I got in trouble, my parents would punish me by taking my books out of my bedroom. It was truly a devastating punishment for a bookworm like me. But things changed when I got older. For most of high school and the first two and a half years of college, I basically stopped reading. It had gotten so tied to homework and school that I just couldn’t do it for fun anymore. The idea of reading a book for fun after reading for school just didn’t make sense in my brain anymore, and I only read a couple books a year. I was just too tired of reading to do any more. And then I went to college and became an English major, where I had to read more books for class. What a wonderful idea for a girl who loved to read! I wanted to be an English major because I loved books, but I hadn’t realized that maybe it wasn’t the best idea to turn my favorite pastime into required work for my college major. Any ways, college kicked off two and a half years of only reading for class. Not to say that reading for class wasn’t fun, because I did enjoy it most of the time, but it wasn’t the same as reading for fun. Outside of class, I tried to read a couple books a year, and liked those, but it was a slog to get through even my favorite ongoing series. I felt so much pressure to analyze all of the books I was reading that even when I read a non-school related book, I felt like I had to read “correctly,” keeping my eyes open for underlying messages and potential analytical subtext. It was exhausting. But when my pandemic-ridden junior year rolled around, and suddenly I was stuck inside my apartment all day, I decided to give leisure reading another

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

shot. I bought a random sci-fi mystery that seemed interesting, and I just started reading. I didn’t think about if the characters were trying to tell me something deeper, I didn’t think about how exactly gender roles were prescribed or rejected and I definitely did not think about whether or not the author meant to convey a certain message. I took what I was reading at face value, and I enjoyed it so much that I finished that book in one sitting (Or one laying? Is it different if I was on my bedroom f loor?). I loved it so much that I picked up another book as soon as I finished the first book, and I finished that one too. And so started my journey to recover from the damage high school and college English classes had unleashed upon me. I would love to say that I started slowly, that I eased my way back into reading for pleasure, but in reality, I just jumped right in. I got a digital library card (shoutout St. Joseph County Public Library and the Libby app; I love you) and I just started reading. I started by just reading whatever was at the top of the charts and Reese’s Book Club picks, but then found my own niches that I loved. Now, I read a mix of fantasy, thriller, literary fiction, contemporary romance, mysteries and young adult dystopia (yes, I am too old for that, I know, and no, I don’t care, it’s my comfort genre). I love every minute of it. I read every single day, and I’ve realized that it’s enough to just like a book without having to analyze every sentence in it. I had to convince myself that it was okay to read non-intellectual books and just enjoy a teenage detective solving a crime in her hometown. Long story short, I love reading. I love reading analytically for class and using critical lenses to create a larger story, but I also love reading YA dystopian novels that follow the exact same plot formula as all “The Hunger Games”-wannabe novels. And both kinds of reading are equally important. If you’ve made it this far, you’ve realized that there wasn’t really a point to this column — just that I love to read and figured out how to do that again after reading for school burned me out. But, if you also love to read or if you’re ever looking for book recommendations, my email is at the bottom of this column — feel free to use it. You can contact Nelisha at nsilva1@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

The observer | monday, August 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Why do atheists debate? Andrew Sveda Church and State

“W hy do atheists debate in the first place? ” I found myself wondering one other w ise unmemorable day. The question stopped me in my tracks. I was utterly stupefied that, despite my countless hours of listening to debates on God’s ex istence on YouTube, I never seriously asked myself this question until now. If you had asked me several months before that point, I probably would’ve thought it a silly question. “Because they want to find out what’s true ! W hy else? ” The same generosit y would not be given by many today when asked about the theist or the Christian, of course. This helps us understand how many today see atheism: as a place for the cool-minded thinker, for the balanced and reasonable truth-seeker. That is what atheism claims to be about. But what I came to realize, and what I want to communicate to you, is that this is any thing but the truth. Atheism, when we truly understand it, stands for none of these things. It is not about seeking truth. Indeed, it would be accurate to say that atheism is wholly apathetic to truthseeking. To ask questions, to debate, to desire to know the truth, then, is to cease to become an atheist. W hy do I say this? Let’s think about it. Atheism asserts that we’re the f luke accident of a mindless, unguided process. God did not create us. There was no designing plan, so we lack any objective purpose or point to our lives. Therefore there can be no real, objective or binding moral duties, nor is there any objective good or ev il, because these things can only ex ist if we have an objective purpose by which to base these values and moral judgments. The universe doesn’t care at all what we do — as if there was any thing out there to care at all ! We are, then, accountable only to ourselves. If we have no purpose, how can anyone tell you how to run your life? If a person, a government or ever yone else on earth says you are doing something ev il, so what? It’s just your opinion against theirs. As if being good

actually mattered in a world w ithout purpose. So why, I ask, must we be committed to the truth? W hy does believ ing the truth even matter? Atheism can give no meaningful response. Some might suggest that it matters because societ y is more successful when it adheres to the truth, but this is not a satisfactor y answer. The objection rests on success being a good thing, but it’s not under atheism. Nothing is. Even the spontaneous destruction of the planet or entire universe at this ver y moment could not really be said to be bad under atheism (unfortunate in our eyes, but not actually w rong or bad or even unfortunate in realit y). Understanding this logic, the atheist is trapped. If nothing is truly good or ev il, if we have no purpose in the first place, then no counterargument can be made against my conclusion, for how can one defend truth-seeking when there’s no purpose by which you can tell people to do, well, any thing? If we can call nothing truly good or ev il, how can the atheist act like truthseeking is an objectively good thing by arguing that God does not ex ist? They can’t. Under atheism, believ ing the truth deser ves no more respect and appreciation than know ingly believ ing a lie and both receive only the apathetic shrug of a cold, purposeless world. It is, then, quite unimportant what we, a mere conglomeration of bouncing atoms and chemical reactions, believe. Truth doesn’t matter. Even realizing that truth doesn’t matter doesn’t matter. Put differently, truth and believ ing the truth does not matter under atheism because nothing matters in the first place. That’s why there’s a strange irony whenever someone proclaims, “This world is meaningless !” because they assume their discover y is meaningful, that they are the better for know ing this and others w ill be better off know ing this truth too. They are, in other words, assuming God ex ists to say He doesn’t. The moment we talk meaningfully about any thing, we are actually testif y ing to God’s ex istence. This brings us to a ver y remarkable conclusion: There are no real atheists. People, perhaps you, reader, say there is no God and insist to others

that they believe there is no God and no ultimate purpose. But do you not see that when you say this, you are assuming that humans have a purpose, which can only be given to us by God, and that it matters what we do and believe, suggesting that one Day we w ill be held accountable by a Supreme Judge for what we have done on earth? A ll day long God’s ex istence is plain to us. We operate our lives under the assumption that He ex ists. We know that we have a purpose, that some things are ev il and good not just because we or our societ y thinks so, but because it objectively is. We believe hav ing the right opinions and beliefs is important. We behold the beaut y of the earth and the majest y of the night sk y and know we are more than mere atoms colliding. Never once in your entire life have you truly believed that God does not ex ist. You may say He doesn’t ex ist w ith your mouth, but your actions and the beliefs of your heart and mind show that you really don’t believe what you say. The Bible says that God’s ex istence is “clearly perceived” and “plain to” all, so that we “are w ithout excuse,” but that men “by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” about God and His w rath against our sinfulness (Romans 1:18-20). This exposes the blackness of our hearts, that we would, in the midst of such a clear revelation, clench our teeth and refuse to bow before Him. It’s a strange thing when we realize that our opposition to God is not because of any intellectual argument or reasonable skepticism but because we are utterly opposed to His commands and thus He Himself. But we must realize it. Pray to God that He would give you eyes to see it. W hy? Because you have a purpose, because truth matters and, more importantly, because your soul matters. Andrew Sveda is a junior at Notre Dame from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, majoring in political science with a supplementary major in theology. In his free time, he enjoys writing (obviously), reading and playing the piano. He can be reached at asveda@nd.edu or @SvedaAndrew on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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Sports

The observer | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Sports Authority

Get excited about Lawrence, Wilson and Jones making appearances in the NFL Colin Capece Assistant Managing Editor

W hen t he NFL preseason concludes nex t Sunday, t he media, fa ns, genera l ma nagers a nd ever yone else in bet ween w i l l attempt to label each of t he qua r terbacks selected in t he f irst round of last Apri l’s NFL Dra f t as a f uture Ha ll of Fa mer or a cer t if ied bust. This of course is a complete overreact ion to watching a f irst-t ime sig na l ca l ler play in t hree or four mea ning less ga mes. I w i l l admit t hat I tend to be a pessimist ic suppor ter of a ny qua r terback t he Jets pick (how ca n you not be a f ter watching a dumpster f ire burn for most of t he last 20 yea rs?). There a re ot hers who a re opt imists a nd ha i l t heir tea m’s pick as t he f ra nchise sav ior a f ter watching him torch a t hird st ring defense f i l led w it h scr ubs. However, no one k nows for sure exact ly how a young qua r terback is going to respond when he steps into t he reg u la r season spot light, a nd t he preseason is ra rely a n indicat ion of how he’l l per form. In my non-ex per t opinion, ta k ing out preseason per forma nce, t here a re

more reasons to be opt imist ic t ha n pessimist ic about each of t hese qua r terbacks. Here a re t he t hree qua r terbacks I t hin k w ill eventua lly be t he most successf u l at t he NFL level a nd t wo reasons to be excited about each.

Trevor Lawrence 1. He’s a transcendent physical talent Throughout his high school a nd college ca reer, Law rence has been compa red to Ha ll of Fa mer Pey ton Ma nning, a nd I don’t t hin k t hose compa risons a re t hat fa r of f. He checks ever y box t hat you cou ld possibly wa nt checked out of t he top overa ll pick, possessing t he physica l abilit ies to be a n a ll-t ime g reat. A rocket a rm, pinpoint accuracy a nd escape abilit y a re just a few of t he t ra its Law rence has t hat w ill ma ke him per fect ly suited to today’s NFL . He’s a lso displayed a footba ll IQ t hat riva ls a young Ma nning, a nd his abilit y to read t he ga me a nd a nt icipate t hrows is what rea lly ma kes him sta nd out.

2. The fidence

kid

has

con-

Law rence is going to need it on a Jag ua rs tea m t hat

doesn’t have much of a suppor t ing cast. He showed t hat conf idence at Clemson when he unseated Kelly Br ya nt as t he sta r ter in 2018 a f ter he led t he Tigers to t he College Footba ll Playof f t he yea r before, a nd he clea rly wowed Jacksonv ille in his pre-dra f t inter v iews. Law rence is going to get sacked a lot in his rook ie ca mpa ig n, but he’s displayed he k nows he ca n be a sta r when his f ront of f ice gets him some help.

Zach Wilson 1. The Jets are protecting him Wilson w ill be t he benef icia r y of a f ront of f ice t hat under GM Joe Douglas has committed to building a foundat ion in t he t renches. The tea m secured t heir lef t tack le of t he f uture when t hey took lef t tack le Meck hi Becton in t he f irst round of t he 2020 dra f t, a nd t hey doubled dow n t his yea r by select ing lef t g ua rd A lija h Vera-Tucker w it h t heir second f irst round pick. Tea ms t hat w in in t he NFL dominate t he line of scrimmage a nd a llow t heir qua r terback t he t ime to go t hrough prog ressions. Wilson’s blindside w ill be protected for t he foreseeable f uture a nd a llow him

to do just t hat in his rook ie ca mpa ig n.

2. He’s accurate from a clean pocket I k now I sa id ea rlier I didn’t ca re about t he preseason, but one stat t hat actua l ly does matter is passer rat ing f rom a clea n pocket because it tends to t ra nslate to reg u la r season ga mes. Through t hree preseason ga mes, Wi lson led a ll NFL rook ies in t hat categor y. The Jets’ prev ious qua rterback Sa m Da rnold was a turnover machine even when he was t hrow ing f rom a clea n pocket, a nd Wilson’s abi lit y to process t he ga me a nd ma ke accurate t hrows when g iven t he t ime w i l l vast ly improve t he Jets of fense.

Mac Jones 1. He’s system

the

perfect

If you’re a rook ie qua r terback w it h Jones’ sk i l l set, you cou ldn’t have asked for a better place to la nd t ha n New Eng la nd. Jones is a g uy who isn’t going to sca re you w it h his legs, but he gets t he ba l l out fast aga inst t he blit z while a lmost never turning it over. That sounds a lot li ke a former Pat riots qua r terback who was t he center piece of

a rg uably t he g reatest spor ts dy nast y of a l l t ime. The Pat riots of fensive system cer ta in ly works, a nd Jones isn’t t he g uy who’s going to t r y a nd f i x it.

2. He gets to watch, but not for long Jones is li kely going to sit behind incumbent sta r ter Ca m New ton at t he sta r t of t his season, which w i l l prov ide him a va luable oppor tunit y to lea rn how be a professiona l in t he leag ue a nd comma nd a locker room. It w i l l a lso g ive him more t ime to lea rn t he of fense before ta k ing t he reig ns of a complicated system. However, t he fact t hat Jones is going to have to wa it to play is on ly going to f uel his compet it ive f ire. K now ing t hat t he Pat riots picked him to be t he f uture of t he f ra nchise w i l l mot ivate him to prove he belongs a nd launch a not her dy nast y in New Eng la nd. He w i l l be on t he f ield sooner t ha n people t hin k. think. Contact Colin Capece at ccapece @nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authorit y are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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I walked through the door with you / The air was cold / But something about it felt like home somehow / And I, left my scar f there at your sister’s house / And you’ve still got it in your drawer even now / Oh, your sweet disposition / And my wide-eyed gaze / We’re singing in the car, getting lost upstate / Autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place / And I can picture it after all these days / And I know it’s long gone and that magic’s not here no more / And I might be okay but I’m not fine at all / ‘Cause there we are again on that little town street / You almost ran the red ‘cause you were lookin’ over at me / Wind in

my hair, I was there / I remember it all too well / Photo album on the counter / Your cheeks were turning red / You used to be a little kid with glasses in a twinsized bed / And your mother’s telling stories ‘bout you on the tee-ball team / You told me ‘bout your past thinking your future was me / And I know it’s long gone and there was nothing else I could do / And I forget about you long enough to forget why I needed to / ‘Cause there we are again in the middle of the night / We’re dancing ‘round the kitchen in the refrigerator light / Down the stairs, I was there / I remember it all too well, yeah / And maybe we got lost in translation / Maybe I asked for too much / But maybe this thing was a masterpiece ‘til you tore it all up / Running scared, I was there / I remember it all too well / And you call me up again just to break me like a promise / So casually cruel

in the name of being honest / I’m a crumpled up piece of paper lying here / ‘Cause I remember it all, all, all / Too well / Time won’t fly, it’s like I’m paralyzed by it / I’d like to be my old self again / But I’m still tr ying to find it / After plaid shir t days and nights when you made me your own / Now you mail back my things and I walk home alone / But you keep my old scar f from that ver y first week / ‘Cause it reminds you of innocence / And it smells like me / You can’t get rid of it / ‘Cause you remember it all too well, yeah / ‘Cause there we are again when I loved you so / Back before you lost the one real thing you’ve ever known / It was rare, I was there, I remember it all too well / Wind in my hair, you were there, you remember it all / Down the stairs, you were there, you remember it all / It was rare, I was there, I remember it all too well. ( Lyrics from Taylor Swift’s All Too Well)

DAILY

ndsmcobserver.com | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Take your time and consider long-term results before you put a plan into motion. Preparation will help you avoid an oversight that could be costly. The year ahead is meant to be used to clear up matters that hold you back emotionally. Encourage children, seniors or anyone who depends on you to be self-sufficient in order to ease personal stress. Your numbers are 2, 14, 23, 28, 33, 45, 58. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Before you step into unknown territory, consider doing a little research. Ask questions and find out if you have the knowledge, experience and qualifications to surpass whatever test comes your way. Partnerships will undergo a transition. Take a diplomatic approach to adversity. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Get involved in discussions that will lead to change, and follow through with your plans. Not everyone will be happy with your decisions, but if you are doing what suits you, that’s what counts. Don’t give in to interference. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your flirtatious nature will not go over well with someone who wants time alone with you. Get your priorities in order and be honest regarding your intentions. Deal with domestic situations and children with compassion and understanding. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Recapture your past by reconnecting with someone you haven’t seen in a long time. Memories will encourage you to pick up hobbies or activities that you used to enjoy. A change at work will result in greater stability. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): An unexpected change will disrupt your day. Accept the inevitable and proceed with caution. Moderation when dealing with domestic matters or partnerships will help. Physical changes can be made as long as they are within budget. Exercise and diet are encouraged. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You’ve got what it takes to bring about the changes you’ve been contemplating. Educational pursuits, meetings and networking will help you connect with people who inspire you to follow through with your ideas. Create opportunities by being a participant. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’ll face opposition at home or while dealing with older relatives or children. Don’t overreact when patience and positive input will encourage others to see things your way. The help or suggestions you offer should not put you in debt or personal jeopardy. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Before you implement change, price out the cost involved and consider if your plan is realistic. Someone with experience will offer insight into how to move forward. A change regarding how you earn your living will help your personal situation. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): How you present yourself to others will make a difference when it comes to advancement. Invest time and money in your appearance as well as your skills. Mastering what you enjoy doing will make it easier to excel. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A personal change will do you good. If you aren’t happy with the way you look, or with someone who has become too much of an emotional burden, it’s up to you to do something about it. Consider your choices and take action. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don’t lose sight of your dreams. Speak up if you have questions. Look for alternatives before you jump to conclusions. Make personal improvements instead of trying to change someone else. Walk away from anyone who is a poor influence. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Helping others will lead to benefits. Offer suggestions and assistance, and make it clear what you expect in return. An opportunity will arise if you reconnect with an old friend or colleague. Develop and sign contracts or settlements. Birthday Baby: You are charitable, approachable and progressive. You are adaptable and motivated.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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Sports

The observer | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Volleyball Continued from page 12

11-2 run to secure the second set 25-16. The third and fourth sets went completely differently w ith the Golden Grizzlies using a 10-2 run in the third set to w in the set 25-14. In the fourth set, the Golden Grizzlies found another massive run, leading the Irish on an 8-2 run in the middle of the set to hold on and w in the fourth, 25-21 and force a final set. This lit a fire under the Irish, allow ing them to jump out to an early lead in the fifth set. However, Oak land battled back to tie the set at 12 apiece and pulled ahead to 13 before the Irish. The Irish ended up prevailing, though, to w in the fifth set 15-13 and w in the match. Senior Charley Niego reached the 1,000-kill mark in the match against the Golden Grizzlies, making her the 24th Irish player to hit that mark in Irish histor y.

She reached this mark on her third kill of 19 in this match alone.

M Soccer

Loyola Chicago

t he net f rom beyond t he box in t he 3rd minute of over t ime. Not re Da me had more shots in t he matchup (1610) a nd shou ld feel opt imist ic about t heir Monday matchup w it h Nor t hern Illinois Universit y. Not re Da me has not ta ken t he pitch w it h NIU since 2007 but w ill be look ing to ea rn t heir f irst w in of t he season aga inst t he Husk ies. NIU won t heir season opener aga inst PurdueFor t Way ne last Thursday a nd w ill be entering Not re Da me’s A lumni Stadium undefeated w it h a 1 – 0 record.

In the third and final match, the Irish took care of business against Loyola Chicago by sweeping the match. They again jumped out to a fairly quick w in first, followed by two closer ones (25-17, 25-22, 25-20). Hamilton led the way for the Irish in the final match as well as on the weekend as a whole, recording 14 kills in the Ramblers match and 36 on the weekend. Niego also recorded 10 kills in this match, giv ing her 33 in the entire tournament. The Irish ended the game against the Ramblers hitting a weekend best mark of .325, while limiting them to a .098 mark. The Irish w ill be back in action next weekend at the Shamrock Inv itational, which w ill also be played in Purcell Pav ilion on September 3-5. There, the Irish w ill face Bowling Green, Cincinnati and UW Milwaukee in the event.

Continued from page 12

Coming of f a n impressive per forma nce aga inst t he No. 2 tea m in t he nat ion, t he Irish shou ld be opt imist ic entering t his Monday’s ga me. The Not re Da me defense a llowed on ly four shots on goa l aga inst India na including one resu lt ing f rom a pena lt y k ick. The Irish defensemen w ill have to cont inue bui lding chemist r y a nd cla mping dow n t he way t hey did in t he second ha lf of t heir ga me aga inst India na. It w i l l be impor ta nt for t heir senior capta ins to cont inue ma k ing a n impact on t he defensive end a nd keeping t he Fight ing Irish on t rack for a w inning season. On attack, Not re Da me w ill cont inue to rely on

t he consistency of senior for wa rd Jack Ly nn who recorded his 22nd ca reer goa l on Friday. Dawson McCa r t ney, a g raduate t ra nsfer f rom Da r t mout h who made a n enormous impact t hroughout t he India na ga me, w i l l a lso look to enter t he mi x a longside promising f reshmen such as Eno Nto a nd Matt hew Roou. This Irish of fense had no issue creat ing shots aga inst t he Hoosiers but w i l l have to work toget her to create space a nd deliver higher qua lit y oppor tunit ies in t he box aga inst NIU. The Irish w i l l ta ke on t he Nor t hern Il linois Husk ies in A lumni Stadium at 7: 00 PM a nd w i l l be st rea med on ACCN X.

Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Irish men’s soccer player strikes the ball towards the goal during their home match against Valparaiso. Notre Dame won 3-1 in this exhibition game on Aug. 21, 2019 at Alumni Stadium.

Write Sports.

Email Mannion McGinley mmcginl3@nd.edu Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Irish senior outside hitter Charley Niego serves the ball during Notre Dame’s 3-2 set win over the Oakland Golden Grizzlies on Saturday.

Sports

ndsmcobserver.com | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | The Observer

Sports Authority

Breaking down top three tiers of college football 2021 season Nate Moller Sports Writer

Wit h week one of college footba l l less t ha n a week away, it’s t ime to look at t he dif ferent t iers of contenders for t he upcoming season.

Tier 1: The contenders

of t he season for Clemson is a rg uably week one aga inst Georg ia. If t he Tigers ta ke ca re of business in t hat one, t hey’ll have zero rema ining ra n ked tea ms on t heir schedu le, ma k ing it seemingly ver y easy. A loss to Georg ia week one, however, might jeopa rdi ze Clemson’s cha nces of ma k ing t he playof fs even if t hey w in out.

Alabama: The Crimson Tide a re going to be in t ier 1 of college footba l l ever y yea r. The ta lent t hat t hey possess on bot h sides of t he ba ll is unriva led by a ny ot her tea m. A lt hough t hey lost Mac Jones, Devonta Smit h, Najee Ha rris a nd a plet hora of ot her sta rs, Ba ma possesses t he ta lent to reload w it h ease. If qua r terback Br yce Young is as good as he is supposed to be, t his cou ld be yet a not her ver y specia l yea r for A laba ma. Ba ma w i l l have to ta ke ca re of business aga inst Mia mi in week one a nd nav igate t heir t y pica l cha l leng ing SEC schedu le, but I t hin k t hey a re up for t he task.

Clemson : Clemson is one of t he few tea ms t hat has cha llenged A laba ma over t he last severa l yea rs, a nd t hey shou ld have t he roster to do so aga in in 2021. Losing Trevor Law rence a nd Trav is Et ienne w i l l hur t t he Clemson of fense sig nif ica nt ly, but I suspect t hat qua r terback D.J. Uiaga lelei w i l l be in t he Heisma n race t his season based on his per forma nce aga inst Not re Da me last season. The most impor ta nt ga me

Oklahoma: I usua lly t hin k Ok la homa is ver y overrated, but I t hin k t his yea r t hey w ill def initely prove to be one of t he best four tea ms in t he count r y. Spencer Ratt ler found his g roove at qua rterback towa rds t he end of last season, a nd I believe he w ill be able to lead t he Sooners to t he playof fs t his season. Ok la homa faces t wo ra n ked tea ms t his season in Texas a nd Iowa State. I don’t believe eit her of t hose tea ms match up well w it h Ok la homa, a nd t heir pat h to t he playof fs seems ver y st ra ight for wa rd.

Tier 2: contenders

The

fringe

Georgia: The Bu lldogs seem like t hey a re a play or t wo away ever y yea r f rom f ina lly brea k ing t hrough. This yea r might f ina lly be t heir yea r w it h qua r terback J.T. Da niels returning for t he Bu lldogs. If K irby Sma r t ca n lead his tea m to v ictor y week one aga inst Clemson, Georg ia is going to be in a g reat place to ma ke t he playof fs.

Texas A&M: The Agg ies were so close last yea r to f ina lly putt ing ever y t hing toget her, but t hey have to get past A laba ma if t hey a re going to have a rea l cha nce. Their ga me aga inst A laba ma in October w ill be t he focus of t he Agg ies’ season, but t hey w ill need to be ready ever y ga me, as t here is no room for error in a n SEC schedu le.

Cincinnati: Ohio State : The Buckeyes a re ver y simila r to A laba ma in t he sense t hat whenever t hey lose t heir top players, t hey seem to have no problem replacing t hem. C.J. St roud has big shoes to f ill w it h Just in Fields mov ing onto t he NFL, but his receiv ing cor ps is a rg uably t he best in college footba ll, so t hat shou ld help him sig nif ica nt ly. The Buckeyes w ill have to beat Oregon in week t wo, but a f ter t hat, t hey shou ldn’t have a problem aga inst t heir usua l Big Ten foes.

Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Irish defenders halted the Tarheel’s running back during Notre Dame’s 31-17 win on Nov. 27. The two will take the field again Oct. 30.

The Bea rcats a re a rg uably t he best Group of Five tea m ever, a nd t hey w ill have a cha nce to prove t hemselves t his yea r aga inst India na a nd Not re Da me. Qua r terback Desmond Ridder has t he play ma king abilit y to ta ke t he Bea rcats fa r t his yea r, a nd t he Bea rcats w ill def initely have a cha nce aga inst t he Hoosiers a nd t he Irish.

Irish have plent y of playma kers on t he of fensive side of t he ba l l in Ky ren Willia ms, Chris Ty ree a nd Michael Mayer. They w i l l need qua r terback Jack Coa n to step up a nd comma nd t he of fense, t hough, if t he Irish a re going to f ina l ly w in a playof f ga me.

Oregon: The Ducks face Ohio State week t wo, a nd if t hey lose t hat ga me, t hey cou ld have a ha rd t ime play ing t hemselves back into t he playof f picture. If t he Ducks a re going to ma ke t he playof fs, t hey w ill have to hope t he PAC12 ga ins some respect t his yea r because Oregon w i l l need to have some leg it imate w ins if t hey a re going to be considered for a playof f spot.

Tier 3: On the rise Iowa State: I t hin k t he Cyclones a re ver y overrated at No. 7 right now in t he preseason A P poll, but t here is no denying t hat t hey have a cha nce t his yea r if ever y t hing comes toget her for t hem. Wit h qua r terback Brock Purdy a nd r unning back Breece Ha l l leading t he way for t he Cyclones on of fense a nd t he defense look ing ver y solid, t he Cyclones w i l l have a cha nce to prove t hat t hey ca n be a contender t his yea r.

Notre Dame:

North Carolina:

The Irish have made t he playof fs t w ice before, but t hey have not been able to ta ke t he nex t step yet. The

Mack Brow n has his tea m in a g reat spot for t he f uture, a nd it looks li ke t his tea m is about ready to ta ke

t he nex t step. Qua r terback Sa m Howel l w i l l have to prove t his yea r, however, t hat he ca n comma nd t he of fense a f ter losing t wo g reat r unning backs a nd a ha ndf u l of w ide receivers to t he NFL .

Florida: The Gators ca n just not seem to get by t he Bu l ldogs in t he SEC East on a consistent basis. A lt hough t hey were able to last yea r, t hey u lt imately t ripped up aga inst LSU a nd t hen were over powered by A laba ma in t he SEC cha mpionship ga me. Unfor tunately for t he Gators, t hey w i l l have to beat A laba ma a nd LSU in t heir SEC West crossover ga mes.

USC: There a re once aga in high ex pectat ions for t he Troja ns a head of t he 2021 season, a nd it w i l l be interest ing to see if t hey ca n f ina l ly live up to t hem. Kedon Slov is seems to be one of t he best qua r terbacks in col lege footba l l, a nd if he ca n have a ca reer yea r, t he Troja ns w i l l have a cha nce to ta ke t he nex t step a nd ma ke t he col lege footba l l playof fs.

Honorable Mention : LSU, India na, Iowa, Wisconsin, Mia mi, Penn State, Texas Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Irish sophomore tight end Michael Mayer turns upfield to run after receiving the ball during Notre Dame’s 47-40 win over Clemson at home on Nov. 7. Mayer had 5 receptions for 67 yards on the night.

The observer | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

ND men’s Soccer

ND Men’s soccer looks to bounce back after overtime loss to Indiana University Observer Staff Report

Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Irish senior forward Jack Lynn dribbles around a Crusader defender to get to the goal during Notre Dame’s 3-1 exhibtion win over Valparaiso on Aug. 21, 2019 in Alumni Stadium.

Irish soccer hosted No. 2 India na on Friday to k ick of f t heir reg u la r season ca mpa ig n in A lumni Stadium. The Not re Da me men fought ha rd to ta ke a n ea rly lead, but u lt imately lost 3-2 in over t ime. Not re Da me st r uck f irst in a n act ion-packed sequence beg inning when Tyler Shea found a n opening f rom t he right side of t he box a nd snuck a crossing pass t hrough t he Hoosier defense. A div ing Dawson McCa r t ney was on t he receiv ing end of t he ba l l a nd was able to push a header towa rds t he net, on ly to be ref lected by India na’s goa lie. Jack Ly nn stepped up a nd netted t he rebound to put t he Irish up 1-0 in t he 10t h minute India na’s Tommy Mi ha lic evened t he score in t he 34t h

minute, leav ing t he ga me ba la nced at 1-1 going into t he second ha lf. The Irish took t he lead for t he second t ime in t he 57t h minute w it h a goa l f rom McCa r t ney. McCa r t ney ga ined cont rol of t he ba l l in t he crowded India na box a nd f inished t he goa l w it h a ha rd, low shot t hat found t he back lef t of t he net a nd set t he score at 2-1. A f ter a Not re Da me ha ndba l l, t he Hoosiers found t hemselves w it h a pena lt y k ick in t he last minutes of reg u la r t ime. Irish goa lie Br ya n Dowd rejected t he India na pena lt y shot but t he Hoosiers clea ned up t he rebound to send t he ga me into over t ime. The matchup ended when Ben Yeagley, t he son of India na head coach Todd Yeagley, found t he back of see M SOCCER PAGE 10

VolleyBALL

Irish go 2-1 in season opening home invitational against Ramblers, Grizzlies, Hilltoppers Observer Staff Report

The 25th-ranked Irish volleyball team started off their 2021 season this past weekend in the Golden Dome Inv itational. A lthough the Irish lost their opener on Friday night to 16th-ranked Western Kentuck y, the team ended on a high note w ith w ins over Oak land and Loyola Chicago on Saturday morning and evening respectively.

Western University

Kentucky

Western Kentuck y dominated the Irish in the first match, w inning in straight sets. The first was a blow out, 25-15, but the Irish came back stronger in the next two, despite still falling short at the end of both of them (25-22, 25-23). Sophomore Aubrey Hamilton recorded seven kills on the day for the Irish and sophomore Lauren Tarnoff had six kills in the

first match. The one place the Irish were able to lead the Hilltoppers was in their blocking and they continued to lead there throughout the match. The first match set the tone for the rest of them w ith the Hilltoppers going on a 9-1 run to easily w in the opening set. The next two sets were much more back and forth, but the Hilltoppers proved clutch at the end of the set to secure the final t wo sets and secure a straight set v ictor y.

Oakland University The next match against Oak land Universit y was ver y entertaining. A lthough the Golden Grizzlies were able to keep the first set tight for a while, the Irish finished the set on a 9-0 run to take the first set 25-13. The second set was ver y similar, as the Irish used an see VOLLEYBALL PAGE 10

RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

Irish senior RS hitter Sydney Bent awaits the ball during Notre Dame’s 3-2 win over Oakland. After the Irish won two sets, the Golden Grizzlies won two of their own before the Irish closed the match in the fifth.