Print Edition for The Observer for Monday, February 7, 2022

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Volume 56, Issue 44 | monday, february 7, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

ND student competes on ‘Jeopardy!’

Senior Matt Downing represents University in ‘Jeopardy! National College Championship’

By ALYSA GUFFEY Notre Dame News Editor

Matt Downing never considered himself a “Jeopardy!” superfan.

“I think it’s a great show, but it’s not like I need to watch every episode and I’ve been dying to be on the show since I was a kid,” Downing said.

But one day, he sat down to watch “Jeopardy!” and practiced clicking a pen to buzz in to answer a question. Why? Because people who had been on the daily game show told him it resembled the real clicker on the show — and he had to be ready to compete.

On Thursday, Downing will represent Notre Dame on the national stage in the 2022 Jeopardy! National College Championship — a contest where 36 college students from

NDPD crime log updated Observer Staff Report

A rape was reported to the Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) Thursday, according to the Universit y crime log. The alleged incident took place after 11 p.m. Oct. 28 and before 9 a.m. on Oct. 29 in an on-campus men’s residence hall.

A report of sexual batter y and strangulation is also reported on the Thursday crime log. The t wo alleged counts occurred Jan. 18 in an on-campus women’s residence hall.

Information about sexual assault prevention, as well as resources for surv ivors of sexual assault, are available online from NDPD and from the Title I X office.

NeWS PAGE 4

across the country participate in 12 individual games. The 12 winners then go into bracket-style play, with the ultimate champion winning $250,000.

Downing is a senior, double majoring in marketing and applied computational and statistical mathematics and hails from Long Island, New York. He said he decided to fill out a “Jeopardy!” test one day in November of 2020. He was then contacted to take a couple more tests and participate in a mock game over Zoom.

“They told me I’d be in the player pool for like a year, but I didn’t hear from them,” Downing said. “I kind of like totally forgot about it because like it had been like forever.”

After almost two years, his phone rang.

“I got a call from the producer

and they’re like, ‘Hey, are you still interested in being on the show?’”

Downing said.

Due to COVID restrictions, Downing flew to California solo and stayed in a hotel with the other competitors. He said he was able to take a trip to the Santa Monica Pier, but after long days on the set, he had little time or energy to do much else.

Downing said the production set was just as it looks on television, but there is one thing the at-home audience cannot tell — the temperature is kept very low in the studio.

“It’s really cold in there, and they keep it like that because they don’t want you to sweat while you’re on T.V.,” Downing said. “And because everyone has to go through hair and makeup, they didn’t want anything

Courtesy of Jeopardy Productions, Inc.

see JEOPARDY PAGE 3

Notre Dame senior Matt Downing will appear on Jeopardy this Thursday, alongside 35 other college students from across the nation.

Professor publishes first book

By CRYSTAL RAMIREZ Associate News Editor

Assistant professor of religious studies and theology Jessica Coblentz recently released a book titled “Dust in the Blood: A Theology of Life with Depression” — which focused the harrowing realities of life with depression from a Christian theological perspective.

Initial dissertation research and reactions When asked what initially inspired her to write her book, Coblentz says it seemed natural to her to continue the research she had gathered for her dissertation because it was a topic she knew she wanted to educate others on.

“Some disciplines don’t kind of lend themselves to writing books in the same way that theology does,” Coblentz said.

“It’s not uncommon for professors of theologies to write books, and it’s also common for theologians to base their first book, at least in part on their dissertation research.”

Coblentz mentioned that she was not certain what she would be focusing her

SCENE PAGE 5

dissertation on, but she knew she wanted to address the realities of mental health.

“I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to focus that interest for a dissertation,” she said. “And I realized at that point that mental health conditions are a reality that lots of people struggle with, but there was very little academic, theological research on it.”

Coblentz said she recently found herself reflecting her dissertation topic. This is what then lead her to take a chance at writing a book on the intersectionality of depression and spirituality.

“I started thinking about writing a book about depression because I wrote my dissertation research on the topic of depression,” she said. “That dissertation research that I did for my Ph.D. introduced me to some amazing theological conversations about mental health and occasioned my first foray into this topic.”

After finishing her dissertation, Coblentz knew she wanted to continue writing on other mental health issues but for the book, she wanted to take it in a different direction.

In relation to the timeline

VIEWPOINT PAGE 6

of events leading up to writing this book, Coblentz notes that it all felt like a natural fit — from graduate training to teaching and ultimately beginning to work on the book.

“There are natural transition that happens along the course of graduate training and early career research,” she said. “It was, first at that sort of transition moment that I realized, I had a long-standing interest in theologies of suffering.”

Transitioning from dissertation to book Coblentz was knew she want to fill the space that was missing in the research on mental health after she finished her dissertation and started teaching.

“I knew I was at least interested enough in addressing this lacuna to write a dissertation on it,” she said. “Once I finished the dissertation, there was another sort of natural transition, and a place for a pause as I began my teaching career, and sort of thought about whether I was gonna keep working on this topic or start something else.”

Once Coblentz realized

HOCKEY PAGE 12

this was a topic and issue she wanted to research, she noted it was not a quick process.

“What I realized is that even though it took me kind of years to bring my dissertation to fruition, in the time that I spent doing that, there wasn’t a lot more work in theology and mental health than when I started,” she said.

It was this realization that solidified Coblentz’s decision to write and research over the realities of mental health struggles — she wanted to raise awareness for the topic.

“So I saw that there was an ongoing need for theological research on this topic, and awareness of mental health struggles had only grown during that time and continues to grow today,” she said.

As she began conducting research and diving deeper into the subject, she came to realize how intimidating this field of study can truly be.

“I learned from the experience of writing my dissertation that this was a really meaningful endeavor,” she said. “As you can imagine, it’s difficult

see BOOK PAGE 3

M BASKETBALL PAGE 12

2

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News

Book Continued from page 1

at times to do research on a topic that is so harrowing, it often requires me to reflect on some of the most difficult times in people’s lives.”

It was not only a project based on data, statistics and literature. Coblentz had to dive deep into the lives of those she interviewed and read over.

“That can be daunting, but the challenge seemed really worthwhile,” she said. “And I learned that from doing the dissertation research, and that sort of has continued to motivate me through writing this book.”

When asked about the research process, Coblentz spoke on knowing she had to consult a variety of resources, and that this would be a lengthy process full of scholarly articles and data she had studied.

“I started out knowing that I would have to consult a wide array of resources to even begin to say something about depression from a theological perspective, and one of the challenges of that is that so many different disciplines have studied depression,” she said.

Coblentz also wanted to include the experience of the mental illness along with her theological understanding.

“One of the early challenges that I faced was sort of wading through a lot of multidisciplinary research on this topic

Jeopardy Continued from page 1

running.”

Another hidden secret of the show, Downing said, is that the platform behind each podium is adjusted so each contestant looks roughly the same height on T.V. Going into the competition, Downing said he was nervous as every competitor seemed so knowledgeable.

“I was definitely nervous when I got there but at the same time, even if I lost, it was still an awesome experience,” Downing said.

With limitless possibilities for categories, Downing said preparing for the show was difficult. He did some light practice with the “Jeopardy!” archives, but ultimately said he trusted what he knew. Going into the game show, there were two categories he was hoping for: sports and science.

“I was like give me anything STEM related or anything science related,” he said.

As the airing date of his game approaches, Downing expressed more nervousness than when he competed, saying he hopes he didn’t do “anything dumb.” Despite the nerves, he said it was a memorable and special experience.

“I can’t lie. I would do it again,” Downing said.

Contact Alysa Guffey at aguffey@nd.edu

ndsmcobserver.com | monday, february 7, 2022 | The ObserveR

so that I had a strong foundation in this experience of depression, which I would then bring into conversation with theological resources and my own original theological reflection,” she said.

In the process of collecting research and getting a chance to read a range of work, she was able to narrow down several aspects of her book.

“I read a lot of autobiographies where people were talking about their experiences of depression, and I found that that first-person perspective, offered a really thick portrait of this experience than what many other disciplines could offer me — at least for what I was looking for,” she said. “And then I also got very interested in philosophical reflections on depression, in particular, philosophical texts that were employing a what’s called a phenomenological approach to depression, which studies human experience very meticulously.”

Balancing teaching and research When asked about how she balanced everything: from teaching to researching and personal time, Coblentz said she would always look forward to the little moments here and there where she could return to the solitude and challenge of writing as difficult as it may be.

“Finding time to do research is a challenge that lots of professors, dare I say, most professors face,” she said. “I found myself at times looking forward to a few moments here a few moments, I also found that conversations with my students often inspired my research.”

Coblentz has had the chance to teach courses on theological suffering at Saint Mary’s and knows how this has impacted the research she was doing.

“There were times where

we would be grappling with ideas in class and students questions or students pushback, students critique sometimes really challenged me to rethink some of the ideas that I was grappling with, as I was writing this book on depression.”

Coblentz expressed her joy and excitement now having the book officially out and published for the public to read.

“It is exciting, I mean, one of the best parts of being a theologian is getting to talk to other people about things that matter to them dearly,” she said. “And one of the thrills of this book coming out is that it has allowed me to share something that I’ve been thinking about for years with other people.”

She hopes her book will prompt conversation, and that all the work that has gone into the book helps raise awareness on the realities of mental health.

“Writing and researching in my field can often be a really isolating endeavor. You know, it’s a lot of reading, it’s a lot of thinking, it’s a lot of writing by oneself,” Coblentz said. “And so now that the book is out, it’s an opportunity for me to be in conversation with people and just learn from them, from the ideas that they’re bringing, in response to what I’m saying.”

Coblentz is excited that as an author, she can engage with her audience.

“I have always taken great comfort in books,” she said. “I have felt like, books are a way for me to be in conversation with an author. And so I think part of why I wrote this book was to kind of extend a hand to others to invite them into conversation with me, and now that’s becoming real.”

Contact Crystal Ramirez at cramirez01@saintmarys.edu

3

Saint Mary’s updates parking

By VERONICA NAVARRO Social Media Editor

At the beginning of the 20212022 academic year, Saint Mary’s students could be seen parking on large patches of grass because the College was running out of space for their vehicles.

Over the summer of 2021, the College decided to reevaluate their parking policies as a result of limited space, adjustments to how academic buildings were being used, a high number of students with a tight schedule of both Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s classes, to create more accessible parking for special guests and to protect the safety of students with late night jobs or early morning field work, according to Phil Bambenek, director of campus safety.

However, the College faced issues after making these changes.

“We quickly realized that there were some unanticipated factors, mostly revolving around people’s behavior in the time of COVID. People weren’t coming to campus as often or for as long as they had previously, so we had some surplus that may or may not be there once all of that is over with,” Bambenek said.

Due to limited parking space, students were allowed to park on a large grass area adjacent to parking lots if they were unable to find a spot. After one semester using this protocol, the College updated their parking policies.

“With the experience of the fall semester in place, we re-evaluated and made some additional parking available to resident students, while still meeting the needs of all of our other community members in a way that I think will carry us through the rest of the semester and hopefully through the end of the

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pandemic as well,” Bambenek said.

The updated policy moved commuter students closer to central buildings on campus and also provided more parking for visitors, while maintaining enough space for resident students to park in lots.

Resident students, who take up most of the parking spaces on campus, have also noticed changes.

“I haven’t noticed any significant changes, but I would definitely say it’s better,” senior Eliana Sanchez said. “Last semester people were parking on the grass so it was complicated, the first couple of weeks, but this semester there hasn’t been crazy parking like that.”

While no students have needed to park on the grass, some students are still displeased with parking.

“It’s so much better than it was last semester but it still feels like there’s not enough spots. As someone who’s lived in Holy Cross Hall for the last two years, it’s a pain to consistently have to park in the Angela Lot when there’s nothing left in the Regina [Hall] lot,” senior Abigail Pinnow said.

Students have also recently noticed issues with the snow in the parking lots.

“There hasn’t been parking on the grass, but there also hasn’t been much of the parking plowed as there should be,” junior Alexia Ceja said.

Pinnow noted how the recent snowfall has impacted their parking as well.

“I’ve been pretty frustrated with how the lots have been cleared after this past snowfall. It took me two hours to dig out my car in part because there was still a solid two feet high wall of snow behind my car that I had to shovel in order to be able to leave the still pretty icy parking lot,” Pinnow said.

Contact Veronica Navarro at vnavarr3@nd.edu

4

NEWS

The observer | monday, february 7, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Professors, students discuss tensions in Russia

By LIAM PRICE Staff Writer

Since sig ning t he Cha r ter of t he United Nat ions in 1945, t he on ly v iolat ion of A r t icle 2, Pa rag raph 4 of t he cha r ter, which decla res t hat no state ca n use milita r y force to conquer a not her state’s territor y, was in 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwa it.

Russia had about 130,000 t roops stat ioned at t he Uk ra inia n border, as of Feb. 4. If Russia invades Uk ra ine, t his wou ld be t he second ever v iolat ion of t his sect ion of t he cha r ter.

To Not re Da me law professor Ma r y El len O’Connell, t his is a massive t hreat to a n essent ia l norm of internat iona l law.

“We ca n’t rea l ly lose t he r u le, but boy it gets wea ker if we let Russia invade Uk ra ine,” O’Connell sa id of A r t icle 2(4). “The U.S. has a rea l interest in stopping t his k ind of agg ression to save t he world order.”

Not re Da me internat iona l relat ions professor Michael Desch disag rees. “We’ve overstated our interest [in Uk ra ine],” he sa id. “It’s not t riv ia l, but I don’t t hin k it needs to be as big a dea l as it’s become.”

Instead, Desch predicts t hat Russia n president V ladimir Put in is t hreatening a n invasion of Uk ra ine to force t he West into g iv ing Russia somet hing. “My ow n v iew is t hat t he Russia ns a re not likely to invade,” Desch sa id. “That t hey’re putt ing on t he pressure to t r y to achieve some diplomat ic object ives.”

Demands on NATO Ma ny of t hose object ives

relate to t he ex pa nsion of Nor t h At la nt ic Trade Orga ni zat ion (NATO).

In 1996, Desch v isited Boris Yeltsin’s quasi-democrat ic Russia a nd met w it h A ndrei Koz y rev, Russia’s minister of foreig n a ffa irs at t he t ime. In a sma ll g roup meet ing w it h Desch, Koz y rev told him, “If we ca red a ny t hing about t he f uture of democracy in Russia, t he last t hing we do is ex pa nd NATO.” Since t hat meet ing, 15 states, most ly in t he Eastern Europea n reg ion have joined t he a llia nce. This, Desch a rg ues, is t he cause of recent Russia n agg ression on t he Uk ra inia n border.

Desch att ributed NATO ex pa nsion to t he common assumpt ion in t he West t hat NATO is a defensive a llia nce of “peace-lov ing democracies.” The issue, he sa id, is t hat in polit ics, one state’s securit y is a not her state’s insecurit y.

“It ig nores ever y t hing we k now about g reat power polit ics 101,” Desch sa id. “Great powers t hin k about t heir securit y f irst a nd foremost a nd a re ver y sensit ive to developments t hat might undermine t hat securit y.”

O’Connell a lso took issue w it h NATO ex pa nsion as a mea ns of securit y.

W hereas NATO is simply a milita r y a llia nce t hat was desig ned during t he Sov iet era, O’Connell hopes to see more diplomat ic inst itut ions used.

“Eit her t he U.N. or t he Orga ni zat ion for Securit y a nd Cooperat ion in Europe a re t he way to go, not NATO,” O’Connell sa id, because t hey “ta ke f irst a nd

foremost t he lead of peace.”

Frustration over ken promises

bro-

Ta ras Dobko, a v isit ing schola r at Not re Da me’s Na nov ic Inst itute a nd senior v ice-rector at t he Uk ra inia n Cat holic Universit y (UCU) in Lv iv, Uk ra ine, doesn’t t hin k Uk ra ine neut ra lit y is enough.

In 1994, Uk ra ine gave up nuclea r weapons in herited f rom t he Sov iet Union in excha nge for neut ra lit y a nd securit y.

“But in 2014, Russia invaded a nd a nnexed pa r t of Uk ra inia n territor y.

Neut ra lit y didn’t help,” Dobko sa id of t he Russia n invasion of Crimea.

Sophomore A nastasia Matusza k, who was born in Uk ra ine, a lso is disappointed in Uk ra ine’s 1994 dea l.

“The fact t hat a lot of count ries a re k ind of being hesita nt is ver y f r ust rating. It’s not a quest ion of whet her to help t his ot her count r y, it’s t hat a dea l was made,” she sa id.

Since Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea, Uk ra ine has more act ively pushed to join NATO. “The government saw t hat neut ra l status doesn’t protect f rom Russia’s appet ites,” Dobko sa id.

Matusza k describes t he situat ion less as a new worr y, but one t hat has been cont inuous since 2014.

“It’s somet hing t hat is rea lly horrible, but it’s been going on for such a long t ime. This is just t he newest pea k in it,” she sa id.

“There’s not a t hreat of wa r in Uk ra ine, t here’s a lready been a wa r going on since 2014.”

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Putin’s interest Dobko described a n x iet y a nd uncer ta int y in Uk ra ine about t he conf lict.

“If we wou ld att ribute to Russia’s president’s rat iona l t hin k ing, t hen I wou ld conclude t hat t here w i l l not be f u l l sca le wa r. But as we k now wel l, wa rs sta r t not f rom rat iona l t hin k ing but a re of ten caused by emot ions,” he sa id.

The emot ions he pointed to specif ica l ly rest in Put in’s cla im t hat t he fa l l of t he Sov iet Union was t he “g reatest catast rophe” of t he 20t h centur y. “There is a lso emot iona l t hin k ing in Moscow of drea ms to restore empire,” he sa id.

O’Connel l a lso a rg ued t hat Put in holds domest ic mot ivat ions for his agg ression.

“One of t he rea l reasons behind a l l of t his is t he Russia n economy a nd t he need for President Put in to have some k ind of foreig n crisis to dist ract f rom t he problems he’s hav ing at home,” she sa id.

Dobko predicts t hat Russia w i l l most li kely ma ke st rateg ic milita r y statements, dest roy ing Uk ra inia n mi lita r y capacit ies w it h quick operat ions.

“This wou ld show t he West t hat its attempts to st reng t hen Uk ra inia n securit y t hrough prov iding weapons to Uk ra inia n a rmy was in va in,” Dobko sa id.

Desch t hin ks attacking Uk ra ine is not in Russia’s interest, because a resista nt Uk ra inia n citi zenr y wou ld be ungovernable.

“They understa nd t hat t hey cou ld easily defeat t he Uk ra inia n milita r y in convent iona l

mi lita r y operat ions, you k now, but t hen what do you do w it h it? ” Desch sa id.

Worries for Ukrainian culture In a n ema i l Friday, former director of t he Na nov ic Inst itute A. Ja mes McAda ms ex pla ined t he Inst itute’s st rong connect ion to Uk ra ine a nd specif ica l ly t he UCU in Lv iv. The inst itute reg u la rly hosts UCU schola rs li ke Dobko as v isiting schola rs a nd of ten v isits t he Universit y.

McAda ms sa id in t he ema i l t hat t here is “so much to lea rn f rom a universit y t hat is committed to defending democracy a nd Cat holic va lues in a contex t in which vest iges of t he communist a nd Sov iet past a re ever-present t hreats to t he principles t hat we somet imes ta ke for g ra nted at Not re Da me.”

Senior Ma x Chuma is w rit ing his capstone resea rch essay for globa l a ffa irs on t he histor y of t he Uk ra inia n mi lita r y a nd how t hat cou ld impact t he outcome of a Russia n invasion.

Chuma, whose g ra ndpa rents f led Uk ra ine in World Wa r II, worries most about Uk ra inia n cu lture being dest royed in t he case of a Russia n invasion. “I t hin k it wou ld impact our cu lture t remendously because t he Russia ns wou ld just be incredibly agg ressive,” he sa id.

Matusza k, who attended Uk ra inia n Saturday school a nd did Russia n da nce g row ing up, holds t he sa me worr y.

“I ver y much st i l l feel connected to Uk ra ine t hrough ta l k ing to my g ra ndma a nd a l l of Uk ra inia n cu lture,” she sa id. “It’s ver y much pa r t of my ident it y here.”

On socia l media, however, Chuma not ices life mov ing on as usua l for f riends in Uk ra ine despite t he current events.

“My one cousin f rom Uk ra ine yesterday posted his workout rout ine,” he sa id. “People go about t heir lives. There’s st i l l universit y to go to, jobs to be done. Life moves on.”

Chuma a lso doesn’t t hin k t here w i l l be a n invasion, pa r t ly due to t he impact of sa nct ions for Put in’s cronies.

“But on t he f lip side, we’ve been w rong before in predict ing how t hese players w i l l act in histor y,” Chuma sa id. “There’s a lways t he cha nce a nd I just t hin k t hat wou ld be incredibly devastat ing.”

Contact Liam Price at lprice3@nd.edu

The observer | monday, february 7, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

By Gracie Simoncic Scene Writer

Performing to an intimate crowd at Legends, SUB recently hosted KennyHoopla, American singer, songwriter and musician. While some artists would’ve shied away from the half-full venue, Hoopla took it into stride. Kenny’s sound is a blend of rock, alternative and indie. His music feels like the kind of rock concerts your parents grew up going to, it’s loud and all-consuming. The angry lyrics make you want to jump with your arms in the air. There’s something unique about his music in that once you know the lyrics you are almost required to sing them aloud, ideally with your arms in the air.

Hoopla wore a reworked version of something I envision early 2000s alt rock bands would wear.

His bright red flannel had been altered to have a looser fit that he layered under. He also sported the iconic wallet chain with his ripped black jeans.

This ensemble perfectly matched the genre he’s revised for today’s audiences.

By ANNA FALK Scene Writer

After not performing live since 1966, The Beatles are tasked with the impossible — they must write and rehearse 14 new songs in the span of three weeks.

Whatever they create will be recorded as a studio album, played for a live audience and filmed for a TV special. The members have not written and recorded altogether in a while, and tensions are high as they try to work as a group in what would be their last year as a band.

Peter Jackson’s “The Beatles: Get Back” documentary is featured on Disney+ as a three episode series with a runtime of nearly eight hours. Jackson, with permission from the surviving band members and their families, spent nearly four years compiling this footage, trying to capture an accurate portrayal of the Fab Four’s musical process and dynamics as they prepare for their final live performance together.

As a longtime Beatles enthusiast, I was a bit nervous about starting this documentary. For anyone who has kept up with all things Beatles or classic rock, you probably know the animosity that characterizes the Beatles’ final years together. After the premature death of their manager Brian Epstein in 1967, the band struggled to find structure and financial success. Conflicts regarding creative decisions, partners and a need for control were some of the many things that ultimately led to John Lennon leaving the band in September of 1969.

While these issues are well-known, “Get Back”

5

I don’t think my friends and I stopped dancing for the whole hour. The energy in the crowd was infectious and everyone who attended the concert truly wanted to be there. Throughout the set, there was never an awkward lull.

The set list was consistently high energy, with a few slower songs mixed in. Everyone knew the words to “hollywood sucks//” and “how will I rest in peace if i’m buried by a highway?//.” The best song to dance to was, “estella//,” with its heavy drums and energetic guitar riff. My personal favorite was, “lost cause//,” because of its more subdued vibe and display of Hoopla’s range of musical emotion.

It felt like a conversation with a friend as Kenny would check in with us after each song and we’d shout back our resounding approval. At one point during the show, KennyHoopla came off the stage and the crowd parted into a mosh pit. Phone flashlights instantly turned on as we swayed in anticipation for the beat drop. Once we hit the chorus, the whole crowd was dancing and jumping.

At the end of the hour-long set, Legends was

filled with chants demanding an encore. Kenny came back out to perform his song “hollywood sucks//” once more before the night came to a close. After Kenny asked the lighting designer to turn on all cool lasers and strobe lights, we sang along at the top of our lungs as he danced across the stage.

Overall, I think this is one of the most unique concert experiences I’ve had. Usually in venues, you don’t feel like you’re directly interacting with the performer. Rather, there is separation between you and them and occasionally that barrier is broken when they touch hands with the committed fans lining the front row. Like any good concert, the necessary ingredients were present: there were the committed-front-row-fans, the one guy who kept the energy up by shouting “we love you Kenny” at regular intervals, and the moshpit organizers.

However, the small crowd in Legends allowed us to connect in a way that only music can inspire.

differs from past depictions of the group in that it shows their good moments. The audience still must bear Paul McCartney’s attempts to organize the band’s musical process, Lennon’s constant lateness and the departure of George Harrison, but there is much more life and love shared among the members than what is often shown.

In a news release, McCartney is quoted as saying, “I am really happy that Peter [Jackson] has delved into our archives to make a film that shows the truth about the Beatles recording together. The friendship and love between us comes over and reminds me of what a crazily beautiful time we had.”

For fans of the Beatles and their individual work following the breakup, this documentary will without a doubt be fascinating. Throughout this first episode, which details the first week of the Beatles’ musical preparations, there are numerous shots of the band formulating and presenting some of their most famous works in seemingly no time at all. Some of these works include “Let It Be,” “All Things Must Pass,” “Get Back,” “Golden Slumbers” and many more. Many iterations of their pieces are cycled through, the Fab Four make jokes and put them to music, they play covers together and they laugh about their charades.

Another interesting thing about this first episode is the detailing of the internal and external pressures to make decisions regarding their music, their approaching concert and their future as a group. In regards to their music, the documentary is depicted so that it’s hard to take sides during arguments, and you see them grappling with themselves and each other to

keep a neat appearance. There is little to no consensus about what their concert should look like or where it should take place, and each member has a different idea about the end goal of their time together, complicating things in their music and in their interpersonal relationships.

It’s always hard to see something you love break apart (I have unfortunately cried over “The End” from “Abbey Road” more times than I’d like to admit), but “Get Back” beautifully frames the enduring friendship between the Beatles and details the context of their future split in a better light. While they did break up over various differences and squabbles regarding their creative visions and relationships, it was for the best and led to great things from each person. Their failure to come together resulted in good things, and Jackson’s work helps the audience to see just that.

Contact Gracie Simoncic at gsimonci@nd.edu

Contact Anna Falk at afalk@nd.edu

“The Beatles: Get Back” Starring: Paul McCartney, John Lennon Director: Peter Jackson If you like: The Beatles, classic rock Where to watch: Disney+

Maggie Klaers | The Observer | Image sources: Empire, Wikimedia Commons, Schubas Tavern

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The observer | Monday, February 7, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

A theory of love

Inside Column

To uncover the truth and report it accurately Crystal Ramirez Associate News Editor

I may not go around announcing myself as a stujo (student journalist), but in my sixteen months with The Observer, I would confidently call myself a news writer and editor. I have developed a love for The Observer and student journalism beyond my wildest dream that has further developed my interest in writing and my enjoyment “to uncover the truth and report it accurately.”

From editing from my Le Mans dorm to my first day in the office learning the ins and outs of production nights, every moment felt like a step closer to becoming a real student journalist. Every challenge and success fueled my motivation to continue, despite the late nights, approaching deadlines and those cursed Oxford commas.

It might have been my obsession with Riverdale and the iconic blue and gold that sparked my interest in writing for a student lead newspaper, but even Cole Sprouse himself was not the reason I found a love for journalism. My time with The Observer has opened my eyes to a world of possibilities I did not know could be for me.

I remember my first interaction with The Observer, back in 2019, in the Angela field house for the Saint Mary’s activities fair. I had dragged myself and a couple of friends to the fair, going along a line and stopping at every table that sparked our attention or had free swag. When I split from my friends to roam around like the main character, I found myself standing in front of a table with The Observer flag draping over it.

Walking over to the table, awkwardly looking at the old copies displayed, I was met with two icons: the girlboss herself Maria Leontaras and my favorite country bumpkin, Evan McKenna.

While it took me almost a year after that interaction to actually write my first piece, I would have never expected to be where I am today with my dedication to uncover the truth and report it accurately. I won’t bore you with the hardships and success, because they equally hold a place in my heart. I have learned, I have grown, I have cried, I have existed, I have tolerated and I have chuckled with The Observer. So I would like to leave you, readers, with a ranking of my top 5 Observer moments. Enjoy, I know I did.

My top 5 Observer moments 1. Getting an email from Genevieve Coleman inquiring to see if I would be interested in being an associate news editor I had no clue what I was getting myself into, but I knew with Gen as the Saint Mary’s Editor I would be in good hands, and I mean who would say no to Genevieve Coleman. Thank you for giving me a chance Gen, and an even bigger thank you for all the amazing work you have done.

2. Getting to cover Saint Mary’s News Having the opportunity to cover news not only for my friends and peers, but for the tri-campus community has been an honor. I have been able to cover some monumental moments at Saint Mary’s, including the Inauguration of President Conboy, and I will always feel honored to have gotten the opportunity to, say it with me this time, uncover the truth and report it accurately.

3. First production night After almost a semester working remotely, I was able to go into the office in the fall of 2020 to begin working in-person production shifts. These long nights editing and getting to interact with other Observer staffers have been some of the funniest nights.

I knew it was going to be a memorable experience. I can definitely say I would not have imagined, at any moment , that Gacha life would be playing as I finished up one of my shifts, but that’s the office for you — unpredictable, just like student journalism always is.

4. Getting paired with Graphics Editor Maggie Klaers If you don’t already know, Maggie is an icon and girlboss, so when I found out she was my partner I was excited, to say the least. Thanks for a fun night Maggie and for being the best partner.

5. Finally getting the chance to go into The Observer office at Saint Mary’s, only to hear from Gen that there was a moldy fridge and we actually couldn’t go in yet.

When Genevieve and I were finally able to access the office in the fall of 2020, I was quickly made aware by Gen that there was a moldy fridge in the office that was an actual danger to our well-being. In other words, false hope. It wouldn’t be until a couple of weeks later that we could actually enter the small room in the basement of the student center. The office has brought me many laughs, and maybe allergies from the dust, but you have to take the good and the bad I guess.

I haven’t lived, loved and laughed during my time because as you know we’re are no longer in those conditions, but I have existed, tolerated and chuckled during my time with The Observer. I hope you have enjoyed these words from a student journalist, and I highly encourage you to support student journalism. Pick up a copy of the paper or even consider writing, trust me, you won’t regret it <3 You can contact Crystal at cramirez01@saintmarys.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Trevor Lwere On the Other Hand

What is Love?

Love is a commitment. What is commitment? Commitment is dedication to someone or something. What is love a commitment to? Love is a commitment to the life of its object. The object could be oneself or another self. So, you ask, what then is life?

Life is a constant attempt at approximating goodness. But what is goodness? Goodness is attainment of personhood which, as understood in African communitarian philosophy, is embodiment of moral excellence or virtuous living. It starts with conquering our errant and evil passions. Thus, life is the constant attempt to approximate moral excellence, which is its essence. Love, therefore, is a commitment to life thus understood as well as its essence. To love oneself is to be committed to one’s life, i.e., to one’s constant struggle to approximate goodness.

To love, therefore, is to commit oneself to another’s life i.e., another’s struggle to approximate goodness. This is also the essence of romantic love.

Three questions arise.

Firstly, where does love as described above come from? What causes it? Love is commitment to life and its essence i.e., the approximation of goodness. Life and its essence are immutable. And because love is a commitment to life which is immutable, love is also unchanging. Therefore, because love is unchanging, it cannot come from or be caused by things of a nature different from its own i.e., love cannot come from mutable things. It cannot come from physical attraction or attraction to values or ideas or material things. Beauty fades, money comes and goes, ideas evolve and values change.

Because these things change, a love hinged on them must change and cease to exist once they change. But love does not change because it is a commitment to life, whose essence is immutable. So, where does love come from?

Love comes from understanding.

Particularly, love comes from understanding oneself. Understanding life starts with understanding oneself. If one understands that their existence is essentially a struggle to approximate goodness, one is then able to understand that others around them are engaged in a similar struggle.

Understanding this enables one to extend their commitment to their life i.e., approximating goodness to a higher level where one can commit to another’s life i.e., to another person’s struggle to approximate goodness.

Rising to this level is only possible after one has understood the essence of life through understanding oneself. Thus, when two individuals, armed with an understanding of self — and therefore an understanding of the essence of life as a constant struggle to approximate goodness — mutually agree to commit to each other’s struggle to approximate goodness, we say that they are in love. Indeed, Christ taught this as the second greatest commandment: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

This understanding of love brings up another question.

If indeed love is as described above, then we can love anybody in this way. Yes, indeed, because we can love anybody in the way described here because we each have the potential to commit to life — our own

and that of other people. But if this description of love is also the essence of romantic love, as earlier stated, how are we then to distinguish between romantic love and other kinds of love? The difference is twofold.

First, love as here described is not passive. It is a love that requires us to actively intervene in the world to facilitate, encourage and support the other’s struggle to approximate goodness. Amongst all our relations, the degree to which we can intervene is the world is highest for our romantic partners, followed by our close family and perhaps some friends. The second difference is that for our romantic partners, we also happen to share romantic moments. Yet, romance is not the essence of such a relationship unless otherwise stated. Romance is primarily a means of perpetuating our species. That we have enhanced the method of species perpetuation to engender certain delights should not lead us to conflate the form with the substance. Romance, therefore, is but a peripheral aspect of love. It cannot be the basis of love because like material things, ideas and values, it is mutable; its intensity and interest levels fluctuate and wane.

The essence of love is a commitment to life which is immutable.

The third and final question that arises is: what is the character of love as here described? The character of such love is as described by the Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians. It is patient because it understands that approximating goodness is a lifelong process. It is kind because it understands the struggle in which its object is engaged because its object is of the same nature as its subject. It does not envy or boast, and neither is it proud because it understands that goodness is neither excludable nor rivalrous i.e., all can have it without making the other worse off. It does not dishonor others because it understands that the struggle to approximate goodness, which its subject is also engaged in, brings honor to its object. It is not self-seeking because it is committed to the life of its object. It is not easily angered because it is founded on understanding of itself, its object and of the complicated nature of the struggle both are engaged in to approximate goodness. This understanding predisposes it to sympathy and empathy. It keeps no record of wrongs because it seeks to encourage and support goodness as opposed to sabotage through constant reference to inevitable failings along the way. It does not delight in evil but rejoices in truth because while it is understanding, it is also an honest love that basks in the truth for the truth enhances goodness while deceit undermines it. It always protects its object i.e., keeps its object safe from harm or injury so as to keep it on course. It always trusts because it understands that trust is the foundation of a commitment to each other’s life. It always hopes because it recognizes the best in its object. It always perseveres because it is unconditional and is committed to the essence of life.

Trevor Lwere is a senior from Kampala, Uganda, studying economics and global affairs with a minor in PPE. He is a dee-jay in his free time and can be reached at tlwere@nd.edu or @LwereTrevor on Twitter.

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

The observer | Monday, February 7, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Looking for answers I’ve spoken out against the COV ID inoculations over the summer and last fall. Follow ing announcement of the booster mandate, I began circulating a document attached to a petition that made an airtight case against the vaccine mandate and included important questions for the Universit y to answer. Despite the monumental significance of Notre Dame’s COV ID policies, the Universit y has largely failed to address specific concerns of students and parents, content to hide behind the “CDC says so” excuse. Many no longer trust that the Universit y has the students’ well-being in mind, and rightly so. Much confidence could be restored if our concerns were addressed. W hile the mandates have already been implemented and cannot be undone, it is never too late for transparency and accountabilit y. That is why we are seeking to present out claims and questions in a public forum, and we appreciate The Obser ver’s allow ing our doing so.

In fact, these concerns w ill only become more relevant as information about the shots continues to come out. Notre Dame w ill not be able to escape accountabilit y forever.

Again, you can find the full document and an update liked. Questions have been modified and added from the original.

Synopsis: I w rite to address concerns regarding the Universit y of Notre Dame’s booster requirement.

Because of the fundamental importance of informed consent in medical proceedings, I evaluate vaccine mandates under the legal standard of strict scrutiny that is applied to infringements upon fundamental constitutional rights. Under this standard, a regulation that infringes upon a fundamental right must be the least restrictive means to achieve a compelling government (or in this case universit y) interest. In the context of a vaccine mandate, this entails the follow ing: The pathogen must be severe enough (at least for some indiv iduals) for the universit y to have a compelling interest in blocking its transmission. And the vaccine mandate must be the least restrictive means of achiev ing the compelling interest (protection of those at severe risk from the pathogen). The vaccine must demonstrate substantial efficacy in blocking the transmission of the pathogen.

The vaccine must clearly prov ide all indiv iduals required to take it substantially more benefit than harm. I take it as an obv ious moral principle that it is immoral to force someone

to undergo a medical procedure that w ill cause them more harm than good.

Because the Universit y is seeking to abrogate an indiv idual’s right to consent to a medical procedure, it is incumbent upon it to demonstrate w ith over whelming ev idence that all three criteria are met. I argue that it has not. In fact, I present substantial ev idence to the contrar y.

My argument is built on the follow ing points: 1. College students are at minimal risk of a severe, negative outcome from COV ID-19.

Moreover, those who consider themselves “at risk” can always avail themselves of the protection of the supposedly highly safe and effective vaccine. Forcing it upon others is unnecessar y.

2. The vaccine has been demonstrably proven to be ineffective in blocking transmission of SARS-CoV-2. To the extent that it prov ides any benefit, it is a private benefit against severe illness, not a public benefit in reducing communit y transmission. In fact, there is ev idence that the shots eventually leak into negative efficacy.

These problems are magnified w ith the Omicron variant.

3. The vaccines are associated w ith a substantial number of adverse events, some of which particularly impact young adults. The sur veillance systems used to monitor adverse events do not capture the totalit y of vaccine injur y. It is far from clear that the vaccines prov ide more benefit than harm to young adults, and there is substantial ev idence to the contrar y.

Questions: 1. W hat criteria does the Universit y use to evaluate and scrutinize any potential vaccine mandate? I present possible criteria in my document.

2. If the vaccines are highly safe and effective, then indiv iduals who w ish to avail themselves of its protection can do so. W hat is the need for a mandate?

3. The vaccines have been demonstrated by over whelming to be ineffective in blocking transmission, as opposed to severe illness, of SARS-CoV-2. W hatever benefit it prov ides wanes rapidly. With Omicron, the v irus is spreading more than ever. With this in mind, how does the Universit y justif y its mandate?

The Universit y has attempted to force all students to receive the COV ID vaccine and booster, even though the “gold standard” RCTs conducted

by Pfizer do not demonstrate that the shots prov ide a positive all-cause mortalit y benefit. Can

the Universit y prov ide a detailed cost-benefit analysis that incontrovertibly demonstrates that all students w ill receive a net benefit by taking the shots? Such an analysis would require estimating the VAERS under-reporting factor (URF).

In the understatement of the centur y, Pfizer’s CEO admitted, “[T]he current vaccines ... don’t have the safet y profile that we hope we can achieve w ith this technolog y.” Data from VAERS, Pfizer’s post-authorization vaccine sur veillance, and, most recently and significantly, Department of Defense sur veillance have demonstrated that the shots are strongly associated w ith a variet y of short and medium-term adverse events, from heart issues and neurological problems to w idespread menstrual irregularities in women. Has the Universit y considered these risks? W hat has it concluded?

Besides the increased susceptibilit y to disease that occurs in the days immediately follow ing vaccination before efficacy “kicks in” (hence the big spike in cases at ND earlier this month), there is ev idence that the shots also eventually leak into negative efficacy on the back end.

Pfizer’s Risk Management Plan (RMP) submitted to the European’s Medicines Agency identifies on page 94 vaccine-associate enhanced disease as an important potential risk. They acknowledge this could occur “in vaccinees who have waning immunit y over time.” Has the Universit y considered this risk? W hat is its conclusion?

The above cited RMP lists “long term safet y data” under the heading “missing information.”

W hy is the Universit y confident in mov ing forward w ith its mandate despite this uncertaint y regarding long term safet y?

The boosters are currently authorized under Emergency Use Authorization. They are investigational products approved based off 2.5 months of data collected while the Delta variant was circulating. The relevant statute requires the HHS Secretar y to inform indiv iduals of the “option to accept or refuse administration of the [EUA] product.” As I’ve prev iously w ritten, “If Notre Dame seeks to follow the recommendations of federal agencies, should it not abide by the decades-long statutor y obligations under which those agencies operate? ” How does Notre Dame justif y this contradiction?

Adam Morys junior Feb. 6

8

Sports

The observer | monday, february 7, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Sports Authority

Sports Authority

OBJ is in SB LVI, and I don’t like it Method Hagan Sports Writer

This Sunday, Odell Beckham Jr. will play in the Super Bowl.

His team, the Los Angeles Rams, is currently favored by 4.5 points over the Cincinnati Bengals. One of the most controversial players in the history of the National Football League could be raising the Lombardi Trophy in front of thousands of fans in Sofi Stadium, and I don’t like that one bit.

Despite my feelings towards him, I can admit that Odell Beckham Jr. is one of the most talented athletes I’ve ever watched play football. Since he was drafted twelfth overall by the New York Giants in 2014, he has had countless incredible performances. He had 2,625 receiving yards in his first 25 games, and he never averaged less than 75 yards/game over the first five years of his career. I hardly need to mention the fact that he made what may be the greatest catch in NFL history during his rookie year. Yet, despite his incredible natural talent and football abilities, OBJ is the perfect example of a diva athlete.

Throughout his career, he has been thought of as cocky, arrogant and entitled. He has caused trouble every where that he has played.

As a New York Giant, Beckham was a near-constant distraction. During his second season in 2015, he began his never-ending beef with Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman. These two were always in the headlines. They battled constantly on social media and resorted to good old-fashioned fistfights when they finally got on the field with each other.

Of course, his antics did not stop there. OBJ eventually went from punching Josh Norman to punching inanimate objects on the Giants’ sideline during games. I’m sure we all remember the video of Beckham swinging his helmet at a kicking net only to have the kicking net strike back and hit him in the face.

If you haven’t seen it, please look it up. It is a treat.

These constant temper tantrums and sideline confrontations were the focus of the New York and national sports media. All the while, his team finished with a measly record of 6-10 during each of his first two years.

Even when the Giants did finally make the playoffs in Beckham’s third year, it was not without controversy.

Days before his first playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, Beckham and the Giants’ receiving core decided to take a trip to Miami and post pictures of themselves partying on a boat.

The Packers would smash the Giants in that game by a score of 38-13. But at least OBJ and his friends had a nice vacation.

Eventually, the Giants had had enough. Beckham was traded to the Cleveland Browns. And there, he actually stayed out of the national spotlight. The Browns had an abysmal season during Beckham’s first year with the team and he missed most of the next year due to an ACL tear. Football fans finally had the privilege of not constantly hearing about the OBJ saga.

It was nice. Of course, this all changed during this past season.

After the Browns Week 8 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, OBJ’s father took to social media and posted an 11-minute video highlighting times when Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield didn’t throw the ball to Beckham when he was open. OBJ’s name was in the headlines once again, and his brief time out of the spotlight came to an end. In the days that followed, there was great debate on whether or not the Browns should keep Beckham or try to trade him.

Ultimately, Beckham was released by the team three days after his father’s post.

Thank goodness. This was finally over. Certainly, no team would want Odell now. He had shown his true colors too many times, he was nothing more than a distraction and he could only ruin a team’s chemistry.

Wrong.

On November 11, 2021, Beckham was signed by the Rams. The worst part about all of this is that it’s actually working. Since joining the Rams, Beckham has once again become a dangerous receiver. He is a legitimate endzone threat and he is a great second option for Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Throughout his career, OBJ has turned the football field into the set of his own soap opera. He has been an immature and overconfident prima donna and has never been a team player. Yet, he may be a Super Bowl champion soon.

Joe Burrow, please help us.

Contact Method Hagan at mhagan3@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Washington Commanders?

No. Hippos? Yes. Olivia Schatz Sports Writer

Seriously?

The Commanders? After months of waiting, and waiting, and teasing five alternative options, they picked the Commanders.

If you can’t already tell, I take my mascots and team names more seriously than I do actual football. W hat’s the point of supporting a team if they have no cute or quirk y mascot to love along w ith it?

After a name change that was long overdue, the Washington team was presented w ith a golden opportunit y: to rebrand in any way they want. And even after what they called a “ver y involved process,” they reemerged w ith the new worst name in the NFL. A lthough I w ill never admit to my USC boy friend that red and yellow look good together, the new Commander uniforms do look snazzy.

In say ing this, I am still incredibly upset that out of the seven choices they had, they ended up w ith Commanders. Yes, it does have certain ties to George Washington and Washington, D.C. But who cares about that? Do Bengals have any connection w ith Ohio? No. And look at their fanbase; they’re thriv ing.

You cannot conv ince me that the Red Wolves or the Red Hogs are not significantly better sounding (as well as a much cooler image) than the Commanders.

Please.

A ll I know is that on my list of NFL teams, the Washington Commanders just plummeted to last. I am say ing this w ith the Chargers, Texans and 49ers all in the same league. At this point, I’m not even sure Washington D.C. deser ves a football team. Will I fight for their statehood?

Yes. However, w ith that, I strip them of their football priv ileges.

In spite of that, I do believe they can redeem themselves. That is if, and only if, they pick the right mascot. It has come to my attention recently that not ever y team name and mascot are the same. For example, the Tennessee Titans have T-Rac the Racoon as their mascot and the Texans have Toro the bull as theirs.

A ll I am say ing is that there is in fact hope.

Now comes the hard part: choosing which animal should be the new mascot.

The first thing I looked up was the D.C. state animal. W hile the wood thrush is a ver y cute small bird, it w ill not do as our new Commander mascot.

Naturally, the next mascot that comes to mind is the eagle, but as we all already know Philly claimed that years ago.

At this point, I would argue for a random fun animal as their mascot, but in an inter v iew earlier this month, Washington team president Jason Wright said “The other thing that we’ve heard clearly is that something random would land poorly. We need something that’s connected to the histor y of the club, or to the area, or to something else that is meaningful to the fanbase already, meaningful to the area, etcetera.”

Wright also said that their mascot needs “a sense of aggression, of boldness, of edginess. Not just on the field — they certainly want that on the field and I would say we have that, most certainly — but also in what we do off the field, in our marketing approach, in our off-field persona, in the way that we think about business operations and crafting the fan experience. We are a strong fanbase that is proud, that isn’t soft, that we like to think of ourselves a little bit rough around the edges, and I think that’s right. And those things need to be expressed

in whatever identit y we land on.”

It was here that I had my eureka moment.

The hippopotamus.

Now, you might be thinking “Oliv ia, what does a hippo have to do w ith Washington D.C.? ” Well, actually, a lot. More specifically, the hippopotamus is the beloved unofficial mascot of The George Washington Universit y. The urban legend goes GW president Stephen Joel Trachtenberg loved antiquing, a hobby that his lovely w ife hated.

W hile antiquing in the Northeast, Trachtenberg found this large hippo statue, one that his w ife refused to let him keep.

Thus, he gifted it to the class of 2000, w ith a plaque claiming that the Washingtons themselves used to watch hippos roam the Potomac.

W hether or not any of this is true (the second half is most definitely a tall tale), it still makes for a fun stor y. The hippo statue now sits proudly outside of the GW campus in Fogg y Bottom.

Checkbox number one — the hippo has a clear connection to the region!

Now what about checkbox number t wo: aggression, boldness and edginess? It could just be me, but I am certain that a hippopotamus is aggressive, bold and edg y.

On average, the hippo kills 500 people per year! I am not say ing that Wright needs to pick the hippopotamus as their new mascot; I am rather heav ily imply ing it.

Without the hippo as their mascot, I simply do not think the Washington Commanders have a future.

I predict their fanbase w ill disappear by the end of the year.

Contact Olivia Schatz at oschatz@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Please recycle The Observer.

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DAILY

ndsmcobserver.com | monday, february 7, 2022 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

9

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Keeping a level head and relying on facts will help you maintain a state of calm and peace of mind. Recognize when you are due for a change, and make your move before you encounter a force play. Give yourself time to adjust and come up with the most efficient routine. Respect others, and demand the same in return.

Your numbers are 9, 17, 20, 24, 36, 41, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Stick to basics, don’t let the little things get to you and avoid conversations that involve sensitive matters. Concentrate on what you want and need to do to improve, and stop worrying about everything and everyone else. Personal growth is encouraged.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Set out on a learning expedition. Ask questions and attend social gatherings or lectures that shed light on something you want to pursue. Don’t limit what you can do because someone doesn’t want to participate. A change to your routine will pay off.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Dig in and tidy up loose ends. Refuse to get involved in emotional discussions with someone irrational. Stick to facts, and verify information that you receive. Joint ventures will turn out to be costly. Don’t rely on others.

CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Pay attention to what you invest in or contribute financially or emotionally. Examine every angle of a proposal or contract, and make fair assessments and changes. Don’t expect others to look out for your best interests.

LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Discuss pending problems and make suggestions.

The best way to get through a situation with someone close to you is to be honest about the way you feel and how you intend to rectify issues that irk you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your day will improve with time. Keep an open mind, but hold off on sharing your intentions until the evening hours.

A social event or time spent with someone you love looks promising.

Romance will encourage you to make a personal move.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Focus on feel-good projects. Share your thoughts and get started. Call on a friend, relative or lover to help you reach your goal. Don’t settle for less if someone disappoints you; pick up the slack and do the work yourself.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Mingle with people who get you and understand what you face. Suggestions will help you narrow down where to put your time and energy. Don’t underestimate what you can accomplish.

Set high expectations, and follow through wholeheartedly.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A solid home base will motivate you to follow your heart and dreams. Look around you and do what you can to make your space convenient and comfortable. Allow only people with positive energy to enjoy what you create.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’ve got all the right moves, but you aren’t thinking straight. Don’t let emotions take over and create a situation with a friend, relative or lover that spins out of control. Focus on making positive changes at home that will make life better.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Keep your private life a secret. Sharing too much information will put you in a vulnerable position that can cost you a friendship or start a family feud. Focus on personal improvement and maintaining financial, physical and mental strength.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Put your energy where it will do some good.

Lending a helping hand will buy you favors down the road. Someone you meet will like your upbeat energy and offer insight into possibilities that can improve your financial well-being. Romance is encouraged.

Birthday Baby: You are emotional, courteous and reputable. You are inspirational and systematic.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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10

Sports

The observer | monday, february 7, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Hockey Continued from page 12

opportunities for himself and also to win all those little battles that take place all over the ice,” Jackson said.

Freshman forward Hunter Strand then scored just 1:05 later to give the Irish a convincing 5-2 lead. Landon Slaggert and junior forward Max Ellis tacked on the final two goals of the game late in the third period to give the Irish a dominating 7-2 victory. Ellis’ goal marked his team-leading 16th goal of the season.

Bischel records shutout, Irish sweep The Irish continued their winning ways on Saturday to earn a 3-0 victory over the Nittany Lions. Bischel was fantastic for the Irish, stopping all 35 shots that he faced.

The game started slow on Saturday yet again with the Irish getting a couple of decent looks early on. At the 10:20 mark of the first period, freshman forward Tyler Carpenter got the Irish on the board by burying a feed from sophomore forward Ryder Rolston. Carpenter beat Nittany Lion goaltender Oskar Autio five-hole to record his first collegiate goal.

The Irish had a great chance with just over three minutes remaining in the period, but the puck hit the top crossbar.

Neither team was able to score over the remainder of the period and the Irish would remain ahead 1-0 after 20 minutes of play. Bischel recorded nine stops in the first period.

Junior forward Jesse Lansdell gave the Irish the two-goal advantage midway through the second period. He picked up a short pass from Max Ellis and fired a shot low to the short side. Bischel then made a huge glove save on

Ryan Kirwin to retain the 2-0 lead. Neither team scored over the remainder of the second period, and the Irish were successful in limiting the Nittany Lions’ chances in the third period.

The Irish secured the 3-0 victory with just over two minutes remaining off of an empty-net goal from Karashik which was his first goal with the Irish.

Karashik scored after the Nittany Lions turned it over at the blue line almost immediately after pulling Autio from net.

Irish feature depth, defense in sweep The ten goals scored by the Irish this weekend were scored by ten different players. Bischel also saved 67 of the 69 shot attempts he faced on the weekend. The Nittany Lions outshot the Irish 35-28 despite the 3-0 loss on Saturday which, according to Jackson, is a staple of Penn State hockey.

“They play a really tenacious game, and they recruit to that as well. The types of players that play for them play right into that and their style. You have to play a smart, patient game defensively and try to take advantage when they do get caught from being over-aggressive,” Jackson said.

Jackson was pleased with his team’s ability to step up and win despite some injuries.

“They [Penn State] made it really hard on us and we were fortunate we had two guys score their first goals here,” Jackson said. “That was critical with the guys we have out of the lineup — the next man up scored the game-winning goal.”

The Irish will return to action on Thursday and Friday when they travel to Madison to take on the Wisconsin Badgers.

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Miles, Shoaf pull ahead in contentious week of voting

By EMILY DeFAZIO Associate Sports Editor

This is the fourth week that The Obser ver sports staff selected top performers of the tri-campus athletic programs.

Several teams shared the spotlight this week, allow ing a w ide variet y of candidates to be nominated.

Men’s Athlete of the Week: Michael Shoaf, Notre Dame Track & Field Sophomore Michael Shoaf just barely pulled ahead in the most contentious week of voting for this award. Shoaf has been a consistent name in this categor y, hav ing been nominated or won in three out of the four weeks of the series.

In the Meyo Inv itational, Shoaf improved w ith each round in the men’s shot put, increasing his mark by over a quarter of a meter each turn to throw 18.91m during his final go.

Though it was not enough to take home the w in (Shoaf placed fourth on the day), he claimed the Notre Dame record in the event. The prev ious record stood since 1972 at 18.56 meters.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Bischel, Notre Dame Hockey Junior goaltender Ryan Bischel had a career performance Saturday night against PSU. He denied all 35 shots against the Irish, giv ing the team an undefeated weekend and a 3-0 w in to end the series. This was his second shutout of the

season and of his career.

Ultimately, he def lected all but t wo shots this weekend (67/69).

Women’s Athlete of the Week: Olivia Miles, Notre Dame Women’s Basketball For the second week in a row, freshman Oliv ia Miles leads the way for female athletes in the tricampus. In her three showings, she posted a combined 54 points, 13 rebounds and another 13 assists, making herself a dominant force on the court. Her efforts led the Irish to a 2-1 week including a top-5 upset. As the Irish continue to climb the rankings and knock off tough opponents, Miles’s contributions this week became invaluable for the program.

Miles showed some f lair in her show-stopping performance against No. 3 NC State, mix ing in a couple of behind-the-back passes to sw itch things up for spectators.

In Tallahassee on Sunday, Miles went on a ninepoint fourth quarter run against the Seminoles in a last-ditch effort to put the Irish back on top. It was not enough for the team to take home a w in, but the final run punctuated another strong week from the freshman sensation and secured her position as Women’s Athlete of the Week.

stellar weekend competing at the Meyo Inv itational on Notre Dame’s campus Friday. During this goaround, she completed the pentathlon (consisting of the 60m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800m) in which she won each of the five events. She demonstrated her skill in ever y aspect of the sport to land this week’s Honorable Mention slot.

Team of the Week: Notre Dame Hockey It was truly a team effort this weekend for Notre Dame in their series against the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Graduate students Adam Karashik, Chase Blackmun and freshman Tyler Carpenter posted their first goals as Irish players (for Carpenter this was also his first career goal), and each of the ten goals scored this weekend was from different members of the roster. The Irish swept Penn State by scores of 7-2 and 3-0. This makes the team 13-5-0 at Compton Ice Arena on the season.

Athlete of the Nominations

Week

Honorable Mention: Jadin O’Brien, Notre Dame Track & Field

Miles (ND W BB, 3rd nomination), O’Brien (ND XC/TF, 2nd), Grace Adams (HC W BB, 2nd) and Maggie Rzepka (SMC BB, 1st) Shoaf (ND XC/TF, 4th nomination), Bischel (ND Hockey, 1st), Paul Atkinson Jr. (ND MBB, 1st) and Tyler Carpenter (ND Hockey, 1st)

Another prev ious w inner of this award, freshman Jadin O’Brien had another

Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu

ANYA RUFFINO | The Observer

MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer

Irish freshman guard Olivia Miles calls the play as she dribbles up the court during Notre Dame’s 83-62 home win over Syracuse on Jan. 27. Miles is the newest Women’s Observer Athlete of the Week.

Sports

M Bball Continued from page 12

one. And we really recovered.”

North Carolina State took their first lead of the game with 15 minutes to play, but the Irish responded, going on a 7-0 run thanks to a three from senior guard Trey Wertz and back-toback fast-break buckets from freshman guard Blake Wesley.

Notre Dame didn’t trail again the rest of the way.

“We played fast early,” Brey said. “We were getting down the floor quickly, getting stops and in the second half, we talked about how we’re going to have to grind, slow it down a little bit, play some zone and make it a little bit of a slower game. I thought we adjusted it to that well.”

Notre Dame returns home Wednesday for a matchup with Louisville and will look to continue to strengthen their NCAA tournament resume. The Irish have eight regular-season games remaining, five at home and three away, with none against ranked teams. “We’ve got a chance,” Brey said. “Lot of work to do, but we’ve done a lot of work already. We’ve put a lot of money in the bank. Today helped.”

Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu

ndsmcobserver.com | monday, february 7, 2022 | The Observer

11

TRACK AND FIELD

Meyo Invitational brings star-power to Loftus to take on Irish Sports Writer

Notre Dame battles stiff competition in track events

February 4th and 5th have been significant dates circled on the calendar of the Notre Dame Track and Field Team coming into the indoor season. This weekend the Meyo Invitational attracted teams from across the country to inside Notre Dame’s historic Loftus Sports Center.

The wide variety of teams in attendance was like a melting pot of track and field teams.

Powerhouse programs like Iowa and Michigan intermingled with lesser-known squads like Central Michigan and Saint Louis University.

The Loftus stands were nearly full; many of the midwestern teams brought a cohort of fans coming to cheer. While the events were being decided in the competition areas, there were camps set up on nearly every other available inch of turf real estate in Loftus. The sheer amount of athletes helped provide the perfect atmosphere for such a lauded track meet.

Stand-out performances felt certain with so many elite athletes in attendance. The 2022 Meyo Invitational lived up to these expectations and so much more. It provided fans with countless dynamic displays of athleticism in the midst of a uniquely electrifying environment.

In the sprints, Iowa and Miami (FL) dominated on both the men’s and women’s sides. The Miami women’s team picked up the top three positions in the 60m Dash. For both men and women, Iowa claimed all six podium spots in the 600m Dash. Iowa’s seventh-ranked 4x400 relay team breezed to a virtually unchallenged victory.

For Notre Dame, the women’s Distance Medley Relay squad consisting of graduate students Katie Ryan, Erin Sullivan, Madeline King and freshman Katherine Smith took home a first-place finish with a time of 11:27.29.

For the men’s team, in a field of more than fifty runners, Senior

By JACK SIRIANNI

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Samuel Voelz and graduate student Tim Zepf finished second and third respectively in the 800m Run. Both of these athletes delivered gritty performances that produced a season-best for Voelz and a personal record for Zepf.

Irish shine in field events In field events, Notre Dame put together a stellar effort. Graduate student Rachel Tanczos had a strong season-best of 21.90 meters in the Weight Throw. That earned her a well-deserved second-place finish. In the women’s Pentathlon, the Notre Dame freshman class wreaked havoc on the competition as Jadin O’Brien, Alaina Brady and Madison Schmidt finished in the top three in that descending order.

Most notably, sophomore thrower Michael Shoaf etched his name into the Irish record books.

Although he finished fourth in the shotput, Shoaf delivered a throw of 18.91 meters. That exceeded Shoaf’s career-high by 0.37 meters and shattered the Notre Dame indoor record by 0.35 meters. The indoor record was set

in 1972. Shoaf now owns both the indoor and outdoor Notre Dame records in the shotput.

For the long-distance on the women’s side, senior Jacqueline Gaughan demonstrated her proven All-American talent with a season-best win of 16:29.24 in the 5000m. Moving to the women’s 3000m, junior Olivia Markezich had a personal best of 9:08.51, good for third place.

This event proved a chance for many of this season’s stars for the Notre Dame squad to test their mettle against some of the best athletes in the country in the biggest spotlight at home in Notre Dame’s largest indoor track meet. The atmosphere was exhilarating for anyone inside of Loftus Sports Center this weekend and the results of the athletes reflect that.

On February 11-12, Notre Dame travels down to Tennessee. The Irish will compete in Nashville at Vanderbilt University for the Music City Invite.

Contact Jack Sirianni at jsirian@nd.edu

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The observer | monday, february 7, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

MEN’s BASKETBALL | 69-57

Notre Dame survives Laszewski injury to defeat NC State Wolfpack

By LIAM COOLICAN Associate Sports Editor

MAX PETROSKY | The Observer

Irish graduate student forward Paul Atkinson Jr. tries to put the ball back up during Notre Dame’s 69-65 home win over UVA on Jan. 29. Atkinson Jr. had 14 points against the Cavaliers and nine rebounds.

Notre Dame swept their brief, two-game road trip with a win Saturday afternoon, defeating North Carolina State 69-57. The Irish (16-7, 9-3 ACC) moved into second place in the conference with the win.

Notre Dame has now won five conference road games, more than any other team in the ACC. “We’re a confident group, especially on the road,” head coach Mike Brey said after the game. Notre Dame lost their first three road contests by a combined 34 points, but have since gone 6-1 away from home.

The Irish got off a strong start on both ends of the floor, leading by as many as 17 early in the first half. The Wolfpack didn’t score their first points until more than six minutes into the contest.

However, Notre Dame was dealt a blow early in the game when senior forward Nate Laszewski drew an offensive foul but suffered a knee injury in the process. Laszewski, who

has started every game for the Irish this year, didn’t return.

Brey said after the game that the injury was a bruise and “nothing structural,” adding that he anticipated Laszewski being ready for Wednesday’s game against Louisville. Notre Dame, who typically plays with an already thin 7-man rotation, used just six players the rest of the way.

In Laszewski’s absence, graduate student forward Paul Atkinson, Jr., continued his hot stretch, scoring 15 points and adding 10 rebounds. The Irish had five players score in double figures.

A layup from Atkinson put Notre Dame up 21-4, their largest lead of the game, but the Wolfpack soon began to chip away, and the Irish lead was down to just 5 heading into halftime.

“Proud of our group,” Brey said. “You get off to such a great start. You know you’re not going to escape without a run from NC State and they made a great see M BBALL PAGE 11

HOCKeY | 7-2, 3-0

Irish dominate Nittany Lions to earn weekend series sweep

By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

The No. 13 Irish (20-8-0, 126-0-5-1-0 B1G) had one of their most impressive performances of the season this past weekend in their series sweep of the Penn State Nittany Lions (1415-1, 5-14-1-1-1-1 B1G) by scores of 7-2 and 3-0.

Third-period burst carries Irish The Irish posted an emphatic win on Friday night with seven different players scoring each of the seven goals. The first period started off slow for both teams until the Irish got a power play midway through the period.

Senior defenseman Spencer Stastney had consecutive onetimers during the power play, but Nittany Lion goaltender Liam Souliere made two saves.

The Irish finally got on the board at the 18:50 mark of the first period on a shorthanded breakaway from senior forward Graham Slaggert. Sophomore forward Landon Slaggert forced

a turnover to gain possession.

Then, graduate student Adam Karashik found Slaggert streaking up the middle of the ice. fffGraham Slaggert then beat Souliere high to the glove side to record his eighth goal of the season.

The penalty kill of the Irish was then on full display early in the second period. Notre Dame successfully killed off overlapping penalties that gave the Nittany Lions 23 seconds of a 5-on-3 advantage. The Irish penalty kill is the best in the NCAA and was 5-for-5 on Friday night.

The Irish then struck again at the 3:28 mark of the second period to take a two-goal advantage. Freshman defenseman Jake Boltmann sent a stretch pass up the ice to freshman Justin Janicke. Janicke then beat Souliere high to the short side to score his first career goal. The Nittany Lions were able to get a goal back under nine minutes later when Connor Maceacherm slipped the puck past junior goaltender Ryan Bischel on a two-on-one chance.

The Nittany Lions were not within one goal for long, though.

Graduate transfer defenseman Chase Blackmun scored a power-play goal with 1:11 to play in the second. The goal was Blackmun’s first goal with the Irish. The Nittany Lions were able to cut the margin to one goal yet again early in the third period. A little over three minutes in, Tyler Gratton scored off a rebound off the end boards.

It was all Irish after that point with the Irish scoring the final four goals of the game to win in convincing fashion. Junior forward Trevor Janicke tipped in a feed from Adam Karashik with 11:20 to play to give the Irish a 4-2 lead. It was his 11th goal of the year. Head coach Jeff Jackson believes that Janicke’s success this season can be attributed to the increased physicality of his game.

“Physically, he’s a very strong kid. I think he’s finally using that strength and using his body more to create scoring see HOCKEY PAGE 10

ARIANNA DENNING | The Observer

Irish sophomore forward Landon Slaggert skates down the ice during Notre Dame’s 3-2 (OT) home win over Minnesota on Jan. 29.