Print Edition for The Observer for Wednesday, January 25, 2023

South Bend recognizes professor for work

By KATE KIRWAN news writer

“ w ith entrepreneurship, you’re teaching people to dream and how to pursue those dreams,” says m ichael m orris, professor of entrepreneurship and social innovation at the k eough s chool of g lobal a ffairs.

l ast week, s outh b end m ayor James m ueller honored m orris’ groundbreaking efforts to eradicate poverty in s outh b end with a proclamation recognizing the creation and success of the s outh b end

panel discusses school, prison

By CAROLINE COLLNS news writer

in 2010, more than 3 million students were suspended from school. local leaders who spoke at notre dame on Tuesday evening said such disciplinary measures often further entrench the schoolto-prison pipeline.

“you can’t understand the a merican system of mass incarceration without understanding the a merican education system,” Justin mcdevitt, the assistant regional director for alumni and reentry services with notre dame programs for education in prison (ndpep), said.

The Tuesday evening panel discussion focused on dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline and was moderated by mcdevitt. The event was hosted by student government and cosponsored by the a lliance for catholic education, the center for social concerns and the education, schooling & society program.

Fitting within the larger context of walk the walk week, programming that focuses on issues of justice and equity across campus and the country, the discussion centered around actions currently being taken to dismantle the pipeline and how the notre dame

Saint Mary’s introduces new payroll system

By KATELYN WALDSCHMIDT a ssociate news editor

This semester, saint mary’s introduced a new payroll system for student employees. The new system, oracle, replaced the banner system which the college has been using since 1999.

This system change comes after several student employees had issues last semester with not receiving their wages. morgan martin is a resident assistant and hall director

assistant in le mans hall and she did not receive payment for either of her jobs until late in the last semester.

“so as paychecks were going through, i just wasn’t getting paid anything. so i contacted payroll about it.” martin said after she spoke to payroll it was supposedly fixed but she had to wait a month until her next paycheck and when it was supposed to come, she still didn’t receive anything.

“eventually i just went into

payroll and talked to a lady and she was very nice about it and very understanding,” she said. martin said that the payroll employee helping her just seemed to hit a button and it was fixed, a seemingly too simple fix after months of issues. while she did eventually get paid, this had happened to her the year before as well. “This was an issue the year before too. i didn’t get paid until march last spring,” she said. martin joked that there must be something wrong with her and

her account but this has happened to other resident assistants as well.

chief information officer Todd norris explained that issues like these will become a rarity with oracle in place.

“oracle provides some automation and data transfer automation that allows for the process from once the time has been approved until the money arrives in your account,” he said.

however, norris also said that this transition was in the works

before these problems arose last semester.

“The reason for making the change has to do with modernizing the campus,” he said. “while the banner system was great in 1999 and has made many improvements over the years, it maybe didn’t keep pace with what we’d hoped and expected.”

norris continued to highlight features of oracle that students

Measure provides representation for burnout

By CAROLINE COLLINS news writer

There are visual measures to quantify job satisfaction and measure pain, such as the wongbaker Faces pain rating scale posted in doctors’ offices and hospitals.

however, there were no visual measures to track job burnout, so notre dame professor cindy muir (Zapata) set out to create a short-term measure to assess employees’ feelings about burnout.

The muir matches measure is a validated visual measure

of job burnout created by muir and published with charles calderwood, a psychology professor at virginia Tech, and dorian boncoeur, an assistant professor for the mendoza college of business.

according to muir, visual measures are powerful because they allow people to quickly assess their feelings.

“The idea for [the measure] hit me as i stared at an image of matches burned at different levels during a presentation,” she said.

long surveys are time-consuming, especially for those

experiencing job burnout, so muir wanted to create a quick and regular way to assess burnout by using a visual that is easily recognizable: burning matches. The scale of matches burning down allows people to pinpoint how they are feeling.

calderwood explained that job burnout is a challenge that arises from insufficient recovery. “recovery is how people keep themselves replenished and occupationally healthy over time,” he said.

within burnout literature, the time scale of burnout has progressed to include both

feelings over a long time and daily fluctuations.

“you have burnout that is a chronic strain reaction or a longer-term syndrome, but you also see the symptoms of burnout vary from day-to-day in terms of how exhausted you feel or how disconnected from your work you feel,” calderwood explained.

The paper published by muir and her coauthors confirmed that the visual scale of the matches burning down corresponds with existing measures of job burnout. They validated the scale by looking at different instruction sets and ways of

defining burnout.

calderwood said that, when launching the tool, the group had to grapple with the misalignment between how people refer to burnout in everyday language in comparison to how burnout may be referred to by an academic or defined in a dictionary.

“‘burnout’ is something that’s become a term in our everyday language. people say that they’re ‘burned out,’ but they can mean different things by that,” calderwood said. “The disconnect between the everyday

Courtesy of Michael Morris

South Bend Mayor James Mueller (right) hands Dr. Michael Morris (left) a proclamation recognizing his work in entrepreneurship.

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recruit.’”

“‘Love is blind.’”

Corrections

The observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at editor@ndsmcobserver.com so we can correct our error.

Wednesday

“The War in Ukraine: Reassessing the Russian Invasion” online

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Nanovic Inst. panel.

Holy Cross men’s basketball Pfeil Center 7:30 p.m.

Holy Cross faces Roosevelt University.

Thursday

Celebrating Black Excellence Dinner

Morris Inn 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. NAACP president will speak. RSVP required.

Notre Dame women’s basketball Joyce Center 8 p.m. No. 7 Notre Dame plays Florida State.

Friday

“Is Globalism Dead?”

Jordan Auditorium 10:40 a.m.- noon Lecture by founder of the Reshoring Initiative Harry Moser.

Notre Dame hockey Compton Family Ice Arena 7:30 p.m. The Irish take on Wisconsin.

Saturday

Holy Cross men’s tennis Pfeil Center 1 p.m. Holy Cross takes on University of Chicago.

PAWS Days East duty desk 9 p.m. Part of Holy Cross College spirit week. Come get a treat.

Sunday

Organ Recital Basilica of the Sacred Heart 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. Amanda Mole performs on campus.

Explore the Bend: Winter Intertubing St. Patrick’s Park 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. For SMC students. No experience necessary.

MICHAEL LI | The Observer

Students in the student section of the Notre Dame men’s basketball game on Tuesday, Jan. 17 held up copies of the Observer when team members of the opposing school entered the stadium. This prank

Maggie Gallagher senior off-campus

Always sunny in Philadelphia.’”

Tomas Harbut first-year dillon hall

Jill Maudlin sophomore ryan hall

Tommy Rafacz first-year o’neill hall

Caitlin

Papalia junior ryan hall

College hosts Lanscapes of the Spirit event

By CORA HADDAD news Writer

o n Friday afternoon, Julianne Wallace, s aint m ary’s c ollege vice president for mission, opened the first Landscapes of the s pirit event since before the pandemic with a prayer. The intention of this Landscapes of the s pirit was to highlight “ s tories of h ope.”

Landscapes of the s pirit is a s aint m ary’s c ollege tradition that gives a platform to faculty and staff to share their experience of mission at the c ollege, what brought them to their place at the institution, as well as their passions. The event was held in the s tapleton Lounge, as well as being live streamed on Youtube and will have more installations throughout the coming semester. Landscapes of the s pirit is sponsored by s aint m ary’s c ollege d ivision for m ission.

The first speaker was n icole Labadie, the director of campus ministry. Labadie worked in ministry for eight years previous to her time at s aint m ary’s, having joined the campus ministry team in o ctober of 2022.

o riginally from Texas, Labadie studied at s aint e dward’s University in Austin for her undergrad. Labadie spoke on her introduction to the c ongregation of h oly c ross, their beliefs and how those beliefs impacted her life.

“It was the brothers that first sort of exposed me to the c ongregation of h oly c ross, its charism, the way it sees the world and this education impacted me it formed me so deeply and it’s part of the way in which I since then and since that time have continued to see the world,” Labadie said. “The c ongregation of h oly c ross helped me to for the first time as a college student see beyond myself, see beyond

Texas, beyond our country to our brothers and sisters across the world to care for social justice and to live this sort of radical hospitality.”

Labadie explained the specific affinity she held for s aint Andre b essette, through her time as an undergraduate. “This very ordinary man who God did extraordinary things through and so he, along with m oreau, have sort of informed a lot of my thinking,” she said.

After her time at s aint e dward’s, Labadie continued her education at the University of n otre d ame, pursuing a m aster’s degree in d ivinity. This is where she found a worship community with the s isters at o ur Lady of Loretto. Labadie elaborated on her past experience with worship and c atholic mass as a whole.

“I had always been a c atholic who sort of struggled with the monotony of liturgy and the mass and I have to work sort of really hard to pay attention to the words that are so familiar that we just sort of say from a place of memory. For me, it was worship at Loretto that really helped me experience the liturgy in a new way to really fall in love with it. To see what it means to be a diverse church” Labadie said.

In her time at n otre d ame, Labadie worked as an assistant rector in Pasquerilla e ast (P e ). s he revealed that it was this experience that helped her discern her passions.

“It was sort of recognizing the beauty of ministering and accompanying women that led me to pursue campus ministry,” Labadie said.

s he continued to share her journey through working ministry in higher education and elaborated on how she more permanently made

s outh b end her home and place of work. s he went on to explain what s aint m ary’s represents to her. “For me, s aint m ary’s really embodies this understanding of vocation as the place of intersection where our deep Joys meets the world’s deep hunger there is a lot of work to be done but I am hopeful and I am hopeful because of the mission of this place,” Labadie said.

Wallace shared her story next. Wallace explained how she found a deep-rooted understanding and passion for charism. h aving grown up in the c atholic faith and having attended c atholic school, Wallace continued her pursuit of this education at the Washington Theological Union. “This was all well and good until my 27th year of life when I was maturing in age and maturing and wisdom and understanding but not in faith and I found myself at the Washington Theological Union studying theology,” Wallace explained.

In her explanation of charism, she identified multiple reasons why it is so important to her, such as the aspect of community that charism creates, and the impact of that community. “You need a community to tell your story and to be with you while you are that prophetic witness for the world and the great thing about this community is it’s not those people here in this room it’s not just those people on YouTube it’s the people that have gone before us the stories of those people that we tell now today and it’s also those people down the road that are going to follow us and tell us about their great stories,” Wallace said.

Wallace also expressed her love for storytelling, and the difference telling stories has

on communities and individuals themselves.

“These stories are who we are and inform who will who we will become in the future because identity is not static it is changing so I love storytelling I think that’s one of the things like hanging out with these religious men and women and hearing their stories and hearing the stories of their Founders it just energized me the characteristic of charism that speaks to me the most,” Wallace said.

Wallace discussed her process of coming to s aint m ary’s c ollege, which was inspired by her interest in institutional vocation.

“I thought I would never go back to school I went to pursue my doctor of ministry and with this focus on understanding the many different vehicles and ways we can use vocation and I ended up writing a doctoral thesis on institutional vocation which brings an understanding beyond the personal where each called to something I wanted to study who are institutions as corporates entities are not corporate as in making the money but as a communal body together who is s aint m ary’s c ollege called to be in this time and place and I actually think Art and s cience and the signature experience and all that informs who that will be to we continue so that’s how I ended up as a mission officer,” Wallace explained.

s imilar to Labadie, Wallace also found a place worshiping with s isters at o ur Lady of Loretto, virtually through the pandemic.

“I instantly felt the radical h ospitality of the h oly c ross tradition like two minutes on to zoom, it may have had something to do with the pajamas and coffee that I

was in on my couch very relaxed but I could just tell I felt most at home in a community more so than any other worshiping c ommunity I’d ever been in,” Wallace described.

The community, she explained, is what truly brought her to the s outh b end area. “I was a member of the c hurch of Loretto starting in s eptember of 2020 even though I’d never stepped foot in the church and I knew that I needed to end up in s outh b end somehow,” Wallace said.

Wallace ended her s tory of h ope with a statement regarding her understanding of purpose in her life. “God has placed us here to do good work together, and I feel that as I look around at the women that I work with on the senior leadership team the executive team, as I look around at all of you here today and as I imagine the wonderful beautiful faces of those who are watching on YouTube, it just seems like each of us has been individually placed here for some definite purpose and that purpose is to empower women and all of those faculty and staff that are around us today to do good things to be that prophetic witness to share in the charism and the hope of h oly c ross,” she concluded.

The event ended with a brief Q and A session and an invitation to the audience to reflect. Landscapes of the s pirit series continues Thursday, Feb. 9 at 12 p.m., with s tories of d iscovery, from speakers c hristin Kloski and Patti s ayer, located in s aint m ary’s s tapleton Lounge as well as live-streamed on YouTube.

Contact Cora Haddad at chaddad01@saintmarys.edu

justice system.” h e also said the pipeline disproportionately affects students with disabilities and students from low-income families.

Professor of the practice m aria m cKenna explained that education has been politicized since the beginning of public education in the mid1800s. s he called upon literacy tests, school segregation and poll taxes as examples of how, historically, b lack people have been excluded from education.

m cKenna said that this marginalization continues today. “We have continued to marginalize, to criminalize and to exclude people of color from the American education system and this is how we ended up with a system of punishment and reward and absolute black-and-white ideas about what is acceptable behavior in schools,” she said.

According to Kareemah Fowler, the chief financial officer for the s outh b end c ommunity s chool c orporation ( sbcsc ), many students who act out in school are suffering from unresolved trauma and a lack of positive reinforcement at

home.

These students come to school needing more help and support, but the school isn’t able to provide it. “We respond with discipline instead of with support because that’s often cheaper and easier in some ways,” m c d evitt said.

As a result of disciplinary policies, students are suspended or sent home, rather than being at school where they can learn and be loved by meaningful mentors and role models, m c d evitt said.

“We must work to reduce punitive measures, such as suspensions and expulsions, and instead focus on restorative justice practices

that help students learn from their mistakes and make amends,” Lee said.

Fowler discussed the importance of aligning the s outh b end school’s strategic plan with policies to dismantle the pipeline. In her position as c F o , she worked to pass a tax referendum to provide students who need extra support with resources. s he also worked to supply teachers and staff with resources to deal with these issues and learn how to implement restorative justice practices.

Fowler explained that these are issues that schools can’t face alone and that families can’t fix alone.

“ o ne of the pillars of the strategic plan was community partners because we know that these are systemic issues,” she said.

s upport for communities happens at the local level, m cKenna said.“ e veryone [has] a role to play in dismantling what we think of as the school-toprison pipeline,” she said.

According to m cKenna, that could look like mentoring a child, volunteering at the polls for local elections or supporting a community racial or social justice group.

Contact Caroline Collins at ccolli23@nd.edu

understanding of burnout and how it’s defined academically was a challenge i’m not sure we anticipated when the project started.”

Licenses to the measure can be purchased by companies and employees, according to muir.

“it is my hope that companies use [the tool] in their climate surveys to check in on their employees,” muir said. “They might use it to track trends over time or to see how a large-scale change initiative has impacted their employees.”

calderwood said the tool will be important for employees in high-stress occupations, including nursing and teaching, which have previously experienced

Payroll

can be excited to see, including a mobile app expected to be launched within the coming weeks.

“The oracle app will allow students to be able to clock in and out from their jobs using an app on their phone instead of logging onto a computer,” norris said.

oracle was chosen over other similar systems for several reasons, one being its security. “The enhanced security that oracle provides made it our number one,” norris said. “from my perspective, i will say as the chief information officer who is primarily tasked with information security, that the security of the oracle network is world-class.”

The system as a whole was also considered, as the payroll change is one of three modules that the college plans to switch to oracle within the next few years. The recently active module is called human capital management (hcm).

June 1st will mark the launch of a finance module called er P. norris said that students will not engage with that as much as the recent one that involves the payroll switchover.

The final module is still up in the air as a contract has not yet been signed. The last module would be a student information system, housing things such as class schedules and times, transcripts and registration. norris said it could be compared to what Prism does right now. “The timeline for the student information system is still a bit up in the air as it’s a product that’s still in development by oracle,” norris said.

“i am watching the product very closely for features and functionality to make sure that it does what we need to do and that improvements are worth all the bother and expense.”

norris said if a contract is signed, it will still be another two years before the system would go live at saint mary’s. he predicts registration for the

high burnout rates.

The measure can also be downloaded online for personal use after completing a short survey. muir said the data collected will be used to gain a better understanding of burnout levels in different industries and occupations, which will be used in future research.

While the muir matches measure allows people to identify if they are feeling burned out at their job, the next step is taking that information from the visual and learning how to deal with burnout.

“i am now working on how to best advise people to use their self-assessment to make changes that can help reduce their job burnout,” muir said.

Contact Caroline Collins at ccolli23@nd.edu

fall of 2025 as the earliest possible date students here could see this new system, but more realistically it will be seen fall of 2026.

While as of right now, they have only seen one of a few changes to come, students seem to be somewhat unsure of the new payroll system. “it seems fine i guess. it’s just harder because you can’t go in and put in the time that you worked. You have to do it right then,” martin said.

martin also talked about the inconvenience of putting in a time change if you clock in late or jobs like her hall director’s a ssistant one where she does small tasks in her free time and now has to clock in and out for small chunks of time, instead of just being to compile it all as she did with the old banner system.

While hesitant, martin is excited to learn the new system. “it’s just learning something new,” she said about navigating the new system.

Contact Katelyn Waldschmidt at kwaldschmidt01@saintmarys.edu.

e ntrepreneurship and a dversity Program. The program, which m orris started in early 2020, seeks to reduce poverty in s outh b end by providing one-onone consulting, mentoring and training programs. These integrated programs aim to form and support small businesses and ventures, particularly for those facing economic or systemic disadvantages.

m orris designed the program after observing the city pour significant expenditures into poverty reduction each year. d espite these efforts, his research finds that the national poverty rate has remained largely unchanged for the past 60 years. m orris saw a specific need in s outh b end to adjust the way we combat poverty.

“ i n places like s outh b end, if you look at the minority population, if you look at a disadvantaged population, the poverty rate is twice the national average,” m orris said.

The program aids over 70 entrepreneurs a year, and has expanded to over 26 cities and eight countries around the globe, including e cuador, i ndia and u ganda. h owever, m orris believes that without the program’s focus on addressing systemic issues by aiding individuals in s outh b end first, global expansion of this program would not have been possible.

“The focus of our program is global. i f we’re going to have an impact on other places, then we need to be doing something at home,” m orris

said.

m orris entered the n otre d ame and s outh b end communities as a professor of the practice in 2019 following his role as a professor of entrepreneurship at s yracuse u niversity, o klahoma s tate u niversity, the u niversity of f lorida and the u niversity of c ape Town.

h is focus on poverty reduction in particular draws from his experience of creating the firstever academic department of entrepreneurship at s yracuse u niversity and the first school of entrepreneurship at o klahoma s tate.

m orris’s transition to the s outh b end community drove him to focus on the aspect of entrepreneurship he finds most meaningful — empowerment.

“The opportunity to come to n otre d ame and focus not on entrepreneurship, and instead focus on poverty was very exciting,” m orris said.

“ e ntrepreneurship is a vehicle to help the disadvantaged, whether those are n ative a mericans, women, inner-city folks or township residents in s outh a frica.”

n oting that the s outh b end e ntrepreneurship and a dversity Program “is a program that moves people out of poverty,” m orris hopes his work will not just provide financial growth, but also instill agency and self-confidence in the lives of the individuals he’s helping.

r eflecting upon one of the most memorable impacts he’s observed through the program, he said, “We had a woman on the program here who, a year earlier, spent a month living in a car with her daughter and

has found her way and created a business.”

m orris said that current programs don’t do enough to meet the needs of people in poverty.

“There’s a lot of amazing people in our community and they’ve been ignored. e xisting programs, even existing entrepreneurship programs are not tailored. a nd that’s the key. You have to meet the folks we’re serving where they are,” he said.

m orris’ formation of intentional connections with his students and the community at large are the inspiration for his work.

“ i mean, when you teach what i teach … entrepreneurship can change people’s lives, especially people who are disadvantaged. i t doesn’t get any better than that,” m orris said.

Contact Kate Kirwan at kkirwan@nd.edu

Paid a dverT isemen T

Winter blues

It is that time of year in South Bend where the snow piles up and the permacloud chronically deprives us of sunlight. It’s all about perspective, really, because when my morning coffee tastes just bitter enough, and my Spotify shuffles to the right track by The Velvet Underground and I’d waken up on time to put on four or more layers of clothes, I can almost romanticize the cold. Sometimes, at night, when it’s dark, I can even tell myself that South Quad is actually Narnia. But the truth is, most of the time, any 15-minute walk can seem like the last trek of your life when the wind is blowing in your face at infinite miles per hour and you’ve forgotten what your fingers are meant to feel like. Don’t even get me started on the law school arch and its wind tunnel. m y first winter in the m idwest was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. Its foreign shock permeated my mood, my motivation and my social battery. One night, I vividly dreamt of looking up at the sky and seeing the sun. It took weeks for me to meekly adapt to the weather, and I don’t know if it will ever get better. What I do know is that this time around, I’m prioritizing my efforts to minimize the season’s effects on my disposition.

On the flight back to school, I read a copy of “The Little Prince” that I had found on sale at a used bookstore. Settling into my seat with a glass of complementary wine and a children’s book got me a few glances from my neighbor, but I hoped that my Notre Dame sweatshirt would portray me as an academic nonetheless. Revisiting old favorites is a bizarre feeling. m ost of these books are written by adults and the lessons they hope to convey, while they flew over my head in kindergarten, now offer a warm solace.

“What makes the desert beautiful,” the little prince says in the book, “is that it hides a well somewhere.”

The seasonal blues are real, but there are perks to be found and coping traditions to be established. What I also found is that any story told in retrospect, whether it’s the time a friend slipped on the stairs of LaFun or when you walked back from formal with your heels sinking into the snow with every step, gains something of a flair when the setting is South Bend winter. If optimism fails, maybe the hilarity of our Snap memories could be the well in our desert.

Cramping together in a tiny futon with the heater blasting, the kettle turned on for the pending cups of hot chocolate. Waking up to the tree by your window dressed in a stunning, fluffy white. Wearing pink gloves and a massive checkered scarf to class. The most fervent piece of advice I would give to any first-year encountering this kind of winter for the first time would be to find moments in your day to engage and revitalize. And to layer.

“If you come at four in the afternoon, I’ll begin to be happy by three. But if you come at just any time, I’ll never know when I should prepare my heart — there must be rites.”

Our four seasons are a force of nature, quite literally the way the Earth shows us the passing of time as she sheds her leaves and offers us flowers. If succumbing to the beauty of m other Nature still isn’t enough to come to peace with Notre Dame’s extraordinary winter, let the Fox in “The Little Prince” remind us that there indeed must be rites. Just like night and day complement each other in necessity. Personally, my favorite season is summer — but how stunning the Golden Dome can be when it gleans through a layer of fresh snow. The appeal of blue skies and blazing sunlight is that it’s fleeting. Just like the fox awaits his four o’clock, there’s always summer coming back around. I’ll be keeping that sensation in the pocket of my puffer jacket to reach into this winter.

Reyna Lim is a sophomore double majoring in finance and English. She enjoys writing about her unsolicited opinions, assessing celebrity homes in Architectural Digest videos and collecting lip gloss. Reach out with coffee bean recommendations and ‘80s playlists at slim6@nd.edu.

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

Casper Outsider Instincts

What would you fight for?

I started off my Winter Break losing brain cells. I watched a combined total of 20 hours of New York City influencer vlogs for the first few days of break and found myself both fascinated and disgusted by their lifestyles: wake up, take a ginger shot, Uber to an overpriced coffee shop on the Lower East Side, drink a matcha (the kind with the swirly foam), Uber home, Doordash a Sweetgreen salad, watch Netflix, get ready for a glitzy influencer event, drink espresso martinis aplenty, take Instagram photos, Uber to your finance boyfriend’s apartment, repeat.

By the end of my 20-hour binge I felt absolutely gutted and queasy. Something about watching beautiful, rich white girls live glamorous yet shallow lives left me feeling unsettled, so I logged off of YouTube and began browsing the documentaries on Netflix (because, before I was the girl who loved New York City influencer vlogs, I was the girl who loved documentaries). I selected the title “Heroin(e)” a 2017 film about the overdose epidemic in Huntington, West Virginia.

In the short 40-minute documentary, I saw buff, tattooed men lying helplessly on the floor of apartments; I saw a 20-year-old girl passed out in the middle of Sheetz; I saw women walking up and down the streets late at night in the hopes of getting picked up by men. And I realized, those 20 hours I spent watching the top 1% live their lives of luxury and high-class, I gained more in 40 minutes watching the forgotten people, the people we don’t see in the movies or in media, the people who really actually matter.

The morning after I watched the documentary, my dad and I dropped my mother off at Union Station. Within five minutes, I saw a boy asleep on the cold tile floor by the entrance; I saw an elderly woman stick her hand in a trash can like it was a pantry; I saw a gaunt man dragging his feet, staring hauntingly at something far away that I couldn’t see. And in that moment, I realized that the documentary wasn’t a shock at all — I’ve seen this kind of struggle my whole life. It existed in my school, in my family, in my community, in my country. But it took 20 hours straight of watching privileged pretty girls frolic around New York City, cocktails in hand, for me to realize just how cruel and unfair this reality is.

Even at Notre Dame, we exist in a bubble, too busy complaining

about the unsafe parts of South Bend to actually take a moment and wonder what we can do about it. We study hard so that we can live in cool cities in luxury apartments with doormen and hot friends and wealth and romance, but too often we don’t take the time to really ask ourselves if that’s all even worth it, if there’s something beyond those material joys.

Of course, I love cool coffee shops and wellness shots and boyfriends — dear God, I love boyfriends, they seem so fun — but we don’t come to Notre Dame, Indiana to get those things.

I didn’t come to Notre Dame, Indiana to be like those New York City socialites; I came to Notre Dame, Indiana to be like Jan Rader, the Huntington Fire Chief who dedicates her life to fighting the opioid crisis and spends her days injecting patients with Narcan. I came here to be like Leo Gnawa who self-publishes books about his experience while homeless in DC and advocates for homeless lives. I came here to be like Nyla Fox, my friend from high school who is one of the most hard-working people I’ve ever met. I came here to be like my parents or my nana or the lady at the Coinstar who sparked up a conversation with me while I dumped the contents of my piggy bank into the machine. I came here to be me, to find my fight and learn how to fight well.

If we really mean what we say when we talk about Notre Dame and “Catholic values” and “What would you fight for?” then we would realize there’s more to life than the next Instagram photo dump or night out at the bar. There’s more to life than football and Dyson AirWraps and LinkedIn connections.

Now, if you asked some of the boys in Keenan what I’d fight for, they might say I fight for free pizza in Za Land. If you asked some of my friends the lifestyle I idolize, they might say a lifestyle where I can dance the night away every night and afford funky sneakers made out of recycled plastic bottles.

But, I hope, someday, when I’ve grown and explored a little more, my purpose will become more clear and my desires will become greater than myself. And I’m sure I’ll find my fight somewhere between ginger shots and saving the world.

Kate Casper (aka, Casper, Underdog or Jasmine) is from Northern Virginia, currently residing in Breen-Phillips Hall. She strives to be the best waste of your time. You can contact her at kcasper@nd.edu.

Reyna Lim The Overshare

Kate

The truth about Andrew Tate

Oluwatoni Akintola meditations

Top G. cobra. The Professor. The man born as emory Andrew Tate has many names and many cars. And many supporters, too. In fact, Tate has become something of a messiah to one of the most misunderstood demographics of people in the world, many of whom are angry at the world for one reason or another. I’m not talking about fans of michigan football (though they do have a lot to be angry about). I’m talking about young men who have been rejected by society.

In recent years, there have been many discussions about the hypocritical expectations that have been placed on women throughout human history (such as the pressure to live up to unrealistic standards of beauty, or to only pursue certain kinds of careers). An easy conclusion to come to then is that society has been structured to benefit men, but that’s not exactly true. While it’s true that 94% of ceos are men, it’s also true that 93% of people in prison are men. men are dramatically overrepresented at the top of society, but they’re also overrepresented at the bottom too. And these men at the bottom are perpetually haunted by their failure to be what the world expects a man should be. They’re told they should have everything together, even though their lives are a mess. They’re told they should be loved by the world, even though they don’t even love themselves.

In 2022, I doubt there was a single day that I scrolled through YouTube shorts without seeing a video of Andrew Tate preaching his alpha male gospel. At first, I thought it was all an act and that he was just a character, like big shaq

or The substitute Teacher from the Key & Peele skits. but then, guys at my school began having very serious (and very intense) debates about Tate’s ideologies. It seemed then, that many people were taking him at face value, and over time I began to understand why. Young men often become products of their environment, but Tate was telling them that they could become so much more. he was empowering them with admonitions like “your mind must be stronger than your feelings,” and “the temporary satisfaction of quitting is outweighed by the eternal suffering of being a nobody.” The obvious reason for the success of Andrew Tate is that he proclaimed a message of self-accountability and rugged individualism to a world of young men desperate to take control of their own destinies. And while they took his advice, he took their money, promising them that if they enrolled in his questionable hustler’s University course, they could change their lives.

And some of them have. There are many stories about Andrew Tate fans who improved their physical health and started working out because of him, or who quit their jobs to take a chance at starting their own business because they were inspired by him. Tate has reminded many men to believe in themselves and to be confident in their abilities. but the truth about Andrew Tate is that he’s not just seeking to empower men. If that were the case, then he wouldn’t be so controversial. The truth about Andrew Tate is that he preaches male empowerment at the expense of women.

The most convincing kinds of lies are the ones based on the truth. similarly, a figure like Andrew Tate is so dangerous because sometimes, he does make a good point. but so much more often, his words show that he subscribes to an archaic understanding of gender, much of which has been

disproven by biology. I won’t dive into the allegations of human trafficking and sexual assault (and worse) against Tate, but in many of his “Tate speeches,” he has made blatantly chauvinistic statements, such as declaring that a man’s girlfriend is “his property,” and that women in a relationship must be monogamous while a man should be able to sleep with whoever he wants. he speaks in absolutes and sweeping statements about what men “should be” and what women “should be,” ignoring nuance. It is noble for a man to be strong and capable, but he can be strong and capable without having a fleet of supercars and a girlfriend who does everything he says. It is noble for a woman to be a good mother, but she can be a good mother and still pursue a career.

still, many young men who feel the agony of being rejected by society are taking Andrew Tate’s advice. They’re hitting the gym. They’re wearing nice clothes and taking care of their personal hygiene. on the outside, they’re projecting an image of strength. but on the inside, they’ve yet to let go of their pain, and because of that, it still defines them. Using pain to power your progress is noble (in fact, it’s part of our biology). The problem is, if you never address what caused you that pain, then eventually you become like Tate. on the outside you’re strong, but deep down you’re still broken. still insecure. still angry at the world. That’s the truth about Andrew Tate.

Oluwatoni (Toni) is a freshman majoring in Business Analytics at the University of Notre Dame. He can be reached at oakintol@nd.edu.

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

A sophomoric farewell column to an unforgettable assignment

Liam Price Associate news editor

This column mentions issues relating to sexual violence.

Last year, two of the most powerful inside columns I read were farewell letters from editor-in-chief Adri Perez and the iconic photography editor — who is an even better water pong partner — Allison Thornton.

It’s absolutely ridiculous, considering that I’m probably the most sophomoric sophomore on this newspaper’s staff, but I have my own farewell letter. recently, I switched from saint mary’s associate news editor to the same position in the notre dame news department. I think my experience working at saint mary’s is worth sharing.

but buckle up, because the ride will get rough.

As a Gateway student at holy cross, I became good friends with then-saint mary’s editors Gen coleman and crystal ramirez. I took a chinese course at saint mary’s that fall semester, and the editors kindly took me under their wing.

I say “kindly” because, though I’m still sophomoric, my freshman self was a full-on menace working at The observer. Loud, obnoxious and quite inefficient while working at production shifts, I lacked any trace of professionalism. but, thanks to their kindness, the newspaper was nothing but fun for me.

When I applied for notre dame associate news editor, I didn’t land the job. Isa sheikh, who I’m now besties with, got it over me. For that, Isa, you suck, but I still love you, obviously (with a heart-eyes emoji).

In a turn of fate, the saint mary’s department needed help to keep the ship sailing last spring. The department’s new editor, meg Lange, then turned — for the first time in The observer’s history — to a man, me. some may have thought a male saint mary’s associate

news editor was kind of weird, but I loved it. out of the 50-something stories I’ve written for The observer, saint mary’s stories make up by far the most important and heavy-hitting reporting I have done since joining the observer.

I reported on enviable assignments. For one story, I cleared up confusion about an error on customers’ bank statements at the saint mary’s shaheen bookstore. It required nonstop communication with public relations director Lisa Knox as well as countless interviews with students to get to the bottom of the matter. In another story, I covered the college’s updated cov Id-19 policies and its students’ reactions to them. The stories felt important to report on, something we reporters thirst for while covering news.

There was, however, another aspect of the job that changed my life: the assignments I covered about sexual violence issues and events around the tri-campus, often led by saint mary’s organizations.

being a notre dame guy, I can admit that it is easy to forget how real sexual assault issues are.

It sounds ridiculous, but we live with a bunch of good, genuine guys. despite quiet rumors which circulate about some specific men in our halls, we generally feel good about the rest.

but at saint mary’s, I encountered a very different reality. sexual assault issues aren’t forgotten about; they are felt in a very painful and genuine way.

Last April, I attended Take back the night as a reporter and held back tears as I wrote the story. It sounds dramatic, but I surely wasn’t alone. The night was necessary but incredibly scarring.

seeing survivors and supporters gather, hearing those dark stories and witnessing them raise each other back up with prayer, chants, hugs and tears were some of the most intense, most powerful moments of humanity I’ve ever observed.

I also covered several lectures and open-discussion

events on the topic of sexual assault. The events included alumni authors, student researchers and saint mary’s leadership, who all dove into the topic of sexual violence with unforgettable courage and care for their audiences.

on one hand, the events and stories I wrote left me feeling empty. The utter lack of respect displayed by perpetrators of this heinous type of violence was discouraging for my general worldview. simultaneously, however, I witnessed some of the strongest, most powerful voices I’ve ever heard through the survivors’ responses.

They all struggle in unique ways but for these events, they fought back. I got to see them build each other back up and battle, literally fighting with their whole hearts, against the unfortunate realities of sexual violence in our society.

The pain is felt at saint mary’s; we must not forget.

I know this column took a dark turn of subject, but I am genuinely grateful for everyone in the saint mary’s news department, from former saint mary’s news editor and journalism icon maria Leontaras, to Gen, meg, Katelyn, cathy, cora, rose and the rest. Working for less than a year in the department with them, I can say that saint mary’s news is among the most important and sensitive work this paper produces.

now, my position is simply as an associate news editor in the notre dame department. It’s easier for me as a student here, and not at saint mary’s, so my lazy self enjoys it. but one thing is for certain: I’m lucky to have been given the chance to work across the street.

so, as an over-passionate writer of this newspaper, take one piece of advice from me: follow their work; or, at least, please don’t disregard them any more than you disregard the rest of this newspaper and print journalism as a whole.

You can contact Liam Price at lprice3@nd.edu.

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

Words matter: Gendered language in politics weaponizes them against women

Ainsley Hillman BridgeND

One of the most striking aspects of language is its ability to be interpreted in many different ways. A phrase could mean a million different things to a million different people, and a simple change in tone, word choice and syntax could change everything.

Language and politics are inseparable. Words are the modus operandi of all politicians, and the impact of modern language on women in politics is something to be wary of.

There are 2,967 women holding elected office in the U.S. This number pales in comparison to the approximately 167.5 million women, of all ages, in the U.S. Women make up more than 50% of America’s population. Yet, they only hold 30% of elected offices on the federal, state and local levels – and this 30% is a recordbreaking high, as more than ever before women are now engaging in political office.

A meager 30% is impressively low for a “record-breaking high.” Holding the right to vote for over a century and exceeding men in both quantity and quality of persons educated, American women have all of the tools necessary for success in the political sphere. Yet, the gendered language of constituents, media and other politicians presents an almost impenetrable barrier to women running for elected office.

For decades, men have benefited from stereotypes around gender in politics, which consistently associate masculinity and effective leadership.

Meredith Conroy, a political science professor at California State University San Bernardino, engaged in a research study to examine the use of gendered language in presidential elections from 2000 to 2012. Examining a random sample of 300 print-edition news articles from New York Times and USA Today, Conroy recorded all traits used to describe all presidential candidates and created what is, in essence, a “traits database.” Relying on an existent understanding of “gendered traits” from psychology and political science, traits within the database were labeled as masculine, feminine or gender-neutral. Masculine traits might include “risk-taker” or “fighter,” feminine traits could be “compassionate” or “cautious” and neutral traits were those like “intelligent,” “old” or “liar.”

Among the articles examined, 56% of the traits recorded as describing presidential candidates were categorized as neutral, 30% as masculine and 14% as feminine. The most common masculine traits were “aggressive” and “confident,” generally framed in a positive

light. The most common feminine traits were “weak” and “inconsistent,” generally used negatively. Delving further into the data, Conroy found that, among all feminine traits used to describe candidates, only 31% carried a positive tone. Compare this to the overwhelming 67% of masculine traits used positively, and it is no surprise that masculinity has become associated with effective political leadership.

Though this study was published in 2015, the use — and potential harm — of gendered language is more relevant now than ever before. And it’s no longer as subtle as character traits.

Donald Trump’s language during his presidency alone provides one of the clearest examples of the harm done to women in politics by use of gendered, and frankly sexist, language: At a news conference in April of 2016, the former president claimed that his opponent, Hillary Clinton, has “nothing else to offer” beyond her “woman’s card … and the beautiful thing is women don’t [even] like her.”

Following the 2020 vice presidential debate, Trump said that “[Kamala Harris is] this monster that was onstage with Mike Pence … She was terrible. I don’t think you could get worse. And totally unlikeable.”

Speaking of Senator Elizabeth Warren, Trump said, “Goofy Elizabeth Warren, one of the least productive US senators, has a nasty mouth.”

Trump referred to former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, as “Nervous Nancy” on his public twitter account.

During an interview with Rolling Stone, Trump berated Carly Fiorina, his opponent in the Republican primary, saying that she could never be president because of her appearance. He said, “Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that … I mean, she’s a woman, and I’m not supposed to say bad things, but really ... come on.”

Unfortunately, the above quotes are only a small portion of the long list of abrasive comments Trump has made toward women in the political sphere. From degrading women for their appearance to calling them weak or unlikeable for exhibiting very normal human behaviors, the former president made a sport of calling forth hostile sexism against women in politics.

Beyond direct attacks on women, Trump’s attempts to emasculate other male politicians by feminizing them further builds the metaphorical wall to women entering the political sphere. In an attempt to convince former Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Trump said, “[Pence] can either go down in history as a patriot … or [he] can go down in history as a p*ssy.” Trump directly contrasts being a patriot — a positive and almost essential trait for any nation’s leader

— and being a woman. By evoking female genitalia in a clearly negative connotation, the former president promoted the historical tie between masculinity and political leadership.

If the executive leader of one of the most powerful nations in the world told you time and time again that you were not suited for politics because of your gender or sex, would you not eventually start to believe him?

The heavily gendered language we hear used regularly to describe suitability for the office of the president, compounded with the traditional belief that masculine traits are necessary for executive leadership, fortifies the idea that femininity and feminine qualities are ill-suited for leadership. In consequence, the improper idea that women are not capable of effective political leadership becomes more and more deeply ingrained in the American psyche.

From their youth, women are taught through history, experiential learning and the language of our culture that politics is a “man’s world” with no room for women. We are incredibly lucky to be seeing so many women run for political office right now — especially given the culture of toxic masculinity which has washed over the American political sphere.

We need to elect the most qualified candidates to office, regardless of their gender. However, the current pool of candidates is limited by the use of gendered language, as many highly qualified women are discouraged from even considering candidacy.

We cannot allow gendered language to continue socializing the notion that women don’t have a place in politics. We cannot allow gendered language to continue excluding more than half of the American population from politics. And in a time of such volatility — where change is not only necessary, but also decidedly happening — we certainly cannot allow gendered language to waste our opportunity to put more women in office.

Such minor things as what we say can impact such major effects as who leads the free world. Choose your words wisely.

Ainsley Hillman, a sophomore living in Johnson Family Hall, is studying Business Analytics and Political Science. She currently serves as the Director of Operations within BridgeND. Some of her research interests include U.S. foreign policy and the intersection of environmental and social justice.

BridgeND is a multi-partisan political club committed to bridging the partisan divide through respectful and productive discourse. It meets on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. in Duncan Student Center W246 to learn about and discuss current political issues, and can be reached at bridgend@nd.edu or on Twitter @bridge_ND.

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

By MATHEUS HERNDL scene Writer

The cultural train crash known as “emily in Paris” has finally (and unfortunately) arrived in its third season after a long road of controversies and drama. starring Lily collins as the titular emily cooper, the show tells the story of a young American marketing executive who moves to Paris. While at first, that seems like an inoffensive sitcom premise, emily in Paris quickly became known for its very offensive portrayal of French culture and awful writing.

The first season was heavily criticized for how it portrayed French characters, relying on outdated stereotypes (which is ironic considering the show presents itself as a love letter to France, its culture and its people). equally problematic is the character of emily herself, who the writers desperately try to present as being an ubercompetent, ambitious and driven young woman. emily, however, is insufferable, arrogant, cocky, constantly disregards the feelings of those around her and most infuriatingly, refuses to learn French despite working at a firm filled with French people. Finally, emily’s detestability culminates when she sleeps with her friend’s boyfriend in season 1.

much of season 2 is dedicated to desperately coursecorrecting emily’s unlikability to little effect, and season 3 instead seems intent on making emily seem better by demonizing other characters around her, particularly her friend camille (camille razat).

camille is essentially the only French woman in the series who is not presented as an evil hag as she quickly befriends emily and helps her adapt to Paris, becoming my, and many others’, favorite character. emily in turn rewards camille by banging her boyfriend, Gabriel (Lucas bravo), at the end of season 1, and much of season 2 deals with camille getting back together with Gabriel and forgiving emily. Pretty noble, right?

Well, not if it makes emily look bad, apparently.

While emily certainly deserves to be put in her place, camille’s deranged and irrational behavior overshadows anything emily has done to this point, effectively turning her into the villain of the series through the worst and most blatant example of character assassination I have ever seen (and I am a star Wars fan).

And believe it or not, this is still the show’s best season, the racism and Francophobia are less obvious, emily is admittedly much less arrogant and tries to learn French, and other more interesting characters like emily’s boss sylvie are given focus. but other than that, emily in Paris continues being painfully unfunny even by sitcom standards. most of the humor comes from bad writing, like the treatment of camille’s character. The show’s “plot” is paper thin because it constantly tries to set up problems and story arcs which are resolved almost immediately by emily’s ubercompetence and inhuman luck (because this show is allergic to stakes and consequences). As a result, any professional or personal problem emily is faced with seems cheap, as we know that it will barely affect the “plot” or

characters.

on top of that, season 3 feels like a glorified advertisement for luxury brands like mcLaren, channel and mcdonald’s (very classy), as the characters that work in the marketing firm go on and on and on about how great these mega-corporations (who are definitely not paying netflix for product placement) are. This might as well be why netflix, a company known for canceling series for little reason, keeps supporting a show that up to this point has been nothing more than a Pr and critical disaster.

While the third season of emily in Paris is an improvement on the previous two, it is merely an elevation from offensive and harmful trash television to simply trash television, perfectly encapsulating everything that is bad and wrong about modern T v shows; I hate it and don’t want to talk about it anymore.

Contact Matheus Herndl at mherndl@nd.edu

“Emily in Paris”

Starring: Lily Collins, Camille Razat, Lucas Bravo, Lucien Laviscount, Ashley

Favorite episodes: The “wedding” one because it’s hilariously bad and no, I refuse to look up the title

If you like: Getting a headache

Where to watch: Netflix (please don’t)

By CLAIRE McKENNA scene Writer

riding on the success of its documentary series “Formula 1: drive to survive”, netflix has greenlit a slew of new sports documentary series to come out on its platform over the next two years. The first of these new documentaries to come out is “break Point” — a series that ostensibly gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look into the goings-on of a tennis player’s life while they are on tour.

since it is produced by box to box Films, the same company behind “drive to survive”, the premise of “break Point” will be familiar to anyone who has watched the former show. episodes of “break Point” follow certain players around on different tournaments of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tours. The first half of the show was released on January 13 and the second half of the show is being released in June.

While the show was not able to feature interviews with some of the sport’s biggest names (rafael nadal, for instance). The show shines in its interviews with the players that did give the cameras behind-thescenes access. box to box Films is masterful at building

storylines that endear viewers to the subject of that episode — a skill they utilize well on “break Point.” Throughout the course of the show, I felt myself beginning to support the players that I had seen before but never really learned much about, such as Paula badosa and ons Jabeur.

There were some points of the show that were less than stellar, however, and they are mostly found in the things that they did not include. some of the omissions simply boil down to the fact that the show cannot include too much about players who they are not following. For instance, one of the most exciting games of the French open was the quarter-final game between rafael nadal and novak djokovic. It is understandable that the show does not include this game because neither nadal nor djokovic were an official part of the show.

It does not make sense, however, that the show does not include information that is necessary for the viewers’ full understanding of a given situation. For instance, in the episode “california dreaming”, the show makes a big deal out of the fact that the episode’s main player Taylor Fritz decides to play against nadal with an injured foot. What the show leaves out is that nadal was also injured with a fractured rib. This omission gives viewers the impression that an injured Fritz was

able to beat a 100 percent healthy nadal, something that the show has already stated is extremely hard to achieve. A casual viewer is then could be misled about how good of a player Fritz is after watching the show.

While the show is an interesting watch, it lacks the draw to non-fans of the sport that its predecessor “drive to survive” is so amazing at doing (and its poor explanation of how a tennis game works certainly does not help in the endeavor.) but if you or anyone you know ever wanted to learn about what the life of a tennis player is like, then I definitely recommend this show to you.

Contact Claire McKenna at cmckenn4@nd.edu

“Break Point”

Starring: Nick Kyrgios, Matteo Berrettini, Ajla Tomljaovic, Taylor Fritz, Maria Sakkari, Paula Badosa, Ons Jabeur, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Rudd

Favorite episodes: “Great Expectations,” “King of Clay”

If you like: Tennis and “Formula 1: Drive to Survive”

Where to watch: Netflix

By NATALIE ALLTON scene Writer

“Puss in boots: The Last Wish” was recently announced as a nominee for the Academy Award for best Animated Feature Film. It’s a sequel to the 2011 “Puss in boots” film, which was so culturally impactful that I couldn’t remember anything about it even after I looked up the plot synopsis, despite the fact that I saw it in theaters when it came out. some may ask: Why wait 11 years to release a sequel to a film almost no one remembers? Why produce a new addition to the “shrek” franchise years after its time in the sun? Why make “The Last Wish” at all?

I have answers to none of these questions. All I can say is that I’m glad they did.

I’ve paid to see “Puss in boots: The Last Wish” in theaters three separate times. Frankly, I’d pay to see it again. It’s unreasonably good. The animation has received a major cosmetic overhaul since the 2011 prequel. It’s vibrant and stylized, reminiscent of a storybook in the vein of the critically acclaimed comic-book style of “Into the spider-verse.” The voice casting is phenomenal. Antonio banderas reprises his role as the titular favorite fearless hero alongside salma hayek Pinault as Kitty softpaws and their performances are brilliantly supported by a chipper harvey Guillen, an unrecognizable Florence Pugh and a pitch-perfect

John mulaney as the film’s campy and irredeemable ultimate villain. The score and soundtrack are incredible (I’ve been bumping “Por Que te vas” all week). The film respects the intelligence of its viewers, keeping the tone light for kids but exploring more serious themes of death, fear, family and abandonment. cameos, callbacks and continued storylines reward those who are familiar with the “shrek” and “Puss in boots” movies, but “The Last Wish” stands alone as a film. You don’t need to know anything about the franchise to enjoy the movie, except perhaps a basic knowledge of childhood fairy tales and nursery wrhymes. The basic plot follows Puss in boots, Kitty softpaws and their enthusiastic companion Perrito as they attempt to find the titular Last Wish. Puss in boots is down to the last of his nine lives, and he needs the Wish so he can continue to be the fearless and heroic legend he’s known as. Also after the Wish are Goldilocks (Pugh) and the Three bears (olivia colman, ray Winstone and samson Kayo) — a crime family who attempt to hire both Puss and Kitty to aid them — and big Jack horner (mulaney), who desires the Wish to claim all of the world’s magic for himself alone. Let’s also not forget about the Wolf (Wagner moura), an undefeatable bounty hunter tracking down Puss in boots as he and his companions conquer the dark Forest to reach the Wish.

It’s a classic action-adventure format, deepened by the intricate relationships between the characters. Why

does Goldilocks want the Wish so badly? What’s the story behind why Puss and Kitty have split between the 2011 prequel and “The Last Wish”? how is the Wolf able to follow Puss through the dark Forest? The film, brilliantly paced, gives exactly the right amount of weight to each character as it answers these questions, resulting in an animation masterpiece greater than the sum of its parts.

The “Puss in boots” films have followed the trend of their “shrek” predecessors, with the second film far surpassing the first in story and character. “The Last Wish” has cemented dreamWorks as a major player back in the animation game and fully revitalized the “shrek” franchise in a new decade and for a new generation. In short: It more than deserves the oscar nomination.

Contact Natalie Allton at nallton@nd.edu

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, Harvey Guillen

Director: Joel Crawford

If you like: the “Shrek” franchise, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”

By J.P. SPOONMORE scene Writer

When hbo announced that they were adapting my favorite game, “The Last of Us,” as a nine-episode T v show, I was terrified. After just two episodes, I now realize something truly special is unfolding. my goal for this article, though, is not to review the show, or to even praise the accuracy of its adaptation.

I want to talk about what adapting a video game actually entails.

It is almost impossible to convince a fan to watch a story they previously had control over. Watching video games is boring. A night of watching my friend playing “God of War” after I had beat the game was proof enough. Kratos’ ax swings didn’t hit, the enemies weren’t scary and Atreus wasn’t my endearing companion — because he was too busy obeying my friend’s button mashing instead. book adaptations are one thing, but translating a playable experience to screen is a different beast entirely. one with a health bar no film studio can truly conquer.

Fortunately, you are never in control in “The Last of Us.” every encounter acts as a pitstop on a rigid, linear path. The gamer has no wiggle room to experiment. It’s a

movie that they play. some may call that a shortcoming, but it gives the perfect blueprint for television.

That’s right. Television. This project is not a shortened, feature-length rendition of the video game’s best moments. It’s a miniseries with a 90-minute premiere. A commitment of this scale has to stretch beyond the game’s original script. new scenes buttress the theme and tone, while familiar scenes intercut between new and old dialogue for deeper character interactions. Television structures mean disconnected cold opens, freer camera perspectives and more characters in tighter, condensed set pieces. A television show needs a television cast, meaning the camera doesn’t follow Joel (Pedro Pascal) exclusively. characters get original, independent scenes outside of his world, clueing us into a bigger conflict that he cannot control. It’s a bigger experience that doubles down on the character’s vulnerability.

Prestige television doesn’t run the same rhythm as a gun-toting horror game. Tutorial controls and chase sequences are cut out completely, freeing up runtime for longer character interactions. Tess (Anna Torv) and Joel’s relationship is far more important than the smuggling tunnels in boston, so one is dropped while the other is doubled. These shifting interests pale in comparison to producer craig mazin’s alterations to the

story world. The fungus spreads through the ground, not spores, and its legions of infected are far more terrifying. ellie (bella ramsey) is a younger, more naive interpretation, foreshadowing a darker angle for future events. The biggest change, though, is Joel. he is no longer the one-man-army you command. he is a frustrated old man teetering on the edge of a bottomless pit of rage. he is just as fragile as he is dangerous — a bomb I cannot wait to see explode. For an adaptation of this scale and passion, change is good. It keeps me excited for next week’s episode rather than dreading a rerun of a story I’ve already seen.

hbo is the perfect ecosystem for high-profile adaptations. not only is their brand founded on massive productions and top actors, but its platform vocalizes the intentions of every show’s creators. I don’t have to worry about why game elements are left out when neil druckman, the writer for both the game and show, tells me why in the after credits interviews. The communication is clear. he understands exactly what challenge he faces because he created the audience. These beloved characters are in good hands, and I, a fan and critic, cannot wait to see what happens next.

Contact J.P. Spoonmore at jspoonmo@nd.edu

happy Birthday: Be open about how you feel, and resolve issues hanging over your head that are holding you back. Progress takes initiative and courage to make tough decisions. It’s time to adjust what isn’t working for you while you pave the way to new beginnings and happiness. Take command of your life. Choose to simplify how you do things, and practice moderation. your numbers are 4, 10, 22, 26, 30, 34, 42.

ArIES (March 21-April 19): you’ll be eager to get things done. Push forward, fulfill your dreams and promote your goals. A challenge will have strings attached. find out what’s expected of you before you proceed. romance is on the rise.

TAuruS (April 20-May 20): Sort through emotional issues before you agree to something that may be compromising or uncomfortable. find out where you stand, and assess where it’s best to put your time and effort. Don’t forget that charity begins at home.

gEMINI (May 21-June 20): gather information and put it to the test. What you discover and how you apply it to your life will inspire others to pitch in and help. Before you accept help, find out what you will owe. Maintaining equality is essential.

CANCEr (June 21-July 22): Stick to the facts, and don’t take on the impossible. reach out to someone you like to work alongside, and you’ll get an opportunity to do something that makes a difference. focus on bringing money in, not spending frivolously.

lEO (July 23-Aug. 22): An opening will become available. Try something new. A challenge will excite and encourage you to fine-tune your skills to impress someone who can help you get ahead. Choose to be with someone you love, not someone you feel you owe.

vIrgO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A trip, meeting or networking function will be informative. The information you receive will help you adjust to changes heading your way. Don’t fret; you’ll make substantial gains if you let your work be your calling card.

lIBrA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Dress for success. Pay attention to detail and take better care of your health and well-being. hone your skills, add to your knowledge and keep up to date with what’s trending. Socialize, network or tell someone you love how you feel.

SCOrPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): get approval before you make changes that will affect those you live with. If you are transparent and open regarding your intentions, you’ll be granted the go-ahead and offered suggestions that will contribute to your success.

SAgITTArIuS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Nothing will be as it appears. Don’t act on assumptions; ask questions, explore possibilities and put your energy where it counts. home improvements will open space to new projects that can inflate your income. If you love someone, share your feelings.

CAPrICOrN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): An active mind will lead to answers that encourage you to follow your heart and head in a direction that favors changes at home that add to your financial stability. Invest more time in improving money management and curbing costly habits.

AQuArIuS (Jan. 20-feb. 18): Take your intentions and plans for a test drive by reviewing each step required to reach your objective. your colorful way of pitching your vision will make it difficult for your audience to reject your ideas. A demonstration will seal the deal.

PISCES (feb. 19-March 20): Don’t share sensitive information. focus on what you can do for others and how to solve a problem that can influence your position or income. keep the peace, but leave nothing to chance or up to someone else. Do what’s best for you.

Birthday Baby: you are responsible, eager and passionate. you are fun-loving and unpredictable.

Jumble | DAvID hOyT AND JEff kNurEk

sudoku | ThE MEPhAM grOuP

Work like a dog: the world of dog sports

Olivia Schatz Associate Sports Editor

Dogs have been man’s best friend for centuries. We dress them up in jerseys on game days and make them our mascots, dogs fetch bats during baseball games, pick up tees on football fields and are sometimes even our halftime show entertainers. Despite all of this, man has not given dog athletes the support that they need.

Thus, I will be presenting a guide to dog sports. And while you probably are thinking there can’t be that many, I am here to tell you that you are completely wrong. There are dozens of different sports, one for every type of dog. And while I would love to go into all of them, I have instead discussed my five favorites to watch.

5. Dock Jumping

Although dock jumping is not my cup of tea, there is no denying the impressive athleticism needed to score well in this sport. In this sport, a dog and their owner stand on a

dock, the dog is then prompted to sprint and jump as high and as far into the water as possible. The current record is held by a seven year old whippet at 36 and a half feet. While any breed of dog is welcome to join in on the fun, the records are typically held by whippets and border collies.

While this sport is incredible to watch the first, and maybe second time, this sport gets repetitive fast. However, it is definitely still worth the watch.

4. Barn Hunt

Yes, this sport uses live rats. However, the rats are cared for very well and are protected from the dogs.

Barn Hunt originated, just like many other dog sports, with a practical reason.

Terriers and dachshunds originally were bred to catch rats and other pests. In Barn Hunt, rats are placed in protective ventilated tubes, and dogs are asked to sniff them out. These dogs work fast, and within a matter of minutes they have found every rat in the area.

While this sport is entertaining and interesting to watch,

a nine-point advantage. Just as they did in the first half, though, Notre Dame quickly rallied.

the quiet atmosphere is not my favorite. When compared to sports that are dominated by large dog breeds, you hear just how excited they are. These terriers are definitely peak athletes at their sports, but quite literally don’t have a loud bark behind their bite.

3. Herding

It comes to no surprise to anyone that herding is dominated by border collies. While there are other breeds who compete and do well, border collies saturate this competition and almost always take home the gold.

Herding trials are scored based on their test level, course type and livestock type. The course types are divided by which aspects of herding they are focused on: versatility, control or movement of livestock in an enclosed or unfenced area. The animals can range from sheep to ducks.

What I love about this sport is the wide variety from course to course. Animals are put under immense pressure and must listen to the slight changes in their handlers’ whistles to

getting to the rim.

for teammates. Smith would find his touch in the second half and finish the game with 17 points and six assists.

Facing a sizable deficit just minutes into the game, the Irish wasted no time getting back into it. Notre Dame rattled off a quick 10-0 run. After graduate student guard Dane Goodwin and Ryan connected on consecutive three-pointers, the game was tied at 27-27 with more than six minutes remaining in the half. The Irish kept their foot on the gas, scoring with high efficiency and stymying NC State with a zone defense.

With Laszewski on the bench after picking up three early fouls, freshman forward Ven-Allen Lubin received extended playing time and took full advantage on both ends of the court. Lubin finished the game with 10 points, five rebounds and a pair of blocks. A fast-break dunk early in the second half showcased his impressive athleticism. Behind his strong play and nine points each from Ryan and graduate student guard Marcus Hammond, the Irish went into the break leading 42-39. After struggling to finish late in the the first half, the Wolfpack could not miss coming out of halftime. NC State went on another huge run, this time 16-4, and took

Ryan scored five unanswered points to cut the deficit to four. A Goodwin three-pointer shortly thereafter brought the Irish within two.

That set up several minutes of back-and-forth basketball, with both teams seemingly scoring at will. Ryan drilled his fifth three-pointer of the night on his fifth attempt, setting up a scenario that has become painfully familiar for Irish fans in recent weeks. Down by one, less than five minutes to play, a strong final stretch away from victory.

Just as has been the case in so many of their narrow ACC defeats, the Irish were unable to close out the game. NC State’s Casey Morsell made a three and Smith hit a pair of free throws immediately after the Irish run.

Just like that, the Wolfpack advantage was back up to six.

Notre Dame would have other chances, at one point missing a game-tying threepointer with less than two minutes to play. But they were unable to fully overcome the deficit. The Wolfpack executed well down the stretch, making seven of their final eight free throws to pull out the win. Ryan led the Irish with 19 points, and freshman guard JJ Starling finished with 18 after a masterful secondhalf performance in which he could not be stopped from

For Notre Dame, the story of the game was turnovers, surprising for a group that is one of the nation’s best at protecting the ball. The Irish gave the ball up 15 times while forcing just two Wolfpack turnovers. That led to 18 points off of turnovers for NC State and none for Notre Dame. That one-sided margin ended up 15 points larger than the final Irish deficit.

Additionally, the Irish struggled to defend the rim, allowing the Wolfpack to score 40 points in the paint. D.J. Burns Jr. used his strength and physicality to overpower smaller Irish defenders.

He scored 14 points and seemed to convert an easy layup every time Notre Dame desperately needed a stop.

Cutting down on sloppy offensive play and finding a way to limit scoring opportunities for opposing big men are areas that the Irish will look to address in the coming days as they try to bounce back and return to the winning column. Up next, Notre Dame will be back at home on Saturday against Louisville, who is winless in ACC play. Tipoff is at noon and the game will be available on ESPN2.

Contact Matthew Crow at mcrow@nd.edu

know what to do.

2. Flyball

This sport is most definitely filled with the most athletic dogs —whippets and border collies dominate this sport .

There are four hurdles in a line, with a flyball machine at the end. The dogs, one at a time, will race and jump over the hurdles, before triggering the flyball, catching it in their mouth, and racing back over the four hurdles. At this point, the next dog will run and do the same exact thing.

In basic terms, it is a relay race. However, these dogs are incredible, and many times the final results come down to the wire. You might be thinking, why would I want to watch dogs run back and forth for a few minutes? I promise you, after one or two watches you will be entranced. There are times I would sit and watch flyball for hours, every race is different from the next.

1. Agility

This is by far the most entertaining of any dog sport. By the guidance of their owners, dogs are prompted to follow a set of obstacles in a race. This includes

jumping over hurdles, running through a tunnel, balancing on a see-saw and, of course, weaving and bobbing. Each division competes the same course, yet depending on the size of the dog, the race appears completely different.

Like so many other dog sports, border collies have found great success in the agility contest. Among the most famous is P!nk the border collie. Dogs and handlers train for months to be able to have flawless runs.

Agility is amazing because you see how different each breed of dog performs. Larger dogs are not as precise and they seem to not have full control of their limbs while smaller dogs seem too small for their own good. Whatever the size or breed, agility is entertaining for all.

So, next time you are flipping through the channels looking for a game to watch, don’t forget about your furry friends.

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.

Notre Dame office,

MICHAEL LI | The Observer

Irish graduate student guard Cormac Ryan dribbles around a Florida State defensive player on Jan. 17. The Irish lost the game 84-71.

M Tennis

Fencers shine on east coast

By ANNIKA HERKO sports Writer

This weekend, n otre d ame Fencing had two meets on the east coast. The first was at s t. John’s u niversity in Jamaica, n ew York where the men’s team finished 3-2 and the women went 5-0.

The men’s two losses came against o hio s tate and c olumbia. n otre d ame performed well in foil and sabre, but struggled to keep pace against those opponents in epee. p hilip d ority (foil) and Luke Linder (sabre) went 3-0 in bouts against c olumbia to try and get n otre d ame back into the match.

The Irish had decisive wins over p enn s tate, h arvard and s t. John’s. s tephen e wart (epee), s ean m oon (sabre), m aruan o sman-Touson (epee), Jonathan h amiltonm eikle (epee), m arcello o livares (foil) and Alexandre Lacaze (sabre) all went 3-0 in at least one bout during the tournament.

The women’s team went undefeated in Jamaica. Their smallest margin of victory was three (against c olumbia) but they beat

h arvard by 21 points. e szter m uhari (epee) and Kara Linder (sabre) went 3-0 in three matches. Amanda p irkowski (epee) went undefeated in two. Amita b erthier (foil), m iriam Grady (epee), s edna Gandhi (epee), p aige Luong (sabre), Jadeyn Williams (sabre), Atara Greenbaum (sabre), and r ebeca c andescu (foil) all went 3-0 in one match. b etween the two teams in all their matches, they went 43 for 81 in one-touch bouts and 16 for 27 in overtime.

The men’s team clinched, when they won, on average, in 21 bouts. The women’s team clinched on average in 20.4 bouts.

The second meet was at the u niversity of p ennsylvania in p hiladelphia. The women’s team finished 3-2 in this tournament, losing to Yale in their first match and c olumbia in their last, each by 1.

The men’s team also went 4-1 with their only loss coming against p rinceton. n oah s ilvers (epee) went 3-0 in that match for the Irish. Kaylin s in Yan h sieh (epee), b erthier, m uhari, and Greenbaum all went 3-0

in two matches while Jane c aulfield (foil) went 3-0 in the women’s toughest match of the weekend against c olumbia (between the two tournaments, c olumbia and n otre d ame went 1-1 against each other).

h amilton- m eikle and s ilvers each got three 3-0 bouts. o sman-Touson went 3-0 in two matches. d ority, o livares, George b ivins (sabre), and n ick c andela (epee) all went 3-0 in one bout.

In the match against p enn, n otre d ame went 9-0 in bouts for epee. In the second tournament, for both teams, n otre d ame went 34 for 63 in one-touch bouts and 9 for 17 in overtime.

The men’s team clinched, when they won, on average, in 21.5 bouts. The women’s team clinched on average in 20 bouts.

The n otre d ame Fencing program will host a tournament this upcoming weekend called the d ecicco d uals. s tudents are encouraged to come watch in the Joyce c etner.

Contact Annika Herko at aherko@nd.edu

“What c he shows is very different from what c he feels. h e holds it in. h e plays with a fire ... he’s got an intensity about him,” s achire said.

c he has helped serve as the soul and emotional strength of this team through its invitationals, conference play and tournaments over the past three years.

Yet his flaming emotions would sometimes get the best of him, masking his performances.

Learning from those experiences, c he has grown into a model of dedication for the team.

As s achire puts it, “That was a big part of his growth as a player — being able to control his emotions … he has learned to control it, and he’s a much better competitor because of it, and he’s poised to have a great year.”

Yet another key figure on the team is senior c onnor Fu of Andover, m assachusetts. Fu is excited about the opportunity to lead less experienced players through the rigors of the A cc tennis season.

“I think us as older guys who have seen all these matches before … it’s our job to show the younger kids how it’s done during pressure moments,” Fu said.

h is enthusiasm for the team, which is hoping to emerge stronger from the challenges of recent seasons, is obvious.

o n his goals for the season, he said, “ h oping to do a little bit better than last year — we’re playing a lot of the same teams, so

W Tennis

con TInued From pAGe 16

include freshman r ylie h anford playing alongside Yellayi and freshman b ojana p ozder partnered with Freeman.

s ilverio believes that these pairings have been great leadership opportunities for her upperclassmen athletes.

“This is a leadership opportunity for our upperclassmen to really help guide the freshmen with their energy and enthusiasm. That peer energy and learning is important. It has been great to see them work together so well,” s ilverio said.

The Irish have plenty of matches before the A cc c hampionships at the end of April, and s ilverio is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for her

hoping to beat some of the teams we lost to and go further in the A cc and nc AA tournaments.”

A potential catalyst for the team may exist in s lovenian phenom freshman s ebastian d ominko. d ominko’s talent has impressed all that have witnessed it, from his veteran teammates to s achire, who believes his arrival will serve as a huge boost for his squad.

“You bring in a freshman that’s as good as s ebastian is, that gives you a shot in the arm. We feel like we replaced Axel [ n efve] with somebody who is at least as good,” s achire said. s achire believes d ominko will showcase a “really good season for us”, as does c onnor Fu.

“Getting s ebastian was huge for us,” Fu said. Fu will be the one serving as d ominko’s doubles partner on the n o. 1 team and is extremely excited about the pairing. “We’ve been putting in a lot of work in practice … still a pretty new team, but it’s a pretty high potential team. We’re both pretty good athletes and know how to play doubles pretty well,” Fu said.

As the Irish return their core contributors from last year along the potential emergence d ominko and sophomore Yu Zhang, they look to rebound from their mediocre 2021-22 campaign. The Irish will travel to Lexington, Kentucky for an invitational this weekend. After that comes a slate of matches against b ig Ten opponents. c onference play opens up at home against n orth c arolina on m arch 3.

Contact Adam Akan at aakan@nd.edu

team.

o ff to a 4-0 start, the team will be back in action this weekend at the ITA Kickoff where they will play usc in the first round.

s ilverio is excited to face a difficult opponent in usc and gain more experience at the ITA Kickoff.

“We are super excited for the ITA Kickoff. We play s outhern c al in the first round, so that will be a great experience and an opportunity for us to play a p ac-12 team,” s ilverio said. “The ITA indoor is the first national team event of the season, so we are not looking any further ahead than the next match. We are definitely very excited for the kickoff.”

Contact Nate Moller

RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

University of Notre Dame junior fencer Kaylin Sin Yan Hseih from Hong Kong competes during the 2022 NCAA tournament. The Irish sit in first place in the early polls of the 2022-2023 fencing season.

rallied. First, he returned a Kusynzki serve with a power forehand winner. o n the ensuing crucial rally, c he sprinted across the back baseline, skidding to his backhand side. Kusynzki sensed an opportunity and crashed the net, only to see c he’s skidding shot loft over his head and drop down for a 4-3 lead. c he took the lead and his serve back, where he immediately won two straight points to garner three opportunities for a set point. After Kusynzki saved a pair on his own serve, c he delivered a thundering ace to seal the first-set victory.

In the second set, c he won four straight games to go up 5-2. After suffering a break in his first opportunity to clinch the match, c he broke right back — his third break of the second set — to earn the win.

ND WOMEN’S TENNiS

“What our seniors did in c onnor Fu and m att c he winning in straight sets and beating two quality opponents who had beaten them previously in their careers … that’s what leaders do,” s achire said. “ r eally proud of those guys for stepping up and getting it done.

“Today, I was trying to share energy a lot. I was yelling to the other side a lot,” Fu added. “[ c he] was a bit more composed with himself. b ut people give off energy different ways, and it’s our job to do that for our team.”

The Irish would trail again after seeing defeats on the third and sixth courts.

Graduate student Aditya vashistha was up early, holding and breaking for a 2-0 lead. h owever, he was broken in his efforts to garner a big-time advantage, and he struggled to regain the momentum. h e was broken three times in the first set and ultimately lost, 4-6, 3-6. It was his first singles loss of the season. Freshman n oah

b ecker fell to 2-2 on the season with a 3-6, 5-7 loss on c ourt n o. 6.

That left the match to be decided by the first and fifth courts, both with newcomers to the Irish lineup battling it out. o n the top court, freshman s ebastian d ominko dominated the first set, earning a break while up 2-1 to garner a convincing lead and win 6-3. h owever, in the second set, it was d ominko who was broken, going down 4-1. h owever, the freshman battled back to win three straight games, on two holds and a break. When the match went to tiebreak, d ominko had little issue in setting down his foe, 7-2, to win 6-3, 7-6. A vicious slicing forehand from the lefty ended the tiebreak.

“ h e’s obviously a great player and competitor,” s achire said of his s lovenian freshman. “ h e played against a really good opponent and stepped up big time at the end of that match and set the table for Yu [Zhang] to close

it out.”

Zhang, a sophomore who didn’t crack the singles lineup last year, suffered early breaks in both sets but maintained an unbeaten record on the year to secure the Irish win. h e also won a tiebreaker in his first set, winning the first five points of the game to claim the first set. h e also punctuated the victory with a powerful ace, winning the tiebreak 7-1. That gave the Irish a 3-0 record in tiebreaks during singles play.

“What it comes down to is clarity and confidence in what you do in the court. You’ve been playing an entire set. You kind of have a feel for what your opponent is going to do. It comes down to who executes the best. Those are all pressurepacked points,” s achire noted. “The better player typically is the one who can come through in those big moments. Those guys executed really well in the tiebreakers.” Zhang went down early in the second

set as well, but a late break gave him a chance to serve for the victory. h e made no mistake, losing just one of the ensuing service points to claim the win on the fifth court. h e improved to 4-0 on the season.

“I was proud of how we fought. We need to do a better job of holding our serve. Zhang got broken in the first game of the first and second set. You do that and you’re looking uphill the entire set. It’s tough and I’m super proud of the fight, the battle.” s achire commented. “We’re clearly not clicking on all cylinders right now, but nobody is. We’ll be playing our best tennis as the season goes on … this is where you learn, where you grow, where you build confidence. s uper proud to win our first 4-3 match of the season, and it’s a match that we can look back on the rest of the way.”

Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

Women’s team sweeps four games in two days

By OLIVIA SCHATZ Associate sports editor

n otre d ame women’s tennis were back in action this weekend as they hosted a series of matches in e ck Tennis Pavilion. The Irish were on a hot streak as they secured a win of all four matches, bringing their official team record to 4-0 on the season.

The first matchup of the weekend was against m ichigan s tate where the Irish won with an astounding 7-0, pulling in essential momentum for the weekend.

Junior Julia Andreach and sophomore c arrie b eckman started the afternoon out in n o. 3 double spots for the Irish (6-0).

Page Freeman and freshman b ojana Pozder were at the n o. 1 spot and freshman r ylie h anford and junior Yashna Yellayi notched a 6-4 win at n o. 2.

Again, the singles matches sealed their victories, as m ichigan s tate couldn’t win any match. Pozder was the only single player — at n o. 5 — that needed a third set. b ut ultimately the Irish pulled through in time to play b utler only a few hours later.

The Irish lost one of three total matches against b utler, but still triumphed over the b ulldogs.

n otre d ame saw a switch up in their doubles for the second game of the night. While h anford and Yellayi played together again in the n o. 2 spot (6-0), sophomore m aria o livia c astedo and freshman Akari m atsuno

played in the n o. 3 spot, securing the doubles win for the Irish (6-2).

The singles win was not as easy against b utler as it was against m ichigan s tate. s ophomore n ibi Ghosh won her match in two games at the n o. 1 spot (6-1 ,7-6). While multiple matches had to go to three sets, the Irish were able to win out 5-1 in singles.

The only b utler point came from h anford’s match, where she went three rounds (6-4, 4-6, 6-3)

e ven with this slight hiccup, the Irish came back stronger than ever against Xaviar s unday. Again, n otre d ame did not drop a single point.

The doubles teams of Yellayi and h anford ( n o. 2) and b eckman and Andreach ( n o. 3) were back in action, and they did not disappoint. The third spot team dominated with a 6-1 victory, while the second spot team struggled, but ultimately earned the point (7-6, 7-3).

n otre d ame again swept singles, this time with Freeman in the n o. 1 spot (6-2, 6-3).

Again, only one player saw a third set; this time it was Ghosh in the n o. 3 spot. o ther than Ghosh, two 6-3 matches was the closest Xavier came to winning a point.

The fourth and final match of the weekend proved to be the toughest for the Irish. Against UI c , n otre d ame dropped two of the total three points on the weekend. d espite this, the Irish did

not show their fatigue and they, again, pulled through, delivering a 4-0 victory.

The first point for UI c was during the doubles matches. Andreach and b eckman won their match in the n o. 1 spot, but Pozder and c astedo could not in the second. For the first time of the weekend graduate student Alez Kuo and junior s ydney s forzo played together, but they could not bring in the victory needed.

The other dropped point came in the top spot of singles, where Freeman went to three sets but ultimately fell to her opponent. The Irish, however, did not play

any softer, and n otre d ame won four of the remaining five games straight, only needing a third set for junior m eghan c oleman’s win in the sixth spot.

h ead coach Alison s ilverio was impressed with her team’s performance on the weekend.

“To come out and play four matches, two double headers. Is that easy, physically or mentally?” s ilverio remarked. “It’s a total team effort. e veryone that was inside the lines to everyone that was outside the line was a full unit.”

The Irish not only showed commitment to their team,

but an incredible sign of endurance playing four matches in two days.

h owever, n otre d ame does not have an easy schedule ahead of them.

n otre d ame faces n o. 14 University of s outhern c alifornia on s aturday. This past weekend showed how strong of a roster the Irish have, but next weekend will be a true test to their talent.

The Irish will travel to Georgia where they will face off against the Trojans in a neutral site on s aturday, Jan 27 at 11 a.m. e T.

Contact Olivia Schatz at oschatz@nd.edu

KATE NAESSENS | The Observer

University of Notre Dame Women’s tennis players discuss their doubles match while another match continues next to them during the 2022 spring season at the Eck Tennis Pavilion on April

against FSU.

i rish edge out broncos, 4-3

By AIDAN THOMAS sports editor

The n otre d ame men’s tennis team continued a strong start to the year, improving to 4-1 with a tight 4-3 victory over Western m ichigan. The b roncos have been one of the nation’s strongest mid-major programs for years, winning the mac Tournament the last four years it’s been played.

“Western m ichigan is a really good team. h ats off to them. They’ve had this same core of players for two or three years now,” i rish head coach r yan s achire said. “They have a bunch of fifth year seniors, true seniors. They’ve played a lot of tennis matches, they’ve won a lot. They’re dominant in the mac . We knew this was going to be a tough match. We knew they were very good and a team that is capable of getting an atlarge bid into the ncaa Tournament.”

The i rish did not get off to an ideal start, dropping the doubles point in an extremely close battle. Freshman s ebastian d ominko and senior c onnor Fu won at the top court, 6-4, but the i rish couldn’t bring home a victory at either of the lower courts. The b roncos won on the third court in a tiebreak to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

“ it was a really strong opponent. The doubles point didn’t go our way,” s achire commented. “ it was really

tight, really close, but you get down 1-0, it’s tough to win four singles.”

h owever, the i rish got the energy boost they needed from their veteran corps. Playing next to each other on c ourts 2 and 4 at e ck Tennis Pavilion, Fu and fellow senior m atthew c he delivered straight-set victories to vault the i rish into the lead. Fu put forth a dominant effort, collecting a couple of breaks and riding the momentum to a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

“ h ad to come out pretty fast. Losing the doubles point is always tough, but you have to bring the energy for your teammates. i think i did that pretty well in the first set,” Fu noted. “c ame out pretty strong in the second set as well. h e had a good push back, but ultimately closed it out which was big for us.”

c he’s win was more adventurous, but he still brought home a big point for the i rish, defeating Peter Kuszynski. a fter going down a break early, the senior broke back to take a 4-3 lead. With the match tied 5-5, c he ensured it would at least go to a tiebreak with a clean sweep to hold for a 6-5 lead. h is blistering cross-court forehand winner sealed the game.

i n a tiebreak, c he produced three unforced errors early to go down 3-2. h owever, down a point and with Kusynzki serving, c he

no rest for the i rish as Florida state comes to town

By TYLER REIDY sports Writer

o n the heels of graduate guard d ara m abrey’s college career-ending knee injury, n o. 7 n otre d ame women’s basketball awaits another challenge as n o. 24 Florida s tate will visit Purcell Pavilion Thursday night in a pivotal acc matchup. F s U (18-4, 7-2) sits just half a game out of first place in the conference. b rooke Wyckoff’s team doubled up Pittsburgh at home s unday for a 74-37 win. The i rish (16-2, 7-1) are one of the two teams occupying the acc ’s top position, sharing it with n o. 16 d uke. n otre d ame has won four consecutive games overall and six straight on the home hardwood. n iele i vey’s group most recently added a 76-54 defeat of v irginia on s unday.

Irish lose a leader m abrey announced m onday evening that she had suffered an ac L injury during s unday’s game.

“The last three years at n otre d ame have been filled with so many ups and downs, but i wouldn’t trade the memories for anything,” she wrote in a social media post. “ i am so grateful for my time in a n otre d ame uniform, and i can honestly say i poured my heart and soul into this program.”

m abrey concludes her collegiate career, which began at v irginia Tech, with a host of accolades to her name.

i ncredibly, she started all 135 games she played in, scoring 1,472 points across five seasons. m abrey sunk 301 career three-pointers, more than her sister m arina who is the i rish program leader with 274. a bove all else, m abrey has been and will continue to be an admirable leader for the i rish. e ven as she endured a severe distance shooting slump to open 2023, m abrey contributed heavily in other areas. o n a per-game basis, she closes 2022-23 averaging 9.3 points, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals.

Who’s next?

i vey has never needed to replace m abrey in the starting five, but she has the firepower to sufficiently do so. s he may opt for a more interior-heavy lineup with graduate student Lauren e bo, who has played all 18 games. The graduate center stepped up in s unday’s game, contributing 15 points, six rebounds, and four steals off the bench. e bo has averaged 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game and has plenty of starting experience dating back to her senior season at Texas.

Freshman guard KK b ransford could also see more playing time as well. The former m c d onald’s a ll- a merican has also seen action in all 18 games, scoring 7.9 points per game. r eplacing m abrey’s threepoint prowess will be especially difficult, as e bo and b ransford have combined

to attempt just eight triples this season. c urrent starter s onia c itron has the capability to help that cause though. The sophomore guard buried a career-best six threes on s unday, bringing her season percentage to 48.

Seminoles poised to strike again

Though on the edge of the a P Top 25, Florida s tate is as dangerous as any acc team. The ‘ n oles played within eight points of n o. 5 U c onn in mid- d ecember and have made waves in conference play. They have beaten n o. 15 n orth c arolina on the road and walloped then- n o. 11 nc s tate two Thursdays ago. With an o T conference loss at b oston c ollege and a handful of tight non-conference games, F s U can sometimes play down to competition. e ven so, the i rish can expect to have their hands full Thursday night.

Florida s tate boasts the fifth-best scoring offense in the country (85.8 points per game). n otre d ame is 17th in that category. Their attack is led by Ta’ n iya Latson, the top scorer in the acc . The dynamic freshman has posted 23.6 points per game and paces the team in steals, assists and free throw percentage. Latson has the ability to take over games, evidenced by her six 30plus point outings this season.

Latson is not the only star on the s eminoles roster, as m akayla Timpson is also present on several national leaderboards.

To go with 13.1 points and nine rebounds per game, her 61.9 field goal percentage and 2.45 blocks per game place her in the top 15 nationally.

The former acc a llFreshman selection has recorded three double-doubles in her last five games and nine this season.

Thursday night’s ranked showdown will tip-off at 8 p.m. in Purcell Pavilion. The game will be available on local rsn affiliates and the n otre d ame r adio n etwork. Florida s tate is 2-1 against a P Top 25 opposition this season, while n otre d ame is 2-2.

The s eminoles and i rish will not meet again in regular season play this year.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

Paid a dverT isemen T

‘Who are you on a daily basis?’: Notre Dame squad looks to bounce-back

By ADAM AKAN sports Writer

n otre d ame men’s tennis head coach r yan s achire knows success in the nc AA tennis season is not just about what happens in m arch, April or m ay. “It starts back in the fall,” he said. “ o ur culture with these guys … those guys have all played a lot of tennis matches for n otre d ame. I liked where we ended our fall season with how we were practicing, the mentality we brought every single day.”

Last season, n otre d ame tennis experienced a season of highs and lows.

The Irish had an okay 1613 record but posted a 5-7 mark in A cc play. Painful losses to Florida s tate and c olumbia in the first round of the A cc tournament and nc AA championships punctuated their unspectacular season.

The Irish lost all but one of their matches to teams that

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finished in the U s TA Top 25. That included a 4-3 loss to nc s tate, two 4-1 losses to Wake Forest, 6-1 road losses to m ichigan and v irginia, 4-0 sweeps at n orth c arolina and vs. o hio s tate, a regular season 4-2 loss at home against F s U and a 5-2 defeat in d urham at the hands of d uke.

The Irish would, however, pick up resounding conference victories as well. They crushed b oston c ollege in c hestnut h ill 7-0, swept v irginia Tech 4-0 in b lacksburg, and posted home wins against c lemson and Georgia Tech. They would finish the season ranked n o. 33 nationally, slightly outside of the Top 25. s achire is preaching consistency and building depth as the challenge of a new season looms. h e believes the team’s success lies in its ability to maintain an identity.

“That’s what it starts with — who are you on a daily

basis?” s achire said. “Those guys have done a hell of a job being consistent with their work ethic, their attitude, their focus, taking care of their bodies so they’re available every single day. That’s what we’re going to need.” s achire hopes establishing those good habits will allow the squad to “lean on the middle of our lineup throughout the course of the year, because those are our leaders, our veterans.”

s o far, s achire’s mantra is paying off. The Irish are off to a strong 4-1 start, slipping up only in e vansville against n orthwestern. In the middle of that lineup stand some key leaders on this year’s team.

n ew Jersey native m att c he is one of the most important, as the high regard s achire holds him in indicates. The coach has the utmost confidence in his quiet yet passionate leader.

Irish women’s tennis eyes success in 2023 season

By NATE MOLLER sports Writer

The n otre d ame women’s tennis program has high aspirations for the 2023 season with head coach Alison s ilverio in her fifth year as head coach.

The Irish have lots of upperclassmen experience in senior Page Freeman, junior Julia Andreach, junior Yashna Yellayi, junior m eghan c oleman, junior s ydney s forzo and graduate student Alex Kuo. They bring some vital experience to the team as a whole, which s ilverio certainly appreciates.

“ e xperience is key because you have been in situations before and you understand the emotions. You have been through the ups and downs,” s ilverio said.

s ilverio also applauded her upperclassmen for being leaders and role models for their freshmen teammates.

“ o ur upperclassmen and veterans have been great leaders and great examples for our freshmen who are working through things here. It’s a great team effort, and the experience is certainly a benefit as we head into the rest of our season,” s ilverio said. s he especially applauded Freeman’s leadership, who is the only senior on the team.

“Page has had every single experience a student athlete can. s he went through a bunch of different challenges throughout her time here and a lot of successes,” s ilverio said. “ s he is someone that doesn’t only lead by her actions but also by her voice. s he is someone that empowers others around her, and she is a positive influence all around.”

s ilverio is grateful that Freeman has continued to serve as a leader for the team throughout her four years here.

“We are very grateful that

she is a part of the program and continues to set the example, but also set the tone for the team and push them in the right direction,” s ilverio said.

o f course, this Irish team is not entirely defined by its upperclassmen. There are three freshmen on this year’s team. s ilverio feels that all of them have brought a spark and fresh blood to the team.

“I think the freshmen have brought in a great energy and fire and spark. Any time there’s fresh blood that helps refresh everyone. And again I think our upperclassmen and those that have been here for a few years, they have been able to all pool together as a group,” s ilverio said.

s ilverio has paired up some of her freshmen with upperclassmen in doubles to help them gain more experience. These pairings

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NC State extends Irish losing streak

By MATTHEW CROW Associate sports editor

o n Tuesday night, notre dame men’s basketball traveled to r aleigh, north c arolina, looking to snap a three-game losing streak. For 40 minutes, the Irish battled, fighting back from several big deficits to keep within reach up until the final seconds. Ultimately, it was not enough, as the nc state Wolfpack surged down the stretch to earn an 85-82 victory. With the loss, notre dame drops to 9-12 on the season and 1-9 in Acc play.

The Irish offense came into the game executing at a high level, scoring 70-plus points in their previous four games. Instead, their recent struggles have stemmed primarily from the defensive end, and that did not change on Tuesday. A pair of early threepointers from graduate student forward nate Laszewski and graduate student guard c ormac r yan built an early four-point Irish lead. b ut the

Wolfpack answered with a 19-4 run that put them ahead by double-digits midway through the first half.

nc state’s starting backcourt features two of the Acc’s leading scorers, and they caused problems for notre dame all night. Jarkel Joiner came out of the gates on fire and never cooled down. he scored seven points in the opening seven minutes to spark the Wolfpack’s big run and finished the first half with 16. he would go on to score a gamehigh 28 points.

Terquavion smith was a game-time decision after suffering an injury on s aturday during nc state’s loss against north c arolina. he received raucous applause from the crowd upon being announced in the Wolfpack’s starting lineup. smith struggled to find his shot, finishing 0-7 from the floor in the first half. b ut he managed to impact the game by getting to the free throw line and setting up easy looks

RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

Irish senior Matthew Che in match versus UVA on April 16, 2021. Che won his singles match on January 20, 2023 verses Western Michigan.