The independent
To uncover
newspaper serving
the truth
Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s
and report
and holy cross
it accurately
Volume 56, Issue 19 | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Olinger leads racial justice prayer service By GABBY BEECHERT News Writer
Notre Dame student government hosted a racial justice prayer ser v ice Monday evening as a part of Race Relations Week, a series of events taking place this Monday through Friday. The Week, sponsored by student government, seeks to spread racial awareness in Notre Dame’s campus and communit y. The ser v ice, led by Vice President for Student A ffairs Fr. Gerard Olinger, focused primarily on internal
ref lection and understanding the ways in which each person has contributed to the prevalence of racial inequalit y, whether this be purposeful or accidental, and the importance of abolishing systemic racism. The ser v ice was originally supposed to take place at The Grotto but was moved into the Basilica of the Sacred Heart due to the rain. Attendees were still inv ited to pray at The Grotto after the ser v ice concluded. Olinger addressed the
racial inequalities that exist in the United States, including recent killings of innocent Black people and the recent surge in v iolence towards Asian Americans. He emphasized the need to begin conversations about these events. Olinger complemented these ideas w ith the stor y of Bartimaeus, a Biblical blind man whose unwavering faith prompted Jesus to restore his eyesight. Olinger used the stor y to prompt see SERVICE PAGE 5
Professors develop sensor to diagnose heart attacks By MEGHAN FAHRNEY News Writer
Tests to diagnose heart attacks currently take hours to get back, causing patients w ith sy mptoms of heart attacks to have to wait for the test results before they can receive appropriate treatment. A group of researchers from Notre Dame and the Universit y of Florida working to address this issue
have produced a dev ice that is capable of diagnosing heart attacks in a matter of minutes. The dev ice the researchers produced is a sensor that helps differentiate between a heart attack and a reperfusion injur y for patients that have already been admitted to the hospital. A reperfusion injur y occurs when tissue is damaged during the
restoration of blood f low to an organ or tissue follow ing a heart attack or stroke. The new dev ice uses microRNA — also know n as miRNA — technolog y, rather than protein-based biomarkers, for diagnosis. It can detect three distinct microRNAs that are found in the plasma in the blood. Chemical and
Observer Staff Report
Beginning Tuesday, oncampus Saint Mary’s students will be able to host students from Notre Dame and Holy Cross in their residential halls, interim vice president for student affairs Gloria Roldán Jenkins announced in an email Monday. Roldán Jenkins said the
NEWS PAGE 3
VIEWPOINT PAGE 7
Observer Staff Report
Members of Alumni Hall will relocate to Zahm Hall for the 20222023 academic year while Alumni Hall undergoes a major renovation, per a Sept. 24 email from director of residential life housing operations Jonathan Retartha. Retartha informed residents of Alumni Hall that they will return to a “significantly improved” Alumni Hall in the 2023-2024 academic year. “We are excited for this opportunity to modernize the mechanical systems and improve the community building spaces in Alumni Hall while preserving the historical and cultural
components that make Alumni so well loved by residents and alumni,” Retartha wrote. The email said the renovation will draw from the University’s 2014 residential master plan and will most likely include a small addition to preserve the size of Alumni — similar to how the University renovated Dillon Hall, Alumni’s neighbor dorm. “With so many similarities between the two buildings, Dillon Hall presents an excellent opportunity for you to get a sense of the work that will be done in Alumni,” the email said. Alumni residents will have the opportunity to tour Zahm Hall in the spring prior to room picks.
Julián Castro speaks out on Trump, Biden
see SENSOR PAGE 3
SMC to allow tri-campus students in residence halls opening of the residential halls was based on “comfort that our tri-campus neighbors are experiencing a low number of positive COVID cases, have high vaccination rates and have continued strong compliance with masking requirements.” Visiting hours and guest policies will still be in effect, with visitation hours listed as
Alumni Hall to be renovated 2021-22
10 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. All tri-campus students are subject to the College’s masking guidelines on the Saint Mary’s campus, the email said. In addition, off-campus visitors are still not permitted in halls due to high positivity rates in St. Joseph County.
SCENE PAGE 10
BELLA LAUFENBERG | The Observer
Professor Luis Ricardo Fraga (left) and Julian Castro speak during a talk put on by College Democrats and the Institute for Latino Studies. By BELLA LAUFENBERG Staff Writer
Former Mayor of San Antonio and Obama Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro discussed former President Trump and President Biden’s treatment of immigrants in a fireside talk Tuesday. Castro was invited to Notre Dame in a joint endeavor between Notre Dame College
SWIMMING PAGE 16
Democrats and the Institute for Latino Studies (ILS). He entertained members of both groups and the public in a Q&A session in the Eck Visitor Center’s fully packed auditorium. The talk was moderated by a former teacher of Castro’s, ILS director Luis Ricardo Fraga. Fraga asked Castro questions about topics ranging from his see CASTRO PAGE 5
W Soccer PAGE 16
2
TODAY
The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com
Have a question you want answered? Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com
If you could have dinner with one member of the faculty, who would it be with?
P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
Sarah Flight
Ryan Campbell
junior Johnson Family Hall
junior Dillon Hall
“Professor Ed Hums.”
“Travis Brabec.”
Paolo Mazzara
Noah Bongiovanni
junior Dillon Hall
senior Dillon Hall
“David Lummus.”
“John Libertore.”
(574) 631-6900 ads@ndsmcobserver.com
Cade Sasse
Ana Sharbaugh
Editor-in-Chief
junior Dillon Hall
junior Johnson Family Hall
“Eva Dziadula.”
“Pete Buttigieg.”
Editor-in-Chief Adriana Perez Managing Editor Evan McKenna
Asst. Managing Editor: Isabella Volmert Asst. Managing Editor: Colin Capece Asst. Managing Editor: Nelisha Silva
Notre Dame News Editor: Saint Mary’s News Editor: Viewpoint Editor: Sports Editor: Scene Editor: Photo Editor: Graphics Editor: Social Media Editor: Advertising Manager: Ad Design Manager: Systems Administrator: Talent & Inclusion Manager:
Alysa Guffey Genevieve Coleman Abby Patrick Mannion McGinley Aidan O’Malley Allison Thornton Maggie Klaers Veronica Navarro Landry Kempf Christopher Walsh Rachel Johnson Siobhan Loughney
Office Manager & General Info
Ph: (574) 631-7471 Fax: (574) 631-6927 Advertising
(574) 631-4542 aperez8@nd.edu Managing Editor
(574) 631-4542 emckenn2@nd.edu Assistant Managing Editors
(574) 631-4541 ivolmert@nd.edu, ccapece@nd.edu, nsilva1@nd.edu Business Office
(574) 631-5313 Notre Dame News Desk
(574) 631-5323 news@ndsmcobserver.com Saint Mary’s News Desk
(574) 631-5323 smc@ndsmcobserver.com Viewpoint Desk
(574) 631-5303 viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.om Sports Desk
(574) 631-4543 sports@ndsmcobserver.com Scene Desk
(574) 631-4540 scene@ndsmcobserver.com Photo Desk
(574) 631-8767 photo@ndsmcobserver.com Systems & Web Administrators
webmaster@ndsmcobserver.com Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of any institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content. The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors. Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer. Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged. Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information. Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Adriana Perez. Post Office Information The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except during exam and vacation periods. A subscription to The Observer is $130 for one academic year; $75 for one semester. The Observer is published at: 024 South Dining Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 024 South Dining hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-077
Today’s Staff News
Sports
Ryan Peters Isa Sheikh Isabella Laufenberg
Emily DeFazio
Graphics Makayla Hernandez
Photo
Scene
RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer
Residents of Dillon Hall enjoy a new pool table installed in their lounge last semester. Since then, they have installed both a foosball and ping pong table and are eagerly awaiting their new dorm dog.
The next Five days:
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Aidan O’Malley
Viewpoint Katie Harmeyer
Ryan Vigilante
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 (574) 631-4541 so we can correct our error.
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Russian Language Table Decio Hall 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Practice language skills with games.
A Celebration of Belonging Rice Commons 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Opening of new LGBTQ center.
Recess: Gratitude Journals South Quad 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. Take a break with McWell.
Domer Run 2021 Irish Green 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Run to benefit local cancer education and awareness.
Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. & noon Masks required. All are welcome
An Exploration of Marian Art Rice Commons 6 p.m. Come see new pieces of art depicting Mary.
Artful Yoga Snite Museum of Art 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Evening yoga class at the museum. Registration required.
Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra Leighton Concert Hall 8:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Celebrating 250 years of Beethoven.
The Big Draw: The Snite Sketches Snite Museum of Art 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Art materials will be provided.
Risus Quartet DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Experience chamber music on strings.
News
ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | The Observer
3
Lecture explores environmental injustice By KATHRYN MUCHNICK News Writer
The Liu Institute for Asia and Asian studies hosted Nadia Kim, a professor of sociolog y and Asian & Asian American studies at Loyola Mar y mount Universit y, this Monday to discuss the issues of env ironmental injustice confronting immigrant women in Los Angeles. Kim is the author of the multi-award-w inning book “Imperial Citizens: Koreans and Race from Seoul to L A” and “Refusing Death: Immigrant Women and the Fight for Env ironmental Justice in L A,” which she discussed at Monday’s lectu re. Kim said env ironmental justice is central to the overall issue of justice. “There is no racism w ithout env ironmental racism. There is no classism w ithout env ironmental classism,” Kim said. As an example of env ironmental injustice, Kim described freeways or ports that are built next to communities of color.
Sensor Continued from page 1
biomolecular engineering professor Pinar Zorlutuna helped lead the development of the sensor. She said microRNAs help differentiate bet ween different phases of heart disease because they are developed by cells at distinct stages of disease progression. Normally, microRNAs are detected using PCR
“We talk about Robert E. Lee and the Confederate statues as among our most racist monuments, but some people would argue that freeways and highways are because … they often destroy communities of color by v irtue of being built.” Kim also argued that understanding problems of env ironmental justice is essential to understanding the pandemic. “The reason that Black, Brow n, Pacific Islander and Indigenous communities are hospitalized and dy ing at the highest rates from COVID-19 has to do w ith the ways that their bodies are already compromised by env ironmental pollution.” Through this lens of env ironmental justice, Kim’s research “chronicles the embodied, emotive and citizenship politics of Asian and Latin x immigrant women’s fight for cleaner air in L A.” Specifically, “Refusing Death” explores how env ironmental justice activ ists
in Los Angeles, mostly women, v iew racism and classism in regards to the boundaries bet ween their hy perpolluted communities and others’ less polluted communities. “Immigrants, including unauthorized immigrants, increasingly rely on grassroots communit y activ ism as a way to affect political change,” Kim said. This realit y inspired her to focus on how local activists perceive issues of racism and classism in her recent book. Through a series of 49 inter v iews, an analysis of thousands of documents, and ethnographic participant-obser vation where Kim helped communit y organizations organize protests, Kim found that the t wo primar y groups of activ ists — the Filipino and the Latin x communit y — have different v iews on this topic. W hile many lower-class, Latin x activ ists reported classism as the reason they face env ironmental
injustice, many Filipino activ ists attributed the hy per-pollution of their communities to env ironmental racism against the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders communit y. This result surprised Kim and led her to question her original assumption that activ ists would attribute the env ironmental injustice entirely to racism. “Sometimes our theoretical and our intellectual orientations in language might be too disengaged from, or divorced from … the people who live [through] these kinds of injustices,” Kim noted. Kim also argued that her findings demonstrate a need for more multidisciplinar y env ironmental justice scholarship. Finally, Kim emphasized the “ethics of care” that many env ironmental justice activ ist groups in Los Angeles use. Many activ ists v iew their resistance as a “form of moral citizenship, the kind of citizenship that … has been abdicated by those at the
top, which is to care for your communit y,” Kim said. She argued that polluting corporations attempt to coopt this language from activ ists, but it must remain a part of env ironmental activ ism going for ward. “Middle and upper class people hold this [env ironmental injustice] up mostly by v irtue of only caring about your ow n condition,” Kim said. The only way they can stop upholding env ironmental injustice is by instead caring for the material situations of lower-class, communities of color, she added. The lecture, titled “Our Communit y Has Boundaries,” was a part of the Liu Institute’s series “Asian (Re)Visions of Nation, State and Citizenship.” The series inv ites speakers that challenge political models while demonstrating the need for analyses of global issues from people across Asia.
technolog y. The group’s sensor avoids that step, Zorlutuna said. “The PCR is not a fast test, while a heart attack patient needs to be diagnosed as quick ly as possible,” Zorlutuna said. Professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering Hsueh-Chia Chang helped lead the project as well. He said it is ver y common for patients recovering from heart surger y to die of reperfusion injur y, which
the dev ice can quick ly detect. “So speed is the essence because you have somebody that’s either … right there on the surger y table or recovering from surger y and you want to know whether it’s another heart attack,” Chang said. W hen using the PCR technolog y, it is difficult and time-consuming to extract molecules from the blood of patients, send them into a lab and
wait for them to be identified, Chang said. Sat yajyoti Senapati, associate research professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, also participated in the research.He said a major benefit of this new technolog y is that it is inexpensive. “This whole chip can be ver y cheaply mass produced simply by injection molding or 3D-printing process,” Senapati said.
Zorlutuna said the sensor is designed to be used in both hospital emergency rooms and in home settings for patients who experience heart problems. Because the dev ice is cost-efficient and portable, the researchers hope it can be used in developing countries. The team is in the process of apply ing for a patent for the sensor. Chang said it w ill likely take approx imately 5 years to receive FDA approval and get the dev ice in use. “There has to be a major clinical trial,” Chang said. “So, at that point, I think a company w ill have to run w ith it because you need to have companies that w ill make the dev ices.” Zorlutuna cited a variet y of benefits of this new dev ice, including improved patient diagnostics, reduced cost of being admitted to the emergency room and improved patient outcomes. “It can improve the patient outcomes because it can detect the heart attack faster and more precisely than the current methods, and also it can potentially distinguish bet ween different stages of the heart attack,” Zorlutuna said.
Paid Advertisement
Contact Kathryn Muchnick at kmuchnic@nd.edu
Contact Meghan Fahrney at mfahrney@nd.edu
4
The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com Paid Advertisement
NEWS
News
ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | The Observer
5
Knights of Columbus host concession stand By LIAM PRICE News Writer
In 1968, the Notre Dame Knights of Columbus Council #1477 began selling steak sandw iches before home football games, donating all proceeds to charit y. The practice quick ly became tradition, and in 2017, it raised a record $100,000 through its steak sale outside its current council hall, located on South Quad. It opened the 2021 season by raising $18,000 for the first game alone. According to Notre Dame senior Noah Bongiovanni, after raising the money, the Knights donate it to local charities.
Service CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
self-ref lection regarding “blindness” towards the suffering of those in the nation’s minorit y communities. “W hat is it that blinds me? ” Olinger asked. “W hat obstacles do I face to recognizing the suffering of others in my communit y, and the ways that I might contribute to this? ” Olinger said that once people become aware of this blindness, they can use faith as a means to achieve racial justice, just as Bartimaeus used his faith to overcome his blindness. Olinger then led prayers which corresponded w ith his message about using faith to guide the journey to racial justice.
“Ever y thing, for the most part, stays in South Bend,” Bongiovanni said. “Specific charities include the Women’s Care Center, Cor v illa House, Dismas House, Greenbridge Growers, St. A lbert School, Our Lady of the Road, Bengal Bouts and several others that we decide on an annual basis.” Fans wait in long lines for the sandw iches, and though the volunteers working the steak stand are ver y busy ser v ing customers, they clearly enjoy the tradition. Music plays loudly w ith volunteers singing along and some making play ful costumes, such as w rapping themselves in aluminum
Notre Dame student body president A llan Njomo participated in the serv ice w ith remarks after the Gospel and a prayer. Njomo prayed for “the end of economic oppression which permeates our societ y structures.” Dar yl Naquin, a first year law student, emphasized the goal of the prayer ser v ice in his closing prayer. “Let us not only see, but also be compelled to act against the normal systems and structures that perpetuate racism in America,” Naquin said. A full list of events for Race Relations Week can be found on the student government events page website. Contact Gabby Beechert at gbeecher@nd.edu
foil, to work in. Bongiovanni emphasized that the tradition has a strong follow ing amongst game day fans. “If we didn’t do it, the fans would riot,” Bongiovanni said. Some of the most loyal fans have even made game day T-shirts that say “I’m Here for the Steaks,” referring to the Knights’ Steak Sale. But during the 2020 football season, the Knights couldn’t do it. The Student Affairs Organization did not allow concession stands to sell prepared food on game days during Notre Dame’s fall 2020 season, eliminating any opportunit y for the Knights to raise money w ith
Castro CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
upbringing to his future aspirations.about topics ranging from his upbringing to his future aspirations. As he answered Fraga’s questions, Castro criticized top political figures and described the inspiration behind his political aspirations. Castro explained that he was prompted to run for president in 2020 because of the political atmosphere that was cultivated under Trump. “What motivated me to run in 2020 was that I believed that I had a vision for the future where everyone could prosper,” Castro said. One point Castro specifically brought up was Title 42 — a law that allowed the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to cite public health as a reason to
Paid Advertisement
steak sales. However, Bongiovanni noted the Knights felt compelled to continue its charities to support them during the pandemic. “We donated nearly 100% of our ND Day earnings over the past 3 years to keep our donations consistent, so our local nonprofits had the resources they needed to stay af loat during a difficult time,” Bongiovanni said. The Notre Dame Knights, founded in 1910, were the first Knights of Columbus college council in the world. Among its notable works before starting the steak sales was starting a Knights of Columbus scholarship endow ment for Notre Dame
students in need. “The Knights and Universit y leadership have worked hand-in-hand over the years to advance Catholic culture at Notre Dame,” their website explains. The Knights are ver y excited to be returning to South Quad on game days continuing their traditions, and the celebrator y mood of the was contagious on game day. “Offering our lives in serv ice of others is really what it’s all about, and I’m so blessed that, in such a delicious way, our guys at the Knights can model that,” Bongiovanni said.
refuse asylum to immigrants at the border. The law has been in place for decades but was recently brought back into the limelight when it was invoked under the Trump administration. Castro said it was “understandable” for the Trump administration to invoke the law given its agenda; however, he said it was “mind-boggling” for Biden to permit Title 42’s use. Castro also brought up the recent resignation of a senior State Department official, Harold Koh, who referenced the administration’s “illegal” implementation of the law out of the Trump-era playbook in an internal memo before his departure. In contrast to his scathing view of one of the current political realm’s most polarized topics, Castro also spoke about his upbringing in San Antonio. He said he originally was motivated to be a public
servant because of his mother who raised his twin brother, Joaquin Castro, and him as a single parent. “If there was something that sort of motivated my interest in politics, it was my mom,” Castro said. “My mom was a hell-raiser.” He told the story of how she ran for city council in San Antonio but ultimately did not get elected because of a general lack of women and people of color in office at the time. Throughout the remainder of his talk, Castro detailed much of his 2020 presidential campaign, including his condemnation of the media coverage he received as one of many Democratic candidates running in the 2020 election. He admitted he did not get all the attention he believed he deserved during his campaign. Castro said he wanted to speak out more on hot-button racial issues but did not want to be categorized or stereotyped as the “immigration candidate.” Castro acknowledged that the field of 25 candidates forced the media to make tough decisions, but he said he believes some aspects could have been handled differently, namely the first debate and the Iowa caucus. Currently, Castro has started a platform called “People First Future” that raises money to elect “a new generation of leaders.” He said he will continue to focus on that project and spending time with his wife and two young children, putting another potential political run on the back burner for now. His advice to those who were listening in the audience and to the up-and-coming population of leaders was to “use your passion” and always aim toward institutional change.
Contact Liam Price at lprice3@nd.edu
Contact Bella Laufenberg at ilaufenb@nd.edu
6
The observer | Wednesday, October 6, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
A thank you to the nation’s Why ‘Hereditary’ research librarians is the scariest modern horror film
Inside Column
Devin Humphreys Law, Life and the Lord
Doug Abell Graphic Designer
Are you looking for an atypical horror movie? “Hereditary” encompasses a watching experience that keeps viewers on the edge of their seat waiting for a jump scare that will never come. Directed by Ari Aster, “Hereditary,” depicts the story of the Graham family unraveling spine chilling secrets about the ancestry of their family. But what makes Hereditary the scariest horror movie of the twenty-first century? It simply comes down to the style of directing performed by Ari Aster. The style the film is directed in will leave any viewer with shivers down their spine. My first experience watching the film left me hiding my eyes in anticipation of a jump scare that could happen at any point. But the key to this style of directing is that Aster does not let you get the release of a jump scare. The frightening aspect of the movie continues from scene to scene and will never give you the relief of knowing the jump scare is over and you can relax for a while. While this is the key aspect behind the true horror of “Hereditary” the twists and turns of the film adds another dimension to the horror. In a non-horror genre, there are rarely twists that completely change the plot of the movie. Given that, these twists will not happen in the dead middle of the movie. Hereditary differs from this immensely. In the middle of the movie Aster delivers a twist that completely shifts the flow of the movie and what you as a viewer are expecting to happen. Not only does this twist leave you with your mouth open, but it is also a gory twist that will leave you stunned for the entirety of the movie. However, after watching the movie several times, the twists that Aster delivers become more and more evident. Every single detail of the movie is directed to perfection to where the ending is apparent from start to finish, but as a first-time viewer it is impossible to pick up on. Not only does Aster deserve acclaim for this film, but the actors do as well. The performances of Alex Wolff as Peter, Millie Shapiro as Charlie and Toni Collette as Annie are done to an overwhelming amount of perfection. All of them play exactly the role they need to play in the film that adds a realistic feel to that the movie needs to stand out in the vast genre of horror. The fear and intense despair that Toni Collette experiences in the film makes anyone sympathize with her as a mother in the film. I, personally, would not be able to imagine enduring what she goes through as a mother in the film, but she encompasses this outstandingly. Her performance will leave viewers thinking about what it must be like to be a mother in the same position she is in throughout the course of the film. Millie Shapiro plays the perfect misunderstood child going through trauma and her acting alone gives “Hereditary” the level of fright that it needs. Additionally, Alex Wolff suffers intense trauma and fear as a character, and he encompasses this perfectly making an audience scared for him. Overall, the composition between the style of directing that Ari Aster adds to the film, the stunning twists that arrive throughout the film and the spot on acting performances of the lead roles truly makes “Hereditary” the scariest, most spine chilling modern horror film in existence. You can contact Doug at dabell@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com
One incredible benefit of being at Notre Dame Law School is the opportunity to complete a directed reading. A directed reading is where you develop a research proposal and write a substantive paper on that topic, guided one-on-one by a professor of your choosing. At the end of the semester, a paper of 10,000 words yields two credits and an incredible experience. This semester, I’m doing a directed reading with Professor A.J. Bellia, who was my constitutional law professor last spring. But on what? Well, dear reader of this column, nine years ago, in 2012, I had the opportunity to be a Junior Legislator for a Day. I met with Michigan state representative Kevin Cotter, who represented my school at the time, Michigan state Sen. Judy Emmons, who was my state senator at the time and a number of other local political figures in Lansing. One of Representative Cotter’s aides guided us through our visit, and one of my most vivid memories to this day from that experience was the story he told of how in the mid-2000s, the Michigan Legislature would address gridlock surrounding budget deadlines by literally stopping the clock within their legislative chambers. The notion that legislative procedures, whether formal or informal, could regard a legislature as having the power to control time itself fascinated me then and has continued to be a source of intrigue to this day, so I knew I needed to write on it. And what better way to do that than to sign up for a directed reading? Last month, as my directed reading commenced, I began my research on these questions. While I had found a couple of leads, the search proved somewhat tricky. Since the stoppage of time constitutes a sort of legal fiction, the practice isn’t always officially recorded in an easily accessible manner, meaning that if I wanted to be sure of the scope of this phenomenon, I needed to call on others’ knowledge and experience. Then I had a lightbulb moment. If Representative Cotter’s aide was how I first heard the story of Michigan legislators stopping the clock as a personal anecdote, might there be others similarly situated across the country? I started going onto the websites of various states’ legislatures, finding out that just about every state in the Union has either an official legislative library with research librarians on staff or an official state library that serves a similar function. I was able to find a contact person for each state and send out an email seeking any information they might have on the stoppage of time. I couldn’t have expected what would happen next. I thought maybe two or three might get back to me with a short story, something that would enable me to do some further digging of my own to find more useful information. Rather, at the time of this writing, I’ve had correspondence with 34 research librarians, from Alaska to Wyoming and everywhere in between. Their insights have been an absolute godsend, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will have a much stronger paper thanks to their contributions. As a result of this endeavor, I’ve arrived at an important conclusion: I love research librarians. When I recounted this series of events to Brandy Ellis, one of Notre Dame Law School’s own incredible research librarians, she explained that the nature of these librarians’ response to my inquiry is a hallmark of the profession, given librarians’ passion for securing the freedom of information as best they can. I truly believe that there’s something to this categorical imperative. We would all do well in taking a couple of pages out of the research librarian playbook. First: research librarians are curious. The research librarian from Tennessee noted that he had never been asked about something quite like my research topic before, and yet he proceeded to walk me through the history of the practice in Tennessee,
even including an image of Tennessee’s legislative clock being physically stopped. Similarly, even though Arkansas’s legislative research director didn’t have any evidence of time stoppage in Arkansas, he not only commented on his being intrigued by my line of research but also forwarded my inquiry to the Arkansas Senate Secretary. (She proceeded to send an email of her own.) In reading many of these librarians’ responses, it truly felt like these research librarians were viewing my inquiry as an opportunity, either to help me learn something new or to learn something new themselves. We would do well to likewise approach the many life experiences we encounter – we can and should choose, on a regular basis, to cultivate a zealous curiosity about the world around us. Second: research librarians are thorough. Again, I was expecting maybe a personal anecdote here, a passing story there in response to this line of inquiry. But just to give one example, a research librarian from Missouri replied with a wonderfully prosaic rundown of the many times Missouri had engaged in this practice, backed up with eleven news clippings that I’ll be able to cite as I continue to develop this paper. Research librarians from 14 other states sent specific documentation in response to my question, and that’s not counting the many more who provided useful links for further information. How often do we latch onto a pursuit that firmly, such that we don’t let go until we’ve reached its full and true end? Third: research librarians are helpful above all. The approaches these research librarians took to responding to my inquiry were each unique, but what they all had in common was that they expressed an authentic desire to help. These public servants were, in their own way, living out Christ’s commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. Where my life collided with theirs in our ongoing hunt for information, I was given aid and assistance from all directions. It didn’t matter that a slightly deeper dig might have turned up at least some of what these librarians provided; they willingly and readily came to my aid all the same. This willingness to help a complete stranger taught me a lesson far more important than any of the myriad of research leads I have been given from these amazing people. And so, I thank you, research librarians of the United States, especially those with whom I was in contact last month, for the incredible work that you do. My experiences this week have given me a renewed esteem for your profession, thanks to your robust collective zeal for sharing knowledge and information. Perhaps the biggest takeaway I derived from this series of encounters is that very zeal. St. Maximillian Kolbe said that it is in uniting God’s will (big W) with our own will (small w) that we find sanctity – “W + w = S” for short. Readers of this column, as we are discerning where God is calling us vocation-wise this week, let’s take the time to think about our small-w will. More specifically: where, in our own lives, do we have the zeal of a research librarian? Where can we be most authentically curious, thorough, and helpful? If we can unite that zeal, wherever it can be found, to the voice of God calling us to Himself, I truly believe that we will find ourselves on the path to sanctity. Devin is a member of Notre Dame Law School’s class of 2023. Originally from Farwell, Michigan, he is a 2020 graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College. In addition to serving as a teaching assistant at the law school, in his free time, he sings with the Notre Dame Folk Choir and discusses the legal developments of the day with anyone who will listen. He can be reached at dhumphr2@nd.edu or @DevinJHumphreys on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
7
The observer | Wednesday, October 6, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
In defense of Arts and Letters Eva Analitis The Flip Side
We’ve all heard the comments — and probably even made them: “Arts and crafts” along with other taunts meant to deride Notre Dame’s oldest and largest college. We students of the College of Arts and Letters ourselves often indulge in self-deprecating jokes about our seemingly foolish majors that supposedly offer us no job security or serious, respectable career opportunities. You might overhear one A&L student, in good-humored liberal arts solidarity, remark, “My PLS major has given me no marketable skills, but at least I’ve read ‘The Odyssey,’ ‘War and Peace’ and everything Aristotle!” to which another responds, “Hey, try American Studies. How do I even explain to an employer what that is?” We joke among ourselves about our career prospects, but we do notice less humorous scorn and skepticism with which some older generations or even peers in different fields regard our studies. Think about how a typical family gathering plays out. Your brother tells your aunt whom you haven’t seen in two years that he’s studying neuroscience or chemical engineering, to which she expresses her approval and exclaims “Oh wow!” with a glimmer in her eye, while you tell her you’re studying English and Peace Studies and she just says, “Oh,” unimpressed. Perhaps I had these encounters in mind when I came into Notre Dame as a biochemistry major without even knowing what biochemistry was. In fact, it wasn’t until the second semester of my junior year that I truly found out what it was by taking it as a pre-health requirement. It certainly sounded impressive, sure to earn me the admiration of my elders and show that I was a serious student. However, I quickly escaped from the grips of the College of Science once I found the wheels of my brain turning like never before in my political philosophy class freshman year. For the first time, I became aware of an entire academic and intellectual world that studied people, societies, art and culture — and the
College of Arts and Letters housed it. While even I — despite my appreciation for A&L — am guilty of doubting the value of the liberal arts at times, all jokes aside, it’s time we give the College of Arts and Letters the respect it deserves. Keep in mind that we undergraduates all took many of the same general courses in high school and performed well across the board to get here. Once admitted, however, we were able to choose and change our majors accordingly. Some people are certainly more capable and inclined in particular areas in which others might struggle, but someone’s choosing to study sociology or history is just that, their choosing — because they enjoy it. While I have agonized over physics problems and chemistry labs for my pre-health studies, some of the most challenging and formative thinking I’ve done during college has been in philosophy papers for the Justice Seminar, mock trials for constitutional law, and discussions and speeches for small seminars. The College of Arts and Letters has taught so many crucial skills that following lab procedures or memorizing steps of reaction mechanisms could not. I have learned how to formulate and express original thoughts on subjects that have been studied and debated throughout all time: I’ve learned to read, write, speak, listen, respond and adapt, and in my final year of undergraduate studies, I feel ready to go out into the world confidently because of it. The mainstream view is that people who study liberal arts are academically inferior or less serious than their STEM counterparts — that they picked up the political science major because organic chemistry was too hard, or that they couldn’t handle mechanical engineering so they traded it in for theology. But my experience has been the opposite. I’ve known countless peers who have turned to the liberal arts to fill a void with which their previous studies left them by adding an English major to a biology one, or a theology supplementary major to computer science. I myself added political science to my prehealth studies because I have so deeply enjoyed thinking about government, power dynamics and
the systems of society. And the value of Arts and Letters doesn’t just lie in complementing or rounding out the more serious and respectable STEM fields. Even standing alone, the liberal arts are sufficient. The whole world can’t be scientists and engineers. In fact, we’ve seen good reasons why we shouldn’t all be. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, “hard” science got us a vaccine, but it didn’t necessarily get us vaccinated. Social science, psychology and communication did (and continue to work to get through to the vaccine-hesitant crowd). This is evidence enough that we need a variety of contributions to society to reach the optimal outcome. A flourishing society should have people in all corners pursuing what piques their interests: using their talents and inclinations to do what they can do best. I am not making an attack on STEM fields, but simply a defense of the liberal arts. What we do in the College of Arts and Letters is valid and valuable. Of course, we need scientists. But we also need philosophers, sociologists and historians. Let people do what they enjoy in peace, and don’t assign value to their personhood based on the value of their career industry. When I think of the College of Arts and Letters, I think of students and faculty who have an extraordinary curiosity about the world around them and a determination to engage with and impact it. To find one’s niche in studying anthropology, medieval studies or film should be celebrated, not ridiculed. What a boring world we’d live in without the fruits of these fields. Next time you crack a joke about “arts and crafts,” ask yourself if you would be capable of such art and if you would want to live in a world without it. A former resident of Lyons Hall, Eva Analitis is a senior majoring in political science and pre-health. Even though she often can’t make up her own mind, that won’t stop her from trying to change yours. She can be reached at eanaliti@nd.edu or @evaanalitis on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
A letter from former Gateways We are writing as graduates of the Holy CrossNotre Dame Gateway Program. We were shocked and disheartened by the recent news that the current Gateway class will likely be denied on-campus housing for the upcoming academic year (and quite possibly their entire time as Notre Dame students). The Office for Residential Life names dorm life as the place where “students are able to discover their identity and a sense of belonging by living in a welcoming and inclusive hall community on campus.” The failure of the University to accommodate current Gateways in dorm communities undermines the most basic pillar of our experience of the Program — that Gateways can participate fully in the life of Notre Dame. Between meals shared at Siegfried Dining Hall and “Holy Hikes” down Dorr Road, each Gateway cohort has built a community that rivals any Notre Dame dorm. Nonetheless, as we began our sophomore years, each of us was ready to have a less complicated answer to the question, “What dorm are you in?” One of the most distinctive marks of a Notre Dame student is a connection to an on-campus residence hall, and we looked forward to shedding the nagging concern that we were not “full” or “real” Notre Dame students. Significantly, the Residential Life website notes that
“Residence halls are a ‘point of entry’ for introduction into the broader University culture.” Gateway students (as well as other transfers) desperately desire and need that point of entry. The eventual transition of our cohorts into the dorms not only solidified our participation in campus life — it was a gift to dorms across campus as well. From sophomore year on, we watched as our friends performed in the Keenan Revue, planned our new dorms’ SYRs and formals, and grew as leaders in our new homes. Last year alone, at least five dorms had an RA that had entered the community as a Gateway. Former Gateways have never been shy about sharing their positive experience of the program. We are proud advocates of our unique opportunity. Through senior year, we consistently volunteer to lead tours and student panels, telling prospective students that the Gateway Program is a very real path to full participation in student life. With the current Gateway 9.0 class now likely locked out from campus housing once they transfer to Notre Dame, the simple reality is that the dorm experience which helped to shape our formation at Notre Dame is no longer accessible to Gateway students. The same could be said of Driscoll Scholars and the broader transfer community that has faced this challenge for
years. Notre Dame believes that life in an intentional community is an essential element of student formation — so much so that most Notre Dame students are required to live on campus for six semesters. It seems this year’s cohort is being denied the opportunity to experience that fundamental sense of belonging — and that Notre Dame residence halls are being robbed of a Gateway cohort that would unquestionably enrich dorm life with their own distinct identity. If Notre Dame believes that dorm life is essential to student formation, it must be accessible to all undergraduates. Our experience of the Gateway Program was the opportunity to turn a cohort into a lasting family, and it was a joy to watch that family participate fully in the life of Notre Dame. We will always be grateful for that experience — we hope future cohorts have the chance to be too. Gateway Cohort 4.0 — Class of 2020 Gateway Cohort 5.0 — Class of 2021 Gateway Cohort 6.0 — Class of 2022 Gateway Cohort 7.0 — Class of 2023 Gateway Cohort 8.0 — Class of 2024 Oct. 4 A full list of signatories can be found at ndsmcobserver.com
Follow us on Twitter: @ObserverViewpnt
8
The observer | Wednesday, OCtober 6, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
My scathingly brilliant ideas Julianna Conley In My Own Words
When I was younger, my favorite movie was “The Trouble With Angels.” I loved watching the main characters’ hair-brained ideas go wrong, much to the chagrin of the nuns around them. I related so much to the main character Mary Clancy, always declaring, “I have the most scathingly brilliant idea!” only to be confused when her scheme turned to shambles. As a self-proclaimed “idea person,” I, too, am constantly hatching plans, and, like Mary, more often than not my brainstorm sessions need a little tweaking before they’re ready for implementation. “Why would we host a bake sale to raise money for snacks?” “How will you and Eva road trip to Notre Dame when neither of you have a car?” I’ll be the first to admit, my plots have holes. Still, it doesn’t hurt to dream. Read on for my own scathingly, brilliant ideas for our very own Notre Dame. 1. Roommate switcheroo night Arguably the most controversial of my Big Ideas, the roommate switcheroo is either met with massive enthusiasm or complete horror. Inspired by an episode of That 70’s Show I watched in middle school, I propose there be a night where everyone in a dorm puts their room keys in a bowl and then, after an hour or so of all-dorm mixing and mingling, one person from each roommate duo pulls out a key and then sleeps in that person’s room for the night. Think of it as a return to freshman year random roommates, but only for a night. Or remember sharing a hotel room with girls you weren’t close to on the soccer team. A little awkward, a lot fun, a new person to smile at and make small talk with when you see them in the dining hall. “But, Julianna, that’s weird,” they say. “No one wants a random person sleeping in their bed,” my roommate argues. “Why don’t they just hang out in the afternoon? Why is the overnight element necessary?” my friends ask. Because there is a bond formed by brushing your teeth in front of someone else that cannot be found anywhere else. 2. GreeNDot Dome Dance Yeah, yeah yeah. The dome dance is “sacred,” only available to winners of hall of the year. I’m not unreasonable, I’m willing to host this soiree in any high-end exclusive location on campus. The key is planning an exclusive event for GreeNDot certified students that people will actually want to attend. An increase in bystander
intervention training and another opportunity to wear semiformal attire? A win for all. Plus, just imagine how much more fun will be had with the peace of mind knowing all attendees are committed to ending interpersonal violence. 3. Observer advice column Admittedly, the logistics of this are a little hazy. I suppose as a columnist, myself, I could speak this into existence. But if this list of dreams is any indication, my ideas are not to be trusted. Still, I think it’d be fun to open my favorite student newspaper and read about Hopelessly Heartbroken’s dating woes or debate with our friends how we would have responded to Blinded BP Girl’s naked roommate. 4. Smart-ass College Democrats t-shirt Technically, this is not one of my “great but unheard ideas.” It has been heard. It has just also been rejected. More than once. Alas, brilliant thinkers are never recognized for their genius in their own time. For those unfamiliar with my perennial product pitch to the College Democrats club on campus, I propose their club apparel feature a long-sleeve that says “College Democrats” on the front, perhaps a donkey in a graduation hat on the pocket. Then, on the back, a larger shot of the donkey, but this time reading a book. Printed over the donkey read the words: “Smart-asses.” 5. Anything but a backpack (ABP 2.0) Similar to the Anything But a Cup parties, I propose that on the last day of classes, seniors carry their belongings in (you guessed it!) anything but a backpack. Toolbelts, briefcases, beach pails, rolling suitcases, aprons — the sky’s the limit! Think of it as a fun way to say goodbye to 17 years of schooling, while still remembering to keep a youthful whimsy as we move deeper into the Real World. Plus, there’s nothing Notre Dame loves more than creating traditions. 6. Haunted hall Not revolutionary, and I think this has been brought up at multiple Pasquerilla East Hall Council meetings, but it blows my mind that no dorm creates a haunted house around Halloween. The long hallways, dim lighting and general exterior of some dorms give off real spooky vibes. Sections could pitch together and decorate a few rooms (quads preferred). Think how fun it’d be to wander around a hall you don’t live in. It’d be just like LHOP, but pumpkins instead of pancakes. 7. Numbered dining hall tables Being perhaps the most logical idea on this list, this scheme is not my own, but rather that of a good friend.
I’m simply using my platform to push their plan into the public consciousness. While I won’t lie, roaming the dining hall while I look for my lunch date can be fun on occasion, I do know that some of my shyer buddies get stressed and my visually impaired pal has remarked that he has a really hard time finding friends once they’ve sat down. Numbering the dining hall tables would be a relatively simple fix. 8. “Here Come the Irish” singers I go back and forth on this take, so do with it what you will. Instead of hearing the silky smooth vocals of Leslie Richardson at every football game, different student singers or musical groups could audition to perform it. We’d still be able to sing along, and the song would still transition to Dropkick Murphy’s “Shipping Up To Boston,” but it could be fun to have a taste of the talent sitting right under our noses. On one hand, I’m a stickler for a tradition and a hater of change, so I’d be sad to hear anyone other than Richardson, but I do feel that the incredible musicians at this school are underutilized. It’d be exciting to appreciate the incredibly talented Notre Dame students and say we heard them when. 9. Notre Dame carnival The school has brought carnival rides in for us before, but I’m proposing the type of low-grade fair seen at elementary school harvest festivals. Each dorm could man a booth and students could buy tickets. Maybe the BP Babes would run the milk bottle toss in cow costumes. Howard Hall would lead squirt gun rubber duck races. Dillon would do something Big and Red. Clubs could sell concessions and campus musical groups would perform. Food and games would be purchased by tickets and at the end of the night the tickets would be turned into the school who would then distribute funds to the student groups. Kinda like ND Day, but something that’s actually like a celebration of Notre Dame. Do you agree with any of my ideas? Have your own schemes to share? I’d love to hear them. My friends and I need something new to debate over dinner. Julianna Conley is a senior studying sociology and pre-health studies with a minor Journalism, Ethics and Democracy. Though she is forever loyal to Pasquerilla East B-team athletics, Julianna now lives off campus. She can be reached for comment at jconley4@nd.edu or @JuliannaLConley on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Inside Column
A season of change Simon Vogel News Writer
Once again, it is fall in the Bend. According to the sun, the Earth and the Encyclopedia Britannica, this means that on Sept. 22 the sun’s annual pathway and the celestial equator intersected, and that the division between night and day was equal. According to us students, this means themed Starbucks drinks, hoodies and scar ves, midterms, falling leaves, the permacloud and football weekends. I know it is not a hot take to love fall — I recently saw a fellow classmate spend an entire 75-minute lecture populating her autumn-themed Pinterest board — but I really think that this season is special; and special beyond the cliché, though admittedly pretty great perks of the trees turning incredible colors and the weather finally being something other than scorchingly hot. I think fall is special because of how much change is tied to it. Obviously, at a surface level, we have the changing of the leaves: A generation of chlorophyll decays beautifully and the leaves turn from
green to red, then orange to brown. And they take their time ! W hich is aw fully considerate of them, considering how much we love our autumnal photos. But more symbolically, fall tends to accompany us into periods of drastic change in our lives. It was fall when we transitioned from middle school to our high schools. It was fall when we started slipping into friend groups and into the routine of college classes after we first arrived on campus, when we started to figure out what we wanted to do while we were here for four long years. Because of this, for me, fall always symbolizes a bunch of firsts. Fall was sliding along the first time I felt homesick and the first time I questioned why midterms weren’t, in fact, during the middle of the semester. The first time I dressed up in a toga and danced to Ke$ha, the first time I was a fully autonomous adult and responsible for my own well-being, the first bombed college test and the first Halloween spent far from home all took place during the fall. I find the firsts exciting. They remind me of a first-year student that saw ever ything about campus differently. He thought dining hall pasta was
the greatest thing ever and that paying for parties was worth it. Sometimes I miss that naïveté. This all leads me to one of my favorite things to do during fall on campus, and I really encourage anyone to do the same. It is to seek out some firsts. This is obviously much easier for firstyears, but it applies to upperclassmen as well. Explore a building that you’ve never been in. Did you know Jenkins-Nanovic has showers in the basement? Did you know there’s a gorgeous atrium in the middle of Hayes-Healy that you’re allowed to go into? Go somewhere on campus you’ve never gone. There are beautiful stations of the cross around St. Joseph’s Lake. Maybe disappoint yourself for the first time with the dining hall breadsticks or grilled chicken. Attend your first just-for-fun guest lecture outside of class — Notre Dame really loves its guest lectures. I don’t mean to beat the idea to death, but these little firsts, I think, are what make fall by far the best season of the year. Well, them and pumpkin spice lattes, I suppose. You can contact Simon at svogel3@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
9
The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By MAGGIE CLARK Scene Writer
Erin Lee Carr’s “Britney vs. Spears” details the story of Britney Spears’ pressures of fame, specifically focusing on how those pressures led to her well-publicized conservatorship (from which her father left last week, just after the documentary’s release on Netflix). Although this documentary had a lot of potential to address a popular issue of great media interest, it fails to capture the full story of the conservatorship and ultimately disappoints due to its repetitiveness, lack of detail and overbearing focus on scandal at the expense of Britney Spears. Despite clocking in at just over an hour and a half, “Britney vs. Spears” feels entirely too long. While the focus of the movie is Spears’ conservatorship, far too many details are given. Very early on, it is made clear that the conservatorship is extremely restrictive of Spears’ life and that, even though this restriction exists due to her mental health, she is forced to work and perform for financial benefit. This point is repeatedly expounded on throughout the documentary, to the point where the movie becomes boring. It takes about half of the film to address the years 2007 and 2008, and it is only in the last 20 minutes that viewers are introduced to the “#FreeBritney” movement and the court hearings involving the conservatorship in 2020
By ROSE ANDROWICH Scene Writer
“Saturday Night Live” has recently begun its 47th season, with Owen Wilson performing the monologue for the opening episode. As a long-time “SNL” fan, I was more than excited to tune in for season 47. “SNL” proves that some things just remain timeless — humor is one of those things. The show still remains as funny as it was the first time you watched it, with the hosts constantly evolving to incorporate new cultural events into hilarious jokes. To name just one of my favorite moments from the one hour and fifteen minute show would be difficult, as each of the “SNL” cast members brought something unique to the show. The best part of watching SNL in a longer format is seeing the different cast members switch roles. The show even had Pete Davidson come on as, drumroll please ... Pete Davidson — certainly a change from when he played Tom Steyer in the 2020 Democratic debate. Host Owen Wilson, aka Lightning McQueen, gave quite the glimpse into “Cars 4,” the proposed movie where Lightning McQueen is almost villain-like. Wilson’s character in the sketch refuses to tarnish his fictional persona like that until Disney+ offers him quite the check, though the
and 2021. These years are just as, if not more, important to understanding Britney Spears’ conservatorship as the years of its beginning, yet barely a fifth of the film is dedicated to them. While viewers get a detailed account of the definition and application of the conservatorship, there is only a brief introduction of the attempt to end it. This section feels extremely rushed, as the important events of 2020 and 2021 are only accounted for by way of text in an epilogue-like fashion at the end of the documentary. To be fair to the filmmakers, the process of making the documentary began over two years ago, so this rushed ending may be due to the fact that so much has happened recently — likely after the intended ending of the filming process. The documentary is further weakened by its hyper focus on the drama surrounding Britney Spears. Of course, some of this drama is necessary to explain the initial need for the conservatorship, but there is too much focus on it, to the point where it comes across as salacious. For example, the filmmakers’ share documents from an “anonymous source” which detail Spears’ confidential medical information. Again, while an understanding of Spears’ mental health can aid in understanding the conservatorship, it feels unnecessary and invasive to include such private information in a documentary released to the public, especially without the permission of the person who the information is about. The filmmakers go even further in the film when they share text messages
between Spears and one of the sources interviewed in the documentary. While the interviewee gave permission to share the texts, it is unlikely that Spears was able to give permission to share these private text messages. Therefore, it is a piece of personal information. In conclusion, “Britney vs. Spears” is a film that is repetitive, but also vague and disrespectfully drama-filled. It is like a person who talks a lot but actually says very little. Even with all of this, the film does act as a decent introduction to the history of Britney Spears’ conservatorship. If you are a person who knows very little about the topic, “Britney vs. Spears” defines the conservatorship relatively well, but you probably can get away with just watching the first and last 20 minutes.
amount is left completely unknown. Going along with the movie theme, “SNL” gave a glimpse into a quality film coming soon to a theater near you — a movie about Jeff Bezos on the moon. The film is titled “Billionaire Star Trek” and if it was coming to theaters, I would be the first to buy a ticket. The highlight of the preview is when an Amazon worker delivers a package and questions why Bezos mistreats his employees; Bezos responds by zapping him out of space. The rivalry between Elon and “Jeff” will be interesting to watch unfold. The theme of rivalry was also prominent in the mail-in testing service sketch, between the director, the creative actors and the business owners. Meanwhile, the women in the women’s talk show sketch hilariously dealt with one misdiagnosis after another after they were vaccinated not once, not twice, but several times. But props to the Doctor in the “Doctor Who” sketch on his amazing subtlety in patting the person with COVID on the head instead of shaking his hand — it was totally not noticeable. The Doctor clearly deserves his own TV show with his impressive performance ... Oh wait. I propose making the Doctor next week’s guest on the Weekend Update segment. Speaking of which, this Weekend Update included a story on “a Black woman who’s been missing for ten years.” The Weekend Update took on a somewhat more serious tone
while discussing the idea of “missing white women syndrome,” but it still incorporated some laughs. Shedding light on the past, “SNL” also gave a tribute to Norm Macdonald and his contributions to Weekend Update. “Saturday Night Live” is truly a show that knows how to handle serious issues when necessary. As “Saturday Night Live” wrapped up, I couldn’t help but appreciate a show like this. It knows how to discuss serious matters while also managing to lighten the viewer’s mood with humor. And this is what makes “Saturday Night Live” what it is today. The thoughtfulness of its writers and actors — and the iconic live audience — make it a sight to see.
Contact Maggie Clark at mclark34@nd.edu
“Britney vs. Spears” Starring: Britney Spears, Erin Lee Carr, Jenny Eliscu Director: Erin Lee Carr Where to watch: Netflix If you liked: “Controlling Britney” “Gaga: Five Foot Two” “Miss Americana”
Contact Rose at randwrowich01@saintmarys.edu
“Saturday Night Live” Season 47, Episode 1 Host: Owen Wilson If you liked: “Sonny with a Chance”
MAKAYLA HERNANDEZ | The Observer
10
The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By JUSTIN GEORGE Scene Writer
Halloween Essentials is a weekly column in the month of October by Scene Writer (and Resident Spooky Boi) Justin George. Celebrate the season with his horror movie recs. It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Spooky Season™, and nothing screams Spooky Season quite like a horror film. For this week’s theme, I’ve chosen a subgenre near and dear to my heart, the slasher flick. This list will not include “Friday the 13th” or “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” as those are summer horror movies, and this list for what I consider to be autumn horror movies. Also, “Psycho” is not a slasher, and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on.
“Halloween” — 1978 John Carpenter’s masterpiece is a classic for a reason. No proper Halloween movie list is complete without it. “Halloween” is the linchpin of what we consider to be the modern slasher (sorry “Black Christmas,” “Halloween” does it better), and I’d say Michael Myers is in pretty strong contention for the title of Greatest Slasher Villain of All Time.
By NICOLE BILYAK Scene Writer
“Star Wars” is the most well-known space opera series that science fiction and fantasy fans can think of. With its vast universe, lovable characters and unique concept, it is no surprise that Lucasfilm, the creator of the series, has created such an escape from the realities of life. When Lucasfilm moved many of the “Star Wars” works onto the streaming service Disney+, the animation department of Lucasfilm announced that they would be creating an anime-inspired television series entitled “Star Wars: Visions.” The idea of the series was to have seven anime studios take one short film and make it their own. The entire first season dropped on Disney+ on Sept. 22, 2021. The first season is nine short films long and each short film lasts approximately 13 to 22 minutes. Each short film has a Japanese-style feel to them, and each has a different story that is loosely tied into the canonical timeline of “Star Wars.” The main theme is all about the Jedi Order combating the Sith Order with epic lightsaber duels and epic results. Personally, I was not into “Star Wars: Visions.” I had so many problems with this show, because there were
If you’ve never seen this absolute banger of a slasher flick, do yourself a favor, stop whatever you’re doing and go watch it immediately.
“Scream” — 1996 Wes Craven is responsible for several horror classics, but my favorite of his is this meta-slasher comedy. “Scream” centers around a masterfully written murder mystery that will keep every viewer on the edge of their seat and features one of the greatest openings to ever be put to celluloid. The characters know all the rules, and the movie makes a point of referencing as many other slasher flicks as possible, including “Halloween” and Craven’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
“House of 1000 Corpses” — 2003 Is this a “good” movie? No. But “House of 1000 Corpses” is a highly entertaining, underappreciated gem from the early 2000s extreme horror movement. While nowhere near as serious as its contemporaries, Rob Zombie’s debut film manages to be fun whilst also focusing on incredibly sadistic killers. While the vulgarity, extreme gore, bad acting and heavily stylized presentation might not be for everyone, it’s a Halloween go-to for me.
just some inconsistencies with each little short film that many of these anime studios created. One big issue I had with “Star Wars: Visions” was that there were too many anime studios involved in the making of the show. If there was only one anime studio in charge of all nine short films, I would have been very content with the final product. But with different anime studios involved, there was a mixture of styles going on in the show that really made it so convoluted for me to watch. Another problem I had while watching it is that the show is not canonically related to the original source material. I understand that these anime studios want to tell their own original story that is related to the “Star Wars” universe, but I expected there to be some sort of tie-in with original “Star Wars” characters. The only one I saw was Jabba the Hutt in the series’ second short film “Tatooine Rhapsody.” I did not see any other canon characters in the rest of the series, so I felt a little defeated when it came to wanting to see lovable characters. If anybody is going to make any version of an original work, they should at least attempt to make an effort and add some of the characters from the original source material. Besides all the negative aspects, I will say that there were some parts of the show that I at least enjoyed. One of these is that these short films were very creative in
“A Nightmare on Elm Street” — 1984 Wow, would you look at that, another Wes Carven film! It’s almost like he’s a master of the genre or something! Freddy Kruger is one of those villains that is diabolical yet loveable. His appearance and mannerisms alone are enough to make your skin crawl, but his wisecracking dialogue combined with Robert Englund’s physicality makes him one of the most endearing slashers on this list.
“Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon” — 2006 A hidden gem of the horror genre, this film follows an up-and-coming serial killer who wants to become an infamous slasher. So naturally, he hires a documentary crew to follow him around. We follow Leslie, the aspiring slasher, as he plans every single kill, from laying out the weapons and setting up to selecting the final girl. “Behind the Mask” is smart, funny, gory and well worth seeking out. A longer version of this story can be found online. Contact Justin George jgeorge3@nd.edu
the story. I especially liked the third short film “The Twins.” It brought up the idea of sorcery creating humans who could bring evil to the galaxy in the “Star Wars” universe. It was a little ambiguous with what was going on, but that is the beauty of the show. It leaves you asking for more when you have no idea what was going on. Overall, I do not think this show is worthy of the “Star Wars” name, though. It had a lot of inconsistencies that needed some polishing. If anyone wants to watch the show, I won’t stop you. But be forewarned: The show will leave you asking for more than what you were given. Contact Nicole Bilyak at nbilyak01@saintmarys.edu
“Star Wars: Visions” Starring: Brian Tee, Lucy Liu, Joseph Gordon-Levitt Streaming On: Disney+ If you liked: Anything “Star Wars”
EMMA KIRNER | The Observer
Classifieds
ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | The Observer
Crossword | Will Shortz
11
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: A compassionate approach to life, love and how you treat others will offer peace of mind and help you resolve matters that have been standing in your way. You may not please everyone with the decisions you make, but being true to yourself will be the passage to what’s best for you. Embrace the future with courage and an open mind. Your numbers are 6, 18, 24, 27, 31, 35, 48. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Put everything in its place, and carry on until you reach your destination. Focus on your relationships with people who can help you get ahead. An unexpected opportunity will tweak your imagination. Consider the pros and cons before making a move. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Getting along with others will be necessary. Be a good listener, and show support for those who share your beliefs. Don’t feel you need to change to fit in; be yourself, and you’ll attract like-minded people. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be objective, open and honest. Present the best point of view you can concisely, and people will listen. Mix business with pleasure, and friendships will sprout that will encourage a bright future, along with plenty of opportunities. CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Problems will develop if you are possessive or moody. Pay attention to how you look, and consider what you want to do before sharing with others. Be sure your plan is doable before you make promises. LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Think about the message you want to send. Consider how someone you care about will feel or react if you are abrupt or pushy. A kind word will help you gain support; a demand will cause friction. Choose the path of least resistance. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Use your imagination, and you will come up with a plan that will help you achieve your goal. Run your ideas by those who may be affected by the decisions you make. Deal with matters upfront. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Express your thoughts and feelings, and follow through with your plans. Offer what you can to those in need, and participate in events that are similar in goals to your own. Keep your life and what’s going on around you in perspective. Don’t overreact. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Keep things simple and under control. Too much of anything will lead to trouble. Curb bad habits and enforce a routine, diet and lifestyle that will keep you in shape and healthy. Follow the path that leads to personal growth. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Be demonstrative, express your thoughts and feelings, and do your best to care for matters that can determine your fate professionally. Take the initiative, and believe in your ability to outmaneuver any competition that comes your way. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Be cautious when dealing with a friend, relative or colleague. Don’t share personal information or make promises that might put you in a tight spot. Make a change at home that will ease stress. Avoid indulgent behavior. AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Concentrate on what’s important to you. A financial deal looks promising. Look for an investment that is solid and doesn’t require you to go into debt. Moderation and intelligence will lead to prosperity. Be honest about how you feel. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Pay attention to the way you present yourself to others. Update your image, and take a unique approach to friendship, life and romance. Say what’s on your mind, and stick to the rules and regulations. Live frugally and avoid overindulgence.
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
Support student journalism. Donate to The Observer. ndsmcobserver.com/donate
Work Area
Make checks payable to and mail to:
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday, The Observer is a vital source of information on people and events in the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross communities. Join the more than 13,000 readers who have found The Observer an indispensable link to the three campuses. Please complete the accompanying form and mail it today to receive The Observer in your home.
The Observer P.O. Box 779 Notre Dame, IN 46556
Enclosed is $130 for one academic year Enclosed is $75 for one semester Name Address City State Zip
12
Classifieds
The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Sports Authority
Sports Authority
Zwiller: Pats lost but Belichick won Thomas Zwiller Sports Writer
Never in my life have I associated Adele’s “Hello” w ith the NFL. After last night’s Sunday Night Football game, I do not think I can unlink the two. The game featured the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) traveling to the New England Patriots (1-2) in a game not expected to be close by most. Vegas set the spread w ith Tampa as a -7 point favorite. Of course, this game was not a game of two heav y weights, Superbowl favorites slugging it out for a critical advantage later in the postseason. After last night, the Patriots are in danger of missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season; the last time that happened was in 1999 and 2000. So what made the matchup so intriguing, a matchup that had the eyes of the football world on it? It was former New England quarterback Tom Brady returning to face dow n w ith his old coach Bill Belichick. The two are arguably one of the greatest coachplayer duos in all of sports histor y. The two won six Super Bowls together and combined for fifteen (each has six in New England, Brady one in Tampa, and Belichick w ith two as the defensive coordinator w ith the NY Giants). Both are architects of one of the greatest sports dy nasties in histor y, spanning from 2001 w ith a Super Bowl title to Tom Brady’s abrupt departure in 2019. As Tom Brady left New England for sunnier pastures in Tampa, people immediately began to ask the question: who was most responsible for the Patriots run? W hen Brady led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl Championship while Belichick watched at home, hav ing missed the playoffs, some felt content that that was an answer. Then the NFL released the schedule, and the football world circled this Week 4 matchup. Brady won that matchup, too, leading Tampa to a 19-17 v ictor y. Just a bit closer than that 7-point spread. But here is the thing. I do not think that Brady won that matchup. Let me rephrase
that the Buccaneers won the game, but I believe Belichick won the rematch. The Patriots should not have been as competitive as they were last night. They were starting a rookie QB who was coming off a three-interception loss to the Saints. Tampa Bay is a defending Superbowl Champion: experts had legitimately made the case they could go 17-0 and repeat their title. New England was not even the favorite to w in their div ision. And yet, they were a field goal attempt being mere inches to the right from beating Tampa. So while I do not think that we w ill ever be able to say that it was Brady or Belichick definitively, I want to defend Belichick from his critics who think his success is solely due to Tom Brady. Belichick entered the game at a massive disadvantage offensively. W hile the Patriots have some solid offensive weapons in Hunter Henr y and Jonnu Smith, their best w ide receiver is Nelson Agholor, who is okay as a #1. Belichick also entered the game w ith a rookie QB who, as I mentioned before, had a terrible performance in the week prior. Before play ing the Saints, Mac Jones had not had a bad throw percentage above 7% , and against the Saints, it was 19.6% . However, the problems do not stop there. W hile the Patriots have an excellent pass block w in rate of 64% , they have an abysmal run block w in rate of 62% , ranking 32nd in the league. I do think that the Patriots can draw even w ith the Buccaneer’s defense. Sportsnaut.com ranks Tampa as the 6th best defense in the league, whereas New England is 4th. The major disadvantage was that Belichick was facing an over whelming Buccaneers offense. Tampa ranks first in passing touchdow ns, first in attempts and completions and second in passing yards. Tampa is incredible in the red zone, ranking second in red zone attempts and first in red-zone see ZWILLER PAGE 13
Week Four NFL Power Rankings Thomas Zwiller Sports Writer
Unlike in seasons past, Week 4 is here, but it is not exactly a quarter of the way through because of the expanded regular season. But because this is as close as we can get to a quarter of the season, I thought it would be a good idea to see where my NFL model places the top-10 teams. As I did with my ZLO AFC Power Rankings Column, I will explain why each team is where they are and how I see them doing as the season progresses. #1 Dallas Cowboys I am not surprised by the Dallas Cowboys at #1. Their defense is improved from last season, and Dak Prescott has not missed a single step. They jumped from the top five directly to number one after their offensive performance against the Eagles and Panthers. I anticipate the Cowboys’ rank and rating drop as they enter a tougher stretch of their schedule. #2 Buffalo Bills The Bills are not a surprise either; since losing their first game to the Steelers 23-16, the Bills have won their last three games 118-21. My only skepticism is that the three teams they played were the Dolphins, Washington Football Team and Texans: their combined record is 4-8. I think the Bills are good and can stay highly ranked, but both their offense and defense should come back to Earth. #3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers I was a little surprised that Tampa maintained such a high ranking after their mediocre offensive outing in Week 4 against the Patriots. The main reason that the Buccaneers were able to stay so high is mainly that they were able to compensate for it with their defense, which shut down the Patriots’ run game. I believe this is where the Buccaneers will stay throughout the season unless they continue to have the injury bug. #4 Kansas City Chiefs ESPN currently has the Chiefs at #11, which feels like a knee-jerk reaction to me. The Chiefs have had close losses to the Chargers
and Ravens, both of whom are 3-1 and looking like two of the best teams in the Conference. Kansas City has a great offense, and they are merely a few fumbles away from winning both games. The only thing holding them back is a pretty poor rushing and red zone defense. #5 Arizona Cardinals I know ESPN had the Cardinals at #2, which again feels like a knee-jerk reaction. Arizona got a huge win this weekend over the Rams, and they deserve to move up. But it is also worth noting they needed a missed field goal to beat the Vikings and struggled against the Jaguars. While promising, I also think that the NFL defense will catch on and limit their offense later in the season. My best theory as of right now is to drop back seven or eight people into coverage and try to rush only three. The problem with that strategy is it is hard for three rushers to get to the QB. The Cardinals are great, but, so far, I do not have them as top two in the league.
and the an reel
the Seahawks. Realistically, 49ers are 37 seconds and Aaron Rodgers highlight from being 3-1 right now.
#8 Minnesota Vikings I do hate this one, legitimately hate it. The Vikings are not the best team in the NFL, but they are not as bad as 1-3. They could have quite easily won against the Bengals by simply not fumbling. They could have beaten the Cardinals by making a standard field goal. I will not try and explain away the Browns’ loss; that was just a loss. But the point is the Vikings are not #22 like ESPN has them. But they are by no means a top-10 team. I think high teens are fair.
#9 Los Angeles Chargers I love this spot for the Chargers. The Chargers boast a great offense, and their defense was able to limit the Raiders for all of the first half and clamp down when they needed to in the second. Their only loss comes to the Cowboys, which as of right now is an acceptable loss. They also boast wins over the Chiefs #6 Los Angeles Rams and Raiders, which significantly Since they traded for Matthew boosts their chances of making Stafford, the Rams have been the playoffs. They can go toe-tomy #1 team; he simply was that toe with the best in the division, much of a game-changer. I wrote and after seeing the Broncos a column recently where I picked play the Ravens, there is no reathem to be a Super Bowl favorite. son they cannot beat Denver. On my podcast, The Touchdown Rundown, I chose them as my #10 Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl Champion in my I like Seattle in the top-10, and season simulation in the offsea- I was surprised to see them lower son. So, one loss to the Cardinals in ESPN’s Power Rankings. The has not shaken my faith in them. Seahawks once again seem to On the other hand, my model have a good offense (as always, has suffered a noticeable drop- Russell Wilson is getting sacked off, dropping them from 3rd to an unhealthy amount — 2.75 6th. I think the Rams can get times per game — which worback on track by this week when ries me). I was legitimately worthey take on the Seahawks on ried about their defense after Thursday Night Football, and their back-to-back losses to the I expect them to recover from Titans and Vikings, who ran the their stumble against Arizona. ball efficiently, but after beating the 49ers, I feel a little more #7 San Fransico 49ers confident. The only problem for With the Jimmy G injury, now the Seahawks is that they are is the best time for the 49ers to still in a tough division and two switch to Trey Lance. I think he games back of the Cardinals. can make San Fransisco’s of- Seattle could be a great team, fense much more explosive, forc- but they could still miss the ing defenses to have to worry playoffs entirely in a division now about a mobile quarter- as tough as the NFC West. back. I also believe that the 49ers have a good defense as they Contact Thomas Zwiller at could handle both the Packers tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.
Wanted TUTOR: Local ND family needs strong tutor for our HS junior, up to 10 hrs/wk. Good rate. 574-299-3896. There I was again tonight forcing laughter, faking smiles / Same old
tired, lonely place / Walls of insincerity / Shifting eyes and vacancy vanished when I saw your face / All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you / Your eyes whispered “have we met?” / Across the room your silhouette starts to make it’s way to me / The playful conversation starts / Counter all your
quick remarks, like passing notes in secrecy / And it was enchanting to meet you / All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you / This night is sparkling, don’t you let it go / I’m wonder struck, blushing all the way home / I’ll spend forever wondering if you knew / I was enchanted to meet you / The lingering
sports
XC Continued from page 16
Carmody’s race showed him about the rest of his team. “Obviously he raced really well, taking fourth,” Carlson said. “That kind of shows us where the rest of our top guys are. We were really excited about that. Carmo was our eighth man last year at nationals, so he didn’t run the national meet. Obviously he has gotten better, so where he fits into our lineup I’m not quite sure yet. But the exciting thing is he showed everybody that we are really, really good right now.” Carlson was also pleased with the performance of redshirt freshman Carter Solomon who was the second Irish to finish the race with a time of 24:35.3. “Another guy that ran really well, and I think is just going to keep coming on throughout the season was Carter Solomon. That was his first big meet as a redshirt freshman. He went out a little far back and moved up really well. Now he’s got a little bit more confidence to go out more aggressively,” Carlson said. Carlson emphasized the importance of this result to his team. “Overall, a really good day.
Litzinger
ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | The Observer
We got the chance to put some younger guys in to get more experience and hold out some guys and still beat some nationally ranked teams,” Carlson said. Although Carlson thought his team got out a little slow, he thought they did a good job of working their way back into the race. “I think we got out a little bit further back than I would have thought that we were going to,” Carlson said. “That being said, we did a really good job of adjusting and moving up. Instead of getting sad and giving up, they fought their way back in it. They executed not perfectly but they adjusted well and still got the job done.” Carlson was pleased to see the amount of depth that his team has. “There are a lot of scenarios that can screw up a season. We’ve got really good depth, and we could survive things not going perfectly for us. We have a little margin for error, which is really valuable,” Carlson said. Carlson is excited to see what some of the younger runners who competed on Friday will do in future seasons. “For the future, it’s exciting because we only graduate two guys after this year,” Carlson said. “We
W Soccer
Continued from page 16
Continued from page 16
lawsuit Sept. 27 after both parties appeared to reach an out-of-court settlement last month, the South Bend Tribune reported. Prior to coming to Notre Dame, Litzinger was the head women’s coach at St. Bonaventure University from 1989 to 1996 and assistant men’s coach at Ohio State from 1996 to 2000. Then, he headed up both the men’s and women’s programs at the University of Utah from 2000 to 2007. Lastly, before coming to Notre Dame, he was associate head coach at the University of North Carolina from 2011 to 2015 after joining the Tar Heels in 2007. Though originally scheduled for their first dual meet against Cincinnati this weekend, Notre Dame will not be competing. The team will be taking a step back in order to develop an interim plan as they grapple with this shift in leadership. “A national search for the next f u l l - t i m e leader of Notre Dame’s swimming program will begin later in the year,” the release said.
squad has rebounded with aplomb since the defeat to the Tigers. The Irish have now ripped off six straight victories, and have only conceded three goals total in those six games. Of course, bigger tests still loom. Notre Dame’s four ACC wins have come against each of the bottom four teams in the conference, and their remaining
Contact Madeline Ladd at mladd2@nd.edu
matches include a test this week against Louisville (fourth in ACC standings) and V i r g i n i a (third in ACC standings) as well as other highly-talented College Cup contenders in North Carolina and Duke. While these games will likely determine the ceiling of this Irish team, opening with four relatively comfortable wins against l o w e r - r a n k e d conference foes, at minimum, establishes a solid floor. The snag that prior Irish teams have consistently hit has been against the Dukes and UNCs of the conference. Since Nate Norman was appointed head coach in South Bend, Notre Dame has held just a 1-2-9 record against ranked conference opponents. Should this year’s team prove capable of
return a really good roster to keep Notre Dame in the conversation where we are a realistic conversation for a podium finish every year.” Rounding out the top five for the Irish on Friday were junior Tom Seitzer (24:45.1), sophomore Robbie Cozean (24:47.8), and senior Zach Kreft (24:49.4). The men’s next race will be at pre-Nationals on Oct. 15. The Irish will be racing four All-Americans from last year’s team with senior Dylan Jacobs and Danny Kilrea, junior Jake Renfree and graduate student Andrew Alexander all competing for the first time this season. The women’s team also competed on Friday, ranking fourteenth place overall in the highly competitive field. Head women’s cross country coach Matt Sparks was disappointed in how his team ran on Friday, but he has confidence that they can bounce back like they have in past years. “We learned who we are on Friday, and we are going to get a lot better from there,” Sparks said. “I would rather have it happen early in the season rather than late in the season.” One of the bright spots for Sparks’ team on Friday was
boosting that record, they’ll by default be perhaps the best Irish team in years, and also will be legitimate national tournament contenders. Notre Dame’s next opponent, Louisville, is no lightweights themselves. The Cardinals knocked off Wake Forest last week, looking impressive on the attack against a usually stout Demon Deacon defense. Nina Nicosia has been the most balanced source of points for Louisville this season, with three goals and three assists, while Emma Hiscock has provided firepower. Despite only starting one game, Hiscock has already found the back of the net four times for the Cardinals. With other options like Julia Simon (2 goals, 3 assists) and Brooke Dardano adding to the attack (1 goal, 4 assists), the Cardinals should present a tough challenge to an Irish defense that has enjoyed clean sheets in two of their first four conference matches. Notre Dame women’s soccer will return to action on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET at Alumni Stadium, as they’ll take on the Louisville Cardinals.
freshman Kate Wiser, who finished first for the Irish and 22nd overall in the race with a time of 16:44.3 in the 5K. “I was impressed with freshman Kate Wiser to come out and run with confidence the way that she did,” Sparks said. Rounding out the top five for the Irish on Friday were senior Maddy Denner (16:54.8), junior Olivia Markezich (17:18.1), senior Katie Rose Blachowicz (17:29.6), and graduate student Lauren Bailey (17:32.3). Sparks is confident that veteran leaders Maddy Denner and Olivia Markezich can be better for his team going forward. “We just need them to reassert themselves and remind themselves that they’re capable of being up in front for us,” Sparks said. “I’m sure they will be there in the weeks to come.” Lauren Bailey is another runner who Sparks expected to be near Kate Wiser on Friday. “We expected her to run right there with Kate as well, and she didn’t,” Sparks said. “She was buried in the back.” Sparks knows that he has to get more out of his veteran runners going forward. “The freshman came prepared and confident and executed the
Zwiller Continued from page 12
touchdow ns. They do leave something to desire in both rushing yards and touchdowns, but it otherwise is incredible. The cards felt stacked against New England, which explains the sevenpoint spread. But that is not the game we got. Looking at the Tampa side of the game, Tom had a respectable performance. On 43 attempts, he had 22 completions, 269 yards, and averaged 6.3 yards per completion. He may not have had a touchdown, but he did not have an interception, either. Brady did not lose the game for Tampa Bay; he made minimal mistakes. But I do not think he won the game either. I think that was primarily due to the scheming of Bill Belichick. The announcers said it early on in the game; Belichick would force Brady to be patient, limiting the explosive play Brady could make. Brady needed a strong run game to help support him; runningbacks Jones and Fournette combined for 116 rushing yards. 117 rushing yards more than the Patriots had. Brady also needed his kicker, Succop, to score 13-points, 4/5 on field goals, and 1/1 on extra points. Those four made field goals added up to
13
way we had hoped,” Sparks said. “The upperclassmen kind of just went through the motions, and the hope is now that they had their wake up call, they will be ready to go next time out.” Sparks felt that his team could have gotten out faster in the race. “If you don’t get out and assert yourself early, people aren’t going to come back to you. We got out slow and conservative and as a result, we just couldn’t move up and get to where we needed to be by the end of the race,” Sparks said. Sparks thought that having fans back might have affected his athletes. “I think that was a little bit overwhelming for the girls. We have been on that course so many times the last two years with no one there, I think that was almost overwhelming a little bit to see people out there with over 100 teams and several thousand other spectators. I think it was a little intimidating having not seen that for awhile,” Sparks said. The women will look to rebound in two weeks at the Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin. Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu
148 yards. On the f lipside, Mac Jones had an excellent performance with the context of his opponent and the weather he had to battle. Jones passed 40 times, netting 31 completions, 275 yards and two touchdowns as well as an interception. I legitimately think that Jones outplayed Brady, and he certainly had to; his rushing game combined for -1 yards. JJ Taylor also fumbled the ball, which considering it was a first and ten on the Tampa 28, I think that hurt the Patriot’s chances. Considering that the Buccaneers were a team in its Super Bowl window, that they have one of the greatest QBs of all time, and their opponents are a young rebuilding squad, this game should have been a blowout. I was expecting a blowout. But because Belichick is one of the greatest coaches of all time, he was able to minimize his weaknesses and utilize his strengths. He limited what Tampa did best, and attacked them where they were vulnerable. So next time you listen to Adeles’ “Hello,” remember, the Patriots may have lost, but Belichick actually won. Contact Thomas Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu
14
The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com Paid Advertisement
Sports
sports
ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | The Observer
15
FANTASY CORNER
Observer Fantasy Corner Week Six: Strategizing lineups to win big By SAM OUHAJ, GEHRIG SM ALSTIG, J. J. POST, JOHN K ALEMKERIAN and JAMISON COOK Spor ts Writers
Week 4 of the NFL was electric and now we are starting to see who is a contender and who is a pretender. W hile we at The Obser ver hope you are w inning your fantasy matchups, we are still here to offer advice just in case. Let’s get into it! Sam Ouhaj Must Start: Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys Dalton Schultz has established himself as the number one tight end in Dallas. He is currently averaging 14.5 points and is TE5 so far this season. Schlutz has a favorable matchup against the New York Giants this weekend and I fully expect to have his number called a few times Sunday afternoon. The best part about Schultz is that he is only ow ned in 20.8% of leagues which means you can get a top-five tight end in fantasy for almost nothing. Going for ward, I would have Schultz in your starting lineup for the rest of the season despite Blake Jar w in being on the team as the chemistr y between Prescott and Schultz is noteworthy and hard to deny. Must Sit: Tyler Lockett, W R, Seattle Seahawks Tyler Lockett started off hot this season but these last two games have seen the veteran only post an average of 7 points. W hile Lockett is normally a solid play at W R2 or f lex, his matchup against the Rams this Thursday is something I would stray away from. W hile Lockett w ill probably match up against Darius Williams this weekend, Los Angeles has done a fantastic job in shutting dow n the pass. I would highly recommend motoring Lockett over the next few weeks as he could become valuable trade bait and/or return to his role of being Wilson’s most reliable receiver. W ho To Pick Up: Jamison
Crowder, W R, New York Jets (Ow ned in 14.6% of leagues) John Kalemkerian Must Start: Jakobi Meyers, W R, New England Patriots Meyers burst onto the scene out of nowhere in the middle of last season and while it seemed he might be a one-hit wonder, the NC State product has continued to shine at the Pats top receiving option early this season. With double-digit targets in each of the past two weeks, Meyers stands to see continued success w ith a ver y soft matchup at Houston, who have let up consecutive 100-yard receiving games to DJ Moore and Stefon Diggs. As an added bonus, the Pats have used Meyers as passer on trick plays to the tune of 45 passing yards this season. Start Meyers w ith confidence this week. Must Sit: Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks With where Carson was drafted I understand that this w ill be a tough sit, but hear me out. The Seahawks have been limiting Carson’s work load for unknow n reasons, resulting in 13 carries or less in each of the past 3 weeks. His backfield-mate, A lex Collins, has been quite a bit more productive and had 10 carries and a touchdow n against the Niners. An upcoming matchup against an Aaron Donaldanchored Rams front spells disaster for Carson and the Seahawks, who w ill likely need to stray from their run-heav y scheme to stay in the game. Look in a different direction for running back production this week. W ho To Pick Up: Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys (Ow ned in 21.6% of leagues) Gehrig Smalstig Must Start: Damien Harris, RB, New England Patriots Many w ill be quick to sour on Harris after a tough matchup against the Buccaneers in which he saw a total of 4 attempts for -4 rushing yards, but this should be unsurprising considering the Bucs’
historically prolific front 7. The Patriots game planned as we all knew they would and used the short passing game as an extension of the rushing attack, which left Harris off the field for most of the game. In this upcoming matchup against the Raiders, who have a below average rush defense, Harris should see volume more like his Week 1 and 2 outings, in which he averaged nearly 20 carries per game. Belichick w ill want to establish the run game and keep the ball out of Derek Carr’s hands, which should make Harris an attractive RB2 or Flex option. Must Sit: Noah Fant, TE, Denver Broncos Fant is tr ying to emerge as a top 10 TE this season and has done a pretty solid job of it, but he w ill likely struggle against a good Steelers’ defense this week. Fant’s best weeks have been supplemented by a touchdow n, and while I’m not one to take away the best parts of someone’s game, I just don’t see the Broncos touching the endzone ver y often in Pittsburgh. Additionally, Drew Lock w ill have to get reacclimated to the starting role against some of the league’s best defenders in TJ Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick, which just sounds like a recipe for disaster. W ho to Pick Up: Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Philadelphia Eagles J.J. Post Must Start: Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, Atlanta Falcons I’ll admit to being a tad leer y about this pick, as four weeks is still a little early for me to lock a previously unheralded player in as a starter, but through four weeks Patterson is incredibly RB2 in total points for PPR leagues. Now is Patterson’s touchdow n rate of 38% completely unsustainable? Yes. But he still holds great value outside of that w ild statistic.
For one, Patterson only truly broke out for the Falcons this season, so his role in the offense and volume of snaps is only set to grow. But more importantly, Patterson is the perfect PPR back. His versatility — the Falcons use him as a w ideout almost as much as they use him as a pure running back — meaning he’s assured points ever y game through catches like a standard receiver would be. You can’t say the same for just about any other running back in the league. W hat’s more, his status as a speedy deep threat means the potential for touchdow ns and the huge fantasy week that would come w ith them, exists ever y week. Must Sit: Robert Tonyan, TE, Green Bay Packers Tonyan was supposed to be a member of an exclusive group: tight ends safe to use on a week in and week out basis. Thus far, he simply hasn’t show n the consistent usage in the Packers offense that earned him classification in that group last year. Tonyan’s calling card in 2020 was his ability to put up about 5-12 points for you no matter what. That made him a valuable player to have at tight end, a position that rarely provides ow ners w ith more than three real top fantasy players a year. But that high f loor has been lowered in 2021. Aside from a strong week two where he put up 52 yards and a touchdow n, Tonyan hasn’t put up more than two catches or ten yards in a game this season. And even in week two, his three catches were the only three targets he received all game. His targets went up this week to seven, but he only produced two catches for eight yards. Tonyan isn’t a bad player by any means, and could still be a week ly stream depending on the matchup, but as of right now he isn’t someone who can be relied on ever y week for fantasy.
W ho To Pick Up: Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants (Ow ned in 32.5% of leagues) Jamison Cook Must Start: Tyler Boyd, W R, Cincinnati Bengals W hile Boyd didn’t find the end zone in Week 4, he did have highs in targets (11), receptions (9) and receiving yards (118) in the Bengals’ Thursday night w in over the Jaguars. Boyd has excelled in the absence of Tee Higgins, and if Higgins can’t go again in Week 5, Boyd should see a high volume of targets once again. The Pitt product should be fine even if Higgins does play, as the matchup w ith Green Bay provides shootout potential. Cincy QB Joe Burrow seems to trust Boyd this season, and while he may not provide the big-play potential that teammate Ja’Marr Chase does, he is a reliable week ly fantasy option at this point. Must Sit: Courtland Sutton, W R, Denver Broncos Sutton’s production has decreased in the last two weeks, and the loss of starting QB Teddy Bridgewater won’t help. The Steelers’ secondar y is decent, and I expect a Broncos team w ith backup QB Drew Lock at the helm to struggle offensively on the road in Pittsburgh. Additionally, Sutton does not have a receiving touchdow n yet this season, while other Broncos receiving options such as Noah Fant and Tim Patrick have multiple. Keep Sutton on your bench this week. W ho To Pick Up: Sam Darnold, QB, Carolina Panthers (ow ned in 18.3% of leagues) Contact Sam Ouhaj at souhaj@nd.edu, J. J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu, Jamison Cook at jcook22@nd.edu, Gehrig Smalstig at esmalsti@nd.edu and John Kalemkerian at jkalemke@nd.edu
16 16
The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Women’s Soccer
Cross Country
Irish triumph against NC State Observer Sports Staff
On Friday night, Notre Dame women’s soccer notched a fourth consecutive ACC w in to extend their unbeaten conference run, dow ning North Carolina State 2-1 in Raleigh. Freshman midfielder Korbin A lbert started the Irish off early, collecting a loose ball after the Wolfpack failed to fully clear a corner kick and bending a shot past the near post and into the back of the net just three minutes in. Another freshman would then double the lead for Notre Dame. Defender Katie Coyle ran onto a loose, def lected ball and fired it across the face of the goal w ith her left foot to make it 2-0. North Carolina State would ruin goalkeeper Ashley Naylor’s clean sheet bid in the final minute, pulling one back by way
of a Jenna Butler strike, but the Irish ensured the final thirt y seconds after the Wolfpack goal went w ithout incident to leave Raleigh w ith a v ictor y. The w in puts Notre Dame at 4-0 in conference play heading into a v isit from Louisv ille on Thursday, and it’s hard to imagine Nate Norman could have draw n up a better first half of the season for his team, especially given the circumstances faced early on. A season-ending injur y to goalie Mattie Interian just four games into the season against Marquette was cause for some serious fear about Notre Dame’s long-term v iabilit y as an ACC contender, especially after the Irish conceded three goals to Missouri just two games later, but the see W SOCCER PAGE 13
Irish perform in Joe Piane Invitational showing By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer
ANNA MASON | The Observer
Irish senior Matthew Carmody posted a stellar performance in a 2019 race run at Notre Dame’s Burke Golf Course.
The men’s and women’s cross country team competed this past Friday at the Joe Piane Invitational at the Burke Golf Course. The men’s team held out seven of their top runners from the meet, but the team was still able to place eleventh overall and beat some nationally ranked teams. Head men’s cross country coach Sean Carlson discussed what Friday’s race meant for his team. “There were fourteen schools receiving votes for national polls, which means we beat some nationally ranked teams while holding out some of our top guys,” Carlson said. “It was really exciting, and it was a really good experience for some of our younger guys to gain some more racing experience in a big meet setting.” Senior Matthew Carmody led the way for the Irish on Friday, completing the 5 mile race in a time of 23:22.6, which was good for fourth place overall. Carlson talked about what see XC PAGE 13
SWIMMING & DIVING
Head swim coach Mike Litzinger resigns, retires from collegiate coaching career By MADELINE LADD Sports Writer
The University of Notre Dame announced Monday that Mike Litzinger had resigned from his position as head sw im coach at Notre Dame and that he intends to retire from coaching. This would have been Litzinger’s sixth season coaching at Notre Dame and his 20th season as a collegiate sw im coach. “Making changes in the leadership of one of our programs is never easy, especially at the start of the competitive season,” vice president and James E. Rohr director of athletics Jack Swarbrick said. “But recent events convinced Mike and me that a change in the direction of our program was necessar y.” The University has
given no specific reason for his resignation. The announcement Monday also noted associate head coach Aaron Bell is no longer w ith the Irish. The dive team at Notre Dame w ill remain under the leadership of Mark Bradshaw, who has been w ith the University since the summer of 2020. Litzinger and the University were sued for gender discrimination in May. Former assistant coach April Jensen alleged Litzinger had created an “intolerable” work environment by discriminating against her due to her pregnancy. Litzinger reassigned Jensen’s coaching group when she returned from maternity leave, which Jensen alleges is equivalent to a demotion. A federal judge dismissed the see LITZINGER PAGE 13
ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer
Junior Irish swimmer Sydney Winters starts her backstroke race, in which she placed sixth. The competition was held against Northwestern at the Rolf ’s Aquatic Center on Jan. 17, 2020.
