Print Edition for The Observer for Wednesday, November 10, 2021

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Volume 56, Issue 28 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Center to merge diversity and inclusion New Center for Diversity and Inclusion to house resources, programs in LaFortune Student Center some sort for students of underrepresented backgrounds to relax, feel safe, discuss issues and access resources.

The three offices will maintain their separate identities and missions but will do so within a shared space, MSPS director Arnel Bulaoro said.

“Because we’re going to be in close proximity to one another, ideas will be shared back and forth,” he explained. “So, I don’t see our roles changing, I just see more synergy between the three offices.”

MSPS supports students of color, while the OSE works with under-resourced and first-generation students and the GRC

By MEGAN FAHRNEY News Writer

The Multicultural Student Programs and Services (MSPS), Office of Student Enrichment (OSE) and Gender Relations Center (GRC) will join to form a new Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the University announced Nov. 3. All three departments currently aim to promote inclusivity at Notre Dame through programming, resources and initiatives.

The center will be located in a newly remodeled space on the second floor of LaFortune Student Center.

GRC director Arlene Montevecchio said there will be a lounge or physical space of

MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer

Leaders update faculty, staff

By ALYSA GUFFEY Notre Dame News Editor

Executive leaders gave updates on construction projects, health guidelines and new initiatives in the fall 2021 virtual staff and faculty town hall Tuesday afternoon.

Executive vice president Shannon Cullinan opened up the town hall by welcoming Jane Livingston, the new vice president for information technology and chief information officer who began her term in July.

As executive vice president, Cullinan is largely responsible for the operations of the University.

Cullinan said a large concern that staff members had was the increase in electric scooters on campus and the potential dangers the scooters present on a largely pedestrian campus. As a result, an e-scooter committee has been formed to address the issue, he said.

“So in the next couple of months, [the committee is] going to get to work on that and see what other universities are doing to sort of address the challenge,” Cullinan said.

Current construction projects on campus include the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, Our Lady

NEWS PAGE 4

of the Lake World Peace Plaza and an expansion of the wellness center.

The museum is set to open in late 2023, Cullinan said, and will add to the arts hub on the south end of campus, which currently consists of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, Walsh Family Architecture Hall and O’Neill Hall of Music.

Cullinan added that the University’s goal is to have the museum accessible to the greater South Bend area as well as college students.

“We want to get as many [K-12 students] through the building as we can,” Cullinan said. “It will accommodate buses in a way that’s really seamless, but we’re not able to do right now with the current Snite, so we’re really excited for this project.”

The construction of the Our Lady of the Lake Peace Plaza is an ongoing project near the east side of Saint Mary’s Lake. When completed, the plaza will include places to sit and an engrained prayer for world peace in seven different languages.

“Right now, you just see a crane and a bunch of machines, but the see TOWN HALL PAGE 4

VIEWPOINT PAGE 8

see CENTER PAGE 3

FTT to stage ‘This is Modern Art’ at DPAC

By DAGNY BRAND News Writer

“Watching ‘This is Modern A rt’ is a chance to really think critically about how this world works for artists and artists of color, what art has to offer and what it means in histor y and in ever yday life,” lead actor of the show Eric Ways (’18) explained.

Notre Dame’s department

of film, telev ision and theatre or FTT’s production of “This is Modern A rt,” directed by class of 2014 graduate Zuri Eshun, w ill be performed this week Wednesday through Sunday at 7:30 p.m. in the Patricia George Decio Theatre at the DeBartolo Performing A rts Center.

“This is Modern A rt” by Idris Goodw in and Kev in Coval tells the stor y of a

group of four graffiti artists in Chicago who “are tr ying to redefine what people consider art,” actor Lamont Marino (’21) said. The artists — Seven ( Ways), Dose (Marino), Selena (junior Ly ric Medeiros) and J.C. (senior Timothy Merk le) — have “dreams and aspirations that expand outside of the circumstances that see PLAY PAGE 3

Courtesy of Stacey Stewart

The cast of “This is Modern Art” consists of 12 Notre Dame students and graduates. The show is being staged from Wednesday to Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Patricia George Decio Theatre at DPAC.

SCENE PAGE 10

BARAKA BOUTS PAGE 16

FOOTBALL PAGE 16

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TODAY

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McCandless Hall hosted “Junkin’ Journals” on Sunday. The event educated students on the importance of mindfulness while creating opportunities to build community. Students decorated journals while drinking Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, tea and hot cocoa.

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Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Black and Catholic at Notre Dame Coleman-Morse Center Lounge 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Reception to follow.

Pizza, Pop and Politics Geddes Coffee House 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Discussion about 1975 Voting Rights Act.

Caramel Craze Outside of O’Shaughnessy Hall 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Enjoy caramel apples with FLIP!

“The Secret Agency” DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 11 a.m. - noon Tickets and masks required.

Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. & noon Masks required. All are welcome.

“This is Modern Art” DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Play tickets available online.

ROTC Veteran’s Day Ceremony Clarke Memorial Fountain 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Open to the public.

“American Horror Story” Trivia Legends 9 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Test your knowledge and win themed prizes.

Auditions: “Proving Up” LaBar Performance Hall noon - 5 p.m.

Contact Opera ND.

“Blue Collar” (1978) Browning Cinema 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Hosted by Higgins Labor Program. Free, registration required.

News

Center Continued from page 1

does so primarily with women and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The MSPS, OSE and GRC will occupy the east side of the second floor of LaFortune. Conversations will be conducted in the first half of the spring semester to determine what will occupy the rest of the space, Bulaoro said.

There is not yet a timeline for when the center will be completed.

Student body president and senior Allan Njomo said since 1991 student groups have sought the establishment of a center to provide space for traditionally marginalized groups.

“We are hopeful for the potential for the Division of Student Affairs to solicit student and stakeholder feedback, among not only student leaders but also staff from the offices,” Njomo said.

Njomo said he hopes students will make the space their own by

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | The Observer

working with the University and the contractors who will design the physical space.

The center and some of its programming will be funded by a $1 million gift from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

PwC intends to raise $9 million more for the center in the next 5 years.

“We are very happy to have a donor who will go ahead and fund [this] for us,” Bulaoro said.

The class of 2025 is the most diverse class in Notre Dame history. The class is composed of 31.5% U.S. students of color, 12% first-generation college students, 7.3% international students and 14.% Pell Grant students.

“We welcomed the most diverse class in our history recently, and so we have to be prepared to meet the needs of those students,” Montevecchio said.

Montevecchio emphasized the importance of educating the entire campus community about issues of diversity and inclusion through the center.

“It’s really part of our Catholic mission and identity to honor the human dignity of every person as being created in the image of God and to treat people with compassion and respect and sensitivity,” Montevecchio said. “I think this center is critical to achieving Notre Dame’s mission and Catholic identity.”

Bulaoro said that, no matter how well an organization or person is doing with regards to inclusivity, there is always room for growth. He expressed a belief that one of the most visible ways to improve is creating spaces where the community can come together.

“A long time ago, I remember Fr. Ted Hesburgh talking about the importance of space,” Bulaoro said. “I now see why it’s so important. Space at a university brings together folks to have conversations, particularly around the center or the space’s mission.”

Contact Megan Fahrney mfahrney@nd.edu

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Play Continued from page 1

they currently live in,” Ways said, and the show follows their stor y.

“This show is about giv ing the artists in the margins a voice,” Ways said.

The youthful show is filled w ith impactful moments, both funny and serious, and gives the audience a chance to engage and have fun w ith the characters.

“I love watching theatre when the actors are ver y connected, are hav ing a good time and really tell a great stor y w ith a message,” Medeiros said.

“People should expect a mov ing stor y, a stor y that w ill give them a new perspective of what graffiti is and what it all stands for.”

Ways added that the audience should be ready to experience a w ide range of emotions.

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“The audience should be ready to think critically.

They should be ready to laugh. They should be ready to cr y,” Ways said.

Ways also discussed his excitement about working w ith a cast that is majorit y people of color and working w ith a director of color for the first time on a Notre Dame stage.

“I’m really excited that we, a group of people of color, can show the Universit y what this experience is like.”

Other members of the cast share this joy, including Marino, who feels connected to his character, Dose, in the commonalities that they share, such as both being Afro-Latino.

“It’s super refreshing to be around people who have a free nature and are tr y ing to put on a show that w ill discuss issues in the communities that an all-white cast might not be able to because they are sensitive topics in the Black communit y or Hispanic communit y,” he said.

A lumni Eshun and Ways returned to campus to work w ith the FTT department and current students on the production. Medeiros is excited to be working w ith professionals in the industr y who are so open to teaching the students involved.

“Notre Dame alumni are coming back because they love Notre Dame, and they love teaching Notre Dame students because they’re so special and hard-working,” she said.

On the other side, Ways said he is impressed by the gifted students at Notre Dame.

“Ever yone has been really professional and is really talented,” he said. “I’m excited to see where they go after this.”

Marino added that he is excited for audience members to see the talent of Notre Dame artists and address important topics of art.

“Be open-minded, and be prepared to be entertained for an hour and a half,” he said.

Contact Dagny Brand dbrand@nd.edu

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NEWS

The observer | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Town Hall Continued from page 1

idea is to create sort of this more beautiful spot for people to relax and enjoy each other by Saint Mary’s Lake,” Cullinan said.

Cullinan said the plaza has a tentative completion date of summer 2022.

Next, Cullinan gave updates regarding the University’s announcements to reduce the school’s carbon footprint by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Currently, the University utilizes 40% of the output of the St. Joseph Solar Farm and has geothermal energy locations by Ricci Fields on campus. Cullinan said the University hopes the hydroelectric dam in downtown South Bend will become active in 2022.

The dam will represent 7% of power on campus.

Cullinan addressed faculty concerns on sustainability and

said that while it’s a large focus area for the University, individuals can take small steps to improve sustainability such as printing less paper and consuming less waste.

“It is one of the most institutional goals I can think of for Notre Dame, so we all need to pitch in and do our part,” he said.

Turning the conversation to COVID-19, Cullinan thanked the faculty for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, saying he believes the Notre Dame vaccination rate is currently 95%.

“We will stay humble on this,” Cullinan said. “You never know when those rates might change but for now they’re low.”

Cullinan said the University has not decided whether it will require or recommend booster shots.

A challenge Notre Dame has faced this semester is labor shortages on campus, as the trend has continued nationally. Cullinan said employees of the University are the best recruiters when it

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comes to hiring and encouraged people to seek potential hires, particularly for food service positions.

“I will give a special shoutout to our food services area,” he said.

“It’s very hard right now for all of them to keep these dining halls going.”

The executive leaders decided to give faculty and staff an extra two days for winter break, raising the rest period from 6 days to 8 days (Dec. 23 through Jan. 3).

From there, provost Marie Lynn Miranda began her list of updates.

As provost, Miranda serves the academic side of Notre Dame, but she stressed the importance of the intersection between operations and academics.

“Shannon and I work very closely and we’re not able to do what we want to do on the academic side without all of the people on the operation side and the operation side is supported by the academic side as well,” she said.

Miranda announced the

recent hirings of three leadership positions at the University: K. Matthew Dames as head librarian of Hesburgh Libraries, Santiago Schnell as dean of the College of Science and Suzanne Shanahan as executive director of the Center for Social Concerns. All three began their positions this semester.

Next, Miranda spoke on the transformational leaders program, which is intended to help students of geographic, income and racial or ethnic diversity. She gave a special shoutout to Hugh Page and Maria McKenna who lead the program.

The last topic Miranda touched upon was the Moment to See, Courage to Act initiative. Faculty and staff were encouraged to submit ideas of potential endeavors the University. She said she received 106 unique proposals involving 700 faculty.

“We know that anything that we’re able to do that comes out of Moment to See, Courage to Act

Fire reported in Le Mans Hall Observer Staff Report

A fire was reported at approx imately noon Tuesday in the west laundr y room of Le Mans Hall, according to an email from Le Mans resident hall director McKinlay Otterson.

Saint Mar y’s Campus Safet y and the maintenance and housekeeping team is working together to ensure the space returns to functional use.

According to the email, “vendoland, laundr y rooms and the student center tunnel w ill be inaccessible until further notice.“ Otterson also said students in Le Mans are to Paid Advertisement

report Regina Hall as the primar y location to do laundr y.

Further, the email noted all residence hall w indows should remain closed to help prevent the smoke from entering personal spaces and rooms.

If students have items in the laundr y room, the College w ill be implementing a process for students to pick up their belongings.

If students have any questions or concerns regarding personal propert y, they should be directed to the dean of students Shay Jolly Schneider.

is very much a product of faculty and staff collaborating,” Miranda said.

A symposium will take place Friday in Leighton Concert Hall where each proposal group will have 3 minutes to present their idea.

Miranda handed the virtual microphone over to University President Fr. John Jenkins, who closed the town hall by reading a letter of gratitude from the Board of Trustees addressed to faculty and staff.

Jenkins also talked about the importance of speak-up culture and the University’s policy of retaliation.

“If you do see something please, let us know,” he said. “Beyond asking you to report any concerns, we are seeking to ensure that our culture supports openness, transparency and candor.”

Contact Alysa Guffey aguffey@nd.edu

ND signs research contract Observer Staff Report

Notre Dame’s president Fr. John Jenkins and Lockheed Martin Corporation met Thursday to sign a Master Research Agreement designed to open the door for future collaborations in order to advance aerospace research and display the desire of the two institutions to accelerate their ongoing relationship, according to a press release.

“Notre Dame and Lockheed Martin have a rich history of collaborating on research benefiting the aerospace industry.

This agreement will enable us to build upon that relationship,” said Robert J. Bernhard, vice president for research and professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at Notre Dame. “It represents a major step forward in Notre Dame’s footprint in aerospace research; we are grateful to have Lockheed Martin as a trusted partner in this growth.”

The Master Research Agreement reportedly is expected to provide a more efficient structure for administrative work, time and resources than typical industry-sponsored university research projects and, as a result, streamline the development of research collaborations, the release said.

The University’s contributions to aerospace research date back to 1882, when Albert Zahm built one of the first wind tunnels in the U.S. Currently, the University is working with other partners to develop the largest quiet hypersonic wind tunnels in the U.S, according to the release.

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Inside Column

Major NASA update Allison Thornton Photo Editor

You know what time it is: It’s time for me to dedicate my whole Inside Column to science ! This is one of my favorite things to write about — space exploration.

And boy, do I have a phenomenal update for you. Today I will be talking about the James Webb Space Telescope NASA will be launching Dec. 18. That’s only 39 days away! Now, let’s get serious and see what this hunk of metal is going to do up in space.

Webb telescope is the largest and newest premier space science obser vator y and is the predecessor of the Hubble telescope launched in April 1990. This telescope will fundamentally change the way we understand the universe. In order to help scientists uncover secrets from the distant universe, it will obser ve all the cosmos, from planets to stars to nebulae to gala xies and beyond. In order to reach its destination where it can orbit the sun in line with Earth, Webb will have a million-mile journey.

The main job of the telescope is to study ever y phase of cosmic histor y. Within our solar system, we are able to obser ve most distant gala xies in the early universe.

By using Webb’s infrared telescope, it will explore a wide range of science to help us understand the origins of the universe and our place in it. W hat is so amazing about this telescope is that it will look upon the adolescent years of the universe to gaze upon the ver y first stars that were created over 13.5 billion years ago. It does this by using infrared and mid-infrared wavelengths with incredible resolution. Now, that is mind-blowing — that we can even create something to be able to look at the ver y first stars of our universe.

The Webb telescope will also be used to study the nearby universe. According to NASA, “Scientists will use Webb to study planets and other bodies in our solar system to determine their origin and evolution and compare them with exoplanets, planets that orbit other stars.” W hen Webb is launched in December, it is tasked with many jobs to give scientists more information about the histor y of our universe.

Growing up, I was always fascinated by the photos that these telescopes captured. Looking at them was what initially intrigued me about the relationship between space exploration and photography. Onboard the Webb telescope there will be state-of-the-art scientific instruments that were engineered to produce the highest quality imager y and data. There will be four cameras onboard that will capture images of planets, gala xies, stars, nebulas, etcetera. If you are familiar with the famous images captured by the Hubble telescope you will be able to get an idea of what kinds of photos the Webb telescope will be taking.

It will take around six months for the Webb telescope to first gather scientific observation after launching.

A lthough that seems like a long commute to its destination, I would highly recommend you stick with the telescopes’ updates. It is making histor y and will inf luence our understanding of the beginning of the universe. The images that will be captured from this telescope will be truly remarkable. The information and data scientist will receive from Webb will be well worth the wait.

As always, I recommend that you sign up for the week ly or monthly newsletter NASA provides to subscribers. A lso, give the Webb telescope Instagram page a follow to always be updated with pre and post-launch information. Visit the official James Webb Telescope site to learn more — you won’t regret it!

You can contact Allison at athornton01@saintmarys.edu.

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

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Disagreeing as neighbors A few years back, Student Affairs invited a student to talk to us about his experience as a gay student in his time at Notre Dame. The young man was poised, confident and eloquent as we hope all our graduates will be. He told us how growing up and experiencing same-sex attraction in a small town in the Great Plains was very lonely, and how he had come to Notre Dame with great hopes that here he would find a larger, more sophisticated community in which to come to know himself and his way in the world. What he found on that first weekend, he told us, was the worst weekend of his life, as a group he’d hoped to at least find friendly and hospitable was quick to call anything objectionably out of the ordinary “gay” and any guy acting in any way out of line any of various anti-gay slurs. Hearing him share his experience was eye-opening for many of us, and our eyes were not dry. Fr. Ralph Haag, C.S.C., Rector of St. Ed’s, and I, set about to create a training session for all of our Welcome Weekend staffers to alert them to the danger that this story raised: That casual indifference to language and inattention to other’s experience and dignity might be terribly, sinfully harmful. We had to do better.

Around that same time, a first-year student stopped by one morning for coffee and to ask me some questions about life. He wanted to know how to deal with a situation in which his significant other (whom he referred to in gender-neutral terms) was not ready to be physically intimate. We had yet to reach October break of his first year in college, so I was less concerned about the crisis than my resident was! Eventually, he said, “What I’m saying is, it’s hard to be gay and Catholic, Father.” I said “Well, I can understand that. But let’s maybe slow down. So, you’ve decided the Church is wrong about whether you can ever have sex with a member of the same sex. OK. So, when should you have sex with someone? You’ve only been here a few weeks. We have handsome, well-adjusted seniors, men and women, straight and gay, who have yet to have sex. They’re OK! You’ll be OK. My advice is: Don’t worry about having sex until you’ve figured out not just what you think is wrong but what you think is right. I think the Church is right, but we can keep talking, and you’re welcome here despite our disagreement.”

That student and I maintained a very good relationship the rest of our time on campus together, and he wrote me a most touching note about our walking together in faith and life here. This, despite my commending Church teaching to him; this, despite his rejecting it (so far as I know). I did and do think very highly of him.

These two anecdotes have been prominently in my mind as the pages of our campus newspapers have roiled with talk of hate speech and bigotry because a student, Mary Frances Myler, wrote that she wanted more clarity from Notre Dame on where it stands with respect to Church teaching and human sexuality. She wrote from a perspective endorsing that teaching. So far as I could see, she said nothing contrary to the dignity of LGBTQ students, and certainly seemed to be embracing “the recognition that students who experience same-sex attraction are human beings created in the image of God and loved immeasurably by Him.” Yet her Irish Rover piece has been castigated as bigoted hate speech. This latter fact disturbs.

I’ve asked some students to point out to me what in the article they found hateful or bigoted, and they couldn’t do so. One noted, “But she doesn’t think they should have sex.” Well, true. So teaches the Church, and so argue some (a minority, to be sure) very smart and talented gay Christian thinkers and writers like Eve Tushnet and Wesley Hill.

They are not hateful or self-loathing; they are not bigots. Moral disagreement is a fact of life in our

pluralistic country and university, and in particular, at a university, we must learn to live with it in love.

We here at Notre Dame disagree amongst ourselves about some very fundamental things. As I began writing this piece, an email from a law student to the law school community (which I serve as chaplain) invited us to a talk by a prominent advocate of abortion rights. A lot of us in the law school annually attend the March for Life precisely to end the regime of abortion rights, and to build a culture of life and civilization of love where mothers and babies (born and unborn) are protected by law and cared for by all of us. It’s a vital issue as we all see it. But we have to love one another even in our vigorous disagreement about this most fundamental issue. Indeed, it was precisely a controversy over that issue, when he had invited thenPresident Obama to speak at commencement, that led University President Fr. John Jenkins, C.S.C., to begin regularly calling us to civility as a university community. A university community should stand out precisely for its ability to wrestle with moral questions with respect for diversity and charity in interpretation.

The Church’s teaching on human sexuality is simple enough: Sex is a powerful dimension of the human person ordered toward procreation and the bonding of husband and wife, and expressions that willfully sever sex from its nature are immoral. It’s a hard teaching! Many straight people (though not all) and many gay people (though not all) reject it.

But it would be strange to hold all and only those moral views that most people hold (I doubt, dear reader, that’s true of you), so we still must find and serve God in the tangle of our wits and think for ourselves about where conscience and moral truth are. And we won’t be unanimous in our conclusions. But we can be unanimous in seeking the truth in love, in presuming the goodwill of those who challenge us, and in forming a university community in which moral disagreement is a fact of adult life and not a cause for rhetorical warfare.

Too often, many in the Church have seemed to pay special attention to gay sex outside of marriage, ignoring the rigorous demands that chastity places on us all, gay and straight alike. This has seemed to many LGBTQ people a stiff-arm from the Church, a sign of unwelcome, and has led to harrowing weekends like the one that Notre Dame student shared with our Student Affairs group.

We can and must do better to provide a loving welcome to every son and daughter of God on this campus and walk with them toward the truth together. But we can challenge one another without thinking that disagreement — even about very important things — is a moral failure, bigotry or hatred. Notre Dame’s policies, built upon the same Church teachings Ms. Myler wrote about, apply equally to all our students, and call them to chastity. We approach them this way in the residence halls — where none of our student residents are married — and we are places of respect and welcome for all, not despite, but because of Church teaching.

You and I probably don’t agree about everything important in life, if we were to look at it together.

That fact is what makes universities interesting.

Sometimes people say that the reason they want to stifle such moral disagreement is a desire to create a safe space. But it’s far likelier that reducing moral disagreement to group affiliation, and ascribing disagreement to bigotry or hatred, will create an unsafe place for us all, than that disagreement itself would. We can do better, and we must.

William Dailey, C.S.C. Rector, Pangborn Hall Nov. 9

The observer | WEDNESDAY, November 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

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Mosaic broken hearts and the music that makes us Ellie Konfrst Butterfly Effects

When I was growing up, my family went on a lot of road trips. Some were reasonable, only a few hours away in Illinois, and some were a bit more intense, like the semi-regular fourteen hour drive we took to see family in Georgia. In general, if we could drive, we drove. In return for forcing us children to sit still in a car for hours on end, my parents would usually give my brother and I iTunes money to buy some new distractions, whether that was downloading a few movies, a season of “Wizards of Waverly Place” or a new album.

It was for one of these road trips, thankfully one of the shorter ones, that I decided on the latter option and spent my $10 on Taylor Swift’s “Red.” I had, of course, heard of Taylor Swift and liked the songs of hers I’d heard on the radio, but at 12 I had never considered doing a deep dive into her discography. On this day, however, I was intrigued by the album’s description, and was drawn to listen to the 30 second preview of “All Too Well.”

Here I must admit that the only reason I listened to that preview was because I was hit with a momentary bout of illiteracy. The album’s description (still live on iTunes descendant Apple Music, by the way) read: “The banjo pluck of the title track and acoustic ballad ‘All Too Well’ will resonate with country fans…” I guess, as a pre-teen, no one had ever explained to me what a title track was, so I believed that “All Too Well” was the title track. I thought the above sentence was referring to “All Too Well” in two different ways, and not once referring to the actual title track, “Red.” This is embarrassing to admit here, so please cut me some slack. I was curious how a banjo pluck could fit into an acoustic ballad, so I decided to preview the song, and eventually bought the whole album.

“Red” became a pretty monumental album in my life. It

made me a Taylor Swift fan (have I mentioned I’m a Taylor Swift fan?), sound-tracked my bus rides and drives to school for the last ten years and has become my all-time favorite album. I grew up with it, and those songs cared for me through all kinds of love, heartbreaks and growing pains throughout the years. Taylor Swift’s “Red” is the music that made me.

“Red” is a breakup album, and largely an album about what it means to go through a breakup in your early 20s, but it was never just a breakup album to me. I didn’t go through my first breakup until three years after “Red” was released and didn’t first fall in love for another three years after that. I didn’t know what Swift was singing about in a concrete way, but I knew exactly how she felt. I wrote about the value in validating the emotions of teenage girls in a column last spring, and while that is certainly part of my attachment to the album, it goes beyond that. Listening to “Red” feels like coming home to my childhood bedroom after a bad day in seventh grade, to the arms of my mother after a break-up, to the driver’s seat of my boyfriend’s car, heat on and windows down, as we desperately tried to keep the engine from overheating on a road trip. It feels terrifyingly honest and overwhelmingly comforting at the same time.

And here I am now, the same age that Swift was when she wrote “Red,” awaiting the release of its re-recording “Red (Taylor’s Version)” - this Friday. If you’re not aware of Swift’s re-recording project, I’ll give you the SparkNotes.

After her label sold the rights to the master recordings of her first six albums not to her but to an outsider, Swift vowed to re-record each of those albums beat-for-beat, in an effort to devalue the original masters and gain the rights to her own work. She already released “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” back in April and saw massive success, so this week she’s releasing the re-recording of “Red.” Caught up yet?

Upon the release of the original “Red,” Swift was 22 years

old, having written the album between the ages of 20 and 22. While I have yet to be feelin’ 22, I turn 21 and a half this week, which feels close enough. Anticipating the rerecorded “Red” knowing that I’m the same age as Swift was when she wrote these songs is a bit of a weird feeling. It feels kind of like catching up in age to an older sister - one who was supposed to get perpetually wiser but instead became frozen in time, her advice and thoughtful guidance frozen with her.

I don’t think I can really outgrow music I love as much as I love “Red,” but at the same time, I’ll never be able to listen to it as a 12-year-old again. The longer I live with it, the more specific songs become tied to specific people, daydreams are replaced with memories, and the album becomes woven into my life, like two trees twisted, growing together.

Great music that is loved greatly has the ability to do that burrow into your life and be a part of who you become.

So, I have kind of mixed feelings about the release of the re-recording this week. It’s nerve wracking to anticipate even minor changes to an album that has been such a constant in my life, but it’s also a unique experience to be able to revisit it in a new light, nearly ten years later. Ultimately, I think my excitement wins out (how could it not when a ten-minute version of “All Too Well” is coming?) and while I can’t imagine loving this album anymore, I’m anxiously awaiting the chance to let it burrow into me even further.

Ellie Konfrst is a senior studying political science with a minor in the Hesburgh Program for Public Service.

Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, she’s excited people will once again be forced to listen to her extremely good takes. You can find her off campus trying to decide whether or not she’ll go to law school or bragging that Taylor Swift follows her on Tumblr. She can be reached at egloverk@nd.edu or @elliekonfrst13 on Twitter.

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

Beauty is not skin deep Krista Akiki The Lifestyle Nomad

The beauty industry has definitely been shaken up in recent years, particularly as the beauty standards have increasingly shifted. Nowadays, we see more people of color being represented in ads and on the runway. Clothing lines claim to be more inclusive. But at the same time, social media and influencers have not been as forgiving, and sadly I, along with millions of girls around the world, have felt the repercussions of that. We push ourselves to spend long and painful hours at the gym, change our hair, try fad diet after fad diet etc. We invest so much in an attempt to look more like “them.” The investment is not just monetary. The investment costs us time, energy, confidence and even sanity.

This is something I truly struggled with when I first got to Notre Dame. Many international students thought I had an unfair advantage when it came to fitting in. I looked white.

I could pass for an American. But this is definitely not how I felt. Looking around me, all I could notice was how different I was from the other girls. To be honest, for the first few weeks everybody looked exactly the same to me. I had trouble distinguishing faces. Almost every girl around me was a skinny athletic white blonde of average height.

And the worst part was that I wasn’t any of that. My insecurities bubbled up as I found myself hating parts of me I had never thought twice about before. I started hating my broad shoulders. At times I thought I wasn’t tall enough.

Other times I was too big. I imagined myself with lighter eyes and lighter hair. Some days I was too curvy and wished I could flatten my curves. On other days, I was as flat as a board. I wanted to erase my beauty marks. Wouldn’t all these changes make me more attractive?

As time went by, it became increasingly difficult to not

focus on the imperfections. You see, when the little voice in your head calls out all the imperfections, you can’t help but assume that everyone else sees them too.

I’m not going to pretend I have uncovered the formula to make all insecurities disappear, nor will I pretend that I feel the most comfortable in my skin. Trust me, I am far from that, but I do want to get there at some point. Hopefully soon because this state I’m stuck in is quite vulnerable and unforgiving.

The next time you feel like your imperfections are just staring back at you making you feel unattractive or worthless, please remember this: 1.Don’t try to overcompensate Please don’t convince yourself that you have to overcompensate for feeling unattractive. No matter what the voice in your head is telling you, you are enough. You do not need to exercise your muscles to exhaustion. You do not need to starve yourself. You do not need to keep buying more concealer or more hair dye. Actually, if it makes you happy then yes, absolutely change your hair or buy some fun makeup to try out. But please don’t turn this into an obligation; something you have to do to feel prettier or fit in better.

2. Remember that beauty is not skin deep.

There is absolutely no rule that says you have to love how you look every minute of every day. I know it may impact your mood or even make you feel like you’re not enough.

But guess what? The way you look has zero impact on what you are capable of creating and giving to people. Take a minute to remind yourself of everything you truly are. You will be remembered for much more than how you look.

There is more to you than the eye can see. The way you love your people, the art you create, the lives you touch in big and small ways — this will be your legacy.

3. Unlearn the social patterns and change your perspective.

Despite what the airbrushed, polished media has tried to ingrain in us, no physical characteristic is synonymous with beauty. Being thin, light-skinned or having a particular type of face or hair does not equate to attractiveness.

Those are not valid parameters to gauge beauty by. These patterns have all contributed to building all the filters in your mind that color you unattractive. Trying to break the patterns is an active exercise that you need to keep practicing over and over and over again, especially on the bad days.

I know the patterns can be thought to break. On bad days, it is easy to spiral down a rabbit hole of painful thoughts. It can be hard to drown the voice that constantly picks at your imperfections. Remember that the voice is not going to silence itself. You have to be proactive about silencing it. It won’t be easy, but I believe we can all get there. So, I am going to ask this one thing: turn up your favorite song and look at yourself in the mirror. Now, for every imperfection you think of, I want you to point out a thing you love about yourself. Keep doing it until one day the imperfections drown in the power of your strengths and self love. one another, despite what the world, or a survey, might be telling you.

Krista Akiki is a junior living in McGlinn Hall, majoring in business analytics and minoring in computing and digital technologies. She grew up in Beirut, Lebanon and moved back to the U.S. to pursue her undergraduate degree. She loves learning new languages, traveling and of course trying new foods. She craves adventure and new experiences and hopes to share these with readers through her writing. She can be reached at kakiki@nd.edu or @kristalourdesakiki via Twitter.

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

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The observer | WEDNESDAY, November 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

You belong here Sometimes it may seem like everyone at Notre Dame has a grandpa, three aunts, two parents, a brother and a handful of cousins who went here before them. For many, the traditions of the University have been ingrained into them since they were old enough to hold a football.

About 19% of Notre Dame students are considered “legacy” students, meaning one or both of their parents are alumni of the University. But very few Notre Dame students identify as low-income or first-generation, and the resources available to them are not well-known.

This week marks the second First-Generation, LowIncome Week in 2021 — only the third in Notre Dame’s history. Throughout the week, the University will offer resources to these students and host events to honor their experiences.

This year, 12% of the first-year class are first-generation students — the first in their family to go to college — and 14.5% are Pell Grant recipients — students who have demonstrated substantial financial need. Though these numbers have been trending upwards in recent years, they are dismal compared to the national averages.

Nationwide, 33.6% of undergraduate students received a Pell Grant in the 2019-2020 academic year. At Notre Dame, in the same year, only 11.3% of the incoming class were recipients, indicating an underrepresentation of lower socioeconomic backgrounds on the University’s campus.

In 2021, the number of admitted first-generation and low-income students has reached record highs in recent years, yet we still fall far short of the national average.

Comparatively, 22% of the Holy Cross first-year class and 32% of the Saint Mary’s first-year class are first-generation

students, coming much closer to the national average than Notre Dame.

In an analysis of the economic diversity and student outcomes at Notre Dame conducted by the New York Times in 2014, only 1.6% of students come from the bottom 20% of family income, whereas 75% come from the top 20%.

Combined household income and parents’ highest level of education have been found to be correlated with the type of secondary education — public or private — their children receive. And the disparity persists as students continue into postsecondary education: Among college students, the average household income for first-generation students is $41,000, compared to $90,000 for continuing-generation students.

First-generation students have also been found to be likelier to experience impostor syndrome — intense feelings of self-doubt and unbelonging — and are thus likelier to feel out of place in the tri-campus community.

Compared to students who attended a private high school, students in public schools are twice as likely to have a parent who has not completed high school.

At Notre Dame, 5 ​ 3% of the current first-year class attended a private, charter or Catholic high school, leaving the University vulnerable to the disparities listed above.

Naturally, some high schools are better funded and more well-equipped to help students prepare for higher education. As a result, adjusting to the college experience might be more difficult for those that don’t fit the criteria of an “average” Notre Dame student.

On Wednesday, the Office of Student Enrichment (OSE) at Notre Dame is hosting a panel entitled “I Belong: Life During and After ND” in the Andrews Auditorium in Geddes Hall from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Students can also join the OSE this Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for “Journaling and Art,” a discussion on the importance of journaling as a tool to improve mental health and well-being.

And other timeless resources for first-generation and low-income students are also available. Notre Dame’s OSE and the Saint Mary’s Office for Student Equity award funding to any low-income student in need of items related to their campus experience, including football tickets, club fees, laptops, winter clothing and more. To receive funding at Notre Dame, you just need to fill out a short application.

To receive funding at Saint Mary’s, contact the Office for Student Equity.

Notre Dame’s OSE also hosts the Fighting Irish Scholars Program, which awards a $2,000 scholarship to lowincome, high-achieving students to support their Notre Dame experience.

There are also numerous mental health resources across the tri-campus community. At Holy Cross, students can receive up to six free confidential counseling sessions for free. Saint Mary’s also offers free counseling to their students. While the number of individual appointments is limited, Notre Dame students can also receive counseling through the University Counseling Center.

Each campus also offers academic help through writing centers, mathematics centers, first-year advising, peer tutoring and more. For more information, visit the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s or Holy Cross academic support websites.

To non-first-generation students — make sure to be mindful of your first-generation and low-income peers.

Encourage them to seek out the support they may need, and try not to assume that everyone has access to the same resources that you have been privileged to receive.

If you are a first-generation, a low-income student or both: It is OK to feel overwhelmed or confused in an environment that may feel unfamiliar. You are not beneath your peers that have parents who had the resources to attend college, and getting help when you need it is alright.

You are not alone. You belong here.we hope to continue to support all of you.

Love by the numbers Claire Miller Better Everyday

Forget dating apps, SYRs or meeting someone at a party.

Imagine meeting a potential romantic partner, or even your future spouse, by taking a 10-minute survey.

Originally created by two Stanford students in 2018, the Marriage Pact is a 10-minute questionnaire that creates pairs of college students based on their shared values preferences in a romantic partner. The mission: to use data to help college students meet “the one” or at least a suitable fallback option, and thus create a “marriage pact.”

Statements on the survey include “It’s OK if my partner does drugs” to “Social activism is important to me” to “Would you rather be left at the altar or leave someone at the altar?”

Respondents mark their preference on a scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree.

Last spring, the Marriage Pact was brought to Notre Dame and it returned last week. After over 3,000 submissions, thousands of students from the tri-campus received information about their “optimal match” in their inbox last Wednesday.

Most students were paired with

someone they didn’t know at all, while others were surprised to discover that their match is in one of their classes, their friend, or worse, their best friend’s girlfriend or boyfriend. For some matches, there was a brief conversation over text or an invitation to meet in person. For others, they never got in contact with their match, or worse, were blocked by their match on social media.

But what is compatibility really about? How does one determine compatibility? Can a 10-minute survey, assuming both participants answer truthfully, be a determinant? How important is it for a relationship to work? Is compatibility the key ingredient to a successful relationship?

This question was explored in one episode of the Netflix series “Black Mirror.” The episode “Hang the DJ” is about a dating system in which couples are paired by “The System” and told how long the relationship will last at the outset. The featured couple in the episode choose to run away together and rebel, despite being told that their time is up by The System. It turns out that The System is actually a Tinder-like app that runs simulations to see how compatible a couple is in the real world. Here, compatibility is a couple’s likeliness to run away together and rebel against The

System. This couple is a 99.8% match, meaning that in 1,000 simulations, the couple rebels in every simulation except two.

The message is that compatibility is not about being complementary or a good couple. Rather, compatibility is about a couple’s willingness to be together despite what the world, or “The System” is telling them about their compatibility.

Maybe compatibility, or a successful match, is not about shared interests or morals, and rather comes down to each individual’s desire and urge to make a relationship work and succeed.

What if there is no data-based algorithm for the ND Marriage Pact? What if matches are assigned randomly? Maybe the percentile compatibility as assigned by the Marriage Pact is the likelihood that a couple will choose to be together, like in “Black Mirror.”

After all, the Marriage Pact included questions about how disappointed you would be if you never got to meet my potential match and how single you are.

So far, my theory appears to be true. One of my friends feels compelled to meet up with her match simply because she received notification that she is in the 100% percentile of potential matches.

Meanwhile, my friends with matches of a lower percentile of

compatibility have had limited contact with their matches. It’s possible that because two individuals are told they are highly compatible, they proceed with that belief, and thus engage in a potential relationship. In this case, each individual is acting with confirmation bias: the tendency to search for and favor information in a way that confirms one’s prior beliefs.

In all of these cases, the success of the match so far has come down to simply the willingness of each individual to meet each other and discover if there is an opportunity for a potential relationship or even friendship.

I do not want to discount the importance of shared values and stances. There is no doubt that clearly communicated needs and desires are imperative to a happy and fulfilling relationship. Ultimately, however, none of those commonalities matter if one or both individuals do not want to be in the relationship.

I don’t think that love, or even compatibility, comes down to numbers, attractiveness or shared views on politics and religion. I think it comes down to a choice. In every relationship, there are countless choices that need to be made: to make sacrifices, dedicate time, be loyal and more.

Sometimes, the choice to not continue a relationship is actually the most healthy and productive choice. I would even go as far as to say that a “successful relationship” can actually be a relationship that ends. The success is found in the relationship’s ability to promote an individual’s growth and ability to identify a better partner and relationship if they choose to pursue one.

If nothing else, a relationship that does not last and ends in heartbreak is an opportunity for learning and something greater to come along. Maybe the only “failed” relationship is the one that never happens or is never given the time and attention it deserves.

A successful relationship and compatibility, to me, are about the choice to love oneself and one another, despite what the world, or a survey, might be telling you.

Claire Miller is a junior majoring in political science, with a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She is a proud resident of Flaherty Hall and the state of Texas. She can be reached at cmille45@nd.edu over email.

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

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The observer | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.

By SOPHIA MICHETTI Scene Writer

As an Italian minor who will be studying abroad in Rome next semester, I couldn’t help but jump at the opportunity to go to the Browning Cinema’s screening of “Divorce Italian Style” presented by the Center for Italian Studies. Directed by Pietro Germi, “Divorce Italian Style” tells the story of Ferdinando Cefalù (Marcello Mastroianni), a Sicilian aristocrat who has been married to his wife Rosalia (Daniela Rocca) for twelve years. While Ferdinando (nicknamed Fefé) has the house, the money (that hasn’t been gambled away by his father) and the wife a Sicilian nobleman should have, he still finds himself infatuated with Angela (Stefania Sandrelli), his 16-year-old cousin living in the opposite wing of the family palace. Since divorce was outlawed during the 1961 release of the film, Fefé comes up with a plan to marry Angela that fits the laws of time and makes “Divorce Italian Style” a satire: push Rosalia into having an affair with another man, kill her in a crime of passion and serve minimal time in jail on the precept of defending his honor to emerge a free man.

The aesthetic of the film was quite beautiful to watch. That sounds sappy, but watching a black and white film in its original format — not digitally — makes you appreciate how moviegoers would have

By ABIGAIL KEANEY Scene Writer

After a four-year hiatus, the music industry’s most popular ginger is back with “=.” Ed Sheeran, whose debut album “+” was released a decade ago this year, has returned with an eclectic collection of songs to close out the year and cement his position as everyone’s favorite musician to hate.

In reviewing this album, we must first ask ourselves who Ed Sheeran writes for. Compared to other artists of a similar magnitude, Sheeran seems to lack a solid core fanbase. Case in point: while we’ve all nodded along to “The A Team,” I challenge you to find anyone who owns Ed Sheeran merch.

Sheerios, as Sheeran fans are named, are few and far between. Ed Sheeran writes not for the fan, but for the indifferent listener. “=,” then, becomes an album which might not be his greatest work, but it is certainly something you’d enjoy listening to on the radio of your mom’s minivan on the way home for Thanksgiving. “=” kicks off with “Tides,” a strong opener reminiscent of his 2017 single “Castle on The Hill.” Beginning with the lyric “I have grown up and am a father now,” Sheeran sets the tone for the rest of the album. Themes of new fatherhood reappear throughout in songs like “Visiting Hours” (essentially the sequel to “Supermarket Flowers”) and “Sandman.” Slow and accompanied by unpolished vocals, these tracks are Sheeran at his best. On this album, it becomes clear that his talent lies in being authentic and personal while remaining broadly relatable. For example, “First

experienced film back when this movie came out sixty years ago. Even though the film dealt with a murder plot and a man unhappy in his life, the music was so buoyant and lighthearted that any audience member can’t help but feel a sense of joy while taking in the setting. Part of what makes this movie a satire is that the acting of every character is so exaggerated that a lot of the comedic elements come from seeing them dig so deeply into their characters’ personalities. Fefé is constantly confused when his plans go wrong, Rosalia is extremely obsessed with her husband and even Fefé’s father can’t help but have an exaggerated possessiveness over being the patriarch of his family, even though he lost most of his family’s money.

So here’s the question: would this film still be considered a comedy today? I think the answer to that is kind of. “Divorce Italian Style” is definitely a satire. Every outlandish attempt Fefé makes to catch his wife in an affair so he can kill her goes through so many random obstacles that the film is clearly commenting on how hard it was for someone to feel like they were free to change their mind in Italy’s political climate at the time. “Divorce Italian Style” even includes a screening of another important satirical film at the time, Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita,” to show how intrigued Italians were by these films that use comedy to make serious commentary on their

own society.

Still, I also think there is an analysis on how men view women, especially as wives. In the film, women are either portrayed as needy or as sexual objects whose purpose is to please men. In Fefé’s case, Angela is the light of his life, even though he barely talked to her before their relationship began, and Rosalia is depicted as being obsessed with her husband and oblivious to his contempt for her. For example, Fefé’s extreme disdain for her is shown in the ludicrous ways he dreams of her dying, including being stuck in quicksand and shot up into space in a rocket. Fefé may not have been able to have freedom under Italy’s laws in 1961, but he certainly isn’t portrayed as some suffering hero either.

Winning the 1963 Oscar for Best Screenplay, “Divorce Italian Style” is an interesting case study on how Italians used satire to create social commentary on their culture and government. Divorce wasn’t legal in Italy until 1970, and it wasn’t fully confirmed until 1974 after a referendum perpetuated by the Church.

Therefore, Germi’s film came at a time when it would speak to the Italian people’s frustrations with the society they lived in. If there’s anything 20th century Italian film can teach us, it’s that sometimes the best way to spark change is to poke fun at the problems.

Times” references Sheeran’s first performance at Wembley Stadium, and while most of us haven’t sung for a crowd of 80,000 people, every listener can relate to the simplicity of the pre-chorus, which talks about how “the simplest things in life can make a man / little moments that pass us by.”

Sheeran takes his own experiences and applies them to sweeping statements about life, cementing his appeal to an fanbase encompassing both retirees and pre-teens.

The best songs on “=,” then, are those which are distinctly Ed Sheeran. When Sheeran the father and husband writes about being a father and husband, his music is enjoyable and meaningful. While the content of his songs may have changed since his debut a decade ago, Sheeran’s honest songwriting continues to draw listeners in much the same way as it did on early tracks like “U.N.I” and “Cold Coffee” (a gem from Sheeran’s little known 2010 EP “Songs I Wrote With Amy”). Furthermore, his relationship with his now-wife Cherry Seaborn dominates his songwriting with tracks like “Collide” and “2step.” “2step” is a particular highlight as one of the few songs on the album which retains Sheeran’s trademark blend of fast paced lyricism and acoustic guitar.

That being said, “=” falters when Sheeran’s authenticity comes into question. For example, while a song like “Bad Habits” isn’t objectively bad (and is even a little catchy), it could have been written by anyone. This detached, even soulless, style drags the album down, because it doesn’t seem like it’s written by Ed Sheeran at all. As a husband and father in his thirties, Sheeran’s confession that his “bad

habits lead to late nights endin’ alone / conversations with a stranger I barely know” seems less fun and flirtatious and more of an indictment on his marriage. That’s not to say that songwriting can’t be hypothetical, but the album begins to lack cohesion when Sheeran sings about his new baby before immediately following up with a song about a breakup that he’ll never forget (“Overpass Graffiti”). On “=,” Sheeran seems to forget that he’s writing an album rather than producing a disparate collection of singles, resulting in a scattered record that lacks a clear storyline. “=” is an enjoyable album with some solid songs. At the same time, though, it lacks the genuine personality of some of Sheeran’s previous work. When you have the kind of back catalogue that Sheeran does, it’s hard to measure up. Some listeners might enjoy his shift to pop-music proper, but long-term fans (all three of us) will find themselves missing the simplicity and authenticity of his earlier work.

Contact Sophia Michetti at smichett@nd.edu

Contact Abigail Keaney at akeaney@nd.edu

“=” Artist: Ed Sheeran Label: Asylum Records UK Favorite tracks: “Visiting Hours,” “First Times,” “Tides” If you like: Shawn Mendes, Charlie Puth, Lewis Capaldi

EMMA KIRNER | The Observer

10

The observer | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

By JP Spoonmore Scene Writer

Few films achieve the mythical scale “Eternals” attempts to mold. The visuals are the film’s lifeline, giving the Celestials the best stage to premiere their awesome power, with cataclysmic flames also raising questions to their fallibility. On the one hand, this Marvel Cinematic Universe entry is ironically the best DC Extended Universe film ever put to screen, but on the other hand, there are too many characters with too many stories that never culminate.

Chloé Zhao excels behind the camera in her first blockbuster. The locations and sunlight glow in the warmth of Earth’s greatest historical pit-stops. The spurts of ancient civilizations collapsing in front of the immortals’ eyes are the best part of the film; the foundations of temples crack beneath their feet, and their faith cracks with them more and more each time. Even in the present day, the awe of the civilized world bleeds in its history. With all its beauty being shot on location, Zhao is the reason the tone reaches the epic peak of legend.

When it comes to the plot, the movie feels like a Netflix Original series that is missing the middle three episodes.

The pacing drags right before the third act to let the audience catch up with every character, but it is too little too late. A lot of them are pushed to the background, one even leaving before the final battle — to the point where

By RACHEL HARTMANN Scene Writer

W hen I heard ABBA was reuniting to create an album, I immediately blasted “Super Trouper” and joyously danced around my room. It has been 40 years since ABBA split up, but the legacy of the Swedish pop powerhouse has been set in stone. From hits like “Dancing Queen” to “Voulez-Vous,” ABBA has centralized their position in music’s hall of fame. Ever since I was a little girl, ABBA has been a constant in my life. From blasting their music during long road trips with my family, obsessing over their music as I grew up, to watching “Mamma Mia!” a hundred times, ABBA’s music has always been an important part of my life.

Their new album “Voyage” is their triumphant return to music and a gift to their fan base. The album consists of 10 songs varying in genre and message, but all consistently very ABBA. From an upbeat jam about changing w ith time in “Don’t Shut Me Dow n” to an env ironmental ballad in “Bumblebee,” ABBA aims to push their usual genre and messages. They even have a Christmas song in “Little Things !”

W hile some of these songs seem a little cheesy and pop inf luenced, ABBA’s overall stor y telling w ins over the audience’s hearts. Now fully grow n

there seems to be twice as much screen time for each of them that never made the final cut. The film is already 2.5 hours long, and even though I didn’t feel the runtime as much as I did in “Shang-Chi,” it did feel like I was binging a TV show in my bedroom rather than experiencing a film in theaters.

Honestly, as much as I enjoy the team’s powers and flare, most of the characters individually fall flat.

Gemma Chan nails the emotional weight as the center of the story, but her character, Sersi, has no internal spark. Her chemistry with Ikarus is missing entirely, as her warmth clashes with him constantly being cold, never allowing the audience to root for him. Angelina Jolie’s Thena and Kumail Nanjiani’s Kingo are laughably underused in every scene. Sprite has an entire subplot that is only given attention at the end. Phastos, Druig and Makkari are the most interesting but get the least screen time.

The previous paragraph alone shows the central problem. There are too many characters, so much so that when a few were missing in a frame, I wouldn’t notice until it cut to the next scene. They were supposed to be the strongest keystone of this film, but they end up being the weakest and responsible for the narrative walls’ collapse.

In a constant cacophony of extremes echoing in the digital void, I found it best not to read any reviews about this film. There is too much hype and hate for such a

simple piece of entertainment which I see no value in trashing even if I think it’s flawed. I enjoyed “Eternals.”

The characters are flat, one of the villains is pointless, and the philosophical questions are never meant to be answered — but the action is visceral, the colors pop and man do those Celestials give me the chills every time they are on screen.

I recommend seeing this film not because I think it is good, but because it is part of something that you probably invested in for the past 13 years. The MCU is going in new directions with new faces and ideas, and that excites me more than just an individual plot hiccup. Will I ever watch this again? Probably not. Did I remember most of it the next day? Not really, but I know for a fact I will be doodling the eyes of Arishem and Tiamut in my notebook margins for years to come.

adults, ABBA laments bad marriages in “I Can Be That Woman” as well as worr y ing about dropping a child off in “Keep An Eye On Dan.” These songs pull at the heartstrings and ref lect the grow th of ABBA from their early years. “I feel sick and my hands are shaking, this is how all of our fights have begun,” Agnetha Fältskog sings in “I Can Be That Woman.” ABBA does not shy away from the truths in their lives and they pour out their hearts for their fans.

The songs in the album have no real narrative as the melodies switch from joyful tunes to soulful ballads. Instead of being too confusing, the layout of the album reflects the reality of life. It reflects the constant ups and downs of all our lives which have no rhyme nor reason. The album reflects this cacophony as the bittersweet “I Still Have Faith in You” switches to a Celtic pop song of “When You Danced With Me.” However, within this seeming chaos, the album reflects growing up and nostalgia. All the songs pertain to the realit y of aging and the complex ities of life.

The last song, “Ode To Freedom,” leaves the listener w ith a bittersweet feeling, yet hopeful towards the future, “I w ish someone would w rite an Ode to Freedom that we all could sing.” It closes the album w ith a reminder that even though

ABBA may not be around forever, their music w ill be and the future holds the possibilit y of another ABBA-esque group to appear.

Listening to “Voyage” by ABBA, I felt like I was on a voyage. I am now almost 20 years old and I am no longer the little girl imagining herself as a 17-year-old dancing queen. ABBA’s album ref lects this shift in life as we grow up and the voyage that we all must take as we get older. This album is their “thank you” to the fans that have been w ith them all this time, and I just want to say “thank you” in return. ABBA has been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember and this new album w ill now be w ith me as I head into adulthood and the future.

Contact JP Spoonmore at jspoonmo@nd.edu

“Eternals” Director: Chloé Zhao Starring: Gemma Chan, Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani Genre: Mockumentary If you like: “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”

Contact Rachel Hartmann at rhartma4@nd.edu

“Voyage” Artist: ABBA Label: Polar Music Favorite tracks: ““I Can Be That Woman,” “Just A Notion,” “When You Danced with Me’’ If you like: Donna Summer, Cher, Bee Gees, Electric

MAKAYLA HERNANDEZ | The Observer

Classifieds

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Establish what you want to accomplish. An organized approach to life, love and financial matters will alleviate stress and worry. Having balance will be your ticket to freedom and the success you aim to achieve. Look for unique pastimes that will stimulate you mentally and physically and promote self-satisfaction and confidence. A passionate, inquisitive mind will bring about positive change. Your numbers are 3, 17, 20, 23, 31, 38, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do what’s necessary, then get on with life. Finishing what you start will be a relief and lift a burden that’s been weighing you down. Alter your lifestyle to encourage a healthy and happy future. Healthy eating, routines and exercise are encouraged.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Push what you know and do well. Promote what you have to offer, not what you can’t. Be the first to make a move, change your direction or incorporate something new and exciting into the mix, and you will advance.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Look at the good, the bad and how to find the middle ground when dealing with peers, relatives and anyone in a position of authority.

Knowing who you are dealing with will be your ticket to saying and doing what others expect of you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Participate, and you’ll have more control. Get involved in something that concerns you or will help you get ahead. Raise your qualifications, and eliminate restrictions due to a lack of keeping up with technology or the latest in your line of work.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Refuse to let change cause stress. Analyze the situation, get an expert opinion and take a minimalist approach to the way you move forward. Aim to stabilize and secure your position, life and relationships, not exacerbate them.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You have everything in place; don’t procrastinate or hold up progress in pursuit of perfection. How much you achieve will be just as important as the details you apply. The balance between quantity and quality will be your passage to success and fulfillment.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Keeping the peace is essential if you want to finish what you start. A steady pace forward with an optimistic attitude will help contest any obstacles you encounter. Trust your instincts, and pursue what is in your best interest.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): It’s OK to mull over options, but you must realize following through is the path to peace of mind. Do your research and move forward with your plans, and you’ll leave a lasting impression on those waiting to see you make a move.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Trust your instincts, not what someone leads you to believe. Focus on what’s important to you and where you can gain the most ground financially. Be direct, leave no room for error and keep your costs within reason.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Seize the moment, and take care of business. Gain experience and knowledge through observation and discussions with experts.

Develop your style by implementing the best of what you collect from those you encounter. Strive for excellence in all you pursue.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Through adversity comes the strength of vision and an enriched sense of what you are capable of accomplishing. Stand tall and do your own thing, and you’ll discover what works best for you. Keep your plans to yourself until you iron out the flaws.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Be careful how you handle money matters and joint ventures. Make your voice heard, and stay in the loop. Don’t leave money and essential decisions in someone else’s hands. Implement the changes that ensure your success.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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ND Women’s Tennis

Sports Authority

Irish gain 12 wins at Bonita Bay Dominic Gibson Sports Writer

Last weekend, the Notre Dame women’s tennis team traveled to Bonita Springs, FL to participate in the Bonita Bay Classic.

The three-day event saw the Irish take on Colorado, in-state rival Purdue and Florida Gulf Coast University.

Notre Dame collected 12 victories for the weekend total w ith eight w ins in singles and four w ins in doubles.

Day one of the invite saw the Irish take on the Buffalos, but due to inclement weather, a shortened format of an eight-game pro set was used. In doubles, the freshmen pairing of Carrie Beckman and Nibedita Ghosh delivered the lone w in for the squad.

The duo prevailed in a tightly contested set 6-4 over junior Sophia Derivan and senior Ky Ecton.

In singles, Notre Dame split the six total matches w ith three w ins, as sophomore Julia Andreach, sophomore Meghan Coleman, and senior Maeve Koscielski all emerged victorious.

Andreach cruised to an 8-1 w in over Derivan, as did Koscielski w ith an 8-4 w in over junior Ellen Puzak.

Coleman needed a tiebreak to settle the match as she took the pro set 8-7 (4) over freshman Betina Tokac to finish out the day.

Day two featured a matchup against the Boilermakers and a return back to the traditional scoring format.

The Irish would struggle against the Boilermakers as the squad picked up only two w ins on the day, alone w in in singles and in doubles.

The pairing of sophomore Yashna Yellayi and freshman Maria Oliv ia Castedo earned a 6-0 w in over freshmen

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Tara Milic and Juana Larranaga. On the singles side, Andreach picked up her second w in of the invite, defeating junior Csilla Fodor in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.

Castedo came extremely close to picking up her second victor y of the day but ultimately fell 5-7, 7-5, 1-0 (8), in a close three-set battle to sophomore Rut Galindo.

Yellayi was another member of the squad that came close to a victor y but lost 6-4, 7-5 to Milic.

The final day of the Bonita Bay Classic for Notre Dame included a set of matches against tournament host Florida Gulf Coast.

The Irish had their best show ing of the tournament against the Eagles as the team picked up six w ins to end the weekend. In doubles, Coleman and Andreach defeated freshman Isabella Colmenares a n d junior A lba Retortillo 7-6 (4).

Yellayi and Castedo picked up their second w in as a team, defeating juniors Ida Ferding and Emma Bardet 6-4. In singles, Andreach continued her stellar form, earning her third singles victor y 6-7 (2), 6-2, 1-0 (7) over Colmenares to go 3-0 on the weekend.

Yellayi and Coleman would also need three sets to settle their matches as Yellayi defeated Bardet 1-6, 6-2, 1-0 (8) and Coleman defeated sophomore Jordana Ossa 7-5, 5-7, 1-0 (7).

Castedo would be the only member of the Irish to w in in straight sets, beating Ferding 6-3, 6-3.

The trip to Florida marked the end of the fall season for Notre Dame. The Irish w ill return to action in Januar y when they travel to Ann Arbor for the Michigan Invite.

Contact Dominic Gibson at dgibson@hcc-nd.edu

Zwiller: NFL Week Nine reactions defense than most were coming into the season, but even I was Sports Writer willing to admit the secondI pride myself on having a ary was problematic: the four relatively good understanding defensive starters allow an avof the NFL. I document weekly erage QBR of 92.

However, the Titans’ defenpicks on my live stream NFL Kickoff. If I were to begin gam- sive front is excellent; they avbling I would not make a whole erage 9.5 pressures per game, lot of money, but my record which has shown up. In the of 76-46 would be at home on last two games, when the opESPN’s Expert Picks page. But ponent is within their own this last weekend? Well, I 10, the Titans have forced two went 5-8 and fell to 81-54. pick-sixes as Carson Wentz and Yes, that isn’t good, but Stafford attempted to throw the average ESPN expert out of safeties. So while the picker had a record of 6-7, so I Titans’ secondary is problemcan live with a pretty horrible atic, the Titans’ front seven is slowly but surely proving to be weekend.

Why did an “Expert one of the better fronts in the Panel” do so horrible across NFL. the board? Well, for one, we had a crazy weekend. Packers 7, Chiefs 13 If you had the Bills losPackers Reaction: Jordan ing to the Jaguars 6-9, then I applaud you. The Broncos Love is horrible. handled the Dallas Cowboys, This should have been one boasting one of the most complete rosters in the of the year’s best games, but NFL, 30-16. Not to be out- it was not with Aaron Rodgers done, the Browns won out. against the Bengals 41-16, Aaron Rodgers’ replacement, overcoming a week in which they and Odell Beckham Jordan Love, had a first start dominate the headlines. And that I think Packers fans would the 49ers, despite playing rather forget. He threw 34 against a backup QB and hav- times, completing 19 passes for ing home field advantage, 190 yards, a touchdown, and an lost to the Kyler Murray interception. and DeAndre Hopkins-less Result: Overreaction Cardinals.

So yeah, it was a wild weekI am going to be honest: exend; arguably up there with Week 1 and Week 8. As I often pecting anything more out do, I want to sit back and look at of Love was probably a reach. some of the narratives coming Getting your first start on the out of the weekend and tell you road at Arrowhead is going to what I think is permanent and be one heck of an experience.

The broadcast even noted what was a one-off. that Love seemed a bit overGame: Titans 28, Rams 16 whelmed at times, which I think tracks.

In the first half, Love looked Titans Reaction: The Titans defense is quite bad, but his stat line was a little bit better; he went 7/13 legitimate. for 92 yards and zero sacks. In One of the biggest knocks the second half, however, Love against the Titans in the off- seemed to find a rhythm and season was their defense, or scored a touchdown (yes, he rather the lack thereof. Critics had an interception, but that said the defense would likely felt like a pass he would not allow many points, and most typically force). He had 98 Titans games would end up be- yards and 12 completions on 21 attempts. ing a shootout.

Love was not great, but he On a night when the Titans were missing Henry, played to my expectations, and and Jones and Brown com- I think he has a lot of room to bined for 77 yards on nine improve. I saw some bad, but I completions, the defense also saw some good. got the job done. The Titans Chiefs Reaction: The ofpicked off Matthew Stafford twice, one of them being a fense is broken pick-six, and hit him 11 times.

The Chiefs should consider Additionally, the Rams converted only four of their 15 themselves lucky that they did not play against Aaron third down attempts.

Rodgers. Rodgers would likely Result: Not an have hung at least 28 on them, and the Chiefs would be sub Overreaction .500 once again.

Of course, they did not.

I was a lot higher on the Titans Thomas Zwiller

Instead, they got Jordan Love.

And while all the attention will likely go to the young QBs’ debut, some focus should be on the fact that the Packers’ special teams genuinely cost them the game.

On the first field goal try, the holder failed to rotate the ball all the way, leading to a miss. The second field goal try was blocked. And a punt was muffed in the Packers’ red zone.

And despite all that, the Chiefs were able to do very little offensively to ice the game early. They scored only one touchdown and two field goals and needed a five-minute, nine-play drive to run out the clock.

Result: Not Overreaction

an

This is by no means a new take, but I think it reared its head once again.

I need to emphasize it because while it feels normal for this season, it has not been for years: The Chiefs scored only 13 points!

More importantly, the Chiefs were practically gift-wrapped a touchdown due to a muffed punt in the red zone against the 31st ranked red-zone defense in the NFL. I do not know what the fix is, but I honestly think the fix may not come until the offseason.

Patriots 24, Panthers 6 This game was pretty dreadful (unless you had the Patriots defense, which got you 30 fantasy points), and I do not think you can take much away from it. However, there is one thing.

Patriots Reaction: The Patriots are the best team in the AFC East.

The Patriots started the season 1-3, but since losing to the Buccaneers, they have gone 4-1.

In the AFC East standings, they have almost caught the Bills, who are 5-3 with a 5-4 record (the Bills had a bye week earlier on in the season).

Result: Overreaction (for now).

However, the Patriots’ losses have come against teams who are a combined 19-14 (throw out the Dolphins, and it becomes 17-7).

That would say to me the Patriots are better than their record would indicate.

Contact Thomas Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu

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Baraka Continued from page 16

Harold came out swinging.

She got Mancuso backpedaling but not before Mancuso began to answer. The two battled back and forth for the rest of the round. To start the second, they switched roles.

Mancuso came out out of the corner ready to rumble, landing a few good punches on Harold but not before Harold returned the favor. After a few exchanges, Harold closed the round with a strong right hook. The third round again fell pretty even. About halfway through Mancuso landed a good few punches, but Harold quickly answered just before the round ended. By split decision, Dani Harold advanced to the semifinals.

Kiera “Red Lightning” Judd of Walsh Hall vs.

Grace Bezold of Farley Hall Judd went on the offensive from the start, but defensive jabs from Bezold would knock her back every so often. Judd maintained a hold on the momentum and, to end the round, cornered Bezold for a few jabs. In the second round, Judd took the momentum again, forcing the ref to stop and check Bezold. She spent most of the third match on her back feet again with another knockout break from the ref. In this break the referee decided to stop the contest, automatically naming Judd the winner.

Karen “Can I Speak to Your Manager” Alvarez vs.

Abby “the sL AMMer” Lamm of McGlinn Hall Alvarez kept to quick feet and quick jabs, landing a number of them. W hen she could grab a few, Lamm left a mark, but Alvarez’s speed often kept her out of reach

in the first round. Alvarez landed a few one-two combos through the beginning of the second round but was forced to take a few steps back from Lamm when one of her swings connected. In the last round, Lamm found another gear. For the first time, she had Alvarez on her heels for an extended period of time. Alvarez caught her off guard though at the close of the round and used her speed to corner Lamm and land several punches before the ref stopped the contest shortly after. Due to her continued dominance, Alvarez won by unanimous decision.

Maddie “The Blonde Bolt” Czerwiec of Welsh Family Hall vs. Amelia “Meals on Wheels” Love of Farley Hall Love stayed true to her nickname as her speed and her reach appeared to be her strengths in the first round.

W hen Love got too close though, Czerwiec was able to land some punches. In the second round, Love landed a few punches coming out of the gate, but Czerwiec took over for most of the round and kept control until the end. In the third round, however, Czerwiec made a good couple of power plays, keeping Love back peddling.

It was Love’s speed and reach that ultimately won out, making hits Czerwiec couldn’t reach. Because of that, Love won unanimously, much to the thrill of her fans on the ground.

Clare “Spider Monkey” Wieland vs. Mags “Little Bull” Roccato Coming out of the gate, Roccato took over round one.

She out swung Wieland in the first and second round, landing hooks left and right.

W hile Wieland had a bit of a speed advantage, Roccato’s punches landed hard in the

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third round and took Wieland out of her step at times. The win was clear, Roccato by unanimous decision.

Kelly “Wardog” Ward vs.

Colleen “Crusher” Driscoll This bout quickly became a battle between who could maintain top speed the longest. Both boxers came out swinging hard and swinging fast. About half way through the first round, Ward seemed able to maintain her speed when Driscoll couldn’t. Ward took control, and that continued through the second round as well. In the third round, Driscoll kept her distance. With every hit Driscoll tried to land, Ward was there first with the same hand to keep her out of reach. By unanimous decision, Ward, the senior from Queens, won the bout.

Adriana “Big A” Baez vs. Rachel “Same Hat” Salamone For most of the first round, Salamone kept Baez on the defensive. She forced Baez to get low against the ropes, but that ultimately allowed Baez to get a few hits in. To close the round, Salamone landed a few more punches, keeping Baez on the run. To start the second round, Baez began to use her lower stance to gain an advantage. That didn’t stop Salamone though.

Instead, she struck from farther back, using her reach until she could get close enough for her strength.

To a chorus of “Cav loves Rachel”, Salamone took over the third round. She kept Baez on her back foot almost exclusively and, just before the close of the bout, cornered her for a number of strikes.

Despite being a junior captain, this was Salamone’s first bout, and she came away with a unanimous decision win and a screaming fan section of women from Cavanaugh Hall.

Lily “Lightning” Whitman vs.

Katie McManaman Lightning couldn’t have been a more accurate nickname for W hitman, as she struck fast and then she was gone. She took this to another level in the second round.

W hitman connected with McManaman so fast that she didn’t even have to move her feet. McManaman got a few punches in, but couldn’t find a rhythm on W hitman before the round ended. The third round passed quickly.

W hitman found her stride again and McManaman slowed down, unable to follow W hitman’s movements.

Ultimately, W hitman won by unanimous decision.

Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu

McGinley Continued from page 16

senior Kevin Austin Jr., graduate student Avery Davis, senior Braden Lenzy, senior Lawrence Keys III, and junior Joe Wilkins Jr. would lead the season.

Now, 3 of those names will not take the field for the Irish for the rest of the season: Lawrence Keys III opted out of the season and into the transfer portal to find a larger role on another team after the 2020 season.

He dropped a punt return against Florida State and couldn’t really find a rhythm with quarterback Ian Book.

Joe Wilkins Jr. has been injured since the season began. He’s on the mend but the close of this season will still pass without him on the line.

And now, Avery Davis, who has come up with 386 yards on 27 receptions with 4 touchdowns this season, will not see the field for the last two games.

He tore his ACL in the fourth quarter of Notre Dame’s home match-up against Navy in a non-contact situation.

So where do the Irish go from here?

This leaves Kevin Austin Jr. and Braden Lenzy from that original top five.

They will lead the Irish passing game against UVA in what everyone expects to be another shootout. Unless that is, the Irish defense can contain the UVA offense.

They’ve proven themselves against the run but with Kyle Hamilton out the last two weeks and a less experienced secondary as it is, the Irish offense will need to be able to come up with some points.

Austin and Lenzy will need to play a major part in that.

The two are mostly reliable.

Austin almost always comes up with the ball in some really difficult plays but drops the occasional easy passes, waiting for a hit that never comes.

One of those occurred against Cincinnati and ultimately cost the Irish the drive. As made evident by his touchdown during the Navy game though, they seemed to have worked

through that stressor.

Lenzy’s role is meant to mirror Austin’s but he’s not had the receptions this year that everyone expected. His longest reception went for 32 yards during the Cincinnati game.

Ultimately, that made up half his yards on the game for 61. That game was his most receiving yards on the season. His routes seem less clean than they could be from the stands so over the next couple of weeks he’ll have to make those adjustments and Coan will have to look for him more often without the others on the field.

Looking to the future for help: Luckily for the Irish, freshmen Lorenzo Styles Jr. and Deion Colzie have seen the field, and done so successfully, in the last few weeks. Without a little depth reassurance like that, Austin Jr. and Lenzy would be almost the sole focus of a weak UVA pass defense this coming weekend and the Irish would get nowhere.

Colzie and Styles can make a difference though and have proven that in the last two weeks.

Against Navy, they each had one reception for 31 and 13 yards respectively. While this is not the biggest impact and comes against a somewhat weaker team, they proved they’re another viable option on the field and that will ultimately make a difference.

It’s also not. the only role Styles has played so far this season. Offensive Coordinator Tommy Rees has taken advantage of Styles’ speed in 5 contests, two of which he had stellar performances in with three receivers in front of him at the time.

One was the USC game where he gained 57 yards. In the UNC game, he earned a collegiate career-high of 74 yards.

The Irish are going to have a tight receiving corps this weekend.

They’ll bolster it with sophomore tight end Michael Mayer.

And the run game shouldn’t be going anywhere, so the offense will have options.

But, there’s no reason to lose hope for the receivers.

The mentality is the same as it’s always been for the Irish: Next man up.

Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu

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M Soccer Continued from page 16

continued for Louisv ille, as Sander Roed stepped up for the Cardinals but missed the goal entirely, blazing his shot w ide of the post.

Senior midfielder Dawson McCartney, who scored a penalt y for Notre Dame’s only goal against North Carolina State in the first round, would make the Irish three for three on the night from the spot w ith his kick. Bell surprisingly stepped up to take the do-or-die kick for Louisv ille, who needed to score to stay alive.

But Dowd once again rose to the occasion, standing tall against Bell’s long runup and powerful kick, making the decisive save to send the Irish to the semi-finals.

“If you watch you can see the smile on my face before the kick, I was confident,” said Dowd about his match w inning saves on Fonseca and Bell.

“My coaches were telling me how to be prepared, and I just knew we were going to w in.

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | The Observer

Confidence in all the guys is at an all time high right now.”

Notre Dame w ill now head to Pittsburgh, PA for the the ACC tournament semi-finals.

Though the Irish w ill be the lowest seeded team remaining in the tournament and w ill have to square off w ith the top seeded Pittsburgh Panthers, there’s little reason for the team to be w ithout confidence.

The Irish took on Pitt earlier in the season and took dow n the top 10 Panthers in a thriller of a Friday night soccer match behind a double overtime golden goal by Dawson McCartney. They’ll look to recreate that magic this week when the two teams square off again for a shot at the ACC final.

Notre Dame men’s soccer w ill take on the Pittsburgh Panthers this Wednesday at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

The match w ill kickoff at 5pm and w ill be broadcasted on the ACC Net work.

Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu Paid Advertisement

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ND Men’s Basketball

Irish dominate Boston College Nate Moller Sports Writer

The Notre Dame men’s basketball team won its final exhibition game of the season this last weekend, beating Division III St. Norbert college by a score of 78-44 at Purcell Pavilion.

The Irish shot a fantastic 16 of 39 on three-point field goals (41%) and recorded 22 assists on 29 made field goals to earn the victory on Friday night.

Head coach Mike Brey said he was pleased with his team’s ability to share the ball.

“I want to keep emphasizing sharing the ball like this,” Brey said. “[Graduate student forward] Paul [Atkinson Jr.] had a couple of those where he’s kicking out of the post and there’s one more pass.

We are swinging it around the horn and just to keep selling out on selfishness because we do have a lot of guys that can make a shot. If we just keep moving the ball, I think we are going to get it.”

Atkinson and senior guard Trey Wertz led the Irish in scoring with 15 points apiece.

All of Wertz’s points came off

of the three point field goal on a five-for-seven performance.

Atkinson was a huge addition to the Irish in the graduate student transfer portal, and Brey said he believes his impact going forward will be astronomical.

“That was such a key get for us. To plug him and he’s on the back board, he’s got defensive quick hands, he’s just really good,” Brey said.

“He takes some pressure off because they know if they throw it in and move a little bit, he’s going to get a clean one. And if it’s one-on-one, he’s crafty and quick and I think he’s going to score down there and get fouled.”

Senior forward Nate Laszewski led the Irish with 15 boards on the day.

Brey praised Laszewski’s rebounding ability, which he thought helped his team get down the court quicker in transition.

“I thought Nate rebounded and we got our outlets deeper,” Brey said. “Instead of our guards coming back and getting tighter, we got down the court a little bit.”

Despite only leading by a score of 12-8 early in the game, the Irish were able to earn a 3216 lead in the first half behind three consecutive three pointers from Wertz.

Wertz and senior guard Prentiss Hubb combined to start the game a perfect six of six from beyond the arc to give the Irish an early lead. The Irish would take a comfortable 39-22 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Irish then put St. Nortbert away early in the second half after an eight point burst at the 15 minute mark in the half increased the lead to 52-28.

Brey primarily used a seven man rotation of Hubb, Laszewski, Atkinson, senior guard Cormac Ryan, senior guard Dane Goodwin, Wertz and freshman guard Blake Wesley throughout most of the game.

“I wanted to get a feel for how we are going to rotate those seven guys,” Brey said.

Brey said he plans to experiment with smaller lineups going forward this season, as he believes his team can be successful that way.

“We do like to go smaller. We are hard to guard that way,” Brey said. “It is a challenge defensive rebounding, but if we are more efficient offensively, it may not matter. You have those

spurts where you get going and they’re chasing us and we are really efficient.”

Wesley finished this game 1 of 9 from the field for only three points, but Brey is confident that the freshman will improve going forward.

“He kind of came back to Earth a little bit tonight. He maybe forced a little bit and settled for a three early,” Brey said. “The one thing he does is share the ball. And that’s why when there’s six old guys and he comes in, they embrace him and give him some shots and then he really works defensively.

He’s such a pleasure to coach because he’s pure and he’s just learning.”

Brey said he is excited about his team’s depth going forward, and he believes that sophomore forward Elijah Taylor and freshman guard J. R. Konieczny can contribute to his team’s success as well beyond the top seven.

“We have more depth and more guys and everybody is healthy,” Brey said.

The coach said he is open to playing Taylor and Konieczny more down the road.

“You have to keep your mind open to it,” Brey said.

“I think they have to keep working and be ready.”

Brey would love to give Konieczny more experience with some of the older players on the team.

“Blake [Wesley] has gotten those reps with the older guys, and it has really helped him,” Brey said. “I want to get J. R. more of that with Prentiss, Cormac and Nate because they really help our young guys.”

Brey also suggested that his team will show some zone defense going forward but will primarily stick to man-to-man.

“We can change defenses too. I think we will play some zone. You saw a little bit of our 1-3-1,” Brey said. “I hate to say zone because we are really trying to match up more.

It helps us save our legs sometimes and change the rhythm of the other team’s offense.”

The Irish will open their season Saturday at Purcell Pavilion against Cal State Northridge. Tip off will be at noon and can be viewed on ACC Network Extra.

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

16

The observer | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Football

Baraka bouts

Avery Davis out with torn ACL Observer Sports Staff

The Irish w ide receiving corps continues to be plagued by the injur y bug, as fifth-year receiver Aver y Dav is suffered a torn ACL on Saturday, ending his season, head coach Brian Kelly told the media on Saturday. The Irish have already lost senior receiver Joe Wilkins to injur y, as well as fellow senior Law rence Keys to the transfer portal this season.

Aver y Dav is cemented himself as the clear W R #2 in this offense, w ith 386 receiv ing yards and four touchdow ns on 27 receptions. Only senior receiver Kev in Austin and sophomore tight end Michael Mayer had more receiv ing yards through nine games. With Dav is out, the void must be filled by senior Braden Lenzy and freshman Lorenzo St yles stepping up in increased roles. The duo has 209 and 160 yards,

respectively. After that, the depth becomes a serious question mark. Freshman w ide receiver Deion Colzie has three receptions, and backup senior tight end George Takacs has notched one. They are the only other non-running backs to have recorded catches on the season.

Likely, running backs Ky ren Williams, Chris Ty ree and Logan Diggs w ill see increased roles in the passing game to supplement the lost production.

Aver y Dav is is eligible for a sixth year w ith Notre Dame, and Kelly noted the veteran receiver is more than welcome back w ith the Fighting Irish. Dav is w ill likely make that decision in the offseason.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame sits at 8-1 and continues their pursuit for a major bowl game — or an outside shot at a College Football Playoff berth — w ithout one of their top offensive weapons.

Baraka Bouts begins with stellar performances

By MANNION McGINLEY Sports Editor

Editor’s Note: A longer version of this story and results for Ring B are posted online at our website.

Photo courtesy of Maria Margarita Antonio

Senior captains of Baraka Bouts pose for team photos in front of the Golden Dome ahead of the start of the tournament Nov. 8.

see BARAKA PAGE 14

ND Men’s Soccer

Football Column

McGinley: The receiving corps has thinned out

Irish head to ACC semi-final

By MANNION McGINLEY

By J.J. POST

Sports Editor

Sports Writer

There’s no good time for a football team to lose one of their most reliable and often hit receivers.

The Irish started w ith an unbelievable depth at w ide receiver that has dw indled in numbers since the start of the season.

Last spring, The Obser ver acknowledged the w ide receiver losses to the NFL in Javon McKinley and Ben Skow ronek.

But that was nothing to really fear in those losses as the depth was there.

The receiv ing corps consisted of 11 men: three newcomers and eight returners.

Then, the program got

Last night Notre Dame men’s soccer advanced to the ACC tournament semi-finals, defeating fourth seeded Louisv ille 3-0 on penalt y kicks after a 0-0 draw in regular time.

The match came dow n to spot kicks follow ing a tense, goalless affair that went the full one hundred and ten minutes.

Notre Dame generally had the better of the possession, but a truly great chance for the Irish to find the back of the net never emerged against a stout Cardinals defense.

Come time for penalt y kicks, however, the Irish excelled.

Senior striker Jack Ly nn stepped up first for Notre Dame, and the teams’

see McGINLEY PAGE 14

The 19th annual Baraka Bouts Boxing Tournament started off Monday night. The quarterfinal bouts took place in two rings in the Dahnke Ballroom at the Duncan Student Center. These are the results from Ring A. Carrie Davis of Welsh Family Hall v. Mia “Mayhem” Lecinski of Lyons Hall The first round of the first match of this year’s tournament was immediately dominated by senior Lecinski. Davis got a few jabs in but from the first round on, Lecinski kept control of the match, ultimately winning by unanimous decision.

Olivia “Pound for Pound” Mancuso of Howard Hall vs.

Dani “Mighty Muffin” Harold of Howard Hall Immediately in round one,

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Senior wide receiver Kevin Austin, Jr. runs the ball downfield during the Nov. 6 matchup against Navy at Notre Dame Stadium.

leading goalscorer (as well as principle penalt y taker) was calm and collected from t welve yards out, powering his shot past Cardinals goalkeeper Detre Bell w ith authorit y.

The Irish dominance continued even after Louisv ille stepped up for their first kick, thanks to sophomore goalkeeper Br yan Dowd.

Pedro Fonseca, who took and missed a penalt y against Notre Dame last season, stepped up; his shot was promptly denied by Dowd.

Sophomore fullback Paddy Burns was the Irish’ next kicker, and he would extend the Irish lead w ith a cool finish.

Then the nightmare see M SOCCER PAGE 15