Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, March 12, 2021

The independent

To uncover

newspaper serving

the truth

Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s

and report

and holy cross

it accurately

Volume 55, Issue 47 | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

$7 million gift to aid Belles New Office for Student Equity assists under-resourced students

By MAEVE FILBIN Assistant Managing Editor

Using funds from the recently established Office for Student Equity, 65 Saint Mary’s seniors will be able to wear full regalia to their graduation ceremony — an opportunity made possible by a “transformational gift” from the Wilson Sheehan Foundation.

The new office will assist first-generation and under-resourced students, following an outright investment from the foundation of $3 million, as well as the commitment of an additional $2 million if the College can match that amount within the next three years. This will endow the office with a total of $7 million, covering its operations in perpetuity.

In addition to programming and counseling, the office will provide laptops, winter clothing, food over academic breaks, medical and travel funds, tickets to Notre Dame football games, funding for field trips and academic conferences, clothing and supplies for interviews and internships and other resources.

These “wraparound services” are intended to fill any gaps between financial aid and the full Saint Mary’s experience, as understood through its traditional markers: the recognizable class ring, attendance at Notre Dame football games and

College plans fall semester

opportunities for internships and study abroad semesters.

“There’s so many things that could fall into this category that are important for Saint Mary’s students,” College President Katie Conboy said. “And we just want to be sure that everyone who comes here feels like the whole experience is open to them.”

As of 2021, 29% of students at Saint Mary’s are first-generation college students and 26% are eligible to receive Pell grants, federal aid awarded to students from low-income households. These students will be most benefitted by the resources and programming provided by the office, Conboy said.

Director of inclusion and equity Redgina Hill will oversee the office with an associate director — yet to be named — and collaborate with the offices of financial aid, student affairs and multicultural student services.

The office will remove significant economic and social barriers to students, Hill said, while also improving retention among historically underrepresented and under-resourced communities.

“This is the work of being responsible stewards of this huge gift that was given to us; to do the work of justice and

Saint Mary’s plans to return to in-person class if pandemic conditions continue to improve, Saint Mary’s president Katie Conboy announced in an email to students Thursday afternoon.

“We also have real optimism when we review the current trajectory of the pandemic — not only on our campus, but across the state, the nation and the world,” she said. “Given these hopeful signs, I expect our fall semester at Saint Mary’s will be inperson and much closer to our traditional campus experience for students, faculty and staff.”

Conboy said COVID-19 data and advice from health officers drives this decision.

“On our campus, the moving average of our COVID-19 cases seems to be holding steady,” she said. “Data-driven insights and the informed opinions of public health officials, bolster my confidence.”

see EQUITY PAGE 4

see FALL PAGE 5

Observer Staff Report

ELAINE PARK | The Observer

meet the candidates

CannonKwangu

AvalosVazquez

SkidgelCole

By ISABELLA VOLMERT

By MEGAN FAHRNEY

By ISABELLA LAUFENBERG

Associate News Editor

News Writer

News Writer

Juniors Florecita Avalos and Patricia “Pats” Vazquez Vazquez are running for student body president and vice-president respectively, on a platform and mission to promote unity, inclusivity and increase resource awareness for Holy Cross students.

Presidential candidate Avalos is a psychology major and Spanish minor from Chicago. During her time at Holy Cross, she has been involved in Student Government Association (SGA) as a senator in addition to serving as a peer mentor and student ambassador for the Office of Administration, and Assistant in the Office of Special Events. Avalos is the co-founder of the First-Gen Club and the

Though Caleb Cannon and Neema Kwangu are only first-years, they are determined to effect change at Holy Cross College. One of three tickets for the 2021 election cycle, Cannon and Kwangu are running for president and vice president, respectively.

Cannon is a business major with a minor in naval science originally from Palestine, Indiana.

He is currently a first-year class senator and is on the Public Affairs Senate Committee in the Holy Cross College Student Government Association (SGA). He is also a part of ROTC. Kwangu is an international business major

Emilee Skidgel and Katherine Cole, Holy Cross Student Government Association (SGA) presidential and vice-presidential candidates respectively, are passionate about building community.

Hailing from southern California, Skidgel is a junior business major and sports management minor. She is currently a resident assistant for James Hall and a junior class senator. Skidgel also works for Notre Dame Football as a recruiting ambassador and Fighting Irish Media as a statistic reporter.

Cole, originally from Portland, Oregon, is a junior biology major with minors in sports management and public health. She is also an RA for James Hall. She is

see AVALOS PAGE 4

see CANNON PAGE 5

see SKIDGEL PAGE 4

news PAGE 5

viewpoint PAGE 8

scene PAGE 9

baseball PAGE 16

m basketball PAGE 16

2

TODAY

The observer | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

Have a question you want answered?

Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com

If you won the lottery, how would you choose to spend your money?

P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Editor-in-Chief Adriana Perez Managing Editor Mariah Rush

Asst. Managing Editor: Maeve Filbin Asst. Managing Editor: Claire Rafford Asst. Managing Editor: Sara Schlecht

Notre Dame News Editor: Serena Zacharias Saint Mary’s News Editor: Mia Marroquin

Viewpoint Editor: Nelisha Silva

Sports Editor: Hayden Adams

Scene Editor: Ryan Israel

Photo Editor: Allison Thornton

Graphics Editor: Diane Park

Social Media Editor: Ellie Dombrowski

Advertising Manager: Landry Kempf

Ad Design Managers: Gabby Hong, Abby Meyer

Systems Administrator: Stephen Hannon Talent & Inclusion Manager: Maria Luisa Paul Office Manager & General Info

Ph: (574) 631-7471 Fax: (574) 631-6927

Ceci Guarnuccio

Helen Rothfus

first-year Johnson Family Hall

first-year North Hall

“I would first pay for college.”

“I would give to charity, take my family on a vacation and then go to the cheescake factory.”

Gabby Hogan

Megan Corrigan

first-year Flaherty Hall

first-year North Hall

“I would probably invest 75% and the other 25% I would spend going on a really hype vacation.”

“I wouldn’t know what to spend it on so I would put it in a bank so I could get interest.”

Edward Dwyer

Thomas Connors

first-year Basil Hall

first-year South Hall

“The first thing I would do is pay off my family’s house and the current college debt have.”

“Food. Mostly pizza.”

Advertising

(574) 631-6900 ads@ndsmcobserver.com Editor-in-Chief

(574) 631-4542 aperez8@nd.edu Managing Editor

(574) 631-4542 mrush@nd.edu Assistant Managing Editors

(574) 631-4541 mfilbin01@saintmarys.edu, crafford@nd.edu, sschlecht01@saintmarys.edu Business Office

(574) 631-5313 Notre Dame News Desk

(574) 631-5323 news@ndsmcobserver.com Saint Mary’s News Desk

(574) 631-5323 smc@ndsmcobserver.com Viewpoint Desk

(574) 631-5303 viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.om Sports Desk

(574) 631-4543 sports@ndsmcobserver.com Scene Desk

(574) 631-4540 scene@ndsmcobserver.com Photo Desk

(574) 631-8767 photo@ndsmcobserver.com Systems & Web Administrators

webmaster@ndsmcobserver.com Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of either institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content.

The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors.

Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged.

Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information.

Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Adriana Perez.

Post Office Information The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except during exam and vacation periods.

A subscription to The Observer is $130 for one academic year; $75 for one semester.

The Observer is published at: 024 South Dining Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 024 South Dining hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-077

Today’s Staff News

Sports

Genevieve Coleman Alysa Guffey

Mannion McGinley

Graphics

Scene

Elaine Park

Aidan O’Malley

Photo

Viewpoint

Gabrielle Penna

Katie Harmeyer Matthew Doktorczyk

Corrections The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at (574) 631-4541 so we can correct our error.

The next Five days:

Want your event included here?

Email news@ndsmcobserver.com

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Yoga in Italian virtual 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Work out while being immersed in Italian. All skill levels welcomed.

Panel on the COVID vaccine virtual 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Presented by the McGrath Institute.

Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. and noon All are welcome to attend.

Nuclear Physics Seminar virtual 4:20 p.m. - 5:20 p.m.

Featuring Dr. Yogesh Gupta.

Poverty Studies Minor Information Session virtual 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.

All welcome to attend.

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” DPAC 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are free. but seats are limited.

“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” DPAC 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are free. but seats are limited.

La Misa en Espanol Basilica of the Sacred Heart 4 p.m.

Mass rooted in the Hispanic tradition.

“Creating a World Free of Nuclear Weapons” virtual 7:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.

Student discussion.

“I Am” virtual 7 p.m.

The final lecture in the “Spirituality, Ethics and Health Care” series.

Welsh Family to host DanceFest

By SPENCER KELLY News Writer

With campus COVID restrictions recently loosened and the weather warming up, Welsh Family Hall aims to bring some festivities to campus with their signature event: DanceFest.

This year’s DanceFest will occur virtually March 12 and 13, from 7-8 p.m. each night. The showcase-style event will feature performances from different dance groups from around campus, sophomore Tess White, commissioner of the Special Events Committee in the Welsh Family Hall Council, said.

The featured groups this year are Pom Squad, TransPose, Troop ND, Dance Company of Notre Dame, Project Fresh and the Irish Dance Club. Each group will be performing three dances each in Washington Hall, but the audience will watch virtually via a livestream of the event.

Tickets are available in the Student Shop for $3 per night.

The goal of DanceFest is twofold, White said, with the first prioritizing helping the community. To that end, all proceeds from the event will go to Unity Gardens, a nonprofit network of community gardens located in and around South Bend.

These gardens provide space and resources for community members to grow their own food and provide fresh fruits and vegetables to local people in need. Unity Gardens also hosts free cooking and gardening classes and kids’ summer camps to encourage healthy eating habits.

Junior Grace Quinn, DanceFest planning supervisor, said Welsh Family Hall has volunteered with Unity Gardens in the past and has seen firsthand the impact they have in the community.

“They are an extraordinary group that has been serving the needs of South Bend for over a decade now,” Quinn said in an email.

“I may not be exposed to the larger area, being in this Notre Dame bubble, but I know that our efforts and fundraising will really help those who frequent Unity Gardens.”

White echoed the sentiment of the “Notre Dame bubble,” and said the DanceFest will serve as a chance for students to reach out and make an impact within the local area.

“I think there are times on campus when you kind of forget about the general South Bend community,” she said. “So it’s nice to be able to do something that benefits them.”

The other goal of DanceFest is to highlight the Notre Dame students’ talents in the performing arts, White said, and provide a unique opportunity to see an

underappreciated aspect of campus culture.

“We put so much focus on sports, but there is this whole other side of artistic talent that should be celebrated and enjoyed,” White said. “You’re going to see people you’re in classes with and get to see that they have a completely different side of themselves that you never knew.”

Quinn said the combination of incredible student performances and service to the great South Bend community is what makes DanceFest such an important event.

“I hope that the virtual audience not only deepens their respect for the arts,” she said, “but also an appreciation for all those who are working to make South Bend a better place.”

Planning this year’s DanceFest has been a challenge amidst the constantly changing COVID restrictions, White said. Ultimately, she is excited that students are able to perform and the proceeds will be going to a good cause, and she said she hopes everyone will enjoy the weekend of festivities.

“Given all the restrictions that we have had, I’m excited to find things that we’re allowed to do and that people are allowed to be excited for,” White said.

Contact Spencer Kelly at skelly25@nd.edu

News

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | The Observer

3

Activist speaks on domestic workers’ rights life better for domestic workers,” Poo said.

By SERENA ZACHARIAS Notre Dame News Editor

Ai-jen Poo described the work domestic workers do as “fundamental to human life” in a virtual lecture hosted by Notre Dame’s Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies Thursday evening.

Poo is the co-founder and executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA). Since its launch in 2007, the organization has helped pass domestic worker bills of rights in a number of states which ensure home care workers, nannies and house cleaners have basic labor protections.

The virtual event was the first of the Asian American Distinguished Speaker series and was moderated by provost Marie Lynn Miranda.

Early life When she was a student, Poo became involved in an organization called the Committee Against AntiAsian Violence, which was founded in response to the wave of anti-Asian violence in the 1980s. She said her experiences fighting for justice as a student catalyzed her interest in activism and eventually led her to organizing domestic workers in the Asian community and beyond.

Raised by her mother and grandmother, Poo said she was always inspired by both of them to work while caring for her and her sister.

Poo’s mother immigrated to the United States from Taiwan in her 20s to study chemistry. She went on to medical school, caring for Poo and her sister while also studying to be a doctor.

Poo said as she grew older, she began to fully understand

Domestic workers during the pandemic

SERENA ZACHARIAS | The Observer

Ai-jen Poo, co-founder and executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, gave a virtual talk Thursday evening on the rights of American domestic workers at an event hosted by the Liu Institute.

what her mother’s role was as a physician.

“A big part of it was helping people in their most vulnerable and fearful moments, moments of illness when they’re confronting their own mortality and to actually face those moments with courage,” Poo said.

As her mother treated the patients with the worse cases of cancer, Poo said she learned to face human suffering “straight on.”

Spending time with her grandmother as a child while her mother worked, Poo learned the value of optimism.

“She really did believe that no matter how hard things got as long as you stay present in the moment, you can find a way forward,” Poo said.

Activism rights

and

workers’

As she began working with Filipino domestic workers, Poo learned domestic workers had far less protections than

Paid Advertisement

domestic workers in other countries and faced significant exclusions from basic labor rights.

“That exclusion has deep roots in the legacy of slavery in America,” Poo said.

Since many of the first domestic workers in the United States were enslaved African women, Southern members of Congress refused to support the passage of fair labor laws for domestic workers in the 1930s.

“Our laws and culture have essentially made invisible and vulnerable some of the most important work that happens in our economy and the people who do it,” Poo said.

While nannies, house cleaners and home care workers allow others to go to work while children are taken care of, Poo said it was frustrating to see these workers face exclusion from rights and protections as workers.

“The work that domestic workers do is fundamental to human life,” she said. “It is the work of caring, of nurturing, of meeting human need with compassion.”

Poo said it has been challenging to formulate a way to advocate for domestic workers rights because domestic workers do not have communities in the same way other types of American workers do.

“We can’t collectively bargain, which is a traditional means through which workers improve their conditions.

There’s no collective, there’s no one to bargain with,” Poo said.

In order to overcome this challenge, Poo said her organization focuses on building power for workers in three different dimensions. The first dimension is political power to change policies to benefit domestic workers. The second is narrative power, which Poo said serves to “tell the story of why things are the way that they are in the world on your terms.” The third dimension is economic power.

Working with the director of Roma, NDWA launched a campaign for viewers of the film to reflect upon the work of nannies and home workers and consider what can be done to better recognize their work.

In addition, NDWA created a portable benefits platform to make it easier for domestic worker employers to contribute to their employee’s benefits. NDWA also created a messenger chat bot of Facebook which allows them to communicate with the over 280,000 domestic workers.

“We try to be creative and in order to shape the narrative and to change policy and to do the things that would make

Poo acknowledged the difficulties domestic workers have faced throughout the pandemic, as many have lost their jobs and thus, their source of income. She recalled a Zoom meeting early in the pandemic, where one of her members held up her phone to the camera to show there was only one cent left in her bank account.

Although Poo said there is a tremendous amount of suffering in the country right now, she thinks the pandemic can help the country reimagine laws and policies to benefit workers.

“To me, that’s about making sure that we have good jobs, that we have a minimum wage that people can survive on, that everyone has access to a safety net and basic benefits,” Poo said. “And it also means that we have a strong care infrastructure that imagines if at every stage of life, we could take care of our families and the people that we love, and know that our caregivers were well compensated and secure for taking care of their own families too.”

Poo said Americans should have the courage to reject an economy where people work hard but still struggle to survive.

“That is unacceptable in a country with this much talent and beauty and opportunity and grace,” Poo said.

With the acknowledgement of essential workers during the pandemic, Poo said she hopes the shift in the way Americans see what kinds of jobs are essential will remain after the pandemic.

“There are moments like now, where the potential to make the invisible visible and to cement that visibility is incredibly great,” Poo said. “And the way that we cement it is, I think, through trying to make that the new normal.”

Contact Serena Zacharias at szachari@nd.edu

4

NEWS

The observer | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Avalos Continued from page 1

president of Latinos Unidos, a club which promotes and cultivates Hispanic community and culture at Holy Cross.

Vice president candidate Vazquez Vazquez is a theology major minoring in business from Guanajuato, Mexico and raised in Orange County, California. Vazquez Vazquez is the current SGA public relations chair and the former SGA social concerns chair, in addition to working as a peer mentor and student ambassador for the Office of Admissions. Vazquez Vazquez co-founded the FirstGen Club with Avalos, which connects and creates community for first generation students, and serves as the current president.

“We are fully committed to Holy Cross,” Vazquez Vazquez said. “We are very involved. We have that background of what it means to be a dedicated Holy Cross student.”

Both she and Avalos are first

Skidgel Continued from page 1

involved with campus ministry and a campus women’s group at Holy Cross. In addition, she is a Notre Dame hockey manager and works for Notre Dame Sports Nutrition.

Skidgel and Cole’s platform of “Community-VisionCollaboration” highlights the small campus family aspect of Holy Cross.

In the past, Holy Cross student body presidential candidates have focused on bridging the gap between the tri-campus community.

Skidgel said the community portion of their campaign platform focuses on plausible ideas that can improve the Holy Cross community first.

“A plus with COVID is that we saw a sense of a stronger community this semester,” Skidgel said. “We want to just be able to build a really strong community here at Holy Cross, that way we can, in the future, build a s trong community and have the ability to build a really strong community with the tri-campus.”

The second pillar of their platform —Vision — focuses on Skidgel and Cole’s plan for the future. Skidgel said this pillar is about making practical plans to ensure that whatever they promise, they can fulfill.

Although their vision for the next year is focused inward, Skidgel said she hopes it can grow bigger in years to come.

Collaboration, the final pillar of their campaign platform, is about Skidgel and Cole’s plan to integrate themselves within the Holy Cross community and be accessible.

Skidgel said she hopes to not only help students be more connected to student government,

generation students themselves. The two launched FirstGen Club when they were sophomores when they recognized the need and desire from other first generation students at Holy Cross.

“Knowing two Latinas, one from California and one from Chicago, and being first gen, that’s my biggest motivation.

We can be a voice for the students here who feel like they don’t have a voice. We could be the two people that unite everyone together,” Avalos said as to why the two decided to run together.

The Avalos-Vazquez Vazquez ticket plans to run on a platform that can described with the acronym LEADERS: Listeners, empathetic, assertive, dedicated, engaged, reliable, serviceable. Through these values, the team seeks to promote and increase unity and serve as personal resources to the Holy Cross community.

“We want to burn down walls and build bridges,” Avalos said.

“That’s our main goal, to see unity on campus.”

but also to be a bridge between students and faculty.

“Since we’re kind of the middleman between students and faculty, we’re able to relay what the students want to faculty and work together with them,” Skidgel said.

“We want to make the student body feel like they’re involved and that their voice is heard, and it matters.”

Skidgel said their first priority if they got elected would be to bring together the different groups on campus, especially gateway students and commuters. Cole also mentioned that one of her priorities would be to make Holy Cross’s welcome weekend as inclusive as possible.

Cole said their campaign slogan “Be the Change” encapsulates their main ideas of creating a community that can work together to solve problems.

“You can be the change; you can be the difference.

You can be the one that separates yourself,” Cole said. “We want to be that change towards good, and we want to keep pushing ourselves and keep pushing the campus.”

Skidgel said overall, she is grateful for the support they’ve received and is excited for the future whether they are elected or not.

“We just appreciate everyone’s support that we’ve had already, just with the campaign alone,” Skidgel said.

“We’ve already met so many more people, and we’re able to express what we’re about.

Even without those roles, at the end of the day, we just want to make Holy Cross a better place.”

Contact Isabella Laufenberg at ilaufenb@nd.edu

The team’s first goal is to build and strengthen unity in the Holy Cross community, Vazquez Vazquez said, after noticing divides between on campus and off campus students, Gateway and Driscoll scholar students and traditional Holy Cross students, as well as between ethnicities.

Avalos and Vazquez Vazquez plan to strengthen these ties through bringing awareness to the issue, holding events to foster community, inviting guest speakers to promote inclusivity, fostering trust between students of color and the administration and responding timely to students’ needs, Avalos said.

Avalos said the two both have significant experience in working with the College administration, admissions and SGA, as well as working with students, making their platform ideal for helping to promote campus unity.

“We have grown these connections that will help break down these walls between ethnic minorities and knowing that we are there for them,” Avalos

Equity Continued from page 1

compassion, to help those who are on the margins feel more welcome at Saint Mary’s and feel a sense of belonging,” she said. “To me, this is the true work of justice and the true work of equity.”

At the opening of this year, Conboy released a five-part strategic plan, outlining her vision for the College into the year 2030. The creation of the Office for Student Equity was highly prioritized in this plan, Conboy said, and answers an immediate, growing need.

“I love this story because it’s just a story of continuity at Saint Mary’s,” Conboy said, explaining the origins of the new office.

“Interim President Nancy Nekvasil had recognized this as something that she was very committed to … to have wraparound services for students who were experiencing a gap between what they could afford and what they hoped to be able to accomplish in their Saint Mary’s experience.”

Building off of relationships

said. “And of course we are here for everyone on campus, but we want to focus on inclusivity and the inclusion of everyone on campus.”

Vazquez Vazquez added something she takes great pride in, especially as a first generation student, is their commitment to personally know as many students as possible, something the pair has been striving to do since they were freshmen.

“Our two main goals are building bridges and knocking down walls and then continuing to do what we have been doing: going out of our way to get to know people,” Vazquez Vazquez said.

Additionally, the team wants to strive to provide resources for students, just as they have as leaders of the First Gen and Latinos Unidos clubs, Vazquez Vazquez said.

“It’s very necessary to know what are the resources the school offers,” she said.

In response to the pandemic, Vazquez Vazquez said the team’s first priority would be

to clearly communicate with the administration to understand and promote health and safety guidelines. Avalos added they plan to host safe in person events and opportunities, noting that anxiety and depression are higher among college students during the pandemic.

Vazquez Vazquez stressed their administration will strive to be present and approachable for students, actively reach out to students to address their needs, concretely address their campaign promises to remain active in campus life during their tenure.

“We are here. We are here for you,” Avalos said to Holy Cross students. “You come first in our eyes.”

The election is Tuesday, March 16. The voting window is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day, and Holy Cross students can vote electronically through a Microsoft form or at the voting polls in the Atrium of the Vincent Hall.

established by previous administrations, Conboy approached the Wilson Sheehan Foundation with plans for the office and requested the $7 million sum.

Lorraine Sheehan Wilson (’85) and her husband Chris Wilson (Notre Dame ’85) recognized the need for such a resource, and promised $3 million outright.

“Just being at school isn’t enough; you need to be able to get the full experience,” Sheehan Wilson said. “I think if you address those wraparound needs … that student is going to persist and be way more likely to complete their college education and in a timely manner.”

From the initial gift of $3 million from the Wilson Sheehan Foundation, $600,000 is intended for immediate use over the next three years.

“It mattered to them that we could start doing this work right now, this semester,” Conboy said.

With $2.4 million currently placed in the endowment, Sheehan Wilson invited the College to fundraise $2 million to accompany a future matched amount. This challenge has since been named “All

In,” and the College has already received a contribution of $377,000 toward this goal.

“We want to be sure this is something that other Saint Mary’s graduates are saying, ‘We’re in with this mission,’” Conboy said.

“We’re really focused on trying to get this to happen as quickly as possible, so that the endowment grows and serves as many students as possible.”

This office is one step towards further advancing women socially and economically — a key tenet of the Saint Mary’s mission, Conboy said.

“I really believe that this is just so important in terms of creating the kind of community that we want to have that is inclusive, where every person feels a sense of belonging and mattering,” Conboy said.

“That matters to me. And so I’m grateful that the work began before I arrived here, but also that I was able to bring that into the strategic plan, and that the Wilson Sheehan Foundation was willing to commit to us as well.”

Contact Isabella Volmert at ivolmert@nd.edu

Contact Maeve Filbin at mfilbin01@saintmarys.edu

ND to administer vaccines Observer Staff Report Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online March 2.

Notre Dame w ill open a mass vaccination site in partnership w ith the St. Joseph Count y Health Department, Universit y President Fr. John Jenkins said Tuesday in an email announcement. The site w ill be at the Compton Family Ice Arena and w ill be open Friday, March 26

and Saturday, March 27 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The site may remain open for an additional day.

“It w ill prov ide vaccinations for those Indiana residents eligible at that time under the Indiana Department of Health vaccine guidelines, whether or not they study or work at the Universit y,” Jenkins said in the email.

Members of the COV ID-19 Response Unit w ill work w ith the Indiana Department of Health

and the St. Joseph Count y Health Department. Jenkins urged those eligible to be vaccinated and said there w ill be no charge for vaccination.

“Once again, I commend the generosit y and commitment of the CRU team, who for the past 10 months has worked tirelessly to care for the Notre Dame communit y and w ill now lend their time and talent to Indiana’s vaccination campaign,” Jenkins said.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | The Observer

5

Saint Mary’s alumna launches athleisure line

By MIA MARROQUIN Saint Mary’s News Editor

The summer before her senior year, Julia Veome (’19) launched Natural Baller, an all-natural and organic skincare line, and has been working to expand ever since. The LaGrange Park, Illinois native’s latest project to transform Natural Baller into a “feel-good lifestyle brand” is the launch of an athleisure line.

The line is set to hit the market March 15, but has been in development since the summer of 2019.

Veome wanted to positively impact people throughout their day, not just their morning and evening routine, she said.

“I felt that a clothing line was a natural next step,” she said.

“In the morning when you get up you wash your face then you get dressed. Your clothes are an extension of your skin, so you want them to feel good.”

Following her graduation, Veome knew she wanted to pursue a Natural Baller clothing line, but didn’t know how to take the next steps. It was while splitting her time between Chicago and New York that she felt inspired to pursue this idea.

“Originally I had the idea to partner with an existing clothing line and create a Natural

Fall Continued from page 1

If circumstances continue to improve through the summer, Conboy explained College officials will feel reassured in adapting safety regulations.

Baller capsule collection,” she said. “I wanted to do that because I was ‘cheating the system’ or skipping some steps because I wouldn’t have had to find my connections to fabric mills or distribution centers — so that’s what really made me lean toward that route and I liked the idea of having someone showing me the ropes in that industry.”

While in New York, Veome had the opportunity to meet with a national clothing brand and pitch her idea. After a successful meeting she felt like the epitome of a girl boss, she said. But the next day when they began to talk specifics and contracting, Veome realized the collaboration would come at the cost of her creative freedom.

“I had a a few nonnegotiables that I just wouldn’t sacrifice — like being eco-friendly and made in the USA, but not many big brands do that,” she said.

That’s when she decided to start from scratch with her own line.

In October of 2019, Veome partnered with a company in New Jersey that could serve as a middleman and help turn her ideas and drawings into tech packs.

“We sourced tons of fabrics,” she said. “I wanted everything to be insanely comfortable and soft [and] I wanted these pieces

“As long as signs point to continued improvement, I think that by summertime College leaders will feel greater ease about relaxing some of the restrictions we had in place this year,” Conboy said.

“We will continue to follow the science and abide by CDC and local health recommendations.”

Paid Advertisement

to be like my favorite things in my closest — eco-friendly but comfortable products.”

At this point Veome and her team were planning for and anticipating a July 2020 launch. But the pandemic had other plans.

“Come March, factories temporarily shut down and everything came to a complete halt,” she said. “I did not know when the launch could be rescheduled.”

Veome explained that when the factories did reopen, many were not working on old projects and instead focused efforts on personal protective equipment.

“I was starting to feel like I put in all this work and it wasn’t going to work out,” she said. With the support of her father, she pushed forward.

“I started working with a boutique marketing firm to revive and create digital strategy on the Natural Baller website and emphasize a lot of the feel good life style aspects of the brand, and emphasized our motto of ‘Live Life with No Filter.’”

Veome wanted the clothes to be in the brand’s original colors.

“It took forever to get the same Natural Baller pink for the different pieces due to the way fabrics hold color differently,” she said.

Cannon Continued from page 1

and political science minor originally from Tanzania.

She is a member of the Social Concerns Committee in SGA and serves as a mass lector through Campus Ministry.

Cannon and Kwangu’s campaign platform focuses on four pillars: service, community, inclusion and representation.

“We have a lot of potential to do a lot of good on campus, and that’s what I’m looking forward to doing in my term as president,” Cannon said.

Cannon said one of the first things he would try to address as president is student mental health, which he believes has taken a toll since COVID-19. He hopes to create solutions, such as putting together a few consecutive days off for a substantive break and creating a pass-fail option for classes.

“Students perform at a lower level when their mental health is being hurt,” Cannon said.

Kwangu said she most wants to foster solidarity across the entire campus community. She notices different subgroups where

Unlike other major clothing distributors, Natural Baller is making all feel-good, guiltfree products made in the USA, Veome said.

“I’m not a Nike,” she said. “I know the people making the clothes, and I’ve been involved in every step of the process.”

The two slogans of the line are “loungewear that lives beyond the couch” and “activewear that moves with you.”

The activewear and loungewear line sets itself apart from competitors because it is feminine and cute, Veome said.

“Everyone’s wearing loungewear now, all the trends for 2021 are all casual because nobody’s anticipating that we’re going to be getting super dressed up this year,” Veome said. “And everyone’s filled their closets with sweatsets that are very lazy because everyone wants to be comfortable, but a lot of the loungewear that’s out there right now diminishes your productivity.”

Driven by her passion to maintain an eco-friendly brand, everything in the clothing line is made from recycled and sustainable material such as water bottles and bamboo fibers.

“I spent so much time just walking through Nordstrom looking at different hangtags and brainstorming the specific wording and attachment of my

students feel a sense of belonging, but believes campus-wide unity is lacking.

“As vice president, I hope to unite everyone as a part of the Holy Cross community,” Kwangu said.

Another goal of Kwangu’s is to implement a Black Studies Program, which has been proposed by the Black Students Association. She aims to further develop the proposal.

The pair have an Instagram account, @caleb_neema_2021, where they share about themselves and their campaign platform. On the account, they emphasize the four foundations of their campaign.

Cannon said he hopes to host a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House next year, which would be a service opportunity that would allow Holy Cross to give back to the wider South Bend community.

Kwangu said she ran for vice president because she has strong leadership skills and is devoted to service.

“I love getting to know people and I just feel like there’s so much of myself that I should give to this community,” Kwangu said.

Cannon said he wants to

hangtags,” Veome said. “I seriously put so much thought into every little detail, which I think is something that makes small businesses special. I’m the one doing the website, my family and I are the ones fulfilling orders. Every little detail has so much love and thought and effort put into it.”

By October 2020, Natural Baller had its final fit samples — months after the initial launch date. By February, Veome finally had all the inventory and could begin marketing for the March launch.

In preparation for the launch, Veome hosted a “lifestyle shoot” with her younger sister and some of her friends to model the clothing line.

“During the shoot, I had one of those ‘full circle surreal’ moments where I thought about how this was all a thought in my head when I was my sister Sam’s age at Saint Mary’s, and to have her and her friends in College wearing the clothes — it’s really cool to me because they loved the clothing and felt confident in it.”

At the end of the day, Veome’s goal for the athleisure line is to increase confidence in customers and be source of guilt free products that customers can rely on, she said.

Contact Mia Marrroquin at mmarroquin01@saintmarys.edu

show people that age does not determine his capacity to succeed as president.

“I just encourage people, when they look at my campaign, to look at its substance and judge it upon that instead of my age or my college experience,” Cannon said.

Cannon has pushed for substantive change and taken a leadership role as a SGA senator, he said.

“I know that I have the ability to be a leader who can foster strength and courage in our senators and our student body, and in our community as a whole, so that people feel empowered to achieve the goals that they wish to achieve,” Cannon said.

Contact Megan Fahrney at mfahrney@nd.edu

66

The observer | Friday, March 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

March 11, 2020 and the OGQ

What we can learn from Pope Francis’ trip to Iraq Vince Mallett

Isabella Volmert Associate News Editor

Just over a year ago, March 6, 2020, I was riding passenger side with a friend as we drove home for spring break to Washington, Missouri. We talked a little about the concerns of the coronavirus, but the conversation probably didn’t last much longer than the first 20 minutes of the seven-hour drive.

Five days later, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 health crisis a pandemic. Of course, COVID-19 began long before March 11, 2020, but for me, that was the day it really started.

I was in the quaint and beloved Washington Coffee Shop with some high school friends when Notre Dame, along with many other universities, announced their students would not be returning, at least until April, that very same day. My initial reaction was an insane mix of excitement and trepidation. I knew in that exact moment everything would be divided into life before March 11, 2020 and life after.

I didn’t return to the coffee shop for months, as we all know what happened next. Some friends and I have taken to calling the time of roughly March through May as the original quarantine or the “OGQ.” I filled my hours with reading over 20 news articles a day, making oatmeal and learning to roller skate.

Life was drastically different in the OGQ as compared to now. I would drive to the grocery store and be the only car on the road. I wouldn’t even wear a mask because we were still told at that point to save them for medical personnel. I would cry daily over the fact my high school friends lived a walk away and I couldn’t see them. College friends were just variously sized squares on my screens. I worried endlessly about the economic welfare of the coffee shop, the job securities of my professors and the health of my family and friends.

In a trick I picked up from a Notre Dame friend, I name my Spotify playlists with songs I’m into at the moment after the month it currently is. I created a new one today and was about to name it “March,” but how could I name a playlist filled with songs about sunshine, summer adventures and good vibes — inspired by this week’s gorgeous weather — after such a despondent month? I still associate “March” with the worst of times, and I honestly don’t know if that will change.

In some ways, I’m thankful for the experiences I had this past year as opposed to what was planned. Instead of studying abroad, I’ve gained new incredible and inspiring friends at Notre Dame that I’m not sure how I lived without before, and I strengthened my friendships with high school friends back home I thought I would have left behind that summer while traveling. That’s not to say most of the past year has not been a series of challenges that have forever altered my life and the lives of billions others and changed the fabric of our communities and world. I don’t need to detail it, we all know.

I doubt we will ever “go back to normal,” but recently I’ve felt far more hopeful for a more immediately bright future than I have since last March. The CDC said Monday vaccinated people can socialize safely with unvaccinated individuals as long as they don’t have serious health risks, and deaths, hospitalizations and cases are down in the U.S. As opposed to the OGQ, March 11, 2021 looks way more like life before March 11, 2020, and I’m lucky, blessed and thankful to be able to say that.

Some other things haven’t changed since the OGQ. Just as I did then, I still eat oatmeal almost every day, struggle to keep my balance while roller skating and worry about the economy and the welfare of my loved ones.

But the thought I had in the coffee shop last year was correct, everything has become divided into before and after. The past year has been a unique experience in that I knew with every day that passed they were the ones that would define the rest of my life. March 11, 2020 through March 11, 2021 has defined who I am. I guess all I can say is happy quarantine-iversary and thank you to everyone who was with me through it.

Contact Isabella at ivolmert@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Independent Idealist

Last week, Pope Francis became the first Catholic pope to visit Iraq. Throughout his visit, he gave a series of remarks that repeatedly emphasized one theme: peaceful fraternity between different religious groups. The Pope pulled no punches and made no equivocations about the absolute need for peace in the search for justice, remarking in his first statement of the trip, “Religion, by its very nature, must be at the service of peace and fraternity.” Religious division must never be a source of human conflict, Pope Francis argued, because religion in itself is a communal movement towards God. This idea caused me to reflect on how peace is threatened in our lives and what we as Notre Dame students can do to pursue peace.

First off, I do not believe that pursuing peace means being complacent with injustice, such as oppression, racism, violence or anything of the sort. All persons should call out and actively work against injustice; students at the University of Notre Dame have far more power to do so than most people in this world. We must use the tools and privileges that have been provided to us to fight for good in this world, which means speaking truth to power, taking material action towards justice and dedicating our lives to the benefit of those most in need. This action might be seen as ‘divisive,’ but the kind of unity that passively accepts wrongdoing is not the kind of unity that any of us should be striving towards. Instead, we must seek to embrace our fellow humans, recognizing both their faults and our own and striving together to do better.

Loving our neighbor entails hoping for, and striving towards, the genuine well-being of all human persons. But one of the most common aspects of the human experience, in my view, is to make exceptions to these wishes of well-being for all people. Almost everyone, certainly including myself and everyone I’ve ever met, struggles to make this hope for well-being quite universal, if they try at all. If you’re doubting that this is really so hard, consider the following: Have you ever rejoiced at the death of someone you really hated?

Have you ever wished death upon someone, perhaps a personal tormentor or a hated celebrity? (I cannot count the number of times I have heard people of every political inclination wish death upon politicians). Do you believe that there are people in this world who are simply evil and incapable of rehabilitation? Do you go so far as to believe that entire groups of people fall into this category? On a much smaller scale: do you smile, perhaps only to yourself, when an ex goes through a breakup? Do you relish the thought of a member of a rival sports team getting injured?

If any of your answers were yes, and I’m willing to bet they were, then you are flawed. Actually, you’re flawed either way, but hopefully, you’ve realized that you probably suffer from this particular flaw: the lack of love for all of our siblings.

There cannot be exceptions to our love for our neighbors. If there are, how dare we fault our neighbors for their lack of love for us? If we say, “I believe in universal human rights/dignity/ love, but…” then we are the problem to at least the same extent as those we hate. The exceptions we make to universal love are direct attacks on universal peace. In order to achieve peace, we must love others, even — especially — when it is difficult.

So what does that look like in practice? At the most immediate level, I think it means practicing

forgiveness and opening our vulnerable hearts.

Reach out to that guy you’ve been feuding with on Twitter; grab lunch with that AR you can’t stand.

We must forge relationships even with those people we strongly disagree with, even with those people who might hurt us, even with those people we believe are personally abominable. Let your friends be friends with the person who dumped you, have a (soft) drink with your annoying roommate from freshman year. We cannot allow grudges, past wrongs or perceived slights to poison our ability to grow together.

In a wider sense, we must work for the benefit of those in need, regardless of what faults we find in them and without concern for their physical or personal distance from us. We can’t write off our obligations to help others because we blame them, their actions or their political leaders for their problems. Don’t simply smirk at the recent devastation in Texas because you don’t like Governor Abbot or Republicans overall; contribute to helping those in personal or financial turmoil. Don’t dismiss the needs or rights of the incarcerated because of their histories; fight for their safe treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

Many of us will leave Notre Dame and reach great positions of power where we might actually be able to directly affect the status of peace in Iraq. Many of us will not. But all of us can fight the cycle of violence by deciding to love our neighbors as ourselves, that is, as deeply flawed humans who nevertheless should be granted mercy and forgiveness.

The need for justice and the need for peace are inseparable. This means not only that we must fight wrongdoing while loving wrongdoers; it means that the two obligations are really one and the same. Justice is doing right towards others; social justice is the creation of a community in which we treat each other well. This requires peace between all, and peace, in turn, requires the hatred of hatred itself. Pope Francis said that “...anyone who believes in God, has no enemies to fight. He or she has only one enemy to face, an enemy that stands at the door of the heart and knocks to enter. That enemy is hatred.” May we never use religion as a weapon, and may we all work for peace on earth.

Vince Mallett is a senior majoring in philosophy, with a minor in constitutional studies. He currently lives offcampus, though he calls both New Jersey and Carroll Hall home. He can be reached at vmallett@nd.edu or @vince_mallett on Twitter.

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

KERRY SCHNEEMAN | The Observer

7

The observer | Friday, March 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Where we stand Yeah, I seem to have it together. But I don’t.

Yeah, I declared a major.

But I am not sure.

Yeah, I smile.

But I am not happy.

Yeah, I am quiet.

But so many thoughts run through my mind. Yeah, I seem to have it together.

But the inside is under lock and key.

To keep up appearances.

Wouldn’t it be nice to hear somebody ask, “Are you okay?” and give you a hug And you don’t even have to say no because they know you so well. But I say yes.

Just to keep up appearances.

I put up a million masks, so you won’t know what I truly feel. When around you

I smile, make jokes, but all I really want is for you to say, “I love you” or, “I care about you.”

But I don’t say it aloud.

Just to keep up appearances.

will cry.

One day I won’t know what my purpose is. One day I will scream.

One day.

But for now, I keep up perfect appearances.

The worst part — I’m OK with it.

A laughing emoji, to disguise tears.

A smiley emoji, to change the direction of my fake smile. Fake it till you make it.

If I text you, I can hide it.

But if you call me, my voice will betray me. Texting is fine.

Just to keep up appearances.

One day I will break.

One day I won’t know what I am studying. One day I

Sylvia Garcia is a first-year and can be reached at sgarci26@nd.edu Show Some Skin is a student-run initiative committed to giving voice to unspoken narratives about identity and difference. Using the art of storytelling as a catalyst for positive social change across campus, we seek to make Notre Dame a more open and welcoming place for all. If you are interested in breaking the silence and getting involved with Show Some Skin, email s.someskin@gmail.com The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Say yes to the Equality Act On Feb. 24, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5, the Equality Act. Supported by President Biden, the bill seeks to amend current civil rights law to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. If passed, the Equality Act would be the most powerful piece of legislation in protection of basic rights for the LGBTQ+ community since 2015’s Obergefell v.

Hodges Supreme Court ruling, which legalized marriage for same-sex couples in every state.

At the current moment in America, LGBTQ+ people are not protected as equals. They can be turned away from adoption agencies for their sexuality, they can be denied service at a hospital for their gender identity and their most recent legislation gain — Obergefell v. Hodges — has been stated by the GOP as one of the most crucial pieces of legislation to overturn. Hate crimes and homophobia are still rampant: Already in 2021, the Human Rights Campaign has reported 10 violent murders of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. In 2020, there were 44 murders, mostly of transgender women of color, the highest rate since 2013.

Additionally, the mental health implications from discrimination LGBTQ+ youth face cannot be understated: Non-heterosexual youth are five times as likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth, and the rates are even higher for transgender and gender non-conforming kids. LGBTQ+ people need protection now. Passing the Equality Act would send a long overdue sign to LGBTQ+ Americans: America still cares about you and wants to protect you.

Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 uses an expansive interpretation of Congress’s power to regulate interstate commerce to prohibit discrimination and segregation in places of public accommodation, such as hotels, restaurants, theatres and stadiums.

The Equality Act would add protections for sexual orientation and gender identity, and would expand the list of covered facilities to include “any establishment that provides a good, service, or program.”

The most important programs that LGBTQ+ people would regain access to are federal health and welfare programs.

In late January 2021, the Trump administration rolled back the language “sexual orientation and gender identity” from groups that could not be discriminated against. As a result, federal adoption agencies can deny same-sex couples from providing a child with a home. This policy only harms all parties involved; the parents who so desire a kid

and the kid who so desires a home. The Equality Act would allow more families to blossom in America, helping Americans live freely and happily.

The Equality Act’s proposed amendments to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 would also expand facility access to include all gender identities. Section 1101 of the bill makes its intention clear: “An individual shall not be denied access to a shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individual’s gender identity.” For transgender individuals, especially trans women, this is a huge relief.

As Karen Schilt and Laurel Westbrook found in their paper “Bathroom Battlegrounds and Penis Panics”, transgender people are at a much higher risk of being the victim of violence than they are to incite it. Furthermore, Schilt and Westbrook could find no evidence that any sexual assault occurring in a restroom after policies in favor of transgender people were put into place. The Equality Act would only protect more people from assault and discrimination as they use a restroom and other shared facilities.

The Equality Act would also allow transgender athletes to participate in sports aligning with their gender identity. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was passed to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in educational institutions receiving federal financial assistance.

Expanding these protections to gender identity, which the Equality Act does by amending Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, would require federally funded schools to allow trans men and women to finally be recognized on the teams they should play for based on their gender identity.

Some may argue that this legislation would hurt women’s sports by allowing biological men to participate. I would argue that no cisgender man would claim to be a transgender woman just to play on the women’s soccer team. The amount of discrimination and hate faced by transgender women — murders, assaults — would not be something one volunteers to do to merely play on a different gender soccer team.

Transgender people are at a discriminatory disadvantage; an individual chooses it for the freedom of living their best life, not for the ability to score more goals. Rather than reinforcing that sex has to be tied to gender through forcing transgender athletes to play on the team aligning with their birth sex, we can uplift who they really are and let them play on the team that aligns with their gender. The Equality

Act allows for this liberation, which will lead to health benefits for transgender people, especially transgender youth.

As an LGBTQ+ student at Notre Dame for almost four years, I have faced my fair share of discrimination. It was harder for me to find friends because some people were uninterested once I told them I was gay. It was sometimes hard to find roommates because people didn’t want to live with a gay person out of fear of the repercussions on their life. I recall not being invited to dances or SYRs because of my sexuality. I have had people try to convince me that I should not support gay marriage — my own rights!

These homophobic instances continue to happen at Notre Dame. I have loved my time at Notre Dame and have found a group of friends that uplift me for who I am, but some days can be really hard.

Reading yesterday’s “Say no to the Equality Act” was hard; I have not been as vocal as I would have liked for the past four years, and I could not continue to stay silent.

If this University wants to include all people, supporting this bill sends a message to its LGBTQ+ faculty, staff, alumni, students and prospective students: We value your place on this campus and want to uplift you as valued members of our community.

You are not only tolerated but loved; God made you to be who you are, and we want to support you as you climb the ladder to equality in America.

As America’s premier institution of Catholic higher education, Notre Dame has an important obligation to defend their LGBTQ+ students in the public sphere. The Equality Act is a massive gain for LGBTQ+ people both within and outside of the Catholic Church because it comes closer to protecting their constitutional rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

In 2020, Pope Francis stated that LGBTQ+ people deserve to be recognized with civil unions — a baby step in the right direction to include LGBTQ+ Catholics. While the step wasn’t as far as some hoped, the Catholic Church is trending toward accepting gay “marriage” as just any other marriage, a place that legislation in America has reached. As the public debates over the merits of Congress’s new civil rights proposals, the University should similarly lend her voice on these important moral issues.

Margaret D’Auria senior class vice president Mar. 9

8

The observer | friday, March 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Mr. Potato Head, Dr. Seuss … who cares?

Policies, please “Cancel culture” can be annoying. But you know what else is annoying and unproductive? “Anti-cancel culture,” or this staunch war against cancel culture which makes people think their freedoms are being taken away or that western civilization is being destroyed because behavior which could be deemed offensive or controversial was called out. It creates an unnecessary and exaggerated sense of anxiety and fear — which is often pushed by politicians and the media — and distracts us from issues which are actually affecting our lives and for which politicians should be held accountable for addressing.

The latest example of “anti-cancel-culture” blowing up and distracting us from issues that actually matter?

Mr. Potato Head and Dr. Seuss.

On Feb. 25, the company Hasbro, which manufactures and distributes the classic children’s toy, Mr. Potato Head, announced it was dropping the “Mr.” and renaming the brand to simply be “Potato Head” in order to be more inclusive and “better reflect the full line.” The company also clarified that although the brand name was changing, the actual character names were not, and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head will still be sold in stores. A few days later, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the company which owns the rights to publish and carry on the legacy of the late children’s book writer Dr. Seuss, announced they will stop publishing six Dr. Seuss books — “And To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” “If I Ran the Zoo,” “McElligot’s Pool,” “On Beyond Zebra!,” “Scrambled Eggs Super!” and “The Cat’s Quizzer” — due to the fact that they “portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.”

Honestly, I’m not sure how much of an effect that changing the brand name of a potato toy will have in making people and children feel more included, but I also don’t see any harm in a private company making this decision.

Similarly, I don’t know how much of an actual impact that stopping the publication and selling of a few Dr. Seuss

books which have been out there for decades will have in making children grow up in a more welcoming and inclusive world but, again, this decision by this private company which made $33 million in 2020 doesn’t seem to do anyone harm.

Despite this, the Mr. Potato Head and Dr. Seuss controversy captured attention and debate as some declared this is “the end of freedom in America,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy tweeted a video of himself reading “Green Eggs and Ham” — which I agree is a fantastic story, but also isn’t one of the books not being published anymore — because he still likes Dr. Seuss, and major news networks are hosting panel discussions on these decisions about children’s toys and books being made by private companies.

Why are some politicians and major news networks spending airtime talking about Mr. Potato Head and Dr. Seuss books while COVID relief is being debated in Congress? Or while millions of people are unemployed and struggling to put food on the table? Or while President Biden recently ordered an airstrike on Iran-backed militia facilities in Syria? Or while a bill with actual policies which could tremendously impact and make a more inclusive country for LGBTQ Americans is in Congress?

Too many politicians and news outlets are letting things like meaningless cultural matters or anxiety-provoking cancel culture become actual discourse because they know these can incite a quick emotional reaction over political issues which are actually affecting people’s day-to-day lives. “Cancel culture” and the resulting “anticancel culture” have become mere political buzzwords — making something out of nothing and distracting us from what we should really be talking and thinking about. w There’s even a term in journalism for this: the dead cat maneuver. Employed by and associated with the Australian political strategist Lynton Crosby, the dead cat

maneuver is when a topic which is intended to provoke public interest and opinion is used to turn attention away from a more serious issue. Crosby is credited with Boris Johnson’s London mayoral wins, and Johnson described this tactic in the following manner: “There is one thing that is absolutely certain about throwing a dead cat on the dining room table … [everyone] will be talking about the dead cat — the thing you want them to talk about — and they will not be talking about the issue that has been causing you so much grief.”

In other words, Mr. Potato Head and a few Dr. Seuss books are like the dead cat being thrown onto the dining room table and pushing some discourse and anger away from actual problems like unemployed Americans, a lack of stimulus checks, rising cases of racial discrimination and violence, small businesses closing up, important policies like the COVID relief bill and the Equality Act, foreign policy decisions, vaccine distribution, infrastructure and relief for Texas following the recent snowstorm and much more.

To quote Dr. Seuss himself, “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”

We should use our brains and our freedom to information and opinion to steer our political discourse away from the Mr. Potato Heads, Dr. Seuss books and cancel culture dramas of the world and focus on issues which actually matter and impact people’s lives.

Megumi Tamura is a freshman in the Gateway Program. She is originally from Ridgewood, New Jersey and enjoys going to museums, watching political debates and eating Jersey bagels. She can be reached at mtamura@nd.edu or @megtamura on Twitter.

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

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Fighting for every inch of existence Growing up, Notre Dame was the ideal school for me.

Catholic education, football, hard classes, amazing professors, the most fantastic students on the planet and incredible merch — what more could you ask for?

But as I got older and started discerning more about who I am in the world, I started to worry about what I had always seen as my beacon of opportunity.

This process started as an 8th grader when I celebrated Halloween at my elementary school best friend’s house. Of course, instead of trick or treating, we played the greatest game of all time: spin the bottle.

As I watched my friends spin I waited eagerly until it was my turn, my palms a little sweaty and my mind racing. When I spun I couldn’t believe it, I landed on a dude. My heart sunk with disgust; there was no way I was kissing another guy. So my friend to the left kissed him instead, and then she went again.

However in the days, weeks, and months that followed I had this feeling eating me up from the inside: I regretted not kissing him.

As I dipped my toe into the scary arena that was high school I reckoned with the fact that I could possibly, maybe, potentially like guys. At the same time part of me thought that just could not be true—I, a Jesusloving, football fanatic and Notre Dame enthusiast, couldn’t possibly be gay.

Years of fighting with myself, praying, and cursing my being pushed me towards a place of truly figuring out who I am.

When the college process started I decided I would apply to Notre Dame, but was confident that I’d never actually end up going here (look how that turned out). Why in the world would I go to a medium-sized Catholic school in the Midwest? If I couldn’t feel comfortable with myself in uber progressive Seattle, how

was I supposed to at a conservative Catholic school like Notre Dame?

However, through lots of debates and discussions with alums, family and friends, I decided Notre Dame really was the place for me. Choosing Notre Dame was difficult, not because I didn’t love it or because I didn’t think I would thrive here, but because I was worried I wouldn’t be able to be myself.

I love Notre Dame with my full and entire being, but there are a lot of times where I feel that Notre Dame doesn’t love me back.

From Notre Dame still not changing the NonDiscrimination Clause (even after 50 years of student organizing) to having structures like parietals in place that disproportionately impact marginalized and lowincome students. From hearing a guy at the dining tent table next to mine saying he wished he could “punch the crap out of all the f-slurs” to being put in a history class with a professor who has written articles attacking the “normalization of the LBGTQ [sic] agenda” and who in our first discussion group of the semester stated that my lesbian grandmas were “not a real family.”

I’m not saying these personal experiences represent the Notre Dame community as a whole, but the structures and culture at Notre Dame make these instances more frequent and widespread. That makes it harder to truly feel comfortable with myself on this campus.

It hurts so much to work so hard and for so long to get to a place where you feel comfortable with yourself to then backtrack on that progress because you feel like you can’t be your true self. This is what coming to Notre Dame has felt like, instead of tearing down the closet walls, slowly replastering and repainting the inside of the closet.

We might be the Fighting Irish, but a community that

forces some of its students to fight for every inch of their existence isn’t what we should aspire to be.

Yes, I as well as nearly everyone else here, chose to come. But maintaining structures and a culture that force students of color, queer students, low-income students, and other marginalized groups to continually make space for themselves and their voices makes it so Notre Dame can’t possibly be living up to its mission. A learning environment structurally invalidating certain groups, forcing students to fight to learn, hurts the entire intellectual community.

My story at Notre Dame has only just begun, but there are thousands more already lived and waiting to be told. In order to fully understand where we need to go as an institution towards truly making everyone feel welcome in the Notre Dame family, it’s imperative we understand where we have come from.

These stories have power to enable understanding on where we stand as a community, a concrete illustration of how we can do better, and history gives us the knowledge necessary for progress.

Similar to the Black Domers book, a 2014 narrative collection of African American students at Notre Dame, we’re looking to compile stories of LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff, and alums in the format of a book. You can nominate your story or a friend’s story at LGBTQDomers.com and help us in becoming more of the university we want Notre Dame to be.

Let’s work towards an environment where queer existence is a given and all of us can flourish in our most complete selves.

Dane Sherman first-year Mar. 3

9

The observer | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

By WILLOUGHBY THOM Scene Writer

I refuse to believe it’s been 14 years since the first episode of “iCarly” aired on Nickelodeon. It feels like just yesterday that I was six-years-old, plopped in front of the television with my shiny pink Nintendo DS in hand — probably trying to give my Nintendog a bath — and I was going to watch the brand new sitcom called “iCarly.” There was something incredibly unique about the show, and in 2007 I would have never guessed that I would be re-watching the series as an adult.

When it appeared on Nextflix last month, I decided to rewatch the series from a new perspective: 14 years more mature. As a young kid, we all looked up to Carly (Miranda Cosgrove), Sam (Jennette McCurdy), Freddy (Nathan Kress) and Spencer (Jerry Trainor).

We admired their unique friendships and the close bond Carly and Spencer had with one another. We all dreamt about living in the Shays’ three-story Seattle apartment with an elevator, eating spaghetti tacos and getting a bedroom like Carly’s in the fourth season. I think it’s safe to say that we all wanted to hang out at the Groovy Smoothie with T-Bo, own a Pear Phone and

By PATRICK WITTEMAN Scene Writer

The prolific French duo Daft Punk has officially split after 28 years of making, producing and releasing music. The group decided to break the news with an eightminute clip from their 2006 movie, “Electroma.” The duo, composed of Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (gold helmet) and Thomas Bangalter (silver helmet), pushed the limits of electronic music while giving the genre a foothold in mainstream consciousness. The duo’s solo projects shaped electronic music forever and their consensus career highlight, the sophomore album “Discovery,” was a watershed moment for electronic music and, more particularly, French House.

Although the duo certainly pushed boundaries sonically, they were just as well-known for their public appearances and elaborate tours. Following “Discovery,” Bangalter and de Homem-Christo started dressing in robot garb; the two-robot look pushed the group into popular culture while keeping their private lives out of the public eye.

“Discovery” released to massive critical and commercial success. However, the group did not tour with this album, releasing “Human After All” in 2005. Many believed the group had lost it, citing the dreary, repetitive and lazy nature of the follow up to their magnum

get your hands on one of those Penny Tees.

As I sit down watching it a decade later, I realize how beautifully weird the show is. “iCarly” is not only an embodiment of the 2000s (the nostalgia hits hard), but also a show which advocates for the beauty of individuality. Every character is weird in their own way, which makes it not only a dynamic series but constantly unpredictable. Carly is the only relatively “normal”character — compared to Sam constantly being threatened with “juvey,” Freddy being a tech-nerd who gets weekly tick baths from his mother, Spencer being an artist with crazy socks from his friends Socko and Gibby, who always runs around shirtless. As a kid, we never questioned these details, and we still don’t.

As an adult, I now wonder how the Shays afford their downtown apartment, but that’s purely insignificant.

The show is still undeniably witty. The skits they do on their show are still hilarious no matter how dumb they may seem. The jokes with inappropriate undertones, which flew over my head as a child, have now become apparent, adding further depth and detail to the overall production.

Furthermore, the “iCarly” crew singlehandedly created their own vocabulary with words like “chiz,”

“nub” and “jank.” Dan Schneider, the creator, developed his own universe, which included shows like “Drake & Josh,” “Zoey 101” and “Victorious,” implying they all exist at the same time in different locations.

This is evident in the technology they use, the crossovers and their slang — the term “skunk bag,” which is used a lot in “iCarly,” was also used in “Drake & Josh” and “Zoey 101.”

Between Carly and Sam’s statement necklaces, Freddy’s love for long-sleeve waffle shirts under polos and Spencer’s flannel and t-shirt combos, we know we are in a different era. Yet, even though the show’s fashion statements are outdated — despite our society having been hit with a revival of “Y2k” fashion, which is a question in itself — the show stands the test of time.

Rewatching an old series like “iCarly” not only provides you comfort in such an unpredictable time, but it proves that Nickelodeon was so much cooler back in the early 2000s.

You can watch the first two seasons of iCarly on Netflix, and a selection of episodes from later seasons on Paramount+.

opus.

Daft Punk bounced back from their worst album with, arguably, their best tour. “Alive 2006/2007” drew some of the largest crowds ever for an electronic act at that time. In an era where the electronic music festival was in a relatively nascent state, Daft Punk established that dance acts could, in fact, garner mass attention.

This tour was also noteworthy for its audio and visual effects.; two robots emerging from a giant, glowing, multicolor LED pyramid was a spectacle designed for shock, awe and mass appeal.

After “Alive 2006/2007,” they hit the studio and recorded “Random Access Memories” for the next five years, releasing the album in 2013. The duo has always rejected computerized music and with “Random Access Memories,” they fully embraced analog music production techniques. From legendary guitarist Niles Rodgers to Pharrell from The Neptunes, Bangalter and de Homem-Christo spared no expense or effort in the making of “Random Access.” The disco-centric album, which was a sonic departure from their previous house records and was released to critical acclaim, winning Album of the Year at the 2013 Grammy Awards.

So what does Daft Punk mean to me? I scrolled back through my iTunes library and saw that the first Daft Punk track I ever listened to was “Around the World” in 2011. At that point in my life, “Homework”

and “Discovery” were critical for shaping my perspective on what music could be. Before it was cool to go to festivals in neon garb, see Marshmello or The Chainsmokers at Lolla and say you were an “EDM fan,” Daft Punk’s music provided an entry point into the electronic genre.

After listening to Daft Punk, I became a huge fan of electronic and house music. Artists like Swedish House Mafia, Steve Aoki, Tiesto and Calvin Harris became my idols. Electronic music was finally emerging from the dark, loud, packed club to the main stage of the largest festivals in the world. This early-to-mid 2010s EDM boom was not here to last, though.

What’s the current state of electronic music?

Festival attendance is down, EDM culture has now been associated with frat bros in tank tops sweating it out at the Coachella main stage and electronic LPs like “Discovery” and “Random Access Memories” are a dying art form. With Daft Punk’s retirement, I hope that a new standard-bearer for the genre emerges.

Daft Punk proved that an electronic act could make great music that was accessible for audiences on the largest stages. For that, all EDM fans should be eternally grateful for the two robots in the gold and silver helmets.

Contact Willoughby Thom at wthom@nd.edu

Contact Patrick Witteman at pwittema@nd.edu ELAINE PARK | The Observer

10

The observer | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

By COLLEEN FISCHER Scene Writer

Whenever the AIDS pandemic is portrayed in media, it’s either a serious documentary or a “cancer” story where the protagonist dies. Tragically, both of these narratives seem to only portray fragments of reality. As a gay man who lived through the ‘80s, Russell T. Davis reclaims the narrative with his show, “It’s a Sin,” showing how internalized shame and outward damnation created the landscape in which a disease like AIDS went untreated and unstopped.

Immediately comparable to “Pose,” this show offers all the same style without the colorful escape of ballroom culture, instead grounding it in the more relatable lives for people across the sexuality spectrum.

The first episode establishes the characters played by a beautiful and talented cast. Olly Alexander offers a stand-out performance as Richie, and all of the characters — no matter how small — seem tangible and full. Neil Patrick Harris appears in the first episode as a gay man in an established relationship protecting and showing newcomer Colin, played by Callum Scott, a world where being gay isn’t sinful.

The moment is one example of brilliant casting, because for me — and many people currently the same age as the characters in the show — Neil Patrick Harris and his partner David Burtka were one of the first openly gay couples in the spotlight. The show in its nature seeks to connect young people today with the experiences of gay men in the ‘80s. The writing is outstanding, and I found myself immediately

By LEXI KILCOIN Scene Writer

Imagine for me, if you will, the scent of a corpse flower. It likens to a pile of diapers rotting in the sun, mixed with rotten blue cheese dressing.

Unfortunately, I’ve never had the pleasure of smelling this infamous stench, but this is the description according to Aimee Nezhukumatathil in her new book of prose, “World of Wonders.”

Nezhukumatathil encapsulates us as she takes us through a literal world of wonders. For those familiar with the world of poetry, we are used to seeing Nezhukumatathil write in stanzas — most recently in “Oceanic” — about the delicate animals of the ocean and the ways in which they relate to the world we live in.

Similarly, in “World of Wonders,” Nezhukumatathil finds herself connecting to flowers, trees, whale sharks and other forms of life in nature, as well as to

invested in these characters and wanting experiences for them. I wanted them to accomplish their dreams, to have fun and almost most importantly, to have sex.

“It’s a Sin” starts with the characters down their expected paths. There are coming-of-age stories, redemption arcs and sacrificial lambs; but the writing reverts the stories, offering these plots to characters who usually wouldn’t get them — subverting expectations and pulling emotional reactions and investment from viewers in a genuine way. It’s a masterclass in writing.

“It’s a Sin” is beautiful, with its dynamic lighting, vivid colors, dynamic soundtrack and long, gorgeous monologues. It creates a fantasy world for the characters as they simultaneously deal with grounding problems juxtaposing their joy and sadness, while never causing emotional whiplash for the viewers.

The characters’ go-to greeting “La!” gets more somber before disappearing. The monologues grow shorter as the story goes on, the colors get muted and the story gets sadder, yet there are moments of genuine humor or perpetual kindness and love. There are moments of emotional confession — don’t worry, they aren’t coming out scenes — where people make jokes to not only break the tension for the viewer, but also for the characters in the scene in a realistic way.

The final episode substitutes the funky party music of the ‘80s with the silent clinking of a mother’s heels on hospital tiles as she asks questions no one has the answers to, until she finally finds refuge in her son’s arms. Scenes as emotional and as well done as this one litter “It’s a Sin” from beginning to end.

The final episode proves something that was obvious throughout the show: The conflict of these people’s stories — the enemy in their lives — is not AIDS. AIDS was just something that happened. It may loom over the first episode, but by the second, the true antagonist is revealed to be the shame that was instilled in the community and the ignorance that prevented them from feeling loved by the world around them.

“It’s a Sin” provided political and societal commentary without ever assigning guilt. Instead, there is this through-line of the infectious and debilitating nature of guilt and fear.

Despite the countless tears on my school notebooks and in my Lucky Charms cereal as I watched this show, all I can remember is the joy. Like one character’s yellow raincoat in dreary London, the show inseparably displayed joy and sadness, echoing grief in a relatable way. “It’s a Sin” is a gift.

her own world, and to memories of her past through a series of short essays. Never before have I read something in this braided prose style that so beautifully connects nature to simple events that occur for so many of us.

One of my favorite essays from “World of Wonders” is “Axolotl.” Nezhukumatathil beautifully weaves her essay by displaying the struggles of being a “brown girl” in the midst of “white girls,” telling her which color looks best on her lips. The way Nezhukumatathil relates herself to an axolotl is remarkable, and we are able to find a way to relate to her experience, even if we don’t immediately identify with her.

I truly have no criticism for this piece other than one essay that seems out of place: “Calendars Poetica.” This essay is placed in the middle of “World of Wonders” and has some to do with nature, but it is not explicitly about one animal. Rather, it is about the “art of poetry” and her firstborn child.

Overall, “World of Wonders” is an exceptional piece

if you’re looking for a quick read or even just to learn about parts of nature you’ve never heard of — in my case, the corpse flower. Any reader is sure to find something they connect with in this pile of prose and will not be disappointed.

Contact Colleen Fischer at cfischer01@saintmarys.edu

“It’s a Sin” Starring: Olly Alexander, Lydia West, Neil Patrick Harris Genre: Drama If you liked: “Pose,” “Sense8,” “Sex Education” Where to watch: HBOMax

Contact Lexi Kilcoin at akilcoin01@saintmarys.edu

“World of Wonders” Aimee Nezhukumatathil Genre: Nature writing, autobiography Favorite chapters: “Corpse Flower,” “Axolotl” If you liked: “Oceanic”

MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer

Classifieds

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

11

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Take the initiative if you want to get things done your way.

Check the appropriate way to approach a project you plan to pursue this year by reaching out to the authorities who preside over such activities. Having current information and paperwork will make your life easier and the success you encounter satisfying. Leave nothing to chance. Your numbers are 7, 13, 22, 25, 38, 40, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): An opportunity coupled with hard work and enthusiasm will help you excel. Use your clout, connections and intelligence to orchestrate what you want to happen. Refuse to let someone strong-arm you into something you disagree with.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take a close look at what’s going on around you.

Listen to the opposition and make assessments before you respond. A little charm mixed with the power of persuasion will help you win support and respect. Offer peace and love.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Step back. Use the experience you have combined with intelligence to figure out what’s best for you. Refuse to let someone coerce you into something that will cause mayhem or cost you your position.

Don’t let your emotions take over.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Show everyone what you are capable of doing.

Use your skills, originality and vision to encourage others to help you bring about change. Getting back to basics, simplifying your life and sharing your feelings with someone you love will pay off.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Uncertainty will set in if you get involved in a joint venture. Reserve judgment, and don’t lay your cash on the table prematurely.

Question the process and proposal being offered, make adjustments and take part only when you feel at ease.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Refuse to get caught in an emotional argument.

Put your energy into making positive gains, improving your lifestyle and meaningful relationships, and committing to someone or something you want to pursue. Personal growth, romance and gaining stability are favored.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Put your head down, and focus your energy on something meaningful to you. Whether it’s learning something new, fixing up your space or starting a new hobby, the more you put in, the more you will get in return.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Stop worrying about the inevitable, and focus on making your life better. Pack up what you don’t need; get the clutter and dead weight out of your life. The positive changes you make will lead to the freedom you desire.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Opportunity will come at a price. Weigh the pros and cons before you make a decision. Verify information and do the math before you take part in something that might put you at risk physically, emotionally or financially.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Take a different approach to the way you do things, and you’ll get remarkable results. Think outside the box in order to turn a skill you have into a moneymaking project. It’s up to you to bring about change that leads to happiness.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Nurture your relationships with friends, relatives and peers. Let go of situations that aren’t working for you, and focus on what’s possible. Liberate yourself by putting your energy into personal growth and self-improvement, not trying to change others.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Spend more time with people who bring out the best in you. Motivation combined with desire will bring about positive change. Take care of details and live by the rules. You will gain momentum and the success you desire.

Birthday Baby: You are resourceful, insightful and loving. You are entertaining and proactive.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

Square Square Comic Comic || XXX XXX

Work Area

Make checks payable to and mail to:

Published Monday through Friday, The Observer is a vital source of information on people and events in the Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Community.

Join the more than 13,000 readers who have found The Observer an indispensable link to the two campuses. Please complete the accompanying form and mail it today to receive The Observer in your home.

The Observer P.O. Box 779 Notre Dame, IN 46556

Enclosed is $130 for one academic year Enclosed is $75 for one semester Name Address City State Zip

12

Classifieds

The observer | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Sports Authority

Sports Authority

Start believing in the Wild again David Kramer Sports Writer

Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Mar. 11.

Each year, as water drips from the icicles haphazardly scattered on its roof and streams of melted snow pour down its sidewalks, St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center opens its doors for one last embrace of the winter season.

In the State of Hockey, parents lace up their children’s skates seemingly hours after teaching them to walk. Through stained plexiglass and the thin steam of their coffee mugs, hopeful relatives and babysitters watch as two new pieces of tempered carbon steel wobble and topple for hours on end. Sharing the joy of these early moments pales in comparison to the euphoria that may come years later.

As they develop, young players make the prospect of playing at the high school level their motivation. The glitz and glamor of a local tin can, packed to the brim with untamed adolescent fans, becomes idolized by many as a cultural apex. Intimate relationships between classmates form and so do dreams of a March bus ride to the Xcel Energy Center.

The high school state tournament is everything. Entire populations of small towns in the Northwoods coming out of their otherwise quiet, quiet woodwork for a trek to the big city.

The kisses blown from the blue lines of St. Paul to grandmothers and girlfriends and mailmen in living rooms across the state.

The long hair and long lines and long benches. For anyone and everyone with a hockey background, the opportunity for victory in such an electrifying environment is everything.

But the coronavirus pandemic will leave this energy out of the Xcel Energy Center, at least in part. This month, St. Paul will host up to 250 fans per game in a high school state tournament unlike any other. Most fans craving the annual thrill of young players turning heads will turn to their televisions.

But all is not lost, as the Minnesota Wild now hold a unique opportunity to recapture a sliver of this lost energy in the coming months Plagued with poor playoff performances and underwhelming acquisitions, the Wild have disappointed their otherwise devoted fanbase since the team’s inception in 1997. With little hope for a Stanley Cup victory, the State of Hockey began to follow the high school tournament for

some surefire catharsis. The highly coveted high school championship trophy has become a remedy for the curse so obviously placed on Minnesota’s professional teams in the 21st century.

Fans, it appears, have grown numb to the value of a Stanley Cup championship coming to the State of Hockey. To them, the prospect feels distant at best, unforeseeable at worst.

But the 2021 Minnesota Wild team holds the assets that it needs to revive the support and energy of its fanbase.

Led by dazzling rookie Kirill Kaprizov, the Wild sit in second place by points percentage in the West division. Their recent surge of success, capitalized by their sweep of a talented Las Vegas club on Wednesday, gives them seven wins in their last 10 games. The insurgence of young weapons like forwards Joel Erikksson Ek, paired with the flourishing confidence of goaltender Kaapo Kähkönen, makes for a level of stability and resilience that no one expected. The team’s off-season commitment to rebuilding and short-term contracts makes its success all the more remarkable.

While carrying the stain of a record-setting 30-year championship drought in Minnesota, Wild head coach Dean Evason displays a profound understanding of the team’s moving parts. His dynamic mid-game adjustments to the Wild’s line pairings create favorable matchups and complement his player’s talents in ways never reached by his coaching predecessors in the State of Hockey.

No hockey fan can deny the significance of momentum moving into the playoffs.

The Wild should enter the postseason with momentum unlike that of any Minnesota playoff push before. That is, if Kähkönen continues his unmistakably special rookie performance. If Evason continues to enhance the value of his assets. And, if Kaprizov’s marvelous puck work continues to translate into goals. The future of fans’ renewed allegiance with the Wild as their favorite Minnesota hockey team undoubtedly depends on these three factors.

Look for the Wild to defy all expectations in 2021, and look for fans to channel the forsaken energy of the high school hockey tournament into their support for one of the most promising Minnesota sports teams in years.

Nine teams to watch as March Madness begins Aidan Thomas Sports Writer

Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Mar. 3.

Just hours before I wrote this sports authority, the calendar flipped to March.

This is a beautiful thing because, COVID-allowing, March means March Madness, which simply may be the best sporting event in all sports at all levels.

This year, while there are a few mainstays at the top of the rankings, the chaos has been real. Just this past week, 18 of the top 25 teams in the AP Poll all suffered defeats at some point, with a pair of top-five teams (Ohio State and Illinois) falling to a Michigan State team that was previously 4-9 in Big Ten play. February was absolute insanity, and that has college basketball fans salivating for the pure chaos that could ensue in March.

We mentioned those mainstays at the top of the rankings; Gonzaga, Baylor and Michigan have a combined two losses, and all three are virtual locks to be one-seeds in the NCAA Tournament. However, if we know anything, being a top seed is hardly a guaranteed Final Four or national championship berth.

In fact, it’s no longer even a guarantee to escape the first round (sorry, Virginia). So which teams could potentially stop the march of the clear top three? We take a look at a few possible contenders, with teams tiered by projected seeding.

team. This is a squad that has scored 100+ points on multiple occasions, thanks to their prolific ability from beyond the arc. We have seen the Tide lose when their shooters are cold, which makes them a much more dangerous bet.

But if this team is hot, they can beat anyone in the country.

Illinois Fighting Illini One of my current Final Four picks, Illinois may end up stealing a 1-seed, and they’re going to be extremely dangerous in the tournament. They have the star power to succeed in March, and with Kofi Cockburn, they control the glass, ranking first among all Power-5 teams in defensive rebounds. With a sneaky good offense and a defense that doesn’t give up many second chances, the Illini are well-positioned for March success.

West Virginia Mountaineers West Virginia simply doesn’t have a bad loss, and they’re one of the seven teams in the top 25 that avoided a loss this past week. A gutsy and miraculous comeback victory at Texas has the Mountaineers flying high, and people forget that this West Virginia squad stayed within five points of Gonzaga, the Bulldogs’ lowest margin of victory to date.

Since losing by 14 to Kansas in December, the Mountaineers have lost four games by 12 points. West Virginia is a near lock for the Sweet 16 given their consistency against lowerranked teams, and I really like their odds to take down a giant come March.

3 Dark Horses (4-8 seeds) 4 Challengers (2-3 seeds) Kansas Jayhawks Houston Cougars Houston leads the nation in opponent field goal percentage, as they’ve held opposing squads to a pathetic 36.6% from the field.

Defense can win you games in March, and against Gonzaga and Baylor, whose elite offenses pose trouble for every team, it will be vital. Against Michigan, arguably the top defense in the country, it teams must control the Wolverines offensively in order to eke out a victory. Houston has that ability, but strength of schedule is definitely a concern.

It’s weird to consider Kansas a dark horse in March, but as of now they’re a projected 4-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

However, don’t be fooled. This team is going to be dangerously under seeded due to a slow start, but Bill Self’s squad is capable of going toe-to-toe with anyone right now. They emphasized that by handing Baylor their first loss in their last game. The Jayhawks have won six of seven, with the only loss being an overtime defeat to Texas. You think one of those No. 1-seeds wants to see the Jayhawks in the Sweet 16?

Alabama Crimson Tide This one is somewhat clear: The three-point shooting of Alabama can lift them to victory over any

Purdue Boilermakers Purdue is a 5- or 6-seed depending on who you ask, and boy

does this team have talent. The Boilermakers are 11-6 in a cutthroat Big Ten, and they swept Ohio State in two meetings with the possible top overall seed this season. Purdue has won five of seven and three straight, so they feel like they’re rounding into form at the right time, and this battle-tested squad with a clearly elite ceiling has a chance to make some serious noise.

BYU Cougars I dipped into fringe Cinderella status for the last team of this category. BYU is a projected 8-seed, and wow, I would not want to face them in the Round of 32. Outside two losses to Gonzaga, one by just 11 points, the Cougars have lost just twice since December 1st, by a combined seven points.

They’re 19-5 overall, shoot nearly 49% from the field, and are a top-5 team in the nation at collecting defensive rebounds. As far as 8-seeds go, this is not one that should be taken lightly.

2 Cinderella Squads Loyola Chicago Ramblers The Cinderella that is almost not a Cinderella. Loyola Chicago stunned everyone with their run to the Final Four as an 11-seed back in 2018, and now they have a lot of seniors from that magical run that are ready for another go at it. The Ramblers have a stifling defense and are going to be an incredibly dangerous 11-12 seed in March that could easily be in the Sweet 16.

LSU Tigers LSU is going to be a sneaky dangerous squad come March.

This team has an explosive offense, although they at times play a somewhat defense-optional approach. However, when you score 104 points, as LSU just did against Auburn, you can afford that. The offense may not be consistent enough to merit Final Four type attention, but if LSU gets their shooters hot and starts rolling, you’re not going to find too many top-10 teams that want to see the Tigers warming up on the other end of the court as a 9- or 10-seed.

Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all

Contact David Kramer at dkramer2@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

classifieds for content without issuing refunds.

FOR RENT OFF-CAMPUS HOUSE AVAIL stdnt rental this/future yrs. 4 bdrm,

4-6 stdnts, 2 blocks So of LB Lounge, safe, nice, area. 281-635-2019 I got in trouble / The first time my dad saw me / Dance with the devil / How are we so opposite? / I lived with your

sister / My first home since Mom had left / And I wrote my first song with him in the basement / And then he said goodbye way too soon / And this don’t feel right without you

sports

Baseball Continued from page 16

Florida State and North Carolina.

Their most recent game was a 7-0 midweek shutout of Richmond.

Their pitching staff is the strength of the team. Junior right-hander Mike Vasil is the ace of the group.

He’s posted a 0.48 ERA through three starts this season, and 20 strikeouts against just two walks.

Senior left-hander Andrew Abbott has also been highly effective thus far, owning a 1.96 ERA with 29 strikeouts. Virginia also has a number of quality arms in the bullpen.

The Irish certainly have the offensive firepower to go up against Virginia, however. Senior second basemen Jared Miller has been on a tear to begin the season, batting .417 and leads the team with 9 runs scored. Junior designated hitter Carter Putz has also been swinging the bat well, batting

M Soccer Continued from page 16

“Really proud of the team, it was a true team performance,” he told UND.com. “We knew it wouldn’t be perfect with it being our first game in a few months and after only a couple of weeks of training, but the team did a great job of grinding it out.”

To get the offense rolling again Friday, the Irish will likely look to Irish junior forward Jack Lynn and senior midfielder Aiden McFadden for a spark. Lynn sits third in the ACC with seven goals,

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | The Observer

.409, and senior first baseman Niko Kavadas leads the team with three home runs and nine runs batted in.

However, the Irish pitchers have struggled at times this season, posting a 5.33 ERA. Graduate student right-hander Christian Scafadi has posted a 1.50 ERA thus far but has only pitched six innings in two starts. Graduate student John Michael Bertrand, who struggled in his first outing of the year against Wake Forest, allowing four runs in three and two-thirds innings pitched, bounced back in a big way against Clemson to even the series last weekend, pitching seven masterfulinnings,allowingjustthreehits.

Jarrett has also turned to the bullpen early and often through the first six games, and they have answered the call.

This series would be a big win for an Irish team that is looking to continue its remarkable rise

under Jarrett, who joined the Irish after leading UNC Greensboro for seven seasons. The Irish were among the best teams in the country during the shortened 2020 season. They compiled an 11-2 record before the season was shut down. Factor in this year’s start, and the Irish have a 15-4 record since Jarrett took the helm.

Notre Dame has not made the NCAA tournament since 2015.

They have not advanced past regionals since 2002. A series victory over Virginia, historically among the best in college baseball, would go a long way towards that goal.

The first pitch will be on Friday at 3 pm from Disharoon Park in Charlottesville, televised on ACC Network Extra. Games two and three will be at 1 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s game will also be on ACC Network Extra. Sunday’s will air on the ACC Network.

despite missing time early in the fall due to injury. In the final regular season game of the fall, Lynn scored a first-half hat trick against Louisville to help the Irish earn a spot in the ACC Tournament with a 4-1 victory. McFadden is tied for fourth in the conference with four assists, all of which have come from crosses. The Irish No. 10 was selected by Atlanta United FC in the third round of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. Senior midfielder Dawson McCartney, a two-time Second Team All-Ivy selection who transferred from Dartmouth in December, is still awaiting his first appearance for

the Irish.

Meanwhile, the balanced Duke attack is led in points and assists by freshman midfielder Nick Pariano, who came off the bench and opened the scoring last time out for the Blue Devils in a 4-2 win over Virginia Tech last Saturday.

Duke’s defense struggled in the fall, conceding 15 times in eight games but the they opened up the spring season by allowing just one goal in their first three games.

Kickoff at Koskinen Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m. The match will be available on ACC Network Extra.

Paid Advertisement

13

WTE position breakdown: Safety Observer Staff Report

senior season in 2021.

The Observer sports department’s way-too-early previews of the upcoming football season are back in full swing. Along with game previews, we’ve got breakdowns of every position group; starting with the safeties.

Brown saw limited action in every game of the 2020 season, recording eight tackles, seven of them solo, and nearly recorded an interception against Duke in the first game of the year. While Brown will likely play a relief role in the rotation of safeties, he does bring some experience to the table having played several more snaps than the others competing with him in the depth chart.

Key Departures: Shaun Crawford Crawford had a long tenure at Notre Dame, staying for six seasons with the Irish, though he did not see action in 2015 or 2018 due to injury.

In 2016, Crawford only saw action in two games before suffering a season ending achilles injury. Despite the setbacks, he had an impressive career with the Irish, recording 112 tackles — 78 of them solo — and five interceptions.

Starting his career as a cornerback in nickel packages, Crawford shifted to strong safety last offseason before operating at cornerback for one game against Florida State last season due to COVID-19 issues. Despite the position change, Crawford racked up three tackles and an interception in the 42-26 victory over the Seminoles.

Not only will Notre Dame be missing Crawford’s production and flexibility, they will also miss his leadership, at captain.

Key Returnees: Kyle Hamilton A sophomore slump did not seem to find Kyle Hamilton this year as he was a key piece for the Irish secondary in the 2020 season. Starting all but one game, Hamilton recorded 63 tackles, 51 of which were solo. He had his best performance of the season in the ACC Championship game against Clemson where he picked up 10 tackles and his lone interception of the season. The No. 8 ranked safety in the 2019 recruiting class, according to 247Sports, has certainly performed at a high level for Notre Dame, being named AP First Team All-ACC for his efforts in the 2020 season. He will likely play another key role for the Irish defense in 2021 in what is likely to be his final season in an Irish uniform.

Houston Griffith Griffith has been bounced around between corner and safety the last few seasons but has seemed to find a little more stability in the 2020 season. He saw action in every game last season, including two starts against USF and Florida State, recording 14 tackles, 13 of them solo.

The highest-rated prospect in Notre Dame’s 2018 recruiting class per 247Sports, Griffith declared his intent to transfer following the 2020 season. However, with the departure of defensive coordinator Clark Lea and thanks to efforts by new DC Marcus Freeman, Griffith decided to stick around in South Bend for another season.

He has a very real chance to try and earn a solidified spot at the No. 1 strong safety position for his

D.J. Brown

K.J. Wallace Wallace also saw limited action last season in only four games, posting three tackles, two of them solo in the 52-0 win vs. USF. The Georgia native will likely need to have a strong showing in the spring in order to break into the rotation and see more playing time for 2021.

Litchfield Ajavon Though he did not record any tackles, Ajavon saw action in four games last season. Like Wallace, Ajavon will need to have a promising showing in the spring in order to try and earn a spot into the safety rotation for 2021.

Isaiah Pryor Pryor transferred to Notre Dame from Ohio State and figured to play strong safety, but Clark Lea and co. saw his best fit at the rover linebacker position in the Irish defensive scheme. He recorded eight solo tackles, one for loss and one sack.

With new defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman coming in, Pryor is a player to watch as Freeman brings his own personal touch to South Bend and possibly moves Pryor back to his original position.

Key Additions: Justin Walters and Jojo Johnson A pair of 3-star secondary players from the Midwest, Walters and Johnson will look to make a move at a position that faced serious question marks last season outside of Kyle Hamilton. Walters is an early enrollee and could get key reps with Hamilton out following an ankle procedure, while Johnson is regarded as an underrated prospect in the 2021 recruiting class that could blossom into something special.

Position Grades: Dominic Gibson — Sports Writer The Notre Dame secondary will be relying heavily on Kyle Hamilton once again this coming season, as he has more than proved himself a key piece. However much of a monster Hamilton may be at safety, he will not be able to do it alone and I don’t think the rest of the secondary can provide enough support. Defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman will certainly look to recruit more safety bodies after the 2021 season, but until that time comes, he and Chris O’Leary will need to shake up their scheming to try and make up for some of the gaps they have to fill.

Grade: C

14

Sports

The observer | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

M Bball Continued from page 16

we had enough juice to hang around and we really didn’t.”

From the opening tip, the Tar Heels established themselves in the paint, liv ing up to their reputation as the No. 1 team nationally in offensive rebounds.

W hile the Irish struggled to find their offensive groove, the Tar Heels continued to find for ward Day’Ron Sharpe, who scored six-straight points to give North Carolina a 9-5 lead.

Despite this only being Sharpe’s fourth game in the starting lineup, Brey and his coaching staff were ver y familiar w ith the 6-foot-11 freshman after he dropped a career-high 25 points in a one-point w in over the Irish in early Januar y.

W hile the group of Notre Dame juniors led by guard Prentiss Hubb and for ward Nate Laszewski tried to manage the momentum of the game, they couldn’t seem to mount a response to UNC’s dominant rebounding performance.

At the midway point of the first half the Tarheels had 14 offensive rebounds which resulted in 13 second-chance points.

The size of Sharpe, sophomore for ward Armando Bacot and first year for ward Walker Kessler seemed to catch up w ith the guard-heav y Irish.

“That’s been a weakness of ours all year,” Brey said. “We’re not a great defensive rebounding team … and it’s their greatest strength.”

He added that even when his team executed a fundamental block out, the Tar Heels have the talent to still end up w ith the ball.

In an effort to close the gap, the Irish got their big guys involved, looking to Laszewski and graduate student for ward Juwan Durham.

Back-to-back free throws

by Laszewski cut the lead to 11, the narrowest margin for the rest of the game.

For the remainder of the first half, both teams exchanged points in the paint and along the free throw

line. Despite a last-minute run by the Tar Heels, the Irish returned to the locker room dow n 14 at half.

To open the second half, UNC once again extended the lead w ith a quick 3-pointer by first-year guard Caleb Love.

W hile each team sunk four free throws over the course of the next t wo minutes, the Irish added in back-to-back 3-pointers by Hubb and junior guard Trey Wertz.

Laszewski and graduate student for ward Nik Djogo each returned to the free throw line to bring the Irish w ithin 12 w ith just over 15 minutes remaining.

Then things caught up to them. Between the size advantage and wear and tear of the w in the night before, the Irish quick ly lost all momentum, allow ing North Carolina to go on a 42-4 run.

The margin got as bad as 101-51 in favor of the Tar Heels before an 8-0 garbage time run for the Irish to close out the game.

101-59. It’s the sixth-worst margin of defeat in Notre Dame men’s basketball histor y, the worst since a 47-point loss to Kentuck y in 1961.

“After watching them against Duke on Saturday night I was scared to death if we got to them, and my worst fears came true,” Brey said. “They just overwhelmed us. It was an 11-point game in the second half and then just the roof fell in and we couldn’t do any thing inside.

And they certainly have big bodies that just keep pounding on you. Their defense was great too … demoralized inside and then on the defensive end.”

With nearly their entire bench seeing the f loor, the Tar Heels finished w ith five players in double digits, led by double-doubles for Sharpe, Bacot and Kessler.

Meanwhile, that 8-0 Notre Dame run came in the last two minute off back-to-back 3-pointers by freshman guard Tony Sanders Jr. and a lay up by sophomore guard Elijah Morgan.

Junior guard Cormac Ryan’s two free throws were the only points by a significant rotation player in the

final stretch of play for the Irish.

W hile disappointed by the season’s final showing, Brey reiterated that a lot of good has come out of the season for the program.

“I think a lot of those guys got better. Wasn’t good enough to earn an NCA A bid, I get that,” he said. “We threw the whole group to the wolves and I think the challenge is how do we react and how do we grow from it.

And a year from Sunday we need to show up in that bracket.”

Much of the future is still unknow n for the Irish, but Hubb said he has complete confidence in Brey as a coach and leader.

“He’s not going to lie to us, he’s not going to sugarcoat things,” Hubb said of Brey. “He wants us to know that he sees the potential in all of us and we can get there, so we just got to keep believ ing in him.”

Brey, too, echoed confidence in the state of the program, comparing it to his seventh season at Notre Dame, when they ended up returning to the NCA A tournament after a threeyear hiatus.

Looking for ward, he also discussed the emergence of new leaders in the program, as well as the addition of Paul Atkinson Jr. as a graduate student transfer from Yale next season.

“We did it in year seven, we had to go back and we did. We had some momentum. I think I’m right on that mat again — been there, done that,” Brey said. “There’s a nucleus of guys coming back.

Hard to evaluate them tonight, but some of them have gotten better this year. We get a big guy who is a proven low post player in Atkinson.”

With a key recruiting class preparing to enter their senior season, there’s no question: The Irish have their sights set on one thing — an NCA A bid.

“I told them a year from now, Selection Sunday should be to see our names f lash up,” Brey said. “And that’s the crossroads we’re at.”

Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond2@nd.edu

Please recycle The Observer.

Hockey Continued from page 16

of good goaltending, penalt y kills and power plays w ill be v ital as ever in the postseason.

“You certainly can’t w in w ithout those specific things in the playoffs,” he said. “Those three things and discipline are probably the most critical things going into the postseason.”

Jackson believes his team has been play ing more complete games as of late, and if the Irish are to make a run in the tournament, they w ill need to keep playing 60 minutes of good hockey.

“It’s still a concern of mine, just being able to play the full 60 minutes at a high level,” he said. “But we have gotten better, and hopefully going into the playoffs, we w ill have the sense of urgency to be able to play three full periods or more. For us, it’s just a matter of playing consistently through 60 minutes.”

Currently sitting at 19th in the poll, the Irish might have a distant chance of receiv ing an at-large berth in the upcoming 16-team NCA A tournament, but it is likely they w ill need to beat Penn State on Sunday as well as top-seed Wisconsin in the semifinals to have a chance.

Because of a lack of non-conference play this season, the selection process for the NCA A tournament seems fairly up in the air, but Jackson believes his team has a strong case for a spot, based on the strength of their schedule in the Big Ten. “My best defense for us to have a chance is that I’d be surprised if there’s another team in the countr y that’s had to play three of the top teams 12 times this season.

And we have done okay,” he said. “We have four w ins and a tie in those 12 games, so we are close to .500. We have played 12 games against Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, and I think that should stand for something.”

The Gophers, Badgers and Wolverines are currently fourth, fifth and sixth in the countr y, respectively, which w ill make the path for the Irish difficult. If the Irish can

get past the Nittany Lions on Sunday, they w ill likely have to beat t wo of those three teams to claim the title.

“I think we’re gonna probably have to w in Sunday for sure, and probably Monday [against Wisconsin], which is going to be a challenge.

To w in the championship would be a real challenge w ith three games in three days,” Jackson said. “I think we still control our ow n destiny as far as I’m concerned. A ll we have to do right now is focus on Sunday.”

Jackson discussed the mentalit y that his team must have going into the postseason.

“It’s not just about the intensit y, but it’s also about the execution. Most teams when they’re dialed in are going to execute their game plan as well as they can,” Jackson said. “They’re going to play w ith great mental intensit y as far as play ing the game the way that they’ve been taught to play.”

The Irish have not played well at Compton this year, as they posted a 5-10-1 home record compared to a 9-2-1 away standing this season.

Jackson discussed how, when play ing at home, the effects of an empt y arena have been more apparent to him and his team.

“W hen we’re on the road, I ver y seldom noticed the lack of fans.

W hen we are at home, I noticed that, and I have to believe that has a direct impact on the studentathletes,” he said. “Not hav ing the pep band, not hav ing the student section and not hav ing the actual game noise … It just feels bizarre.”

The Irish are 3-1 against the Nittany Lions on the year and are coming off of a series sweep of them last weekend at Compton, recording dominating w ins of 5-2 and 7-1.

The teams split a pair of overtime decisions earlier in the season in Happy Valley.

Sunday’s game is set for a noon puck drop, and the entiret y of the Big Ten Tournament can be v iewed on the Big Ten Net work.

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

sports

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | The Observer

15

Column

Notre Dame football “What ifs...?”

Hayden Adams Sports Editor

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — If you’ve been following my work with The Observer for a while, first of all, thank you. Second, you may have seen various pieces I’ve done related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In a similar spirit, inspired in part by the Disney+ series “What If…” set to be released this year, here’s some fun hypothetical questions to dissect about Notre Dame football from the four years I’ve been on campus. So, without further ado, it’s time to ask,

And speaking of recruiting, would another year of Elko have given the Irish a little more steam on the recruiting trail? That’s something to consider because one of the (very few) critiques you could make of Lea is that, at least from an outsider’s perspective, he never seemed to show the same kind of elite recruiting chops that the coordinators sandwiched around him have shown.

Regardless, I think Notre Dame fans couldn’t really ask for anything more production-wise from the elite defensive play they’ve been blessed with the last four seasons.

What if… …Mike Elko didn’t jump ship for Texas A&M?

What if... …Kevin Stepherson didn’t get himself kicked off the team?

A lot of people liked to draw parallels between Notre Dame and Texas A&M at the end of this past season, especially when it became clear that the most likely scenario for the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff would be a debate between the two teams. The Mike Elko/Clark Lea dynamic was one of the factors making the teams eerily similar to compare.

Elko, of course, was defensive coordinator in South Bend for one season in 2017 before being lured away for a big-time pay raise on Jimbo Fisher’s staff in College Station. Lea came to Notre Dame with Elko from Wake Forest and served as the linebackers coach for a season before getting promoted to DC in 2018.

This is an interesting question to me both for the ramifications it would have in 2021 and 2022 as well as in recruiting. Firstly, let’s suppose the Irish had just one more year of Elko, and let’s assume they still go to the Playoff with him in 2018.

Then, in 2019, Lea takes over as defensive coordinator for the first time.

I doubt Lea would miss much of a beat taking over as defensive coordinator just one year later than he actually got the job. However, with only one or two years of experience, does he still get a head coaching look from schools like Boston College and Vanderbilt? If not, does he stay for a third season in 2021 rather than take a Group-of-5 coaching position?

If so, then Notre Dame doesn’t have an opening for Marcus Freeman, who probably goes to LSU, which means the Irish probably don’t have the same defensive recruiting boost as they do currently.

The way that Stepherson made me feel when he diced up USC in 2017… magical.

Too bad he had to commit numerous violations of team rules — and actual crimes like shoplifting.

To be clear, this isn’t meant to be a commentary on Stepherson as a person. I feel it’s important to note that people are more than the worst decision they’ve ever made. Maybe he’s changed his life for the better, maybe he hasn’t. I don’t know the guy.

With that disclaimer out of the way, just imagine a starting wide receiver group of Miles Boykin, Chase Claypool and Stepherson in 2018. I don’t know if Stepherson would have made the same Randy Moss-esque catch like Chris Finke did against Michigan in that season’s opener, but I’m pretty sure he would have made several other elite plays throughout the season.

But this really becomes an important question when we get to the Cotton Bowl against Clemson. Would Stepherson have made a difference against the Tigers?

He certainly presented a dual-threat capability both through the air and carrying the rock that none of the other wide receivers did.

Maybe that speed would have allowed him to create more separation that the other receivers, a factor that Ian Book very clearly took into consideration before every trying to let it rip.

Unfortunately, I don’t think Stepherson would have made the difference because, again, a lot hinges on who’s throwing him the ball, and Book showed throughout his career that he was — for lack of a better word — scared to take risks. It’s possible

that Book could have gained confidence from having a weapon like Stepherson and thereby would have had faith in his receivers to make tough plays, but I’m extremely hesitant to think that would have been a probable outcome.

What if... …The staff benched Ian Book for Phil Jurkovec?

Let’s be honest. If recruiting rankings and raw potential mean anything in college football, Phil Jurkovec should have supplanted Ian Book.

That especially after the miserable showing from Book against Michigan in 2019 that sparked the Notre Dame quarterback controversy anew.

That was a difficult night for every single Notre Dame player involved, but it shone a light on the fact that the quarterback position was leaving a lot to be desired, because no College Football Playoff contender should ever have their starting quarterback go 8-25 passing in any situation. It also shone a light on the fact that, whether it was the fault of the staff or the player, Jurkovec had not developed enough.

Because Brian Kelly said point blank that if they thought Phil could win them games, Phil would be playing.

But let’s just say for sake of argument that the staff actually made the bold decision to bench Book for the following Virginia Tech game and gave Jurkovec the reins. What happens? Do the Irish drop it to the Hokies? Does Jurkovec play poorly and, if he does, does Book return and still lead them to a comeback victory, or would that ultimately be a losing effort?

If Notre Dame lost that game to Virginia Tech, whether with Book or Jurkovec at the helm, it’s honestly kind of difficult for me to envision Book returning to South Bend in 2020 (and maybe even Jurkovec for that matter), or the team making the CFP. Both would have lost faith in the coaching staff, so maybe the Irish go get a graduate transfer for 2020.

It’s really interesting to evaluate just how important that one-point win over Virginia Tech was for the Notre Dame program because of the course it ultimately set them on for the rest of that season and this most recent one.

What if... …Clark Lea had gotten the Boston College job?

Speaking of what

ramifications the 2019 season would have on 2020, imagine if Clark Lea was offered to move to Chestnut Hill rather than forced to wait another year to take a head coaching job. From all reports, he didn’t lose the job — former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jeff Haf ley won it, and you can see from his first season that things are looking up for the Eagles.

If Lea is gone after 2019, does the Irish defense attain the same kind of absurd stoutness that they showed this season despite numerous areas of weakness? Do they do that with, for example, current defensive line coach Mike Elston stepping into the defensive coordinator role?

I’m not sure what DC options were available following the 2019 season, but it’s tough to see the Irish landing a home run hire there who would leave after one season to then open up a spot for Marcus Freeman this season. Maybe they could have swiped him from the Bearcats a year early then.

In any case, let’s be sure to recognize that, as for the recruiting implications of this hypothetical, the 2021 recruiting cycle was probably the strangest ever and a different defensive coordinator would almost certainly have had different results. This year’s signing class appears to be a good one — though we won’t know for sure until the next couple of years parse it out — but maybe the opinion shifts with a different player here and there.

Food for thought.

And, finally, what if… …Jarrett Patterson didn’t break his foot against Boston College?

This seems like the most relevant “what if” question from the end of the 2020 season because it was pretty clear that the offensive line was the crux of Notre Dame’s offensive success so losing Patterson definitely hurt.

It didn’t matter much against North Carolina or Syracuse because both Zeke Correll and Josh Lugg were quality enough to get by with relative ease, but the reason Lugg had to play (with an injury of his own, mind you) was because Correll sprained his ankle. So maybe I should have included Correll’s injury in the question seeing as it kept him out of the starting lineup in the ACC Championship.

And that’s really the point of this hypothetical:

evaluating the impact a healthy center would have had on Notre Dame-Clemson pt. 2. Because, if we’re being honest, the offensive line actually played really well against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, so this is more a question of if a healthier offensive line would have made a difference against a fully-loaded Tigers defense featuring Tyler Davis, James Skalski and Mike Jones (who all missed the Nov. 7 matchup with the Irish).

If Patterson would have helped buy Book enough time — or at least given him a greater sense of comfort — to find receivers downfield, and Notre Dame ended up scraping out at least a close loss to Clemson, would the committee have just dropped Notre Dame to No. 3 in the final rankings so they could avoid a semifinal matchup with Bama? Probably not. But a win would have most likely kept ND at No. 2 and earned them a date with Ohio State — who, of course, ended up running Clemson out of the building in the Playoff.

Maybe Clark Lea’s Irish defense would have fared better in a semifinal matchup against the Buckeyes than the Tiger’s defense did, or maybe the Notre Dame offense would have had a better time playing ball control against the Ohio State defense than Alabama’s.

Interesting to think about, although I’m inclined to say that any scenario would have resulted in a Playoff loss for the Irish either way.

Of course, you can think differently. And that’s the point of this exercise, because there are bound to be a varied assortment of opinions on these situations and others, whether from the last four years or before I ever paid attention to Notre Dame football.

I just hope that one day in the future, when I’m old and grey (at the ripe age of 25) and reading The Observer, another sportswriter will have taken up the torch of connecting Notre Dame football to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And, if all is right with the world, I’ll be pondering the hypothetical of “W hat if Tyler Buchner didn’t just lead Notre Dame to back-to-back national championships wins in 2022 and 2023? ” Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

16

The observer | Friday, MARCH 12, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

nd men’s basketball | ND 59, UNC 101

HOCKEY

ND set for Penn State matchup

By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

The 19th-ranked Notre Dame hockey team w ill play in the Big Ten Tournament beginning this weekend at Compton Family Ice Arena.

The Irish (14-12-2, 1210-2-1-2-2 Big Ten) are the No. 4 seed in the tournament and w ill play their first game against the 5thseeded Penn State Nittany Lions (9-11-0, 7-11-0-2-10 Big Ten) on Sunday at noon. The Irish have been play ing well as of late, recording sweeps in their past two series against Michigan State and Penn State.

Head coach Jeff Jackson has attributed a lot of his team’s success to the talent of his team — primarily senior goaltender Dylan St. Cy r — on the penalt y kill.

“Dylan St. Cy r has given us

Irish season ends with 42-4 second half run by Tar Heels

real solid goaltending here in the last several weeks,” Jackson said. “Our penalt y kills have gotten better. I think part of that is due to Dylan. But I think that we have finally solidified certain guys to kill penalties both on for wards and defense, and I think we have done a much better play in that regard.”

Jackson hopes that his second team can improve on the power play in the conference tournament this coming week.

“I think that the tough thing for us is we need to get a second group to be productive, because it’s hard to have a successful power play when you only have a minute of a two-minute power play that you’re legitimately gonna have a chance to score,” he said.

Jackson also acknowledged that the combination see HOCKEY PAGE 14

By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS Sports Writer

Courtesy of the ACC

Irish junior guard Dane Goodman pulls up for a three-pointer during Notre Dame’s 80-77 win over Wake Forest on Tuesday night.

Irish look to stretch success to weekend in Virginia Observer Staff Report

see BASEBALL PAGE 13

see M BBALL PAGE 14

ND men’S Soccer

BASEBALL

After taking two of three games from Clemson, the Irish surged into the top 25, the first time this season. The Notre Dame baseball team (4-2, 4-2 ACC) will take on Virginia (7-5, 2-4 ACC) this weekend in Charlottesville, Va. Notre Dame has now won three straight road ACC series, dating back to the 2020 season, for the first time since joining the conference. The 25th ranked Irish have found a great deal of success on the road under second-year head coach Link Jarrett. They finished the abbreviated 2020 campaign with a 9-1 record away from home to go with this year’s 4-2 mark.

The two teams have faced off 15 times over the years, with Virginia taking 10 of the matchups, including four of six at home.

The Cavaliers won the last series between the squads, taking two of three games in South Bend in April 2019.

The Cavaliers have faltered slightly as of late, dropping series to

Less than 24 hours after a heart-stopping buzzer beater to keep their postseason hopes alive, Notre Dame was sent home by North Carolina, losing 101-59 in the second round of the ACC tournament.

This early departure in the conference tournament, an 11th-place ACC regular season finish and a final record of 11-15 (7-11 ACC) marks the fourth-straight year Notre Dame w ill miss the NCA A tournament.

“I don’t know if we had much left after last night either, quite frank ly, because we kind of pulled that one out of our backside just to stay alive,” head coach Mike Brey said follow ing Wednesday’s loss.

“And I was ver y concerned about if

ND to close road swing at Duke clean sheet by Virginia forward Jeremy Verley in the 95th minute.

Notre Dame will look to stay After Irish sophomore midfielder above .500 in 2020-2021 and re- Michael Pellegrino conceded a bound from an overtime loss at free kick just inside the halfway Virginia when the Irish (6-5, 3-3- line, Verley delivered a driven ball 0 ACC) finish a three-game road into the box that bounced once trip to begin the spring season at before nestling into McLaughlin’s Duke (3-7-2, 3-4-0 ACC) Friday. top-right corner untouched. With Though the Blue Devils and Irish the win, the Cavaliers avenged an were knocked out of the fall ACC October 2-1 double-overtime loss Tournament by then-No.1 Pitt at in South Bend. Notre Dame head the quarterfinal and semifinal coach Chad Riley said he was stages, respectively, Friday’s match- relatively pleased with his team’s up in Durham could have postsea- performance.

“Firstly, I am proud of the son implications. With the 2020 NCAA Tournament postponed to team’s effort,” he told UND.com. the spring due to COVID-19, Notre “I thought we had some very good Dame appears poised to earn an moments in the game. Coming to at-large bid. Duke, however, likely UVA is always a tough game and needs a string of victories in their credit to them, they found a way final five games, all against ACC in OT. Now it’s time to learn and opponents, to get on the right side move on to prep for Duke.”

The Irish were able to find the of the bubble.

The Irish dropped out of the back of the net at Butler through United Soccer Coaches’ Top-25 freshman midfielder Matthew after failing to record a single shot Radivojsa in a 1-0 win to open the on target last Sunday. Despite not spring season in late February. conceding for the first 184 min- Riley said his team’s togetherutes of the spring season, Notre ness was critical to their hardDame senior goalkeeper Keagan fought victory in Indianapolis.

McLaughlin and his back line were denied a second successive see M SOCCER PAGE 13

Observer Staff Report

ALEXIS HERNANDEZ | The Observer

Irish senior outfielder Spencer Myers stands ready to bat during Notre Dame’s 5-2 home win over Virginia on April 5, 2019.