Print Edition for The Observer for Monday, May 10, 2021

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Volume 55, Issue 69 | Monday, may 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Anti-racism series wraps up Final Klau Center lecture features students, alumnus reflecting on activism

By AIDAN O’MALLEY News Writer

The Klau Center for Civil and Human Rights hosted four students and one alumnus Friday afternoon in the final panel of its “Building an Anti-Racist Vocabulary” lecture series.

Junior Miranda Cuozzo, seniors Matthew Aubourg and Frankie Tran and recent graduate Malik Zaire joined the live Zoom session to share their histories and perspectives of student activism at Notre Dame.

Senior Mikyala Vaughn, unable to join the live discussion, participated in a prerecorded interview.

Cuozzo, an architecture major and Africana Studies minor, is the vice president of the Notre Dame chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students. She is also a founding member of Frontline, a multicultural student advocacy group dedicated to generating discussions of inequality on campus.

Before coming to Notre Dame,

Cuozzo said she conceived of racism as a historical and individual phenomenon, but upon her arrival, she began to understand its greater systemic roots.

“I started to realize that the way I grew up was not the way that everybody else grew up,” Cuozzo said. “When I came here and started meeting people who had pools in their houses and regularly went to different countries for vacation, I was able to identify these differences and start to understand that there’s a systemic reason why our experiences are so different.”

Cuozzo’s work on racial justice began in the classroom with “Realities of Race,” a one-credit seminar she took through the Center for Social Concerns in the spring of 2019. The seminar included an immersion component in Chicago and St. Louis, where Cuozzo interacted with local minority communities and learned more about systemic racism.

The seminar also served as the inspiration for Frontline.

“All of the students in [the

By ALYSA GUFFEY Notre Dame News Editor

AIDAN O’MALLEY | The Observer

Friday’s “Building an Anti-Racist Vocabulary” panel marked the final lecture in a semester-long series hosted by the Klau Center.

seminar] kind of realized that these conversations were important, and we didn’t want them to stop when we got back to campus,” Cuozzo said. “But we also recognized that those of us who elected to take this seminar did that for a reason, and we couldn’t just be having these conversations among ourselves. We needed to broaden it out to the rest of the Notre Dame community.”

Since its founding, Frontline has worked to bring cultural

clubs together and promote communication between them.

Frontline also organizes “Let’s Talk About Race,” an annual event hosted as part of Notre Dame’s Walk the Walk Week.

Senior Matthew Aubourg, who studies environmental science and sustainability, was also a student in “Realities of Race.” But his most recent work in the fight for racial justice came later — after see LECTURE PAGE 4

Students prepare ND reaches 90% for finals week fully vaccinated

By TRINITY REILLY News Writer

Finals week at Notre Dame will be held differently this semester, as reading days will take place on May 12, 13 and 16 — Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday — and examination days will take place on May 14, 15 and 17 through 19 — Friday, Saturday and Monday through Wednesday.

While the new schedule makes finals week longer, giving students more time to study and prepare for finals, many have expressed frustration at having to take exams on a Saturday. One such student is sophomore Lyla Senn, who said she has two finals scheduled for that day.

Senn said she typically appreciates having finals earlier in the week so that she has more time to spend

NEWS PAGE 4

with friends before school goes on break — but she was shocked to find out she will now have to take finals over the weekend.

“I didn’t believe it at first and then it was very upset,” Senn said.

“When the professor said that our final was on Saturday, I was like, ‘Are you kidding?’”

Senn noted that the University has not given students many breaks this semester and said finals week reflects that pattern. There were a total of two “mini-break” days included in the spring semester, on March 2 and April 21— a Tuesday and a Wednesday, respectively.

Students also were given a break for Good Friday, on April 2.

“It’s just been such a brutal semester,” Senn said. “I feel like they’re taking the one day a week see FINALS PAGE 4

SCENE PAGE 5

New minor explores health

Observer Staff Report Universit y President Fr. John Jenk ins announced in an email Friday afternoon that 90% of Notre Dame undergraduate and graduate students have documented their second Pfizer or Moderna dose or their single Johnson & Johnson dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In accordance w ith prev iously promised changes, Jenk ins said additiona l protocols w ill be rela xed. Namely, fully vaccinated students w ill no longer be required to complete week ly sur veillance testing or ex it testing beginning Monday, May 10, $15 in f lex points w ill be

VIEWPOINT PAGE 6

added to ever y student’s Irish1 Card Friday evening and Senior Week events w ill continue as planned since 90% of the senior class has been vaccinated.

Jenk ins congratulated students for reaching the vaccination goa l, but encouraged them to continue follow ing hea lth protocols through the end of the semester.

“It has been a tremendously cha llenging year, and I thank you for a ll you have done to ma ke it successful,” he said in the email, “Your being vaccinated at such a high rate w ill not only protect you, it w ill ma ke the campus, the loca l communit y and your home communities safer.”

SOFTBALL PAGE 12

The College of Arts and Letters will offer a new minor program — health, humanities and society — beginning in fall 2021. The minor will explore the social and historical nature of American medicine and healthcare and how it relates to being a physician or patient.

Anna Geltzer, assistant director of the University’s Reilly Center, said the development of the minor has been in the works for years, and hopes to have health, humanities and society ultimately become an academic major.

Geltzer explained that many students had been discussing the need for a curriculum that focused on the cultural aspects of medicine to supplement the technical aspects that were already being taught.

“You really do need to prepare people for understanding the context of the practice as well as the practice itself,” Geltzer said.

Vania Smith-Oka, professor of anthropology, will serve as director of the minor. In her previous work and courses, she has explored how doctors are trained.

The minor includes two core courses: American Healthcare in Perspective and Contemporary Concerns in Medicine, a seminar course. Geltzer, who is teaching American Healthcare in Perspective this fall, said talking about the context around healthcare is important for those attending medical school.

“Understanding the history of the system and the system the context and comparative perspective is really, really crucial because the system is what shapes your experience as a physician, the same way that it shapes your experience as a patient,” Geltzer said.

The second seminar course will explore a variety of topics from see MINOR PAGE 4

BASEBALL PAGE 12

2

TODAY

The observer | Monday, may 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

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“Being back at home with my family, especially because we play lots of board games.”

“No homework.”

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Courtesy of Shannon McCloskey

The Saint Mary’s lacrosse team competed in the Division III national championships over the weekend. The team’s season came to a close Sunday afternoon after the Belles lost to No. 8 Denison University. The team ended the 2020-2021 season with a 13-5 record.

The next Five days:

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Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

McWell Reflection Challenge virtual all day Receive two relection prompts a day.

Last Day of Classes tri-campus all day Last day of class for undergraduate students.

Reading Day tri-campus all day No final exams scheduled to allow students to study.

Reading Day Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s all day No final exams scheduled for study.

Final Exams tri-campus all day First day of final exams for Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s.

An Evening with Jay Pharoah Notre Dame Stadium 9 - 10 p.m.

Space is limited. RSVP online.

Professional Headshots Duncan Student Center 11 a.m. - noon Free to students.

Study at the Snite Snite Museum of Art 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

All students welcome to study in the museum.

Gallery of European Studies DeBartolo Quad all day An outside exhibit.All are welcome.

Daily Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 5:15 p.m.

All are welcome to attend.

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ndsmcobserver.com | Monday, may 10, 2021| The ObserveR

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DIANE PARK | The Observer

The Snite’s impact on the arts at Notre Dame

By UYEN LE, CHRIS RUSSO, EVAN McKENNA and MAGGIE CLARK From the Archives Researchers

This week’s edition of From the Archives highlights the Snite Museum’s impressive collections and cultural influence. In the next two and a half years before its impending closure, we hope that you’ll take advantage of the Snite’s central location and experience the lively art pieces, which offer both a glimpse into the past worlds wherein they were created and insights into our present.

Snite commemorates five years of campus culture

Jan. 27, 1986 | Patrick F. Murphy | Researched by Chris Russo The Snite Museum opened its doors on Nov. 7, 1980. Frederick B. Snite, a successful entrepreneur and the museum’s namesake, never got to see the fruits of his donation. But The Observer’s Patrick F. Murphy noted that after five years, the Snite was “one of the top college museums in existence.”

The museum initially operated

with a small acquisition fund. Early contributions to the collection came from Snite himself, including 41 “Old Master” paintings.

The term “Old Master” generally refers to the most recognized European artists working between the Renaissance and 1800. At the time, a “Madonna and Child” was on display in the atrium, dedicated to Snite’s son, who lived in an iron lung for 18 years.

Other notable works in the museum’s early collection included etchings by Rembrandt, Picasso, Remington and C.M. Russel. Artists-in-residence at the University were responsible for other contributions, including an extensive collection from Ivan Mestrovic.

The original staff was led by Museum Director Dean A. Porter and his staff of 12 full-time employees. In addition to curating the collection, Porter and his team coordinated activities for students and community members.

The Snite’s early duties continue to this day. For students, the museum offers curriculum-focused tours and flexible visiting hours.

For the greater community, the Paid Advertisement

Snite hosts various events, including films, concerts and lectures.

After only five years, the Snite had enjoyed attendance just short of Yale and Harvard, thought by some “to be the best college galleries in the country.” Considering the youth of the Snite, Murphy viewed the recognition to be especially promising.

The fifth anniversary called for special commemoration, and the Snite unveiled a donation of 70 Rembrandt etchings. Now, 40 years after the opening of the Snite, many of these pieces continue to commemorate the Snite family’s generosity and educate the student body.

Eight years after opening, Snite paints a bright future

Aug. 29, 1988 | Kathy Lenney | Researched by Evan McKenna It was 1988, and the Snite was blossoming into a campus mainstay. But how and when did museum director Dean Porter truly know the Snite had succeeded? His answer was simple — in his mind, the museum had made it the moment he could afford to be picky

with pieces.

“We are looking to be as good as we can,” Porter told Accent writer Kathy Lenney (’91), illustrating the museum’s newly-earned right to refinement. “We need great pieces to be good.”

But the Snite’s curators didn’t need to choose between quality and quantity — the museum boasted both a 17,000-object collection and, within that collection, prominent pieces from household names like Picasso and Rembrandt.

But, Porter acknowledged, the works on the walls meant nothing if no patrons were there to appreciate them. As the O’Shaughnessy Galleries went through renovation, Porter and his staff sought to draw students in to the museum’s remaining attractions.

“People don’t come to the museum every day,” Porter said. “When they do it will be a special trip for them. We don’t want students to feel intimidated by the Snite.

Visiting the museum should be a relaxing experience.”

But even in the midst of largescale renovations, the Snite still invested in new art pieces — one of which came in the form of “Vertical Motif #3,” a steel structure by David Hayes erected in the museum’s sculpture courtyard. The acquisition of the piece marked the beginning steps of Porter’s goal to adorn Notre Dame’s campus with sculptures.

Porter’s goal seems to have been achieved: Today, campus is rife with sculptures of all shapes and sizes, including in the newlyfounded Charles B. Hayes Family Sculpture Park, which is part of the ongoing project to create an arts district at Notre Dame. And although the Snite has developed in even bigger proportions since 1988, a close look might reveal the museum’s surviving artifacts of the ’80s — “Vertical Motif #3” still stands tall in the sculpture courtyard.

2002 celebration of the Snite — undeniable prestige, but a lack of student appreciation

Nov. 4, 2002 | Emily Howald | Researched by Maggie Clark As the Snite’s collection and repertoire grew to be one of the most impressive university museums in America, so did on-campus appreciation for the landmark. A 2002 feature in The Observer written

by Emily Howald celebrated the Snite in all its glory and emphasized the small museum’s large accomplishments.

At first glance, the Snite, attached to the south side of O’Shaughnessy, can appear intimidating, with hardly any windows and daunting

glass doors. However, the interior is filled with worldly beauty celebrating the wide world of art and culture.

Gina Costa, the University’s marketing and public relations specialist in 2002, recognized this dichotomy. She noted that “this place is much livelier on the inside than it is perceived to be from the outside. We are alive with tours, activities and students all the time.”

Howald began by emphasizing that the museum itself is an educational asset and therefore vital to Notre Dame as a whole.

“The museum offers numerous programs that are intended for the education and inspiration of students not only at Notre Dame, but also in the South Bend area as well,” Howald wrote.

Not only did the Snite enrich the Notre Dame community, but it also extended its influence beyond the borders of campus. Howald noted that community outreach programs along with field trips showed that the Snite is for all people to enjoy, not only Notre Dame students.

Costa further explained the prominence of the museum’s collection.

“We have the most important Pre-Columbian collection in the world, outside of Mexico City, and we recently acquired an important 18th century Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe), which we are very proud of,” Costa said.

The Snite continues to be a cultural hub tucked away in our own little corner of the world, serving as a reminder that there is, and always has been, life before and after Notre Dame — beautiful life.

However, Howald also addressed an unfortunate, but significant fact: Despite all the museum had to offer, students hardly took advantage of its amenities. She corroborated this point with evidence, writing that “in a recent study given by the marketing department at Notre Dame, a survey found that only 18 percent of the people that frequent the museum are Notre Dame students.”

Regardless of student opinion, it remains true that the Snite is there for anyone ready to embrace its glory. Though the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art will continue and expand on the Snite’s legacy at Notre Dame, the enriching Snite Museum at the heart of campus will be missed for its homey milieu and cultural impact.

Contact Uyen Le at hle2@nd.edu, Chris Russo at crusso@nd.edu, Evan McKenna at emckenn2@nd.edu and Maggie Clark at mclark29

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NEWS

The observer | Monday, may 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Food truck owners discuss serving students

By MIA MORAN News Writer

Throughout the school year, the Student Activities Offie (SAO) has been bringing food trucks to Notre Dame’s campus, allowing students to grab a bite to eat and enjoy spending time with others outdoors in accordance with COVID-19 restrictions.

With food trucks coming almost every weekend, some have become regulars, like the Rolling Stonebaker.

Andrea Georgion, owner of The Rolling Stonebaker’s pizza food truck, said that prior to this year, the truck mainly participated in recruiting events for the football team.

Lecture Continued from page 1

the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

Aubourg said that in the summer of 2020, Black student leaders across Notre Dame mobilized to bring issues of racial justice to campus.

“A bunch of us got in a big group chat and put together a statement,” Aubourg said.

Their statement led to meetings with University administrators, such as vice president for student affairs Erin Hoffman Harding and Provost Marie Lynn Miranda, to address their concerns.

One such concern was campus police.

“I was racially profiled as a freshman on campus,” Aubourg said. “I was asked if I was a student — I was just on a walk. They asked to see my ID and all these things, and later I found out that that’s not allowed. That’s not supposed to happen, but it happened to me.”

Three years later, Aubourg worked with Keri Kei Shibata, the chief of the Notre Dame Police Department, to create spaces on campus to reflect on police brutality.

Senior Frankie Tran, a science preprofessional and psychology major, serves as the vice chair of Diversity Council and a senior fellow for Multicultural Student Programs and Services (MSPS).

With MSPS, Tran helped create the “MiNDful” workshop, a training session in which students

Finals Continued from page 1

away from us that we really appreciate. And considering that we didn’t have a spring break — they gave us a random Tuesday and a random Wednesday off — it felt almost expected that they would also take away the Saturday of finals week.”

Sophomore Gabby Keller said she was also disappointed to learn that she would have an exam on Saturday.

She said she would have spent that Friday night taking a break from studying with her friends but will now have to focus on schoolwork.

“This year, we have been fortunate enough to participate in many student and faculty events,” Georgion said. “It seems like slowly more and more are able to come here for many events going on.”

When asked what the Notre Dame community can gain from food trucks, Georgion commented on how the additional option offers a fun and unique option for students during the pandemic.

“I think that the truck brings a lot of charm,” Georgion said. “Also, just having the fresh pizza prepared in our fire oven — I think it adds some enjoyment to the campus, I hope.”

AstroFrost food truck owner Robert Lee Cowen emphasized

how popular the food trucks have been on campus this year.

“Yes, Notre Dame has been quite popular with the ice cream truck.

Sometimes, like tonight, it can be very busy,” Cowen said. “I’ve been going steady the whole time. I sold my limit of 500 pieces.”

Cowen further noted that despite dealing with long lines, the best part of working at a food truck is meeting the people.

“They want to have fun when they come get ice cream,” he said.

“It’s always a lot of fun.”

Likewise, Alex Keim, owner of Keim’s Elephant Ear Express, commented on the pleasantness of the social interactions that come with the job.

learn to identify microaggressions and how to intervene when they spot them on campus.

His main goal as Diversity Council vice chair, Tran said, was for the organization to be officially recognized in the Student Union Board by Notre Dame student government, which it accomplished this academic year.

“That ensures much more legitimacy and longevity to our work on campus,” Tran said. “Change is slow. But it’s reassuring that there are steps in place, and that Notre Dame is aware of its actions and its potential.”

Malik Zaire, a Film, Television and Theatre (FTT) major and peace studies minor who graduated in 2017, played quarterback for the Fighting Irish in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. As a student athlete, Zaire said he was principally focused on his sport.

“Playing football, it wasn’t quite the same experience my other Black classmates had,” Zaire said. “My identity was the athlete, but I’m a Black person first, so not being as in tune into that group — it was a disservice. I’m the quarterback of the school, so not being in tune with the group that I identify with is a problem.”

This problem became clear when the season was over, Zaire said.

“Being done with football, you realize, ‘Okay, I’m just a Black man out here,’” he said. “It really happens fast.”

Zaire has since spoken to incoming students of color about

navigating a predominantly white institution (PWI) like Notre Dame.

“Everybody’s in the same fishbowl,” Zaire said. “But when you get out of there, you’re in the giant pool of everything, and learning where you can move at Notre Dame can help you a lot moving in the same path.”

Senior Mikyala Vaughn, a studio art and psychology major, is also a student athlete playing for the Notre Dame women’s basketball team. This year, Vaughn said, was the first in which the team was allowed to kneel during the national anthem.

“When we had a conversation about it,” Vaughn said in a prerecorded interview, “We were thinking, ‘Okay, well, if everyone’s not going to kneel then we shouldn’t kneel at all.’ And I was thinking, ‘Well, that’s not really the point of this.’ It’s important to show where we stand. And I think that that’s something that’s very powerful.”

The discussion ended with suggestions on how students can better serve as allies on campus.

“When we’re putting on events,” Miranda Cuozzo said, “We are reaching out for all of you to come. We want you there, so when you see flyers and stuff on campus, swinging by those events — showing that you care and that you are standing with us — would be something that would really help change everything.”

“I was disappointed,” she said. “I was also a little bummed out because it will be my last weekend in South Bend, and I would rather go out to dinner with my friends or do something fun on that day.”

Keller said she prefers the typical finals schedule that spans one week instead of the one this year.

“I was like, ‘Oh, that kind of sucks to have to go to a final on our last Saturday’,” she said. “I feel like I will never end my finals because they go over a weekend, but then there’s also a break in the middle that I can’t even appreciate because I know I’ll just be stressed about my upcoming exams.”

Sophomore Erin O’Callaghan said

Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath, and pointed out that holding exams on that day might be unfair for Jewish students.

She also said that the finals schedule makes the week feel longer. While she said she will appreciate the extra time she has to study, she said, she thinks it will feel like finals are lasting forever.

“I feel like having it longer just means that you’re stressed for longer periods of time,” she said. “Part of me would almost just rather have finals like a Band-Aid — just rip it off.“

Contact Aidan O’Malley at aomalle2@nd.edu

Contact Trinity Reilly at treilly5@nd.edu

“Everyone’s always saying please and thank you,” he said.

Keim recounted his experience with one patron in particular.

“I met a guy over here earlier. His name was Michael. He came back over and was like, ‘Man, these are amazing.’ That’s what I do it for,” Keim said. “It’s pretty awesome to hear that.”

Keim said business has been booming this year, especially because of Notre Dame events.

“SinceNotreDamecontactedme [this year], we’ve been pretty busy with you guys,” Keim said, “This is our 10th one, which is awesome.”

When asked about the highs and lows of working at a food truck, Keim mentioned the smell

Minor Continued from page 1

“anti-vaxxers,”theopioidcrisisand race and health, among current topics, Smith-Oka said.

“Each time a different professor will be teaching it, and they’ll be bringing their own perspectives,” Smith-Oka said.

The minor organizers found other elective courses for health, humanities and society by researching courses offered by other departments that fit with the holistic theme of the minor, Smith-Oka said. Roughly 30 courses were found and crosslisted with the minor.

While students on the pre-med track will be the primary students who will be interested in the minor, Smith-Oka said she believes the minor will be appealing to students wanting to pursue careers in health management and medical technology. In addition, she said they have already seen interest from students interested in global health.

“So we’ve got classes lined up that have to do with development

from the food.

“You’ll get home sometimes, and you’ll be like, ‘That smells terrible,’” Keim said. “It soaks into your skin.”

Georgion from Rolling Stonebaker also reflected upon the advantages and disadvantages of the trade.

“I think it’s a fun job. You’re always going to different places — you get to see a lot of different people and different places,” Georgion said, “Occasionally, you go through some issues of being in an old truck, and that’s always an adventure too, on the road.”

Contact Mia Moran at mmoran23@nd.edu

or global health that should hopefully also appeal to that type of student,” Smith-Oka said.

Geltzer also noted that the minor can appeal to students who are simply intrigued by how the healthcare system impacts society and individuals.

“We are all, in one way or another, the product of the medical system,” Geltzer said. “That’s where we get our ideas of what’s normal and what’s pathological and what’s healthy, and we all come in contact with the system at various points.”

Ultimately, Smith-Oka said she hopes the curriculum helps students connect the dots between the physical, scientific elements of health and the social implications.

“Even though health might be represented on the body as something physical or organic, ultimately, health is something social that lies in what your background is, what your lived experiences [are], and I hope that students will take a lot of this with them,” Smith-Oka said.

Contact Alysa Guffey at aguffey@nd.edu

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MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer

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The observer | Monday, May 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Ode to the Snite: Celebrating her life

Inside Column

Dogecoin to the moon … and then back to earth Matthew Doktorczyk Viewpoint Copy Editor

At least twice a week over the past few months, I have received all-caps text messages from one of my best friends from high school saying something like, “BRO, CHECK BITCOIN!” or “DOGECOIN UP 40%!!” In the beginning, I would usually check out a cryptocurrency market report to see what he was talking about, and respond with a “That’s crazy, dude.”

Eventually, I decided to look more deeply into cryptocurrencies since they had garnered so much attention in the news. I did some research on blockchain and even tried to read Satoshi Nakamoto’s 2008 whitepaper, which thoroughly confused me. But I kept reading and trying to learn, and after a while, it started to make a little more sense. However, it also made me much more skeptical about digital money.

One of the main reasons for my skepticism was the crazy fluctuations that digital currencies can see in such a short amount of time. For example, take Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency first created in 2013 as a joke to make fun of cryptocurrencies. Yet, in the past week, Dogecoin has gone from 38 cents to 73 cents (a 92% increase) and back down to 43 cents (a 41% drop). Why such a big drop? Did it have to do with the pandemic or some other real problem?

No. The reason for its most recent drop is attributed to Elon Musk’s appearance on “Saturday Night Live” in a skit joking about Dogecoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Large fluctuations in tradable assets are nothing new — even on highly regulated stock exchanges, share prices can rise and drop quickly based on company performance, world events, or social media influence. But where the crazy ups and downs become problematic is when people talk about widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies for regular consumer purchases.

For example, what if you want to buy a car with Bitcoin? It will be pretty challenging if Bitcoin is worth $45,000 on Monday, $60,000 on Wednesday and then $50,000 by the weekend. Imagine the buyer’s remorse you would have if you bought on Wednesday!

Another major concern with these digital currencies is their impact on the environment. In order to process transactions on the decentralized network, as well as to mine new coins, an exorbitant amount of electricity is used. In fact, a recent report from Cambridge University found that the whole Bitcoin system uses more electricity than the country of Argentina.

David Gerard, a crypto expert, says, “Bitcoin is literally anti-efficient … This means that Bitcoin’s energy use, and hence its CO2 production, only spirals outwards.” While it may seem like an easy and efficient way to buy or sell things, the behind-the-scenes workings of cryptocurrencies are anything but efficient.

So, where does this leave us? Should everyone boycott crypto and hang on tight to the precious fiat-currency dollar? Well, there is not a clear answer in the long run. Cryptocurrencies offer a lot of benefits. Transactions are a lot more confidential and secure. In addition, cryptocurrencies have the power to increase access to financial services in developing countries where citizens may not otherwise be able to make investments. Perhaps increased regulation will help curb the wild fluctuations. With crypto professor and former Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) chair Gary Gensler taking over as chair of the SEC, someone with knowledge and experience may be able to harness the good while keeping the risks manageable. However, in the short run, the crypto market seems awfully similar to gambling — or as Elon said, “a hustle.” In other words, don’t bet what you can’t afford to lose.

You can contact Matthew at mdoktorc@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Renee Yaseen Renaissance

One of my favorite things to do when I’m walking around on campus with someone I want to get to know better is to smile and gauge their interest in an impromptu Snite visit. Sometimes people feel they have to justify their preparation to be underwhelmed. I hear a lot of, “You know, I went with my class once and there’s actually some really cool stuff…” or “I really don’t know much about art.” Listen, you don’t have to sweet talk the Snite for my benefit, and you certainly don’t need to “know anything” about art to enjoy it. Believe me: While there’s nothing worse than being forced to go to the art museum for a class, there’s nothing better than exploring one by yourself, with a new friend or with someone you love.

I actually met one of my best friends through an impromptu Snite trip. By the end of an hour of waddling through the museum like curious penguins and — I’m embarrassed to say — making memes about some of the art, I was confident this was someone I wanted to spend more time with.

But my favorite Snite buddy is my little brother, Danny. My brother is a nine-year-old technology whiz. He can talk spaceship mechanics for hours, explain how routers work, or tell you the historical evolution of cell phone models from 1995 to the present — all with ease. He is the precocious boy who wakes up at 4 a.m. to watch rocket launches livestreamed on YouTube. It’s hard to convince him to take an engrossed interest in anything else. But the Snite Museum of Art holds such wondrous mystery to him. Dropping in has become a brother-sister tradition for us. My brother and I were drawn in by Chao Shao-an’s poetic ink and watercolor depictions of nature. Another time, we went to Dimensions of Power, an exhibit on African art. Danny whisper-read aloud the captions and learned history by seeing. By asking questions, moving around freely, exploring the exhibits with a person he felt comfortable with, his world expanded in a way that the classroom could not facilitate. I asked him if he wanted to leave a note in the visitor’s book at the Snite’s door when we left. Danny’s note simply, but accurately, just said, “Nice!”

(While my brother doesn’t yet share my undying enthusiasm for the written word, he fully meant what he said!)

The Snite has brought me hours of peace and contemplation. It has inspired me, amazed me, shocked me and made me laugh much too loudly to be appropriate in a museum. I’ve been moved to tears by photographs by Alen MacWeeney, which I saw as part of an event on Notre Dame’s exhibit on Irish art, “Looking at the Stars.”

MacWeeney’s poignant black-and-white photographs were meant to “resonate with” certain poems by the Irish poet, W.B. Yeats. My friends and I became closer as we sat in the circle of event participants that cold winter night, reading aloud

the beautiful poems (provided in paper form by the Snite) and explicating on the photographs we saw with some complete strangers.

The first time I ever went to the Snite for fun was when those doors in O’Shag were open one winter day in 2018. It was blusteringly cold and dark outside, and there was a colorful painting right beyond the glass doors, warm yellow light flooding out. That yellow painting that first introduced me to the Snite was from Solidary and Solitary: The Joyner and Giuffrida collection.

This exhibit featured abstract art by African and African American artists from 1940 to present.

The exhibit explored the complex subject of individual identity (solitary) within a larger community (solidary). For these artists, abstraction provided a means to create art outside of dominant social narratives — it allowed for authentic expression. Seeing this yellow painting was my wardrobe-to-Narnia moment. I entered the Snite and saw things I could not forget. Besides the gorgeous yellow painting by Norman Lewis, called “Afternoon,” the image that sticks in my heart most from that first Snite foray is this large sculptural piece by Leonardo Drew.

How should one conduct oneself in an art museum? I have never learned. The path of my steps must resemble the loops of a bumblebee’s flight. I pass from one painting, to the one to its right, to the thing in the middle, to — oh! There’s something in the other room I missed — to that conspicuously long inscription on the wall, to the shiny green glass thing that says its from Syria — to something that glitters, to something that is dull. There’s stuff hanging from the ceiling and it moves! How could you possibly be orderly when there’s so much to see in every corner?

A well-organized art museum is a place to collect knowledge like fruits from trees. As you walk, you interact with the pieces, mentally taking them apart, putting them back together, stepping close and stepping far away. A well-curated art museum feels alive. You feel you are on a secret pathway through someone else’s past, present and future. A good art museum feels like time travel. And, my friends, we have a good art museum. As we continue to build the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, I pray it provides future students the opportunities for joy, wonder, reflection and discovery that its predecessor did for me and my Notre Dame family.

Renee Yaseen is a junior who majors in economics with minors in theology and the Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE) program. In her free time, she writes poems, hangs out with loved ones, and works on her software startup. She can be reached via the chat on a shared Google Doc at 3 a.m., on Twitter @ReneeYaseen or at ryaseen@nd.edu by email.

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

Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com

7

The observer | Monday, May 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Low population growth: A looming shift Trevor Lwere On the Other Hand

There were some interesting revelations about the trend of demographics in the recently released U.S. census data from the 2020 census. The results indicated that the U.S. population grew slower in the last decade than it did in the prior decade.

Americans are living longer, but they are reproducing a lower rate. And it is projected that by 2050, people 80 years and over will constitute over 10% of the U.S. population. What is at stake for the U.S. in terms of its future is great. A bipolar world order is at hand with the inevitable, unstoppable rise of China. There is more to what appears to be just an economic conflict. So, we ask, what implications could the changing demographics of the United States have for the of America as we know it future?

In terms of culture, the possibility of a cultural stagnation is a real one. We can think of young people as the motive force for culture and other forms of progress for that matter. While it is not necessary that there is a preponderance of young people for them to play their role as catalysts of change, it certainly helps if there is a sea of them, surrounding a rock of seniors or pensioners. So, if the number of older citizens continues to grow relative to the child population, America could be headed for a cultural stagnation. Why? With a preponderance of older people, it is likely that this would enhance the staying power of old ideas in the different sectors of society. The influence of public opinion is strong in a society with mass culture such as the U.S., meaning that old ideas can be transmitted with more force and greater effectiveness. Therefore, if most of the citizens are set in their ways, the younger ones could have serious trouble dislodging old ideas that are mainstream.In terms of national

security, America’s military is a big part of its staying power.

As most service members will tell you, it is preferable to have younger folks in the military than older ones. With a slowing population growth rate, competition for bodies will increase across different sectors of society, and this could directly impact the ability of the U.S. military to attract a sizable number of young people to join their ranks. Moreover, because people are having fewer children, the incentives for joining the military could be weakened for a significant portion of the population.

The military guarantees college education for its officer cadets.

Individuals who are unlikely to afford college tuition will take up this opportunity in return for their service to their country.

As families have fewer children, they will probably be better able to support them given the scarce resources. Therefore, for some people, the incentive to join the military will weaken. The military must therefore have a game plan going forward. Some things they could do include making national service compulsory for a couple of years after college so that young people get some critical life skills while ensuring that the military always has sufficient bodies to execute its constitutional mandate of preserving the democratic order and the territorial integrity of the state.

Economically, the picture isn’t so hopeful. Economists have belabored the point of an increased burden on pension funds and social security if there are more seniors than there are currently. It is important to note that a big part of the U.S. economy is consumption, which constitutes about 70% of the GDP. With more seniors who have lost their sources of income, we can expect consumer demand to fall. This increased pressure on social security will be compounded by a shrinking of the work force which could reduce the overall productivity of the economy. Moreover, the lower population growth could mean

reduced labor supply which would push wages up and increase the cost of doing business. Fewer working people would also mean a higher dependency ratio. The U.S. must prepare for this possibility. Some ideas could include reimagining its approach to immigration as immigrants could, quite literally, become the lifeline of the America economy going forward, both in terms of production and consumption. This point has been made by several economists. But the country could also want to invest heavily in technology, especially artificial intelligence that can make up for the decrease in labor supply to maintain high levels of output.In terms of politics, aside from the apportionment count that determines the number of seats in Congress allocated to each state, a smaller, older population could have significant political implications. For starters, there could be a remake of the American electoral map. As population shrinks in some states and soars in others, calculation of the political game could change. We could see new centers of American culture. We could see a shift in power centers as some groups gain numerical power while others lose. Political upstarts with grand ambition must keep their eyes on the dashboard for these emerging tendencies.What is happening in the U.S. is not new. It has been happening in parts of Europe for a while now. The U.S. can look to its European allies to see how they are dealing with this as it searches for its own responses to a seeming seismic shift in its course.

Trevor Lwere is a junior at Notre Dame majoring in economics, with a PPE minor. He hails from Kampala, Uganda and lives off campus. He is a dee-jay in his other life and can be reached at tlwere@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Palestinian lives matter too Palestinians appear nowhere in the “working definition” of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).

This is the main problem with this definition, which Blake Ziegler marshalled, in his recent piece for The Observer.

There, Mr. Ziegler defends the equation of anti-Zionism with antisemitism. Parenthetically, according to a report from Oxford University, Mr. Ziegler is not alone in misrepresenting 11 controversial illustrations of antisemitism (seven of which center Israel) as a part of the 2016 ratified IHRA’s definition of antisemitism.

One of these controversial IHRA’s illustrations reads that antisemitism amounts to “[d]enying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.” If this illustration appears to you as self-evidently antisemitic, you need to check your ethical blinders. What this illustration does not mention is that the fulfillment of the “right to self-determination” for Jews entailed the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians. This is not “an opinion” but a historical fact established by Israeli and Palestinian historians as well as, of course, by the intergenerational memories of the people who resist amnesia in refugee camps and the diasporas. Indeed, the real story is who is omitted from IHRA and why and whose agenda does it serve? Even as their displacement is a major part of the story of Jewish self-determination, Palestinians are omitted from IHRA. This is as if the fulfillment of Jewish self-determination happened in an empty land and as if it did not require the operative logic of settler colonialism.

Palestine, or the territory where Jewish self-determination happened, was never empty. There were people there in Palestine and the nature of the “contact,” as many students of settler colonialisms know, depended on the erasure and replacement of the natives. The ability of Jews to “return” to Zion in historical, rather than messianic, time required the mechanisms of settler colonialism.Hence, identifying as “antisemitic” a rejection of an abstract “right for self-determination” in reality denies the very humanity of Palestinians, their history in the land and their political rights and aspirations. This illustration of antisemitism abstracts from the concrete history of displacements and massacres. The Nakba, or what Palestinians call the “Palestinian catastrophe” of 1948, culminated decades going back to the transition from the Ottoman period to the British Mandate and the granting of Palestine to the Jews by a British lord named Balfour — as if Palestine was his to give.

Therefore, highlighting a rejection of a Jewish right for

self-determination as antisemitic by definition erases the ability of a Palestinian victim of the Nakba (not only as one event in time but also as ongoing realities of dispossession) to literally exist. This is not a matter of “free speech” (although in the United States it is often litigated as Title VI) but a zero-sum approach to history that offers no alternative outlets. Notably, some scholars offer conceptual resources for resisting letting the one catastrophe of the Shoah to cancel the other one of the Nakba. Centuries of anti-Jewish pogroms and blood libels in Christian Europe cannot justify the disregard to Palestinian lives. Palestinian lives matter too, not only Jewish lives. To suggest otherwise exceptionalizes antisemitism, thereby serving a Jewish-supremacist ideology that countless Jews and Israelis (like me) reject.

Indeed, an important Jewish Israeli human rights organization, B’Tselem, recently produced an evidence-based report describing, as many Palestinians have done for years, the entire regime from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea as a form of apartheid, operating according to a Jewish supremacist framework. This ethnoreligious supremacist logic manifests in the passing of the Jewish nation-state bill, demolition orders of Palestinian homes inside and outside the Green Line and continuous settlement construction despite “peace” rhetoric. It also manifests in the ever-entrenched occupation infrastructure of bureaucratic torture, systems of permits, checkpoints, blockades, surveillance, walls, administrative detentions and the occasional “mowing of the lawn” in Gaza, to name just a few manifestations, always justified through appeals to Jewish “security.” Such are the actual realities of Jewish “self-determination” on the ground. The concept of Jewish supremacy immediately would suggest, absurdly, that B’Tselem, too, might be flirting with antisemitism. I read it differently: The recent Human Right Watch’s report deploys the apartheid label — a recognized category in international law — to describe the regime. B’Tselem does the same, refusing the ideological erasures built into the IHRA’s illustration I unpacked above.

I am a Jewish Israeli who is a scholar specializing in questions pertaining to religion, violence and peace as well as horizons of justice in Palestine/Israel. I also carry with me the intergenerational scars of the Holocaust. Sadly, I need to establish this “resume” before daring to offer a critique of Israeli policies. Mr. Ziegler anticipates this point by underscoring that it is okay to criticize Israeli policies. This semantic maneuver into the realm of “speech” does not respond to the physical erasure of

Palestinian humanity the IHRA entails. The very abstraction of a Jewish right for self-determination erases the history of how Jewish self-determination came into being concretely on the backs of Palestinians who did not engineer the gas chambers of the Nazi death camps. As I think of my relatives, whom I never met, and who went up in smoke through the chimneys of death camps, I reject the weaponization of antisemitism that instrumentalizes their deaths. Mr. Ziegler is correct that antisemitism is real and alive, even at Notre Dame. However, his reliance on IHRA’s “working definition” is myopic. Fortunately, there are alternatives.

One such alternative is the recent Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA). Endorsed by scholars of antisemitism, Jewish studies, Holocaust studies and Middle East studies as well as other Jewish and Israeli public intellectuals from across a political and religious spectrum, the JDA challenges the politicization of antisemitism by rearticulating what is and is not antisemitism. The Declaration punctures the zero-sum implications of the IHRA’s logic, which animates Ziegler’s argument.

For example, the JDA contextualizes the language about a denial of Jewish human flourishing by focusing on Israeli Jews and their right to live as Jews in the land, a right grounded in the principle of equality, not ethnocracy or apartheid. Likewise, the JDA underscores that “evidence-based criticism of Israel as a state” — not people — is not antisemitism. Accordingly, “it is not antisemitic, in and of itself, to compare Israel with other historical cases, including settler-colonialism or apartheid.”

Similarly, the long-established nonviolent tactics of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement are not, prima facie, antisemitic.

Therefore, the student senate at Notre Dame needs to consider the JDA as an alternative to IHRA. The JDA de-exceptionalizes antisemitism by linking it to a broader anti-racist stance.

To take a stance against antisemitism is to be anti-racist across the board. This means we cannot value one category of humans over others. The JDA offers an alternative that at the very least, even if not perfectly, brings into visibility the humanity and worth of Palestinian lives, not only Jewish. If the University of Notre Dame is to truly live out its mission to heal the world, then it needs to reject valuing Jewish life over Palestinian life.

Atalia Omer professor of religion, conflict and peace studies May 6

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CLASSIFIEDS

The observer | Monday, may 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | WILl shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Let go of the past. Declutter, do things that make you happy and surround yourself with like-minded people. Put an end to situations that hold you back or make you uncomfortable. Change begins with you. Take responsibility for your happiness and future. Use your imagination to explore possibilities. Don’t get left behind because you are afraid to make a move. Your numbers are 8, 13, 21, 28, 31, 40, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Let go of the past, sum up the present and put a pointed plan in place. Don’t expect anyone to do the work for you. Empty promises are apparent; do the research yourself and you will discover how best to reach your goal.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Look at the possibilities, and consider what makes you happy. Refuse to take on responsibilities that don’t belong to you. Use your charm and intelligence to outmaneuver anyone trying to take advantage of you.

Indulgent behavior will hurt your reputation.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Make your health, appearance and lifestyle priorities.

Self-improvement, surrounding yourself with people striving for a better quality of life and putting an end to indulgent pastimes will make you feel good and lead to a brighter future.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): An unsettled situation will turn into an emotional tug-of-war between you and someone close to you. Handle matters with care, and do what’s best for everyone involved. Having the discipline to put an end to excessiveness is required.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Stop worrying about the changes others make; go about your business. Your charm will far outweigh any obstacle you face along the way.

A positive attitude coupled with an open mind will help you turn a negative into a positive.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Size up whatever situation you face, and make adjustments that will eliminate the stress you face if you continue down a path that is holding you hostage. Put an end to emotional spending; it will help lower debt.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’re on the right path, so don’t start waffling about what to do next. Embrace the future, learn all you can and start making the moves that will position you for a brighter future. Romance, opportunity and security are heading your way.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Put your energy where it counts, and finish what you start. The changes you make will help you forge ahead with optimism. Use your imagination, and you’ll develop a way to speed up your plans to change your lifestyle.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Pay attention to detail and what others have to say. Broaden your outlook, and take charge of your future by spending time with people who share your concerns. A disciplined lifestyle will improve your health and financial future. Romance is favored.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Refuse to let a problem with a friend or relative consume you. Don’t get into an emotional battle over something you cannot change. Focus on home, family and improving your lifestyle. Choose selfimprovement over trying to change others.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Do what makes you happy. Don’t defer to other people’s needs. Pay attention to the way you look and feel, and make improvements that boost your morale. Take charge of your life, and give others the freedom to do the same thing.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don’t take risks with your health, close relationships or money. A joint venture may entice you, but in the end, you’ll wish you didn’t partner with someone. Stick close to home, and make adjustments that add to your comfort.

Birthday Baby: You are outspoken, wise and inventive. You are dynamic and ambitious.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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Sports Authority

The (no longer) jolly Rodgers Thomas Zwiller Sports Writer

There are not a whole lot of things that can overshadow the NFL draft. However, Aaron Rodgers sure did get close to doing just that. ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently reported that Rodgers is “so disgruntled with the Green Bay Packers that he has told some within the organization that he does not want to return to the team.”

This didn’t come out of anywhere. Ever since the Packers drafted Jordan Love — not just drafting but trading up to do so — the relationship between Rodgers and the Packers has been strained. After head coach Matthew LaFleur made the controversial choice to kick an FG instead of going for it on a fourth and goal, people had speculated Rodgers’ potential departure.

But those were only speculations, until last Thursday.

When the news broke, people assumed that the report would impact the draft. Indeed, the 49ers made an offer to the Packers, which included the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, but the Packers declined. In hindsight, this makes sense.

If Rodgers were to be traded, it would have been a cap hit of $38.3 million. According to Over the Cap, if Rodgers is traded after June 1, that hit would decline to $21 million this year and add more of a blow to next year.

First things first: I took these trade ideas from a Bill Barnwell ESPN+ article about potential trades. I’m grading them based on my own evaluation system to grade these trades and try to figure out which package is best for the Packers.

Titans Send Tannehill, 2022 1st Round, 2023 1st Round Receive Rodgers 2023 4th Round.

My player system values Rodgers at 287 points, second to just Patrick Mahomes, who was 288. So, he’s not easily replaced. However, Titans QB Ryan Tannehill is a good start: he’s valued at 219 points. This is the highest valued player the Packers are offered, and I think besides Carr, he is the best fit scheme-wise that the Packers can get. In addition, if I’m honest, I don’t get why the Packers would be sending the 4th to the Titans; Rodgers is more than enough.

Raiders

Send QB Carr 2022 1st, and 2nd Round picks 2023 1st Receive Rodgers, and a 2023 4th Round Pick.

As I said earlier, Tannehill was the best QB on this list, but close behind is Carr at 204 points — still quite good. Carr is also younger than Tannehill and cheaper and becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent sooner than Tannehill, which allows the Packers to move on from him sooner.

Browns Send QB Mayfield, TE David Njoku, 2022 and 2023 1st Round Picks Receive Rodgers and CB Josh Jackson.

This is one I have mixed feelings about. Of course, the picks have the same problem as all of them; they will be low picks, without a doubt. And my system values Baker Mayfield at 136: Not the worst QB on here but certainly not the best. He is currently cheap, and there is a case to be made that he could develop into the Packer’s QB of the future; I think he could do well with LaFleur. I like adding Njoku (even if he is valued only at 18, which is OK for skill positions) as it helps the Packer’s offense. The Browns certainly won’t miss him if they get Rodgers: That offense with a solid run game and weapons aplenty certainly would be terrifying.

Giants Send Two 2022 1st Round Picks, 2023 1st, WR Darius Slayton Receive Rodgers.

I think this is my least favorite of them all. Slayton, by my estimation, isn’t worth a ton, just 30 points. The main problem is that apart from Slayton, the Packers don’t get a QB in return. I don’t think the Packers particularly want Daniel Jones, but they also don’t want to start Jordan Love so soon, so I think they would take him to let Love develop off to the side. I also don’t believe that this trade makes the Giants a Super Bowl contender, something that the rest of these trades do boast.

Miami Send 2022 2023 First Rounders, 2023 5th to Packers, Tua Tagovailoa to the Steelers.

Steelers send to Packers 2022 first, Miami receives Rodgers, 2023 fourth Round pick from the Packers I lied before; this is the worst package. I do like the number of picks the Packers get back,

but they get no immediate help in return. They need to receive a QB to make the trade viable because it is evident that Jordan Love isn’t field-ready. As much as I like the idea of Rodgers in Miami, I simply don’t see a trade that works for the Packers.

Washington Send 2022 and 2023 First Round and Second Round Picks, QB Fitzpatrick DL Matt Ioannidis Receive Rodgers This feels weird to say, but this might be the one I buy into.

Fitzmagic had a better statistical performance than Baker Mayfield and Fitzmagic would be the cheaper option. Even better, Fitzmagic would be an unrestricted free agent the following season, which would allow the Packers to let Jordan Love be their starter. Matt Ioannidis is an excellent addition to the Packers D-Line, valued at 47 points suitable for a defensive piece.

Broncos Send CB Patrick Surtain Wr Tim Patrick QB Drew Lock 2022 & 2023 Firsts Receive Rodgers and CB Eric Stokes I know Bill Barnwell said that this was the most exciting offer the Packers can get, but I’m a little more cynical. I like the CB swap for the Packers. Tim Patrick being valued at 52 points is good. But the sticking point is Lock. I don’t think he is going to be good in the future: this season proved that. Instead, why not send Teddy Bridgewater (185) and let the Broncos retain Lock as their cheap backup option. It would allow them to continue to cultivate Lock while allowing Rodgers to be the mile-high star. Neither Teddy nor Lock are franchise pieces, but I would argue that Teddy fits what the Packers need more while Lock is essentially Jordan Love to me.

So, as weird as it might be to say, I like the Washington Football Team deal the best. It gives Washington a stellar offense to go with a rising defense.

It also provides the Packers a short-term but competitive QB. Rodgers may remain in-conference, but the picks help to make up for that.

Contact Thomas Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-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 classifieds for content without issuing refunds.

Continued from page 12

“[Clark is] such a tough out,” Gumpf said. “If Abby Sweet doesn’t get on base, we know that Emma will, and that onetwo punch all year long has just given us opportunity after opportunity after opportunity offensively.”

The next two innings were scoreless, with both teams going three up, three down in the third. In the fourth, the Irish loaded the bases, and a single from Clark scored Tidd and graduate student infielder Chelsea Purcell. This put the Irish up 4-1.

BC was able to score at the top of the fifth to halve the Irish’s score. The sixth proved to be the inning of erratic pitches. Purcell reached third after a wild pitch from BC, and another single from Clark brought her home.

Sweet and Clark took bases in similar fashion, and another wayward pitch allowed Sweet to score. Freshman infielder Karina Gaskins doubled to score Clark, and a two-run homer from sophomore outfielder Leea Hanks extended the lead to 9-2.

Sophomore infielder/outfielder Miranda Johnson shot a single to score senior infielder Sarah Genz, making the final score 10-2.

The second game was the second shutout of the weekend.

Senior pitcher Morgan Ryan entered the circle and was able to sit the Eagles down in order to start off the game. Sweet and graduate student infielder Katie Marino landed on base.

Gaskins then entered the fray, launching a home run to score the three of them (3-0). Gaskins was able to score three more runners in the next inning, as her double brought home Sweet, Clark and freshman infielder Cassidy Grimm. Hanks immediately forced an error, and Gaskins herself was then able to score (7-0).

Gumpf noted how far Gaskins’ gameplay has progressed this season. Despite the “roller coaster ride” of a season, the freshman has shown herself to be powerful at bat and in the field.

Gumpf debated moving Gaskins down the batting lineup in an attempt to let her receive better pitches but decided to give her one more week where she was.

“I love the way that she responded,” Gumpf said. “I mean, she just exploded, and each atbat got better and better and better.”

Clark scored again in the fourth, taking advantage of a wild pitch. Hanks followed again with another home run to score two players to end the inning 10-0.

Hanks is another player who has been on a consistent progression all season and has demonstrated her strength as an athlete both offensively and defensively. Saturday was one of the clearest examples of this.

“Holy cow, she showed the power that we all knew she had,

9

but I’m not quite sure the rest of the conference knew she had the power,” Gumpf said. “I just love where she’s at because it’s hard to keep her off the bases, and when she gets on she’s trouble, so I love her power; I love her speed; I love how she can mix in a drag bunt to find herself on base. She’s just so dynamic.”

As the defense was able to prevent BC from scoring in the fifth, the game ended as a five-inning shutout.

“They always bring their best game and they always come here with something to prove,” Gumpf said of their opponent. “I love the way that we responded after the first game because that was a tough one.”

Three senior players were honored at the end of the ballgame: Marino, Purcell and Ryan. Gumpf had nothing but praise for each of the students.

Marino is a fifth-year senior for the Irish and has played most of her time at second base.

Gumpf believes that Marino is one of the best second basemen in the country. “[Marino] has just been such a rock for us her entire career,” Gumpf said. “She is just absolutely consistent, rarely makes a mistake, and just does all things well in softball. I mean, she runs well, she hits with power, she has speed, and then obviously her defense is phenomenal. So, I’m just so proud of her and I feel so lucky that we were able to have her for her fifth year.”

Purcell is another fifth-year senior who found her home at shortstop this season. She had previously bounced around, playing several different positions on the field. Because of this, Gumpf said, they were initially unsure of where she would wind up.

“Being able to transition to shortstop when we needed her the most — and not only just transitioning to shortstop, but becoming, again, truly one of the best shortstops that I’ve seen — I’m just so proud of the game she brought and how committed, and how her confidence just went to a whole ’nother level and really helped our team win a lot of ballgames,” Gumpf said.

“I couldn’t be more proud of Chelsea Purcell.”

Ryan is a true senior, having completed her fourth year for the Irish. She has been one of three pitchers rotating in and out of the circle and has posted several solid performances for the team.

“I think [Saturday] was a great example of who she’s become as a pitcher for us,” Gumpf said.

“She has become so reliable and we have become so dependent on her to be one of the three who we can throw at any time to help each other out … I’m so proud of how she’s developed.”

The Irish now look ahead to the postseason, with their first stop being the ACC Championship.

They will take on Virginia Tech on Thursday, May 13.

Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu

10

Sports

The observer | MONday, may 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Adams Continued from page 12

are entitled to wield an “X” rather than perform uppercuts during “Celtic Chant.”

12. Students shalt perform an Irish jig atop the bleachers with arms around one another for balance.

13. Thy cheeks must NOT touch the bleachers except during halftime.

14. “May I have your attention, please?”: Thou shalt grossly overreact to the hilarity of the late Sgt. Tim McCarthy’s puns to begin the fourth quarter.

15. Thou shalt NOT wave your phone’s camera light at the start of the fourth quarter, because it is a rip-off of Georgia and makes Notre Dame look like wannabes.

16. Notre Dame sets the standard in all facets; they do not mimic.

17. Thou shalt lock arms and sway to the Alma Mater after the game.

18. Thou shalt end the Alma Mater raising thy right hand, pointing and emphasizing “Love thee, Notre Dame.”

19. Actually learn the first two verses of the “Notre Dame Victory March” rather than just singing the chorus twice!

20. Thou mayest wear “The Shirt” during football games…

21. …but thou must recognize that “The Shirt” is a nonfashionable, over-designed and overanalyzed piece of apparel.

22. Notre Dame boasts 22 national championships in all, not merely 11.

23. This is because it is pointless to leave national championships unclaimed.

24. When it comes to being the leader of something in college football, ties are to be ignored.

25. This makes Notre Dame’s 22 national championships the most all time; this is not up for discussion.

26. Likewise, Notre Dame’s seven Heisman winners are the most all time; this is also not up for discussion.

27. The name of Fielding H. Yost, former Michigan coach and athletic director (and purported anti-Catholic), shall be spoken of only in hushed tones.

28. At the same time, regardless of his motivations, Yost shall be awarded his due (modest) credit for helping Notre Dame to become what it is today.

29. For it was through Yost’s adamant defiance that the great Knute Rockne ceased his fruitless attempts to join the Big Ten, went to the east and west coasts and built Notre Dame into a national program.

30. The name of Michigan shall also be spoken of only in hushed tones.

31. As former Notre Dame and newly-minted Baltimore Ravens defensive end Daelin Hayes so wisely spoke: “The best players in Michigan: They come to Notre Dame.”

32. The name of USC shall also be spoken of only in hushed tones.

33. The “Bush Push” was an illegal play that would forever place an asterisk beside USC’s 34-game win streak…

34. …if not for the fact that 14 of those wins were vacated by the NCAA. 35. The Trojans and Wolverines must always be mocked whenever possible.

36. Notre Dame’s own vacated wins from the 2012 and 2013 seasons are not legitimately vacated; this is because the NCAA is stupid.

37. “The NCAA is stupid” deserves its own thesis.

38. The third toughest job in America is being the head coach at Notre Dame.

39. The only jobs tougher are president of the United States and mayor of New York.

40. The fourth toughest job in America is being the starting quarterback at Notre Dame.

41. “The winningest quarterback in Notre Dame history” is not a token honor, especially when held by a former threestar recruit.

42. Three-star quarterbacks should not be relied upon so heavily at Notre Dame, however.

43. It must never be forgotten that Notre Dame boasts the two coaches with the highest winning percentages ever.

44. No head coach may boast a statue and gate at Notre Dame Stadium without earning the school a national championship.

45. This because the standard at Notre Dame is competing for and winning national championships.

46. Having actual academic standards as a school is not an excuse for lowering the standards on the gridiron.

47. Gratitude may be awarded to the ACC for sheltering the Irish when so many wanted to leave them in the cold of COVID-19.

48. However, while it would actually make MORE financial sense for Notre Dame to join a conference than to remain independent…

49. …aside from acts of God (such as global pandemics), Notre Dame is to never join a conference.

50. When it comes to the College Football Playoff, being independent and having less margin for error in terms of final record is a fair tradeoff.

51. Notre Dame’s NBC broadcast crew should never be taken for granted, if for no other reason than the dulcet tones of Mike Tirico.

52. Notre Dame home games deserve live airtime; aside from the Blue-Gold game, none should ever find themselves exclusively on Peacock.

53. The Blue-Gold game should never have a funky (i.e. stupid) offense vs. defense scoring system.

54. The SEC coach most to be admired is Clark Lea. 55. The ACC coach most to be

despised is Pat Narduzzi.

56. The ACC coach second most to be despised is Dabo Swinney.

57. The ACC referees most to be despised are all of them.

58. The referee to be blackballed among all others is Teddy Valentine (I know, basketball, but c’mon).

59. Navy is an honorary rival of Notre Dame; they are not an archrival.

60. It would be best that the Navy series came to an end, or at least went away from an annual game.

61. This is not to say that brave cadets of the Naval Academy should not be shown the utmost respect and admiration…

62. …it’s just that the triple option and cut blocking lead to more injuries than necessary.

63. Thou shalt always seek to #RTDB (run the damn ball) behind some big hoss offensive linemen.

64. Thou shalt also seek to balance the run game with a competent pass game.

65. Notre Dame is THE “Tight End U”; no one else is in the discussion.

66. Michael Mayer shall not be referred to as “Baby Gronk”; have some originality.

67. Thou shalt never refer to Tommy Rees as “Tom.” 68. The pass game should consist not only of tight ends, but quality receivers as well.

69. If freshman receivers are consistently struggling to produce for your team despite a lack of star upperclassmen, an

examination of conscience is advised.

70. Thou shalt put Kyle Hamilton at receiver if thou art truly desperate for pass game explosiveness.

71. Thou shalt put Kyle Hamilton at receiver even if thou art NOT truly desperate for pass game explosiveness.

72. In short, thou ought to put Kyle Hamilton at receiver, post haste.

73. Thou shalt also get Kyle Hamilton some competent help at strong safety.

74. Thou shalt make the most of Kyle Hamilton and Michael Mayer as they are most certainly three-year players.

75. Should Kyle Hamilton or Michael Mayer suffer injury, fans shalt offer their own appropriate appendages to expedite the recovery.

76. Thou shalt put Chris Tyree and Kyren Williams on the field together.

77. Thou shalt take every measure to ensure Tyler Buchner does not regress like every other Notre Dame quarterback of the last decade.

78. It is imperative that weaker opponents be blown out so quarterbacks of the future may receive meaningful reps.

79. Elite defense will only get you so far in the modern age.

80. Elite defense is nonetheless far superior to Big 12 defense (i.e. none).

81. Being a developmental program is superior to doing nothing but amassing fivestar players (see: Florida State, Paid Advertisement

Texas).

82. However, being a developmental program is not mutually exclusive with being a recruiting powerhouse.

83. Star rankings matter.

84. Stars are also not the beall-end-all of college football success.

85. While battles may be won and lost, it is unacceptable to be outworked on the recruiting trail.

86. The head coach at Notre Dame should take more initiative in recruiting in the modern age.

87. The head coach at Notre Dame should allow green jerseys to be worn by his team more often…

88. …and that doesn’t just mean neon green with clashing navy and gold.

89. Thou shouldst try taking on the 2018 Clemson defense and 2020 Alabama offense in the CFP… 90. …but the Irish are still advised to not return to Dallas for bowl games for the foreseeable future.

91. The night of Nov. 7, 2020 was absolutely magical.

92. The Irish have no breaking point.

93. RIP Regis.

94. Win just one for the Gipper.

95. Rudy wasn’t offsides.

Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Sports

Football Continued from page 12

Lou Holtz’s 100 victories at Notre Dame for second all-time on the ND win charts this past year when the Irish picked up a vital late November win over then-No. 19 UNC in Chapel Hill.

The win over then-No. 1 Clemson in early November, meanwhile, was Notre Dame’s first win against an AP No. 1 team since the Holtz era, a 1993 victory over Florida State in one of the so-called “games of the century.” Despite often facing skepticism about his chances of truly ending Notre Dame’s now 32-year national title drought, Kelly has undoubtedly been Notre Dame’s most successful coach since Holtz.

In the ten years before Kelly arrived from Cincinnati in Dec. 2019, the Irish went just 70-52 under three different permanent head coaches. Notre Dame managed just two 10-win seasons and one AP top-10 finish during that period. Kelly’s predecessor, Charlie Weis, went just 16-21 in the final three years of his tenure.

Kelly’s restoration project, however, has transformed the Irish into a perennial New Year’s Six Bowl contender. Kelly made Notre Dame’s first BCS National Championship game in 2012, which was just his third year in charge, and has made the College Football Playoff in two of the last three seasons. In both 2012 and 2018, Kelly was named AP and Home Depot National Coach of the Year following undefeated regular seasons. Kelly had also won the Home Depot award in 2009 for an undefeated season at Cincinnati.

This past season, Kelly was named ACC Coach of the Year following Notre Dame’s third undefeated regular season under Kelly in the program’s oneyear stint as a full member of the conference. Kelly won three consecutive Big East head coach of the year awards in his final years with Cincinnati before taking

Baseball Continued from page 12

Against a tough Florida State pitching staff, the offense struggled for Notre Dame and that started Friday, despite a firstinning run, as sophomore third baseman Jack Brannigan skied a sacrifice fly for the initial 1-0 lead. The Irish missed a golden opportunity to extend the lead in the third, as senior left fielder Ryan Cole smashed a double to put runners on second and third with nobody out and the heart of the order coming up. However, a hit by pitch was the only thing Notre Dame gained after that, leaving the bases loaded, as FSU’s Parker Messick notched a pair of strikeouts to wiggle out of the jam.

“You have to tip your cap to Messick. You can see why he has about a 2 ERA — he wiggled off the hook,” Notre Dame head

ndsmcobserver.com | Monday, may 10, 2021 | The Observer

over independent Notre Dame.

Most of Kelly’s big decisions have appeared to pay off so far during his tenure. His Irish teams have managed six 10-win seasons and three top-10 finishes in the AP Poll. Of course, the criticism regarding some of Notre Dame’s big losses against marquee opponents will likely linger until the Irish have major success in the postseason.

Finally, Kelly has also helped Notre Dame regain its status as one of the biggest pipelines for NFL talent in college football.

The Irish had nine players taken in the 2021 draft, the most Notre Dame players taken in the Kelly era and the most Irish picked in a single draft since 1994. Only Alabama and Ohio State had more players picked with 10 apiece.

Tommy Rees One of the youngest offensive coordinators in college football largely justified Kelly’s faith in the former Irish QB in his first year as the permanent play-caller. The Irish finished 26th in the FBS in total offense and 30th in scoring offense with 33.4 points per game. Perhaps even more importantly for a team that often relied on winning the time of possession and field position battles, the Irish were No. 8 in the country on third-down with a conversion percentage just a hair under 50%.

However, Rees and the offense will certainly look to improve in the red zone. The Irish were 102nd in red zone offense in 2020, though the statistic is a bit misleading given that Kelly opted to run out the clock instead of score again after getting inside the 20 on five occasions last year.

Nonetheless, the Irish only found the end zone on 58.3% of their trips to the red zone in 2020, the lowest mark for all of last year’s CFB participants.

As Notre Dame’s quarterback coach since 2017, Rees will hope the passing attack improves after the Irish finished 58th in passing yards per game this season

coach Link Jarrett said. “We weren’t able to really capitalize the first three innings; we had him on the ropes. We never were able to mount a consistent set of at-bats against him.”

FSU immediately capitalized on the momentum, as the Seminoles struck twice against Irish starter Will Mercer in the fourth, executing a two-out rally to perfection. A single sandwiched by a pair of walks loaded the bases, and designated hitter Davis Hare sliced a single through the right side, scoring two for the Seminoles.

The game remained 2-1 into the ninth inning, as both pitching staffs dominated, with neither team recording another hit until the 7th inning. Messick went six innings, while Mercer went five, before being replaced by sophomore Tanner Kohlhepp, who fired three brilliant innings before running into some ninthinning trouble. Some wildness

The Irish were 43rd as a team last year in pass efficiency (Ian Book was 33rd among all QBs), while the starting quarterbacks for every other CFB program had marks within the top ten.

However, Rees can certainly take pride in the development of Ian Book, who became the winningest quarterback in Notre Dame history and finished ninth in 2020 Heisman voting before being drafted by the Saints in the fourth round of this year’s draft.

However, with uncertainty at the quarterback position, Rees will likely lean on run game coordinator Lance Taylor, who won running backs coach of the year in 2015 while mentoring Christian McCaffrey. The Irish relied on its physicality in the trenches all year long, and Taylor’s group, along with the always-mobile Book, finished 24th in rushing offense with over 200 yards per game. It was the second-highest mark in the Kelly era and a marked improvement from 2019 when the Irish were 45th nationally.

Rees, the son of longtime UCLA assistant and NFL scout Bill Rees, played under Kelly from 2010-2013, starting 30 games. He is third and fourth in the Notre Dame record books in career touchdown passes and career passing yards, respectively. After failing to make an NFL roster, Rees was a graduate assistant at Northwestern in 2015 and then spent a year in the NFL as an offensive assistant for the San Diego Chargers before heading to South Bend.

seasons.

Irish fans will expect similar production from Freeman, who is beginning his second coordinator job in his career after building a defensive juggernaut at Cincinnati. In his four years as the Bearcats’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Freeman coached perennially one of the American Athletic Conference’s best defenses in three bowl games, but his stock really began to skyrocket during Cincinnati’s 2020 undefeated regular season that prompted many to argue that the Bearcats belonged in the Playoff.

Freeman’s defense played a massive role in Cincinnati clinching the 2020 AAC title, the program’s first conference crown since Kelly’s final year with the Bearcats in 2009, and a Peach Bowl berth. The Bearcats were ranked in the top 20 nationally in numerous categories, including being ranked third in team passing efficiency defense, eighth in scoring defense and 13th in total defense.

Before his tenure at Cincinnati, Freeman worked as a linebackers coach at Kent State and Purdue, serving as co-defensive coordinator during his last year with the Boilermakers in 2016. As a linebacker at Ohio State, Freeman helped the Buckeyes win four Big Ten titles and reach two national championship games from 20042008. After spending time with three NFL organizations, his pro career came to a premature end due to an enlarged heart.

Position grades Marcus Freeman In Clark Lea’s three seasons in South Bend, Notre Dame’s defense was one of the best in the country, ranking No. 16, No. 5, and No. 24 nationally in defensive efficiency per the Fremeau Efficiency Index (FEI) from 20182020, respectively. Lea’s defenses were always among the top 15 nationally in terms of scoring defense during that span, holding opponents to less than 20 points per game each of those three

Gregory McKenna — Sports Writer

cost him big time, as a walk and hit batter put a pair on for Elijah Cabell, who iced the game with a three-run blast and a 5-1 Florida State lead. The Irish scraped one run across in the ninth, but that was it in the 5-2 loss.

In Saturday’s opener, the Irish received a dazzling pitching performance from grad student John Michael Bertrand, who twirled seven scoreless frames scattering five hits and a walk, while striking out nine. It was plenty for the Irish offense, who scrapped out single runs in the first and seventh innings, surrounding a three-spot in the sixth to give their bullpen some insurance. Junior designated hitter Carter Putz notched a sacrifice fly in the first inning for a 1-0 lead, which remained the score for five innings.

Bertrand had to avoid only minor trouble, with a runner reaching third just once in those six innings of work, despite working with the slimmest of advantages.

However, Brannigan broke it open in the sixth, blasting an opposite-field home run with two runners on, as Notre Dame staked out a 4-0 lead. Senior first baseman Niko Kavadas brought home Notre Dame’s final run in the seventh with an RBI single.

The Irish made things a little dicey, as the bullpen surrendered three runs in the eighth and ninth innings, but then Brannigan demonstrated his two-way ability, trotting over from third base to close out the game, with one out and a runner on first, and Notre Dame holding a 5-3 advantage.

Brannigan worked around a walk to secure his second save of the year with minimal drama.

However, the Irish couldn’t secure the series win in Saturday’s finale, as they went with a bullpen game, trotting out four different pitchers, all of whom gave up runs, and it was death by paper cut for the Irish, as Florida State scored in five different innings,

For my money, this is a top-5 coaching staff in the country.

Despite weathering seemingly constant criticism, Kelly brings obvious pedigree and a resume of success that only Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney unequivocally surpass. I expect Freeman to pick up where Lea left off, and given his track record at Cincinnati, I’m hopeful he might

11

lead a quick turnaround in the secondary after a few recruiting cycles. Rees is still relatively inexperienced, of course. However, I’m sure Kelly is grateful to have one of the most promising young offensive minds in college football under his wing, and his rapport with Book — no doubt aided by his own experience as QB1 at Notre Dame — will hopefully be replicated with whoever is under center in 2021 and beyond.

These three coaches also have some accomplished assistants behind them, including offensive line coach Jeff Quinn, who deserves credit for helping Notre Dame live up to the “O-Line U” distinction over the last few seasons.

Grade: A-

Hayden Adams — Senior Sports Writer When it comes to a coaching staff in college football, the big four are the head coach, the offensive and defensive coordinators and recruiting coordinator.

I’d say Notre Dame is pretty set at those four — even if some would like to see a little more effort on the recruiting trail from the head coach.

For me, the coaching staff just seems to be consistently falling short at certain positions. Lance Taylor is probably the best of the Irish position coaches, putting in work on the recruiting trail and developing great running backs, and I like what Jeff Quinn and John McNulty showed in the O-line and tight end meeting rooms, respectively, last season; Mike Elston’s work along the defensive trenches speaks for itself.

But it’s guys like receivers coach Del Alexander — and safeties coach Terry Joseph and running backs coach Autry Denson before him — that have just left a lot to be desired in some form or fashion at their positions. In some regards, the entire staff can only be as great as its weakest link, and it seems like a few have been glaring weaknesses recently.

Grade: B+

while utilizing four pitchers to suffocate the Notre Dame bats in a 7-1 victory. The normally trustworthy Irish defense made two errors, while the offense scraped out just seven hits, with Kavadas picking up the lone RBI in the seventh inning.

“Florida State is a very good team, very good on the mound, tough to play, and they beat us today,” Jarrett said.

For Notre Dame, they’re still in a great spot to secure the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament, with a three-game lead over Louisville and Georgia Tech with three conference games to play.

The Irish have a midweek game against Valparaiso, but they do get next weekend off from conference play, and when they return in two weekends against Virginia Tech, the Irish will need at most a series win to secure the top seed.

Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

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The observer | Monday, may 10, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

nd SOFTBALL | nd 1, bc 0; nd 10, bc 2; nd 10, bc 6

ND sweeps BC on Senior Weekend

By EMILY DeFAZIO Associate Sports Editor

At the close of the regular season, the Irish swept yet another series this weekend as the team went 3-0 against rival Boston College. The fourth game of the contest was canceled due to the rain on Sunday. This series win marks Notre Dame softball’s (3112, 20-10 ACC) third undefeated home season in program history (15-0). This year was the first time this achievement has happened in over a decade, as the last undefeated season occurred in 2010 (19-0). Additionally, this is the team’s 32nd 30-win season; last year’s shortened season was the only one to not reach this record.

Furthermore, the Irish hold a record of 19 consecutive home game wins, continuing the streak that started in 2019.

They also hold a 14-game winning streak as the postseason approaches.

The first game proved to be a shutout, with the Irish taking the day (1-0). After senior pitcher Alexis Holloway struck out

baseball | florida state 5, nd 2; nd 5, florida s tate 3; florida state 7, nd 1

Bats go cold, Irish drop first series of season

three batters in the first inning, senior outfielder Abby Sweet took her fourth hit-by-pitch of the season. She proceeded to steal second and eventually made it home after an attempt

by BC to get her out at third. Her run would be the sole score of the game, even as Notre Dame ended with the bases loaded for several innings of the day.

Saturday proved to be one of equal domination for the Irish, with several players having outstanding performances. In the first game of the day, junior Payton Tidd pitched a complete game. The Eagles were able to score in the first inning, but the Irish quickly came back. Sweet and junior outfielder Emma Clark stole bases at the same time, and both were able to score by the end of the inning (2-1).

The pair has acted as a bit of a dynamic duo this season, with both players posting stellar seasons and each proving to be a force to be reckoned with in the ballgames. Head coach Deanna Gumpf spoke on this dynamic. see SOFTBALL PAGE 9

By AIDAN THOMAS Sports Writer

RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

Irish junior pitcher Alex Rao delivers a pitch during Notre Dame’s 5-3 win over Florida State on Saturday at Frank Eck Stadium.

After reaching their highest national ranking since 2001, reaching No. 2 by Baseball America’s rankings, Notre Dame finally stumbled, losing their first series of the season in the penultimate ACC regular-season weekend, as the Irish dropped two of three at home to Florida State.

Due to Sunday’s weather concerns, the series was played in just two days with a Saturday doubleheader, and after dropping the opener on Friday night, the Irish were faced with the daunting task of sweeping the 13th-ranked Seminoles on Saturday to grab a series win. The Irish had successfully completed the Friday loss, Saturday sweep tandem two weeks earlier against Boston College, but the magic was not to be this past weekend, as after nabbing the opener of the twin bill, 5-3, Notre Dame simply never found a rhythm in the nightcap, dropping a 7-1 decision and their first series of the year. see BASEBALL PAGE 11

Football

Position breakdown: Coaching staff Observer Staff Report

Hayden Adams Senior Sports Writer

Rockne. Parseghian. Holtz.

Notre Dame’s football lore is closely tied to its lineage of iconic head coaches. In our last Position Breakdown of the year, we look at the Irish coaching staff heading into 2021.

Brian Kelly Heading into his 12th season as Notre Dame head coach, the 29th head coach in program history has already amassed a 102-39 record, including 21 wins from the 2012 and 2013 seasons later vacated by the NCAA, since arriving from Cincinnati in Dec. 2009.

Kelly is just four wins away from surpassing Knute Rockne’s mark of 105 wins and becoming the program’s all-time winningest coach. If Notre Dame begins the season with three-straight wins, Kelly could earn the distinction against Wisconsin at Soldier Field on Sept. 25. Kelly passed see FOOTBALL PAGE 11

95 Theses on ND football

Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Irish head coach Brian Kelly looks on during the Blue-Gold Game on May 1. 2021 will be his 12th season at the helm of Notre Dame.

(Disclaimer: This is not intended to be sacrilegious in any form.)

1. When the founder, Fr. Edward Sorin, arrived in South Bend that fateful winter, he set into motion the events that would bear the greatest college football program man has ever beheld.

2. Despite being founded

by French priests, Fr. Sorin dreamt of his school being likened to a bunch of Irish hooligans.

3. The Catholic identity of the Congregation of Holy Cross is imbued in the football program.

4. As such, the team attends Mass the night before every game and prays the Lord’s Prayer in the locker room before taking the field.

5. The Catholic identity of the football program may very well be the reason the program

has remained an independent for its entire non-COVID existence (see thesis No. 27).

6. Should the pregame prayer be broadcast, the Irish faithful are obligated to join in the addendum to the Lord’s prayer: “Our Lady, Queen of Victory, PRAY FOR US!” 7. No matter the weather report for the game, thou shalt get hype; all Midwest weather is football weather.

8. Before kickoff, thou shalt scream along to “Here Come the Irish” as off-key as necessary, then start jumping to “Shipping up to Boston.”

9. Thou shalt do pushups in the air after every Notre Dame touchdown, equivalent in number to Notre Dame’s point total.

10. Thou shalt direct a certain word at the Men of Zahm House during “Celtic Chant,” even if thou art thyself a Man of Zahm House.

11. The Men of Zahm House see ADAMS PAGE 10