Print Edition for The Observer for Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Leo Varadkar and Joe Kennedy III visit
Former Irish Taoiseach and U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland for economic affairs discussed challenges facing Ireland today
By LIAM KELLY Notre Dame News Editor
This Friday saw the arrival of two prominent figures in Irish and American politics on campus — former Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar and U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland for economic affairs and former congressman Joe Kennedy III. Varadkar participated in a public discussion in the Hesburgh Center for International Studies in the afternoon, while Kennedy delivered private remarks at a luncheon for Notre Dame’s Ireland Council. Both events were hosted by the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies.
During their respective remarks, Varadkar discussed the possibility
of a united Ireland, while Kennedy highlighted the economic and social progress of Northern Ireland in recent years.
Leo Varadkar
Varadkar served as Taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland from 2017 to 2020 and again from 2022 to 2024, becoming the first gay and biracial person to hold the office. He resigned this March, citing “personal and political” reasons. Prior to Varadkar delivering his public remarks in the afternoon, he sat down for an interview with The Observer.
Since his resignation and the appointment of his successor, Simon Harris, Varadkar’s party, Fine Gael — who is in a coalition government with the Fianna Fail party — has
improved dramatically in the polls. Six months after his resignation, Varadkar reflected on the consequences of his resignation.
“[It] was really a political calculation that my party had a better chance of doing better with a new leader,” he said. “Because people who had maybe gotten sick of us or sick of me, would look at the party again and would consider us again. And that seems to be working and working well, really in large part, because of the energy and enthusiasm of the new Taoiseach Simon Harris.”
In order for Harris’ government to be reelected, Varadkar urged Harris to call an election “sooner rather than later.” He also cautioned
Sierra Leone minister receives Alumni Award ND Law professor discusses election
By MEGAN CORNELL News Writer
To celebrate this year’s International Day of Peace, the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies invited Sierra Leone’s minister of information and civic engagement, Chernor Bah, to speak on his career trajectory and experience working for peace in Sierra
Every year as part of their annual Peace Day celebration, the Kroc institute honors a Notre Dame graduate cultivating peace globally with the Distinguished Alumni Award. Bah, who received his masters in international peace studies from Notre Dame in 2011, is this year’s award recipient.
Associate director for alumni relations Anne Hayner praised Bah for his work while introducing him.
“We are delighted to welcome Chernor Bah to the Kroc Institute and to the Keough School at Notre Dame as a former refugee and war survivor, a longtime youth
By CAROLYN FREESE News Writer
Monday evening, the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights teamed up with the student organization ND Votes to host the first of this school year’s three-part pizza, pop and politics discussion series. The nonpartisan forum, aimed at fostering dialogue on elections, featured Notre Dame law professor Derek Muller, an
expert in election law.
In line with ND Votes’ mission to promote voter mobilization, the event welcomed both undergraduate and graduate Notre Dame students, as well as members of the public. The tables at the event also had scannable QR codes to register to vote.
Professor Muller, a scholar in civil procedure, evidence and
ND administers free flu vaccines
By BRIGID IANNELLI News Writer
Notre Dame students will have the opportunity to receive a free flu vaccine this week during the annual flu vaccine blitz at the Stepan Center, organized by University Health Services (UHS) and Human Resources. The event is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
and manager of the flu vaccine blitz, highlighted the extensive planning that goes into the event each year.
“We actually start planning this event almost a year in advance,” Connolly said. “We have to put in our orders for the number and type of vaccine that we’re going to get, so we usually do that sometime in November.”
Preparation for the event
AWARD PAGE 4 see VACCINES PAGE 3
Neal Connolly, health information technology specialist at UHS
Leone.
Courtesy of Peter Ringenberg
Leo Varadkar, former Irish Taoiseach (left), and Joe Kennedy III, U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland (right), spoke at ND on Friday.
MEGAN CORNELL | The Observer
Chernor Bah, Sierra Leone’s minister of information and civic engagement, spoke after recieving the Kroc Institute’s celebratory Distinguished Alumni Award for working to cultivate peace globally.
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Wednesday
On-Campus Flu
Vaccine Blitz
Stepan Center
10 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Free flu vaccines upon appointment.
Just Lunch Geddes Hall, Coffee House
11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Conversations about justice and free food.
Thursday
Forensic Accountant
FBI Event Spes Unica 145
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
FBI guest speaker on careers in accounting.
Hibernian Lecture McKenna Hall
4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
“Like a Prayer: The Novels of John McGahern.”
Friday
Dean’s Speaker Series Jordan Auditorium 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Fred Reicher and customer capitalism.
Notre Dame vs Clemson Alumni Stadium 7 p.m.
Men’s soccer takes on Clemson.
Saturday
Notre Dame vs Louisville Notre Dame Stadium
3:30 p.m. Football battles Louisville.
Medieval Combat West Lawn of McCourtney Hall
p.m.
RICHARD
Varadkar has been more outspoken in encouraging the Irish government to push for a united Ireland. He explained that now is the time to make practical preparations for such a step, as many aspects of Ireland’s relationship with the United Kingdom postBrexit have now been settled. Nevertheless, he urged patience in pushing for a referendum on unification.
“I believe that unification should happen,” Varadkar said. “I don’t think it’s inevitable. And whether it’s the referendum on a republic in Australia or independence in Scotland and Quebec, if you lose it, it’s probably off the agenda for a generation.”
A major flashpoint in Irish politics in the past few years has been the rising levels of immigration to the country. While Varadkar touted the economic benefits of migration and warned against rising prejudice and populism in the country, he acknowledged immigration was rising at too fast a pace.
“The majority of people think that the numbers have been too big in recent years, and they’re right,” he said. “A country of 5 million people seeing its population rise by 2% a year, which is what’s happening at the moment, is too fast.”
Despite his resignation, Varadkar emphasized the need to get people involved in politics and highlighted the benefits of a political career.
“While politics is tough, it’s also a privilege, it’s also extraordinarily rewarding, and that’s proven by the fact that people run for reelection,” he said. “If it was so awful, I don’t think most people would be
looking to get reelected over and over again”
At 3 p.m., Varadkar took the stage at the public event with professor Colin Barr, director of the Clingen Family Center for the Study of Modern Ireland, in the auditorium of the Hesburgh Center. The auditorium was filled, with people standing along the walls to get a view of the conversation.
Varadkar reflected on his career in politics, explaining it started from “a desire to fix things that you see are wrong.” Varadkar became Taoiseach at 38 and admitted he was unsure if he was too young for the job. Seven years later, he acknowledged both the excitement and the stress of the office.
“It’s a constant roller coaster ride until the point you want to get off,” he said. “You have to keep the show on the road. You know, the economy running, society taking over, public services working, and that’s hard.”
One of the major unexpected challenges during Varadkar’s tenure in government was the Covid pandemic. Varadkar stressed that his medical background as a doctor helped him navigate the pandemic, but emphasized that “nobody got it right all the time.” He specifically acknowledged the difficulty children had learning virtually, as well as the lack of cancer screenings during the pandemic.
“I always understood when we’re making these decisions that it wasn’t just a simple choice between restrictions saving lives and people’s freedoms, that the restrictions that would save lives would also have negative consequences,” he said.
Varadkar said one of the proudest achievements of his tenure was navigating the political challenges
caused by Britain’s exit from the European Union.
“We weren’t going to be taken out of the European Union in any way just because the British were leaving, and we [tried to] make sure that the Good Friday Agreement was upheld,” he said.
Again discussing the subject of a united Ireland, which he described as “the natural thing,” Varadkar acknowledged that some concessions would have to be made to unionists in Northern Ireland, potentially including enacting constitutional protections for the British minority, changing national symbols and deemphasizing the Irish language.
“You have to craft a proposition that people are willing to buy into,” he said. “Certainly, the vision for a 21st century united Ireland is not the vision of 1916.”
Joe Kennedy III
Before Varadkar’s public event, Kennedy spoke to members of Notre Dame’s Ireland Council in Jenkins-Nanovic Hall and sat down for a conversation with professor Patrick Griffin, director of the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies. Kennedy began by emphasizing the United States’ special connection to Ireland.
“In the United States, where partisanship seems to be tearing up the fabric of almost everything we’ve done, Ireland is one of the few things that still pulls everybody together,” he said.
In spite of the legacy of the violence and division of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, Kennedy highlighted the economic and social progress Northern Ireland has made in recent years.
“Look at artists, catalysts, driving innovations, not just here in
Northern Ireland, but around the world. Watch the skyline as a harbor in Belfast changes as new buildings sprout along the street,” he said.
Economically, Kennedy also highlighted the highly educated workforce, the increasing job opportunities and the cheaper cost of living in Belfast compared to cities like Dublin or London.
Kennedy’s position of special envoy to Northern Ireland was first held by former U.S. Senate majority leader, George Mitchell, who helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, bringing an end to The Troubles. Kennedy emphasized that while Mitchell’s shoes were big ones to feel, he was honored to hold the position.
“By the nature of leveraging title and connection and platform, hopefully, you can artfully call out some of the challenges that are there and then nudge people towards those solutions,” he said.
“We can choose to fix it, or we can choose not to.”
Kennedy stressed there is both a technical aspect of the job, which entails trying to foster economic development in the region, and a symbolic aspect which shows the commitment the United States has to peace in the region.
In an age of political polarization, Kennedy pointed to Northern Ireland as an example of how to bridge social divides and build peace.
“The United States could do well to learn a few things from Northern Ireland. Today, more than ever, we are seeing dangers of political violence threatening the stability of democracy,” Kennedy said. “There’s a lesson from Northern Ireland. It is that peace is precious and we need to care for it.”
A key part of fostering this peace, Kennedy said, involves ensuring that opportunities are open to both Catholics and Protestants and that the two communities view the advancements as favorable to everyone.
“Growth and opportunity here is not zero-sum. If you can feed your family that doesn’t mean I can’t feed mine,” Kennedy said.
Like Varadkar, Kennedy also acknowledged the destabilizing effects of Brexit on Northern Ireland.
“I’m not certain that all of the ramifications of the UK leaving the EU were wholly explored vis a vis what that would mean for Northern Ireland when that vote was taken,” he said.
Nevertheless, Kennedy noted opportunities for an improvement in the United Kingdom’s relationship with Ireland and, by extension, the European Union with a new government led by Keir Starmer and the Labour Party. Kennedy noted the Labour government has expressed more interest in moving closer to the European Union than the previous conservative government.
“There’s an opportunity though with any government change to reset some of these relationships and take a look with fresh eyes,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy also offered praise for Varadkar, who was in the audience, citing the economic success of Ireland in recent years.
“It is a reflection of what can happen when leaders choose to leverage their political capital to take on challenging issues for the sake, for the betterment of their people,” he said.
Contact Liam Kelly at lkelly8@nd.edu
SMC hosts political dialogue training seminar
By SOLEDAD CASTELLANOS and SAMANTHA GEBERT Staff Writer and News Writer
Monday night, just over a dozen Saint Mary’s students participated in a two hour political dialogue training seminar, hosted by the Center of Faith, Action, and Ministry (CFAM) and spearheaded by Sarah Nietz, Saint Mary’s assistant director for justice and solidarity, junior Amelia Moroney and senior Jeanett Ochoa.
Moroney said the purpose of the event was “to encourage the education of political dialogue within the Saint Mary’s and surrounding South Bend community.”
The team led the group through
Vaccines
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
continues into the spring when organizers finalize the venue and supplies, such as needles and cotton balls. Connolly estimates that hundreds of hours are spent planning.
In recent weeks, UHS has focused on assembling a team of volunteer vaccine
a series of activities and discussions on how to facilitate political conversations on campus and in the surrounding communities.
Nietz introduced the concept of creating a container, a method of organizing a discussion. She said this method is used during “Discussion & Donuts,” a time in which facilitators open discussions regarding hard-hitting social and political topics.
Ochoa stressed the need to welcome everyone into these political “containers.”
“Everyone has varying degrees of information, and to allocate time for understanding ... reinforces the welcoming structure of the container,” she said.
administrators and support staff to ensure smooth operations during the event. Connolly mentioned the University’s collaboration with nursing programs from Indiana University South Bend, Bethel College and Saint Mary’s College, whose students volunteer to administer the vaccines.
Last year, the flu vaccine blitz saw around 3,500 students participate.
The training also covered the roles of facilitators, full spectrum listening, good questionasking and addressing difficult discussions.
Organizers stressed the importance of identifying others’ values and emotions, through active listening. The group also worked on the skills of identifying both implicit and explicit values, as well as emotions and opinions that could arise within discussion circles.
When the activities concluded, Nietz encouraged the group to put these practices into use.
“There will always be risks when facilitating these types of discussion across any community, not just our own,” she
Connolly encourages students to get vaccinated to protect themselves and the wider Notre Dame community, citing this year’s Notre Dame Forum theme of “What Do We Owe Each Other?”
“You could say that we owe each other the courtesy of being as healthy as we can and protecting the community at large by coming and getting a flu vaccine,” Connolly said.
said. “People oftentimes have an instinctual need to defend their opinions and beliefs due to the labels of politics and categories in society, but with this container structure we create spaces of allowance for perspective characterized by respect and mutual learning.”
Senior Molly Minick shared why she chose to come to the training.
“I am the president of the political science club and also a BAVO student advisory committee member. So I just feel like this year, I’m going to be involved or exposed to hard conversations,” she said. “I want to be able to facilitate those in a productive manner.”
Connolly noted that last year, 75% of students who tested positive for the flu at UHS were unvaccinated.
While flu season typically peaks between December and February the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stress the importance of early vaccination.
According to data from the CDC, last year’s flu shot was 42%
Minick also expresed her appreciation for the skills she learned during the session.
“I thought that it was really insightful and I think it was very helpful,” she said. “I feel like I have a much better understanding of how to approach difficult situations.”
Everyone who attended the training is now qualified to lead at future “Discussions and Donuts“ events, being held on Oct. 14 and Nov. 18, focusing on climate change and the election respectively.
Contact Samantha Gebert at sgebert01@saintmarys.edu and Soledad Castellanos at scastellanos01@saintmarys.edu
effective.
Students must register for a preferred vaccination time on the UHS website. Those unable to attend the event are advised to schedule appointments with their primary care provider, local pharmacy or clinic.
Contact Brigid Iannelli at biannell@nd.edu
Election
CONTINUED FROM
election law, delivered an educational talk on the mechanics of U.S. election administration. He addressed how states manage elections to ensure accurate results and highlighted the country’s challenges as the 2024 presidential election approaches.
Muller opened by discussing the deep political divisions in the United States, noting that Democrats and Republicans share a pervasive distrust.
“There is a fear on both sides that the other knows how to steal the election,” Muller said.
He pointed out that many voters are concerned about the integrity of the election process.
“There’s a pervasive fear that things are going to go wrong,” he said.
Muller also spoke about the significant changes in election rules during the 2020 pandemic, noting that while the pace of change has slowed, modifications to election procedures continue. He highlighted the 2022 Electoral Count Reform Act, which aims to streamline election procedures by establishing firm deadlines for resolving election disputes and reducing the chances of Congress objecting to certified results.
“Clear and clean-cut election procedures are crucial to
avoiding post-election issues,” Muller said.
He used Georgia as an example, noting that the state is currently debating whether to introduce handcounting ballots in future elections.
“Introducing new rules 40-50 days before an election adds its own complexity,” he said.
Muller then discussed the “winner-takes-all” electoral system used by all states except Maine and Nebraska, questioning whether Nebraska would eventually adopt the system used by the other 48 states.
Muller then opened the floor for questions. Undergraduate students, law students and the public all engaged with Professor Muller. The discussion ended on the topic of the difficulty of implementing Supreme Court reform.
Despite the changes in election procedures, Muller expressed confidence in the 2024 presidential election process.
“We will get results certified in a timely fashion,” he said.
The pizza, pop and politics series will continue with two more discussions throughout the school year, offering further nonpartisan forums on election-related issues.
Contact Carolyn Freese at cfreese2@nd.edu
activist, an NGO founder, United Nations leader and last year was appointed minister of information and civic education in Sierra Leone,” Hayner said. “As inscribed at the base of the award, we are confident that you will go forth in peace.”
In accepting his award, Bah promised to continue dedicating his life to peace.
“I also pledge that for the rest of my life, I will continue to earn this award because I believe peace is something you continue to earn everyday,” he said.
Bah said his commitment to peace stems from his experience growing up in war-torn Sierra Leone. Although the war in Sierra Leone is now over, the country still faces challenges overcoming the legacy of colonial rule.
“Colonialism is not just the past. It is now, and it stops us from fully claiming the future … colonialism and other biases imposed on us frameworks [that] disregarded our belief and traditions, and this
oppression of our local culture and the political ecology of our society deeply affected and undermine our ability to construct a national identity,” Bah said.
While some political leaders urge citizens to disregard the past, Bah believes that understanding Sierra Leone’s history is the only path to cultivating national identity and unity. Bah said this mission motivated him in his work as minister of civic education, which makes him a bridge between Sierra Leone’s citizens, especially the youth, and policymakers.
“I have a responsibility of defining what civic education will mean for Sierra Leone, setting up the structure and institutions for civic education, and rolling all of these out within this short period of time,” Bah said.
Bah said his time at Notre Dame continues to inspire his work in civic education. When completing his masters, Bah remembered feeling most connected to his fellow students singing the Alma Mater at the end of a football game. The song created a
sense of community and solidarity which Bah hopes a new national anthem in Sierra Leone, written in Creole, not English, will produce.
“If you leave the city and go to any village, you can’t get any Sierra Leonean to get excited by the national anthem, or by a national symbol. It’s not possible to create a [national] consciousness if you don’t challenge these things,” Bah said.
Ultimately, Bah hopes that his work will be the beginning of a new history for Sierra Leone.
“A privilege I have had in my education here at the Kroc Institute and at the University of Notre Dame is the audacity to question things that we have been taught,” Bah said. “That’s the job that I’ve given myself, that the President of Sierra Leone appointed me to do, and I’m hoping that I can convince the people of Sierra Leone to just start asking these questions because for too long we were taught never to ask these questions.”
Contact Megan Cornell at mcornell@nd.edu
2024 Dean’s Speaker Series Presents:
REICHHELD
‘Mean Girls’: A movie for Notre Dame students
Recently, I watched “Mean Girls” for the first time. Yes, I realize that I am 20 years late to the game. If you watched it years ago and need a refresher, or perhaps you have no idea what I’m talking about, this article is for you. “Mean Girls” is a comedy classic starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. It is a masterclass of commentary about social status and hierarchies that balances a mordantly satirical tone with a heartfelt coming-of-age story. With plenty of memorable jokes and characters, “Mean Girls” is conventionally regarded by many as nostalgic. Given my lateness to the scene, I’d instead like to appreciate its current relevance, especially to Notre Dame.
The plot is fairly straightforward. The story follows Cady Heron, a homeschooled girl who moves from Africa to the United States and experiences public school for the first time. At her new high school, she promptly befriends Janis and Damian, two social outcasts who warn her about a popular, but manipulative group of girls called “the plastics.” The group, led by the iconic, indomitable Regina George, is regarded as the highest standard of beauty and social status. As a part of a scheme to expose the toxicity of the group, Janis commissions Cady to infiltrate the plastics, which backfires when Cady slowly loses her individuality and becomes more like them, adopting their behaviors and status. Eventually, Cady catalyzes the destruction of the plastics and unintentionally unleashes widespread social unrest
at the school, which is resolved when she issues a public apology for her gossip and manipulation. The story concludes with Cady choosing to stay true to herself and foster a new, healthier sense of belonging.
Though the plot is set in a high school, the satirical commentary is expansive and salient, especially for college students. Who are the plastics of Notre Dame or your life? Which groups are considered the social outcasts? Why do we divide ourselves, either deliberately or unintentionally, into these groups? In what ways do I personally engage in demeaning actions, like gossip, thereby reinforcing social divisions? Which of my neighbors do I look at with intense envy or contemptuous superiority? These are all introspective questions that, in their most basic forms, Cady Heron asked herself when she decided to take accountability for her actions and break the social divisions that plagued North Shore High School.
On the surface, this phenomenon only seems slightly alarming to most and the motivation for action is minimal. However, I believe it should be blatantly disturbing how these social hierarchies arise and affect the community. This is not to say that I oppose all social hierarchies, but only those that espouse unreasonable social conformity and are reinforced by superficial superiority. If a social hierarchy arises out of voluntary decisions and is predicated on unique, shared interests, then I have nothing more to say. However, this is not usually the case for Notre Dame students. For instance, a social hierarchy that selects salary as a metric for human worth that is led select group of “plastics” who compel their disciples to
Pick your plot
for God’s sake, and it wasn’t even that funny of a story. Have some respect for the deceased.
pursue investment banking or consulting jobs, despite their disciples’ indifference to the profession, is troubling. Perhaps a social hierarchy that contains a majority group of approximately 60 percent, which views all smaller minority groups below a brow of superiority and oftentimes with an eye of predatory sexual fetishism, is troubling. We could entertain many other permutations, but I think you get the picture.
The key takeaway here is one of personal accountability. Breaking down these toxic social hierarchies will not come about by institutional decisions, such as mandating the six-semester oncampus living requirement or deploying “community tables” equipped with puzzles and games in North Dining Hall. It requires an internal examination to identify what the groups are within the social hierarchy of your life and also toward what your social disposition tends. Moreover, you must also ask yourself in what ways you are facilitating or even complicit in the phenomenon, whether it be through your willful ignorance, gossip or other vices. You may not be able to coordinate everyone you interact with into a mass general confession of everyone’s wrongdoings, as what happened in ”Mean Girls.” Still, you can control your actions and not involve yourself with a social hierarchy that is offensive to God and your neighbors.
Jonah Tran is a junior at Notre Dame studying finance and classics. He prides himself on sarcasm and never surrendering. You can file complaints to Jonah by email at jtran5@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
When my dad told me he had a “funny cemetery story,” I expected it to be about a childhood prank or a Halloween night gone wrong.
Instead, he told me a story about his old friend, John. John has had the unfortunate luck of losing both his father and one of his sisters within the past five years. In the way that shared grief will motivate you to cherish the ones you love, his extended family recently got together for a reunion and visited the cemetery where John’s father and sister are buried.
I imagine it is a warm day in Ohio when they arrive at the cemetery, entering through a little gate and joining the other visitors milling around its grounds. Gathered together, the family walks to the correct area and gazes down at the two plots occupied by their loved ones. As people do, they probably share some heartfelt stories and reflect on their favorite memories of the two. John’s mother, struggling with her own health complications, has already bought the plot of ground next to his father. John owns the plot next to his sister.
Then, someone throws out an idea:
“While we’re all here, why don’t we pick out our own plots?”
The idea sinks in for a second. Then, what seems like a facetious (but weirdly practical) suggestion results in the featured picture: each family member posing for the camera, perched upon the plot of grass they would like to claim for the afterlife.
Now, you might be thinking, what the hell? Why did I have to read this weirdly morbid story? “Funny” and “cemetery” should not be in the same sentence,
And to you my disgruntled reader, I say: aha! You may be among one third of Americans who are uncomfortable just thinking about their own death. Yet, strangely, 90% of the country is fine talking about the idea of death and dying.
It appears that our attitudes toward death suddenly change when the subject at hand is oneself. We see this struggle play out in literature, movies and societal spending. Ivan Ilyich agonizes over the “black sack.” Another billionaire tries to live forever. The stories change, but the struggle is the same: we think of ourselves as the exception to the inevitable, ignoring every sign to the contrary as we hurdle toward our fate.
Our naive obsession with immortality is not unreasonable, seeing as it is almost impossible to wrap one’s head around the idea of ceasing to exist. We have no memories before our birth, no memory of what it “feels” like to not have a physical presence, no concept of “nothingness.” Not only that, but everything we perceive is in relation to ourselves — your every experience hinges on the common denominator of you. The TV is in front of you, your friends are talking, your teacher gets sick. So, when we die, it is not just our bodies that will be gone. It feels as though everything we know about the world will also cease to exist.
Even if we could fully comprehend death, I presume that it would still not stop us from fearing it. It is easy to imagine getting to the end of the road and feeling like there was still more to do — more places to visit, more people to meet, more books to read. The idea that your own book of life could end at any chapter, finished or not, is terrifying.
Yet, that is exactly why we should face our mortality head on. We may not understand it or you may
believe there will always be too much to accomplish before your time is up. But avoiding death will not make you live forever; instead, it will only tempt you into taking this precious time for granted. People with near-death experiences (NDE) often report a newfound appreciation for life. Exposed to the fragility of their existence, NDEs jolt them awake to the realization that every day is a gift, not a given. They move through life with a sense of gratitude and intentionality, taking the time to think about their purpose and spending more time loving others.
While the planner in me does not buy into the “live like you are going to die tomorrow” doctrine, one would hope it does not take an NDE to instill a healthy sense of urgency into your life. If you simply accept the fact that your time here is limited, you might start to notice a shift in your priorities. It will force you to be intentional about how you’ll spend your days, how often you pick up the phone to call your mom, how long you spend stressing about that five-point assignment.
Our lives have value precisely because they come to an end. So go ahead, pick your plot. Think about who you want next to you at the end of the road. Think deeply about what you would want said on your gravestone or in your eulogy. If you have the bravery to accept responsibility for this transient existence of yours, it may free you to live more fully.
Allison Elshoff is a junior studying business analytics with minors in the Hesburgh Program of Public Service and impact consulting. Originally from Valencia, California and currently living in Badin Hall, you can find her unsubscribing from email lists or hammocking by the lakes.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Jonah Tran Amate et Odite Deo
Allison Elshoff Asking for a Friend
Declan Burke American DOMEland
The cat’s out of the bag
On Tuesday, Sept. 10, the nation tuned in to a debate that saw the first meeting of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. It was Harris’ first debate since Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race and she became the nominee for the Democratic Party. This switch from Biden to Kamala fundamentally altered the nature of the race and the discourse surrounding each candidate. After making consistent negative remarks about Joe Biden’s age and mental state, Trump now stood against a far younger candidate. With the spotlight of age within the presidential race shifted to Trump, the debate was a chance for him to alter public conceptions of his presidential candidacy.
As the debate began, it was Harris who took the initiative, walking across the debate stage to shake Trump’s hand, setting an initial tone that she was there to win. In her initial statement, Harris discussed her middle-class background and her plan to implement a $6,000 tax credit for families with new children alongside a $50,000 tax deduction for small business owners. Trump
began by claiming that he plans on increasing American revenues through foreign tariffs and then went on to make claims that illegal immigrants were harming unions as a result of weak border security. As the debate continued, things began to go off the rails. Trump began to make claims that Kamala was a Marxist and that her father was a Marxist professor in economics. The debate then turned to the issue of abortion, where Trump made claims that some states were allowing abortions into the ninth month of pregnancy. Kamala then attacked Trump’s overturning of Roe v. Wade and discussed how, in some states, couples are even being denied IVF treatment, which Trump denied.
A highlight of the night came when the issue of border security was brought up, and Trump was asked why he killed a bill that would have added thousands of border patrol agents. Trump went on a tangent about how in Springfield, Ohio illegal immigrants were “Eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.” These claims were disputed by moderator David Muir who claimed ABC had reached out to the city manager of Springfield who reported there were no credible reports of any such thing occurring. Trump then went on to claim that countries were sending their criminals
to the U.S. and that American crime rates were rising as a result. This claim was again disputed by Muir who cited an FBI statement that showed that the national violent crime rate was down, which Trump called “defrauding statements.” Harris then went on to attack Trump for his recent trials for national security and economic crimes, election interference and sexual assault charges.
The Jan. 6 insurrection was discussed, alongside the Israel-Hamas war and the war in Ukraine. Trump claimed that Kamala had been sent to negotiate with Vladimir Putin, however, this was disproven as Harris has never actually met Putin.
The discussion then turned to Trump’s former questioning of Harris’ racial background and identity. The moderators then asked Trump about his proposed plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, to which he responded that he had “Concepts of a plan.” Harris claimed that she fully supported the growth and expansion of the Affordable Care Act.
Declan is a surviving biochemistry major at the University of Notre Dame. He is usually trying to figure out how to work the printer. Contact at dburke7@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Everything that I’m not afraid
2. If all the world were washed
1. Everything physical that matters here
“If you opened other people up, you’d find landscapes,” is something I wish I came up with myself. I didn’t. I stole it. I don’t even know where it’s from, just that I heard it in a class once and wrote it down (so now, it’s mine).
I thought about the idea of opening other people up — not in the scary, surgical, frog-dissection type of way — but in the normal way. With questions. With answers. Perhaps you’d find landscapes.
I like to think landscape is a fancy word for graveyard. It’s everything physical that matters — that ever mattered — in one breath, in one place.
Everything physical that matters here are cigarette butts on friends’ porches and South Bend sidewalks, and you’ll make them pick it up and throw it away after they stamp i t out (because God’s watching, and littering’s a sin).
Everything physical that matters here is the grass, which has never looked better and the sprinklers which never ever end (we’re getting sprayed in broad daylight; it’s only noon on a Tuesday, and now my trousers are soaked, but also, it’s only water, and it kind of felt good).
I like to think sometimes we’re all the same person living the same life here, that if you opened us all up, you’d find the same landscape. You’d find everything physical that matters here.
I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I liked the sound of it. I liked the sound of it because it sounded beautiful.
Last weekend, I saw Katie, and she told me she felt so washed. For a moment, I thought maybe I was washed up too, only I’m not at all.
Last weekend, I learned what a CV was. This was important because I networked with a nice man who asked me to send him my CV. I asked my boss and found out CV is a fancy word for a resume, so then I started updating my resume (I mean, CV).
It’s funny feeling preemptively washed up when you don’t even know what a CV is. It’s also funny being Domer Dollar rich and getting to treat people to coffees, when you’re still crossing your fingers whenever you tap your real card at the Eddy Street Trader Joe’s (because you’re broke, but still need to buy your weekly bottles of cheap wine).
It’s funny. It’s stressful. I wonder if the real world will be this chaotic. I wonder if the real world will give me ulcers too, or if that’s just something reserved for college.
My God, I remember the ulcers. I remember carrying Orajel around with me for a couple weeks for my ulcers, my mouth tingling during R.A. training (it felt so good).
I feared, if you opened me up, you’d find ulcers, but also if you opened me up, I’d smell like mint (thanks to the Orajel). I’d smell a bit washed up, only I’m not at all.
I wonder what it’s like to be washed up, to live in a world that’s washed, mostly because I intend to be. Mostly because I want out, but also I never want to leave.
3. There is even a moment right at the start Someone asked me what fear was recently, and I froze. And then, I thought of another line I stole
to publish
that I heard in a class and wrote down.
It was a line about the abyss, how “there is even a moment right at the start where you have to jump across an abyss.” I think it’s from Nausea by JeanPaul Sartre. I haven’t read it, but I probably should. Because I’m starting to think that’s what fear is — the place before you leap.
One of my greatest fears is being indebted to people, but another one of my greatest fears is opening up Venmo.
I made an “IOU” list on a Thursday morning after a Wednesday night when I was bored — I owed $8 for the Corona, $6 for the vodka soda, $5 in cover, and would be paying $0 in Ubers because I DDed us earlier that night before Backer.
So I jumped across an abyss and opened up Venmo and paid everyone back with cute little Venmo notes (God, I love Venmo notes, but I just hate opening Venmo).
There was that other time I jumped across an abyss, and I worked on my CV. It’s not done, but it will have to be soon. And that other time I jumped across an abyss, and I decided to become a little less of a flirt. And that other time I jumped across an abyss, and I went for a run after weeks of not running (then fell and ate it, although it didn’t hurt as much as the last time I fell and ate it).
Maybe the abyss is what you find when you open other people up. Maybe you find yourself somewhere in there too, on the other side, after you jump.
Kate Casper is a senior at Notre Dame studying English with minors in digital marketing and Italian. She strives to be the best waste of your time. You can contact her at kcasper@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Kate Casper Outsider Instincts
By ANDY OTTONE Scene Writer
Green Day in 2004. It had been seven years since “Nimrod,” their last hit album. 2000’s “Warning” did not make the splash that their previous works had. “Dookie” and “Nimrod” were hit machines, with plenty of their songs remaining relevant to this very day; one of the tracks from the latter, “Good Riddance,” was featured in the “Seinfeld” retrospective special that aired prior to the series finale. But in 2004, Green Day had been around for a while and their spirits seemed a bit stale. It was time for something new.
September 21, 2004. The seventh studio album by American rock band Green Day is released. It is immediately a hit, being the band’s first numberone album. And it’s not just big in their home nation: the album sees success in Britain, Canada and Australia. All of this success for an album named “American Idiot.” Hey, maybe that’s why it did so well overseas …
“American Idiot” is fascinating as a time capsule. Musically and stylistically, the narrative concept album holds up expertly by modern standards. Songs such as the title track, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “Holiday” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends” stand as classics today. The overall themes in regards to disillusionment
with the government, war, propaganda and fame are universal and timeless. It’s the fact that the album was such a pointed attack on the Bush administration’s response to the attacks on September 11 and the Iraq War while being relevant for any place or time which makes it so impressive.
While only a handful of songs in the album dictate specific political beliefs, the overall theme of grief, apathy and disillusionment was driven by the band’s own feelings towards the state of the union as they wrote the piece. The concept album’s narrative deals with issues such as war, loss of love, divorce, and the fact that sometimes you convince yourself you should start a religion, and you have to fight that part of yourself. “Jesus of Suburbia” is an insane song and a plot line carried throughout the album.
The album had staying power, and remains popular to this day. The true mark of any album’s success is marketability to the general public; you can’t get more “general public” than an adaptation on the theatrical stage. On Broadway, the biggest center for American theater, “American Idiot” debuted in March of 2010 after a tryout in California the year prior. A musical synthesizing the songs and themes of the album of the same name alongside Green Day’s following work “21st Century Breakdown,” the stage musical was
similarly a commercial and critical success, culminating in a nomination for Best Musical at the Tony Awards (they lost to the musical “Memphis”). This isn’t a case of selling out for mainstream success, though, as the band actively participated in the production of the musical, with lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong performing as the antagonistic St. Jimmy throughout the show’s New York run.
What does “American Idiot” mean in an age of even further political extremism and division? Well, according to the band itself, it’s pretty much the same deal. Green Day came under fire from Trump supporters for performing the song as a statement against the former president, which led to them doubling down by releasing merchandise of their album “Nimrod” with the former president’s face on it. Beyond the messages of the album, the music still resonates with fans; to commemorate the 20th anniversary, the band is touring across the nation performing the work in its entirety (alongside their 1994 album “Dookie” to celebrate its 30th anniversary as well).
Twenty years later, not much has changed: the youth are still disillusioned, war still ravages the world and Billie Joe Armstrong still doesn’t want to be an American idiot.
Contact Andy Ottone at aottone@nd.edu
By NAISCHA PURI Scene Writer
Last month, megastars Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga released a collaborative groovy new pop single titled “Die With A Smile” through American record label Interscope Records. Referred to by many as a “banger” and “instant classic,” the song has been and is being met with much critical acclaim and support.
After performing together at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2016, Mars and Gaga expressed mutual interest for collaboration and much respect for each other’s art and musical magic. Finally, amidst anticipation for Gaga’s seventh studio album, a star (sonic masterpiece) was born and we couldn’t be happier. The piece has a soulful and simple beginning, featuring Mars’ smooth vocals and crisp guitar strumming, before picking up and incorporating drums in the pre-chorus and reaching an energetic crest in the chorus. Gaga’s powerful vocals take over in the second verse backed
by similar guitar strumming as Mars’ verse as well as a strong drumline. Listeners are soon met with heart-touching harmonies as a duet with Mars and Gaga begins to lead us to the second chorus. Arguably, the best part of the song comes shortly after this, in a 20-second instrumental break immersed in candy-like harmonies, an ever-fulfilling drumline and the enchanting focal point of the melody on guitar. The most memorable lyrics of the tune say, “If the world was ending, I’d wanna be next to you,” making this another sweet and danceable song to play at weddings for years to come. At four minutes and twelve seconds, the song draws your attention and holds it with its hearty melody, immersive instrumentals, thoughtful theme and immensely talented vocalists. Any hit single is incomplete without its music video counterpart. With themes of red and blue, this tune’s music video hosts a stage featuring Gaga, Mars and a band on piano, vocals, bass, drums and guitar respectively. Mannequins are sitting towards the side of the stage, seemingly engaged in the live
music. Gaga notably fashions a cigarette hanging from her lips throughout the video, at some points even while singing. Mars sings, strums and vibes wholeheartedly. Gaga steals the show, however, standing up as the lights flicker above her at the instrumental climax towards the end of the piece to dance in what appears to be the most freeing and fun way possible: spinning around to the beat with her arms, legs and torso in constant motion. This dance segment has taken over social media trends and touched the hearts of many, including myself.
“Die With A Smile” is jazzy and uplifting, fitting into genres like pop, soul, rock, country and so many more. With such a dynamic duo of musical storytellers such as Gaga and Mars, there is no wonder why I walk around campus listening to folks playing this aloud on their phone — no headphones, no problem! “Die With A Smile” should meet our ears anyway. world.
Contact Naischa Puri at npuri@nd.edu
Irish look to extend win streak against NC State
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
Fresh off its second top 15 victory of the season, the Notre Dame women’s soccer team is riding high into its first ACC home match of the season. The Irish, after defeating No. 14 Virginia by a 1-0 score on Sunday, will take on NC State on Thursday night. Notre Dame enters the contest with a 7-1-1 overall record and an eight-match unbeaten streak that ranges all the way back to Aug. 18.
Checking in on the freshmen
Notre Dame’s historic, 13-member freshman class turned plenty of heads throughout the season’s first month. Accounting for nearly all of the team’s points, the first-year group put its skill set on full display for both Irish fans and the women’s college soccer world. Still, it’s always reasonable to wonder whether or not the pressure and challenge of conference play — especially ACC play — will slow down a collection of inexperienced players. So far, it absolutely hasn’t.
All three of Notre Dame’s goals to start ACC action have come off the feet of freshmen. When conference play began just under two weeks ago, forward Ellie Hodsden carried the Irish to a 2-2 draw with her first career brace. In Sunday’s takedown of Virginia, forward Annabelle Chukwu made her return from the U20 World Cup and scored the day’s only goal. Freshman midfielder Grace Restovich assisted on Chukwu’s goal, bringing her team-leading assist total to seven. Restovich ranks inside
the nation’s top five with 0.78 assists per game.
At this point, Notre Dame freshmen own 71% of the team’s points — 54 out of the 76. Firstyear forward Izzy Engle, despite a two-match scoring drought, still leads the Irish by a mile on goals (10) and points (21). Three more freshmen — Restovich (13), midfielder Lily Joseph (9) and Hodsden (6) — are next behind her in the points column. Chukwu already has five points despite playing in only three matches thus far.
Reinforcements are on the way
Notre Dame hasn’t played a match at full strength since the 6-0 win at Samford that started their unbeaten streak in mid-August. After that game, three players — Chukwu, junior midfielder Leah Klenke and sophomore defender Clare Logan — departed for the U20 World Cup. While the trio’s impact on the team is undeniable, the Irish turned out just fine without them. In six games without Chukwu, Klenke and Logan, Notre Dame went 5-0-1 and outscored its opponents by an 18-2 margin.
Two of the three international representatives returned on Sunday at Virginia. Chukwu, of course, tallied the game-winning goal, while Logan played all 90 minutes in her return to help Notre Dame to a clean sheet. Once Klenke makes her way back after claiming the bronze medal on Saturday, the Irish will have full capacity for October and the stretch run of ACC play. Recall that Klenke was Notre Dame’s only Preseason All-ACC selection when the season began. Knowing the Irish have gone 6-0-1 without
her, look out for what they might become upon her return.
Inconsistent NC State looking for first ACC win It’s been a bumpy start for NC State, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. The Wolfpack entered the year projected to finish 12th out of 17 teams in the ACC Women’s Soccer Coaches Poll and are off to a 3-6-1 start overall. NC State posted a losing record in non-conference play and fell to Cal and No. 1 Stanford at home in their first weekend of ACC play.
Most of NC State’s early struggles have originated from its
inconsistent and largely lackluster offense. The Wolfpack have scored just 14 goals in their first 10 games, ranking dead last in the ACC for goals per game. On three occasions, they have scored three goals or more, while in the remaining seven games they have posted one goal or less. They come into South Bend on a cold streak having opened conference play with home losses to Cal by a 3-1 score and top-ranked Stanford by a 1-0 margin.
No NC State player has reached the double-digit plateau for points this season, but midfielder Annika Wohner leads the way with nine on four goals and an
assist. In goal, former Louisville transfer Olivia Pratapas has played each of the season’s 900 minutes for the Wolfpack, pitching three shutouts with a 1.20 goals against average and a .755 save percentage. She faced the Irish last October, making four saves against 24 shots as Notre Dame picked up a 1-0 victory. Overall, the Irish have claimed nine out of the 12 previous meetings with the Wolfpack.
Notre Dame and NC State will get underway inside Alumni Stadium at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
Roou records second consecutive hat trick
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
An hour before Notre Dame kicked off its 3-1 Tuesday night defeat of Detroit Mercy, all the typical proceedings of a men’s soccer evening at Alumni Stadium came to a screeching halt. As the players opened their warmups in a steady rain present since mid-afternoon, the sirens sounded for a tornado warning just outside South Bend. With the match in a 30-minute delay and the stadium cleared out, both teams holed up and awaited the field conditions they would find on the other side.
“When we first came out for warm-ups, it was terrible, so we were a little worried about it,” Notre Dame senior forward Matthew Roou
recalled. “But our grounds crew is always unreal at clearing it, so it got pretty manageable once the game started, but it’s always an adjustment dealing with the extra 30 minutes. [The] adrenaline’s going, [and] you’re just waiting in there. So [it’s] just a mental game … you’ve got to be ready for whatever the conditions are.”
Though the night began in a less-than-ordinary fashion, Roou restored order in a hurry. Following up his Friday hat trick against Chicago State, the Irish talisman struck twice in the game’s first 12 minutes. His opening goal paid off the setup of senior forward Bryce Boneau, who threaded the needle on a poked pass through the Detroit Mercy
back line. Roou received the ball, turned and advanced unimpeded to the penalty spot, where he ripped a shot that zipped inside the left post.
Only 187 seconds later, Notre Dame’s top scorer delivered again.
Senior defender Kyle Genenbacher jumped a wayward Detroit Mercy pass, turning over the Titans and finding sophomore forward Jack Flanagan at the right edge of the 18-yard box. Flanagan swerved into a cross, which picked out the sliding left foot of Roou atop the 6-yard area. Despite Detroit Mercy goalkeeper
Viktor Sulc’s best effort to lunge on the ball, it slipped underneath his reach for Roou’s second goal.
After opening the season with only one goal in his first five matches, Roou had suddenly scored five in less than 90 minutes of play.
“Obviously the finishing which he’s had, he’s always had,” Notre Dame head coach Chad Riley said of Roou. “But I think it’s just now the games under his belt, the film sessions, the training and now he’s just got his game sharpness, and his movement’s so good in the box.”
Notre Dame nearly found a third goal as the first half
wound down, but a brilliant Sulc denial of sophomore midfielder Nolan Spicer left the home side up 2-0 at halftime.
That missed opportunity loomed large right away in the second half. With Notre Dame slow to get going out of the break, Detroit Mercy capitalized with a quickdeveloping buildup down the right side. The play finished with a right-to-left Josh Copeland cross that top Titan scorer Guershom Sylvain ran onto and elevated into the top netting.
Now within a goal, Detroit
ND MEN’S SOCCER
KATE RESTOVICH | The Observer
Freshman midfielder Grace Restovich (24) passes the ball in a 5-0 victory over Marquette on Sept. 8. Restovich finished the game with three assists. She currently has the second-most points (13) on the team.
Happy Birthday: Mixed emotions will lead you astray. Sum up how you feel and apply practical solutions to anything holding you back or confusing you. You may not welcome change, but if it will stabilize your health, wealth, or emotional well-being, it’s worthwhile. Put your energy where it counts, and everything else will fall into place. Laughter and love are your path to happiness. Your numbers are 2, 14, 26, 33, 39, 42, 46.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Think before you act. Emotional situations will escalate quickly, turning a molehill into a mountain before you can change your tune if you aren’t careful. Broaden your awareness, question information, verify facts, and it will open doors to truth, honesty, and good decisions.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Do what you can to bring about positive change. Embrace what makes you feel good about yourself and what you can do to help others. Let empathy and compassion lead the way, and the response and help you receive will lead to achieving your goal.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Optimism is a beautiful characteristic to bolster. However, it requires patience, facts, and the ability to initiate what you want to pursue. All talk and no action will leave you standing still. It’s up to you to open the door to the possibilities within reach.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Pick up the pace and set your sights on what matters to you. How you approach your objective will significantly affect the outcome and your reputation. Trust your instincts and follow through with your plans regardless of who decides to help and who doesn’t.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Size up situations and make decisions. Taking too long to ponder over things you cannot change or don’t want to be a part of will waste valuable time you should spend pursuing positive ventures. Be the one to find solutions and to make a difference.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Be open, learn all you can, and make choices conducive to lifestyle improvements and achieving a stable and secure position at work and home. Use your imagination, compromise, and avoid letting excess seep into your plans. Participate in debates that encourage truth and exciting connections.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take a deep breath and put ego and emotions aside. It’s time to do what’s best for you and let go of what’s dragging you down. An aggressive move or lifestyle change may daunt you, but it will inevitably kickstart your efforts to forge ahead.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Pamper yourself, rejuvenate, and participate in something that sparks your imagination and offers a unique perspective and awareness of what’s possible. Time is on your side; evaluate prospects, and you’ll make better choices. Networking and social events will offer insight into what you want to pursue.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Stay focused on what’s at stake and how to get things done on time and to your satisfaction. Refuse to let anyone interfere or lead you astray. A deal someone hypes will fall short of your expectations. Fend for yourself and pat yourself on the back.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Dream on and turn your hopes and wishes into a reality. Please don’t settle for less than what you want or give in to someone only looking out for themselves. Make domestic changes that aim to finish what you start and encourage you to believe in yourself.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Opportunity begins with you. Consider what you want and make it happen. Participation is necessary if you want to reach your destination. Take the initiative to listen, assess what you hear, and use suggestions and information that make you comfortable and capable of achieving your goal.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Let your feelings lead the way, and your actions speak for you. Don’t be shy. Put your best foot forward, and you’ll attract those who share your beliefs and can contribute to your success. Dismiss negativity and distance yourself from situations that hinder and hurt. Birthday Baby: You are resilient, sensitive, and helpful. You are intelligent and proactive.
Enclosed is $130 for one academic year Enclosed is $75 for one semester
JUMBLE | DAVID HOYT AND JEFF KNUREK
Mercy kept on the attack, possessing the ball for longer than it had all night and pinning the Irish in their own end. Nevertheless, Notre Dame avoided any more truly dangerous opportunities and retained its one-goal advantage throughout the second half of the match.
“I think one of the lessons is once you turn off the intensity switch, it’s hard to get back on. Credit to the guys — they did,” Riley said. “But it kind of rattles you when you think that things are just going to come easy. We know Detroit [Mercy] is a good team. They’ve got good players, and so it wasn’t surprising that they could score on us. Credit to the seniors on the team. They kept us calm.”
At about midway through the second half, momentum flipped firmly back in Notre Dame’s favor. The Irish generated a number of set-piece chances and finally cashed in when Roou won a reviewed penalty kick in the 88th minute. With the rare shot at backto-back hat tricks on the line, Roou stepped up to the spot and made no mistakes, tucking a shot comfortably inside the right post.
“[Detroit Mercy] came out flying — credit to them. They were unbelievable in the second half and gave us a game,” Roou said. “They had some chances to tie it up, and we were hanging on, so I think the third goal just helped take the weight off everyone’s shoulders for the last couple of minutes, which was great.”
As the match went final at 3-1, Roou walked off the pitch as Notre Dame’s first player with two hat tricks in a season since the 1979 team’s Kevin Lovejoy. He’ll have a long way to go to catch Lovejoy’s career Notre Dame goal record of 67, but Roou’s 28 now puts him inside the Irish goal leaderboard’s top 20.
“We’ve really been clicking as a team offensively, and the service the last two games has been unbelievable from the wide areas. … Our midfielders, too, [are] playing great balls, so it’s just helping all of us,” Roou said. “We got a lot of chances this game — could have been a lot more goals — but I was lucky enough to get three of them.”
Up next for the Irish is the long-awaited rematch of last season’s College Cup final. Notre Dame will host No. 12 Clemson on Friday at 7 p.m., with eyes on its most impactful win of the season so far.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
SMC CROSS COUNTRY
SMC XC finishes 11th at Gil Dodds
By CLAIRE WATSON Sports Writer
The Saint Mary’s Belles cross country team finished 11th out of 19 teams this past Saturday at the Gil Dodds Invitational at the St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville, Illinois. The 595-acre preserve contains more than 100 acres of restored woodlands, prairies and wetlands where over 300 species of native plants and animals thrive, including blue herons, red-bellied woodpeckers and fox squirrels.
Saint Mary’s competed against opponents from all across the Midwest, facing off against teams including Aurora University, Depauw University, Illinois
Wesleyan, Wheaton College, the University of Wisconsin Platteville, Illinois Tech, Carroll University, Manchester University, North Central, Carthage College, Lake Forest, Concordia University, Roosevelt University, Judson University, Elmhurst College, Beloit College, Moraine Valley College and Dominican University.
Depauw won the 6K women’s race in a blowout with just 37 points, followed by Wheaton with 95 points in a distant second place. UWPlatteville finished third with 114 points, Illinois Wesleyan ranked fourth with 135 and Aurora rounded out the top five with 192 points.
Sophomore Savannah
Paulson led the Belles through the verdant grasslands and rolling hills for a 43rd-place finish, completing the course in 24 minutes, 43.3 seconds. Sophomore Cecilia Conrad and freshman Allie Glendening also placed in the top 50, finishing in 48th (24:55.1) and 50th place (24:56.3) respectively.
Closely following Conrad and Glending, senior Susanna Bernovich and sophomore Jordan Siminski finishing 61st and 71st in the race. Right behind them, junior Isabella Auch, freshman Hannah Walsh and junior Mary Weber finished 75th, 76th and 77th.
The 90th runner to cross the finish line, sophomore Anna Scannell was the last Belle to finish inside the
top 100. Graduate student Sarah Harman, sophomore Josie DeWine and freshman Alexandra Brunswick finished minutes later in the 124th, 178th and 187th place respectively.
Conrad, Paulson and Glendening currently set the pace for all Belle runners, averaging sub-20 minute finishes across the last three meets that Saint Mary’s has competed in.
The Belles now have a two week break before traveling to Terre Haute, Indiana to compete in the PreNationals Twilight Meet at the LaVern Gibson Course. The race is set to start at 9pm.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu
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Keys from Freeman’s Louisville-week presser
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
Monday afternoon, Notre Dame head football coach
Marcus Freeman opened the last full week of September with his weekly press conference. Here’s a look at what he had to say about Saturday’s win, Notre Dame’s evolving offense and an upcoming showdown with Louisville.
On Saturday’s 28-3 defeat of Miami (Ohio)
“We did some really good things as a team on Saturday. As you evaluate the film there are some things obviously that you have to clean up — I mean, it goes with every game that you play. But offensively [we] didn’t start the way we wanted to, but I thought we did a great job of responding after the first couple of drives and then picking up momentum as the game progressed, really as we got to the second quarter and throughout the rest of the game. They really did a good job of driving the ball, changing field position [and] scoring.
The one turnover — it can’t happen, but [we] really did a good job picking up momentum after the first couple of drives. Defensively, [we] played really well [and] did a great job in the red zone [in a] couple of sudden change situations.
The defense really played well. [Miami] had a couple of scheme runs that went for more yardage than we would like, but all [are] correctable things that we’ll attack and practice.
I thought overall [the] defense did a really good job at tackling for the most part, and then special teams-wise, we punted as well as we have all year. [Graduate punter] James [Rendell] had a big game. I think we had around a 45-yard net which is huge. When you talk
about the battle of field position, the muffed punt and the bad field goal snap can be detrimental, and we have to make sure we get those things fixed with urgency.”
On personnel updates “[Sophomore tight end] Cooper Flanagan will be out this week with a left ankle injury, and [junior defensive lineman] Joshua Burnham is still questionable.
As we go into this week, [junior cornerback] Jaden Mickey — [I] had a conversation with him. He’s decided to redshirt with the intentions of going into the transfer portal when it opens and will get his degree here in the spring from Notre Dame.”
On this week’s top-20 matchup with Louisville “Saturday will be the Irish Wear Green game versus Louisville, a 3-0 team playing at a really high level right now. As you watch film, they’re good in all three phases, so it will be a great challenge for our team.”
On his confidence in senior quarterback Leonard “The performance that I see – the ability to rush the ball for about 150 yards or throw it for 150 yards … that gives me a lot of confidence in Riley Leonard as our quarterback. As you evaluate the film, we actually threw the ball downfield really well, probably the best we’ve done, but we missed some layups. And those are the ones that I’m sure everybody’s talking about. Everybody sees the layups. But those will be corrected in practice.
We’ve got to continue to do movement throws, but I’ve got a lot of confidence in Riley Leonard… I said it after the game. I said there is not much [of a] difference between being the head
coach and being the starting quarterback at Notre Dame. You have to be able to handle everything that comes with it, and he’s doing a great job at doing that, but the deep shots — I mean, obviously he hit one to [graduate receiver] Beaux [Collins] and then just the pass interference negated what could have been another one very early in the game … He’s been doing a good job practice. He’s been practicing well at all the different things we’re asking him to do. As I said, there’s things you do well in practice, and you’ve got to make sure that we call the things you do well in the game.
But again, his performance … he was a player of the game for our offense in terms of what he did. If you would have told me before the game was going to run for 150 [yards and] throw for 150 and lead this offense the way he did, I’d be pleased. And so I think he did a good job of being a quarterback for [the] offense. And there’s always room to grow — we’re never satisfied, we’re greedy people. So I know there’s a couple of plays that he wished he could redo and guess what? We have the opportunity to redo it on Saturday.”
On Louisville’s similarities from last year to this year
“They’re defensively an aggressive, attacking — are going to challenge you to stop the run, right? It’s something that they take a lot of pride in doing and try to make you throw the ball over the top. They give you some different looks, and those are things that they did to us last year offensively. I think they take a lot of pride in running the ball, and what you do when you’re able to run the ball is create some opportunities to throw explosive plays down the field, and that’s something you’ve seen from their
offense. [Their] special teams are aggressive, they’re [an] aggressive punt block unit and they’re sound in their other units.
So a lot of similarities to who they were last year. It’s a good football team, [it’s] well-coached and as I said, it will be a great challenge emotionally.”
On revisiting last year’s loss to Louisville with the team
“You think back to last year, it’s not gonna be a lack of motivation they’ll be motivated. I think it’s an opportunity for guys that weren’t in this program last year to be able to reflect and understand that, ‘Hey, we lost to this team last year, but there’s a lot of great learning opportunities from that game.’ And that’s what I’m gonna preach to our team is that I’m not revisiting last year to motivate you. I’m revisiting last year to learn from those things that game presented.
You know, it’s a lot like therapy. Sometimes you’ve got to revisit those dark places to kind of get out of it what you need to. And so we’re definitely going to revisit last year, but my intentions are to make sure we gain the wisdom and the learning opportunities that the film of last year will truly tell us.”
On his fiery coaching of sophomore safety Adon Shuler after Saturday’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty
“My dad texted me and said, ‘Man, you kind of got into number eight.’ But I told my dad, I don’t know if they saw what happened after that … I was upset because we had the momentum. I had a strong feeling if we were able to call two timeouts — if we were able to get the ball back — we had
a great chance to go down and score before half, which would have been huge.
And we pride ourselves on being a disciplined football team. Every Friday, we watch clips of other teams making mistakes and we say we’ve got to learn from the mistakes of others, and we have a rule around here to hand the ball to the official, and he didn’t do that and was called for a personal foul, and I lost my temper a little bit. But the first thing he said was, ‘Yes, sir. I own it. I shouldn’t have done it. My bad, it won’t happen again.’
And when a young person, a coach or anybody, when you own your mistakes, now we can fix it. If you make excuses and you say it’s somebody else’s fault, it’s hard to fix that until you own it, and he owned it. And right after, as we were running into halftime, I said, ‘[I] appreciate you owning it. I love you. Let’s learn from it and let’s reload and get ready to come back [in] the second half.’
And I love that kid. He is a great young man, and I hope I would treat my son the same way, right? When you make a mistake … love is tough sometimes. And that was an example of tough love. But he owned it, and it was my job to remind him after he owned it that I love you, let’s get back to work and let’s go have a great second half.”
On his perspective regarding Jaden Mickey’s decision
“I think everybody is gonna have an opinion — and myself included, right? But it’s not our opinion that really matters, right? Jaden Mickey made a decision that he felt was best for him, so for me to do anything other than support him, it’s selfish. I’m not in his shoes, right? I don’t know what’s going on in his life, and this is what he said is best for him and his future, and so it would be selfish of me to have selfish thoughts and opinions about the decision he’s making.
I wish him the best of luck, I love him, he’s a great young man that’s been through a lot and will continue —he’ll go and do great things.”
On the personnel impacts of Mickey’s decision
“It will increase Leonard Moore’s role. It will increase Karson Hobbs’ role. And that’s why you’ve got to continue to have depth. And so those two guys are definitely capable of getting the job done.
I still feel strongly about the depth of the cornerbacks room. Rod Heard has played corner before. Jordan Clark has played corner. So if injuries occur in the future, we have plans, but I think the depth in that room right now just gives an opportunity for those younger guys to play some more.”
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
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Senior quarterback Riley Leonard (13) launches a deep pass over the middle of the field intended for senior tight end Mitchell Evans (88) against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks on Sept. 21. This throw would fall incomplete, with Leonard finishing the game 16 for 25 for 154 yards and a touchdown. Leonard added 143 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
STOCK UP, STOCK DOWN
Football stock up, stock down: Louisville week
By NOLAN SCOZZARO Sports Writer
Last Saturday, Notre Dame came back from a shaky offensive start to resoundingly beat Miami (Ohio) 28-3 for their first home victory of the season. While some may think this a cause for celebration, many find their joy hampered by the looming cloud of a No. 15 Louisville matchup next Saturday. What exactly are fans expecting after a second home game that left cause for concern? That question is the focus of this week’s edition of Stock Up, Stock Down.
Stock Up: Runnin’ Riley
Leonard
Senior quarterback Riley Leonard used his fast feet to eclipse triple-digit yards rushing for the second week in a row. Against the RedHawks, Leonard had 12 carries for a total of 143 yards rushing. Large rushing totals are not new for Leonard, as he ran for 100 yards in Notre Dame’s 66-7 rout of Purdue in Week Three and 63 yards in the season opener against Texas A&M. However, the 143 yards on the ground against Miami set a career high for Leonard, providing a glimmer of hope that he can develop into a great Notre Dame dual-threat quarterback as the season progresses. Leonard’s impressive rushing totals do not seem to be stopping anytime soon, as the Irish have clearly made pounding the rock
a priority this season. They will likely take this mentality into their matchup against Louisville, a team that has had considerable trouble against the quarterback run. The Cardinals gave up 101 yards rushing to Jacksonville State quarterback Tyler Huff and 58 yards rushing to Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King. Overall, it feels safe to say that Leonard could make some impressive contributions to the run game this week.
Stock Down: Passing attack
On the other side of the coin, Notre Dame’s passing attack, specifically the lack of air yards, has left a great deal to be desired. In this day and age, a strong passing game is absolutely essential for a team that wants to be as dominant as the Irish believe they can be. With offensive weapons like sophomore wide receiver Jaden Greathouse, senior tight end Mitchell Evans and a strong receiving core all around, one would think this should be fairly easy to achieve. However, the relatively green and injury-ravaged Notre Dame offensive line has not protected the pocket long enough for deep routes to develop. While the offensive line’s inexperience has bought the group a little leeway as they struggle to improve their pass protection, that leeway is quickly running out. It took less than a quarter for chants of “Throw the ball!” and “We want Steve!” to start up in the
Notre Dame student section on Saturday. These calls are not new by any means and could be heard loudly at Notre Dame’s Week Two loss to Northern Illinois as well as the win against Purdue. It has become clear that the student population and many Notre Dame fans as a whole demand a passing offense that can deliver big plays by way of “long bombs.” Despite his wonderful skills as a rusher, Leonard seems to be quickly losing the people’s trust, to the point where many fans believe the Irish would fare better with junior quarterback Steve Angeli. Angeli has seen a relatively small amount of snaps this year but has shown promise after throwing 6 for 9 for 100 yards in the win over the Boilermakers. Nevertheless, Notre Dame remains steadfast with Leonard, and as such, the passing attack will continue to face criticism from fans unless something radically changes — and soon.
Stock Up: Defense
Amidst all that went well this weekend, perhaps nothing was more impressive than the Irish defense. Despite losing two fumbles, one of which came on a muffed punt, that gave the RedHawks the chance to score big, the Irish defense stood steadfast, allowing merely three points on the day. Miami finished the game with one field goal, six punts, two interceptions, one missed field goal and one turnover on downs. This lockdown
defense allowed the Irish to pull ahead with their 28 unanswered points to come back for the win. In fact, the defense has been a consistently impressive aspect of the team, allowing only 39 points through four games. After a momentary lapse against the Huskies, the defensive line seems back in form, delivering consistent QB pressures and recording four sacks against Miami.
This weekend, Notre Dame should be well matched against an impressive Cardinal offense. However, it is important to note that the Cardinals are relatively untested, having yet to face a toptier defense. The Irish should be able to present a solid defensive presence in this game, and this will undoubtedly be a crucial step in the Irish’s path to victory this weekend.
Stock Down: Student perception of the Irish
The very concept of stock is, of course, regarding the perception and trust in the Notre Dame football organization. Unfortunately for the Irish, their stock has continued to go down in the eyes of the students. When questioned as to how confident they felt about the Irish winning against the Cardinals, students provided a mixed-bag of answers — none of them being exceptionally positive. Students believe the Irish have looked “bad,” “sloppy” and “sluggish” the last few weeks. These sentiments are shared by first-years
and upperclassmen alike, though it is perhaps more concerning to the upperclassmen. Numerous juniors and seniors cite the 26-21 loss to Marshall in the 2022 home opener as the source of their apprehension. Between four losses that year and three losses last year, Notre Dame students came into this year accepting nothing short of perfection but now expect mediocrity. This has been fostered by slow starts in the games against the Aggies and the RedHawks, along with the very Marshall-esque loss to Northern Illinois. For the Irish to bounce back from this slump and win back student favor, a few changes need to be made. They need more speed in their game plan, striking quickly to rack up a big lead before the half. Not only this, the Irish need to focus on more of an air raidstyle offense rather than a heavy ground game. The people want big plays. Notre Dame fans want to feel dominant and unstoppable. Most of all, they just want to abate the fear that their favorite team will choke the season away. These fears can be diminished, but it won’t be easy for the Irish as doubt continues to mount even after consecutive blowout wins. Overall, it is safe to say that a lot rides on this game against Louisville, but none more important than the Irish winning back fan confidence.
