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The observer | Monday, october 26, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
InsIde coluMn
Are we really that different?
Veronica Navarro
social media staffer
In April 2019, I submitted my deposit to commit to attending saint mary’s college.
I loved my time at smc. Walking around campus, I felt like I belonged. I loved being able to come to notre dame and then return to my quiet sanctuary in regina hall. There were professors at saint mary’s that changed my life, like Professor sayre. I made friends with other women who were passionate, intelligent and inspiring. I would have gladly spent the rest of my college career as a saint mary’s girl. but I always had a dream of attending notre dame. I applied to transfer after a little over one semester at smc. This past summer, I made the switch and committed to nd’s sophomore class.
Throughout this semester, I’ve already visited saint mary’s at least four times. I love notre dame, but saint mary’s will always hold a special place in my heart. In fact, I firmly believe that I will always be a belle. That’s why I was extremely disappointed when I woke up this past Wednesday to a few of my saint mary’s friends sending me a post created by the @ndchicks Instagram page.
The post was a part of a series where the account assigned characters from a few various television series to notre dame dorms based on their personalities. on the most recent post from the series, the Instagram account assigned a character from the vampire diaries to “smc” instead of a notre dame dorm. The description beside the character’s photo said “reformed party girl that wants to find a husband.” This is how the @ndchicks Instagram page portrays saint mary’s girls to their over 8000 followers.
I’m not going to pass judgement on the account or the account owner(s), because I think that this post was just a symptom of a larger issue: belles are looked at as women who only chose saint mary’s so that they could marry a notre dame boy. I can tell you first hand, that isn’t why I chose saint mary’s as a high school senior.
I chose saint mary’s after attending their meet me at The Avenue event, where I saw the tight-knit sisterhood between not only current students, but faculty and alumnae as well. I remember being separated from my family during a prospective students’ activity. When I finally returned, I told them that this is the place I wanted to go. I knew I wanted to be a belle.
Furthermore, I knew that saint mary’s would allow me to participate in clubs, organizations and activities at notre dame, like mock trial and even The observer. I never wanted to attend saint mary’s to “find a husband,” and even after I transferred, my education is still my priority, just like it is to every belle I’ve ever met.
Attending notre dame doesn’t inherently make us any smarter, cooler or better than our sisters across the street. As a notre dame girl, I’m willing to take the first step to end the “nd chick vs. belle” rivalry, and that’s to admit that the only thing that makes me different from a belle is the place I sleep at night. I encourage all notre dame women to take a trip to The Avenue and maybe even have a meal from the noble Family dining hall. smile at a belle and ask her what she’s majoring in. don’t cut yourself off from an entire campus full of amazing young women just because you’ve been told to. nd chicks, let’s do better.
You can contact Veronica at vnavarr3@nd.edu
The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Food for faith: what it’s like to be a muslim at notre dame
Renee Yaseen outside the Lines
I decided on notre dame after I attended a summer program here in 2017. There, I went to my first mass, in the basilica of the sacred heart. There was a paper booklet with music in it, and a group of friends by my side in the pew. When it came time to take the eucharist, I was directed by my whispering neighbor to cross my arms. Instead of giving me the eucharist, the priest put his hand on my head, looked me in the eyes, and said very genuinely, “God bless you.” And then I left. I remember feeling very happy that so many people would come together to worship God and be spiritually renewed in such a beautiful atmosphere. I heard the echoes of the choir singing as I left the basilica and walked into the crisp night air.
That was when I knew this was the place for me: renee Yaseen, muslim.
I have witnessed things here at notre dame that I want for the muslim community in the United states, and for my syrian brothers and sisters: a boldness of spirit, a grandiosity of gathering, a sense of belonging. A proud declaration of identity. There was a time when catholic immigrants to this country were like muslim- and Arab-Americans now: deeply fragmented by ethnoreligious, doctrinal or sectarian conflicts, traumatized by war in their home countries, squandered by poverty and stereotypes and worst of all, deprived of opportunities to openly and proudly declare their identity. After two wonderful years here, I believe that the parallels in our histories contribute to the understanding and valuation of faith that we have in common. And as Arab and muslim-Americans heal within ourselves and our communities the historical and ancestral reverbrations of centuries of war, genocide and colonization, I pray that we are someday able to unite in the way that catholics from all over the world unite around the University of notre dame.
Yes, notre dame is catholic. but more importantly to me, it’s a vibrant place for deep religious inquiry and scholarship. I was not deterred at all by notre dame’s catholicness. on the contrary, I was drawn in by the tenacity with which it upheld its values.
There are very, very, very few places in the United states where a young person can study Islam in english, at the undergraduate level, with academic intensity and philosophical rigor — but notre dame’s theological library is incredibly rich and diverse. It helped me begin my own independent inquiry into Islam during my freshman year. some rainy weekend, after a day of exploring, I called my mother in shock after discovering shelves of books written in Arabic on the 13th floor. hundreds, maybe thousands of books in the sweeping, elegant calligraphy I recognized. never before in my life had I had access to so much knowledge about my own religion’s history. I read a book on the role of suffering in mu’tazilite theology. And another on taquiyyah (religious dissimulation in Islam). I have several more in my room that I’ve renewed multiple times. no one’s ever recalled them from me, which might say something about the interests of the rest of the student body, but more for me, I guess.
I was required to take two theology classes here. I took my foundations course with Professor Jeremiah coogan and my developmental theo, “God’s Grace and human Action” with Professor Joseph Wawrykow. both were phenomenal. I was not only learning information about christianity and its history for the first time, but I was also doing cross-analyses in my brain, trying to synthesize and compare each of my discoveries with my knowledge of Islam. For my efforts, I earned two A’s and a personal note from the theology department encouraging me to continue my studies in the discipline. For me, immersing myself in the intense study of a topic in someone else’s religion was equally rewarding as it was difficult and uncomfortable. I recommend it to everyone. belief formation is hard intellectual and spiritual work. It takes time and constant attention.
I feel comfortable being muslim at notre dame because I know that faithful people everywhere want many of the same things. They understand that faith feeds us. It makes life bright and paints the sky in ebullient colors. even when they are different than me, I am glad to live and work among people of faith, wherever or whoever they are.
As a parting note, I’d like to share with you an insight from the holy Quran.
“We have given a law and a way of life to each of you. had God wanted, he could have made you into one nation, but he wanted to see who are the more pious ones among you. compete with each other in righteousness. All of you will return to God who will tell you the truth in the matter of your differences.” (surah Al-ma’idah 5:48)
I believe that religious differences exist by God’s will. They do not exist so that we might see ourselves as better or more enlightened than those who are different than us, but that we may be humbled by how much we might learn from them.
Renee Yaseen is a junior who majors in international economics and Arabic. She’s currently on a gap semester doing lots of creative stuff and lots of un-creative stuff. She can be reached via the chat on a shared Google Doc at 3 a.m., on Twitter @ReneeYaseen or by email at ryaseen@nd.edu
The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
ThE OBSErvEr | monday, october 26, 2019 | NDSMCOBSErvEr.COM
For the fall break we never had
Sydni Brooks Everything is Fine
I would make the argument that the majority of us as students were concerned about the absence of a fall break in this school year. Fall break provides us with the time to catch up on the readings we are weeks behind on and recharge our social, physical, and academic batteries through relaxation. We are blessed to dine on home cooked meals that retain heat and possess seasoning, taking a break from the dining hall’s stealth fries and brown sauce. Though we were initially disappointed in not having this time to step back from our responsibilities, most of us were simply excited in the beginning of the semester to return to school, be with our friends and sit in a classroom with pants on instead of Zoom University. Simply happy to be back, I thought less of the lack of a fall break and more about tackling this wacky semester. I should’ve prepared myself better.
It feels like I haven’t had adequate sleep since Jimmy Carter was in office, and I have multiple assignments due in seven classes when I’m only enrolled in five. My diet consists solely of noodles and red sauce with a side of bagged apple slices from North Dining hall, and I have had approximately 3.5 ounces of water since we started this shindig we call a semester.
Besides the academic difficulties, we continue to live in the middle of a pandemic, where citizens are losing their lives to this horrible disease. We continue to recognize and fight the injustices against members of our community. We are still growing into adulthood, learning about ourselves, healing from trauma and walking along the intimidating paths of our success stories. We do
Letter to the editor
A couple weeks ago, I attended a BridgeND event that emphasized the importance of civility in political discourse. After receiving similar emails from Fr. Jenkins and my rector, I decided to see for myself as to what this meant.
This BridgeND event began with an enlightening lecture about the history of voting rights, then was followed by a discussion between a progressive and a libertarian. This discussion, led by two white students from Catholic backgrounds, was probably productive for the two of them, but was devoid of any actual political discourse. If I, a biracial gay male at a mostly white catholic university, was a part of that discussion, I probably wouldn’t see the conversation going as smoothly.
While discouraging verbal warfare in political discourse is important, embracing civility makes it uncomfortable to say anything outside of the status quo. It allows for my experience as an American to go unnoticed. It allows for those all of this while still maintaining good grades, social lives and healthy lifestyles with healthy relationships.
Sometimes we forget we don’t have all the answers and solutions to all of the questions being asked. We are currently the present and the future of this country and community, and we are expected to advocate for justice for everyone currently in our community and those who will belong to our community in the future, while simultaneously focusing on our personal goals to achieve our own definitions of success and happiness. We are supposed to lead the revolution while excelling in courses and obtaining career experience. As we feel these expectations weighing on us, we begin to make these expectations our own, further burdening ourselves with tasks we never asked for, but we must accomplish.
I think what we forget, however, is that we are human. Considering the quality of our lives are all we truly own, we can’t burn ourselves out through tireless work for the clout of walking through the presumed one-way street to a successful life. We spend these four years in college slaving away at our academics and extracurriculars only used to sculpt our resume and punish ourselves when we don’t do what we qualify as “enough.” Sure, saying you survived 14 weeks of college classes, clubs, exams, projects and papers without any breaks might sound like a tantalizing story, but does it really mean anything if you barely survived and never actually lived through it? Does it mean anything if you come out on the other side a shell of a person so consumed with accomplishing your academic and career goals the right way as opposed to the most healthy way?
Though the obligations of living and growing in this social and political climate as college who are complicit in oppression, whether intentional or not, to not be held accountable and learn from it.
For example, the idea of marriage equality was not discussed, but if it was, both parties could have peacefully walked away from the discussion. No matter what their views may be, they would have been feeling okay, because they do not have any stakes in the matter. Their right to marry will never be infringed on regardless of what they say or who they vote for. Similar issues arise when discussing the history of police brutality against the black community. They will never fully experience the repercussions of denying the racial bias against BIPOC individuals in this country. To hear the denial, silencing and rejection of the oppression faced by millions of Americans in political discourse is something that many Americans take rather personally. Expecting them to remain civil at the rejection of their oppression seems counterproductive. A students can feel deprecating and taxing, there isn’t much we can do about our circumstances. We’ve chosen to walk this path in life through college, and as difficult as it feels, we can only change our outlook on it.
I can yell up and down north quad that we should have been granted a fall break because I know several of us are hitting some dark patches without the time for recuperation, especially given the circumstances. But like I mentioned before, we can’t change the circumstances. We can, however, remind ourselves of the concepts that we can challenge ourselves to appreciate more. We are here and we are alive, even if we don’t necessarily feel like it all the time. We are functioning, breathing and working, and that is more than enough. While possessing the basic necessities of human life may seem like the bare minimum, and we as Notre Dame students pride ourselves on working at levels above average, we must remember there are plenty of people around us that are unable to sustain these qualities. We might not be having the greatest time, but we are having a time—we are still living in the space on earth provided for us. We are still hopeful and goal driven, and with the trying times before us, hopes, dreams and goals may be one of the few things stimulating us.
Sydni Brooks is junior at Notre Dame majoring in English with a supplemental major in pre-health and a minor in Africana Studies. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, she has made Flaherty Hall her campus home. She aspires to be a gynecologist to serve women from all backgrounds in the medical field. Sydni can be reached at sbrooks2@nd.edu or @sydnimaree22 on Twitter.
The views expressed in this Column are those of the
Civility is hard for the oppressed
author and not necessarily those of The Observer. rejection of our experiences means to me that you don’t see me. I’m not going to agree to disagree on my right to marry who I choose. I’m not going to agree to disagree that my life matters in this country. It’s all very personal to me, and many others on this campus.
I’m not saying that we should silence those who have no stakes in the argument. Many of these ideas require opinions from everyone to be exchanged for solutions to be produced. I’m just that saying maybe the message should shift to listening to others who are different than you. Talking to only like-minded individuals from similar backgrounds is not political discourse; it’s reaffirming your own beliefs. Politics are intersectional; to avoid talking about ideas that are divisive does not do anyone any good.
Lito Moroña
senior Oct. 22
Follow us on Twitter: @ObserverViewpnt
suDOku | The mePhAm grouP
Happy Birthday: you are overdue for a change. Let your imagination wander, and you’ll discover something or someone who will change your life. It’s time to search for information that will lighten your responsibilities and allow you the time to delve into something that offers enlightenment. Let go of the past, and tidy up the responsibilities that hold you back. your numbers are 3, 11, 18, 25, 36, 40, 44. ARIES (March 21-April 19): don’t put pressure on yourself or anyone else. Work alone if you want to accomplish what you set out to do. make sure your expectations are reasonable. Avoid interacting with people who are insensitive, contradictory or indulgent. A change of attitude will improve a meaningful relationship. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take control. don’t wait for someone to make the first move. Initiate plans with someone you love. A personal change will encourage you to cut your overhead and share your expenses to reach a common goal. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): someone will misuse the information you share. Protect your reputation and your position at all costs. Take an active role in a cause you want to help. your ability to come up with great ideas and solutions will help you gain respect. CANCER (June 21-July 22): you are sitting in a good position. reach out to an old friend, or touch base with a relative who has more experience than you. The information you pick up will help shape the way you live. romance is in the stars. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): don’t make a move that isn’t necessary. being impulsive will set you back. channel your energy into updating your skills and taking on a challenge you can share with someone you love. keep the peace, and you will bypass a no-win situation. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): forge ahead. It’s time to put your experience, knowledge and skills to work for you. A lifestyle change will encourage you to spend more time doing the things you enjoy most with someone you love. embrace the unknown with enthusiasm. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): keep your life simple, your temper under control and your focus on your objective. refuse to let someone interfere with your plans or dominate your life. follow your heart and dreams, and take the path that leads to happiness. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A change will help you thrive. Look beyond the clutter in your life, and you will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Take heed of the advice offered, but adjust it to fit your current situation. clear up emotional baggage. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): stick to what’s most familiar, and you will avoid a situation that is confusing or puts you in a vulnerable position. making your residence more comfortable will help you feel less stressed about the future. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): consider your financial options and how best to bring in extra cash. update your skills, apply for a license or pick up supplies that will encourage you to start a small but lucrative sideline. Take a unique approach to professional goals. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aim to do whatever it takes to lower your stress. don’t spend unnecessarily or make promises you can’t keep. you’re better off keeping your thoughts to yourself and refusing to give in to temptation. Take time to reflect and rejuvenate. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Look for a unique way to bring about personal changes that will improve your life, meaningful relationships and financial future. be straightforward with others regarding your intentions, and the input you receive will help you reach your goal. Birthday Baby: you are intelligent, creative and persistent. you are passionate and secretive.
JuMBlE | dAvId hoyT And Jeff knurek
Work AreA
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Live and die by the chaos
David Kramer
sports Writer
sports champions fashion their success through sheer chaos. After centuries of what we endearingly call “organized” American sports, we find a refined sense of order on the field. Professional coaching staffs rarely offer insight that even the youngest players have never heard; their role — an increasingly compensated one across the industry, I might add — directs players through the high caliber of chaos that defines major sports. Use of video, scouting and positioning simply boils down to a tried-andtrue remedy for the inevitable pandemonium that comes with freaks of nature from across the globe testing each other’s limits until time expires. everything that we know about sports decisionmaking, strategy and norms revolves around the management and dilution of chaos. Yet, in spite of the endless amount of research and modifications, our efforts to regulate chaos in sports have failed us time and again, and maybe they always will.
A mere uptick of chaotic energy in sports can completely dismantle a season, even a lifetime of development for the briefest of moments. The madness of this weekend’s World series Game 4 proved it.
The beloved battle for october reached an astonishing climax on saturday night when Tampa bay rays outfielder brett Phillips approached the plate at Globe Life Field. down to his last strike against dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, Phillips sliced a cutter into center field, a game-tying hit that sent consistent defender chris Taylor charging. In a stroke of luck for the rays, Taylor bobbled the ball in a terrible judgment call, undoubtedly standing no chance at cutting off the tying run. The aggressive mistake granted rays second baseman randy Arozarena an extra base as he bolted past third, tumbling to a full stop just feet past the bag.
Then the real chaos ensued. regathering himself, Taylor sent a missile into his cutoff man, max muncy, who finished the relay with a quick throw to catcher Will smith. Given Arozarena’s speed, smith anticipated a close play at the plate, mishandling the throw as he rushed the game-decisive tag. The ball haphazardly skipped to the back wall, leaving time for Arozarena to recover from his fall, sprint to the home plate circle and slide into victory untested.
This indisputably wild 8-7 end to a neck-andneck World series matchup proves the insufficiency of chaos theory in baseball. The 2020 Los Angeles dodgers, arguably the most well-rounded and dangerous roster in years, put on a Little League-caliber display of ill-tempered submission under pressure that places their championship push in serious jeopardy. In one moment, the best players in the world exuded order and discipline as they brilliantly struggled through their opponent’s seemingly endless bullpen weapons. In the next, all hell broke loose through a wildly unexpected instance of human error. even in their worst seasons, the rays have loomed as the greatest force of chaos in 21st century baseball. call it sheer chance or happenstance, but their chaotic “spoiler” mentality and embrace of innovative analytics over the past decade have picked apart even the most tightly ordered teams when fans and coaching staffs alike have least expected it. Take, for example, the final day of the regular season in 2011. In the unlikeliest of comebacks, the rays overcame a seven-run deficit against the Yankees with six runs in the eighth inning and one dramatic dan Johnson home run in the 9th inning. Just minutes after the boston red sox fell to the baltimore orioles and left the AL Wild card up for grabs, evan Longoria punctuated the comeback win with a 327-foot homer down the left field line in the bottom of the 12th inning. The final? coincidently, 8-7.
As october winds to a close, I invite you to embrace the Tampa bay rays as a staunch opponent of baseball’s criticism as a cutand-dry, painfully ordered sport. embrace brett Phillips and the heroes of mayhem as they play to prove that a tired, tired pastime can still chaotically surprise us.
Contact David Kramer at dkramer2@nd.edu
The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
dolphins start Tua: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Thomas Zwiller
sports Writer
The miami dolphins didn’t play on sunday — they had their season bye Week 7 — yet somehow, they were still one of the major storylines heading into the weekend. The reason? brian Flores and the dolphins organization announced they would bench starting Qb ryan Fitzpatrick, (or as I call him, Fitzmagic) and start rookie Qb Tua Tagovailoa. Flores said of the move, “We’ve seen a lot of improvement from Tua,” Flores said. “he’s gotten more comfortable … [and his] accuracy, decision-making has been good in practice.”
Fitzmagic originally came out as supportive of the changeup, but later in a press conference said that he was “heartbroken” by the move. While we’ll have to wait for Week 8 to see Tua take on the rams to know if it was the right move or not, I’m here to tell you in advance why I think it’s not the right call.
The Dolphins are actually competitive
While the dolphins came into the season with relatively low expectations, FiveThirtyeight gave them a nine percent chance of winning their division, and a 20% chance of making the playoffs. FiveThirtyeight also believed they would go 6-10 and have a point differential of -69. since then, the dolphins are expected to go 8-8 and have seen their expected Pd rise to +44, which is a massive change. Their playoff chances have risen to 33%, and their odds of winning the division have grown to 17%. The dolphins are currently 3-3, which is only a game behind the division-leading 4-2 buffalo bills. It’s also not crazy to think that the dolphins could be leading the division; they lost to the bills by only three points, just a FG in Week 2. That was when Josh Allen and the bills were a hot team; they have since cooled off, whereas the dolphins have only gotten better, winning three of their last four.
It’s a similar story with the Patriots; the dolphins lost to them 21-11 in Week 1, when cam newton played like he was shot out of a cannon. much like Allen, he and the Pats have played poorer than they did in that Week 1. now that the dolphins have seen cam, I would expect them to play him a lot better than they did in Week 1. The dolphins, as they currently stand, could easily be a 4-2, leading the division or at least tied with the bills. This season is far from lost — in fact, this season looks like it’s incredibly winnable for the dolphins, why change it up?
Fitzmagic is playing well
Fitzpatrick is an up-and-down Qb for sure, he is the definition of a journeyman Qb: he played for the rams, the bengals, the bills, the Titans, the Texans, the Jets, the buccaneers and finally the dolphins. Fitzmagic currently has 1,535 yards and 10 Tds, which both ranked 13 in the nFL. his seven interceptions ranks 29th-most in the nFL, and his Qbr of 80 ranks seventh. I also think his InT count is a little blown out of proportion; he has 10, yes, but in the last five games he has only thrown four, with the first three coming in his first game against the Pats. Where you can see how he is improving is his completion percentage, which is currently 70%, up from 62% last year.
These stats are resulting in wins; the dolphins are competitive, and are above the Patriots in the standings. They are in the hunt for a wildcard spot, they are ninth in the AFc and trail the raiders by a game. They could also win the division; they only trail the bills by a game, which guarantees a home playoff game. The dolphins are competitive, so why change it up?
Tua time
Tua played a handful of downs at the tail end of a blowout game against the Jets. he went twofor-two and got his team a total of nine yards. To be honest, he looked good, and it should give a lot of hope to dolphins fans. That being said, that’s as much as Tua should be doing this year, a closer if you will. he should play garbage time in games, when he won’t determine the outcome of the game, to get him some real exposure. even though he may be good in practice, practice and games are very different. had Tua played in the preseason this year, I might be a little more understanding, as he would have had real game exposure. had the dolphins waited till later in the year and the playoffs were firmly out of reach, I would also understand that a little more. but he didn’t play in the preseason, and the dolphins are firmly in the hunt for the playoffs. I just don’t think he’s ready yet, and the dolphins are rushing him onto the field. elite quarterbacks who wait behind a seasoned veteran has been proven to play well in their second year when named to start under center. You need only look to Patrick mahomes or Aaron rodgers, both of who waited a year, studied under great Qbs and then went onto win mvP awards and super bowls. You can also look at quarterbacks who started right out of the gates — sam darnold, marcus mariota or mitch Trubisky — and see their careers have torpedoed. baker mayfield also started early on and, despite success as a rookie, has since declined and looks questionable. data really shows that a Qb benefits from time, time the dolphins are simply forfeiting.
Projecting for Tua
The fact of the matter is, despite what I or anyone else says, Tua will be starting for the dolphins Week 8 against the rams. here is what I think is going to happen to Tua: I think he will struggle early on against the rams. The rams rank fourth in yards per game against the pass, only allowing 210 yards per game. The rams have also picked off opponents four times and forced two fumbles so far this season, meaning they can force turnovers.
I think this will be a problem for Tua, and his real challenge will be defensive tackle Aaron donald. Aaron donald already has two forced fumbles, and 7.5 sacks, six Qb knockdowns, and 19 Qb pressures. This is going to make Tua’s life harder, and I think it will force him into a turnover or two. Joe burrow (who I think is a reasonable comparison to Tua) currently has four touchdowns and six interceptions, and after looking fairly successful early on in the season, has regressed throwing, a pick in three straight games. I honestly think that Tua will follow a similar trend. he will struggle against the rams, I think he throws at least one interception and will look better for three or four games, but as people figure out his tendencies, he will come back down to earth.
Tua’s projected stat line: 12 Td, 10 InT, 65% completion, 2,500 yards
For better or for worse, Tua is starting against the rams. Good luck!
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.
refers to a principle in statistics that, essentially, things always tend to revert back to an average despite the occasional instances where they go to extremes. It’s why there aren’t giants roaming the
Volleyball
conTInUed From PAGe 12 seven kills, and she and senior middle blocker hannah Thompson had critical kills late in the frame to give their team the 25-20 win.
In the third frame, notre dame jumped out to a 9-5 lead, but the home team answered with four straight to knot it at nine. The Irish were on the edge of victory with a 22-16 advantage, but the eagles came back and scored six straight to tie the game. once again, scored a kill to hand the Irish a sweep with a 25-23 third-set victory. notre dame’s dominance also showed in the stats sheet; they were significantly better in kills (50-30), assists (45-27) and digs (64-53).
The Irish looked to close their fall play with another win the next day. This time, it was freshman outside hitter Aubrey hamilton who led the Irish offense, tallying a career-high 20 kills, with niego right behind at 16.
In the first set, notre dame got out to a 7-2 start, but they earth, because even when two very tall people have children, those kids tend to be closer to average height than their parents. evidently, this principle applies to college football as well.
I’m talking about a very specific aspect of the game though: turnovers.
CHARLES LeCLAIRE | USA TODAY Sports slowly let the eagles back in the game, leading to an 18-18 tie. The Irish turned a 4-0 run into a 25-19 victory in the frame, during which they held their opponent to under 10% hitting.
The next set was back-andforth, with several lead changes and momentum shifts. The game was tied at 22, but the hosts had three straight kills to take the set and even the game at one-all.
The next frame started out evenly, with the eagles taking clamped down and would not allow the eagles to get more than one point in a row for the rest of the set. They scored the next five points, turning the deficit to an 8-5 lead and then taking seven of the next ten to go up 15-8. They kept the foot on the gas, and a service ace by niego solidified a dominant 2511 win. both teams started the fourth quarter with streaks; the hosts jumped out to a 5-1 lead before the visitors went on a 5-1 run of their own to tie it at 6. notre dame got a five-point lead at 13-8, and they stayed in command to win decisively again, 25-16, giving them a 3-1 win on the night.
Irish graduate student cornerback Nick McCloud leaps to intercept a pass during Notre Dame’s 45-3 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday.
remember how in a previous one of these columns I talked about how clark Lea should have a statue built because of the way he coaches his defense, especially the way he has them go for the ball when they’re tackling? Well, you would have thought I was crazy the way they played the next couple of games.
I wrote that column after notre dame beat south Florida, at which point in the season they had two forced turnovers (both fumbles against duke) and a blocked punt for a touchdown (against UsF). They then had only one interception against Florida state and no forced turnovers against Louisville. This all despite numerous opportunities in every game for defensive backs, especially graduate student nick mccloud, to pick off passes.
At the same time, Kentucky was just torched by Auburn and ole miss while recording no turnovers. After that, Kentucky recorded nine interceptions in the span of two games and won by a combined score of 58-9. saturday, they forced no turnovers and lost 20-10, while notre dame finally managed to get a defensive groove going and pick off three passes of their own against Pittsburgh. my point here is that the other shoe dropped. The pendulum swung back eventually. nine interceptions in a two-game span is about as extreme as it gets, but now the Wildcats are averaging 1.8 interceptions and 2.0 turnovers per game, defensively. That’s a solid average, you just wish it were a little more evenly distributed in terms of what makes up that average. notre dame now averages 0.8 interceptions per game, which isn’t great, but it’s much better than the 0.25 they averaged going into the matchup with the Panthers. I’d like to think that, since they didn’t travel to the extremes Kentucky did, nor are they getting the excessive amount of fumble they got last year, that around a 1.01.5 average is what we can expect from the Irish on a per game basis.
3. Don’t always listen to fans, but maybe sometimes
sports fans are generally crazy. The demands they make of their teams and players often border on the absurd. however, every once in a blue moon, the fan base can come to a collective consensus that is actually logical. case in point: when the strength of your offense is running the ball, you should run the ball, especially against a team whose weakness has been defending the run. Furthermore, in executing that strategy, you should give the ball to the player who has proven to be your most consistent ball carrier, especially when your more explosive runners are injured and/or ineffective. somehow, though, these seemingly valid points go over the head of Kentucky offensive coordinator eddie Gran. contrast that with notre dame, who took advantage of the Pittsburgh weakness of which basically everyone in the Irish fan base was aware: throwing the deep ball. And they did so with a quarterback at whom fans have been screaming for years to air it out. now, did the coaching staff intend to take deep shots because they themselves saw that as an exploitable area in game prep and not as an act of appeasing the fans? Probably. but it’s more fun to think that the masses played a role in getting through their thick skulls, isn’t it?
Although I will say as a disclaimer that, like every other fan, there is always the possibility that I have no idea what I am talking about and there is something else going on with Gran and Kentucky. but for now, let’s just assume I and all the other fans who share my opinion are right.
That’s all for this week. I keep thinking I’ll run out of these but then UK gives me more and more material then I could ever want. seriously, I don’t want them to give me this material because it means they are crushing my soul over and over again. oh well. maybe they’ll give me a brief break with their next game. Who do they play? Georgia? I guess I’ll see y’all next week. Until then, enjoy halloween.
Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The
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Irish sophomore defender Mohammad Abualnadi controls the ball during Notre Dame’s 4-2 win over Seattle on Sept. 6, 2019, at Alumni Stadium. Notre Dame is now 5-8-4 all-time against Virginia.
to get started as the cold and wet conditions made for a defensive showcase in the first half. Both teams combined for just one shot on goal, coming off of a Louisville free kick. Notre Dame was able to hold on to the 1-0 lead that senior midfielder Camryn Dyke gave them in the 69th minute. Dyke’s second goal in her career and her first this season came when a cross from Olivia Wingate was nearly intercepted by a Cardinal defender who mistimed her slide, arrived late and inadvertently touched the ball with her hand, setting up a penalty kick and the game winning goal for the senior captain.
Junior goalkeeper Mattie Interian made three crucial saves. The first came off a free kick in the first half, the second was a more impressive off-balance swipe and the third would seal the win for the Irish as a corner kick flew right to her gloves as time on the clock expired. The Irish did give up 13 penalties, but were able to pause with enough discipline to only concede just one yellow card in the game.
The Irish victory was much more than just a much-needed win. It was a must-win game for Notre Dame, who came into the day ranked eighth in the ACC. Only the top eight teams in the conference qualify for the ACC championship tournament. The win gave the Irish three additional points and just a little more breathing room before they meet the topranked Tar Heels in North Carolina. The Cardinals will play host to the Tar Heels just three days before the Irish travel to Chapel Hill. This will be an important match for the Irish as they are currently tied with Louisville in not allowing a single shot on goal by the Irish in the first 45 minutes.
The second half was a very different story as Notre Dame fired seven shots, finding the back of the net on the leg of junior forward Jack Lynn in the 54th minute. It was the third goal of the season for Lynn, all of which he has scored in the last three games. Junior midfielder Patrick Coleman was credited with the assist.
Notre Dame and virginia played the rest of the second half scoreless, but it was not without its fair share of excitement. Both the Irish and Cavaliers had chances to claim the lead after the 80-minute mark, but big defensive plays on both sides kept the score level. Additionally, six yellow cards were handed out in the last 30 minutes of regulation, with three going to each team. Coleman, Lynn and freshman defender Paddy Burns were booked for the Irish.
The 133 fans in attendance were then treated to not one, but two overtime periods of free soccer. Following the first overtime, the Irish and Cavaliers were still stuck in a stalemate, but Notre Dame had chances to score the points — 12 apiece.
Irish head coach Nate Norman was glad his team was able to bounce back after a bit of a lull.
“This was one of those gut check games, and I am very proud of the way our team responded,” he said. “It was a tough weekend last weekend, decisive goal. The Irish recorded three shots in the first extra period, forcing virginia redshirt freshman goalkeeper Alex rando to make one save. The Cavaliers only managed one shot in the period, but it was not on target.
Finally, in the 103rd minute, Notre Dame broke the deadlock. sophomore defender reese Mayer’s long throw into the box was deflected by junior defender Philip Quinton to senior midfielder Aiden McFadden, whose header deflected off a virginia defender and into the back of the net.
The win propels Notre Dame into sole possession of second place in the North region of the ACC. In the North they trail Pitt, the only undefeated team in the ACC. The Irish have the chance to close this gap when they visit Pitt in their next game Friday. Notre Dame and Pitt played earlier in the season in an independent contest when the Panthers came away victorious by a score of 3-1. The game against Pitt is just one of three remaining regular season games for the Irish, who host Louisville on Nov. 6 before — ACC standing willing — beginning the ACC Tournament on Nov. 15.
With the loss, virginia drops into a tie with Louisville for third place in the North
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we picked up some injuries in the week leading up to the game and we had a tough first half, but I loved our resiliency and response in the second half. I’m very proud to be a part of this team.”
Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu
