scene

The observer | wEDnEsDay, OcTObER 28, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Reform the Supreme Court, but don’t pack the Court

Blake Ziegler

news with Zig

Amy coney barrett was confirmed to the U.s. supreme court after a contentious confirmation process. since her nomination, democrats have frequently threatened reforms to the court in an effort to minimize the victories republicans have gained in the judiciary. In particular, democrats have suggested court packing, where they increase the number of justices on the court to offset the 6-3 conservative supermajority and garner a liberal majority. vice President Joe biden has avoided a clear stance on court packing, only saying he would establish a commission as president to study potential reforms for the court. regardless, progressives are clear they will pressure a biden administration to expand the court, revealing that court packing is likely in the democrats’ agenda. however, court packing does not work. If democrats are in control of the White house and congress after november, their expansion of the court will be to surmount the new conservative supermajority and establish a liberal majority. republicans would feel the need to act similarly once they are in power again, and the cycle will continue until the court is just another political weapon utilized in every election.

This tit-for-tat strategy may serve short-term political goals, but would also diminish any public opinion that the court is separate from politics, void of partisan shams and political gameplay. We cannot afford the nation to lose faith in its judiciary, especially at a time when our democratic institutions are being undermined by foreign influence. moreover, court packing has dangerous legal implications. The notion that the court’s rulings can be overturned when a new party comes into power, placing a new majority on the court through court packing, undermines the legitimacy of the judiciary’s rulings and trust in the court. If democrats are confident they will win the next election, why would they see the need to enforce republican court rulings that will seemingly be overturned in a few years?

A democratic president might refuse to enforce such conservative rulings, hoping to garner a liberal majority in the court that rejects those rulings

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

We read nutritional labels looking for the two or three values that make a food “healthy.” We often assess learning in neat categories with established titles and well-defined precedents. We admire bold acts and risk-taking as aspirational models. many times, we express surges of emotion with grand acts that feel commensurate with their intensity ... And when we cannot, we are thrown out of our comfort zone and we feel helpless, trapped and desperate.

Just as micronutrients we get from whole foods are needed by our bodies, and fresh ways are needed to assess the microgrowth that happens in real learning … microwork is crucial to a community’s well-being — always — and especially in a time of crisis. through a democratic congress. such maneuvering threatens the jurisdiction of the court and faith in the execution of its rulings. A judiciary riddled with court packing is one marked by partisan tactics and a disregard for constitutional integrity, making a mockery of the sacred role many associate with the justice system. still, there are issues with the supreme court. The highly politicized nature of the last three nominations have demonstrated the need for reform. Past nominees were confirmed with much greater margins than the slim simple majorities we have seen recently. confirmation votes are determined by how well a nominee aligns with a senator’s political views, not the qualifications of the nominee. We should work towards a system that limits partisanship while maximizing the opportunities for qualified voices at the highest level of the judiciary.

First, we should pass a constitutional amendment that limits the court to nine justices. historically, efforts at expanding or downsizing the court have been to pursue political ends. such efforts only promote greater partisanship, not cooperation. There is nothing intriguing about the number nine, it simply happens to be the current number of justices. We should avoid attempts to increase or decrease this number to prevent greater politicization of the supreme court.

Additionally, such a measure would eliminate the court as an election issue (to an extent), further reducing partisanship on this issue. There is support for the measure on both sides of the aisle, as seen in the house and the senate. In fact, even current democrats in the senate oppose measures to expand the court. second, congress should pass legislation installing 18-year term limits for supreme court justices. These nominations would rotate every two years, ensuring each president has two nominees, and four nominees if re-elected for a second term. When the constitution was adopted, lifetime appointments for supreme court justices were seen as the only way to preserve the integrity of the court. however, today’s partisanship demonstrates that these lifetime appointments play a greater political role than any Founding Father could have intended. deaths and retirements of justices become politicized and this atmosphere flows into the confirmation process. Justice Ginsburg was hoping to retire

When we say, “I feel helpless …” it is often because we are not able, in the moment, to see the value of the microwork that we do. our feelings are so overwhelming, our ideas racing at 2,000 miles an hour … we want something that feels as intense to pour ourselves into… and we can — when we understand our own value and the value of small actions. When we reach out to a friend or colleague to sit quietly next to them, if that’s what they need, or listen to them talk about what they are experiencing — this is important microwork. When we still ourselves and reflect or pray and allow ourselves to be fully present — to ourselves or to others — this is valuable microwork. When we tell a joke, get someone out for a walk, send a text, watch a movie, have a dance party or offer an established routine like a under a democratic president, ensuring her replacement would be of liberal views. The same can be said of Justice Kennedy, a republican-appointed justice who retired under President Trump. because the minority party, whether republican or democrat, is unsure if they will be able to nominate a supreme court justice in the short term, each confirmation battle is fought with greater pressure. This slowly makes the judiciary a more political aspect of American life. creating term limits and staggering them would allow us to know when a nomination is coming and ensure a fair process for all parties. It would no longer become an election issue. such a solution has support among legal scholars, republicans and democrats. We should endorse this proposal to promote greater discourse and less polarization in our confirmation process.

Third, the senate should require 60 votes to confirm a supreme court nominee, not a simple majority of 51 votes. In 2013, then-senate majority Leader harry reid (d-nv) lowered the requirement to confirm presidential appointments from 60 votes to 51 votes, which now-senate majority Leader mitch mcconnell (r-KY) expanded to supreme court nominees in 2017. This is known as the “nuclear option.”

We should revert back to the 60-vote requirement as a gesture towards bipartisanship, working towards ensuring that nominees to the supreme court are qualified, fair and balanced. such a move might also work towards nominating moderate nominees, reducing the chances of a partisan court.

These reforms can surely be explained more, but that requires more columns. my goal here is simply to introduce these changes. There is surely opposition to these ideas, but my hope is that such disagreements create a fruitful discussion towards a stronger supreme court that preserves the integrity of our institutions.

Blake Ziegler is a sophomore at Notre Dame from New Orleans, Louisiana, with double majors in political science and philosophy. He loves anything politics, especially things he doesn’t agree with. For inquiries, he can be reached at bziegler@nd.edu or @NewsWithZig on Twitter if you want to see more of his opinions. The views expressed in this column are those of the au-

Why we feel helpless

thors and not necessarily those of The Observer. class or homework — this is crucial microwork. so let us create a living, loving monument to the two young women, valeria espinel and olivia Laura rojas, whom we lost this weekend, and let us create a supportive network to facilitate the healing of eduardo calderón — body, heart and soul — in a mosaic of threads of connectedness through microacts of friendship. extraordinary pain and weariness call for bold acts of courage together with microacts of love. We, as a community, are capable of both.

Elena Mangione-Lora

professor of romance languages and literature smc ‘90, nd, mA ‘98 oct. 26

The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

By MARIAH RUSH and CLAIRE RAFFORD

managing editor and Assisting managing editor

hello bachelor nation, and welcome to the claire and mariah aftershow! We decided to get together and share our thoughts with you all instead of just each other and Twitter. There’s no time to waste, so let’s get started. back in 2014, director david Fincher — in a rare public aphello bachelor nation, and welcome to the claire and mariah aftershow! We decided to get together and share our thoughts with you all instead of just each other and Twitter. There’s no time to waste, so let’s get started.

This week started where the last episode ended — clare is still wearing one of her many disco ball dresses, and Yosef of week one’s dollar store Tyler c. drama is upset about the strip dodgeball game. For some reason, Yosef thinks last week’s game was an “atrocity” as if he’s never seen any bachelor franchise show before. For everyone watching at home, take a drink every time Yosef uses his daughter as an excuse to act like a douche on national television. Anyway, Yosef confronts clare, and of course it doesn’t go over well. We aren’t going to give classless Yosef any more space here but just know … he says some awful, sexist things to clare and leaves the show. of course, Frontrunner dale swoops in and acts like the Prince charming he is in clare’s eyes.

We’re going to fast forward through a boring rose ceremony because we need to get to the main event: Apparently someone died and made dale king of all of the show, and he asks to pull clare aside at the start of a cocktail party, and gives some nonsensical speeches about “brotherhood.” he promises it will only be five minutes and … An hour later … dale and clare are still “busy” in her room. don’t you love watching a group of eight twenty and thirty-somethings get sexiled? Yeah, us neither. Understandably, the other guys are pissed, and it doesn’t improve from there.

After a one-on-one that ends with Zach J. getting dumped by proxy by chris harrison, the next group date is a roast

— of the other guys in the house. What could possibly go wrong? of course, the other contestants in the house make some lighthearted jokes about dale and clare, and much like michael scott’s poor reaction to his coworker’s jokes from “The office,” it went over badly, to say the least. clare then spends the entire cocktail party asking her dates to gossip with her about dale — because talking with the girl you’re dating about the guy she likes is always such a good time for everyone involved. The night ends with clare giving the rose to herself, because, you know, that’s how this show works. somehow clare is allegedly the most “mature” and the most juvenile bachelor franchise lead we’ve seen in a long time. Where does this leave us? Impatiently awaiting Tayshia’s arrival. seriously, it can’t come soon enough. since most of the people on this season are acting like they’re in high school, let’s go over some yearbook superlatives from this week’s episode.

Most Classless: Yosef. clare may be immature and terrible at feigning interest at anyone who’s not dale, but speaking to someone like that is never acceptable. Thankfully, he left before he could become this season’s Luke P.

Best Contestant Who’s Also a Party City Costume Model:

dale

Worst Actress: clare. Allegedly, she’s waited literal years for the opportunity to date 30 men at once and she can’t even pretend she’s interested for one measly cocktail party?

One of the Many WTF Moments: Why is clare smelling dale’s pants? seriously, that’s the atrocity here. Along with everything else she forced us to watch this episode.

Class Clown: eazy. our straight-up king gave us some much needed comic relief in a frustrating whiplash rollercoaster ride of an episode. Thank God for his patterned polo and meme-worthy facial reactions for saving us from the clare and dale simp show.

Best Roast: hands down, bennett. he said what we were all thinking and delivered a well-deserved roast of dale. Thank you for your service, our chiseled god.

Best Impression: Jason, for the spot on dazed and confused dale impersonation.

Most Likely to Look Exactly like his Job Title: Kenny, the boy band manager. do you think he could get us one direction’s phone numbers? Just kidding … unless?

Villain of the Season So Far: In a historic first, clare is both the lead And the villain in her own season.

Best Thing About This Episode: Tayshia in the last 10 seconds!

The Quotes Keeping Us Up at Night

“You’re not fit to be a mother to my child.” — Yosef

“I can’t believe it’s not even the second rose ceremony and I’m so falling in love.” — clare

“There’s going to be a true crime podcast about you guys” — absolute hero margaret cho

“since when are men allowed to point out red flags on this show?” — mariah

“I … uh … I … just got confused.” — dale, while “trying to find the bathroom” and instead making out with clare against a wall

“can the bachelor contestants unionize?” — our friend emma

“my fiance” — clare, after two weeks about dale

Contact Mariah Rush at mrush@nd.edu Contact Claire Rafford at crafford@nd.edu

The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

By AIDAN O’MALLEY

scene Writer

back in 2014, director david Fincher — in a rare public appearance — spoke at san diego comic-con at a panel celebrating the 15th anniversary of his cult film turned classic, “Fight club.” While there, the two-time oscar nominee shared a story. ”my daughter had a friend named max,” he said. “she told me ‘Fight club’ is his favorite movie. I told her never to talk to max again.”

Fans of “Fight club” have long been the butt of the joke among film majors, but usually as a caricature: the pretentious, flannel-clad jack-ss who will mansplain Quentin Tarantino to you if you’re not careful. but leave it to the director of “Fight club” himself to get to the heart of the matter.

“It’s a satire,” Fincher said. “many don’t get that.”

I have a feeling that sacha baron cohen knows a little about that pain. The english comic exploded into the American pop culture consciousness with his 2006 mockumentary, “borat,” subtitled “cultural Learnings of America for make benefit Glorious nation of Kazakhstan.” cohen, disguised as the dim-witted Kazakh journalist borat sagdiyev, duped dozens of unsuspecting Americans into exposing their deepseated bigotry on camera, and it was a smashing success with critics and audiences alike.

By SOPHIA MICHETTI

scene Writer how “It’s the Great Pumpkin, charlie brown.” In a new deal with Wildbrain, Peanuts Worldwide and Lee mendelson Film Productions, Apple Tv+ has acquired the rights to all “Peanuts” specials and future film rights, as stated in a recent press release.

As a result, any movie or television special on the classic “Peanuts” characters will be exclusively found the timeless specials that have been on cable television since the 1960s — “It’s the Great Pumpkin, charlie brown,” “A charlie brown Thanksgiving” and on Apple Tv+. over “Peanuts” specials for bragging rights, though. It will be expanding upon the “Peanuts” universe to produce new shows and specials. According to the press release, charlie brown, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the gang will be returning for specials celebrating new Year’s eve, earth day and mother’s day, as well as going back to school.

The streaming service will also release the second season of daytime emmy-nominated show “snoopy in space,” as well as “The snoopy show,” a 70th anniversary documentary on the “Peanuts” franchise, and but 14 years later, I’ve come to the conclusion that many fans of “borat” don’t understand “borat.” The film has evolved from an oscar nominee to a frat boy favorite, and when I

listen to white guys quote it like the bible, I have to wonder: What do they think the joke is? do they realize it’s satire? Are they laughing at the absurdity of, say, antisemitism, or are they laughing at Jewish people? There’s a difference. sacha baron cohen seems to agree. In “borat 2” aka “borat subsequent moviefilm: delivery of Prodigious bribe to American regime for make benefit once Glorious nation of Kazakhstan,” the satirist abandons subtext altogether. The film is overtly political, skewering donald Trump, his party and, in one particularly painful sequence, rudy Giuliani.

The reaction from “borat” super fans has, predictably, been mixed. how do you rationalize the realization that you’re probably one of the chumps that cohen is trying to expose? but for fans of the original who actually possess some critical thinking skills, “borat 2” presents a different kind of challenge: Is the film any fun when you’re being talked down to?

I don’t think anyone expected “borat 2” to be better than the original. but in 2020, I also don’t think anyone’s surprised that the premise has lost its bite. In our current political climate, you don’t need to don disguises or use hidden cameras to catch people saying vile things; all you have to do is watch the news. nothing is shocking anymore.

Furthermore, the popularity of the borat character means that cohen has lost his greatest asset: anonymity. now, every joke involves costumes upon costumes, where complicated set-ups are diluted by predictable punchlines. some of it is still very funny, but unlike last time, there are breaks in between all the laughter. And at a paltry 96 minutes, breaks the daytime emmy Award-winner “Peanuts in space: secrets of Apollo 10.” needless to say, the “Peanuts” universe is going to establish a loud presence on Apple Tv+.

While this news shocked the internet, it shouldn’t be too surprising that a streaming service has taken over such an iconic franchise. over the last decade, of the entertainment industry. many households are trading in cable television for streaming apps. Within the past couple of years, individual cable networks have been announcing their own streaming services for their television shows, such as nbc’s “Peacock” app, and new television shows and movies are being produced for viewing exclusively on streaming platforms. Given all this, it’s no wonder that a streaming service has acquired the rights to the holiday specials that have been a defining feature of American pop culture for decades.

It’s amazing to think about how far streaming serbeen founded in the late 1990s, but it didn’t become a household name until at least 10 years later. And with the internet becoming an increasingly essential part of people’s lives, so, too, have streaming services grown to new levels of prominence in the entertainment industry. many people will not watch television or movie premieres live because they know the shows will be put aren’t something “borat 2” can afford.

cohen, of course, remains a gifted character actor, and he’s joined this time by bulgarian newcomer maria bakalova as his daughter. despite the banality of this setup — must every long-awaited sequel introduce the main character’s children? — bakalova is a real find, a fantastic character actor herself who not only keeps pace with cohen’s quick-witted improv, but carries some of the film’s most shocking sequences solo. her character arc, spurred by moments both staged and spontaneous, is surprisingly poignant. And speaking of the script, the last-second twist is a knockout. so don’t be mistaken: “borat 2” didn’t just happen to release in 2020. It is a product of 2020 — an unapologetic refutation of it. The film ends with a title card, written in russian: “now vote.” now vote.

Contact Aidan O’Malley at aomalle2@nd.edu “Borat Subsequent Movefilm”

Director: Jason Woliner

Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova, the Republican Party

Favorite Episodes: “Iceland,” “France,” “Lima”

This halloween, you won’t be hearing Linus explain

on the Apple Tv+ streaming service. In other words, “A charlie brown christmas” — will only be available

Apple Tv+ isn’t just going to be holding a monopoly

services like netflix and hulu have become the hub

vices have come in recent years. netflix may have

If you liked: “The Dictator,” “The Brothers Grimsby” on a streaming service sooner or later. older television shows and movies have been brought back into trending conversations as streaming services provide easy access to shows from years ago. “Friends” is a great example of a show that was a hit in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but is still a hit with teenagers today because it was later made available on netflix.

The most important takeaway from this transition to streaming services is that it really amounts to the beginning of a new era. many people from our generation think of watching the charlie brown holiday specials on Tv as a tradition that our parents started when they were children. however, Apple Tv+ is trying to appeal to general audiences by offering the three most well-known specials for free for a few days at a time. “It’s a Great Pumpkin, charlie brown” will be free on Apple Tv+ from oct. 30 to nov. 1. “A charlie brown Thanksgiving” can be accessed for free from nov. 25 to nov. 27, and “A charlie brown christmas” will be available from dec. 11 to dec. 13. still, logging onto a laptop to watch a holiday special within a certain window doesn’t create that same cozy, nostalgic, even magical effect of watching it on television. It’s unfortunate to think about how the next generation will not have those same experiences without paying a monthly membership fee for Apple Tv+.

SuDOku | The mePhAm grouP

happy birthday: let your imagination lead the way. you’ll crave change and jump at the chance to learn something new. set your sights on a new adventure that will encourage personal growth, enlightenment, the desire to eliminate what is no longer working for you and the urge to pursue what makes you feel passionate. love, peace and happiness are within reach. your numbers are 4, 16, 20, 26, 30, 37, 41. ArIes (march 21-April 19): keep secrets to yourself. share what’s necessary, and gather the information that will help you maintain your position, reputation and status. Take proper care of your health, and stick to a budget. Patience will pay off. TAurus (April 20-may 20): you’ll gravitate toward trendy options and set the pace for those who look up to you. your input will hold weight and position you for advancement. Turn an idea into something spectacular and lucrative. selfimprovement is favored and will boost your confidence. gemInI (may 21-June 20): Think twice before you act on a random comment someone makes. If you let your emotions rule your head, someone will mislead you. look inward, assess your situation and choose to focus on fitness, health and personal gain. cAncer (June 21-July 22): Put your creativity into play at your place of employment, when working on your resume or at an interview. separating yourself from the competition will help you stand out. Personal gain is apparent. celebrate with someone you love. leo (July 23-Aug. 22): be careful what you wish for. If you meddle or get involved in gossip, it will lead to setbacks. Pour your energy into doing your own thing. strive for perfection and personal gain, not helping someone else get ahead. vIrgo (Aug. 23-sept. 22): People and situations that you can relate to will gravitate toward you. share your thoughts and beliefs, and you will build a solid base for projects. opportunity and hard work will result in positive change. romance is in the stars. lIbrA (sept. 23-oct. 22): refuse to let anyone dominate you or stand in your way. channel your energy into what’s important to you and into meaningful relationships. don’t make a move or buy into something because of peer pressure. do your own thing. scorPIo (oct. 23-nov. 21): your intelligence will play a role in bringing about change, and good fortune will follow if you are proactive in turning your thoughts into reality. demonstrate how you want things to unfold, and you’ll set a high standard. sAgITTArIus (nov. 22-dec. 21): keep your guard up when working in conjunction with others. someone will be underhanded in a situation that can affect your position. be private regarding your beliefs, ideas and intentions. stick close to home, and you’ll avoid interference. cAPrIcorn (dec. 22-Jan. 19): A unique project will interest you. consider the changes you will have to make to accommodate what you want to pursue. The result will be satisfying and bring you good fortune. share your plans with someone you love. AQuArIus (Jan. 20-feb. 18): stop listening and start doing. refuse to let someone lead you in the wrong direction. consider what you want and follow your heart. It’s up to you to protect your freedom to pursue your dream. let go of the past. PIsces (feb. 19-march 20): you’ll motivate and inspire others to do what’s right and best for everyone. Put your leadership qualities to work and make a difference. your courage and kindness will help you gain respect. romance is featured, and a lifestyle change looks promising. birthday baby: you are creative, kind and knowledgeable. you are motivated and curious.

JumBlE | dAvId hoyT And Jeff knurek

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Recapping Big Ten football

Nate Moller sports Writer

my full allegiance is with notre dame football, but as a midwesterner, big Ten football also holds a special place in my heart. With the big Ten finally starting their season this past weekend after canceling their season this past August, there were lots of surprises and of takeaways to be had. obviously, it’s only one week of football, but with the eight-game regular season, every game is extra important. here are my takeaways from this weekend’s big Ten action.

1. What is wrong with penn State?

not many people would have guessed that Penn state would lose their opener to Indiana, yet here we are. Although the hoosiers only had 211 yards of total offense against Penn state, they were able to take advantage of the nittany Lions’ mishaps and convert them into points.

All of a sudden now, Penn state is looking at starting the season 0-2, unless they can pull off an upset against ohio state on halloween night. honestly, I think Penn state is a solid team and if it weren’t for the three turnovers and 100 yards of penalties, they would have won by two touchdowns against a solid hoosier team. Look for them to battle ohio state tough this weekend.

2. the West is Wisconsin’s to lose … wait, never mind

Wisconsin absolutely obliterated Illinois this past Friday 45-7 behind an outstanding performance from redshirt first year quarterback Graham mertz. The defense looked good, too, and it seemed nothing was standing in the badgers’ way after their typical West foes in Iowa and minnesota struggled mightily on saturday.

That all changed, however, this sunday when it was announced that Graham mertz tested positive for covId-19. Per big Ten protocol, mertz will need to miss three weeks. This means mertz will likely miss Wisconsin’s showdown with michigan nov. 14, and it leaves a lot of question marks for the badgers going forward, considering they will now have to turn to their thirdstring quarterback.

Although the buckeyes did start sluggishly against nebraska, once the wheels started rolling at the end of the first half, there was no looking back for the buckeyes. Justin Fields was near perfect for the buckeyes, completing 20 of 21 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 54 yards and a touchdown as well. After saturday, it was evident that the buckeyes are the clear best team in the big Ten, and the title will be theirs to lose this season.

4. Michigan is good, but not that good

The Wolverines surprised me saturday. I honestly thought minnesota would at the very least keep the game close, if not win the game outright. The Wolverines used their prolific run offense, however, to rush for 253 yards and sink the Gophers in the process. michigan’s offense also took care of the ball and quarterback Joe milton seemed to be a decent fit.

While I am impressed by the Wolverines, I am not by any means sold. They should take care of sparty next week, but after that, they will face Indiana and Wisconsin. Until then, I will consider michigan as a top tier big Ten team, but they are not contenders until they prove themselves in another bigtime game.

5. rutgers wins!

normally one win isn’t that big of a deal, but it sure was for the scarlet Knights this weekend in their upset over michigan state. before saturday, the scarlet Knights had lost 21 straight big Ten conference games dating back to 2017. rutgers gets Indiana and ohio state the next two weeks, so they might still be in for a rude awakening.

With the big Ten season in full swing, it finally feels like college football is almost normal. As far as playoff aspirations go for the big Ten conference, they better hope they have an undefeated team. With only eight regular-season games and a conference championship, there is simply no room for mistakes. An ohio state loss to Penn state this weekend, for example, could prove catastrophic for the conference.

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Why the New York Jets will be the next 0-16 team

Thomas Zwiller

sports Writer

In an incredibly close game, the Pittsburgh steelers beat the Tennessee Titans 27-24 to stay unbeaten in the nFL. This is now the 6th time that two teams who were both 5-0 or better played in the super bowl era. The winner in the first five matchups all went onto the super bowl, boding well for the steelers. While Pittsburgh was avoiding a close scare in surrendering its perfect record, another team also avoided a scare: the new York Jets.

The Jets played the buffalo bills in Week 7, and while they were a 7-point underdog, the Jets jumped out to a 10-point lead. At this point in the game, esPn had given them a 75% chance of victory at 6:40 in the second quarter. however, these are the Jets; no lead is ever safe, and the bills scored 18 unanswered points and were able to keep the unwinning streak going. I have good news for you Jets fans, your team will soon enter the ranks of the elite, they will join the company of the 2008 Lions and the 2017 browns — the Jets will go 0-16.

team rankings:

The Jets are truly awful, and you need only see their team rankings to know it. They rank 32nd in offensive yards per game, 32nd in passing yards per game and 32nd in points per game. Their one bright spot was their run game; they rank 23rd in rushing yards per game, which will probably decline with the release of Le’veon bell. defensively, they really don’t rank much better. They are ranked 24th in total yards per game against the pass, 20th against the rush and 25th in points per game allowed with 29. Long story short, the Jets aren’t going to score a whole lot of points, but they are going to give up a lot of points on defense. here’s how the rest of their schedule is going to go:

Week 8: @ Chiefs

The Jets (according to 538) have a 92% chance of losing and are 17.5-point underdogs. The chiefs just rolled the broncos 43-16, a team that is incredibly comparable to the Jets. Jets record: 0-8

Week 9: vs patriots

The Patriots are favored to beat the Jets by a touchdown and have a 70% chance of winning. While cam and the Pats are struggling with a 2-4 record, this would be the perfect time for a bounce-back game.

Jets record: 0-9

Week 10: bye week

While the Jets aren’t slated to play anyone in Week 10, this could easily be the week Adam Gase, the Jets head coach gets fired. It would allow for the new coach to get used to new responsibilities and make changes he or she sees fit in preparation for…

Week 11: @ Chargers

The chargers are favored by seven over the Jets and have a 74% chance of victory over the Jets. Justin herbert for the chargers is looking quite good. Look for him to dominate the Jets poor pass defense.

Jets record: 0-10

Week 12: vs Dolphins

The Jets lost to the dolphins in Week 6, 24-0. 538 expects a similar result: It gives them a 59% chance of winning the game, but only by a field goal. This game is pretty dangerous to the Jets 0-16 hopes, it is by far the highest chance they have of winning a single game. however, I think 538’s model isn’t accounting for something: Tua. I honestly think that Tua will be playing pretty well at this point, and it will be a better game than average for him as he lights up a weak defense.

Jets record: 0-11

Week 13: vs raiders

The raiders come to new York with a 71% chance of victory over the Jets, and they should win by a touchdown. I do think that because the Jets have an oK rush defense, they may be able to slow down Josh Jacobs, but I think derrick carr is going to have a big game and utilize the play action against the Jets.

Jets record: 0-12

Week 14: @ Seattle

The Jets make the crosscountry journey to take on the seattle seahawks and have the best odds of beating the Jets since the chiefs back in Week 8. They have an 88% of winning and are 2-Td favorites. While seattle has a terrible defense, (they allow the most yards per game) they won’t need it they have the best offense in the nFL in both yards per game and points per game.

Jets record: 0-13

Week 15: @ rams

The rams follow up seattle, finishing the Jets schedule against nFc West opponents. The rams are pretty comparable to the seahawks, they have an 87% chance of winning the game, and are a 13-point favorite. This game will probably be really important, not to the Jets of course, but for the LA rams. They are in an extremely competitive division in the nFc West, and with their opponents all netting a win vs the Jets, the rams will need this to keep hope as a wildcard team alive.

Jets record: 0-14

Week 16: vs Browns

The browns come to metLife stadium as a touchdown favorite over the Jets, and have a 76% chance of victory over the new York Jets. In a similar story to the LA rams, the browns will likely be in a close playoff race with both the baltimore ravens and the Pittsburgh steelers. They are probably going to need this game and should succeed in getting it, keeping both their playoff hopes alive and the hope for a Jets winless season alive.

Jets record: 0-15

Week 17: @ patriots

In Week 17, every team plays a divisional opponent, often a hated rival. As the Jets go up to Gillette stadium to take on the Pats, the eyes of the sports world will be on them. can they do it, can they become the third team to go 0-16? 538 gives them a solid chance to do so if they were still undefeated at this point — it favors the Patriots by nine points and gives them a 77% chance of victory.

Jets record: 0-16 538 is slightly more optimistic about the Jets’ future than I am. It has them going at 2-14 and just falling short of the coveted 0-16 they’ve been working so hard for. however, when you look at the probability of going 0-16, you get about a 10% chance of it happening. Good luck nY Jets!

Contact Thomas Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu

talking about. notre dame is a special place for me, and so just every day is a blessing for me. so that’s where all my smiles are coming from.”

Ivey served as the starting point guard on notre dame’s first national championship team in 2001 and, after a brief stint in the WnbA, returned to south bend as an assistant in 2007. she was eventually elevated to recruiting coordinator in 2012, and every one of the program’s nine Final Four occurred during her 17 years as a player and assistant with the Irish.

Last season, Ivey took a break from the collegiate ranks to make a return to the pros, this time as an assistant coach with the memphis Grizzlies of the nbA. It was a one-year stint there affording her the chance to work with one of the league’s youngest and most promising teams, including rookie of the Year Ja morant, before Ivey supplanted her former coach and boss as just the fourth coach in Irish program history.

“I’ve been preparing for this moment for a long time,” she said. “And so stepping on that court, the first day, felt like full circle for me being back here at notre dame. but also, you know, just having that dream come true, really.”

Ivey said that despite a shortened offseason, she’s already begun working to implement the program culture she wants.

“I think that was the number one thing coming in, I wanted this team to learn how to compete,” she said. “coming off of last year, we have a young team. And that was the first thing, that was the main thing I was trying to build coming back, is great habits and culture. And I feel like the identity of this team is that they work really hard. They are very coachable. They come in every day with a hunger. They want to get better. And that’s exactly the culture that I wanted to bring coming back.” even so, taking on one’s first head coaching job, and at a program as prestigious as notre dame’s no less, comes with its fair share of learning curves. however, Ivey is fortunate to have the aforementioned hall of Fame coach right down the road from her.

“coach mcGraw, I actually tried to meet with her once every week if I could during quarantine,” Ivey said. “I’m always a person that wants to learn and be a sponge, especially with coach mcGraw … I got her advice over certain things that I’m trying to implement. some things just culture-wise, leadershipwise, so picking her brain about some things.”

Ivey confessed mcGraw is even rubbing off on her in some ways.

“This past weekend, my staff, they said, ‘You even stand like coach mcGraw.’ It was just really funny that they mentioned that,” she said. “I definitely feel that there’s a lot of coach mcGraw that rubs off on the things that I say, and how I coach. I haven’t had a ‘what would muffet do’ conversation with myself yet, but I’m sure it’s going to come.”

At the same time, the reality is that this is a very different experience than any college coaches or players are accustomed to, and it is taking a toll. Junior forward danielle cosgrove announced nearly two weeks ago that she would be taking a leave of absence from the team and University to focus on her mental health.

“very unfortunate for danielle not to be with us, taking a leave of absence,” Ivey said. “but we have a great relationship, she has a great relationship with our team. And, as a coach, I just wanted to make sure she had all the resources she needs in order to get better, to get healthy. mental health is one of the number one problems with college student-athletes right now.”

Ivey said she has dedicated time and resources to helping all of her players cope with the mental burden of being full-time college students and full-time athletes in the midst of a viral pandemic.

“my whole goal, especially coming back, was to make sure that I was helping them in all forms and fashions, not just basketball,” Ivey said. “sometimes, that could be bringing somebody in to talk to the team. We practice meditation and yoga as a team. Whatever resources that I think will be beneficial for them, I’m going to continue to do that throughout the season.”

Ivey also confirmed that cosgrove was back in town to visit practice and stay connected with the team.

“danielle and I have a great relationship,” she said. “she was just back in town this weekend and came to practice. I wanted to make sure that she’s staying engaged with his team, and for her to understand that she’s still part of it.” despite the reality of covId-19 protocols and a changing of the guard at head coach, the press conference still had flashes of normalcy. While she did touch on such topics as figuring out seating capacity during home games and putting the final touches on an abbreviated, four-tofive game non-conference schedule, Ivey discussed such relatively “mundane” topics as what her team will look like with several players returning from injury and a new crop of talented recruits.

“[senior forward] mikayla vaughn, I’ll start with her. she’s coming back from her AcL, doing really well,” Ivey said. “she’s going about 50% capacity right now. she’s seven months postoperation and so we should hopefully have her back in another month and a half … sam brunelle is progressing well. had a little bit of tendinitis last year, had a

HANNAH HUELSKAMP | The Observer

Irish junior guard Katlyn Gilbert drives into the paint during Notre Dame’s 76-53 victory over Miami on Jan. 19 at Purcell Pavilion.

little bit during the summer and quarantine, and so she’s transitioning back on the court with us. I’m super excited for her.”

Ivey also made note of sophomore guard Anaya Peoples, who is coming back from a shoulder injury last season.

I recruited [Anaya] since she was in sixth grade, seventh grade,” Ivey said. “And this year, having her come back from her shoulder injury, and just seeing her development and her growth, is incredible. she is playing at a very high level. she’s in better shape, she’s worked on her game. coming back from two knee injuries [myself] here at notre dame, I know the feeling of coming back from an injury, how much you grow from sitting out and watching. And I could tell that right away the first workout.”

Finally, Ivey brought up junior transfer guard dara mabrey, younger sister to former Irish guards marina and michaela, the latter of whom currently serves as an assistant. Ivey said that beyond dara’s proven three-point shooting ability at virginia Tech — which lends itself to Ivey’s desire to run an upand-down style — the youngest mabrey brings so much more to the team.

“she’s a great leader, she’s very vocal and she understands and knows the value of her voice,” Ivey said of dara. “she brings the intangibles. she’s tough. she brings the swag. You know, the entire mabrey family — as you know marina and michaela — she definitely brings that energy and confidence, and I think that’s something that is going to be very beneficial for our team.”

It’s fair to say that a chaotic year is in store for all of college basketball. It would be surprising if it didn’t affect a first-year head coach taking over a program that just last season was on track to miss the ncAA Tournament for the first time in over two decades. despite the fact that Ivey most certainly realizes that, the permanent upbeat emotion she displayed in her first fall press conference suggests she is undaunted.

“It is a joy to be here and I understand how blessed I am. I hope that it always exudes everywhere, every moment of every day, especially in practice,” she said. “I just love being around the team … they always put a smile on my face. We always start the day with something good and we always end the day with something good. so that’s important to me. These young women mean a lot to me. so it’s easy to have a smile on my face working with them.”

Observer Fantasy Corner Roundtable: Week 7

Gavin Aitken, Jamison Cook, Elizabeth Gasiorowski, John Kalemkerian, Andrew McGuiness and Sam Ouhaj

sports Writers

Sam Ouhaj

must play: Justin herbert, Qb, Los Angeles chargers

Justin herbert has been on a tear since taking over the starting role in LA. my favorite to win oroY, herbert perhaps is having the best rookie quarterback season we have seen since Patrick mahomes (2018) and dak Prescott (2016). While herbert’s success has not equated to wins, which is not his fault, herbert has averaged 25.1 points through his first five games as a starter. The chargers are facing a broncos defense that has been iffy at best. I am confident that herbert will continue his success against the broncos and even come out with the win. I also want people to take notes that herbert may still be on your waiver wire and is my must pick-up in every league. must sit: T.Y. hilton, Wr, Indianapolis colts

The T.Y. hilton and Phillip rivers connection has not worked out this season. Averaging 7.4 fantasy points this season, hilton has yet to post a 100-yard game or even score a touchdown. This has been a surprise for many, as just two years ago, hilton had reclaimed his status as a top-10 wideout — granted he was playing with Andrew Luck. hilton is set to face the detroit Lions this week, and while this may be a favorable matchup against a weak Lions secondary, it is not worth the risk in my opinion. I advise trading or dropping hilton when you can get the chance as unless he and rivers start connecting, it is going to be miserable for owners to have success.

Who to pick up: sterling shepard, Wr, new York Giants (owned in 38.4% of fantasy leagues) brandon Aiyuk, Wr, san Fransisco 49ers (owned in 27% of fantasy leagues)

Gavin Aitken

must play: Teddy bridgewater, Qb, carolina Panthers

Teddy bridgewater’s season has been very up and down so far, but if you dig into the details, it’s actually quite easy to predict his good days versus his bad days. Against teams in the bottom half of the league in terms of pass defense, he averages around 23 fantasy points per game, which is not shabby in the slightest. Against pass defense in the top half of the league, he averages around 15 fantasy points per game, and even that number is boosted by a 26-point outlier against the Arizona cardinals. Knowing this, it’s clear that bridgewater’s opponent affects his performance more than most Qbs. Luckily for him, his next opposition is the team ranked dead last in fantasy points against — the Atlanta Falcons. expect a big day from the Louisville alum. must sit: James connor, rb, Pittsburgh steelers

After a blazing start to the season, connor has settled down into a pretty consistent role. however, the undefeated steelers are going up against their strongest challenge yet in the form of their biggest rivals — the baltimore ravens. While connor has managed to get serious production against other big time run defenses, I believe the ravens are going to start this game off by stacking the box and forcing the steelers’ pass game to make a difference. This combined with my prediction of a strong game from Lamar Jackson and co., and I can see connor getting his usage cut as the game goes on.

Who to pick up: brandon Aiyuk, Wr, san Francisco 49ers (owned in 10.8% of fantasy leagues) carlos hyde, rb, seattle seahawks (owned in 2.8% of fantasy leagues)

Elizabeth Gasiorowski

must play: Josh Allen, Qb, buffalo bills okay look, I’m a lifelong Patriots fan, but even I can admit that last sunday’s performance was shaky, to say the very least. This week, the AFc east-leading buffalo bills take on the, uh, struggling Patriots. To start the season, Qb Josh Allen was consistently hitting the 30 fantasy point threshold, and though he has evened off in the past month, has still stayed as a solid option. This week (as much as it pains me to say it), look to Allen to put up some good numbers against the Patriots. he’s coming off of a solidly mediocre week against the Jets with no Tds and 307 yards, is healthy and is poised to rebound against new england. must sit: scott miller, Wr, Tampa bay buccaneers buccaneers Wr scott miller has been an on-again-offagain target for veteran Qb Tom brady this season, and though he’s coming off of an exceptional week against Las vegas, I wouldn’t count on him to maintain his peak performances. In Week 4, he had a decent five receptions on seven targets for 83 yards, then did absolutely nothing the next week! If the variable patterns in his performances in the past weeks are any indication of how often Tom brady will target this rookie, then stay far, far away from miller this week. Take it from my personal experience: don’t be tempted by the 23 fantasy points from this past week else be prepared to get a whole lot of nothing from miller.

Who to pick up: carlos hyde, rb, seattle seahawks (owned in 0.5% of fantasy leagues) richard rogers, Te, Philadelphia eagles (owned in 4% of fantasy leagues)

John Kalemkerian

must start: A.J. Green, Wr, cincinnati bengals

Green, who was selected to seven straight Pro-bowls to start his career, got off on the wrong foot with bengals rookie Qb Joe burrow, even going as far as appearing to ask for a trade on the sideline mid-game during Week 5 against the ravens. however, something has clicked since then and Green has averaged a team-high 12 targets over the past two games, racking up nearly 100 yards in each. This week, playing against a Titans defense that has surprisingly let up the third-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, Green should be in all fantasy lineups. must sit: darius slayton, Wr, new York Giants one. That’s the number of games over 200 passing yards that Giants Qb daniel Jones has since saquon barkley went down with a torn AcL in Week 2. This definitely doesn’t bode well for slayton’s fantasy value, especially considering another Giants wideout, sterling shepard, returned and outperformed him this past week. slayton has been boom or bust this season, turning just under seven targets into only four receptions per game. nothing inspires confidence about the big blue offense, especially an upcoming monday night matchup against a stifling buccaneers defense. slayton should be riding the fantasy pine in this week.

Who to pick up: boston scott, rb, Philadelphia eagles (owned in 47% of fantasy leagues) corey davis, Wr, Tennessee Titans (owned in 30.2% of fantasy leagues)

Andrew McGuinness

must play: melvin Gordon III, rb, denver broncos

After missing denver’s Week 7 contest with a noncoronavirus illness, Gordon put up a strong return to denver’s backfield in Week 8, rushing for 68 yards on 17 attempts and also finding the end zone. While the chargers run defense has been solid this year, what puts Gordon over the top for this week is that his main competition, Phillip Lindsay, could very well be out. Lindsay suffered a concussion on sunday and has entered the league’s concussion protocol, according to head coach vic Fangio. If Lindsay sits, Gordon should get another week as denver’s bell-cow back, making him an attractive option at rb2 or Flex. must sit: marquise brown, Wr, baltimore ravens brown has had an up and down season so far, starting strong in Week 1 before delivering a pair of unimpressive showings. but brown may have flipped the switch in Week 4; he’s recorded at least six targets and 55 receiving yards in each of baltimore’s last three games, adding a score in one of them. only Adam Thielen and calvin ridley have more receiving yards through the air (not counting yards after catch) than brown’s 674, and he’s facing a steelers secondary that has struggled for most of the season this week. I’m also a fan of starting players after bye weeks because of the extra time to rest, and sure enough, brown and the ravens are coming off theirs.

Who to pick up: damien harris, rb, new england Patriots (owned in 47% of fantasy leagues)

Jamison Cook

must start: Anderson, Wr, Panthers

robby carolina

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: robby Anderson should be in your starting lineup every week that he takes the field. Anderson has had double-digit fantasy points every week and has had at least four catches and five targets in every contest so far this season. he has done all of this without having a touchdown reception since Week 1, giving him incredible upside if he does start to haul in more touchdown passes. The Panthers host the Falcons this week, giving Anderson the opportunity to face an Atlanta defense that has given up the second-most passing yards and touchdowns to wide receivers per game. The game is on Thursday, so make sure to get Anderson into your starting lineup before it’s too late. must sit: Tua Tagovailoa/ dolphins’ Wrs, miami dolphins

If you are desperate enough to have picked up Tua and plan to start him, let me offer a word of caution. Tua has attempted just two passes in his nFL career, and he has the privilege of facing the rams defense in his first nFL start. The rams defense is giving up just 212 passing yards per game, which ranks fifth in the league, and surrendering just over 100 yards rushing per game, which ranks seventh in the league. They also have this guy named Aaron donald. Taking all this into account, it could be a rough afternoon for Tua, which also means a tough game for his receivers. maybe I will be wrong, but I would steer clear of the dolphins Qb and receiving corps until Tua proves he is ready for the big stage.

Who to pick up: carlos hyde, rb, seattle seahawks (owned in 7.1% of fantasy leagues) brandon Aiyuk, Wr, san Francisco 49ers (owned in 27% of fantasy leagues)

Contact Gavin Aitken at gaitken@nd.edu, Jamison Cook at jcook22@nd.edu, Elizabeth Gasiorowski at egasioro@ nd.edu John Kalemkerian at jkalemke@nd.edu, Andrew McGuiness at amcquinn@nd.edu, and Sam Ouhaj at souhaj@nd.edu

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