The independent
To uncover
newspaper serving
the truth
Notre Dame and
and report
Saint Mary’s
it accurately
Volume 51, Issue 76 | tuesday, january 31, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Reality star evaluates student proposals ‘Shark Tank’ judge Kevin O’Leary returns to campus to critique Mendoza students’ business ideas
University student entrepreneurs pitched their best business ventures to “Shark Tank’s” Kevin O’Leary, following a presentation on his life and tips for success in entrepreneurship in the Mendoza College of Business on Monday. The talk, sponsored by the Mendoza College of Business and the Gigot Center for Entrepreneurship, filled the 350-seat Jordan Auditorium, as students and faculty came to hear O’Leary’s insights on entrepreneurship. “After nine years and thousands of pitches, there’s a lot to be learned about what goes right and what goes wrong, and how you present your ideas to investors,” O’Leary said. “I don’t care
see SHARK PAGE 4
EDDIE GRIESEDIECK | The Observer
Kevin O’Leary discusses the components of a successful pitch in Jordan Auditorium on Monday night. This is O’Leary’s second time critiquing Mendoza student business proposals.
Pirate, slave mutinies anchored in freedom By AIDAN LEWIS News Writer
John Donoghue, associate professor of histor y at Loyola Universit y Chicago, spoke on Monday evening about the Buccaneers and their role in the slave trade during “Slave Revolts and Piratical Capitalism in the Age of Captain Morgan.” Donoghue said in the 17th centur y the Buccaneers started out as poor French, Dutch and British citizens who had been “delivered into bondage across the Atlantic” w ithout their consent, often tricked or manipulated into signing contracts. “These Buccaneers who become pirates and make their liv ing ultimately by stealing, are themselves stolen,” Donoghue said. He said these indentured ser vants ultimately escaped from their brutal work, and formed communities of
NEWS PAGE 3
their ow n, where they lived off looting. “W hatever loot that they got, whatever prov isions they were traded, the spoils would be div ided equally among the brethren,” Donoghue said. “They organized themselves along decidedly anti-Capitalist lines.” Nevertheless, Donoghue said soon the Buccaneers teamed up w ith the British colonial settlement on Jamaica in order to stif le Spain’s thriv ing trade. “The Buccaneers saw an opportunit y to increase their wealth, and the English saw an opportunit y to acquire the labor they needed to begin robbing the Spanish,” Donoghue said. “This produces an innovation in the colonial economy called privateering. This is essentially state-sponsored piracy.” Donoghue said the Buccaneers, led by Captain
SCENE PAGE 5
Henr y Morgan of Wales, pillaged many Spanish settlements, most famously Porto Bello and Panama. “These were massive forces attacking cities, destroying them and reliev ing them of their wealth,” Donoghue said. “So the Buccaneers prov ided the key militar y labor for extracting capital from the Spanish empire that w ill be brought back to Jamaica, and invested for the purposes of sugar planting.” Through these attacks, Donoghue said the Buccaneers brought back thousands of African slaves from Spanish settlements to Jamaica. “By turning mercenar y for the colonial regime in Jamaica, we see people f leeing from unfree labor becoming instruments of enslavement themselves,” Donoghue said. “I call this see PIRATES PAGE 3
VIEWPOINT PAGE 7
Self-published first year explores writing world By KATHRYN MARSHALL News Writer
When she was younger, first-year Saint Mary’s student Dalanie Beach wanted to do everything and be everything when she grew up. As she grew older, she said she found she could be anything and do everything by becoming a writer. “You can step into the shoes of anyone you want to be and just go with it,” she said. “And I think that’s my favorite thing about it. I can be anything when I write”. This mentality led her to self-publish three novels between the ages of 13 and 16 through an online publication site. As Beach gained more writing experience, she said she chose to remove the novels from publication, and followed the advice of a teacher who told her to take her
Football PAGE 12
writing to the Midwest Writers Conference. While there, she pitched her contemporary young adult novel “Reckless Intention” to three agents and later signed with Bradford Literary Agency. She then embarked
Dalanie Beach
Associate News Editor
whether you are an entrepreneur, a leader, a politician — these lessons matter in terms of your ability to communicate with people.” In his experience judging pitches on “Shark Tank,” O’Leary said all of the successful pitches had three aspects in common: They articulated the opportunity in 90 seconds or less, they convinced their potential investors they’re the right person for the business and they knew their numbers, or found someone who did. “The whole deal with a small business is to find out what makes your story compelling to your customer and stay in touch,” O’Leary said. “ … That actually is the secret to ‘Shark Tank.’ If you ever get there and you get to pitch
first-year student, author
By MEGAN VALLEY
on a lengthy revision process with her agent and is currently working on finding a publisher for the novel. “You can publish without an agent, but it is hard to do in today’s world when there see WRITER PAGE 3
Men’s bASKETBALL PAGE 12
2
TODAY
The observer | Tuesday, January 31, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com
Have a question you want answered? Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com
What is the worst building on campus to study in?
P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
Scott Moore
Isabella Simon
senior Alumni Hall
sophomore McGlinn Hall
“Rockne Memorial.”
“Legends.”
Lucas Unruh
Esther Lee
senior Zahm House
junior Pasquerilla West Hall
“Power plant.”
“LaFun, in front of Smashburger.”
(574) 631-4542 mhynds@nd.edu
Maria Pope
Julia Oksasoglu
Managing Editor
sophomore McGlinn Hall
senior off campus
“Stinson-Remick. There is a beep every five minutes.”
“Old College.”
Editor-in-Chief Margaret Hynds Managing Editor Business Manager Kayla Mullen Emily Reckmeyer
Asst. Managing Editor: Alex Carson Asst. Managing Editor: Zach Klonsinski Asst. Managing Editor: Clare Kossler
News Editor: Rachel O’Grady Viewpoint Editor: Claire Radler Sports Editor: Marek Mazurek Scene Editor: Erin McAuliffe Saint Mary’s Editor: Nicole Caratas Photo Editor: Emmet Farnan Graphics Editor: Lauren Weldon Multimedia Editor: Wei Cao Online Editor: Jimmy Kemper Advertising Manager: Olivia Treister Ad Design Manager: Madison Riehle Office Manager & General Info
Ph: (574) 631-7471 Fax: (574) 631-6927 Advertising
(574) 631-6900 ads@ndsmcobserver.com Editor-in-Chief
(574) 631-4542 kmullen2@nd.edu Assistant Managing Editors
(574) 631-4541 acarson1@nd.edu, zklonsin@nd.edu, ckossler@nd.edu Business Office
(574) 631-5313 News Desk
(574) 631-5323 news@ndsmcobserver.com Viewpoint Desk
(574) 631-5303 viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com Sports Desk
(574) 631-4543 sports@ndsmcobserver.com Scene Desk
(574) 631-4540 scene@ndsmcobserver.com Saint Mary’s Desk
ncaratas01@saintmarys.edu Photo Desk
(574) 631-8767 photo@ndsmcobserver.com Systems & Web Administrators
(574) 631-8839 Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac and Saint Mary’s College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of either institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content. The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors. Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer. Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged. Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information. Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Margaret Hynds.
Post Office Information The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except during exam and vacation periods. A subscription to The Observer is $130 for one academic year; $75 for one semester. The Observer is published at: 024 South Dining Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 024 South Dining Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-077 The Observer is a member of the Associated Press. All reproduction rights are reserved.
Today’s Staff News
Sports
Selena Ponio Martha Reilly Gina Twardosz
Ben Padanilam Elizabeth Greason
Graphics
Scene
Lindsey Meyers
Photo Emmet Farnan
Adrian Mark Lore
Viewpoint Sarah Hynds
Corrections The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at (574) 631-4541 so we can correct our error.
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
Men’s basketball head coach Mike Brey anxiously watches Monday night’s game against Duke. The Irish lost the matchup 84-74. Notre Dame’s next home game is against Wake Forest on Feb. 7 at Purcell Pavilion.
The next Five days:
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Mexico: Dangerous Assignment Hesburgh Center for International Studies 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.
(How) Can We Go on Together? Geddes Hall 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. RSVP online.
Political Islam and America’s Long War Purcell Pavilion 12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Open to the public.
Indoor Cycling — Spring 2017 Freebies Rockne Memorial 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Space is limited.
Undergraduate Sustainability Research and Education Expo LaFortune Student Center 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Actors From The London Stage (AFTLS) present “Romeo and Juliet” Washington Hall 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Tickets available online.
Scholars Lounge and Concourse Open House Hesburgh Library 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Open to ND faculty, students, and staff.
The Future of Liberalism in the Age of Trump — A Panel Discussion South Dining Hall/ Reckers 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. Men’s Hockey vs. Vermont Compton Family Ice Arena 7:35 p.m.
Kroc Institute ScreenPeace Film Festival: “Do Not Resist” DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 9:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.
News
ndsmcobserver.com | tuesday, january 31, 2017 | The Observer
3
Panel analyzes right-wing populism in Europe By ALEXANDRA MUCK News Writer
Professors from the Kellogg Institute for International Studies and the Nanov ic Institute for European Studies explored the current political landscape and the rise of right-w ing populism in Europe through the lens of four countries: France, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. Oliv ier Morel, assistant professor of Film, Telev ision and Theatre (FTT) and Romance Languages and Literatures, began the panel Monday night w ith an analysis of the political sphere in France. W hile he said the rise of far-right institutions is threatening, it is not a new phenomenon in French politics as the trend has been apparent for at least three decades. “Nothing erupts by total chance or accident,” he said. “The idea that most of what we see is a disastrous, unique, unprecedented event is a fallacy.” Citing ev idence of rising hate speech, “non-verbal approaches to politics” such as marches and ceremonies, and quotes that know how to attract media attention, he said this political far-right in France is catering to the
masses who are losing jobs through industrialization. Morel also said hate, especially toward minorities, is
“Nothing erupts by total accident. The idea that most of what we see is a disastrous, unique, unprecedented event is a fallacy.” Olivier Morel assistant professor, FTT, Romance Languages and Literatures
becoming institutionalized, which is difficult to undo. Finally, in a theme reiterated by the other panelists, Morel said the European Union (EU) is now an “ideological vacuum.” “You w ill not see voters get enthusiastic about the European Union any more,” he said. Michel Hock x, director of the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, drew on this same point when discussing politics in his native countr y of the Netherlands. The current populist part y in the countr y, the Part y for Freedom, includes leav ing
Library concourse renovation opens Observer Staff Report
The renovation of the east concourse in Hesburgh Library has finished after over two months of work. The construction on the concourse started Nov. 20 in anticipation of the establishment of the Scholars Lounge, a new study space across from Au Bon Pain. The new lounge opened Dec. 1.
Writer Continued from page 1
is increased emphasis on the business side of things,” Beach said. “[The agent] handle[s] the business side while the writer handles the creative side. If you just send a novel to a publishing company, they generally won’t even open it. But an agent verifies, yes, it is worth their time.” However, Beach said she does recommend self-publishing if someone has strong business and marketing skills. Working with an agent and going through six revisions of her novel taught Beach a lot
One feature of the concourse’s transformation is the introduction of f loor to ceiling glass on the second level of the center concourse; staff spaces on the first and fourth f loors were also improved. An open house to showcase both the new Scholars Lounge and the newly opened concourse is being held Thursday from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
about the realities of being a writer and how a work evolves, she said. “I’ve had to sacrifice a lot of good writing which is definitely hard,” Beach said. “Sometimes you write a scene and it’s not working, but you really love it and you have to cut it out because it’s better for the manuscript as a whole.” Despite the novel not yet being published, Beach said she is still writing. She quoted writer Franz Kafka when she said “A non-writing writer is a monster courting insanity,” and added writing and characters have always been her passion and motivation. She is currently working
the EU as one of t wo primar y points in its election manifesto. The other point is that it wants to de-Islamicize the Netherlands. “The right-w ing, antiIslam organizations in the Netherlands present themselves as defenders of the Dutch v ision of tolerance, liberalism, openness to the gay communit y, etc.” Hock x was hesita nt to use t he word “right-w ing” when describing t he populist pa r t y, t hough, since he sa id most of t he pa r t ies use right-w ing ideas to ga in votes. “The situation in the Netherlands is such that is has already changed from being right-w ing populism to simply being populism,” he said. Lucia Manzi, a Ph.D. candidate in political science, focused on a current part y in Italy — the Five Star Movement. She said the group ser ves those who feel they have a lack of representation in government and who distrust democracy by focusing on implementing direct democracy and more transparency in government. Manzi said it is hard to define the group as belonging to the left or right since all the policy issues are voted
Pirates Continued from page 1
conf licted resistance.” The intense inf lu x of A frican slaves made each slave increasingly expendable, to t he point t hat Donoghue said it was “more prof itable to work a slave to deat h” t han keep him hea lt hy. “This is a holocaust of the early modern period, a holocaust driven by profit ma x imization,” Donoghue said. “This is a murder machine.” However, by 1693 slaves
on a novel based on Charles Dodgson, known by the pen name Lewis Carroll. She said the idea came from a research paper she wrote last semester and over winter break when she read Dodgson’s diaries. Beach said through the novel, she hopes to clarify some of the misrepresentations of Dodgson present in modern society, such as claims that he was a pedophile or drug addict. “I want to focus on him because he was so deep and complex. There’s a crazy amount of writing he has done,” she said. After writing for so many years, Beach said she can no longer read without a pencil.
online. Reiterating the prev ious statements about the EU, she said many politi-
“The right-wing, anti-Islam organizations in the Netherlands present themselves as defenders of the Dutch vision of tolerance, liberalism, openness to the gay community, etc.” Michel Hockx director, Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies
cians today are rely ing on supranational institutions. “It is not by chance that populist movements all aim target at the European Union because the European Union has become a major political actor. Several policy decisions that are made at the countr y level come dow n or are affected by the European Union,” she said. Manzi said while the part y does not prove a direct threat to democracy, the movement does however threaten democracy in its current form,
out numbered t heir white slavers by a rat io of a round f ive to one in Ja ma ica. Donoghue sa id consequent ly slaves bega n to revolt a nd form t heir ow n formidable sett lements on t he isla nd ca l led Ma roons. “These rebels were so powerful that the British were forced to come to terms w ith them in the Treat y of 1739, recognizing the sovereignt y of these Jamaican Maroon communities,” Donoghue said. W hat ma kes t his so fascinat ing, he sa id, is despite how Bucca neers a re in pa r t responsible for
“If something strikes me as beautiful or meaningful, then I have to pause, re-read it and think, ‘What did the author do here?,’ ‘What did they employ to make this happen?,’ ‘How can I use this in my own writing?’ It has definitely changed the way I read for the better,” she said. As a first year, she said she looks forward to a few more years of college where she can strengthen her skills as a writer and learn about different styles and strategies. Beach said she has seen her own style and voice evolve since that first novel she wrote when she was 13. “When I was younger, I
which is one based on political parties. The final panelist, A. James McAdams, director of the Nanov ic Institute for European Studies, discussed German politics. He said the A lternative for Germany part y is “populist, Euro-skeptic, anti-immigrant … and anti-science.” McAdams said the movement matters, whether it w ins an election or not. “It represents a powerful inf luence on German attitudes about what appropriate behav ior is and about the political course that the elites should follow,” he said, citing that the group legitimizes v iolence and sets the political tone. McAdams said he is primarily concerned about the political state of Germany due to the great inf luence it holds over the future of Europe. “Now that Britain has left, there is no other power that is in the position to set the tone for Europe, whether we like it or not. The problem is … the Germans just aren’t sure that they like it. This is not the Germany of old; this is ambivalent Germany,” he said. Contact Alexandra Muck at amuck@nd.edu
t he preva lence of A f rica n slaves in Ja ma ica, t he Bucca neers a nd Ma roons were ver y simi la r in t heir quest for sovereig nt y a f ter escaping enslavement. “Bucca neering pa ra llels t he development of t he Ma roon societ ies of t he Ca ribbea n,” Donoghue sa id. “In some ways, bucca neering is a f loat ing Ma roon communit y. But we see t hat t his histor y gets ver y complicated a nd conf licted.” Contact Aidan Lewis at alewis9@nd.edu
would kind of imitate other authors,” she said. “I think that’s important for a writer to do, and then later on it is important to develop your own voice. Mine started coming out in ‘Reckless Intention,’ where I started playing around points of view. “My shift in focus has gone toward the characters. I develop this person to represent something about humanity that I feel like needs to be said. And I feel like I have a certain goal in my writing now, to create something beautiful and truthful.” Contact Kathryn Marshall at kmarsh02@saintmarys.edu
4
NEWS
The observer | tuesday, january 31, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Shark Continued from page 1
to the sharks, and they offer you a ver y aggressive deal, it’s because they’ve figured out how valuable you are.” Successful managers share a number of aspects, O’Lear y said. In addition to
“The whole deal with a small business is to find out what makes your story compelling to your customer and stay in touch.” Kevin O’Leary judge, ‘Shark Tank’
creating a clear line of command, setting achievable goals, maintaining accessibilit y, delegating tasks efficiently and hav ing superb time management skills, the best managers all use technolog y as a weapon. “In the case of small companies today, the number one weapon is social media,” O’Lear y said. “To engage social media properly, you have to have production skills, because just posting stuff w ith low production value gets you no traction.” W hen O’Lear y teaches business, he said he always talks about the “dark side” of business. “In business, there are w inners and losers — this is not ‘kumbaya,’” he said. “W hen you go into a market, you are tr y ing to grow it, but you’re taking someone else’s share. It is a war. It’s not a social exercise. You can’t save the world — the DNA of a business was never designed to do that.”
Follow ing O’Lear y’s presentation, two teams and one indiv idual student from Notre Dame were given a few minutes each to pitch their business ideas. The first — “Elephant in the Room” — was pitched by seniors Kiely Wilcox and A lexandra Julian as a social media app for college campuses to ask anony mous questions on mental health. “It’s a great ser v ice, I just don’t know that it shouldn’t be prov ided by the institution,” O’Lear y said. “I don’t know if it’s a business — I think it’s a ser v ice.” “Touch Base,” an online resource to pair undergraduate students and young alumni w ith older alumni, was pitched by freshmen Katherine Brow n and Katie McGuckin before O’Lear y criticized it for being too similar to LinkedIn. “I’m not sure I’m loving it,” he said. “ … I’m trying to figure out how this is different from LinkedIn. There’s already a whole group of Mendoza grads who are already there. They have a platform and they’ve branded it and they have millions of other people they can look at.” Senior Luis Escobar presented the final pitch for a product, “Takay Blends,” which uses bananas rejected from the market in his native Ecuador for their appearance and blends them w ith “superfood ingredients” to create a meal replacement smoothie. “I see what you’re doing and it maybe could work,” O’Lear y said. “ … This is not a zero — it’s got potential because people want healthy alternatives. Maybe. But I think you have a lot of work to do on the packaging.”
EDDIE GRIESEDIECK | The Observer
After extrapolating on what he believes comprises a successful business proposal, reality star Kevin O’Leary listened to presentations from two teams and one individual student and provided feedback.
EDDIE GRIESEDIECK | The Observer
Contact Megan Valley mvalley@nd.edu
O’Leary emphasized the importance of establishing an effective line of command, being responsible with free time and working toward reasonable goals while managing an entrepreneurial project. Paid Advertisement
Follow us on Twitter. @NDSMCObserver
The observer | tuesday, january 31, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
5
LINDSEY MEYERS | The Observer
6
The observer | Tuesday january 31, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Awake to glory
Inside Column
With simplicity
Stephen Raab Let’s Talk Smart
R.J. Stempak Sports Writer
At t he top of my Tw itter feed sat a t weet t hat read: “I’m f ig uring it out.” Optimism is ex hausting. Pessimism is tox ic. I didn’t ma ke a ny New Yea r’s resolutions, pa rt ly because telling myself t hat t his a rbitra r y cutof f w ill ma rk t he beg inning of a “new me” just ma kes me laugh, a nd pa rt ly because I a m a lways ma k ing litt le resolutions or t wea ks to my mindset to see what works t he best. In school, t he on ly conversation topic as ubiquitous as t he weat her is stress. Ever yone’s got it, but if you don’t, you ca n be sure to f ind it nex t week. It comes f rom classes, f rom f riends, f rom fa mily, f rom ex tracurricula r activ ities, f rom sensor y overload. It’s unavoidable a nd overwhelming. Even reading t his w ill probably remind you of your last week of multiple midterms, triggering some stress just t hink ing about it. Ever yone has a dif ferent way of ma nag ing, some more successf ul t ha n ot hers. Thin k ing about a ll you have to get done, a na lyzing it, pla nning out your schedule meticu lously a nd ma k ing sure you a re hitting ever y dead line you set for yourself is one way to tack le life. For me, t his didn’t work. At a ll. I watched a mov ie over w inter brea k ca lled “A Serious Ma n.” A Coen Brot hers f ilm, t he picture follows t he life of a Jew ish physics professor, a nd ever y t hing in his life is going w rong for seemingly no reason. He is a fa it hf ul husba nd a nd fat her, but his w ife wa nts to leave him, his son smokes weed instead of pay ing attention in school a nd he is dea ling w it h a student who is tr y ing to bribe him, a ll while he is under rev iew for a tenure position. He’s a solid dude, but t he universe doesn’t ca re. W hat stuck w it h me f rom t his mov ie was not a n ex istentia l nihilism, but more of a solita r y ha rmony. The mov ie opened w it h white tex t on a black backg round t hat read: “Receive w it h simplicit y ever y t hing t hat happens to you.” The sentence is so passive, so ca lm. Control is somet hing we don’t have ver y much of in life. We don’t do t hings as much as t hings happen to us. A nd of tentimes, t here is no reason why it happens, no line of ka rmic retribution t hat we ca n trace back to understa nding. I’m f ine w it h t hat. It’s f reeing. So I rema in ca lm when life gets cra z y by controlling what I ca n control, which isn’t much. Focusing on ly on what you ca n control is a common mindset. But what clicked for me was t he phrase, “w it h simplicit y.” Overt hink ing ever y t hing was a trap I fell into, tr y ing to understa nd what was going w rong in my life, tr y ing to f i x it a ll. For exa mple, I would do poorly on a test a f ter study ing days in adva nce — why? Look ing back, I simply just didn’t get t he materia l, a nd t hat’s f ine, but in t he moment I was in a f ren z y of conf usion, sadness a nd doubt, because I needed a nswers. A nswers a re overrated. They a ren’t a round when you need t hem. So like a hermit in t he desert, I keep my mind stripped dow n to t he ba re necessities. It’s more comfortable t hat way. Plus, t here’s more room to store f un computer science materia l. So if you ask how I’m doing, I’m good, but just one word cou ldn’t describe it. But I’m f ig uring it out. A nd I hope you a re doing well. Contact R.J. Stempak at rstempak@nd.edu The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
It’s a cliche at this point to note that a lot of celebrities died in 2016 (though from a purely numerical perspective, the past year is far from anomalous). Since we all know the big names, I’d like to focus on one that many of us, myself included, missed. On May 1, Madeleine Lebeau, the last living credited actor in “Casablanca,” passed away. She was 92. Lebeau was born in Antony, France, in 1923, and later moved to Paris. During the German invasion in World War II, she and her Jewish husband fled France. They passed through Lisbon, and were headed for Chile when their ship was stopped in Mexico and they were stranded, desperately trying to gain passage to the Free World. Art imitates life (imitates art). Upon arriving in America via Canada, Lebeau was cast in “Casablanca” as Yvonne, Rick Blaine’s mistress. Her husband, Marcel Dalio, also appears in the film as the croupier Emil — he’s the one who gives Capt. Louis Renault his winnings when the latter is “shocked to find that gambling is going on here!” In fact, much of the cast was made up of European refugees. Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), Major Strasser (Conrad Veidt) and Ugarte (Peter Lorre) were just a few of the other refugee cast members. The refugee status of the actors lends weight to their performances, especially one pivotal scene at the film’s midpoint. Note: The rest of this Viewpoint will discuss the plot of “Casablanca” in detail. If you have not seen the film, I have two things to say to you. First, go watch Casablanca. Second, spoilers! “It’s December 1941 in Casablanca. ... I bet they’re asleep all over America.” Rick Blaine is a morose expatriate who has buried his sympathies for revolutionary causes and adopted a facade of neutrality. When his friend Ugarte is dragged away by the police, Blaine proclaims “I stick my neck out for nobody.” The French Yvonne is a regular
at Blaine’s bar, and has taken to consorting with the Nazis, prompting Renault to comment, “so Yvonne’s gone over to the enemy.” While Yvonne is with one such German, Victor Lazlo walks in to find Strasser’s Nazis at the piano singing “The Watch on the Rhine,” a German song proclaiming the defense of the German homeland against the French. Disgusted, he approaches the band and commands them to play “La Marseillaise.” Uncertain, the band members look to Blaine, and receive a subtle nod — his first overt partisan action. As the national anthem swells, the singing of the bar’s patrons overwhelms that of the Nazis. Yvonne joins in, and the camera gives her a close-up; Madeleine LeBeau’s tears were real. As the bar erupts in applause, she shouts “Vive la France! Vive la democratie!” Her arc manifests Blaine’s journey toward accepting that he is meant to be a revolutionary, and spurs the film towards one of the greatest endings ever. So why am I talking about “Casablanca” — beyond the fact that I love the film and will gush about it for six hours if you ask me? Well, Blaine’s situation at the film’s opening parallels that of many Americans — burned out and unsympathetic to a refugee crisis, resigned to a comfortable neutrality. Heck, we’ve even got the Nazis walking through our streets and organizing rallies in D.C. It’s hard to know if or when the American people will have their “Marseillaise moment,” but I have faith that we will rise to the occasion, should it occur. I’ve seen this movie, and I like the ending. y name is Samuel Cho and I’m currently one of the two co-chairs of the Diversity Council of Notre Dame (DC). I my motivation. #ItsTime to start thinking about yours. Stephen Raab, an MSM Candidate at the Mendoza College of Business, graduated Notre Dame with a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering in 2016. He enjoys matching wits with all comers at sraab@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Join the conversation. Submit a Letter to the Editor: Email viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com
7
The observer | Tuesday, january 31, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Marriage and the state Devon Chenelle The Gadfly
In a famous bit, comedian Louis C.K. expresses his consternation with gay marriage opponents, noting none are, for example, obligated to attend same-sex matrimonies or buy the newlyweds a gift. “It doesn’t have any effect on your life,” inveighs CK, and I long affirmed his conclusion that opposition to marriage equality was thus simply myopic and mean-spirited. Similarly agreeable was Louis C.K.’s comment addressing those objecting to gay marriage by saying “what if people start marrying their dogs?” What business of mine could others’ sex lives possibly be? The state’s long and oppressive arm obviously has no place in the bedroom. This conviction went unshaken for years until this summer, when, at a far remove from the suburban cloister of my childhood and adolescence, confrontation with the mores of foreign shores made me markedly less certain of, if not necessarily converted from, my old position. A dear friend of mine resides, during breaks from classes, with his family in Bangkok. He graciously invited me to visit this summer, and I, heart aflutter with visions of “The Hangover Part II,” jumped at the opportunity. Soon into my Southeast Asian fortnight, I was having lunch with my friend and his mother in a massive Bangkok shopping mall when his mother commented, “No matter how long I’ve been here, I can never get used to the sight of men in public with their multiple wives.” Shocked, I asked her what she meant. She and her son, smiling at my Midwestern naivety, nodded towards
another table, where a man sat alongside three women covered head-to-toe in billowing black cloth. Suddenly it dawned on me: I’d seen such families everywhere in the city, but I’d never realized the exact nature of the relationship. Though I may be just a pearl-clutching resident of flyover country, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I’d seen. I realized my position on marriage — as the state has no right nor duty to govern its peoples’ morality and relationships, it is unfair to define marriage as between one man and woman, as it would be unfair for the state to define it as anything — would allow these polygamous unions. But I knew — just as strongly as I knew homophobia is wrong and stupid — that I do not want this in my country, not ever. I refuse to condone any system or law institutionalizing the subjugation of women, who are conditioned from birth into a system that treats them as subservient chattel insufficiently trustworthy to be allowed outside without a male relative — let alone wearing shorts. I refuse to condone any system or law that views women as unworthy of a monogamous matrimony, only deserving the status of one of a coterie of wives-as-objects for a man. My visceral emotional reaction to what I saw instigated a succession of new questions. Are there never any relationships, arrangements, and social structures so oppressive and undesirable the government should prohibit them? Freedom of choice is a fine principle, but what can it possibly mean when one is instructed in a system from birth, the ostensibly free rejection of which could lead to alienation from ties of family and community? Certainly polygamy and shrouding of the female form do not, by necessity, mean patriarchal oppression and
control. However, I hope my conjecture that those institutions are less than perfectly conducive to the realization of women’s self-determination and personal autonomy is not too bold. My motivation is less than entirely altruistic; I’ve had enough brilliant female professors that I’m well aware the denial of freedom to women is not only a crime against the fairer sex, but a strike against the welfare of the state, depriving it of able servants. I still want to affirm a system of complete government abstention from matters of personal relationships and lifestyles, but I’m now unsettled by doubts. As a people, don’t we have to make choices about what sort of society we want to be? Do we really have no say in how our neighbors conduct their lives, if we believe that way of life to be deleterious to both those involved and our nation itself? But if the state proscribes some choices, how can it justify a laissez-faire approach to certain types of relationships, but not to others? I have no idea, but I know there are certain arrangements a just state, one for which I would pay taxes and die, cannot allow. By no means does it follow that the government should prohibit gay marriage. But what this might mean is that one of, if not the primary, ways of justifying its legalization — love is love, who are you to say what other people choose, the state has no place in the bedroom — rests on far less firm ground than I once imagined. Devon Chenelle is a junior in Keough Hall. He is a history major with an Italian minor. He can be reached at dchenell@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
LETTERs TO THE EDITOR
Inaugurate the resistance Dear Fr. Jenkins, In light of the new presidential administration, our future is in more peril than ever. The interests of fossil fuel companies are now being represented by the secretary of state, the leaders of both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy, and the president, who continue to cast doubt on the need to act on climate change. As students, we are concerned by the idle stance of our University, which maintains investments in these companies even as they threaten humanity’s future.
The University of Notre Dame, as a premier Catholic institution and moral leader, holds great influence over fellow universities, the Catholic community and people across the world who know and love Notre Dame. We have shown the extent of support for divestment on this campus through marches, rallies and petitions. We are gathered today to ask you, by Feb. 1, 2017, to make a formal statement about the future of our endowment’s fossil fuel investments. We are asking Notre Dame to stand with its students, the environment and
our collective future by committing to divestment instead of standing with the denial in Washington. If it is wrong for fossil fuel companies to wreck the climate, then it is wrong for Notre Dame to profit from that wreckage. If divestment is political, then investment is also political. By continuing to financially support the fossil fuel industry, Notre Dame is standing with them, not our collective future. Stand with us as we fight for justice and the preservation of our planet.
Stand with us as we fight for what’s right. Kayla Sperbeck junior Adam Wiechman sophomore Cam Hart senior Fossil Free ND Jan. 31
Why I’m boycotting the Keenan Revue I am upset. I woke up one morning over winter break, opened Facebook, and whoomp! there it was: the onslaught of North Quad’s Keenan Knights sharing a promotional video for the Keenan Revue. While I have no problem with the Revue itself, I was unimpressed with their choice for this year’s theme: State of the Revuenion. At a time when political divisiveness is at an all-time high, Keenan chose to highlight our differences instead of bringing us together.
For the first time, I will not make my way to Stepan Center on either Feb. 9, 10 or 11 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. for their “comedy.” Even though these Knights have found a way yet again to come up with an unbelievable pun for “Revue,” our campus community should not support this event. I implore the thousands of students who set yearly attendance records for a dorm event to send a message this year. The best way to let Keenan know we do not
support them is to avoid the LaFun Ballroom at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1 (definitely no lining up early to get a good spot like we always do). After thinking about it, I will go this year, not to support them but because, as former Keenan Knight Sun Tzu said, “If you know your enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.” Maybe after waiting in line for tickets in the LaFun Ballroom on Feb. 1 around 5 p.m., and going to Stepan
Follow us on Twitter. @ObserverViewpnt
Center on either Feb. 9, 10 or 11 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., I’ll know exactly how to take them down next year. Fellow reasonable people: Join me in Stepan Center for silent protest and potential laughter. They might call themselves the Keenan Revue, but this year, it’s #NotMyRevue. David Troyer assistant director, Keenan Revue junior Jan. 30
8
DAILY
The observer | tuesday, january 31, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Will Shortz
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Step outside your comfort zone and take on new challenges. Don’t settle for accepting something that doesn’t stimulate you mentally, emotionally and physically. Take a look back at the way your life has unfolded and the limitations you have placed on yourself in the past. Recognize what you would do differently and begin again. It’s time to start enjoying instead of enduring. Your numbers are 6, 13, 20, 24, 35, 37, 42. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Make changes for the right reasons. Getting upset or angry without taking a moment to consider all angles of a situation will result in regret. Make a calculated move instead of acting on impulse. Learn from past experiences. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Dreams can be turned into a reality if you are willing to do the work. Gather with people who have similar interests and you’ll find a way to get things done efficiently. Show some team spirit and you’ll end up in a leadership position. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t trust others to tell you what’s going on. Professional gains can be made if you stay on top of the current trends and are willing to work alone to outmatch anyone who may try to compete with you. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don’t make excuses. If you want to get ahead or make a difference, go ahead and do it. Don’t get caught up in someone else’s dilemmas. Tell it like it is and do your part to make the world better. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Head in a direction that will promote change, excitement and using your skills, talents and knowledge to reach your goal. Don’t miss out on an exciting opportunity because someone close to you raises the fear of failure. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Living in the past will be a waste of time. Open your mind and try something new. Friendships will develop and a partnership will give you the motivation you need to move forward with your plans. Physical improvement is encouraged. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Do things your way, even if you don’t please everyone. It’s important to live up to your own expectations, not what others have planned for you. You will learn through the experiences you encounter while trying to push forward with your plans. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Clear a space at home for entertainment or working on a creative hobby. Attending a social function will bring you in touch with someone who has something interesting to share. Update your image. A trendy look will boost your morale. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Take better care of yourself. Poor judgment or following what someone else does will not help you reach your goals. Caution will be required to prevent injury or illness. Don’t overdo it. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Revisit ideas you left sitting on the shelf. Personal changes that bring back your youthful appreciation and desire to succeed will help you kick-start new beginnings. Romance is on the rise and personal gains can be made. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Put your ideas and thoughts down on paper. Negotiate the way you want to see things unfold. Make alterations that will result in greater stability and do whatever it takes to follow through with your plans. Be responsible for your actions. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Control your emotions when dealing with professional matters or situations that can affect your reputation. Be thoughtful and use your intuition to help you make wise choices. Personal improvements are favored. Choose love and peace over discord. Birthday Baby: You are opportunistic, enthusiastic and daring. You are proud and distinctive.
Just add water | Eric carlson & John roddy
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
Draw comics. Email Margaret at mhynds@nd.edu
Work Area
Make checks payable to and mail to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 Notre Dame, IN 46556
Published Monday through Friday, The Observer is a vital source of information on people and events in the Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Community. Join the more than 13,000 readers who have found The Observer an indispensable link to the two campuses. Please complete the accompanying form and mail it today to receive The Observer in your home.
Enclosed is $130 for one academic year Enclosed is $75 for one semester Name Address City State Zip
Classifieds
ndsmcobserver.com | tuesday, january 31, 2017 | The Observer
Coaches
Sports Authority
English FA Cup is losing its magic Daniel O’Boyle Sports Writer
This past weekend in soccer gave me mixed feelings. Between Friday and Sunday, the 32 remaining teams in the English FA Cup played their fourth-round games in the sport’s oldest competition. With 736 clubs in the tournament this year, the fourth round contained giants like Liverpool and Manchester United, mixed with with lesserknown teams such as Lincoln City and Sutton United, who each play below the 92 teams that make up England’s Premier League and Football League. The 16 games gave me joy because of the success of some of the smaller teams: Sutton and Lincoln both beat second-flight sides and advanced. Liverpool was upset by Wolverhampton, and Tottenham had to fight from two goals down to earn a late win over fourth-flight Wycombe. There will be either eight or nine teams from outside the Premier League in the last sixteen, depending on the result of a replay between Derby County and Leicester City on Feb. 8. On the other hand, the past magic of the Cup is still continuing to slip away. While for the likes of Sutton and Lincoln, the competition may be a great chance to gain prominence, too many teams believe it’s simply not worth the time. And worse, they’re probably right. Although the FA Cup was once club soccer’s most prestigious trophy, it hasn’t been able to keep pace with the money of the Premier League and Champions League. A team near the top of the Premier League is best off fighting for a top-four finish that would earn them a place in the next year’s Champions League; a team near the bottom of the Premier League or near the top of the Championship, England’s second-flight, is better off focusing on playing Premier League soccer the next year. But the spirit of this oncegreat competition could be revived. Just not with soccer and not in England. An unseeded, single-elimination knockout tournament, running during a league’s regular season.
The idea’s exactly what it sounds like, just a second competition for teams to compete in for an extra bit of glory separate from the rest of events. A tournament resembling March Madness — minus the seeding — could easily provide a fun extra contest for teams, especially since the regular season could really do with having a few less games. It’s not coming from out of nowhere: Adam Silver has pitched the idea of bringing a similar competition into the NBA before. It would never be a team’s top priority, but with questionable parity at the top of the league, a singleelimination tournament would give all the underdogs a chance of knocking off the league’s better teams. A low playoff seed and an early elimination to a top team wouldn’t be the summit for much of the league anymore, as any team would have a reasonable chance of taking home hardware. For the top teams, there’s the extra challenge, a step above just winning the championship: taking home both trophies. Even more interesting would be the idea of such a tournament in baseball. Anything can happen in a single game of baseball, so you can expand the tournament by using teams from both the majors and minors. With the chaos caused by an open draw and a single-elimination format, it’s perfectly set up for unlikely teams to go far and draw huge attention to some minor league teams that make it to bigger games. Sure, winning a tournament that dependent on luck would never make up for not contending, but it could be a high point in an otherwise uninteresting season for some teams. It may not work in every sport, and there might be further details to work out about the timing of a tournament like this, but when it gets to the late season and you see teams with nothing to play for — or playoff teams who know they won’t win it all — it could be fun to give teams a chance to win something else. Contact Daniel O’Boyle at doboyle1@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Continued from page 12
Elko. “Mike Elko, one of only two defensive coordinators in the nation ... to have a unit in the top 40 in total defense in the last five years at Wake and [Bowling Green],” Kelly said. “There were three teams that took the ball away as many times, 20-plus times: It was Clemson, Alabama and Wake Forest.” “The biggest thing that we’re going to tr y to do is we’re going to tr y to put our kids in positions to be successful at what they do,” Elko said of his scheme. “ … It’s an adjustable scheme that we constantly evaluate what positions are we putting our kids in, what are we going to ask them to be able to do this week and can they do it.” Greg Hudson took over the position on an interim basis last season and was given an interview, Kelly said. Ultimately, the head coach decided to go in another direction, but he said he is still looking into potentially finding a place for Hudson on the staff. Elko brings Clark Lea as his linebacker’s coach, the position Lea held under Elko at Wake Forest. “He’s a great coach, and I think he can coach this scheme really well,” Elko said of Lea. “With our ability and our need to get this thing going quickly, he’ll do a great job helping with that.” Kelly said Mike Elston, Notre Dame’s linebackers coach last season, will move to the defensive line and also retain his position as recruiting coordinator. After former offensive coordinator Mike Sanford left to take the head coaching job at Western Kentucky in the offseason, Kelly said his priority in the new hire
W Tennis Continued from page 12
Knezevic in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1, while Spence did the same against Frey, 7-5, 6-1. Senior Jane Fennelly and Miller also contributed to the singles competition with another pair of straight-set wins to close out the competition.
9
was finding a “play caller.” He said the name that kept hanging around was Memphis offensive coordinator Chip Long. “As I looked around the countr y, I was able to compile a ver y short list of guys that called plays through my eyes. In other words, the way I like our offense to look,” Kelly said. “And the guy that kept coming to the top of the list was Chip Long.” “ … [He] didn’t rely heavily on a passing game when he was forced to make up ground late in games. Utilized two tight ends, which was going to be a mode that we have to move towards with the great depth that we have at that position.” Kelly fired former special teams coach Scott Booker in the days after the loss to USC, but he said he was “able to hit a home run” by hiring former Irish assistant Brian Polian, who agreed to part ways with Nevada at the end of last season. “It’s different in ever y facet,” Polian said of returning to special teams coordinator after spending the last four seasons as head coach at Nevada. “It’s just something that I have to get adjusted to, and it’s no concern. It will just take a little bit of time … I want to coach football, and I’m looking for ward to doing that again.” A familiar face returns with the Irish quarterbacks, who Sanford also coached, in former quarterback Tom Rees. Or, is it Tommy? “Some of you may know him as Tom Rees,” Kelly said. “You can call him whatever you like. I think he would answer to either Tom or Tommy. But what I like to call him is our quarterbacks coach.” Technically, Kelly added, Rees is only a graduate assistant, but Kelly said he
expects Rees to be in full control of the quarterback room. “He is fully empowered to coach them,” Kelly said. “He will have the room. He will coach those quarterbacks on a day-to-day basis.” Rees joked the campus looks a little different than it did when he graduated three years ago, but said he was excited about getting the chance to coach a first-year quarterback after DeShone Kizer declared for the NFL and Malik Zaire announced his intention to transfer. “You start with a fresh slate and a group of kids that are really eager to learn and eager to play,” Rees said of the quarterbacks. “So they’re all ears right now.” Kelly also introduced DelVaughn Alexander as Notre Dame’s new receivers coach, adding he liked Alexander’s organizational skills and experience from Arizona State, Wisconsin, Oregon State and UNLV. “We’ve got a veteran wide receiver coach, well-established in his profession and in his interview was extremely detailed and organized in laying out what his role will be in developing our fairly young wide receiving core,” Kelly said. Additionally, Kelly named Matt Balis as Notre Dame’s new strength and conditioning coach after Paul Longo had to step down for health reasons, adding Balis comes recommended from former Irish defensive coordinator Bob Diaco. Balis was on Diaco’s staff at UConn last season. Dave Ballou (strength and conditioning), Jeff Quinn (senior offensive analyst), Jeff Burris (defensive analyst) and Br yce Tracy (offensive analyst) rounded out the hires Kelly announced Monday.
Louderback was extremely pleased with his team’s efforts throughout the match, he said. “We played really well,” Louderback said. “Pitt’s tough at home — they’re a bunch of big hitters, and the courts are really fast. We came out with a 4-3 win there two years ago and were really lucky to win that match. It was a lot of the same kids two years ago and
this year, so we were thinking this was gonna be really tough, and we just played very well.” The next competition for Notre Dame will be Friday against No. 14 Michigan. The match is set to start at 3:30 p.m. at Eck Tennis Pavilion.
Contact Zach Klonsinski at zklonsin@nd.edu
Contact Molly Murphy at mmurph40@nd.edu
The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.
Follow us on Twitter. @ObserverSports
For Rent Home for Rent, avail. 2017-2018. Near corner of Angela and ND Ave. 4 bdrm, 2 bath, $3500/m, utilities incl. Contact Julie: jlafleur@gmail.com
With tuppence for paper and strings/You can have your own set of wings/With your feet on the ground, you’re a bird in flight/With your fist holding tight/To the string of your kite/ Oh, let’s go fly a kite/Up to the highest height/Let’s go fly a kite and send it
soaring/Up through the atmosphere/ Up where the air is clear/Oh, let’s go fly a kite/When you send it flyin’ up there/All at once you’re lighter than air/You can dance on the breeze/Over Alpses and trees/With your fist holdin’ tight/To the string of your kite
Paid Advertisement
Sports
M Bball Continued from page 12
from the Irish, as just under 10 minutes into in the game the Irish held a 19-16 lead following a steal and dunk by senior forward and captain V.J. Beachem. But that dunk — with 8:41 remaining before halftime — was the last field goal in the half for the Irish. To go along with the long field goal drought, the Irish did not tally a single point for nearly four of those closing minutes and reached the break down 37-25. Uncharacteristically, Notre Dame shot under 27 percent in the half, while the Blue Devils (17-5, 5-4 ACC) converted on over 53 percent of their shots. An eight-minute field goal drought is nearly impossible to overcome, but Notre Dame almost pulled it off. Regression to the mean sometimes works in your favor, and the Irish started the second half by making 15 of their first 20 shots. But the possession after Irish senior guard Steve Vasturia was called for a questionable blocking foul and Duke converted the bucket and the following free throw, freshman guard T.J. Gibbs drove to the lane and laid the ball in while drawing a foul. Much to the chagrin of Mike Brey, who let the referees know his displeasure and earned a technical foul as a result, the foul was called on the floor. Duke converted its two free throws, which was a common theme for the Blue Devils on the night, as they finished 23of-24 from the line. The ball kept falling into the basket for the Irish, and the team forced 15 turnovers on the night, turning the mistakes by the Blue Devils into points. With 9:31 left, the Irish took off on a 12-0 run to cut the
ndsmcobserver.com | tuesday, january 31, 2017 | The Observer
lead to a single point. However, that was as close the game got for the remainder of the contest. Notre Dame finished the half shooting 2-of-10. Brey said his team’s strategy of limiting 3-point shots worked, but it was not enough to dig his team out of the hole it dug for itself after the first half. “With their shooting, you can’t help much,” Brey said. “So guys like [Blue Devil senior forward Amile] Jefferson and [freshman forward Jayson] Tatum inside the arc, you don’t want them kicking out for 3, so you are playing them with just one guy. You hope you can absorb enough 2-point shots and be good enough offensively. That was kind of working, but when they made 3s, the hole was too deep.” Junior guard Grayson Allen, who finished with 21 points and three assists, and Tatum, who tallied 19 points and 14 rebounds, led the Blue Devils offensively. The loss marks Notre Dame’s third in a row and fourth in five games after starting ACC play 5-0. One area that has dropped off slightly is the team’s free-throw percentage, as the team went 19-28 from the line Monday. “That’s something we definitely have to focus in on more and practice,” Beachem said of the team’s performance from the line. “But something like [free-throw shooting] and a couple mental lapses defensively cost us the win. We gave our team a great chance by cutting it to one, but we were just not able to get the lead.” Irish senior guard and captain Steve Vasturia is in the midst of perhaps the worst two-game stretch of his career, converting only two of his 16 field-goal attempts over the last two games. Brey praised his defense, but hopes rest will help Vasturia regain his rhythm on offense.
11
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
Irish junior forward Bonzie Colson dribbles around the 3-point line during Notre Dame’s 84-74 loss to the Blue Devils on Monday at Purcell Pavilion. Colson picked up 17 points and nine rebounds in the game.
“Steve tonight did an unbelievable job on [Duke sophomore guard Luke] Kennard,” Brey said. “And I think his legs on the offensive end showed it. He needs some rest for two days, and he’ll get back in practice.” Looking ahead, Notre Dame has No. 12 North Carolina and No. 15 Florida State in two of its next three games. Beachem said this recent four-of-five skid is just a road bump, and the team will learn who it is if it can bounce back. “We still think we are fine. This is going to be a test of how together we are,” Beachem said. “At the same time we are playing in the ACC, so bumps in the road are going to happen like this, and it is all about how we respond.” Notre Dame is back in action against North Carolina on Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Contact R.J. Stempak at rstempak@nd.edu
Paid Advertisement
Mazurek Continued from page 12
in the NCAA tournament. But after a third straight loss, Notre Dame’s dreams of hoisting the ACC regular season trophy are fading. The Irish have lost four of their last five, including their last two home games. Simply put, Notre Dame is not an elite team. Elite teams don’t lose two straight home games. Elite teams make their free throws. Notre Dame shot 68 percent from the line Monday, which falls quite short of the near 90 percent it was shooting earlier in the year. Elite teams make the tough shots late in games to pull out the victory. The Irish made those shots against Pittsburgh, Louisville and Clemson, but Duke’s Grayson Allen made them Monday night. Elite teams don’t have off nights from their best players. But against the Blue Devils, senior guard Steve Vasturia went
1-for-9 and scored just two points in 35 minutes. Junior guard Matt Farrell also had a tough night, shooting just 3-for-9. Elite teams find ways to get baskets when they hit slumps. The Irish did not make a field goal for nearly nine minutes in Monday’s game and forced up shots on deep 3’s or out of control drives for most of the first half. So again, the Irish aren’t elite. But that’s ok. If you’re an Irish fan, take a step back. The view is still pretty good. Mike Brey is still at the helm, and he’s led the team to two consecutive Elite Eights. Both of which came in years when the Irish weren’t even close to being ranked in the preseason. Both of which came in years when the Irish turned on the jets at exactly the right time during the big dance. Moreover, both of those Elite Eight berths came in years when the Irish weren’t considered elite. There’s a reason Brey and his players have constantly told the media they aren’t panicking: They’re not. And they shouldn’t. Brey knows change is necessary and hinted at either sophomore guard Rex Pflueger or freshman guard T.J. Gibbs starting in place of junior forward Martinas Geben when Notre Dame takes on North Carolina on Saturday. Monday night’s loss to Duke proved the Irish aren’t elite right now, but what matters is if they can be elite in March and April. At 6-4 in conference play, Notre Dame currently sits in fifth place. That takes a lot of pressure off of Brey’s squad, as Notre Dame can go back to playing the underdog role it has so much experience with. No one can predict what will happen in a turbulent and hypercompetitive ACC, but if history is any guide, a Mike Brey-coached team of veterans will be just fine. Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
12
The observer | tuesday, january 31, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Men’s Basketball | duke 84, nd 74
Reality check Notre Dame falls to visiting Blue Devils for third straight loss
Duke loss indicates Irish are not yet elite team this season
By R.J. STEMPAK
Marek Mazurek
Sports Writer
Sports Editor
No. 20 Notre Dame scored the first points of the game Monday night but could not get much else going throughout the first half against No. 21 Duke. The Irish (17-6, 6-4 ACC) turned it around in the second 20 minutes but could not regain the lead en route to dropping its third straight game, 84-74. Irish head coach Mike Brey said he was pleased with the turnaround, suggesting that changes will be made to spark the offense out of the gates going forward. “I loved our fight in the second half because the first half did not go very well,” Brey said. “We just couldn’t get over the hump. We scored 49 points in the second half, so we really got to consider starting small like we did in the second half.” The game stayed close for much of the first period despite an abysmal shooting performance
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
If you’re a navigational system in a car, you recalculate. If you’re a popular movie from the ’90s, you reboot. If you’re Eminem, you “snap back to reality.” And if you’re a Notre Dame basketball fan coming off an 84-74 home loss to No. 21 Duke, you need to re-evaluate the 2016-17 season. For all of the nonconference schedule and the first nine ACC games, now-No. 20 Notre Dame was rolling. The Irish won their nonconference tournament, they slowly crept up the rankings and took the national media by storm when they opened conference play at 5-0. Whether it was because they needed something to believe in after a disappointing football season or something else, Irish fans seized on this team. This was a team many Notre Dame fans hoped would challenge for a league title and a top-four seed
see M BBALL PAGE 11
Irish senior forward V.J. Beachem dribbles away from a defender during Notre Dame’s 84-74 loss to Duke on Monday at Purcell Pavilion. Beachem paced the Irish with 20 points against the Blue Devils.
see MAZUREK PAGE 11
football
nd women’s tennis | Nd 6, pittsburgh 1
New Irish coaching staff officially introduced
ND wins despite travel snags
By ZACH KLONSINSKI
By MOLLY MURPHY
Assistant Managing Editor
Sports Writer
Irish head coach Brian Kelly officially introduced the plethora of new faces coming to the Irish coaching staff for the 2017 season Monday. “We made quite a few changes,” Kelly said. “It’s important to certainly look at where you are, where you were and for me, I know I’m going to always be reminded about last year, and I clearly understand that. “Having said that, there always are going to be changes when you look hard and look at yourself and look at where your program needs to be, and we fell short of all those goals.” After Kelly fired Brian VanGorder mid-season, finding a new defensive coordinator was at the top of the to-do list, with Kelly stating he was specifically looking for someone who could force turnovers. Kelly found his answer in Wake Forest defensive coordinator Mike
Notre Dame continued its undefeated start this weekend by defeating Pittsburgh, 6-1, on the road at Alpha Tennis & Fitness Center in Pittsburgh. Prior to even playing, the Irish (30, 1-0 ACC) had to battle adversity just to get to the match against the Panthers (1-1, 0-1). “We had kind of a rough trip over to Pitt,” Irish head coach Jay Louderback said. “Our bus broke down twice, and instead of 5 1/2 hours, it took us 14 to get there, and we got in late Saturday night at 10:30 p.m. We didn’t get to hit on their courts or hit at all on Saturday. A lot of the time when on the road, it’s good to hit on the other courts because the speed is different and sometimes there are faster courts, and theirs are. So I was a little worried about that, but our kids handled it really well.” The Irish doubles teams proved to be strong this weekend, as the first and second doubles teams handled their
see COACHES PAGE 9
MAREK MAZUREK | The Observer
Irish defensive coordinator Mike Elko speaks with the media during the introductory press conference for new coaches Monday.
competition relatively easily to secure the match’s doubles point. Irish senior Monica Robinson and junior Brooke Broda, playing in the No. 1 spot, defeated Panthers redshirt senior Amber Washington and junior Callie Frey, 6-2, while the No. 2 doubles team of senior Mary Closs and junior Allison Miller defeated the Panthers duo of sophomore Gabriela Rezende and freshman Jovana Knezevic, 6-3. “Their doubles are usually very good,” Louderback said. “I felt that that was a real key for us, playing so well in the doubles.” In the singles competition, Pittsburgh clinched the first point and evened the score with Washington’s win over Broda, but the Irish answered with sweeping victories in the other five singles matches to secure the overall win. Robinson defeated Panthers senior Audrey Ann Blakely, 6-2, 6-2, to move her to 3-0 on the season. Irish freshmen Bess Waldram and Zoe Spence also had strong performances: Waldram topped see W TENNIS PAGE 9