Print Edition of The Observer for Friday, April 28, 2017

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Volume 51, Issue 127 | friday, april 28, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Bookstore Basketball referee dismissed Tournament official relieved of duties following ‘racial comment’ directed towards player

By LUCAS MASIN-MOYER and ELIZABETH GREASON Associate News Editor and News Writer

The annual Bookstore Basketball tournament is intended to encourage friendly competition for a common, positive cause. This environment came into question Thursday evening, as a referee was dismissed mid-game following a “racial comment” directed at a player.

During a quarterfinal Bookstore Basketball game, Holy Cross junior Ja’Mare Washington, a member

of the “Big Bodies” team, argued a foul called against him by the referee officiating his game.

Holy Cross junior Kasey Schaffer, a fan in attendance, witnessed an “inappropriate” interaction between Washington and the referee in question, as the referee made a comment that seemed to call Washington’s intelligence into question.

“The [referee] called a foul on [Washington], and he was frustrated by it and made a comment about how she should read the rule book or something, and then she

responded to him — literally in the exact words, she said: ‘Do you even know what a book is,’” Schaffer said.

After hearing the comment from the sidelines, Schaffer said she and other fans in attendance were taken aback by the apparently racially insensitive statement toward Washington, who is black. “ ... All of our jaws just dropped, and the player was like, ‘Did you really just say that?’” she said. “The game just kept going.”

The Bookstore Basketball Commission said the statement

made by the referee was inexcusable and that the referee was dismissed mid-game.

“The Bookstore Basketball and Student Activities staff take appropriateness during the tournament very seriously,” the Commission said in a statement via email.

“When made aware of the incident, Bookstore volunteers immediately told Student Activities staff on duty. SAO staff spoke with the lead referee, and the referee involved was asked to leave in the middle of the game — as we would ask any player, spectator or individual

present should they act or speak inappropriately.”

Holy Cross senior and “Big Bodies” captain Thomas Rowe said he made the Bookstore Basketball staff members who were present aware of the incident, although he was unable to hear the comment first-hand.

“I was the one who talked to the people that were running bookstore, just letting them know what was going on,” Rowe said. “ ... Obviously [I was] defending my see COMMENT PAGE 3

Bookstore teams approach finals

By NATALIE WEBER News Writer

Over 500 teams signed up to participate in the Bookstore Basketball tournament this year. On Sunday, that number will be narrowed down to one champion after the four remaining teams compete in the Final Four Round on Friday and Sunday’s championship game.

Junior Reed Hunnicutt,

captain of “The Practice Squad” — the number two seed team in the open bracket — said his team has had to adjust to new opponents, but they have been able to successfully adapt.

“A lot of us practice with the women’s team — that’s why we’re called ‘The Practice Squad,’” he said. “So we play together a little bit see TOURNAMENT PAGE 4

GALA to host award ceremony

By NICOLE CARATAS Senior News Writer

The Gay and Lesbian Alumni group of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s (GALA) will host an award ceremony this weekend to honor Kristen Matha, who graduated from Saint Mary’s in 2003, with the Thomas A. Dooley Award.

Chair of the Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s chapter of GALA Jack Bergen said this award was named after Tom Dooley, a former Notre Dame student who served in the Navy.

“The Dooley award was established to recognize individuals who have been leaders in

NEWS PAGE 3

advancing the human and civil rights of LGBT individuals,” Bergen said. “Our organization chose Dr. Dooley as an inspiration for his courage, passion, commitment and for helping others and his love for Notre Dame. It also happens that he was a gay man who unfortunately had his military career end way too early as a result of his [sexual] orientation.”

Matha said she is honored to receive this award, and is also excited for the opportunity this weekend will present to others in the community.

“For some folks, this might be see GALA PAGE 4

scene PAGE 5

EMMET FARNAN | The Observer

Senior Erich Jegier takes a shot during a Bookstore Basketball game Thursday. The Final Four will take place Friday and the championship will take place Sunday on the Bookstore courts.

Fisher Hall prepares for 25th annual regatta

By SOFIA MADDEN News Writer

The men of Fisher Hall are in high tide preparing for Notre Dame students to make a splash Saturday at 1 p.m. at the 25th annual Fisher Regatta. Truly their 30th year hosting the regatta, junior Regatta commissioner Jack Kessler said Fisher has commemorated this competition each year as a “25th annual” event in order to create a timelessness in their yearly tradition.

“Approximately 1,000 students from Notre Dame attend the Regatta each year,” Kessler said.

“It’s a three to four hour event,

viewpoint PAGE 7

and one of the highlights of the year for many students.”

A fun-filled competition for all residence halls and clubs, the Regatta has registered 25 boats thus far, but expects to have 30 by race day, Kessler said.

Junior Regatta commissioner Patrick Murday said the residents of Fisher particularly look forward to hosting the Regatta every year, enjoying each aspect of dorm bonding that precipitates from planning such a large competition.

“The regatta is the ultimate culmination of brotherhood in Fisher,” he said.

Almost every Fisher resident

Baseball PAGE 12

contributes to the event in some way, Kessler said.

“About 25 Fisher residents are on the Fisher committee, but the whole dorm tends to help out during the week leading up to the race,” Kessler said.

Throughout the week, men from Fisher have been making arrangements for the Regatta, spreading awareness through social media, assisting with selling Regatta tank tops and announcing the tournament throughout campus, Kessler said.

While excitement for the closing An Tostal event has resonated see REGATTA PAGE 3

SoFtball PAGE 12

2

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Presentation: “Food for Thought” Charles Martin Youth Center 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.

Open to the public.

Run Forrest Run 5/10K for the Gary Sinise Foundation Starts on East Quad 8:30 a.m.

Register online.

Men’s Tennis vs.

Wake Forest Courtney Tennis Center noon Attendance is free.

Architecture Final Reviews Bond Hall All Day Students present their undergraduate theses.

“Welfare or Work?”

Hesburgh Center 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Lecture with Sigrun Kahl on the politics of public assistance.

Book Discussion: “A Radical Faith” O’Shaughnessy Hall 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Author Eileen Markey will lead the discussion

Cardio Bootcamp: Spring 2017 Freebies Rolf’s Sports Recreation Center 11 a.m. - noon Space is limited.

Vespers Basilica of the Sacred Heart 7:15 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.

All are welcome to join for evening prayer.

Workshop: “Theater and Politics in the Early Modern Age” Hesburgh Library 10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

RSVP is requested.

Talk: “Gone Fission?”

Jordan Hall 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Lecture on nuclear energy, its forms and its dangers.

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Bellacapella honors seniors

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By COLLEEN ZEWE News Writer

The members of Bellacappella, the Saint Mary’s a cappella group, are preparing to say goodbye to the graduating seniors with their annual spring concert Friday. The concert, titled “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” will feature all 11 members of the group singing and dancing to a variety of songs.

First year Bellacappella member Annie B. Zingalis said the setlist this year focuses on songs about female strength and empowerment, while fellow Bellacappella member and senior Lauren Zyber said the songs allow for a fun, highenergy concert.

“It’s an energetic concert,” Zyber said. “It’s not a very long concert, but the songs we have this semester are super fun. The audience will enjoy it, and we’ll have fun singing.”

According to Zyber and Zingalis, the setlist includes “All the Small Things,” “Quiet” and “Rise Up.” The group also plans on performing a mashup of the songs “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”

As per tradition, the group will also sing “The Bells of Saint Mary’s” as a tribute to the College. For the group, junior Mackenzie Griffin said singing this song can be an emotional moment.

“This will sound cheesy, but I always look forward to ‘The Bells of Saint Mary’s,’” she said. “We sway and hold hands together.”

The hardest part of the spring concert is saying goodbye to the seniors, Griffin said. This year, there are three Bellacappella seniors graduating.

“It’s really bittersweet,” she said. “We’re saying goodbye to the seniors. It’s our last hurrah, but seeing what we’ve done with them

past two or three years is exciting.”

Zyber said the a cappella group becomes like a second family, and that it is tough for her to say goodbye. She said what she will miss most after graduation is singing with people she loves.

“I’ll miss the relationships,” Zyber said. “Singing has a very connecting power. We have to listen to each other and think about balance and how we blend. It can be vulnerable. We become really close with each other. It’s a deep bond.”

Zingalis agrees, and said the seniors have become like sisters to her.

Though the time commitment is heavy, Griffin said the group enjoyed putting in a lot of work to make their spring concert a memorable one. Throughout the year the group performs at fun events and tailgates, she said, but the end of the year concert is the most rewarding event. Zingalis said the

time commitment of multiple hours of practice a week is worth it.

“It’s a big time commitment, but it’s fun,” she said.

“It’s stress-relieving. It’s a good break from hard academics. It takes time, but it’s a good use of time.”

Griffin said the group hopes their bond translates from practice to the stage, and they are excited for their friends and family to see all the hard work they’ve done this year.

“We have a group of people who are always willing to turn to each other,” she said. “We’re super supportive. Even when somebody messes up, we tell each other we did great.”

The concert is Friday at 7 p.m. in Carroll Auditorium.

Tickets are $3, and the money will go toward funding Bellacappella events next year.

Contact Colleen Zewe at czewe01@saintmarys.edu

News

ndsmcobserver.com | friday, april 28, 2017 | The Observer

3

Professors debate foreign policy, North Korea

By TOM NAATZ News Writer

In the inaugural A lexander Hamilton Societ y (AHS) debate — held in the Hesburgh Center Auditorium — Notre Dame facult y member Dav id Cortright and Georgetow n professor Matthew Kroenig debated whether or not “Secretar y of State Rex Tillerson is correct in say ing that the policy of strategic patience w ith North Korea should end.”

AHS is an “independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit, membership organization dedicated to promoting constructive debate on basic principles and contemporar y issues in foreign, economic and national securit y policy,” according to the organization’s website.

The national organization was founded in 2010, and this is the Notre Dame chapter’s first year as a group on campus.

During the debate, Kroenig, a national securit y expert who worked on Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign in 2012 and Marco

Rubio’s presidential campaign in 2016, argued that it was time to move on from strategic patience.

Kroenig’s opening statement centered on three points: the definition of strategic patience and why it failed, what a new approach would look like and what a new policy specifically would entail.

“Throughout the 1990s, North Korea’s nuclear program continued to advance,” he said. “The outside world engaged w ith North Korea, they would agree to halt the program and pocketed concessions, then North Korea would make threats, we’d negotiate, they’d get goodies and the cycle would continue. North Korea was blackmailing the U.S. and international communities, and using negotiation to extract concessions.”

Kroenig described President Barack Obama’s administration’s decision to halt this strateg y and essentially do nothing, hoping that North Korea would collapse on its ow n.

“The result is that the

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threat has continued to grow,” he said.

Kroenig discussed North Korea’s grow ing nuclear stockpile and increasing capabilities, say ing there is a broad bipartisan consensus that something needs to be done or else the U.S. w ill be liv ing under the threat of a North Korean nuclear attack.

He said a new policy would need a diplomatic and defense component. In this regard, Kroenig cited the 2015 agreement w ith Iran regarding its nuclear program as an example.

“We need to give them the choice of either making a deal, or economic sanctions and a potential militar y engagement,” he said.

Kroenig alluded to a problem w ith apply ing this strateg y to North Korea, and said the United States and its western allies do little business w ith the reclusive regime. One solution to this problem would be increased engagement w ith China, North Korea’s closest ally, Kroenig said, but this strateg y presents challenges because China prioritizes North Korea’s ex istence as a buffer state over its denuclearization. To get around this problem, Kroenig suggested sanctions against firms that do business w ith North Korea as a potential way

around the problem and a way to get North Korea to the negotiating table, given that such an approach worked w ith Iran.

Finally, Kroenig said the U.S. must work w ith regional allies currently faced w ith the threat of North Korean nuclear aggression in the meantime.

“Until negotiations pay off, we have to defend ourselves and our allies,” he said.

Next, Cortright took the podium.

“I don’t agree w ith strategic patience, I don’t think it’s worked and I don’t think doing nothing is a v iable option,” he said.

However, Cortright said the threat from North Korea is not currently as dire as it is often made to sound.

“Yes, North Korea has a couple small grade nuclear weapons, but they have not refined technologies for more complex weapons,” he said. “W hile patience is not the answer, neither is panic, paranoia or provocation.

Pressure [is] not enough.”

Cortright laid out a plan incorporating cooperation w ith the Chinese, sanctions and inducements designed to get North Korea to the negotiating table. He cited a 1994 agreement bet ween Pyong yang and outside powers, the Agreed Framework,

where North Korea agreed to halt its program in exchange for concessions and which eventually broke dow n.

Cortright also f loated the Iran Deal as a possible model. He said there was a great need for clear A merican objectives for its dealing w ith Pyong yang, questioning Tillerson’s “surrender, then we’ll talk” attitude.

Cortright said the United States first needs to “sit dow n calmly w ith China and make a plan w ith them.” Next, the so-called Six Part y Partners, including South Korea, Japan and Russia, need to be brought into the process. This group, Cortright said, should agree to a new set of sanctions in advance, but only implement them if North Korea refuses to negotiate.

Once negotiations have commenced, Cortright said the U.S. should implement a set of “sanctions and inducements,” including cutting off North Korea from international financial markets, suspending joint American militar y exercises w ith South Korea, opening up the possibilit y of diplomatic normalization w ith North Korea and other objectives in a similar vein.

Comment

now.’”

The Commission said it plans to pursue further action to reiterate its stance on appropriate conduct with its referees.

“Additionally, we plan to speak again with the lead referee regarding our expectations in an effort

to ensure inappropriate behavior does not occur in the future,” it said.

raising funds for local elementary school St. Adalbert.

“This is the grade school that Fisher has been collaborating with for the past three years,” he said. “We’ve built a better relationship with them each year, and this year we would like to raise a total of $10,000 throughout the year for the school.”

Money raised from Fisher fundraisers throughout the year — including their fall Car Smash event, as well as a clothes drive, will be put toward this cause — Murday said, but the Regatta’s earnings create the most profound impact on their monetary goal.

“I think that this year we will meet our fundraising goal,” he said. “This year’s funds will build a new science lab for St. Adalbert.

In the past, we’ve raised money to build a new gym floor, and the previous year’s went toward a new facade for their building.”

As Fisher’s relationship with St. Adalbert has grown closer each year, so have the residence hall’s efforts to reach out to the school in a tangible manner, Murday said.

In order to grow closer with the elementary school, Fisher has

invited the St. Adalbert student body to participate in Regatta events on campus this week, Kessler said.

“We’ve invited some of those students here to play Spikeball and show them around the dorm,” he said. “This fundraiser isn’t just about the money. We’re really trying to form a connection with the school.”

While pride and glory may sound like prize enough, Kessler said there will also be a chance for the most superior sailors on campus to win proof of their boating skills.

“The winning boat’s prize is not only a trophy, but also a pair of golden oars and a $100 Chipotle gift card,” he said.

Murday said Notre Dame students from all residence halls and clubs will come together to celebrate spring with this end-of-theyear competition.

“People come to the Regatta to watch their friends crash their homemade boats, [and] enjoy the free music and food,” Murday said.

Continued from page 1

teammate … I went into the bookstore to get a drink, and when I came back a couple of my buddies said, ‘Yeah, [the referee is] gone

Regatta Continued from page 1

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throughout campus this week, Murday said Fisher Hall’s anticipation has been building since August.

“The Regatta is the first tradition most Fisher freshman learn about, and because it doesn’t actually happen until spring, everyone’s suspense builds throughout the year,” he said.

Kessler said the residents appreciate the opportunity to make an impact on campus with such a large signature event.

“We’re a small dorm,” he said.

“We don’t host many other events around campus, so this is our chance to make our mark and engage with the entire campus in a way that touches the whole University.”

Fisher especially appreciates the honor that accompanies bringing the Notre Dame student body together, Murday said.

In addition to connecting the Notre Dame community, Murday said one of the Regatta’s main functions is working toward

Contact Tom Naatz at tnaatz@nd.edu

Contact Lucas Masin-Moyer and Elizabeth Greason at lmasinmo@nd.edu and egreason@nd.edu

Contact Sofia Madden at smadden@nd.edu

4

NEWS

The observer | friday, april 28, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Tournament Continued from page 1

throughout the year, but getting used to playing outside and playing against somebody we hadn’t played against before is probably the toughest part. But overall, I think we’ve done a good job of adjusting.”

Building chemistry has also been an important part of his team’s success, Hunnicutt said.

“They’re like brothers, pretty much,” he said. “We hang out together all the time. This has been a goal of ours — [to] win bookstore — for a while, so to be able to still be in it and compete for it is great.”

Senior Conor Colpoys, captain of “Finnigan’s” — the number one seed team and two-time champion of the open bracket — said his team has had to adjust to being smaller, but overall, has been able to overcome this challenge.

“We’re a little smaller than we were in the past, so rebounding has been a little tougher than it usually is, but we’re still doing a pretty good job, I think,” he said. “I think we’re doing a good job coming together at the right time so everyone is learning to play well together.”

Colpoys said his team prepares for each game — even in the beginning stages of the tournament — in order to avoid upsets.

“We try to turn the intensity up early on,” he said. “We make sure we don’t get upset because we’ve seen some upsets out here.”

Senior Luke Dziedzic, president of the Bookstore Basketball executive board, said one of the most challenging parts of organizing the tournament was making the brackets.

“It’s hard to make a 500-team bracket, and it’s just pretty tedious going through each court, each time slot,” he said.

Creating the women’s bracket was particularly challenging due to the unusual number of teams in the tournament, Dziedzic said.

“The women’s bracket this year had 84 teams, which, as you can imagine, is not a good number for making a bracket,” he said. “I had to Google an 84team bracket, and then I ended up messing up and I left two teams off, so I had to add them afterwards.”

The tournament helps to raise money for Jumpball, a basketball camp for kids in Jamaica, which was founded by several members of the Notre Dame Alumni Club of Jamaica.

Senior Casey Baker, vice president of the Bookstore Basketball executive board, traveled with Dziedzic to volunteer at a Jumpball clinic during the summer following their freshman year at Notre Dame. Baker said visiting the camp was one of her favorite

experiences during her time as a Bookstore Basketball volunteer.

“I think my favorite part was actually going to Jamaica and seeing what our money goes towards, because that’s one of the things we try to improve knowledge of — where the money’s going,” she said. “It’s not just this basketball tournament that you pay for and have no clue of the impact.”

Even after graduation, alumni continue to participate in Bookstore Basketball by organizing their own tournaments, junior and Bookstore Basketball executive board member Sarah Barcomb said.

“Alumni groups elsewhere in the country still have their own mini versions of Bookstore Basketball sometimes, too,” she said. “And alumni donated to it and stuff. It’s something that people remember for many years.”

Contact Natalie Weber at nweber@nd.edu

GALA Continued from page 1

their first opportunity to really engage with the LGBTQ community of Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame to this level, so I’m really excited about that and continuing to build community and support around LGBTQ inclusion,” she said. “I’m honored that my work is being recognized by my peers from Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame.”

Matha is being recognized for being a leader in advancing LGBT human and civil rights during her time at Saint Mary’s and at the NCAA, where she now works, Bergen said.

“At Saint Mary’s, she was able to assist the development of a student leader workshop focused on creating a more welcoming and inclusive campus for LGBTQ students,” he said. “At the NCAA, she has championed causes to improve LGBT benefits for employees, and has facilitated numerous LGBTQ inclusion

trainings for NCAA staff, student athletes and administrators. She has made a substantial impact everywhere that she has gone.”

Bergen said he hopes this award serves as an inspiration to others in the Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s community.

“By highlighting the accomplishments of someone like [Matha] and those award recipients before her, we hope to encourage everyone — including current students — to aspire to the same spirit of strength, leadership and compassion in working for change and improvement for the LGBT community,” he said.

In addition to the award ceremony — at which GALA will also announce this year’s recipient of a scholarship awarded annually to an LGBT student from Notre Dame or Saint Mary’s — there will be a networking event Friday night at Legends for alumni and students. There will also be a panel of Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame faculty and students, as well as a legal

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advisor, called “Reconciling Religious Freedom with Civil Rights” in Carey Auditorium in Hesburgh Library on Saturday at noon, which will explore how universities and colleges create a supportive environment for LGBT students while ensuring the rights of everyone in their communities.

Matha said she hopes that people in the Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame community are moved towards solidarity after this weekend.

“When I was a student and I was only out to a few trusted friends, I felt very alone on campus,” she said. “I hope this level of visibility gives our students a feeling of solidarity and a feeling of hope that both campuses will continue to work at creating more inclusive environments, not only for LGBTQ students, but for all students that come from underrepresented groups.”

Contact Nicole Caratas at ncaratas@saintmarys.edu

5

The observer | Friday, april 28, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

By JIMMY KEMPER Senior Scene Writer

Father John Misty is a difficult artist to write about.

No other musician right now inhabits the same space that he does: a space that exists somewhere in the heart of indie and Americana rock, hidden under so many layers of irony, sarcasm, self-loathing and pseudo-intellectual babble that it’s nearly impossible to capture the core of his persona. Sometimes, the boundaries between Father John Misty, the character and stage personality, and Josh Tillman, the man behind the act, blur so much that it’s uncomfortable to engage with the music, especially when a misinterpretation could become the subject of a Twitter rant.

His latest album, “Pure Comedy,” is both the culmination and rejection of all these weird idiosyncrasies that make Josh Tillman such a compelling character to follow. For the first time since he donned the Father John Misty moniker, Josh Tillman has stripped back all of his ironies and insecurities to reveal the soul at the center of his work. What we find there is absolutely terrifying.

“Pure Comedy” reflects of America as it is right now: a deeply divided, deeply troubled land rapidly hurtling towards the hellfires of an artificially intelligent dystopia – a reality that Tillman finds hilarious.

His approach on “Pure Comedy” radically different from his last effort, 2015’s excellent “I Love You Honeybear.” On “Honeybear,” Misty spent the entire album working through all of his personal flaws within the context of the societal expectations, gender politics and religious narratives surrounding marriage before conceding on the final verse of the

By NORA McGREEVY Scene Editor

On the second f loor of LaFortune Student Center, there is a lime green hallway. In that lime green hallway, there is a radio station. And in that radio station, there will be 10 hours of interviews this weekend.

W VFI’s fourth annual Radiothon will take place Sunday from noon until 10 p.m. DJs at the station will interview over 25 bands, artists, campus talent, dank meme makers and internet trolls amongst the station’s 8,800 vinyl records, 33 pizza boxes and 4 microphones.

The ten-hour-long event will fundraise for La Casa de Amistad, a local organization and community center for Hispanic youth and adults from the Michiana community. Proceeds from donations from Radiothon will be donated to fund summer programming and college visits for teenagers at La Casa. Those who donate will also be entered to win prizes, including gift certificates to Chicory Cafe and Papa John’s, tickets to a show at Ignition Music Garage and merchandise and gift cards for Vegetable Buddies, a local music venue.

The program boasts an impressive lineup of

penultimate track “Holy S---” that none of it mattered as long as he and his wife genuinely loved each other. From there, Father John Misty gently carried us to the album’s closer and his magnum opus, “I Went To the Store One Day” – a reflection on the serendipitous moment when he met his wife and an elegy to the romantic possibilities of the future. With the ending, Misty left us with a sense of optimism to set against the absolute insanity of the human experience.

“Pure Comedy” replaces “Honeybear’s” optimism with overwhelming feelings of anxiety, depression and bitterness that radiate forward from the first lines of the opening track.

To be fair, the country’s sociopolitical climate has changed so much since “Honeybear,” that the shift in tone feels not only justified, but absolutely necessary. Misty, by turning “Honeybear’s” self-critical approach outward, brings the rest of the world to his level.

He leaves no stone unturned, viscerally condemning and mocking anything that’s made its way through his newsfeed in the past few years, even taking the time in the middle of his 13-minute ballad “Leaving LA” to turn his condemnatory stare back inward and brutally ridicule himself with unprecedented honesty. He approaches the insurmountable task of satirizing every American institution and ideology with a knack for lyrical wit second only to the incomparable Kendrick Lamar.

Wittiness aside and barring a few gems, “Pure Comedy” isn’t worth listening to more than once.

Lyricism alone can’t carry the entire album. Misty’s traditional American ballad approach – one hand on the guitar, another on the piano – accentuates the excellent lyrics but doesn’t add meaning or variety to

the album. “Total Entertainment Forever” is the exception, employing a stunning jazz line at the song’s climax to juxtapose the wild but grounded entertainment of the past with the bleak and infinite joys of the dystopian future. It’s an excellent moment that puts the rest of the album’s compositions to shame.

It also makes me wonder if “Pure Comedy’s” lyrics would be better served if Misty had instead offered them as a collection of poems.

For all of the its flaws, “Pure Comedy” is a remarkable achievement that showcases Misty’s impressive ability to tap into the cultural zeitgeist. Like the aforementioned Kendrick Lamar, Misty authentically captures a wild array of emotions – all of the anger, confusion and sorrow that make up post-election America. When critics reflect on 2017’s year’s best music in December, I have no doubt that “Pure Comedy” will find its way onto a number of the lists.

Misty, after all, paved the way for how we engage with this new America, mainly by laughing at at the absurdity of it all.

interviewees. Meredith Graves, the frontwoman for the band Perfect P----, will be on air – in 2014, Scene dubbed her band’s song “Interference Fits” the best song of the year for Graves’ soul-baring, brutally personal lyricism. Sadie Dupuis, the eclectic and talented front for Speedy Ortiz and the solo force behind Sad13, will also participate. In November of last year, she released “Slugger,” her first solo album under the Sad13 stage name. Scene gave it a glowing review for its inclusive, powerful statements about self-acceptance and its “sparkly” vibes. The list of exciting featured bands and artists continues: highprofile Saxophonist Colin Stentson, The Frights, The Walters, Bowerbirds, Ringo Deathstar, Tennis, Xiu Xiu, Darlingside and Las Rosas will all participate in the event.

Some interviewees hail from campus itself. The show will host a few Notre Dame student musicians, both past and present. Members of bands Twiga and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists will join in – both bands have members who are alumni of the University. The station will also interview current freshman student Brianna Connor, who goes by the stage nation Ladibree. Ladibree has performed in W VFI’s studio before and also was interviewed by

Scene earlier this semester. The station will also host Felix Rabito, another Notre Dame student whose song “Anna, Muse” on Spotify currently has nearly 200,000 listens.

On the less musical side of things, the station will also host Becca Blais, the current student body president, as well as what they’re terming “Michiana’s Hottest Meme-Makers” ­– that is, the kids who run the ND meme page, Caylee Mahon and Pat Myron, and Wei Cao, a Notre Dame student whose short video of Father Jenkins spiraling into the stratosphere feat. techno music has garnered 1.3 thousand likes in the Facebook group. Speaking of memes: Ken M, online persona of self-decribed professional Internet troll Kenneth McCarthy, will also share his thoughts and experiences in the world of memes.

Editor’s note: Wei Cao served as The Observer’s multimedia editor for the 2016-2017 school year.

W VFI’s Radiothon will also feature an interview with Kevin Lozano, in response to Lozano’s February article in Pitchfork, “Does College Radio Even Matter Anymore?” The conversation promises to be fruitful, timely and fascinating.

Contact Jimmy Kemper at jkemper2@nd.edu

“Pure Comedy” Father John Misty Label: Sub Pop If you like: Fleet Foxes, Sufjan Stevens Tracks: “Total Entertainment Forever”

Contact Nora McGreevey at nmcgreev@nd.edu DOMINIQUE DeMOE | The Observer

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The observer | friday, april 28, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Dear Yen

Inside Column

Death of a company brings death of a town Tom Naatz News Writer

Bethesda, Maryland, located several miles outside of Washington, D.C., and famous for the Naval Facility where President John F. Kennedy’s autopsy was performed, is a vibrant mix of restaurants and shops. It’s always busy. It’s small yet urban enough that you can walk everywhere.

People from giggly adolescents to old married couples walk through the town no matter the season.

The town’s focal point is the Barnes and Noble bookstore. Here, people of all ages gather. Young, enthusiastic readers snatch as many books as they can carry off the shelves. In fact, An Odyssey Online article entitled “50 Things Only DMV [District, Maryland, Virginia] Natives Can Relate To” listed the statement “the Bethesda Barnes and Noble was your childhood” at number 26. It serves as a destination for teenagers wandering through the town. Old friends meet for coffee in the interior Starbucks. During the sweltering D.C. summer, shaved ice is on sale in the plaza outside.

A Menorah and Christmas tree mark the holidays in the same place.

The surprise March 31st announcement that the Barnes and Noble was closing stunned Bethesda. As a result of a rent issue, the store will close at the end of the year.

A petition to save the store gathered over 4,300 signatures. A local resident, quoted in “Bethesda Magazine,” said that it felt like “the death of a friend.”

The demise of the Bethesda Barnes and Noble is indicative of a wider trend. Local institutions are dying, and with them the communities they serve. American society is starting to balkanize into echo chambers and bubbles. People deal with people like them. The store was a rare venue where people from different walks of life could come and interact. Such places are disappearing quickly.

Technology has played no small part in this phenomenon. Through our phones, the world is at our fingertips. Why patronize community gathering places when we can talk to friends and entertain ourselves on our phones? Why meet new people when friends are just a text message away?

Why read a book when you can watch Netflix?

Corporations also deserve blame. The only reason the Barnes and Noble is closing is because the landlords want more money. Many community based small businesses throughout the country have faced similar problems when huge corporations move into town. Granted, Barnes and Noble is a national chain. But the problem is the same: locals can’t keep up with big business, and the character of the community suffers.

There are many reasons the country is divided.

But the lack of shared places and experiences has a huge part in the fragmentation. It’s easier to live in a bubble when all of the community gathering places are gone.

Contact Tom Naatz at tnaatz@nd.edu The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Rebecca Feng Redefining Beauty

How can I fairly represent the life of “the other? ” Even if I can represent it, how can I use language, any language, to capture the totality of her life?

How can I make you understand, empathize or, at least, listen, to the story of a life that is not your own?

Should I start with “the story below belongs to one of us? ” or should I start with “Year 1975.

United States army pulled out from South Vietnam? ” Her family left North Vietnam and escaped to China. They stayed in China for a year, but China was poor at that time, so “you know, parents always want better for their kids and we set sail for Hong Kong. Illegally. I was 19.”

They were on the ocean for two weeks, in a wooden boat, “no land no nothing, only a little radio.” She could not bring many things onto the boat. “They said you can’t bring a lot of food so we only brought cookies and water. That’s why I don’t eat cookies no more.”

W hen she got to Hong Kong, she was immediately put into a camp. “More like a jail because at night they count head to make sure nobody’s missing.” W here could they go? She found herself trapped on a small island she did not remember the name of. “Ping Chau. Ping Chau? ” The island had walls on three sides. The side that did not have a wall looks into the great ocean. She found herself in the jail with a cohort of refugees — “people from all kinds of countries.” If these people from all kinds of countries didn’t have a “sponsor,” they could not leave the jail. She took care of daily duties on the island, eating, sleeping, talking, loving, hating and perhaps most importantly, waiting. She stayed two years in that camp, until one day — “My brother sponsored me to go to West Virginia.

But when I got there we had to find another sponsor. Someone from here sponsored us.” On June 1, 1981, she and her brother arrived at South Bend.

“I couldn’t communicate with others, so I carried a dictionary every where.” The sponsor family set the rule that for two hours a day, she could only speak English. “My parents were with me and they followed that rule too.” Living with another language was hard. “The kids in that house, five or six years old, say ‘you want some more? ’ all the time. One day they were playing games. They wanted me to play but I didn’t want to play so I say ‘you want some more? ’ That’s the only thing I could say. They say yes, yes, yes.”

Their sponsor said she needed to go to high school. “So, me and my brother went.” She couldn’t understand the classes at all, except for mathematics. She went to the public library and learned English from ABC with the volunteers there. “And I went back home and watched Sesame

Street and got my GED in two years.” GED, General Educational Development, measures proficiency in science, mathematics, social studies, reading and writing. Passing the GED test gives those who do not complete high school, or who do not meet requirements for high school diploma, the opportunity to earn their high school equivalency credential. She chose to work instead of staying in school and going to college. “I should have stayed.”

She first worked as a waitress. “I also worked at factory and was a nurse.” Then the factory moved to Mexico and she opened her own restaurant in town in 1993. “Then I came here, been at South Dining Hall for almost 15 years. I like the kids.”

She had supported two of her four kids through college. “I told them, I took care of you, you got to take care of me.” She laughed. “I used to work two jobs, one in the afternoon to 9:30 p.m. then 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. My kids see so they know they should work hard without me telling them.”

Yen made stir-fry for me almost every Friday night. I gave Yen my plate of vegetables and noodles.

“Do I get to do whatever I want with this? ” Yen smiled widely. Under the bright yellow light, her silver nose pin shone with pride.

“Yup,” I said. “Just not too spicy.”

Yen took out a frying pan from somewhere under the counter, waved it in the air as if it were her victory, put it on the stove.

“W hat kind of meat? ” “Chicken, please.”

Yen added three full spoonful of chicken, thought for two seconds, and added a fourth spoonful. She added a whole bunch of sauce into it – soy, oyster, teriyaki and something I did not even know the name of.

W hen I found myself debating passionately in classes about what human rights were, when I found myself argue loudly with friends whether Pence should be speaking at Commencement, when I found myself writing columns after columns on “urgent questions,” I thought back on Yen’s quiet life. I told myself to remember her story so that next time when I walked out of the dining hall, I would be able to smell of the newly cut grass, the misty air and the tantalizing hope instead of my own faint perfume. Thinking of these, I heard Yen’s words once again — “You know what my son got me for birthday? A big TV.” Rebecca Feng is a senior at Notre Dame, double majoring in Accounting and English, but travelling and living abroad is her real education. She read Shakespeare and old English poems in Scotland last semester and interned at Forbes Magazine Asia business channel in New York this summer. Email her at yfeng2@nd.edu for story ideas and comments.

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

Follow us on Twitter. @ObserverViewpnt

7

The observer | friday, april 28, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Protect our planet On Monday evening, dozens of mint wrappers were scattered between the two sets of doors leading to South Dining Hall.

Those who made a hasty decision to casually toss aside their useless pieces of plastic likely intended to make their lives easier by disposing of meaningless waste. Perhaps they did not knowingly contribute to a destructive cycle of violence against our shared planet, instigate the death of animals — likely campus squirrels and rabbits — and thwart the naturally occurring food-chain process.

But they did.

Though it may seem trivial to dwell on something as seemingly insignificant as mint wrappers, individuals too often evade their social responsibility to care for the environment by arguing that one more piece of plastic on the ground won’t destroy the Earth; that 10 extra seconds of running water won’t prolong droughts; that three hours of leaving the overhead lights on in an empty dorm room won’t drain energy reserves; or that their conservation efforts cannot possibly mitigate the harm inflicted on the planet.

But they can.

With curriculums that emphasize ethics and justice — Notre Dame recently initiated a new resiliency and sustainability minor tailored to engineering students — the University and the College demonstrate confidence in their students’ capacities to apply lessons from the classroom to the outside world and to enact change both on campus and in the surrounding community. Similarly, students should never doubt their agency. We need to understand how our actions can inflict serious consequences on the very environment that has nourished and sustained us for our entire lives.

On April 8, Notre Dame students participated in a number of environmentally friendly service projects in South Bend, Indiana, as part of the University’s annual

service initiative, Back the Bend. Over this past weekend, several students attended South Bend’s March for Science, contributing to a national movement that demands research and development earn substantial government funding. Unfortunately, some individuals believe participation in such public displays of support for the environment is the only way they can make substantial differences in the condition of our deteriorating planet. By insisting they do not have the time, energy or money to protest, buy a Prius, install solar panels or engage in other, more demanding acts of sustainability, some people consider themselves useless assets in the battle against climate change. Here, they solidify their roles as mere perpetrators of — rather than respondents to — a global phenomenon whose ruinous effects they have the power to reduce.

Not all love for the Earth needs to manifest itself in grand displays of public support. Holding onto your mint wrapper for an extra 20 seconds until you can dispose of it, turning off the lights when you’re not in the room and drinking from a reusable water bottle can all make visible differences in the longevity and well-being of this planet. No act is too small to matter.

With that sentiment in mind, the University promotes recycling on game days and even challenges dorms to promote energy conservation through events like Megawatt Madness. Similarly, the College celebrates Paperless Day by urging professors not to distribute handouts and by encouraging students to type their notes. Institutional initiatives such as these remind students of what they should always be doing but far too often neglect: living with compassion for the Earth and remaining cognizant of the hazardous effects their seemingly casual actions could bring about.

Another effective call for individuals to regard the planet with the decency and respect it deserves comes in the form of Earth Month, which is currently being celebrated. In the same way students care deeply about human injustices, we must understand the plight our planet is forced to endure when we waste resources, when we take cruises, when we cut down trees, when we kill animals, when we drive — and

even when we toss aside mint wrappers.

Pope Francis makes this comparison between disadvantaged residents of the Earth and the Earth itself throughout his encyclical “Laudato si’,” in which he refers to the planet as “the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor.”

Responding to the violation and destruction inflicted on the Earth each day is not merely a good deed or a considerate gesture. All residents of this shared planet — particularly those Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s community members endowed with premier educations which expose them to the harsh realities of climate change — have a moral obligation to inflict as little damage as possible to our collective home.

Perhaps the first person to let go of his or her wrapper when exiting the dining hall dismissed the action as inconsequential, wrongly believing one piece of soft plastic on the ground could not possibly do any harm.

And perhaps the next few litterers followed the same thought process, assuming the custodial staff would easily pick up five or six wrappers, failing to account for the fact that a gust of wind could easily blow the waste outside. Over time, the small pile enabled subsequent individuals who dropped their wrappers to justify their carelessness, since they were merely exhibiting the same behavior dozens of others did before them.

When students exit the doors of South Dining Hall, fresh peppermints in their cheeks, a simple fact often slips the mind: Our planet doesn’t get healthier by itself. While Earth Month is as good a time as ever to raise awareness and take action, climate change — one of the biggest crises our world is facing right now — does not go away once the calendar flips to May. The challenge is to continue these efforts and make environmentally conscious decisions a part of one’s daily routine in the long term.

Lead by example. Engage in the little tasks. Next time, throw away the wrapper. Continue to think critically about what else you can do for our common home. You don’t have to do a lot, but there’s a lot you can do.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Civility and public discourse Recently in the Letter to the Editor section of The Observer, there was an article written in response to a previously published opinion piece. I came across the following in that article: “It will always be a painful truth that there are people out there like you, [Ms./Mr. so and so], who oppose the right to [such and such].” What concerns me is neither the person nor the issue prompting this response, but the form of the response itself. For most of the article, the writer seems deliberate about addressing the person she is challenging (and she addresses him directly throughout) in a respectful manner. However, it appears that in the concluding paragraph she cannot resist adding the above invective against her opponent.

What I take issue with here is the blatant lack of civility expressed by the writer. The phrase, “It will always be a painful truth that there are people out there like you,” could reasonably imply, “The earth would be a better place if you were not a living inhabitant thereof.” Though I am inclined to believe (or at least to hope) that a student of the University of Notre Dame would never intentionally make such a suggestion concerning a fellow student, those expressing themselves in a public forum must consider the implications of what they

write. Moreover, we must recognize the danger in addressing an opponent instead of an opinion. It is all too easy to lapse into attacking our opponent instead of the view we oppose.

Although it is not a matter of rights or law to show civility toward someone with whom we disagree — I have no right to have my opinions accepted or even respected and freedom of speech means that I am not immune from criticism of myself or my opinions — it is a matter of morality. By civility, I mean the civic virtue (one pertaining to the behaviors of persons as members of a particular society) concerning the proper ways of expressing criticism toward those with whom we disagree.

There are two motivations for endorsing civility as a civic virtue. First, as the American philosopher John Rawls describes in his book “Political Liberalism,” we live in a society where people have drastically different opinions. Additionally, people will never unanimously agree on most matters.

Rawls expresses this sentiment succinctly as the fact of “intractable pluralism.” If we wish to have a united yet pluralistic society, there must be a way to mediate between these differences peacefully.

The second reason for endorsing civility is because it is a necessary condition of solidarity. I consider

it obvious that it is better for Americans to work together toward the common goal of a just and productive society than to fall deeper into a bitter rivalry with one another. For a society to have both plurality of opinions and solidarity, civility in public discourse between those of differing opinions must be fostered.

One practical implication of civility which the quote I introduced at the beginning of this article disregards is the aversion to making ad hominem attacks in arguing for our beliefs and opinions. In this sense, ad hominem attacks include both those meant to discredit another’s position and rhetoric meant to belittle an opponent morally or intellectually. Though we may rightly say a position is immoral or irrational, to attack those who hold that view as such is usually uncivil whether or not such criticisms of them are true. Civility may not be a requisite for a society to exist, but it is necessary for a society based on and committed to mutual respect. I take it for granted that this is the type of society most of us would like to live in.

Ean Maloney freshman April 27

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

8

Classifieds

The observer | friday, april 28, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Use your insight and ability to detect how others will respond to your advances. Don’t hold back or give in to anyone who tries to take over or push you in a direction that will hurt your chances of advancement. Your dedication and hard work will lead to success and put those who oppose you at arm’s length. Your numbers are 4, 10, 14, 23, 33, 41, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Keep original ideas to yourself until you have had a chance to flush out any flaws. Someone you respect will give you valuable information that can shape the way you move forward personally.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Getting along with your peers, family and partners will be necessary if you want things to run smoothly. Choose your words wisely and be sure to include everyone in your plans. Diplomacy will go a long way when dealing with others.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):Look over financial papers and prepare your taxes or other government documents carefully. Not disclosing information will lead to problems that could make it difficult for you to move forward. Having a clear conscience will ease your stress.

CANCER ( June 21-July 22): A partnership can take on a double meaning.

Personal and professional gains can be made if you get involved with the right people. Keep your thoughts and feelings out in the open to avoid giving anyone a false impression.

LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Keep your emotions under control when doing business with someone who may not see things your way. Use your intelligence, experience and knowledge to handle whatever situation you face to bring about positive results. Practice what you preach.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Business trips, educational pursuits and networking will help you advance your objectives. Take time to nurture a relationship you have with someone special. Sharing your feelings, intentions and concerns will help you move forward. Romance is in the stars.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A joint venture will help you get ahead. Collaborate with someone who has the skills you lack, and vice versa, and it will help keep the momentum flowing. Take an interest in physical activity that promotes better stamina and health.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Personal gains can be made if you work hard to improve your health, physical appearance and your relationships with others.

Your unique way of doing things should be viewed as a plus, not a negative, by those you associate with.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Emotional confusion will set in if you let someone guilt you into something you really don’t care to do. Make decisions that will bring you the most in return. Keep demanding people at a distance and pursue your goals.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A unique change to the way you live or the choices you make will help you avoid encounters with individuals who may cause you grief, concern or other complications. Look out for your own interests and well-being.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Someone from your past will tempt you to get involved in something that can influence your financial standing. Joint ventures will not be to your advantage and should not be considered. Do your own thing and be secretive about what you do.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Focus on quality, not quantity. Look for an alternative way to help solve a problem. Get together with someone you haven’t seen for a long time. The encounter will help you see a situation with greater clarity.

Birthday Baby: You are tolerant, strategic and adaptable. You are intelligent and enthusiastic.

JUST ADD WATER | Eric carlson & John roddy

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

WINGIN’ IT | BAILEE EGAN & Olivia wang

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SPORTS

ndsmcobserver.com | friday, april 28, 2017 | The Observer

ND ROWING

Sports Authority

There’s still hope for the Bulls Ryan Klaus Sports Writer

“I’m going to lie? We’re a confident team, but you don’t think you’re going into Boston and getting two.”

The eight-seeded Bulls were up two games to zero on the topseeded Celtics after dominating Boston in two road games last week. Yes, as the quote above insinuates, even Dwyane Wade was surprised.

But for most basketball fans, the sheer notion that the Bulls could become just the sixth No. 8 seed to oust a conference regular season champion was entirely plausible before the series even began. The Bulls had the series’ definitive best player, Jimmy Butler, in a league dominated by superstars. By most metrics, Boston is one of the weaker No. 1 seeds in playoff history. Boston has struggled to rebound all season, a weakness that has manifested itself in allowing average NBA big man Robin Lopez to become an offensive rebounding machine. And unfortunately, Boston’s best player, Isaiah Thomas, has had to play under abnormal and tragic circumstances after his 22-year-old sister Chyna passed away April 15.

In short, despite just sneaking in as the conference’s No. 8 on the last day of the regular season against a laughably light version of the already-terrible Brooklyn Nets, the list of possible advantages for Chicago in round one was far from rudimentary, which contributes to the premise of this piece: The 2016-2017 Chicago Bulls are possibly the most polarizing team to be a fan of in NBA history.

As of a week ago, any Bulls fan asked to describe this season’s team would likely use words such as frustrating, maddening, infuriating and a host of other synonyms for these adjectives.

Starting with upper management, the current Bulls roster was constructed by two of the sport’s most inept front office executives, John Paxson and Gar Forman, who have made a number of head-scratching transactions that have given fans no clear indication of whether or not the team would undergo the rebuild that is necessary to ever position themselves as true championship contenders.

Between the offseason and the entirety of this season, Forman and Paxson have committed a large number of dollars to two declining and largely apathetic former superstars, Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo, toyed with trading their actual superstar Jimmy Butler an uncountable number of times, tried to assemble the worst shooting backcourt in NBA history in the same

9

era of the league that has proven that long-distance shooting is the most effective method to winning championships and made a “rebuilding” trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline in February that involved the Bulls sending away draft picks and quality veterans for useless bench fillers Cameron Payne, Joffrey Lauvergne and Anthony Morrow.

Consequently, every playoff victory and any sense of vindication for Forman and Paxson is, and should be, universally grotesque for Bulls fans everywhere. The decision-making from the team’s top two executives is worthy both of criticism and dismissal. The fact that a series win over the Celtics would implicitly strengthen the job security of these two individuals and suggest that their vision was the correct direction for the franchise is an independent tragedy that lurks in the background of any postseason euphoria.

And it’s not just the front office that has been frustrating for Bulls fans throughout the season.

Rajon Rondo spent much of the season being a poor man’s version of vintage Rajon Rondo, with noticeable regression in everything but his unlikable personality, which was on full display during the team’s social media feud in January and his suspension for throwing a towel at an assistant coach early in the season.

Dwyane Wade, the hometown hero who was somehow able to convince Chicago fans that his decision to come to the Bulls was anything but a financial one, was only consistent in his inability to give 100 percent; the veteran routinely skipped practices, threw his harder-working teammates under the bus and was clearly not planning on returning from his late-season elbow injury until he realized the Bulls were on the cusp of the playoffs.

Combine these two supposed “alphas” with a ragtag group of mostly unexciting young players and average NBA veterans and it’s not too difficult to see why the team’s legitimate superstar, Jimmy Butler, spent most of the campaign outwardly frustrated.

Yet, the team that has subjected its fans all season long to frustrating personalities, mindboggling decision-making and inconsistent effort finds itself in a position to pull off a huge upset and perhaps compete for a chance to get to the Conference finals. As a Bulls fan myself, let’s just hope that the inconsistency and disappointment doesn’t again become pervasive.

Notre Dame to compete in races at IU

By Observer Sports Staff

Notre Dame travels to Bloomington, Indiana, this weekend for the Dale England Cup on Lake Lemon. The event features Varsit y Four and Varsit y Eight competitions.

The event w ill be hosted

by No. 16 Indiana and the field w ill be made up of No. 17 Duke and San Diego, along w ith the Irish. The scoring system awards each

crew 36 points for w inning First Varsit y Eight, 27 for earning second place, 18 for third place and nine for fourth place; additionally, teams receive 24 points for w inning First Varsit y Four, 18 for second, 12 for third and six for fourth.

In past years, Notre Dame has enjoyed success at Lake Lemon, as ev idenced by overall first place finishes in 2014 and 2016. The nationally-ranked competition

this season poses a challenge for the Irish.

This is the final regatta of the regular season for Notre Dame, after which it w ill enter two weeks of preparation for the upcoming ACC championship in Clemson, South Carolina.

The regatta w ill take place on Thursday and Friday, w ith races commencing at 5 p.m. and 8 a.m., respectively, at Lake Lemon in Bloomington, Indiana.

MLB | yankees 3, Red sox 0

Yankees sweep Red Sox in short, two-game series Associated Press

BOSTON — New York Yankees starters failed to record a complete game in all of 2016 — the first time in franchise history that’s happened.

Masahiro Tanaka ended that slump this season before April was up.

Tanaka pitched a threehitter to outduel Chris Sale and earn his first shutout since 2014, and the Yankees beat Boston 3-0 on Thursday night.

Tanaka (3-1) struck out three and threw only 97 pitches for his fifth career complete game — his first since Aug. 15, 2015, which was also the last for New York.

“I knew that we were facing a good pitcher in Chris Sale. Knew how important one run could be, so I tried to go out there and put up zeroes,” said Tanaka, who earned his 10th win in his last 11 decisions dating to last season. “A lot of people thought Chris Sale had the upper hand, the way he was pitching.”

Tanaka retired the last 14 batters he faced and only allowed one runner to reach second base as the Yankees earned their fifth straight victory over the rival Red Sox. Aaron Hicks had two hits and scored twice, and Matt Holliday had two hits and two RBIs.

Sale (1-2) nearly matched Tanaka most of the way, allowing only one unearned run over the first eight innings before giving up three straight singles to start the ninth, when the Yankees added two more runs.

“We had a chance going into the ninth,” he said. “I just completely took the wind out of the sails.”

Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild said Tanaka spoke before the game of the challenge of facing Sale.

“He went toe to toe with Chris Sale,” manager Joe Girardi agreed. “He knew he couldn’t afford to give up a whole lot of runs. (There was) more pressure on him, in a sense, and he really rose to the occasion.”

innings, striking out 10 and walking none. He joined Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens and Jon Lester as Red Sox pitchers with 10 or more strikeouts in four straight starts.

Non-support The Red Sox have scored four runs total in Sale’s five starts this season. Boston, which scored the most runs in baseball last season, has scored 13 total over its last seven games, losing five and getting shut out three times.

“I don’t think our guys, on a day Chris is pitching, they feel like they’ve got to do more,” manager John Farrell said. “We’ve had great ballgames pitched against us by quality starters. I don’t think it’s because Chris is on the mound.”

Adding on Sale stumbled in the fourth, when Hicks singled, took second on a groundout, third on a passed ball and scored on Holliday’s sacrifice f ly. The Yankees chased Sale when Hicks, Chase Headley and Holliday all singled to start the ninth and score another run.

Heath Hembree gave up a single to Starlin Castro to make it 3-0 before Aaron Judge popped out to the catcher and Chris Carter grounded into a double play.

In all, Sale was charged with two earned runs and eight hits in eight-plus

Bunts Sale is 4-2 with a 1.31 ER A in eight career starts against Yankees. ... Jacoby Ellsbury of the Yankees did not reach base for the first time in 26 games stretching to the end of the 2016 season. ... The starters are the top two on the all-time list for strikeout-to-walk ratio since 1900 among pitchers with at least 500 innings pitched. Tanaka had a 4.94 K/BB ratio entering the game, and Sale’s was 4.83. ... The game took 2 hours, 21 minutes, the shortest game between the teams since 1994.

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Contact Ryan Klaus at rklaus1@nd.edu.

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

wanted SUMMER NANNY JOB IN BEAUTIFUL JACKSON HOLE, WY:

Domer family looking for ND/SMC student. Mid June - early August. Email info@greymattersintl.com World turns black and white.

Pictures in an empty room. Your love starts fallin’ down. Better change your tune. Yeah, you reach for the golden ring. Reach for the sky. Baby, just spread your wings.

10

Sports

The observer | friday, april 28, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

M Lax Continued from page 12

for Friday’s game.

“We’ve lost to them the past two times — I think what we did this week was just taking what we did wrong from the last game and just basically improving as much as we could this week,” Irish senior defender Garrett Epple said. “A lot of guys took a lot of time to prepare this week.

We understand what they’re trying to do. … [We’re] just preparing as much as we can — that’s all we could really do, and I think we did a pretty good job this week in doing that.”

Yet, that preparation for postseason play has been something the Irish have been experiencing throughout the season, as their schedule featured games against each of the teams currently ranked in the top five nationally.

“It gives us a chance to gain experience against the best teams in the country,” Epple said of the team’s regular season schedule thus far. “ … We know that we’re going to end up playing very good teams in the playoffs, so to get that experience early in the regular season — whether we win

Bookstore Continued from page 12

think any Notre Dame team has done it, so that is the goal.

We’ve got two more to go, and the next game should be really tough, so we’ll take it from there.”

No. 2 Team 2 def. No. 9 4 Sick Bodies, 1 Sick Bode Second-seeded Team 2 topped ninth-seeded 4 Sick Bodies, 1 Sick Bode 21-5 in the final game of the Elite Eight on Thursday.

Captain of Team 2 junior Reed Hunnicut led his team with his strong ball-handling skills and dynamic layups.

Team 2 was on top from the get-go, but the momentum slowed down when the opposing squad continuously tipped the ball out of bounds or caused Team 2 to turn the ball over. Both teams relied on their speed in the game, but 4 Sick Bodies, 1 Sick Bode took a more aggressive and physical approach, while Team 2 used its height to its advantage.

After halftime, Team 2 went on an impressive run, advancing the score to 15-5.

Team 2 did not stop there, and went on a 6-0 run to finish the game 21-5.

Hunnicut was impressed with his team’s performance and emphasized the team’s defensive strength.

“I think the game went really well,” Hunnicut said. “I loved our defensive pressure

or lose — we’re going to learn from that. And I don’t think a lot of other teams that we’re going to play at the end of the year — they may or may not have that experience, so it definitely gives us an edge.

And we know what we have to do to beat those teams moving forward.”

But the Irish will not just be relying on their preparation to make deep postseason runs in the ACC and NCAA tournaments; Epple, senior midfielder Sergio Perkovic and junior longstick midfielder John Sexton all learned Thursday that they had earned All-ACC team honors for the season.

Epple said the honors are a testament to the team’s depth and talent, and the awards just go to show that the Irish have multiple players they can rely upon to step up when needed.

“I think we just rely on a lot of guys to step up and that changes from week to week,” Epple said. “It changes from the first five games of the season to the last five games of the season, so … I [think it’s about] if someone’s not playing as well, someone else [steps] up. … I think we have a lot of playmakers on this team [and] a lot of leaders, especially on the field, and I

think we rely on each other to make ourselves better and, if we’re not playing that well, we have them to kind of lean and rely on if we’re not having the best game.”

But now, Notre Dame has its sights set on turning that preparation and talent into a win against Duke, which would avenge their 11-8 loss on April 8 to the Blue Devils at Koskinen Stadium. This time around, Epple said the team just has to cut down on the simple mistakes and take advantage of the scoring opportunities they were able to produce but failed to cash in on the earlier loss.

“I think, offensively, the score didn’t really ref lect how well we played or the potential goals that we had to score,” Epple said. “We had a ton of good looks in that game — we just didn’t really cash in, and their goalie … was outstanding that game.

So, on the offensive end, we’re not getting too down on ourselves. “ … Defensively, the way we played — it’s a lot of simple mistakes that we had to correct. I think they scored like five goals in the first quarter, and then we ended up having pretty good defense on them the entire game. So going into [Friday], I think

and even though we gave up two easy layups and made a couple of small mistakes tonight our defense was impressive overall.”

Hunnicut said he feels confident going into the Final Four, explaining that if Team 2 works together and does its best, it can reach the finals.

“If we play our best we can compete with anybody,” Hunnicut said. “We have really great chemistry and we are facing a good team with great athletes in the next round, but if we try our best we can come out on top.”

by Holy Cross junior Madison McCaffrey, a guard for Holy Cross varsity team.

Despite a brief comeback attempt, Big Bodies fell short, falling to Menard 21-14.

Zidar was pleased that his team finished with a win.

“We’ve made plenty of layups and back cuts throughout the game,” Zidar said.

“We were hitting the boards hard.”

For Big Bodies, senior Thomas Rowe was happy with his team’s overall performance over the course of the tournament “Our team was a very good team,” Rowe said. “We were fortunate to receive the No. 3 seed. I wouldn’t change this team for the world; they were great teammates to me and it’s been a great time out here.”

Zidar and his team now looks to prepare for the Final Four.

“We just need to work on our rebounds,” Zidar said.

“We’re not the biggest team, so we would have to box out and rebound.”

No. 11 Menard def. No. 3 Big Bodies No. 11 Menard upset No. 3 Big Bodies from Holy Cross College during Thursday’s quarterfinal game, 21-14.

Menard opened up the scoring with back-to-back layups, putting it up 2-0 early in the game. From there, the game would go back and forth as both Menard and Big Bodies patiently used the inside paint to score their points.

As the first half progressed, the game got physical, but both defenses stood their ground. The first half concluded with Menard leading Big Bodies 11-6.

Menard captain Declan Zidar said that the wind was a challenge throughout the game.

“We made layups, but it was too windy to make jumpers,” Zidar said.

To open up the second half, Big Bodies came out firing, led

No. 4 Truman Jobs def.

No. 5 Closet Cliques The No. 4 Truman Jobs defeated the No. 5 Closet Cliques in Thursday’s Elite Eight matchup, using their dominance on the glass to seal the 21-15 victory.

The tough, physical game started off close, with the game tied at 6-6 after the first 10 minutes. The Closet Cliques got into foul trouble

KATHLEEN DONAHUE | The Observer

Irish junior defenseman John Sexton runs across the field during Notre Dame’s 11-10 loss to Syracuse on April 1 at Arlotta Stadium.

we’re kind of focusing on the things we did well the last three quarters of that game and kind of translating that into Friday’s game.”

The Irish and Blue Devils will square off in their ACC semifinal matchup Friday

starting at 8:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to take on the winner of SyracuseNorth Carolina on Sunday at noon.

early, committing four personal fouls before the Truman Jobs recorded any fouls.

The Truman Jobs used their size inside to grab offensive rebounds, rarely ending a possession without at least one. Senior Jacob Matuska led the team in scoring and rebounding, providing the push it needed to take an 11-8 lead at the half. Truman Jobs senior captain James Ganas said Matuska was a key to the team’s success.

“Jacob Matuska was the MVP,” Ganas said. “He came up with the most points and came up with the most rebounds. He did everything for us today.”

The second half went much like the first, with the Truman Jobs controlling the glass. They converted several free throws after the Closet Cliques put them into the bonus.

The Closet Cliques threatened to come back with a quick 3-pointer, making the score 15-12, but the Truman Jobs hung on.

Thanks to a big performance from their center, the Truman Jobs won the game 21-15. Ganas said the dominance on the boards by their younger players led to the team advancing to the Final Four.

“The freshmen were key today,” Ganas said. “They played the game of their life. They came up with the rebounds and played bigger than they are. They just sealed the deal.”

Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu

Contact Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu, Brenna Moxley at bmoxley@nd.edu, Kyle Barry at kbarry@hcc-nd.edu and Darcy Dehais at ddehais@nd.edu

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11

Baseball Continued from page 12

Pitch No. 13 was true, dropping Eastern Michigan freshman second baseman Drake Peggs into a 0-1 hole awaiting McDonald’s 14th offering.

“It was supposed to be an inside fastball,” McDonald said.

Peggs lined it into shallow center.

“It ran over the plate,” McDonald said. “He got his barrel out to it and hit it up the middle.”

The streak over, and with a runner on base with only one out, Irish head coach Mik Aoki walked out of the dugout and called down to the bullpen for junior lefty Sean Guenther, Notre Dame’s closer.

Just like that, the f leeting moment was over.

McDonald’s final line: 1 1/3 innings, four strikeouts and one hit on 14 pitches.

“Everything was working today,” McDonald said.

“Fastball, changeup, especially the slider. But I was especially able to locate the pitches and just working off of that really worked out.”

“He’s dominated the bottom half of the strike zone,” Aoki said of McDonald. “When he has the fastball going and he throws the breaking ball off of it, he’s been pretty tough.

[Tuesday] he was really good.

Came in in a tight little spot and got a punch out, then pitched a really clean inning after that.”

Indeed, McDonald took just 11 pitches to go 1 1/3 innings Tuesday against Valparaiso, though he only recorded one strikeout. In his last three appearances, dating back to April 18 against Central Michigan, McDonald has tossed five scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and striking out seven

Softball Continued from page 12

in is awesome because they’re a ranked team, they’re really good, they’re SEC and they’re going to prepare us for regionals, and that’s what we want.”

In order to come away with a victory, Gumpf said the Irish will have to stick to the successful formula that netted them their five-inning triumph over the Wildcats on Tuesday: an aggressive mindset that results in them Paid Advertisement

MICHAEL YU | The Observer

Irish junior pitcher Sean Guenther delivers a pitch during Notre Dame’s 4-1 win over North Carolina State on March 31 at Frank Eck Stadium.

Guenther earned his second save of the year by striking out five batters and issuing no walks during the win.

batters. He has averaged just 11.8 pitches per inning.

“He’s hit for us this year, too,” Aoki said. “I think of Patrick as just a baseball player. He’s been able to do a good job of keeping his emotions in check. I think he does a good job and just work from pitch to pitch. He’s able to execute his pitch and not get to caught up in the ups and downs or get caught up in the game situation. And he’s done that. It’s really nice to see his growth as the year has gone on.”

McDonald — who has also made 20 appearances, 19 starts, in the outfield for Notre Dame this season, recording

14 hits — said working with both the pitchers and the fielders has kept him engaged this year.

“It’s a little bit more difficult,” McDonald said. “But it’s not bad as long as you have 100 percent focus in what you’re doing at that time — like if you’re hitting, then all your focus is on hitting, and if you’re pitching, all your focus is on pitching.

“You just have to dedicate a little bit more time to it.”

McDonald and the Irish turn their focus to ACC foe Duke this weekend in an important series for ACC postseason seeding. The top 12 seeds after the regular season

attacking the Razorbacks pitching staff from start to finish.

“We have to attack the ball,” Gumpf said. “We have to make things happen early. We know we have to put bat on ball, and I think if we do that and put the ball hard on the ground, we’re going to make a lot of good things happen.”

This weekend is especially important to the Irish because it marks the program’s seventh annual Strikeout Cancer weekend. As part of the weekend, Gumpf said 14 children who are currently battling cancer will be in attendance for Saturday’s doubleheader, and the program will look to build on the over $185,000 it has raised for pediatric cancer patients in the previous six years of the event.

“This is our favorite weekend of the year,” Gumpf said.

“I think if you ask any player on our team who has played before, they will say this is by far their favorite weekend of

the year. And I think it’s because we’re playing for more than just the game; we’re playing for more than just ourselves; we’re playing for something bigger. And when you’re able to put that orange [uniform] on and know that you’re playing for all these kids who are fighting cancer. “ … When you have those kids there watching you and you’re playing for them, I think it makes the game a little easier. I think it makes the game not so crazy. I love the fact that we’re able to give back to families who are struggling and who are fighting right now.”

The Irish and Razorbacks will first take the field for a doubleheader Saturday — with the games scheduled for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. — before wrapping up the series Sunday with first pitch scheduled for noon.

advance to the championships, where they play in four pools. Currently, seeds No. 8-12 are all tied with an 8-13 conference record — including Notre Dame and the Blue Devils (22-21, 8-13) — while Boston College and Georgia Tech sit at 6-15 in the final two spots.

Notre Dame finishes its conference slate by hosting Duke and No. 2 Louisville — the conference’s current top seed — then taking to the road against the Eagles (16-22, 6-15), all three-game series.

“We try to keep the same approach that we’ve been on for seven weeks or so now,”

Aoki said of the big weekend ahead. “ … Because quite frankly, whether it goes really well or it goes really poorly, it really doesn’t matter because, when it’s all said and done, where we want to be at the end of the year is not going to be dictated by this particular weekend.

“I’ve felt good going into every series all year long.”

Notre Dame and Duke, weather permitting, take to the Frank Eck Stadium turf for a double header at 4:05 p.m. Friday and 1:05 p.m.

Saturday.

Contact Zach Klonsinski at zklonsin@nd.edu

KATHLEEN DONAHUE | The Observer

Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu

Irish junior shortstop Morgan Reed swings at a pitch during Notre Dame’s 13-4 win over IUPUI on April 12 at Melissa Cook Stadium.

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The observer | friday, april 28, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

nd Softball

men’s lacrosse

ND readies for Strikeout Cancer

By BEN PADANILAM Editor-in-Chief

With just two weeks until the ACC championship tournament, Notre Dame will host No. 24 Arkansas for a nonconference series as part of its seventh annual Strikeout Cancer weekend.

The Irish (28-18, 11-10 ACC) are coming off a 10-2 mercyrule victory over Northwestern on Tuesday, and now they will look to build up their resume as they near the NCAA regionals with a series against a nationally-ranked Razorbacks squad.

Despite a poor record in conference play, the Razorbacks (29-18, 6-15 SEC) should pose a serious challenge to the Irish, head coach Deanna Gumpf said. Their conference record is deceptive in that they are one of 10 ranked SEC teams, and they boast a staff ERA of 2.45 on the season.

“Arkansas does a lot of things well,” Gumpf said. “I would

Notre Dame and Duke set for ACC tournament

say it starts in the pitching circle. They have four really good pitchers, and I think it starts right there for them. And they’re a very powerful team. …

We have to play good softball.”

The weekend matchup marks the second unusual schedule occurrence for the Irish this week: Tuesday’s game against Northwestern was just the second time this season the Irish have gone on the road for a midweek matchup, and the first that was not over a break in the academic school year, while the series with Arkansas will be the first weekend series in recent memory for the Irish that was not against a conference foe.

“It’s never happened before, but I don’t think it matters on this weekend,” Gumpf said of playing non-conference weekend games at this point in the season. “I think any opponent is a good opponent and, quite frankly, having Arkansas come

By BEN PADANILAM Editor-in-Chief

No. 7 Notre Dame w ill travel to Durham, North Carolina, this weekend to compete in the ACC tournament, taking on No. 3 Duke on Friday in the first round of the four-team championship.

The Irish (7-3, 2-2 ACC) and Blue Dev ils (11-3, 3-1) meet for the third straight year in the conference’s postseason tournament, w ith Duke having won each of the last t wo matchups. The Blue Dev ils also hold an advantage entering this year’s contest, as Duke is hosting the ACC tournament on its campus at Koskinen Stadium. Given their familiarit y w ith their opponent and losses in prev ious years, the Irish have spent the week especially focused on their preparation

see SOFTBALL PAGE 11

see M LAX PAGE 10

Irish senior defenseman Garrett Epple attempts to block an attack during Notre Dame’s 11-10 loss to Syracuse on April 1.

bookstore basketball

baseball

Irish prepare to take on Blue Devils at home

By ZACH KLONSINSKI Senior Sports Writer

KATHLEEN DONAHUE | The Observer

MICHAEL YU | The Observer

Irish freshman Patrick McDonald throws a pitch during Notre Dame’s 8-3 win over Toledo on April 12 at Frank Eck Stadium.

For 13 pitches, Patrick McDonald was immaculate.

The freshman right hander entered Notre Dame’s eventual 5-0 w in over Eastern Michigan on Wednesday evening in the seventh inning w ith the Irish ahead 1-0.

Nine pitches, nine strikes and three strikeouts later — baseball’s “immaculate inning” — he led the Irish (20-22, 8-13 ACC) back into their dugout.

“I didn’t know until I got back into the dugout and my teammates told me,” McDonald said, noting he could not remember throwing such an inning before.

McDonald kept the streak going when he returned to the bump in the eighth inning against the Eagles (1724, 8-4 M AC). He struck out the first batter he faced — in three pitches.

Twelve pitches, 12 strikes, four strikeouts. see BASEBALL PAGE 11

Bookstore Final Four set

By JOE EVERETT, BRENNA MOXLEY, KYLE BARRY and DARCY DEHAIS Sports Writers

No. 1 Finnigan’s def. No. 8 St. Andrews Top-seeded Finnigan’s overcame an early deficit to No. 8 St. Andrews to w in 21-13, continuing its march towards a third-straight Bookstore Basketball championship Thursday evening.

A lthough Finnigan’s entered as the heav y favorite, St. Andrews came out firing — hitting shots from all over the court to build an early 6-3 lead. Finnigan’s adjusted by sw itching to a zone defense, which disrupted St. Andrews’ offensive rhy thm — allow ing Finnigan’s to begin imposing its w ill upon the game. Pulling ahead by halftime by a score of 118, Finnigan’s wore dow n its opponent in the second half, eventually reaching the free throw line and effectively sealing the game.

Finnigan’s senior captain Conor Colpoys said his team performed well against stiff

competition.

“I thought we played well,” Colpoys said. “[St. Andrews is] a good team, one of the few teams that have t wo big guys, and we like to pound it inside, so that was a tough matchup for us — they play really physical. We got off to another slow start — dow n [three points] was the largest deficit we’ve faced — but then we settled in a little bit.

We were able to get out in transition and sw itched to a zone, which I think we settled into nicely, got a lead by halftime and then held them off from there.”

Finnigan’s, which includes Notre Dame varsit y walkon graduate student Patrick Ma zza, is the prohibitive favorite in the tournament, but now has a target on its back ever y game. Colpoys said he is aware of the challenge of going for a three-peat.

“It’s tough,” Colpoys said.

“Three of us have been playing together and we’re tr y ing to get three straight. I know Holy Cross did it but I don’t see BOOKSTORE PAGE 10