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Volume 53, Issue 69 | friday, january 18, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Keenan Hall embraces bonding events Founded in 1957, Keenan is known for its signature event, the Keenan Revue, a comedy sketch special By JOE ANDREWS News Writer
Not many college residencies can claim there is an Instagram account devoted solely to documenting the dorm’s nightly battles over who claims the leftover pizza. “It’s almost like we’ve got our own ‘finsta,’” Keenan president and junior Tom Walsh said. “Every dorm has social media, but we’re the only dorm with a burner account.” When you look past the facade of Italian food brawls, however, you discover a brotherhood built strongly on the foundations of loyalty, service and stripteasing for the amusement of peers. Welcome to Keenan Hall. Built in 1957, the dorm was named after Notre Dame
alumnus James Keenan and dedicated to his son, who died shortly before starting his freshman year of college. Almost as well-known as the dorm itself, of course, is Keenan’s hotly anticipated signature event — the Keenan Revue, a comedy, music and stripping extravaganza that allows the humor and creativity of Knights to be exhibited to the student body every February. The Revue, which Walsh said drew around 5,000 attendees last year, was started as an alternative to college drinking events and has continued this tradition of lighthearted, culturally relevant humor since its inception in 1976. “Nobody escapes criticism,” law student and assistant rector see KEENAN PAGE 4
Students look ahead to 2019 March for Life By MARIE FAZIO and COLLEEN FISCHER News Writers
When senior Matt Connell looks back on his previous experiences at the March for Life, one of the most poignant moments occurs every year toward the end of the March on Constitution Avenue. Passing the Capitol Building, as the road slopes upwards towards the steps of the Supreme Court, he recalls turning around at the top of the hill in awe of the seemingly endless stream of marchers behind him, all bearing witness to the pro-life movement. “There is no way you can feel alone in the pro-life movement after experiencing that,” Connell, vice president of communications for the executive board of the Right to Life Club, said. “It serves as a reminder of the strength and vitality of the pro-life movement in our nation, and it is a sign of hope that we will ultimately build a culture of life that respects all life, including the unborn.” This Friday, Connell, along with
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around 850 Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross students, faculty and staff, will again make the journey to Washington D.C. to participate in the 46th annual March for Life. Notre Dame Right to Life — the largest club on campus — organizes the trip each year with support from the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. The Right to Life club also offers a variety of prolife events throughout the year, Connell said, including group prayer services and service events, which include free babysitting for graduate students with children, educational lectures about the pro-life movement and more. “There’s a lot of really serious attacks on life in our nation and around the world, chief among them abortion,” Connell said. “It’s really important to bear witness to the dignity to every human life and remind people what a gift it is to have life.” This year, 16 buses will depart from campus Thursday night, see MARCH PAGE 4
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Observer File Photo
Keenan residents perform in the 41st-annual Keenan Revue in 2017, the “State of the Revuenion.” The Keenan Revue began in 1976 as a way for students to particpate in an alcohol-free activity on campus.
University to host annual Walk the Walk Week By SERENA ZACHARIAS News Writer
Notre Dame will kick off the fourth-annual Walk the Walk Week on Jan. 20 to encourage diversity and inclusion on campus with a series of events open to all members of the Notre Dame community. The week will begin with a candlelight prayer service in the Main Building Rotunda on Jan.
20 at 11 p.m., followed by a complimentary breakfast in South Dining Hall. The Office of the President and the President’s Oversight Committee on Diversity and Inclusion will sponsor the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Luncheon on Jan. 21, which will include a panel discussion with seven members of the Notre Dame community. Senior Alyssa Ngo, chair
of Diversity Council, will be speaking on the panel to bring a student perspective to the dialogue. “I see it as my role to push the other panelists because some students are unhappy with the administration and faculty in terms of how the University treats diversity,” Ngo said. see WALK PAGE 3
Saint Mary’s begins 175th anniversary celebration By GINA TWARDOSZ News Writer
In 1844, four Holy Cross sisters, at the request of Fr. Basil Moreau, braved a 40-day voyage from Le Mans, France to Bertrand, Michigan, where they established the first Saint Mary’s school and novitiate. 175 years later, the school has moved a little south and grown extensively in
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size, but still upholds those four sisters’ core values. This year, the year of 2019, marks the 175th anniversary of Saint Mary’s College. To commemorate this anniversary milestone, the College has planned several events to honor of Saint Mary’s’ rich history of community service, education, justice, faith and spirituality. This celebration will last a full calendar
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year, with a closing celebration on Dec. 8. The anniversary celebration will kick off Jan. 20, the official day of the Blessed Feast of Fr. Basil Moreau — the founder of the sisters, brothers and priests of the Holy Cross. Vice president of admissions Judy Fean said having the see ANNIVERSARY PAGE 4
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On both guitar and vocals, Keelan Donovan performs songs at Legends Nightclub as the opening act for The Band Camino. Donovan has hits such as “Love of Mine” and “Touch and Go” from his 2017 EP, featured at Legends’ opening concert for 2019.
The next Five days:
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BlacKkKlansman Browning Cinema 6:30 p.m. A movie showing presented by the arts department.
ND Men’s Basketball vs. NC State Purcell Pavilion 2 p.m. The Irish take on the Wolfpack.
Candlelight Prayer Service Main Building Rotunda 11 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.
MLK Celebration Luncheon Joyce Center North Dome 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lunch and dialogue.
Dome-ish Episode 3 LaFortune Student Center 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Premiere followed by a group discussion.
Eats and Easels LaFortune Student Center 9 p.m. - 11 p.m. A winter-themed canvas paint night with food provided.
Uzima! African Drumming and Dance Celebration DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Walk the Walk Week.
Saint Mary’s Serves Regina Hall 12:45 p.m. - 2 p.m. Community service celebrating the 175th anniversary of Saint Mary’s .
Lecture featuring Opal Tometi 101 DeBartolo Hall 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Keynote featuring the co-founder of Black Lives Matter.
Civil Rights Photography Snite Museum of Art all day Photos of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement.
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Following the luncheon, Multicultural Student Programs and Services will host Opal Tometi — a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement and the executive director of Black Alliance for Just Immigration — for a lecture in 102 DeBartolo Hall at 7 p.m. Director of MSPS Iris Outlaw said she believes Tometi’s passion for advocating for immigrant justice will resonate with the themes of the week. “Unfortunately, a lot of times when we think about immigration and people who are undocumented, we look only at Latinos, but we fail to realize that there are a lot of different ethnic groups that are in the same plight,” Outlaw said. “[Tometi] having this conversation in regard to people who are from the African diaspora, showing the similarities of why people are leaving their home lands to come to the United States is really interesting … and it really leads to talking about building coalitions to address how we ought to be speaking up for all regardless of their ethnicity.” Other notable events and programs of the week include a civil rights photography exhibit in the Snite Museum of Art, an examination of the current state of racial and ethnic relations in the U.S. presented by the Institute for Latino Studies and Africana Studies and a panel discussion on confronting whiteness at Notre Dame co-sponsored by the Kroc Institute Mediation Program and the Keough School of Global Affairs. Ngo and Outlaw said the planning of the week was informed by the results of the Inclusive Campus Student Survey. “The panel for [the luncheon] is going to start by focusing on the results because they are directly from the student body; it’s what [students] had to say about the environment on campus,” Ngo said. Although Walk the Walk Week will have a special emphasis on considering diversity on campus, this week will not be the end of these conversations, Outlaw said. “We looked at the data and the comments that were made, and we hope [the week] is the beginning of the conversation,” Outlaw said. “Then, for the rest of the semester we’ll continue to have discussions about how we can help change the culture of the institution so that we’re truly welcoming to all.” Clare Mundy, associate director for the Office of the President, took a leading role in organizing many of the events for the week. She said University President Fr. John Jenkins and the President’s Oversight Committee on Diversity and Inclusion want to invite the campus community to consider where it is as a University and as a nation this week. Contact Serena Zacharias at szachari@nd.edu
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NEWS
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Jonathan Schall said. “Everybody gets poked fun at a little bit, and I think when the entire campus community can come together and have a good laugh, even at ourselves, I think people like that, and I think that’s a big draw.” In light of the Revue’s success, however, Walsh has made it one of his goals as president to aid in giving Keenan a
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celebration kick off on Jan. 20 is truly a great way to honor the legacy of Fr. Moreau, the sisters, brothers and priests. “We are celebrating their openness to educating hearts and minds,” she said. “This day couldn’t have come at a better time at the beginning of a new semester and beginning of a new year.” Michelle Egan, associate director at the Center for Spirituality, said the celebration also comes on the cusp of celebrating another great leader: Martin Luther King Jr. “The anniversary kicks off during MLK week,” she said. “Martin Luther King Jr. was a person who made a difference and responded to the needs of building a just world.” Jan. 20 will begin with Saint Mary’s Serves, Egan said, an event that will allow the Saint Mary’s community to serve different agencies in the South Bend community through helping out with eight different service projects. “We’ll have eight projects that will assist agencies in our
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senior and March for Life team coordinator of the Right to Life club Dan Lindstrom said. Due to a predicted snowstorm, all buses will leave D.C. on Friday night and return to campus Saturday morning. The annual trip to the March for Life is the largest student event on campus. Lindstrom said that the group is encouraging 2019 attendees to think of the trip as a pilgrimage. “It’s really uncomfortable,” Lindstrom said. “Bussing through the night twice and staying on a parish gym floor isn’t glorious. Officially giving it the title of pilgrimage gives people the right direction for how they should view what they’re doing.” Lindstrom said he hopes that students on the March will experience a spiritual awakening in spreading the pro-life message. “Giving it the more spiritual aspect, the goal is to open hearts,” Lindstrom said. “It’s not only opening the hearts of pro-choice people, it’s to open the hearts of the people on the March too.” In addition to students, around 75 Notre Dame faculty and staff
stronger presence on campus beyond the Revue. “[The Revue is] a 43-year-old tradition now, which is older than a lot of the dorms on campus, so we felt like we needed something to really give ourselves identity,” Walsh said. “We wanted something to really help Keenan guys find that sense of what it means to be a Knight.” The answer to this question, it turns out, came in the form of a Keenan Spirit Week last October, which consisted of events ranging
from a .5K race on North Quad to a joint talk with Stanford Hall about modern chivalry, ending with Keenan’s annual Disco Roll. Helping shape this new identity is rector Jimmy Tull, who joined the Keenan community in 2017. “[Tull] said there might be the perception that Keenan loves Keenan,” Schall said. “A path that he charted for us that I think everyone’s really bought into is we want the reputation that Keenan loves. Period.” The Knights have championed
this mission through their continued relationship with Dismas House, a sporting equipment drive benefiting the local Boys & Girls Club and its “Muddy Sunday” volleyball tournament, which raises money to support Habitat for Humanity. However, after the last slice of pizza has been claimed and the lights fade on another Revue season, what makes these residents truly proud to call themselves Knights is the community they
form between one another within “the cinder palace.” “Even if all the events stopped, nothing happened … if there was no Revue, if there was no Muddy Sunday, if there [were] no trips to Dismas House, if there was no Keenan-Stanford game … I would still have 250 best friends,” Walsh said. “The most amazing people in my life are the guys I met in Keenan.”
local community, agencies that the College and the sisters have been helping with for a long time,” she said. “That’s from 1:45-3:00 [p.m.] and we purposely made it 75 minutes long. Students will have the opportunity to cut fleece blankets or put together hygiene kits and gratitude baggies.” Heather “Shay” Jolly, director of retention and first year experience, said the celebratory Mass will follow the service event, and take place on campus at the Church of Loretto. “The sisters and the college community — students, alumni, faculty, staff — will all come together to celebrate the liturgy for the day and really kick us off in the spiritual light of the 175th,” she said. Fean said the Mass is also the opening liturgy of the year and as a symbolic way of coming together, the Loretto Choir, the Women’s Choir and the Liturgical Choir will all join voices. At 5 p.m., the community is invited to the annual Fr. Moreau dinner, where traditional French cuisine will be served in honor of the Holy Cross foundation in France. Jolly said the dinner will also feature a surprise special guest. Sheri Rodriguez, vice president of college relations, said many
other events in honor of the anniversary will occur throughout the year. She said the College intends to celebrate the legacy of the School of Sacred Theology and the alums of that institution. As well, Rodriguez said the Women’s Choir has also been invited to perform in New York City at Carnegie Hall on March 17, so Belles are encouraged to register for the trip online where they will get to see the performance and connect with College alumnae who live in the city. In June, the Saint Mary’s Alumnae Association, one of the oldest Catholic women’s associations, will celebrate its 140th anniversary. Students and student-led organizations on campus are also invited to submit their own ideas for events. Students may reach out to the co-chairs of the celebration, Fean and Rodriguez, with their ideas. Fean, who was a part of the College’s 150th anniversary celebration, said this anniversary allows students to celebrate their moment and their current experience as a Belle, while still encouraging reverence for the past and hope for the future.
“We’re celebrating the moment while you’re here,” she said. “This celebration helps us to remember the past, see how far we’ve come, honor where we’ve been. It’s looking back to celebrate the present — to step with trust and faith into the future.” Everyone has a different reason for their pride when reflecting on 175 years of Saint Mary’s. Fean said 175 years of education alone is a feat — and one that should be celebrated. “This education, this academic excellence, could have only continued for 175 years because of the immense courage of the Holy Cross sisters,” Rodriguez said. “Those early sisters, and sisters from later on, stayed against all odds because they were committed to God and their mission of education,” she said. But the legacy of the College would not be as fruitful without the stories and legacies each Belle leaves after she leaves, Jolly said. “It’s 175 years of women and alumnae who have wrote their Saint Mary’s story, you [students] are developing your story now, but I know each of us alumnae, and also staff who
have worked with us, has a Saint Mary’s story that continues as they move on into their next stage on life,” she said. All in all, Egan said the 175th anniversary allows the community to both reflect on the past and look towards the future. “It’s an opportunity to look back on the things that have happened and rekindle our interest in the history of the College, but also to look towards the future and where we can go from here,” she said. This 175th anniversary will note only celebrate the institution but all those who have left and are looking to leave a legacy at Saint Mary’s, Jolly said. “One-hundred-seventy-five years is a huge feat for any institution, especially for a small liberal arts college in Nowhere, Indiana,” she said. “There’s something to be said for the fact that we’ve been here for 175 years and we’re still going strong into the future. The opportunity to celebrate that and celebrate it as a community is really important.”
will be in attendance at the March, including University President Fr. John Jenkins. Jenkins will march with the Notre Dame cohort and preside over a mass for Notre Dame affiliated marchers on Friday morning at St. Agnes Parish in Arlington, Virginia. Petra Farrell, who has served as the culture of life program manager at the de Nicola Center since 2017, said that the center offers transportation reimbursement and assistance with lodging for faculty, staff or graduate students who wish to attend the march. The number of student participants fluctuates throughout the years, Farrell said, but the record for attendees was set in 2018 with over 1,000 Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross student participants. The theme of the 2019 March for Life is “Unique from day one: prolife is pro-science,” which Farrell, Connell and Lindstrom all believe fits very well with Notre Dame’s identity as a Catholic University. “A lot of people often think of the pro-life movement as a really religious movement, and sure, there are a lot of religious people within the movement, but it’s not only animated by the religious background of its members but also by science, by reason, by
philosophy and all sorts of disciplines that go into creating a wholistic view of the pro-life position,” Connell said. “Science does show that life begins at conception,” junior Morgan Chichester, president of the on-campus pro-life group Belles for Life, said. Chichester acted as a promoter and liaison between the Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame groups in order to ensure that Belles were present on the March. “I am very passionate about being pro-life and understanding the real reasons, and how to argue with someone who is pro-choice. [It] is very important and I feel like you learn a lot of information by going on a trip like this,” College freshman Rachel Ledyard said. “I also feel like there is power in numbers and it is amazing how many people show up to events like this and how moving that is.” Freshman Keely Carney will be joining her on the trip but for less analytical and more passionate reasons. “I feel like there is a flame or a candlestick inside my heart about this and I want to ignite that flame and light it, so that I am so passionate and so on fire for it that this something that I can truly strongly stand up for for the rest
of my life because it is something that I believe in,” Carney said. The students planning to go shared emotions of excitement and empowerment. Chichester wanted to provide an avenue for girls to express their political, religious and moral opinions. “I am excited that girls want to take a stand on this and I hope that it makes change,” Chichester said. The March happens on the National Mall and features speeches by politicians and activists beforehand. “At the March you will hear testimonies from people who either went through an abortion and figured out that that was not the right decision or people who said no to that and really went after life,” Chichester said. Chichester sees the pro-life stance as not only protecting those in the womb, but all people facing undignified and vulnerable lives in today’s world. “This is shining a light on the issue of abortion, but is also promoting the beauty and dignity of life to be valued. It is shining a light on it, it’s getting people together to create change whether that is legislatures or just in people’s hearts,” she said. The students attending the
March for Life are fulfilling the Saint Mary’s core values, especially justice, Chinchester said. “We are fighting for justice for those who do not have a voice. That is something that Saint Mary’s stands for the vulnerable the marginalized,” Chichester said. Throughout the weekend, speakers for the program include both Republican and Democratic congressmen, in addition to former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson, Ben Shapiro and Archbishop Joseph Naumann, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops pro-life committee, among others. “As one of the most reputed institutions of higher learning that’s Catholic, I think we have an obligation to show how much Catholic teaching and reason fit with one another,” Lindstrom said. For students unable to attend the March for Life in D.C., a prayer service organized by the Alumni Association will be held at the Grotto at 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 28.
Contact Joe Andrews at jandrew5@nd.edu
Contact Gina Twardosz at gtwardosz01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Marie Fazio at mfazio@nd.edu and Colleen Fischer at cfischer01@saintmarys.edu
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The observer | friday, january 18, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
By NORA McGREEVY Scene Editor
Welcome back to campus! January is practically bursting with exciting things to do in South Bend. Now that you’ve settled into your dorm rooms and located all of your classes, please accept Scene’s humble suggestions for how to spend your next weekends.
Taste test craft beers at South Bend Brew Fest If you’re 21 years or older and interested in craft beers, the South Bend Brew Fest is the place to be on Saturday. From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., guests will be able to sample more than 150 varieties of beer. General admission tickets are priced at $45. Visit the website, southbendbrewfest.com, for more information. What: South Bend Brew Fest When: Saturday, Jan. 19 Where: The Century Center, 120 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Gaze at the night sky from the comfort of indoors For stargazing aficionados and those eager to learn more about the night sky, the Penn Harris-Madison Digital Video Theatre/Planetarium offers public shows on a variety of fascinating topics. On Jan. 23, the planetarium will show “Ice Worlds,” exploring the Arctic regions of the Earth on the venue’s fantastic screen. This event is technically in Mishawaka, but we’ll let it slide. Return in February for a high-quality laser music show. A full list of dates can be found at phmschools.org/ planetarium-digital-video-theater.
By MATTHEW KELLENBERG Scene Writer
There’s some irony to the fact that The Tallest Man on Earth went under the radar last year. Kristian Matsson, stage name The Tallest Man on Earth, released six singles over the course of 2018. In September 2018, the folk singer-songwriter compiled five into his EP “When The Bird Sees The Solid Ground.” The reception was mild. The formal EP release was understated and rather redundant — perhaps this was one detriment to the record’s acclaim. Yet, the record’s songs themselves are neither understated nor redundant. Matsson is no stranger to intimate confessions, but “When The Bird Sees The Solid Ground” illustrates his humanity in a vein no record of his ever has. Aesthetically, the record lands somewhere between the baroque pop of Beirut’s “The Rip Tide” and the ascetic folk of Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon.” Mattson’s guitar work evokes the style of past albums such as “The Shallow Grave” and “The Wild Hunt,” but his singing does not — the Dylanesque croaks are gone, replaced with more delicate vocals. The change is fitting. Past records’ tracks (“The Gardener,” “The King of Spain”) have gritty alter-ego protagonists. In contrast, songs on “When
What: Virtual stargazing and tours When: Wednesday, Jan. 23 Where: Penn Harris-Madison Digital Video Theatre/ Planetarium, 55860 Bittersweet Rd., Mishawaka
Or brave the cold and witness a spectacular eclipse This Sunday, witness a spectacular total lunar eclipse in the company of park rangers, physicists and astronomers from the University of Notre Dame and plenty of enthusiastic fellow stargazers. The event, held at St. Patrick’s County Park, will begin at 9:30 p.m. and include an optional short hike, a bonfire, hot cocoa and, weather permitting, an amazing view. What: Super blood wolf moon eclipse viewing and night hike, hosted by St. Joseph County Parks When: Sunday, Jan. 20; park opens at 9:30 p.m. Where: St. Patrick’s County Park, at the White Barn, 50651 Laurel Rd., South Bend
Celebrate Martin Luther King Day with the community Celebrate the impact of civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with the South Bend community at the Century Center. The center has a packed schedule for the day, including free talks and slam poetry, and more than 45 vendors will be selling food and other items from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The traditional march from the County City Building to the Century Center begins at 11:45 a.m. Visit centurycenter.org for a full list of events. What: Martin Luther King Day celebrations When: Monday, Jan. 21 Where: The Century Center, 120 S. Dr. Martin Luther
The Bird Sees The Solid Ground” come straight from personal experience. Lyrically, the record reads like an impressionist diary. The chronological tracklist traces Mattson’s year in sentiments and reflections, from heartache on “Somewhere in the Mountains, Somewhere in New York” to letting go on “Then I Won’t Sing No More.” Songs share common themes (birds, especially) but do not string together a formal narrative. And like any good diary keeper, Mattson does not return to past entries for revision; once a single is finished, Mattson releases it and moves onto writing the next song. Accompanying each track on “When The Bird Sees The Solid Ground” is an extended music video from Mattson. Introducing “An Ocean,” a vulnerable self-exploration with fluttering chord progressions, Mattson speaks about his stage shyness and dreams of taking flight. Mattson’s bedroom performance of “Forever Is a Very Long Time,” interspersed with shots of lakes and forests, brings out the natural intimacy of the lines, “What if nature is just numbers/You and I repetition…?” Mattson follows up a performance of “Down in My Heart” with insight into his songwriting process. These video diaries are not a necessary condition to the enjoyment of the record, but Mattson’s reflections are nevertheless an endearing
King Jr. Blvd., South Bend
Dine for cheap during Winter Restaurant Weeks Twice a year, South Bend’s downtown restaurants offer a slew of deals known as Restaurant Week. Every participating restaurant features a value-priced meal for $11, $22 or $33, depending on the venue. This year’s week has a promising lineup. Participating venues include but are not limited to: Cafe Navarre, Chicory Cafe, Peggs, Woochi Japanese Fusion & Bar, Fiddler Hearth’s Public House, Render Kitchen & Bar and many more. A full list of participating restaurants can be found online. What: Two weeks of discounted meals in South Bend When: Monday, Jan. 21 to Feb. 3 Where: Participating restaurants can be found at eatdrinkdtsb.com.
Tap into your poetic vein with the Civil Rights Heritage Center Each fourth Sunday of the month, poets and interested individuals gather at the Indiana University of South Bend’s Civil Rights Heritage Center to share and listen to original poetry performances. Organizers intend to create a “safe and welcoming” environment for the sharing and receiving of the written word. This event is recommended for ages 18 and older. What: Poetry Den When: Sunday, Jan. 27 Where: The Civil Rights Heritage Center, 1040 W. Washington St., South Bend Contact Nora McGreevy at nmcgreev@nd.edu
addition. “When The Bird Sees The Solid Ground” is not the most ambitious record in The Tallest Man on Earth’s discography. It is only five tracks long, after all. Yet, it is no throwaway EP either. The ideas on “When The Bird Sees The Solid Ground” are both thoughtful and artfully put, and Mattson’s unaffected personality shines through the record’s five tracks. For those who missed this record the first time around, “When The Bird Sees The Solid Ground” is worth the listen. Contact Matthew Kellenberg at mkellenb@nd.edu
“When The Bird Sees The Solid Ground” The Tallest Man on Earth Label: Rivers/Birds Records Tracks: “An Ocean,” “Forever Is a Very Long Time” If you like: Beirut, Blind Pilot, Iron & Wine
DIANE PARK | The Observer
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The observer | Friday, January 18, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Clear skies
Inside Column
More than items on a list Courtney Becker Editor-in-Chief
One week into my last semester at Notre Dame and I’m starting to make a mental list of things I want to do before I graduate in May. I’d love to attend one of ever y Irish team’s sporting events, v isit ever y dorm chapel on campus — for Mass or other w ise — and go to arts events I can only experience here, like the Collegiate Jazz Festival. There’s still so much I have left to tr y. But I also have plent y of amazing memories from throughout my time on campus. I’ve attended plays put on by the Film, Telev ision and Theatre department, various student groups and the Actors From the London Stage. I’ve been to concerts and comedy performances at Legends, and I’ve watched amazing films brought to campus through SUB and the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. I’ve stood in the student section and sat in the stands at countless Notre Dame sports games, and I was in the crowd when the women’s basketball team won a national championship. I’ve loved ever y minute I spent in my on-campus home of Pasquerilla West and w ill never forget the hours I spent helping to decorate my section hallways during Queen Week. I’ve had a great run of experiences here, and I amassed them all w ithout feeling like I was just checking items off a Notre Dame bucket list. I tried things because I knew I wouldn’t have the opportunit y to do so other w ise, because friends asked me to join them or because they just seemed like fun. And yes, I went to certain events simply because I had to cover them for The Obser ver, and I almost always ended up extremely grateful that I did. About four months away from the end of my time as a Notre Dame student, though, I can’t help but wonder if I really took full advantage of all the opportunities being on this campus afforded me. I’m starting to get the first hints of that sense of an x iet y you only get when you know your life is about to change in a major way. Did I take ever y class I wanted to take? Did I forget to do something I always told myself I’d get around to doing? Still, I think back through my last seven semesters at this Universit y, and it brings me a sense of peace about what’s to come. Because I’ve never been worried about making sure I tr y something just so I can cross it off some mental to-do list, and I still have a prett y great highlight reel running through my mind. It features some fun activ ities, but what stands out more are the people who were right there w ith me, whether they’ve been there from the beginning or showed up somewhere along the way. None of the memories I cherish about this place feature me alone. There are more things I would like to do while I am still a student at Notre Dame. I’m sure they’ll get done, one way or another. But for now, I’m just going to continue to enjoy the time I have left here, because my experience so far has been much more than items on a list. Contact Courtney Becker at cbecker3@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Julianna Conley Fresh Impressions
One of my first weeks at Notre Dame, there was a particularly spectacular sunset. It was one of those days where the light seemed to bounce off dust particles in just the right way to make the world glow orange. Though I didn’t see the sk y firsthand, I nonetheless felt as if I had experienced the v ibrant sunset myself as I scrolled through countless Snapchat and Instagram stories detailing the beautiful setting sun. I’ve always found reassurance in humanit y’s fascination w ith weather. Throughout the years, I’ve grow n used to hearing my friends complain when their feeds become f looded w ith posts about rain or sunsets, but I find it exciting. I think it’s comforting know ing that people from all walks of life get a thrill from seeing the sk y change colors. I think it’s encouraging to realize that though the days of people across the world may differ, they still end the same way: w ith a sunset. As my phone became inundated w ith shots of the sun ref lecting on St. Joseph’s Lake and the dome silhouetted against a cotton candy sk y, I was reminded of the solar eclipse t wo summers ago. Just a week before, hate tightened its grip on our nation as racism w rought havoc through the Charlottesv ille riots. News stations seemed to almost exclusively cover the chaos. That week, leading up to the eclipse, our countr y appeared to ex ist in only v iolence and venom. Our countr y seemed irreparably div ided. The great melting pot of America held too many v iews, too many ingredients that were insoluble. But for just a few hours, news media consisted solely of people staring at the sk y. Of grow n men and women who took off work to watch a giant rock pass in front of a ball of gas. Of people who traveled across the countr y simply for the chance to catch a better v iew of the moon blocking out the sun. For one day, kids ran out of school, not from gun v iolence, but towards the disappearing sun. Strangers (myself included) gathered on the streets, not to protest another group or share in in hateful slurs, but to share eclipse glasses. Entire cities gathered together in football stadiums to watch the solar eclipse, as one communit y, as one entit y, as one countr y. For one day, people of all races, of all political
beliefs, of all religions — for one day, they all came together for something as simple as the sk y. We get caught up in all this … stuff, in the banalit y of day to day ex istence: the squabbles w ith our roommates, the clothes we wear, the food in the dining halls, the extra point on our essay we just know we deser ved. We get distracted by the minutiae of ever yday life that separates us from one another. We define ourselves by the organizations we join, the colors of our skin, the neighborhoods we live in, the countries we are born in, but we forget that at our core we are still the same. At our core, we all still have a childlike wonder that makes us want to post the sunset on our Snapchat stor y. We still have a curiosit y that motivates us to put our day on hold to revel in the awe of watching the sun disappear. At Notre Dame, we ex ist as a school of innovators, of thinkers, of doers, but most importantly, we are a school of people united in the mission of improv ing the world around us. We come from different backgrounds, different stories, different lives, but we still have the same heart. The same compassion, the same drive. Yet sometimes we div ide. We differentiate our campus by dorm, by major, by gender. We look at people w ith different religious v iews or political opinions and define them as other, as alien. We stratif y ourselves by class, choosing friends from similar backgrounds. We forget that despite appearances, despite labels, we all share in a common humanit y. As we start the New Year, as we delve further into our independent adulthood, we must value each and ever y person for not only what makes them unique, but for the essential, shared goodness that makes them no different than ourselves. We must recognize that all people are equal, that all people deser ve compassion. We must not only look back on our past year, our past semester. We must look for ward. We must look toward the sk y. We can create borders on the land, but we cannot div ide the sk y. Julianna Conley is a slow -eating, loud talking and fast-walking freshman from Southern California. She endorses hot glue, despises mint and strongly believes the cookie is the best part of an Oreo. Julianna can be reached at jconley4@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily of The Observer.
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Charitable views Ray Ramirez The Crooked Path
Some years ago, after decades in the impenetrable thicket of corporate law, I found myself at a dark and worrisome place. I questioned whether my efforts and talents were being used for good, especially after the pursuit of financial rewards led to a series of lucrative but unsatisfying jobs. I consulted with family and friends about my next move, and even wrote a letter seeking the advice of Henry Cisneros, former mayor of San Antonio, Texas, and Housing and Urban Development secretary under President Clinton. To my surprise, Cisneros graciously responded with a lengthy letter. He commiserated regarding my professional frustrations and had a concrete suggestion for more fulfilling employment: Work for a charitable organization. An opportunity with one of the national medical non-profits (of which there are many — think major organs and diseases) opened up soon thereafter, and I went to work for a well-respected charity. To be clear, a large bureaucracy, whether it is a university, a corporation or a charity, always has its challenges. If you work for a charity, you still will have a boss, annual reviews, parking and commuting woes, and all the usual trappings of working life, but you will occasionally also feel your work makes a real difference and does not just enrich executives and shareholders. You will also discover a legitimate charity has to follow certain rules and ethical standards to earn public trust and tax-free status for itself and its donors. With that prologue, let me now address the work and legacies of two charities and a stark lesson in false equivalency. The Trump Foundation launched in 1988 with a board of directors including Trump family members Donald Sr., Eric, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Trump Organization CEO Allen Weisselberg (who received immunity and is currently cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office). The charity has no offices or staff, and its board has not met since 1999. Donald Trump Sr. hasn’t made a donation to this
charity since 2008. Charity Navigator, a rating service for charities, has given the foundation a “high advisory” warning as a bad risk for contributions. New York State Attorney General Barbara Underwood began investigating the Trump Foundation after learning of questionable spending by the charity, including renovating a fountain outside Trump’s Plaza hotel, buying two large portraits of Trump that were displayed at Trump properties and settling personal or business legal disputes. Actions ranged from the blatantly illegal (a $25,000 foundation check to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi around the time she was considering whether to open a fraud probe into Trump University) to the pitifully paltry (a $7 check to the Boy Scouts for then-11-year-old Donald Trump Jr.’s enrollment fee). In June 2018, Underwood filed suit seeking to close down the foundation due to “persistently illegal conduct.” The Trump family has since announced it will shut down the foundation and distribute any remaining funds to legitimate charities. Another foundation operating out of New York City, the Clinton Foundation, has received considerably more scrutiny over the years than the Trump Foundation. The Clinton Foundation has established programs that help farmers, workers, women and school children around the world, including the United States, earning four out of four stars on Charity Navigator. Public health authorities credit it with saving millions of people threatened by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases. The foundation board includes Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton — none sanctioned for a misuse of foundation funds. Due in large part to efforts orchestrated by Steve Bannon’s Breitbart, many Americans believe the Clinton Foundation is no better than Trump’s faux charity. Using funds from the Mercer family, Bannon oversaw the production of the sensational and largely fictional book, “Clinton Cash.” The book’s author even featured the book’s “research” in a New York Times story suggesting Hillary Clinton had engineered approval of a uranium sale to Russia for the benefit of foundation donors.
The since-discredited Times story ran in 2015, around the time Clinton declared her presidential candidacy. From then until November 2016, news coverage of the Clinton Foundation mainly consisted of gossip, stolen emails and any other stray nonsense that advanced the negative story, mostly found in the “birther” and Russian-bot corners of the internet. The Clinton Foundation’s size, international presence and large funding — all necessitated by its global efforts — have been fodder for conspiracy enthusiasts. Despite the persistent attacks, the Clinton Foundation continues performing its work in good standing as a legitimate charity. The lawsuit Underwood filed against the Trump Foundation and its board of directors seeks restitution of $2.8 million and additional penalties. Despite the Trumps closing the foundation, this case is ongoing. One final example from the Trump Foundation files is informative on a number of levels. In 2012, Martin Greenberg aced a par three at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, during a hole-inone contest. The club denied Greenberg the $1 million prize, and he sued. The Trump Foundation subsequently organized a “charity” auction for a life membership at a Trump golf club, with proceeds to “benefit the Donald J. Trump Foundation.” The money raised — $157,250 — actually went to help settle Greenberg’s case, in violation of federal and state law. What kind of scoundrel would come up with such an illegal and deceptive scheme? The contract with the website that hosted the ersatz charitable auction was signed on behalf of the foundation by thenattorney and “fixer” for Donald Trump, Michael Cohen. The Trumps have diminished many of America’s oncetrusted institutions, but surely the greatest of these is charity. Ray Ramirez is an attorney practicing, yet never perfecting, law in Texas while waiting patiently for a MacArthur Genius Grant. You may contact him at patrayram@sbcglobal.net The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily of The Observer.
Oscars bait Patrick McKelvey With the Current
If you pay close attention to the slate of movies released every year, you’ll notice a seasonal pattern emerges. This pattern is constant, unwavering. It almost never changes. It’s hard to mess with the calendar of a multi-billion dollar industry. January and February are the “dump months,” when production studios release the absolute worst movies in their lineup. Often, these films were once golden projects that lost their way somewhere in development and end up as some of the most terrible movies you’ve never seen. The summer blockbuster season is now so bloated it begins in March. For the next six months, studios trot out the tentpole films that keep them in business and make billions of dollars. We’ll get our 18th entry into the “Fast and Furious” series, our newest foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a reboot of a beloved eighties franchise. In fact, between this year and 2022, we’ll be treated to more than 200 sequels, prequels, reboots and adaptations. September and October are the second set of “dump months,” cheap horror movies or other films studios expected to lose money on anyway as summer ends and children return to school. November sees another round of superhero flicks and a few attempts at creating the new Christmas classic. And then, in late December, we’re treated to the best movies of year,
the ones the studios have been saving. They’re usually released on Christmas Day, and they’re known by the derogatory name of “Oscar bait.” The 91st Academy Awards (the Oscars) will air Feb. 24. In order to qualify, a film must be released in the calendar year of 2018. The reason these Oscar bait films are released at the very end of the year is so they may be as fresh as possible in the mind of Academy voters while still qualifying for that year. There’s also the added benefits of being released during a week when so many are off from work and school. In recent years, as the Oscar bait phenomenon has become more wellknown, it’s also thought that releasing a movie in late December tricks audiences into believing it’s going to be much better than it actually is. Oscar bait movies all have much in common. There’s a star-studded cast, and is usually directed by someone like Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg. There will be technical cinematography and brilliant costume designs. Often, they’ll be a period piece — the Academy loves its period pieces. They’ll be a drama, without exception. They’ll probably be downright depressing. It’s rare for a comedy or sci-fi film to even garner a nomination. And they have one more thing in common: They’re usually really, really good. During the 2016 season, I saw “La La Land.” It’s perhaps the quintessential Oscar-bait film. Its leads are Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, two of the biggest names in acting. It has musical numbers that harken back to the golden age of movies, to classic musicals
the Academy grew up on like “Singing in the Rain” and “West Side Story.” At its core, the movie is a love letter to old Hollywood. It’s about the magic of film and the silver screen, a inflated glorification of the industry. And if there’s one thing Hollywood loves, it’s Hollywood. Its distinction as Oscar bait doesn’t mean it isn’t an amazing movie. The boxes it checks off are there because they’re important boxes, because people who know and love movies have chosen what they think makes a movie great. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen “La La Land.” It tells a story that resonated with me and countless others. Oscar bait or not, it means more than a golden statue. I don’t like waiting until the end of the year to see the best movies of the year. I don’t like the idea of studios making movies designed specifically to make Academy voters fall into the trap of liking them. And I certainly don’t like the idea of studios using the concept of Oscar bait to prey on unsuspecting movie fans like me. But I don’t think that’s what they’re doing. And if it is, I’m happy to fall for it every year. Patrick McKelvey splits his time between being a college junior and a grumpy old man. A New Jersey native and American studies major, he plans on pursuing a legal career after graduating Notre Dame. If you can’t find him at the movies, he can be reached for comment at pmckelve@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily of The Observer.
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The observer | friday, january 18, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Will Shortz
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Be careful what you sign up for this year. Something you thought would be advantageous will turn out to be a burden. Added responsibilities will be tiring but will also bring you joy. Make the most out of whatever situation you face. Accept change, but don’t create it. Doing your best will turn out better than trying to do the most. Your numbers are 6, 11, 19, 27, 35, 39, 46. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Stay focused on personal investments, legal documents and health issues. If someone tries to distract you or pressure you into taking on responsibilities that don’t belong to you, be polite and decline. A financial gain looks promising. Romance is encouraged. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Stick to your game plan, and don’t budge regardless of the emotional tactics someone uses to get you to donate time, money or services to a project you know little about. A business model you set up will pay off. Keep your integrity close for you never know when you might need to fall back on it. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Emotions will rise to the surface when dealing with matters concerning someone you love. Do your part to offer good advice and to deter excessive or indulgent behavior. Sticking to a plan or setting up rules is favored. CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Try a unique approach when dealing with a personal relationship. Taking the time to find out what someone you love likes or what would lift his or her spirits will bring you closer together and help you avoid an emotional setback. LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Personal change will make you feel good, but don’t overspend. Set a budget and figure out what you can do that will help you build confidence. Physical activities, travel and spending time with someone you love are favored. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Getting involved in events that include people you work alongside or the children in your life will be revealing. An emotional issue that surfaces will be based on false information. Find out the truth before you take action. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t jump to conclusions, or you will end up getting into an argument. Personal growth, improved health and nurturing important relationships will be what count in the end. Avoid making unnecessary changes at home. Accept the inevitable and move on. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Interact with people who have something to contribute. Learn from what you observe and hear, but when it comes to making adjustments, do what fits your lifestyle, not what pleases someone else. Happiness begins by being true to your needs. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Make changes to the way you live. Don’t ask for help; do the work yourself so you won’t feel indebted to others. Don’t let a mistake cost you or keep you from achieving your goals. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Stick to the truth, and ask questions if someone is evasive. Getting the facts will make a difference to the outcome of a situation involving other people. Don’t make promises before you know what’s expected of you. AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’ll come up with an interesting idea that can turn into a profitable venture. A home-based business or a skill or talent you have can be updated and adapted to market trends. Romance will bring you closer to someone you love. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Truth matters. If you don’t mean it, don’t say it. Stick to people and organizations you feel comfortable dealing with, or choose to work alone. Problems while traveling or dealing with a friend or relative are likely. Birthday Baby: You are entertaining, original and convincing. You are passionate and spirited.
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Sports Authority
Institutions failed Maori Davenport Elizabeth Greason Assistant Managing Editor
Over the last few weeks, a story has blown up the across the sports world: that of high school senior Maori Davenport. Davenport, the No. 15-ranked basketball recruit in the country, garnered national attention and outrage when she was suspended for her senior season after USA Basketball mistakenly mailed her a check for $857.20 for lost wages after she played for the USA Basketball U18 team, winning a gold medal for her country. Davenport deposited the check, not knowing USA Basketball had failed to check with the state of Alabama, voiding her amateur status. When USA Basketball alerted Davenport to its mistake, she returned the money in full within 24 hours. But the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) declared Davenport ineligible. A simple clerical error took basketball from a studentathlete for over a month. When Davenport appealed her suspension, the AHSAA upheld the decision. And that’s when things started to get even more interesting. That’s when the heads started to turn. Davenport’s case caught the attention of everyone from college basketball analyst Jay Bilas to NBA players including Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade to WNBA players Sue Bird and Natalie Achonwa to college coaches Dawn Staley and C. Vivian Stringer — Davenport’s future coach at Rutgers — to the WNBA and USA Basketball. But the outspoken opinions have been universal: Maori Davenport did nothing wrong. She deserves to play. She is being wrongly punished. I’ve followed the Davenport case with great intrigue as it has unfolded. I stand in agreement with those who have stood by Davenport throughout the process of the appeal. I’m of the opinion that it is plain wrong to ever take sports away from a kid, especially a case like this where the adults are the ones who did the wrong thing, not the player. It’s an example of bureaucracy going too far. Now, it’s worth stating that Davenport is currently back on the court at Charles Henderson High School after an Alabama judge filed an emergency motion Jan. 11 when Davenport’s parents filed a lawsuit against the AHSAA and its director, Steve Savarese. But throughout this entire process, Savarese
has stuck to his guns, claiming he believes his organization is right and that what was ultimately his personal decision was the correct one. In a conversation with Bilas after Savarese upheld the appeal, Savarese said he considers the “adults” the responsible ones in the situation. He even goes so far as to blame Davenport’s mother, an assistant basketball coach, for not knowing better than to let Davenport deposit the check. But he admits that ultimately, the responsibility came down to USA Basketball, who made the mistake. “All USA Basketball had to do was make a phone call,” he told Bilas. But if Savarese truly believes it is the adults in the situation who are at fault, then why is it a child who is suffering? Why is she receiving the brunt of the punishment, when she is, even in Savarese’s words, not the one who made the mistake? Davenport was not prescribed a punishment that fit the crime. A season-long suspension does not correspond to an $850 deposited check. Telling a senior in high school she will not have the opportunity to be an All American, lead her team to a state championship or participate in the McDonald’s All American game is, without exaggeration, tragic. But that’s not why Maori Davenport’s case has captured the sympathy of so many Americans. It’s because, for no good reason, a girl has been told she cannot play the game she loves and excels at. She has been told she cannot play alongside her teammates for one last season. Maori Davenport is playing on borrowed time at the moment, and she’s making the most of it, with 25 points in her first game back and too many assists and rebounds for the scorer’s table to track. But her case is also representative of what’s wrong with youth sports in the United States. It’s not about the sports or the kids anymore. Everyone is constantly looking toward the future and the rulebook. Yes, those are both important, of course. But if we aren’t encouraging our young players to play simply out of a love for the game, this is where we end up. And then what are we playing for? Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@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
suffered this season is that the rotation of players within the game is smaller and more consistent, which sophomore wing D.J. Harvey explained helps the team get into a better rhythm and play looser. “Especially with the injuries, it’s definitely a limited rotation playing seven to eight guys a game,” Harvey said. “It’s a lot easier to manage for [Irish head coach Mike Brey] after the injuries [we’ve had], so going deeper into the ACC season I think it’s going to stay the same — it’s a pretty good rotation … nobody’s looking over their shoulder after they make a mistake.” However, the rotation — tight-knit and cohesive as it may be — has not led to much success for Brey’s squad early on in conference play, with hopes of an NCA A tournament berth growing fainter and fainter. However, the veteran Gibbs understands that the squad has to
continue to trust the process, and the wins will follow. “It always comes with the territory — nobody likes losing and didn’t come here to lose. We know that and know we just need to play hard each game,” Gibbs said. “The chips are going to fall where they fall — we’re not really worried about that, but we know that the clock’s ticking. We’re going to get one, it’s only a matter of time, and coach always says the tables are going to turn and that it’s coming. We can feel it, so we’re not really worried about it.” The Irish will look the begin turning the tables by pulling an upset against the Wolfpack (14-3, 2-2) this Saturday. Although North Carolina State presents a formidable backcourt — with all five of the Wolfpack’s leading scorers playing at the guard position — Gibbs and the Irish guards are ready for the challenge that awaits them. “Every game in the ACC is a challenge for us, but I think the biggest challenge that they [present] is that their
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guards are really good. It’s been two years in a row that their guards have really gotten after us a little bit, and we take that personal, and I know that’s going to be one thing that I look forward to is getting back on the court against them … we want this game, we know what’s at stake, and we’re ready for it,” Gibbs said. The Wolfpack head to South Bend fresh off a 7167 road loss to Wake Forest, and Harvey believes the Irish stand as good a chance as any, especially at home, to pull out a win come Saturday. “They’re a top-15 team in the country, but with their loss to Wake Forest the other day it shows that they’re beatable,” Harvey said. “Anybody in this league is beatable, so if you play hard and out-work them on both ends of the court, I feel like we’ll come out with the W.” Notre Dame and North Carolina State are scheduled to tip off at 2 p.m. at Purcell Pavilion. Contact Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu
EMMA FARNAN | The Observer
Irish senior foilist Axel Kiefer defends a blow from an opponent during his match at the team competition of the ACC Championships on Feb. 28, 2016, at the Castellan Family Fencing Center.
Fencing Continued from page 12
Itkin and Keifer both recently competed at the Januar y North American Cup in Charlotte, North Carolina. After losing narrowly in the semifinals, Itkin went on to clinch bronze, beating Italian foilists A lessio Foconi and Daniele Garozzo, a World champion and Oly mpic gold medalist, respectively. The St. John’s Inv itational features some of the most historic programs in the sport — St. John’s, Columbia, Har vard, Ohio State and Penn State
— accounting for all but one of the NCA A championships since the sport became co-ed 29 years ago. Despite hav ing comfortably defeated the second-placefinishing Lions, the Irish are likely in for a challenge this weekend, w ith all five teams that made up last year’s top-five at nationals expected to compete. Regardless of the results of Saturday’s competition, Kvaratsk helia’s team w ill certainly be put to the test w ith such a quick turnaround, appearing in Philadelphia fewer than 24 hours later. Last season, Columbia and Penn State both competed in the
Philadelphia Inv itational along w ith the host, No. 4 Penn. After returning from New York and Philadelphia, Notre Dame w ill prepare to host its ow n weekend of duels at the Castellan Family Fencing Center. The sixth-annual DeCicco Duals w ill take place next weekend, followed by the Northwestern Duals in Evanston, Illinois. That w ill conclude the regular season before athletes w ill be selected to compete at the ACC championships in hopes of qualif y ing for the NCA A championships in March. championships in March.
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W Bball Continued from page 12
minutes. Since that lone loss of the season, however, the Irish have returned to the court a more mature, resilient team. For head coach Muffet McGraw, that shift in attitude comes down to a commitment to more efficiently sharing the ball and operating as one unit. “I thought that we didn’t play well against Toledo [on Dec. 8], and since then we were averaging 25 or more assists in every game, and in this game we missed a lot of shots,” McGraw said following Notre Dame’s 29-point win over Virginia Tech on Wednesday. “So when you don’t shoot the ball well you’re not going to get a lot of assists. So I was disappointed in the assists, but I think generally that’s what we’ve been doing better. We’ve been sharing the ball.” Meanwhile, the Eagles present their own matchup challenges for the Irish as a balanced program, with four players averaging double-digit points and three more contributing six or more. Their leading scorer and rebounder, 6-foot-3 junior forward Emma Guy, has posted an impressively efficient season, shooting 62.8 percent from the field and grabbing 7.5 rebounds per game. However, since conference Paid Advertisement
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play has started, freshman guard Makayla Dickens has stepped up for Boston College, averaging 12 points and 7.6 rebounds, including a 16-point rebounding performance in the Eagles’ onepoint win over Wake Forest. While the Eagles bring a strong rotation to the court, McGraw has elected to keep a short bench, primarily relying on her veteran starting unit, featuring junior guard Jackie Young, senior guards Marina Mabrey and Arike Ogunbowale, fellow classmate forward Jessica Shepard and graduate student forward Brianna Turner. However, the Irish have recently seen significant contributions from sophomore forward Mikayla Vaughn, who has worked her way into the rotation, averaging 5.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game since that 89-71 loss to the Huskies. Notre Dame and Boston College met twice last season, with the Irish coming out on top both times. This will mark the first time the two teams have met this season, and the two teams will face off again in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, on Feb. 3. Following Sunday’s game, the Irish will hit the road for a threegame away series, starting with No. 20 Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond3@nd.edu
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The observer | friday, january 18, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
nd MEN’S BASKETBALL
Irish hope to bounce back in top-15 matchup By JOE EVERETT Sports Editor
W hile the young, inexperienced and injured Notre Dame team recently fell to 11-6 on the season and 1-3 in ACC play, the squad believes that better days are on the horizon, and is aiming to get back in the w in column this Saturday afternoon when No. 17 North Carolina State v isits Purcell Pav ilion. A lthough Notre Dame played well against No. 13 North Carolina this Tuesday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the Tar Heels pulled away for a 75-69 w in as the Irish (11-6, 1-3 ACC) couldn’t make enough plays dow n the stretch. A lthough the blow of another loss on a big stage certainly stings for an already-depleted Irish squad, junior guard T.J. Gibbs — who played through the f lu against the Tar Heels (13-4, 3-1) — said that the team has already moved on and is ready to keep competing against top-notch conference foes. “It’s tough, but we can’t
look back at the past and change any thing about that,” Gibbs said. “I love this group and would do anything for this team, whether that’s go out and play sick or give my left arm. I love these guys to death and that’s something this team’s always going to do — we’re going to fight and I knew I had to keep fighting.” For Gibbs, the biggest area of grow th for the team going for ward w ill be cultivating the indiv idual abilit y to make game-changing plays, especially late in the game. “The biggest thing about conference [play] is just w illing the ball in [the basket] and making plays. We might have to do that outside the [set] offense, and that’s something this team is still getting used to … sometimes you have to make plays on your ow n,” he said. “I think UNC was a big help for us, and we’re just going to keep building off of that.” The silver lining to all the injuries the Irish have
ANNA MASON | The Observer
see M BBALL PAGE 9
Irish junior guard T.J. Gibbs dribbles down the court during Notre Dame’s 89-62 win over Chicago State on Nov. 8 at Purcell Pavilion. Gibbs recorded 10 points and four assists against the Cougars.
FENCING
ND WOMEN’S basketball
Notre Dame to host Boston ND heads east for College before road tour elite competition By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS
Observer Sports Staff
Associate Sports Editor
With the ACC season nearing a halfway point, top-ranked Notre Dame will host Boston College on Sunday, looking to continue its undefeated streak in one of the nation’s best conferences. The Eagles (13-5, 2-3 ACC) would have been entering Purcell Pavilion on a two-game win streak after dropping their first two games of the ACC regular season, but dropped their fifth ACC contest of the season to Florida State by a 20-point margin. They will be facing a red-hot Irish team (17-1, 5-0), that’s currently on a 10-game win streak, including a 14-point win over Louisville in a matchup that pitted No. 1 versus No. 2 in a primetime feature earlier in the month. This streak came on the heels of a home loss to perennial rival Connecticut back in early December that saw Notre Dame unravel in the final see W BBALL PAGE 11
ANNIE SMIERCIAK | The Observer
Irish senior guard Marina Mabrey dribbles past a defender during Notre Dame’s 71-89 loss to UConn on Dec. 2 at Purcell Pavilion.
Notre Dame w ill be joining a pool of elite competition as it travels east this weekend for the St. John’s Inv itational on Saturday, followed immediately by the Philadelphia Inv itational hosted by the Universit y of Pennsylvania on Sunday. The No. 3 Irish w ill be among some of the best teams in the countr y this weekend, w ith all six teams competing in Queens ranking among the top nine. After w inning back-toback national championships, head coach Gia Kvaratsk helia has kept his team focused throughout the first half of the season, w inning its first competition of the season back in November, beating five teams including the host, Ohio State, and Penn State, both of whom it w ill expect to face off against this weekend. For this experienced unit, this weekend is just another on a long list of dates leading up to defending its
title. Midway through the season, the Irish women have been led by senior epeeist Amanda Sirico, junior foilists Morgan Partridge and Samantha Viquiera and sophomore foilist Stefani Deschner. Additionally, rookies Kara Linder and Miriam Grady have proved useful in the team’s quest to three-peat in sabre and epee, respectively. On the men’s side of the competition, the Irish have been follow ing the lead of senior foilist A xel Kiefer, a t wo-time A ll-American and eighth-place finisher at last year’s NCA A championships. Meanwhile, foilist Nick Itkin has continued his streak of dominance after being named the indiv idual national champion in his weapon last season. The sophomore posted a 14-1 mark in Columbus, Ohio, w ith his lone loss coming in one round against Penn. see FENCING PAGE 9