The independent
To uncover
newspaper serving
the truth
Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s
and report
AND HOLY CROSS
it accurately
Volume 53, Issue 76 | friday, february 1, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Candidates discuss diversity Student government election debate focuses on inclusiveness initiative plans MARY STEURER News Editor
The Diversity Council of Notre Dame hosted its third-annual student government election debate in the LaFortune Ballroom on Thursday. Candidates were asked to detail their plans to promote inclusiveness at Notre Dame and demonstrate their awareness of diversity issues on campus. This year’s candidates for student body president and vice president include junior Elizabeth Boyle and sophomore Patrick McGuire; freshmen Carlston Chang and Kevin O’Leary; juniors Eduardo Luna and Haley Coleman; and juniors Mario
Markho and Charlie Ortega Guifarro. (Editor’s note: Ortega Guifarro is a former Sports Writer for The Observer.) The Chang-O’Leary ticket was not present at the debate. Junior Kaleem Minor, vice chair of the Diversity Council, moderated the discussion and began by asking the candidates to provide a brief overview of their diversity platform. Coleman said one of her ticket’s main initiatives is to provide more diverse dining hall meals. “Concerning our diversity platform in particular, we have quite a few great ideas, but one of our most exciting ones is an initiative
Students to stage show for Lunar New Year
alongside Campus Dining,” Coleman said. “ … We would like to include authentic cultural food into the dining plan.” The team also plans on “working with diversity groups across campus” to ensure their platform represents a variety of voices, she added. “We’ve sent out over 80 club emails,” Coleman said. Markho said the MarkhoOrtega ticket will work to provide more locations for constructive dialogue about diversity and inclusion on campus. “The first [plan] … is to reserve space for students who feel marginalized or who feel they have something to say,
Pipe bursts in Duncan gym
at all,” he said. “ … To have a space any where across campus regularly scheduled to have these types of conversations.” The pair also hopes to give diversity groups priority funding, Markho added. “One of the main points on our platform is that we want to increase club funding,” he said. “By focusing those funds on groups that concentrate on culture and inclusion, we would be putting money directly into the hands of students that would be able to affect that change on a personal level.” Boyle said she and McGuire have plans to form a student
A lmost t wo hours after campus reopened on Thursday, a pipe burst in the Duncan Student Center at approx imately 2:50 p.m., forcing all inside to evacuate. The Duncan Student Center is f looded after a sprinkler main burst on the third f loor. “Due to the cold
see DEBATE PAGE 3
see PIPE PAGE 4
Observer Staff Report
Air Force ROTC to host basketball tournament By THERESA OLOHAN News Writer
W hile ROTC programs on college campuses usually keep a low profile, Air Force ROTC cadets at Notre Dame will be f lying high this weekend during the 33rd-annual Flyin’ Irish Basketball tournament. Started in 1985, the tournament was intended to
promote a sense of camaraderie between ROTC members and their future fellow servicemen and women. Over the years, however, the event has become one of the largest ROTC sporting events in the country, boasting over 500 players from over 50 schools across the nation, according to a press release. Last year, over 800 cadets from 56 different
teams took part in the tournament, junior cadet Andrew Brannon, the organizer of the event, said. The event provides a unique and important opportunity for ROTC members across the nation to bond. Brannon was dissatisfied with the idea that players would show up, play and see ROTC PAGE 3
Saint Mary’s to entertain musical fundraising event Photo courtesy of Nhu-y Nguyen
Last year, the Vietnamese Student Association celebrated the Lunar New Year by putting on its annual Notre Dame by Night show. By NICOLE SIMON News Writer
The Vietnamese Student Association of Notre Dame will put on its annual cultural show, Notre Dame by Night, on
NEWS PAGE 3
Saturday as a celebration of the Lunar New Year. Though this is only the third year the club has put on the show, it has grown exponentially over the past see NIGHT PAGE 4
SCENE PAGE 5
By DEANNA LOFTON News Writer
Saint Mary’s is hosting a chamber music concert, Music for Food, to promote local music groups and support the Food Bank of Northern Indiana. Music for Food is an event to raise money and awareness for food
VIEWPOINT PAGE 7
inequality throughout the United States while providing entertainment through concerts. The charity was founded by Kim Kashkashian, a Grammywinning violinist, as a way to combine music and community service. Tanya Gabrielian is a renowned pianist who had previously performed in a
ND W BASKETBALL PAGE 12
Music for Food event before moving to Indiana. W hen she moved, she noticed that there was no Music for Food branch in Indiana. “I decided to start one here,” Gabrielian said. “So, I’ve organized this event [and] reached out to the Food Bank of Northern see MUSIC PAGE 3
HOCKEY PAGE 12
2
TODAY
The observer | friday, february 1, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com
Have a question you want answered? Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com
If you could have dinner with one faculty member on campus, who would it be?
P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Editor-in-Chief Courtney Becker Managing Editor Tobias Hoonhout
Asst. Managing Editor: Elizabeth Greason Asst. Managing Editor: Lucas Masin-Moyer
News Editor: Mary Steurer Viewpoint Editor: Mary Freeman Sports Editor: Joe Everett Scene Editor: Nora McGreevy Saint Mary’s Editor: Jordan Cockrum Photo Editor: Ann Curtis Graphics Editor: Dominique DeMoe Advertising Manager: Alexandra Pucillo Ad Design Manager: Madison Riehle Systems Administrator: Mike Dugan
Office Manager & General Info
Ph: (574) 631-7471 Fax: (574) 631-6927
Audrey Immonen
Paul Githens
senior Farley Hall
senior Keough Hall
“Fr. Kevin Grove.”
“Anre Venter.”
Michael Bursch
Aman Mital
sophomore Stanford Hall
senior Alumni Hall
“Fr. Kevin Grove.”
“Nitesh Chawla.”
Maria D’Ambrose
Moira Griffith
sophomore Cavanaugh Hall
senior off campus
“Daniel Lapsley.”
“Anre Venter.”
Advertising
(574) 631-6900 ads@ndsmcobserver.com Editor-in-Chief
(574) 631-4542 cbecker3@nd.edu Managing Editor
(574) 631-4542 thoonhou@nd.edu Assistant Managing Editors
(574) 631-4541 egreason@nd.edu, lmasinmo@nd.edu Business Office
(574) 631-5313 News Desk
(574) 631-5323 news@ndsmcobserver.com Viewpoint Desk
(574) 631-5303 viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com Sports Desk
(574) 631-4543 sports@ndsmcobserver.com Scene Desk
(574) 631-4540 scene@ndsmcobserver.com Saint Mary’s Desk
The next Five days:
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
jcockrum01@saintmarys.edu Photo Desk
(574) 631-8767 photo@ndsmcobserver.com Systems & Web Administrators
webmaster@ndsmcobserver.com Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac, Saint Mary’s College, and Holy Cross College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of either institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content. The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors. Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer. Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged. Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information. Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Courtney Becker. Post Office Information The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except during exam and vacation periods. A subscription to The Observer is $130 for one academic year; $75 for one semester. The Observer is published at: 024 South Dining Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 024 South Dining hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-077 The Observer is a member of the Associated Press.
Today’s Staff News
Sports
Claire Rafford Serena Zacharias Erin Swope
Charlotte Edmonds Joe Everett Mike Everett
Graphics
Scene
Diane Park
Nora McGreevy
Photo
Viewpoint
Peter St. John
Olivia Luchetti
Corrections The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at (574) 631-4541 so we can correct our error.
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Interdisciplinary Symposium Jordan Hall of Science Reading Room 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Talk on climate change.
Life Beyond the ND Bubble Dahnke Ballroom 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Event for seniors about life after graduation.
Women’s Basketball vs. Georgia Tech Purcell Pavilion Noon Irish take on the Yellow Jackets.
Kellogg International Scholar Program Research Night Hesburgh Center Auditorium 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Grants and Funding at Notre Dame 101 DeBartolo Hall 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Info session for undergraduates.
Music for Food Little Theatre 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Concert including local universities supporting the Food Band of Northern Indiana.
Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Concert by jazz group covering pop songs.
2019 Harper Cancer Research Institute Virtual Race Campus-wide All day Help fight cancer and raise money .
Auditions for “The Great Gatsby” B024 DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. An FTT production.
Talk: “Structures of Debt- Everything that isn’t Equity” Jordan Auditorium 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Presented by Katie DellaMaria, BMO.
SMC groups, students plan formal By REBECCA STELLA News Writer
Saint Mar y’s students w ill travel into a realm of charm and sophistication upon stepping into the Black and W hite Formal on Friday. “Of course, the first place we looked was Pinterest for inspiration ... when we saw the black and white theme, ever ything looked so elegant and classy,” junior and planning committee president Emily Beam said. “We figured it would be easy to accomplish with a small budget and nice venue.” The formal will take place right across the street from Saint Mar y’s in the ballroom of the Hilton Garden Inn. “Our formal takes place at the Hilton Garden Inn ballroom for safety reasons,” Beam said. “If we
wanted to go any where off campus, we would have to arrange a bus ser vice which all students would be required to take.” Freshman Rose Stack house said she is looking for ward to the location this year because it seems ver y convenient. Even though the location is so close, the school’s shuttle bus, “Blinkie,” will be running students back and forth from the dance so that they do not need to walk in the cold. This year, the dances were split up into underclassmen and upperclassmen so that more people could attend. The expected attendance is around 800 people, consisting of only first and second years. “It is sad we cannot have as many people because it is considered a fire hazard in the ballroom,” senior
Joanna Collins said. “But there will always be more events that people can enjoy from Student Government Association and the Student’s Activities Board.” At the dance, students can look for ward to a wide variety of appetizer-based foods like mini-hot dogs, cupcakes and other finger foods. “There will be caprese pipettes, baconwrapped Brussel sprouts with maple and sesame, buffalo chicken with brioche, chips and salsa, mini cupcakes and phyllo cups with strawberr y, brie and honey,” Beam said. There will also be a photo booth company there to provide pictures for the attendees to remember the night, Collins said. Being the president of the planning committee, Beam said a lot goes into
the actual planning of the night, so the committee is hoping ever y thing goes well and that students should expect a night of fun. “So much work goes into being on committee and it often goes unrecognized,” Beam said. “This include[s] security, venue, picking the date, picking the theme and balancing the budget.” Music will be provided by a DJ group called the “Green Twins” which consists of two Notre Dame students — Ryan and Connor Green. Stack house said that she is excited to attend the dance. “I have never been to a college formal before, so I’m looking for ward to seeing what it is all about,” she said. Contact Rebecca Stella at rstella01@saintmarys.edu
News
ndsmcobserver.com | friday, february 1, 2019 | The Observer
3
Notre Dame to hold first-ever comic-con event By MARIA LUISA PAUL News Writer
While attending a book signing with his friends, senior Patrick Krog joked about having a comic book convention at Notre Dame, never imagining it as an actual possibility. Yet, in a complete twist of fate, Student Activities Office (SAO) reached out to him with a proposition to turn his idea into reality. “We went to a book signing by Brandon Sanderson in Chicago, and we were just like ‘Oh, how do we get him to come to Notre Dame?’ and he said that he only really attended cons and we were like, ‘Oh, then we should plan a con and then he’ll come,’” Krog said. “Then we got back to campus and we got busy with things, and we didn’t
ROTC Continued from page 1
leave. His vision for the event surpassed an ordinary basketball tournament. Rather, Brannon saw the event as a way for cadets to bridge their differences and interact before they were to be commissioned. “We’re going to have those kinds of bonds when we’re in the military in the future so it’s a unique opportunity that we can all meet together and kind of see each other and interact before we actually commission,” Brannon said. Sophomore cadet Stephanie Zaccone agreed with Brannon, saying that the event was a great opportunity for ROTC students to see beyond their bubble and experience life beyond Notre Dame. “It’s nice to get the opportunity to meet people from all across the country and see all the different things that they’re doing. But we all have the same common goal,” Zaccone said.
Music Continued from page 1
Indiana to be our community partner.” Gabrielian said she hopes that Music for Food will do more than raise money. She wants music in itself to be used to promote activism. “I hope that [Music for Food] will bring people to the concert that have not yet had the opportunity to hear live music performed in this way,” she said. “The concert is donation-based so that if someone can’t pay the suggested donation, they are still welcome to attend. “We are hoping not only
really get on with planning it. But then we were contacted by SAO, and they were like ‘Hey, we want to throw a comic-con,’ and we were like ‘Same,’ and this was during finals week of last year.” After merely four weeks of preparation and hard work, LepreCon, Notre Dame’s first very own comic book convention, will take place on Friday in the Dahnke Ballroom from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Set up as a typical convention, LepreCon will have booths for the various participating clubs, an artist alley for displaying Notre Dame’s artwork, panels for discussing several topics, SMASH tournaments, cosplay contests, prizes and free food for all. “I am most excited about the giveaways and the food,” Saint Mary’s senior Alicia
This year, the event will start Friday at the Joyce Athletic and Convocation Center. The finals will take place Sunday, when the men’s and women’s championship teams will be recognized. While teams may get competitive, the games are played with a friendly spirit, Zaccone said. “I don’t think there’s anyone who’s too in their heads about it,” she added. While all the games will be highly entertaining, the games played by the Scrappers promise to be particularly exciting. Comprised of Notre Dame students who may not have the aptitude to match their enthusiasm, the Scrappers team is just another example of how the event brings people together. Brannon, a member of the team in previous years, said the games are always a riot. “I’ve heard that they’ve scored on themselves on several occasions,” Zaccone said. Although the Scrappers have a slight chance to bring home the iron, other teams
to raise funds for the Food Bank of Northern Indiana but to make music accessible for all members of our community. Also, we are using music as a tool for activism, and I think this is a powerful force in social change.” Gabrielian said she is excited to be involved in a collaboration between musicians from local colleges. “I love performing, so every opportunity to do so gives me a great amount of joy. Also, it’s a great way to get local musicians involved,” Gabrelian said. “W hen I moved here in the fall, I realized how many local
Twisselmann said. “We’ve got lots of food. There’s going to be Chick-fil-A, bubble tea and Rise N’ Roll donuts. All free for students who show up. … We also have really cool prizes. The winner of the cosplay contest gets a ticket to New York Comic-Con.” The event is a melting pot of various Notre Dame clubs including Mustard, League of Legends Club, LEGO Club, Hearthstone Club, Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), Flipside, Science Fiction and Fantasy Club, Role Playing Games (RPG) Club, Japan Club and Risk Club. The clubs will all have their own booths where they will be able to showcase their group and sell merchandise to attendants. “Notre Dame stresses a liberal arts education, so
can dream about winning the championship and prizes. Last year, Ohio State Air Force won the men’s division, while Marquette Army took home the women’s prize, according to the press release. The winning championship teams will be awarded trophies and, of course, bragging rights, Zaccone said. Since starting work on this huge project as early as May, Brannon said he is excited to see his efforts pay off in another successful year. Despite the extensive preparations and effort required from him as the event organizer, Brannon believes it will all be worth it. “When the championship game ends and they’re sitting there, and they have their big banner and trophy hoisted high, it makes it worth it, all the work we put in, all the long hours, just seeing the smiles on people’s faces, that’s big,” he said. Contact Theresa Olohan at tolohan2@nd.edu
colleges there are and great musicians, but there wasn’t a huge amount of communication of camaraderie between them. “This concert features musicians from Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s, IUSB, Bethel College and Andrews University, and the very nature of chamber music involves working together with your fellow musicians to create a cohesive performance. I think this can stand as a metaphor for many things that we are trying to accomplish.” In addition to enjoying the performances, Gabrielian said she hopes attendees
learning a little bit about everything, and sort of collaborating with people from other fields [is part of that],” senior Rachel Fisher said. “I feel that this can also be translated to clubs in collaborative aspects, especially if you didn’t know a club existed because you didn’t see it on the webpage or on Activities Night. So, people who have a certain interest on one club can come and learn about all of these awesome opportunities that might interest them and be passionate about and come up and network with them.” For the organizers, LepreCon represents an alternative outlet for interests that are not typically exhibited at Notre Dame. “We’re such a sports and activity-oriented school, that sometimes the more geeky
side is not really shown. … There’s more to the student body than what Notre Dame puts out, I guess,” sophomore Maggie Stephen said. “Notre Dame kind of draws this stick image of what a Notre Dame student looks like, that is really two-dimensional in some way, and we are trying to give people some more depth of that you can be somebody who really likes athletic stuff, but also somebody that plays video games and watches a lot of nerdy TV shows.” At the end of the day, the organizers are hoping to provide everyone with a great time and, hopefully, establish LepreCon as a Notre Dame tradition for generations to come.
Debate
series as part of Walk the Walk Week, and said he will encourage Notre Dame to continue to showcase diverse selections of student artwork. “Art is under-appreciated, and I think it speaks to the current state of Notre Dame,” he said. Coleman said her favorite event of Walk the Walk Week was the lecture delivered by Black Lives Matter co-founder Opal Tometi, saying she believes the University could benefit from more visits from prominent speakers. “I think bringing speakers into this campus is really important,” she said. McGuire said the MLK luncheon stuck with him because it gave students a unique opportunity to share their voices. “Not only did [the luncheon] have great representation … but it really was a powerful forum for students such as Alyssa [Ngo] to ask important questions without apologizing and without tailoring to the audience,” he said.
Continued from page 1
civil rights commission. “We thought it would be really unique and special if we had a student-run commission that looks at discrimination and students’ rights violations and thrusts students right into the middle of that debate,” she said. McGuire said the team will also work to revise the University’s nondiscrimination clause. “We see a lot of student groups [and] individuals on campus that aren’t protected, at the moment, by [the nondiscrimination] clause,” he said. “You know, looking into that and restructuring it is a very tangible and powerful way to give protections to more students on this campus.” Minor then asked the candidates for vice president to share their favorite Walk the Walk Week event and discuss how they plan to further the week’s mission throughout the year. Ortega Guifarro said he participated in a photography
become aware of an everpresent issue of food inequality in the U.S. “Music, and in particular chamber music, can be something that lifts you up. But also, pairing this concert with the Food Bank of Northern Indiana, we are also addressing the issue of inequality in our nation,” Gabrelian said. “15.6 million households were food insecure [in 2016] — this is 1 in 8 individuals and 1 in 6 children. “These numbers have been constant since 2015, which shows that this is an unresolved issue that is likely to worsen as public assistance to families in hardship
Contact Maria Luisa Paul at mpaulran@nd.edu
Contact Mary Steurer at msteure1@nd.edu
diminishes. It’s easy to forget about these issues if you are not of the population that deals with it on a daily basis.” For those who are passionate about music and fighting poverty, Gabrielian said there are ways for people to get involved in future events. “Please invite your friends, get the word out, do your own bit to shed awareness of food insecurity in our community,” she said. Music for Food will be held Friday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Moreau Center for the Arts. Contact Deanna Lofton at dlofton01@saintmarys.edu
4
NEWS
The observer | friday, february 1, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Night Continued from page 1
several years and become a cornerstone of the club, the club’s president and v ice president, juniors Nhu-Y Nguyen and Emily Luong, said. Once freshmen w ith minor roles in the show when it first debuted in 2017, they are now in charge of leading the club and organizing the show. Nguyen said that, like the club itself, the event has a t wo-fold mission: to celebrate Vietnamese communit y among the club’s members and to share their culture w ith others. “It’s a cultural club, so [our mission is] obv iously to spread awareness of our culture on campus, and also to our members, especially those who are not really well-connected w ith our roots and our culture,” Nguyen said. The club uses its events to promote Vietnamese culture for Vietnamese-American students, international Vietnamese students and non-Vietnamese students who are interested in the culture. “With this club we want to create unit y and spread awareness of the culture especially, through food, through performances, through music,” sophomore Frankie Tran, the club’s event coordinator, said. “We want to make this club and this mission come alive through the events.” Notre Dame by Night, which reaches the club’s w idest audience, is an evening of Vietnamese song, dance and food. “It is a series of performances and then the different aspect of the stor y is a skit inter woven through the performances, and because of that we show a narrative through our performances and through the skit and through the songs,” Tran
Pipe Continued from page 1
conditions, a sprinkler main broke on the third f loor, causing damage there and on f loors one and two,” University spokesman Dennis Brown said in an email. According to an email sent out by the Universit y, the Duncan Student Center would remain closed for the rest of the day, but was tentatively scheduled to reopen Friday at 7:30 a.m. Restaurants w ill be open normal hours and the Smith Center for Recreational Sports w ill open at noon, the email said.
said. The narrative of this year’s performance is centered around the theme of identit y. “Ever y year, we change up the skit or the message we want to bring to the audience,” Tran said. “This year, we’re really focusing on a student’s identit y of how sometimes students might not know or might not place a large emphasis on their Vietnamese identit y and may push it away to focus on their dorm communit y or academics. Hopefully we can bring that to life in a ver y respectful way.” The notion of multicultural identit y is something that the club values because of its importance for many Vietnamese students. “W hen I moved here to Notre Dame, there was
definitely a regional culture shock in the sense of going from a lot of diversit y to a little bit, and because of that, I think back home, you weren’t really aware or at least proud of your ethnic identit y because you took it for granted, almost,” Tran said. “And so for here, you kind of place more emphasis because there are so few and you really want to strengthen that background and really want to share it w ith others who have not had that exposure.” Notre Dame by Night is also a celebration of Tet, the most important holiday of the Vietnamese culture that celebrates the Lunar New Year. “Overall the stor y is prett y much about identit y, but the other stor y that is being told is what is
our culture when we talk about Lunar New Year,” Nguyen said. The show is equally about sharing Vietnamese culture w ith others as it is about celebrating the culture among the members themselves. “We hope to bring it to our members who are away from home and also to bring it to the Vietnamese communit y who don’t have the youth to bring the spirit of celebration and just to have a place for them to gather and to really celebrate w ith each other,” Nguyen said. Luong said this event in particular stands out because of the time and effort that goes into planning. “To me, I feel like this event really brings most of our members together and
Paid Advertisement
Paid Advertisement
actually work towards one goal,” she said. Most of the club’s yearly events are activ ities catered mainly towards the members of the club. This one stands out because it is planned and performed by the members themselves and shared w ith a w ider audience. “In other events, it’s the board organizing something and our club members attending it,” Luong said. “For this, it’s our club members and ever yone working together to put on something for the entire Notre Dame communit y to come and enjoy.” Notre Dame by Night w ill be held Saturday in Washington Hall at 7 p.m. Contact Nicole Simon at nsimon1@nd.edu
5
The observer | friday, february 1, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
By JAKE WINNINGHAM Scene Writer
“Beale Street is a street in New Orleans, where my father, where Louis Armstrong and the jazz were born,” James Baldwin wrote in his 1974 novel “If Beale Street Could Talk.” “Every black person born in America was born on Beale Street, whether in Jackson, Mississippi or in Harlem, New York. Beale Street is our legacy.” “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins takes that quote to heart in his film adaptation of Baldwin’s novel, a sumptuously shot and emotionally devastating romance set in 1970s Harlem. Young lovers Tish and Fonny (KiKi Layne and Stephan James, both magnetic) are separated when Fonny is arrested and jailed for a rape he did not commit. The film’s plot switches between a pregnant Tish’s visits to her partner in jail and flashbacks to their courtship and life before Fonny’s arrest; all the while, Tish’s mother Sharon (Regina King) travels as far as Puerto Rico in order to clear Fonny’s name. The exact details of the plot are unimportant — the true power of “Beale Street” lies in its photography, shot by Jenkins and cinematographer James Laxton and Jenkins’ masterful script, which revels in the minutiae of black life without losing sight of the larger picture.
By CARLOS DE LOERA Scene Writer
Making an album is hard. Making your first album is harder. Making your first album when there has been two-and-a-half years of anticipation is even harder. It’s a lot of pressure. This is where folk-dance artist and Maryland native Maggie Rogers found herself at the start of 2019. In the summer of 2016 a video surfaced on YouTube of Rogers, then a student at New York University, presenting her song “Alaska” to guest lecturer Pharrell Williams. Williams was so amazed by the song that he offered no ways in which Rogers could improve it — “You’re doing your own thing. It’s singular.” The glory of “Alaska” is that even upon first listen it feels nostalgic, the type of song you could dance to one day and cry to the next. That video has been viewed millions of times and is one of the main engines behind the Maggie Rogers hype train. Since that moment in 2016, fans of the singer have been waiting for a full-length studio album. Along the way, Rogers released an EP in 2017 and a series of singles in 2018 in promotion of her debut album “Heard It In A Past Life.” Prior to the album’s release, fans were interested to see which of her previous tracks would make it to the album, and how these songs would fit in when they were written years prior. Much to the credit of Rogers and her producer, pop music guru Greg Kurstin, no song feels out of place sonically or thematically. This is an album about self discovery, friendship, freedom, the fears and anxiety
On a purely technical standpoint, “Beale Street” is yet another triumph for Jenkins. Reunited with “Moonlight” vets Laxton and composer Nicholas Britell, Jenkins and his crew recreate so much of what made that Best Picture winner an all-time movie experience. Jenkins’ work with Laxton solidifies the director’s status as a master of closeups, as each shot of Tish and Fonny’s faces is held in an almost religious adoration. Britell’s score is reminiscent of his music for “Moonlight” while standing entirely on its own; it is evocative and stirring without ever detracting from the film. In a sense, “Moonlight” and “Beale Street” are worthy companion pieces. Both are singular works, each matching the other in terms of artistry and acting talent. Where “Beale Street” exceeds its predecessor, for me, is in its outlook — skip to the next paragraph if you want to avoid spoilers. Both films contain a final or penultimate shot of a black couple embracing each other with an uncertain future before them. Paradoxically, the pair who are both free — Chiron and Kevin holding each other in “Moonlight” — are the ones who seem to have the rockiest path ahead. “Beale Street” ends with Tish visiting Fonny in jail with their son. While it is implied that Fonny will not be released for a long while, the audience at least knows that the two lovers will stick it out. When
the camera leaves Chiron and Kevin, they are both looking into the middle distance — into the future — and they don’t like what they see. At the end of “Beale Street,” Tish and Fonny only have eyes for each other. Jenkins obviously used the Baldwin quote above as a guiding light for creating the world of “Beale Street,” which has a specificity that ties it to its time period while telling a story of prejudice and power that is unfortunately timeless. The circumstances of Fonny’s arrest could have happened in 1974 or 2014. Only the clothes signify to the audience what time period they are witnessing. When Fonny’s friend Daniel — Brian Tyree Henry, who has now done fantastic work in three of 2018’s best films, including “Widows” and “Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse” — talks about his own unlawful arrest, his story is less of an actorly monologue and more of a documentary testimonial. The audience recognizes their pain because we have seen it on our news. This is the first time we have seen this movie, but not this story. The title of “If Beale Street Can Talk” is ultimately misleading. The question is not whether or not Beale Street can talk; we know that it can. The question is whether or not we are willing to listen.
that come with these things and how we could all dance our way through these processes. One of the more striking streaks of songs on the album is the “Alaska,” “Light On,” “Past Life” combo. “Alaska,” a song about self-exploration that mirrors a trek through the glorious glacial plains of the Alaskan wilderness, finds the singer in a place of bliss and in control of her life. There is then a major turn in “Light On.” Now, the light, or perhaps more aptly, the spotlight, has become too bright. The glaciers melted and now she is “caught up in wave.” On the surface it looked like she was out for a swim, but really she was drowning in the loneliness and pit of fame. “Crying in the bathroom / Had to figure it out / With everyone around me saying / ‘You must be so happy now.’” The only way that Rogers is able to make it out of this is through those closest to her. With her closest friends, she remains able to find the joy to still be “dancing at the end of the day.” In the heavily Fleetwood Mac-inspired track “Past Life,” Rogers continues to chronicle her anxieties and fears as she sings, “Oh, I could feel the shadow comin’ / Straight on down the line / Masquerading like it was a friend of mine.” As the only song with just a piano as her backing music, the composition of the track reflects Rogers’ depth and raw emotion. Another notable track is the astrology jam “Retrograde.” The name of the song is an ode to Rogers’ own apparent fascination with astrology and the other mystical forces that dominate the universe. An entrance into retrograde aligns with a change in energies and emotions, some of which may be uncharacteristic of a person. This song
finds the singer in the unusual position of an emotional breakdown. She wants to fight it, because it’s foreign to her, but she ultimately submits to it, giving into the “retrograde.” This is also one of the only songs on the album that prominently features a guitar part. Perhaps this, too, was retrograde kicking in. The entirety of the album is a spectacular display of the art of patience. Despite what must have been constant pressure from both fans and her music label, Rogers stayed firm and took her time. In an era where artists are always looking to put out an almost-nonstop stream of content in fear of irrelevance, Rogers stood by the strength of her songs and trusted her process. Much like the glaciers of her admiration, Rogers proves that there is much more to her and her musicianship than we all could have hoped.
Contact Jake Winningham at jwinning@nd.edu
Contact Carlos De Loera at cdeloera@nd.edu
“Heard It In A Past Life” Maggie Rogers Label: Capitol Records Tracks: “Light On,” “Past Life,” “Retrograde” If you like: Haim, Sylvan Esso, Phoebe Bridgers, The Aces
DIANE PARK | The Observer
6
The observer | Friday, February 1, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Rolling stone
Inside Column
Stirring the pot Mike Donovan Associate Scene Editor
Retrieve your favorite wooden spoon or plastic spoon or really large stick or kind of small stick (twig) or spatula or fork or tongs or other. If the (wooden spoon / plastic spoon / really large stick / kind of small stick [twig] / spatula / fork / tongs / other) is unavailable ask a friend to lend you a (wooden spoon / plastic spoon / really large stick / kind of small stick [twig] / spatula / fork / tongs / other). You can also go to a store or bodega or shop or garage sale and buy a (wooden spoon / plastic spoon / really large stick / kind of small stick [twig] / spatula / fork / tongs / other), funds permitting. If there is no possible way for you to acquire a (wooden spoon / plastic spoon / really large stick / kind of small stick [twig] / spatula / fork / tongs / other), you can use clean hand(s). Retrieve your favorite pot (Note: Only your favorite pot will do). Locate water or broth or sauce or turnips or juice or meaning or mashed potatoes or succotash or beans or risotto or some other thing that you feel is worthy of your favorite pot. Retrieve the (water / broth / sauce / turnips / juice / meaning / mashed potatoes / succotash / beans / risotto / other) from its alcove (recommended: using a vessel of some sort) and place the vessel of some sort containing the (water / broth / sauce / turnips / juice / meaning / mashed potatoes / succotash / beans / risotto / other) near your favorite pot (Note: Only your absolute favorite pot will do). Transfer the (water / broth / sauce / turnips / juice / meaning / mashed potatoes / succotash / beans / risotto / other) from the vessel of some sort to your favorite pot. Make sure you transfer all of the (water / broth / sauce / turnips / juice / meaning / mashed potatoes / succotash / beans / risotto / other) from the vessel of some sort to your favorite pot because it would be a shame if you left some of the (water / broth / sauce / turnips / juice / meaning / mashed potatoes / succotash / beans / risotto / other) in the vessel of some sort thus robbing your favorite pot of the (water / broth / sauce / turnips / juice / meaning / mashed potatoes / succotash / beans / risotto / other) that it so desires. Insert your (wooden spoon / plastic spoon / really large stick / kind of small stick [twig] / spatula / fork / tongs / other / hand[s]) into the (water / broth / sauce / turnips / juice / meaning / mashed potatoes / succotash / beans / risotto / other) that is now residing in your favorite pot. Once your (wooden spoon / plastic spoon / really large stick / kind of small stick [twig] / spatula / fork / tongs / other / hand[s]) has been inserted into the (water / broth / sauce / turnips / juice / meaning / mashed potatoes / succotash / beans / risotto / other) located in your favorite pot (and not in a vessel of some sort), begin stirring. Continue until satisfied. Contact Mike Donovan at mdonov10@nd.edu The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Ray Ramirez The Crooked Path
The scene last week was surreal even for our current media-soaked culture: Richard Nixon’s protege and longtime Donald Trump-confidant, Roger Stone, paused on his way out of a Florida federal courthouse and stepped in front of a phalanx of cameras and microphones. Stone had just received a seven-count criminal indictment, and he eschewed the cover of a borrowed overcoat or the pretense of shame or embarrassment typically observed in other indicted suspects. Rather, he approached the assembled media and smiled as a large crowd booed and chanted, “lock him up.” Stone stepped up to the microphones and declared, “As I have always said, the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” Stone has since pled ‘not guilty’ to the charges set out in a 23-page indictment from special counsel Robert Mueller, including allegations of obstruction, lying to Congress and witness tampering. I suggest Stone is guilty of two additional crimes: failing to give proper attribution for his hubristic declaration regarding ‘being talked about,’ and misquoting the source material. These lapses are not surprising, given that Trump himself has observed: “Roger is a stone-cold loser, ... [he] always tries taking credit for things he never did.” Stone’s defiant speech on the courthouse steps was a good example of someone aspiring to demonstrate effortless wit by stealing it from someone else — in this case from someone with wit to spare. Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde, born 1854 in Dublin, Ireland, was a poet and writer who became one of London’s most popular play wrights in the early 1890s. While Wilde’s plays and stories continue to be read and studied, his greatest fame is as the author of classic epigrams, or clever one-liners. Among his most popular works was the short novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” While ostensibly telling the story of Dorian Gray, a shallow and attractive young man who descends into a life of unrepentant hedonism, the true star of the story is Lord Henry Wotton, a jaded and bored man of wealth who drops cynical witticisms like ash f licked from one of his innumerable opium-laced cigarettes. As the story opens, Wotton is visiting an artist friend who has painted the most remarkable portrait of Gray. Wotton insists that a work of such rare beauty should be exhibited, but the painter is hesitant to do so, demurring that he has put too much of himself into it. Wotton teases the painter about having artistic standards, and sets his role as the demon working to lure the unwary with the pleasures and treasures the world offers. “What odd chaps you painters are! You do anything in the world to gain a reputation. As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away,” Wotton declaims. “It is silly of you, for there is only one thing
in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.” As the context makes clear, Wotton’s taunt is an invitation to seek fame at any cost, which is the lifeblood of the narcissist. Wotton ignores the fact that an artist’s reputation is based on the quality of his work, and proposes that any action that attracts attention is worthwhile. Stone, of course, attempts to make Wilde’s epigram his own through the introductory, “As I have always said.” Stone then goes on to shorten Wotton’s nuanced observation that “a reputation” is valuable in and of itself, regardless of whether the reputation is for good or bad. Stone got his start working for Nixon’s 1972 re-election campaign and has a tattoo on his back of the disgraced ex-president. Unlike an accomplished artist, Stone’s reputation is built on a career as a ‘dirty trickster,’ the political equivalent of a dog running loose on a playing field during a game. He draws attention as he disrupts the contest and avoids capture, but he is not a player, and the game ultimately is not about him. Wotton’s cynical, world-weary prof ligacy, as crafted by Wilde, prefigured Wilde’s own descent into scandal just as Dorian Gray was being published. Wilde met Lord Alfred Douglas, a handsome youth, the son of Sir John Sholto Douglas, the Eighth Marquess of Queensberry (a renowned sportsman who had established the modern rules of boxing). The Marquess publicly complained about the relationship, and Wilde took the offensive and sued him for slander. Raising truth as a defense, the Marquess argued that Wilde had solicited 12 boys to commit sodomy between 1892 and 1894. Wilde’s law yer withdrew the suit, since there was abundant evidence of Wilde’s guilt. Wilde’s fortunes darkened after the Crown issued a warrant for Wilde’s arrest on indecency charges. Following his own arrest and release on bail, Stone declared his innocence along with swearing loyalty to Trump, in an unambiguous plea for a pardon. Stone’s bravado makes one wonder if he fully grasps the importance of being earnest in his responses to Mueller’s charges, as succeeding layers of lies and diversions may only serve to assure a lengthy prison term. Wilde’s cynical observation that it is “fiction” to think that “[t]he good ended happily, and the bad unhappily,” was ultimately tested by his own life. Wilde ended up serving two years in London’s Reading Gaol after being convicted of gross indecency. Perhaps Stone should consider another Wilde epigram to guide his future actions: “Morality, like art, means drawing a line someplace.” 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 those of The Observer.
Join the conversation. Submit a Letter to the Editor:
viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com
The observer | Friday, February 1, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
7
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
In memoriam: Joseph Buttigieg On Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019, the Notre Dame community lost a great professor and an even greater man. Notre Dame, South Bend and the world lost Joseph A. Buttigieg, known affectionately by his students as either JAB or Prof. B, depending on which email signature he first used with you. I had the pleasure of meeting JAB my first day of class, my freshman year. By that time, teaching had become JAB’s side job. In 2010 he was appointed inaugural director of the Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars program, and he made a distinct impact on dozens of students in that program every year until his retirement. In conversations I had with him throughout our friendship, I learned that JAB had not forgotten any of his HY students. He knew not just their backgrounds and extracurricular interests while at school, but also what they did after they graduated. He loved his students, and he only saw the best in every single one of them. From my friends in HY, current students and alumni, I’m told that above all else, spending time with JAB was the highlight of the program. I still joke that JAB “taught me how to read,” and I am only barely exaggerating. He always pushed compliments like this aside. JAB saw himself as simply present in his students lives, but to many of us he was much more. He was a guide. He was an ever-encouraging professor who shared not just his knowledge but also his deep empathy and understanding of people’s lives. Through his class, JAB showed me the magic in history, the power of analysis and the moral lessons in literature. In seminar lectures, he often illustrated for us connections between classic
books and modern-day politics. From Aristotle to Primo Levi, JAB showed his students that the true magic of literature rested in what you did with it; in what links you could draw between fiction and the world around you. He taught us all of this while never once being intimidating — always encouraging people’s opinions and helping us see the works through our own lenses. It is no surprise that some of my most important friendships, including my one with JAB, developed in his class. Even after JAB retired two years ago, he was not prepared to let go of his students. He kept in touch with many of them, taking them out to lunch, writing letters of recommendation and never turning down a book or article recommendation. This meant I had the privilege to see him often, and his endless love for learning meant that my bi-weekly lunches with him were always the highlights of my semesters. He would select his favorite restaurants: La Esperanza, Cambodian Thai, Nick’s Patio and any where that served Chinese food. We would talk for hours, drinking coffee and laughing about politics. He always had something beautiful to say. W hether it was the stories he told me of his weekly protests on campus when Notre Dame refused to divest from apartheid South Africa, his careful analyses of recent books or his insistence that every decision I ever made was the right choice, I left every lunch in awe of him. I remember that during one lunch, over egg rolls at Cinco 5, I jokingly told him that I planned to take a few years off school to learn more about
the coffee-making process. He instantly smiled, saying it was a great idea. Before I could tell him it was a joke, he had already shared museum recommendations for the cities I mentioned I wanted to visit. He followed up with a suggestion that I write a book on the subject, or at least find some way to contribute that knowledge to society. That was JAB: filled with endless love but always concerned with the public good. He saw in people what they couldn’t see in themselves and then helped them find it. JAB structured that freshman year literature seminar to be as beautifully empathetic as the man who taught it. In the syllabus, he included a quote by Antonio Gramsci — the Italian philosopher to whom JAB dedicated much of his renowned academic career: “The starting-point of critical elaboration is the consciousness of what one really is, of ‘knowing thyself’ as the product of the historical process to date which has deposited in you an infinity of traces without leaving an inventory. One must start by compiling such an inventory.” JAB had compiled his inventory and dedicated his life to help others do the same. He will be remembered for his unwavering compassion, intellect, and commitment to good. Joseph A. Buttigieg lives on through his impact on us, his family and his community. We’ll miss you, JAB. Thank you for everything. Prathm Juneja senior Jan. 28
Impending election forces campus shutdown A chill descended upon the tri-campus community Tuesday. With the incoming polar vortex providing a perfect excuse to cease activity of any kind, Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross shut down until Thursday at 1 p.m., offering students, faculty and staff alike a brief respite to brace for the real storm ahead: student government election season. After this year’s tickets were announced Tuesday, the leaders of the tri-campus community were reminded of the f lood of controversies that have accompanied the student body elections of the last three years. Administrators encouraged students to use their 42-hour hiatus to brace themselves for the impending elections. In a statement issued by the Office of Campus Safety, students were encouraged to “travel in groups, both on and off campus,” in order to avoid overeager campaigners in
their first few days on the trail. The student senate tried to hold a vote to pass a resolution applauding the schools’ decision, but it couldn’t meet quorum. There is some concern among the student body that the days off may allow candidates to focus more heavily on their campaign plans and hit the community with a renewed vigor when it reconvenes Thursday, but based on past experience, the mini staycation won’t have much of an effect. Candidates have already friend requested every member of the student body (and Scott Malpass) on Facebook and changed their personal Instagram accounts to campaign ones. The Zahm ticket already has the majority of support from students. And campaign underlings are crouched in shady rooms, combing through the Student Union Constitution to find any bylaw that could trap a rival ticket the night the votes are counted. “W hile we feel the situation is a little exaggerated, we can understand where the University is coming from,” junior Jimmy Underwood told The Observer. “For the past three years, this period has been nothing but trouble. The
Robinson-Blais campaign started it all in 2016, with an early interview — obviously meriting the one-day campaign suspension. Two years ago, the Fonseca-Narimatsu ticket blatantly f lew in the face of the Student Union Constitution with the ‘improper’ purchase of a Facebook ad, forfeiting 7 percent of its votes. After an appeal and a hours-long senate meeting, the punishment was reduced to 5 percent of its votes. It would’ve been the deathblow to their campaign, if they hadn’t already lost the election before the sanctions were even applied. “And the 2018 election — well, that one is next in line for Robert Mueller to investigate.” “We hope you enjoyed your days of rest, tricampus community,” senior Layla Stark added. “Peace may never come again. “Winter is here.” Note: We hope everyone in the community managed to stay safe over the craziness of the last few days, and we want to extend a special thanks to all the dedicated University staff who kept everything running so smoothly.
Follow us on Twitter. @ObserverViewpnt
8
DAILY
The observer | friday, february 1, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Will Shortz
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Follow your heart and your head, and let your will lead you to victory. Reach out to those who have something to offer and are willing to share. Collaboration will encourage new beginnings that can improve your standard of living. Embrace change, and be prepared to take physical action in order to turn your dream into a reality. Strive for equality. Your numbers are 7, 12, 20, 27, 33, 41, 46. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Observe, but don’t feel you have to agree with what’s taking place. Concentrate on personal gains, physical and emotional health and using your skills and experience to get ahead. A colleague will offer valuable information. Romance will enhance your life. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Keep moving. Refuse to let what others do or say get to you. Progress will be made if you work alone and you refuse to let anything or anyone stand between you and finishing what you start. Let experience guide you. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’ll be drawn to charismatic, intelligent people. Focus on collaborating and fleshing out ideas that can help you turn a project you are working on into something tangible. Personal matters will take favorable turns and provide new opportunities. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Your intent should be to stabilize your life, not add to the confusion. If someone is being erratic, you are best to remove yourself from the equation. Stick to those offering something consistent and of interest to you. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Networking will change the way you think, how you perform and what you do next. An interesting conversation will lead to an opportunity to partner with someone who has as much to offer as you. Romance is on the rise. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Stay focused on what you are trying to accomplish. Refuse to let personal or domestic problems stifle your productivity. Someone you thought you could trust will let you down. Ask an expert how best to handle a messy situation. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Personal improvements will lift your spirits, boost your confidence and put you in the running for a positive change. Share your ideas, and make the changes that will bring you the satisfaction and happiness you long for and deserve. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Think before you speak. You will be tempted to disagree if someone is evasive or exaggerating. Don’t let anyone bait you into saying something you’ll regret. Focus on a creative project and gaining experience and knowledge that will help you advance. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Stick to the truth. If you promise too much or you exaggerate, someone will hold you accountable. If you want change, go about getting it yourself. Don’t rely on anyone to help. Do the job yourself and reap the rewards. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t get angry about the changes going on around you. Focus on doing your own thing and adapting what you do to fit the current climate. It’s how you react that will make a difference in the outcome. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): What you do for others will be appreciated and rewarded. Your enthusiasm will make a difference to someone who needs reassurance. Personal gains and improvements will lead to unique opportunities. Celebrate your success with someone you love. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Listen, but don’t do something based on what someone tells you. Research and facts will spare you from making a mistake that could cost you financially, emotionally or physically. When in doubt, talk to the experts and get more than one opinion. Birthday Baby: You are engaging, open-minded and fair. You are spirited and humorous.
wingin’ it | olivia wang & bailee egan
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
Work Area
Make checks payable to and mail to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 Notre Dame, IN 46556
Published Monday through Friday, The Observer is a vital source of information on people and events in the Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Community. Join the more than 13,000 readers who have found The Observer an indispensable link to the two campuses. Please complete the accompanying form and mail it today to receive The Observer in your home.
Enclosed is $130 for one academic year Enclosed is $75 for one semester Name Address City State Zip
SPORTS
ndsmcobserver.com | friday, february 1, 2019 | The Observer
Sports Authority
9
NCAAW basketball | Cardinals 78, HUSKIES 69
Tanking is sad Durr leads No. 3 Louisville and disrespectful past No. 2 Connecticut Elizabeth Greason Assistant Managing Editor
Please forgive my attempt at an NBA-themed column in advance. I’m no NBA expert, by any means, but I feel like three years into writing these columns, I need to at least dip my toe into the league. So, without further ado, here’s my best shot. My teams this season have been the definition of dumpster fires. We’ve got the Mets, who have had worse years, I’m not going to lie. I’m not going to complain too much about finishing the season eight games under .500 and 13 games back with a Cy Young Award winner on the roster when the year before it was 22 games under and 27 back. But then we get to the Giants, who were truly appalling. They won five games. Barely. And that’s with the Rookie of the Year in the backfield. And currently, I’m stuck rooting for the Rangers — who are sitting right at 0.500, but when they lose, they lose badly, after trading off everyone of importance in the offseason — and the Knicks. The New York Knickerbockers. Currently the worst team in basketball, the Knicks sit at 10-40 on the season. But much of that is of their own doing, as the Knicks are, along with a handful of other teams in the NBA, tanking. Tanking is a phenomenon that occurs in the NBA each season when teams realize they’re really terrible at their one job (winning), so they decide to improve their chances of getting better in another way: by losing. All the time. As much as possible. The best at losing wins the tanking game and, by extension, the chance to win the Draft game, getting the first pick in the NBA Draft and hopefully using that pick to skyrocket to stardom the following season. And if not, they do the same thing all over again, eventually building up a team of former college superstars. It’s a sort of “Trust the Process” mentality. But it’s one I take issue with. The Knicks have lost 11-straight games, some of those by embarrassing margins (Yes, the Mavericks are clearly a better team, but a 24-point loss? Really?) I understand the desire to give up on a season when it’s going poorly. I understand the rationale of wanting to get younger players more minutes
and experience when it’s clear it’s already down the drain. And I certainly understand the desire to attempt to guarantee yourself a Zion Williamson or RJ Barrett-like talent on your roster for the coming year in an attempt to turn the tides. But tanking is also disrespectful to various fan bases and players. Fans pay good money to watch their teams play. It strikes me as unfair to them that they could walk into a game knowing a team or its opponent has already dictated the game’s outcome. I know the argument can be made that it will pay off for them in the long run, but it’s simply not in the spirit of the game. The same argument can be made for players. They’re on a team in order to compete to their best of their ability. Asking them to go out and do anything less goes against their human nature and could, in the long run, make them lesser players. This season, I’ve become a mid-level bandwagon Timberwolves fan. Now, Minnesota isn’t exactly killing the game. It sits at 11th in the Western conference with a 2526 record. If the playoffs started today, it wouldn’t make the cut. But it also did the opposite of give up on its season. The Timberwolves have fought in every game, and boy, can I tell you that that is a whole lot more fun to watch than a Knicks team that sits its best healthy player in Enes Kanter for major stretches every game, just to help it lose. Currently, in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks, the Bulls and the Cavaliers are all battling it out for the worst of the worst. The Knicks even went so far Thursday as to ship Kristaps Porzingis and a handful of others off to Dallas, so there’s another strike. Each squad has its eye on a specific player — more than likely a current Duke freshman — that it wants sporting its jersey next season. Losses are more valuable to them than wins at the moment. Sure, the Cavs might still have something to prove this year, that it can win a game from time to time without LeBron James. But the Bulls and the Knicks have nothing to lose, so for them, it’s just a race to June 20 as their fans just shake their heads in shame. 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.
Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Asia Durr’s first basket was just a matter of time and the right look. When it came from long range, two more soon followed to spark No. 3 Louisville past No. 2 UConn. Most important for the Cardinals, they didn’t let up on the Huskies. That sparked a long-sought victory against the dominant team in women’s college basketball, and a long, loud celebration between Louisville players and their fans. Durr scored 14 of her 24 points in the second quarter, Dana Evans added 20 points and Louisville held UConn to 38 percent shooting in a 78-69 victory Thursday night. The Cardinals (20-1) achieved their initial goal by keeping the Huskies within reach without a point from Durr, who had sat out Sunday’s rout of Pittsburgh to rest a sore knee. She eventually made 8 of 18 from the field, with her perimeter shots coming just
when Louisville needed them. After starting 0 for 4 from the field, the senior guard made three consecutive 3s to open the second quarter and put the Cardinals up 32-24. “I had great looks, even when the ball didn’t go in,” Durr said. Louisville coach Jeff Walz made sure to keep his best player encouraged, which eventually paid off for Durr and the Cardinals. “Not only did that give her a little confidence, I think her teammates heard that too,” Walz said. Evans scored 12 points in the second half, hitting a 3-pointer with 1:55 remaining for a 70-59 lead, to help Louisville end a 17game losing streak in the series. The Cardinals won their sixth in a row overall. “It was a great win for sure,” said Evans, who made 5 of 10 from long range along with Durr. “It was something we’ve been working for and we stayed focused, we played together tonight and came out with the
win.” Jazmine Jones and Sam Fuehring followed with two free throws each for a 13-point lead and the Cardinals added four more from the line in the final 1:30 to seal their first series victory against UConn (18-2) since the inaugural meeting in the 1993 NCAA Tournament. Jones finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Fuehring added 10 points and 12 rebounds. Napheesa Collier had 20 points, and Crystal Dangerfield added 19 for the Huskies. They had won their previous seven since losing at Baylor. UConn was 7 of 22 from the field in the fourth quarter and was outrebounded 46-40 overall. “We struggled with their versatility and being able to attack in so many different ways,” said UConn senior guard Katie Lou Samuelson, who had 16 points. “We weren’t hitting shots that we normally do and we weren’t finishing that great. We still have to pick it up.”
nBA
Kristaps Porzingis traded by Knicks to Dallas Mavericks Associated Press
NEW YORK — The New York Knicks were having their doubts, wondering if Kristaps Porzingis truly wanted to be part of the franchise. On Thursday, they say he made it clear he didn’t. Once that happened, they decided to trade the All-Star forward who was thought to be one of the key players for their future. “When he came in today, it was clear to us that it was time to pull the trigger on something,” Knicks President Steve Mills said. That was a seven-player swap with the Dallas Mavericks that also netted New York two future first-round draft picks and possibly enough room to afford two top free agents this summer. Porzingis has been sidelined for nearly a year after tearing
his left ACL. The Knicks said recently he would undergo testing during the middle of February that could have determined if he would be able to return this season. If it does, it will be in Dallas, where he can form an intriguing international frontcourt with rookie Luka Doncic. Both played professionally in Spain before coming to the NBA as top-five picks. “He’s big, he can shoot, he can rebound. He can do a lot of things,” said Doncic, who was with the Mavericks at their game in Detroit. “I think he can be one of the best players in this league.” The Knicks acquired Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews in the deal, while also sending guards Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke and Courtney Lee to Dallas. New York general manager Scott
Perry said the Knicks would get an unprotected pick in 2021 and the other pick would be in 2023. “We feel like we did the right thing,” Mills said. “When you’re trying to think about how you want to build your team for the long term, you don’t want to commit a max (contract) to a player who clearly says to you he doesn’t want to be here,” Mills said. The 7-foot-3 Porzingis was the No. 4 pick in 2015 and averaged 17.8 points and 7.1 rebounds in New York, where he was expected to be the Knicks’ franchise player for years. But they declined to give him a contract extension before this season — they say he was in agreement with that decision — and now by trading him and Hardaway seem instead to be gearing up to pursue players in free agency, with nearly $70 million in cap space.
The Obser ver accepts classifieds ever y business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Obser ver reser ves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.
For Sale Legends Row Condo FSBO. 3rd fl unit. Fully furnished 2BR/2BA/2Parking Email: MJG0820@gmail.com Been travelling these wide roads
For so long My heart’s been far from you Ten thousand miles gone Oh, I wanna come near and give Every part of me But there’s blood on my hands And my lips are unclean In my darkness I remember Momma’s words reoccur to me “Surrender to
the good Lord And he’ll wipe your slate clean” Take me to your river I wanna go Oh, go, take me to your river I wanna know. Dip me in your smooth water As I go in As a man with many crimes, come up for air As my sins flow down the Jordan.
10
Sports
The observer | friday, february 1, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
M Bball Continued from page 12
and that’s who this league is. But Februar y is fresh, so let’s go on the road and play.” Irish junior forward John Mooney, who has recorded seven-straight double-doubles and leads the ACC with 13, said the Irish need to forget their nightmare January and move forward. “We obviously had a rough stretch in Januar y, played not only the top teams in the conference but also in the countr y … but it’s time to f lush it and get ready for Februar y, starting on Saturday,” Mooney said. W hile the Irish still have 10 tough league games to go, Mooney sees an opportunity for the Irish to start stringing together wins down the backstretch of league play. “Yeah, no doubt,” Mooney said on whether the Irish can improve in the ACC standings. “Ever y game in this conference is going to be a tough game, that’s how it is. Every game’s going to be close, so you can’t really underestimate anyone. It’s just the league we’re in and the situation we’re in, so yeah we’re going to take it one game at a time — starting Saturday at Boston College — and then go from there.” W hile the Eagles (11-8, 2-5 ACC) are coming off a loss to Syracuse on Wednesday, Brey believes they are a dangerous team, one that the Irish barely beat back on Jan. 12 at home by a score of 69-66 — Notre Dame’s only league win thus far.
Hockey Continued from page 12
line’s success comes dow n to unselfishness. “We’re all really unselfish players. We’re always looking for each other and tr ying to make those extra little plays,” O’Lear y said. “We’ve been good communicating out there too which has helped a lot.” Another important trend beyond the Irish’s top line success was the play of their junior goaltender Cale Morris. Morris made 78 saves on the weekend and surrendered just four goals. In Friday’s game, the Irish sometimes spent minutes dow n a man w ith the Spartans on their heels, but Morris stood tall throughout the second period, making 18 saves and giv ing up one goal. O’Lear y had high praise for the team’s top to bottom contributions and the play of his goaltender against Michigan State. “Ever ybody was contributing, we had all four lines play ing and finding ways to help us w in,” O’Lear y said.
“I think Boston College is playing well. They lost a tough one last night, but they had won the previous two … but we’re a lot deeper than the last time we played them. We’ve went from six to nine, so we’re really deep,” Brey joked. “Now I’m going to have playing time problems.” Regardless, both Brey and Mooney believe that leaving the confines of Purcell Pavilion and banding together on the road should hopefully help the team as they make the trip to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, this weekend. “I think sometimes you get on the road and you circle the wagons a little bit more and you’re just loose and you play,” Brey said. “There was no question for us, the last two games you have a great crowd and all those people there for you, and you can’t deliver — you can feel that you have the weight of the world on you a little bit. For our young guys, they felt that at times. It’s probably good for us to be away from our building for a while … but, again, we know we played probably the two best teams in the country over the weekend.” “We kind of have to develop that road-dog mentality that we’ve had here in the past, so it’s up to the older guys to convey that message that it’s here and now, no matter if we’re home or away. But yeah, it’s definitely good to have a change of scenery,” Mooney said. Perhaps the most positive storyline for Notre Dame heading into its matchup
“Obv iously Cale [Morris] was doing ever y thing he could to help us w in. It was a group collective effort.” In order to ta ke control of t he Big Ten, t he Irish now turn t heir attention from Michigan State to Ohio State. The Buckeyes were idle last weekend, and w ill come into t his weekend well-rested to give t he Irish ever y t hing t hey have. The Irish continue to be w it hout Morrison and Ca l Burke, who are bot h week to week, and senior forward Joe Weg wert h who is out for t he season. The Irish have next weekend off, so it is possible t hese could be t he last games t he Irish w ill have to play w it hout bot h t heir top scorers. If t he Irish can collect enough points t his weekend to stay w it h Ohio State in t he standings, reinforcements could be arriv ing soon to help t he Irish dow n t he stretch. The Irish w ill ta ke on Ohio State at 7 p.m. on Friday and 8 p.m. on Saturday at Value Cit y Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Contact Jack Concannon at jconcan2@nd.edu
with Boston College is that junior forward Juwan Durham has recovered from an ankle injury and has been practicing with the team this week. With a developmental project like Durham, Brey wants to him to play and get as much experience as possible the rest of the way. “I’d love to get him 20 [minutes], even though he hasn’t played in a while, on Saturday,” Brey said. “He’s been doing a good job with cardio, but I just think he’s unique and we had something brewing there with him. Then, all of a sudden we got knocked back. Him and Johnny [Mooney] [can play] together in high-low stuff, certainly what he does for you defensively [is key], so one of the things on my mind is: ‘We just got to play him.’ Hopefully physically, cardiowise, he can handle 20 minutes on Saturday and maybe you start him on Wednesday.” Durham has been a positive presence for the Irish this season, averaging 6.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while leading the team in blocked shots (48). Mooney, who has logged serious minutes for Notre Dame in Durham’s absence, is excited to have his frontcourt partner back in the lineup and believes Durham will be able to contribute right away. “It definitely adds a lot of length in the front court,” Mooney said. “He’s a great player — we need him.
PETER ST. JOHN | The Observer
Irish junior forward John Mooney shoots a free throw during Notre Dame’s 83-61 loss to Duke on Monday night at Purcell Pavilion.
Obviously playing with seven to eight guys, you know, it’s always good to have another body in there. He’s a great player, and he’s obviously shown great f lashes this year, both offensively and defensively … all of us are extremely confident in his ability to go out and pick up right where he was. “I think we can be really Paid Advertisement
good together. I think we can be one of the best frontcourts in the conference if we’re both going and we’re both confident in ourselves.” The Irish and the Eagles are scheduled to tip off at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Conte Forum. Contact Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu
Sports
W Tennis Continued from page 12
at some point in our first three matches whether it’s from a leadership or work ethic standpoint. Ever yone has certainly been … taking ownership of their role,” Silverio said. “[Junior] Zoe Spence and [sophomore] Cameron Corse have been doing a great job at carr ying momentum and being catalysts for us. [Graduate student] Brooke Broda and [senior] Rachel [Chong] ... are doing ver y well with their energ y and positivity. All in all, ever yone has been doing their part and taking care of business.” Looking beyond one match, Silverio noted that the Irish’s hopes for the season are divided into three categories: outcome, performance and process goals. “We have our goals broken down into three different
W Bball Continued from page 12
season. “You never know how you’re gonna respond after a loss, and fortunately we don’t have a lot of practice at it. So, I was really pleased with the way they came out to start the game.” Clemson would not lay down, however, as a 10-3 run led to a Notre Dame timeout. The Tigers pressured the Irish full court, and Tigers senior guard Danielle Edwards hounded the opposition, drawing two charges in the backcourt. However, Notre Dame responded with an 11-6 run to lead 32-18 at the end of the first period. Notre Dame senior guards Marina Mabrey and Arike Ogunbowale combined for four 3s and 16 points in the first period. Ogunbowale came in off a disappointing performance against UNC, scoring 13 points on 5-21 shooting in 40 minutes of action. The second quarter was more contested, with Clemson outscoring the Irish by two and at one point cutting the Irish lead to seven. However, Notre Dame took a 49-37 lead into halftime behind the interior play of senior forward Jessica Shepard and graduate student forward Brianna Turner. The Irish bigs combined for 14 points and 10 rebounds in the first half, and often had to bring the ball up the court due to the Tigers’ pressure. Notre Dame finished the half with 19 free-throw attempts compared to none for the Tigers, and held a 2717 rebounding advantage. Thirteen of those rebounds for the Irish were offensive and led to 14 second-chance points.
ndsmcobserver.com | friday, february 1, 2019 | The Observer
11
pieces,” Silverio said. “Our outcome goals are our big picture goals. Those goals are to host the first two rounds of the NCA A tournament … and to have a 3.5 team GPA. Then there are performance goals and that gets into a little bit more of the details with some … statistics such as where we would like our win percentage to be in the conference. Our last stage of goals is really the foundation of our goal setting. We have three main process goals that we’re really focused on each and ever y day. First, we bring consistent energ y and really go after each other in practice. Second, we make sure that we are competing in ever ything that we are doing. Lastly, ever y week the team is going to come out individually and focus on something specific to their own game.” MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer
Contact Patrick Gallagher at pgallag@nd.edu
Junior guard Jackie Young, who did not play against North Carolina due to an ankle injury, led all scorers at the half with 14, while Ogunbowale posted 11. McGraw was glad to see Young back in action and playing well tonight. “It was great to have Jackie Young back,” McGraw said. “She just changes things for us.” As the second half began, a quick seven-straight points by Notre Dame led to a Clemson timeout. The attempt to stall the Irish failed, however, as the lead swelled to 25 behind Mabrey’s hot shooting. The senior went 4-for-4 from the field and 2-of-2 from 3 as part of a 20-7 run. The Irish continued to roll after a media timeout, eventually taking an 83-50 lead into the fourth quarter. Ogunbowale found her rhythm, scoring 12 in the third quarter alone, as the Irish went 14-of-17 from the field in the period, 13 of which were assisted on. Notre Dame also scored 14 points on 10 Clemson turnovers in the quarter. McGraw was happy her team dominated the opposition and put the game away by the final period. “We really needed to do that,” McGraw said. “We need to play like we’re capable of playing.” The game was never in doubt entering the fourth quarter, and the Irish won the game 101-63. Ogunbowale finished the game with a team-high 23 points and seven assists, while Mabrey posted season-highs of 22 points and six made 3-pointers. Notre Dame controlled every facet of the game for a complete team win. The Irish finished the game with 17 steals as Clemson had 28
Irish senior Rachel Chong competes in a singles competition against Bowling Green in Eck Tennis Pavilion on Jan. 23. The women’s tennis team has won its three competitions of 2019 by a combined 20-1 margin.
ANNIE SMIERCIAK | The Observer
Irish senior guard Arike Ogunbowale drives in against UConn in Notre Dame’s 89-71 loss on on Dec. 2. Ogunbowale had 23 points, seven assists and six rebounds against Clemson on Thursday night.
turnovers on the night, leading to 34 points for Notre Dame. The Irish also won the rebounding battle 40-33 and assisted on 25 of their 38 field goals. McGraw was pleased with the unselfishness her team displayed, but was frustrated by its sloppy play, with 13 of 18 turnovers coming in the first half. “We worked a lot on our passing, which we didn’t look like it. But, I really thought we were focused and looking
for each other,” she said. “I thought we passed the ball well, in terms of getting assists.” The benefit of the large margin was that it gave the young Irish players, such as sophomore forward Mikayla Vaughn, to get valuable minutes and show the head coach what they could do. Vaughn finished with six points off the bench. “[We] got some good production from the bench,”
McGraw said. “I thought Mikayla Vaughn gave us some good minutes.” Of the overall performance, McGraw was just pleased with the effort her team put forth. “They worked hard,” she said. The Irish return home this Sunday to face Georgia Tech. Tip off is scheduled for noon. Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu
12
The observer | friday, february 1, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
nd women’s basketball | Notre dame 101, Clemson 63
Hockey
Surging Irish look ND bounces back, crushes to control Big 10 Clemson by 38 on the road By JACK CONCANNON Sports Writer
Before the Irish took on Michigan State last weekend the team was nine points out of first place in the Big Ten and only three points out of last. The Irish needed points and got them, taking five points from the Spartans w ith a w in and a shootout w in. Now the Irish find themselves in second place in the Big Ten just four points behind Ohio State. This weekend the Irish (14-8-3, 7-6-2 Big Ten) w ill travel to Columbus, Ohio, for a two-game set w ith the Buckeyes (15-5-4, 8-3-3 Big Ten) that could launch them into first place w ith two w ins. These are the final games between the Irish and the Buckeyes this season, so the Irish w ill likely need to take advantage if they are to w in back-to-back Big Ten regular-season crow ns. Irish junior for ward Mike O’Lear y
knows that Ohio State is not going to give them any thing in such a critical game. “Ohio State has always been really hard to play against. They play really structured,” O’Lear y said. “We have to make sure we play our game. If we do that, we should have success.” O’Lear y has become a huge part of the Irish game in recent weeks. After injuries to junior for wards Cal Burke and Cam Morrison, the team had to look elsewhere for scoring. Head coach Jeff Jackson put O’Lear y w ith junior forward Dylan Malmquist and freshman for ward Michael Graham against Michigan State (9-13-4, 5-8-3 Big Ten), and the line exploded w ith offense. On Friday, the line combined for four goals and seven assists, and were the foundation of the Irish power play. O’Lear y believes his see HOCKEY PAGE 10
By HAYDEN ADAMS Sports Writer
annie smierciak | The Observer
Irish junior guard Jackie Young heads down court during Notre Dame’s 89-71 loss to Connecticut on Dec. 2 at Purcell Pavilion.
Following a tough road loss to North Carolina, Notre Dame bounced back with a rout of Clemson in Clemson, South Carolina. The team was dominant in all aspects of the game as it scored 100 or more points for the sixth time this season. The Irish (20-2, 7-1 ACC) asserted themselves early. After Clemson (14-7, 5-3 ACC) scored the first basket of the game, Notre Dame went on an 18-0 run. The Irish controlled the interior, drawing several fouls in the period and grabbing 12 rebounds, six of which were offensive. Irish head coach Muffet McGraw was pleased with the fast start her team had. “We haven’t been starting strong,” McGraw said of her team’s performances this see W BBALL PAGE 11
nd women’s tennis
nd men’s basketball
Squad seeks fresh start as Notre Dame faces Buckeyes on road Durham rejoins action By JOE EVERETT
By PATRICK GALLAGHER
Sports Editor
Sports Writer
After going through the gauntlet of hosting No. 3 Virginia and No. 2 Duke last weekend, and suffering two resounding defeats in the process, Notre Dame is looking to start with a clean slate as it prepares to hit the road and play Boston College this Saturday. With aspirations for the postseason long behind the Irish (11-10, 1-7 ACC), head coach Mike Brey and his squad are simply trying to build upon the positives and take it one game at a time — each matchup a fresh opportunity to improve. “I talked to them, I said ‘Look, February’s a new month, here we go.’ We have played a heck of a schedule, there’s no question about it … but we’re going to have to work like heck to beat anybody in this league,” Brey said. “That’s who we are right now,
The Irish will head to Columbus, Ohio, to play the Buckeyes on Sunday. This match will be the second of four road competitions for Notre Dame (3-0), who is coming off a commanding 6-1 victory against Pittsburgh. Head coach Alison Silverio explained that the Irish are handling this week’s practice with the team’s characteristic effort and determination. “It’s just been business as usual in practice,” Silverio said. “We’ve really been working on our discipline with our depth and focusing in on trusting the process. That’s been our consistent message with our team since we started this spring, and we’ve just been coming in each and every day and doing the work. We want to carry that through into Ohio State this weekend.” Sunday’s match could be a tough test on the road for Notre Dame. Although Ohio State (2-0) is currently
see M BBALL PAGE 10
ANN CURtis | The Observer
Irish junior forward Juwan Durham defends a shot against Duquesne during Notre Dame’s 67-56 victory on Nov. 20 at home.
unranked, it has opened the spring season with two quality wins against No. 4 Georgia Tech and No. 25 Kentucky. Silverio acknowledged the challenges that come with playing against a strong Buckeye team. “Ohio State is a very good team and are coached very well,” Silverio said. “They are coming off an exciting weekend as they ended up qualifying for the National Indoor Tournament. I am sure they are feeling some great momentum. I think we need to focus on what we do well, take care of what we have control over and expect that Ohio State is going to bring their best. ” When asked about Notre Dame’s standout performers from the past few games, Silverio expressed that she was very impressed with the whole team from top to bottom. “I think individually everyone has impressed me see W TENNIS PAGE 11