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Volume 53, Issue 28 | wednesday, september 26, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Faculty panel discusses German politics University professors explore impact of far-right radicalism on attitudes towards refugees, immigrants By TOM NAATZ Associate News Editor
In the late summer of 2015, Germany opened its borders to a large number of Syrian refugees who were fleeing their country for Europe. That policy choice has had many ramifications in the nearly three years since. In recent weeks, the city of Chemnitz in eastern Germany has seen an acute backlash against foreigners after two refugees allegedly stabbed a German man to death. A panelist of six Notre Dame faculty members explored the forces at work in Chemnitz, Germany, and the West in a Tuesday panel discussion entitled “Lessons from Chemnitz:
Right-Wing Radicalism in Europe Today.” Maurizio Albahari, an associate professor of anthropology, noted the trend of illiberalism sweeping Europe. While he said the European far-right, with the help of former White House advisor Steve Bannon, is increasingly effective at campaigning, there are underlying issues that make Europeans susceptible to these arguments. “Concerns about immigration often illuminate issues that predate immigration — regional hierarchies and inequalities, youth emigration, multiple forms of socioeconomic precariousness and see GERMANY PAGE 3
ND alumni invent adhesive tool for skirts By NICOLE MARCINKUS News Writer
Windy days can be the enemy of those walking around a city or campus in a dress — a wayward breeze could cause a serious wardrobe malfunction. Christina Dunn, ’07, and Peter McCullough, ’06, engineered and manufactured a solution to this problem. Dunn and McCullough started DressStrong, Inc., a business that sells DressWeights. DressWeights are a small, adhesive weight that are easily attachable to the internal lining of skirts or dresses to prevent them from flying up. Dunn has been living in New York City for 10 years and McCullough lives in New Jersey. Both have full-time jobs along with their work on DressStrong and both are graduates of Notre Dame. Dunn has degrees in business and Spanish and McCullough studied mechanical
NEWS PAGE 3
engineering. Their idea for DressWeights came about simply after an experience that Dunn had while wearing a dress at a barbeque on a city rooftop. “I had a crazy Marilyn Monroe moment, but it wasn’t fun, it was embarrassing,” Dunn said. “I either had to sit or actually hold my dress down, neither of which were conducive to the situation.” She said she then brought the problem to McCullough, who offered a practical solution. He gave her adhesive lead golf weights used to change a player’s swing and suggested she attach them to her hemline to keep her dress down. It worked, but it wasn’t a complete solution. The weights were expensive, lead was dangerous and they were clearly designed for clubs, not clothing material. Dunn and McCullough decided there see BUSINESS PAGE 4
SCENE PAGE 5
ANNIE SMIERCIAK | The Observer
Six Nanovic faculty fellows speak on issues involved in right-wing extremism from differing perspectives Tuesday evening. Each panelist examined what led to the rise of the Alternative for Germany Party.
Saint Mary’s RHA hosts week-long spirit event By HANNAH THOMAS News Writer
Saint Mary’s College Residence Hall Association (RHA) is hosting Spirit Week, a week of events aimed to strengthen the Saint Mary’s community, executive board members senior Joanna Collins and junior Grace Kelly said. To kick off the week, students
tie-dyed shirts and made door decorations for their rooms, and as the week progresses there will be tours given through Le Mans Hall and Holy Cross Halls, doughnuts handed out Thursday morning and a preference night to conclude Spirit Week. The week’s events are inspired by events usually associated with sorority rush weeks. “My hope was that we could
still capture the essence of sorority rush week and showcase their fun events, but still cater it towards who we are as a College,” Kelly said in an email. For example, RHA adjusted particular events — such as visiting sorority houses — to students touring two of the residence halls, Kelly said. see SPIRIT PAGE 4
College first-year awarded national scholarship The Law Enforcement Education Program awards $2,000 scholarships to exceptional students every year in hopes of encouraging students to pursue law enforcement and public safety-related careers. There were only eight students who received this scholarship
this year and Sydney Bleich, a first-year at Saint Mary’s College, was among the eight. Bleich is in the dual degree in engineering program, pursuing a degree in computer engineering from the University of Notre Dame and applied mathematics from Saint Mary’s. Bleich said she knew what she was going to major in computer engineering and
applied mathematics the moment she talked to admissions counselors. “I just went to the admissions office and I talked to them and said I want to be in the dual degree engineering program,” Bleich said. “They looked at what I had [done in] high school, and they looked at my
VIEWPOINT PAGE 7
FOOTBALL PAGE 12
ND MEN’S SOCCER PAGE 12
By DEANNA LOFTON News Writer
see SCHOLARSHIP PAGE 4
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The observer | wednesday, september 26, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
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Corrections An article in Tuesday’s edition of The Observer incorrectly identified a speaker at a Senate meeting. Kevin Gallagher, proxy for Duncan senator John Cresson, discussed Converge at Monday’s Senate meeting.
EDDIE GRIESEDIECK | The Observer
Cheerleaders pose with the leprechaun at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before Notre Dame’s 56-27 win over Wake Forest on Saturday. Junior quarterback Ian Book passed for 325 yards in his first start of the season, keeping the Irish undefeated.
The next Five days:
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Seminar: “Casa Pueblo’s Energy Insurrection in Puerto Rico” Jordan Auditorium 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Book Discussion: “Peace Possible” Hesburgh Center 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. Séverine Autesserre will discuss her book.
Football Fridays at the Eck Eck Visitors Center 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Food provided. Free and open to the public.
Football vs. Stanford Notre Dame Stadium 7:30 p.m. - 11 p.m. The Irish take on the Cardinal in a top-10 matchup.
Performance: “Dido and Aeneas” LaBar Recital Hall 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Presented by Opera ND.
Stories of Grace Geddes Hall Chapel 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. All are welcome for an evening of prayer and reflection.
Painting and Poetry at the Snite Museum Snite Museum of Art 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Hear 11 poets perform original works.
Dante Now! A Divine Comedy Celebration Annenberg Auditorium 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Join ND’s annual celebration of Dante.
Saturdays With the Saints: “St. Bruno: Silence and the Habit of Joy” Geddes Hall 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Theatre: “WASP” and “American Roulette” Philbin Studio Theatre 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Two plays directed by FTT students.
News
ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 26, 2018 | The Observer
3
AEI president discusses flaws of discourse By MIKE DUGAN News Writer
Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), delivered a lecture Tuesday regarding the treatment of the marginalized in society and the f laws of American political discourse. The lecture was titled “Bringing America Together.” Brooks opened his lecture by discussing his views on the purpose of think tanks and American higher education. “Why do great universities exist? To crank out more students with bachelor’s degrees and graduate degrees? No,” Brooks said. “The idea of a factory of ideas — a laboratory with a combination of ideas — is to solve problems, isn’t it? That’s why we’re all
Germany Continued from page 1
nationalism,” Albahari said. To demonstrate his point, Albahari described the situation in Saxony, the state in which Chemnitz is located. Though he said many residents cite the inf lux of foreigners as society’s biggest problem, most people have not had major interactions with foreign-born individuals. Most Saxony residents are also relatively satisfied with their lives. These facts, he said, point to the “saliency” of racism. However, Albahari expressed hope for the future, as he noted the many active anti-racist and anti-fascist groups in Chemnitz. “If it is at the local and everyday level that national and supranational racism
together, blending or wiring our intellect batteries together.” Brooks explored the guiding principle behind how the AEI does its thinking. “When you have a big problem and you don’t know the solution, the answer is never to think harder in the [conventional] way. … You can get everybody in the world thinking in the old ways about old problems,” Brooks said. “You need to think differently about old problems — that’s the solution.” After giving a personal story about his son’s struggles with high school academics, Brooks, a Catholic, said he considers treatment of the marginalized to be the single largest policy issue in the United States. “Our biggest problem is
the way that we treat people at the margins of our society,” Brooks said. “Our biggest problem is not economic growth; our biggest problem is not our tax system; our biggest problem is not the conduct of our economy or foreign policy. Those are issues, those are important. But my view as a Catholic, my view as an economist and my view as an American, is that the biggest problem that we have is the way we treat people at the periphery of our society in America today and indeed around the world.” Brooks said that his view is not controversial, and attempts to reduce the percentage of Americans in poverty have generally been unsuccessful. He also said it is important to examine America’s roots in order to change
the way we look at those in poverty. “[We live in] the only country in the world where we’re proud of being the descendants of riff-raff,” Brooks said. “[But] we don’t think about where we came from quite so much and we don’t have relationships with the new generation of people who look an awful lot like our great-grandparents did.” Brooks said free enterprise provided the means to create America’s social safety nets, but that the way our country approaches aid to the poor is misguided. “The poverty program and the safety net … are the greatest achievement of the free enterprise system. The problem is how we do it,” Brooks said. “Our country — since the mid-1960s — has gone
from ‘needing’ poor people to ‘helping’ poor people. … Our welfare state treats poor people in this country as liabilities to manage.” Later, Brooks said the spread of ‘contempt’ is the central problem in modern American politics, warning the audience against holding contempt and giving his advice on how to conduct discourse. “If you want a permanent enemy, show contempt,” Brooks said. “Contempt is what you do when you’re not in control of yourself. You’re sort of reacting like a snail when stimulated with an electrical prod. Warmheartedness is for strong people.”
materializes, it is also at that very level that egalitarian integration and anti-racist engagement emerges with equal force,” he said. Rüdiger Bachmann, an economics professor, explored how migration and related issues have affected the German political scene, particularly regarding the electoral ascendancy of the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (Af D) Party. In exploring what kind of people vote for the Af D, Bachmann suggested history could play a role. “W ho votes for Af D? W ho votes right-wing populist in Germany? That’s actually a bit surprising. A famous, current study … they actually find something super interesting, something that’s also slightly deviating from
experience in other countries,” he said. “They actually found that the biggest explanatory variable for Af D vote shares is the vote shares of the Nazi Party in the early 1930s. This is controlling for inf lux of immigrants and unemployment rates, which sort of approximate local economic conditions, which actually didn’t have much explanatory power. So, this, if you believe these numbers, that shows there’s a deep undercurrent cultural streak of racism, anti-Semitism, in the vote shares of the parties.” In discussing the current state of other major German political parties, Bachmann said longtime Chancellor Angela Merkel, who opened the borders in 2015, is in a weak position. He also said Germany’s two largest parties, the centerright Christian Democratic Union and center-left Social Democratic Party, are both in a precarious position. The Af D, he said, has placed second in recent opinion polls. Bill Donahue, the director of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, said overall German attitudes toward immigration have soured in the years since 2015. “W hen I compare mainstream news reports from a year ago to now, what you see is people who were basically pro-immigration, pro-integration are largely abandoning that stance. They’re abandoning it by taking cover under bureaucratic and logistical arguments,” he said. W hile at one point many Germans saw the inf lux of immigrants as an opportunity,
that idea has lost much of its popularity, Donahue said. “In 2015-2016 … there was a bit of a honeymoon for German national identity. Contrary to what Fritz Stern argued about unification being Germany’s great second chance, it was really Merkel’s immigration policy that gave Germany its great second chance,” he said. “It revived German popularity, German reputation and essentially erased to some extent the image of Germany of former Nazis. That no longer seems to be paramount in the minds of Merkel’s critics, for all kinds of reasons.” American studies professor Perin Gürel discussed the implications of these current problems for Germany’s Turkish community, which continues to be Germany’s largest ethnic minority. W hile the Turkish-German community has been vocal in its opposition to the backlash in Chemnitz, Gürel drew parallels between Germany’s experience with refugees and Turkey’s, noting that the latter is home to the largest number of Syrian refugees. “In an online discussion, I was surprised to see — I don’t know why I was surprised — but it was shocking to see Turks express some anti-refugee sentiments that really parallel the German far-right,” Gürel said. Vittorio Hösle, the Paul Kimball Chair of Arts and Letters, expressed a concern that it is becoming more difficult to have a rational conversation about the politics of refugees in Germany, noting there are “objectively” some issues that have been
caused by the inf lux. “W hat worries me is that it has become very difficult to discuss rationally the pros and cons of different policies,” Hösle said. “On both sides, there are certain stereotypes there. If you are critical of some of the decisions of Merkel, then you are adamantly a neo-Nazi, and on the other hand, if you are for universalist politics you are a traitor to your nation.” Hösle offered some criticisms for how Merkel had handled the refugee situation, noting she did not consult the German parliament before deciding to open the country’s borders. He was also critical of the chancellor’s failure to set an upper limit on how many refugees she was willing to admit at the height of the crisis. Jim McAdams, a political science professor and the director emeritus of the Nanovic Institute, said German political parties need to make changes in how they operate in order to connect with the types of people who vote for the far-right. He cited the example of people living in formerly communist East Germany, whose plight, he argued, is not well understood by those living in former West Germany and has led them to support the far-right. “I think they need to do is begin to redefine themselves,” he said. “The challenge for parties in Germany is how to redefine their relationship with people who no longer trust them.”
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Business Continued from page 1
needed to be a better option that was, above all, convenient, suited to women’s clothing, safe and ecofriendly, they said. “The process took a lot of time, effort and dedication,” McCullough said. “We worked hard to design DressWeights and then find a manufacturer we were comfortable with. There were difficulties and frustrations … and a lot of tweaks to the product design, but we really hit an inflection point now.” Some failed versions included the lead tape weights, which were hazardous, and wheel weights,
Scholarship Continued from page 1
experiences because I was the lead programmer of my robotics team in high school, I started a robotics team in middle school, I did a presentation at a Michigan security conference and talked to Dr. Jared Demott, who is a world-renowned doctor of programming and hacking. That was pretty cool.” Bleich hopes to become more proficient in programming through the experience gained from both Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame, she said. “I think the scholarship will help me achieve my goals for the future and hopefully I’ll be able to learn more programming languages than I already know,” Bleich said. “So here I’ll be able to expand my
which had an adhesive that was too strong. Eventually, the two settled on steel, which was perfectly small and weighted, attachable with an adhesive that could “maintain the flow and design of the dresses” so that women’s style wouldn’t be dictated by anything other than their choices, Dunn said. “We want women to feel empowered when they’re dressed up no matter where they are and regardless of weather conditions,” Dunn said. “We researched other ways women usually deal with this problem but there was nothing convenient. Some sew in weights to their hems, but there are plenty of people who don’t have luxury time to do this. Time is a valuable commodity and we can provide
an option that saves people that time.” Currently, DressWeights are sold online at the website dressstrong. com, Amazon and Etsy. The product was released on Cyber Monday of 2017 and benefitted from a social media boost around the release. Dunn and McCullough work with Marianne Dunn, ’04, Christina Dunn’s older sister and McCullough’s wife, who helps with the business outreach and company support, and their younger sister Faith Dunn, who handles similar responsibilities including social media management and engagement. The company celebrated its oneyear anniversary of the official incorporation of DressStrong this
September and was helped with the trademark and patent by Jodi Clifford at the Notre Dame IP and Entrepreneurship Clinic. “Jodi and her students were integrally helpful with the [intellectual property] work, patent and trademark,” said McCullough. “It’s usually an expensive and more complicated process but she and the students with her assisted in streamlining everything very professionally and communicatively.” DressWeights are also safe for the environment, McCullough said. “Being eco-friendly was a priority from the beginning,” McCullough said. “We wanted to design to fit the need and be environmentally conscious — the
weights are recyclable and reusable, you can get multiple wears out of them.” Dunn and McCullough said that they are looking to expand, especially marketing toward the bridal industry. They have received good feedback from people who appreciate the product whether they’re part of or attending weddings. “We want to build on our Amazon influence and get into bigbox retailers,” Dunn said. “We’ve done the research about where women want to see DressWeights offered and we’re going to make sure DressWeights are accessible to our customers in those places.”
knowledge on Python, which is what we study. And at ND, I’ll be able to expand my knowledge of C++ since I’m on the robotic football team and I want to join the Bellebots here. It would be cool to work on all these different programs. I am really excited about the program. I think my hard work will pay off.” Bleich said she does not know she wants to do with her degree, but she will keep her options open unlike she used to. “I originally wanted to work in the FBI, but I don’t really know quite yet what I want to do,” she said. “I have six internships lined up currently. Some of them are with places that program computers and certain softwares. Some of them are for hacking industries. I want to go into forensics basically. That’s my end goal: going into the
forensics of hacking and programming and working on software.” Bleich attended a cybersecurity conference in Michigan, and said she remembers the feeling of being not only one of the youngest in the room, but also one of the only females. “When I went to the Michigan cybersecurity conference, it was kind of cool, there were about seven females but there had to about eight hundred people,” Bleich said. “I mean these are all businessmen and they were all from business companies and I was the only high schooler there and I was one of the very few females. So it was kind of intimidating. That was one of the coolest experiences ever.” Bleich said she met one of the prominent figures in her field. “I got to meet all of these companies and I met with one of
the presenters named Dr. Jared Demott,” Bleich said. “He is a founder of one of the main security companies now. He was a former NASA security analyst. He has a CTO in binary defense. I actually got to talk to him, which was really cool because there were about 300 security companies and management companies waiting in line just to talk to this guy. It was a really cool experience.” Bleich said she hopes that other girls at Saint Mary’s can experience the setting of a STEM-related conference just as she did. “I think it would be really cool to have Saint Mary’s girls go to conferences because that’s a once in a lifetime chance,” she said. “We’re trying to get girls in the STEM field. It’s just so many guys in the STEM field and you can even tell from the older generations and the
new generations coming up.” Bleich said she hopes scholarships like the one she received will help women become more involved in STEM majors and careers. She said she hopes that men will understand that being a girl does not make girls less smart. “Sometimes guys will give you a hard time or they will be very biased especially because you’re a girl in the field,” Bleich said. “It’s a ‘guy’s field.’ Some of them are really sexist, but you have to kind of get over it and be like, ‘Hey, just because you’re a guy and I’m a girl doesn’t mean that you’re smarter than me.’” Receiving the scholarship is a testament to how much girls and women can do, she said.
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Spirit Continued from page 1
Thursday night will end the week with a photo booth and resident assistants writing letters to students for preference night. Preference night is a way for RHA to say, “Thanks for choosing Saint Mary’s, welcome to the community,” Collins said. Both Collins and Kelly were looking forward to tie-dyed shirts that say ΣMX, the Greek letters for SMC. Collins said that the shirts were given out in a particular way so the students could maximize their socialization to take the time to create their shirts together. RHA is in charge of several other events throughout the year, such as the Saint Mary’s formal, Lil Sibs Weekend, and first-year welcome events. For Spirit Week, Collins, Kelly and other executive board members began their work last semester, which has stirred even more excitement for the events, especially for Kelly. She said she had designed the shirts a while back, so she was looking forward to seeing how students customize it. “My goal behind this night was that we could have something a little more hands-on
for the students to participate in,” Kelly said. The general theme of Spirit Week is embodying the community atmosphere that is present in many sororities. Kelly and Collins’s goal for Spirit Week this year is to bring the Saint Mary’s community together through active participation in events, they said. “I think it’s a good way for the community to get together,” Collins said. Collins said she wants students from different grades, different committee members within RHA and the larger campus community to enjoy each other’s company while having a fun time. Similarly, Kelly said she would like students to engage with each other to expand the Saint Mary’s community. “I’m really hoping that girls will have a fun experience at our events and that they’ll bring students closer together through that shared experience,” Kelly said. RHA put a lot of thought into events that will keep the students coming throughout the week, in order to fulfill their vision of an engaged sisterhood, Collins and Kelly said. Contact Hannah Thomas at hthomas01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Nicole Marcinkus at nmarcink@nd.edu
Contact Deanna Lofton at dlofton01@saintmarys.edu
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The observer | wednesday, september 26, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
By LUCAS MASIN-MOYER Assistant Managing Editor
They were on top of the world, or so it seemed. After three self-released albums in the span of a year, BROCKHAMPTON had signed to RCA records on March 30, 2018, and looked destined to take their sound out of the Los Angeles underground. The group, a self-styled boyband and rap collective from Los Angeles, made a name for themselves thanks to their unique approach to hip-hop songwriting. While the band certainly is rooted in the rap canon, they’ve incorporated punk, pop and rock into their sound in a distinctive way. But it’s not just the band’s sound which made them unique, it’s also their decision to address issues of sexual and racial identities in their songs. Bandleader Kevin Abstract is unapologetically gay with his lyrics in a music community which has long been based on an uber-masculine and straight identity. They sounded fresh, their message felt important and nothing, it seemed, could halt their climb to the top. But, on May 12, 2018, it all came crashing down. Then-member Ameer Vann was credibly accused of sexual misconduct and was quickly dismissed from the band. It was a rough transition for the group — rapper and musician JOBA was filmed crying on stage at Boston Calling music festival and the band briefly cancelled its tour. So, like Bowie in 1976, BROCKHAMPTON fled Los Angeles and headed to Europe, but instead of settling in Berlin like the art-rock great, the group set up shop in London and gave itself a challenge — record an album in 10 days in its new home. The album that resulted from these sessions,
By MATTHEW KELLENBERG Scene Writer
Arlie, the band, came together on Vanderbilt campus in 2016. Their early singles “big fat mouth” and “didya think” gained traction on Spotify’s curated indie playlists. And now, to much anticipation, the band has released its first EP. They call it “Wait.” There’s something very “Vampire Weekend” about Arlie’s “Wait.” A band of recent college graduates releasing a debut project both technically mature and unabashedly youthful. Yet, where Vampire Weekend revels in its own Ivy League preppiness, Arlie projects a more playful, summery image of young adulthood. The result is an album that alludes just as much to The Beatles and The Beach Boys as it does to Arlie’s contemporary indie counterparts. Arlie kicks off “Wait” with “big fat mouth,” the band’s first single released in early 2017. The production of “big fat mouth” brought Arlie together as a band, and here, in the band’s first EP, it is a fitting introduction. The single exhibits Arlie’s quasi-psychedelic roots, their meticulous production and their knack for pop songwriting. Next on the record is “barcelona boots,” a track that gradually ascends from the dreamscape of “big fat mouth” to new, electrifying peaks. As synths buzz and kick drums beat, lead singer Nathaniel Banks tests the heights of his vocal register and sends the track into a euphoric haze.
“iridescence,” was released Friday. The album takes on two sounds that the band has employed in the past — the abrasive sound they have showcased on tracks like “HEAT,” and the mellow, thoughtful sound of songs similar to “FACE.” These two styles help express the band’s conflicting emotions in the wake of Vann’s sexual misconduct coming to light. Half of the album embraces a gritty electronic sound layered with scattered angry lyrics. It’s as if Trent Reznor and Yeezus-era Kanye got together and decided to produce a Radiohead-Kraftwerk collaboration. It’s absurd, aggressive and wonderful — all at once. You can hear this sound all over the tracks “WHERE THE CASH AT,” “DISTRICT” and “J’OUVERT” on the album. The other half of the album is strewn with piano and guitar driven songs. These songs — “THUG LIFE,” “SAN MARCOS,” “TONYA” and others — are reflective, documenting various group members’ struggles with depression, both before and after their decision to dismiss Vann from the group. But, while Vann’s dismissal looms heavy over the album, the writing on the album addresses sensitive issues in a way the group hasn’t before. BROCKHAMPTON has often discussed issues of identity, but they become unapologetically political for the first time with “iridescence.” On “NEW ORLEANS,” Merlyn Wood reflects on the imperial roots of his identity, rapping “momma took me to the church and I sang a hymn / Colonized Christian / Now I’m losing my religion.” And on “HONEY,” Dom McLennon raps, “Take flight, never lean to the left or the right / ’Cause they turn the other cheek when our n----- start to die / When our women start to die, when our children start to
die.” Abstract also addresses his struggles with his sexuality in more depth than on previous projects. Specifically on “WEIGHT,” he describes the shame he felt as a teenager, rapping, “And she was mad cause I never wanna show her off / And every time she took her bra off my d--- would get soft / I thought I had a problem, kept my head inside a pillow screaming.” They’re lyrics that match the ambition of the project as a whole, a project which is captivating from the moment Matt Champion utters the intro to “NEW ORLEANS.” While there’s nothing on this album that’s as overtly fun as “STAR,” “GOLD” or “BOOGIE,” “iridescence” is more experimental, musically interesting and ambitious than anything BROCKHAMPTON has released before. On Friday September 21, 2018, BROCKHAMPTON arrived with “iridescence.”
Arlie must know just how good their minimalist chorus (“Do ya? Do ya? Do ya? Do ya?”) sounds, yet the band regularly pulls away from it to inject fresh instrumentation and vocals. “Too long,” in comparison, juxtaposes the band’s carefree bedroom pop sound with some of the album’s most thoughtful lyrics. “Wasn’t this supposed to be fun?” the song begins. The opening line is a self-aware poke at a record that is, seemingly, supposed to be fun. Moreover, the song’s chorus — “It’s been too long / I need to hear your sweet voice again / Your sweet voice again” — evokes a longing that fills the gaps between each refrain. Sadly, “water damage” boasts neither the buzz of “barcelona boots” nor the emotional depth of “too long.” “Water damage” comes off as a grittier, but no more thrilling, emulation of “big fat mouth.” Ultimately, the record’s fourth track is Arlie’s first forgettable release. “Didya think,” on the other hand, is a standalone track on the EP. Arlie’s second single, “didya think” features a pared-down indie rock sound that the band never expands upon in “Wait.” Fans of “didya think” might be disappointed by Arlie’s artistic direction; nevertheless, the song proves the band’s rock proficiency should they change direction in their next release. “Wait” ends with “tossing and turning,” a perplexing closing track. “Tossing and turning” begins with a fauxtropical beat, seemingly lifted from a beach-themed Mario game. The song’s muffled, generally-incomprehensible
lyrics provide little more insight into the band’s intentions. It is encouraging to see a band like Arlie unafraid to experiment in its developmental stages, but one can only hope “tossing and turning” remains a novelty item in Arlie’s discography. It will be interesting to watch how Arlie matures as a band in the coming years. A band like Arlie’s can only preserve its “college band” image for so long, but for Arlie, that shouldn’t be a problem. This new band is evidently comprised of talented musicians with active imaginations; “Wait” is just a hint of that. Arlie’s best work, one can expect, is yet to come.
Contact Lucas Masin-Moyer at lmasinmo@nd.edu
“iridescence” BROCKHAMPTON Label: RCA Tracks: “WHERE THE CASH AT,” “J’OUVERT,” “HONEY” If you like: Kanye West; Tyler, The Creator
Contact Matthew Kellenberg at mkellenb@nd.edu
“Wait” Arlie Label: Atlantic Records Tracks: “barcelonan boots,” “didya think,” “too long” If you like: Generationals, Vampire Weekend, The Beatles
RUBY LE | The Observer
6
Inside Column
Late night company Mary Steurer News Writer
I am not a natural insomniac, but when I arrived back on campus in August, bringing with me plenty of uneasiness about the new year, sleep became … more challenging, I guess. Unable to get my mind off of my anxieties, it would take me a couple hours to settle down. One late night, frustrated with my own restlessness, I headed to the Grotto. For the first time, I found it completely empty. For the first time, I had it all to myself. I sat down on a bench and let out a sigh. My head was still swimming with worry, but my surroundings were impossibly still. I realized how much I missed the quietness of real solitude. I could let go of the self-consciousness of the daytime and just pray. Drawn to it, I started going every night. Not more than a few days later, however, I found out I wasn’t the only one who likes late nights at the Grotto. I was back on one of the benches, with my eyes closed, trying to concentrate. I heard a sound and opened them. A little toad had hopped in front of me. Not wanting him to get lost, I picked him up and put him in by the trees. I was surprised — I hadn’t seen a frog on campus yet — but I was happy to have the company. As I put him down, I wondered what he thought of me. He probably couldn’t have cared less about what I was doing there or the worries that had kept me up that night. I’m not sure why, but thinking that way helped me put my problems into perspective. Since then, I’ve seen a whole host of animals there — and I don’t mean they’re hiding in the shrubs or the f lowers or anything. You don’t have to look for them; they come right out onto the pavement. Bunnies standing statue-still under the lampposts, watching skeptically. Chipmunks darting around the rocks. Spiders weaving webs between the candles. Pill bugs and ants milling about. The sound of cicadas and crickets saturating the air. These days, I still go to the the Grotto daily, but not nearly as late. I’ve been sleeping a little easier, thankfully. Still, I hold those nights special for the unique sense of peace they gave me. When I think back to them, I can’t help but remember one of my favorite prayers, “To Live with the Spirit” by Sister Miriam of the Holy Spirit, O.C.D. It’s in the little book you get when you’re a freshman. Though I love the whole prayer, this is my favorite part: “To live with the Spirit of God is becoming love, and like to him toward whom we strain with metaphors of creatures: fire-sweep and water-rush and the wind’s whim.” Contact Mary Steurer at msteure1@nd.edu The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The observer | wednesday, september 26, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Pro-life is pro-women Hopefully most people at Notre Dame would agree that someone’s worth is not based on their circumstances, accomplishments or abilities, but simply on the fact that they are a human person. Regardless of our political or religious persuasions, this idea is generally a point of common understanding — and if this is not always the case in our actions, it is at least true in our rhetoric. For example, ideally no one would say that a person of a different nationality, a person of low socioeconomic status, a person of a different religion, or a person with a disability, etc. is somehow worth less because of any one of these qualities. In fact, to say so would spark outrage throughout the Notre Dame community and probably across the media at large. However, when it comes to talking about the value and worth of women, the mainstream narrative suggests something quite different. Despite an intense desire and effort for widespread recognition of women’s dignity and equality, the promotion of contraception, abortifacients and abortion on demand as a means of achieving this goal sends exactly the opposite message. To say that access to contraception and abortion is an absolutely essential part of making women’s equality a reality is to say that women are not valuable as women. It says that women must fundamentally change who they are in order to have an equal place in society. It says that there is basically something wrong with the natural physiology of a woman, so that she must escape from it in order to make the most of her gifts and talents. At the heart of the movement for readily available contraception and abortion is not simply the proposition that women are just as valuable as men, or that women can achieve the economic and intellectual heights that men have (both of which are absolutely true). Rather, the underlying message of the abortion and contraception narrative is that women must become exactly like men in order to succeed in a male-dominated working world. To put it lightly, women must medically alter their reproductive biology, either through preventative or remedial action, so that they can behave sexually in a way similar to men. To put it harshly, women must either sabotage the natural reproductive structure of their body or kill their own child, so that neither themselves nor the men involved are in any way “burdened” with what has been considered throughout history the natural, biological result of sex. Ironically, the wholesale promotion of abortion and contraception, which has come to be seen as the hallmark of modern feminism under the work of Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Emily’s List and other groups, has made feminism not really feminism at all. Instead of working for a culture that recognizes and supports women as women, and striving for a society in which the encouragement of the gifts and talents of women exists alongside responsibility and care for women in their natural capacity to become mothers, modern feminism works for a culture in which women are recognized only insofar as they can become like men in their economic and sexual lives. We should all be striving for a culture that honors the value of women in all their uniqueness and in all their capacity for greatness. Neither abortion nor contraception provides an answer. Widespread usage of contraception has largely resulted in a culture that values women only for what they can give sexually, and that does not see women as worth a lifetime commitment
of love and support. And, inevitably, contraception fails. And, when it does, the availability of abortion on demand means that, despite the language of “choice,” women feel this is their only option, that no one will support them, and that they are totally alone. While choosing abortion might temporarily “fix” a situation (setting aside, of course, the lasting emotional, psychological and spiritual damage caused to the woman and all involved, as well as the deliberate killing of a totally innocent human being), it does nothing to change the cultural attitudes and structures which led the woman to be in the circumstances in which she felt that abortion was her only option. We do live in an imperfect world, and it is naive to think that there would never be an unplanned pregnancy free of difficulty (in fact, bringing a child into the world, whether it be expected or unexpected, always requires great sacrifice), it is also wrong to think that abortion is ever the right answer. It makes much more sense to establish laws providing paid family leave, build pregnancy support centers instead of abortion clinics and support the commitment of marriage and family than it does to legalize the abortion of the most innocent as a means of achieving women’s equality. From the beginning of the movement for legalized abortion, the pro-life stance has been unceasingly criticized as inherently “anti-woman.” While some members of the pro-life movement have in the past lacked sensitivity toward the unique situation of women, and have even opposed abortion as a part of a broader goal to oppose women’s equality, these viewpoints are not a part of the authentically Catholic pro-life worldview. The truth is that to be pro-life is to be pro-woman. The Catholic, pro-life understanding of women, men, sex and children is inherently pro-woman, and always has been. Pope John Paul II wrote in his encyclical “Mulieris Dignitatem” that in parenthood, God “entrusts” the human being to a woman in a special way. And, because of the woman’s more demanding physical role in parenthood, he adds that a man must be “fully aware that in their shared parenthood he owes a special debt to the woman.” Men must take responsibility for their actions, and not leave women alone and unsupported. This is a beautiful vision for a society that values women as such, and protects the most innocent and vulnerable. It is a vision for a society in which each woman who experiences a “special communion with the mystery of life, as it develops in [her] womb” is valued and supported both as a mother and for her intellectual, creative, and professional gifts. For all of these reasons, the theme of Notre Dame Right to Life’s Respect Life Week this year, Oct. 1-7, is “Pro-Life is Pro-Woman.” During the course of the week, we hope to show more fully why this is true, and how we participate in supporting women and in supporting life. We invite you to dialogue with us, and to be open to seeing how the pro-life vision is something everyone can support. We invite you to explore the power of selfsacrifice for building a culture that recognizes the value of every human person. We invite you to take a step forward into a life of real, self-giving love. Noelle Johnson Notre Dame Right to Life, director of spirituality junior Sept. 21
Join the conversation. Submit a Letter to the Editor: Email viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com
The observer | wednesday, september 26, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
7
Big game this weekend Andrew Rebholz Sort of Glass
Truly, this Saturday could be the game day to end all game days. As a senior, I was stoked to see my Irish stand up against those Wolverines and come out victorious — I’d call that the highlight of my college football experience, even after last year’s smashing of Southern Cal. However, I do think it’s incredibly likely that this week’s game will outshine all of those glorious moments, as Notre Dame takes on it’s biggest challenge of the year — Stanford Hall. “Yeah, it’s a little weird to be challenging our alma mater,” junior Bryan Govin of Stanford had to share with our reporters on his way to North Dining Hall. “Like, we just had pirate dance last Friday, so this kinda feels like a lot for our group of guys at the present moment.” Swashbuckling one night, conquering the Oregon Ducks the next evening, Stanford has earned its threatening status as Notre Dame’s biggest competitor this season. Posing decent competition through their running game, its throttling of the Ducks was a prime opportunity to show off their passing prowess. Surely, this two-tiered offensive will be a handful for our Notre Dame defense. “Yeah, I really thought that ‘Stanford’ meant the university when I saw it on our schedule,” Govin continued. “But, when I realized us Griffins were
being called up to the big leagues, I knew we’d just have to step up and make it happen inter-collegiately this season.” This mindset, undoubtedly, is the sort that has risen the Hall up to No. 7 in the power rankings. “Yeah, I never thought we were that great in the inter-dorm league,” Stanford RA Frederick Evertson offered to our reporters, “Definitely not bad, but also not too great. Still, I guess it’s all about those fundamentals — and playing section sports every Sunday.” He would also emphasize a satisfactory weightroom and lack of air-conditioning as elements adding up to his hall’s success. Evertson intends to lead his residents this coming Saturday. As the situation demands, the tension caused by Stanford’s enthusiasm for Saturday has provoked derision among the other North Quad residence halls, particularly Keenan, who’s been especially hostile to its building-mates. “After the successes of the Revue, they’re probably just intimidated that their neighbors have stepped onto a bigger, national stage,” Evertson offered. It is true, a plurality of BP Babes and Farley Finest have concurred, that this elevated publicity has made Stanford men more attractive than Keenan men. When asked for a comment, Keenan’s president promised that such popularity will change when Notre Dame comes out on top on this weekend. Brandon Wimbush has, as of yet, declined to
comment on whether he’ll be joining Stanford’s squad, having roomed there his freshman year. Placed as backup to Ian Book in the game against Wake Forest, fans have high hopes that he’ll remain with the Irish, knowing that his talent could still be tantamount this Saturday, not to mention his role as a leader on the team. Regardless, this divide between school spirit and hall loyalty has instigated a clashing of allegiances our campus hasn’t seen the severity of since the Walshbasketball debacle of 2003. “Hey, I hate to do it to the rest of campus, but this game could hold playoff repercussions for either team,” junior James Bryant had to tell. “I cannot in good conscious support the school of Our Lady when my dorm could face off against Alabama. There are certain levels of glory that transcend all others … plus, I think it would go a long way toward Hall of the Year.” Regardless of reason, Stanford intends to give its all Saturday, and the Irish will have to be at the top of their game to match. Once Coach Brian Kelly puts Evertson and crew in their place, we can all kick back and laugh at how Keenan obliterates their “parasite” this year. Best of luck to you, Griffins, and Go Irish! Andrew is not sarcastic. Coy to a fault, he enjoys talking without being heard. He can be reached at arebholz@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The Supreme Court: A bench of sexual abusers Jackie O’Brien Domer Debates
It seems as though we all just teleported back to 1991. An accusation treated with no sense of severity and respect, but with a sheer partisan will. A testimony destined to be undercut and a sexual abuser seemingly destined to be confirmed. Many would think that we would learn from our mistakes. Perhaps, we would understand now that rushing a confirmation hearing does not give an allegation of sexual abuse or harassment the time and consideration that it deserves. We might have realized that it takes not only time, but an independent investigation to gain true clarity on an allegation as severe as that of sexual misconduct. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford has been placed in a position almost identical to Anita Hill when she exposed Justice Clarence Thomas’ long history of sexual harassment. Anita Hill was forced to negotiate for her right to testify. Anita Hill’s witnesses who could back up her claims were not allowed to testify. Anita Hill was only questioned by partisan politicians with the sheer goal of placing a Republican on the Supreme Court bench. The rush of Dr. Ford’s testimony is a complete disrespect to the severity of her claims and has a clear and obvious partisan motive: to push this nomination through before the midterms. While former President
Obama apparently did not have the right to appoint a new Supreme Court justice since he had “only” a year left in office, President Trump and Senate Republicans have a right to rush another nomination before a pivotal midterm election. Examining Dr. Ford’s allegations in relation to this motive, it should be clear what should take precedent. Unfortunately, it seems that the Republican leadership does not agree with me. However, it has become clear that Dr. Ford is not alone in her allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. More women have felt compelled and empowered to come forward and share their experiences as well. Deborah Ramirez says that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a party at Yale their freshman year. Additionally, Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for Stephanie Clifford, claimed via Twitter that he has a client who also experienced sexual assault at the hands of Brett Kavanaugh, and the claims are very intense. You might think that this would be cause enough for our president to withdraw Kavanaugh’s nomination, or for Kavanaugh to withdraw himself. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Rather, Kavanaugh has taken it upon himself to appear on national television to deny these claims. Rather than waiting for both sides to have their day of testimony, he has taken it upon himself to appear on a stage undoubtedly friendly to him: an interview with Martha MacCallum. Is this the character we want in a Supreme Court justice? Someone who runs to a
partisan outlet to defend himself against multiple allegations rather than allowing our political process to run its proper course? Rather than allow equal testimony under oath, our potential future Supreme Court justice decided to give Fox and Friends an advertising opportunity, and give himself the opportunity to deny these allegations under the friendliest possible circumstances. That’s not what I want in my Supreme Court justice. I have little hope left for these confirmation hearings. It seems impossible that fairly listening to and considering survivor testimony will drive the hearings, rather than partisan and personal motive. Obviously, I was naive, but I thought we had improved. I saw #MeToo and thought that maybe, just maybe, our elected officials would care and pay attention. I hoped that survivors would get a fair chance and the respect that all human persons deserve. And I thought that the accused would maybe treat the allegations against them with the seriousness that they deserve. But I was wrong. It’s 1991 all over again. Jackie is a junior at Notre Dame majoring in political science and peace studies. Originally from the Chicago suburbs, in her free time she can be found discussing politics or the personal merits of Harrison Ford. All questions can be directed to: jobrie21@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | wednesday, september 26, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Will Shortz
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Make plans and follow through. A change of location or learning something new will help you make a decision that will improve your life. Taking on new responsibilities will help to stabilize your life and your mindset. A lifestyle change will give you the push you need to break old habits and embark on a new and healthier routine. Your numbers are 2, 7, 18, 21, 24, 36, 47. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do your part and get things done. Don’t give anyone room to criticize you for not pulling your weight. Be responsible and you’ll feel good about what you’ve accomplished. Help those counting on you without complaining. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Listen to advice offered, but when it’s time to decide, rely on what makes the most sense to you. A change in the way you feel about someone or something will dictate how you move forward. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Stick to the rules, no matter what others do. Taking a risk won’t pay off. Use your energy wisely and you will discover that planning can be the most important part of whatever venture you choose to pursue. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take a look at your choices and head in the direction that draws you most. Sometimes it’s good to break routine and to try something you’ve never done. Exploring unfamiliar territory will lead to personal growth. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t worry about what others are doing. Do your part and take your responsibilities seriously. Avoid making personal changes that aren’t necessary. Take care of your health. Doing what’s best for you will be satisfying and rewarding. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Check out your options before you make a move. Refuse to let anyone put you in a precarious position that can have a detrimental effect on you physically. Set your pace and stick to what works best for you. Handle romance sensibly. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): If someone applies force, walk away. Take the time you need to consider your next move. It’s better to be cautious than to appease someone by doing something that isn’t right for you. Focus on personal growth, not joint efforts. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Check out the latest trends and set your own style. Live life to suit what you want, not what someone else wants for you. Change is only good if it results in positive improvement. Romance should be a priority. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t take a risk. You’ll feel far better using your energy to get into tip-top shape or to make a conscious effort to save money, not spend it. Don’t let anyone talk you into buying something you don’t need. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Look at the possibilities and make the most of an opportunity. You have what it takes to get ahead if you are persistent. A personal change will bring you closer to someone who will bring out the best in you. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don’t get emotional or let your guard down. Keep your thoughts and plans to yourself until you have worked out all the details. If you let others get involved in your business, it will end up costing you more than anticipated. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You don’t have to prove yourself to others. Follow your heart and do what pleases you. A positive change will improve your status, reputation and the way you live life moving forward. An unexpected gift is heading your way. Birthday Baby: You are insightful, caring and helpful. You are opportunistic and steadfast.
WINGin’ it | OLIVIA WANG & BAILEE EGAN
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 26, 2018 | The Observer
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mlb | Nationals 9, marlins 4
Sports Authority
One quarterback Scherzer reaches 300 Ks as is all a team needs Nationals defeat Marlins Mia Berry Sports Writer
The most asked and most controversial question every football offseason revolves around the quarterback position. It’s no surprise the most important asset for a football team comes with many questions, given that the person under center has the biggest impact upon whether your team wins or loses. Some teams are starting from scratch looking for a new quarterback, while others have the luxury or two capable starters. Unless you’re Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady or Russell Wilson, most quarterback battles occur during offseason practices and preseason games, but come regular season a starter is named, and months of controversy are over. Barring injury or multiple team losses, one quarterback reigns supreme unless you’re a college football quarterback. In college, the one quarterback system doesn’t always apply, at least not yet. The new NCAA redshirt rule has made quarterback controversy a season-long competition this year. The new rule that allows a player to play in up to four games and still redshirt has essentially eliminated the timetable and urgency for head coaches to select their starter. It’s almost October and the battles are still ongoing. Four games into the college football season and the top three teams still haven’t named their season starter. Jalen Hurts or Tua Tagovailoa? Jake Fromm or Justin Fields? Trevor Lawrence or Kelly Bryant? Even Notre Dame has joined in on the controversy. As of now Alabama, Georgia and Clemson are a combined 120, which is a testament to the quarterback talent each team possesses, but as the season continues with the College Football Playoff steadily approaching, Nick Saban, Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney need to select one quarterback moving forward. The only thing more annoying than watching Clay Matthew acquire soft roughing-the-passer calls is watching two quarterbacks compete against one another while trying to beat an opponent. It’s overall bad football. The twoquarterback system is high school football, not college athletes working toward the NFL. In this type of two-man system, neither quarterback can fully get accustomed to playing in a full game because
schemes change based on the quarterback. It’s also difficult to get an effective and confident leader if your quarterback is always looking over his shoulder for his replacement. Plus, the stark divide of the team’s fanbase adds more insult to injury with half the fans rooting for one guy and the other half rooting for the other. Heading into bigger and more competitive games down the stretch, coaches need to name their guy. It’s impossible to have two leaders in important game-time situations. Which quarterback is going to lead the two-minute drill or which quarterback do you trust to throw a Hail Mary for the game? All of these issues are probably the reasons why most NFL teams choose one quarterback to lead the team regardless of the number of talented quarterbacks on the roster. Could you imagine the 2017 Patriots playing both Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo in the Super Bowl? The answer is no because Bill Belichick is smart enough to know to win big games you have to have all your confidence in one quarterback. Although I’m completely against it, I get the logic behind the playing two quarterbacks. Coaches are heavily invested in the feelings of their players, and they don’t want to necessarily waste a player’s eligibility. However, prolonging the quarterback battle by not naming a starter doesn’t make the controversy go away. If anything, it stirs the pot even more. Players are heavily confused, and this extreme form of coddling doesn’t help prepare players for the NFL. If coaches can’t put aside their personal feelings and attachments to certain players, then coaches should let numbers be the determining factor. Judging from a four-game sample size this season it’s clear to decide that Tagovailoa, Fromm and Lawrence deserve to be the outright starting quarterbacks for their teams. It shouldn’t be too complicated for coaches to make the decisions that they’re paid to. In the cutthroat world of football, coaches need to toughen up and choose one quarterback moving forward. Entry into the College Football Playoff is dependent on it. Contact Mia Berry at mberry1@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Max Scherzer became the 17th pitcher since 1900 to strike out 300 batters in a season, reaching that milestone by fanning 10 in seven innings Tuesday night during the Washington Nationals’ otherwise meaningless 9-4 victory over the Miami Marlins. Scherzer (18-7) lowered his ERA to 2.53 by allowing one run in seven innings as he bids for a third consecutive NL Cy Young Award; he also won the 2013 honor in the AL for Detroit. He threw 70 of his 100 pitches for strikes, gave up five hits and didn’t walk a batter. The righty reached the 300-strikeout mark by getting Austin Dean to whiff on an 85-mph slider at the end of a 10-pitch at-bat for the second out of the seventh. Scherzer pumped his fist while much of the announced crowd of 26,483 — including his wife, Erica May-Scherzer — joined players in the home dugout and home bullpen by saluting the ace with a standing ovation.
Sweating profusely on a muggy, 78-degree evening, Scherzer had all of his repertoire working, from the 97-mph fastballs he threw past Lewis Brinson for strikeouts in the fourth and seventh innings, to the 84-mph changeup that JT Riddle missed for a K leading off the game. Scherzer now has 10 strikeouts or more in a majors-high 18 of his 33 starts in 2018, and 82 such games for his career. “Being with him every day in that clubhouse, and watching him prepare on a daily basis, I can see why he’s the best,” manager Dave Martinez said. Scherzer entered Tuesday ranked No. 1 in the NL in eight significant statistical categories, including strikeouts, strikeouts-to-walks ratio (5.69), opponents’ batting average (.188) and innings pitched (213 2/3). He was also tied for No. 1 in two others: wins and quality starts (27). The expectation is that Scherzer and New York Mets starter Jacob deGrom are the main Cy Young contenders in the NL. DeGrom is 9-9 with a 1.77 ERA and single-season
records of 23 consecutive quality starts and 28 starts in a row allowing three or fewer earned runs. Scherzer allowed a single to Miguel Rojas and an RBI double to Brian Anderson in the fourth for Miami’s lone run off him. He threw two more pitches after his milestone strikeout, allowing a single to Magneuris Sierra and getting pinch-hitter Derek Dietrich to fly out on his 100th pitch. Washington’s Anthony Rendon hit a three-run shot in the first inning off Jeff Brigham (0-4), increasing his season totals to 24 homers and 90 RBIs and extending his streak of reaching base to 33 straight games. Rendon added an RBI double in the seventh, when Washington batted around and tacked on six runs. Bryce Harper scored twice to surpass 100 runs for the season; he already had a career-best 100 RBIs and more than 100 walks. Harper can become a free agent in the offseason, so Wednesday’s series finale could be the 2015 NL MVP’s last home game at Nationals Park.
MLB | astros 4, blue jays 1
Astros win 100th game, approach AL West title Associated Press
TORONTO — The Houston Astros reached 100 wins for the second straight season and closed in on the AL West title, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 Tuesday night behind Alex Bregman’s two-run homer. Houston improved to 100-57 and would clinch the division with one more win or a loss by second-place Oakland (95-62), which played later at Seattle. Seeking their second straight AL West title, the Astros need three wins in their final five games to break the franchise record for victories in a season, set in 1998. Houston is 18-4 in September and 54-22 on the road, both best in the major leagues. Roberto Osuna needed just six pitches in the ninth for his 20th save in 21 chances, completing a six-hitter. Earlier Tuesday, assault charges against Osuna were dropped because the complainant, who lives in Mexico, made clear she would not travel to Toronto to testify.
Osuna agreed to stay away from the alleged victim for one year and continue counseling. Traded from Toronto to Houston in July, Osuna was booed by Blue Jays fans for the second straight game, starting with when he entered and then in between pitches. Josh James (2-0) allowed one run and four hits in five innings in his third big league start. Bregman went 2 for 5 and extended his club-record streak of reaching base safely on the road to 53 games, then longest since 59 in a row by the New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter in 2006 and 2007. Bregman hit his 31st homer, a two-run drive in the first off Sam Gaviglio. Billy McKinney’s sixth homer cut the gap in half in the third, but Houston widened its lead in the sixth when Tyler White chased Gaviglio with an RBI single and pinchhitter Evan Gattis had a sacrifice fly off righty Danny Barnes. Gaviglio (3-9) allowed four runs — three earned — and six hits in five-plus innings, his
fifth straight winless outing.
Trainer’s room Astros: SS Carlos Correa (back) missed his sixth straight game. Correa is expected to return Wednesday and start at designated hitter. Blue Jays: RHP Aaron Sanchez had season-ending surgery Tuesday on his troublesome right index finger and is expected to be ready for spring training. The surgery was performed in Los Angeles by t Dr. Steven Shin. The Blue Jays did not disclose the specifics of the surgery or say what it was intended to repair. Sanchez went 4-6 with a 4.89 ERA in 20 starts, including a 1-1 record and 6.04 ERA in five starts after returning from a 54-game absence. Sanchez was hurt hours before a June 21 start at the Los Angeles Angels when his finger got caught in a suitcase. ... INF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (strained left hamstring) will miss the rest of the season. Gurriel was injured running out a ground ball in the first inning Monday.
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The observer | wednesday, september 26, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Football Continued from page 12
challenge is making sure that during the week of our preparation that they’re both sharp. We’ve got a lot of work to do each and every week to make sure that that happens in terms of making sure that they get the right looks in the red zone and short yardage and third down and long and blitz packages. It’s a lot of work during the week, but we’ll make sure both of them are ready.” Kelly added that, going forward, ideally both Book and Wimbush will be able to play during games, as he feels their skillsets complement each other well. “Whatever is going to get us a win against Stanford this week, if we feel like playing both of them every other series is the best thing to win, we’ll do it,” Kelly said. “We’re not here to please any one group. We’re just trying to win games.”
Dexter Williams Running back Dexter Williams has yet to see the field this season for the Irish (4-0). However, the junior is likely to see action this weekend against the Cardinal (4-0, 2-0 Pac-12), Kelly confirmed. “He’s been working with us. He’s been practicing. He’s been with us. He just hasn’t been up to the level that we wanted him to. He’s done a really good job. I expect that this week could be a week that he plays,” he said. “We’ve worked him through our team periods over the last few weeks, whether it be our blitz pickup period or our skelly period. He’s ready to play for us this week if he continues to do what we expect him to do.” Williams spent much of last season as the No. 2 running back on the depth chart, behind former Irish running back Josh Adams. He averaged 36 yards per game and rushed for 361 yards on the season, making him Notre Dame’s fourth-leading rusher on the season. He also scored four touchdowns on the ground in the 10 games he played. “He’s explosive. I think he gets into the second level, and he’s an explosive back,” Kelly said of Williams. “You know, does he have 20 carries in him this week? Probably not, but I think he can be integrated within a backfield that is emerging and getting better each and every week. … I think that explosiveness, especially at the second level, I think he adds very nicely to that.” Overall, Kelly feels Williams time away from the field has given him time to improve himself as a player and as a person. “He’s better in all facets than the Dexter Williams version that we had in the spring,” he said.
Special teams Since the first few weeks of the season, the Irish have made
a concerted effort to improve their special teams, as it was a noticeably weak area on the team. The Irish made personnel changes this weekend on kick and punt returns, including rotating in senior safety Nicco Fertitta and freshman linebacker Bo Bauer. “Quite frankly I would say just a lot of players understanding the leverage points of playing special teams. We’re seeing that growth much more, understanding how to leverage the football, [senior wide receiver] Chase Claypool leveraging the football so much better. Guys really understanding their roles a lot better,” Kelly said. “So, I just think that as we’ve progressed through the season, them getting their reps, I kind of alluded to it earlier, that sometimes you don’t get enough reps and it’s just a learning curve. Where kicking the football, especially in the opener, is so crucial, the placement of the football as you’re learning your leverage points. I think we’re further along in the season and we’re getting a lot more guys in those leverage points.” Kelly said that with special teams, the bottom line is that, without oversimplifying the game, it comes down to putting in the effort, and having players on the field who are willing to put in the work on every snap. “When you’ve got a guy like [junior safety] Alohi [Gilman] on those teams who brings so much energy to our defense and he’s running down there with great effort, it’s easy for me to turn to John Smith and say, ‘listen, John, get your butt moving. That guy is playing 90 snaps,’” Kelly said. “Know what I mean? It kind of sells it pretty good from that perspective when you have guys like that.”
Stanford When it comes to the Cardinal, one of the keys to the game will, of course, be containing senior running back Bryce Love, who Kelly referred to as “the best back in the country” Tuesday. While Love has had a slower-than-typical start to the season, Kelly attributes it to the fact that he is such a dangerous threat the teams have to pay him such attention. “I think he’s going to get his yards. He’s just too good of a player,” he said. “I think you’re really focusing on making sure that you’re not short at the point of attack. You can’t put him in a situation where he can go the distance. I think each and every week you’re strategically looking at minimizing his opportunities to turn easy offensive plays into touchdowns. “So I think each and every week, defenses have been very careful in making sure that the box looks were such that he’s not going to get easy looks.” In terms of controlling Love, Kelly’s approach is fairly simple. “You have to get him on the ground and tackle him,” he said.
Another offensive player who Kelly feels is poised to really make an impact in the game is junior quarterback K.J. Costello, who Kelly said is starting to embrace his role as a leader this season. “[He has developed] poise in the pocket, delivering the ball in some really, really tight windows, accuracy you can see by his numbers the completion percentages are way up,” he said. “He threw some great balls on Saturday. I mean,
Oregon had great coverage on a couple of third down — the one third down conversion, which set up the late-game field goal was just a beautiful throw into tight coverage.”
Injuries The Irish sustained one season-ending injury against the Demon Deacons, as freshman defensive lineman Jamion Franklin will have quad-tendon surgery to reattach his quadriceps to his bone.
“It’s a surgery that we don’t have very often, quad tendon surgery, so we’ll have to reattach the quad tendon, which probably three months for that to reattach, and then you’re talking six months for that to get back because there’s a lot of atrophy there with the quad,” Kelly said. “But he’ll be back for spring and ready to go. But kind of an unusual injury.” Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu
EDDIE GRIESEDIECK | The Observer
Irish senior wide reciever Chris Finke darts right while returning a punt during Notre Dame’s 56-27 victory over Wake Forest on Saturday at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Paid Advertisement
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ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 26, 2018 | The Observer
M Soccer Continued from page 12
“We were a little sluggish for the first 10 or 15 [minutes], not bad, but just a little sluggish. After that, we got going,” Riley said. “I think the goal gave us another lift. Ueland and [senior forward Sean] MacLeod did a great job when they came on and gave a lift to the team. We had an important second goal before halftime, which I think was good. We played with good composure throughout the remainder of first half.” At the start of the second half, the Irish quickly got back on the offensive. Freshman forward Jack Lynn gave a chest pass to junior midfielder Jack Casey and immediately ran past his defender and got the pass back from Casey. Lynn then proceeded to flick the ball over the help defense, getting past the backline and earning a one-onone with Xavier’s Nelson. A shot to the left post gave Lynn his second goal of the season, and 51 minutes into the contest the Irish were up 3-0. Xavier spoiled the collegiate debut by Irish junior goalkeeper Duncan Turnbull, scoring in the 59th minute off a cross by senior midfielder Simen Hestness that made it to a wideopen Matt Nance, a graduate student defender, who kicked it in for the Musketeer’s lone goal of the night and his first goal of the season. While Notre Dame has still not conceded a goal in the first half of any game this season, Riley said it’s difficult to play a complete game against good teams. “This game has been [our fourth] game [against] a top-25 in the RPI, and it’s Xavier’s first loss,” he said. “Xavier had good chances in the first half, but we stood up to them. Maybe in another night maybe the cross doesn’t go to [Nance]. Overall, our defensive performance was good, but sometimes when a team’s chasing they have that little extra freedom in the attack. I think it’s probably more just that we’re playing good teams and good teams are hard to shutout.” The Irish had a swift response to Xavier’s goal. In the 65th minute, Dumas sent a corner into the box that was met
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by an open Patrick Berneski. The graduate student scored his fifth goal of the season with a powerful header to the right side of the goal, capping off an impressive Irish rebound game. Berneski — the captain of the team — is the leading scorer for Notre Dame despite being a defender, something Riley has noted. “[Berneski] really has done a great job,” he said. “I think he’s now going to start chasing Brandon Aubrey from two or three years ago, who led the team in scoring as a central defender.” Aubrey scored nine goals in 21 matches during the 2016 season. Berneski has netted five goals in eight matches, putting him on track to rack up 13 goals in 21 matches if he keeps scoring at this rate. Next up for Notre Dame is a home match against rival Boston College at 7 p.m. Friday, which will mark the end of the five-game home-stand for the Irish. CONNERY McFADDEN | The Observer
Contact Charlie OrtegaGuifarro at cortegag@nd.edu
Irish senior forward Thomas Ueland fights for the ball during Notre Dame’s 2-1 overtime loss to Indiana on Sept. 11 at Alumni Stadium. Ueland scored his second goal of the season 31 minutes into Tuesday’s win.
CONNERY McFADDEN | The Observer
Irish freshman forward Mohamed Omar dribbles down the field while looking to pass during Notre Dame’s 2-1 loss against No. 2 Indiana at Alumni Stadium on Sept. 11. Omar recorded a shot on goal during Tuesday’s win over Xavier, and he has also contributed an assist this season.
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M Golf Continued from page 12
playing against a difficult field. “It’s pretty impressive when you have a freshman leading the way,” Handrigan said of O’Leary. “Andrew has a great attitude and a great demeanor on the course, which is particularly notable for a young guy like himself.” Among the other Irish golfers competing, 2018 Northern Intercollegiate individual champion Hunter Ostrom shot 212 for the tournament. Davis
Lamb, who led the Irish in their opening tournament at the Badger Invitational, recorded a 4-over-par (214) score for the tournament. While it seems as though Notre Dame may have hit a bump early on, Handrigan made it clear that it is definitely not time to hit the panic button. “We just have to fine tune a couple of things — mainly their short game and certain shots around the green,” Handrigan said. “We’re close to getting to our A-game and really becoming a threat to the field moving
forward. “ … We’ve got 10 days to work on a few things, and we’re going to put in the necessary work to make sure we’re ready for our home event.” The Irish next play Oct. 7 and 8 when they host the Fighting Irish Classic at Warren Golf Course. The two-day competition will feature a strong field of 14 teams coming to South Bend, and will get underway at 8:45 a.m. Sunday and 8:30 a.m. Monday. Contact Grant Delveccio at gdelvecc@nd.edu
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The observer | wednesday, september 26, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
ND men’s soccer | nd 4, xavier 1
ND bounces back, gives Xavier first defeat By CHARLIE ORTEGAGUIFARRO Sports Writer
On a night in which a lightning storm called for the game to finish at the 72nd minute, Notre Dame was able to pull out of a three-game losing skid with a 4-1 win over previously undefeated Xavier. As reports of an incoming thunderstorm were rolling in, No. 20 Notre Dame (4-3-1) needed to get to the 70-minute mark in order to avoid having to play the second half again. With the inclement weather just moments away, officials called the game early at 71 minutes and 46 seconds, making the scoresheet final and giving the Irish their first win in 18 days. The Musketeers (3-1-4) were ranked 22nd in the nation coming into the game due to an undefeated season that had included four shutouts. The Irish offense, however, was too much for the Musketeers. After a sluggish start, the Irish were able to get on the scoresheet — something they
hadn’t been able to do since their 2-1 overtime loss to No. 2 Indiana on Sept. 11 — in the 27th minute. Senior Notre Dame defender Felicien Dumas hit a free kick that was then deflected by a Xavier defender. Irish sophomore midfielder Aiden McFadden picked up the loose ball in the box and kicked it into the net for his second goal of the season. The first goal gave the Irish a lift, and less than four minutes later they were celebrating their second. Senior forward Thomas Ueland and graduate student midfielder Blake Townes played a two-man game that gave Ueland a look on goal. The Kentucky native buried a shot behind junior Xavier keeper Zachary Nelson for his second goal of the season to put the Irish up 2-0. Notre Dame controlled the rest of the first half, and head coach Chad Riley noted that the team started the game off slow but took control soon after the first quarter-hour. see M SOCCER PAGE 11
ANNA MASON | The Observer
Irish graduate student defender Patrick Berneski looks upfield during Notre Dame’s 4-1 victory over Xavier on Tuesday at Alumni Stadium. During the win, Berneski scored his fifth goal of the season, a team high.
nd men’s golf | old town club invitational
FOOTBALL
Kelly discusses starting QBs, Williams returning
Irish hit bump, take fifth place
By ELIZABETH GREASON
By GRANT DELVECCIO
Assistant Managing Editor
Sports Writer
During his weekly press conference, Irish head coach Brian Kelly discussed the preparations his team is making going into a top-10 home matchup with No. 7 Stanford, as well as his impressions from Notre Dame’s most successful offensive outing yet in its 56-27 win over Wake Forest. After making the controversial decision to start junior quarterback Ian Book in the place of senior Brandon Wimbush against the Demon Deacons (2-2, 0-1 ACC), Kelly reserved the right to decide which member of the duo would be taking snaps under center on a week-to-week basis. “I think they’re both going to prepare. They’re both going to prepare the way they have. Look, it’s important that everybody knows that both of these quarterbacks can win football games for us. That’s the most important thing,” he said. “So, as coaches, we have to keep both of them sharp. That’s the
Coming off an improved performance at the 2018 Northern Intercollegiate tournament, the Irish headed into Monday’s Old Town Club Invitational with hopes of riding the momentum and building off their second place finish the week prior. Unfortunately, the Irish took a step back as opposed to a step forward early this week in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Irish head coach John Handrigan was “disappointed” with his team’s fifth place finish at the Old Town Club Invitational, and noted that the Irish “didn’t bring their A-game this week.” The field at the Old Town Club Collegiate Invitational included Wake Forest, Louisville, Rutgers, North Carolina and Yale. Wake Forest, a three-time NCAA men’s golf champion, played on its home course and finished in second place, one stroke behind overall champion Louisville. Although Handrigan acknowledged that his team
see FOOTBALL PAGE 10
EDDIE GRIESEDIECK | The Observer
Irish junior quarterback Ian Book runs with the football during Notre Dame’s 56-27 win over Wake Forest on Saturday.
didn’t play to its true potential, he also said that the Irish battled against top competition. “We played solid against a pretty good field,” Handrigan said. “Even though we finished in fifth, our guys worked and battled hard, and we are looking forward to getting back on our home turf.” Leading the way for the Irish were freshman Andrew O’Leary, senior Miguel Delgado and sophomore Davis Chatfield, who shot 4-under par (206), 3-under par (207) and 2-under par (208), respectively. Delgado and Chatfield have both been pacing the Irish throughout the team’s first three tournaments this season, and are two individuals Handrigan will look to throughout the season to lead the team on the course. In the case of O’Leary, who placed 12th overall in the tournament, the Irish are more than happy to have him on the team for the next four years. O’Leary tallied three round scores of 68, 69 and 69 — performing at a high level despite see M GOLF PAGE 11