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Volume 52, Issue 42 | friday, november 3, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Trainers play key role for team Group of 20 students provide support for football program on gameday By NICOLE SIMON News Writer
Although they spend most of their time in the training room or on the sidelines, Notre Dame’s student trainers perform a valuable service for the football team. Working closely with the head trainers of the Sports Medicine staff, student trainers are responsible for everything from providing the players with water to assisting trainers with medical treatments. Junior Rose Hart said she wanted to be a student trainer before she was even at Notre Dame. Her brother, a former Notre Dame student, told her about the program and encouraged her to do it. “I had been telling my friends since junior year of high school, ‘I’m going to be an athletic
trainer at Notre Dame,’” Hart said. Student trainers’ primary responsibility is working closely with head trainers to ensure the players are healthy and hydrated on and off the field, Hart said. “We do pre- and post-practice treatments,” she said. “We’ll assist the head trainers in whatever they need us to do. It’s a lot of taping ankles, wrists, fingers.” Junior Claire Boyce works alongside Hart and said the student trainers enjoy their responsibility. “We work in the training room helping with rehab treatments and other responsibilities,” Boyce said in an email. “We also work with the football team and take pride in being ‘hydration specialists’ at practices and see TRAINERS PAGE 5
Observer Staff Report
Photo courtesy of Rose Hart
The football student trainers work with the head trainers and play an integral role in helping the football team stay healthy.
Month spotlights black leaders in Catholicism By SERENA ZACHARIAS News Writer
Campus Ministry, McGrath Institute for Church Life, ND Folk Choir, Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism and Sacred Music are hosting a series of events throughout November to celebrate Black Catholic History Month.
The committee, composed of individuals from the host organizations, have been working since September to tailor the events in terms of prayer, celebration and education. Deacon Mel Tardy, vice president of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, said the month serves to draw attention to black Catholic leaders.
“National Black Catholic History Month was started by the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus in 1990,” Tardy said. “It’s meant to celebrate black Catholic history and culture, and to create an awareness of the history of lesser-known black individuals who have lived see CATHOLICISM PAGE 5
Office of the Registrar to introduce new feature By COURTNEY BECKER News Editor
The Office of the Registrar is testing a new class registration tool — ND Academic Planner — that will be available to students during course registration for the Fall 2018 semester. The tool is intended to simplify the process of searching for courses, planning schedules and registering
NEWS PAGE 3
for classes. The Office of the Registrar collaborated with student government to create the planner and is receiving feedback from a group of around 40 students who are testing the tool during this semester’s registration process. University registrar Chuck Hurley said planners such as Coursicle and Schedulizer inspired the tool during the design
VIEWPOINT PAGE 6
Rape reported at Notre Dame
process. ND Academic Planner’s uniqueness, Hurley said, lies in its integration with Banner, Notre Dame’s registration program. “[We] wanted to build something that was actually integrated with Banner because students will go to Coursicle and see REGISTRAR PAGE 4
SCENE PAGE 8
A rape was reported to the University’s deputy Title IX coordinator, according to Thursday’s Notre Dame Security Police (NDSP) crime log. The alleged rape occurred in a men’s residence hall between the night of Aug. 31 and the morning of Sept. 1. Information about sexual assault prevention and resources for survivors of sexual assault are available online from NDSP and from the Title IX office.
College hosts lecture on Pope Francis’ teachings By MAEVE FILBIN News Writer
The final installment of a threepart lecture series, “The Francis Effort: His Impact on The Church and The World,” was delivered Thursday by Susan Wood, chair of the department of theology at Marquette University. Her talk addressed five recurring themes throughout the pope’s writings, as well as the ecumenical gestures he has made over the years. Wood said there are a number of repeating motifs throughout the Pope’s writings that relate to ecumenical relationships — namely the themes of dialogue, encounter, journey, the model of unity as a reconciled diversity and the ecumenism of blood. The dialogue of ecumenism, Wood said, can be considered “an encounter and conversation, a speaking and a listening between partners.” Each partner speaks from his or her own perspective
of the world, and offers a unique context to be considered by the receptive party, she said. “A successful ecumenist engaged in dialogue can articulate the partner’s perspective not only so that the partner recognizes it as her own, but sometimes better than she can articulate it herself,” Wood said. “The first aim of dialogue is not to convince the partner of one’s own deeply-held convictions, but to understand another in a deep way. It is above all a spiritual experience in understanding the other, a listening and speaking to one another in love.” Wood said dialogue is a necessary partner to doctrine, as it humanizes the often “disembodied words” or “abstract propositions” imposed on real-life situations. Applied dialogue, she said, provides more transparency and authenticity to ideology, as well as a deeper, more see FRANCIS PAGE 4
irish insider inside
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TODAY
The observer | Friday, november 3, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
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The Asian American Association (AAA) advertises for Asian Allure, a cultural show featuring performances from Asian Notre Dame clubs, by giving out samples of Boba, a tea made from cassava root. The show will be held in Washington Hall on Nov. 10 and 11.
The next Five days:
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Boardroom Insights Lecture: Paul Reilly Jordan Auditorium 10:40 a.m. - 12:10 p.m. Raymond James Financial CEO to talk.
“Healing Words, Healing Work” Annenberg Auditorium 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Talk on recovery from child abuse.
Concert, Kiera Duffy, soprano Leighton Concert Hall 1 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. An afternoon of classical music.
“Birthright Citizens” Eck Hall of Law 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lecture discussing the history of the 14th amendment.
Tri-Military Veterans Day Ceremony Clarke Memorial Fountain 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Open to the public.
Men’s Basketball vs. Bethel Purcell Pavilion 7 p.m. The Irish take on the Pilots.
Saturdays with Saints: St. Robert Southwell, S.J. Geddes Hall 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Talk prior to game.
Reformation Prayer Basilica of the Sacred Heart 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Prayer for unity amongst Christians.
An Evening of Irish Music Legends 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Traditional and contemporary music.
“Truth, Trust and Trump” Geddes Hall 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Pizza and pop will be served to attendees.
News
ndsmcobserver.com | friday, november 3, 2017 | The Observer
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SMC students discuss diversity of religion By GINA TWARDOSZ Associate Saint Mary’s Editor
Saint Mary’s held a Belles of Different Faiths panel Thursday, during which five students discussed their faiths, practices and some of the misconceptions behind their religions. Sophomore Iman Omar, senior Colleen Zewe, senior Taylor Thomas, sophomore Emily Barr and sophomore Abbee LaPlace were on the panel. Editor’s note: Omar and Zewe are news writers for The Observer. Thomas, who formerly practiced Judaism, said Judaism is about being a decent person. “Judaism really pushes the fact that you should be a decent person — not because you have to but because you want to, that you want to help the person next to you,” she Paid Advertisement
said. “In my household, we don’t believe in blind love. You want to push the person you love to strive to be more, just as you do for yourself, as well.” LaPlace said the Torah encourages others to live kindly and fairly. “A rabbi had commented on a Torah portion and he said, ‘When we treat others kindly, fairly and lovingly we are trying living Torah,’ meaning that we are truly living in the way that HaShem wants us to live,” she said. LaPlace said her favorite tradition as someone who practices conservative Judaism is mitzvah. “Mitzvah are good deeds … so being kind to one another, making someone smile,” she said. “I think the biggest Mitzvah I do is teach Hebrew to second graders, and I teach Torah study to my fifth and sixth graders.” LaPlace said her biggest struggle has been overcoming anti-semitism. “There’s always been the jokes, there’s always been the taglines, and it took me a very long time to realize that the people who say those things aren’t completely bad, they aren’t cold-hearted people, they are just very ignorant,” she said. “They don’t take the time to learn about other people, they just assume.”
Barr, from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, said people have many misconceptions about love in her religious community “Most people have heard that in the past, we have [practiced] polygamy,” she said. “It hasn’t been practiced for over 100 years now.” Barr said she has struggled with attending a school where she is the only one who practices her religion. “I don’t want to say it’s been lonely because that sounds negative, but it kind of has been,” she said. “Arizona and Utah have been settled by Mormons so there’s Mormons everywhere. There are churches on every corner.” Thomas said she feels some of the professors who teach religion at Saint Mary’s do not always take every religion seriously. “I never had any issues with the ministry on campus. I feel like my biggest issue has come from the classes themselves,” she said. “I am not a fan of a lot of the religion professors here. Not all of them — there have been some really great ones — but some of the professors have rubbed me the wrong way. I know a lot of them are Catholic, so when they speak about Catholicism there is all this love and passion, and then the minute they switch to discussing Paid Advertisement
other religions … you can tell by their tone of voice they don’t take other religions seriously.” In some of her classes that discuss religious myths and legends, Barr said, she feels she cannot fully participate and share the myths and religions particular to her faith. “One thing that’s been interesting is I’m taking a class called ‘Myth, Legend and History,’ and we talk a lot about the saints and the Virgin Mary” she said. “And I’ve enjoyed the class, but I feel like I can’t contribute to the class because with my perspective, I’d have to explain for awhile before my point makes any sense.” LaPlace said she has encountered some students who have singled her out for her religion. “Coming in as a freshman, I was told to find a new friend and introduce yourself,” she said. “So the first time I walked into the dining hall, I walked up to this girl and said, ‘Hey, can I sit with you?’ And she looked at me, looked at my necklace — the Star of David — and said, ‘Are you Jewish?’ And when I said yes [she] told me I could not sit with her.” LaPlace said she wishes the College would try harder to involve all faiths and religions within the community. “Something I really struggle with
is that there are a lot of talks here at Saint Mary’s,” she said. “Last year in particular I noticed that there are a lot of ones about the New Testament and the Quran, which is great, but how hard is it to call a rabbi and ask if they can add the Torah into this talk?” Thomas said she has had to defend her religion in recent years due to the rising tensions between Palestine and Israel. “I’ve had people come up to me and yell at me, saying, ‘You’re Jewish, how dare you? Israel is destroying lives,’” she said. “I’m not going to give you my opinions about Israel, but it’s really hard because a lot of people will tell me my people are murderers. We all just have to look at the individual and stop assuming stereotypes about everyone.” LaPlace said she often feels like she has to defend her pro-Israel stance. “I am pro-Israel,” she said. “But not pro-Israel in the fact that, yes it is a Jewish state and yes, it’s somewhere I belong as a Jewish person, but everyone else belongs there, too. Pro-Israel is not just about it staying a Jewish state. It’s the kindness of everyone.” Contact Gina Twardosz at gtwardosz01@saintmarys.edu
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NEWS
The observer | friday, november 3, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Senate confirms
Barrett Observer Staff Report
After being nominated by President Donald Trump in May, the U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to confirm Notre Dame law professor Amy Barrett as a federal judge, the Notre Dame Law School announced in a press release Tuesday. Barrett, who will serve as a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, graduated from Notre Dame Law School in 1997 and has been a professor in the School since 2002, the press release said. She was named the Law School’s “Distinguished Professor of the Year” by the students in 2006 and 2016 for her work as a professor of constitutional law, statutory interpretation and in the area of federal courts, the release said. “Amy Barrett has been a beloved teacher and outstanding scholar,” Nell Newton, dean of Notre Dame Law School, said in the press release. “I am confident she will be a wise, fair and brilliant jurist as well.” Barrett’s jurisdiction covers Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin.
Francis Continued from page 1
personal understanding between Christians. In his writings, Pope Francis urges the Church to engage in dialogue with the states, society and other believers, something Wood said is important in today’s political climate. The Pope’s dialogic approach to ecumenism is a timely reminder of our obligation to respectful conversation, despite differing viewpoints, Wood said. “Pope Francis comments that ‘to dialogue entails a cordial reception, not prior
Registrar Continued from page 1
then they’ll have to print it out or write it down,” he said. “This will help students into all of our Notre Dame data there. So we’re really optimistic about it.” Senior associate University registrar Amika Micou said the integration with Banner is tool’s most popular feature thus far. “That always gets a round of applause the first time someone sees it,” she said. “I think it’s the thing that we’re doing that nothing else is or can do. So they’re very excited about that, and the whole planning side of it is something that we’ve heard is missing from the tools that we’re
condemnation,’” she said. “‘In order to dialogue, it is necessary to know how to lower the defense, open the doors to the house and offer human warmth.’” Wood said the journey Jesus invites us to take can be defined as a pilgrimage toward Christian unity. “To understand one another, and to grow in charity and truth, we need to pause, to accept and listen to one another,” Wood said. “In this way, we already begin to experience unity. Unity grows along the way. It never stands still. Unity happens when we walk together.” The ecumenism of blood
mentioned throughout the pope’s writings, Wood said, maintains that “martyrdom for the faith constitutes a bond among Christians, whatever their confession, and thus constitutes an ecumenism of blood.” She said religious persecution unites Christians around the world. “Pope Francis has said, ‘When Christians are persecuted and murdered, they are chosen because they are Christian, not because they are Lutheran, Calvinist, Anglican, Catholics, Orthodox,” Wood said. In addition to the themes he touches upon in his writings, Wood said, Pope Francis’s
outreach to Evangelicals, Protestants and Lutherans have been exemplary gestures of ecumenism. In all interactions, she said, the Pope urges for progress in unity and communal participation in prayer. “Pope Francis addresses all Christians in saying, ‘I invite Christians everywhere at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least and openness to letting Him encounter them,’” Wood said. “‘I ask all of you to do this unfailing each day.’”
providing them now.” This integration with Banner will allow students to add entire schedule plans to their official schedules with two clicks, Hurley said. “Basically, instead of typing in the five CRNs or searching and then clicking on ‘add’ and things like that, it would allow you to apply these plans [as a whole],” he said. With the new planner, students will be able to search for courses by attributes such as subject, requirement or professor and add them to a potential schedule, which includes a visual representation of the schedule plan. Students can create up to five hypothetical plans, a number Micou said came out of
discussions with students about the tool. “That was a discussion point,” she said. “So every time we had these small groups with student government, we said, ‘What number seems about right?’ Because we all agree that if you get too many out there it gets overwhelming, and five just seemed about right for them. It’s not too many, not too little.” However, Hurley stressed that creating these plans does not automatically register students for classes. “One of the keys, though, is that students still need to understand they would still need to go in at their time ticket and register,” he said. “Creating a plan does not automatically register a student
for classes. It’s no different than looking up classes in class search right now, or going to Coursicle, or Schedulizer or something like that and creating some test plans. … Classes will be full, things like that, but it integrates the planner with registration.” Hurley said the creation ofND Academic Planner was largely student-guided. The Office of the Registrar tried to incorporate student requests into the planner. “We started kind of with a blank slate and said … ‘If you could wave a magic wand, what would you want to build plans in registration?’” he said.
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Catholicism Continued from page 1
virtuous lives and are great models to us in the faith.” Rosemary Agwuncha, a senior and intern for African American Ministry, stressed the importance of diversity within the Catholic Church. “When we are here at Notre Dame people often get in the mindset that there is one way to be Catholic, but there is beauty in the diversity that exists within the Church,” Agwuncha said. “The worship experience for African Americans is a full-body experience, and there is diversity even within the African American tradition. Celebrating and recognizing that idea will give the
Trainers Continued from page 1
games.” Although games can be hectic on the field, Hart said the trainers always have a good time on football Saturdays. “Sometimes it’s a little bit of running around, making sure everything’s good,” Hart said. “Everyone’s so nice and helpful. It’s not really that stressful. It’s mostly just fun.” Not only do student trainers put
ndsmcobserver.com | friday, november 3, 2017 | The Observer
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opportunity to bring people together.” Rebecca Ruvalcaba, assistant director of multicultural ministry, said she also hopes the celebration of this month will serve as an educational experience for Notre Dame students. “My hope is to spread awareness that this month exists in the Catholic Church, and it is a means to embrace different ways of worship and coming into faith,” Ruvalcaba said. “The influence and the culture of the African American community is beautiful, which I think students will be able to witness though dance, music and the celebrations.” Ruvalcaba said she regards this month as a way to observe and admire the strength of the relationship between the community of
African Americans and their faith. “Through the suffering and the challenges that this community has faced, these people have been so resilient and grounded in their faith,” she said. It is also an opportunity to look back on the stories of past leaders in the Church in order to move forward, Tardy said. “Learning these stories about Saint Martin De Porres, Augustine of Hippo and Sister Jamie Phelps — who have gone through difficult circumstances yet have endured in faith — is inspiring,” Tardy said. “I think that’s a message that is important in a time where people wonder about what comes next with the Catholic Church.” The events throughout the month will begin Friday with a
Mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in honor of Saint Martin De Porres at 11:30 a.m. The Mass will be followed by an evening prayer service in Dillon Hall at 7 p.m. with performances by Voices of Faith and the ND Folk Choir. Vincent Nguyen, a graduate seminarian for the Congregation of Holy Cross, said he is excited for Friday’s evening service and the rest of the month, as he views the opportunities as new ways to pray that are still rooted in the Catholic tradition. “It’s a great opportunity to broaden and remind ourselves of how complex and exciting the Catholic Church is, and of the importance of recognizing all of the different people who call themselves Catholic,” Nguyen said. The month will also highlight
race relations in the U.S. beyond the Catholic Church, Ruvalcaba said. “On Nov. 7 we have a film, ‘Sisters of Selma,’ along with a panel discussion, that will speak in regards to the different issues blacks face in the United States — like discrimination and racism — and how specifically the Catholic sisters were quite present in the Civil Rights Movement with Martin Luther King,” she said. The observance of the month will end Nov. 20 with a celebration of music and dance featuring performances by brass and jazz bands, the Gospel choir and African dancers in LaFortune Ballroom.
in up to 20 hours of work during football season, but they sacrifice typical game day experiences, such as tailgating and cheering alongside their classmates in the student section. “Initially I thought I’d miss tailgating, but once I started working the games, I realized being on the sidelines was just as fun,” Boyce said. “Working alongside the team every day, I’m very invested in ND football, so I love getting to watch the games from the field.” Hart said she was worried about missing out during her freshman
year but has come to love working on game days. This year, she worked the first two home games but had the third game against Miami (OH) off. She said she spent the day tailgating with her friends and family but missed being part of the training team. “I found myself missing being inside game day — getting to be on the field before the game, and setting up, and seeing all the pregame things,” she said. “It’s a very different experience. I definitely don’t regret it, but sometimes my friends miss me.”
Both Hart and Boyce have been student trainers since their freshman year, when they applied, interviewed and shadowed upperclassmen for a year before being selected to continue for the next three years. Hart said the student trainers have a great community with each other and the teams with which they work. “There’s about 20 of us and we’re really close, so it’s really fun,” Hart said. The student trainers even have some traditions of their own, including watching the team walk to
Notre Dame Stadium before every game, Hart said. “One of my favorite things to do is after we have everything set up and we hear the band start to play, Claire and I will run up to the top of the Stadium,” Hart said. “I stand at the top and look over and can see the Main Building, the Basilica, the library and everything. I get to see the team walk in and all the fans get really excited. It’s an awesome view.”
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The observer | Friday, November 3, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Inside Column
An existential dispatch, post fever-dream Mike Donovan Scene Writer
It’s Thursday, Nov, 2, at 4:26 p.m. I wake up from a fever dream. My Viewpoint deadline just 30 minutes away, I frantically write the entire thing down. According to contemporary theory in marketing and management, corporate leadership should consider performance metrics beyond profitability during the product development process — particularly those measuring customer satisfaction, brand power and innovation. Thanks to big data (courtesy of information technologies) managers can develop detailed quantitative portfolios of these metrics for use in the marketing management process. Consider the following case. An entertainer wants to produce a television comedy show. The entertainer knows that, in order to be successful, he must scrupulously research his target market and mine the data to build a powerful brand. The entertainer produces a test short, and releases it to a test market. Then, the entertainer holds focus groups and releases surveys (featuring the “Ultimate Question” according to marketing goddess Frederick F. Rechheld) — “How likely are you to recommend our product to a friend or colleague?” The results are not promising, and the net promoter score abysmal. How might the entertainer leverage recourses to improve his standing in the comedic television market? “Bird Up!” Go all in “boobay,” with your green morph suit, stuffed parrot and any other goodies you have up your skin-tight sleeve. Run the skit until the cows come home, then kick the cows out of your home so you can run the skit some more. Then, have dinner with the cows. Make friends with them. Fall in love with one. Marry her. Get divorced. Sit on a cactus. Call your friend. Have him sit on a cactus with you. Put it on TV. Laugh at the viewers as their faces cringe in discomfort. Welcome, ladies and gents, to the world of Eric Andre, creator of the beloved “Eric Andre Show” and poster child of existential humor. Watch your step, “there were 484, 367 deaths registered in England and Wales in 2011, a fall of 1.5% from 2010,” so, naturally, it’s about to get weird. So. Uh. Gee. I guess I could talk about the innovative nature of his comedy (which is in fact, an important performance metric beyond profitability). Or maybe I could analyze his pointed social commentary (for what’s a Viewpoint if not dense and political), but I want to do the man justice. So, er, yeah. (A note to the editor: if anything I write in this piece that strikes you as meaningful, redact it swiftly and severely.) After a couple tests and a minor bout of sickness, I finally understand the utter pointlessness of existence. That’s why I listen when Eric Andre speaks at me. Did I make a point yet? No? Not really? A little? Good. We’ll go with that. Ok, I have a few extra words left, but I already finished the whole existentialist Eric Andre thingy. It was fun. Wasn’t it? Was it? Should I care? Should you care? Why do I ask so many questions? Chill on your boy. He’s a hack writer, doing this because he must. He had something to say a week ago, some interesting thing about Emerson and education, but WordPress deleted it. So this is what you get, the shaky ramblings of my stress-addled fever dream, submitted on the cusp of a deadline. 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.
Screw it, we’re ranking the costumes As the jack-o’-lanterns adorning stoops everywhere begin to deflate and the costume box returns to the attic from whence it came, it can only mean one thing: Halloween is over, and the holiday season is approaching. But don’t fret, for there is something to look forward to before the inescapable barrage of Christmas music encompasses everything around you: Now that Notre Dame’s football team is in top form, the College Football Playoff rankings will provide ample entertainment all the way up to the championship game in January. We, the Editorial Board, have taken it upon ourselves to celebrate both the exciting prospect of a new ranking season and the passing of Halloween with a little ranking of our own. Check below for descriptions of some of our favorite Halloween costumes from this year:
have to be dominant determinants. How many people do you know who rocked full scrubs with a galaxy T-shirt to make a comfortable political statement? Certainly fewer than the number of “Risky Business” impersonators we’ve all seen. The surgical cap and mask combined with a flashy space shirt and scrub pants will capture the attention of fellow party-goers in a way that the horde of LimeBikes out there simply can’t. For this reason, Universal Healthcare makes the top 10. 6.) Darth Vader Ginsburg Love her or loathe her, the “Notorious RBG” is iconic, so why not combine her with another icon from a galaxy far, far away to create some great word play? A judge’s robe — complete with her white frills — and glasses glued onto a Darth Vader mask make for a surprisingly recognizable costume concept, especially when paired with pearl earrings and a lightsaber (“Democrat blue” in color, of course).
1.) Millennial Snowflakes Stirring the pot on Halloween isn’t a bad thing. There’s something admirable about a costume that pushes the line of what’s considered “PC.” This costume involved the getup of a winter goddess, complete with silver sparkles, icy-blue tulle and homemade paper snowflakes. On the front of the dress was the word “millennial,” proof that each member of the generation truly is a unique, special snowflake. And even if the costume was controversial with anyone at school, your conservative uncle will love it when he sees the pictures on Facebook.
7.) Ellen[s] What’s better than one iconic, funny, high-energy talk show host? Seven nearly identical Ellen DeGenereses! The costume itself was fairly simple — a pair of the most neatly pressed khakis with a sweater over a button-down top, completed with some fun white Vans and a blonde wig. The harder part comes with imitating Ellen’s signature dance moves all night; but no matter what, these Ellens are the life of the party, maintaining that upbeat energy wherever they go. Of course, you can’t have seven Ellens and no Portia de Rossis, so major bonus points to friends who fill in as the quintessential sidekick for the evening — fullon “Lindsay Bluth visits prison” attire or not.
2.) Celebrity Phases From Taylor Swift to Miley Cyrus, there are some celebrities who have gone through plenty of phases and looks over the years. Groups of friends who dressed in the different looks of a single celebrity were not only recognizable, but also impressively creative. Recreating the “Junior Jewels” shirt from Swift’s “You Belong With Me” music video showed some serious dedication, and the throwback in her recent “Look What You Made Me Do” video made the group costume relevant today. And the evolution of Miley Cyrus from her Hannah Montana days to her 2013 VMA performance was even more astounding in costume form.
8.) LimeBikes Those who dressed as LimeBikes had a good handle — in contrast to the bikes — on what it took to construct a relevant Halloween costume. Adorned with green t-shirts stating the universally known and respected LimeBike slogan — whose veracity all riders can testify to — “Your ride, anytime,” the attire is simple and easily accessible. The addition of LimeBikes to South Bend may be a recent move, but the innovation reflected in this ensemble ensures the costume will not be cycled through anytime soon.
3.) Team 128 aka the 2016 Notre Dame football team At 7-1 and No. 3 in this year’s College Football Playoff rankings, Notre Dame’s football team and its fans have put the past behind them. So what could possibly be scarier than reminding the peers at your football school of last year’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad football team? And the possibilities were endless — some went all out, wearing last year’s Shirt while donning the beaten, bruised and bloodied look necessary to convey the feeling of a 28-point loss to USC. But for those low on effort or time, a simple trash bag with a “4-8” sign sufficed. At either end of the spectrum, the result was the same: a panic induced flashback to Saturdays everyone did their best to forget. 4.) Steve Jobs Mob When dressing up for Halloween, an ever-important thing to consider is: What truly is scary? Is it a devil, a ghoul, a vampire, a werewolf — all things that are dangerous but may not necessarily be creepy? Or does true horror lie with what can crawl underneath your skin and send a shiver down your spine? A mass cult of men dressed in black turtlenecks with small, wire-rimmed glasses, all with straight, thoughtful faces and holding the questionable hand motion that Steve Jobs often held. We propose that the cult of Steve Jobs impersonators who caught the eye of the camera at this past week’s Notre Dame game is the creepiest costume of them all. Who are these men? Why do their eyes appear to be staring into the souls of all who look upon them? It is impossible to say. And isn’t this what we as humans fear the most — what cannot be understood? 5.) Universal Health Care There are many factors that weigh in on what makes a quality Halloween costume, yet cleverness and uniqueness
9.) Toddler Touchdown Jesus and Priest When it comes to costumes, nothing can beat the undeniable cuteness of small kiddos. Match that with some hallmarks of Notre Dame — a holy little man and an exuberant Jesus tower — and you have yourself a Halloween smash hit that can only (maybe) be matched by small puppies dressed as pumpkins. Clasp your hands in praise for the adorable heavenly duo that gained viral popularity on the Notre Dame Alumni Association’s Facebook feed. 10.) Cards Against Humanity Who doesn’t love a good game of the Apples to Apples– variant “Cards Against Humanity?” But what’s even better than the game is the cards come to life. This simple group costume was a humorous hit, allowing friends to poke fun at whatever theme they wished through their choice of “cards.” The costume was an easy one to pull off, although some groups did so better than others — it just required each person to wear a white t-shirt with one person in a black shirt. While there were lots of different ways to go with this one, the best ones mixed it up and went with a Notre Dame-centric set of cards.
Also receiving votes: King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard Paying homage to one of Indie rock’s most innovative bands via Halloween costume is cool enough. Add in the fact that said band’s name incorporates three separate Halloween costumes in one — a king, a lizard and a wizard — and you have yourself a top-10 costume contender. Sure, there were probably ten people on campus total who would have correctly guessed that the hodgepodge costume was indeed representing Melbourne, Australia’s premier pyschprog act, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, but c’mon, still cool.
The observer | Friday, November 3, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The achievement gap is present in the education system Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge. It is held in high esteem in today’s society and around the world. The new generation is burdened by the fact that it has to receive an education or else it will not be successful in life. The achievement gap present in schools today shows how that burden can affect a student’s life as they grow older. An achievement gap is the disparity of educational measures between the performance of groups of students. This gap shows how current uneducated students nowadays are falling farther and farther behind their counterparts in terms of knowledge and education. These students are being separated from others with higher scores and are being held to low standards which causes them to resist learning. The achievement gap occurs in our countr y and is detrimental to students of race, gender and disability because those who are considered below average have fewer opportunities to improve themselves. The achievement gap is a real problem present in the education system as racism, a student’s family situation, and a teacher’s bias pose issues. A detailed description of the term ‘achievement gap’ includes the differences between the test scores of minority and low-income students and the test scores of their W hite and Asian peers. A majority of the differences between test scores
are produced by minorities or those who have a low socioeconomic status. However, the overall type of student groups experiencing achievement gaps are racial and ethnic minorities, English language learners, students with disabilities and students from low-income families are all students affected by achievement gaps. The myriad of groups struggling to meet education standards demonstrates how a variety of students are being affected. The student groups in the paragraph above are providing low scores because the education system’s teachers do not make an effort to teach those who are considered to be of low socioeconomic status or minorities. The standing of a person’s rank in life can be used against them as educators use their position in life to hold minorities back from receiving the knowledge they crave and the freedom that comes with it. According to the Glossar y of Education Reform “minority status gives rise to racism, prejudice, stereotyping, ethnic bias and institutionalized predispositions that may negatively affect educational achievement.” Schools have the tendency to lower academic expectations for minorities or enroll them in less-challenging courses. Educators in the system sometimes turn a blind eye to those who struggle because they hold the bias that those students are not worth their time.
This is a real problem in the education system as teachers are suppose to give a fair chance and should be unbiased to issues such as race, gender and economic status. Furthermore, there is data to prove how the achievement gap is a reality as standardized test scores provide the information. It is shown that the “differences between the scores of students with different backgrounds (ethnic, racial, gender, disability and income) are evident on large-scale standardized tests.” Large-scale standardized tests consist of the ACT, SAT and stateadministered tests throughout a school year. High test scores can open doors in the academic world and allow a person to receive an education at a prestigious school. Low test scores do the reverse and prevent minority students from admittance into prestigious universities. Low test scores impair the type of future a student can lead as longer-term gaps that minimize the chance to go to college can limit the student’s job. Education is all about the input and output of hard work as it provides advantages in the future, but if a person is discouraged then the future is not as bright or appealing as it could have been. Tonaysia Price freshman Nov. 2
Ghost light keeps Gipp company Lauren Fox Life Goes On
W hen the plays conclude and the casts depart, a single bright bulb on a tall black pole is placed on center stage at Washington Hall. W hy? Either to ward off ghosts ... or to keep them company, student activities assistant director Kathleen Van V leet said. It’s called a ghost light; many theaters have one. Van V leet has worked at Washington Hall, the most notoriously haunted building on campus, for 13 years. She won’t say it’s haunted for sure, but she also doesn’t disbelieve, she said. “It’s just a feeling that you’re not alone and that someone might want you to go,” she said. “W henever I get freaked out, I just remind them I’m taking care of their building. I literally just say ‘Hey, I’m doing my job, taking care of your building,’ and then I go about my business.” Van V leet has felt inclined to speak out loud into an empty room. And that is something I don’t take lightly. So Wednesday night a trusty friend and I sat silently in the otherwise empty audience at Washington Hall. It didn’t take long for us to get spooked. Hundreds of empty seats enclosed us. The f loor to ceiling maroon curtains looked like they could have been there since 1881, the year the building
was constructed. The steam pipes hummed off and on in the silence, swishing like a passing body. “The building, being as old as it is, makes a lot of noise and the steam heat sometimes knocks in ways that makes you think someone is tr ying to get out of the wall,” Van V leet said. Joe W heeler, the maintenance technician, added that the steam pipes “make a horrendous noise when it’s really quiet and you’re by yourself in there and it’s dark. I mean I’m a grown man but that scares the crap out of me.” But the pipes can’t explain ever ything. Van V leet said alumni return and tell her paranormal stories from their time spent in Washington Hall. One talked of sitting in the light booth when the lights began inexplicably f lickering, others of doors closing themselves. Another alum told Van V leet they had finished cleaning up in the downstairs scene shop and were gathering their belongings upstairs when they heard a loud noise below. W hen they returned to the scene shop, “Get out” was written on the chalkboard. Another group of students received a spooky message from a Ouija board in the ’80s, said Tom Barkes, who used to work in Washington Hall and now works as the Director of Finance and Operations at DPAC. Alumn Joe Zonies, class of ’87, concealed himself in the catwalk and when Barkes closed up, he let a group of friends in. They used a Ouija board, asked if anyone was
there, and received a repeated message: “SG goodbye.” The students ran out. W hile they were debriefing outside, they saw a light inside in the green room and about 30 seconds later, a security guard came outside the same door they exited. Now the message made sense: SG stood for security guard. The ghost was warning them to leave. “They were delighted to know the ghost was friendly to them and kept them from getting caught,” said Barkes. W ho is the ghost of Washington Hall? Most students attribute the title to football player George Gipp, “The Gipper,” who died of pneumonia a few weeks after supposedly spending a night sleeping outside Washington Hall. Others say it might be a steeplejack who died during construction, a student professor who lived in what is now the lab theatre that died of pneumonia or a priest that died sitting in the audience while watching a movie. Perhaps there are multiple ghosts. Was the theatre truly empty when my friend and I sat there? Or where there perhaps some spirits performing for us on stage under the ghost light? Lauren Fox is a junior PLS major who enjoys listening to summer hits of the 2000s and playing 500 rummy. You can follow her on Twitter via @bylaurenfox and send fan mail to lfox6@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 | friday, november 3, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
DOMINIQUE DeMOE | The Observer
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The observer | friday, november 3, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
ADRIAN MARK LORE Associate Scene Editor
Kelela Mizanekristos has been pushing the envelope with her music for the better part of the past five years. Her “Hallucinogen” EP — released two years ago — showcased the Ethiopian-American vocalist’s songwriting skill and affective creative vision, honed over years of eclectic vocal work under disparate genres like indie rock and even metal. But her debut full-length record surpasses her past work, and indeed sounds like the logical climax thereof. “Take Me Apart” is a striking, ambitious artistic statement that interrogates and expands the very boundaries of R&B and electronic music without compromising one or the other. Setting herself apart from cookie-cutter contemporaries, Kelela intentionally shapes a menacing, sensual aesthetic entirely unique to herself. Unlike challenging visionaries like FKA twigs, however, Kelela remains unprecedentedly accessible; “Take Me Apart” is structured and produced largely like a pop record. Yet, Kelela’s emotional authenticity never suffers. In doing so, Kelela overcomes a common challenge that vocalists face when the extent of their contributions is questioned on solo records. Sure, the record’s liner notes feature quite the crew of talented producers, from the industrious Arca to bass music sweetheart Jam City. But the velvety production on “Take Me Apart” is quite unlike these producers’ usual work. Arca’s production — for one — sounds nothing
CHARLIE KENNEY Scene Writer
When I listen to Weezer, I listen for ‘90s nostalgia. I think their debut “Weezer (Blue Album).” I think “Island in the Sun.” I think Rivers Cuomo in a music video grossly overplayed on MTV. I think ‘90s nerd, garage-band rock. Weezer’s recently released album “Pacific Daydream” is the opposite of all of these things. It’s a grand effort by Weezer to interweave California, electronic pop with their vintage, quintessentially ‘90s sound. It’s them trying to perfect the beautifully imperfect music that made them a household name. It’s a bit unexpected as well. Weezer didn’t leave their style and sound behind in 1999. 2005’s “Make Believe,” 2009’s “Ratitude” and even 2016’s “Weezer (White Album) are unmistakably Weezer. They no doubt fall short of the band’s superlative 1990s albums, but they at least paid homage to it. “Pacific Daydream” is not a continuation, it’s a jump. The tracks on the album are filled with synthetic background fluff and electronically altered vocals instead of rugged guitar riffs and imperfect percussion. The foremost culprit of this is the early-released single “Feels Like Summer.” The song opens with a chorus of techno voices chanting “Na na na na na” in a wispy sort of way, alluding to the celestial element of the album’s cover. It sets the mood of
like his recent work for Bjork or even past work for FKA twigs herself. On “Take Me Apart,” these producers’ craft sounds more focused and cohesive, with Arca and company trading shattered beats for luscious bass and smooth aural curvature. The record is stormy yet quiet, like shimmering darkness that underscores rather than overshadows Kelela’s central position. This is no accident; production credits notwithstanding, Kelela’s creative guidance is obvious. These producers may bring in talent, but Kelela’s calling the shots. “Take Me Apart” addresses familiar themes of heartbreak, with dashes of tumultuous relationships. But Kelela’s lyricism is imbued with gripping realism; speaking frequently in second-person perspective, you’d think you’re her lover yourself — or perhaps her empathetic psyche, an open ear as she works out struggles in her own mind. This approach gives the record its stirring sense of intimacy. On “Better” — perhaps the record’s slowest burn — Kelela sings “I told you that we would be closer / If we took some time further apart,” before the chorus asks “Didn’t it make you better? / Aren’t we better now?” But the track’s sudden submersion into darker, faster rhythms and Kelela’s repeated, whispered “no” toward the track’s conclusion belies her true feelings. But you could sense her grief all along. Kelela veers into more atmospheric territory on the record’s most cathartic tracks. “Enough” finds the vocalist at her most experimental — but also her
most vulnerable. When synths burst around her like fireworks as she repeats “You’ve had enough / I’ve had enough,” you’d think she’s undergoing apotheosis. But the vocalist’s rigorous craftsmanship ripens her passions into fully-fledged musical concepts on every track. The record’s opener, “Frontline,” features an exhilarating “drop” — preceded by a minute of spacey atmospheres that set the stage for her dazzling voice. If it’s not yet obvious, this is a glowing endorsement of Kelela’s debut record. Every track shines with her inimitable persona, backed by cutting-edge production that doesn’t obscure her ambitious artistic vision. Every moment on “Take Me Apart” is memorable, each an opportunity to fall in love, to break up, to reminisce, to forget — to embrace your own emotional depth.
the song immediately. The rest is dominated by Cuomo’s synthetic voice and the “Na Na’s” that constantly hum over it in the background. The lyrics that Cuomo croons aren’t particularly inventive or meaningful also. The chorus “Yeah it feels like summer / Yeah it feels like summer to me,” takes up nearly the entire running time of the song and doesn’t inspire much other than occasional singing along — not because it is catchy, but because it is easy to remember. “Feels Like Summer” is not an outlier. It was the first song to be released, and, in doing so, it set the bar for all of the following tracks — a bar that was incredibly low. All of the songs seem otherworldly compared to Weezer’s typical down to earth, recorded-in-a-garage feel. I’d like to think that it’s a result of being in the industry and taking advantage of the resources at hand, but, if it is, then Weezer does it significantly worse than other band in the same situation. There are, of course, some tracks that are a bit better than others. “Any Friend of Diane’s,” the album’s last track, despite its airy feel, contains some typical guitar melodies and lyrics. Weezer lyrics are normally odd and off putting. It’s something to be expected. But in “Any Friend of Diane’s” they seem more out of place than normal. On the ending track of the album, Cuomo awkwardly sings, “Working at Papa John’s, I was making good bread / Got a 20 dollar tip on New Year’s.” In doing so, not only
does he clumsily try and transform a story into a song, but he drops an incredibly uncomfortable corporate reference. It’s a song that, overall, is a standout on the album, but, as evidenced by its obvious flaws, the term standout doesn’t mean much on “Pacific Daydream.” As poor as the album is, its creation makes sense. Weezer is one of those ‘90s bands, like “Third Eye Blind” and “Smashing Pumpkins,” who just weren’t able to carry their anti-establishment momentum into the new millennium. That’s why Weezer tried to adapt in this album and make the shift from “Say It Ain’t So” to 2010’s pop. It’s a noble effort. Rivers Cuomo, Patrick Wilson, Brian Bell and Scott Shriner are just trying to make an honest dollar like all of us. This venture just falls a bit flat.
Contact Adrian Mark Lore at lore.1@nd.edu
“Take Me Apart” Kelela Label: Warp Records Tracks: “Truth or Dare,” ‘Enough,” “Waitin” If you like: FKA twigs, Solange
Contact Charlie Kenney at ckenney4@nd.edu
“Pacific Daydream” Weezer Label: Atlantic Records Tracks: “Any friend of Diane’s,” “La Mancha Screwjob” If you like: OK Go, Pixies, Third Eye Blind
DOMONIQUE DeMOE | The Observer
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DAILY
The observer | friday, november 3, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Will Shortz
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Don’t worry about the route you take to get the results you want. Whether you are trying to make personal changes in your life or just looking for unique ways to get ahead in your chosen field, focusing on finishing what you start and quickly moving on to the next project will help you turn this year into one of gratification. Your numbers are 4, 10, 23, 29, 35, 41, 49. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Relationships are featured. Whether it’s a business partnership or a romantic connection you have with someone, strive to make positive adjustments that will bring you closer together and stabilize your future. A commitment will make it easier to move forward. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Impulsive behavior will take over if you are too emotional or easily upset by someone competitive. Don’t get riled up when you should be living up to your promises and what’s expected of you. Taking on too much will be your downfall. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Determine what’s required to reach your goal and take charge. A physical approach will show that you mean business. Take on a challenge with the intent to win. Love and romance are highlighted. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Control your emotions and the way you respond to others. Situations will escalate quickly if you are erratic or difficult to deal with. Overreacting or being indulgent will not help when dealing with children or someone you love. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A change will do you good. Apply for a new position or sign up to learn something that improves your current qualifications or gives you an edge over the competition. How you present yourself will make a difference. Romance is highlighted. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Joint ventures are best handled with caution. Don’t let emotions intervene or put you in an awkward position. Only contribute to someone else’s plan if you really want to. Put your time, effort and money into your own ideas instead. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Partnerships are highlighted. Whether dealing with a business or personal relationship, changes can be made that will ensure you maintain equality moving forward. Treating yourself to something special will give you the incentive to strive for bigger goals. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Making a big deal out of a small matter will hold you back. Be open about your plans and be willing to make adjustments if it will encourage others to pitch in and help. Take care of financial, medical or bureaucratic concerns. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Take note of what everyone around you is up to. Being more aware will help you pick and choose the right course of action no matter what unfolds. A change regarding the way you look or conduct your personal life is favored. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Problems with relatives or friends will leave you in a quandary. Focus on what you can do to get ahead at work. Now is not the time to make decisions that will influence your personal life and slow you down professionally. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Make a motion to focus on your relationship with someone you love. The things you do will make a difference to the way you are received and what you get in return. Less talk and more action are favored. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your best option is to put in the effort toward finding a better position or pumping up your reputation. Strive to advance, and don’t make matters worse by letting your emotional concerns interfere with your productivity. Birthday Baby: You are intense, forthright and unusual. You are sensitive and willful.
wingin’ it | olivia wang & Bailee egan
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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SPORTS Sports Sports
ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, November 3, 2017 | The Observer
Sports Authority
MEN’S TENNIS
Relax, the Browns finally won Ben Padanilam Editor-in-Chief
At first That’s so Browns. In the hours and days after Tuesday’s 4 p.m. NFL trade deadline, this was the phrase I kept constantly hearing across sports media. Whether it be ESPN, CBS, Fox Sports 1 or any other platform, at least one segment in any show’s programming was seemingly dedicated to ridiculing the Cleveland Browns for the debacle that was it’s botched trade for Cincinnati Bengals’ backup quarterback AJ McCarron. Even Dee Haslem, wife of Browns owner Jimmy Haslem, even reportedly went “nuclear” on the front office. Everyone took the chance to get in their shots at yet another example of the ineptitude of the hapless team on Lake Erie. But can we just take a step back for a moment and recognize what actually transpired. Yes, the Browns agreed to a trade in principle with the Bengals that would have sent Cleveland the 27-year-old backup quarterback for Cleveland’s second- and third-round draft picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. Yes, they failed to file the paperwork on time while the Bengals did, leading to the trade not going through despite the Browns’ most desperate pleadings with the NFL’s office. And yes, the disconnect between the coaches and front office in Cleveland which this whole mess represents is disconcerting, perhaps even more so if some rumors are true that the team was too busy “celebrating” its trade to actually take the simple steps of sending down some paperwork to finalize it. But in the end, the result is this: The Cleveland Browns didn’t give up both a secondand third-round pick in the upcoming draft for McCarron. So the fact people aren’t celebrating this as divine intervention as opposed to another moment of utter disappointment is beyond me. Excuse me if I don’t think retaining two likely top-70 draft picks as opposed to acquiring a mediocre 27-year-old and former fifth-round pick to play quarterback on a winless team with plenty of problems is all that bad. You would think based on the way some people are reacting that Cleveland just blew a trade which would’ve netted it the next great quarterback in today’s game. But that’s simply not the case. McCarron has only played in seven games in his illustrious
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career as the backup to the notoriously mediocre Andy Dalton. When Dalton went down with an injury in 2015, McCarron was thrust into action on a 10-2 team with the league’s second best defense statistically. How did he perform down the stretch? He led them to a 2-3 record, and his performance in his team’s wildcard game left much to be desired — he threw for an “eyepopping” 56 percent completion percentage and turned the ball over three times in the loss. So why would a team that is 2-33 in its last 35 games think this dude was the long-term answer at quarterback? Why would this 0-8 team with plenty of positional trouble spots think giving up two top-70 draft picks that could help fill those needs was a price tag worth paying for McCarron? Why would the analyticminded Browns go from stockpiling draft picks to build this team into a contender with a five-year plan to aborting the strategy just to maybe have a slightly better shot at winning two or three games this season? That, ladies and gentlemen, is what the real story is. To abandon the plan the way that trade would’ve caused Cleveland to is the most troubling thing about this whole thing. In a draft class filled with quarterbacks with as many questions, but at least a lot more talent, than McCarron, why would you mortgage any chunk of the future when you can keep those picks and just draft someone if you’re going to give up on DeShone Kizer? I get the importance of the quarterback spot in the NFL, but did you really think McCarron was the answer? You’re delusional if so. Those picks would’ve been better spent on cash considerations to fund a night club for the facility so Kizer can stay in and avoid media backlash he feels the need to go out. Or maybe they can actually be used by Cleveland to find a player with actual potential to be the solution if the Browns don’t think Kizer is it. So no, Tuesday’s debacle wasn’t the end of the world for Cleveland and the future of the quarterback spot. If anything, it was a godsend. People just need to stop complaining and appreciate that by being losers, the Browns were winners for the first time this season. Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Lebedev advances in ITA Fall Championships Observer Sports Staff
This weekend, the Irish wrap up their fall men’s tennis season with split competition at the ITA National Fall Championships and the Gopher Invitational. The former takes place in Palm Desert, California, where junior Alex Lebedev represents Notre Dame. Meanwhile, the rest of the Irish squad will compete at the Gopher Invitational in Minneapolis throughout the weekend. After two days of tennis in California, Lebedev has advanced to the Round of 16 among a highly competitive
field. On Thursday, he defeated Marcus Walters of Tyler Junior College 6-4, 6-4 to advance. Previously on Wednesday, Lebedev beat No. 59 and 10th seeded Johannes Ingildsen of Florida 6-1, 7-5. The junior improved to 8-3 in singles play this fall and is 3-1 against ranked opponents. On Friday, Lebedev will face the winner of the matchup featuring No. 2 Nuno Borges of Mississippi State and No. 42 Ryo Matsumura of Kentucky. Play will commence at noon, with both the Round of 16 and quarterfinals scheduled for Friday. This already stellar
performance at the ITA National Fall Championships comes off the heels of a strong summer and fall for Lebedev. Notably, he won the ITA National Summer Championships, and reached the Round of 16 at the ITA All-American Championship as well as the quarterfinals at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships. The remainder of the Irish contingent will begin play in Minnesota on Friday in the Gopher Invitational. Hosted by the University of Minnesota, this will take place at the Baseline Tennis Center. This tournament will signal the end of Notre Dame’s fall season.
NFL
Watson, Luck both out as Texans host Colts Associated Press
HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts w ill both start backup quarterbacks when they meet on Sunday after Deshaun Watson sustained a knee injur y in practice on Thursday and is heading to injured reser ve w ith Andrew Luck. Watson suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees and is out for the season, two people familiar w ith the situation told The Associated Press. The people spoke on the condition of anonymit y because the team hadn’t announced the injur y. His injur y comes on the same day that the Colts placed Luck on injured reser ve. The move wasn’t that surprising considering Luck hasn’t played since undergoing shoulder surger y in Januar y. The Colts (2-6) have struggled in his absence, and have lost three straight. On Sunday when the Texans look for their fourth straight w in over the Colts, they’ll do it w ith Tom Savage at quarterback. Jacoby Brissett, who has appeared in each game for the Colts this season and has started the past seven after being traded from the Patriots on Sept. 2, w ill start for Indianapolis. Watson’s injur y is a huge
blow for a team which looked to have finally solved years of problems at quarterback w ith the emergence of the talented 22-year-old. Watson’s 19 touchdow n passes are tied for the league lead and are the most in NFL histor y through a player’s first seven games. He leads all quarterbacks this season w ith 21 touchdow ns overall and has throw n four or more touchdow n passes in three games this season to join Fran Tarkenton as the only rookies in NFL histor y to do so. Now they’ll have to rely on Savage, who started the season opener but was benched at halftime after managing just 62 yards passing and losing two fumbles, one of which was returned for a touchdow n, in a 29-7 loss to the Jaguars. Watson’s injur y is the latest setback for a team that lost three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt and linebacker W hitney Mercilus to season-ending injuries on Oct. 8. Houston is in third place in the AFC South w ith a 3-4 record, behind the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonv ille Jaguars who are tied for the lead at 4-3. Savage w ill have to perform much better than he did in the opener if the Texans hope to reach
the playoffs for the third straight season. The Colts have lost three straight for the first time since 2015 and only the third time in Chuck Pagano’s 5½ seasons w ith the Colts. They have never lost four in a row under Pagano. HI AND BY E: The Texans welcomed veteran left tackle Duane Brow n back last week after he missed the first six games holding out only to trade him to the Seahawks on Monday. Chris Clark, who missed last week w ith a calf injur y, should return this week to start in place of Brow n. W hile their scoring percentage inside the 20 is 87 percent, about the middle of the league, Indy’s TD percent (43.5 percent) is No. 29. Only nine teams scored fewer red zone touchdow ns than the Colts (10), and six of those nine have played one fewer game than Indy. Clearly, the Colts know that needs to change. “You’ve got to execute,” Pagano said. “Guys got to w in matchups. You’ve got to protect, you’ve got to throw, you’ve got to catch. Mix in some runs and things like that. “Again, hav ing some early dow n success dow n there, hav ing some opportunities and getting some looks that you normally might not get on shorter distances dow n there would help.”
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Volleyball Continued from page 16
in away matches. “Notre Dame has a great crowd and a great fan base,” Johnson said. “It makes it really fun and really easy to play in that environment. Going on the road in the ACC is tough. You’re in a different gym and a different environment, and that’s what makes your preparation all the more important. You have to do what you do every day in a different environment, which is a little tougher. I think it makes it exciting, and this weekend will be a good test for us.” Notre Dame enters this weekend coming off a 3-0 loss to Pittsburgh, the No. 1 team in the ACC. The Panthers dominated throughout the match although senior middle blocker Sam Fry led the team with seven kills and a .462 hitting percentage. Johnson said the Irish were lacking the mental grit they needed against Pittsburgh and will look to change that against Duke and Wake Forest. “I think it’s all about our mentality and our approach to our preparation for the game,” Johnson said. “We do a good job of studying the opponent, but maybe what we didn’t do such a god job of on Sunday
ndsmcobserver.com | friday, november 3, 2017 | The Observer
was preparing mentally for that match. I think that mentality and having the right energy really makes or breaks it.” The Irish have held their opponents to just a .153 hitting percentage this season, which is first in the ACC. Johnson said the team has focused on its defense in practice this week. “We focus a lot on our defense, and I think that shows in our opponents’ hitting percentages,” Johnson said. “I have great people in front of me blocking, and that makes my job in the back row digging out balls easier. It’s really a group effort, and we’re all learning to play better together. It’s that focus of working together as a team.” “We had a really good week of practice,” she said. “We have more people playing well across across the board for longer periods of time. I think that if we carry on what we did in practice into the game, then we will have a really good weekend.” Junior libero Ryann DeJarld is fourth in the country in digs per set with an average of 5.97 and second in the ACC in aces per set with an average of 0.39, putting in key performances lately for the Irish. Johnson comes in at first in the ACC with 0.44 aces per set. She credited her teammates and coaches with helping her improve her game this year.
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EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
Irish senior middle blocker Sam Fry gears up for a serve during Notre Dame’s 3-0 victory over Clemson on Oct. 15 at Purcell Pavilion. Fry led the team with seven kills during the loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday.
“I think the people around me have been pushing me to be a better volleyball player,” Johnson said. “There’s more competition in our gym, and my teammates and coaches are pushing me harder. I think that competition and that fight Paid Advertisement
and that urgency to work even harder has helped me and has helped my teammates grow to become the players we are. That’s showing this season.” The Irish take on Duke on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham,
North Carolina followed by Wake Forest on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in WinstonSalem, North Carolina. Contact Darcy Dehais at ddehais@nd.edu
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Sports
The observer | friday, november 3, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
M Bball Continued from page 16
those guys — they’re our future after this year as well when we lose those three senior big guys, and I’m very mindful of that ” Brey said Oct. 19. “Elijah is easy to play with. He really understands who he is, [and] he rebounds at both ends at a huge clip. One of the reasons we recruited him was we loved how he talked and communicated. … That’s why he’s kind of emerged as a sixth guy. “Johnny is also physical around the bucket, and he can stretch the floor and make shots. In a game situation yesterday, he made a 3 to beat [the starters] so both those guys figure big into our plans.”
Backcourt While Colson is the undisputed leader of the frontcourt, senior guard Matt Farrell is the undisputed leader of the Irish backcourt. How far the Irish go in March will depend, to a large degree, on Farrell. Brey likes playing with smaller lineups, and that means junior guard Rex Pflueger and sophomore T.J. Gibbs will start for the majority of the year and will take on a lot of minutes. When Gibbs and Pflueger need a rest, the next men in for Notre Dame will
likely be freshman forward D.J. Harvey and sophomore guard Nikola Djogo. Harvey is a consensus fourstar recruit from DeMatha Catholic High School, the same high school as former Irish guard and current NBA player Jerian Grant. While Brey usually doesn’t give freshmen meaningful minutes, he has said Harvey is too talented not to get looks early on. “I think we have to get D.J. Harvey ready to play,” Brey said. “There’s too much there to work with. He’s the lone rookie in there. Through osmosis, because he’s a sharp kid, he’s learned how to move without the ball. When you play with all veteran guys … you kind of learn how to play. “The explosiveness, the ability to play in the mid-range area, he can defend and sit in stance, he rebounds for his size. When we substitute him, we become smaller, and he’s that socalled stretch-four, and that’s an interesting lineup we’ve played around with the first 10 practices.” Harvey, at 6-foot-6, will likely play on the wing and as the four spot in smaller lineups, with Gibbs serving as the second point guard if Farrell is out of the game. That leaves Djogo, who redshirted his freshman season, as the biggest question mark on
Observer File Photo
Irish senior guard Matt Farrell surveys the court during Notre Dame’s 83-71 loss to West Virginia on March 18 at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Last season, Farrell led the team with 196 assists.
the team. Brey is high on Djogo’s 3-point shooting ability, which may determine how much playing time he receives as the season progresses. “I’ve been very impressed with Nik,” Brey said. “He can shoot the ball, and that’s something Paid Advertisement
that’s interesting to me. He can stretch the floor. But I think both of them are competing, and you’re not afraid to put them in a game. With Nik, he’s older now, he’s been in our system a year, there’s an athletic ability … he gets up around the bucket, he gets fouled.”
The Irish will face their second local NAIA team in exhibition play Friday when Bethel College (Mishawaka, Indiana) visits Purcell Pavilion. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu
Sports
Interhall Continued from page 16
“We have one goal, and that’s to win another championship in Notre Dame Stadium.” Duncan is also seeking the chance to play in Notre Dame Stadium for the second consecutive year. The Highlanders only suffered one loss over the course of the regular season and made a strong statement in the playoffs’ opening round with a shutout win. When describing his team’s preparation for the quarterfinals, sophomore captain Kyle Tomshack expressed confidence in his team’s abilities and remained unfazed by the Griffins’ reputation. “We’ve been gradually improving our performance with each game, and I expect that trend to continue,” Tomshack said. “Stanford is a great team, but I think that we can beat them if we play together and minimize mistakes.” On offense, Tomshack cited senior quarterback Matt Kase and junior running back Micah Rensch as players likely to positively impact Duncan’s chances. He said the same of senior defensive back Declan Zidar and junior linebacker Conner Futa on defense. “We’re hoping [Kase and Rensch] can continue to lead the offense deep into the playoffs,” he said. “[Zidar and Futa] have been key to stopping the run and pass this year.” Unsurprisingly, Tomshack’s expectations for the Highlanders match those of O’Brien for Stanford.
ndsmcobserver.com | friday, november 3, 2017 | The Observer
“Our goal for the postseason is to make it back to the championship and come back with a better result,” Tomshack said. “We think it’s about time Duncan won a football championship.” Stanford and Duncan kick off at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Ricci Family Fields. Contact Peter Baltes at pbaltes@nd.edu
Dillon v. Dunne By ELLIE OLMANSON Sports Writer
Entering the the second round of the interhall playoffs, only eight teams remain. Either No. 2 Dillon (3-0) or No. 7 Dunne (2-1) will advance to the final four, and they will face off at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Last week, Dunne shutout No. 10 Knott 10-0 in a penalty-littered game. Dunne has been coming off of its first loss of the regular season to begin the playoffs, but seemed to have made the proper adjustments. Dunne is currently 2-1 on the season and is looking to embrace its young team during its first ever playoff run. The Sentinels have made sure to highlight the importance of creating a tradition that is desired to be a part of, given this is Dunne’s second year of residence to students. Dillon recorded a win as a result of a Zahm forfeit. Junior Dillon captain David Chao said this forfeit has given his team higher energy and an extra week to prepare. “For better or worse, Zahm forfeited last week’s game,” Chao said. “The fact that we don’t need as long Paid Advertisement
of a recovery phase from a game and can hit a bit more in practice this week will be huge.” Both teams are credited for tough defenses that allow little to no points for the opponent. Other than Dunne’s 13-0 loss against No. 3 Siegfried, the Sentinels have only allowed one touchdown over the course of the season. Comparably, Dillon has just six points allowed all season. As far as scouting goes, both teams said they tried doing their homework on one another to prepare for this game. “Because of the forfeit, we were able to scout Dunne a bit more than planned,” Chao said. “We’ve definitely keyed in on their best players and found ways to control and stop them to put our best players in positions to succeed.” Dillon has not won a championship in recent history, and Chao said the team aims to stick to its game without trying to do too much in order to get the Big Red to Notre Dame Stadium. “We’ve fared well in the playoffs,” Chao said. “But we tried to do too much instead of sticking to our guns and doing what we do best, which I feel is ultimately why we didn’t win a championship the last two years.” In the first round of playoffs, there has only been one upset — No. 9 Duncan over No. 8 Fisher. However, Dunne aims to break this trend this weekend and advance. Dunne takes on Dillon on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Ricci Family Fields. Contact Ellie Olmanson at eolmanso@nd.edu
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Alumni v. Keenan
Siegfried v. Morrissey
By HANNAH WOZNIAK
By HANNAH WOZNIAK
Sports Writer
Sports Writer
This Sunday, No. 5 Alumni (2-1) faces No. 4 Keenan (2-1) in the quarterfinals of the interhall playoffs. Keenan junior Daniel Neuson said the Knights are looking to switch up their plays to avoid the opponents’ anticipation of their strategy. “This week in practice, we’ve focused on locking in our schemes,” Neuson said. “We want to make sure no team can predict or stop what we’re doing on either side of the ball.” He said his team also has strengths on both sides of the ball. “On both offense and defense, we try to focus on good ball control,” Neuson said. “All year, we’ve given up very few takeaways and forced a lot of turnovers on defense.” Neuson said Keenan has done some scouting on the Dawgs, but didn’t get a chance to see much. This year, the Knights have confidence in each one of their players on the field. “Our biggest strength this year is definitely the depth of talent that we have,” Neuson said. “We’re always confident in each and every one of the 11 guys that are on the field, and interhall teams rarely have that luxury.” Alumni captain and senior Thomas Hellios said the Dawgs are preparing their offense, particularly their game in the air. “This week we have been focusing on our passing game,” Hellios said. “At this point in the season it’s all about tightening up some details and working on timing.” Neuson said spectators should expect a lot of big hits and standout defensive plays from the Knights on Sunday. “[Senior] Michael Feeney has been a lock-down corner for us this year,” he said. “[Senior] Will Boeschenstein has consistently disrupted other teams’ offenses.” For the Dawgs, a few key players to watch are senior tight end and linebacker Sean Clarkin and senior defensive tackle Patrick Fleisher. Hellios said his team is known for big hits and “consistent, hard-nosed football.” “We’re a pretty big and physical team which has been helpful,” Hellios said. “We also have a lot of seniors on the team who have been extremely helpful with leadership and organization.” Overall, Hellios said he and the Dawgs are grateful for the chance to play in the interhall playoffs. “I’m always looking forward to another chance to step on the field,” Hellios said. “The opportunity to play ball after high school is a big blessing and I am thankful for that.” Keenan takes on Alumni at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Ricci Family Fields.
No. 3 Siegfried (3-0) and No. 6 Morrissey (2-1) gear up to face each other this Sunday as they meet for the first time this season in the interhall quarterfinals. Siegfried captain and senior Mark Cerutti said the Ramblers are practicing hard this week in advance of the matchup against Morrissey. “We’ve been focused on locking down our playbook and adding in more and more plays on both sides of the ball,” Cerutti said. While the team has yet to do any scouting on Morrissey, Cerutti said they feel confident in their offensive and defensive strategies. “We have a solid mix of pass and run on offense,” he said. “On defense we can always work on better tackling form.” Cerutti said the team though is simply looking forward to playing the game. “[It is] just another chance to get out there and play the game I love, and I know that’s how everyone on my team views it too,” Cerutti said. “We’ve all gotten on board with the coaching strategy, and we have great depth. Top to bottom, my guys know what to do for any play call.” Cerutti said the Ramblers will not hold anything back while playing this weekend and are hoping for another one-sided victory. He mentioned junior quarterback Mikey Bernard as a key player to watch. “Mikey, our starting [quarterback], has really come into form lately,” he said. “He had a huge game running and throwing last weekend. On defense our secondary has had quite a few turnovers and a few dropped interceptions so look out for some defensive scores.” On the other side, Morrissey has been mixing things up in practice this week. Sophomore Thomas Slevin said that the Manor has been focusing primarily on its defense. “[We were] working on getting more guys in the mix and trying some different schemes,” Slevin said. “[Our] offensive strategy will be to run the football, chip our way down the field and definitely work the clock. On defense, we look to work on our pass defense and stay disciplined.” When Morrissey and Siegfried played each other last season, the Ramblers came away with the win. Slevin said Morrissey is aiming to achieve a different outcome this time around. He said the team’s biggest strengths are its defense and ability to run the ball effectively. “[This will be] a very physical football game, as both teams have size,” Slevin said. Morrissey and Siegfried will face off this Sunday at 2:30 at Ricci Family Fields.
Contact Hannah Wozniak at hwozniak01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Hannah Wozniak at hwozniak01@saintmarys.edu
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The observer | friday, november 3, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Men’s basketball
Brey talks bench options ahead of Bethel By MAREK MAZUREK Assistant Managing Editor
Since mid-October, Irish head coach Mike Brey has told reporters that if Notre Dame’s season-opener against DePaul was tomorrow, his starting lineup would be: Martinas Geben, Bonzie Colson, Rex Pflueger, T.J. Gibbs and Matt Farrell. Now, at the beginning of November, there is no indication that Brey will alter that lineup with the DePaul game less than two weeks away. But while Notre Dame’s starting lineup yields no mysteries, how Brey’s bench players fit into the larger scheme, both now and come tournament time in March, is uncertain.
Frontcourt Notre Dame’s frontcourt — and the team as a whole — will undoubtedly be anchored by senior forward Bonzie Colson on offense. Colson has received considerable national buzz and was recently named the ACC’s preseason player of the year. But behind Colson, the Irish frontcourt is fluid. With graduate student forward Austin Torres recovering from a stress fracture and possibly out
for the first few weeks of the season, the Irish will count on senior forward Martinas Geben to play an expanded role in 2017-18. The Lithuanian native saw increased playing time last season, but was removed from Brey’s starting lineup in March. Over the summer, Geben competed in China and Taiwan as a member of the Lithuanian student’s men’s national team and said the experience boosted his confidence. “I played a different role on the team — a bigger role, I’d say,” Geben said Oct. 19 of his national team experience. “I got a lot of touches and was able to capitalize when my teammates trusted me with the ball. It was great for my confidence. I played really well.” So far, that confidence is showing results, as Geben racked up 20 points and 11 rebounds in Notre Dame’s first exhibition match against Holy Cross on Oct. 20. Behind Geben and Colson, Brey will most likely look to sophomore forward John Mooney and junior forward Elijah Burns with Torres sidelined for the time being. “We’re going to need both see M BBALL PAGE 14
Observer File Photo
Senior forward Bonzie Colson celebrates during Notre Dame’s 83-71 loss to West Virginia on March 18 at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Colson averaged a team-high 17.8 points per game last season.
ND Volleyball
interhall
Irish look to improve on conference road trip
Stanford v. Duncan
By DARCY DEHAIS
By PETER BALTES
Sports Writer
Notre Dame travels to North Carolina this weekend to take on Duke and Wake Forest in a couple of key mid-season ACC matches. The Irish (16-7, 6-6 ACC) lead the Blue Devils (15-8, 7-5 ACC) 7-6 in the history of the series, with each team winning one match when they met last season. The Irish swept the series against Wake Forest (11-13, 3-9 ACC) last season. Notre Dame has struggled on the road at points this year, with its first loss of the season coming Sept. 8 at Ohio State, while the team also dropped back-toback matches against Louisville and North Carolina State at the end of September. Senior libero Natalie Johnson said that Purcell Pavilion is a welcoming environment, and mental toughness and preparation are keys to finding success see VOLLEYBALL PAGE 13
Squads prepare for quarterfinals Sports Writer
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
Irish senior libero Natalie Johnson winds up to spike the ball during Notre Dame’s 3-0 victory over Clemson on Oct. 15.
This Sunday, No. 1 Stanford (30) prepares to face No. 9 Duncan (2-1) in the quarterfinals of the interhall football playoffs. Stanford is coming off of a bye while Duncan secured a 12-0 victory over No. 8 Fisher in the first week of elimination games. This matchup carries major significance for the players of both teams. Not only does a loss mean the end of the season, but Stanford and Duncan last met in the 2016 championship. Stanford ultimately secured the win in that contest, but there is no guarantee that this year will yield the same result. Even before this season kicked off, Stanford had very high expectations. The Griffins rolled to a 3-0 record in the regular season, securing both the first seed in the playoffs and the only bye week provided by the league’s 15-team playoff bracket. Stanford captain and senior Matt O’Brien attributes much of the Griffins’ success in
recent seasons to the team’s strong sense of community. “Our biggest strength is that over the course of the last few seasons we’ve really built a team culture where we understand that if we put the work in, we’ll be rewarded with success,” O’Brien said. “These guys understand that it’s a privilege to step on that field.” O’Brien said he sees a very strong team overall but made special note of two major playmakers who are set to make a major impact this weekend. Junior defensive end Calvin Stringer, he said, exhibits a strong “ability to fight off blocks and get after the quarterback.” O’Brien also praised junior quarterback Chase Jennings, saying he is “cool as a cucumber under pressure” and “makes good decisions with the football in his hands.” O’Brien also made clear how he expects both this game and this season to go for the Griffins. “I’m confident we’ll come out flying around on Sunday,” he said. see INTERHALL PAGE 15