Print Edition of The Observer for Wednesday, January 29, 2020

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Volume 54, Issue 71 | wednesday, january 29, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Students attend Winter Career Fair

Sex offender arrested at Notre Dame

More than 100 employers visit to network with students

By CHRISTOPHER PARKER News Writer

The elevators of the Duncan Student Center were crowded with black skirts, blue coats and resumes Tuesday evening as they carried students up to the Dahnke Ballroom for the Winter Career Fair. Hosted by the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development, the event ran from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and provided an opportunity for students and employers to connect.

Employee engagement director for the Center for see CAREER FAIR PAGE 4

Board elects new EIC

DIANE PARK | The Observer

A sex offender was arrested Friday at Rolfs Aquatic Center.

Observer Staff Report

CHRISTOPHER PARKER | The Observer

Students mingled with employers from a wide range of industries at the Winter Career Fair on Tuesday in the Dahnke Ballroom.

A “serious sex offender” was arrested on campus Friday, according to Tuesday’s NDPD crime log. The alleged incident occurred sometime between midnight and 6:20 p.m. Friday at Rolfs Aquatic Center, per the

crime log. The offense was listed as a “sex crime/unlawful entry of school property by a serious sex offender.”

The Observer has reached out to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office and is awaiting response.

Student film Tunnel at Saint Mary’s to reopen speaks to spirit of ND improv team

Observer Staff Report

The Observer General Board elected Assistant Managing Editor Maria Leontaras as Editor-in-Chief for the 20202021 term Tuesday.

“Maria is one of the most committed and reliable reporters at The Observer,” current Editorin-Chief Kelli Smith said. “She proves herself invaluable as a leader of this paper time and time again. There is no doubt in my mind she will only continue to lead this organization to new heights for the entire tri-campus community.”

A junior at Saint Mary’s, Leontaras resides in Le Mans Hall and is pursuing a studentdesigned major in Interactive Journalism with minors in mathematics and Journalism, see EIC PAGE 3

News PAGE 3

MAEVE FILBIN | The Observer

The tunnel between Le Mans Hall and the Cushwa-Leighton Library, currently closed to students, will open after renovation.

By Maeve FILBIN News Writer

As part of the recently launched multi-year facilities update, for which Saint Mary’s received approval to issue a bond of $51.5 million, the tunnel system between Le Mans Hall and Cushwa-Leighton Library will be reopened for student use. Though the official reopening date is pending,

SCENE PAGE 5

plans to renovate the tunnels have been in place since the beginning of last semester.

In an interview with The Observer, vice president for strategy and finance Dana Strait said reopening the tunnels would ensure that the newly installed 24-hour spaces in the library are used by students, even during the colder

Courtesy of Isabella Garcia

The Humor Artists team. Hopkirk stands at center holding the award for her documentary, “Don’t Be Afraid to F*** Up.”

By RENEE PIERSON News Writer

see TUNNEL PAGE 3

Last weekend, senior Gretchen Hopkirk won the Audience Choice Award at the Student Film Festival for her documentary, “Don’t Be Afraid to F*** Up.” (Editor’s Note: Hopkirk is a video producer for The Observer.)

Hopkirk’s victory was

viewpoint PAGE 7

nd m basketball PAGE 12

shared with the subjects of her film — the Humor Artists of Notre Dame.

The Humor Artists are the only improv comedy team on campus. Each show is unique, but the performers said they develop close personal relationships with one another during practices in order to build trust on stage. see HUMOR PAGE 4

ND M Tennis PAGE 12

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TODAY

The observer | wednesday, january 29, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

Have a question you want answered?

Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com

What song got you through high school?

P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556

Sadler McKeen

Thomas Davis

junior Siegfried Hall

sophomore Dunne Hall

“‘American Pie’ by Don McLean.”

“‘Unwritten’ by Natasha Bedingfield.”

Virginia Brown

Natalie Balaj

sophomore Flaherty Hall

sophomore Pangborn Hall

“‘Stressed Out’ by 21 Pilots.”

“‘Nancy Mulligan’ by Ed Sheeran.”

(574) 631-6900 ads@ndsmcobserver.com

Shannon Culbert

Elizabeth Hughes

Editor-in-Chief

freshman Flaherty Hall

sophomore Flaherty Hall

“‘Lucky’ by Jason Mraz.”

“‘We’re All in This Together’ from ‘High School Musical’.”

Editor-in-Chief Kelli Smith Managing Editor Natalie Weber

Asst. Managing Editor: Maria Leontaras Asst. Managing Editor: Mary Steurer Asst. Managing Editor: Mary Bernard

Notre Dame News Editor: Tom Naatz Saint Mary’s News Editor: Maeve Filbin

Viewpoint Editor: Evelyn Stein

Sports Editor: Connor Mulvena

Scene Editor: Mike Donovan

Photo Editor: Nola Wallace

Graphics Editor: Diane Park

Social Media Editor: Mary Bernard

Advertising Manager: Landry Kempf

Ad Design Manager: Ruby Le

Systems Administrator: Stephen Hannon Talent & Inclusion Manager: Zixu Wang Office Manager & General Info

Ph: (574) 631-7471 Fax: (574) 631-6927 Advertising

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(574) 631-4541 mleontaras01@saintmarys.edu, msteure1@nd.edu, mbernar5@nd.edu Business Office

(574) 631-5313 Notre Dame News Desk

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webmaster@ndsmcobserver.com Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of either institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content.

The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors.

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Today’s Staff News

Sports

Andrew Cameron Maria Paul Trinity Reilly

Stephen Hannon Aidan Thomas

Graphics

Scene

Diane Park

Nia Sylva

Photo

Viewpoint

Nathanial George

Olivia Luchetti

Corrections The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at (574) 631-4541 so we can correct our error.

NATHANIAL GEORGE | The Observer

Students meet with employers from all across the country at the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development’s Winter Career Fair to learn about different job opportunities. There were 107 employers in attendance, including many Notre Dame alumni.

The next Five days:

Want your event included here?

Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Stories of Grace Log Chapel 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Community members to share stories. All are welcome.

Lecture: “Border Anxieties” 1030 Jenkins Nanovic Hall 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

All are welcome.

Higgins Labor Cafe Geddes Hall Coffee House 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Discussion of workers’ rights. All are welcome.

Film showing: “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood” Browning Cinema 6: 30 p.m. & 9: 30 p.m.

Ticketed event.

Women’s Tennis vs University of Kentucky Eck Tennis Paviliion 11 a.m.

Irish take on Wildcats.

Men’s Basketball vs Wake Forest Purcell Pavilion 7 p.m.

The Irish will take on the Demon Deacons.

“Environmental Cooperation” Hesburgh Center 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Covers issues in the Middle East.

Reception: “Divine Illusions” Snite Museum of Art 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Public reception for Divine Illusions.

Men’s Basketball vs Georgia Tech Purcell Pavilion 12 p.m.

The Irish will take on the Yellow Jackets.

Conducting Recital Basilica of the Sacred Heart 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Featuring conductor Howard Eckdhal.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, january 29, 2020 | The Observer

WVFI station provides platform for shows, music

EIC Continued from page 1

Ethics and Democracy.

“I couldn’t be more excited to have this opportunity to lead The Observer,” Leontaras said. “I’ve made so many great friends and memories throughout my time at the paper, and I can’t wait to help facilitate the same kind of experiences for staffers next year.

“I will always be so thankful for the editors and staffers who came before me and set a great example for me and others to follow. I look forward to continuing the work the outgoing Editorial Board started and producing content that is representative of the tri-campus community.”

Tunnel Continued from page 1

winter months.

“We also have to ensure that they’re accessible, so that students who are in wheelchairs or who need a little bit more physical assistance … [are able] to get through,” Strait said. “So, part of opening that tunnel this fall will involve installing accessibility ramps so that they can really be used by all students.”

In a January email to students, library director Joe Thomas said the renovation work would be completed within the next three months.

The tunnel system was initially created to connect the buildings on campus to the central utility plant, Strait said in an email, and is currently owned by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.

“In this case, the Sisters were so generous as to approve reopening the tunnel for student use as part of the overall library renovation,” she said.

At one time, the tunnels connected the Convent, Holy Cross

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By MaX LANDER News Writer

MARIA LEONTARAS | The Observer

Maria Leontaras will be Editor-in-Chief for the 2020-2021 term.

Leontaras has been working for the paper since fall of 2017.

A Northwest Indiana native, Leontaras began working in the Saint Mary’s News department in 2017 and rose to

Assistant Managing Editor in spring of 2019.

Leontaras will begin her term as Editor-in-Chief on March 1.

Hall, Moreau Center for the Arts, Regina Hall, Le Mans Hall, Haggar College Center and the library, Adaline Cashore, director of donor relations, said.

Cashore, who graduated from Saint Mary’s in 1970, remembers traversing these underground passageways.

“They were warm and dry in the winter,” Cashore said in an email. “They were relatively well-lit and wide, but the head room was low. You could reach out above and to the side and touch the pipes.

So, it’s understandable why the Sisters decided to close them to pedestrians.”

The tunnel connecting Le Mans Hall to Haggar and the library was built in 1982, when Cushwa-Leighton was first constructed and Haggar — which served as a library up until that point — was renovated, Cashore said.

“It has a completely different feel from the older network,” she said.

Since the tunnel’s original opening, it fell into disrepair over the years, and was

eventually closed to the public due to dangerous conditions.

However, Strait said the new renovations will make the tunnels safe and accessible for all students.

“The College is in the process of making the necessary investments to ensure that it [is in] compliance with ADA requirements and recommendations, so it is available to all students, including those with accessibility needs,” Strait said. “The College will also take care of improving the aesthetic condition of the space, incorporating fresh paint and a thorough cleaning.”

The work will be finished within the next few months, and the tunnels will be opened for student use before the end of this academic year, Strait said.

“We are hoping that April gives us at least one good snow so that students can appreciate the warmth provided by this newly-opened tunnel before the academic year is done,” she said.

Contact Maeve Filbin at mfilbin01@saintmarys.edu

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WVFI, or Voice of the Fighting Irish Radio, is Notre Dame’s student-run radio station, providing students a chance to share their interests, music and thoughts with a wide audience on campus and beyond.

(Editor’s Note: The Observer’s Scene Editor, Mike Donovan, is station manager of WVFI.) WVFI began broadcasting exclusively online in 2000, and listeners can tune in from almost anywhere in the world on WVFI’s website. This semester, the station broadcasts 81 different student-run shows a week.

When no one is scheduled to broadcast, the station plays songs selected by the WVFI board’s music committee.

Previously housed in the LaFortune Student Center, WVFI’s studio is now located on the second floor of the Duncan Student Center.

Senior Andres WalliserWejebe is a WVFI board member and co-editor of Mindset, the station’s magazine.

Walliser-Wejebe said the radio station exists to give students a place to have fun and share their ideas and creative projects with an audience.

“The main purpose of the radio station is for students to have shows,” WalliserWejebe said. “But I’d say, at least for me, it’s felt more like a community.”

Perhaps evidenced by their 81 weekly shows, the station tries to broadcast a diverse range of content.

W hile many of the shows are

music-based, their subjects vary widely, Walliser-Wejebe said.

“The only rule we have is to stay behind the red line — so no profanity — but other than that, you can play whatever you want and talk about whatever you want,” she said.

“Personally, I’ve done a show over the past three years with my roommate and we just pick a theme going into it, just a random theme, and we’ll play a song related to it, talk, play another song.

I think some people just go to hang out and talk — just hanging out with the mics on — and other people really like to plan it out and have topics.”

The shows are broadcast from the W V FI studio nearreal time (there’s about an 8 second delay) which allows listeners to interact with show hosts.

Senior Charlie Hergenrother is another W V FI board member as well as website developer.

He said in addition to their regularly scheduled programming, W V FI also holds charity events. The station’s Radiothon event raises money for Girls Rock Camp, an organization that promotes and teaches musical and life skills to girls and young women.

“Basically, it’s just a daylong series of skits and things that the board hangs out and does to try to get people to donate to this Girls Rock Camp,” Hergenrother said.

W VFI is classified and operates as a campus club run by a board of 15 members.

At the beginning of each semester, the club holds a “show picks night’ where they select and schedule the semester’s programming.

Participants are trained how to use the equipment, and the broadcasting begins.

A lthough this semester’s programming has already been selected, Hergenrother said those interested in getting involved don’t necessarily have to wait until next year.

“You can get a show after [show picks night], but there’s only kind of weird times left, like weekends or really early in the morning,” he said. “I would say [to prospective participants] to drop by the station during the day — someone from the board is almost always there — and just talk to us about it.”

Contact Max Lander at mlander1@nd.edu

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News

The observer | wednesday, january 29, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

ANNIE SMIERCIAK | The Observer

Notre Dame hosts four annual career fairs — the largest being its fall and winter fairs. The 2019 fall career fair, held in the Joyce Center, attracted representatives from over 200 organizations and businesses.

Career Fair Continued from page 1

Ca reer Development Kate Cover said 111 total employers attended the event. Employers ranged from government agencies to private companies to non-profit organizations.

Students could explore different tables and

Humor Continued from page 1

Inspired by the members of the group, Hopkirk — a Humor Artist herself — said she created the film mainly to portray what the group means to her.

Her work would be recognized as one of the standout pieces at the festival.

“My primary concern was making myself and my friends happy,” Hopkirk said. “I didn’t really think or expect that as many people would like it as they did.”

She said the documentary’s title lets on to its message in more ways than one.

“It’s supposed to be a reference to one of the main rules of improv,” Hopkirk said.

“The two main rules are ‘Don’t be afraid to f— up’ and ‘Yes, and.’ It’s all about accepting what your partner gives you in a scene and building upon it.”

In her eyes, the documentary is also supposed to about what it means to be the “perfect Notre Dame student.”

“No matter what you see from the outside, pretty much no one at this school actually feels like the supposed ‘Notre Dame student’ that we all assume everyone else to be,” she said.

Junior Jacob Neisewander said the club teaches its members to accept whatever challenge comes their way without letting the fear of failure hinder them.

“We just kind of roll with whatever the crowd wants to throw at us,” junior Jacob Neisewander said. “The audience will give us

to enhance relationships from previous networking events.

“I hear that a lot of these companies are looking for interns for this coming summer, and I’m hoping that since I also met with them at the Fall Career Fair, that will kind of help me, knowing that I’m interested,” sophomore Ronan McCarter said.

Other students attended the Career Fair with an interest in learning more about their own paths forward. Sophomore Noelle Dana said going to the Career Fair was more a matter of curiosity than a set agenda.

“I’m not particularly seeking anything actively, I’m just keeping an open mind, [to] maybe network and see what opportunities there are,” she said. “I browsed the list, and since I want to be an MD/JD, I’m looking for policy internships where I can explore a path with both of them.”

Regardless of their objective, many students find the Career Fairs a resource for honing skills that they will use later in life. Sophomore Aidan Becklund said the practice in talking to employers helped him build confidence last year as a freshman.

“It was kind of different for

me,” he said. “It was my first time networking, talking to a lot of different companies. But it felt natural, comfortable after a little bit. I kind of enjoy it now.”

The spread of corporate, service-based and government employers can help students understand where their interests can be applied professionally. McCarter said he could see himself using his computer science major in different ways but hopes to stay in that area.

“I’m not just restricting my options to just computer science, but there’s a reason I chose that as a major,” he said. “It’s not just that I wanted to do computer science to get a good job. It was mostly because I’m really interested in doing that as a profession.”

Although some students might leave the Career Fair discouraged or overwhelmed, King said her employer has a lengthy and substantial history with the event.

“We’ve been coming here for at least 18 years to recruit talent,” she said.

“Eighteen years ago, we hired one of our current partners.”

booths looking for volunteer, internship and full-time positions. Grace King, a representative from accounting firm Grant Thornton, said that her company was providing information for students as well as keeping an eye out for future talent.

“We are trying to proactively recruit,” she said.

“The years have

really changed the recruiting process, especially for firms like ours … we start ID’ing people when they’re freshmen. If they’re interested in accounting, we want to get them in the door with Grant Thornton and show them our culture, our people and our differences.”

For some students, the Winter Career Fair is a chance

a prompt to start the scene. So if I asked, ‘What’s something I can fit in the palm of my hand?’ and you say, ‘a marble,’ then a marble somehow has to factor into the scene that we do.”

Teamwork is essential to make the scene work, Hopkirk said.

“It’s all about accepting what your partner says and building upon it, and realizing that there are no bad choices you can make, you just need to make a choice,” she said.

Neisewander said appearing confident on stage relies on the improvisers working together.

“Every single scene is done with the help of other improvisers,” he said. “They can help catch you when you slip up, and you can help them when they trip up as well.”

Freshman Isabella Garcia said she has grown close to her teammates since joining Humor Artists.

“I have loved every second of being on the team,” she said.

“The improv is great, but spending time with that group of weird obnoxious people is really awesome.”

The club also serves as a stress reliever for many of the members, senior and co-president Ryan O’Callaghan said.

“I love practice, especially because everyone here [at Notre Dame] is stressed,” he said. “It’s nice to know y ou have four hours a week that is set aside where you walk in and you’re pretty much not going to be thinking about homework.”

He also said in addition to making friends through Humor Artists, the group is devoted to

Hopkirk captured the experience of being part of the Humor Artists improv team in her award-winning documentary. The film won the Audience Choice Award at the Notre Dame 2020 Student Film Festival.

Contact Christopher Parker at cparke22@nd.edu

Courtesy of Gretchen Hopkirk

honing their craft.

“Officers and senior members have really made an effort to kind of grow in the form,” O’Callaghan said. “We’ve been reading books on it and whatnot, because although improv is thinking on your feet and creating a show out of nothing, there are still certain principles and rules that govern scenes and should govern your actions and motivations that we have been trying to instill in all the members.”

Garcia said she found the team’s leadership a major source of encouragement.

“The upperclassmen have become really big mentors to everyone on the team,” Garcia said. “And I think that they’re not only great friends and great

people — they really let you grow in your skill, grow your jokes and they support you through the process in a way that is so holistic.”

These close-knit relationships and are what Hopkirk said she tried to capture in her documentary.

“I basically interviewed a bunch of people in the club and I talked to them about why they like improv and why they like the Humor Artists,” she said. “Pretty much everyone said something along the lines of the fact that they felt that this club was their place on campus where they felt like they could be their true self.”

Hopkirk said after interviewing her peers, she decided she needed to turn the camera back on herself.

“I decided that I wasn’t really going to be getting anywhere if I just put a camera in other people’s faces and asked them questions, because that’s kind of asking them to do all the work,” she said. “I kind of interviewed myself in a way, in front of the dome, and I talked about everything that I was insecure about publicly at the most iconic spot on our campus.”

Hopkirk’s documentary can be viewed on Youtube, and the Humor Artists can be found on Instagram at @thehumorartists or Facebook at @ TheHumorArtistsofND. The group performs once a month at Legends.

Contact Renee Pierson at rpierson1@nd.edu

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The observer | wednesday, january 29, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

DIANE PARK | The Observer

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The observer | Wednesday, January 29, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

The proper way to discuss politics

Inside Column

Let them eat salad Connor Mulvena Sports Writer

Blake Ziegler News with Zig

I’m not a huge inside column guy. As an employee of The Observer, I’m required to write a certain number of them per semester, but they never come easy to me. I love our Viewpoint section. I just find it difficult to contribute in light of some of the really great columns we get each week. I don’t like to get serious too often. It’s definitely a personal problem, but my instinct when writing these is always to try and lighten the mood. So once again, I’ll leave the serious stuff to those who can reflect on it far more impactfully than I, and I’ll try to bring some levity to the discussions about the Notre Dame community the best way I know how: by roasting the campus food options.

My last inside column offered a harsh reproach of North Dining Hall’s food, and I found myself in the middle of a student government-dining hall administration beef, which certainly was not my intention. But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t … dare I say, fun? Trouble can be fun, right?! But I’ve moved on from NDH since then. I’m a more mature diner now. I’m off campus. I shop for my own groceries, cook my own food. And again, I won’t comment on the fact that that food, which I, a broke and inexperienced college student, cook is quite literally light years better than the refined offerings of NDH. I won’t do that because I’m better than that now. I’m not petty. But perhaps we could talk about some other food options on campus .…

As many of us know, when things get busy and funds are low, it’s easy to form some bad dietary habits. I mean, a McChicken is a dollar. One dollar! You may not want to admit it, but has your mother ever cooked anything as satisfying as a McChicken? You can call me trash for thinking that, but I think all of us have a bit of McDonald’s in us. Anyway, when you continually eat like crap, sometimes you want a good, wholesome meal. A nice salad, or a hearty soup. Maybe some sort of ambiguously labeled “bowl” with various seemingly healthy ingredients. When I find myself in this situation, I’m often told by peers, “Go to Modern Market.” And it makes sense. I mean just look at the menu — lined by bright colors and titles of salads, soups and, oh, there are those bowls! It’s the type of menu that makes you feel like a hipster after reading it. You suddenly think, “I’m healthy … I can be healthy … I could grow a handlebar mustache if I really wanted to.” And honestly, the few times I’ve eaten at Modern Market, I’ve been pleased with the food itself. I think the steak sandwich is actually quite good. Was it worth trading in my 1998 Saturn wagon for a sandwich the size of a ping pong ball? Eh. Ok but steak is expensive, right? Chicken isn’t so much. Why not go for the Chicken Cobb salad? It’s only $11!

Maybe my criticism is representative of a blatant lack of understanding of economics, but I can’t imagine things would fall apart if a sandwich or salad was, say even six or seven dollars, instead of 12.

And to be fair I know that Modern Market does have some quality food, it’s not the play-doh model of real food they have at Subway.

But you’d think there may be more options for students to get some good, decently healthy food on campus that won’t break the bank.

I know there’s ABP, and I think ABP is good also. But again, it’s expensive, and just because the name is French doesn’t mean macaroni and cheese is healthy all of the sudden. I haven’t been to the new pizza place on campus, but I prefer not to eat cardboard in the middle of the day when I still have tasks to complete. Smashburger is fine, but I need a shower afterwards. I’ve already commented on Subway, whose food is ironically reminiscent of the smells of the NYC Subway. Grasta’s wraps are good, and maybe I’m just making poor decisions, but I could fall asleep before I even make it out of Grace Hall after a Grasta meal. I don’t think I need to talk about Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. I’ve never eaten at Garbanzo. Seems unnecessarily expensive. I could go on, but you get the point.

I know a lot of this sounds petty or whiny, and again I’m mainly being flippant. But wouldn’t it be nice to have a solid, decently healthy, fairly priced food option on campus? And I know the dining hall has more options, but have you seen how expensive a meal is at the DH? I could eat at Chipotle for like half the price. You might even read this and say “Wow, this dude really needs to just shut up and get a better job if he wants to eat better.” Fine. But no matter how much money I have, I’ll live by the same principles. So enjoy your avocado toast, but I’ll be fighting the good fight, unreasonably criticizing our food options so that one day we might eat like kings with the wallets of peasants.

Contact Connor Mulvena at cmulvena@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

As we all know, Notre Dame will be hosting the first presidential debate in September. This is a fascinating opportunity for the University, as the campus partakes in what will be a contentious, significant 2020 election. No matter your political leanings or level of interest in politics, everyone should be excited. Last week, Father Jenkins released an email with further details about the debate. One particular part of his message was that as the debate nears, students should “do our best to embody our characteristic Notre Dame hospitality, and to show ourselves to be engaged, thoughtful and civil.”

According to a June 2019 poll from the Pew Research Center, the vast majority of Americans have found political debate to be more negative, less respectful and fact-based and overall worse. This is not hard to believe.

Over the years, divisive politics and partisanship has led to a polarized nation. Parties frequently vilify each other and the chance for bipartisanship is always diminishing. This degradation of discourse is not exclusive to government officials. Social media is wrought with bitter arguments, name-calling and an utter disregard for the wellbeing of the person behind the screen.

Overall, the quality of discourse has gone downhill. Yet, discourse is a vital part of our nation’s democratic principles. Our democratic republic relies on an informed citizenry that openly engages in dialogue about important issues in a civilized, productive way. Free speech, one of the hallmarks of the Constitution, is dependent on the free exchange of ideas that are tested and adopted for the betterment of the nation. A country with poor discourse will elect weak politicians who pass bad policies.

Discourse must improve for the sake of our nation. Yet, this path is unclear. How should we conduct political discourse? How do we bridge the partisan divide towards productive dialogue? I propose three elements necessary for any productive discussion about politics.

First, we must reorient the way we view political discussions. Political conversations are often viewed as an “I’m right and you’re wrong” complex, wherein each party attempts to persuade the other to join their side. This understanding is largely flawed and influenced by our current political sphere. Presidential debates, name-calling in the media and fights between opposing parties would suggest that politics is only about winning. However, this is a misinterpretation of political discussion.

In these conversations, “winning” is actually finding a solution that best benefits our nation or achieves our ideals. Nevertheless, there is obviously a debate element. One should have conviction in his beliefs and advocate for them, seeking to persuade others. However, political discussion has a second element, and that is dialogue. Dialogue is about understanding the different views on an issue and finding common ground. Political discussions should contain both aspects. People should argue for their beliefs, as it provides the foundation from which we navigate politics and adopt policies.

However, for an effective policy, we should be informed of all sides of an issue. Ultimately, this assists in finding the best solution.

Now, some may argue that debate and dialogue are irreparable opposites. An opinion from the New York Times vilifies debate as having a “close-minded, partisan and

self-interested nature,” while dialogue benefits our democracy. This is a gross misinterpretation of the value of debate. Debate incentivizes one to question the rationale behind their beliefs and learn how to articulate those beliefs.

It is a cornerstone of any effective discussion.

It goes together with dialogue, providing the drive towards the common ground we seek.

Through this, we can combat the polarization that has corroded our nation’s politics for decades. If we focus on understanding one another and appreciating the other side, that will only benefit the nation. In this way, debate and dialogue are the key elements of any political discussion.

Second, civility is greater than barbarism.

One only must look at the comments of any political article to see the horrible indecency individuals have towards those with whom they disagree. Perhaps this is because they are hiding behind a screen, but the sentiment remains that our current discourse is disrespectful and unkind. We regularly see politicians vilify one another, whether it is President Trump’s nicknames for his political opponents or Representative Nadler calling the president a “dictator.” We cannot reduce our intelligence and critical thinking to simple name-calling and buffoonery. Political discourse should be characterized by an atmosphere of civility and goodwill. One should not automatically assume that those he disagrees with are evil or uninformed. In fact, adopting this aggressive tone may decrease citizen engagement. An August 2019 poll from the Pew Research Center found that while 53% of those with high levels of comfort with conflict talk about politics often, only 30% with a low level do the same. Aggression will only silence more voices. However, if we adopt kindness, civility and mutual respect, this invites greater participation that ultimately benefits the nation. This breaks down the walls and divisions politicians usually rely on to stir crowds, paving the way for an informed citizenry committed to a stronger nation.

Third, educate yourself. Read articles, participate in discussions and research the topics you are passionate about. Any political discussion is weak if it lacks substance and information to analyze. It is the obligation of any citizen to become informed, as that assists in understanding the issues of our nation and how to approach them. This specifically involves viewing the source material. Do not rely on political commentary or summaries of important speeches or policies. Listen to the politicians speak and read the bills. That way, one avoids the bias any commentary inherently has. Through education, one livens political discourse and brings about positive change.

As we get closer to the 2020 election, politics will only intrude more in your personal life.

This should not strike fear or anxiety. If we adopt the right mindset and strategies, political discourse can become a beneficial tool for any individual and the overall wellbeing of the nation. However, this requires a commitment from the nation’s citizens to follow this strategy.

Blake Ziegler is a freshman at Notre Dame from New Orleans, Louisiana, with double majors in political science and philosophy. He hopes his writing encourages others to take an interest in politics and government. For inquiries, he can be reached at bziegler@nd.edu or @NewsWithZig on Twitter.

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

The observer | Wednesday, january 29, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

77

Religious schools: save yourselves Jackie O’Brien and Mary Szromba The Dynamic Duo

This past week, fellow columnist Vincent Mallet advocated for the right of private, religious schools to receive equal access to publicly funded scholarship programs.

In concluding his discussion of this challenging constitutional issue, Mallet states, “the Supreme Court should affirm that religious schools cannot be legally discriminated against on the basis of their religious character.”

But this simply isn’t the case. Religious schools can and should be legally discriminated against on the basis of their religious character. Why? To say otherwise would render the Establishment Clause utterly useless.

The First Amendment establishes two conflicting constitutional principles: freedom of exercise and freedom from religious establishment. The Court has long struggled in applying these principles in context. At one point, the Court ruled that the display of a creche within a county courthouse was unconstitutional, but the display of a menorah and Christmas tree side-by-side only a block from the original nativity controversy was permitted.

Clearly, the issue is far more complicated than initially understood by Mr. Mallett in arguing to extend the scholarship funds to religious institutions.

Mr. Mallett cites Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia Inc. v. Comer as precedent on the issue, but there is another Supreme Court case which is far more apt to address the scholarship issue at hand. In Locke v. Davey, the Court upheld the constitutionality of a publicly funded Washington state college scholarship program, which excluded from eligibility those students who intend to pursue a degree in devotional theology.

Recognizing the fraught tug-of-war between respecting both freedom of exercise while maintaining freedom from religious establishment, the Court ruled that the program and Washington State Constitution displayed no animus towards religion and was thus constitutional.

Additionally, the Court recognized the state interest of preventing public funding from serving a religious purpose as both legitimate and long-standing throughout history.

It was in this decision that Chief Justice Rehnquist famously established the “play in the joints” theory of the two Religion Clauses, stating that there is some measure of gray area between what is allowed by freedom of exercise and what is required by freedom from religious establishment. Essentially, he argued Washington could have constitutionally provided scholarship funds for degrees in devotional theology, but it was also under no constitutional obligation to do so. Therefore, Locke precedent dictates that excluding religious institutions from publicly funded scholarship programs is not a violation of

free exercise.

We would go even further than the Court to say that not only are states allowed to enforce this exclusion, they are in fact required to do so. Respecting freedom from religious establishment requires the government to provide only the most limited forms of support for religious institutions, especially when it comes to religious education. The government may support certain policies, like those that further a larger public good such as child safety in getting to and from school or equal access to play facilities, but these are limited in scope and nature.

Scholarship funds undoubtedly encompass a promotion of a religious education, rather than simply the sustenance of legitimate general governmental objectives, and thus any publicly funded scholarships for religious institutions should be deemed unconstitutional.

Mr. Mallet argues that the standard of strict scrutiny should be applied in this case, and asserts that the state’s interest in excluding religious institutions from publicly funded scholarships does not rise to the level of compelling. We disagree.

Avoiding an Establishment Clause violation has been found to be a compelling enough interest to warrant an abridgment of certain rights. As Justice White wrote in Widmar v. Vincent, “the interest of the State in avoiding an Establishment Clause violation may be a compelling one justifying an abridgment of free speech otherwise protected by the First Amendment.” Widmar was a free speech case, but free speech is a fundamental right in the same way that freedom of exercise is a fundamental right, and thus should be subject to the same level of scrutiny.

If avoiding the establishment of religion is a compelling enough interest to abridge free speech, it should be compelling enough to abridge free exercise.

And there is a very real danger of violating the Establishment Clause in this case.

First, because forcing a state to even partially fund a religious school unconstitutionally promotes adherence to that religion. A state choosing to fund a program implies support for that program. When state funds go to religious institutions, even indirectly, reasonable observers may conclude that the state supports that religion, which is one of the evils the Establishment Clause is meant to protect against. A state should not even appear to support one religion over another.

This fear is likely what led to Montana to draft an Establishment Clause for its state constitution which is even more explicit that the U.S. Constitution. According to precedent established in Locke v. Davey, Montana has the right to make its state Establishment Clause stricter than the one in the U.S. Constitution. Perhaps Mr. Mallet disagrees with Montana’s decision to do so, but he cannot disagree that they have the right to draft their state constitution in this way.

Second, because the test the Supreme Court uses to

determine whether a law breaches the Establishment Clause is the three-pronged Lemon test. Under the Lemon test, a law violates the Establishment Clause if it does not have a secular purpose, has the primary effect of promoting or inhibiting religion, or fosters excessive government entanglement with religion. Requiring states to allow religious schools to partake in publicly funded scholarships violates the third prong of the Lemon test. In granting religious schools the right to access publicly-funded scholarships, the state would be forced to oversee the use of those scholarship funds in order to ensure they are still serving a secular, non-religious purpose. According to the Court, it is quite clear that this type of monitoring qualifies as excessive entanglement with religion.

For these reasons alone, the provision of state funds in the form of scholarships utilized by those attending religious institutions is a violation of the Establishment Clause.

The American educational system has completely transformed since our founding from an entirely private endeavor to a majority public one. It should come as no surprise that K-12 parochial schools are struggling to meet enrollment rates and basic funding requirements. With the increasing availability of quality public education, the onus is on religious schools to become competitive with public schools, rather than rely on funding from the state or federal government.

This may seem like a harsh reality and one we would struggle to accept, especially at a place like Notre Dame.

However, it has never been the responsibility of the federal government to preserve the private religious education system. In fact, that’s just blatantly unconstitutional.

The students at Notre Dame, as well as the administration, have made genuine efforts to bolster the future of K-12 religious education with such programs as the Alliance for Catholic Education. These are the types of initiatives we should be implementing to preserve the legacy and standing of a Catholic education, rather than relying on a state or federal government for an unconstitutional handout.

Jackie O’Brien is a Notre Dame senior studying political science and peace studies, originally from the Chicago suburbs. When she’s not writing for Viewpoint, you can find her attempting to complete the NYT crossword, fretting over law school applications or watching RuPaul’s Drag Race. She can be reached at jobrie21@nd.edu or @im_jackie_o on Twitter.

Mary Szromba is a senior majoring in philosophy and political science, and she’s never been wrong about anything in her entire life. Questions, comments, and anonymous love letters can be directed to mszromba@ nd.edu or @_murrrrrr on Twitter.

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

Guest Column

For Annrose I think that perhaps we die a thousand tiny deaths before the final one comes, bringing along an irrevocable change with the capital D it bears. Despite their seeming finality, these minute, foregone conclusions serve simply as short stops along the way, marcations of the immeasurably painful, albeit survivable crises in our lives.

Survivable? At the time, they seem not.

Last night, in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, an overwhelming community of sorrowful hearts converged.

Concurrently, a thousand tiny deaths, a thousand broken hearts, brought into a wordless union by unspeakable pain.

Amid this emotion, and in spite of the grief of my being, in my own humanity, and looking ahead to the altar, I couldn’t help but fixate on a single thought. A simple one, really. Absurdly pointless. But inescapable — If Annrose were among us, would she like the picture of herself that had been chosen?

Her brilliant smile, her glinting eyes expressing

something nothing else could, a pure radiance. In spite of my own perceptions, what would she say if she saw that portrait?

Perhaps she’d render it a prodigious portrayal of pure personality. Perhaps she’d be measurelessly mortified at the minute minutiae — the way her hair laid, the way her head turned.

Perhaps, in death, she’d be indifferent.

And I couldn’t help but consider — what photo would be chosen of me one day? I suppose that once it’s time for the question to be answered, it’s too late to ask.

On the worn, wooden pew, I couldn’t consider anything but the trivialities. Reaching for my own chapstick, it occurred to me that Annrose would never again use her own. Never again navigate the masses of North Dining Hall. Nor jot notes furiously as a PowerPoint changed slides all to quickly — an unintended metaphor.

In the stillness, I find parallels of death all around us.

In the swell of music, and its silence. In the change of seasons. In receding footsteps, in a slamming door.

In our immeasurable fear when confronted with a loss so deep, so personal, that we cannot breathe for fear that, in exhalation, the next inhale will never come. So paralyzed, that tears, despite our unrelenting willing, will not fall; dammed up in the sea of our own emotions.

Yet, thrown into the light of a flickering candle at the Grotto, a breath released by a brave soul sent up a cloud of life. Evaporating even faster than it formed, it receded into the night air, releasing itself back to the world from which it came. In spite of the risk, respiration remained relentlessly. An example.

I imagine Annrose to be like a deep silence on a warm summer’s day.

When we die our little deaths, we are commas, semicolons. Annrose, in contrast, has reached the period. But is it the end of the page?

Ellen Geyer is a junior sports writer at The Observer.

She can be contacted at egeyer1@nd.edu.

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

8

Classifieds

The observer | wednesday, january 29, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | RICHARD CHISHOLM

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Take a deep breath, and pull yourself together. Stay ahead of any competition you meet by being fully prepared. Don’t lose sight of your objective. You will reach your destination, regardless of the obstacles you encounter along the way. Persistence will be necessary if you want to stay in control. Caution should be maintained this year. Your numbers are 3, 17, 20, 26, 38, 42, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Speed things up if you think it will help, but don’t take shortcuts. Someone will deceive you regarding a rule or regulation you should be aware of before you commit to a project or proposal. Practice moderation.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take a step back if uncertainty prevails. Go over details, dissect opportunities and make decisions based on what you discover.

Observation and intuitive insight will help you make the best decision. Refuse to let someone push you one way or another.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Speak up, do your own thing and don’t trust anyone who is hovering over you or being too complimentary. You’ll be disappointed if you leave essential details in someone else’s hands. Take control, and speak your mind.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): How you handle the people you work alongside will make a difference. If you are generous with your compliments, offer solid suggestions and put in extra and unexpected details, you will surpass your expectations. Romance is in the stars.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Question everyone and everything. Gather facts, and put in the energy required to go the extra mile. How you handle situations, people and projects will make a difference. An unexpected change will put you on the spot. Don’t wait; act quickly.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Interact with people who have something interesting to offer. Someone you encounter will spark your interest and prompt you to make changes to the way you live or do things. Romance is in the stars and will improve your life.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Think before you act. A misleading situation, coupled with someone hustling you, will push you in a direction you shouldn’t head. Be aware of the changes taking place around you, and consider if you want to be a part of what’s going on.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’ll get a different perspective on life, where you want to go next and how you see yourself spending the next chapter of your life. If you’re going to find peace and happiness, live your dream, not someone else’s. Spiritual growth is encouraged.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Make decisions that fit into your schedule, and consider your plans. If you let someone tempt you with something that sounds too good to be valid, you will be disappointed in the outcome. Refuse to let anyone take advantage of you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Go over your papers, money matters and any health and physical concerns you might have. A positive change should include a healthier lifestyle. Let what’s happened help you choose a better future.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Follow through with your plans, regardless of what others do or say. Consider your options if boredom is troubling you. Look at ways to diversify, and you will find something that makes you feel excited and alive.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Stay calm, approach situations with caution and be responsible for your actions. You’ll have to make decisions that can lead to trouble or a truce. Play fair, do your best and stand up for those who can’t.

Birthday Baby: You are competitive, disciplined and resourceful. You are confident and original.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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M Bball

Sports Authority

Lessons from a hometown heist David Kramer Sports Writer

Among the 21st centur y’s most prevalent mantras, the invitation to “do the right thing, even when no one is watching” proves the hardest to accept. Anyone w ith a devil on their shoulder and a WiFi connection can see the beautifully tantalizing fruits that the temptation of dishonesty bears.

Here, sports become a particularly interesting case. Something about professional leagues’ infrastructure leaves honest men and women uncontrollably defeated and isolated.

In light of the Houston Asterisks’ recent fallout, the call for integrity feels swallowed by its enticing alternative: nice guys finish last.

W hen baseball’s men of integrity spend their October on an old couch, dog in arm, watching cheaters fool the nation under its nose, sometimes I think about them turning to their w ives and children and wondering how long they should wait before leveling the playing field.

It remains undisputed that punishment finds the crime of the dishonest, whether it comes in the form of legal retribution or social dysfunction. But in the modern era, athletes w restle w ith a much more complicated question: does the punishment find the crime too late?

Enter the greatest (and maybe the only) stor y of my hometow n on the outskirts of the Tw in Cities.

On March 1, 2017, I woke up to a wave of text messages from friends and family f looding my phone. Early that morning, local police officers arrested the president of the Hamel Athletic Club, Edward Leuthner, for a massive embezzlement scandal that had hovered over my organization for years. Leuthner concealed his theft of over $50,000 by documenting large-scale transactions w ith the club’s equipment provider, Xtreme Custom Apparel.

If Little League team managers requested a quota of hats and jerseys, Leuthner would skim personal profit by claiming to buy more than desired as added inventor y. Sometimes, he claimed to purchase equipment that the local manufacturer never sold.

Management at Xtreme Custom Apparel crafted

exorbitant invoices that Leuthner paid before personally retrieving the extra cash from the distributor.

For such a small program, $50,000 carried significant weight. Granted, my team still received sufficient funding for decent apparel and field renovations. But competition w ith larger and more aff luent programs around the Tw in Cities left us on the back burner.

My parents never suspected foul play. No one did. For us, the sheer size of the program justified the painfully slow grow th of the program. Simple projects like repairing a pane of the outfield fence stretched into oblivion, and our participation outside of league play faded. By the time playoffs rolled around, we lost. We lost big.

With the program’s financial grow th and stability polluted, the PR that swirled around the Hamel Athletic Club left the program in shambles. Despite countless attempts to propagate program expansion, it remains a mediocre punching bag for competitive metro teams.

I sympathize with the organization’s treasurer.

The embezzlement fiasco capitalized on her lack of resources and insight when she needed it most.

Locals chastised her for alleged involvement, perhaps permanently tainting her reputation.

But amidst all of the current chaos, I hesitate to sympathize with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

A prestigious arsenal of technologies and ingenious sleuths rest in his fingertips, yet he fails to calm the shockwaves of dishonesty before they explode into the public sphere — or more significantly, before a disingenuous championship is won. Retribution in the body of sports takes effect after the victor y lap, after the ceremonies, after this page of our histor y book turns.

Professional leagues have the power to regulate their many abuses of technolog y even before they occur. Put simply, all they need to do is use it.

After all, who knows what the Eddie Leuthners of our time might steal next?

Contact David Kramer at dkramer2@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Continued from page 12

$20,000 for his comments about the officiating immediately follow ing the game during his press conference. Brey apologized for his actions during his week ly teleconference on Tuesday.

“I certainly accept the reprimand for my comments and I w ill take my medicine like a man and accept my responsibilit y on that,” he said. “I am going to tr y to be a good guy the rest of the season, but I can’t guarantee any thing.”

Despite the loss Saturday, the contest against the Seminoles showed a glimmer of hope in the otherw ise lack luster Irish season.

The Irish showed that they could keep up w ith some of the best competition in the countr y on any given night.

Brey praised the Seminoles for their performance.

“I was really proud of our group the other night in Tallahassee,” Brey said. “I thought we gave ourselves a chance and really fought back. I am so impressed w ith Florida State, I really think they can w in the whole thing. They are

playing well.”

A lthough the Irish are not play ing ideal team basketball, they have had some standout indiv idual performances this season. Senior for ward John Mooney reached a mark most recently met by Blake Griffin w ith Ok lahoma in the 2008-09 season by pulling dow n 200 rebounds in just 15 games. The only player to beat this mark was Tim Duncan in the 1996-97 season, reaching 200 board in just 14 games.

In the Irish backcourt, senior guard T.J. Gibbs is just one point shy from becoming Notre Dame’s all time leading scorer in ACC competition. Gibbs currently has 738 points against ACC opponents, nearing Steve Vasturia’s 739. Gibbs is also ranked fifth in the ACC in field goal percentage shooting 44-84, for .524 this season. He is the third best in the conference w ith his percentage behind the arc shooting 19-36, for .488 on the year and averaging 2.5 threes made per game.

Finally, he leads the conference from the charit y stripe, missing just three free throws all year and is currently sitting 24-27, for a percentage of .889.

9

Additionally, Notre Dame has been play ing ver y disciplined basketball this year.

They lead the countr y in fewest fouls committed per game at 12.3, and come in at third in the countr y in fewest turnovers per game at 9.9; just behind Virginia Tech at 9.7 and Libert y at 9.8.

Both the Irish and the Demon Deacons are coming into this game on a two-game losing streak.

The Irish lost a close game against Sy racuse last Wednesday at home, 8284, and dropped another on the road against Florida State, 84-85, over the weekend. The Demon Deacons, on the other hand, lost on the road at Clemson last Tuesday in a nail biter, 6871 and were defeated on their home court Sunday against Virginia in another dow n-to-the-w ire contest, 65-63.

That being said, both squads w ill be heading into Purcell Pav ilion this Wednesday hungr y for a v ictor y. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m., and the game w ill be broadcast live on the ACC Network.

Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu

Nathanial George | The Observer

Irish graduate student guard Rex Pflueger looks to pass during Notre Dame’s 84-82 loss to Syracuse on Jan. 22 at Purcell Pavillion. The Irish rallied from a double-digit deficit before faltering late.

The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.

10

Sports

The observer | wednesday, january 29, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Adams Continued from page 12

rather gold) wood.

On Saturday, Jan. 25, the year of our Lord 2020, Irish head coach Mike Brey reached a breaking point. The kind of breaking point that would cause Notre Dame legend Ara Parseghian (God rest his soul) to roll over in his grave. The kind of breaking point that brought Coach Brey’s press conference to a screeching halt, to a fullon assault against those perceived to be slighting his team at ever y turn. “[Florida State] shot it like I’ve never seen before,” he began. “[Our guys] calmed dow n a little bit.

I’m proud of our group. We gave ourselves a chance.

Disappointing though, we had chances there at the end.”

Then, much like Florida State’s hot shooting, once Brey got rolling, he couldn’t cool off. “[Did senior for ward Juwan] Durham get fouled on that last one? On that steal? Did he get fouled on that? ” Brey asked in reference to Durham’s clutch steal and lay up on an inbounds pass to make it an 85-84 game w ith 16 seconds remaining.

“How about the walk on [graduate student guard Rex] Pf lueger, at half court? ” he asked in regard to a questionable traveling penalt y against the graduate student guard that led to a Notre Dame technical foul.

Then, Brey let loose.

“Sometimes we’re treated by the officials like we haven’t brought football as a full member, but yet we get a full share of the ACC Net work T V,” Brey lamented. “Are you kidding me?

[Referee John Gaffney] T’s up our bench from across the court because he’s pissed off at us? I’m frustrated, man.”

He took a brief moment to complement Seminoles head coach Leonard Hamilton, who he described as a good friend, and the play of their team, before he threw his arms up in exasperation and walked out of the press conference less than a minute into it. He was done say ing, or rather shouting, his piece.

“You gotta be kidding me man. C’mon, man. We’re in the league too. We’re in the league too now, c’mon.

C’mon, John Gaffney. God. Congratulations to Florida State, [they]’re fearless.

Great team, they can w in it [all],” he said.

For a full explanation of what set Brey off, please refer to our report on the

fine that his criticisms prompted.

Brey’s rant against the system is the culmination of college basketball life being about as hard on Notre Dame in recent seasons as it possibly could be, save for the NCA A handing out a death penalt y. For a full recap of the journey for the Irish over the past three seasons, I refer you once more to my prev ious column.

In short, Notre Dame is the hardest luck team in college basketball, and maybe the most of any Power-Five team in the modern era. I don’t say this because they’ve gone 13-31 against ACC competition the last three years, including 5-21 in the last t wo. I say it because v irtually ever y loss is a heartbreaker.

I’ve loved Mike Brey ever since he partied in the locker room w ith his shirt off after the Irish beat Wichita State in the championship game of the Maui Inv itational. And I have to admit he’s had to deal w ith some absurd injur y situations, at one point losing Bonzie Colson, Matt Farrell and D.J. Har vey for a span in 2017 and losing Pf lueger for the season last year, in addition to absences by then-juniors guard T.J. Gibbs and for ward Juwan Durham.

It’s a testament to Brey’s coaching abilit y that the team has been able to hang around in close games as they have the past few seasons, especially w ith the disparit y in talent during said injur y spells, and that makes it all the more heartbreaking.

Aside from Notre Dame’s 21-point blowout loss to Mar yland earlier in the season, the Irish have lost their other seven games by a combined 25 points.

That’s an average differential of about 3.57 points per game. Take out their 11-point season-opening loss to North Carolina, and they’ve lost the other six games by a combined 14 points, “good” for an average margin of 2.33. That’s agonizingly close.

Florida State was a game that honestly came dow n to referee calls, because the Seminoles were about as on fire as a team could be for the first 36 minutes of the game. Somehow though, the Irish hung around and made their move. Unfortunately, those calls just didn’t go their way, and Brey’s comments are somewhat justified considering college basketball’s officiating has been prett y bad this season.

Don’t get me w rong though, I question Brey for some of his decisions, like refusing to play senior

for ward Nikola Djogo at all during their 73-68 loss to N.C. State.

A few of those losses (see: N.C. State, 62-60 loss vs. Indiana, 67-64 loss vs.

Louisv ille, 84-82 loss vs.

Sy racuse, 73-72 loss vs.

Boston College), unlike against Florida State, were in Notre Dame’s hand and they let them slip away.

The fact of the matter is that there are no great teams in college basketball this season. Ever yone has been losing to teams they should be beating, and the ACC is worse than it’s been in a long time. This should have been Notre Dame’s year to creep up the conference standings and make it back to the NCA A tournament. I say “should have been,” but there is hope yet.

I’m not say ing this team is the reincarnation of the 1983 N.C. State Cardiac Pack that won a must-w in ACC Tournament to get to the NCA A tourney, where they beat Houston in the championship.

However, given college basketball’s weaknesses, it’s conceivable that this team could go on a run and make it to the Big Dance.

This is a pivot point for the Notre Dame program, the kind of pivot Pf lueger apparently lacked on the terrible travel call against him.

So then, here’s the question: W hat happens when the hardest luck coach of the hardest luck team in America, coincidentally also the “loosest coach in America,” reaches the end of his fuse? Can he lift the Irish over that 2.33-point barrier? Can they finally w in the games they should?

The answer to the last question is yes, because we’ve seen them do it this season at Sy racuse and at Georgia Tech. As for the first question, I haven’t a clue. But I think something has happened to Brey.

John Gaffney may have lit a fire under Brey, a fire that may have reminded Brey that his seat could get aw fully warm if something doesn’t change. This is the time to reevaluate, retool and light that same fire under your players.

Now is the time to turn the tide and work a little Irish magic.

W hat happens when an Irishman’s back is against the wall? A ll I know is it ain’t prett y. As for the loosest coach in America, we’ll just have to see.

Your move, Mike.

Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

M Tennis Continued from page 12

Indiana, also took part in the ITA Kickoff weekend, playing against both No. 1 Texas (4-0) and Vanderbilt (3-1).

W hile the Hoosiers were swept by the Longhorns, they did put out a solid doubles performance against Vanderbilt, w inning t wo

matches to take the doubles point before dropping four matches in singles. The Irish w ill need to continue to play well in order to extend their doubles w inning streak and secure the critical opening point of the match.

The in-state matchup is set to begin at 3 p.m. w ith doubles play followed by singles at the Indiana Universit y Tennis Center.

ALLISOn thornton | The Observer

Irish junior Richard Ciamarra serves the ball during Notre Dame’s 6-1 win over Boston College on Feb. 8 at Eck Tennis Pavilion.

Allison thornton | The Observer

Irish senior Matt Gamble returns a volley during Notre Dame’s 6-1 victory against Boston College at Eck Tennis Pavilion on Feb. 8.

Sports

W Tennis Continued from page 12

ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, january 29, 2020 | The Observer

of these adjustments that we want to make in the doubles.

And, we’ll continue to move in the right direction.”

The Irish did not face the Zips, the Wildcats or the Bulldogs in a team match last year, and the squad will look to get things back on track

11

after its first loss of the season.

Notre Dame will take on Akron on Friday, have Saturday off and then take on Kentucky and Butler on Sunday at the Eck Tennis Center.

a challenging spot for any competitor but especially for one in a conference as filled with talContact Connor Mulvena at ent as the ACC. cmulvena@nd.edu Nevertheless, the same positivity could not be held towards the squad’s doubles play, which was a point of specific concern, according to Silverio. But she said that, with a week of practice ahead, doubles play will be a point of primary concern.

She remains confident that the team will continue to move in the right direction after making those crucial adjustments. “[Doubles] is definitely going to be one of our biggest, as I mentioned earlier, our biggest focus for the week, is making those adjustments for doubles and going after it,” Silverio said. “Our first opportunity to perform in that will be against Akron on Friday, and then we’ll obviously have another opportunity on Sunday against Kentucky and Butler. But that will certainly be our area of focus this week as we head into the weekend, getting to play at home again. We’re certainly excited about that, and it’s an opportunity for us to get betObserver File Photo ter, so we’ll utilize the few practice days that we have before Irish senior Bess Waldram rockets a return back at her opponent in a Friday and work through some Notre Dame 7-0 sweep of Bowling Green on Jan. 23, 2019, at home.

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Allison thornton | The Observer

Irish junior Cameron Corse prepares for a point in her doubles match in a 4-1 win against Purdue on Feb.13 at Eck Tennis Pavilion.

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The observer | wednesday, january 29, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

ND MEN’s BASKETBALL

Irish seek 3rd ACC win against Demon Deacons Mike Brey and Irish face a pivot point in season

Notre Dame looks for first home win of 2020

By JIMMY WARD

Hayden Adams

Sports Writer

Associate Sports Editor

After a tough loss in Tallahassee against No. 5 Florida State on Saturday, the Notre Dame men’s basketball team will return home this week for a three game home stand. Their first test will be against conference foe Wake Forest on Wednesday.

The Demon Deacons (9-10, 2-7 ACC) are currently ranked last in the ACC, though Notre Dame (11-8, 2-6 ACC) is sitting just two spots in front of them, third to last. The Irish are coming off a loss at Florida State where they were just two points shy of serving the fifth ranked team in the nation their third loss this season.

To pour salt in the wound, head coach Mike Brey was assessed a program fine of

Nathanial george | The Observer

see M BBALL PAGE 9

Irish sophomore forward Nate Laszewski looks on during Notre Dame’s 84-82 loss against Syracuse on Jan. 22 at Purcell Pavilion. The Irish have not won at home since beating Alabama A&M 82-56 on Dec. 29.

Notre Dame to play trio of opponents over weekend

By CONNOR MULVENA

ND travels to IU for matchup Observer Staff Report

Sports Editor

see W TENNIS PAGE 11

see ADAMS PAGE 10

ND Men’s tennis

nd Women’s Tennis

After a tough road trip, during which the Irish took on Furman and No. 3 Georgia, the Notre Dame women’s tennis team will take on three opponents, the Akron Zips, the Kentucky Wildcats and the Butler Bulldogs, this weekend at home.

Irish (3-1) head coach Alison Silverio said she was happy with the team’s performances in singles last weekend. The Irish fell behind in doubles early on in the match against Furman, but the squad fought back to take the match thanks to some fantastic performances in singles play. And even though the Irish came away with a loss against an impressive Georgia (2-0) squad, Silverio lauded her team’s ability to hang in there with a top 10 team, especially in singles play. She commented specifically on sophomore Zoe Taylor, who took on the tall task of playing in the one spot,

As I w rote the summar y of the Notre Dame men’s basketball team’s 85-84 loss at No. 5 Florida State, I struggled to keep the stor y as objective as possible. I fought my fingers to not t y pe the various adjectives that would turn the w rap into an editorial.

But now, I no longer have to hold back.

I prev iously w rote a column claiming that the Irish were at a turning point after losing a home game to Boston College for the first time since 1997. I hereby retract that claim to say that now is the time where the program meets Robert Frost’s proverbial t wo roads diverging in a yellow (or

Observer File Photo

Irish junior Ally Bojczuk swings through a volley against Bowling Green in a match Notre Dame won 7-0 at home on Jan. 23, 2019.

After splitting a pair of matches and grabbing the ITA Kickoff Weekend consolation title last weekend, the Notre Dame men’s tennis team w ill travel to Bloomington, Indiana, this weekend to take on in-state rival Indiana Universit y (22). The Irish (2-2) w ill be entering into the match w ith a sense of confidence after taking care of business against Florida Atlantic, sweeping the Owls (2-5) 4-0. They reached the consolation round after losing to Arizona 4-2 in the first round, starting strong by taking the doubles point before falling in singles.

The Irish w ill once again look to keep their doubles play in a groove, hav ing won the doubles point in the last three matches they played by a combined score of 3617. The No. 1 doubles team for the Irish in junior Tristan McCormick and sophomore

A xel Nef ve as well as the No. 2 doubles team in junior Richard Ciamarra and senior Matt Gamble have done well for their team, w inning six of their last eight matchups.

In singles, Ciamarra, the No. 5-ranked ITA singles player, w ill look to get back into the w in column after suffering t wo defeats against both Purdue (2-3) and Arizona (5-1). He w ill likely match up against another ranked opponent in Saturday’s contest.

Indiana senior Bennett Crane holds the No. 66 spot in the ITA singles rankings.

No. 102-ranked Nef ve w ill also look to build off of a strong show ing at the ITA Kickoff weekend, where he split a pair of matches, w inning 7-5, 6-1 against junior Ma x ime Lapraille of FAU and play ing close against Arizona’s (5-1) junior No. 36 Filip Malbasic, losing 6-4, 6-4.

Notre Dame’s opponent, see M TENNIS PAGE 10