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Volume 54, Issue 29 | tuesday, october 8, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Hand gesture at game stirs controversy National television captures student making disputed symbol at ND Stadium during football match By MARY BERNARD News Writer
Minutes before the start of the Sept. 28 Virginia-Notre Dame football game, an NBC camera zoomed in on the announcers reporting from the student section. Many students were cheering. One was not. This student stuck out his arm, his thumb and forefinger touching to form an upside down OK sign out to his right side. The gesture was fleeting and may have gone unnoticed by many viewers. In a video of the incident, students nearby did not seem to see it. It is the universal symbol for OK, widelyused to signal understanding or approval and even appears as an emoji. But to others who saw it, the
student’s gesture had a sinister cast. In recent years, the OK sign has been appropriated by white supremacists, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The student’s motives are unknown. Nevertheless, his gesture has become the latest flashpoint in ongoing conversations about the importance of tolerance, the boundaries for freedom of expression and the viral nature of hate speech. The incident also underscores tensions on campus in recent months, where divisiveness — centered around issues as varied as gay rights, pro-life and pro-choice movements — has heightened sensitivity surrounding both political and apolitical discourse. The student who made the gesture — editors at The Observer have chosen not to
identify him by name — has been criticized online since the game. Through faculty in his program, the student, who denied multiple interview requests from The Observer, said the gesture was just an innocent way for him to show excitement about the game. What began as a mockery of liberals has stuck with the white power movement. In 2017, members of the discussion board 4chan began a hoax to convince liberals the symbol has racist connotations in the hopes they would take up the charge and face ridicule. However, white supremacists later began using the sign. The Christchurch mosque shooter, who killed 51 Muslims in New Zealand last March, flashed the gesture during a court hearing. President of white nationalist think
Revived Feminism Club aims to discuss identity By CHRISTOPHER PARKER News Writer
In the hopes of engaging with feminist ideas consistent with the mission of the University, the recently-revived Feminist ND will host their first general meeting of the year in the McNeill Room in LaFortune Student
Center from 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesday. Senior Dinuka Cooray, president of Feminist ND, said she wants the club to provide a space to discuss all topics relating to feminism. “Feminism is a word that has a rather negative connotation, and one that has been historically difficult to define,” Cooray
said. “One definition is that it is the movement to achieve social, economic and political equal opportunity on the basis of the sexes, which generally sums up the motivations of our club. We don’t want to limit our discussion because of the
tank the National Policy Institute, Richard Spencer, was photographed making the gesture outside the Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C. on the night of the 2016 presidential election. The ADL notes context is critical when evaluating the gesture’s intent, and use of the OK symbol in many contexts is completely innocuous. In addition to being used to signal approval, the sign is also used in the “Circle Game,” in which a person attempts to trick another person into looking at an upside-down OK symbol made below the waist. Regardless of intent, public use of the symbol has sparked controversy and backlash. An individual who made an OK hand sign in May at Wrigley Field in Chicago was banned
from the venue indefinitely. A high school near Chicago announced it would reprint more than 1,700 yearbooks after students making the sign were noticed in photographs. This is not the first time a hand sign has been co-opted by a group, effectively changing the sign’s meaning. The gang MS-13 uses a once-innocuous sign which originated in heavy metal culture — a fist with the forefinger and the pinky extended. Regarding the student in Notre Dame Stadium, Paul Browne, the vice president of public affairs and communications at Notre Dame, said, “I’m unaware of evidence that anyone at the game used a gesture knowing it had racist connotations.” see SYMBOL PAGE 4
Club fosters interfaith dialogue at SMC
see FEMINISM PAGE 4
SMC publication Chimes open for submissions GINA TWARDOSZ | The Observer
By COLLEEN FISCHER News Writer
Between studying for exams and writing essays for classes, some Saint Mary’s students find time to be creative. The editorial staff of the on-campus magazine Chimes helps to facilitate a place where student art and creative writing can be published
SCene PAGE 5
and seen by the campus’ community. Last year, the College’s two literary journals, Chimes and The Avenue, combined and published their first joint annual journal. Chimes has been a staple in Saint Mary’s culture for over 100 years. In August, the College honored the publication’s history in a campus-wide email
Viewpoint PAGE 6
celebrating Saint Mary’s 175th anniversary. “Chimes is as deeply-rooted in tradition and history as the College itself. The first issue of Chimes came out in September of 1892,” the email read. The publication officially acts as a club with its president
Students from varying faith backgrounds come together for a crafting session. The event was hosted by the College’s Better Together club.
see CHIMES PAGE 4
see CLUB PAGE 3
Viewpoint PAGE 7
By GINA TWARDOSZ News Writer
Saint Mary’s Better Together club hosted on Monday night “Craft Your Spiritual Journey,” an event designed to engage the campus community in
football PAGE 12
interfaith dialogue through the accessibility of crafting and conversing with friends. Senior and Better Together club president Sophia McDevitt said the goal of the
hockey PAGE 12
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“Dark chocolate covered pretzels.”
“Trail mix.”
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EMMA FARNAN | The Observer
The Band of the Fighting Irish marches into Notre Dame Stadium before the third home game of the season against Bowling Green. In its first shutout game since 2014, Notre Dame beat Bowling Green 52-0 and saw its season record rise to 4-1.
The next Five days:
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Tuesday
Wednesday
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Saturday
Postgraduate Service and Social Impact Fair Joyce Center 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. Business casual dress.
Lecture: “Storming the Wall” 106 Bond Hall 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Journalist Todd Miller speaks.
Free Professional Headshots Snite Museum 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Open to graduate and post-doc students.
Concert: “A Musical Evening” Leighton Concert Hall 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. The Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra.
Lecture: “Saturdays with the Saints” Geddes Hall 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. A Notre Dame tradition.
Artist Talk: Alen MacWeeney Snite Museum of Art 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Exhibition of artist’s work before and after.
Science Sunday St. Patrick’s County Park in South Bend 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Free and open to the public.
“Get the Scoop from Grad Students” 512 Duncan Student Center 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Mingle and learn.
Football, Civil Rights, and Doing Justice 1130 Eck Hall of Law 12:30 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. A conversation with Justice Alan Page.
Exhibit: “Looking at the Stars” Snite Museum of Art All day Featuring a wide collection of Irish art.
News
Club Continued from page 1
event was to open up interfaith dialogue to every student on campus, regardless of religious background. “Everyone has a spiritual journey regardless of religious affiliation and this gives them the chance to talk about that in whatever language they see fit to express it,” McDevitt said. “It’s also a way for those of us who come from different religious traditions to see the different markers that may identify another tradition. And this event makes that interfaith dialogue more accessible because we all speak in layman’s terms and not in theological language.” Providing inclusive spaces for interfaith dialogue is the duty of a Catholic institution, McDevitt said. “We are a Catholic college and that means we are founded in protecting the religious rights of other people,” she said. “At one time, Catholics were oppressed in this country and we were kept from practicing. That’s why Catholic schools were
ndsmcobserver.com | tuesday, october 8, 2019 | The Observer
founded: so we had a safe place to practice. Now it’s our job to make sure everyone has that safe place.” Yet, Better Together club seeks to surpass that obligation, McDevitt said, and not only foster a space for interreligious dialogue, but a place where students of every denomination can feel safe and understood. “Specifically at a religious college, everyone should feel that their religious needs will be met and that they can find a religious community while there,” McDevitt said. “Our world is becoming more and more globalized and we’re constantly being connected with people who are different from us, so it’s crucial that we actually understand each other and build a relationship across that difference while breaking down some of these barriers that lead to hate.” Better Together club historian, sophomore Caitlin Wirtz, said she feels students should not feel ashamed to ask others about their religion; in fact, Wirtz encourages it. “I think it’s important for everyone to know that their religion or spirituality is
valid,” she said. “It doesn’t really matter if you don’t know much about other religions because it’s important to ask questions and that’s why we want people to have an open dialogue space so that everyone can feel safe to ask those questions. No one here is really an expert and I think people should be able to speak on their own experiences.” McDevitt agreed and said that the purpose of the club is to encourage others to learn from those who lead different faith lives than themselves. “The whole point is to build a community where we can address where we went wrong together and make it better,” she said. “We should learn from our mistakes and not just exist in that ignorance. We may be ignorant now but the purpose of this group is to educate everyone.” Senior Iman Omar, Better Together club treasurer, said the informal nature of the club and its events is what makes the club so accessible. (Editor’s Note: Iman Omar is a former writer for The Observer). “It’s something different
than having a formal panel discussion and it’s a better way to have people connect with one another in a way where there’s no pressure,” Omar said. “The best types of conversations are the ones that come up organically and I feel like I learn a lot just by talking to people who are different from me.” Crafting is another way in which students can engage with each other about their spiritual journeys in a comfortable, low-stress way, Better Together club secretary junior Jackie Rojas said. The crafts are to be inspired by one’s spiritual journey, she said. “Arts and crafts is very fun, engaging and visual way for everyone to share their own spiritual journey with one another, because we each have our own unique experiences,” Rojas said. “Once we’re done creating these crafts, we’ll have the opportunity to share them with each other.” McDevitt said this year, Better Together is focusing on involving more underclassmen students so that the club can thrive next year once the senior board members
have graduated. Additionally, McDevitt said she hopes the club’s value of interfaith inclusivity persists in the years to come, even after all the original founders of the club have left Saint Mary’s. “The goal of this club is to make [interfaith dialogue] widespread and make this a safe space for students on Saint Mary’s campus and for students in general,” she said. “This club gives us the opportunity to provide resources and community events to spiritually underrepresented students and help them find what they need in this community and not just be left behind because they’re one in a few.” Freshman Sabina Jaromin said she attended the event because she was inspired by the club’s name to put herself out there and meet new students of different faiths. “When I hear ‘better together’ it speaks to me of community, and how we can all strengthen community and get to know everyone just by being together,” Jaromin said. Contact Gina Twardosz at cfische2@nd.edu
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Symbol Continued from page 1
The state on campus In the 2018 Inclusive Campus Student Survey, 47% of students said they had experienced adverse treatment they felt was due to a personal characteristic. One in five students felt the adverse treatment was due to their political views. Among those students, 68% said it had a somewhat or very negative effect on their feeling of belonging on campus and 20% said the treatment had a somewhat or very negative effect on their feeling of safety on campus. In recent weeks, charged battles have played out in the Observer Viewpoint section, from the poem “There’s queer blood on homophobic hands” to “There’s innocent blood on pro-choice hands.” “We’ve kind of ripped off the facade of civility, so we’re really, really struggling,” linguistic anthropology professor Susan Blum said. Since the 2016 election, Blum said movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter have gained a more prominent voice, but have been challenged and mocked more. Language use causes tension in partisan spheres. Despite what a word or symbol means to one group, others might understand it differently, Blum said. A Confederate flag, for example, dredges up character assumptions even if the person holding sees it to
Feminism Continued from page 1
political weight carried by the term ‘feminism.’” The club was founded in the 2016-2017 academic year, Cooray said, and its founding students graduated in 2018. “With the busy timing of the spring semester, and with these three wonderful women graduating, the club struggled to transition to the next academic year,” she said. “I worked with SAO to restart the club for the 2019-2020 academic year.” Junior and vice president of the club Yuanmeng He said the club serves the need for feminist conversations in the community. “This club is all about promoting feminism within the student population of Notre Dame, Holy Cross and Saint Mary’s,” she said. “The term ‘feminism’ is incredibly important, because in the end, what we are fighting for is the sexes to be treated equally and to have equal opportunity. Feminism benefits everyone.” Cooray said she hopes to create a unique identity for the club outside of existing groups that speak on issues of feminism. “As a new club, we are working through what sort of events to host,” Cooray said. “We don’t want to overlap with similar organizations such as College Democrats or the Gender Relations Center, but want to fill spaces that may not be filled, and to collaborate with other organizations when necessary.” The club has no political affiliation, He said, and she wants to retain an apolitical stance.
be nothing beyond a flag. “I think it’s important that intention is not the only thing to pay attention to in language and in signs in general, but how they are received,” Blum said. “The effect they have is just as important as some sort of claimed intention.” Anthropology professor and department chair Agustín Fuentes noted that at such a divisive time, people are hyper-attentive to potential instances of racism. According to Fuentes, the incident in the stadium is larger than just the student who made the hand sign. The issue lies in why people should care about the hand sign and what the response should be in instances of bigotry. “How do we make it so that everyone knows what that sign is and no one wants to see it?” Fuentes said. “How do we get to a place where people understand why these perspectives are problematic, why they’re antithetical to what we believe as a country?” To achieve that, Fuentes believes there should be more dialogue on campus dealing with issues like racism and white nationalism, and that Notre Dame has not yet done enough to address the increasing hate seen around the country. “Notre Dame should be leading in many more ways than we are. I have no trouble saying that,” Fuentes said. “We should be a beacon for an absolute stand against hate.” Among the student body,
Student Government hopes to build more bipartisan understanding through their program, Converge, which pairs together people of differing political views to discuss their views amicably. Senior Alex Yom, director of community engagement and outreach, is leading Converge this year. In 2018, its first year, Converge had around 150 participants. This year, there are 209. After the 2016 election, Yom said he has seen polarization increase on campus. Yom said people struggle to talk about race, in particular. “If people say something that they might not want to come off as insensitive, but they genuinely made a mistake, I think it’s important not to immediately call them out and say that they’re crazy and rude,” he said. “We have to come to an understanding of being open to mistakes.” The reason behind the student’s gesture in the stadium remains uncertain. But it added to a conversation about free speech and the politicization of language on campus and beyond, Blum said. As seen with the man at Wrigley Stadium, gestures, however innocuous, can have consequences. “Kids joke around,” Blum said. “But joking around at this tense moment doesn’t feel very good to me.”
“We do not have a political agenda, but want to serve as a resource for education and advocacy on these topics, hoping to promote intellectual discussion and progress,” He said. “These discussions are hard, but crucial. The point of conversations is not for everyone to agree.” Feminism is not just for women, He said. “Our club advisor is male, and we really appreciate the help from him,” He said. “It is a general misconception that feminism is only about female empowerment — it is
more about giving equal opportunities to all genders, about freeing all genders from the biases and injustice perpetrated by patriarchy.” Cooray said she believes the Notre Dame community has the potential to foster feminist discussion and thought. “I think being a Catholic university can be a challenge,” Cooray said. “But those terms don’t have to be exclusive. We can be Catholic and feminist.”
Contact Mary Bernard at mbernar5@nd.edu
Contact Christopher Parker at cparke22@nd.edu
Chimes Continued from page 1
doubling as its senior editor, and a vice president, secretary and treasurer who work as editorial staff. This year, the publication is led by senior Dalanie Beach. “This team will go through all of the selections twice a year, and decide what goes in and what stays out,” Beach said. Beach and her staff opened the first round of submissions for the publication on Oct. 1. “We accept art of any medium — fiction, nonfiction, poetry, basically all genres of writing,” Beach said. The publication also accepts visual art, she said. Beach is hoping to open the editorial process and include the student body in some of the decisions, including a potential open vote on the cover design. “I wanted to open it up to the students to decide and be like an editor a little bit themselves, just to make it a little bit more family,” she said. The types of pieces included in the publication change every year. Beach said they attempt to create a cohesive publication that has shared elements and aesthetics. “And [the aesthetic] changes depending on the initial work that we received,” she said. “I think it’s always cool to see the stuff that students do in their classes, but it’s also nice to see outside, on-theirown-time work; we usually get a senior comp[ilation] or two that ends up being a longer short story or some poems.” Though the journal’s board is looking for the pieces to have a shared aesthetic, Beach said, it is also looking for them to be diverse,
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unique and representative of the Saint Mary’s student body. “Honestly, we’re just looking for a wide variety of voices,” she said. “We’re very interested in women’s writing, especially because it’s so underrepresented in the publishing world right now, as it always has been.” One of the biggest hurdles the publication faces is the amount of submissions, Beach said. “I’m trying to encourage people to submit, because that’s honestly our biggest issue,” she said. “A lot of times students doubt themselves — they feel like, ‘Oh, my work’s not good enough,’” Beach said. “But it’s good enough — I promise. We want to see it. We want to look at everything to engage with it. And we also want to publish it.” Beach said she approaches the editorial process from a place of understanding as an artist herself. “I’m a writer too. I’m an artist too,” she said. “I understand it’s difficult. It’s really not a scary thing, though. Have faith in yourself.” Chimes allows editors, the student body and creators to be in communication with each other, to share their artwork and ideas with the world around them, Beach said. It allows student and student leaders, like Beach, to gain publication and editorial experience while connecting with their peers. “I love just getting the opportunity to see what students are doing, to get to see the kind of artwork that they’re making, or the kind of stories they’re thinking about,” she said. “Because that’s pretty much what I want to do with my life. I want to be engaged with narratives of women of my generation, the next generation and generations of the past, and just to see what other writers and artists are doing.” Contact Colleen Fischer at cfische2@nd.edu
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The observer | tuesday, october 8, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
By NICOLE BILYAK Scene Writer
The Walt Disney Company is one of the most profitable companies of all time. Created by Walt Disney, this multi-billion dollar company is known for bringing joy to the general public. However, in recent years, Disney is falling under the trend of remaking classic films. The first-ever Disney live-action remake of a classic animated film was “The Jungle Book,” released on Christmas Day in 1994 and starring Jason Scott Lee — and also remade again in 2016. After the moderate box office success, Disney began to make many more remakes of classic animated films such as “101 Dalmatians,” “Beauty and the Beast” and the most recent remake “The Lion King,” directed by Jon Favreau. Disney has many more remakes planned for the next two to three years, some to be released theatrically and others to come on the new streaming service Disney Plus. The questions soon begin to come up: Why is Disney doing this? What is the benefit of this? The answers are actually simple. It all comes down to money, technological advancements and the addition of
By NIA SYLVA Scene Writer
You probably don’t think you know Cream. In fact, you may be asking yourself, “Who is Cream? Are they a band? From when?” Fair enough. You may not have heard of this extremely short-lived rock band or its three members, one of whom passed away on Sunday. In fact, if you happened to see the New York Times obituary for the band’s drummer, Peter Baker, you were probably confused — especially when it calls him a superstar. But Baker was a pioneer on the drums and Cream was just as successful (and as influential). You may have heard a few of their songs — “Sunshine of Your Love,” “White Room” — and you definitely know some of the many, many bands who cite Cream as an influence. Even though the group’s 10 singles and four studio albums have not achieved the same level of enduring fame as, say, the White Album, Cream influenced the music world more in two years than most artists can in 20. Often referred to as “the world’s first supergroup,” the trio’s three members — all British — achieved fame independently before forming the group in 1966. Eric Clapton had played lead guitar for the Yardbirds and the Bluesbreakers, becoming an incredibly skilled guitarist and overall blues connoisseur; Jack Bruce, Cream’s bass guitarist (and vocalist), and Baker both
new material and better casting choices. Many of the classic Disney films released before the 21st century had very small budgets. A great example of this is the 1959 film “Sleeping Beauty.” At the time of its release, the film had a $6 million budget and made a little over $51 million. On the flip side, its 2014 remake/spin-off “Maleficent” had a budget of $180 million. Upon its release in May 2014, the film made over $758 million. “Maleficent” simply made a lot more money than its 1959 predecessor. Another reason Disney is falling into the trend of remaking their classic films is because of the technology filmmakers have at hand. Because we are in an era where CGI and high-quality cameras are in, Disney has picked up on the fact that we have top-ofthe-line technology and they can make their classic animated films more pristine and stylistic. Disney also adds a lot of new material to the original stories and makes great casting choices for the remakes. The new material added into the remakes includes new storylines and new original songs. A recent Disney film to accomplish this was the 2015 adaptation of “Cinderella,” starring Lily James and Helena Bonham Carter. The film adds in a storyline where Cinderella rides into the woods to meet Prince
Charming, named Kit in the film. The film also added the song “Strong,” which was romance heavy. From there, many other remakes made choices to add new songs into the film, such as the 2017 adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast” which added two songs, “Evermore” and “Days in the Sun.” In terms of casting choices, many of the actors cast in the remakes are considered some of the best choices for a more modern audience. Some of the actors involved include Emma Watson as Belle, Mena Massoud as Aladdin and Donald Glover as Simba. These actors offer audiences young and old a breath of fresh air from listening to the likes of Phil Harris, Eleanor Audley and Verna Felton and add a more modern twist to the films. All in all, Disney continues to amaze audiences across the world and contributes to the current trend of remaking classic films initially set in motion by Tim Burton with his “Batman” series and Stephen Sommers with the “Mummy” trilogy. The next Disney remake to be released in theaters will be “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” scheduled to be released worldwide on Oct. 18.
rose to fame as members of Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated and The Graham Bond Organisation. Both were schooled in jazz and improvisation, which they would combine with Clapton’s bluesy flair in a way that revolutionized the British pop/rock scene. The success of their debut album “Fresh Cream” proved that blues could appeal to mainstream audiences after four months on the UK and US charts. However, this first entry — not too different from the blues tracks that its members had recorded in the past — was largely considered mediocre by critics. By album two, though, they were ready to experiment. Cream’s members flew to New York to record at Atlantic Records’ New York Studios, releasing their second album, “Disraeli Gears,” in 1967. “Gears” better exhibited Baker’s jazz tempos and sensibilities, new additions to the rock world. Further, techniques of distortion and effects-pedal-assisted riffs created a psychedelic sound to surround the “mystical” lyrics penned by Bruce and poet Pete Brown. The album’s second single, “Sunshine of Your Love,” encapsulates everything that made its second album so influential; the track is an amalgamation of blues, psychedelia, and hard rock, and it was Cream’s only single to reach gold status in America. Even listening today, there’s something undeniably novel about that opening riff, which imprints itself in your mind and won’t let up, truly electric when paired with Bruce’s warbles. Cream continued to experiment with their third
album, a double-record called “Wheels of Fire” that was released in 1968 and composed of both live and studio recordings, a standout being “White Room.” Still, although the band was achieving success in the studio and on tour, its members struggled to remain united. Bruce and Baker had never gotten along, and it was their volatile relationship that led to the trio’s separation in 1969. But despite, or maybe because of, this infighting, Cream’s performances were marked with an intangible chemistry that allowed for a reworking — and expansion — of classic blues songs with improvised riffs and solos. This energy led to truly epic live work, including the trio’s iconic rendition of Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads,” which features a guitar solo from Clapton that is considered an all-time great. In this way, Cream influenced future “jam bands” like The Allman Brothers Band and Led Zeppelin, a group which would perform similar sprawling solos and improvised expansions of classic songs. Could some of that infectious energy been fueled by the very volatility that tore them apart? Maybe. Maybe not. But there’s no guarantee that a band with “tamer,” less passionate members would have been so willing to experiment and to bend genres, so daring and so brilliantly unhinged. Sometimes it takes a little chaos to create something new.
Contact Nicole Bilyak at nbilyak01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Nia Sylva at asylva@nd.edu CLAIRE KOPISCHKE | The Observer
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The observer | Tuesday, October 8, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Inside Column
Students’ silence is the loudest noise Maria Paul Rangel News Writer
DeBartolo Hall’s room 101 is used to host events when organizers expect a big audience. Yet when I flung its heavy doors open, the massiveness of the room overwhelmed me. In a hall built to hold 465 people, only 13 were present. “I must have gotten the wrong room,” I thought as I awkwardly stood by the door. “Surely more students are coming to the listening session,” I thought as I made eye contact with University President Fr. John Jenkins, who, at this point, was waving at me and telling me to come down. Yet, it was, in fact, the right room — and no, no other student attended the session besides senior Jack Ferguson and freshman Crystal Lin. On Wednesday, the search committee hosted a listening session for undergraduates to gain input on the qualities the new provost should have in order to succeed at Notre Dame. The point was to frame a conversation with students and ask them to comment on issues relevant to the position. It goes without saying that the role of a provost is very important. He or she is “charged with administering and coordinating the academic activities and functions,” as Jenkins explained in an email sent to the whole student body. Essentially, this is the person right below the President or the second-incommand in the institution. Taking into account the consequential nature of this decision and the potential it has to impact the University, the administration sought to invite students into the decision-making process, but only two of them decided to attend. In the past few semesters, this same administration has been bashed for taking actions without consulting the people who will be directly affected by them — namely the student body. After stripping student ID cards of access to all dorms this summer and implementing controversial policies regarding dorm life in the spring semester, the leadership of the University has been criticized for not listening to its constituents. Protests have been organized and calls for transparency have been made. The issue was even the subject of The Observer’s Editorial, in which the Board stated the administration “needs to fundamentally reform the way it goes about implementing major changes in our community.” It seems ironic, then, that when given a voice to contribute to fundamental decisions, we suddenly decide not to act. At the meeting, the search committee asked, “What are the challenges and opportunities you believe the provost would have on his or her plate in the next five years?” This would have been the perfect opportunity to raise the issue of student-administration relations and the often hushed and secretive way in which policies are executed. Yet, these important topics were not even addressed because the people who had the duty to talk about them did not rise to the occasion. As a student, I am immensely proud of the activism that characterizes our student body. When controversy strikes, we rise with impetus. When Maryann White wrote a letter to the editor bashing women for their choice of clothing, both men and women wore leggings as a sign of disagreement. When the administration announced the implementation of the “senior-exclusion policy,” at least 1,000 students protested both inside and outside Main Building. How is it possible, then, that when the administration finally gives students – the same ones who so fiercely charge into action - a seat at the table, almost no one attends? It might be the case that we feel we are not heard when we do speak. Maybe we feel that our voices are unable to provoke change. But the fact is that silence and powerlessness go hand-in-hand to inhibit action. As students, we must remember we are the largest group in the community and that the single most important vehicle for change is our voice. We might fear our voice is merely a whisper, but when 8,530 whispers unite, a thundering shout is heard. Just because we feel small or unheard does not mean we should stop persisting. Quite the opposite, really — it means we have to keep pushing on. Instead of complaining about the administration, we have to seize opportunities for dialogue because, at the end of the day, the greatest noise heard at Wednesday’s listening session was our silence. Contact Maria Paul at mpaulran@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
A Church like the Grotto Ashton Weber Welcome to Ashtown
I’ve learned a lot over the past month. Since “The self-regulated spiritual upper-class” was first published, I have received dozens of emails, attended two panels about the Church abuse crisis and read through 19 of your responses to my survey. When I first sat to write this column, I sifted through the survey responses once more and found a reply to the “Use this space for any additional comments” section that I hadn’t yet seen. It said, “Take yourself to the Grotto and breathe that beautiful air! Thanks for doing this work.” That’s actually a pretty good idea, so I’m going to relocate, and I’ll get back to this in a minute. … One hour later … I should have considered that it’s 11:30 on Sunday afternoon after game day, aka prime Grotto-going time, but I didn’t, so here I am at the Grotto with at least 65 other people. I’m sitting on a bench nearest to the stairs, as far as possible from the center of the action so I don’t distract anyone with the clacking of my keyboard. But if we’re being honest here, the past 15 minutes of clanging basilica bells have been much more distracting than me. The Grotto is objectively beautiful. In front of me, giant boulders intertwine with ivy to form an archway, under which hundreds of candles flicker softly. To my left and right, trees at the beginning of their autumnal metamorphoses stand tall, blocking the sunlight and dropping a few orange leaves to the ground. Behind me, a path lined with bushes of yellow flowers leads to the lake, whose blue water glints in the sunlight. In every direction, I see people. A few wander in each minute and, at the same time, a few make their way out. Some of them walk with purpose, like they’ve planned every second of their limited time here. Others move so slowly that I think they may not know where they are, but the slight smiles on their faces seem to convey that, even if they are lost, they prefer to remain unfound. Over the past month, I have struggled to find an image of what Church reform would look like. I sat through two panels and listened to experts explain that lay people must advocate for increased transparency in the Church in order to hold bishops and the Vatican accountable. I watched Juan Carlos Cruz, a survivor of clerical abuse, explain in very clear terms the ways he had been silenced by higher-ups in the Vatican. And I saw his cries for reform and his call to Archbishop William Lori for accountability essentially dismissed by an explanation of how far the Church in the U.S. had come. As I read through your responses, I could feel the deep desire for change, but as I sat through these panels, I realized that this change will be difficult to come by because the Church’s structure can only be changed by those who sit at its top — those who benefit most from the structure. The Church is a global institution, and it must be changed at an institutional level. From your responses, I gather that many of you are disappointed with this framework. Here’s what some of you had to say: “I was baptized, raised Catholic and confirmed … I was skeptical of the Church’s stances on social issues, specifically LGBTQ+ inclusion (or lack thereof), inclusion/allowance of women in leadership (or lack thereof) and birth control/ contraceptives as I entered college but I still identified as Catholic … Since my graduation in 2015, I have been unable to support the Church in any capacity as I’ve spent more time researching and reflecting.” - 2015 Notre Dame graduate, Liam Madden “I knew almost nothing about Catholicism until
I got here freshman year. After my first semester, I highly considered converting to Catholicism, but eventually decided that I wasn’t in a place to commit to a religion I was unsure about. “To me, admittedly as somewhat of an outsider, it seems Catholicism has lost its way focusing its worship on the Church and its leaders rather than God and Christ. These priests and holy men are only human, so putting so much trust and responsibility into their hands seems reckless.” - 18-24-year-old Notre Dame student from Dayton, Ohio “I am a devout Catholic, who still follows the teaching of the Church, but has many concerns with [its] leadership … and would like to help reform in many ways. … I am still working through some things within my heart, but I believe that the Church is worth saving, and we must use love but also justice to uncover and reform after all the scandals have come to surface. It will be ugly before it gets better.” - 17-year-old high school student from Cincinnati, Ohio “I have faith in a higher being. I truly enjoy the Catholic theology, but I can no longer tolerate the Catholic Church. The cover-up is inexcusable. It has tainted my view of the Catholic Church, but not the faith/theology.” - 55-75-year-old respondent I imagine you, people who inspire me to keep asking questions and whose honest answers have informed my thought, joining me here at the Grotto. I know many of my respondents would be sitting here with me, on a bench to the side, away from all the religious action, but comfortable in its presence. Some would be front and center, lighting candles and engaging in deep prayer. Others might feel most comfortable on the other side of the lake, still nearby, but not directly present. Even those of you who, like me, have become disenfranchised by the Catholic Church, would be able to find some place of comfort here. This is because the Grotto is a place for people to do their thinking, removed from the busyness of life and tuned into the serenity of nature. It is also, in my opinion, an image of what I think the reformed Church should look like. The Church does not need to have open doors. It needs to have no doors. It needs complete transparency. Complete openness to the outside world and the willingness to weather every season. It needs to welcome people where we are, and it needs to be a place that does not close itself off to wanderers and explorers. A Church like the Grotto is a Church worth fighting for, but I am struggling to figure out what this fight would look like, struggling to compose a vision of how exactly lay people are expected to hold the hierarchy accountable so that this more open Church can be achieved. I have decided to start with some thought experiments informed by case studies — to take a deep look at some of history’s non-violent revolutions and the ways that everyday people took on the powerful. Join me in two weeks as we discuss the Polish Solidarity movement and how I think its tactics can be applied to the fight for a Church like the Grotto.continues to be nonexistent, violence will continue to perpetuate and people will leave the Church until there is no one left. Ashton Weber is a sophomore with lots of opinions. She is majoring in economics and Film, Television and Theatre with a Journalism, Ethics, and Democracy minor. Making new friends is one of her favorite things, so feel free to contact her at aweber22@nd.edu or @awebz01 on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The observer | Tuesday, October 8, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
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When will the Columbus Murals actually be covered? Oliver Ortega News con Fuego
A couple weeks ago, at the start of the semester, I took a detour from my usual path to Bond Hall from Hesburgh Library to visit the Main Building. Surely, I told myself, they had covered the Columbus murals over the summer, as promised way back during the bitter frost of January. It was a gorgeous sunny day with birds chirping and the golden dome beaming overhead when I jogged up the steps of the Main Building, pulled open the large oak doors and walked into the shadowy confines of the second floor. Lo and behold, like the smell of cheap beer the morning after hopping one too many dive bars, the murals were still there. All 12 of them in their faded, fresco glory. I took one glance at Columbus in a red apron and tights, and another at the Native Americans made to look like Stone Age men around him, and walked out. Despite living in the Trump era, and Notre Dame being a more button-down institution, to put it mildly, I had hoped the administration would come through and do the right thing. That it would put the brakes on one of the most racist art installations to grace a college campus today, just as it promised during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. But so far, there’s been no word on when the murals will be covered. When I asked University President Fr. John Jenkins’s spokesman, Dennis Brown, what the deal was, I was instead referred to the Jenkins’ Sept. 17 annual address to the faculty. In his speech, Jenkins announced the University will act on the recommendations of the ad-hoc committee created in the wake of the decision, which published its report in July. None of these recommendations give a specific date for the covering to take place, however. Instead, the committee simply describes what the
coverings should look like. It recommends designs that feature the “flora and fauna of this region” along with the types of plants and birds used in Christian iconography, “fusing the European aesthetic with that of indigenous peoples.” It also recommends making the second floor of the Main Building into an exhibition of the University’s early history when the administration moves to McKenna Hall in 2022, complete with “highquality reproductions, a history and [a] discussion of the Gregori Columbus murals in their rich and varied historical contexts.” As an aside, I should point out as I did in my column last semester, that the committee lacks both an academic specialized in Native American Studies and a member of the local Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi. It does, on the other hand, have professors of Italian Studies and Irish-American Studies, and even a Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, which, as you can probably guess, is super pro-Columbus. And, I should also point out, that Notre Dame, with its ginormous $13.1 billion endowment, doesn’t have a Native American Studies program, despite making its fortune on Potawatomi land. Back to the report. Here’s the kicker: The committee asks that the mural covering be delayed “at least through the 2019-20 academic year and perhaps longer.” Whether Jenkins agrees with this bit is unclear, as his address didn’t mention it specifically, and, as I said, I got zilch from University flak. In an ideal, social justice-y world, this delay — and the very presence of the murals themselves — would incite a crowd of distressed Notre Damers to protest outside the Main Building, just like they did the new housing policy last year. (“What, no intramural sports?”). But that probably won’t happen — especially during midterm season. Of course, there have been students speaking out against the murals for a long time. For years, the Native American Student Association of Notre Dame has pushed for the University to remove the murals. As Alan
Mychal Boyd, a senior who is co-president of the club, put it for The Observer’s recent two-part miniseries on Native culture at Notre Dame, “who people admire says a lot about them.” Coming from a culture where the Italian seafarer was a “symbol of colonialism, a symbol of extermination and forced conversion and exploitation,” the murals were a shock for Boyd when he discovered them during his freshman year. While the move to cover the murals should be applauded, I still think, as I wrote back in January, that the most ethical thing would be to either remove them completely or paint over them. Sort of like Yale did back in 2017, changing the name of Calhoun College to Grace Hopper College and replacing the South Carolina slaveholder’s portrait in its dining hall. The residence hall now bears the name of a female computer pioneer and naval officer who was a Yale graduate. This happened not out of the goodwill of administrators, but in response to student and community outrage channeled into steady protest. The year before the university made its decision, an African-American dishwasher broke a stained-glass panel depicting two slaves with bales of cotton on their head in what was then Calhoun College. Corey Menafee was fired and charged with a felony before being freed of charges and given his job back by Yale amid public pressure. Why did he do it? Menafee told a local newspaper he was tired of looking at the “racist, very degrading” image. Here at Notre Dame, we should all be tired of the Columbus murals. Oliver Ortega is a Ph.D. student specializing in Latinx literature and politics. Originally from Queens, New York, he has called the Midwest home for almost a decade. Through boundless cynicism he keeps trying. Reach him at oortega1@nd.edu or @ByOliverOrtega on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Letter to the editor
On-campus maternity residence: An updated request Dear Fr. Jenkins, In recent weeks, the shocking news of 2,246 preserved human fetal remains found in the Illinois garage of the deceased abortionist Ulrich Klopfer has drawn national attention. Local, state and federal officials have called for an investigation of the findings. We now know that the 70 boxes storing the babies were dated 2000-2002. More shocking for many of us in the Notre Dame family is the likelihood that Klopfer aborted many of these babies at his clinic in South Bend. For several decades, his Women’s Pavilion operated at Ironwood Circle, about one mile from Our Lady’s campus. Klopfer is likely the state’s most prolific abortionist in history. He started operations in South Bend in 1978 and later opened clinics in Gary and Fort Wayne. There is evidence Klopfer performed tens of thousands of abortions at these three clinics. In the South Bend area, there are eight college campuses with a total student population of over 28,000. Based on Guttmacher Institute data and college studies for a population of this size, there would be approximately 500-600 unplanned pregnancies, resulting in 250-300 abortions annually. Klopfer’s Women’s Pavilion was the only abortion clinic in the area and reportedly conducted over 700 abortions per year. So 35-40% of Klopfer’s abortions were likely performed for local area college students, including some from Notre Dame. Klopfer’s South Bend clinic
was shut down in 2016. In its place, Whole Woman’s Health of South Bend, though denied a license by the Indiana Department of Health, was allowed to open and operate in June of 2019 by order of a Federal judge. These horrific revelations are a wake-up call for all of us in the Notre Dame family. We must consider what our University, Mary’s University, can do to provide an alternative to abortion for college students facing unplanned pregnancies. In Aug. 2009, I wrote to you asking you to establish a residential facility for pregnant college women and their children at Notre Dame. On Oct. 6, 2009, you responded by letter saying that you would assign a task force to study the idea, but you never let me know what the task force concluded. I would like to renew my request, urging you to consider such a facility at Notre Dame. The estimated 500-600 local college students facing unplanned pregnancies each year need to know that they have a better option than abortion to complete their college educations and succeed in their careers. Such a place already exists and has been successfully operating for six years at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. In those six years, this on-campus maternity residence has likely saved dozens of children from abortion. Surely, Notre Dame, with its vast property holdings, could find a quiet corner of the campus for such a residence. Alumni would gladly contribute to the construction and operation of the
facility. I am confident that this would be a cause that many have been waiting to “fight for.” The solution for protecting unexpected lives from abortion is a facility open not just to Notre Dame students but to students of any faith enrolled at any local college. As Catholics, we believe unequivocally that human life begins at conception and that abortion means death for an unborn child. Is it not time for our University and our vast family of graduates to put our treasure where our beliefs are and establish a caring alternative to abortion? You see, Father, in 1999 as a Notre Dame senior, I experienced an unplanned pregnancy, and I chose life for my daughter. She is now a student at another Catholic university and is an active pro-life advocate. So please understand that I must be persistent with this request because I know the feelings that college students with unplanned pregnancies experience – feelings that without an alternative compel many to go to Klopfer-like clinics. For the sake of these women and men and their unborn children, I ask that you please give serious consideration to this updated request. Thank you. In Notre Dame, Lacy Dodd Miske class of 1999 Sept. 25
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Classifieds
The observer | tuesday, october 8, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Will Shortz
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Be innovative, and explore new possibilities. The choices you make will set the stage for what’s to come. Make a point to deal with unfinished business that is weighing on your mind and causing you emotional stress. Make changes at home that are conducive to how you see your life unfolding. If you want something, make it happen. Your numbers are 7, 13, 19, 26, 38, 40, 43. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Look before you leap. Not everyone will have your best interest in mind when making suggestions. Stick to the person who has always given you good advice for verification that you are doing what’s best for you. Romance is featured. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your unpredictable nature will be based on emotional encounters with people who question your choices. Don’t let ego get in the way. If someone makes a valid suggestion, take heed; it will save you from making a costly mistake. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take a moment to gather your thoughts and put a plan in place. Once you have your mind set on something, it will be easy for you to lay the foundation for what you want to happen. CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Look for a different way to broaden your perspective regarding a personal or professional matter. Diversity will make a difference if you are willing to think outside the box and try something new. LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t make a snap decision. Look at the possible outcome before you take action. Do the legwork, and you’ll discover something that will help you get what you want. Don’t let emotions stand between you and making the right choice. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keeping up will be in your best interest. Listen, learn and be willing to adjust to what’s changing around you. Make your efforts guide you toward what brings you the most joy. Strive for personal growth. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): If something is not right, do whatever it takes to make an adjustment. Stand up and be willing to enter into a debate if it will help you move forward. Learn as you go, and you will come out ahead. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Make changes for the right reason. Being forced to be responsible for your actions will come into play should you make a move based on emotions instead of common sense. Personal growth should be where you direct your energy. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Be swift, smart and spontaneous. Stay ahead of the competition. Evaluate who is being honest, and you will be able to make a judgment call that turns your situation into a game-changer. Don’t lose sight of your needs or your objective. Romance is heightened. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Show some compassion when dealing with people, and it will be a lot easier to persuade others to do and see things your way. Your vision and being able to articulate how it will benefit everyone is something you do masterfully. AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Count your cash, rummage through your possessions, consider what you can part with and put it up for sale to continue to minimalize your life. The relief you will feel after letting go of what is no longer needed will be energizing. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Look for an unusual solution if someone presents a problem. Showing your ability to work around obstacles will encourage others to rely on you more as well as give you greater freedom to do as you please. Avoid joint ventures. Birthday Baby: You are sensitive, unpredictable and imaginative. You are outgoing and inquisitive.
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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Kelly
Sports Authority
Fair Pay to Play Act is overdue Ellen Geyer Sports Writer
It’s about damn time. Pardon my French, but you get the idea. On Sept. 30, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Fair Pay to Play Act, a piece of legislation which allows college athletes to be paid for the use of their name, image and likeness — a change which contradicts the core policy of the NCA A that athletes cannot collect endorsements while maintaining their amateur status. Frankly, the legislation is long overdue. Sports teams are, at their essence, businesses. Corporations (teams) employ contract-level labor (athletes) who comply with certain regulations and policies to complete a particular task (playing their chosen sport) to reach an established goal (wins, profits, etc.). Employees who are not compliant are released, and all employees are compensated according to the work that they complete. Note that final clause there — compensated according to the work that the complete. Or are they? In the professional leagues, it’s absurdly and irrefutably true, with athletes like LeBron James and Ezekiel Elliott making incomprehensibly large sums of money. But in the NCA A, it’s a completely different story. College athletes are compensated in the form of scholarships, which I do believe to be a fair bargain — especially as someone who has a monthly tuition bill to pay. But when it comes to the way that schools and the NCA A itself take advantage of athletes off the playing field, it becomes an entirely different landscape, especially in the way the names, images and likeness of athletes are used. Schools use their athletes as marketing tools freely, capitalizing on their athletic achievements to generate revenue and attract fans. How many seats do you think Notre Dame sold with former Irish guard Arike Ogunbowale’s national championship-winning shot in 2018? Certainly more than they’d have sold if she’d air-balled it. Luckily for Ogunbowale, as one of the best rookies in the WNBA, she’s making more than enough bank now to make up for it.
But what about other athletes, the ones who don’t play professionally after their collegiate careers are over? The gross imbalance between the compensation of those athletes and the revenue boosts the schools experience as a result of their performances is pretty pathetic. Still not convinced? Apply the principle idea to any other industry. In the workplace, an employee who generates a business model-transforming idea is compensated accordingly, be it in the form of a raise, a bonus or a promotion. And here’s the key caveat — employees who feel they have not been fairly compensated have the ability to negotiate with their superiors and, even more so, move to another company. Employees have both individual and collective bargaining power in the workplace. That power arises from two primary sources — employees can strike, and they can seek employment at competing firms if they remain unhappy. In NCA Aregulated athletics, athletes have neither of these options. College athletes can’t go on strike — their scholarships will be taken away. College athletes can’t change companies — there is one governing body, the NCA A, and it has a complete monopoly on the market. Sure, kids can transfer schools, but with endless eligibility regulations (not to mention academic ramifications), such a move is often an athlete’s last resort. As a result, we see athletes who fall powerless under the whims of their employers. Would that stand in any other industry? Absolutely not — cue the birth of antitrust laws. These athletes can’t fight for themselves, so they need someone else to fight for them. That’s what Newsom did last week. That’s what USWNT is trying to do with its lawsuit. That’s what NBA franchises do every time they criticize referees publicly. Credit is finally being given where it’s due. Now it’s the NCA A’s job to make sure it stays that way. Contact Ellen Geyer at egeyer1@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
other extremely well. Pittman is explosive. Gets down the field. Big play receiver. Catches everything that’s thrown his way. Vaughns obviously has got great length. It’s a matchup issue. And then St. Brown in the slot is physical, competitive, does all the tough jobs as well. So just a very, very talented group of wide receivers. Again, the best group that we will see and many of us see.” In the Trojans’ new offensive attack, Kelly mentioned their running backs have played an impressive role. He also previewed the Trojans’ offensive line. “Now the thing they have obviously with their new offensive attack puts you in a very difficult situation in terms of how you’re going to defend them, which opens the run game,” he said. “[Redshirt junior Vavae] Malepeai and [junior Steven] Carr are two outstanding backs. Add [redshirt freshman] Markese Stepp to the mix and now you’ve got a downhill, big physical runner. Carr with elite speed, naturally gifted, can come out of the back field. I think Malepeai [is] a very underrated back that can do all the jobs for them. So very good complement to their passing game. We expect Slovis to start obviously. As a true freshman, he’s been really, really good. Shows savvy and poise. Very good arm talent. He can throw the ball all over the field, and he’s extremely accurate, throwing it over 70% completion. So we’ll certainly be prepared for both, but expecting Slovis to start. Offensive line, extremely athletic. Fit very well into the new scheme they’re running in the air raid attack. Have done a really good job at doing the job that they’re asked to do.” Kelly finished his opening statements by previewing the USC defense and looking forward to a classic battle. “I really like where they have come defensively,” he said. “Much more physical presence on the defensive line I think across the board. It’s just a unit now that can hold up. They’re in four-down instead of threedown, you’ve got [redshirt senior Christian] Rector who is a three-year starter. They’re getting great play out of the freshman [Drake] Jackson, and inside the two tackles are as good as we’re going to see. They’re very difficult to move inside. Linebacker core, I think [redshirt senior John] Houston [is]
Football Continued from page 12
inaugural international appearance. We look forward to giving the great fans of Ireland and the thousands of Americans traveling to Dublin an unforgettable experience.” GameDay should expect a large crowd, as Notre Dame played Navy in Aviva Stadium
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there. It seems like every year we turn on the film Houston is there. He’s a three-year starter. [Sophomore Palaie Gaoteote] is back playing the Mike linebacker position. Very instinctive; they like to pressure him off the edge. Another very, very explosive player for them. And then they nickel out quite a bit. In the backfield they’ve been banged up a little bit. Looks like they’re getting some guys back in the backfield, but Hufanga is the guy that makes that a very, very good unit back there. He is very good against the run. He can cover. Very physical, instinctive, and outstanding football player back there. Again, some very good athletes in the back end as you would expect from USC, and they are in good position to make plays. It’s a really good football team that we’ll have to be our best [against]. They’ve got excellent return men. We’ll have to be on top of it in special teams, and should be a typical Notre Dame-USC battle. Should be a great football game and we expect a great challenge — looking forward to it.” As far as the Irish go, Kelly addressed the injury suffered by junior running back Jafar Armstrong and the status of his potential return. “Well, he’s a dynamic player; just hasn’t played very much. I don’t know if we can expect him to throw on a cape and play like Superman this weekend,” he said. “There is going to be a process of coming back, especially at the running back position. You can’t go from not playing for six weeks and have a workload of 50 plays. If we could get 20 plays out of him, that would be terrific. We’ll see how things go this week. We put him in very competitive situations. I think I talked about that after the game. We’ll see how he responds to [those] competitive situations.” Kelly went on to talk about the unique elements Armstrong could bring to the offense if he does return in the near future. “You know, first of all he was a trained wide receiver in high school, so we start with really good sense in the passing game, ball skills, route running,” Kelly said. “The second element is he’s explosive. When I say that, it’s a combination of speed and power. He has top end speed as good as any of the backs. He’s over 220 pounds. So explosiveness, the ability to obviously route run and catch the football. Very smart and highly competitive individual. That’s
a pretty good resume for that position.” Kelly talked about Notre Dame’s defense during the press conference, especially as far as the unit’s proficiency in the third quarter. Last year on the season, the unit gave up 52 total points in the third quarter, and this year it has given up six so far. Kelly talked about defensive coordinator Clark Lea’s adjustments in the second half. “I think the whole group is really good — I think that [associate head coach] Mike Elston and Clark Lea will talk first about any adjustments that need to be made in the front seven,” he said. “[Defensive pass game coordinator] Terry [Joseph] then will talk about anything that needs to happen in the back end. Real quickly, Bowling Green, we were short on a couple calls in terms of having somebody in a good position on the quarterback. One of their quarterback keeps, we didn’t have a safety in a really good position — had to make an adjustment there. We didn’t have an in-and-out call on a bunch because of a certain call. So those are the kind of adjustments that are made at halftime that are within your system of defense that you just have to apply at halftime. They all meet in my office, the defense, and I’ll listen to that and I’ll go to the offense, which is in the coach’s locker room, and that one is a little bit different because you’re chronicling libraries of plays you want to use against defensive structures you’re getting. You’re not sure what’s going to happen. We were getting a lot of pressures, so these will go well against what we’re seeing. It’s adjustments based upon what you’re seeing and where you need to make the adjustments.” When asked about the USC rivalry and what makes it special, Kelly said it comes down to tradition. “Going way back, obviously this game being played for so many years as an intersectional rivalry, they’re not up the street,” Kelly said. “They’re across the country. Great players have played in it. Great coaches that have coached in it. Nationally televised. So I just think the history, the tradition of it being played every year, it’s one of those rivalries that hasn’t gone away. It’s part of college football.”
in 2012 and drew a crowd of over 50,000 fans, with over 35,000 of them Americans making the trip to Dublin. In anticipation of the game, Notre Dame is selling a travel package to allow students and fans attend the event. The Notre Dame-Navy series is one of college football’s oldest rivalries. The teams first met in 1927 and have played 92 times heading
into this year’s matchup in South Bend. Notre Dame has won 76 times against Navy, including 43 straight victories from 1964-2006. The Irish have won both times the two teams played in Dublin, first in 1996 by a score of 5427 during Lou Holtz’s last season as head coach, and to start their perfect regular season in 2012 with a 50-10 win.
Contact Connor Mulvena at cmulvena@nd.edu
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Sports
The observer | tuesday, october 8, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Hockey Continued from page 12
get down to some more details within our game this short work week. … I think there were a lot of positives, a lot of things that I liked. But there’s also some things that we have to really buckle down on and focus on.” Jackson said he was pleased with the squad’s depth at forward, but he harbored some concern regarding the team’s scoring depth. “I feel good about where we are with our forward depth,” he said. “Now, scoring depth is another question, but the bigger thing is going to be probably just coming up with power play units that are going to be productive. And I’ve always said in the past, it’s important to have two units because you only play one unit all the time that’s scoring, and generally you’re getting half a power play every time you have a power play. So that’ll be the bigger question, as far as what we do on the power plays, but I think that up-front we’ve got good depth where we can play
four lines consistently. I think that’s a positive on the back end; we’re a little young back there, so that’s going to take some time for us to get some of those young guys up to speed.” Jackson then fielded questions about senior goalie Cale Morris, who is recovering from an unspecified upper body injury. Morris, the 2018 Mike Richter award winner, has been a key piece in net for the Irish the last two years, and Jackson said he will continue to be key for the Irish this season. “It’s not a major injury, it’s just a minor thing that this time of the year it’s better to be precautionary, especially with the bye week coming up next week,” Jackson said. “We’d like to make sure he’s fully healthy before we throw him in there. I had planned on playing the freshmen at least one or two games during this stretch anyways, so it just makes it a more natural ability to play [freshman goaltender Ryan Bischel].” Jackson commented on the play of Bischel, who saw the ice for a bit during the squad’s exhibition matchup over the
weekend. “I thought he was a little nervous to start the game yesterday, but I thought he settled down in the second, third periods,” Jackson said. “I thought he did a really good job, made some key saves for us. I was really impressed with his puck decisions, too. He handled the puck fairly well, kind of like [junior goaltender] Dylan St. Cyr, he’s got good puck-handling skills. He could be an asset for us. But he made some good saves. He’s got a lot of the same tendencies as Cale. … There’s a few things that him and I talked about that he’s going to need to focus on here in his first year — try to tighten up his stance a little bit. … I think he’s got a chance to be an exceptional college goalie, and that bodes well for the future. We’ve got four guys that could probably all play right now. And I’m not a fan of four goalies, but it is what it is, and the goalie coach is going to have extra responsibilities this year.” Jackson made clear his primary concerns lie in the team’s ability to put points on the board this season. The
goaltending will be there, and the defense will improve, but Jackson stressed the importance of raising the squad’s average goals per game to above three. “We want to try to get, at a minimum, to three goals a game,” he said. “Last year, I think we were at like 2.8, 2.9. We need to try to get over three goals a game. We know we’re going to have goaltending, we know we can be successful probably, [but] one of our goals is to be better on the penalty kill — which we had a good start with yesterday. But the power play right now is still a work in progress. You know, last year our power play was over 20%, and if we can get our penalty kill up, then I’m happy. But right now the biggest question we have going into this next month here is going to be trying to solidify our power play units. That’s my biggest concern. If we get them going, then I think we can be a threegoal-a-game team at least, and that’s going to be the priority going into the next few weeks.” The power play unit is a major concern within this goal
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scoring unit for Jackson. “Yesterday was a great game for us, because it now gives us something to build on, something to evaluate where we are,” Jackson said. “I mean you can do it in practice, but it always looks better in practice sometimes than in the actual game. And the power plays — they made some nice plays yesterday but not on a consistent basis, and we have to get to the point where we’re a threat every time we have a power play. But we really need to try to find two units that can be productive, not just one. And that’s going to be the biggest challenge that we have, because we only have so many guys that are real instinctive, playmaking type of guys. And we’ve got plenty of guys that can play the net front, you know; we need some guys that can make plays at the top.” The Irish will take on Air Force this Friday and Sunday at Compton Family Ice Arena to begin the regular season. Contact Connor Mulvena at cmulvena@nd.edu
Sports
ndsmcobserver.com | tuesday, october 8, 2019 | The Observer
Fu, Small go undefeated Observer Sports Staff
The Notre Dame men’s tennis team travelled to Kalamazoo, Michigan this past weekend to take part in the Vredevelt Invitational tournament. The Irish found success in day one of the tournament, winning seven singles matches and three doubles matches. Freshmen Connor Fu and Matthew Halpin dispatched their opponents in straight sets, with Fu winning his match over University of Illinois at Chicago’s Johan Hedstrom 6-2, 6-1 and Halpin winning by a score of 6-0, 6-0 over Brandon Lew of Illinois State. Freshmen Braden Ho and Matthew Che, as well as senior Conor Somers, also won their matches in straight sets. Junior Paul Gota would need three sets to decide his match, winning by the score of 4-6, 7-6 (4), 1-0 (6) over Drew Keene of Michigan State. Senior Johnathan Small won via retirement 2-0 over Michigan State’s Carson Gates. In doubles, the duo of Gota and Small won 6-2 over Hedstrom
and Kasper Parlklo of UIC. Sophomore Andrew Mariados teamed up with Somers to earn the victory over Matsuno and Gates of Michigan State 6-1. On day two, four Irish members earned two victories each in singles. Fu, Small, Halpin and Ho each bested their opponents, including four matches that needed three sets to decide a victor. Halpin would win two of those four with wins over Arjun Honnappa of Western Michigan 3-6, 6-1, 101, and over Pelle Strandberg of University Illinois Chicago 4-6, 7-5, 10-7. In doubles, Mariado and Somers would be the only Irish pairing to win their match, beating Diego Le Gal Perez and Brandon Lew of Illinois State 7-5. On the final day of the tournament, both Connor Fu and Johnathan Small would remain undefeated, becoming the only players to go 4-0 for the weekend. Fu was victorious over Jarreau Campbell of Michigan State 6-3, 6-4 and Small would defeat Illinois State’s Jorge Bartra 6-1, 6-3.
Volleyball Continued from page 12
advantage. After a Bent kill closed the Irish within two points, the Yellow Jackets would end the set by winning seven of the final nine points, evening the match at one set apiece. The Irish rebounded by dominating set three start to finish. Tied 2-2, four Georgia Tech errors sandwiched around an ace by freshman outside hitter Caroline Meuth, would sink the Yellow Jackets into a 7-2 deficit. Notre Dame would see their lead trimmed to two points at 8-6, before a 5-2 spurt, sparked by Bent’s two kills, put them firmly in control of the set. Georgia Tech never quite went away, and Notre Dame needed one final surge to put the third set to rest. After a Niego service error closed the
Yellow Jackets to 18-15, the Irish would spread their offense around in a set-ending 7-0 run. Three Georgia Tech errors, an ace from sophomore middle blocker Lauren Wenzel and a kill from Meuth supplemented two more Bent kills to polish off the victory. With their backs against the wall, the Yellow Jackets battled in the fourth set, staving off several match points, but the Irish ultimately were able to overwhelm the visitors in clinching the match. The Irish jumped out to an 13-8 advantage, but some sloppy play caught up to them as seven errors helped the Yellow Jackets rally to take a 15-14 lead. Comby had two kills to kickstart the run. The two squads went back and forth from there, with a Dowd kill eventually leveling the score at 21-21. Notre Dame seemed to put themselves in control, as graduate
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student middle blocker Kristin Baer, who led the team with six blocks, and Niego delivered booming kills. Comby followed with an error to give the Irish a 2421 lead. However, with three match points to work with, the Irish couldn’t convert; Dowd saved one point with a kill before Comby made up for her error with two authoritative kills to draw the Yellow Jackets level once more. As she has so many times in her first collegiate season, Niego came up big, pushing the Irish back out in front with a kill. On their fourth match point opportunity of the set, the Irish converted, as a potential Yellow Jacket kill sailed long, sealing Notre Dame’s four-set victory. The Irish will embark on a road trip to North Carolina this weekend as they prepare to face off with Wake Forest and Duke.
CHARLIE ORTEGA GUITARRO | The Observer
Irish sophomore middle blocker Lauren Wenzel jumps up to complete a spike during Notre Dame’s 3-0 home win over Valparaiso University on Sept. 4 in the Purcell Pavillion at the Joyce Center. Paid Advertisement
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The observer | tuesday, october 8, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
FOOTBALL
HOCKEY
Jackson looks to increase offensive output
Kelly breaks down USC, talks rivalry
By CONNOR MULVENA
By CONNOR MULVENA
Sports Editor
Sports Editor
As the Irish get ready to begin their season against Air Force with a home series this weekend, head coach Jeff Jackson addressed the media to discuss the team’s mentality heading into the season. Over the weekend, Notre Dame took on the U.S National Development Program team in an exhibition to gear up for the regular season, and Jackson was confident he and his staff had learned much from the matchup. “Yeah, I think we learned some things,” Jackson said. “We’re going to go watch the film, and we’ll sit down this afternoon and kind of look at our lineup, look at what areas showed up as far as what we’re going to need to focus on here in the next few weeks. It’s actually kind of nice to be able to have a bye week next week — we’ll be able to really
After No. 9 Notre Dame’s 52-0 victory over Bowling Green on Saturday, Irish head coach Brian Kelly addressed the media in his weekly press conference. Kelly moved past the Bowling Green victory, saying that Notre Dame’s (4-1) focus is now firmly on USC which, according to Kelly, poses a substantial threat to the Irish this weekend. “Sure you would like me to start with about a 15-20 minute recap of the Bowling Green game,” Kelly said. “Probably not, I wouldn’t think. Although I was pleased with our guys in the way they handled themselves and stayed focus and prepared. We were able to obviously learn more about our football team as we prepare for USC this week. Prepare for a team that is very, very deadly on offense in the sense that they can make you pay if you are not prepared and playing every single play. It bears itself out on film. Washington is doing a great job really playing every play. They just let their guard down for one play and [senior wide
see HOCKEY PAGE 10
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
Irish senior goalie Cale Morris protects the goal in Notre Dame’s 5-2 win over Michigan on Feb. 12 at Compton Family Ice Arena.
VOLLEYBALL | ND 3, Georgia Tech 1
Notre Dame wins 4th straight game Observer Sports Staff
With a tough conference match against Wake Forest looming, the Notre Dame volleyball team continued to clean up against ACC competition, breezing by Georgia Tech in four sets (25-14, 18-25, 2515, 26-24). The Irish (11-3, 4-0) have taken advantage of a weak early schedule in conference play, having dropped just two sets in those four matches. The Yellow Jackets dropped to 1-3 in ACC matches and 8-7 overall. With an 11-4 Wake Forest squad on the horizon, there seemed a distinct possibility the Irish would overlook Georgia Tech, whose three conference losses have all come to teams undefeated in the ACC. However, the Irish came out roaring on Sunday afternoon, powering their way to an easy victory in the first set. Notre Dame would rip off six different spurts of at least three straight points, barely allowing the Yellow Jackets any momentum. After a Yellow Jacket ace put the Irish in an early 1-0 deficit,
sophomore right-side hitter Sydney Bent would even the score with the first of her 15 kills, before two Georgia Tech errors gave Notre Dame the lead for good. A few minutes later, the Irish, up 4-3, came to life, winning seven of the next eight points to take control of the set. Bent punctuated the run with consecutive kills, both coming off assists from sophomore setter Zoe Nunez, who finished with 39 on the afternoon. The Yellow Jackets would get no closer than 18-13 before the Irish went on their second 7-1 spurt of the set to seal the victory. Freshman outside hitter Charley Niego had three of her team-leading 16 kills during the set-clinching burst. Set two was tougher sledding for the Irish, who rallied from an early 13-9 deficit to knot the score at 14 points apiece, only to see the Yellow Jackets, propelled by sophomore outside hitter Mikaila Dowd (18 kills) and senior middle blocker Kodie Comby (12 kills), score four straight to re-establish their see VOLLEYBALL PAGE 11
receiver Michael] Pittman goes for 44 yards on them. That’s the kind of offense they have. I think coach [Clay] Helton is to be commended for obviously having one of the top passing offenses in the country having gone through a couple different quarterback situations. You know, to bring some stability to the offense after losing your starting quarterback and then having to go to a true freshman and then certainly having to play [quarterbacks Kedon] Slovis and [Matt] Fink, you know, he’s done such an incredible job.” Kelly emphasized the strength of the Trojans’ (3-2, 2-1 PAC 12) wide receiving core, which will be the best the Irish have faced all year, he said. “I think you start there offensively with the best wide receiving core that we’ll see all year without question,” Kelly said. “You know, the trio of [senior Michael] Pittman, [redshirt junior Tyler] Vaughns, and [sophomore Amon-Ra] St. Brown — just very, very talented group, and they complement each see KELLY PAGE 9
FOOTBALL
College GameDay travels to Europe for first time Observer Sports Staff
ANNA MASON | The Observer
Junior running back Jafar Armstrong pushes through the defense in last year’s 44-22 Irish win against Navy in San Diego.
ESPN announced on Saturday that College GameDay, its premiere college football show, will travel overseas next season for the Notre Dame vs. Navy football game at Dublin, Ireland’s Aviva Stadium on Aug. 29, 2020. Created in 1993, the show has never aired from an international location, despite multiple international games being played in places like the Bahamas and Sydney, Australia in recent years. In a press release on Saturday, ESPN said it was excited for the new experience. “College GameDay has built its legacy traveling from city to city, campus to campus showcasing the unmatched passion of college football fans and the pageantry surrounding the game,” ESPN’s senior vice president of production, Lee Fitting, said. “The Notre Dame-Navy rivalry serves as the perfect backdrop for College GameDay’s see FOOTBALL PAGE 9