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Volume 53, Issue 65 | wednesday, december 5, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
ND worker doubles as ice carver Master ice sculptor Danny Bloss contributes frozen artwork to ND dining halls By MIKE DUGAN News Writer
In a building a little over a mile northwest of LaFortune Hall, Danny Bloss goes to work. Bloss is a 29-year-old employee of the University of Notre Dame currently working at the Center for Culinary Excellence. He is responsible for cooking all the pasta, sauces and soups for the campus, though he also performs a unique role at the University — he is one of Notre Dame’s ice carvers. Bloss is highly-experienced in the field of ice carving, having regularly competed in regional and national competitions over the majority of his 12 years as see BLOSS PAGE 3
Observer Staff Report
EMMA FARNAN | The Observer
Danny Bloss, a Center for Culinary Excellence worker, designs ice sculptures for the dining halls, like the one pictured above in South Dining Hall. The angelic sculpture overlooks students’ Christmas dinners.
Notre Dame celebrates Las Posadas tradition By CHRISTOPHER PARKER News Writer
This week, Notre Dame celebrates three consecutive nights of Las Posadas, a Christmastime Catholic tradition in Spanish-speaking countries around the world. It commemorates Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging in Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus. Farley rector Elaine DeBassige, who was instrumental in bringing the tradition to campus, said Notre Dame’s version compresses a nine-night novena down into three. “It’s supposed to be a novena, but on campus, we just don’t have that kind of time, so we readjusted,” she said. “We sing carols and travel to many locations seeking shelter for Jesus and Mary. Each location we stop at, we sing a part of the Las Posadas song and are turned away. We pick up more carols at the place that rejected us. We continue until we reach our
SCENE PAGE 5
Review team created
final destination.” Becky Ruvalcaba, assistant director of multicultural ministry, said in an email that each night ends in festivities. “Once we are invited in at the end of the procession, we move to the chapel and have scripture, music and prayer. Finally, at the end we have a celebration,” Ruvalcaba said. Music and food are an integral cultural part of Las Posadas. DeBassige said Notre Dame can expect to see homecooked Hispanic dishes, catering, mariachi and a pinata. “Because the crowds are growing, we have some catered food from local restaurants like Mango Cafe. This year in Farley, we are adding cheese enchiladas, pozole and bizcochitos,” she said. “Several women learned how to be New Mexican tonight!” For Ruvalcaba, Las Posadas embodies the beauty of the Catholic image of the Holy see LAS POSADAS PAGE 3
VIEWPOINT PAGE 6
University President Fr. John Jenkins has created a standing committee to review Notre Dame’s guidelines about creating licensed Notre Dame products, according to an email sent Wednesday to University students, faculty and staff. Jenkins formed the committee in response to a May report by an ad-hoc committee on worker participation, he said in the email. “While recognizing the important steps that have been see REVIEW PAGE 3
Saint Mary’s students create blackout poetry By McKENZIE LOOKEBILL News Writer
As some Saint Mary’s students review old notes and tests in preparation for finals in the Cushwa-Leighton Library, some students are making markings to remove words out of old books. On a table on the first floor, torn pieces of paper are being edited by adding black lines to
mark out unnecessary words. This is the process of blackout poetry, brought to the library as part of a class project. Three students, junior Dalanie Beach, and first-years Hannah Toepp and Hannah Kornfeld, completed this project as part of an assignment for their Design Lab I class. “This Design Lab I course really covers all the bases,” Kornfeld said. “We did a lot
of different projects — everything from painting, to making videos and learning how to use certain design software. At the end of each project, we had class critiques where we discussed how we can improve on each of our pieces. This project is a group landmark installation, meaning we have to install some sort of see POETRY PAGE 3
Sorin residents continue ‘Monk Hoops’ tradition By NICOLE SIMON News Writer
When former University President and current priestin-residence of Sorin College Fr. Edward “Monk” Malloy started playing basketball with seminarians, he did not know that “Monk Hoops,” as the tradition is now known, would bring Sorin residents
VIEWPOINT PAGE 7
together today. Malloy’s basketball career started in high school, when he played for the top school in the country at the time. He played on Notre Dame’s varsity team as an undergraduate, and did not stop with the sport when he graduated. “Before I moved into dorms, I was on the staff at Moreau Seminary. I used to invite
ND M BASKETBALL PAGE 12
teams from campus to come over and play there against the seminarians,” he said. “We were pretty good, and they were always surprised.” The tradition he started with the seminarians came with him to Sorin College when he moved into the dorm in 1980, Malloy said. see HOOPS PAGE 3
TRACK AND FIELD PAGE 12
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Students peruse the items available at the annual pottery sale in the ceramics room of Riley Hall of Art on Tuesday. The event, hosted by the department of art, art history and design, continues Wednesday and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The next Five days:
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Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Pizza, Pop & Politics Coffee House, Geddes Hall 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Discussion with Matthew E.K. Hall.
Trivia Night 217 DeBartolo Hall 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. $5 to participate. Funds go towards Project Restauracion.
Study Days at the Snite Museum of Art Snite Museum of Art 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Use the galleries as quiet study spaces.
Notre Dame Glee Club and Symphony Orchestra Christmas Concert Leighton Concert Hall 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sunday Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 11:45 a.m. All are welcome for the celebration.
Student Chamber Music Recital LaBar Performance Hall, O’Neill Hall of Music 7 p.m.
Artful Yoga Snite Museum of Art 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Practice meditative yoga in the presence of art.
President’s Christmas Reception Main Building 2 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. All University faculty and staff are invited.
Film: “American Gigolo” (1980) Browning Cinema 3 p.m. $4 for students and $6 faculty/staff.
Lecture: “What and When was the Christmas Star?” 100 Jordan Hall 7 p.m. Open to the public.
News
Bloss Continued from page 1
an ice carver. In 2016, Bloss won the Professional Division at the National Ice Carving Association’s National Competition. Now, as a master ice carver, he continues to enter competitions on a regular basis. Bloss described the typical icesculpting competition. “Blocks are 40 inches high, 20 inches wide, 10 inches deep,” Bloss said. “You usually get a single block of ice, about 300 pounds, and you get two to three hours to do your sculpture — breaking it down into pieces, re-fusing it. It’s judged by three judges and they come through and look at it, add up their scores and that’s how they determine the winner.” Bloss said that these competitions are well-attended and provide for a lively atmosphere. “I was just in Houston last
Las Posadas Continued from page 1
Family, she said. “My favorite part is the walking and singing as one community of God, prayerfully remembering our Holy Family,” Ruvalcaba said. “Las Posadas has allowed me to deepen my devotion to the Holy Family and to reflect on
Poetry Continued from page 1
art project anywhere on campus that the people can interact with. Therefore, we created this project.” The project, titled Landmarking, asked that students come up with their own definition or what a landmark could be. Using this definition, groups then had to devise and design an installation-based
Hoops Continued from page 1
“When I eventually moved into Sorin, I thought I would reverse the tradition,” Malloy said. “So that was all we did. We’d gather in the front entrance of Sorin, walk over there together, play basketball, and walk back. There was no food or drink or anything supplied, just people who wanted to play basketball together.” The simple tradition continues even now. Every Monday night, Sorin residents gather on the first floor and walk to Moreau Seminary to play basketball. Even though Monk Malloy no longer regularly attends, the tradition he started hasn’t changed much. Sophomore Ben Walter, who has been a regular attendee of Monk Hoops since his freshman year, said the only difference now is that they sometimes
ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, december 5, 2018 | The Observer
weekend carving ice, doing a 45-minute competition with 600 pounds of ice in front of 1,600 to 1,800 people there, and that was pretty cool,” Bloss said. “When I went down to Richmond, Indiana, last winter where we do that same type of event, there are usually about 3,000 people there.” Even with a first-place finish in a national ice carving competition under his belt, Bloss said he remains humble. “You can never quite be a master,” he said. “I have experience, but I could always use more.” Bloss expressed hopes that he and his work can serve as inspiration for kids. “I like seeing the finished product and seeing if there are little children or little kids and seeing their reaction,” he said. “They say, they could never do something like that. I say to them, ‘You can do it. You can do whatever you want to do.’” In addition to competitions, Bloss is also largely responsible for
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Review Continued from page 1
EMMA FARNAN | The Observer
Bloss has been carving ice for 12 years, and his creations, seen above, are featured in the University dining halls on special occasions.
the creation of ice sculptures in the dining halls during special meals, including those in North and South Dining Hall on Tuesday. Eduardo Luna, a student manager at North Dining Hall and the student government co-director of student life, described his appreciation for Bloss’ work on campus. “I think it adds a whole level of specialty to the experience,” Luna said. “Being that Notre Dame students that live on campus overwhelmingly go to the dining hall for their meals, [the dining hall
experience] can get very repetitive. By having an ice sculpture and something that’s not a random ice sculpture, but a professionallydone ice sculpture … from a master-level sculptor, it can really blow you away. It speaks to the level of specialty and attention that’s put in the food, and it highlights everything that’s being done within Campus Dining during these special events.” Contact Mike Dugan at mdugan1@nd.edu
accomplished so far, the committee determined that the effort to make lasting improvements to workers’ rights in factories around the world is never truly complete,” Jenkins said in the email. “Among its recommendations, the committee called for the creation of a standing committee to monitor the University’s licensing activities.” Jenkins said he appointed executive vice president John AffleckGraves to chair the standing committee, titled the Committee on Trademark Licensing and Human Rights. The committee consists of five faculty members, three undergraduate students, two graduate students, five members of the University administration and two alumni. The full list of committee members can be found online.
the mystery of the incarnation of our Savior Jesus Christ, who was born to the holiest of families in the poorest of material circumstances. “Las Posadas also allow me to reflect on all those people still today that are left out in the cold, seeking refuge — people seeking a place to rest after a long journey and are turned away because there is ‘no room,’” Ruvalcaba said.
“This journey of Mary and Joseph is hopeful for all of us, those that seek shelter and for those that provide shelter. My heart is constantly moved by the image of Mary and Joseph on journey, seeking to birth peace in the world.” DeBassige said the celebration lets her share her home in a special way. “People say how this makes them feel at home and part of
something special,” DeBassige said. “Every year, I hear something like this. It makes me feel like I am honoring my village, San Rafael, New Mexico, my culture and my mom who always has a big showing at her house when she hosts. Making a home that welcomes everyone is what this is all about. When we get to welcome others in from the cold for fellowship, food, prayer, comfort, laughs,
warmth — this is living.” The event kicked off Tuesday night on Mod and East Quads, with a reception in Dunne Hall. Wednesday night it takes place on North Quad, with a reception in Farley Hall. Thursday night will be on South and West Quads, with a reception in Coleman-Morse Center.
piece as a representation. There were no limitations on how the project must be represented, giving limitless possibilities to students. “I was always familiar with blackout poetry, and so were the other members of my group,” Toepp said. “Blackout poetry is a creative way to make poetry with the words you are given. The requirements for the project were to be creative and create a piece that has an impact on your
audience. So we had to choose a place, an audience, and how to speak to that audience. Our blackout poetry calls for our audience to participate in our art.” Krista Hoefle, professor of Design Lab I, said the course allows students who are interested in art and design the opportunity to explore creative forms of research. This gives students the opportunity to choose how they represent the topic of each project.
Beach echoed these sentiments, saying her goal was to invoke creative expression in participants. “My group’s goal was to encourage creativity,” Beach said. “Since I am a writer, I wanted to incorporate words in our project. Poetry seemed the best way to go, and blackout poems are an easy and fun way to encourage creative thinking. The professor encouraged the idea of the anthology, and since I have experience with
self-publishing, we decided on creating a self-pub book of the poems.” Students completed their submissions for the “BlackOut Poetry Anthology” the week of Nov. 29. The three students are working on the publishing process of the book — to be available for online purchase at the beginning of the spring semester.
bring a speaker. “I would say especially at the beginning of the year, it’s just an event people can go to get to know the other guys and have fun. It’s a good, structured event you don’t have to plan yourselves, but you can just show up to. Everybody is there to have a good time with all the other Sorin guys,” Walter said. “At the beginning of the year, everybody goes to get to know people. It’s a lot more fun just kind of messing around. Towards the end of the year, it gets more serious. It’s still a lot of fun, though.” Even though the group who regularly attends is generally the same week-to-week, the skill level varies and the competitive nature of the games is relatively low, Walter said. “We just play based on the number of guys we have out there, and we’ll only just play to like 15 points or something,” Walter said. “They’re quick
enough games to where we can switch it up so everybody has a good opportunity to play.” Junior Matt Wilks transferred into Sorin last year, and partially credits Monk Hoops for the sense of community he feels within the dorm, he said. “It was definitely — at least from the transfer perspective — one of the first times I was able to meet different guys, just playing basketball. That’s a really good way to meet a lot of people,” Wilks said. In addition to making friends, Wilks said his participation in Monk Hoops enabled him to become even more involved in the dorm when he was recruited by some of his hallmates to join Sorin’s intramural basketball team. Even though many of the players also participate in more competitive environments, such as intramural and Bookstore Basketball, Monk Hoops remains comparatively
stress-free, Wilks said. “It’s pretty casual, but people do keep score, so there’s still some competitive element to it, and if it’s a close game, people will get involved. But, overall, it’s generally pretty laid-back, which is nice,” he said. “We all study so much that it’s easy to get bogged down in things, but basketball’s a nice little stress reliever. Playing basketball’s just a different environment to see people in, which is nice.” When asked about Monk, Wilks said he continues to be the force behind the tradition. “Nobody calls it anything but Monk Hoops. It’s not like, ‘Hey, we’re going to play basketball.’ It’s like, ‘Hey, we’re going to Monk Hoops,’” Wilks said. “He’s definitely at the forefront of it.” Walter said he agrees that Malloy’s lasting legacy is at the forefront of the tradition. “We’re doing it in his name. He started a tradition that brings Sorin guys together once
a week, so we’re grateful to him for that,” Walter said. The sentiment reflected by Sorin residents now is similar to that of Sorin residents who were involved at the beginning. “It just became a loved tradition. I liked it because it gave me a better chance to get to know the students, and especially if they have any athletic talent, you get a sense of their personalities and everything like that,” Malloy said. “I think most people who did it look back fondly on the friends they made and the competition they enjoyed.” In addition to reflecting on the legacy of Monk Hoops, Malloy joked about the similarity between his presidency and the basketball tradition. “It’s just like Notre Dame — [it] goes on and I’m not in charge anymore,” Malloy said. “Same thing with Monk Hoops.”
Contact Christopher Parker at cparke22@nd.edu
Contact McKenzie Lookebill at mlookebill01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Nicole Simon at nsimon1@nd.edu
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Inside Column
Yaz’s: Best dorm food on campus
Commencement speaker not controversial enough — walkout scheduled Andrew Rebholz Sort of Glass
Mike Everett Sports Writer
Of all the student eateries on campus, head and shoulders above the rest lies Yaz’s restaurant. Located in the basement of the Morrissey community in Pangborn hall this year, Yaz’s has survived the transplant to a new location and thrived despite the limitations of existing in a transition dorm. A quick disclaimer: I may be slightly biased in my appraisal as both a Manorite and a Yaz’s employee — but ask any Yaz’s customer and they’ll sing the praises of an ever-growing food empire (If you want more proof, just check out our Yelp reviews!). Yaz’s, established in 2001, was named after former Manorite Carl Yastrzemski, Baseball Hall of Famer and Triple Crown winner. While Yastrzemski has never visited his namesake, the restaurant strives to live up to his greatness, making significant improvements in resources this year. We serve mac and cheese with meat toppings, pork and chicken sliders, tacos and our signature specialty and standard shakes. Equipped with pressure cookers, multimixers and about a dozen crockpots, we’re quickly becoming a legitimate machine. Some say we ran Reckers into the ground, but that might’ve just been their terrible business model. We also have gone eco-friendly this year, with biodegradable boats, straws and cups. All that and low prices make Yaz’s a hot spot from Sunday night to Wednesday night. But what separates Yaz’s from the rest of the bunch is the fun we have in the kitchen and around the restaurant. Yaz’s brings Morrissey together. Take, for example, the eating competitions held in the lounge outside the restaurant, whether the “Triple Crown”: over three pounds of food in slider form, or the “Nacho Libra”: a huge plate of nachos with various toppings. Dozens of Morrissey guys will gather around the man or men attempting to defeat the challenge, and win or lose, it’s always a fun time for everyone. Or, stop by for one of our special nights like “Breakfast at Yaz’s,” where you can enjoy the customized pancakes and the renowned Dayman, who besides fighting the Nightman, also provides a delicious egg-bacon-tortilla snack. Or, stop by during Hood Brother Night and purchase Hood Brothers, ranging from snack size to briefcase size. There’s never a slow night at Yaz’s. The last shift I worked was breakfast edition, and we were making pancakes with all combinations of toppings. However, after we had closed up for the night, we were still left with a bunch of pancake batter, so what are we gonna do with it, just throw it out? No no no, we just make a huge “Pancake Loaf,” spread the batter over the whole griddle, and serve it to the remaining customers chilling outside. Whether it’s making giant pancakes after-hours, or devising new shake f lavors (chocolate peppermint Oreo, caramel apple, mint peanut butter), it’s always just a bunch of dudes having fun and making good food. Having fun isn’t the only goal of Yaz’s, though. All the profits made by the restaurant go to St. Joseph’s Hill school in Uganda, so if you spend your money here, know that it’s going towards a good cause. Yaz’s is open Sunday night to Wednesday night, so if you like good food, good causes, low prices and a fun environment, stop by Pangborn Hall and experience the best dorm food on campus. Contact Mike Everett at meverett@nd.edu The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
“Peggy Noonan is universally admired for the stirring prose, keen insight and the moral perspective of her commentary on America and the world,” University President Fr. John I. Jenkins. One might say too universally admired. Anger and Resentment, the twin pets of the public, have been on the rise these last few days, as seniors stir in a tumultuous tizzy over their chosen commencement speaker. Enraged that the University failed to choose someone controversial for them to gripe about, many seniors have now been organizing a walkout in protest. “Noonan is a very respectable individual, obviously enough,” senior Frederick Evertson, beloved Stanford RA and leader of this movement, had to tell our reporters. “The problem isn’t with her qualifications or character — her talents and accomplishments, quite frankly, speak for themselves. She’s a New York Times best-seller, a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist and we could have a multitude of presidents and politicians compliment her oratory capacity. It’ll be great to have someone so renowned for speech-writing actually giving our commencement speech … “My bone to pick is with how these incredible advantages of choosing her aren’t balanced by any sort of reason to hate her. No political radicalities, no divisive racial or prejudicial elements attached — what, are we supposed to actually enjoy ourselves on that special day? Bring Pence or Obama back!” Evertson’s face welled up to a scarlet intensity with these last words. Clearly, these seniors really need something to rise up against. “Fr. Jenkins, have a spine! Stand up for what you believe in!” Evertson’s main contention seems to reside with the administration’s inconsistency, as he related our president to an “oily fish, f lip-f lopping willy-nilly.” If Notre Dame makes it a practice to consistently bring controversial speakers to campus, he argued, then why f lip that precedent on its head? Evertson and his dozens of supporters want to defend the traditions of the Fighting Irish, and are sad to see how the University is advancing toward a future grossly different from its past.
Rumors have already been spreading that Noonan is a far better individual than the accolades even show. On West Quad, word has gotten out that the author and columnist once saw a dove with a broken wing, brought this animal into her home and nursed it back to health, before eventually returning it to the wild. In another instance, she once sang “Jumper” for a young man on the edge of a bridge, convincing him to come down and then even helping him find meaning in existence — he’s now a loving father of four. With a Chuck Norris-esque mythos building around her, the rumors continue to permeate in every ludicrous permutation of her extensive compassion and intellect. Stories abound regarding that one time she solved the unsolvable equation, or that other time she stopped the unstoppable object. A certain Siegfried sophomore has even claimed he’s heard of her once returning sight to a blind man … Not a single reference to homophobic clinics or pro-choice agendas. The seniors seethe quietly, but Evertson’s initiative says no more. “So what, we’re just supposed to enjoy our graduation?! What would that even look like?” And it’s true — without a target for their ire, seniors will have to, for the first time in a long time, truly acknowledge that their time at Notre Dame has come to end, and that the real world awaits. That’ll bring with it not only the crushing reality of responsibility — that they can’t just procrastinate a paper and hide out with a pitcher at Finnies anymore — but also the depression of losing close friends, the realization that the people they’ve come to know, love and live with won’t be surrounding them any longer. It’s a real shame that, without the distraction of an obnoxious speaker, the seniors will be just as miserable and cantankerous — if not more so — than normal. News about the walkout will undoubtedly surface as senior week approaches, but feel free to contact Mr. Evertson if you’re interested in protesting our oncoming plunge into adult-life. Andrew is not sarcastic. Coy to a fault, he enjoys talking without being heard. He can be reached at arebholz@nd.edu The views expressed in this column do not necessarily represent those of The Observer.
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Dear Fr. Jenkins: Do I have the right to speak? Jackie O’Brien Domer Debates
The issue of free speech on college campuses is a complicated one that has brought the attention of the wider American discourse. Colleges have become the battleground for free speech issues, and the question of who really has the right to speak has surfaced. However, at the same time, it’s actually pretty simple. All students and community members’ voices matter. All students and community members should have an equal opportunity to share their experiences, views and vision for the community. All students and community members should be able to use their time at Notre Dame to advocate for causes they care about and pursue the path they choose. Unfortunately, this is not the case at Notre Dame. I went to Washington D.C. last spring. It was an absolutely wonderful experience, and I am so blessed that Notre Dame offered me that opportunity. However, there was a major hurdle in my experience. As I searched for internships, there were several places that stood out to me, two of them being Emily’s List and the Feminist Majority Foundation. When I updated the program director on my internship search in the fall, I was told that, unfortunately, the University has made it clear that students are not allowed to intern at Emily’s List. When I inquired as to why, they explained that it wasn’t entirely clear. This shocked and upset me. So, I began to reach out to students who had done the program before, and was told that my problem was not unique. Another student who interned at the Feminist Majority Foundation was only allowed to intern there if they agreed to focus solely on education issues, and not do any work for the reproductive rights branch of the organization.
This is fundamentally wrong. My opportunities should not be restricted because of the official beliefs of the University I attend. When I signed the agreement to attend Notre Dame, I did not sign a statement agreeing to abide by every official position and belief. Every student reserves the right to their own opinions, and to exercise advocacy on behalf of those opinions. Does the University have a legal obligation to ensure that all students have an equal right to speak on campus? Of course not. Notre Dame is a private university and is under no legal obligation to ensure that right for students. But I do believe that they have a moral obligation. Our campus vision is based on the five pillars of the Holy Cross: mind, heart, zeal, family, and hope. Students using their voice to advocate for causes that they’re passionate about is a pivotal part of the mission of mind, heart and zeal. My mind was violated, my heart corrupted and my zeal undermined when I was prevented from working where I desired and from promoting a mission I care about. There are certain causes and voices on campus that are valued above others. It is obvious that certain groups receive greater face time with the administration than others. While this is an issue, there are even more students who are prevented from speaking in the first place. The administration has taken direct action to prevent some students from using their voice for to further the causes they are passionate about. For example, students have to register a protest or demonstration with SAO. This fundamentally undermines students right to speak and demonstrate on campus, as they can rarely have a reactive demonstration. With the Brett Kavanaugh hearing, several students and I organized a sticker handout and protest of his confirmation. This was clouded over by concerns that at any moment we could be told to disperse by NDSP. This is our campus. We have a moral right to share and speak our views here. What can we do to ensure that all students have
the equal opportunity to share their views? We can implement a free speech square on campus. A square where Notre Dame community members can protest, demonstrate and spread their message in a respectful way. This is not a square for outside groups or actors. It is for Notre Dame community members only. Several Catholic universities already have a similar area on campus, such as the Red Square at Georgetown University. Allowing for students, faculty and staff to share their opinions in a safe space does not go against the Catholic mission, no matter what their message may be. Rather, it is perfectly in line with a Catholic mission. Saint John Paul II in “Ex Corde Ecclasiae” recognized the fine line between the individual and the official goals and positions of the Catholic college. “Catholic teaching and discipline are to inf luence all university activities, while the freedom of conscience of each person is to be fully respected. Any official action or commitment of the university is to be in accord with its Catholic identity.” It is Notre Dame’s Catholic duty to take steps that affirm the freedom of conscience of each individual person on campus. I believe the most important step in doing so would be to establish a free speech area on campus. At the very least, Notre Dame needs to be clear about these policies. If students aren’t allowed to work at explicitly pro-choice groups during an abroad experience, say so. The gray area is a way for this administration to block a student’s right to speech while avoiding accountability for those actions and policies. In conclusion, I’d just like to ask: Fr. Jenkins, do I have a right to speak here? Jackie is a junior at Notre Dame majoring in political science and peace studies. Originally from the Chicago suburbs, in her free time she can be found discussing politics or the personal merits of Harrison Ford. All questions can be directed to: jobrie21@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Donald Trump’s corruption Few people would defend corruption. And those few happen to be immensely wealthy. Multiple narratives are being told in this country about corruption, but it’s exceedingly easy to tell where they are coming from — just follow the money. Let’s start with a baseline definition of corruption, because America seems to have lost track of it since President Theodore Roosevelt said, “It is necessary that laws should be passed to prohibit the use of corporate funds directly or indirectly for political purposes; it is still more necessary that such laws should be thoroughly enforced.” Merriam-Webster dictionary defines corruption as “dishonest or illegal behavior, especially by powerful.” Notice how the definition does not just include illegal behavior, but also includes dishonest behavior. According to this generic definition, one could be forgiven for thinking that lying to the American people is a form of corruption. Let’s take a deeper look by examining the definition of “political corruption.” Aristotle defined political corruption as “the practice of leaders who rule with a view to their private advantage rather than the pursuit of the public interest.” It would seem that not much has changed in 2,300 years.
In modern America, we don’t even blink when we see millions and billions of dollars in untraceable dark money changing hands every two years. That’s just how the game is played in 2018. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Our Founding Fathers not only warned us, but gave us the tools to root out corruption, by giving us a dagger to drive through its black heart. One might argue that the entire purpose of the Constitution is to stand as a bulwark in the face of corruption. Article I of the Constitution directly contains the passage “No Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.” The so-called “emoluments clause” has been heavily debated over the course of the last two years. “Emolument” was a very common term when the Constitution was written, but today, it needs to be defined for most readers. Emolument is usually defined as monetary profit or a “thing of value.” Thus, the emoluments clause states that no politician shall receive a thing of value from a foreign nation. Unfortunately, we have current
politicians who are credibly and justifiably accused of doing just that. If you haven’t been paying attention to the Mueller probe, this is the week to start. Last week, the President’s personal attorney pleaded guilty as a result of the Mueller probe, and revealed the President of the United States of attempting to bribe the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, with a thing of value worth 50 million dollars — a penthouse suite in Trump Tower Moscow. The President spent two straight years lying to the American people on this exact point, tweeting “NO COLLUSION!” and “WITCH HUNT!” If you haven’t seen the cold opening to Saturday Night Live from this past weekend, you should look it up immediately on YouTube. It includes a musical number involving a lineup of the world’s most heinous criminals singing, “It’s just a witch hunt, and we’re all witches! And live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” Nick Myers class of 2011 Dec. 2
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DAILY
The observer | wednesday, december 5, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Will Shortz
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Trust in what you know, not what someone tells you. You’ll have plenty of opportunities, but this is not the year to cut corners or rely on others. Only take on what’s important to you; see it through. You may be tempted to take a risk, but that will tie up time, causing you to miss better prospects. Your numbers are 8, 19, 22, 27, 31, 35, 44. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Check out opportunities, but don’t take a gamble on something that isn’t a sure thing. Know what’s required and what you’ll get in return. Negotiate on your own behalf and make changes based on common sense, not what someone else does. ★★★ TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Positive change will tweak your relationships at work and at home. Personal physical improvements will lead to compliments and a feeling of accomplishment. Focus on fitness, health and diet. An event will bring you in touch with someone from your past. ★★★ GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Look for the good in everyone, but don’t be too trusting. It’s important to question what’s uncertain or to back away from a situation that has a weak foundation. Look out for your interests. Refuse to let anyone take advantage of you. ★★★ CANCER (June 21-July 22): Plan to do something that you find relaxing or inspiring. Attend a function that is geared toward a fun time with children or romance with your lover. A day spent with someone you love will bring you closer together. ★★★★★ LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Problems at home will leave you wondering what to do next. Don’t let an emotional incident turn into a no-win situation. Kindness and diplomacy are always better routes to take if you want to find a solution. ★★ VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Stick to your plan. Don’t spend one penny more than necessary. If someone exaggerates or is indulgent, walk away. Don’t feel you have to give in to someone pressuring you. Positive change should start within. ★★★★ LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t feel obligated to take on too much. Set boundaries when dealing with people who tend to be pushy or critical. Concentrate on making personal changes that will improve the way you handle or earn your living. ★★★ SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Spend more time with people who pump you up, not those who bring you down. Trying new things will be uplifting. Allow yourself to let your imagination wander and your ideas to unfold. Romance is highlighted. ★★★ SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Think big, but don’t lose sight of what’s practical. Having a sense of trust and belonging will be important while collaborating with others. Don’t let someone’s charm deceive you. Question and fact-check before you proceed. ★★★ CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): It’s OK to change your mind or to say no to someone who is trying to entice you into something you don’t want to do. Put your efforts into personal gains, physical improvements and jobs you enjoy doing. ★★★★ AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You can make a reasonable change, but don’t disrupt your world trying to reach the unattainable. Expect someone to use emotional meddling in order to twist your way of thinking or to get you to overspend on something you don’t need. ★★ PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Put some muscle behind your plans. How you handle your cash or take care of your responsibilities will have an impact on others. Living within your means and doing what’s right and best should be your prime concerns. Romance is encouraged. ★★★★★ Birthday Baby: You are insightful, passionate and graceful. You are changeable and proactive.
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SPORTS
ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, december 5, 2018 | The Observer
NHL | Penguins 6, avalanche 3
Sports Authority
Examining Bowl season’s best Joe Everett Sports Editor
Believe it or not, college football bowl season is merely 10 days away. There’s nothing quite like spending your Christmas break kicking back, drinking some eggnog and watching college-age dudes trying to salvage some extra meaning to all the work they’ve put in throughout the entire year. With 40 extra games of college football to look forward to, here are my rankings for the Top-10 bowl games you should make sure to watch this holiday season (excluding the Playoff games, obviously).
10. Quick Lane Bowl : Minnesota vs. Georgia Tech (Dec. 26, 5:15 P.M. ET)
Iowa State is a really good team, and it’s absolutely worth watching to see Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew’s last college game. Inside the Alamodome, this has big shootout potential. Plus, Mike Leach will be there for an amazing interview at some point.
5. Peach Bowl: Michigan vs. Florida (Dec. 29, Noon ET) This will be the third time in four seasons that Michigan and Florida have faced off — both previous games resulting in Michigan victories. With talent on defense all over the field for both teams, this’ll be a physical, intense game. Which offense can make more plays, or make less mistakes? If you like defense, tune in.
This will be the last college football game that Paul Johnson coaches, as the Georgia Tech head coach is set to retire after 11 seasons with the Yellow Jackets. On the opposite side, Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck has the Minnesota program trending in the right direction in his second year there — a bowl win would add another building block.
4. Sugar Bowl: Texas vs. Georgia (Jan. 1, 8:45 P.M. ET)
9. Birmingham Bowl: Memphis vs. Wake Forest (Dec. 22, Noon ET)
3. Camping World Bowl: West Virginia vs. Syracuse (Dec. 28, 5:15 P.M. ET)
The potential for an extremely fun shootout is here, as Memphis averaged over 43 points per game behind running back Darrell Henderson, the nation’s leader with 2,204 yards from scrimmage, and put up 38 on UCF in the first half of the ACC championship. Additionally, Wake Forest runs one of the fastest offenses in the country and just put up 59 against Duke. Here we go.
If you like touchdowns, be sure to kick back and watch the fireworks in Orlando. West Virginia and Syracuse both average over 40 points per game and are led by dynamic senior QBs in Will Grier and Eric Dungey. This has shootout written all over it.
8. Sun Bowl: Stanford vs. Pitt (Dec. 31, 2 P.M. ET) This will be a battle of likeminded teams that love to grind down their opponents. Pitt nearly ran for 500 yards against Virginia Tech, and Stanford will feature the exciting Bryce Love for the final time. I could see this game easily going down the wire.
7. Redbox Bowl: Michigan State vs. Oregon (Dec. 31, 3 P.M. ET) In a matchup of quality programs with quality players that will be played in Levi Stadium — the sight of the national championship game — be sure to tune in and watch Oregon’s Justin Herbert, who could be the first QB off the board in the 2019 NFL draft. His matchup with a daunting Michigan State defense is intriguing; plus, you never know what Mark Dantonio will do, or what uniforms Oregon will wear.
6. Alamo Bowl: Iowa State vs. Washington State (Dec. 28, 9 P.M. ET)
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This one could be higher. Georgia barely missed the playoff, so how motivated will the Bulldogs be for this consolation game? Texas is a talented team and would love to cement themselves as “back” with a win over an SEC powerhouse. There will be stars aplenty in this one.
2. Fiesta Bowl: LSU vs. UCF (Jan. 1, 1 P.M. ET) Snubbed from the playoff after another perfect season, UCF will face the biggest threat yet to its winning streak (now at 25 games) on New Year’s Day. The Knights will be fired up to once again prove they can beat a top SEC program, and LSU features a lot of NFL talent. Even without McKenzie Milton and Greedy Williams playing, this one should be awesome.
1. Rose Bowl: Washington vs. Ohio State (Jan. 1, 5 P.M. ET) “The Granddaddy of Them All” pits an explosive Ohio State offense against Washington’s fantastic defense. Dwayne Haskins versus Jake Browning. Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins against Myles Gaskin. The setting is always incredible, and this’ll have an additional storyline after Urban Meyer announced that he is allegedly stepping down from coaching after this season. Should be exciting. Contact Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Hornqvist’s hat trick leads to win over Colorado Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — There isn’t a lot of finesse in Patric Hornqvist’s game. The Pittsburgh Penguins forward understands his job is to get to the places on the ice that not everyone wants to go, set up camp there and make something happen. His team in serious need of a kick-start after squandering a three-goal lead against white-hot Colorado, Hornqvist provided three. Hornqvist recorded the fastest hat trick in franchise history on Tuesday night, beating Semyon Varlamov three times in a span of 2:47 in the third period as the Penguins pulled away for a 6-3 victory. The Avalanche roared back from a 3-0 deficit by dominating the second period behind goals from Tyson Barrie, Carl Soderberg and Matt Nieto. While Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan told his team to keep its swagger, Hornqvist understood the Penguins were in a delicate spot. The longtime Eastern Conference power is off to a sluggish start, one marred by sloppy defense and an inability to put away opponents or play well at
home. Pittsburgh began the night sixth in the Metropolitan Division and just 5-6-2 at PPG Paints Arena. Hornqvist’s record-setting run began in typical Hornqvist fashion. The 31-year-old Swede parked himself in front of Varlamov, corralled a rebound off a Kris Letang shot, jabbed at the puck once before spinning around and whipping it by the goaltender 6:11 in the third to put Pittsburgh back in front. He needed just 1:21 to double the Penguins’ advantage and completed the hat trick on his next shift when he fired a wrist shot from the slot that appeared to hit off Colorado’s Alexander Kerfoot and sneak past Varlamov. Jake Guentzel, Evgeni Malkin and Derick Brassard also scored for the Penguins, who halted Colorado’s 11-game point streak. Kris Letang added two assists for Pittsburgh. Casey DeSmith finished with 42 saves. Varlamov made 26 stops, but struggled early and late as Colorado’s six-game road winning streak came to an abrupt halt. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon, good friends and frequent training partners in the offseason, put together a thrilling
duel in Colorado last week, with MacKinnon’s four points able to help the Avalanche overcome a natural hat trick by Crosby in a 6-3 Avalanche victory. The Penguins needed just 7:27 to build a three-goal lead. Guentzel redirected a feed from Letang with his left skate just 2:46 in. Malkin followed just over four minutes later when he jammed home a shot from the point by Tanner Pearson for his first five-on-five goal since Oct. 30. Brassard beat Varlamov 35 seconds later the Penguins appeared to be firmly in control. Barrie’s power-play shot from the point 8:16 into the period gave Colorado a spark. Ian Cole, playing in Pittsburgh for the first time since helping the Penguins win consecutive Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, fired a knuckler toward the net that Soderberg managed to get a stick on and deflect past DeSmith. Nieto found a gap with the Penguins on the power play to slip the puck by DeSmith to tie the game, the seventh short-handed goal allowed by Pittsburgh this season. Hornqvist’s historic stretch, however, helped the Penguins avoid a collapse while cooling off the Avalanche, at least for a night.
NHL | Maple leafs 4, sabres 3
Maple Leafs win fifthstraight game, beat Sabres Associated Press
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Auston Matthews scored his second goal with three seconds on the clock in overtime, and the Toronto Maple Leafs matched their best start in 84 years with a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night. The Maple Leafs won their fifth straight game and improved to 20-8. The only other time in took them just 28 games to reach 20 wins was when they opened the 1934-35 season at 20-6-2. Kasperi Kapanen set up the decisive goal by skating up the left wing and drawing two defenders before dropping a pass to a trailing Matthews. Driving to the net, he got around Sabres forward Evan Rodrigues and snapped a shot over goalie Linus Ullmark’s left shoulder. Patrick Marleau scored with 5:13 remaining in regulation to force overtime. Jake Gardiner also scored and Mitchell Marner had an assist to give him 11 in five games. Frederik Andersen stopped 38 shots to win his fourth
straight. Jack Eichel scored twice for Buffalo, which dropped to 0-22 since equaling the franchise record with a 10-game winning streak. Sam Reinhart had a goal and assist, and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen set up two for Buffalo. Matthews also added an assist to give him five goals and seven points in three games since missing 14 with a shoulder injury. Eichel scored twice in a little more than 10 minutes during the third period to put Buffalo ahead 3-2. The Sabres captain tied the game by one-timing Ristolainen’s pass from the right point 2:39 into the period. Eichel scored the go-ahead goal after Toronto’s Nazem Kadri coughed up the puck inside the Maple Leafs blue line. Reinhart got his skate in front of Kadri’s weak pass and fed Eichel, who drove into the slot and snapped a shot inside the right post with 7:03 left. Marleau scored 1:50 later when Morgan Rielly’s shot from the left
point went wide. The puck caromed to Marleau, who came out from behind the net and stuffed it inside the right post. Matthews opened the scoring 8:33 into the second period on a fluke play. Ron Hainsey’s shot from the right circle struck Buffalo forward Conor Sheary’s leg and bounced high into the air. Matthews was already heading behind the net and jumped up over defenseman Nathan Beaulieu’s head, gloved the puck to his stick and wrapped it in inside the left post. After Reinhart tied the game 5 1/2 minutes later by tipping in Beaulieu’s shot from the point, the Maple Leafs regained the lead on an odd-man rush with 10 seconds left in the period. Marner sped up left wing and spun around to make a backhanded pass into the crease. The puck went off the skate of Toronto’s Zach Hyman and directly to John Tavares, who immediately fed the puck into the slot where Gardiner flipped it into the open left side.
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Sports
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M Bball Continued from page 12
Mike Brey was forced to call a timeout five minutes in, as the Sooners (7-1) neared a double digit lead. Coming out of the break, Notre Dame appeared to wake up, as the offense began to find a rhythm, thanks to solid ball movement. With about eight minutes to go in the half, the Irish transition play picked up, and the team went on an 11-4 run to take the lead. Nevertheless, momentum shifted back to Oklahoma as the half neared a close, with Notre Dame looking a bit rushed with the ball. The Sooners countered with their own big run to take a 43-36 lead at half. As the second half got underway, Oklahoma rode the momentum it closed the first half with to take its biggest lead of the game, before junior guard T.J. Gibbs settled things down with a big 3-pointer. John Mooney once again made his presence known after putting
DelVecchio Continued from page 12
captain and junior guard T.J. Gibbs, this year’s Irish team has proved that it won’t allow its youth to plague its performances, and that was exemplified in Notre Dame’s hard-fought effort on Tuesday night. To play in your first road game of the season is one thing, but to have it be under the bright lights in Madison Square Garden is a completely different animal. With the help of Pflueger and Gibbs, the Irish didn’t let the spotlight get to them, and they played a hardfought game that wasn’t decided until the final minutes. Gibbs led all Irish scorers
up 11 points and 11 rebounds in the first half, and provided a shot of energy for the Irish, who went on a 9-0 run to cut the Oklahoma lead to two. Improvement on the defensive end came in large part from a switch to zone defense, which frustrated the Sooner offense. Midway through the second half, once Oklahoma had once again found its groove, the Irish were forced to trade buckets, and junior transfer Juwan Durham stepped up to provide eight straight points for Notre Dame. As the game entered crunch time, the Irish were doing their best to hang on, a task made difficult by some lights-out 3-point shooting by Oklahoma. The Sooners were 15-29 from deep on the night, a critical part of their game that led to the win. Notre Dame stayed within reach for a while, as guard T.J. Gibbs posted 15 of his 18 points in the second half, but missed Irish free throws helped maintain the Oklahoma lead. After Notre Dame missed one last
opportunity with 30 seconds left, Oklahoma grabbed the rebound and hit its free throws to take the game 85-80. Before the game, Brey commented on the state of his young team, which struggled to handle the late-game situations against the Sooners. “They have great focus. They work. Our young guys are really smart basketball players, and come from coached situations. They know how to come in and listen and get better and take teaching,” Brey said Monday. “For us, I just think I need to understand that there are going to be those steps back. We’ve taken a couple of steps forward, and when we take steps back, we got to just keep coming in and teaching and keep trying to get better.” Notre Dame will next be in action on Dec. 8, when they head to Los Angeles to take on UCLA in another non conference matchup before ACC play gets underway next month. Contact Alex Bender at abender@nd.edu
Irish junior guard T.J. Gibbs looks to pass around his defender during Notre Dame’s 67-56 win over Duquesne at Purcell Pavilion on Nov. 20.
with 18 points on 6-of-16 shooting, to go along with three rebounds and three assists. Pflueger had a tough night shooting the ball, finishing with only two points, but he had a significant impact on the game, finishing with a stat line of six rebounds, six assists, and three steals. While the two captains both played well themselves, the biggest takeaway from the game was the leadership they displayed on the court. At every stoppage in play you could see — and hear — Pflueger and Gibbs talking to and instructing their young teammates. It’s one thing to lead by example, but to take the time to motivate and talk to younger teammates is something that can’t be taught.
In every team huddle, Gibbs and Pflueger make their voices known, and it is evident that such articulations had an impact on the team as a whole. It’s easy to give in when the opposition goes on a run, especially down the stretch, but the Irish did not let that happen. Despite a 12-2 run to close out the first half for Oklahoma, the Irish came out firing in the second half and kept it close for the rest of the way. The fact that the Irish only lost by five becomes even more notable when you factor in the fact that the Sooners shot 52 percent from long-range (15for-29), whereas the Irish shot a measly 28 percent (7-for-25) from deep. Together, Pflueger and Gibbs form a solid base to which the Irish youngsters can
turn when things go south, and a resource to get advice from at every turn in the game. Additionally, the exceptional play from Notre Dame’s big men, junior forward John Mooney and junior transfer forward Juwan Durham, continued against the Sooners. Mooney finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field, and Durham had 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting, to go along with three rebounds and three blocks. After Durham’s breakout performance against the Illini last week, another solid performance against Oklahoma’s small front proved that Durham isn’t just a one-hit wonder, and hints at a promising future for
CONNERY McFADDEN | The Observer
the 6-foot-11-inch big man. Meanwhile, Mooney continued to improve on Tuesday night. In his third season with the Irish, Mooney has double his scoring average and has upped his rebounding average from 3.9 a year ago to 8.9 this season. While it’s true that the Irish are still a young team, they are led by two more than competent leaders in Pflueger and Gibbs, a backcourt duo that is complemented well by Mooney and Durham on the blocks. Contact Grant DelVecchio at gdelvecc@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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Irish junior forward Juwan Durham leaps to dunk the ball during Notre Dame’s 89-62 victory against Chicago State on Nov. 8 at Purcell Pavilion. During Tuesday’s game, Durham shot 7-for-8 with 15 points.
Sports
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the next three years. Having a good relationship with all the coaches, Kapitan relished the role of team captain. She loved being the liaison between her teammates and the coaches. Kapitan, of course, cared more about the academics in her future college than the athletics, but she pushed to see just how far her athletics could take her. Her athletic high school success got her exactly what she wanted out of the recruitment process: a chance to
compete for Notre Dame (on top of three other track and field letters and even a basketball offer), a Division I school. Today, Kapitan serves as the “team mom” of the throwers because of her constant supply of sunscreen, bandages and snacks. Kapitan doesn’t expect to have the same leadership roles as she had in high school, but she emphasizes her commitment to being a team player. “I try to be there for my teammates, always. If they feel like they can’t talk about something, I try to help them,” she said. “I’m always trying to help
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my teammates, that’s No. 1 for me.” The “team mom” is currently studying neuroscience, as Kapitan is intrigued by the peculiar position that the brain has in dictating how we function, act and what are personalities are like. In addition to neuroscience being a middle ground between two of her favorite sciences: psychology and biology, Kapitan also enjoys her major because it opens up the possibility for her to learn how people think and what motivates them. With all that said, what motivates this record-setter is a
consistent desire to find her limit. Whether it be competing against her competitive training partner, fellow Irish thrower, sophomore Rachel Tanczos, at lifting weights or throwing a 20-pound ball almost 20 meters across the field, Kapitan wants to see just how good she can get. “I’ve always been motivated to see what I could do. I’ve always been interested in how the fact that we’re always keep breaking records,” Kapitan said. “How does the standard just keep getting better and better? I’ve always been motivated by seeing what’s the
very best I could do. How much better could I get? If I work out this much or go to practice this much, how much better could I get? What is the limit? I’m motivated by the fact that I haven’t found the limit yet.” With an already-impressive start to the season, Kapitan’s expectations for the season have not changed. “I think that right now, my only expectation is to build on what I’ve done, try to do the best that I can and just try to get better,” she said.
Football
affect the Irish. “Don’t worry, we were watching the games,” Love said. “They had some games on TVs there. Everybody was kind of huddled around different games, but we were enjoying the experience and supporting Nic.” Meanwhile, Tranquill was awarded the 2018 Wuerffell Trophy on Monday, a distinction meant to serve as the premier award to community service, academic excellence and leadership. He was selected over fellow finalists, Purdue quarterback David Blough and Kansas State offensive lineman Dalton Risner. Tranquill has made his mark as a leader on numerous organizations, serving as a mentor on the Core Leadership Team for Lifeworks Ministry and an athlete ambassador for Dream Teams. Tranquill is also a member of AWP Sports, Student-Athlete Advisory Council and the Rosenthal Leadership Academy. He’s also gotten involved in various
faith organizations, including Notre Dame Christian Athletes, Team Fellowship and he started 5th Quarter, a post-game event that features Tranquill sharing his story of overcoming obstacles to the local South Bend community. The award, named after former Florida quarterback and 1996 Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel, was created in response to a recognition of the lack of awards in college football that honor players for their service and commitment to others. Although academics and athletics are considered in the selection, it is the only award in which service is the primary qualification. In addition to his involvement in community service, Tranquill has excelled in the classroom, graduating last December with a 3.73 gradepoint average in mechanical engineering. He is currently enrolled as a graduate student at Notre Dame, and is the first Irish player to be honored with this prestigious award.
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his mission of paying the kindness he experienced in his treatment forward. Their primary event, which has helped enable the Foundation to raise over $800,000, is WeishFest, an annual music festival that many members of the football program have attended in past years. This year’s event was held on Dec. 1 in Chicago and was once again supported by many teammates and coaches alike. “I was at WeishFest. A lot of us were,” junior cornerback Julian Love said. “I live with Nic Weishar, so it’s great to be supporting my friend. It was great to be going through that with him. That’s what it’s about. It’s a bond we’re making here that’s special.” Love even joked about the timing of the event — Championship Saturday — when several different games outcomes had the potential to
Contact Charlie Ortega Guifarro at cortegag@nd.edu
EDDIE GRIESEDIECK | The Observer
Irish graduate student linebacker Drue Tranquill charges for a sack during Notre Dame’s 56-27 victory over Wake Forest on Sept. 22. Paid Advertisement
MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer
Irish graduate student tight end Nic Weishar, right, runs a route during Notre Dame’s 24-17 win over USC on Nov. 24 at the L.A. Memorial Stadium. Weishar was named captain of the AFCA Good Works Team.
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The observer | wednesday, december 5, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
ND men’s basketball | oklahoma 85, nd 80
Sooners hand Irish second defeat of year Missed 3s, free throws hurt Notre Dame in loss
Despite loss, team has made great strides since start
By ALEX BENDER
Grant DelVecchio
Sports Writer
Sports Writer
On Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, Notre Dame suffered a close loss against Oklahoma in the Jimmy V Classic. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Irish (6-2), their last win coming on Nov. 27 over Illinois. In the first half, both teams got off to a rather sloppy start in the first few minutes, but Notre Dame had a lone bright spot out of the gate in junior forward John Mooney. In just the first three minutes, he had already collected six rebounds, and he put up the first points of the game for the Irish after grabbing his seventh board off the offensive glass. The Irish looked susceptible to the 3-ball early, while starting just 2-of-12 on field goals themselves, and head coach see M BBALL PAGE 10
CONNERY McFADDEN | The Observer
Irish junior forward John Mooney finishes a dunk during Notre Dame’s 67-56 win over Duquesne on Nov. 20 at Purcell Pavilion. Mooney posted a double-double in Tuesday’s loss, with 15 points and 14 boards.
track & Field
In their first game of the season away from home, Notre Dame came up short against an experienced Oklahoma basketball team by a score of 85-80. Despite the loss, it is clear that the Irish have made great strides as a unit early on in the season, specifically in terms of their leadership and play inside. This year’s Irish team is far from experienced, with captain Rex Pflueger standing in as the lone cenior on the team. While the team is laden with young talent, inexperience can result in a talented team failing to be able to close out games or perform to its potential. Yet, that has not been the case thus far for Notre Dame. Led by Pflueger and fellow see DelVECCHIO PAGE 10
football
Kapitan embraces Tranquill, Weishar leadership role capture awards for service By CHARLIE ORTEGA GUIFARRO Sports Writer
Last Friday, while many Irish students were planning for their last opportunity to have a fun weekend, one student was busy breaking records. Notre Dame hosted its annual Blue & Gold Invitational last Friday night — the first meet of the indoor season. Loftus Sports Center was the location of the 20-event Invitational, and while the Irish took first in 16 events and finished in the top-five on 43 separate occasions, the event was highlighted by what took place in the women’s weight throw. Junior Abbey Kapitan showed just how much work she has put in during the offseason by beating the Irish school record in the women’s weight throw. The previous school record was 19.6 meters. She threw for 19.91. Raised in Munster, Indiana, Kapitan got her passion for
sports from her father — who played football for Valparaiso University. Sports had always been a big part of Kapitan’s life. She used to play as a center for her high school basketball team. She tried out track because her basketball coach was also the track coach and had convinced her to try out throwing. Pushed by her father to become the best athlete that she could be, Kapitan gave up basketball after her sophomore year of high school and focused solely on track. “I just wanted to devote my time to track and see just how good I could be and see if I was good enough to compete at a Division I school,” Kapitan said. She was officially named captain of her throwing team senior year. But considering that there were no upperclassmen throwers her sophomore year, she took on a captainlike role on the team and served in that capacity for see TRACK PAGE 11
Observer Sports Staff
MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer
Irish graduate student linebacker Drue Tranquill makes a tackle during Notre Dame’s 24-17 victory over USC on Nov. 24.
Graduate students Nic Weishar and Drue Tranquill were recently honored for their contributions off the field, both having invested a significant amount of time serving the community. Weishar, a tight end, was named captain of the 2018 AllState AFCA Good Works Team, a program that has honored college football players for commitment to service for the past 27 years. Weishar’s selection was based on his involvement in the Andrew Weishar Foundation, an organization named in honor of his late brother, that works to provide financial assistance to families aff licted by cancer. Andrew Weishar, a member of the Illinois Wesleyan football team, died of colon cancer at the age of 21. The oldest of three boys, his death inspired Nic and the entire Weishar family to continue see FOOTBALL PAGE 11