Print Edition of The Observer for Tuesday, September 17, 2019 by The Observer

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Volume 54, Issue 16 | tuesday, september 17, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Students create University hype song Seniors write, perform new song exploring history of the term “Fighting Irish,” on sale, streaming now By GENEVIEVE REDSTEN News Writer

Jim Small didn’t expect much to come of his conversation w ith Jay RiveraHerrans last November. Rivera-Herrans, a senior and film, telev ision and theater student, was looking to w rite a song. Small, the Universit y’s associate v ice president for stor y telling and engagement, suggested that he w rite it about the histor y of the term “the Fighting Irish.” “We had this conversation last November and six

months later he stops in my office and plays a demo of the song — it was a great surprise,” Small said. Now, that song, “The Fighting Irish (Of Notre Dame, Y’all)” is for sale on CD and available for streaming on Amazon and Spotif y. Rivera-Herrans created the song, which is part rap and part ballad, w ith his classmate, Teagan Earley, a Notre Dame senior and vocalist. Rivera-Herrans and Earley publicly performed the song for the first time on see SONG PAGE 4

NBC sitcom creator talks philosophy at ND

CLAIRE KOPISCHKE | The Observer

Indian special school founder speaks at SMC By CALLIE PATRICK News Writer

Chitra Shah, the founder and director of Indian non-profit Sat ya Special School, spoke at the Saint Mar y’s Carroll Auditorium on Monday. Sat ya Special School is the largest rehabilitation program for children w ith special needs in Pondicherr y, India, ser v icing over 900

IAN TIBBALS | The Observer

Michael Schur sits with God and the Good Life professors in Washington Hall discussing philosophy’s connections to his work. By MATT FLEMING News Writer

Writer, producer and actor Mike Schur spoke in Washington Hall on Monday as part of a lecture discussing the role telev ision plays in a societ y’s moralit y. Schur created or worked on a w ide variet y of popular shows, including “The Office,” “Parks and

NEWS PAGE 3

Recreation” and “The Good Place.” He was inv ited by Paul Blaschko, who teaches the philosophy course “God and The Good Life” at Notre Dame. Blaschko said Schur’s shows are often “deeply philosophical.” “‘The Good Place’ is an obv ious example of this,” see GOOD PLACE PAGE 4

VIEWPOINT PAGE 6

children. “I come from a priv ileged background,” Shah said. “W hen I say priv ileged background, I did what I wanted, I wore the clothes that I wanted, I studied the subject that I wanted and finally married the man that I wanted — something that a number of girls in India do not have the priv ilege of. “Finally, when I married into a ver y wealthy family,

I decided that I should give back something.” Shah said her mission to help her communit y started w ith a v isit to a disabled girl’s home in which she w itnessed abuse. “I saw this child tied up to a plastic chair w ith nylon ropes,” Shah said. “The mom ver y casually told me, ‘I leave her locked see SCHOOL PAGE 3

Student opens cafe out of dorm room in Howard By CIARA HOPKINSON News Writer

W hile most students do not have the resources to start their ow n business until years after graduating from college, senior Amanda Estrada is putting her business sav v y to the test early. Using the homey env ironment and see CAFE PAGE 4

SCENE PAGE 8

Photo courtesty of Amanda Estrada

The Uglé Duck Cafe offers a variety of hot beverages. Customers can take their purchases to go or stay in the room to drink and enjoy.

ND MEN’S SOCCER PAGE 16

ND CROSS COUNTRY PAGE 16

TODAY

The observer | tuesday, september 17, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

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P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Editor-in-Chief Kelli Smith Managing Editor Charlotte Edmonds

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sophomore Alumni Hall

“Skateboarding.”

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ANNA MASON | The Observer

An Irish cheerleader holds up a sign to pump up the crowd during the Notre Dame-New Mexico football game Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. Currently ranked No. 7 in the nation, the Irish beat the Lobos 66-14 to go 2-0 for the 2019 season so far.

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Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

2019 Constitution Day Lecture Jenkins and Nanovic Halls, Room 1030 12:30 p.m. Open to the public.

Free Flu Vaccines Stepan Center 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Available to students, faculty, staff and eligible family.

“Too Bad We’re Not Capitalists” 214 Riley Hall 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Closing reception for printmaking exhibition.

“What’s Peace Got to Do With It?” Auditorium, Hesburgh Center for Int. Studies 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Panel discussion.

Exhibit: “Looking at the Stars” Snite Musuem of Art All Day View recently acquired collection of Irish art.

Fall Career Fair Joyce Center Fieldhouse 4 p.m. Attire for fair is business casual.

Philosophy Talk 140 DeBartolo Hall 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. “Beauty in Thomas Aquinas and James Joyce.”

Film: “Night School” Browning Cinema, DPAC 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Free tickets available for pick-up at 6 p.m.

Concert: Leslie Odom Jr. DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Tickets online.

2019 Domer Run Irish Green 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. 10K, 5K or 2-mile fun walk to benefit local cancer education.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | tuesday, september 17, 2019 | The Observer

La Fuerza Latinx cultural group hosts kickoff By MIA MARROQUIN News Writer

La Fuerza, t he Latin x cultura l club of Saint Mar y’s, k icked off t he school year w it h a welcoming event, “Let’s Taco ‘Bout La Fuerza,” on Monday evening. The event was a casua l socia l event welcoming new members and discussing goa ls and events for t he upcoming semester. La Fuerza was established to learn about and share different Latin A merican cultures, said Eliana Sanchez, a sophomore and president of t he club. “It’s not a lways t he traditiona l, most-k now n Mex ican culture, but t here’s Puerto Rican or El Sa lvadorean or

Honduran or Nicarag uan,” Sanchez said. “We tr y to emphasize learning about t he dif ferent cultures w it hin t hat and t hen sharing it w it h t he [Saint Mar y’s] communit y in genera l.” Aurora Picon, a junior and v ice president of t he club, echoed t he mission statement while adding t hat “[La Fuerza] is a safe space for students of a ll cultures to come share and learn more.” Events in past years have included volunteering at “La Casa de A mistad” and reading Spanish books at t he loca l librar y. Sunday marked t he start of Hispanic Heritage Mont h, a mont h-long celebration of Hispanic histor y and culture. In honor of t his mont h,

La Fuerza w ill be partnering w it h campus ministr y to host a Spanish Mass in Holy Cross Ha ll on Wednesday. One of t he club’s larger events ta kes place in December when t hey celebrate Las Posadas — a tradition rooted in t he Cat holic fait h t hat is meant to sy mbolize t he journey of Mar y and Joseph to Bet hlehem. The event includes caroling, prayer and fellowship. “My favorite event is t he ‘Week of Poder’ which we host ever y April,” Picon said. “It is an entire week dedicated to issues facing t he Latin x communit y.” In t he past, t his week has included panels on immigration law and ot her awareness events.

Sanchez said she hopes t hat t he high turnout at “Let’s Taco ‘Bout La Fuerza” is indicative of high attendance for f uture events. “My main goa l for t he year is to host many events because last year we lacked events and we lacked participation,” Sanchez said. “W hat I want to do is host more events, to learn about t he dif ferent cultures, but have it bigger so t hat ot her people could come and learn. Not just for t he students in t he Latino communit y, but so ot her people can come and learn about us.” Picon added t hat she has seen an increasing trend of attendance in her t hree years in t he club. “The club has been

around, [it] just hasn’t been as, you k now, popular,” she said. “It still isn’t quite as big as I’d like it, t hough.” The trend of increasing participation is most notable at t he clubs events, Picon said, which are open to a ll members of t he communit y, not only club members. She said it is hard to gauge t hese numbers because some events can have many people while ot her events are solely t he clubs board members. “We hope to continue to increase participation to ref lect t he increasing Hispanic and minorit y population at Saint Mar y’s,” Picon said. Contact Mia Marroquin at mmarroquin01@saintmarys.edu

Former EU ambassador to speak at ND Observer Staff Report

On Wednesday, Daniel O’Sullivan, the former ambassador of the European Union (EU) to the United States, will speak about the relationship between the United States and Europe as part of the 2019 Nanovic Forum, the University announced in a Monday press release. The lecture will take place Wednesday at 5 p.m. in Jenkins-Nanovic Hall. According to the release, O’Sullivan has had a long career in both European and international diplomacy. His 2014-2019 tenure as EU ambassador to the United States came after he served as the

School Continued from page 1

up like this eight hours a day.’ The first thought that crossed my mind was: ‘We keep dogs in a better condition.’” It wasn’t long until Shah realized this wasn’t uncommon in the area. “One of the things that this mom told me was that ‘I’m not the only one who ties up the children; I know so many other mothers who do this,’” Shah said. “So I gathered all these moms up and I asked them, ‘Would you send your children to a center if I started one? ’” From there she started the school in 2003 with 20 children. Today the program has over 900 kids across nine centers in India. “There is a huge mythos attached to disabilities [in India],” Shah said. “The belief is that they committed such a huge sin in the past that the gods have

president of the European Commission from 20002005. He is an alumnus of Trinity College Dublin, and he holds an honorar y doctorate from both that institution and the Dublin Institute of Technolog y. He is a 2014 recipient of the EU Transatlantic Business Award, presented by the American Chamber of Commerce. Professor William Collins Donahue, the director of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, said he is excited that O’Sullivan will be able to visit Notre Dame and share his insights about current happenings in international politics.

“Having hosted ambassador O’Sullivan in Washington, D.C., last year, I am delighted he is now able to come to Notre Dame to share his perspectives with faculty and students,” Donahue said in the release. “He brings singular clarity and eloquence to a complex set of issues.” According to the release, the Nanovic Forum was first held in 2011 and was created “through the support of Robert and Elizabeth Nanovic.” Its primar y purpose, the release said, is to bring leading European figures across a variety of fields to the University in order to deepen the

punished them with a special needs child. A child with autism is considered to be possessed by an evil spirit, so these kids are made to walk on fire and sometimes tied up to a tree and whiplashed. “W henever the family understands that they have a special needs child, the mothers are given two options: One is to walk out of the family with the child, or abandon the child.” The centers not only aid in the care and education of children with special needs, but they also help to build a community for the single mothers left to raise their children alone. “They started understanding that it was more scientific,” Shah said. “It was something else, it was not them. They all sat together and shared for the first time. “Women in India would never go to a counselor. You would never go to somebody and share your problem.”

Satya Special School has expanded since its start to include hydro, occupational, special education, group and speech therapy. They also include a school readiness program, activity-based learning, learning through visual media, learning practicality, drama as a learning tool, learning through movement and learning through play with the hopes of reaching children of all skill levels. Skill and vocational training is taught as well to the older residents. This includes teaching them paper quilting, baking, wood working, cup making and mat weaving. “We are sending out this strong message that there is so much hope,” Shah said. “Yes, you have a child who’s difficult to handle, but yet you can live your life and live it well.” Contact Callie Patrick at cpatrick01@saintmarys.edu

conversation about contemporar y European issues. In the release, Donahue said the Nanovic Forum is meant to give students and other community members a sense of current issues facing Europe. He also said, in addition to the lecture, O’Sullivan will engage with members of the University community in other, more informal settings. “The Nanovic Forum, thanks to the ongoing generosity of Bob and Liz Nanovic, offers a valuable opportunity for the institute to connect with Europe and to ref lect on the complexities of contemporar y issues,” Donahue said in the release. “Ambassador

O’Sullivan will also engage with students and faculty in various smaller settings — over meals and coffee and in several classes. The real genius of the Nanovic Forum is its ability to ignite conversations in multiple places all over campus.” In previous years, Nanovic Forum speakers have included former president of Germany Horst Koehler, former Polish prime minister Hanna Suchocka, University of Oxford chancellor Lord Patton of Barnes, former European Organization for Nuclear Research director general Rolf-Dieter Heuer and filmmaker Margarethe von Trotta.

NEWS

The observer | tuesday, september 17, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Song Continued from page 1

Friday afternoon at the Eck Visitors Center, followed by a CD signing at the Hammes Bookstore. At the Notre Dame Pep Rally on South Quad that evening, they again performed the song, which featured lyrics telling the stor y of how Notre Dame overcame anti-Irish discrimination. For many years, Irish immigrants endured discrimination in the United States by facing stereoty pes and hostility. “Many companies openly advertised ‘Irish Need Not Apply’ — that’s how difficult it was,” Small said. “For many years in our countr y,

Good Place Continued from page 1

he said. “It’s a show about a moral philosophy professor guiding others through a journey of moral growth in the afterlife. But the other shows [‘The Office’ and ‘Parks and Recreation’] can be very philosophical, too. Indeed, the best television — especially comedy — almost always is.” Blaschko said he believes the lecture w ill help his students to relate what they have been learning in class to real and contemporar y concerns.

Cafe Continued from page 1

additional space of her single, the Howard Hall resident is starting what she described as a “speakeasy cafe” in the comfort of her dorm room. Estrada, a marketing major, said she has always wanted to own her own business that ref lects her creativity and taste in music and art. Cafes, she said, are particularly conducive to her personality and her interests. “After [college] I was going to start my own business, but I was like, ‘Why not start now?’ I have the single, I have the space,” Estrada said. “I’ve always tried to make my room really aesthetic and everyone who comes in always mentions it. … People can come in and chill with the aesthetic and the music.” Estrada plans to sell hot chocolate, coffee and teas from what she has named “Uglé Duckling Cafe.” Customers are welcome to stay and enjoy their drinks in her room,

the term ‘Fighting Irish’ was a derogator y slur to define Irish people as violent, drunk and prone to poverty and crime.” Small said he has a personal connection to that stor y. “As an Irish Catholic, my grandparents educated all of us as to the struggles the Irish had when they first immigrated to America in the mid-1800’s,” he said. “The only jobs they could get, if any at all, were the most dangerous or lowest paying.” In 1909, a sportswriter at the “Detroit Free Press” used the slur “Fighting Irish” directed at Notre Dame, mocking the school for its association with Irish immigrants. The University,

however, soon embraced the term. In 1927, University President Matthew Walsh issued a statement proclaiming that University officials welcomed the spirit “embodied in the term ‘Fighting Irish.’” Rivera-Herrans said he was inspired by how “we ended up embracing [the term] as this badge of honor to unif y us.” With that spirit in mind, he and Earley began putting that histor y into song, he said. After Rivera-Herrans and Earley decided to take on the project, the actual writing process took months. Rivera-Herrans said he and Earley went through many drafts before arriving at the final product.

“At one point, I had written an entire song and we just scrapped the entire thing,” Rivera-Herrans said. “Like started from scratch, a totally different vibe and ever y thing. But it was a lot of fun.” The song isn’t RiveraHerrans’ first major project. He wrote and starred in the musical “Stupid Humans,” which premiered Februar y at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. This year, Rivera-Herrans said he’s in “development mode,” working on a wide array of projects. A lthough Rivera-Herrans said he’s excited about the new song, he doesn’t want it to replace Cathy Richardson’s “Here Come the Irish,” the popular Notre

Dame hy pe song that plays before football games. “That’s not it at all — I’d never tr y to do that,” RiveraHerrans said. “If it just becomes another little piece of the Notre Dame stor y, then that’s more than enough for me.” He and Small encouraged Fighting Irish fans to download and stream the song. “I hope our students, alumni, parents and fans will like it enough to download the song and add it to their Notre Dame playlist — for many years to come,” Small said. “I can tell you I used to have 10 songs on my Notre Dame playlist. Now I have 11.”

“‘God and the Good Life’ takes on big philosophical questions each day,” he said. “We’re just finishing our unit on moralit y and the good life, and Mike’s talks w ill help students apply these issues, and the moral theories we’ve been talking about, to practical questions. How should you watch telev ision? Can we do philosophy while making good entertainment? Is there a way of approaching big philosophical questions through a career in entertainment? ” Laura Callahan, assistant professor of philosophy at Notre Dame, said “The Good

Place” helped to bring “philosophical theories to life for an extraordinarily w ide audience.” “This is also one of the central ambitions of ‘God and the Good Life’ — making philosophical theories and questions feel relevant to students’ lives, making philosophy have an impact,” she said. “We’re beyond thrilled that this extraordinarily talented person is coming to share that energ y and perspective w ith our students.” Sullivan said in addition to being “totally hilarious,” Schur’s shows have several parallels to the curriculum

of the “God and the Good Life” course. “We inv ited him to speak to the philosophy students because his shows raise many of the same questions we w restle w ith in our ‘God and the Good Life’ course — how do we become better people? W hat do we owe each other? W hat does it mean to have faith … in God, in your friends, in your fellow citizens? ” Sullivan said she hopes her students walk away w ith three major ideas. “First, it’s a key part of v irtue ethics that we should feel joy at pursuing the good

life,” she said. “I want them to give some thought to how and why moralit y can also be quite funny. Second, I want them to see a w riter and producer who is arguably at the top of his craft and who simply could not do this incredible work w ithout curiosit y about philosophy. Third, we hope to keep the conversation going for the rest of the year in class about what exactly we need to do to make sure we don’t end up as medium people … [and] we end up as good people.”

which Estrada has furnished with a table and chairs, or take them to go. Despite the stiff competition from other on-campus locations, Estrada is confident that her cafe will be a success due to its more personal nature. “It’s all about convenience and a warm, friendly environment. I’m trying to make it so that I have a relationship with all the people [who come in],” Estrada said. Rather than a hub of activity, as many of the popular cafes around campus are, Estrada aims to have the “Uglé Duckling Cafe” emulate the relaxed vibe of a traditional cafe. With that familiar atmosphere, Estrada hopes to build a feeling of community. A self-described introverted extrovert, Estrada said dorm life in Howard — one of the smallest dorms on campus — is the perfect environment for a place to get a cup of coffee, chat and de-stress. “I really like how Howard works,” Estrada said. “It’s a

nice, kind of cozy feel. I don’t feel like it’s too isolating, and I don’t feel like they’re overbearing with the community, so I think it’s a really casual community.” Though her opening day was a football Saturday, Estrada said she has been pleasantly surprised by the number of customers she has had and believes she has gained some loyal followers. One of her biggest concerns, she said, is the new policy restricting dorm access to residents only. Estrada remains optimistic and sees her cafe as a way to foster community within her own dorm while being open to any newcomers as well. “I’m mostly marketing to Howard, but a lot of people know a lot of people so if people know someone from Howard, then they can just come in,” Estrada said. “I want this to be a really inclusive environment for everyone.”

Contact Genevieve Redsten at gredsten@nd.edu

Contact Matt Fleming at mflemin4@nd.edu

Contact Ciara Hopkinson at chopkin1@nd.edu

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Photo courtesy of Amanda Estrada

Senior Amanda Estrada hopes the cafe will offer a relaxed, friendly vibe and an enjoyable aesthetic, reminiscent of traditional cafes.

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The observer | TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

A house divided: The Notre Dame family

Response column: In defense of the administration’s cost of living policies

Grace McDermott News Writer

Danny McMaster You’re Welcome for My Opinion

“Five months ago, my little sister performed the ultimate act of betrayal upon our family – she chose to attend the University of Michigan instead of Notre Dame. Obviously, she has been disowned and written out of the will, and she is no longer welcome at family holidays. Kidding (mostly). For those of you – and I’m sure it’s many – who grew up in a Notre Dame household, you know how much it means to be here. This is a school that prides itself on its generational character and traditions. If you’re like my sister Claire and me, you grew up wandering around campus every fall. Our experience was a little different than most, as our dad decided early on that the two of us would come to every – and I do mean every – home game with him and sit in the same seats he did with his parents when he was a kid. I’ve tried to add up the number of Notre Dame games I attended before becoming a student, and my estimates are somewhere in the seventies or eighties. Suffice it to say that the two of us were Notre Dame babies, born and raised in the art of tailgating, bumper barbecuing and stadium navigation. My late grandfather sent two children and two grandchildren to Notre Dame and another of each to Saint Mary’s. He now also has two grandchildren who are Wolverines – an unspeakable crime in many Notre Dame families, but a reality ours has been living for almost two decades now. To those of you who did not grow up in Notre Dame families, this whole thing may seem a little ridiculous and dramatic, but the rivalry is deep-seated. I watched my dad and uncle send their kids to a place they had been raised to hate – somewhat playfully, but on a fairly serious level as well. I remember not even considering Michigan, not so much because I disliked the school, but because I could never picture myself being friends with the dreaded Michigan fans. So as I think about Notre Dame vs. New Mexico, the first home game in 18 years that I attended without Claire, I wonder to myself whether a Michigan student can still be part of the Notre Dame capital-F Family. To me, my family and so many others, the Notre Dame Family – that giant network of graduates and students and “subway alumni,” of football fans and Irish Catholics and little kids with big college dreams, – creates a feeling of home and a sense of belonging wherever you end up in the world. We are all tightly bound to each other, endlessly orbiting the gravitational pull of the Golden Dome. And I think it would be foolish to ignore that a big part of the Family’s history and connection is centered around Fighting Irish football. When 80,000 of us gather in Notre Dame Stadium for our fall Family reunions, there is an atmosphere like nowhere else in the world. We are united behind our team and all it means to us, which also means we are united firmly against the other team – especially if that team is Michigan. This is the way that Claire and I were inducted into the Notre Dame Family, and this is the way that many people come back to reconnect with their beloved school. My own divided family does our best to reconcile the rivalry, save for one awkward weekend a year during which we avoid talking football. We cheer for Michigan to beat The Ohio State University every Thanksgiving weekend (often in vain). Most importantly, though, as much as we joke about it, Claire is still just as much a part of our family as she was before she moved to Ann Arbor. And even though she may never go to Notre Dame, I don’t see why Claire should not also remain a part of the Notre Dame Family and all the support, love and shared memory its unofficial membership entails. Though she now attends the home of one of Notre Dame’s greatest rivals, she has not erased the years of passing the volleyball around on South Quad, of lake walks and trips to the Grotto, of her place in our grandparents’ seats cheering on the Irish. For Claire’s sake, I hope that the Family’s support system can extend beyond our battles on the field. I’ve spent some time re-examining how I define the Notre Dame Family, whose importance in my life is second only to my actual family. Our unspoken and indescribable sense of community is both comforting and empowering to me. No matter how far I travel from home, the Family will always ground me and give me purpose. And while I love Notre Dame football and understand its importance in the school’s identity, my past two years here have made me realize that we have a connection that goes beyond the stadium, that goes beyond even the Dome and the Basilica – something binding and powerful that lies beneath everyone who has ever loved this school. My hope for Claire is that the Family will continue to lift her up and to be there for her to lean on, even though she goes to (I know, ugh) Michigan. Contact Grace McDermott at gmcdermo@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

On Sept. 5, there was an column written in the Observer by a regular columnist. You should read it, but first I want you to know that you should not believe a single word of it. You can go and read it by clicking here. Now some of you might be thinking, “Wait, this is a newspaper, just because it’s written to click here doesn’t mean that this column is linked to that. Also, that column was written two weeks ago, do you expect me to go and find a two-w eek-old copy of the Observer just to understand this column?” And, yeah, those are fair points. So what I’ll do now is summarize that column, in a completely fair and unbiased manner. Two weeks ago, so-called Economics major senior Ben Testani wrote a column called “Napkin math: Notre Dame charges the highest room and board amongst its peers.” The column’s main focus was on the “high” price of room and board and the price of living on campus in comparison to Notre Dame’s peers. He argues that the University charges too much for room and board and claims it is “unfair” that the University charges an exorbitant price for commodities it mandates students purchase for at least three years. Mr. Testani’s argument is a complete mischaracterization of the strokes of genius that are the administration’s pricing system and demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the principles of economics. I dare say that his economics degree should be stripped and converted into an honorary degree (the participation trophy of degrees). To begin, Mr. “Testani” fundamentally misunderstands how incentives work: If something has a high price, people will consume less of it. If the price is low, people will consume more of it. Macro, mirco, this is literally day one stuff. My two-year-old nephew could understand this if I had a twoyear-old nephew. The University isn’t overpricing living for its students, it’s properly setting its incentives. Testani goes on to quote the “problem” of the University’s Grab ‘n Go Cheez-It price of $2.43 per pack, compared to a Costco price of $0.26 per pack. However, does he even know what’s in a pack of Cheez-Its? Calories: 210. Saturated fat: 2.5 grams. Monounsaturated fat: 2.5 grams. Sodium: 290 milligrams. That’s 13% of your total daily recommended sodium right there. If you believe in “Mr.” Testani’s prices,

then you could blow your whole day’s worth of sodium for $2.08, and add on 1,680 calories for good measure. Don’t you get it? The University is charging you $2.43 for your Cheez-Its for YOUR benefit. They’re looking out for you! If you wanted your whole day’s worth of sodium from Notre Dame CheezIts, that would run you a full $20. Hard to gain the ol’ First-Year 15 at that rate. The University does this for everything. I bet Beñ probably thinks that it’s unfair that the Notre Dame $15.6k room and board doesn’t cover laundry machines. This would just further demonstrate how utterly hapless he is. If laundry was free, students simply wouldn’t stop doing it! Do you like doing laundry? No, no one does! But if it was free, you can know without question that I would be down in the laundry room every night, running my clothes through the wash, drying them and then rolling them in dirt outside so that I could start the entire process all over again. This would not be the best use of my time. You see, when they charge you $3.50 for a load of laundry, they don’t do it for profit’s sake. They do it because they care. Further, I was uniquely upset by the level of work the man from Alumni Hall put into this column. Napkin math? Seriously? You did this on a napkin? You have the gall to write 1,000 words in the Observer, but you can’t find the time to grab a piece of paper, let alone an Excel document? I am disturbed that someone would have the audacity to write something so underdeveloped and foolish in the school newspaper. I hope that this stops, because the Observer is no place for sarcastic, unprofessional behavior. Therefore, I hope that Bën comes to his senses and understands the true nature of the University’s pricing systems. I trust that as he continues to pursue his degree in economics, he will learn the folly of his previous thoughts. When he does, I will welcome him with open arms and an economically priced bag of Grab ‘n Go Cheez-Its. *This isn’t mean because I asked Ben if I could write this and he made fun of my hair, which I took as permission. ** **Please don’t take that seriously, or anything in the column really. Danny McMaster is a senior business analytics major, and has never once been wrong in his entire life. He can be reached at dmcmaste@nd.edu or @DanMcMaster14 on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Fighting for our family What does it mean to be part of a family? I’ll leave the answer to my philosopher roommates or my theologian wife, but surely, it’s more than meets the eye. Surely, it’s not ad hominem attacks, assaults on each other or disagreeable rules. Siblings fight, children rebel and parents make difficult choices, but the essence of a family must be deep to survive such imperfection. Surely, it’s more than dances, intramurals and card access. Bonds are strengthened by spending quality time together, but restrictions on these activities do not make or break the “Notre Dame family.” If they do, I would be hard-pressed to call this a family at all. If not here, where might we find the Notre Dame

family? We find it in the friend who lends you a jacket when you get caught in the rain; in the roommate who brings food when you’re sick. We find it in the teaching assistant who stays late to help you crack the difficult problem; in the South Dining Hall worker who always greets you with a smile; in the professor who knows your name on the first day of class; in the rector who sacrifices years to help you grow; in the alumnus who helps you find a job. We find it in the sleepless eyes of an administrator, up late checking on a student in crisis; in the students fighting for social justice. We find it in the walks around the lake; in the prayers at the grotto; in the memorial Mass for a

friend. We find the Notre Dame family in each other. The vitality of the Notre Dame family is something we must fight for if we want it to survive. We must fight not against each other in pithy editorials, picket lines or statements; rather, with each other, for the things that matter. What is the essence of the Notre Dame family? How can we strengthen that family in a messy and sometimes dangerous world? Take your ideas to Main Building; grab a coffee; talk. Surely, that’s worth fighting for. Anthony Musso class of 2015 Sept. 16

What does it really mean to be a firebrand? A thought experiment Gabriel Niforatos The Road Less Traveled

I like disagreement. Opposition, argumentation, division – these are pillars of who I am. No, don’t laugh at me. People point at me and laugh, but this is only because they are too scared to admit that I am giving a name to the hatred they feel as they lie in bed every night. I am apolitical because that means taking sides, and I hate everyone. I hear the laughs of people on the “outside,” but I’m on the “inside” so I don’t really care. I am an American national, I am Notre Dame and I decide what that means. Don’t dismiss me as Marxist and claim that I am rallying warriors on the front lines. I’m lying. Get up bright and early for class tomorrow and get ready for opposition. There’s nothing to lose but our chains. I am an auditorium of exactly one person, and I love the sound of my own voice reverberating off these lonely walls. There is dust gathering on rows of plastic chairs, but in waking up the echoes, I can hear the rally cries of thousands of people cheering my name. I will never leave this hollow place because I can’t. Outside of these walls there is a world and empty seats to a sold-out show of one person. I’ll keep screaming at my screen, and you’ll never feel the loneliness of 280-character firebrands. I will be incendiary because it feels so good to burn. To be a firebrand is to wear so many masks that my identity is like the smattering of colors upon a Jackson Pollack painting. I agree with you about what is the best dining hall on Monday, and I enjoy myself at the other one on Tuesday. I am the person in class who talks over you because I am silver-tongued, and

my voice is honey. I am a purveyor of chaos, and I live in the shadows of the opinions of others because nothing I have to say aligns with the options given. I am ill-informed but aggressively opinionated. I am Wikipedia; I am Twitter. Listen to your lies, and I’ll believe my truth. I am outcast, I am king of a world where truth is my truth and to be a firebrand is to be the maker of rules. Light your torch and follow me and disagree. I like disagreement. I seek opposition, argumentation and division, because these are pillars for growth. I’ll disagree with you because I like a challenge, but I do not do so because of a love for chaos. I am apolitical because that means taking sides and subscribing to labels and placing myself into empty statistics. I say I am a liberal, but economically conservative, and this is a clever way of saying that nobody really has the answers. Platforms are limited because people are multidimensional and subscribing to one side means signing on to a list of fine print and ideology in the margins. I say challenging things in class because I am challenging. Democracies have tendencies to exclude minority perspectives, and I am the wake-up call to exclusion. I am neither conservative nor liberal, but “constructively argumentative,” and I strive to push others to confront their own dogma. It sometimes seems as if Notre Dame is afraid to accept that it is incendiary. In the carefully constructed words of du Lac, there are guidelines for demonstration: They must be peaceful and orderly and never impede the freedom of the University community. There have been warnings against protest, specifically those concerning issues from the housing policy to the murals in Main Building. And yet, Notre Dame

should be proud that she has constructed a culture where students are comfortable being firebrands. When the Ku Klux Klan demonstrated in South Bend in 1924, it was Notre Dame students who put together a counter-protest. Former University President Fr. Theodore Hesburgh would be the first to tell you that violence is never an answer to disagreement, but Notre Dame has a storied history of being incendiary. I accept this identity, and I am a Jackson Pollack painting where every color and every stroke is a shade of my personality. I am Picasso because I like to turn the world upside down and reconstruct it. I am Martin Luther, nailing my theses on the doors of dogma. I am Fr. Hesburgh, challenging the status quo and protesting with Martin Luther King Jr. I am sit-ins, I am picketing. But I am also conversations at Starbucks with professors who hold differing opinions. I am the person in class who asks hard questions because I want to know. I want to know what makes you tick and makes you think, what keeps you up at night and the dreams you want to pursue. I am incendiary because I want to be a source of light in a world where “outside” and “inside” are used to draw the battle lines between us. And sometimes, to be a firebrand is the only way to break these chains. Gabriel Niforatos is a junior majoring in political science with a minor in the Hesburgh Program in Public Service. He is passionate about giving a voice to the disenfranchised and writing is the muse he is persistently chasing. He can be found at gniforat@nd.edu or @g_niforatos on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

KERRY SCHNEEMAN | The Observer

The observer | tuesday, september 17, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

CLAIRE KOPISCHKE | The Observer

DAily

The observer | tuesday, september 17, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Tidy up loose ends. Completion will bring you great satisfaction and release you from stress. It’s time to start doing the things you want to do. Letting go of what’s happened in the past and heading into the future with optimism and enthusiasm will be exhilarating and encourage better relationships and personal happiness. Set your priorities, and follow your dream. Your numbers are 2, 16, 20, 23, 37, 39, 41. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Refuse to let your emotions interfere with a significant decision you have to make. Do what’s best for you, and don’t look back. If your focus is backward instead of forward, you will miss out on an opportunity to try something new. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Look at the magnitude of a situation you face, and do your best to minimize what you are up against. Being aware of what’s necessary and what isn’t will determine your success. Put in the physical work required to accomplish your goal. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You can participate without going overboard, promising too much or taking a risk you shouldn’t. Focus on personal growth, self-improvement and doing what’s best for you. Giving in to pressure or getting into an argument will be a waste of time. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Just do what has to be done and move along. If you focus too much on what others do or say, you will find it difficult to overcome emotional interference. Set your goal, and don’t stop until you finish. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Use your charm, brainpower and insight to gather the information that will help you make personal improvements. Getting along with your peers will be necessary if you want to get things done. Positive input will encourage others to see things your way. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Look over your finances, and update documents and records that need adjusting. Evaluate your home and lifestyle, and consider what you want to do from this point on. Having a plan in place will give you the incentive to forge ahead. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Do what needs to be done. Sort through personal paperwork, make adjustments to your living arrangements and address matters that could lead to someone making a fuss if the improvement isn’t made. Choose peace and love over discord. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Open up about the way you feel, and progress will be made. A positive change will put your mind at ease and encourage making plans that are conducive to better relationships. Use your imagination, and you’ll find a perfect solution. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t get angry; get moving. An upbeat attitude will prompt others to help you reach your goal. A challenge should be met with strength, courage and intelligence. Don’t be shy; express what you want and what you are willing to offer. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Put your emotions aside and be realistic about what you want to unfold. Be prepared to put in the labor required to reach your goal, and eventually others will want to be a part of your plan. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): An opportunity is heading your way. Be open to suggestions, but do only what you feel you can handle. A financial gain due to a contract, settlement or investment will ease stress and encourage you to make a personal change. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Know your boundaries. Stick to a budget, and walk away from people who are pressuring you to take part in something that isn’t good for you. Hard work will pay off and discourage others from meddling in your affairs. Birthday Baby: You are kind, sensitive and flexible. You are helpful and resourceful.

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Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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Sports Authority

Franks injury is good for UF Jimmy Ward Associate Sports Editor

Feleipe Franks, the junior quarterback for the No. 9 Florida Gators, suffered a devastating injury this past weekend. On a fourth and short with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Gators found themselves trailing the Kentucky Wildcats 21-10. Gators head coach Dan Mullen elected to go for the conversion, figuring they were just outside of field goal range. During the play, Franks — not able to find an open receiver — was flushed out to his left after a lead rusher broke through his offensive line through his right side. That rusher was able to wrap up Franks well before he met the line of scrimmage. Franks tried to scramble to earn the first down but was tackled from behind by the Wildcats’ lead rusher. Franks attempted to plow forward but was met by even more Kentucky linemen as he reached the line of scrimmage. Franks was twisted up with his legs caught beneath him, resulting in a truly ugly injury. Franks was carted off the field and is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a dislocated right ankle. Wishing ill will upon any athlete is something I find disgusting, but for Dan Mullen and Gators fans, this may have been the best possible outcome. Florida has a rich history of producing quarterbacks who have become household names — Tim Tebow, Steve Spurrier and Shane Matthews, to name a few. Franks seemed to be one of those notorious quarterbacks who was gaining attention for all the wrong reasons. Last season, Franks started against Missouri late in the season and went 9 for 22 on the night. He proceeded to get booed off the field by Gators fans and benched by Mullen, who sent then-redshirt-sophomore Kyle Trask onto the field. It was homecoming week, so the boos may have originated from some fans who had a little too much to drink, but Franks took it personally — as he had with social media comments in the past. The starting quarterback could not keep his eyes off of the negativity. In their next game against South Carolina, Franks rushed for a touchdown and shushed the Gator faithful. Franks preaches that he doesn’t

need anyone’s approval, but he is clearly lying through his teeth — he has also been quoted as saying, “I like to be liked.” To be frank, Franks is a terrible quarterback and an even worse leader. His post-game press conference answers tend to revolve more around himself than his team or the game. His statements are cluttered with I’s and me’s. This is a trait that must have been concerning Mullen for quite some time, who just a few years ago watched on as Tebow polarized the football world with his humility and athleticism. Mullen has widely been recognized as some sort of quarterback guru, but Franks’ lack of discipline and self-control presented him with a problem he has not faced thus far. When Franks went down Saturday evening, redshirt junior Kyle Trask stepped in at quarterback, leading the Gators on a remarkable comeback. Trask led with a clutchness that Franks did not possess, as shown in their Week 0 matchup against Miami Florida. Trask went 9 for 13 passing in the short 18 minutes of action he saw Saturday, throwing for 126 yards. Trask cut the deficit to 16-21 on an option play where he pitched the ball at the last second to his back who found the end zone virtually untouched. A few drives later, Trask would take the ball himself and score a touchdown on a quarterback keeper, which would end up being the game-winning score. Only time will tell how Trask will handle the new leadership role after Franks’ traumatic injury, but he is not alone as the Gators also have themselves a solid quarterback in redshirt freshman Emory Jones. Jones earned a redshirt after appearing in just four games last season, but he proved he might be a better scrambler than Franks, and he certainly possesses the speed and arm strength to flourish under Mullen’s leadership. For Gators fans who found themselves sweating with anxiety throughout Saturday’s game, this change of quarterbacks may come as a relief, and it can only be asked of Mullen why he did not make the change sooner. Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

M Soccer Continued from page 16

the game against Clemson due to an injury. However, Coach Riley thinks there are other players who can step up. “I think we’ve got good guys that can step up,” Riley said. “I think anytime you lose someone that’s been playing [lots of ] minutes you don’t want that. But at the same time, I don’t think that was [the reason for the loss

against Clemson].” However, having Farrelly back would be a huge help against Indiana, who have one of the top offenses in the country. Indiana is the latest among top teams the Irish will play this season. Notre Dame is set to play five of the current top ten ranked teams in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll this season. Additionally, they will face off against nine teams that qualified for the 2018 NCA A tournament.

However, Coach Riley said playing tough opponents will help the team in the long run. “Playing good games is going to help you get better,” Riley said. “Ideally you want to improve, play well, and win, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to turn it into something that propels us forward, and I think we’re good at doing that.” Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Bloomington.

Contact Liam Cooligan at lcoolica@nd.edu

Junya kanemitsu | The Observer

Irish graduate student defender Felicien Dumas dribbles upfield with the ball as multiple opponents look on against the ACC rival Clemson Tigers at Alumni Stadium during a 4-2 loss on Friday night.

Junya kanemitsu | The Observer

Irish freshman midfielder Michael Pellegrino hustles down the field with the encouragment of Irish senior midfielder Jack Casey at Alumni Stadium in a 4-2 defeat by the Clemson Tigers on Friday. The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.

Sports

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XC Continued from page 16

forward and starting the year on a competitive note with a championship.” For the rest of the season, both teams hope to be in the top 10 for the country and run well in the ACC championships. A few runners are nursing some injuries and are sitting the invitational out, Sparks said. “We’ve got a few aches and pains that are keeping some people out of full time run conditioning,” Sparks said. “We want to make sure they’re healthy when it matters most. We’re kind of nursing our way through some aches and pains just to make sure everybody’s appropriately fit and healthy when it matters most.” Senior Kevin Salvano and sophomore Jackie Gaughan are among those top runners who are working through some injuries, Sparks said. For the invitational, Sparks said they will be holding back many of their top runners, allowing younger and more inexperienced runners to prove what they can do. “It’s a chance for some of the younger athletes that have never been counted on to contribute,” Sparks said. “There should be quite a few athletes that have never been in that contributing role to step up and do that. It’s hard to tell you it’s going to be, but it’s fun for the coaches and fun for the athletes.” Sparks said the men’s team has a good balance of upperclassmen and underclassmen. “The men’s team has got a

really good balance of juniors and seniors with great leadership amongst those guys,” he said. “[Sophomore] Danny Kilrea was an All-American last year as a freshman, so with [senior] Kevin Salvano and [graduate student] Tony Williams leading the way from a captain standpoint, to go along with [junior] Yared Nuguse, who’s a national champion in the 1500, and Danny [Kilrea] that are still sort of younger cross country runners.” As for the women’s side, there are many fifth year students who are leading the team, Sparks said. “On the women’s side, it’s very much divided between fifth year graduate students that have great leadership for us, and [graduate students] Anna Rohrer and Kelly Hart to go along with our freshmen and sophomores,” Sparks said. “Maddy Denner and Jackie Gaughan are sophomores that are providing crucial points for us and are still young to the college process.” Although it’s still early on in the season, Sparks said they are looking ahead towards what they can accomplish in November. “The NCAA championship meet is Nov. 23, and the ACC championship is Nov. 1,” he said. “Those are kind of the big spotlight meets that we’re kind of pushing towards in the month of November. We want to obviously want to be running well in September, but we want to keep our eye on the prize for November.” Contact Mariah Rush at mrush@nd.edu

Junya kanemitsu | The Observer

Irish junior Annasophia Keller races to the finish line at Burke Golf Course in the National Catholic Cross Country Invitiational in 2018.

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Kelly Continued from page 16

Kelly said a few players stood out especially during the game. “Some of our young defensive linemen played well,” Kelly said. “You know, linebacker [sophomore] Bo Bauer played well. Certainly from an offensive standpoint, [sophomore wide receiver] Braden Lenzy had two really nice plays, [senior wide receiver] Javon McKinley, you know. For us, [sophomore running back] C’Bo Flemister had a number of opportunities, not necessarily in ball carrying opportunities but should be in blocking. Ran hard on a couple of occasions. So overall it was really pleasing to watch a lot of young players get an opportunity to go in and produce. Any time you put together a win like that at home, it was good to see. It obviously will do well for us as we continue to move forward. A lot of our veteran players played very steady football for us. There are some areas we can always get better at, and that’s part of the evaluation as well. … There were certainly some things we did well, certainly some things that we’ll have to do better against the opposition that we’re playing this weekend, and I think we have learned a lot about our football team.” Kelly discussed how the offensive line unit is still evaluating. Although it’ll likely need to elevate its play in the near future, Kelly said as of now it is moving along. “We’re two games into it,” he said. “You know, we’re still evolving. [The offensive line

ndsmcobserver.com | tuesday, september 17, 2019 | The Observer

was] not asked to do a lot of things on Saturday. We put a lot of points on the board. So I mean, there’s no grades that we’re giving out right now as a complete offense or complete defense, we’re two games into the season — though I can and we need to continue to improve, we need to continue to get better. We need to coach better. We need to play better. So I mean it’s where we should be probably after week two in that process of working to get better as a unit, individually, and finding what works best for the group relative to somewhere we want to go.” Junior Avery Davis, who has moved positions constantly throughout his career, got a chance to prove himself on the offensive side of the ball against New Mexico on Saturday — and he took full advantage, scoring the first touchdown of his career. “Well, we saw it — he ran almost 23 miles per hour,” Kelly said. “We haven’t had that since Will Fuller, so we know he has elite speed. Again, I think this has been much more about trying to find him playing time. We know his skill set. I felt that way when we moved him to defense, that he had the skill set. It was just getting him on the field and getting him an opportunity. Probably the answer to the question is the same way — a skill set is one thing, it is getting him the opportunity, and I think he has the best chance of getting those opportunities on the offensive side of the ball right now.” Kelly’s confidence in the younger guys who stepped up against New Mexico is significant, as the head coach said

such confidence in them will persist heading into Notre Dame’s game against Georgia this weekend, who is certainly on a different level than New Mexico. Kelly said he had “no doubt” those same star players from the game against New Mexico will make plays against Georgia. “Again, a lot of it is the ability to have the confidence to go out and do it,” he said. “[Senior wide receiver] Chase Claypool too. Look, it is still about a standard. When you catch the ball, you run over three people regardless of who they are. Go ahead, take that, and show that on film, Chase Claypool looks pretty good regardless, universally. Depending on the opponent, it really doesn’t matter. So all those guys just needed the opportunity to go up there and make a catch. Lenzy needed to go up there, make a catch, take the ball away and run through a tackle. So there is no doubt [that] the competition will be greater, but you need to make some plays to build that inner confidence that you can do it all the time.” As far as the matchup coming up this weekend, Kelly made it clear victory will require a different level of play than it did this past weekend. “The competition that we’re playing this weekend will certainly require us to play our very best,” Kelly said. “[Head coach] Kirby Smart and the Georgia program are synonymous with winning and being successful, and we’re quite aware of that. We played them a couple of years ago in a hard fought game which we came up short. So again, we know

ANNA MASON | The Observer

Irish senior defensive end Khalid Kareem pursues New Mexico’s senior quarterback Sheriron Jones in Notre Dame’s 66-14 win at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday.

the talent that they have. Offensively, an outstanding offensive line, they have four, five starters back there. Andrew Thomas is probably a first round draft pick. But they’re extremely physical and a big offensive line that moves very, very well and protects Jake Fromm very well. Jake Fromm obviously played as a freshman against us, showed great poise and has continued to, obviously, develop into being one of the premier quarterbacks in college football, throwing the ball at 75% completion percentage. He’s an outstanding player, making all the throws, plays with great confidence. He has a great offensive line. He has great weapons around him: Andre Swift at the running back position; Aaron Cook. They have probably five running backs that can touch the field and do great things with the ball in their hands.” Kelly said Fromm has “great weapons” around him that makes Georgia a tough competitor, including a “great offensive line.” “I don’t know what else you say about them,” Kelly said. “Just a very balanced offense that can run it, can throw it. A quarterback that manages it extremely well. That’s before you even get to the defense, that obviously Kirby takes great pride in that defense, and certainly has developed a great group again. This one is talented, but it is really deep as well — the depth that they have. Especially on the defensive line, that they can run six, seven that we counted I think last night, eight guys that are interchangeable within their three and four down structure.

All of them productive players, and that’s not even counting Rochester — I mean, the guy that’s been out. He’s a great player, too. Both inside linebackers back, I think Reed has been there … we remember him being all over the field against us a couple of years ago. Campbell Stokes, the corners, just again SEC top level defense, well coached. And attacking when they want to and can play zone coverage, man coverage. Again, probably not telling anybody here what you haven’t seen. It is all true. It is all true. Very, very good defense. Depth, talent at every position, experience. And I think more than anything else, from our perspective probably the deepest defense that we have seen in the sense that they can keep bringing players at you.” The Irish have seen “great defenses” over the last three years, Kelly said, but none that had the depth of the current Georgia team. “[They] can kick it — great kicker, punter, have all the tools, no perceived weaknesses in this group,” Kelly said. “So we’ll try to muster together 22 guys, get them on a plane, go down to Athens and see what we can do.” The Irish will have junior tight end Cole Kmet back from injury this weekend, Kelly also confirmed in his press conference. Notre Dame’s matchup will kickoff in Athens, Georgia Saturday at 8 p.m. The game and site have been chosen for ESPN’s broadcast of College Gameday as well. Contact Connor Mulvena at cmulvena@nd.edu

ANNA MASON | The Observer

Irish freshman running back Kyren Williams takes off down the field while being chased by a New Mexico defender in Notre Dame’s victory over the Lobos on Saturday.

Sports

The observer | tuesday, september 17, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Aschieris

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Continued from page 16

he broke through in his senior season, playing in every single game and starting in 17 of those matches. He came through in the clutch several times for the Irish, notching a game-winning assist sent to Thomas Ueland in a contest against Pittsburgh and scoring twice in an ACC tournament victory over Clemson. “I red-shirted freshman year, and I saw some games sophomore year, but not as many minutes as I wanted,” Aschieris said. “I started to earn my starting spot junior year. I was just trying to stay consistent and do some extra things outside of practice. That’s been super helpful from a leadership perspective because I’ve been in every position as a player.” Although Aschieris helped the Irish eliminate Clemson last year, the Tigers returned to South Bend with a vengeance, toppling Notre Dame 4-2 and sending the 11thranked Irish to their first defeat of the year. After victories over Saint Louis, Seattle, and Denver to start the year, the Clemson game served as a rude awakening call, and the schedule isn’t getting any easier. In the next 10 days, Notre Dame takes on No. 4 Indiana, who vanquished the Irish in the quarterfinals last year; No. 6 Virginia, who fell to Notre Dame in the Round of 16; No. 18 North Carolina and Michigan State, who reached the College Cup semifinals last year. “They’re definitely important games — we like playing a hard schedule,” Aschieris said. “It’s not necessarily that we lost a game, so we need to make a statement. We just need to grow and learn from the things that we failed to do against Clemson, which will allow us to grow in the future. So it’s how we can learn from what happened against Clemson to be at our best at the end of the season.” Talks of the end of the season certainly bring to mind the expectations for the year. While Aschieris keeps a level head when discussing his personal expectations, not trying to reach for gaudy statistics, his expectations for his team are certainly high. It’s why he left the warmth of Southern California, where most of his family had attended USC, to further his soccer career in South Bend. While Bobby Clark — the former Irish head coach who Aschieris referred to as an “amazing person and role model” — certainly played a role in Aschieris’ decision, so did the “faith-based education and #1 ranked business school in the country.” “At the end of the day, they’re a really good soccer program,” Aschieris said on the Irish. “They had just won the national championship [in 2013].” While last year was a good run, Aschieris is striving for more this season, reaching for the elite standard that drew him to Notre Dame in the first place. “We want to win a national championship,” he said. “That’s the standard we set for ourselves.” Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

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The observer | tuesday, september 17, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

nd men’s Soccer

nd Football

Aschieris chats about team’s goal By AIDAN THOMAS Sports Writer

Being the top returning scorer on an elite college soccer program can certainly affect a player’s mindset, increasing the pressure they put on themselves as they try to perform at a higher level. Thankfully for the Notre Dame men’s soccer team, however, graduate student and captain Ian Aschieris has no such issues, maintaining a team-first approach to his game that has paid off in the early going for the Irish. After graduating their top two scorers, Aschieris returned to this year’s squad with five career goals all coming in his senior season. Through four games, he has not found the back of the net. However, Aschieris has distributed the ball, leading the team with three assists and propelling the Irish to prolific offensive outputs game after game. Through four games, the team has racked up 10 goals total. “The expectations of scoring goals doesn’t fall on one person,” Aschieris said. “We’re doing it

Kelly talks UGA ahead of Saturday’s contest By CONNOR MULVENA

together. I haven’t scored a goal yet, but [sophomore forward] Jack Lynn has four, [junior midfielder] Aiden [McFadden] has two. So we’re making things happen up front. I don’t feel too much pressure to be the leading goal scorer. As long as we’re getting results and winning games, that’s all that matters.” After tallying three goals as a freshman, Lynn has already surpassed that total this season with a goal in each contest. “With Jack playing the way he is, that’s pretty impressive,” Aschieris said. “It gives you a certain confidence, just knowing that you can make things happen and score goals … [but] I don’t think we are dependent on him to score goals.” Aschieris knows a little about rising into the spotlight. After redshirting his freshman year, he played a total of 19 matches over his sophomore and junior years, recording neither a goal nor an assist over that span. However, see ASCHIERIS PAGE 14

Sports Editor

anna mason | The Observer

Irish redshirt junior receiver Javon McKinley runs free from a New Mexico defender en route to a 66-14 victory on Saturday.

Nd Cross Country

see KELLY PAGE 13

nd MEn’s Soccer

Men’s, women’s teams get ready for invitational

Squad preps for Hoosier matchup

By MARIAH RUSH

By LIAM COOLIGAN

Sports Writer

The men and women of Notre Dame cross country will take on the Catholic Invitational on Friday, a race that entails the meeting of 23 catholic universities and colleges racing against each other. Associate distance head coach Matt Sparks is optimistic about the team’s potential for the season and is looking ahead to later races. “This one’s always fun to welcome our fellow Catholic institutions to campus,” Sparks said. “On the women’s side, we’ve won this meet for many years running. We want to continue that streak of individually and team success that we’ve had recently. On the men’s side, we’ve had some challenges over the years and lost the meet a few times over the last five or six years. This is one that we take a lot of pride and hosting our fellow Catholic schools, but also putting our best foot

Ranked No. 10 in the nation, Notre Dame (3-1) will travel to Bloomington on Tuesday night to take on the No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers (3-0-1). The two teams are quite familiar with each other — Tuesday’s match will be the 42nd match in the history of the rivalry. Notre Dame has not found great success historically against Indiana, with an all-time record of 10-29-2. However, they have fared better in recent years, going 5-5-1 against Indiana dating back to 2010. The Irish are coming off a tough loss at home in the first game of ACC play, losing to No. 13 Clemson 4-2 on Friday. Irish head coach Chad Riley is eager to put that game behind them. “We want to digest this previous game, regroup, and get going,” Riley said. “We know we’re going down there and playing against a good team in a good environment, it’s about being solid without the ball

see XC PAGE 12

In his press conference Monday, Irish head coach Brian Kelly continued to comment on his team’s performance against New Mexico on Saturday while also emphasizing a shift in focus to the contest against No. 3 Georgia this weekend. In summary of No. 7 Notre Dame’s (2-0) victory over New Mexico, Kelly highlighted new players taking on the opportunity to perform, along with veterans continuing to play solid football. “You know, obviously the ability to have a nice performance at home is welcoming, but I think as we got a chance to look at the film in more detail, having some players that have not played significant roles, you know, having them step up and play very well was very pleasing,” Kelly said.

EMMA FARNAN | The Observer

Irish sophomore Anna Fischer gives her all during the National Catholic Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 14, 2018.

and getting back to the performances that we were putting in prior to this game.” This is an especially meaningful matchup for the Irish, as last year they fell twice against the Hoosiers — first losing at home, 2-1 in overtime, and then falling again in Bloomington, 1-0 in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals. Indiana eventually lost in the semifinals. Coach Riley said those competitions were still very much on his team’s mind. “Yeah [it is on our minds],” he said. “I think it’s as healthy as a big-time rivalry can be. We love competing against Indiana and there’s always a little extra motivation for our guys when we play them.” A major storyline heading into the match is whether Irish senior center-back Senan Farrelly will be fit to play. Farrelly is a key piece of the Irish’s strong back line; he played all 90 minutes during each of Notre Dame’s first three games of the season, but missed see M SOCCER PAGE 11