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Volume 54, Issue 76 | wednesday, february 5, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Campus Dining unveils new meal plan Starting fall 2020, Flex Points will roll over to second semester, students will be granted more swipes By MARY BERNARD Assistant Managing Editor
The standard Notre Dame meal plan is getting a facelift. After more than 20 years of using a week-based meal plan, Campus Dining is unveiling a semester-based block meal plan to begin in the fall of 2020. The number of swipes will be allocated at the beginning of the semester for its entirety. Extra meals will not roll over from the first semester to the next, but beginning next fall, Flex Points will roll over to the next semester. The new default plan will consist of 250 swipes per semester and $500 in Flex Points. This year’s default “Gold Plan” amounted to 238 swipes over the
course of the semester. For upperclassmen, more meal plans will be available. Students can opt to have fewer swipes or varying amounts of Flex Points each semester. Upgrade plans cost more, while plans with fewer swipes will award students a credit back towards tuition. The two plans with the fewest number of meal swipes, and the largest tuition credits, are reserved for seniors. The Block 180 plan offers 180 swipes and $1,000 in Flex Points for a $228 credit each semester. The Block 150 plan, for 150 swipes and no Flex Points, comes with a $1,540 credit per semester. The new plans are only available for on-campus students. The see MEAL PLAN PAGE 3
Experts discuss gender-diverse youth in panel
Courtesy of Chris Abayasinghe
Saint Mary’s EICs share their Observer journeys By GENEVIEVE COLEMAN News Writer
The Observer Editorial Board elected Maria Leontaras as Editor-in-Chief for the 20202021 school year. When she begins her term on March 1, she will be only the second Saint Mary’s student to occupy the role. Marti Hogan was the first Belle to hold the position,
TOM NAATZ | The Observer
Stephanie Sanders of Indiana University speaks at a Tuesday panel about assisting struggling gender-diverse children and adolescents. By TOM NAATZ Notre Dame News Editor
The Gender Studies Program and Triota Honors Society hosted a panel of four experts on transgender health from Indiana University (IU) in a Tuesday night discussion. The panel explored the best clinical ways to assist children and adolescents struggling with their gender identity. It was organized in response to an
News PAGE 2
event held by Students for Child Oriented Policy last fall. At the time, Pamela Butler, associate director and director of undergraduate studies in the Gender Studies Program said the work presented at the SCOP event was “discredited and debunked widely by every legitimate medical organization that’s ever responded to their claims.” In an email, SCOP co-president see PANEL PAGE 4
Scene PAGE 5
serving during the 1977-1978 term. She said she began her career as assistant night editor her freshman year. “At the fall open house my freshman year, most students who attended wanted to write, but I was interested in all aspects of production,” Hogan said in an email. “The position was open, and I accepted it that night.” Hogan was one a small
group of Saint Mary’s writers, rising through the ranks to become Saint Mary’s News Editor. In addition, she invited more Belles to join The Observer. Hogan admits she was surprised to be elected Editor-in-Chief. “We had a very dedicated and talented staff, and I was shocked and honored to be see EDITORS PAGE 3
Siegfried to raise money, awareness on Day of Man By CIARA HOPKINSON News Writer
Despite the forecasted high temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit this Wednesday, the men of Siegfried Hall will be wearing t-shirts, shorts and flip flops as part of their 14th annual Day of Man fundraiser for South Bend Center for the Homeless. In fact, the colder the better, sophomore Sean
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Butler said. “Last year it was in the 40’s and we were disappointed with that ... we like the challenge,” Butler, one of the students involved in coordinating the fundraiser, said. Day of Man marks the start of a fundraising effort that continues online through the Notre Dame Student Shop until the end of February. In the past 13 years, Siegfried has
ND FENCING PAGE 12
raised over $145,000 for the Center for the Homeless. After raising over $15,000 last year, the hall hopes to increase that number to $20,000 this year. Senior Jess Hatfield, who has led the event since his sophomore year, said the personal nature of the fundraiser is part of its appeal. “The success of the event see DAY OF MAN PAGE 4
ND M BASKETBALL PAGE 12
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Wednesday
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Sunday
Life Lunch with Clemens Sedmak Geddes Hall Coffeehouse noon - 1 p.m. Register online.
Lecture on Neoliberalism LaFortune Ballroom noon - 1:30 p.m. Open to the public, free lunch will be provided.
Code Café 246 Hesburgh Library 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. All levels of experience welcome for community coding.
Saturday Snite Sketches Snite Museum of Art 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Conversations on art followed by sketching.
Women’s lacrosse versus Marquette Loftus Sports Center noon The Irish take on the Golden Eagles.
Play: “The Tempest” Washington Hall 7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Actors from the London Stage will perform.
Lecture and artist demonstration Snite Museum of Art 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Hosted by the Liu Institute.
Dance Company Performance DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Honoring Paul Taylor.
John Ruskin birthday lecture John J. Reilly Center 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Lecture given by Clive Wilmer.
Women’s basketball versus Pittsburgh Purcell Pavilion 4 p.m. The Irish take on the Panthers.
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Campus shares thoughts on Iowa By ERIN BENNETT News Writer
Ever y four years, the state of Iowa holds the first contest of the presidential nominating process. The 2020 Iowa Caucus took place Monday. Iowans travelled to schools, churches and public libraries to record their votes. The results of this year’s caucuses were delayed due to failures in the votecounting system and the people eagerly awaited throughout Tuesday to hear the results. The inconsistencies in the reporting of voting raised questions as to whether or not Iowa equally represented all of America. Professor William Svelmoe, the chair of the histor y department at the College, had a first-hand experience campaigning in Iowa. Svelmoe travelled
to Iowa this past weekend in order to campaign for former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg. “I wanted to go and just experience Iowa. Ever yone always says it’s the heart of the political universe,” he said. The excitement that citizens expressed towards going door-to-door to campaign for their candidate was a one of a kind experience for him, he said. Nevertheless, while on this journey, he discovered that not ever yone in Iowa was aware of the contest: most of the blue-collar workers he encountered were unaware that the caucus was approaching; they were unable to take time off from work in order to participate. “I was reminded, which I think is important, is just how much participation
in our democracy is a class-based … priv ilege,” he said. Some have expressed a desire to see the inaugural contest moved elsewhere in future campaign cycles. Junior Kathleen Williams, however, has no problem w ith the caucus taking place in Iowa. “The working-class middle class takes up the majorit y of the voting bloc, so it’s a good predictor when they have more of a say in voting, because they w ill [vote],” she said. Sophomore Isabella Thompson-Davoli said the caucus should be moved, as to increase its v isibilit y to a non-Iowan audience. “Sure, move it. Maybe if they moved it to a different state people would know more about it,” she said. Freshman Delaney
Garabed also agreed that finding a different, more representative state would be more beneficial. “I think [they should go] to a place, [that’s] not just racially diverse, but socioeconomically diverse, like class diversit y and in a place where there is just more general representation across all fronts, rather than just by race or by class,” she said. For his part, Svelmoe said he believes the caucus represents more than just a chance for citizens to cast their ballots. “It’s so important ... because whoever w ins Iowa … it launches you,” he said. “It certainly gives you a huge leg up and you’re doing it w ith v irtually all white middleclass participation.” Contact Erin Bennett at ebennett02@saintmarys.edu
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ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, february 5, 2020 | The Observer
OCSE presents Belles on Bikes to teach rider safety By MARIROSE OSBORNE News Writer
The Saint Mary’s Office for Civil and Social Engagement [OCSE] has introduced a new way for students experience the local community. Belles on Bikes is a new organization led by Kris Choinacky, assistant director of the OCSE. The purpose of the group is to present students with a new way to get off campus in the spring via group bike rides. Belles for Bikes has been in the works since the fall semester. “We collaborated with a local female Trek representative, whose goal is to get more women on bikes,” Choinacky said in an email. “Together, we worked on a plan for winter clinics that would educate us on safety and maintenance before we went out in the spring.” The workshops present new ways for students to learn about bike safety and maintenance before they hit the streets of South Bend later in the semester. The first clinic, designed to tackle bike safety was held in the Warner Conference Room on Saturday. Sandy Zielinski of the company Health Coaching LLC offered
Meal Plan Continued from page 1
options for off-campus students will not change. “We will do this for the first year so we can see how it works,” Chris Abayasinghe, director of Campus Dining, said. “Then there’s the opportunity to tweak it based on what our learnings are because
tips on bike safety during the first clinic. Zielinski has participated in Ironman competitions, marathons and triathlons and is a functional medicine certified health coach. According to her website, Zielinski primarily focuses on brain health issues. The second clinic will come later in the month, on Feb. 22. South Bend Bike Garage will be visiting the Saint Mary’s Student Center Atrium to help students learn about bike maintenance. The group’s actual bike riding activities will start up in the spring, once the weather improves. The winter workshops are meant to prepare students for later outings. Choinacky will be riding with students through South Bend. “I’m a big fan of cycling, so I wanted to share my passion with our students,” she said. “Bike riding is a great tool to empower the students, as well as to connect them with our community.” Student reception to Belles on Bikes has been generally positive. There’s only been one issue, Choinacky said. “Many students who expressed interest don’t have bikes here, so we’re trying to find ways to have bikes available for future rides,” she said.
Junior and OCSE student employee Mia Williams agreed with Choinacky about the possible issues surrounding bike availability. “It would be nice to expand the idea to walking or running groups,” Williams said. “There are some students who can’t afford a bike or who live too far away for them to bring their bikes to campus.” Overall, Choinacky expressed a hope that the impact of Belles on Bikes will be positive. The program will allow students to explore the area and go beyond campus. “It would promote health and wellness and create new friendships,” she said. “Our program offers a chance to fulfill our vision of OCSE to engage, connect and serve our local community.” Williams agreed with Choinacky’s assessment. “It’s a cool way to connect and a great community builder,” she said. “Belles on Bikes is a great way to do what you love with people who share the same interest. You’ll get to see more of South Bend and explore more than just Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s.”
I’m definitely open to that.” When asked the total price of the plans during a listening session Tuesday, Abayasinghe did not specify a total price but did say the per-meal price. The cost per meal is $10.40, which would bring the total cost of the default Block 250 plan to approximately $2,600. Notre Dame does not separate the costs
of room and board on its website, so whether the price of the meal plan is increasing is unknown. Editor-in-Chief Kelli Smith, Managing Editor Natalie Weber and Sports Editor Connor Mulvena contributed to this report.
Contact Marirose Osborne at mosborne01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Mary Bernard at mbernar5@nd.edu
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Editors Continued from page 1
selected by the board,” she said. “I looked forward to adding more Saint Mary’s coverage and bringing our campuses closer together.” Hogan reflected on what working on the paper taught her throughout her time in college. “The Observer attracted a diverse group of creative and clever people, not all looking for careers in journalism, and I probably wouldn’t have met most of my colleagues if not for the paper,” she said. “Even when opinions diverged, we discussed and listened with respect. I truly enjoyed those sometimes heated and often hilarious conversations and learned to value variety when working toward a common goal.” Hogan is now works at the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) as a communications consultant, joining the company in 2006, according to her LinkedIn page. Maria Leontaras, a current junior at the College, is following Hogan’s path by becoming Editor-in-Chief. (Editor’s Note: Leontaras is currently an Assistant Managing Editor at The Observer.) Leontaras explained her motivation for joining The Observer when she came to Saint Mary’s. “I didn’t just come to campus and just sign up for something random and get on with it,” she said. “I’ve loved journalism since freshman year of high school.” Leontaras was an active member of her high school’s paper, eventually serving as Editor-in-Chief. She said she was not ready to quit her journalistic career when she was in college.
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“When I came to Saint Mary’s, I knew there wasn’t a journalism major, but I still wanted to be involved with it because it was such a big part of my life,” she said. “I didn’t want to just let it go.” She said the enthusiastic staff she met at the Saint Mary’s fall activities fair affirmed her decision to join. “I remember the Saint Mary’s editor ... Martha Riley ... was so excited for me to be excited to sign up,” she said. “And then I knew that The Observer was going to be something that I really wanted to commit my time to.” Leontaras began as a writer and became Associate Saint Mary’s News Editor the spring of her freshman year. She went on to become an Assistant Managing Editor the following spring and has retained the position until now. She said has greatly enjoyed her time in both positions. ”I really liked being able to help everyone and not just be within the Saint Mary’s News department. I really got to talk to more people and make more friends beyond the editorial board,” she said. Leontaras said she feels that The Observer is moving in the right direction. “I feel like now more than ever, we have come to a place where we can put aside where we go to school and just see people for their passion and their drive and what they want to do,” she said. “I think that it’s a good step towards The Observer becoming something that truly represents all three campuses and can take this opportunity that we have to build off of it. Make something great happen.” Hogan, for her part, expressed excitement that she will no longer be the only Saint Mary’s alumna to lead The Observer. “I am thrilled that Maria will be the next EIC and look forward to following her progress.” she said. “. .. The fact that Maria is only the second EIC from Saint Mary’s suggests that SMC students are missing opportunities to lead. ... Perhaps the first step is getting involved.” Leontaras encouraged those who are thinking about applying for Observer leadership roles, along with those who have not yet gotten involved in the Observer, to give it a shot. “I always tell everyone, if it’s something you want to do, and you want to do it because you think you’d be good at it, because you have good ideas, [and] because you want to take The Observer to the next level through your contributions, just apply. Just do it,” she said. Contact Genevieve Coleman at gcoleman01@saintmarys.edu
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The observer | wednesday, february 5, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Panel Continued from page 1
Ellie Gardey, a junior, defended the SCOP-invited panelists to the fall event. “Student for Child-Oriented Policy offered a panel discussion with a professor of endocrinology and a medical doctor which brought attention to the serious side-effects of cross-sex hormones and puberty-blockers on children,” she said. The first panelist to speak was Stephanie Sanders, provost professor of gender studies at IU and associate director of the Kinsey Institute, which studies questions of human sexuality. Describing a number of ways in which a person’s birth-assigned sex might not match their own conception of their gender, she said the determination process is inherently social. Defining “gender identity” as the “inner sense of who we are,” Sanders said this concept does not necessarily match a person’s sex assigned at birth. She dispelled the idea that gender identity is a matter of choice. “We know from the literature that gender identity is established fairly early, and it’s resistant to change,” she said. The four categories of intervention were “social affirmation,” “legal affirmation,” “medical affirmation,” and surgical affirmation, which involves surgical
Day of Man Continued from page 1
is really about getting as many Siegfried men as possible outside begging for money,” Hatfield said in an email. “It’s a really cool event this way because there is a direct correlation between the amount of participation we have from each and every resident and the amount of money we raise.” Despite the convenience of Venmo, the Student Activities Office has historically resisted its use in fundraisers due to security concerns. “Our rector, Deacon Joe Peterson, and other rectors are trying to push for hall Venmos for upcoming years so we’re hoping that comes through,” Butler said. “This year is probably more of a transition year.” Butler said he felt the focus of the fundraiser is on coming to a better understanding of the experiences of the homeless and emphasizing solidarity. “They [the homeless] have busy lives, too. Just like we have busy lives, they have busy lives, but they have to go through their lives without a lot of basic needs met,” Butler said. “I think at the core it’s a cause that everyone can get behind and recognize that, you know, we’re all so fortunate to be here at Notre Dame.” In the future, Hatfield said, Siegfried residents hope to expand their fundraising to
modifications to the body. “In terms of what the experts actually say, the experts actually say that developmentally appropriate gender affirmation interventions are recommended,” she said. Sanders turned the floor over to James Dennis Fortenberry, professor of pediatrics and chief of adolescent medicine at IU School of Medicine. He talked about his firsthand experience treating youths and adolescents who did not feel their gender identity matched their sex. For Fortenberry, one of the most important actions people can take to make sure everyone feels accepted is addressing people the way they want to be addressed. “There are two things on this slide that help you be affirmative if you do them every time with every person you encounter. If you get my name right and get my pronouns right, I’m giving you from me what you need to do to treat me in an affirmative way,” he said. Talking about specific treatment strategies utilized in his clinics, Fortenberry said the method used depends on the age of the patient. For example, he said treatment for pre-pubescent children involves making the child feel accepted and does not involve hormones. “There are no hormones, there is no surgery, this is just supporting this child to express themselves as they experience themselves,” he said.
For such patients, puberty is a critical time. As bodies start to change, gender dysphoria — or the distress a person feels from the seeming mismatch between their biology and their gender identity — becomes acute, leading to mental health problems. Fortenberry spoke of this problem in the context of a someone assigned male at birth who identifies as female. “Puberty is a big thing … for kids with gender dysphoria, it’s particularly challenging because all of the sudden this particular kid — think about them — they’re going along, they want breasts. They’re going to get breasts. They’re going to have a period. Except that’s not what they get … and the dysphoria goes up hugely,” he said. “ … We often see increases in suicidal ideation behavior, cutting, other kinds of selfharming behavior at that time.” Puberty blockers can help manage this problem, he said. While they do not stop puberty, they buy time. “[Puberty blocking hormones] help reduce this kind of dysphoria,” he said. “It doesn’t make it go away because it doesn’t change what’s here, but it does suspend it for a while and lets this young person come into a place where they’re better ready to work through some of these other things, especially the initiation of hormones if that’s where they’re going.” The next speaker was Richard
Brandon-Friedman, an IU professor, as well as the social work services supervisor for the Gender Health Clinic at IU’s Riley Hospital for Children. He spoke about the psychological toll young people face as they come out as gender nonconforming. Drawing a parallel with past ideas about homosexuality, Brandon-Friedman debunked the common societal misconception that gender nonconforming people might just be confused or searching for attention. “This is not a choice … If you’ve grown up as gender diverse or a sexual minority, it is not fun,” he said. Continuing on that point, he said while gender diversity is more visible in the contemporary world, it is not new. “Gender diversity has been around forever, pretty much. We can see historical documentation … all the way through contemporary times of different people with different presentations and different understandings of gender,” he said. Talking more specifically about treatment options, BrandonFriedman sought to dispel the fear that a gender diverse individual might undergo treatment, only to find out they were “wrong” about who they thought they were. He said social transition is fully reversible, and high standards and numerous assessments required for medical
treatments make an irreversible error highly unlikely. In lieu of focusing on the low probability negative consequences of treatment, Brandon-Friedman said people should focus on the positive. “What about if they are right? Instead of saying that they might be wrong, what if they’re right? Well, we know that if we help them their psychosocial functioning improves,” he said. “We know they have increased authenticity. “We know they have enhanced understanding of themselves. They really have this opportunity to live as who they are and achieve their life goals as they feel they are. We know this keeps them from having that significant dysphoria. It gives them the life that they want.” The final speaker was Liana Zhou, the director of library and special collections at the Kinsey Institute. She said her archives are designed to celebrate the empowering stories of gender diverse people throughout history. “What we are trying to say is affirming your sexuality and your identity through self-empowerment,” she said. “I think everyone is so resilient, and I think the stories at the Kinsey Institute … it’s about the struggles, and overcoming those struggles … and to voice your stories.”
companies that can contribute monetary or product donations. Last year, Patagonia donated winter clothes to the Center for the Homeless in response to Siegfried residents’ efforts. “In the future, getting winter clothes companies, or any companies, for that matter, to match donations could really improve total money raised,” Hatfield said. “This is a pretty unique event, so I think if we worked hard enough, we could definitely get some good sized corporate donations.” Throughout the rest of the year, Siegfried Hall has an active relationship with the Center for the Homeless, with residents volunteering every weekend in whatever capacity they are most needed. “We work with them a lot, so it’s more than just writing a check and then being done with it,” Butler said. The fundraiser allows for community members, whether living on or off campus, to get involved in different ways, from designing t-shirts and posters to creating hype videos. Small variations, Hatfield said, can be enough to increase excitement and awareness before the fundraiser. Day of Man has retained roughly the same form since its inception. Hatfield said the simplicity of the event combined with the light-hearted and yet sincere attitude of the participants makes it effective as both a fundraiser and community building event. The
sense of purpose and community drew him to the fundraiser as a First Year. “Dorm spirit and a sense of
camaraderie is huge,” Hatfield said. “The spirit is contagious and definitely necessary to get all of us to stand outside half
naked in the freezing cold.”
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By AIDAN O’MALLEY Scene Writer
From Jan. 24-26, hundreds of Notre Dame students, faculty and staff — as well as locals from the South Bend community — trekked to the Browning Cinema for the 31st annual Notre Dame Student Film Festival. Ranging from introspective documentaries to original narratives, the 12 student films chosen for the program were curated from production courses (both introductory and advanced) in the Department of Film, Television and Theatre. Final class projects became official competition pieces: to be selected from roughly 75 short films to screen for the public was an honor in itself. But there could only be one Audience Choice Award winner, and this year the prize went to a film titled “Don’t Be Afraid to F*** Up.” Directed by Gretchen Hopkirk, this documentary reflects on both its creator and her University by way of the Humor Artists, ND’s improv comedy troupe. (Editor’s Note: Hopkirk is a video producer for The Observer.) Weaving together directorial “confessional” scenes shot in front of the Golden Dome with footage of (and interviews with) various Humor Artists, Hopkirk challenges the perfectionism typical of Notre Dame students, as well as the constant pressure to achieve. The title itself is a nod to one of improv’s basic truths: mistakes are inevitable, so what do you do with them?
By DILLON BEGLEY Scene Writer
For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with the comic-book world. Even so, I did not always find myself engaged in reading the actual comic books and graphic-novels themselves. Unlike those who are primarily absorbed in the printed and original comic stories, I have been just as consistently passionate about, and intrigued by, the worlds of superheroes — because of this, I would say that I have much more knowledge than the more casual or uncaring fan. With all of that said, I was recently thinking about the fact that I now have a collection of my own comic-book graphic novels. Sure, my collection is probably smaller than many others of its kind, but it is a collection nonetheless. So, I figured, why not read or re-read some of my comics? That way, I could share some of my experiences, personal opinions and personal recommendations. As you probably know by now (or you wouldn’t have read this far) I am starting with the original source material for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “Infinity Saga.” Titled “The Infinity Gauntlet,” this collection of comics has had a particular influence on the world of popular culture, especially considering recent films like “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame.” The first “Infinity Saga” in Marvel Comics dates back all the way to the early 1990s. “The Infinity Gauntlet,” a six-issue series of comics, was fully completed and published in December of 1991. That was seven years before I was even born! And in spite of that, this comic is perhaps more popular now than it’s ever been. Its longevity can be attributed, in part, to the growing prevalence superhero stories in the film
But that wasn’t the festival’s only film. Here are some of my other favorites:
“Sea Dogs” This film, helmed by Ted Nagy and Ryan O’Callaghan, tells a simple story of brotherly love on a much grander scale, cross-cutting between a young boy’s search for buried treasure in his backyard and the epic seaside fantasy he constructs in his imagination. The film makes great use of music and location, contrasting its swashbuckling adventure with the mundane reality of suburban life. A metaphor for sibling rivalry and the sort of love that overcomes, “Sea Dogs” is a refreshing piece of fiction filmmaking at a festival better known for its documentary output.
“Tape Wizard” My favorite film of the fest, directed by Kilian Vidourak, is so good that you wouldn’t think a student made it. It’s a documentary about Randall Taylor, a Portland musician who goes by the name of Amulets. His genre of choice is “tapelooping,” a process by which old cassettes are recycled and recontextualized with guitar loops and sampling. Basically, he turns ambient noise into art. Finely edited and brimming with thoughtful observation, “Tape Wizard” is a fascinating film about the artistic process and why artists put themselves through it. Taylor’s closing comments — and the live performance they precede — make for an affecting answer to that question.
industry, as well as an increased social acceptance of fantasy and “comic-book-like” media in general. This comic is an easy, quick and enjoyable read. It has clearly become a source for many modern retellings in film. Naturally, Thanos, Doctor Strange and the Infinity Stones having always been at the forefront of the story. However, characters like IronMan, Captain America and most of the movie’s Avengers aren’t nearly as important in this original version; far more prevalent are the Silver Surfer, Adam Warlock and Mistress Death, who are likely less well-known within the non-comic-loving population. This doesn’t mean that the story itself suffers. Its essential premise is the same as are its themes and core message: that power corrupts absolutely. The novel was written well and contains the same humor, wit and seriousness one can find in any current Marvel movie. Thanos is just as diabolical — and as perversely sympathetic — as he was in the recent film. Writer Jim Starlin’s clearly inspired the directors and writers of “Avengers: Endgame” with his characterization of Thanos, as seen in lines of dialogue such as, “As always, Thanos will stand triumphant.” Without his example, they might never have conceived of the catchy (and meme-able) phrase, “I am inevitable.” Furthermore, the inclusion of characters like Adam Warlock, the Silver Surfer and Mistress Death, while it probably wouldn’t have worked on the big-screen today, was a smart decision in the 1990s, since it made the story more “comic-like” and accurate for die-hard fans. Besides being well-written, this novelization is also noteworthy due to the fantastic story at its core. To summarize without spoiling anything, the Mad Titan, Thanos, is the central villain. The story revolves around his possession of the all powerful Infinity Stones, each of which controls
“Regular Poor Asian” Similar to “Tape Wizard,” “Regular Poor Asian” finds a Notre Dame student interviewing an artist in a city far from South Bend. But instead of Portland, it’s New York; instead of Amulets, it’s comedian Michael Nguyen; and instead of taking a back seat to his subject matter, director Kenny Xu considers himself a subject, too. Nguyen is the host of a podcast called “Asian, Not Asian”, where “two Asian comedians not from Asia talk about American issues no Americans care about.” Nguyen speaks to his unique experience as an Asian-American artist; he suggests that our culture (and his parents) would prefer he be a doctor or engineer. Meanwhile, Xu reflects on his dream to be a cinematographer in the context of Nguyen’s revelations. The result is a funny and illuminating documentary with the style of a video essay and the spirit of a vlog. It made me smile and it made me think. And there you have it! The best of the ND Student Film Festival. An omission is not a criticism; there were a number of films that I enjoyed but just didn’t have the space to write about. But hopefully, you will be inspired to check out the fest (next year) for yourself. To ND’s budding filmmakers: keep at it. Your hard work is paying off. Contact Aidan O’Malley at aomalle2@nd.edu
one aspect of the universe: space, time, reality, power, mind and soul. With his newfound omnipotence, Thanos has the power either to destroy or to enslave the universe. The only people standing in his way, so to speak, are the mightiest of Earth’s heroes and villains, all teaming up to save themselves from the Mad Titan. But the biggest distinction between comics and other novelizations however is the level of illustration. Chief illustrator George Pérez does not disappoint with his drawings, making this collection a wonderfully illustrated early entry in the modern age of comics. The older style of the drawings may be off-putting for some, but I found it refreshing. At the very least, most people have heard of this story due to the popularity of Marvel Entertainment (and of movies like “Infinity War”). If you want to know how things played out in the source material, then I would not hesitate to pick this up and see for yourself. Additionally, I would recommend it to those who enjoy comics and, specifically, to individuals who prefer the Marvel Universe. It contains plenty of great plot and dialogue without too much fighting, and it is a blast to see so many characters together in one event. Contact Dillon Begley at dbegley@hcc-nd.edu
“The Infinity Gauntlet” Created by: Jim Starlin, George Pérez US release date: December 1991 If you like: Marvel Comics, the Marvel movie franchise
DIANE PARK | The Observer
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The observer | Wednesday, February 5, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Inside Column
The Observer goes to a bar Tom Naatz Notre Dame News Editor
It’s 11:30 on a Friday night. A group of college students arrive in an Uber motorcade at a South Bend bar. But these are not just any college students. These are the finest student journalists in all of northern Indiana. That’s right, this is The Observer. The journalistic dream team is ready to pour one out. The Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s News Departments go into the bar first. As the group patiently waits their turn to pay cover, one writer towards the back taps another on the shoulder and starts to whisper: “Hey, you see that cop checking IDs? Wonder what the deal is there. We should check it out, could’ve been something serious … Excuse me, sir? Can we ask you a few questions?” Sadly, the (confused) cop declines. Once inside, another News writer goes to the bar. She asks for a drink. The bartender disappears into thin air. Turns out he was a ghost. “Aw, man!” she says. “Every time!” Upon entering, one group of writers immediately peels off from the rest. Clad in hipster glasses and WVFI t-shirts, this group is the Scene Department. Each person wears a set of headphones so they can listen to their own music. About an hour in, one writer is heard yelling at another “It’s art, I tell you! It’s art!” No one hears from Scene for the rest of the night. A small, hardy band makes its way across the floor. This is the Sports Department, and they’re the unsung heroes, the MVPs. They’ve been slaving away in The Observer office non-stop since the school year started. They haven’t seen the outside world since August. The light and noise took some getting used to. But they deserve this night out more than anyone. One of them cradles a football. Just off the dance floor, we observe a squad featuring a sophomore theology major, a senior Peace Studies major so woke she’s never slept, a junior Finance bro wearing a “Reagan-Bush ‘84” tank top and a Catholic mother of four sons. Rounding out the group is a very important looking man reading The Observer’s News section and stewing. Wait a minute! This isn’t a squad, it’s The Observer Viewpoint section! The conversation gets heated, quick. Over the din of the music you can hear the words “racist,” “socialist” and “abortion” all being bandied about repeatedly. Important man looks up from his phone, shakes his head and growls, “Those meddling kids … how dare they report inconvenient truths!” Meanwhile, the Catholic mother of four sons stands with her head trained downwards. She’s looking at all the girls’ insufficiently covered legs. “Get away from me, Satan!” she screams in horror to no one in particular. Somehow, 200,000 people hear her. The Social Media department flutters about, phones in the air. They’re live streaming the night in an attempt to improve the paper’s reach. Following closely behind them is a group of gray-haired alumni. These are the Facebook commenters. They have no connection to The Observer — no one really knows why they’re at the bar with a bunch of college students, actually — but, good lord, all of them are in an enraged huff. Trying to relive the glory days? Trying to stamp out the secular heresies taking over the modern world? Who’s to say. Give them credit for knowing how to use Facebook, given their age. In the middle of the chaos, the Editor-in-Chief’s phone buzzes. She sighs. Her shoulders drop. She spots the Notre Dame News Editor. “Look at this!” she yells as she shows him her phone. The Notre Dame News Editor has already had a rough night. He’s already been accosted by a recently-married groom and a flurry of students angry their “truly unique” Notre Dame story hasn’t been featured in the pages of The Observer. He takes the phone. He squints. He frowns. He looks to the sky. “Now?! It’s 12:06 a.m. on a Saturday!” he yells to the ceiling, or maybe to God. For the EIC just received an email which means the party must end. The subject line? “A message from University President … ” Buried deep in the last paragraph lies a description of a new rule that all students have to live on campus for at least 14 semesters. Time for our squad to return to the South Dining Hall basement. Bottoms up. Contact Tom Naatz at tnaatz@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Majoring in undecided Meghan Cappitelli Sensical Nonsense
“All I know is that I know nothing.” Yep, me too, Socrates. I might just have to tattoo that one on my forehead. Well, at least for the remainder of freshman year. My college experience thus far has been great, and I’ve certainly learned a lot, but a large part of it has been characterized by an overwhelming sense of ambiguity. I should start a running tally to count the number of times I utter the words, “I don’t know, man.” Before I even got to college, I just did not know. I didn’t know if I was choosing the right place to educate myself for four years, I didn’t know if I was going to survive, let alone enjoy, college, but above all, I didn’t know what exactly what I wanted to major in. I had a tentative plan, but plans change all the time, and I had a feeling my plans were subject to a great deal of modification. The college discernment process is one that involves asking yourself a lot of questions. Big or small school? Warm or cold? As someone who struggles with the idea of decisions made with certainty, I was hot then cold, I was yes then no, and then, finally, I chose Notre Dame. One life decision down, many more to go. Another thing that this process involved was the Common App, a demon of all our pasts. You enter your personal information, the statistics you worked so hard to perfect, and the activities that set you apart from the thousands of other equally as smart, if not way smarter, applicants. Then, after you spend hours tirelessly scrutinizing every detail, you must pick an intended major before hitting ‘Submit.’ You avoided this at every turn, brushing off holiday inquisitions from curious family members. But the deadlines are quickly approaching, and therefore, the elders at the universities to which you hope to be accepted await your verdict. You begin to scroll through the options, imagining yourself as an accountant, no a writer, wait what about a lawyer? Your interests are too broad. It isn’t that you don’t like anything, it’s that you like a wide range of disciplines. You can’t make such a defining decision right now, sitting at your bedroom desk, nine months before you even get to whichever college you’re going to end up at. So you take a deep breath and decide that you are, as Thomas Rhett once sang, “majoring in undecided.” But wait … it can’t be. Undecided is not a button you can press. The college elders have the audacity to force you to pick. The nerve of those who already know what they were meant to do with their lives! So you pick one of the many, many enticing options, with hopes of experiencing a revelation of finite resolutions sometime soon. Choices. Life is full of them. What if you choose wrong? What if you change your mind? “That’s fine. You’re supposed to,” is what they all say. They’re right, too. College is a time for exploration and self-discovery, but I’ve realized that browsing majors and career paths is no lighthearted task. It isn’t like sifting through racks of clothes at the mall. Sure, it can be fun to try on all the different outfits, or rather pair this major with this minor and this concentration, but the consequences are more serious than a few bucks missing from your wallet. It’s all fun and games while the clock is still ticking in your favor. Sooner or later, you really do have to choose, and what a scary thought that can be as a freshman who still uses her phone’s GPS to get to some buildings here. The title of “freshman” alone should
disqualify me from being allowed to make any life-altering decisions, right? Then how come everyone around me seems so sure of themselves, so confident, so passionate about fields of study I have barely even scratched the surface of learning? As soon as I stepped on campus, I felt my clock start to tick. I was majorless and I hated feeling like a nomad in the world of academics. The Notre Dame introduction was always particularly difficult for me. I got the name and hometown part down, but I struggled with saying the “U” word in front of people who seemed so, well, decided. Sometimes I did muster up the courage to say “I’m undecided,” and sometimes other freshmen spoke words that were music to my apprehensive ears: “I am, too.” I waited for one of those epiphanies, the ones that you hear seniors talk about, or that you see in movies and books. I never missed a class. I did my homework and studied for all my exams, but I went home for Winter break still unsure, hoping that some Christmas angel would appear to me in a dream and whisper the answer in my ear. “Dear Santa,” I pleaded, “All I want for Christmas is a major.” The year is now 2020 and guess what? I still don’t truly know. Fortunately, the fog has begun to clear and I have gravitated towards what is right for me, but I think it’s still important that people understand that a temporary lack of certainty does not signify defeat. There is hope for the majorless. I promise. You just have to trust the process. Sometimes it can feel as though the odds are against you. Notre Dame often claims to be on your side, with their First Year of Studies exploratory program, but the system is shifting. My freshmen friends in the Mendoza College of Business have begun to take some of their core classes, and have thus been propelled even further on the path of major/career discernment. Their process was expedited and mine seemed stifled. I felt behind, but I was not complacent. I fought the good fight for myself, seeking out different, engaging ways to get involved without the luxury of a guaranteed seat in some of the classes that could help clear the academic fog. Instead, I sought out those kinds of opportunities in other ways, by means of clubs, workshops and various activities. In that way, Notre Dame is indeed on my side. If you make it to the bottom of this article, you will see my short bio that contains none other than my Notre Dame introduction. I’ll admit — I was too scared to put my major down as undecided when I was prompted yet again to answer the question I do not have a definite answer to, so I wrote what is one of many possible outcomes for my major(s). I’m still figuring it out; we all are. I just happen to be a little more unsure than most. I think that’s okay, though. I sure hope it is. I recognize that the answers to my prayers will not be found by having an attitude of defeat, but rather by having an appetite for experience. Next time someone asks me what my major is, I hope I have the strength to tell them that, because it is the truth. I’m embracing the uncertainty and I can’t wait to see where this indefinite journey takes me. Meghan Cappitelli is a freshman studying Economics and English at Notre Dame. A native of Long Island, New York, she enjoys running, procrastinating and eating ice cream for dinner. She can be reached at mcappite@nd.edu or @meghancapp on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The observer | Wednesday, February 5, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The quad Basically, I live in a quad in Le Mans Hall with my three best friends. They are all very involved with The Observer, and we have their best articles and inside columns pinned up on our door. Unfortunately, the only thing I have is a photo poll I was asked to be in. While I love to talk about “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes being my favorite song, I want more representation on our door. So here I am, writing a letter to the editor. My roommates have written some incredible inside columns (see“The truth about (my) Inside Columns” by Maria Leontaras, “On living with extroverts” by Sara Schlecht and “An homage to friendship” by Julianna McKenna) that include me. Just about every time they ask for ideas on what to write, I tell them to write about me. I guess I should write about them. Our room is filled with some pretty quirky decorations including a llama head, a light up baby Jesus and a poster of Gumby. However, my favorite part of the quad is the four Hogwarts House f lags. When we first moved in, the four of us represented all the houses: Julianna was Gryffindor,
Maria was Huff lepuff, Sara was Ravenclaw and I was Slytherin. As the fall semester progressed, our houses became a hot debate. We knew that Julianna was not a Gryffindor and is a prime example of a Ravenclaw. She put up a fight about this, saying that we never saw her at her most Gryffindor when she was in Ireland, studying abroad. This lead to Sara believing she was the Gryffindor, which made sense at first. Then the news came out. Sara. Hates. Affection. This is a war crime in our room, she is evil, she is Slytherin. Now, I am not evil — as cuddling is my favorite — I certainly do not read for fun, and I would not necessarily call myself bold. That leaves me with Huff lepuff. At first, I didn’t want to accept it. There was only one way to end this debate. We had to retake the Pottermore test. The last time we all took the test, we were in middle school. We have grown since then. This was the only way to tell our true houses. We had to be completely honest with ourselves and retake the quiz. The results came out ... Julianna was in fact a Ravenclaw. She’s still sad about it. Sara is
a Gryffindor, the rest of us still don’t believe it. I am in fact a Huff lepuff, I’m more embarrassed that I’ve gone this long telling everyone I was Slytherin. And, Maria? Yeah we always knew she was a Huff lepuff. Just look at her (Instagram @ mleontaras). Since we’re the same, feel free to check out my Instagram too @emi_pants. So why did I go through all of this? Your roommates can help you be true to yourself. They can inspire you to be more confident with who you are. They can make you become the best version of yourself. My roommates are my best friends despite us having different Hogwarts Houses. Our personalities are fundamentally different, but we fit together better than most. I know that many people aren’t close with their roommates. I am extremely lucky to have these three. So thank you to my roommates/The Quad/The Hot Girl Hot Spot, for inspiring me to write this. I hate writing. Emily Pantelleria junior Jan. 28
The great equalizer Gabriel Niforatos The Road Less Traveled
On January 26, 2020 a helicopter crashed near Calabasas, California, and all nine individuals on board died. Among the victims of the crash were basketball legend, husband, father and creator Kobe Bryant as well as his 13 year-old, Gianna. It is difficult to say what Kobe Bryant meant to me, what he symbolized, when I was growing up. I will never forget the intensity that burned behind his eyes, his smile that spoke more about inner confidence and drive than words ever could. I will never forget huddling around my dad’s phone to catch updates of Kobe’s legendary final game on ESPN because we couldn’t afford cable television. Kobe Bryant inspired me to find and be confident with my place in the world during times when my family and I did not have a home. Let us not forget that ESPN once left Kobe outside of a ranking of top 10 basketball players of all-time, that he was never anointed to be king of the NBA in the same way that LeBron James was. And yet, his hunger to be one of the best basketball players never waned, from taking shots on a darkened court two hours before scheduled practice to playing teammates to 100 one-on-one. I never met Kobe, but like the millions across the world that mourn him, he inspired me to find my voice and myself and to always keep striving to be the very best I could be in life. Basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar spoke about how Kobe was so much more than an athlete, and it is this fact that makes his loss all the more painful. Kobe was a father, a husband, a ferociously competitive and creative mind that has left a vacuum where he once resided. The potential energy of Gianna and Kobe Bryant and the other seven victims of the crash, the sheer mass of life yet to live and horizons left to be conquered, is devastating to me. I
have known since the passing of the nine victims that I wanted to write an article commemorating them. I envisioned a clean, beautiful, philosophical tribute to them, to Annrose, one that focused on remembrance and appreciation rather than melancholy. What you’re reading is the ghost of those past versions of my article, which I deleted one by one. I cannot shake how devastated, empty and angry I am at the deaths of these nine individuals. Not at God, necessarily. I am not particularly religious and yet one of the fundamental debates that has always fascinated me in theology is the idea of a God who allows suffering. In fact, I was literally reading scholarship on Job and unjust suffering for a class when I found out about the crash. I am angry at how random and incomprehensible the deaths of these nine victims are. I am angry that Kobe will not be able to continue impacting youth with his words and genius, angry that he won’t be able to keep excelling at fatherhood. I am angry that Gianna will never play for UConn, that we KERRY SCHNEEMAN | The Observer won’t be able to count the championships she would’ve won on both hands. I am angry that Annrose will never graduate. But most of all, I am angry that the sun will rise and set and the world will carry on. This was a major problem for me when my grandfather died in Chicago when I was living in New Mexico. I wished with all my heart for the sun to stand still, that people would somehow recognize the passing of this “ordinary” man. Because there is no such thing
as an “ordinary” human. The colors we perceive when we look around us, the stories we have to share with one another, our hopes and fears, dreams and desires. These are lost when we lose someone, and photograph memories, the way that people made us feel, who they impacted, these are the powerful yet fragile scrapbook pieces of remembrance. Perhaps the fact that we can carry on is a testament to the strength of humanity. It is not as if the losses we have experienced will leave us, especially for family and friends and those directly impacted by death. Death is overwhelming, it is incomprehensible. And yet, every human is imbued with a sense of their ending from birth. So, enjoy life. Enjoy the warmth of the sun that has pierced the clouds for the first time in weeks. Enjoy dinner with friends, swap stories about your weekend and hold onto those who mean the world to you. But I ask you to remember Annrose Jerry, Gianna Bryant, Kobe Bryant, Payton Chester, Sarah Chester, Christina Mauser, Alyssa Altobelli, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli and Ara Zabayan in the midst of your celebration of life. The sun might never stand still although we scream at it until we cannot muster the strength to scream anymore. But this does not mean that gravity does not collapse inward inside us to form a supernova that will always be there. The constellations may change with history, but the stars will always fill up the sky. Legends never die. Gabriel Niforatos is a junior majoring in political science with minors in the Hesburgh Program in Public Service and Theology. 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.
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DAILY
The observer | wednesday, february 5, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Elizabeth c. gorski
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Change what’s necessary. Be willing to walk away from people who don’t share your views and situations that do not fit into your plans. Prepare to put in the energy required to infuse your ideas and intentions into the lifestyle you want to adopt, and a marked improvement will unfold. Trust your intelligence, skills and experience, and you will reach your goal. Your numbers are 3, 14, 21, 26, 32, 44, 48. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Make a constructive change that improves your outlook. Participate in an event or start a hobby that brings you in contact with people who can enrich your life. If something different is what you want, it’s up to you to make it happen. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Practicality will be necessary when dealing with career or financial prospects. Refrain from investing in someone other than yourself. Focus on what you are doing, and do the best job possible. Don’t buy into a scam or look for easy money. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’ll get the wrong impression about someone if you make assumptions or act in haste. Choose to respond with affection and kindness instead of criticism, and you will offset a situation that can lead to a loss. Avoid joint ventures. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Concentrating on home, money and following your path will keep you out of trouble. Don’t let everyone in on your secrets. The more you reveal, the more you will have to worry about the information being used against you. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take part in what’s going on in your community, and it will broaden your perspective regarding new possibilities. Offer leadership, and take on the position with vigor and determination. Someone will admire you for your investment of time and energy. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep your thoughts to yourself. Some opposition will surface if you are too demanding. Interfering or meddling in situations that you know little about will be a waste of time and energy. Do your own thing, and avoid sharing personal information or ideas. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Interact with people who know more than you. Traveling or participating in meetings will lead to new friendships, possible job opportunities and knowledge that will help you get ahead. Reconnect with an old colleague. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Handle money matters with care. Make sure you have the funds before making a big-ticket purchase. An outstanding bill will leave you short of cash. Someone you trust will offer you sound advice and assistance. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Small but essential problems will surface. Be careful when dealing with others, or you will end up involved in a debate. Expect to receive complaints; compassion and patience will be required. Personal challenges will build character. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Getting along with others will be the key to getting things done on time. You’ll attract attention if you include everyone in your plans. Your confidence will give you the edge you need to lead others and help you raise your profile. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Brainstorming with a friend will lead to emotional issues. Take care of your own needs if a situation spins out of control. Do something that will be relaxing and help you put your life in perspective. Personal growth is favored. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):Proceed with caution, especially if you have to work alongside others. You will face problems with a loved one if you complain or are too demanding. Costly changes or purchases will not bring good results. Choose love over discord. Birthday Baby: You are curious, energetic and adaptable. You are insightful and spontaneous.
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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Not so Minnesota nice, eh? David Kramer Sports Writer
A few months ago, I tightened my grip on the TV remote and cursed the New York Yankees. After a series sweep over my beloved Minnesota Twins, their black pinstripes quickly disappeared amidst a sea of locker room champagne. Sinatra’s dreaded “New York, New York” f looded my ears. I stormed away from the postgame show, a celebration of the Yankees’ tenth consecutive win over the Twins in October, and jokingly gave my parting shot to the living room: “No one deserves this cruelty.” Since 1991, fans across the Twin Cities have suffered from this cruel and unusual illness, commonly known as championship drought. The epidemic, now the largest playoff dry spell across all four major sports, feeds off of false hope, one that countless Minnesotans develop when the Twins, Wild, Timberwolves or Vikings secure a playoff bid. The world’s most prestigious doctors have failed to uncover a cure, but desperate victims resort to the placebo effect caused by their constant encouragement that next year will be their year. Serious symptoms include clinical frustration, damage to television screens and severed relationships along Twin-Yankee lines. But in order to maintain the persona of “Minnesota nice” to outsiders, locals like me keep this disease contained by channeling our anger into the innocent, unsuspecting matchups of our semi-professional and nonprofessional teams. Just kidding. W hile Minnesota merits no greater title than the Land of 10,000 Losses, I rarely see frustration like mine after this year’s Twins-Yankees playoff series at local sports venues. Needless to say, outbursts can and do happen, even when “Minnesota
nice” abounds. So, in honor of Minnesota’s long playoff drought, I present three of the most egregious, creative, and downright absurd cases of disrespect that I’ve seen in the State of Nice: #3. Minnesota high school hockey breeds brutally physical matchups between Minneapolis and St. Paul suburbs. On one such occasion, my high school team traveled across the Mississippi River for a border battle just outside the state capital. Within seconds of the puck drop, a hometown hero obliterated one of our players at full speed in open ice. The illegal hit forced our top skater out of the game, and the home crowd roared. One woman, clearly the kid’s mother, pointed at our fan section and yelled, “Now that’s how we play on our side of the tracks!” #2. During a semi-professional game south of the Twin Cities, I walked back to my bleacher seat adjacent to the visitors’ dugout. The home fans, wallowing in a 10-run deficit, began to trash-talk the incoming pitchers. Standing at 6’1” and 130 pounds, their next target looked unusually skinny. One especially loud fan leaned over the bleachers and shouted, “Hey, buddy, you can go home now! Your Make-A-Wish day is over.” #1. Back to hockey. In 2018, my team ventured north for a non-conference matchup against Morris High School. The host association held a brief moment of silence for a youth player who passed away in a house fire earlier that week. In the second period, a small fight started when one of our players, notorious for his horrible language on the ice, called the game “a real barn-burner.” The score? 9-1 in our favor. Not so Minnesota nice, eh?
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than on the offensive end, where the Irish have scored 80 points or more in each of the last four games, putting up 90 against Wake Forest last Wednesday. After struggling to score in the first two months of the season, Notre Dame now leads the nation in several metrics of offensive efficiency, including highest assist-to-turnover-ratio (1.78) and fewest turnovers per game (9.7). At a press conference Monday, head coach Mike Brey attributed the offensive renaissance to improvements across the board. “I think there’s a little bit of everything,” Brey said. “[Senior forward] Johnny [Mooney] was going to be Johnny. [Senior guard] T.J. Gibbs has settled into a nice tempo and is knowing how to get his stuff and playing with a great demeanor. I think [graduate student guard] Rex [Pf lueger] is finding people in his court vision at really a high level, you know. [Sophomore guard] Prentiss [Hubb] is finding people, … [sophomore guard] Dane [Goodwin] is being really aggressive … I’m really pleased with how he is just trying to get shots.” Against Georgia Tech, the Irish were paced by many of their senior leaders. Mooney continued to be a doubledouble machine, putting up 28 points and pulling down 10 rebounds on 9-18
shooting. It was Mooney’s 17th double-double of the year, which ranks second nationally, and he remains the only player in the country averaging over 16 points and 13 rebounds per game. Gibbs was also impressive on the game after he made history, adding 19 points to his career total of 780 in conference, the highest alltime in the ACC as of the game on Jan. 29. This year, Gibbs has been one of the conference’s most efficient shooters, ranking third in field goal percentage (52.8), second in three-pointer field goal percentage (48.1) and first in free throw percentage (90.2). After the Georgia Tech game, Brey expressed his pleasure with the leadership and contributions from his seniors. “I’m proud of our seniors,” he said. “I thought all three of them set the tone for us in a very important game.” Despite the dominance of Mooney on the glass, one worry for the Irish remains their negative rebounding margin. The Irish were outrebounded by Georgia Tech 42-32, but Brey was happy with his team’s effort and ability to grab boards in big moments, and admitted that low numbers on the glass are an occupational hazard of the way the Irish play, which often involves going small. “That’s how we gamble,” Brey said. “Can we outefficient them offensively? Everyone’s saying, ‘Oh, we have to get a big guy in there
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and rebound!’ And I say, ‘Wait a minute, they have to guard us on the other end.’” Another key development for the Irish has been the ascendancy of Dane Goodwin, the only player in the ACC who averages double-figures having started fewer than three games. On Monday, Goodwin was asked about how he has settled into his role of providing important scoring off the bench. “I’m just getting used to the game,” he said. “I’m just accepting my role, knowing what I need to do to help the team. And I think guys have really helped me get there. Guys just feed me, find me the ball. … I think my confidence is at an all-time high, and I think that’s important for me and for the team.” Pittsburgh is led in scoring by sophomore guards Trey McGowens and Xavier Johnson, who average 12.7 and 11.8 points per game, respectively. Fortunately for the Irish, the Panthers also struggle on the glass, posting a -0.6 rebounding margin on the season so far. The young Pittsburgh team also only shoots 29.7% from three as a team, compared to Notre Dame’s 35%, although Johnson has personally managed to shoot 34.4% from deep this season. Wednesday’s tip-off at Purcell Pavilion is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on the ACC Network. Contact Greg McKenna at gmckenn2@nd.edu
Contact David Kramer at dkramer2@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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nathanial george | The Observer
Irish graduate student guard Rex Pflueger looks to make a cut during Notre Dame’s 75-61 win against UCLA on Dec. 14 at Purcell Pavilion. Pflueger leads the Irish with 28 steals so far this season. 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.
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The observer | wednesday, february 5, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Roundtable
home.
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Dominic
I expect that they will handle an inferior Michigan squad as Cassius Winston will scorch the Wolverine’s defense, which ranks second to last in points allowed among Big 10 programs.
Liam Both LSU and Auburn have played in a lot of close games and lost to some bad opponents this season, so expect this game to be tight throughout. LSU has looked very good since December, and Auburn has faltered a bit, losing back to back games to Florida and Alabama. However, these teams are very evenly matched, and I think the home field advantage will decide this one. I’ll take Auburn in a close one. The Big East is one of the deepest conferences in college basketball. Both Seton Hall and Villanova are coming off bad losses and will be looking to bounce back. While Villanova may have the deeper team, Seton Hall has played well on the road, and Villanova hasn’t been as dominant as usual in Philadelphia. The Pirates had won 10 in a row before playing 15 bad minutes against Xavier in a game they otherwise controlled. I’ll take Seton Hall on the road here. Both Michigan and Michigan State have been victims of playing in a tough conference but seem to be trending in opposite directions. Michigan has played very poorly recently after an inspiring non-conference run, and Michigan State has turned their season around in the past two weeks. This game will be much closer than the game earlier this season in East Lansing, but the Spartans have shown an ability to close out games that Michigan has sorely lacked, so I’ll go with Michigan State.
Aidan Auburn didn’t really impress me this season until a strong win over Kentucky and their gutsy comeback overtime win at Arkansas. While I doubt this team has Final Four talent, I do admire their toughness. LSU is on a roll, but I like Auburn at home in this one. Had Seton Hall been idle on Saturday, I would be picking them for this game, after Villanova got trounced at home by Creighton. But Seton Hall suffered an arguably worse loss to Xavier — also at home — and so in picking between two great teams coming off of ugly losses, I’ll take the team I believe to be more talented, and that’s Villanova. Roll Cats. I haven’t always been very high on Michigan State due to their dependence on Cassius Winston, but it didn’t stop the Spartans last time, as Winston torched the Wolverines in a statement victory. Michigan has been floundering in the Big 10, and they’ll continue to do so in losing to Michigan State at
LSU has been on quite the roll, winning 13 of their last 15 games. While Auburn has won the last seven games they have played against LSU, I don’t think that this team is consistent enough to halt the LSU train. I’ll take LSU. This Big East matchup should not disappoint, with two toptier teams in Villanova and Seton Hall going at it. Villanova will be looking to continue their momentum after taking care of business against Butler. Seton Hall recently broke their threegame losing streak, but I don’t think they will be able to recover enough for this contest. Give me Villanova. Michigan seems to have peaked too early in the season, as they have begun to trend in the opposite direction as of late. Michigan state has started to gain a little more traction, but traveling on the road to a rival school is no easy task. The Wolverines will be dealing with injuries as well, losing Caris LeVert. I’ll take Michigan State over Michigan.
Nate LSU is still undefeated in SEC play this year, and they will receive a big test when they face off against a solid Auburn team. I am not completely sold on LSU yet, as they lack a truly signature win this season. Because of this, I expect Auburn to pull off the victory at home despite the couple of slip-ups that they have had as of late. The Big East had a crazy time this past weekend, with Seton Hall and Villanova falling in stunning fashion. I expect this game to be high-scoring, but Seton Hall point guard Quincy McKnight is dealing with a bit of a knee injury, so I’ll give the advantage to the Wildcats. It’s not often that Jay Wright’s team loses at home either. The Wildcats will control Myles Powell enough and assert themselves atop the Big East. Like pretty much every Big 10 team, Michigan State has struggled away from home as of late, with recent losses to Indiana and Wisconsin on the road. I think Michigan State is definitely the better team, but the home court advantage will make this one competitive. Michigan has struggled to win close games as of late, though, and I think Cassius Winston will be the difference down the stretch to give the Spartans a victory.
NBA Toronto Raptors @ Indiana Pacers Boston Celtics @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Patrick The Raptors are exceeding all expectations, as they are winners of 11 straight and rank third in three-point percentage among all NBA teams. Victor Oladipo has returned from injury for the Pacers, but he does not
seem to be fully recovered, so I fully expect Toronto to win. After the Westbrook trade, most basketball fans thought that the Thunder would be tanking and that Chris Paul would be an unfortunate victim of the Rockets’ quest for relevance. Instead, Oklahoma City is in control of their own destiny and could actually make the playoffs. The Celtics looked formidable in the month of January; however, I believe that the Thunder will win this game. Oklahoma needs to play well at home to make the postseason, so they will be hungrier.
Liam The Pacers are still slowly working Victor Oladipo back into their offense, and they have struggled the last couple games. The Raptors have been dominant recently, but the Pacers match up better offensively than most teams. I predict the Pacers will win at home, and Oladipo will show the NBA he is indeed back with a big game against a premier opponent. By all accounts, the Thunder have exceeded expectations, and may even be considered the early winners of the Paul George trade this offseason. The Celtics have been a good team this year, but inconsistent, but they undoubtedly have more talent than the Thunder, especially on the wing, and that will shine through in this game. The Thunder don’t have the bodies to guard Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown for the entire game, so the Celtics will take this one.
Aidan The Raptors are exceeding all expectations post-Kawhi, and this will be their second straight game against the Pacers, who are significantly better at home than on the road. However, the Raptors are equally strong, boasting 18-7 home and away records, so give me Toronto on the road in Indiana. I like the road team in this one again, as, although the Celtics have been worse on the road, they’re also quite frankly the better team in this matchup. The Thunder are exceeding expectations, but I still think the visitors come into OKC and take down the Thunder.
11-game win streak, and it’s tough to see them slowing down anytime soon. The defending champions have once again asserted themselves as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and I don’t expect the Pacers to be able to stop the momentum this team has. Raptors win comfortably. This is an interesting matchup between a streaky Boston team and an Oklahoma City team that has won seven of their past eight games. The Celtics have four guys that can really score the basketball, so that will keep the game interesting. The Celtics have not played too well away from home this season, however, so I will take the Thunder to win this one at home.
Guarantee a winner, predict an upset The rules: Pick one ranked team and guarantee them to win their weekend conference game. Then, predict one ranked team to lose in their weekend matchup. Three points for the guarantee, five points for the upset.
Patrick This may be a very safe pick, but Baylor will win their conference game against Oklahoma State this weekend. The Bears have yet to lose against a conference opponent and are on a ridiculous 19-game winning streak. On the other hand, the Cowboys are 0-8 in the Big 12 and have the worst field goal percentage of any school in conference. All signs indicate that Baylor will crush Oklahoma State pending a miracle. UNC is having a disaster of a season as they are the worst team by record in an unusually weak ACC. Duke is clearly a better team; however, the Tar Heels are playing at home in one of the most exciting rivalries in sports. I am betting on Roy Williams to galvanize his players as UNC will pull off one of the most exciting upsets of the year. By beating Oregon, the Heels have proven that they have the ability to defeat vastly superior opponents, and I think Duke will foolishly overlook this game as a clash with Florida State looms largely overhead.
Liam Dominic The Pacers will be entering into this contest on a two game skid while the Raptors have won their last 11 with a recent rout of the Chicago Bulls. I don’t expect the Raptors to take their foot off the gas and pick up another win. Both the Celtics and the Thunder have showed themselves to be solid teams, especially OKC as of late. While the Celtics have the weapons and the talent to be a top team, they have had their issues with consistency. I expect the Thunder to win this one on their home court.
Nate Toronto is riding high on an
Oregon lost last weekend to Stanford, but I still believe they have a very talented team. They have a balanced offensive attack and a solid defense, and they should bounce back on the road against an Oregon State team who is just 3-7 in the conference. Virginia, after having a disastrous couple weeks earlier this season, is obviously not playing at the national championship level they were last year, but they look much better as of late. They still need a couple statement wins to make it to the tournament, and I think they’ll get one on the road against fifth ranked Louisville. The Cardinals have played a lot of close games against poor ACC
opponents, and it will finally catch up to them.
Aidan I like the Florida State Seminoles to take care of business this weekend. Ranked eighth in the nation, FSU welcomes in Miami, a team that has struggled mightily in ACC competition and been blown out of the water more than a few times. Florida State also just beat UNC, who thrashed the Hurricanes by 23 points, so give me the Seminoles as my weekly guarantee. I find Oklahoma to be an intriguing Big 12 team. They showed lots of potential in nearly knocking off Baylor — the only team to seriously challenge the Bears in recent weeks, and I think at home, they’ll have more than a good chance versus West Virginia. I’ll take the Sooners as my upset pick of the week.
Nate I picked them last time, and I will pick them until they lose. The San Diego State Aztecs have been on an absolute tear this season, and I don’t anticipate them losing a Mountain West Conference game this season. They face Air Force on Sunday who has a losing record on the year, so that shouldn’t be a problem. The Aztecs are, in my opinion, definitely a serious contender to win it all this year. Butler faces Marquette this weekend in a game where the Golden Eagles might actually be favored. Although Butler beat Marquette by four at home, the Golden Eagles have proven they are a force to be reckoned with when playing in Milwaukee. In fact, they own a double digit victory over Villanova at home this season. I like the Golden Eagles to win this one comfortably.
Dominic The Kansas Jayhawks have played second fiddle to the dominant Baylor Bears this season. I think that they will be looking to pick up as much traction and as much confidence as they can before they meet the Bears again on the 22nd. A good way to start is with a win against TCU on the road. I think that Kansas will dispatch the Horned Frogs. While this is bold, I think that Gonzaga will have a slip-up against Saint Mary’s. Gonzaga struggled badly against San Francisco and have shown some signs of weakness as of late. With this game being on the road, I think that Saint Mary’s stands a pretty good chance of pulling off the upset. Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu, Dominic Gibson at dgibson@hcc-nd.edu, Patrick Gallagher at pgallag4@nd.edu, Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu and Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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also a 2020 team captain, also scored 34 points and caused 22 turnovers last season. Howe is looking to build off a strong offensive year last season in which she scored a team-best 59 goals and 78 points. Six of those goals and six assists came in a game against Ohio State, tying
ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, february 5, 2020 | The Observer
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the program record for most points in a single game. The Irish are ranked third in the preseason ACC Coaches Poll, behind reigning conference champion North Carolina and Syracuse, and they are ranked No. 7 in both the Inside Lacrosse and the IWLCA preseason polls. The Irish start their season next Sunday at noon with a home matchup against Marquette at Loftus Sports Center.
kendra osinski | The Observer
Irish senior foil Alexander Ju, right, parries his opponent during the DeCicco Duals on Jan. 27, 2019, at Castellan Family Fencing Center. Ju has a record of 31-5 on the season and 80-11 over his career.
Fencing Continued from page 12 allison thornton | The Observer
Irish junior attack Maddie Howe, right, winds up for a pass during Notre Dame’s 9-7 ACC win over North Carolina on March 31 at home. Paid Advertisement
and Air Force 24-3 before they would face off against
another ranked opponent in No. 5 Ohio State. The Buckeyes were able to keep the match close for the Irish, at least relative to their prior competition they had seen that day. The Irish went on to w in that match 18-9. The Irish would record t wo more match v ictories before facing off against the top-ranked team in the countr y, No. 1 Princeton. The Irish defeated Stanford 19-8 and Incarnate Word 22-5 before facing off against the Tigers. The Irish found v ictor y in the most highly-anticipated match of the day, taking dow n the top ranked team in the countr y, 15-12. The men also recorded a shutout night, though the only ranked matchup they played came against No. 6 Princeton. The men were led by junior foil Joseph Marino, who went 11-1 throughout the day, and sophomore sabre Jared Smith, went 8-1 in his duals, while several members of the Irish split responsibilit y for the epee position. The Irish started their day defeating UC San Diego 17-10 and went on to defeat Air Force 20-7. They defeated Stanford 16-11 and Incarnate Word 22-5 before they faced off against the No. 6 Princeton Tigers. The Tigers fell 15-12 to the Irish, and Notre Dame closed out their day w ith a w in over Law rence 25-2. Irish head coach Gia Kvaratsk helia praised his
team for their effort during a tough weekend of duals. “Both our teams performed really well during a grueling day,” Kvaratsk helia said. “I can’t recall the last time we went undefeated at Northwestern in all matches. Our coaching staff was ver y pleased. We talk about character and resilience. Both teams showed those qualities in abundance.” The Irish w ill be returning to a full roster this week after several months being short-handed losing some athletes to Oly mpic training. Kvaratsk helia touched on that and what it means for the rankings heading for ward after the Northwestern Duals. “This week w ill be the first where we w ill have all hands on deck since November,” Kvaratsk helia said. “I am ver y excited to fence great opponents such as Penn State, Temple and Duke w ith a full-strength lineup.” Kvaratsk helia also touched on how falling in the rankings didn’t fa ze him much. “To be honest, our initial ranking was a bit inf lated,” he said. “It was based in part on our last three years’ work. To the extent we use it as motivation, we simply say that the way we prepare and the way we compete means more than any ranking in a poll.” Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu
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The observer | wednesday, february 5, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
nd men’s basketball
fencing | northwestern duals
Squads sweep opponents at NU By JIMMY WARD Sports Writer
The No. 3 ranked Notre Dame women’s fencing team and the No. 5 ranked men were both able to record sweeps on the road this weekend at the Northwestern Duals. Both teams were able to record an undefeated weekend for the second time this season in as many weeks Saturday at Ryan Fieldhouse in Evanston, Illinois. The women stood in command of the strip all day as they faced off against three teams that come in inside the top 10 in the national rankings, going 8-0 on the day. They began the day w ith a dominating w in over the host of the event, No. 9 Northwestern. Sophomore sabre Kara Linder got the Irish off to a quick start in the match against the Wildcats, w inning all three of her duals. Fellow sabres senior Regina
Irish look for 3rd win of homestand against Pitt
O’Brien and junior Reghan Ward both went 2-1 in their first duals of the day. The foil crew, consisting of seniors Samantha Viqueira, Finnula Mageras and Morgan Partridge as well as juniors Stefani Deschner and Isabelle Elizondo would go 8-1 in their first taste of competition in Illinois. Viqueira went 12-1 on the day in her duals and was named the ACC Women’s Fencer of the Week for her effort, an honor O’Brien received a week ago. Senior epee Julia Barr y lead the epee group, which was rounded out by sophomore Dasha Yefremenko and freshman Victoria Marian Tontcheva and the Irish defeated Northwestern in the first match of the day 18-9. As the day went on, the Irish women recorded three more w ins over UC San Diego 19-8, Law rence 26-1 see FENCING PAGE 11
By GREG McKENNA Sports Writer
nathanial george | The Observer
Irish sophomore guard Prentiss Hubb dribbles the ball during Notre Dame’s 75-61 win over UCLA on Dec. 14 at Purcell Pavilion.
Notre Dame will look to finish off a three-game homestand undefeated Wednesday night as the Irish take on former Big East foe Pittsburgh. The 66th matchup between the Panthers (14-8, 5-6 ACC) and Notre Dame (13-8, 4-6 ACC), who currently sit 10th and 11th in the ACC standings, respectively, is practically a must-win for both teams if they wish to keep their hopes of earning an at-large bid into the NCA A Tournament alive. After a pair of heartbreaking losses to Syracuse at home and away at Florida State, the Irish have rediscovered momentum heading into Wednesday night by defeating both Wake Forest and Georgia Tech back home in Purcell Pavilion. This newfound momentum is no more apparent see M BBALL PAGE 9
observer roundtable
nd women’s lacrosse
Aldave, Buchanan, Howe Previewing NBA named preseason All-ACC and NCAA games Observer Staff Report
Three Notre Dame women’s lacrosse players were named to the preseason All-ACC Team. Junior midfielder Andie Aldave, senior midfielder Savannah Buchanan and junior attacker Maddie Howe all received the honor announced by the conference Tuesday afternoon. In 2019, Aldave set personal bests and was the secondhighest scorer on the team with 67 points and 47 goals, and she also broke her own program record for draw controls in a season with 152, good for sixth in the nation with an average eight draw controls per game. The 2020 captain was named to the AllACC and IWLCA first teams last season. Buchanan was a threat on both sides of the ball last season, tallying 71 draw controls and 38 ground balls, both second-best on the team in 2019. The Baltimore native, see W LAX PAGE 11
Liam Coolican, Dominic Gibson, Patrick Gallagher, Nate Moller and Aidan Thomas Sports Writers
Welcome back to the Observer Roundtable! After David Kramer retired on top after his victorious football season, we return with five writers offering picks for the college and professional basketball season. Enjoy our three games of the week from both the NCAA and the NBA, as well as a guarantee and upset pick at the end! No. 22 LSU @ No. 17 Auburn No. 10 Seton Hall @ No. 8 Villanova No. 14 Michigan State @ Michigan
Patrick
allison thornton | The Observer
Irish junior midfielder Andie Aldave looks to pass during Notre Dame’s 9-7 victory over North Carolina on March 31 at home.
LSU is one of the hottest teams in all of college basketball at the moment. After losing embarrassingly to East Tennessee State, the Tigers have gone on an epic 10-game winning streak and are currently first in the SEC with eight conference wins. LSU’s Skylar Mays is a serious
threat on both offense and defense, as he averages around 15 points and two steals per contest. I believe Mays gives LSU the edge as Auburn loses their first home game of the season. In this highly anticipated contest between Big East elites, Villanova’s home field advantage is critical. The Wildcats and Pirates share similar statistics across most categories, but Villanova holds the advantage in both three-point and freethrow percentage, which will be very important as the fourth quarter draws to a close. The game might be decided in the final minutes, so I think that Villanova’s composure under pressure will allow them to earn a major resume-building win. After a 7-0 start, Michigan is cooling off significantly as the season progresses. The Wolverines have only managed to win four conference games, and, in a previous meeting with Michigan State, they lost by 18 points. The Spartans may not play well on the road, but see ROUNDTABLE PAGE 10