Print Edition of The Observer for Thursday, November 14, 2019 by The Observer

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Bolton prepares to cap off ND boxing career By AIDAN THOMAS Sports Writer

For all the victories she’s had in the ring, Delaney Bolton’s favorite memories regarding her career with the Notre Dame Boxing Club and the Baraka Bouts come right before she climbs between the ropes across from her opponent. “My favorite thing of all time is when you put on the robe,” Bolton said. “You’re all warmed up and in the zone, you have your headgear on. Then they put the robe on you and you walk out and just feel

unbeatable.” Unbeatable is virtually what Bolton has been since joining the Baraka Bouts as a freshman, she has never lost before the finals, accumulating a 9-2 overall record heading into Sunday’s finals. Bolton, an off-campus senior of Welsh Family Hall, will look for her second overall title on Sunday, but as a captain, she’s also come to realize that success in the ring is only part of what makes a good leader. Growing to love the team aspect of the club, Bolton has also become increasingly involved in

the mission to raise money for Holy Cross Missions in East Africa. Admittedly it didn’t start this way . “I didn’t really know anyone in the club my freshman year, I just kind of did my own thing. My first two years, boxing was my focus. I raised the money, and I just checked that box, “ Bolton admitted. “Before my junior year, I knew I was in the running to be a captain, and I heard that since I never really approached the fundraising with an over-the-top attitude, that negatively impacted me.” Bolton’s realization that all the

success in the ring wouldn’t necessarily translate to a leadership role shifted her attitude about the fundraising and the mission. “I had an awakening after my sophomore year. I made it my goal to focus on the mission. I’m actually the fundraising captain now, so it’s been interesting seeing it from that angle and trying to motivate everyone,” she said. As Bolton continued focus to the mission-side of the Baraka bouts, her determination in the ring never faltered. Going by the nickname “Shark Face” during her bouts,

Bolton has battered her way to the finals four straight years. Sunday, she’ll look to cap her career in style with her first championship since she won it all as a freshman. But besides that opportunity, there’s another reason Sunday will be a special day for Bolton. “My family’s coming for the finals on Sunday. My parents, my grandparents, they’ll all be there. It’s the first time they’ve seen me fight live,” she said. Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

Brandano leads by example in women’s boxing By COLIN CAPECE Sports Writer

Notre Dame women choose to join the women’s boxing club and fight in the annual Baraka Bouts tournaments for a number of different reasons. Some are looking to improve their fitness, while others are attracted to the fundraising mission of the club. For senior captain Kaitlyn Brandano, also a member of the women’s club lacrosse team, it was the challenge of learning a new sport that originally led her to become a member of the club. “It was my sophomore year and I wanted to try a new sport, something that would keep me

in shape but also challenge me,” said Brandano, a native of North Riding, Massachusetts. The now off campus senior explained that she enjoyed learning the sport and improving throughout her first year in the women’s boxing program. “It’s definitely a very interesting sport and technically feels really weird when you first start, but our program does a great job of allowing people to progress throughout the season,” she said. “There’s a lot of small milestones along the way. With each spar you feel a little bit more comfortable in the ring and that’s what ultimately kept me coming back after I first started.”

Brandano was certainly a quick learning and was named a captain at the end of her junior season, gaining leadership experience by helping with the men’s boxing program and cornering at the Bengal Bouts tournament last February. She describes herself as more of a quiet leader. “I definitely try to lead more by example,” Brandano said. “I try to work individually with girls during workouts and just be encouraging for everyone.” Brandano also said that she has enjoyed training and challenging herself alongside the other women’s captains, and she explained that the group has formed a strong

friendship. “We all get along really well, and I think boxing really just brings us together,” Brandano said. “The club is definitely a big time commitment for anyone who joins, but when we are all here together it makes it really enjoyable.” While the women’s boxing club is certainly focused on improving the fitness and boxing ability of its members, the club also has a greater mission to support Holy Cross missions in Africa. Boxers engage in fundraising efforts throughout the season, and all of the proceeds from the Baraka Bouts are donated to the missions. A couple of this year’s captains have visited the

missions overseas, and Brandano said she admires how these women are able to contribute their experiences to the club. “They have done an amazing job of bringing their experience back from the summer and sharing them with the club,” Brandano said. “We really want the girls in the club to feel connected to our mission. We don’t want girls to just step into the ring to fight, but instead we really want them to know what they’re fighting for. Sharing stories like the ones they have really help bring our mission to life.” Contact Colin Capece at ccapece@nd.edu

Driscoll discusses personal meaning of Bouts By MANNION McGINLEY Sports Writer

After making it to the final rounds of this year’s Baraka Bouts tournament, captain Alexis “Texas” Driscoll from Lewis Hall recalled the exact moment she found out she was named one of this year’s captains in the first place. “I was so surprised,” Driscoll said. “They sent us an email that they wanted to meet with dedicated vets to talk about the season and I was like ‘Oh cool, sounds good.’ Then we went to [South Dining Hall] and they told us. It was really rewarding because I worked so hard last year and I felt like I got so

much better from freshman year.” Beyond the excitement of competition and teamworks, there’s a bigger reason they do it — the mission — and Driscoll is no different. “I’m now one of the main mission captains,” Driscoll said. “We had a bunch of different tasks divided between the different captains and mine was practice coordinator so every day I made the practices and the workouts and sent the practices over fall break. There’s another girl that works on the missions, but it is so rewarding to be a part of the missions at all and still fundraise. Our fundraiser was really fun and it’s just really cool to know that it’s all going to the missions.”

On top of valuing the mission, Baraka Bouts has taken on a more personal meaning for Driscoll. “I remember my first day going to boxing practice ever,” Driscoll said. “Marissa Kimbey, who was the president last year, sent out an email to Lewis and was like, ‘Hey everyone I’m really involved in boxing, I’m leading a walkover if anyone wants to come.’ I was like ‘Oh I guess I’ll try it.’” Two years later, Driscoll finds herself one of three junior captains and set to compete for a title on Sunday. Despite the experience she’s built over the past two years, this season has been full of new opportunities.

“It’s been really rewarding and so much fun, it has required a lot of time,” Driscoll said. “I come here every day at 4:30 and I usually don’t get to leave until 7:30. And then Fridays I’m here from 3 to 6:30 so it’s definitely a huge time commitment and I’ve had to work my schedule around that this semester but I’ve gotten so much out of it. I’ve gotten to meet a lot new girls, work with a lot of girls and to help them improve. It is so rewarding to be in someone’s corner and to watch them win, it feels like you’re winning. I feel I’ve gotten to be a better boxer, too, watching other girls spar and putting the time in myself has definitely helped me improve

too.” Driscoll intends to take those improvements into the next round, no matter who she’s fighting. “I’m fighting one of my really good friends and I know she’s really good and really fast so I’m just going to think about all the technique I’ve worked on all year and hopefully it’ll work out for me,” she said. “I’ve gotten my fair share of getting hit really hard and beaten up so if I’m ever on the opposite end it doesn’t feel too bad. We’re all working so hard it kind of feels nice for it to pay off.” Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu

Giglia reflects on camaraderie in Baraka Bouts By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

Molly “The Silent G” Giglia, a Cincinnati native and senior in Cavanaugh Hall, has been part of Baraka Bouts for her entire time at Notre Dame. Baraka Bouts has had a huge impact on her overall college experience, Giglia said. “At this point I think being in a leadership role has been really great and helped me teach others and learn from teaching,” she said.

Giglia has had three different nicknames since freshman year, but decided to keep “The Silent G” this year in reference to the silent G in her last name. She emphasized how rewarding being a captain has been for her experience at Notre Dame. “Being a captain is really cool because you get to see people come in who have never boxed before and see their progression throughout the year,” Giglia said. A captain last year as well, Giglia has learned even more about her

teammates during her second year as captain because she has seen the growth of her teammates. “It’s fun to see other people that started last year and continued this year and see their growth,” Giglia said. “Sometimes it’s hard to see your own growth, but it is fun to help and teach other people.” Although Giglia has not been to Uganda herself to participate in Baraka Bouts’s mission statement, she has still benefited from the club’s emphasis on service to others.

“We have Mission Monday every week, where the captain who is in charge of the mission piece of the club will present,” Giglia said. “The one this year was this summer in Uganda, so she brings stories from her time there and some videos and pictures. She also brings in one of the Holy Cross priests from Uganda to discuss our impact over there.” Giglia won her semifinal fight Monday night over Stephanie “Stinger” Stenger by unanimous decision to advance to the final

round. Although Giglia enjoys participating in the tournament, her favorite memories are from practice. “I feel like all of us tend to remember practices more than the tournament,” Giglia said. “The tournament is the big shining thing and that’s what a lot of outsiders see, but most of the time when I think about boxing I think about hanging out in the pit and talking.” Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

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Volume 54, Issue 49 | thursday, november 14, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Vatican investigator speaks on crisis Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta explores sex abuse scandal as part of 2019 Notre Dame Forum By MARY STEURER Assistant Managing Editor

Charles Scicluna, Archbishop of Malta and face of the Vatican’s fight against clerical sex abuse, spoke with members of the tri-campus community on the Church’s sexual abuse crisis Wednesday evening in the Dahnke Ballroom. The event was part of the 2019 ND Forum, “Rebuild My Church: Crisis and Response.” John Allen, Vatican reporter and editor for online Catholic news publication Crux, moderated. With decades of experience investigating clerical abuse, Scicluna has long been held up as an authority on the crisis. In

1995, he was appointed deputy promoter of justice at the Vatican’s Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the Church’s highest court. In 2002, he transitioned to promoter of justice in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), the governing body responsible for addressing the clergy sexual abuse crisis. Scicluna was promoted to secretary adjunct of the CDF in 2018. Since his appointment at the Vatican, Scicluna has led numerous investigations into the crisis and met with hundreds of survivors. He has also worked to expand definitions for ecclesiastical see FORUM PAGE 3

Biology clubs sell sweatshirts for bee fundraiser

SARA SCHLECHT | The Observer

Posters advertise “Belles for Bees,” a College fundraising event involving the sale of sweatshirts to preserve bee populations. By SARA SCHLECHT Associate News Editor

Most student organizations that sell shirts and sweatshirts at Saint Mary’s choose colors in the blue, grey or white family. However, two clubs have sought to generate buzz with merchandize featuring a new color and style. Biology Club and Tri-Beta — a biology honor society — are selling yellow sweatshirts that aim to save the bees. “We wanted to make something that was unique, but also

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find a way that we could give back to the community,” senior Madeleine Mauck, publicity chair of Biology Club and Tri-Beta historian, said. Mauck said the groups knew they wanted to hold a fundraiser and donate to a local organization in need, but they also wanted to sell something that stood out from the typical club merchandise. The uniqueness of these sweatshirts comes in the form of its color — a bright yellow. see SWEATSHIRT PAGE 4

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MARY STEURER | The Observer

Archbishop Charles Scicluna speaks Wednesday in the Dahnke Ballroom about efforts to combat clerical sex abuse in the Catholic Church. Scicluna also answered questions from audience members.

GIS day to teach about uses of educational data By ALEXANDRA MUCK News Writer

On Wednesday, Notre Dame hosted GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Day, which is an annual event to bring together GIS users at Notre Dame and the South Bend community. The day was co-hosted by the Center for Research Computing and the Center for Digital Scholarship at Hesburgh Library. Milan Budhathoki, one of the events co-organizers, said GIS is a system that works with locational data. “Locational data would be if you say ‘I want a bunch of Starbucks locations within one mile from my location,’” he said. “ … There is a variety of data … that comes into a spatial format.” This data can include demographic data, biological data, engineering data and social science data, Budhathoki said. At Notre Dame, students and professors use GIS for research and teaching. “Lots of people on campus use GIS or geospatial for their research, so if they want to share their results or data

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… [GIS] is one way to share that with the community,” Budhathoki said. GIS Day presented an opportunity to unite all of the people on campus who use GIS at Notre Dame. “GIS Day is basically about bringing [together] all the GIS users on campus,” he said. “ … We do an annual celebration and try to bring all the GIS users or those who are interested in using GIS together to learn from other users.” Part of the motivation for the event is to attract new users for GIS at Notre Dame, Budhathoki said. “We encourage people to use the technology as much as they can,” he said. “ … This is software that costs money and since we have a license on campus, we want to encourage more GIS users at Notre Dame.” GIS Day featured two workshops about GIS, a spotlight talk, awards given to students and faculty who use GIS, lighting talks, demos and a celebration with a cake. The spotlight talk this year featured a biology professor who used spatial modeling with prehistoric data, and the cake this year featured

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a map with the distribution of goats in the United States. Matthew Sisk, the event’s other co-organizer, said the purpose of GIS Day is to expose people to the concept. “We hope that new users of GIS will get a better understanding of the possibilities of the technology and existing users will learn some new techniques and meet similar practitioners,” he said. Budhathoki said he hopes people walk away from the event learning how to use the tool. “GIS is about creating data, hosting data, data editing, manipulating of data,” he said. “ … People who participated today learned some new technology in the GIS world and how people on campus are using GIS and the takeaway would be how they can use GIS.” Budhathoki said the event was well-attended with 60 people at the various events throughout the day. The lighting talks were the most popular events. “The lighting talks are always a good way to highlight see GIS PAGE 4

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Gloves for the Notre Dame’s women’s boxing club, Baraka Bouts, hang in the club’s practice facility. The tournament semifinals for this year were on Nov. 11 and the finals will be held in the Dahnke Ballroom on Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets will be available for $10.

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Sunday

Monday

Lecture: Religion, Violence and Peace Hesburgh Center for International Studies 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Open to the public.

“The LGBTQ+ Past, Present and Future at Notre Dame” DeBartolo Hall 120 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Public lecture.

Exhibit: “Looking at the Stars” Snite Museum of Art All day Featuring a wide selection of Irish art.

Film: “At the Heart of Gold” O’Laughlin Auditorium 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Film screening and panel open to public.

2018 Tocqueville Lecture Jenkins and Nanovic Halls 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Open to the public.

Artful Yoga Snite Museum of Art 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Capacity is limited. All skill levels are welcome.

Football Fridays at the Eck Eck Visitors Center 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Food, performances and giveaways.

Lecture Series: “Saturdays with the Saints” Geddes Hall 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Open to the public.

Baraka Bouts: Finals Dahnke Ballroom 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Final round of the Women’s Boxing Club tournament.

“Notre Dame Ten” Vietnam War Forum Eck Visitor Center 7:30 p.m. Former students to discuss free speech.

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STUDENT SENATE

ND Senate discusses well-being, mental health By JACK JERIT News Writer

In its weekly meeting Wednesday, the Notre Dame student senate met with Natalie Munguia, a sophomore and director of Health and Well-Being, to discuss health and well-being of students on campus. Senators were asked to pitch ideas to improve mental health on campus. “The reasoning behind this is just so we can get some additional feedback about what the needs for helping will be on campus are, how we’re meeting them, different areas, both general and specific that students in particular can offer support, especially as you know, finals [and] midterms coming up,” junior Patrick McGuire, the student body vice president, said. “Days are getting shorter and it can be a tougher time of the year for a lot of people so just kind of wanted to renew an emphasis on

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crimes and the statutes of limitations for reporting cases of abuse. Scicluna shared his takeaways after speaking with survivors of clergy abuse. He said to make progress addressing the crisis, Church leaders must make an active effort to engage with

helping will be.” Senators opened up discussion with many different suggestions for dealing with the seasonal depression and the heightened stress levels that accompany exams. “Especially here to senate, think in your dorm. I know every dorm does have a health and well-being commissioner,” Munguia said. “But even then, you can say there could be more programming in this area or anything like that, or anything the University as a whole, ‘Oh they could do better jobs.’” One suggestion from a senator was a program where more dogs are brought onto campus. “You should do some more of the programs where they bring dogs to campus” Jack Rotolo, a sophomore and the senator from Alumni Hall, said. “Who doesn’t like dogs?” Other ideas included hosting healthy food catering events. “Maybe like having a Friendsgiving, but having

smoothies instead,” Noble Patidar, a junior from Keough and the proxy for James Bathon, the sophomore senator from Keough. “Or smoothie cookoff.” There were also ideas tied to bringing the counselors from the University Counseling Center to dorms from Sam Cannova, the junior class council president. Additionally, there was also discussion about better publicizing the services available to students. “A lot of people just don’t know what’s going on,” Rotolo said, “And I know over in St. Liam’s they have a lot of resources, but I feel like a role that we could take especially since we are students, one of the more like communicative aspects and just letting people know about like to go and take advantage of these, I just think that’s a big issue in terms of not having knowledge of what they can do.” Another idea pitched by D.C. Morris, the junior senator from

Fisher hall, related to having more religious ceremonies available to those who prefer to use religion or meditation as a means of comfort. This lead to discussion of the Catholic meditation app Hallow briefly before moving onto some other health concerns. There were also discussions about integrating the health and wellness commissioners more into the process with discussion questions for dorms. Other topics mentioned included expanding the amount of time students could get free flu shots from St. Liams, integrating light therapy into residential life, a buddy system for talking about personal concerns, having services available in study spaces like the library, free hugs and other suggestions. Students with suggestions about improving health and well-being policies can email suggestions to pmcguir2@nd.edu. Senators also discussed charity

efforts related to the cold weather. “So there’s an RA in my dorm who’s offering students to borrow coats for those who don’t have them or it’s too cold,” Paolo Mazzara, a first-year from Zahm and acting as a proxy. “Perhaps the University could start an initiative where students could donate either, not necessarily coats, but gloves or scarves that could be given to others.” Senate also reviewed and voted on two resolutions sponsored by Halena Hadi, a junior and Judicial Council President. The first was on correcting language in the Hall Presidents Council’s bylaws. It was passed without any questions. The second resolution was about clarifying the use of proxies in the Financial Management Board to match the use of proxies in the senate. It was also passed.

survivors. “When you meet a person who has gone through this immense tragedy personally … you understand [the crisis] better,” he said. The Church has been slow to respond to the crisis, but has made tangible steps forward, Scicluna said. He said he wished February’s Vatican summit had been more constructive, but named a new

Church law outlining stricter guidelines for handling abuse cases as a major fruit of the meeting. Under the May 7 mandate, Church leaders must report all cases of abuse to their superiors, Scicluna said. Dioceses have until June 1, 2020 to comply with the mandate. “If we don’t get to this point, after a year we’ll be knocking on the door of the bishops,” he said.

Though he could not speak on the specifics of his investigations, Scicluna said more scandal has yet to surface in the U.S. “The United States … [has] to be prepared for another wave of traumatic narrative,” he said. Scicluna said the limitations of the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People — also known as the Dallas Charter — hindered the United States’ Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) progress in addressing the crisis. Though the charter established landmark standards for handling cases of clergy sexual abuse, it only applies to priests and deacons, omitting bishops from its purview. “The deficit of the 2002 Dallas Charter was the fact that it talked about abuse or violence committed by deacons and by priests, and the bishops did not include themselves in the category of possible addressors and perpetrators,” he said. Archbishop of Baltimore William Lori, who spoke at another Notre Dame Forum event Sept. 25, was among those who helped draft the charter. Before the event transitioned to an open Q&A, two students were invited to ask pre-prepared questions. Senior Cecily Castillo asked how the Vatican grapples with geopolitical diversity in enforcing Church doctrine. Scicluna acknowledged global communities are at different stages in addressing the crisis, which he attributed to a difference of culture. “You need to empower a community, but you need to be patient,” he said. Chase Soukup, another senior, asked Scicluna if he believes there is any connection between abuse and the clerical vow of celibacy. “My take is simple, and I don’t want to be reductive on it,” Scicluna said in response. “If we

have to follow celibacy — that is, chastity and celibacy — there would not be misconduct. So I can’t blame something that tells me to behave and then say it’s because of this law.” Priests who break clerical celibacy lack vocational commitment, he added. “You see priests failing in such an important commitment you realize that in most cases there was a difficulty to live celibacy because people were not in love,” he said. “In order to be chaste in celibacy, you need to be in love — in love with Jesus and with the people of God.” Scicluna then answered questions from the audience; four live and two via an online portal. One audience member, who said he was a priest with the Legionaries of Christ, asked Scicluna how to cope when trusted Church leaders commit abuse. Scicluna said the Church must learn to separate clergy from faith. “I think that we leaders, we ministers — you and me — need to be humble enough to tell our people, ‘It is not about me. It is about Jesus Christ,’” he said. Graduate student Kevin Doherty asked Scicluna why offending priests are often promoted several times before they are exposed — even when their abuse is an “open secret” among highranking clergy. “I don’t have the answers to that, but I tell you they are legitimate questions,” Scicluna said. Scicluna closed by inviting the audience in prayer for the end of clergy abuse and the protection of the Church’s young and vulnerable. “I think that we owe it to the innocence of our young people and our kids, whatever it takes, to defend their innocence, their faith and their integrity,” he said.

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a diverse array of projects working with similar tools,” he said. Sisk said planning the event has been “a passion project”

for a long time. To plan the event, they consider “feedback from past years, look at other institutions’ events and think hard about what might interest people.” Contact Alexandra Muck at amuck@nd.edu

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“We decided to pick out a yellow sweatshirt — something that we don’t often see around Saint Mary’s,” Mauck said. The sweatshirts have bees printed on them, along with the word “Belles.” A portion of the proceeds from the sweatshirts will be donated to Unity Gardens, a South Bend non-profit that allows members of the community to utilize the fruits and vegetables grown in the garden. Unity Gardens is looking to start a pollinator garden, Mauck said. “[Unity Gardens] wants to make a bee garden that will be filled with different f lowers and plants that bees are attracted to,” she said. “They can use this to pollinate

and create honey that Unity Gardens can sell at the farmers market and at their welcome center.” Biolog y Club and Tri-Beta are not currently involved with Unity Gardens beyond the intentions to donate proceeds from the “Save the Bees” sweatshirts. Even so, Mauck said the organizations are considering volunteering there in the future. The Saint Mary’s community has been receptive to this different kind of merchandise sale, as well as its mission, Mauck said. “Everybody loves [the sweatshirts],” she said. “W henever I sit at the table to sell them, tons of people just come up to me. They’re like, ‘Oh, I love this idea.’ A few different professors have said, ‘I don’t want a sweatshirt, but can I just donate a

little bit? ’” As of Wednesday, Mauck said approximately 70 sweatshirts had been sold. W hile the sweatshirts have brought buzz to Biolog y Club and Tri-Beta, the organizations maintain their desire to raise awareness about the struggles bee populations face. “The bee population is going basically extinct, and we feel strongly about it — especially being [biolog y] people,” junior and Biolog y Club vice president Natilyn Hasty said. The “Save the Bees” sweatshirts cost $35 each. The clothing and can be ordered in the Saint Mary’s student center, though all orders must be placed by Friday at 2 p.m. Contact Sara Schlecht at sschlecht01@saintmarys.edu

The observer | thursday, november 14, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

By NIA SYLVA Scene Writer

Kanye West has been born again. Anyone with even the slightest interest in mainstream culture knows this to be true. But that doesn’t make the release of his gospel-rap hybrid album, “Jesus is King,” any less noteworthy. The man once penned a song called “I Am A God.” He delivered lyrics that most Christians would deem blasphemous or, at the very least, misguided — “I know he the most high / But I am a close high” comes to mind — and he often approached religious concepts with a relatively flippant attitude. On “Hell of a Life,” released in 2010, West declares himself worthy of damnation but doesn’t seem particularly upset about it. “We headed to hell for heaven’s sakes, huh! / Well, I’mma levitate, make the devil wait, yeah!,” he raps, embodying both an embrace of debauchery and profound sense of hubris. These attitudes have all but disappeared on “Jesus is King.” West, who spent the months leading up to his album’s release leading a gospel-rap performance called Sunday Service, has fully embraced his identity as a servant of God. Gone is the rapper’s tendency to posit himself as quasi-divine; in “Follow God,” he recognizes the distance between himself and his Lord, saying “Father, I stretch / Stretch my hands to you.” Similarly, “Every Hour” emphasizes both God’s power and West’s desire to praise Him at all times. Such reverence is a far cry

By JAKE WINNINGHAM Scene Writer

In a television landscape populated with dragons, demons and whatever the heck Teddy Perkins is, the strangest place in the universe is the Vatican. At least, that’s what the best show of the 2010s would have you think. Paolo Sorrentino’s one-season wonder “The Young Pope” expertly bridged the gap between two eras of television — it took the antihero craze of TV’s Golden Age to its logical extreme while reveling in the pure absurdity offered by the best of so-called “Peak TV.” Even when “The Young Pope” embraced contemporary TV conventions, it was also gleefully turning them on their head. The end result was a transcendent work of art that stands above the rest in the most content-saturated decade in television history. The show’s premiere in early 2017 was preceded by a wave of incredulous snickering and Twitter jokes poking fun at the program’s (admittedly questionable) premise. Tony Soprano and Don Draper had already infiltrated the country’s nuclear families and business world — did we really need to see the tired trope of the “difficult man” copied and pasted onto the Papacy?

from the casual way the rapper “talked to Jesus” on “I Am A God.” Once, he talked about himself as a “Monster.” Now, he’s singing about his “eternal soul” and speaking about his past shortcomings with humility instead of satisfaction, confessing “The Devil had my soul, I can’t lie / Life gon’ have some lows and some highs.” Clearly, West’s relationship to spirituality has shifted. I won’t say that the content of West’s new music is entirely unprecedented. His 2004 hit “Jesus Walks” addresses religious themes. Even some of his most irreverent and hedonistic songs, such as the 2011 collaboration with Jay-Z “No Church in the Wild,” still include references to the divine (however twisted). But “Jesus is King” is an album devoted entirely to God. It is a public declaration of religious faith, a celebration of Christianity that seems out of place, not only within his overall discography, but also as a work of popular music. People already have a lot to say about it. Perhaps shockingly, though, West isn’t the first extremely public figure to express his conversion through song. When Bob Dylan released his first album of Christian music, it was just as polarizing as West’s (and even harder to believe). Dylan grew up Jewish and had been a loud proponent — and even an emblem — of the counter-cultural movements that characterized the ’60s. And then, in 1979, without making any sort of preemptive public announcement (unlike West), Dylan

released “Slow Train Coming,” in which he embraces God and Jesus. To the acute confusion of fans, he made references to Christianity with songs like “When He Returns” and preached his newfound faith to audience members in mid-concert doomsday sermons. Although still a “challenging and engaging” album, critics failed to appreciate this first foray into religious music; among other things, the entry was called “Bob Dylan’s God-Awful Gospel” by The Independent. Dylan’s next album, “Saved,” ventured even further into the realm of devotional Gospel, its style and content doing even more to alienate fans who were used to the subversive, “anti-authority” themes found in his previous works. A year later, the singer released “Shot of Love,” which married religious messages with more “secular” tracks. And by 1982, Dylan had returned to faith-free songwriting. All of this “exploration” lasted only three years and covered only three albums. Hardly anyone remembers the legendary folk singer’s brief “evangelical phase,” which many probably consider a blip in Dylan’s long and prolific career. But the trajectory of Dylan’s time as a Christian raises questions about West’s own conversion. Will it be as brief? As ultimately unpopular? Only time will tell. And if the timeline tracks, then we’ve still got about three years left of “born-again” Kanye.

Like most viewers, I tuned in to the show’s premiere expecting to see an overwrought, self-consciously serious take on one of the world’s highest offices. Instead, to the shock of everyone, “The Young Pope” wasn’t just in on the joke — it was beating us to the punchline. Which is not to say that “The Young Pope” isn’t serious. Driven by Jude Law’s bravura turn as the titular Pontiff Lenny Belardo, the show is a dreamy, deeply felt mediation on shared trauma and the power of belief. It just so happens to also feature a kangaroo wandering the Vatican grounds and Diane Keaton as a nun wearing a top that reads “I’m a virgin, but this is an old shirt.” Under the guidance of a less assured showrunner, “The Young Pope” easily could have collapsed under the weight of its own tonal see-saw. Sorrentino, however, is a uniquely gifted writer, capable of generating pathos and humor simultaneously. When Lenny gives his first address to the world as Pope Pius XIII, he thunders about the all-consuming nature of faith — and then throws a temper tantrum when somebody in St. Peter’s Square shines a laser pointer on him. At first glance, a program featuring a chain-smoking, cussing Holy Father would seem to indicate a puerile, anything-goes takedown of Catholicism. To

the show’s great benefit, however, “The Young Pope” is not only interested in the Church’s shortcomings, it sincerely invokes the sacred and the obscene in equal measure. This is a show that acknowledges the existence of holy miracles while also recognizing that the modern Church may have some issues with revealing them. The program’s opening credits are emblematic of this split, with a meteor burning through painted scenes of the Church’s history while “All Along The Watchtower,” of all things, plays in the background. Trying to get a firm grasp on what makes “The Young Pope” such a great program is missing the point. At once virile and pious, the show defies easy categorization. It could have a heart-rending discussion about salvation one moment, and then a Papal dress-up montage set to “Sexy And I Know It” the next. “The Young Pope” is a comedy and a drama, a satire and a morality play, an intense character study and a portrait of an entire religion. Perhaps Lenny himself sums it up best. Early on in the show, Pope Pius XIII is asked who he is. “I’m a contradiction,” Lenny says. “Like God.”

Contact Nia Sylva at asylva@nd.edu

Contact Jake Winningham at jwinning@nd.edu CRISTINA INTERIANO | The Observer

The observer | thursday, november 14, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

What about Thanksgiving?

What political polarization means for the 2020 election Rachel Stockford BridgeND

Dessi Gomez Scene Writer

With the first real snow on Monday and about two weeks until Thanksgiving Break, we are in the full swing of the holiday season. I always find myself getting so excited once October hits because there is still time to prepare for Halloween and embrace the fall season. But every year, without fail, once Halloween is over, people jump straight to anticipating Christmas. What about Thanksgiving? Yes, I may be biased in writing this column because Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, but I’m really not okay with people neglecting a holiday that centers on food, family and gratitude. But, I also recognize that Thanksgiving isn’t perfect. There is the perspective that it portrays those who celebrate as greedy and selfish because of the overwhelming amount of food that every family in the United States produces on Thanksgiving Day. Don’t even get me started about Black Friday sales. That’s not what Thanksgiving is supposed to be about. After coming to college, I’ve realized that Thanksgiving doesn’t take shape for everyone the way that it takes shape for me (or at least how it turned out before I came to Indiana from California and decided to spend Thanksgivings in South Bend while in college). I realize that families come in all different shapes and sizes and that they may be very spread out geographically as well. While I am a classic turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and stuffing followed by all the pie type of gal, I won’t harp on those who make foods that diverge from these. Every family has its own traditions, and the less turkeys eaten on Thanksgiving, the better it is for our planet. What I will get mad about is the glazing over of the gratitude aspect of this holiday. Yes, Halloween may be more exciting when you get to plan how many costumes you can wear with the anticipation of two more holidays to follow. But #spooky season can get dark and scary real fast. And we can’t just skip from scary to merry! If anything, Thanksgiving can provide a great transition period for us in preparation for the Christmas season (yes, Advent does this too). But before receiving new gifts or a new year of possibilities, we must be grateful for the ones that we already have. With dormwide potlucks and countless friendsgivings, there is still opportunity to pause and ref lect on the many things we have to be grateful for. These are also chances to refine your recipes for the big day (Christmas). Before we know it, 2020 and the remaining stretch of a South Bend winter will be upon us. I think we should enjoy every little moment as much as possible up until then. So while you’re blasting “All I Want for Christmas” and spending your remaining Flex Points on Starbucks’ peppermint mochas, try to count your blessings and practice gratitude. Let’s not lose Thanksgiving between Halloween and Christmas. Contact Dessi at dgomez5@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

“Political polarization” is a term that is often thrown around in the media and news. By definition, political polarization is the “divergence of political attitudes and ideas to the ideological extreme.” Polarization is the idea of “us” and “them,” and this ideology can and does cause confusion and tension between those with differing views. The dangerous view of an “us” and “them” mentality becomes toxic when the view shifts to an “us” versus “them” mentality. It appears that during Trump’s presidency, Democrats and Republicans are increasingly avoiding bipartisanship. Polarization forces those on the right to be pushed further right, and those on the left to be pushed further left. This causes improper and unjust labeling of an individual based on their political views. Too often, we stereotype the terms “conservative” and “liberal,” and categorize people based on the stereotype of their identified party. Polarization deepens the divides that already exist in the political world and negatively impacts the relationships we have. Political polarization has always existed, through both Republican and Democratic presidents and will continue to always exist. To fully understand what political polarization is, one has to understand the underlying root causes of political polarization are. One problem is that in the current political system, an incentive exists that rewards hyperpartisanship. Following the 2010 Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court case, in which the court decided that corporations could give unlimited amounts of funds to elections, leaders have been more inclined to vote or act certain ways to ensure funding to their campaign. A Republican senator will always be hesitant to support pro-choice legislation, even if they themselves are prochoice. Many Republicans are supported financially by pro-life groups who funnel lots of money towards their campaigns, and these elected officials tend to act in such a way to continue to receive these funds. These outside groups are a function of parties, thus contributing to gridlock and polarization within the national government. If our political system is infiltrated with hyperpartisanship, how can we expect the people in this system to act differently? So, as the 2020 election approaches, how can we, the American people, use this understanding of what political polarization is to our benefit? First of all, as has been evident in the past three years, many of the presidential candidates, congressmen and women, and especially the president himself utilize social media, especially Twitter, to relay fast news and information to the public. Media tends to highlight the extreme beliefs from those on both sides, often leaving those who identify as moderate without a voice. A Harvard study found that politicians attract a larger audience on social media when they are more outspoken and ideologically extreme than those who are more moderate. The use of social media has had a negative inf luence on the way the “other side” is perceived to those with opposite views, thus further driving a wedge between multiple political sides. It is our duty, especially during the upcoming election, to remember that the arguments we see on social media should not be taken verbatim, but instead should motivate us all to discover the real truth and use the differences found online to bring people closer. In my short experience here at Notre Dame, I

have discovered that although our student body is constructed of people with many different views, our campus is not necessarily polarized. I have found that those with differing views are able to discuss their differing views, not simply yell or attack the other person for their different ideas. In my opinion, this may be due to the lack of political interest on campus. It is surprising that even with the spotlight Notre Dame has been receiving over the past month after announcing the hosting of a presidential election, and with the events put on such as discussions with Paul Ryan and Condoleezza Rice, there has not been nearly as much political involvement as I expected. I do believe that other college campuses are more politically polarized. A 2016 Washington Post study found that at UCLA, 42% of freshmen identify as “moderates.” This means that more than half of the college freshmen at this campus are definitely split to one side or the other. Although I do not believe our campus is necessarily polarized; however, there definitely are many different people with a wide range of beliefs, and I think that as the next election approaches, especially with Notre Dame hosting a presidential debate, a deeper divide will be sparked throughout campus, to which there are a few tools we can use to battle this polarization. The first and most simple solution is simply to talk. As many of you have noticed, BridgeND has been displaying conversation boards in both of the dining halls, so far asking your opinion on health care in the United States and how Kanye’s new album has inf luenced you. Although some of the responses have been jokes (my personal favorite: “Jesus is King is the second worst thing to happen to Jesus”), those who have stopped to read the boards can agree that they have been impactful. These conversation starters encourage one to think a different way, or to find comfort in the fact that others agree with them. These boards are a great example of what we all need to be doing regarding politics, especially in the coming year: talk. We should all be talking, not using social media, to discuss and debate our political views. Another solution to the polarization problem is to challenge yourself to ask the tough questions, and when doing so, be open to understanding someone who may not share the same opinions as you. At least in my high school, politics were often considered a taboo topic because people were afraid of someone disagreeing with them. It is exactly this problem that explains why polarization is such a prominent issue, especially among young people. Regarding open political discussion, we need to change the status quo from one of fear and ignorance to one of openness and understanding. Through engaging in conversation over the course of the next year leading up to the presidential election (and beyond), one by one we can battle polarization and close the divide to initiate understanding and acceptance throughout the country. Rachel Stockford is a freshman in the Gateway program who, when not writing about political polarization, enjoys watching presidential debates and supporting Mayor Pete. She is a member of BridgeND, a multi-partisan political club committed to bridging the partisan divide through respectful and productive discourse. It meets on Mondays at 5 p.m. in the McNeill Room of LaFortune Student Center to learn about and discuss current political issues. The group can be reached at bridgend@nd.edu or on Twitter @bridge_ND. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

The observer | thursday, november 14, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Minty fresh! Julianna Conley In My Own Words

Like many young adults in coming-of-age films, I changed a lot this semester. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen: I’ve officially made the switch to mint toothpaste. For readers lacking intimate knowledge of my teeth brushing habits, I’ve spent the last 19 years polishing my pearly whites with Disney Princess bubblegum. An ardent opponent of all things mint, even after my age moved into the double digits, I was never quite able to stomach adult toothpaste. On a recent trip where I could only take carry-on luggage though, my full-sized tube of bubblegum wouldn’t f ly (literally). There was only one thing to do: reconcile my rough relationship with the f lavor and pack the travel sized Colgate collecting dust in the back of my bathroom cabinet. After the initial shock of the minty f lavor wore off — the first few brushings were ROUGH — I actually didn’t mind the toothpaste that much. Sure, the weird numbing feeling took some getting used to, and I doubt I’ll be hitting up my local Girl Scouts for Thin Mints come February, but I could now endure a brushing with minimal wincing or nose-plugging. What’s more, I actually noticed a marked improvement in my dental hygiene. My teeth were whiter, my breath was fresher, and when I ran my tongue across my teeth, I swear they felt cleaner.

I faced a dilemma. For so long, I’ve felt defined by my finicky habits. How could I abandon my Disney Princess bubblegum when it’d become such an integral part of my identity? Still, I couldn’t help admiring my new white smile. It made me wonder what cost I’d been paying to hold on to this pigeonholed idea of “who I am.” What else had I missed out on, what other opportunities for personal growth had been forgone because I was to afraid to step out of my comfort zone? Recently, a friend interrupted her usual barrage of memes and overheard quotes to DM me a picture of a sign that read, “You don’t owe your old self any say in who you want to be now.” While I’m normally not a “Live, Laugh, Love” kinda girl, this calligraphed sign struck a chord with me. Just weeks earlier, while rereading a kindergarten journal, I’d felt a pang of guilt that I’m no longer on my way to being a professional ballerina slash concert pianist. While I realize that particular dream was unlikely to come to fruition, I couldn’t help feeling as if I’d let down my younger self, as if every time I change my dream, I’m quitting on my true destiny. It’s easy to feel stuck in our roles, destined to always be who we are now. We exert so much effort defining ourselves, by the time we’ve finished writing the definition, we’re too proud of our handiwork to evaluate if it’s even still relevant. We build an identity around us, a safe frame that proclaims and protects our values, our sense of being, but boxes us in. Our identities can feel like life

preservers to hold on to, safe beacons of personhood in uncertain waters, but if we’re not careful, they can quickly transform into chains dragging us into one-dimensional caricatures. Too often, I’ve realized the solution to a problem, noticed a more efficient way of doing things, but I didn’t speak up because I thought I wasn’t the group-leader type. Too often, I wanted to wear the bold dress, to sign up for the camp basketball tournament, to volunteer to give the speech, but I held back because I thought I couldn’t be “that girl.” Because I didn’t realize I choose who I am. This summer, as a camp counselor, I was called on stage to join a camper singing. My first instinct was to vehemently shake my head, to f lat out refuse. After all, I’m not the kind of girl who sings in public. But when I took a moment’s pause and evaluated how I was actually feeling, I realized I wasn’t afraid at all. I was ready to climb on that stage. To meet the girl I’d long ago become. We can’t be afraid to leave our self-made boxes. We must step out, must expand and redefine our comfort zones. We must know who we are, but we must also be open to meeting who we will become. Julianna Conley loves cereal, her home state of California and the em dash. A sophomore in Pasquerilla East, if Julianna can’t be found picnicking on North Quad, she can be reached for comment at jconley4@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

guest column

Plan now to help Mayor Pete in Iowa For politically-minded Notre Dame students — regardless of party affiliation, personal presidential candidate preference or self-identified issue purity — a lifetime opportunity has thrust itself upon you. Call it the luck of the Irish or the planets perfectly aligning, but your neighbor is running for the presidency and needs a legion of volunteers. South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign offers every Notre Dame student an instant internship in exchange for about a week’s work. Grasping your moment is as easy as personally walking into the Buttigieg downtown campaign headquarters at 218 Sycamore Street and volunteering. With nearly 80 days remaining before the Feb. 3 first-in-the-nation contest, nothing offers more of a life experience and a lesson in political campaigning at the highest level. However, timing is vital, and you should act now. Plan your budget, clear your course absences with your second semester professors by offering to remotely participate or through an independent study project. Then recruit friends to join your caravan to immerse yourselves for a week. If possible, freeload off an Iowan student’s parents. Your adventure will be an immensely gratifying political odyssey if you plan now using my 2008 blueprint. As a former Bill Clinton presidential appointee, I naturally volunteered for Hillary Clinton during the nine days prior to her 2008 contest against then-Senators Barack Obama and John Edwards. Realize that even if you are not a Democrat or are opposed to some of the Buttigieg positions, this is a unique opportunity to witness history as it unfolds. It will not taint you or scar you for life, but is similar to interning at the White House for a president of a differing party affiliation. The rare unique caucus experience “trumps” all other factors, especially since the GOP has no competitive caucus challenge to the president. Add this venture on your resume. In 2008, groups of students from an assortment of universities volunteered over varying periods

of time depending upon their collegiate holiday vacation schedules. Some arrived after Christmas and skipped their winter semester to work through early February. Others, like me, offered themselves for the closing week’s surge activities in the run-up to caucus night. Despite our uneven time commitments, we immersed ourselves in the campaign, culminating with an assigned precinct to assist the permanent campaign staff on caucus night. Our savv y student volunteers began planning in November and enlisted friends to share expenses by carpooling to Iowa, teaming up as many as six to a hotel room and dining many a night on Ramen Noodles. I, on the other hand, splurged at a Motel 6, but followed their budget-thrifty regimen as well. Pooling resources is an easy way to manage a shoestring existence, especially for a week’s duration. By chance, I was assigned to Burlington, a quaint town in eastern Iowa across the river from Illinois. Burlington’s claim to fame is actor William Frawley who portrayed iconic characters Fred Mertz in “I Love Lucy” and as Bub in the “My Three Sons” comedy programs. Burlington represented a mix of commerce, labor and farming interests. My first outreach assignment at the headquarters taught me the issues from telephone scripts. I then worked on the logistics at a church where President Bill Clinton spoke, and served on his entourage. Eventually, I canvassed door-to-door while rating voter support from zero to five so that the campaign identified its core supporters. Iowans expect campaigns to personally contact them. Most are friendly and courteous, despite the deluge of attention lavished upon them. One Saturday, I personally spoke to 90% of my assigned quota. However, I noted trouble for Clinton, the favorite entering caucus night. With an ice storm forecast for Tuesday, many elderly voters indicated that they would not travel on ice to caucus but would vote for Clinton in the

fall. On caucus night, I traveled 20 miles outside Burlington through the ice storm to a rural small town. During the proceedings, Iowans conducted themselves within a friendly neighborly competitive atmosphere since most of them knew their neighbors by their first names. While their dialogue at times became spirited, it remained friendly, was absent of malice and lacked any combative destructive quality. After the first round count, former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and, at the time, Senator Joe Biden failed to reach the minimum viability of support. Our staff cajoled and wooed their supporters to join us for the final count. Sometimes decisions were made on the slightest of issues like promising to study the feasibility of adding a new stop sign in the middle of town. In my precinct, the ice storm no-shows weakened Clinton. With seven delegates at stake, Obama received 126 votes (three delegates), Edwards garnered 122 votes (two delegates) and Clinton tallied 119 votes (two delegates). Despite razor-thin margins, Obama’s win propelled him into the history books. My caucus experience of a lifetime taught me that the most rewarding moments in life occur whenever one takes advantage of unique opportunities. Nobody can predict if an ice storm will again chill Buttigieg’s current rise in the Iowa polls. But one thing is certain; every four years the Iowa Caucus beckons volunteers. Now is your time to heed that call. Gary J. Caruso, Notre Dame ’73 American Studies major, serves in the Department of Homeland Security and was a legislative and public affairs director at the U.S. House of Representatives and in President Clinton’s administration. Contact him on Twitter: @GaryJCaruso or e-mail: GaryJCaruso@alumni.nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Classifieds

The observer | thursday, november 14, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Put more thought into how you handle your money this year. Don’t let someone else control your finances. Invest in what suits you best. Coming up with a plan that gives you leverage to make decisions regarding how or where you live is favored. A personal contract will bring you closer to someone you want to spend more time with. Your numbers are 9, 14, 22, 26, 39, 41, 46. ARIES (March 21-April 19): How receptive you are to someone you love will determine what happens next. Listen to the options you are offered, and consider how you can launch what you want to do next based on what’s available to you. Romance is encouraged. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A change of plans will keep you on your toes. Make sure you have all your documents in order and are fully prepared for anything that comes your way. Communication will be the best way to overcome adversity. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be careful what you wish for. Someone is likely to take your actions the wrong way. Before you find yourself in a compromising position, make it clear how you feel and what you expect. Mixed emotions can affect your status or reputation. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take up an unusual hobby, or sign up for a seminar that will help you understand future trends and how best to use what you have to get ahead. A positive change can be made if you help others. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Make plans with someone who brings out the best in you. Personal pick-me-ups will improve your attitude. Doing something beautiful for someone in need will make you feel good and encourage support and help in return. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Speak your mind; you will encourage others to help you bring about positive change. Control your emotions to avoid giving someone the wrong impression. Indulgent behavior and deception will lead to trouble. Don’t share secrets, passwords or your possessions. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Show how much you care by doing something awesome for someone you love. Take on a challenge that will test your strength and stamina. An emotional situation will take a positive turn if you are open and honest. Romance is encouraged. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’ll be faced with decisions that can change the way you earn your living or surroundings. A conversation with someone close to you will encourage you to follow your instincts and take the road less traveled. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Emotions will interfere with your thought process. Don’t make hasty decisions regarding someone or something you care about. You’ll be offered the wrong impression, and acting on an assumption will be challenging to reverse. Focus on fitness, health and emotional well-being. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Your relationships with your peers matter. Listen carefully, and consider the best way to accommodate others without jeopardizing your integrity or reputation. A change may be required. Process what’s best, perfect your plan and make your move strategically. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Personal gain is heading your way. An idea you have will lead to extra cash. Getting into a fitness routine or improving your surroundings to live a healthier lifestyle is favored. Romance is in the stars. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Simplicity, moderation and determination will lead to success. Surround yourself with people who have as much to offer as you do. Don’t let emotions cloud your vision or tempt you to get involved with someone you cannot trust. Set high standards. Birthday Baby: You are innovative, understanding and inquiring. You are adaptable and persuasive.

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Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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W Bball

Sports Authority

Russell Wilson deserves MVP Liam Coolican Sports Writer

As a lifelong Seahawks fan, I may be slightly biased in this opinion. However, objectively speaking, Russell Wilson deserves to win the NFL MVP this season. He has carried a mediocre supporting cast to an 8-2 record this year, and just knocked off the undefeated 49ers. First, let’s take a look at his numbers. He is third in the league with over 2,700 passing yards, to go along with an absurd touchdown-to-interception ratio. Wilson leads the league by a wide margin with 23 passing touchdowns, and only Patrick Mahomes, who missed the last three games with a knee injury, has fewer than his two interceptions. Wilson has completed 68% of his passes and is second in the league with a 78.2 QBR. In every one of these statistics he is ahead of Lamar Jackson of the Ravens and Deshaun Watson of the Texans, his closest competitors for MVP. Jackson has passed for 15 touchdowns and five interceptions, while Watson has thrown 18 and five. Of course, the award is not given solely on statistics. There is no official criterion, but an unwritten one is how much the team depends on the player (hence the word “Valuable” in “Most Valuable Player”), and there is no team who relies on its quarterback more than the Seahawks. The running back rotation they employ is usually ineffective, as Chris Carson has regressed this season and Rashaad Penny has failed to live up to his first-round potential. The Legion of Boom, Seattle’s secondary that led it to two Super Bowls, is no more. The current secondary is porous. They have some stars on defense, like Jadeveon Clowney and Bobby Wagner, but the defense often allows a lot of points and forces Wilson to bail the team out. And he does just that, week after week. He is one of the best at engineering comebacks, as his 28 gamewinning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime are tied with Matthew Stafford for the most since 2012. When Wilson entered the league in 2012 and won the Seahawks quarterback job, he didn’t have to do a lot. The team was led by Marshawn Lynch, who was one of the best running backs in the league at the time, and a defense that many considered to be one of the greatest in NFL history. Wilson just had to manage the games and occasionally make

a big play. Now, though, that script has flipped. Two weeks ago against the Buccaneers is a great example of Wilson’s brilliance this year. The defense allowed 34 points against a two-win team, and Wilson just kept coming back and putting together great drives. He controlled the game, passing for 378 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Seahawks to an overtime victory. None of this is meant to discount Jackson, Watson or any of the players who have put together great seasons in the NFL this year. Jackson has been electric for the Ravens. He wasn’t seen as an NFL-caliber quarterback coming out of college, and has proven the doubters wrong with this incredible season. Watson is arguably just as valuable to his team as Wilson is to the Seahawks, but the Texans play in a weak division, and the Seahawks record overall is better. As much as the MVP voters might deny it, team success is a major part of their voting process, and an 8-2 record in what is arguably the toughest division in football is a major plus for Wilson. Jackson plays in the AFC North, which, outside of the Ravens this year, has an 8-19 record. The AFC South has an even 14-14 record outside of the Texans. The NFC West, on the other hand, has a 16-11 record excluding the Seahawks. The 49ers were undefeated before the Seahawks beat them, and the Rams made the Super Bowl last year. Wilson consistently has to play good teams, and has beaten them this year. The one drawback Wilson may have compared to Jackson is that the Ravens beat the Seahawks in Seattle in Week 7. Jackson was very limited through the air, but rushed for over 100 yards. That headto-head matchup could be meaningful if other statistics end up being very close at the end of the season. Jackson also does things on the ground that Wilson does not. Wilson is an elite scrambler and can extend plays, but Jackson is a weapon in the run game, whereas the Seahawks rarely call designed quarterback runs for Wilson. This will be a very close MVP vote, but Wilson, as of now, deserves to win MVP because his statistics are well above those of his competitors, and he provides incredible value to his team. Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Continued from page 12

rebounds per contest. She will be someone McGraw and the rest of the Irish staff expect to perform at a high level while also providing the younger girls with much needed on-floor coaching and tips. Thus, Notre Dame has faced its first test of the season, some might say earlier than expected, but it’s games like these that are going to help this young Irish team grow and develop. Next, the Irish have a matchup with No. 16 Michigan State for the third game of their four-game home stand on Thursday night. This year, the Spartans are off to a 2-0 start, dominating both Eastern Michigan and Detroit Mercy en route to blowout victories. Redshirt junior guard Shay Colley has led the way thus

far for the Spartans, averaging a team-high 14.1 points and adding 5.3 rebounds a game. Colley also should be coming into this game with a bit of a chip on her shoulder, as the last time these two teams played came in the second round of the NCAA tournament last season. Colley shot just 2-15 from the field in the Spartans 91-63 loss. Other notable contributors for Michigan State this season have been senior Jenna Allen and freshman Nia Clouden. Allen is averaging 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while Clouden has put together a stat line of 12 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Allen has also been impressive in the paint. Her 23 total blocks are second on the team only to sophomore forward Sidney Cooks. Clouden also scored a career-high 28 points against the Irish back in the 2017

season, and will undoubtedly be looking for more in this upcoming contest. Irish freshman standout Sam Brunelle had a tough shooting night against Tennessee. Even so, Brunelle is a highly-touted player who is expected to have a significant role at Notre Dame for the foreseeable future as she continues to gain experience on the court. “I think she’s putting a lot [of pressure] on herself, and, you know, she’s getting great shots, and they’re going to drop so I’m not worried about her at all,” McGraw said on Brunelle. This upcoming top-25 battle against the Spartans will prove to be another test for this young Irish team. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. inside Purcell Pavilion, and the game will be broadcast live on the ACC Network. Contact Grant DelVecchio at gdelvecc@nd.edu

Junya kanemitsu | The Observer

Irish sophomore forward Danielle Cosgrove boxes out opponents during an 88-60 victory over Loyola Maryland at Purcell Pavilion on Nov. 8. The Fighting Irish are 2 - 1 for the 2019-2020 season so far.

Junya kanemitsu | The Observer

Irish freshman guard Anya Peoples drives the ball to the net during Notre Dame’s 80-64 win over Loyola at Purcell Pavilion on Nov. 8. Peoples has averaged 29 minutes per game in her first season.

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would be happy to replicate. Their win, coincidentally, was against an opponent Notre Dame bested 97-52 on Nov. 9 — Robert Morris. After finishing last season as the ACC basement dwellers, the Irish have made major strides in the early stages of this year. Two things Brey has been emphasizing are rebounding and bench scoring, both of which have already improved from last year. “That group that comes off the bench, they give us a nice lift, and they can score a little bit, too,” Brey added. The Irish have also been rebounding well to start the season. Their frontcourt is headlined by seniors John Mooney and Juwan Durham. Mooney scored 18 points and grabbed 16 rebounds against Howard. Brey said he was pleased with Mooney’s performance at the game. “I don’t care who we’re playing against, he goes and gets 13 to 16 rebounds. How he goes and gets it is really beautiful to watch,” Brey said. “We’re flowing, we’re confident and we’re going to keep doing that,” Mooney said of the team’s momentum. Marshall is led by guards Jerrod West and Taevion Kinsey, who average 20 and 16 points per game respectively. However, the Thundering Herd’s forwards struggle to score and rebound, so the Irish should be able to dominate inside with Mooney and Durham each having big games. The key to winning the game for the Irish will likely be shutting down Marshall’s guards. On the other hand, Notre Dame’s frontcourt has been playing well as of late. Sophomore guard Prentiss Hubb has emerged as a major scoring threat this year, leading the team with 14.7 points per game. Senior T.J. Gibbs has continued to build on his strong 2018-19 season, averaging 12.3 points per game, and graduate student Rex Plfueger has eased his way back into the rotation after missing almost all of 2018-19 with a knee injury. Notre Dame will score a lot of points against Marshall, but the key will be to stop Marshall’s high-scoring guards. Notre Dame’s guards have not been very strong defensively so far, allowing 34 points to UNC freshman phenom Cole Anthony and 21 to Robert Morris guard Josh Williams, but did effectively limit Howard’s guards. Overall, though, the Irish should overwhelm Marshall with their size and strength inside, and can continue to work out the flaws on the offensive side in this matchup on Friday night.

Ella Saada were the difference makers for the Orange, as they recorded 22 and 21 kills, respectively. Shemanova holds the season high for kills in a match with 36 against Louisville. She also leads the ACC with about 5.16 kills per set and is one of the best players in the conference, so the Irish will have to find a way to contain her in order to pull out the win. Marina Markova could also prove to be dangerous off the serve, as she ranks second highest in aceper-set ratio in the conference. The Orange have some exploitable defensive weaknesses and are ranked with the worst of the ACC in opponent hitting percentage and in digs. Notre Dame has a number of weapons of their own. Sophomore Zoe Nunez averages 10.57 serves per set, which is the second highest in

Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu

the conference. Sophomores Charley Niego and Sydney Bent are among the ACC’s most complete players, as they rank eighth and ninth in average points-per-set. As a team, the Irish rank highly in defensive statistics among conference opponents, as they are third in opponent hitting percentage, sixth in blocks, and second in opponent service aces. In the ACC, Notre Dame also ranks first in digs and fifth in kills. While the Irish are one of the top teams in conference, they struggle in opponent digs and assists. Seven programs are within three games of each other, so these last competitions will determine matchups in the ACC tournament. After this matchup, the Irish will travel to Louisville, Kentucky, and Atlanta before concluding the regular season at home against Duke. Sunday’s crucial match will take place at 1 p.m. in Purcell Pavilion.

CHARLIE ORTEGA GUIFARRO | The Observer

Irish sophomore outside hitter Sydney Bent follows after the ball during Notre Dame’s 3-0 win over Valpo at the Joyce Center on Sept. 4.

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Matchups Continued from page 12

arsenal in the SEC. Auburn gave LSU its toughest contest thus far this season, and their other matchups against ranked teams make them a reliable underdog this week. Look for Auburn to pull off the home upset and knock Georgia out of CFP consideration. Auburn wins but doesn’t cover. Without a doubt the line, paired with the unbreachable gap between Clemson and the rest of the ACC, offers the most uncertainty this week. Wake Forest possesses an offense with enough assets to narrow the Tigers’ margin of victory in a shootout. I look forward to seeing how Wake Forest bounces back after their abysmal performance against Virginia Tech last week. Clemson wins but doesn’t cover. The absolutely absurd Vegas line for this game makes for an easy pick. My hometown Gophers handedly defeated the Nittany Lions last week at home, and I see no reason to back down on the stellar defense that has truly risen to the occasion as of late. Granted, the Iowa Hawkeyes have looked strong at home thus far, despite a narrow defeat by Penn State, but expect the Gophers to remain dominant in the Big Ten West this week. Gophers win outright.

Dominic Gibson: Despite the bad loss to South Carolina, Georgia has started to find their stride and have returned to the top four. With Georgia’s dominant offensive line and quarterback Jake Fromm, who has looked solid as of late, I think the Bulldogs will win and

The observer | thursday, november 14, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

cover. This spread is a big one and it shows how dominant Clemson is. The Tigers aren’t quite as strong as they were last year, but I can’t see them losing to Wake Forest with the talent they have on their team. I expect Wake Forest to put up some points, however, with the possibility of more in garbage time. Tigers win but do not cover. I was skeptical of Minnesota last week but after watching a stunning performance against Penn State, I like where the Gophers are sitting. I expect Minnesota to pick up where they left off with an outright win.

Aidan Thomas: I think this line is potentially giving Auburn a little too much credit. Their offense has simply not shown an ability to put up mass quantities of points against good defenses. Georgia has yet to give up more than 20 points, and I think their offense, however inconsistent, will surpass that total. Georgia wins and covers. Clemson is going to win. I say this with 99% confidence. But this spread is insanely large and hard to predict. Clemson beat UNC by just one point, but they have steamrolled opponents over their four contests since that close call, winning by an average of 42 points. My hunch is that Wake Forest’s explosive offense can do just enough to put up some points on Clemson to stay within the spread. Clemson wins but does not cover. The disrespect is real. The Gophers stunned the country last week with their victory over Penn State. And it wasn’t a miracle comeback,

or a f luke play. Minnesota led the whole way and picked off Penn State three times. I guess the spread ref lects Iowa’s stellar defense and homefield advantage, but I’m not picking against the Gophers in consecutive weeks. Minnesota wins outright.

Liam Coolican: Auburn is one of the most overlooked teams in the SEC. They only have two close losses, each against a top 10 team. They also have one of the better defenses in the conference, so if anyone can slow Fromm and the Georgia offense down, it is Auburn. Georgia has looked shaky on defense at times, so I expect Tigers quarterback Bo Nix and the Auburn offense to score enough points to win at home and pull off the upset. This spread is massive, but it highlights the difference between Clemson and the rest of the ACC. The Tigers, while they haven’t looked as good as they did on their way to the championship last year, are still a dominant force, and Dabo Swinney will no doubt have them fired up about their snub two weeks ago in the top four. Against a Wake team that was ranked just last week, I expect Clemson to be absolutely dominant in this game. Clemson wins and covers the spread. Minnesota is one of the best Cinderella stories this year. This game will be very close, and Iowa’s defense is stout, but did allow 24 points against Wisconsin last week. Minnesota knows this is a stiff test, and they won’t overlook Iowa. Iowa’s offense has improved greatly over the last two weeks, but I think the

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Gophers defense can hold Iowa’s offense, and I expect Minnesota to win outright in a close game.

Nate Moller: Georgia is back into the top four despite their early season stumble against South Carolina. I think head coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have learned their lesson, and I expect them to run the table the rest of the regular season. Auburn will put up a good fight early on and keep the game close late into the third quarter, but Fromm will make some big plays late to lead the Dawgs to victory. Georgia wins and covers. Many expected Clemson to get a chance to prove itself against a ranked Wake Forest team, but Wake Forest tripped up big time against Virginia Tech and is now unranked like the rest of the Tigers’ opponents. Nevertheless, I think Clemson will be fired up to play against a decent Wake Forest team, and I expect quarterback Trevor Lawrence to play one of his better games of the season. Clemson wins big but doesn’t cover. The stakes are high in the battle for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy. Coming off one of the biggest wins in program history, Minnesota will face another stiff test against a ranked Iowa team at Kinnick Stadium. Based on how both teams are playing lately, I would go with Minnesota, but Kinnick Stadium is the place where top 10 teams go to die. I think the pressure will get to Minnesota, and I like the Hawkeyes to pick up their first big win of the season. Hawkeyes win and cover.

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Patrick Gallagher: Georgia seems to have regained its footing after their embarrassing loss to South Carolina. Defense is their biggest strength, as they have earned two shutouts in the past three weeks. Fromm looked formidable against Florida with 279 yards and two touchdowns, and I believe that he will perform in a big way against Auburn. It will be a close game, but the Bulldogs will win and cover. After watching Virginia Tech expose Wake Forest last Saturday, my hopes for a competitive game against Clemson were dashed. The Tigers know that there is little room for error in the CFP race after their near loss to UNC, so I expect them to play at the peak of their potential against Wake Forest. Dabo Swinney will still have his guys ready to go despite the diminished significance of this game. Clemson earns a massive victory but will not cover. Fresh off a season-defining victory over Penn State, the Golden Gophers have the chance to win their way into a Big Ten championship matchup against Ohio State. PJ Fleck and Minnesota have proven that they can compete with the nation’s elite and have put themselves in CFP playoff conversation as a Darkhorse contender. Quarterback Tanner Morgan looked phenomenal against the Nittany Lions, and the defense came up with three crucial takeaways, including a game clinching interception in the endzone. Iowa has yet to defeat a ranked opponent all year, and this trend will continue against one of the hottest teams in the country in Minnesota. Contact Dominic Gibson at dgibson2@nd.edu Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu David Kramer at dkramer2@nd.edu Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu Patrick Gallagher at pgallag4@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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women’s basketball

Squad discusses loss to Lady Vols By GRANT DELVECCHIO Sports Writer

Despite forcing 28 turnovers, Notre Dame fell to Tennessee in their most recent game Monday night. The size of the Lady Vols (3-0) ultimately proved to be too much for the Irish’s (2-1) guardheav y and youthful lineup, as they were outrebounded 55-28. An early season loss like this is uncharacteristic of Notre Dame, as the Irish had a 49-game win streak in November dating back nine years up until Monday’s loss. Furthermore, it was the first home loss to a team not named UConn in 114 games, as Notre Dame was 110-3 in such games before Tennessee’s victory. Out of 13 roster spots, Irish head coach Muffet McGraw’s squad is made up of eight underclassmen, and after losing the entire starting five from last year’s team, bumps in

ND seeks redemption in upcoming Syracuse game

the road like this one were expected. During the post-game press conference, graduate transfer and former North Carolina guard Destinee Walker spoke on behalf of what it’s like having someone like assistant coach Michaela Mabrey on the bench during the games. “She’s been great. She’s been a great role model, she talks to us on the side and tells us little nit-bits that we need to do better in the game,” Walker said of the newest addition to the coaching staff. “She’s been a great voice on the side because, you know, she’s been there and she plays currently in the WNBA so she knows what we need to do better overall, and it’s great having that extra voice.” Walker has come on strong for the Irish so far this season, averaging 15.7 points per game to go along with six see W BBALL PAGE 9

Observer Sports Staff

Charlie ortega GUIFARRO | The Observer

Irish graduate student Kristin Baer and sophomore Zoe Nunez jump to block spike during Notre Dame’s win against Valporaiso.

Men’s basketball

By LIAM COOLICAN

Roundtable: NCAA matchups By DAVID KRAMER, DOMINIC GIBSON, AIDAN THOMAS, LIAM COOLICAN, PATRICK GALLAGHER and NATE MOLLER

Sports Writer

see M BBALL PAGE 10

see VOLLEYBALL PAGE 10

NCAA

Irish prepare for Friday matchup against Marshall After two easy wins at home, Notre Dame will look to maintain that positive momentum when the team takes on Marshall University at Purcell Pavilion on Friday night. Notre Dame defeated Howard 79-50 Tuesday night in a game they dominated from start to finish. Irish head coach Mike Brey said he was happy about how his team played Tuesday. “It’s a team you should beat, you should handle, so I’m glad we did that. Hopefully we can do that the rest of the month,” Brey said. Marshall is another team Notre Dame is expected to be able to handle. The Thundering Herd (11) are coming off a game where they allowed 96 points to Toledo. Toledo shot 51% from the field and 56% from 3-point range, a clip the Irish

Fresh off a close 3-2 loss in Miami, the Irish return home this Sunday to face Syracuse. Notre Dame (17-7) is currently in a four-way tie for second in the ACC with 10 conference wins on the season, so the next couple of matches could prove crucial for the Irish. While Pitt solidly resides at the top of the conference with only one loss on the season, the Irish still have a solid chance to earn a high seed in the ACC tournament if they continue to perform with their current effort and aggressiveness. The Orange (10-11) have overcome a discouraging 0-4 start to the season and are one of the hottest squads in the country, winning their past five matches. These two programs met previously on Nov. 1 when Syracuse was able to defeat Notre Dame 3-1. In that match, Polina Shemanova and

Sports Writers

ANNIE SMIERCIAK | The Observer

Irish sophomore guard Prentiss Hubb guards an opponent during Notre Dame’s loss to Clemson at Purcell Pavilion on March 6.

As authors of the weekly Observer Roundtable, it is our job to find hot takes each week and pick the top games for each weekend. And as much as we celebrate our victories, we will own up to our losses. So with no further ado, we owe an apolog y to quarterback Joe Burrow and the LSU Tigers. Not a single one of us picked LSU to take down Alabama on their home turf, and Burrow spit in our faces and proved himself every bit the Heisman contender. We aren’t picking LSU’s game this week, but fear not, we do believe they’ll beat a 4-6 Ole Miss squad. Having owned up to our mistake, we also remember our victories from last week, which included Liam

Coolican picking Illinois to stun Michigan State, and David Kramer correctly calling Cal’s upset of Washington State. So we’re not all bad. Here are this week’s current standings and college picks, and come back Friday for our NFL and upset picks!

CURRENT STANDINGS: David - 40 pts Dominic - 32 pts Aidan - 31 pts Liam - 30 pts Patrick - 27 pts Nate - 25 pts

MATCHUPS: #4 Georgia @ #12 Auburn (+3) Wake Forest @ #3 Clemson (-32) #8 Minnesota @ #20 Iowa (-3)

David Kramer: This week, Auburn hopes to protect its home turf with arguably the best defensive see MATCHUPS PAGE 11

INSIDER

ndsmcobserver.com | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2019 | The Observer

Gradel brings family lineage to Baraka Bouts

Guilfoile bridges two worlds of boxing club

By JIMMY WARD Sports Writer

Ande Gradel has a familiar name to many who follow Baraka Bouts. A senior in Cavanaugh Hall, Ande has deep family roots in the boxing club at Notre Dame. Her sister, Francie “Dr. Cool” Gradel won a title alongside her little sister in both 2017 and 2018. But the history goes back much farther than that. In 1986 — long before Francie or Ande were born — Ted “The Truth” Gradel’s hand was raised in the ring when he defeated John Weber. That same year, he would walk on to the football team and kick footballs in Notre Dame Stadium under the direction of former head coach Lou Holtz. The next season he made all 33 extra points he attempted and went 14-18 on field goals. He was Notre Dame’s leading scorer on the roster that made the Cotton Bowl. As of today, “The Truth” is vying for a position in Congress. That being said, the younger Gradel surely has a bright future ahead of her. But as of now, Ande is helping those who advanced in the semi-finals on Monday night train for their big upcoming fight. A two-time champion herself, Gradel is someone many of the fighters would be honored to have at their back. This was only proven when she was named a captain this year, following in the footsteps of Francie, who served as a captain in 2018, and those of her father, who paved the road for the family back in the 1980s. Ande joined the women’s boxing club during her sophomore year and admitted that at the time the soon-to-be two-time champion did not even have thoughts of stepping foot in the ring. “When I joined I didn’t think I was going to fight,” Ande said. “I thought I just wanted to do it as a fitness thing. Then I specifically remember first learning the jab, and right away I was like, ‘Oh I’m going to fight, this is awesome.’ It was just such a great feeling to learn how to throw a punch. It just got me hooked right away.” Though timid at first, Ande said she was quick to learn the spirit of boxing. When asked if she ever feels bad fighting her teammates, Ande laughed. “No. Is it bad if I say that?” she said. “I remember my first spar sophomore year it felt weird to throw a punch. It was kind of counterintuitive. I was throwing

very lightly and they were like ‘Ande it’s OK you can definitely hit the other girl, like you’re encouraged to.’ But after that, once I kind of got used to the feeling of it, no, I don’t feel bad. We’re all teammates, we’re all doing it to make each other better. No one goes into it with a bad attitude. Everyone is there as a team so I feel like no one feels bad about it.” A true captain, Ande was quick to mention the real goal of Baraka Bouts: the Holy Cross missions in East Africa. “You can’t talk about the experience of boxing and not talk about the missions because that is the biggest part of all of this,” Ande said. “The fundraising has been a really fulfilling, fun part for me. It is definitely cool to see what we have done so far. To know exactly where our money is going to and to hear the stories of people who go on the mission trip and everything that is just such a cool part of it. At the beginning [of] the year we deliver a check from the previous year of everything we fundraise so that is always a really special day. I feel like the mission is a huge part of my experience as well.” Ande and her sister have become Baraka Bouts ‘legends’ so to speak, holding four titles under their belts, two a piece. So when Francie, a captain last season, learned of who was chosen to lead the club heading into this year, her younger sister was one of the first to hear. “My sister was a captain last year so she couldn’t really keep it from me,” Ande said. “I think right when they decided she told me so I kind of knew a little bit before everyone else but I was so honored. I was really hoping I would be one but I definitely wasn’t expecting it. I was just honored, excited, a little surprised but ready for all the work.” As for her fondest memory with the club, Ande mentioned a memory she shares with all the others in the club — the infamous Friday ‘Fun Run.’ “Usually once a year there’s like a thunderstorm on a Friday and we’re like ‘We’re going out, we’re doing it!’” Ande said. “So this year it was pouring one of the days and I don’t know something about it is just so fun, there’s this energy with it. Everyone gets really into it and we’re all super physically uncomfortable but we’re having a good time. Those are always my favorite memories.” Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hhc-nd.edu

By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS Managing Editor

Three years ago, junior Meghan Guilfoile never imagined she’d be a captain on the women’s boxing team, much less spend eight weeks teaching at a school in Kyarusozi, Uganda, as a result of her involvement in the club. “I never planned to do boxing as a freshman, I actually hated all contact sports as a freshman,” Guilfoile said. “I really took it as a way to challenge myself and fell in love with it literally the first practice I was there.” A resident of Pasquerilla East Hall, Guilfoile is one of 10 captains on this year’s team — only three of which are juniors. While she’s been involved in the club since freshman year, she said this honor still came as a huge surprise. “It was kind of the last thing I was expecting at the time,” she said. After losing in the semifinals her freshman year to a then-captain, Guilfoile returned to the ring her sophomore year, advancing to the finals before losing by split decision. Just a month after that nailbiting loss, Guilfoile was named a captain, cementing her leadership

in the organization. She spent the spring semester helping with Bengal Bouts, the boys boxing tournament in March, and familiarized herself with the responsibilities of being a captain. “We helped the boys throughout their whole season which was really great insight into what my role would be as a captain,” Guilfoile said. This past summer Guilfoile travelled to Uganda, serving the Holy Cross mission and interacting with the communities impacted by the work done on campus. “I had always wanted to do an ISSLP, but once I found out I could go through Baraka Bouts and meet a lot of the students we fundraised for every year it was kind of a no-brainer for me,” she said. “To be able to really see the full circle of that program and to really understand why we were boxing has been very humbling.” Having experienced the work of the mission first-hand, Guilfoile returned to Notre Dame ready to compete. However, two days before the bouts began, she was ruled ineligible to compete due to a concussion. “I’m so blessed to have been able

to go and teach all the students that we support every year because it really made the entire process so much more humbling and beautiful,” Guilfoile said. “Once I found out two days before I was devastated, but I was immediately reminded by all the captains and people on the team exactly why we do our tournament. ... It’s not about me, it’s not about any of us. It’s about our students.” While she may not be in the ring this year, she’s found ways to contribute to the tournament’s overall goal — fundraising for an assembly hall at Lake View Secondary School. Guilfoile will also look to apply her degree in business analytics to the tournament’s fundraising efforts going forward. “Determining what is the next thing that we are fundraising for my senior year, knowing exactly where that money goes and how I communicate that to the rest of the team,” Guilfoile said. “We’ve found that people really responded well knowing exactly where the money’s going toward and hearing specific stories about our students.” Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond3@nd.edu

As captain, Hamon delves deeply into Bouts mission By CONNOR MULVENA Sports Editor

Anne Marie Hamon, a senior of Pasquerilla East Hall, has been an integral element of the women’s boxing club since freshman year. For the once-tournament champion, it was as if her run in Baraka Bouts was written in the stars. “I came to summer scholars the summer after my sophomore year of high school, and I saw a Baraka Bouts poster, and I thought it was the coolest thing in this entire world,” she said. “... I didn’t know that women boxed, let alone at Notre Dame. And I already really wanted to come to Notre Dame, so I was like, ‘That’s it, that’s going to be me when I’m older.’” Hamon wasted no time getting involved when the time came. “I had started boxing at my gym back home in San Antonio. So I already had the technique, and I knew that I wanted to do boxing as soon as I came to Notre Dame. I was like, ‘Alright, where’s the boxing club?’” Hamon said. Hamon’s experience as a member, and eventual captain and copresident, of the women’s boxing club has been far from monotonous. From a boxer concerned primarily with her own prospects in the tournament, Hamon presents herself now as a forceful element of women’s boxing’s mission and a leader in the program.

“You can be as dedicated of a boxer, but when you’re just a boxer, it’s more about … really [focusing] on how you’re going to do in the tournament,” Hamon said. “ ... But then when you become a captain — junior year I really had to adjust my mindset because now you’re here to train other people.” With her commitment to the missions and development of those in the program, it might seem tough for Hamon to maintain her own progress as a competitor. But Hamon has been a force in the tournament each year, even tallying a tournament victory her sophomore year. But her loss freshman year was an integral part of her eventual progress. “Freshman year, I think I got out in the semis, got beat up pretty badly by a senior who was really good, and she ended up winning the whole thing. But that was a really good experience. Sophomore year, that was when I really applied myself, and I won. That was pretty cool. What really makes you a good boxer is that mental toughness, and confidence in yourself, so something happened where it switched … something switched kind of like a fire in my belly, and I just started having this technique I had in the ring of just basically finding an opening, and pushing them back and don’t stop punching,” Hamon said. Hamon was eliminated in the

quarterfinals this year. Ironically, her passion for the selfless aspects of being a good captain might have contributed to her loss. “I was cornering for three people, and getting really into that, not focusing on my fight that was also coming up later that night. And I completely lost track of time … so I just ran to get ready, put on my uniform, and I was next,” she said. “I didn’t even warm up, because I was just so preoccupied.” Hamon’s attitude remains optimistic after the loss, and it’s evident that her faith in the mission of the club remains strong. “At the end of the day, it was out of my control, and it’s really not about how well I do in the tournament at all,” Hamon said. “I raised 2,000 dollars this year for the charity, and I’m proud of that.” Though Hamon hasn’t had the opportunity to go to Uganda, her efforts have left a mark on the club’s missions abroad. “What was really cool sophomore year was when we built the dorm, and that was one of the top fundraisers,” Hamon said. “There’s literally like a wing of the school called the Hamon wing. … I think I’m still top fundraiser. That’s my goal. I didn’t win the tournament, but I can be top fundraiser.” Contact Connor Mulvena at cmulvena@nd.edu

INSider

The observer | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Nguyen cultivates strong community with club By HAYDEN ADAMS Associate Sports Editor

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

The Baraka Bouts captains pose together in the practice room. The club raises money for children in Uganda through boxing.

McCarthy looks to bring home final Bouts title By JACK CONCANNON Sports Writer

Two years ago, when Ellie McCarthy stepped on campus, she joined Baraka Bouts with the same attitude with which many new participants today approach it. The junior was trying a new thing, drawn to the club by its focus on empowering women and the money it raises for children in Uganda. She kept going to practices, working hard as some of the rookies around her found other activities on campus or slowed in their preparation as the workouts became increasingly difficult. After months of pushing through the training, she was ready to fight. Unlike the vast majority of rookies, she pulled off an incredible run. She won the title over a junior by split decision in the championship. It was deemed a spectacular performance for any boxer, let alone someone in her first year. While she was eliminated in the semifinals as a sophomore, her work ethic and positive attitude still shone. These traits and more earned her a spot as a captain in this year’s Baraka Bouts as a junior. McCarthy knew she had a big role to fill for the newer girls in the program. “I knew I had to live up to it,” McCarthy said. “In my previous two years the captains had been such great influential forces. They taught the boxing aspects and were great about getting me to feel comfortable about myself and comfortable about my skills. I knew that was a role that I wanted to have for the other girls in the program.” While being a strong fighter is important, raising awareness and funds for the program’s mission are even more important to McCarthy. Her favorite event the program puts on allows her to spread the word about the club to people visiting Notre Dame. “I love doing the fun runs on Fridays,” McCarthy said. “We do them anytime there’s a football game. We run around

campus and try to get as many donations as possible. My favorite part is talking to all of the people that come to campus. They look at us like we are crazy and ... and they don’t know what we’re saying. I always make it a point to stop and talk to families and explain who we are and our mission. I definitely talk to any young girls that I see and say, ‘When you come to Notre Dame you have to join the boxing program because you can do it too.’” Now that McCarthy has advanced to the finals, she will take on another one of her teammates to claim the crown for her division. While fighting against the girls she has been helping along all throughout the fall may seem like an odd situation at times, McCarthy believes everything changes when they step in the ring. “We all have a good mindset that it’s a sport, and we’re all trying to the best at the sport that we can do. I am definitely friends with a lot of the girls outside of the ring, but when we are in the ring you’re not friends, you’re opponents,” McCarthy said. “We pride ourselves on having a level of respect between opponents. We never want it to turn into a brawl or a bar fight or anything like that.” McCarthy will need to bring her best if she is going to take home her second title in three years. All of the fights at this point are close, and even junior captains know that there are aspects of their game that need improvement. McCarthy said that in order to win she will need to work on the specifics and focus on her fitness. “I want to work on some of the specific skills,” McCarthy said. “Working on my combos, keeping up my conditioning throughout the week. It’s harder as it gets colder, you’re less motivated to actually work out, but I definitely see the finish line and I really want to win this year. That’s the goal.” Contact Jack Concannon at jconcan2@nd.edu

Dallas-native Julie “All I do Is” Nguyen joined Baraka Bouts on a bit of whim. An off-campus senior formerly of Pasquerilla West Hall, Nguyen learned about it at the annual Activities Fair. However, she came to love the club for the principles of the program and the community it forged. “I came to college wanting to be involved in a program that would allow me to stay fit,” Nguyen said. “So I think, initially, it was just finding a workout program, and also wanting to try something new. And I saw women’s boxing at the Activities Fair and thought that it would be such a [cool] sport to try out. And so I tried out the sport, and I came back every year because I came to really love the sport, and also the coaches and the relationship that we build here among the

goals. It’s a really supportive community and I love to be a part of it.” Shouldering the title of “captain” within Baraka Bouts, Nguyen said, means cultivating and strengthening the tradition the club has, which includes its charity mission and supporting and empowering women in all aspects. “I know that I myself have changed my lifestyle for the better through this club,” Nguyen said. Being a captain also helps create meaningful relationships and see each boxer’s development over time. “I think that one of the most rewarding things is to see how much they’ve improved and how I could play a role in that improvement throughout the season,” Nguyen said. “And then I guess the last last aspect is the coaching part of it, being in the corner, being there when they’re fighting

and being able to contribute to one of the toughest minutes of this whole challenge. It’s super meaningful to me and I [have] really enjoyed it.” Despite falling in the semifinals of the Baraka Bouts tournament, Nguyen acknowledged the difficulty of her bracket and credited her talented competitors for challenging her. “All six of us are, in terms of skill level, very even,” Nguyen said. “My first round I won by split decision against [sophomore] Erin Fennessy. She’s a great boxer and being able to win over her was a big accomplishment. And I lost by split decision [in the] second round against Erin Doyle. She’s also one of the greatest boxers in this club and it was it was a great fight, very even match, and I really enjoyed it.” Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu

Four years of work pays off for captain Perino By DOMINIC GIBSON Sports Writer

For many students, napping in the comfort of their own room and own bed is something of a luxury. But for Marisa Perino, the Pit — the Baraka Bouts practice facility — is where she finds the most comfort. “I’ve definitely taken more naps in the Pit than I have in my room,” she said. Beyond practice, as Baraka Bouts co-president Perino has been extremely active in promoting the club’s mission throughout her four years with it. It’s a mission dedicated to service, education and promotion of female empowerment along with raising money for the Holy Cross Mission in East Africa, which Perino is sure to always keep in mind. “From freshman year [on], I was super involved in the boxing,” Perino said. “And then after my sophomore year, I went to Uganda and then my junior year I went again. All of these have been to St. Joseph’s Hill, so I’m

going back to St. Joseph’s Hill a third time in December and I’ll also be going to Lake View so I’m very excited.” A senior from Pasquerilla West Hall, some of Perino’s greatest moments as a member of Baraka Bouts have come from the people she has met along the way. “My best experiences have been the relationships I’ve made with the men’s boxers because my corners in Baraka Bouts are always the men’s boxers,” Perino said. “I’m super thankful to them. Because it’s not their season, they take a special investment in us. And then therefore when it’s their season, we take a special investment in them. Working with them is absolutely amazing. I’ve made some of my best friends, like guy or girl, with them.” Perino’s experiences in Uganda have also been a standout to her as well by affording her the ability to speak the language used by the students of St. Joseph’s Hill. “I would say my best

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Email Connor Mulvena at cmulvena@nd.edu

experiences, honestly all of them are from Uganda,” she said. “Boxing with our students over there, I can’t even explain how amazing it is. Seeing students, seeing them in class, and then teaching them how to throw a punch. Seeing them throw a punch for the first time, and they laugh and get excited and they’re like ‘Oh, I don’t think I can do that,’ but then they do and it changes them. The next time I went back, the second time to St. Joseph’s Hill, there were students who came up to me and said, ‘I want to be a boxer now’ and it’s just really, really amazing to hear.” Despite being beaten out in a close and exciting match during the semifinals of the Baraka Bouts this year, Perino will look to continue to serve her duties as copresident and continue to be active in promoting the group’s mission as she prepares for her December trip to Uganda. Contact Dominic Gibson at dgibson@hcc-nd.edu