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Volume 53, Issue 102 | friday, march 22, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Prayer service honors victims Community gathers to remember those harmed in New Zealand attack By CLAIRE RAFFORD News Editor
Members of the Notre Dame community gathered in Main Building on Thursday to pray in remembrance of the 50 victims killed at two mosques last Friday in Christchurch, New Zealand. Rabbi Karen Companez of Temple Beth-El in South Bend offered a message of solidarity and expressed sadness in light of the massacre. “We mourn the deaths of the [50] people who were murdered in this outrageous and heinous act by a gunman who was fueled by a perverted ideology, and we pray for the swift return to health of those who lie injured
still in hospital,” Companez said. “We ask ourselves yet again, how long with this needless sacrifice of human life go on? How many more innocent people will become victims of this time of senseless violence, and how many more mornings will we awaken to reports of such mind-numbing horror?” Though tragedies can sometimes make people feel helpless, Companez said a way to try to take action is to reach out to those who might come from different backgrounds and to form friendships of tolerance and unity. “As we stand here this morning,
CLAIRE RAFFORD | The Observer
see PRAYER PAGE 4
Members of the South Bend community meet in the Main Building on Thursday to remember victims of the New Zealand shooting.
Observer Staff Report
Panel discusses alumnus’ pro-life film ‘Unplanned’ By THOMAS MURPHY Associate News Editor
Members of the Notre Dame community gathered Thursday evening at Browning Cinema in the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center for a panel discussion about the upcoming pro-life film “Unplanned” hosted by the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture.
The panel, whose discussion was partly based on clips from the film shown to the audience, was moderated by O. Carter Snead, the director of the Center for Ethics and Culture. The panel’s four members included Abby Johnson, whose life is the subject of the film, Mary FioRito, a pro-life activist and fellow at the de Nicola Center for Ethics and
By GINA TWARDOSZ News Writer
On Thursday night in Stapleton Lounge, Saint Mary’s created a space for three boss ladies who had something to say. The panel discussion, “Boss Ladies, Real Talk with Female Executives,” was the first in a series of events featuring women business leaders.
NEWS PAGE 3
SCENE PAGE 5
A transformer tripped at a power substation, causing power to go out across about half of Notre Dame‘s campus around 2:30 p.m. Thursday. “Power was lost for about 10 minutes. Power plant personnel are working to determine the cause,” University spokesperson Dennis Brown said in an email. Power outages occurred in Fitzpatrick Hall, O’Shaughnessy Hall, LaFortune Student Center, among other buildings.
Vatican journalist offers insight
Culture, Chuck Konzelman, a Notre Dame alumnus from the class of 1982 who co-wrote and co-directed the film, and Cary Solomon, Konzelman’s fellow co-writer and co-director. “Unplanned,” which comes out March 29, is based on Johnson’s memoir of the same name. The story see ‘UNPLANNED’ PAGE 3
Women executives speak at College, share tips The series will culminate with the annual Engaging Women Conference to be held at Saint Mary’s on May 22. Willow Wetherall, director of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative at Saint Mary’s, hosted the event which was sponsored by 1st Source Bank. Bethany Hartley, director of diversity and inclusion for the South
Campus loses power
Bend/Elkhart Regional Partnership, moderated the event. At the beginning of the discussion, Hartley clarified the meaning behind the notion of ‘boss lady.’ “Women should be proud and embrace the word boss,” she said. “It’s an energy, it’s a feeling and it’s a movement.” see BOSS PAGE 4
VIEWPOINT PAGE 6
JACK LYONS The Observer
John Allen Jr. speaks on the relationship between the American Catholic Church and the Vatican at the Pfeil Center on Thursday. By JACK LYONS News Writer
W hen describing relations between the Catholic Church in America and the Vatican, John L. Allen Jr. compared the climate to a game where two men take turns kicking each other until one of them gives up. “We are not actually
HOCKEY PAGE 12
engaged in a patient search for understanding,” he said in a lecture at Holy Cross College Thursday evening. “We are looking to score rhetorical cheap shots against people who we perceive to be our cultural, theological and political enemies.” The Vatican journalist and see CATHOLICISM PAGE 4
TRACK AND FIELD PAGE 12
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TODAY
The observer | friday, march 22, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
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Lecture: 10 Years Hence Jordan Auditorium 10:40 a.m. - 12:10 p.m. Director of Google Analytics to speak.
Performance: Senior Voice Recital LaBar Recital Hall 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Opera performance by Aileen Markovitz.
Hesburgh Libraries Hackathon 2019 231 Hesburgh Library all day Competition for Notre Dame students.
18th Annual Mellon Colloquium Medieval Institute Main Reading Room 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Seminar discussion.
2019 Human Dignity Lecture Eck Visitor Center Auditorium 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Obianuju Ekeocha talk.
Seminar: “Climate Vulnerability” 1050 Jenkins Nanovic noon - 1 p.m. Part of the 2019 Sustainability Series.
Big Ten Hockey Tournament Finals Compton Family Ice Arena 8 p.m. ND to host Penn State.
The Work of Our Hands Various venues all day Exhibition of liturgical vestments.
Cortright v. Resor: A Reenactment Patrick F. McCartan Courtroom 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. Historic Reenactment.
Ecumenical Common Prayer Basilica of the Sacred Heart 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. Prayer for unity.
SMC to host tour of historical sites By COLLEEN FISCHER Saint Mary’s Editor
Saint Mary’s students and faculty will travel through time by visiting African-American historical landmarks throughout the South Bend community Saturday. Director of the Office of Civic and Social Engagement (OCSE) Rebekah DeLine said she created the event for the first time this year. She was aware that the South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center offered an online, self-guided tour of African-American historical sites in the South Bend Community, so she contacted members of the organization to transition the tour to a guided one. DeLine said the attendees will be transported to the different sites on a bus and will be provided lunch. “The tour has been available on the Civil Rights [Heritage Center’s] website for many years, but this is the first time that we are offering it in real life with the interim director of the Civil Rights Heritage Center,” DeLine said. She said she recognizes that AfricanAmerican history is only one part of South Bend’s history and the tour could feature many different subjects, but she values the timeliness of this
particular issue. “This moment in time is important to be thinking about history — especially the not always good history — in the local community,” DeLine said. “We also have a not always f lattering, somewhat shameful history here in South Bend, and until we are willing to own that and to really look at the injustices that have occurred and even continue to occur and say that we want to do something different or better, I don’t think things will change.” DeLine said she is happy that there is an increasingly diverse group of people who registered. “There are a couple of faculty members who have registered. Then there are students, and I just realized that some community members have registered as well,” she said. “I think that will be nice because it will be more complex in the information that is shared and the conversations that are had.” Sophomore Tori Weston said she thinks the event will serve as an opportunity to connect, converse and build community. “It will hopefully open up a dialogue about cultural differences and how this community has been impacted
by the work of African Americans,” she said. “More open communication brings communities closer together. It allows us to understand each other and to open our minds to the experiences of others.” Weston said she also hopes that the event will connect students to the South Bend community and with people and histories outside of their normal sociocultural groups. “Most students never have experiences outside of their in-group or communities they grew up in, and this is an opportunity for students to expand their horizons and learn about a group they may not know much about, and especially may not know about in the context of South Bend,” Weston said. DeLine said she wishes for students to be inspired by the history of South Bend to create a world that values inclusion and justice. “I hope they feel challenged to be part of creating a world that is more welcoming and more committed to equity and not just equality for all people in the world and people here in our community,” DeLine said.
Contact Colleen Fischer at cfischer01@saintmarys.edu
News
ndsmcobserver.com | friday, march 22, 2019 | The Observer
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Harvard professor assesses democracy in US By HOLDEN PERRELLI News Writer
Following the publication of his and Daniel Ziblatt’s book “How Democracies Die” over a year ago, Harvard professor of government Steven Levitsky visited campus to deliver a lecture on the current political climate of the United States. Levitsky spoke as a part of a larger series titled “Perspectives on World Politics,” sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, and referenced South Bend’s newfound political relevancy. “Twenty years ago, South Bend was known as the home of Notre Dame Football,” Levitsky said. “Now it’s known as the home of Mayor Pete [Buttigieg].”
Levitsky’s talking points during his lecture tied directly to concepts he explained in his latest book, including mutual toleration, forbearance and political legitimacy. “What prevents a democracy from falling is forbearance,” Levitsky said. “It’s institutional restraint.” Using the American government as a model, Levitsky referred to the system of checks and balances and pointed out term limits for the presidency. “It was not the Constitution but George Washington who set the precedent that presidents should not run for a third term,” Levitsky said. Levitsky analogized the term forbearance as the “soft guard rails” of American democracy and expanded upon the idea of forbearance by
adding his thoughts regarding mutual toleration — the idea that Democrats and Republicans should respect each other as legitimate political rivals. Levitsky said when two sides see each other as the enemy, and question their patriotism, society sees the destabilization of its democracy. “When we lose mutual toleration, politicians abandon forbearance. When we view rivals as existential threat and as enemies, there’s a breakdown of the system,” Levitsky said. “The problem is not just electing a demagogue in 2016, but electing one at a time when the soft guard rails of mutual toleration and forbearance don’t seem to be there.” Levitsky used the phrase demagogue in reference
to U.S. President Donald Trump. He said the current administration’s contributes to government that appears more authoritative than democratic. “The more polarized a society becomes, the more tolerable we are of abusive behavior by our own side,” Levitsky said. “We start to justify violence and election fraud. Donald Trump is a symptom of polarization but not the cause.” Citing the most recent government shutdown, Levitsky said the shutdown ref lects a severe breakdown in the working relationship between Democrats and Republicans. “Democrats control the [House of Representatives], so the Trump administration cannot concentrate or
abuse power,” Levitsky said. “Without minimum restraint, divided government can descend into institutional warfare. Constitutional checks and balances can be used as partisan weapons.” Levitsky also discussed the backgrounds of the Republican and Democrat parties. Levitsky said the Republican Party has remained overwhelmingly white and Christian, while the Democrat party is comprised of a much more diverse base. “White Christians are a declining share of the electorate. It’s a bleak electoral future for Republicans,” Levitsky said. “‘Make America Great Again’ ref lects a sense of peril.” Contact Holden Perrelli at hperrell@nd.edu
Women’s investing summit promotes diversity By MARIAH RUSH Associate News Editor
Notre Dame will host its first ever Women’s Investing Summit (WIS) all day Friday. The event will feature a wide variety of female keynote speakers and panels. Erin Bellissimo, managing director of the Notre Dame Institute for Global Investing (NDIGI), said the summit aims to highlight the diversity that exists in the business industry, and to show students — both women and men — that they too can work in the industry. “The goal of WIS is to bring together a forum of leading investors who happen to be women for two purposes,” Bellissimo said. “One is for our female students to see role
‘Unplanned’ Continued from page 1
follows Johnson’s journey from a clinic manager for Planned Parenthood to an outspoken advocate for the pro-life movement following a life-changing experience she had while assisting with an ultrasound abortion. In an interview prior to the event, Konzelman said he and Solomon became aware of Johnson’s story after being approached in a coffee shop by a stranger who recommended they read her memoir. “What was neat in terms of the story was that all [Johnson] ever wanted to do was help women. That’s all she ever wanted to do,” Konzelman said. “So, she was a very sympathetic character, and even in her story and the film, while watching her do things that particularly the pro-life audience will look
models that work in business. …The second is for any male students who attend to learn and to see as well that they can work for these people and ... alongside them. They can see that the industry isn’t just one face. We are really trying to encourage diversity broadly in the finance industry, and so this summit is one initiative towards pushing forward the idea that differences in people and ideas create better outcomes.” WIS begins at 8 a.m. with breakfast in Dahnke Ballroom in the Duncan Student Center, and goes until 4 p.m., with lunch provided. Current students, faculty and staff can attend the events for free. Three keynote speakers are on the agenda — Katie Koch, who works for Goldman
Sachs; Kate Sullivan, an Emmy Award-winning journalist who interviews top business leaders; and Cathy Saunders, with Putnam Investments. The summit is a joint effort between NDIGI, the Investment Management club, the Wall Street club and Smart Woman Securities, Bellissimo said. Bellissimo said it will be a day where everyone can learn something new about money and investing, which she said impacts everyone’s lives. “I think this is a day that students from all across the Notre Dame campus can learn and take something useful out of it because money will impact everyone’s lives,” Bellissimo said. “So really the themes are investment leadership, financial
literacy-oriented, much less around specific women’s issues. So the attendees can be men or women. It’s not going to be a day talking about worklife balance, it’s going to be about great investment ideas.” WIS is welcoming to both genders, but Bellissimo said there is still a need for women to be more involved in the business industry, and there is a need for diversity as a whole in the industry. In 2017 five percent of CEOs in Fortune 500 companies were women and 20 percent of women were Fortune 500 board members. “Less than 10 percent of assets globally are managed by women. That’s a startling number,” Bellissimo said. “I think there’s a need for all types of diversity, not just
gender, socioeconomic and race, but just where people have come from, and their schools of thought and majors. And so it’s not just finance majors that go into financial services.” Although this is WIS’ inaugural event, Bellissimo hopes to see it grow and become an annual summit. “We would love for it to gain traction and be an annual event and really grow,” Bellissimo said. “We’d want it to eventually have a huge audience of students and alumni and be an opportunity for students — not only to learn, but to network with alumni.”maker of all,” Thompson said.
at and say, ‘That action is an unsympathetic action, that action isn’t something we don’t agree with … yet we understand her motivation and we can forgive her based on what it was she was trying to accomplish.’” Konzelman and Solomon said they made a conscious decision to make the film as factual as possible. For them, this meant not only including an accurate portrayal of the abortion process, but also of those who work at Planned Parenthood clinics. Solomon said it would have been counter-productive and dishonest to paint Planned Parenthood employees in an evil light. Instead, they emphasized the humanity and honest intentions of all involved. These portrayals make the film an especially valuable contribution to the national conversation on abortion, Johnson said. “In a time where we live with
all these, ‘His truth, and her truth, and my truth and your truth,’ and people are just like, ‘What is the dang truth? Not your version, but the truth, the absolute truth,’” Johnson said. “This film does a really beautiful job of showing that truth for really what I believe to be the first time in a pro-life film. This film has really pushed the boundaries.” Konzelman said he and Solomon felt called to share Johnson’s story of conversion with audiences on the big screen. “Regardless of how prochoice you are, you’re probably never going to be as pro-choice as Abby was, and regardless of how pro-life you are, you’re probably not going to get as pro-life as Abby has become,” Konzelman said. “Something happened here. She had her Saul of Tarsus moment. This story was scripted by the Holy Spirit, Abby lived it and it was
just our job to translate it.” The movie was produced with an eye towards performing the work of God, Solomon said. “The way we look at it is we labor in the fields of the Lord,” he said. “So, it wasn’t about art for us, this is not about our glory, it’s about His glory.” Because abortion has become “the third rail of American politics,” Konzelman said they have struggled to convince major outlets to advertise the film’s release. “We don’t talk about it for the most part. There’s this societal agreement not to talk about it,” he said. “This week we can’t advertise on Lifetime because they won’t take our ads, we can’t advertise on Hallmark, they won’t take our ad dollars … The mainstream press for the most part is still busy pretending this film doesn’t exist. We’re opening wide on a thousand screens next week, and yet there’s this real effort to
just kind of squelch it and hope it will die a quiet death and go away.” Regardless of any difficulties with media attention, Johnson said the honesty of “Unplanned” will have a lasting influence on the very nature of the abortion debate in America. “Abortion continues to be perpetuated and escalate in the way it is in our society because abortion is done in secret,” Johnson said. “You can see the aftermath of it, you can see pictures like that all day on Facebook and on the internet, but to watch a person’s life be extinguished is a very powerful thing to witness. It is the most tragic thing you will ever witness. And finally we have something that is going to pull back the curtain so that it is no longer a secret to our society.” Thompson said.
Contact Mariah Rush at mrush@nd.edu
Contact Thomas Murphy at tmurphy7@nd.edu
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NEWS
The observer | friday, march 22, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Boss Continued from page 1
The panelists for the event included South Bend city clerk Kareemah Fowler, vice president of philanthropy at Lakeland Health Foundations Brandi Smith and market development manager at Manufacturing Technologies, Inc. Constanza Lengerich. The panel began with a question about intentionality. Hartley said she pushed herself to create a panel that was intentionally diverse, and that diversity is possible if we all take the time to make it happen. Smith said for her, being a successful boss demands intentionality. “My work is relational and it demands intention,” she said. “I have to be hyper-aware and very thoughtful because my communication is critical.” Fowler said she strives to be a role model for her daughter and finds inspiration in the popular culture they share. “Drake was talking about success, and he said, ‘I am who I think I am.’ That was huge for me,” she said. “With social media and the digital age, people can put on a big facade, so for me, that hit home, and I often think about if I am who I want to be.” With everything in her life, Fowler said she tries to be intentional when seeking and creating change. “Who I am is an advocate for women and a woman who supports women,” she said. “I’m an advocate for diversity and inclusion in small business. I have to make a lot of decisions, and if I have the opportunity to make changes in those areas, I do that. I only do things where I can make a difference. I pride myself as a
Catholicism Continued from page 1
current editor of Crux, a Catholic news website, addressed the audience at the Pfeil Center as well as those watching the event online through a livestream. Allen offered wisdom about Vatican-American relations gained from decades of reporting on the subject under three popes. Allen focused on three perennial misunderstandings of perspective, law and time, which fray relationships between the Vatican and America, but also discussed misunderstandings which have appeared more recently during the Francis papacy. Allen emphasized the imbalanced perspective which some American Catholics have about their place in the world, citing statistics that the Church in the U.S. comprises only 6 percent of the global Catholic population. “Catholicism in our time is not a Western religion,” he said. Referencing concerns about a decline of Catholicism among some American Catholics, Allen pointed to sub-saharan Africa, where the Catholic population has grown from 29 million to 130 million since 1975.
person who can get things done.” Lengerich said she is intentional in her competitiveness and likes to push herself to be better. Lengerich is originally from Chile, and said that intentionally pushing herself to achieve her dreams proved lucrative and successful. “I wanted to study in the U.S., so I applied for a scholarship in Chile that covered all my expenses to study for my master’s abroad,” she said. “I didn’t get the scholarship, but I said, ‘I’m still going to study there and study in one of the best universities.’ I connected with Notre Dame — they have a really good innovation program called the ESTEEM program. I was actually one of the first applicants, and I told them that this was my dream. I ended up with a scholarship that covered 90 percent of my expenses.” Fowler said she often finds success when she is true to herself and true to her work, which she finds meaningful. “Success for me is simple — it’s being able to do meaningful work without compromise, be a role model for my 16-year-old daughter and provide for my family,” she said. “I’m at my best when I’m at service to others.” Before becoming vice president of philanthropy, Smith was living in Los Angeles, having successfully helped to develop three short films. Smith said while she was working on her screenplay, however, she discovered that she was pregnant and had to make different career choices for herself and her family. “The best advice is to be authentic,” she said. “When I started my family, that really changed my ability to be 100 percent in all the work that I do, and I still try to bring myself to the work, but I have to make choices for myself and my
family. Ultimately, for the younger women in the room who haven’t started families, the best advice is to really go for it before starting a family. Go for that thing that terrifies you because it’s harder to do once you have a family.” While the focus of the night was on women supporting women, Hartley emphasized that men can still be accountable for helping to support women. “This has always been an interesting trend, and that is that older men are not threatened by helping women,” she said. “It’s been very beneficial to me to have that relationship with those men who are willing to help me.” Lengerich and Fowler both spoke about how their fathers empowered them and made them stronger. “He empowered me,” Fowler said, “He made me stronger and taught me not to be afraid of men.” Smith said ultimately, her goal is freedom — including financial freedom, creative freedom and psychological freedom. “I’m working on building myself right now so that I can help grow others in the future,” she said. Fowler said she is now open to where her life in public service will take her, and hopes to mark her success by her growth and the growth and development of others she has supported. “Ten years from now, I want to be the best version Kareemah I can be — physically, mentally and spiritually,” she said. “I want to be able to go out into my community and pinpoint the impact I have made. I want to be able to point to all the women that I took along with me. It’s an energy, it’s a feeling and it’s a movement.”
Allen then proposed that American Catholics are also misled by the assumption that cooperation with civil authorities is the best response to the clerical sex abuse crisis across the world. While Allen agreed that such an approach makes sense in an American context, he argued that the approach could be dangerous for the Church to pursue in other parts of the world, citing regions dominated by Islamic radicalism. Americans Catholics and the Vatican also harbor misunderstandings about time and efficiency, Allen said. He employed a culinary metaphor to illustrate his message. “The United States is a microwave culture, and Rome is a CrockPot culture,” he said. However, Allen emphasized that the Vatican’s slowness is not a result of laziness or denial, but rather the product of a more methodical culture. “They simply have different instincts about when the right moment to rush in with the response is,” he said. Allen also offered his thoughts about misunderstandings which have formed under the leadership of Pope Francis. Allen called the pontiff a typical Latin American pastor and said that while this
archetype signifies great qualities in the leader of the global Church, it also signifies a skepticism of the United States. Looking at the recent example of Francis’ decision to halt the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from voting to implement new standards of accountability for bishops at their general assembly meeting in November, Allen suggested that the Pope does not always appreciate the American urgency for action. “I don’t think he likes being told what to do,” Allen said. “The pushier we get in insisting, ‘You must do x,’ the more likely he is to get his back up and say, ‘Hey, I don’t have to do this.’” Allen referenced the divisions in both the American Church and the global Church in an interview after the lecture. “It’s unfortunate. There’s great wisdom and truth in all sides of these conversations,” he said, before recalling his comparison at the beginning of the lecture. “The more you can seek that out rather than playing the three-kick rule, the better.”grant from the Whiting Foundation, an organization that provides support said.
Contact Gina Twardosz at gtwardosz01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Jack Lyons at jlyons3@nd.edu
Prayer Continued from page 1
still in a state of shock and disbelief, we wonder what else we can do in the face of such an act,” Companez said. “Something that each one of us can do is to forge, develop and continue personal relationships with people who are in some way different from us. For only by discovering that there is way more that unites us than that divides us will we ever be able to disrupt this seemingly endless cycle of violence. So here’s my suggestion — reach out to someone who’s different from you. Say hello. Start a relationship, and then nurture it, grow it and treasure it.” University President Fr. John Jenkins also offered words of support to the communities affected by the shootings. “The killings give rise to so many thoughts and emotions in us — profound sadness, anger, questions of why, perhaps even feelings of helplessness and despair in a world with so much hatred and violence,” Jenkins said. “We each must acknowledge and work through these various emotions. I hope that this prayer service today can help us heal. As Rabbi Companez said, perhaps it can encourage us to reach out and develop a friendship with someone who is different than us.” Jenkins also apologized for his statement earlier in the week that he said caused controversy among certain members of the community. “I myself must ask forgiveness, for I issued a statement earlier this week that, though certainly unintentionally, was seen by some as not respectful to our Muslim brothers and sisters,” he said. “It was a reminder to me and perhaps to the rest of us that we must never tire in our efforts to reach out, to listen to one another, to understand one
another, to overcome misunderstandings and to find that what we have in common is so much deeper than what divides us.” Jenkins closed his speech with a challenge to everyone to counter the acts of violence with love and acceptance instead of more violence and destruction. “Let us not be tempted ever to respond to anger and violence with more anger and violence,” he said. “Let us allow this terrible tragedy to inspire us to find a different path, let us ask God, who, as our Muslim brothers and sisters remind us, [is] merciful and kind, to help us to find the connections, build the bridges and put on love — the perfect bond of unity.” Ebrahim Moosa, professor of Islamic studies at Notre Dame, reflected on the shooting and violence against religious communities in today’s world. Moosa said in the face of such horrific acts, it is necessary for people to recover their humanity. “The list of such tragedies grows longer, and becomes more depressing if we monitor this type of wild violence, which is becoming all too frequent and unchecked,” he said. “To recover our humanity, we must ask communities of faith [to] stand up to this mindless violence and actively campaign not only against those who perpetuate such heinous acts, but also to expose those who aid and abet such hate and inhumanity.” Moosa added that in this time of sadness and trial, it is necessary to turn to the comfort that faith in God can provide. “May we in our time of sadness and vulnerability rely on the bountiful mercy and compassion of God and trust in ourselves and in others in order to stand firm against all forms of dehumanization, brutality and evil,” Moosa said. “Recognizing the amazing grace and compassion of God, we shall overcome and we will respond with that which is beautiful and better.” Contact Claire Rafford at crafford@nd.edu
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The observer | friday, march 22, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
By CARLOS DE LOERA Scene Writer
There is often a negative connotation that comes with brevity. When something is brief it is perceived as incomplete or underdeveloped. People who talk in short blurbs are seen as cold or standoffish. Oneword answers are rude. But, if presented correctly, brevity is powerful. There is a directness and intentionality to something brief. Every word or scene or image holds more meaning. Extended length allows for rambling and repetition. One of the most powerful movies of the last year was Bo Burnham’s directorial debut “Eighth Grade.” Coming in at just 94 minutes, the film provides for a powerful look at how social media has fundamentally changed childhood and adolescence. It also captures the universal awkwardness that accompanies the pubescent years and the many ways that this awful period of life affects relationships among friends and family. It was a quick film and it did all of that! Concision, intentionality and talent at its finest! In 2016, Solange released her magnum opus “A Seat at the Table,” a sweeping epic of an album that focused in on what it means to be a black woman in America — fighting against racism and white privilege every day, while trying not to lose grip of whatever power is already present. Written in the wake of the Ferguson protests, the album gave voice to an
By DESSI GOMEZ Scene Writer
Jill Santopolo’s second novel, “More Than Words,” was released on Feb. 5. Readers of her debut novel, “The Light We Lost,” highly anticipated this return to the printing press and bookshelf. Santopolo’s newest book wows readers once more with captivating characters and well-placed plot twists, successfully drawing them into protagonist Nina Gregory’s world. Nina is the daughter of Joseph Gregory, owner of the Gregory Hotels in New York City. Nina’s mother died when she was 13, and her father faces a relapse as he battles cancer. As the coming-of-age story unfolds, Nina discovers things about her parents that shake her to the core. Despite these unsettling discoveries, Nina finds stability in her best friend-turnedboyfriend Timothy Calder. Nina and Tim have been friends since Nina’s birth — their fathers were college roommates at Yale University. Having grown up alongside each other, the two get together as a couple just nine months before the start of the book. Although they’ve only been together a short time, it’s becoming pretty clear that Nina and Tim will get married. Or is it? Before taking over the Gregory Hotels, Nina worked as a speech writer for Rafael O’Conner-Ruiz, an
emboldened black population looking for change. And it did all of that in 51 minutes. Sure, not that short of an album, but with 21 tracks, for an average length of about 2 minutes and 25 second per track, it moves very quickly. Crafting an album that could stand toe-to-toe with “A Seat at the Table” would surely be an unenviable task, but one that Solange embraced full-on. Clocking in at just 39 minutes, but jammed with 19 songs, “When I Get Home” sees the singer moving inward from a wide view of blackness as a whole to a more intimate detailing of her upbringing in Houston. It is a short album about one of the largest and ever-sprawling cities in the US. It’s also a short album that moves without a sense of urgency, flowing smoothly and effortlessly from track to track. Many of the album’s songs are references to a part of Houston. The album’s hit single “Almeda” is a direct reference of the Almeda community just a few miles from downtown Houston. The song reflects on and praises the strong black community living in Almeda and is filled with southern-rap instrumentals. “Exit Scott (interlude)” refers to the Scott Street exit on the I-45 near downtown Houston. “Beltway,” one of the more dreamy and repetitive songs on the album, evokes the image of Houston’s Beltway 8 that loops around the city. Perhaps the repetition and dreaminess in the song reflects the repetitive, looping nature of the beltway and the
dizzying effect it has on those driving around it. “Sound of Rain,” while not having a direct mention to Houston, makes note of a quintessential experience of the city — getting trapped under a torrential rainstorm, an image that is especially powerful post-Hurricane Harvey. With the limited time Solange has, she crafts an album that recreates a traffic-filled ride from the city — a short trip filled with noise and clutter that moves at a relaxed pace, but all that really matters is what is happening in your own car. Short, but deeply personal, the album invites you to take a ride around the loop with Solange as your co-pilot.
ex-immigration lawyer running for mayor of New York City. Nina and Rafael grow closer throughout the process of his campaign, and it’s only a matter of time before the two have to acknowledge the gravity between them — an unexpected chemistry that, along with two big bombshell secrets, shatters the last shreds of stability that Nina has in her current lifestyle. Santopolo’s graceful writing style moves the story along at a smooth clip. She does a great job of letting readers into the heads of the characters, though sometimes it seems that she drags out worrisome scenarios and big decisions. She makes up for these slow sections with her elaborate descriptions of various characteristics, metaphors and memories from Nina’s childhood. Poetry permeates the novel. “Jabberwocky,” a poem by Lewis Carroll, lies at the heart of the story, symbolizing the strong connection between Nina and her father. Nina and Rafael also discuss different types of poetry, ascribing various forms to the personalities of their friends and family. Since this is the type of intimacy that authenticates relationships, it is no surprise that Nina and Rafael feel drawn to each other. Unfortunately, Nina’s life becomes more complicated when certain secrets are revealed, her ties to Tim and his family suddenly become tangled, her trust falters and she begins to question who she really is.
As these changes occur, a beautiful metamorphosis unfolds amidst Nina’s hardship. The transformation that readers witness rewards them, and the conclusion of Rafael’s mayoral campaign provides the perfect climax at the end of the book. Santopolo cleverly infuses a love story and a tale of family ties with a parable of political complexity, mirroring the many layers of New York City itself. Santopolo impresses readers with her knowledge of New York City. Santopolo’s narration of Nina’s navigation shows her familiarity with the city itself, and immerses readers even further into Nina Gregory’s world. Nina’s relationships outside of her family and love interests are also well-developed, especially with Priscilla and her college roommate Leslie. The interactions between the women in this book were some of my favorite parts to read. Ultimately, Santopolo’s sophomore work lives up to her debut through both its similarities and its differences. Her strong central female figures share various worries and waverings, while the men in their lives provide both problems and solutions. In both books, the main characters face challenges that shape who they are in the end.
Contact Carlos De Loera at cdeloera@nd.edu
“When I Get Home” Solange
Label: Columbia Favorite Tracks: “Time (is),” “Jerrod,” “Sound of Rain,” “Way to the Show” If you like: SZA, Kali Uchis, Janelle Monae, Tame Impala
Contact Dessi Gomez at dgomez5@nd.edu RUBY LE | The Observer
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The observer | Friday, March 22, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Inside Column
Why I write for Scene
Invoking the privilege to cheat Gary Caruso Capitol Comments
Dessi Gomez Scene Writer
Some people might think the Scene section of The Obser ver is easier to w rite for than other sections, or that it is not ver y journalistic because we spend most of our time w riting music and mov ie rev iews. But I’m going to refute that claim. I think Scene is, in its ow n way, a ver y valid form of journalism, and it presents its ow n challenges. We keep people up to date on popular and not-so-popular culture, which, as an American studies major, I consider ver y important and newsworthy in the day-to-day lives of the public. New singles, albums, mov ies, Netf lix shows, books, plays, musicals, etc. — we keep track of it all, and we passionately fight over which topics to claim on the budget at (or before if we get to it in time) our Sunday meetings. We tr y to communicate what is often so challenging to put into words — how these various forms of art make us feel. Yes, we evaluate them, but ultimately I w rite for Scene to tr y and communicate the beaut y of all of these media forms to others. Music is so important. W hen I tr y to imagine life w ithout music, I immediately block out that thought because I can’t picture a world w ithout music. I have a lot of respect for musicians because not only do they skillfully express complicated feelings and emotions, but they also put it to music that sounds good, and they make it look so easy. The same goes for the production of a film. The fact that all of the audio and v isual editing, combined w ith costume and makeup choices, as well as a soundtrack and good actors and actresses can create such a mov ing masterpiece leaves me awestruck ever y time. It is important to me that someone tells these t y pes of stories, and I love to tr y and interpret the stories and be as obser vant as possible to point out all the little details that make them that much more beautiful and amazing. Admiring such creativ it y has always been a goal of mine that translates into w riting for Scene. I have so much respect for the journalists in the field that risk their physical and emotional health for stories, and maybe one day I w ill be ready to do that. But for now, I’ll stick to Scene, a less hard-hitting but just as serious form of news. I feel that Scene prov ides hope and happiness amidst some of the more intense topics found in newspapers today. Contact Dessi Gomez at dgomez5@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com
It is not surprising — and should have been expected given the fierce competition high school students encounter to gain entrance to prestigious universities — that dozens have been ensnarled in the recent collegiate admittance scheme. Federal indictments were issued against the alleged opportunist scam artist William “Rick” Singer, along w ith parents and collaborating college officials. As time passes, more assertions come to light of briber y and rigging of student admittance. On Wednesday, prosecutors claimed the Bruce Isackson family transferred Facebook stock to bribe their daughter’s way as a “no show” onto the UCL A women’s soccer team that finished as the runners-up for the 2017 national championship. For his part, Singer perfected his operation and sales pitch as early as 2010. Singer submitted a realit y show audition tape describing the collegiate admissions process as a competitive contest. He pitched himself as a “life-coach” for families desperate to assure that their children w ill be admitted into the likes of Stanford, Yale and USC. “Just rea lize that this is a game,” he says on the recording. In 2014 Singer expanded his marketing brand by publishing the college guides, “Getting In” and “Getting In: Personal Brands.” To complement his publications, he offered ser v ices through an online business. Claiming to assist wealthy students score higher on their ACTs or SATs, Singer and his company, The Key, (according to the indictment) allegedly enabled clients to cheat on the exams. Prosecutors also accused Singer of bribing college coaches and athletic officials to vouch for prospective students by claiming that a student was a varsit y recruit for a collegiate sports team. However, as in the UCL A Isackson case, Singer, as well as the coaches, knew the student profile was fabricated and that the student was not a competitive player. At the heart of this matter lies parents who f launted their wealth to game a system for their children rather than accept an outcome and answer according to their child’s merits. Not ever y family of comfortable means resorts to such unscrupulous behav ior. However, a my riad of reasons accounts for our societal imperfections, which are topped by greed, selfishness, power and vanit y. Sprink le in a touch of immoralit y, a lack of v irtue and an absence of fair-play values. People w ith those characteristics are the ideal clients for Singer. In many ways we are the “Two Americas” that candidate John Edwards espoused in his 2008 presidentia l bid. We are div ided into an aff luent cultura l societal class and the povert y or peasant class. I imagine Singer appea ls to people who believe that w ithout designer clothes, another’s linage is merely from a Bubba clan, not a proud prominent family. The thinking is that anyone who doesn’t climb to the countr y club socia l status is just considered unsophisticated.
They probably believe that the elusive ethos ca lled culture is exclusively an inheritable legacy only for the few, w ithin which they and their persona l pedigree are included. This should not be an indictment on the majorit y of wealthy or generationslong families. It could be. However, the character w ithin each of us shines in our generosit y and competition w ithin the rules set for all. Some suggest that legacy admittance at higher educational institutions like Notre Dame similarly rigs the system. This w riter does not subscribe to that thought so long as both legacy and public applicants are free to pursue an alternative means of admittance like a year away prov ing oneself before transferring during sophomore year. Cut the admittance pie and rank each piece from top to bottom while acceptance is based according to a given and equal formula. That is a fair and reasonable process. A Wall Street Journal exposé in 2014 outlined how, for years, Notre Dame football fans could easily blame the team’s mediocrit y on “notoriously sting y admissions standards, a pick y admissions director and onerous academic demands … [know n to have] … kept out the best players.” Yet others could suggest that any universit y’s character and brand are more inf luential for recruitment. Penn State or Stanford, w ith their vastly differing institutional attributes, consistently keep pace w ith Notre Dame in competitive prowess on the field and successful graduation rates. Ironically, as a result of such branding, the Singers of the world can prey on those w illing to bribe and cheat to gain such admittance. In Singer’s case, collegiate admittance was the target. But any prominent school w ith any noted sports tradition can be scammed in many ways. Perhaps someday investigators might delve into who rides the plane w ith a team to away events. Perhaps somewhere in some athletic department a staff member whose spouse or friend offers travel consulting ser v ices overcharges boosters to stay in the same hotels as those traveling teams. Yet while the varieties of illicit opportunities could abound throughout collegiate athletics, none can be successful w ithout those w illing to buy their ways into favor, notoriet y or acceptance. Collegiate admittance, like life itself, is a game, but not the one Singer played. Nobody is entitled to cheat or scam or rig the process. Place your fortunes around the board in anticipation of an equal opportunit y bet ween you and those around the table. Then in the end, when we accept the outcome, all of us maintain our dignit y while practicing fellowship. To do less cheats ever yone. Gary J. Caruso, Notre Dame ‘73, 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. His column appears every other Friday. Contact him on Twitter: @GaryJCaruso or email: GaryJCaruso@alumni.nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | Friday, march 22, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Restoring sanity to asylum Ray Ramirez The Crooked Path
The right to seek asylum is a pillar of international law. The underly ing principle is the nonrefoulement doctrine (from the French refouler, to drive back or to repel). This doctrine prohibits nations from returning asylum seekers to a countr y in which they are in danger. As a signator y to the 1951 U.N. Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, built on the principle of non-refoulement, the U.S. has agreed to abide by this norm. Beyond long-standing tenets of international law, the concept also has been enshrined in U.S. law in the Immigration and Nationalit y Act (INA), which requires indiv idualized investigation of asylum seekers’ cases. It is worth noting that the non-refoulement doctrine is tangentially referenced in President Trump’s stump speeches that make unfounded claims about refugees constituting a criminal element that poses an immediate danger to this countr y. This fear-mongering rhetoric is a somewhat clumsy effort to invoke one or more of the three exceptions to application of non-refoulement: First, the benefit may not be claimed by a refugee who may pose a danger to the securit y of the countr y in which he or she is seeking asylum; second, the principle does not apply to a person who, hav ing been conv icted by a final judgment of a particularly serious crime in their home countr y, is a danger to the countr y of refuge; and third, the benefit of non-refoulement is denied to any person suspected of committing a crime against peace, a war crime or a crime against humanit y in the countr y they are f leeing. Even if such exceptions ex ist, they still would need be determined only after the indiv idual analysis required by the INA. In a June opinion entitled “The Matter of A-B,” then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions arbitrarily
decreased the t y pes of threats that could qualif y as bases for credible fear — a prerequisite for asylum. Sessions stated that neither the imminent threats of domestic v iolence nor gang v iolence could be accepted as a cause of credible fear. Sessions made clear the Trump administration would ignore the non-refoulement doctrine in such instances. The immediate response was a series of lawsuits challenging Trump over his asylum policy. Two recent court rulings may help re-establish the U.S. as a countr y abiding by international law and its ow n legislative guidelines regarding asylum seekers. Kicking off the return to the rule of law was a decision by Judge Jon Tigar in San Francisco blocking the Trump administration from enforcing a ban on asylum for any immigrants who illegally cross the US-Mex ico border. Prior judicial decisions had established that asylum seekers’ v iolation of the normal entr y requirements did not constitute an illegal act that allowed ignoring their rights other w ise as asylum seekers. U.S. immigration law states that immigrants can apply for asylum regardless of how they enter the countr y. Judge Tigar’s ruling keeps the ban on hold pending the outcome of a lawsuit challenging it. The case could take months, if not years, to resolve. The U.S. Supreme Court recently affirmed Tigar’s legal basis for rejecting the ban. In a more dramatic ruling, 12 plaintiffs suing under pseudony ms won a critical v ictor y in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Judge Emmet G. Sullivan’s 107-page opinion nullifies The Matter of A-B, rejecting Sessions’ attempt to narrow eligibilit y for asylum. Sullivan called Sessions’ decree “arbitrar y and capricious” and stated that making asylum decisions by sweeping reference to fear based on broad categories such as domestic or gang v iolence, rather than indiv idual assessment of claims, v iolates the INA. Death and injur y can come at the hands of a domestic partner or a gang member as
surely as from armed insurgents, as long-recognized by U.S. and international law. Judge Sullivan’s tone was somber and measured, but he clearly condemned the Trump administration’s goal-oriented — rather than fact or law-based — approach to ignoring existing law. Judge Sullivan drew a distinction bet ween “the w ill of Congress,” which is paramount when interpreting legislation, versus “the whims of the Executive,” as expressed in Sessions’ screed. Judge Sullivan’s lack of patience w ith abuse of power at the federal level is consistent — the same week he presided over a sentencing hearing for former national securit y adv iser Michael Fly nn. The stories of asylum seekers are heartbreaking and illustrate the importance of listening to the concerns of the indiv iduals involved, rather than labeling whole groups of people as “illegal” or “criminal.” It is heartening that the rule of law, as ref lected in the recent decisions by Judges Tigar and Sullivan, can still temper the heated and cra zed headlong rush to ignore humanit y’s better tendencies to protect the defenseless among us. With diligence and v igilance, we can, and should, ensure legislators make this countr y’s commitment to humane and fair treatment of all asylum seekers unmistakable and unambiguous. As concerned people of faith, we can help directly by supporting the work of organizations such as Catholic Charities in prov iding aid and relief, including legal ser v ices, to refugees. Ultimately each of us only deser ves the comfort and protection we are w illing to extend to our most v ulnerable neighbors. Ray Ramirez is an attorney practicing, yet never perfecting, law in Texas while waiting patiently for a MacArthur Genius Grant. You may contact him at patrayram@sbcglobal.net The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The note from ‘Jersey Shore’ — revised Sam, As an Italian-American myself (a great start to any body of work) I would like to address the general ignorance that exists around Italian ‘role model’ Christopher Columbus. I would like to say Columbus was a nonsensical and murderous person who should not be idolized in any sense. If we want to preserve the importance of “history,” let’s lay out some facts about murder-y old Columbus. Number 1 He thought the earth was shaped like a pear, and had a nipple on the top. Yup that’s true! He did not find out the the world was a globe — like so many people seem to believe. Save that one for sex-ed I guess. One can guess that this nipple was female-presenting, as history — much like tumblr — wants to censor this out. Number 2 The entire fabrication of Columbus’ story that so many people have taken as fact was actually a story written by Washington Irving (writer of Sleepy Hollow). “The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus,” is fiction, loosely and
— I mean loosely — based on Columbus’ life. The book claims Columbus found out the world was round, but actually it was common knowledge in his day. (If you want to learn more, my nonrage readers check out the book Inventing the Flat Earth: Columbus and Modern Historians by Jeffrey Burton Russell). Number 3 W hite Italian-Americans are not discriminated against in today’s climate. I have nothing more to add on this — it’s fact. Number 4 In the words of Lady Gaga, “I’m an Italian girl from New York. I’m Italian, from a strong Italian family. I’m Italian. I’m Italian. So, I’m Italian. But I’m Italian, so. I’m very Italian. And I’m Italian.” I think we are all a bit tired of hearing about Italian history. We should all recognize that there are better Italian role models than dusty Columbus, and that Native American/ Indigenous peoples rarely get their story told in history. Indigenous people have essentially been wiped out by the murderous and hideous nature
of colonialism. W hat I would like to see happen is greater focus on their stories, their culture and their lives. History has long since ignored the fact that all of the United States’ institutions (including Saint Mary’s, Notre Dame and Holy Cross) exist on and take up Native lands. To close out: Respect the rights and sovereignty of Native Americans — that’s quick maths! And, it is my artistic opinion, or Viewpoint, that the murals are boring, uncreative and frankly showcases a deliberate lie about the history of the United States. Some things to check out — Snite Museum exhibit: Revisions: Contemporary Native Art, the Pokagon Band of of Potawatomi website and the Native American Student Association Facebook page Multiple people in the house know, therefore you should know the truth. Mary Marta Antonetti junior Feb. 13
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Classifieds
The observer | friday, march 22, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Will Shortz
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Learn through experience, and concentrate on making physical and financial improvements that lead to personal freedom. Consider your options and whether you should invest more time in the people and projects that monopolize your time. This is a year of transformation. Re-evaluate the past, and make the necessary adjustments that are conducive to discovering what makes you happy. Your numbers are 6, 14, 20, 23, 31, 35, 42. ARIES (March 21 - April 19): L isten carefully and consider all sides of a situation before you let your emotions take over. If you act without having all the facts, you will find it difficult to backtrack. Offer kindness and consideration to others to keep the peace. ★★★ TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Make the most of your time, and put your energy into getting things done. What you accomplish today will set the stage for an overdue change. Don’t deny yourself the opportunity to create and manufacture what you want to see unfold. ★★★ GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Take it easy. Spend time with someone you enjoy being around. Distance yourself from those who tend to get you into trouble or make you angry. Make decisions that will help keep the peace instead of promoting chaos and dissension. ★★★★★ CANCER (June 21 - July 22): An idea you have may sound outlandish, but toned down it can turn into something extraordinary. Don’t give up on a dream because someone ridicules you. Adjust to the current economic climate, and follow through with your plans. ★★ LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22): Learn from experience. Plan your actions instead of winging it and hoping things turn out OK. Less risk and more research will make a difference to the way things unfold. Live life to win, not to scramble your way through. ★★★★ VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22): Participate to learn a lot about life. The people you encounter will offer interesting opinions that make you realize what you can do to improve your life. Let go of emotional situations that hold you back. ★★★ LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): Set down some guidelines, and refuse to let anyone bully you or make you feel inferior. If you love who you are, your attributes will shine. It’s time to make personal changes that motivate you to live life your way. ★★★ SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21): Don’t lose sight of what’s going on in your personal life because you are too busy with work. Balance will be required if you want the best of both worlds. Include someone you love in your plans. ★★★ SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): Alter what isn’t working for you. Distance yourself from people you can’t trust or those who are indulgent or who exaggerate. Truth will matter when it comes to your personal and professional goals. Choose love over friction. ★★★★ CAPRIOCORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19): Make a move. Whether it’s from one location to another or an attitude change, the difference will encourage you to take control of your life and to do the things you enjoy more and those you don’t less. ★★ AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18): Helping others is honorable, but don’t let anyone take advantage of you or take on something that could end up leading to injury or an argument. Offer suggestions, not physical or financial help. Put your money in a safe place. ★★★★★ PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20): Take one step at a time. If you rush, it will cause delays and stress. Plan your actions, and stick to what works best for you. Don’t promise more than you can deliver to impress someone. Let your actions speak for you. ★★★ BIRTHDAY BABY: You are appealing, outgoing and progressive. You are challenging and driven.
Wingin’ it | olivia wang & bailee egan
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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SPORTS
ndsmcobserver.com | friday, march 22, 2019 | The Observer
Sports Authority
Baseball
LeBron saved the playoffs Paris Shirley Sports Writer
When LeBron James packed up his bags for the bright lights of Los Angeles last summer, he flipped the script on many of the commanding narratives of the modern NBA. It was a revolution in the movement of player empowerment that began with his superteam-constructing actions eight years prior in Miami, and simultaneously a “Game of Thrones”-sian-level alliance of the King’s personal brand with that of one of the world’s most historic and recognizable teams. However, it’s also important to note the juiciest storyline that seems to have all but disappeared in the wake of LeBron’s move out west — that is, that the NBA should do away with conferences in regards to playoff seeding, and instead create a 1- through 16-seed bracket of the NBA’s best based on record. The call for a fairer playoff seeding system has grown steadily more vocal throughout the past two decades, and it came to a peak last season. At the All-Star Game in February 2018, commissioner Adam Silver floated the idea of a 1-16 playoff format, recognizing that “You would like to have a format where your two best teams are ultimately going to meet in the Finals.” Someone should check if Silver’s ever heard of the word “jinx,” because the following playoffs played out exactly how he wouldn’t have preferred. The Western Conference Finals featured an exhilarating sevengame shootout between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets, and the actual Finals turned out to be a dud with a Cleveland team that obviously wasn’t at the same level as Golden State. The heart of the problem is an imbalance of conference power, and it’s anything but a new phenomenon. For the entirety of this writer’s life, the Western Conference has been the premier class of the NBA. Buoyed by dynastic franchises like the Lakers, Warriors and San Antonio Spurs, the Western Conference claims 12 of the past 18 NBA championships. The discrepancy also exists at an individual basis; of the 15 players selected to All-NBA Teams at the conclusion of last season, 10 resided in the West, and that’s not including the incoming King
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James. So how is it that the cry for a more balanced playoff seeding — which again, has been decades in the making — went quiet? The answer lies in LeBron’s oh-so-important departure and what it represented. If the Western Conference in aggregate has a perennial leg up on the East, it’s nothing compared to the iron grip that LeBron James held over his counterparts over the last eight years. Though his results in the Finals are a mixed bag, LeBron’s incredible consistency to get there seven-consecutive years and to demolish all would-be challengers in the East will be the defining statistic of his career. It also became destructively monotonous by the end, especially because it ran in tandem with the Warriors’ dominance. In the aftermath of the kingsized hole LeBron left arose a new Eastern elite. Like a Mad Max wasteland just waiting for a new world order, the Eastern Conference playoffs promise to be a bloodbath between teams that finally feel like the crown is theirs for the taking. At the top of the heap is the Milwaukee Bucks, led by the King’s heir apparent and likely MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Toronto Raptors, who spent years as LeBron’s whipping boys, have never had a two-way player as dynamic as Kawhi Leonard. The Philadelphia 76ers’ years-long “Process” officially ended this season when they made winnow moves in bringing in Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris. And you’d be a fool to believe that the Boston Celtics, whatever dysfunction they may have endured this season, won’t be playing their best ball when the lights are brightest. If the NBA were to have seeded these playoffs strictly by record, we’d be robbed of the significant rise to power that one of these young teams will make. It turns out we didn’t need a new playoff format, we just needed some new teams at the top. So though LeBron will be chilling in Malibu in June for the first time in a while, his presence still looms large over the NBA system as a whole. Now if only we could do something about the Warriors. Contact Paris Shirley at pshirley@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Irish gear up for home opener against Seminoles Observer Sports Staff
The Notre Dame baseball team will play its home opener Friday against Florida State. The Irish (8-10, 4-2 ACC) have some momentum after winning two series on the road against Wake Forest and Clemson this month. On the other hand, the No. 21 Seminoles (15-5, 3-3 ACC) have lost four of their last six contests, including a 20-7 thumping at the hands of No. 14 Florida and a 16-0 loss to No. 6 NC State, the latter of which was part of a road series in which the Seminoles went 1-2. The Seminoles also lost at home to in-state rival Central Florida 9-7. Florida State is headed by freshman outfielder Robby Martin and freshman infielder Nander de Sedas, who lead the team with .366 and .328 batting averages in 71 and 61 at-bats, respectively. Junior infielder Drew Mendoza has a .313 batting average, as well as a .701
slugging percentage and a .505 on-base percentage. The latter two stats are the best among Seminoles players who have played enough games to qualify for team-leading statistics. For Notre Dame, freshman infielder Carter Putz leads all eligible Irish players with a .311 batting average. Senior outfielder Eric Gilgenbach leads the Irish with a .625 slugging percentage, while sophomore catcher David LaManna has a team-leading .459 on-base percentage. The Seminoles have five eligible players with a batting average over .275, four of whom are above .300 batting, while Putz is the only Irish player with an average above .300. Notre Dame is not totally outmatched in terms of batting, however, as four other Irish players have at least a .260 average. Florida State maintains an advantage in slugging, as the team has six eligible players over .500 in slugging percentage, whereas sophomore
infielder Niko Kavadas is second to Gilgenbach in that stat at .471. No other eligible Irish players are above .400. The Seminoles alternate between two main pitching starters — sophomore righthanded pitcher CJ Van Eyk and junior left-handed pitcher Drew Parrish — who have a combined 10 starts and five wins on the year. Van Eyk has a 4.85 ERA and Parrish has a 5.88 ERA, due in part to the fact they both lead the team with 26 innings pitched apiece. Notre Dame goes deeper in the bullpen, and as such, the ERAs of its pitchers are more balanced. Sophomore lefthanders Cole Kmet and Tommy Sheehan lead the Irish with a 2.89 and a 3.34 ERA, respectively. Senior and junior righthanded pitchers Shane Combs and Cameron Junker contribute 3.38 and 3.81 ERAs, respectively. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Friday at Franck Eck Stadium.
Ncaa | March Madness
Late mistakes cost NM State victory against Auburn Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY — A.J. Harris had an easy layup for the tie. He wanted a win for New Mexico State. It didn’t work out, but boy-ohboy, what a way for the Aggies to go down swinging Thursday against fifth-seeded Auburn in the NCAA Tournament. With the clock ticking down, Harris passed on an open layup and kicked out to wide-open teammate Terrell Brown, who was spotted up for the gamewinner behind the arc. Brown was fouled as he took the shot, but missed two of three free throws with 1.1 seconds left, and New Mexico State fell 78-77. It’s hard to call the 12thseeded Aggies losers after their showing in the opening round of the Midwest Region, though. “I can sit up here and second guess,” said New Mexico State coach Chris Jans, “but if he makes the 3, or makes all three free throws, it’s an Ali-Frazier moment.” Harris said he knew the Aggies were trailing by two as he took the inbounds pass with 6 seconds left, darted up the left side of the court, sped past J’Von McCormick, and then got a step
on Auburn forward Chuma Okeke. There was nothing but air between the 5-foot-9 guard and the basket as he made his way through the key. “Yes, I did, I had an open shot,” Harris said. “But I felt Terrell Brown was going to hit the 3.” He missed, but took a foul from Bryce Brown, who was late getting out to the arc, and clearly as shocked as anyone to see the ball get kicked back out. “They have a lot of shot-blockers on their team, so I could see why he would kick it out,” Terrell Brown said of his teammate’s decision. With McCormick making the choke sign as Brown toed the line — “I saw in his face, he was pretty scared,” McCormick said — the junior guard watched his first free throw clank out. He stepped up again and made the second. Then the third one bounced around the iron before bounding out. Auburn knocked the rebound out of bounds and New Mexico State’s Trevelin Queen had an open look from the wing at the buzzer but shot an air ball. That huge sigh of relief? It came from Auburn. The Tigers
(27-9) led by as many as 13 midway through the second half, and McCormick’s three-point play gave Auburn a 73-65 lead with 2:13 left. It looked like it was time for Auburn to start making plans for Saturday’s second round. Two turnovers, two missed free throws and two Aggies 3-pointers later, the Tigers were fighting for their lives, hoping Brown, a 78-percent free-throw shooter who had more attempts from the line than anyone on his team this season, would miss at least one. He missed two. “Until you get in that moment, you don’t know how you’re going to react,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said, when asked about the Tigers’ near meltdown. He found out. So did New Mexico State. The Aggies shot 952 3-pointers this season — ninth most in the country. And though the result hurt, chances are, they’d do the same thing again. “We’ve got shooters who stay after practice, they work on that shot all the time,” Aggies forward Johnny McCants said. “We had open shots the whole game. We just didn’t get them to fall.”
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Sports
The observer | friday, march 22, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
nd men’s Golf
Irish prepare for Tar Heel Intercollegiate By INIGO YTURRALDE Sports Writer
Coming off a third-place finish at the Schenkel Invitational, Notre Dame will be competing in the Tar Heel Intercollegiate, hosted by North Carolina, this weekend. At their last tournament, hosted by Georgia Southern, the Irish finished third out of a field of 14, with the team combining for a threeunder-par 861. Senior captain Miguel Delgado led the way for the Irish with a four-under-par 212 on the weekend, good for a tie for fifth place overall, while freshman Andrew O’Leary also notched a top-10 finish, tying for seventh with a three-under-par 213. Junior Davis Lamb posted a four-underpar final round of 68, landing him in a tie for 13th on the weekend with a one-under 215. Looking forward to the Tar Heel Intercollegiate, Irish head coach John Handrigan expressed his thoughts on the level of competition the team is expecting this weekend.
W Lax Continued from page 12
net. Vanderbilt tied the game with a goal that followed six minutes later, courtesy of freshman attack Maddie Souza, but the game sat tied at one goal apiece halfway through the first period. However, Kathleen Roe used her speed and agility to outpace most of the Vanderbilt squad down the field after winning a draw control, and the junior defender passed the ball off, leading to second Irish goal of the game, as Ortega scored again on the assist from junior midfielder Savannah Buchanan, coming in close as time ticked low on the shot clock. “Today’s keys to the game we nailed,” Halfpenny said. “We said the draw control was going to be critical because Vanderbilt is a handful on offense, so we wanted to limit their touches and we did.” The Commodores tied the game again on a free-position shot, but Aldave did not let the game stay knotted for long. The sophomore came in from the left, unassisted, and ripped a sidearm shot near the 8-meter circle, putting the Irish up 3-2 with just under 11 minutes left in the half. Vandy junior attack Emily Mathewson received a pass from sophomore attack Gabby Fornia, scoring over Giacolone to tie the game again, but the 3-3 tie spurred a 4-0 run from the Irish to close out the half. Buchanan netted her first goal of the game with 6:51 remaining in the period, sending the shot low, near Vanderbilt redshirt-junior goalkeeper Lily Argyle’s feet. The play evolved well as the Irish took their time and allowed the space for Buchanan’s shot to unfold without rushing. Two minutes later, Howe — Notre Dame’s leading scorer on the season so far — made
“One of our goals is to play a very competitive schedule and to play in the best tournaments in the country,” he said. “[North Carolina] has a great field this week. [With] a lot of top programs, it is going to be a good test for us.” Handrigan said he has confidence in his team going into the tournament. “All of the players that we have are good, and each one of them could perform at the highest level,” he said. “We have a lot of depth in our lineup, and I can foresee each one of these guys having a good week.” The last time the Irish competed in Tar Heel Intercollegiate was in September of the 2012-2013 season, and a major challenge this weekend, Handrigan said, will be to compete against schools who play all year round. However, Handrigan said the team is heading into this tournament with a lot of confidence. “We kind of go in there with a chip on our shoulder just knowing that they might be a little more
prepared because of their climate, but it’s a lot more motivation for us to realize that … we can still play well and compete against those top teams,” he said. Handrigan also noted that the expected weather forecast for the weekend could end up benefitting Notre Dame. “The weather is not going to be great,” he said. “It looks like it is going to be cold and windy down there. That plays into our strengths, because we are a pretty tough team mentally. Being from Indiana right now, we’re kind of used to that weather.” This season has been a bumpy one for the men’s golf team. The squad has competed in tournaments across the country, as close as Wisconsin and as far as California, and Handrigan said he has seen plenty of growth from the players. “This team is really motivated to get better, week in and week out,” he said, adding that a notable focus of this year’s team is the “team culture and character of
a slick move, losing her goggles in the process but bouncing her shot shallow of the goal, directly up the middle and past Argyle to put the Irish up by two. Senior attack Samantha Lynch built on the momentum immediately, scoring just 21 seconds later on a free-position shot, prompting the Commodores to call a timeout with just under five minutes left in the period. However, despite allowing the Commodores to regroup and even win their first draw control of the game courtesy of sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Scarrone, the Irish recovered and capped scoring on the half with an unassisted goal from Howe, who rolled in from the left and sent a shot low to put Notre Dame up 7-3. In the second period, Halfpenny said the focus was on defensive adjustments. “We thought that ground balls and second-chance opportunities were going to be massive,” she said. “We made great adjustments in the second half and ended up tipping the scales in the ground-ball war and the second-chance opportunities, the stops on defense that gave us more opportunity to finish with 36 shots, to finish with a nice 50 percent scoring.” The Commodores struck first in the second period, but Aldave answered, sidearming an unassisted goal in from the left, near Argyle’s head. Vanderbilt scored again on a free-position shot fewer than 20 seconds later, and the two teams went on to trade possessions for five minutes until Halfpenny called a timeout. Coming out of the timeout, the Irish took control, as — after two shots from freshman midfielder Hannah Dorney and Lynch went wide — junior midfielder Erin McBride netted her third goal of the season. Then, after preventing Vanderbilt from scoring on the
following possession, Notre Dame scored three times in the space of a minute. Buchanan charged straight in from the left on a free-position shot and bounced a goal in to put the Irish up 10-5. Aldave secured her hat trick, hitting an unassisted goal from the right side, and seconds later, freshman midfielder Madison Mote scored from near the box on a pass from freshman attack Mollie Carr as she was going to the ground. It was Mote’s first career goal and prompted her teammates to chant her name. The Irish continued their offensive domination of the Commodores in the coming minutes, as Lynch connected with Aldave for a man-up goal and Mote scored her second goal of the game on a free-position shot. While Souza scored again for the Commodores, it was the furthest they would sink their teeth in for the rest of the game. Sophomore goalkeeper Bridget Deehan came in to relieve Giacolone — who left the game with 10 saves — and the Irish did not let off the gas. Sophomore midfielder Katie Enrietto, Dorney, Aldave and Lynch all added goals to the Irish total, making it an 18-6 victory, as Dorney crossed over from the left and scored over the back shoulder, while Aldave made a spin move in both directions, putting her defenders through a rinse cycle before dropping to her knees to shoot and score. Overall, Halfpenny said she was thrilled with the win. “Seven-3 first half, 11-3 second half. I’m happy with our 60 minutes,” she said. “Next question. Eighteen to six. We’re pretty happy with where we stand.” With the win over the Commodores, the Irish remain undefeated more than halfway through the season. Halfpenny
MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer
Irish junior golfer Hunter Ostrom watches closely after his putt during Notre Dame’s fifth place finish in the Fighting Irish Classic.
our players.” Following the Tar Heel Intercollegiate, the Irish will have two tournaments remaining before the ACC Championships — the Augusta Invitational, hosted by Augusta University,
and the Boilermaker Invitation, hosted by Purdue. The Tar Heel Intercollegiate starts Saturday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
attributes the start to the season to her squad’s unwavering focus. “It’s all about effort for this group. We have 10 goals we’re trying to achieve every game. We’re typically hitting at least six of them per game, and sometimes it changes, which means it’s keeping the girls focused,” she said. “But it really comes down to relentless effort and contesting every play. … It’s kind of — I don’t want to say business — but it’s business for us, and consistency is what we’re after.” Next up, the Irish will hit the road again to play No. 4 Syracuse on Sunday at noon.on the board: sophomore attack Maddie Howe was awarded a free-position shot and completed a pass to senior attack Nikki Ortega who was in motion sweeping in from the left side and sent the ball directly to the back right corner of the net. Vanderbilt tied the game with a goal that followed six minutes later courtesy of freshman attack Maddie Souza, but the game sat went wide, junior midfielder Erin McBride netted her third goal of the season. Then, after failing to allow Vanderbilt to score on the following possession, Notre Dame scored three times in the space of a minute. Buchanan charged straight in from the left on a free-position shot and bounced a goal in to put the Irish up 10-5. Aldave secured her hat trick, hitting an unassisted goal from the right side, and seconds later, freshman midfielder Madison Mote scored from near the box on a pass from freshman attack Mollie Carr, as she was going to the ground. It was Mote’s firstcareer goal and prompted a chant of her name from her teammates. The Irish continued their offensive domination of the Commodores in the coming minutes, as Lynch connected with
Aldave for a man-up goal and Mote scored her second goal of the game on a free-position shot. While Souza scored again for the Commodores, it was the furthest they would sink their teeth in for the rest of the game. Sophomore goalkeeper Bridget Deehan came in in relief of Giacolone, who left the game with 10 saves and the Irish dig not let off the gas. Sophomore midfielder Katie Enrietto, Dorney, Aldave and Lynch all added goals to the Irish total, making it an 18-6 victory, as Dorney crossed over from the left and scored over the back shoulder, while Aldave made a spin move in both directions, putting her defenders through a rinse cycle, before dropping to her knees to shoot and score. Overall, Halfpenny was thrilled with the win. “Seven-three first half, 11-3 second half. I’m happy with our 60 minutes,” she said. “Next question. Eighteen to six. We’re pretty happy with where we stand.” With the win over the Commodores, the Irish remain undefeated more than halfway through the season. Halfpenny attributes the start to the season to her squad’s unwavering focus. “It’s all about effort for this group. We have 10 goals we’re trying to achieve every game. We’re typically hitting at least six of them per game and sometimes it changes, which means it’s keeping the girls focused. But it really comes down to relentless effort and contesting every play,” she said. “ … It’s kind of, I don’t want to say business, but it’s business for us and consistency is what we’re after.” Next up, the Irish will hit the road again to play No. 4 Syracuse on Sunday at noon.
Contact Inigo Yturralde at iyturralde@nd.edu
Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu
Sports
Track Continued from page 12
weather that we’ve had … so its their first time running on a 400-meter track versus an indoor track, so it’ll be a good taste for them running outside again.” Sparks touched on who will be competing for the Irish at the Victor Lopez Classic, as well as what exactly will be different this outdoor season from an event standpoint. “The distance runners are not competing this weekend — they’ll be competing next weekend at Raleigh and Stanford — but for the rest of the track team, it’s a chance for them to switch around in some events,” he said. “The throwers are going to transition to the throw and hammer, which is a slightly different skill set, so they’ll have to reinvent themselves a little bit come outdoor track, and similarly in other events. The javelin is an event that we’ve
ndsmcobserver.com | friday, march 22, 2019 | The Observer
got a couple of really good underclassmen in … so we’ll see what their progression has been like since track last spring. Our hurdlers are running a different length, and we’ve had some success in the hurdles on the women’s side … so we’ll see what that experience will be like for them. One, we’ll experience getting outside for the first time, and two, there’s some variety of events that we haven’t been able to touch since we’ve been inside.” In terms of a particular event group that could make some noise this spring, outside of the reliable distance team, Sparks said he is paying particular attention to the throwers. “At the indoor conference meet, our men’s and women’s weight throwers — [junior] Logan Kusky and [sophomore] Rachel Tanczos — both were conference champions in the weight throw,” he said. “As [we] transition to outdoors, we expect those two in particular
Swimming
Hockey
Continued from page 11
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“The diving is a young group … they’ve done a tremendous job to get to the point,” Litzinger said. “They just need to step up and get their job done.” As Litzinger and the women’s team descended upon the Texas Sw imming Center, the men’s team remained in South Bend, preparing to make its ow n trip to Austin on Sunday, w ith competition opening Wednesday. A lthough both teams have primarily competed as a unit in dual meets, Litzinger said their makeup and strateg y are quite different, w ith the women featuring a stronger upperclassmen presence. “Ky ra Sarazen, Abbie Dolan, A lice Treuth, Nik ki Smith — they’ve done a really good job leading a really young group of kids,” he said. Meanwhile, the men’s team w ill only be sending four athletes — junior Aaron Schultz, sophomore Zach Yeadon and freshmen Marci Barta and Josh Bottelberghe. “I’m leaning on our coaches and their experience to help guide that,” Litzinger said of the young quartet. Those same coaches are the key to Litzinger’s whole system. The unique challenge of coaching two separate teams at such an important point of the season didn’t seem to faze the head coach, who credited his supporting staff as being a huge part of his coaching abilit y, w ith two assistants stay ing home “w rapping up the guys.”
you don’t k now how each team responds from a ner ve perspective. I t hink t hat’s t he one t hing t hat I t hought our g uys handled t hat prett y well last Saturday, and even against Michigan State, I t hought t hey came out strong, and t hat’s rea lly important — to start fast for us, not to be chasing t he game.” W hile Notre Dame had a number of departures from last year’s nationa l runnerup team, Jackson has relied heav ily on t he experience and leadership of his remaining upperclassmen to help lead t he Irish. On t he roster, junior for ward Cam Morrison leads t he team w it h si x goa ls and f ive assists in 15 career postseason games, including t he overtime w inner to sea l t he Big Ten tit le against Ohio State in last year’s tournament championship, while senior for wards Dylan Ma lmquist and Jack Jenk ins bot h scored postseason game-w inners last season. On t he back end, senior defenseman and f irst-team A ll-Big Ten honoree Bobby Nardella has f ive points in 16 career playoff games. “The returning g uys are instrumenta l in t hat area as far as hav ing gone t hrough — t hat’s an experience factor t hat is an advantage for us,” Jackson said. “We just don’t have as many of t hem as we did a year ago, but t he g uys — t he juniors and t he seniors t hat are in t he lineup, and even t he sophomores — t hey’ve been t hrough t hat, and hopef ully t hey’re t he g uys on t he
Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond3@nd.edu
to do well, as well as five or six other athletes — people that we expect to be very competitive at the conference level. So we’re keeping an eye on them as we transition to a new set of events.” However, the biggest focus for Notre Dame as it transitions from the indoor season will undoubtedly be how successfully it can handle the outside elements, especially when having to train in tough conditions. “If you look at our schedule this time of year, you’ll see us traveling to Texas and California and the Carolinas, trying to make sure we get some better weather that we don’t really get to see a lot of in South Bend this time of year,” Sparks said. “Trying to get out of the elements as much as we can — we’re having to train in the elements here — so we’re trying to travel where the wind isn’t as bad and the cold isn’t as brutal, and that’ll give us a better indicator of everybody’s ability once we get out
bench or in t he locker room t hat are keeping t hings under control to when our ner ves don’t become a factor, especia lly during t hose times where t here’s momentum sw ings w it hin a game. Because t here’s never been a perfect hockey game, t here’s a lways adversit y in ever y game, and t hat’s where you have to have g uys t hat can ca lm t he troops when t he troops are getting a litt le ratt led.” In net, however, is perhaps t he most impressive performer, as junior Ca le Morris is 8-1-0 w it h a .952 save percentage and a 1.55 goa ls-against average, including an undefeated record in t he Big Ten tournament. Morris has once again ramped up his play t his postseason, and Jackson credited him for his steady performances. “Ca le is t he backbone of our team, and when he’s ca lm, when he plays ca lm, t hat’s when our team is at its best. Because t hey k now t hat if t hey do ma ke a mista ke, t hey’ve got t hat ace in t he hole,” he said. “Ca le’s been rea lly good since we started t he playoffs — he’s had a good season overa ll, but I t hink he’s rea lly been on anot her level here in t he playoffs.” Notre Dame hosted Penn State in t he team’s reg ularseason conference f ina le, which saw t he Irish split t he t wo-game series w it h a 5-4 w in and a 3-2 loss. Jackson said t he Nittany Lions remain a tough opponent for t heir aggressive st yle, a factor t he Irish w ill have to ta ke into account in order to defend t heir trophy. “I t hink t hat over t he season, from t he f irst time we
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ANNa mason | The Observer
Irish freshman distance runner Jack McNabola mantains his stride during the Meyo Invitational at Loftus Sports Center on Feb 2.
of the wind and cold.” The Irish will look to both enjoy the Texas weather and kick the outdoor season off strong at the Victor Lopez Classic. Competition gets
played t hem until recent ly here, I t hink t hey’re doing a better job defensively,” he said. “I t hink t hat t hey’re a high-risk team. They play a high risk game, t hey pull out of t he zone early, t hey expect t hat t heir defensemen can handle plays under pressure, t hat t hey can blow out of t he zone and tr y and create odd-man rushes. Their game is a ll about transition, and it’s a lso about puck pressure. You have to manage t hat puck pressure w it h good decisions on your ow n, a ll over t he ice, and t hen t he ot her part of it is when you do get t he puck — as t hey’re defending better now, so
underway Friday at 6 p.m. before resuming on Saturday at noon. Contact Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu
you have to ma ke good decisions w it h t he puck to brea k dow n t heir defensive game.” But before worr y ing about anot her trip to t he Frozen Four, Jackson said he is focused on t he task at hand. “That’s been t he emphasis, is to get to t he Big Ten championship and w in a championship,” he said. “Ever y t hing else w ill ta ke care of itself. Because t hat’s t he only t hing t hat’s on target for us right now, t he only t hing t hat matters is just focusing on t he next game.” Contact Tobias Hoonhout at thoonhou@nd.edu
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
Irish freshman forward Alex Steeves handles the puck during Notre Dame’s 1-0 win over Michigan State on March 8 at home.
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The observer | friday, march 22, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
nd Women’s Lacrosse | nd 18, Vanderbilt 6
ND continues perfect season By ELIZABETH GREASON Senior Sports Writer
No. 8 Notre Dame continued to roll deeper into its undefeated season as it stormed over Vanderbilt on Wednesday evening. In a game that began close, the Irish (9-0, 2-0 ACC) soon clicked into high gear and separated themselves from the Commodores (7-2, 0-0 SEC), led, as usual, by sophomore midfielder Andie Aldave, the reigning ACC offensive player of the week. Aldave finished the game against Vanderbilt with five goals on five shots, and nine draw controls, leading the Irish to a 19-6 win in the draw control game. Irish head coach Christine Halfpenny said Aldave has been a dominant force this season, but she also elevates the play of her teammates. “She’s everything we thought we were going to get from her — and more — in recruiting. She’s a pure competitor,” Halfpenny said of Aldave. “She competes, she’s one of the best in the country at making adjustments and she’s one of
Hockey
Irish to host Big Ten tourney finals
the best teammates that anybody could ask for. This is selfless play. She does what has to be done to get the W; that’s all she cares about. We’re just very, very fortunate to have her wearing the Notre Dame uniform, representing us the way she does and performing on a consistent basis. She makes everybody around her better, and I think she’d say the same thing about everyone around her making her better.” The first score of the game did not come for nearly eight minutes — an eternity in lacrosse — but both teams found themselves on the brink on multiple occasions. Irish senior goalkeeper Samantha Giacolone made a diving save to prevent the Commodores from scoring, and the Irish used the momentum to put the first point on the board: Sophomore attack Maddie Howe was awarded a free-position shot and completed a pass to senior attack Nikki Ortega, who was in motion sweeping in from the left side and sent the ball directly to the back-right corner of the see W LAX PAGE 10
By TOBIAS HOONHOUT Senior Sports Writer
ASHTON BIERI | The Observer
Irish junior forward Cal Burke skates up the ice during Notre Dame’s 1-0 win over Michigan State on March 8 at home.
Track & Field
see HOCKEY PAGE 11
SWIMMING
Squad sets sights on beginning outdoor season
ND completes day 2 of NCAAs
By JOE EVERETT
By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS
Senior Sports Writer
Mangaging Editor
After the conclusion of the indoor track season saw the men’s distance medley relay (DMR) team capture the program’s fourth indoor national championship two weeks ago in Birmingham, A labama, Notre Dame w ill transition to the outdoor season of its 2019 spring campaign this weekend dow n in Houston. Rice Universit y w ill host the 37th-annual Victor Lopez Classic on its campus Friday and Saturday at the Wendel D. Ley Track and Holloway Field. Irish head coach Matt Sparks explained what purpose this meet w ill ser ve for the team as it transitions to the second half of its season. “This is a bit of a warm-up for outdoor track,” Sparks said. “Most of the team hasn’t stepped foot on an outdoor track yet w ith the
Halfway through the 2019 swim and dive national championship, the Irish are looking to make up ground with the remaining two days of competition. “The NCAAs is the pinnacle of our season,” head coach Mike Litzinger said. “To qualify for this meet you have to be in very elite company, so there’s general excitement about that.” In his fourth year leading the Irish, Litzinger maintained that the biggest takeaway for him was the progress the program has made throughout his tenure, going from one swimmer qualifying for the national stage in 2016 to 12 swimmers and three divers competing this weekend in Austin, Texas. “The excitement of having a pretty full team is also very motivating,” he said. “We’re participating as a team.” On day one, junior Abbie Dolan started things out for the Irish as the leadoff leg in the 800-meter relay, followed
see TRACK PAGE 11
After three-straight victories in the Big Ten tournament, Notre Dame finds itself in a familiar position as the Irish aim to defend their conference championship against Penn State on home ice Saturday night. Notre Dame swept Michigan State in a best-ofthree series to move on to the semifinals, where an overtime goal from freshman forward Michael Graham saw the Irish through to the championship. “It’s not much different than what we experienced with Michigan State or Minnesota — I mean, the positive thing is there’s not a feeling-out process, because you pretty much know what you’re going to get,” Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson said Wednesday. “It’s different only because you’re playing for a championship and the stakes are higher, so
ANNA Mason | The Observer
Irish freshman distance runner Amani Morrell stays ahead of the pack during the Meyo Invitational at Loftus Sports Center.
by junior Lauren Heller, sophomore Skylar Fore and, finally, senior Kyra Sarazen, who touched the wall in 19th place, just seconds off the school record. “For us to be right on our very best was very solid,” Litzinger said. “The thing that stood out for me was Abbie Dolan’s leadoff leg was one of the fastest … so that bodes well for her individual event coming up.” The Irish returned to the pool Thursday for two relays and one individual race. The Irish claimed 24th place in their first event of the day — the 200-meter freestyle relay. Meanwhile, sophomore Lindsay Stone swam a 4:46.97 500-meter freestyle to finish fifth in her heat. Finally, the 400-meter medley relay took the pool, finishing in 22nd. On the other end of the pool, sophomore diver Kelly Straub claimed the highest individual finish of the meet thus far, tallying 281.55 points for 20th place in the one-meter competition. see SWIMMING PAGE 11