Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, October 29, 2021

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MAGGIE KLAERS | PHOTOs BY ALLISON THORNTON

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INSidER

The observer | Friday, October 29, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

HEAD-TO-HEAD

7:30 p.m. ET notre dame stadium on nbc

notre dame

(Sr.) Braden

UNC

Lenzy

WR

0

(Fr.) Lorenzo Styles Jr. 21

(Gr.) Avery

Davis

(Sr.) Matt Salerno

(Jr.) Kyren Williams 23 (So.) Chris Tyree 25

RB

3 29

WR

LT LG C RG RT TE

(Fr.) Joe Alt 76 (Sr.) Tosh Baker

79

(Jr.) Andrew Kristofic 73 (Jr.) Zeke Correll 52

(Gr.) Jack Coan 17

(So.) Drew Pyne 10

QB

(Sr.) Jarrett Patterson 55

(Fr.) Pat Coogan 78

(Gr.) Cain Madden 62 (Sr.) John Dirksen 56

(Gr.) Josh Lugg 75 (Jr.) Quinn Carroll 77

(So.) Michael Mayer 87 (Fr.) George Takacs 85

(Gr.) Kevin

Austin Jr.

(Sr.) TaRiq Bracy 28

(Jr.) Jack Kiser 24 (Gr.) Isaiah Pryor 10

(Sr.) Houston Griffith 3

(Jr.) KJ Wallace 16

SS

(Sr.) DJ Brown 12

(Jr.) Howard Cross III 56

(Fr.) Prince Kollie 35

(So.) Ramon Henderson 11

(Gr.) Jonathan Doerer 39 (Jr.) Jay

Bramblett

(Sr.) Matt

Salerno

As Notre Dame prepares for a second straight night game, the Observer Staff broke down the head-to-head matchup between the Irish and the UNC Tar Heels.

Notre Dame Passing The offensive line seems to be finding their feet and gaining some balance under them as they move through the season.

Because of that, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has been able to use Jack Coan to the best of his ability. With all of the different capabilities at wide receiver, Avery Davis getting open, Kevin Austin making contested catches, and Lorenzo Styles’s speed to name a few, their success is within reach. Even more so, when you consider the number of big plays the Tar Heels has let through in their last few games, Notre Dame easily takes this one.

EDGE: Notre Dame

Notre Dame Rushing The Irish run game has looked the best it has so far this season in the past two games against Virginia Tech and USC. The offensive line seems to have finally found a groove with Alt, Kristofic, Patterson, Madden, and Lugg receiving significant playing time.

Against a UNC defense that has

19 29

PK P PR

(So.) Chris Tyree 25 (Jr.) Michael Vinson 65

Notre Dame Coaching

Offensive

Tommy Rees’ job has gotten a whole lot easier now that the Irish offensive line has shown it can consistently protect the quarterback. With Jack Coan standing comfortably in the pocket, Rees can dial up everything in the playbook to keep the UNC defense honest. Coan’s longest completion against the Trojans was 29 yards, but expect him to take even more deep shots.

Kevin Austin and Braden Lenzy should be involved often in this contest, and this UNC secondary will struggle to cover both players. On top of that, Kyren Williams is hitting his stride for the Irish, and Rees will make sure to keep him involved. With an offense that’s finally balanced

Myles Murphy (So.)

93 Kristian Varner (So.)

ILB

44

OLB

12

Cam’Ron Kelly (Jr.)

3 C. Roseman-Sinclair (R-Fr.)

Tomon Fox (Gr.)

Tony Grimes (So.)

20

13 Obi Egbuna (Jr.)

(So.)

(So.)

76 William Barnes (Jr.)

(Sr.)

73

52 Jonathan Adorno (So.)

68

75

63 Ed Montilus (Jr.)

63

(Sr.)

DeAndre Boykins (Fr.)

61

Drew Little (Jr.)

UNC Passing The passing game has arguably been the strongest aspect of the Tar Heels’ game this season.

Quarterback Sam Howell has already thrown for 18 touchdowns on the year with 8 of them going to leading receiver Josh Downs.

The Irish defense will surely have

Sam Howell (Jr.)

6 Jacolbe Criskell(So.)

(Gr.)

24

Jay Bramblett and Jonathan Doerer are both more than reliable in their roles. With Christ Tyree out on the receiving end though, UNC’s special teams’ defense brings this edge even. UNC has had two official blocked punts. They would have had a third except Miami punter Louis Hedley’s skill allowed him to adjust and avoid the oncoming defender. That being said, Bramblett is not unskilled. He will just have to watch out for a highly skilled punt defense and his guards will have to make time for him.

EDGE: Even

7

Ty Chandler (Gr.)

26 DJ Jones (So.)

(Jr.)

Ben Kiernan (Jr.)

Offensive

QB

19

(Jr.)

91

behind a revamped offensive line, Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator can call his game that controls the clock and keeps the Irish ahead of the chains.

EDGE: Notre Dame

RB

(Sr.)

(Sr.)

69 Quiron Johnson (Gr.)

5 JJ Jones (Fr.)

Notre Dame Special Teams

9

10 Desmond Evans (So.)

74

H KR LS

7 Eugene Asante (Jr.)

Jeremiah Gemmels (Sr.)

3

H KR LS

Cedric Gray (So.)

33

23 Power Echols (Fr.)

88 Kamari Morales (So.)

(Jr.) Jay Bramblett 19

struggled mightily so far this season, the offensive line should continue to find the same success it has found as of late. Irish running back Kyren Williams has been an absolute beast the last two games for the Irish as well, totaling over 200 yards on the ground and four total touchdowns over those games. Look for the Irish run game to continue to have success on Saturday.

EDGE: Notre Dame

Kevin Hester Jr. (So.)

8

84

CB

ILB SS

Ray Vohasek (Sr.) 98

51

57 Cayden Baker (So.)

Buck

(Jr.) Cam Hart 5

56 Tomari Rice (Jr.)

DE DT NG VYP

(Gr.) Kurt Hinish 41

(Jr.) JD Bertrand

Kaimon Rucker (So.)

25

0 Emery Simmons (Jr.)

(So.) Riley Mills 99

27

Chris Collins (Jr.)

83

(Sr.) Justin Ademilola 19

Trey Morrison (Sr.)

25 Kaimon Rucker (So.)

12 Stephen Gosnell (So.)

Rover

(Jr.) Isaiah Foskey 7

FS

17

11

(Sr.) Jayson Ademilola 95 (Jr.) Bo Bauer 52

OLB

4

27 Giovanni Biggers (Jr.)

WR Josh Downs WR Justin Olson RT Jordan Tucker RG Marcus McKethan C Brian Anderson LG Joshua Ezeudu LT Asim Richards TE Garrett Waltson WR Antoine Green

CB

(Jr.) NaNa Osafo-Mensah 31

Mike

FS

CB

(Gr.) Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa 95

(Sr.) Drew White 40

DE NT DT

Kyler McMichael (R-Jr.)

1

29 Storm Duck (So.)

WR

4

(Fr.) Deion Colzie 16

(So.) Clarence Lewis 6

CB

PK P PR

their work cut out for them with DJ Brown playing in place of an injured Kyle Hamilton, who has been the backbone of this Irish defense so far this year. The Irish corners have struggled at times too, so the edge definitely goes to the Tar Heels in this one.

EDGE: UNC

UNC Rushing UNC entered the year expecting to have a pass-heavy attack behind top NFL draft prospect Sam Howell. But running back Ty Chandler, plus the evolving dual-threat capabilities of Howell, have developed a solid ground attack. The Tar Heels are averaging 199 rushing yards per game, with about 150 of those coming from Chandler and Howell. They’re a tough assignment for a Notre Dame defense that has improved but continued to struggle against dual-threat quarterbacks and effective running backs. After USC’s Ingram ran for 138 yards last week, it’s hard not to give the edge to UNC, with an equally capable back and a dangerous quarterback.

EDGE: UNC

UNC Offensive Coaching Phil Longo has been plagued by repetitive mistakes from his

17

Grayson Atkins (So.)

91

Ben Kiernan (Jr.)

11

Josh Downs (So.)

offense all season. Longo said in a press conference that his focus over their bye week remained in breaking their pattern of mistakes. The Irish will be able to pick those mistakes apart if they’re not gone, especially when it comes to waiting for pre-snap mistakes. Then they’ll be able to take advantage of the long field set ups the Tar Heels face and close down on them. Marcus Freeman and his defense have been on the up and up so he should be able to shake Longo’s comfort.

EDGE: Notre Dame

UNC Offensive Teams

Special

UNC has returned nine kickoffs and eleven punts this season, but none with particular effectiveness. The Tar Heels have returned kickoffs for an average of 18.1 yards per return, while Josh Downs has returned punts for under 11 yards per effort. As a kicking unit, UNC is lackluster, having converted just six of ten field goal attempts.

Notre Dame excelled last weekend in preventing touchdowns, and if this one comes down to a field goal battle, the Irish will like their chances.

EDGE: Notre Dame

The independent

To uncover

newspaper serving

the truth

Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s

and report

and holy cross

it accurately

Volume 56, Issue 24 | Friday, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Ecumenical Patriarch speaks at Basilica University President Fr. Jenkins presents honorary degree to leader of Eastern Orthodox Church

By RYAN PETERS Associate News Editor

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians, called for Christians to assume responsibility for addressing climate change and suppressing the COVID-19 pandemic during his convocation ceremony at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Thursday evening.

Bartholomew, the 270th archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and successor to the apostle Andrew, visited Notre Dame as part of his first trip to the U.S. since 2009, according to a University press release. He was originally scheduled to

deliver the commencement address during the class of 2020 commencement ceremony, but was not able to due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

His address centered around a call for environmental stewardship and for Christians to work in connection with science during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is an important but humbling lesson that the Church has learned during this time: namely, that religion must function and serve in connection with — and never in isolation from — science,” Bartholomew said.

Bartholomew described what he called the “ecumenical imperative” of Christians see PATRIARCH PAGE 5

RYAN PETERS | The Observer

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew speaks in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart before receiving an honorary degree from the University. In his speech, he discussed environmental stewardship and religious unity.

Senate discusses constitution amendments

By HEAVEN CARTER News Writer

The Notre Dame student senate congregated Wednesday evening on the second f loor of LaFortune to discuss the Shirt Project president nominations, orders to amend the constitution, orders to amend electoral procedures and

resolutions for the divestment in the fossil fuel industr y.

Student body v ice president Matthew Bisner kicked the meeting off w ith a prayer, announcements and a warm welcome back from fall break. After wards, Grace Fjermedal was nominated as president for the Shirt Project. Fjermedal, a

senior, has been involved w ith the Shirt Project since her first year.

“I believe Grace’s expertise and experience in design marketing communication w ill contribute to the continued success of the Shirt Project and can overcome almost any see SENATE PAGE 3

Morris Inn aims to recover following pandemic

By SPENCER KELLY News Writer

While the first year of the pandemic was chaotic for everyone, director of operations John Cheng said the Morris Inn had a particularly tumultuous time. Now, the Morris Inn is seeking to restore normalcy and is renovating to keep things fresh.

News PAGE 4

When Notre Dame shut down in March 2020, the inn quickly transitioned to housing international students and anyone else who was unable to return home. Once the spring 2020 semester ended in May, the students left and the Morris Inn reopened to the public.

But two weeks later, they closed again in order to house student athletes who remained

viewpoint PAGE 7

Eating Disorder Club hosts first meeting

on campus during the summer. The athletes stayed there until the start of the fall semester in August 2020, after which they moved back to the dorms and the inn planned to open up again.

However, the spike in COVID-19 cases at the beginning of the school year see MORRIS INN PAGE 3

Scene PAGE 9

CRYSTAL RAMIREZ | The Observer

The Saint Mary’s Eating Disorder Awareness Club convened in the Carroll Auditorium for their first meeting, featuring a guest speaker.

By CRYSTAL RAMIREZ Associate News Editor

Editor’s Note: This story includes mention of eating disorders and self harm. A list of resources can be found on the National Eating Disorder Association website or through their helpline.

The Saint Mary’s Eating Disorder Awareness Club

football PAGe 16

(EDAC) hosted its first meeting and lecture for the tricampus community in an effort to combat stigma surrounding eating disorders, raise awareness, advocate and educate.

The lecture was led by clinical psychologist and certified eating disorder specialist see ED CLUB PAGE 3

cross country PAGE 16

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The observer | Friday, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

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RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

The residents of Dillon Hall celebrated the fall season and upcoming Halloween weekend with festive decor, such as this pumpkin.

The week after fall break, pumpkins and gourds welcomed students back to their dorms, academic buildings and dining halls.

The next Five days:

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Friday

Saturday

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Anti-Racist Lecture online 12:20 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

“Asian Americans in an Anti-Black World”

Medieval Ghost Stories Hesburgh Library 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

All are welcome.

Women’s Basketball Exhibition Purcell Pavilion 7 p.m.

Ticketed event.

Saints for Life Rosary St. Joseph’s Chapel noon Part of Respect Life Month.

Kellogg Lecture Hesburgh Center 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Featuring Kevin Keegan-Krause.

Fall Festival Library Lawn 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Pumpkins, food, hot cocoa and fun.

Notre Dame Home Football Game Notre Dame Stadium 7:30 p.m.

ND vs. UNC

Organ Recital Basilica 8 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Featuring Jonathan Hehn.

Exploration Fair Dahnke Ballroom 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Learn about majors and minors.

Information Session Hesburgh Center for International Studies 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Peace Studies info.

News

Morris Inn Continued from page 1

prompted the University to turn the Morris Inn into a quarantine and isolation center. It housed quarantined and isolated students through the fall semester before finally opening to the public the week of Thanksgiving, and has remained open for business ever since.

While the inn is open for regular business, Cheng said operations are not necessarily back to “normal.”

“If you base it on the business that we receive, then yes, we are back to normal,” Cheng said. “But if you base it on the process that we have in place, then you can say that we are not back to normal yet.”

According to Cheng, the Morris Inn has continued their enhanced cleaning services for rooms. And, as with many public buildings on campus, masks are still required inside the inn. Cheng said these policies are unlikely to change within the next year.

However, some physical changes will be occurring at the inn. Cheng said they will soon be removing the gift shop adjacent to the lobby to add a coffee house.

The inspiration for this project is the Morris Inn’s mission of being “the living room of the University.” With their last significant renovation finished in 2013, they revamped the lobby to better resemble a living room, and added a fireplace, bookshelves and comfortable chairs. “It has brought out a better feel, as far as creating the living room at the University,” rooms manager Kathy Seymour said. “It

ED Club Continued from page 1

Michelle Mannia. Her lecture discussed prevention, diagnosis and treatment — and was focused on the risks and challenges college students face.

Mannia works in the South Bend community and is passionate about eating disorder awareness, education and prevention.

“W hen your leadership here reached out to me about this organization, I couldn’t support anything more,” Mannia said. “I am so excited to be here.”

The beginning of the lecture examined diet culture, with Mannia discussing the consequences of normalized eating habits and diets.

“Diet culture is a set of beliefs that value thinness above health and wellness,” Mannia said. “It’s something that puts importance on restricting calories, normalizes negative self-talk, talks about ‘good foods.’”

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | The Observer

is actually one of [our guests’] favorite places to sit. On home games, you’ll always see people sitting there.”

Cheng said the new coffee house will further contribute the homey atmosphere of the inn.

“The concept behind the coffee house is that this is the kitchen of the University,” Cheng said. “If you are a guest here, you go up to your room and you stay overnight, and in the morning you’ll come down to the kitchen to have a cup of coffee or pastry.”

To this end, the coffee house will be constructed to feel like a typical in-home kitchen: an open space with flat countertops and cupboards. The renovation will begin after this football season and its completion is planned in time for Junior Parents Weekend in February.

While the physical surroundings contribute, Cheng said it is really up to the Morris Inn staff to make a memorable stay.

“I think that for us, the

concept of the living room of the University is not just the physical environment that the guests see,” Cheng said. “I think it is the host that is in the house welcoming the guests.

It is the people and associates that work here, the love and care that they provide to the guests, that makes the guests anxious to come back here.”

This emphasis on people goes both ways. Cheng and Seymour both said that their favorite part about the Morris Inn is the guests. Seymour, who has worked at the inn since 2008, said she was reminded of this during the USC game weekend.

“This football weekend was really amazing for me because it was really the first football game that you saw people come back to the university after such a long COVID process,” Seymour said. “We wouldn’t be who we are without the guests.”

Contact Spencer Kelly at skelly25@nd.edu

SPENCER KELLY | The Observer

The Morris Inn has reopened to the public following its pandemic-induced changes, and will soon feature new renovations and additions.

She continued discussing the negative effects of diet culture.

“Diet culture [is] toxic for a ton of reasons,” she said. “It starts to confuse health and wellness with thinness.”

Mannia noted that people thus believe thin inherently means being healthy.

Continuing her lecture, Mannia discussed the many risks college students face regarding eating disorders as they enter a new and confusing chapter of their lives.

“Unfortunately, in our culture, a lot of people — especially college students — pursue diets thinking they are pursuing health and they’re not, they’re pursuing something different,” she said. “91% of women surveyed on a college campus had dieted, and 22% are always dieting. These numbers are really not good, and it’s also not good that the study didn’t look at men — but that’s a whole other thing too.”

Dieting is the number one

predictor of the development of an eating disorder, according to Mannia.

“Diets don’t cause eating disorders, but a lot of the time diets cause eating disorders,” she said.

Mannia explained the reason behind why college students are at a higher risk of developing eating disorders.

“We know eating disorders are not about food, they care about other things… and we know people are more likely to develop eating disorders during times of change,” she said.

Mannia offered an overview of some of the factors that increase the likelihood of college students developing eating disorders, which include moving away from home and starting an intense academic schedule during a time of rapid change, more stress and pressure and newfound independence that for some people may be the first time they are in control of what they eat.

She also discussed treatment, support and concerns.

Senate Continued from page 1

obstacles,” student union treasurer Meenu Selvan said. “Grace’s kindness, diligence and effective leadership skills have inspired many students to fully invest in their passion, including myself. Therefore, I can recommend Grace w ithout reser vation and I’m requesting that the senate approve her nomination as a result of her extensive qualifications.”

Other student senate members agreed w ith Selvan and spoke positively on behalf of Fjermedal’s character. Fjermedal was unanimously voted as president for the Shirt Project.

Judicial Council president Dav id Haungs w ithdrew back to the committee for further discussion of an order to amend the constitution to establish an electoral code.

“They’re essentially t wo brackets of change,” according to Haungs. “One is to the substance of what is allowed and not allowed in elections, and the other is to the location of where these rules are housed.”

Discussion surrounding an order to amend the electoral code’s procedure for allegations and results was then brought to attention.

This order is the shortening of time allotted for students to file allegations.

Currently, the time is 11:59 p.m., this time has prev iously caused delays for the release of results. Haungs proposed changing the

“If we know a lot of people are wrapped up in this diet culture, knowingly or unknowingly, engaging in some of these disorder eating behavior… when is it an eating disorder?” Mannia said.

“Essentially, it becomes an eating disorder when it becomes sustained, dangerous, all-consuming and unimaginable… it becomes an actual eating disorder when it starts to negatively impact your life.”

In treatment, there are two goals — the first is to decrease eating disorder behavior and the second is to address the underlying concerns.

Mannia once again reiterated that eating disorders are not about food.

“With the clients that I work with, we usually start with [asking] how can we bring your eating disorder behavior down… and how can we address the reason this came up in the first place?”, she said.

Addressing those underlying concerns is crucial,

3

time to 9 p.m. to expel the issue of delays.

The other substantive change is in the procedure for the release of opinions relating to allegations so when an allegation is filed and ultimately resolved

by Judicial Council, the v ice president of elections w rites an opinion that essentially explains how the Judicial Council came to its decision.

“In the case that an allegation is found to produce a constitutional v iolation, the V P of elections has to publish that opinion to the press [w ith] he name of the person [who] was found guilt y, but not the person who filed the allegation because we want to protect that confidentialit y,” Haungs said.

Upon discussion, this order was passed.

Farley Hall senator Annika Barron w rapped up the student senate meeting w ith an order to amend the electoral procedures and resolutions for the divestment of fossil fuels.

“The department of sustainabilit y has been working on learning to divest from fossil fuels as part of their larger campaign towards a more sustainable adjust to transition and a more sustainable future,” said Barron.

Barron said she believes it is important to work toward sustainabilit y as a Catholic institution: “We should have a commitment to supporting sustainabilit y and creation.”

Contact Heaven Carter at hcarter2@nd.edu

and Mannia noted the importance of spending time addressing the root cause of an individual’s eating disorder.

“Eating disorder behaviors are not about looking good, they’re not about losing weight, they’re not about food,” she said. “They are absolutely about coping and getting by.”

To conclude her lecture, Mannia emphasized the importance of an interdisciplinary approach when it comes to treating eating disorders.

“You need the mental health piece as well as the medical and the dietary piece,” she said.

Audience members were able to ask Mannia questions at the end of the lecture and were provided tri-campus and local resources. EDAC will offer similar programs and events in the future, which will be open to the tricampus community.

Contact Crystal Ramirez at cramirez01@saintmarys.edu

4

NEWS

The observer | Friday, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Equestrian Club rebuilds community

By CLAIRE REID News Writer

Set amidst rolling, bright green hills is a cream-colored metal barn with a pine green roof. Backing up to a picturesque Michigan woodscape, you’d think you were a lot further out in the country, though in reality, you’re only seven and a half miles from the tri-campus. This is Lucky Horse Equestrian Center, the place Notre Dame Equestrian Club president Lauren Pardi calls her “second home.”

“W hen I’m at the barn, I’m able to just be outside and be with nature and the animals,” the Notre Dame senior from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, said. “It takes your mind off the day-to-day stress and pressure of being a student at Notre Dame. It’s a threehour break where you just get to think about the horses and being in the moment.”

Pardi started riding horses when she was just three years old and even owned a horse throughout her childhood.

Naturally, she joined the Equestrian Club at the beginning of her first year in order to stay involved with the sport she loves. Since then, she has represented the club in many horse show competitions and served as the secretary last year. Pardi said it’s the club’s close-knit community that inspired her to take on the role of president this year.

“I just love all the people on this team and the friendships it has brought me,” she said.

“We spend so much time together and bond at all of our competitions.”

Communit y-bui lding is particularly important to her this year after the University’s COVID-19 travel

restrictions completely prevented the club from riding or visiting the barn all of the 2020-2021 academic year.

During this time, the team held bi-weekly yoga sessions, regular weight training practices, a trivia night and a pizza party to stay connected, but Pardi said they had a difficult time recruiting new members.

“The horses are the heart of the club,” she explained.

“Last year, we couldn’t do the thing that people joined the club to do, so our turnout at those things wasn’t the best.”

Pardi said she is committed to hosting social events this year in order to rebuild and improve upon the camaraderie that has been a highlight of the club for herself and so many other members.

Each fall, prior to the pandemic, competitive members of the club traveled nearly every weekend to compete in horse shows against other colleges and universities through the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).

“The competition team was so close because we’re driving four to eight hours away, staying in hotels, getting dinner… that’s who you hang out with all day,” Pardi recalled.

“But there’s about half the club that doesn’t compete at all.”

Even before COVID, she said, she noticed an awkward division between competitive members and non-competitive, partial and social members. As president, she said she is trying to integrate all members of the club into its culture, especially noncompetitive members, firstyears and sophomores.

This semester, the Equestrian Club has held a

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CLAIRE REID | The Observer

Beginner riders practice during a weekly lesson at the Lucky Horse Equestrian Center. Tri-campus students can join the Equestrian Club, which is seeking new members, as either competitive or social riders.

pizza night, a door decorating event and a karaoke fundraiser at Tap House on the Edge in South Bend. Hannah Shoemake, the club’s public relations officer and a junior at Saint Mary’s, said they also plan to host a countrythemed dance for all membership levels to enjoy in the near future.

Saint Mary’s junior Liz Andersen is a non-competitive member and she serves as secretary of the club. She described the different membership levels the club offers.

“We have three membership types,” she explained.

“We have a full membership, which does one lesson a week; a partial member rides every other week, and then we have our social membership.”

Social members, who pay significantly fewer club dues, have the opportunity to ride two to three times a semester and are invited to all club social functions. Andersen said the different levels of membership provide opportunities for beginning riders to get involved in a low-pressure setting.

“We’re really trying to emphasize that anyone can join, even if you don’t want to ride that much,” she said.

The club also offers more involved opportunities for beginners. IHSA competitions are divided into skill level-based divisions ranging from the complete-beginner Walk-Trot level to the Open level, which features advanced riders capable of clearing jumps higher than three-and-a-half feet tall while atop their horse.

“In our competitions, we do need those beginners, and sometimes they are the hardest people to find,” Pardi said.

Catherine Schafer is one of these beginning riders. The Notre Dame sophomore said she took weekly riding lessons the summer after sixth grade but is otherwise new to horseback riding.

She joined the Equestrian Club in order to get more

involved on campus and learn more about the sport that has always intrigued her.

“It’s definitely a little nerve-wracking at first, but everyone’s super nice and willing to teach you,” she said. “I’ve definitely learned a lot already, and it’s only been a few weeks.”

After being unable to ride or visit the barn last year, she said she is beyond excited to finally be getting back on a horse after so many years.

Sophomore Catherine Pardi echoed a similar eagerness to return to normalcy.

“I’ve been riding for about 12 years now,” she said. “It was so sad. Last year was the longest I’ve ever gone without riding since, like, first grade.

It was weird not to ride for 16 weeks straight, so it’s so fun to get to do it again.”

Catherine Pardi said she has enjoyed getting to know the barn and her lesson group. She said she looks forward to competing with the Equestrian Club for the first time at their next show on Nov. 6 at Iowa State.

During the 2019-2020 competition season, the club boasted impressive performances. In IHSA, each school competes within a certain region, and each region is within a zone. The winning team in each region moves on to the Zones show where they have a chance to qualify for Nationals.

For eight straight years, the Notre Dame Equestrian Club’s biggest rival, the University of WisconsinMadison Equestrian Team, earned the title of Zone 7 Region 4 Champions. But in February 2020, Notre Dame broke Wisconsin’s winning streak after scoring the most points in back-to-back days of competition at a weekend-long show in Platteville, Wisconsin. This qualified the club to compete in the Zone 7 Zones show in Texas that March, but unfortunately, the show was canceled due to the pandemic.

In the 2020-2021 academic

year, not a single IHSA show took place. Like Notre Dame, collegiate teams and clubs across the country were negatively impacted by this and other COVID restrictions.

“Three schools no longer have a program at all. Things in our region are not looking good in terms of who’s even going to be able to host a show,” Pardi said.

For this reason, the Equestrian Club is only participating in two shows this semester. The club’s goals for the competition look very different than they did in early 2020. This year, Pardi said, their coach is not concerned with winning titles but rather with building a strong, cohesive team for the future.

“Our main goal... is really just to create a team environment where we know everyone, and we can get everyone familiar with the rules of IHSA,” Pardi said.

“We have about three groups of people we need to integrate,” she added. “The entire sophomore class hasn’t competed and neither has the freshman class, obviously, but also the juniors because they were freshmen the last time we competed. We don’t take that many freshmen to our shows because you can only bring a limited amount of people, so only two have competed consistently.”

Despite this necessary change in their approach towards competing and all the adversity the Equestrian Club has faced over the past year and a half, the club’s public relations officer, Shoemake, sums up the general sentiment among members this year.

“I’m just so excited that our team is able to practice, and we’re able to go back to the barn again,” she said. “It is such a blessing to be on this team. W hen you’re at the barn, all of your worries go away.”

Contact Claire Reid at creid6@nd.edu

News

Patriarch Continued from page 1

to cooperate with academic, scientific, corporate and political leaders. He referenced the joint statement he signed with Pope Francis and Archbishop Justin of Canterbury last month calling for humans to make sacrifices in order to care for the environment. The statement was the first time the three leaders ever issued a joint appeal, Bartholomew said. He added that interconnectedness is required to speak the “language of care and compassion” necessary to face tasks together.

The Orthodox worldview considers ecology as spirituality in practice, he said. He called upon humans to consider the repercussions of harming the environment as they would when they harm a fellow human.

“We surely understand that we cannot hurt our brothers and sisters, that there are consequences to our actions — moral, social, and legal consequences. Why, then, do we not grasp the fact that there should be repercussions — moral, social, and legal repercussions — when we harm God’s creation?” he asked.

He said he welcomes efforts to add a clear definition of “ecocide” to international law.

“This is why we applaud efforts to expand relevant statutes of international law to include ‘ecocide,’ defined as the unlimited and unlawful destruction of ecosystems through oil drilling and spills, industrial fishing and livestock farming, plastic pollution and mountaintop removal, but also nuclear weapons and testing,” Bartholomew said.

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | The Observer

University President Fr. John Jenkins, who delivered an address introducing the ecumenical patriarch following a performance of “Creation: From Adam to Salvation” from the Archdiocesan Byzantine Choir, credited Bartholomew for his advocacy for environmentalism and commitment to uniting the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, which have been divided since the Great Schism in 1054.

Jenkins cited Saint John Paul II referring to the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches as “the two lungs of the Church” and Patriarch Athenagoras referring to the two churches as “sister churches.”

“We at Notre Dame have the joy of breathing in the spirit with both lungs in the blessing of the presence of the representatives of our sister church,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins commended Bartholomew for his leadership in uniting the two churches, calling

Bartholomew’s decision in 2013 to be the first ecumenical patriarch to attend a papal inauguration “a historic act of love and courage to help heal the wounds of a thousand years.”

Chairman of the board of trustees John Brennan and Jenkins conferred to Bartholomew an honorary doctor of laws. Bartholomew, who on Monday met with President Joe Biden to discuss ways to fight climate change, said he was honored to be commended by a university dedicated to environmental sustainability.

“We are especially honored that such a commendation comes from an academic institution with demonstrated climate and energy research, with sustained environmental and social programs, as well as with passionate student involvement and commitment,” Bartholomew said.

Contact Ryan Peters at rpeters5@nd.edu

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OCG hosts firstyear excursions

By LIAM PRICE News Writer

Saint Mary’s First-Year Excursions program, started in 2019 but canceled in 2020, is again offering Saint Mary’s students a chance to explore South Bend.

The program, hosted by Saint Mary’s Office for the Common Good (OCG), consists of four Mondays in which participants can— weather permitting — explore unique parts of South Bend.

“It’s not a service project,” OCG director Rebekah Go said. “The only agenda we have is that we’re trying to help students feel connected to each other and feel connected to the community of South Bend.”

The first excursion was planned for Monday, in which students were going to visit South Bend’s Potawatomi Zoo. However, due to Monday’s poor weather, Go said, the event was canceled.

Next Monday, students will visit Howard Park, another unique spot in South Bend. Across the street from Howard Park, in the East Bank neighborhood, the students will do a mural hunt.

“I’ll give them a list of murals and tell them they have to find them and take their picture, sending them to me to prove they were there,” Go said.

On Nov. 8, the program’s participants will explore the Western side of South Bend, an area with a high Latino population and Polish roots.

They will go to some of the

abundant Mexican stores and restaurants, “and we’ll definitely hit up La Rosita,” Go said, laughing. “It has the best ice cream.”

Junior Galilea Falcon said when participated on the excursion exploring West South Bend as a first-year student in 2019, she was reminded of her home in the south side of Chicago.

“I found some sort of comfort of, even though I’m not home, there’s still a little piece of South Bend that reminds me of it,” she said.

Falcon, a junior double-majoring in Spanish and social work, said she participated in the program because she was looking to engage with the South Bend community, having grown up elsewhere.

The final Monday excursion will take students to the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, which features the area’s manufacturing past.

“In 2020, we weren’t allowed to offer this program because of COVID,” Go said.

“So, we’re excited to bring it back this year.”

First-year Saint Mary’s students are required to take the “Sophia Program of Liberal Learning” (SPLL) course for the first half of their first semester. The class meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday and ends at fall break.

The program schedules its excursions for Mondays after fall break, despite greater challenges from weather, to take advantage of this opening in Saint Mary’s students schedules.

Go said that the College also approved for the excursions to use Blinkie, the Saint Mary’s escort van service, which will allow the program to accommodate more students on each trip.

“I think it’s really important to be able to expose students to places that just aren’t big box stores or bars,” Go said. These places, she said, simply give students something they can find at home.

But the excursion prioritizes exploring “the parts of South Bend that really make it unique, which are sort of the parks and the local resources we have and even the local coffee shops and restaurants that you can’t find any where else,” Go said.

“For any first-year that comes to Saint Mary’s,” Falcon said, “I really recommend going on the first-year excursions because it’s a fun way to connect with the environment that you’re in.”

Contact Liam Price at lprice3@nd.edu

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The observer | Friday, OCtober 29, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

A meditation on cleaning Rachel Lee Newsletter Manager

Editor’s Note: A full version of this column is available online.

The chaos starts with some accounting notes scattered on my desk, messily bent and out of order. Then, some food wrappers and bottles lay astray from days when walking to the dining hall seemed a daunting feat. Slowly but surely, the blue rug is covered in boxes and bubble wrap — a by-product of my Amazon shopping addiction — forming a carpet of disarray, which I rake through during my daily search to find some missing items.

As I survey my room on a Sunday morning, I see what my friends lovingly refer to as “the room that was struck by a tornado,” with debris scattered everywhere.

This amount of disarray may inflict a heart attack on my parents or invoke a sense of dread in my fellow students. However, as I begin the slow process of cleaning my room by collecting the trash around the room, my mood soars knowing everything will soon be back in its proper place.

The cleaning process is one that cannot be rushed or done haphazardly. Any task I fail to fully complete will simply present a future problem for myself, whether it be having to wipe down my mirror later or not being able to find a pair of earrings. While I may not be actively working to complete an assignment, clearing my workspace allows me to clear my mind as well.

Even after I finish cleaning, motivation and productivity still course within me as I start my assignments due in the upcoming weeks. As I survey the pages of theology texts I must read, I am tempted to skim through the document as quickly as possible. However, much like cleaning, I remind myself that any task I do not complete to the best of my ability will simply present an issue for myself in the future.

As the days progress, I attempt to maintain my room’s cleanliness, making sure to put my trash in the bin and putting back clothes in my drawer each night. However, as I rush to my 8:00 a.m. accounting class across campus and hurry to complete 11:59 p.m. deadlines, I find clothes and trash slowly accumulating around my room. As I slowly neglect the upkeep of my room, I find myself feeling disorderly and unmotivated even outside of the confines of my room.

As I crouch over accounting notes I half-heartedly scribbled down in my notebook, my head is a jumble of terms I continue to mix up. What was the difference between labor efficiency variance and labor rate variance again? As I stare at concepts I skimmed over, I am frustrated when I continuously am greeted with a red “X” and the message “this problem is not fully correct” on my homework assignment even after multiple attempts.

Much like the fine buildup of dust on the top of my desk shelf since the last time I cleaned, I find that a strange, mental fogginess has built up in my mind as well. As I begin the gradual process of cleaning my room again a week later, the process is grounding as I remember that the process of thoroughly completing a task to the best of my ability is just as important, if not more so, than the final result. As I review my accounting assignment, this time with a clear mind, I take time to carefully review the concepts I previously struggled with by cross-referencing my notes with the PowerPoint and textbook. I feel a rush of accomplishment when concepts begin to register and am rewarded with a green check mark on my assignment.

You can contact Rachel at rlee25@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Letter to the editor

An open letter to the Editorin-Chief of the Irish Rover Dear Mary Frances, By now, most of the Notre Dame community is aware of your derogatory piece in the Irish Rover, which calls on the University to refrain from supporting LGBTQ+ students, faculty and staff for the sake of preserving your understanding of Roman Catholic teaching and identity.

After processing the hate speech in your piece, I feel a responsibility to articulate some consequences of the project of discrimination you are advocating for. I cannot speak for the whole LGBTQ+ community, but I feel called to respond not only because I am a proud non-binary queer Notre Dame student, but also because you personally attacked me, your classmate.

Your piece refers to the College of Arts and Letters’ use of my preferred pronouns in an article they published about me as a student, not as a non-binary queer person. The College’s feature intended to highlight the gratitude I feel for the learning opportunities my education within the Program of Liberal Studies and Data Science departments have afforded me; the feature does not debate the validity of my identity, or promote what you call the “LGBT agenda”. While I am disappointed by your focus on my use of they/them pronouns and your failure to recognize the feature as a celebration of our shared learning environment, these are not the most painful parts of your attack.

You write: “Other erosive occurrences disclose the university’s adherence to secular standards set by the LGBT movement... The College of Arts and Letters now accommodates students’ preferences for singular ‘they/them’ pronouns in news articles.” To my knowledge, no other news article on a student contains the use of they/them pronouns; so, as your classmate and friend for the past three years, I was shocked to read that you perceive me as “an erosive occurrence” at the University on the basis of how I self-identify. If you believe my mere personhood is erosive to the University, how can you possibly view me as fully human?

You seem terrified that an article published with “they/ them” pronouns might cause damage to Notre Dame’s Catholic culture, but the truth is, you were the one who inflicted damage by writing and publishing your divisive piece.

You clearly understand the importance of pronouns as you choose to refer to the secular LGBTQ+ movement with “it,” while you refer to Notre Dame and the Catholic Church with “she/her” pronouns. This word choice reveals your inability to recognize the LGBTQ+ community as fellow human beings. The real erosion is your dehumanization of your classmates and friends. I can only hope that the next person whom the College features in the Exemplar feels as comfortable as I did to use their/her/his preferred pronouns and thereby know that Notre Dame supports them/her/him.

In terms of the impact your piece has on our shared PLS community, your unwillingness to recognize me and your other LGBTQ+ classmates as fully human raises serious doubts concerning your ability to view us as intellectual equals. There are only 37 seniors in our PLS cohort, and your language has forced me to rethink my place in our seminar discussions, our countless PLS coffee socials, our three years of service on PLS leadership committees together and every moment in which I thought we were engaged as co-learners in “dialogue.” I am at Notre Dame to learn, and I love nothing more than learning as a student in our program. I do not consider my queerness to be the most interesting thing about me, and I am disturbed that my classmate would abuse her platform as a journalist to belittle my validity as a PLS student on the basis of my identity.

Your message is clear: You do not believe Notre Dame should provide support for LGBTQ+ students because our existence contradicts your understanding of the truth.

You question, “How can the university have a holistic and intrinsically Catholic response to the LGBT community if she merely appropriates secular images and slogans? Why does the university look to the world for solutions, rather than turning to the truths of faith?” Essentially, you think you have a greater grasp on the “capital T” truth of life.

Consequently, I must ask: If you already know the truth in its entirety, why do you remain a student at this or any university? What do you have left to learn?

I hope you can understand how damaging your piece is, so that something like this never happens again, especially under your leadership as the Irish Rover’s Editor-in-Chief.

Your publication repeatedly attacks the LGBTQ+ community, but your motives are ambiguous. Why are you so afraid of learning and coexisting with people who think differently from you? Why are you committed to ostracizing the LGBTQ+ community with hate speech? What do you have to fear from “secular culture,” which I take to be the pluralistic culture that we all share? As I understand it, such a culture accepts you as much as it accepts me. Why do you think that my being accepted must come at your expense?

Respecting the dignity of all people is upheld both by LGBTQ+ advocacy and by the Catholic Church’s teaching. Seeking the common good of all persons, especially those from vulnerable communities is also pursued both

by LGBTQ+ advocacy and by the Catholic Church’s teaching. According to “Gaudium et spes” — the “Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World” — promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1965, “The joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or are in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts.” Why is your piece committed to sowing division in our community in order to make your LGBTQ+ neighbors feel unsafe and unwelcome?

I have received nothing but further support from the faculty, staff and fellow students at the University in response to your piece. So, thank you for strengthening my sense of self and my sense of belonging. Thank you for reinforcing my understanding of the University and PLS as safe spaces for people of all identities, backgrounds and beliefs. PLS faculty have made their allyship obvious with their support, welcome statements, respect for students’ pronouns and eagerness to confront LGBTQ+ discrimination. Thank you for forcing conversations on the LGBTQ+ student experience at Notre Dame that are often avoided.

While I am filled with gratitude for the overwhelming solidarity your piece sparked, I remain concerned about the future of our shared community. By making the allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community the subject of your hatred, I worry that you think that I harbor similar feelings.

I refuse to respond to your hate with further hate. I recognize you in the fullness of your humanity, and I choose to receive your hurtful piece with grace and forgiveness. I think many of us are wondering what steps we ought to take next.

I propose that we turn to Aristotelian virtue ethics, which we both read in the PLS Ethics Tutorial, as our guide. Aristotle offers virtuous friendship as a gateway to happiness in this world, and argues that we can achieve virtuous friendship when we each recognize the intrinsic goodness in one another. Aristotle writes “friendship is not only invaluable, but also beautiful. Being a good friend and being a good man is the same thing... true friends wish the good of each other.” I might be different from you, but difference is not inherently better or worse. Difference is not a reason to deny another person a safe and inclusive learning environment. Difference does not give one just cause to try to change another person.

I respect your presence at Notre Dame and within PLS, and I hope we can learn and grow together and set an example of virtuous friendship, despite our differences.

Ultimately, this is a letter to acknowledge the pain you caused within our community and to extend an invitation for friendship.

To anyone within the Notre Dame community who has also felt forced to question the validity of their space at Notre Dame because of their identity: You belong. You are valid.

You are supported. Stepping into the fullness of my personhood has been the most critical part of my authentic happiness as a learner, roommate, child, sibling and friend. Your identity is not the problem, bigotry is.

Your friend, Sara Ferraro senior Oct. 24

The observer | Friday, October 29, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

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Love through hate: Politicized Christianity Isabel Olesinski BridgeND

In the past 10 years, the U.S. and many European countries have legalized gay marriage. This past year, though, Poland has been more outspoken and adamant about LGBTQ+ rights during conservative president Andrzej Duda’s campaign and reelection. He is one of many who have turned the right to choose one’s partner without fear of persecution into a political gambit to gain more power over the government and citizens. Duda’s recent re-election has ignited thousands of protests across the country as well as support from many queer people in nations such as the U.S. to combat the hate that has spiraled because of someone’s gender identification and sexual orientation.

I was raised in a Polish-Catholic household and religion was what we followed; whatever the Church said was the correct way of looking at life. I only learned that gay people existed when I was 10 years old, and my best friend had two dads. I didn’t pay it any mind since her family made just as much sense to me as any other family would. If she was happy and loved, what was wrong with that? Five years later, I came out as queer to my mother. My family tolerated my identity at first until I started dating someone who wasn’t a man. They said I was brainwashed and blamed the media and leftists for my inability to be straight. As soon as I stopped dating that person, my family believed me to be “cured,” but that is not how sexuality works; you cannot be cured of love.My parents told me that my life would be over if I strayed from the “norm” if I fell in love with someone who wasn’t a man, if I wasn’t heterosexual. This kind of reaction might be considered old-fashioned and absurd for Americans, but it is customary and even expected for the Polish. Generations of Poles have been taught that being gay is wrong, so it’s unsurprisingly hard for many people to step back from what they’ve always known and accept an utterly different point of view. But what culture should be rooted in the hate of those who were born to love those of the same

gender? In Poland, coming out as queer is like signing a lifelong contract to accept harassment, the removal of rights and life as a propaganda target.

Using someone’s sexuality as a means of a political attack is a fading practice in many European countries.

Still, Poland has only protected the ability to destroy a gay person’s career. Many conservative politicians have used anti-queer propaganda and the country’s homophobia as a weapon for political gain. Celebrity writer and broadcaster Mikolaj Milcke has been targeted whenever he returns to his hometown in Poland. His friends received countless text messages from locals asking why they weren’t afraid to leave their kids with him. It’s not uncommon in Poland to refer to the LGBTQ+ community as an “ideology,” particularly something created by the communist party. These statements have led to a lack of education on queer people in schools as well as scarlet letters for anyone who identifies as non-heterosexual. Five of Poland’s 16 provinces and over 80 towns and cities across the country have even branded themselves as “free of LGBTQ+ ideology.”

Duda ran his re-election campaign specifically on limiting gay rights, saying his parent’s generation did not fight against communism for 40 years “so that a new ideology would appear that is even more destructive.” The minister of education has also openly called for people to “stop listening to idiocy about some human rights or some equality. These [queer] people are not equal to normal people.” As a country governed by hate, Poland’s leaders have similar perspectives to the majority of citizens, making the nation dangerous for anyone outside of the status quo.

Polish nationalism has a close relationship with the country’s religion, Roman Catholicism, and doesn’t shy away from enacting laws based on Church doctrine. For Polish nationalists, LGBTQ+ rights are considered part of communism, which many Polish people are terrified of due to the country’s past. During their years under the Soviets, the Church was the sole guardian for Poles that helped them maintain their identity and protected them from the USSR. After Poland was freed, the paranoia and aftereffects remained. Even

before the 1980s, Polish Catholics weren’t as heavily targeted as Polish Jews, so after World War II, the Church became an establishment that stayed with Poles through every disaster.

The Vatican has made blanket statements about members of the LGBTQ+ community regarding same-sex marriage, saying that God “cannot bless sin,” which was approved by Pope Francis, even though he’s previously made statements supporting individuals that exhibit same-sex attraction.

As a conservative country devoted to the Vatican Doctrine, Poland listens to what the Church values with politics and societal norms over the more ethical and practical stance.

Poland continues to be divided in politics, culture and daily life, but this isn’t unsolvable. Making marginalized peoples equal to those who haven’t suffered doesn’t detract from the country’s culture or tradition but instead enhances it in light of acceptance and progression. Poland is a Catholic country that values its traditions and religion, but Christianity doesn’t discriminate against humans because we’re all children of God. LGBTQ+ Poles deserve the same fundamental legal rights as anyone else. Ever since I’ve learned what it feels like to love someone without fear in America, I look forward to the day when I can do the same in my home country.

Isabel Olesinski is a sophomore living in Johnson Family Hall studying political science and English. Feel free to contact her by email at iolesins@nd.edu BridgeND is a student-led discussion club that is committed to bridging polarization in politics and educating on how to engage in respectful and productive discourse. BridgeND welcomes students of all backgrounds, viewpoints and experiences who want to strengthen their knowledge of current issues or educate others on an issue that is important to them. The club meets weekly on Mondays. Want to learn more? Contact bridgend@nd.edu or @bridge_ND on Twitter and Instagram.

The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Being Jewish at Notre Dame Blake Ziegler News with Zig

I often receive emails from prospective Jewish students inquiring about Jewish life at Notre Dame. They’ll ask about the University’s Catholic environment, the Jewish community on campus, antisemitism and anything else a Jew might wonder about going to a Catholic university. I’ve also heard similar questions from non-Jews on campus. For that reason, I’ve written out my answers in this column — as a resource for anyone who might be interested in the Jewish experience at Notre Dame.

Before delving too far, I should note some background information about me. I’ve been in Catholic school since sixth grade, so I’m more adjusted to a Catholic environment than an average Jew. I’m also religiously Jewish and pray, while other Jews might be more culturally Jewish, but I don’t attend synagogue that often. I’ve done work related to antisemitism, the Holocaust and Israel because those are important to my Jewish identity, whereas it might not be as important to another Jew. I say all this to stress that my interpretation of being Jewish at Notre Dame is unique to my Jewish identity. My answer isn’t the universal Jewish experience. Still, I hope I provide some useful insights.

Also, while this column is particular to Jews at Notre Dame, I’d imagine its sentiments are applicable to any nonCatholic group, to an extent.

On its face, the Jewish experience at our University is a positive one. Jewish students’ status as Jews does not negatively influence our Notre Dame experience. This is even true for someone like me, who publicly expresses their Jewishness.

I wear my kippah daily, pray in Hebrew at the dining hall, and talk about Jewish issues with friends, faculty and staff.

In all these encounters, I’ve found people at Notre Dame are enthusiastic and appreciative about Judaism. In those ways, being Jewish is beneficial to my time at Notre Dame.

Now, it takes time getting used to Notre Dame’s Catholic

environment. A crucifix in every classroom, chapels in every dorm, the significant number of students attending Mass and other elements make it clear that Notre Dame is a Catholic institution. That’s perfectly fine and I’m not indicting the University for being Catholic. In fact, I value the Catholic educational approach, as it influenced my choice to go here. I’m noting this part of our campus life because it does require adjustment for a Jew. Personally, I was used to seeing Touchdown Jesus every day after one semester here.

Additionally, Jewish students might find themselves educating their peers often about Judaism. Sometimes, it’ll appear as though there’s a permanent form of disconnection between Jewish and non-Jewish students, but it’s never malicious. Generally, most students haven’t had significant exposure to Judaism and are naturally unknowledgeable on the subject. In my experience, this bridge can be crossed, especially since most students I’ve encountered are curious about Judaism. We learn to appreciate each other’s differences while celebrating our similarities.

There is a Jewish Club on campus, despite the small Jewish population. I’ve never seen the exact numbers, but I’d estimate there’s no more than 10 to 20 Jews in the undergraduate student body. We do host events regularly, but there’s often low attendance among Jews. Regardless, the Jewish Club remains an open space for Jews and non-Jews to celebrate Judaism and partake in religious and cultural traditions. We also have a great relationship with the local Jewish Federation and nearby synagogues, providing numerous outlets for Jews to explore their identity.

The administration has also done a decent job of supporting the Jewish community and has worked with the Jewish Club to promote a more inclusive environment for Jewish students. In fact, we hosted Antisemitism Awareness Week for the first time last semester, which was received well by the student body. An important highlight is the adoption of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism by the Notre Dame student government, a significant step in the school demonstrating solidarity with the Jewish community.

The University genuinely wants to be a space for Jews, but there are often difficulties and frustrations that impede that effort. Now, I’m not arguing there isn’t antisemitism at Notre Dame. Just last semester, the Jewish Club was Zoombombed at a virtual event where participants shared lewd videos and swastikas. When I discuss Jewish issues in my columns, there are often antisemitic responses on social media or the comment section, whether from people within the Notre Dame community or from random strangers. I’ve also experienced antisemitism in real-life on this campus, but it’s not nearly to the extent that I would let it define my Notre Dame experience. Although it should be concerning that someone feels comfortable sharing such hateful views, these experiences should not derail the positive interactions I’ve had as a Jew on campus. It is those connections and exchanges that I cherish and attribute to the betterment of my academic, spiritual and personal development. There will be antisemitism, but it’s no worse than any Jew would experience in everyday life, especially if you’re involved in the Jewish community.

I could say more, but I’ve run out of space. I wouldn’t let the Catholicism at Notre Dame dissuade prospective Jewish students from applying. I’ve found my faith and pride in being Jewish has grown at Notre Dame, especially through my friendships with Jewish and non-Jewish students. While Notre Dame can definitely improve its inclusiveness of the Jewish community, any Jewish student would prosper at this university.

Blake Ziegler is a junior at Notre Dame from New Orleans, Louisiana, with double majors in political science and philosophy. He enjoys writing about politics, Judaism and the occasional philosophical rant.

For inquiries, he can be reached at bziegler@nd.edu or followed at @NewsWithZig on Twitter if you want to see more of his opinions.

The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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The observer | Friday, October 29, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Home is where the heart is Megumi Tamura Subject to Change

At the beginning of September, my family moved from northern New Jersey to a suburb of Pittsburgh.

I was born and raised in New Jersey and, like many people who grew up there, have an unreasonable and almost strange amount of pride and love for my home state. From summers down the shore to day trips into the city to the pizza to the bagels to the malls, I am incredibly grateful to have grown up in New Jersey and will always consider it home.

Home. That’s what I want to write about this week because this concept of “home” is something I’ve been thinking a lot about during fall break since coming back to this new house in the middle of western Pennsylvania, instead of back home to New Jersey surrounded by everything and everyone I’ve grown up with my whole life. Despite the newness and unfamiliarity of this new house, town and state, I’ve felt surprisingly relaxed and at ease here — almost like I’m home. But what exactly is “home?”

I used to think home equated to house. Meaning, home is a physical building filled with familiar furniture, smells, photos, etc. So, moving out of my old house and into this new one in a different state hundreds of miles away would also mean leaving home and moving homes. But when I think about it, the reason why the house I grew up in in New Jersey felt like home wasn’t because of the furniture or of the brick structure itself but because of the people in that house (of course, I’m incredibly fortunate to have had a physical house and a place to grow up and live in,

and this isn’t to say that a physical house and a roof over their heads is something people should live without). What made that house “home” was the memories of my dad at the grill during 4th of July barbecues, of sitting with my family around the dining room table during Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve dinners, of running around with my siblings in the backyard, of baking every weekend with my mom in the kitchen.

Home was never found in that house but in the people and love — the community — residing there.

Maybe if home isn’t a house, then it’s a hometown or a home state. Again, I love my hometown in New Jersey, but when I think about why I love it so much, it’s not necessarily because of the town or state itself.

Rather, it’s because my hometown, the schools I attended growing up there, and my home state is where I met and came to love some of the most important people in my life: my friends. I’m extremely grateful and fortunate to have grown up in a safe town with a strong education system and a vibrant downtown area filled with restaurants and shops, but again, that’s not exactly where my sense of home and love for that place comes from. Rather, when I think of home, I think of going on long drives with my best friend, of graduating with my favorite people by my side, of being surrounded by my friends everyday in school and going through the ups and downs of life together. So, home was not found in that town or in New Jersey but in the people and the community that I love there.

That’s why this new house in Pennsylvania doesn’t feel so unfamiliar or unsettling despite the fact that I’ve only been here for a few days. Coming back and seeing my parents happy and settled in, of reuniting with a hometown friend who goes to college in

Pittsburgh, of being able to FaceTime and connect with my friends and loved ones who aren’t here, has all made this new place feel more like home than I initially thought possible. That cheesy phrase, “home is where the heart is” has really proven true, at least for me, the more I think about this concept of “home.”

Home is where my family is, where my friends are, where I feel a sense of belonging, love, safety and acceptance.

So, it seems like home is quite portable. I see it not necessarily as a physical building or place but rather in the abstract form of love — in memories, in loved ones, in people, in community. Of course I consider New Jersey home, but with this new definition, I also see this new house in Pennsylvania as home, the cities where my siblings live as home, the cities across the country where my best friends go to school as home and Notre Dame as home. I thought about this concept of home especially after reading the recent Viewpoint pieces affirming the fact that LGBTQ+ members of the tri-campus community are welcome and loved here. Notre Dame should be a home — not necessarily a physical and tangible place but rather a community of love, belonging, safety and acceptance — for all.

Where is home to you?

Megumi Tamura is a sophomore from New Jersey currently living in McGlinn Hall. She enjoys reading books, going to museums and eating Jersey bagels. She can be reached at mtamura@nd.edu or @megtamura on Twitter.

The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The Irish Rover and its discontents The Irish Rover does great work for Our Lady’s University. I had the privilege of writing several articles for the Rover during my undergraduate years, and as a law student I still read the paper on a somewhat regular basis. I should also acknowledge that I am friends with a few members of the Rover editorial board, though I have no insight into the Rover’s internal decision-making.

The Rover caters to conservative Catholics like myself, yet its influence and importance are much deeper than its niche readership suggests. Even folks on the left have declared this. Notre Dame’s Catholic identity has long been under siege from several directions. That there is a Notre Dame student newspaper expressly committed to “1. Defend the Faith and honorable traditions of this great university; 2. Articulate conservative principles; (and) 3. Engage in collegial debate” should be praised by both liberal and conservative Catholics.

Nevertheless, I was disappointed to read that the Rover rejected Jed Mariano’s article touching upon LGBT topics for publication in its Culture section.

Although it lacks the conservative tilt characteristic of most Rover articles, Mariano’s draft article does not contravene the Rover’s core commitments to defend Catholic principles and Notre Dame’s Catholic identity. Nowhere, for example, does Mariano argue for the legalization of same-sex marriage.

I am a staunch conservative, yet I think that Mariano does a nice job in his article of faithfully tying Olivia Rodrigo’s song to the truth that all “are created in the image and likeness of God,” including LGBT individuals. In our campus’ and our nation’s polarized political environment, it is both difficult

and rare to find individuals willing to bridge divides and offer alternative viewpoints in ideologically tilted publications like the Rover. These faithful efforts should be encouraged, not rejected wholesale and with inconsistent justifications.

I sense that the inconsistent justifications given for the rejection (did one editorial board member object peremptorily, or was the “social commentary” concern shared by others?) are a product of the broader and longstanding intramural discord among conservative Catholics at Notre Dame. As Mariano highlights, it was precisely a member of the Rover editorial board who encouraged him to write his article, yet other(s) actively discouraged and rejected his effort. What explains this tension? Are we conservative Catholics at Notre Dame open to alternative viewpoints? Or are we more inclined to behave like the American Political Science Association and bar these viewpoints from our institutions? Are we willing be vulnerable to “collegial debate” within the walls of a playground that is Catholic truth?

Perhaps we are just confused? There is a certain degree of internal incoherence and unhealthy intransigence among Notre Dame’s Catholic conservatives which has reared its ugly head in times past: the unnecessarily divisive power politics involved in past elections of the Rover editorial board and Knights of Columbus officer corps; the Students for ChildOriented Policy’s puzzling decision to reject the opt-in pornography filter on campus Wi-Fi offered by the University administration; the refusal by several attendees at various Basilica daily Masses last spring to wear a mask despite the admonitions of presiding priests and Basilica staff (including myself). I sense

that the combative and reactionary impulse lurking behind these contentious moments of intramural discord is the same impulse that led to Mariano’s article being rejected.

Still, these points of tension tend to arise because of the reactionary tendencies of a minority of peculiarly forceful conservative Catholics, not the behavior of the whole body. Hence, I would disagree with Mariano’s assertion that the Rover “would rather weaponize their faith to sow the seeds of hate and division amongst the student body.” In my personal experience, the Rover as an institution has always been an excellently reputable and open-minded institution.

The real problem is not that “they” are prejudiced, but that there are peculiarly powerful pockets of Notre Dame’s conservative Catholic community averse to the constructive contributions of alternative perspectives. That Mariano’s friend on the Rover staff encouraged him to write the article and saw it through the editing process should be evidence enough that knee-jerk reactionism does not characterize the Rover entirely and at all times.

Each side of the political spectrum should consider well-intentioned, alternative viewpoints and treat others, both within and outside of shared campus circles, with dignity and respect as brothers and sisters in Christ. “Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12).

Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com

Brennan Buhr Notre Dame Law School class of 2023 Oct. 19

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MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer

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The observer | Friday, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

By OLIVIA SEYMOUR Scene Writer

Norman Vincent Peale once said, “Shoot for the moon.

Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” After nearly two years, Coldplay has returned with their ninth album entitled “Music of the Spheres,” and it seems to align with this famous quote fairly well. The British rock band is known around the world for their sensationally dynamic anthems, such as the vibrant “Viva La Vida” and the soaring “Sky Full of Stars.” Their most recent album reaches for the same arena-worthy status while also incorporating a new space rock sound that takes the group to a new level.

Coldplay seems to have aimed for a fresh take entirely.

Whereas past albums have mostly followed a single style of music, “Music of the Spheres” appears to have tried to include several different styles to ensure that everyone could find something that they like. The result is a jumbled hodgepodge of songs that have various lead instruments and confusing shifts in mood. While the song, “People of the Pride,” is heavily guitar-driven and has a gritty sound, “Human Heart” has barely any instruments at all, allowing the melody to ride on harmonized vocals that echo in a gorgeous reverb. The attempt to jump from style to style is certainly fresh and intriguing, but it is difficult to tell if the intention behind it was creative exploration or commercial appeal.

By MARCELLE COUTO Scene Writer

A novel version of “West Side Story” hits theaters this December. The musical film — a cinema classic — will now star Ansel Elgort and recently acclaimed Hollywood star Rachel Zegler as the leads. The film has been complete for a long time as it was supposed to debut last year. A remake of the 1961 musical, this adaptation has much to live up to, seeing that the original won Best Picture and nine additional Oscars. It was also the top-grossing film in 1961, amassing $43,656,822. Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer were the protagonists then.

Both the current and the previous films are adaptations of the theatrical musical of the same name, with text by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The show opened in 1957 on Broadway and won two Tony Awards.

Steven Spielberg, winner of three Oscars, directs the movie. He is also one of the producers. The filmmaker praises the professionals involved and celebrates the project as one of the great moments of his career. Spielberg was 10 years old when “West Side Story” first opened on Broadway; working with this story has been a long-held dream of his.

Not wishing to overlook the masterpiece that the 1961 movie was, Spielberg hoped to create a movie derived from the

“Humankind” and “My Universe” are sure to join the list of Coldplay’s best hits. The former is practically dripping with a shimmering, euphoric sound and presents the message that while there are times in which we feel like aliens, kindness will bond us together. The latter, which will surely be an arena-worthy anthem, is elevated by the collaboration with Korean sensation BTS. The K-Pop stars lend their talents as well as their language to create a song that is an ode to the power that love carries even when faced with barriers.

BTS is not the only group that has collaborated on the track list. The song “Human Heart,” which is actually titled as a heart emoji on the record, features both We Are KING, a twin sister R&B duo, and British musician Jacob Collier.

Additionally, Selena Gomez can be heard in “Let Somebody Go,” adding a second perspective to the concept of a broken heart that enriches the ballad beautifully.

The lyrics are truly stellar in this most recent album, tying together themes of love, global politics and finding light and hope in the darkness. In “Human Heart,” lead musician Chris Martin sings about the stereotype that “boys don’t cry,” reminding us that we are all human despite the heavy expectations placed on us by society. “Coloratura,” the 10-minute space epic that closes out the album, ties in allusions to Galileo, planets, space missions and Latin phrases that piece together the collective messages from the entirety of the record in a dazzling journey through time and space.

Coldplay’s lyrics capture not only the celestial beauty of our outer galaxies but also the deep truths that make us human and connect us to one another.

Coldplay has certainly explored alternate universes with their newest track. While some songs seem out of place, not quite measuring up to the brilliance of “Clocks” or “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall,” a few of the ambitious, rousing, seemingly quintessential Coldplay hits soar above, decorating the otherwise unconventional album with a few hidden gems that are sure to have fans celebrating when the band returns to arenas in the near future. “Music of the Spheres” may not have reached the moon, but it just might find a place among the stars.

stage production. It is almost as if both films are different interpretations of the same source material.

Rita Moreno, one of only three artists to be honored with Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, Tony and Peabody awards, also serves as one of the film’s executive producers. She even won her Oscar for best supporting actress in the first version of “West Side Story.” Back then, she played Anita, the strongspirited and charismatic immigrant who places great hopes in “America.” Now, the movie features here as the character Valentina, replacing the role of Doc, a Father Lawrence-type mentor to the young couple.

The choreographer is Justin Peck, winner of the Tony Awards for the musical “Carousel.” Certainly one of the highlights in the original movie were the dances — namely the Party Scene and the complex techniques employed in the song “America.” Undoubtedly the remake will stun audiences, as the brief shots displayed in the trailer are enough to provide wonder and excitement.

Gustavo Dadamel, director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, developed the elaborate soundtrack. It must have been an honor to be in such close contact with the music of Bernstein, one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.

With the anticipated remake approaching, it is proper to look back at the story which enchanted audiences worldwide. The premise is simple, but intriguing: On the west

side of New York City, the Jets and Sharks are Polish and Puerto Rican gangs, respectively, who loathe each other and fight to dominate the territory in their neighborhood.

The conflict intensifies when two rival gang members fall in love, setting the scene for tragedy. The plot is inspired by William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” and the similarity between both works are glaring; to those who have read Shakespeare, it is easy to point out characters and scenes that mirror those in the 16th-century tale. However, “West Side Story” adds a layer of depth to the classic romance.

Highlighting the struggles of immigrants, racial tension and discrimination, “West Side Story” surpasses mere romance and engages themes that will continue to be relevant for a considerable time. It is therefore fitting that Spielberg made sure to cast actors of genuine Hispanic descent to play the Puerto Ricans, since the original contained a predominantly white cast.

“West Side Story” (2021) released a teaser in April during the 93rd Academy Awards. The official trailer aired on Good Morning America on Sept. 15, showcasing breathtaking shots and a glimpse of the song “Tonight.” Each frame seems to be meticulously constructed to reflect the beauty and profundity of the tale. In all appearances, this upcoming film will meet and perhaps even surpass expectations.

Contact Olivia Seymour at oseymour@nd.edu

“Music of the Spheres” Coldplay Label: Parlophone Favorite tracks: “Humankind,” “My Universe,” If you liked: OneRepublic, The Killers

Contact Marcelle Couto at mcouto@nd.edu CLAIRE KIRNER | The Observer

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Crossword | Will Shortz

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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Organize your thoughts. It’s important to understand the ramifications of every move or decision you make. Take a positive approach to life, love and happiness, and it will help you avoid getting trapped in drama that wastes your time and energy. Engage in gaining experience, knowledge and hope for a better future. Leave nothing to chance; protect your health and money. Your numbers are 5, 12, 17, 28, 32, 35, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Rest, rejuvenate and start all over again. How you handle events and activities that are physically challenging will affect your emotional well-being. Aim to do things that are conducive to putting your mind at ease, not stirring things up.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t throw caution to the wind. Know what you are up against, and do whatever it takes to stay on top of your game. Stability, consistency and adjusting to whatever is right and best for you is the route to take.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Leave nothing to chance or undone. Trace your steps as far as you must go to ensure you get things right moving forward. Trust in you and the facts you verify. Your dedication and loyalty will help you advance.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): It’s up to you to get the ball rolling. Don’t wait for someone to beat you at your own game. Take a lead position, follow through with your plans and pursue what makes you happy. Make an adjustment that suits your budget.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Keep the peace at home and when dealing with peers. A change someone makes may not align with your plans, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow the path that suits you. Do your own thing, and pursue what matters to you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Money matters will escalate if someone pressures you to donate to something that makes you feel uncomfortable. Take the initiative and decline. Put your money into something that will benefit you directly, like education, equipment or gaining experience.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Be tactful in handling situations that deal with colleagues or someone who can put a dent in your reputation, status or position. Offer a positive, upbeat attitude along with generosity, truth and a helping hand. Choose peace over discord. Romance and passion are encouraged.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A debate will disrupt a friendship or cause a family feud. Think before you share your point of view. Be a good listener, and you’ll be able to sidestep a situation that can lead to a change that doesn’t favor you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Tighten up your finances to save for something unique. Build your future on concrete plans, and you’ll make an impression on someone who recognizes your experience and values your input. An opportunity will fund your wish list. Romance and self-improvement are favored.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A request an older associate offers will not line up with your vision. Take the high road, and find a way to incorporate the old with the new. Your insight and adaptability will win favors and ward off a dispute.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Keep your eye on the ball, and be willing to accommodate someone you need in your corner. A change may not be welcome, but with a bit of finagling, you’ll find a way to get what you want without interference.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Emotions will surface over shared expenses and responsibilities. Take care of your fair share, then move on to more enjoyable tasks.

Connect with someone who can make a difference in your life and the way you live.

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Sports Authority

Sports Authority

Baseball needs a Braves win Jamison Cook Sports Writer

The World Series got underway Tuesday night with a 6-2 win for the Atlanta Braves. On the road in Houston, Atlanta stole Game 1 against the most hated team in professional sports: the Houston Astros.

Teams use some “Us Against the World” messaging from time to time in order to garner some motivation, but in the case of this series, it is actually Houston against the world.

If there exists someone who was not already an Astros fan, or has money on Houston, that is rooting for them in this series, please let me know. I would be shocked.

While sports fans everywhere are rooting for the Braves to pull this one out, nobody needs Atlanta to emerge victorious more than baseball itself. A win for the cheating Astros would be another blow to a sport that seems to cede more and more interest to the NFL and NBA every year.

For those that are unfamiliar, the Houston Astros won the World Series in 2017, beating the LA Dodgers in four out of the seven games. Houston won behind the play of charismatic AL MVP Jose Altuve, whose big hits throughout the playoffs helped the Astros beat both the Red Sox and Yankees on their way to the Fall Classic. As it turned out, however, Houston had employed illegal tactics, such as using game feed video to determine which pitches were coming. They would intercept the signal and relay the signs to runners on base, who would then alert the batter.

Other times, a trash can was banged when a certain pitch was signaled for, telling the batter what to expect. Also, after Altuve hit a walk-off home run against the Yankees in the AL Champion Series, he was seen telling his teammates to not take off his jersey, causing many to think he was wearing a hidden wire. Needless to say, the Astros did not endear themselves to many fanbases around the country.

Four years later, Houston still has not escaped the shadow of the cheating scandal, and the MLB’s lack of action — namely not vacating the World Series championship or stripping Altuve of his MVP — has

not helped. The Astros remain the most hated team in all of professional sports and, given the fact that they have continued to be successful postscandal, this is not going to change anytime soon. Since that 2017 World Series run, Houston has appeared in the ALCS for five straight years, a stat I was not aware of until recently, and one that deepens my dislike for them.

All of this brings me back to my point: Baseball needs Atlanta to win this series.

Mostly, the Astros cannot resume their position atop the MLB, but also because of the amazing underdog story that this Braves team represents.

They lost their best player for the season — Ronald Acuña Jr. — to a torn ACL on July 11. Atlanta didn’t even have a winning record until August 6. For context, the playoffs started less than two months later on Oct. 5. Additionally, they spent 126 days under .500 this season, the fourth most by a division winner since 1969, and the most since the Blue Jays spent 131 days in 1989. This is also their first World Series appearance since 1999, and would represent one of the most improbable title runs in recent sports memory.

In a sport where the Dodgers and Yankees can buy a new team each and every year, a Braves comeback win would be great for baseball. The Braves rank 10th in payroll in the MLB, and while they are above the league average, it would be encouraging to see a team that doesn’t simply pay to win and take home the Commissioner’s Trophy. More importantly, it would prevent Altuve and his cheating buddies from retaking the MLB throne. If you still need another reason to justify rooting for Atlanta, Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies stole a base in Game 1, giving all of America free tacos from Taco Bell. What more can you ask for?

In the end, it all comes down to the old adage: cheaters never win. Let’s hope that rings true in this series.

Zwiller: Reacting to NFL Week 7 game slate Tom Zwiller Sports Writer

Game: Chiefs 3, Titans 27 Chiefs Reaction: The Chiefs will miss the playoffs.

In the preseason, I never, in my wildest dreams, thought we would be here. However, the Chiefs are 3-4 with only one win against an above .500 team.

Their worst loss came last weekend against the Titans, a game in which Derrick Henry had more passing touchdowns than Patrick Mahomes.

The Chiefs are third in the AFC West, and they trail the Steelers, Patriots and Colts for the seventh wildcard spot. Can the Chiefs miss the playoffs?

Result: Not an Overreaction My NFL projections model ZLO currently has the Chiefs sitting at 8-9, which is good enough for third in the AFC West.

But do not just take my word for it: FiveThirtyEight has the Chiefs finishing with a 9-8 record and only a 43% chance to make the playoffs.

Titans Reaction: The Titans are the best team in the AFC. The Titans are currently 5-2 holding a 34-31 win against the Bills and now a 27-3 win against the Chiefs. Derrick Henry has reinserted himself into the MVP conversation after a slow start.

Are the Titans the best team in the AFC? Result: Overreaction Do not forget: this is a team that lost to the Jets. I understand they were missing their wide receivers, but that defense gave up 24 points to a Jets team that averages 12.8 points per game.

The Titans’ offense is good, but their defense prevents me from saying they are the best team in the AFC. The Bills were a fourthdown conversion away from winning that matchup.

Game: Falcons Dolphins 28

30,

Falcons Reaction: The Falcons can make the playoffs.

The Atlanta Falcons started the season 1-3. Since going to London and taking on the Jets, they have been 2-0.

The Falcons are 3-3 in the NFC South, where they should beat the Panthers twice and possibly split

Contact Jamison Cook at jcook22@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

with the Saints. Their remaining strength of schedule ranks 23rd.

The Falcons competition for the spot, the 49ers and the Vikings, appear to be struggling. The 49ers lost a crucial game to the Colts this past Sunday, and the Vikings are approaching the more challenging half of their schedule.

Do the Falcons have a shot at making the playoffs?

Result: Overreaction Let’s slow down for a second.

The Falcons’ last two wins came against teams that are a combined 2-11. Add in their other win against the Giants, and it is 4-16.

The Falcons have a chance to be .500, but this team is not good enough to make the playoffs.

FiveThirtyEight gives them just a 19% chance at the playoffs and their average record is 8-9.

ZLO has them with a chance of making the wildcard but falling short with a record of either 8-9 or 9-8.

Dolphins Reaction: Trade Tua for Deshaun Watson The Dolphins are now 1-6 and on a six-game losing streak.

Their last two losses are particularly tough, a 23-20 last-second loss to the Jaguars in London and a 30-28 last-second loss to the Falcons.

Fellow second-year quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert have looked fantastic, while Tua has seemingly lagged.

All the while, Deshaun Watson sits completely available for trade.

All the Dolphins need do is send away a minimum of three firstround draft picks.

Result: Overreaction First, it needs to be said: Deshaun has 22 civil lawsuits alleging either sexual assault or sexual misconduct. In my opinion, that is reason alone enough for teams not to trade for Deshaun.

The NFL needs to place Watson on the commissioners’ exempt list as soon as possible. The longer he is not on there, the more problematic.

That fact aside, I do not understand why you would trade away Tua. In the last two games, Tua has played well, throwing for six touchdowns, three interceptions, and 600 yards on a 75% completion percentage.

Furthermore, acquiring Watson does not save the Dolphins season. It might help in the future, but the Dolphins are still 1-6.

The best course of action, in my opinion, is to continue to evaluate Tua and see what you have.

He has essentially played three games this season. That is not an adequate sample size.

Game: Colts 30, 49ers 18 Colts Reaction: The Colts will make the playoffs.

Way back in February, I wrote a column detailing the trade of Carson Wentz from the Eagles to the Colts. I explained how I thought Wentz could make the Colts a playoff-caliber team.

Wentz is projected to throw 25 touchdowns to two interceptions and close to four thousand yards at a 64% completion percentage.

In February, I said that Wentz would go 25-6 throwing at 65% and have 3750 passing yards. He is on track for my projections, but the Colts are not.

They sit at 3-4 but have won three of their last four. They currently sit tenth in the AFC. Could they sneak into the playoffs?

Result: Not an Overreaction The Colts are by no means a lock for the playoffs, but I genuinely think they have a chance.

FiveThirtyEight gives them a 50% chance of making the postseason and a 19% chance of winning the AFC South. Their average simulated record is 9-8.

ZLO is a little less optimistic; it has the Colts finishing at 8-9 and eighth in the AFC. The Colts face the Jets, the Jaguars twice, and the Texans, which feels like four automatic wins in their remaining schedule.

They also face the Buccaneers, the Titans, and the Cardinals, which feels like three automatic losses (to be fair, I think they have a shot against the Titans, but I still favor the Titans).

That puts them at 7-7, with just two games being the differencemakers: the Patriots and Raiders.

The Patriots game, in particular, seems to be the game that could dictate the AFC seventh seed.

So while it may not be a great chance, the Colts certainly have a chance.

Contact Tom Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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sports

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | The Observer

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HOCKEY

Hockey splits first series with RIT Tigers

By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

The 13th-ranked Irish hockey program was back in action this past weekend against the RIT Tigers. Although the Irish dropped the first game of the series 3-2 in overtime, the Irish bounced back to win game two of the series easily by a score of 6-0.

In the series’ opener, the Irish fell behind 2-0 in the first period despite outshooting the Tigers 34-19. The Tigers’ first goal of the game came off of an Irish turnover that gave the Tigers a 3-on-1 with Will Caverley finding the back of the net for the Tigers.

The Tigers then tacked on their second goal of the period after Caverley won the face-off in the neutral zone and Kobe Walker took the puck all the way around the Irish net to score up close on goaltender junior Ryan Bischel.

Although the Irish generated plenty of chances early on in the second period, they failed to score until 5 minutes remained in the period. It was sophomore forward Graham Slaggert who finally put the Irish on the board by slipping a wrist shot past the Tigers’ goaltender.

The Irish were then able to level the game in the third period on a 4-on-3 advantage.

Senior defenseman Nick Leivermann was the scorer for the Irish by beating the RIT goaltender to the short side.

The Irish were almost able to take the lead with 6 minutes remaining in the third period when a drop pass from junior forward Trevor Janicke set up senior Graham Slaggert in the slot. Unfortunately for the Irish, Slaggert’s shot was saved and overtime was needed in South Bend.

The Irish had the first chance in overtime, but senior forward Cam Burke’s shot was yet again saved by the Tigers’ goaltender. The Tigers then moved the puck quickly down the ice on the ensuing possession to score the overtime game winner for the Tigers.

The Irish responded emphatically to their first loss of the season by blowing out RIT 6-0 in the second game of the series.

The Irish dominated this one early by scoring three goals in a 6-minute span midway through the first period to take a dominating 3-0 lead with two goals from Trevor Janicke and one from junior forward Max Ellis.

Ellis then tacked on his second of the night in the second period to give the Irish an even larger

4-0 lead. Landon Slaggert would then extend the lead to 5-0 only minutes later with a power-play goal. Freshman forward Hunter Strand would then bury his second goal of the year with a minute left in the game to give the Irish a dominant 6-0 victory. Graduate student goaltender Matthew Galajada was named the Big Ten Hockey’s Third Star of the week for his shutout on Friday.

The Irish penalty kill improved to 23-for-23 to open the season after the weekend series against RIT. One of the reasons for the Irish defense’s success on the power play this season is graduate student defenseman Adam Karashik, who transferred from UConn.

Head coach Jeff Jackson discussed what Karashik means to this team.

“He has given us something that we haven’t had back there for a couple of years,” Jackson said. “Plus, he is very mobile.”

In addition to his play on the ice, Jackson discussed Karashik’s impact off the ice, and one of the reasons he was named a captain of this year’s team.

“It didn’t take long to recognize the character of this young man and he plays with that character

as well. It’s a unique quality that this kid has,” Jackson said.

“And he’s a great teammate. He goes along with everyone, but I also think he’s a guy that’s not afraid to step up and hold others accountable. He’s got a unique quality about him that makes him a very impressive young man and a leader in our locker room and on the ice.”

Jackson also discussed how fewer COVID-19 restrictions this year have affected his team, but he also acknowledged that the pandemic is not completely over yet.

“I felt bad for the seniors last year not being able to do their normal routines for football games or have the team gettogethers.” Jackson said. “It’s been a little bit looser this year but not totally. We still have to be diligent. This thing is not over 100%. We are in our locker room. We are together.

The guys are living back on campus. Things are somewhat back to normal, but we are still trying to make sure that we are keeping our head[s] up.”

The Irish will face their biggest test of the season so far when they travel to Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis this weekend to open Big Ten play against the seventh-

ranked Minnesota Gophers.

The Irish have been fantastic on the road as of late, as they are 2-0-0 so far this season and had an amazing 9-2-1 mark last season. That road record last season included two wins over Minnesota by scores of 3-2 and 2-1 when they were the topranked team in the country. The series between the Gophers and Irish has been highly contested since the Irish joined the Big Ten with Notre Dame leading the series by a record of 11-9-2.

Fourteen of the last 17 meetings in the series have been decided by one goal or ended in a tie.

The Gophers have been slightly disappointing this season but have only lost to quality opponents. The Gophers currently have a 3-3 record that includes a loss to St. Cloud State and two losses to MinnesotaDuluth, who the Gophers lost to last weekend. Both St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth are currently ranked in the top five.

The puck will drop in Minneapolis at 9 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday. Friday’s game will be on Big Ten Network, while Saturday’s game can be viewed on Bally Sports North.

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

RECruiting Column

Notre Dame wins big with exciting light show Jimmy Ward Associate Sports Editor

When you think of college football, it’s hard not to think about tradition. And when you think of Notre Dame football in particular, it’s hard to ignore their fantastic history and tradition.

As a result, their fanbase can tend to react rather snobbishly to any sort of altercation or change

that they see unfit. But Notre Dame’s football recruiting staff took a huge leap this weekend and made a much-needed splash in the national spotlight (no pun intended) in the form of a fun light show between the third and fourth quarters.

It was perfectly fitting for Notre Dame, a program that honors its history and traditions. The program had new life breathed into it on Saturday night when a new atmosphere that we have

never seen at Notre Dame Stadium before was brought before us.

There were several notable recruits in attendance as the Irish marched towards a 31-16 win over USC on Saturday including Top247’s No. 1 safety Xavier Nwankpa, five-star defensive lineman Anthony Lucas plus offensive linemen Aamil Wagner and Billy Schrauth. The Irish also hosted three more uncommitted recruits on official visits in LSU commit and five-star quarterback

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Walker Howard, defensive lineman Hero Kanu and athlete Carson Tabaracci. There were also plenty of former Irish players in attendance including Chase Claypool, Jerome Bettis and his son (another recruit) Jerome Bettis Jr. and Josh Adams.

The highlight of the night was perfectly fitting for Notre Dame; a program that wishes to honor history and tradition while also keeping up with the massively shifting recruiting landscape.

Flicking the lights off before the Fighting Irish took the field and the ensuing light show that followed was all that Notre Dame needed to do to get a second glance from the nationwide audience during the primetime game.

It wasn’t over-the-top; it wasn’t Athens in 2019, but it did the job. The collective gasp from the stadium said it all. It was an attempt to catch attention that wasn’t overly ambitious and distasteful and most importantly, it got the job done. Notre Dame needs more of this. They need more new material to keep not only recruits but their national fanbase entertained, interested and engaged with the team. It was certainly able to grab the attention of all in attendance at the game and it wasn’t too much when they did the light show later in the game. Now, it goes without saying that a light show is not sustainable as weekly pregame entertainment, but these changes have not been met with much if any negative response from their sometimes grouchy fanbase. In fact, they have largely been met with a rejuvenated delight and excitement about the program, even a few weeks after a flawless season was snapped.

This is what we need from Notre Dame — answering the bell and delivering will prove to be a tremendous stepping stone for the Irish in the future.

Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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Sports

The observer | Friday, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

W Soccer Continued from page 16

foot to a loose ball in a few yards of space, and her def lected shot found the far bottom corner of the net.

Wake wasn’t done yet either, as they’d force Naylor into several difficult but crucial saves in the minutes following the goal as momentum swung the Deacons’ way.

But it was Notre Dame who would strike last on a night where quality Irish chances seemed sparse. Maddie

Predictions Continued from page 16

Mannion McGinley Sports Editor

Mercado swung in a corner kick, and her delivery was misjudged by Wake Forest goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks, leading to the ball brief ly crossing the goal line for an Irish winner. Wake Forest would test Naylor a few final times before the whistle blew, but in the end the sophomore keeper was equal to everything thrown at her.

After the game, Naylor spoke on the thrilling win as well as the team’s remaining schedule.

“I feel really good,” she said.

“It was super exciting to win,

especially on senior night, and in the last game of the regular season. We get to host an ACC tournament game and play again on Sunday. So a super great game.”

Naylor also talked about how Notre Dame’s road trip against three top-10 teams in the last two weeks helped her and the team develop.

“Those games are definitely a step up,” she said. “And it’s pretty stressful at first, but our team and our defense has really stepped up and played well — it’s all about having trust in your teammates, your

coaches and the game plan.”

Head Coach Nate Norman agreed that the road stretch against the ACC’s best over the last few weeks taught the Irish some valuable lessons heading into tournament play.

“I think a lot of it is belief and confidence in ourselves,” Norman said. “I think all three of those games we felt like we were close, but we didn’t get it, and I think all those teams we played are teams that could win national championships. So I think walking away we can say ‘If

we just be us, we can have a pretty good shot at beating anyone.’”

That confidence will be put to the test Sunday, as the Irish face a quick turnaround for their first ACC tournament game against the fifth-seeded Clemson Tigers. The last time the two sides faced off was just earlier this month when a double-overtime Eva Gaetino winner walked the Irish off 2-1 victors. The match will be played at Alumni Stadium at either 6 or 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on the ACC Network.

Tar Heels. This game will stay tight the whole way through and the Irish cannot afford any mistakes.

Notre Dame 35, UNC 25

Notre Dame in this one, but UNC’s high-powered offense will make it a little uncomfortable for the Irish throughout the game.

Notre Dame 33, UNC 27

I’m expecting Notre Dame to notch their second genuinely decisive win of the year.

Notre Dame 28, UNC 17

is definitely not a good football team, it always feels good to win a rivalry game against the Trojans. The Irish will now have their second home night game in a row against a UNC team that has been one of the biggest disappointments in college football so far this season.

Despite their unimpressive 4-3 record, UNC still possesses plenty of talent on both sides of the football, and I expect them to challenge the Irish in many aspects of the football game on Saturday night.

The Irish will be without AllAmerican safety Kyle Hamilton, which could be a problem as they try to stop Tar Heel wide receiver Josh Downs, who has over 800 receiving yards and eight touchdowns so far this season. Tar Heel quarterback Sam Howell is arguably the toughest quarterback the Irish have played so far this season as well, so Saturday will definitely be a challenge for the Irish secondary. On the other side of the football, the Irish should be able to find success behind a revamped offensive line. The Tar Heel defense has been atrocious this season. I expect Kyren Williams and the Irish run game to lead the Irish to victory on Saturday night.

Notre Dame 41, UNC 31

—

Four home games left: One down. Three to go. The Irish offense stepped up this weekend and it will have to step up once again against UNC, as the Tar Heels have not gone down often this season and definitely not without some points on the board. The main focus will have to be on the defensive line.

Graduate student nose guard Kurt Hinish and the rest of the line will have to collapse on the pocket without allowing an escape route for Sam Howell because he will take it. With the success in the tackle box against VT and USC, though, that should be doable for the Irish.

If not quite on the same page, Tommy Rees, Jack Coan and the offensive line seem to be at least in the same chapter now — and that success should carry through to this weekend. While UNC has been able to put up quite a few points, they haven’t stopped many either and so as long as the Irish stay on the path they’ve set in the last two games, they should be able to match and then outperform the

Moller Continued from page 16

Madden at right guard and graduate student Josh Lugg at right tackle. While Patterson, Madden and Lugg have retained their starting spots, there are some new faces on the left side of the offensive line that are making an immediate impact for the Irish.

The biggest hit for the offensive line was the injury to true freshman left tackle Blake Fisher, who tore his meniscus in the seasonopening victory against Florida State. With Fisher out, the Irish turned to sophomore Michael Carmody and sophomore Tosh Baker at left tackle, but neither of them was able to successfully protect the quarterback’s blindside, leading to numerous sacks and an incapable Jack Coan in the pocket.

Since then, true freshman Joe Alt has stepped up to the plate for the Irish. The Minnesota native started getting more playing time at the

Aidan Thomas — Sports Writer Saturday was a relief. For the first time all season, the Irish enjoyed a stress-free victory. Notre Dame, even when their lead was cut to eight points, felt in control the entire time and they cruised past archrival USC. Now, the focus turns to UNC. The Tar Heels are arguably the most difficult opponent remaining, due partially to their high-octane offense and the timing for Notre Dame, as the Irish will be missing All-American Kyle Hamilton.

Quarterback Sam Howell is a bona fide dual-threat, averaging over 13 rushing attempts per game at 5.1 yards per game. His top playmakers are running back Ty Chandler and receiver Josh Downs, who have eight touchdowns apiece. The offense will certainly challenge a slightly depleted Irish defense, while the Tar Heels’ underperforming defense does have a few playmakers that could force the Irish into mistakes. I like

position against Wisconsin. And he has since taken over the position because of his success. Alt has earned starts in each of the last two games against Virginia Tech and USC. His presence on the field instantly improved an offensive line that struggled with quarterback protection.

Another difference-maker for the Irish as of late has been junior Andrew Kristofic. He received his first start of the season for the Irish at left guard in last weekend’s win over USC. With Zeke Correll sidelined due to concussion protocol, Kristofic stepped up. The way the offensive line played when he did, I don’t see Kristofic losing his starting spot unless his play gets drastically worse.

Center Jarrett Patterson seemed to be one of the only givens for the Irish offensive line coming into the season. He started all of his sophomore season and most of 2020 before sustaining a left foot injury.

Even Patterson, however, seemed to be a bit lackluster coming back from his injury. Just recently, he has

Jimmy Ward — Associate Sports Editor Well, it only took a home loss and a bye week, but we have finally endured a weekend of Notre Dame football (somewhat) comfortably and with minimal blood pressure spikes. A 31-16 win over a rival surely had this Notre Dame team excited, but they were back to business as usual just as quickly as they had sealed the victory.

Kyle Hamilton’s injury is obviously significant and you can’t bat an eye at the fact he will be sidelined against UNC and a more than likely firstround quarterback in Sam Howell, but the Irish defense showed us from the moment that Hamilton went down that they are fully competent without him. I think it will be up to Marcus Freeman and his defense yet again to put the game on ice and stop the Tar Heels’ air game. I am more than confident in the game plan of the whole coaching staff after what we saw last weekend and

seemed to be playing like his old self.

Right guard Cain Madden was arguably the biggest pickup for the Irish in the offseason in the transfer portal. The transfer from Marshall was named an All-American in 2020 and received first-team AllConference USA honors in 2019 and 2020.Madden struggled to adjust at first. Initially, he failed to assert himself when the Irish tried to run the football. I think many underestimated the adjustment Madden would have to make to match up against the bigger size of Power 5 lineman. Nevertheless, Madden has continued to improve and helps lead an improving Irish run game.

Coming into the season, it was obvious that Josh Lugg was going to receive playing time. It was simply a matter of where on the line that would be. Like his teammates, Lugg has helped lead an improving Irish offense in the running and passing games.

It is no doubt that the offensive line has improved with these

Emily DeFazio — Associate Sports Editor It was nice to have a home game where the fourth quarter was not filled with some kind of dread. Jack Coan posted a fairly productive game Saturday, and for the first time in a while, the offense seemed cohesive. The run game finally seemed to click with this group, with Kyren Williams having a standout night. However, as much success as there was on offense, the Irish defense lost a valuable asset in Kyle Hamilton for at least Saturday’s matchup against UNC. Given that Sam Howell is a potential firstround draftee, he could try to do some damage with this in mind. Regardless, the Irish will come away with this one, riding the high of a victorious rivalry game to compete against their next formidable opponent.

Notre Dame 30, UNC 24

Nate Moller Writer

—

Sports

Saturday was a great day to be a Notre Dame fan. While USC

five players in. Looking at the games against Virginia Tech and USC, the Irish totaled 180 and 170 yards on the ground respectively.

These were the games where Alt, Kristofic, Patterson, Madden and Lugg received substantial playing time. That is a drastic improvement from the previous two weeks against Wisconsin and Cincinnati where the Irish had just three yards and 84 yards respectively on the ground. Tackles for loss were a huge issue for the Irish offense as well early in the season. The offensive line allowed a stunning eight TFL over the first five games of the season. In the past two games, the Irish have only allowed three TFL. The pass protection has been significantly better as well as of late.

Through the first four games of the season, the Irish allowed an average of just over five sacks a game.

However, in the last two weeks, they have allowed only three total sacks. This keeps the Irish from third and long situations and allows quarterback Jack Coan to be more comfortable in the pocket.

With this newfound comfort, Coan can find more opportunities downfield that he wasn’t seeing at the beginning of the season.

The Irish wrap up the season against North Carolina, Navy, Virginia, Georgia Tech and Stanford. Each of those teams has struggled on defense this season. I expect this offensive line unit to continue to find success against these defenses and develop throughout the season. This unit is undoubtedly the main reason that the Irish offense has been anemic at times this season. Despite that, I have truly been impressed by the unit’s progression this season.

Look for Alt, Kristofic, Patterson, Madden and Lugg to continue to start the remainder of the year. And Correll and Baker will be viable backups, should they be needed.

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@hcc-nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

sports

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | The Observer

15

UNC sets goals around Irish defensive line

By MANNION McGINLEY Sports Editor

This weekend, Notre Dame football will head into their second home game and third night game in a row as they take on UNC. On Monday and Tuesday, the Tar Heels discussed the upcoming matchup against Notre Dame and what they needed to do to prepare.

UNC head coach Mack Brown discussed what went wrong for the Tar Heels when the two teams faced off last year.

“They were the only team that absolutely beat us down and physically beat us down and made a big run in the fourth quarter, but our defense hung in there,” Mack Brown said. “Offensively against Notre Dame, we did not play well in the second half at all. And that was with one of the best offenses I’ve ever been around and they absolutely physically just beat us.”

Turning to this year, the Tar Heels are 3-1 at home but 0-2 on the road. As they head into Notre Dame Stadium, UNC has five games left, during four of which they face ranked teams.

Additionally, three of those games will be on the road. Brown broke down what he needs to see from his players in order to find success in some of those games and shoot for a bowl game.

“We’ve got a fun challenging schedule ahead,” Brown said with

XC Continued from page 16

good weekend for a lot of people.”

Carlson feels that his team is in really good shape.

“I think from an X’s and O’s physical standpoint, we are as good as we have ever been, but making sure that you are mentally and emotionally in that same place that you are physically is an important

a laugh, “but it’ll really make our program show continued growth to play well, during the stretch because it’s a tough one. And we’re continuing to learn how to handle adversity on the road and that’s not gonna slow down.”

As the team makes that adjustment for the remainder of the 2021 season, Brown took a look at the offense. The Tar Heels returned quarterback, junior Sam Howell, most of the offensive line and lead running back, graduate student Ty Chandler. With another year of experience under their belt, Brown knows what to expect from them individually and outlined where each of them can better rely on the rest of the squad.

“You start looking offensively, we just need to be more consistent, and we got to find ways to continue to run the ball,” Brown said. “We’ve gotten the ball to Josh Downs a lot. We’ve gotten the ball to our backs some, we’ve gotten the ball to our tight ends a lot. We’ve got to get the ball to our outside receivers more. We had a big play to [senior wide receiver] Antoine Green last week, but we’ve got to include them more in what we’re doing. Defensively, I think the biggest things we got to get them off the field on third and fourth downs and we’ve got to do a better job against the big plays.”

Focusing on Notre Dame especially, Brown was quick to

celebrate the success the Irish have had, even in what seemed like it would be a rebuilding year.

Specifically, he acknowledged head coach Brian Kelly and his ability to shape the team into the success they find each year.

“Congrats to Brian Kelly on beating Knute Rockne and his record for being the all-time winningest coach in Notre Dame history — that’s really special,” Brown said. “Brian does it right.

He’s a tremendous coach. He is not a guy that’s negative in recruiting, they go by the rules.

They’ve got really bright kids, and they’re very well-coached. And they’re kind of the standard that we’d like to be.”

The Irish have won 37 straight against unranked opponents and they’re 27-1 in their home stadium over the last 28 games so the Tar Heels are focusing mostly on what they can change within the team.

Sophomore defensive back Tony Grimes broke down how he and the rest of the defense plan to handle the Irish, focusing on their main goal and their mindset.

“The main focus is getting a three and out as many times as we can,” Grimes said. “That’s the main focus, three and out. Every chance we get to take them three and out is a better chance for the offense to score and there’s a better chance that the game’s a win.”

On the offensive side of things, quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Phil Longo has one rule for this weekend: no mistakes.

“I think as each game has gone by, we’ve gotten better and that’s all we can ask of our guys,” he said. “We got to continue to get better not make repetitive mistakes. And against a team like Notre Dame, you can’t make mistakes. So, we’ve got to eliminate the pre-snap penalties, we have to have great ball security, we have to eliminate any [missing assignments] or technique issues — that stuff has to be clean.

When you play a team of this caliber, you’ve got to play really, really clean football.”

Longo knows Howell is a double threat. He has maintained a pattern of 200 passing yards or more in all but the Miami game so far this season. On top of that, he hovers around the secondmost rushing yards in any given game. Occasionally, he takes the top spot over Chandler or falls behind secondary running back D.J. Jones but mostly takes second. This week, though, Longo said he is worried about how Notre Dame’s defensive line will affect that production, specifically junior defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey.

“You always identify the top sack artist on every team,” Longo

said. “You know, you have to decide: Is that somebody that we feel like we can handle in just base personnel, you know without any help? Or is that somebody that we need to double team or get help on or get a tight end over there and get a running back over there? Is he a scheme changer? [Foskey] is. There’s no question. And we’ve got to know where he is all the time. We’ve got to get help in pass protection with him.”

But the same goes for other players in the defensive line, Longo added.

“This is a very, very good defensive line, a very stout front seven,” he said. “... And I think physically they do probably as good a job as anybody we played this year at block destruction. They get their hands in on you, identify what’s going on with the direction of the football, and they do a good job of getting off you and tracking the ball. I think the key to their defense is that front seven and we’ve been thoroughly impressed with Notre Dame’s defensive line and their front seven.”

With their goals established, the Tar Heels roll into South Bend this weekend to take on the Irish at 7:30 p.m. Catch the game on NBC.

part,” Carlson said.

The Irish men are heavy favorites to win the ACC Championships, as the team is currently ranked 8th by USTFCCCA. Arguably the top competition for the Irish will be the 19th-ranked Florida State Seminoles, who are the only other ranked team in the ACC. While the men are heavy favorites, the 22nd-ranked Irish women’s cross country team will have their work cut out for them against

very stiff ACC competition. They will go up against second-ranked North Carolina State, 10th-ranked Florida State, 13th-ranked North Carolina, 16th-ranked Syracuse and Georgia Tech, who was last year’s runner-up.

In the Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational that the women competed at a couple of weeks ago, the Irish were edged out by Syracuse.

Women’s cross country head coach Matt Sparks hopes that his team

can beat out teams like Syracuse on Friday, but he also stressed the importance of not getting too caught up in the competition.

“The unique thing about our sport is that we are not playing defense. We’re working on ourselves, and we can’t worry about what they’re doing,” Sparks said.

“That’s what we have talked a lot about. Let’s take care of what we can take care of. We can’t control what Syracuse, North Carolina or

Florida State are going to do.”

Sparks discussed the buildup that this meet has towards the NCAA Regional meet in two weeks.

“This will be a very similar-sized field to what we will see at the regional meet, so the strategies and the outlook is similar between the two meets,” Sparks said. “We need to run well here to build up to where we need to be at regionals, which is being top two at the regional meet.”

Sparks hopes that his team can get in the right mindset before the race, which he believes can be difficult to do at home meets.

“Some people talk about the home course advantage,” Sparks said. “It is nice to not have to hop on a plane and travel somewhere, but there are the challenges of being in class all day before and sleeping in the dorms. It’s tough to top sleeping in a hotel the night before the race.”

The women’s 6K race will begin at 10 a.m., followed by the men’s 8K race at 11 a.m. Both races can be viewed on ACC Network Extra.

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Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu

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The observer | Friday, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

ND Cross COuntry

ND woMen’s Soccer

Cross country approaches ACC’s

By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

The Irish men’s and women’s cross country programs will open their slate of postseason meets at home this Friday at the ACC Championships, which will be hosted at the Burke Golf Course.

This will be the first time that the Irish men’s team race all of their runners this season, and head men’s cross country coach Sean Carlson is excited to see what his team can do.

“We are letting all of the horses out of the stable to try and defend the title and get some momentum heading into the national meet,” Carlson said.

Carlson discussed the strategy for his team on Friday, as his team runs to defend their ACC title.

“We are going to have two really two solid packs. [Senior] Dylan [Jacobs] and [graduate student] Yared [Nuguse] can definitely run together, which should be really fun to see,” Carlson said. “We are going to

ND survives Wake Forest to end regular season

go and get after it. We aren’t going to mess around. I think it’s just going to get going from the gun, and there are not going to be too many tactics to it.”

Carlson said he hopes to find out more about his team in Friday’s race as well.

“We can also try to find out who the top seven guys really are,” Carlson said. “We haven’t run the full lineup with everyone racing head to head yet, so this should be a good indicator of finding that out.”

Carlson talked about what it means to have the conference meet at home for his team.

“I think it will be really fun for the guys to have their friends and families all able to come out here at home,” Carlson said.

“I think they are really excited for that, especially a year after not having spectators. I know the guys are all really excited, and a lot of guys have family coming in. And then there’s a home football game the next day, so I think it will be a really see XC PAGE 15

Observer Sports Staff

CREIGHTON DOLEZAL | The Observer

Irish freshman Kaylie Ronan clears the ball during Notre Dame’s 2-1 win over Cincinatti at Alumni Stadium on Aug. 30, 2018.

Football

Nate Moller

Staff Predictions: UNC, Howell

By COLIN CAPECE, MANNION McGINLEY, JIMMY WARD, EMILY DeFAZIO, AIDAN THOMAS, and NATE MOLLER

Sports Writer

see MOLLER PAGE 14

see W SOCCER PAGE 14

Football

Moller: Offensive line is ready to prove itself The Irish offensive line has been one of the major issues for Notre Dame so far this season. This was surprising in some ways because last year’s offensive line was one of the best in the country. Losing Liam Eichenberg, Robert Hainsey, Tommy Kraemer and Aaron Banks to the NFL left holes for the Irish to fill ahead of the 2021 season.

Despite these unknowns ahead of the season, there was still plenty of optimism around this offensive line unit. The Irish seemingly had young, highly recruited players that were ready to step up and make an immediate difference for the Irish. Unfortunately for the Irish, things didn’t go quite as smoothly as planned.

In the season-opening game against Florida State, the Irish went with first-year Blake Fisher at left tackle, junior Zeke Correll at left guard, senior Jarrett Patterson at center, graduate student Cain

Notre Dame women’s soccer came away w ith a v ital w in Thursday night, as the Irish took dow n the v isiting Wake Forest Demon Deacons 2-1.

It was the Irish who opened the scoring early on as they prefer to do, w ith leading goalscorer Sammi Fisher slotting home a simple oneon-one chance after a nice through ball from Oliv ia Wingate in the 20th minute.

But after the goal, things got shakier. A strong Wake Forest attack, perhaps emboldened by the fact that they had already clinched a bid to the ACC Tournament, continually peppered goalkeeper Ashley Naylor’s net and kept the pressure high on the Irish midfield and defense.

And eventually, they were rewarded. In the 70th minute, Sophia Rossi got her

Colin Capece — ­­ Assistant Managing Editor

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish senior wide reciever Kevin Austin Jr. hauls in a pass during Notre Dame’s 31-16 win over USC on Saturday at home.

The Notre Dame offensive line was the key to the 31-16 victory over rival USC. That’s a sentence I never thought I would write after watching the Irish at the start of the season, but the unit without a doubt played its best game of the season on Saturday. With enough time to stand in the pocket and survey the defense, the immobile Jack Coan had his most efficient game since the opener against Florida State. When Notre Dame can keep its signal caller upright, this offense can dominate every opponent left on the schedule because its balanced offense will stay ahead of the chains. Kyren Williams also had his best game of the season against the Trojans, racking up 180 total yards and two touchdowns.

While the USC defense has been porous the entire season, the success in the passing game helped open more running lanes for Williams. Heading into another home game under the lights against UNC, the secondary is the primary concern for the Irish with Kyle Hamilton ruled out. Without their enforcer on the back end, the Irish let USC’s best wideout Drake London torch them for 15 catches and 171 yards. UNC’s Josh Downs could do the same against the Irish on Saturday if they don’t get to quarterback Sam Howell consistently. But the Tar Heels’ defense hasn’t looked much better, and I think the Irish offense that’s found a new identity will control the clock as it did against USC. The Tar Heels will make a late push, but it won’t be enough to overcome a Notre Dame team that will command the offensive line of scrimmage throughout.

Notre Dame 35, UNC 27 see PREDICTIONS PAGE 14

insider

Kristofic Continued from page 4

Florida State have forced the Irish to take the “next man up” approach so far, but Kristofic has bought in from the start.

The junior has kept his focus in practice and on the sidelines throughout the season’s first seven games. He credits his preparedness with helping him seize the opportunity that presented itself.

“Even before I got the opportunity to play a full game last week [against USC], as the next man in you’re always preparing to play all the time,” he said. “You always have the mentality that football is a physical game and you’re always one play away from something happening.”

Taking meaningful reps during the spring helped Kristofic learn the nuances of playing guard as opposed to tackle. When he found himself with the chance to start at the position, he knew exactly what to look for when facing rushers, and how to execute properly.

“I think the most difficult thing to adjust to was that at tackle you have a little bit more time and space to react to defensive player’s movements, but at guard, on the

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, OctobER 29, 2021 | The Observer

interior, those guys are on you right away,” he said. “You have to be really definitive with your movements to make sure you’re in a good position.”

The struggles in both run and pass protection for the Irish have been well documented this season, but with Kristofic looking like he’ll be a mainstay for the foreseeable future, the offensive line is trending in the right direction. While it may not be the nasty, dominant enforcer of years past, Kristofic believes this unit will consistently protect the quarterback and give running backs room to maneuver by the end of the season.

“I think we’re definitely starting to find our rhythm,” Kristofic said. “We’ve taken a lot of big steps in the right direction, but we’re going to keep improving from week to week… We have a group of guys that have been committed to getting things fixed and living up to the standard [for the offensive line] that we’ve set here. We always talk about raising the standard as well, so [USC] was a good step in the right direction, but we’re not where we want to be yet and will keep working.”

Contact Colin Capece at ccapece@nd.edu

Brown Continued from page 4

the lights shined at their brightest.

Facing a dangerous USC offense and arguably the best receiver in the nation in Drake London, Notre Dame played well but watched Kyle Hamilton pull up lame after a play in coverage. Brown immediately stepped in, and while it’s difficult to fill an All-American-sized hole, the senior did his best Hamilton impression. He notched seven tackles and, although not credited on the scorecard, secured a huge end zone pass breakup with a thundering finishing hit in the second half.

Brown played a major role as the Irish kept the Trojans out of the end zone until the fourth quarter.

“When I’m on the field, I just lock in on what I have to do. Everything else is just distractions,” Brown said. “I prepared in practice every day like I was the starter, so it wasn’t a big deal. To me, it was just like playing Purdue during the day, or any other game we played.”

For a game that most Notre Dame players and coaches note as the biggest of the year, the Irish’s biggest rivalry, such an in-themoment attitude from Brown is impressive. The coaches treated the moment much the same way, according to Brown.

“They didn’t really say anything [when Hamilton went down] ... I think they had trust and faith in Paid Advertisement

me to go out there and help the team win. So I just went out there.”

And the longtime reserve safety delivered with a career performance in a prime setting. Brown played an important role throughout the USC game, as the Irish featured the epitome of a “bend but don’t break” defense. While the Trojans bested the Irish at 428-383 yards, the Irish featured fantastic red zone defense. They grabbed an early interception and forced a few field goal attempts, one of which USC missed. Part of that was due to Notre Dame’s success in their dime packages, which feature an extra defensive back. Brown was part of a dynamic effort in this package, forcing USC quarterback Kedon Slovis into an ugly 1-for-7 stat line for 11 yards and an interception.

“It was really tough — always tough to see someone go down,” Brown said of seeing Hamilton leave the game. “Some of the stuff he does, you see why he’s an AllAmerican. But I just wanted to prepare in case something like that ever happened ... Kyle’s there for us; he’s doing everything he can to help us out.”

But Brown’s breakout performance is in the rearview mirror.

That effort lifted Notre Dame to 11th in the AP Poll. The Irish claimed a fourth straight win over USC and a 6-1 record on the season. Now, the focus is on 7-1 and another night game in South Bend. Sam Howell is one of the best quarterbacks Notre Dame

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will see all season. And the Tar Heels bring in an offense that has exceeded 50 points twice and has notched at least 38 points in four games.

“Sam Howell is good. I didn’t realize he was as good a runner as he was,” Brown noted of Howell’s evolved skillset.

That’s certainly true, as Howell has nearly doubled his rushing attempts per game. After largely being a scrambler last season, Howell runs it about 14 times per game.

Now he averages nearly six yards per pop, after notching just 1.6 yards per carry last year. Brown in particular will be responsible for Howell’s top target, though. Even in RPO (run-pass option) situations, his focus has to be on the pass, which Brown described as his “main responsibility.” That target is Josh Downs, who notches 8.5 catches per game and has eight touchdowns. But beyond Downs, the Tar Heels have a few receivers that get less volume but average over 20 yards per reception. Keeping an explosive offense to minimal big plays is going to be critical. Should they accomplish that and a solid offensive output, the Irish will be in the driver’s seat for a third straight victory as the pursuit for an 11-1 record continues.

“It’s a challenge for our defense, but I think we’ll be up to the task,” Brown said.

Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

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The observer | Friday, October 29, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

BIG FEATURE

DJ Brown steps up in Hamilton’s absence

By AIDAN THOMAS Sports Writer

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish senior safety DJ Brown drops back in coverage during Notre Dame’s 31-16 win over USC on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. Brown recorded seven tackles throughout the game, a tie for the game high.

Listening to senior safety DJ Brown talk with the press ahead of UNC, one could have easily mistaken the Annapolis, Maryland product as a seasoned starter. It was not obvious that Brown, and his role on this team, have undergone some massive changes in the past week, as All-American junior safety Kyle Hamilton went down with an injury. After a rough season start, Brown worked his way back and ultimately replaced Hamilton on the field last Saturday night.

And now, with the potential top5 draft pick sidelined once more, Brown is prepared to take the field as a starter against a lethal North Carolina offense that averages 37 points per game — a big change from his role earlier in the season, but Brown is taking it in stride.

“I’m trying to go hard every day, [and] prepare like I’m the starter,” Brown said. “Not much has changed for me — just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing for seven weeks.”

Brown’s season got off to an undesirable start. After graduating sixth-year Shaun Crawford, Notre Dame didn’t have a clear second starter alongside Hamilton for

safety. The room had a lot of talent with not a lot of experience.

So, Brown settled into a prominent reserve role. However, in the opener at Florida State, the senior missed a big tackle that allowed the Seminoles to break off an 89yard scoring run, catapulting the hosts back into the game. Coaches immediately pulled Brown off the field and he finished the game with just a single tackle. He also didn’t see the field against Toledo in the home opener. However, amidst defensive struggles as a unit, Brown stepped back in against Purdue.

There, he put together the best effort of his career. He notched seven tackles against the Boilermakers and collected his first career interception to help seal the 27-13 victory. Brown also combined for nine tackles and a pass breakup against Cincinnati and Virginia Tech, as he worked his way back into a big role in this improving Irish defense.

When asked about his biggest improvement throughout the year, Brown kept it simple: “For me, it’s been tackling. I’ve been trying to work on that every day in practice.”

Against USC, Brown’s improvements and confident preparation became undeniably necessary as see BROWN PAGE 3

SMALL FEATURE

Team first: Versatility and mentality lead to Andrew Kristofic’s rapid emergence

By COLIN CAPECE Assitant Managing Editor

Andrew Kristofic was recruited out of Pennsylvania as the No. 21 offensive tackle in the nation and the top player in his state.

His talent at the tackle position has always been evident to the Irish coaching staff, but Kristofic also took snaps at center and left guard in spring practice following an injury to current starting center Jarrett Patterson. This versatility finally earned the sophomore a shot to start against USC. After starting left guard Zeke Correll went down ahead of Saturday’s game, Kristofic went from backing up Patterson to playing in place of Correll. The Notre Dame offensive line then turned in its best performance of the season with Kristofic in the lineup, consistently creating a clean pocket for graduate student quarterback Jack Coan, who was sacked just once. Junior running back Kyren Williams also had plenty of lanes to run through, racking up a season-high 180

all-purpose yards.

But even more so than the ability to hold down multiple positions, Kristofic’s team-first mentality has finally helped solidify a unit that had lacked chemistry. His willingness to play wherever and whenever the Irish need him seems to have injected some life into the offensive line, which by the eye test alone completely dominated the line of scrimmage for the first time all season against the Trojans.

“It’s been a lot of hard work since the spring switching positions to center and guard. I’ve been preparing for a long time now to get the opportunity to play no matter what capacity it’s in,” Kristofic said during player media availabilit y Tuesday.

“W hether it’s coming in for relief or being the starter, I’m just tr y ing to help our team w in in any way possible.”

Injuries on the offensive line that began in Notre Dame’s opener against see KRISTOFIC PAGE 3

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish offensive tackle Andrew Kristofic blocks a defender during Notre Dame’s 31-16 win over USC on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. With an injury-riddled offensive line, Kristofic has moved up the roster.