Print Edition for The Observer for Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022

The independent

To uncover

newspaper serving

the truth

Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s

and report

and holy cross

it accurately

Volume 57, Issue 10 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Santos discusses peace Former Colombian president delivers annual lecture

By CARLOS BASURTO News Writer

Juan Manuel Santos, the former president of Colombia and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, delivered the annual Hesburgh Lecture in Ethics and Public Policy on Tuesday evening, discussing unconventional methods of peacebuilding in the world today. Santos is a distinguished policy fellow w ith the Keough School of Global Affairs, where he is co-teaching a master level

course.

Santos was the sole recipient of the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for his key participation in ending the oldest ongoing armed conf lict of the Western Hemisphere w ith the Colombian Peace Agreement on November 24, 2016. He has additionally received the Lamp of Peace from the Sacred Convent of Assisi in Italy and the Tipperar y International Peace Award in Ireland for his work in promoting harmony in his countr y and

region.

“Building peace is much harder than making war,” Santos proclaimed in his acceptance speech in Oslo, only a few weeks after signing the agreement. “It takes a great deal of patience, the stamina to suffer multiple setbacks along the way and the readiness to settle in for the long haul.”

In his lecture, Santos spoke on the importance of changing his methods and opinions to bring forth

CARLOS BASURTO| The Observer

Juan Manuel Santos ,who served as the president of Colombia from 2010 to 2018, gave the Hesburgh Lecture in Decio Theatre on Tuesday evening.

see LECTURE PAGE 4

Confusion ensues over SMC bookstore charges

By LIAM PRICE News Writer

In the first few weeks of the school year, some Saint Mar y’s students who purchased books at the Shaheen Bookstore noticed charges on their bank card statements from “ACU Bookstore.”

The issue stemmed from the college transitioning from Follette, its former bookstore partner, to Barnes and Noble College (BNC), Dana Strait, Saint Mar y’s v ice president for strateg y and finance, said in an email.

“BNC launched its new

website on August 1 for the Saint Mar y’s communit y,” Strait w rote. “Several students and their families who used the website prior to move-in for electronic course material rentals and purchases noticed charges on their bank card statements under the name of a different bookstore (ACU Bookstore).”

ACU, she added, refers to Abilene Christian Universit y, which sources all of BNC’s digital course materials.

“20 to 30 students reported similar, confusing charges,” Strait w rote, and BNC was able to quick ly remedy the

issue after looking into it.

Not know ing any of this information, however, students were initially confused.

“I got a text from my bank, Chase, and they said that someone tried to spend $200 from like ACU or something,” senior Kate Murray said.

Junior Luann HernandezMontano said her books were paid off by a scholarship, but she had to put her card information any way.

“It did say to plug in the credit card information or debit card information just to be able to rent out the books,” she said.

ZeroProof tailgate builds space for student sobriety

By JENNA ABU-LUGHOD News Writer

In the spring of last year, a group of Notre Dame students came together to start ZeroProof, a club with the goal of providing alcoholfree options for sober students and students working towards sobriety.

“As I’ve been at Notre Dame, I found it difficult to

Chobani PAGE 5

enjoy activities that didn’t involve partying or alcohol and started to feel disconnected from my peers.

Moreover, I’m very passionate about helping people that struggle with substance abuse or are in recovery and I realized that Notre Dame doesn’t have many options for people that may need resources for these issues,” senior Caroline Paige, one

grotto PAGE 8

of the leaders of ZeroProof, said in an email.

Paige and her fellow ZeroProof leaders, senior Van Gundersen, and junior Mary Musselman, have partnered with the McDonald Center for Student WellBeing in order to expand the club’s capability when it comes to educating students see ZERO PAGE 4

CRUMBL Cookie PAGE 10

Hernandez-Montano was intially a bit surprised to see a $1 charge from ACU Bookstore even though she hadn’t actually spent money through her card.

“Then I kind of just didn’t really pay attention to it, and so I saw it was only $1, so I was kind of confused about it at first.”

This, Strait w rote, is standard procedure for when a student rents materials from bookstores.

“W hen students rent electronic course materials, bookstores place small holds, in this case in an amount of $1,” Strait w rote.

“The Saint Mar y’s bookstore

has always done this, even w ith our prev ious partners, as do the bookstores of our neighboring campuses.”

Confusion swirls over Facebook Worr y over the labeling issue, however, snowballed Aug. 24 as students took to the “SMC Buy ing/ Selling Textbooks and Materials” private Facebook group.

Senior Grace Paciga opened up a thread in the group because of worrisome activ it y she noticed in her account.

“Hi so just a heads up – I see BOOKSTORE PAGE 3

ND inches up college rankings Notre Dame was ranked No. 18 in the U.S. News & World Report best national university rankings released Monday.

The list, which ranks 443 U.S. colleges and universities, ranks Notre Dame as tied for No. 18 with Columbia University. Notre Dame was ranked a spot below at No. 19 in last year’s rankings.

Columbia University fell in the rankings from No. 2 to No. 18 following a data falsification scandal. According to The New York Times, the scandal and the forthcoming ranking drop called into question the basis of U.S. News ranking The U.S. News rankings are often advertised by elite schools in order to attract prospective students.

Forward feature PAGE 16

womens soccer PAGE 16

Observer Staff Report

2

TODAY

The observer | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

Have a question you want answered?

Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com

What is your favorite animal?

P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556

Angela Nguyen

Dohyun Kim

first-year Howard Hall

first-year Duncan Hall

“Dolphin.”

“Shark.”

Ore Olusi

Eleanor Frederick

first-year Ryan Hall

first-year Howard Hall

“Lion.”

“Elephant.”

(574) 631-6900 ads@ndsmcobserver.com

Jayden Bridgewater

Bobby Maggiore

Editor-in-Chief

first-year Dillon Hall

first-year Dillion Hall

“Badger.”

“Dolphin.”

Editor-in-Chief Alysa Guffey Managing Editor Aidan O’Malley Asst. Managing Editor: Mannion McGinley Asst. Managing Editor: Genevieve Coleman Asst. Managing Editor: Maggie Eastland Notre Dame News Editor: Saint Mary’s News Editor: Viewpoint Editor: Sports Editor: Scene Editor: Photo Editor: Graphics Editor: Social Media Editor: Advertising Manager: Ad Design Manager: Systems Administrator: Talent & Inclusion Manager:

Ryan Peters Meghan Lange Hannah Hebda Aidan Thomas Willoughby Thom Ryan Vigilante Maggie Klaers Anna Hurt Emili Garcia Casas Christina Sayut Rachel Johnson Angela Mathew

Office Manager & General Info

Ph: (574) 631-7471 Fax: (574) 631-6927 Advertising

(574) 631-4542 aguffey@nd.edu Managing Editor

(574) 631-4542 aomalle2@nd.edu Assistant Managing Editors

(574) 631-4541 mmcginl3@nd.edu, gcoleman01@saintmarys.edu, meastlan@nd.edu Business Office

(574) 631-5313 Notre Dame News Desk

(574) 631-5323 news@ndsmcobserver.com Saint Mary’s News Desk

(574) 631-5323 smcnews@ndsmcobserver.com Viewpoint Desk

(574) 631-5303 viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.om Sports Desk

(574) 631-4543 sports@ndsmcobserver.com Scene Desk

(574) 631-4540 scene@ndsmcobserver.com Photo Desk

(574) 631-8767 photo@ndsmcobserver.com Systems & Web Administrators

webmaster@ndsmcobserver.com Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of any institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content.

The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors.

Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged.

Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information.

Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Alysa Guffey.

Post Office Information The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except during exam and vacation periods.

A subscription to The Observer is $130 for one academic year; $75 for one semester.

The Observer is published at: 024 South Dining Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 024 South Dining hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-077

Today’s Staff News

Sports

Isa Sheikh Caroline Collins Peter Breen

Olivia Schatz Ben Rihn

Graphics

Claire Lyons

Maria Gorecki

Photo

Sofia CrimiVaroli | The Observer

The University of Notre Dame Marching Band warms up during practice Tuesday afternoon on Ricci Family Fields. On Friday nights before every home football game, the drumline puts on a midnight circle outside the Golden Dome for students and fans.

The next Five days:

Want your event included here?

Email news@ndsmcobserver.com

Scene Viewpoint Hannah Hebda

Sofia CrimiVaroli

Corrections The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at editor@ndsmcobserver.com so we can correct our error.

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

War in Ukraine Lecture B101 Jenkins Nanovic Halls 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.

By Michael Kofman.

Talk Justice, Eat Tacos Outside LaFortune 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Discussion on social issues.

Dante’s Prayer to the Virgin The Grotto 2:30 p.m.

Reading from Paradiso 33.1-21.

Saturdays with the Saints Andrews Auditorium 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Presented by Andrew Ouellette.

Sunday Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m.

Weekly service in the Basilica.

Intercultural Development Day Coleman-Morse 230 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Interactive training session.

IDEA Center Open House Innovation Park Room 109 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

For first-year students.

Football Fridays at the Eck Eck Visitors Center 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Talk with Notre Dame celebrities.

Game Day Rosary Basilica of the Sacred Heart 4 p.m.

Additional prayer opportunity.

Petite Maman (2021) Debartolo Performing Arts Center 4 p.m.

Movie showing open to everyone.

News

Bookstore Continued from page 1

just got a fraud alert on my card for $880 and we are pretty sure its from the bookstore,” Paciga wrote to the Facebook group. “So if you used your debit/credit card at the bookstore recently I would be sure to check your charges!!! Or just don’t use your card there.”

Paciga said she immediately sent the alert to her parents, who both have worked at banks “for over 25 years.”

Her card’s charges, she said, showed a $1 charge from ACU Bookstore in Texas followed by a $0 charge from “Brix Wine and Spirits” in Loveland, Colorado.

“We think it was they were testing out the card at another place to see if it would go through,” she said. “And then after that came the Walmart. com (charge) for $880.02 in Bentonville, Arkansas. So,

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | The Observer

three different states, which was actually pretty crazy,” Paciga said.

After speaking with her parents, she wrote her post to the Facebook group in order to see if other students were experiencing similar issues.

“I didn’t know if it was happening to anyone else because I hadn’t used my card any where besides that bookstore purchase for like the week before,” Paciga said.

When she wrote to the group, her post received 18 comments from other students reporting confusing activity in their accounts.

Many students reading the page, including HernandezMontano, canceled their bank cards out of fear that they would also have their information stolen.

“I saw other girls posting about it, and there’s other girls that are saying,

‘Oh, they took like 800,’” Hernandez-Montano said.

“So I was just being precautious, and I actually went to cancel my card at the bank.”

Many students have reported the confusing “ACU Bookstore” name on their bank card statements to both Saint Mary’s and The Observer, but Paciga is the only person who reported activity that included her card being used elsewhere.

Paciga’s unauthorized charges did not appear under the “ACU Bookstore” label.

College director of public relations Lisa Knox said that the bookstore credit card confusion involved only an incorrect label and not an incorrect amount charged.

“The charges were correct, it was only the name that was wrong,” Knox said.

Hernandez-Montano said she would have liked more information from the school about what was happening

Paid Advertisement

Due to His Excellency’s attendance at the State funeral for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, this lecture will now be online only.

with the issue because most of what she heard came from the Facebook group.

“I think the school could have done, like, a little bit better in trying to inform everybody about it,” Hernandez-Montano said.

Paciga was less frustrated with the college. “I feel like they handled it as best as they could,” she said. “I think it was just a difficult situation.”

Strait wrote that BNC worked to resolve the naming issue as soon as they knew there was one.

“Unfortunately, the bookstore was not made aware of the ACU label until weeks after the website opened for course material purchases,” Strait wrote. “An explanation was immediately posted by Student Affairs staff on social media.”

Contact Liam Price at lprice3@nd.edu

3

Students compete on NBC

By ELENA QUE News Writer

A team of three Notre Dame students recently appeared on “Capital One College Bowl,” a trivia show on NBC hosted by Peyton and Cooper Manning.

The trio appeared on the season two premiere episode, which aired Friday, September 9th. Competing for academic scholarships, the team went up against rival Ohio State University and successfully moved on to the next round.

“We played Ohio State in the first round, which I see now was a much needed victory,” contestant Caitlyn Cato, a junior, joked after Notre Dame’s defeat in its first two football games.

The three Notre Dame students on the team included Cano, an environmental engineering major in Pasquerilla East Hall, Maya Kvaratskhelia, a sophomore physics and violin double-major in Johnson Family Hall, and sophomore Noah Coffman. Each of the students applied for a spot on the team in the spring and was selected after being interviewed.

“There was an interview, and then there was a plane ticket, which was crazy,” Cano said as she recounted the experience.

Filming took place in Atlanta in June over the course of about a week. The show initially consisted of 16 teams, from colleges including Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas and Oklahoma, but each round resulted in the elimination of several teams. While the entire series has been filmed, only a few episodes have aired so far.

For many contestants, it was their first time appearing on television, and both Cano and Kvaratskhelia agreed that it was a nerve-wracking and intimidating experience.

“It didn’t feel real until I got there. Then I was like, wait a second, that’s actually Peyton Manning standing in front of me,” Kvaratskhelia said.

Since the premiere of the episode, the contestants have gained more recognition and have even been approached on campus. Kvaratskhelia recounted a recent encounter when a woman recognized her at the Marshall football game.

“Her only connection to Notre Dame was that her grandson went to Holy Cross, and she was like, ‘I saw you on TV.’ It’s crazy.

That’s me,” she said.

The incentive of the show is see NBC PAGE 5

4

NEWS

The observer | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Zero Continued from page 1

about substance abuse.

“We decided to start ZeroProof and partner w ith the Wellness Center so that aside from our events, we can prov ide education and resources on substance use and abuse for people that may need them, but this is still in progress,” Paige stated.

W hile the club is still fairly new, the leaders have already organized numerous events, and are in the process of planning even more.

“We have had triv ia nights, gone to a [South Bend] Cubs’ game, ice skating, and the football tailgate,” Paige said in an email. “We w ill host more events that may consist of bowling, hiking, more triv ia nights, karaoke, going to more South Bend Cubs’ games and many more fun recreational activ ities,” Paige said.

Senior Megan Mikuen noted in an email that she enjoys that she can remain present while participating in ZeroProof activ ities.

“I really enjoy the ZeroProof communit y and have actually gone to a few of their past events

including a triv ia night and a trip to a South Bend Cubs game,” Mikuen said. “I love getting the opportunit y to have fun in a setting where drinking isn’t a priorit y. It really makes you focus on being present and enjoy ing an activ it y for itself.”

Last Saturday marked Notre Dame’s first home game of the season, w ith campus festiv ities beginning as early as 5 a.m. According to Paige, tailgating occurs prior to ever y home game throughout the season and gameday festiv ities tend to revolve around alcohol consumption.

For that reason, ZeroProof decided to host an alcoholfree tailgate w ith the hope of creating a safe and inclusive env ironment absent of social pressures related to drinking, according to Paige.

“Personally, I was extremely excited to host the tailgate because football tailgates commonly involve excessive alcohol use,” Paige said. “ZeroProof wants to prov ide a safe place for people to feel included w ith the Notre Dame communit y and cheer for the football team w ithout feeling pressured to drink alcohol or being

surrounded by it.”

“Since college env ironments have such an emphasis on part y ing, many people that don’t want to drink or are in recover y can feel disconnected and excluded from their college communit y and it’s our mission to help them enjoy fun activ ities and connect w ith other people that could share some of the same interests,” Paige said.

“I attended the event because I enjoy being sober at football games. Most of the gameday events that are popular w ith students involve some sort of alcohol consumption, so it’s nice to have a safe space to partake in traditional events w ithout the pressure to drink,” Miken said.

Similar to other tailgates, ZeroProof prov ided a variet y of foods and drinks to those who stopped by.

“We had Chick-Fil-a, Jimmy Johns, a variet y of chips, buffalo chicken dip, fruit and other snacks ! We decided to have a variet y of drinks including Gatorade, la Croix, Arnold Palmer, water, and some soda,” Paige shared in an email.

Contact Jenna Abu-Lughod at jabulugh@nd.edu

Lecture Continued from page 1

a more peaceful world. He ref lected on the evolution of his stances on the war on drugs and the environment: from violence and indifference into peace building and advocacy.

“You will always find unexpected obstacles and you must be willing to change your course,” Santos remarked.

“Change your views without sacrificing your values or your principles.”

He also emphasized that this is no easy feat. Santos commented that every peacemaker is called a traitor when push comes to shove. The peacemaker loses political capital and must nevertheless keep on going, for the peacemaker’s role is not one of conf lict but one of persuasion, he said.

“Instead of giving orders, you have to persuade. You have to convince the people who have suffered to forgive the perpetrators and that is much more difficult,” he told the audience.

Regardless of the issue at hand, he insisted that every problem has a reachable solution.

“But don’t get discouraged. History has taught us again and again that even in the midst of darkness […], there is always a light,” he said. “A light that allows us to see a better future.”

Santos closed the 29th Annual Hesburgh Lecture with a challenge for every Notre Dame student while reinforcing the idea that anyone can make the impossible possible.

“I challenge you to lead with hope, not fear; to build bridges instead of walls; to foster solidarity and respect for diversity,” Santos said.

He followed by insisting to always place humanity first, not one’s country, religion or race. He encouraged leading with empathy, seeking opportunities in every difficulty and embracing change. Above all, he told students and future leaders to be optimistic in a world f looded with pessimism.

“If you lead with a positive mind and with the truth, you will make the world a better place,” Santos said.

“And let it be said about you that one life has breathed easier because you have lived.”

Contact Carlos Basurto at cbasurto@nd.edu

Paid Advertisement

AHEAD OF THE GAME with Arts & Letters

2:30 p.m.

every football Friday LaBar Recital Hall • O’Neill Hall (south side of Notre Dame Stadium)

Expand your mind with exciting research from outstanding faculty.

Sept. 16 (vs. California) Amazing Artifacts: The Hidden History of Notre Dame Since Father Sorin founded Notre Dame in 1842, the University has accumulated an incredible array of objects, including rare medieval manuscripts, specimens of extinct mosquitoes, ruby-handled revolvers, 17th-century Dutch paintings, and even a professional wrestler’s robe. Join professor and art historian Heather Hyde Minor to explore the history of Notre Dame through rarely seen treasures across campus — including some that are hiding in plain sight.

Heather Hyde Minor Professor of Art History

To explore the entire Ahead of the Game series, visit al.nd.edu/aheadofthegame. A video of each lecture is available online one week following the event.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | The Observer

5

NBC

BUSINESS

Professors discuss Chobani IPO

By PETER BREEN News Writer

Chobani, Inc. announced it was withdrawing its previously delayed initial public offering (IPO) at beginning of September. The move signals market uncertainty, Notre Dame professors told The Observer.

The Greek-style yogurt maker had begun laying the groundwork for a stock launch all the way back in February of 2021. Two attempts to go forward with the IPO were postponed in the fall of 2021 and January of this year. Chobani’s ultimate decision to back away from a public listing can help illustrate the current health of the global market.

Last year was a record year for IPO activity in the United States. Over 1,000 IPO transactions took place in 2021 with gross proceeds rising above 300 billion U.S. dollars, assistant chair and teaching professor of finance Jason Reed pointed out.

Reed looks at the spike in IPOs through the lens of a researcher who focuses on the integration of behavioral trends and macroeconomic movements.

“People during COVID were searching for good yields and were willing to take on riskier bets because they thought coming out of COVID, the general health of the global economy was going to rise,” Reed said.

Asked to step into the shoes of an institutional investor, Reed said he would

take more risks.

“I’m going to take more risks thinking that, globally, we are going to come out of this together,” Reed stated.

“I think that is why you see appetite than from investors for equities, especially equities that are coming from private to the public.”

Paul Schultz, another finance professor, studies periods of extraordinary technological innovations, including the dot-com bubble, when many companies decided to go public.

“IPOs usually are more common when there is less uncertainty in the market,” Schultz said.

Schultz noted that market skepticism underscores the connection between the number of stock listings and the economy. “[IPOs] are more common after the stock market has been has done well,” he added.

The narrative regarding the amount of stock listings has f lipped unilaterally in 2022. “The total number of IPOs in quarter one of 2022 was 57, whereas in quarter two 2022, it is 35,” Reed said.

Schultz points to uncertainty as the explanation for the IPO turnaround.

“At this point the market has done very poorly this year. There is a tremendous amount of uncertainty about the economy. Many people think we’re in a recession or going into recession and there is a lot of uncertainty about hiring and so forth,” Schultz said.

Reed also showed concern

about the volatility of current market conditions.

“All the volatility that we are seeing is because of things like supply chain disruptions, the Ukraine invasion, oil prices going up. The general global consensus is the global economy is going to become fairly depressed,” Reed said.

“If you track some of the volatility index measurements, you’ll notice the volatility is incredible right now,” he said.

“If there is uncertainty like this, it probably means you’re not going to get a good price for the IPO,” Schultz said. This explains why Chobani decided now to finally withdraw its IPO launch now.

“W henever a company goes public, there is never clear how much they are going to be able to sell their stock for until the IPO actually takes place,” Schultz said. “The more uncertainty there is, usually the more they end up underpricing your IPO just to make sure that it gets sold. If you are unable to sell your IPO, it is disastrous for the company.”

Chobani will miss out on raising money in stock sales and the increased borrowing power that comes from additional equity capital share. Additionally, a withdrawn IPO can have a ripple effect on that extends much further than the any given company’s stakeholders.

“In terms of how the lack of going public hurts investors, it means fewer stocks out there,” Schultz said.

Continued from page 3

“It is always better I think for investors to have more choices, more opportunities for investment.”

Reed explained where the capital turns to instead if companies are no longer willing to launch a fresh stock listing.

“There is a f light from equities back into treasuries and bonds, something that has like stable yields,” Reed said. Investors want to lock in yields in case there is a huge global downturn.

“If there’s no one in the market for equities, or if the appetite for equities is not there, then I do not want to go and try and sell my brand-new company in that market,” he said.

Reed could not predict how long the economy will continue to be depressed, pointing to inf lation and interest rates as other important indicators of macroeconomic strength.

“No one really understands knows the path of what’s going forward, but the consensus seems to be the general concern for overall global health is preventing some of these IPOs from developing,” Reed said.

He foresees trouble for “at least the next six months.”

Still, all hope is for Greek yogurt lovers is not lost.

Though Chobani has backed out of their IPO now, “if they withdraw an IPO usually takes a few years before they try it again,” Schultz said.

scholarship money — each contestant receives $5,000 in tuition money for participating, and the incentive increases with ever y round they win. The final winners receive $1 million for their education.

“In the end, it’s a scholarship competition that’s made a world of difference on my tuition this year,” Cato said.

W hile the most obvious rewards of the show are scholarships and fame, the students who competed say the experience went beyond that. Throughout the filming experience, they say they got to bond not only with their teammates but also their competitors. W hile Kvaratsk helia said that while she can be ver y competitive, she enjoyed getting to know the other contestants.

“The thing is, I feel like you view them as competitors when you’re in it, but outside of that, they’re just other people from college experiencing the same wacky thing you’re experiencing,” Kvaratsk helia said.

The contestants say that while the filming may be over, the friendships are not.

The Notre Dame teammates hadn’t known each other before going on the show, but Cano says they left as friends.

“It’s so special, like such a unique experience that we’ve shared now,” she said.

The most recent episode can be viewed on Peacock. The next episode featuring the Notre Dame team is anticipated to air in early October on NBC.

Contact Peter Breen at pbreen2@nd.edu

Contact Elena Que at eque3@nd.edu

Paid Advertisement

TOM MENDOZA PRESENTS: A CONVERSATION WITH

DAVID REILLY 2pm-3pm EST • September 16th Jordan Auditorium, Mendoza College of Business Join Tom Mendoza for a discussion with David Reilly, CIO and CTO for 25 years at some of the largest financial institutions in the world. Hear the advice from these experienced executives for students and professionals building their careers.

Tom Mendoza

Vice Chairman, NetApp (retired)

GROW THE GOOD IN BUSINESS TM

Support student journalism.

Donate to The Observer. ndsmcobserver.com/donate

6

The observer | Wednesday, September 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

Long live the Queen Meghan Lange Saint Mary’s News Editor

The Queen was a Bada**! I know that’s a controversial statement. Let’s face it, Lilibet wasn’t perfect but considering all the things this petite (standing at 5’3”) woman accomplished in her life, how can you disagree? She may have been small in stature but not in will and honor.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was the longest reigning monarch in English history. Her reign went from February 6, 1952, till her death last Thursday, Sept. 8.

Elizabeth reigned for a total of 70 years and 127 days. Her reign consisted of many firsts and trailblazing moments, both in general and for women. To name a few, Queen Elizabeth II was the first British monarch to address the U.S. Congress, the first British monarch to go to mainland China, the first British monarch to break protocol to honor the lives of the victims of 9/11 and she even helped get an act passed in the U.K. to alter the line of succession.

When Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1952 after the death of her father King George VI, she was only 25 years old. Before she officially ascended however, Elizabeth was still setting precedents. When Elizabeth, still a princess, turned 18 in 1944, WWII had been going on for five years already. Elizabeth, feeling the need to support her country, enlisted in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), which was the women’s branch of the British Army. Elizabeth began her time in ATS as a second subaltern and was later promoted to Junior Commander, which was equivalent to a Captain. She started out training as a mechanic and later became qualified in a driving and vehicle maintenance course. A newspaper at the time dubbed her “Princess Auto Mechanic,” as noted

by The National World War II Museum. Following her service, the Princess gave a speech on her twenty-first birthday in which she dedicated her life to the service of the Commonwealth, according to the official site of the British Royal Family. Her Majesty the Queen said, “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.” Who among us, at the age of twenty one, could or even would dedicate their life to the service of their country, putting the country and its needs above their own?

The Queen has always been up to date on the latest technology trends. She gave the first televised Christmas address in 1957, and even allowed her coronation ceremony to be televised for the world to watch. It was the first televised ceremony of its kind with 27 million

people in the U.K., out of the 36 million population, watching the broadcast and 11 million who listened to it on the radio. Elizabeth was also the first monarch to tweet. On October 24, 2014, she tweeted, “It is a pleasure to open the Information Age exhibition today at the @ ScienceMuseum and I hope people will enjoy visiting.

Elizabeth R.” Queen Elizabeth II was never one to shy away from her people, so it should come as no surprise to you that she was the first member of the Royal Family to take part in a ‘Royal Walkabout.’ While on a royal tour of Australia and New Zealand with Prince Phillip in 1970, Queen Elizabeth II broke centuries of tradition when she walked right up to the crowds of people to meet them in person, rather than wave at them from a safe distance. She walked through the streets of Sydney, Australia greeting the many onlookers. Since her original stroll in 1970, ‘the Walkabout’ has become a regular habit for the British Royal family from Prince Charles and Princess Diana to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

This was not the only time the Queen has broken centuries of protocol, however. On September 13, 2001, just two days after the September 11 terrorist attacks, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II broke protocol once again and “ordered the daily ceremonial parade to break a 600year tradition to show solidarity with America in its time of great loss.” The Queen ordered the Coldstream guards to play the Star-Spangled Banner. This was the first and only time in U.K. history that this command has been made.

Throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth II experienced many firsts and many Royal tours. In 1986, Queen Elizabeth II became the first British sovereign to enter mainland China. According to a New York Times article from October 13, 1986,“The [Queen’s] visit comes not two years after the two countries agreed on the future of the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong, and during a time of increasing British-Chinese trade”. Not since King George III sent an Embassy to China in 1792, has a monarch tried to contact the eastern power.

Years later, in May of 2011, Queen Elizabeth II would be the first British Monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland in 100 years. Queen Elizabeth’s visit, during which she expressed her “sincere thoughts and deep sympathy” for the victims of the troubled Anglo-Irish past, was celebrated as the beginning of a new era of friendship between the Irish Republic and Britain.

Another Royal visit in July of 1991 would help her secure yet another first. During a 13-day visit to the United States in 1991, Queen Elizabeth II became the first British

monarch to address a joint session of Congress more than 200 years after the United States won its independence from the British Empire. The Queen also “touched on the “special relationship” between Britain and the U.S., noting that her country hoped to be a part of “a unified Europe that would work in harmony with the United States.”

In the fight for women’s rights Queen Elizabeth II was always a fearless advocate and in 2013 she had a chance to prove that once again. In 2013, “the Succession to the Crown Act amended the provisions in the Bill of Rights and the Act of Settlement to end the system of male primogeniture, under which a younger son can displace an elder daughter in the line of succession,” as noted by the official British Royal Family site. While it’s true that the Queen did not directly vote on this amendment, it is widely known that without Queen Elizabeth’s cooperation and support, the legislation might have failed.

Throughout her 70 plus years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II remained reliable and steadfast, proving to be England’s literal ‘stiff upper lip.’ When Queen Elizabeth II rose to power, Britain was in a time of instability and uncertainty. Before her father became King George VI, his brother King Edward VIII first abdicated the throne leaving it to his shy, reluctant and unprepared younger brother who would become King George VI. Britain didn’t truly regain its stability until Elizabeth sat on the throne. Some have said that even with all her accomplishments, Queen Elizabeth II’s greatest accomplishment is the period of strength and balance that Britain enjoyed during her reign.

To end with one last first, Queen Elizabeth II is the first and only British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.

A Platinum Jubilee celebrates the 70th year a monarch spends on the throne. On June 2, 2022, the Queen celebrated her Platinum Jubilee. Queen Elizabeth II was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death last Thursday.

From being dubbed “Princess Auto Mechanic” for her time in the war, to supporting the Crown Act of 2013 which opens doors for future female royals, Queen Elizabeth II has always pushed her own boundaries and those of others, fighting for the betterment of the world, making her a legend and a bada**.

Long Live the Queen.

You can contact Meghan Lange at mlange03@saintmarys.edu.

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

For the plot Reyna Lim The Overshare

Not too long ago, I came across an online video about “doing it for the plot.” It was a silly, 15-second clip about how the dumb decisions and impulsive choices we make, despite how bad the short-term consequences may seem, should be seen as contributions to the plotlines of our lives, as opportunities for adaptation and growth. The idea is that we’re in the director’s seat, writing out our own script at all times. This perspective resonated with me, as it gave me refreshing solace for all the questionable judgments that have constructed my own plotline. I feel that I’m at a crossroads in my life where I often find myself questioning whether I’m too old to get caught up in juvenile melodrama, all the while feeling terrifyingly unprepared for adult responsibilities. It’s comforting to think that if there ever was a time for me to commit to the plot, it would be now.

We see the beauty of flawed judgment calls in some of TV’s most beloved protagonists and how their respective plots unfold. As a young woman encountering her early 20’s, I turn to categorically “chick-flick” characters for guidance and affirmation. From “Gilmore Girls’” Rory Gilmore

to “Sex and the City’s” Carrie Bradshaw or “New Girl’s” Jessica Day, there have been countless occasions on which I would roll my eyes at the women on screen and their recklessness, their insecurities or their theatrics. But these traits are exactly what keeps me coming back to these comfort shows.

It’s the fact that while we are quick to label these realistically flawed characters as “annoying” or “overdramatic” for their decisions or reactions, protagonists are meant to blunder and mess up. I doubt I would have the same devotion to Rory if I didn’t relate to her career crises or her fixation on academic achievement, or to Carrie if I didn’t see a bit of myself in the impracticality of her financial or romantic priorities. How dull and unrealistic would these shows be if all these girls did was read self-help books and immediately find productive purpose in their lives?

It may seem frivolous to take this perspective to validate every misguided turn we take. An impulsive haircut or an overly emotional text message could fill us with regret or even embarrassment that surely could have been prevented by a second of further thought. But as of right now, these “wrong” decisions seem to be some of the most significant factors that help me figure out what would have been the “right” thing to do, and what it is that I really need at this

point in my plotline. It’s an over-simplistic, perhaps even imprudent mindset to treat our day to day lives as a growing plotline, but there’s a liberating sense in the idea that when every episode in each season comes to a conclusion, we are left with a new beginning and a series of lessons behind us.

Doing it for the plot doesn’t have to mean blind commitment to irrational decisions. Often it is just as simple as splurging on online shopping and having to work an extra shift the next week, going on a bad date and getting to recap it with your girlfriends or underperforming on an exam and realizing that you might have chosen the wrong major.

Call it youthful indiscretion, call it material for the memoir I’ll be writing once I gain world fame, call it Gen-Z’s response to the millennials’ overworn “YOLO” trademark.

Call it what you want, but we’re doing it all for the plot.

Reyna Lim is a sophomore studying Finance with a minor in Journalism. She enjoys writing about her unsolicited opinions, assessing celebrity homes in Architectural Digest videos, and collecting lip gloss.

Reach out with coffee bean recommendations and 80’s playlists at slim6@nd.edu.

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

The observer | wEDNESDAY, September 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Banned Books and Free Little Libraries

Get it done early Mikey Colgan

Elizabeth Prater

Day at a Time

SparkND

Class ends and it’s 4:30. I just had a long day and the last thing I want to do is work out. I’m tired, there’s homework I have to do and I want to stop by my friends’ room and shoot the breeze. So then I think to myself: I only need to workout four days this week and I’m tired. Why not do it when I’m refreshed tomorrow? Well here’s the problem. I’m almost never feeling refreshed on a weekday and certainly not motivated on a weekend. And if we’re being honest, most of us feel very unrefreshed to say the least for most of our weekend. Now the vicious cycle begins. I lose consistency and things start to break down. Four days a week turns to three. Soon, three turns into three weeks off, and apples turn to apple crisps. Now I’m playing catch up to get back into shape. This struggle besets everyone and is very difficult to overcome. Over the years, I have tried a million methods to combat this when it comes to working out, getting homework done early or any other task I don’t want to complete in the moment. Alerts on my phone, motivational videos, written-out schedules. While some worked better than others, I was fortunate enough to stumble upon my favorite solution this summer thanks to the time constraints of my job.

The long hours of my internship this summer gave me one option to stay in shape: get a workout in before work.

This meant I had to wake up earlier and build up the energy and motivation to exercise. At the beginning, I figured this would be a huge problem since I commonly struggle to get up for a 10:30 a.m. class ten minutes from my dorm.

However, I soon discovered the freedom that early morning work grants an individual. Each day, my friend and I would trudge out of our apartment in the morning, exercise, then start a grueling workday. On paper, this sounds horrible.

Waking up early for exercise after a 14-hour workday sounds like the last thing I would want to do. However, I soon discovered that these “grueling” workdays were made much easier by a morning workout. Whether it’s exercising, homework, or working on any other personal goal, now that you have accomplished a very crucial task in the morning, you will feel more relaxed the rest of the day. You’re not playing catch up. Instead, you can feel the relief of knowing you got your work done and have a sense of accomplishment throughout the rest of the day. This allows you to feel more cheerful and present in the moment because you’re not caught up thinking about the painful task you don’t want to do but know you have to later.

In addition to feeling more relaxed, a huge advantage of waking up before the rest of the world is no one can distract you. No text messages are sent and no spontaneous plans can be made. It’s you and you alone with the opportunity to get your work done as efficiently as possible. Your intentions are clear because there is nothing else to do early in the morning. Essentially, if you’re awake, you might as well be productive with such limited options to procrastinate. On campus, this is especially relevant because most buildings are closed early in the morning besides the productive ones: the library and the gym.

Now that I am returning to school, I am going to try my best to stick to getting up early and getting my work done.

While it may be tougher with late nights and a looser schedule, forcing yourself out of bed in the morning will make the rest of your day significantly better. So if you struggle with pushing things off and find it affects your day-to-day life, try getting something important done before your first class. It’s not a crazy change or new idea by any means, but it can make your life less stressful and give you greater control over your daily actions. Put it this way. The longer you wait to do something, the more opportunities you’ll have to push it off. So try a couple early mornings and see where it takes you.

This summer, I became fascinated with Free Little Libraries. For those unfamiliar, this is the official organization that encourages residential neighborhoods to create and install community libraries. They operate under the implicit regulation of taking a book and leaving one in return.

This fascination started as I decided to sort through my bookshelf and purge some books I realized I would never reread (I’m looking at you, young adult dystopian trilogies). My local library stopped taking donations, and I knew that the books weren’t worth much to sell them back to a second-hand, independent bookstore.

Thus, I turned toward the Free Little Libraries which I have grown up driving past but hadn’t given much of a second thought.

I soon found out that Free Little Libraries has an app with geographic pinpoints of where to locate them in your local areas. Owners of these share the names of their libraries and occasionally the rationale for why they decided to build one. Some in my area were strategically placed near elementary schools, and the owners’ donations centered around children’s literature to foster literacy to young readers. Others included memorials which were named after a loved one who inspired their love for literature.

Some Free Little Libraries had “Alice in Wonderland” quotes inscribed in the sides, faux roof paneling and even benches installed so that neighbors could even enjoy the library’s offerings en plein air.

I took some time exploring neighborhoods while carrying around a box of my own books to share. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of things people placed in the Free Little Libraries, and even found books that I would consider purchasing at a bookstore.

After this experience, I contemplated the importance and implications of Free Little Libraries. The concept of intellectual freedom, even in a literary sense, is not always a guarantee. The most compelling indication of this restriction is the presence of “Banned Books Week.”

Launched in 1982, Banned Books Week was created in response to the increasing number of challenges of books within libraries, schools and even bookstores. This year, the awareness week takes place from September 18-24 with the theme “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.” There was a lull in book challenges during the pandemic, but in the past year, as schools have been reopening since Fall 2021 after closures due to COVID-19, volumes of objections have increased rapidly. The American Library Association, who tracks book bans and challenges, typically faces 300-350 complaints annually. However, just in 2021, they reached approximately 730 complaints against over 1500 books.

Books have been banned on many accounts, protests ranging from books said to include explicit language, sexual references, themes involving racism, gender identity, violence, etc. Some commonly banned books include many classics such as “Beloved” by Toni Morrison, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, and an increasing number of contemporary novels.

Even though many of these challenges toward books are meant to inhibit the dissemination of its contents, they often do the exact opposite. Publicity surrounding banned books often increases, and sales get an extra boost.

Many bookstores even hold displays and list challenges for commonly challenged books. Powell’s Bookstore, the “world’s largest independent bookstore,” hands out bookmarks year-round with reading recommendations with titles selected from the Banned Books list.

I spoke to Philip Schatz, the owner of South Bend’s “Erasmus Books,” over the phone to get the perspective of an independent bookstore in the South Bend area on Banned Books Week.

“There’s a hope on the part of some people that if they

Mikey Colgan is a sophomore from Boston majoring in Finance and ACMS. He can be reached at mcolgan2@nd.edu.

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

7

really structure a collection, like in a library, that they can protect people from unpleasant experiences and from growing up,” Philip shared. “And I think that’s a very natural desire. But a fatal one.”

While many complaints are filed, sometimes the main decision-makers aren’t the librarians themselves, who are versed with the knowledge of their personal collections and offerings. Instead, much of the debate is fueled by parents and even legislators, who may be fueled by the implications of book bans in the two-party system.

“Let the librarians have their say, and really let them be the deciding factors about the books that are in their collection because it’s in their best interest to promote readership,” Philip said. “They’re doing it in ways that are more informed than legislators have time to do.”

There have been many punitive consequences for establishments that continue to support books that have received controversy. Some organizations have had their funding slashed, and librarians have even lost their jobs. Brooky Parks, a librarian at Erie Community Library in Colorado, was terminated because she selected book titles for the teen book club that discussed pressing issues involving race in America. The violation was filed by the library’s district and claimed that the meetings were an attempt to “persuade participants to a particular point of view” and that they were “intentionally inflammatory.”

While libraries are meant to be a place to engage in diverse experiences and engage in open dialogues, they are constantly being delimited by an abundance of regulations. Many of these restrictions are rooted in public outcry based on hot topics or unsettling realities, rather than actual concern for the reader’s development.

While there is no clear-cut solution to the censorship of literature, I am drawn to the Free Little Libraries I found myself perusing throughout the summer. I revisited some week after week to find that most of the titles were completely different and that they were always in constant use. With such a free and open resource, I expected a “tragedy of the commons” kind of situation.

But what is otherwise a box with one or two shelves became a welcoming place of intellectual curiosity and freedom.

I was surprised at how much care these Free Little Libraries were treated with, as the books were always in great condition, and there seemed to be a buzz of excitement whenever a fellow neighbor would make a weekly visit. I only wish we could emulate this regard for openness and interest in our conversations surrounding the censorship of books.

Maybe Free Little Libraries aren’t the solution, but they offer some hope toward a future where friends and families can find hidden gems and books they might not otherwise have selected themselves. The world could benefit from listening to the differing opinions and voices of not only our neighbors but people we might not encounter in our daily lives.

I think I have always been drawn to libraries and second-hand bookstores because of the knowledge that so many people have physically held those same pages. It makes what is otherwise a solitary experience feel both collaborative and compassionate. Perhaps reading is the first part, but the dialogue which follows can feel just as powerful. This point of interconnectedness can only happen if one decides to turn the page.

Elizabeth Prater is a junior at Notre Dame double majoring in marketing and program of liberal studies (great books). She is interested in the cultural implications of analyzing classics & literature under a contemporary lens. When she isn’t writing, she loves playing the fiddle, hiking in the PNW, going to concerts with friends, and offering unsolicited book recommendations. Elizabeth always appreciates hearing from readers, so feel free to reach out to eprater@nd.edu or @elizabethlianap on Twitter.

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

8

The observer | Wednesday, sEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

All roads lead to the Grotto Kate Casper Outsider Instincts

When I returned to my hometown in Northern Virginia for summer break, I felt a kind of dissonance almost immediately. My first few days were spent taking strolls and drives with friends, meandering streets that once felt so familiar, but now felt so different. My elementary school had been torn down, replaced with the bare bones of some new monstrosity, and the lookout spot that was the centerpiece of my youth was no longer open past sundown. Needless to say, it took a few weeks to feel like myself again—it took many trips to my favorite coffee shop, many late-night catch-ups and many journal entries. Of course, I missed my school friends and the daily stimulation of college life, but, perhaps more than that, I came to realize that I missed the Grotto.

Throughout the summer, I found myself craving a safe place in my hometown where I could cry and unpack my emotions and feel everything — a place where I could be alone but amongst others. I found myself desperately trying to fill this void, desperately trying to find my Grotto. I tried going to the Basilica of Saint Mary, the one with the high ceilings and ornate paintings, but it didn’t feel right; I tried sitting along the Potomac River, the moonlight glistening against the water, but it didn’t feel right; I tried sitting in my car in the high school parking circle listening to nostalgic music, but it didn’t feel right. Nothing quite had the magic that I found at the Grotto; nothing could compare.

Right when I thought I’d tried every place worth trying, I felt a strange calling to go to the hill by my house. I had just finished tutoring my neighbor and needed a moment of solitude, so I sat perched on that grassy hill for an hour, hearing the whoosh of cars combined with the crickets, feeling the rush and the stillness all at once. I looked at all the drivers passing by and began to think about all their lives, all their homes, all the complexity of their relationships and jobs and families. But thinking of all these worlds I would never know didn’t make me feel small, it made me feel like a valuable part of a beautiful whole. There I was, alone, an outsider watching from a quiet hill, but, somehow, I was so bonded to all these drivers. I was bonded by the humanity and beauty of being in the same place at the same time as all these perfect strangers.

That’s when, for the first time since I’d been home, I felt that overwhelming, gut-wrenching Grotto feeling, a feeling of warmth and familiarity like the smells of our youth or the taste of our favorite foods. On that hill, I was transported to those cold South Bend nights, clinging to my wool coat, my fingertips turning blue, as I walked toward the Grotto. I was transported to the moments I saw the glow from the cavern, the moments I felt the warmth and love from hundreds of candles representing hundreds of people and intentions.

Without a doubt, what makes the Grotto is the people.

Without people, the Grotto wouldn’t be illuminated with candles each night; without people, the Grotto would serve no purpose. I’ve always felt the Grotto was a place for everyone to feel everything, regardless of background or religious belief. At the Grotto, all are welcome. Some Grotto-goers

are Catholic, some aren’t; some go after nights out partying, some go after class; some go to pray, some go to sit and watch Tik Toks in peace; some go when they need a good cry, some go every single night. Some Grotto-goers go in packs, some go alone; some light candles for their best friends, some light candles for people they haven’t even met yet; some light candles in hopes of a good test score, some light candles in the wake of a bad test score. Grotto-goers come in all shapes and sizes, with all different needs and desires and lives. They are much like the drivers on the busy street by my house.

Maybe my Grotto will always be that hill by my childhood home; maybe, later in life, my Grotto will become a person or a feeling or a prayer, but I’m learning that we all have a duty to ourselves to bring the Grotto everywhere we go. We all have a duty to be more human to each other, be the flame in the vacant corner. The Grotto is not just in Notre Dame, Indiana. The Grotto is in those moments you looked out for a perfect stranger; the Grotto is in that friend who is there for you unconditionally or the song that always puts you in a good mood. Here, the Grotto is our comfort place, but I’m convinced that all roads lead to the Grotto, even if those roads take you far, far away from Indiana.

Kate Casper (aka, Casper, Underdog, or Jasmine) is from Northern Virginia, currently residing in BreenPhillips Hall. She strives to be the best waste of your time. You can contact her at kcasper@nd.edu.

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

LIV: Making golf the 54th sport to sellout Patrick Condon BridgeND

If I asked you what Phil Mickleson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia all have in common, what would you say?

Well, some of you might say you have no idea who they are.

Those familiar with the game of golf would likely say something along the lines of them being legends in the game of golf or all being champions of the most prestigious tournament in golf, The Masters. Those who pay close attention to the golf world, however, might identify them as three of the most prominent golfers to defect from the established PGA Tour to the new LIV Golf Tour.

A great deal of you may be wondering why you should care. And that is totally fair. I did not expect to be writing a column about sports, let alone golf. The LIV Golf Tour is important, however, because of who runs it — The Saudi Arabia Sovereign Wealth Fund. The Saudis created the LIV Golf Tour in order to rival the American PGA Tour that has existed without a serious challenger for decades.

Now, there are serious grievances to be had with the PGA Tour and the way it treats its players. This includes the fact that they do not disclose how much of their profits they keep and that they do not pay a significant number of players in each tournament (essentially those that play the worst). This is part of the argument those players who chose to go LIV have made. Some of the players have even gone as far as suing the PGA Tour for anti-competitive practices when they were suspended for playing on the LIV Tour.

Along with these grievances, many LIV golfers include platitudes about ‘growing’ and ‘transforming’ the game of golf as their last line of defense. Yet, when it comes down to it, we all know why the players went to LIV: money. Dustin Johnson has made $75 million over the course of his 15 year career on the PGA Tour, which is the third greatest amount of money ever made on the PGA tour. It is rumored that he will make $125 million to join LIV golf. Phil Mickleson has made the second greatest amount of money ever on the PGA Tour, $95 million, and his contract with LIV is said to be worth $200 million. The PGA’s highest ever earner, Tiger Woods, has made $125 million on the Tour.

LIV is rumored to have offered Woods $800 million. Yes, $800 million. Unlike the other two, Woods declined.

So, this is where the controversy begins. First, some critics, including fellow PGA Tour golfers like Rory McIlroy,

do not like the prospect of an exorbitant amount of money being poured in to change the direction of the game. More importantly, I would argue, many people take issue with the idea that these golfers would agree to play on a tour sponsored by the Saudi Arabian government. The Saudi government is known for numerous human rights violations including the recent killing of a US based journalist, Jamal Khashoggi.

I do not have a strong opinion on the former, but I can tell you that every inch of me agrees with the latter of these criticisms. The Saudi government does many bad things, and these golfers are allowing themselves to be bought off so that the Saudi government can sportswash its image and direct the attention away from these problems. Yet, there are a couple of things that give me pause before using every bad word possible to describe these golfers.

First, these golfers are being offered life-changing, and sometimes generational, wealth. I am not just talking about Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickleson, who with their PGA Tour earnings and sponsorship deals have made plenty of money in their careers, but also the lesser known players. For example, James Piot, the 2021 US Amateur Champion, who is only 23 years old, was offered $1 million.

Another key point: the cumulative prize money for only eight tournaments is $225 million. A player can make up $4 million in prize money based on their performance at each individual tournament, and each player is guaranteed to make at least $120,000. Yes, the player that gets last will make six-figures for three days of work.

Second, Saudi money is already all over the sporting world, and even other golf tournaments. Saudi Aramco is one of the biggest sponsors of the Women’s European Golf Tour. It is also extremely prominent in the sport of Formula One. Now, I am not someone in a position to decide whether or not this is a good strategy on the part of those organizations, but it does cause me to wonder what makes LIV golf all that different. It is important to note some nuances including that there isn’t a strong alternative for Formula 1 drivers and these other leagues are not exclusively bankrolled by the Saudis. Yet, these nuances do not change the fact that a significant source of revenue for many existing sports leagues is the Saudi Government or one of its entities. This is not to mention that the 2022 Men’s World Cup is being held in Qatar and the Olympics were held in China earlier this year. FIFA, the international governing body for soccer, was openly bribed to put the tournament in Qatar, another country known for its human rights violations

particularly against immigrant workers. And, I probably don’t need to mention it, but China does some bad stuff too, especially to its Muslim Uyghur population. Yet, no one seems to be calling on participants to boycott these competitions. So, why should these golfers be held to a higher standard?

My point is not that these golfers should be absolved of their culpability in aiding Saudi sportswashing. I find it pretty disingenuous that Phil Mickleson called the Saudis “scary motherf******,” but is more than happy to take their $200 million and continue on his way. My point is, rather, that the criticism of LIV golfers seems like a double standard.

Beyond the leagues themselves, by and large we expect athletes to do what is in their best financial interest.

Alexander Isak, one of the most talented young soccer players in the world, just signed a contract with Newcastle United, the English Premier League club owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund. No one batted an eye. Kylian Mbappe, a soccer player widely considered as one of the best two or three in the world, just signed the most lucrative contract the soccer world has ever seen, to play for Paris Saint Germain, the French club owned by a subsidiary of the Qatari Sovereign Wealth Fund. And, while some people criticized the decision of Mbappe to stay at PSG, it was largely due to his flirting with Real Madrid before choosing to stay rather than him taking Qatari money.

Why is that? Maybe because it’s a little less obvious, maybe because people don’t want to think about it: I’m not sure. All I know is that if we are to draw a line against human rights violations through sports, then we should expect that line to be drawn in all competitions, not just LIV golf.

To make my point clear — criticize LIV golf all you want, just make sure you don’t turn a blind eye to all the other dirty money pouring into sports because it’s a little harder to see.

Patrick Condon is a Junior in Siegfried Hall. He is currently serving as the Vice President of BridgeND. BridgeND is a multi-partisan political club committed to bridging the partisan divide through respectful and productive discourse. It meets on Tuesdays at 5pm in Duncan Student Center W246 to learn about and discuss current political issues, and can be reached at bridgend@nd.edu or on Twitter @bridge_ND. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

9

The observer | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

By MATHEUS HERNDL Scene Writer

T he t rend of end less mov ie sequels is by no mea ns a recent one. Ever si nce t he 70s a nd t he bi r t h of su m mer blockbuster f ra nch ises l i ke Jaws or Sta r Wa rs, t he sequel ha s been a staple i n yea rly relea ses to t he joy of some fa ns a nd t he det r i ment of ot hers. Indeed, t he ma rket dom ina nce of big-budget sequels ha s a lways been content ious, w it h some a rg u i ng t hat t hey a re la z y a nd u n necessa r y add it ions to a l ready completed stor ies. W h i le t he sequel t rad it ion sta nds st rong even today, 2022 ha s seem i ng ly ma rked a sh i f t i n Hol ly wood’s m i ndset, w it h more a nd more prequels bei ng relea sed a s opposed to st ra ig ht-up sequels.

“Fa nta st ic Bea sts : Secrets of Du mbledore,” “R i ngs of Power,” “House of t he Dragon” a nd “Obi-Wa n” a re on ly a few of t he prequels t hat have a l ready prem iered t h is yea r, a l l to g reat com mercia l success but m i xed fa n recept ion.

T h is is especia l ly i nterest i ng a s i n t he pa st, prequels have not a lways had t he best h istor y, w it h f i l ms l i ke t he Sta r Wa rs prequels a nd t he Fa nta st ic Bea st s mov ies bei ng w idely der ided by cr it ics. So why is Hol ly wood so deter m i ned to t u r n back t he clock a nd what cou ld be it s consequences for t he f i l m i ndust r y a s a whole ?

A s a lways contex t is necessa r y, a s t he la st few

By GABRIEL ZARAZUA Scene Writer

“Your life is your ow n” In this world, we are all born w ith our ow n special gifts, whether we see them that way or not.

Some people are fast, “booksmart”, or good at art.

Either way, they are just another characteristic.

We must embrace that as part of ourselves and continue to live positively. However, the truth behind one’s charm is kindness. We must simply become good people, that is all. That is what Reigen Arataka teaches Shigeo Kageyama, also know n as Mob throughout the show “Mob Psycho 100.”

Great words to live by coming straight from the mouth of a con artist.

“Mob Psycho 100” stars the lovable and kindhearted Shigeo Kageyama, also know n as Mob throughout the show. He is an emotionless middle school kid who struggles to figure out who he is and his presence in this world. He may seem weak, but little do those around him know that he is the most powerful esper (immense psychic power) in the show. However, when his emotions over whelm him, they cause him to lash out and lose control of his powers, forcing him to suppress all his emotions. He finds help learning to control these powers from the self-proclaimed

yea rs saw t he end i ng of some of t he most fa mous a nd lucrat ive f ra nch ises on f i l m a nd telev ision : Ga me of T h rones, Sta r Wa rs a nd t he Ma r vel In f i n it y saga a l l ended i n 2019 to va r y i ng deg rees of success. A not her i mpor ta nt event wa s t he r ise of Ci nemat ic u n iverses popu la r i zed by t he i m mense success of t he Ma r vel Ci nemat ic Un iverse (MCU ). Sudden ly ever y st ud io wa nted to have t hei r ow n MCU by i nvest i ng i n t hei r more recog n i zable IPs, even ones w it h f i n ished stor ies l i ke HBO w it h Ga me of T h rones a nd A ma zon w it h t he Midd le Ea r t h u n iverse. But t h is doesn’t ex pla i n why prequels speci f ica l ly ; why not just ex pa nd on preex ist i ng stor ies ?

Prequels a re i n herent ly sa fer for st ud ios to produce because t hey ca n d ista nce t hemselves f rom t he end i ng of t hei r or ig i na l work s.

T he or ig i na l Sta r Wa rs t r i log y, for ex a mple, wa s beloved by fa ns, especia l ly for it s endi ng, so for George Luca s ma k i ng t he prequels wa s t he obv ious choice. W h i le t hey a re cont roversia l to t h is day, t hey d id not a f fect a nyone’s enjoy ment of t he old mov ies because t hey ca n st i l l be watched w it hout t he prequels. W hen Disney made t he sequels, however, t hey fa i led to just i f y cont i nu i ng a f i n ished stor y, need i ng to ma ke ret roact ive decisions about t he cha racters a nd plot of t he Or ig i na l Tr i log y wh ich “r u i ned it” i n t he eyes of ma ny fa ns.

A not her rea son why prequels a re sa fe is t hat t hey a re by nat u re ea sier to w r ite t ha n a cont i nuat ion. Wr iters must come up w it h a n ent i rely or ig i na l stor y t hat bu i lds upon prev ious ent r ies.

Prequels, however, have t he lu x u r y of a l ready k now i ng where a stor y w i l l end. Prequels a lso ser ve a s g reat ent r y poi nts for new fa ns because t hey don’t rely on t he k nowledge of prev ious mov ie’s events l i ke a sequel.

T he COV ID-19 pa ndem ic ha s a lso u ndoubtedly i n f luenced Hol ly wood’s cu r rent pa rad ig m a s st ud ios lost bi l l ions i n potent ia l revenue w it h ci nema s closed, so i nvest i ng i n what’s a l ready popu la r a nd fa m i l ia r to consu mers g ua ra nteed to t u r n a prof it rat her t ha n bet t i ng on somet h i ng new a nd u ntested.

But i n t he end, prequels cont r ibute to t he monopol i zat ion of t he i ndust r y i n t he sa me way t hat sequels do because it seems Hol ly wood’s money a nd at tent ion a re ever more d raw n to t he sa me few bra nds a nd u n iverses. W hen wa s t he la st t i me t hat a n or ig i na l mov ie or show ha s t he sa me ga r nered popu la r it y or success a s a f ra nch ise l i ke Ma r vel or Ga me of T h rones ? T he average mov iegoer seems to be more a nd more l i m ited i n t hei r opt ions, a s ever y yea r t he sa me IPs dom i nate box of f ices a nd ci nema spaces.

spirit medium Reigen Arataka, though it is revealed from the moment you meet him that is a complete lie, unbeknow nst to Mob. Together, they help solve cases and fight demons, as well as other espers, all while Mob tries to figure out his true self and live a normal life.

W hile the premise seems simple enough, “Mob Psycho 100” is an example of never judging a book by its cover. The author of the manga, who simply goes by ONE, creates a beautiful stor y about t wo characters grow ing together in their ow n unique way. It is truly special seeing Mob not wanting to always rely on his psychic powers, but rather wanting to grow and get stronger naturally both physically and mentally. He hates resorting to v iolence if other espers tr y to harm him or the ones he loves, and feels immense guilt whenever he is forced to use them. Reigen grows by realizing the potential in Mob and wanting to help him use his powers for good, while also teaching him to become a good person overall. W hile Reigen does take advantage of Mob’s powers in order to support his esper business, you can see that he genuinely cares about Mob and wants the best for him.

W hile the stor y is amazing, I have to geek out over the animation. Studio Bones uses ever y cent of its budget to make one of the most v isually pleasing shows I have ever seen. It is displayed

best when the action starts. Your eyes w ill be glued to the screen w ith all the popping colors and f luidit y of each frame. Studio Bones uses ver y minimal line draw ings that help display the characters’ reactions and emotions, yet w ill instantly sw itch to the most breathtaking frame of animation you w ill ever see. The opening credits alone conv inced me to start the show, as you can see the love and care ever yone involved put into it.

If you want a genuinely heart warming stor y about a kid learning to figure out his purpose in life, all while hav ing over-the-top action and humor, “Mob Psycho 100” is the show for you. The third and final season is coming out this October.

If they can stick the landing and end the show right, this w ill be a show that has ver y minimal f laws. W hile the HBO Ma x Animation Massacre took this show off, I would say it is worth getting a Crunchy roll account to watch this instead.

Contact Matheus Herndl at mherndl@nd.edu

Contact Gabriel Zarazua at gzarazua@nd.edu

“Mob Psycho 100” Director: Yuzuru Tachikawa Starring: Setsuo Ito, Takahiro Sakurai

GABRIEL ZARAZUA | The Observer

10

The observer | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

By OWEN GANNON Scene Writer

This week I traveled to Crumbl Cookies in Mishawaka to rev iew their gourmet treats w idely popularized on social media.

If you are unfamiliar w ith this sweet-treat establishment, the menu has a rotating schedule w ith four to five f lavors changing each week. The cookies are roughly four and a half inches in diameter and are offered in groups of four, six and t welve. The company was founded in 2017. As of 2022, Crumbl has over 500 locations.

W hen I first arrived at the store front, situated next to Mission BBQ and Qdoba, there was a long line trailing out the door. Upon entering, the smell of freshly baked cookies f loated through the air. I ordered using a touch screen kiosk from a selection of six f lavors: French Toast, A lmost Ever y thing Bagel, Milk Glaze (ft. Fruit y Pebbles), Iced Oatmeal, Classic Pink Sugar and Milk Chocolate Chip. After ordering four cookies, I watched nearly a well-oiled group of Crumbl team members portioning dough, monitoring the ovens, sweeping the f loor, box ing cookies and helping patrons. After promptly receiv ing my order, I went home to begin the taste test!

The ser v ice prov ided at the Mishawaka location was excellent, but I’d like to address some current headlines about Crumbl. Recently, a TikTok

By ANDY OTTONE Scene Writer

Have you ever been in a situation where you’re tagging along w ith someone and their friend group, but ever y thing suddenly becomes really awk ward?

Well, add some murder myster y into the mix and you’ve got “Bodies Bodies Bodies.” This horror-comedy film centers on a group of friends and their romantic partners getting ready to part y hard while they wait out a passing storm, but things suddenly go aw r y.

Even before the bodies start to drop, the tension establishes itself quick ly. First, we get the impression that our main characters Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) and Bee (Maria Bakalova) weren’t necessarily inv ited through whispers and uncomfortable glances from other characters. The camera work also contributes to a grow ing sense of discomfort. Even in simple dialogue scenes, the camera rarely stays still. In a weird way, this added anticipation for me; whenever the camera remained still, I knew the other shoe was about to drop.

Back to the stor y: Part y host Dav id (Pete Dav idson) gets heated at a children’s part y game and storms off. The other shoe I mentioned

emerged exposing Crumbl employees using Bett y Crocker Cake Mix in the dough. Crumbl addressed the v ideo attributing the ingredients to enhance the f lavor and texture of the product. This seems prett y sinister, but… on w ith the rev iew.

The Iced Oatmeal Cookie I began my taste test w ith the Iced Oatmeal Cookie: a soft baked cookie w ith cinnamon, a spice f lavor topping and sweet icing. This option is accessible for all sorts of cookie connoisseurs, even those who tend to shy away from the t y pical oatmeal raisin. Crumbl uses a dough w ithout raisins and large oat pieces but still stays true to the classic taste of an oatmeal cookie.

Rating : 3.5/5 shamrocks

The Classic Pink Sugar Cookie Next, I decided to tr y the Classic Pink Sugar Cookie: the most w idely-recognizable option in the store. W hile this cookie may remind you of crumbly cake-like sugar cookies, don’t be fooled.

The pink icing tastes like almond extract and artificial cherr y f lavoring. With a harsh topping and a texture that’s almost as edible as Play-Doh, Crumbl ensures this f lavor is fun to play w ith — but not fun to eat.

Rating : 2/5 shamrocks

The Milk Gla ze (ft. Fruity Pebbles) Cookie To get the taste of the last cookie out of my mouth, I opted for the Milk Gla ze (ft. Fruit y Pebbles) cookie. I was initially suspicious of this cookie because its name resembles a Spotif y musician’s credits. However, my reser vations quick ly dissipated after sampling. The structure is simple: a plain cookie base topped w ith fruit y pebbles coated in a sweet, stick y frosting. A lthough the cereal was sogg y, the f lavor w ill throw you back to a classic childhood breakfast.

Rating : 3/5 shamrocks

The Milk Chocolate Chip Cookie After another disappointing sample, I decided to go for an old-reliable: Milk Chocolate Chip.

This cookie started it all for founders Jason McGowan and Saw yer Hemsley. The duo embarked on a quest to bake the best chocolate chip cookie and it seems they succeeded. Imagine a Nestle Tollhouse cookie ser ved fresh out of the oven … but on steroids. The ratio of butter y dough to sweet chocolate chips is perfect and leaves you beyond satisfied.

Rating : 4.5/5 shamrocks

Contact Owen Gannon at ogannon@nd.edu

earlier? It just dropped and so did the first v ictim.

Here, the mov ie shows off its greatest strength: paranoia. The convenient plot dev ice of the storm creates no way to see clearly, no way to escape and no way to call for help — throw ing the cast and audience into a panic. With nowhere to go and nothing to lose, the cast attempts to deduce who the killer is, repeating the events that led to Dav id’s departure. With this, the mov ie starts a v icious cycle that carries the rest of the film’s events: “We have to find the killer” to “We found the killer” to “The killer is dead” to “But what if they weren’t the killer? ” This question is everpresent and feeds into the paranoia of the film.

As the audience, the only character we rule out as the killer is Bee. Ever yone else, even her girlfriend Sophie, is fair game.

Ever y performance made for a memorable and distinct character and gave the mov ie’s death toll an emotional weight. Bakalova was a clear standout, embody ing both the loneliness felt by being an outsider in the friend group and the grow ing distrust Bee felt towards ever yone as the night progressed.

I feel that some horror comedies lose the “comedy” after a while, but this mov ie kept the jokes coming through most of the mov ie, whether it be during a confrontation (Rachel Sennott’s

portrayal of A lice is particularly notable) or through more physical gags like using a dead person’s face to unlock their phone.

My only major gripe in the film was that some scenes had interchangeable dialogue. Some lines only ser ve as exposition; any character could be delivering them and not much would be lost. This, however, is made up for w ith the performances from the stars, imbuing the characters w ith a personalit y that the dialogue lacks.

The killer reveal puts the mov ie in a whole new light and elevates its recurring themes in a clever way. “Bodies Bodies Bodies” is a fun horror comedy that completely reinvents itself in its last minutes.

If you take any thing away from this mov ie, just be glad most parties don’t end up this way.

Contact Andy Ottone at aottone@nd.edu

“Bodies Bodies Bodies” Starring: Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalov, Pete Davidson Director: Halina Reijn If you like: “Scream,” “Jennifer’s Body”

MARIA GORECKI | The Observer

Classifieds

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

11

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Think about what you want to convey to others and what you are trying to achieve this year. Call on people with something to contribute who can change the dynamics of a situation you face. Don’t let anger set in when patience and understanding will bring about forgiveness and clarity. Take precautions to avoid injury, illness and personal loss. Your numbers are 8, 11, 20, 24, 32, 35, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’ll gain perspective regarding your relationships with others if you listen and establish what others want. Plan to do the work yourself, and you will gain respect and the option to delegate jobs to those willing and able to help.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Address disruption or confusion head-on. Hard work will help you clear a mental and physical passage to the place you want to go.

You’ll gain the most leverage if you mix business with pleasure and entertain the people you want to impress.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Wrap your head around what others expect of you, and don’t stop until you feel satisfied with what you achieve. Someone who wants your attention will mislead you to get their way. Put your needs first and finish what you start.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Hang on to your cash, even if someone asks for a handout. Offer suggestions, but don’t pay for others’ mistakes. Consider your options and expand your interests. Heading in a direction that lets you do something you enjoy is recommended.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Put your emotions aside and concentrate on what’s essential and will help you get ahead or get your way. Be receptive to suggestions, and follow through with plans that show promise. Establish the truth, and head in a direction that offers prosperity.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Finish your responsibilities. A disciplined attitude will attract the help you require to get things done on time. Don’t be fooled by someone trying to tempt you with something you don’t need. A positive physical change will lead to compliments and self-satisfaction.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): An open mind will take you to places that exhilarate you mentally, physically and emotionally. If you speed things up, you’ll discover you can handle more than you anticipated. A change at home will make it possible to do something that makes you happy.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Put more thought and cash into the things that bring you joy and put your mind at ease. Doing the work yourself will make you feel good and save money. A unique idea will change the way you do things. Romance is favored.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Anger won’t make matters better. Analyze your situation and look for a practical way to move forward. Distance yourself from anyone who takes advantage of you or purposely leads you astray. A plan will turn into a prosperous venture.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Pursue your interests. Refuse to let anyone get in your way. Stick to the truth, and make changes based on facts and figures. Know your audience and play out your ideas as planned. Take control and leave nothing to chance.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Start a business or a hobby that excites you. Don’t ignore someone you love because you are too busy working toward your own goal.

Offer to share your dream, and you’ll get support instead of a lecture. Nurture what’s important to you.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don’t share your secrets. Focus on personal change, quality of life and how you can lower your overhead or bring in more cash.

Consider making partnerships, sharing expenses or embarking on a new and exciting adventure. Find a new outlet for an old skill.

Birthday Baby: You are flexible, curious and enthusiastic. You are disciplined and stylish.

Square Comic | XXX

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

Support student journalism.

Donate to The Observer. ndsmcobserver.com/donate

Square Comic | XXX

Work Area

Make checks payable to and mail to:

Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday, The Observer is a vital source of information on people and events in the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross communities. Join the more than 13,000 readers who have found The Observer an indispensable link to the three campuses. Please complete the accompanying form and mail it today to receive The Observer in your home.

The Observer P.O. Box 779 Notre Dame, IN 46556

Enclosed is $130 for one academic year Enclosed is $75 for one semester Name Address City State Zip

12

Classifieds

The observer | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Sports Authority

Sports Authority

Coolican: Major MLB changes

By LIAM COOLICAN Sports Writer

Commissioner Rob Manfred has often found himself in hot water with fans, from his handling of the Astros’ cheating scandal to using two types of baseballs, but he finally was able to enact change that will improve baseball for years to come. Of course, the new rule changes aren’t without controversy, but data in the minor leagues has proven that these changes will be a positive for baseball overall.

One of the leagues’ goals has been to reduce the socalled “three true outcomes”: strikeouts, walks and home runs (which have seemingly taken over the league in recent years). The changes have been rumored for months, but they were officially announced on Friday.

They range from a pitch clock to banning the shift to larger bases. I’ll outline the changes, and what they will mean for the game.

Pitch clock If you’ve been to an MLB game in the past few seasons, you’ll have likely seen a clock somewhere in the outfield counting down before a pitch was thrown. Next year, this will be enforceable, with pitchers having 15 seconds with the bases empty, and 20 seconds with runners on, to deliver the ball. Hitters must be in the box and “alert” at the eight second mark, and the catcher must be ready with 10 seconds to go.

The timer resets with a pickoff throw, or when the pitcher steps off the rubber, although pitchers can only do this twice per batter.

This effectively means they can only step off once with a runner on base, because if the runner knows the pitcher cannot throw over, they would be halfway to second base before the pitcher even starts his motion.A violation of this rule by a pitcher leads to an automatic ball, and vice versa for batters. This rule has proven effective in the minor leagues, where it has been implemented this year, with average game times falling by at least 15 minutes at every level. In some cases, game times dropped as much as half an hour, according to Baseball America For reference, in rookie ball, where there is no pitch clock, game time has remained roughly the same.

It is important to realize

that the pitch clock does not mean less baseball, it simply means less dead time. We’re no longer likely to see a pitcher shake off the signs three, four, five times, or a hitter step out and adjust his batting gloves after every pitch.

Another important aspect to note is that it will likely lead to slightly reduced velocity, because when a pitcher is throwing upwards of 100 miles per hour, even an extra few seconds of rest between pitches is vital. This leads to more balls in play, and fewer strikeouts, which along with a faster pace of play, is the league’s goal.

Larger bases Traditionally, bases have been 15 inches; next year, they will be increased to 18 inches. In practical terms, this leads to a 4.5 inch decrease between the bases.

This may not seem like a huge difference, but it will almost certainly increase stolen base attempts. Additionally, it is more likely players can beat out a ground ball, encouraging more balls to be put in play. Again, the minor leagues have tested this rule and it has proven successful, with the rate of steals per inning rising from 0.65 in 2019 to 0.96 this year in Triple A, according to The Score.

Another stated aim of the league was to reduce collisions and injuries on the base paths, and the bigger bases will give players more room to maneuver. Steals have increasingly fallen out of favor since analytics began taking over baseball, but these changes will perhaps bring them back this year. We may be witnessing the beginning of the small-ball renaissance, which I would argue is much more exciting than the baseball being played now.

Banning the shift This is the rule change that has created the most controversy among fans and players alike. Teams must have a minimum of four players on the infield, with at least two on each side of second base.

The league aims to “increase the batting average on balls in play, to allow infielders to better showcase their athleticism and to restore more traditional outcomes on batted balls.”

The batting average on balls in play this year is 0.291, which is 10 points lower than in 2006 which was before the see MLB PAGE 14

Moller: Biggest moments from NFL week one

By NATE MOLLER Spor ts Writer

There were plent y of surprises and statement w ins made in the first week of the NFL season. A lthough there is still a lot of football left to play, let’s take a look at some of the most notable happenings from the opening weekend of the NFL. Vikings make a statement in Kevin O’Connell’s first game The last two seasons have been full of disappointment for the Vikings, especially considering they have plent y of talent on its roster w ith Justin Jefferson, Dalv in Cook, Kirk Cousins and Adam Thielen. After firing their head coach and general manager, the Vikings looked like a completely different team in the start of the Kev in O’Connell era. The Vikings’ offense was fueled by Jefferson, who put up 184 yards and caught two touchdow ns.

Aside from Jefferson, Cousins did a fantastic job of remaining poised in the pocket. Running backs Dalv in Cook and A lexander Mattison proved to be a deadly 1-2 punch in the backfield w ith both backs averaging 4.5 yards per carr y.

The best news of the day, though, came on the defensive side of the football, which was the Vikings’ demise last season. The Vikings’ front seven proved to be the difference w ith Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith getting constant pressure on Aaron Rodgers. If the defense can continue to play well, the Vikings should have a chance to push for a div ision title and playoff spot.

Bengals fail to execute The Bengals did just about ever y thing w rong on Sunday as Joe Burrow threw a stunning four interceptions in a 23-20 loss to the Steelers. Despite the interceptions, the Bengals were set up to lose the game on the leg of kicker Evan McPherson two times. After missing a PAT to secure the w in, McPherson missed his

second chance to w in the game as well, shanking a 29 yard field goal in overtime. The fact that the Bengals were stilwl in this game despite the turnovers is encouraging, but the lack of execution by the reigning AFC champs is concerning to say the least.

Bears show they are no slouch I don’t think anyone gave the Bears much of a chance against the 49ers on Sunday, but the Bears made a statement, scoring 19 straight points to w in 19-10. Justin Fields looked much improved for the Bears and, despite the rainy conditions, he threw for 121 yards and two touchdow ns and ran for 28 yards. It’s hard to fathom the Bears finding much offensive success this season w ith the talent they have at receiver, but the Bears’ defense showed up on Sunday. They might have to w in a lot of close, low-scoring games over the rest of the season if they want to make the playoffs.

Titans struggle mightily in lose to Giants One of the most stunning score lines came from Nashv ille on Sunday, w ith the Titans losing to the Giants 21-20. Ryan Tannehill was definitely missing A.J. Brow n as he struggled to get into a rhy thm w ith his receiving corps. Derrick Henr y finished the game w ith 82 yards, averaging just 3.9 yards per carr y, and. just last season, he failed to change the game. In fact, Henr y’s longest run on the day was just 18 yards. Like the Bengals, the Titans failed to execute late as well, giv ing up a Giants’ touchdow n and two-point conversion w ith just over a minute remaining, as well as missing a game w inning 47-yard field goal.

Texans surprise Colts Many expected the Colts to have a really good team this year w ith Matt Ryan under center. Ryan was any thing but perfect for the Colts on Sunday, though, as he finished 32 out of 50 for 352 yards w ith

one touchdow n and one interception. The good news for the Colts is that Jonathan Taylor looked fantastic, rushing for 161 yards and a touchdow n.

Michael Pittman Jr., who finished w ith 121 receiving yards and a touchdow n, also looks primed for a breakout season.

Despite these breakout performances, the Colts failed to make a field goal in overtime and they tied w ith a much less talented Texans team. The talent is there for the Colts, but a season-opening tie against the Texans is not ideal.

Bucaneers thrash Cowboys The Bucs beat the Cowboys by 16, but it could have easily been by 30. The Cowboys struggled mightily to move the ball w ith any authorit y throughout the game. To make matters worse for Dallas, Dak Prescott is now expected to miss six to eight weeks to receive surger y on his thumb.

The Cowboys w ill likely need to trade for a quarterback if they are going to save their season, as they have an important stretch of games against the Bengals, Giants, Commanders, Rams and Eagles in the next five weeks.

The Bucs, on the other hand, looked like a Super Bowl contender on Sunday night. Despite settling for four field goals, they managed to move the ball all night, and the defense looked fantastic.

Tom Brady still looked like Tom Brady, and Julio Jones looks like a great offseason addition so far.

After week one, the Bucs appear to be the favorite to w in the NFC. Bills dominate Rams The Bills dominated the Rams handily on Thursday night, w inning by a score of 31-20. Josh A llen looked sensational w ith 297 yards passing, 56 yards on the ground and four total touchdow ns.

A llen looks to have a lethal 1-2 punch in receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe see NFL PAGE 13

The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.

sports

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | The Observer

ACC

HCC SOCCER

Saints tie Judson on a rainy pitch

By TOM ZWILLER Sports Writer Wearing gray warmup uniforms that matched the South Bend skyline, the Holy Cross men’s soccer team prepared to play their second conference game of the season, facing the Judson University Eagles.

Saints Field was not particularly chilly, but the pitch was damp, with the clouds overhead threatening to add more rain during the match. However, associate head coach Duma Magagula said that the Saints were not worried about the adverse conditions.

“We tried to maintain [our game plan], and I thought the guys did a good job today,” Magagula said. “Our main focus was how can we defend [these] guy’s height; these guys did a good job with that.”

The two teams were evenly matched throughout the affair, but the Saints found an edge early.

In the 18th minute, senior midfielder A xel Valenzuela had an excellent counter.

Despite the slippery ball and pitch, Valenzuela controlled the ball and beat defenders before being fouled inside the 18.  The foul resulted in a penalty kick, which senior midfielder Elmin Ejup took. Ejup’s shot went to the lower right corner, beating the Judson keeper Mateo Ojesto, to put the Saints up 1-0.

Wingate Continued from page 16

a soccer player a nd person.

“Nate has a lso been a huge role model for me as wel l, a nd he is obv iously a g reat mentor a nd f riend,” Wingate sa id. “Over our yea rs here, our relat ionship has gotten a lot st ronger, a nd I a m able to go to him w it h a ny quest ions I have. I k now t hat he is going to g ive me honest feedback a nd pointers a nd a ny help t hat I ca n get.”

Wingate pra ised t he rest of t he coaching sta f f as well.

“They a re super inspirat iona l a nd mot ivat iona l, a nd I cou ldn’t ask for a better set of coaches to lead t he tea m,” Wingate sa id.

Wingate is in t he midst of a brea kout season, having scored a tea m-leading si x goa ls for t he Irish in just

That result held through the rest of the half as both teams brief ly retreated from the rain.

At the half, the Saints led in shots and shots on goal, with seven shots, four of which were on target. Holy Cross’ keeper, sophomore Claudio Fuentealba, faced four attempts, but none were on net.

The game was still incredibly even to start the second half, with both teams visibly fatigued, though both teams were still highly physical.

In the 73rd minute, Judson put a shot on net, their first legitimate scoring opportunity. Fuentealba went up, looking to catch the ball, but was impeded and unable to grab it.

Instead, the ball found its way into the back of the net, tying the game 1-1.

The goal, scored by Judson’s Pedro Botello and assisted

by Christian Horstmann, reminded Coach Magagula of the goal against Cardinal Stritch last Saturday.

“This is stuff we practice at practice,” Magagula said.

“If the goalkeeper is coming in traffic, there are going to be obstacles in there, so you’re not sure if you are going to get a clean catch or not, so why don’t you play it safe by punching the ball out of there.”

The game became incredibly physical down the stretch; there were nine cautions in the second half alone, five for Judson (including an ejection) and four

for Holy Cross.

Between the close loss against Stritch, and now the tie to Judson, Holy Cross has earned just one point in conference play through its first two games. However, according to Coach Magagula, there is no reason for concern.

“Out of these two games, we got one point, which we’ll take, but looking at how the way we played,” he said.” I think that is the most disappointing part, we could have had this game. But I don’t think it’s a panic button [situation] yet”.

Instead, Coach Magagula sees the result against Stritch as a reason for optimism about the team’s growth.

“I’ll say it was a disappointing loss … but considering what we had done against Stritch in the years before, it was a great improvement for us. We couldn’t get the result, but definitely, we thought we’re getting in the right direction.”

With the tie, the Saints now sit seventh in conference play, with a conference record of 0-1-1 and an overall record of 2-3-1.

The next game for the Saints will be against conference foe Governors State University, with the Saints making the journey to University Park, Illinois on Saturday. The match will kick off a 9:30 p.m. chart.

seven ga mes. Wingate att ributes her success to her abilit y to move of f t he ba ll.

“This yea r I have been able to work on my movement of f of t he ba ll a litt le bit more. I t hin k it is better t ha n it was last yea r,” Wingate sa id. “I a m work ing a lot on being pat ient a nd stay ing w it hin t he midd le of t he goa l inside t he 18-ya rd box most of t he t ime, so I a m not t r y ing to drif t too w ide. That g ives me a better cha nce of gett ing looks t hat a re more direct ly in line w it h t he goa l.”

The t welf t h-ra n ked Irish a re of f to a red-hot sta r t w it h conference play sta r t ing t his week aga inst Clemson, a nd Wingate hopes t he Irish ca n build of f of t heir ea rly season success.

“It’s a lways g reat when a tea m is w inning. It’s a lways a g reat conf idence booster,” Wingate sa id. “Going into ACC play, we have to

recog ni ze t hat we a re one of t he best tea ms.”

The Irish have been ver y successf u l on bot h sides of t he ba ll t his season, a nd Wingate k nows t he Irish need to keep play ing well going for wa rd.

“We just have to keep doing what we a re doing,” Wingate sa id. “We a re scoring a lot of goa ls. We a re g reat defensively; we have on ly let up t hree goa ls in seven ga mes. We move t he ba ll super fast, our tempo is g reat, a nd I t hin k a lot of tea ms haven’t been able to keep up w it h us.”

Wingate a nd t he rest of t he Irish t ravel to Sout h Ca rolina on Sept. 15 to play t he Clemson Tigers. The ga me w ill be ava ilable on t he ACC net work at 8 p.m.

EST.

Contact Tom Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2 @nd.edu.

Continued from page 16

State has produced a solid but uninspiring two draws. Oct. 6 will likely be the first day anyone can make a serious guess as to the Seminoles’ odds of a College Cup comeback as this is when they start an absolutely brutal four game stretch against Virginia, Notre Dame, Duke and North Carolina.

Clemson is another strange read in trying to sort out the rest of the pack behind the obvious standouts from the first half of the season. Much like Florida State, the Tigers have handled their weaker non-conference games without issue. However, they hold an unimpressive 0-12 record against likely tournament teams. A visit from Notre Dame on Thursday should say a lot about the Tigers’ chances of putting together a dark horse ACC title charge.

Rounding out the second tier is a seemingly always underrated Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons have been far from flashy this season, winning just three of their eight games by more than one goal, but they’ve also been effective.

They’re yet to lose, and have a credible draw against a very good Auburn team in their one test against ranked opposition.

The Deacons surprised a lot of teams last year in an underdog run to the ACC semi-finals. So far this year they’ve shown a lot of promise that they could make a similar run.

13

TIER THREE: Possible NCAA tournament teams, but unlikely ACC contenders The teams: North Carolina State, Pitt and Virginia Tech North Carolina State has been another tough team to get a bead on over the first half of the season. They’re 1-1-2 in the month of September (as opposed to 3-01 in August), with a confusing pair of ties with both nationally ranked South Carolina as well as lowly unranked Nebraska.

They don’t have a statement win on their resume yet, and will have as much of an incentive as anyone to bring their best in conference play to get into the tournament field.

Pitt looked like a potential tier 2 team for much of nonconference play, though a loss to VCU brought the Panthers back down to Earth. But with senior forward partnership Amanda West and Leah Pais combining for 28 points in just eight games, it would be unwise to count out Pitt as a serious threat in the ACC. Finishing this final tier is Virginia Tech. After surviving a brutal opening day scare against William and Mary, the Hokies have straightened out and worked their way to a solid 6-1-1 record. Much like the other teams in this tier, however, their lack of a statement win means they have work to do in ACC play.

Contact J.J Post at jpost2@nd.edu

NFL Continued from page 12

Dav is, and this looks like a team that can finally w in a Super Bowl. The defending champion Rams w ill look to shake off a disappointing week one loss against the Falcons in week two.

The Chiefs’ offense rolls without Tyreek Hill The stunning departure of Ty reek Hill this offseason raised some questions about how the Chiefs’ offense would perform.

And, they didn’t miss a beat on Sunday, putting up 44 points against the Cardinals for an easy v ictor y. Patrick Mahomes was sensational, completing 30 out of 39 passes for 360 yards and five touchdow ns. Even w ithout Hill, Mahomes still has plent y of options to throw to.

Trav is Kelce is, of course, Mahomes’ top choice, but Juju Smith-Schuster and Marquez ValdesScantling should prove to be great options for Mahomes as well. After week one, it looks like the Chiefs and Bills might be

set for a showdow n in the AFC Championship.

Broncos make stunning decision late, fall to Seahawks Broncos make stunning decision late, falls to Seahawks The Broncos had a fourth dow n and five from the Seahawks’ 46yard line, and rather than putting the ball in Russell Wilson’s hands, they opted to kick a 64yard field goal. Brandon McManus sent the field goal w ide left, and the Seahawks held on to w in. Considering Russell Wilson’s pedigree, it’s an interesting play call to say the least, and there w ill be plent y of questions raised among the Broncos’ coaching staff going for ward.

Nevertheless, it’s a great w in for the Geno Smithled Seahawks, who w ill look to prove the doubters w rong.

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu The views expressed in this sports authorit y are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

14

Sports

The observer | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

MLB

ND WOMEN’s soccer

Continued from page 12

analytics and the shift had taken hold of the game. Some have expressed concern that this will merely help players who have struggled to adjust to the shift — think Joey Gallo — rather than improving batting average on balls in play (BABIP) league wide.

The data has been mixed in the minor leagues as to whether this will have a great impact on batting averages, but it will certainly be interesting to see.

Overall, Manfred and the league did a great job on these rule changes, and I believe they will make baseball a more exciting sport for years to come. Many baseball traditionalists will always argue against any sort of change, but baseball has been declining in popularity compared to other sports for a long time now. It was clear that a change was needed, and Manfred was able to do exactly that without compromising any aspect of the game we love.

Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu.

The views expressed in this sports authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Irish enter ACC opener undefeated

By Joche Sanchez Cordova Sports Writer

Notre Dame women’s soccer beat the Ohio University Bobcats 3-1 Sunday afternoon in a rainsoaked affair at home to remain a perfect 7-0 on the season. It is the team’s first perfect run in nonconference play since 2008 when they went 27-2 and made an appearance in the NCAA title game. The weather conditions were a concern on Saturday afternoon with a steady downpour throughout the match, especially during the first half. Head coach Nate Norman spoke about how the conditions impacted his team.

“It wasn’t ideal, but today we went out trying to do what we always do,” said Norman. “It made the field very fast and slick, so if your passes aren’t perfect or if your first touch isn’t great then the ball slips away from you, but overall we just tried to stay with what we do.”

The game got off to a fast start when Notre Dame used some clever passing to break through the Ohio backline, graduate student striker Olivia Wingate scored her team-leading sixth goal of the year. Senior Kiki Van Zanten collected her second assist of the year on the opener. Wingate has

found extraordinary success at Alumni Stadium this year with all six of her goals coming at home this year, including the hat-trick performance against then-No. 22 Wisconsin on September 1 that earned her ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors. In the 21st minute, Bobcats star forward Abby Townsend stepped up and buried a free kick from just a few yards outside the box to tie up the game on Ohio’s second shot of the game. Townsend’s strike came from the right side of the goal and curled perfectly around the Irish wall and to find the top corner and beat goalkeeper Ashley Naylor.Norman emphasized the importance of sticking to the game plan and executing it following Ohio’s equalizer.

“I think it’s always about us being able to focus and that’s what we told them at halftime,” said Norman. “There’s nothing really we need to do differently. We just need to keep the tempo high, keep moving the ball, keep finding those pockets of space in their backline, driving at them and getting our chances.”

That is exactly what the Irish did in the second half as they found two more goals to put the contest to bed. The first came

from Van Zanten shortly after halftime. The goal came from a Kati Druzina cross that Ohio keeper Sam Wexell deflected into the middle of the box where Van Zanten was able to finish it into the bottom corner of the goal. The game-winner was Van Zanten’s second goal of the year after she also scored against Purdue last time out. After the game, Coach Norman spoke glowingly about Van Zanten’s performance on the day and throughout the season.

“Kiki is fantastic. She’s been unbelievable this whole season.

Her defensive work rate is second to none, she covers so much ground, winning second balls,” said Norman. “And some of the stuff she does going forward is fantastic. She’s got two goals in the last two games so she’s in a really good place right now. I’m super, super happy and proud of her.”

Throughout the game, junior midfielder Eva Gaetino looked dangerous on corners with a few efforts just missing the Ohio goal, but four minutes after Van Zanten’s goal she made one count. Coming off a Korbin Albert corner, Gaetino rose highest of all to head it home making

it 3-1 Gaetino said after the game that the goal was the result of many hours of practice.

“These past three weeks [we]... have been working on it just over and over and over again, every single day, just getting the timing down. That’s been a huge help and I feel like I’m finally getting the momentum to get that going every single game,” said Gaetino.

Outside of the set-piece hiccup, the Irish dominated proceedings, controlling the game for long spells of play. In the end, they out-possessed the Bobcats 69%-31% and outshot them 28-8, forcing 7 seven saves from their goalkeepers.

“I’m really proud of us, we’re doing something very special.

We set a goal for ourselves and so far, we’ve been able to accomplish it. But going 7-0, we also have to stay humble and we have to understand that these [conference] games are going to be hard. But I also think that these wins have given us momentum going into these tougher games, which I think will be really good for us,” said Gaetino.

Contact Joche Sanchez Cordova at jsanch24@nd.edu

Paid Advertisement

ATTEND THE 2022 CARE CONFERENCE:

Accountability in a Sustainable World!

Experts will discuss accounting for sustainability and responsible investing.

Hosted by the Center for Accounting Research and Education.

SEPTEMBER 21 AND 23 Registration Required.

This virtual event is open to the public.

Paid Advertisement

Institute for Latino Studies Fall 2022

Hispanic Heritage Month SomosND: Hispanic Heritage Month Kick-Off Fiesta Thursday, September 15, 2022 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. • Bond Hall Steps

Latinos and the Reshaping of American Politics Thursday, September 15, 2022 6:00 p.m. • 104 Bond Hall Latinx Student Alliance (LSA) will host a post reception and voter registration drive following the event.

Transformative Latina Lecture with ND Trustee Dorene C. Dominguez '85 Monday, September 19, 2022 12:30 p.m. • 104 Bond Hall Free Chick-fil-A starting at 12 noon.

Success Stories of Hispanic Alumni Virtual Panel Thursday, September 22, 2022 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. • Zoom

Afro-Latinx Poetry Now Conference Tuesday & Wednesday, September 27 & 28, 2022 Sessions at 2:00, 3:30, & 8:00 p.m. • McKenna Hall No registration required.

Latinx Identidades Thursday, September 29, 2022 5:30 p.m. • 104 Bond Hall Pre-reception at 5:00 p.m. in Bond Hall Lobby.

Poder Popular and the Challenge to U.S. Churches: A Conversartion with Movimiento Cosecha Monday, October 3, 2022 11:00 a.m. • 315 Bond Hall

Crossing Waters Book Discussion with author and ND Associate Professor Marisel Moreno Tuesday, October 4, 2022 7:00 p.m. • 315 Bond Hall Pre-reception starts at 6:30 p.m.

ILS Student Group Excursion to West Side Story Performance (limited number of free tickets available) Sunday, October 9, 2022 2:00 p.m. • Morris Performing Arts Center Presented by South Bend Civic Center

Visit latinostudies.nd.edu for tickets and event information.

16

The observer | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Soccer forward feature

Olivia Wingate prepared to lead undefeated Irish into conference play

By NATE MOLLER Sen ior Spor ts Wr iter

Graduate student for wa rd Oliv ia Wingate has been a huge pa rt of t he undefeated women’s soccer tea m t his season, as she is leading t he tea m w it h si x goa ls.

Wingate ref lected on her f irst season at Notre Da me when she had to adjust to play ing soccer at t he college level.

“W hen I ca me in, I was injured at f irst. I wasn’t rea lly play ing as well as I wa nted to,” Wingate sa id. “I had to dea l w it h coming f rom club tea ms a nd high school tea ms where I played rea lly well, a nd I was a sta r player.

Coming into a new env ironment a nd hav ing to work your way up in t he ra nks a nd prove yourself ever yday was somet hing new.”

Wingate lea rned a lot of va luable lessons f rom her ea rly seasons w it h t he Irish.

“I g rew in my attitude a nd menta lit y at tack ling

t hat ever yday pressure a nd cha llenge to prove myself,” Wingate sa id.

Wingate feels t hat she has g row n of f t he f ield as well during her time at Notre Da me.

“Of f t he f ield, I have grow n a lot in pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. Wit h academics, it is a rea lly ha rd a nd rigorous curriculum a nd adding being a student-at hlete is rea lly ha rd,” Wingate sa id. “I rea lly grew in time ma nagement a nd my leadership abilities a nd being able to ha ndle my academics as well as at hletic pressures.”

Wingate sha red t hat one of her favorite players grow ing up was Mia Ha mm because of her prominence in t he women’s ga me, a nd t he position t hat she played.

“W hen I was litt le, I rea lly loved Mia Ha mm,” Wingate sa id. “I a m a number nine so I took a ll t hat in when I was younger.”

Wingate has idolized Christen Press in t he present

day.

“I rea lly enjoy Christen Press a nd her st yle of play.

Obv iously she’s still playing, a nd it’s f un to see her continue to do super well, so I love watching her as well,” Wingate sa id.

There have been plent y of inf luentia l players during her time at Notre Da me, but Wingate sha red t hat 2019 graduate Sabrina Flores was especia lly inf luentia l to her. “[Sabrina] is t he sweetest person you w ill ever meet a nd tr uly dedicated to working ha rder t ha n a nyone else in t he room wherever she is.

She is super competitive, but she is a lso super level-headed. You never saw her get a ngr y or mad at people ; she was able to hold herself to a ver y high sta nda rd,” Wingate sa id.

Wingate a lso pra ised head coach Nate Norma n for his role in helping her develop as see WINGATE PAGE 13

Ryan Vigilante | The Observer

Olivia Wingate dodges a defender in the Notre Dame vs. Illinois match. Notre Dame won 4-0 to contribute to their 7-0 win streak.

Acc women’s soccer

Ranking ACC women’s soccer tiers

By J.J. Post Sports Writer

Through seven games of nonconference play, it would be difficult to call Notre Dame women’s soccer’s season anything but a roaring success. The team has notched a perfect 7-0-0 record, with every win coming by a multiple goal margin. The defense has allowed just three goals across 630 minutes of play. And with ACC play on the horizon, the Irish have risen to 6th in the Coaches Poll — their highest ranking in years.

But ACC play should provide the Irish with some of their hardest tests yet. As always, the ACC is tremendously deep, with a host of teams in contention for both the conference crown and the NCAA tournament. Here’s a look at where the best teams stand in the country’s strongest soccer conference.

TIER ONE: Title favorites, College Cup

MarY votava | The Observer

Defender Brianna Martinez and midfielder Eva Gaetino fight for the ball to defend Notre Dame’s 3-1 lead against the Ohio Bobcats.

The teams: UNC, Virginia, Duke and Notre Dame This group is led by North Carolina, who have looked nearunstoppable at times. Their handling of a pair of quality teams in Tennessee and Texas in the first weeks of the season were

reminiscent of prior Tar Heel teams that would hardly look threatened until the College Cup. UNC came back down to earth with a loss to UCLA, but rebounded as well as one could have asked with a 3-0 dispatching of local rival, and fellow College Cup contender, Duke.

Virginia hasn’t played as intensive of a non-conference slate as UNC, but the Cavaliers passed their biggest test with a 1-0 win on the road against Georgetown.

A home draw against Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) ended what had been a perfect run to start the season, but a trip to Chapel Hill this weekend could allow Virginia to respond with a major statement.

Duke has been the most inconsistent of any of the top tier. A furious comeback against Tennessee and an impressive road thumping of TCU give the Blue Devils a pair of ranked wins. But, in their most recent outing, they were outclassed in front of a home crowd against North Carolina. Led by one of the country’s best strikers in Michelle Cooper, the Blue Devils have the pieces. But, they’ll need to regain momentum after a big rivalry loss.

Rounding out the top tier is, perhaps, the most surprising addition: Notre Dame. There was a

lot of hope for an experienced Irish team that has eight upperclassmen starters. But, I don’t think anyone expected Notre Dame to open the season a perfect 7-0-0 with dominant wins over ranked St. Louis and Wisconsin teams, and a total goal difference of +18 through seven games. If the Irish maintain their pace in conference play, they’ll be on a very short list of national title contenders.

TIER TWO: Title dark horses, NCAA tournament threats The teams: Florida State, Clemson and Wake Forest Florida State has been perhaps the most fascinating team in the ACC over the offseason and regular season. The 2021 national champions entered the season largely unknown, playing with a new coach and a largely changed roster, nobody was sure where the Seminoles floor and ceiling would be. Through six games, the question of floor has been answered.

Florida State dispatched four of their weaker non-conference games with relative ease. But, the ceiling of the Seminoles is harder to determine. In their two games against ranked teams, Florida see ACC PAGE 13