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VOLUME 58, ISSUE 42 | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

Protesters object to Supreme Court visit Local groups protested against the presence of Israel Supreme Court Justice Alex Stein on campus

By PETER BREEN Associate News Editor

As U.S. Supreme Court Justice A my Coney Barrett was preparing to spea k in Eck Ha ll of Law Tuesday, approx imately 100 protestors assembled by campus’s main entrance to express disappointment t hat t he Universit y inv ited Israel Supreme Court Justice A lex Stein to participate in a conversation w it h Barrett, who was appointed to t he highest court in t he nation 23 years after graduating f irst in her class at Notre Dame Law School.

The conversation bet ween t he justices in t he McCartan Courtroom was closed to t he media and t hose outside t he

law school communit y. The closed nature of t he event did not prevent outrage.

In an open letter to t he law school in t he Irish Radica l Saturday, more t han a dozen loca l groups including Student Voices for Pa lestine, Michiana Friends of Pa lestine and Black Lives Matter Sout h Bend said Notre Dame should be using its platform to advocate for t he protection of a ll innocent life — not give a voice to an “oppressive” government t hat is current ly being tried by t he United Nations for war crimes.

The open letter arg ued t hat since t he State of Israel’s founding in 1948, see PROTEST PAGE 3

SOPHIA CRIMIVAROLI | The Observer

Students and over a dozen local groups marched along Angela Boulevard in protest of Notre Dame’s inclusion of Israel Supreme Court Justice Alex Stein in a talk with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Billionaire Peter Thiel ND professor talks on DEI, culture wars presents new book

By SARAH CATE WHITE News Writer

ISA SHEIKH | The Observer

Billionaire Peter Thiel spoke with political science professor Patrick Deneen as part of his seminar on “Liberalism and Its Discontents.” Discussed topics involved the DEI and various culture war issues.

By ISA SHEIKH Notre Dame News Editor

Billionaire investor and entrepreneur Peter Thiel took the stage of a packed Jordan Auditorium Tuesday night for a lecture and public conversation with political

SCENE PAGE 5

science professor Patrick Deneen. The event was hosted as part of Deneen’s seminar on “Liberalism and Its Discontents,” which Deneen analogized to the drag performance held on campus last semester. The event was not co-sponsored by any

SCENE PAGE 5

institutes or departments on campus, and Deneen said he did not ask.

“I just didn’t want to run into the likely concerns that are gonna be raised by the institutions, which answer see THIEL PAGE 3

VIEWPOINT PAGE 6

Sa ra Ma rcus, a ssista nt professor of Eng l ish at t he Un iversit y of Not re Da me, v isited Sa i nt Ma r y ’s to d iscuss her new book t it led “Pol it ica l Disappoi nt ment: A Cu lt u ra l Histor y f rom Reconst r uct ion to t he A IDS Cr isis.”

In her book, Dr. Ma rcus ex plores pol it ica l d isappoi nt ment a nd how A mer ica ns have t u r ned to l iterat u re, music a nd a r t to ex press d isappoi nt ment.

“Pol it ica l d isappoi ntments a re def i n i ng moments of US h istor y.”

Ma rcus sa id.

Ma rcus’s w r it i ng a nd i nterest i n pol it ica l d isappoi nt ment were i nspi red by her t i me work i ng w it h labor u n ions a nd academ ic conversat ions t hat embrace utopia n t h i n k i ng.

“I u nderstood what wa s usef u l a nd generat ive a rou nd utopia n t h i n k i ng,

FENCING PAGE 10

but it a lso felt l i ke it lef t out t he rea l repercussions of fa i lu re,” she sa id.

For her presentat ion, Ma rcus selected t h ree out of f ive chapters i n t he novel to present to st udents at t he d iscussion : “T he A f ter mat h of Reconst r uct ion,” “Post Second wave fem i n ism back la sh” a nd “T he A IDS cr isis.”

To beg i n, Ma rcus i nvest igates how “t he desi re for a n out let of d isappoi nt ment u ndergoes cha nges of for m a nd venue” i n A mer ica n h istor y.

“Du Bois is what g rou nds t he ent i re book. It’s what k ick s us of f to t he concept of d isappoi nt ment, wh ich he’s com i ng to t h roug h a na ly zi ng t he pol it ics of t he post reconst r uct ion movement. T hat wa s my concept ua l bu i ld i ng block for t he whole book. I k new I had to i nclude t hat to get sta r ted a nd t hen end w it h t he Dav id see BOOK PAGE 4

W BASKETBALL PAGE 12

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SOFIA CRIMIVAROLI| The Observer

Across from Notre Dame campus, demonstrators protest U.S. Associate Supreme Court Jucsitce Amy Coney Barrett and Israeli Supreme Court Justice Alex Stein’s visit to Notre Dame. The pair discussed legal interpretation at Notre Dame Law school Tuesday.

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NEWS

NDSMCOBSERVER.COM | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024 | THE OBSERVER

Thiel CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

SOPHIA CRIMIVAROLI | The Observer

Protestors sent an open letter condemning Israel’s judiciary system as “[upholding] discriminitory laws and apartheid systems,” critiquing the University for bringing an Israel Supreme Court Justice on campus.

Protest CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

t he countr y’s judicia l system has upheld discriminator y laws t hat direct ly enforce an “apart heid system” on Pa lestinians. It added t hat Stein has “direct ly facilitated” t he forcible transfer of indigenous Pa lestinians in occupied territor y to ma ke way for Jew ish sett lements, such as K han a l-A hmar and Masafer Yatta.

“A lex Stein’s presence on campus in light of t he ongoing genocide and v iolence in Pa lestine being enacted by t he Israeli government for whom he ser ves is extremely inappropriate,” t he letter said.

In addition to chanting t hat t here w ill not be peace in t he Holy Land until justice is achieved, protestors said t hat Pa lestine w ill be free “from t he river to t he sea” and ca lled on Yemen to ma ke t hem proud and “turn anot her ship around.”

The protest began at 11:30 a.m., an hour before Barrett and Stein took t he stage in t he law school. Protestors marched a long A ngela Boulevard bet ween Notre Dame Avenue and Eddy Street carr y ing signs, beating drums and passing out black N95s and ponchos.

Vint Thaw ra, a protester w it h Michiana Friends of Pa lestine, said Notre Dame needed to be held accountable for t he politica l stances it ma kes explicit ly and implicit ly.

“Notre Dame can constant ly ma ke t hese grand gestures like Wa lk t he Wa lk

Week, where t hey’re pay ing homage to t heir grand civ il rights legacy and a ll of t hat,” Thaw ra said. “But in rea lit y, t hey’re holding job fairs w it h people like Lock heed Martin. They’re inv iting an architect of apart heid, A lex Stein, to have a conversation w it h t he U.S. Supreme Court justice. A nd to me, t hat is only an explicit approva l of what’s going on overseas.”

Graduate student Seham Kafaf i, who is involved w it h Student Voices for Pa lestine, said t he club needed to rely on outside loca l groups to spea k up about Pa lestine.

“There has been some silencing going on on campus,” Kafaf i said. “Student Voices for Pa lestine wanted to do an information display board next to t he law school, and t hey wouldn’t let us.”

According to an Associated Press report, t he Hea lt h Ministr y in t he Ga za Strip said Sunday t hat t he Pa lestinian deat h toll from t he war bet ween Israel and Hamas has soared past 25,000. Kafaf i said people in Ga ze were dy ing “systematica lly” and t hat genocide was ta k ing place.

“Israel has committed untargeted airstrikes and bombings of civ ilians, including women and children,” Kafaf i said. “The medica l system has fa llen apart. They’re bombing universities, ref ugee camps, hospita ls — you name it.”

Law student Turner Koch, who attended t he conversation bet ween t he justices, said Barrett and Stein concentrated on lega l issues,

avoiding controversia l topics like t he Israel-Hamas war.

“It focused a lot just on issues of statutor y interpretation,” Koch said. “It was an aw f ul lot right a ll at once. We opened w it h questions around origina lism versus purposiv ism — big questions about how courts should interpret t he law.

But a lso t hey dove into what ma kes a good judge.”

Stein discussed “holes” in Israel’s constitution t hat need to be patched and compared t he founding of t he United States w it h t he founding of Israel 75 years ago, Koch added.

Barrett taught law student Nate Wertjes’ legislation and reg ulation class on Monday.

“She primarily taught statutor y interpretation when she was a professor here, and so we were rea lly honored to have her come and teach t hrough t he materia l,” Wertjes said. “It’s clear t hat she was a wonderf ul professor while she was here.”

Wertjes added t hat he t hought Notre Dame’s decision to inv ite Barrett and Stein to campus shows t hat t he Universit y is committed to free speech and free inquir y.

“It’s one of t he reasons why I’m proud to be a law student here because even if t here are protesters out on t he street, Notre Dame is w illing to host t hem,” he said. “So I t hink t hat is a good t hing.”

Contact Peter Breen at pbreen3@nd.edu

ultimately to, among other things, the DEI apparatus and the University,” he told The Observer last week.

Deneen introduced Thiel as someone “best known as the co-founder of Paypal, Palantir Technologies, Founders Fund and, for those of you who have watched ‘The Social Network,’ the first outside investor of The Facebook, later known as Facebook and today Meta.”

He referred to the fact that Thiel came to Notre Dame as ice and snow covered much of campus. “As you doubtless surmise, Peter Thiel is a rather extraordinary individual. And yet as I was preparing my introduction, I did have a pause to question just how smart he is, given that he elected of his own choice to come to South Bend during the third week of January,” Deneen said.

Thiel began his lecture by reflecting on the 1995 book that shared a title with the event, “The Diversity Myth.”

Thiel co-authored the book with David O. Sacks, the investor and his successor as editor-in-chief of the conservative student publication The Stanford Review. The book discussed the “politics of intolerance at Stanford,” and drew on Thiel’s experience as a student.

“I was involved in all these campus wars, culture wars,” Thiel said. “I’ll do a little bit of a retrospective tonight on some of the things I got right, which is everything.”

Throughout his talk, Thiel outlined major “distractions,” particularly arguing that “the diversity and cultural war debates kind of distract us from the real things.” He argued that voices on the right had not succeeded in these tussles.

“Somehow the conservatives or libertarians [who] like myself were making these arguments basically lost. The fact that we had logic on our side, that the argument might have been right didn’t somehow translate at all.”

Thiel engaged Deneen’s thesis about the failure of political liberalism in his lecture. “It’s always a question. What took so long for liberalism to fail, and there have always been these contradictions, and they’ve been around for 300 years

3

and why wasn’t it obvious?” he posed. “I think there are many answers. It took a while for all these contradictions to really crystallize as they have today.

But certainly, as long as you had a healthy progressing science and technology, as long as this one dimension was getting better and better, that covered up for all sorts of places where maybe things were not progressing.”

Thiel argued there’s a culture of suppression that undermines truth. “I always have this shortcut: where if there are things that are taboo, things you’re not even allowed to say, my shortcut is it’s probably just true,” he said.

He discussed the fervor of advocates for “wokeness” as religious. “If you think of wokeness as a form of Puritanism run amok or something like that, where the self-proclaimed saints are using it as a stick to beat everyone else,” he said.

Thiel closed his remarks with a discussion of the term political correctness, which he said had already been adopted by conservatives in the 1990s as an epithet, used by liberals to describe themselves in the 1970s and it “just meant you were a communist.”

He ended with the line “This is you know, a simplification of sorts, I think it would not be altogether unhealthy that if every time you hear the word DEI, you just think CCP.” Thiel’s spoken remarks were followed by a conversation with Deneen, who sought to reconcile Deneen’s critiques of the woke, both those who were viewed as cynical deflectors from the real issues, and the idea of religiously fervent true believers.

Thiel argued it was a combined coalition. “If you think of the woke DEI whole coalition as a combination of true laborers and useful idiots, and, you know, from the capitalists or people who are in some corrupt racket, that’s probably a far more powerful coalition,” he said.

Thiel discussed Christianity and the influence of his teacher the French Catholic philosopher René Girard. When Deneen mentioned that Thiel was “evolving in lots of ways,” perhaps to Catholicism, Thiel responded “my two-word rebuttal of Roman Catholicism is Pope Francis.” Deneen did the sign of the cross in response.

Contact Isa Sheikh at isheikh@nd.edu

4

NEWS

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

SARAH CATE WHITE | The Observer

Sara Marcus, an assistant professor of English, visited Saint Mary’s to discuss her new book, which focused on how the American public expressed their discontent with “political disappointments” through media.

Book CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Wojna row icz piece of Trac y Chapma n,” Ma rcus sa id.

Ma rcus ex pla i ned t hat i n Du Bois’ novel, “T he Sou ls of Black Fol k s,” Du Bois t ra nscr ibes f rag ments of A f r ica n A mer ica n songs “wh ich ma kes w r it i ng become musica l.” T he fa i lu re of reconst r uct ion led to a succession of new desi res

such a s access to a l ibera l educat ion a nd vot i ng r ig hts.

Ma rcus states t hat Du Bois’s ex pression of pol it ica l d isappoi nt ment is “i mpor ta nt to Black, A mer ica n a nd world cu lt u re.”

For t he nex t pa r t of her presentat ion Ma rcus focused on her second chosen chapter a nd fou nd it i mporta nt to present her fem i n ist chapter to her Sa i nt Ma r y ’s aud ience.

Ma rcus d iscussed poet

Pat Pa rker’s work on T he Va r ied Voices of Black Women Tou r, speci f ica l ly Pa rker’s piece t it led “Don’t L et T he Fa scists Spea k.”

Pa rker w rote “R ich response to prejud ice of voice a nd spea k” a f ter Na zis were i nv ited to spea k on a college ca mpus.

Pa rker i mplements a bu l lhor n metaphor i n t he poem a nd a s t he poem prog resses t he Na zi’s a re si lenced a s t he protestors metaphor ica l ly PAID ADVERTISEMENT

g rab t he bu l l hor n. Ma rcus d iscusses t he sig n i f ica nce of pol it ica l d isappoi nt ment a nd Pa rker’s u ndersta nd i ng of f ree speech i n A mer ica n cu lt u re.

“W hat’s i nterest i ng to me about t hat poem is how Pa rker recog n i zes t hat people w i l l br i ng up a n idea l of f ree speech or f ree excha nge of idea s, a s i f it’s eter na l, good, a nd t hat it’s a lways ava i lable. But t hen, i f t he ci rcu msta nces cha nge, t hose ver y sa me people ca n become opponents of a f ree excha nge of idea s a nd v ice versa.” Ma rcus sa id.

Fu r t her i ng t h is poi nt, Ma rcus ex pla i ned t he t ra nsfor mat ion of pol it ica l a l ig nments a nd plat for m i ng.

Ma rcus sa id, “I feel l i ke when I wa s w r it i ng t hat chapter t h ree yea rs ago, t he pol it ica l a l ig nments of who t houg ht deep plat for m i ng wa s acceptable a nd who d id n’t were tota l ly reversed f rom what it is now. On ly l i ke t h ree yea rs later i n ter ms of when t here’s a debate over whet her somebody shou ld g ive a ta l k at u n iversit y or not.”

T he f i na l piece of pol it ica l d isappoi nt ment t hat Ma rcus i nteg rates

i nto her work is a n aud io f i le of Dav id Wojna row icz super i mposed by Trac y Chapma n’s song “Fa st Ca r” i n wh ich Wojna row icz is hea rd g r iev i ng f r iends he lost to A IDS wh i le a lso contemplat i ng h is i mpendi ng deat h due to h is A IDS d iag nosis.

Ma rcus sa id “words worki ng a s col laborat ion of Wojna row icz, Chapma n a nd t hose t hat ca me before ex press a n acute absence of f r iends who have d ied.”

Ma rcus concluded w it h a n ex pla nat ion of her i nspi rat ion for work i ng w it h d isappoi nt ment a nd its cu lt u ra l r ipples.

Ma rcus sa id she wa s i nspi red by, “ma k i ng a r t t hat I t houg ht wa s rea l ly va luable a nd t hat I kept wa nt i ng to come back to.”

“T he w r iters who I ca red about were people who were wel l acqua i nted w it h d isappoi nt ment, a nd I fou nd mysel f cont i nua l ly d raw n to it w it h g reat i nterest,” Ma rcus sa id, “I wa s t h i n k i ng about how t hey were t h i n k i ng about t hat d isappoi nt ment, w r it i ng about it, t u r n i ng it i nto a r t.”

Contact Sarah Cate White at swhite01@saintmarys.edu

5

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

By CLAIRE LYONS Viewpoint Editor

A single contorted hand emerges, victorious, from the chaos of the wrestling ring.

NWA American Heavyweight Champion David Von Erich (Harris Dickinson) raises his hand into a claw above his head as a way to stroke fear into the enemy and to rile up the crowd — a twisted family crest for the Von Erich clan of wrestlers. The image doesn’t dissipate. This singular split-second frame from “The Iron Claw” is still frozen in my mind nearly a month after I saw the biography sports film with my younger brother in a theater on the Von Erichs’ very own Fort Worth turf.

The Iron Claw, a move popularized by professional wrestler and Von Erich patriarch Fritz Von Erich, requires a wrestler to put their palm on their opponent’s forehead and squeeze as hard as possible. This pressure is the signature hold of the Von Erich family. As it turns out, it is also the family curse that they cannot seem to escape.

“Pop tried to protect us with wrestling,” Kevin Von Erich (Zac Efron) says the in the opening scene of the movie. “If we were the toughest, the strongest, nothing could ever hurt us.”

As the film progresses, the audience witnesses the twisted irony in those lines. For a family that prides themselves on being fighters, they don’t realize they

By NATALIE ALLTON Scene Writer

Usually we at The Observer wait until the first season of a new show finishes in full to publish a review. “Very Important People” is too good to hold back.

Dropout is an independent subscription streaming service that hosts and produces entirely original, unscripted comedy content. You’ve probably seen the TikToks and YouTube Shorts from shows like “Game Changer,” “Make Some Noise,” “Dirty Laundry” and the platform’s flagship actual-play tabletop show, “Dimension 20.” Their newest venture, “Very Important People,” has only released three episodes, and it’s already one of my favorites from the company.

“Very Important People” is a retooled reboot of the CollegeHumor Original show “Hello My Name Is,” in which cast member Josh Ruben would spontaneously create a character to be interviewed based entirely on the makeup put on him minutes before the shoot. “VIP” switches up the formula, keeping a constant host and putting the weekly special guest in makeup, hair, prosthetics and costumes.

The guest doesn’t see any part of the look until the final reveal at the very end, and their interview is entirely improvised based on the character they came up with.

might be fighting something more metaphysical. Just because you’re a champion wrestler, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are equipped to fight the emotional battles happening within your heart and mind.

“The Iron Claw” is a deft look into masculinity and mental health through the lens of sports. As the film documents the rise and fall of the Von Erich wrestling family, it boldly asks the audience to question the ways in which we succumb to and break free from the vice grip of intergenerational trauma and toxic masculinity.

Wrestling, in particular, is a fantastic medium for exploring the connection between violence and toxic masculinity. So many men fight because they are not given the words to expre ss themselves, but the fighting itself is never the problem. The film never demonizes wrestling. The Von Erich brothers are their happiest when they’re “just guys being dudes.” Rather, “The Iron Claw” argues that the macho mentality of wrestling culture — the one that sweeps mental health under the rug — is the thing that exacts the most emotional violence on the family.

The events of “The Iron Claw” take place in the 1970s and 80s, but the issues surrounding men’s mental health are still pertinent now. Even today, fighters are trying to challenge mental health stigmas.

“There’s a stigma in this world that men can’t talk,” UFC fighter Paddy Pimblett shouted into the mic after

winning a fight in 2022. “I’d rather have my mate cry on my shoulder than go to his funeral next week.”

Pimblett’s friend had killed himself the morning of the match.

When my brother started quietly crying beside me in the movie theater, I pretended I didn’t notice. (Am I part of the problem?) I couldn’t help but think my brother was reminded of his own private battles while watching “The Iron Claw.” I know I was certainly reminded of all the men in my life who I cherish and all the struggles they have never mentioned to me. The film is about brotherhood, and I struggled to figure out how to be a good sister.

The male cast of “The Iron Claw” certainly deserves their roses, but in real life, Kevin Von Erich’s wife Pam Adkisson deserves the whole bouquet. “The Iron Claw” leads one to believe her love and support is a large reason why Kevin Von Erich is alive today. The main reason, though, is Kevin Von Erich’s choice to open up.

In a world where 40% of men say it would take suicidal thoughts for them to seek help, breaking down the stigma surrounding men’s mental health is a life-or-death situation. I assure you, when you finish the film and see the photo of Kevin Von Erich’s surviving and happy family, you will agree: It is not strength, but vulnerability that saves us.

“Very Important People” works, fundamentally, because of host Vic Michaelis. They ground every episode as the comedic “straight man” with their dry, deadpan persona and their ability to keep a straight face regardless of who (or what) is sitting across from them. Their approach to each interview is somewhere between investigative journalist, late night host, cross-examining prosecutor and exasperated babysitter. Michaelis knows exactly what tone to strike with every character, exactly how to pursue the right line of questioning and exactly when to push the guest’s buttons.

They’re impeccable, quietly hilarious and smooth as butter.

As with many Dropout originals, much of the show’s genius lies in the nitty-gritty of this production. This is especially true for “Very Important People”: The makeup and costume departments are fundamental to the premise, and it’s their hard work that makes the show tick.

Show director Tamar Levine and makeup department head Alex Perrone host short “Last Look” talkbacks released after each episode, describing the creative process that went into bringing each character to life. They also reveal details as to the production of the show, such as the lengths they go to ensure that the actors aren’t spoiled for their final looks — including tricks like using the wrong end of a makeup brush or loudly discussing where to place hypothetical

horns. They also discuss how they film the in-episode video segments, cued perfectly by Michaelis for “out-of-studio” glimpses into the guest’s life and work and shot after the episode on a green screen.

The three episodes out now star Anna Garcia, Ify Nwadiwe and Lisa Gilroy — all phenomenal comedians in their own right who have appeared on other Dropout shows within the past year.

All three shine in their respective episodes as a Europop princess, a movie-watching alien and “Vic’s ex-step-grandmother,” respectively. It’s impossible at this point to choose a standout. The formula of the show lets each comedian showcase exactly what they’re good at and spotlights their particular talents as improvisers.

Ultimately, “Very Important People” strips improv comedy down to its bare basics: two characters having a conversation, each building on what the other says, creating a world based on a simple prompt. The show’s success is in its extraordinarily well-thought out production and bulletproof execution. You’d be hard-pressed to find a show so delightful throughout, from concept to cast to creation to product.

Is it too soon to ask for a season two?

Contact Claire Lyons at clyons3@nd.edu

Contact Natalie Allton at nallton@nd.edu TREY PAINE | The Observer

6

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

The American presidential height requirement

‘Ciao’ means hello and goodbye Kate Casper Outsider Instincts

Erin Drumm Drummer’s Circle

On Sunday, Florida governor Ron DeSantis dropped out of the Republican presidential primary race. His campaign’s spending of at least $2,263 per vote through the primary season, set a high water mark for futility that seems likely to stand for decades.

DeSantis detractors recall him making headlines across the country for taking on Disney with his “Don’t Say Gay” bill and COVID-19 policies. By contrast, supporters (few as they may be) tout what they believe was a successful governorship of the Sunshine State. DeSantis was, just a few months ago, thought to be a strong candidate for the presidency. He is also thought to be 5 feet, 11 inches tall.

DeSantis’ height could have been seen as irrelevant, if not for the fact that he seemed bothered, even obsessed with it, himself. Internet speculation ran rampant that the Governor wears height boosters in his shoes. The DeSantis campaign swiftly and consistently denied the allegation that he wears lifts in his boots — photographic evidence be damned.

The United States has elected six presidents who stood between 5’11 and 6’0, so logically speaking, DeSantis alleged worry about his height was superficial at best and ruinous, at worst.

While DeSantis’s footwear is not the most important part of his campaign nor his political reputation, it caught the attention of the public. Forbes, Reuters and Politico all published pieces on his shoes, for example.

DeSantis’ perceived habit of wearing shoe lifts was easily satirized. It was all over late night television with discussions on The Daily Show, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers. On The Daily Show, radio host Charlamagne tha God said, “Now, I know why DeSantis is in that huge fight with Disney. It’s not because of wokeness, it’s because you’ve got to be this tall to ride the magic teacups.”

It is true, however, that the United States has a penchant for electing taller candidates.

Abraham Lincoln was America’s tallest president, standing at 6 feet, 4 inches. The shortest president was James Madison, who served as the fourth president of the United States, standing at 5 feet, 4 inches. Madison is not remembered for his height, but rather for being the “Father of the Constitution” and writing the Federalist Papers.

Current president Joe Biden is 5 feet 11 inches tall. The United States hasn’t elected a president under 5’11 since Jimmy Carter in 1976. Despite that, George W. Bush was taller than both of the opponents (Al Gore and John Kerry) that he defeated.

Of course, DeSantis may not have been wearing shoe lifts throughout his campaign at all, but once an idea or joke catches on, it often sticks. For example, the historical figure possibly most famous for being short, Napoleon Bonaparte, was above average height for Frenchmen of the time but was depicted as short in a political cartoon that gained popularity. While DeSantis is not in the same position of power as the Emperor of the French, the appearance of political figures is universally observed and DeSantis has a critic Napoleon never had: the internet. In “Is Laughter the Best Medicine for Politics?” Todd Belt argues that in “entertainment and persuasion are not mutually exclusive.”

In humor videos or memes that travel across the internet, people are engaging with the humor of the piece but are also receiving the message that the piece of media is conveying to them about the subject, in this case, DeSantis.

Whether or not Ron DeSantis wears lifts in his boots does not measure whether or not he is an adequate politician. It doesn’t indicate his level of political acumen or capacity for leadership. Regardless, the public’s reaction to the idea that he might be wearing lifts in his boots is important because it reflects the power of social media to affect campaigns, elections and therefore, the American presidency.

Erin Drumm is a senior at Notre Dame studying American Studies, journalism and history. She is from Philadelphia and spends her summers (and every weekend possible) at the shore in Cape May County, New Jersey. Outside of The Observer, Erin can be found cheering on the Fighting Irish and the Phillies, reading and talking about pop culture and history. She can be reached at edrumm@nd.edu.

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

I broke up with Rome a little over a month ago. It was amicable really, the type of breakup where you suggest you “stay on good terms” and see if you can “make it work in the f\ I broke up with Rome a little over a month ago. It was amicable really, the type of breakup where you suggest you “stay on good terms” and see if you can “make it work in the future if the timing is right” because “we have the rest of our lives to figure it out.” The way I left that city in a sleepless haze, lugging suitcases packed with mementos (hot priest calendars, counterfeit AS Roma gear, too many sweaters) was heartbreaking, but somehow empowering.

I didn’t want to know what was happening probably because it felt like leaving. It felt like “ciao.” It felt like the type of “ciao” that meant goodbye and not hello (and maybe goodbye for a long, long time).

I don’t know how we did it, packing our lives in suitcases and shoving souvenirs into pockets we didn’t even know existed. And just like that, we said “ciao” to security guards and assistant rectors and cleaning staff. We said “ciao” to a place that became our home, a city that welcomed us even when we were confused, bad at Italian and, in some cases, getting mugged at the Colosseum (or the Pantheon or the Trevi Fountain).

Just like that, we soared 36,000 feet into the air across an ocean. Just like that, we landed back home, aching with remembrance of a time when speaking English might have been embarrassing.

I was in denial for weeks, entertaining the possibility that I had reentered some alternate dimension (America) where everyone speaks my language (English) and no one gets annoyed when you order coffee (overpriced maple vanilla latte) past noon.

Even so, the more I’m in this alternate dimension, the more real it feels.

The dining hall raspberry iced tea, which only ever gives me the highest of sugar highs, the warm smiles from loose acquaintances whose names I’ve definitely forgotten and the weather, which is currently a warm, wonderful 33 degrees and cloudy with a chance of might-slip-and-eat-it on the way to class tomorrow morning.

Now that I’m here, where the wind chill is the only thing I care about and my outfits aren’t as impeccable, I sometimes wonder if Rome was all a dream, a 4-month long Sleeping Beauty-type sleep (only minus the part where you’re awakened by a kiss from an extremely hot man). I also wonder if this was all a dream, this

Notre Dame life that feels like extra strong drinks from bars I can’t get into and hand-me-down shirts from Abercrombie & Fitch. This life feels so familiar, only now electric scooters are banned (thank God) and the second floor of LaFun looks like the actual gates of heaven.

Sometimes I swear I’m six hours behind where my body wants me to be and 4,758 miles from the place I swear I left a part of my soul/dignity (Camden Town Pub). Even though the jet lag and denial have all worn off, I still feel like I’m back in Rome when I close my eyes or when I talk to someone who’s been there or when I glance over at the hot priest calendar above my desk (Father Giovanni, you are looking good today).

In all seriousness though, saying goodbye to Rome will probably always feel like unfinished business. It will probably always linger like a first love and a first heartache.

My last goodbyes abroad felt like that, like a lingering, whispering, breathless oath: I promise I’ll come back to you, Rome.

I promise I’ll come back to you, late-night strolls to the Pantheon, cigarettes I watched friends roll on balconies. I promise I’ll come back to you, sunsets at St. Peter’s, bartenders who pour baby Guinness shots. I promise I’ll come back to you, paper prayers at Santa Maria, women who wear their hair wild. I promise I’ll come back to you, pigeons who lack personal space, Powerade that tastes like pee, baristas who say things like “ciao bella” (because compliments aren’t all that strange).

But even while I’m still navigating the goodbyes and the promises, I’ve learned that the truth about goodbyes is that they’re full of “hellos.”

So hello, Notre Dame, Indiana. It’s good to be back. It’s good to be back where parietals still exist, drinking is suddenly illegal and friends are planning spelling bee pregames. It’s good to be back where stale inside jokes are still being spewed, even when it’s been 2 years since their inception.

It’s good to be back where I fear walking into Duncan Student Center on a Sunday morning because I might have girlbossed too close to the sun on a Saturday night (true story). It’s good to be back because here is home, and it’s not Rome, but that’s okay because “we have the rest of our lives to figure it out.”

Kate Casper (aka, Casper, Underdog or Jasmine) is from Northern Virginia. 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.

Interested in Viewpoint?

Contact us at viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

7

The blindness of moral privilege Carlos Basurto Eudaemonic Banter

Moralit y is a rather strange thing.

The grand discussion regarding what constitutes a morally good person has been the protagonist on a bloody stage where thousands of years of ethical warfare, personal philosophies, familial values and cultural norms are pinned against one another — more often than not, w ith the unspoken goal of ultimately, logically destroy ing the other.

W hether we realize it or not, ever yone has an opinion on what it means to be good. Accordingly, we all acknowledge in the subtext of our conversations that these ideas on occasion differ from one another, but rarely do we go out of our way to dig deeper into the definitions.

The problem of doing so is readily apparent in adult human interactions (though, naturally, there are always exceptions). That is, if your idea of moral goodness is stricter than that of who you are talking to, you may come across as a prude in their eyes while in your v iew they are worthy of being judged for their actions. W hy, the ver y act of disagreeing w ith what you deem to be good is bad, no? Should you correct this misguided indiv idual or let them be in their ignorance? Worse yet, are they perhaps deliberately ev il?

Of course, this is a ver y volatile line of thought.

Indeed, through human histor y some people have developed methods w ith which to ignore moral differences when necessar y, but in the end, the differences permeate. They generate friction in ethical and pragmatic argumentation. If you cannot agree on the most simple of moral principles, can you truly work together and reach an apt conclusion w ith someone?

Simply put, it’s uncomfortable to come to terms w ith the fact that you do not share identical moral perspectives w ith people in your life, and yet, it is also inev itable that it w ill be the case. The experiences throughout our lives, for better or worse, are unique to us. They are ours alone and we have thus created a personalized moral framework through which we justif y and condemn actions. Therefore, in order to not go mad, to make sense of a world w ith no dictated absolute moralit y, some of us have cloaked ourselves behind our ver y ow n equations for goodness. Conclusively, it is we who, consciously or not, choose to believe what is benevolent and what is ev il. There is no tangible object, no physically manifested badness to point at and scream at and seek to avoid or destroy. It is only a concept, an ideolog y, a feeling. Nothing but a strange idea.

None of the prev iously mentioned is particularly

Earth-shattering. It is just the logical outcome of ambiguous moralit y in social interaction. Yet, there is one consequence of this moral friction that has w rapped itself around my brain and heart alike. And the more I get to know people from across the globe w ith differing backgrounds, this realization becomes ever more impossible to ignore. That is, I must acknowledge and work around the moral priv ilege that has been bestowed upon me since my birth.

With my moral priv ilege, I refer to how I, by no particular effort of my ow n other than the mere miracle of my ex istence, have received a conventionally “good” moral upbringing. In my youth, my parents, both of whom are “good,” taught me many lessons about moralit y in this world. I must say please and I must say thank you. I must help those in need when possible. I must follow the golden rule — to treat others how I w ish to be treated. In my youth, I was introduced to a school w ith a “good” env ironment. I learned about respect and responsibilit y. I learned to turn the other cheek against those that hurt me. I learned that benevolence and forgiveness are worthy of praise while revenge and greed are pointless and pitiful.

In my youth, I was surrounded by “good” people.

We never committed crimes. We never sought v iolence. We never w ished genuine ill on others. A ll in all, w ith the moral compass that was handed to me by my env ironment, I had a conventional and direct methodolog y w ith which to determine whether I too was a “good” person. More importantly, I had a variet y of avenues through which to pursue that status if I did not believe I fulfilled the requirements of a “good” person.

With this moral priv ilege, once I departed from my youthful “good” cradle and the warm embrace of my “good” peers, once I entered the gray adult world filled w ith absurd injustices and relative acts of seemingly necessar y cruelt y, I found myself deeply unprepared when I came to know the hearts of others.

I was ver y troubled. Ever y thing was more complicated.

The truth of the matter is that ver y few are morally priv ileged. Many had their upbringing in a cutthroat env ironment where kindness was rewarded by abuse and competition was a requisite for sur v ival. Many have had “bad” parents, “bad” schools and “bad” friends. Should those w ith moral priv ilege judge them? Fix them? Many have done “bad” things. Does that immediately make them “bad” people?

I do not think so. I feel there’s more to this stor y.

Now, here I speak w ithin a certain scope. A lmost ever yone agrees some crimes are unequivocally “bad” and unjustifiable. Additionally, I do not argue here for theories like cultural relativ ism,

which when taken to the extreme can justif y the most terrible of acts simply because they were normalized by someone’s culture.

Instead, I w ish to bring attention to the gray area that lies barely outside the realm of the traditionally “good” but is still well w ithin reach. Here is where many of those w ithout moral priv ilege reside. They are there not because it is in their inherent nature to be, but because the world tends to lead them there. In the eyes of the morally priv ileged, the choices of those who are not may occasionally seem contrar y to goodness and worthy of condemnation, but that is just the result of the blindness that such a priv ilege gets you.

Certainly, who are we? W hat authorit y do we possess as the morally priv ileged to impart judgment on those who did not have the same opportunities? From atop our moral grand horses, who are we to judge and demean, to dictate they are in the w rong and we are in the undeniable right?

Again, in extreme cases like murder, the answer is ver y obv ious, but what of the gray section of the spectrum? At what point does one action become doubtlessly “bad” or clearly “good” ?

I do not possess the answer to these questions, but still, I cannot help but wonder.

Undoubtedly, as the morally priv ileged, we are blind to the real nature of the world. By interacting again and again w ith “good” ideas and “good” people, we have not been taught the messy, murk y realit y: “good” people can do “bad” things and “bad” people can do “good” things. The lines blend and overlap, intermingling to the point they all fade into one over whelming, suppressing gray.

The only truth I have obser ved is that, occasionally, what a “bad” person truly needs is not further condemnation, but the complete opposite. W hen a “bad” person is treated as a “good” one, when the ethical labels and moral calculations are dropped, when they are exposed to that moral priv ilege they were never handed, they may sometimes reveal what they really are: not a “bad” person or a “good” person but, simply, a person.

Strange how that works, no?

Carlos A. Basurto is a sophomore at Notre Dame ready to delve into his philosophy major with the hopes of adding the burden of a computer science major on top of that. When not busy you can find him consuming yet another 3+ hour-long analysis video of a show he has yet to watch or masochistically completing every achievement from a variety of video games. Now, with the power to channel his least insane ideas, feel free to talk about them via email at cbasurto@nd.edu.

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

8

SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

HCC BASKETBALL

Saints suffer tough blow to playoff ambitions in losses to Roosevelet

By TOM Z WILLER Senior Spor ts Writer

The Holy Cross College men’s basketball team hosted the nationally ranked Roosevelt Lakers this weekend, looking to extend their conference w inning streak to three games. Instead, great Roosevelt three-point shooting and a controversial foul dow n the stretch saw the Saints fall 63-62.

The Saints shot and moved the ball well in the opening minutes, quick ly building up a 13-3 lead over the No. 13 Lakers. Much of the Saint’s lead came from an excellent 3-point shooting night. In the first half alone, the Saints went 9-of14 (64.3%), including the freshmen guard duo of Drew Mata and Donovan Mukes, who combined to go 4-of-6.

Both teams performed incredibly well from beyond the arc, as Roosevelt finished the night going 13of-27 (48.1%) while Holy Cross went 11-of-19 (57.9%).

Part of what enabled Roosevelt to get back into the game was Maurice Commander’s excellent three-point shooting performance, who finished the night w ith 6 makes on 10 attempts. Commander gave the Lakers a 6 point lead late in the first half after the Lakers battled

back to tie the contest.

However, Mukes tied the game at 35-35 just before the half. The second half saw the Lakers take possession of the lead early, although the Saints never trailed by more than just a few points.

With just 1:23 to go in the game, the Lakers led by one, and the Saints desperately needed a defensive stop.

Commander missed his three-point shot, and sophomore guard AJ Roseman grabbed the rebound.

However, junior guard Nash Hostetler was called for a foul.

Both the crowd and the Holy Cross bench were in disbelief as it appeared that Mitchell had been the one to initiate contact w ith Hostetler, not the other way around. Head coach Mike McBride argued w ith the official who made the call. But the ruling stood, sending Roosevelt went to the line.

Prater Forte missed his foul shot, and the Saints went dow n the court where junior guard Justin O’Neal was fouled and made both his free throws to give the Saints a 62-61-point lead.

Roosevelt’s Njie Sangolay made a jumper to put the Lakers up by one w ith 31 seconds to go. After a long Saints possession ended w ith an O’Neal miss, the Lakers got hold of the ball and successfully ran the remaining

four seconds off the clock.

Despite their excellent performance against one of NAI A’s best teams and an early 10-point lead, the Saints came up short, 6362 in the final moments.

With the loss, the Saints fell to 7-11 (2-8) and are now eight games back of the CCAC-leading Roosevelt Lakers. The Saints are just t wo games back of eighth place Judson, meaning a conference playoff berth is not out of the question.

The team w ill travel to rival IUSB on Wednesday to take on the Trojans, who are 7-3 in conference play.

The Saints have struggled against the Trojans historically, going 11-18 against them since 2009. The t wo teams played earlier this year, losing at home heartbreakingly, 42-41. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The Holy Cross College women’s basketball team also hosted CCAC foe Roosevelt as the team attempted to bounce back from a tough home loss against Governors State. A dismal shooting performance from the f loor for the Saints combined w ith a quick start for the Lakers resulted in an 83-68 loss for the Saints.

It was a tough shooting day for the Saints. The Lakers got off to a 15-4 lead before the Saints offense could really

get going. After the first quarter, the Saints trailed 18-10.

The Lakers continued to build on their lead in the second quarter as the Saints’ offense sputtered, struggling to make shots consistently.

The Lakers controlled the game from start to finish, w ith zero lead changes and zero ties. Their largest lead of 21 came w ith 6:20 to go in the fourth quarter. The Saints eventually cut it to 15 w ith a final score of 83-68.

Only t wo Saints players had strong offensive performances: juniors guard Jordy n Smith and forward Grace Adams. Smith played 37 minutes and led the team in scoring w ith 27 points, going 10-of-17 from the f loor. She also added 5 rebounds and 3 steals.

Adams played 34 minutes and scored 21 points, the second-highest figure for Holy Cross. She also had 7 rebounds and 2 assists.

No other player broke 10 points. The three other starters (sophomore guard Kayliana Hammel, senior for ward Neva Longhofer and senior guard Lauren Morris) combined for 14 points. Hammel, Longhofer and Morris went a combined 3-of-18.

The Saints went 21 of 61 from the f loor as a team for a field goal percentage of 34.4.

They only converted four of

their 16 three-point attempts and were outscored 46-30 in the paint by the Lakers.

The one bright spot for the Saints came in the form of free throws. The Saints went to the line 25 times and converted 22 shots (88%). The Lakers reached the line 24 times and only made 16 (66.7%).

The Saints are now 8-10 (5-5) and have dropped to sixth in the CCAC standings.

They are five games back of first place IUSB and t wo games back of the Lakers (7-3 in conference play).

To host an opening-round playoff game, the Saints would need to make up its t wo-game deficit and see the Lakers finish w ith a worse record. If the t wo teams had a tied record, the difference would come dow n to how each team performed against the CCAC regular season champion, according to CCAC bylaws, since their head-to-head record is even.

That currently would be IUSB, who the Saints play on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Since 2009, the Saints are 7-20 all-time against the Trojans. Holy Cross has not won a game against IUSB since Feb. 2, 2019. The Saints w ill look to break that streak this Wednesday.

Contact Tom Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu

SMC BASKETBALL

Calvin shuts down Belles

By ANDREW McGUINNESS Sports Editor

Defense has been the main issue for Saint Mary’s basketball this season. The Belles have allowed at least 80 points in seven of their 13 defeats in 18 games during this campaign. However, the focal point of their issues switched on Saturday when they traveled to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to face Calvin. Saint Mary’s managed just 33 points in a 46-point defeat, their fourth loss in their last five games. It was the lowest offensive output for the Belles since a 50-32 loss to Carthage on Nov. 13, 2021. The last time the Belles scored fewer points in a conference game was Jan. 13, 2018, a 51-31 loss to Trine.

The Belles dug themselves into an early hole, trailing 2010 at the end of the first quarter.

After jumping out to a 6-2 lead 2:12 in, Saint Mary’s scored just

12 points in the final 17:46 before halftime. Twice in the opening 20 minutes the Belles missed six consecutive field goals. Things didn’t improve after the break, culminating in a 5-point fourth quarter where only senior guard Elle Deardorff was able to score.

Unsurprisingly, the final stats largely favored the Knights.

Calvin held the edge in turnovers forced (19-10), rebounds (50-29) and blocks (14-2). Emma Witte led the home team in points, tallying 14 off the bench.

Overall, 14 Knights found themselves on the scoresheet.

Deardorff and senior forward Athena Samson tied for the Belles’ team lead with 8 points.

Coincidentally, Saint Mary’s will attempt to bounce back against Trine on Saturday.

The game tips off at 1 p.m.

ContactAndrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

Holy Cross junior guard Jordyn Smith looks to drive to the basket against the defense of Saint Mary’s senior forward Athena Samson during a contest between the Belles and Saints at Holy Cross on Dec. 6, 2022.

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.

PERSONAL Dear Augustine: A birthday riddle you’ll find herein.

Wherefore?

Awaiting you are gifts meek. Good for a grin as I pray you seek. But first, guess this number. One less than the letters of the flower

that breathes with soft lumber.

“Sero te amavi, Pulchritudo tam antiqua et tam nova! Sero te amavi.” Big latin guy. Remember the Druid?

DAILY

NDSMCOBSERVER.COM | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024 | THE OBSERVER

CROSSWORD | WILL SHORTZ

9

HOROSCOPE | EUGENIA LAST Happy Birthday: Pay attention, be direct and leave nothing to chance. It’s up to you to adjust to suit your needs. Don’t compromise regarding your passion, goals and health. Set high standards and expectations, and focus on reaching your goals with time to spare. Strive for perfection, and say no to anyone who tries to lead you astray. Take credit for your actions. Your numbers are 3, 12, 19, 21, 29, 35, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Approach someone you trust to offer insight into a personal or professional situation. Join forces with someone who feels as driven as you to contribute to a cause that concerns you. Take better care of your health, and do your best to avoid injury.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’ll quickly pick up information and skills. Set out on a path of discovery, and you’ll be surprised by what you learn and the changes you decide to implement. Say no to anyone trying to bully or control you. Take charge and follow your instincts.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Check facts before you make a move. Learn all you can about the people you’ll be dealing with and the expectations others have of you.

Don’t trust someone’s word; get what you want in writing. Promise only what you can deliver. Truth matters.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Clear up any misunderstandings. Make sure everyone is on the same page before you start something new. Taking control will ensure you don’t get sidetracked by trivial matters or interference. A partnership looks promising.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Choose maintenance over replacement. Keep your costs down and your goal doable; you’ll ease stress. If you do the work yourself, you’ll pick up additional skills that will come in handy. Lower your overhead and put a financial plan in place. Excess is the enemy.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Live and learn. Use your knowledge and experience to outmaneuver anyone who wants to spar with you. A change of plans will work in your favor. Get involved in something that concerns you, and make a difference in the outcome.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Keep doing what you do best and ignore outside influences trying to ruin your plans. It’s up to you to sidestep negativity and make your dream a reality. When in doubt, follow your heart and you’ll have no regrets. Live within your means.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Wake up and recognize what you have going for you.

Refuse to let someone trying to manipulate you hinder your ability to get ahead.

Trust in yourself, and you’ll develop a unique platform to launch what you want to pursue. Positive action will pay off.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t trust someone else to do things for you. Take the initiative and do the best you can. Your enthusiasm and raw energy will help you reach the finish line. Avoid emotional spending, shared expenses and impulsive decisions. Plan your actions.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Take what’s yours and don’t look back. Set your course and proceed with confidence. Keep everyone up to date to avoid interference.

Dealing with matters as they arise will give you leverage when you need it the most.

An opportunity is within reach.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Sit tight until things settle down. Learn from what’s happening around you, and you’ll avoid getting caught in a similar trap. Contact associates who can offer sound advice or a lead to help you establish yourself in other markets. The physical contributions you make will pay off.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Make changes that encourage you to pursue your goals.

Let your imagination take over, and you’ll figure out how to turn an idea into a prosperous venture. Call on experts and those you trust to contribute; something good will transpire. Romance is favored.

Birthday Baby: You are persistent, insightful and friendly. You are organized and original.

SUDOKU | THE MEPHAM GROUP

JUMBLE | DAVID HOYT AND JEFF KNUREK

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10

SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

Football CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

we saw a mass coaching exodus in college football w ith changes all throughout the countr y. In the SEC, since 2020, 12 out of 14 programs have changed coaches. In the same period, 11 of the Big Ten’s 18 have seen changes. It’s a crazy, volatile landscape, but because of all these changes in the past few years, I’d argue that the next few should be calmer. W hat happens, then, to college sports?

W hat can a team like Notre Dame do to create national media attention?

At this time next year, assuming Notre Dame’s 2024 season is somewhat normal, Marcus Freeman and CJ Carr w ill be on track to be leading the program

for ward. Pete Bevacqua w ill have just finished his first year as athletic director.

Barring something beyond fathomable, Bevacqua w ill have an easy job — none of his coaches should be on the hot seat.

This poses a unique challenge. Notre Dame should have ver y little drama. The focus w ill be on the field.

However, this might not create the national attention that successful franchises have come to know.

Sure, Notre Dame has a consistent, national midafternoon w indow on NBC. But that has less meaning now in a world where we have more than five channels. Thirt y years ago, Notre Dame’s T V slot was a huge deal. It guaranteed that any fan in a liv ing room would have a consistent team to root for. But now, there are

tons of games available to anyone w ith even the most basic of cable packages.

So, if Notre Dame doesn’t automatically have national attention because of its time slot, can it create it on the field? Possibly, but look at the modern sports landscape. Michael Penix Jr. just had one of the best (and f lashiest) college football seasons in the histor y of the sport, leading his underdog team to the national championship. Yet the game’s focal point was on Jim Harbaugh, his role in sign stealing and his likely return to the NFL. The extracurricular aspect of sports is taking over.

I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing. However, I do think that it’s important to recognize. For Notre Dame, attracting new fans and gaining attention on

social media has to be a major goal. Of course, w inning at the highest level is Freeman’s primar y goal.

But right behind that, selling tickets, gaining air time on the media and trending on social media are ver y legitimate secondar y goals.

At times, the program shines in these areas. The offseason “Jerr y Maguire” and “Hangover” v ideos have gone v iral — as they should have, given the great production qualit y. But for ever y day Notre Dame spends in the limelight, months are spent w ithout controversy.

The athletics department needs to tighten that gap. I think that there’s a way to do this w ithout succumbing to the level of someone like Lane Kiffin, constantly posting Tweets demeaning his rival schools. But at the same time, Lane Kiffin

built an entire transfer class that way. Of course, he didn’t pick up the likes of Riley Leonard, but he added to his brand and persona, which has a significant impact, albeit not always a tangible one.

As the long, drear y offseason continues, here’s to hoping that Freeman and Bevacqua can keep Notre Dame in the headlines.

From recruiting players to new fans, Notre Dame has a high bar. Willingly refusing or ignorantly devoiding itself from any level of controversy is a mistake that w ill affect the program’s performance moving for ward.

Contact Jake Miller at jmille89 @nd.edu. The views in this column do not necessarily represent the views of The Observer.

FENCING

Irish start hopeful four-peat year with winning records at weekend events

By ANDREW McGUINNESS Sports Editor

This could be a special year for Notre Dame fencing. The team has been responsible for keeping the No. 1 above Grace Hall lit for the last three years. Later in the year, they’ll have the chance at a historic four-peat. Taking care of business in the meantime is important, though.

The Irish did just that over the weekend, starting 2024 off on a strong note. Notre Dame’s team took a trip East for a pair of competitions, starting w ith the St. John’s Inv itational on Jan. 20 and continuing to the Philadelphia Inv itational (hosted by Penn) on Jan. 21. Both the men’s and women’s teams posted w inning records across both events, w ith the men going 4-1 at St. John’s and ever yone else going 3-2.

The Irish have posted w inning records at ever y event in their 2023-24 season.

At St. John’s, the men’s team beat Ohio State, Penn State and Har vard by identical 17-10 scores. They also earned a v ictor y over St. John’s, beating them 16-11, but their hopes of a perfect competition were spoiled

by Columbia. Freshman foil Dominic Joseph compiled a strong 7-3 record, suffering only one loss outside of the Columbia match.

Senior sabre Luke Linder, a t wo-time indiv idual national champion, was even better, posting a 12-3 mark.

The women’s team pulled out w ins over Ohio State (1710), Penn State (19-8) and Har vard (14-13). St. John’s and Columbia got the better of them, w inning 18-9 and 16-11, respectively.

Sophomore foil Adriana Tucker led the way w ith a 9-3 mark, going 7-2 across the team’s three v ictories.

In the Cit y of Brotherly Love, the women’s team faced five top-15 opponents.

The Irish handed losses to No. 3 Columbia (15-12),

WRITE SPORTS. Email Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

No. 11 Temple (20-7) and No. 13 St. John’s (16-11).

They were on the w rong side of the ledger against No. 8 Princeton and No. 7 Penn. Tucker continued her strong weekend w ith a perfect 12-3 performance.

Four of the five opponents the men faced sat inside the top 10. The Irish beat three of them, besting No. 3 Princeton 15-12, No. 8 St. John’s 22-5 and No. 7 Penn 14-13. Meanwhile, No. 2 Columbia bested the Irish 14-13, as did No. 11 Yale by an identical score.

Graduate student epee Valentin Matveev, competing in his first collegiate season since 2020-21, recorded 10 w ins on the day.

Notre Dame returns home for the first of t wo occasions this season. The Irish host the Decicco Duals from Jan. 2728. The ACC Championships w ill also be held on campus from Feb. 24-25.

MEGHAN LANGE | The Observer

ContactAndrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

Notre Dame fencing has won the national championship each of the past three seasons. No Irish team has ever won four consecutive titles.

SPORTS

NDSMCOBSERVER.COM | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024 | THE OBSERVER

WBB CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

always starts w ith Dyaisha Fair. The fifth-year guard, a former transfer from Buffalo, shoots the daylights out of the basketball — and usually succeeds.

Fair leads the ACC w ith 3.6 triples made per game, clear of second-place Georgia Amoore by 1.1, and good for a 38% success rate.

In last Thursday’s ranked w in over Florida State, she drained 9 threes, following that show ing up w ith 6 makes Sunday at Pitt.

Performances like those have helped her average 20.5 points per game, which ranks third in the conference.

Of course, Fair brings plent y more than deadeye shooting to the table.

Her durabilit y makes a difference, ev idenced by her ACC-high 35.8 minutes per game. She ranks as the Orange’s top distributor and thief, complementing an impressive 87% make rate at the free throw line.

Against Notre Dame, Fair

11

may have to tap into those skills, as the Irish defend the three-ball better than any other team in the ACC. If the 3,060-point scorer can’t get it done, look for fellow guard Georgia Woolley to factor in. The Aussie junior used late Januar y as a turning point last year, culminating in a 30-point showcase at the W NIT in March. This season, she averages 13.5 points and 2.26 steals per game. Woolley played well on Sunday, dropping 20 points on Pitt w ith a 3-7 effort from deep.

Like Notre Dame, the Orange w ill follow Thursday’s game w ith another ranked matchup over the weekend. Sy racuse w ill welcome No. 19 Virginia Tech on Sunday before opening Februar y at No. 18 Louisv ille.

However, for both teams, all eyes remain on Purcell Pav ilion, where Thursday’s contest w ill begin at 7 p.m.

ACC Net work Extra w ill prov ide the broadcast.

INDIA DOERR | The Observer

Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu

Irish freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo dribbles the ball up the Purcell Pavilion court. Hidalgo’s historic freshman season has helped the Irish succeed while junior guard Olivia Miles recovers from a torn ACL.

ND MEN’S BASKETBALL

Irish return home, prepare to face Hurricanes for second time this season

By ANNIKA HERKO Associate Sports Editor

After a nine day hiatus, the Notre Dame men’s basketball team will host Miami Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Purcell Pavilion. The Irish are on a two game losing streak, going 7-11 in Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry’s first year with the team.

The team already lost to Miami this year when they visited Coral Gables, Florida on Dec. 2nd. That was their first ACC matchup of the year and the 62-49 score didn’t impress many Irish fans. Overall, the Irish

are 2-5 in conference play and are in a four-way tie for second to last in the ACC, only ahead of Louisville.

Most recently, the Irish traveled to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts where they lost to Boston College by 4 points. It was a frustrating result for Notre Dame who led by as many as 12 points in the game and shot 52% from the f loor in the first half.

Boston College head coach Earl Grant must have given a better halftime speech than Shrewsberry though because the Irish shooting percentage nearly halved and they turned the ball over

10 times in the second half.

Freshman guard Markus Burton scored 15 points in the first half but finished with only 19, further indication of Notre Dame’s struggles in the second half.

Freshman guard Braeden Shrewsberry scored 12 but no other Irish player got into the double digits. As a team, the Irish went 9 for 15 from the free throw line, while the Eagles went 14 for 18. Those 6 points would have made all the difference.

The root of Notre Dame’s problem is that they are just not scoring enough. They have not scored above 80 points

in a non-exhibition game all season. In comparison, UConn, the No. 1 team in the country, has scored at least 80 points in 12 of 19 games.

The Irish are shooting comparably to their opponents (40.2% to 40.3%), but they’ve given up 53 more shots than they’ve taken. Most people looking at these stats would tell the team the old Wayne Gretzky line: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

However, the team has attempted 67 more three-pointers than opponents while only having 11 more makes to show for it. This suggests that the Irish are wasting

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scoring opportunities by taking rushed or otherwise sloppy threes rather than attempting to drive the lane for a higher percentage shot.

All together the Irish have some work to do in the second half of the season. W hile the team’s NCA A tournament chances are low, fans would have more confidence going into next season with this young team if they can win against some tougher opponents and at least make a good showing in the ACC tournament.

Contact Annika Herko at aherko@nd.edu

12

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

ND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Irish look for redemption against No. 22 Syracuse as difficult schedule patch begins

By TYLER REIDY Associate Sports Editor

Notre Dame women’s basketball is closing in on a challenging 51 hours of hoops. Ahead of Saturday’s primetime showdown at No. 8 UConn, the No. 15 Irish will battle No. 22 Syracuse on Thursday night. Among six ACC games Thursday, the game at Purcell Pavilion will be the only ranked matchup.

Syracuse (16-2, 6-1 ACC) enters South Bend on a fivegame win streak. Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack has engineered quite the turnaround, inheriting what was an 11win team two seasons ago.

This year, the Orange enjoyed an excellent nonconference performance, including defeats of Iowa State and Alabama, before downing Notre Dame at home to start ACC play.

Though a 75-51 loss at North Carolina set them back, the Orange have not lost since.

Most recently, Syracuse edged No. 23 Florida State at home (79-73) and emerged victorious at Pitt (72-59).

Meanwhile, Niele Ivey and Notre Dame have stabilized after a bumpy start to ACC play. Without any new injury scares, the Irish have won four straight conference games, all by at least 10 points. Coming into the Syracuse game, Notre Dame swept a two-game road trip at Virginia (86-76) and Wake Forest (75-56).

Orange going for program firsts W hen looking back at the 36-year series history, Notre Dame owns Syracuse.

The Irish hold a 39-4 record against the Orange, including a 19-0 mark at home.

Additionally, Notre Dame has never lost both games of a regular season series against Syracuse. But that can change Thursday night.

Syracuse already topped

Notre Dame on New Year’s Eve at the JMA Wireless Dome. In the ACC opener for both teams, the Orange survived a 32-point performance from Irish freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo to win 86-81. Prolific Syracuse guard Dyaisha Fair scored 27 herself, with freshman Alyssa Latham adding a 21-point double-double.

Though both teams committed more than 20 turnovers, the Orange earned a decisive advantage on the glass (45-33).

Looking ahead to Thursday, Notre Dame must find a way to neutralize Latham and Kyra Wood. The two each average more than 7 rebounds per contest, combining for 22 against the Irish.

Overall, Syracuse leads the ACC with almost 17 offensive rebounds on average.

Citron, Hidalgo continue impressive Irish guard play Beyond

missing

a

few

rebounds and an unsuccessful late push to win at Syracuse, Notre Dame also was without its top shooter. But junior guard Sonia Citron will get her crack at the Orange this time. In eight games, five since returning from a knee sprain, she has 18.9 points per game.

Breaking it down, Citron is shooting 51% from the f loor, 41.9% from deep and 94.3% from the foul line.

Those numbers are second, first and first among regular Irish contributors.

During the recent road swing, Citron amassed 46 points in two games.

Her 28 at Virginia paced the Irish, highlighted by a poised, 12-for-12 free throwshooting performance.

Citron then hit four threepointers for the first time this season at Wake Forest.

Alongside her in the backcourt, Hidalgo added another line to her remarkable first-year ledger this week.

She appeared among the top 10 for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s Nancy Lieberman Award, which recognizes the top point guard in women’s NCA A Division I college basketball. Former Irish guard Skylar Diggins took home the award in 2013.

The only freshman on the top 10 list, Hidalgo still leads the ACC with 23.9 points per game, adding a nation-high 5.5 steals per contest. She has scored 20 or more points in all four games of Notre Dame’s current win streak, combining 23 points with 9 assists and 6 steals at Virginia last Thursday.

Flamethrower Fair feasting from deep Like Notre Dame, guard play jumps off the page when it comes to Syracuse’s offensive production. And the conversation see WBB PAGE 11

SPORTS AUTHORITY

Miller: Notre Dame football needs to embrace the spotlight to stay relevant

By JAKE MILLER Senior Spor ts Writer

Last week, the day after the Dallas Cowboys’ early ex it from the playoffs, ESPN’s First Take saw a record audience of 1.516 million v iewers. People were interested in hearing analysts’ thoughts on the team’s disappointing end to a promising season. But as to be expected on such a show, the focus was not on the game itself. Instead, nearly the entire show focused on the futures of Mike McCarthy and Dak Prescott.

Of course, this is a fair question to raise. The Cowboys may have the best roster in any professional sports league, and McCarthy has failed to accomplish much of note in the postseason.

Maybe the Cowboys should move on. W hile it’s an interesting discussion, it’s not a groundbreaking one. At the

time of the Cowboys’ ex it, eight teams were left in the playoffs, and we just saw an amazing week of football, including an all-time clash between Josh A llen and Patrick Mahomes.

And yet again, on First Take this week, the majorit y of Monday’s show featured a discussion on whether Sean McDermott and Josh A llen were enough for a Bills franchise that has suffered for so long.

America loves to sit in the ow ner’s chair, thinking about coaching and roster decisions and making executive calls on the future of a franchise. However, it’s unfortunate that these decisions often overshadow the qualit y of the game being played on the field, court or pitch. The college sports world is prone to some of the same gossip, especially during the current era of realignment. In the past year, see FOOTBALL PAGE 10

SOFIA CRIMIVAROLI | The Observer

Notre Dame football head coach Marcus Freeman leads the Irish onto the field before their 31-23 loss to Clemson in November 2023. The Irish have gone 19-7 in Freeman’s first two seasons leading the team.