Print Edition for The Observer for Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022

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Volume 57, Issue 24 | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Rep. Liz Cheney speaks at Notre Dame Jan. 6 committee co-chair hints at potential criminal referral for Trump in lecture on democracy

MEGHAN LANGE | University of Notre Dame

and his lawyer John Eastman broke at least two federal statutes.

Cheney, who lost her Wyoming GOP primary to Trump-backed Harriet Hageman, said she expects the committee to approach a potential criminal referral for Trump “in a unanimous way.”

During the committee’s ninth and potentially final public hearing Thursday, the members voted unanimously to subpoena testimony from Trump. Cheney said Thursday’s hearing was “not necessarily the last hearing” and the committee felt it was acting responsibly by

U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) delivered a lecture in Washington Hall on Oct. 14 entitled “Saving Democracy

by Revering the Constitution,” hosted by the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government.

see CHENEY PAGE 3

By RYAN PETERS News Editor

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story was published online on Oct 14.

U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) said Friday, October 14, during her lecture at Notre Dame that she thinks “there’s no question about the answer” regarding whether or not former President Donald Trump broke the law during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol in 2021.

Cheney, the vice chairwoman of the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, referenced U.S. District Judge David O. Carter’s March opinion that stated it is likely that Trump

Lecture discusses China’s strategy

By KATIE MUCHNICK News Writer

Fiona Cunningham, assistant professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, visited campus Tuesday to present her research on China’s strategy in limited war.

Cunningham’s research lies at the intersection of technology and conflict, especially in China. She traveled to Beijing

to conduct fieldwork from 2015 to 2017 as a joint Ph.D. research fellow at Renmin University of China. Cunningham received her Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2018.

The focus of Cunningham’s forthcoming book is how China copes with the “limited war dilemma.” According to Cunningham, limited war see CHINA PAGE 4

‘Art of Faith’ exhibit opens at HCC

By KATE NAESSENS News Writer

In a n ef for t to showcase t he diversit y of relig ious a r t in t he a rea a nd celebrate t he intersect ion of a r t work a nd t he Cat holic fa it h, A ngelo Ray Ma r t inez, a Holy Cross professor a nd t he director of t he St. Joseph Ga ller y orga ni zed a nd curated

NEWS PAGE 4

Students study abroad in Galapagos over fall break

‘The A r t of Fa it h.’ Open to v isitors on t he Holy Cross ca mpus unt il Dec. 16, t his ex hibit ion features 10 a r tists f rom a va riet y of a r t ist ic a nd Cat holic backg rounds, a ll w it h t he united v ision of sha ring what fa it h looks like to t hem. see EXHIBIT PAGE 5

VIEWPOINT PAGE 8

Courtesy of Gery Lamberti

Students and faculty traveled to the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador, during fall break. The group traveled for a biology and civil engineering course called “Field Practicum - Galapagos Islands.”

By KELSEY QUINT News Writer

On Monday, a group of 14 students and two faculty members returned from their 10-day trip exploring the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador.

Jeremy Fein, professor of civil and environmental engineering and Earth sciences, and Gary Lamberti,

SCENE PAGE 10

professor of biological sciences, oversaw the excursion. Lamberti explained that this trip differed from other Notre Dame study abroad programs.

“The trip is embedded in a regular course. So the course is a two-credit [biolog y and civil engineering] course and it’s called ‘Field Practicum – Galapagos Islands’,” Lamberti

explained.

Students don’t just leave campus to travel to South America for the course; they also go off campus into South Bend, Lamberti said.

“As part of this course, the students also do a service project at the Robinson Community Learning Center down on

Men’s soccer PAGE 14

ND WBB PAGE 16

see GALAPAGOS PAGE 3

2

TODAY

The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

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What was the name of your first pet?

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“I’ve never had a pet.”

“Josey.”

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sophomore Johnson Family Hall

first-year Lyons Hall

“Pixie.”

“Meekers.”

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first-year Morrissey Hall

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“Winston.”

“Hobbs.”

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Sofia CrimiVaroli | The Observer

The Frank Montana Sketching Club hosted a workshop with Lucien Steil on architectural capriccio. Steil is pictured leading a review of the students’ imaginary topographical scenes. In Italian capriccio means that which is capricious, whimsical or fantastic.

The next Five days:

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Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Inaugural Yeats Lecture Jenkins Nanovic Halls 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

On the relation of arts and humanities.

Relationship Violence Awareness Student Center Atrium 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Learn about resources and write affirmations.

“Great Discoveries in Mathematics (GPS)” Pfeil Board Room 11 a.m.

Faculty development committee dialogue.

“The Dance of Death” DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Presented by the Irish Theatre of Chicago.

SMCDM Run for Riley 5k Run/Walk Le Mans Green 11:30 a.m.

Free food and dance party to follow.

Music in Irish Culture Remick Family Commons 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Cross-cultural coffee hour.

Basil’s Boo Bash Ave Brew 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Halloween activities for the South Bend community.

Voting Rights Lecture Zoom 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Discussion of election law reshaping.

Halloween Festival Library Lawn 9 p.m. - 12 p.m.

Join SAO for a seriously spooky good time.

Halloween-themed Science Sunday St. Patrick’s County Park, South Bend 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Insect identification.

News

Cheney Continued from page 1

collecting evidence from figures around Trump before subpoenaing him.

Following more than a year of investigation by the committee, Cheney said Trump had a premeditated plan to declare victory regardless of the outcome of the election and in spite of evidence demonstrating an absence of voter fraud.

“On election day and in the days after the election, there was no American who was better informed about the absence of fraud than Donald Trump,” she said. “In spite of this, he made a conscious decision to claim fraudulently that the election was stolen.”

She said Trump proceeded to pressure state officials to change election results

Galapagos Continued from page 1

Eddy Street… we have them spend two sessions w ith the students at the Robinson Center, teaching them about the Galapagos.”

Lamberti ref lects on how the ser v ice element of the course is special, as it brings the Universit y’s funding for the trip “full-circle” and gives the students an opportunit y to give back to the South Bend communit y.

But why the Galapagos?

Fein explained the famous reputation of the islands and why they are considered so unique.

“The Galapagos were where Charles Dar w in made his obser vations that led directly to the theor y of evolution,” Fein said. “So that’s why it’s world-famous. These are ‘fresh islands’ that have come out from the seaf loor on top of a hotspot and have been colonized by a whole range of plants and animals that have evolved separately from the mainland,” he said.

Lamberti expanded on just how special the islands are.

“The plants and animals that occur on the islands are unique worldw ide. Many of them ex ist no place else on the planet,” Lamberti said.

“And the animals in particular have v irtually no fear of humans.”

Honey Stukes, a junior study ing biolog y, said that the unique atmosphere of the Galapagos was noticeable from the minute the group stepped off the plane.

“We just walked a couple of steps like right off the plane… we saw the prick ly pears and so much, and we weren’t even in the airport yet.” Stukes said. She described her attempt to “soak it all in like a sponge.”

The group stayed in Puerto Ayora, the most populous tow n in the islands. Each

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2022 | The Observer

and pressure both state and Republican Party officials to manufacture fake electoral slates that tried to correct the Department of Justice.

On the day of Jan. 6, Trump was the lone person with the ability to send the rioters home, Cheney said. Instead of calling for an end to the attack as staff members, family members and members of Congress were urging him to do, he sent a tweet at 2:24 p.m. criticizing former Vice President Mike Pence for not cooperating in his bid to overturn the election, which incited further violence, she argued, and sat quietly while watching the events unfold on television.

“I want you to think about what kind of human being does that,” she said. “That is not normal or acceptable or lawful in our republic.”

Cheney said a police officer

told her that night he had never seen anything like the combat he witnessed Jan. 6. The officer was an Iraq War veteran.

Despite the prevalence of Republican candidates today who cast doubt on the election, Cheney said the courage of Republicans who resisted and continue to resist Trump’s efforts inspires her.

“But what gives me hope has been the individuals that both have testified in front of the committee and those who haven’t, but those who acted that day to save the republic.

That is one of the most important stories of what happened on January 6,” she said. “The power and the courage and the dazzling honor of individual Americans to save this republic. And they’re mostly Republicans.”

Calling Donald Trump “an ongoing and real threat,”

day, they v isited a different island, making obser vations and conducting indiv idual research, as well as experiencing the landscape around them through many hikes and snorkeling expeditions.

Senior Megan Hilbert, an env ironmental science major, ref lected on the diversit y of the islands.

“Overall, I was really surprised by how different all of the islands were. Ever y day it just felt like a totally different corner of the world,” Hilbert said.

Students agreed that what ever y place had in common were the up-close interactions w ith w ildlife.

Junior Shannon Reilly, a civ il engineering major, joked that it was often the animals that broke the ex isting mutual protection rules.

“Sea turtles came and swam right underneath us and it just did not look real.

We’re supposed to stay six feet, but the turtle completely broke that one.” Reilly said.

In addition to sea turtles, students highlighted their close encounters w ith sea lions, manta rays, giant tortoises, iguanas, and native bird species— just to name a few.

Junior Peter Martin, a biological sciences major, referred to the islands as “the Holy Land for biologists.”

Martin said that the conservation of the Galapagos is a product of hard work and sacrifice.

“It showed that when you conser ve these large areas of land and you have people w illing to make sacrifices to protect the env ironment, you create these rich biodiversit y hotspots w ith animals that aren’t afraid of humans,” he said.

Martin said that the preser vation of the islands was due to conscious choices.

“We met members of the communit y who understood

how valuable and precious these ecosystems and places are… it really showed me the need to educate the next generations and show them how we can have this love and respect and care for the natural world,” he added.

Senior Hannah Enabnit, an env ironmental engineering major, explained how the group was fortunate to learn from one of these locals, their guide Luis.

“We had our guide Luis, and he had lived there for at least 20 years. He was so knowledgeable… he knew ever y detail about the Galapagos, but also just other things going on in the world. It was so impressive to me,” Enabnit said.

Attempting to sum up the experience in a single phrase, students described their trip as “surreal,” “out of a dream,” and most collectively: “once in a lifetime.”

Professors Fein and Lamberti agree that their favorite aspect of the program is getting to watch the students’ enthusiasm unfold.

Fein explained that this is the most rewarding part of the program.

“I think Gar y and I both do it because we love the reaction of the students… it’s, you know, a potentially lifechanging experience,” Fein said.

“Seeing the excitement in our students when they see their first Galapagos tortoise or their first marine iguana or their first blue-footed boobie and all the unique animals is just wondrous,” Lamberti said.

Students ref lecting on the trip expressed a sense of gratitude. Reilly said that, above all, she feels “extremely luck y.”

“Not many universities have programs like this, and I feel just really luck y that Notre Dame does and w ith such great professors

Cheney said the hearings are not partisan. Nearly every witness who has testified has been a Republican.

“This isn’t about politics,” she said.

Cheney said there are too many Republicans in elected office who ignore the threat posed by Trump. She called the ability to commit oneself to the Constitution regardless of an election outcome the “fundamental fabric” of American democracy that is currently at risk.

“Most people in most places in most periods of time on this earth have not been free.

America is an exception. And we continue only because we bind ourselves to our founding principles and to our Constitution,” Cheney said.

Cheney called on Americans to refuse to act as bystanders.

“There is no power on this

3

earth that is stronger than free citizens determined to stand together to defend the miracle and the blessing of our freedom,” she said.

As Cheney’s term concludes, she faces questions about her political career after Congress.

She said a decision about whether she will run for president will come in the near future.

“I think 2024 is going to be really important. I think it’s going to be crucial that we elect people that will defend the Constitution,” she said. “I haven’t made a decision yet about what I’m going to do.

We have a lot of excellent candidates, we have a lot of bad candidates too, so I’ll make a decision about that in the coming months.”

Contact Ryan Peters at rpeters5@nd.edu

Courtesy of Shannon Reilly

A marine iguana sits on the sand in the Galapagos Islands. Students engaged flora and fauna as part of the ten day excursion for the class.

Courtesy of Shannon Reilly

A Galapagos sea lion pup emerges from moss-covered rocks on the shore. Native to the islands, they are the smallest species of sea lions.

Courtesy of Megan Hilbert

Students saw a spotted eagle ray off the coast of the islands. They are considered near threatened by the Red List of Threatened Species.

and that I got chosen to go,” Reilly said.

Stukes expressed a similar feeling of appreciation.

“It was just a life-changing experience, I think for all of us… I’m still tr y ing to process it. I look over the pictures and I’m like ‘I was there.’” she said.

“We all tried to record stuff, but at some point, we all just kind of stopped. We just had silent moments, and we were just looking around.

We were just present in the beaut y.”

Contact Kelsey Quint at kquint@nd.edu

4

NEWS

The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Book club explores global-themed reads

By KENDELLE HUNG-INO News Writer

This yea r, Not re Da me’s book club is st riv ing to go g loba l by pick ing a book w it h a n internat iona l connect ion each mont h. To ma x imi ze t heir mu lt icu ltura lism, t he of f icers pla n to collaborate w it h Not re Da me’s cu ltura l clubs t hat correspond w it h t heir mont h ly read.

“We a re choosing books based on dif ferent cu ltures,” sa id book club president a nd g raduate student Mayesha Sa hir Mim. It is t he f irst yea r t he club has ta ken on a t heme w it h t heir book choice.

Sa hir Mim sa id t he club wa nts to “ma ke t hings more f un a nd interest ing” t hrough a t heme since it was inact ive last semester, a nd meet ings have been held over Zoom since t he COV ID-19 pa ndemic.

Each mont h, t he club w ill pick a book t hat f its t he t heme, purchase it for interested members a nd t hen meet on a Thursday evening at t he end of t he mont h for a n informa l discussion about t heir t houghts on t he book. September’s book was “The A lchemist” by Pau lo Coel ho, a Bra zi lia n aut hor. At September’s meeting, t he Bra zi lia n Students

China Continued from page 1

is a dilemma that all nucleararmed nations face when they want to use their military power to meet their political goals without triggering a catastrophic nuclear conflict.

Historically, most states have pursued one of two paths to cope with this dilemma: using conventional military weapons to engage in a conflict or relying on threats of nuclear war.

Both strategies are attempts by the states to gain “coercive leverage” over their adversary, she said. Coercive leverage is the the cost that a state can threaten to impose on its adversaries as a way of influencing their decision-making, Cunningham said.

China, however, rejected both of these approaches, a move that confused scholars and policymakers, Cunningham said.

“In particular, they’ve been puzzled by the fact that China has maintained a policy that it will not use its nuclear weapons unless it suffered a nuclear attack, despite the fact that it couldn’t field war-winning conventional capabilities, which is a very unusual combination of policy choices,” she said.

Instead, China has developed

Associat ion gave a presentat ion on Bra zil a nd Coelho’s life.

“We t hought t he t heme wou ld be just for t he semester, but t here’s so ma ny count ries. A nd when we collaborated w it h t he Bra zilia n club, we had a lot of f un w it h it,” Sa hir Mim sa id. “We t hought t hree mont hs won’t be enough t ime, so we’ll just cont inue w it h it even over t he spring semester.”

This mont h, t he club is reading “The Girl w it h t he Louding Voice”

by Abi Da ré, a book about a Nigeria n g irl a nd w ritten by a Nigeria n aut hor. For its Oct. 27 meet ing, Sa hir Mim sa id t he A f rica n club pla ns to g ive a presentat ion on Nigeria a nd sha re A f rica n food while discussing t he book.

“I love our globa l t heme t his yea r. I t hin k it’s rea lly impor ta nt to seek out stories f rom a ll t y pes of people a nd am happy to be lea rning about dif ferent pa r ts of t he world f rom it,” socia l cha ir Sa ra h Na no sa id in a n ema i l.

Sa hir Mim a lso ment ioned t he book club is pla nning to collaborate w it h Not re Da me’s Mu lt icu ltura l Student

“information-age technologies” to gain coercive leverage.

These technologies include offensive cyber capabilities that could temporarily disable an adversary’s critical infrastructure and anti-satellite weapons that threaten an adversary’s satellites and possibly cast shards and hazardous debris into space. Cunningham also grouped precision conventional missiles under this term.

“What animates me in this book project is why China has made this decision to pursue these novel, unproven military capabilities to gain coercive leverage rather than following suit with other nuclear-armed countries,” Cunningham said.

In response to the discrepancy between China and other nuclear-armed countries, Cunningham presented a new theory: the strategic substitution approach.

Cunningham hypothesized that “China’s search for coercive leverage was constrained to substitutes for war-winning conventional military capabilities and nuclear threats.”

Specifically, China relied on information-age technologies as substitutes.

To test her hypothesis, Cunningham conducted comparative case studies of China’s information-age weapons decision-making.

For a political conflict to qualify for a case study, China

Courtesy of Mayesha Sahir Mim

The Notre Dame book club read the “The Alchemist” and collaborated with the Brazilian Student Association to learn about Brazilian culture. This month, the club is reading “The Girl with the Louding Voice.”

Prog ra ms a nd Ser v ices (MSPS), diversit y council a nd internat iona l student a nd schola rs a f fa irs in t heir upcoming meet ings.

Sa hir Mim sa id she is hoping t hat establishing a t heme a nd holding more engag ing meet ings w ill encourage current members to become more act ive a nd att ract new ones.

“We def initely wa nt more people to be awa re of our club a nd join,”

must be facing some sort of “leverage deficit.”

“Leverage deficit basically refers to a situation in which a state’s … existing military capabilities are inadequate to prevail in the kind of war and against the kind of adversary it is most likely to face,” Cunningham said.

Within situations where China was facing a leverage deficit, Cunningham identified whether or not the state pursued information-age technologies. She reviewed hundreds of original Chinese language documents, mostly military documents, that she gathered during her fieldwork.

During the lecture, Cunningham discussed one particular case study — the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis from 1995 to 1996.

This crisis was the effect of a series of missile tests by China in the waters surrounding Taiwan, including the Taiwan Strait. The missiles were allegedly intended to intimidate then Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui.

Cunningham found specific indications that China was moving away from conventional capabilities and threats of nuclear war and turning toward informationage technologies after this crisis. Specifically, a Chineselanguage “Military Building Plan Outline” describes their

she sa id.

Current ly, t he club most ly consists of g raduate students, but Sa hir Mim sa id t he g roup is open to underg raduates as wel l.

“You w i l l ma ke some f riends, a nd you get to discuss your ideas about a book t hat you’re reading,” she sa id of t he club.

Na no seconded t hat idea, say ing she has enjoyed meet ing new people as pa r t of t he club.

“I’ve a lready met so ma ny g reat people who’d I’d love to get to k now more about. I a lso li ke t hat book club pushes me to broaden my reading choices,” she sa id in a n ema il.

Interested students ca n contact Sa hir Mim at mmim @nd.edu or direct message t he Instag ra m account, @bookclub_nd.

Contact Kendelle Hung-Ino at khungino@nd.edu

KATIE MUCHNICK | The Observer

University of Pennsylvania professor Fiona Cunningham discussed China’s military strategy Tuesday evening in Jenkins Nanovic Hall.

intent to develop precision conventional missiles.

However, the effectiveness of these information-age technologies has yet to be determined.

“From my judgments, I think there’s still significant uncertainty about whether these information weapons can actually deliver on the promise that China’s leaders saw in them as a way of gaining coercive leverage in this kind of strategic substitution capacity,” Cunningham said.

She suggested that precision conventional missiles have been the most successful at creating problems for China’s adversaries.

“But at the same time, all of

these information age capabilities have probably created greater risks of inadvertent nuclear escalation than China’s decision makers appreciated at the time that they made decisions to pursue them in the early 2000s,” she added.

Much of the effect of the strategic substitution approach remains to be tested. Given the recent tension between Taiwan and China as a result of Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, Cunningham suggested that there might be more instances of this approach by China in the future.

Contact Katie Muchnick at kmuchnic@nd.edu

News

Exhibit Continued from page 1

The pieces on show include bot h a r t work commissioned specif ica l ly for t he ex hibit a nd pieces li ke t hat of Melonie Mu lkey, a n adjunct professor of v isua l a r ts. Her work, ‘The Five Wounds,’ was featured in a t wo-person ex hibit ion ca l led ‘Innermost’ at t he Universit y of Not re Da me ea rlier t his yea r.

Mu lkey, a n ex perienced a r t ist, sa id t his ex hibit is dif ferent t ha n some of t he ot hers she has been in.

“This is, in a rea lly long list of ex hibit ions, t he f irst one I’ve been in t hat specif ica l ly addresses a nd ta l ks about fa it h,” Mu lkey sa id.

Mu l key’s excitement at t he unique nature of t he exhibit ion a nd its a r t work is a lso ref lected in loca l a r t ist a nd high school a r t teacher A nastassia (Tess) Cassady, who made last yea r’s Pascha l ca nd le for t he Basi lica of t he Sacred Hea r t.

“Fusing Cat holicism a nd interest ing, hea r t felt a nd orig ina l a r t is somet hing t hat hasn’t been seen in a long t ime,” she sa id. “W hen I do somet hing t hat’s a rt ist ic a nd relig ious, fellow a r t ists w i l l respect t he a r t ist r y of it but ca n say

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2022 | The Observer

‘I don’t wa nt a ny t hing to do w it h Christ ia nit y, why wou ld you mi x t he t wo’ so I was rea lly impressed w it h t he fact [Ma r t inez] found such a w ide va riet y of a r t.”

Bring ing toget her t he loca l communit y of Cat holic a r t ists was a major component of Ma r t inez’ v ision, he sa id.

“There a ren’t a lot of a r t venues t hat dedicate t hemselves to ex hibit ing contempora r y fa it h-based a r t works, so it ca n be dif f icu lt to f ind t he conversat ions a nd discourse t hat is necessa r y to prog ressing your work,” Ma r t inez sa id.

This t y pe of col laborat ion is somet hing Cassady sa id she is a ll for a nd t hin ks it cou ld ser ve a g reater pur pose in reaching t he w ider Cat holic communit y.

“I t hin k it’s a g reat idea, especia lly for pa rishes to have someplace to bot h bring a r t ists toget her, but a lso educate t he cong regat ion w it h orig ina l a r t work t hat t hey have never seen before, rat her t ha n t he sa me printouts t hat a re faded [churches] t hat t hey don’t rea lly not ice a nymore — not because it’s not st rik ing, but t hat it’s not hing new,” she ex pla ined.

5

Courtesy of Angelo Ray Martínez

“The Art of Faith” exhibit is featured in the St. Joesph Gallery on Holy Cross’s campus to celebrate diverse religious art in the local community. The exhibit highlights pieces fusing Catholicism and modern art.

Ma r t inez ex pressed t hat he hopes bot h Cat holics a nd non-Cat holics ca n ga in somet hing f rom t he ex hibit.

“I hope t hat v isitors a re able to ref lect on t heir ow n Cat holic fa it h in a deeper way if t hey a re of t he fa it h, a nd if t hey a re not, t hat t hey a re able to better appreciate some of t he beaut y a nd mysteries of Cat holicism,” Ma r t inez sa id.

As for t he ef fects of t his ex hibit ion, Mu lkey sa id she is conf ident it w ill ma ke a posit ive impact on t he Cat holic communit ies’ response to more modern, fa it h-based a r t.

Courtesy of Angelo Ray Martínez

Contact Kate Naessens at knaessen@nd.edu

Adjunct professor of visual arts Melonie Mulkey’s work “The Five Wounds” is featured in a two-person exhibit at the gallery until Dec. 16.

Study finds impact of reviews on movie sales

By PETER BREEN News Writer

Editor’s Note : A previous version of this stor y was published online on Oct 13.

Mov ie rev iews a re often studied in ma rket ing resea rch as a measurable form of online word of mout h, Not re Da me ma rket ing professor Shijie Lu sa id.

Lu is a coaut hor of a for t hcoming paper in t he Journa l of Ma rket ing t hat found t hat simi la rit y in rev iew content bet ween crit ics a nd genera l users impacts mov ie dema nd.

Due to t he vast ava ilabilit y of data, Lu sa id, mov ies a re of ten t he most convenient foca l point of on line enter ta inment indust r y resea rch.

“Mov ies a re a lso relat ively new products, which have a shor t product life cycle,” Lu sa id. “It just ma kes it easier for resea rchers to understa nd how on line word of mout h a f fects dema nd t hroughout t he product life cycle.”

In t he past, Lu added, mov ie ma rket ing resea rch has looked at t he t wo sources of mov ie rev iews: critics a nd t he genera l user, sepa rately.

“Some resea rch has looked at how crit ica l rev iews a f fect box of f ice sa les, a nd t he majorit y of resea rch ig nores t he crit ica l rev iews completely,” he sa id. “They just focus on user rev iews, because t he sheer volume of user rev iews is usua lly much higher t ha n t hat f rom crit ics.”

In t he study, Lu a nd his coaut hors found t hat t he content of bot h t y pes of rev iews may be more impor ta nt t ha n t he actua l eva luat ion of t he f ilm.

“We a re say ing t hat when bot h pa r t ies a re ta lk ing about t he sa me aspects of t he mov ies, t hey a re more likely to ma ke consumers be awa re of t he mov ie,” he sa id.

Lu uses t he awa rd-w inning potent ia l of a mov ie as a topic exa mple to help cla rif y t he concept of topic consistency a nd how it might a f fect consumer dema nd.

“If crit ics a re ta lk ing about t he awa rd-w inning potent ia l of t he movie a nd if consumers a re ta lk ing about t he sa me att ribute, t his w ill ma ke t his pa r t icu la r mov ie att ribute more memorable in consumers’ minds a nd t herefore encourage t hem to

check out t his mov ie in t heaters,” Lu sa id.

To test t his hy pot hesis, Lu sa id his tea m needed to dev ise a way to measure t he simila rit y in rev iew content w it h tex t mining tools.

“If we wa nt to process t he rev iew data on a la rge sca le, we use stat ist ica l measures,” Lu sa id. “The pa r t icu la r measure we’re using, t his resea rch is ca lled topic modeling [a nd] it’s a stat ist ica l modeling met hod.”

For t he mov ie “La La La nd,” Lu sa id, t he tex t mining process found t hat t here were 25 topics t hat cou ld genera lly summa ri ze a ll rev iew content.

“Each rev iew w ill have a weight a long each of t he topics,” Lu sa id. “We ca n summa ri ze each rev iew as a k ind of a vector a long t he topics [a nd] we ca n use t his vector bet ween t wo rev iews to measure t heir simila rit y, t hat’s t he basic idea.”

Lu sa id his tea m agg regated crit ica l rev iews a nd user rev iews, a na lyzing 10 user rev iews for ever y one crit ica l rev iew.

“We look at t he simila rit y for each pa ir, a nd t hen we agg regate t he

simila rit y across all rev iews. So, what we did is to create a measure, which we ca l l topic consistency, based on all t he rev iews w ritten by users a nd crit ics, a nd when t his overa l l simila rit y measure or topic consistent measure is high, we f ind t hat it’s usua l ly associated w it h high box of f ice revenue,” Lu sa id.

A f ter gat hering t his f ield data to test t he posit ive correlat ion, Lu sa id, his tea m ra n lab ex periments to check whet her present ing subjects w it h dif ferent pa irs of crit ica l a nd user rev iews w it h high or low simi la rit y wou ld cha nge consumer w illing ness to watch a mov ie.

Eunsoo K im, ma rking professor at Na nya ng Technolog ica l Universit y a nd coaut hor of t he study, discussed t he applicat ion of t he resea rch resu lts.

“The common topics generated by crit ics a nd users help potent ia l mov iegoers better eva luate a nd remember t he mov ie by its att ributes (topics),” she w rote in a n ema il.

Now t hat t hey have established a lin k bet ween content simi la rit y a nd box

of f ice sa les, Lu sa id mov ie producers may be able to ta ke adva ntage.

“We a re suggest ing t hat producers ca n use our f indings to create some common t hemes for crit ics a nd users to … see if t hey ca n nudge box of f ice sa les,” Lu sa id.

K im cla rif ied t hat t his wou ld probably most ly a ffect mov ies w it h midd le-oft he-road rat ings.

“The a na lysis shows t hat t he impact of topic consistency is posit ively sig nif ica nt, a nd t his associat ion is more prominent when it comes to mov ies w it h mediocre rev iews t ha n mov ies w it h ex t reme ratings,” she w rote.

Beyond mov ies, Lu sa id, topic-driven promot ion ca n be applied to telev ision commercia ls, on line v ideo adver t ising a nd even ot her indust ries outside enter ta inment.

“This idea of topic consistency ca n be genera li zed to a ny ot her indust r y where you have rev iews f rom bot h genera l users a nd t he ex per ts li ke fashion a nd elect ronic products,” Lu sa id.

Contact Peter Breen at pbreen2@nd.edu

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The observer | Wednesday, October 26, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

Where to run, walk and hike in South Bend Claire Reid Assoicate News Editor

I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, where the UW-Madison campus is seamlessly integrated into the city.

Local families and students alike stroll the same State Street, hike in the same arboretum and frequent the same restaurants and cafes without a second thought. So imagine my surprise when I came to Notre Dame and saw how completely divorced its students are from the rest of the South Bend community!

I’m now a senior, and I’ve realized I often feel more at home in South Bend than I do on campus. And as a marathoner, I feel most at home while running outdoors.

If you’re eager to get outside and explore South Bend, here are (from experience) three of the best trails to check out.

East Bank Trail The East Bank Trail is great for a long, out-and-back run or bike ride. Tri-campus students can easily access it at the trail entrance on W. Angela Boulevard near Holy Cross College.

Much of the trail runs along the St. Joseph River and takes you past Howard Park, the Notre Dame Rowing facility, the farmer’s market and IU-South Bend.

If you’re down for an even longer run or ride (I use this part for my marathon training), you can take the trail to S. 26th Street and then turn right onto Mishawaka’s Northside Trail.

The Northside Trail offers gorgeous views of the river and Mishawaka’s beautiful parks and suspension bridges (my civil engineer boyfriend loves those). There are also plenty of drinking fountains in case you need a pick-me-up after traversing double-digit miles.

Riverside ‘West Bank’ Trail Known as “West Bank” among the Notre Dame Running Club, the formal name for this trail is the Riverside Trail. (I just learned this while doing research for this column.)

The trail is about 3.5 miles long, providing another great option for out-and-back journeys, but it also provides easy access to the East Bank and LaSalle trails if you’d rather run/ride/hike a loop.

You can access the trail by turning right down the hill on W. Angela Boulevard and then turning right on Riverside Drive at the roundabout.

The trail runs right along the river and provides beautiful sunrise views. It also takes you through a residential neighborhood and past the newly-revitalized Pinhook Park.

At least three drinking fountains can be found along the trail, and bathrooms are available in Pinhook Park.

LaSalle Trail Have you ever wanted to run/ride/hike across state lines? The LaSalle Trail makes a trip to Michigan easy.

You enter the trail by turning left on Dublin Road, just past Douglas Road and the Inn at Saint Mary’s.

Numerous restaurants, including Culver’s, McDonald’s, Dunkin’ and Subway, are available right off the trail between Cleveland and Darden roads.

The LaSalle Trail proper extends 3.5 miles to the state line and connects to the Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail once you reach Michigan. (You won’t even notice you’re on a new trail.)

The River Valley Trail extends an additional 3-or-so miles to the Pulaski Highway. There, you can then take S. Third Street north to Fort Street and hop back on the River Valley Trail, which takes you into the heart of Niles, Michigan.

Despite completing an 18-mile out-and-back run on the LaSalle/River Valley trail, I’ve never traversed the entire thing, so if you’re looking for a long bike ride (or maybe training for an ultramarathon?), the trail provides plenty of ground to cover.

You can contact Claire at creid6@nd.edu.

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

Chevron, Perry the Platypus and transubstantiation Devin Humphreys Law, Life and the Lord

Once upon a time in my high school days I encountered a meme entitled “The Engineering Flowchart.”

Translated into prose, it basically asserts the following four propositions: first, if it moves, and it’s supposed to move, you have no problem. Second, if it doesn’t move, and it’s not supposed to move, you also have no problem. Third, if it moves, and it shouldn’t, duct tape.

Fourth and finally, if it doesn’t move, and it’s supposed to, WD-40.

I think I was drawn to the Engineering Flowchart in high school for its humoristic simplicity. All the world’s problems solved with WD-40 and duct tape? Yes, please! And a flowchart featuring a mere two questions and four possible avenues down which to travel? All the better! But what if I told you that a key doctrine of administrative law has a flowchart that purports to be even simpler than the Engineering Flowchart to apply? Welcome to the wonderful world of Chevron. The case of Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, decided in 1984, set out a deceptively simple principle of administrative law. In flowchart-esque terms: Is the statute ambiguous? If not, then courts should simply interpret the statute. If it is, then ask: is the relevant administrative agency’s construction of the statute reasonable? If so, follow that construction. If not, then don’t. Two questions, and three total avenues? What could be better?

But I did just state that Chevron set out a deceptively simple principle of administrative law. I don’t think it’s quite true that describing legal principles as simple is an inevitable oxymoron, but in Chevron as in most legal doctrines, the devil’s in the details. Interestingly, the debate over the Chevron doctrine has not always been on ideological lines. Modern commentators like to paint a narrative that more conservative jurists tend to want to overturn the doctrine (thinking it’s given too much fuel to the administrative state), while more liberal jurists see Chevron as a vehicle by which experts in administrative agencies can have their expertise more easily deferred to. But no legal narrative is so neat. Chevron itself was a unanimous decision, and while Justice Antonin Scalia was not on the Court at the time the case was decided, he quickly became one of that decision’s most ardent defenders.

Whether we’re willing to engage with the nuances of the debate over Chevron deference or not, one thing is certain: the doctrine itself is in significant peril. Two key cases that came before the Supreme Court last term were seen as possible avenues for the Court to overturn Chevron: American Healthcare Association v. Becerra and West Virginia v. EPA. The second of these decisions was one of the last cases the Court released back in June of this year, and its “major questions” doctrine, which says that Congress needs to legislate clearly if it wants to delegate the ability to construe major components of its statutes to administrative agencies, got significant media attention. But I think the case that will have more impact on how Chevron is applied in the courts in these years to come, even though it might not get as much credit for it, is the aforementioned AHA v. Becerra.

On its face, AHA doesn’t seem like the kind of groundbreaking decision I’m talking about. Justice Kavanaugh wrote the decision for a unanimous court, and the case dealt with how to calculate the formula for reimbursing prescription drug costs to hospitals participating in Medicare. But I think AHA is more important for what it didn’t do than what it did do. As SCOTUSblog commentator James Rommoser explained after AHA was released, “business groups and conservative legal organizations had urged the justices to use the case as a vehicle to overhaul — or even overturn — the 38-year-old doctrine known as Chevron deference.” However, the justices did no such thing, and perhaps most notably, they didn’t even cite Chevron in the resulting opinion!

Instead, they relied on the “traditional tools of statutory

interpretation” to conclude that the Department of Health and Human Services’ understanding of how the formula worked was incorrect, then instructed HHS to fix it accordingly. By using “traditional tools of statutory interpretation” before even determining whether the underlying statute was ambiguous or not, the result is that I get the feeling, yet to be corroborated, that the Court adopted a decision that walks like it doesn’t overturn Chevron, talks like it doesn’t overturn Chevron, but yet basically overturns Chevron.

My hunch about what the Court did in AHA may be flat-out wrong, but I don’t actually mean to prognosticate about how the Court is going to handle administrative deference in the years to come. Other people get paid far more than I do to write that kind of analysis, and they’re much better at it than I am. I write anyway, however, because of how these recent events have led me to reflect on two very different things pointing to the same fundamental truth. First, I thought of a classic clip from an episode of “Phineas and Ferb,” the animated series where every episode has the same plotline. As the main sideplot in this episode unfolded, as always featuring Perry the Platypus seeking to thwart Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s latest attempt to take over the tri-state area, hilarity ensued as Perry entered Doofenshmirtz Evil Inc. without Doof trapping Perry in his trap of the week. Instead, Perry “disguised” himself as a plumber to obtain entry into the building, then handed Doof a bill for having fixed the plumbing in a mere 15 seconds, resulting in a hilarious conversation: “What kind of a plumber are you?” Perry takes off his plumber hat: “A platypus plumber?” He puts on his Agent P hat: “Perry the Platypus Plumber?” It’s only when Perry ditches his plumber belt that Doof realizes the trouble he’s in: “PERRY THE PLATYPUS?!” Of course, one of the running gags of the series is Doof’s inability to recognize Agent P without his signature hat, but this exchange plays with the underlying trope to reveal just how incapable Doof is of recognizing what’s going on right in front of him.

We are all Doofenshmirtz at times. Sometimes we can be Doofs about things like recognizing that the Court’s overturned Chevron without overturning Chevron — though when all is said and done, if my hunch is wrong about that then I’ll have been the Doof.

But other times we can be Doofs about matters of faith.

Take for instance a principle that is at the core of our Catholic faith: the doctrine of transubstantiation. As Catholics, we believe that at each and every Mass, the bread and wine offered on the altar really and truly become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. The stuff on the altar looks like bread and wine, smells like bread and wine and tastes like bread and wine, but the substance of it is not bread and wine. It’s Jesus, physically present before us every Sunday, and for those of us that go to daily Mass, every single day. But that doesn’t mean we recognize the real presence the way we should. We can be Doofs about this too: “What kind of bread is this? Regular bread? Bread and Jesus?

JESUS INCARNATE?!”

So perhaps my advice for these weeks to come is simply this: Let’s pay more attention to what’s actually going on around us, so as to try to avoid having a Doof moment. Whether it’s Chevron or the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, sometimes the chaos of our lives is made simpler if we only take a little bit of extra time to acknowledge those things that stare us in the face.

Devin Humphreys is a 3L at Notre Dame Law School. When he isn’t serving as the sacristan at the Law School Chapel or competing at a quiz bowl tournament, he’s sharing his thoughts on the legal developments of the day with anyone who will listen. For advice on law school, hot takes on Mass music and free scholarly publication ideas, reach out to Devin at dhumphr2@nd.edu.

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

The observer | wednesday, october 26, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I’m sorry, Rory Gilmore Editor’s note: This letter contains discussions of self-harm and mental health.

Editor’s note: This letter also contains spoilers for Gilmore Girls.

In Season 5, Episode 8, Rory Gilmore makes the decision to not return to Yale for what would have been the fall semester of her junior year of college.

Honestly, the first time I saw Gilmore Girls, I thought Rory was an entitled brat during Season 5 (which lowkey, I still think she is). How could she just leave after one person criticized her? Yale was her dream school! She was always a planner! This would completely ruin her life plan!

Throughout the series, Rory is constantly shown to be an overachiever, a hard worker and ambitious. She grew up desperately wanting to go to Harvard, then deciding on Yale. She fights her way into an internship with Mitchum Huntsburger, editor of the top newspaper in the country, during which he tells her she doesn’t have what it takes to be a journalist. Rory completely breaks down, steals a boat with her boyfriend and tells her mother that she’s not going back to Yale.

I thought about this character arc as I told my own mother that I needed to leave Notre Dame in September 2021.

Withdrawing from school in the middle of a semester was never something that I thought I would do. It felt like quitting, and I had never really quit anything before. Whenever I sign up for something, if I go to that first meeting, I HAVE to see it through to the end, even if I hate it. Finishing any responsibility I take on is just what I always thought I was supposed to do. I never thought that I had any other option than to keep doing what I’m doing.

Most college students at elite institutions of higher education follow the same path: participate in as many activities as possible in high school to get into a good college, participate in as many activities as possible in college to build a resume to get a job, find that high paying job immediately after graduation, rise up the corporate ladder as fast as you can. That’s just what you’re supposed to do.

But what happens when you’re covered in stress hives, unable to eat due to anxiety and blinking back into focus at 3 a.m. to find yourself holding a kitchen knife and mangling your thigh? What happens when you become a literal danger to yourself? Why are we supposed to keep working to the point of being in the goddamn trenches mentally and emotionally?

We are not conditioned to believe that it’s okay to take a break. Every moment of rest is spent stressing over the fact that we aren’t doing something “productive.” We value our education and labor over our health and well-being.

And that’s f*cking stupid. There have to be more options than “do” or “die.”

So, I would like to say I am sorry, Rory Gilmore. I was too hard on you for dropping out.

Maybe Rory didn’t have to leave Yale, but why do we feel so strongly about sticking with something you’re unsure about? Why not take the third option? Why not take a break to live at home (or I guess in your grandparent’s pool house) and do a whole bunch of nothing for a while in order to figure out who you are and what you really want to do?

Rory represents a very privileged sect of the population as someone who comes from money (shut up I don’t care about Lorelai being disowned, Emily and Richard are RICH

and more than willing to drop bands on Rory whenever she asks).

But in my leave of absence journey, I realized there aren’t as many barriers to leaving as I thought. I got a partial refund on the semester, my financial aid transferred to the extra semester I would have to take, and my scholarships and loans did the same (without interest because I was still technically a student despite not attending). Leaving — taking a break — can indeed be a viable option. Notre Dame just doesn’t want you to know that so their four-year graduation rate stats can look really good.

I like to think that it’s brave to say “I don’t want to do this anymore. I am done for now” and walk away, even if it feels cowardly at the time.

Be radical and rest for a couple of months! Figure out more about who you are and what you want to do! Recover!

Begin to feel like a real person again (then come back, if you want)!

Now I’m back and in awe of how much better I feel now compared to this time last year (thank you, antidepressants and therapy!) and all set to receive my diploma in January 2023. I do not at ALL regret taking leave.

Before my time off, I realized I hadn’t had an extended period of time without a looming responsibility since I was in high school. It was incredibly freeing to go home and know that the only thing I had to do was exist.

I think we all deserve to take some time to do nothing except exist.

Zoe Case

senior

Oct. 7

Latin for fun and profit Jonah Tran De Re Publica

Salvete omnes qui aut forte aut sua sponte tempus die exceperunt adesse nunc mecum. Quod scripsi est ordini maximi et certe dignus legendo multitudinis discuplorum.

Ego ipse pollicior.

Congratulations! You made it farther than many of your peers, who almost started reading this article but were deterred by the first word of the title or the three sentences’ worth of Latin words. To preface, I am neither compensated

by The University of Notre Dame’s Classics Department to write this nor am I compelled by my major to tout its current benefits and future monetary promises. In fact, I am a finance major — not a classical studies major or anything of the same vein. I have no plans of pursuing a career in classics wherein I would most likely end up as a high school Latin teacher; I will leave those implications up to you. I am writing this article to share my well-informed opinion about a noble subject matter that, I estimate, receives a bad reputation from ill-informed opinions. I have been studying Latin for almost five years by now, and for almost five years, I have been the subject of ridicule. Essentially, I have heard it all.

My favorite assertion against Latin is “Latin is a dead language!” In response, I say, “Yes! And no!” I agree with one sense of the word “dead” and disagree with the other. Latin is a “dead language” in the sense that there are no more native speakers. Such is the case with many other ancient languages like Sanskrit and Biblical Hebrew. However, the alternative sense of dead, the colloquial one, implies that Latin is useless. And this could not be any further from the truth.

Firstly, the colloquial sense of “dead” is loaded with negative connotation and ubiquitously appears with a standoffish tone. “Dead” in this context is akin to my telling a friend “The party was dead, bro” when, the assessment stems not from measuring the decibels of the noise or tallying the amount of people there but rather from a deeply harbored frustration after seeing my crush talking to another guy. Calling Latin a “dead” language is the equivalent of responding to a heavily corroborated, fool-proof argument with a resounding “CAP” and saying nothing else after.

These are incredibly hyperbolic analogies, but the truth lies in that calling Latin “dead” is an unfounded statement, based purely in opinion. The Anti-Latinist position would be much more respectable if it were based in reasonable rebuttals like, “There are other more relevant, beneficial languages to learn in the 21st century.”

I concede that Spanish and Mandarin are probably more significant languages to learn to speak given the U.S.’s demographic trends as well as the future of commercial business. However, Spanish is a Romance language, which means that it is a derivative of Latin, as are French, Portuguese, Italian and Romanian. Therefore, there is tremendous overlap between Latin’s vocabulary and grammatical constructions and those of any Romance language.

Latin could possibly be used as a linguistic foundation before one is to delve into new languages or even be used as a concurrent study aide, a handy point of reference. However, this relationship does not end with just the Romance languages; English, a Germanic language, still has much Latin influence.

Like Romance languages, English implements a sizable amount of Latin vocabulary and grammar rules. Moreover, countless English words have etymological roots in Latin.

Latin even influences idiomatic English, colloquial vocabulary. Take the phrase “willy-nilly,” which implies doing something whether one wants to or not. What if I told you that this phrase is an extension of the Latin words volens and nolens, which mean willing and unwilling, respectively? I could go on and on, applying the same principle to other words and phrases. The important takeaway is that there are many subtle Latin influences in English, many of which go unnoticed.

At this point, you are probably exhausted by the linguistic jargon and are wondering how Latin can be for fun and profit. Let me explain. Classical studies have something for everyone. If you are dying to compete with your grandparents by clearing the ancient civilizations category on “Jeopardy,” consider studying Latin history. If you are dying to learn the words of an exorcism, learn oral Latin. If you are just dying to prove to that one problematic English teacher that you can, in fact, write an essay, practice analyzing Latin texts. The skills are the same! If none of these applied to you, still consider learning some Latin, so you can avoid the near

occasion of improper grammar or botched Roman numerals in tattoos. Vinni Viddi Vicci!

On a more serious note, Latin and classical studies, writ large, are multifaceted: There is much culture, history, language, politics, liturgy and literature to be appreciated. As I said above, there is something for everyone. Perhaps I am alone in this, but I think it is possibly fun to read Cicero’s “First Catilinarian,” a 63 B.C. equivalent of a diss track.

Accusations. Slander. Mudslinging. In fact, there is a valuable storytelling aspect, akin to that of a novel, in every Latin text. In my personal writing career, I have profited from reading the prose of great writers like Julius Caesar and Pliny Minor, whose writing styles and rhetorical motifs have tremendous effect on my own. I am not saying that I copy the way they write, but I would be a rank liar to say that the implementation of antithesis, chiastic word structure, hyperbole, anaphora, aposiopesis, tricolon crescens, praeteritio and ring composition in this very article happened by accident. Think of these people more as quasi-ghost writers, literally.

These rhetorical devices, all of which I acquired during my Latin career, add stylistic nuances to the texts I produce. It absolutely enhances the quality of my writing, an indispensable skill in any professional career. Latin has had such a profound impact on my life that I am continuing my education with a classical studies minor, to the dismay of my parents. A major reason for why I write for The Observer stems from a passion for writing nurtured by an even greater passion for Latin. I mean, my byline “De Re Publica” is a nod to Cicero and his work of the same namesake.

What began as another boring high school grammar class eventually became an intellectual passion that influences how I express myself. I hope that what I have written has given you a new informed perspective of Latin, maybe even lightened some of your disdain. If not, call me a Latin loser. It is victus Latinus.

Jonah Tran is a first-year at Notre Dame double majoring in Finance and Economics and minoring in Classics. Although fully embracing the notorious title of a “Menbroza,” he prides himself on being an Educated Young Southern Gentleman. You can contact Jonah by email at jtran5@nd.edu.

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The observer | Wednesday, October 26, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Stephen J. Viz shall never return to Las Vegas, Nevada

Earn your dopamine release Mikey Colgan Day at a Time

It’s too easy. I just stop looking at my work for a second to check my phone. A notification pops up. I click on it. After viewing my notifications, I want to put off work just a little longer. So eventually, I think to myself: why not check on some Celtics or Patriots news? Then, a minute break suddenly turns to 20 minutes of completely wasted time. I look up from my phone and realize what I’ve done. I feel disappointed and try to get back to work. Now, a question I’ve had a tough time addressing is why I continue this vicious cycle when I know exactly where it will lead me. Thanks to a podcast hosted by Canadian psychologist, Jordan Peterson, with guest Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist and professor at the University of Stanford, I finally have discovered a scientific explanation of why we are inclined to waste time and ways to address it.

Think about the moments leading up to watching your favorite show or listening to the same playlist you love so much. The anticipation builds in your mind, and you probably feel a little excited. Then, you watch the show or listen to the music and it’s enjoyable as you’re doing it. However, the experience itself generally does not beat the anticipation. Once you stop watching, especially if you over-did it, you will probably feel a little down. This is all part of the dopamine cycle. The anticipation of an event raises your dopamine levels, then after it’s all said and done, your dopamine dips below baseline levels, causing a low feeling. This cycle is a leading cause of addiction in the form of drugs or even social media. In the podcast, cocaine was used as an example.

When an individual uses cocaine, there is an immediate dopamine release followed by a harsh low below baseline. So, to get out of the low state and reach that high again, an addict will keep taking cocaine. A major problem with this form of dopamine release is that there is next to no sacrifice involved in attaining it. If a person wants to feel this high, he or she simply must pay for cocaine and use it. The dopamine release is too easily accessible, which causes a reliance on the drug.

Now, this issue leads into the question: What form of dopamine release should we strive for? While I wouldn’t say there is a set-in-stone ideal action we should take, Huberman and Peterson agreed that choosing activities that require some sort of sacrifice and lead toward a goal are best. It can range from higher-level goals to smaller ones. Say you want to be in great shape down the road. This means you will have to sacrifice time and effort exercising day in and day out. In that exercise, you will experience a healthy dopamine release and still have a goal to look forward to and chase as you slowly attain good health. You could also just want a clean room. So if you vacuum and do your laundry, you will enjoy a dopamine release for completing your task. In addition, you will receive the benefits of a clean room and continue enjoying releases of dopamine if you maintain its cleanliness over time. The combination of goal-setting and dopamine can also explain in part why healthier foods may taste better as you age. As a kid, eating vegetables serves no greater purpose to you and just tastes bad. However, when you are older, it is easier to view things from a deeper lens and see how vegetables lead to good health.

Since your goal is no longer just good-tasting food, eating healthy is a sacrifice that leads to your larger purpose and allows you to feel the dopamine releases along the path. This creates a positive association between healthy food and how it makes you feel that did not exist as a child.

So, at this point, I’ve made a clear distinction between the positive releases of dopamine (those requiring sacrifice pointing towards a positive goal) and negative ones (easily achieved with virtually no sacrifice required at all). I think it’s great to shoot for as much of the positive side as you can, but there will have to be balance if you’re trying to shift your habits. Sticking to a long-term outlook sounds great on the surface, but it’s difficult to sustain a prolonged focus on the future without giving any attention to the desire for short-term dopamine release. To properly toe this line, you can regulate your quick releases of dopamine instead of eliminating them entirely. For example, if you have a sweet tooth and want a better diet, you could consider allowing some treats with your friends on the weekends. This could help you avoid burnout on your diet while mixing in a quick release of dopamine with a positive long-term goal of strengthening your relationships. Regardless of how you approach it, taking control of your addictions, big or small, and regulating them in a positive, repeatable manner can aid in controlling your releases of dopamine.

With that said, I urge you to take control of your dopamine cycles.

Instead of allowing your dopamine spikes and lows to control you, set goals and plans that allow for healthier, sustained releases of dopamine.

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

Stephen Viz Poor Stephen’s Scrapbook

OK, that’s probably hyperbole, but let me explain some things before I begin. First, I must apologize to the faithful readers of our humble little newspaper. This was a week with Vegas heavy content in The Observer. But c’mon, there was no way I was going to travel to Las Vegas and not write about it. Feel free to stop reading at any point if you have Sin City burnout. Second, as I wrote before Labor Day, if you get the chance to travel for Notre Dame football, take it and run with the money.

The atmosphere inside Allegiant Stadium was electric and the football team’s turnaround under the leadership of Marcus Freeman and company must be commended. My excitement for the coming years can hardly be contained, as Notre Dame versus Texas A&M in 2024 is already on my calendar. With that being said, I only came to Las Vegas for a Notre Dame football-focused reunion, and without the pomp and circumstance of the Irish, I will find it hard to make it back to the city. Allow me to shed some light on the subject.

Upon arriving to Harry Reid International Airport on Thursday night, I found myself as an exhausted little man. The week of Oct. 3 was a finals week for MBA students, and upon completing finals on Thursday morning, it took nearly us three and a half hours to make it to O’Hare in Chicago. Unreal. (JB Pritzker, you owe me $12.50 for overcharging us in tolls). The stop-and-go traffic made us nearly miss our flight, but by the grace of God, we made it. The six-hour flight was made worse by what must have been the world’s most annoying flight attendant. This dude seriously would not shut up. I’m sorry. His jokes were even worse. “Why was the mountain bad at hide and seek?” he asked. “Because it peaks!” Dead silence followed until a rowdy bachelor party sitting behind us began to curse him out. After that, I just may never fly Southwest again. Once we landed, we ventured out of the airport to hail an uber. As we were taken into the heart of the strip, the next sixty hours in the city would give me some keen insights on a place I’d rather not return to in the immediate future.

My euphoria certainly increased upon seeing old classmates and taking in an Irish Victory, but my opinions regarding the city persisted throughout the high and lows of the weekend. How badly the city smelled was my first thought. Both inside and out, Las Vegas is a stinky town. Imagine Cheers Pub met a hot steam shower met a piece of gas station pizza and that will give you the insight on how I think Vegas smells. It was repulsive. It probably doesn’t help that folks are allowed to smoke inside, but the smell is something that will stick with me for the rest of my life. My second thought regarded the price gouging. It was most apparent at a Notre Dame function at Caesars Palace on Friday night. My friend Camden ordered a cocktail, and I eagerly awaited the receipt like a tiger stalking its prey. “That will be $73.50 sir,” the bartender responded. Lol. Bring back Prohibition if the venues in Vegas have the gall to charge nearly 100 bucks for a drink. But since people will gladly pay, I suppose those prices will stay the same (I chose to settle for a $17 Michelob Ultra, how lucky am I. Look at us, who would’ve thought).

But as my thoughts continued to linger, they were always brought back to how depressing the town is. The sunshine, palm trees and bright

lights don’t do a good enough job of hiding the depressive ooze of overpriced booze, bad behavior and the manipulation of customer appetites. The house always wins, and the gambling industry that has made Vegas a household name deserves a lot more criticism than I think it gets. While Vegas serves as a cultural center of America that brings people together for conferences, shows and bachelor parties, gambling sits at the heart of it all. A revenue driver that pieces the whole place together, it cannot be escaped. The airport is cluttered with various slot machines that beep and blink for any traveler that wants a taste. Casinos up the ante, as their floors can become filled with hundreds of guests looking to win it big on the blackjack table. But the reality is, almost all of them end up leaving with less money than they came in with.

And I know what you might be thinking. “Oh Stephen, shut up nerd, live a little.” “Oh Stephen, you’re just a sore loser who lost money at the tables and now wants to complain about it.” “Oh Stephen, you’re just a guy who clearly can’t handle Vegas.” To answer that, yes I have lived a little, and love a healthy wager from time to time, whether that be on the golf course or on a downloaded sportsbook. And yes, I lost a little bit of money playing blackjack, but thank God I know my limits, because unfortunately for some, they don’t.

Sadly, gambling can be devastating for those who don’t know their limits. Gambling addiction is a vice that can affect the wellbeing of not only those afflicted but the well-being of their friends and family as well. “I can make it all back on this hand” is a mindset that can be cancerous and once compulsive gamblers find themselves in a hole, it becomes very difficult to climb out of. Las Vegas’s bread and butter has been made off those with this crippling addiction. I found this great article written by a compulsive gambler fighting his addiction in Las Vegas. “Unlike alcohol or drugs, gambling was easy to hide. You couldn’t smell it on my breath. I could walk in a straight line and drive safely after a binge (my drink of choice while playing slots was sparkling water with a twist of lime). Gambling didn’t leave track marks on my arms or white residue in my nostrils. Several times, I met up with friends for dinner or to see a comedy show twenty minutes after losing a thousand dollars at the machines. I simply put on my happy social mask and carried on.”

A harrowing but optimistic story, the predatory nature of “Adult Disneyland” on those with addiction is the biggest reason why I will always find myself contemptuous with the city. While surely many people can enjoy a weekend in Nevada without worrying about overdrawn bank statements and maxed-out credit scores, gambling addictions have cost people their homes, careers, marriages and even their own lives. So, if you are reading this and have a compulsory gambling addiction, I am praying for you and your courage to be honest about your addiction. Viva La Vegas, I think not.

Stephen Viz is a one-year MBA candidate and graduate of Holy Cross College. Hailing from Orland Park, Illinois, his columns are all trains of thoughts, and he can be found at either Decio Cafe or in Mendoza. He can be reached at sviz@nd.edu or on Twitter at @StephenViz. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Observer.

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The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

‘DIRT FEMME’:

A BRAVE NEW WORLD FOR TOVE LO

By AYDEN KOWALSKI Scene Writer

You’ve probably already met Swedish pop provocateur Tove Lo (pronounced “too-veh loo”). Her artistic thesis statement, “Habits (Stay High),” is a classic for a generation. After this initial commercial success, she turned left off the road to pop superstardom, producing darker and more intimate explorations of substance abuse and relationships in her “Lady Wood” album series. She followed these nocturnal odysseys with “Sunshine Kitty,” an album that attempted to soften her narratives’ edges, thereby sacrificing their essential grit. She has since left her major recording label to release music independently, and fortunately, her newest work “Dirt Femme” demonstrates the frankness and song writing mastery that makes her a unique talent. It illustrates Lo as an evolving artist, whose increasing ambition doesn’t always bloom here.

The best moments on “Dirt Femme” are when Lo’s exceptional storytelling and pop aspirations align.

“No One Dies from Love” is a euphoric, unapologetic synthpop about devastation, which could also be said of all her best work. The lyrics achieve this balance so perfectly, the best explanation is to simply print the chorus: “No one dies from love / Guess I’ll be the first / Will you remember us or / Are the mem’ries too stained with blood now? ”

“How Long,” composed for HBO’s “Euphoria,” finds our protagonist pining over slinky, slippery arpeggios as her performance grows increasingly intense, concluding in some of her best vocal work so far. As it builds, though, she carefully changes moods across the song, bringing in digitally distorted background vocals as if the universe itself is taunting her at the end of the second pre-chorus and turning a bit playful in the bridge even as she aches, setting up the final, soaring chorus.

Lo deviates from this successful formula of narratively complex electropop songs to show new facets of herself as an artist as well. “True Romance” is a ballad set over a pulsating, swelling soundscape of synthesizers, a fantasia in which Lo’s narrator falls, terrified, into love, and it is by far the album’s most moving track and one of the highlights of her discography. “I’m to Blame,” meanwhile, features her ritualistically repeating a heartbreaking verse over swelling acoustic production — classic guitar and pianos — before breaking out with a slamming club drum as the band production continues to blaze. It is anthemic in an unexpected way for her, the sort of song that will surely explode and transfix in concert.

Even the less successful tracks on this album have their earworms and f lashes of conceptual genius.

“Grapefruit,” another dance cut that is about an unspecified eating disorder, is

uncharacteristically guarded in its lyricism, but it still features a hook that burrows its way into the listener. “Suburbia” has a fascinating narrative of a partying protagonist confronting the possibility of motherhood, but this story cannot be captured in a weightless pop song. Lo has already created short films to accompany prior albums, and “Suburbia” is a story best explored in a film or novella where she would have the space to fully capture the intricate situation. Both “Suburbia” and “Grapefruit” are strangely unaffecting, and maybe Lo did not choose the right art form for these narratives. Perhaps these subjects are difficult for her to confront with her full artistic power.

“Dirt Femme” is Tove Lo entering a brave new world as an independent artist, feeling like the first chapter in a grand new adventure for the generationally talented song writer. There’s something on the horizon for Tove Lo, and there’s no better time to join her on her journey.

Contact Ayden at akowals2@nd.edu

“Dirt Femme” Artist: Tove Lo Label: Pretty Swede Records/Mtheory Favorite tracks: “True Romance,” “How Long,”

‘LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE’:

NETFLIX’S MYSTERIOUS TRIUMPH

By ROSE ANDROWICH Scene Writer

Editor’s note: This article contains discussions of gun violence and sexual assault. This article also includes spoilers for “Luckiest Girl Alive” “Luckiest Girl Alive” was released on Netf lix on Oct. 7, 2022. The mystery/drama follows a New York journalist who has never publicly spoken out about the school shooting that happened at her high school. The narrative switches between the present and her experience in high school. The f lashbacks help viewers understand her negative experience while connecting it to her present life.

Ani (Mila Kunis) is living the perfect life, or so it seems. Ani evolves throughout the movie when she is forced to confront the past. The facade of her dark past is seen through imagined scenes that show Ani’s disturbed state of mind. These recurring scenes make the accusation of Ani’s involvement in the school shooting seem plausible. By the end of the movie, Ani was more than a hidden woman with disturbing thoughts.

She is f leshed out through the f lashbacks, which show the suffering she faced at an early age. The broach of the suffering that was faced is what makes this film a triumph.

The way the mystery unfolds entices viewers to see how it unravels. A true crime documentary is

investigating the school shooting. The filmmaker is persistent on Ani being in the film considering her former classmate Dean’s (Alex Barone) accusations that Ani helped the perpetrator in the shooting. Dean is now a gun-control advocate and is being interviewed in the documentary. Ani decides to do the documentary but requests that she is not obligated to see Dean. Ani endured traumatic experiences being a scholarship student at a private school.

She attends a party where she is sexually assaulted by three of her classmates. The heartbreak over her experience is worsened when she goes to the eventual school shooter, Arthur (Thomas Barbusca), and tells him about the assault. The two disagree over her decision not to do anything.

Ani, considering her trauma, even apologizes to one of the boys who assaulted her. Ani is unable to do anything because of her estranged relationship with her mom. The two have a conversation where the mom defends her actions and says that she put Ani in the position to meet a rich fiancé like Luke (Finn Witrock).

Ani’s relationship with Luke throughout the movie shows her aspiration for perfection. The two eat together at a restaurant where Ani barely touches her food. Once Luke disappears, she eats the two slices of pizza, not wanting Luke to see her being a ‘pig.’ She fakes a spill to justif y the pizza

being gone and he tells her how proud she is that she ate carbs. Ani’s dreams of someday working for The New York Times Magazine are diminished by Luke, who thinks she should get a Master of Fine Arts to author a book. He wants them to move to England, but Ani wants to stay in New York.

Ani quits the documentary after encountering Dean and decides to write an article exposing what happened to her. W hen Luke finds out, he asks questions about her motive and draws attention to Dean’s suffering of being paralyzed.

Ani decides to stay in New York and not marry Luke. Ani does feel bad for hurting him. However, the relationship that is emphasized is Ani’s friendship with Nell (Justine Lupe). The scenes in this movie combined produce more than an intriguing mystery movie.

“Luckiest Girl Alive” shows the long-term impact of traumatic experiences. Ani’s character arc is f leshed out and the characters are what make us remember the movie.

Contact Rose at randrowich01@saintmarys.edu

“Luckiest Girl Alive” Starring: Mila Kunis, Chiara Aurelia, Finn Witrock Director: Mike Barker

GABRIEL ZARAZUA | The Observer

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The observer | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

By GABRIEL ZARAZUA Scene Writer

Ha l loween is upon us ! W h i le t here a re plent y of g reat a n i mated Ha l loween mov ies l i ke “Monster House” a nd “ A Nig ht ma re before Ch r ist ma s,” I wa nted to f i nd one t hat wa sn’t ent i rely mea nt for k ids. I wa nted to t r y somet h i ng new a nd see i f t here were a ny adu lt a n i mated hor ror mov ies. However, it’s su r pr isi ng to see t hat t here a ren’t t hat ma ny adu lt a n i mated horror mov ies out t here i n t he world, wh ich is prett y sad, si nce I’m su re t here a re plent y of stor ies to tel l t hat wou ld sca re some people w it h t he power a n i mat ion holds. T hen, I ra ndom ly saw one mov ie ca l led “Seou l Stat ion,” a n a n i mated zombie mov ie. Now, I a m a g iga nt ic sucker for zombie mov ies, t houg h f i nd i ng a good zombie t hese days is few a nd fa r bet ween. I ca me to rea l i ze t hat it is a n of f icia l prequel to t he h it Sout h Korea n zombie mov ie “A Tra i n to Busa n.” ( W h i le it’s not a n i mated, I st i l l h ig h ly recommend it !) So, I decided to g ive t h is sma l l budget a n i mated f i l m a shot. Here’s my rev iew of “Seou l Stat ion.”

T he f i l m ser ves a s a prequel to t he l ive-act ion f i l m “Tra i n to Busa n,” depict i ng t he ver y beg i nn i ngs of t he zombie apoca ly pse i n Sout h Korea.

T he f i l m focuses on t h ree cha racters. Hye-su n is a r u naway, but her fat her Su k-g y u a nd her

By CLAIRE LYONS Associate Scene Editor

“We’re experiencin’ life through the postmodern lens/ Oh, call it like it is/ You’re makin’ an aesthetic out of not doin’ well/ And minin’ all the bits of you/ You think you can sell whilst the fans are on.”

T hese ly r ics, w r it ten for t he open i ng t rack of T he 1975’s newest relea se, “Bei ng Fu n ny i n a Foreig n L a ng uage,” set t he tone for t he whole a lbu m. “T he 1975 (BFI A FL)” ha s t he stereot y pica l ly qu ippy w r it i ng of f ront ma n Mat t y Hea ly.

W it h l ig ht hea r ted references to ser ious topics l i ke QA non a nd d r ug usage, t he song toes t he l i ne bet ween a n “i ron ica l ly depressi ng state-ofworld add ress accord i ng to Mat t y Hea ly ” a nd a si ncere apolog y f rom a m i l len n ia l to today ’s yout h.

T he a lbu m it sel f da nces bet ween i rony a nd si ncer it y a s Hea ly ex plores what it mea ns to be bot h a fa mous musicia n a nd a v u l nerable a r t ist.

He t h i n k s he’s “m i n i n’ a l l t he bits” of h i msel f wh ich he t h i n k s he ca n sel l, but st i l l cla i ms t h is a lbu m is t he most si ncere one he’s w r it ten. A s Pitch fork w r iter Rya n Domba l says, we’re “st uck bet ween t wo Mat t y Hea lys, w it h one of t hem

boy f r iend K i-woong t r y to f i nd her a rou nd t he a rea of Seou l Stat ion. T he f i l m seems to be t r yi ng to bu i ld on t he fat her-daug hter relat ionsh ip t hat we see prom i nent ly i n “Tra i n to Busa n.”

However, t hat is t he on ly t heme t hat is remotely close to t he prev ious f i l m a nd say i ng t hat is st i l l a bit of a st retch. T he f i l m ha s a n overa l l n i h i list ic v iew on t he world. W h i le we hea r it i n horror mov ies a l l t he t i me, t he a mou nt of ph ra ses l i ke “It’s mea n i ng less ! ” a nd “It doesn’t mat ter! ” I hea rd i n t h is f i l m wa s honest ly a l it t le overwhel m i ng. We see it w it h Hye-su n, a woma n who ra n away f rom a brot hel a nd t h i n k s ever yone on ly sees her a s a d isposable object. We a lso see it w it h a homeless ma n whose act s of k i ndness u lt i mately mea nt not h i ng i n t he end, when it wou ld usua l ly sta nd for redempt ion.

It’s ha rd to not compa re t h is f i l m to t he ma ster piece t hat ca me before it. “Tra i n to Busa n” is one of t he best hor ror zombie mov ies of a l l t i me.

T he mov ie tel ls a redempt ion stor y about a fat her a nd h is daug hter, wh i le show i ng t hat wh i le t here a re sel f ish a nd ter r ible people i n t h is world, act s of k i nd ness a nd sel f lessness by ot hers a ren’t poi nt less or a wa ste of t i me. However, perhaps t hat is what d i rector Yeon Sa ng-ho wa nted to show “Seou l Stat ion.” He wa nted to show us bot h sides of t he coi n i n a zombie apoca ly pse. W h i le t here a re t hose stor ies t hat g ive people hope, t here a re t hose t hat a ren’t so luck y

a nd don’t receive a “happy end i ng.”

T he a n i mat ion itsel f is pret t y f lu id for bei ng completely CGI. W h i le t he f i l m does sta r t slow i n act ua l ly show i ng t he zombies, t he a n i mat ion keeps up w it h t he fa st pace once t he apoca ly pse comes i n f u l l force. Hye-su n, wh i le no sa i nt, is st i l l a good cha racter who, despite hav i ng a bad v iew on t he world a rou nd her, st i l l t r ies her best to be a good person. It wa s a lso i nterest i ng to see t he forgot ten a nd overlooked people i n Seou l’s societ y.

By itsel f, “Seou l Stat ion” is a decent zombie f i l m w it h some i nterest i ng cha racters a nd socia l com menta r y on how t hose who seem wor t h less a re t reated i n Seou l. W h i le t he stor y sta r ted slow, it picked up i n t he second act a nd some la st m i nute t w ists nea r t he end of t he f i l m genu i nely caug ht me of f g ua rd. It’s not “Tra i n to Busa n” by a ny mea ns, but it does its best to sta nd on its ow n.

rol l i ng t hei r eyes at t he ot her.”

“Bei ng Fu n ny i n a Foreig n L a ng uage” is a n attempt to br idge t he gap bet ween Hea ly ’s pr ivate a nd publ ic-faci ng ident it ies. In a n exclusive i nter v iew w it h Spot i f y, Hea ly says t he a lbu m’s t it le comes f rom “t he heig ht of empat hy…st radd l i ng t wo cu lt u ra l bou nda r ies…a nd br i ng i ng t hem toget her.” U lt i mately, it’s a n a lbu m about con nect ion i n a t i me of severe a l ienat ion. It’s love t h roug h t he post moder n lens.

I’l l spa re readers t he whole conversat ion about post moder n ph i losophy a nd l itera r y t heor y, but t he i mpor ta nt t h i ng to note is t hat “Bei ng Fu n ny ” is post moder n a r t. Hea ly rejects t he idea t hat t he world is ordered a nd u ndersta ndable, i nstead, he focuses on t he one t r ue t h i ng he ca n at test to — h is ex per ience a s a si nger-song w r iter. T he a lbu m is bot h i ncred ibly ea r nest a nd cont rad ictor y.

On ly T he 1975 ca n w r ite a song ca l led “Happi ness” w it h ly r ics l i ke “God, help me ‘cause/ Oh, I’m never gon na love aga i n, hey.”

On ly T he 1975 ca n w r ite a catchy 80s bop l i ke “L ook i ng for Somebody ( To L ove)” a nd ca sua l ly d rop t hat it’s about tox ic ma scu l i n it y a nd school shoot i ngs i n a n i nter v iew. On ly T he 1975 ca n w r ite a cheesy over-t he-top love song l i ke “I’m i n L ove W it h You” i n 2022 w it hout a

resou nd i ng “Ug h ! ” i n response f rom fa ns. On ly T he 1975 ca n w r ite a n i ncred ibly v u l nerable song l i ke “A l l I Need to Hea r” a nd say it sou nds l i ke a cover.

T he ba nd plays w it h si ncer it y a nd i rony i nside a nd outside of t he st ud io, toy i ng w it h bot h t hei r i nst r u ments a nd t he music i ndust r y a l i ke.

T he beaut y, t houg h, is i n t he dy na m ic bet ween t hei r si ncer it y a nd i rony. T here’s ba la nce. T he a lbu m a s a whole is concise a nd son ica l ly cohesive. T he fact t hat ea r nest ness a nd sa rca sm ex ist toget her i n t he sa me a lbu m goes to show t hat maybe, cont ra r y to Hea ly ’s opi n ion, g reat a nd f u n ny a ren’t ver y d i f ferent.

Contact Gabriel Zarazua at gzarazua@nd.edu

“Seoul Station” Director: Yeon Sang-ho Starring: Shim Eun-kyung, Ryu Seung-ryong, Lee Joon Streaming: Amazon Prime

Contact Claire Lyons at clyons3@nd.edu

“Being Funny in a Foreign Language” Artist: The 1975 Label: Dirty Hit Favorite tracks: “I’m in Love with You,” “All I Need to Hear,” “About You” If you like: M83, The Neighborhood

MARIA GORECKI | The Observer

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ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2022 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Embrace change and new beginnings. Don’t let negativity stand between you and your dreams. Put your energy into planning your next big adventure. Use your ingenuity to devise a unique way to handle monetary issues. Steer clear of joint ventures, and don’t pay for other people’s mistakes or shortcomings. Make personal growth, spirituality and better health your priorities.

Your numbers are 3, 11, 23, 26, 35, 38, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Join forces with someone who wants the same things as you. Discuss your thoughts and intentions and map out how you intend to reach your goal. Avoid pressure tactics when trying to get your way. It’s best to offer incentives, not threats.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Announce your plans, listen to the feedback you receive and discard what you no longer need in your life. Staying on top of what’s important to you will stop anyone from trying to interfere with your plans. Do what makes you happy and self-sufficient.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Use intelligence and experience to avoid trouble. Put your heart and soul into your responsibilities. Look for opportunities to work alongside people who share your interests and concerns. Get what you want in writing.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Hang on to what you’ve got and find different ways to use items, information and knowledge to suit your needs. Calling on all your resources will make your ideas appealing to superiors and others you want to impress. Mix business with pleasure.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take a deep breath and evaluate what you are up against, then rethink your game plan. Don’t feel the need to change something that is working fine. Look for ways to save money and eliminate waste. Don’t let someone’s uncertainty unnerve you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Don’t be shy. If change is what you want, make it happen. Put your energy into research and success. A personal situation will require your attention. Listen to complaints and offer solutions and incentives that are difficult to turn down.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Absorb information and apply what you learn. Your communication skills will help you enlist others to pitch in and help. Take pride in what you do, and don’t pay for something that isn’t up to your standards. A meeting will lead to success.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Take the initiative to do things before someone puts in a request. Efficiency and consistency will help you gain respect and reach your goals. Take notes, verify information and lower your overhead. Tone down situations by distancing yourself from people who exaggerate.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Pitch in and make a difference. The information you gather will give you the lowdown and help you discover the best way to do your part. Refuse to let anyone pressure you to take on more than you can handle.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Take a seat, wait and watch; you’ll make the right decision. Surprise everyone by applying a unique approach to handling money, earning a living and dealing with manipulative individuals. Positive change and personal gain are apparent.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don’t let your guard down. Joint ventures or shared expenses will get you in trouble. Keep tabs on finances, health and legal matters, or someone will take advantage of you. Stick close to home and fix up your surroundings.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don’t let someone’s debt drag you down. Put things in perspective and be blatant about what you are comfortable doing for others. Invest more time and money in your appearance and finding the best way to save for something you want.

Birthday Baby: You are empathetic, passionate and reserved. You are intense and persistent.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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Sports Authority S

Top 5 games of CFB Week 9 Joseph Tunney Sports Writer

Another week of college football brings another slate of games, each with unique stories, traditions and players.

In the words of famous sportscaster Brad Nessler, “you can go to ever y stadium in the countr y, and never see the same thing tw ice.”

5. Michigan State @ No. 4 Michigan, 7:30 p.m., ABC, (Michigan -22.5) This iconic battle is waged for the 115th time this Saturday, as two teams w ith divergent seasons clash in a rivalr y matchup. Michigan is 7-0 and has looked the part of a team w illing to challenge Ohio State again for Big Ten supremacy.

The Wolverine offensive attack possesses a talented group of wide receivers and strong backfield led by running back Blake Corum. Corum has received some Heisman trophy hy pe, the prognosticators currently project him w ith the fourth-best odds to w in the award.

After a good deal of preseason fanfare, Michigan State has had a rock y season, going 3-4.

Their offense hasn’t gotten over the loss of NFL running back Kenneth Walker III, although the team still has playmakers. Wide Receiver Jaylen Reed had a game-winning catch against Wisconsin last week.

Defensive end Jacoby Windmon has won Big Ten Defensive Player

Big Ten Continued from page 13

between November 4-23 are ranked, on average, sixth in the countr y.

The Irish (3-2-1) cannot expect to easily create rhythm against the big dogs, so the time is now for them to build some serious momentum.

They started the year with uncertainty, as they lost handily to thirdranked Denver and needed a wild comeback to tie Air Force, but then rattled off three straight wins over Northern Michigan and Western Michigan.

The thrill of Friday’s 2-0 defeat of the 17th-ranked Broncos quick ly turned sour in a rough, 4-0 loss

of the Week tw ice. The Wolverines may be the better team talent-w ise, but to achieve their goals they’ll have to get past a team that has been their kr y ptonite.

Jim Harbaugh is 0-2 against Spartan head coach Mel Tucker, and the Wolverines are 4-10 in the last 14 matchups.

4. Notre Dame @ No. 16 Syracuse, Noon, ABC, (Syracuse -2.5) After an up and dow n month, the Irish travel east to central New York to play a surprisingly good Syracuse team.

The Irish had the benefit of a get-right game last weekend, beating an inferior UNLV squad 44-21.

Throughout the year, tight end Michael Mayer has looked like the real deal; he’s the leading receiver on an Irish team that needs more playmakers to emerge.

Running back Audric Estime has run well at times but has struggled with ball security, fumbling three times in his past four games.

If the Irish want to upset Syracuse, they w ill need to take care of the ball.

Syracuse is 6-1, coming off of a tight loss to fifthranked Clemson.

Running back Sean Tucker has been the best player for the Orange this year, which makes head coach Dino Babers’ decision to largely exclude him from the game plan against Clemson all the more confusing.

Tucker only carried the ball five times for 54 yards. Quarterback

on Saturday.

Western Michigan outshot the Irish 38-22 in game two, peppering the visitors with 29 shots on goal through two periods.

Though Notre Dame has struggled on the road (02-1), they are still a perfect 3-0-0 in South Bend, favoring a resurgent effort this weekend.

One season has made quite the difference for the Irish penalty kill.

After posting one of the best kill percentages in college hockey last year, Notre Dame has sur vived just 74.1 percent of opposing power plays. In the 4-0 loss to W MU, the Irish asked for trouble by making four trips to the penalty box before receiving a single man advantage.

Garrett Shrader has had a good year for the Orange, and if they want to stay in contention for a New Year’s Six Bowl Game, they w ill need this w in.

3. No. 9 Oklahoma State @ No. 22 Kansas State, 3:30 p.m., FOX, (Kansas State -1) The Big 12 plays host to another important battle, a dogfight that could potentially decide the second spot in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Both teams have lost to TCU, who has taken charge as the best team in the Big 12 thus far.

Ok lahoma State responded from their double overtime loss to TCU two weeks ago (their only loss of the season) w ith a huge w in over Texas.

Quarterback Spencer Sanders is dealing w ith undisclosed injuries, but he fought through to give the Cowboys an important w in. Sanders threw for 391 yards and 2 touchdow ns last week.

Kansas State has lost two games, to TCU and a ranked Tulane team, and have show n f lashes of being a conference contender.

The Wildcats were up 28-10 on TCU at one point before collapsing and allow ing a comeback.

Kansas State also barely avoided an upset against Iowa State.

Quarterback Adrian Martinez also was injured against TCU, and although backup Will Howard filled in admirably, the starter’s health is a paramount concern.

Both teams need the game to stay in

Junior for ward Ryder Rolston’s three goals and six points lead the team, and his 28 shots are twice the amount of the nexthighest shooter. Graduate student for ward Chayse Primeau has arrived from Omaha on a mission, tallying five points and winning an impressive 59.3 percent of face-offs.

Should their production carr y into conference play, Notre Dame will be well-prepared to shine in big games.

On the defensive end, junior Drew Bavaro has stepped up with four assists, while sophomore

the battle for the Big 12 Championship.

2. No. 19 Kentucky @ No. 3 Tennessee, 7:00 p.m., ESPN, (Tennessee -12.5) This showdown between two ranked SEC teams has potential to be a classic. Quarterbacks Hendon Hooker and Will Levis are two of the most talented in the countr y for their respective teams, and their showdown on Saturday night is going to be fun.

Hooker has been the man behind the reins of an insanely talented offensive attack, and his connection w ith wide receiver Jalin Hyatt might end up leading the Volunteers to the SEC Championship and beyond.

The Volunteers are playing their first conference game since their biggest win in years, a 52-49 w in over A labama. Fans stormed the field, uprooting the goal posts and transporting them out of the stadium into the nearby river. Last weekend, the Volunteers put up 65 points on a hapless UT Martin squad.

Kentucky is coming off of their bye week, which allowed their star quarterback to get healthy. Two weeks ago, they earned a key win against a ranked Mississippi State, stopping a losing streak of two games. Kentucky’s philosophy is built on running the football and playing strong defense.

If they can somehow get defensive stops this Kentucky team could turn Tennessee’s championship dreams into a nightmare.

1. No. 2 Ohio State @ No.

Ryan Helliwell has been reliable with a team-best +5 plus-minus. Senior goaltender Ryan Bischel’s performance will make for an intriguing matchup in net.

Bischel pitched a shutout last Friday and collected 31 saves in Saturday’s loss, bringing his season save percentage to a fine .913 mark.

Series Histor y Statistics

and

Notre Dame and Michigan State have appeared in 36 combined national tournaments and 13 Frozen Fours. Since

13 Penn State, Noon, FOX, (Ohio State -15.5) Ohio State is undefeated and has a claim as the best team in the countr y.

Quarterback CJ Stroud has been scar y good, with 28 touchdow ns compared to just four interceptions.

Ohio State has made their living off of having the best wide receiver rooms in the countr y over the past few seasons and this year is no different.

Emeka Egbuka, Mar vin Harrison Jr. and Julian Fleming have more than stepped up in the absence of the crown jewel, Ja xon Smith-Njigba. Head coach Ryan Day is hopeful that Smith-Njigba can return for his first game since his injur y against Notre Dame.

Last week, the Buckeyes obliterated an Iowa defense that some called the best in the Big Ten, overcoming a f lat start to put up 54 points.

Penn State is coming off of a big win against Minnesota that keeps them in the Big Ten Championship race (for the time being). That contention is dependent on a win this weekend.

If Penn State loses on Saturday, the Nittany Lions and head coach James Frank lin will be effectively out of the running. Frank lin’s team has talent, and have played the Buckeyes close in recent years.

Contact Joseph Tunney at jtunney2@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Notre Dame joined the Big Ten prior to the 201718 season, the Irish lead the series 13-5 with four ties. However, Michigan State has tightened up the margin over the last three seasons, as Notre Dame is just 5-4-4 against the Spartans during that time frame. Last year, the teams split the South Bend leg before Notre Dame earned a sweep in East Lansing. After this weekend’s bout, the two will meet again at Munn Ice Arena on Feb. 3 and 4.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

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.

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ND Volleyball

Irish await road test versus No. 4 Louisville

By AIDAN THOMAS Sports Editor

Coming off a disheartening loss to ACC cellar-dwellers Virginia, Notre Dame volleyball faces a brutal test in their effort to bounce back.

The Irish travel to Louisville to take on the fourth-ranked Cardinals on Wednesday evening. Louisville enters the game with a sparkling 18-2 record. Their only losses are to No. 6 Ohio State and No. 7 Pittsburgh. The latter loss came in a heartbreaking five-setter, as the Cardinals dropped their game with the ACC leaders.

Notre Dame enters the contest with a 4-6 record. They’re one result against Virginia from feeling like their season was fully on the upswing.

After an 0-4 start to ACC play, the Irish bounced back with four straight wins. An expected loss to Pittsburgh dropped them to 4-5, but then Notre Dame meekly fell in straight sets to the Cavaliers. Instead of sitting in a tie for seventh, a game out of fourth place, the Irish are tied for tenth and searching for answers.

They have two matchups with Louisville remaining which will likely not help their record.

The Cardinals are not infallible though. Both Virginia Tech and Wake Forest, a pair of teams the Irish beat a little over a week ago, claimed sets

against Louisville. But, outside of the Pittsburgh loss, the Cardinals have dropped just three total sets in nine ACC wins. Claire Chaussee leads Louisville with 259 kills and teammate Aiko Jones is second with 182 kills and leads the squad with 27 service aces. That duo boasts hitting percentages of .310 and .403, respectively, contributing to a .302 team mark that ranks fourth in the country.

Notre Dame will need an otherworldly effort to topple Louisville on Wednesday.

Graduate transfer middle blocker Kaylyn Winkler leads the Irish with 150 kills, and freshman outside hitter Lucy Trump follows right behind with 149. Winkler is the more efficient of the duo with a .251 hitting percentage. Junior libero Hattie Monson has been the heart and soul of the team; she is the linchpin of the Irish defense with 330 digs. On the attack, Monson’s 26 service aces lead the squad, and her 104 assists rank second.

Last year, in two contests versus Louisville, Notre Dame went 0-2, losing six of seven sets. Their last win against the Cardinals came in the 2020 season opener, on Sept.

25. Wednesday’s game will start at 8 p.m. at the KFC Yum! Center, and it will be broadcast on ACC Network.

Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

SOFIA CRIMIVAROLI | The Observer

Irish sophomore outside hitter Paris Thompson from Florida spikes the ball in an offensive play in a game against Wake Forest on Oct. 14. The team’s current record is 9-11 with eight more games left in the season.

ND HOCKEY

Irish prepare to meet Spartans in Big Ten opener

By TYLER REIDY Sports Writer

Throughout the first month of the season, Fighting Irish hockey has become well-acquainted with The Great Lakes State. Having already squared off with Northern Michigan and Western Michigan, Notre Dame now turns its attention to the Michigan State Spartans. This weekend’s series in South Bend will usher in Big Ten action, marking the first of twelve series on both teams’ conference slates. The matchup will also ser ve as a crucial segue for the 12th-ranked Irish, whose seven games to follow are against teams rated above them.

Michigan State : the Ground Up

From

After losing 15 out of 16 games to end the 202122 season, the Spartans are off to a promising start. Under head coach Adam Nightingale, they enter with a 4-2-0 record — all against unranked opponents.

The Spartans split a home-and-away series with Bowling Green to open the campaign, then split with UMass-Lowell and swept Long Island on home ice. Last weekend, MSU dominated both ends of the two-game series, handling the Sharks 3-1 on Friday and 8-4 on Saturday. Defense was the stor y of game one, w the Spartans limited LIU to just 15 shots on goal.

Saturday saw Michigan State crank out eight goals for the first time in nine years, pummeling the visitors with 50 shots on goal. Senior for ward Jagger Joshua registered his first career hat trick, and the Spartan power play scored four times in seven opportunities. On the weekend, seven of MSU’s eleven goal-contributors were first-time scorers.

In a limited sample size, Michigan State’s offense is clicking. The Spartans, on average, are outshooting opponents 37.7 to 23.3, and outscoring them 3.3 to 2.5. They have racked up at least 39 shots on goal in four of six games, and have yet to allow more than 30 shots

on goal in a game. MSU’s top for ward line consists of two freshmen in addition to Joshua, but the newcomers have been magnificent in adjusting to the college game.

Daniel Russell leads the team with nine points, while Karsen Dor wart has already amassed five assists. A ll six players on their second and third for ward lines have over 60 games of collegiate experience, while MSU’s top three defensemen have combined to play 397 NCA A games.

Between the pipes, graduate student Dylan St. Cyr is an undersized, yet effective goaltender. He stands at just 5-foot-8, but is coming off a spectacular season at Quinnipiac,

in which he posted a .936 save percentage and 1.16 goals against average.

St. Cyr is also no stranger to Compton Family Ice Arena. He started 30 games for the Fighting Irish between 2017 and 2021.

This Spartans team is much improved from last year’s debacle, already producing noticeably better results in the non-conference schedule. Their combination of youthful skill and well-documented experience should ser ve them well in South Bend and beyond.

Notre Dame : A Need for Consistency

Notre Dame’s opponents see Big Ten PAGE 12

14

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ND Football

Russo pulls off hat trick against Michigan on Senior Night

By ANNIKA HERKO Sports Writer

Throughout the first month of the season, Fighting Irish hockey has become well-acquainted with The Great Lakes State.

Having already squared off with Northern Michigan and Western Michigan, Notre Dame now turns its attention to the Michigan State Spartans.

This

weekend’s series in South Bend will usher in Big Ten action, marking the first of twelve series on both teams’ conference slates.

The matchup will also serve as a crucial segue for the 12th-ranked Irish, whose seven games to follow are against teams rated above them.

Michigan State: From the Ground Up

After losing 15 out of 16 games to end the 2021-22 season, the Spartans are off to a promising start.

Under head coach Adam Nightingale, they enter with a 4-2-0 record — all against unranked opponents. The Spartans split a home-and-away series with Bowling Green to open the campaign, then split with UMass-Lowell and swept Long Island on

RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

Irish junior forward Daniel Russo dribbles the ball in a game against Boston College on Sept. 30. Russo has scored two goals and had four assists so far this season. Notre Dame has a current record of 8-6-1.

Ivey Continued from page 16

heading into the offseason.

So she hit the transfer portal to adapt. The Irish brought in Kylee Watson from Oregon and Lauren Ebo from Texas to help f lesh out the squads depth in the paint.

Ebo arrives in South Bend as a graduate student on the back of a career-best senior season in Austin, where she averaged 8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. A battletested veteran whose last t wo seasons featured NCA A tournament runs, Ebo can be expected to be an important leader who’ll prov ide invaluable experience

to a still-young Irish locker room.

Watson should prov ide another option for Ivey dow n low. The 6’4 junior brings a former five star pedigree to Purcell Pav ilion.

Of note for Watson is that she hails from New Jersey and has prev iously played w ith Miles, allow ing her to have early chemistr y w ith Notre Dame’s starting point guard.

W hen asked about frontcourt turnover, coach Ivey raved about what Watson brings to the table as the team looks to replace Dodson.

“I’m super excited about Kylee,” Ivey said. “[She] has a motor, which you guys w ill see. She’s a difference

maker. She’s exciting, w ith explosiveness… she brings what we lost w ith Maya and her athleticism and her abilit y to run the f loor.”

Ultimately, it’s difficult to see how Notre Dame doesn’t improve on their 2021 campaign prov ided ever yone stays healthy. Miles has seemed to get better ever y game she’s played in her college career, and now has another offseason of training and development under her belt.

Mabrey should prov ide the t y pe of experienced compliment that w ill ease Miles’ grow th as well.

Westbeld is a proven quantit y who also has show n f lashes of being an all-ACC player in 2022. Citron is

home ice. Last weekend, MSU dominated both ends of the two-game series, handling the Sharks 3-1 on Friday and 8-4 on Saturday.

Defense was the story of game one, as the Spartans limited LIU to just 15 shots on goal.

Saturday saw Michigan State crank out eight goals for the first time in nine years, pummeling the visitors with 50 shots on goal.

Senior forward Jagger Joshua registered his first career hat trick, and the Spartan power play scored four times in seven opportunities. On the weekend, seven of MSU’s eleven goalcontributors were firsttime scorers.

In a limited sample size, Michigan State’s offense is clicking. The Spartans, on average, are outshooting opponents 37.7 to 23.3, and outscoring them 3.3 to 2.5. They have racked up at least 39 shots on goal in four of six games, and have yet to allow more than 30 shots on goal in a game.

MSU’s top forward line consists of two freshmen in addition to Joshua, but the newcomers have been magnificent in adjusting to the college game. Daniel Russell leads the team with nine points, while Karsen Dorwart has already amassed five assists. All six players on their second and third forward lines have over 60 games of collegiate experience, while MSU’s top three defensemen have combined to play 397 NCA A games.

Between the pipes, graduate student Dylan St. Cyr is an undersized, yet effective goaltender. He

stands at just 5-foot-8, but is coming off a spectacular season at Quinnipiac, in which he posted a .936 save percentage and 1.16 goals against average. St. Cyr is also no stranger to Compton Family Ice Arena. He started 30 games for the Fighting Irish between 2017 and 2021. This Spartans team is much improved from last year’s debacle, already producing noticeably better results in the non-conference schedule. Their combination of youthful skill and welldocumented experience should serve them well in South Bend and beyond.

another of last year’s freshman who seemed to get better as she gained experience to perfectly fit into Ivey’s system.

Watson and Ebo both look to be shrewd transfer portal additions, and if they hit the ground running, Notre Dame’s front court should be a solid unit as well.

The w ild card in the Irish squad is freshman guard KK Bransford.

The rookie is the only member of Notre Dame’s freshman class, but brings an impressive high school pedigree.

Ranked in the top thirt y of all 2022 recruits, Bransford has also draw n praise from Ivey for her abilit y to guard and play one to four on the

court, making her seem a natural fit for Notre Dame’s positionless st yle. Her 5’11 frame combined w ith an already short Irish bench makes it seem highly likely the rookie could be in line for high leverage minutes early.

If all goes well for Notre Dame, the Irish could be in contention for titles at both the ACC and national level. Such possibilities are contingent on continued development and steady production, which is never assured.

But, the expectations are sk y high if the Irish can hit the right notes.

Notre Dame: A Need for Consistency

Notre Dame’s opponents between November 4-23 are ranked, on average, sixth in the country. The Irish (3-2-1) cannot expect to easily create rhythm against the big dogs, so the time is now for them to build some serious momentum.

They started the year with uncertainty, as they lost handily to thirdranked Denver and needed a wild comeback to tie Air Force, but then rattled off three straight wins over Northern Michigan and Western Michigan.

The thrill of Friday’s 2-0 defeat of the 17th-ranked Broncos quickly turned sour in a rough, 4-0 loss on Saturday.

Western Michigan outshot the Irish 38-22 in game two, peppering the visitors with 29 shots.

Contact Annika Herko at aherko@nd.edu

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

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LEVEL UP : IRISH LOOK TO

Women’s Basketball

TAKE NEXT STEP UNDER IVEY

GABRIEL ZARAZUA | The Observer

Led by Ivey, women’s basketball team strives for ACC title in their upcoming season

By J.J. POST Sports Writer

Notre Dame women’s basketball enters the 2022 season w ith expectations unlike any they’ve seen in t wo years under head coach Niele Ivey.

For ever y rebuilding hardship that Ivey’s first season brought, her second campaign in 2021 prov ided signs of a program on the way back to the top. Ivey’s inaugural Irish lost on opening day to Ohio and ended the season w ith an unceremonious first round ex it in the ACC tournament. Her second squad beat Ohio by 36 points on opening night, and didn’t end the season before making a run to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCA A Tournament.

But more impressive than last years’ squad’s achievements was its youth. Notre Dame took the f loor against North Carolina State starting three underclassmen and t wo freshmen. As such, most of their core returns for 2022 offer hope of a team that can build off of last season’s Sweet Sixteen run and

challenge for an ACC title.

W hile a title w inning mentalit y isn’t any thing new in South Bend, this season marks the first time Ivey and her group can reasonably expect to compete on such a level. Not shy ing away from the program’s histor y, however, Ivey says she sees the teams’ prior accomplishments as a motivation for the new generation of talent at Notre Dame as they tr y to bring home a title of their ow n: “The expectation is always there. W hen you think Notre Dame, you think Final Four,” Ivey said. “W hen you walk into this arena you see two national championship banners, you see the ring of honor. In the practice facilit y you see nine Final Four logos. So you hear about it, you see the murals… but [the team] has to go through it. So it’s about challenging them, talking about that standard and tr y ing to set that standard and tone ever y day.”

Any such title challenge w ill almost certainly be anchored by the backcourt.

The Irish return one of the

nation’s most potent guard pairings in sophomore Oliv ia Miles and graduate student Dara Mabrey. Miles prov ides the f lash, last season making a ver y solid case as perhaps the best player in the 2025 W NBA draft class.

Notre Dame’s team leader in most major statistical categories, Miles finished second in the entire countr y in assists in addition to first on the Irish in points, steals and assists.

Mabrey adds a cool hand to the backcourt, as an experienced on court leader who’s yet to miss a start in four years split bet ween Notre Dame and Virginia Tech. Prov iding a spark from beyond the arc, Mabrey led the 2021 Irish in three point percentage. It was her 29 points and seven three pointers that helped Notre Dame notch a major statement v ictor y on the road against Ok lahoma in the NCA A tournament.

Outside of the Miles/ Mabrey pairing, Coach Ivey is likely to lean on more of a positionless core to implement her high-tempo, offensive st yle of basketball. To

achieve that st yle, Ivey has made heav y use of f lex ible sophomore combo guard Sonia Citron and junior forward Maddy Westbeld.

Though Citron didn’t work her way into the Notre Dame starting lineup until the second half of the season, her impact was massive. Prov ing capable in just about ever y facet of the game, Citron proved invaluable on both offense and defense: shooting the ball and driv ing the lane w ith equal abilit y, posting the second most rebounds on the team and guarding just about any player on the court.

Ivey has even hinted that she wants to get Citron even more involved than her f lexible, positionless role allowed her last season.

“She’s like a jack of all trades,” said Ivey. “I’m going to force her to score a little bit more, she’s ver y unselfish which I think is a great attribute to have, but w ith this team, I need her to step up and score a little bit more, be a little more aggressive.

But she does ever y thing well so she’s a joy to have on the f loor because I know she’s

going to be in the right spot all the time.”

Westbeld took up a similar versatile role, one she can be expected to fill once again in 2022. An efficient shooter, the junior led Notre Dame in field goal percentage last season. She also proved indispensable dow n low, averaging 6.3 rebounds per game. And, at times when Maya Dodson got into foul trouble, she would act as the team’s de facto center. Against North Carolina State, Westbeld was forced into a matchup against one of the countr y’s best bigs in Elissa Cunane for much of the second quarter. She handled the challenge well, keeping Notre Dame in the game.

Center is the one position where Notre Dame w ill have a vacancy compared to the 2021 squad. Maya Dodson was an anchor dow n low for the Irish, leading the squad in both rebounds and blocks by a w ide margin. But w ith Dodson’s departure to the W NBA, Ivey had no clear options in the front court see Ivey PAGE 14