Print Edition of The Observer for Wednesday, September 25, 2019

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Volume 54, Issue 20 | wednesday, september 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Panelists talk expectations for forum Five guests, including controversial Archbishop William Lori, to discuss clergy abuse crisis Wednesday

By MARY STEURER Assistant Managing Editor

Five key players in the push for Church reform will continue the global conversation on the clerg y sexual abuse crisis in a panel Wednesday evening.

The panel, “The Church Crisis: W here Are We Now?,” will be held Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center’s Leighton Concert Hall.

A keynote event for the 2019 Notre Dame Forum, “‘Rebuild My Church:’ Crisis and Response” will feature Archbishop of Baltimore William Lori; Kathleen McChesney, former executive assistant director at the FBI; Juan Carlos Cruz, an advocate for survivors of clerg y abuse; and Peter

Steinfels, former editor at Commonweal and former columnist for the New York Times. John Allen, editor of online Catholic newspaper Crux and Vatican reporter, will moderate.

The background Wednesday’s panel takes place over one year after the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report brought the clerg y sexual abuse allegations to the forefront of Catholic consciousness. Since the report, the Vatican has taken a more aggressive stance toward addressing the crisis — on May 9, Pope Francis announced a new law requiring Church leaders to report all allegations of sexual abuse.

The policy also provided see FORUM PAGE 4

JOSEPH HAN | The Observer

Saint Mary’s professors share poetry

‘ND: Unfiltered’ addresses topic of identity

By MARGARET CICCHIELLO News Writer

JOHN CURTIS | The Observer

Show Some Skin presented submitted stories in the form of anonymous monologues about identity.

By JOHN SALEM News Writer

Notre Dame student government and Show Some Skin collaborated in hosting “Notre Dame: Unfiltered,” a free performance showcase and dinner held in the LaFortune Student Ballroom on Tuesday.

The event consisted of four monologues, each touching on different aspects of identity, performed by Notre Dame students.

Following each monologue,

NEWS PAGE 3

facilitators seated at the tables with the attendees led group discussions.

Senior Elizabeth Steiner, Show Some Skin’s associate producer for community outreach, said the event offered participants the opportunity to explore similarities and differences in the community.

“Show Some Skin is a studentrun monologue series that explores identity and difference in the Notre Dame community,” Steiner said. “We take

SCENE PAGE 5

anonymous submissions from students, faculty or alumni about their identities and allow other students to perform them in order to share the original story while allowing the person who submitted it to remain anonymous.”

Show Some Skin worked with student government to select certain monologues that would promote discussion and direct students experiencing similar see UNFILTERED PAGE 3

VIEWPOINT PAGE 6

Students and faculty gathered to hear professor of English Rebecca Lehmann and Sister Eva Hooker, read their poetry Tuesday.

This event, co-sponsored by the English and gender and women’s studies departments, recognized two gifted members of Saint Mary’s faculty and also served as book launch for Lehmann’s book, “Ringer.”

Laura Haigwood, chair of the English department at Saint Mary’s, organized and promoted the event. Haigwood said the reading was held in the spirit of Sister M. Madeleva Wolff, the third president of the College, who was also a renowned and respected poet.

“Tonight we gather to experience [and] celebrate … as Sister Madeleva, especially, would wish us to do by making space and taking time for beauty,” Haigwood

ND MENS SOCCER PAGE 12

said.

Hooker introduced her colleague to the audience and said Lehmann’s second book “Ringer” was the “winner of one of the most prestigious prizes given to a poet, the Donald Hall Prize for Poetry.” The Donald Hall Prize for Poetry, which was awarded to Lehmann in 2018, is an opportunity for authors that includes a cash prize and the publication of their book.

“We are gathered here tonight to celebrate Rebecca’s gift for making poems,” Hooker said.

Hooker then said she remembered spending a Sunday reading “Ringer” and praising Lehmann’s “gift for the unveiling of the soul.”

Lehmann recited ten poems, including “Ringer,” in which she experimented with repetition and recounted early days with her son, “Two Beauties,” a poem see PROFESSORS PAGE 4

ND MENS GOLF PAGE 12

2

TODAY

The observer | wednesday, september 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

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If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would buy?

P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Editor-in-Chief Kelli Smith Managing Editor Charlotte Edmonds Asst. Managing Editor: Maria Leontaras Asst. Managing Editor: Mary Steurer Asst. Managing Editor: Natalie Weber Notre Dame News Editor: Tom Naatz Saint Mary’s News Editor: Maeve Filbin Viewpoint Editor: Evelyn Stein Sports Editor: Connor Mulvena Scene Editor: Mike Donovan Photo Editor: Anna Mason Graphics Editor: Diane Park Social Media Editor: Mary Bernard Advertising Manager: Landry Kempf Ad Design Manager: Ruby Le Systems Administrator: Mike Dugan Office Manager & General Info

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Mary Singler

Deirdre Drinkall

senior Walsh Hall “I’d pay off my parents’ mortgage and my student loans.”

junior Le Mans Hall “A month-long service trip to Nepal.”

Emily Casado

Isabella Thompson-Davoli

senior Le Mans Hall

sophomore Holy Cross Hall

“A passing grade on my senior comp.”

“Any food that’s not the DH.”

Emily Kraker

Erin Dotson

junior Le Mans Hall

first year McCandless Hall

“Whatever would allow me to save the most lives in the world.”

“All of the puppies.”

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KENDRA OSINSKI | The Observer

A display in the Cushwa-Leighton Library at Saint Mary’s allows students to share their favorite banned books. These are books that are censored from different schools around the country. Participating students are entered into a drawing for prizes.

The next Five days:

Want your event included here?

Email news@ndsmcobserver.com

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

“The Church Crisis: Where Are We Now?” Leighton Concert Hall, DPAC 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Notre Dame Forum.

MFA Alumni Mini-Conference 232 Decio Hall 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Former students read their newest works.

“Partisan Politics in the Era of Trump” Eck Hall of Law 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Panel discussion with three U.S. senators.

“Creating an Academic Website” 512 Duncan Student Center 9:30 a.m. - 1:45 a.m.

Job search series.

Film: “The Tree Of Life” Browning Cinema, DPAC 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.

A family’s experience.

Stories of Grace Welsh Family Hall Chapel 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Community shares faith experiences.

Book Launch: “A Saint of Our Own” Jenkins and Nanovic Halls, Room 1030 4 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.

Panel discussion.

Dante Now! A Divine Comedy Celebration Annenberg Auditorium, Snite Museum of Art 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Open to the public.

Book talk: “Soldiers of the Cross” Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Open to the public.

Recital: Conrad Tao, piano O’Neill Hall of Music 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Pianist and composer performs.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 25, 2019 | The Observer

3

Real Life Project offers future discernment

By HANNAH THOMAS News Writer

As Saint Mary’s students consider their personal vocation, they can learn and participate in the exploratory discussions offered in the Real Life Project.

Real Life is “a program that helps participants explore who they are and what they want,” Susan Baxter, communications studies professor and table facilitator of conversation, said in an email.

Arlene Montevecchio, the director for the Center for Spirituality and a table facilitator, said a person’s vocation is a complex understanding of the direction of their life.

“Vocation being broader than just a job or career, but including things like relationships, and

Unfiltered Continued from page 1

situations to campus resources, Steiner said.

“For example, we take a story about LGBTQ+ students who feel unheard, and we pair that with resources such as ND Prism and others,” she said.

your gifts and talents, and your interests and passions as well,” Montevecchio said.

The Real Life Project invites students into conversations with table facilitators regarding the discernment of their paths for the future.

“Real Life helps them understand that their vocations … are an evolving process, and not an all-or-nothing, happily-ever-after destination,” Baxter said.

These discussions allow for a pause in the stressful search for the perfect career to talk about meaningful impacts in your personal life and the world around you, Montevecchio said.

“I don’t think we take enough time in modern society to just think about purpose and meaning, and this is a good tool for the students,” she said.

During the four sessions taking place this fall semester, students will also take a personality test and learn about Catholic Social Teaching and how to respond to social issues in the world.

“Students can think about their personality and how it fits with their interests and possible future career choice,” Montevecchio said.

The Real Life Program has continued to grow since Anita Houck, religious studies professor and table facilitator, and alumna Kim Abeel, class of 2008, started the program with a grant that assists faculty and student projects, SISTAR. “The program draws on Christian, particularly Roman Catholic, traditions about vocation and discernment, but it’s designed for students of all faith traditions

and world views,” Houck said in an email.

The program introduces many skills that students are able to apply to their daily lives and can share with others as tools to always grow and learn about our vocations, Houck said.

“We also talk about how useful mindfulness can be in staying grounded and keeping perspective so we can discern and live out our vocations, and we try out some kinds of mindfulness in the sessions,” she said.

The Real Life Program accepts sophomores, juniors and seniors nominated by faculty members, and students can also apply if they are interested. The Center for Spirituality, the program sponsor, offers a variety of services for students and conducts a variety

of conferences throughout the school year.

“We try to look at intersection of faith and reason with special attention to women’s experience, and all of our programs are open to faculty, staff, students and the public,” Montevecchio said.

Houck said participants and facilitators of the Real Life Program value the organic, meaningful conversations that occur through the gatherings.

“I really admire [students] taking the time to dig into the big questions of life — the same questions I’m still wrestling with,” Houck said. “It’s such an honor to hear their stories. It’s really humbling.”

Steiner said the event was put on to let students know they are not the only ones who are dealing with a specific issue or feel a certain way.

“Here at Notre Dame, it can feel like our campus is somewhat homogeneous and that everybody has the same identity and experience,” Steiner said. “I hope this event showed students the amount

of diversity there is on campus and the amount of resources there are for students to get the help they need.”

Student government was also heavily involved in putting on the event, which is now in its third year of existence.

Senior Nicholas Ottone, director of university policy for Notre Dame student government, said “Notre Dame:

Unfiltered” starts important conversations. (Editor’s Note: Nicholas Ottone is a former Observer writer.)

“The purpose of the event is to connect students to each other and existing campus resources related to race, socioeconomic status, LGBTQ+ and mental health,” Ottone said.

Sophomore Ben Fecher said he attended the event to learn

more about different perspectives at Notre Dame.

“I attended because at Notre Dame, the minority voices are not always heard from the community, and I think this event is a great opportunity to hear what those voices have to say,” he said.

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NEWS

The observer | wednesday, september 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Forum Continued from page 1

stipulations for how to investigate them.

This legislation joins the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which established a “zero-tolerance” stance toward abuse — though the policy applies only to priests and deacons.

Both Lori and McChesney helped to develop the charter.

In conversations w ith The Obser ver, Wednesday’s guests shared their v iews of where the Church stands in addressing the crisis, as well as their hopes for the evening’s discussion.

Addressing the crisis A llen, who has spent decades reporting on the Vatican, called the Church’s handling of the crisis “a mixed bag.”

“I think we have to say out loud — and we should not be afraid to say — that there has been tremendous progress made in terms of the understanding of this patholog y [of clerg y abuse] and also in terms of the accountabilit y we impose for it,” he said.

But despite legislation like the Dallas Charter and the May 9 law, few clerg y who hide or ignore cases of abuse are held responsible, A llen said.

“A bishop who commits sexual abuse is going to be gone tomorrow,” he said.

“A bishop who covers it up?

Nah.” It is these coverups that keep abuse and other acts of corruption alive yet hidden, president of web database Bishop Accountabilit y Terr y McKiernan, who w ill be attending the panel, said. McKiernan warned the Catholic communit y to be skeptical of the Church’s progress.

“Since 2002, the Catholic Church in the United States

Poetry Continued from page 1

recounting stay ing w ith her father and grandfather as a child, and “Epithalamion.”

W hen introducing Hooker, Lehmann said Hooker’s poems are “firmly grounded in nature” and that Hooker’s language “is sometimes minimalistic but always powerfully present.”

Before she began, Hooker explained to the audience that she was “taking a risk” because she was reading fairly new work. Providing context, Hooker said she was “on

— both the dioceses and also to some extent the religious orders — have chosen a PR strateg y that basically put for ward the message that we’re on a learning cur ve, we’ve done a lot of work and we’re now a ver y safe place for children,” he said.

Cruz said the culture of coverups that runs rampant in the Church makes grassroots reform from Catholic communities especially necessar y.

“Right now, it’s the time of the sur v ivors,” he said.

“It’s the time of those people who want to build, not those people who want to keep destroy ing and feeding this culture of abuse, and coverup that has no room in the Church.”

Steinfels, who w rote a critique of the Pennsylvania Grand Jur y Report, said there also ought to be greater accountabilit y in the government’s investigation of the crisis. He added that a key component in addressing clerg y abuse is understanding where it comes from.

“I would like to raise the question of, ‘Going for ward, how can we equip people and the Church to have a better understanding of the histor y of this whole scandal? ’” Steinfels said. “And here’s where I think an institution like Notre Dame can have a key role.”

Rebuilding public trust in the Church is another important tenant of reform, Lori said — an obstacle clerg y and lait y must work together to overcome.

“I think that the ultimate goal of the conversation is to offer healing to v ictimsur v ivors, to children, to restore people’s trust, to help people who are struggling in their faith,” he said. “And this cannot be done unless we pray about it, unless we work toward it. But we also have to dialogue.”

No matter where the conversation goes, honest y w ill be the qualifier for a

the Atlantic” for these poems, near where she lived when she completed a T.S. Eliot residency this summer.

Hooker read works titled “Sea Rose,” “The Offing,” “Mary Magdalene” and “Live Coal In My Mouth.” There was a Saint John’s Bible present at the event, and Hooker used an illustration of Mary Magdalene meeting Jesus in the garden to underline the content of her poem “Mary Magdalene.”

Lehmann said her perception of the world has changed as she has grown, as ref lected in her poetry.

“When I was younger, I was

A controversial archbishop However, some have claimed the archbishop has been doing just that.

Lori has been criticized for his numerous attempts to block Church transparency efforts — just this summer, he came under fire for his controversial investigation of Michael Bransfield, the former bishop of W heelingsCharleston, West Virginia.

Notre Dame has not publicly acknowledged any of these criticisms — promotional materials for Wednesday night’s panel stated only that he investigated “allegations of sexual harassment and financial impropriet y by the former bishop of the Catholic Diocese of W heelingCharleston.” But they were aware of them, v ice president for public affairs and communications Paul Brow ne confirmed in an email to The Obser ver.

“Archbishop Lori was inv ited to be part of the Forum event because of his insight, experience and tenacit y in addressing the sex abuse crisis in the Church,” Brow ne said in the email. “We are certainly aware of the criticisms that have been leveled, but the purpose of the event is to talk about where we are and where we need to go, and we believe each of the panelists can speak about both what the Church has done well and its mistakes in handling the crisis.”

A llen, who was the first to recommend Lori for the panel, said controversies surrounding the archbishop should not distract from what he brings as a Church leader and longtime advocate of reform.

“I think [Lori] is a smart and deeply responsible guy,” he said. “And, does that mean he’s handled ever y issue that has come before him perfectly? No.” In a system as broken as the Catholic Church, critics should not be so quick to single Lori out, A llen added.

“Give me a cleric who doesn’t have a controversial background,” he said.

“Name one — I can’t.”

Even so, Lori has long been held up as an example for clerg y abuse response and prevention efforts. Just this year, the Archdiocese of Baltimore also established a new system for reporting complaints against clerg y.

The question remains of what role Lori w ill play on the panel, and how he w ill respond to questions about his past.

“A bishop has an archdiocese to run and has a message to convey, and it’s just not always or even often the case that we get thinking outside the box from officeholders in general,” McKiernan said.

Still, skeptics should w ithhold their judgement until the panel, he added.

“That kind of a possibility that Archbishop Lori might play it safe, I think we need to balance it with the really amazing opportunity that we have here,” McKiernan said.

“If he is willing to answer to ideas for change, is willing to really engage with hard questions about his time in Bridgeport, even his work in the Bransfield investigation, we could get a livelier evening, and an evening that might actually yield commitment for real change.”

McChesney said critics of Lori should see his seat on the panel as a chance for dialogue. “[The panel] gives the audience an opportunit y to ask [Lori] questions about things that they are concerned about. He is w illing to come to a forum and discuss

those things insofar as he can,” she said. “I think that is excellent. I think you want to hear from people that you may agree w ith, and people you may not agree w ith.”

Lori said his past should be left out — or at the ver y least, be left at the peripher y — of Wednesday night’s discussion.

“This event is not about me,” Lori said. “I’m not the focus of this. This is a conversation about the Church, where the Church is now and how we can move forward. And so being the only cleric on this panel should not mean that I’m a target, it should illustrate how we can have a conversation together as one Church made up of clerg y, lait y and religious.”

The archbishop said he is not one to turn away questions, however, pointing to his embrace of public discussion in his home communit y.

“I’ve done 18 listening sessions around the archdiocese,” he said. “That means going to 18 different locations and spending, basically, three hours w ith an open mic, alright? Understand, I’ve been to the rodeo before.”

A llen said those who disagree w ith Lori’s place on the panel should remember the Universit y is hosting the forum from a place of goodw ill.

“It is enormously to the credit of Fr. Jenkins and the Universit y that they are investing considerable time and treasure in something that quite honestly, isn’t necessarily the Universit y’s concern,” he said. “Notre Dame, for the most part, has not been one of the epicenters of the sexual abuse crisis. … [The Universit y] knew full well it had the potential to inv ite critical attention, but they decided to do it any way.”

a lot more cynical and pessimistic about the world,” she said.

When giving context for the titular poem “Ringer,” she said that she “put aside her former self” as she entered a new stage in her life, namely, the birth of her two children.

Hooker said her poetry has also changed over time.

“I’d say my poetry has gotten quieter as the years have gone by,” Hooker said. “I’m much more interested in how we move in nature … in how caring for the earth is also a spiritual practice.”

Sophomore Natalie Davis said she was excited to

support these individuals and ref lect on the unique experiences and universal themes in their work.

“Events like this are important because they help get staff members noticed and they help the students realize that this is something they can do,” Davis said.

Haigwood praised the presenting poets’ works as contributing to the College’s community and offering spiritual insights.

“Professor Rebecca Lehmann’s award-winning second book ‘Ringer’ resonates with faculty and students at Saint Mary’s because

she is a valued member of our intellectual and creative community whose exquisitely crafted poetry engages both timely and timeless topics, and does so from the sensitively critical perspective of a thoughtful, perceptive, articulate, contemporary American woman,” Haigwood said. “Similarly, Sister Eva Hooker’s poetry gives us finely wrought insight into the spiritual substance of human being, informed by her profoundly observant and generative Catholic perspective.”

successful discussion, A llen said.

“If there is any thing we have learned from the abuse scandals, it is that pretending a problem isn’t there doesn’t make it go away,” he said.

Fo l low u s o n T w it ter. @N D S M C O b s e r v e r

Contact Mary Steurer at msteure1@nd.edu

Contact Margaret Cicchiello at mcicchiello01@saintmarys.edu

5

The observer | wednesday, september 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

By AIDAN O’MALLEY Scene Writer

The phrase “Ad Astra” is Latin for “to the stars.” The movie “Ad Astra” makes reference to this in its opening with a red, inky font that calls to mind the opening crawl of “Blade Runner;” the word “replicant” practically bleeds. It’s the first of many allusions director James Gray (“The Immigrant,” “The Lost City of Z”) makes to the sci-fi that inspired him.

Distinguished by his penchant for the past, Gray’s inspiration comes from everywhere imaginable. His cold, almost clinical direction will no doubt be attributed to director Stanley Kubrick; the shadow of “2001: A Space Odyssey” looms large to this day. There are shades of “Solaris” here too, especially evident in how Gray uses outer space to explore humanity’s inner space. Just the other day in my residence hall, when an ad for the film played on TV, somebody said: “That looks like ‘Interstellar.’” But ultimately, these comparisons do “Ad Astra” little justice. For while its ingredients are familiar, its vision is entirely distinct.

“Ad Astra,” although directed and co-written by Gray, stars and is produced by Brad Pitt, whose name-brand talent will no doubt mislead moviegoers into thinking the film is mainstream. But “Ad Astra” is arthouse wrapped in a commercial skin, and it makes you wonder whether the suits at Fox pulled any fast ones in the editing room, especially when they realized they’d sunk $100 million into a slow-burn character study.

In fact, the weakest link in “Ad Astra” — the clunky voiceover sprinkled throughout the film — feels just like that: something

By CHARLIE KENNEY Associate Scene Editor

I do not claim to be a pizza expert. In fact, my East Coast colleagues would claim that my Nebraska heritage makes me the very opposite of such.

But, I have the belief that when a person is a restaurant’s first customer, they acquire a certain right to judge that same restaurant. Such a customer has a unique understanding of that establishment. Whenever he or she eats there, they are able to view its progression in a unique way — from its beginning to its current state, from its alpha to its omega.

I have, through a matter of random chance, been placed in that position with a certain restaurant on campus that is referred to as Pizza Pi — or, colloquially, that place behind South Dining Hall that costs a little too much and tries a little too hard. Since I am in this position with Pizza Pi, I will attempt to fulfill my duty as their first customer and exercise my judgment upon the restaurant.

This review — if it can be called such — will only deal with the dish that lends Pizza Pi its name. I may have tried its salads, mac and cheese, pretzels and breadsticks bites.

I may have opinions on them. But, for the sake of brevity and quality of criticism, this article will not deal with them.

Pizza on Notre Dame’s campus is not subject to intense competition or held to too high of a standard. Pizza Hut, Modern Market and the dining halls all present their own takes on the Italian classic. None of them are anything of note but, at the same time, they never descend into

a worried studio executive forced Pitt to record at the last minute. But the meddling stops there and — for anyone willing to sink their teeth into it — “Ad Astra” has plenty of meat on its bones.

Pitt plays Major Roy McBride, a member of an elite, interstellar branch of the United States Military called the “Space Command.” If that reminds you of something (or someone), perhaps it’s supposed to. Anyways, all is fine and well in the universe until the surge, an antimatter shock wave coursing from the far reaches of the galaxy that threatens Earth’s existence. Pitt is called to serve. Why? Well, SpaceComm suspects Roy’s father, the revered astronaut Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones), is responsible.

If that sounds like too much “science” and not enough “fiction,” don’t worry. Story in “Ad Astra” is merely setting. What really fascinates Gray aren’t your typical sci-fi trappings, but their greater implications. Why do we fear we’re becoming our parents? Why do we become them in spite of it? What compels an explorer to abandon civilization? And moreover, are these people really heroes, or are they even bigger cowards than the rest of us?

Roy is a character brimming with loneliness and teeming with regret. Abandoned by his father and his wife (a blink-andyou’ll-miss-her Liv Tyler), Roy is subjected to one psychological evaluation after another in which his SpaceComm superiors drill his mind with very little care for the consequences. Roy has closed himself off from the world both emotionally and literally. In Roy’s sad stoicism, Pitt is perfect. In an understated but poignant performance — and coming off the coattails of “Once

Upon a Time in Hollywood” — Pitt reminds us he’s a much finer actor than anybody gives him credit for. Ruth Negga and Donald Sutherland also appear, but this is Pitt’s show. Wellmade as it is, the movie wouldn’t be half as good without him.

Speaking of well-made, the production value is nothing short of staggering. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (a frequent Christopher Nolan collaborator) makes exceptional use of color, be it the black-and-white coolness of the lunar surface, the hazy oranges of Mars or the deep blues of Neptune. Max Richter composed the score, which often shakes your seat with power. Through them both, Gray fashions a vivid sci-fi world; one that feels like it extends well beyond either end of the screen.

In its final stretches — its most unexpected, stirring moments — “Ad Astra” asks a new question, one that’s somehow the scariest: What if we’re alone in the universe? How do we respond to that emptiness? Lucky for us, Gray has an answer. And it’s closer to home than Roy thinks.

anything unappetizing. Campus pizza thrives on mediocrity. If you possess a craving for pizza, each of the three aforementioned establishments is sure to satisfy it.

It is here where Pizza Pi differs from its competitors.

If you were to enter the kitchens of Modern Market, Pizza Hut and the dining halls, you would see their respective pizza artisans pulling pizza dough into a circle or placing it in a pan. The process and the fact that pizza dough is, in fact, used may not take place right in front of your eyes, but you can certainly taste it in the product itself.

At Pizza Pi, however, it does take place directly in front of you in a Subway-esque style. And, nothing similar to what happens in the other three establishments takes place. Whichever Pizza Pi employee happens to be working when you order your $6 to $9 dollar pizza does not stretch the dough in front of you. At Pizza Pi, they grab a rigid piece of what seems to be pita bread and employ that as the base for your pizza.

This, in my opinion, is unforgivable.

Pita bread, or whatever cheap dough alternative Pizza Pi uses, is something that I would expect if I was ordering a kebab at the campus’ new Mediterranean restaurant, Garbanzo, not at a place with pizza in its name.

After the employee behind the counter covers your piece of bread in whatever sauces and toppings you so choose, they then throw it into the pizza oven before presenting you with what tastes like nothing more than a glorified, over-sauced cracker. The crust crisps up without any chew, the cheese globs together in what results in an accidental Margherita take on pizza and the quality

leaves something to be desired.

Yes, their goal at Pizza Pi may be to make Notre Dame’s premier thin-crust pizza. But, if that is true, then they have gone about reaching such a goal in the cheapest and least appetizing way possible. If any other chains on campus wanted to offer a thin crust option, it would take only an ounce of effort to surpass their not-so-daunting competitor.

The product produced by Pizza Pi could be permissible if its price was equivalent to its quality. But, once again, it is not. A signature pizza at Modern Market costs between $8 to $10, at Pizza Hut just under $5 and at the dining hall, as much can be consumed as possible with a meal swipe that costs between $15 to $19 depending on the time of day. At Pizza Pi, a single, rather small, poorly prepared pizza can cost between $6 and $9 — not the cheapest, but also not the most expensive option on campus. As a result of the financial corners cut during its preparation, as well as the lack of quality in its presentation and flavor, however, it should be the least expensive on campus. Yes, the ambiance at Pizza Pi may be superior to that of the LaFun basement, but I have yet to eat in a room that has made pizza taste better.

Campus Dining has once again squandered an opportunity by placing a lackluster restaurant where there could have been a good one. Pizza Pi, Star Ginger, Haggerty Family Café — they really keep outdoing themselves.

Also, they only serve beer and wine Fridays and Saturdays.

Contact Aidan O’Malley at aomalle2@nd.edu

“Ad Astra” Director: James Gray Starring: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Liv Tyler If You Like: “Interstellar,” “The Lost City of Z”

Contact Charlie Kenney at ckenney4@nd.edu JOSEPH HAN | The Observer

6

The observer | Wednesday, September 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Evaluating Yang’s Freedom Dividend

Inside Column

Pumpkin spice review

Blake Ziegler News with Zig

Claire Kopischke Graphic Designer

“W hen is it really fall? To some, it’s the crisp air and changing leaves, but to us, it’s not officially fall until you’ve enjoyed a warm cup of that sweet pumpkin spice.” — Bear Naked Granola The South Bend air hasn’t gotten chilly yet, but my friends and I are basic girls who are ready for ever y thing pumpkin spice. On Saturday, we ventured to the store and bought as many pumpkin spice items as we could find. We rev iewed them and made a definitive list of the best and worst pumpkin spice items available this season.

First off, we stopped at Starbucks for a Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. We concluded that it’s 100% better than the classic PSL. It’s lighter, sweeter and has more caffeine. Seems like a no brainer.

Next, we wandered the aisles of Target and W hole Foods and selected a variet y of items including pumpkin spice bagels, Pop-Tarts, granola, Milano cookies, Halo Top, whipped cream and peanut butter to name a few.

At home, we tasted each item and rated them on how much they tasted like pumpkin spice and the overall “y umminess” of the item.

First off, we tried the Pumpkin Spice W hipped Topping from W hole Foods. Honestly, this was much better than we expected it to be. It has a bright orange hue, but it tastes like a light, whipped pumpkin pie. Overall score: 10.

Next was the Bear Naked Pumpkin Spice Granola. To be honest, this was not good. It tasted like any other cinnamon f lavored granola w ith “pumpkin spice” slapped on the package. Save your money and skip this granola. Overall score: Three.

Next up is Nature’s Path Organic Toaster Pastr y in Frosted Pumpkin Pie f lavor. It was an organic version of a Pop-Tart, and it did not disappoint w ith a great texture, f lak y crust and warm, sweet center. A lthough this did not have much pumpkin f lavor, we gave it an overall score of nine.

Pumpkin spice f lavored Milano cookies caught our eyes as we approached the register at Target.

A lthough they looked intriguing, they were ultimately disappointing. The pumpkin was artificially bright orange and tasted fake. Overall score: Negative five.

I was personally most excited for the Wild Friend’s Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter. W hile this peanut butter was delicious, I wouldn’t say it particularly tasted like pumpkin. It did have nice “fall v ibes” though and definitely warmed the taste buds w ith its cinnamon f lavor. Overall score: Eight.

A perfect pair to the peanut butter is Thomas’ Pumpkin Spice bagels. We heated one up in the toaster, and it was delicious for a store-bought bagel. It had a nice pumpkin f lavor and definitely rivals Einstein’s pumpkin bagel. Overall score: 10.

Last but not least is the dair y-free, pumpkin pie f lavored Halo Top. It’s pumpkin spice, dair y-free and low calorie. Literally, what else could you ask for? Overall score: 10.

There you have it — a definitive score of some of the best and worst pumpkin products on the market. Stay tuned for the peppermint ranking coming soon!

Contact Claire at ckopisch@nd.edu.

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

In March 2018, I shared an Uber with a woman as I left a school trip to Washington, D.C., for the Louisiana speech and debate state championship. As we conversed, I mentioned the debate topic was whether the United States should adopt a universal basic income (UBI).

Coincidentally, she worked for a tech executive that was advocating for that ver y policy. His name? Andrew Yang.

Nearly two years after announcing his candidacy for president, Andrew Yang has grown from a “longer-than-long-shot” candidate to polling at 3% , participating in all primar y debates and certainly making a name for himself in the Democratic field. His campaign is most known for his UBI policy, which he calls the Freedom Dividend. But what is the UBI? Quite simply, it’s money given to each person by the government regardless of employment status or income level. For Yang, the Freedom Dividend grants $1,000 a month to ever y citizen over the age of 18.

Wow. Just wow.

America already has a tough time debating welfare. Conser vatives are quick to point out that welfare programs incentivize laziness, increase government dependency and people are not entitled to the hard-earned salaries of the working class. Liberals argue about human dignity and the need to increase spending on welfare programs. These debates are only magnified when these programs are threatened with budget cuts. And yet, these scenarios only consider people at low income levels. To suggest a policy that gives money to ever ybody, no questions asked, is astounding in a society that prides itself on individualism.

The mere fact this policy has reached the national stage amazes me. However, could the UBI work? Is it even possible? This requires further investigation.

Let’s consider the UBI’s impact on the economy. According to the left-leaning Roosevelt Institute, paying adults $1,000 a month would lead to GDP grow th of 12.56% over an eightyear period. Now, there is some criticism of the study. MIT Technolog y Review argued in 2017 that the study relies on a f lawed economic model the rich “hoard a disproportionate amount of wealth, instead of spending it, which acts to have a chilling effect on economic activity.”

However, despite this criticism, the wealthy are hoarding their wealth. An A xios report indicates that top companies and individuals are storing trillions of dollars into personal accounts and balance sheets, not back into the economy. Thus, a UBI would improve the economy by increasing consumer spending and activity in the market. Regardless, many pilot programs show the beneficial work of UBI as it reduces poverty in various communities and promotes economic grow th.

This is vastly more efficient than our welfare system. The bureaucracy, complexity and inaccessibility of the current process makes it nearly impossible for the funds to reach ever yone in need. For instance, the Temporar y Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) has been reaching fewer and fewer families ever y year. W hile this may show that the welfare program is working, evidence suggests the program only exacerbates the problem of deep poverty for low-income families. Furthermore, the current system disincentivizes moving up in the socioeconomic

ladder. As one’s income becomes higher, welfare benefits are cut. Such a drastic shift from receiving benefits to losing them, without any gradual change, makes poverty and welfare dependency a vicious cycle. A support network is necessar y to aid suffering Americans as they move out of poverty into economic success.

This is where UBI steps in. The simple process of doling out $1,000 a month to ever y American eliminates the need for other programs. This enables individuals to determine where the money goes to improve their lives. W hether it’s food, rent, education or investing in a start-up, the freedom of UBI presents a greater opportunity of escaping poverty than any previous government program. UBI’s consistency stops dependency on welfare and allows individuals to grow at their own pace without worr y of losing their economic lifeline.

Now, I could go on about UBI’s benefits, such as the improved health and higher school attendance rates in Nambia or the improved mental and physical health of North Carolina children, but the effectiveness of a policy means nothing if it cannot be implemented. At the same time, many of these studies were conducted in small communities, and it is difficult to ascertain a policy’s effectiveness nationwide in this manner. This is something to consider when evaluating the UBI policy. Nevertheless, the positive results in these studies do suggest the policy’s effectiveness.

The biggest controversy surrounding UBI is its cost. At $1,000 a month, UBI costs approximately $3.9 trillion annually versus the $2.7 trillion already spent on social programs. Keep in mind this is for a countr y that is already in enormous debt. W here does this money come from? How will we pay for it? There are several possibilities. One suggestion is implementing a data ta x on large companies — such as Google, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft — and putting the funds towards UBI. Other possibilities include implementing ta xes on pollution and stocks, closing ta x loopholes and redistributing existing welfare programs. Yang’s payment plan involves a Value Added Ta x (VAT) on products and ser vices, in addition to other sources.

Moreover, there is the notion that the economic boost from UBI would pay for the policy itself.

Each possibility has its advantages and disadvantages, something too cumbersome for a single column to justly evaluate. However, a common theme among these programs is additional ta xes. This raises the question of not only if those sources of revenues deser ve to be ta xed, but more so if the American people are entitled to that revenue? Our society aims to preser ve the earnings of individuals and respect their property, but also recognizes the need to help others in the most efficient way.

The ethicality of obtaining UBI, absent its benefits, is the ultimate obstacle in the American discourse on the subject. I look forward to watching this discussion unfold as election season looms and hope the Notre Dame community participates in this conversation.

Our community should strive to discuss pertinent political topics, especially those that pertain to helping the poor and wear y in society.

Blake Ziegler is a freshman at Notre Dame from New Orleans, Louisiana, with double majors in political science and philosophy. He hopes his writing encourages others to take an interest in politics and government. For inquiries, he can be reached at bziegler@nd.edu or @NewsWithZig on Twitter.

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

The observer | Wednesday, September 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

Have you no shame?

Mary Szromba Banter from the Bend

Shame can be a useful tool for unlearning behavior. For example, today I felt some shame when I was somehow late to every class despite the fact they were all in the same building. Hopefully, the shame I felt today will prompt me to be on time tomorrow, and in this way it will help me be better.

Shame is a social emotion that feels bad but often produces good results in society. But what happens when shame does not have its desired effect?

Enough has been said about shame in the age of President Donald Trump, whose rhetoric and governance has allowed racists, sexists and neo-Nazis to re-emerge unshackled from the shame that kept them quiet for so long (or at least quieter). We are now, however, seeing a new problem: shame and the Republican Party.

If you’re wondering what members of the Republican party might have to be ashamed about today, I invite you to take your pick: Recently, after issuing a new rule that would prohibit poor immigrants from legally moving to the U.S.; the Republican director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services claimed the poem on the Statue of Liberty — the one about the tired and poor yearning to breathe free — applied only to European (read: white) immigrants. Last month, Republican Representative Steve King questioned if there would be “any population of the world left” if not for rape and incest. This week, after a whistleblower alleged that Trump pressured the Ukrainian president to open an investigation for his own personal gain — an act that may violate campaign finance laws and jeopardize national security — GOP members of Congress have yet to join Democrats in demanding the acting director of national intelligence turn over the complaint, something he is mandated to do by law. Even John Kasich is shocked, asking, “And where are the Republicans?

What are they, hiding?”

It’s a good question, and it shouldn’t just be directed to Republican politicians, but any American who still supports the Republican Party today. I’m not just talking to Trump supporters; on the contrary, I’m talking to the average Republicans, the ones who are disgusted with Trump yet who remain in his party. I ask you: Are none of these national embarrassments enough to make you question your membership to the Republican Party? What do you gain from your support of the GOP, and what would it take for you to leave?

I have a few guesses as to why the shame of being associated with this party that is rotting from the inside is not enough to sway constituents away.

Perhaps it is out of the hope that the party will change. If the good guys leave, the party will only have the bad seeds left, and then there will be no chance of rescuing it. This may be true, but I believe this is a misunderstanding of our political system.

Politicians don’t care if you feel bad about what they’re doing. They care if they stop getting voted into office. If loyal constituents, especially the ones who don’t like the current administration, renounce their membership and stop voting these people into office, then perhaps the Republican Party will make some changes. Otherwise, all your hand wringing will continue to accomplish nothing.

People may stay with the Grand Old Party for more insidious reasons, too, like our dear guest lecturer Paul Ryan, with his dreamy blue eyes and his complete inability to pass legislation. Maybe most Republicans, like Paul, don’t care what the GOP does as long as Mitch gets his justices on the Court and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) gets repealed.

While I commend the goal-driven attitude, I find this approach to be problematic. First, you don’t get to absolve yourself of guilt just because you’ve shut your eyes to what’s happening around you. Second, it doesn’t even seem to be working. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh has remained mostly in the middle, voting conservatively and liberally

depending on the case. The ACA has of course not been repealed, despite our dear guest lecturer’s best efforts, and the right to an abortion remains the law of the land.

So what is it, exactly, that keeps the Republican Party afloat? It could be the fear that if the GOP doesn’t hold power then the Democrats will, and that is a far scarier situation than the one in which we currently find ourselves. I honestly have no response to that, other than if you think a Democratic government could somehow do worse than imprisoning record numbers of children in cages at the border and attempting to ban Muslims from the country, then we won’t agree on much.

I am not asking current members of the GOP to jump ship to the Democrats, but I am asking you to take stock of your party, and ask yourselves if you can continue to support it in its present state.

If the shame is too great, then I encourage you to stop voting and donating as though you do. It is no longer enough to say that you hate Trump and that you don’t support his policies — you need to do more. Stop voting Republicans into office when you know they will continue to foster the current political climate and stop donating money to their campaigns. The only way you can stop this train wreck is by showing you don’t support it instead of merely saying you don’t. Renounce your membership to the party that got us into this mess.

If you are looking for traditional conservative values, you will no longer find them within the GOP. If you believe that the current party is getting close enough, then I would argue you would benefit from a healthy dose of shame.

Mary Szromba is a senior majoring in philosophy and political science, and she’s never been wrong about anything in her entire life. Questions, comments and anonymous love letters can be directed to mszromba@nd.edu or @_murrrrrr on Twitter.

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

Letter to the editor

Archbishop Lori Anyone who has worked as a college newspaper editor or reporter understands the tremendous burden of carr ying a full academic load while simultaneously attending to what feels like a fulltime job. That’s why it was remarkable, in addition to its usual coverage of tri-campus events, that The Obser ver conducted its own enterprise reporting in writing recently about the librar y funding controversy in St. Joseph County.

By contrast, The Obser ver relied exclusively on the Washington Post in rewriting its incomplete and unfair portrait of Archbishop William Lori, a panelist Wednesday at the Notre Dame Forum on the Church sex abuse crisis.

The Obser ver used others’ accounts to report that Archbishop Lori accepted a donation from W heeling Bishop Michael Bransfield, later accused of sexual harassment and financial misconduct, and that he delayed in disclosing as much.

Yet Archbishop Lori thoroughly investigated

the same bishop, showing him no favoritism, resulting in his permanent ban by Pope Francis from engaging in public ministr y in the Catholic Church. Archbishop Lori also authorized the sale of the bishop’s house, with proceeds going to victims.

Archbishop Lori was the architect of the 2002 landmark Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, credited with helping the Church prevent future cases of abuse by mandating zero tolerance and other key provisions throughout the Church in the United States, including mandator y reporting to the police. It also resulted in a steep decline in abuse.

Archbishop Lori established a strong culture of accountability in Washington, D.C., and Connecticut, where he published the names of credibly accused clerg y.

He was the first bishop in America to establish an independent, third-party reporting system for allegations against bishops nationwide.

In Baltimore, he instituted a lay pastoral council in response to urging for more lay involvement in diocesan governance. Archbishop Lori also expanded the authority of the independent, lay child abuse review panel there.

Archbishop Lori said later that he regretted not making public the donations he and other clerg y received from Bransfield. He apologized and told the Washington Post that he went to confession regularly, not because he wanted to, but because he had to. The Obser ver elected not to include that insight into the man’s humility.

Archbishop Lori was invited to the forum not because he is perfect, but because he is insightful, experienced and tenacious in addressing the Church’s sex abuse crisis.

Paul J. Browne Vice president, public affairs and communications University of Notre Dame Sept. 21

Follow us on Twitter. @ObserverViewpnt

8

Classifieds

The observer | wednesday, september 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Recognize what’s going on around you. Consider what you have to do to make sure you are heading in a direction that offers peace of mind. Put your needs first, and focus on the changes that will set you free from regrets. Move forward, and prepare to do things that bring out the best in you. Your numbers are 7, 12, 23, 31, 36, 39, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Spend more time with the people you love or those who value what you have to offer. Business trips, educational pursuits and romance are encouraged. A positive change is within reach. Don’t hesitate; embrace change with open arms.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Making a change or decision based on an emotional situation isn’t a good idea. Stop and consider the consequences before you let an incident consume you. Stay focused, and protect your reputation. Live up to your promises.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take pleasure in what you do, and select the people you spend time with carefully. If someone asks for too much, set him or her straight, and offer only what’s fair. Maintaining balance will be essential if you want to ease stress.

CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Living a dream is possible if you get up and do something about reaching your goals. Letting someone stand in your way or allowing emotions to stop you from doing what you should be doing will lead to regret. Make things happen.

LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Expand your interests, friendships and the way you do things. Updating your plans and technology, or keeping informed regarding what’s new in your chosen field will help you step into a better position or improve your current lifestyle.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Spend more time with the people who make you feel good about yourself. Sharing memories will be a reminder of the changes you want to make moving forward. Joint ventures should be avoided, and proper diet and exercise should be taken seriously.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Learn from mistakes. Don’t buy into someone else’s dream or unpolished behavior. Trust in yourself and what you are capable of doing. Do what’s expected of you, but don’t allow anyone to take you for granted.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Recognize when someone is playing with your emotions, and know enough to step away. Concentrate on putting your time, effort and energy into something you love to do, and something extraordinary will happen. Believe in your ability to succeed.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Slow down and figure out what’s best for you before you get involved in someone’s plans. Take into consideration what you love to do, and turn your skills and knowledge into a moneymaking pursuit. Romance is on the rise.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Be careful not to upset or offend someone.

Being sensitive to what others are going through will help you avoid the backlash that can bother your plans. Take care of financial moves that can affect your personal assets. Don’t overspend on luxury items.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Size up your situation, make decisions and consider what makes you happy. Get started. The changes you make personally, financially or professionally will buy you the freedom to save more and to get the most out of what you already have.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Read the fine print. It will be easy to be taken advantage of if you are too gullible. Spend more time putting things in order and considering what’s best for you. Don’t get involved in something that will disrupt your life.

Birthday Baby: You are eloquent, kind and accessible. You are intuitive and thoughtful.

sorin elementary | ian salzman

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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Sports Authority

Requiem for NY sports fans Connor Mulvena Sports Editor

I realize the title of this article may seem ridiculous to some of you. After all, depending on the teams, New York has had a respectable past decade of sports.

The Giants won a Super Bowl in 2012. The Yankees are pretty much always competitive and have a bright future ahead. The Islanders have had a somewhat surprising resurgence in the past two years, especially considering the loss of superstar Jonathan Tavares. The Nets just signed two of the NBA’s biggest superstars and are likely to be championship contenders in a couple of years. With this in mind, one could paint quite a pretty picture of life as a New York sports fan.

It may not be as glamorous as that of the greedy New England swine who can’t keep quiet about a certain system quarterback, but there’s something there. But I mean to speak to a different New York sports fan, particularly the likes of those in Queens and Long Island, those like myself. I’m talking about the dastardly combination of the New York Mets, the New York Jets, the New York Rangers and the New York Knicks.

Even typing that combination of organizations gave me nausea. Following these abominations year in and year out is like a car ride through central Indiana that never ends. There’s nothing to look forward to, nothing to be happy about, no end in sight, and you’re likely sick at the thought of staying in the car for longer than five more minutes.

With the 2019 sports cycle coming to an end, and the Jets having already crushed the hopes of New York fans a measly three weeks into the season, there are no options left. Sometimes all you can do is wallow in your own melancholy and wonder why you’ve been inculcated with such a propensity for masochism. So, let’s take a quick look at the series of disgusting events that have underlined each of these teams this year. And let’s take a moment to wallow in how horrible things truly can be.

New York Rangers Now, I’ll admit, the New York Rangers have been competitive at times in the past 10 years.

They made the Stanley Cup in 2014, and they’ve proven they can be ambitious in the free agent market in the past. But they’re an original six team, and they’ve won four Stanley Cups, the last of which was in 1994.

I mean come on. You can talk about Madison Square Garden,

original six, and Mark Messier all you want, but you’ve been around for nearly 50 more years than the Islanders and have the same amount of Stanley Cups.

Gross.

New York Mets At first glance, you might think the Mets are the least guilty of the culprits listed above. After all, they made the World Series in 2015, and they made a respectable second half run at the NL wildcard. You’d be wrong. The Mets are arguably the worst of all. They toy with you year in and year out.

You believe they might make a run at the wildcard, that the trade for Marcus Stroman might take them to the next level, that this could be the year. You tweet #yagottabelieve like it’s 1986. And then, after they’ve dangled the tennis ball in your face for six months and you’ve spent countless hours chasing the reward, they drive away in their disgusting Honda Civic and leave you for the pound. Pigs.

New York Jets I almost feel like I don’t even need to type this one out.

Mark Sanchez.

Geno Smith’s broken jaw (from an altercation with a fellow Jets teammate).

Butt Fumble.

Mono.

Sheeeesh.

New York Knicks In my personal opinion, the Knicks are the most humiliatingly disgusting of all these usual suspects. And James Dolan is their leader, like a dejected, nonviolent, “Scary Movie” parody version of Keyser Soze.

They didn’t even get a MEETING with Kevin Durant! A MEETING! They’re the New York Knicks, an emblem of basketball history!

The brightest moment of recent Knicks history was the three-week, impressive stint of a Harvard graduate who now finds himself on the Beijing Ducks.

Humiliating.

I hope I’ve done something for those suffering fans out there like me from the New York area.

Although it is true that the wave of pain and suffering strengthens mightily each year as these glorified high school teams test the limits of what we’ll openly call “professional” sports, sometimes it can be good for the mind to dive head first into the sorrow.

Contact Connor Mulvena at culvena@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Continued from page 12

because I was the victim of a group of fraternity brothers barking at my Notre Dame tshirt early Saturday morning — but I have to admit, it’s effective. It’s so ridiculous sounding that you can’t help but take note.

The game day attire is also quite unique from what flies in South Bend. Being from Oklahoma where many of my high school friends slip on a dress and cowgirl boots to support the Sooners, I wasn’t particularly surprised by the outfits we saw on Saturday.

However, I think it’s fair to say some Notre Dame fans might have been taken aback by the seemingly fanciness of the affair.

Now moving into the stadium. From what I’ve heard having talked to other people who attended the game, the concourse had some major

M Soccer Continued from page 12

season, made it all the way to the national semifinals, was seeking its first win of the season. They have battled injuries throughout the season, and were missing multiple key contributors on Thursday.

Desperately needing a win as well, Notre Dame came out strong and controlled the ball early, taking multiple shots in the first few minutes. Then, Michigan State had multiple solid chances in the 12th minute. Sophomore forward Farai Mutatu spun by Irish senior center back Senan Farrelly and fired a shot towards the goal which was just knocked away by Irish junior goalkeeper Keagan McLaughlin.

Farrelly appeared to injure himself on the play, grabbing the back of his leg, and he had to come off after missing a game vs. Clemson and not starting the game against Indiana due to an injury last week. He is a very important piece of the Irish’s strong defense. Riley said his injury was tough for the team, but the squad reacted well.

“You never like to lose anyone early, especially defenders, because you don’t typically sub them a lot. We have good depth, and we’re getting some other guys back healthy, and that’s allowed us to keep some depth back there,” he said. “Hopefully it’s nothing too serious, but it was a jolt to the system early, but I think the guys handled it well.”

On the ensuing corner kick, Michigan State again nearly scored, but McLaughlin again

9

issues. Personally, I had a perfectly fine experience finding the press box.

As I sat in the press box frantically trying to locate my notes, a spotlight found a lone trumpeter in the top right corner of the stands. While I sat on in confusion, there was a sense of honor and respect that swept over the stadium. The trumpeter played what I later learned were the first 14 notes of “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” followed by a hype video. Add in the deafening boos of the Georgia faithful every time a Notre Dame player even dared to emerge from the tunnel during warmups and the message was delivered from the start: You’re in our house.

Throughout most of the game, the pure volume of Sanford Stadium was enough to place the Bulldogs in a league with some of the most elite college football fans.

However, the real gem came at the close of the third quarter.

A relatively new tradition, the

fans lit up Sanford Stadium, bobbing their flashlight phones in tune to the Krypton fanfare.

At a point when the game was at peak tensions, this seemed to reset things and fire up the Georgia sidelines. Need a reminder of this tradition? Just check out this video from 2017 when they did it to Notre Dame again … on the road.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d still take the Notre Dame experience over Georgia any Saturday. There are some things that flashy light shows can’t replace. But there’s something to be said for the pure, unadulterated passion these fans showed for a consistent four quarters. Hopefully, next year when Arkansas and Clemson pay us a visit we can show them we belong in the big leagues.

Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond3@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

turned the effort away, and on the next possession, Alex Shterenberg fired a shot in from just outside the goal box, but McLaughlin smothered it.

For the rest of the first half, possession went back and forth, but neither side had a strong chance. Notre Dame controlled the ball for stretches, but the Michigan State defense pressured the Irish as soon as they got the ball.

Mutatu continued to make runs down the field for the Spartans, but his teammates were never able to find him for a good opportunity. Both teams had to resort to shots from distance, as the defenses prevented them from getting any looks close to the goal.

At the beginning of the second half, both defenses appeared to settle in. Notre Dame had an opportunity in the 55th minute when junior midfielder Aiden McFadden was awarded a free kick to the left of the goal box. He crossed it into the box but it was headed out of bounds. Riley was happy with both the defense and the offense in the second half.

“We handled their transition and counter-attacking moments better [in the second half]. I think our attacking was good, shots, crosses and corners, instead of turning the ball over. I think the [second half] was overall a little bit sharper, I don’t think we were doing anything wrong in the first half, but we were sharper in the second half,” Riley said.

Just a few minutes later, sophomore forward Jack Lynn made a run down the field, caught Michigan State goal-keeper Hunter Morse

out of position and passed it across the box to fellow sophomore forward Tyler Shea, but the shot was deflected out of bounds by a Spartans defender.

McFadden had another great opportunity in the 68th minute when he launched a shot from about 15 yards out, but he was denied by a spectacular save from Morse.

Notre Dame finally broke the scoreless tie in the 81st minute, after a free kick was sent into the box. Morse punched the ball out, but it deflected right to Michael Pellegrino who sent it into the back of the net. It was the Irish’s first goal in over 200 minutes of play. However, Riley says the inconsistency of the offense is nothing to worry about.

“Some of it’s rest, but we also want to see the situations using video, help people understand what their options are. A lot of what we do now is watching ourselves do well.

Scoring goals in a game situation is hard,” he said. “It’s hard to do, so just continue to work at things, continue to have confidence, and the goals will come.”

Michigan State had a final chance to equalize with less than a minute left in the match, as a chip shot went towards the goal, but McLaughlin pounced on it to secure the victory. It was the Spartans’ first shot on goal of the second half.

Notre Dame will return home to take on the Virginia Cavaliers on Friday night at 7 p.m.

Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu

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SPORTS

Silverio

ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 25, 2019 | The Observer

M Golf

Continued from page 3

Continued from page 3

Silverio said her favorite part about tennis is the mental component of the game.

“I think there are so many connections between tennis and life and what you are dealing with,” she said “There are no timeouts, and there are no substitutions. It is just you out there with your opponent. There is so much mental toughness, mental fortitude and belief you need to have in yourself when you are out there battling.”

Silverio said she loved watching tennis as a child, too. She idolized players like Martina Hingis and Jennifer Capriati, appreciating Hingis’ precision and control and loving to watch the powerful serve and forehand of Capriati.

Silverio had a very successful tennis career while at Georgia Tech. She ranks first in number of single wins and second in number of double wins among the program’s all time leaders.

Despite all these individual accomplishments, she said, the best part of her college career was winning the NCAA team title in 2007.

“That was a very big deal for my teammates, coaches and me to accomplish that together. It was so special, and it is certainly something that can never be taken away from us,” Silverio said. “The work that it took to accomplish that senior year was truly remarkable. …

We were able to, in my opinion, win the biggest championship in college athletics in women’s tennis.”

When asked about her most exciting athlete to coach, Silverio could not express a specific name. She said she enjoys working with each player because of their different styles of play and athleticism.

“Honestly, I enjoy being able to work with each one of our girls,” she said. “They all have different skill sets in their athleticism. I’m fortunate because we have eight different styles and eight different personalities. With that I have to be able to adapt my coaching.”

Silverio has placed a strong emphasis on weight training and physical fitness training since arriving at Notre Dame, and she said she believes that it is paying dividends for her team.

“The fitness side and the strength side is something we have really taken ownership of since I got here,” she said. “It has been really fun to see the girls gain in the weight room and on the track in different areas to improve our athleticism.”

Silverio said she looks to carry these positives from her first year into her second year at Notre Dame. Her successes at Georgia Tech and Oregon are indications that success at Notre Dame is soon to come.

squad.

“It’s prett y rare when a team is disappointed w ith a third place finish,” he said. “It was a really strong field, so to come in third is prett y darn good, but they wanna get back in the w inner’s circle.”

Indiv idually, the team was buoyed by the performance of senior Dav is Lamb. After beginning the tournament w ith a four-over-par 75, the senior caught fire, going under par in the follow ing rounds. His one-under-par 70 and two-under-par 69 in the second and third rounds were crucial to the Irish effort. Lamb would finish tied for fourth place.

A lso contributing heavily to the cause was senior Hunter Ostrom, who shot

Contact Nate Moller at noller2@nd.edu

11

a similarly fantastic combined t wo-over-par 215 for the tournament, good enough for 10th place.

Freshman Palmer Jackson has been a bright spot for the Irish w ith eye-catching performances early in his Notre Dame career. He ended the tournament just behind Ostrom on the leaderboard at three-over-par, shooting 216 over the three rounds.

W hen asked about the performances of his freshman, Handrigan was full of praise.

“He’s an elite player, and he is going to do a lot more things for Notre Dame golf so it’s not surprising at all,” he said.

The Irish w ill host the Fighting Irish Classic on October 7 and 8 at Warren Golf Course.

Michelle Mehelas | The Observer

Contact Wally Osterberger at wosterb2@nd.edu

Irish senior Hunter Ostrom eyes his putt during Notre Dame’s 5th place finish at the Fighting Irish Classic on Oct. 8, 2018 at home.

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12

The observer | wednesday, september 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

nd men’s soccer | ND 1, MSU 0

nd WOMEN’S TENNIS

Alison Silverio gains trust at ND

By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

While Alison Silverio is only in her second season as head women’s tennis coach at Notre Dame, she has already built a strong culture of winning and trust among her players. One of her favorite parts about Notre Dame is the conversations she has with her athletes “For me what has been so special about being at Notre Dame is the conversations that the girls and I have had off the court,” she said. “I think that’s important as a coach and a student athlete to have that trust and build that trust. A lot of times that is happening off the court with different conversations and different activities that we do.”

Before her arrival at Notre Dame, Silverio was the head coach at the University of Oregon.

She successfully turned the program at Oregon around and led the Ducks to their first ever NCAA

No. 21 Notre Dame shut out MSU in road matchup

tournament appearance in nearly a decade. Since coming to Notre Dame, she has felt the transition has gone as smoothly as possible.

“The transition has been very smooth as far as getting to know Notre Dame and how everything works,” Silverio said.

“We have certainly had our ups and downs, and I’m sure those will continue. The people that we are surrounded with have really helped make the transition a graceful one.”

Silverio said she loved the Notre Dame community the instant she became a part of it.

“Understanding the excellence that Notre Dame has in both athletics and academics and how Notre Dame goes about its business with respecting and treating other people made me feel connected right away,” Silverio said.

Although still a young coach, Silverio has been playing tennis since she was eight years old. see SILVERIO PAGE 12

By LIAM COOLICAN Sports Writer

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Irish freshman defender Mohammad Abualnadi clears the ball during Notre Dame’s 4-2 win over Seattle on Sept. 6 at home.

Irish fail to continue winning streak in Toledo

By WALLY OSTERBERGER

Game day scene in Georgia Charlotte Edmonds

Sports Writer

Managing Editor

see M GOLF PAGE 12

see M SOCCER PAGE 9

Football

nd MEn’s GOLF | Inverness Intercollegiate

The Notre Dame men’s squad continued its hot start to the season this week at the Inverness Intercollegiate tournament in Toledo, Ohio.

The team finished the tournament in third place out of 15 teams, behind only w inner Texas Tech and runnerup Tennessee.

The team began the tournament by shooting a combined 294 (+10) in the first round, good enough for fifth place. However, the team improved as the tournament went on, scoring 285 (+1) and 286 (+2) in the second and third rounds respectively. That was good enough to place the Irish firmly in third place, a result that maintains the current run of form that the team is on.

Coach John Handrigan said he was pleased by the result and the collective determined attitude of his

No. 21 Notre Dame men’s soccer team travelled to East Lansing, Michigan to take on the Michigan State Spartans on Thursday night. The Irish (4-2-1, 0-2 ACC) triumphed 1-0 on a late goal from freshman midfielder Michael Pellegrino. It was the final game of a tough three game road trip, after the Irish battled No. 4 Indiana to 1-1 draw on Sep. 17, and losing to No. 11 North Carolina 2-0 on Friday. Head coach Chad Riley was pleased w ith the w in.

“It feels great. Winning games w ith our schedule is going to be a challenge at times, so any time the team puts in a good effort and gets the v ictor y, it’s always a good thing,” Riley said.

Michigan State, who, despite not being ranked last

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Irish senior John Felitto calmly prepares to drive a ball off the tee during a team exhibition at Warren Golf Course on Aug. 24, 2018.

Since returning to campus Sunday, I’ve been asked several times about the game day festivities in Athens. How did they compare to Notre Dame’s?

Were they as crazy as they appeared on TV? What is the vibe in Athens?

Well, I have bad news for Notre Dame fans — the Bulldogs may have us beat in that category.

I know what you’re thinking: How can Notre Dame — the pinnacle of tradition among college football — get beat at its own game? That’s not to say that Georgia is unequivocally a better place for college football, but Irish fans could learn a thing or two from our opponents down South.

Playing “between the hedges” has cemented Sanford Stadium as a sort of lore within college football, up there with the Big House, Death Valley and the Coliseum. I can’t judge what the atmosphere was like when

the Bulldogs took on Murray State earlier this month or what it will be like in a year when they host East Tennessee State University, but I can tell you that they were the loudest fans I’ve ever heard at a college football game — and I was at the 2012 Notre Dame-Oklahoma matchup which was pretty darn loud.

Let’s start with tailgating.

This is one area where the dawgs definitely aren’t on top. While the sea of red and black was certainly imposing and looked like a perfectly respectable tailgating scene, it’s primarily set along a long road, Lumpkin Street — try and forget that name, I dare you — with some pretty significant hills. (Georgia is hilly, who would’ve thought?)

I’ll take the central location of Joyce and Stadium lot any day over Lumpkin Street.

I also learned that Georgia fans enjoy embodying their mascot to extreme lengths.

I personally wasn’t a big fan of the dog barking — perhaps see GEORGIA PAGE 9