Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, October 1, 2021

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MAGGIE KLAERS. PHOTOs BY Max petrosky

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INSidER

The observer | Friday, OCTOBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

HEAD TO HEAD

2:30 p.m. ET notre dame stadium on nbc

notre dame (Sr.) Braden

CincinNatti

Lenzy

WR WR

0

(Fr.) Lorenzo Styles Jr. 21

(Gr.) Avery

Davis

(Jr.) Lawrence Keys III

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

3 13

(Fr.) Micahel Carmody 68

RB

(So.) Tosh Baker 79

(Sr.) Zeke Correll 52 (Fr.) Rocco Spindler 50

(Gr.) Jack Coan

17

(So.) Drew Pyne 10

QB

(Sr.) Jarrett Patterson 55

(So.) Andrew Kristofic 73

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

(Gr.) Josh Lugg 75

79

(Sr.) Tosh Baker

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

(Gr.) Kevin

Austin Jr.

4

(Jr.) Joe Wilkins Jr. 18

(Jr.) Isaiah

Foskey

7

(Sr.) Justin Ademilola 9

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

(Sr.) Houston Griffith 3

(Jr.) KJ Wallace 16

SS

LT LG C RG RT TE WR

(Jr.) Kyle Hamilton

14

(Jr.) DJ Brown 12

(So.) Riley Mills 99

(Jr.) Howard Cross III 56 (Jr.) Jacob Lacey 54

(Jr.) Justin Ademilola 19

(Jr.) JD Bertrand 27 (Fr.) Prince Kollie 32

(So.) Ramon Henderson 11

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

Bramblett

(Sr.) Matt

Salerno

Notre Dame Passing Before answering who has the edge in this department, the better question may be who is doing the passing for the Irish? It feels almost certain that a bare minimum of two signal-callers will drop back to pass, but with Drew Pyne’s fantastic effort at Wisconsin, there’s now a third man in consideration for snaps.

However, the Bearcats have featured a fantastic pass defense, regardless of who is under center for the Irish.

Cincinnati is giving up 157 yards through the air per game, and they’ve notched six interceptions while allowing just two touchdown passes. The Irish have tossed just a pair of picks on the year — both from graduate transfer Jack Coan — and avoided major mistakes. However, their boom-or-bust passing attack has seen them stall out frequently, reaching the red zone an abysmal 2.25 times per game. This one feels like an area of concern for Notre Dame.

EDGE: Cincinnati Notre Dame Rushing Once again, Notre

Dame

19 29

PK P PR

Curtis Brooks (Gr.)

92

Joel Dublanko (Gr.)

41

2 Wilson Huber (Sr.)

99 Marcus Brown (Gr.)

Arquon Bush (Jr.)

9

SS

Malik Vann (Sr.)

42

18 Jowon Briggs (So.)

CB

13

3

Ja’von Hicks (Sr.)

29 Jacob Dingle (Jr.)

Ty Van Fossen (Jr.)

20 Deshawn Pace (So.)

Ahmad Gardner (Jr.)

1

5 Jaquan Sheppard (Jr.)

WR Alec Pierce WR Tyler Scott RT Dylan O’Quinn RG Vincent McConnell C Jake Renfro LG Jeremy Cooper LT Josh Williams TE Josh Whyle WR Michael Young Jr. 12

(Sr.)

5 Jordan Jones (Gr.)

(So.)

DE DT NG DE

50

(Jr.)

69 Cam Jones(So.)

77

51 Lorenz Metz (Jr.)

56

53 Gavin Gerhardt (R-Fr.)

CB

75

(Jr.) Michael Vinson 65

31

(Gr.)

Mason Fletcher (Fr.)

7

Tre Tucker (Fr.)

96

Cayson Pfeiffer (So.)

against Wisconsin, after sluggish efforts versus Toledo and Purdue. Can Rees find a way to balance some more creative play calling on offense while helping the Irish establish some time of possession and extended drives? If not, his counterpart Mike Tressel may be ready to pounce.

Tressel came to the Bearcats from Michigan State and he’s led a very impressive defense thus far in 2021. The Bearcats have notched six interceptions in three games and allowed just 15 points per game.

He’s been virtually seamless in taking over for Marcus Freeman, utilizing his prior experience as a Power-5 defensive coordinator with the Spartans.

EDGE: Cincinnati Notre Dame Offensive Special Teams Special teams made it very clear what they could do against Wisconsin. When given the space, Chris Tyree took off downfield for a touchdown on a kick return. Kyren Williams got slightly tripped up on a few punt returns that could’ve been big runs, if not potential scores. Against a worse defense, they would’ve been.

Desmond Ridder (Sr.)

3 Evan Prater (R-Fr.)

(Jr.)

7 Tre Tucker (Jr.)

H KR LS

9

Jerome Ford (Jr.)

0 Charles McClelland (Jr.)

(R-Fr.)

8

H KR LS

QB

24

(Jr.)

71 Colin Woodside (Jr.)

11 Leonard Taylor (Sr.)

RB

(Sr.)

(So.)

74

81

(So.) Chris Tyree 25

Notre Dame Offensive Coaching Tommy Rees has demonstrated some more creativity in his play calling this season, but it has come at the expense of consistency. The Irish rank 123rd in the country in red-zone trips (nine) on the year, making their 35 points a game a near miracle.

Three defense and special teams touchdowns aided an otherwise struggling offense

MLB

90 Jabari Taylor (Sr.)

72 James Tunstall (Jr.)

(Jr.) Jay Bramblett 19

struggled to do much of anything on the ground last weekend. The Irish took a lot of sacks which did affect their net yardage, but Kyren Williams didn’t break off a run longer than 7 yards and gained just 33 on the day. The Irish have struggled to run all season outside of a few big gainers from Williams. Can they penetrate a Cincinnati defense that has given up no more than 80 yards to an opposing rusher? While the Bearcats have impressed at times, they’ve also surrendered a few big runs, which is Williams’ strength. If he can break off 1-2 runs of 20+ yards, then it could spark a few key drives and negate what could be an otherwise sluggish day on the ground.

EDGE: Even

Darrian Beavers (Gr.)

0

Myjai Sanders (Sr.)

21

SLB

WILL

(Jr.) Cam Hart 5

Bryan Cook (So.)

36 Will Adams (Jr.)

21

(Gr.) Adetokunbo Ogundeji 91

FS

WLB

6

23 Troy Simon (Jr.)

20 Jadon Thompson (So.)

(Sr.) Jayson Ademilola 95

Mike

FS

15 Taj Ward (Jr.)

Rover

(Jr.) NaNa Osafo-Mensah 31

(Jr.) Bo Bauer 52

Coby Bryant (Gr.)

7

12 Todd Bumphis (So.)

DE DT NG DE

VYP

(Gr.) Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa 95

(Sr.) Drew White 40

CB

PK Cole Smith P Bailey Flint PR Ryan Montgomery 17

49

8

(Sr.)

(Sr.)

(Jr.)

John Doerer missed one field goal but more than made up for it in consistent PATs. EDGE: Notre Dame

line. The Irish’s defensive line has most certainly been a strength in most facets of the game.p.

EDGE: Notre Dame

Cincinnati Passing Cincinnati is averaging 43 points per game, but they’ve also been noticeably sloppy considering the quality of their competition. The Bearcats’ best win is an Indiana squad that appears incredibly overrated. Beyond that, they’ve victimized Miami of Ohio and Murray State. Despite the lackluster schedule, the Bearcats have turned the ball over six times. For all his pregame bluster, Desmond Ridder is averaging under 250 yards passing and has been picked off twice. Against a far superior defense that has forced 11 turnovers, including 9 interceptions – with a fantastic pass rush to boot – Ridder may struggle to generate production against Notre Dame.

EDGE: Notre Dame

Cincinnati Offensive Coaching This coordinator standoff is a battle of coaches facing their former schools. Marcus Freeman, of course, came to the Irish from Cincinnati this past offseason.

Mike Denbrock coached on the Irish staff from 2002-2004 and then from 2010-2016 before heading to the Bearcats. Freeman’s defense has been much improved over the final two weeks, and it’s really good when you take out a couple of poor fourth quarters in the first two games. Excluding fourth quarters against Toledo and Notre Dame, the Irish have given up points at 15.7 points per game clip. The Bearcats’ offense has been solid against poor competition, but the turnovers are a concern, and Denbrock’s brief track record as an offensive coordinator with the Irish against better defenses was less than impressive. Advantage to the younger, up-and-coming coach who has looked very good after some early-season adjustments.

Cincinnati Rushing Cincinnati’s ground attack has not been the most fearsome this season. Jerome Ford is a solid running back, but he doesn’t feel better than Wisconsin’s Chez Mellusi, who gained 54 yards behind a much stronger offensive

see H2H PAGE 3

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Volume 56, Issue 17 | Friday, OCTOBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.coM

Tri-campus celebrates Smick Day Tri-campus leaders rally students following derogatory posts aimed at Saint Mary’s students

By GENEVIEVE COLEMAN Notre Dame News Editor

In response to negative comments made against Saint Mary’s students on Yik Yak, tri-campus student leaders encouraged the community to celebrate Saint Mary’s students on Thursday for Smick Day. The event was held outside Dalloway’s and was complete with giveaways, lawn games and food. In addition, there were information tables hosted by South

Bend’s Family Justice Center, Belles Supporting Belles, Notre Dame GreeNDot and Sexuality and Gender Equity.

Students also had the chance to donate to the Family Justice Center in memory of those who died by suicide.

Tri-campus student groups spoke about the implications of the comments, as well as a call for unity among the three campuses.

Residence Hall Association (RHA) president Kenzie Looney opened the comments

with describing what a Smick means to her.

“A Smick is a sister, an ally, a friend and so much more,” Looney said. “To me, a Smick is someone who supports others, a Smick is welcoming to everyone. A Smick cares for this community so much and how to make it a better place for everyone.“ She also thought about past students and their response to Smick Day. “Here at [Saint Mary’s], we see SMICK DAY PAGE 4

Alito defends emergency docket in law school talk

GENEVEIVE COLEMAN | The Observer

Students gather outside of Dalloway’s at Saint Mary’s on Thursday listening to speakers, participating in giveaways and eating food.

Senate discusses vaccines, testing

By HEAVEN CARTER News Writer

The Notre Dame student senate gathered Wednesday evening on the second f loor of LaFortune to discuss the addition of a new senate member, “Smick Day” and the climate surrounding COVID-19 protocols and concerns.

Student body v ice president Matthew Bisner kicked off the meeting by welcoming their newest member, Bella Mittleman, from MATT CASHORE | University of Notre Dame

Associate Justice Samuel Alito delivered a speech in the McCartan Court Room at the Notre Dame Law School on Thursday. He addressed the courts use of emergency docket which has come under scrutiny.

By RYAN PETERS Associate News Editor

Associate justice Samuel Alito defended the recent use of the U.S. Supreme Court’s emergency docket in a speech in the McCartan Courtroom at the Notre Dame Law School on Thursday afternoon. The emergency docket — sometimes referred to as the “shadow docket” — is a break from typical court procedure on merits cases that allows the court to address emergency applications before the party submitting the application suffers “irreparable harm.”

NEWS PAGE 4

The court’s use of the emergency docket has come under public scrutiny recently following its decision to not block a new Texas law restricting abortions. Alito was part of a 5-4 majority that refused to issue an injunction pending appeal hours before Texas Senate Bill 8, which prohibits abortions after about six weeks or once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, was scheduled to go into effect Sept.

1. While the ruling did not grant an injunction, Alito noted it expressly called into question the constitutionality of the law.

In addition to the recent Texas abortion case ruling, Alito cited

VIEWPOINT PAGE 8

two other recent cases that have drawn attention to the emergency docket. The first was the court’s ruling to vacate a stay from a lower district court on the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) issuance of an eviction moratorium in August. Alito, who Thursday condemned the “breathtaking scope” of the CDC’s eviction moratorium, was part of a 6-3 majority that issued an eight-page ruling vacating the stay.

The second case Alito mentioned was the court’s decision to refuse to block a district see ALITO PAGE 5

Scene PAGE 9

Fischer graduate hall.

The discussion then pivoted to “Smick Day,” which took place Thursday at 5 p.m. in Saint Mar y’s. The event w ill have field games in order to build communit y bet ween the t wo campuses, as well as a ser v ice to honor those who Saint Mar y’s has lost to suicide. Notre Dame student government w ill be holding a walkover from the Notre Dame campus to the see SENATE PAGE 4

Cavanaugh Hall debuts Cavaret

By MAXWELL FELDMANN News Writer

In an effort to rejuvenate Cavanaugh Hall’s signature event, junior Molly Schroeder, president of Cavanaugh Hall, has worked with fellow Cavanaugh women to turn this dream of hers into reality. She said she was “excited” to publicize this event and to “get it out to everyone” before it begins Friday at 5:30 p.m. on North Quad.

“Previously, Cavanaugh’s big

M Soccer PAGE 16

signature event was ‘Cavanaugh Cornhole. Turnout was never very good and it was time for something fresh and new. This is what led to the creation of the ‘cabaret’ experience,” Schroeder said.

“Cavaret“ is a play on words of the word “cabaret,” a nightclub or restaurant where entertainment is performed. Schroeder said providing this cabaret experience is important for the Notre Dame student body. see CAVARET PAGE 5

jayson ademilola PAGE 16

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TODAY

The observer | Friday, October 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

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

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The Basilica of the Sacred Heart on God Quad is open to the public and the Notre Dame community from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. when class is in session during the academic year. Daily mass is offered at 11:30 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

“Saints of the Black Death” Andrews Auditorium 10:30 a.m - 11:30 a.m.

Saturdays with the Saints lecture.

Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. and noon Masks required. All are welcome.

Immigrant Lecture Zoom 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Featuring Nadia Y. Kim to speak on immigrant women.

Graduate Student Worshop 125 Hesburgh Library 9 a.m. - noon Registration required for Zoom option.

Russian Language Table Decio Hall 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Featuring Russian songs and games.

“The Middle Ages in an Object” Hesburgh West Lawn noon - 1:30 p.m.

Hosted by Medieval Institute.

Film: “Flowers of Saint Francis” DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 3 p.m - 5 p.m.

Free but ticketed.

ISSLP Info Session Geddes Hall 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

International Summer Service Learning Program Information.

Catholic Relief Service Lecture Geddes Hall 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

“Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor”

Terrence Floyd Speech Zoom 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

“Speaking for My Brother.”

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NEWS

The observer | Friday, OCTOBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Brown Bag Lunch event confronts social issues

By ANNEMARIE FOY News Writer

The Center for Social Concerns will commence the Brown Bag Lunch discussion series Friday. The discussion series, which will take place in the Geddes Hall Coffee House on the first Friday of ever y month, consists of casual gatherings where participants discuss issues affecting the local community in the context of Catholic Social Tradition.

Bill Purcell, senior associate director for operations and director of the Catholic Social Tradition program, said the discussion series is a “low key” opportunity for students, faculty and staff to “gather and discuss current issues through the lens of [Catholic Social Tradition].”

Purcell said the discussion

Smick Day Continued from page 1

have such a unique opportunit y in that we get to share this amazing tri-campus communit y that is made up of Notre Dame, Holy Cross and ourselves,” Looney said.

“The tradition bet ween the three schools goes back generations and I’m sure the students of way back then would be so proud of us and be delighted to see us all here together today.”

Student Diversit y Board (SDB) president Cr ystal Ramirez spoke about the importance of diversit y among all Saint Mar y’s students.

[Editor’s Note: Ramirez is an Associate News Editor at The Obser ver.]

“We are here to celebrate you, to support you and to stand by you as a communit y in times of hardship,” she said. “Ever y Smick is diverse. You all hold intersected identities that make you you and by being at Saint Mar y’s makes you a Smick.

These diverse backgrounds and identities that you all bring to campus make this a beautiful campus.”

In addition, Ramirez considered how the word “Smick” would be something used w ith pride by Saint Mar y’s students.

“In the 177 years since the establishment of Saint Mar y’s, Smick has become a term for the strong, powerful, brave, beautiful, intelligent and inspirational students of the Saint Mar y’s campus,” Ramirez said. “We title ourselves Smick w ith pride because we’re all — and w ill continue to be — Smicks because Smicks is ours.”

Ramirez concluded by speaking about the respect

should lead attendees to ponder how they can contribute to the local community.

The Brown Bag Lunch series is part of the Center’s “Signs of the Times” initiative. The title “Signs of the Times” is derived from Vatican II, which asks Catholics to understand social issues by reading the Scripture and understanding Church tradition but also by learning through experience, Purcell said.

The Brown Bag Lunch series is “a way of bringing the community onto campus and hearing about community issues that we can address,” Purcell said.

During the COV ID-19 pandemic, Center initiatives including ”Signs of the Times” struggled to engage with the South Bend community through virtual events.

Purcell said community engagement is key for engaging the common good and that the Brown Bag Lunch series aims to “slowly but surely” reconnect the community with the campus.

“It’s about mutuality… how we build solidarity as well as the common good in a relationship,” Purcell said, referencing some of the core principles of Catholic Social Tradition.

The Center chooses focus topics that are important to the local community and present opportunities for students to get involved, putting to action principles of Catholic Social Tradition that students have learned in classes. Faculty and staff, who are also welcome at Brown Bag Lunch discussions, live in the local community and are affected

necessar y in dialogues between Saint Mar y’s students and the tri-campus.

“You deser ve respect,” she said. “The relationship we hold is one that demands mutual respect — a relationship that has started to mend, but we w ill not move for ward until we are respected. We deser ve an apolog y and it is up to you to accept.”

Student Activ it y Board (SAB) president Ashley Maul spoke about how the language used against Saint Mar y’s students opposes what she sees ever yday.

“The negative connotation of the word ‘Smick’ does not represent the group of women standing right before me,” she said. “That being said, we must reclaim the word ‘Smick’ and be represented of what this communit y of women truly has to offer.”

Class Council president Oliv ia Smagala spoke on the negative experiences Saint Mar y’s students have experienced because of where they attend school.

“We all have experienced the stereot y ping, the name calling and the comments of attending an all-girls school across from Notre Dame,” Smagala said. “But w ith each year, the strength and support of our sisterhood has become more ev ident.

We have grow n stronger and grow n closer together, supporting each other in the process.”

Smagala said Saint Mar y’s is a unique place that is more than its counterparts.

“We are here as students to discover and develop skills that w ill prepare us to make a difference in the world,” she said. “A lways remember Saint Mar y’s is more than the school across the street.”

Holy Cross Student

Government chief of staff Mikayleigh Clark encourage both Saint Mar y’s and Notre Dame students to participate in activ ities at the College and get to know its students.

Notre Dame student body president A llan Njomo commented on his hopes for the future of tri-campus relations.

“I first want to definitively say that we were so disheartened about the comments that we came across last week and the week before last week,” Njomo said. “As Student Government, we are in support of the Saint Mar y’s communit y. We are here in any way we can be and beyond that, I think today is sort of an affirmative way to stand for ward and to stand together against what has happened.”

Saint Mar y’s Student Government Association president Elly Hanson concluded the evening by noting the need for compassion bet ween the three campuses.

“With all the negative histor y that surrounds this incident, it was important for the student leaders on all three campuses to come together and make an event like this to show that we are all here to love and respect each other,” she said.

Hanson also condemned derogator y comments on Yik Yak about Lizzy Seeberg and those who died by suicide.

“The way that her name was dragged on the Yik Yak comments w ill never be okay and we don’t support that and we w ill support Lizzy and ever yone we’ve lost [from] suicide,” Hanson said.

Contact Genevieve Coleman at gcoleman01@ saintmarys.edu

more directly by these issues, Purcell said.

For the Brown Bag Lunch series this semester and in the future, the Center listens to community members about what they want to advocate for. The Center’s goal is to “do things with people, not just for people,” Purcell said. He added that working with the community is a more sustainable method of bringing about change.

The Center’s three goals for attendees are “awareness, education and action,” Purcell said. He hopes attendees gain a better of understanding of important subjects in South Bend and learn about ways to be involved with community agencies that work on solutions.

The first discussion will be held Friday from 12-1 p.m. in the Geddes Hall

Senate Continued from page 1

Saint Mar y’s campus.

Regarding COV IDrelated issues, the student senate received a presentation from assistant v ice president for student ser v ices Christine Caron Gebhardt and Universit y Health Ser v ices director Ed Junkins. During the presentation, Junkins informed the student senate of how UHS is handling COV ID concerns.

“The Notre Dame campus is different from others because it is uniformly highly vaccinated compared to other schools,” Junkins said. “[It’s] one of the safest geographic areas concerning the vaccine, which makes us ver y different from other counties.”

He added that less than 1% of students are testing positive for COV ID, so they have more margin for error.

A student senator brought up a question regarding ex it protocols.

Gebhardt and Junkins responded, clarif y ing there w ill be no COV ID ex it protocols because of the number of vaccinated students. They also reiterated that the small majorit y of students who are unvaccinated are routinely tested, and said there are almost zero to a few who have tested positive.

Other student senate members expressed their concerns about access to COV ID testing for students who are ill.

Gebhardt said “students have a fast pass, which means if we are not feeling well you can call UHS

Coffee House.

October’s topic is refugees because Catholic Charities might bring Afghan refugees to the Michiana area, Purcell said.

The featured speaker will be John Pinter, executive director of the United Religious Community of St. Joseph County.

The discussion will ref lect on the refugee issue in an intellectual, practical and spiritual manner, Purcell said. The Center is “tr ying to educate for action” through the Brown Bag Lunch series, he said.

Attendees should bring their own lunch, but beverages and desserts will be served. People can come and go if they are unable to stay the whole time, Purcell said.

Contact Annemarie Foy at afoy@nd.edu

and get a rapid test.” She also stated that if UHS is unable to get back to a student the same day, the student w ill be able to get tested the next day.

Gebhardt and Junkins said UHS is receiv ing over 180 calls a day, and that their ser v ices are not wellequipped for this demand.

However, they said they have hired more employees to answer the phone and communicate w ith students. They are working towards resolving this issue, they said, and if students have any more questions or concerns they can express feedback on the UHS website.

Questions regarding booster shots were also brought up for discussion.

“There is a line for people who need the booster, those in high-risk populations,” Junkins said. “The majorit y of the people on campus are ver y low-risk, they are considering what a booster shot means and what it looks like.

It is something we walk towards, not run towards. It is better to vaccinate more as a whole than to boost those who are already vaccinated.”

For now, there are no plans to mandate a booster shot, they said.

Concerns regarding excused absences were also discussed during the meeting. Gebhardt said that professors must accept excused absences. She added that, if a student is unable to get tested before class, they can show their professor the secure message UHS sends regarding appointments.

Gebhardt w rapped up the meeting by thanking ever yone for their patience and for their understanding.

Contact Heaven Carter at hcarter2@nd.edu

News

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, OCTOBER 1, 2021 | The Observer

ND community discusses Congressional turmoil

By BELLA LAUFENBERG News Writer

When President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump in November’s general election, he did so in part by swaying the votes of the more radical Democrats. Although he is still considered a moderate, one of the promises of his campaign that may have helped convince those voters was his plans for a robust social safety net.

Now, almost a year later, Biden is struggling to pass a bill to make good on those promises. His administration and other top Democrats have proposed a $3.5 trillion bill that expands on many of the social programs already in place and forms new ones. This bill is hitting a roadblock throughout Congress—being blocked by a few select Democrats and a significant number of Republicans.

Sophomore Benjamin Rascón Gracia, a representative from Notre Dame’s chapter of College Democrats, explained that the bill would have a day-to-day impact on citizens.

Author’s note: The Observer is a politically independent publication. Notre Dame’s College Republicans club did not respond to The Observer’s request for a comment.

“The Biden administration is trying to deliver material wellbeing to its constituents through a really big social program,” Rascón Gracia said. “[These programs] really are going to be helping the working class and just even middle-class people without having to raise taxes on them.”

He highlighted both the child tax credit and expanded free community college as significant aspects of the bill.

Other programs that would be included under the bill are a universal two-year prekindergarten, the covering of some child-care cost, paid family and medical leave, expanded Medicare, specific job training programs and other various tax

Cavaret Continued from page 1

“‘Cavaret’ provides an opportunity for everyone in the student body to come together for dinner and a show, courtesy of the Chaos,” Schroeder said. ”During this otherwise busy and stressful week, it allows students to unwind, relax and enjoy several great performances by their peers.”

Additionally, it provides an opportunity for student performance clubs, groups and individuals to showcase their talents.

“We believe that ‘Cavaret’ makes many of these groups more accessible to the student body,” Schroeder said. “We provide a large-scale event that

credits. The bill also covers some climate change protections.

Rascón Gracia said the bill includes so many different aspects to take advantage of the slim majority the Democrats hold.

“Ideally, you’d have a separate bill that would talk about climate change [and other programs],” he said. “But right now, we have a majority that we need to enjoy.

If we don’t pass as many of our priorities as we can, what could happen is we might end up having another situation like the Obama administration, where a lot of priorities weren’t passed.”

The bill is also tied up with a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that has already passed the Senate with a 69-30 vote and is expected to move to the House floor within the next few days.

This expansive bill covers highspeed internet, airports, Amtrak and improving roads and bridges among other projects.

Democrats have been using the infrastructure bill as a tool to motivate their colleagues to support the social safety net bill.

In addition to being tied to the fate of infrastructure bill, many across the legislature attempted to force a government shutdown in response to the social safety net bill. This was avoided when Biden signed a short-term bill that would extend current government spending until December on Thursday night.

The two main critiques of the ambitious bill are the cost and increasing government involvement in the lives of citizens.

Economics professor Forrest Spence explained that the bill will have to pass by a budget reconciliation.

“The bill is going to have to pass budget reconciliation, meaning that it’s budget neutral,” Spence said. “And so, the only way you can pass something like this, without any Republican support, is going to be 50 votes in the Senate, which can pass a budgetneutral bill.”

The bill is currently aiming to pass as budget neutral by increasing taxation on individuals

and companies making more than $400,000 per year.

Rascón Gracia said he would counter the increased government involvement claim by explaining that the focus of the bill is to benefit families and strengthen family values — a big focus of the Republican platform.

“When we try to pass bills like these, this is a really big fear that ‘oh my gosh, we’re falling into socialism,” Rascón Gracia said. “If you’re able to provide some form of support to people and families, I mean, what can be more family value aligned than that.”

Spence said there would be both economic risks and benefits to a bill that is this comprehensive.

The increase in government spending and debt would only be a good risk if the gross domestic product (GDP) increases as well because GDP is an indication of the country’s ability to pay off debt, Spence said.

Some are worried that increasing taxation on wealthy companies may decrease their output and the country’s GDP. However, the bill could be worth this cost if the programs — community college, job training programs, etc.— ultimately added to the country’s wealth.

Spence explained that other unexpected costs sometimes come along with such massive system shocks.

“Big shocks to policy generate costs that are somewhat independent of the merits of the policies themselves,” he said.

For Biden to secure his legacy and pass this bill through Congress, he will need to alter the bill in some way. This could include investing in only continuing current programs or possibly focusing more on climate change instead.

In any scenario, it is clear that this bill will continue to be a source for much political debate between and within party lines in the weeks to come.

concentrates performers onto one big stage in North Quad. This gives clubs traditionally located in more obscure places a great chance to be seen by everyone out in the open.”

“Cavaret“ is hosting a wide variety of talent — music, dance, theatre, comedy and even jump rope.

Schroeder said there should be at least one act that appeals to any attendee.

Despite being known as the Cavanaugh Chaos, there was a lot of planning and cooperation that went into organizing and executing the event that was anything but chaotic. Planning officially began Aug. 31 and it included weekly meetings and daily check-ins, Schroeder said. Planning is still

occurring as the event nears.

Schroeder complimented her team, which included junior and Cavanaugh vice president Nicole Campbell, sophomore Ellie Sheddy, sophomore Audrey Feldman and junior Isabel Knight.

She said everyone generally shared the same responsibilities.

Although everyone generally worked together, some members concentrated their efforts in more specific logistical areas. Campbell concentrated on designs for advertisements and t-shirts, Feldman focused on contacting, Knight focused on the dinner menu and Knight and Feldman, the event’s commissioners, jointly focused on communication with the Student Activities Office.

Contact Bella Laufenberg at ilaufenb@nd.edu

Alito Continued from page 1

court’s ruling ordering the Biden administration to revive the Trump administration’s Migration Protection Protocols program. Alito said the acting solicitor general did not ask for the court to conduct an oral argument or receive a full briefing because it wanted relief within hours.

Alito said he finds criticisms of the substance of these rulings productive, but he finds recent media criticism of the court’s so-called “shadow docket” misleading.

“The truth of the matter is that there was nothing new or shadowy about the procedures we followed in those cases,” Alito said. “It’s hard to see how we could handle most emergency matters any differently.

And despite all the recent criticism of the shadow docket, we have not seen many serious proposals setting out significantly different procedures that we could follow up.”

Alito added there is nothing new about emergency applications themselves, and the only changes that have occurred to the emergency docket of late are procedural. He highlighted two differences which he argued have improved the decision-making process.

The first difference Alito noted is the Internet allows justices to receive the filing party’s papers instantly and also to communicate with each other at any time of day.

The second difference is almost all potentially controversial emergency applications are referred to and decided by the full court, Alito said. In prior years, only the single justice who was assigned to the circuit where the case arose would decide the case.

“Many generations of judges and scholars have thought that this standard is the best way to deal with this fundamental problem,” Alito said.

“The Supreme Court and the lower federal courts have a lot of power, but here’s the power they do not have: they do not have the power to make the world stand still while litigation takes place.”

First-year Cavanaugh resident Ainee Martin, who is volunteering as a stage manager for the event, said she expects “Cavaret“ to be a popular event.

“There are so many different kinds of talents in this event, so I think it will be a really popular event and very enjoyable… the time and effort put into this can be clearly seen,” Martin said.

For attendees who wish to eat dinner, student tickets are $5. All revenue generated from “Cavaret“ and the two complementary Cavanaugh bake sales goes to Visitation Maternity Ward, a subset of a hospital in Kenya that Holy Cross priests from Notre Dame helped found.

Cavanaugh freshmen Serra

5

Alito compared the court’s use of the emergency docket to that of EMTs and emergency rooms treating victims immediately after an accident.

“You can’t expect the EMTs and the emergency rooms to do the same thing that a team of physicians and nurses will do when they are handling a matter where time is not of the essence in the same way,” Alito said.

He said a large majority of the court’s emergency applications are requests to stay, or temporarily suspend, the execution of a prisoner convicted of a capital offense. Alito said these types of applications are almost always submitted the day before or the day of the scheduled execution. Because of the time constraints commonly placed upon these types of rulings, the court generally does not have time for oral argument or to write a full opinion and instead does the most thorough job it can given the circumstances, Alito said.

“The catchy and sinister term ‘shadow docket’ has been used to portray the court as having been captured by a dangerous cabal that resorts to sneaky and improper methods to get its ways,” Alito said.

“This portrayal feeds unprecedented efforts to intimidate the court or damage it as an independent institution.”

Alito said while there is nothing new about issuing a ruling without oral argument or a full opinion, one difference is the court has had to issue more emergency rulings in civil cases since the start of the Trump Administration. He attributed the increase to the significant amount of Trumpera initiatives enjoined by a district judge and challenges to election rules, prison safety and religious worship caused

by COVID-19 policies.

Thursday’s lecture was the second appearance by a supreme court justice at Notre Dame this month following senior associate justice Clarence Thomas’ lecture at the Debartolo Performing Arts Center on Sept. 16.

Contact Ryan Peters at rpeters5@nd.edu

Marquez and Bianca Batista said “Cavaret“ is an opportunity for “good food and good performances for a great cause.”

Contact Ma xwell Feldmann at mfeldma3@nd.edu Paid Advertisement

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The observer | Friday, OCTOBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

West does not mean best

Inside Columns

Power Five conferences’ logos ranked Mannion McGinley Sports Editor

The ACC, SEC, Big 12, Pac 12 and Big 10. Schools from each of these Power 5 conferences are ranked every week in things like their sports, their academics, their social life, and their alumni network. In all of these conversations, the schools are represented by their logos, an ever present, easily recognizable symbol for each one. The problem is, as my roommate and I discussed while Notre Dame faces off against Wisconsin, some of them are just so boring. From worst to best, here are the Power 5 conferences ranked by the quality of logo. The rankings will be based on intricacy, individuality and the image holistically. Points are added and taken away from a total of ten. If a school is not mentioned, it was not problematic enough to lose a point. As an aside, Fighting Irish fans, the ND logo is only exempt from this because Notre Dame is independent.

The logo is cool but it has space to improve too.

No. 5 Big 10 (2/10). Helloooooo Big 10. One massive letter in one—maybe two—of your school colors is not a logo. Eight of the 14 schools have this. Michigan may be the Big House. But, that does not mean that a massive yellow—excuse me—’M’ is any kind of logo. Nor does it make sense for them to be the wolverines then if they’re going to only use the M in marketing or press related representations. Similarly, ‘O’ may bookend ‘O-H-I-O’ but Buckeye fans and alumni, if you have to write Ohio State across your ‘O’, it’s not a helpful logo. Especially not when you could easily combine the image of a buckeye and an ‘O’. All in all, we just shouldn’t claim a letter in a slight variation of the “varsity” font (you all know what I’m talking about) is anything more than just that: a letter. These eight schools lose one point each. The Big 10, also, places last because they’ve declined in overall intricacy. North Western and Maryland used to have the Wildcat and Terrapin mascots in their logos in addition to their full name or a large letter, but have since iced those designs. This conference’s leaders in logo design are Michigan State, Penn State, Iowa and Indiana University. The first three because they use their actual mascots although no lettering at all. A half point for each of their logos. The last half point comes from IU because interlocking letters are somewhat ~innovative~ (a totally unbiased opinion of mine).

No. 4 Pac 12 (4/10). With only three plain letter logos, the Pac 12 is already in a much better position than the Big 10 to start out. Minus one point for Oregon and Washington.Arizona’s is a bit more creative so it doesn’t lose any points. They falter after that though because three of the California schools use cursive in their official logos. Down three points for unoriginality between the California schools, with the exception of Stanford who is one of this conference’s saving graces, earning a positive point. Washington State earns two more points on its own for the yelling cat formed by their letters. The last couple of points shook out through Utah and Arizona State based on overall visual. Utah’s is questionable at best, problematic at worst so they lose a point. The ASU trident on the other hand is well done, bringing the point total to four.

No. 3 Big 12 (6/10). The great part about this conference is that there isn’t a single stand-alone letter. Already, 2 points there. There are mascots with school shirts on, mascot profile shots and silhouettes. The problem, again, comes in regard to individuality. Iowa State fell into a similar trap as Ohio State. An ‘I’ with ‘State’ in front of it is not an effective logo. There are four ‘I’ states.

That’s confusing. Minus one. Baylor, West Virginia and Oklahoma chose to use their two letters overlaying each other. That’s interesting to look at if nothing more. They all did it the same way though: the letters go from top left to bottom right, no mascot in sight. Minus three for the lack of originality. Texas Tech, on the other hand, took the interlocking idea and spun it their own way, one point there. OSU, Kansas and TCU take the cake with this one. The logos are original, intricate and multidimensional earning them each a point. One more point for UT and Kansas State for their mascot logos. They each got a half like the Big 10 standouts.

No. 2 SEC (7.25/10). The SEC has only two single letter logos Tennessee and Georgia. They lose the conference two points. Another half point falls for Mississippi State being another stand alone ‘M’ with ‘State’ across it. It only loses half though because there is a bit more to the ‘State’ design.

The only other place the SEC loses points is a quarter of one for being almost too detailed. Some of these have a lot going on and that can just be difficult to put on merchandise or use in other designs outside of this one logo. LSU and Florida fall into this group. The Alabama, Texas A&M, South Carolina and Auburn logos are the saving grace of the conference though.

No. 1 ACC (8/10). The ACC barely eeks out a win over the SEC and this is a slight win. Right off the bat, the Florida State logo loses a point, despite the school’s relationship with the Seminole Tribe, that does not mean it should be their blatant logo. The second point is lost, half to Miami University and half to Syracuse because they both have stand alone letters. Here is why it’s only half a point lost rather than two full, allowing tthe ACC to beat the SEC and not the other way around. Syracuse is working with what they have. They are the orange which is not exactly a flexible mascot. However, as the Orange, having one giant orange ’S’ is accurate. Miami just marketed really well. Yes, they are still called the Hurricanes or the ‘Canes and that should be in their logo but they have become ‘The U’. With students, fans and alumni throwing their hands up, thumbs connected, Miami’s logo can’t ever change. It is a part of their history and their culture on campus now. The rest of the logos are individual enough from both each other and those of other conferences. Even (for argument’s sake) including Notre Dame in the ACC—as it is for some sports—the only other completely interlocked lettering is UNC. They bend the ’N’ to match the ‘C’ and create a visual that differs significantly enough from the Fighting Irish ND. Any past, present, future iterations of the logos across these conferences will be adored by the people they represent but these are the changes and points I would consider if I was in the design room for any of these logos.

You can contact Mannion at mmcginl3@nd.edu.

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

Patrick Condon BridgeND

On the last day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, I was excited to see that the United States had passed China for the most gold medals won. It was a reassurance that the US was still superior on the world stage of international athletics. After all, dominance is what we have been accustomed to, but it was surprising not to see the gymnastics teams in first place or the men’s track and field team win just one gold. It was also disappointing. As one of my good friends put it, “no one is more patriotic than they are during the Olympics.” Myself included.

My father, on the other hand, was born in Canada. Of course, he watched and rooted for the Canadians, but I noticed that he had more of an appreciation for the competition as a whole. For example, he took an interest in the more obscure competitions, like handball, and went out of his way to root for the underdogs. His view of the games was less targeted than mine, my sister’s, or any of my friends’. I took time to reflect on the difference between my father’s approach to the games and my own. As I did, I was reminded of how western-centric and particularly American-centric many Americans view the world: western culture, history, and values are treated as more important and better than others.

I can only speak from my own experience, but this appears to be a widespread phenomenon. Western-centrism seeps into almost everything, starting with the way we are educated. I remember being in awe when I learned about the “New World” in elementary school. It was the land of opportunity - a place where you could be freed from the shackles of the established old world order and live out your own individuality. We were taught about the greatness of American values and that anyone who tried to challenge them was the enemy. We learned about how the US and its Western allies fought to preserve those values so nobly, be it in the World Wars, Korea, or even Vietnam. Yet I could not tell you a thing about the history of Africa if it doesn’t relate to European colonialism. Even my college class, entitled “Introduction to World Politics” (“world” being the key word), spent 95% of its time examining the west. This western-centrism is not confined to the education system. It is present in everyday life, especially in the way we talk.

Whether it be casually throwing around the term “third-world” to describe a country outside of the West or to imply that all African countries are the same, Americans frequently project the idea that American culture is the only one that is relevant.

I do not want to give the wrong impression: I am pro-western values. I was raised in the United States and, despite all of its issues, love the United States. I am not suggesting that we should eliminate our American or western focus. Like everyone, we are products of our environment and pay most attention to what impacts us directly. Nevertheless, I still believe intense western-centrism is highly problematic.

If we focus exclusively on the west, we discount the lives, cultures, and histories of billions. When we project that western culture must be emphasized to the point where other cultures are crowded out completely, we imply the idea of the west as being more “civilized” than the rest of the world, or America as an exceptionalist nation being entitled to manifest destiny.

This is problematic, first and foremost, because it can lead to xenophobia and racism. But beyond these obvious problems, it obscures a massive pool of unique individuals. Whether it be in terms of academic research (which only focuses on a small, majority American percentage of the world’s population) or seeking out another individual’s experiences, we should not surround ourselves only with people who think like we do. No one should be disqualified from consideration because of where they were born and how they were raised.

In order for substantive changes to be made, there needs to be institutional shifts. Education, politics, and individuals themselves need reform.

With respect to the first two, a comprehensive plan for institutional change is slightly above my pay grade. Yet, when it comes to the individual, I have some ideas. Take a moment to reflect on your western-bias. I hope it’s less prominent than mine, but either way, consider it and why you might possess it. And the next time you read an article or meet someone from a different area of the world, remember that it is composed of people like you: people with convictions, unique perspectives and a desire to grow and to flourish.

Patrick Condon is a sophomore living in Siegfried Hall. He currently serves as the Director of Marketing for BridgeND. BridgeND is a student-led discussion club that is committed to bridging polarization in politics and educating on how to engage in respectful and productive discourse. BridgeND welcomes students of all backgrounds, viewpoints and experiences who want to strengthen their knowledge of current issues or educate others on an issue that is important to them. The club meets weekly on Mondays at 7 p.m. in the McNeill Room of LaFortune.

Want to learn more? Contact bridgend@nd.edu or @bridge_ND on Twitter.

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

The observer | Friday, OCTOBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

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Rap’s undeserved bad rap Mehumi Tamura Subject to Change

Rap undeservedly gets a bad rap. People sometimes associate rap music with drugs, violence, the degradation of women, sexual exploitation, etc., but this blanket stereotype for an incredibly diverse and culturally important genre of music is unfair. Of course, some rappers and songs do include content which could be considered as perpetuating a negative message and influence on listeners, but that shouldn’t — and doesn’t — apply to rap as a whole. In this column, through some of my favorite albums, I’m going to try defending rap music as not only undeserving of the negative stereotypes some people hold against it but as a source of lyrical and musical beauty, cultural and social awareness, and even political messaging.

1. J. Cole’s “KOD” I remember listening to this album as I was studying for finals last year but having to switch to something else because I kept getting distracted by the lyrics to each song. KOD is certainly not one of J. Cole’s more popular albums, but, centered around themes of drug addiction and abuse, love, depression and even taxation, I think it’s full of wisdom nonetheless. In “BRACKETS,” (as in tax brackets), Cole seems to state that taxpayers should have more of a say in how their money is spent by the government — emphasizing the way in which the needs of underprivileged, often Black, communities are ignored by those elected to help. Taxation has always been a contentious political issue, and this song (a RAP song) inserts itself right into this debate:“Maybe ‘cause the tax dollars that I make sure I send / Get spent hiring some teachers that don’t look like them.”“Let me pick the things I’m funding from an app on my screen / Better that than letting wack congressman I’ve never seen dictate where my money go / Straight into the palms of some money-hungry company that makes guns / that circulate the country and then / Wind up in my hood...” In “FRIENDS,” Cole talks about drug addiction and humanizes drug abuse not as a personal failure but as something more complicated: “Blame it on crack,

you can blame it on the system… Blame it on the strain that you feel when daddy missing… What I’m tryna say is the blame can go deep as seas.” “Running from yourself and… buying product again / I know you say it helps and no I’m not trying to offend / But I know depression and drug addiction don’t blend.”

2. Mac Miller’s “Swimming” and “Circles” These are probably my two favorite albums. Not only are they beautiful individually — existing as a chilling work about Mac’s struggles with mental health, drug addiction, fame and growth, with “Circles” being released posthumously after his death from an accidental drug overdose — but the way in which the albums speak to each other is also incredible. The somber theme of the cyclical nature of life is encapsulated in the combination of the two album titles: “Swimming [in] Circles” and in many of the songs themselves. I would highly recommend watching this fascinating analysis video from the Dissect Podcast that speaks to the musically circular structure of the two albums. The podcast breaks down both albums and their cyclical nature in a way that honestly changed the way I think about music as a whole: In the last song on the “Swimming” album, called “So It Goes,” Mac says, “My God, it goes on and on, just like a circle, I go back where I’m from.” The podcast explains these lyrics may allude to the idea of “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” in the Bible — evoking the circular, and impermanent, nature of life. And, following this circular path, in the first song on the subsequent album, “Circles,” Mac says, “I cannot be changed... Trust me I’ve tried / I just end up right at the start of the line. Drawing circles.” So, the second album picks up where the first album ends — completing the circle. This circular, existential theme of these two works is presented not just through the lyrics, but through the music itself. The last chord on the final song of “Circles,” called “Once a Day,” ends on what the podcast calls an “unstable chord” — and “when our ears hear an unstable chord like this, we crave resolution to a more stable chord” which “gives a song a feeling of completion.” Ending the final song on an unstable chord which “craves resolution” was a conscious musical decision, as the

first song on this album, called “Circles,” begins on a “stable chord” — again closing the circle between the end of the album and the beginning. As the podcast describes it, “the album ‘Circles’ is a circle.” Seeing these two albums broken down in this manner made me see that rap — and music in general — isn’t just a string of words layered over instruments and sounds. There’s so much more to this art form.

3. Kid Cudi’s “Man on the Moon: The End of Day” Finally, I have to include Kid Cudi here too. His music is one of many examples of how rap is so diverse and multidimensional. With aspects of a multitude of genres ranging from hip hop to rock to indie to alternative, “Man on the Moon: The End of Day” is another album that feels like a poetic stream of consciousness, as he talks about mental health and the struggles that come with being human.This line from the song, “Soundtrack 2 My Life,” sounds like it could be from a poetry book — exemplifying the poetic nature of rap:“I try and think about myself as a sacrifice / Just to show the kids they ain’t the only ones who up at night / The moon will illuminate my room / And soon I’m consumed by my doom.”The willingness of rappers like J. Cole, Mac Miller and Kid Cudi (and so many more) to talk about mental health, drug addiction, alcoholism and their own struggles through their lyrics is incredibly important in lifting stigmas regarding mental health. There are so many other examples in the genre of rap of artists using their platforms to reshape the conversation regarding mental health among their (sometimes, mostly male) audiences who otherwise might not want to talk about these issues.

So, rap is kind of beautiful — lyrically, technically and in terms of the social (and even political) power it can have. If you’re one of those people who thinks all rap is just about drugs and sex and violence, think again.

Megumi Tamura is a sophomore from New Jersey currently living in McGlinn Hall. She can be reached at mtamura@nd.edu.

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

What amendments should be added to the Constitution?

Blake Ziegler News with Zig

In its 233-year history, the U.S. Constitution has only been amended 27 times. There are two ways to amend the Constitution, but the biggest hurdle is that three-fourths of the states must ratify an amendment for it to be officially added to the Constitution. This makes the amendment process very difficult and explains why the last meaningful amendment was 50 years ago with the ratification of the 26th Amendment, which granted the right to vote to all Americans at least 18 years of age. Despite this challenging procedure, it’s still important to consider potential amendments to the Constitution. To assist in this inquiry, I asked four Notre Dame professors the following question: “If you were able to add one amendment to the Constitution, what would it be?” Below are their answers (in quotes), followed by analysis from either the professor or from my own research. I hope readers take this column as an opportunity to reflect on the American political system. As we navigate the issues of our nation, we must consider how our system of government influences our problems and solutions. This is especially true when considering America’s deepening political polarization over the last few decades, making cooperation increasingly more challenging. Through thoughtful consideration, we can engage in the conversations and actions necessary to address these concerns.

David Campbell, Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy. “SECTION 1. Every citizen of the United States, who is of legal voting age, shall have the fundamental right to vote in any public election held in the jurisdiction in which the citizen resides. SECTION 2. Congress shall have the power to enforce and implement this article by appropriate legislation.”When asked why he supported this amendment, professor Campbell explained that

“Historically, voting has been far more difficult in the United States than other nations. The result is that the voter turnout rate in the U.S. is low, and those who do turn out are more likely to be socially advantaged. While the trend in the 20th century was to expand the franchise and make it easier to vote, the 21st century has taken us backward, as many states have made it more difficult to vote — and those difficulties fall mostly on the disadvantaged.”

Sandra M. Gustafson, Professor of English and Concurrent Professor of American Studies. “SECTION 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex or gender. SECTION 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. SECTION 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.” Professor Gustafson’s amendment is a modified version of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), adding “gender” to the phrase “on account of sex” in the first section. The ERA’s purpose is to guarantee equal legal rights for all citizens regardless of sex. Professor Gustafson’s edit extends this anti-discriminatory protection to gender-based discrimination, particularly in areas of divorce, property, employment and other areas.

The ERA was initially passed by Congress in 1972 and has seen 38 states approve the amendment, reaching the number necessary for ratification. However, some states have rescinded their ratification and there is a current effort to extend the amendment’s time limit for ratification, leading to a legal inquiry as to the validity of the ERA’s ratification.

Matthew E. K. Hall, Professor of Political Science Professor Hall expressed concern for the life tenure status held by Supreme Court justices. Currently, an appointment to the Supreme Court is a lifetime appointment, ending at a justice’s retirement or death. On the topic, he wrote that “Life tenure creates bizarre incentives for presidents

appointing justices, Senators deciding whether to confirm justices, and justices deciding when to retire. As a result of this system, the Court’s interpretation of the Constitution depends on random and unpredictable factors that are completely unrelated to popular will or law.” Although he did not advocate for a particular amendment, he explained, “There are numerous specific proposals to remedy this problem, most of which limit the justices’ terms to 15 or 18 years and allow a president to appoint a new justice every two years. Any of those would be a huge improvement to our Constitution.”

A. James McAdams, William M. Scholl Professor of International Affairs . Professor McAdams said he believed the most pressing issue of the Constitution was the preamble. He wrote, “If you look at our preamble, you can see both the roots of our radical individualism and the absence of precepts, especially human dignity, that make a loving community of human beings possible. There is nothing more important than human dignity!” To resolve the lack of a specific commitment to human dignity, he suggested adding two lines from the first article of the German Basic Law and making them the new preamble to the Constitution. In German Basic law, those lines are:“(1) The dignity of man is inviolable. To respect and protect it is the duty of all state authority. (2) The German people therefore acknowledge inviolable and inalienable human rights to be the basis of every community, of peace and of justice in the world.”

Blake Ziegler is a junior at Notre Dame from New Orleans, Louisiana, with double majors in political science and philosophy. For inquiries, he can be reached at bziegler@nd.edu.

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

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The observer | Friday, October 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Mental health is a timeless issue Friday marks the end of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. As September ends, The Observer encourages the tricampus community and our readers to continue to advocate for mental health and support one another, especially as the pandemic approaches its 19th month.

As mental health resources became inaccessible to many people as a result of social distancing guidelines and growing economic inequality in the first year of the pandemic, conversations about mental health and accessibility of treatment were brought to the forefront of public discussion.

Safeguards for mental health were adopted in our community such as pass/fail options, online classes and hybrid teaching. Taking care of yourself was a concept that was greatly valued and advocated for in news articles, over Zoom and even on social media.

However, at this stage of the pandemic, some of these concepts have again been put on the back burner in the name of normalcy — despite the fact that the world has suffered innumerable losses throughout these past 19 months, and continues to suffer. Even as we make strides toward a semblance of normalcy, we must continue to prioritize conversations about mental health.

Similarly, suicide prevention and awareness is a conversation for the whole year beyond the 30 days of September.

Educate yourself on the warning signs of mental illness and psychological distress. Check in on your friends, even the ones who appear to have it together. Learn how to have open conversations about mental health, even if they’re occasionally uncomfortable, and even if these discussions aren’t common within your social circles.

Promoting mental health in our tri-campus community and beyond requires more than just awareness and accommodations — we must especially emphasize the importance of our schools’ professional mental health services, ensuring these resources remain accessible to students in need.

Notre Dame now offers a new, free health care program, Fighting Irish Care, that allows students immediate telehealth services, including free counseling through Timely Care. This alternative offers a variety of services including 24/7 drop in mental health visits, scheduled counseling and health coaching.

The University Counseling Center (UCC) provides free mental health services for all undergraduate and graduate students at Notre Dame, offering weekday drop-in hours in which students can meet with a counselor for a consultation, as well as a 24/7 crisis intervention hotline available at 574-631-7336. Campus Ministry also offers a “Need to Talk” program, allowing students to speak about their struggles with a campus minister during drop-in hours or through scheduled appointments.

At Saint Mary’s, students can call 574-284-4805 to schedule free counseling appointments with the Health and Counseling Center. Students also have free access to the 24/7 telehealth service Timely Care.

Holy Cross students’ first six counseling sessions are free through Student Counseling and Health Services, and can be scheduled by calling 574-239-8383 or emailing counselingservices@hcc-nd.edu.

Although many students take advantage of the free resources offered by their respective schools, a large share of students aren’t aware of just how accessible and affordable these options are. If you know someone in the tri-campus community who might need support, remind them of these services. Offer a kind and compassionate voice. Remind them there is no shame in seeking help. Emphasize that many students utilize these — about 30% of each graduating class at Notre Dame visits the UCC during their time as a student, and in 2017 Saint Mary’s reported over 20% of students had seen a counselor on campus.

Although such statistics are encouraging, these large numbers of students seeking help reveal the holes in our tri-campus mental healthcare systems. With demand rising dramatically at the UCC in recent years, students have reported wait times of weeks for appointments, and others

have expressed disappointment in their treatments’ effectiveness. Neither of these issues are the fault of individual staff members at the UCC — rather, they’re an unfortunate consequence of the University failing to provide adequate funds and staffing for one of its most vital programs.

If these roadblocks are preventing you from receiving the treatment and attention you need, the UCC’s website also outlines resources for finding mental health services offcampus, including ThrivingCampus, a platform that provides college students with off-campus referrals.

For many, beginning the search for support is the hardest part. Some might think that seeking treatment is “weak” or “embarrassing”; some might assure themselves their struggles “aren’t significant enough” to warrant therapy.

But asking for help is a sign of our humanity, and every mental health issue is worthy of attention. Therapy isn’t just an emergency option reserved for mental health crises. It’s also a form of self-care, a valuable tool for self-help, a weekly or bi-weekly check-in between yourself and your mind. In the last few years, it’s become essential to many students.

Mental health is notoriously difficult to maintain during times of academic duress, so as we approach midterms season, take care of yourself. This means saying no to some commitments and yes to others. It means making these decisions and not having to explain yourself.

Additionally, we ask faculty once again to be accommodating to students and make classes accessible outside of scheduled class time. Whether it be through recorded lectures or hybrid classes, these accommodations are helpful for students who are struggling to balance their physical health, mental health and academic responsibilities. We ask faculty and the administration once again to remember COVID-19, the flu and other respiratory illnesses of the season take a toll on a busy student’s mental health.

Your years in college might be the only time of your life where you’ll have free and easy access to professional mental health services — take advantage of that, and encourage others in need to do so as well. Take care of yourself, and take care of your tri-campus community.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

To the neighbor, First of all, I wanted to tell you thank you for your Letter to the Editor. It was incredible. Incredibly tone-deaf, incredibly out-of-touch, and incredibly unhelpful. Let’s start with the incident that supposedly put you over the edge: Paid Advertisement

the shooting on E. Washington Street. You gave a number of inflammatory quotes to area media outlets trying to tie this shooting to the larger Notre Dame off-campus party culture. This shooting didn’t involve any Notre Dame students, was a tragic but targeted homicide, and wouldn’t have been stopped by any of the measures you suggested.

Random acts of violence will sadly always occur.

They are, of course, more likely to occur when you reside in a city with a murder rate per capita that has been more than twice the national average since 2000. But, of course, you don’t live in South Bend because of the high murder rate. You live in South Bend because of Notre Dame, so for you to have the audacity to complain about the inconvenience of dealing with raucous college students for 24 nights a year is quite astounding. You describe the experience of living in the vicinity of these party houses as “intolerable.” But is it really?

Because you’ve lived there for 25 years. I can’t remember the last time I’ve heard of someone doing something for 25 years that they find “intolerable.”

Notre Dame is unabashedly a “work hard, play hard” institution. The students are brilliant and dedicated individuals who also like to have a good time. We love our football teams, tailgating, and cutting loose a little after a long week of rigorous classes. Given the realities of parietals, single-sex dorms, and alcohol violations, off-campus parties are a core part of the Notre Dame social experience. You, as a Notre Dame graduate, should know this better than anyone. But instead of embracing the community that you have CHOSEN to remain in for the last quarter-century, you want to completely stifle

this experience, all under the laughable guise of “student well-being.” Hiding behind this ridiculous and baseless facade only underscores that you are aware both of the triviality of your woes, and how curmudgeonly you sound complaining about them. It is abundantly clear to anyone reading your letter that it is your own vaunted sleep schedule and not the safety of the not-so-good offcampus students that you care about. You blithely claim that “students are in grave danger of alcohol poisoning, injuries connected to drunkenness, rape connected to drunkenness and more shootings” right after you fret about “nuisance” students who participate in “rude offcampus party behavior” and keep you and wife up past the ghastly hour of 11 p.m. a few nights per year. Perhaps most laughably of all, you condemn the University for facilitating a “dangerous, unhealthy year for students” and the “degradation of our neighborhoods,” without any actual basis for either of these claims. In fact, your house has a far higher property value than that of the average South Bend property, and the neighborhoods immediately adjacent to Notre Dame have the highest appreciation rate of any in the city since 2000, due in no small part to the university and students you so callously deride.

Instead of “solutions” that involve changing the behavior of your entire neighborhood, the social culture of an entire University and the policies of an entire police force, you should look in the mirror and realize that the solution here is obvious: MOVE. There’s a really quaint retirement home right across the highway from Notre Dame that would be a much more suitable home for you. Just don’t complain about bingo night once you get there.

William “Liam” Finn class of 2020 Sept. 24

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The observer | Friday, OCTOBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

By ANNA FALK Scene Writer

After months-long controversies and several recordbreaking singles, Lil Nas X’s debut LP “Montero” was finally released on Sept. 17. Despite having built his career on internet fame and gimmicky bops, this album differs wildly in its content and shows listeners a more vulnerable and real side to the artist.

Lil Nas X’s first hit single was “Old Town Road,” a song that topped the Billboard Hot 100 charts for 19 consecutive weeks. Before “Montero,” he also released an EP titled “7 EP” and a single titled “Holiday.” He later ended a brief hiatus with the release of “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” the first single from this new LP. An accompanying controversial music video followed, cementing Lil Nas X’s rise into the mainstream.

To put it into simple terms, “Montero” and all of its trappings astounded me. There is so much to applaud on this album; from the guest features to the genrebending sound, the 22-year-old outdoes himself in more ways than one. Beginning with several danceworthy songs, Lil Nas X demonstrates a fantastic ability to connect with his audience and improve upon his previous work. He then takes listeners through a journey of emotions and themes discussing important and relatable subjects.

By JP SPOONMORE Scene Writer

Marcia Lucas, known for editing the films “Taxi Driver” and “American Graffiti,” gives a peek behind the curtain to some of the greatest classics in cinema in a recently published book, “Howard Kazanjian: A Producer’s Life.” In the foreword, she mentions the casting of Harrison Ford for “Indiana Jones,” while expressing her passion for editing. Even long after working in the business, she identifies herself with the craft.

“I’m an editor, and I loved what I did,” Lucas says. “I was a post gal.”

But then she reveals her opinions on the “Star Wars” sequel trilogy, Disney’s rendition of the absurdly profitable franchise. Now, using the memoriam of a dead friend to speak out against a conglomerate’s commercial product is an odd approach, but I was intrigued because of her past experience with “Star Wars” as a whole. She’s not just an experienced, professional editor — she is the ex-wife of George Lucas.

This sudden news story caught my eye because Marcia Lucas had a major role to play in the editing of the first “Star Wars” film. George Lucas’ first cut was deemed bloated and overlong; the visionary wanted to

Some of the main themes that permeate throughout “Montero” are fame, love and identity. As a young, Black, queer artist in an industry known for being homophobic, he approaches these subjects with authenticity. Several songs note the people who did not believe he could succeed and those who wish to prey on his fame. In tracks like “Industry Baby” and “Dolla Sign Slime,” Nas flaunts his winnings and bashes his haters. Others are more emotionally-charged and face the reality of relationships (both familial and romantic) now that he is a celebrity.

This album continues to do well as time passes, and it’s very clear why. As I said before, Nas displays an impeccable ability to relate his experiences as an underrepresented figure in the music industry. To put it simply, there are not many people in the industry who do what he does. So few albums from BIPOC queer artists make it into the mainstream, and he acknowledges in his music how his identity can be isolating. The sounds of “Montero” boast of Nas’ newfound fame, but also heave at the weight of his loneliness and longing for true connections.

Another important topic discussed in this album is mental health. For young queer teens and adults, this remains especially important and needed in the mainstream. “Sun Goes Down” and “Void,” two of the slower tracks, reflect on Nas’ past realities. As a young kid who

struggled to make sense of himself, he failed to come to terms with his identity. Things may have gotten better, but his younger self grappled with finding hope. He still faces issues in a position of fame, but knows he is on the journey to greatness.

I have been following his presence on social media for a while, but this album is what truly made me a believer in his work. This LP shows a drastic and noticeable difference in lyrical and sound quality. There is truly something in this album that every listener can enjoy and sympathize with. His career holds much promise, and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for his fans.

pack as much of his galaxy as he could into the projector. It was nearly unwatchable. Marcia Lucas and Paul Hirsch (another editor) saw to it that the magic would remain on screen, but the fat would be cut. Over 40 years later, we are still writing about it. Marcia knew what she was doing.

And in her eyes, J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy don’t.

I was expecting her concerns to be related to the editing of the trilogy. She definitely has qualms with how they approached the films, claiming directly, “They don’t know ‘Star Wars.” Yet she puts her professional analysis away when voicing her passion. Without her name connected to the quotes, she sounds like every other fan posting a YouTube rant for clicks. Her main concern was Abrams killing off Han Solo, not his rehashing of the same plot as “A New Hope.”

What I find strange is the paradox involved in comparing the two trilogies’ craft. The original trilogy is a wellspring of brilliant choices with frame-by-frame decisions in the edit. The cuts are the beating heart of those films. In the new trilogy, every ounce of energy is put into the VFX. The music swells, the lasers go boom, but the pacing feels clunky under the weight of branching stories that never culminate. I wanted to see what Marcia had to say about these choices, and

what she herself would do differently if she was in the editing room.

Instead, she talks about the failed feminism of Rey: “We don’t know how she got Jedi powers, or who she is. It sucks.” She also mentions the useless death of Han Solo: “They killed Han Solo. They killed Luke Skywalker. And they don’t have Princess Leia anymore.” We hear these critiques all the time — why bother saying them anymore?

Marcia Lucas loves “Star Wars” more than anybody save George himself, because even though he was the one imagining it and crafting the world with his own two hands, she was the one making sure he stayed on target. In the decades after her success — even after she won an Oscar — most fans ignore her credit among the famous men she worked with. She had a chance, though brief, to re-enter the spotlight with Kazanjian’s book, and she took it. Multiple news sites and critics are writing about her opinions now (possibly more than ever before), but her words feel empty. Sometimes, I just want the magician to reveal the trick — where she was hiding the rabbit and why the newer magicians don’t get it — but instead I am reading the same, boring complaints about new blood killing old heroes.

Contact Anna Falk at afalk@nd.edu

“Montero” Lil Nas X Label: Columbia Records Favorite tracks: “Industry Baby (feat. Jack Harlow),” “That’s What I Want,” “Lost in the Citadel” If you liked: Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Frank Ocean

Contact JP Spoonmore at jspoonmo@nd.edu CLAIRE REID | The Observer

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The observer | Friday, OCTOBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

By EVAN MCKENNA Managing Editor

In the last decade or so, a new genre of celebrity has materialized in the realm of American pop culture — and maybe it says something about the state of our nation that this new form of fame is characterized almost exclusively by its deep, profound sadness.

You know the type — a few of the sad celeb ringleaders might just be mainstays in your private Spotify playlists.

Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers, Lorde, Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey might come to mind. The world might suck, but the sad pop girls turn dread and despair into iconic lyrics and pretty melodies, so maybe things aren’t so bad.

But what happens when the sad pop girls get happy?

This isn’t a hypothetical. You’ve heard of Rihanna’s third studio album “Good Girl Gone Bad”; now get ready for “sad girl gone glad.” Following in the footsteps of Lana and Billie, Lorde became the latest pop star to shock audiences with the release of uncharacteristically happy music. After two albums of melancholy and melodrama, Lorde’s “Solar Power” traded her discography’s typical settings — lonely suburb streets and hectic house parties — for a quiet, contemplative seaside view.

And fans hated her for it.

In the days following the album’s release, my Twitter timeline was flooded with fans mourning the loss of the Lorde they knew: “2013 Lorde would have hated 2021 Lorde”; “All of these happy lyrics are so corny”; “I liked her better when she was depressed.”

But this hatred of Lorde’s newfound happiness didn’t just fester in the depths of Lorde stan Twitter — it even seeped into the world of professional criticism. “You have to act so

By VERONICA NAVARRO Social Media Editor

The beloved Star Ginger Asian Grill and Noodle Bar has been a part of Notre Dame’s campus since the opening of the Duncan Student Center in 2018, sitting beside the Modern Market and close to Hagerty Family Cafe. After over three years of serving students, faculty and staff delicious meals, the grill was forced to close her doors at the beginning of this semester.

Nestled in the center of the student center, Star Ginger served as a tasty alternative to the many campus dining locations that all served similar food items. While you can order a sandwich or a salad at many restaurants on campus, or even in the dining hall, there was only one restaurant where you could get a bowl of poke or orange chicken and rice. Now that Star Ginger has passed, there are none.

Star Ginger is survived by her son, The Noodle Nook, which is no replacement for the delectable flavors that Star Ginger offered while she was here. An

dumb to be happy, nowadays,” Pitchfork writer Anna Gaca wrote in her review of “Solar Power,” awarding the album a 6.8 out of 10, the lowest score Lorde has ever received from the publication.

But why are modern pop audiences so averse to the happiness of their idols? Let’s get the most obvious answer out of the way first: There’s likely a strong element of misogyny at play here. A host of male artists and male-led groups have changed their style in similar ways — Panic! at the Disco and Fall Out Boy both swapped their signature emo sounds for more positive pop in the early 2010s — but none were met with the same level of public dissension. The gender discrepancy is clear, and it’s our society’s selfish way of denying female artists the same space for emotional development as their male counterparts.

Additionally, many longtime fans who deeply resonated with these artists’ formerly sorrowful themes might see this sad-to-glad shift as a personal betrayal. For years, they found solace and support in the relatable words of sad pop girls — but when the idols get happy and the fans are still sad, they might feel like they’re being left behind. It’s an unfortunate consequence of the parasocial relationships many fans form with modern-day pop stars.

For others, this hatred of happiness might be a byproduct of envy — a similar feeling of abandonment, but instead within the context of class and social status. For many of these newly happy artists, their albums’ aesthetics of joy and relaxation inevitably become entangled with symbols of high status: Lorde is at the beach; Lana is laughing with her friends at the country club; Phoebe is on the balcony of an ornate, all-white Victorian mansion; Billie, before she’s on a rooftop getting her badass closure moment, is lounging in a lavish living room with pastel walls.

Aside from the artists’ upbeat moods, each of these scenes contains an undeniable essence of opulence and comfort, a significant departure from the grimy, graceless settings of albums past: fiery cityscapes, low-quality green screen scenes, shadowy rooms filled with cigarette smoke.

When artists’ moods change from sad to happy — and their aesthetics from gritty to gaudy — fans lacking both happiness and affluence have a lot more to be envious of, even on a subconscious level. They’re envious not only of the pop girls’ upbeat moods, but also of the lavish lifestyles they’re presenting — and they’re especially envious of how the latter might make the former easier to achieve.

This phenomenon might also be a repercussion of the often-reductive ways our society views art. For many, sadness and other negative emotions are perceived as inherently more “artistic” than positive emotions — think of our society’s venerable view of the archetypal “tortured artist,” or the A24-obsessed film major who praises art on the basis of how much it traumatized him. In the eyes of many critics, human anguish is almost synonymous with artistic value.

But happiness is also artistic. It’s a fundamental part of the human condition, and it’s a driving force of some of the best and most moving works across our world’s artistic canon. So, teach yourself to stop romanticizing sadness.

Remember that artists are allowed to develop emotionally, just as the rest of us are. Learn to appreciate happiness as the beautiful force that it is — not as something inherently “cheesy” or “corny.”

And please, for the love of God, let the sad pop girls be happy. They’ve been through enough already.

imposter, Cafe De Grasta, now serves poke too, but it will also never compare to Star Ginger’s exquisite version of the meal. Now, if one were to order poke on campus, there would be no choice of white rice or brown rice, less choices of add-ons and, most importantly, no seaweed salad. Frankly, it is an insult to Star Ginger’s impeccable legacy.

At her former location, eccentric orange furniture still sits near each table, waiting for a group of students to gather while they wait for their orders to be made. Grills are spotless, and lights remain off. The location no longer hears the beeps indicating that a GrubHub order has been received or students at the cash register asking for packs of soy sauce and chopsticks. Counters no longer need to be wiped off when pho broth or rice noodles fall on them, and floors don’t need to be swept after a long day of fulfilling orders. The location sits clean, empty and quiet, waiting for another retailer to occupy it.

Many students will forever mourn the restaurant, myself included. Often, I pass Duncan Student Center and ponder what it would be like to eat an order of

lemongrass tofu and green beans in between my classes, only to remind myself that she is gone forever and I can’t place that order anywhere else on campus.

Fortunately, I won’t have to worry about spending all of my Flex points before fall break anymore, but I would make any sacrifice to have Star Ginger back, even if it meant spending real money.

There is no way to substitute a hot bowl of pho on a cold winter afternoon or a midday roll of sushi. Star Ginger introduced me and many other members of the Notre Dame community to so many new foods that I wouldn’t have tried had the restaurant never been on campus. Star Ginger will forever be missed and will never be forgotten, at least by me and everyone who ate there on a regular basis.

Star Ginger memorial services will be held every night in my dreams for the rest of my life. I never stop thinking about the amazing cuisine she once served, and I’m not exaggerating in the slightest.

RIP Star Ginger (2018-2021).

Contact Evan McKenna at emckenn2@nd.edu

Contact Veronica Navarro at vnavarr3@nd.edu CLAIRE KIRNER | The Observer

Classifieds

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, OCTOBER 1, 2021 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Take your time and consider long-term results before you put a plan into motion. Preparation will help you avoid an oversight that could be costly. The year ahead is meant to be used to clear up matters that hold you back emotionally. Encourage children, seniors or anyone who depends on you to be selfsufficient in order to ease personal stress. Your numbers are 2, 14, 23, 28, 33, 45, 58.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Before you step into unknown territory, consider doing a little research. Ask questions and find out if you have the knowledge, experience and qualifications to surpass whatever test comes your way. Partnerships will undergo a transition. Take a diplomatic approach to adversity.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Get involved in discussions that will lead to change, and follow through with your plans. Not everyone will be happy with your decisions, but if you are doing what suits you, that’s what counts. Don’t give in to interference.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your flirtatious nature will not go over well with someone who wants time alone with you. Get your priorities in order and be honest regarding your intentions. Deal with domestic situations and children with compassion and understanding.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Recapture your past by reconnecting with someone you haven’t seen in a long time. Memories will encourage you to pick up hobbies or activities that you used to enjoy. A change at work will result in greater stability.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): An unexpected change will disrupt your day. Accept the inevitable and proceed with caution. Moderation when dealing with domestic matters or partnerships will help. Physical changes can be made as long as they are within budget. Exercise and diet are encouraged.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You’ve got what it takes to bring about the changes you’ve been contemplating. Educational pursuits, meetings and networking will help you connect with people who inspire you to follow through with your ideas. Create opportunities by being a participant.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’ll face opposition at home or while dealing with older relatives or children. Don’t overreact when patience and positive input will encourage others to see things your way. The help or suggestions you offer should not put you in debt or personal jeopardy.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Before you implement change, price out the cost involved and consider if your plan is realistic. Someone with experience will offer insight into how to move forward. A change regarding how you earn your living will help your personal situation.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): How you present yourself to others will make a difference when it comes to advancement. Invest time and money in your appearance as well as your skills. Mastering what you enjoy doing will make it easier to excel.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A personal change will do you good. If you aren’t happy with the way you look, or with someone who has become too much of an emotional burden, it’s up to you to do something about it. Consider your choices and take action.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don’t lose sight of your dreams. Speak up if you have questions. Look for alternatives before you jump to conclusions. Make personal improvements instead of trying to change someone else. Walk away from anyone who is a poor influence.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Helping others will lead to benefits. Offer suggestions and assistance, and make it clear what you expect in return. An opportunity will arise if you reconnect with an old friend or colleague. Develop and sign contracts or settlements.

Birthday Baby: You are charitable, approachable and progressive. You are adaptable and motivated.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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Classifieds

The observer | Friday, OCTOBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Sports Authority

Sports Authority

How long can we Sha’Carri Richardson and Trust the Process marijuana in sports

By MATT SMITH Sports Writer

“Trust the Process.” That is the only phrase that Philadelphia 76ers fans have heard since 2013 when then-76ers general manager Sam Hinkie emphasized the importance of being patient w ith the team. The fans believed, and they suffered through some brutal seasons, including an astoundingly bad 10-72 record during the 2015-2016 season.

But the outlook for the Sixers slowly improved, especially w ith the additions of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid through the draft.

At 6-feet-11, Simmons has unheard-of size for a point guard and ball-handler.

His playmaking abilities on both ends of the f loor are elite, given his career average of 7.7 assists per game along w ith his two-time First-Team A ll-Defense selections. Embiid has been a double-double machine for the Sixers, averaging 24.8 points and 11.3 rebounds per game while becoming a perennial MV P candidate.

With Simmons and Embiid paired up alongside Tobias Harris, Danny Green and Matisse Thybulle, the Sixers have the depth and talent to be one of the leading contenders for the NBA title. But since the 2017-18 season, the farthest that Philadelphia has gone in the playoffs is the conference semifinals.

The Sixers haven’t been able to show that they are the best team in their conference, let alone the entire league.

After crashing out in the conference semifinals last season against the Atlanta Hawks, fans clamored for change. Now, it appears likely that Simmons is on his way out of Philadelphia.

Despite attempts from teammates and the front office to repair the relationship, Simmons wants nothing to do w ith the Sixers anymore.

So, what’s next for the Sixers if Simmons does leave?

To start, the Sixers are going to take a significant step back once Simmons is gone. Yes, Simmons’ offensive struggles are a big issue. His three-point shooting and free-throw shooting

are horrendous, especially for a point guard. However, his defensive prowess and passing abilities are key to raising the ceiling for the Sixers. The team’s net rating is significantly higher when Simmons is on the court, and there are going to be grow ing pains while the team adjusts to life w ithout him.

Embiid’s lengthy injur y histor y could also lead to complications for the Sixers.

The most games that Embiid has played in a season are 64 during the 2018-2019 season, and if he gets hurt again, Philadelphia w ill not be able to keep pace w ith the leading contenders in the East.

Tobias Harris has been an impressive scorer during his tenure w ith the Sixers, but he’s not a go-to scoring threat like Embiid. Harris is at his best when he is complimenting another star, and he won’t be able to carr y the team during Embiid’s absence.

If Philadelphia’s front office decides to give in and trade Simmons, their main concern needs to be receiving another star-caliber player in return. To be successful in today’s NBA, teams need to have an elite duo or trio of stars to compete w ith the best in the league.

The Los Angeles Lakers have LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.

The Brook lyn Nets have Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Ir v ing.

The reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. The list goes on and on.

Embiid can’t lead the Sixers to an NBA title by himself.

Harris is a great No. 3 option, but Philadelphia needs to add someone like Bradley Beal, D’Angelo Russell or CJ McCollum to help them stay at the top of the East. Right now, the Sixers need to retool, not rebuild. Other w ise, the fans’ belief in the process w ill have been for nothing.

Contact Matt Smith at msmith88@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

By OLIVIA SCHATZ Sports Writer

With her bright orange hair flying behind her and her freshly done nails pointing at the time, Sha’Carri Richardson finished the 100-meter dash at a remarkable time of 10.72 seconds. At the time, Sha’Carri was considered America’s best chance for the gold medal in Japan. She was a quick success. Her spunky personality quickly led to her becoming an internet sensation.

However, only a few days after this extraordinary win, news spread across the country that she would no longer be allowed to travel to Japan to race. The culprit: marijuana.

After the news of the death of her biological mother, Sha’Carri smoked with some friends. While to a majority of Americans, smoking weed is nothing out of the ordinary, for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) this meant that Richardson would no longer be able to compete in Japan.

When this news broke, thousands of people across the country fought back. To many, marijuana — which was legal in the state of Washington in which Richardson smoked — is not considered an enhancement drug.

After only hours of the news being released, petitions were being created and signed to change the U.S. Anti-Doping Agencies ruling on the matter. However, when the Tokyo Olympics came, Sha’Carri was at home watching them on her T.V. In 2004, the World AntiDoping Agency (WADA) created three criteria for what would be considered an illegal substance: it harms the health of the athlete, it is a performance enhancer or it is against the spirit of the sport.

Within that criteria, the reason that marijuana is considered illegal is that it is a performanceenhancing drug. Marijuana is put up against steroids, hormone and metabolic modulators, and bronchodilators (which relax smooth-muscle construction thus opening airways of the lungs) as a performance enhancer. To be considered a banned drug by the WADA and ICO, a drug must meet two out of the three criteria. This is quite frankly, as many people have put it, laughable. In fact, when this

decision was originally made, late star Robin Williams said that “When you are stoned, you’re lucky if you can find your own goddamn feet. The only way it’s a performance-enhancing drug is if there’s a big [obscenity] Hershey bar at the end of the run.”

Comedians are not the only ones to make comments on the overstatement of the powers of marijuana. Sports Attorney Joseph M. Hanna released a statement claiming that “It’s not a steroid. It’s not a growth hormone. It’s nothing to make you run faster, jump faster, throw faster — furthest thing from that… It has more of an opportunity to slow you down than to speed you up.” Although Hanna is not representing Richardson, he has worked on cannabis cases in the past.

In 2011, WADA cited an AntiDoping article titled “Cannabis in Sports” to defend their claim.

Since it was released, many individuals have fought back against it.

While there are claims in the article that said marijuana slightly increases the performance of some athletes, there are just as many points in the article in which athletes had a reduction in endurance after consuming marijuana. Since the release of this article, there have been countless other articles countering the original studies finding; one of which being cowritten by IOC member Dr. Alan Vernec.

However, this is not the only criteria that cannabis apparently meets. According to WADA, marijuana is also harmful to athletes.

In the early 2000s, marijuana was associated with a stigma. Over the past two decades, this has certainly decreased. In addition, since 2004, there has been significantly more data around recreational marijuana usage and the impacts it has on user’s health.

Marijuana has never been linked to any form of overdose while overconsumption of alcohol can kill you within minutes. It is important to note that there are significantly more relaxed rules associated with alcohol than are associated with marijuana.

In addition, recreational cannabis use has been shown to have an increased risk of respiratory symptoms and frequent chronic bronchitis episodes. Yet again,

this is not even comparable to the effects of alcohol.

In addition to marijuana not necessarily meeting any of the criteria, many Olympic athletes have been open about using it. In 2008, at the height of his fame, Michael Phelps was pictured smoking pot. He did test positive for THC, which led to a three-month suspension as well.

The main difference was timing. Phelps missed out on certain races, but nothing that would have affected his Olympic run.

At the time, marijuana was not legal in any state.

It always takes a first to make a change. Michael Phelps was not the individual to do that.

Sha’Carri Richardson was considered one of the fastest women in the world, and she was for sure going to the Olympics. At the time of his photograph, Phelps had already competed, he did not lose out on anything. For the IOC and the WADA to shift, there needs to be more uproar.

Recreational marijuana is legal in a majority of the 50 states, and this sentiment is shifting globally as well. Canada has already made it legal for nationwide recreational use and we will see others follow.

It is time for the IOC and WADA to change their policy.

Yes, Sha’Carri Richardson knew the rules when she decided to indulge in smoking. But the rules are antiquated and are doing nothing but harming athletes who have worked their entire lives to get to this moment.

Professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder Angela Bryan put it nicely, saying “[Richardson] was doing something legal in the state that she was in for reasons that, frankly, seemed perfectly understandable — to deny her the chance to compete at the highest level just seem to me, absolutely ridiculous.”

It is time for a change in policy.

And while Sha’Carri Richardson was unable to compete under the U.S. flag, hopefully, she will be the push the IOC and WADA need.

Contact Olivia Schatz at oschatz@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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Welcome to Gacha Life theres so much to see if people can make chracters than so can we we have puppies, shrimps beware of the heats that’s the point where the good and evil meet.

Welcome to Gacha Life theres so much to see if people can make chracters than so can we we have puppies, shrimps beware of the heats that the point where the good and evil meet.

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Ademilola Continued from page 16

passing attack wasn’t much better, as the Irish notched four interceptions and limited the Badgers to a single offensive touchdown. Around the red zone, Notre Dame stiffened when it counted, holding Wisconsin to a firstquarter field goal and then again stopping the Badgers short of the end zone in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for sophomore running back Chris Tyree’s kickoff return that gave Notre Dame the lead for good.

Ademilola shifted the credit to his teammates and coaches.

“You just have to execute the game plan — the coaches work so hard to come up with it,” he said. “I’m super confident in our abilities as a unit and fully trust in my teammates.”

This Saturday, the Irish need Ademilola to be at his best once more. The Irish defense has forced nine

Playmakers Continued from page 3

State, t he a lma mater of his fat her a nd 1999 fourt hround NFL dra f t choice Sedrick Ir v in.

Driskell believes Ir v in Jr. is a n importa nt commitment for t he Irish because he ca n f ill a specif ic role in t he back f ield in t he f uture.

“You’re getting a k id who’s a slasher t y pe of back who has t he opportunit y to develop into a weapon on t hird dow n. His sk ill set a lso compliments backs f rom t he prev ious t wo classes like Loga n Diggs, Audric Estime a nd Jada ria n Price rea lly well,” Driskell sa id. “If you’ve got four r unning backs t hat do t he sa me t hing, you ca n’t play a ll of t hose g uys at once. Notre Da me

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turnovers this season, and against a Cincinnati offense averaging 43 points a game, they need more of the same.

“It’s a new week,” he said.

“We gotta keep getting better ever y week.”

The Irish know almost too much about how quickly defensive fortunes can change.

After a dynamic three quarters in the season opener, Notre Dame gave up 18 points in the fourth quarter, necessitating an overtime escape.

Against Toledo, Notre Dame again was largely dominant, but they gave up a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns.

Those pair of scores forced Notre Dame into a finalminute game-winning drive to avoid a stunning upset versus the Rockets. In games three and four, the Irish have put together more complete efforts, surrendering just 26 total points to Purdue and Wisconsin. But as Ademilola said, it’s a new week. And a tough one awaits the Irish at Notre Dame Stadium this Saturday.

The Bearcats present a stiff

is show ing t hat t hey’re building a roster rat her just going for nationa l recog nition w it h his commitment.”

Driskell a lso discussed t he reg iona l impact in recr uiting Ir v in Jr.’s commitment ca n have for t he Irish “You just got a big na me from t he cit y of Mia mi.

That w ill matter to ot her Sout hern Florida k ids t hat you’re tr y ing to recr uit like [four-sta r w ide receiver] Ja len Brow n. Notre Da me made a statement by going dow n Sout h a nd beating out ot her Florida schools a nd Michiga n State to get t his g uy from a top high school prog ra m w it h some na me recognition,” he sa id.

Contact Colin Capece at ccapece@nd.edu

challenge, and the top-10 battle is the toughest remaining on Notre Dame’s schedule.

Last year, Ademilola played a limited role in Notre Dame’s big upset over Clemson in the regular season and in the ACC Championship loss to the Tigers. But against a monster Alabama front in the Rose Bowl, Ademilola shined. His 1.5 tackles for loss and five tackles overall was his signature performance to date for the Irish. And it set the stage for an offseason of improvement.

“Ever y year, I’ve come to practice working my butt off ever y day. W hen the opportunity comes, I’m prepared for it.” Ademilola said of his improvements. “Mentally, I learned a lot more football this offseason — not just D-line, but the whole defense, and what the offense is tr ying to each play … W hen the time comes on game day, I’m prepared and confident I can make ever y play.”

Ademilola also plays with a familiar person by his side

for a fair amount of snaps.

His twin brother Justin Ademilola has also stepped up in the Irish defensive front in 2021. Justin has 13 tackles and two sacks so far over four games.

Jayson spoke highly of his brother’s contributions.

“My brother has been playing really well this season,” he said. “I’m not surprised at all. He brings a hungr y mentality to the defense. W hen I see him next to me, we just have that go-get-them, killer mindset.”

Jayson also discussed his and his brother’s backround as wrestlers as a contributing factor to their success on the gridiron.

“I feel like I’m wired the way I am because my brother and I were wrestlers from a young age,” he recalled. “You have to have a whole different type of mindset, and I bring that onto the football field. W hen I’m on the field, I want to make ever y play. A ll these guys on defense want to — we’re all hungr y.”

Against Cincinnati, the

13

Irish have their work set out for them against a confident Bearcats squad. Quarterback Desmond Ridder allegedly said to a coach about the loud environment in South Bend: “It won’t be loud for ver y long.”

But Ademilola says the Irish don’t need external motivation.

“We’re work horses,” he said. “There’s no challenge that we can’t get to — we set our own goals.”

And for Ademilola, there’s no looking ahead. W hile a breakout season for one of college football’s top programs may justifiably bring draft hype, the New Jersey product isn’t even thinking ahead to past the Bearcats, let alone the postseason draft.

“I’m not sure,” Ademilola admitted about the draft.

“It’s too early to tell — all I’m worried about right now is this weekend: a green-out at home.”

Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

M Soc Continued from page 16

Dame attack as any, with three goals and an assist to his name this season.

Starting goalkeeper, Bryan Dowd, got some well-earned rest against Trine, with senior Thomas Deslong getting the nod against the Thunder, but will resume duties between the pipes on Friday. The Irish are undefeated in regulation matches (1-1-1 overall) so far this season in conference play, and Dowd and his defenses’ stability (with only one goal conceded against Boston College and a clean sheet against North Carolina State) have been a major factor in that record.

Notre Dame will take on Virginia this Friday at 6pm at Alumni Stadium in South Bend, and will be broadcast on the ACC Network.

Write Sports.

Email Mannion at mmcginl3@nd.edu

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The crowd may play a role, but it is not a one-man show

By EMILY DeFAZIO Associate Sports Editor

Waves have already been made ahead of Saturday’s top ten matchup. Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder, the leader of Notre Dame’s opposition this weekend, may have given the Irish just what they needed to come out on top.

Who needs the “Play Like a Champion Today” sign when you have an image of a cartoon character disrespecting your logo to rile you up?

Bearcats offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock warned Ridder of the noise he would face in Notre Dame Stadium.

With a host of chants, Notre Dame’s crowd can be electric when it wants to be, a fierce opponent for any team.

However, Ridder responded that the crowd “shouldn’t be loud for long.”

Those are fighting words coming into enemy territory.

Ridder’s comments immediately appeared on several popular Notre Dame Instagram accounts, along with a video

Opponent Continued from page 3

schemes.

“I t hin k t here w i l l obv iously be some fa mi lia rit y on bot h sides of t he ba l l in terms of t hings t hat we do a nd t hey do defensively, just by t he nature of being a round g uys for a rea l ly long t ime,” Fickel l sa id. “I t hin k once t he ba l l is k icked of f, a lot of t hose t hings go away a nd come dow n to prepa rat ion a nd ma k ing adjust ments.”

Fickel l sa id he isn’t concerned about his players’ relat ionships w it h Freema n a f fect ing t heir play during t he ga me, but he did ack nowledge it cou ld be on t heir minds as t hey prepa re for t he ga me.

“Once t he ba l l is k icked of f, you don’t t hin k about it unt i l t he ga me is over, but t hey a re a l l t hings t hat dist ract us f rom t hings t hat we ca n do,” Fickel l sa id.

Fickel l gave credit to Not re Da me for f inding ways to w in close ga mes, which he believes is a sig n of a g reat footba l l tea m.

“They’re a rea l ly good footba l l tea m. I t hin k one of t he unique t hings is t hat

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clip from Ridder’s Instagram that featured a disrespectful cartoon depiction involving the Irish logo, with people rallying to the Irish’s cause.

These recent events have illuminated a major, maybe unexpected, aspect of Notre Dame’s 2021 football season.

The crowd.

This may sound like old news; of course, the crowd has an effect on the team. They set the mood in the stadium, which can affect the level of play. What is unexpected is the level of inf luence the crowd can have on the game this year. The thing to watch out for is becoming dependent on the crowd. I’m not saying the Irish are at that point, but there is potential. Brian Kelly always mentions how the home crowd can affect his players; we fans must take this seriously.

Just last week, Notre Dame’s game turned around quite drastically after “Jump Around” was played, causing a sea of red to bop up and down in the stands. Kelly himself

said that the Irish looked as though they considered it their fight song, attesting to the improvement of the squad in the latter portion of the game. Compare that to the late home-game wave that lasted for a solid five minutes against Toledo–which was followed quickly by an Irish score–and one can see that the energy of the crowd translates to the energy of the team.

The coaching staff seems to acknowledge this as well.

Ahead of the season opener against FSU, the typical Doak Campbell Stadium chants were blasted in practice, preparing the players to use the energy that is being negatively directed towards them into something useful and motivating. Jonathan Doerer, who made the game-winning kick that Sunday night, said that he was unfazed by the deafening chants because of this technique.

However, the same can be true the other way around. At FSU and Wisconsin, the crowd was in favor of Notre Dame’s

t hey have been batt le-tested,” Fickel l sa id. “These g uys have been tested each a nd ever y week. They’re used to it in t he sense t hat t hey a lways get ever ybody’s best because of who t hey a re. To see how t hey’ve won a nd what t hey’ve had to go t hroug h to w in tel ls you t hat t hey a re a good footba l l tea m a nd a rea l ly good footba l l prog ra m, a nd t hat’s how you g row going for wa rd.”

Fickel l noted t hat he has seen t he Irish defense cha nge since week one, as is ex pected w it h a new defensive coordinator.

“Defensively, I do cont inue seeing t hem to involve doing a litt le bit more ever y week based on t he package t hat t hey got,” Fickel l sa id.

Despite dow nplay ing some of t he persona l aspects of t he ga me, Fickel l wasn’t shy in admitt ing t hat Saturday is a huge ga me for his prog ra m on t he nat iona l level.

“It’s a big ga me a ny t ime you play Not re Da me,” Fickel l sa id. “Not re Da me is a top-f ive prog ra m. A nd it just happens to be a yea r where we a re bot h good a nd ra n ked hig h. I t hin k more t ha n a ny t hing you have to go about t he process of ma k ing

sure you stay focused.”

Fickel l discussed how his tea m’s 24-21 loss to Georg ia in last yea r’s Peach Bowl was a good indicator of where his prog ra m was at, a nd t his ga me w i l l be a not her good indicator of where his prog ra m is on t he nat iona l level.

“We’re play ing one of t he best tea ms in t he count r y a nd t hat, to us, is a big dea l,” Fickel l sa id. “It is a n u lt imate measuring st ick in a l l t hat we do.”

Fickel l pointed to t he bowl ga me aga inst Georg ia when asked if he was worried about t he moment of a top10 matchup.

“They did a g reat job playing aga inst Georg ia,” Fickel l sa id. “The situat ion wasn’t over whelming. The ga me wasn’t over whelming.”

A lt houg h Cincinnat i qua rterback Desmond Ridder made a statement ea rlier in t he week about how he doesn’t ex pect t he noise at Not re Da me Stadium to be a factor, Fickel l ta l ked about how his tea m has been prepa ring at pract ice for t he crowd at Not re Da me Stadium.

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

opponent; the team could distance itself from the feelings associated with the jeers, for those people were never on their side to begin with. If your own fans are not on your side, though, that can be a mental toll in an already taxing contest.

A perfect example is the quarterback situation we have witnessed. Yes, Jack Coan has made mistakes. This assertion is not meant to completely excuse this fact, but when cheers for another quarterback to take the field are ringing in his ears, there is a capacity for negative impacts on the game.

Be angry, be disappointed, but take into consideration the power words can have.

Therefore, with Cincinnati already expecting to mute the crowd, the fans must be louder than ever.

However, they must use their power to advance the game in Notre Dame’s favor, not detract from it.

The team must be self-sufficient enough to be prepared to separate the crowd from the

task at hand if need be.

The defense stole the show against the Badgers, but they cannot become complacent.

The offense, on the other hand, needs to finalize what their plan of action will be. With Drew Pyne officially entering the mix, the issue of inconsistency only increases. Despite the talent of the offense, having a central position be changed constantly does not allow anyone to get into a rhythm, and a weak offensive line provides no help in that department, either. A set, basic structure needs to be put in place–no matter who that utilizes–so that the offense can settle in a little. Once the team itself is secure, then no matter what chants come out of the crowd, they will be prepared to dominate and prove their naysayers wrong. Until then, Irish fans can do their best to motivate, but the responsibility does not fall solely on their shoulders.

Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu

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Football

Jayson Ademilola on sparking defensive flip

By AIDAN THOM AS Spor ts Writer

GABRIELLE PENNA | The Observer

Irish senior defensive lineman Jayson Ademilola pursues the ball during Notre Dame’s 27-13 win over the Purdue Boilermakers on Sept. 18 at Notre Dame Stadium. Ademilola recorded four tackles in the outing.

When talking about the Notre Dame defensive line prior to the 2021 season, the storylines frequently, and understandably, revolved around two key returning starters — graduate students Kurt Hinish and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa. They did not tend to focus on a senior defensive lineman from New Jersey with one career sack over three years in the blue and gold.

And for Jayson Ademilola, that works just as well, with the added underdog edge fueling the “killer” mindset that he and the Irish defensive line bring every day.

“Everyone on this defense is hungry,” Ademilola said.

“We’re never satisfied — always working to get better, whether it’s in practice, watching film or in the weight room.

Ademilola has been a spark for a Notre Dame defense that needed some depth after some big names departed for the NFL draft following the 2020 season. The senior defensive

lineman has been a key performer early on in the 2021 campaign. He has 19 tackles — 3.5 for loss — and has more than doubled his career sack total with 1.5 over four games.

He has also deflected a couple of passes and forced a fumble.

Ademilola was particularly needed last Saturday when the Irish faced a lethal Wisconsin rushing attack without graduate student nose guard Kurt Hinish who was out with a concussion.

“You know it’s tough because Kurt is one of our captains and we all love him — he’s well respected in the locker room,” Ademilola noted. “But it’s next guy up. That’s our mentality.

Howard Cross is a monster; he’s a beast. We’re both from Jersey, so we’ve got that same mindset and we’re ready to go.”

Ademilola made a bevy of big plays, notching two tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Wisconsin, who had nearly 250 rushing yards per game over two contests, notched just 74 on the stat sheet versus the Irish. And the see ADEMILOLA PAGE 15

ND Men’s Soccer

Notre Dame prepares to welcome Virginia to Alumni Stadium, kicking off October action

By J.J. Post Spor ts Writer

This Friday Notre Dame men’s soccer will welcome another ACC foe to the confines of Alumni Stadium when the Virginia Cavaliers come to town for a conference showdown.

The Cavaliers (3-5-1) will enter the match looking to get an uncharacteristically poor season back on track following a rough start to the schedule. Traditionally a staple contender for the College Cup, and one of the nation’s most storied programs, Virginia have struggled to find their normally stellar form in 2021.

After a 2-0 start to the season against Western Michigan and High Point, the Cavaliers were taken down 2-1 by Maryland in their yearly rivalry match. Since that game, the Cavaliers have gone 1-1-4, with losses to a trio of ACC squads in Virginia

Tech, Syracuse and North Carolina, as well as a loss to James Madison. Virginia will come to South Bend with a little bit of momentum, however, as the 2019 national runner-ups did manage to pick up a 3-1 win against VCU earlier in the week.

The Irish, of course, will enter with plenty of momentum as well. Notre Dame will face the Cavaliers on the back of the biggest win in program history, after a 13-0 win over Trine University on Wednesday. The resounding win, in which nine different Irish players found the back of the net, should serve as a nice warm-up for the Virginia match. Key players still got some minutes of in-game soccer to keep their legs fresh, avoiding the possibility of a slump following a week of training, and plenty of rotational squad members got some competitive play while the conventional starting squad rested for most of

the second half.

Senior forward Jack Lynn will lead the Irish attack heading into their clash with the Cavaliers, as Notre Dame’s current season leader in points. Lynn can both finish (four goals) and create (three assists) attacks for the Irish, and he’ll be a surefire starter on Friday night. Two more players to look out for alongside Lynn up front will be freshmen Eno Nto and Matthew Rouu.

The rookie duo has combined for 20 points this season already, and have served as key pieces in the Irish rotation by coming in as substitutes in games like Virginia Tech and making inroads against tired legs. And while he doesn’t play a traditionally defined central forward role, graduate for ward/midfielder Dawson McCartney should play as big of a role in the Notre RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

see M SOC PAGE 13

Irish senior midfielder Mohamed Omar dribbles a ball ahead of him during Notre Dame’s 3-4 loss to Michigan State on Sept. 14 at home.

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H2H Continued from page 2

EDGE: Notre Dame Cincinnati Offensive Special Teams Notre Dame has been very solid on special teams this season,

both in kick and punt coverage.

However, Tre Tucker has averaged 33 yards per kick return, but that’s the biggest positive from the Bearcats’ special teams. p If the Irish can get this game to come down to special teams, they should feel very good about their chances.

EDGE: Notre Dame

Bearcats, Fickell ready for game

By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell said his team w ill be more than ready for a top-10 showdow n when the Bearcats take the field at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday.

Notre Dame defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman prev iously coached under Fickell at Cincinnati as the defensive coordinator from 2017-2020, and there w ill likely be plent y of narratives surrounding this leading up to the game. W hen Fickell was asked if he would have dinner w ith Freeman at some point, he said their relationship would not get in the way of him preparing and executing

his game plan.

“With these Saturdays, there are only 12 guaranteed ones a year,” Fickell said.

“You go about them the same way, whether it’s your brother you’re coaching against, your best friend, one of your former guys — no matter what it is, you respect the day and you respect the k ids that prepared for it. There is plent y of time in the offseason to do things like that.”

Fickell dow nplayed the importance of familiarit y on both sides of the football w ith Freeman potentially k now ing the Bearcats’ offense and Fickell understanding Freeman’s defensive see OPPONENT PAGE 15

ND gaining playmakers on both sides of ball as class of 2022 takes shape

By COLIN CAPECE Assista nt Ma nag ing Editor

Sitting at 4-0 follow ing a demolition of Wisconsin at Soldier Field last weekend, the Irish have further solidified their status as a perennial national powerhouse in the eyes of recruits.

Heading into a clash w ith top ten opponent Cincinnati on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium, the Irish seem to be in position to make a major recruiting push this fall. Notre Dame w ill host a number of their top targets on Saturday, including class of 2023 four-star prospects Carnell Tate (w ide receiver) and Malik Muhammad (cornerback). In an inter view w ith The Obser ver Wednesday, Br yan Driskell of the Irish Breakdow n discussed the importance of this game for Notre Dame from a recruiting standpoint.

“This is a great opportunity for some of the top players on the board to see Notre Dame up close and personal, and in that regard, it’s not even just about the game, but it’s about the environment,” Driskell said. “Notre Dame is show ing these guys that

this what you play in all the time if you come here. It’s also just another opportunity to further cement themselves as a powerhouse program. Winning this game shows that the only teams Notre Dame has left to catch are the likes of A labama, Clemson and Ohio State. If you beat Cincinnati, in the eyes of the recruits, it says Notre Dame is an elite program.”

One of the biggest stor ylines for the Irish so far has been the team’s struggles along the offensive line.

Injuries have decimated the Irish at left tack le, as starter Blake Fisher and replacement Michael Carmody both went dow n w ithin the season’s first two games. Notre Dame has a pair of four-star offensive line recruits committed in the class of 2022 in Indiana product Joey Tanona and Massachusetts native Ty Chan.

“You’ve got some talented young players on the roster like Fisher and Tosh Baker, but the depth at tack le is troubling. It’s not a vintage Notre Dame offensive line recruiting class, but it’s a good group that w ill add depth behind those elite, high-level guys. As we’ve

seen this year, it’s more so about gaining that depth to sustain the injur y problems Notre Dame has had to work through,” Driskell said.

In the last several recruiting classes, Brian Kelly has emphasized the need to add speed and athleticism to his pro-style offense.

Notre Dame has been reaping the benefits of that focus so far this season w ith players like senior w ide receivers Kevin Austin and Braden Lenzy emerging as key contributors in a rejuvenated dow nfield passing attack.

Tommy Rees has done his part by finding creative ways to get his best athletes involved in the offense. The 2022 class has an abundance of talent that could make the same kind of impact quick ly for the Irish. Driskell honed in on four-star w ide receivers Tobias Merriweather and C.J. Williams as the standout playmakers in the class.

“Merriweather is a special player and has a chance to be one of the two or three best w ide receivers signed under Brian Kelly. He’s that good. He’s a guy at 6’4” who brings the length and vertical ability that Notre Dame

likes and needs more of,” Driskell said. “C.J. Williams is the perfect complement to Tobias [Merriweather], a consummate chain mover who’s a volume pass catcher. If Merriweather gets to 120 yards, it’ll be on five catches because he’s a big play specialist. Williams w ill get to 120 yards on nine or ten catches. He’s a really sharp route runner w ith strong athleticism.”

Notre Dame’s defense proved itself to be one of the best units in the countr y Saturday by dominating Wisconsin. Defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman has quick ly taken his squad from one that was gashed against a currently w inless Florida State team in Notre Dame’s opener to the unit that stuffed Wisconsin’s Chez Mellusi for just 54 rushing yards and forced five turnovers out of Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz on Saturday.

This defense is one that relies mostly on assignment football, allowing players to use their best skills to form a unit that can get stops when it needs, but also play aggressively to get opposing offenses off schedule.

Driskell believes that this

adaptability inherent to the Irish defense w ill allow Notre Dame’s top linebacker commit Jaylen Sneed, a four-star recruit from Hilton Head Island, SC, to also contribute right away in 2022.

“Marcus Freeman’s defense is more adaptable for young players because he can ask guys to be really good at just one dimension, and he wholeheartedly believes that depth is important on the defensive side of the ball,” Driskell said.

“He even brought up this summer that in this era of players easily being able to transfer, guys don’t want to come and sit on the bench, and it’s a defensive coordinator’s job to be able to adapt and utilize skill sets.

He w ill find a niche for Jaylen Sneed to be able to utilize his skill set. I think he’ll be able to come in and utilize his speed and coverage ability.”

In the class of 2023, Notre Dame picked up a commitment from four-star running back Sedrick Ir vin Jr. out of Gulliver Prep in Miami, FL. Ir vin Jr. chose the Irish over Michigan see PLAYMAKERS PAGE 13

By JIMMY WARD Associate Sports Editor

On a September Saturday afternoon, in the hometown of legendary Fighting Irish head coach Knute Rockne, current Irish head coach Brian Kelly surpassed the great coach for most wins of all time as head coach of the University of Notre Dame’s football team.

Kelly totaled 106 wins under his belt at the school, vacated games included. Kelly accepted the job at Notre Dame in December 2009, replacing Charlie Weis. He beat Purdue in his first game with the Irish 23-12, but subsequently lost to Michigan 28-24 the next week.

Then, he lost again in his third game against the Spartans of Michigan State off an overtime fake field goal.

He attended St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers, Massachusetts, and went on to be a four-year club football player at Assumption College, playing linebacker. Kelly graduated from Assumption in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He served as defensive coordinator, linebackers coach and softball coach at Assumption from 1983 to 1986.

Kelly worked under Tom Beck at Grand Valley State Un i v e r s it y in 1987, as a graduate assista nt and defensive backs coach.

Kelly r o s e through t h e ranks quick ly and was serving as

defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator by 1989. By the 1991 season, Kelly had assumed the position of head coach after Beck took a job at Notre Dame as Lou Holtz’s offensive coordinator.

Kelly coached the Grand Valley State Lakers for 13 years, leading them to five conference titles and six playoff appearances.

His 2002 and 2003 teams won backto-back Division II National Championships while he was n a me d A FC A

Division II Coach of the Year after both seasons. The 2001 squad broke 77 NCAA, GLIAC, and school records, including the all-time Division II scoring average with 58.4 points per game. Kelly departed Grand Valley State in 2003 when he took over for Mike DeBord at Central Michigan University.

When Kelly arrived on campus, the Chips had won more than three games only once in the previous four seasons. In his first year, the team finished with a record of 4-7. The next year he finished the season 6-5 — the first winning season for the Chippewas in seven years.

In 2006, Kelly recorded a 9-4 record and his team won the MAC Championship.

Three days after winning the MAC Championship Kelly

accepted the vacancy at Cincinnati and led the Bearcats to a 27-24 win over Western

Michigan in the International Bowl. In his first year at Cincinnati, he led the Bearcats to their first-ever 10-win season since 1949. Then, he was named Big East Coach of the Year and he led the Bearcats to a 31–21 victory in the PapaJohns.com Bowl over Southern Mississippi.

Kelly led the Bearcats to the Orange Bowl the next year, where they lost to ACC Champions, Virginia Tech, 20-7.

In Kelly’s third and final season with the Bearcats, he strung together 12 straight wins to finish the regular season undefeated and with his team placed at No. 3 in the BCS Standings ready for a match against Urban Mayer and a senior campaign Tim Tebow’s

Florida Gators. However, on Dec. 10, 2009, Kelly announced that he would take over as Notre Dame’s head coach. This announcement came after Charlie Weis’ poor 6-6 season with the Irish.

In his 13th season with the Irish, Brian Kelly and his legacy are different than their early 2000s selves. Exactly one week after breaking Rockne’s record Kelly will square off against the team he essentially revolutionized in just three short seasons.Looking back, Kelly is a greatly decorated coach. In his 31 seasons as a college football coach he has won 2 NCAA Division II titles, 3 MIFC titles, 3 GLIAC titles, 1 MAC title and 2 Big East titles. Moreover, he is a two-time AFCA Division II Coach of the Year, a three-time Big East Coach of the Year, a G L I A C Coach of the Year, a two-time AP College Football Coach of the Year (2012, 2018), a three-time Home Depot Coach of the Year Award winner (2009, 2012, 2018), SN Coach of the Year, a Walter Camp Coach of the Year (2012), a Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award winner (2018). He even took home ACC Coach of the year for his sole Irish season in the c on ference in 2020.

But, as Brian Kelly looks back at his time at Notre Dame he is

missing one thing and that is how he carefully commented on the question of becoming Notre Dame’s all-time winningest coach.

“I can tell you exactly where I sit in Notre Dame history,” Kelly said. “The coach that won more games that hasn’t won a national championship. That’s where I’ll sit.”

Kelly may have the most wins of all-time at Notre Dame with a record of 106-39, compared to Rockne’s 105-12-5.

But Rockne led the Irish to victory in not just one, but three National Championship games. Frank Leahy led the Irish to five National title wins between 1943 and 1953. Ara Parseghian led them to two in 1966 and 1973. Dan Devine won one in 1977 and Lou Holtz won the last Notre Dame National Championship in 1988.

All five of those coaches have a statute that greets visitors to Notre Dame Stadium. That is what Brian Kelly wants.

It’s what fans want.

And, ultimately, it’s what will earn him bronze immorta lization of his own, standing guard at the house that Rockne built.

Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@ hcc-nd.edu