Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, April 30, 2021

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The observer | FRIDAY, April 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Offense primed to answer plenty of questions

By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

With the Blue and Gold game taking place this weekend, it is time to take our first official look at the Irish offense for the 2021 season. There were a lot of key departures, particularly at the quarterback, w ide receiver and offensive line positions. But the Irish return key play makers at running back and tight end. If the Irish are going to make another run to the College Football Playoff in 2021, it w ill be essential to replace these key position players.

This weekend prov ides a look into who that’s going to be.

Quarterback The post-Ian Book era begins, making the quarterback position one of the biggest question marks for the Irish. W hile the Irish have some talent to choose from, there are a lot of ways they could go in 2021.

Amongst the possibilities, for starters, are graduate student transfer Jack Coan, sophomore Drew Py ne and incoming first-year Tyler Buchner.

Jack Coan is arguably the most likely option at starter for the Irish in 2021.

At Wisconsin, Coan was a proven w inner. In 2019, Coan started all 14 games for the Badgers and led the way to a Big Ten West title.

This eventually led to a Rose Bowl berth for Wisconsin.

Coan completed a school record of 236 passes for 2,727 yards and 18 touchdow ns on the year for the Badgers. In his Rose Bowl v ictor y against the Ducks, Coan was 23 for 25 for 158 yards and a touchdow n.

Coan lost his job to redshirt freshman Graham Mertz last season. The 6-foot-3, 220 lbs. Coan does not fit the mold of the dual-threat quarterback Notre Dame has t y pically had under Brian Kelly. He is a proven pocket passer, though that should be able to make big plays regardless.

One concern about Coan is his eligibilit y after the 2021 season. He may not get the job simply because of his longev it y potential compared to Py ne or Buchner.

Another option for the Irish could be Drew Py ne.

Py ne saw limited action in his first season, but he was a highly-touted four-star recruit in the 2020 class, per ESPN. Additionally, he has show n some potential as of late in practice. Like Coan, Py ne is more of a pocket

passer quarterback. He also does not fit the mold of the t y pical all-purpose quarterback of the Brian Kelly offense. Despite this, it is expected Py ne w ill get a serious look at quarterback.

The last option for the Irish is an early enrollee and incoming first-year Tyler Buchner. Buchner is the biggest quarterback recruit in recent memor y to come to Notre Dame. Because of that, there is some speculation that Buchner might start this season if he is deemed ready. This is especially possible as Buchner is the QB option w ith seemingly the most potential longev it y. The San Diego native was also a four-star recruit and ranked number one in the countr y in total yards as a high school junior. Buchner fits the mold of the t y pical dual-threat quarterback seen at Notre Dame during the Brian Kelly era, and if he is ready to go in 2021, he could have the starting job.

Wide ends

receivers/Tight

Sophomore tight end Michael Mayer w ill surely be a huge factor for the Irish once again in 2021. But the Irish w ill still need to find some replacements at w ide receiver w ith the departure of Ben Skow ronek and Javon McKinley. There are a lot of unproven players on the depth chart, but also a lot of raw talent there that should translate into success.

Graduate student Aver y Dav is and senior Braden Lenzy are the two receivers w ith the most experience for the Irish. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said he has been impressed w ith their performances so far in spring practice.

“A guy like Aver y Dav is is the leader of that group.

He’s been extremely steady, someone that is dependable and we can count on,” Rees said. “Braden Lenzy, the last couple of days, has really come on. I’m excited about the trust that we’re building there in order for him to be in an expanded role and hand him more on his plate.”

Rees discussed the development of senior Law rence Keys III during the Spring season as well.

“I think Law rence Keys has probably had as good of a spring as anybody on offense,” Rees said. “He’s show n the abilit y to stretch the field, make explosive plays and that was one of the things that we challenged him w ith: ‘We’re

gonna put you in opportunities to make plays dow n the field, it’s time to go make them.’ Some of that is continuing to develop his strength, some of that is just understanding what we’re tr y ing to do and how we’re tr y ing to do it.”

Other possibilities for the Irish could include senior Joe Wilkins Jr., sophomore Jordan Johnson and first-year Lorenzo St yles Jr. St yles, who is an early spring enrollee, w ill need to develop more in order to receive notable play ing time next season, but we could see him for at least a few snaps this weekend.

“Lorenzo St yles has certainly done some good things,” Rees said. “But just like any [high school] senior, there’s a new speed, there are new expectations, there’s a level of detail that goes into play ing at this level that those guys need to learn.”

One of the top targets for the Irish in 2021 w ill surely be sophomore tight end Michael Mayer. He had a phenomenal first season w ith 42 receptions for 450 yards and t wo touchdow ns.

Rees believes that Mayer — or “Baby Gronk” as he has been nicknamed w ithin the Irish communit y — has even more potential than was apparent last season.

“In terms of Mike’s abilit y, I think he’s really only scratching the surface” Rees said. “Last year was only a brief glimpse of how good this kid can be.”

Rees discussed Mayer’s work ethic on a daily basis at practice.

“There’s something to say about the way he works, the tenacit y that he plays w ith, and the edge that he plays w ith,” Rees said.

“Obv iously, he’s extremely talented, but there’s a reason why he’s a great player and the mentalit y is there.”

Running back Running back is arguably the most stable position for the Irish in 2021. The backs w ill see the return of junior Ky ren Williams and sophomore Chris Ty ree. Both of these young running backs had ver y successful seasons in 2020, and they could be the best running back duo in the countr y going forward. Senior C’Bo Flemister could also be a good option for a change of pace at back for the Irish.

Williams had a breakthrough year in 2020. The redshirt freshman often see FOOTBALL PAGE 15

Defense in the Freeman era

By JIMMY WARD Associate Sports Editor

The adage ‘defense wins championships’ might be all but dead in this fast-paced modern era of football, but a solid defense is still a vital part of each and every championship team.

That is why when Clark Lea announced that he would be stepping down as defensive coordinator and taking a position as head coach at a struggling Vanderbilt, just days ahead of Notre Dame’s 10-38 trouncing, courtesy of the Clemson Tigers in the ACC Championship, many Irish fans felt things were starting to fall apart. Sentiment soon started to turn once Lea’s replacement was named.

Marcus Freeman’s hire was huge and just as quickly as panic had begun to set in, the masses were relieved. Freeman not only brought great NFL and college coaching experience to the table but he also came with an invaluable trait that Notre Dame has been trying to find for quite some time: someone who could stand up as a big threat on the recruiting trail. The Irish haven’t been on a field with a crowd since their 14-31 loss to No. 1 ranked and eventual national champions Alabama at the AT&T Stadium in the College Football Playoff Semifinal this past January, but this will change come Saturday at the Blue-Gold game. And although Freeman might not be a star of the show, what he chooses to display in his defensive sets will certainly be telling of his plans for this upcoming season.

While the media has been unable to attend any spring practices this year, clips released by the football team of their practices have shown the defense wreaking havoc on a younger, less experienced offensive line.

The Notre Dame defense has shown the most promise and has boasted the most stability of any position group throughout this off-season by far. But spring games aren’t made to wear out your veterans but more so to get younger players some experience. That is why watching what Freeman will choose to do on Saturday will be interesting, especially considering how strong and deep he is at some positions, most notably his defensive line, which boasts plenty of returning players like junior Isiah Foskey and graduate student teammates Kurt Hinish and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa. While Freeman hasn’t been with the Irish for a long time, he is certainly making his presence known, especially when it comes to recruiting.

When asked about his philosophy for recruiting, Freeman was clear.

“As far as recruiting, we’re going to continue to be the most aggressive and hardest working, really, recruiting staff in the country.

And that’s just a goal of mine and a philosophy of mine is, ‘hey let’s

outwork everybody in the country.’ That’s in terms of evaluations, that’s in terms of developing relationships. I think we’ve done a really good of identifying the guys that we feel are the best players that fit Notre Dame.”

His defense also boasts some highly touted recruits that will undoubtedly see some field time on Saturday and are likely to make an impact right away, like early enrollee Gabriel Rubio, sophomore Rylie Mills and junior Nana Osafo-Mensah. As the offense uses the spring to “develop an offensive identity,” as Brian Kelly put it, the defense has probably been a breath of fresh air providing a sense of stability within the walls of their practice facility. The only position group that could possibly be a cause for concern on this side of the ball is the cornerback roster.

It’s important to consider that this group is green and tapes put out by the football team might not paint the group in the most flattering light due to their highlight video nature, but cornerback coach Mike Mickens will have his work cut out for him this upcoming season. Kelly has been praising junior Cam Hart for his improved play, but Hart is the only upperclassman besides TaRiq Bracy who can expect to see some big playing time this year. Early enrollee Philip Riley has also been getting some firstteam work at cornerback, so while this position remains the most unestablished, they need not worry too much for Saturday, as most attention will be geared towards the quarterback battle.

The safety position is being held down by senior Houston Griffith while junior Kyle Hamilton slowly nurses his way back onto the field after an ankle injury and subsequent surgery, so no questions are left at that spot. But the corners might be a weakness in this stronghold of an Irish defense.

Mike Mickens has worked with Freeman before at Cincinnati, and Brian Kelly too, who was his head coach in his playing days at Cincinnati. Luke Fickel hired Freeman in 2016 and he went on to transform the Bearcats’ defense into one of the best in the AAC, and then Mickens joined the crew in 2018 and the Bearcats had a standout year. That year, Freeman’s defense led the American in rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense, and also ranked among the Top-15 in the NCAA FBS in all three categories. That said, it is exciting to see what these three minds together can come up with for this upcoming season. When the Irish take the field on Saturday be wary of Marcus Freeman’s defense and how it ebbs and flows. It might not be indicative of a whole season but it will provide an insight that has been disallowed to the public since January.

Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu

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Volume 55, Issue 65 | Friday, april 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Students lead walk SMC holds first-ever Smick Walk to reclaim term ‘smick’

By MAEVE FILBIN Senior News Writer

Facing an attentive crowd, senior Grace Maher thanked the Saint Mary’s community for attending the first-ever Smick Walk, a celebration and reclamation of the word “smick.” Students, faculty and administrators gathered on Le Mans Green Thursday afternoon to demonstrate their support.

“Even just showing up, you’re proving something, and that’s important,” Maher said. “I got asked if I think this is the solution see SMICK PAGE 4

Observer Staff Report

Courtesy of Alexandra Sejdinaj

Senior Susies Guerrero holds up a sign at a gathering Thursday afternoon to redefine the term “smick” for Saint Mary’s women.

Keenan Revue to be held in Notre Dame Stadium

Courtesy of Tony Castrodale | The Observer

A student musician preforms at the 2020 Keenan Revue, the signature event put on by Keenan Hall. The 2021 event takes place Sunday.

By RYAN PETERS Associate News Editor

Following the Blue-Gold Game on Saturday, Notre Dame Stadium will be transformed to host the annual Keenan Revue for the first time in the event’s history.

The Revue, Keenan Hall’s signature event since 1976, is typically held in the Stepan Center over a span of three nights in February. In order

News PAGE 3

Vice President for student affairs to step down

to allow as many attendees as possible into the show while still following COVID-19 protocols, the Notre Dame Stadium will host the Revue this year.

There will be two performances at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday. Each showing will allow 500 attendees, who will be sitting physically distanced on the field. Tickets see KEENAN PAGE 5

Viewpoint PAGE 8

Erin Hoffmann Harding is stepping dow n from her position as v ice president for student affairs, the Universit y announced Thursday afternoon.

Hoffman Harding w ill finish her role at the end of May to return to her career in management consulting and join the education practice at McKinsey & Company, a

worldw ide firm where she began her career.

She began her position in August 2012. In her role, she oversaw residential life, student development, career and professional development, health and well-being and campus ministr y.

Hoffmann Harding said she w ill miss working at see VP PAGE 3

University urges students to become fully vaccinated Observer Staff Report

The University will no longer require sur veillance testing and exit testing for those who are fully vaccinated if 90% of undergraduate and professional students become fully vaccinated, University President Fr. John Jenkins announced in an email Wednesday afternoon.

Additionally, $15 will be added to each student’s Irish1Card if this second 90% threshold is reached, according to Jenkins.

Students who received either one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines count as fully vaccinated. Those who were vaccinated at an off-campus location must upload proof of vaccination to their student portal, he said.

Jenkins also said two special events planned for Senior Week will be able to take place if 90% of seniors become fully vaccinated.

The University will administer the second

dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the Compton Family Ice Arena beginning Thursday and ending May 6.

Jenkins commended the community for its resilience during the academic year.

“I am proud of you and proud of this community.

Amid so many challenges, the resilience, generosity, caring and creativity of this community — students, faculty and staff — has been inspiring,” Jenkins said. “You have demonstrated what it means to be Notre Dame.”

Howard sponsors walk for mental health awareness Editor’s note: The following story includes mentions of suicide. Mental health resources can be found on the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross websites.

Thursday afternoon, a folding table outside of South Dining Hall was covered in

yellow. Yellow pamphlets, advertising mental health resources and advocacy groups. Yellow ribbons, complete with safety pins, for students to affix to their shirts. Yellow rubber wristbands, displaying the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s phone number and the words “U R Not Alone.”

Most eye-catching, however, was the large yellow banner

laid across the table, sporting hundreds of signatures from tricampus students in support of mental health awareness.

This splash of yellow was part of Howard Hall’s annual “Walk for More Tomorrows,” a mental health advocacy and suicide prevention event spanning the week of April 26.

Scene PAGE 9

ND M LAX PAGE 16

ND M Baseball PAGE 14

By EVAN McKENNA Managing Editor

see WALK PAGE 4

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Jeans were hung in the Saint Mary’s student center in support of Denim Day, which is the longest running sexual violence prevention and education campaign in history. Students wore denim clothing in support of survivors of sexual assault Wednesday.

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Football Combine Event Ricci Family Fields 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Test your skills at the football combine.

Blue and Gold Game Notre Dame Stadium 12:30 p.m.

Final spring practice for ND Football, students welcome.

Keenan Revue Notre Dame Stadium 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Annual ticketed event presented by Keenan Hall.

FRC Virtual Welcome Desk Zoom 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Support and resources for students.

Slow Lock Zoom 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m.

A meditative look at Mario Martinez’s works of art.

Mario Kart Game Night & Food Trucks Library Lawn 7 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Mario Kart tournament.

Live Music by Blammo Library Lawn 9 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Live performance by the band Blammo.

Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. and noon All are welcome to attend.

“The Frontlines of Peace” Zoom 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Panel Discussion with Séverine Autesserre.

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Sacrament of Reconciliation.

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ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, april 30, 2021 | The Observer

3

FTT presents 32nd student film festival

By Claire Reid News Writer

The Department of Film, Television and Theatre (FTT) will host the 32nd Annual Notre Dame Student Film Festival this weekend in the Debartolo Performing Arts Center’s Browning Cinema.

Festival screenings will take place from Thursday to Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 7:00 p.m. A livestream of Sunday’s show will also be available on the FTT YouTube channel.

Courtesy of the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre The University is hosting a film festival from Thursday to Sunday with films created by students.

The event is sponsored by the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre.

This year’s festival — titled Quarantined! — features student films largely shot amidst the tight restrictions of the fall 2020 semester. FTT professor Ted Mandell founded the Student Film Festival in 1990 and has been in charge of it ever since.

He described the theme of the festival.

“This year’s festival is a unique time capsule of the past year from a student’s perspective,” Mandell said. “From having to make films at times with their phones, at home, with their family members as actors to coming back to campus and dealing with isolation and social distancing restrictions, it’s truly a testament

to the students’ creativity and perseverance.”

Many of the student films address issues related to COVID-19. Junior FTT major Grace Akin was inspired to create her documentary film, “Alone Together,” after reading a disturbing statistic about the impact of COVID restrictions on the wellbeing of Notre Dame students.

“There was a survey that came out that all the students answered and they included that statistic that like 50% of students were in severe emotional distress,” Akin said.

“So we wanted to explore that and hear from people about their experiences.”

Akin posted to her Instagram story in order to find students to interview for the documentary which she and a classmate originally created for Professor Mandell’s Documentary Production course.

“I actually had so many people reach out that I couldn’t interview them all,” Akin said.

She ended up focusing on the stories of three students, all of whom remained anonymous due to the personal nature of the topics they spoke about. Akin said the best part of making the film was having such meaningful conversations with these interviewees.

“We kept all of our participants anonymous, but they still saw my Paid Advertisement

face and I saw their face,” Akin said. “So the fact that they were willing to open up to me about such personal issues, I felt very honored and privileged to be able to hear their stories.”

Akin added that she felt like the interview process made her a better person.

“I think it’s so rare that we have a really vulnerable, honest conversation with someone,” she said. “I think it’s something our society lacks and is really important which is kind of what we tried to capture with the film.”

Akin hopes that her film will be relatable to other students dealing with mental health struggles and that it will open up conversations about mental health on campus.

Scott Kiley, a fifth-year senior and mechanical engineering and FTT double major, also submitted his film from the Documentary Production course to the festival.

However, Kiley’s film, “Scott — no relation,” explores a much more lighthearted topic.

“It’s about the Stand Up Club trying to do stand up during COVID,” Kiley explained. “It’s kind of funny because it’s not a good environment for comedy when everyone’s in masks and they’re all spaced apart.”

Kiley, who serves as president of the Stand Up Club explained that, normally, he would not want to make a film about himself, but due to this

Courtesy of the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre

The University is hosting a film festival sponsored by the FTT deparment from Thursday to Sunday with films created by students.

year’s travel restrictions, he had to “be the star of [his] own documentary.”

The film follows the Stand Up Club, which only had three members at the beginning of the academic year, as they rebuild, eventually acquiring fifteen members amidst the pandemic.

Kiley even consulted a few Notre Dame graduates who work as professional stand up comedians and included interviews with some of them in the film.

Kiley’s goal for the film was simple — he wanted to make people laugh.

For senior Kilian Vidourek, another student filmmaker featured in the festival, the goal of his film, “21. across,” is not as clear-cut.

“I hope they take it for exactly what it is,” Vidourek said. “It’s the kind of film you can hold in the palm of your hand … I’m not trying to say anything smarter or more artistic than what it actually is; it’s just nine minutes and 17 seconds of this weird

world I constructed.”

Vidourek explained the film tells the story of a man on a farm who witnesses the world seem to unravel in a bizarre way as he sees his surroundings transform into a sort-of crossword puzzle with clues up, down and across.

The film stars Vidourek’s dad who had never acted before. But Vidourek said he was a natural and that working with him was the best part of creating the film.

Vidourek, a film and music major who hopes to go into the music industry, also wrote the score for the film. In fact, it was music that inspired the film.

“I was writing a song last semester, and I was trying to use banjo and synthesizer,” Vidourek recalled. “I thought ‘Okay, this sounds kind of weird, wouldn’t it be cool if I made a film … that had a really electronic and weird soundtrack.’ So it was the music first and then the film.”

VP

Harding’s leadership, the Office of Student Affairs expanded its role by establishing the Office of Student Enrichment, creating the Moreau First-Year experience program and implementing the GreeNDot program.

Universit y President Fr. John Jenkins commended Hoffmann Harding’s work over the past nine years.

“Erin has put her heart and soul into leading the Div ision of Student Affairs for nine years, and I am deeply grateful to her for all she has accomplished during that time,” Jenkins said in the release.

Continued from page 1

Notre Dame — her alma mater.

“I have been inspired by the self less dedication of colleagues w ithin and beyond the div ision to foster the development of our students in both heart and mind, and accompany them in times of joy, grow th and challenge,” Hoffmann Harding said in the press release. “It has truly been an honor to ser ve my alma mater.”

Under Hoffmann

Contact Claire Reid at creid6@nd.edu

4

NEWS

The observer | Friday, april 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Smick Continued from page 1

— events like this — and I think it’s definitely a start. It’s a step forward. But I would encourage all of you to continue this discussion and this work.”

This walk and other efforts to reintroduce the term “smick” in a positive, empowering light are the result of a renewed conversation surrounding tri-campus relations, stereotypes and sexual assault. On April 12, The Observer released a string of screenshotted emails that had circulated Zahm House during the 20192020 academic year, sent to about 200 residents and alumni. These emails contained graphic, derogatory language and jokes regarding sex and sexual assault, some of which was directed at Saint Mary’s students.

Maher, the president of Feminists United, said she was inspired by the SlutWalk, a historical feminist movement calling for an end to rape culture, and organized the walk “to reclaim the power behind language and words used to demean [Saint Mary’s students].”

“The language our counterparts on other campuses use to describe us does not have to be the language we use to describe ourselves,” she said. “This is not just a Saint Mary’s issue. It’s not just a Notre Dame issue. This is something we’re going to have to fix together and something that all three campuses need to work on.”

The word itself originated as a shortened way to refer to Saint Mary’s College students, with the acronym S.M.C. often being pronounced as “smick.” In the Zahm House emails, the use of the word “smick” to refer to Saint Mary’s

Walk Continued from page 1

The event began on Monday, with a panel on the intersectionality of mental health in Hesburgh Library’s Carey Auditorium. The panel featured assistant director of the Multicultural Student Programs and Services Paige Jackson, University Counseling Center (UCC) associate director and psychologist Mauren Lafferty, junior Michelle Sobolewski and first-year Dane Sherman.

Walk for More Tomorrows co-commissioner Uyen Le, who moderated the panel, commented on the panel’s openness and educational value. (Editor’s Note: Le is the Observer Archives leader.)

“I think we had a very wholesome conversation,” Le said. “It was very casual, and I think the panelists were … giving really insightful stories and also advice for people to be active listeners and active allies for people who are suffering from mental illness and suicidal thoughts.”

On Thursday, the event’s organizers and tri-campus mental health advocates reconvened for

students in a hyper-sexualized, degrading way revealed deeper layers to a “troubling culture” within Zahm House, as well as a greater issue permeating the tri-campus.

Senior Susi Guerrero joined the walk with a handmade sign that read, “Smick: (a noun) a strong, smart, powerful, kind woman,” in red marker.

“I think it’s important that we take back what it really means to be a smick,” Guerrero said.

“Unfortunately, it’s something that has been taken away from us, and I think with everything going on, especially this month, it’s important that we bring it back to what it really means to be a smick.”

The emails obtained by The Observer have started conversations with individuals outside the Saint Mary’s community, Guerrero added, with some of her peers from Notre Dame joining the discussion.

“Even some of my guy friends started to talk about what they had heard about what a smick means,” she said. “I think that starting this conversation is going to help to bring back the true meaning of a smick.”

First-year Bailey Siglow said she attended Thursday’s walk to show her support for all her fellow Saint Mary’s students. (Editor’s Note: Siglow previously worked for The Observer’s Video Unit).

“I think it’s important that we’ve reclaimed this word because obviously, looking at the emails that came out, it really kind of showed how ‘smick’ has been used as a really derogatory term towards us,” Siglow said.

“To me, being a smick means to be very confident and very considerate of others, and just being a part of an amazing community.”

Siglow was joined by first-year

Nadia Muniz, who said she associates the term “smick” with the larger Saint Mary’s community.

“It’s part of the sisterhood,” Muniz said. “And I feel like, as a freshman, maybe I haven’t experienced it as much, but I still feel like it can turn into a good and empowering word for everyone.”

Because the use of “smick” within the tri-campus has occasionally become derogatory, the word was banned from merchandise and signage by previous administrators. In the wake of the Zahm emails and the surge of support for Saint Mary’s students, four student leaders drew up a proposal to reintroduce the word on campus.

Senior Sarah Catherine Caldwell, president of Student Activities Board, said throughout her four years at Saint Mary’s, sh haes questioned why student clubs and organizations couldn’t produce “smick” merchandise.

The previous administration explained to student leaders that because the word was not seen as empowering by the larger community, it would not be included in College or club spirit wear, Caldwell said.

“And when the Zahm emails were exposed through The Observer article … we knew that something needed to be said,” she said. “We knew that the community was hurting.”

Caldwell recalled the instances in which she has been demeaned as a smick — something she said she’s quick to shut down.

“We interact with Notre Dame guys more often at parties or at the bar, and so there’s alcohol involved,” Cadwell said. “You see us as party girls because that’s the only context you see us in.

You don’t see us in the classroom; you don’t see us running campus events; you don’t see us going

up to our administration, and dialoguing and making change happen. And that’s why, I think, we get pinned as ‘the party girls’ or ‘the sluts,’ to quote the emails.

But we’re so much more than that.”

After several individuals within the Saint Mary’s administration released statements addressing the emails, including College president Katie Conboy and vice president for Student Affairs Gloria Jenkins, Caldwell said she received an email from a firstyear student requesting “smick” merchandise. This ultimately led to the collaboration between Caldwell, Student Government Association president Giavanna Paradiso, Student Diversity Board president Carina Garza and Residence Hall Association president LeeAnn Beaty.

The proposal was received positively by residence life director Ariel Leary and hall director Nicole Hundt, Paradiso said, and was pushed forward into the higher levels of Saint Mary’s administration. Leary and Hundt were unavailable for comment.

Pending approval from other areas within the administration, Paradiso said, the production of smick merchandise will include a definition of the term.

“We need to document what it means and create a definition that we can use so that people feel comfortable then using ‘smick’ to refer to their friends and to refer to this campus,” she said. “That’s obviously not going to happen overnight because I don’t think this problem was created overnight. But I do think we’ve started the process.”

Paradiso said she decided to release her own statement on behalf of the Student Government Association after attending Take Back the Night, the annual

event dedicated to ending sexual violence.

“The majority of the women that speak are wearing EMX sweatshirts, they’re wearing French cross rings and necklaces — I recognize them, they go to my school,” she said. “So, I just thought it was important to take an official stance against people using ‘smick’ in a derogatory way, but also its correlation to sexual assault and violence.”

Liz Coulston, coordinator of the Belles Against Violence Office, participated in Thursday’s Smick Walk and said it’s important for individuals who identify as smicks to be able to define that term for themselves.

“Anytime derogatory language is used is unacceptable,” she said.

“And I think it’s really important that in ways like today, the students really show that it’s not OK and that they ask for more, they ask for better.”

The Smick Walk and merchandise proposal are efforts to not only make Saint Mary’s a better place for future students, Paradiso said, but to stand in solidarity with alumnae and current students.

“My little sister is going to be a first-year at Saint Mary’s next year, and I just want it to be even a millimeter better for her,” she said. “I don’t want anybody to say to my little sister, ‘Oh, you’re only here because you want to marry a boy from Notre Dame.’

For that reason, I obviously think about future Belles. And it is important to past Belles who have experienced any type of emotional damage, that they know that we’re here for them. We’re one community, and we’re just as important as anybody else.”

the week’s final and titular event — as co-commissioners Le and first-year Meg Beuter raised the yellow banner and led attendees on a march across campus.

The march concluded at the Grotto, where Le and Beuter led an interreligious prayer service dedicated to students with mental health issues.

Before the service began, both Beuter and Le made opening remarks to attendees. Beuter began, addressing the purpose of the service as well as the stigma the event attempts to overcome.

“We’re gathered here today to acknowledge the profound impact that issues surrounding mental health and suicide have on our lives,” Beuter said. “Due to the stigma surrounding mental illness, we often do not realize how many lives are affected and lost.”

Le addressed the severity of the mental health crisis across college campuses in particular, also acknowledging the intersectionality of the issue.

“According to a 2015 study, one-fifth of college students surveyed had suicidal thoughts, with 9% having reported attempted suicide and almost 20% reporting self-harm,” Le said. “It

has also been shown that students of color and students in the LGBTQ community are disproportionately affected by mental illness and suicide.”

As the service began, junior Bella Niforatos, a member of the event’s spiritual committee, recited the “Mi Shebeirach,” a Jewish prayer of healing.

The prayer is typically read for those who are physically ill, but Niforatos dedicated the words to “all who suffer from mental illness or have thoughts of suicide.”

After a Christian prayer of supplication and a recitation of the Lord’s prayer, Le concluded the service with a message of hope and healing.

“Please know that if you are struggling, there are resources available on campus, and we are here for you,” Le said.

“Remember that you are never going through this alone. Thank you for walking in solidarity and remembrance with us today.”

Students were then invited into the Grotto, where attendees offered up prayers to friends and family members affected by mental health issues through the lighting of candles.

Following the prayer service, Niforatos explained why she and

the rest of the event’s organizers had opted for an interreligious program.

“I wanted to make sure that it was accessible for everyone,” Niforatos said. “It’s really important to know that despite your faith tradition or whatever background you’re coming from, that it’s all about community — no matter what separates us, it’s about creating a space where we’re unified.”

As the week’s programming came to a close at a fellowship dinner outside of Howard Hall, Beuter commented on the event’s goal of increased awareness and commended those brave enough to speak up about their own mental health.

“I want people to know that speaking out takes a lot of courage, and that’s why we do it,” Beuter said. “And we say ‘I’m courageous because I asked for help — I’m not weak because of that.’”

But mental health advocacy must extend beyond awareness, Le said — that’s why all of the event’s proceeds are going to the United Health Services’ Suicide Prevention Center.

“I think more money should be dedicated to efforts to support

people with mental health issues, especially on college campuses,” Uyen said. “There are not enough funds allocated to those causes.”

Le recalled a particularly enlightening moment from Monday’s panel, in which Dr. Lafferty called upon the University to increase their financial support of the UCC, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic — which has left many mental healthcare clinics short on staff and tight on funds.

Reflecting upon the week, Le emphasized the central purpose of Walk for More Tomorrows: destigmatization through unity.

“I really believe that our message is that no one ever has to walk alone in this struggle with mental health, and also that we need to talk about it more,” Le said. “We need to normalize saying ‘I had a really bad day,’ We need to normalize saying ‘I went to the doctor to get my mental health checked out.’ Because why does mental health have to be so different than physical health?”

Contact Maeve Filbin at mfilbin01@saintmarys.edu

Contact Evan McKenna at emckenn2@nd.edu

News

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, april 30, 2021 | The Observer

5

College English department to hold read-in

By SHAYLA O’CONNOR News Writer

The Saint Mar y’s English department is inv iting students to join them at the island on Lake Marian from 2 – 4 p.m. on Saturday for a “May Day Read-In.” They ask that students bring a blanket and a book of their ow n and participate in prize draw ings which w ill include Brain Lair Books gift cards, facult y-recommended books w ritten by Asian American women and more.

Students are allowed to bring their ow n snacks if they w ish, but there w ill also be food prov ided in exchange for a donation towards South Bend’s “Our Stories, Our

Keenan Continued from page 1

Tickets are distributed to designated guests of Keenan Hall residents, according to senior and Keenan Revue director Tony Castrodale.

Due to the annual spring football game, the set for the Revue will have to be put together in one night.

“We’re rolling in with forklifts and lighting trusses to put together a show about 24 hours before it’s supposed to happen,” Castrodale said.

Futures” project.

“This organization strives to improve access to diverse literature for children and teens from historically underrepresented communities,” head chair of the English department A nn Marie Short said of the project. “We hope students share our commitment to representation in books and other media, particularly for young people who don’t frequently see themselves ref lected in what they read or see on the screen.”

Students who can’t stay long for the read-in but still want to support “Our Stories, Our Futures” can still make a donation and enter their names for a raff le prize.

Short expressed hopes that the read-in would ser ve as an event to strengthen the bonds of the Saint Mar y’s communit y, especially after a pandemic that has engendered isolation for over a year.

“After the past year, w ith all the forced screen time and isolation, the facult y in the English department wanted to get us all outside and together, doing something that people normally do alone,” she said. “A lthough reading is an activ it y normally done in isolation, it is an experience that connects us — to the w riter, to the characters, to others who have read the same book; we thought this event could really capture

the spirit of that experience.”

For participants who aren’t av id readers or who don’t have a go-to book to bring to the event, Short offered a recommendation.

“I just finished an ama zing collection of essays by Cathy Park Hong called ‘Minor Feelings’,” Short said. “She w rites about art and poetr y and her experiences as a Korean-American w riter and artist. I also really got into pandemic fiction last year and highly recommend ‘Severance’ by Ling Ma. Both of these books are in our basket of prizes for the raff le.”

Since there wasn’t a spring break this semester due to COVID-19, such

opportunities that allow maintaining physical distance offer students ways to rela x as they prepare for finals season and graduation. Senior and English major Riley O’Mearns looks for ward to attending and enjoy ing the nice weather.

“I’m bringing my computer to work on some class stuff and also my favorite book, ‘A ll The Light We Cannot See’ by Anthony Doerr,” O’Mearns said. “It’s supposed to be nice out and I’m excited to see the professors since it’s been a while since any thing was face to face.”

The theme of the 45th Revue is “Lollarevueza,” a play on the global music festival “Lollapalooza.”

The Revue consists of three parts: comedy sketches written by Keenan residents, a band complete with a brass section and a dance routine.

“We colloquially refer to [the dance routine] as ‘stripping,’ but in a more nice way it is dancing that is suggestive and risqué, perhaps,” senior and co-producer Thomas Leeker said.

Castrodale said the Revue serves as an opportunity to

connect with those in the Notre Dame community and make fun of life on campus.

“There’s so many odds and ends and nuances of life as a student at Notre Dame, there’s so many traditions here, there are so many things that you run into that most other schools wouldn’t have,” Castrodale said. “We leverage those to our advantage to find a way to turn them into something really clever and turn it into something that is relatable to pretty much everyone in the crowd.”

During the show, the cast and band members will wear masks and socially distance in accordance with the University’s COVID-19 protocols. To help follow the protocols, Castrodale and Leeker set up a grid on the stage. Pieces of tape are located three feet apart from each other and cast members must always be at least two pieces of tape away from each other, Castrodale said.

Despite the various restrictions and changes to the Revue, Castrodale said he hopes the Revue will retain as many of its normal elements as possible.

“We’re excited to be in such an iconic location on campus,” Castrodale said. “We’re trying our very best despite the obvious restrictions with masks and with distancing and all those kinds of things to make the Keenan Revue as traditional, if you will, as it could be.”

Castrodale said planning for the Revue began in October. The process was difficult, he added, because the team had no idea what safety measures would be in place by the time the show rolled around — something they did not know either.

“We absolutely had literally zero clue of what we were doing,” Castrodale said.

The staff was expanded this year in order to help plan through all the restrictions and changes, Leeker said.

According to Castrodale, the staff consists of about 40 Keenan residents and about 116 residents make up the cast. Former Keenan residents who now live off campus also take part in the show.

“It took a lot of work from all those guys to really pull this together,” Leeker said.

“It’s been a long and somewhat arduous process to work through all the necessary precautions and administrative issues with

the show.”

Additionally, the staff has partnered with Fighting Irish Media and EventSys, a South Bend company that specializes in audio and visual equipment, to help film the event and run the technical aspects of the show.

Castrodale said the video board and sky cam will be in use with the help of Fighting Irish Media.

Because of University guidelines, finding space for rehearsal has been a challenge, Castrodale said. Some nights rehearsal has taken place in the Keenan parking lot, sometimes rehearsal takes place in the Keenan basement with as many people as are allowed to fit. On Wednesday night, the rehearsal location was room 105 in the Jordan Hall of Science.

“The Revue is every where — quite literally,” Castrodale said.

The production of the show is funded primarily by donations from Keenan Hall alumni, Keenan Hall parents and alumni and friends of the University, according to Castrodale. Leeker and Castrodale said the consistent donations are possible because the Revue is a unique opportunity to bring the hall community together and showcase talent.

“It really brings the community together in ways that other things cannot,” Leeker said.

Castrodale added that the arduous process of executing the show and planning serves as a way to form relationships with those from all backgrounds throughout the hall.

“It transcends friend groups. It transcends sections,” Castrodale said. “It’s so much more than just a funny show.”

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Contact Shayla O’Connor at soconn02@saintmarys.edu

Contact Ryan Peters at rpeters5@nd.edu

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Inside Column

Everything but the weights

Welcoming Joe Biden with open arms Clark Bowden Snowflake Standpoint

Lexi Kilcoin Scene Writer

On March 18, I woke up to a massive controversy blowing up social media, courtesy of the NCAA. WNBA player, Sedona Prince, posted a TikTok video of the women’s weight room for the March Madness season. As I’m sure you know, if you’ve read the many articles that involve this mess, the weight room was an utter joke. Compared to the men’s weight room, the women’s weight room was simply child’s play, with nothing more than a few yoga mats and a small weight rack with weights probably no heavier than 20 to 30 pounds.

While I’m not going to beat a dead horse about this issue, as at this point it’s definitely old news, I wanted to point out that this problem might be a little closer to home than you think.

I’m a weight lifter. I appreciate a good workout with a nice set of weights in my hands and some good tunes to listen to. However, sometimes the gym at Saint Mary’s, the Angela Fitness Center, can get in the way of a good workout.

As most of us definitely know, Saint Mary’s is an all-girls school with core values of learning, community, faith and justice. All of which are tended to, accordingly, in an engaging way. However, I am disappointed with our gym equipment. A few years ago, Angela was renovated with beautiful new floors and new cardio equipment — believe me when I say there is certainly no shortage of cardio equipment. I am grateful and extremely fortunate to be able to work out in such a newly renovated space; however, when I began to take weight lifting seriously, I noticed that the weights were subpar.

I have been in a variety of gyms, from Purdue’s RecWell, with floors upon floors full of weights, to World Gym with men and women lifting the same amount, even women lifting more than the men. So why should an all-women’s school be any different?

If we have enough money to provide an ice rink for our students, why are our weights rusty, dirty and, quite frankly, disgusting? I remember the first time I went to work out in Angela, there was a dumbbell that was broken in half.

The top of it was removed from the handle — it had literally rusted off. I was disappointed, to say the least.

I’ve spoken with my roommate, an even more avid weight lifter than myself, and she feels the Saint Mary’s gym is very “woman-centered,” rather, stacked with cardio equipment — because that’s what women apparently want, according to who, I’m not exactly sure — and limited weight options, similar to the weight room the NCAA gave WNBA players.

Of course, not every option is bad, Angela does have a new squat rack and some new kettlebells, but the other squat racks fall into the same category as the rusty dumbbells.

On top of the weights, the mats Angela provides are ripped on both sides, making it almost impossible to leave the gym without pieces of blue foam stuck to your legs. I might even despise the mats more than the weights because I’ve seen more girls use the mats than anything else in the gym, whether it be for weightlifting, ab workouts or stretching.

I think it is time that smicks demand a change. My roommate and I are tired of succumbing to societal standards of female exercise consisting of cardio, yoga and floor work and are ready to have weights that suit our needs. While most of us are not NCAA athletes, we should still be able to effectively take care of our bodies and relieve our stress in a way that works for us. Lifting weights can be crucial to women’s health and should not be treated as a side dish to cardio, especially at a school that encourages women to be their best selves. We can do better to encourage health and weightlifting for all women because we are strong and capable, too.

Contact Lexi at akilcoin01@saintmarys.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Ask any student at Notre Dame who their favorite Catholic President of all time is, and most will reply “Josiah Bartlett.” Many students wear “Bartlett for America” t-shirts and during campaign seasons it is not uncommon to see posters across campus supporting the fictional TV President. But it is time to recognize that a new Catholic has entered the Oval Office, and this one is very real. All throughout his political career, Joe Biden has touted his Catholic heritage at the foundation of his beliefs, he attends mass every week and boasts a picture of him and Pope Francis in the Oval Office. But, it seems that throughout the chaos of the 2020 election, Joe Biden’s Catholicism was lost among the American people and the Notre Dame community.

However, as we draw ever closer towards graduation and commencement, it is time to wake up the echoes of Notre Dame’s tradition of inviting the newly elected President to speak at graduation.

Even as I write this, I can already hear the retort coming from the Christian right on campus and throughout the country, “How could Notre Dame possibly allow someone to speak at their graduation who is openly prochoice?” In fact, groups are already forming to dissuade Father Jenkins from inviting the sitting president. These groups cite Biden’s belief that the government should not have control of a woman’s body and that people have a fundamental freedom to marry who they please, as their primary concerns.

To me, this is a truly bizarre argument. If our litmus test for commencement speakers rests on their religious accordance to the Catholic Church, I have some bad news for those who celebrated the arrival of then-Vice President Mike Pence just four years ago.

The crazy evangelical man whose faith was founded in opposition to the Catholic Church is fine, but God forbid the Roman Catholic President who doesn’t agree with the exact same church doctrines that some do becomes the commencement speaker. It is clear that for many, the measure of a pious Catholic isn’t their good works, devotion to the Lord, or pronouncements of their faith — it is their stance on abortion. While this conclusion is incredibly disturbing, it does explain why Donald Trump (who many on the Catholic right would have supported being the commencement speaker in 2016) was so warmly welcomed by the conservative party within the Church. I somehow doubt it was his three divorces, disparaging comments about women, insistence on prioritizing golf over church

on Sundays or complete inability to recite a single biblical verse. Seriously, for those who haven’t watched that interview, I’ve linked it here. Trump sounds like me trying to answer a question from a professor when I very obviously didn’t do the reading the night before.

In the purely doctrinal sense of the views of Notre Dame, is Joe Biden the perfect Catholic?

No. But nobody is. Before everyone goes running around pointing out Biden’s few inconsistencies with the Church, I would kindly refer them to John 8:7, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.”

Beyond the religious argument, Notre Dame has a storied history of inviting — often newly elected — Presidents to give the commencement speech for that year’s graduating class.

These Presidents have come from all sides of the political spectrum including Eisenhower, Reagan, Carter, both Bushes and Obama.

Other Presidents such as FDR and JFK (previously the only Catholic President) have received honorary degrees from Notre Dame as well. The absence of Trump in 2016 says far more about Trump himself than Notre Dame’s unwillingness to associate with current presidents. Inviting Biden is not an endorsement of all his beliefs, it is a tradition at Notre Dame and has the potential to increase productive dialogue on important issues.

Yes, Joe Biden supports pro-choice policies. He also supports Dreamers, humane treatment of immigrants, expanding access to healthcare, increased aid to the poor and abolishing the death penalty. In each of these fields Biden aligns far more closely to Catholic social teaching than his conservative critics.

Abortion cannot be the end all be all. If I recall, the two most important commandments in the Bible are described in Matthew 22:3740, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Abortion is not the litmus test to piety. Joe Biden is a devout Roman Catholic who openly professes his faith and desire to do good work. He’s also the President of the United States. If he isn’t qualified to speak at Notre Dame’s commencement, I’m not sure who is.

Clark Bowden is a senior political science major.

When he’s not sleeping through his alarm or reminding people that he studied abroad, he can be found in heated political debates or watching the Washington Nationals play baseball. He can be reached at cbowden@nd.edu or @BowdenClark on Twitter.

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

Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com

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The observer | Friday, April 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

The tallest tree in the world Gabriel Niforatos The Road Less Traveled

W hen I was younger, I used to walk past the tallest tree in the world ever y day. I can still remember the way it split the concrete sidewalk beneath it like a supernatural behemoth, its trunk stretching for what seemed like miles into the sk y. To my childish mind, I never dreamed I would see a tree of greater height; I marked distance by looking for the tips of its leaves kissing the sk y, and I knew that I was close to home.

As I grew older, trees have maintained a particular significance in my life. They were a comfort to me when I was homeless, a canopy from the hot New Mex ican desert, a place to rest my back upon that I knew would not break. My father taught me how to do pull-ups using a low-hanging branch, and I could show you the trees that my sisters and I used as safe zones and portals to new worlds in our imaginar y games when we couldn’t afford store-bought toys.

This significance has carried on during my time at Notre Dame. I could show you the first tree I climbed during my first year here; a stor y that should probably go untold. I remember the way the w ind caressed the leaves on walks around the lake, and I could point out the tree I chose to study for an entire semester as part of a theolog y class.

A tree is a signpost of time, and the stages of my life have been marked by oaks, aspens and cottonwoods. Some of the oldest trees have lived for thousands of years, and the rings inside of

them are the pages of histor y books waiting to be unfolded.

It recently came to my attention that a sizable number of trees on campus have dedications beneath them. I am unsure of how this detail skipped my attention for this long, but I found myself captivated with the names emblazoned beneath the trees just past Main Circle on the way to the Dome. In a way, these dedications are like the folds you make on the corner of the page in your favorite book; a subtle reminder of the moments that were your favorite.

This is my last column for The Obser ver, and as I look back at the 50 columns I have written during my time here at the University, I feel as if each of those columns is a tree ring that I hope has impacted you in some way. I hope my words have pushed you to think of issues in a different light than you might have other wise considered.

If you have kept up with my columns or if this is the ver y first one you have ever read, I want you to know that ever y column I have written is a tree ring deep inside of myself. I have written on my joys and my sorrows, my passions and my angers. There were times when I would brainstorm for a column by thinking on the things that maddened me the most; there were columns that were incredibly hard to write at times because of the issues that I covered. I have received bitter hate mail but also people reaching out to further the discourse I have ignited.

I am still a vagabond on the search for my identity, a search that I have no doubt is inherent to the human condition, but I feel uniquely free whenever I sit down to write. If you want

to truly understand who I am, you can find it somewhere tucked into the folds of the columns I have written for The Obser ver. I wrote myself into those lines, and I want to thank the people that inspired me to find the words during the times I felt I didn’t have any. If there is any thing I wish you would glean from the dusty tomes that I have written over these past four years, it is that I write out of a deep love of language and the beauty and potential that it holds to bring people together.

I know that if I could go back and see the tallest tree in the world from my childhood, it probably wouldn’t seem as colossal as it once did to my young mind. I still hold this tree in a my thological splendor in my memor y, but part of me knows that it is scarred with time and the weathering of the seasons. But I will never forget the way this tree made me look up, the way it made me hear that inexplicable calling in the wind between the leaves, the way I searched for the glow of the sun between its branches. I hope you will hear this call in your own life, and that my words have sparked the search for it inside of you. I leave you with this column as a tree somewhere out on the quad, a dedication etched beneath its branches.

Gabriel Niforatos is a senior majoring in political science with minors in the Hesburgh Program in Public Service and theology. He is passionate about giving a voice to the disenfranchised and writing is the muse he is persistently chasing. He can be found at gniforat@nd.edu or @g_niforatos on Twitter.

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

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Mary, Our Mother (and Kathi, my mom) In my grandparents’ home, three pictures hang over the mantle.

The bottom of this triangle is a sepia family photograph. Grandma sits w ith a baby on her lap and cat-eye glasses on her nose. Beside her is Grandpa, wearing the tired smile of a man w ith more kids than he can keep track of. Behind them, a litter of children beam at the camera, each white-blonde perm worse than the last.

Above the framed photo, two paintings face each other, forming the A lliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mar y. Together, the hearts (Jesus’ Sacred, his mother’s Immaculate) face the v iewer w ith graceful smiles and hands extended in inv itation.

These pictures are the earliest introduction to the Catholic faith I can remember. Even today, if you say “Catholic,” my mind w ill immediately jump to two hearts framed above a DIY Brady Bunch. Given this image, I grew up w ith a faith in Christ that didn’t make sense, didn’t even exist w ithout his mother; in fact, it didn’t make sense w ithout my mother either.

I won’t split hairs w ith you. My mom is not the Blessed Virgin draped in a shawl atop a silver moon. You’re more likely to find her pushing the speed limit on I-70 and complaining about the pick-up tailgating in between sips of Tab Cola.

She’s not exactly delicate, either, but she is a boss on the tennis court. I’ve spent many a blistering July day on the other side of the net, terrified of taking a volley to the face.

If you can picture the Blessed Virgin slicing a w icked forehand at the Christ Child cowering behind his racquet — well, my point is that Kathi Keeven is not the Mother of God. She didn’t grow up 2,000 years ago. She didn’t run into any archangels. And she certainly didn’t give birth to the world’s sav ior. (My sister is great, but I don’t think the second coming of Christ w ill be a Missourian copy editor in an acapella group.)

Kathi Keeven isn’t Mar y. But it would be a lie to say Mar y’s love doesn’t live in her.

She embodies the radical grace of motherhood, not some stereot y pe of the ever-serene parent w ith perfectly behaved toddlers and Instagram maternit y photoshoots, but the resilience to say yes to what life (and her kids) threw at her.

Given the spiritual relationship I see bet ween my mom and God’s, I’m frustrated by how the Church tends to depict our heavenly mother. The Mar y that appears in the homily is rarely that sy mbol of radical love, but rather an embodiment of the impossible standard to which women are held. For centuries, women have heard that they’ll never be as holy, as pure, as full of grace as Mar y, yet we’re still instructed to strive towards that goal any way. How can we love ourselves while constantly tr y ing to measure up to the Queen of Heaven? It’s an injustice to Mar y, too, diminishing her awesome v irtues and revolutionar y role in salvation histor y to little more than baby-maker and domestic ser vant.

As we enter the month of moms and Mar y, I’m

going to give you a challenge: Cast out your false idols of “meek and mild.” Reject the male ga ze which paints motherhood as soft and silent, as immaculate and composed. Embrace Mar y and mothers who ser ve as liberators, as justice-seekers, as caregivers of the unhoused and the oppressed, as women who won’t sit dow n and shut up. Look her in the eyes (look in the mirror!) and recognize the radical love that lights up her soul.

Not ever yone has a mom in their life by the traditional definition, and that’s OK! Nevertheless, I hope ever yone reading this has at least one motherly figure in their life. For many, it’s an aunt or a grandmother. It could be a family friend, a neighbor or that professor who brings cookies after the midterm. The only requirement is that they give freely, love unconditionally and remain committed to the hearts and minds of the people around them. They embody the love which shines from Mar y’s Immaculate Heart for her Son as well as ever y sinner and saint.

This May, I encourage you to reach out to those people who ser ve as mothers to you — regardless of how you define that role. Return the love they so generously give to us. And never forget that you yourself are capable of Mar y’s radical love and sharing it w ith others.

Tilly Keeven-Glascock sophomore April 19

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The observer | friday, April 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Data visualization is an art Krista Akiki Inquisitor of the Unconventional

Last week, I had to read the final chapter of “Data Feminism,” a book by authors Catherine D’Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein. This entire work mainly explores the power behind data; not the power to be more efficient but rather the power to be more humane. It addresses a plethora of historical and modern socio-cultural issues, such as racism, sexism etc., from the perspective of data collection, refinement and visualization. It reveals through quite shocking and ironic stories and case studies how seemingly neutral data can inherently be tinted with bias. There is no doubt that in recent years, the volume, variety and velocity of available data have all grown exponentially. And as Catherine D’Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein stated, this hype around “big data” results in questionable projects where the data’s completeness, accuracy and possibility of bias all challenge the data’s credibility.

In the world of business analytics and data science, we are often wired to perceive data in a mechanistic way. We are taught that data is a series of coordinates that can be neatly plotted or fitted to a regression model. But these points, these numbers represent real people with real lives.

This concept is thoroughly highlighted in “Data Feminism” and has been heavily discussed in my “Elements of Computing II” class. Relational databases should tell a human centered story and draw human centered conclusions from the data. This class has helped me see the major I chose, business analytics, in a whole new light. Designing and manipulating relational

databases is in fact an art; it is an art that should be used to make data more humane. This art should be used to depict the complexity of our communities because as Giorgia Lupi, creator of the Data Humanism Manifesto, says “data is not numbers; data is people.”

I am a great fan of Lupi’s work and by the end of this column, I bet you will be too. Giorgia Lupi calls herself “a data visualization designer and artist.“ I don’t think many of us would put artist and data in the same sentence and yet here is Lupi not only forging the link between the two worlds but also actively and creatively living by it. I was particularly fascinated by her project entitled “Bruises—The Data We Don’t See.” She essentially created this visual to document the side effects of the TPI illness a beloved one of hers suffered from.

Normally, bruises and other medical side effects are automatically charted and graphed, stamped with medical and technical terms. But Lupi’s end goal was different: “Through my work, I thought, I could try to help her process and communicate her emotions: the feelings any of us experience when coping with our own illness, or that of a beloved one.” She documents the entire process on here website and the end result is stunning: at first glance, the piece looks like a painting. Every part of the figure radiates so much depth, elegance and power. She portrays the side effects with petals that vary in shape, size and color to symbolize different data classifications. I have honestly been struggling to describe this piece: no sentence structure or word choice seem to adequately capture the power behind the piece.

I will leave you with this saying by Lupi, “Data are never only what we see at a first glance, they are never only the hardcore numbers. They always come with

an often-overlooked set of more fluid and nuanced information that therefore requires new forms of representations in order to be captured fully … To make data faithfully representative of our human nature , we need to start designing ways to include empathy, imperfection, and human qualities in how we collect, process, interpret, and display them.”

Kerry Schneeman I The Observer

Krista Lourdes Akiki is currently part of the Mendoza College of Business. Coming from Beirut, Lebanon, she always enjoys trying out new things and is an avid travel lover. She hopes to take her readers on her journey as she discovers new lifestyles and navigates new cities.

She can be reached at kakiki@nd.edu or via Twitter @akikikrista The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Finish strong Life has been looking brighter in the tri-campus community lately — in more ways than one. The end of a long and difficult year is quickly approaching. The South Bend permacloud has finally given way to sunny skies. In the last few weeks, COVID-19 cases at Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross have decreased to reach a steady low.

On Notre Dame’s campus in particular, life is beginning to look almost normal: Guests are enjoying the shared spaces of 24-hour dorm lounges for the first time this semester since February. Reinstalled volleyball nets and basketball rims are sparking long-awaited matchups among students. A quick survey of our campus’ quads will reveal larger group gatherings, faces unmasked and smiling.

In case you missed it, our tri-campus community seems to be several steps closer to enjoying the new perks of everyday life, thanks to vaccine rollout on the tri-campus. For starters, the Saint Mary’s April 16 vaccination clinic offered initial Pfizer vaccine doses to many Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross students.

And, following the April 15 announcement that the University reached its 90% vaccination goal among undergraduate and professional students, the Notre Dame administration adjusted several COVID-19 restrictions on April 21 — and campus life has looked much livelier as a result.

Fortunately, these relaxed restrictions do not appear to be contributing to any increase in positive cases — daily numbers have been descending into the single digits on the University’s HERE Dashboard since the beginning of April, and that trend has continued even with the updated guidelines in place.

After more than a year of adjustments, uncertainty and adversity, we finally seem to be nearing a postCOVID reality. But where we’re at right now — as favorable as it may be — comes with its own set of challenges: Enthusiastic “almost there” attitudes, even if

well-intentioned, can easily engender carelessness and recklessness. Although we should absolutely be grateful for our current standing and thankful for the people who helped us get here, we’re not at the finish line yet.

We have to continue to stay safe.

And so, we’d like to remind Notre Dame students to receive their second dose of the vaccine at the oncampus vaccination site between April 29 and May 6, or to upload their off-campus vaccination verification through the University Health Services portal.

Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross students can also receive their second doses at the Saint Mary’s site reopening on May 7. Saint Mary’s students can let the College know they have been vaccinated off campus using an online form in order to help with contact tracing efforts and determining quarantine protocols. Holy Cross students who have been fully vaccinated at an off campus location should contact director of counseling and health Tom DeHorn with documentation.

As the semester winds down and our campus begins to resemble reality before COVID, we urge all members of the tri-campus community to not let their guard down. We’re on the home stretch. For the sake of our graduating seniors and in hopes of an ordinary 20212022 academic year, we must stay safe and follow current health guidelines for the remainder of the semester.

So wear a mask indoors (and in crowded groups outdoors). Maintain physical distance when possible. Wash your hands constantly. Report any symptoms you may have. Show up to surveillance testing until the requirement is lifted.

Additionally, much of this continued care requires an active acknowledgement of what’s happening beyond our respective campuses. Following successful vaccination efforts and eased restrictions, tri-campus students seem to be rapidly approaching the light at the end of the tunnel, but we must also keep in mind the varying states of our surrounding communities.

More than 90% of University students have received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine and will hopefully be fully vaccinated soon. But in St. Joseph County, only 78,096 residents (about 29%) have been fully vaccinated

as of April 29. As of April 21, 98,902 residents (about 36%) had received one dose of a two-dose series. Although these numbers are promising, they are far from optimal — and county health officials are concerned about an incoming plateau in vaccination rates.

These statistics are not unique to St. Joseph County, either — the U.S. seems to be encountering a nationwide vaccine plateau. Clinics in counties across the country are asking for a pause on vaccine shipments due to lower demand.

As members of the tri-campus community, we have a responsibility to care for the wider communities to which we belong, and that means continuing to observe mask-wearing and physical distancing guidelines as recommended — especially as we venture outside of our insulated, highly-vaccinated campuses.

Our University’s 90% vaccination rate is unbelievably rare — no county in the U.S. or country in the world boasts a percentage that high — and this is a privilege we must acknowledge as we travel back home across the country and around the world at the conclusion of this semester. We should treat the communities we visit with the same level of care with which we have treated our campus community this academic year.

That being said, we’d like to end with a note of gratitude. To every student who did their part in observing health guidelines to keep our campuses safe: thank you. To faculty who weathered the countless changes to classroom protocols while still caring for and educating students: thank you. To custodial staff who ensured a safe and healthy environment in our facilities under suboptimal working conditions: thank you. To administrative officials who led our campus communities through unbelievably challenging times, oversaw the implementation of health and safety measures and organized mass vaccination efforts: thank you.

Witnessing our campus communities persevere through this past year has been an unforgettable experience, and keeping the tri-campus informed through daily reporting on COVID-19 — the good, the bad and the ugly — has been an honor and a privilege.

Now let’s finish strong.

The observer | Friday, april 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

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ELAINE PARK | The Observer

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The observer | Friday, april 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

By GENEVIEVE COLEMAN Saint Mary’s News Editor

I stumbled across “The Vanishing Half” a few weeks ago when I was looking for a book to read. I was interested in the premise — identical twins Desiree and Stella Vignes from small-town Louisiana run away, wanting to escape their everyday existence. In the process, they lose track of each other and lead completely different lives.

Looking for an escape myself, I settled into the novel written by Brit Bennett and had a hard time putting it down.

The story itself traverses more than three decades, chronicling Desiree and Stella’s childhood in the town of Mallard, their time away from home as teenagers and eventually their lives as adults with partners and children.

Bennett’s writing is elegant and full of details that bring the twins to life. Though Desiree and Stella are physically identical, their personalities are distinct, gifting them the individuality the world often denies them.

“The Vanishing Half” artfully engages with the racism and sexism Desiree and Stella contend with throughout the entire arc of the story. As children, they witnessed the murder of their father by a group of white men, forever changing them and their family’s dynamic. When they get older, both Desiree and Stella consider how they

By WILLOUGHBY THOM Associate Scene Editor

Eric André made my Netflix subscription worth it.

I may be in the minority, but Netflix has been going downhill in recent years. Since they started removing films and television shows (who thought to remove “Malcolm in the Middle?”) and replacing them with their own originals and “binge-worthy” shows, it became impossible to find anything worthwhile to watch. My 10 dollars a month subscription seemed like a complete waste until Eric André graced the Netflix stage.

If you are unfamiliar with Eric André’s work, you should change that. He is one of the greatest comedians of our time. André was born in Boca Raton, Florida to a Jewish mother and Haitian father — he identifies as both Black and Jewish. He graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2005 where he played double bass and began his comedy career. He is well-known for his show on Adult Swim — the adult-oriented, late-night block on Cartoon Network — called “The Eric André Show” where he and his former co-host Hannibal Bures, would perform pranks, sketches and celebrity interviews with a great element of explicit and shock humor. “The Eric André Show” has been running strong since 2012.

Last year, on Jun. 20, 2020, Eric André released his stand-up comedy special “Legalize Everything,”

belong in a society that will not accept young Black girls thriving.

Constantly faced with microaggressions in a town with an overwhelming majority of white individuals, Desiree and Stella finally decide they feel too confined by the restrictions imposed on them and quietly slip out of town one summer night.

Living with each other for a few years, both go their separate ways and lose touch.

In their time apart, the reader is introduced to a striking cast of supporting characters who further the plot with their own battles with self-identity. Most, like Desiree and Stella, are looking for their niche in a society that marginalizes them because of their race, sex or gender identity.

Bennett also makes the reader think about the implications of passing — the experience of mixed race individuals who could identify as white because of the color of their skin. Arguably, the reason why Desiree and Stella end up leading different lives is because Stella chooses to pass and Desiree does not.

Though she is often afraid about her true identity being revealed, Stella’s choice gives her more opportunities and freedom than Desiree because of the way she is perceived by the world.

Desiree herself must overcome obstacles in her domestic life and finally returns to Mallard as an act of

desperation. Staying in the town to escape what she left behind, Desiree experiences more overt racism because of her daughter’s darker skin. Navigating the challenges of living in a community she once rejected, Desiree searches for her long-lost sister while raising her daughter in a society that will not accept her based on her appearance.

Bennett effortlessly weaves through different times and spaces to create a fully unified narrative that spans three generations and arrives at a satisfying conclusion for both Stella and Desiree.

Overall, “The Vanishing Half” triumphs as a story about finding one’s place in an unaccepting society and restructuring familial bonds when faced with tragedy and loss.

which is the greatest Netflix comedy special since John Mulaney’s “The Comeback Kid” in 2015. This was the comedian’s first original stand-up comedy special, and it served as a loud welcome for his new and dedicated fans alike. His signature energetic, loud and rambunctious delivery of jokes about drugs, sex, more drugs and even more drugs isn’t lost in the traditional stand-up style.

Nearly a year later, Eric André officially released his long-awaited film “Bad Trip,” and it doesn’t disappoint.

“Bad Trip” is chaos — pure pandemonium — and it’s just what the world needs. The film follows two best friends Chris (Eric André) and Bud (Lil Rel Howery) on a road trip in Bud’s escape convict sister’s (Tiffany Haddish) hot pink Bad B*tch car from Florida to New York, so Chris can confess his love to his high school crush Maria. Yes, it’s a simple plot, but what makes this film so complex is that it’s comprised of candid, real moments. It’s a hidden camera film similar to “Borat” and the shenanigans of the “Jackass” franchise, yet this film feels completely fresh.

The film starts with Chris working in a car wash where he sees Maria, the love of his life, but when his clothes are ripped off by the car vacuum, he misses his chance to get Maria’s number. We are then transported to Bud, Chris’s best friend, at work in a computer shop where his criminal sister, Trina, comes to visit him.

During her brief and abrupt visit, she steals the money from the cash register, and the two women are in shock

as she takes the money, removes her ankle monitor and drives away in her pink car. A year later, a plumber enters Chris’s house, and the film truly begins.

After getting Maria’s business card, Chris and Bud borrow Trina’s car — who they think is still in jail — and head to New York City to reunite the soulmates.

Along the way, they encounter people in different towns, get themselves into trouble and are on the run from Trina, who is convinced her little brother stole her Bad B*tch mobile.

It’s a raunchy, unfiltered, trippy comedy that did not disappoint. I am normally a harsh critic when it comes to music and films — I have given a zero shamrock rating before — but this one is nearly perfect ... and the only reason I still have my Netflix subscription.

Contact Genevieve at gcoleman01@saintmarys.edu

“The Vanishing Half” Brit Bennett Publisher: Riverhead Books Genre: Historical fiction, mystery If you liked: “Little Fires Everywhere,” “The Mother”

Contact Willoughby Thom at wthom@nd.edu

“Bad Day” Director: Kitao Sakurai Starring: Eric André, Tiffany Haddish, Lil Rel Howery If you liked: “Borat,” “Jackass,” “The Eric André Show” Where to watch: Netflix

MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer

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Crossword | Will Shortz

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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Approach whatever you aspire to do with passion. Honing your skills to suit your pursuit specifically will simplify the steps it takes to reach your destination. Refuse to let temptation lead you astray or the decisions someone makes entice you to be a follower rather than a leader.

An innovative idea launched with thought and moderation will bring high returns. Your numbers are 9, 13, 17, 24, 36, 41, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’ll have a great plan, but trying to initiate what you want to do won’t be easy. Take time to prepare, strategize and eliminate any foreseeable obstacles. Do things right the first time, and it will save you time and money.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Stick to the truth, don’t be gullible and put your energy to work for you. Take control, do the work yourself and take credit for your achievements. Don’t limit what you can do. A disciplined, wellthought-out plan will pay off.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A steady pace will get you where you want to go. Realistic expectations will ease stress and prompt you to use your imagination to come up with unique ideas. Don’t present what you have to offer until you have everything in place.

CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Think outside the box. Discuss your ideas with someone you enjoy working alongside. A partnership may look inviting, but before you get started, make sure you share the same objective.

Ulterior motives will interfere with the outcome. Don’t jeopardize a friendship.

LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Stop worrying about what others do. Start channeling your energy into something worthwhile. Size up what you are trying to achieve, and put a plan in place that will encourage success. Let go of the past and move forward.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Live and learn. The research you do will pay off, and the experience you have will help you recognize when it’s best to make a change. Surround yourself with people who are heading in a similar direction. Personal growth and self-improvement are favored.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t mince words. Say what’s on your mind and move on. Arguing is a waste of time. Distancing yourself from negative people will ease stress and encourage you to gravitate toward people who bring out the best in you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t do something without getting something in return. Put a price tag on what you have to offer. If you devalue what you do, you will suffer a loss. Set the standard. Control whatever situation you face, and you will excel.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Dive into something that interests you.

Do your research, sign up for a seminar and expand your knowledge. Don’t depend on others to do things for you or tell you the truth. Take charge and do things your way.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Consider what’s working for you and what isn’t, and make adjustments. Focus on comfort and convenience and who can help you achieve your goals. Nurturing a meaningful relationship will enhance your life. Make unique plans for two.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Refuse to let anyone tempt you with something that isn’t in your best interest. A change someone makes will confuse you. When in doubt, be direct, get the facts and deal with matters swiftly. Don’t give in to temptation.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You’ll have more options than you realize.

Don’t disregard an idea because it’s unfamiliar. Take the plunge, and try something new. You’ll discover something you enjoy doing. Control your emotions, and use your charm and intelligence to get ahead.

Birthday Baby: You are determined, charismatic and innovative. You are expressive and perplexing.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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Sports Authority

Sports Authority

Giants are ready make a splash John Kalemkerian Sports Writer

The 2020 NFL season ended in disappointment for the New York Giants after narrowly missing out on a div ision title and playoff berth despite a hard-fought v ictor y over the Cowboys in Week 17. Nevertheless, last season was a step in the right direction for the Giants, who have been stuck in mediocrit y (or worse) since the 2012 Super Bowl. After losing seven of the first eight games, they bounced back w ith a four game w inning streak to nearly w in the NFC East even w ithout the ultratalented Saquon Bark ley.

So w ill this year be different? My answer is, undoubtedly, yes. The Giants 2020 free agent class turned the defense from a bottom five unit into arguably a top five unit last year. LB Blake Martinez and lockdow n CB James Bradberr y are each locked into deals for at least two more seasons. This year’s free agent class was just as good, w ith oft-maligned general manager Dave Gettleman resigning DE Leonard Williams to a three-year deal, as well as bringing in 2017 firstrounder CB Adoree’ Jackson to further solidif y the defensive side of the ball. The biggest question follow ing the 2020 season was where to get more weapons for QB Daniel Jones, to which Gettleman responded by signing Pro Bowl W R Kenny Golladay from the Lions. Perhaps the biggest addition to the team in the upcoming season w ill be the return of Bark ley, who missed nearly all of last season after tearing an ACL in Week 2.

Ow ners of the 11th pick in Thursday’s draft, the Giants have the opportunit y to add an instant starting-caliber player to an already solid roster. I believe the pick should be used to give Jones another offensive weapon.

If Kyle Pitts (Florida), Devonta Smith (A labama)

Please recycle The Observer.

or Ja’Marr Chase (LSU) are available, Gettleman should snatch one of them up w ithout a second thought. Though it’s w ise to expect the unexpected on draft night, it’s possible and perhaps even likely that none of these three w ill still be on the board at 11. In this case, Gettleman should go w ith OT Rashaw n Slater (Northwestern), likely the best available player who, along w ith OT’s Andrew Thomas and Matt Peart drafted last year, w ill solidif y the offensive line and hopefully limit the opposing quarterback pressure.

The entire roster is trending in the right direction, but ultimately none of this w ill matter if Daniel Jones can’t prove himself as a w inning quarterback. Jones has nearly two full years of NFL experience under his belt and surrounded by a retooled offense that, at least on paper, looks capable of putting up points in a hurr y, w ill need to prove that he can be the guy that Giants fans ever y where are desperately hoping for. It’s going to be a major disappointment if he can’t take a leap this season while surrounded by all the offensive weapons he could possibly ask for.

Clearly a lot is riding on Jones’ continued development. It’s made all the more important by the fact that the NFC East appears to be w ide open, at least for the next couple of years. The Eagles are a few years behind the Giants in rebuild mode, the W FT has a weak roster around their few stars, and the Cowboys have a defense that couldn’t stop a high school J V team. The pieces are all there for the Giants to start seriously contending in the playoffs this season, they just need to put them all together.

Contact John Kalemkerian at jkalemke@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Don’t deny the facts: Steph Curry is the best shooter Jamison Cook Sports Writer

With about eight minutes left in first quarter of their April 25 game against the Sacramento Kings, the Golden State Warriors had put up just seven points.

Warriors guard Stephen Curry had already made one three-pointer, and with the shot clock winding down on a subsequent possession, the ball was in Curry’s hands once again. The ball was def lected into the backcourt as Curry came off a Draymond Green ball screen, and he hustled to retrieve it. Crossing back into the frontcourt with just two seconds on the shot clock, Curry dribbles once behind his back and pulls up about forty feet from the basket, launching a three that would be considered a horrible shot had the shot clock not been about to expire.

Splash.

The craziest part is that no one is surprised. From the moment the ball left Curry’s fingertips, any true basketball fan knew it had a chance to go in.

This particular threepointer was just one of seven Steph made on the night, giving him 85 in the month of April, the most in any month in NBA history.

The previous record was held by James Harden of Brooklyn Nets, who made 82 threes as a Houston Rocket in November 2019. Oh, and the Warriors have two more games before the end of the month (at the time of writing). 100 three-point makes in one month are attainable.

You heard it here first.

April 2021 has been a month to remember in the career of Steph Curry. He is currently averaging a whopping 38.2 points for the month and has dragged his Warrior teammates against their will seemingly at times — into 10th place in the West. Under the NBA’s new play-in playoff format, this puts Golden State in position to have a chance at a playoff spot in a year where superstar Klay Thompson has not played a minute and Curry himself has missed significant time due to injury.

But that is not all he’s done this month. Steph

passed the legendary Wilt Chamberlain to become the all-time leading scorer in Warriors’ history on April 12 and became the first player in NBA history age 33 or older to score 30 or more points in 11 straight games.

This streak of 11 30+ point performances from March 29 to April 19 broke a record set by the late, great Kobe Bryant, who scored 30 or more in 10 straight games in December 2012. Any time your name is mentioned alongside Wilt and Kobe, you’re doing something right.

For anyone who has watched the NBA since Curry entered the league in 2009, the transformation from skinny, mid-major shooter in a baggy jersey to two-time MVP and NBA Champion that can score from anywhere on the court has been mesmerizing to watch.

Curry walked onto the scene riding the coattails of an improbable NCA A Tournament run, with his shooting prowess propelling little-known Davidson into the Elite Eight. Despite leaping into the national scene in an emphatic way, Curry fell to the Warriors at the seventh pick. The Grizzlies, Kings and Timberwolves will forever regret passing on Steph, especially Minnesota, who managed to pick two forgettable point guards directly before Curry with the fifth AND sixth picks. Props to you as an NBA fan if you can name them both (Ricky Rubio at five and Jonny Flynn at six for those wondering). Only the Clippers and Thunder can be excused (somewhat) for not choosing Curry, as Blake Griffin and James Harden have turned out to be pretty good picks even if they don’t still play for the teams that drafted them.

But regardless, Curry has proved, more this season than ever, that he will go down as one of the all-time greats. Reggie Miller, Ray Allen and Larry Bird deserve all the respect in the world, but Steph is the best shooter to ever walk the planet. And if I’m being completely honest, it’s not even a close argument anymore.

Curry takes and makes shots that these legends would not even dream of

attempting. The way he can shoot off the dribble from both inside and outside the three-point arc has not been seen from anyone else before. For the 2020-21 season, Steph is shooting 47.5% from 30-34 feet, an unbelievable statistic considering that the three-point line is a mere 23 feet, nine inches away from the hoop. From three-point range as a whole, Curry is shooting 43.3% on the season.

As compared to Miller, Allen and Bird, Steph has a higher career three-point percentage than all of them by more than three percentage points. Curry also passed Miller for second place on the all-time list of three pointers made earlier this season, and he now just has Allen left to pass. With just over 200 makes separating the two, Steph is well on his way to eclipsing Allen’s record within next season.

However, if he continues on the ridiculous pace he has established in April, it may come sooner than that.

I know that the old heads out there will cite that the game was “different back then” and that I have only ever seen the current “soft” state of the NBA compared to the physicality of old. And while I will admit that the focus of the NBA has shifted drastically towards shooting more threes, I would also argue that this is due to one person: Stephen Curry.

Whether you like it or not, the man has single-handedly changed the game of basketball forever. Let’s just appreciate him while he’s still splashing from 40 feet.

April 2021 has proved to me, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Curry is the best shooter to grace us with his presence on this Earth. The only piece missing from his Hall of Fame resume is a Finals MVP, and if he adds this, watch out Magic. Steph might make more threes this year than Magic made in his entire career, and we might just have a new best point guard of all-time on our hands in the very near future.

Contact Jamison Cook at jcook22@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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FOOTball | WAY-TOO-EARLY

Way-Too-Early preview: Virginia Observer Staff Report

Up next in our Way-Too-Early preview series is Notre Dame’s penultimate road game, a November matchup against Virginia down South.

Opponent: Virginia Date: November 13, 2021 Location: Charlottesville, Va. Kickoff: TBD

History of the Matchup Notre Dame and Virginia have met only three times prior, with two of those meetings coming in the Brian Kelly era after a 26-year hiatus. The Irish lead the all-time series 3-0. The largest margin of victory is 23 when Lou Holtz led his squad to a 36-13 win in 1989. Most recently, in 2019, then- No.10 Notre

Dame beat then- No.18 Virginia 3520 in South Bend thanks in part to a 21-3 second-half surge. The Irish recorded eight sacks in the contest.

2020 Performance After a season-opening win against Duke in 2020, Virginia dropped four straight in October, finding themselves 1-4 midway through the season. The Cavaliers reversed the tide in the second half of their schedule, winning four in a row, but they lost their season-ending rivalry game at Virginia Tech to drop back down to .500, ending the year at 5-5 and 4-5 in the ACC. Dual-threat quarterback Brennan Armstrong played under center and had a completion rate of 58.6% with 18 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. He also rushed for five scores, averaging 4.4 yards-percarry on 126 attempts.

Tight End Tony Poljan led the scoring through the air, nabbing

six touchdowns and 411 yards.

Receiver Lavel Davis Jr. was the next-most dominant threat, averaging 25.8 yards-per-catch on five scores and 515 total yards. On the ground, running back Wayne Taulapapa tied Armstrong with five rushing touchdowns, gaining 395 rushing yards on 88 attempts.

Defensively, outside linebacker Charles Snowden anchored the pass-rush, recording a team-high six sacks.

Sophomore Nick Jackson had a breakout season with 10 starts and 105 total tackles, 55 of them solo.

The Cavalier secondary recorded 11 interceptions, with four different players recording two apiece.

Virginia elected not to participate in a bowl game, the second time in the Bronco Mendenhall era they did not play in the postseason. The team failed to record a winning record for the third time in five seasons.

2021 Outlook The Cavaliers will return the majority of their offense stalwarts— Armstrong, Taulapapa and Davis Jr. — though Poljan will depart for the NFL Draft, effectively taking the tight end threat with him.

Explosive back Shane Simpson and mid-distance receiver Terrell Jana will matriculate to the pros as well.

Defensively, the linebacker position will be relatively thin, with Snowden, Zane Zandier, Matt Gahm and Rob Snyder all gone, but Jackson will be back, as will junior linebacker Noah Taylor.

The Virginia secondary struggled throughout the 2020 season and remains a large question mark .

(Way Too Predictions Ellen Geyer Sports Writer

Early) —

There’s something about Notre Dame football in November that brings chills to my spine. The Irish haven’t lost that late in the regular season in the last few years, but more than a few great records have been ruined by the 11th month of the year (2014 and 2017, I’m looking at you). Given the status of South Bend weather in November, Virginia is lucky to have this one at home, and they’ll likely be hungry to beat Notre Dame for the first time in school history. The Irish don’t have a particularly grueling schedule in 2021, and hopefully they’ll be able to keep the late-season curse broken. Given that the Virginia defense has struggled immensely, I think Notre Dame will win this road matchup in spite of any first-half scares that may occur, hopefully preserving a fairly successful season.

Senior Notre Dame 42 – 21 Virginia

Sports Authority

Penning an open letter to Mr. John W. Henry Greg McKenna Sports Writer

Dear John W. Henry, Shame on you.

At least that’s what I was planning on typing this time last week after Liverpool, along with 11 other clubs in England, Spain and Italy, officially announced their mutiny from UEFA to form the infamous “Super League” and its dreaded “closed shop.”

Alas, I was not scheduled to write a Sports Authority until today/ Now, after Liverpool, along with the other six English “founding members,” sunk the venture by abandoning the project with their tails firmly pinned between their legs less than two days later, my first instinct is to soften my tone a bit.

After all, your seemingly heartfelt public apology was cute enough. It almost made me forget that you were one of the most influential proponents of the project.

Previously, you were largely regarded as an incredibly responsible, forward-looking owner.

As both a Boston Red Sox and Liverpool fan, I could be nothing but grateful for your vital role in ending two infamous title droughts consisting of a combined 116 years of hurt for two of the most loyal fan bases in all of sports.

Two Sundays ago, however, I’m afraid you almost instantaneously spirited all that goodwill away, at least in Merseyside. I don’t think Reds fans will ever be more inclined to put traditional allegiances aside and agree with Gary

Neville than when the Manchester United legend called your apology an “absolute joke.” You, along with the owners and chief executives at 11 other clubs, finally woke the football world up to the true dangers of your greed and arrogance.

Now, I have to place myself among those who don’t think the European game can truly heal itself until you and similarlyminded owners are gone for good.

As the vital backing you, Manchester United’s Joel Glazer and Arsenal’s Stan Kroenke put behind the failed project continues to emerge, the image of American ownership in European football appears to have been irreparably damaged.

Maybe “shame on you” is a bit excessive. But as I watched your apology video, listening to your claims that you always knew the project could only succeed with the support of the fans, my only real thought was, “What were you thinking?”

Before last Sunday, naive supporters like myself liked to claim that Liverpool was different. In an era increasingly defined by profligate spending by superclubs accused of losing touch with their local heritage and fans, Liverpool seemingly provided an alternative for what elite European football could look like.

State-bankrolled clubs like Qatari-backed Paris St. Germain (who got a major public image boost by refusing to support the Super League) and Abu-Dhabifunded Manchester City wildly spent their way to the top. The importation of Henry’s “Moneyball” attitudes and targeted spending

allowed Liverpool to keep pace and then some.

Lose your best player, Philippe Coutinho, just when you are on the brink of re-joining England and Europe’s elite? No problem, just collect over $140 million in transfer fees to acquire a worldclass defender and goalkeeper to complement one of the bestattacking trios in the world and a high-powered midfield, both of which were assembled for comparatively modest sums. As corporate money dulled atmospheres at famous stadiums like United’s Old Trafford — the supposed “Theatre of Dreams” — the lore of Anfield and the raucous “Kop” only became more poignant.

Under the effusive and magnetic Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool has been a feel-good club. During his tenure, being a Reds fan has meant enjoying not just a sixth Champions League trophy and a first league title in 30 years, but a sense of moral superiority over most of Europe’s other elite clubs.

Now, supporters like myself realize that our “purity-test” was short-sighted, just like your enthusiasm for the Super League project.

Consider the source of your “value signings,” especially the front-three that defined Liverpool’s success before a difficult 2020-21 campaign. Those players are Mohammed Salah from Roma, Sadio Mane from Southampton via Red Bull Salzburg and Roberto Firmino from Hoffenheim. All three of these players came from clubs that Liverpool has played in the Champions League since 2017.

Yet, if the “Super League” as proposed would have come to pass, all three of these clubs would have had an incredibly narrow window to qualify for Europe’s most elite competition.

The “Super League” owners argued the increased revenues from their breakaway endeavor would somehow “trickle down” and surpass the funds these second-tier clubs (so to speak) can generate by qualifying and competing in the Champions League, but no one was convinced. For someone so opposed to the “Galactico” model (I’ll get to this more later), I was honestly surprised how willing you were to cut off the hand that feeds you.

What I am trying to say, Mr. Henry, is that the image you previously cultivated at Liverpool made your Super League support all the more infuriating. Nouveau-riche clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea usually bear the brunt of the blame when it comes to the rampant greed at the top of European football, but current reports indicate that you and Glazer were really the primary proponents of the project within England, driven, in large part, by angst over keeping up with the big-spending of Manchester City.

In the end, Mr. Henry, your insecurity, along with that of all the other clubs involved with the project, was laid bare. Despite all the advantages the elite clubs enjoy, you all wanted to effectively destroy any vestige of competitive integrity and meritocracy the game has left.

In some ways, I get it. The uncertainty that the traditional model

of European qualification — and lower down the table, promotion and relegation — creates means the boom-bust cycles you so often ride out with the Sox are simply not viable. Neither is the culture of tanking that dominates American sports. With Liverpool likely not to qualify for the Champions League this year, which throws the club’s transfer plans and financial forecasting for a loop, it is obvious why you would yearn for the certainty of competing in the same tournament year after year, regardless of competitive merit.

If I was in your shoes and totally unconcerned about stripping away almost everything that makes European football special, I would also aim to implement all the boring drawbacks of American professional sports (like the “closed shop” or franchise model) and ignore useful Americanbased concepts like the salary cap or roster limits — which could be integrated into the European model to address the rampant inequality among the elite and “everyone else.”

To be quite honest, Mr. Henry, I think Liverpool fans all know what you were thinking when you helped spearhead this selfish project.

It’s just such a shame because we lied to ourselves for years that you actually cared about the sport you invested in.

Contact Greg McKenna at gmckenn2@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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Sports

The observer | Friday, april 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Baseball

ND escapes with win over Valparaiso

By EMILY DeFAZIO Associate Sports Editor

The No. 6-ranked Notre Dame baseball team dow ned Valparaiso Tuesday night.

The Irish and Valpo exchanged the lead several times over the course of the game, w ith Notre Dame ultimately coming out on top 8-7.

The Irish were up 3-1 by the time the fifth inning came around. However, it was this inning that proved to be the beginning of the close contest that would ensue. Valpo took the lead after scoring three runs on a double that cleared the bases. By the end of the fifth, after an additional run was added to their score, they had extended their lead to 5-3.

The Irish immediately responded to reclaim the lead, 6-5. Senior infielder Niko Kavadas was hit by a pitch, allow ing sophomore infielder Kyle Hess to score. This was followed by senior outfielder Spencer Myers scoring off of junior infielder Carter Putz’s sacrifice f ly.

A final run from senior outfielder Ryan Cole pushed the Irish ahead by the end of the inning.

However, Valpo snagged the lead again the ver y next half inning. Both teams went back and forth in scoring runs, w ith the Irish ultimately t y ing the score 7-7 at the bottom of the sixth. A final run in the seventh would eventually put the Irish ahead for good.

“You know, we didn’t play great,” head coach Link Jarrett said. “We didn’t pitch as good as I would have liked

W Lax Continued from page 16

Duke’s goalie w ith a bouncing shot.

Irish senior goalie Bridget

Battles Continued from page 3

Who (and how many) on the defensive line?

We’ve got some questions that need answering on the defensive line, despite the strong returning tandem of graduate students Kurt Hinish and My ron Tagovailoa-Amosa.

Will Notre Dame feature a three-man front on Saturday? A four-man?

Maybe a touch of both? And who steps up to help the Irish’s dy namic returners on the line — Isaiah Foskey has been a play maker but

to. But we got through it…

And at this point, again, like I told our guys–you just have to put tallies in the w in column, and they did that.”

The team now looks ahead to their home series against North Carolina this weekend. Jarrett hopes the team w ill perform as a group, w ith ever yone in the lineup contributing in some way.

“It’s really critical if you want to tr y to score in bunches, at some point, to have a longer inning,” Jarrett said. “You’re going to have to have qualit y at bats. You’re not going to start at the top of the lineup ever y inning, so it’s important that the five, six, seven, eight guys can find ways on base and generate some offense.”

As for the Tar Heels themselves, they return several of their starting players this season. However, even their new players have made their mark, w ith their new center fielder hav ing stolen fourteen bases this season.

“It’s a ver y balanced, top to bottom team, ver y experienced, a Super Regionalcaliber team,” Jarrett said.

Jarrett mentioned that there is a different mindset heading into the series than there was last year. The Irish faced North Carolina at a much earlier time last year, while now they are further into the “magnitude” of the season.

“They knew North Carolina was a good team going in last year, and we played well,” Jarrett said. “We got a lot of breaks…Now, some of that we create, but you still have to take advantage of the opportunities, and

RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

Irish senior second baseman Jared Miller slings a ball during Notre Dame’s 11-2 victory over NC State on April 18 at Frank Eck Baseball Stadium. Miller had a team high four assists during the contest.

we did that, and they know North Carolina is another good team coming in here.”

Jarrett expressed that it may be easier to face UNC in a home series, as the team is more comfortable w ith their routine and schedule.

This is different to his mindset from last year, when he said he probably would

have been more comfortable away against the Tar Heels. The Irish swept North Carolina last year in Chapel Hill before the season was postponed.

Heading into the matchup, there is little ambiguit y left at this point in the season.

Both teams know what to expect from the other.

“You know, they know

our team,” Jarrett said.

“Ever y thing’s out there now.

At this point, the v ideos, the metrics, the stats, the data is all there. And I just hope we can go play our st yle of baseball, and play sound, and play solid, and see what happens.”

Deehan preser ved the w in w ith an important save on a Duke free-position shot, and the Irish were able to regain possession and run the clock out to

preser ve the v ictor y.

Deehan stopped eight shots in the contest.

The Irish w ill now need to recover quick ly from their hard-fought v ictor y, as they face No. 1

North Carolina Friday at noon.

The Irish w ill also be looking for redemption after North Carolina eked out an 1110 v ictor y in South Bend earlier this year.

The

matchup w ill be telev ised on ACC Net work. Should the Irish advance, they w ill face the w inner of Boston College vs. Sy racuse in the conference finals Sunday.

not consistent over his t wo seasons.

Sophomores Jordan Botelho and Rylie Mills could become factors as well.

Jayson and Justin Ademilola are veterans that should play a role on Saturday.

W hat about first-year Gabriel Rubio?

The four-star recruit could also get some play ing time, entering as the fifthbest recruit in the Irish 2021 class. More likely, much like Botehlo last season, Rubio may be a bigger factor on special teams — but that unit doesn’t

get a ton of work during the spring game, so it’ll be interesting to see what Rubio does on the defensive line if Brian Kelly chooses to give him some work.

The defensive alignment and mix of returnees and new contributors w ill be a big stor yline to watch on the defensive line.

Ty ree?

Notre Dame has a lot of speed, but not too much route-running experience — which receivers are trusted on third dow n, in the slot, and on more intermediar y routes?

First-year Philip Riley is certainly a name to watch... Does he or anyone else push Clarence Lew is and TaRiq Bracy for the starting cornerback spots?

Does George Takacs play a role in the passing game, or w ill he more utilized as a blocking tight end in running packages?

And, of course,... who’s taking the most snaps under center?

W ho’s the leader for the QB1 competition?

But to get a more in-depth look at that, check out associate sports editor Emily DeFa zio’s feature on the QB room heading into Saturday’s Blue and Gold Game.

And lastly, get excited. Because, even for just one day, we’ve got some Notre Dame football in South Bend again.

Final questions These are fewer position battles and more utilization questions to keep an eye on during Saturday’s spring game.

Is Ky ren Williams the clear feature back, or is he 1A and 1B w ith sophomore Chris

Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu

Contact Aidan Thomas athoma28 @nd.edu

sports

Offense Continued from INSIDER page 2

prov ided the spark plug that the Irish needed on offense in the 2020 season. And he definitively proved himself in the big games. On top of the rest of his impressive season stats, Williams rushed for 140 yards and three touchdow ns in the Irish home w in against first-ranked Clemson.

Williams also notched a rushing touchdow n in the College Football Playoff loss to A labama.

That touchdow n then propelled him to 13 rushing touchdow ns on the year.

Williams was awarded ACC Rookie of the Year for his efforts on the season. In 2021, Williams should continue to be a huge part of the Irish offense.

Chris Ty ree w ill also likely play a larger role in the offense in 2021. The five-star recruit is one of the biggest running back recruits that Notre Dame has been able to obtain in recent years. Both his talent and speed were on full display in his first season.

A lthough he was a clear second back to Williams in 2020, it is possible that they w ill split snaps more evenly in 2020. Both backs have a different running st yle, and they should be able to

QB

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, april 30, 2021 | The Observer

complement each other well in the backfield. Rees discussed the importance of play ing the right running back at the right time.

“It’s our job to get the best players on the field all the time,” Rees said. “For Ky ren, because he has an innate abilit y in the passing game, it’s going to be — ‘How do we expand his role to ma x imize even more touches and get him into more space? ’” Rees admitted that he is tr y ing out different formations in Spring practice.

“We’re doing a lot of things right now, play ing around w ith him and the other backs, whether there’s two of them in the game, or we’re lining them up outside of the backfield,” Rees said.

“That’s the next progression in terms of how we want to play this year.”

Offensive line The offensive line is another area of possible concern for the Irish. Key players such as Aaron Banks, Tommy Kraemer, Liam Eichenberg and Robert Hainsey are not returning for the 2021 season. Additionally, senior center Jarrett Patterson is currently still sidelined w ith a foot injur y. Before the injur y, Patterson started for the Irish in the 2020 season.

Assuming Patterson is able to take the field in

in there, we’ll see a little bit of his escapabilit y.”

Continued from page 4

Drew Pyne right into the deep end — academically, in the weight room and then on the football field — and they’re doing a terrific job, and Tyler’s no exception to that.”

Over the course of the spring season, Kelly said he has seen some of the “rust” come off of Buchner’s gameplay. He mentioned that Buchner seems more confident in himself and more comfortable w ith the throws and plays he has to make.

However, according to Kelly, there is still a little way to go for Buchner in terms of getting the starting position.

“You’ve got to understand that there’s some development that has to take place,” Kelly said. “He doesn’t know our offense ... but he’s a quick study. He’s a really good athlete.”

And Kelly has a plan to test just how quick a learner Buchner is.

“We’re gonna probably let Tyler Buchner in the first half and not have a red jersey on,” Kelly said Thursday, “You know he hasn’t played in a year, so we’re gonna use the first half to allow him to really be a part of this game w ithout a red jersey. If he’s

Fans got to catch a glimpse of what it would look like to have Drew Py ne at the helm when he stepped in for Book at the CFP Rose Bowl game against A labama. Out of all three options, Py ne is the only one w ith any experience as an Irish player. Especially because Py ne has already been a part of the program, Kelly said he and his staff want him to be a competitor for the top spot, say ing they are not going to simply hand Coan the position.

Py ne has consistently been described as a “quick study,” w ith both Ian Book and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees commenting on Py ne’s strong work ethic. Py ne describes his drive to constantly improve as “never stay ing complacent w ith where you are the day before.” He said he hopes to carr y this mindset into next season, focusing on the goal to consistently progress his gameplay. As for Kelly, he has gone so far as to say exactly what he wants from Py ne this season: “We want Drew to be the starter.”

Brushing off the concern that the competition for the position would faze Py ne,

September at the center, that leaves junior Zeke Correll and graduate student Josh Lugg as the t wo other likely starters.

Correll played the center position during Patterson’s absence in 2020.

He might be expected to fill that role once again if Patterson is not ready to return at the beginning of the season. Lugg has been an allpurpose guy on the line for the Irish during his career, and he w ill certainly have a spot somewhere on the line in 2021. W here that spot w ill be, however, has yet to be determined. This weekend could prov ide some of that insight.

After that, the Irish w ill look to a plethora of talented but inexperienced offensive linemen to fill the remaining t wo spots. Graduate student Dillan Gibbons could be an option for the Irish. A lthough he doesn’t have a ton of experience, he got some play ing time in 2020 and started against Sy racuse.

As far as the fifth offensive lineman, there remains almost complete uncertaint y.

Early enrollees and firstyears Rocco Spindler and Blake Fisher have wowed in practice so far. W hile not definitive yet, it is still unlikely that the pair get a start as first-years.

15

Photo Courtesy of ND Athletics

Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

Irish sophomore tight end Michael Mayer carries the ball during Notre Dame’s 47-40 double-OT win over Clemson on Nov. 7 at home.

Kelly said Py ne is “built for this” competition after many people doubted whether or not he could be the starter.

“He relishes these opportunities, and he’s always succeeded,” Kelly said. “It just motivates him even more.”

the most amount of passes made (236).

“W hen you’re starting quarterback, you already have great traits,” Kelly said. “His work ethic is astounding.”

Jack Coan Coan originally was committed to Notre Dame for lacrosse before sw itching gears to play Div ision 1 football. Once he entered the mix at Notre Dame, the graduate transfer from Wisconsin has spurred a lot of questions as to who w ill start come the fall. Many have favored him to take the QB1 spot — why take a grad transfer if you don’t plan on using him? However, as Kelly himself pointed out, not ever y thing is settled.

Kelly said Coan’s transition has been a relatively smooth one, w ith the other quarterbacks being excited to have him in the room w ith them.

Coan’s experience as a quarterback brought both trust and motivation among his teammates.

He already comes in w ith a track record from Wisconsin, hav ing completed 68% of his passes for 23 touchdow ns and 3,278 yards. He also pocketed the team record for

Improvements Regardless of who eventually gets the QB1 position, Rees highlighted a key area of play that needs to be strengthened in order for the team to be effective — the red zone.

This is an aspect of the game the Irish struggled w ith last season, as they only scored touchdow ns on 35 out of 60 red zone attempts.

“If we can get our red zone level to where it was on the third dow n, that t y pe of efficiency in the red zone is ultimately going to lead the more points,” Rees said. “We can’t settle for field goals.

We all know that.”

Rees commented that the offense’s peak of play in this area centered around being able to run the ball. W here the team fell short was in tr y ing to force the ball into the end zone. This aspect is something that the new quarterback w ill need to improve upon.

“For myself, it’s about how do we continue to balance ourselves in the red

zone w ithout feeling like ever y throw needs to get us a score,” Rees said.

Kelly says that efficiency stems from the passing game on the quarterback’s part.

“Red zone proficiency is based upon decision-making, and the abilit y to trust and release the ball in a timely fashion in the passing game,” Kelly said. “You’ve got to trust, guys. You’ve got to be able to let the ball go, and w indows open and close so quick ly that there’s no time for hesitation.”

Time w ill tell whether the new quarterback w ill be able to improve this area of play for the team.

When will we know?

Though much anticipation has surrounded the quarterback position, fans w ill most likely have to wait a little longer to get an answer.

“I’ve always felt when it’s clearly in the best interests of the team and morale, and it can inf luence you mov ing for ward, you should probably name the quarterback,” Kelly said. “I don’t know that we’re in that position right now ... I’m leaning toward making that decision in camp.”

Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu

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The observer | Friday, april 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

nd women’s LACROSSE

Irish take down Duke in back-and-forth thriller to advance in ACC Tournament Observer Staff Report

Notre Dame women’s lacrosse is mov ing on in the ACC Tournament. The fifthranked Irish (9-5, 5-5 ACC) defeated seventh-ranked Duke, 17-16, to advance to the semifinals on Thursday afternoon. The Irish w ill now take on top-seed North Carolina, who is hosting the tournament, on Friday.

The Irish came out firing on all cylinders, scoring five goals from five different players in the first ten minutes of play to take a 5-1 lead. The two sides traded goals over the remainder of the first half. Duke cut the margin to three w ith just over five minutes left in the half, but goals from senior midfield Andie A ldave and junior midfield Hannah Dorney in the last 2: 09 extended the Irish lead to 12-7 at the break.

The Blue Dev ils (9-7, 5-7 ACC) scored soon after the

second half began, but senior attack Maddie Howe responded w ith her third goal of the contest to restore the five-goal lead w ith her third goal of the contest. Howe paced the Irish w ith four goals and an assist in the match.

However, Duke went on a major run, scoring six of the next seven goals to tie the contest at 15 apiece.

Notre Dame scored just one goal in a stretch of nearly 20 minutes. Sophomore midfield Kasey Choma scored her team-leading 36th goal of the season to put the Irish back in front, but Duke tied it again less than t wo minutes later. Choma has been play ing her best lacrosse as of late, scoring 14 times over her last three games. With just under three minutes to play, Howe gave the Irish the lead for good w ith an unassisted goal, besting see W LAX PAGE 14

EMILY DeFAZIO | The Observer

Irish senior midfield Andie Aldave wins a draw control during Notre Dame’s 15-11 win over Louisville on Saturday at Loftus Sports Center. Aldave led the team in draw controls with 12 throughout the game.

ND MEN’s LACROSSE

Notre Dame to conclude regular season at home against No. 9 Syracuse Observer Staff Report

Photo Courtesy of ND Athletics

Irish senior midfield Daniel Cassidy carries the ball upfield during Notre Dame’s 13-12 OT loss to Duke on Apr. 22 at Arlotta Stadium.

The Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team will close out their regular season Saturday with yet another tough opponent when they welcome No. 9 Syracuse to Arlotta Stadium. This will be the sixth straight contest the Irish have played against a top-10 opponent. The previous four were each against a top-4 team in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association poll, the first time such a difficult stretch has occurred in program history.

The Irish have dropped their last two matchups, but both have come down to the wire.

They fell in heartbreaking fashion to Duke 13-12 in overtime on April 22, before dropping another close decision to North Carolina three days later.

The team will look to rebound against Syracuse on Saturday.

The Irish have already defeated the Orange once this year in a convincing 18-11 decision on April 3 at the Carrier Dome.

Sophomore attack Pat Kavanagh led the Irish in the victory, scoring five goals and assisting on

four more. Kavanagh leads the team with 49 points, and has been playing his best lacrosse of late, leading the team in scoring in each of the last two matchups.

Kavanagh leads the team with 31 assists, and ranks fifth in the nation in assists per game. In addition to his production, Notre Dame will also continue to rely on graduate student attack Will Yorke’s offensive prowess. Yorke leads the squad with 20 goals thus far.

Notre Dame has also been elite on defense this year. The team leads the ACC and ranks fourth in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 8.56 goals per game. The combination of graduate students Jack Kielty and Kyle Thornton, and senior Arden Cohen have wreaked havoc on opposing attackers all season. Kielty and Thorton have started an astounding 45 consecutive games together. Sophomore goalie Liam Entenmann has been outstanding as well, leading the conference in save percentage.

The Irish have historically struggled against the Orange.

The team enters the matchup with a 6-10 record in the alltime series, although Notre Dame has won five of the previous seven games. However, Syracuse will be without topscorer Chase Scanlon, who leads the team with 24 goals. Scanlon was suspended due to a violation of team rules, and while he has since been reinstated, he will not travel to South Bend.

The Orange will likely depend on Stephen Rehfuss, who has scored 23 times to go along with 22 assists, and Owen Hiltz, who has 36 points.

The game begins Saturday at noon from Arlotta Stadium, and will be broadcast on ESPNU. After wrapping up the regular season, the Irish will turn their attention to preparing for the NCAA tournament. Arlotta Stadium was selected as a host site for both the first round and the quarterfinals, which will take place May 15-16 and May 22-23, respectively. The championships will be held May 29-31 in East Hartford, Connecticut. The 16-team field will be announced on May 9.

Insider

ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, April 30, 2021 | The Observer

3

Key position battles and questions to keep an eye on during Irish spring game hodgepodge of guys v ying for a significant playing time come fall — and what they are allowed to do and how they perform on Saturday will be key. As of now, graduate student Avery Davis looks like the no. 1 receiver, which was backed up by offensive coordinator Tommy Rees in a recent press conference: “Avery Davis is the leader of that group,” Rees said. “He’s been extremely steady, someone that is dependable and we can count on.”

After that, things get hazy.

Davis is the only returning wide receiver with more than seven catches last season.

Senior Lawrence Keys has had an extremely impressive spring, from what can be garnered from released practice videos; senior Braden Lenzy continues to f lash tantalizing speed; and senior Joe Wilkins continues to be steady, yet not necessarily the impact player the Irish want in a starting receiver. We won’t learn much about the perpetually-injured sophomore Kevin Austin on Saturday, as he is not playing this spring, but he could still be a factor in the receiving corps.

And then you get to the

younger guys of the group.

Irish fans were continuously frustrated by the lack of playing time for first-year receivers Jordan Johnson and Xavier Watts, both highly touted recruits. Jay Brunelle is another rising sophomore who could compete for playing time, and then speedster Lorenzo Styles Jr., the only early enrollee in the position group, is another factor.

Key Returnees :

Irish after bursting onto the scene in 2020. He is undoubtedly the most complete back on the roster and sets the tone for the Irish offense in Brian Kelly’s scheme which emphasizes physicalit y in the trenches.

After seeing the field in just four games as a first-year, Williams eclipsed the 1,000yard mark as a sophomore while averaging more than five yards a carr y. He had 13 rushing touchdow ns, the most in a season for the Irish since 1998, including three in a signature performance against Clemson at home last November.

Williams also played a major role through the air, catching 36 passes for 316 yards and a score. Williams w ill prov ide whoever the Irish decide to go w ith at quarterback in 2021 w ith a reliable check-dow n pass-catcher out of the backfield. The St. Louis, Missouri, native also displayed toughness as a blocker throughout the 2020 season, constantly picking up blitzes to prov ide quarterback Ian Book w ith a clean pocket on passing dow ns. Expect more of the same all-around reliabilit y from Williams in 2021.

served mostly as a change of pace back to Williams.

He had a solid year overall, considering the playing time he received, racking up 496 rushing yards and four scores. The former five-star recruit and No.1 all-purpose back in his recruiting class out of Chester, Virginia, still possesses elite speed and can take it to the house at any given moment.

He broke off a handful of big runs in 2020, including a 45yard scamper against Florida State and a 94-yard dash on a senior day against Syracuse.

Brian Kelly also utilized Tyree as the primary kickoff returner in 2020. He will likely remain as a complimentary piece to Williams in 2021, but don’t be surprised if the speedster takes on more responsibility with a year of college experience under his belt. Tyree could be even more of a problem for opposing defenses if he continues to develop as a pass-catcher, with his speed and elusiveness making him the perfect option to exploit linebackers and safeties. The sophomore is primed for another solid campaign, even if he remains behind Williams on the depth chart.

Kyren Williams

Chris Tyree

Williams w ill once again be the go-to back for the

Ty ree certainly f lashed his potential in 2020 but

By AIDAN THOMAS Sports Writer

Writing this article, I could try and offer some early preview of the Notre Dame football season, but the fact remains I know just about the same amount of information as I did on Jan. 2 — the day I was processing Notre Dame’s Rose Bowl defeat to Alabama in the College Football Playoff. Besides a couple of slightly unexpected draft announcements (both in and against Notre Dame’s favor), most of what I’d be offering is pure speculation at this point. So, rather, for this first edition of our Irish Insider focusing on the 2021 season, I’m going to look at the key position battles we could see on Saturday in Notre Dame’s spring game.

Then, maybe when I’ve seen a little bit of how this edition of the Irish roster is being utilized, I can offer a slightly more informed preview of what the Irish faithful may expect four months from now.

Wide receivers This isn’t as simple as a one-on-one position battle. This position group is a

Backs Continued from page 4

from w ide receiver to running back at fall camp in 2020. He appeared just once against UCF in his redshirt freshman season. He still has four years of eligibilit y w ith his new team remaining.

Jahmir Smith Smith made the decision to step away from the Irish and from football last October, citing mental health issues as the reason for his departure. A native of Sanford, North Carolina, Smith decided to transfer to Appalachian State in Februar y and w ill have three years of eligibilit y remaining, after fall athletes were granted an extra year of eligibilit y due to COV ID-19.

Smith saw limited action as a redshirt sophomore in 2020, rushing five times for 15 yards all against Duke in the season opener. As a redshirt freshman, Smith appeared in 10 games, rushing for 180 yards on the season and scoring tw ice in the season opener against Louisv ille.

Dillan Gibbons or even junior Quinn Carroll to take that burden on? Having lost four O-line starters, be sure to watch not only who is playing on Saturday, but also where, as Notre Dame has built their success in the trenches, and with a new QB under center in 2021, having another strong offensive line will be key for the offensive unit as a whole.

Who’s the 2nd safety?

Offensive line alignment There are a lot of questions about not only who’s starting, but where they will be on the offensive line. Early enrollee first-year Blake Fisher looks to be a likely member of the starting five, but the return of senior Jarrett Patterson could change that.

We won’t be able to know that

by Saturday though. Another first-year, Rocco Spindler, has been making a push, and he’s been featured at the left guard position throughout the spring. With Fisher often taking snaps at the left tackle, would Brian Kelly be willing to go first-year-firsyear to protect the blindside?

Or could he look to shift the more experienced graduate student Josh Lugg, senior

C’Bo Flemister Flemister w ill enter the

This is a thrilling position battle to watch on Saturday.

With likely 2021 first-round draft pick Kyle Hamilton out for the spring game, a conglomerate of other safeties will be v ying to replace Shaun Crawford and play the position alongside Hamilton this fall. Senior Houston Griffiths withdrew from the transfer portal and is certainly in the discussion, but defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman has gone out of his way to note the strong springs and improvements of senior DJ Brown, junior KJ Wallace, first-year Justin Walters and junior Litchfield Ajavon, while graduate student Isaiah Pryor also figures to be a factor. This is an intriguing battle — and an important one

season as the third running back on the depth chart, but proved in 2020 that he can be a reliable option for Brian Kelly’s team.

After not play ing much in his first t wo years w ith the Irish, Flemister had his best season as a junior.

He rushed for 299 yards w ith five touchdow ns and received a game ball after Notre Dame’s w in over Boston College, where he rushed 10 times for 53 yards and t wo scores. Flemister won’t blow anybody away w ith his speed, but he is a physical bruiser in the trenches who keeps his legs churning after contact.

He’s more than capable of toting the rock through a crowded pile in short-yardage situations to pick up key first dow ns.

W hile Ty ree can be the matchup nightmare, Flemister can be the back that continues to wear dow n defenses and open up the passing game, and he w ill continue to display more tough running in 2021.

Key Additions : Audric Estime Estime, a four-star recruit from Nyack, New York, likely won’t contribute much in 2021 but has the potential to quick ly develop into

— as opposing QBs will generally try and stay away from Hamilton’s side of the field, so that second safety needs to be ready to be targeted frequently.

Linebacker packages One notable statement from defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman this spring? His take on the linebacker room was “We’ll start w ith the three best linebackers and put them on the field. I don’t care what position.” This is big news for the Irish, who have a strong linebacker room full of experience. Could graduate student Drew W hite and senior Bo Bauer see big minutes on the field together?

So is this a position battle, or simply an intriguing look at how Freeman utilizes his linebackers on Saturday?

Look for juniors Jack Kiser and Marist Liufau and senior Shay ne Simon to get some play ing time, and it w ill be ver y interesting to watch who plays some snaps at positions they weren’t featured in throughout the 2020 season. see BATTLES PAGE 14

a play maker for the Irish.

Rated the No.7 running back nationally and the No.3 player from his state

by Rivals.com, Estime displayed impressive speed and elusiveness for a back his size, gaining more than 2,000 all-purpose yards while averaging 10.5 yards per carr y in his senior season. He w ill have three qualit y backs in front of him on the depth chart to learn from and don’t be surprised if he redshirts in 2021. If Estime does see some game action, it could be an opportunit y to prove to the coaching staff that he can handle more in 2022 given his abilit y.

Logan Diggs Diggs, a three-star recruit from Metairie, L A, chose the Irish over LSU in early February, adding a fifth player to the Irish running back room. The No. 19 running back in the 2021 class according to Rivals, Diggs rushed for more than 800 yards on 132 carries in his senior season. He boasts a solid all-around skill set and displayed he can contribute as a pass-catcher and blocker.

Diggs will have to scrap for any sort of playing time this year, but like Estime, could be auditioning for a more extended role in 2022.

4

Insider

The observer | FRIDAY, April 30, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

FOOTBALL

Position Breakdown: Irish retain a healthy depth at running back heading into 2021

2021 Depth Chart: senior C’Bo Flemister; juniors Ky ren Williams and Kendall Abdur-Rahman; sophomore Chris Ty ree; incoming firstyears Audric Estime and Logan Diggs

Williams as the ever y-dow n back for the Irish.

After battling through an early-season injur y as a junior, Armstrong rushed for 122 yards and had 97 receiv ing yards on 13 receptions, adding a score in the Camping World Bowl against Iowa State.

Armstrong looked like a potential star for the Irish at the start of his sophomore season, scoring tw ice in the season opener against Michigan before missing three games w ith an injur y.

He rushed for 383 yards and seven touchdow ns on the season.

Key Departures :

Kendall Abdur-Rahman

Observer Sports Staff

With both of its work horse running backs from 2020 returning and the depth to constantly wear dow n opposing defenses, Brian Kelly’s run-first attack w ill likely remain the staple of the Irish offense in 2021.

Position Group: Running backs

Jafar Armstrong Armstrong, who transferred to Illinois in Januar y as a graduate transfer, ser ved as a complimentar y back for the Irish last season, contributing more through the air than on the ground.

The senior rushed for just eight yards w ith a touchdow n in a blowout w in over South Florida and caught three passes for 38 yards on the season. Armstrong’s role diminished as compared to his junior season w ith the emergence of Ky ren

Abdur-Rahman announced Wednesday that he w ill be transferring to Western Kentuck y after entering the transfer portal earlier this month.

The former high school quarterback out of Edwardsv ille, Illinois, was recruited as the No. 30 athlete nationally and No.7 overall player from his state in the 2019 class, but never made an impact in his t wo years w ith the Irish. AbdurRahman didn’t see game action in 2019 and sw itched see BACKS PAGE 3

Photo Courtesy of ACC

Irish sophomore running back Chris Tyree runs downfield during Notre Dame’s 27-13 season opening win over Duke at Notre Dame Stadium on Sep. 20. Tyree recorded 26 yards on six carries on the day.

Inside the quarterback competition

By EMILY DeFAZIO Associate Sports Editor

The quarterback position battle has been one of the most anticipated aspects of the postseason. With graduate student Ian Book’s departure after a five-year career at Notre Dame, the door has been opened for someone to step in and take the reins for the team. W ho that w ill be, however, has been highly contested, even w ithin the program itself.

The field has essentially been narrowed dow n to three potential candidates — graduate student transfer Jack Coan, sophomore Drew Py ne and early-enrollee first-year Tyler Buchner — though even that can be debated.

Head coach Brian Kelly said it is set up to be a battle primarily between Coan and Py ne. As of the beginning of spring practices, the t wo are getting equal reps w ith the first and second groups of players and w ill be on opposing teams for

the Blue and Gold Game. But that doesn’t mean any thing is set in stone. Kelly says that he has continued to see strong plays from Buchner w ith each practice, and he is thus prov ing to be a strong contender.

“I think we evaluate that from day to day,” Kelly said of the position. “I think that’s a battle that continues to take shape.”

Kelly is going to give this battle a good portion of the stage this weekend.

“I’ve put some controls on what we’re gonna do defensively,” Kelly said, which leaves room for more experimenting from the pocket.

This approach w ill stark ly contrast the 2019 Blue and Gold Game, when Kelly said he knew it would be Book taking the snap and because of that, he told the defense to turn it on. This ultimately forced Book to get rid of the ball quick ly in order to not face a sack.

“If we’re not able to pass protect at the level that we’re capable of,” Kelly said,

“I don’t think I would’ve put the rosters the way I have, I think the guys that are gonna be out there are going to be able to protect and put the quarterbacks in a position where they can be competitive and makes some plays.”

Tyler Buchner Buchner hails from La Mesa, California, and comes to Notre Dame as the No. 6 dual-threat quarterback in the nation. It has been over a year since he has played football due to the fact his senior season was postponed to spring 2021, a time by which he was already an early enrollee at Notre Dame.

This group of mid-year players that Buchner is a part of has been one that Kelly said he is especially impressed w ith.

“I actually commented after practice, ‘Man, what a whirlw ind for those guys,’” Kelly said. “We throw them see QB PAGE 15

Photo Coutesy of ACC

Irish sophomore Drew Pyne scrambles with the ball during Notre Dame’s 52-0 win over USF on Sep. 19 at Notre Dame Stadium.