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The observer | WEDNESDAY, mArch 31, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By WILLOUGHBY THOM
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Associate scene editor
on march 24, 2021, the amazing Jessica Walter passed away at 80 years old. Walter was an American actress who appeared in over 170 film, television and stage productions, but she is most famously known for her role as Lucille bluth in the series “Arrested development.”
I was heartbroken to hear the news of her death. Lucille bluth is my favorite television character ever created. “Arrested development” wouldn’t be the same without Walter’s incredible work as Lucille. The television show, “Arrested development,” was critically acclaimed, but received mixed reviews by the public; it was a highly character-driven comedy and would be considered a cult classic. The show was pure wit and Lucille bluth was the queen.
Prior to her role on “Arrested development,” Walter had a prolific career in the arts. she was born in brooklyn, new York, attended the new York city high school of Performing Arts and studied acting at the neighborhood Playhouse school of the Theatre in new York city. she began her career on broadway, which led to her winning a clarence derwent Award for outstanding debut Performance in 1963, and made her film debut nearly one year later in the neo-noir drama “Lilith.” In addition to her prominence in cinema, she began to work in the television industry after her first Tv role as Julie murano in “Love of Life,” running from 1962 to 1965.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Walter appeared in a myriad of television shows, and in 2003 to 2006 she appeared as a regular role as Lucille bluth on Fox’s “Arrested development.” If you are unfamiliar with comedy series, Lucille was the matriarch of the bluth family and was known to be a scheming alcoholic. however, notwithstanding Lucille’s unhealthy habits, toxic influences and snobbish tendencies, she was the backbone of the fictional bluth family and the show as a whole. her incredibly memorable one-liners such as, “I don’t understand the question, and I won’t respond to it” and “Go make a star war,” as well as iconic mannerisms like her amazing winking skills and her love for Gene Parmesan, will go down in history.
Walter’s character was an unfriendly and cold individual, but this wasn’t what she was like in real-life. According to her daughter, Walter was the opposite of Lucille: “A nice and boring person.” Unfortunately, the series was canceled in 2006, but it was revived in 2013 and 2018 by netflix. The reboot wasn’t as good as the original episodes, but netflix brought the show back to life despite the negative reviews it received in the early 2000s. nevertheless, Walter’s work on “Arrested development,” whether you are a big fan or not, will be remembered as one of the greatest characters of our time.
In addition to her role as Lucille, she was also the voice of spymaster malory Archer on the FX animated series, “Archer.”
As I sit writing this retrospective, the portrait of Lucille bluth on my desk elegantly stares back at me with a drink in her hand, mid-wink. I hope she knows how much joy she brought to the people who have seen and continue to watch her incredible work in film, television and theatre.
Contact Willoughby Thom at wthom@nd.edu
By JOHN CLARK
scene Writer
opinions on this topic vary dramatically depending on who you ask, but I think meme-ification is one of the greatest honors a song can receive. something about a song has to resonate deeply with people to prompt them to, for example, record themselves singing it in the Goofy’s voice. “bring me To Life,” the 2004 breakout hit by evanescence, is a classic in my book. It was one of the defining songs of the 2000s and heralded the transition from the nu-metal and postgrunge — which defined the most prominent strain of early 2000s American alternative music — to the anthemic emo pop-punk proliferated by my chemical romance and the artists signed to Fueled by ramen. evanescence was always about taking the pounding drums and monolithic guitar sludge of grunge and metal, and adorning it with gothic aesthetics to craft stages for Amy Lee’s transcendent vocals. In “The bitter Truth,” evanescence’s first album of original material in over a decade, the band uses their formula to craft songs that manage to sound both colossal and intimate. “The Game is over” is an anthem about being yourself and bearing your scars for the world to see. The bass on this track has an electronic tinge reminiscent of Primal scream’s landmark 1991 album “screamadelica,” a milestone for the integration of house and rock music.
“The bitter Truth” takes cues from other bands that experimented with electronic music elsewhere in the album, such as with electronic pulses on “better Without You” and the bouncy bass-line on “Yeah, right,” which is distinctly reminiscent of radiohead’s “myxomatosis.” “Yeah, right,” is one of the standout tracks on the album, not on account of its quality, but because of its mood and style. It’s a distinctly fun track on which the band operates outside of their typical rhythmic wheelhouse. The lighter and sassier lyrical content about their experiences being in a band and navigating the music industry allows them to groove in a way that wouldn’t be appropriate for the gravitas demanded by Amy Lee’s typical songwriting. It also has a killer guitar solo, which is always fun.
“Wasted on You” is another highlight. It opens with just Lee’s voice and piano, and the band adorns it with a dreamy arrangement, reserving the guitar crunch for the choruses, which grants them greater weight. The track demonstrates, both in the clean guitar during the verses and the soaring lead guitar toward the end of the track, a more atmospheric approach to guitar work, a testament to the growth of evanescence’s style since their debut.
“Use my voice” is the centerpiece of the album, a politically charged anthem inspired partially by the story of chanel miller, a stanford student whose experience with sexual assault on campus became a national talking point back in 2015. Lee’s refrain, “don’t you speak for me,” is one of the most visceral moments on the album.
The album closes with “blind belief,” another track that opens with a solo piano before bringing in the rest of the band. The soaring choruses are the greatest strength of not only “The bitter Truth,” but all of evanescence’s music, and “blind belief” has one of their best yet. The climactic moment of the chorus, when Lee asserts that “We hold the key to redemption,” is a bold declaration of faith in humanity that is awe-inspiring.
Contact John Clark at jclark20@nd.edu
Evanescence
Label: BMG Favorite Tracks: “Yeah, Right,” “Wasted on You,” “Use my Voice” and “Blind Belief”
The observer | WEDNESDAY, mArch 31, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By CHRISTINE HILARIO
scene Writer
It’s every rebellious teen’s worst nightmare to turn into their parents, but for mark Grayson, the protagonist of “Invincible”, his number one fear is being nothing like his dad. mark is the son of omni-man, the world’s most powerful superhero, and a regular human woman. All his life, mark has wanted to follow in his superpowered dad’s footsteps and save the world, but at 17 years old, he is still powerless, even though his powers should have already appeared, according to his father. never fear, though. despite being a late bloomer, mark gets his powers not even halfway through the first episode and can finally start to become just like his dear old dad. Follow along as mark balances regular teenage drama with his world-saving responsibilities as he becomes the latest, greatest superhero: Invincible! sound generic? That’s the point. based on the comics by robert Kirkman, the same man who created “The Walking dead,” “Invincible” subverts and parodies superhero genre expectations with a lot of tongue-in-cheek references and a lot of violence and gore. The most powerful superhero group in this show is the Guardians of the Globe — an obvious pastiche of the Justice League. The members include unmistakable rip-offs of iconic heroes, such as Wonder Woman, batman and The Flash. Although omni-man isn’t a member of the Guardians, he’s an obvious sendup of superman, with an alien backstory to match.
The real appeal of this show is how it puts these copies of kid-friendly heroes into tremendously gory situations. don’t let the candy-colored palette of the animation fool you: this show revels in its violent fight scenes. If you’ve ever wanted to see a member of the Justice League get their face smashed in, this is the show for you.
To balance out the outlandish gore, mark’s development as a hero provides an emotional core to the show. As the audience learns about the gratuitous violence that entangles the world of superheroes, so does mark. Although mark chose the hero moniker “Invincible” for himself, he comes to learn he is anything but. After witnessing unwinnable battles and countless civilian casualties, being a superhero isn’t all mark thought it would be, and perhaps omni-man isn’t exactly the hero mark has idolized his entire life. It will be interesting to see what this show does with mark’s disillusionment.
The audience can connect to the struggles of the characters due to the stellar voice acting performances. one of the most notable things about this show is its star-studded cast. oscar-nominee steven Yeun voices mark Grayson, J.K. simmons voices omni-man and sandra oh voices mark’s mother, debbie. even the cast of supporting characters includes big-names like seth rogan and mahershala Ali. Yeun brings a lot of heart to mark Grayson, convincingly conveying mark’s teenage idealism along with his snark. despite all the show’s strengths, there are some glaring issues holding it back. The pacing in the first episode is awkwardly rushed, as the show tries to get through mark’s hero origin story as quickly as possible, while the next two episodes seem to pad out the content of the episode in order to reach a runtime of 45 minutes. Additionally, the fight scenes are bogged down by cGI that clashes with the rest of the animation. only the first three episodes of “Invincible” are out, and they leave a lot of questions I’m excited to see answered in the upcoming episodes.
You can watch the first three episodes of “Invincible” on Amazon Prime, with new episodes premiering on Fridays.
Contact Christine Hilario at chilario@nd.edu
Starring: Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh Favorite Episode: “Here Goes Nothing” If you like: “The Walking Dead,” “The Boys” Where to watch: Amazon Prime
By ISABELLA VOLMERT
Assistant managing editor
Like most Austenian-reared hopeless romantics, I too was swept away by netflix’s “bridgerton” into the bright and dramatic world of regency england. The colors, cinematography and string quartet rendition of “thank u, next” charmed my escapist self and trapped my attention for the two days I binged the show. naturally, I then wanted to delve even more into this fictional world, so I picked up Julia’s Quinn’s “The duke and I.” I have no qualms spoiling this novel for you, dear reader, because to be as frank and scrupulous as Lady Whistledown, it is not a good book.
Aside from the many smaller differences between the two, more irksome themes propagate throughout the novel that the show resolves with grace. overall, “bridgerton” is able to take the despicable culture of “The duke and I” and render it into a glorious and romantic fantasy world, with an emphasis on the fantasy.
First of all, Lady Whistledown does not nearly have the impact on the novel as she does in the show. Instead of actively driving the plot, she serves as a frame narration at the beginning of each chapter, rendering her powerful position virtually useless.
Whistledown is just one of the characters the show frees from sexist narration by giving her voice rightful influence. “bridgerton” also grants daphne similar agency, which she often lacks in the novel. In “The duke and I,” daphne is decidedly “not like other girls.” At the first ball, she drones on to simon about what a deplorable event it is, much to my disappointment, as I do love a good ball. daphne often shrugs off the extravagant life “bridgerton” makes so vibrant. Additionally, her constant invocation of her many brothers and how they taught her to be less ladylike makes simon all the more attracted to her. such sufferable sexism is entrenched in almost every character, which was one of the greatest letdowns of the novel. of course, both the novel and the show are centered around the premise of arranged marriage largely grounded in sexist principles. but as Phoebe dynevor, who plays daphne in “bridgerton,” said in an interview, show-daphne is a sort of a feminist for her time. “bridgerton” daphne is a woman trying to balance growing up, the dream of falling in love and the heavy duty of marrying well and quickly. Under enormous pressure, she still fights back against her brother and simon to control her own life, even if she lives in a misogynistic society. Additionally, most of the women in “bridgerton” exhibit the same kind of control and resolve. Think of Queen charlotte, the opera singer siena rosso and marina Thompson, all of whom were additions to the show. book-daphne, on the other hand, is confusingly portrayed as completely helpless and simultaneously superior to other young women of the ton because of her occasional un-feminine traits. even more disappointing is simon. The romantic scenes, supposed to be seemingly swoon-worthy, are largely told through his very misogynist perspective, amounting to page after page of cringe-worthy content. Additionally, the questionable sex scene between daphne and simon in the show is explicitly assault in the novel, effectively destroying the romance that is supposed to resolve their fraught relationship. I’m not by any means trying to argue “bridgerton” is the woke version of “The duke and I.” but I do think the show vastly improves the humanity and nuance of each character and their relationships, as well as the romance. not only this, but “bridgerton” expands beyond daphne and simon’s relationship. “The duke and I” is only ever narrated from their points of view, whereas the show adds depth and intrigue with characters such as benedict, eloise, Lady danbury and many others. It embraces the luxurious life of the upper-class with stunning fashion, aesthetic architecture and intricate on-set details while (admittedly briefly) highlighting the plights of the lower-class, like simon’s mother and the boxer Will mondrich. “bridgerton” also celebrates the beauty of diversity and humanity with its famous casting of people of color. of course, it’s highly questionable to gloss over the atrocities of colonialism as quickly as the show does, but the representation of people of color in the show makes it a far better period piece compared to many of its predecessors, and also, “The duke and I.” Instead, “bridgerton” creates and celebrates a fantasy world and the beautiful, flawed and human characters who call it home.
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Happy Birthday: Assess your relationships and set boundaries where necessary. Concentrate on how to utilize your skills to enhance your life and relationships with those who bring out the best in you. recognize what you can do, and don’t waste time arguing over petty grievances when you can channel your energy into building a stable, satisfying future. Take control and excel. your numbers are 2, 15, 24, 27, 36, 41, 44 ARIES (March 21-April 19): Question everything that doesn’t feel right. Don’t put up with situations that drag you down or stop you from doing what’s best for you. Don’t complain; look for solutions that will lead to a better environment. Take control, and you’ll have no regrets. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Make decisions based on facts. Question anyone who doesn’t appear to have a plan. use your ingenuity, physical ability and determination to overcome any obstacle you face. handle your finances cautiously, and refuse to let emotions trigger indulgent behavior. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): hard work will lead to an excellent opportunity. refuse to let someone step in and take over. follow through with your plans, and you’ll be the one to reap the rewards. Distance yourself from anyone who is unstable, misleading or intrusive. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Choose to follow your intuition when it comes to working and dealing with situations that may affect your health and wellbeing. Make moves based on common sense, and show discipline when faced with temptation. Choose to liberate yourself from being a follower. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take a moment to rethink your next move. Don’t act under emotional duress. filter what’s happening and being said, then make a move that offers safe and sound suggestions. Personal improvement will lift your spirits and encourage a healthier lifestyle. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A change someone makes will tempt you to head in the same direction. Consider what will happen if you don’t choose to follow your dreams. Do what’s best for you, and you’ll breathe easy at the end of the day. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Consider every angle. Make sure you have the necessary knowledge, technology and money to finish what you start. Preparation will be the key to getting ahead. Take physical action. Put everything in its place before you commit time, money and effort. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): you’ll be up and down like a yo-yo if you let someone dictate what you can do or say. Speak up, make yourself clear and follow your heart. you have plenty to offer, and you can make a difference. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Consider how to get ahead or move forward financially. Don’t rely on someone to do your bidding for you. Stick to what you know and do best, and build your confidence by investing in your future. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t lose sight of your goals and objectives. Take better care of your health and your relationships with friends, relatives and peers. keeping the peace will put you in a better position to barter. Be intelligent when handling money matters. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don’t spend impulsively. Consider your overhead before you buy something you don’t need. Personal improvements don’t have to cost money. Start with a physical fitness routine and proper diet that you can do in the comfort of your own home. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): you’ll have plenty of ideas, but not all will be financially sound. Do your best to make a difference. Improve your life and the lives of loved ones. Avoid getting into an argument with someone who will never see things your way. Birthday Baby: you are sensitive, imaginative and perceptive. you are aggressive and secretive.
Jumble | DAvID hOyT AND JEff kNurEk
WOrk ArEA
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Cavaliers go from bad to worse Irish baseball officially passes midterm exam
Ellen Geyer
senior sports Writer
In a shocking turn of events, it would seem that neither J.b. bickerstaff nor Koby Altman read the column I wrote about their team two weeks ago. honestly, it’s offensive. You’d think they’d appreciate my cutting-edge journalism a little bit more. but alas, here we stand on the other side of the trade deadline, the cavs even worse off than they were before, having heeded none of the pieces of very sage and feasible advice I offered.
overall Deadline Grade: D-
It’s hard for me to think of a way that cleveland could have messed things up more. Let’s first think about what happened with Andre drummond.
If you’re not aware of the situation drummond’s been in, I’ll give you a synopsis. In February 2020, the cavs traded combination guard brandon Knight, center John henson and a second-round pick to the Pistons to acquire the big man. For cleveland, it was an absolute steal, as neither Knight nor henson offered much productivity. but from the moment the deal happened, it seemed like it was doomed. drummond made an impact immediately. he started each of the 33 games he played in averaging 17.5 points, 12.9 boards, 2.4 assists and 1.2 blocks. he was a breath of fresh air to a team that was directionless and dragging. but in February of this year, Altman decided to bench the two-time nbA All-star center, citing that the franchise would move towards Jarrett Allen, a big man out of Texas whom the cavs acquired in mid-January. Altman expressed that he felt it unfair to keep drummond around just to make him ride the bench. In the meantime, drummond’s $28.7 million contract hung in the balance. And before you ask, the answer is no, cleveland cannot afford to spend that much money on benchwarmers. so, with a month between that decision and the trade deadline, the cavs twiddled their thumbs, unable to find a trade they could agree upon despite the myriad suitors — like the mavericks, the hornets, the Knicks, the celtics and the Lakers — interested in drummond. I’ll let that front office situation speak for itself.
Unwilling to let drummond continue to wear the Wine and God, cleveland bought him out on march 26, and he inked a contract with Los Angeles not 48 hours later.
A few things to say about this. Yes, it wouldn’t have been wise to keep drummond around if he wasn’t going to play and/or wasn’t going to be happy. Getting him away from the cavs, all things considered, made some strange sort of sense. but a month to find a trade and no dice, despite such high levels of interest? cleveland dropped the ball badly, forced to buy out a contract when they could have gotten some tangible offensive assets in exchange for drummond. sure, his contract was a cumbersome one, but it feels like the cavs, struggling as they are, should have been able to at least work something out. but alas, as has happened in the past, all good things in cleveland fly southwest to LAX for the nbA winter.
In addition to the ordeal with drummond, the cavs offloaded another center before the deadline, trading Javale mcGee to the nuggets for center Isaiah hartenstein and two secondround picks. With a $4.2 million expiring contract, mcGee was picked up by cleveland in november in the hopes of providing some leadership to a fragmented locker room. he was never a long-term cav, but he provided some good minutes and experience to a very young team. And cleveland, anticipating that they’d only get one future pick for him, managed to get two, a success that’s pretty notable. The trade was easier for the cavs to make because of mcGee’s low salary, but it does replace 12 years and three nbA championships worth of experience with a 7-foot 22-year-old who may not pan out. That’s tough. especially given that mcGee now believes he can help lead denver to a championship this season. so the cavs, 13th in the east conference, 17-30, 15.1 games back, just gave away a twotime All-star and a three-time nbA champion essentially in exchange for three secondround picks. It doesn’t take Woj to point out that things have gone from bad to worse in cleveland. I grade these moves a d- and not an F only because mcGee was traded for some firepower. regardless, it seems that the post-Lebron rebuild timeline just continues to extend. so for now, we’ll fall back on what feels like the constant refrain for northeast ohio sport — there’s always next year.
Contact Ellen Geyer at egeyer1@nd.edu
The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Ryan Israel
senior scene Writer
The now 12th-ranked notre dame baseball team started the 2021 season red hot, winning 11 of their first 13 games and securing a spot in the college baseball rankings. but until last weekend’s series against Acc standouts and sixth-ranked Louisville, the Irish had yet to prove themselves as a true contender. The cardinals served as a test for the Irish, a midterm exam that would determine whether or not notre dame baseball was worth the hype in 2021.
The Irish passed their midterm, picking up a statement win over the cardinals on saturday thanks to a dominant, seven-inning outing from John michael michals (John michael bertrand) and a walk-off home run from cole World (ryan cole).
The win snapped a 20game losing streak against the cardinals, proving that this year’s team is something different.
The third game in the series was postponed due to weather, but a one-one split against a top-ranked opponent solidifies the Irish as both a force to be reckoned with in the Acc — and the ncAA at large — and a team worthy of the attention of all notre dame fans.
There are still 26 games left in the season, so maybe the series against the cardinals wasn’t exactly a midterm, but it certainly was a gut check which put the strengths and weaknesses of the Irish on display, strengths and weaknesses which will play out over the rest of the season. hitting is where the Irish excel the most.
Four batters are hitting above .300, and those same four batters boast an onbase percentage over .400. big hit nik (niko Kavadas) is a bona fide slugger, leading the Acc in four categories — home runs (14), home runs per game (0.67), rbI per game (1.67) and slugging percentage (.923) — and evoking fear from every pitcher he faces. cole World (ryan cole) has made an impact despite a limited number of starts, making the walkoff his signature move, and Playboi carter (carter Putz) and miller high Life (Jared miller) have contributed as consistent hitters.
The Irish have scored three or more runs in all but one game this season, a near-no-hitter against duke.
The loss against the blue devils highlighted a potential over-reliance on the big hitters in the Irish lineup; without consistent hits from players at the bottom part of the order, especially those batting below .200, the job of scoring runs falls heavily on players who cannot afford to have an off game or a bad matchup. on the mound, two pitchers bear the lion’s share of the workload.
John michael michaels (John michael bertrand) has 33.2 innings pitched and hotel sheridan (Joe sheridan) has 19.1 innings under his belt. michael michaels stands out as the ace in the Irish rotation, with his performance against the cardinals solidifying his title, although the rest of the bullpen is a mixed bag. simon says (Liam simon) and rao rao rao (Alex rao) have shown promise as trustworthy relievers when called on, and nothing is more fun than watching Jack of All Trades (Jack brannigan) run from third base to the pitcher’s mound to take over. still, the starting rotation could use an additional someone, besides michael michaels, who can command for five-plus innings without giving up more than three runs. hans christian scafidi (christian scafidi) seems poised to capitalize on his next few starts and become a go-to for the Irish.
The principal task for the bullpen over the rest of the season will be holding strong when the bats are cold, not necessarily carrying the entire team.
In the field, the Irish are solid. They have reliable players at every position and avoid mistakes for the most part. defense only stands out when there’s a particularly spectacular play or costly error.
Thus far, the Irish fielders have tended more towards the former than the latter.
The only remaining question regards stamina. With only a third of the season complete, there’s a lot of baseball left to play.
As April and may come, it’s paramount that the Irish remain consistent and dynamic to avoid getting swept by a standout Acc opponent like Georgia Tech, Florida state or miami or losing a trap game against an easier one.
When late may and June come, the Irish have a strong chance of making a run in the Acc tournament and potentially the ncAA tournament — if they keep up the good work.
Contact Ryan Israel at risrael1@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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Way Too Early preview: Wisconsin Badgers
Observer Staff Report
Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online March 29.
next up on the way-tooearly predictions for the 2021 notre dame football season is the long awaited matchup between the Irish and the Wisconsin badgers.
Opponent: Wisconsin badgers
Date: sept. 25th, 2021
Location: soldier Field, chicago, Illinois
Kickoff: Tbd
history of the matchup
This game will mark the first time the Irish have played the badgers in 57 years, as the teams have not played each other since 1964.
In that game, the Ara Parseghian-led Irish dominated and won by a score of 31-7.
That 1964 Irish team would ultimately go on to finish the season 9-1 with their sole blemish on the season coming in the season finale against Usc.
The two teams also met in 1962 and 1963 with the badgers winning both of those games by scores of 17-8 and 14-9 respectively.
Although the teams have not played at all in the modern era, the history of the matchup goes way back to the beginning of the twentieth century with the first matchup between the teams happening in 1900 in madison.
The badgers won the first ever matchup between the teams in dominating fashion, blowing out the Irish 54-0. one of the most notable games in the history of this series was in 1924 when the Irish beat the badgers by a score of 38-3.
The Irish would go on to win their first ever national championship that year under Knute rockne.
The teams also played a few times in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s with notre dame dominating the series for the most part over that timespan. overall, notre dame leads the series with a record of 8-6-2.
2020 Performance
The badgers had a very peculiar season in 2020, as they were plagued with covId issues throughout the season.
The badgers finished the year with a disappointing 4-3 record after going into the season with very high expectations. After beating Illinois in their opener by a score of 45-7, many expected the badgers to be in contention for a big Ten title and potential berth in the college Football Playoffs by the end of the year.
In their 45-7 win against the Illini, badger quarterback redshirt freshman Graham mertz was phenomenal for the badgers.
In that game, mertz broke Wisconsin records by completing 20 out of 21 passes for 248 yards and five touchdowns. considering Wisconsin is always known for its stellar defense, it looked like the badgers were in prime position to win yet another big Ten West title and position themselves in a perfect spot to make the college Football Playoffs.
It all went downhill for the badgers from there. Almost immediately after the win against the Illini, mertz and a handful of other Wisconsin players tested positive for covId-19. Under big Ten protocols, the badgers missed their next two games, which were supposed to be against nebraska and Purdue.
After returning from their covId hiatus, the badgers were able to beat michigan handily, but then they hit a rough patch, as they lost three in a row to northwestern, Indiana and Iowa.
The badgers were able to finish the season on somewhat of a high note as they won the Paul bunyan’s Axe in their rivalry game against minnesota and then beat Wake Forest by a score of 42-28 in the duke’s mayo bowl.
2021 Outlook
despite a disappointing performance in 2020, the badgers still have the potential to be one of the best teams in the big Ten in 2021.
Without covId issues last year, it is possible the badgers would have been able to win the big Ten West yet again. head coach Paul chryst has been very consistent in his time at Wisconsin so far, and it is unlikely that the badgers have two down years in a row. It is expected that the badgers will be in contention to win the big Ten West in 2021 along with other favorites such as Iowa and northwestern.
If Graham mertz is able to continue and progress in the offseason and into the 2021 season, the badgers could be a dangerous force.
In the run game, the badgers will likely turn to sophomore Jalen berger who led the badgers in rushing last year as a freshman with 301 yards off of 60 attempts. berger split reps last year with Garrett Groshek, who recently announced he will be entering the nFL draft.
Wisconsin usually prides itself on a strong defense and offensive line play, and 2021 should be no different. during his tenure at Wisconsin, chryst has been very consistent in bringing in talent at key defensive positions, and this 2021 team should be solid all around.
The badgers will likely be 1-1 or 2-0 when they face the Irish as they open the season at camp randall stadium against Penn state.
That opening game should be interesting, considering both the nittany Lions and badgers had very underwhelming performances in 2020.
The Irish will likely be 3-0 if they can avoid early season upsets against Florida state, Toledo, and Purdue.
If both teams are undefeated, this matchup will almost certainly be a top-15 matchup and hold college Football Playoff implications going forward. especially for the Irish, a win against a badgers team who will likely be competing for a big Ten West title would be essential.
(Way Too Early) Predictions
Nate moller — Sports Writer
I have been waiting for this one for awhile, and with last year’s matchup being cancelled, I expect this game to be really hyped up.
I anticipate both offenses to come out strong in this one with the energy of a soldier Field crowd around them.
I think this one will come down to how well the Irish can run the ball against the badgers.
With a lot of question marks at the offensive line position going into the season, it is essential that by this game, the o-line is firing on all cylinders.
If Jack coan is the starting quarterback for the Irish in this one, it will make it very interesting considering coan was the starter for Wisconsin in their rose bowl run just two years ago.
If coan starts, I expect him to play well against his old team and make some big plays.
Another key for the Irish will be limiting the playmaking ability of Graham mertz. mertz definitely showed his potential last season, and I expect him to be a top-3 quarterback in the big Ten this season, making this matchup a big test for the Irish.
Look for the game to go back and forth early with both teams putting up multiple touchdowns over the first 20 minutes of the game.
After that, I expect the game to slow down, as both teams attempt to run the ball more and wear down the other team.
I think the difference in this one will be the playmaking abilities of notre dame running backs Kyren Williams and chris Tyree. A late 40 yard touchdown run from Tyree will seal this one and give the Irish a huge victory with massive playoff implications.
Final: Notre Dame 34, Wisconsin 24
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season put the team ahead 6-3, and though the Wolfpack were able to come back to make it 6-5, it was not enough to steal the win from the Irish.
In the first game of their double-header on saturday, senior pitcher morgan ryan took the circle and kept nc state from scoring over the course of five innings.
In the second inning, a double from Tidd sent freshman infielder cassidy Grimm home for the first score of the game. Graduate student infielder chelsea Purcell’s hit by pitch loaded the bases.
Following this, Purcell and hanks were both able to make it home, putting the Irish up 3-0 by the end of the inning. marquez hit a home run in the bottom of the fourth, making it 4-0.
In the same inning, sweet and junior catcher shelby Grimm were both hit by pitches, which ultimately led to another run for the Irish.
In the final inning of the day, Purcell and sweet were plunked yet again, causing notre dame to take the contest 8-0.
Tidd returned to pitch a complete game in the afternoon, striking out the final batter in the top of the first. however, an early nc state homer put the Wolfpack up 2-0 before the first at-bat for the Irish. sweet was hit by a pitch for a third time on the day in the bottom of the first, and clark gained a run to make it 2-1. both teams were unable to score in the two subsequent innings, with Tidd striking out three more to keep the Wolfpack contained. coming off of this momentum, the Irish picked up speed in the bottom of the fourth, going through the entire batting lineup.
Junior infielder Quinn biggio’s home run allowed her and hanks to score.
Three consecutive hbPs caused the Irish to then load the bases ahead of several runs by the team.
Purcell and sophomore infielder/outfielder miranda Johnson both scored off of this, while a single from hanks sent clark and marino home to make the score 7-2. despite a pair of two-run homers by nc state, the Irish were able to maintain their lead to make the final score read 7-6.
This game secured the series win for notre dame despite sunday’s game being cancelled.
The Irish will face central michigan Wednesday night at home before continuing on to another four-game showing in Tallahassee against Florida state this upcoming weekend.
Way Too Early: Defensive End preview
Observer Staff Report
entering his third year as defensive line coach, mike elston will have tough decisions to make, as none of his returning players have extensive experience in the starting lineup. however, the defensive line depth chart is filled with talented former four-star recruits, which indicates that this unit has the potential to be elite. The scarcity of veteran leadership will bring growing pains, but the young talent should eventually build chemistry with one another and gain experience as the season goes on.
Position Group: Defensive End
2021 depth chart: senior Justin Ademilola; juniors Isaiah foskey and nana osafo-mensah; sophomores Jordan botelho, rylie mills and Alexander ehrensberger; incoming freshmen Jason onye, david Aupiu and Will schweitzer
Key Departures: Daelin hayes
The Irish will certainly miss daelin hayes and his veteran leadership built off of 5 years of collegiate experience. before arriving at notre dame, hayes was an impressive four-star prospect, who was considered to be one of the most athletic defensive players in his class. he lived up to his strong reputation by being a key defensive contributor every season, with his best stretch of play being in his sophomore and junior campaigns, where he averaged around 30 total tackles per year. In 2020, hayes recorded a career-high three sacks, including a key tackle against dJ Uiagalelei, which helped give the Irish the edge in overtime against no. 1 clemson. he also had 16 total tackles, two forced fumbles and one interception in this same season. hayes’ impressive career at notre dame has also contributed to interest from several nfL teams, as he is projected to be selected on the third day of the nfL draft.
Ade Ogundeji
by all accounts, Ade ogundeji exceeded expectations at notre dame as he developed into an elite defensive presence after entering college with a prospect grade of three stars. he gained valuable experience from the bench in his first two seasons, but once he received meaningful playing time, ogundeji proved to be indispensable to the Irish defense. In his last three seasons, ogundeji recorded 25, 34, and 22 total tackles respectively while averaging an impressive 5.5 sacks over the past two seasons. he also forced six fumbles in his career while earning an AllAcc honorable mention for his efforts. ogundeji has a bright future ahead with his draft projection being placed as high as the second round, and the Irish will certainly be hard-pressed to effectively replace his consistency and athleticism on the defensive line.
Ovie Oghouf
notre dame will also be losing a key depth player, as senior oghoufo is transferring to the University of Texas in 2021.
Key returnees: Justin Ademilola
Ademilola brings three solid years of experience to the Irish’s defensive line. he was signed as a three-star recruit and was ready to play on the collegiate level immediately, which was shown when he was given playing time during his freshman year. After recording nine total tackles in both of his first two seasons, Ademilola improved in 2020, collecting 16 total tackles and his first collegiate sack. he is now one of notre dame’s most experienced defensive linemen and will need to emerge as a leader to help guide the younger players further down the depth chart. All signs seem to indicate that Ademilola will continue on his trend of upward development, which will be essential for the Irish’s defensive success this season.
Isaiah Foskey
After a strong sophomore season, foskey finally seems set to enter the starting lineup. he entered notre dame as a four-star recruit with high expectations, and he definitely showed glimpses of his true potential in 2020. In this campaign, foskey collected 20 total tackles and 4.5 sacks, which was particularly impressive given his limited role as a depth player. he is considered to be a very physical defender, and his sack statistics prove that he is one of the most agile and explosive players on the defensive line. The jump into the starting lineup will give foskey added responsibilities and pressures, but his past performance indicates that he should be up to the challenge. foskey could be a breakout player for the Irish, and is someone to watch out for next season.
Nana Osafo-mensah
Although he remains unproven against college-level opponents, osafo-mensah is an extremely intriguing player with a high potential talent ceiling. he was recruited by notre dame as a four-star prospect and is known as a quick pass-rusher with active hands. After receiving some playing time as a freshman, osafo-mensah’s sophomore season was derailed by an injury to his lateral meniscus, which prevented him from taking the field that year. There seems to be a certain level of mystery to osafo-mensah, as he has not had much of a chance to showcase his true abilities just yet. however, he has been training extensively for 2021 and bulked up from 224 to 249 pounds, which should help him be a more physical defender. If given the opportunity, osafo-mensah could certainly garner national attention and be a breakout player for the Irish.
Jordan botelho
botelho is yet another young member of the defensive line with a lot of potential. he was recruited as a four-star prospect and was widely thought of as the best hawaiian player in his class. botelho was even nominated for the coveted butkus Award and led his high school to a state championship in 2019. Last season, he was able to make an impact with very limited playing time as he recorded four total tackles. Known for his aggressiveness and pass-rushing ability, botelho has also gained about 20 pounds of muscle, which should help him adapt to the college level. regardless of his role this upcoming season, botelho is sure to make an impact and should continue on his development path, which seems destined for stardom.
rylie mills
mills rounds out the returning defensive ends by adding even more youth and potential. Like Jordan botelho, mills entered notre dame as a four-star recruit with a large amount of expectations. he is known for his high motor and strong hands as well as his imposing 273-pound frame. Last year, he was able to get a feel for the college game with semi-regular playing time. mills recorded six total tackles and a half sack as a freshman, and he looks like he has the chance to become a dominant player in the coming years. he even gained some valuable postseason experience as he started his first game against Alabama in the college football playoff semifinal. The coaching staff has faith in him, and I would not be surprised if mills becomes one of the most improved players in 2021.
Key Additions: Jason Onye
At 6 foot 5 and 260 pounds, onye certainly has the physical qualities to become an elite defensive lineman. he joins notre dame as a three-star recruit and was widely regarded as the best player in his class from rhode Island. during his junior year, onye collected 59 total tackles, 14 sacks and 12 tackles for loss while winning his second state championship. It is too early to tell how he will develop, but onye’s work ethic is clearly strong, which should hasten this process. onye will most likely receive limited playing time in his first few seasons, but he should eventually become a key contributor to the Irish defense.
Devin Aupiu
Aupiu is another three-star recruit, who will most likely spend the next couple of seasons learning from the veterans on the Irish defense. he stands at 6 foot 5 but will have to eventually add muscle to become more physical, as he only weighs in at 220 pounds. Aupiu’s 2019 high school statistics include 50 total tackles, three tackles for loss, eight sacks, five pass deflections and one forced fumble. he also led pacifica high school to its first cIf 2A state title while qualifying to play in the polynesian bowl. Aupiu is set to add future depth to the defensive line and has the chance to develop into a talented collegiate player.
Will Schweitzer
Will schweitzer is the final defensive end recruit in this incoming class. he is coming to the Irish as a three-star recruit, who is considered to be a talented pass-rusher with the ability to perform tight coverage on short passes. At 6 foot 4 and 215 pounds, schweitzer is undersized, but he probably will not have much trouble bulking up in the notre dame training system. he was one of the leaders on the Los gatos high school team that made it to the cIf regional 3AA championship game and posted a stat line of 30 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks, 21 hurries and one interception during his junior year. Along with his fellow new recruits, schweitzer will most likely have to pay his dues deep in the depth chart before becoming a key contributor later in his career.
Grade: Patrick Gallagher — Sports Writer
While the lack of starting experience is concerning, the Irish’s defensive line seems like it is filled with too much talent to fail. The loss of team captains hayes and ogundeji will sting, as they helped give the Irish the third-ranked rushing defense in the Acc last season. however, I believe that last year’s unit could have been more effective. notre dame’s sacking ability was middle of the road by Acc standards, as the defense ranked eighth in this category below several lesstalented programs. In addition, no players from the Irish were able to break the top 25 in the Acc for total tackles.
The 2021 defensive line has a lot of room to improve. foskey will certainly help increase notre dame’s sack totals due to his aggressive explosiveness, and one of the unproven younger players (osafo-mensah, botelho or mills) will develop into a star this season along with him. Justin Ademilola should bring this group together as the resident veteran. on the other hand, the inexperience of the defensive line gives the unit’s potential performance a “boom or bust” feel, and I feel like there is uncertainty regarding how these players will perform, which prevents me from giving an A grade. The lack of four-star recruits in the incoming class could also be problematic, but all of these players could develop into key contributors, so no judgments can be made on this front as yet.
Grade: b+
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championship.The selections of both the men’s and Women’s Tournament fields are scheduled for monday, April 19. besides the victory over missouri, the Irish also picked up a 2-0 win at cincinnati in their only other official match played this spring. only a pair of big-12 opponents remain on notre dame’s regular season spring slate, with trips to oklahoma state and TcU looming on sunday, April 11 and saturday, April 17, respectively.
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there were many spectacular races from the Irish. Litzinger went on to highlight the accomplishments of sophomore Jack hoagland during the men’s 1650 freestyle race.
“Jack’s 1650 was really fun to watch,” he said. “There were a couple of storylines going on there. he got to race the American record holder in the event, and he hung with him for a good third of the race, which was really fun.” hoagland placed fifth in the event, earning his first All-American status with a time of 14:33.93 and grabbing 14 points in the process.
“It’s always fun to see one of your athletes placed in that top five in the country,” Litzinger said. “It was validation for his previous performances and validation for his work ethic and dedication.” overall, Litzinger had high praise for the team’s performance.
“I was really proud of the 800 free relay because it went in seeded 19th, and to be able to find a way to score was really telling of kind of power in our guys,” he said. “They relied on each other all year long.”
The relay comprised of hoagland, sophomore Alec deLong, sophomore cason Wilburn and senior sadler mcKeen was able to place 16th as an honorary All-American, while scoring two points for the team and finishing in 6:18.04 — a whole second faster than their seed time of 6:19.07. hoagland also was an honorary All-American finishing 10th in the 500 freestyle for 7 points and 11th in the 400 Im for 6 points. his times for those races were 4:12.13 and 3:41.99, respectively. notre dame finished in 25th place with a total of 29 points, 27 of which belonged only to hoagland.
“When you come back from a meet like that, you have to share it with the rest of your team,” hoagland said. “share what the experience was like, how competitive it was, what your preparation was like, so you get more guys there the next year.”
As for what’s next for training, Litzinger said “The ncAA kids have a week off, and everybody else has been doing their strength and conditioning work.”
“We just started back in the pool yesterday, so we’re focused on the summer, and what that holds for us, whether it’s olympic trials or any other competitions,” Litzinger added. “summer is where you make the biggest gains.”
With a hardworking mentality, the notre dame men’s swimming and diving team will look to replicate and improve upon this year’s performance. They will return to the competition pool next winter.
Graduate student attack Will Yorke was the star of the second quarter for notre dame, as he scored three goals in a span of two and a half minutes. Those goals were good for Yorke’s sixth, seventh and eighth goals on the season. despite the Irish owning a 7-5 lead at halftime, the cavaliers responded out of the gates and scored three consecutive goals to grab an 8-7 lead. The Irish answered quickly, though, with Yorke scoring again for the Irish with 2:18 left in the quarter to bring the score level.
A big turning point in this game came in the last minute and a half of the third quarter. virginia was able to score twice at the end of the quarter to take a 10-8 lead into the fourth quarter and grab some momentum.
The fourth quarter ended up being a wild finish. The quarter started with the Irish getting one goal back behind an unassisted goal from first-year midfield eric dobson. The cavaliers were quick to respond, though, and regain a two goal lead less than a minute later.
With just over 4 minutes remaining, it appeared that virginia was in control, but the Irish were not going down without a fight. dobson scored his second goal of the quarter and third goal of the game to put the Irish in striking distance with just over four minutes remaining.
Just over 30 seconds later, the Irish were able to tie the game up at 11-11 behind a Yorke unassisted goal. That goal was the fifth of the day for Yorke.
Although it looked like the Irish had seized the momentum, the cavaliers were able to answer yet again and grab a 12-11 lead with just under two and a half minutes remaining in the game. This time, it was dox Aitken scoring for the cavaliers. Aitken finished the game with four points off of two goals and two assists.
Although the Irish were able to create some good chances in the final minutes of the game, they were not able to find the back of the net. one of the best chances came with three seconds left when Yorke put a good shot on goal, but cavalier goalie Alex rode was able to make the stop. saturday’s win marked the first time that the cavaliers have won at Arlotta stadium.
In addition to Yorke and dobson, who finished the game with five and three goals, respectively, senior midfield Wheaton Jackoboice had a good day as well, finishing with four points off of one goal and three assists. sophomore attack Pat Kavanagh and junior attack/ midfield Griffin Westlin finished the game with two points.
Leading the way for the cavaliers was Payton cormier who finished with five goals to his name on the day.
The Irish will look to bounce back this coming weekend on the road against fourth-ranked syracuse. syracuse beat virginia earlier in the year by a score of 20-10. Like the Irish, the orange are coming off of a heartbreaking one-goal loss, as they lost to duke by a score of 15-14 last week.
Baraka Bouts season succeeds despite pandemic
Observer Staff Report
Although the fall semester was affected by the covId-19 pandemic, the baraka bouts club of notre dame still found a way to have a very successful season and raise money for their mission statement despite not having their usual end of the year tournament. meg Guilfoile, a senior captain from duxbury, massachusetts, commented on how the club was able to stay motivated during the fall despite not having the end-of-season tournament to train for.
“We really tried to reframe how we looked at the season, and fundraising has always been the core of [baraka and bengal bouts],” Guilfoile said. “I think we all agree that it is the most important at the end of the day. It helped us to remember why we are boxing and why we’re part of the club.”
Guilfoile also explained how the season gave a lot of new club members the opportunity to feel more comfortable and learn how to box before participating in the tournament.
“I think it gave a lot of people the opportunity where if people were nervous or scared to physically box and be a part of the tournament, it was a great year for them to just try it out,” Guilfoile said. “And so I think just focusing on the missions and making that the core of this season definitely helped us.” senior Alexis driscoll, a captain from morristown, new Jersey, also emphasized the importance of new members this season.
“There are so many girls who don’t want to actually get in the ring,” driscoll said. “And this year, we really just made it about them, and we told them all the pros of joining the club, aside from the tournament.”
In a typical year, baraka bouts typically raises about $20,000 from tournament tickets alone. one of the challenges for the club this year was finding a way to fundraise money for the club’s mission in bangladesh without having the tournament. ultimately, the club decided to do a runa-thon event to raise money. for the event, it was expected that each club member raised a minimum of $300 by making friends and family members pledge a certain amount of money to donate based on how much they could run in a week.
The club ended up raising a total of $14,000 from the run-a-thon in october 2020, which was a huge success.
“We were really lucky,” Guilfoile said. “We had no idea what the success was gonna be like, because it was the first time we had ever done it. We kind of did make up for what we would have made at the tournament, in some regards, through that. We were really lucky, and it was very fun.”
Going into the season, the club set a lofty goal of raising $50,000 for the year, which seemed like a difficult task in the midst of the covId-19 pandemic.
Guilfoile discussed how scary that goal seemed at first, and how the club began to embrace the challenge as the season went on.
“We were really nervous about reaching that goal, and we knew it was going to be the most challenging thing that a lot of us would do,” Guilfoile said. “It was kind of a theme of the season, and we would always say ‘against all odds’ because all of the odds were against us our entire season with getting around the covId restrictions. We got a lot of no’s on things that we wanted to do.”
Guilfoile shared that her favorite memory from this past season was the day the club reached that goal of $50,000.
“I was actually in class, and my phone started going off like crazy. I quickly looked at it, and it was just all of the captains texting that we got to the goal,” Guilfoile said. “I embarrassingly sat in class, and I just started crying because I was so excited. It was such a fun moment to go to practice that day and celebrate with all the captains. All the hard work paid off against all the odds.”
The club also held an event called “barakathon” in place of the tournament that usually occurs at the end of the year. driscoll shared that the baraka-thon was her favorite memory from the 2020 season.
“We had a push-up competition and a plank competition,” driscoll said. “And over those few days, all of the boxers kind of got to hang out and show off all their skills. I just remember one of those days, everyone was just having so much fun, and we were playing music.” senior captain ellie mccarthy, who is originally from basking ridge, new Jersey, shared that her favorite memory from her time as a part of the club was two years ago on a team fundraising run in the cold, rainy october weather.
“We always do fun runs on friday for practice, and we run around campus and do workouts on different quads. We try to bring a bucket, and we try to get donations,” mccarthy said. “And this particular day, it was pouring rain. It was late october, it was so cold, and nobody was out. I think we raised like $20, but all of the girls were just having an absolute blast. And it just shows the camaraderie of the club, which I think that’s what it’s all about, really.”
