Print Edition of The Observer for Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Collapse in the Coliseum
Notre Dame ends season with 4-8 record after loss to rival USC in Los Angeles
Irish head coach
Kelly should be fired for program’s lack of character
Ben Padanilam Associate
Sports Edior
LOS ANGELES — As disappointing as this Notre Dame season was, it was exactly what this team deserved.
Hell, considering the problems both on and off the field, four wins might have exceeded what this team was worthy of.
Because at 4-7 and entering its final game of the season against a bitter rival, the Irish claimed all week that they were focused on beating USC. Forget a bowl game — this was their bowl game.
But when it came time to deliver, they played like it was a game against Duke in September — a game they expected to win but deserved to lose.
The attitude of this team was clear from the beginning. While the Trojans’ sideline was energized and invested in each and every play, the Irish side was stoic. Win or lose, the outcome didn’t
By BEN PADANILAM Associate Sports Editor
LOS ANGELES — Close games can be won and lost in a matter of seconds. Notre Dame has been no stranger to this fact this season, as its first seven losses all came by a one-score margin.
On Saturday against No. 12 USC, it was 17 seconds that decided the outcome. However, those 17 seconds turned a close contest into a sweeping defeat, as a three-point game became a three-possession affair just before the end of the first half in what ended up a 45-27 Trojans victory.
“We’ve played in a lot of close ball games [this year],”
Irish head coach Brian Kelly said. “Unfortunately today, special teams was a huge deciding factor in the game — gave up two touchdowns there to a very talented player, but we knew how talented he was going into the game. And the interception — anytime you give scores to a very, very good offense like USC, you’re going to pay for those mistakes, and, obviously,
those three scores put us at a huge disadvantage.”
The deciding sequence of plays in the game began with 1:38 left in the first half, when Irish junior Tyler Newsome punted from his own end zone to that “very talented player” Kelly was talking about: Trojans junior defensive back Adoree’ Jackson, who returned the kick 55 yards for a touchdown.
Then, just 17 seconds later, Irish junior quarterback DeShone Kizer threw an interception that Trojans redshirt sophomore defensive back Ajene Harris returned 33 yards for another score.
And suddenly, what was once a 10-7 lead was now 24-7 in favor of the Trojans (9-3, 7-2 Pac-12).
“I wish I could have that throw back, obviously,” Kizer said of the play. “I stepped up in the pocket, got aggressive on a ball that was a little late to the receiver, and they jumped it and returned it for six.”
Prior to that stretch of play, USC had also begun the game with the momentum, as it started the
game’s scoring when redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Darnold led the offensive down the field on an 11play, 61-yard drive that was capped off by a 37-yard field goal by redshirt junior Matt Boermeester.
But the Irish (4-8) were quick to respond, as sophomore running back Josh Adams took his first carry 74 yards before being knocked out of bounds at the 1-yard line. Kizer broke the plane on the next play and put Irish ahead, 7-3. USC returned the favor quickly, however, when the Trojans opened up a big hole and sophomore tailback Ronald Jones II scampered 51 yards untouched to give his team a 10-7 lead with 7:03 left in the first quarter. Both offenses stalled from that point on, however, as each team punted on its next two possessions. The Irish had an opportunity to tie the game up on their third possession following their previous score, but sophomore Justin Yoon missed the 37-yard attempt to keep the
Special teams miscues prove costly once again
By MAREK MAZUREK Sports Editor
LOS ANGELES — There have been many defining features of Notre Dame’s 2016 season. Some are good, like a budding young receiving corps and consistent effort. Most are bad: Missed tackles, poor play calling and the habit of giving up leads have haunted the Irish all year long.
Yet the most prevalent, and perhaps the most costly, blemish on the 2016 season was the special teams unit.
Emphasis on the “was,” because Notre Dame’s season came to a forgettable end Saturday in Los Angeles. For the first time all year, the Irish lost a game by more than eight points, and poor special teams play was a big reason why. That fact was evident not only to Irish head coach Brian Kelly, but Trojan head coach Clay Helton, who also said the key to the Trojans’ victory came from their superior special teams play.
MICHAEL YU | The Observer
Brian Kelly addresses his team on the field during halftime of Notre Dame’s 4-27 loss to USC in Los Angeles on Saturday. The Irish almost entered halftime trailing the Trojans by only three points, but two USC scores right before the break gave the hosts a 24-7 lead. Notre Dame was unable to overcome the 17-point defecit.
seem to matter; after all, with a losing record already guaranteed, their season was already over and there was nothing left to fight for, right?
The play calling reflected it, too: After all, why give a guy averaging nearly 11 yards a carry the ball more than 17 times? There’s no sense in that, but there’s plenty of sense in trying to throw your way down the field with a quarterback completing just 53 percent of his passes and an offensive line struggling to protect him, right? Well, that’s what brian Kelly’s thought at least, since it didn’t seem to matter to him what worked and what didn’t. he was just going to stick to doing things the way he’s done them all season.
Also, why try to fix the special teams, which gave up two more big plays in the form of touchdowns? If the formula isn’t broken, no sense trying to make adjustments to fix it. Just keep kicking it to the guy you said you “already knew was dangerous” coming into the game, since it
clearly was a strategy that was working, and you knew you could trust your special teams unit before the game, right? but you’ve heard all these things before. most of them several times, maybe as many as eight if you’re counting at home. sure, the eight losses aren’t the reason Kelly should lose his job. programs have bad years, and he’s had success coaching the Irish as recently as last year. but when a season — on and off the field — goes the way this season has, something has to change.
because this season is a reflection of much bigger problems than the two numbers in the win-loss columns.
consider how the season started: one player gets arrested on charges of battery against a police officer and resisting arrest. five more were arrested for possession of marijuana, and three charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm. And this was all just one week before the Irish were set to battle Texas. You would think a head coach of a preseason top-10 team would have his players focused on the big picture by
then instead of having to answer questions about “character” and “leadership.”
Then, look at this week: It started with the ncAA ordering notre dame to vacate 21 wins from 2012 and 2013, stemming from an investigation into academic misconduct. While he might not be directly at fault for the misconduct of the nine players involved, the announcement served as a reminder of the very “character” that Kelly claims he holds with high regard but has seen disappear.
And how did it end? With an embarrassing 45-27 loss to the rival Trojans. It was a loss that saw one of Kelly’s players kick an opponent in the head who had just suffered a hit to the head and then proceed to stomp on another player’s foot just four plays later. And it was a player who is considered the very “right kind of guy” Kelly preaches about having in his locker room.
but does any of this sound like something a “right kind of guy” would do? does any of it sound like “character?”
Kelly doesn’t seem to have a problem with it. After all, he left Tillery in after the first incident
against the Trojans and said he didn’t think any of the players who committed personal foul penalties were “out of control at any time.” senior offensive lineman mike mcglinchey didn’t seem to mind it either, saying, “It’s the character of the guys in the locker room that we can build a program around.”
say what you want about the poor play calling, the refusal to take responsibility for poor play, the willingness to put the blame on everyone else: those are all reasons Kelly might deserve to lose his job.
but once “character” loses all its meaning and notre dame football no longer holds its players to the same standard off the field as it does on it, then the answer is clear: Kelly needs to lose his job.
because it’s not enough to simply punish players after the fact. These are the things that shouldn’t happen in the first place. And they will continue to happen as long as a man who has no control of his locker room and coaches for his own name rather than the one he wears on his chest every saturday is still running the show.
because if Kelly won’t put notre dame before himself, why should his players? deshone Kizer probably isn’t going to stay for another year, even if he should. Who would want to play another year for a coach who’s quick to pull you out of the game against stanford or criticize you to the media for both doing too much and too little? Jerry Tillery wasn’t putting notre dame before himself when he kicked and stomped on opposing players saturday. And we all know the players who were arrested a week before Texas or committed academic misconduct weren’t thinking about the University they represent when they put themselves in those positions. so brian Kelly needs to go. because if he doesn’t, what young talent notre dame has might just find itself repeating the mistakes they should be learning from when they look back on this season.
Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Play of the game
With a little over one minute remaining in the third quarter, Adoree’ Jackson took a notre dame kickoff from the 3-yard line to the Irish end zone, breaking multiple tackles and hurdling senior kicker John chereson. Jackson’s touchdown put Usc up 38-21 and effectively sealed notre dame’s loss, as the Irish were unable to overcome the 18-point defecit. The return accounted for 97 of Jackson’s 291 all-purpose yards on the day.
and
a doree’ Jackson’s 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown
u s c defensive back a doree’ Jackson Junior defensive back Adoree’ Jackson made his presence felt saturday in Usc’s 45-27 win. The belleville, Illinois, native ended his day with three total touchdowns: a 55-yard punt return before halftime, a 52-yard catch and run at the beginning of the third quarter,
a 97-yard kickoff return at the end of the third. Jackson tallied 291 all-purpose yards in the contest.
MICHAEL YU | The Observer
Junior Trojan defensive back Adoree’ Jackson runs into the end zone for a 55-yard punt-return touchdown in the second quarter of USC’s 45-27 victory over Notre Dame on Saturday. Jackson finished the day with three total touchdowns — one on a punt return, one on a reception and
yards.
Prayer service held
Students gather at Grotto to call for end to sexual assault on campus
By KATIE GALIOTO news e ditor
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story appeared online on Nov. 22.
more than 30 students, staff and faculty gathered at the grotto on nov. 22 for a prayer service to end sexual violence.
student g overnment sponsored the service in response to a crime alert emailed to students on the afternoon of nov. 18, reporting an alleged sexual assault that occurred late Thursday night or in the early hours of Friday morning.
“we are receiving an email like this in the holiday
students protest at standing rock
By GINA TWARDOSZ news writer
over Thanksgiving break, saint mary’s students nohemi Toledo, megan uekert, Teresa brickey and adrienne w hisman, and notre dame students Jenn cha, carrera brown, a rmani porter and dominic acri traveled to standing rock reservation to winterize the oceti sakowin camp.
(Editor’s Note: Uekert is a News Writer for The Observer)
saint mary’s student adrienne w hisman said the experience was very enlightening and necessary, and the water protectors’ protest to stop the dakota access p ipeline is more than just a protest.
“This isn’t just a protest, but a coming together of various people from various tribes and walks of life who believe that native rights come before capitalism or money making,”
Observer Staff Report
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story appeared
notre dame’s football program has been given a year’s probation and is to vacate all wins from the 2012 and 2013 seasons after a former studentathletic trainer was found to have violated ncaa rules, the ncaa announced nov. 22.
Jenkins offers support for undocumented students
Observer Staff Report
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story appeared online on Nov. 21.
university p resident Fr. John Jenkins signed a statement in support of the deferred action for c hildhood a rrivals ( daca) p rogram on nov. 21, becoming one of more than 100 college and university presidents across the nation to do so.
“Fr. Jenkins was asked this morning to sign onto a statement from college and university presidents that calls for the continuation and expansion of the deferred action for c hildhood a rrivals program,” university spokesperson dennis brown said in an email.
“he did so immediately.”
The daca p rogram was the product of an executive order by p resident barack obama and allows some
undocumented immigrants who came to the u s. as children to gain work authorization and, in many cases, university financial aid. p resident-elect donald Trump has promised to rescind daca
The statement, which was organized by pomona c ollege p resident d avid o xtoby, says since daca’s inception in 2012, colleges and
Williams, White sentenced to probation
Observer Staff Report
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story appeared online on Nov. 22.
Two n otre d ame football players charged with possession of marijuana, sophomores d exter w illiams and a shton w hite, were sentenced to probation in
Fulton c ounty s uperior c ourt on Tuesday, according to a tweet from wndu reporter s haun g allagher. w illiams and w hite, in addition to three other n otre d ame football players, were pulled over in Fulton c ounty on a ug. 19. for a speeding violation, according to the probable cause documents.
The two players reached a
plea agreement with Fulton c ountry prosecutors, according to the s outh b end Tribune, which would allow them to enter a “conditional discharge” program. The program was set by Fulton s uperior c ourt Judge wayne s teele and would generally require a person to pass
KATIE GALIOTO | The Observer
Students congregated at the Grotto on Nov. 22 for a prayer service to end sexual violence. The service was held in response to an email students received Nov. 18 reporting a sexual assault.
Photo courtesy of Adrienne Whisman
Students from both Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s traveled to Standing Rock over Thanksgiving break to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline.
irish head coach brian Kelly announced at his Tuesday press conference that the school will appeal the vacation of wins.
“it’s never happened before in the history of the ncaa,” Kelly said. “a penalty has never been issued in this fashion before. i think that qualifies for being — first of all, it was discretionary. This is a discretionary action by the committee, that’s no. 1. no. 2, it was student-on-student cheating. There was nobody implicated; the ncaa agreed across the board with that finding. a nd it was clearly excessive.
“so, as you know, we’re going to appeal this. one of the options, or clear reasons for appeal, is that the penalty is excessive in its discretion. a nd we believe we have obviously grounds there.”
Former irish cornerback Keivarae russell, left, prepares to make a tackle during notre dame’s 23-13 win over bYU at notre dame stadium on nov. 23, 2013. russell was one of five players suspended in summer 2014 as part of the “Frozen Five” scandal. notre dame was placed on probation by the ncaa and ordered to vacate wins from the 2012 and 2013 seasons Tuesday.
University President Fr. John Jenkins agreed with Kelly in a press release, and noted that the penalty, which he considers inappropriate, could set a dangerous precedent going forward.
“We believe that imposition of the vacation of records penalty without serious underlying institutional misconduct will not primarily punish those responsible for the misconduct, but rather will punish coaches, student-athletes and indeed the entire institution who did nothing wrong and, with regard to this case, did everything right,” Jenkins said in the release. “We are also concerned that establishing this precedent
will infringe on universities’ autonomy in deterring academic dishonesty, for it will discourage the retroactive lowering of grades even when an honor code committee deems this appropriate.
“as we said at the outset of the investigation, notre dame would willingly accept a vacation of records penalty if it were appropriate. it is not in this case. indeed, should this precedent stand, it could create a perverse incentive that will discourage institutions from investigating so aggressively and imposing the penalties for academic dishonesty that their honesty committees might judge appropriate.”
The penalties stem from a former student-athletic trainer, who committed academic misconduct for two football players and provided six others with impermissible academic benefits, per the ncaa’s division i committee on infractions panel. a n additional player committed academic misconduct on his own.
of the two players that committed academic misconduct with the trainer, one competed while ineligible during the 2012 football season, while the other competed while ineligible throughout the 2013 season. The third player that committed academic misconduct played in five games of the 2013 season.
The student-athlete that competed while ineligible in the 2012 season committed academic misconduct in eight classes over five semesters at notre dame, including three with the trainer — a college seminar course, intro to peace studies and ethics — during the spring 2012 and fall 2012 semesters. The player competed in every game during the 2012 season, including the bcs national championship. he was dismissed from the University for two semesters and retroactively had his grades changed, but re-enrolled in summer 2015.
The student-athlete that
competed while ineligible throughout the 2013 season committed academic misconduct in two classes during the 2012-13 school year, including one — foundations of theology — with the trainer in the spring 2013 semester.
The trainer also provided six players with impermissible academic benefits in 16 classes, spanning from the fall 2011 semester through the spring 2013 one. Those 16 classes were spread across seven departments — anthropology, english, film, television, and theatre, history, philosophy, political science and theology — and the computer applications program, which was housed in the college of a rts & Letters.
The final student-athlete, who committed academic misconduct on his own, did so in five courses between the fall 2012 and fall 2013 semesters. he played in four regular-season games in 2013, plus the Pinstripe bowl game.
The investigation began following the so-called “Frozen Five” case, where in 2014, five then-irish football players — receiver davaris daniels, safety eilar hardy linebacker Kendall moore, cornerback Keivarae russell and defensive lineman ishaq Williams — were suspended from the team, with daniels, moore, russell and Williams being dismissed from the University. hardy returned to action later in the 2014 season, while russell and Williams each were readmitted to the University in 2015. russell returned to the field for notre dame in 2015, but Williams did not.
additionally, the former student-athletic trainer has been handed a two-year “show cause” penalty by the ncaa, while notre dame must disassociate itself from the former trainer for the next two years. notre dame was also fined $5,000 by the ncaa
Whisman said. “While i was there, i saw children playing, b uddhist monks talking with native people. i saw flags from so many countries and tribes that there’s an entire road dedicated to them. i heard ceremonies and witnessed people sharing their supplies and helping each other, all without expecting anything from one another. it was a different way of living, and it was a place where all of us, despite our differences, could come together for a common cause, that of preserving the e arth and helping our native brothers and sisters.”
Whisman and her peers went to the o ceti s akowin camp, the main camp on the reservation.
“The camp is a ceremonial prayer camp,” Whisman said. “ it has no weapons, no illegal substances, and is there as a continuation of the 500 years of resistance to colonization and genocide. There were thousands of people there and it is the largest gathering of First nation indigenous people in 100 years. While our group was there, a prayer circle occurred to combat the police and army presence on sacred sites and burial grounds. They gave their press conference in response to the eviction notice issued, one that would take effect d ec. 5.”
Whisman said she helped build a floor in order to insulate one of the tents.
“ i personally helped the h audenosaunee camp winterize their tent by building a floor,” Whisman said. “Winter there is cold, and many [people] have been there for months, so the need to insulate and prepare has taken precedence.”
Whisman said she wanted to help out any way she could, because what’s happening on the reservation is so important.
“ i wanted to go because water is life, it is the nakota, Lakota, d akota indigenous people’s land and culture that this pipeline is going over.,” Whisman said. “ i wanted to be an ally and provide any help i could both through donations and a physical presence. m any people don’t realize the extent of all that is going on. The news, if it reports on this at all, focuses on the water protectors and injuries done to them. We need to also focus on the fact that this is an ongoing struggle that has been occurring since e uropeans came over here and stayed, taking land and lives to fuel their own greed and wants.”
a lthough the trip was orchestrated by the students, Whisman said they had faculty and staff supporters. s he hopes that there will be school sanctioned trips in the future, but for now she said there are many things those looking to help can do.
“ i f you want to help, look online for what donations are needed, they have an amazon wish list as well as various websites that are updated as needs arise,” she said. “c all on President o bama and any government officials you can and demand they stand up and speak out against the human rights violations at s tanding r ock perpetuated by the police presence. i f you’re white or non-native, remember that this isn’t about you. it’s about the continued exploitation and disregard for indigenous lives and the preservation of them and their culture.”
Whisman said one must be aware of the past in order to create a brighter future for natives, and everyone in the United s tates.
“The recognition of this movement worldwide and by non natives really needs to be taken within the context of the fact that this sort of exploitation of the natives and the land has been going on throughout and before the United s tates became a country,” Whisman said. “The orientation meeting called for us to create a new legacy wherein we don’t forget the horrors of the past, nor the fact that for many centuries the U. s government and people were complicit in systematic and widespread genocide and land-stealing. We do need to remember this, but we as allies can create a new future where we don’t continue this legacy but work to rid our laws and government of the prejudices and special interests that cause these things to happen.”
Paid a dverT isemen T
Service
season,” junior c hris Wang, student Government director of Gender r elations, said in a reflection at the service. “it was supposed to be a pleasant few days before we go back home, reunite with our family members and celebrate the holiday with loved ones while giving thanks to the blessings around us. it is not supposed to be like this.”
This is the second sexual assault reported to notre d ame s ecurity Police ( nds P) this academic year.
“To many people, an email like this will remain just an email — a few words, with the title ‘crime alert.’ a nd that is it.” Wang said. “People who are not hurt go back to doing their normal routine right after they exit the mail app on their phones.”
“Things go on — school, homework, parties,” she added. “Things always go back to normal.”
b ut there is a question the campus community should be asking itself, Wang said — how long does it take sexual assault victims to heal?
“What we should be thinking about is ways to stop the crisis from happening in the
first place,” she said.
Wang referenced the greend ot initiative, a program designed to train members of the campus community as active bystanders in potentially violent situations.
s he used the program’s slogan: “no one has to do everything, but everyone has to do something.”
a ttendees at the service moved closer together to embrace and sing the University’s alma mater as dusk began to fall on the cold november evening.
“notre d ame is our home. o ur home sweet home,”
Wang said. “We should all take an active role to protect this place — our place. We need to treat each other as our own sisters and brothers.”
Fr. b ob Loughery, rector of s orin c ollege, led the group in prayer for those who experienced sexual assault in their lives. a t the conclusion of the service, he encouraged attendees to light a candle in solidarity with survivors of sexual assault.
“When a light shines in the darkness,” he said, “darkness cannot overcome it.”
Contact Katie Galioto at kgalioto@nd.edu
Probation
drug tests and stay out of trouble with the law enforcement for a year-long probational period. if completed, White and Williams could avoid jail time and criminal records.
according to the account provided in the probable cause affidavit, a “significant amount of green plant material” was found loose in the front area of the vehicle, on the center console and both of the front seats. The same green plant material, which later tested positive for the presence of marijuana, was also found in two clear plastic bags on the rear floorboard of the car.
a 9mm handgun, loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition, was also found in the backseat of the car, according to the affidavit. When questioned by the officer at the scene, all five men said the handgun was not theirs, though they did acknowledge they were in possession of marijuana.
The players may face a sentence of up to 180 days in prison and up to a $1,000 fine for possession of marijuana, if convicted.
neither player has been suspended from the football team. max redfield, another passenger in the car, was kicked off the team and subsequently dismissed from the University.
nonprofit sectors — to uphold daca for moral and economic reasons.
universities have seen “the critical benefits of this program for our students, and the highly positive impacts on our institutions and communities.”
The statement calls on U.s leaders — and leaders in the business, civic, religious and
“america needs talent — and these students, who have been raised and educated in the United states, are already part of our national community,” the statement said. “They represent what is best about america, and as scholars and leaders they are essential to the future.”
Paid a dverT isemen T
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
Students demonstrated in front of Main Building on Nov. 16, asking Fr. John Jenkins to make Notre Dame a sanctuary campus.
By MIKE DONOVAN s cene Writer
Just over a year ago, a friend played me Tyvek’s “midwest basement,” a b-side track off their 2012 LP “on Triple beams.” The song — a loud, loose and dark homage to the suburbanite lifestyle — sent me into a fit of manic romanticism. Tyvek’s slipshod energy may have been sloppy, but it was familiar. They played the kind of ferocious, low fidelity rock and roll that gave my friends and I hope in our early days of bandhood. The sonic sludge careening out of the car speakers reeked of the musty basements where we played for hours, scraping together rudimentary rock songs. It carried the sound of our countless mistakes and boundless passion. Tyvek’s track wasn’t a masterpiece. In fact, it was just the opposite. That’s why it clicked. As the screeching guitars and violent poetry came to a halt, I escaped my nostalgic daydream. “midwest basement” had earned its title and Tyvek a place in my record collection.
veteran detroit rocker Kevin boyer released his first Tyvek eP “blunt Instrumental” in 2009. The brief foursong burst sounded as if it were recorded on a single cheap microphone in one take. It was rough, to say the least. since then, boyer has released four more Tyvek LPs, with each new LP reflecting the band’s constantly shifting lineup (boyer being the only permanent member) and the bandleader’s ardent quest to capture the detroit zeitgeist.
Tyvek’s latest LP “origin of What,” comes at an interesting time for the city. A surge of commerce is currently sweeping throughout the downtown areas under the direction of mayor mike duggan. The influx of trendy restaurants and shopping districts into the economy has revitalized the city’s once desolate streets. The affluent
millennial gentrification machine has steamrolled midtown — now a hipster utopia — and is setting its sights on corktown and hamtramck. detroit, after nearly five decades of despair, is in the midst of a resurrection.
Unfortunately, detroit’s revival has a hidden cost. mere blocks away from the downtown lights and the hip coffee bars lie the neglected realms of the city, where struggling residents continue to fight their dire circumstances. Gentrification and wealth haven’t eradicated detroit’s maladies — they’ve simply pushed the ugliness to the outskirts. The local music scene has assumed the task of bringing this reality to light. danny brown’s masterpiece “Atrocity e xhibition,” for instance, exposed detroit’s lingering pain with the eloquence of a respected poet and the powerful indignation of a lifelong urbanite. Few musicians, if any, could capture the city’s current state so accurately.
“origin of What,” however, comes remarkably close. The album draws on the legacy of The Gories — an offkilter punk duo from the late ’80s now worshipped as deities of the detroit scene — but adds a more substantive verbal element to the fuzz. “The storm is cruising up the avenue,” boyer blares on “real estate and Finance” before going on to criticize “the suburbs amuck” and vapid consumers with “cash to spend / as the pace, pace, pace begins.” he’s no stranger to the allure of detroit’s financial explosion, and his serrated vocal attack and unhinged riffing unambiguously convey the commercial boom’s dark side. “cancel that / build no more pyramids,” boyer demands on “Gridlock.” The indulgent building projects and expensive stores are nothing more than pyramids to affluent success in boyer’s eyes. They distract the populace from the bitter reality of the streets. The title track offers a muddled solution. one voice asks the listener to “take steps to the source of the local home”
while another voice diverges with a different, unintelligible message. The overlapping lyrics give a general sense of direction, but offer no guidance in which we can place any faith. Truly resurrecting detroit, according to boyer, must start at the source of local culture and commerce. Unfortunately, nobody can agree on who or what makes up that source. depending on one’s perspective, it could be the downtown moguls, the millennial upstarts, or the silent thousands struggling on the outskirts. boyer, as a musician, has no power to provide that perspective. he can only offer his artistic angle — a vision built on loud guitars and blunt poetry, and art has its limits. Artists like Tyvek, danny brown and the Gories aim to present an ethos. They understand that attitude does far more to drive change than specific ideas. The same energy that fueled my musical proclivities is necessary to lay the seeds of the detroit community’s collective paradigm shift in the midst of conflict and rampant disagreement.
Contact Mike Donovan at
mdonov10@nd.edu
“Origin of What” Tyvek
Label: In the Red Records
Track: “Origin of What”
If you like: The White Stripes, Protomartyr, Parquet Courts
By ADRIAN MARK LORE s cene Writer
It has been about ten years since the French electrohouse outfit Justice made its bombastic entrance into the vanguard of electronic dance music with the release of their debut LP, “cross,” in 2007. That record was cathartic, invigorating, explosive, trashy and often just plain bad — yet in an excellent, arguably groundbreaking way. by pumping girth into their beats and bass and then running it all through amps more fit for black metal, the irreverent duo managed to pioneer a new way of conceiving dance music and accord it mainstream and critical notice while nonetheless angering many members of the genre’s core constituency. When tracking the duo’s output over the past decade, it should become clear that, at heart, Justice is purely a hard rock outfit under the palatable guise of disco. Their affinity for stadium-sized production and thick bass guitar is one of the few constants among the many variables of their transforming aesthetic. Fail to recognize that, and you could be misled to believe that the signature Justice sound is unrecognizable on the duo’s third and latest record, “Woman.”
That, of course, would be the folly of music critics, not of the duo itself; in fact, “Woman” represents not a misguided foray into new aesthetic territory, but a well-executed musical reinvention and refinement of craft. Indeed, on each new record, Justice has sought to explore a new facet of rock-infused dance. on “cross,” Justice was at its most aggressive and most subversive, complementing their sound with a penchant for gold, leather and studded fashion. Their sophomore LP,
“Audio, v ideo, disco,” opted for greater sophistication than its predecessor, yet its exploration of progressive rock — a genre that works through slow-building subtlety — was categorically at odds with the duo’s skillset, and was not always well-executed as a result.
“Woman” is closer to the latter album than to the former, and is easily the most seamlessly hi-fi of the duo’s records. The few teeth that remained on “Avd” from the early years of Justice are entirely absent now, for better or worse. In most cases, they have been replaced with chromatic frills. songs like “safe and sound” and “Fire” are sleek and unburdened by the bloated noise and overdrive of their early aesthetic, emphasizing glamour rather than punk. The duo’s new, more careful approach to production is not necessarily better, just different. At the very least, it is better suited to the genre of feel-good disco that Justice has lately opted for, and as a result is a testament to the duo’s self-awareness and versatility.
That said, “Woman” arguably marks the end of Justice as an outsider pioneer of electro-house. If “Genesis” or “newjack,” two of the most stellar tracks on “cross,” blew your mind — or your speakers — it is because they were unlike anything that dance music had produced before; they were leagues more complex than the most over-produced skrillex track five years before his “brostep” was on anyone’s radar. Additionally, while most of “cross” did not leave room for the human voice — leaving production entirely in the spotlight — appealing vocals drive the majority of “Woman,” and even its instrumental cuts sound rather traditional. At best, “Woman” delivers a different, more carefree kind of enjoyment, but at worst it is doomed to uncanny
familiarity. While “Woman” is an effective synthesis of the sounds that inspire Justice — danceable grooves, memorable melodies and arrangements that are larger than life — the record may be too tardily released. on tracks like the joyous “Pleasure” and the smooth, slowmoving “stop,” the duo attempts to recreate the widespread appeal of electro-pop anthems like “e lectric Feel” by mGm T. While these tracks sound great, their catchy breakdowns and simplistic lyricism foster a somewhat awkward, unintentional sense of nostalgia.
As a result, fans of indie dance will find much to enjoy on “Woman,” yet there is room for loyal followers of the duo as well. certainly Justice are no longer the radical house deconstructionists that they once were, and “Woman” is likewise not revolutionary. but the record is a comfortable addition to their discography, and justifies the band’s status as one of electro-house’s immutable names.
Contact Adrian Mark Lore at asanch11@nd.edu
“Woman” Justice
Label: Ed Banger / Because Music
Track: “Love S.O.S.”
If you like: Daft Punk, MGMT, Kavinsky
Thankful for nd and smc
Gaby Jansen news Writer
small things make my day. After saying what we’re grateful for at Thanksgiving dinner, it seems like a cliché to be thankful for the big things in life including family, friends, and health. While I am grateful for those, it is important to appreciate the little parts of life that make life good. For me, here are the small pieces of notre dame and saint mary’s life I am thankful for:
I am thankful my dorm room is not haunted. While other girls at saint mary’s are annoyed by the ghosts that throw things in their room, steal their stuff or tear down their posters, my room is perfectly normal to Le mans hall standards. The only things that go bump in the night in my room are my roommate’s fan and the heart buried under our floorboards.
I am thankful for the Grotto and its unending supply of candles. Think about it: no other campus has a place like the grotto. If I know someone needs a prayer, it is right there, always open no matter what time I go. no matter the time of day it is always lit. It’s as beautiful at 2 a.m. as it is 2 p.m., and there is always a fresh candle.
I am thankful for the weird graffiti on the desks at hesburgh Library. It is always a fun distraction from studying to see what previous students needed to express on a table. From leaving Taylor swift lyrics behind or misquoting benedict X v I saying “bc sucks,” the graffiti is never boring. You cannot find this combination of creativity and violation of property anywhere else on campus.
I am thankful for the free stuff I get at sporting events. rally towels, travel mugs, a cowbell from a hockey game and, of course, the free shirts and hats are an added bonus to getting into games for free. some of these things seem useless, but rally towels make good dish towels and the cowbell can at least sit on my desk for decoration. At this point senior year, half of my wardrobe is supplied by Legion. no matter the usefulness, these free things are a reminder of the fun I had at them.
I am thankful for the dining hall staff. From the card swiper that says she’s blessed just like me to the stir fry station workers who do not (at least vocally) judge my picky orders. The staff is friendly and knows us more than we think they do. Thanks for helping me when I cannot get mini Wheat’s out of the dispenser at breakfast.
This place truly is special. Without the little aspects of both campuses, I do not know if it would ever be a second home to me.
Contact Gaby Jansen at gjanse01@saintmarys.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Pseudoscience in the 21st century
Cate Baker s cience is Golden
o n n ov. 15, the Federal Trade c ommission (FT c ) announced a new policy that forces the labels of homeopathic medicines to admit they don’t work. While many people applaud the FT c for finally holding homeopathic drugs to the same standards as modern medicine, critics fear that this labelling might actually increase sales of the bogus meds instead of deterring them. h omeopathy is a form of alternative medicine from the late 1700s. It’s based on the idea that “like cures like,” meaning that a substance that would cause disease-like symptoms in a healthy person could cure those symptoms in a diseased person. If that seems a little backwards, it is –it’s like saying that poison ivy gives a healthy person a rash, so we should use it to treat a kid with carpet burn. The theory is faulty, and so are its methods — homeopathic “drugs” include a wide spectrum of substances, from salt, to arsenic, to thyroid hormone (and in the traditional version, blood and feces from sick people). Furthermore, homeopathic theory requires extreme dilutions of these substances, to a point at which almost none of the original molecule — the so-called active ingredient — remains. That’s okay with homeopaths, who claim that the healing aura of the medicine is retained in the water.
h omeopathy is a classic example of pseudoscience, a system of beliefs that claims to be scientific in nature but has actually no basis in fact. m odern medicine has repeatedly and thoroughly debunked homeopathy as completely ineffective; scientific studies find that the benefit from these drugs is no greater than that of a placebo. Yet you can still buy homeopathic medicines at your local Walgreens — and many people do. Why is that?
At least part of it has to do with false advertising, and that’s the part the FT c cracked down on earlier this month. For example, the packaging of homeopathic giant b oiron’s “ c oldcalm” medicine (which is really the homeopathic drug o scillococcinum, which is really one part duck liver to 10400 parts water, and which has never been shown to be more effective than a sugar pill), reports that the drug can be used to treat “sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, and minor sore throat.” b efore the FT c stepped in, the only caveat to this claim was an asterisk and the tiny sentence “these claims have not been verified by the F d A.” n ow, the packaging of c oldcalm — and all its homeopathic brethren
— will have to clearly state that a) homeopathic medicine is based on theories from the 1700s that are not accepted by most modern experts, and b) that there is no scientific backing to their medicinal claims.
It sounds like a win for the FT c , and it is most definitely a step in the right direction. h owever, some critics worry that this stipulation is not enough to curb the sales of homeopathic remedies, and may actually work to increase them. m any consumers today are distrustful of modern science – for evidence, look no further than the movements of anti-vaxxers or climate change deniers. For consumers like these, advertising that a product isn’t accepted by modern science may actually encourage sales. b ut who cares? h omeopathic remedies won’t cure a disease, but they’re certainly not going to hurt someone. The answer is in opportunity cost. People turn to homeopathy in place of actual medical care, and as a result they can miss timely diagnosis and actual treatment. There are homeopathic remedies on the market for sore throats and colds, but also for h I v, tuberculosis, malaria and influenza. These are serious diseases, and they require serious medical treatment — not diluted duck liver. b y preventing people from seeking appropriate medical assistance, homeopathy quite literally endangers lives.
Unfortunately, our current culture encourages the use of so-called “organic” substances, a decrease in the number of “chemicals” in our body, a focus on “natural” treatments. I use quotation marks because the people who use these words in this way do not understand their actual meaning. A lack of education and a fundamental disconnect between doctors and their patients, researchers and the public, has given way to this culture and fuels the fires of things like homeopathy: pseudoscience that may seem like a harmless hoax, but can actually be very dangerous. This month the FT c made a great first step towards stopping these cons, and it’s time we all follow suit — and stop letting snake oil salesmen take advantage of our broken system.
Sarah Cate Baker is in her third year at Notre Dame, double majoring in biology and English. When she’s not in the lab pouring over viruses under a microscope, you can usually find her shooting caffeine in the Hesburgh basement, while she desperately tries to write papers and make deadlines. If you would like to question her sanity or her science, feel free to email her at sbaker6@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Sarah
Trump’s troubling first month
Neil Joseph Moderately Opinionated
I’ll be the first person to tell you that I didn’t expect Donald Trump to be elected a few weeks ago. I honestly thought that Hillary Clinton was a strong enough candidate and that Donald had made far too many mistakes (a light word to describe all of the things that he’s said), and people wouldn’t be able to look past everything that he’s done. Well, I was wrong. And I was stunned on election night. As time passed, however, I began to think about what a Donald Trump presidency would mean, how he would govern and how the time until his inauguration could ease the worries and doubts that me and many others had.
It’s undeniable that Donald Trump’s campaign was unlike any other we’ve ever seen. Nothing he did was traditional or “establishment.” Much of it consisted of getting as much publicity as possible, wherever and whenever he could. At the same time however, he did a lot of things that seemingly took us back 100 years — from racist and sexist comments to giving legitimacy to conspiracy theories, his actions worried people on both sides of the aisle. At the end of the day, this is what many people were worried about, including myself – and that’s why his
Letter to tHe edItor
first month was so important. His first month would show just how he attempted to transition from campaign mode to governing mode, and whether or not he will attempt to moderate any of his positions.
Firstly, Trump has done little to quell the fears that his campaign brought about in minority communities. Throughout his campaign, the divisive and hateful rhetoric that his campaign ignored, enabled and even participated in led many people to believe that a Trump presidency would lead to hate — both within a Trump presidency and around the country. And his first month has done little to convince us otherwise. His appointment of Steve b annon, the leader of alt-right website breitbart, gave us no indication that he was going to vehemently reject the nasty parts of his campaign. His appointment of General Michael Flynn, a staunch proponent of a Muslim ban, for National Security Adviser told us that he refused to back off some of the statements that gave pause to so many of our fellow citizens.
Furthermore, it seems like he has not learned to restrain his own narcissistic side — specifically on Twitter. Although in the last few weeks of the campaign it seemed that he showed remarkable selfcontrol, his actions as president-elect have been anything but controlled. He felt the need to lash out at the cast of “Hamilton” for addressing concerns to v ice-President e lect Mike Pence. Additionally, he
stoked a (undeniably false) conspiracy theory that there were a large amount of illegal immigrants who voted in states around the country in the election. All of these things, every single one, come from a need to feel validated and attack those who attack himself.
So what does this mean? It means that the American people and others in government must hold him accountable. It means that senators and congressmen need to call him out when he appoints people who fundamentally reject the values that America was founded upon. It’s clear that he won’t moderate who he is or who he surrounds himself with — so Americans and politicians, Democrats and Republicans and even people who surround him must have the courage to tell him that the things he are doing are wrong. b ecause even though a plurality of people voted for him, he represents all Americans — and he has to do that in every action that he takes.
Neil Joseph is a senior from Columbus, Ohio, majoring in political science and economics. He hopes that you don’t use these articles against him when he’s running for School Board one day. He welcomes all compliments at njoseph2@nd.edu, and sometimes responds to those who criticize him.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Similar letters, different messages
The first letter appeared as a paid advertisement in Nov. 15 print edition of The Observer. I was invited to sign it, but declined. I might possibly sign, if asked, a somewhat parallel but very different second letter, with one qualification. It should not claim as the authors of the first letter do that their letter is from “the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s, and Holy Cross College faculty and staff.” This is of course not true of their letter; it is from some of that far larger group.
First Letter:
To our students who are feeling especially vulnerable following the election:
We know that you, like many of us, are reeling over the result of the presidential election. You may be fearful of the very real dangers that may be ahead, not only for you but for your family members. Some of you might feel even more silenced than you have already felt, perhaps wondering if the classmate sitting next to you, your professor, or people in your residence hall actually support the views of the candidate who received the most electoral college votes in the election. who, in the course of the campaign, unapologetically made comments that were racist, sexist, elitist, Islamophobic, xenophobic, misogynistic, anti-Semitic and homophobic. You may encounter overt signs of these views on campus and in the local community despite our hopes to the contrary. Please know that you are not alone. We the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross College faculty
and staff embrace you and stand in solidarity with you against hate. We offer you our support and love. As a start, and at the very least, we will listen to your voices. We will listen to your anger, fear and disappointment in a country that may fail to live up to its promise of justice and the blessings of liberty for you. Do not lose heart. We are not powerless. We remain committed to act, to help you find tangible resources you may need to be safe and to thrive. We will use the power and privileges that we have to advocate on behalf of all students, and to continue building a more inclusive and welcoming community. Reach out to any one of us. We are here for you.
Second Letter:
To our students who are feeling especially vulnerable following the election:
We know that you, like many of us, are reeling over the result of the presidential election. You may be fearful of the very real dangers that may be ahead, not only for you but for your family members. Some of you might feel even more silenced than you have already felt, perhaps wondering if the classmate sitting next to you, your professor, or people in your residence hall actually support the views of the candidate who received the most votes in the election, who, in the course of the campaign, unapologetically made comments supportive of aborting babies right up to the moment of their birth, who advocates continuing funding of an organization that not only does hundreds of thousands of abortions, but also
sells body parts from the abortions they perform. This is also a candidate who openly advocates forcing all Americans, including those who see abortion as murder, to give financial support for abortions and would like to force medical professionals who object to performing abortions to be removed from hospital staffs. You may encounter overt signs of these views on campus and in the local community despite our hope to the contrary. Please know you are not alone. We are among the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross College faculty and staff who endorse this letter to let you know we embrace you and stand in solidarity with you against hate. We offer our support and love. As a start, and at the very least, we will listen to your voices. We will listen to your anger, fear and disappointment in a country that may fail to live up to its promise of justice and the blessings of liberty for even its most vulnerable members. Do not lose heart. We are not powerless. As faculty and staff, we remain committed to act, to help you find tangible resources you may need to be safe and to thrive. We will use the power and privileges that we have to advocate on behalf of all Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross students, and to continue building a more inclusive and welcoming community. Please reach out to any one of us. We are here for you.
Nov. 27
Michael J. Crowe professor emeritus
Happy Birthday: embracing and dealing with inevitable changes will end up being a saving grace. Well-thought-out home and business plans can be strategically put into play. An honest assessment of what you want to do, what you are capable of doing and what you should be doing will be necessary if you are going to excel. your numbers are 6, 17, 23, 25, 31, 38, 42.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): step into unfamiliar territory. Whether you visit someplace new or try something you’ve never done before, it will help you make a decision with regards to your next goal. A financial gain or negotiation looks promising.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): share a creative idea with someone you respect, and together you will find a way to turn it into a reality. Improving your health, fitness and appearance will enhance your personal life as well. romance is highlighted.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take care of business. hiding from what needs to be addressed will only make matters worse. say what’s on your mind and offer solutions that will counter any negativity that springs up. show your strengths and encourage others to step up.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): don’t trust anyone who offers free information. research anything you are considering before you make a decision or a move. Trust in your own skills and experience to help you reach whatever goals you set. start small and build.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): What are you waiting for? It’s your turn to take action and make things happen. engage in discussions with people you feel can help you reach your goals. Turn something you enjoy doing into a fun way to bring in extra cash.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Protect your home, assets and your reputation. someone is likely to portray you as something you are not. Let your actions speak for you by following through with your promises and plans and by doing what’s best for everyone.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Live and learn. make a point to gather as much information as possible from the people you know you can trust. A change at home will grow into a dilemma if you aren’t willing to speak up about your concerns.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): share feelings and you will get the go-ahead to move forward. changes you implement at home will inspire you to take on a new venture. Love is in the stars, and making special travel plans with someone you love is encouraged.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): check out what’s going on behind the scenes. The better informed you are, the better you will do. don’t leave anything to chance and believe only in what you determine to be fact. don’t give in to emotional mind games.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Present and promote what you want to do. how others perceive you will make a difference in the support you receive. A practical, well-thought-out strategy will inspire positive gains and reassurance that you are on the right track.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Listen to other people’s problems and show encouragement, but don’t take on what doesn’t belong to you. engage in prospects that have your best interests at heart, and you will make lucrative decisions based on smart negotiations.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): be true to yourself and to your beliefs. don’t let anyone twist your arm or coax you into doing something that doesn’t feel right. Let your creative imagination and intuition guide you to what works best for you. Love is highlighted.
Birthday Baby: you are adaptable, conscientious and hardworking. you are a team player.
Jumble | dAvId hoyT And Jeff knurek
sudoku | The mePhAm grouP
Redhawks fly under the radar
Daniel O’Boyle Sports Writer
In any college football season, there’s always plenty of stories occurring at the same time. It’s one of the great things about the sport. The huge number of different teams, often competing for very different goals, means you can find something interesting almost anywhere you look.
This year, you’ve got Alabama’s crushing dominance of everything in its way; Michigan’s continued success under Jim Harbaugh making The Game the biggest moment of the season; potentially the biggest playoff conundrum the committee has faced so far; the massive disappointments of Texas, Michigan State and Notre Dame; the rise and fall of Lamar Jackson and Louisville.
Look to the Group of Five and there’s a few more stories: Houston’s big game victories and shocking defeats, Navy’s offense rolling under Will Worth after Keenan Reynolds graduated and his replacement got injured, star running backs Jeremy McNichols and Donnel Pumphrey, P.J. Fleck’s incredible success with Western Michigan. Or how about the team with the fifth-best record in the same conference as Fleck? How about a 6-6 MAC team, what’s the story there?
Well, Miami (Ohio) isn’t just any 6-6 MAC team.
The Redhawks have been FBS bottom-feeders for the previous five seasons, with their last bowl-eligible season coming in 2010. In 2013, they lost every game, and they won only five in the next two seasons combined. Miami has had its moments of success, being coached by Bo Schembechler in the 1960s and quarterbacked by Ben Roethlisberger at the start of this decade, but has experienced a decade as one of the worst teams in the FBS. To most fans, its claims to fame in football would come from confusion with their more successful namesake in Florida — or
for trivia aficionados, being one of four schools to count both a U.S. President and a Super Bowl winningquarterback as alumni. This year looked to be no different. The Redhawks started off 0-6, including a loss to Eastern Illinois, who have found consistent FCS mediocrity since star quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo left.
In their fifth game, against Ohio, the Redhawks lost sophomore quarterback Billy Bahl to a shoulder injury and hopes of even matching 2015’s three wins became slim. At 0-6, with Bahl’s true freshman replacement Noah Wezensky looking unimpressive, ESPN’s Football Power Index rated Miami as the 114th-best team in the country, with a 0.3 percent chance of winning out.
But win out they did, thanks in part to new sophomore quarterback Gus Ragland, who has quietly become one of the best players outside the Power-5 conferences. After missing the spring with an injury, Ragland has thrown 15 touchdown passes for the Redhawks this year, and is still yet to throw a single interception in 149 attempts this year and 178 career attempts. A shot at winning the MAC was too much to ask, as Ohio’s head-to-head victory over the Redhawks will see them face Fleck’s Central Michigan team, but Ragland has earned Miami a bowl game and a perfect springboard for greater success next year.
At first glance, a .500 record for a team in a small conference and a chance to play in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl with another Group of Five opponent isn’t one of the memorable stories from 2016. But if you look closely, there’s always something interesting going on.
That’s the great thing about college football.
Contact Daniel O’Boyle at doboyle1@nd.edu
The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Lions enter stretch with chance at division title
Associated Press
CALLEN PARK, Mich.
— The Detroit Lions are alone in first place, and their top competitors in the NFC North have been floundering.
It’s an opportunity for the Lions to win their first division title since 1993 — but their outlook could change awfully quickly if the next few weeks go badly.
“Confidence is building, but one thing we know about the league is, it will humble you,” defensive lineman Kerry Hyder said.
The Lions play three of their next four games on the road, starting this weekend at New Orleans. With road games against the New York Giants and Dallas also coming up, there are plenty of potential pitfalls awaiting a Detroit team that is in this position only because of its success in close games.
The Lions (7-4) haven’t had a game decided by more than seven points all season. They’ve won enough of them to take a one-game lead over Minnesota in the division, and Detroit has the tiebreaker over the Vikings after sweeping them. But the Lions have room for improvement in all phases.
“Like anything else in our system, we can get better,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “We can get better defensively. We can get better offensively. We can get better in our kicking game.”
Detroit has had its share of chances recently to end its division title drought. In 2011, the Lions won their first five games, but they finished 10-6, well behind Green Bay. In 2013, the Lions were 6-3 and in sole possession of first place. The Packers were dealing with major injury problems, but Detroit lost six of its last seven games, costing coach Jim Schwartz his job.
The following season, the Lions went 11-5 but lost a showdown at Green Bay in a regular-season finale that decided the division.
Detroit has won six of its last seven after beating Minnesota on Thanksgiving, and the Vikings have dropped five of six. Green Bay is below .500. If the Lions win two of their remaining five games, that might be enough to keep them in first place. They have home games against Chicago and Green Bay still to come.
The road games will be tough, though, starting with
Sunday at New Orleans.
“Obviously Drew (Brees) has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league for a long time, pretty prolific. Those guys have been together,” Caldwell said. “He’s been in the same system.”
The Saints (5-6) aren’t in great shape in the playoff race, but unlike Minnesota, New Orleans has been playing fairly well lately . The Saints have won five of eight since an 0-3 start.
New Orleans has scored at least 32 points in six of its 11 games. Detroit has reached that total only once.
“They have a powerful offense,” Hyder said. “They can run the ball well, they can throw the ball deep well. As a defense, we’ve got to bring our lunch pails.”
NOTES: TE Brandon Pettigrew, who tore his left anterior cruciate ligament late last year and hasn’t played at all this season, spoke for a bit in the locker room Monday. He did not rule out the possibility of returning this weekend. “We’ll see where it goes. I’m not going to say for certain,” he said. ... The Lions signed TE Logan Thomas to the practice squad and released LB Brandon Chubb from the practice squad.
Top-ranked Wildcats take down Sun Devils
Associated Press
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — Freshman
De’Aaron Fox posted the second triple-double in school history with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to lead a dominating effort by No. 1 Kentucky in Monday night’s 115-69 victory over Arizona State.
Fellow rookie Malik Monk scored 23 points for the Wildcats (7-0), who dominated an undersized team and quickly turned the game into a romping display of their athleticism and ability to run in transition.
Kentucky led by double figures roughly 6 minutes in, led
58-30 by halftime then scored the first 12 points after the break to go up 40 with 15 minutes left.
Sam Cunliffe scored 14 points for the Sun Devils (4-3), who shot just 34 percent while the Wildcats scored 21 points off turnovers.
The game, billed as the Atlantis Showcase, was played at the same ballroom-turnedarena that hosted last week’s Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas.
big picture
Arizona State: Coach Bobby Hurley knew it would be a tough task to slow the Wildcats
and noted his team would have to avoid turnovers to do so. Instead, the overmatched and undersized Sun Devils had as many turnovers as baskets in the first 8 minutes and could manage little more than to fire up 3-pointers.
Kentucky: Coach John Calipari said Sunday he wants to see how his team handles a close game. The Wildcats still haven’t gotten one; their closest margin has been 21 points and this one was no different than the rest. And one day after Calipari praised the way his team shares the ball, Kentucky managed 33 assists on 44 baskets.
ncAA men’S bASketbAll | KENTUCKY 115, ARIzONA STATE 69
W bball
con T inued from Page 12
The irish were unfazed by the move, continuing the game where they left off and recording a 40-point win. Turner had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the i rish, while sophomore guard marina mabrey scored 27 points.
against the horned frogs (41), the i rish struggled to pull away through the first half, but trailed for only 11 seconds of action as two early fouls in a four-minute span kept Turner sidelined and the irish lead never grew beyond seven points. Late in the third quarter, though, the game changed. a fter a jumper with 5:24 remaining in the third quarter made the score 49-47, Tcu would not make another field goal until the horned frogs trailed 85-54, four i rish starters were on the bench and only 3:39 remained in the game. notre dame head coach muffet mcgraw said her team has to expect their opponents to begin games the way the horned frogs did.
“They came out fired up,” mcgraw said. “That’s what we’re going to get, everybody’s best shot, and we’re going to withstand that and make our own run and that’s what happened in the first half. They’re confident, they’re 4-0, they have nothing to lose, they’re playing very loose and then when we made a run that was when they just weren’t able to sustain the emotion.”
“Tcu’s a really good team. They’re just really good. They have a lot of weapons, great shooters, they play hard on defense. They’re going to win a lot of games.”
Turner scored 18 points for the i rish — 16 in the second half — while sophomore guard a rike ogunbowale scored 19, shooting 5-of-6 from 3-point range. mcgraw said Turner’s return
Irish senior guard Lindsay Allen dribbles upcourt during the team’s 71-60 win against
Louisiana-Lafayette, she recorded her 1,000th career point, and she posted her
to the game and the threat she poses in the post allowed her entire team to succeed.
“she gives everyone confidence because we have another way to attack teams,” mcgraw said. “now they’ve got to worry about the inside, which opens up the outside. so a rike gets free, marina gets free for a couple of threes. The pressure on the defense becomes, ‘We’ve got to stop the inside game.’ it just changes things. it also helps out rebounding, so we’re able to get out in transition a lot more. so the rebounding, the pushing of the ball i thought was a big key in that stretch where we opened
up the lead.”
senior guard Lindsay a llen tallied 12 assists, giving her notre dame career in the first half. a fter scoring her 1,000th point against the ragin’ cajuns, a llen became one of only four irish players in program history to score 1,000 points and make 600 assists.
notre dame will next be in action Wednesday, when it faces iowa in the acc/big Ten challenge. The game begins at 9 p.m. at iowa’s carver-hawkeye a rena.
Contact Daniel O’Boyle at doboyle1@nd.edu
Paid a dverT isemen T
Paid a dverT isemen T
ALLISON CULVER | The Observer
Washington at Purcell Pavilion on Nov. 20. Against
600th career assist against TCU.
men’s soccer | LoUIsvILLe 3, nd 1
Irish fall in third round of NCAA tournament
By MANNY DE JESUS sports Writer
For the third season in a row, n o. 20 n otre d ame’s c ollege c up run came to a halt in the third round of the nc AA c hampionships, as the Irish lost 3-1 to n o. 9 Louisville on s unday.
The two teams had previously faced off s ept. 16, and it didn’t take long for the c ardinals (14-5-2, A cc 5-21) to prove that their first win over the Irish (12-7-2, A cc 3-3-2) wasn’t a fluke. In the 15th minute of s unday’s match, Louisville junior forward m ohamed Thiaw, who led the c ardinals this season with 12 goals, followed a shot that rebounded off the crossbar and fired the ball through the inside of the right post for a goal.
Junior forward and A cc o ffensive Player of the Year Jon Gallagher gave the Irish their lone opportunity of the first half in the 19th minute, but his shot from 18 yards out was saved by the Louisville goalkeeper. e ven
with the missed opportunity, the Irish were confident that their first-half offense was bound to convert a shot into a score.
Just nine minutes into the second half, Gallagher and the offense found the critical equalizer after junior forward Jeffrey Farina led Gallagher with a pass that allowed him to speed past the defense and connect with the back of the net for his 14th score of the season.
Unfortunately for the Irish, the offense wasn’t able to follow up with the momentum of the goal.
“I thought the equalizer was destined to happen because we were dominant mostly for the first 50 minutes of play,” junior midfielder b lake Townes said.
“After the goal, we lost our mojo a little bit. We struggled to connect our passes and transition out. I’m not exactly sure why, but this let them come back into the game and eventually score
notre dame played two games over Thanksgiving week, and in each game, everything changed in a single moment.
Against Louisiana-Lafayette in houston, the Irish (6-0) and the ragin’ cajuns (2-2) had to move venues after a power outage just before halftime on their way to a 91-51 victory. Against TcU, only one venue was needed, but the Irish took over what looked to be a close contest in the third quarter and turned it into a comfortable victory.
In what was supposed to be a homecoming game for junior forward brianna Turner in her home city’s campbell center, the Irish held a 19-15 lead at the end of the first quarter before a 17-0 run helped them towards a 38-17 lead with 2:38 remaining in the half. but with an uneventful, comfortable win looking likely, the power failed. both teams were forced to leave and continue the game at r ice University’s Tudor Fieldhouse, 21 miles away.
nd to put perfect record on line
By ALEX CARSON Assistant managing e ditor
After a 3-0 week, a n ovember tournament title and a 6-0 start, n otre d ame returns to the hardwood Tuesday night against a surprisingly familiar opponent: Iowa.
For the third time in four seasons, the h awkeyes (3-3) and Irish will face off in the early stages of the season — Iowa took a 98-93 game d ec. 3, 2013, in the A cc / b ig Ten c hallenge, while n otre d ame was victorious last n ovember at the Advo c are Invitational. This week, it’s a chance for the h awkeyes to make the trip to s outh b end, and Irish head coach m ike b rey expects to share a laugh tomorrow with h awkeyes head coach Fran m c c affery.
“I am tired of Iowa, and he’s tired of n otre d ame, I’m sure,” b rey said. “We’ll laugh about it tomorrow night, but it’s funny.”
While it will be the first time m c c affery coaches the h awkeyes in s outh b end, he’s far from unfamiliar
with Purcell Pavilion. h e spent 11 years at n otre d ame as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under d igger Phelps and John m acLeod.
“I think it’ll be neat to have Fran back here,” b rey said. “I’ve always thanked Fran over the years. First of all, we’re very good friends from back when he was an assistant here and I was at d uke. b ut, [I] always thanked him for the cupboard not being bare when I got here in 2000. A lot of young men that he recruited helped me get off to a good start, so I always thank him for that when we’re on the road in July.”
While the h awkeyes have struggled early in the season, b rey said Tuesday’s showdown will be between two teams that can put up points, singling out h awkeyes senior guard Peter Jok, who’s averaging 25.3 points per game, as a big threat.
“A heck of an offensive team — they’re really gifted
KATHLEEN DONAHUE | The Observer
Irish junior midfielder Blake Townes fights for the ball against a Spartans player during Notre Dame’s 1-0 loss to Michigan State at Alumni Stadium on Oct. 25.
men’s basketball
PaGe
ALLISON CULVER | The Observer
Irish junior forward Brianna Turner looks to shoot during a 71-67 win over Green Bay at Purcell Pavilion on Nov. 17.
score at 10-7.
Then, with just under two minutes left before the half, the two quick scores put USC firmly in the lead, 24-7. And that shift in momentum caused Kelly to keep his team in the rain for a few minutes at the half to speak to them on the field.
“[The visitor’s locker room] is a very difficult place to talk,” Kelly said as to why he kept his team on the field at the start of halftime. “It’s broken up, and I can’t see their eyes; I can’t see them and talk to them. I needed to make a couple of important points. I had already thought about this prior to the game — that if I needed to make a couple points to the team, I wanted to do it out on the field, regardless of what other people thought. … And that gave me that opportunity.”
A fumble by USC’s Jackson would give some life to the Irish to start the second half, as Notre Dame took over at the Trojans 40-yard line and scored 10 plays later when Kizer connected with sophomore receiver Chris Finke for a 14-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 24-14.
However, that life was shortlived, as Jackson would make up
for his mistake on the fifth play of the Trojans’ ensuing drive, taking a short pass from Darnold 52 yards down the sideline and putting the Trojans back up 17, 31-14. Jackson was far from down, however, as he would single-handedly shift the momentum again with just 1:01 left in the third quarter. Following another Irish touchdown, Jackson returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for his third touchdown of the day — and largest chunk of his 291 all purpose yards — to bring the score to 38-21.
“Obviously, he’s a good player,” Irish captain and senior linebacker James Onwualu said of Jackson. “He’s slippery, fast and he has a special niche in the return game, and he displayed that tonight. … They use him for big plays, and that’s what he did. He’s a playmaker.”
The Trojans would add another touchdown in the fourth quarter after a targeting penalty on sophomore defensive back Nicco Fertitta offset a forced fumble and recovery for the Irish. Although Kelly said after the game that he did not think the sophomore had any intent to target and called it “an aggressive play,” the damage had already been done: Fertitta was ejected following a review of the hit, and the Trojans extended
their lead to 45-21 just four plays later on another Darnold touchdown pass.
And while the Irish would add a touchdown in the closing minutes — and fail to convert the 2-point attempt — to draw the score to its closing mark of 45-27, the Irish would end their season without a bowl berth for the first time since 2009, when a 6-6 Notre Dame declined to play in one.
After the game, Kelly acknowledged his team’s record was not what he or Notre Dame was expecting or hoping for, but he said he also believes it doesn’t reflect the quality of this team or the potential for their success in the near future.
“I thought we could play with anybody this year,” Kelly said. “We just have not been able to sustain consistent performances for four quarters. We’ve shown a propensity for self-inflicted wounds, be it special teams or offense or defense. We’ve eliminated a lot, and they’re all correctable through experience and our offseason program. Though our seniors won’t get much credit, they carried a big burden for the success of our program down the road.”
Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu
Scoring Summary
u S c 3, noTr E D am E 0
matt boermeester 37-yard field goal
10:22 remaining
Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 4:38 elapsed
noTr E D am E 7, u Sc 3
DeShone Kizer l-yard rush (Justin Yoon kick)
9:51 remaining
Drive: Two plays, 75 yards, 0:31 elapsed
u S c 10, noTr E D am E 7
ronald Jones II 51-yard rush (boermeester kick)
7:08 remaining
Drive: Seven plays, 75 yards 2:43 elapsed
uS c 17, n oTr E Dam E 7
Adoree’ Jackson 55-yard punt return (boermeester kick)
“Keys to today’s game: I thought that any time in this weather, you’re hoping for non-offensive touchdowns, and we got three of them,” Helton said. “That’s like an early Christmas present.”
The first in a long line of miscues for Notre Dame came with 1:38 left in the first half. backed up on their own 10 yard-line, the Irish looked to punt and hold the Trojans on one last drive before the half. graduate student Scott Daly snapped the ball over junior punter Tyler Newsome’s head, and the ball rolled out of the end zone in what would have been a safety. Luckily for the Irish, the officials blew the play dead, as substitutions were still taking place.
On the next snap, the Irish special teams unit messed up — and this time, it counted. Newsome’s punt sailed to the USC 45-yard line, where it was caught by Trojans junior defensive back Adoree’ Jackson. Jackson cut to his left, shook a tackle and took the punt 55 yards for a USC touchdown, putting the Trojans up 17-7. Then, with a little over a minute left on the clock, the Irish offense looked to get those points back and gain momentum before the half. but on his second pass of the drive, junior quarterback DeShone Kizer delivered a pass straight to Trojans redshirt sophomore defensive back Ajene Harris, who ran the short 33 yards into the end zone.
Two mistakes in quick succession changed a modest 10-7 halftime lead into a commanding 24-7 advantage for USC. One the Irish were unable to come back from.
Helton pointed to Jackson’s return before halftime as a key to the USC victory.
“To be able to give us the spark on a sloppy day — that game got closer for a second there — and to be able to put it in [Jackson’s] hands offensively, a big-time player, we needed an explosive play,” Helton said. “He spoke volumes today.”
Kelly addressed his whole team on the field before heading into the locker room, and the Irish showed signs of making a comeback in the third quarter. Irish freshman Julian Love forced a fumble on Notre Dame’s first punt of the half and another freshman, Troy p ride Jr., recovered it on the only stellar special teams moment of the contest. On the ensuing drive, Notre Dame got a touchdown to bring the game back within 10 points.
Despite the forced fumble, the same old special teams mistakes shut down the Irish comeback attempt as quickly as it started. Near the end of the third quarter, Jackson took an Irish kickoff at the 3-yard line. The belleville, Illinois, native exploded down the sideline, broke a tackle and hurdled the kicker on his way to a 97-yard score to add to the Trojans lead at 38-21.
“I knew right when the kick was going off. I was thinking I was overdue for a kick return,” Jackson said. “I was thinking I needed to get something. I just
got scored on, so I had to make up for it.”
Unfortunately for Irish fans, Jackson did more than make up for his getting beat in coverage on Notre Dame’s previous touchdown. In addition to the two special teams touchdowns, Jackson added a receiving touchdown to his stat sheet and finished the game with 291 all-purpose yards.
“The returns and reception were just great blocks by everybody,” Jackson said. “They made it look easier than it was. I knew something special would happen when I trust them and just follow the block and run toward them. They set things up, and it makes a highlight play.”
Love admitted Jackson’s athleticism gave the Irish special teams problems.
“I played against a couple guys who are really fast and good returners. He was a really good returner,” Love said. “Just another return. It’s unfortunate.
“We’ll just have to play it better next time.”
That next time for Notre Dame’s special teams will have to wait until next season, when the Irish take the field against Temple on Sept. 2, 2017. but with the poor play of the special teams unit all year, Kelly said coaching changes are a real possibility.
“everything’s on the table,” Kelly said. “I’ve always felt the blend of continuity and change is the sweet spot. We need to clearly look at where that mix is.”
Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu
uS c 31, n oTr E Dam E 14
Jackson 52-yard pass from Sam Darnold (boermeester kick)
12:39 remaining
Drive: Five plays, 79 yards, 2:27 elapsed
u S c 31, noTr E D am E 21
Kevin Stepherson 29-yard pass from Kizer (Yoon kick)
3:49 remaining
Drive: Six plays, 83 yards, 1:44 elapsed
u S c 38, noTr E D am E 21
Jackson 97-yard kick return (boermeester kick) 0:47 remaining
u S c 45, noTr E D am E 21
JuJu Smith-Schuster 2-yard pass from Darnold (Slye kick)
9:13 remaining
Drive: Five plays, 61 yards, 2:14 elapsed
u S c 45, noTr E D am E 27
eqanimeous St. brown 15-yard pass from malik Zaire (2-point failed) 1:02
Drive: Five plays, 55 yards, 0:30 elapsed
IrIsh hIt the end of the road
Notre Dame ended its season Saturday in Los Angeles with a 45-27 loss to USC. The Irish were one minute away from going into halftime trailing only 10-7, but a punt-return touchdown by Adoree’ Jackson and an Ajene Harris interception returned for a touchdown broke the game open for the Trojans, who did not relinquish the lead the rest of the game.
MICHAEL YU | The Observer
Irish junior quarterback DeShone Kizer struggles to break a tackle during Notre Dame’s 45-27 loss to USC on Saturday in Los Angeles. Kizer went 17-of-32 on the day for 220 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Kizer is eligable to enter the NFL Draft this spring and has not declared whether or not he will return to Notre Dame next season.
MICHAEL YU | The Observer
Irish senior defensive back Cole Luke attempts to break up a pass on Saturday.
MICHAEL YU | The Observer
Irish sophomore receiver C.J. Sanders is tackled on a kickoff return in Saturday’s loss.
MICHAEL YU | The Observer Josh Adams, center, takes a handoff during Notre Dame’s 45-27 loss to USC in Los Angeles.
MICHAEL YU | The Observer Irish sophomore running back Josh Adams catches a pass during Saturday’s loss to USC in Los Angeles. Adams rushed for 180 yards.
MICHAEL YU | The Observer Junior Tyler Newsome punts the ball away during Notre Dame’s 45-27 loss to USC.
