Print Edition of The Observer for Friday, January 19, 2018

The independent

To uncover

newspaper serving

the truth

Notre Dame and

and report

Saint Mary’s

it accurately

Volume 52, Issue 64 | friday, january 19, 2018 ndsmcobserver.com

Students participate in national march Record numbers of University, College students travel to Washington, D.C., for annual March for Life

By KELLI SMITH News Writer

Over 1,000 Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross College students and community members will be marching in Washington, D.C. on Friday as part of the 45th March for Life.

Founded in 1974 to peacefully protest the Roe v. Wade decision — a Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the U.S. — the March for Life is an annual organized march to the Supreme Court building held on or around the anniversary of the 1973 decision.

The Notre Dame Right to Life club has organized trips to D.C. to allow students and faculty to march alongside hundreds of thousands of attendees from across the nation. The club’s president, senior Sarah Drumm, said attending the march revitalizes

the pro-life movement by showing students they are not alone in their beliefs.

“The March for Life is a unique event in the sense that it allows us to take part in the national movement for life and really take a step outside of South Bend,” she said.

“Having the opportunity to go and march with thousands of other individuals who are just as passionate as we are about supporting and protecting life, especially the most vulnerable, is just a really powerful and inspiring thing.”

According to the March for Life website, the two-hour march starts at the National Mall and will feature a rally, a musical performance and speeches by President Donald Trump, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, various members of Congress and Pamela see MARCH PAGE 3

Observer File Photo

Students rally outside of Main Building for March for Life in January 2016, when the trip was canceled due to weather. Students from the tri-campus community will travel to this year’s march this weekend.

College opens Angela Athletic Facility updates

By SYDNEY DOYLE News Writer

The Angela Athletic Facility is now open at Saint Mary’s and features all-new gym equipment, as well as multiple lounges, television viewing spaces and a brand new cafe.

Murphy’s Cafe tested the waters this week by giving out free samples of its healthy food options in hopes to get feedback on the new menu.

Sophomore Haley Roecker said she has tried multiple items from the new cafe and is happy with the kinds of food being offered.

“The new cafe is amazing,” she said. “Personally, I have tried the Le Mans and McCandless smoothies and the veggie wrap. For the smoothies, they used all fresh fruit and they were delicious. All of the menu options are healthy, which I think is a great alternative for Saint Mary’s to have.”

Senior lacrosse player Liana

NEWS PAGE 2

O’Grady said she is thankful the facility was completed before she graduated, as she believes it will increase opportunities for both her team and other Saint Mary’s teams sharing the space.

“The new Angela offers everything we need to practice and become the great Division III college that we believe we are,” she said in an email.

“With more court space, improved training facilities and our own locker rooms, we are able to become more focused on our sport, rather than trying to juggle practice times and workout classes with the rest of the community. I believe the improvements to Angela will make other teams and recruits take us more seriously when they come to our campus.”

O’Grady said she is excited for the new cafe because it ties the Saint Mary’s community together while also expanding options in dining.

“I believe by offering healthier options and

SCENE PAGE 5

delicious smoothies, the cafe will encourage the Saint Mary’s community to expand their taste buds and be more conscious about making healthier choices,” O’Grady said. “The cafe also has fun names for their food options, for example, the smoothies are named after the dorms on campus. This adds a personal touch and connection to Saint Mary’s that the community can all relate to.”

Senior Shaianne ChavezFields, said she likes the open concept of the new facility, as well as its natural lighting, which she described as a nice change from other more closed-off buildings on campus. One of her professors hosts office hours in the new cafe and Chavez-Fields said she hopes other professors will also begin to utilize the new building.

“We have a class in there which is really great,“ she said. “I think it would be cool see ANGELA PAGE 3

VIEWPOINT PAGE 7

Irish dance team hosts annual showcase

By MORGAN JOHNSON News Writer

The Notre Dame/Saint Mary’s Irish dance team is shaking down thunder this weekend with its annual showcase “Celtic Thunder.” The group will perform traditional Irish dances with a modern twist in the hopes of providing the student body with a engaging cultural experience.

The showcase will take place in Washington Hall on the main stage Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m.

The team has been preparing for the upcoming performances since the fall semester. To further polish and perfect the dances, the team has been rehearsing for five hours each night this week.

Saint Mary’s senior and copresident of the Irish dance team Alanna O’Donnell said the dances create an intriguing and charming performance.

“We have a few fun numbers

ND W BASKETBALL PAGE 12

planned,” she said. “Some of the girls made up their own dances, so we’re really excited to show what we’ve come up with and what we’ve been working on all semester.”

Notre Dame senior and copresident Michaela Fallon said this year’s showcase is focused on integrating conventional Irish dances with more contemporary steps.

“The audience can expect a lot of traditional Irish step dancing but also a lot of stuff with a more modern take,” Fallon said.

“We have a few numbers from ‘Riverdance’ and ‘Lord of the Dance,’ so if people have seen that they might be more familiar with that style of performance dancing. We like to take traditional Irish dancing and jazz it up a little bit.”

As the weekend of the showcase approached, the team adhered to a strict schedule of when see DANCE PAGE 3

men’s basketball PAGE 12

2

TODAY

The observer | Friday, january 19, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

Have a question you want answered?

Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com

What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen?

P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Editor-in-Chief Ben Allan Padanilam Joseph Managing Editor Business Manager Megan Doyle Managing Editor Jeff Liptak Katie Galioto

Asst. Managing Editor: Andrew Owens

Asst. Managing Editor: Marek Editor: Sam Stryker Mazurek

Asst. Managing News Editor: Rachel Editor: John Cameron O’Grady

Asst. Managing News Editor: Megan Editor: KristenValley Durbin

Viewpoint Editor: Meghan Thomassen

Sports News Editor: Courtney Editor: Chris Allen Becker

Viewpoint Scene Editor: Mary KevinFreeman Noonan

Saint Mary’s Sports Editor: Elizabeth Editor: Jillian Barwick Greason

Photo Scene Editor: Suzanna Editor: Adam Ramos Pratt

Saint Graphics Mary’s Editor: Martha Editor: BrandonReilly Keelean

Multimedia Photo Editor: Chris Editor: Sarah Collins O’Connor

Advertising Graphics Manager: Monica Editor: Lauren Weldon McCormack

Advertising Ad Design Manager: Molly Manager: Sara Hilstrom McCarthy Controller:

Advertising Manager: Alexandra Peter Woo Pucillo

Systems Ad Design Administrator: Manager: Madison William Heineman Riehle Office Manager & General Info Office Manager & General Info

Kelly Straub

Therese Douglass

freshman Pasquerilla West Hall

freshman Flaherty Hall

“Tropic Thunder.”

“Treasure Planet.”

Kristine Kelly

Noelle Pierce

junior off campus

junior Pasquerilla East Hall

“Jack and Jill.”

“Under the Skin.”

John Duffy

Brendan Egan

freshman Stanford Hall

freshman Dillon Hall

“USS Indianapolis.”

“Click.”

Ph: (574) 631-7471 Ph: (574) 631-7471 Fax: (574) 631-6927 Fax: (574) 631-6927 Advertising Advertising

(574) 631-6900 ads@ndsmcobserver.com (574) 631-6900 ads@ndsmcobserver.com Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief

(574) 631-4542 bpadanil@nd.edu (574) 631-4542 ajoseph2@nd.edu Managing Editor Managing Editor

(574) 631-4542 kgalioto@nd.edu (574) 631-4542 mdoyle11@nd.edu Assistant Managing Editors Assistant Managing Editors

(574) 631-4541 mmazurek@nd.edu, (574) 631-4541 aowens2@nd.edu rogrady@nd.edu, mvalley@nd.edu sstryke1@nd.edu Business Office Business Office

(574) 631-5313 (574) 631-5313 News Desk News Desk

(574) 631-5323 news@ndsmcobserver.com (574) 631-5323 obsnews.nd@gmail.com Viewpoint Desk Viewpoint Desk

(574) 631-5303 viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com (574) 631-5303 obsviewpoint@gmail.com Sports Desk Sports Desk

(574) 631-4543 sports@ndsmcobserver.com (574) 631-4543 observersports@gmail.com Scene Desk Scene Desk

(574) 631-4540 scene@ndsmcobserver.com (574) 631-4540 Observer.Scene.Editor@gmail.com Saint Mary’s Desk Saint Mary’s Desk

mreilly01@saintmarys.edu jbarwi01@saintmarys.edu Photo Desk Photo Desk

(574) 631-8767 photo@ndsmcobserver.com (574) 631-8767 obsphoto@gmail.com Systems & Web Administrators Systems & Web Administrators

(574) 631-8839 (574) 631-8839

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

The news is reported as accurately and objectively The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors.

Assistant Managing Editors and department editors.

Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer. the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged. expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged.

Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information. contact information.

Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Ben Padanilam. to Editor-in-Chief Allan Joseph.

Post Office Information Post Office Information The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through

The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except during exam and vacation periods.

Friday except during and is vacation A subscription to Theexam Observer $130 forperiods. one academic year; $75 A subscription to The Observer is $130 for one academic year; $75 for one semester. for semester.

Theone Observer is published at: The South Observer is published at: 024 Dining Hall 024 South Dining Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame and additional mailing Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame and additional mailing offices offices POSTMASTER POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: SendObserver address corrections to: The The P.O. Observer Box 779 P.O. South Box 779 024 Dining hall 024 South Dining hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-077 Notre Dame, IN The Observer is a46556-077 member of the Associated Press.

The Observer is a member the Associated Press.

All reproduction rights areof reserved.

All reproduction rights are reserved.

Today’s Staff News

Sports

Natalie Weber Alexandra Muck Serena Zacharias

Tobias Hoonhout Stephen Hannon Mary Steurer

Graphics

Scene

Dominique DeMoe

Brian Boylen

Photo

Viewpoint

Ann Curtis

Mary Freeman

Corrections The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at (574) 631-4541 so we can correct our error.

The next Five days:

Want your event included here?

Email news@ndsmcobserver.com

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

L.A. Theatre Works: “The Mountaintop” Leighton Concert Hall 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Part of annual MLK Week celebration.

Dance Performance

by UZIMA! Leighton Concert Hall 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Lead by Kelly Morgan and James Riley ’94.

Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Additional Mass served at 11:45 a.m.

MLK Celebration Luncheon Joyce Center 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Event is free but ticketed.

Faculty Caregivers Support Group 103 Coleman-Morse noon - 1 p.m.

Open to all faculty members.

Hockey vs.

Wisconsin Compton Ice Arena 7:35 p.m.

The Irish take on the Badgers.

Exhibit: Modern Women’s Prints Snite Museum of Art all day Styles from different cultural traditions.

Exhibition: “Money Worries” Snite Museum of Art all day Examines people’s perception of money.

Civil Rights Photography Snite Museum of Art 1:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Part of Walk the Walk Week.

Workshop: “Writing a Strong Grant Proposal” 110 Brownson Hall 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Open to all students.

Group organizes prom dress drive

By SELENA PONIO Associate News Editor

Junior Bryn Allen has started an organization that will help young local girls; all that contributors have to do is sift through their closet.

Allen came up with the idea of “SheCan Boutique” over this past winter break. The purpose of the organization is to collect gently used prom and homecoming dresses and distribute them to girls in the St. Joseph County school system. The idea, she said, is that financial burdens will not get in the way of letting these girls enjoy a milestone event in high school.

“We don’t want cloth to stand in the way from preventing girls to having a great night,” Allen said. “Kind of our motto … is that it’s not just about having a dress for the night, it’s about fostering self-confidence among girls who would not be able to attend their prom due to financial burdens.”

Allen said she originally got the idea for SheCan Boutique from her roommate, who was sifting through old clothes in her closet. Her roommate was getting rid all the clothes she did not wear anymore and then asked Allen if she wanted

an old dress of hers. The event got her thinking about all the dresses she never wears.

“Of all the college students here, probably most of them won’t wear their prom and homecoming dresses anymore,” she said. “The goal is we’re going to be collecting the dresses from girls at Notre Dame and then hopefully the community as well … and then we’ll be partnering with different schools in the area.”

The first collection of dresses will take place Friday in LaFortune Student Center, and the second will take place some time after spring break. In April, Allen plans on holding the organization’s first dress drive.

“We’re hoping that by doing these collections after significant breaks people have a chance to bring their dresses from home,” she said.

Allen said a lot of women at Notre Dame have already shown interest in donating some of their old homecoming and prom dresses. Allen herself has already set aside three of her old dresses.

She said both the donor and the receiver benefit, as the donor gets rid of clothes that would otherwise just be taking up space and the receiver gets to attend their school’s dance.

“It’s so much more than being stylish for a night,” she said. “It’s really about empowering young girls and showing them that they should be confident and proud of who they are.”

The donated dresses will be available completely free of charge to in-need girls in the St. Joseph County area. Allen said they might establish an application system where girls can state their need and reasons for wanting a dress, or she might contact with faculty at local schools to see if they know any students who may not be able to attend homecoming or prom due to financial reasons.

Allen said for now, the organization is just working on collecting homecoming and prom dresses, but that she hopes to expand in the future to collect tuxedos as well.

“I do know in general there’s a disparity between girls at Notre Dame and girls in the St. Joseph’s County,” she said. “We want to show every girl that whatever they want to do in this world they can do it whether that’s going to college, pursuing their dream jobs, getting married — that’s something that she can do.”

Contact Selena Ponio at sponio@nd.edu

NEWS

Dance Continued from page 1

to assign, choreograph and run specific dances during rehearsal times.

Fallon said she views the performances this weekend as a chance for the group to express their passion and dedication to a sport which many of them joined at a young age.

“We get an opportunity to share our weird activity that we do with the rest of campus and open people’s eyes to a form of dance they may not know about,” she said. “It’s not everyday that you meet someone who does Irish dance.”

The co-presidents said the main goal for this weekend was to have as many auditorium chairs filled as possible, as the showcase will raise money for the Ceili team to compete in Ireland this February. This subset of the Irish dance team has traveled to Ireland for a Ceili competition — a traditional dance showcase — for several years and has won six times.

The team will also travel to the University of Dayton this semester for an intercollegiate competition. O’Donnell said she hopes the dancers will bring back first place prizes to the Notre Dame campus.

In addition to this weekend’s

The observer | friday, january 19, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com

showcase, the Irish dance team has performed at an alumni dinner, the South Bend Celtic Festival, International Taste of South Bend, conferences and club events this year. The team will also perform at a basketball halftime show in February.

Freshman Colleen Bartlett said she joined the Irish dance team this past fall in hopes of furthering her dance career while becoming more involved in the Notre Dame community.

“As a new freshman, I’m bringing my 12 years of dance experience to my new team, but I’m also following the upperclassmen’s lead in terms of the expectations of being an Irish dancer at Notre Dame,“ she said. “Now that the showcase is this weekend, I’m excited to get to share this part of my life with my friends.”

A key feature of the Irish dance team at Notre Dame is its dedication to tradition, O’Donnell said.

“I hope we can carry on what we’ve been doing since this team started because everything is passed down,” she said. “We’ve always followed the past presidents in terms of past showcases. We just hope to carry on the legacy and continue to promote the team.”

Contact Morgan Johnson at mjohns56@nd.edu

Angela Continued from page 1

if a lot of other professors would incorporate the classes into the building and take advantage of this awesome facility we have.”

O’Grady said she also has classes in Angela, which is

March Continued from page 1

Tebow, the mother of NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, amongst others.

With support from sponsors such as Notre Dame’s Center for Ethics and Culture, Drumm said the March for Life commission within Notre Dame Right to Life sent 19 charter buses carrying an approximated, record-breaking 1,050 students and faculty to D.C. Thursday evening to participate in today’s march.

“I think the fact that Notre Dame sends hundreds of students every year really does make a statement,” she said. “I know the media doesn’t talk about the march a lot, but the more students we send the more likely we are to get noticed. I think it shows that this an issue that Notre Dame really does care about.”

One of the March for Life head Paid Advertisement

3

nice change from the normal classroom setting. This change of scenery is beneficial to her health, she said, and increases her energy during the day.

“I actually have two classes in Angela, which I enjoy because I am able to get something from the cafe before or after class, or even work

out,” O’Grady said. “By having these classes in Angela, I feel as though I am subconsciously being healthy and feel a closer tie to the healthy community and people around me that are using the new facility.”

commissioners, junior Nick Gabriele, said the trip includes putting rosaries on the buses, attending a mass with University President Fr. John Jenkins before the march and a Saturday morning mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in D.C. ”[The trip] is really a pilgrimage,” Gabriele said. “We’re going in a spirit of prayer and respect for life so it’s going to be a fun trip; everyone’s ... offering it up for a greater respect for life.”

Beginning last spring, Gabriele said, the commission focused on hitting the 1,000 mark of attendees this year by putting “a lot of ground effort” into advertising the event across campus with posters, dorm representatives and through the use of other outlets to reach people. Both Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s participants will be granted excused absences from Friday classes.

“We know that the Notre Dame

community is just so excited about it,” Gabriele said. “Because we hit that four-digit number, it’s now more than 10 percent of the undergraduate population going which is unbelievable. It really speaks to the importance of the issue to people here on campus.”

Gabriele said this will be his fourth year participating in the march and the atmosphere is always comprised of a joyful, happy crowd of people from all kinds of backgrounds.

“I’m excited for all the people I’m going to meet and all the people that everyone’s going to meet,” Gabriele said. “To just be a part of the energy that is there — it’s really something that you can’t explain; you can’t describe until you go and it’s something so special. I get the chills every year just being a part of it and I can’t wait to do it again.”

Contact Sydney Doyle at sdoyle01@saintmarys.edu

Contact Kelli Smith at ksmith67@nd.edu

Paid Advertisement

5

The observer | friday, january 19, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com

By MEGAN VALLEY Assistant Managing Editor

Jeff Rosenstock might be the oldest millennial alive, but his anxiety-driven punk attitude makes me feel like I’m 16 again — shockingly, perhaps, that’s a high compliment.

He has the ability to switch almost flippantly between sheer passion and excitement and overwhelming, perhaps even crippling anxiety and fear that can be hard to replicate outside of your teens. His newest album, “POST-,” nails those emotional fluctuations, but with a political edge.

There are no explicit references to what we are “POST,” but that doesn’t mean Rosenstock is especially subtle in his treatment of the 2016 election. His last album, “WORRY,” was released a month before the 2016 election and, in retrospect, sounds like a grim prediction of things to come. “POST-,” entirely recorded in less than 90 hours and released on New Year’s Day without promotion, further extends on that last album, now that it seems all those anxieties have actually come to fruition.

The result is a very DIY punk sound: rarely clean-cut, always raw. At points on the album, this sound inevitably skews more toward sloppy, but it isn’t nearly enough to ruin the listening experience.

“POST-” is a strange album, opening with the sevenminute “USA,” which bounces between power pop and synth-driven ambient interludes before a rallying gang vocal coda of “We’re tired and bored” and ends with “Let Them Win,” an 11-minute ordeal of a track that changes from a final call against the technically unnamed “them” who “Can make us feel afraid / And try to turn it

By GRACE WEISSEND Scene Writer

Tonya Harding is ready to tell the world how it all really went down. “I, Tonya” tells the true-life story of the former U.S. Olympic figure skater, culminating in the infamous Nancy Kerrigan knee-smashing incident. Based on real interviews with Tonya, her mother (Allison Janney), her ex-husband (a devastatingly likable Sebastian Stan) and her former bodyguard (Paul Walter Hauser), director Craig Gillespie pieces together Tonya’s life from childhood to the aftermath of her banishment from all figure skating associations. From her first skating lesson at 3 years old, the film dives deep into Tonya’s relationships to show how they shaped her journey to becoming an infamous Olympian.

It’s a factual, biographical sports movie, but “I, Tonya” does everything to lean out of biopic and sports cliches. While the narrative of Tonya’s life is told linearly, these moments are intercut with interview clips of the characters years after the Kerrigan incident. It almost feels like watching the movie with the characters themselves. The interviews also create a sense of Tonya being an unreliable narrator of her own life, as everyone seems to have a different version of the same story. Gillespie also included a few moments

into hate” before ending on a buzzy guitar solo halfway through and melting into a very long synthesizer drone.

“Let Them Win” seems to reiterate many of the themes presented in “USA,” but Rosenstock’s singing has an entirely different energy. In “USA,” he’s not just angry, he’s “Dumbfounded, downtrodden and dejected / Crestfallen, grief-stricken and exhausted.” But as the album prepares to close, he sounds, well, a little “tired and bored.”

That’s not a criticism of his performance, but rather is evidence of his ability to read the room and capture the mood of many Americans post-election. Many of them are angry and ready to rally, but there are still times where even in the wake of it all, the sheer amount of material to be outraged at is numbing and doesn’t — can’t — render the same reaction it did even a few months ago. Outrage, even if completely warranted, becomes a bit performative out of necessity. Even the song title suggests “Let them win,” even if it’s as in “Never going to.” It’s hopeful, but there is still a nihilistic quality that underlines the song. Parsing out whether he is genuinely hopeful or defeatist is unclear with lyrics like “They can steal our slice / For the hundredth time” and “They’re not going to win / Again,” because he clearly acknowledges how successful “they” have been before.

Between the weighty tracks that bookend the album, Rosenstock makes more explicit references to President Donald Trump, singing “After the tape leaked / I searched for answers” in reference to the now-infamous Access Hollywood tape and then being dismayed that “It’s not like any other job I know / If you’re a piece of s--- they don’t let you go” in “Yr Throat.” In the piano ballad “TV Stars,” he croons “TV stars don’t care about who you are.”

Rosenstock’s own mental health is also documented throughout, especially in “Powerlessness,” as he notes “This just dawned on me: / I haven’t spoken to another person in a week.” The song is frantic and jittery, as he obsessively checks his phone and even compares himself to a nervous kid. “All This Useless Energy” and “Beating My Head Against A Wall” are similarly anxious, though perhaps less frenzied, as he further explores the feeling of crushing futility against something so huge it seems unbeatable.

“POST-” is not just an album about Trump. Rosenstock is no fan or friend of him, but he seems far more concerned with and disappointed by the people surrounding him — especially with his use of “they” and “them,” rather than “he” and “him.” As the album closes, the feelings are still messy and perhaps some part of his will is broken, or at least a little banged up, but there’s a huge shift in “Let Them Win,” and he begins to speak as “we.”

when narrative Tonya addresses the camera directly.

The movie, like Tonya herself, is irreverent and reckless in the best possible way. “I, Tonya” is totally aware that audiences are drawn to the spectacle of Nancy Kerrigan having her knee smashed in at the order of Tonya’s bodyguard Shawn, but it refuses to hand the moment over without fleshing out everything that led up to it. It’s certainly not a lazy movie, which is what makes it a particularly challenging one.

Margot Robbie is spectacular as Tonya, fully capturing the grittiness of the skater’s allegedly abuse-filled upbringing. Robbie puts her range on display as she exhibits Tonya’s difficulty to balance her dark, lowerclass private life with the glamour and money of elite skating. Robbie draws the audience in for the entire 121 minute run time with her vulnerability, particularly in scenes detailing the physically abusive relationship Tonya had with ex-husband Jeff Gillooly. Robbie’s Tonya is individualistic, yet completely dependent on others, incapable of shame for her tough roots, yet yearning to be included in a sport that just wants to shut her out. The latter is hilariously exemplified when Tonya’s coach Diane (Julianne Nicholson) tells her mother that Tonya should have a fur coat to better fit in with the other skaters and present an air of normalcy to the judges, so Tonya’s father makes her one out of

squirrel pelts.

The balance between the moments that make you feel just a little bit queasy and the moments that are laugh-out-loud funny is one of the biggest strengths of “I, Tonya.” The stellar supporting cast provides lots of the laughs — particularly Janney in her Golden Globe– winning performance as Tonya’s mother, LaVona Golden. Janney is an absolute hoot as the stalled-out, five times divorced waitress who pushes her daughter to Olympic stardom, both emotionally and physically.

Janney is incredibly self-aware in her performance, creating a sense that LaVona sees all of the missteps in Tonya’s life before she makes them.

The film ends with a montage showcasing Tonya’s short-lived boxing career following her banishment from figure skating; this feels a little bit out of place, but it does a great job of demonstrating Tonya’s willingness to do whatever it takes to become someone different than who she really is — whether that’s by sewing her own skating costumes and wearing a squirrel coat or getting her lights knocked out and her blood spilled in the ring. Tonya’s never going down without a fight, and it’s that tenacity that makes “I, Tonya” such an honest and enjoyable watch.

Contact Megan Valley at mvalley@nd.edu

“POST-” Jeff Rosenstock Label: Polyvinyl Tracks: “USA,” “Powerlessness,” “TV Stars” If you like: AJJ, PUP, Pinegrove

Contact Grace Weissend at gweissen@nd.edu DOMINIQUE DeMOE | The Observer

6

The observer | friday, january 19, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com

Train of thoughts

Inside Column

Valentine’s Day on Ash Wednesday Elizabeth Greason Sports Editor

One of my high school teachers recently pointed out a distressing dilemma to me. This year, for the first time since 1945, Ash Wednesday w ill fall on Valentine’s Day. Now, w ith Valentine’s Day comes chocolate and candy. With Ash Wednesday comes Lent. And here, we reach an impasse.

Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day are simply not compatible.

Anyone who knows me may be wondering why I really care. Valentine’s Day is not a holiday that t y pically affects me in any real way (although my mom has proven to be a consistently great Valentine). But this collision of Valentine’s Day w ith a day of fasting does not only affect me. Think about any of the children in your life, in the world, for that matter. W hile I am far from immune to temptation, they are even less so. And while I like to think of my Catholic faith and my abilit y to give something up for Lent as at least reasonably established, for many of them, this w ill be one of the first times they w ill be truly attempting to understand Lent and stick w ith a Lenten promise. And their classrooms w ill be filled w ith chocolate, cupcakes and candy on day one. And let’s be honest, those are the go-to sacrifices for third-graders.

The way I see it, there are a few reasonable, albeit similar, solutions to this issue.

First, we could all just agree to celebrate Valentine’s Day a day early. Make it Feb. 13 this year. That way ever yone gets the best of both worlds: They can celebrate Valentine’s Day and at least have 24 hours on Mardis Gras to celebrate the day and the next day still marks the somber start of the Lenten Season.

Second, we could just do away w ith Valentine’s Day altogether — don’t w rite me off yet — and simply celebrate one of the best holidays of the year: Galentine’s Day, which just so happens to fall on Feb. 13 any way. Galentine’s Day is a great day. It tosses out the worst parts of Valentine’s Day and simply focuses on all things great about female friendship. So, by celebrating Galentine’s Day instead of Valentine’s Day, we get to walk the line of celebration and fasting. A celebration of love and friendship followed a day later by the true start of Lent, w ith no preoccupation about Valentine’s Day, giv ing those who desire to the abilit y to fast and start their Lenten promises on Ash Wednesday w ithout worr y ing about succumbing to the increased temptations that w ill surely surround them. W ho needs a Valentine when you have your Galentines?

Now, I realize it may seem a bit early to be talking about Valentine’s Day. But since I’m actually talking about essentially scrapping Valentine’s Day altogether here, there’s a bit of a movement to get going here — a month seems like a reasonable amount of time for a revolution.

Of course, there’s a third solution. We leave Valentine’s Day be and it just forces us all to be slightly better at whatever Lenten promise we’ve made, giv ing up chocolate or candy or the like. But where’s the fun in that?

Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Yizhi Hu Cultural Kaleidoscope

My experiences taking trains in the United States always threw me back to memories of China at the start of the millennium. My first train ride in the U.S. was an Amtrak to Chicago that was unfortunately delayed by more than an hour. Since then, I started taking the South Shore Line train that slowly crawls over the railway tracks and stops ever y t went y minutes.

W hen I recounted these experiences to a friend from China, he proudly concluded that “America is technologically falling behind in trains.” His conclusion was backed by the fact that China’s older trains have gradually been supplanted by the high-speed rail (HSR) since 2007. These HSRs spring at speeds of 250 to 350 kph, are equipped w ith equally impressive ser v ices and are sharply on time.

However, I am not w riting merely to boast about China’s trains and belittle those of the United States. Hav ing traveled in a number of countries by train, I have obser ved facets of trains that ref lect characteristics about their respective countries that are immeasurable in a purely technological sense. In China, for instance, breakthroughs in trains are seen as a demonstration of national strength, as the news frames them not only in absolute terms, but also in comparison to lesser achievements in other countries which are invested in HSR technolog y. So, aside from shortening the distances bet ween cities and facilitating people’s life and travels, development in trains is also significant in the way that it showcases national power.

By contrast, Indian trains were vastly different from those I took elsewhere. W hen my local friend and I were commuting from the cit y of Hyderabad to v isit his uncle who lived in a nearby tow n, we decided to take a slow, longdistance train. Amidst the darkness of night and against the loud broadcasts of train information in local languages only, I was faced w ith a conundrum absent from other cultural settings: Should I sit in the lady’s compartment by myself, or should I sit w ith my male friend in the general compartment?

“But there are only men in the general compartment,” my friend told me.

We settled on a decision that I would sit at the lady’s compartment, but my panic continued to grow throughout the train ride. The train crept along slowly, a broken train door

was constantly slammed by the w ind and outside the w indow was pure darkness. I sat on the lower bed w ith three Muslim ladies w ith only their eyes revealed, but our eyes never met. Two days later, I had the most pleasant train ride from Hyderabad to another cit y called Pune. This time, my friend and I chose to sit in an expensive cabin on a fast train.

We laid on the spacious chairs comfortably and enjoyed the t wo delicious meals that the ser ver prov ided us. The train also had police officers patrolling for securit y, so even though males and females shared the same space, I felt at ease the whole time.

In a later conversation I had w ith this friend, we thought that the trains in India prov ided diverse options that corresponded to the different socioeconomic statuses and needs of people. Trains of faster or slower speed, of better or less safet y guarantee and ser v ice qualit y, and of cheap or exorbitant prices are all available, but the passengers have to balance these elements themselves and make a decision of which train to take.

Back to my other friend’s statement that “America is technologically falling behind in trains.” W hile it is true that the U.S. is lagging behind some Asian and European countries w ith regards to its trains, whether or not it intends to enter into this technological competition is uncertain. Amongst various reasons, the U.S. would certainly encounter difficulties related to propert y rights of landow ners if it were to construct a new railway route — not to mention that many solutions might not be as easily workable as in countries where propert y rights are less valued. The less dense population of the U.S. makes the investment into HSR riskier than in other more populous countries.

Yet despite the differences among train rides in various countries, I still enjoy taking trains most of the time. Trains of different kinds offer similar kinds of possibilities — they traverse across bridges and mountains and by fields, cities and v illages. They allow strangers to sit next to each other. They transport people from place to place. Most importantly, they render experiences and spark thoughts valuable to some travelers, including me.

Yizhi Hu is a junior political science and Japanese double major. She hails from Wuhan, China, and lives in Walsh Hall. Yizhi welcomes all comments and can be reached at yhu3@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Join the conversation.

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

The observer | friday, january 19, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Why I won’t march On Dec. 1, Sadie Facile wrote a compelling editorial describing why she chooses to march for life, and her reasons for being a member of Notre Dame Right to Life club. She is absolutely correct in lamenting the one child policy of China and hopefully the resultant horrors of that legislation will never be seen again. She also states that she hopes to end abortion procedures in society through an appreciation and acceptance of love.

I completely agree with this sentiment and believe that the only feasible way to end the practice of abortion in our nation, and the world, is through love and a cultural obligation to promote basic human decency. Institutions studying worldwide abortion statistics, including the Guttmacher Institute and the World Health Organization, have published reports showing countries with legislation restricting or outlawing abortive procedures have higher rates of abortions than countries where the procedure is completely legal. In addition, women in nations with restrictive abortion legislation are forced to utilize unsafe, “back-alley” abortion procedures, where the risk of medical complications is 10 times higher than in industrialized nations where

the procedure is legal.

It is clear that simply signing legislation to eliminate abortions will exacerbate abortion rates and direct women to utilize unsafe abortion procedures, ultimately resulting in a larger loss of life. Unfortunately, I do not believe that the March for Life or the National Right to Life Committee understands that outlawing abortion is not the solution to this problem. By supporting and giving platforms to politicians who are “pro-life,” they also support and give platforms to politicians who advocate cutting essential programs for the poor, such as supplemental nutrition assistance and access to affordable healthcare for children. By desiring to end federal funding for Planned Parenthood, they want to diminish the largest provider of reproductive services in the country. This organization goes well beyond providing safe abortions; Planned Parenthood is also responsible for providing contraception, STD testing and sexual education to communities where this might not otherwise be available. Hampering these programs will serve only to drive women towards dangerous medical practices.

Through their selection of headline speakers over the past decade, March for Life has shown that they are deeply partisan and have little regard for anything besides a “pro-life” stance.

Mike Pence headlined last year’s event, representing an administration which currently endorses a senatorial candidate accused of assaulting female minors. Ms. Facile, you write of the importance of respecting women; yet, I fail to see how this applies to March for Life.

Because of this, I am calling on you, Ms. Facile, and the rest of Notre Dame Right to Life, to boycott the national March for Life in Washington, D.C. If you are serious about reducing the rate of abortion in this country, then organize your own event which fights for the healthcare of women and children, coordinates child care and adoptive services and, when necessary, directs women to safe abortive procedures. Disassociate with an event that has given up all pretense of respecting women, and I will be the first to sign up.

Kieran Phelan senior Dec. 9

Marking the first year of our petulant president Gary Caruso Capitol Comments

Tomorrow marks the first anniversar y of the presidential inaugural ceremonies that installed Donald J. Trump as the 45th president. A mere year ago, the transition of power sparked both cheers along the National Mall as well as destructive protests throughout the streets of the nation’s capitol. Many of the protesting population who w reaked havoc last year plan to return during the upcoming weekend to renew their opposition of Trump residing in the W hite House.

For them, Trump is a catalyst that energizes their protesting passions. However, for most of the public — and as histor y has repeatedly revealed for other, and more electorally successful, chief executives than this petulant president — Trump fatigue w ill become an inev itable political phenomenon that they too eventually embrace.

CBS “Late Show” host and comic Stephen Colbert contends that Trump fatigue does not ex ist when he joked earlier this month, “He is president of the United States. There is no escaping it. It’s like hav ing ox ygen fatigue.” But reports of Trump voter fatigue surfaced as early as the 2016 primar y campaign cycle when in May historian Joseph A. Palermo asserted on the Huff Post blog, “People have been predicting a Donald Trump f lameout since Februar y, but he kept prov ing them w rong by w inning primaries.

Their predictions might not have been in error — just premature. As the ‘Summer of Trump’ (2015) gave way to the ‘Autumn Winter and Spring of Trump,’ there are signs the novelt y might be wearing off.”

On the The Washington Post’s Opinion page, about six months into the Trump presidency last August, MSNBC’s morning political talk show host Joe Scarborough cited eroding Trump support from Pittsburgh to Pensacola. In a Pittsburgh focus group session, irritated Trump supporters agonized over how he overexposes himself on telev ision by dominating news cycles,

how his personalit y over whelms his message and how his demeanor conf licts w ith historically presidential temperament. One woman summarized, “Ever ybody knew he was a nut, but there comes a point in time where you need to become professional. He’s not even professional let alone presidential. Chill out, man.”

The Trump election is attributable to a handful of states he won by persuading traditionally working class, blue collar Democrats like my Pennsylvania relatives to vote for his populist positions. Historically, as time slowly drips during any four-year presidential term, the American public grows wear y. As circumstances evolve, a popular president can quick ly and easily lose all of his electoral capital. Richard Nixon’s impeachment may be considered an outlier after he won 49 of 50 states in 1972. However, in 1964, Ly ndon Johnson swept all except a halfdozen states, but was compelled to leave office due to the Vietnam War. Twent y years later, Ronald Reagan won his landslide reelection, but t wo years later lost control of Congress amid the Iran-Contra guns for hostages debacle. For Trump, the political tea leaves of his impending 2020 Waterloo may merely be nine months away in the off-term election results.

It begs political science scholars to wonder what t y pe of president w ill Americans accept after Trump. One approach is to deconstruct presidential elections working back wards from the 2016 campaign. How do most presidents w in?

They attract a horde of voters who oppose their opponents. For instance, the Obama election repudiated a Bush 43 recession and war. The Bush 43 election was an admonishment of Clinton’s impeachment. Clinton’s election was a “time to change” response to Reagan’s third term through Bush 41. Reagan was elected to restore economic stabilit y and patriotic pride. The Carter election over an appointed Ford was an admonishment of Nixon’s impeachment. Nixon won in a hope that he would end the Vietnam War and Johnson was elected in memor y of Kennedy. Therefore, other than Bush 41, the Kennedy-Nixon campaign of 1960 was the last time the American public voted

for each candidate w ithout a substantial antisentimental element.

Mov ing for ward to 2020, it is a sure bet that based on current attitudes, American voters w ill have tired of the Trumponian st yle and many of his personal characteristics that helped eke him to office four years prior. The political pendulum that once favored Trump’s outlandish carnival barker, self-promoting st yle as compared to the Obama ja zzy chill-cool personae may not sw ing completely back, but w ill definitely have moved away from Trump as histor y suggests.

It may be difficult to gauge — remov ing policy preferences and solely basing the national mood on whom the voters at the time would want to share an hour drinking a beer — whether or not the decisive traditionally Democratic working class voters who voted for Trump w ill abandon him due to fatigue. The political tea leaves w ill begin to foretell after each part y’s nominating conventions.

Candidates like Senators Bernie Sanders (DVt.) or Corey Booker (D-NJ) must walk a presentation tightrope. Their fier y rhetoric can inspire, but only places themselves on equal levels w ith their toe-to-toe grav itas. They w ill need to contrast enough to satisf y voters to believe that it is worth dumping Trump. Perhaps a surprisingly little-know n dark horse candidate can emerge like Sanders did in 2016. W hile voters generally are know n for possessing a politically short attention span and minuscule memor y, a majorit y w ithin the electoral process usually latches onto one candidate’s personae. Presently, the odds stand that they w ill not return a petulant president.

Gary J. Caruso, Notre Dame ’73, serves in the Department of Homeland Security and was a legislative and public affairs director at the U.S. House of Representatives and in President Clinton’s administration. His column appears every other Friday.

Contact him on Twitter: @GaryJCaruso or email: GaryJCaruso@alumni.nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

8

DAILY

The observer | friday, january 19, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Sit tight and wait for the right moment to make your move. Timing will be everything this year, and if you are too quick to act, you will be forced to begin again. Stay focused, dedicated and free from what others prompt you to do. Strategy, common sense and willpower will help you reach your goals in a timely fashion. Your numbers are 6, 9, 15, 27, 29, 36, 40.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Keep your life simple and avoid getting into a dispute with someone over money or matters that aren’t that consequential.

Strive for perfection, personal growth, better health and greater happiness.

Accept the inevitable and work with what you’ve got.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Tuck your emotions away where they cannot be detected. It’s important to display a poker face if you want to navigate your way into a prime position. No matter what or who you are dealing with, control will be an issue.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Search for information that will help you bypass trouble with authority figures. Get a clear vision of your financial status before you make a donation or commit to taking on an additional expense.

Personal improvements are in your best interest.

CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Generosity or miscalculating the cost of a repair or other expenses that unexpectedly crop up will leave you short.

Monitor your spending carefully to ensure that you don’t miss an important payment. Proper diet and fitness should be a priority.

LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Relationships should be handled carefully. Emotions will swell up if you make too many changes without discussing your plans with anyone who will be affected by the choices you make. Avoid indulgent behavior as well as emotional manipulation.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Attend a networking event or seminar that will offer different points of view. Gathering information will help you determine what’s best for you. Don’t let anyone persuade you into making a snap decision when money is involved.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Let past experiences lead the way. Consider what you can do to keep an important relationship healthy. Outside meddling or interference should be eliminated quickly to avoid making a mistake. Share your feelings and find out where you stand.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t feel you have to act impulsively in order to keep someone’s interest. Do your own thing and don’t worry about what others think. Go ahead and do things differently. Your uniqueness will draw interest and help you excel.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Reevaluate the past and how you have taken care of your interests and your health. Consider what you can do to make improvements without going into debt. Change is only good if it doesn’t throw other aspects of your life in jeopardy.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Slow down and pick and choose carefully when dealing with partners, friends or relatives. Refuse to be railroaded into something that doesn’t meet your standards or isn’t of interest to you.

Love and happiness should be your top priorities.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Think twice before you take action. Find out exactly what’s going on before you call out someone who may or may not be the problem. Observe and moderate situations to avoid complaints as well as making a regrettable mistake.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Look at the big picture when it comes to your overall health, personal finances and commitments. Practicality and common sense are best put into play to avoid being persuaded to get involved in something you may regret later.

Birthday Baby: You are charming, gracious and kind. You are outgoing and sensitive.

WINGin’ it | BAILEE EGAN & Olivia wang

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

Work Area

Make checks payable to and mail to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 Notre Dame, IN 46556

Published Monday through Friday, The Observer is a vital source of information on people and events in the Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Community.

Join the more than 13,000 readers who have found The Observer an indispensable link to the two campuses. Please complete the accompanying form and mail it today to receive The Observer in your home.

Enclosed is $130 for one academic year Enclosed is $75 for one semester Name Address City State Zip

SPORTS

ndsmcobserver.com | friday, january 19, 2018 | The Observer

M Tennis

Sports Authority

New England must be stopped Elizabeth Greason Sports Editor

The New England Patriots are at it again— probably back to w in another Super Bowl. And I’m tired of it.

As a Giants fan, I’ve always had any thing but love in my heart for Bill Bellichick’s gang, so this year more than ever I’ll be rooting actively for pretty much anyone else. So here are my keys to the game for each of the Patriots’ potential opponents this postseason to help stand in their way of a fifth Super Bowl title this millennium.

where def late comes in.

Cold weather in Foxboro, Massachusetts? No problem.

Sure, it might result in the loss of two draft picks, a $1 million fine for the team and your quarterback’s fourgame suspension, but clearly life went on for the Pats despite all that. W hy can’t the Vikings do the same?

Now, I’m definitely not endorsing cheating. I’m simply saying that if the Vikings wanted to work towards the “W” against New England and w in a Lombardi Trophy in front of their home crowd, this might be the way to do it.

Continued from page 12

“Our goal from the fall was to give our guys the same level of competition if not even a little above that we’re going to see in the spring,” Sachire said. “I think the fall prepared them well because they saw the level of competition and what is out there.

There is going to be no surprises when we start playing on Friday and Sunday too.

There’s no surprises. They’ve seen and played against guys from this level and that is all you can ask for and we had a really good offseason and so now it’s time to get after it and compete.”

Sachire said he really likes the energy and the enthusiasm of our group.

“We have a number of young players and I think that brings a great deal of excitement,” Sachire said. “Many of the guys that are going to be out there tomorrow and this

9

weekend are going out there for the first time. There’s a level of excitement that’s different when you’re there for the first time and that has been contagious throughout our whole team. Our best day of practice maybe all year was yesterday. What I would connect that too is an excitement and a readiness to play and the guys are fired up to get the season rolling.”

Contact Michael Ivey at mivey@hcc-nd.edu

The Jacksonville Jaguars The Philadelphia Eagles Get Carson Wentz back.

Yes, Nick Foles has done a ver y solid job in Wentz’s absence. He has done ever ything the Eagles could have asked for. However, does he have the talent or experience to take dow n the welloiled machine that is the New England Patriots? That is still to be determined.

Wentz, I would personally have a bit more faith in. But Foles faltered against my Giants, of all teams, this season. And that is quite embarrassing.

The Minnesota Vikings Def late, def late, def late.

If it worked for the Patriots, why can’t it worked for their opponents? W ho can forget the 2015 AFC Championship Game, in which the Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts, all the while employing the used of underdef lated footballs?

I mean, compare Tom Brady and Case Keenum. I may not like the guy much, but Brady is a legend, whereas Keenum simply hasn’t had the opportunity to prove himself in a high-pressure situation like the Super Bowl. That’s

Go back in time and lose to the Steelers.

I’m sorr y, I just simply don’t see a world in which Blake Bortles and the Jags take dow n Brady and Gronk.

I just cannot see it happening. The AFC lost its chance at a different champion when the Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Jags last week.

However, if it were the Steelers against the Patriots for the AFC title, I could see a different outcome, no funny business needed.

So, if it were Big Ben versus the Pats, the game might be a much more competitive one. The Steelers are simply a more established program. They’ve been here before and they know how to combat the Patriots, at least some of the time.

So, America, let’s band together to take down Tom Brady and co.

And if all else fails, there’s always the spying option.

Since that worked out so well last time.

Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Follow us on social media: Facebook fb.com/ndsmcobserver Twitter @NDSMCObserver

EmmA Farnan | The Observer

Irish freshman Richard Ciamarra winds up for a forehand attempt during the Bobby Bayliss Invitational on Oct. 7 at Courtney Tennis Center. Ciamarra finished the fall season with a 4-7 record.

Fencing Continued from page 12

women’s foil, freshman Isabelle Elizondo and sophomore Morgan Partridge finished fifth and ninth respectively. Also putting together strong weekends were Russo, who finished ninth this time around, sophomore Aidan Antekeier with third in men’s epee and junior Axel Kiefer with eleventh in men’s foil.

With collegiate competition back underway, Kvaratskhelia hopes to have his team in the right mindset, something they will certainly need as they are facing a slew of tough competition throughout the weekend. The schools represented include all of the top six men’s programs, as well

as five of the top seven women’s programs “Our mindset is generally the same from day to day. We have not spoken to the team about winning championships; we continuously talk about improving each day,” Kvaratskhelia said. “This weekend, we will be facing six top-10 teams, so it will be a good gauge as to where we are and what we need to adjust going into the latter half of the year.”

When it comes to mentality, Kvaratskhelia touched on the particular topic of not discussing championships, but with Notre Dame currently standing as reigning national champions, the team knows it has a target on its back and will have to work hard to defend its title.

“One difference is that we will certainly be taking

everyone’s best shot as last year’s champions,” said Kvaratskhelia. “From our point of view, this is a different team entirely from last year. We are not trying to ‘repeat.’ We are trying to compete against ourselves, to get our performance to its highest level. If that happens, we can live with whatever result follows.”

For Notre Dame, action gets underway Friday in Jamaica, New York, where in addition to St. John’s, the Irish will be taking on Ohio State, Penn State, Columbia and Harvard. Sunday’s competition will include OSU, Columbia and St. John’s, as well as Wayne State, Northwestern women’s and North Carolina men’s.

Contact Alex Bender at abender@nd.edu

The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.

10

Sports

The observer | friday, january 19, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com

W Bball Continued from page 12

Warlick said.

The Irish came out of the media timeout with five minutes remaining in the half with a renewed energy, however, invigorating the crowd at Purcell Pavilion.

Slowly but surely, the Irish began to chip away at the deficit, aided by two 3-pointers from junior guard Arike Ogunbowale.

Notre Dame went on a 10-0 run going into halftime to cut the Tennessee lead to 12.

“I thought [the lead] should’ve been eight,” McGraw said. “We missed a couple of really easy layups, so I think we looked at that and said, ‘You know, it really should be a six or eight-point game. We’re right there, we can turn this around.’”

McGraw said her focus at halftime was on organizing her team, as she felt there was not much good coming off the court on either end for the most part during the first half.

“We were talking about how we weren’t executing, we weren’t really doing anything. We weren’t guarding them, we weren’t rebounding, we weren’t running anything on offense, so at halftime, we just tried to get organized,” she said. “I think that was the biggest thing, trying to figure out what we were going to run, how we were going to attack them and started out the half with a couple of layups, and I think that got us going.”

The Irish came out quickly in the third quarter, but it seemed as if every time they made an offensive move, the Lady Vols had an answer. Irish junior forward Jessica Shepard made backto-back jumpers. Tennessee freshman guard Rennia Davis answered with a 3. Ogunbowale drove down the court for a layup, followed by a jumper from

sophomore guard Jackie Young.

Lady Vols freshman guard Evina Westbrook answered with a 3-pointer at the buzzer, however, to maintain a double-digit lead for the Vols, preventing the Irish from making a considerable dent.

But the fourth quarter was where the damage was done.

Notre Dame’s defense locked down the Volunteers, holding them to just 10 points, and the Irish outscored them 34-10 to defeat them handily. McGraw credited graduate student forward Kristina Nelson’s defensive efforts off the bench with making a notable difference. Irish junior guard Marina Mabrey said defensive stops early in the period created momentum for the team on both ends of the court.

“I think once we got a few stops and then we started scoring, we were a little bit more motivated to get another stop, another stop and keep inching back,” Mabrey, who scored 20 points and led the team with seven assists and four steals, said. “I think we started talking more and communicating from the back to the front of the zone, and that helped a lot.”

But one of the major difference-makers for the Irish in the fourth quarter was Tennessee’s tendency to turn the ball over.

The Irish came away with four steals in the fourth quarter alone, while the Lady Vols turned the ball over seven times in the quarter and finished the game with 28 turnovers.

“We just needed to move the basketball and pass and cut. And down the stretch, we were just throwing the ball out of bounds,” Warlick said. “I don’t have a reason for it. We were throwing the ball all over the place, dang it. We just need to throw it to the people in orange, and we were throwing it to the people in green up in the stands.”

The Irish tied the game when Ogunbowale — who finished

CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer

Irish sophomore guard Jackie Young drives baseline during Notre Dame’s 84-70 victory over Tennessee on Thursday at Purcell Pavilion.

CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer

Irish junior guard Marina Mabrey dribbles down the court during Notre Dame’s 84-70 win over Tennessee on Thursday at Purcell Pavilion. Mabrey totaled 20 points and added seven assists during the game.

the game with 27 points, eight rebounds and two steals — knocked down a pair of free throws with 5:48 remaining in the game, and the squad never looked back; from that point on, Notre Dame went on a 19-5 run.

“I guess the Louisville game helped us because we’ve been in this position recently, we were down by 20, 30 recently,” Ogunbowale said. “We really were like, ‘We know we can come back.’ We just took it step-bystep, we were like, ‘Let’s cut five points and keep cutting fivepoint margins,’ and then we cut it to two. And we just kept going. …

Yeah, we didn’t come back in that game. But we learned a lesson.”

The Irish, who lost 100-67 at No. 2 Louisville last week, their most recent game against a ranked opponent, came into this week discussing the fact that they had something to prove. However, with the grit and determination her team showed, McGraw felt her team proved itself a competitor once again.

“That was an unbelievable win. I am so proud of this team right now because of the fight,” McGraw said. “We went down to Louisville and got our ass kicked and really needed to respond, Paid Advertisement

and I think we had something to prove tonight, and we got down 23 and we continued to fight, we continued to compete. I thought the difference in the game really was our defense. Our defense in the second half — we got deflections, we got steals, we got rebounds, and that got us our transition game. We attacked the rim a lot better in the second half.”

The Irish will next take the court Sunday against Clemson at Purcell Pavilion at 1 p.m.

Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu

Sports

M Bball Continued from page 12

injuries — is out until mid-February, his injury could have been much worse after he came down awkwardly in Tuesday’s game against Louisville, clutching his left knee and screaming in pain.

“Just wanted to let everybody know that I’m fine and that it’s only a bone bruise in my left knee, I’ll be out four weeks,” Harvey said in a Twitter post on Wednesday.

“It’s kind of who we are this year,” Brey said of the string of injuries. “We have been very lucky on the injury front over time and it’s a cycle. You go in and out of it.

We’re in one now and you just try and manage it as best you can.”

While Harvey will be sidelined for the foreseeable future, Farrell’s return to the lineup has been a much-needed spark for the Irish.

Against the Cardinals, Farrell Paid Advertisement

ndsmcobserver.com | friday, january 19, 2018 | The Observer

tallied 23 points and eight assists, logging 48 minutes in the doubleovertime loss.

For Brey and the Irish, getting into the bye week at 4-3 would mean a lot. After Notre Dame plays Clemson on Saturday, it has a week off before it’s next contest.

“We need to get to the bye week.

I’d love to get to the bye week — I said to myself, ‘If we can get to the bye week 4-3, I would have a party; that would be as good as it gets,” Brey said. “But we need to get there and shut it down, give some guys some rest, get Matty [Farrell] closer to 100 percent by the time we take the floor against Virginia Tech.”

One bright spot for the team has been senior forward Martinas Geben. The Lithuanian big man notched a career night versus Louisville, recording 22 points and 17 rebounds. Both numbers were career highs. After the game, Brey said the Irish offense may run through Geben more consistently, given how confident he’s looked.

Another factor which has kept the Irish competitive while shorthanded has been rebounding.

The Irish out-rebounded both Louisville and North Carolina, with Geben grabbing 11 offensive boards on Tuesday — the most of any player in the Mike Brey era.

Geben is also one of only five players in the ACC to average a double-double in league play.

11

CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer

Irish senior forward Martinas Geben looks to pass during Notre Dame’s 90-46 victory over Cardinal Stritch on Nov. 7. Geben had a career-high 22 points and 17 rebounds in Tuesday’s loss to Louisville.

“We play a lot of bodies and the rotation’s a little larger than it has been in the past,” Geben said. “[We have] fresher legs and are able to jump with people. I think we’re putting a lot of attention on boxing out and being very sound there.”

Against Clemson (15-3, 4-2 ACC), the Irish have another opportunity to win the battle on the backboard. Though averaging 38 rebounds per game on the season, the Irish have over 40 rebounds in six of their last seven. The Tigers, Paid Advertisement

meanwhile, are averaging 37 boards a game.

“We were all over the backboard [against Louisville],” Brey said.

“That keeps up in games, getting those second shots. That makes up for us not making the first shot as much. We’re not making the first shot as much when you don’t have a Colson or a healthy Farrell out there. You have to go get it and we’ve been doing that.”

Notre Dame is 5-0 all-time versus Clemson, but this year’s contest will put the Irish as underdogs

against the ranked Tigers. Head coach Brad Brownwell has an experienced roster with the top five scorers for the Tigers being upperclassmen.

Most recently, Clemson lost an 87-79 game to North Carolina on the road.

Notre Dame and Clemson square off Saturday at 4 p.m. at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, South Carolina.

Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu

12

The observer | friday, january 19, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com

fencing

nd women’s basketball | ND 84, Tennessee 70

Irish overcome 23-point deficit in top-10 victory

Squads hope to keep up success

By ELIZABETH GREASON

By ALEX BENDER

Sports Editor

Sports Writer

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better comeback.”

That was Irish head coach Muffet McGraw’s sentiment in her postgame press conference after her squad rallied from a 23-point deficit to take down No. 6 Tennessee, 84-70.

And it was the best comeback she had ever seen — the largest comeback in program history.

The Lady Vols (16-2, 4-1 SEC) came out firing on all cyclinders, outscoring the No. 5 Irish (17-2, 5-1 ACC) 27-10 in the first quarter. And that lead continued to stretch over the course of the second quarter, as the Irish failed to generate any sort of offensive momentum while the Volunteers went on a 10-4 run, giving the Vols their largest lead of the game.

“Gosh, wish the game was just a quarter-and-ahalf — we’d be in business,” Tennessee head coach Holly

CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer

see W BBALL PAGE 10

Irish junior guard Arike Ogunbowale dribbles the ball up the court during Notre Dame’s 84-70 victory over Tennessee on Thursday.

This weekend, Notre Dame prepares to return to its first collegiate action since early November — the team will head to Jamaica, New York, for the St. John’s SuperCup on Saturday before heading to the NYU Invitational on Sunday. After opening up the season at Ohio State’s Elite Invitational, a tournament in which the Irish fared quite well, many team members have seen competition by participating in monthly USA Fencing North American Cups where, yet again, Notre Dame has put up strong performances.

Head coach Gia Kvaratskhelia has been impressed with his team so far this season. “Our freshmen, such as [epeeist] Stephen Ewart and [foilist] Nick Itkin, have had solid performances in national competition,” he said. “As for the team at the Elite Invitational in November, I thought we

Notre Dame set for spring season Sports Writer

Notre Dame is ready to begin the 2018 season this weekend, hosting three different opponents over a three day span.

The Irish will play their first match of the regular season on Friday night when they battle Michigan State at the Eck Tennis Pavilion. After a day off on Saturday, Notre Dame will take on Kentucky at noon on Sunday, then host Cleveland State later on in the day.

The Irish will look to improve upon the 13-13 regular season record they finished with last season.

Notre Dame head coach Ryan Sachire said his team knows what they are in for this weekend.

“We’re not starting lightly,” Sachire said. “We’re starting off against some good teams such as Michigan State and Kentucky. Kentucky has particularly been a very consistent Top 20 level program over the last two decades. They are

see FENCING PAGE 9

MEn’s BasketbaLl

men’s tennis

By MICHAEL IVEY

were consistent, despite having a few people absent due to World Cups.”

In mid-December when competition was held in Portland, Oregon, five former or current Irish fencers were able to earn podium finishes along with three other members putting together top-10 performances in their respective categories. Among the current team members, junior foilist Sabrina Massialas won bronze, while senior Jonathan Fitzgerald also claimed bronze for men’s sabre. Senior sabreuse Francesca Russo finished sixth and sophomore men’s epeeist Ariel Simmons finished ninth in each of their respective events as well.

At January’s competition, held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Notre Dame again saw strong results out of many of their team members. Junior Elyssa Kleiner claimed bronze in women’s foil while sophomore Samantha Viqueira snagged 15th, and in junior

historically a very strong program and they have another very good team this year and Michigan State certainly will be a tough match too.”

Sachire believes his team will carry their practice momentum into their first matches of the season.

“I hope to see us translate what we’ve been doing in practice to the matches,” Sachire said. “I feel like our team had a great training camp so to speak the last couple of weeks. The practices have been really high level and the biggest thing is just being who we have been on the practice court and being that same team in the match court and translating that to the competition. I think if we do that we’ll have a good year and continue to improve.”

Sachire also believes the matches and experiences his team went through during the fall season will benefit them during their spring schedule. see M TENNIS PAGE 9

ND looks to bounce back after close losses, injuries

By MAREK MAZUREK Assistant Managing Editor

After two close losses to No. 15 North Carolina and Louisville — which Irish head coach Mike Brey called “gut punches” — Notre Dame looks to respond Saturday in a tilt with No. 20 Clemson.

The Irish (13-6, 3-3 ACC) find themselves in a precarious position in the ACC following the two heartbreaking losses.

With senior forward Bonzie Colson out for at least another seven weeks, freshman wing D.J. Harvey out for four weeks and senior guard Matt Farrell just getting back into the swing of things after missing a week with a sprained ankle, the Irish will have to navigate a tough ACC schedule shorthanded in order to make the NCAA tournament.

While Harvey — a player Brey was counting on to step up in the wake of the team’s see M BBALL PAGE 11

ZACHARY YIM | The Observer

Irish senior guard Matt Farrell controls the ball during Notre Dame’s 82-78 double-overtime loss to Louisville on Tuesday.