Print Edition of The Observer for Thursday, August 29, 2019

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Volume 54, Issue 4 | thursday, august 29, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Boyle, McGuire outline year’s plans Student body president, vice president discuss policy initiatives surrounding inclusion, housing

By GENEVIEVE REDSTEN News Writer

Student body president Elizabeth Boyle, a senior, and vice president Patrick McGuire, a junior, campaigned on promises to make Notre Dame more equitable and inclusive for all students. Now as the academic year begins, they’re working to implement their agenda and facing the challenges of governance.

As part of their platform, Boyle and McGuire said they want to represent student

interests by paying attention to issues that, in previous years, have been overlooked.

After taking office this past April, they created a new department of student empowerment to oversee student-related needs, including club funding, international opportunities, student art and arts engagement.

“We noticed there were a lot of needs ... that were kind of in-between, and kind of falling through the cracks of different departments,” see BOYLE PAGE 4

Campus Ministry hosts annual Feed Your Faith

CRISTINA INTERIANO | The Observer

Police investigate sexual misconduct near ND Observer Staff Report

The Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) announced in an email to the campus community Wednesday a report of “non-consensual sexual contact.” The alleged incident took place on Eddy Street Commons outside of Brothers Bar & Grill early Sunday morning, according to the email.

The reported incident involved a male, who has not yet been identified,

“inappropriately and nonconsensually touching” a female student. The male is thought to be of student age and was described as “a white male with sandy blonde hair, no facial hair, blue eyes, 5 feet 7 to 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a slender build,” according to the email.

The email said the victim reported the assailant had an Australian accent, but it is not clear if it was genuine. He also reportedly approached several other

women in the area around the time of the incident.

The NDPD has been in touch with the Saint Joseph County Special Victims Unit regarding the incident. Any individuals with information are encouraged to report it to the Saint Joseph County Special Victims Unit.

Information about sexual assault prevention and resources for survivors of sexual assault are available online from NDPD and the Title IX office.

Mental health program supports SMC students ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Students gather on South Quad for Campus Ministry’s Feed Your Faith event. The event features food trucks and informational booths.

By JACK LYONS News Writer

Over 1,500 students f locked to South Quad on Wednesday evening to explore faithbased opportunities as part of Campus Ministry’s fifth annual Feed Your Faith event.

The event featured music

news PAGE 3

blasting across South Quad as students gathered to learn more about Campus Ministry and its resources while food trucks handed out comfort food. Volunteers also gave out free shirts adorned with the Campus Ministry logo. see FAITH PAGE 4

scene PAGE 5

By GINA TWARDOSZ News Writer

Saint Mary’s announced on Aug. 12 a new health and wellness program “YOU at College,” which is designed to help students anonymously find resources and support for academic, mental and physical health related problems.

The program was created

viewpoint PAGE 6

by the company Grit Digital Health. Karen Johnson, vice president of student affairs, said in an email she first learned of it when she attended the NASPA Strategies Conference in January.

“This site was described to us as a way to get students information in a format that they use, it’s non-obtrusive, it’s easy to use and it’s fun,” Johnson said. “After

football PAGE 12

bringing a group on campus together to see a demo of the program, we all agreed that this might just be the way to reach students in their comfort zone.”

W hen logging on to the program, users are encouraged to create a personalized profile. They are then prompted to complete see HEALTH PAGE 3

Swarbrick PAGE 12

2

TODAY

The observer | thursday, august 29, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

Have a question you want answered?

Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com

If time travel was possible, which era would you go to?

P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Editor-in-Chief Kelli Smith Managing Editor Charlotte Edmonds

Asst. Managing Editor: Maria Leontaras Asst. Managing Editor: Mary Steurer Asst. Managing Editor: Natalie Weber

Notre Dame News Editor: Tom Naatz

Viewpoint Editor: Evelyn Stein

Sports Editor: Connor Mulvena

Scene Editor: Mike Donovan Saint Mary’s News Editor: Maeve Filbin

Photo Editor: Anna Mason

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Ad Design Manager: Ruby Le

Systems Administrator: Mike Dugan Office Manager & General Info

Emma Kelley

Brandon Davis

senior off-campus

junior off-campus

“1920s”

“1870s”

Colin Whelpley

Vincent Karanja

senior Stanford Hall

junior Morrissey Manor

“Napoleonic Era”

“I would go to the 50s as a white person”

Kevin Gallagher

Andy Slavin

junior Duncan Hall

senior Siegfried Hall

“The 3000s”

“31 C.E.”

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

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

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Today’s Staff News

Sports

Tom Naatz Alexandra Muck

Hayden Adams Stephen Hannon

Graphics

Scene

Cristina Interiano

Ryan Israel

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Viewpoint

Ann Curtis

Evy Stein

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.

Maria Leontaras | The Observer

A quad display arranged by the Saint Mary’s Belles Against Violence Office (BAVO). The display is designed to emphasize the importance of safety and Green Dot training at the College. Saint Mary’s hired Liz Coulston to be BAVO’s new coordinator in May.

The next Five days:

Want your event included here?

Email news@ndsmcobserver.com

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Thursday

Snite @ Nite: Sample the Snite Museum Snite Museum of Art 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Museum open for student exploration.

Pizza Pi Grand Opening Pizza Pi 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Grand opening celebration.

Final Vows Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Holy Cross welcomes new members.

HoCro Nation James Hall Quad 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Inflatables, food trucks and yard games followed by fireworks.

Football @ Louisville Louisville, KY 8 p.m.

The Fighting Irish kick off the 2019 season against the Cardinals.

The Best of Duncan Duncan Student Center 9 p.m.

Games and prizes.

Flick on the Field Notre Dame Stadium 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

University to show the 1993 film “Rudy.”

“Avengers: Endgame” North Quad 8 p.m.

SUB showing movie.

First aid course Rockne Memorial 109 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

RecSports offers Red Cross certification.

Game Watch: Notre vs Louisville Carroll Auditorium 8 p.m.

Snacks provided.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | thursday, august 29, 2019 | The Observer

3

STUDENT SENATE

Senate approves executive cabinet nominees

By JACK JERIT News Writer

In its first meeting of the new academic year, Notre Dame’s student senate convened in the Lafortune Student Center and discussed a series of issues which arose over the summer.

One focus during the meeting was the South Bend Transpo’s Midnight Express, which was funded by Notre Dame but cancelled due to rising costs and falling usage among Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College students.

Student body president Elizabeth Boyle proposed working with ridesharing companies like Lyft or Uber to provide safe transportation late at night between the campuses.

She also mentioned Ohio State University had worked with

Lyft to accomplish this goal.

“We’re hoping we will work in collaboration with Holy Cross and Saint Mary’s to create a program that will serve more students and be more efficient for all, and will meet all the needs that the Midnight Express did, but do it in a time that will reflect what students are looking for in 2019,” Boyle said.

Senators raised concerns about the cost of a partnership with one of these companies, finding a potential route and cleaning fee issues should a student vomit in a Lyft or Uber. Boyle said the senate will help outline the parameters for such a proposal involving Lyft or Uber. She said the plan would be much more cost effective and prior precedent with the Midnight Express would also be used to determine the

program’s hours of service and where it would take students.

Boyle will be meeting with student leadership from Holy Cross and Saint Mary’s College this Friday to discuss the program and other possible solutions, she said.

The senators then turned their attention to a discussion with Club Coordination Council (CCC) chair Jordan Isner, a senior, who is scheduled to testify to the senate next week. Legislation passed in the previous academic year mandates the CCC meet with the student senate at least once per semester.

In an email, Isner said he looks forward to speaking with the senate next week.

“I think it is important that the CCC is as transparent as possible with the rest of the

Student Union,” he said in an email. “I know that other members of senate are as concerned as I am about clubs being underfunded, and I look forward to working with them on solutions, but it all starts with being transparent.”

At the end of the meeting, Student Union Board (SUB) executive director Eric Kim, a senior, announced SUB has several events and initiatives in the works, including providing free transportation, food and tickets to the Aug. 31 South Bend Cubs game, screening the film “Avengers Endgame” in coordination with the Student Activities Office and continuing to sell dorm memorabilia.

“We are not only trying to provide an increase of quantity of events but also quality of events,” Kim said after the

meeting adjourned. “We want to provide many opportunities for students to create a culture of bondage and friendships, and one of SUB’s main goals every year is to provide events to relieve stress.”

The senate also passed bills to update language within the constitution and provide digital access to the constitution to all members of the senate. Furthermore, the senate is planning a meeting with associate vice president for residential life Heather Rakoczy Russell regarding the recently announced changes to ID card access to residential halls on campus. The date of this meeting has not yet been determined.

Contact Jack Jerit at jjerit@nd.edu

SMC campus dining undergoes changes

By REBECCA STELLA News Writer

A new year on campus brings many new experiences. At Saint Mary’s, campus dining has undergone a number of changes.

For example, the establishment formerly known as Cyber Cafe will now be rebranded as the 1844 Grill.

Sodexo’s Field Marketing Coordinator Megan Briegel explained that a change of amenities in the restaurant led in part to the name change.

“Cyber originally had computers for students to be able to work on papers and print stuff out,” Briegel said. “Once we got rid of the computers and put in the store the name just didn’t really fit the location anymore,

Health Continued from page 1

assessments that help the program better understand the health and wellness of the user.

Users are asked to rate their sleeping schedule, academic satisfaction, mental health and physical well-being, among other questions that, according to the email Johnson sent to the student body on Aug. 12, “foster student success in three domains: Succeed (academics and career); Thrive (physical and mental health); and Matter (purpose, community, and social connections).”

After completing the assessments, students receive access to resources and articles that are related to the answers they provided via the assessments.

While the assessments tend to focus on the general well-being of the user, some questions specifically address suicide and

so we went with the 1844 grill since it was the year the school was founded, and we know students love having a grill on campus, so we wanted to emphasize that as well.”

However, the name is not the only thing changing. There are many new items in the store in addition to new healthier menu items such as salads, fish tacos, a spicy Italian grinder and more.

“This year we have three new Starbucks items which we are super excited about,” Briegel said. “We now have a Frappuccino, refreshers and cold brew.”

The dining hall is also undergoing changes with continuous dining hours and more menu variations trying to incorporate

more mindful and healthier options.

“We are trying to do some more authentic foods because that was a big thing we heard from students was a call for more authentic international cuisine rather than Americanized versions,” Briegel said.

Sodexo district manager Donna Picklesimer oversees operations at seven schools including Saint Mary’s as of this past week. Picklesimer is charged with figuring out differences in food preferences between the schools in order to customize a menu.

“Salad bars are important everywhere, but I think it is more so here as a result of being an all-women’s college,” Picklesimer said. “One thing

that is not different at any college is chicken nuggets, they are hugely popular at all campuses.”

Picklesimer is also hoping that the simple servings station within the dining hall will attract more interest.

“This station gets its name because it doesn’t use all the creams and sauces and it is all cooked without the top eight allergens and is not just for people with allergy issues,” she said.

Sophomore Rose Stackhouse, a student-athlete, said she has been pleasantly surprised with the new options in the dining hall.

“As a student-athlete I find it very important to have healthy options on campus,” she said.

“I am especially excited about

the new types of lettuce on the salad bar and have been impressed with the changes I am seeing.”

Another change is the departure of former Sodexo general manager Kenneth Acosta, who had to step down from his position this year because of personal reasons. The College is looking for someone to fill his position.

“We are really wanting to take our time and find the right person who knows Saint Mary’s and is invested in the students, community and dining program,” Briegel said. “Ken left big shoes to fill and we will all miss him very dearly.”

suicidal thoughts. While the program offers Saint Mary’s specific resources for those dealing with suicidal thoughts, Johnson said all answers to the assessment are private and can only be accessed by the student user.

“I have no access to individual student data,” she said. “If a student is in crisis, there is a button at the top of the page to click on and get some immediate resources. Also, as a student moves through articles and searches for information, services and support information will be pushed out to that student.”

Anonymity was an important factor when creating the YOU program, Nathaan Demers, a clinical psychologist and vice president and director of clinical programs at YOU at College, said. The program only collects aggregate data — or generalized data summaries — that the College can use to improve the quality of their on-campus

academic, mental or physical health resources.

The goal of the program, Demers said, is to move students to action — whether that be encouraging students to seek counseling or providing them with over 1,000 resources to contribute to their knowledge of self. He said anonymity helps students feel comfortable and supported while they engage with the program’s articles and resources.

YOU at College is not a replacement for counseling, Demers said, but it can give students the information to “know where to start” and can “recommend to them where to go.”

“Students don’t conceptualize mental health problems as mental health problems,” Demers said. “They see them as [a part of] life.”

This poses a problem, Demers said, since one in four college students have a mental illness.

Some studies show that 50% of

students report feeling stressed out to the point of not being able to function.

Demers said the program can help students learn about good mental and physical health, especially if students do not feel automatically comfortable visiting a counselor.

YOU at College gives students the tools to better understand themselves and their mental and physical health before those problems manifest into something worse, Demers said.

“We don’t want to wait until something’s wrong to treat it,” Demers said. “Let’s not wait until someone has depression to treat that depression.”

While the focus of YOU at College tends to be on mental and physical health, there are also several academic assessments available to help students understand their academic limits and aspirations.

YOU at College can help students discover other relevant

on-campus resources, like multicultural centers and academic study groups that can help a student become well-rounded and healthy, Demers said.

While the company has yet to specifically study the effects of the program on an all-female student body like Saint Mary’s, Demers said the company is looking to conduct a longitudinal study on gender identity in the near future. “[Generally speaking], individuals who self-identify as female utilize the platform at higher rates, as well as for longer durations of time,” he said.

With this program, Johnson said the College hopes to help students “become self-reliant and able to manage issues.”

“Our goal is to have information available to our students whenever they want to access it,” she said.

Contact Rebecca Stella at rstella01@saintmarys.edu

Contact Gina Twardosz at gtwardosz01@saintmarys.edu

4

NEWS

The observer | thursday, august 29, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Boyle Continued from page 1

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Father Pete McCormick, director of Campus Ministry, talks to students at the annual Campus Ministry Feed Your Faith event.

Faith Continued from page 1

Mike Urbaniak, Campus Ministr y’s assistant director of pastoral care, said the event aimed to help students socialize and become familiar w ith campus ministr y.

“We want people to come out w ith some friends, have some fun and food, and meet some of the great organizations and programs that we have around faith here on campus,” Urbaniak said.

Urbaniak also said he hoped the event would demonstrate to students the richness of faith life on campus. In addition to six food trucks, the event featured 46 different tables representing Campus Ministr y and other faith-based clubs and organizations.

For Father Pete McCormick, director of Campus Ministr y, those tables are important for connecting students w ith opportunities to practice their faith.

“W hen I think about Feed Your Faith, it really is an opportunit y to showcase all the great work that Campus Ministr y is doing, but also the other great clubs and departments around campus,” he said.

W hile the event was open to all undergraduate and graduate students, McCormick thinks its timing at the beginning of the school year appeals to a first-year crowd looking to get involved.

Marie Latham, a sophomore in the Folk Choir, returned to the event for a second year in a row. She recalled her enthusiasm to explore opportunities last year, but hesitation to join them.

“I definitely signed up for a lot of email lists,” she said. “I think at that point I was a little overcommitted already.”

For McCormick, that abilit y to discover opportunities w ith no commitment is part of the event’s strateg y.

“The way we think about it is: ‘Hey, we’re going to show you all the things,” McCormick said.

Even if students feel overwhelmed during their freshman year, the event still familiarizes them w ith the options available for later on in their college careers, McCormick said.

“You have the wherew ithal to then say, ‘Ok, I’m going to reach out to them because I’m really interested now,” McCormick said.

Marily n Zizumbo and Kassandra Perez, a sophomore and junior staffing the Latino Student Ministr y table, hoped to encounter some interested students.

Perez said she wanted to tell students about the week ly Spanish mass as well as retreats and other events the organization sponsors.

“It’s geared for the Latino communit y, but it is for ever yone” she added.

Opportunities like student ministries attracted freshman freshman Cr ystal Lin to the event.

The Pangborn Hall resident is not religious, but she wanted to learn more about ways to explore religion at her new school.

“I hope to learn more about the different clubs or things about religion on campus,” she said.

W hile not exactly sure what to look for, Lin had a general idea of what t y pe of organization she wanted to join.

“A communit y to hang out w ith,” she said, as music from Disney’s “Frozen” rolled over South Quad. “But maybe do dance or something like that.”

Contact Jack Lyons at jlyons3@nd.edu

McGuire said. “We wanted a department that would be f lex ible and able to adapt to the needs of students in order to generally ser ve to empower students.”

Particularly, the pair said they are focused on the needs of underrepresented students. For example, their director of gender relations, senior A nne Jarrett, has prev iously worked on issues related to the LGBTQ communit y on campus. Boyle said Jarrett is bringing a fresh perspective to the department.

“We have members from all communities represented in [Jarrett’s] department in particular, which has been incredibly exciting to see,” Boyle said. “There’s definitely a lot of exciting movement including voices that Notre Dame perhaps hasn’t seen before.”

McGuire added senior Kenzie Isaac, who directs the department of diversit y and inclusion, is pushing a variet y of projects. “[Isaac has] been working really hard on the creation of a civ il rights commission, as well as a lot of other intersectional programming and events,” McGuire said.

“For instance, she’s ver y passionate about the intersection of mental health and race. I’m really excited to see the changes she makes on campus.”

Boyle and McGuire also commented on the recent changes made to the Universit y’s housing policy.

Last May, Universit y administrators several residential life policy changes. Under these proposed changes, off-campus students would be excluded from on-campus communit y programming, including interhall sports and dorm dances.

Boyle and McGuire said they feel the policies could further isolate students v ulnerable to exclusion on campus. For instance, Boyle said members LGBTQ communit y may find dorms

to be “too heteronormative and not safe spaces.”

Boyle said she and McGuire are also encouraging administrators to add sexual orientation and gender identit y to Notre Dame’s non-discrimination clause, which they say would foster inclusion and sensitiv it y.

“I think when we begin to legally recognize that our family members who may be LGBTQ — and [all] members of that communit y — are fully welcomed and respected here, then we can shift the culture [so that] asking those … policy questions isn’t taboo, and isn’t thought about last, but is at the center,” Boyle said.

Additionally, Boyle and McGuire are concerned about students who move off campus for financial reasons. W hile McGuire said he appreciates the financial incentives the Universit y is offering students who stay on campus, he believes they still have a long way to go.

“I think [the incentives are] a start to tr y and address the really fundamental challenge [that] … it’s so much cheaper to live off campus. How are you going to keep kids on campus? ” McGuire said.

Regardless of why students choose to move off campus, Boyle and McGuire say they’re committed to representing those students’ perspectives to administrators.

“I think there’s a general sense from off-campus students … that they feel like they’re being forcefully disengaged from some of the communit y here,” Boyle said. “I think when you step out of the bounds of the Notre Dame zip code and Notre Dame, it doesn’t mean that you sever your ties as a Notre Dame student, and it should never mean that, quite frank ly.”

Junior Aaron Benav ides, student government’s press secretar y and communications director, said the discussion about housing w ill be ongoing.

“We want students to

continue to prov ide feedback,” Benav ides said, “This policy was announced at the end of last semester but this is going on for months and years to come.”

A lthough Boyle and McGuire said they disagree w ith some administration policies, they want to collaborate w ith administrators on a variet y of issues.

“I think we can still have a really good working relationship with administrators even though we can acknowledge our points of disagreement,” McGuire said.

On the issue of sustainabilit y, Boyle and McGuire said they plan to support the Universit y’s ex isting initiatives, such as the Grind2Energ y system that w ill convert food waste into usable energ y. They’ve also taken other steps: sw itching the school’s print New York Times subscription to digital and working to make recycling more effective and accessible on campus.

“It’s good to have a grand, strategic v ision of sustainabilit y,” McGuire said. “In order to have as grand an effect as possible, we’ve tried to start as small as possible.”

Boyle and McGuire have a number of additional policy changes planned, like expanding Green Dot sexual assault bystander training to local bars. In September, the team plans to hold a voter registration guide on campus. They are also focusing on communit y-building initiatives, organizing the “Friday Flick on the Field” screening of “Rudy” which is scheduled for Aug. 30.

As they look for ward to the year ahead, Boyle and McGuire said they feel hopeful their team w ill be able to make real changes.

“There will be roadblocks you don’t always expect, but I think we’re ready to take them on, and I think we’re ready to work with as many people as possible to find solutions,” McGuire said.

Contact Genevieve Redsten at gredsten@nd.edu

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

5

The observer | thursday, august 29, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

By WILLOUGHBY THOM Scene Writer

Punk rock gets a bad rap. Punk is often seen as an aggressive and violent cultural movement filled with screams, safety pins and neon mohawks, but that only makes up a small fraction of the scene. Yes, there are aspects of the underground punk scene that are more aggressive than others. There are people who wear safety pins and have their mohawks haphazardly coiffed, but punk is intended to be a progressive movement, not an aggressive one. It’s a movement that stands up against unjust societal norms and provides a place for people to come together and appreciate one another as unique individuals.

Musically, punk had changed quite a bit. Punk no longer sounds like Black Flag, Fugazi or Minor Threat, but a blend of 60’s fuzz, West Coast Ska and teenage angst. Here are the three best new punk tracks that were released this summer: “Crumbling” – Grumpster If you like Green Day, you’ll like Grumpster. Before I go

By JIM MOSTER Scene Writer

In July 2019, a Facebook group called for the building of a coalition to storm Area 51 and “see them aliens.”

Days later, the meme elicited an official response from the United States military. Celebrities and corporate social media jumped to capitalize on the running joke’s popularity. Then the meme died.

On the surface, the Area 51 meme followed the same ephemeral life cycle as every other meme. It seized our social media feeds with unprecedented vigor, but the joke still grew stale and faded away. However, a posthumous inspection of the Area 51 meme will reveal a unique case study on the forces that drive the evolution of the Internet. To fully understand, we must first piece together a genealogy of the web’s users.

The early internet can best be understood as a place of social refuge. It was messy, foreign, unrestricted and most importantly, anonymous. Tech-savvy young people on the fringes of society could find solace amongst other individualists online. As a result, the soul of the Internet was forged within the idiosyncratic culture of youth-run message boards.

In the late 90’s, the rise of internet service providers allowed for widespread internet access beyond universities and government agencies. Parents, business owners and educators began to colonize the web in greater numbers. Nevertheless, many young adults continued to predominantly use the Internet for entertainment.

These users pioneered the meme, a new language of comedy written in binary and translated into human laughter.

The invention of meme culture permitted recreational areas of the Web to survive and thrive up to the present. Each new generation of users has seized the opportunity to speak a language of humor that belongs

any further, I need to make it clear that Green Day is not pop-punk; they are pure underground, grass-roots punk.

So please don’t compare them to Blink-182. Grumpster, like Green Day, is an Oakland, California, based band under Asian Man Records, and they just released their single “Crumbling” on Aug. 13. “Crumbling,” the first song released off their upcoming debut album “Underwhelmed,” which is projected to be released in November, does not disappoint. Fayln, the front-woman and bassist (you can add her onto the list with Geddy Lee, Paul McCartney and Sting—get it?), is the female Billie Joe Armstrong. As she channels the classic sounds of riot grrrl punk, the heavy guitar is reminiscent of Green Day’s “Basket Case” and “Bang Bang.”

If you want to check out more of Fayln’s endeavors, check out Destroy Boys.

“Lose Lose Lose” – SWMRS SWMRS (pronounced “swimmers”) are revolutionary.

They are also an Oakland-based band, and they bring the party! Their recent release off their new album “Berkley’s on Fire” makes you want to lose your mind. “Lose Lose

entirely to them. As a result, comedic elements of the primordial internet have gradually been phased out by new developments.

Today, the heirs of the internet who fail to reflect their cliquish roots are condescendingly referred to as “normies.” Non-normies, who I’ll call “outsiders,” occupy niche areas of the web that better reflect the bizarre conventions of the early internet. This terminology, although unusual, is required for understanding the significance of the Area 51 meme.

The fake plan to find aliens in Area 51 proved to be one of the most mainstream memes of all time. The meme started on normie Facebook instead of the outsider havens of Reddit and 4chan. The nation’s top media outlets reported on it. The Air Force issued a warning to potential infiltrators. Lil Nas X centered a music video around the raid. References to escaped aliens dominated Instagram, Twitter and Tik Tok for weeks.

Most outsiders view mainstream memes with adamant derision. Ironically, the summer’s Area 51 meme was actually a normie adaptation of outsider humor.

The original Facebook group referenced the “Naruto run,” an anime-based joke typically used by outsiders.

One viral meme focused on sending “Kyles,” an outsider term for angry white men, to rush the base. The Kyles would be equipped with Monster Energy, a drink that outsiders have mocked for years. Several memes focused on suicidal millennials, proving that outsiders no longer have a monopoly on morbid self-deprecation.

Outsider humor remains the last vestige of an old and reclusive internet. However, the Area 51 meme showed that outsider jokes can be repurposed by normies. The idea of rescuing aliens inevitably lost its novelty, but the meme conveyed an enduring message. In 2019, the internet and its humor truly belong to anyone who might claim it.

Of course, prominent websites choose to prioritize

Lose,” released as a single on Jun. 14, is a perfect mix of modern sounds along with the classic angst that is unique to punk. Cole Becker’s contagious energy builds to the central chant of “I’d lose, lose, lose my mind.” A call for change is the central theme, and it is directly addressed when he alludes to Marxism and Communism as poisonous regimes by directly addressing Vladimir Putin and Che Guevara. “Lose Lose Lose” is a modern twist on classic punk.

“F Nature” – Sitting on Stacy Sitting on Stacy, the new-age Sublime. Sitting on Stacy is based out of San Diego and their new album “Perfectly Sane,” released Aug. 16, captures the essence of surf punk.

The album features songs like “Laid,” “Hope She’s the One” and “Fries,” which are all different facets of the band, but “F Nature” is the perfect blend of three. The only way to describe them would be if Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Bradley Nowell of Sublime had a baby it would be Sitting on Stacey.

Contact Willoughby Thom at wthom@nd.edu

popular content. Mainstream meme culture, an industrious click-generator, only dominates because its secured algorithmic hegemony. Thus, no average user possesses the sway to replace outsider humor or control any other aspect of the internet. But what about the internet’s atypical patrons? Can they claim the web?

Some would say they already have. The Internet is real estate, and Amazon Web Services controls nearly 50% of the cloud market as of 2018. Our corporate landlords welcome all onto their property, where influential users can disrupt the natural selection of memes.

For example, companies like Wendy’s pay their PR employees to weasel into your Twitter feed by sharing mediocre memes. These aspiring comics joke about depression to increase their company’s visibility; meanwhile, their own employees feel crushed by meager wages and a lack of mobility. Ajit Pai, the head of the FCC, used memes to argue for abolishing net neutrality. Foreign governments fund the maintenance of bot accounts to spread discriminatory memes in support of demagogues. Clearly, the freedom to meme can be weaponized into the power to reduce the freedom of others.

In an organic sense, meme culture reflects incremental changes in real-world societies. Normies eclipsed outsiders because the internet transformed into a mainstream entity. But perhaps it’s time to embrace the artificial. No average person can open her wallet and launch a digital campaign, but we can replicate that power by rallying ourselves. The Area 51 meme, although unlikely to inspire an actual raid, demonstrated that accessible humor can force ideas into the national spotlight. Memes just might hold the key to protecting the interests of ordinary users — in other words, the people who made the internet so fantastic in the first place.

Contact Jim Moster at jmoster@nd.edu CRISTINA INTERIANO | The Observer

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The observer | Thursday, August 29, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Braving discomfort

Inside Column

Make it a hot girl semester Maria Leontaras Assistant Managing Editor

We all know about hot girl summer. (If not, give this a read. It’s excellent and written by a former Observer staffer aka it doesn’t get better than this!) Do what you want, and do it proudly. Make some questionable decisions, and make them without regrets. Oh, and don’t forget to look hot while doing it.

All meme-ry aside, you can’t help but love everything hot girl summer represents. Life becomes the best it can be once you embrace who you are and what you like, and the colligate experience is no exception.

Now it’s time for the hot girl semester.

Obviously, school is important. Read your syllabi, go to class and do your homework. But remember that taking care of yourself and putting aside time to rest and enjoy life is necessary. Put aside an hour of your day to unwind and watch Buzzfeed “Unsolved.” That’s one step closer to achieving the ultimate hot girl semester.

Only drink black coffee for the aesthetic and not the taste? Really craving one cream and two sugars but don’t want to seem extra? Who cares! Hot girl semester.

Keep throwing up those peace signs. Keep unironically using cringe-worthy slang. Keep expressing your sadness over One Direction’s break up. (I acknowledge this paragraph is excessive and about me, but guess what? Hot girl semester!)

But really, college is the place to discover what you love, what you hate and what you never thought you’d enjoy.

It’s OK to indulge in guilty pleasures — I’m sure there’s someone around the corner who’d like to indulge with you. This hot girl semester, we’re in the business of making friends while loving ourselves.

So I say open the windows, blast some music and let the world know about your passion for Jimmy Buffett.

Wear those questionable shoes to class (we all have that one pair, don’t deny it). Excessively post on social media.

Pop off on your main. No one can stop you mid-hot girl semester.

Now for possibly one of my most controversial takes to date: Take advantage of what the tri-campus community has to offer. Go to another campuses’ activities fair and sign up for a club. Hop on the bus and take it all the way back to where you got on. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, take a walk around a campus that isn’t your own.

Check out Holy Cross’s Ave Brew Cafe. Walk through the Snite Museum of Art at Notre Dame. Discover the tunnel that connects Le Mans Hall and the Saint Mary’s Student Center. The campus community is your oyster and happy to embrace you.

But what’s the easiest way to start your hot girl semester, you ask? Uncover the truth and report it accurately in the basement of South Dining Hall at The Observer. You may even hear Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hot Girl Summer” blasting from the computer in the back.

Contact Maria at mleontaras01@saintmarys.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Julianna Conley In My Own Words

It was toward the end of the night. I was getting my grAs a newly found yoga devotee — I’m definitely not ready to call myself a yogi — there are many aspects of the practice that befuddle me. I doubt I’ll ever comfortably accomplish “happy baby” pose, I regularly struggle to position my deep lunge correct on the first try and I constantly wonder who’s ever seen a cow arch its back. As a newbie to the ancient art, I’m still noticing all the little ins and outs of the exercise, always on high alert for new ways I’ll be exposed as an imposter.

One aspect that never fails to grab my attention is the practice of setting an intention. Setting an intention means choosing a focus in which to ground your practice on the mat and in the life you lead after. At my most recent yoga session, my focus was to be brave. I wanted to choose the heavy weights, opt for the challenging modifications, sit closer to the front row — put myself in a position where I could fail, but where I could also flourish. As I start a new school year, move into a new dorm room and live with a new roommate, I’ve decided to keep this as my mantra for my endeavors: Be brave.

This summer, I was a counselor for Notre Dame’s Summer Scholars Program. The camp concluded with a dance on the final night. Ever the enthusiastic dancer, I spent most of the evening shimmying my way around the Legends dance floor. I boogied with abandon, not caring what other people thought of my moves. I didn’t even hesitate when I was thrust in the middle of a dance circle, normally my personal nightmare. I was being brave.

Until I saw a boy make fun of another kid. Until I didn’t do anything about it. Until I wasn’t brave when it counted. oove on with some of my shyer scholars, encouraging them to embrace their inner silliness and let loose.

In a nearby group, a few students were doing just that.

Admittedly, they probably weren’t the coolest kids in the program and the boy whose carefree moves caught my eye was a bit gawky. I’d noticed earlier that he was a little socially awkward, a bit of an oddball among hordes of 16-year-olds all desperately trying to fit in. I admired the boy’s free spirit, though, I was horrified to realize that his unapologetic self-expression — his bravery — was being used as fodder for cruel jokes among the other students.

As our self-confident hero flung his arms with a joy found only through unrestrained dancing, a suave “cool boy” mocked him, mirroring the dancer’s moves with a jeering expression on his face.

I should have said something.

But what if the boy wasn’t trying to be mean? What if that bully was really a buddy? This hopeful theory was quickly dismissed. The cool kid’s frequent knowing grins at a group of fawning girls confirmed this jest was mean-spirited.

I should have said something.

But what if that dancing boy didn’t know he was being made fun of? What if he thought the cool boy was his friend? What if I made everything worse?

I should have said something.

But it would have been awkward. It would have been uncomfortable. For me. For the boy I’d have to talk to. For the girls I’d have scolded for laughing. It wouldn’t be fun, and they wouldn’t be happy with me. What if they hated me?

That day I forgot my bravery. I rationalized that my passivity was the right thing to do, that it would be better for everyone at hand, but ultimately, I know I chose the easy way out. I traded another person’s dignity for my own

personal comfort. And the reality of that decision still scares me.

While visiting with family friends, I found myself in some awkward conversations. Although I truly believe they are good-hearted people, these friends hail from a less diverse part of the country than my progressive home of California, and I quickly realized that many of their attitudes toward new ideas and people different than them were based off of unfair assumptions.

I should have said something.

But I know their outdated attitudes came from a place of ignorance, not hate. But their comments were so quick, so fleeting, it was hard to tell if the incident was merely poor phrasing or if the attitude I perceived was intentional.

I should have said something.

But I’m so much younger than them. I have no authority.

But I’d have to see them at countless future gatherings. But they’ll think I think they’re racist. But I know what they’re saying isn’t right. I know the truth. Isn’t that enough?

I should have said something.

But it’d be uncomfortable.

My high school cross country coach used to tell us that people like to believe someday, when they’re in really good shape, running will be easy. They think that running doesn’t hurt the top athletes. That they too could run a four-minute mile if it was as comfortable for them as it is for the Olympians.

“That’s bogus,” he’d tell us.

The difference between a great runner and a mediocre one isn’t that the greats can run fast easily, it’s that they’re used to running fast when it’s hard. They’re used to being in pain. They’re at peace with being uncomfortable, because they know it’s worth it. Very few people run marathons and finish by announcing, “That was painless!”

These people experience the same pain as everyone else, but they push through. They persevere. They know the discomfort is coming and they don’t brace against it, they embrace it. They use that discomfort as an opportunity to do what others won’t, to rise above when others don’t.

In the same way, when we see situations that need our attention, we cannot turn a blind eye. When we hear words that grate our ears, we cannot stay quiet. When we need to do what’s right, we must not simply do what’s popular.

It’s going to be uncomfortable. It’s going to be awkward correcting our friends for using outdated slang. It’s going to be unpleasant having conversations about why certain actions aren’t inclusive. I get it. I’m extremely non-confrontational. I’ve never used my horn once while driving! But our cars have horns for a reason. If we don’t honk in the moments where we nearly get hit, how will that reckless driver realize he’s putting people in danger? If we won’t push through that running stitch on our recovery run, what will happen when we reach a hill on mile 13? If we can’t say something when the people we love misspeak, how will we find the courage to say something to the bully on the dance floor? We must practice being uncomfortable in the easy moments, even when we can rationalize a problem away, otherwise we’ll never be able to stomach discomfort when it matters the most.

This school year, I’ve set an intention to be brave. And the bravest thing I can do is choose to be uncomfortable.

Julianna Conley loves cereal, her home state of California and the em dash. A sophomore in Pasquerilla East, if Julianna can’t be found picnicking on North Quad, she can be reached for comment at jconley4@nd.edu and on Twitter @JuliannaLConley The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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The observer | Thursday, August 29, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

Keep justice blind Patrick Aimone BridgeND

The Supreme Court was never designed to be democratic.

Exercising “neither force nor will, but merely judgment,” in the words of Alexander Hamilton, the Court was seen

by America’s Framers as the weakest branch, incapable of imposing its own judgments and removed from the political sphere and in dire need of protection from the legislative and executive branches.

How wrong they were.

By multiple measures, the Supreme Court is seen as more partisan today than any time in recent history. The partisan gap in its public approval has approached 30 points only twice in the past 20 years, both of which were recent — once in 2015, after the Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act, and the second just weeks ago. Perhaps more worryingly, in 2015 less than a quarter of Americans believed that Supreme Court justices “generally put their own political views aside” when deciding cases, a far cry from Hamilton’s intention.

But paradoxically, even as we complain of an overly political Supreme Court, we demand more democratic control over it. In 2016 exit polls, over 20% of the electorate named Supreme Court appointments as the most important factor in their presidential vote. And the contentious Brett Kavanaugh nomination process showed that voters were willing to hold their senators accountable for confirmation votes. Red-state Democrats Heidi Heitkamp, Joe Donnelly and Claire McCaskill all saw precipitous drops in support after the confirmation saga, voted no and lost their races.

Meanwhile, Republican Susan Collins of Maine is facing a formidable and well-financed 2020 challenger in large part due to her decisive vote for Kavanaugh. News outlets allege in the same breath that the Supreme Court is “too political” but also “too undemocratic.”

We can’t have it both ways. We live in a partisan

democracy, and the more democratic control we have over the Supreme Court, the more partisan it will become.

Something has to give.

In a situation like this, we ought to ask ourselves what changed to identify what might have gone wrong. Surely if the Framers included Senate confirmation in the appointment process, they expected senators to serve as more than a rubber stamp for a president of their own party. And indeed, two essays earlier, Hamilton anticipated the possibility that “the President […] may secure the complaisance of the Senate to his views.” However, he concluded that while the President may get at least a few senators to acquiesce, the size and prestige of the Senate would immunize it, as a body, against undue influence.

Indeed, that observation might still be correct. It’s not hard to believe that any number of Republican senators might have had qualms about appointing Kavanaugh to the bench when other Originalists surely were available, or that a few Democrats might have regretted the way the confirmation hearings were handled. But with all eyes on the hearing, and voters ready to rebuke their senators at the polls if they made a misstep, few chose to cross party lines.

It is this dynamic that has played out in every confirmation hearing in the last 25 years, not one of which has featured a nominee winning a majority of both Democrats and Republicans. But crucially, from the time of the Founding up until the 17th Amendment, the American populace did not have the leverage to threaten their senators for a bad confirmation vote, because senators were not directly elected. The most an especially irate citizen could do would be vote against their state legislator, for electing a senator who made a decision the legislator had no idea he was going to make at the time — which is a much more tenuous chain and much less likely to command a majority.

The direct election of senators isn’t going anywhere, nor should it. But the ability of the American people to punish their senators electorally, for exercising their judgment on an issue that should not be subject to democratic control

— for good reason — has been an unmitigated disaster and must be constrained.

The solution? A secret ballot. The same way each of us vote for our senators, they should vote to confirm a Supreme Court nominee. All that needs public announcement is the result: Whether the nominee was confirmed or rejected. Senators are already privy to classified information they cannot release to the public, so it’s nothing new for them. It would enable more “yes” votes across party lines, as senators wouldn’t fear electoral rebukes for confirming an otherwise qualified nominee, as well as less risky “no” votes, as senators could hold out for a better nominee without shouldering responsibility for their party’s defeat. This is a new way to sever the link from public partisan opinion to Supreme Court composition.

We have the right to directly elect our senators. But we do not have the right to directly influence the partisan makeup of the Supreme Court with our votes. Even if that’s how things work now, it’s not how they should. So elect a senator whose judgment you believe in, whom you can trust to make the right call in a tough situation. And then acknowledge that the only way we can enable them to use their pure judgment, free of electoral calculation, is by guarding their votes from our baser impulses.

Maybe what I’m suggesting sounds anti-democratic. But then again, so is the Supreme Court.

Patrick Aimone is a sophomore in Sorin who enjoys thinking about the Supreme Court. He writes for, but his opinions do not represent those of, BridgeND, a multi-partisan political club committed to bridging the partisan divide through respectful and productive discourse. It meets on Mondays at 5 p.m. in the McNeill Room of LaFortune Student Center to learn about and discuss current political issues, and can be reached at bridgend@nd.edu or on Twitter @bridge_ND The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

GUest column

Incoming freshmen: Life begins today Gary J. Caruso Capitol Comments

In the time of Knute Rockne, for my incoming class exactly fifty years ago or for the current freshman class, the start of the fall semester is the friendliest time of the school year. Everyone is open to meeting others before they unfortunately settle into more hectic and restrictive routines. We who survived our freshmen foray on campus are eager to offer myriad advice. Yet the best practice advice remains unchanged from Rockne to Rudy to now: Your life begins today, so follow your interests and speak to strangers all semester.

Fifty years ago, following what was dubbed “The Summer of Love,” my classmates and I entered as freshmen into an all-male Notre Dame. Eerily, 1969 was not unlike today with its national tensions and anxieties over the raging Vietnam War and my classmates facing a draft lottery that loomed later in the school year. Back then, Sesame Street had just begun airing. The Beatles released their Abbey Road album featuring the iconic cover. Neil Armstrong had briefly energized the world when he became the first human to step on the moon. The week before arriving on campus, many of us newbie Domers had learned firsthand about community sisterhood and brotherhood at Woodstock while dancing naked between the raindrops. For us, the summer had simply been a fun, normal time.

As repeats each new school year, we owned the same faces but had different names as those who step on campus today for the first time. We were confident and brash. We were concerned but hopeful. Each of us thought we knew how to live in a way that would better our parents’ generation. Hailing from a small

suburban town, I personally supported fighting in Vietnam to prevent Communism from expanding, reasoning that it would undermine my freedoms and pride in the American democracy. My roommates’ may have been raised in differing surroundings, but we were charter members of the generation that could conquer any problem, just like Armstrong had surmounted space travel.

My class was destined to become an anomaly within the Fighting Irish family tree. We were nationally pitted against the working class hardhats of our society.

Again not unlike today, we could either love our country or leave it. President Richard Nixon easily characterized us as radical students. Our parents were torn at what seemed to them as watching their children drift away from the America they had known. Yet many of them gradually converted to our side and eventually opposed the war.

My classmates and I became the radical era of Notre Dame students that threatened to burn buildings on campus. We had been disgusted by Nixon’s war expansion into Cambodia while denying that it was an invasion. We were outraged when American National Guardsmen fired upon and killed unarmed student protesters at Kent State our spring semester. Our student lives mattered, and for the first time in our lives we faced death. The Kent State students could have been us. That sudden reality of death, to us, was not what America stood for throughout its history, regardless of what our parents or the president proffered.

Having now run 50 laps of life since then, I can appreciate just how naive we were at the time. Yet, I am thankful that I evolved from a small-town, conservatively thinking person into a politically liberal and progressive-thinking individual because my eyes were opened at Notre Dame. I learned to think for myself and evaluate life through what I witnessed, felt and

experienced. Certainly I — just as most students of every generation — craved to be accepted into social groups. But while in those groups, I also learned to exude individuality I had never felt in high school or in my hometown. I learned to live.

With that in mind, life begins this week for the freshmen of the class of 2023. You will make friendships that will last a lifetime. Unfortunately, you will also experience pain, anger and sorrow along with a touch of heartbreak. But those are the elements that forge your character and make you who you will become.

Your resolve will be tempered by loss. Your success will be born by adaptation. Your individuality will be fashioned by your willingness to reach out to strangers. All of these will mold your life one step at a time.

The advice a half-century freshman like me can offer freshmen today is to explore anything that interests you. If you enjoy smoking cigars, join a cigar club and meet others who share your interest. For me, I played baseball and softball into my adult professional life on Capitol Hill. Luckily, those pursuits allowed me to meet presidents, representatives and senators like former Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly, who now teaches at Notre Dame. The point is to pursue a love, and if you are not rewarded, you will at least have a hell of a time throughout life. And that is why freshmen can bank on the fact that their lives begin now.

Gary J. Caruso, guest columnist and Notre Dame ‘73 American studies major, 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. 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 | thursday, august 29, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Make an effort to take advantage of the opportunities and changes heading your way this year. A realistic approach will help you ward off individuals trying to create trouble. Walk away from people and situations that interfere with your goals and achievements. Take care of unfinished business, and deal with home and family matters promptly and efficiently to avoid interference. Your numbers are 6, 14, 24, 26, 30, 41, 45.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Live and learn. An emotional situation should be looked at carefully before you make a decision that can affect your financial future. A change in status, reputation or position should be dealt with correctly. Look for a solid opportunity.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Just because you want to make a change doesn’t mean you should. Consider who will be affected by the decisions you make and how you can make it worthwhile for everyone. Choose to get along and keep the peace.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be pragmatic when dealing with children, your lover or anyone who tends to lean on you too much. Offer insight and options, but don’t do the work for someone else when you should be taking care of your affairs.

CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Give attention to personal issues before someone tries to take over. If you hem and haw too much, you will end up in a vulnerable position. Have a plan in mind and a backup ready should someone try to interfere.

LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Refuse to let anyone take advantage of your generosity. Giving in to someone or something you know little about shouldn’t be considered. The best results will come from hard work, discipline and sticking to what you know and do best.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A business trip or meeting will be revealing.

Choose offers that will serve you best. Fine-tuning your course of action will protect against loss as well as results that could stifle your chance to reach your goal.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Reconnect with people from your past who share your concerns, skills and interests, and you’ll come up with a plan that encourages you to work as a team to achieve your goals. The results you get will inspire you to do more.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A change will be right for you. Decide what is weighing you down, and put it to rest. Go over your options and concerns, and turn your desire into a reality. Look for the perfect platform to execute your plans.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t rely on others to do things for you or to be truthful. Listen and ask questions, and when in doubt, go directly to the source. It’s your responsibility to make decisions and to live with the consequences. Choose wisely.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Look for the good in everything and everyone. How you pull out the best in everyone around you will encourage success. Your vision and the changes you bring about should ease financial and personal stress. Romance is featured.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Look on the bright side and follow your heart.

Don’t feel you have to do something because someone makes a last-minute change. Stick to your plans and do what pleases you. An opportunity can lead to a new beginning.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Aim to stabilize, not disrupt, your world. If someone you deal with daily gives you a hard time, take a step back and a deep breath and consider the best way to move forward. Offer help, instead of chaos.

Birthday Baby: You are energetic, open-minded and hardworking. You are dedicated and persistent.

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football

Sports Authority

Griffin, Pelicans poised to succeed Luke Sisung Sports Writer

Acclaimed by multiple media outlets as the best prospect entering the NBA Draft since LeBron James, Zion Williamson has the opportunity to revitalize a small-market NBA team that has never found consistent success or a loyal fan base.

Zion has the chance to take the New Orleans Pelicans to a level that they could never reach with Anthony Davis.

While Anthony Davis is a generational talent like Zion, he doesn’t have the personality to win over the hearts of casual sports fans in a city where football is king, especially when a second-round playoff run is the farthest Davis could bring the Pels.

Conversely, Zion, a star, enters an entirely new situation in New Orleans with a new front office and a revamped roster. With Dell Demps replaced as general manager

by David Griffin, the mastermind behind LeBron James’ success in Cleveland, the Pelicans have proven, competent leadership in place to help guide Zion into becoming the next face of the NBA. Free agent signings during the Dell Demps era included Alexis Ajinça, Omer Asik and Solomon Hill which were all disasters. Draft picks after Anthony Davis included Austin Rivers, Nerlens Noel (traded to the 76ers on draft night), and Buddy Hield (traded to the Sacramento Kings in the DeMarcus Cousins trade that ended up being a disaster), all which garnered no return on investment. Leadership in New Orleans had a win-now philosophy in order to reap the benefits of Anthony Davis’ prime and put player development on the back burner.

The result turned out to be two playoff appearances in seven seasons and a team in shambles after the face of the franchise requested a trade.

Enter David Griffin. Griffin received the biggest gift that any NBA front office could ask for in winning the NBA Draft lottery with the seventh best odds and winning the Zion Williamson sweepstakes.

Then, he completed the biggest trade in NBA history sending Anthony Davis to the Lakers and came out on the winning side with Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and multiple future draft picks and swaps including the fourth pick in the 2019 NBA Draft that was traded in exchange for

9

Jaxson Hayes (eighth pick) and Nickell Alexander-Walker (17th pick). In the trade that sent the fourth pick to the Hawks for Hayes and Alexander-Walker, Griffin was also able to unload Solomon Hill’s horrendous 4-year, 48-million-dollar deal and clear cap space before free agency began.

During free agency, Griffin continued to prove that he is the right man to lead the Pelicans into a new decade with the signing of 3-point specialist JJ Redick and the trade for Utah Jazz big man Derrick Favors. The magnitude of the Redick signing is twofold: in one sense, Redick brings elite outside shooting which will be necessary for spacing in a Zion Williamson based offense, and in the other sense, the Redick signing shows that New Orleans can attract big-name free agents to a small market NBA team. The combination of a competent front office and the chance to play next to the NBA’s next potential star has made New Orleans a plausible venue for future max-salary free agents.

Furthermore, the clear vision for the future of the Pelicans as a team with elite young talent and a veteran leader in former All-Star and first-team all-defense Jrue Holiday has invigorated a city whose primary focus has been the Saints while the Pelicans have always been the “little brother” of the city. From the streets of the French Quarter to the banks of the Mississippi River, the Zion effect has been in full swing. Basketball is fun again in NOLA, and David Griffin and Zion Williamson are in a large part the reason why.

The last part of the puzzle, however, is to be able to win on a consistent basis and make deep playoff runs not only to entice potential free agents but also to keep fans and players like Zion, Zo and Brandon Ingram happy and engaged.

While the last piece of the puzzle is undetermined, David Griffin has without a doubt resurrected the Pelicans from a small market team after the Anthony Davis trade request to a fun team with playoff hopes going into this year. In New Orleans style and in the words of Zion Williamson, “Let’s Dance.”

Contact Luke Sisung at lsisung@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Kmet breaks collarbone in first week of camp Observer Sports Staff

Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online Aug. 9.

Irish junior Cole Kmet broke his collarbone August 8 at preseason camp, leaving him questionable for Notre Dame’s season-opener at Louisv ille. The injur y occurred when the 6-foot-6, 255-pound tight end caught a touchdow n pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Phil Jurkovec but landed awk wardly on his shoulder. The injur y occurred at Culver Academy in Culver, Indiana, during the team’s first fall practice in full pads.

Kmet, a native of Lake Barrington, Illinois, joined Notre Dame‘s class of 2021 as the No. 3 rated tight end by Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports. A duel-sport athlete, Kmet played both baseball and football for

the Irish his first t wo years.

However, due to an elbow injur y sustained in the spring, he recently retired from the former.

After appearing in just one game during his freshman campaign, catching two passes for 14 yards, Kmet found more success in his second year on the gridiron. He caught 15 passes for 162 yards in nine games as a sophomore, and is figured to be a prominent piece of Notre Dame’s offense in 2019.

Kmet was not the only member of the Irish to fall victim to injury during the team‘s stay at Culver.

Freshman offensive tackle Quinn Carroll is expected to miss the 2019 season with a knee injury sustained Wednesday and sophomore running back Jahmir Smith suffered a broken left hand, but has continued to practice with a cast.

The depth at the offensive

line and running back positions should be sufficient to w ithstand the injuries to Smith and Carroll, but the loss of Kmet leaves a larger hole.

Kmet faces a three-to-six week recover y period.

With one junior out, the Irish will look to another in Brock Wright, who was the No. 1 rated tight end in 2017

by Rivals and ESPN. The Cypress, Texas, native appeared in 11 games as a freshman but caught no passes, seeing time in primarily a special teams role. He played in all 12 regular season games as a sophomore, recording his first career touchdown against Wake Forest on Sept.

22.

Sophomore tight ends Tommy Tremble and George Takacs — the only other scholarship tight ends on Notre Dames’s roster — w ill look to help Wright in supplementing Kmet’s production.

Observer File Photo

Irish junior tight end Cole Kmet runs a route during Notre Dame’s 24-17 win over USC on Nov. 24 in Los Angeles. Kmet broke his collarbone in the first week of fall camp, dealing a blow to the Irish offense.

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.

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Sports

The observer | thursday, august 29, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Kelly Continued from page 12

ball.”

One of the first things Kelly was asked about by reporters was his team’s depth at the cornerback position, which was exposed in last season’s loss to Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinal. Kelly displayed confidence in his secondar y and named some of his starters for Monday night’s game.

“I think the depth is outstanding,” he said. “We have [senior] Donte Vaughn, [sophomore] TaRiq Bracy,

[graduate student] Shaun Craw ford. I think you’ll see all three of those guys play ing.”

Kelly was also questioned about the Irish’s offensive depth. After suffering broken collarbones in practice, top tight end Cole Kmet and starting wide receiver Michael Young could miss the first few weeks of the season. The Irish receiving corps suffered another blow on Monday when sophomore Kevin Austin was announced out for the year.

Speaking about the adaptability of the team’s offensive scheme, Kelly mentioned that the Irish could compensate

for these losses by moving their running backs into the slot frequently at the beginning of the season. “[Freshman] Kyren Williams and [junior] Jafar Armstrong are also playing some slot receiver for us,” he said. “It offsets a little bit of that. One of the things we’ve done really well is from an offensive perspective, we’ve got some versatility that if we are down a player or two, we have some other talented players that we can fit into a system that’s f lexible enough to be able to do that.”

Kelly also mentioned how impressed he was with

sophomore slot receiver Lawrence Keys III’s development in the offseason. The New Orleans native will start on Monday and could be a player who helps fill the initial void at receiver.

“Everybody can see that when he touches the ball, he’s got great speed,” he said.

“One of the things that he does that’s a little bit different than all of our guys is that he catches the ball at full speed.

Some guys have to throttle down a little bit. He can catch it at full speed. That’s a great trait to have.”

Kelly knows that his team has to be prepared to win

games on the road to have a successful regular season, and Monday’s opener is no exception.

“There will be a great amount of excitement in the stadium,” he said. “We will have to match that with really a fine performance, but more importantly poise and confidence, discipline, all the things that you have to have when you go on the road. That’s important in an opener.”

Monday’s game w ill kick off at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Contact Colin Capece at ccapece@nd.edu

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Irish receiver Kevin Austin Jr., expected to miss the entire 2019 season, enters the stadium before Notre Dame’s Cotton Bowl loss to Clemson.

EMMA FARNAN | The Observer

Irish junior running back Jafar Armstrong scores a touchdown during Notre Dame’s 36-3 win over Syracuse on Nov. 17 in Yankee Stadium.

ANNA MASON | The Observer

Irish junior wide receiver Michael Young fields a kickoff during Notre Dame’s 19-14 win over Pittsburgh on Oct. 13. Young, the fifth-leading returning receiver, broke his collarbone during fall camp Aug. 17.

Follow us on Twitter. @ObserverSports

Sports

Swarbrick Continued from page 12

of college football’s postseason has shifted, Swarbrick has remained steady in his scheduling plan.

“The core philosophy is we have to build a schedule where we can make the case that our twelve games are as good as anyone’s thirteen,” he said. “That’s why we have never played an FCS opponent — only two schools in the country can say that.

That’s why we take on these high-profile games. Whether it’s the BCS or the four-team playoff or if something happens in the future, I think that’s still the touchstone.”

Playing as competitive of a schedule as Swarbrick seeks requires the team to travel nationwide. Last season’s schedule took the Irish to San Diego, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City, and next year’s Nav y game will take place in Dublin.

Swarbrick emphasized that while the national and international nature of the Irish brand helps recruit prospects in the long run, it is not a matter of traveling to desired places to meet with recruits.

“Traveling is not as important to recruiting as some people think, because you are limited in what you can do in terms of interacting with recruits when you travel,” he said. “It’s more about the story it tells about Notre Dame’s commitment to be

ndsmcobserver.com | thursday, august 29, 2019 | The Observer

national than it is about actually being in a market.”

According to Swarbrick, the Irish have reached a number of new heights in their scheduling strategy.

“We are the only school ever to play in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago in the same year,” he said. “We have played in more NFL stadiums than any team in the country. We play in more major markets than any team in the country. It helps reinforce the notion that we are a uniquely national institution, and that helps in recruiting, but it’s not about going to any particular market to recruit.”

With Irish fans spread out all across the country, Swarbrick says it is important that the team travel to all Irish fans.

“This place is unique in the percentage of its fan base that did not attend the school — subway alums if you will,” he said. “We want to make sure we get to the places with high concentrations of those fans, and that interest is very important to us. The experience in San Diego [against Nav y] last year was simply amazing. The place was sold out, it was predominantly Notre Dame fans. It was a great reminder of the value of doing things like that.”

Swarbrick also commented on how the team’s national and international coverage coincide with the University’s mission.

“We’re fortunate that with our partnership with NBC

and away games on the ACC network that we’re getting really good international distribution of our broadcasts, which is helpful,” he said. “Being able to go overseas occasionally reinforces that. When we can do it in a place where Notre Dame has an interest, like Ireland, we would love to go to other places where Notre Dame has a campus in the future.”

It is often difficult to convince college football’s best teams to take on marquee out-of-conference competitions, and some believe the team’s agreement to play five ACC games per season will make this even more difficult. Swarbrick sees it as an excellent match, with the ACC being a conference that will continue to trend upward in the coming years.

“The ACC has been a phenomenal partner in football scheduling,” he said. “They have worked with us and created the opportunity for us to keep games with USC and Stanford and Nav y and schedule the Georgia game and the Michigan game this year. They have been great partners. I’m especially excited about the future of the conference when I think about what the profile of the football programs is.

Obviously, Clemson’s the standard bearer in the country, but I see a lot of programs in the ACC with an upward trajectory right now.”

Contact Jack Concannon at jconcan2@nd.edu

holy cross

HCC building on past progress Observer Sports Staff

This year, the Holy Cross College athletic programs will look to exceed last season’s results. While some programs such as the men’s and women’s soccer teams have had young players emerge as contributors, many have veterans returning to help maintain the progress their teams have made.

Men’s Soccer After finishing last season with a 6-13 record, the Holy Cross men’s soccer team will be looking for a rebound year this season. Despite an early 3-0 loss to the Marian Knights, the Saints have gone on to win both of their last two matches.

Freshman midfielder Daniel Lynch netted two goals for the Saints in a commanding 5-0 win over Grace Christian University. The Saints would continue their winning ways, grabbing the victory against crosstown rival Bethel University by the score of 3-2.

Two goals from sophomore midfielder Alex Valenzuela and a goal from Lynch helped Holy Cross to the victory. The Saints will be back in action this Saturday when they host Indiana University East. Kickoff time is set for 3:30 pm.

Women’s Soccer The Holy Cross women’s soccer team will also be looking for a bounce back year after going 3-12-1 in the 2018-19 season.

The Saints have started the year 2-1 with a loss to the Marian Knights 4-0, a win against Grace Christian University 5-1 and a 3-1 victory over Bethel University. A hat trick and strong performance from freshman midfielder Nicole Cook as well as a solid backline would help lift the Saints over the Grace Christian Tigers.

CCAC players of the week for this week also belong to Holy Cross. On the defensive side, freshman Riley Chapla was named player of the week and on the offensive side, Cook was also pegged player of the week.

The Saints will face Indiana University East on Sept. 7 at 1 p.m.

Men’s Tennis

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Irish players take the field before Notre Dame’s 30-3 Cotton Bowl loss to Clemson. The Irish received some criticism for making the playoffs despite an undefeated regular season due to a perceived weak schedule.

11

The Holy Cross Men’s tennis team will look to gain some valuable match play this fall season as they will travel to two different tournament locations as well as host a tournament and two dual matches of their own. The Saints will travel to Olivet Nazarene University to play in the ITA regional tournament as well as Michigan State University to play in an ITF event. The Saints will host both

Bethel University and Indiana University Southeast in late September and mid-October, respectively. The Saints went 2-5 and finished sixth in the CCAC last season, making it to the conference tournament for the first time in their history, but suffered a first-round loss at the hands of Judson University.

The Saints will be returning many of their starters, including senior Derek Wappel and CCAC conference player of the week, sophomore Dominic Gibson. (Editor’s Note: Dominic Gibson is a sports writer for The Observer.) Eric Mahone will also return for his second year as head coach.

Women’s Tennis The women’s tennis team for Holy Cross will be looking forward to match play as well as they travel to Olivet Nazarene University for the ITA regional and play in the Holy Cross Invitational that will take place Sept. 19-22. The Saints will be led by sophomore tandem Julie Wappel and Lucy Bruns.

Men’s Golf The Saints men’s golf team had an impressive season this past year, tying for second place in the CCAC and winning the conference tournament, punching their ticket to the NAIA national tournament where they finished tied for 29th. This year, the golf team looks to continue their success with senior leadership from Blake Vise. The Saints will have a busy schedule this fall, with seven different tournaments on the schedule, including the Warren Classic at Notre Dame.

Women’s Golf The Holy Cross women’s golf team will look to build off of their 2018 CCAC conference tournament performance where they finished in fourthplace overall. The Saints will only be returning one golfer from last year, sophomore Madison Pool, and feature four freshmen. The Saints also have a loaded schedule with five different tournaments on the docket.d a stellar season in 2018-19, tying for 2ndplace in the CCAC and winning the conference tournament, punching their ticket to the NAIA national tournament where they finished tied for 29th. This year, the golf team looks to continue their success with senior leadership from Blake Vise. The Saints will have a busy schedule this fall, with seven different tournaments on the schedule, including the Warren Classic at Notre Dame.

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The observer | thursday, august 29, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Football

Swarbrick discusses future of ND scheduling

By JACK CONCANNON Sports Writer

Observer File Photo

Notre Dame director of athletics Jack Swarbrick looks on during the men’s basketball team’s 64-60 victory over Georgia Tech in 2017. Swarbrick, an ND grad, took over the position from Kevin White in 2008.

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick met w ith The Obser ver on Wednesday and discussed the upcoming football and basketball seasons, the new athletic practice facilit y and more. This first of several stories w ill focus on Swarbrick’s v iews and strategies of the Irish football schedule to come.

Swarbrick stated that while there are many factors that put opponents on the Irish schedule, potential for inclusion in the College Football Playoff is paramount.

“The first criterion is the likely impact of our case for being included in the College Football Playoff,” he said. “You want to play the teams and the programs that you think have a high likelihood of being amongst the contenders for the postseason. That can be hard to predict under the timelines that we work under, but that is number one.”

Swarbrick cited specific football powerhouses as keys to keeping the Irish in

playoff contention and how new matchups compare w ith classic rivals.

“You also love institutions w ith proud football traditions,” he said. “Play ing Georgia, and we have Ohio State coming up, we have A labama coming up, Wisconsin, they all fall into that categor y. I love the energ y of doing a couple of games w ith a program that we have not played in a while. I understand the comparable attraction of rivals that you play a lot, but the energ y of play ing Georgia has been great. We’ll have the same thing w ith the Wisconsin series.”

W hen the College Football Playoff expanded the postseason field to four in 2013, all athletic directors had to reconsider how they would schedule games to gel w ith the new format. A lmost immediately follow ing the College Football Playoff’s inception, there has been speculation about an eventual expansion to an eightteam field. As the landscape see SWARBRICK PAGE 11

football

Kelly talks mindset with Cardinals looming

By COLIN CAPECE Sports Writer

After nearly three weeks of training camp, the Irish are slated to begin their 2019 season w ith a Labor Day matchup against ACCfoe Louisv ille. Head coach Brian Kelly met w ith the media Wednesday to discuss Monday night’s season opener.

Despite the Cardinals’ troublesome 2-10 season in 2018, Kelly is making sure that his team doesn’t take their opponent lightly.

“This is a program that expects to w in in all phases. A ll of their programs are quite successful. This is a w inning env ironment at Louisv ille, and they have high expectations. We’re going to be prepared for that,” Kelly said in his opening remarks.

After hiring former Appalachian State head coach Scott Satterfield in the offseason, Louisv ille is looking to reestablish itself as a perennial contender in the ACC. “Satterfield has done a great job where he has put

together certainly the pieces at App State,” Kelly said.

“He has some pieces here at Louisv ille that he’s going to put together a really, really good football team.”

Kelly also focused on the athletic and play making abilit y that this Louisv ille team presents on offense.

He spoke highly of junior left tack le Mek hi Becton, calling him a player that could make things difficult for Notre Dame’s edge rushers.

Kelly also had high praise for Louisv ille’s receiv ing corps.

“I think the receiv ing corps is as good as there is in the ACC,” he said. “Maybe Clemson has a better corps, but I think when you look at [redshirt junior Dez] Fitzpatrick and certainly [senior Seth] Dawkins, [sophomore Tutu] At well, this is a ver y talented group of w ide receivers at the highest end in the ACC.” Those receivers w ill catch passes from junior quarterback Jawon Pass, who Kelly described as “a play maker on the offensive side of the see KELLY PAGE 10

EMMA FARNAN | The Observer

Irish senior cornerback Donte Vaughn attempts to bring down an opponent during Notre Dame’s 19-14 win over Pittsburgh on Oct. 13. Vaughn will look to supplant former cornerback Julian Love’s production.