Print Edition of The Observer for Wednesday, September 4, 2019.

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Volume 54, Issue 8 | wednesday, september 4, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Students explore club offerings Campus groups recruit new members during annual University Activities Night

By JOHN SALEM News Writer

Students gathered at Notre Dame Stadium on Tuesday for the annual Student Activities Office (SAO) Activities Night.

Hundreds of clubs and organizations attempted to attract new members to their booths with everything from candy to prize wheels. There was a variety of clubs that catered to students of different interests, including Wall Street investing and semiprofessional juggling.

The event was sponsored and organized by SAO along with the help of many other organizations who hope to recruit students from the tricampus community to join their ranks. see OFFERINGS PAGE 4

Observer Staff Report

ZACHARY YIM | The Observer

More than 350 organizations set up tables Tuesday at Notre Dame Stadium for Activities Night. The event allowed students to meet club representatives and find ways to become more involved on campus.

Interns conduct research, solve cyber crimes

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Van Den Heuvel

Junior Julia Gately signs her oath to become an officer in the St. Joseph County Cyber Crimes Unit. Gately is one of eight interns.

By CHELSEY BOYLE News Writer

Eight Notre Dame students are working as Digital Forensic Analysts at the St. Joseph County Cyber Crimes Unit in an ongoing internship program.

The students work side by side with the Notre Dame

NEWS PAGE 3

ND seeks provost

Police Department to solve criminal cases in St. Joseph County and conduct independent forensic research.

Although a few other universities have programs of a similar nature, Notre Dame has the only program that swears in these see CYBER PAGE 4

SCENE PAGE 5

University President Fr. John Jenkins announced in a Tuesday email to the Notre Dame community that the committee to find a replacement for retiring provost Tom Burish has been selected. The group, which consists of 11 members including Jenkins as its chair, will discern the types of qualities to consider as the group searches for the next provost. Students and faculty will be consulted on this question, he said. ”With this committee, we will undertake a robust national and international see COMMITTEE PAGE 4

Valkyries to establish new traditions before moving

By CHRISTOPHER PARKER News Writer

Meet the Valkyries, Notre Dame’s newest female community, currently residing in Pangborn Hall.

Rector Amanda Springstead said the community has “a spirit of ‘we’re going to do this, and we’re going to do this together.’”

Pangborn is unique in its student composition. The sophomores, juniors and seniors of Pangborn chose to move to the dorm this fall in order to launch the new community.

Next year, the Valkyries MCKENZIE LOOKEBILL | The Observer will move to a new home that is currently under Pangborn Hall, pictured, welcomed new residents this fall to create a construction near Dunne new community before they transfer to another building next year.

Hall on the east side of Springstead said building really want to be involved,” campus. these elements comes with she said. “We’re all really The women who opted to its challenges, but the excited about the creativity join this community in the residents of this hall have that comes from starting a spring of last year received a stepped up. new hall.” blank page: no dorm colors, “The great thing about mascot or traditions already the spirit of the women in in place. see TRADITIONS PAGE 3 Pangborn Hall is that they

VIEWPOINT PAGE 7

Women’s Soccer PAGE 12

FOOTBALL PAGE 12

2

TODAY

The observer | wednesday, september 4, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

Have a question you want answered?

Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com

What was your favorite activity as a kid?

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 Social Media Editor: Mary Bernard

Photo Editor: Anna Mason

Graphics Editor: Diane Park

Advertising Manager: Landry Kempf

Ad Design Manager: Ruby Le

Systems Administrator: Mike Dugan

Bob Sigfried

Bailey Cartwright

freshman Keough Hall

junior Flaherty Hall

“Jumping on the trampoline.”

“Playing soccer.”

Chris Rebagliati

Dalton Dove

senior Duncan Hall

sophomore Carroll Hall

“Football with friends.”

“Playing video games.”

Ryan Smith

Brian Dineen

junior Morrissey Manor

sophomore Carroll Hall

“Flag football in my town league.”

“Playing basketball.”

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Today’s Staff News

Sports

Sara Schlecht McKenzie Lookebill Rebecca Stella

Stephen Hannon

Graphics

Scene

Joseph Han

Hanna Kennedy

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NOAH CHA | The Observer

Students gather in Stanford Hall for the newest signature event on campus, a weekly trivia night hosted by rector Justin McDevitt.

In addition to trivia night, the men of Stanford Hall host events such as cookouts, dorm section olympics and TED Talks.

The next Five days:

Want your event included here?

Email news@ndsmcobserver.com

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Black Ecumenical Prayer Service Geddes Chapel Hall 11:30 a.m.

Traditional AfricanAmerican service.

“Europe’s Policies Toward Refugees” 1050 Jenkins Nanovic Halls 12:30 p.m.

Open to the public.

Diversity and Inclusion Conference Morris Inn 8 a.m.

Day of learning and community-building.

Seminar in American Religion Morris Inn 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Kathleen Sprow Cummings to speak.

Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. or 11:45 a.m.

Celebrate Mass with the community.

Recital: Eric Hwong & HyunSoo Kim LaBar Recital Hall 7 p.m.

Violinist Hwong and pianist Kim perform.

Recital: Indian Classical Dance Decio Theater 7 p.m.

Bijayini Satpathy performs.

Memorial Mass for John Copeland Nagle Basilica of the Sacred Heart 12:45 p.m.

Service for professor.

Exhibit: “Looking at the Stars” Snite Museum of Art All day Explore collection of Irish art.

Film: “At Eternity’s Gate” Browning Cinema 3 p.m.

Film about Vincent Van Gogh and his artwork.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 4, 2019 | The Observer

3

College welcomes new library director

By COLLEEN FISCHER News Writer

W hen members of the Saint Mar y’s communit y enter the Cushwa-Leighton Librar y this year, they won’t just notice physical transformations and renovations that occurred over the summer. The librar y has also gone through recent administrative changes.

Beyond the circulation desks to the back of the librar y is the office for Joseph Thomas, the newest librar y director named in Januar y.

This year marks Thomas’ first academic year as librar y director. He prev iously worked at Notre Dame Law Librar y for about 25 years and Georgetow n Law Librar y for four years. Then he came to Saint Mar y’s.

He pursued the position at Saint Mar y’s due to its diverse subject matter as a liberal arts college.

“I’ve always been interested in working [in] a college librar y at liberal arts college,” Thomas said. “W hat I find ver y appealing is the variet y of subject areas instead of just one. I really enjoyed working in law libraries, and I like the laws as a subject, but I have a liberal arts background. The idea that we have a librar y w ith science and literature and sociolog y and ever y thing else that a liberal college covers, is ver y appealing to me. …

That’s kind of my dream job. ... So, when it opened up at Saint Mar y’s, I applied.”

The liberal arts identit y of the college offers diverse content, but the College itself w ill hopefully prov ide social diversit y and a diversit y of perspectives to the world, Thomas said. He is excited to be part of an institution focused on ensuring women’s voices are heard.

Traditions Continued from page 1

Springstead made the same choice her residents did, leaving her five-year post as rector at Howard Hall. She did so to participate in this new venture alongside the rest of the women joining the community.

Springstead said she believed in the importance of a “really good start” when founding a new community such as this one.

“Hearing the women and their stories about why they chose to come to Pangborn,

Please recycle The Observer.

“I’m ver y excited to be at a women’s college,” Thomas said. “I’m hoping in the next generation or t wo, the voices of women w ill be heard in a way that they haven’t [been] in the past, and that a place like Saint Mar y’s is going to be not just supportive of that, but kind of a leader in that way. That combined w ith the sort of Catholic and intellectual tradition in a place like this just seems to be such a fruitful way for new voices to get heard.”

Saint Mar y’s students interact w ith librarians and research librarians through the research help desk and during class demonstrations, Thomas said, but they are sometimes removed from the administrative side of the librar y.

“The librar y in some ways operates like other campus offices,” Thomas said.

“It has a lot of behind-thescenes work that goes on that people don’t realize. ...

Ordering the right resources and getting them organized and cataloged and made available so that people can use them effectively is really one of our big jobs that kind of goes unseen.”

He said the results of this work can be seen on the librar y’s web page.

Like any on-campus office or organization, the librar y has a budget. Deciding how that budget is used — including which books, websites and subscriptions are purchased — is one of Thomas’ duties.

“We want to make sure we buy the right stuff,” he said.

“And that that’s a big part of our job.”

Thomas said he does not have any large administrative changes planned but asserts that he sees the librar y as a ser v ice to the Saint Mar y’s communit y.

The Cushwa-Leighton Library underwent interior renovations over the summer. The building’s administrative leadership changed earlier this year when Joseph Thomas was named its new director in the spring.

“I think my whole approach to libraries is to be focused on the users of the librar y and to make sure that we’re giv ing them the best sort of bang for their buck,” he said.

Thomas said he is likely not alone in this goal and that most librar y directors probably have similar ones. With the introduction of new technolog y during his librar y career, he has seen his and his colleagues’ mission of making information both more accessible and useful become realit y.

“Now at any given time, the way that [prov iding the best ser v ice for librar y users] is best accomplished changes,” Thomas said. “Twent y years ago, you would not prov ide the best ser v ice to your patrons in the same way you would now. ... The

way information comes in his changed a lot. One of our roles is to keep up w ith that.

If the way information gets presented to people changes, say from print to electronic, you don’t want to be liv ing in the print world only, just because that’s what you’re used to. You need to adapt.

W hatever the current information needs are for our students and our facult y, we want to make sure we’re on top of that. A nd that’s one of our jobs is to stay abreast of those developments.”

Despite the introduction of new forms of technolog y and the changing roles of libraries and librarians, Thomas said books are his favorite part of his job.

“I know, it’s kind of an oldfashioned thing, but I just think there’s never been a better sort of technolog y,”

he said. “People don’t often think of books these days as a technolog y, but what is a way of convey ing information or entertainment more effectively and preser v ing it than a book? ” Despite all his years working amongst them, Thomas asserted books still bring meaningful excitement to his life and career.

“Something that compact can contain so much w ithin,” he said. “The fact that we can collect those together and just one shelf of books in theor y could have so much in it, that you could supply your whole life w ith entertainment, knowledge and inspiration — I just find that hav ing a whole building of that still gets me excited.”

it strikes me that they are running to something.

They’re excited about creating something,” she said.

Though these women will not remain in Pangborn, moving one year early helped alleviate a campuswide need for housing for transfer students, according to Springstead.

Despite the temporary nature of their current home, the Valkyries have f lourished.

“Our community isn’t the building, it’s the group of people,” Springstead said.

Signature events are

a typical part of Notre Dame dorm culture, and Springstead said Pangborn will be no exception. She said Notre Dame can expect to see a signature event from the Valkyries next semester. Dorm leadership and the residents will make this decision, like all others, together.

“Similar to how we voted for our mascot, I think we’ll be voting on what ideas people like,” she said.

These votes will help establish parts of the new dorm’s culture while continuing the

growth of the community that has already begun forming.

“We’re pretty feedback driven,” Springstead said.

“People want to be involved in creating these traditions.”

W hile all returning students chose their spot in Pangborn, incoming firstyears and transfers were randomly assigned, just as occurs for other dorms.

The building currently houses the fewest women of any female dorm on campus.

Next year, capacity for the Valkyries will increase from its current 130 residents

to 225. Springstead says she looks forward to that transition.

“I’m excited to meet who else will be joining us there,” she said. “W hen I think about next year, I’m really excited that our community will have another year to grow on what we started.”

Springstead said she hopes and believes the spirit of ambition and unity will remain with them next year and many years to come.

SARA SCHLECHT | The Observer

Contact Colleen Fischer at cfischer01@saintmarys.edu

Contact Christopher Parker at cparke22@nd.edu

4

NEWS

The observer | wednesday, september 4, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Offerings

Cyber

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

Assistant director of student clubs Erin Riordan said the activities fair intended to “showcase our over 350 undergraduate clubs and organizations to incoming and returning students. The clubs will detail their upcoming events and hope to gain membership.”

Riordan said she believes the club fair is a very important piece of Notre Dame’s educational system at large.

“At Notre Dame, there is an emphasis on the holistic approach to education,” she said. “This fair is about extracurricular and co-curricular activities available at Notre Dame [for] students to help them pursue that holistic growth.”

The student-led clubs that were represented at the fair are overseen by the Club Coordination Council (CCC), a part of the Notre Dame student government focused on managing the many undergraduate clubs at Notre Dame.

Junior Ricardo Pozas Garza, CCC secretary, said the fair aimed to reach students who weren’t heavily engaged in campus activities.

“It’s for them to be inspired by all of the really incredible and amazing work people and clubs here do and to find ways to be involved in those organizations,” he said.

Among the undergraduate clubs and organizations that

students as officers for the Cyber Crimes Unit with full investigative privileges.

They investigate a variety of cases including school threats, rape, theft, child pornography and murder using digital footprints to gather evidence.

“Anytime someone’s been accused of a crime committed over the internet or using a digital device, we will get a search warrant, and then seize the item and download it using software digital forensics,” Carolyn Kammeyer, a senior computing and digital technologies (CDT) minor, said.

“We’re able to download all the data off that device and go looking for, based on the warrant and the scope of search, what he or she’s been accused of.”

Mitch Kajzer, director of the Cyber Crimes Unit, oversees these students in their investigations but said the students handle most of the work on their own.

“They are the primary investigator on that case, which means they handle the entire case and are trained to function alone as an investigator into any digital aspect of crimes that happen in St. Joseph County, mainly doing forensic analysis of electronic items — cell phones, computers, thumb drives and SD cards,” he said.

Alexandra Van Den Heuvel, a senior information technolog y management major, said she particularly enjoys using real-life technical applications in her job as well as taking on the psychological role.

“I’ve done two school threats, and I’ve really enjoyed trying to figure out what people’s resources are and if they’re willing and able to carry out the attack,” she said.

W hen not working on current cases, the interns conduct their own independent research.

“Last year, we were doing some drone research, and that’s definitely going to come up in law soon,” Kammeyer said.

She said she also has to consider tough questions regarding where drones can f ly and whether information obtained this way can be used to prosecute.

Van Den Heuvel and other interns are also doing independent research into using the vital readings on heart rate monitors such as Fitbits and Apple Watches as evidence for whether an individual was raped.

She said she believes college students can be

Committee Continued from page 1

search for our next provost.

Among our first tasks will be to describe the qualities of the ideal candidate for provost at this time in Notre Dame’s history,” he said. “As we undertake a process of ref lection and discussion on this question, we will set up listening sessions with faculty of the various colleges, as well as students and staff, to hear your thoughts.”

Once that work is completed, the committee will produce a “prospectus” outlining the ”nature of the opportunity” and enumerating qualities the University is seeking in candidates.

Of the committee’s 11 members, eight are faculty and two are students, Jenkins said in the email. ”The process for choosing a Provost as defined by the Academic Articles begins with the election by the Academic Council of five of its elected faculty representatives and one of its student representatives to a search committee chaired by the President,” Jenkins said in the email. ”The President

MARY BERNARD | The Observer

Students surround booths hosted by numerous clubs recruiting during the University’s yearly Activities Night in Notre Dame Stadium.

were represented at the event was the Voice of the Fighting Irish Radio (W V FI), a student run radio station on campus.

“I think the activities fair benefits us by giving freshmen the opportunity to understand what it is our club is all about,” said junior Sophia Henn, head music director of the station. “Students especially benefit when they stop and talk to us. You can only tell so much about a club from a poster.”

The fair was not only about extracurricular clubs and organizations as it also promoted the service aspect of a Notre Dame education.

“We partnered with the Center for Social Concerns

to bring in local nonprofits to provide service opportunities for the students,” Riordan said.

Hundreds of students attended the event. Graduate student Nicholas Assise said he tooks his time exploring the clubs and organizations available for him to join.

“As a graduate student, I don’t really have a feel for Notre Dame’s community because I live off campus,” he said. “This event helped out in that regard, and I’ve found a lot of clubs that I am interested in.”

may then appoint up to three members of the regular faculty and one student ‘in order to ensure that a broad range of views and perspectives is represented on the committee.‘” According to the email, the five Academic Council members represented on the committee are Kasey Buckles, an economics professor, Patrick Flynn, chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michael Hildreth, a professor of physics and associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Science, Margaret Meserve, chair of the Italian Studies Department and the College of Arts and Letters’ associate dean for the humanities and faculty affairs, accountancy professor Ramachandran Ramanan and junior Maria Salerno.

The committee members are listed below.

Academic Council members: • Kasey Buckles, Brian and Jeannelle Brady Associate Professor of Economics • Patrick Flynn, chair, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Duda

Family Professor of Engineering • Michael Hildreth, associate dean for research and graduate studies, physics professor • M a r g a r e t Meserve, Fabiano Collegiate Chair in Italian Studies, associate dean for the humanities and faculty affairs, • R a m a c h a n d r a n Ramanan, professor, Department of Accountancy • Maria Salerno, junior Members appointed by Jenkins: • Laura Carlson, vice president, associate provost and dean of the Graduate School, • Veronica Root Martinez, law professor, Robert & Marion Short Scholar • Carl Ackermann, Nolan P r o f e s s o r s h i p for Excellence in Under g r adu ate Instruction, finance professor • Karen Angeles, graduate student, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences

Contact John Salem at jsalem2@nd.edu

an incredible asset to the unit.

“One of the major benefits is that, as students, we understand the technologies that our generation is using to solve crimes, and I think that’s a very key part of it,” she said. “We understand Snapchat and Instagram better than our parents do, and those are the platforms where a lot of crimes are being carried out.”

Kajzer also said the students’ ages allows them to be particularly helpful when working with technolog y.

“They have been working with technolog y and digital items their entire lives, so they have that innate understanding of how various apps work,” he said.

In addition to the new perspective and knowledge they bring, Kajzer said these interns also add the manpower needed to solve cases more effectively.

“We’re able to take on more and more cases because we have the students,” Kajzer said.

The students are invaluable to their efforts, Kajzer said, because of the amount of time they save the team.

“Without them here, digital forensics typically has a six-to-nine-month backlog to get results back for forensics,” Kajzer said.

“But because of the students, our turnaround time is usually one day, so we get evidence to the investigators and to the prosecutors right away so they can make good, informed decisions.”

Brooke Sabey, a junior CDT minor and internship participant, said she appreciates how unique the program is.

“I think it’s really cool Notre Dame has this program,” she said. “We are the only school that has college students being actually sworn in as law enforcement.”

In the future, the program leadership would like to expand and have more students as interns.

In pursuit of this goal, the unit has already increase the amount of students thst comprise the program.

Last year, the unit consisted of six interns whereas this year’s cohort is made up of eight.

Kammeyer said he hopes more students join the unit in the years ahead because the work they are doing is so important.

“Knowing that you’re catching these people, and at the end of the day, you’re making the world a better place, even if it is just one case at a time,” he said.

Contact Chelsey Boyle at cboyle4@nd.edu

5

The observer | wednesday, september 4, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

By MICHAEL MEZZACAPPA Scene Writer

Dave Chappelle’s new Netflix special “Sticks and Stones,” released Aug. 26, follows a trend of successful Chappelle specials. After bursting back onto the stage after a long hiatus, Chappelle has channeled his former “Chappelle’s Show” self to muster up what seems like years of hilarious, original content. With Kendrick Lamar booming in the background and a tough exterior look to the production, Chappelle comes out firing in modern fashion as if he had never left.

Chappelle struts out onto the stage wearing a variant of his usual attire, which features his name’s “C” on the upper sleeve and “CHAPPELLE” boldly printed on the breast. However, in contrast to his typical denim jacket and black jeans look, the funny man appears in an olive green jumpsuit fit for Rikers Island, New York City’s main jail complex. His message is clear and expressed without him having to say anything at all: Comedy is in prison.

That being clear, words were still said. And lots of them. And they were hilarious. In a sentence riddled

By CHARLIE KENNEY Associate Scene Editor

Choosing to film his most recent picture around 1969 Los Angeles, Quentin Tarantino gave himself a canvas to work with that begged for brilliance.

Over the past 20 years, Tarantino has set his nine feature films in the Wild West, the antebellum South and Nazi-occupied 1940s Europe. And, for the most part, has done so to the satisfaction of his fans, the box office and the pens of film critics. “Inglorious Basterds” has become, in many ways, the war film of the decade despite its explicit lack of historical accuracy. “Django Unchained” brought Tarantino back on stage at the Academy Awards for the first time since his now canonical sophomore effort, “Pulp Fiction.”

Even “The Hateful Eight,” despite lackluster reviews from critics, proved more than successful at the box office in an era that is increasingly unforgiving towards films that fall into the “Original Screenplay” category.

Yet, as loved and acclaimed as Tarantino’s more recent films have been, one key attribute handicapped them to a certain extent: the fact that they are not set in Los Angeles.

Once Tarantino’s camera ventures outside of California, however, he produces a starkly different kind of film — ones that almost seem to caricature history and crutch themselves on the tropes and cliches that accompany whatever specific period he chooses to focus on.

“Inglorious Basterds” and “Django Unchained” are certainly fun films that indulge in their fair share of

with expletives but replicated here in a school appropriate manner, Chappelle helps explain his long absence from the stage: “That’s why I’m not coming out and doing comedy all the time because y’all are the worst I’ve ever tried to entertain in my life.”

To help describe his self-diagnosed professional plight, all while acknowledging his good fortune and fame, Chappelle makes synonymous his life and an above ground pool. “It’s a pool … ,” claims Chappelle as he shrugs.

Chappelle footnotes every joke, quip, bit and story with the disclaimer that the comedy world both he, and audiences of all kinds, once knew is in fact being jostled through a violent tunnel of censorship.

Chappelle’s choice to frequently side with avoided opinions characterizes his standing as a comedian and a human being: brilliant but troubled. Often landing himself in hot water with the media, Chappelle’s entertainment certainly does not appeal to a universal audience. Along this line, Chappelle describes himself as a victim blamer, going on to make light of very dark situations such as the abuse detailed in the Michael Jackson documentary “Leaving Neverland.”

Finding humor in dark situations brings the best

out of the entertainer Chappelle is, not necessarily the citizen he presents himself to be.

As important as Chappelle’s argument seems to be to the integrity of the show, at the end of the day, he is still a comedian. Comedians are actors and emotion is their fuel. One ridiculous story after the other, Chappelle showcases his most coveted skill: baiting the crowd’s expectations solely to jettison off to an even more outlandish outcome. The gravel in his voice and the goofy grin on his face present a vulnerable and innocent entertainer, all while twisting the bounds of comedy in an uncomfortably beautiful way.

applause-inducing gore and alternative history but neither of them possesses particularly convincing narrative structures or character development. They seem to be his own attempts at having fun with certain periods in history and often appear to be more concerned with appealing to the senses through blood and gun powder than to the mind through dialogue and plot ingenuity.

His most recent release, “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” inhabits a space between these two realms of filmmaking and, thus, grants Tarantino an opportunity to create a film that intermingles his two different styles of filmmaking. As is now evident, however, especially if you paid $15 for a ticket to see it on the silver screen, the acclaimed director squandered such an opportunity and, instead, painted a less-than-captivating picture on an incredibly inviting canvas.

“Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” chronicles a year or so in the lives of washed-up actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his carefree stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). The year in which the film takes place also happens to be the very same one that Charles Manson and his family are planning the murder of Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski. These two interlocked narratives set the scene for a film that could intimately follow the lives of these two dynamic characters while the city of Los Angeles reels in paranoia after the ritualistic murders of celebrities in Beverly Hills.

Instead, “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” flounders where it should have flourished. The film, it seems, exists for two reasons: because Tarantino

thought it would be interesting to capture a picture of Los Angeles at the very unique crossroads that was 1969 and as an outlet to cram as much of his obsession with the golden age of film as he could.

Initially, the film seems concerned with the inevitable decline of the fame of protagonist Rick Dalton and how he is going to shift his career to meet the demands of a changing Hollywood. We follow him as his show is canceled, through his endeavor into Italian cinema and into the part of his career where he declares himself to be a “has been.” An interesting journey into the mind of a troubled actor seems to arise that, although not typical of a Tarantino film, piques interest and leaves one asking for a bit more. Yet, just as that arm of the narrative is reaching its crescendo, a side plot concerning the Manson family is introduced and, in many ways, takes over the film for little to no reason.

Tarantino wants to accomplish two tasks at once and, as a result of such, ends up doing both poorly.

Yes, DiCaprio, Pitt, Margot Robbie and the rest of the cast give memorable performances, and it is fun to see fictional depictions of Charles Manson, Bruce Lee, Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski. It is fun to see the Manson family get torched by a flamethrower and have their heads bashed in. But, as a result of narrative and character choices made by Tarantino, that is precisely the very climax of the film: fun.

And, maybe fun is enough. Maybe that is what puts bodies into movie theaters in the Netflix age. But, “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” sure had the potential to be a bit more than just fun.

Contact Michael Mezzacappa at mmezzaca@nd.edu

“Sticks and Stones” Dave Chappelle Streaming Platform: Netflix If you like: “Chris Rock: Tamborine,” “Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain”

Contact Charlie Kenney at ckenney4@nd.edu JOSEPH HAN | The Observer

6

The observer | Wednesday, September 4, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

I am old Tom Naatz Notre Dame News Editor

As I sat in LaFun on Tuesday awaiting my turn to have my senior portrait taken, my heart began racing as I finally realized something that I have known for a long time but have never been brave enough to acknowledge.

I am old.

I’ve shaved consistently since high school. Usually when I shaved the razor would root out every hair and leave me completely baby faced for the next day or so. Once over the summer, I shaved and a couple hours later noticed some whiskers. You know, the hairs that are cut but never really go away, that are managed but never defeated.

I am old.

People call me Tom. Granted, they have done so for as long as I can remember. And I love Tom. But it is a middleaged name, at least. Have you ever met a young Tom? I, for one, have only met one other person roughly my age named Tom and he was such a grandpa.

I am old.

As of February, I can legally purchase alcohol in the United States. For the average college student, this occasion is extremely joyous. For me, it was a manifest representation that there were no youthful milestones left. The next major birthday? Thirty, a.k.a. the age at which in the 1700s I would already be guaranteed to be dying of some ghastly disease. My heartbreak only intensified when I realized that, at least on the plane of alcohol legality, there is no distinction between myself and my 50-something parents.

(No, Mom and Dad, I’m not saying you’re old.)

I am old.

I recently drove by my high school. I liked high school, but I’m not the “HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE GOLDEN AGE!” kind of guy. Nevertheless, I shuddered when I saw the front door and realized that, were I to saunter in the front door to say hello, there would be no students I knew for me to say hello to. None. They would not recognize me and would only ask, “Who is this old man?”

I am old.

The Friday morning of Welcome Weekend, I awoke early to the various move-in crews’ music wafting across West Quad. I groggily reached for my phone and angrily complained to one of my friends. “Not even kidding. I am actually going to call the cops,” I fumed. “Lol, channel your inner middle-aged suburban parent,” she responded.

I am old.

One day this summer I noticed something funny in one of my eyebrows. It was, to my horror, a hair that was noticeably lighter than the rest. Panicked, I ran down the stairs and asked my family for their thoughts on its color.

My dad started giggling mischievously. “Gray!” he said.

“No! No! It’s blonde! It’s blonde!” I desperately protested. To which he shook his head and simply repeated, smiling like a Cheshire cat, “Gray!” This theory was seemingly confirmed when, the next time I looked at the offending hair in the mirror, I noticed a wrinkle — yes, a wrinkle — under my eye.

I am old.

I have a medically diagnosed back problem.

I am old.

I have a Facebook account.

I am old.

The night of Domerfest, I was walking on campus with one of my friends when we saw a parade of first years — who were likely terrified but pretending to be pumped — shuffling awkwardly towards Welcome Weekend’s marquee event. I was filled with an incomprehensible longing for one of the worst nights of my college experience. “Enjoy your youth, for it is fleeting!” I addressed the wide-eyed and overwhelmed freshmen under my breath. “Domerfest is the worst!” my friend responded. “I know,” I replied wistfully, “but at least they’re young!”

Man, I am old.

Contact Tom Naatz at tnaatz@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Response to Brennan Buhr’s “For Ahmari-ism” Hiding behind Brennan Buhr’s artful prose in his op-ed “For Sohrab Ahmari-ism” is a startling worldview.

More than just a critique of American liberalism, Buhr argues for a form of Christian illiberalism. In this sharply polarized era, Buhr contends that “conservatism does not need another Reagan… but [rather] a new… St. Benedict.” However, it seems like an American version of Francisco Franco, the Catholic-fascist dictator of 20th century Spain, might better embody Buhr’s frighteningly authoritarian vision of Christian conservatism.

For those who have not followed the French-Ahmari debate, the clash began with a tweet from Ahmari regarding an ad for “Drag Queen Reading Hour” at a public library in California. Such an objectionable event, Ahmari wrote, illustrated the weakness of the “polite, David French-ian third way around the cultural civil war.” The David French approach, per Buhr’s column, involves “a hopeless naivete that conservatives can somehow negotiate a compromise with the left by accommodating their ‘libertine ways and paganized ideology.’” Buhr would presumably prefer a more robust confrontation of the left’s paganism, as embodied by the Drag Queen Reading Hour.

Let’s set aside the obvious point that our society faces much more pressing issues than drag queens reading to children at a public library, including of course the fires currently burning in the Amazon Rainforest (as Buhr mentions). Turning instead to the “Ahmari-ism” advocated by Buhr, a fundamental question must be asked: What would a “rightly understood Christian politics” do about the Drag Queen Reading Hour? Should the government deny the organizers of that event use of the public library? Given that the Reading Hour was a voluntarily attended event organized by private citizens in a publicly available space, such an intervention would surely violate the First Amendment’s guarantee of the right to assembly. Imagine, as a counterexample, if the State of California were to deny a Christian book club use of a public meeting space. The conservative right would protest vociferously, and rightly so. A Drag Queen Reading Hour — abhorrent as it may be to some conservatives — should be no less protected by the Constitution.

Indeed, the central, most disturbing flaw in Buhr’s argument can be found in his aspiration “to orient society according to man’s highest good and final end, objective standards which are foreign to the liberal project” by way of a new Christian politics. His problem is ages-old and was recognized by our Founding Fathers — there is no single conception of the good. Each person has distinct sensibilities about what a good life looks like. Different faiths and denominations within faiths and parishes within denominations all preach different visions of the good life. And that’s OK. Buhr likely has a different conception of the good than I do, and that is fine. Liberalism, flawed as it may be, is founded upon a noble goal: ensuring that each person may pursue

happiness as they see fit (with some obvious restrictions, such as the ability of a person to use heroin). After eons of bloodshed between factions in disagreement with each other on what makes “the good life” — Pagan vs.

Christian, Christian vs. Muslim, Catholic vs. Protestant — the architects of liberalism sought to establish an uneasy but workable peace. In the United States, they did this by protecting each person’s right to conceptualize and express their worldview. Competing factions might go on hating one another, but they would do so — most of the time — without resorting to violence. No one group would be permitted to enforce its philosophy or creed upon the others. This is the essential promise of liberalism, and it has done much good for our nation and for mankind.

Buhr is correct to point out the challenges associated with liberalism. In our courts and legislatures today, tricky questions about competing rights and worldviews are being hashed out. Under what circumstances, for example, may an LGBT employee be fired by a religious employer? These clashes within our liberal order are emotionally charged for both sides. But the answer to the problems of liberalism is not illiberalism. That is, the Christian right cannot force its principles upon an unwilling society. Perceived overreaches by the left should be called out, but they should not become an excuse for conservatives to infringe upon each person’s right to self-determination. Buhr criticizes the comfort of French with “promulgating Christianity purely within the marketplace of ideas.” However, Buhr fails to appreciate that any alternative to this approach would be a perversion of Christianity — forcing Christianity upon unwilling people is not evangelization, but rather an Inquisition. The abandonment of liberalism in pursuit of a Christian society would surely end in suffering.

There are valid reasons to be concerned about the state of American Christianity. The percentage of young people who practice the faith has plummeted in recent years. However, the proper response to the wavering influence of the Church in America is not “Ahmari-ism.” Rather, the Church and conservative Christians specifically should return to the foundations of Christianity. They should point to the transformational nature of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In the era of disintegrating communities, they should celebrate the strength of a community grounded in the Gospel. And in debates about complex social issues, conservative Christians should argue vociferously in support of their beliefs while also accepting the legitimacy of the other side. Both conservatives and progressives can offer wisdom in our public deliberations — both perspectives will be necessary as our country and the world confront truly dire challenges.

Join the conversation.

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

Tim Jacklich senior Sept. 2

The observer | Wednesday, September 4, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

Why Sony should keep Spider-Man Patrick McKelvey With the Current

If you’re anything like me and spend way too much time thinking about comic book movies, you’ve probably heard the latest news. Spider-Man, who finally joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War” and who was poised to lead the next slate of films in the franchise, will no longer be a part of the MCU. The issue stems from the fact that the rights to all SpiderMan films are in fact owned by Sony Pictures. In the 1980s and 1990s, before Marvel Comics began its own film production studio, the company sold the film rights for its most popular characters to already-established studios.

It was a great short-term solution for an entertainment company in need of capital. But when Marvel did start their own studio, and struck gold with 2008’s “Iron Man,” it began to pose an issue. Even with a lineup including Captain America, Black Widow and Thor, Marvel could not tell its greatest stories without its most central characters — among them Spider-Man. So Marvel Studios, now owned by Walt Disney Motion Pictures, sought to bring its greatest hero back into the fold.

Producer Kevin Feige and Sony’s Amy Pascal brokered a deal: Sony would license Spider-Man back to Marvel Studios, and allow the character’s films to take place in the MCU and to participate in crossover films. The films would be financed entirely by Sony, and Sony would keep virtually all of the film’s profits. Marvel, however, would hold complete creative control over the projects. And Disney would retain all Spider-Man merchandise profits.

The deal worked perfectly for Spider-Man’s two solo films and three crossover appearances in the MCU. But when it came time to re-negotiate on August 20, Disney and Sony failed to reach an agreement. Despite the fact that this version of the character has been well-established as a member of the MCU, despite the fact it seems his story would be central to Phase Four of the franchise, it seems that control of Spider-Man will be going entirely back to Sony Pictures.

It’s not exactly clear what happened. The most substantiated claims state that Disney attempted to increase its

share of the profits and financing from 0% to 50%. Sony, likely confused and offended by such a dramatic change, offered 25%. Disney walked away from the table.

I don’t see why, but comic fans seem to be siding with Disney on this one. #SaveSpiderManFromSony trended across social media as people praised the current iteration of the character and his most recent films. I’m with them there — Tom Holland is perhaps the best Spider-Man and the best Peter Parker, we’ve seen in a movie. Getting to see one of my favorite heroes interact alongside the Avengers was special.

But I’m with Sony on this one.

For the life of me, I can’t understand what more Disney wants. They had virtual control of the character and most of his supporting cast. They did not share in the profits of the films, but they also paid nothing for their production — they essentially made a movie exactly how they wanted, with zero financial risk to themselves. And on top of all this, they kept every cent of profits from crossover films featuring like “Avengers: Endgame” (the highest grossing movie of all time) and from Spidey merchandise. And if my spending habits are any indication, Disney is doing just fine.

Far more concerning are the recent comments made by Joan Lee, the daughter of the late Stan Lee. When she was asked to comment on the recent Sony-Disney split, she did not mince words regarding the studios and her father’s co-creations: “When my father died, no one from Marvel or Disney reached out to me. From day one, they have commoditized my father’s work and never shown him or his legacy any respect or decency. In the end, no one could have treated my father worse than Marvel and Disney’s executives.”

It’s heartbreaking to hear that Stan Lee, the only reason for the existence of the $22 billion franchise in the first place, was not treated with all the respect he was due.

There would be no Marvel Cinematic Universe — there would be no Marvel Comics — without Stan Lee. That Disney apparently showed such a craven disregard for his genius and his family is reason enough for them to lose access to his most famous creation.

Lee continued on to say, “Marvel and Disney seeking total control of my father’s creations must be checked and

balanced by others. … Whether it’s Sony or someone else’s, the continued evolution of Stan’s characters and his legacy deserves multiple points of view.” I’m inclined to agree.

Disney’s recent acquisition of 21st Century Fox means that the Fantastic Four and X-Men will soon join the MCU. Maybe there’s stories to be told outside of this franchise.

Maybe some characters should come to us from a different perspective.

Again, it’s not that I didn’t love every second of SpiderMan’s run in the MCU. I probably saw “Homecoming” and “Far From Home” four times each. There has never been a Peter Parker more true to the comics than Tom Holland’s.

His personality, his mannerisms, his motivations feel exactly like an amalgamation of all the best versions of Peter I grew up with. But there were times in both movies where Spider-Man felt less like his own hero and more like Iron Man’s sidekick. There were times where I wasn’t sure if I was watching a Spidey move or two hours of “Avengers” falling action.

This is one of the greatest heroes of all time — along with Superman and Batman, he has transcended the genre to become a cultural icon. His villains are some of the most terrifying, and fascinating, in comics. He’s saved New York by himself as a teenager, I don’t know how many times.

There are plenty of great stories for Peter Parker to fly solo on.

I’m sure the next time Sony and Disney meet, they’ll walk away with a new, mutually advantageous agreement that returns the character to his place in the MCU. But if they don’t, and Sony produces the next film themselves, I won’t be worried. The only thing you really need to tell a great Spider-Man story is Spider-Man. He’s used to standing on his own.

Patrick McKelvey splits his time between being a college senior and pretending to be a screenwriter. He majors in American studies and classics, and will be working in market research in New York after graduating. If you can’t find him at the movies, he can be reached for comment at pmckelve@nd.edu or @PatKelves17 on Twitter.

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

Representation matters Lucrezia Phifer Show Some Skin

This semester I have two classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The first is Ancient and Medieval Philosophy and the second is Musical Theatre History. I go straight from one to the other. Obviously, these are very different classes in many different ways, but after only one week of classes, there is one difference that stands out to me the most. It hit both my friend and I from the first moment we walked into the classroom Aug. 27. In my first class — philosophy, which has about 40 people — I am one of only six or seven women. Meanwhile, in my musical theatre class of maybe 25 or 30 people, there are only two men. These are the facts, and, by themselves, they don’t necessarily mean anything. But these facts do have implications, most immediately on how I feel.

I feel how the stares linger for half a second longer when I walk one minute late into philosophy than into musical theatre. I feel how much more comfortable I am to participate verbally in musical theatre than I am in philosophy despite the fact that I can much more easily explain Socrates’ arguments in “Euthyphro” than I can identify the differences between a book musical and a concept musical. In one class, I feel outnumbered, and in the other, I feel empowered.

Now before you tell me that facts don’t care about my feelings, consider for a moment that that actually isn’t what matters here, but rather my feelings care about the facts. In fact, they can affect the facts. Why is my philosophy class comprised of mostly men and my musical theatre class of mostly women? I certainly don’t believe it is because men tend to enjoy contemplating big questions about the

nature of humanity and the universe while women prefer to analyze the style of “Cats.” While I am not qualified to give an undisputed answer to this question, I might venture to guess that it is an issue of representation. Before I switched my second major to philosophy last semester, one of my professors urged me not to, in part because of how male-dominated the philosophy department is. I did not let this deter me from switching my major to something I was more interested in, but, understandably, it did give me pause. This could mean that fewer women decide to major in philosophy because they feel less welcome in that community, not necessarily because of any blatant misogyny or sexism, but simply because representation matters.

There are other facts that matter beyond simply the number of women and men studying philosophy and musical theatre, but in the content of the studies themselves. While I take my philosophy major and musical theatre minor equally seriously, let us not forget that one of these disciplines is a requirement for all students at the University of Notre Dame. Meanwhile the other, as I know all too well, is often considered frivolous, easy and aimed at those who don’t care about bettering the world.

The association of the former study with male dominance and the latter with female dominance can clearly have problematic implications for how women view their own studies and their role in academia. So too, the content of each class comes from a different range of perspectives.

Ancient philosophy, of course, comes from an almost totally male perspective because it originated during a time when only men were given the resources to study and write about this subject matter. On the other hand, within the American broadway musical style alone, every type of perspective is imagined and explored. This comes with the nature of each of these studies, and it is not a “bad” thing

or something to be helped, but it is worth thinking about.

Representation matters.

Representation matters because it affects who we encounter and with who we interact with. Although Notre Dame airs on the heterogeneous side, it certainly is not a place devoid of diversity, and we should want to associate with and learn from people who are different from us. This isn’t always easy because we want to be around people who are like us. When we stay in our comfort zones, we not only box ourselves out of conversations that would be bettered by our input, but we deprive ourselves of important opportunities. Nevertheless, involving ourselves in something that doesn’t seem like it is “for” us isn’t easy. This isn’t a grand call to action to transform the study of ancient philosophy nor a critique of either my philosophy or my musical theatre classes. It’s simply a reminder that not everyone has the opportunity to do what they love and do it with a bunch of other people like them — which can have real consequences. I tend to forget this because it doesn’t often immediately affect me, but now I get a personal reminder every Tuesday and Thursday.

Lucrezia Phifer is a sophomore and can be reached at lphifer@nd.edu Show Some Skin is a student-run initiative committed to giving voice to unspoken narratives about identity and difference. Using the art of storytelling as a catalyst for positive social change across campus, we seek to make Notre Dame a more open and welcoming place for all. If you are interested in breaking the silence and getting involved with Show Some Skin, email lphifer@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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DAILY

The observer | wednesday, september 4, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Put rigidity aside when faced with complex situations.

Being able to see all sides of whatever situation you face this year will encourage change that is positive, doable and reflective of the type of leader you can be. Stand tall, set priorities and shoot for the stars. Compassion, participation and romance will result in personal growth and happiness.

Your numbers are 9, 14, 22, 26, 30, 32, 41.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You can think big and make plans, but when it comes to taking action, size down, be reasonable and choose to spend your time and money wisely. A change may not be expected or wanted, but in hindsight, it will be beneficial.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your changing attitude may confuse some, but you’ll find solace with those heading in a similar direction. Divvy up the work that needs to be done, and you will reach a common goal and form a close bond with like-minded individuals.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t believe everything you hear. Someone will lead you astray to avoid owning up to a mistake or a rumor that’s traveling around your circle of friends. Keep your personal life a secret to avoid being talked about.

CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Control your emotions. You will need a clear vision if you plan to get things done your way. Persuasive tactics will work if you have a good plan that you present with passion. Ask for help, and someone will accommodate you.

LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): You don’t have to do what someone else is doing.

Choose what works best for you. By using your skills, knowledge and experience appropriately and monitoring your spending, you will make a difference by completing what matters most.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Take a logical approach to situations that concern a multitude of people. You’ll stand out if you make a point to understand what everyone else is doing and needs to succeed. Become the vehicle that unifies and brings everyone together.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Do what you can to lend a helping hand. Keeping the peace will be necessary if someone tries to start an argument. Focusing on doing a good job and staying busy will deter anyone disruptive from getting in your way.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Put in the time and do your research to figure out the best way to incorporate positive change into your daily routine. A kind word or gesture will encourage others to be supportive. Personal gain is apparent.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Listen and fact-check. Don’t expect to be offered the whole truth or both sides of a story. If you judge others, you will be judged. Avoid exaggerating, being indulgent or taking part in gossip or risky ventures.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t let your emotions interfere in your progress. If there is something you want to get done, concentrate on finishing what you start. Actions will speak louder than words, and sticking to a budget will help you avoid criticism.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Change the way you handle your cash. Look for an additional source of income. A change will boost your morale and encourage you to look and do your very best. Don’t let what others do lead you astray.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Stick to whatever plan you put in place. If you start bending to what people want, you will lose sight of your goal and end up going over budget. A partnership shouldn’t cause confusion or lead to regret.

Birthday Baby: You are patient, unique and flexible. You are industrious and energetic.

sorin elementary | ian salzman

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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SPORTS

ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 4, 2019 | The Observer

Kelly

Sports Authority

MLB has much work to do Connor Mulvena Sports Editor

I remember the 2006 Subway Series like it was yesterday.

Specifically, my memory of the second game of the first series at Shea Stadium is irreversibly etched in the annals of my mind.

It was Saturday, May 20. It was sunny. It was warm, but not too warm; windy, but not too windy.

The ice cream in my souvenir Mets helmet cup had melted just enough to make spooning it into my mouth effortlessly enjoyable. At that moment, it was the ninth inning, and all was good. The Mets held a commanding four-run lead over the New York Yankees, who I was conditioned (and thankfully so) to despise, even as an innocent eight-year-old.

And then, in the bottom of that inning, the music started among the raucous cheers of Mets fans who had perhaps indulged a bit too much for a Saturday afternoon. “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. I felt my heart skip a beat. Now, before I go on, many of you may be thinking, “That’s Mariano Rivera’s music, he’s the best ever!” I get it, okay. But for eightyear-old, ginger me in the bright sun at Shea Stadium, “Enter Sandman” was unmistakably the music of the one and only Billy Wagner. The second I heard that menacing music, I was confident the contest was over. I was ready to see some sweet chin music from the lefty, finish my ice cream and head home to bask in the glory.

I don’t remember exactly what happened next. But I do remember the Mets lost 5-4. I do remember crying uncontrollably on the wide exit ramps of Shea Stadium as barbaric Yankee fans shouted obscenities. I remember feeling absolutely crushed.

But I also remember seeing a fellow Mets fan in the parking lot, an older gentleman, who said to me, “Don’t worry about it, kid. There’s always tomorrow, and that’s why baseball is so great.” I felt better. My love for baseball and my undying emotional connection to the Mets was somewhat restored. I’ll never forget that moment.

Fast forward to today, and you couldn’t get me to watch any insubstantial MLB game in mid-May if you offered to pay off my student loans. Every now and then, I’ll settle in for a few innings of the end of a Mets game because I still do hold them near and dear to my heart. But I just can’t sit through some other regular season game that has no real bearing on the overall standings. And this

phenomenon is well-known at this point in the sports world.

Baseball is on the decline: The average fan is now 57 years old, attendance is down, viewership is down. We all know this stuff is happening. And continually we ask questions about why it’s happening. We turn to things like a “shot clock,” as it were, for pitchers, or any other number of minor impact implementations in an attempt to answer the question. But we all know why baseball viewership and attendance is on the decline.

For the most part, it’s BORING. It’s just flat boring. It tends to ramp up in the playoffs, but in the dog days of August and July, it just doesn’t do it for most of us. Just take a look at this season. Plenty has happened. Home runs have been off the charts. New rookie stars, like Pete Alonso, are breaking records. Pitchers are throwing harder than ever before. And yet, it seemed as if, for the first half of the season, the country was far more concerned with NBA offseason than the baseball season. It’s certainly understandable, but it’s clear that it’s a far cry from the world of 1985.

I’ve written before on this, but I think the fixes to baseball’s boring problem are actually simple. They’re radical, but simple. I’d shorten the season.

Make it 90, even 80 games.

There’s no reason that the World Series should be played in the snow. I’d shorten the game itself as well. 9 innings is too much.

4 hours is far too long. Make it 7 innings.

But I think there’s an even bigger problem that baseball has, other than its boring problem. And admittedly, this problem is intertwined with baseball being boring. It seems that baseball is a substantially regional sport. Which is to say that those fans who do exist follow their own team, and that is, for the most part, it. They’re not invested in the workings of other teams like the casual NBA or NFL fan who might cling to the TV during free agency just as much as he or she would during the season. Perhaps this problem could be fixed by making baseball more exciting and making each game mean more.

But I think there’s more to it than that. I don’t know how it can be resolved right now. But I do know that the MLB needs to find a way to engage its audience to be interested not only in the Mets or the Braves or whomever, but in MLB as a whole.

Contact Connor Mulvena at cmulvena@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Continued from page 12

of them. But they settled in nicely into the game, and it’s pretty apparent that they have the ability to impact this team and make it a better team as they continue to grow and get better.”

Kelly also addressed the potential injuries to senior wide receiver Chase Claypool and junior running back Jafar Armstrong.

“No, just Jafar — soft tissue injury,” he said. “He’s getting an MRI today. We’ll know a little bit more about his situation, but it was the groin area.

He felt some discomfort in the groin, ab area, so we want to make sure. He’s had a sports hernia injury that was repaired in high school. So we feel good that there’s no structural damage, but we need to obviously … examine it further. So he’s getting an MRI today, and we’ll have some more information as we move through the week.

“Chase landed on his shoulder on a tackle out of bounds,” Kelly said. “Our doctors wanted to take a look at him, but he came out of the game with no other injuries.”

Kelly also commented on some of the teams more significant pre-existing injuries, specifically those of junior tight end Cole Kmet and junior

wide receiver Michael Young.

“I think that Cole is scheduled for his CAT scan … on Thursday of this week, which will give us the one way or the other, the green light as to whether we can begin his full regiment of practice in terms of contact. So we’re close there,” Kelly said. “Michael will get an X-ray either today or tomorrow, which then sets into motion the next step, kind of where Cole was, where we can begin moving him, catching the football, running. So he’s about a week or so behind Cole Kmet in terms of that process.

But he will follow very similar steps along the way as we work through — not the same kind of break, but a similar protocol — as we work to get them both back.”

Moreover, Kelly talked about how not having a game in week two will be beneficial to the squad’s development.

“Sometimes we talk in terms of, ‘Hey, the bye week is coming at the right time. We need some time to get our guys healthy and get a breather,’” he said. “I don’t think that’s the case here. This is much more about continuing to develop our football team in terms of its preparation, so it’s different in that respect.

“Certainly, it would be very difficult to put these kids in a position to come back and play on Saturdays,” he said.

9

“So we’ll take advantage of the week in terms of looking at the things that we’ve got to get better at and get better at as a football team. So we’ll practice and put our guys in a position where they can look to improve next week against New Mexico.”

Kelly also said he was pleased with the offensive line overall despite a few mishaps, but he stressed the need for development is just as much a responsibility of the coaches as it is of the players.

“I thought [our offensive line] was solid — anytime that you rush for over 200 yards against a defense that you really hadn’t seen,” he said. “I think our guys did a pretty good job. I think we’ve got to do a better job coaching it, and we’re part of that process, too. … Every third-and-short needs to be evaluated in terms of our game plan as well. So we’re part of that as coaches as well. It’s not just on the players because those are loaded boxes, and some of it comes down to individuals making plays against unblocked [inaudible] as well.”

The Irish will not play during week two, with their next game coming at home Sept.

14 at 2:30 p.m. against New Mexico.

Contact Connor Mulvena at cmulvena@nd.edu

EMMA FARNAN | The Observer

Irish senior wide receiver Chase Claypool accelerates toward the end zone during Notre Dame’s 35-17 victory over Louisville at Cardinal Stadium on Monday. Claypool left the game with a minor injury.

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M Soccer Continued from page 12

environments in the country. ... [The Irish] are a little bit young, … [but] I think they’re going to have a great year.”

Riley praised his team for how they handled themselves on the field.

“To go into that environment, to play very well … anytime you’re away from home, you’re not going to get the calls you think you’re going to get, and I think we handled those moments really well,” he said.

Abualnadi opened his Notre Dame stat sheet just over a minute into his college career with a quintessential poacher’s goal. Sophomore forward Jack Lynn, returning to his hometown, earned a free kick for the Irish after enduring a sliding challenge about 30 yards from goal.

Graduate student defender Felicien Dumas, one of the team’s three captains, forced St. Louis freshman goalkeeper Patrick Schulte to make a save down to the his left-hand side, but Schulte was unable to hold on and was helpless to prevent Abualnadi from thrashing the rebound past him to give the Irish the early advantage.

St. Louis would answer just before halftime, however. A long ball launched into the Irish penalty area was headed down by Billikens freshman defender Mujeeb Murana and fell kindly to teammate

sophomore forward Chris Brunch, who rocketed home the equalizer from 12 yards.

Riley admitted conceding before the break was especially frustrating.

“You don’t like to give up goals at the end of the first half because that [shows] a lack of concentration,” he said. “So I think we could have maybe cleared the ball a bit better, but that’s something that we need to experience in games to improve upon.”

However, the Irish would again take control of the game midway through the second half with two goals less than two minutes apart.

After Irish senior keeper Duncan Turnbull did well to save a headed effort by the Billikens off a free kick, his quick distribution spawned an Irish counter. Graduate student forward Ian Aschieris soon received the ball on the right f lank and delivered an incisive through ball to senior defender Spencer Farina just inside the penalty area.

Farina then neatly cut it back for Lynn, who marked his homecoming appearance with his fourth career goal in the 65th minute.

Junior midfielder Aiden McFadden also promptly scored his fourth official goal in an Irish jersey. This time, Lynn would turn provider on another devastating counter-attack. Senior defender Senan Farrelly punished the Billikens for attempting to play out from

the back, making a sharp interception just inside the Irish half. Farrelly immediately worked the ball to Lynn, who put McFadden through one-on-one with Schulte. The junior and West Chester, Pennsylvania, native made no mistake, clinically slotting the ball past the St. Louis goalkeeper’s outstretched left hand. It proved to be a fatal blow to the Billikens, who — despite outshooting Notre Dame on the night 11-8 — could not deal with the Irish’s ruthless play on the break.

Riley said the Irish’s success on the counter was no coincidence.

“I think that’s a scenario we like to be strong at,” he said. “We like to try to create chances quickly. I think there are going to be times in all soccer games [when] you don’t have the ball, but how can we transition from defending to attack and bridge a quality chance? We had some opportunities to do that. In the first half, we weren’t able to do it, so we talked about it at halftime. … I think the guys were very composed in those moments, and they did a great job at finishing plays off, so it was nice to see our attacking players get into better sync than we were in preseason. That, to be honest, was a problem, … so it was another step in our preparation.”

St. Louis would not go quietly, however. With just over 10 minutes to go, a forceful

ashley hernandez | The Observer

Irish sophomore midfielder Bryan Silver looks to pass during an exhibition game between Notre Dame and Valparaiso on March 23 at Alumni Stadium.

challenge from Lynn inside the St. Louis half caused tensions to boil over. In the aftermath of the lengthy altercation, Irish sophomore midfielder Mohamed Omar and Billiken freshman midfielder Kipp Keller were issued yellow cards, and St. Louis was granted a free kick near the half way line.

Sophomore defender Chase Niece sent a hopeful ball into the Irish penalty area that was met by a free sophomore midfielder John Klein, whose towering header past Turnbull set the stage for a grandstand finish.

Again, Riley was not pleased about the manner in which the goal was conceded, but acknowledged it was the sort of mistake to be expected early in the season.

“We don’t like to give up goals on set pieces,” he said.

“I think there’s a little bit of miscommunication [on that play], and we don’t have someone challenge for ball. … That’s something that’s hard to replicate in training.

You really need to work on those in games. … I think we can get a little better in that area.”

The Billikens continued to look for their second equalizer of the game, but the Irish held firm, which Riley credited in part to the abundance of leadership and experience in the squad.

“Those guys have all been a part of big games during their time at Notre Dame,” he said. “They’ve had leads.

I think their composure just helped us see the game out.

It got a little bit hectic there at the end. St. Louis got very direct [and] started lumping the ball into our box, and I think those guys … did a great job.”

Though Riley might expect his team to see more of the ball when Notre Dame plays host to both Seattle and Denver this weekend in the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament, he does not see a need to mess with what is working tactically.

W hen asked if he would stick to the 3-4-3 formation utilized in Saturday’s win, Riley said he sees that it works for the team but there are other things that are more important to a successful game.

“I think we always try to adjust to suit the guys and put them in a position to be successful, and I think … [the formation is] a good way to play, and I like the way it’s working for us,” he said. “At the end of the day, formations are important but it’s more about principles that we try to reinforce no matter the system we’re playing.

But right now the guys are getting comfortable with it, and I think we’re starting to execute it pretty well.”

Kickoff for both the Seattle game Friday and the Denver game Sunday is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Contact Greg McKenna at gmckenn2@nd.edu

ASHLEY hernandez | The Observer

Irish senior defender Senan Farrelly winds up for a pass during an exhibition game against Valparaiso on March 23. Farrelly contributed to the third Irish goal Saturday.

Sports

W Soccer Continued from page 12

Notre Dame finally broke through in the 35th minute when junior midfielder Camryn Dyke curled a shot in from 18 yards out, the first goal of her career. It was Notre Dame’s first goal in the first half this season, which Norman said was important.

“We haven’t had great first halves. We’ve shown a lot more in the second half, so I challenged them, ‘Let’s try to find our rhythm early in the game,’ and I felt like we did that,” he said. “That first goal was really important to go into the second half.”

Throughout the season, Notre Dame has been dominant in the first 15 minutes after the break, and that didn’t change Sunday. In the 50th minute, junior defender Jenna Winebrenner tapped in a volley off of a cross from sophomore midfielder Luisa Delgado. Then, eight minutes later, sophomore midfielder Brooke VanDyk scored

Louisville Continued from page 12

Satterfield’s tenure off right.

Women wore red earrings, had red toenail polish and some even dyed their hair red. If fans couldn’t find a black Louisville shirt, a black Michael Jordan Bulls jersey or Oakland Raiders tshirt sufficed, but everyone wanted to be a part of it. Both Irish head coach Brian Kelly and senior quarterback Ian Book described it as a “great environment.”

Before kickoff, a video played on the stadium monitors. It

ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 4, 2019 | The Observer

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from close range after the ball bounced around the box.

She was assisted by junior midfielder Sammi Fisher and Delgado.

Norman credits his team’s depth as to why they are so dominant in the second half.

“As the game wears on, we settle into games,” he said. “I think our depth helps us out a lot; we’re able to play a lot of players, so we stay fresh when other teams start to wear down.”

Finally in the 77th minute, to conclude the scoring, sophomore forward Olivia Wingate headed the ball in off a corner kick by freshman midfielder Maddie Mercado, assisted by junior midfielder Kate O’Connor.

The Irish have a three-game road trip coming up, starting with the University of Michigan on Friday, Oakland University on Sunday and the University of South Carolina on Sept. 12 to play the No. 8 Gamecocks.

ALEXIS HERNANDEZ | The Observer

Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu

Irish sophomore midfielder Brooke VanDyck, center, chases the ball during Notre Dame’s 0-0 draw against the U-20 Mexican National Team on April 11 at Alumni Stadium. VanDyck has four points this year.

said that when the hour was “dark” for the Louisville program, “Card Nation” wanted to rise up together. It featured clips of various coaches at their introductory press conferences, including Satterfield talking about competing for championships and head basketball coach Chris Mack saying he would “work [his] a– off” for the program.

The Cardinal mascot came out to center field, was broadcasted on the video board and led the crowd in a cheer.

They progressively clapped faster and faster before chanting “C-A-R-D-S, Cards!”

The marching band’s three

drum went out to midfield and danced. A baton twirler danced at center field and flag wavers waved on either side as the band formed into the shape of an “L” and the fleur-de-lis.

The “Call to the Post” was played on a trumpet before the start of both halves as it is every year at the Kentucky Derby.

The excitement of having college football could be seen in how loudly everyone cheered after the national anthem, simply thrilled to have that tradition back.

The anthem was followed by the playing of “My Old Kentucky Home,” to which the cheerleaders swayed and held up an “L” with their thumb, index and middle fingers. The band then played “All Hail U of L” (spelling “U of L” on the field), followed by “Cardinal spell-out” (where the band members formed five groups and ran into position to spell out “C-A-R-D-S”). They concluded their opening performance with “All Hail Fanfare” and “U of L Cheer.” While a bit drawn out, the fans enjoyed the performance.

A hype video played with four minutes left before kickoff, featuring highlights of past Louisville teams and clips from Satterfield and the team at summer camp, trying to show the hard work and rejuvenation of the Cardinals. The Cardinals ran out through the stadium tunnel with flames spurting and the band lined up a couple of rows deep, flanking the players on both sides.

The University also sought to keep the fans excited during the game by honoring Louisville’s swimming, diving and baseball teams during the contest, as well as by inviting former Cardinals wide receiver

EMMA FARNAN | The Observer

A Louisville fan painted to look like a cardinal watches his team’s 35-17 loss against Notre Dame at Cardinal Stadium on Monday.

Deion Branch, running back Reggie Bonnafon and guard Jamon Brown. Former quarterback Teddy Bridgewater filmed a short message for the fans, and his mother, Rose Murphy, was in attendance. Throughout the game they would occasionally play highlights of Louisville’s 2014 win over Notre Dame on the monitors.

As for in-game traditions, much like Notre Dame students chop their arms on a first down, Louisville fans did so three times while shouting “Cards! First! Down!” Also akin to Irish tradition, rather than doing pushups in the air like Notre Dame students, the mascot and ROTC members would run into the end zone and do pushups after a touchdown. They also had “kids of the game” run on the field after a kickoff to remove the kickoff tee.

Aside from that, the gimmicks were pretty typical.

The 20-time national champion “Ladybirds” dance team performed. Specially themed cameras such as the “Future Cardinals Cam” for little kids and the “Bud Light Dilly Dilly Cam” for those drinking were played. The screens also projected a virtual noise measurer to try and get the crowd to be loud, and the University honored a current military serviceman.

Also of note in the game, the announcer could not pronounce Irish graduate student receiver Chris Finke’s last name properly, and senior quarterback Ian Book accidentally broke a Ladybird’s nose with a throwaway pass out of bounds. It certainly was an eventful opener.

While the game began with high hopes, which were only

fueled by Louisville taking a 14-7 lead in the first quarter, it was a disappointing conclusion to the opener for Card Nation. Fans began to leave in the fourth quarter with a score of 28-17 even before the Irish put the game away with another touchdown.

The Cardinals had five fumbles during the game, losing three of them, in what was the inevitable crumbling of an inexperienced team. Despite the collapse of the team in the second half, there are signs for optimism, according to Satterfield.

“I’m extremely proud of the way our guys played,” he said. “The fight and the energy they had was awesome to see. The one thing coming into this game that we didn’t know about was, when we face adversity, how these guys are going to react to it, and they did a great job.”

Last year, the problem for the Cardinals was that they quit when things took a downturn, and with their commitment, so went that of the fans. This is the first game in a long season, but the way the overmatched Cardinals performed is promising, as was the large contingent of Louisville faithful that stayed until the final seconds.

“I told our football team, ‘We’re not into moral victories, we’re trying to win football games,’” Satterfield said. “And we wanted to win bad tonight.

Despite all the odds and all this-and-that, we wanted to win bad.”

Card Nation feels the same.

Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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The observer | wednesday, september 4, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

ND WOmen’s Soccer | ND 4, St. John’s 0

Notre Dame wins 4th straight match

By LIAM COOLICAN Sports Writer

Notre Dame continued its positive momentum Sunday night, defeating St. John’s 4-0 at Alumni Stadium, their 4th consecutive win to begin the season. The Irish (4-0) stayed undefeated against their former Big East rivals, moving to 14-0 all-time against the Red Storm (1-3). Notre Dame controlled the game from start to finish, keeping possession of the ball for long stretches with clean, crisp passing.

St. John’s is a young team, starting five freshmen, and they did not attack very often in the first half. They packed the box with defenders, often having 10 players behind the ball, making it difficult for the Irish to get anything going offensively. At first, they seemed stymied. They fired cross after cross into the box, but all were defended well by the Red Storm.

St. John’s had a good chance

nd men’s soccer | nd 3, st. louis 2

Irish open season with victory against Billikens

early when a ball was passed through to freshman forward Isabelle Aviza in the eighth minute, who then only had the goalie to beat, but Irish sophomore goalkeeper Mattie Interian came up with a tackle to deny her. That was Interian’s only challenge of the game, as she did not have to make a single save. The Irish outshot the Red Storm 25-3, including 14 shots on target, while St. John’s had none. Notre Dame also possessed the ball for a solid 63% of the game, most of it in its own attacking half.

Head coach Nate Norman said he was pleased with his team’s effort.

“We found our rhythm early in the game. We really grew into the game; we were on the front foot and it gave us confidence to keep the ball,” he said. “Our spacing was very good, and we made sure we had good movement off the ball.”

ASHLEY HERNANDEZ | The Observer

In front of nearly 6,000 fans at Hermann Stadium in St. Louis on Saturday night, Notre Dame began their campaign to claim the program’s second national championship with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Billikens (0-1). Six players earned their first official caps in an Irish (1-0) uniform, including freshman starters defender Mohammad Abualnadi — who scored during his debut — and midfielder Michael Pellegrino.

Head coach Chad Riley said he was impressed by the resilience of his underclassmen and the squad as a whole in handling the team’s first big test.

“I think the team did a great job,” he said. “I think the young guys did a good job to start. I think St. Louis has one of the better college soccer

see W SOCCER PAGE 11

Irish junior defender Philip Quinton controls the ball during Notre Dame’s exhibition game against Valparaiso on March 23.

see M SOCCER PAGE 10

By GREG McKENNA Sports Writer

FOOTBALL

Football

Kelly discusses injuries, upcoming bye week

By CONNOR MULVENA

Sights and sounds of Louisville game Hayden Adams

Sports Editor

Associate Sports Editor

After No. 8 Notre Dame’s 35-17 victory over Louisville on Monday, Brian Kelly answered the media’s questions in his weekly post game teleconference.

Overall, Kelly expressed a positive attitude towards the younger and less-experienced players who stepped up in the game. He said the first-game jitters were noticeable, but he was pleased with the unit’s performance.

“I think from watching film — I don’t have all the grades from the coaches yet — but there were significant contributors in a positive way in a win against a team that played very well against us with a lot of energy,” Kelly said. “So from that perspective, when you go into a game where you have firsttime performers and the kind of environment that it was, I think obviously there were some first-time jitters for some see KELLY PAGE 9

EMMA FARNAN | The Observer

Irish sophomore wide receiver Lawrence Keys III extends for a catch during Notre Dame’s 35-17 win over Louisville on Monday.

Guys playing cornhole.

Others tossing a football.

Streets lined with cars and signs advertising parking.

Scalpers on street corners. The Goodyear Blimp overhead.

These were the goings-on outside of Cardinal Stadium before Notre Dame’s season opener at Louisville. It seemed to be a typical day for college football.

However, the University of Louisville, following an array of scandals and disappointments — being named in an FBI investigation of college basketball bribery; being sanctioned by the NCAA and losing head basketball coach Rick Pitino for hiring strippers to help recruit players; and university sponsor and founder of Papa John’s pizza John Schnatter being embroiled in a scandal over racist comments — looked to turn the tide of their misfortune on Labor Day. As a reporter for Notre Dame

football, I’ve grown accustomed to the hot-cold relationship people have with Notre Dame football: Everyone either loves or hates us; there seems to be no in between. At times, it can seem like only Notre Dame students, alumni, parents and possibly Catholics are the only people who don’t think the No. 8 Irish are overrated.

However, it turns out that a rival program, after reaching the pits of despair, can actually give Notre Dame some validation. The Cardinals, or “Card Nation” as they prefer, showed out in force, with a recordbreaking crowd filling the stadium for the season opener against the Irish.

These were not the apathetic fans disillusioned by former head football coach Bobby Petrino’s second tumultuous stint with the Cardinals. These were 50-some-odd-thousand fans, all dressed for a blackout, hoping and praying that their team could pull off a miracle upset to start head coach Scott see LOUISVILLE PAGE 11